Communication Studies Essay Example for Free

Communication Studies Essay This blog is for students of the Community College of St Vincent the Grenadines who are to be entered for CAPE Communication Studies examination in May 2008. The blog contains information about the course syllabus, administration and assignments as well as the course content. Wednesday, March 05, 2008 The expository presentation for CAPE Communication Studies Internal Assessmblies The presentation has two distinct parts * A FACTUAL presentation on an aspect of your portfolio theme * A presentation about your research including an evaluation of two sources of information used to prepare your factual presentation. It will have all the following 6 elements present 1. An introduction (statement of topic) In the introduction you will give a brief explanation of topic/ theme and a preview (with a thesis statement) of what you are going to cover. For example. My theme is Returning Migrants to St Vincent. Returning migrants or returnees are a group within the population of St Vincent who have spent a significant time away from the island and have then returned to permanently settle again. Returning migrants often are retired from their previous occupation which they pursued in a more developed country such as the United States, Canada or Great Britain or they have been working in another Caribbean state. According to statistics from the Customs Department given to me by Mrs B Chalres in an interview 4361 people claimed the concession for returning residents in 2005. Returning migrants experience 5 phases of adjuststment when returning which can be termed as â€Å"culture shock†. Theme ; Returning Migrants to St Vincent. a group within the population of St Vincent a significant time away from the island returned to permanently settle retired from their previous occupation (the United States, Canada or Great Britain) OR working in another Caribbean state. Customs Department (Mrs B Charles) â€Å"4361 people claimed the concession for returning residents in 2005†. Returning migrants experience 5 phases of adjustmentwhen returning which can be termed as â€Å"culture shock†. 2. A rationale In the rationale you need to explain why you picked the theme and it can form part of the introduction. In the rationale you should mention any personal interests, current academic links and future career plans which influenced your decision to choose the theme For example I chose the theme returning migrants to St Vincent and specifically to focus on culture shock because I am a wife of a returning migrant. I have a BSc honours in Sociology and the concept of culture shock is part of socio-cultural studies carried out by Kavelo Oberg 1958. In the future I will be submitting my Masters thesis on this specific issue. 3. Discussion of issues The discussion of issues is the factual presentation about the theme and its narrowed focus based on the thesis statement. It should have a distinct organisational pattern and you should aim for one of the expository structures such as cause and effect, process analysis, analysis by division, classification etc (See Writing in English) It should also be referenced and include any research findings. You will also need to give a conclusion to your factual presentation as a sort of sub conclusion don’t wait until the end Here is an example of a possible outline for my example presentation (not all of it). It uses the organisational pattern of process analysis Remember you cannot read from a script! Culture shock 5 phases Honeymoon, rejection/ regression, conformist, assimilation, reverse culture shock Honeymoon Centre for Overseas Travel â€Å"the tourist phase† Questionnaire (300 returning migrants) 78% not feel â€Å"tourist† 82% â€Å"elated† Rejection Oberg – frustration etc Questionnaire 50% wanted to return after 3 months, Reasons, poor service, backward attitude, nothing to do, boring Interview Dr Sheridan Mental health presentations tend to be in 1st 4 months of return. 4. Challenges of research You need to discuss what difficulties you faced in preparing your factual presentation. If you did not have any difficulties then just explain why. For example (in note form) Questionnaires – time consuming, identifying sample, Other sources no central data on returnees, newspaper articles useful Academic research not on St Vincent 5. Evaluation of two sources For this aspect of the presentation you need to discuss your research. The two sources need not necessarily be given as a reference in the presentation but they should be relevant. You should try to select two different types of data source e.g. a newpaper article and an interview. You may want to very briefly summarise all your sources before evaluating two for reliability and validity. Please see other parts of the blog for information on reliablity and validity. For example (in note form) Secondary sources: academic text books and journals, local and international newspapers and magazines, web sites: international public organisations e.g. Peace Corps general sites e.g. Wikipedia Primary sources interviews of experts in St Vincent questionnaire of returning migrants. Questionnaire of returning migrants Reliable: primary data source, research method suited to collecting data for social research Valid: Problem with sample size as total population of RMs unknown Problem with generalisation as differences between UK, US and other RMs more research needed. Overall reliable and reasonably valid The Experience of Return Migration: A Caribbean Perspective, Joan Phillips and Reliable Denis Conway, Ashgate Press, London 2005 Author expert Phd Social Anthrop. Specialised Caribbean writer – Canada Publisher: reputable, specialst academic main interest Social research Valid Recently published Problem no reference to St Vincent Overall general but very reliable and valid source 6. Conclusion The conclusion should be slightly different to the internal summary conclusion in your discussion of issues. At this stage you can express a personal view or put forward a possible solution. For example (in note form) Returning migrants YES culture shock 3 ways Honeymoon Rejection Conformist NO assimilation Solutions Programme – promote overseas, keep in touch, Information government FINALLLY See my other post about the reseach using the internet for idea. Make sure that you are aware of the requirements for acceptable notes during the exam and be familiar with the marks scheme it is not only content that is marked but also presentation skills.

Yates :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article that I chose is one from TIME magazine entitled â€Å"The Yates Odyssey†. It tells the story of the tragic murder of five children by their 37 year old mother, Andrea Yates. The article traces her mental history throughout the years of the marriage and even before the marriage. The article notes that one of the reasons that she even initiated a relationship with her husband Rusty is because she was feeling down about a recent break up and â€Å"she got to a point where she needed companionship.† Reporters from TIME did an in depth investigation into the life and mind of Andrea Yates in an attempt to reveal the truths about one of the most appalling and disturbing murder cases of our time. Reporters spoke with Rusty Yates as well as doing interviews with family, friends and various doctors that cared for Andrea in the past. It talks about the various treatment methods that were used in her treatment, which will be a main focus in this rep ort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two articles, one from a publication called Patient Care and the other from The Journal of the American Medical Association, mainly speak along the lines of diagnosis and treatment for the depression that Andrea experienced prior to her final breakdown on the fateful day of June 20, 2001. They both state the fact that depression in women occurs at a rate that is about twice that of men. This is partly due to the fact that women seem to be more open when it comes to talking about their emotions, although temporary factors such as menstrual cycle can play a large role in these emotions. They also note that depression as a result of pregnancy is a very common occurrence, which is relevant because Andrea was pregnant a total of six times, one of which resulted in a miscarriage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the media’s coverage of this event and its roots seemed to be very in depth, a look into the studies on the topic of depression show that there are a few aspects that were neglected in the report. One of the major facets of the case that I feel was not discussed in enough detail was that of the treatment, or lack of. The media noted several occasions in which Andrea was given medication in order to control her depression. Some of these medications such as Zoloft and Haldol, which are antidepressants that induced positive changes in her personality and demeanor, were given periodically to Andrea.

American Connector Company Analysis Essay

Quality and efficiency is the key to American Connector Company (ACC) success. ACC has lost market share to DJC over the recent years, which will be exacerbated if DJC opens a production facility in the United States. DJC has gained much knowledge from its Kawasaki plant and is going to enter the US market with factories that will be efficient. ACC is in trouble and needs to drastically change the way they do business if they want to survive. Looking and emulating DJC is the first step American Connector needs to follow. American Connector can regain market share and survive by focusing on quality and efficiency. ACC needs to do the following to ensure success before DJC enters the US market:1)Redesigning their factory layout for a more streamlined operation. 2)Purchase new equipment that is in better shape and more efficient. Institute a good maintenance program to ensure the equipment runs properly. 3)Work with the consumer to create a good simplistic design. 4)Continue to keep employees happy to make sure they remain at the company and ACC retains this intellectual property. 5)Implement a Quality Control Division. ACC cannot rely on identifying defective parts only after production. They need to implement quality control throughout the process, which will reduce costs and increase efficiency and profitability. Industry Background Japan and the United States have had a different mentality and work ethic over the past centuries but it has become especially apparent over the last 30 years. The United States relies on money, technological sophistication and reputation/name recognition. Japan has been able to get ahead with hard work, innovations, and technological advances. To the dislike of many American companies, Japan has taken technologies created by US companies and reverse engineered and improved on them until they were the dominant company in the industry. A good example is shown with the DJC  Corporation in Japan. They took ideas, concepts and technology from American companies and made them even more efficient and successful. The electrical connector industry is large. These connectors do everything from attach wires to wires, wires to outlets, attach wires, components or chips to PC boards, or attach PC boards to other boards. These connectors have two main parts: a plastic housing and metal socket pins or terminals. The applications range from military and aerospace to computers to telecommunications to automobiles. There are thousands of standard connector product lines. The pricing of the connector depends on its level of technology and industry use. In the 1970’s there was a large boom in the United States and companies took advantage of it. Demand slowed in the 1980’s leading to many suppliers for a reduced need leading to consumers being able to demand their prices. The miniaturization of circuitry and technological advances led to the need for new connectors and manufacturing techniques. The demands of the consumer were highly specific. This allowed other competitors to enter the US market. Lessons LearnedA. DJC at the Kawasaki Plant1) Efficiency – DJC continued to review and adjust their production facilities to find the most efficient way to operate. This focus on efficiency has created a cost efficient way of producing wire connectors that cannot be rivaled. It will take other companies years to match the efficiency of the Japanese production facilities. The Just-In-Time delivery of resources and demand on their raw material suppliers to have almost daily deliveries of supplies, DJC reduced the need for large warehouses saving money. The use of tape rolls of connectors was a design that the consumer liked and found easy for use at their production facilities. The design of their product packaging led to a more efficient way to palletize and containerize their products for shipment to distributors. While DJC maintains about two months of finished goods, the design of the packaging reduces the room it requires in the warehouse. 2) Quality – Japan’s streamlined operations has allowed it to add quality assurance to their production process. Through this high quality and lack of flawed parts they have gained a good reputation, which was something that was normally reserved for American companies. The continuous inspections, replacement or worn parts and the high level of maintenance of the equipment allowed the factory to run smoothly. The focus on fixing problems before they happened has led to fewer problems encountered on the production line. 3) Links to Customers – DJC maintained a close link with its customer and took the customer input to adjust the connectors to meet customer needs. This allowed DJC to be proactive and stay ahead of changing trends within the computer industry. The simplified designs they created required fewer raw materials increasing efficiency and reducing costs. 4) Trade Secrets – DJC reverse engineered many of its early connectors from designs from other companies. This sped up the design process and allowed them to quickly enter the market. They did not want the same thing to happen to them so they had contracts written up with suppliers and created an internal design division that did their work in house. This allowed DJC to keep their innovative ideas to themselves, maintaining their advantage over the competition. 5) Plant Layout – DJC focused on the best way to produce connectors. Their plant layout and simplified design process allowed for an efficient operation, utilizing the factory space to its fullest. The process was set up in the most logical and efficient manner allowing for an increase in quality and reduction in personnel. The new Japanese plants were highly automated but DJC focused on â€Å"pre-automation† to ensure the plant runs smoothly. All people that work within the factory understand their role and are properly trained, materials are centrally located, quality and goals were clearly laid out and continuous improvements are sought. The limited number of products that DJC produces for their consumer allows them to schedule long production runs. 6) Goal Setting – The management was involved in all aspects of decision-making. They understood the importance of the having an overall goal that is understood by all divisions. They created the overall goal and allowed the managers of the different divisions to create their own goals that conformed to the focus of the company. Employees on the line knew the goal of the company and what management expected and solved many of the problems at the lowest level. B. American Connector at Sunnydale1) Operating Problems – The American Connector facilities especially in California are experiencing increases in costs and deterioration in quality. The performance in the plant is leading to the consumer losing confidence in ACC. This will lead the consumer to other options like DJC with a better reputation. 2) Investments – Complacency allowed ACC to believe there was no foreign competition in the US. They did not invest time or money into upgrading their facilities, quality, or capacity. The equipment within the facility is becoming outdated and is not being replaced. 3) Efficiency – The production facility is not run efficiently. There five production areas in the plant. Different areas run at different speeds leaving stockpiles of parts. This leads to inefficiency and an increase in facility space required to hold all of the parts awaiting further assembly. The facility is not fully automated which leads to slower assembly on small runs, which are assembled by hand. The packaging of the connectors is inefficient with the wide range of package designs awkward for storage and shipment. The awkward packaging does not lend itself to proper palletization or containerization taking up extra room in the warehouse. It is hard to adjust production lines with the forecast being done three months in advance. With a difficulty among customers of predicting the success of their products, it is hard for ACC to get ahead or adjust quickly to changing demands. If a different producer is more adaptive they will  steal the sales. 4) Quality – ACC quality has slipped at the Sunnyvale plant. There is a high rate of defective parts. While most of the defective parts do not make it to the customer, the waste of time and supplies costs ACC money. RecommendationsAmerican Connector Company has two options: 1) stay with the status quo; or 2) learn from the success of DJC and change their approach to head off DJC’s competition in the US market. Really there is only one option for American Connector. Whether ACC believes it or not DJC will enter the US market. They need to change their mindset and do what is best for the company. With the way the US connector market has played out, it is open for international companies to enter the market. ACC must change their mindset and stop being complacent. The lack of rivalry did has not spurred ACC to be innovative and create new ideas but allowed them to stay with the status quo missing the surge from their competitors. Complacency has led to outdated equipment and an inefficient plant operation. By taking the lessons that DJC learned at their Kawasaki plant, ACC can increase efficiency. If ACC streamlines their plant operations, buys new equipment, works with their customers to create a simpler product design, and makes more transportation friendly packaging they can have a more efficient operation. ACC has a couple of advantages over DJC that they need to cash in on. First, they are already in the US market. ACC is already established in America and can avoid many of the barriers to entry i.e. tariffs, taxes and initial financial layout that international companies will experience. ACC needs to build on their good reputation with their US customers. DJC is not keeping their employees longer than an average of 9 years. While they have a good salary for the entry-level employees, their advantage is reduced as employees advance within the company. They do rotate employees to different jobs yearly giving them good experience in different areas but cannot keep them until retirement. If ACC takes care of their employees and  gives them a competitive wage, good benefits and advancement opportunities they should have an advantage over DJC with more efficient workers. References: http://net.mba.wfu.edu/Shafer/FulltimeOpsStrategy/acc%20handouts.ppt

Why Was the Battle of Gettysburg a Turning Point Essay...

Why was the Battle of Gettysburg a Turning Point? (May 8, 2013 What comes to mind when you hear the words â€Å"The Battle of Gettysburg†? To me, I think of the event itself. The United States was two years into the Civil War, when the bloody battle in Pennsylvania broke out. General Lee, also known as the general of the Confederate army, plotted an attack at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle started on July 1st, 1863 and continued on for 3 straight days. In just those 3 days, it turned the Civil War around. A turning point is an action or event that alters the outcome of a situation. Why was the Battle of Gettysburg a turning point? The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point for three reasons; geographic advantage, the many losses and†¦show more content†¦Of that total loss, 12,800 were wounded, 5,250 were missing and 2,600 to 4,500 were killed. At the end, both sides lost nearly the same amount of men. The North started with thousands of more troops than the South. Therefore, compared to the North, the South was the size o f a pea. This wouldn’t be a problem for the South if they had enough eligible men to serve, but their numbers, once again, were millions of men short from the North. This evidence shows that the numerous losses were a reason that the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point because the South couldn’t afford to take another major loss of men without knowing they were going to lose and that they would not have enough men to replace. The change in morale was a reason why the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point. In Doc C, General Lee wrote a letter to the president; President Jefferson Davis. He describes his feelings after the tiring battle and states that he should resign from being the general because of the awful failure in Pennsylvania. In Lee’s letter, it’s obvious that his morale has been greatly diminished. This is probably because he’s won every battle, expect Gettysburg and now the Confederacy’s winning streak has ended. When Davi s writes back, he tells General Lee that he’s still going to be General. In my textbook, it’s a fact that, for the first two years of the war, the North got several blows from the South. General Lee never lost oneShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of Gettysburg : Why Was It A Turning Point?1361 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg: Why Was It a Turning Point? â€Å"Death created the modern American union, not just by ensuring national survival, but by shaping enduring national structures and commitments. The work of death was Civil War America s most fundamental and most demanding undertaking†Ã¢â‚¬â€ Drew Gilpin Faust. Death in the Civil War was indeed a principle in creating the America we know and love today. This was the bloodiest war in United States military history. 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