The Chomsky On Language Acquisition English Language Essay

The Chomsky On Language Acquisition English Language Essay By figuring out how to learn Bruner accepts that one canâ transfer what was found out from oneâ situationâ to another. Long lasting learning is firmly connected with this idea. Interactionist Theory and ESL How does the Interactionist Theory fit in with ESL in a study hall? At the point when confronted with learning English as a subsequent language, the understudy is basically a newborn child. They can't speak with the educator aside from through non-verbal correspondence. Hence, it is dependent upon the instructor to go about as the grown-up in the newborn child grown-up relationship. The individual in question is liable for driving all connection from the outset, and as the understudy turns out to be progressively acquainted with the English language and ready to impart, the control of the communication can be surrendered a piece and the understudies can assume greater responsibility for their own language learning. Likewise, if understudies are urged to try different things with the language and discover that it is alright to commit errors, they will have the option to find for themselves how to consolidate words and expressions to frame full sentences and discoursed. Chomsky on Language Acquisition Noam Chomsky proposed that the component of the language obtaining is gotten from the inborn procedures. Intrinsic is something which is as of now there at the top of the priority list since birth. The hypothesis proposed by Chomsky is demonstrated by the kids living in same phonetic network. Besides, they are not impacted by the outer encounters which realize the practically identical language structure. He in this way proposed his hypothesis on language securing in 1977 as all youngsters share the equivalent inner limitations which describe barely the sentence structure they are going to develop. He likewise suggested that we all live in an organic world, and as per him, mental world is no special case. He additionally accepts that as there are phases of improvement for different pieces of the body,â language developmentâ can likewise be accomplished up to a particular age. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN CHILDREN I.INTRODUCTION Language procurement is one of the focal points in psychological science. Each hypothesis of comprehension has attempted to clarify it; most likely no other theme has excited such contention. Having a language is the quintessentially human quality: every single typical human talk, no nonhuman creature does. Language is the primary vehicle by which we think about different people groups musings, and the two must be personally related. Each time we talk we are uncovering something about language, so the realities of language structure are anything but difficult to get a hold of; these information allude to an arrangement of exceptional multifaceted nature. In any case, learning a first language is something each youngster does effectively, in a matter of a couple of years and without the requirement for formal exercises. With language so near the center of being human, it isn't astounding that childrens procurement of language has gotten so much consideration. Anybody with solid perspe ctives about the human brain might want to show that childrens initial hardly any means are steps the correct way. II. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION THEORIES Language procurement is the procedure by which the language capacity creates in a human. First language securing concerns the advancement of language in youngsters, while second language obtaining centers around language improvement in grown-ups also. In this paper, we are focussed on the main language procurement which worries in the advancement of language in youngsters. Nativist speculations hold that youngsters are brought into the world with a natural affinity for language procurement, and that this capacity makes the errand of learning a first language simpler than it would some way or another be. These concealed suppositions permit youngsters to rapidly make sense of what is and isnt conceivable in the punctuation of their local language, and permit them to ace that sentence structure by the age of three. Nativists see language as a principal part of the human genome, as the quality that makes people human, and its securing as a characteristic piece of development, the same as dolphins figuring out how to swim or larks figuring out how to sing. Chomsky initially hypothesized that youngsters were brought into the world with a hard-wired language securing gadget (LAD) in their minds. He later extended this thought into that of Universal Grammar, a lot of inborn standards and movable boundaries that are basic to every single human language. As indicated by Chomsky, the nearness of Universal Grammar in the cerebrums of youngsters permits them to derive the structure of their local dialects from insignificant introduction. The Language Acquisition Device (LAD) is a hypothesized organ of the mind that should work as an intrinsic gadget for learning emblematic language (i.e., language securing). The LAD idea is a segment of the nativist hypothesis of language which rules contemporary proper etymology, which attests that people are brought into the world with the sense or intrinsic office for gaining language. Chomsky roused the LAD speculation by what he saw as immovable multifaceted nature of language procurement, refering to the thought of interminable utilization of limited methods proposed by Wilhelm von Humboldt. At the time it was considered (1957-1965), the LAD idea was in exacting complexity to B.F. Skinners conduct brain research which accentuated standards of learning hypothesis, for example, old style and operant molding and impersonation over natural inclination. The interactionist hypothesis of Jerome Bruner and Jean Piaget later accentuated the significance of the connection among organic and social (nature and support) parts of language securing. Chomsky (1965) set out an intrinsic language diagram which gives the premise to the childs procurement of a language. The obtaining procedure happens notwithstanding the constrained idea of the essential phonetic information (PLD, the information signals got) and the savage nature (visit off base utilization, expressions of halfway sentences) of that information. Given this destitution of the upgrade, a language procurement model requires various parts. Right off the bat, the youngster must have a method for speaking to include signals and, also, a method of speaking to basic data about them. Thirdly, there must be some underlying delimitation of the class of conceivable language structure speculations. Fourthly, the kid requires a strategy for figuring out what every one of these theories suggests as for each sentence. At long last, an extra technique is required by which the youngster can choose which speculation is good with the PLD. Furnished with this blessing, first language learning is clarified as performed by a Language Acquisition Device advancing through the accompanying stages: 1. The gadget look through the class of language structure speculations and chooses those good with input signals and auxiliary data drawn from the PLD. 2. The gadget at that point tests the similarity utilizing the information on ramifications of every speculation for the sentences. 3. One theory or syntax is chosen as being good with the PLD. 4. This language structure furnishes the gadget with a technique for deciphering sentences (by temperance of its ability for inside speaking to auxiliary data and applying the punctuation to sentences). Through this procedure the gadget builds a hypothesis of the language of which the PLD are an example. Chomsky contends that along these lines, the youngster comes to know significantly more than she has gotten the hang of, procuring information on language, which goes a long ways past the introduced essential phonetic information and is in no sense an inductive speculation from these information. In certain perspectives on language obtaining, the LAD is thought to get inaccessible after a particular age the basic time frame speculation (i.e., is dependent upon maturational requirements). Chomsky has step by step surrendered the LAD for a boundary setting model of language procurement (standards and boundaries). A great part of the nativist position depends on the early age at which kids show competency in their local language structures, just as the manners by which they do (and don't) make mistakes. Newborn children are brought into the world ready to recognize phonemes in insignificant sets, recognizing bah and pah, for instance. Little youngsters (younger than three) don't talk in full fledged sentences, rather making statements like need treat or my jacket. They don't, in any case, make statements like need my or I treat, proclamations that would break the syntactic structure of the Phrase, a segment of widespread syntax. Kids additionally appear to be astoundingly safe from mistake adjustment by grown-ups, which Nativists state would not be the situation if kids were gaining from their folks. III. Analysis AND ALTERNATIVE THEORIES Non-nativist speculations incorporate the opposition model, functionalist phonetics, utilization based language securing, social interactionism and others. Social-interactionists, similar to Snow, hypothesize that grown-ups have a significant impact in childrens language obtaining. In any case, a few specialists guarantee that the exact information on which hypotheses of social interactionism are based have regularly been over-agent of white collar class American and European parent-youngster collaborations. Different anthropological investigations of other human societies, just as episodic proof from western families, recommends rather that many, if not the lion's share, of the universes youngsters are not addressed in a way much the same as customary language exercises, however by the by grow up to be completely familiar language clients. Numerous scientists currently consider in their examinations. Those language specialists who don't concur with Chomsky point to a few issues: 1. Chomsky separates among capability and execution. Execution is the thing that individuals really state, which is frequently ungrammatical, while ability is the thing that they instinctually think about the sentence structure of their language and this is pretty much compared with the Universal Grammar. Chomsky concentrates upon this part of language he along these lines overlooks the things that individuals really state. The issue here is that he depends upon people groups I

Use of Satire in Kurt Vonneguts Cats Cradle :: Kurt Vonnegut Cats Cradle Essays

Utilization of Satire in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle Kurt Vonnegut said in The Vonnegut Statement (1973), in a meeting with Robert Scholes, that one of his explanations behind composing is to harm minds with humanity†¦to urge them to improve a world (107). This thought works very well in Vonnegut's book, Cat's Cradle. It is a mocking story of a man's mission to compose a book about the day the world finished (refering to the day the nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima), which he never wraps up. What we get is a crude glance at people attempting urgently to discover a feeling of direction in their lives through various methods, for example, religion, science, and so forth. Vonnegut utilizes parody that is both dim and diverting to seek after this point. A genuine model is found in the preface of the book where he states, Nothing in this book is valid. 'Live by the foma [Harmless untruths] that make you bold and kind and sound and cheerful.' Bokonon, we learn, is a religion that is comprised of mixed falsehoods (12). Truth was the adversary of the individuals, in light of the fact that the reality of the situation was so horrendous, so Bokonon [the maker of the religion] made it his business to furnish the individuals with better and better lies (118). We additionally discover that science takes the contrary supposition. One of the men who built up the nuclear bomb lets us know, The more truth we need to work with, the more extravagant we become (36). I think one thing that Vonnegut is attempting to show us is that man also effectively acknowledges things as substantial without addressing. Refering to this, Newt, another character, says, No big surprise kids grow up insane. A feline's support is only a lot of X's between someone's hands, and little children look and look and take a gander at each one of those X's†¦No damn feline, and no damn support (114). Feline's Cradle is brimming with these sorts of harms about religion and science, yet in addition about numerous other human frailties also. As it were, Vonnegut is holding a mirror (that shrouds no defects) up to mankind all together that humankind may see its own the habit and worthlessness and along these lines be affected to attempt to improve. I believe Vonnegut's expectation is that this book will permit individuals to giggle at themselves while likewise making them consider how they are coordinating their own lives.

Learn about SIPA this summer COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Learn about SIPA this summer COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Right now, its prime weather for walking along the waterfront off Riverside Drive to your favorite bistro before heading across town with your friends for an afternoon at one of the dozens of museums in the city.  And the sun warms the sidewalks just enough for your eyes to catch a glimpse of that heat-haze coming off the pavement. Hence, its clearly  summertime in NYC.   At SIPA, that  means the hallways and classrooms at the International Affairs Building are eerily quiet. We prefer it that way because it gives us uninterrupted time to focus our attention on our prospective students (yes, you!). So while classes may not be in session, now is a great time to learn more about SIPA  by attending  a  virtual or in-person information session, which I invite you to do. No,  I  urge  you to attend an information session because its the best opportunity youll have to learn more about the admissions process. (Check out the list below.) During these sessions, you may  ask any question you have about the MIA, MPA and MPA-DP programs. (I promise you that no question is too basic  or too bold, so come prepared to address all of your concerns!) Youre also invited to join us for Summerfest NYC 2015 on July 16, 2015. Its an event where we team up with  alumni, students and staff from five top graduate programs in international affairs so you may  learn  about our graduate programs and network with professionals in  the field. Take a look at our upcoming campus events below, and click on the corresponding event to register today. I look forward to meeting you either online or in person! SIPA MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Information Session Monday, June 22 at 6:00 PM SIPA Admissions Financial Aid Office New York, NY SIPA MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Information SessionFriday, June 26 at 12:00 PMColumbia University School of International and Public Affairs New York, NY SIPA MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Information Session Friday, July 10 at 12:00 PM Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs New York, NY SIPA MIA MPA Virtual Information Session Tuesday, July 14 at 3:00 PM Summerfest NYC 2015 Thursday, July 16 at 5:30 PM Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs New York, NY SIPA MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Information Session Friday, July 24 at 12:00 PM Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs New York, NY SIPA MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Information Session Friday, July 31 at 12:00 PM Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs New York, NY Click here for more on-campus events. And check the blog frequently, because Ill share our recruiting event schedule in the coming weeks.

Victorias Secret Marketing Plan - 6238 Words

Victoria’s Secret Dominika Wolfova dominickaaa@yahoo.com MK 300 – Principles of Marketing Ivan Ã… ½Ãƒ ¡ry Marketing Plan Jun 4, 2010 Table of Contents Executive Summary Marketing Objectives Products or Services Resources Needed Projected Outcomes Company Description Strategic Focus and Plan Mission/Vision Goals Core Competency Situation Analysis Internal Focus Strengths Weaknesses External Focus Opportunities Threats Industry Analysis/Trends Competitor Analysis Company Analysis Customer Analysis SWOT Analysis Summary Market – Product Focus Marketing and Product Objectives Target Markets Points of Difference Positioning†¦show more content†¦Projected Outcomes Victoria’s Secret goal is to increase its profits by 10% and also to maintain and gain customers’ loyalty and their satisfaction. Company’s main goal is to maintain existing customers and gain new ones. Victoria’s Secret is very profitable and well-known brand all over the world and especially in US. Therefore, by launching this new line, Victoria’s Secret does not necessarily aims for enormous increase in profitability but increase in customer-company relationships. Company Description Victoria’s Secret is a retail store, which offers a wide range of lingerie, beauty products, clothes and accessories. Victoria’s Secret is owned and run by the Limited Brands Company. It accounts for more than 50% of Limited Brands’ corporate profits. Victoria’s Secret owns more than 1000 stores all over the United States. It is the most popular brand of lingerie in the US. Roy Raymond in the area of San Francisco founded Victoria’s Secret during the 1970s. Roy Raymond had an idea of turning the classic underwear into luxurious and stylish fashion. Victoria’s Secret underwear differed from classical department stores’ underwear because of its color, material, pattern and style. Victoria’s Secret is very popular in the United States. Moreover, Victoria’s Secret has over 300 stores in Canada and sells products worldwide through theirShow MoreRelatedVictorias Secret Marketing Plan6244 Words   |  25 PagesVictoriaâ⠂¬â„¢s Secret Dominika Wolfova dominickaaa@yahoo.com MK 300 – Principles of Marketing Ivan Ã… ½Ãƒ ¡ry Marketing Plan Jun 4, 2010 Table of Contents Executive Summary Marketing Objectives Products or Services Resources Needed Projected Outcomes Company Description Strategic Focus and Plan Mission/Vision Goals Core Competency Situation Analysis Internal Focus Strengths Weaknesses External Focus Opportunities Threats Industry Analysis/Trends Read MoreLiterature Review1211 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Literature review Definition of marketing strategy There are a lot of authors speak about the marketing strategy, the marketing strategy is very important in business, it can lead the firm towards attractively economic opportunities which are adapted to their imagination and know how to provide a potential to help the company grow and earn more profits (Lambin,1997). 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Goals: financial and non-financial†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..page 4 amp; 5 6. Core Competency and Sustainable completive advantage†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.page 5 7. Situation Analysis: SWOT, industry, competitors, company, customer†¦..page 5 - 8 8. Market-Product focus: objectives, targets, unique qualityRead MoreGot to Get You Into My Life: Do Brand Personalities Rub Off on Consumers? Jcr Report1440 Words   |  6 Pagesbrand. This article is important because it shows how a brand can affect the consumer. If a brand can capture a personality of a certain person, the more likely that person will stick with that brand. Brand loyalty is a very important aspect of marketing and can produce a lot of good for the brand. Even though this may seem natural, what if a consumer was to start using a new brand of products? Would their personality match the products they use or would their personality change based on the productsRead MoreMarketing Objectives Of Marketing Communication1836 Words   |  8 Pages- SWOT Monica: -Brief Marketing Objectives -Target Audience Vicky: -Thorough Communication objectives -Integration of marketing communication elements Minoli: -Positioning statement and creative strategy -Media strategy and media schedule Gloria: Effectiveness Measures Budget and time frame: -TV: $10,000 (daytime, evening) - $50,000 (Breakfast, primetime) -Print: $5,000 - $40,000 (size)  Victoria’s Secret ‘Eau So Sexy’ (Integrated Marketing Communications Plan) PreparedRead MoreVictorias Secret4766 Words   |  20 PagesGroup Consumer Analysis: Victoria’s Secret | MKTG 425-101 | Michelle Fox, Tyler Gullivan, Shannon Johnston, Sara Seeger, Colin Watts | Executive Summary Victoria’s Secret is one of, if not the most popular women’s lingerie and clothing store in the United States. They are known for their higher priced, sexy, and sometimes promiscuous clothing. Victoria’s Secret has come up with many different innovations after first opening their door, such as a make-up line, body care line, and PINK teenage

Summary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress

Whether it be the re-education or just coming of age, the Narrator in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie develops monumentally. In this passage, The Narrator was caught retelling the tailor a story he had read. However, the headman put forth a proposition. If Luo (the Narrator’s friend) can fix his tooth, he will not report the Narrator to the Security Office. The headman is both respected and feared yet in reality, he is quite vulnerable. This is proven during his tooth procedure performed by Luo. The Narrator’s reaction to the surgery reveals his desire to get revenge on the headman. The passage starts out with an in-depth description of the headman’s extracted tooth. The fragile state of his tooth is espied along†¦show more content†¦There are no coral reefs in this secluded, mountainous region nor in the Chinese city he grew up in. He must have learned this from somewhere, like a forbidden book from Four-Eyes. This is a double hit at the headman. Not only is he making fun of his ‘fang†, but he is also using the knowledge he learned from books to do so. All of these details prove that the headman does have the body of an admirable leader. Who would want to listen to someone with â€Å"tobacco-stained teeth?†. Medical diction and jargon such as â€Å"scientific aid†, â€Å"diagnosis†, â€Å"syphilis†, â€Å"extracted†, and â€Å"decayed† are included to declare that Luo is more knowledgeable than the headman. Both Luo and the Narrator were sent to re education in the first place because their parents were in the medical field. Now, Luo’s medical familiarity is greatly needed. How ironic. This is not to say that dental hygiene makes or breaks a good leader, but, generally those in charge are treated well because of their power. The Narrators realization that the headman is not physically fit adds to the fuel of wanting revenge. Because the Narrator is so focused on the poor condition of the headmans teeth, it is revealed to the reader that he feels some pleasure in seeing the headman suffer. He focuses on the the gore and discomfort of the tooth rather than expressing any sort of sympathy. As far as the procedure goes, a sewing machine is utilized to perform the operation. When theShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress972 Words   |  4 Pagesinstalled a communist government led by Mao in the mid 20th century. As part of their new regime, China instituted a process of re-education, where citizens would be educated in the ways of communist principles. The book Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress details two young Chinese men, the narrator and his friend Luo, in the early 1970’s who have been forced to undergo this process of Re-education. They have been sent to a small village in rural China, far from the life of the large city in whichRead MoreSummary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Sea mstress901 Words   |  4 PagesIn Dai Sijie’s 2001 novel, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, the narrator is constantly evolving, and adapting to his new life. The passage being looked at here details one of his final ‘major’ changes. The narrator, Luo, and the tailor have teamed up in effort to help the Headman with a bad tooth that has been bothering him. Throughout this passage, as previously mentioned, the narrator undergoes a change. What makes it notable, however, is that it’s not necessarily a change that he’s veryRead MoreSummary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress756 Words   |  4 PagesDai Sijie’s book â€Å"Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress† is a novel about the life story and adventures of a boy (Narrator) and his friend Luo. They are being re-educated in a mountain village in China. Once in awhile, when they would have a day off of working in the fields/mines, they would leave their village to vi sit either the Little Seamstress (Luo’s girlfriend) or their friend Four Eyes. One day, Narrator and Luo went to Four Eyes’s house and discovered that he had a mysterious suitcase

Tqm Syllabus Free Essays

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ST JOSEPH’S PG COLLEGE UNIT PLANNER NAME OF THE LECTURER: K. Srivani CLASS: MBA II YEAR I SEMESTER SUBJECT: TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT UNIT I:TQM HISTORY EVOLUTION TOPIC |CONTENT |BOOK CHAPTER PAGE NUMBERS |NO OF HOURS |TEACHING METHODOLOGIES/AIDS | |Connotations of Quality|Definitions |Total Quality Management: Dale Besterfield –Pages |2 |Lecture Method; Brainstorming/Quiz | | |Awareness |13-20 | |Teaching Aid –PPT-Intro | | |Quality Framework | | | | | |Quality Equation Q=P/E | | | | |Dimensions of Quality |Product-Garvin’s Nine Dimensions Features; Conformance |Total Quality Management: Dale Besterfield –Pages |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |etc. |21-27 | | | | |Services: The P-C-P Model | | | | | |Peripheral-Core-Pivotal Characteristics Model. We will write a custom essay sample on Tqm Syllabus or any similar topic only for you Order Now |TQM in the Service Sector: R P Mohanty Pages 59-60 | | | | | |and 82-84 | | |The Concept of TQM and |Brief History |Total Quality Management: Dale Besterfield –Pages |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |Evolution of TQM |Old and New Cultures |15-17 and 21-22 | | | | |The Story of Gurus from Shehwart,- Deming to Ishikawa | | | | | |Modern Systems/Six sigma | | | | | |TQM Fundamentals | | | | |Inspection, SQC, QA |The inspection Era |Total Quality Management: Dale Besterfield –Pages 21|2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |TQM Conventional QM |The Statistical QC –Techniques |expanded to 2nd and 3rd chapters –summary; | |Cases and Examples with citations of TQM | |/TQM |Reactive Approach |General Quality references, Industry Practices | |exemplary Organisations | | |Prevention of Defects | | | | | |Proactive Approach | | | | | |Quality Assurance TQM | | | | | |QM and TQM | | | | |Customer Supplier focus|Customer Definition |Total Quality Management: Dal e Besterfield –expanded|2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |in QM Internal external Customer |to 2nd , 3rd 4th chapters –summary; | |Cases and Examples with citations of TQM | |Benefits and Costs –TQM|Supplier partnership |General Quality references, Industry Practices | |exemplary Organisations | |Historical Perspectives|Vendor Management |Ch 7 for Costs Chapter 1 for Benefits and Obstacles | | | | |Benefits | | | | | |Costs | | | | | |Inspection Era | | | | | |QC Era to Q A Era | | | | | |Modern Dimensions | | | | |Quality System Awards |System Concepts |Total Quality Management: Dale Besterfield –expanded|3 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |Guidelines |Quality systems |to 7th chapter Pages 203-218; | |Cases and Examples with citations of TQM | |MBNQA- ISO – EFQM |QMSISO 9000-14000-EMS |10th Chapter Summary | |exemplary Organisations | | |Malcolm Balridge-Criteria |EFQM-Downloads | | | | |EFQM Model |General Quality references, Industry Pra ctices | | | | |ISO Audit | | | | UNIT II: TOOLS OF TQM TOPIC |CONTENT |BOOK CHAPTER PAGE NUMBERS |NO OF HOURS |TEACHING METHODOLOGIES/AIDS | |Measurement Tools |Check Sheets |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 5 pages-64-73 |2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Histograms |All are covered against Purpose, When to Use, How to | |Cases and Examples | | |Run Charts |Use, Basic Steps-Final thoughts- Pitfalls if any | |PracticalIndustry examples are also taken for| | |Scatter Diagrams | | |class room demo/display | | |Cause Effect Diagram | | | | |Measurement Tools |Pareto Analysis |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 5 pages-76-84 |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |continued |Process Capability Measurement. | |Cases and Examples | | | | | | | |Analytical Tools |Process Mapping |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 6- pages-88-103|2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Regression Analysis | | |Cases and Examples | | |RU/CS Analysis Five Whys | | | | |OEE | | | | |Imp rovement Tools |Kaizen |100 Methods for TQM :Gopal Kanji and Asher |2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |JIT- Quality Circles |various-respective pages for the listed method | |Cases and Examples | | |Force Field Analysis | | |Student presentation | | |Five ‘y†s | | | | |Control Tools |Gantt Chart |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 8- |2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Network Diagram |pages-136-141 | |Cases and Examples | | |Radar Chart; PDCA | | | | | |Milestone Tracker | | | | | |Earned value management | | | | UNIT III: TECHNIQUES OF TQM |TOPIC |CONTENT |BOOK CHAPTER PAGE NUMBERS |NO OF HOURS |TEACHING METHODOLOGIES/AIDS | |Quantitative Techniques|Failure Mode Effect Analysis |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 9- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Definition; probability of failure estimation; |pages-148-151 | |Cases and Examples | | |Reliability Index; |TQM Besterfield Ch 14 summary | |All are covered against Purpose, When to Use,| | |Formula –example | | |How to Use, Basic Steps-Final thoughts- | | | | | |Pitfalls if any | |Quantitative Techniques|Statistical Process Control |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 9- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |SPC Category, Mean, Standard Deviation, |pages-152-156 | |Cases and Examples | | |USL;LSL-Controls | | | | |Quantitative Techniques|Quality Function Deployment -QFD |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 9- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Capturing Customer Expectations; House of Quality |pages-157-162 | |Cases and Examples | | |Matrix |TQM Besterfield- Ch 12 – summary | | | |Quantitative Techniques|Design of Experiments |Impl ementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 9- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |DOE – Interrogating the Process, Fisher and Taguchi |pages-162-168 | |Cases and Examples | | approach |TQM Besterfield –Ch 19 | | | |Quantitative Techniques|Monte Carlo Technique |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 9- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |MCT – Random Walk |pages-179-185 | |Cases and Examples | | |Random Number Generation | | | | |Qualitative Techniques |Benchmarking |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 10- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Internal, competitive, Functional, setting standards- |pages-179-185 | |Cases and Examples | | |world class |TQM-Besterfield-Ch 8 | | | |Qualitative Techniques |Balanced Score Card |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 10- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Kaplan Norton model |pages-190-196 | |Cases and Examples | | |Framework-strategic Objectives to KPI | | | | |Qualitative Techniques |Sales Operations P lanning |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 10- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |MRP II concepts Master Prod schedule |pages-203-207 | |Cases and Examples | |Qualitative Techniques |Kanban and Activity Based Costing |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 10- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | | pages-203-207 | |Cases and Examples | |Taguchi’s Methods |Quality Loss Function |Total Quality Management: Dale Besterfield – Chapter|2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Orthogonal Arrays |20 page 573- 629 | |Cases and Examples | | |Signal to Noise Ratio | | | | | |Nominal, Target, smaller Larger the Best, | | | | | |Parameter Design, Tolerance Design | | | | | | | | | | UNIT IV: SIX SIGMA TOPIC |CONTENT |BOOK CHAPTER PAGE NUMBERS |NO OF HOURS |TEACHING METHODOLOGIES/AIDS | |The Concept of Six Sigma |Six Sigma statistical Significance |Greg Brue: Six Sigma for Managers |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Focussed methodology | | |Cases and Examples | |Objectives of Six Sigma; |Defect Free; Lean SS |Greg Brue: Six Sigma for Managers |2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |framework of Six Sigma |Across all Functions | | |Cases and Examples | |Performance Based | | | | |Six Sigma Organisation |Model of Organisation |Greg Brue: Six Sigma for Managers |2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |Roles Responsibilities |Role Clarity- types | | |Cases and Examples | |Cost/Benefits |Cost, Benefits Optimisation | | | | | |Effective Methodology | | | | |Six Sigma Problem Solving |Methodology |Greg Brue: Six Sigma for Managers |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |Approach |Example Problems | | |Cases and Examples | | |Cases | | | | |DMAIC Model |Define |Implementing Quality: Ron Basu Chapter 9- |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |Six Sigma Metrics |Measure; analyse |pages-168-173 | |Cases and Examples | | |Improve, Control | | | | |Cost of Poor Quality(COPC)|Costs |Greg Brue: Six Sigma for Managers |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | | Preventive | | |Cases and Examples | | |Maintenance | | | | |DPMO-first pass yield |3. 4 DPMO |Greg Brue: Six Sigma for Managers |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Interpretations | | |Cases and Examples | UNIT V: TQM IN SERVICE SECTORS TOPIC |CONTENT |BOOK CHAPTER PAGE NUMBERS |NO OF HOURS |TEACHING METHODOLOGIES/AIDS | |Implementation of TQM in |Service Quality measure |TQM in the Service Sector |2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |service Organisations |Proposal |R P Mohanty – Chapter VII Pages- 246-268 | |Cases and Examples | | |Proposed System | | | | | |Checklist | | | | |Framework for improving |Gronross; servQual model, Moores model, Service |TQM in the Service Sector |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |Service Quality |Journey model, PCP quality Model etc |R P Mohanty – Chapter III Pages- 63-84-Summary | |Cases and Examples | |Model to Measure Service |Parameters |TQM in the Service Sector |2 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | |Quality |Analogy |R P Mohanty – Chapter VI Pages- 205-214-Summary | |Cases and Examples | | measurement | | | | |TQM in Health Care Services|Case Study |TQM in the Service Sector |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Model construction |R P Mohanty – Chapter IX Pages- 340-369-Summary | |Cases and Examples | |TQM in Hotels |Case study |TQM in the Service Sector |1 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Model Construction |R P Mohanty – Chapter VI Pages- 215-233-Summary | |Cases and Examples | |TQM in Financial Services |Banks |TQM in the Service Sector |3 |Lecture /Discussion –PPt | | |Investment company |R P Mohanty – Chapter X Pages- 371-400-Summary | |Cases and Examples | | |Mutual Funds | | | | |QP Discussion |Discussion | |1 | | |TOTAL HOURS FOR COMPLETION OF SYLLABUS 12+9+11+9+12 |53 | | †¢ Assignment Questions as part of Internal marks from all the units . †¢ Previous year question paper Discussion in class room †¢ Presentations of studen ts of companies following six sigma quality standards. †¢ Presentation of students on ISO certification and the companies involved in quality analysis and certification. K. SRIVANI DIRECTORPRINCIPAL How to cite Tqm Syllabus, Essay examples

The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings Essay Example For Students

The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings Essay Response to essay on The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings What does this piece reveal about peoples attitudes towards religion? Why dothe townspeople treat the old man in the way that they do? Do they responddifferently to the spider girl than to the old man? Is there evidence that he isreally an angel? Does that make a difference? Why is the subtitle of the piece ATale for Children? Why would children be the intended audience for this piece?Is it intended to be educational? If so, in what way? Explain the ending a bitmore. What does this piece have to do with life after death as you bring up inyour essay? Is an angel the same as a ghost? What is an angel? What purpose arethey thought to serve in human life? Does this angel serve that purpose? If not,does he serve any purpose? Does he fail at his objective? Explain. Why is thepiece called A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings rather than An Angel?Any suggestions? Do the people exploit him? Explain. Any connection between the old mans arrival and the childs recovery? Is itsimply coincidence? How do you respond to the parents displaying the old manto make money off of him? What does that say about them, about their attitudestowards religion, towards Gods work. English Essays

Ch 2 Observational Methods Underestimate The Strength Of Competition Among Plant Species Essay Example

Ch 2: Observational Methods Underestimate The Strength Of Competition Among Plant Species Paper Context In order to understand the biological causes of plant diversity and predict the functional consequences of losing plant diversity, we need to accurately measure the ecological processes that underpin our understanding. Species interactions like competition are the main deterministic forces that structure plant communities. The strength of interactions within and between species determines the types and number of species that stably coexist in diverse communities, and also the relative abundances of each species. Species interactions also drive the effects of diversity on ecosystem functioning by altering the per capita performance of species within the community. The community-level properties that determine ecosystem functions are the product of which species are present in the community and the interaction between those species. Therefore, in order to develop a predictive understanding of how plant diversity influences the functioning of real-world ecosystems, we need a predictive understanding of species interactions in natural plant communities. And in order to have a predictive understanding of species interactions, we need tried and tested methods for measuring species interactions, which consistently and accurately predict how plant communities respond when diversity is lost. Here, I show that existing methods underestimate the impact of diversity loss on the remaining plant community. Chapter Summary We will write a custom essay sample on Ch 2: Observational Methods Underestimate The Strength Of Competition Among Plant Species specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ch 2: Observational Methods Underestimate The Strength Of Competition Among Plant Species specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ch 2: Observational Methods Underestimate The Strength Of Competition Among Plant Species specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Competition among neighbouring plants for shared resources is one of the key ecological forces that shapes plant communities. But measuring competition has always been a challenge, leaving controversy over the relative role of competition between species. Observational methods for measuring plant competition have become popular. This approach assumes that we can infer competitive effects from natural variation in the densities of co-occurring species. The effect of competition between species is quantified by predicting how the population size of each species would respond to competitor removal. However, this approach remains untested. We tested the predictive accuracy of this method by combining observational and experimental approaches. We grew four sand-dune annual species in monoculture and mixture. Their local compositions were left to naturally develop, making our data relevant to natural communities. We performed an observational analysis on the mixtures and predicted how each species would perform in the absence of competitors. We compared these predictions with our independent test: the monocultures, where each species was grown in isolation. We predicted that competitive ability increased with seed size, a well-known aspect of competition between these species. We occasionally predicted strong responses to competitor removal. Even so, we consistently underpredicted the effect of interspecific competition, for most species by at least half that observed. The method failed our test so we should infer competition from natural communities with care. We suggest that the method underpredicted the effect of competitor removal because the data lack information on fundamental niches. Species are observed after they have been confined to realised niches by competition, so we lack the information to predict how they will respond to competitive release. Introduction Competition for shared limiting resources is the fundamental assumption that underpins community ecology (Darwin 1859; Tansley 1917; Clements et al. 1929; Gause 1934; Macarthur Levins 1967; Harper 1977; Grime 1979; Tilman 1982, 1988; HilleRisLambers et al. 2004, 2012; Adler et al. 2010; Craine Dybzinski 2013). By understanding the nature of competition between species we can understand how they coexist (Chesson 2000), as coexistence requires that species limit themselves more than they limit others (Adler et al. 2007). This is the basis of the ecological niche concept, in which species are expected to evolve in a direction that will minimise interspecific competition, otherwise competitive exclusion is the inevitable outcome (Roughgarden 1976; Rees et al. 2001; Chase Leibold 2003; Le Gac et al. 2012; Rabosky 2013). Yet, despite this clear theoretical expectation, the nature of competition in real plant communities has always been controversial (Grime 1963, 1973; Connell 1983; Tilman 1987; Goldberg et al. 1999; Connolly et al. 2001; Silvertown 2004; Craine 2005; Levine HilleRisLambers 2009; Rajaniemi et al. 2009; Rees 2013; Trinder et al. 2013). While any farmer or gardener can confirm that competition depresses plant performance, it is less clear how best to measure the extent and nature of this competitive suppression in natural communities. One obvious way is to add or remove plants and measure the response of their neighbours (de Wit 1960; Clatworthy Harper 1962; Silander Antonovics 1982). While seemingly straightforward, removal experiments have been heavily criticised because, among other things, species respond over different timescales (Putwain Harper 1970; Allen Forman 1976). Hence, the immediate response to the removal of a particular species might differ greatly from a longer term outcome. Another common method is to experimentally grow focal plants surrounded by different numbers and types of neighbours. Such experiments often reveal that interspecific competition is strong and asymmetric (Goldberg Barton 1992; Gurevitch et al. 1992; but see Law Watkinson 1989). But it is not clear how to translate these measurements into the field, where densities and conditions could be very different. In short, all direct manipulative methods for measuring the strength of competition among plant species have been criticised, as either methodologically flawed or because they take place under unrealistic ecological conditions (Connell 1983; Connolly 1986; Wilson 1995; Freckleton Watkinson 1997). Partly in response to these criticisms, plant ecologists have turned instead to observational approaches (Rees et al. 1996; Law et al. 1997; Freckleton Watkinson 1999, 2000). Rather than manipulating the system, observational methods exploit natural variation in density and species composition found within real plant communities and can be used to estimate individual-level competitive effects. For example, in neighbourhood modelling, detailed spatial maps of all plants allow focal plant size or fecundity to be modelled as a function of the number and identity of close neighbours. Using this method, estimates of individual-level competition coefficients have been obtained in both artificial and natural settings (Mack Harper 1977; Coomes et al. 2002; Turnbull et al. 2004; Stoll Newbery 2005). Alternatively, counting the numbers of plants in permanent quadrats allow researchers to track changes in population sizes from year to year at small spatial scales. Changes in population size between years can then be modelled as a function of the number of neighbours, again allowing competition coefficients to be estimated (Pacala Silander 1990; Rees et al. 1996). The pattern of interspecific interactions estimated from such observational analyses is mixed (Law et al. 1997; Freckleton et al. 2000; Stoll Newbery 2005; Martorell Freckleton 2014). But many studies have found that interactions between competing species in the field are extremely weak (Rees et al. 1996; Turnbull et al. 2004; Mutshinda et al. 2009; Comita et al. 2010; Martorell Freckleton 2014). However, this result throws up a problem. If competition between species is really so weak as to be negligible, then species would show little or no response to the removal of others. This was best illustrated by Martorell Freckleton (2014) who parameterised a population model for each species in their community separately and then quantified the effect of removing the remaining species. Their results showed that very little response was expected overall—though some species showed positive or negative responses, and rarer species seemed most suppressed by competitors. But this overall result, in turn, suggests that plant communities are not fundamentally competitive, a result clearly at odds with most experimental work. So are the weak interspecific interactions estimated using observational data simply some artefact of the method, or are plant communities in nature truly non-competitive? To resolve this paradox it is essential to combine observational methods for estimating competition coefficients with an independent test of model predictions within the same system. Here we present results from an experiment conducted under semi-natural conditions in which a community of annual plants was established and 2.27 allowed to grow and reproduce for several years. The communities were subdivided into small cells to which we could fit models of population growth using observed cell counts taken from the last two years of the experiment. After fitting models and estimating competition coefficients, we predicted how each species would respond to the removal of the others, and similar to Martorell Freckleton (2014), we predicted very little response to removal. However, we could then compare these predicted population sizes with those of monocultures of each species established at the same time. These comparisons revealed that the effect of interspecific competition had been grossly underestimated. Our work therefore reveals that when observational methods uncover weak interspecific interaction coefficients within natural communities, individual species might still suffer from strong interspecific suppression. Methods Overall approach Our overall approach is summarised in Figure 2.1. To test the accuracy of predictions made using observational approaches, we first needed a suitable dataset with which to fit appropriate models. In this case, we had established semi-natural communities consisting of seven species of sand-dune annuals subdivided into small cells (see Experiment). Population sizes of all species were recorded in two consecutive years. For each of the five common species, we then fitted a population model in which changes in local population size from one year to the next are assumed to be a function of both its own density and the densities of other species. Depending on the details of model structure (see Models) interactions between species can be positive as well as negative. Figure 2.1. The method for estimating the effect of interspecific competition. Observational data on the population sizes of each species in a community is collected over multiple years. For each species, the change in population size from one year to the next is modelled as a function of its own density and the densities of other species. Once models are parameterised, they can be used to predict the population size of each species when: (i) interacting species are present at their observed abundances, and (ii) interacting species are removed. These two predictions are compared with one another to quantify the effect of competition. Once the models are fitted, we can predict the effect of competitors on the focal species by setting population sizes of competitor species to zero and re-calculating the predicted population size of each focal species (Martorell Freckleton 2014). But to test whether these predictions are indeed accurate, we require additional data. In this case, our experiment included monoculture plots, which had been established at the same time. We therefore compared our predictions about the expected effect of the removal of competitors with observations of population sizes from monoculture plots (see Test). Experiment Seven species of sand-dune annuals were grown for four years (2010–13) in a common garden experiment in Zà ¼rich, Switzerland. The study species and their seed sizes were: Saxifraga tridactylites L. (0.006 mg), Arabidopsis thaliana [L.] Heynh. (0.025 mg), Cerastium diffusum Pers. (0.045 mg), Arenaria serpyllifolia L. (0.088 mg), Veronica arvensis L. (0.112 mg), Myosotis discolor Pers. (0.213 mg), and Valerianella locusta [L.] Laterr. (0.851 mg). They germinate in autumn and flower in spring. We analysed data for only five of these species, because Veronica and Valerianella were too rare. The experiment consisted of 80 (1 x 1 m) plots. A concrete lattice was inserted so that each plot consisted of 56 (7 x 7 cm) individual cells filled with a low-nutrient mixture of sand and compost (Figure 2.2). The lattice walls were sufficiently thick (2.5 cm) that plants in adjacent cells never overlapped aboveground. Thus, we assumed that plants within cells competed for resources, while plants in adjacent cells did not. Plants dispersed seeds freely within plots, but barriers to dispersal prevented seed movement between plots. Subdividing the plots into cells provided the fine-grained information necessary for parameterising our models. We grew eight monocultures of each species and 24 mixtures containing all seven species. Figure 2.2. Example of an experimental plot, divided into 56 cells by a concrete grid. This is a mixture plot photographed immediately after seven cells were harvested in 2011. In order to create variation in density, a gradient of disturbance was applied across plots. This facilitated the fitting of nonlinear population models, which is often hampered by a lack of information at low density (Law Watkinson 1987; Rees et al. 1996). Plots were disturbed by removing all plants from a fixed proportion of cells at the end of every growing season, just before the plants set seed. In mixture plots we applied five levels of disturbance: 12.5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 87.5%. In the monocultures there were only eight plots per species, so we imposed only three disturbance levels: 12.5%, 50%, and 87.5%. We selected which cells to destroy in a stratified random way, destroying a fixed number of cells from each row in a plot grid. In 2012 and 2013 there was a highly significant negative relationship between disturbance and average density per cell, indicating that the disturbance treatment was successful in creating a density gradient (Supplementary Material SA1). The experiment was established from seed in 2010 using a constant total density of 1000 seeds per plot. The number of individuals in all cells was recorded at the end of the growing season for three years (2011–13), although only occupancy was recorded from the mixture plots in 2011. The transition 2012–13 is therefore the most completely sampled and was used for the model fitting. The end-season biomass of each species was estimated by destructively harvesting and weighing seven cells from each plot during application of the disturbance treatment. Models To ensure that our conclusions were not dependent on model choices, we fitted three models with varying assumptions about the nature of species interactions and the nature of dispersal within plots. We either assumed that: (i) all seeds remain in their natal cells, or (ii) some fraction of seeds (m) remain in the natal cell while the rest (1 – m) join a global seed rain. The general form of model 1 (eqn 2.1) is: where Nt+1,i,c is the population size in year t+1 of focal species i in cell c. The population growth rate of species i in the absence of competition, ri, is modified by density-dependent interactions in the following way: where ÃŽ ±ij is the per capita effect of species j on species i. Thus, the first term in eqn 2.1 describes the expected number of individuals of species i in year t+1 that originated in the natal cell. Similarly, the average value of Fc among the cells within a plot can be calculated using: where p is the total number of cells within a plot. Thus, the second term in eqn 2.1 describes the expected number of immigrants arriving from other cells within the plot. Model 2 (eqn 2.4) contains only the first, within-cell-growth term from eqn 2.1, and thus assumes that no seeds disperse outside their natal cells: Model 3 (eqn 2.5) has a different structure. In this case we assume that within cells population growth is density-dependent, but is only sensitive to the density of conspecifics: where q is an index of cell quality. Other species affect the focal species by modifying the quality of cells: This cell quality index is a logistic function of the densities of other species in year t+1 and their per capita effects on the focal species, ÃŽ ²j. For each focal species we estimate a basal cell quality, ÃŽ ²0, and the quality of each cell can deviate above or below this value depending upon the density of other species present in the same year. Model 3 allows species interactions to be positive as well as negative (eqn 2.6)—in contrast to models 1 and 2 where they are constrained to be negative. Positive interaction coefficients might indicate facilitation. But they might simply indicate that the seedling densities of both the neighbour and focal species tend to be positively correlated, perhaps because they share a preference for the same types of cells. All models were fitted using rjags v3-14 (Plummer 2014) in R v3.1.2 (R Core Team 2014). Each model assumed that Nt+1 was Poisson distributed. To estimate the competition coefficients we specified non-informative priors, assuming they had a normal distribution (ÃŽ ¼ = 0, ÏÆ'2 = 1000). Competition coefficients were constrained to be positive—i.e. competitive—by applying an exponential transformation. A common concern when parameterising these models is that the competition coefficients and the population growth rates in the absence of competition (ri) can be correlated, because they trade off against each other (Rees et al. 1996). This can produce an unstable estimation process, whereby both parameters increase or decrease together and yet give an equally good model fit. To avoid this instability we informed the estimation process on meaningful values of ri by specifying an informative prior for each species that used the best information we had on their maximum capacity for growth. We 2.34 specified these informative priors by assuming a gamma distribution with an expected value equal to the average 2012–13 population growth observed in high-disturbance monocultures (gamma: shape = mean 2012–13 growth; rate = 1; E[X] = shape/rate). When fitting model 3 to Myosotis, we fixed ÃŽ ²0 at zero (basal cell quality = 0.5) to stabilise the estimation process, because there were significant trade-offs between ri and ÃŽ ²0. We ran all models with three sampling chains. We ensured each model had sufficiently converged on the target distribution by running an adaptation period of 40000 samples (plus 10000 burn-in). Following adaptation we monitored 10000 samples from the chains, thinning to every 10th sample to reduce autocorrelation— giving us 1000 samples from each posterior distribution. We checked that the chains had converged by plotting the sampling chains, posterior densities and chain autocorrelation. We used Gelman plots to check that chains had converged on the same target distribution (Brooks Gelman 1998). We also checked models by: (i) testing that they can recover known parameters from simulated data, (ii) examining residual diagnostic plots, (iii) plotting the model fit, and (iv) comparing simulated and observed data to look for systematic differences between models and observations (Gelman Hill 2007). Predicted data qualitatively resembled the observed data, although the observed data often showed a longer tail of right skewness. Finally, we compared model performance using DIC (Plummer 2002). To facilitate comparisons among models, all models were fitted only to cells where Nt was positive. Analysis We examined interaction matrices from the parameterised models to look for patterns in competitive effects. We then used the parameterised models to quantify the effect of competition at the population level, by predicting population sizes in the presence and then in the absence of all other species (by setting populations sizes of other species to zero). We constructed intervals on the predicted population sizes without competitors from posterior samples within each cell. We averaged across these cell-level predictions to get the median predicted population size without competitors and its 95th percentile range. These median and interval values were then expressed relative to the average predicted population size when competitors are present. The predicted effect of competitor removal is thus the ratio between the focal population sizes with and without competitors (Nt+1 without / Nt+1 with). We assessed the observed extent of competitive release by regressing the population sizes in 2013 on the population sizes in 2012 for both mixtures and monocultures. The slope of the regression line through the origin is therefore the population growth rate. We tested whether there was a significant effect of mixture vs monoculture on the growth rate of each species. If the regression slope in monoculture is, on average, steeper than in mixture, then there is a clear positive effect of removing competitors on population growth. In 2012 the range of population sizes in mixtures and monocultures was similar, so it was easy to compare treatments. The observed effect of competitor removal is thus the ratio between monoculture and mixture slopes (monoculture / mixture). Test Finally, to test whether our predictions matched our independent observations, we compared the predicted effect of competitor removal with the observed effect. We described each model’s predictive accuracy by expressing the predicted effect as a 2.36 percentage of the observed effect. We showed the credible range in each model’s predictive accuracy by using the interval for its predicted effect, which captures uncertainty in the estimation process. Results Models Model 1 was the preferred model for three species—although for two species all models performed equally well (Supplementary Material SA1)—hence we focus on results from model 1. The competitive effects estimated by model 1 were asymmetric and structured by seed size (Figure 2.3). If a species had large seeds then it usually had a strong competitive effect on those with smaller seeds. In addition, for most species the strength of intraspecific competition was greater than the strength of competitive suppression by smaller seeded species, but weaker than competitive suppression by larger seeded species (Figure 2.3). Within the context of this seed-size pattern, Myosotis is anomalous. The model estimates that it is strongly affected by several of the smaller seeded species. This seed-size pattern was even more pronounced when the model did not include dispersal (model 2, see Supplementary Material SA1). When we allowed for positive interactions, however, the pattern disappeared: instead all interactions were scattered around zero, as many positive as there were negative (model 3). Broadly speaking, all models estimated the effects of interactions with high precision. Figure 2.3. Competition is asymmetric and related to seed size. The competitive effects of interacting species (columns) on the population size of each focal species (rows). The highlighted diagonal are intraspecific competitive effects. Weak competitive effects are pale and stronger effects are darker (effects are log-scaled, so negative values describe more neutral effects). Species are ordered left to right and bottom to top by increasing seed size. Broadly speaking, competitive effects are linked to seed size, with large-seeded species exerting stronger effects. Model 2 shows even stronger seed-size structure (Supplementary Material SA1). Analysis Using these parameterised models we calculated the predicted effect of competitor removal within each cell (Figure 2.4). The seed-size structure of per capita interactions in Figure 2.3 is also clear in the population-level effects (Figure 2.4). For Saxifraga and Arabidopsis, model 1 predicted at least a doubling in population size in 50% of cells and they are predicted to increase by five-fold or more in 10% of cells. In contrast, larger seeded species are predicted to show a weaker response to competitor removal in most cells (75% of the time their ratio response is close to 1, i.e. no change). Myosotis is predicted to respond more strongly on average than Arenaria or Cerastium, reflecting the relatively strong competitive effects of other species on Myosotis (Figure 2.3). Model 2 predicts smaller population-level responses of Myosotis, better conforming to the trend that large-seeded species respond less strongly to the removal of small-seeded competitors (Supplementary Material S A1). Figure 2.4. Population-level effects of removing competitors. Distributions of the predicted effect of competitor removal at the cell level. An effect size of 2 means that the population size is predicted to double in response to competitor removal. In most cells the predicted effect is small but in some it is large. The x-axis has been truncated for clarity (removing 1% of cases). Species differences reflect the strength of competition shown in Figure 2.3. Predictions from model 2 show an even stronger seed-size structure (Supplementary Material SA1). For the observed effects of competitor removal, there was a significant three-way interaction between species, diversity level and density (F4,140 = 3.4, p = 0.01). Inspection of the slopes revealed that in four out of five cases, the slope in the monoculture is much steeper than that in mixture: for most species, population growth at least doubled when grown in monoculture (Figure 2.5). The only exception was Myosotis, whose population growth was higher in the mixture; although when we used biomass data rather than population sizes, the population growth in monoculture and mixture was the same (Supplementary Material SA1). Myosotis may have responded differently to interspecific competition because it was competitively dominant in mixtures. The hierarchy for average cell biomass in mixture was Myosotis Arenaria Cerastium Saxifraga Arabidopsis—broadly in decreasing order of seed size. It is clear that species densities are reduced by interspecific competition, especially i f they have smaller seeds. Test Comparison of the predicted (Figure 2.4) and observed effects (Figure 2.5) revealed that the models made poor predictions about the population-level response to the removal of competitors (Figure 2.6). Models consistently underpredicted the effect of interspecific competition in four cases, but overpredicted in the case of Myosotis (Figure 2.6). The three different models had similar predictive accuracies, despite differences in the way they describe species interactions (Figure 2.6). Figure 2.5. Population growth rate is higher in monocultures than in mixtures. The plot-level average cell population sizes in 2013 (Nt+1) versus 2012 (Nt) for each species. Blue dots show monocultures, red dots show mixtures. The regression lines, fitted through the origin, show the average population growth rate. Species are ordered by increasing seed size. Population growth rates were higher in monocultures than mixtures for four species. The exception was Myosotis, which was competitively dominant. In terms of population size Myosotis performed much better in the mixtures, but biomass data show no difference between diversity treatments for this species (Supplementary Material SA1). Figure 2.6. The effect of competition is consistently underpredicted. We assessed how accurate our predictions were by comparing the predicted effects shown in Figure 2.4 with the observed effects shown in Figure 2.5. Predictive accuracy is the predicted effect shown as a percentage of the observed effect (log-scaled). All three models behaved similarly. 2.41 Discussion We used tried and tested techniques to fit community models to observationalstyle data garnered in an experimental context. The models appeared to capture the relative competitive abilities of species, as the interaction matrices obtained are consistent with previous work (Rees 1995; Turnbull et al. 1999, 2004). This result, and other diagnostic tests, encourage us to believe that we fitted sensible models to the data. We then used the models to predict what would happen to each species once competitors were removed. Uniquely, we were able to provide an independent test of the model predictions, as the experiment included monoculture plots in which each species was free from interspecific competition. The models made poor predictions about the expected extent of competitive release. For most species the extent of competitive release was severely underpredicted, suggesting that we had underestimated the strength of interspecific interactions in multi-species communities. Why did we underestimate the strength of interspecific competition? The first possibility is that we fitted poor models, but this seems unlikely. The competition coefficients were well-estimated with small standard errors, from independent sampling chains that converged on the same posteriors. Model uncertainty was very low, reflected by the narrow intervals in Figure 2.6. The models were a good fit to the observed data. Distributions of cell population sizes in data simulated from the models closely resembled that of the observed data, further indicating that there was no systematic bias. The three models we fitted described species interactions differently and yet all poorly predicted the effect of interactions in the same way. Our test was fair, as it expressed the same effect as our predictions—the mean change in population size in response to competitor removal—and did so over the same range of data. The wide variation in observed data meant that we avoided potential underestimation due to observing species only at high densities (Law Watkinson 1989). These reasons lead us to believe that our analysis was not at fault for underestimating the strength of interspecific competition, but instead the underlying problem is more profound. The second possibility is that models which estimate the strength of competition in natural communities simply cannot be used to predict the effects of species loss. This might happen because species in natural communities are already confined by competition to realised niches. The fundamental niche represents all conditions in which a species can exist, whilst the realised niche is those conditions in which the species actually exists in the presence of interacting species (Chase Leibold 2003). If species are confined to parts of the habitat where they tend to compete best, then the strength of interspecific competition, as assessed by these methods, will be weak. In contrast, once competitor species are removed the remaining species may be able to expand their niche—assuming that their fundamental niche is wider than their realised niche. But without information on fundamental niches we cannot know the extent that species will respond to competitor removal. Therefore, to predict species responses from natural communities is to predict beyond the range of available information. This explanation for weakly interacting natural communities has previously been called the ghost of competition past (Connell 1980; Law Watkinson 1989). It may explain why interspecific competition measured in natural communities is often weaker (Turnbull et al. 2004; Stoll Newbery 2005; Comita et al. 2010) than 2.43 that measured in experiments (Gurevitch et al. 1992). Our results suggest this is a general problem that is likely to be present in any analysis using similar principles. Further simulation modelling is required to confirm this idea. What are the implications? Ecologists have argued long and hard about the best way to measure competition; in particular, because the results of experimental work conflict with direct measurements of competitive interactions in natural communities. Our study potentially provides a resolution to this debate. In experiments plants are forced to compete, whereas in natural communities plants often display strong spatial aggregation that increases the chance of meeting conspecific neighbours. Species may aggregate in natural communities due to local dispersal. Freckleton Watkinson (2000) recommended that the scale of sampling should reflect the dispersal abilities—and resulting clumping—of the species being monitored, to ensure that multiple species are observed within sampling units. But the larger the scale at which data are sampled, the more the effect of local interactions becomes blurred. There are ways to incorporate dispersal into the modelling (Pacala Silander 1990), as we have done. Aggregation can also be caused by species-specific requirements for particular ecological conditions (Law et al. 1997). This has been suggested before as an explanation for the weak nature of estimated interspecific effects (Rees et al. 1996; Freckleton Watkinson 2000), but the magnitude of this problem has never been quantified. These methods have assumed a homogeneous environment. We believe this assumption was problematic even in our experimental setting—it was also considered by Mack Harper (1977). Perhaps this problem could be addressed by measuring environmental variation, although it is not clear which variables are important to describe species preferences. But ultimately, if species rarely interact due to spatial aggregation then the effect of their interactions will be limited. If species weakly interact in natural communities because they have been confined to realised niches, then we should be wary of interpreting models parameterised using observational data to conclude whether such communities are strongly structured by interactions (Martorell Freckleton 2014). If much of the competition goes unseen we cannot claim whether or not communities are fundamentally competitive from such analyses. In particular, these models may give no information about how the community is likely to respond to the loss or removal of species, which is essential in a world where species are likely to be lost, for example, through new diseases (e.g. Thomas 2016). Future directions To understand more deeply why observational data are lacking, we need to combine experimental and observational approaches. Freckleton et al. (2000) used similar analytical techniques on a long-term dataset where densities were perturbed halfway through the sampling programme. However, they and others have criticised experimental approaches to estimate competition (Freckleton Watkinson 2000, 2001). Removal experiments are still practised (e.g. Olsen et al. 2016), albeit more rarely and with acknowledgement of their caveats. Perhaps experimental manipulations are more in need than recent studies would suggest. There is no method to measure competition that is not flawed. Much progress has been made in critiquing previous methods and developing new ones. We have shown that current observational methods also need refinement. If it is possible to devise a method that accurately predicts the impact of species losses from diverse communities, what extra information would be required? Traitbased approaches may be useful in predicting which species will respond most to the loss of another species. This approach would be most effective if we are able to identify which traits best explain how remaining species will expand their niche in response to competitor removal. This could be combined with experimental approaches that remove one species at a time and measure the response of the remaining community. Experimental communities may also be useful for observing how species become confined to their realised niche if we can measure how species are affected by the gradual shift from homogenised to semi-natural conditions. Alternatively, we might need more detailed data on how species are affected by competition during specific life-history stages, rather than the more common observation of adult–adult transitions. Current observational data and methods are valuable tools, but we will need a greater combination of approaches to fully understand the role of competition between species in natural plant communities. Next Page   Ch 3: How Do More Diverse Plant Communities Increase Ecosystem Functions Previous Page   Ch 1: General Introduction

Using Forest Fire Weather to Prevent Forest Fires.

Using Forest Fire Weather to Prevent Forest Fires. Predicting Wildfire Behavior Using Weather Data Predicting wildfire behavior is as much an art as it is a science and very much based on understanding weather conditions that influence wildfire. Even seasoned firefighters have trouble reading fire behavior and in predicting a forest fires potential threat to property and lives. One tool at a fire bosses disposal is USDA Forest Services Wildland Fire Assessment System. Wildland Fire Assessment System Daily bits of information are compiled at 1,500 weather stations throughout the United States and Alaska. The values of this data are used in assessing current wildfire conditions and you can find valuable information on the Internet. Every incident command center should have an  Internet connection to these sites. USDA Forest Services Wildland Fire Assessment System provides the support and supplies fire weather and mapping sources. Fire Danger Maps A fire danger rating map is developed using current and historical weather and fuel data. These data are transferred to models to give present condition information and also predicts what may happen tomorrow. Maps are developed to give a visual presentation of the potential danger of fire in a particular region. Fire Weather Observations and Next Day Forecasts Observation maps are developed from the fire weather network. The latest observations include the 10 minute average wind, the 24-hour rain total, the temperature, the relative humidity, and the dew point. There are next day forecasts displayed as maps as well. Live Fuel Moisture/Greenness Maps A fuel moisture index is a tool that is widely used to understand the fire potential for locations across the country. Fuel moisture is a measure of the amount of water in a fuel (vegetation) available to a  fire  and is expressed as a percent of the dry weight of that specific fuel. Living fuels  play a major part in the potential of fire. Vegetative Greenness is a major determinant and predictor of fire spread. The greener the vegetation, the lower the fire potential. This map depicts the green you would expect to see from the air. Dead Fuel Moisture Fire potential is heavily dependent on dead fuel moisture  in forest fuels. There are four classes of dead fuel moisture - 10-hour, 100-hour, 1000-hour. When you have a drying of 1000-hour fuels, you have major potential for fire problems until a general soaking occurs. Wildfire Drought Maps There are several maps that depict drought as determined by measuring soil and duff moisture. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index measures soil capacity to absorb water. Another index is the Palmer Drought Index which is linked to the National Climate Center Regional and updated weekly. Atmospheric Stability Maps The stability term is derived from the temperature difference at two-atmosphere levels. The moisture term is derived from the dew point depression at a single atmosphere level. This Haines Index has been shown to be correlated with large fire growth on initiating and existing fires where surface winds do not dominate fire behavior.

Can Advertisers Catch Your Attention Research Paper

Can Advertisers Catch Your Attention - Research Paper Example It will further explain why the advertisement did a good job in convincing the target market into taking action and suggest other ways the advertisers could get the target market’s attention. The Brand The anti-obesity theme in the â€Å"coming together† campaign by Coca-Cola is attention-catching as it touches on a sensitive issue in the American community and, indeed, worldwide. The corporate branding that runs for two minutes was well thought, planned and executed. Most consumers react favorably when advertisers communicate with them with respect and intelligence (Statt, 1977). It marked a strategic and successful shift from the traditional humorous and dreamy approach consumers have long associated with the brand. â€Å"Coming together† applies serious commentary to a similarly serious matter in America, and its authenticity is acknowledged and appreciated in the responses received from consumers. The advertisement shows that the brand is evolving with times, innovating constantly to meet the dynamic needs and wants of consumers. The Target Group The advertisement is designed to appeal to a diverse target group. Looking at it from the perspective of female consumers aged between 21 and 35, one appreciates the fact that the brand has tackled the menace of obesity in a sincere and straightforward manner. For male consumers in the same age bracket, they get a feeling that the brand cares for its consumers’ health in America and around the world. For consumers aged 50 and above, â€Å"coming together† shows, in a very educational way, that change can be achieved if all people work together, exhibiting a sense of corporate responsibility by the brand. The advertisement has the power to take a consumer through the process of creating awareness, imparting product knowledge and develop a liking that leads to purchase. Effectiveness of the Advertisement â€Å"Coming together† was effective in convincing the consumers to take action by using a theme that emphasizes sensible choices in a bid to meet calorie and nutritional needs of individuals. All stakeholders must collaborate to have workable solutions to the obesity problem. Awareness is created among consumers that all beverages and foods have a belonging in a sensible and balanced diet, accompanied by physical activity. The informative nature of the advertisement provides consumers with more options that facilitate informed decisions. The brands collaboration with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services shows the level of seriousness invested into bringing quality and healthy products for human consumption, which is easily an attraction to most consumers (Stuart, 2012). Alternative Way for Advertisers to get Attention Another way advertisers could get consumers’ attention would be to segment the market and target different groups through different media. For example, the older generation i s known to have a preference for the print media. Therefore, advertisements in the real estate or stock markets would generally reach them through newspapers or magazines. On the other hand, the younger generation spends a considerable amount of their time online, therefore, web based advertisements can easily get their attention. A survey showed that 42 percent of college students in America watch TV or listen to radio online

PH Indicators Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PH Indicators - Lab Report Example Maintaining the pH is critical in any industrial processes employing enzymes. A few examples would be papain from the leaves and unripe fruit of the pawpaw (Carica papaya) has been used to tenderise meats. Amylase is used in starch hydrolysis. Now gluco-amylase functions at pH 4.5 whereas fungal amylase at pH 5.5. Lactose hydrolysis is carried out by lactase for Aspergillus niger and A.oryzae at pH optima (pH 4.5-6.0 and 3.0-4.0, respectively) .. 6.698970004 Useful range for the indicator: 8.69- 10.69 Indicator: Alizarin Yellow Test Tube Color After Adding the Indicator [OH-] pOH pH 1 red 0.05 12.69897 2 orange 0.005 11.69897 3 yellow 0.0005 10.69897 4 yellow 0.00005 9.698970004 5 yellow 0.000005 8.698970004 6 yellow 0.0000005 7.698970004 7 yellow 0.00000005 6.698970004 Useful range for the indicator: 10.69-12.69 Indicator: Red Cabbage extract Test Tube Color After Adding the Indicator [OH-] pOH pH 1 green-blue 0.05 12.69897 2 aqua blue 0.005 11.69897 3 aqua blue 0.0005 10.69897 4 sky blue 0.00005 9.698970004 5 Dark blue 0.000005 8.698970004 6 Violet 0.0000005 7.698970004 7 Pink 0.00000005 6.698970004 Useful range for the indicator: 6.69-8.89 Which indicator is the best to use for observing pH changes: near pH = 7 : Bromothymol Blue, Red Cabbage Extract near pH = 8 : Red Cabbage Extract near pH = 10 : Phenolphthalein near pH = 12 : Alizarin Yellow 1. Locate an industry, occupation, industrial process, etc., where pH is critical to success. Ans: Enzymes are biocatalysts which carry out biochemical reactions at rigid conditions of temperature and pH. Enzymes are used in multiple areas in Pharmaceutical, biotech and food industries where it is critical to maintain the pH of the process for optimal functioning of the enzymes. Maintaining the pH is critical in any industrial processes employing enzymes. A few examples would be papain from the leaves and unripe fruit of the pawpaw (Carica papaya) has been used to tenderise meats. Amylase is used in starch hydrolysis. Now gluco-amylase functions at pH 4.5 whereas fungal amylase at pH 5.5. Lactose hydrolysis is carried out by lactase for Aspergillus niger and A.oryzae at pH optima (pH 4.5-6.0 and 3.0-4.0, respectively) 2. Is

How To Assess Information And Knowledge

How To Assess Information And Knowledge The main aim of this assignment is to provide Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, on how to assess information and knowledge internally and externally to improve decision making and taking while creating strategies to increase personal networking to widen involvement in the decision-making process. This assignment also helped Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd develop communication process to improve the gathering and dissemination of information and organizational knowledge. Furthermore it assessed the current approach of information management by Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd also highlighted with suggestion and the way the culture effects the communication procedure is recognized and discussed. Acknowledgement This project could have not been written without Mr.Frank Gunasekara. Who encouraged and challenged me through my academic program. He never accepted less than my best efforts. Thank you. I make no claim to be comprehensive since what is collected in this project are materials that I found in articles, Books, Interviews and the internet. A special thanks to the authors mentioned in the bibliography page. I would like to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt gratitude to my family and friends. And specially to Mr.Suranga Liyanarachi [Human Resource Manager] of Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd. Words cannot express what I owe them for there encouragement and whose patient love enabled me to complete this project. And especially to Allah, Who made all things possible. Table of Contents List of Illustrations Organizational Structure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. 8 L1 Introduction of Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd. Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd., was founded by a man with a great vision, the late Mr. Anverally. Which was over a 100 years ago, His vision was to establish the finest pure Ceylon teas. After a century passed his vision was made a reality by his successors. Today Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd, exports the finest teas in the world to over 37 countries which includes Europe, Asia, CIS states and the Middle East. And being registered members of the Colombo Tea Traders Association, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, National Chamber of Commerce, the Export Development Board and the Srilanka Tea Board. Being having a good relationship with a number of plantation companies and estates around the island, Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd has some of the most experienced tea tasters in the business, Vital for the important process of blending that makes Ceylon Tea so famous around the world today. Mission OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE PERFECTION SECOND TO NONE IN EVERY OUNCE OF TEA WE EXPORT [Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd, Website] www.anverally.com/ceylon-black-green.html Organizational Structure Director of Operations and Logistic Director of value added Tea Director of Bulk Tea Director of Finance Senior Executive Human resource manager TEAM General Manager MD/ Chairmen [Figure 1] Organizational structure is the frame work, typically hierarchical, within which Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd. Arranges its lines of authority and communications, and makes sure to allocates there rights and duties. This organizational structure shows the manner and the extent to which power, roles and responsibilities are delegated, coordinated and controlled and how information flows between levels of management. Being having a Horizontal structure [Flat hierarchy] the number of people in layers is less. Anverally and sons being having a wide span of control there are many employees reporting to a superior. But in the narrow span of control only a few employees are reporting to a superior. Being having a wide span of control at Anverally and Sons communication is faster because the message travels faster and shorter distance in the flat structure. There for in this organization communication is more effective and can respond to the changes in the market faster. However in tall structure it takes more time to respond to the changes in the market. Range Of Organizational Decisions Example : At an economic crisis, This is when all the decisions are made by the head-office or the top management. All the decisions making power are help by the top managers and managers at the lower levels do not have power. When important decisions are to be made Anverally and Sons will get the company centralized in all departments and there will be a similar set of rules and regulations. This may lead to greater consistency and when everyone follows the same system there will be more consistency and this will reduce confusion among different departments. It was explained that at Anverally and sons that senior managers are taking all the decisions since they are more matured and experienced and there for the decision will be a good quality decision that will benefit the whole organization. However if junior managers takes the decisions, the decisions may not benefit the organization since they are not experienced. However if Anverally and sons pass down the decision making power to other areas departments or divisions in the business allowing decisions to be taken away from the top management. This reduces the workload for the senior management and there for will make decision making faster. By passing decision making powers to lower levels will speed up the decision making progress and. This will make the organization more flexible and it will be able to react to the changers in the market quickly. And as a result the business will be able to retain its skilled force [work] because everybody will be involved in decision making. Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd being a growing company decision making should be decentralized as there are a lot of operations. Information required at different Levels of organization At Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd, Strategic Level decisions are taken into consideration by only the Chairman and General Manager which includes them to deal with complex issues, It involves high level of risk since the future is very unpredictable and decides on the objectives of the organization. Tactical Level is handled by the Directors/Executives and they are responsible to ensure that resources are obtained and use effectively and efficiently to accomplish the organizations objectives. Directors/Executives in tactical level operations are the Dir. Operations and logistics, Dir. Value added tea, Dir. Bulk Tea, Dir. Finance and Senior Executive Human resource Director . Operational Level is managed by the Managers and their respective teams, Marketing manager:- Should do an analyst about the competitors and identify its break troughs and make advantages decisions for the organizationa and mainly about the the organizations Products, Price, Place and Promotion. Human Resource manager :- Manages the overall sector of human resource services, programs and policies. Some of the major areas an HRM manages can include as Recruiting staff, Organizational Development, Performance management and improvement systems. Shipping department manager and Logistics head are included as well. They ensure that every top level task they have received is carried out effectively and efficiently. And at this level decisions what needs to be taken into consideration like day to day activity decisions are apart of this department. Effective Communication With Stakeholders Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd does pay a great number of attention to their stakeholders, Whose behaviors and attitude will mean a lot for their difference between the success and failure of the companys organizational mandate. Communication with stakeholders is important and critical for the organization, For the communication to be effectively done Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should identify their key stakeholders. Set Communication Objectives Before developing a message campaign, It is important that Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd to clarify the reason and objectives behind the communication. The main objective of the communication is to inform the stakeholders of some pending action or decision, to engage with them or maybe to prevent or overcome some problems. However if the organization is to inform or raise awareness than affecting the perception or its behavior, the approach of communication will be varied. Choosing a Communication format Messages communicated can vary from personal encounters to mass communication. For an Example: If the objective is to change the behavior, two-way communication is required for anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, such as telephone contact or face to face interviews should be used with stakeholders. But if the information which should be one-way informed then it could be used in newspapers, magazine or public service announcements on radio or television could be an appropriate choice for anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd. Getting feedback on Effectiveness The ultimate goal of effective communications with stakeholders is getting the feedback from the respective stakeholders themselves. By having conducted the research with all relevant constituencies in order to know if the desired message have been received and the expected results with the communication effort. Research can be in the form of Telephone or Internet interviews. Communicating with, Customers :- Customers buys the goods and services. And are expecting quality tea which is safe and in reasonable price. Suppliers :- Suppliers supply the raw materials. Suppliers expectations are continuously high volume business, Timely settling their invoices. There for if the supplier is not happy with the business dealings it may lead to stop supplying the materials. The method used to communicate with these stakeholders is by electronic communication. Internal and External Source of Organization Internal Sources of communication means communication within the organization, Information can be of many types, Example of some major internal source: Organizational Information: Internal source of information to gather data about the organization which includes strategic plans, exit surveys, Focus groups. External Sources of information are where the organization gathers information from official and unofficial sources, but who are effected with the business externally. Example : Sending a message to a supplier Anverally and Sons has a strong strategy of Communicating and motivating its employees. The reason for Anverally and sons to manage its decisions is by having a good communication environment, Good communication does encourage team work. Team work will result in new ideas, New ideas lead to innovation. Good decision making will allow faster decision making. When decision making is fast the business organization can react to changes in the market quickly. Methods of communication used by Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd Oral communication : Which is one to one communication Example : Telephone conversations, Meetings, Interviews, Staff appraisal meeting. Scenario : When the tea cartons are ready for shipment and there is no space for storing since the shipment is being delayed then the Distribution manager contacts the Shipping manager directly and solves the immediate problem. Positives out of this method are that the communication will be more clear and effective because there is immediate feedback and body language can be observed. However if the communication consist of many document it is advisable to note them down in writing so that there will be written records of it. Written communication : A written record is available there for it can be referred back later and will have no disputes as there is evidence. Example : Notice, News Letters, Reports, etc.. However this will be time consuming and there will not be any immediate feedback. Electronic communication : This is the main method where Anverally and sons use for decision making. Since of the high speed communication and immediate response can be identified. Its a more cost effective way for and example : Email is cheaper than postal mail. And a large quantity can be downloaded from the internet. The head office situated in Colombo and the factories being placed in rural areas people still can work as a team due to electronic communication. This method can be sent and received at anytime of the day there for it is more flexible.As a factor to be concerned for Anverally and sons is that, If electronic communication is using text, audio and video messages. Then this can be sent through one communication line. However this way of communication can affect the company by hackers and viruses. It could also lead to information overload since with the internet the information available is too high and could result it such. And to get the employees trained to deal with electronic communication the company will have to have as expense such a training cost. Recommendation for Improvement. At Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd it is identified that the organization use to communicate with their employers and employees using the electronic communication method than oral discussions. As noted the company has few errors of communication as to whom to report or inform. Being having a flat structure the organization has a wide span of control but according to the programs the organization conducts the process of communication is wrong since they use reports and flyers about Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd in every program they conduct. Since Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd being an internationally recognized tea export company. It is important to ask, is it enough for Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd to limit their communication to the current amount. According to the conditions Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should start up using the oral method more often so that they could communicate to their employees/employers throught face to face discussions. This method would lead to get more innovative ideas on how to prove the service and increase its potential. Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should start having group meetings among the different level of the company, This would lead Employees and top management to have a better understanding since there is more human interaction, Besides Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd has to clearly state to whom the employees have to inform regarding different issues and problems they face during operations. Being having a Flat structure it is important to practice horizontal communication since it would help make the internal communication better. And lead to all departments to have better understanding and be more productive. L3 Existing process of communication Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd does use the two way communication process, which is upward and downwards communication. Being having the downward communication Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd use to provide information on their current programs and ongoing projects, Since Feedback is also identified the medium used is by daily announcements at the Factory and by having notice boards at every branch and other different media to their employees about the current issues of the business. And having the upward communication process, Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, Use this method to communicate with the higher authority through electronic device regarding the various problems which arises from the tactical and operational level. So this method helps them to talk about the issues and their concerns and how to over come these. However since customers are encouraged to contact Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd through the Internet [E-mail] to obtain more information or to make a complain. Since this method is used in the organization their can be miscommunication within the middle layer management since E-mail can be time consuming to answer complicated questions or their might be many misunderstandings because cultural differences in the explanation or understanding of certain words, There for using oral communication [telephone] may be considered as a better solution for providing detailed answers. Greater integration system of communication Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd being an internationally recognized tea exporter, Needs to have a proper communication system and thats critical for its success. If the employees at Anverally and Sons [Pvt] Ltd are not effectively communicating with their customers, clients and other experts, the business will have to face negative situations. Improving effective communication skills within the work force is a important skill that should be mastered. Few of the points Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should look into to make sure all workers are communicating effectively. Executive Information System [EIS] This is a system planned to make and support the information and decision made by the senior executives at Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, it also provides easy right to use both internal and external information valid to meet its calculated goals of the business. Internal Data Organizations financials Organizations resources External Data Stock market Economic databases New services Under this system executives at Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd will be having a clear moniter of companies performances and will be able to forecast, spot and analyze problem, Identifying opportunities and to track competitors activities. Management information system [MIS] This system provides managers at middle level for organizing, evaluating and to resourcefully run their departments, and it also provides past, present and future predicted information with the help of software, data bases and hardware applications. To improve this system Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should develop a technological usage agreement for its staff which help the business and maintain its staff from being disobedient. Includes agreement issues such as off beam web surfing, prohibits visiting virus sites etc.. And also should maintain a schedule of maintenance, this would manage to update and scan for virus and prevent data loss or system crash. Transaction process system [TPS] This system is designed to practice the day-to-day dealings of Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd since the business has over 600 outsourced employees advancing this system may lead for the labor-intensive business transactions cto be replaced by automated processes. And their for anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd can improve its operation efficiency and decrease its transaction cost. Communication Skills of a good manager As the interview with Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, Human resource executive Mr.Suranga Liyanarachi. It was identified that there were positives and negatives shown as a manager with his communication skills. Clear communication skill :- As a manager it was clear and effective flow of information which was handed over to the interviewer this makes a good skill of clear communication. Assertive communication skill :- With the ability to express his opinion, ideas, requirements and sentiment in a uncomplicated, non-hesitant way, while also being very diplomatic and respectful of the other person. Integrity :- He is a manager with a lot of integrity in other words is a person who says what he thinks and does what he say hell do. As a result Team transparency, creative approach and performance naturally arise from this. Personal Plan to improve communication skills Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd being having spotted a weakness of their communication system will have to over come its situation to satisfy its clients and customers and other related experts. Causes for lack of team work Lack of clearness about decision making Who has authority over what, Methods for making decisions are changing or unclear. Lack of team communication skills Discussions, conversation, listening disagreement decision Fundamental nature of the work is not very understandable so its mutually dependent, and therefore teamwork is not really needed. There for to over come this situation Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should implement these strategies as follows, Define member roles and responsibilities. :- Every member has its role to be done and more over it should not overlap with confusion, If the work load are being distributed equally the smoother the work would flow. Acknowledge and reward team members :- This is to ensure that all team members know how their individual effort has contributed to the companies common goal and will give confidence to all stakeholders to repeatedly share their individual input with the entire team. Importance of team meeting and Group discussion to improve communication Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd being having a competitive business nature will need standard personal interaction more that ever. Although they have once a week meeting with all executive heads and have meetings every three months on strategic planning, By having electronic communication [telephone and online communication] may allow for convenient and speedy way of communication with customers and also may open up a new opportunity for quick sharing of ideas. But setting up a business meeting within the business will create different effects on the business, Benefit : Information distribution A key benefit will be that it provides an opportunity to share information such as financial updates or may help to recognize new employees for more complex issues. An genuine meeting pinpoints a moment in time and place to have in detail discussions with no other distractions or work getting in the way. Disadvantage : Time However Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd can drain out its companies productivity when having its staff to spend more time on meetings, therefore to over come this reason Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd must try to limit the amount of time that the staff spend in meetings. L4 Identify how information can be used as controlling and coordination method for Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd. Word controlling is used as a way of monitoring the companies actions and behavior by using its information. And the word coordination means as how information is prearranged in a way that can be collected for companys action and activities. As noted from the interview, Information helps to assemble the act of the HR division and the finance subdivision, Where HR division helps to grant information to finance subdivision to make monthly financial statement for the staff. Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd control their daily supplies because information helps them to know how much of tea leaves is needed for each day. consequently information from the logistics sector and storage department will let the shipping department how many tons of tea leaves are being exported everyday. So that there will not be any storage or over production overlapping. And in this same situation we can see the coordination of the logistics sector and the storage department because without the information of shipping department the company wont be able to control its production, storage and exporting requirement for each day. Approaches to the collection, formatting, storage, disseminating information and knowledge. Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd collects information for the function to increase its business efficiency and success in order to make desire turnover along with to sustain in future by making different judgment depend on the information they collect. Information collection Export department Products[taj,al-athur] exported to the clients and the quantity of each product sent per day. Website collects the customers information since they register in the companies website when placing an order for a particular product. Information collected are : name, address, phone number and few financial information. News paper and reports collects information about the competitor by annual reports or financial reports, and they also gather information about the current rules and regulations. Formatting information Customer profile Collection of customer information will be analyzed and divided into customer gender, location and personal information as collected. Export department processes the information on the quantity of exports during the day and the profits made by each product, availability of product and to end with calculates the earnings for the day. Storing information Customer profile Customer information Export department would store the information in the system under daily exports. Secondary researched data would be kept in a separate file. Dissemination of information Being having the customers information in the system, once a placement is made by the customer the customer care reports to the factory department and prepare the amount of tea needed and deliver it to the customer. Reports and magazine information will be spread to the respective departments such as competitors marketing strategy would be handed over to the marketing department. How Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd manage its knowledge At the operations of Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, it is identified that there is two types of knowledge being used. Explicit knowledge : Is a record of how each task is to be performed by plan and actions. Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd being having its factory employees outsourced, it was found that employees tend to change there profession within the factory and that simply helped by the explicit knowledge, this is where all guides and instruction on how to operate its machine would be written or documented, therefore the quality of the product will not change although the employee changes. Tactic knowledge : It is found that in Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, Human resource Department that they recruit and train their employees, Since most of them have only explicit knowledge they lack from tactical knowledge there for they team them up and give them projects on real time and real situation handling project and these are supervised by a manager and at the end of the day they discuss with the trainee about the mistakes and how they should improve to handle problems. How IT system could be used as a communication management and controlling tool for Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd. IT system helps Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd, as a communication management and a controlling tool because this system helps to solve complex issues. Example : Its isnt easy for the staff to record all its sales into a paper and there is likely chances for making error, IT system will help to reduce its difficulty since it makes less human acceptance in processing information, there for this leads to increase the productivity of the work and saves time for the staff. Improvement of collecting, formatting, storage, disseminating information and knowledge Information collection: While having a website Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd can have a representative at every country where they manage to export the most so that the customer can gain more customer satisfaction by having a face to face conversation. Competitors information: This can be identified by attending trade shows and by joining industry associations. Formatting information: By implementing a back-up system and a paper backup system since if the IT system fails then there would be information paper as well for quick references. By getting an IT system out sourced would increase its IT potentials since they will be mainly working on IT related area and would be risk free. Dissemination: It is helpful if the information system is grouped for the exact department like if the employees information can be directly directed to the HR department so then it would make it easy for them to take decisions since they are responsible for employees issues. Implementing a strategy to improve access to system of information and knowledge to others as appropriate For a strategy to be implemented, Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should identify its current problem and its future problem, Example : By only one HR department it is hard for them to look into all its employees information and manage them and mean while if there is an order placed by a client then the business should contact the IT department and then collect information and then pass them to the processing department. There for to handle the situation Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd should develop a plan to save its business, where it helps to enter a broad area of the information system of the business that will put together key business development so that information will be spread into all departments and make things easy. And after the plan is developed the implementation should help to train the staff on how to use the system and to make sure the system is working efficiently and effectively. Organization Culture effecting on the business It was noted that Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd uses a paternalistic style of communication which is that they believe that employees need direction and it is important that they are supported and cared properly. The company does consult to find out views but the decisions are made by the top level management. Therefore the company would have improved decisions making as many ideas are involved and also it increases its employees productivity. More you do more you get [Culture slogan, Interview HR manager] Conclusion This assignment includes a variety of understandings regarding the communication procedure and IT systems of Anverally and sons [Pvt] Ltd. It is found that the company uses diverse verity electronic devices to communicate and they use the up-down method of communication throughout the company. However the recommended type of communication system and IT system is to have a more likely to have a positive effect on the company.