Resource Estimates and Budgets Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Resource Estimates and Budgets - Research Paper Example The following discussion will emphasize each activity in terms of its time and cost resources and identify the variances as a result of differences in the baseline and actual performance. Planning Planning activity is the first activity of the project in which 15 days were specified as baseline duration. Due to efficient utilization of time, the project team completed this activity in just 12 days sparing 3 days for the next activity to be commenced. In terms of cost resources, the project team managed to save $4,000 in respect of material cost whereas the company had to pay extra $2,000 for the wages to the labor. Overall, the company performed better and managed to save both time and cost resources. Development This was the biggest activity for the project team in terms of both time and cost resources such that the baseline duration for this activity was kept for 44 days and total cost estimates were reserved for around $55,000. This activity also went successful such that the proj ect team saved 4 days as well as $4,500 on overall basis. Testing After the development, the next activity was the testing of the product which had been developed at the previous stage. Baseline resources for this activity included 10 days of duration and $27,000 in terms of total cost. Since the previous two activities saved around 7 days in total, therefore, the testing activity took more time and underwent with serious stress testing procedures. In this whole practice, the project time consumed around 15 days and spent around $27,000. Overall, the activity could not perform up to the mark in terms of both time and cost estimates. Commercial Viability Testing activity led the project to the commercial viability of the product such that the product was experienced by different types of consumers and analysts to check how the product is perceived. Baseline resources in terms of time and cost were set to be 15 days and $37,000 respectively. The overall activity completed in 13 days s aving 2 more days, but the company had to pay the extra cost $3000 for this activity. Branding The moment commercial viability was affirmed by the project team and it was decided that the product was ready for its commercial production and launch in the market, the branding activity took place such that effective marketing and advertising campaigns were launched by the project team. Around 21 days were kept as the baseline period for the completion of this activity and $20,000 were specified as the cost of this activity. Project team almost completed the activity in 20 days with 1 day to spare but, on the other hand, incurred around $21,500 showing an adverse variance of $1,500. Product Launch Actual product launch was the last activity of this project and only 5 days were specified for the completion of this activity, but the activity actually took around 10 days utilizing the previous 5 slack days. In terms of cost estimates, the activity was assigned around $20,000 on overall bas is. However, the activity underperformed in this activity as well and incurred around $4,000 in excess of the baseline cost of $20,000. Conclusion Overall, the project remained partially successful in achieving its desired results such that time resources have been utilized effectively as the project team managed to

Heroin Crisis Center Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Heroin Crisis Center - Essay Example Long Island has recently seen an increase in heroin use that has ended the lives of some teenagers due to overdose (Cuadra-Fernandez). The options for the addict and the non-addict user seem to be limited to either continuing use or making the huge step in entering rehab. This proposal intends to show that an intermediary facility that can help during times of crisis and will provide a conduit for the user towards rehabilitation without forcing them into treatment. Through offering services that address the needs of the user in order to keep them alive, it is hoped that eventually they will enter rehabilitation and end their addictive behaviors before it results in death. Heroin is a drug that is extracted from poppies, making it a lucrative crop drug for many nations without other resources. There are three forms of the drug, one being a white powder, the other being a brown powder, and the last being a black, sticky product that is referred to as ‘black tar’. Heroin is often diluted with substances that look similar to the type of product that is being sold, such as adding powdered milk to white powder to extend its volume. Sometimes, however, a substance that is toxic such as strychnine will be found in the drug, increasing the harmful effects and possibly leading to a more assured death through drug overdose (Cuadra-Fernandez). The drug is so powerful that anytime an addict is not on heroin, they are suffering from withdrawal, so any day that is spent without the drug is painful and miserable for the user (Rasmussen and Benson 47). According to Moraes, there are two terms that refer to the type of use that a user of heroin will fall into. A ‘chipper’ is an occasional user who uses the drug recreationally and with an addiction that requires a focused attention to the drug. A ‘junkie’ is someone who cannot go without the drug and has behaviors that can be described as associated with addiction. Stephens discusses types o f heroin users and labels them either addicts or the concerned non-addicts. Concerned non-addicts are in jeopardy of becoming an addict and have a concern towards that regard. Non-concerned non-addicts have no fear that they will become addicts. In comparing the types of users, the addict typically is no longer in mainstream life, their lifestyle is more deviant, they are likely to be unemployed, and have a higher rate of other criminal activity to support their habit. The concerned non-addict tend to still be â€Å"bonded to conventional activities. They were more likely to be high school graduates, avoided engaging in illegal activities, and expressed concern about the consequences of heroin use on their job and families’ (Stephans 61). Beyond the influences the use of heroin in its pharmacological effects, are the medical issues that can come from the use of the drug. Because the drug is often administered through hypodermic needle, the risks of blood pathogens being tran smitted are very high. Diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B can be a very real outcome to drug use (Cuadra-Fernandez). As well, the social consequences can be higher than expected, especially for a teenager who is unprepared for the permanence that can result when the drug use leads to arrest, overdose, or discovery which will all lead to the behavior being revealed to family and friends, thus placing them in a position of being somewhat of an outcast. The group that the crisis center that is proposed in this paper would address would be primarily made up of ’chippers’ and concerned non-addicts, their use not yet putting them into the downward social and physical spiral that an addict will experience. While the center would certainly

Effective Communication Is An Issue

Effective Communication Is An Issue Social work is a professional and academic discipline that pursues to progress the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and coaching on behalf of those distressed with poverty or any real or perceived social injustices and violations of their human rights (Cavanagh Lane, 2012). To make all this happen, social workers have to communicate with the people affected and listen their problems carefully in order to take them out from the painful situation. Social work relies heavily on communication to identify problems and solutions related to social behaviours, including family relations, workplace interactions and substance abuse. Lack of communication can lead to clients shutting down, stepping away from assistance or losing trust in their social worker. Developing strong communication skills helps social workers work more efficiently and effectively with clients, resulting in more positive outcomes with less confrontation and fewer missed opportunities. Communication is the ability to deliver/convey the thoughts, ideas or message effectively (Pathak Joshi, 2010). The exchange of thoughts, feelings, messages, or information, as by reading, speech, gestures, visuals, signals, writing, or behaviour is known as Communication. Despite of the fact, that language is the main element of communication. However the linguistic structure of all the languages are same, although according to cultural differences, they are been expressed differently. There are several skills for a social work or a psychology profession to communicate with their clients, although this essay will discuss the major communication skills which should be applied by psychological professional or a social worker towards his/her clients. Everybody needs to be heard and understood; active listening is also one of the communication skills which make it possible (Kelan, 2007). Social workers have to focus on his/her client sayings and must answer appropriately. Listening actively will make the client feel more comfortable and in this way he/she can discuss all the issues faced. Questioning is another technique for healthier communication. It is the way in which the social worker will be able to get as much information as he/she need, to make the right decision for the client and show him/her the right path, which leads him/her towards better future. Moreover, silence is one of the virtuous types of communication which social workers exercise. Suppose, if the client is too much upset or suffering from something of real anxiety and emotional behaviour, then silence is the skill used by social workers to calm the client down. Once, the client come to normal, then the communication takes place to resolve the issue by providing different suggestion. Technical jargons or slangs are some of the barriers in communication that the client would not be able to understand. To make the communication effective and realistic, one must not use the slangs or jargons because social workers would not be having any idea, whether the language or technical term they are using is being understood by their clients or is passing over the head of their client. Approaching open or closed question by the social workers is exercised while interviewing their clients. It is the quicker and easier way found to get quick response from the clients. Statistical interpretation can be assessed easily through close ended questions. Close questions are specific and are cost effective in survey method, although these questions do not offer the clients to express their desires and feelings. Communication skills every so often focus on picking the suitable words to reflect what theyre projected to convey, especially in social work. However listening remains an important element of effective social work communication. Social workers need to be vigilant about being active listeners while collaborating with clients, who may sometimes struggle to articulate their experiences. Focus attention on what clients, co-workers or controllers are saying by listening without worrying around what your reply will be. Repeat information to make sure youve understood, and ask additional questions to clarify information. When working with clients on a complex problem, non-verbal communication skills are critical for social workers. Sit or stand up straight when conversing to help stay alert. Social workers must lean towards clients when they speak to create familiarity, nodding to affirm that youre following along. Friendly eye contact should be maintained when culturally appropriate, they should not stare or prevent their eyes in awkwardness if someone begins to weep or cry. Says Pathak Joshi, 2010 that alteration into peoples breathing helps realize temperament; held breath might specify fear, while shallow, hasty breath might reflect annoyance or a highly emotional state. It is basically a challenging task to understand the language of the people where one works, because of communication barrier (if any). The basic ttool for social work is communication, although to communicate effectively there need to be some research done. As on average, Social workers have to answer positively when they are asked several questions regarding the work they are doing for the wellbeing society or community. Social work can be very physically and emotionally demanding work. When coupled with long hours and low pay and benefits, the turnover rate for social work can be quite high, especially among first-year social workers. This can be countered if supervisors use empathetic communication skills to provide support and prevent burnout. Asking your social workers focused questions can help them identify problems and solutions more quickly. Provide constructive feedback to recognize successes and defray negative effects of setbacks. Apologize for mistakes, misunderstandings or instances when you werent fully able to address the needs of your staff. Social workers must consistently undergo self-examinations about beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, fears and prejudices toward clients or situations to be effective communicators. Unexamined attitudes about drug use, child neglect, cultural biases or language choice may affect how you communicate with clients. It might be concluded that communication plays an important role in making relationship strong and to help other understand the right meaning to its best. The language social workers and psychology professionals use to communicate in their profession must be easy for the client understand. Psychology professional and social worker must ask questions, remain silent, gestures, communicate empathetically, listen, reflect and build rapport, clarify towards their clients where appropriate. Social workers or psychology professionals must be aware of assumptions held when communicating with clients, supervisors or other social workers related to the case; these may prevent them from seeing the things objectively and helping develop an appropriate solution.

Your Dog is Your Father: The Deceptive Simplicity of Eristic in the Euthydemus :: Essays Papers

Your Dog is Your Father: The Deceptive Simplicity of Eristic in the Euthydemus What is particularly striking about the opening exchanges of the Euthydemus between Socrates and Crito is that they seem to establish the setting and characters of the dialogue concretely—Socrates and his attractive young friend Clinias meet the well-known brothers Euthydemus and Dionysodorus at the Lyceum and ask them to display what Crito calls their â€Å"particular wisdom,† and what they call simply â€Å"virtue.† However, within these first few pages of dialogue, we already begin to sense something about the brothers that makes them difficult to pin down. When Crito asks, â€Å"Where do they come from, and what is their particular wisdom?†, Socrates is vague on their origins—they are from both Greece and Italy, and at the time of the dialogue, they are exiles with no proper city (271c). Thus, they seem to be from everywhere at once. Their â€Å"particular wisdom† turns out to be quite unparticular as well—Socrates claims they can win any fight, making them, one would assume, wise at everything. Whereas both Socrates and Crito dwell on the physical and character descriptions of Clinias and even Ctesippus, the brothers, who are ostensibly the primary focus of the dialogue, are given no personal description at all (271b, 273a). Indeed, when Ctesippus takes up a tirade against them in the Lyceum, he is completely unable to identify them, addressing them as, â€Å"men of Thurii or Chios, or from wherever and however you like to be styled† (288b). In his frustration at their elusiveness, he articulates this very unnatural ability of the brothers to be from everywhere and argue any position, and quite accurately compares them to Proteus, the shape-shifter (288c). Moreover, the brothers are interested in hiding their past occupations in order to appear to be purely teachers of â€Å"virtue,† as Euthydemus insists (273d). Socrates makes a point of reminding both the audience in the Lyceum and Crito that the brothers achieved their reputation as teachers of military combat and rhetoric (271d-272b, 273c). Euthydemus is eager to belittle these skills, laughing when Socrates praises them and calling them â€Å"diversions† to his main interest (273c). However, Socrates does not discard them as easily, and in his later conversation with Crito, he praises the brothers as â€Å"all-round fighters† and considers their skill at eristic to be the â€Å"finishing touch to pancrastic art,† implying that we must view it in concert with their previous interests in order to understand what is so striking about it that it should motivate Socrates to want to seek out their tutelage (272a). Your Dog is Your Father: The Deceptive Simplicity of Eristic in the Euthydemus :: Essays Papers Your Dog is Your Father: The Deceptive Simplicity of Eristic in the Euthydemus What is particularly striking about the opening exchanges of the Euthydemus between Socrates and Crito is that they seem to establish the setting and characters of the dialogue concretely—Socrates and his attractive young friend Clinias meet the well-known brothers Euthydemus and Dionysodorus at the Lyceum and ask them to display what Crito calls their â€Å"particular wisdom,† and what they call simply â€Å"virtue.† However, within these first few pages of dialogue, we already begin to sense something about the brothers that makes them difficult to pin down. When Crito asks, â€Å"Where do they come from, and what is their particular wisdom?†, Socrates is vague on their origins—they are from both Greece and Italy, and at the time of the dialogue, they are exiles with no proper city (271c). Thus, they seem to be from everywhere at once. Their â€Å"particular wisdom† turns out to be quite unparticular as well—Socrates claims they can win any fight, making them, one would assume, wise at everything. Whereas both Socrates and Crito dwell on the physical and character descriptions of Clinias and even Ctesippus, the brothers, who are ostensibly the primary focus of the dialogue, are given no personal description at all (271b, 273a). Indeed, when Ctesippus takes up a tirade against them in the Lyceum, he is completely unable to identify them, addressing them as, â€Å"men of Thurii or Chios, or from wherever and however you like to be styled† (288b). In his frustration at their elusiveness, he articulates this very unnatural ability of the brothers to be from everywhere and argue any position, and quite accurately compares them to Proteus, the shape-shifter (288c). Moreover, the brothers are interested in hiding their past occupations in order to appear to be purely teachers of â€Å"virtue,† as Euthydemus insists (273d). Socrates makes a point of reminding both the audience in the Lyceum and Crito that the brothers achieved their reputation as teachers of military combat and rhetoric (271d-272b, 273c). Euthydemus is eager to belittle these skills, laughing when Socrates praises them and calling them â€Å"diversions† to his main interest (273c). However, Socrates does not discard them as easily, and in his later conversation with Crito, he praises the brothers as â€Å"all-round fighters† and considers their skill at eristic to be the â€Å"finishing touch to pancrastic art,† implying that we must view it in concert with their previous interests in order to understand what is so striking about it that it should motivate Socrates to want to seek out their tutelage (272a).

Market Structure Simulation

Market Structure Simulation Quasar Computers When industries are selling similar products this makes up market structure. I will be discussing economic profit that Quasar computer is able to make. The market structure is made of the following pure monopoly, pure competition, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly. In the simulation I learn about pricing and non pricing strategies and understanding the diverse market structure. Quasar put out a new first all-optical notebook that is called Neutron. Quasar had to come with strategy regarding price and gain profit while having the only notebook on the market and monopolizing. To give a basic overview we Quasar set the price at $2,550 per notebook to create a place and so that marginal cost will equal to marginal revenue. In 2004 Quasar Computers had to review the advertising. The recommendation was $500 million. My price was $2,450, total cost 13. 29, total revenue 15. 1 and total profit was 1. 82. Due to the new lunch, David thought it would be a good idea to upgrade production. Jane thinks we should improve on the areas that we had major losses. Quasar Computers would need to sell more than over $500 million to make a profit and the Neutron would have to be priced higher. In 2006 competition arrises and we have to lower our prices, work on brand building to make sure we can keep our gain from Orin Technolgies since the company gain 50% of the market in notebooks. Orin Technologies is now in the same industry as Quasar and we are no longer monopolizing but Oligopoly. I think Quasar was a bit caught off guard. They had to think fast before competition became an issue. Quasar had to make decision quick if they should invest more funds into the marketing if they wanted to sell notebooks and reach out to a larger base of consumers or work on research and development. If Quasar wanted to success they had to stop and think about what infficiences they had and not expect to sell the same amount of quantity. Also during the time Orin came in the demand Neutron was sloping down and which increasing any price would just have consumer not buying any of their products. For Quasar to be sucesseful they have to focus on affordable but yet quality technology to remain in the game. Quasar how to reinvent technology and make their notebook fun and consumer entertained. Reference Geoff, R. (2006) Retrieved from http://tutor2u. net/economics/revision-notes/as-macro-macroeconomic-policy. html U. S. Department of Commerce. (November 23, 2011). Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retrieved from http://www. bea. gov/newsreleases/national/pi/pinewsrelease. htm McConnell, C. R. , Brue, S. L. , & Flynn, S. M. (2009). Economics: Principles, problems, and policies (18th ed. ). New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin. U. S Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2011, November 22). Personal Income and Outlay. Retrieved November 27, 2011 http://www. bea. gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease. htm Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. (2011, February 3). The Economic Outlook and Macroeconomic Policy. Retrieved November 27, 2011

Jeep and Social Media Essay

In recent years, social media has become an incredibly important tool with which people communicate. Young and old people alike use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and blogs to relay messages and connect with one another. However, these platforms are no longer used by individuals solely. More and more companies have begun to use social media to reach out to current and future customers and to advertise themselves. It is not uncommon for company Facebook pages and Twitter feeds to have a large number of subscribers or followers nowadays. One company that uses social media quite effectively is Jeep. The company uses outlets like Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube to reach out to their customers and try to capture new ones. Jeep uses social media to target a different type of audience than most companies. Whereas many firms would be trying to capture new customers, Jeep is more devoted to engaging existing customers and connecting Jeep owners. In doing this, Jeep’s target audience consists mainly men and women who are of driving age. There are a few other qualifications though. One of the attractions of a Jeep is the ruggedness and outdoorsy image that it embodies. Therefore, the target audience that Jeep tries to reach through it’s social media usage would most likely include those that are interested in a number of outdoor activities. In addition, though the Jeeps are sold to customers of any age, it seems that most users of social media are in the younger generations. While this is currently beginning to change, it is reasonable to believe that Jeep’s social media is targeted more towards younger Jeep owners – most likely those customers whose age lies in the range of the early teens to the late thirties. As already mentioned, Jeep’s focus is not really to attract new customers but to provide existing owners with a number of different ways to connect with eachother and with the company itself. Establishing these connections is where the interactivity of Jeep’s social media platforms comes into play. The main parts of Jeep’s social media are the Jeep Facebook page, the Jeep MySpace page, the Jeep Twitter feed, the official Flickr group, the Jeep YouTube account, and an online community titled â€Å"Come Together†. All of these places are used as exchanges where Jeep owners and enthusiasts can interact with one another. These interactions consist of uploading and viewing photos and videos to the Flickr and YouTube accounts, commenting on interesting segments on the â€Å"Come Together† community site, or talking to each other on the Facebook and MySpace pages. While there are not many contests or downloads that Jeep tries to push on visitors to their sites, visitors are strongly encouraged to post photos and comments relating to their personal experiences with the company. I have personally worked in a company that makes and sells aftermarket Jeep accessories and have seen firsthand how proud and involved Jeep owners can be over their Jeeps. Therefore, it is not surprising that these sites and social media platforms are often very successful in getting viewers to post photos, videos, and comments about their Jeeps and any others they see on the sites. There is no real advertising for products taking place on these social media sites. Instead, the sites act merely as an exchange of ideas and opinions between customers and the company. However, this is an example of a very good product marketing strategy. When site visitors view pictures of other Jeep owners’ vehicles, they may often see products on the other vehicles that they like and become interested in purchasing. This will often lead to sales of Jeep accessories without any real advertising expenses incurred by the company. Reviews, photos, and videos from actual customers serve to enhance the products in other people’s minds and indirectly lead to visitors purchasing goods. Traditional advertising is also integrated in all of these social media sites. All of Jeep’s current regular television commercials are posted on both the YouTube and MySpace pages. Print ads can also be found on the MySpace page. However, while traditional advertising can be found in many places on Jeep’s social media sites, it is not the focus. Jeep uses these sites more to promote connectivity between the customers. It seems as though they want visitors to forget that all these sites are part of a corporate marketing strategy; instead they want to promote the idea that the sites are merely a way for owners to exchange photos and stories about their experiences with the Jeeps they have bought. The company is not trying to push new products down the customers’ throats but rather is interested in hearing about the likes and dislikes that the customers have. I believe that this dedication to engaging the customer is part of what makes Jeep owners so devoted to the company. Therefore, Jeep’s social media platform is very effective at doing what the company sets out to do.

Abbreviation with Names and of Titles

Abbreviation with Names and of Titles Abbreviation with Names and of Titles Abbreviation with Names and of Titles By Mark Nichol This post outlines major conventions regarding the use of initials and abbreviations in association with people’s names. Periods are used with initials in names (â€Å"W. E. B. Du Bois†) unless someone is referred to exclusively by his or her initials (â€Å"FDR†). Note, too, that in formal writing, a space separates each initial used in a full name, as shown in the first example here, though periodicals and other less formal publications generally omit the spaces (â€Å"W.E.B. Du Bois†). Civil or military titles are often abbreviated before a full name but not before a surname alone (â€Å"Sen. Elizabeth Warren,† but â€Å"Senator Warren†), although inclusion of the title with the surname is generally not necessary. (In this case, Warren alone is suitable for subsequent references to the person after the introduction of her by her full name.) In situations in which space is at a premium, as in a chart or table, abbreviation can be applied more liberally, and in that case it’s best to be consistent within the graphic element even if sufficient space is available with some names but not others. Social titles such as Mr. and Ms. are rarely used in published writing anymore, except in quoted material, and are redundant when initials designating an academic degree or professional attainment follow a name. (For example, in the phrase â€Å"Dr. Jane Smith, MD,† Dr. and MD are two ways of expressing the same information.) Note that such references as MD, or CPA (for â€Å"certified public accountant†), are appended to a name enclosed between commas, but when abbreviations such as Jr. and III follow a name, no intervening punctuation is necessary (as in â€Å"John Smith Jr. was honored at the ceremony†). In narrative, spell out titles such as â€Å"the Reverend† and â€Å"the Honorable† before a full name (and do use the article), but they can be abbreviated as Rev. or Hon. (without the article) in a list. When referring to a saint, spell out that word unless space is limited; St. is the correct abbreviation. (When the word or abbreviation appears in a person’s name, honor the style that person uses.) Most titles specifying one’s role in a company or organization are generally not abbreviated, but one exception is often made for the most senior executive, the CEO (â€Å"chief executive officer†). That title is often abbreviated without a full spelling on first reference, though titles for others, such as â€Å"chief operating officer,† who work in what is known as the C-suite (because the first word of the job titles for these people is chief, abbreviated with a capital c) are usually spelled out. (Specialized publications catering to an audience familiar with such titles often abbreviate them on first reference, however.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"60 Synonyms for â€Å"Trip†Dissatisfied vs. Unsatisfied