Comparison Between The Number of Web Sites of The Gulf Cooperation Research Paper

Comparison Between The Number of Web Sites of The Gulf Cooperation Council and its Services and E-Government Website - Research Paper Example However, in order to distribute information on the internet, an interface is used, which is known as a Web site. A Web site contains a lot of hyperlinks and contents conveying the message of that particular Web site (Norton, 2001; Shelly et al., 2005). For instance, a web site of a university contains information about that university. In the same way, the Hukoomi is a Web Portal, which offers the people access to information regarding the State of Qatar. It links us with government programs, services, initiatives and events (Government of Qatar, 2012). In addition, through cooperation with government organizations and public service suppliers, the Hukoomi has appeared to build online information more readily accessible at our fingertips. Additionally, the online national web portal hosts a number of significant e-services, and government service application, documents, forms and general information (Government of Qatar, 2012). This report presents a detailed comparison between a num ber of Web sites of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and their services and other e-government websites to know the country and the needs of the Country Website development and optimization and preference. This report will present a detailed analysis of a wide variety of aspects of the Hukoomi in comparison with rest of the Gulf States in terms of electronic services and e-government support. The basic purpose of this comparison is to determine the needs and requirements that are necessary to know for building an effective and informative web site. This analysis will determine what should be included in the web site to make it perfect, with the intention that it could better serve its community. A detailed Comparison This section presents a detailed comparison between different web sites. For this purpose, I have divided this comparison into different parts (depending on the features of a web site). In this scenario, I will compare different features and services which are availab le or should be available at Hukoomi but it is not there and what services are available on other portals. 1- National Overview The first feature or support that we will analyze in this comparison is about presentation of national overview. In this scenario, the Hukoomi offers a good national overview; however, at this web site comprehensive national overview is missing. The national overview of Hukoomi can include information regarding national resources, population, geography and tourism. On the other hand, the Main Page of existing website does not contain such details. As this web site is aimed at presenting a detailed overview of the country so it needs to offer a brief but comprehensive overview of the State of Qatar. In this scenario, we need to add some links in a small portion of the Main Page of the website so that people could know about

Social Work; Blaming the victim(critical thinking) Essay

Social Work; Blaming the victim(critical thinking) - Essay Example This implies that she is responsible for the abuse, or at least could have prevented it, if she had taken more of an effort to avoid them. It places the responsibility on the victim to avoid the perpetrator. By telling her parents they had intervened it attempts to deflect the attention from the original crime or situation to hold the victim, Danielle, responsible. Victim blaming in this instance was subtle, but still existent. By holding Danielle responsible, implying she â€Å"deserved† or instigated the bullying by sending emails as well, the school blamed her for what happened. Because they believe the bullying wouldn’t happen without a â€Å"reason†, they believe the victim must have somehow provoked the actions. By blaming Danielle, it also allows the school to escape the blame from their own lack of action. They are able to side step the fact that they didn’t take strong, appropriate, immediate action against the bullies. It deflects the attention from the school, and the actual bullies, to Danielle, the victim. The memo was an indirect way of blaming the victim. Although at no point does it directly say Danielle was responsible, it insinuates it by implying she could have taken action by blocking the emails or following their other suggestions. It also diverts from the intensity of the bullying by avoiding, through exclusion, that there were other forms of bullying than just emails. The emails were only a small part of the actual bullying that occurred. The school didn’t address ways to counter slanderous actions like keeping her from making the team, bullying her in person, and spreading rumors. The memo they sent out only addressed a small portion of the bullying. Even if the emails were the main concern, the memo still holds the victim accountable by saying they shouldn’t’ respond to bullying—that by countering a bully’s actions, the victim is responsible. By not taking stronger action and by blaming the victim, the school

Good V. Evil Essay Example for Free

Good V. Evil Essay The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde represents a conflict between good and evil. One character (Jekyll) is determined to keep his impulses in check and ignore temptations, while the other character, Mr. Hyde, is brazen and submits to any temptation or impulse. The four main characters in the story are all men of similar social class who are capable of keeping their impulses in check and denying the temptations of evil. In the case of Dr. Jekyll however, Dr. Jekyll is not able to say no to the evils and uses an alternate identity to unleash the monster from within. The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde can be easily related to the reader, as everybody knows the temptations of evil and the pleasures that both good and evil can bring somebody. Dr. Jekyll experiences strong tendencies of both good and bad. Unlike most men of Dr. Jekylls age and geography, Jekyll cannot keep himself from indulging in the pleasures that the evil side can provide. Jekylls trip into extreme evil (Mr. Hyde) is partially due to the fact that he has lived such an acceptable and exemplinary life in the past and he holds himself to a higher standard than some of his collegues. Robert Louise Stevenson describes Dr, Jekyll as a man who his friends were those of his own blood or those whom he had known the longest. (Ch1. P2) Dr. Jekyll seems to only trust those whom he was most comfortable with and does not let people that he barely knows too close into his life. It is possible that Dr. Jekyll did not reach out and become friends with too many people because he was aware of the evilness that was lurking inside of him. The attitude of Dr. Jekyll is described in the opening paragraph as at friendly meetings and when the wine was to his taste, something eminently human beaconed from his eyeStevenson. Could it be possible that Dr. Jekyll was aware of the evil secret life that he hides from the real world? It appears that there was something a little strange about Dr. Jeykll that others couldnt exactly figure out yet. Mr. Enfield is asked by Mr. Utterson to describe Dr. Jekyll so Enfield describes Jekyll as somebody who I never saw a man I so disliked. he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldnt specify the pointStevenson,pg. 1680. The bad side of Dr. Jekyll is evident just by his demeanor although it is nothing compared to the evilness of Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde represents the dark side of Dr, Jekyll. Hyde only comes to life when Jekyll takes the drug that brings him out. The drug that unleashes Hyde at first makes Jekyll feel terribly sick but shortly after, Jekyll feels incredible and almost as though he is not human. Jekylls evil fantasies and impulses become a reality after he takes the drug. The drug makes Jekyll feel like he is a whole different person and that allows him to do whatever evil things he wants to do. The good in Jekyll is only returned if he takes an antidote. Just like many other people there is a constant struggle between good and evil of our everyday lives. People who struggle with drugs or alcohol or any other worldly temptations live a similar life to the one that Dr. Jekyll lives. Life is not easy for anybody and sometimes people need to escape their reality for a little while by taking a drug just like Jekyll does. Stevenson does well in creating a parallel between good and evil that people can relate to in their everyday lives. Stevensons story is very similar to a modern film called Limitless staring Bradley Cooper. In Limitless, Cooper, a young man struggling to pay his bills, tries a new drug that gives him extreme brain power which he uses to achieve great wealth and success. The success is only attainable with the use of the drug and without the drug, Cooper becomes sick and very weak, similar to what happens with Dr. Jekyll when he is without the drug. Just like Jekyll, Coopers health starts to dwindle as the supply of drugs becomes smaller and smaller. Stevenson is perhaps trying to teach the reader a valuable lesson in saying no to the temptations of evil. These temptations can often be difficult to ignore. Stevnson seems to suggest the Dr. Jekyll is the victim of a split personality disorder which was a new concept during the Victorian age. The only difference between Dr. Jekylls condition and a split personality disorder is that in the case of somebody suffering from split personalities, the person is aware of the other personality and can bring this person out willfully. Mr. Hyde however, cannot control Jekylls personalty and is not even aware of him. Dr. Jekyll is aware of Mr, Hyde though and understands the evilness that Mr. Hyde causes when Jekyll loses control and takes the drug too much. Mr. Hyde begins to take complete control Stvenson might be suggesting that even if a person is good, once they give into their evil tendencies there is no trunigng back. When Dr. Jekyll starts to flirt with hs bad sidem he begins to lose control of his personality and he eventually loses his friends and good nature. Stevnson displays the power of good will and the consewuences of even the first approach at evil. Once somebody is indulged into a bad habit, they can let their abad habit take control of their lives and it becomes extremely difficult to come back from the evilness once it has become a major part of your life. Dr. Jekyll says, with every day and from both sides of my intelligence, the moral and intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to the truthby whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two Stevenson. Jekyll is describing the affects of his choices and how he is now truning into his bad side for good because that is the person that he has become. Stevensons main goal in writing this story is to create horror and excitement for the reader. He leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions about the message in the story but it is clear to me that this story is about human nature and the batte of good vs. evil. Once a human gives into their temtations they are more likely to indulge in these evil deeds again and again. Dr. Jekyll tried a drug that made him into a different person and he enjoye giving into his evil tendencies. Eventually these evil tendencies took control over Jekyll and he became too evil to return to the good natured Dr. the his colleagues knew.

Co Action Effect And The Audience Effect Psychology Essay

Co Action Effect And The Audience Effect Psychology Essay The co-action effect occurs when a higher level of performance is present when surrounded by other individuals performing the same task. It can be applied to a variety of tasks competitive and non-competitive e.g. Sports, multiplications, spelling etc. It is also perceived that an individuals work rate can alter by merely watching the individual carry out a specified task. This is known as the audience effect. This theory however has positive and negative effects based on the degree of competence with the task given to the subject. If they are skilled in the task, their level of performance will heighten. However, the opposite will occur if the subject is not very capable with the task. These two theories are categorised under Social facilitation. Q2. Describe two psychology studies on this area of human behaviour stating their findings and conclusions. The co-action effect was first perceived in 1898 when a test was carried out by Norman Triplett. His theory was on cyclists and the speeds they reached when firstly, racing against each other and then racing individually against a stopwatch. He noticed that racing against each other rather than against the clock alone increased the cyclists speeds. He then tested his thesis in a controlled lab experiment where he gave children simple tasks to perform on their own and then with a partner. He again found that co-action resulted in improved results in the children. He concluded that the bodily presence of another contestant participating simultaneously in the race serves to liberate latent energy not ordinarily available (Triplett, 1898). An example of the audience effect was noted when psychologist J.Michaels 1982 carried out an investigation on pool players. First he assessed their ability and rated them either above or below average. He then stood by them to see if his presence had any effect on the way they played. The conclusions of the investigation showed that the more abled players performed to a higher calibre and the less abled decreased in ability proving that in fact even though the audience effect can have positive results, they can also facilitate negative ones too. The presence of an audience arouses humans and affects our ability to perform a task. This arousal stimulates us, so that if we are doing something we are good at, we do it better. However, we are already aroused when performing tasks in general. An audience overseeing the task can sometimes act as an over stimulant to certain individuals and interfere with the task at hand. Q3. Evaluate theories and research into the basis of social power including obedience and conformity. Power was found to be one of the most effective reasons as to why an individual feels the need to follow through with what another says to them. Psychologists have undertaken many years of experiments to try to figure out what types of powers are in our society and how they shape and influence the way we live today. There are two main points in social power that can alter an individuals thought process. Obedience and Conformity. Throughout this essay you will read how Psychologists have discovered the roles in which these two influences affect the society we live in. Conformity is described as the type of social influence involving a change in belief or behaviour in order to fit in with a group.  This form of influence can occur in two separate ways. A majority influence whereby the feelings and behaviours of a collective set of individuals within a group can alter or change the opinion of the minority, and the minority influence whereby an individual will change the opinions of the masses in a group. One way in which a majority may influence is known as public compliance. Solomon Asch (1956) set out to encompass what this type of conformity was by using a simple exercise. The aim of the experiment was to see how subjects reacted when faced with an unambiguous task. Would they be influenced by a groups behaviour or would they stick to their own belief that they knew to be true. Aschs test was carried out on 123 participants and all were American males. The subjects were asked to distinguish between three lines and pick a line that was of the same size as a fourth individual line. The procedure was carried out with the individual subject sat around a table of confederates all instructed to give incorrect answers with the subject having to answer last. The procedure was conducted 18 times and out of the 18 guesses, the confederates were told to guess incorrectly 12 times as to add a sense of validity to the experiment. The results showed that 75% of the participants gave incorrect answers at least once suggesting that they had conformed to the group ideology of thinking. Asch then repeated the test and altered a control of no confederates giving wrong answers. Asch found that there were mistakes made about 1% of the time. The conclusion of the experiment shows that there was a high amount of conformity when faced with pressures from a collective group. Questions must be asked however on the actual validity of the experiment itself when looking at real life and moreover the demographic used in the experiment. The participants were asked a simple question, yet if faced with a question that holds more substance, would the participant still conform to such a degree? The experiment has been repeated on many occasions by changing the type of sample used to English scientists (Perrin and Spencer 1980) and youths on probation (Perrin and Spencer 1990). Some more recent research suggests that Aschs experiment is merely an unpredictable phenomenon (Lalancette and Standing 1990). The ethics involved are quite negligible when considering other experiments that will be discussed later in the essay. Participants must have felt tricked once they found out the other participants were actually confederates, and perhaps the subjects may have felt distressed when being put in a difficult situation. We can go back further in the 1900s and see other forms of experiments used to analyse the use of majority conformity. Muzafer Sherif (1935) investigated responses to ambiguous statements by using the auto kinetic affect. This is when very small movements of the eye make a spot of light in a darkened room appear to move because the eyes lack a stable frame of reference. Sherifs participants were tested individually, being asked to say how far the light moved and in what direction. Their answers varied considerably. However, Sherif then requested the participants work collectively to estimate the movements. Their answers started to become quite similar demonstrating the influence of a groups ideology on an individual. The results of this study can also be questioned too. As the answers were ambiguous and there wasnt an obvious answer it could be argued that participants are more likely to conform as they are never completely certain of their answer. This methodology therefore affects Sherifs interpretation of conformity as it is not very reliable. The same ethical questions can be asked when looking at this experiment. The participants were deceived and additionally put under pressure to conform to a groups way of thinking which can cause stress. We can also analyse conformity through the use of a minority influence. Although conformity is generally led by the influence of groups, individuals are occasionally able to reverse this tendency and change the opinions of people around them. This is known as the minority influence. If an individual makes a strong, convincing case it can increase the probability of changing the majoritys beliefs and behaviours. One iconic example of this occurring was the suffragette movement at the start of the 20th Century. The faction started out with a very limited amount of members with strong opinions that women should have the equal rights. Initially their opinions were unpopular but as time went by, the minority influenced the majority with their concise and logical arguments and eventually it led to the majority conforming to the same beliefs. To test this theory a Psychologist known as Moscovici (1969), conducted an experiment similar to that of Asch. 32 groups of 6 were chosen with 2 confederates in each group. The groups were shown a slide of varied shades of blue and asked to convey what colour was perceived. Moscovici et al proposed that if the confederates had that of a different opinion to the group and stuck to that opinion consistently, they could alter the groups views. The confederates consistently said the slides were green. The findings of the experiment showed that 32% gave the same answer as the minority at least once. This suggests that although it is a minute amount of impact on the results, there is some kind of conformity to the minoritys way of thinking. This experiment unusually doesnt hold many ethical problems. Although participants were deceived initially, the deception was moderately low and the tasks given were of a low level of stress. We could go as far as to say that this study was ethically acceptable. However, there are a few criticisms of study. The participants were females, Eagly and Carli (1981) study suggests that females are more likely to conform to ideologies of a group than that of men and so this questions how reliable the study actually is. And so we understand that conformity doesnt necessarily have a boundary that requires a person to act in a certain way. Obedience can be considered entirely different. Conformity does not require us to react in a specified manner whereas with obedience we are instructed or ordered to do something and these orders stem from a higher authority. We can relate this to history when we look at the atrocities that shaped Nazi Germany in World War I and II. Millions of defenceless Jewish people (and many other ethnicities) were slaughtered by Nazi soldiers under the influence of the government ran by Hitler. The heinous crimes committed had many questions to be answered but mainly how were the crimes committed and why?! During the Nuremberg trials, many of the high ranking officials were put to trial over what they had done with the only claim to their innocence being that they were simply, obeying orders. These claims were blatantly thrown out of court and a stereotype was claimed stating t hat a Germans DNA was simply different to that of every other human. Yet a man named Stanley Milgram wanted to understand if there were any truth to these claims. In 1963 he set up a psychology experiment to test if any human, not just German, could be put under such strict obedience pressures, that they could commit these horrific crimes against humanity. His participants were American men aged 20-50 and were from various occupation backgrounds. The study was carried out at Yale University, where they were taken to a lab and introduced to an experimenter dressed in a lab coat (confederate). They were then introduced to what the participant thought was a fellow experimenter however he would be the accomplice in the experiment. These gentlemen had fabricated that he had a heart problem to add to the validity of the study. Participants were then given a summary of the experiment. The mock investigation was to distinguish the roles between teacher and learner. A fake ballot would decide what role would be decided for the two subjects with the actual participant always allocated the teacher role. The procedure of the experiment consisted of a simulated electrode machine in the room the teacher was placed in that would be used to administer an electric volt to the student in another room. The isolation from the two subjects was to add to th e already dissociation created. Every time the student answered a question incorrectly from a sheet the teacher, (participant) was given. The participant would control the shock machine and the teacher would purposely answer the questions incorrectly. The experimenter would push the participant and provoke them to administer the shocks even if they insisted on stopping. Surprisingly, some 65% of the teachers gave what they thought was the maximum amount of punishment (450 volts of electric shock). Based on these results, Milgram suggested a theory known as the Agency Theory. He states that when faced with a stressing situation, humans attribute their responsibilities to an authority figure. This experiment completely changed the impact on social policy, but came with many ethical and situational complications. The ecological validity of the experiment should be questioned as the experiment was conducted within a laboratory and it could also be argued that the participants used were more suggestible as they volunteered for the experiment. Although participants were debriefed to a satisfactory manner (84% felt glad to have participated), the stress endured within the experiment could have possibly had long-term affects to the subjects. Milgram himself states, The degree of tension reached extremes rarely seen in experimentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Subjects were sweating, tremblingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦on one occasion we observed a fit so violent that it was necessary to call a halt to the experiment. Deterred by the ethical background of the experiment mentioned a man known as Zimbardo wanted to carry out an experiment to back up Milgrams study to add validity through using a less controlled environment. Male students applied for a study about prison life. 21 participants were chosen to be guards and prisoners (10 prisoners, 11 guards). The prisoners were arrested at home unexpectedly and blindfolded to disorientate them whilst taking them into their controlled prison cells (the basement of Yale University). Many symbolic items were used to associate the prisoners with their roles (ID numbers, nylon caps, orange jump suits). The guards also had many garments so they could associate themselves with their specified role (clubs, mirrored aviators, handcuffs). Over the two week period, the subjects became more and more connected to their specified role. The guards became more autocratic and the prisoners became tolerant of being punished for the miniscule of issues. The study shows how the guards and prisoners conformed to their roles given especially the prisoners through the use of obedience. However, the ethical issues developed throughout the case were even more severe than that of Milgrams. Five prisoners had to be released early due to depression and the whole experiment had to be cancelled only 6 days into the study out of an initial two weeks. So here we have seen how obedience and conformity influence humans and the test we have created to observe how these characteristics can be measured and implemented in real life. On the way we have seen many ethical questions arise as well as the validity of the actual experiments. If we can understand anything from the theories present, we must understand that the experiments involve human beings, who are probably, the most unpredictable sources to all the theories. Thankfully, we now have Ethical guidelines as a result of these experiments; human beings are malleable objects and must be handled with care. Hopefully the results from these investigations on obedience and conformity are used to help human beings in the future and not control them.

Legalization of Marijuana :: Weed Drugs Argumentative Essays

For many years the use of marijuana for medical purposes has been an issue of controversial discussion. Many claim that marijuana is a drug that has proven itself to be of no medical value in the treatment of terminal illnesses. Those who feel this way, usually ignore the long history of marijuana’s medical uses; a history that goes back thousands of years ago. The drug has aided many people with the coping of terminal diseases. The use of marijuana as a medicinal herb has allowed many with no hope, to enjoy life more fully and lead rather decent life-styles. Marijuana has been erroneously classified as an addictive drug that causes unrepairable psychological side effects. This may be true if marijuana is taken in heavy doses and for recreational purposes. The real fact however, is that this condition could occur with the abuse of any drug, whether it is legalized by the Medical Board or not. If marijuana is abused, it is being used in an abnormal manner, therefore possibly le ading to severe emotional reactions and personality changes. Marijuana should be classified as a non-addictive drug thereby being legalized for medical purposes. The use of marijuana, under medical observation and through proper doses, in fact will not create a drug-addict, but rather it will enhance and increase the chances of a better life style.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All throughout the different epochs of this world’s history, cannibis sativa and cannibis indica, more commonly known as marijuana, has verified to its users its medicinal powers. Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most active ingredient out of the already known 460 compounds found in cannibis. It is present in large amounts and is extremely psychoactive (Grinspoon and Bakalar). The first known record of marijuana use for medical purposes was in 2737 B.C. by a Chinese emperor by the name of Chen-nung. He recommended it for the treatment of malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains, absent-mindedness, and female disorders. After Chen-nung discoveries, many cultures acquired the emperor’s knowledge and accepted the therapeutic benefits of the medicinal plant. For example, in India, â€Å"Cannabis has been recommended to quicken the mind, lower fevers, induce sleep, cure dysentery, stimulate appetite, improve digestion, relive headaches, and cure v eneral diseases† (Grinspoon and Bakalar). Other places where marijuana began to make a big impact were Persia, Assayria, Greece, Africa, South America, Turkey, and Egypt. Within the realms of Western medicine, cannibis began to demonstrate its abilities from 1840 to 1900.

I-function and AI :: Biology Essays Research Papers

I-function and AI The idea of creative and intelligent nonhumans is at once exciting and extremely useful. Wouldn't it be great to have a computer assistant that could anticipate your needs, or come up with novel solutions on its own? Scientists have often compared the function of the nervous system to computer programming, but does this comparison translate to an actual causal relationship? The way physics describes communication between computer parts in a binary system remarkably resembles the communications between neurons in the body. When considering the brain, science only looks at the physical components. If this physicality is sufficient to explain behavior then we can recreate this mechanism artificially in a computer. Thus, on the surface creating a computer that also shares the human behavior of intelligence and functions of the mind seems possible. To explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence, AI, this paper will consist of four sections. First, we will examine how computer programs and AI systems work. Then, the possibility of comparing these to the mind will be explored. A criterion for intelligence and consciousness will be derived with which to evaluate AI. Finally, the standards will be applied to current AI programs and tests. In conclusion, future for AI will be explored. Computers and Programming Computer programming breaks down to a simple code of on and off circuits, 1's and 0's-- binary code. AI addresses the cognitive skills of solving problems, learning and understanding language (4). Researchers use weak AI as a tool for merely modeling mind systems, whereas strong AI is a mind itself and presents its own set of cognitive explanations (6). AI systems of artificial neural fields compose response rules for themselves based on notions of the present situation. Expert systems, another branch of AI, consist of a knowledge base and a reasoning engine. Systems perform specific tasks by applying the built in knowledge to the task with an interference engine, a reasoning structure (4). Processing relies on rule-based system of if-then statements to form a line of reasoning. The programming of chess programs such as Deep Blue uses this type of limited intellectual mechanisms (5). Other AI programs try to mimic human understanding in language. Weizenbaum's ELIZA program models human communication by engaging in conversation, through asking questions based on responses of a user (6). Another program by Schank simulates human understanding of a story and answers implicit questions about it given a representation of the information presented in the story. I-function and AI :: Biology Essays Research Papers I-function and AI The idea of creative and intelligent nonhumans is at once exciting and extremely useful. Wouldn't it be great to have a computer assistant that could anticipate your needs, or come up with novel solutions on its own? Scientists have often compared the function of the nervous system to computer programming, but does this comparison translate to an actual causal relationship? The way physics describes communication between computer parts in a binary system remarkably resembles the communications between neurons in the body. When considering the brain, science only looks at the physical components. If this physicality is sufficient to explain behavior then we can recreate this mechanism artificially in a computer. Thus, on the surface creating a computer that also shares the human behavior of intelligence and functions of the mind seems possible. To explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence, AI, this paper will consist of four sections. First, we will examine how computer programs and AI systems work. Then, the possibility of comparing these to the mind will be explored. A criterion for intelligence and consciousness will be derived with which to evaluate AI. Finally, the standards will be applied to current AI programs and tests. In conclusion, future for AI will be explored. Computers and Programming Computer programming breaks down to a simple code of on and off circuits, 1's and 0's-- binary code. AI addresses the cognitive skills of solving problems, learning and understanding language (4). Researchers use weak AI as a tool for merely modeling mind systems, whereas strong AI is a mind itself and presents its own set of cognitive explanations (6). AI systems of artificial neural fields compose response rules for themselves based on notions of the present situation. Expert systems, another branch of AI, consist of a knowledge base and a reasoning engine. Systems perform specific tasks by applying the built in knowledge to the task with an interference engine, a reasoning structure (4). Processing relies on rule-based system of if-then statements to form a line of reasoning. The programming of chess programs such as Deep Blue uses this type of limited intellectual mechanisms (5). Other AI programs try to mimic human understanding in language. Weizenbaum's ELIZA program models human communication by engaging in conversation, through asking questions based on responses of a user (6). Another program by Schank simulates human understanding of a story and answers implicit questions about it given a representation of the information presented in the story.

Business Statistical Analysis Scenario Essay

A GMC manager recently noticed that there is a production difference between the early shift and the late shift. The manager would like to determine why there is a difference in production between the shifts and asked for research on the issue. The research team came up with the following research question: Is there a reason for the different production levels between the day and evening shifts. Our team has come up with the following two null hypotheses: H0 – There is a significant difference in employee productivity between shifts due to worker age. Ha – There is no significant difference in employee productivity between shifts due to worker age. In order to accomplish this, we need to find the average number of errors along with the standard deviation. By doing so, we can set up a confidence interval to see if the late shift is truly doing better when it comes to quality. If they are, we can make the nomination that the manager has the late shift supervisors provide guidance to the early shift supervisors. There are various statistical reports that outsource the relationship between the independent variable(s) and the dependent variable. Here we will realize how GMC will translate the organization problem into a statistical problem, provide a solution to the problem statistically, and then translate the statistical solution into an actionable solution for the company. Literature Review General Motors realized that to stay competitive a number of changes would have to be made starting with production efforts. Based on economic  uncertainty and gas price volatility, adjustments were made to accommodate the needs of the population interested in purchasing vehicles during times of uncertainty. After the fall of the three leading automotive giants, coming back would have to be well thought-out and cost beneficial to the consumer. GM got to work. Production in most plants was one shift, Monday – Friday, 8 hours per-day. At one facility adding a third shift let the plant produce more than 26,000 vehicles within three months, more than it had previously done when it produce 20,000 vehicles. Before incorporating a third shift the plant had approximately 3,300 workers who averaged fewer than 14,000 vehicles per month (Funk, 2011). In another plant that focused on the production of only one vehicle, this plant employed eight hundred production workers who were a one- shift, eight hour Monday-Friday production facility. Another GM plant that makes the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade add a third shift and 800 new jobs was created, the assembly plant employed approximately 2,500 hourly and salaried employees and operates two production shifts. In 2011, the plant produced nearly 270,000 vehicles. â€Å"Demand for full-size SUVs remains stable.† The third shift enable the Assembly plant to meet market demand for the current generation of full-size SUVs and provide relief for employees who have worked extensive overtime since the fourth quarter of 2009. The installation of new tooling and equipment required to build GM’s new line of SUVs limited vehicle production in 2013. A third shift will provide the plant needed production capacity during this transition time (Funk, 2012). There was a time when working a straight day-shift was enough to meet the production demands for General Motors products, however with the versatility and the types of vehicle’s being produced third shift help to meet and exceed demand and provide relief for employees working extensive overtime. Many years, companies have pursued to advance worker output and labor settings. One approach is substitute toil schedules, which comprise flextime, work division, and a compacted workweek. Sleep-related aids are mainly supportive for the salaried period; insufficient sums of nap reduce work output and general well-being. Statistics shows consistent amounts of sleep Improved performance and alertness in the workplace. Therefore, we propose creating work-sleep equilibrium, comparable to work-life stability, as a standard for planning and refining work plans. Prolonging operational times outside nine periods per day did not effect in equal growths in GMC manufacturing. Production increased as working hours increased. According to the survey 1977 Quality of Employment, the impact of unusual toil plans on workers’ personal time has resulted with: Fewer periods in household parts.  Advanced plans of particular forms of struggle among family life besides work. One of the amendments is the decision by GMC to implement twelve-hour work days for all Union employees. This decision did not do well with the Union because most were used to working 8-hour days with weekends off. GMC decision is based on new lines and the demand to cope up with production forecasts. This forecast demands the organization to switch to a 24/7 hour operation. Union employees disagree, as they have a feeling that working 12-hour days will lower their morale. They view the alternative schedule as time that they will be missing from their family. While there has been deep research on the subject of scheduled overtime on the productivity of construction labor, there is little research available that looks at the efficiency, or lack of efficiency that is associated with work accomplished on the second shift. In 2008, Hanna, Chang, Sullivan and Lackey in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, looked at why and how shift work impacts worker productivity, and they attempted to find a relationship between the length of shift work and resulting efficiency. Their objective was to quantify the effects of shift work on labor productivity. Their results showed the potential of shift work can be both beneficial and detrimental to productivity. Small amounts of well-organized shift work can perform very effectively in response to schedule compression (p.203), but the study also showed that prolonged use of a second shift can lead to a negative impact on efficiency and productivity. The author addresses the attitudes of workers as it relates to the question of productivity of the employee’s in the U.S. automobile industry. Norsworthy and Zabala (1985), attempt to explain the effect on direct labor efficiency (a measure of labor productivity) and product quality of industrial relations performance, as measured by grievances, disciplinary actions, absenteeism, contract demands, negotiations length, and the climate of industrial relations. Their finding state grievance rates are associated with low productivity of production workers which results in high unit costs of production. The study also â€Å"offers strong exhibit that the benefit of improving workers behavior can be enormous† (p.557). The line between labors policies and workers can lead to improved worker attitudes and a rise of productivity. Shift work is the way of life for those who work within the manufacturing industry. Depending on what type of schedule workers on required to be on can have an effect on employee risk or costs to the company. In a report done by Circadian, who specialize in workforce solutions, having those that will be doing the labor work for that manufacturer involved in the decision making with respect to what type shift schedule they are on can go a long ways in having happier, more productive workforce. A resounding message throughout the reports was that one of mostly commonly seen things that affect such things as errors during particular shifts was fatigue. Research methodology Efficiency is an integral requirement in the workplace as it encompasses proper input, output, and high returns for the company (Anderson, 2013). An analysis conducted at GMC, a manufacturing firm, has revealed some inconsistency in the levels of productivity resulting from the activities of its workforce. The early shift workers or employees have posted better output and results more than the late shifts. Two main hypotheses have been supplemented to explain this anomaly. First, the disparity has been linked to machine failure but this has been ruled out due to the routine upgrades and checks, which are usually done on the machines. Secondly, employees in the late night shift may be under-performing as they are making a higher quality product, which takes more time. Management believes there are discrepancies in the quality and quantity of work being produced. Our team was brought in to conduct data analysis to solve and/or assist with the decisions to be made. After listening to their concern the following two variables were developed: Population and Size Collectively, the early and late night shift is composed of 385 employees with twenty in each shift. The population selected for this research activity will be the members of the workforce involved in the early and late night shifts of the company. Target Population and Justification The target populations are the employees who are involved in both the late and early shifts. Their involvement in the research process is based on the fact that they are involved in the activity or area where a problem has been identified in GMC. The equal representation of the employees in the research’s sample size is meant to ensure uniformity in the findings and the recommendations channeled or communicated to the company’s management (Anderson, 2013). Sampling Method The sampling will be conducted through observation and a survey actualized through the administration of a 5-question questionnaire. One research officer will be expected to carefully observe the activities of workers who are part of the early shift while another one will observe the same number of employees in the late night shift. The observation process will be conducted randomly over a 2-week period, with emphasis on the motivation levels of the employees, their input and subsequent output. To supplement the observation process, questionnaires will then be given to employees involved in the analysis process. The questionnaire will contain 5 questions which are listed below: 1. Age: 20-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 >55 2. Sex: F M 3. How many years have you worked nights? 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 >20 4. Do you feel management is available to assist with your needs? Yes No 5. Are all the tools and supplies necessary for your jobs accessible? Yes No The two sampling techniques will be pivotal in establishing the problems, which are leading or contributing to the company’s low levels of productivity. Random Sampling Technique used and Justification The research will use the simple random sampling technique to obtain people who are supposed to be involved in the study. The rationale behind using the random sampling method is the fact that it gives all the members of the population an equal opportunity to be involved in the research process. The use of this random sampling technique leads to the elimination of bias in the research process thus enhancing the credibility and integrity of the study’s findings and subsequent recommendations (Oliver, 2010). Protection of Human Subjects The 384 employees involved in the research or study process will be protected by ensuring the anonymity of their responses, comments, and conduct on the company’s premises. Where necessary, alphabetical numbers will be assigned to the various subjects involved in the research process. This will prevent any cases of victimization or witch-hunt, which may result from the remarks communicated by the employees. Data Collection As mentioned earlier, the data will be collected through the observation and survey methods. The survey will be conducted using a 5-question questionnaire as shown above. Data or information collected from the analysis process will be recorded into the soft copy format and then stored in the researchers’ Drop Box account. This is an online information storage service, which is preferred for its top-notch security measures (May, 2011). The secure storage of the data will make certain that it cannot be tampered with to influence the recommendations that are meant to be obtained from the findings. According to Anderson (2013), password protection where cloud or online storage is involved is integral, Drop Box provides this option to all its users. Only authorized individuals will be allowed or able to access the data stored in this online service. Challenges Faced It was difficult and time consuming to reach all the selected employees as some ware available only during night shift. The researchers had to work at night. Descriptive Statistics Interpretation Employees Early and Late Shift 384 employees from the early and late shift were randomly selected. The sample size was 192 employees being selected from each shift. Random sampling was conducted to afford all of the 384 employees an opportunity of being selected and to eliminate bias. Their ages ranged between 20 and 55 years, with variations of plus or minus 19 years. One half or more of the employees were 37.5 years of age or older. The middle half of those selected fell between 28 and 47 years. The most frequent age was 37 years. Their ages were considered to help gage motivation, maturity, and productivity of the employees on both shifts. Interpretation of the results Employees with the least experience (0-5 years) work night shift with those with much experience work (over 20 years) day shift. From the results it’s clear that experience is not affecting productivity. Notably, employees with working experience of 11-15 years’ work day shift. This implies that most night shift workers are youth while those for day shift are aged. This is supported by the number of years night shift employees have spent in the company (Less than 5). Results and Findings Age Almost seventy-eight percent of the workers were between the ages of 26-45. 15.8% were between 20-25, 36.4% were from 26-35, 31.2% were from 36-45, 14% were from 46-55 and only 2.6% were over 55 years of age. Sex Just over twenty-five percent (25.2%) of workers sampled were women and the remaining 74.8% were men. We did not tie worker gender to which shift the worker was employed. Years of Experience The majority of workers selected had either less than 5 years of experience (36.4%) or between 11-15 years of experience (28.6%). Of the 140 workers with less than 5 years of experience, 30% worked day shift and 70% worked night shift. Of the 110 with 11-15 years of experience, 70% worked day shift and 30% worked night shift. See Appendix B for further details. Management Availability and Resources Almost ninety percent (89.9) of workers sampled felt that management was available to assist with any problems and 80% felt they had the required tools to perform their job successfully. Conclusion Team B’s research was not able to show a specific correlation to productivity based on age. There is however, a difference in productivity between the two shifts. Our research appears to show that the day shift, with a larger percentage (65.1%) is more productive and that the decrease in production at night could be related to less experience. Recommendations The management should mix the young employees with the aging ones in both the day and night shift. This does not necessarily need to be a permanent change in shifts but by moving some of the more experienced workers around they can aid in the mentorship of the lesser experienced workers. Doing this can speed the development of those with less experience in order to strengthen the respective shift if management decides alter the shifting in the future when significant ground has been made with evening out the productivity of both shifts. Area for further study Further study should be done to tie and evaluate the impact of age on productivity. Management could also look at better working conditions as an indicator of productivity. Lastly, look age and experience of the employees across the two shifts and how to better mix the levels of both. References Anderson, N. G. (2013). Practical Process Research & Development (Revised ed.). San Diego: Academic Press. Basu, C. (n.d.). Examples of independent variables in business. . Retrieved August 1, 2014, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/141597585/Scienc Boudreau, N. S., & McClave, J. T. (2011). Student’s Solutions Manual, Statistics for Business, 11th edition, Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Davis, W., & Aguirre, A. (2009). 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Hanna, A.S., Chang, C., Sullivan, K.T. and Lackney, J. A. (2008, March). Impact of Shift Work on Labor Productivity Contractor. Journal of Construction Management, 134(3), 197-204. Norsworthy, J. and Zabala, C. (1985). Worker Attitudes, Worker Behavior, and Productivity in The U.S. Automobile Industry, 1959-1976. Industrial & La bor Relations Review, 38(4), 544-557. Robert Schoenenberger, 2011, General Motors Sets Overtime Shift for Lordstown to Meet Growing Chevrolet Cruze demand. Retrieved from http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/08/general_motors_sets_overtime_s.html GM News. 2012, GM to Add Third Shift, 800 Jobs at Arlington Assembly, http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Jun/0622_arlington.html