Costs and Manufacturing Overhead

1. How much overhead cost would be saved by outsourcing production of muffler-exhaust systems and oil pans if a. Overhead costs were entirely fixed costs?$0 would be saved because fixed costs do not affected by reduced number of labor caused by outsourcing. b. Overhead costs were entirely variable costs? (How is volume of activity measured at Bridgeton? Why is volume not measured by simply counting units produced?) All of them would be saved. If using numbers in 1988 for estimate, (5,766,000+6,532,000)*434% = $53,373,320 would be saved.Bridgeton accumulates all manufacturing overhead costs into one cost pool, and use direct labor dollar cost as the allocation measure to apportion the overhead costs in the cost pool.Unlike direct labor and direct material costs that can be traced to specific products, overhead costs could be administrative and manufacturing related so that not all of them are involved in ACF’s production. Therefore, there isn’t a high degree of correlati on between the units produced and the amount of manufacturing overhead used.2. How much overhead cost do you think Bridgeton and the consultants implicitly assumed would be saved by outsourcing muffler-exhaust systems and oil pans? They expect all overhead specific to product line of Muffler – Exhaust systems and oil pans would be saved, which is ($5,766,000+6,532,000)*434% = $533,733,20 (using 1988 data for estimate).3. Calculate the overhead allocation rate for each of the model years 1988 through 1990. Are the changes since 1987 in overhead allocation rates significant? Why have these changes occurred? a) divide total overhead ($) by total direct labor ($) showed in Exh.2 to get overhead rate. | 1987| 1988| 1989| 1990|Overhead Rate| 437% = 107,954/24,682| 434% = 109,890/25,294| 577% = 78,157/13,537| 563% = 79,393/14,102| Costs and Manufacturing Overhead Bridgeton Industries Case Assignment Questions1. How much overhead cost would be saved by outsourcing production of muffler-exhaust systems and oil pans if a. Overhead costs were entirely fixed costs?$0 would be saved because fixed costs do not affected by reduced number of labor caused by outsourcing. b. Overhead costs were entirely variable costs? (How is volume of activity measured at Bridgeton?Why is volume not measured by simply counting units produced?) All of them would be saved. If using numbers in 1988 for estimate, (5,766,000+6,532,000)*434% = $53,373,320 would be saved.Bridgeton accumulates all manufacturing overhead costs into one cost pool, and use direct labor dollar cost as the allocation measure to apportion the overhead costs in the cost pool.Unlike direct labor and direct material costs that can be traced to specific products, overhead costs could be administrative and manufacturing related so that not all of them are involved in ACF’s production. Therefore, there isn’t a high degree of correlation between the units produced and the amount of manufacturing overhead used.2. How much overhead cost do you think Bridgeton and the consultants implicitly assumed would be saved by outsourcing muffler-exhaust systems and oil pans? They expect all overhead specific to product line of Muffler – Exhaust systems and oil pans would be saved, which is ($5,766,000+6,532,000)*434% = $533,733,20 (using 1988 data for estimate).3. Calculate the overhead allocation rate for each of the model years 1988 through 1990. Are the changes since 1987 in overhead allocation rates significant? Why have these changes occurred? a) divide total overhead ($) by total direct labor ($) showed in Exh.2 to get overhead rate. | 1987| 1988| 1989| 1990|Overhead Rate| 437% = 107,954/24,682| 434% = 109,890/25,294| 577% = 78,157/13,537| 563% = 79,393/14,102|

Outsider Essay

The Stranger by Albert Camus is one of his best works. This novel tells the story of a man, Meursault, who is a moralist. Nothing seems to matter to him and his or anybody else’s actions makes no difference. Camus’s use of language allows readers to discover the mood and meaning being conveyed through diction and word choice. His use of fgurative language can be seen throughout. Such an example of figurative language is imagery. From reading The Stranger, one can clearly picture whats happening as Camus beautifully describes every action f Meursault. In the first chapter, Meursault hears that his mother has died and says â€Å"Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know. â€Å". Him saying this shows his emotional indifference and establishes his character traits. It doesn’t show that he didn’t really care about his mother, but that he really doesn’t give great thought to much of anything. The death of his mother shows Just how emotionless Meursault is for the fact of not grieving over his mothers death. But while at the funeral, Camus oes in great depth to explain the heat of the day and all of Meursault’s surroundings. Continuing with Camus’s use of imagery, at Maman’s funeral Meursault states â€Å"She was right. There was no way out. † as he talks to the nurse who had said â€Å"If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a sweat and then catch a chill inside the church. â€Å". Meursault says this only to his understanding that a person is born into a life that will only result in the death of that person. Death, like the harsh effects of the sun, is unavoidable. This idea is central to Camus’s philosophy in The Stranger, which posits death as the one central, inescapable fact of life. In prison, where Meursault has much time to reflect on his past, does he discover all the over-looked, finer aspects of his former free life. The author conveys this sense of discovery through the detailed flashbacks in the second part of the novel during his arrest. For example, Just moments before Meursault’s execution, he vividly recalls is mother’s funeral. Whereas he was empty of feeling at the funeral, now he too faces eminent death and thus savors the moments as to when he was the mourner. Through Camus’s use of diction and language, he has expressed the mood and meaning to this story of a man who has been wrongly accused. And by doing so the author has grasped his readers and has given them a different perspective on life and how things are fine one moment and can go terribly wrong the next moment. Outsider By lalalalalalal

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarche

In the writer Erich Maria Remarque's novel All Silence of the Western Battlefield, the writer expresses his view through Paul of the hero. Paul is also a narrator to explain all the physical and emotional experiences of the struggle against the First World War. When Paul and some of his classmates took part in the war they were very enthusiastic as they believed that they were going to be purely for honor. But throughout the novel, Paul and his friends began to realize that this is indeed fear and sorrow. All the quiet Erich Maria Remarque of the Western Front was written and written in Germany during the First World War. At the moment, the attitude of war is that it is the glory, the picture of the most heroic death that anyone can have. However, quiet on the Western Front is an anti-war novel that shows the truth and reality of war. This book is banned by the German government and seems to be read and trusted by young people. During the Cold War, John F. Kennedy said: Before the en d of the war, mankind must end the war. The destruction caused by World War I (Remarque 1982) After that, Erich M. Remarque was in his pioneering work. Total silence of the Western Front is trying to spread this pacifist message and anti-war sentiment. This new type of war has been left behind as the greatest and most technically advanced deadly war at that time. The literary progress of all quiet Erich Maria Remarque in front of the west and All Quiet in the west front explains the two stories. It meticulously paid attention to the soldiers' ideas in World War I and detailed the fear of all wars; each story is not only a soldier's independent experience, but also a new appearance of the fight But there are. This war was seen through the eyes of Paul Bowmer, and his way of thinking was better developed than his comrade. His true silence about the symbol of the West, images, and fables - in this book we heard the word young man of iron which was used to represent Paul's generation. I ron youth is the ideal of a strong patriotic group of the motherland, they fight to fight to proud Germany and its history. The writer and character in the book tore this ideal compared to the reality of war, I feel the sky that it is useless. These young soldiers are not iron

Lumbar puncture or Spinal anesthesia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lumbar puncture or Spinal anesthesia - Essay Example General anesthesia is a state of controlled unconsciousness during which patient doesn't feel anything and may be described as 'anesthetized'. During general anesthesia, anesthetic medications are injected into a vein, or anesthetic gases may be breathed into the lungs. When these medications are carried to the brain by the blood, they effectively "numb" the brain, and produce unconsciousness. Regional anesthesia is the specialized use of local anesthetic to numb a part of the body. Regional anesthesia can be used for operations on larger or deeper parts of the body. Local anesthetic drugs are injected near to the bundles of nerves which carry signals from that area of the body to the brain. The most common regional anesthetics (also known as regional 'blocks') are spinal and epidural anesthetics. These can be used for operations on the lower body. Use of anesthesia has been recorded since prehistory,where Opium poppy capsules were used in Sumeria and succeeding empires. Simple apparatus for smoking of opium were used for adminstration of anesthesia. Contries like India and China initially used cannabis incense and aconitum. As per the Book of Later Han, the physician Hua Tuo performed abdominal surgery using an anesthetic substance called mafeisan, which literally means cannabis boil powder, dissolved in wine. Other variants like Solanum species containing potent tropane alkaloids , Coca and Alcohol were also used in these initial days. The use of above herbal anaesthesia had a crucial drawback compared to modern practice in context of standardisation, as described on Wikepedia by Fallopus that "when soporifics are weak they are useless, and when strong, they kill". This drawback was tried to overcome by, standardizing production as much as possible, with taking production occurring from specific famous locations (such as opium from the fields of Thebes in ancient Egypt). Anaesthetics were sometimes administered in the spongia somnifera, a sponge into which a large quantity of drug was allowed to dry, from which a saturated solution could be trickled into the nose of the patient. At least in more recent centuries, trade was often highly standardized, with the drying and packing of opium in standard chests. Later, use of gases and vapours was also notice during mid 1800. Henry Hill Hickman experimented with carbon dioxide in the 1820s. British chemist Humphry Davy in 1799 used nitrous oxide .Effective general anessthesia for surgery begin in 1846, when a dentist, William Thomas Green Morton, gave diethyl ether at Massachusetts General Hospital, in the first public demonstration of diethyl ether as an anesthetic agent. It was then, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. proposed naming the procedure ansthesia.Anesthesia gained good public repute when Queen Victoria accepted chloroform a la reine from Dr. John Snow during the birth of prince Leopold in 1857. Local anaesthesia originated with the

Effect of Unions on Workers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Effect of Unions on Workers - Essay Example For example, in the United States such unions as Teachers, professional athletes (NBA and NFL unions) and United Auto Workers are successful. The successful union must ensure the members welfare is to their best of interest. The union achieve this through increased collective bargaining and speaking with one voice. The unions, therefore, provide better wages and salaries, better working conditions and other benefits. The Unions within particular professional are most likely to be successful. From example, teachers and professional athletes in US have remained successful. This is because, there can be quickly banded together as they share teething problems. In addition, the union membership is vast and hence they remain a force to reckon as the government must proactively consider before squashing them. The policies and tactics that make union successful is through active contribution to the union by members. Also, ensuring that the members adhere to the laws governing the union is central to the success of members. The unions can also use strikes and boycotts to convey their grievances to become stronger. Further, the union leadership is also key to the success of the union. The political environment is necessary to unions. The government would always try to squash the activities. Therefore, those political environments such as political party’s campaigns may make promises to union members for support (Markowitz, 2000). When such parties ascend to power, they may fulfil the promises made to union members. On the other hand, when they fail, such members may find

Topic 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Topic 3 - Essay Example Consumer behavior is what the whole marketing theory and concepts are based on. By studying consumer behavior, marketers hope to find the reason why the consumer wants to buy a certain product. It aims to help and identify how people make their buying decisions and also the factors that influence those decisions. There are usually two kinds of buyers, organizational buyers and consumers. We are only concerned with the consumers who are the ones who buy services and products for use by themselves. They buy things that serve their need for living and the basic requirements of life. They also buy products to make the world know about their personalities and reveal their attitudes and their roles in the society. In other words they not only cater to the physiological needs but also the psychological aspect as well. Individuality is a characteristic that a man develops due to the nature and the surrounding environment he spends that life in. the behavior of a person towards buying a certain product will therefore be different for everybody. They might have different tastes, likes and dislikes, attitudes and values and their decision making process will differ according to that. The three major things that influence the consumer's social environment are individual circumstances, personal psychology and the social environment. All these above mentioned factors have a lasting impact on the individuals buying behavior. Factors Social environment in which an individual lives his or her life helps greatly in shaping the life of people and their preferences. The culture that they are prevailing in, the reference groups to which they belong and cater too and the social class they exist in or the one in which they want to exist in. There can be an informational influence over them for example when they are told about the authenticity of a certain product's working. A customer can also be influenced by the type of reference groups that he or she relates too. A marketer needs to identify the needs and influences of the reference groups of his target market in order to understand their consumer behavior and plan out their offer in such a way that coincides with the needs and wants of the customer and caters to his or her influence. A customer can be influenced by the 'family of orientation' which is the basic family or the parental family that a customer has; a daughter might end up using the same washing detergen t her mother uses. Another kind of reference group is the family of procreation that is more of the extended family; a customer's buying decision might be influenced with the house of his or her in-laws and he or she might to carry out different tasks and buy certain kinds of products in the presence of their extended family. Secondary groups are the less formal groups which the customer doesn't end up meeting everyday and therefore they don't pose a lot of influence over the buying decision behavior of the customer. Individual characteristics tend to stem from demographics characteristics. The gender of the person, the age group with which he or she is belonging to, the stage of the lifecycle the customer is catering to and the customer's

Accounting for business decision Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting for business decision - Assignment Example Every investor is concerned about the security of his wealth. An investment is made after considering a lot of factors such as risk and return on investments, the value of an asset or a company and other factors both internal and external. Internal factors are those over which a company has regulatory authority while external factors are those over which a company has no control. Ventura PLC proposes to invest in the CFT; the evaluation of their proposal involves ascertaining the viability of CFT Company. Therefore, a ratio analysis on the company is imperative. Ventura PLC as an investor would be interested in the following: earnings per share ratios, return ratios and gearing ratios (Kumar 2009, pp. 95-115). This ratio shows returns to the shareholders that every share held generates. The ratio is obtained by dividing a company’s earnings after tax by the number of ordinary shares, within a financial period. Concerning CFT, in the year 2011, the company’s EPS = (EAT/Shares) = (410,000/2,500,000) = $ 0.164 per share, whereas, in the year 2012, the Company’s EPS = (547,000/2,500,000) = $ 0.219 per share. A time series analysis of the EPS between the two years indicates an increase in the EPS in 2012 due to an increase in the company’s earnings after tax. The trend experienced is good news for investors since they stand a chance of earning higher returns in the future. Using this short analysis, Ventura plc’s investment proposal is supported. The reason for the support is that the CFT Company promises a future increase in reward to investors (EPS) (Kumar 2009, pp. 95-115). Return on equity – is obtained by dividing a company’s earnings after tax by total shareholder’s equity (EAT/Equity). Concerning CFT, its ROE in 2011 and 2012 are calculated as (410,000/2650, 000) = 15.5% and (547,000/2,897,000) = 18.9% respectively. This ratio indicates the proportion of the net profit attributed to shareholder’s equity. The rate of return

The African American experience in colonial and antebellum North Term Paper

The African American experience in colonial and antebellum North America - Term Paper Example Food was scarce and even opted to eat corpses. Mostly, slaves came from Africa, the Caribbean and South America and by 1619; there were more than a million slaves in Virginia (Zinn 4). The whites and the Indians practiced their culture while the Africans were humiliated, and their culture was deemed to be inferior. Ironically, the African civilization was at par to that of Europe in terms of technology. Since slaves were treated harshly, they started rebellions that were crushed mercilessly. We are told that even some of the offenders were burnt alive and some hanged (Zinn 8). Later on, the black slaves and white servants started colluding to cause mayhem but those caught were equally punished. Racial discrimination is evident in this article because whites were considered superior to blacks hence given privileges like ownership of weapons and enough food. During this time, slaves also started demanding for their freedom (Zinn 12). The antebellum period was a time of slavery in North America whereby discriminatory laws were in place. Despite the existence of this laws, the African Americans were allowed to participate in societal duties. The black men were allowed to enlist themselves into the army that fought the 1812 American revolutionary war. In relation to these laws, Englishmen were not allowed to marry a Negro woman. However, if by chance an Englishman committed fornication with a Negro man or woman, he was fined (Bacon 42). On the other hand, non-Christians who were brought to the United States by land or sea and were not considered free (Bacon 42). IN this era, nobody was allowed to buy anything from a slave. Any woman who was a slave and conceived a child while serving her master was fined thousand pounds of tobacco. The child father was required to provide security to the church wardens of the parish where the child shall be taken care of and any complaints from the wardens reported to the

Legalization of marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legalization of marijuana - Essay Example In the United Kingdom, there is a push to have marijuana as Class B drug, legalised. Conversely, there are others such as Steve Rolles who are arguing that Marijuana can be legalised without experiencing the drawbacks that would accompany that move, if the UK marijuana market is regulated with an aid of strict and feasible framework. Steve Rolles is the Transformation Drug Policy Foundation’s Senior Policy Analyst. However, presently, the UK law stands as an impediment to Rolles’ postulation, given that the law criminalises recreational use and possession of marijuana. It is for this reason that many cafes selling marijuana are open, run clandestinely and immediately closed. Indications that the United Kingdom, particularly Britain may review its legal stand on marijuana is underscored by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg stating in February that the UK would explore viable alternatives to the wholesale proscription of drugs and that Britain was going to be the cen tre of the debate. There is a myriad of reasons being bandied as the reason for the legalisation of marijuana. First of all, there are those who argue that the legalisation of marijuana would help Britain save billions and this would therefore an economic value to the United Kingdom. Behind this argument is the rationale that decriminalising cannabis sativa will open up many marijuana-related businesses. These businesses would make profits which in turn would be taxable by the federal government. The rationale of this argument is upheld by the fact that the state of Colorado announced in March that it had collected more than one million pounds in taxes. This tax revenue was obtained by taxing marijuana businesses that were newly legalised and sold the drug for recreational purposes. According to Danovitch, political expedience also informs the push for the legislation of cannabis sativa. Legalisation of bhang has become a strong issue in Western Australia’s Senate

Husband, Lover and Friend Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Husband, Lover and Friend - Essay Example The husband and the wife are just like a vine intertwined or a branch grafted to another branch, with both branches sustaining one another. A man must also realize the implication of two people spending a lifetime together and sharing a life together even when it entails tremendous amount of tolerance and self-sacrifice. Both husband and wife must fulfill the human needs for love, friendship, family, and companionship the need for affection, recognition, and appreciation. All of these are plain and simple manifestation of love. The role that a husband plays could also be defined by what we expect him to be. Everybody expects a husband to be faithful, dependable, tough, yet tender. A man's faithfulness means so many things. It could mean loyalty, devotion, reliability, and fortitude. A man is faithful not only to the woman but he should also be faithful to his obligations and the tasks that go with being a good husband. A man is devoted to the woman not only with his attention but also in the time that he spends with her. The husband also provides security at home. It is quite burdensome for a man that he must provide all the needs at home. However, in many ways doing this is what really makes a man a man. He was made the stronger sex, physically so that he could protect the woman and spare her from the cumbersome tasks. Most of the time, husbands measure themselves up on the power or authority that they wield in the family. However, a husband needs not a commanding voice or any rule or law because a woman does not adhere to any other kind of influence but love. A woman would surrender her spirit to the man who knows how to love. Bayless Conley could not have been so right when he quoted that "husbands must go all out in love for their wives - a love marked by giving, not getting." He further stated that wives are a reflection of the words husbands speak to them. Conley explains: I can learn a whole lot about a man by just looking at his wife's countenance. I find out what kind of man you are by looking at your wife's face. She is a reflection of the way you treat her and of the words you speak to her. It is written, not all over your face. It is written all over her face. If you are going to be a good lover, you first have to learn to love with words. Compliment rather than criticize. ( 2 ) If it is true that a good wife brings joy and honor to the husband, it must also be true either way for it is the person whom we love and value the most who could shape our character and affect us the most. A woman would look good and look happy if she is treated right. If a husband fulfills the woman's needs, it makes her happy. Finally, the husband was charged to: Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labor which thou takest under the sun.

Block Versus Traditional Scheduling Essay Example for Free

Block Versus Traditional Scheduling Essay This is a proposal to the study to investigate the affect of school scheduling on the student body. The short introduction will establish a purpose to view the students’ reaction to the block or traditional class schedule as the cornerstone of their success in their learning endeavor. Such study will promise to learn what has to be done to improve the student morale and to increase their effectiveness as learners, that is which specific scheduling type is instrumental in doing so. Since this is just a proposal to the study, and no actual study has been done, the readers will find no actual data sets yet. Introduction Intensive or short-term classes, also known as block scheduling have risen out of search for alternative ways to the traditional scheduling. Such classes are presented in segregated units and might have a different construction from a high school to college. Students might be exposed to six specific classes, two hours each for the duration of a quarter with another set of six classes following the next quarter. Daniels (2000) and Queen (2000) presented a study in which she objectified the contrast between block and traditional schedules. She confirmed that block scheduling became common on high school and college levels during the last decade. Post high school institutions explain infiltration of the block scheduling by incoming in a large numbers of non-traditional students. To serve such students better and to adapt to their schedules, the post secondary institutions initiated time-shortened courses, however more intensive, fitting two sets of class load in one semester. Per Daniels’ research, half of surveyed post secondary institutions have been using some sort of block scheduling (also see Stodden, Galloway, L. , Stodden, 2003). In the surveyed institutions the block schedule did not have a unified formation, either. Some moved to so-called quarter hours in which each student would take several classes for each quarter (three months) four quarters a year including a summer session(s). Other institutions provided scheduling that formed even more intensive course load. Marric College in Sacramento, California, in particular has students enroll into two courses lasting six weeks. Each class would last four hours and be offered once a week. Justification of study Such tendency became widespread and included many Nation’s high schools. Many educators Mcleskey Welle (2000) expressed a concern that a lack of uniformity among the schools and at times controversial findings might jeopardize the quality of instructional delivery. Some evidence suggests that the instruction must me at least 10 to 12 weeks short and presented a few times during the week in order to provide some significant impact on learning. It does appear that high school and postsecondary institutions are more concerned of quantity of classes being offered rather than the quality of the instruction. After all, the argument that acceleration of the course load provides mode intense study opportunity is limited in that there is not enough time to study the subject matter deeper. Purpose There is no doubt that such diversity of schedule types in many different schools does not benefit uniformity of the instruction (Jenkins, Queen Algozzine, 2002). The very fact that different schools, even within the same district, may exercise different type of scheduling appears to be disturbing. Despite the fact that a number of researchers offered study-type investigations into the dilemma, it is still very difficult to find the concrete results based on two high schools within the same school district: one with block scheduling and another with traditional. Even when found there was no study available to test the students’ comfort level and presence or absence of stress when subjected to either block or traditional scheduling. Hence, the purpose of this study is to attempt to derive more narrow and directed conclusions with the following Null Hypothesis: HO: Participants did not experience any stress level or discomfort when subjected to one quarter of block scheduling HA: Participants experienced significant (p. 5) manifestation of discomfort and/or stress when exposed to block scheduling. To provide the quantitative opportunity, this researcher suggests devising a scale that would quantify the participants’ stress reaction to the stimuli. For example: 1 – No physiological/biological/psychological symptoms experienced during or after one block of classes is given. 2 – Some symptoms are experienced but do not produce any noticeable symptoms. 3 – Symptoms cause some psychological or physical manifestations that can be observed and recorded (non-natural posture, felt awkwardness, feeling/being clumsy, to some degree irritated). 4 – Extreme nervousness, body perspiration, observable irritation presentation, failing classes, cutting classes, feeling ill often. Definition of Theoretical Constructs and Research Design The research will measure levels of stress during and/or after attending classes in the students in block scheduling versus the students in traditional scheduling. There are plenty of stated theories under the guise of stress research, however, this researcher found none that would examine the psychological state of students in and under block schedule versus their peers who are in the traditional scheduling. 1) degree of the schedule control/pressure on the students 2) degree and specific direction of initial reaction of students. 3) the degree of the school homeostatic reaction in its attempt to maintain status quo Negative attitude toward scheduling can be viewed as following states-of-being: a) self-pity b) helplessness c) low self-afficacy d) irritation 5) increased clumsiness The degree of school control/pressure can be quantified on nominal scale: 1 – feel no pressure/stress. Like classes and attend them with pleasure. Feel free to manifest my creativity. Am aware that every of my creative ideas are manifested in the productive process of my education. 2 – freedoms of creativity somewhat limited. There is a limited time to express myself. Some of my ideas/concepts are not heard/considered. Small degree of the schedule influence on my life outside the school is felt at times (more homework). 3 – feel pressure from the higher pressure of scheduling. My ideas/concepts are not considered most of the times. Feeling that sharing my ideas can lead me in to trouble. Feeling not important to the school (or my class). Feeling not appreciated. 4 – feel constant (daily) pressure from the scheduling. Feeling being controlled (puppet-like state) by the scheduling. No ideas are being considered (or no time at all to share). Feel invisible. Perceive the message from teachers, â€Å"You are the small nut in the big mechanism. You must do your part consistently and efficiently, without aberration. † Feeling trapped, depressed, and unhappy. Missing days of school due to â€Å"illness. † The degree of initial reaction to the scheduling type can be quantified as follows. A – Absence of any stress. Study duties seem easy and comfortable to perform. No anger or any negative feelings toward the teachers. B – Minimum stress level. Most days are comfortable and pleasant. Occasional and minimum negative reaction toward the teachers. C – Moderate stress. Three out of five school days are not comfortable and are stressful. Being critical to the teachers. Often complaining and/or expressing negative feelings to other students. Fear of negative opinion of the teachers. D – Daily stress. Not comfortable performing schoolwork. Feeling of constantly being watched. Covert and at times overt feelings of hostility toward teachers. Strong urge to become instrumental in changing things around or drop out. Complain with open hostility. The degree of the organizational homeostatic reaction in its attempt to maintain status quo can be quantified as follows (in case if the participants answered 3/4 or C/D in previous scales): i) No events occur. Nothing to make stressed situation more stressful. ii) Some events do occur. All events, however, are under control and none are long-lasting. iii) Events that occur are unpleasant and might be somewhat threatening in nature. Most bear unpleasant conversations/explanations with teachers. Most â€Å"fire† can be put down but require some effort. Some have the potential to become cause for administrative actions and other sanctions. iv) Events are very serious in nature. Most are felt like the cause of a complete failure or even drop out. May have the potential of causing disturbance in classes. Very difficult for the â€Å"fire† to be put down and requires a significant amount of effort. v) Events result in separation from the school: suspension. This researcher proposes to use p . 05 as the probability value. He will solicit two randomly selected groups with 30 students in each: one would be under the current block schedule and another under traditional one within the same school. Mitchel Jolley (2004) suggested an effective randomizer that might work well in this scenario. The fact that two very different by nature of business schedules should cause different reactions from students and will contribute to more complete understanding of the schedule affect on the student body. The survey (pre-test) will be administered to all 60 participants in both groups. The data will be tabulated to form the initial quantity (starting point) from which this researcher will operate. The purpose of the survey is to find out (to quantify) the initial psychological state of each student in two groups. The same survey will be administered in the midterm (six weeks later) and at the conclusion of 12-week research period. Data will ve compared, contrasted, and tabulated. Contributions This researcher believes that this study will provide a new and fresh approach to the study of scheduling influence on the students. If allowed to experiment the school’s administration will have an opportunity to learn how each type of scheduling will affect students and to develop the student body with the least amount and manifestation of stress and with the highest possible morale and study ethics. As the result, the study productivity will increase and the quality of the learning will improve 100 fold. References Daniel, E. L. (2000). A Review of Time-Shortened Courses across Disciplines. College Student Journal, 34(2), 298. Retrieved May 15, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5001760249 Jenkins, E. , Queen, A. , Algozzine, B. (2002). To Block or Not to Block: Thats Not the Question. The Journal of Educational Research, 95(4), 196+. Retrieved May 15, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5000642089 Mitchell, M. L. , Jolley, J. M. (2007). Research design explained (6th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Queen, J. A. (2000). Block Scheduling Revisited. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(3), 214. Retrieved May 15, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5001115634 Stodden, R. A. , Galloway, L. , Stodden, N. J. (2003). Secondary School Curricula Issues: Impact on Postsecondary Students with Disabilities. Exceptional Children, 70(1), 9+. Retrieved May 15, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5002033905 Weller, D. R. , Mcleskey, J. (2000). Block Scheduling and Inclusion in a High School. Remedial and Special Education, 21(4), 209. Retrieved May 15, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5001073229

Analysing The Wealth Of Money And Knowledge

Analysing The Wealth Of Money And Knowledge In the modern society, there are certain major of groups believe that having money over lapse the concept of having more knowledge. Conversely, there are a number of people believe that without a good education, we might not make it in the fast growing society. On certain levels, having a certain amount of money or knowledge does provide benefits to individuals that possess it. We might be able to succeed in our life by being wealthy in money or knowledge. Having huge money, we are able to make lots of investment in our company to provide a huge capital. In addition, when starting a business, one must possess certain knowledge of the industrys business to enhance the growth. Wealthy in money can also provide a comfortable life if one knows how to appreciate the value of money. We are able to make payments for mortgage or cars while not forgo certain expenses in order to have their way of life. With money, we can provide a good education to our kids and provide them good balance of nutrients. On the other hand, knowledge also can optimize a human being lifestyle. We are able to create machines that can ease our work and strength. We do assume that the power of money enable us to facilitate friends financial situation. Being a true friend, we are able to do small favors to ease their worry. When theyre in need of guidance, having appropriate knowledge allow us to listen and think rationally for the best solution and guide them in decision making. People often go through various situations that require their decision that reflects their potentials. With great knowledge, we can independently carry ourselves to the outside world and being confident about our judgment and stand on our own feet. Having money bears the privilege of being financially independent. In future event of misfortune in business of job, we are still able to go through the difficult process without making adjustment. Body Angle 1: Stepping stone to success Education is the pathway to enrich knowledge and succeed in life. The extra education a person could obtain on a certain subjects allow them to construct a better inform decisions that would result in increased income or better equipment. The value of good education is the basic key in getting a good solid job that able to support us to have a decent lifestyle. With education, we are able to go through different task in a job and with the qualified papers we are able to climb our careers upwards. The passion of wanting more in education gives us a broader mind and view towards the world and different concepts on how the world ticks. In a way having a good education reflects on a person. As they value your knowledge and education, you are not afraid to voice out your opinion and create doubts in one self. A huge capital in a business ensures that the business is able to take losses and risk for a period of time. This is very crucial especially in starting a business as the companys profile is fresh and needed time to venture their product into the market. In starting a business, the right amount of capital is essential because of the companys instability and with a huge capital, owners are able to gamble their business into a bigger perspective without drawback in funding. A huge capital gives an advantage to business since money is needed to pay for machines, labors and goods produced. With the proper funding, the company are able to plan their growth and make additional adjustments to widen the business. A huge capital enables company to maximize their market using various of ways such as advertisement, samples and road shows. Knowledge also contributes to the success in life. It is vital for anyone that ones to succeed in their career or business to learn different skills. Whether is it communication, planning, productivity and creativity. One must be able to acquire the technique to communicate and persuade customers to buy their product. They must also able to plan their schedule and make preparations for the future event and predict the best strategy to boost their productivity. In the fast growing world of business, its is comparably hard to excel a business as the competition is big and there are various levels of competitors in the industry. To even begin with something, first we must have a decent foundation of information in the particular field. This comes by constant exposure and experience which makes them mature in decision making. If ones foundation is not strong, they will have difficulties in dealing with intense problems and they might miss out in lots of opportunities. With our enhanced knowledge and education, we are able to go build our mid set in dealing with various of problems. In many stages of life, we might be struggling with many obstacles and difficulties in our work life. Sometimes were unable to tackle the problem due to the complexity of the problem. In every problem there always have to be a solution to it. Before we rush to solve a problem, its always best to look at the problem from a different point of view whether from ourselves or another person. By doing so, we are able to identify the root problem and widen the choices of solution. Furthermore, we are able to widen our mind by resulting to think outside the box and able to achieve the best results. Sometimes no matter how hard we try, it seems impossible to find ways to solve the problems. By having an appropriate knowledge, we might able to divide the problems into smaller proportions and slowly work out the pieces. By the power of wisdom we possess, it could be real handy whe n we can point out the easy part to solve if its in our expertise and then we emerge from the root itself. The answer might not come instantly but as we thought of the problem over and over again from a different point of view, we might just able to find the right explanation. Angle 2: Comfort Many people say, money is not everything, money does not bring happiness in our life, etc, but money does bring comfort in life. In my opinion, money can buy quality goods such as healthy food, a better and more comfortable shelter or branded clothes to make our life become more comfortable. Quality goods usually cost more than other normal goods. Money can fulfill ones desires. With money, we do not need to worry about our daily life or any financial problem. For example, we can buy leisure things such as a big house or car so that we and our family can live in a comfortable environment. Therefore, money makes life become easier and money does bring comfort in life. With knowledge, its possible to invent new technology to make life comfortable. With knowledge, it is possible to create new products to make life more comfortable. New technology that can relieve us from disease and work can be created with knowledge. With these new technologies, we can live a healthier life and our works can be reduced. These can bring comfort in our life. Other than that, new beauty products can be created to enhance ones look with knowledge. Some technologies have made our life more comfortable. Air cooler is one of the examples. Air cooler is useful to us in a hot day. It makes us to be more comfortable. Thus, knowledge brings comfort in life and makes life more pleasurable. Angle 3: Frienship Money can create friendship by giving a helping hand when your friend is in a tight budget situation, additionally they appreciate the face value of helping hand and the sacrifices you made, we can easily strengthen friendship. In accomplish a goal, one must provide compromises. We understand that theyre in a financial crisis and we learn to communicate with them and there are various methods to assist them in the recovery process. It would make a lot of difference with several kinds of small favours such as treating him to dinner for an occasion, car pooling together or even inviting him to a pot luck dinner to lighten up his burden. A true friend plays a very important role in life. They are there during the happiest time and also hardest time when ones facing a sticky situation. As they are able to listen to your problems, show their attention and able to share their knowledge and experience they had to assist you in decision making. Most of the time in our lives, we bound to step into trouble. Thats where friends comes in and guide us to the right path again. We might not go through many kinds of situations or dilemma but hearing other stories and past gives us the knowledge to prepare for the future outcome and learn from others mistake. By sharing other information, not only we get closure with friends, indirectly we are equipping ourselves with valuable information that we dont get from class or home. In example, if we got a studies problem in class the first thing in mind is to ask a friend. He or she might know but they are willing to try their best to give you the best solution and solve your doubts. Angle 4: Independence People that are having good incomes are able to be financially independence as they are secure in living the lifestyle they desired without fear of over expenses. They will encounter fewer problems such as having limited budget or to cut down expenses in order to maintain their current lifestyle. With enough money, people can solve some of their problem and they will not be stressful in solving the problems. People can also send their children to a good school or college without applying study loan from government. Thus, money does bring independence. Having a good amount of knowledge is able to guide us to be independent in life and to carry ourselves without depending on others. People can solve certain problems by themselves easily if they have an excellent amount of knowledge. Besides that, with knowledge, we can boost our self confidence in dealing with various people without having the fear of people doubting our capability in performing a task or job. In addition, knowledge helps us to know what is right and wrong to do and what we should or should not do in life and to be able to stand on solid grounds. Conclusion Certain criteria in having abundance of money or knowledge do equip an individual in starting off their pathway. Numerous individuals consider that having either one and exclude the other is enough but it is a need to balance out the two important factors. Without a solid education, we might not even able to solve even the simplest task as our depth of knowledge is shallow that we cant show our highest potential. In tackling different business strategy, employees often work in teams and brainstorm with each other to share knowledge of the particular task. We must possess the equivalent set of skills and information to act. The money we accumulate can be put to invest in own business or others and by proper analyzing and research, we can decide whether the money is put to good use to increase our capital and productivity which can turns into profits. Having money gives us an opportunity to broaden up the business while able to venture into other industry. Money has always been a goal for people that want to live an easy and happy life. Individuals are trying various of methods to enhance their skills and careers to make them valuable to the company as to achieve the desired job that can ensure that they are financially independent thus having no worries in indulging themselves to enjoy life. By having valuable expertise, individuals are not afraid to express their view and this helps in boosting inner confidence and self esteem. They are deeply motivated to pursue their aim in setting a reputation for themselves. In addition, if we have powerful knowledge, we might able to change the world by discovering new innovations and technology which can help others. In daily situations where we arent able to go through certain problems, friends are always there to guide us by sharing their knowledge whether in studies or personal relationship or life itself. By exchanging knowledge we are advancing ourselves in tackling a similar situation in the future. We might also able to lend a hand whether is moral support or money support in a way we can relieve his crisis finance. Money and knowledge both plays a vital role in many people life thus it is essential to operate a balance form between them. By doing so, we are aware of the things going around us and we are able to take control over it. Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.

Popular Music in Film | Research

Popular Music in Film | Research Introduction This study aims to look into pre-existing popular music in film, its use and place within modern film making, with express interest in determining whether or not it can fairly be compared and judged along side more traditional original scoring techniques as an artistically viable means by which to add depth and further weight to the image, or if it is simply a cheap and easy means by which to score a film. In Ronald Rodmans essay The use of popular music as leitmotif in 1990s film, he states that â€Å"within the hands of a skilled director and music editor, the use of pre-existing popular music can be used to convey narrative events and characters in a way similar to classical Hollywood scoring. However, the two exist at opposite ends of a modernist/post modernist continuum. With the Hollywood score being valued for its original and film specific uniqueness and the found score being valued for its ability to redefine and recycle its self when used well, it offers a â€Å"live again† feeling, that allows the music to transcend its original form, and find new merit within the context of the imageâ€Å". (Rodman, from the compiled essay collection Changing Tunes: The Use of Pre-existing Music in Film (2005: 135) This study does not refer to a specific question requiring a final answer, instead aims to explore whether or not the idea of recycled music truly can transcend its self in skilled hands, and if the use of popular music in film has become used more widely and in a more sophisticated fashion following its emergence in many films of the 1990s. I also intend on looking into the work produced when artists more established within the realms of popular music, try their hand writing original music for film, and if this combination of film specific, more traditional scored music and the different approaches that popular music and those more schooled in its construction can bring to the table with regards to an original score, is truly the definitive way to create an interesting, exciting and truly brilliant piece of work that does what all good scores should achieve, too not only enhance the image, but to stand strong on its own as piece of work in its own right. By exploring the research of others with original research and thoughts of my own, I intend to come to a personal conclusion regarding the matter. This investigation is going to be based around the initial idea that popular music has a valuable and useful place within modern film making, however, due to it often being used in a lazy and not fully thought through manner, it has become some what looked down upon with in the medium, being seen simply as a means for cheap laughs, a pleasant way to pad out the background music of a scene and as a way to add more marketability to a film . In light of this generally accepted opinion of popular musics place in film, and its viewing in such a negative light, I wish to look into how and why this view exists, despite countless examples of it being used to great effect within a film and how in recent years, the trend for recruiting the skills of popular musicians to construct original material specifically for film is not only the next step in popular musics place in cinema, but its creative apex. This investigation, through the course of its three main chapters, intends to look closely at popular musics place within modern cinema, how it has arrived there, where it can go from here, and if it can be seen as important and useful as classical means of film scoring. I intend on looking into the following points through out the course of this investigation: Chapter 1 Popular music and Modern Cinema How the genesis of both popular music and cinema are inherently linked to one another and a cross-pollination between the mediums has always been inevitable How popular music as score differs from traditional scores in what it does within a film. The potential (both positive and negative) that pre-existing material brings to a film, from its ability to comment add extra levels to a film through its lyrical content and its already established place in the public subconscious through to the historical and social abilities it has in helping define eras and public attitudes when necessary. I shall look at the use of The Doors song ‘The End in Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1984) in order to explore this The powerful imprinting effect that the correct piece of popular music and the correct visuals can have on one another, combining in such a way that they elevate both song and scene to a completely new level of meaning, operating on many more levels than they would have done separately. I Shall look at Roy Orbisons ‘In Dreams within the movies Blue Velvet (David Lynch 1982) Chapter 2 Popular music as Leitmotif Look into how popular music has adopted the traditional film scoring technique, leitmotif. Explore the manner in which popular musics use denotatively and connotatively through leitmotif differs from the classic score, how it is not relied upon the actual repetition of specific themes that connect characters and narrative, but rather the repetition of styles of music or their social context. Investigate two films that use popular music as leitmotif, Shaun of The Dead (Edgar Wright,2004) and Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1992) and how their employment of the technique differs to one another. Chapter 3 The Popular Musician as Composer Investigate, through existing examples within movies, of popular musicians being either being used to write film specific music for cinema or actually constructing an original score tailor made for a film, and if these approaches herald different results and opportunities to scores constructed by more traditional composition methods. Conclusion Discuss an over view of my investigation, come to a personal evaluation of whether popular musics place within cinemas audio landscape is viable as artistically expressive and appropriate as a method of scoring. Chapter 1 Popular Music and Modern Cinema Popular music, since the late 1970s has come to hold a particularly interesting and powerful position amongst the many visual media forms that exist, and though a large majority of these forms that have mutated and cross pollinated as a result of the rise of various technologies and the prominence of popular music as a form of cultural expression, are mainly used as tools of marketing (music videos, television spots and advertisements), it possess a unique functioning purpose within the medium of film, â€Å"only in dramatic film and television are popular songs used in order to help tell a sustained narrative story a role that has traditionally been played by commissioned musical score† (Wright, Popular music and Film, 2003:8) Its hardly surprising that popular music has come to be used as such within film, though at their most fundamental levels they operate as two quit different forms of expression, the trajectories both have moved along through the early twentieth century show striking similarities to one another, to quote Ian Inglis in his introduction to Popular Film and Music (2003) â€Å"The genesis of both came about as a direct result of late nineteenth century technological developments, both predominantly rely on a new type of mass audience sharing a common interest, both started with humble beginnings as novelties to expand and become some of the largest industries in the world with colossal annual turnovers, both have been approached and consumed from perspectives that have allowed them to evolve from simple tools of popular and mass culture into examples of more high and elite cultureâ€Å". (Inglis, 2003:1) It is no longer required in modern film making to contain a score written specifically with the images and narrative in mind, a movies musical landscape is now just as likely to be entirely filled with pre-existing songs (be they popular or more esoteric) as it is to feature a more traditional score, often a combination of the two will be employed by a director. In order to greater appreciate the role that using pre-existing popular music in a film can have on, not only the narrative implications, but the way an audience will respond to the movie going experience, one must lay out the inherent differences and opportunities that popular music can bring when compared to a traditional classical score. Music written and scored with a film in mind is specifically catered to the needs of the images on screen, often a film will be scored late in a films production schedule, there for it is necessary to bend and fit to the constraints of the image, the composer is almost a slave to the film at hand, taking full responsibility for fleshing out every nuance and emotion that a scene requires. They must adapt and fit around what is (normally by the time a composer is brought on board) a fairly concrete structure of how the narrative events take place. On the other hand, when a director chooses to use pre-existing material in a film, the scenes have usually been designed in such a way as to bend around the song. Pre-existing material can not be manipulated in the same manner of a piece tailored to fit a narrative, however, through the use of shooting and editing a sequence with music in mind, it allows a certain unity and rhythm to emerge from the combination of the two. Looking at whether or not one of these approaches to film scoring is more artistically viable is a more complex question that at first it would appear. â€Å"The most fundamental observation that can be made about music in any audio? Visual medium is that it enjoys a rather direct route to our subconscious. Humans are by nature more visually orientated, we digest visual information more consciously and more critically than we do aural information† (Wright 2003:10) Since its musics uncanny ability to override the logical front of our brains and plug directly into our emotional back allies, it tends to offer the driving force in telling us how to feel about events within a film. It can be used with great effect to inform us how we should feel about characters or places, it can instantly set time periods or moods, â€Å"precisely because in most cases it is completely removed from the specific logic of a films story line† (Wright 2003:10). However, it is this powerful, yet extremely subtle ability to steer an audiences emotions within a film that makes the score so depended on a plethora of various factors, be they cultural, historical or otherwise. What a person is going to feel when exposed to different sounds is extremely subjective, how one person responds may not correlate with how another would when exposed to the same thing. â€Å"All popular music contains visual elements; all film relies, in varying degrees, on musical elements† (Inglies 2003:3) A director can take great advantage of that fact that pre-existing popular music will often have already existed within the consciousness of the public for long enough that a response will have been built up in their mind, especially with regards to songs containing specific, concrete lyrics. An example of the successful combination of a songs lyrics and a sequence edited perfectly to its rhythm would be the opening montage of the Zack Snyder directed Watchmen (2009), the sequence, which shows the unfolding of an alternate historical timeline of the 1960s, moves along at a constant, smooth and meditative crawl, all the while Bob Dylans â€Å"The times they are a-changing† echoes out, the lyrics seeming to directly reference the events taking place and the mid tempo, simple yet mournful and effective guitar/harmonica parts perfectly compliment the mood and set the tone; there is a heavy sense of sadness, a great part of the story centres around the fact that a new generation of costumed heroes are now faced with a society that no longer has time for them, that fears them even and in this sequence we look back into the halcyon golden days of the older generation of costumed heroes, when it was more innocent, but we view the often depressing events that lead to the current state of affairs within the narrative. In other instances, the right song placed with the right images can elevate both beyond their limits as separate mediums, fleshing out one another in new and exciting directions. For example in David Lynchs masterpiece Blue Velvet(1986), a few keys scenes, use pre-existing material to truly haunting and terrifying effect. Most famously perhaps is the scene where Jeffery Beaumont (Kyle Maclachlan) is serenaded by the suave, menacing, porcelain white, rake thin figure of Ben (Dean Stockwell). Ben lip-synchs along to Roy Orbisons classic â€Å"In Dreams†. The song, a ballad that tells a story of lost love, had already become a well known hit by the time Lynch made Blue Velvet. Recorded in 1963 (twenty three years prior to Blue Velvets release) it peaked at number seven on the billboard charts. Within the dark, unsettling noir universe that Lynch had created for the film, the song took on something of a far more disturbing meaning. The ironic juxtaposition of Orbisons ethereal voice, haunting melody and the dream like music accompanying it, along side the creeping dread and ominous shadow of impending violence smothering the sequence help elevate the mood and capture it brilliantly. Blue Velvet itself felt a lot like a dream, or a nightmare, and the songs lyrics resonated with a compelling and strange clarity within the films mood. The whole film was about looking below the surface of something seemingly perfect and finding that it was rotten to the core, here, in this context, a remarkable beautiful piece of music is suddenly something more, theres something darker at its heart. A truly inspiring choice of popular music for a scene, and a prime example of the amplification of a scenes mood the correct piece of pre-existing music can have. The innocent, whimsical connotations and feelings evoked by â€Å"In Dreams† sits in a perfect, jarringly uncomfortable unity along side the hellish, violent world at â€Å"Blue Velvets† heart. The impact of the sequence is unmistakable, one can not imagine the scene playing out with any other song and similarly after viewing the sequence, one can not hear the song without imaging Ben swaying and singing or Frank Booth (Dennis Hooper) becoming lost in sadness, then insane with rage upon hearing the song hes obsessed with. From a commercial aspect the song was incredibly useful in revitalising Roy Orbisons then lagging career, though he was at first shocked upon viewing the way his music had been used, the song and film bolstered interest back into the singers work. Although, on the other side of the coin, â€Å"it is precisely because the message in music is so implicit, because it influences us somewhat subliminally, that we find its failings so noteworthy[†¦] The stakes are high: when it works, it moves us, but when it fails, we cringe at the attempt† (Wright 2003:12). Because popular music tends to exist within the moment, it changes and mutates at the same rate as fashion or hairstyles, the risk of using a popular song from a certain time can immediately give a film a shelf life. Obviously, over time, all films begin to look dated compared to their modern equivalents, however, popular music evolves at such a lightning pace that the wrong piece (or some times, the right piece for that moment in time) can often make a film seem laughable or extremely out dated within a short space of time (See many, many, many films from the 80s) It therefore, appears that producers and directors run significant risk when making a conscious decision to use popular music as score. Which does seem to beg the question, that if music written for the film can be tailored to fit a films needs precisely and pre-existing material tends to loose its relevance within years, why do people still use popular music? From a cynical point of view it could be suggested that its more often than not with financial reasons in mind, its common knowledge that only one in ten productions will return a substantial profit, however its the huge profit of that one that makes up for all the others, so the added bonus of having an easily marketable sound track is always going to be a draw in terms of money. However, pre-existing music has its own artistic merits within film as a choice of soundtrack. Since most popular songs chosen for film (such as â€Å"In Dreams† mentioned earlier) have already existed within the public consciousness for considerable time enough for people to build and attach their own set of feelings and emotions to a song, the use of popular music brings with it a ready prepared set of emotional triggers that a film or scene can build on top of, this always for a scene to carry more emotional clout than if an unheard and unknown score made for the film was used in its place. â€Å"The right song in the right place can be an extremely powerful device† (Wright 2003:13) Though it is indeed true that the use of popular music can run the risk of making a film seem out dated fairly quickly, the act that pre-existing popular music does capture and retain the mood of the time period it was created in can be an extremely useful tool when the subject matter of a film is specific to a certain era, it can instantly and effortlessly conjure up the mood of a certain point in history in a way that a composed score would struggle to achieve. Familiar examples of music from the desired era summon up not only the musical memory of the time, but come complete with the attitudes and ideas that were linked to that period (Wright 2003:13). For example, the 1960s for many cultural and historical reasons stills resonates powerfully within the public consciousness. Francis Ford Coppolas Apocalypse Now (1979) partly achieved a faithfully accurate depiction of the ear through the careful use of songs strongly linked to that decade, but more than that, the songs chosen often reflect the bizarre situations Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) finds himself in and the deepening sense of dread that consumes him as he heads further down the river and into the stories nightmarish underbelly. This effect is starkly illustrated in the films famous beginnings, as Willard stares blankly at a ceiling fan in his room, the Doors song ‘The End plays non-diegetically along with the sound of helicopter blades. Not only does the song help to evoke feeling and images of the 60s, but it also comments upon an uncomfortable and unsettling notion that haunts the film, as Matthew Caley describes it in his essay Heavy Rotation â€Å"The opening sequence invokes the notion of a terrible re-occurrence the end becoming the beginning, signifying the heaviest of burdens† (Pop Fiction, Caley 2005:38) Some events, in this case the Vietnam war, can never be overcome on a personal level. Another important difference between the use of popular music as score and traditionally composed pieces is that, for the most part, traditional scores are used non-diegetically, as seemingly separate entitles, floating above the action, where as very often, popular music is used diegetically within the frame. This could be in part that we are almost conditioned to think of songs as more than simply visual accompaniment, we hear a song and nine times out of ten well imagine a performance going along with it, we see the band, the singer and the stage, lyrics also cry out for attention and want to be hear and analysed. Simply underscoring a scene with a popular song, can in some cases distract the audience from the main narrative drive, and as soon as an audience is lost from the film, it becomes increasingly difficult to get them back involved. So, to counter this, more often than not the source of a piece of popular music will normally be within the frame, be it a car radio or a CD p layer or (as was the case in Blue Velvet) some one singing. In this way, we no longer find the presence of a separate medium looking for attention problematic, the characters can hear what we are hearing, a logical justification for the songs presence has been given. This can also happen on a wider scale through out a film, when the set up provides a musical or semi-musical means by which to accept the constant presence of diegetic music, for example in High Fidelity (Stephen Frears, 2000), the narrative revolves around Rob Gordon (John Cussack) who runs a small, alternative-music store, and his employees. The overt musical setting always for many chances for popular songs to appear diegetically within the movie, however, once the action is removed from the apparent source of these songs, they act as score instead, but because the viewer has been given enough logical justification for their presence, their use in these situations does not direct attention from the action, or seem co ntrived and indulgent in their use. With out the earlier conditioning provided by the films location allows use, this may not be the case. â€Å"Given all these difficulties, music, with its ‘back door access to our consciousness, is a powerful tool [†¦] it stealthily pilot The audiences mood ad emotional response to a films content† (Wright 2003: 20) What it is that succeeds when popular music is used as accompaniment in film is subject to many different factors, most extremely subtle. Precisely how it effects a person is of course on an individual level and cant realistically be hammered down to a science in any way, but the successful use of music often engages in a way that is simultaneously original, but resonate with a timeless quality. Popular music is an ever changing form of expression in and of itself, and as too, the landscape and language of cinema grows and changes over time it is fair to say that what in principle can be regard as the rules to determine what does and does not work as musical accompaniment to film, will remain the same. An interesting angle that has also been undertaken by many modern film makers (perhaps not consciously) is the mimicking of techniques used in more traditional film scores when using pre-existing material, the most prevalent of these could possibly be the use of popular song as Leitmotif, which I will now explore in chapter two. Chapter 2 Popular Music as Leitmotif Firstly, the term leitmotif is, according to Groves Dictionary of Music defined as such: â€Å"A theme, or other coherent idea, clearly defined so as to retain its identity if modified on subsequent appearances, and whose purpose is to represent or symbolise a person, object, place, idea, state of mind, supernatural force or any other ingredient in a dramatic work, usually operatic but also vocal, choral or instrumental† A term used original to denote a process occurring in the operas of Richard Wagner, it has been adopted by film scholars as a means by which to describe a similar role in the classical film score, â€Å"a way of producing subtle sensations and associations in the listener (or viewer)† (Costantini: http://filmsound.org/gustavo/leitmotif-revisted.htm). In essence, the leitmotif is any melody, progression or harmony that occurs more than once during the film, and is normally attached to characters or actions as a means to evoke a memory in the viewer via a subconscious attachment of the repeating music to the images on screen. Leitmotifs also have the power to be both denotative and connotative in they way they present emotions and link to the image. The music denotes characters or/and situations through a link with music, then a repetition of the music, it can also create more subtle connotations when â€Å"foreshadowing or contradicting the images on screen† (Rodman, changing tunes 2006:124) For example, many of the scores composed by Ennio Morricone for director Sergio Leones spaghetti westerns, prominently feature the use of leitmotif to establish characters. In The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966), the use of a recurring two note melody is a frequent motif, played on three separate instruments to represent the three main characters of the film: flute for Blondie, ocarina for Angel eyes and human voices for Tuco. Through the denotative use of the notes A and its fourth interval upwards D, a Spanish flavour is achieved within the music, along side the three separate instruments help create a potent connection with the characters and ambience of the images on screen. The link between this leitmotif and the images it scores are so prevalent, that it is practically impossible to separate the two from one another, they are forever inescapably tethered together through this denotation, however, as leitmotif works connotatively as well, the describing traits that the music presents can exist outside the images context. Though we will always link that two note motif visually with the characters of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, we too will always link the emotions, mood and feeling of the film (A romanticised, stylised version the west, heroism, treachery, adventure) with the music , and these connotations can carry on beyond the context of the films images, having been emotional hardwired in to our minds via the ‘back door access connotations within music can supply. It is interesting to note that upon its release as a soundtrack album, Morricones score performed very well, reaching number four on the billboard charts and becoming frequently sampled , re used and referenced by many popular musicians since (including, Gorrilaz, R.E.M and The Pogues) and thus, could be argued that it has moved from its initial use as a film score, more into the public consensus as popular music, possibly even a cultural touchstone, even if its original interests where not defined that way. As popular music has evolved beyond a simple form of entertainment and entered into the musical landscape of cinema as a method of scoring, its denotative/connotative properties have made it possible to assume the role of leitmotif when used correctly in films, it is this utilising of an established method of scoring†¦and utilising correctly, that gives yet more weight to popular music as artistically viable. When used as leitmotif, popular music tends to be given more denotative power than a traditional score, though also still able to connotate subtle meanings. The difference being that the denotation is more subtle, nuanced and relies more heavily on the viewers familiarity and competence with the music prior to experiencing it in the film. To explore this, I shall examine two popular modern films that heavily rely on popular music as score, both using it as leitmotif, in different ways however. Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004) and Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994). Shaun of the Dead is presented as being a romantic comedy†¦with zombies, the film garnered hugely favourable reviews upon its release for its blend of witty Douglas Adams-esque British humour and the classic elements of the zombie genre found in the work of George A Romero. Like director and writer (along with Simon Pegg) Edgar Wrights earlier work on the television series Spaced, Shaun of the Dead uses a compilation score (along with a few tracks written specifically for the film) consisting of popular tunes. The same song does not reappear frequently through the film to reinforce character or situation as leitmotif may be used in a traditional score, instead the films leitmotif is to be drawn from a perceived prior knowledge that the viewer must have with the songs, which allows an emphatic, direct meaning (via lyrics, song titles and often a reference to horror genre) to achieve denotative references, often used to comic effect to act as leitmotif through the film. The stipulations of leitmotif are also achieved via the songs connotative effect on the viewer via their subtle (sometimes not so subtle) descriptions of a scenes mood, or a character trait or often the films overall theme. For example, the film opens with an excerpt from ‘Ghost Town by the Specials over a black screen, before cutting to a medium close up of Shaun (Simon Pegg) sat, mouth agape, a brain dead expression stapled to his face, in a pub (we there for automatically make the assumption that the music is being heard diegetically by the characters as well, emanating from a jukebox or something similar). The song immediately makes clear the mood of the film, the very title of the track is ‘Ghost Town, straight away subtly suggesting the coming events of the films narrative, The lyrics (though originally written about the large scale unemployment feared to be brought by the policies of Margret Thatcher) twist and lend perfectly with one of the films core themes, the idea that modern British society is dulling down, decaying, zombifing itself and wasting away in to nothing more than the aforementioned ‘Ghost Town of the songs title. The style of music itself also captures the spirit of the film, connotating on an almost subconscious level to the viewer what to expect in terms of the films mood, the up beat Ska style is certainly light hearted almost comical in its bouncy rhythms, but a sinister vein runs through the song, similarly, the film, though a comedy at heart, has moments of real horror as the zombie crisis escalates towards the end of the film. It is also extremely British in sound, as the film is too, extremely British in its writing and acting. Other examples of songs being used for their inherent referencing/or placement within the horror genre are ‘Zombie Nation by Kernkraft 4000 and ‘The Blue Wrath by I Monster. Both these songs differ wildly in their stylistic traits, but by their nature of both taking reference points from supernatural angles (zombies, monsters) they are linked to the leitmotif structure the film uses. ‘Zombie Nation in particular, though used for only a very short space of time, prescribes to a similar denotative/connotative use as Ghost Town does. Denotatively in its title it directly name checks not only the main antagonistic force of the movie but also the movies entire scene set up and connotativley it also refers to the perceived notion of a zombifed Britain, using the title in a less literal sense, the style of music (a repetitive dance song) also, through heavy irony, helps subtly convey the idea of a brain dead society, (though, thats not to suggest that dance music is inhere ntly brain dead, more that, the repetitive nature of its genre along with the social image of hordes of silent, blank eyed individuals, twitching along in unison trapped in some nightclub runs a neat parallel with the zombie hordes occupying the move) A sequence which has since gained a great deal of attention and become something of a ‘classic comedy moment, takes place towards the end of the film, trapped by the marauding, relentless zombie hordes into the Winchester pub, Shaun and his friends are forced to deal with the now un dead pub landlord, during the course of the melee the jukebox starts to play the Queen hit ‘Dont Stop me Now. The juxtaposition of the songs upbeat, positive, energetic refrain against not only harrowing and almost certainly doomed situation the characters find themselves in, but also the beaten down, bloody, bruised and emotionally frayed survivors creates a sublime moment as song and image seamlessly combine, creating comedy from unexpected irony. The songs place here however, does not conform to the regular leitmotif that has been used through the film (song as denotative via lyrics or song title), and initially the lyrics seem ironic in their positive mantra, however, the song can also be seen as a comment on Shauns now fully developed character traits. Up until now hes been something of a loser, unable to pull his life together and it takes the apocalypse to rally his leadership qualities, from this angle, the songs positive message seems more sincere in its use, we

Essay --

Teddy Roosevelt had a very eventful life including many political positions. He was known as very enthusiastic and energetic boy. When he was a kid the doctors told him he had a weak heart and told him to get a desk job. His family was very wealth as a kid he traveled around the world and due to his illnesses he was taught by tutors and he went through a very intense physical training regimen including boxing and weightlifting. He had a very brief military life, but he received many awards including Congressional Medal of Honor. Roosevelt life is split into his early life, Political life, and assistant secretary of US navy. Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 27, 1858. Teddy as a young boy hated the nickname Teddy. His father Theodore Roosevelt Sr. of Dutch heritage and his mother Martha Bulloch was known as a southern belle. His family owned a glass import business. He spent most of his early life in his family’s home getting homeschooled due to his asthma and illness. This is where Teddy found his love for animal life, but by his teens his dad made him follow a physical routine that included weightlifting and boxing. He went to college at Harvard and by his second year his dad passed away and that caused him to work harder to achieve his goals. He was distraught because of his father’s death and wrote in his journal â€Å"the aim and purpose of my life had been taken away†. One of Roosevelt’s quote on hard work is â€Å"Far and away, the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing†. Roosevelt graduated Harvard with high honors magna cum laude in 1880 and then he enrolled at Columbia Law School and fell in love with Alice Hathaway Lee of Massachusetts. Instead of finishing Law schoo... ...nd ten days later they were out of combat and by august they were home and the war was over. Teddy later in life said this about the war â€Å"the only trouble was that there was not enough war to go around†. This war gave Roosevelt many opportunities because of his actions at the Battle of San Juan hill he led his men up a hill on a risky charge exposing himself to the enemy. He was nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor, and then he was elected governor of New York in 1898. Roosevelt died in his sleep on January 6, 1919 in Long Island home. He was buried in the Young’s Memorial Cemetery in New York. Roosevelt throughout his life wrote more than twenty five books on history, biology, geography, and philosophy. Roosevelt was the first ever president to get the Medal of Honor. Roosevelt help fight for the hundreds of million acres of national forests in the US.

Analysis of Harlem by Langston Hughes Essay -- Harlem Langston Hughes

Analysis of Harlem by Langston Hughes Through the turbulent decades of the 1920's through the 1960's many of the black Americans went through difficult hardships and found comfort only in dreaming. Those especially who lived in the ghettos' of Harlem would dream about a better place for them, their families, and their futures. Langston Hughes discusses dreams and what they could do in one of his poems, "Harlem." Hughes poem begins: "What happens to a dream deferred..." Hughes is asking what happens to a dream that is being put off. What do these dreams do, do they do good, do they do bad, or do they do neither good nor bad? He continues by stating this simile:"Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" Using this simile he is stating that dreaming can be good or bad. A raisin is a grape that has been dehydrated by the sun. Hughes is conveying that dreams can suck the life out of a person, mentally dehydrating them. However a raisin is not necessarily bad. When the grape is dehydrated by the sun it turns the grape into a raisin, a sweet and delightful friut which can furnish ...

Personal Writing: A Schoolyard Lesson :: essays research papers

Personal Writing: A Schoolyard Lesson "Get up, get up you have school today," my mother blurted out, as I fell out of bed. I stood up and waddled to the bathroom. Looking into the mirror I smiled to myself; I knew today was going to be just fine. My family and I had just moved from Guatemala, and today was to be my first day at Bel Air Elementary School. I usually don't get worried about these situations, since I've been through the routine before, besides I tend to make friends pretty easily. Why would today be any different, I told myself. I finished brushing my teeth and splashing my face, then continued to get dressed. I threw on some Bugle Boy caches, a Polo shirt, and some Nikes. After giving up on my hair; I ran into the kitchen and snatched my lunch box off the counter. Soon I was out the door and on to face my first day at my new school. After defeating the labyrinth of streets that we call our neighborhood, and meeting my first crossing guard; I made my way into the school. It was quite crowded , but I knew where I was headed. I proceeded up the stairs and down the hall to room 212, where I sat down in the front row. I turned around and took a quick peak at the class; scanning the room for someone to talk to. When I saw no opportunities I began to get a bit timid, but as soon as the bell rang I felt all right. We went through the motions for awhile: filling out paper work, introducing ourselves, all the first day stuff. I heard a few kids say they were new to the area, of which Brian Vedder was the only boy. He wasn't much to look at, not a soap opera star, or a great athlete, just a regular kid. Nonetheless I thought I'd like to meet him and talk to him later on in the day. By this time we all were becoming restless, and I definitely knew why. Everyone was waiting for recess, the time when kids get to have fun and let it all hang out. After all we didn't have class all summer, and keeping our butts in those chairs for so long was beginning to hurt. Lunch rolled around and we knew what that meant; recess was next. The bell rang and everyone ran outside, bursting onto the playground like a swarm of locusts attacking crops. I saw many games going on: dodgeball, soccer, jump

A Closer Look On Being A Fangirl Essay

You’ve probably heard the word ‘fan girl’ before. You’ve probably even dropped it in one of your conversation or even read it when you were surfing the net. But what exactly does the word ‘fan girl’ mean? What does it mean to be a fan girl? A fan girl, according to dictionary.reference.com, is a person obsessed with any other single subject or hobby – it may be an actor or a fictional character. It is a person who has a compulsive dedication to a music artist. She is someone who does various things to show love to her idol. Such activities include talking about them almost all day and creating graphics (wallpapers, layouts, etc) that feature the idol. Some also collect posters and other merchandise of their beloved idol. Others even save up their allowances to go to the concerts of their idols. Nowadays, when a person hears the word fan girl, they immediately associate it with negative things. Fan girl is always pre-packaged with negative connotations about screaming teenagers, unhealthy obsession and certain shallowness of interest. And since it is associated with unhealthy obsession, most people, especially the parents, believe that being a fan girl is a bad thing because it detracts her from her studies. People believe that instead of focusing on her studies, a fan girl chooses to obsess over her idol/s. When she gets home, instead of doing her home works right away, she would rather sit in front of the computer and look for pictures and videos of her idols to see what they were doing during the day. She would even be on Google and know everything about her idols as much as she can. She would be fantasizing on how she would be able to meet her idol in the future. She would be doing all these first before doing her tasks as a student. And this is why parents often associate being a fan girl as a bad thing, for they only know these things. They don’t know that being a fan girl brings out something very good in every teenager. Becoming a fan girl happens when you idolize someone. You idolize someone not just because of the amount of wealth that she has or because of her physical attributes. You idolize someone because of her character. Because of this, you have someone to look up to. You have a role model. And since you have this idol as your role model, you excel on everything that you do because you are inspired by your idol. â€Å"Birds of the same feather flock together.† When you become a fan girl, you gain more friends. Believe me, I speak from experience. When you get to meet other people who have the same interests as you, you instantly become friends with them. You talk about why you became a fan girl, your idol, the number of albums and posters you have collected. And similarly, you also talk about your personal life as well, as you gradually begin to open up to this new friend of yours. Aside from that, you learn how to save money when you become a fan girl. Since you want to buy certain things such as the posters and albums of your idol/s or even go and watch their concert, you’d save up your allowance. You will gradually learn to value money because it is not easily earned. You will learn how to sacrifice in order to get what you want instead of always asking from your parents. You will come to know that not everything in this world will be given to us right away. Most of the time, you need to work very hard to make ends meet. Lastly, the activities done by a fan girl relieves stress. Every day when he/she goes home after a long day at school, a fan girl will immediately sit in front of the computer or laptop and watch videos or gaze at pictures of her idols. This is her way of relieving stress from a very long and tiring day at school. Now this is the thing that other people don’t know about fan girls, most especially their parents. For them, this is their own simple way of dealing with all of the hardships and stress they are experiencing every day. And for me, this is indubitably true because I do this almost every day. When these fan girls see their idols smile or even hear their voice, it’s like all the weariness that they feel melts away in an instant. Of course it doesn’t really go away, but then at the very least they gain the strength to continue and finish a long and stressful day. It is because of their idols that they continue to move forward. I think that this is one very positive side of being a fan girl because one gets to relieve herself from all the stress. And it indeed is a good thing because instead of doing other things, like drinking alcohol and smoking, she would rather look at pictures or watch videos of her idols to uplift herself. Think about it. This is so much better than resorting to vices like drinking, smoking and gambling. I think most parents should be thankful that their daughters who are fan girls are just watching pictures and videos of their idols or even practicing the dance steps to their idols’ dances instead of finding them outside doing vices. We never know that because of being a fan girl, she might excel in everything that she does. â€Å"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb inside of his skin and walk around it† (Lee 30). This is what Harper Lee wrote in her book, How To Kill A Mockingbird. It’s the same with being a fan girl. You can never say that it is a bad thing unless you have tried to do it. Most people may view it as something negative, but I most certainly don’t. Being one has even helped me cope up with stress that I feel especially that I am now out of my comfort zone. We might not admit it, but we people tend to judge something or someone without even knowing or hearing the other side of the story. Little do we know that fan girls excel on what they do because they’re very inspired to reach their dream. Moreover, they are motivated by the thought that their idol/s will recognize them one day – not only as a fan but as a successful person who her idol can be proud of. Works Cited Lee, Harper. How To Kill A Mockingbird. Warner books, 1960.Print.

According to Arlov Grammatically

Many instructors urge their students not to start their sentences with the word â€Å"but†, or any other coordination conjunction for that matter. This can be disheartening for students because we commonly speak with our sentences beginning with a conjunction. However, writing is not like speaking. There are two schools of thought on beginning a sentence with the word, â€Å"but†. According to Arlov, â€Å"Grammatically, it is correct to start a sentence with but or any other FANBOYS conjunction.However, your instructors may discourage the practice for two good reasons† (343). She goes on to list the reasons. One good reason not to begin a sentence with the word but is because it is informal and casual. Academic writing is not usually casual or informal, and using â€Å"but† at the beginning of a sentence may make a more formal paper appear less than well thought out.While it is OK for some sorts of writing such as narrative or dialog, a professional paper is seldom written with coordination conjunctions at the beginning of sentences. Also, using words like â€Å"but† is addictive! It is easy to use and overuse. Arlov advises using conjunctions to begin sentences sparingly so as not to make it a hard habit to break. The other side of the issue says using but is just like using any other word to begin a sentence, and therefore, there is nothing wrong with it.

Virtual Private Network

Faith, my best friend has been trying to get some online writing job. She found some good websites the only problem was her location; the services could not be offered in her country Kenya. She informed me about it and I just learned about VPN so I advised to use it. So what's a VPN? VPN stands for Virtual Private Networks. It gives you online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network from a public Internet connection. VPNs mask your Internet protocol (IP) address so your online actions are virtually untraceable. Most important, VPN services establish secure and encrypted connections too. How VPN protects your privacy? VPNs essentially create a data tunnel between your local network and an exit node in another location, which could be thousands of miles away, making it seem as if you're in another place. This benefit allows â€Å"online freedom† or the ability to access your favorite apps and websites from anywhere in the world.VPN providers.There are many choices when it comes to VPN providers. There are some VPN providers who offer free service and there are some who charge for VPN service. Paid VPN providers offer robust gateways, proven security, free software and unmatched speed.VPN protocolsThe number of protocols and available security features has grown with time but the most common protocols are:PPTP-PPTP tunnels a point-to-point connection over the GRE protocol.It is strong and can be set up on every major OS but it is not the most secure. L2TP/IPsec- It is more secure than PPTP and offers more features. L2TP/IPsec implements two protocols together to gain the best features of each; L2TP protocol creates a tunnel and IPsec provides a secure channel. This makes an impressively secure package.Open VPN- OpenVPN is an SSL-based VPN that is gaining popularity. SSL is a mature encryption protocol and OpenVPN can run on a single UDP or TCP port.The software used is open source and freely available.That's all for today for more inquiries on VPNs register on my email list for more info.

The Role of Formal and Informal Groups

The Role of Formal and Informal Groups Within the University of Phoenix Online By: Stephen Ruiz MGT 340 – Organization Theory and Behavior December 2011/January 2012 – Online Mondays Professor Robert Schlagheck, MS January 20, 2012 Formal and informal groups play a significant role within The University of Phoenix Online (UOP). A formal group would be â€Å"one defined by the organizations structure, with designated work assignments establishing tasks† (Robbins, 2011, p. 276). A typical organizational chart would be an example of a formal group, where places and roles within a hierarchical organization are clearly defined. An informal group would be â€Å"neither formally structured nor organizationally determined† (Robbins, 2011, p. 276). Informal groups often â€Å"develop around social or project groups† (Schatz, 2012). An example of an informal group could be a few employees who chose to take a walk during their break time each morning. UOP has several formal groups. First, there is a leadership team that is comprised of a Vice President, Senior Directors, Associate Directors and Managers. Their roles are defined and collectively they are in charge of measuring and maximizing productivity and defining organizational objectives. Lately this group has been focusing on employee satisfaction after it was revealed, through employee surveys, that there was a growing dissatisfaction among employees. Things like inflexible work schedules and inconsistent communication from the leadership team were to blame. To improve this situation I would do many of the things this group is doing now but in a more aggressive manner. In addressing the inflexible work schedules, employees are now able to flex time more easily. I would implement alternative work schedules, more specifically, 4-10 work weeks. Regarding the inconsistent communication, we now have all division teleconferences to make the communication more uniform. Again, this strategy has been too infrequent and reactive instead of proactive. I would hold implement more frequent communication opportunities. Perhaps a weekly all finance or all enrollment communication. Next there are work teams. These are formal groups with a manager and ten employees. These team are formed based on the geographical regions that they service. The manager is responsible for motivating and providing support to the team members. The team members or advisors are responsible for assisting students. In my case, processing financial aid files, and providing customer service to students, while maintaining acceptable retention and accounts receivable levels. An improvement I would implement would be similar to the Fiedler model discussed in the text. In the past year, I have had 5 different managers. I would try to establish manager-team that have styles that compliment each other. There are a plethora of informal groups at UOP. These groups are encouraged at UOP. There are reading groups, walking groups, and even a ping pong group to name a few. Personally, I am a member of a small lunch group and a larger social group. The lunch group is made up of 3 others. We all are in the same position and have common interests such as movies and sports. I would refer to these employees as friends. The larger social group is less defined but is a network of past and present team members and we share information, â€Å"the grapevine†. I would refer to these members as acquaintances. In the end, formal and informal groups can be both positive and negative. The structure and defined roles and objectives are positive. Personal conflict and gossip would be examples of negative attributes of groups References Robbins, S. P. & Judge, T. A. (2011). Organizational Behavior. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Educational, Inc. Schatz, T. (2012). Basic Types of Organizational Structure: Formal and Informal. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness. chron. com/basic-types-organizational-structure-formal-informal-982. html