The Finesse of Dealing With Difficult Clients - The Writers For Hire

THE FINESSE OF DEALING WITH DIFFICULT CLIENTS We all dread those emails. The ones where you can almost hear the client yelling at you through the computer screen. When those emails arrive, it’s hard not to immediately jump on the defensive and start to fight back. However, addressing those situations in a professional and polite way is imperative to maintaining good client relations. But how do you do that?!? Try to see things from another perspective Sure, it may sound clichà ©, but there is a lot to be said for having a bit of empathy in these situations. Often, a client is upset about something that could be easily remedied, if you just take the time to try to understand exactly what the issue is.Tweet this It’s also important to remember that there are sometimes communication breakdowns when relying on emails. Things frequently come across differently than how they were meant. So, pick up that phone and make the call. Chances are that a quick conversation can iron out any issues, and your project can be back on track in no time. But what if they start to yell? Unfortunately, this happens more often that we’d like. You call a client, intending to address their concerns, and they immediately start to get volatile. Once again, your defense mechanisms kick in, and you find yourself fighting the urge to get caught up in their anger. Doing that will only escalate the issue, though, so take a deep breath and follow these tips: Listen Many problems arise when people feel like they are not being listened to or heard. Resist the urge to immediately talk back, and just listen to the problem from their point of view. This does not mean that you have to sit there and let them yell at you, though. If their tone and language become borderline abusive, it is important to respectfully remind them that you want to hear what they are saying and try to find a solution, but you cannot do so unless they stop yelling. Acknowledge & Empathize Let them know that you realize they are upset and that you really do care and want to resolve the issue. Simply stating â€Å"I understand,† and then re-iterating what you believe to be the problem will show them that you are listening and trying to see where they are coming from. Stay Calm Do not engage in petty arguments or finger pointing. Keep a low voice and maintain your composure. Do not fuel the fire—just state the facts and focus on finding a solution. Keep in mind that it is not personal, and do not react emotionally. Accept Responsibility Nobody is perfect. Be willing to admit to any wrongdoing on your part and offer a way to make it right. Propose a Solution Try to come up with a way to fix the issue that all parties can be happy with. But don’t make compromises you are not okay with just to make the customer happy. Follow Up Once you are done with your call and have come to some kind of resolution, be sure to send a follow-up email. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and can alleviate any other possible issues in the future. What if they refuse to take your call? Sometimes a client gets so upset that they refuse to speak with you on the phone. They send you an angry email, but your calls go straight to their voicemail. This is when good written communication comes into play. Again, it is important that you don’t get caught up in their anger and respond in an emotional way. Before you even hit the â€Å"reply† button, carefully read through their email again, and try to understand EXACTLY what the cause of their frustration is. Once you have re-read their email (and taken a few deep breaths), get ready to draft a reply using these steps: Acknowledge Tell them that you see that they are upset, and then explain your understanding of the problem, based on what they told you in their email. As tempting as it may be to just ignore their snide remarks, failing to address the main issue will just make it worse. Propose a Solution Are they upset because they don’t like something you have written? Offer to go over the things they did not like, so you can understand what they were unhappy with, and re-write those sections. Are they panicking because a deadline is approaching? Re-assure them that you know when the deadline is and that you have a plan to complete the work in plenty of time to meet that deadline. Whatever the issue may be, you almost always can find a way to fix it. Stick to the Facts Occasionally a client will get angry because you did not complete something. What they are failing to admit, though, is that the item was not completed because THEY did not provide you the information needed to complete it. If this is the case, politely remind them that while you would be happy to complete it for them, you still need â€Å"xyz† before you can do so. If you previously provided them with a list of deliverables that they promised to send you, this is a good time to send that list again and let them know that once you receive the outstanding items, their project can be completed. Keep a Polite Tone This can be tricky to do in an email. Too often your words can be construed as rude, even when you did not intend them to come across that way at all. Be sure to read, and re-read what you write, to ensure that nothing you have written could be taken the wrong way. Suggest a Phone Call The quickest and best way to resolve any issue is to get on the phone and talk it out. At the end of your email response, it’s always a good idea to suggest that you set up a time to talk, so that you can be sure that everyone is on the same page. The client may still refuse to talk to you, but it is always worth a try. Know when to walk away You’ve emailed, you’ve called, and they’re still upset. You’ve proposed solutions, but they are not responsive to your efforts. They seem set on being angry, and it’s clear that nothing that you do is going to change that. It happens. Occasionally there are those clients who will never be happy, no matter what you do. In those circumstances it is okay to recognize that they are this type of client, and be okay with walking away. It’s not worth compromising yourself (or your sanity) to bend over backwards, trying to make them happy. In the end, you can only do so much. And that’s okay.

When to Use That, Which, and Who

When to Use That, Which, and Who When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who† When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who† By Mark Nichol The proper use of the relative pronouns who, that, and which relate the subject of a sentence to its object, hence the name. The question of which of the three words to use in a given context vexes some writers; here’s an explanation of their relative roles. Who, Whom, and Whose Who and whom refer only to people, and whose almost always does so: â€Å"I have a friend who can help.† â€Å"Whom you associate with is your concern.† â€Å"The person whose jacket was left behind is the likely culprit.† (Whose is sometimes used to refer to an object, as in â€Å"Notice the car whose headlights are off.† This awkward usage should be replaced by, for example, â€Å"Notice the car that has its headlights off† or, better, â€Å"Notice the car with its headlights off.†) That That refers mostly to things, though a class or type of person is also sometimes referred to by this pronoun: â€Å"He has the key that fits in this door.† â€Å"This is a team that is going places.† â€Å"He’s the kind of doctor that volunteers at a clinic on his day off.† Even though the previous sentence is technically correct, it’s usually best to maintain a distinction between people and not-people by using who in reference to a type of person: â€Å"He’s the kind of doctor who volunteers at a clinic on his day off.† (The use of that in association with people itself, however, is well attested, as in â€Å"I don’t like the kind of people that she hangs out with.†) But a class of people is always considered a thing, not a person, so a sentence like â€Å"This is a team who is going places† is never correct. Which Which, like that, refers to things, but a further consideration is that American English usage usually frowns on this word when it appears in a restrictive, or essential, clause, such as â€Å"I chose the card which is blank.† This sentence, which specifies a card among one or more others that are not blank, has a meaning distinct from â€Å"I chose the card, which is blank,† which refers to a single card and then describes it. (This is an example of a nonrestrictive, or nonessential, clause.) To further clarify that distinction, the restrictive form is generally illustrated by using that in favor of which, which is reserved for a nonrestrictive function, as in the preceding phrase. (One exception occurs when which is preceded by another usage of that, as in the sentence â€Å"What is good is that which is natural.†) (This form is sometimes called nonessential because the information that follows which is not required. In the first sample sentence, which is better rendered â€Å"I chose the card that is blank,† the card’s blank state is essential to the context. In â€Å"I chose the card, which is blank,† all we need to know is that the card was chosen; its quality of blankness is incidental.) Many writers and speakers of American English deplore the artificial distinction of favoring that over which in restrictive usage, but it is practical and well established two valid criteria for any variation in purely logical grammar. 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureDawned vs. DonnedWhat the Heck are "Peeps"?

Aging Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aging - Research Paper Example Aging refers to the biological process of growing old and developing physical characteristics that are associated with old age (Oswald, Jopp, Rott & Wahl, 2011, p 239). Aging is a multidisciplinary phenomenon that encompasses studies from various fields such as biology, genetics, sociology and psychology. Aging can also refer to the individual’s change in roles and responsibilities such as roles towards the family and society. Another meaning of aging is the physical changes that reduce the efficiency of body organ systems such as heart, blood circulation system and lungs. This occurs due to decline in rate of cell replications as an individual gets older (Oswald, Jopp, Rott & Wahl, 2011, p 245). Gerontological nursing refers to the study of the aging processes as individuals progress from middle age to later life. Gerontology studies the mental, physical and social changes associated with older people and changes in social policies aimed at taking care of the aged population (Scheibe & Carstensen, 2010, p 143). Gerontology nursing applies to community nursing through integrating advanced knowledge and skills in delivering quality and safe health care to the aged in the community. The branch of nursing focuses on health screening, counseling, and crisis intervention in order to provide quality care to older people (Oswald, Jopp, Rott & Wahl, 2011, p 248). According to U.S Census Bureau statistics released in 2010, the country’s age composition changed greatly between 2000 and 2010. Individuals aged between 45 to 65 years increased by 31.5 percent and accounts for about 26.4 of the total population. The number of Americans aged 65 years and above numbered 40,267,984 in 2010 and represented almost 12.4percent of the total population (Oswald, Jopp, Rott & Wahl, 2011, p 248). Accordingly, the aged individuals increased by 15.3 percent or 5.4 million citizens since 2010. Surprisingly, there were 53, 364 people aged more than 100 years. Target goals of Healthy People 2010 aims at reducing tooth loss, ensuring the aged receive flu vaccine every year and ensuring 90 percent of adults aged 65 years and older receive pneumonia vaccine. Accordingly, the target goals aim at getting colorectal cancer screening at the age of 50 years and ensuring 70 percent of women receive a mammogram at the age of 40 years. The targets aim at preventing falling through ensuring the aged citizens have healthy bones, increasing leisure and ensuring the aged increase intake of fruits and vegetables (Scheibe & Carstensen, 2010, p 143). There are numerous community issues affecting the elderly population. One of the issues affecting elderly people is poverty since majorities of these individuals depend on social security benefits. Another issue affecting this group is high risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart related diseases. The elderly also suffer from sensory impairments and poor oral health problems such as vision impairment, hear ing impairment and loss of tooth. Other issues include lack of adequate access to vaccinations, poor diet quality, inadequate physical activity, obesity, inadequate physical activity and cigarette smoking behaviors (Scheibe & Carstensen, 2010, p 144). Community nursing practices must offer quality and safe nursing care to the elderly through carrying out an assessment of nursing needs. The assessment phase must collect data about each elderly person, the disease symptoms, surrounding environment such as close family members, access to recreational facilities and income level of the elderly person (Wick, 2010, p 121).

Effectiveness of reverse gender role-play exercises in tackling trauma Research Paper

Effectiveness of reverse gender role-play exercises in tackling trauma adaptation in children witnessing domestic violence - Research Paper Example The children who become witnesses to this violence from an early age have been found to have many adjustment problems even in their adult lives (Galloway, 2005). Here, the term, ‘witnessing violence’ means, â€Å"being within range of violence and seeing it occur† (Edleson, 1999, p.841). When a child has this kind of experience, he/she may or may not have trauma adjustment problems in current and/or future life. But the research so far has shown that a considerable percentage of this group have such problems. Objective and background As researchers like Galloway (2005), Hague and Malos (1993), and Edleson (1999) have put it, a considerable percentage of children witnesses to domestic violence are found to have trauma adaptation problems. But much investigation has not been made into what could be the role of the gender of such children in relation with their trauma adaptation capabilities. It is in this context that this research envisages exploring what the role of gender flexibility is, in the process of adaptation to trauma by children who are witnesses to domestic violence. The purpose of this study is also to develop further insight into the methods of imparting gender flexibility for handling child trauma and adaptation issues, which may in turn be of help to mental health professionals who deal with this target group. It is hypothesized in this research that training in gender flexibility imparted through reverse gender role-play exercises in the form of skits will help children who are witnesses of domestic violence to better adapt to their trauma. Here, what is meant by reverse gender role-play is that girls are made to the play the roles of men and boys are made to play the roles of women in performance skits practiced as part of group therapy. Review of Literature One major study related to this topic was carried out by Catina Galloway (2005), who observed, if a child who is witnessing domestic violence has access to â€Å"tools from both ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’, then the child is found to have better possibility of adaptation to trauma (p.3). Galloway (2005) has called such a child, â€Å"gender-flexible† (p.3). By reverse argument, Galloway (2005) has also theorized, â€Å"a simple feminine response or masculine response to trauma inhibits or prevents adaptation† (p.3). Such an inference will lead to the assumption that the normal tools that usually children possess by way of the conventional gender training that they get in average families are not sufficient to deal with their domestic violence related trauma situation. And it will have to be concluded that only children who are either trained to use both masculine and feminine tools or specially equipped children who naturally know how to handle both these tools can hope to adapt to the situation. Jaffe, Wolfe and Wilson (1990, p.27) and Peled and Davis (1995, p.5) have opined that the reactions of childre n to domestic violence, among many other factors, may vary based on their gender as well. Jaffe, Wolf and Wilson (1990) have also found out that being witness to domestic violence, a boy often grows up to believe that violence is masculine behavior and to become himself a wife batterer, while a girl often grows up to believe that she is naturally destined to suffer violence from men and to become herself a silent victim to similar violence (p.16). Methodology The methodology adopted for this research will be participant observation (Tischler, 2010, p.35). Though participant observation has been considered as highly subjective, it has also been observed, â€Å"participant observation generates more inside information† (Kendall, 2010, p.58). As the individuals under study here are

Community Solutions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Community Solutions - Research Paper Example According to European standards, the categories of people who have been considered as poor have been â€Å"1. the long term unemployed and the young unemployed, 2. the elderly, 3, single parent families, 4. second generation migrants, 5. refugees and returning minors, 6. marginal groups- e.g. gypsies, travellers, homeless, 7. underpriveleged urban districts, 8. impoverished rural areas† (Cullen, 5). The American definition for 2011 is that â€Å"for a family of four including two adults and two children, total yearly income has to be below $22,350, to be called poor as is given in the US Department of Health and Human Services website. While addressing the issues that the poor people face, as members of the subculture of poverty, one major concern has always been the physical eradication of poverty and its negative manifestations which lives of the poor people miserable. Community development is universally accepted as the most effective method to address poverty and its prob lems. The community development program of 1980s in Ireland was a landmark in the history of the fight against poverty (Cullen, 11). Cullen, in his study on nine poverty elimination projects implemented in Ireland, has revisited the methods and strategies followed by various organizations and agencies who participated in these projects and has concluded that â€Å"community development is a process that deliberately activates, encourages and supports groups of people to participate in collective action in pursuit of common interests, and which contributes to social justice and equity† (Cullen, 11). During the John-Nixon era, in the US, â€Å"community action programs† were abundant and quite popular (Joseph, 49). Though they set the stage for the emergence of a welfare state, they were also criticized as capable of only peripherally addressing the issues of poverty (Patterson, 146). Notwithstanding these opposing viewpoints regarding community solutions to the subcultu re of poverty, the global intellectual discourses have always seen community solutions as the most viable way out (Cullen, Joseph, FAO and Gaiha). The best available community solution to the subculture of poverty will be to set up community level revolving funds partially sponsored by the government and partially by the industrial houses of the country. To raise the funds, the government will have to introduce a special tax of 0.1% of the profit, on the corporate companies, which have a profit margin above a fixed ceiling. These funds along with a government contribution will then be transferred to the local authorities to be utilized for ensuring a minimum of 200 days’ work for all those able-bodied persons who have been listed as poor. The form of work has to be fixed at local level, by the local administration in consultation with the community leaders, and according to the local resources available and prevailing local conditions and necessities. For example, if in a pla ce having water scarcity, the work has to be provided in water conservation activities, which can contribute to the local economy in a productive way. And the newly generated water could be given back into the community at a reasonable cost. Similarly, in an area where the major vocation is agriculture, work can be provided in community-level agro-processing industries. This solution will have to involve â€Å"massive commitments of Federal funds†

The Structure And Complexity Of Languages English Language Essay

The Structure And Complexity Of Languages English Language Essay Language, as described by the cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, is the jewel in the crown of cognition (Siegler 212). Out of all our mental processes of cognition, language is arguably one of the most used and intricate process, as evidenced by the approximately 6,909 different languages used in the world today (Lewis, ethnologue.com). As Noam Chomsky wrote, when we study the human language, we are approaching what some might call the human essence' (Chomsky 88). Chomsky refers to language as the human essence because it is one of the few cognitive abilities that is so central to human development, while at the same time putting human beings in their own echelon of biological complexity in organisms. As much as we take language for granted, an alien species foreign to our methods of communication may become curious or puzzled when watching us communicate. After all, we sometimes sit for long periods of time, listening to our fellow humans make hisses and squeaks with their vocal chords. We do this because that these sounds that we make have structure, meaning, and significance. In our daily lives, each one of us wields the tools of language not only to convey information, but also to motivate, influence, or command attention. To understand language, there are four key areas that merit attention: the structure of language, different stages in language development, varying views in language acquisition, and the biology behind language. Structure of language Although language is incredibly complex, as mentioned before, linguists have found ways to separate language into different parts. According to the current methods, language is comprised of three simpler building blocks: phonemes, morphemes, and grammar. The smallest unit of language is a phoneme, which are the basic sounds of a language. For instance, the English word cat is made up of three phonemes, including the starting c- sound, followed by the vowel a-, and finally the hard consonant t- ending. While at first glance phonemes may seem to be equivalent to letters, this is not the case. In English, combining two vowels often generates a new phoneme, such as the ou- vowel sounds in pout. According to linguists who have studied over 500 different languages, humans use around 869 different phonemes. English is comprised of around 40 different phonemes, with other languages having anywhere from 20 to 90 (Meyers 383). A chart listing the main English phonemes is provided (see fig 1). In language, changing phonemes in words alters their meanings. For instance, changing the phoneme between the letters b- and t- creates twelve new meanings: bat, bout, beat/beet, bought, bet, boot, bit, boat, bite, but, and bait (Wardbaugh 189). As important as vowel sounds may seem, consonant phonemes actually carry more information: The treth ef thes statement shed be evedent frem thes bref dementretien (Meyers 383). Another interesting phenomenon that we encounter in our daily lives is the difficulty people have with pronouncing words from different languages. This is primarily because as we grow and learn language, we learn the set of phonemes required by our native language, but we also have difficulty with phonemes from other languages. For instance, a common example of this is a native German speakers difficulty with the English phoneme th-. When trying to pronounce the word this, German speakers often say dis instead. This is because the th- phoneme doesnt exist in the German language. Likewise, English speakers have trouble with the German rolling r- and breathy ch- phonemes. Surprisingly, this is also common among sign languages as well. With almost 200 different sign languages used in the world today, native signers of one language may have difficulty with the phoneme-like building blocks of other sign-languages. According to the researcher Ursula Bellugi, Chinese native signers who come to America to learn sign usually sign with an accent (Klima and Bellugi 158). http://kisi.deu.edu.tr/tarkan.kacmaz/courses/phonetics/phonemes.jpg Figure 1- English Phonemes Morphemes are the second building block of language. While phonemes are the basic sounds of a language, morphemes are the smallest units of language that convey meaning. There is some overlap between morphemes and phonemes; some phonemes, such as the English a- and I-, are both basic sounds as well as words that carry meaning. More often, however, morphemes are combinations of multiple phonemes. Some may be entire words, but others are parts of words. While words like run and toy are morphemes, prefixes and suffixes like pre- and -ed qualify as morphemes as well. The third and most complex building block of language is grammar. The English language is composed of 40 phonemes, which combine to form around 100,000 different morphemes, which then combine to form over 1,000,000 different words and derivations (Meyers 384). In order to handle all of these words in a structured and organized manner, we develop rules and patterns to create a standard method to communicate between one another. The two main divisions of grammar include semantics and syntax. The first branch of grammar is semantics, which is the set of rules that governs how we derive meaning from words, morphemes, and sentences. In semantics, we study the relationship between signifiers and their denotata. Signifiers are the signs, words, or phrases that we are interested in, while denotata is what these objects stand for. For instance, from the rules of semantics, we know that adding -ed to the verb blast means that the action happened in the past. The second branch of grammar deals with syntax. Syntax is the set of rules that gives meaning to the order of the words in the sentence. Syntax varies wildly from language to language, as there is no universal set of rules. In English, for example, adjectives often come before their nouns, as in the phrase large house. However, in Spanish, syntax dictates that adjectives usually come after the nouns they describe. The same phrase in Spanish would be casa grande, with the adjective coming after the noun it describes. Grammar has and always will be incredibly intricate. As Steven Pinker wrote in 1994, There are Stone Age societies, but there is no such thing as a Stone Age language (Pinker 15). However, this is the innate beauty of language: complexity built out of simplicity. When you look at each of the different building blocks of language by themselves, they arent too hard to understand; in fact, at some points, they may even be seen as intuitive and simple. However, the infinite combination of words, phrases, and sentences that we are able to form with the aid of language enables us to express almost any emotion or feeling through language. Stages in language development While we often take human communication for granted, humans have an amazing knack when it comes to developing a high proficiency in language in such a short period of time. Many of us have tens of thousands of words stored in our minds as we go about our daily lives, and we are able to construct sentences with these words with almost perfect syntax with ease. We use approximately three words a second as we speak, and this is often done spontaneously, with little to no planning beforehand. This section seeks to explore how we get to this level of proficiency. Each person enters this world as a tabula rasa for language; we have no knowledge of language at all, and for quite some time, we remain this way. At 4 months of age, babies begin to develop their receptive language, or ability to understand and comprehend spoken word. Initially, they begin to match sounds with moving lips. They prefer to be looking at the face that makes the sound, and they begin to learn that certain manipulations of the mouth make distinct sounds. Then, at 7 months of age, they are able to differential separate words from a stream of spoken sound. Whats quite amazing is that researchers have found that young children around 7 months of age have an innate advantage when it comes to segmenting spoken sounds. A study conducted in the mid-1990s placed several adults and 7-month old children in rooms with a computer emitting a sound. To most of us, the sound that the computer was making would sound like completely random sounds jumbled together. However, the researchers had placed repeating syllables inside these sounds, and it turned out that the young children had an easier time distinguishing the repeating syllables than the adults (Meyers 387). This information plays a large role in studies of second language acquisition, which we will examine more closely when looking at critical periods for language acquisition. At 4 months, children also begin developing their productive language. The first stage is referred to by scientists and psychologists as the babbling stage. During this stage, babies create random sounds strung together that have no meaning. Babbling is universally similar; in other words, a Chinese babys babbling would be no different from a Russian babys babbling. The household language has no bearing on the sounds created during this stage. However, if the babbling has no meaning, what is its purpose? The babbling stage is natures way of preparing the child for a vast array of phonemes, since different languages require different phonemes. At 10 months, babbling has changed. Instead of ranging a vast array of phonemes, the sounds created by the child will be the same as the sounds of the household. At this point, a well-trained ear can listen to the sounds that a child makes and will be able to distinguish with a fair degree of certainty which language is spoken in the household. At this point, children are said to be functionally deaf to sounds outside of their native language. This is similar to scenario presented earlier contrasting a German speaker with an English speaker. Likewise, this effect can also be seen in Japanese adults who move to an English speaking country. Japanese speakers cannot differentiate between the English r- phoneme and the l- sounds. For instance, a Japanese speaker will hear the same thing when an English speaker says both right and light. This is because the Japanese speaker is functionally deaf to the difference between these two phonemes (Meyers 385). Young children usually enter the stage known as the one-word stage around their first birthday. At this stage, most know that sounds convey meanings, and they are able to connect words with pictures. I addition, the children will usually begin to use one syllable phrases or short words to communicate with others. This stage is where the infants language begins to match the language spoken by the family in the household. Vocabulary acquisition is relatively moderate, with the infants learning around a word a week, but this speeds up to a word a day 18 months of age. Finally, at the age of 2, children enter the two-word stage. Because the phrases used are usually in the noun-verb pattern, the speech is often called telegraphic speech since it resembles the short messages that telegraphs relayed. Also, just like the old telegraphs, the speech almost always follows the rules of syntax (big dog instead of dog big). Once children move out of this stage, they usually begin to create longer phrases rather rapidly. An interesting fact that is noted regards children who get a late start in learning their language. This problem can arise if a child is an international adoptee, moving to a foreign country where another language is used in the household. Psychologists have noted that even though the children get a late start on learning the language, they move through all of the stages noted above, except they do so at a faster pace (Meyers 386). Figure 2- Summary of stages of development How we learn language In the realms of psychology, many people have tried to explain the method behind how we acquire language at an early age. Although no universal theory has been developed, the contrasting views of two important people- B. F. Skinner and Noam Chomsky- provide differing opinions about language acquisition. B. F. Skinner, a noted behaviorist, believed in a theory known as Operant learning. According to his theories, children acquired language through three well known principles: association, imitation, and reinforcement. Association deals with connecting sounds with words, images, or objects. A child who is told to point to his nose will be able to locate his own nose with practice. Imitation, the second principle, explains how children pick up grammar. Children hear adults using proper grammar, and then imitate the patterns that they hear. Finally, the last principle is reinforcement. According to Skinner, acquisition of language isnt complete until children receive positive feedback for creating sentences or communicating correctly (Meyers 386). When the famous linguist Noam Chomsky heard of Skinners theory of language acquisition, he believed that it didnt explain the whole picture. Chomsky firmly believed that children learned new vocabulary and principles of grammar too quickly to be explained by Skinners Operant learning. For example, Chomsky pointed out that children tended to overgeneralize grammar rules when first starting out, creating fresh sentences using rules they hadnt been taught before. In Chomskys view, language acquisition was like helping a flower grow in its own way (Holyoak and Thagard 170). Chomsky proposed the idea of a language acquisition device. Though it has not been proven scientifically, the concept behind the language acquisition device is that it acts as a switch box, with certain switches needing to be turned on or off in order to produce language. These switches are conditions that we are exposed to as we developed or language. In addition to the language acquisition device, Chomsky also believed in a concept often called the inborn universal grammar. Chomsky noted that all of the worlds languages were built out of the same building blocks-nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. Thus, we learn the specific grammar of languages that we experience readily, since universal grammar comes prewired into our brains. This proposal is supported by the fact that all children begin saying nouns before moving on to other parts of speech, such as verbs and adjectives. While both Chomsky and Skinner propose valid arguments defending their theories, psychologists believe that true language acquisition is a medium between both theories. Skinners ideas were more related to the nurture aspect of the debate, while Chomsky believed in the nature side. As with almost every psychological subject, the true answer is that development is only possible with both nature and nurture working together. Research has also shown that critical periods do in fact exist for language acquisition. Deaf children who received cochlear implants before the age of two developed far better speech than those who received the implants after the age of four. Children who arent exposed to language until the age of 2 or 3 receive a rush of language, unleash[ing] their brains idle language capacity (Meyers 387). These children usually go on to become strongly proficient in language skills. However, children who havent been exposed to any language (such as deaf children without exposure to sign language) by the age of seven slowly start losing the ability to master any language. A recent study compared children deaf by birth who didnt learn sign language until the age of nine with children who learned English before becoming deaf around the age of nine and learning sign language. The children who learned English first developed a far greater mastery of sign language than the children who were deprived of language. As Meyers concluded in his book, when a young brain does not learn any language, its language-learning capacity never fully develops (Meyers 388). This window for language learning also plays a part in second language acquisition; those who wait longer to begin learning another language tend to have a more difficult time with the process. In a study done in the early 1990s, two researchers asked Korean and Chinese immigrants whether each of around 270 short sentences that they were displayed were grammatically correct or not. Some of the immigrants had come to the United States in their childhood, but all of the immigrants tested had lived in the United States for around 10 years. When the data was collected and documented, it was seen that the older the immigrant was when he or she arrived in America, the worse they performed on the grammar test. The results of the study are graphed in Figure 3. Research done into the brains involvement in second language acquisition is covered in the next section. Figure 3- Results of the immigrant study The biology behind language When it comes to language and communication, people are ready to believe that many of the skills that we associate with language- reading, writing, and speaking- are governed by the same areas of the brain. However, studies looking into the effects of aphasias, or injuries that impair language ability, revealed some surprising results. According to Meyers, some people with aphasia can speak fluently but cannot read (despite good vision), while others can comprehend what they read but not speakà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ still others can write but not read, read but not write, read numbers but not letters, or sing but not speak (Meyers 389). Puzzled by the varying effects of aphasia, scientists began studying patients with these mental disorders and

Children of the Abbey by Roche Essay -- Regina Maria Roche Gothic Genr

The Children of the Abbey as a Hybrid Text Regina Maria Roche’s 1796 The Children of the Abbey is a text that crosses the boundaries of genre: it at once engages with the conventions of the Gothic novel, the pedagogical text, the national tale, the novel of Sensibility, and travel literature. As an Irish-born British woman writing this novel during the politically volatile 1790s, Roche’s historical and temporal location may provide an explanation for her development of this hybrid novel. In its employment of multiple and potentially contradictory genres, The Children of the Abbey may be interpreted as Roche’s reflection of and engagement with the instability of her time. In order to more effectively understand the political and social implications of Roche’s work, it is necessary to disentangle the various literary strands within the novel, identify how each genre functions, and consider the possible reasons why it has been woven into the text. What is Genre? From Literature as Discourse: Textual Strategies in English and History: Genre thus refers to systems of classifications of types of texts. Genre classifications are part of a broader social system of classifications, not all of which use the term 'genre', but which have the same essential characteristics and functions. Genres (or types of texts) are classified in terms of both the semiosic dimension (primarily conditions of production and reception, matching kinds of author and writing to kinds of reader and readings) and the mimetic dimension (primarily what topics, themes or meanings will be included and what will be excluded, and their modality, i.e. how they are understood to relate to the real world). Sometimes the mimetic dimension is emphasized in a definition... ...plicated by â€Å"its actual [inclination] towards emotion that exceeded utility† (89). As Regina Maria Roche’s novel may arguably be connected to both the genre of the pedagogical text as well as to the novel of sensibility, tension may arise in the text as the two potentially-conflicting genres are both engaged with. Hybrid novels, therefore, may provide both clarification as well as confusion in the interpretation they encourage of their readers. Works Cited: Hodge, Robert. Literature as Discourse: Textual Strategies in English and History. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1990. Manning, Susan. "Sensibility." The Cambridge Companion to English Literature, 1740-1830. Eds. Thomas Keymer and Jon Mee. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Moynahan, Julian. Anglo-Irish: The Literary Imagination in a Hyphenated Culture. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995.

Customer Service Essay

You are provided to answer the following questions either orally or written as agreed with your lecturer. Please write your answers very clearly. If you do not understand any of the questions please ask your lecturer for defined explanation Why is it necessary to clearly identify, before designing product and service offerings, customer needs, and what are some of the less obvious service aspects that might inform purchasing decisions? What are the questions that all customers ask themselves (consciously or subconsciously) before they commit to a purchase and how is the presented product/ service bundle likely to affect a customer’s purchasing decision? Being able to provide good customer service is not an innate skill. It requires that employees receive appropriate training and learn to understand their role/s with regard to customer service. This applies to those employees who are in direct contact with customers and those who have no direct contact with customers. Employees who have good customer service skills will generally encounter fewer complaints. Describe the ways in which employees can learn the skills needed to provide good customer service. In any organisation there are both internal and external customers. These  are all part of the customer–supplier chain. For the customer/ end-user to receive quality products/ services it is necessary that all aspects of the customer–supply chain meet specific quality objectives. Who actually sets these quality standards and how are they set? How can an organisation encourage suppliers—both internal and external—to participate in actively ensuring quality standards are maintained so that fewer customer complaints are likely? How can you collect customer feedback about customer service levels, their satisfaction with products and services and any complaints they might have? Identify and explain the stages that should be followed when dealing with a customer complaint. Identify and explain the steps in the problem-solving process.

Free Essays on KFCs Strategies

1- What did each of KFC’s three different corporate parents – Heublein, R.J. Reynolds and Pepsi Co – do to contribute to or hinder KFC’s growth and success? Conflicts appeared as a result of Hublein’s little experience in the fast restaurant market. As a result, there was low quality control, poor service and shortage on new restaurant openings. R.J Reynolds was also new to the business, so it decided to take a hands-off approach in management. Pepsi on the other hand had some experience in the industry. It interfered with KFC’s management and replaced it with its own. 2- What are the chief economic and business characteristics of the global fast food industry? The fast food industry is extremely large and it reported $320 billion in sales in 1997 for approximately 500,000 restaurants in the US. The market growth rate is 5.2% annually. It is considered as mature. The industry consists of numerous organizations and companies, ranging from McDonald’s to Checkers, and it is not limited to the United States. We can divide the industry into 6 groups of restaurants and chains: Ø Sandwich chains Ø Dinner houses Ø Griller Buffet Ø Family restaurants Ø Pizza Ø Chicken 3- What does a five-forces analysis of fast-food competition tell us about the overall strength/intensity of competitive pressures in this business? The rivalry among competing sellers: figuring the following: Ø Product line and services: efforts are made to extend the product offerings, sometimes beyond the traditional, for example when McDonald’s offered chicken burgers. Services are also considered as a competitive edge. Ø Pricing and promotions: pricing is critical for buyers and many chains use promotions especially when the offerings exceed demands. Ø Location and store format: is important likewise any business and has a direct effect on clients. The potential entry of new competitors: which is difficult s... Free Essays on KFC's Strategies Free Essays on KFC's Strategies 1- What did each of KFC’s three different corporate parents – Heublein, R.J. Reynolds and Pepsi Co – do to contribute to or hinder KFC’s growth and success? Conflicts appeared as a result of Hublein’s little experience in the fast restaurant market. As a result, there was low quality control, poor service and shortage on new restaurant openings. R.J Reynolds was also new to the business, so it decided to take a hands-off approach in management. Pepsi on the other hand had some experience in the industry. It interfered with KFC’s management and replaced it with its own. 2- What are the chief economic and business characteristics of the global fast food industry? The fast food industry is extremely large and it reported $320 billion in sales in 1997 for approximately 500,000 restaurants in the US. The market growth rate is 5.2% annually. It is considered as mature. The industry consists of numerous organizations and companies, ranging from McDonald’s to Checkers, and it is not limited to the United States. We can divide the industry into 6 groups of restaurants and chains: Ø Sandwich chains Ø Dinner houses Ø Griller Buffet Ø Family restaurants Ø Pizza Ø Chicken 3- What does a five-forces analysis of fast-food competition tell us about the overall strength/intensity of competitive pressures in this business? The rivalry among competing sellers: figuring the following: Ø Product line and services: efforts are made to extend the product offerings, sometimes beyond the traditional, for example when McDonald’s offered chicken burgers. Services are also considered as a competitive edge. Ø Pricing and promotions: pricing is critical for buyers and many chains use promotions especially when the offerings exceed demands. Ø Location and store format: is important likewise any business and has a direct effect on clients. The potential entry of new competitors: which is difficult s...

Vapour Compression Refrigeration System Essays

Vapour Compression Refrigeration System Essays Vapour Compression Refrigeration System Essay Vapour Compression Refrigeration System Essay The Carnot cycle refrigeration performs the reverse effect of the heat engine because it transfers energy from a low level of temperature to a high level of temperature. The refrigeration cycle requires the addition of external work for its operation. The diagram of the equipment and the temperature entropy diagram of the refrigeration cycle. The process which constitute the cycle are: 1-2 Adiabatic compression. 2-3 Isothermal rejection of heat. 3-4 Adiabatic expansion. 4-1 Isothermal addition of heat. All the process in the Carnot cycle are thermodynamically reversible . Process 1-2 and 3-4 isentropic. The withdrawal of heat from low temperature source in process 4-1is the refrigeration step and is the entire purpose of the cycle. All the other processes in the cycle function so that the low temperature energy can be discharged to some convenient high temperature sink. VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE The vapour compression cycle is the most widely used refrigeration cycle in practice. In this cycle vapour is compressed, then condensed to a liquid, following which the pressure so that fluid can evaporate at low pressure. The standard vapour compression cycle is shown in temperature enthalpy diagram. The process constituting the standard vapour compression cycle are: 1-2 Reversible and adiabatic compression from saturated vapour to condenser pressure. 2-3 Reversible rejection of heat at constant pressure, causing de-superheating and condensation of refrigerants; 3-4 Irreversible expansion at constant enthalpy from saturated liquid to the evaporated pressure; 4-1 Reversible addition of heat at constant pressure causing evaporation to saturated vapour. PERFORMANCE OF THE STANDARD VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE With the help of pressure-enthalpy diagram, the significant quantities of the standard vapour compression cycle will be determined. These quantities are the work of compression, heat rejection rate, refrigerating effect, COP, volume rate of flow per KW of refrigeration and power per KW of refrigeration. The work of compression in KJ per kg is the changes in enthalpy in process 1-2 of (H1-H2). The difference in enthalpy is a negative quantity, indicating the work is done on the system. The heat rejection in KJ/kg is the heat transferred from the refrigerants in process 2-3,which is (H3-H2). The value of H3-H2 is negative, indicating that the heat is transferred from the refrigerant . The value of the heat rejection used in sizing the condenser and calculating the required flow quantities of the condenser cooling fluid. The refrigerants effect in KJ/kg is the heat transferred in process 4-1, or H1-H4 . The COP of the standard VCRS is the refrigerating effect is divided by the work of the compression: COP=(H1 -H4 )/(H2 -H1 ) The volume flow rate in m3 /s is computed at the compression inlet or state point 1, the volume flow rate is the rough indication of physical size of the compressor. The power per KW of refrigerant is the inverse of the COP, and efficient refrigeration system has low value of power per KW of refrigeration but high COP. ACTUAL VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE The actual vapour compression cycle suffer from insufficiencies compared with the standard cycle. There are also other changes from standard cycle, which may be intentional or unavoidable. The essential difference between actual and standard cycle appear in pressure drops condenser and evaporator, in the sub cooling of liquid leaving the condenser, and in the superheating of evaporator leaving the evaporator . The standard cycle assumes no drop in pressure in condenser and evaporator. Because of friction, however, the pressure of the refrigerants drops in actual cycle. The results of these drops in pressure are that compression process between 1-2 require more work than the standard cycle. Sub cooling of the liquid in the condenser is a normal occurrence and serves the desirable functions of insuring that hundred percent liquid enter the expansion valve. Superheating of the vapour usually occur in the evaporator and is recommended as a precautions against droplet of liquid being carried over in the compressor. The final difference in actual cycle is that the compression is no longer isentropic and there are inefficiencies due to friction and other losses. DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, RAIPUR CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the project work titled â€Å"DESIGN OF CAPILLARY TUBE FOR AN AIR CONDITIONER† submitted by Nikita Mishra (07119030), Sourabh Das (07119049), Tushar Raj (07119052) , Vikram Kumar Yadav (07119055), Ramlesh students of B Tech final year of Mechanical Engineering during the academic year 2010-11 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology ,Raipur is a presentation of work done by them. This certification does not necessarily endorse or accept any statement made, opinion expressed or conclusion drawn as recorded in the report. However , it only signifies the acceptance of the report for the purpose for which it is submitted. APPROVED BY: Under The Guidance of: Dr. S. Sanyal Mr R. Salhotra H. O. D Reader, Deptt. Of Mechanical Engineering, Deptt. Of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, National Institue of Technology, Raipur Raipur Acknowledgement We would like to extend our profound gratitude to our guide, Mr. R. SALHOTRA for his kind help during initial stages of our work. We are deeply indebted to him for his valuable guidance, suggestions and constant encouragements throughout the work. It is our pleasure to acknowledge the cooperation given by other staff members of Mechanical Engineering Department. No work can be completed without the encouragement of family members and friends. We thank them all for always being there for us. We thank all people involve directly or indirectly in completion of work.

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Business Environment - Essay Example This paper approves that the PMT brand of organic products is also part of a monopolistically competitive industry, but a recent visit to their business advisor informed them that the Price Elasticity of Demand for their products is inelastic. But being in the monopolistically competitive industry, the stiff competition from rival businesses does not affect the profit margins of PMT. There is a niche market for the PMT products, which are unique in their own way and add to the variety of organic cosmetics, soaps and perfumes. People who buy such products will prefer to have variety, and so a good number of buyers will regularly come back to the PMT brand, though they test out other brands in the mean time. The factors that would affect this demand curve and hence the PED include the variety of substitutes available for buyers to try around, the proportion of income required for the item and degree of necessity or luxury. This essay makes a conclusion that disposable income is the amount of income a person or an organization has, after the taxes have been deducted from the total amount. It is being assumed that disposable incomes are going to fall in the next two years. With the decrease in the people’s income, the Income Elasticity Demand for the organic products would turn positive or high positive and the niche market catered to would reduce. The organic perfumes, soaps and cosmetics would thus, come under the category of luxury goods.But the fall in disposable income is not likely to affect the services offered by the salon, since people would still be catering to their basic needs. The income elasticity demand for the services is likely to fall between one and zero.

Position Paper in Support of Patient Affordable Care Act Essay

Position Paper in Support of Patient Affordable Care Act - Essay Example This population lives each day not sure what would happen if they fell sick or were in need of medical attention. The absence of a medical insurance therefore means that they cannot visit the physician for regular check ups and will always postpone illnesses or trips to the doctor because they simply cannot afford it. Delayed medical care for fear of expenses is a disaster considering the number of people in the country and the illnesses that could be treated early turning fatal. People without health insurance are at the greatest risk of not catching illnesses early enough and not acquiring medical attention when need arises. This leads to an increase in healthcare premiums because of unpaid emergency medical bills of uninsured people (Gruber 33). In early 2010, president Obama signed the Affordable Care Act as a step to address the pending disaster of healthcare. This law was set in motion with comprehensive healthcare insurance reforms to deal with the healthcare issue of the Amer icans. According to young invincible, implementing the Act will carter for five major areas namely the extension of the dependent coverage to up to 26years, reforms for college heath plan and exchanges to be more established (Younginvincible.org). It will also offer a catastrophic plan for young adults and expand the Medicaid to the low-income adults who are childless. This plan will go to immense lengths in ensuring that every young person is insured or has access to healthcare through their parents plan. Overt he next few years, there ought to be no barriers when accessing medical care with the implementation of the Affordable care act. It is projected that by the year 2014, changes like a 50% discount on all brand name drugs, tax credits on small business, insurance plans for pre-existing medical conditions as well as an expansion on young adult coverage will be visible. Some of the plans are already underway (Pipes 52). Health systems implemented in other countries around the wo rld have proved to work effectively ensuring that almost every individual in that country is covered medically. According to sick around the world, a country like the United Kingdom has a National Health System (NHS) that is funded through taxes and is run by the government. It ensures that each person born in the U.K will have access and use the NHS (pbs.org). In addition, no one is presented with a medical bill through out the duration they are seeking medication. The initiative of the NHS has also reduced the waiting times that were previously required for elective surgeries. In a country like Japan which holds pride for the best health according to global statistics and the second largest economy. These people also visit the doctor thrice as much as Americans, use more drugs, have double the number of MRI scans, and reportedly spend more days in hospitals (pbs.org). Apparently, they spend only about half of what the United States spends per capita on healthcare. To achieve this, the Japanese have put it in law that every person must buy a health insurance plan through a community plan or through an employer. Reid then tours a country, which came up with the concept of national healthcare systems, Germany. Germany offers universal medical care, which includes mental health, dental, homeopathy, medical, and spa treatment for its 80 million people (pbs.org). They have devised a structure where the poor are paid for by the rich and the healthy