Solving Various Logistic Problems an Example by

What Mental Models are Most Appropriate in Solving Various Logistic Problems Background/ Problem Before giving a brief background of the various logistic problems, it quite important to have proper understanding of what is meant by logistic. Carlos F. Daganzo (2005) defines it as a set of activities whose objective is to move items between origins and destinations in a timely fashion (p. 1). The definition above gives us an idea of the enormous problems relating to the distribution and transportations of assorted logistics from the factory where these logistic supplies are manufactured going to the assembly warehouse or the distribution centers, as often times, most of the components of these logistic must be assembled before they are sold or put into operation. Need essay sample on "What Mental Models are Most Appropriate in Solving Various Logistic Problems" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Oftentimes, most companies face enormous challenges which result to problems eventually; specifically they have to seek more cost effective resolutions where they need concrete and advanced knowledge in the operation. Advanced information is required especially that transportation modes would include land, marine, and even aviation, in which logistics management has to utilize the latest technology as much as possible in the whole operation of logistics. Because of the hassles in the operation, it is important for the person in charge of the logistics operation to have a clear mental picture of the whole process of distribution and transportation from the factory to the warehouses or to the distribution centers for the assembling and sorting, and segregating of these supplies to make them ready for sale. In view of the hassles and problems relating to transportation and distribution, this paper aims to find out what mental models are most appropriate to solve various logistic problems. According to Daganzo, the traditional way of solving logistic problems is by gathering as much detailed information about the problem, formulating a mathematical program including all the information that might be possibly relevant (p. 1). Since, the operation is wide ranging, operators have to adapt to the changes and take the innovation brought by technology. Daganzo admits that because of the numerous decision variables, sometimes, decisions are made with no systematic analysis and therefore not insightful. Thus, the traditional way of solving various logistic problems is not efficient. Purpose Statement Thus, in this study, the researcher seeks to identify different mental models that are appropriate for the different issues related to logistics operation such as documentation (which usually includes maintenance manuals, technical data, etc.), support task performance (teams), and equipments. Reference Daganzo, C. (2005) Logistic Systems Analysis Germany: Springer

Cognitive Dissonance Theory essays

Cognitive Dissonance Theory essays Cognitive Dissonance Theory, developed by Leon Festinger, is concerned with the relationships among cognitions. In this context, cognition can be perceived as a piece of knowledge that may inscribe an element of an attitude, an emotion, a behavior, a value, and so on. For example, the knowledge that you like the color blue is cognition. People hold a multitude of cognitions simultaneously, and these cognitions form irrelevant, consonant or dissonant relationships with one another. Cognitive Irrelevance probably describes the bulk of the relationships among a person's cognitions. Irrelevance simply means that the two cognitions have nothing to do with each other. Two cognitions are consonant if one cognition fits with or is consistent with the other. People like consonance among their cognitions. We do not know whether this aspect is innate or is learned, but people do prefer cognitions that fit together to those that do not. It is this simple observation that gives the theory of cognitive dissonance its interesting form. And, two cognitions are said to be dissonant or incompatible if one cognition follows from the opposite of another. Dissonance occurs when two cognitions are in a dissonant relationship. Dissonance is not something that people want in their lives. People try to avoid dissonance if they do come across it. For example, Smoking cigarettes may taste good and look professional, but in fact it is known to cause smoking ailments like lung cancer, emphysema and bronchitis. With this in mind, the greater the importance of health to the smoker, the greater amount of dissonance is produced when he she smokes. To understand the alternatives open to an individual in a state of dissonance, we must first understand the factors that affect the magnitude of dissonance arousal. First, in its simplest form, dissonance increases as the degree of discrepancy among cognitions increases. Second, dissonance...

5 Tips on How to Run a Writing Group

5 Tips on How to Run a Writing Group 5 Tips on How to Run a Writing Group 5 Tips on How to Run a Writing Group By Mark Nichol You’ve got your writing group up and running. All the hard work’s over, right? Wrong. Just like any smooth-running machine, a writing group requires maintenance. Here are some tips for tender, loving care: 1. Construct Criticism Model proactive and up-front critiquing etiquette. Advise everyone to start positive with a compliment, then offer honest but objective, well-supported, and practical advice, and then conclude with another commendation. Continuously reinforce the message that no one is served when criticism is withheld; only focused, writing-centered (not writer-centered) commentary will help the writer grow. 2. Vary the Routine Some people might be ready to email a writing sample a week ahead of time to give others a chance to read and critique before the next meeting. Those selections don’t need to be read aloud before the group; you can go straight to discussion. (Hand the writer an annotated hard copy or return by email, with inserted notes, the file they sent you.) Others can pass around copies of a cold read and read it aloud while others jot down notes, then go to discussion. Yet others might simply read a shorter passage for a moment’s worth of specific advice, ask a few general questions without reading at all, or pass altogether that week, participating only in discussion about others’ work. (You may not have time to go over every group member’s project at each meeting anyway.) But don’t let any one member get away with following the same routine every time. Suggest a writing session every now and then: Everybody comes to the meeting, writes for an hour, then convenes to take turns reading part or all of their resulting selection for five minutes and getting one minute of feedback from each member. 3. Do Your Homework Establish expectations for criticism: When you read the writing of other group members, take notes, writing down questions, suggestions, and compliments. Be specific when you critique, praising a vivid description in particular or recommending more character development with detailed advice. Focus, however, not on telling others what to do but on asking questions to help them decide what to do. If you don’t understand something, or you feel that details are lacking, ask for an explanation or background information. Then, gently advise the author to incorporate their response into the narrative. Your homework also involves setting your ego aside and acting on others’ critiques. What’s the use of investing so much time and energy in this process if you don’t take feedback to heart? 4. Take a Break At regular intervals, step back from the critiquing cycle to meet just to advise or brainstorm about how to organize notes, do research, or work on character, plot, tone, and so on. Several times a year, go to a book reading together, or watch a movie or a play together and, for homework, draft a â€Å"novelization† or a rewrite of a scene and bring it to the next meeting. Compile a list of prompts for when members hit the wall. 5. Check In Periodically evaluate how the group is going. Are your meetings too often, not often enough, or just right? Too long, not long enough, or ideal? Is someone missing too many meetings or wallflowering, or does one person dominate them? Is everybody getting what they want out of the experience? What’s the procedure when somebody’s not fitting in? What do you do when one or more members drop out, or one or more members feel like increasing the number of people in the group? How do you recruit, and how do you decide whether to accept candidates? Establish and review your membership policies. Above all, remember that although the group is a democratic body that should operate by consensus, you, as the founder, must continue to moderate the proceedings and nudge everyone to always honor its principles and purposes. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. ProgrammeHomonyms, Homophones, Homographs and HeteronymsForming the Comparative of One-syllable Adjectives

Diversity Management, a New Organizational Paradigm for Equality Essay

Diversity Management, a New Organizational Paradigm for Equality Policy-Making - Essay Example According to the paper the different diversity can be categorized into two, the social allied and the individual allied. In the social diversity, it is further subdivided into what is referred to as the six strands of diversity, which includes; ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender, age, and religion. In the individual differences, they can be classified into the following castes; personality, lifestyle, appearance, work style and education. The equal opportunity tends to downplay the aspect of discrimination based on the diversity factor. It is hinged on the emphasis of equal treatment of the individuals regardless of their social groups. The equal opportunity aspect is anti-discrimination program intended to provide relative social justice in the process of individual selection. From this study it is clear that most of the human resource managers in organization today appreciates the need to embrace diversity in the human resource and they have realized that if taken po sitively, the diversity aspect can make an organization realize it goals in the most efficient and predictable way. The tolerance for counterparts in the work place is highly encouraged and any discrimination unfairly advanced to anybody be it on social or individual level is taken seriously sometimes to the legal redress. How Management of Diversity Has Contributed To Equal Opportunity The realization of the dangers of discrimination based on diversity led to the consideration of what is referred to as Equal Opportunity. In the equal opportunity aspect, politics have gotten into it and there are several schools of thoughts, other arguing that it is like a baskets of fruits -this it to mean that even though there is equal treatment and opportunity for all, individual differences can still be recognized and be used in their reference. The other school of thought is that equal opportunity is like a melting pot, it assumes that under equal opportunity there is no recognizable differenc e among those to be considered. In this regard, the neo classical and the sociological approaches of understanding equal opportunities are interchangeably used to satisfy certain selection criterion. The union of trade organization has addressed the issues, laws have been enacted in the legislative assemblies, and the issue of equal opportunity has become not just a matter of benevolence but also that o procedural way of going about things. Acts of parliaments have been adopted and violations of the acts by anybody in the employment area will be liable for the charges of demonstrating discriminatory tendencies of a given nature.

Movenments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Movenments - Essay Example Advocacy groups need the much needed support from international organizations, the media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). They also require sentimental support from the broader global community (Gunter, p.125). The problems faced by Kurds are in the global domain though more can still be done to increase international pressure for their recognition by the host countries. Turkey, as a country with a sizeable number of the Kurdish community has made policies restricting Kurds’ cultural and political identity (Gunter, p.91). A number of advocacy groups are championing the reintegration of Kurds into the average Middle East life; enjoying the right to use their language for education and expressive purposes. In a nutshell, they are fighting for a level playing field. This article examines the broader aspect of support for advocacy groups taking Kurds as a case. It recommends ways in which these people can increase international awareness through various channels thus gain ing support for their clamor for political and civil rights. In order to create dialogue among policy makers, this article proposes ways in which these advocacy groups can be more effective by use of new media and other consultative approaches. Background Demand for autonomy is based on the fact that Kurds have different cultural and spiritual inclinations from Turks, Iraqis and Iranians. Since politics in the Middle East is a game of ethnic numbers, they have been used as political pawns to add numbers for others’ interests... Kurds are more inclined towards an open society devoid of strict control over freedom of expression. The democratic space and freedom of the press is expanding in Turkey however, broadcast content in languages other than Turkish is restricted. Hope lies in the social media which has gained popularity in the Middle East as a community mobilization instrument and has been found to play a big role in places with tight media control like Turkey. This is because the authorities have little capacity to control content and influence public opinion. The Algerian and Egyptian revolutions were christened Facebook and Twitter revolutions because of the part played by these sites to mobilize the community towards a common cause. It does this because of the networking it provides linking websites to conventional media like televisions and newspapers; it also gives real-time news through mobile devices hence a wide reach. These Kurdish protestors need to custom their appeals to match the interests of the international audiences so they justify their cause (Reynolds, p.71). Their message should be consistent and speak in one voice; their demands must be found consistent with global morality. The three main issues that the Kurdish protestors are advocating for are: Religious freedom: This means having the legal capability to make specific legislations that are in consonance with their cultural and spiritual identity. Use of the Kurdish lingua in daily interactions; this is because the government restricts its use in public domain. Those elected to state offices are supposed to grasp of the Turkish language. Elected mayor for Diyarbakir, Abdullah Demirbas was relieved off his duties in 2008 as

Theory, use and therapeutic value of symbolic play

Theory, use and therapeutic value of symbolic play This essay looks at the issue of symbolic play being therapeutic play for children. The essay looks at the theory of symbolic play, the use of symbolic play with children, the therapeutic value of symbolic play, using research to support the discussions. The essay discusses what is understood by symbolic play, then moves on to discuss the importance of symbolic play in childrens development, looking at the various theories that have been put forward to explain the importance of play in childrens development. The essay then moves on to look at various instances where therapeutic play has been used, and is considered useful, such as in children who are experiencing a chronic illness, who are hospitalized, who are awaiting surgery or who have experienced some form of trauma. What is symbolic play? Symbolic play is, according to Piaget (1962) one of the main ways in which children learn to think in a representational manner, where representation is understood as a process through which children store information according to the perceptual analysis of their ingoing experiences (Leslie, 1987; Lyytinen et al., 1997). Play essentially allows children to understand the things they experience and to put these things in to perspective. As such, play is fundamentally important for childrens development (Piaget, 1962). Play is one of the ways in which children understand the world, their interactions with others and the rules and regulations that govern their passage through the world. Play is, thus, a fundamental activity for children that allows them to form their personalities and to understand their place in the world, in relation to others. Relevant of symbolic play in child development Symbolic play, which arises around the age of 18 months, basically involves children substituting one item for another, and can constitute incorporating others in to their play, pretend play or sequencing. This can mean that children pretend to be mother (or father) or that they use household items to reproduce day-to-day activities they have seen their parents doing, amongst other common symbolic play activities. This symbolic allows children to experiment with different roles and different forms of being, which, as has been discussed, allows children to understand, and to contextualise, their experiences. As Piaget (1962) argues, such symbolic play allows children to understand the role of self and others, the use of objects and the sequences of actions and activities whilst playing. This allows children to understand objects, to learn about the properties of objects and to learn about consequences and causality (Piaget, 1962). Play thus allows children, amongst other things, to re alize where their boundaries are, to understand why things work in the ways they do and to understand how to interact with others. Symbolic play is thus, as has been discussed, a fundamental developmental tool for children. Watson and Zlotlow (1999) talk about symbolic play as, an important characteristic of childrens early play, through the enactment of activities that are very familiar to the child in contexts that are not typical for those activities. Enacting activities out of context allows the child to explore, and to understand, the role of agents in their lives, allowing them to understand how the world works and what their role is in this world. Symbolic play, therefore, has been argued to have three main features: the use of objects; the use of actions during the play; and individuals enacting the play (i.e., agents) (Watson and Zlotlow, 1999). The use of objects can be undertaken in many forms, either through substitution, in which the object is used to represent something else, through scenario-building, with the object being used to perform some task or in combination, with the object being used in various ways (Watson, 2008). The use of actions in play and the development of the agent in p lay follow certain patterns depending on the age of the child, as does the theme of childrens symbolic play (Watson, 2008). The one thing that all symbolic play has in common, at whatever age or developmental stage the child is at, is that the child uses some representation of self in their play. At age four, for example, children will have progressed to fantasy play, but these fantasies will usually involve themselves in becoming their fantasy a fireman or a prince, for example (Garvey, 1990). This allows them to explore different roles and responsibilities. Symbolic play is, therefore, a natural phenomena, that children follow naturally, as part of their development through childhood. As Reed (2007) argues, symbolic play links all four areas of a childs development, namely cognitive, language, social/emotional and physical, and, as such, is a fundamental part of the development of children. Symbolic play allows the child to acquire knowledge and to express and represent their ideas, thoughts and feelings: as Vygotsky argues, in his sociocultural cognitive theory, symbolic play allows children to develop and to self-regulate and to work out any problems they might face (Reed, 2007). It is in this aspect, then, that the therapeutic value of symbolic play becomes clear. As children constantly experiment with their environment, their peers and the other agents they meet, and as the results of these experiments are constantly being fed back to lead to reinforce certain behaviours or to elicit different patterns of behaviours, the value of pl ay as therapy is clear. Children who are passing through a difficult moment and who need help to understand this, to contextualise these difficulties in the framework of their existing knowledge, can, through engaging in therapeutic play, manage this. Therapeutic play allows them to experiment with the various outcomes and to contextualise the problems they face, allowing them an opportunity to work through these problems/problematic situations, through this working out their difficulties and coming to understand how to deal with them. The use of symbolic play as therapy In terms of the use of symbolic play as therapy with children, as Bettelheim states, Play permits the child to resolve in symbolic form unresolved problems of the past and to cope directly or symbolically with present concerns. It is also his most significant tool for preparing himself for the future and its tasks (Schaefer, 1995). Using play as a tool to help children through a difficult stage in their lives is, therefore, grounded in theory and makes sense in light of the fact that children learn through play. The research shows, for example, that therapeutic play can be helpful in aiding children through hospital stays (William, 2007) or through surgery, with this therapeutic play being shown to reduce anxiety and increase overall well-being (Bowmer, 2002). As Moore and Russ (2006) discuss, pretend play can act as a resource for children, relating, as it does, to many areas of adaptive functioning including creativity, coping and emotional regulation. As Moore and Russ (2006) show , pretend play in hospital settings can reduce anxiety and, through this, can reduce the likelihood of complications following surgery and can allow children to adapt better to the complications of chronic illness. The therapeutic value of symbolic play In terms of the therapeutic value of symbolic play, as Axline (1964) discusses, therapeutic play can be delivered through one of two major approaches, namely via non-directive play therapy and via directive play therapy (Oaklander, 1988). According to Axline (1964), play therapy should be governed by eight principles, namely that the therapist and child must be comfortable with each other; that the therapist accepts the child as he/she is; that the child can freely express their feelings; that the therapist is alert to the feelings the child expresses; that the therapist respects the child and their ability to resolve their own problems; that the therapist does not attempt to influence the child; that the therapy is carried out in its own time; and that the only limitations placed on the play therapy are those that anchor the therapy in the real world (Axline, 1964). If the therapeutic play is provided within this framework, the benefits of the therapeutic play can be many and varied , as discussed above, with the troubled child benefitting greatly from this intervention. As Li and Lopez (2008) argue, therapeutic play can be valuable not only in helping children through a difficult stage in their lives but can be useful in helping to in prepare children for a stressful, or difficult, period that they might face. For example, children who are facing surgery or a chronic illness can be helped to come to terms with this through the use of therapeutic play. As Li and Lopez (2008) report, by reinforcing to nursing and medical staff that play is a very important part of the lives of young children, and be employing therapeutic play techniques, this can markedly improve the anxiety that these children experience and can allow these children to have a more positive outlook regarding their situation and the difficult things they will face, meaning that they are better equipped to face these situations. As Li and Lopez (2008) argue, therapeutic play can help to improve the resilience of children who face difficulties and, as such, it is an important tool to use in those children who need help to become more resilient. Children who have faced some form of trauma, for example, can be aided through the fallout of this trauma through engaging in therapeutic play. By allowing the child the space to act out what they saw, or what they have experienced, for example, the child can come to terms with this traumatic experience. This therapeutic play could take the form of using puppets, or drawing, or role playing: anything that allows the child to re-enact the event(s) and, through this, come to terms with what happened. The use of therapeutic play in explaining the loss of someone close to them is known to be particularly valuable, for example, as this can allow them to imagine the person is still here and to resolve any outstanding issues they had with them, or to slowly come to terms with the fact that they are no longer alive and no longer able to be physically present with the child. The simple act of playing can, therefore, allow the child to come to terms with many difficult emotions, allowing the c hild to slowly become more able to cope with the negative emotions that a traumatic event (such as witnessing a violent act or the unexpected death of a close family member), allowing them to deal with these negative emotions (Schaefer and OConnor, 1994). As Schaefer and OConnor (1994) argue, role playing in particular can help children to face the negative post-trauma reactions that children might face, with role-play allowing children to relive the trauma and to find various solutions to their negative experiences and emotions. Conclusion In summary, then, this essay has looked at the issue of symbolic play being therapeutic play for children. The essay has looked, in particular, at the theory of symbolic play, the use of symbolic play with children and the therapeutic value of symbolic play. In regards to the theory of symbolic play, it has been seen that various theories have been proposed to explain the importance of symbolic play in childrens development, with all of these theories agreeing that play is a fundamental part of childrens development and that this play allows them to contextualise their experiences and to understand how these experiences dictate how they should act and should behave in different situations. It is this attribute of symbolic play that lends itself to being useful in helping children come to terms with difficult events in their lives: as has been discussed, play allows children to explore different scenarios (even difficult scenarios), with this play enabling them to overcome any negative emotions or feelings they might have had towards these scenarios. A child who is facing a difficult surgery, for example, might be scared, might be worried for themselves and for their families, but engaging in role play with this child (for example) allows them the opportunity to explore different possibilities and to release some of their anxieties and concerns. This has been shown, as discussed, to reduce the anxiety these children feel and to enable the childs health and well-being to be maintained, even under difficult circumstances. Similarly, a child who has experienced trauma can be helped through their post-traumatic period by engaging in some form of therapeutic play. This would normally consist of helping the child to act out their fears and their experiences, allowing the child to get rid of all of their negative emotions and feelings with regards to the even, allowing the child to expel these from their psyche and then to carry on without carrying this burden along with them. In conclusion, then, the essay has shown that play is fundamental for children and that, given its experimental nature and its ability to contextualise events and interactions for children, play is, at its very essence, therapeutic. Using play with children who need therapeutic interventions, then, makes perfect sense to allow children to understand the negative events/emotions and to overcome their fears and anxieties regarding these negative events and emotions. Therapeutic play has been shown to be a useful intervention in many cases, including in hospitalized children and in children living with chronic illnesses, who can be helped through this difficult period by engaging in therapeutic play, which has been shown to reduce their anxiety levels. In conclusion, then, therapeutic play is an extension of the symbolic play that children engage in as a normal developmental process and can be useful in helping children through difficult periods in their life.

Law and the legal system Essay

1. Law and the legal system are based on ideas from centuries past, but both are still constantly evolving to meet the needs of today’s world. What do you think will be the next amendment added to the US Constitution? Why? I think the next amendment will be the legalization of same sex marriage as it seems that more and more states are legalizing it. 2. The Constitution protects free speech, free press, free assembly, and freedom of religion. Additionally, the Supreme Court has upheld protection for freedom of expression. How has this culture of freedom led to the society we have today? It led us to be more controversial and voice our opinion more then other cultures around the world. In my opinion people are more caring and more likely to do acts of kindness in America then places like Russia. 3. What is an issue involving the legal system that is currently getting a lot of attention in your state? What is your opinion on the issue? An issue that is getting a lot of attention is the legalization of medical marijuana. I think it should be legalized as it shows signs of being a treatment for people who have cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma, epilepsy, and other conditions. 4. Have your opinions on the legal system, the government, or law in general changed since you started taking this course? Why or why not? My opinion has not really changed, but I do understand a lot of it on a deeper level now.