Slave Trade the Industrial Revolution free essay sample

The Atlantic slave trade was a key driving force to the industrial revolution in Britain Britain experienced a huge industrial development from 1750 onwards. This development led to Britain being one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The changes and development happened at the same period of time that the slave trade was at its peak and Britain was one of the countries most heavily involved. Britain also played the biggest role in the trade out of any other European country. Is this merely coincidence or is there a connection between these two?Was the slave trade causing Britains growth in economy and industrial development? Seeing as the ports, such as the ports in Bristol and Liverpool became wealthy, more jobs were created, and individuals who became wealthy from the slave trade invested their money into the development of industries, it is safe to say that the Atlantic slave trade played the main role in the industrial revolution. We will write a custom essay sample on Slave Trade the Industrial Revolution or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page By the end of the 1 7th century an enormous amount of slaves were being transported by the British, twice as many slaves as their closest competitors, the Dutch. In the 18th century about 1 100 ships were fitted out in England for the slave trade. There are also estimates that about 3 million people were transported into slavery in the 18th century. Because of this, the economy benefited hugely and from the profits made, Britain was able to afford the development in the industry. In the triangular trade, things were beginning to be on demand from the British, such as glassware, copper and guns. The products sold to the people were sold at a about three times their original price meaning a huge profit was being made.The profits brought in had a ere positive effect on the economy growth. This therefore leads us to belief that the triangular trade played an important role in the rise of Britains economy. Many of the ports, such as Liverpool, became very wealthy during the slave trade. This was mainly because of the tax price on goods that were brought in and out of these ports. London and Bristol were the most important slave trading cities but were soon overtaken by Liverpool, which meant that Liverpool was making amazing profits from the trade. Liverpool soon became the largest slave trading port in the Atlantic slave trade system.From this, Liverpool gained a lot of money from taxes on imports and exports which was hugely beneficial to the economy. The government gained about 5% of their income from the taxes paid on these ports which meant that the slave trade was accumulating significant amounts if money. Many jobs were also created by the trade as dockworkers, slammers, sailors and ship reporters were needed. Because of the job increase, the economy grew because of taxes and there were fewer unemployed people. From all the money that was being accumulated from the slave trade, Britain as able to finance a lot of new technology, such as the steam engine.This proves that the slave trade was highly involved in the industrial revolution. Huge profits were being made by investors, merchants and plantation owners and they were investing these profits into banking, insurance and the development of industries which allowed Britain to develop and advance in technology. New machines and techniques also came with the revolution and it also had a revolutionary effect on farming and manufacturing goods. New factories were developed and the manufacture of cotton became very important and a lot of he cotton being supplied by Britain was produced by slave labor.The invention of the Steam engine soon followed the development in factories. It is one of the most famous inventions of the industrial revolution which was invented by James Watt. It was a new way to obtain energy and could be put to work in almost every industry. This invention was financed by the money made from the slave trade. It has been argued among many historians that the slave trade did not play a significant role in the Industrial revolution but as we study the evidence we re given it becomes clearer that it did in fact play a huge role.In the book by Eric William, Capitalism and Slavery, we understand this by a quote: The settlement of the new world by Europeans depended on the enslavement of millions of black people, who accumulated the money that brought about the industrial revolution. This statement proves the argument. It describes to us that the industrial revolution was built on and made possible by the money made because of the slave trade. British people are also coming to acknowledge that the slave trade did play a ITIL role in their development.An example of this is in Liverpool, a gallery is set up to commemorate their connection with the slave trade. This also indicates that the slave trade had a significant role in the development in the economy of Liverpool. If we study the evidence and sources it is transparent enough for us to see what effect the slave trade have on Britain. It not only created huge positive change in the economy but on the development if industries and inventions. It is therefore made clear that it was a key driving force in the industrial revolution.

Corporate Social Responsibility of Toyota †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Corporate Social Responsibility of Toyota. Answer: Introduction The report focuses on evaluating the CSR activities of Toyota and aims to understand its link with sustainability practices. It also aims to understand the manner in which the CSR activities conducted by Toyota contribute in mutually serving the interests of the firm and the different stakeholders. The report would also aim to reflect in how sustainability is given potential importance or is highlighted as an effective goal in the CSR activities of Toyota. About Toyota Toyota or Toyota Motor Corporation operates as a multinational automobile organisation based in Toyota at Aichi in Japan. Along with automobile, Toyota conducts its business along other segments like finance, biotechnology and also in the production of renewable energy resources among other functions. Toyota conducts its automobile business in terms of developing its network with around 190 global nations. The main markets for Toyotas automobile business are based along the Asian, European, and Japanese and also along the North American economy. Different types of passenger vehicles, minivans and also other types of commercial vehicles like trucks with also automobile parts and accessories are designed and manufactured by the company. In terms of financial services, Toyota aims at providing financial support to both dealers and customers interested in purchasing the vehicles produced by the firm. Toyota in recent times has also ventured into other segments like housing and also into the telecommunication sector. It has also launched a web portal to help users in gaining needed automobile related information from Gazoo.com(Reuters , 2017). CSR Practices of Toyota Toyota since its very foundation has been continually striving for meeting the sustainable needs of its stakeholders and the society at large. It focuses on the development of both innovative and quality vehicles that meets the objectives of both environmental sustainability and customer satisfaction. Toyota lends an open ear in understanding the needs, expectations and aspirations of its customers and also of members of other local communities such that the products manufactured effectively meet the needs of the individual customers, greater society and also the natural environment. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of the organisation is observed to act as an interpretation of the Guiding Principles of the firm aimed at sustaining effective relationship with its stakeholders(McIntosh Tanimoto, 2014). Toyota desires to operate as an organisation that is to be liked, admired and thereby trusted by the social members. It also aims to ensure that the internal members of the organisation acknowledge and act based on the CSR guidelines and policy. The CSR Policy of the firm is shared by Toyotasmanagement to its different subsidiaries such that the latter puts the policies into service and acts on such behalf. Toyota also expects the business partners of the firm to effectively embrace the spirit of the CSR Policy such that they tend to act on such basis. Toyota also participated in the formulation and development of the different standards outlined in the Charter of Corporate Behaviour of the Japanese Business Foundation. The foundation serves as an effective alliance of the different large Japanese Corporations(Toyota, 2016). The Preamble of the CSR Policy of Toyota focuses on enhancing the contribution for promoting sustainable development. Toyota Motor Corporation with all its different subsidiaries and business partners undertake a pledge for generating needed harmony and also in promoting sustainable development of both the social members and also of Mother earth in terms of the different activities conducted along diverse regions and countries based on the guiding principles of the firm. The CSR Policy of Toyota also mandates that the automobile company rightly fulfils the legislative and statutory requirements of diverse regional, local and international laws. It also aims in conducting the business operations with needed integrity and honesty(Basu, 2017). Further, Toyota also focuses on both building and sustaining effective relationship with its diverse stakeholder groups through the development of a fair and transparent communication system. The automobile company likely expects its other busines s partners to support the fairness and transparency of communications practiced at Toyota and also acts on such note(Toyota Global , 2012). The Seven Guiding Principles practiced at Toyota and also based on which the CSR Policy of the organisation is produced is reflected as under. An effective overview of the CSR activities conducted by Toyota is illustrated as follows. The CSR Committee was established by Toyota during October 2007 for helping in the effective coordination and promotion of CSR activities round the globe. Based on acting over the CSR Committee, Toyota had rendered different types of functions like ensuring of legal compliances, conducting of special contribution and also helped in promoting events and initiatives concerning environmental issues(Watkins, 2013). From 2015, increased focus is continually being undertaken by Toyotasmanagement in integrating the CSR approaches with themanagement functions of the firm and also for increasing of corporate value of the firm. Of late, the functions undertaken by the CSR Committee of the firm are transferred along two specific heads like the Corporate Planning and the Corporate Governance Meeting. The Corporate Planning Meeting is convened and conducted for discussing issues associated to growth and also for formulation of different business strategies while simultaneously focusing on the nee ds of the society(Toyota Global, 2016). The Governance Structure supervising the CSR activities conducted by Toyota is reflected as follows. CSR Practices for meeting Stakeholder Objectives Toyota focuses on effectively exceeding the expectations and needs of its customers and other stakeholder groups. It focuses on engaging the talent and also the passion of its diverse workforce for serving the needs of the society as outlined in the Global Vision of the organisation. The management of the automobile organisation focuses on listening to the needs and expectations of its diverse stakeholder groups and thereby responding in a proactive fashion. The following illustration effectively reflects the fashion in which Toyota meets different challenges pertaining to the different stakeholder groups. The management of the automobile company with the expansion of the company on a global scale was required to render needed care for improving the quality of life of the different social communities along regions where Toyota had set up its business. However, in cases where the interests between the Japanese and other global communities faced some conflicts the interest of the Japanese members were given greater priority(Toyota , 2016). Sustainability Practices at Toyota The sustainability activities of Toyota are diverse in nature. Toyota while operating along its main business line focuses on the development of environment friendly automobiles like hybrid cars and vehicles. Further, the company also contributes in the generation of different mechanisms for generating both active and passive safety to the customers. Similarly, Toyota also operates along other business or activity segments like biotechnology, renewable energy and also in areas like afforestation. Again, different initiatives are undertaken in the domain of environmental needs for contributing directly to the society. Toyota also promotes education to commuters regarding traffic and environmental safety such that the same contributes in the development of a healthier and environmentally aware happier society. During 2012, the sale of hybrid cars manufactured by Toyota is observed to reach the one millionth marks. Further, hybrid models were also developed for rear wheel vehicles that effectively meet the needs of both environmental performances while also contributes in generating greater output. Sustainable growth is focused on being rendered by Toyota in terms of developing effective vehicles, enriching the lives of different communities and social members finally through meeting of the Toyota Values(Toyota, 2016). The sustainable growth mechanism for Toyota is illustrated as follows. Further, in terms of sustainability Toyota focuses on addressing six key challenges that are outlined as under. -Toyota aims at reducing the level of Carbon Dioxide emissions by around 90 percent towards the end of 2050. -It aims at reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions along its production, logistics, disposal of waste and finally along its recycled segment -Toyota focuses on reducing the level of carbon dioxide emissions through the introduction and incorporation of effective technologies and also through the avid exploration and adapting of renewable energy sources. -The automobile company focuses on reducing the wastage of water resources while also contributes in purifying the used water before returning the same to earth. -Toyota also focuses on generating recycled products and aims in the development of a recycling-based social communities. -Finally, Toyota aims at developing an effective harmony between people resources, the automobile firm and the environment at large(Toyota, 2017). Conclusions The report reflects that sustainability is considered as a primary objective in the CSR activities of Toyota. It also reflects the manner in which the CSR activities conducted by Toyota rightly contribute in meeting the needs of diverse stakeholders while also highlighting the issue of conflicts regarding stakeholder interests. Information is gained through consulting different sustainability and CSR reports of Toyota such that different diagrams are incorporated for elucidation purposes References Basu, S. (2017). Corporate Purpose: Why It Matters More Than Strategy. New York : Taylor and Francis. McIntosh, M., Tanimoto, K. (2014). Japanese Approaches to CSR: A Special Theme Issue of The Journal of Corporate Citizenship (Issue 56). United Kingdom : Greenleaf Publishing . Reuters . (2017). Toyota Motor Corp (TM). Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile/TM Toyota . (2016). Stakeholder Engagement . Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/society/stakeholder/ Toyota. (2016). CSR Basic Philosophy. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/csr/csr/ Toyota. (2017). Environment . Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/environment/ Toyota Global . (2012). Toyota's CSR Initiatives . Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/report/archive/sr13/pdf/sr13_p06_p07.pdf Toyota Global. (2016). Corporate Principles . Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/csr/csr/sdb16_01_en.pdf Toyota. (2016). Sustainability Data Book 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/csr/csr/sdb16_01_en.pdf Watkins, D. B. (2013). Where's My Dog? the Search for Honest Leadership. United States : David B. Watkins

Employment Observation Sample Essay

Employment Observation Sample EssayAn employment observation sample essay can be a great source of inspiration for writing your own. Employers that conduct informal job interviews often use a sample resume to get an idea of what a candidate is really like, and one of the best things about this is that it's free!I'm not talking about an employee who is in a retirement home or who works from home, but someone who has been offered a job. Most people remember being interviewed for their dream job by a stranger who talked for many minutes at a time and didn't ask any questions about your previous employment. This type of employment observation is typical because it's very rare to have a job offer to come from someone who doesn't know you well enough to give you much information.A job interview is usually just two or three minutes long, so there is a limited amount of time that you will be able to get to talk to the employer about yourself, your experiences, and the company you are applyin g to. It's no wonder that there is so much information that most people don't remember right away - it's very hard to think about the things that you did on your recent past! Fortunately, an employment observation sample essay is an opportunity to relay a lot of information in only a few minutes.The goal is to make sure that you get as much information out of the employer about you, your previous employment, and your work history as possible. Try to use as much of your time as possible talking about you, your work experience, and what you would bring to the company that they might be interested in hiring. In most cases, you will be asked not only to relay your work history, but also your experience with the company itself. There will be no actual meetings, but a small conversation and an outline of your job history.Even if you don't have a formal resume, you will be able to use a sample essay to put together a resume that is useful to the employer, that are short, and that isn't fil led with any unnecessary details that you may not have had previously. The essay can also help you get prepared for the actual interview, so that you're not just bringing a bunch of cover letters and resume material, which won't impress anyone either.So how do you write an employment observation sample essay? You should begin by identifying the areas of expertise that you have that could be valuable to the employer. Look at a couple sample resumes for the job that you are applying for and try to see where the knowledge, qualifications, and skills that are listed in those samples match up to what you already have.Once you've done this, you should then try to turn those skills and qualities into a resume that you can use as a guideline for what the employer might be looking for. While the resume needs to be short and to the point, you need to provide all of the relevant information in a brief manner so that it is clear to the employer what you can and cannot do.And finally, after you' ve written your own sample, be sure to make it easy for the employer to download and fill out on their own. This will give them a chance to get the most out of the experience you have had and will make sure that the interview will go smoothly.

Jonathan Edwards Essays - Hell, Christian Eschatology,

Jonathan Edwards The Puritan man must tread lightly and avoid sins in order to enter the good graces of God. Otherwise, the undeserving man will plunge by God's own hand into the pits of hell. Mercy is not easy to come by and those sinners who are not embraced by the kingdom of Heaven will live in eternal, painful misery. Jonathan Edwards' sermon was obviously not intended to encourage his congregation, but to frighten them into good, pure submission. He sears his point onto their brains by using extensive figurative language, including multiple gothic metaphors and similes. For example, Edwards repeatedly preaches about how each man walks on God's thin hand, which is all that holds the man above the fiery lakes of Hell. If the man becomes or is a sinner, God releases the man into Hell, not because of His wrath, but because the man has chosen his own path by his sins. Edwards' God seems, in fact, to be somewhat indifferent towards the fate of each human and only releases or embraces the man when his actions warrant it. God plays no part in the fate of men. ?Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards Hell.? Edwards implies that no matter how righteous or healthy a man is, wickedness counts for more in the eyes of an angry God. Each transgression adds weight to the sinner's shoulders, and when God releases the man to Hell's fiery depths, his good qualities weaken under the burden of the sins and can no longer hold him out of the pits of Hell. Edwards compares the fragility of a man's righteousness and the weight of his sins to a spider's web trying to hold up a heavy rock. Both are futile attempts that will only end in the rock's fast descent to the earth. Whatever the situation, no man wants to suffer the wrath of God. According to Edwards, ?the wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present,? rising higher and higher until they are released and flow slowly over. As the water continues to fl ow, it becomes stronger and more powerful to the point where it overcomes the lives of men. However, until evil and wickedness surface in Puritan society, His vengeance remains trapped behind His hand, rising and gathering, much like the guilt of sinners. If God decides to release His floodgate, all dishonorable men will be swallowed by wrath and descend to fire and brimstone. Edwards reiterates that his God acts on whim, sometime merciful, sometimes cruel and pitiless. In fact, Edwards says, ?it is nothing but His mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction.? Not only do Edwards' uses of figurative language contribute to the black mood of his sermon, they enhance it. His sermon was meant to instill terror in the hearts of his congregation, and as he spoke of Hell, brimstone, and a merciless God, his audience could probably see the dark clouds of guilt above their heads. Edwards was a powerful, persuasive speaker, and each dark metapho r created fear that was great enough to convince his audience never stray off of the path to the gates of Heaven. The Puritans seemed to be greatly concerned with guilt and an entrance to Heaven, so Edwards stressed that mercy is hard to come by from a God who sees his creations only as worthless insects who are easily dropped into eternal misery. Most importantly, when the day of judgement actually arrives, many sinners will be left behind, or, as Edwards described it, dropped from the hand of God into Hell. In conclusion, the Puritans had a very thin line to walk between righteousness and wickedness, and it was necessary to tread on the line very lightly. Barely moving onto the evil side of this moral line could plunge a man into shame, possibly getting him shunned from both his village and the gates of Heaven. Jonathan Edwards knew exactly how to herd his frightened congregation onto the pure side of the imaginary line entirely through the use of black, horrific, figurative langu age. The

Information Retrieval Methods

Information Retrieval Methods Introduction The people attic trust is a complex storage and retrieval project featuring widely varying forms of media spanning several decades’ worth of information embedded in different forms of technological media.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Information Retrieval Methods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of them feature single modes of data storage while some contain many forms of media. Some of it is text, while a lot of it falls under the multimedia category. The challenge of organising it into retrievable formats and subsequently availing the information to a wide audience through an Information Retrieval mechanism is daunting. Fortunately, several tools already exist to tackle this kind of challenge. The primary goal of the project is to document the existence of the media, to describe them adequately and to make their future retrieval possible. This report focuses on the retrieval issues of t he project. It presents the range of options available for organising the retrieval system and, evaluates them, and finally recommends the most appropriate configuration for the system. Different types of IR systems Components of an Information Retrieval (IR) system An Information Retrieval system has four basic components. They are a database, a search mechanism, a language, and an interface to provide interaction between the user and the system. According to Chu (2005, p.15), databases â€Å"comprise information represented and organised in a certain manner†. In other words, a database is an organised storage system that allows for the searching of items in it using preset criteria. The search mechanism is the system that allows for the searching of the database for the retrieval of the information stored in it. The degrees of complexity of query methods applied vary depending on the technical capacity of the user accessing the database. The third component of an Informatio n Retrieval system is language, which can be either the â€Å"natural language or a controlled vocabulary† (Chu, 2005, p.16). Chu (2005, p.16) notes that, â€Å"information relies on language, spoken or written, when being processed, transferred, or communicated†. The final component of an Information Retrieval system is the user interface. This is the point of interaction between the user and the system. Its user friendliness will determine in many cases the propensity of users to apply it. More than anything else, it determines the usefulness and eventual success of an Information Retrieval system. Categorisation of items in attic Items in the attic are of various forms, which fall into four categories. There are text-based items, image based media, streamed media applications and multimedia applications. Text-based items use words as the basic mode of information storage. Text based media in this collection include poems, manuscripts for performance art, and newspap er clippings. Image based applications rely on picture elements to store information.Advertising Looking for report on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Each picture element, called a pixel, has a different identity describing its color and its intensity, which when collectively combined with other pixels, describes a given image. Image based applications in the collection include, photographic materials held in CD-ROMs and hard drives, and 35mm film negatives. Others are paintings and old maps. These will require digitisation if they will be retrieved from a computerized Information Retrieval system. Streamed media applications are those that have a time component, necessary for the correct interpretation of the data. Distorting the timeline distorts the information in them. Streamed media applications available in the collection include the audio recordings like the music and sound clips in .wav and .mp3 format. Speech and music on audio cassettes and vinyl records also exist in the collection. These forms will require digitisation if they are to be made available to a wide audience. Finally, multimedia applications use a combination of media to present information. In the collection, multimedia applications include video in digital format, and on tape, and the reels of film. Text Based Retrieval Systems A text-based retrieval system will aid the retrieval of the text-based media in the collection. Some of the media rely on analogue technologies, which complicate storage in the media storage available to the public, who are intended beneficiaries of the project. The text-based materials found in the collection will require digitisation. The key advantage of text-based retrieval is that the technology is mature, and hence enjoys a great degree of format standardisation. It presents fewer compatibility problems between different types of software. Where this problem arises, numerous options f or conversion exist to allow retrieval in a desired format. Its weakness lays in its use of letters and words as the basic data storage and retrieval unit. So far, many of the retrieval methods available for text retrieval do not take into account the semantic elements of a query. They rely on word match, and hence most search systems may not return relevant content based on their meaning, but will return content that closely matches the phrase used as search query. Advanced systems allow for contextual search, which employ thesauri to identify words with closely related meanings, thereby improving the semantic elements of a search. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Information Retrieval Methods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 1: Multimedia information retrieval system architecture Multimedia Retrieval Systems On the other hand, multimedia retrieval systems use different means of identifying information that match a search query. A multimedia Information Retrieval system will comfortably handle search queries for image-based applications and for streamed media applications. Multimedia search queries employ elements usable for each of the image-based applications and streamed media applications. Multimedia Information Retrieval is still relatively young. It has many compatibility problems owing to the different formats used for presentation of media type of the same nature. For instance in the collection, there are .wav and .mp3 files, which are all audio formats. The reason for this is that there is greater functionality derived from each type of new format. The newer formats regularly lack backward compatibility. They main constraints that drive the use of different formats include maximisation of storage space, or preservation of media quality. However, the design of many media players for streamed media applications and for image-based applications takes into account these constrain ts. They regularly include capacity to handle different media types and a format inter-conversion facility. The crux remains having the latest version of a media player, which will be able to present the latest file formats. Requirements for an IR system Comparison of Requirements for Text Based IR Systems and Multimedia IR Systems Retrieval systems require a means to identify the information source, which a search mechanism can latch on to in order to identify the media from a database. This is about as far as the similarity between the two types of retrieval systems go. Text based Information Retrieval system rely on matching the text in the files to the search query in the database to identify a document, while multimedia Information Retrieval systems rely on a range of elements to identify relevant media carrying the required information. This includes text elements such as an assigned name for the media in the database. It is possible to search for a film from a database using the film name, on condition that the name is on the file carrying the film. Other locators for multimedia files include duration of media and file format of the media. These are useful in narrowing down a search query. Main Solutions Available to Designers of IR System The availability of searchable information from the attic trust is dependent on the digitisation of all records currently in the collection, and to some degree, the standardisation of formats to ease retrieval. There will be need to either type or by using scanning software, to digitise the text-based items in the collection. Typing will allow for a greater degree of freedom in the presentation of the information because it will make formatting possible to achieve the best possible output for users. It will however lead to a loss of authenticity since the items are antiques, and their appeal remains in appearing in their original format. For users seeking information for semantic purposes, reformatted presentation wil l meet their needs best because of better presentation.Advertising Looking for report on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Those who are seeking the information for sentimental purposes will best appreciate the original presentation. To retain the original look, a digitised image of the text will provide the best option. The quickest way to achieve this is through scanning without text recognition. This will actually transform the material into an ‘image’ presenting text, and not pictures. The implication is that text retrieval methods will not apply. Preservation of the rest of the information will also require digitisation. The most crucial factor is the format to use in the process. Conversion technologies from tape to digital data exist for both audio and video tapes. The storage of physical artifacts like the sculptures for mass presentation will require the taking digital pictures for storage in the database. Another option is the presentation of three-dimensional representations through animation of the photos, or making short films of the objects, which adds the possibility of addin g sound clips. Animation allows for greater user interaction while filming allows for the addition of details through voice, enriching the experience. Again, the format to apply depends on the nature of user. For the arts lover, an animated clip over which he can exercise control over the image to get desired views will be suitable. For the inquisitive semantic user, a video clip with a sound clip giving background information on the artifact will be ideal. As Jalal (2001, p.6) observes, â€Å"Speech can introduce, give summary, stimulate, and tell†. Audio data presents the fewest presentation challenges since the auditory experience does not vary much between users. Provided the data presentation takes on a widely accessible format, there should be no major technical challenges. Different Methods of Representation There are two key types of Information Retrieval systems. Belkin (n.d.) identifies them as, â€Å"retrospective or ad-hoc† and, the second type, â€Å"Info rmation filtering or routing†. Retrospective systems fulfill one time information needs which taper off after meeting the need. These include information from e-books, news articles, online magazines, or information websites. Information filtering includes those accessed regularly because they have high utility levels. These include websites with changing information such as weather patterns, stock prices and maps services. There are some key issues to consider when setting up the database based on the methods available for representation. The issue of what language to use across the database is critical. Two ways of approaching language exist. One of them is to use natural language of the users, which forms the basis for the search queries, while the second approach is to use a controlled vocabulary. If the trust adopts natural language for the Information Retrieval system, then users will have an easier time interacting with the database since they do not have to learn the c ontrolled vocabulary of the database. They will however be faced with ambiguity and irrelevance problems. If the trust adopts a controlled vocabulary, users will first have to learn the language after which they will have better results for their search queries. Tedd et al. (2005 p.39) stresses that, â€Å"it is necessary for users to have the requisite skills to obtain relevant information quickly and effectively†. There will be need to use indexing across the database. This involves assigning words or specific phrases to each item in the database. The trust may use descriptors of free indexing depending on whether the language adopted is the natural language of the users, or a controlled vocabulary. Categorisation will involve developing categories for all the items in the collection. Chu (2005) proposes that useful categories must be â€Å"exhaustive† (p.29) and â€Å"mutually exclusive† (p. 29). This means that all items in the collection must have an assign ed category and that no two categories should have an area of overlap. Techniques for summarisation improve the query function for text-based applications. It involves providing a user with brief information relating to a body of text. The techniques include the use of abstracts, summaries, or extracts. Abstracts provide the readers with a broad view of the text and can act as a substitute for the text. It only lacks in detail. A summary assumes that the reader will read the whole document so it excludes portions such as background, the methodology, and purpose. An extract on the other hand is an actual piece of the document, cut out to provide a snapshot of an actual portion of the document. Each of these methods has their advantages and their challenges and applies in different circumstances. Querying refers to the interrogation of a database using a language. Nordbotten (2008) says, â€Å"Query language will always provide specification of the selection criteria for the desired information for the remaining processes† in the information retrieval process. The key aspect for designing a query system is to determine the degree of semantic querying necessary for ideal user experience. Challenges include the management of synonyms, which might require processing of the query, hence reducing speed of the system, and increasing the design and management costs. A simplified query system that matches input to metadata and similar phrases provides large volumes of output giving the user a more difficult time in sifting through the data, which may compromise user experience. Use of metadata, can potentially improve search results as it expands the possible ways of accessing a document. Implications of Using IR systems The most appropriate system for the project will include two sections. One of them is preservation of the physical artifacts that contain the information that requires preservation in a museum. The second section is the development of a digital l ibrary or digital museum that will enable users from different parts of the world interested in the trust’s activities to interact with the materials. Arms (2001, p.4) points out that, â€Å"a digital library brings the information to the user’s desk, either at work or at home†. The most appropriate Information Retrieval system will be one that uses natural language, since the trust targets a worldwide audience, as opposed to a limited vocabulary system. Keywords in the process assist in refining queries. The trust should also prefer to use methods of storage that will present the artifacts in their natural condition since this is the main appeal in viewing artifacts. Later on, the trust may consider storage methods applicable to semantic users who are seeking meaning, especially for educational purposes out of the information. In particular, the trust needs to digitise its entire collection. This involves conversion of audio files to multiple digital formats.mp 3 format will be useful if the objective is to conserve storage space. It is also widely playable on most media players. Figure 2: Accessing a Digital library (Techweb, n.d). Discretion will be required for text-based media. Some of them will require preservation in digital format by scanning with text recognition, to allow formatting. This will apply to manuscripts and poems. Others may be stored as images though scanning without text recognition. These include the newspaper clippings and poems. Digital photographs of physical artifacts such as sculptures will aid the development of animated collections. This is easier to handle compared to multimedia items. The multimedia items in the collection will require widely varying file formats for effective retrieval. The option of developing a unique media player for the trust requires consideration. This will solve the compatibility problems in the interim because it will use a single format and will potentially reduce administration c osts. Reference List Arms, W. Y., 2000. Digital Libraries. USA: MIT Press. Belkin, J. N., n.d. User Modeling in Information Retrieval. New Jersey: Rutgers University. Web. Chu, H., 2003. Information Retrieval and Presentation in the Digital Age. NewJersey: Information Today, Inc. Jalal S.K., 2001. â€Å"Multimedia Database: content and structure†. Workshop on Multimedia and Internet Technologies. Documentation Research and Training Centre, Bangalore. Web. Kang, K., 1999. Development of a Multimedia Information Retrieval Architecture with Integrated Image Information Retrieval Technique, digital image, Multimedia Technical lab, Korea Telecom. Web. Nordbotten, J. C. 2008. Multimedia Information Retrieval Systems. Web. Techweb. n.d. Accessing a digital library. Digital image, R.V. College of Engineering. Web. Tedd L.A., Large A., Large J.A., 2005. Digital Libraries: principles and practice in a global environment. Mà ¼nchen: K.G.Saur Verlag GmbH.

Ethics In The Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics In The Workplace - Essay Example The worst thing about Bob’s act in cheating the old man is lowering the belief in the basic nature of a fellow human being. Part C: Yes, it is very important to keep a word of promise, irrespective of whether the promisee is known or not or whether we see that person again or not. Failure to keep a promise is an act of cheating that is violating the other person’s right not to be abused. For the person indulging in cheating, it also involves living with that guilt feeling forever and consequently suffering a loss of self-esteem. While deciding on the policy with its ethical implications, I would be guided by not sentimental or political considerations but by the consequential results of my action. The larger question would then be: Will doing business in China, albeit with censored version of services, lead to opening a window of opportunity, however small an opening it may be, for the people of China? Most certainly it does. According to Google’s policy, politically unacceptable information would be blocked out and the viewer informed of the same. This act by itself and the frequency with which such blockades take place are most likely to be a source of embarrassment to the authorities who can be expected to slacken the controls – in other words, open the window a little more. Thus, Google’s policy, while being Utilitarian morally, also has the desirable objective of contributing to the common good of the customers in the longer run. iii). ‘Ends do not always justify means’ is my new perception, after the lessons. In personal life or professional life, even when difficult decisions are to be taken, I would act in as transparent a manner as possible to make my objective clear and ethically

Problems of Managing Joint Ventures in China Essay

Problems of Managing Joint Ventures in China - Essay Example The enterprises are busy in making their products and services more and more attractive for the consumers all around the world. They make changes in their products and services in order to meet the requirements of their culture and society. The cultural changes, throughout the world, act as a strong challenge to the enterprises. Efficient cross culture management can guarantee flourishing worldwide operation of international enterprises in the multi-culture and region. The worldwide business dealings are also flourishing in Chinese enterprises. Chinese enterprises have made it an aim to progress and make their name all around the world. Chinese enterprises are making progress in their fields of expertise to promote their abilities and talents throughout the world market. Foreign companies have been working in China for many years, frequently by joint ventures with local firms and usually in the more developed coastal areas. Nowadays, however, Government is now developing the areas with poor infrastructure and encouraging investment in those areas. The poor infrastructure, illiterate public and employers with less knowledge about market economy concepts made it very difficult for the firms existing there and even for th e firms making joint ventures to progress. In the central Shaanxi province, fifty four interviews were planned with the managers in twenty four join ventures clearly shows the prospective hazard in the way of a thriving join venture. As Chinese market is becoming the centre of attention of more and more foreign investors the pitfalls of Chinese market, management and hurdles in its way to success are given proper thought and suggestions are made to solve these problems (Ahlstrom et al. 2003; Beamish, 1993; Child, 1994; Goodall and Warner, 1999; Peng, 2000). It is already known that in the previous twenty five years, almost 85 percent foreign firms, located in China, are sited along the Coastal belt of China (SSB, various years). Since late 1990s, the Chinese government is busy in the developmental process of the areas with weak infrastructure and poor growth rate in order to get rid of the local regional differences. "The Great Western Development Strategy (xibu da kaifa)" was commenced in 1999 with a motive to encourage local and international investment in the country. It was a categorical effort to increase investment in those regions of China, mainly in need but least likely to attract support on their own. U nder its persuasion, an increasing number of foreign firms and joint ventures entered in the underdeveloped hinterland. In 2002, 31,822 foreign ventures had been set up in China's 18 interior districts and one municipality (SSB, 2003, p.678). All the regions carry some importance. In the same way, China's interior is of great importance, without development of those regions China wouldn't be able to progress in the international market. All facilities and technologies must be equally provided in the underdeveloped regions. For this reason, under the 7th Five Year Plan (FYP) (1981-1985), China's economies were separated in to three regions, namely, the Eastern region, the middle region and the Western region (Linge and Forbes, 1990, p.68 and Chen, 2000, pp.9-10; Wei. 2000, p. 1). Traditionally, the Middle and the Western areas have been considered as one large part, the interior (Chen, 2000, p. 10 and Wei, 2000, p. 1). As stated in the 7th Five Year