Business Ethics and Rules Essay Example for Free

Business Ethics and Rules Essay Personally, I agree that Solomons ethical fundamentals are a good moral foundation for a business. â€Å"Business ethics is the study of what constitutes right and wrong (or good and bad) human conduct in a business context. † (p25) From the lecture, we know that ethics matters because â€Å"how organizations behave have important implications for how they fulfill their social and economic roles† and â€Å"their success as well as the success of their employees, customers, etc. † Thus, running a business ethically is good for business. Applying Solomon’s three C’s of business ethics and the eight rules of thinking ethics in business make good sense. The three C’s of business ethics include compliance, contributions and consequences. The first C is â€Å"the need for compliance with the rules, including the laws of the land†¦and such general concerns as fairness. †(p36) As a saying goes, â€Å"Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards. † Rules in business are intended to assert business structure or to control or influence the behavior of the business. Let’s take EU-Rent for example. EU-Rent is a car rental company owned by EU-Corporation. EU-Rent sets up rules about rentals, returns, servicing and customers. For example, â€Å"EU-Rent keeps records of customers, their rentals, and bad experiences. This information is used to decide whether to approve a rental. † If EU-Rent doesn’t comply with these rules, it may not organize well. The second C is â€Å"the contributions business can make to society, through the values and quality of one’s products or services†¦and usefulness of one’s activities to the surrounding community. † (p36) For instance, economists conventionally assume that organization’s primary goal is to maximize profits. Many successful organizations are gradually aware of the important relationship between profits and contributions to society. Starbucks has seen its profits rise as it has increased its investment in social issues. Those organizations who are making profits and don’t contribute to society may receive criticism from the public. As the article â€Å"The Sichuan Earthquake and the Changing Landscape of CSR in China†, which was written by Ariel McGinnis, James Pellegrin, Yin Shum, Jason Teo, and Judy Wu (University of Pennsylvania), mentioned, â€Å" In the days and weeks following the Sichuan earthquake, many multinational corporations(MNCs) pursued a global CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy in line with their international standard. While some multinationals pledged cash, many others pledged a combination of cash, equipment and services. Domestic firms, by all accounts, out-donated multinationals†¦The popular perception was that international firms relief contributions not only did not match those of local Chinese companies in terms of scale or timeliness, but also were not commensurate with their presence in the Chinese market. Chinese consumers quickly seized upon this disparity by openly attacking major MNCs, calling for a boycott of their products †¦ The Chinese public soon gave these affected MNCs the nickname of ‘international iron roosters. The term refers to a bird that never gives up a single feather, and its usage highlights the perceived stinginess of these international firms†¦Despite their additional donations,’ iron-rooster’ MNCs continued to face angry consumers throughout China, resulting in severe public backlash, including protests at several McDonalds and blo ckades at KFCs throughout Sichuan province and the rest of China. † From this example, we can see how important the contributions that organizations should make to the society are. The third C is â€Å"the consequence of business activity†¦including the reputation of one’s own company and industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p36) Why the consequences of business activity are so important? Let’s have a look at the following example. Once, Sanlu was one of the oldest and most popular brands of infant formula in China. It went into bankruptcy after the â€Å"Sanlu milk scandal†. Based on the media, â€Å"By November 2008 China reported an estimated 300,000 victims, six infants dying from kidney stones and other kidney damage, and a further 860 babies hospitalized. Since the Sanlu Group didn’t solve the problem and recall the products in time, it leaded to a horrible incident. Doubtlessly, what did organizations do may affect their development and even the well-being of the public. Organizations should not blindly pursue for profits only but also be responsive to society. To become successful, a business needs to be driven by strong ethical va lues. If a corporation fails to adopt ethical values and cannot be responsive to society, it will fail, just like the Sanlu Group. Besides the three C’s of business ethics, Solomon also stated the eight rules of thinking ethics in business, which are also good moral foundations for a business. The eight rules include â€Å"consider other people’s well-being, including the well-being of nonparticipants; think as a member of the business community and not as an isolated individual; obey, but do not depend solely on, the law; think of yourself—and your company—as part of society; obey moral rules; think objectively; ask the question ‘What sort of person would do such a thing? and respect the customs of others, but not at the expense of your own ethics. †(p40, 41) Based on the above statements, it is obvious to see that they are mainly about the concept of three C’s. According to the text, thinking ethically means â€Å"thinking in terms of compliance with the rules, implicit as well as explicit, thinking in terms of the contributions one can make as well as oneâ€⠄¢s own possible gains, thinking in terms of avoiding harmful consequences to others as well as to oneself. (p40) In the case of â€Å"Sanlu milk scandal†, one of the main reasons behind

Things Fall Apart Novel Analysis Essay Example for Free

Things Fall Apart Novel Analysis Essay 1. Title: The title of the novel is Things Fall Apart. The title gives foreshadowing details of the book. Things falling apart is a common theme through the entire novel. At the beginning, Okonkwo is the one of the most famous in his village because he threw The Cat in wrestling. Though, at the end Okonkwo commits the worst disgrace possible, he kills himself. The title also describes what happens to the tribes religion. As Western Civilization begins to colonize the African tribes, the Africans culture diminishes. Soon many Africans have left their own religion and gods to become Christians. Many of the Africans lose their own values and begin to value the customs of Western culture. The title is also very simple and mysterious. Other books titles are normally an object or saying from the book, but Things Fall Apart is never talked about or brought up in the novel. The reader is forced to wonder what falls apart or what this title has to do with the book. Things Fall Apart is basically the center of the story. Achebe took the title of his book from The Second Coming (wr. 1919; pub. 1921), by William Butler Yeats (1865-1939; Irish). The poem is very similar to Okonkwos life and it makes sense that Achebe would use the line Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; (Yeat 3). Okonkwo is too high in power and wealth and he cant hold those things forever. He begins to lose everything that he has worked so hard to have. He first loses Ikemefuna and becomes depressed and angry, and then he gets exiled to another village after killing a man on accident. Nwoye leaves him after to become a member of the church and after coming back to Umuofia, he kills a representative for the Missionary and kills himself out of fear. As it says in the poem, Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Okonkwo cant hold forever, so Things Fall Apart. 2. Biographical Sketch: Chinua Achebe or, Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, was born November 16th, 1930 in Ogidi, Nigeria. His father, Isaiah, was a Protestant teacher in a missionary school. Chinua was raised religious which probably gave him the idea of the white men converting the Villages many religions. Achebe attended University in Ibadan to 1953 and received a B.A. in English from the University of London. Originally, Achebe studied Medicine but it became too hard and he switched to English. If Achebe had not switched to majoring in English, we would probably not have his literary works. A friend later convinced him to teach English and the school he taught at was built on land where the locals believed the spirits were unfriendly. This is how Achebe found the idea of the Evil Forest from Things Fall Apart. Things fall apart was published in 1958. The novel was influenced by Achebes early life, including the dilemmas of religion and culture shift in Africa. His first book was an instant success and was even turned into a play. Many authors do not become a successful, famous writer on their first, second or even third book, Achebe did. He married Christie Okoli and had four children together as he continued to write books. Other novels include No Longer at ease (1960), Arrow of God (1966) and Anthills of the Savanna (1987). On Achebes sixtieth birthday, he was in a car accident and his legs are now paralyzed. Achebe is now 79 years old and teaching at Bard College in New York. Chinua Achebe has become one of the most influential writers in Africa. His novels have become accepted in Western Culture without his writing being influenced with the trends of western culture. Achebe will be one of the classic African writers forever. 3. Themes: A major theme in Things Fall Apart is things fall apart. As previously talked apart, one of the major conflicts with Okonkwos life is everything around is falling apart. Okonkwo was clearly cut for great things. He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages. He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife.(Achebe 8) This is taken from the first chapter of the book. Okonkwos life could not get any better; he had the successful farm, wives and children but as his years progress, he loses a lot of that wealth. By the last chapter of the novel, Okonkwo has lost his first born son Nwoye, his religion, and his village. Okonkwo has even committed suicide, an act considered to be an abomination in his village; he cannot even be properly buried. The theme of things falling apart reoccurs throughout the entire book. Another theme in Things Fall Apart is the problem of Western colonization. During Okonkwos exile, rumors begin to spread of these white people on iron horses and the destruction they caused in another village. Finally white people come to the other villages to build churches and try to get others to follow their strange religion. Western colonization is has its pros and cons. For example, without colonization, some people wouldnt be able to enjoy the comforts we have today. But Western colonization also destroys ethnic cultures. In the novel, many people begin to follow this taboo religion which divides the village into old and new culture. This division creates a separation between the people and causes a lot of animosity between both sides. Okonkwo loses his son to the Christian religion and he feels like Nwoye is a trader to him and his village. The problem of Western colonization begins in Chapter 15 and continues to the end of the novel. Masculinity is a primary theme for the main character. Okonkwo constantly talks about masculinity and how important it is to be masculine. To him, something is either feminine or masculine, and if it feminine he does not do it. This condescending sexist attitude affects his relationships with people too. He does not like to be associated with anyone slightly considered effeminate. This theme easily translates to our world too. Many men consider things to be too effeminate and will not be involved with these activities. Men are either too proud or not comfortable with themselves to break out of the classic masculine stereotype. Okonkwo has this same problem and he has to be doing masculine things or else he feels like a woman (which is not a bad thing). His masculine character is responsible for many of his actions in the novel. We see this theme reappear constantly throughout the novel. 4. Narrative Style: The book is written in third person. The narrator does not seem fully limited or fully omniscient either. They never explain what is going on inside a characters head but they know things that someone with a limited view would not know. An example of this is in this quote, He woke up once in the middle of the night and his mind went back to the past three days without making him feel uneasy (Achebe 75) The narrator knows what is in Okonkwos mind but doesnt tell the audience what hes words are in his mind. This shows the narrator either is really good at picking up on a peoples emotions and actions (limited) or knows what is in a characters mind but doesnt share it with the reader (omniscient). The narrative style adds to the reading because the constant foreshadowing and unknowing future causes the reader to be enveloped into this foreign world. Each page causes the reader to wonder what else will happen to Okonkwo and what will become of his future? The third person detail makes the reader feel like they are watching the story from above. This Narrative style adds a god-like feel to the book and gives us descriptions to make a movie of the book in our mind. 5. Main Characters: Okonkwo, the central character, tall, bushy eyebrows, lean and walks quietly and has a very quick temper. Okonkwo is in the story because it is his life that falls apart. Nwoye, Okonkwos son who is very similar to Okonkwos father, he likes to play, tell folk stories and be marry. He is the one that causes Okonkwos worrying, Okonkwo is constantly concerned that Nwoye will not be a man like he is. Ikemefuna, a boy from a neighboring village is given to Okonkwo to take care of. Ikemefuna becomes a part of Okonkwos clan; he works hard and shows the qualities of a real man. His masculinity rubs off on Nwoye which causes Okonkwo to become even fonder of him. When Okonkwo takes part in Ikemefunas murder, Nwoyes relationship changes with his father and it causes him to become Christian later on. Ikemefuna is not in the entire novel but he must be considered a main character because his death is the beginning of the downward spiral for Okonkwo. Mr. Brown is one of the first Christian missionaries to come to the Ibo Villages. His is a very nice man, very Christian-like. He helps convert many of the villagers. Nwoye is with him now in the missionary and has left his dad to become part of the Church. Minor Characters: Unoka, Okonkwos Father who is lazy and a debtor. His troubles cause Okonkwo to become so work driven and masculine. Ezinma, Okonkwos daughter, is also the only child of Ekwefi. Okonkwo often wishes Ezinma was a man. Ekwefi, Ezinmas mother is constantly worried about losing her only child because she has had miscarriage many of times. The bond between her and Ezinma is very strong and she treats Ezinma with rare foods like eggs that are meant for special occasions. She is the second wife of Okonkwo. Priestess or Chielo, the Oracle of the Hills and Caves is around a lot but as two different people. During the day she is around the village as Chielo and is one of the normal women. She goes to the market and events in the village but at night she becomes the Oracle of the Hills and Caves and its like she is taken over by another power. She taught Ekwefi a lesson about being too close with her child and she is also a representative for the Gods. Reverend James Smith, very mean and strict replacement for Mr. Brown. He causes much grief throughout the village and causes many problems with the people of Umuofia. Okonkwo kills himself because of Smiths actions. The District Commissioner, he appears at the end of the novel and doesnt really know about the customs of the people. He summarizes the entire novel from a westerners point-of-view. 6. Symbols: 1. Yams- Yams in Things Fall Apart were a very big deal to Okonkwo. The yams symbolized what Okonkwo wanted the most for his family, masculinity. Yams were a job for men only; women could grow other fruits or vegetables but yams were what real men grew because they required hard work. Yam didnt just symbolize a mans masculinity but they also provided food and an income. The Yams were what Okonkwo wanted the most for his family and it was what he grew the most of. 2. Locusts- The locusts in Things Fall Apart symbolized something new coming. In the book, it was said the locusts only visited the Umuofia only once a generation. While the locusts excited everyone, they soon became a pain and brought something else with them, death. Ikemefuna was sacrificed by the Umuofia to get rid of these locusts. Locusts could also represent Western culture because everyone is excited to see white people at first, but soon they become annoying and bring death to others including Okonkwo. 3. Christianity- Christianity represents the truth. Umuofia reacts harshly to the idea of a different religion. Many say that Ignorance is bliss. (Thomas Gray Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College) and the villagers, including Okonkwo, dont want to hear the truth. This can be compared to people today who do not what to hear the truth either. For example, those who belive global warming is not occurring or that President Obama is not a United States Citizen. No matter what era, people are not going to want to hear the truth. 4. Art- Art represents femininity. Okonkwo could not stand any type of art; to him, it is for women. He hates his dad because he was musical; he wishes also his son was more masculine when Nwoye tells folktales or legends. 5. Evil Forest- the Evil Forest represents the superstitions and fears. In the book, many things that people felt were taboo were put into the evil forest out of fear. Achebe chose all of these symbols because they can be related to our own life in western civilization. Each is a symbolic representation of what we go through every day. 7. Setting: There are many different settings in the novel. The main setting is in a village in Africa named Umuofia. The time period was in beginning of the 1900s before western civilization had really explored Africa and other foreign Countries. Umuofia has many huts scattered and farms growing vegetables, like yams. The people of Umuofia are very strong and cultural people. They stayed with the customs their ancestors high regarded like the nobility of taking titles that select few could get or the respect of their gods. When Okonkwo accidentally kills another member of the tribe, he is exiled from Umuofia for 7 years. Okonkwo moves to the village where his mom was raised, Mbanta. After his exile was over, Okonkwo moved back to a very different Umuofia. The missionary had become a big part of the town. They even built a school and hospital. With trade going in and out of Umuofia, the town became bigger and wealthier. A court system also put in place at Umuofia and it is run by the missionaries. The setting of Umuofia changes from the beginning to the end due to the missionaries colonizing. 8. Plot: A. opening incident: The first incident occurs when all the men in Umuofia are called to the marketplace for a meeting. One of the villages killed a mans wife from Umuofia. To prevent war the village provided the man, Udo, with a virgin to take for a wife and also gave a boy named, Ikemefuna. The boy was chose to live with Okonkwo until they found what to do with the boy. B. building incident a: Years after, Ikemefuna has become a part of Okonkwos clan. Hes become best friends with Nwoye, his son, and helps with the crops. Locusts invade the town and the locusts are everywhere. To get rid of these locusts, Ikemefuna must be sacrificed. Okonkwo is warned not to see him sacrificed but he still goes. Once in the forest, one of the men slashes Ikemefuna with a machete and he falls in pain screaming. Okonkwo instinctively slabs Ikemefuna and kills him. building incident b: After being exiled, Okonkwo hears rumors of white men in nearby villages. Soon after, white men are in their town building a church for the people of the village. The men of this strange religion begin to convert people in town with their folktale stories about their religion. Okonkwo finds this religion strange because they only worship one god who has very strange qualities. C. climax: The climax of the story occurs when Okonkwo and a few others are thrown in jail for burning down the Christian church in the village. Okonkwo and his friends are tied up, beaten and made fun of for believing in their gods. After returning to the village, there is a meeting with all of the villages and soon representatives from the Christians come to disperse the crowd. With Okonkwos fierce temper, he loses his control and he kills one of the messengers. During the chaos that followed, Okonkwo slipped away and went home. D. resolution: The District Commissioner goes to Okonkwos home. He finds Okonkwos body hanging from a tree. Okonkwo committed suicide by hanging himself. The District Commissioner decides to put this in his book The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. Okonkwo has gone from great man to a chapter in a book about Primitive Tribes. 9. Quotations: 1. Okonkwo was clearly cut for great things (Achebe 8) In this quote, the narrator tells the reader that Okonkwo is clearly made to achieve great things in life. This is a quote from the first chapter, where Okonkwo is at his success peak in life. This quote is important in the book because Okonkwo is so proud of these great things hes already accomplished in life that it leads to his downfall. He was made to accomplish more things in his life but his pride in his masculinity causes his doom. 2. But he was always uncomfortable sitting around for days waiting for a feast or getting over it. He would be much happier working on his farm. (Achebe 37) This quote is shows a part of Okonkwos personality. He would rather work than relax so he can accomplish more things. He feels like resting is feminine so he does not feel comfortable being comfortable. 3. I am worried about Nwoye. A bowl of pounded yams can thrown him in a wrestling match. His two younger brothers are more promising. (Achebe 66) Okonkwo is primarily concerned with his boys masculinity. Again we see Okonkwos stereotypical position about men being masculine and females being feminine. Yams are a symbol of masculinity and Okonkwo compares Nwoye to them. He is basically saying that Nwoye is not manly enough. This constant worrying about Nwoye being masculine is what drives Nwoye away from his father and to the Christian religion. 4. A sudden fury rose within him and he felt a strong desire to take up his machete, go to the church and wipeout the entire vile and miscreant gang. (Achebe 152) In the quote, Okonkwo is showing his sudden anger. This rage he has is often what causes him to get in dilemmas constantly. In the end, this sudden rage he has is what causes him to commit suicide at the end of the novel. 5. He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger (Achebe 209). The title of the book in quote is what Okonkwos life could be summarized as from a Westerners point of view. As someone reads Things Fall Apart, they become a part of the story but if the reader steps away from the book and looks at this title, it all makes sense. This is the last sentence in the novel which makes it even more fitting because it shows how the colonization in Africa has destroyed the African culture and the foreigners do not really care what they have done. In fact, those who colonized Africa find themselves to be heroes because they saved the Niger villages from Hell and allowed them to go to Heaven. 10. Additional Comments: I found the book to be very interesting because it broke away from the somewhat normal books we read in school. Thing Fall Apart was an actual world literature instead of the books that are set in western civilization. Achebe made this book so we could see the antagonists we have become, as a culture, to those in foreign countries. As Americans, we normally think that were saving these people in other cultures or that were doing more good than harm. But with this novel, it shows that colonizing foreign counties is destroying other cultures rather than helping them. As I read this book, I continued to say, Wow, this book is pretty tribal but its actually quite opposite. The people in Umuofia were less tribal before the westerners came. With the colonization it made many of the villagers do things they would never do; like kill a sacred object or burn a building down because of hate. The ending is also very surprising to me. Seeing how the District Commissioner saw the African tribes, I would have seen the tribes the same way if I saw the story from a missionarys point of view. You dont truly see how another culture is until you see it from their eyes and I think Achebe accomplished that very well. He made it possible for the reader to experience the culture of African tribes in the early 1900s and be able to relate this foreign culture to their daily lives. We can take an example or a theme that the Africans had to deal with and use it in our daily lives. I found the theme of masculinity to be the most relatable for any high school boy. Achebe also showed that no matter the time or place, humans will still have things in common. Even though we are in separate countries, environments and times, we still have the same human elements, like emotions, in common. Works Cited Chinua Achebe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinua_Achebe#Anthills_and_paralysis Chinua Achebe: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/achebe.htm Chinua Achebe: http://www.postcolonialweb.org/achebe/achebebio.html Chinua Achebe: http://www.notablebiographies.com/A-An/Achebe-Chinua.html

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Business

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Business 1. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging Business Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive medical imaging modality that has emerged in the first half of 1980s and become a preferred tool in detecting a wide range of diseases (Yildirim, et al., 2015)[1]. Since its invention, MRI has undergone a continuous flow of innovations and proven itself as a versatile tool that addresses an increasing number of clinical problems and enables research in a growing spectrum of clinical and technological fields. Over the course of its evolution MRI has proven itself has a well-established diagnostic tool and enabler in particularly neuro-radiological applications, functional and anatomical imaging of the brain, imaging of the musculoskeletal (MSK) system and the spine, and a strong contender in cardiovascular imaging, breast imaging and imaging of the abdomen and pelvic region. As a result of its versatility and non-invasive nature, MRI enjoys an increasing demand (Wilson, et al., 1999; Al-Kwifi McNaughton, 2013) and becomes a strong alternative to less costly modalities such as X-ray and Computed Tomography (Semelka, 2004). Despite all the innovations, and the advantages it offers with respect to other techniques, MRI remains the most expensive medical imaging modality, both in terms of production costs and cost of ownership constitutes a global market that is currently about à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 5 billion, and is expected to exceed à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 7 billion by 2021 (MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). Figure 1 MRI, applications areas and competing technologies.   1.1. The Market Over the past three and a half decades, the MRI business has evolved into a nearly mature market, particularly in terms of number of installations and users, which mainly consist of academic hospitals and research institutes, public and private hospitals and specialized clinics and centres (Oh, et al., 2004; MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). The MRI market is dominated by three vendors, namely Siemens, General Electric (GE) and Philips, which cover about 75% of the market, and followed by smaller firms like Toshiba and Hitachi as well as relatively smaller firms and new entrants such as Fonar, Alltech and United Imaging (MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). Geographically, the MRI market is dominated by North America and Europe, which happen to be the birthplaces of the modality (Lauterbur, 1973; Mansfield, 1977), with respective shares of 31% and 29% (MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). These, so to speak, old regions are followed by a younger and dynamic region, Asia, which has a share of 25% and observes a demand that is rapidly increasing (MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). The remainder of the MRI market is populated by emerging markets such as Latin America, the Middle East, the Pacific and Africa (MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). Figure 2 Global MRI market (Adapted from MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). The industry is governed by fast technological change and substantial heterogeneity in terms of technology and implementation among vendors (Krieg, 2004; MarketsAndMarkets, 2015). While products can roughly be categorized into groups representing magnetic field strength expressed in Teslas (e.g. 1.0T, 1.5T, 3.0T) or architecture (e.g. open versus narrow-bore or wide-bore cylindrical) (MarketsAndMarkets, 2015), differentiation among products and vendors is dictated by features, clinical applications and research techniques that come integrated with a MRI system (Krieg, 2004; Al-Kwifi McNaughton, 2013). In recent years, the business has observed a significant development that manifested itself as a clear split in market segmentation, with premium (or high-end) products catering to the upper half of the market and value products (or low-end or low-cost) catering to the lower half (Donoghue, et al., 2012; Global Industry Analysts Inc., 2015). This split, which was initially caused by the demand structure seen in the Asian and emerging markets, also found acceptance and support in Europe and North America, particularly in sectors where cost began to assume a primary role in purchase decisions as well as reimbursement policies (Proval, 2014; Global Industry Analysts Inc., 2015). In older markets such as North America and Europe, and also in Japan, the business seems to have reached a certain level of maturity (AuntMinnie.com, 2013). In these regions, the market shows a declining growth rate, mostly as a result of substantial market saturation and negative environmental influences such as declining reimbursements resulting from more stringent policies implemented by governments and insurance companies (Proval, 2014; Global Industry Analysts Inc., 2015). Another development that challenges the vendors is the increased number of brand switching, which, to some extent, can be related to market saturation (Al-Kwifi McNaughton, 2013). Customers moving from one vendor to another as such is observed to accelerate price erosion and hurt profitability significantly. In developing markets and markets showing a positive growth rate, like the emerging markets and Asian regions such as China and India (AuntMinnie.com, 2013), cost of investment and operation emerges as the primary factor affecting the business (Global Industry Analysts Inc., 2015). Additionally, the business, particularly of the incumbent firms (i.e. the big five) is challenged by governmental policies that directly or indirectly favour local competition, particularly in the low-end segment (Torsekar, 2014; Rizzo, 2016; Business Standard, 2016). Access to a larger portion of these markets is blocked by either complicated bureaucratic procedures (Torsekar, 2014), elevated import taxes (Business Standard, 2016), or by directly backing local manufacturers by means of targeted subsidies or privileged contracts (credible source needed).      Ã‚   1.2. Product Innovation Historically, MRI has been a technology driven industry, and as it is typical for high-tech businesses, product innovation has been critical to market performance and central to sustainability of the business (Krieg, 2004; Paladino, 2006). Different than most high-tech industries, however, MRI has strongly benefitted from a co-creation culture where most innovations have emerged from interactions and partnerships between vendors and key, and mostly academic, users (Figure 3). This culture led to a symbiotic vendor-user relationship that resulted into a rapid pace of product innovation, which, in turn, boosted demand for more advanced and specialized products (Krieg, 2004). Figure 3 A history of co-creation in MRI (Adapted from Philips Healthcare, 2016) However, the rate of ground-breaking and truly differentiating innovations is facing a slowdown (Holloway, 2014). In the last 10 years very few breakthroughs led to a significant or long lasting technological and competitive advantage, or have opened new areas of application and research. In the fields where MRI has proven itself as a mature diagnostic apparatus, such as neurology, MSK and brain imaging, all major vendors products are known to deliver very similar performances and adequate quality as far as general purpose use is concerned. Only in case of very specific needs, a particular vendor is seen to differentiate itself from the others and gain advantage in winning a bid or public tender. This situation, which can be defined as technological equilibrium, and relatively long presence of the modality in old markets, with an average age of about 15 years in North America, is believed to propel brand-switching (Al-Kwifi McNaughton, 2013), and more importantly, to move the accent of product innovation away from revolutionary breakthroughs to more evolutionary changes that particularly improve ease of use, patient comfort and productivity (Global Industry Analysts Inc., 2015).   1.3. Established Marketing Strategies Almost every major MRI vendor is part of a multi-national conglomerate that is active in multiple areas of business. Therefore, the strategies followed by individual companies draw a lot from the business group they belong to, and show differences particularly in cultural background, brand positioning and messaging. Yet, over time the medical device business, and particularly MRI, has developed its own common ground and generally accepted and practiced traditions. The business commercial heart-beat is primarily set by the annual gathering of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), which is held towards the end of the year and known to be the stage for new product launches, and secondarily the annual meeting of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), which takes place in spring time and lays the emphasis more on scientific and technological advancements in the field. While aligning their annual activities with these two events, vendors seem to show little indifference in the marketing strategies they follow, resulting into an equilibrium state very much similar to that seen in product innovation. Even, marketing materials, such product brochures and whitepapers give the impression as if they originate out of same hands, aside from small nuances in messaging, branding and company culture[2]. Inferred from marketing materials and product pricing, target market definition is predominantly based on pricing, which is strongly correlated with hardware characteristics (e.g. field strength, gradient system, receiver architecture etc.) and applicatory capabilities (Figure 4). Figure 4 In practice, however, the market seems to be far from consisting of two segments clearly separated from each other, as such. In his empirical study investigating the effectiveness of marketing strategies in medical markets, Brian Smith (Smith, 2003) identified that the segments are divided into sub-segments based on varying behavioural and preferential characteristics of users. However, the study also established that, despite such variation, the market does not show a continuum of homogeneous and distinct motivator based sub-segments, as seen in most consumer businesses, but rather consists of a discrete segmentation with limited degrees of freedom, which most possibly arises from the rather rigid, dominant and costly hardware characteristics of the modality and the highly regulated nature of the business environment. Of course, the relatively low number of incumbents, and their close collaboration and interaction in determining the industry standards under the directive of the Inte rnational Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), also plays also a significant role in the setting and rigidity of the boundaries of the business. Despite the constraints inherent to the nature of the modality and business environment and financial boundaries set by the customers budgetary considerations, vendors seem to seek strategic strength and competitive advantage by recognizing behavioural and preferential differences and formulating value propositions that match the specific needs of the users (Smith, 2003). In MRI, this is mainly done by fine-tuning the product composition, particularly the applicatory capabilities, which, while being very dependent on the underlying hardware platform, are defined by the software capabilities, namely data-acquisition routines (a.k.a. pulse-sequences), image reconstruction algorithms, and post-processing tools. The value-proposition is further augmented with service and support, as well as more intangible offerings and benefits of secondary and tertiary importance, such as membership of strong user network, participation in advanced research activities etc. Such customization approaches , however, are mostly left to the discretion of the local marketing and sales teams, and observed to show strong variation depending not only on the needs of the customers, but also on the specific circumstances of the negotiation and/or bidding process and position with respect to competition. From general and global marketing activities perspective, the business seems to rely on downstream activities, which centralize around new product offerings in terms of new hardware platforms and configurations, and applications consisting of novel pulse-sequences, reconstruction algorithms and post-processing methods and focus mostly on the RSNA, and upstream activities, which involve input gathering from the customer base, particularly from the so called key opinion leaders (a.k.a. key users), research collaborations with a select number of sites as well as general user surveys, feedback from local marketing and sales teams, and competitive analysis of market changes. While downstream marketing and the show to be put on stage during the RSNA help the vendors catch the attention of the market, and, more importantly, the prospective customers, it is mostly the upstream activities, and the subsequent product definition and development process, that paves the way of success, and embodi es the governing dynamics the organization. 1.4. Governing business model While exact implementation may vary from one vendor to another, it is observed that the majority of the major players follow product definition and development processes that are quite similar in the general sense. According to this, input gathered from upstream activities are converted into a user requirement specification, which subsequently is translated into one or more product definitions, and evaluated as a combined or individual business cases, with market and sales projections based on feedback from local marketing and sales teams and competitive analysis. Based on the value offered by each case product proposals are accepted to the annual operations plan (AOP), and are programmed for feasibility studies, if any needed, and product development. Most vendors, divide their annual plan into two parts, first spanning the first half of the year and catering to the installed base in terms of service releases and product updates, and second spanning the second half of the year and f ocusing on the new product introductions intended for the RSNA. 1.5. Changes in the Market Historically, the target audience of medical devices in general, and MRI in particular, has been the medical practitioners (e.g. radiologists, specialists), administrators of medical institutions and clinics and research scientists from various medical and engineering. In the earlier years of the business, the composition of this audience was mostly dominated by researchers and medical professionals with strong understanding of the physics and engineering of MRI, and driven by the desire of exploring new fields of research and application disciplines (van den Brink, et al., 2015). However, as the modality matured, the market evolved into a state where the focus shifted more to utilizing MRI as a robust and reliable diagnostic tool, than just a research platform (Holloway, 2014). Paired with this change, the proportion and influence of the medical professionals, including administrators, started to exceed those of researchers and scientists disciplines (van den Brink, et al., 2015). Over the years, and driven by increase in demand for clinical MR scans, the business also saw the entrance and influence of a new type of user, namely the operator, also known as the technologist or radiographer. In time, in the clinical, as well as in a considerable portion of the research settings, the day-to-day of operation of the systems were seen to be taken over from highly knowledgeable medical professionals, engineers and scientists, by operators whose sole responsibility was to operate the MRs disciplines (van den Brink, et al., 2015). Hence, as a combined result of these changes, the practical knowledge of utilizing MR in a clinical setting increased, together with the demand for clinical MR scans, and number of MR installations, and the average knowledge of MR physics and engineering of the people sitting on the operators chair declined (Yildirim, et al., 2015). This, together with the demand for higher productivity (i.e. higher number of scans per day) and desire for shorter training investments brought new factors into the equation of product formulation, namely, workflow and usability (Holloway, 2014; Duszak, 2012). Aware of the increasing importance of workflow and usability, the vendors have implemented marketing strategies that emphasize the productivity and efficiency of their existing products, in addition to the technical capabilities. At the same time, vendors introduced product changes that focus on higher patient throughput, simplified patient handling, improved usability of the MR console etc. As a consequence of these changes the jargon governing product and marketing materials slowly shifted from a technically savvy language to a softer language expressing customer excellence, efficient workflow, easy scanning. In addition to the changes in market demographics and demand structure, which mostly arose from the internal dynamics of the market, the MR business is also observed to be influenced by external changes, particularly advancements in mobile communications, information technologies (IT), the internet and social media. As mentioned before, the MR business is based on a strong co-creation culture and close interaction between customers and vendors. As an integral part of this culture, there is strong empathy among MR users for the complexity of the technology and challenges vendors face during product development and manufacturing. However, the empathy of MR users may not last very long. In a recent survey conducted among MR users (Yildirim, et al., 2015), it was observed that the MR user becomes less tolerant to lengthy product service update cycles and new product introduction cycles that are measured in months to years. There is a significant lack of empirical studies addressing this change. However, this behavioural change believed to be an extension of the observed impact of technological advancements on consumer behaviour, particularly in e-commerce, online services, IT and telecommunications products. Studies conducted in these businesses have shown that the consumers have become more and mor e accustomed to high responsiveness from companies in acquiring goods and services, as well as prompt feedback in case of inquiries and complaints.   2. Purpose of work 2.1. Problem Statement In light of the changes and trends observed in the market, as well as the level of maturity reached in about 65% of the global market, the number of challenges the MR business is facing, and will likely continue to face in the foreseeable future can be summarized as follows: High costs associated with high-end scanners Increasing demand for low-end scanners Slowdown in ground-breaking innovations Homogenization of technology Brand-switching in mature markets Changing market demographics and declining technical proficiency of users Shifting of demand from novel applications to clinical utilization and efficiency Weakening of co-creating culture and increasing impatience of users On global scale the MR market is far from stagnation. However, challenges above make maintaining market share and gaining new grounds a difficult task. Some of these problems, particularly those related to high costs of innovation, manufacturing and ownership, are not new to the industry. But problems arising from the changes in the market, particularly those related to the maturation of the market, changes in user profile and behaviour and demand structure are new. Strategies based on technological innovations, while being helpful in preserving brand image and presence in high-end segment, will not suffice to address these issues and sustain competitive advantage and profitability. In order to stay afloat, the business, and particularly an incumbent, will need to explore new strategies and solutions to deal with the emerging problems. This work, aims at contributing to such an exploration by addressing the following problem statement: How can the MR business, particularly an incumbent, overcome the challenges arising from market changes, without resorting to costly technological innovations? Obviously, such a statement is very broad and may require a comprehensive solution, also including product innovations, and probably a total overhaul of the business strategy. But in respect to imitations inherent to a dissertation, the scope of the work presented will mostly focus on solutions that will address changes in demand structure and user profile.   2.2. Proposed Solution Reducing manufacturing costs and cost of ownership, improving robustness and usability and introducing products that meet the needs of the low-end segment will require solutions that greatly rely on innovations in product design and manufacturing. However, these issues, and specifically issues related to changes in demand structure, demographic composition, focus of utilization as well as competitive elements involving homogenization and brand-switching can also be addressed by innovations in organizational and operational approach to the business. Today MR vendors seem to focus too much on the future in terms of the next novel technology and new markets or users to be conquered. The business process is almost sole based on this focus. Next to being future oriented the business may also find benefit in focusing on the past, or more accurately, the existing installed base. This idea, encouraged largely by the level of maturity of the market, entails learning from collective experience of users, and on the larger scale, from the collective experience of the whole MRI world, and formulate product improvement, marketing and sales strategies based on this learning. Learning as such can be realized in many ways and, in fact, is not new to the MR business. Vendors, collect information from their customers through regular and structured surveys, or occasional direct contact by marketing and sales teams. Also annual events, like RSNA and ISMRM, form a viable platform for information and feedback gathering. Next to these, firms also collect information and receive feedback from third party sources like Net Promotor Score surveys and market research reports, which also contribute to the business intelligence activities of the companies. In addition to such business and market oriented feedback gathering, vendors also receive feedback from another type of source: customer complaints. A customer complaint, as the name implies, is an expression of dissatisfaction (Landon, 1980), and is a formal and regulated entity in MRI in particular, and medical imaging in general. Customer complaints, may entail actual product defects, that is, unintended behaviour or malfunction of the product or a component thereof, or annoyances that arise from the intended behaviour or design of the product. Regardless the reason, customer complaints are issued using formal tools, and monitored by regulating bodies with strict rules regarding handling and processing (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2015). While in general, a low number of customer complaints, is very much desirable, feedback as such is an invaluable opportunity for vendors to learn from their mistakes.   Sources mentioned so far, while all beneficial, have one character in common. They are, in one form another, expressions of explicit feedback, which is known to mostly capture the part that is immediately visible, and therefore is prone to being incomplete or insufficient in uncovering actual user experience and value (Vargo, et al., 2007; MacDonald, et al., 2011). As a complementary source, this work proposes the utilization of implicit feedback, which is tacit in nature and captured in various forms of data generated by the user, or more accurately, the use of MR systems. The data consists of so called machine-data, which are mostly log files that are generated by the MR systems automatically, as well as human-data, such as clinical protocols that are created by users and reflect preferred ways of system use, and scientific output in the form of publications and conference contributions, particularly generated by academic users. Currently there are about 35 to 40 thousand operational MRI systems, with a yearly expansion of 2500-3000 systems. That means that, currently, a major incumbent would have had about 10 thousand operational systems, and over the past 10 years about 7500-8000 in average. Considering has been producing at least one log file per day, the minimum number of log files estimated to have been accumulated would be about 30 million. Assuming that each file is of 100 MB ins size, such a collection will yield 3000TB of data, large enough to fill more than half a million DVDs. Adding, protocols, publications and other sources to this, the data will multiply massively in size reaching the zettabyte scale (Raghupathi Raghupathi, 2014). In information science, datasets of such size and complexity are defined by the term Big Data (Russom, 2011; Singh Singh, 2011; Madden, 2012) whereas the processes and techniques used to structure and analyse such complex data and retrieve meaningful information out of it are brought together under the term Data Analytics (Russom, 2011; Singh Singh, 2011).   Ã‚   The proposed solution relies heavily on Big Data and Data Analytics, or shortly Big Data Analytics. But rather than being an exercise of solely academic nature, the work aims at defining a framework that integrates Big Data Analytics into the operational and organizational structure of an incumbent MR vendor. The work also includes practical examples of how to utilize Big Data Analytics in identification of implicit and hidden user needs, product formulation as well as, and particularly, in marketing and sales and create value for both the company and customers. 3. Big Data Analytics Big Data is a term used for massively large data sets with complex and heterogeneous structure that cannot be handled, i.e. stored and analyzed, using conventional techniques (Russom, 2011; Singh Singh, 2011; Madden, 2012). Data Analytics, on the other hand, is a collection of techniques and procedures that are used to process and analyze massive amounts of data. Brought together under the name Big Data Analytics, the purpose of this toolset is to identify hidden correlations and patterns in data, and convert a seemingly unordered pile of data into meaningful information and insights (Russom, 2011; Singh Singh, 2011). Although the concept of Big Data has emerged no longer than a decade ago, the use of data analytics in business practices is not a new idea. In 1950s businesses were analyzing information captured in electronic spreadsheets manually in order to uncover and understand trends and changes in data (Handfield, 2013). With the advances in of computer technology, the spreadsheets have been evolved into large electronic databases and later into data-warehouses, whereas the labor intensive manual processing practices made room for computer programs capable of running complex algorithms in an automated and efficient manner. In time and with technological advances particularly in computing and communications, the number of events and amount of information worth recording increased dramatically, and with decreasing cost of electronic storage, so did the record keeping. It is even said that, more than 90% of what is described as Big Data, has been created in the past few years (Dragland, 2013), and has the potential to transform business, provided that it is processed and consumed properly (LaValle, et al., 2011). Nevertheless, handling Big Data, and converting it into meaningful and actionable insights is not a trivial task. In their field work, LaValle et al. (2011), identified that there are three levels of capabilities, or stages, in which organizations go through on their Big Data Analytics journey: aspirational, experienced and transformed. Organizations in aspirational stage are described to be furthest of achieving the analytical targets they set, and lacking some of the essential requirements such as expertise and tools. Organizations that are described to be experienced, are those have managed to lay down a basis that enable better ways to collect data, conduct analytics and act upon insights. These organizations, also look to go beyond the immediate benefits of Big Data Analytics, which is typically in cost management, and create value in other domains as well. It is however the transformed organizations that make most of Big Data Analytics. Transformed organizations are those that have passed the stage of acquiring expertise, implementing tools and exploring new uses of Big Data Analytics beyond cost management. Instead, they are deemed to be proficient in data driven resource management and optimization of tools and processes and they use Big Data Analytics to create competitive advantage (LaValle, et al., 2011). 3.1. The Five Vs of Big Data Analytics In order to progress from the aspirational stage towards the transformed stage, a business first needs to develop a solid understanding of Big Data and what makes it big and challenging to deal with. Technically, Big Data is characterized by a set of attributes, which are called the Vs of Big Data: Variety, Velocity and Volume (Laney, 2001). As the name implies, Volume represents the amount of data, whereas Variety represents the heterogeneous composition of data sources and data originating thereof. It is particularly Volume and Variety that make Big Data really big and complex (Laney, 2001; Qureshi Gupta, 2014). Velocity, on the other hand covers the flux of data inflow, as well as the rate of change. Velocity also has implications regarding the speed of processing and analysis of data, and is a source of a different type of challenge that manifests itself in constraints and complexities in operational implementation and execution (Qureshi Gupta, 2014). Beyond the basis laid down by Laney (2001), recent studies in the field have extended the Vs of Big Data further by adding Veracity (Morgan, 2012) and Value (Qureshi Gupta, 2014). Veracity mainly deals with the quality and reliability of data. Expectedly, and particularly considering the high volume and velocity, Big Data is far from being 100% correct and usable. Nonetheless, it has to be valid and of good quality at a certain level to be useful. Without Veracity inte

Essay on Internet Privacy - Ethical Issues Raised by Privacy Service Pr

Ethical Issues Raised by Privacy Service Providers      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abstract:   This paper examines the use of Internet technologies (specifically SafeWeb.com) to counteract invasions of personal privacy and censorship.   The paper begins by exploring the methods by which governments, corporations, and commercial agents invade personal privacy.   It also discusses Internet censorship on the corporate and governmental levels.   It then proceeds to discuss SafeWeb.com, a technology that allows Internet users to surf the Web privately and view censored content.   The paper finishes by exploring some of the ethical issues raised by Internet privacy and censorship in specific relation to SafeWeb, concluding that the application of SafeWeb in circumventing the authority of governments and corporations is inherently unethical.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Part of the allure of the Internet has always been the anonymity it offers its users.   As the Internet has grown however, causing capitalists and governments to enter the picture, the old rules are changing fast.   E-commerce firms employ the latest technologies to track minute details on customer behavior.   The FBI's Carnivore email-tracking system is being increasingly used to infringe on the privacy of netizens.   Corporations now monitor their employees' web and email usage.   In addition to these privacy infringements, Internet users are also having their use censored, as governments, corporations, and other institutions block access to certain sites.   However, as technology can be used to wage war on personal freedoms, it can also be employed in the fight against censorship and invasion of privacy.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Network technologies have allowed for an unprecedented invasion of persona... ...nomist.com/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=471742>. Cooper, Charles.   Saudi Arabia's Battle of the Bits.   2001.   ZDNet.   Feb. 20, 2001.   Tanaka, Jennifer.   The Secret (Server) Service.   2001.   AdWeek.   Feb. 20, 2001.   . The 20 Enemies of the Internet.   1999.   Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.   Feb 20, 2001.   . Sussman, Leonard R.   The Internet and Press Freedom 2000.   2000.   Freedom House.   Feb. 20, 2001.   . Graham, Robert.   Carnivore FAQ.   2000.   Feb. 20, 2001.   . Conrey-Miller, Andrew.   The Pros and Cons of Employee Surveillance.   2001. Feb. 20, 2001. .

Benefits of NASA Essay -- essays research papers

Since the beginning of time there have always been those that have opposed exploration of uncharted lands. This statement holds truth also for the NASA program since the beginning when President John F. Kennedy's vision was to ‘land a man on the moon by the end of the decade.' Instead of all the opposition of NASA and questions such as, â€Å"Why should we go to space?† I believe people should ask themselves, â€Å"Why shouldn’t we go to space?† Christopher Columbus didn’t have to sail over the Atlantic Ocean and discover America, he could have stayed in Europe but then we may not be living in the United States of America. Christopher Columbus and many others human didn’t stop but continued to explore because they are humans. We as humans have an instinctive nature to explore and discover. This is seen especially in children. When toddlers see something such as a shiny object, they investigate it by picking it up, feeling it and maybe ta sting it. As we grow, it is only necessary that we as humans continue their search to discover and explore. If the excitement and thrill of exploration isn’t enough for you, there are also many benefits that NASA and space exploration contribute. The first benefit and almost the most obvious is technology. Getting into space isn’t easy and takes time, money, and research. In order for the missions to be successes much technology is used, which a lot of the time also effects the rest of society. One simple example came from the question, â€Å"How do you get rid of excess heat when you're standing under an open sky with literally nothing between you and the blazing fury of the Sun?† NASA scientists came up with the liquid cool garment which kept the astronauts cool and comfortable from head from to toe. This cooling system was then eventually adopted by firefighters when dealing with dangerous high temperature materials, race care drivers, and soldiers in the desert. Another simple device used in about every home is the smoke detector. The smoke detector was first used and created for the Space Shuttle. These devices quite simply detect smoke which can be caused by fires and saves thousands of lives per year . Of course NASA’s most visible achievements are the ones in space, such as the space shuttle and space stations, but NASA has found itself into everyday living on Earth. ... ... know about the dangers and still accept the challenges isn’t because their crazy or stupid, but because they are adventurous, smart, and considerate. The Columbia was going to improve earthquake safety, cleaner air, and continue to better human life. All the astronauts on the Columbia were scientists and performing tasks from tumor growth experiments to global climate change that could only be done in Space. But even the families of the astronauts said the explorers left Earth with "a willingness to accept risk in the pursuit of knowledge - knowledge that might improve the quality of life for all mankind." The closest people to the astronauts, their families, who were hurt by the tragedy the most also added, â€Å"the bold exploration of space must go on.† NASA and space exploration will continue to go on and I believe the strength behind the program will also grow as more discoveries are made. As humans it is our nature to explore and besides that, thousands of benefits from saving lives to everyday life are attributed to NASA. The possibilities of space exploration are only limited by your imagination and we are only in the early stages of it.

Vision Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Vision - A Learned Process Or Are We Born With It? Depth perception is made possible by having two components, binocular vision and stereopsis. Binocular vision is defined as vision where both eyes are aimed simultaneously at the same visual target and where both eyes work together a coordinated team (1). Stereopsis is defined as vision where two separate images from two eyes are successfully combined into one image in the brain (1). In class it was learned that through the process of depth perception, one can have 3-D vision even though our retina receives visual information as 2 dimensional. This is made possible by the fact that the brain has learned to process visual images by comparing the relative sizes, horizontal and vertical orientations, object overlaps and shadows projected within the field to define our perceptions of the world around us (4). Is this really true? Does the brain learn how to perceive its world as three dimensional or is it something that we always did from birth? The most obvious time to see if this visual process is learned is through the observation of the visual processes of infants. The earliest studies of depth perception and babies used an apparatus called the visual cliff (Berk 151). This device consists of a glass covered table and a central platform, from which babies are encouraged to crawl. Patterns are placed beneath the glass to create the appearance of a shallow side and a deep side. When trying to get the babies to crawl across the glass, the babies readily crossed the shallow side and all but a few reacted with fear to the deep side. The researchers concluded that about the time infants crawl, most of them have an understanding of depth perception. Another study carried out ... ... crucial first weeks of life. The efficacy of vision therapy is something that should also be studied. Not much has been heard about this therapy and if it is effective as it says to be, then the visual system can be better understood. It would also be interesting to note if any changes in brain structure take place as a result of vision therapy. Further investigations (like those mentioned above) can help us better understand whether vision is learned or not. At the beginning of researching this paper, I was ready to say that we were born with our visual abilities and were stuck with them due to genetics, however I am now willing to support a theory that vision is learned and can be re-learned, due to the findings of vision therapy. Internet Sources: http://www.autism.org/visual.html Berk, Laura E. Child Development 4th Ed. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 1997. Vision Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers Vision - A Learned Process Or Are We Born With It? Depth perception is made possible by having two components, binocular vision and stereopsis. Binocular vision is defined as vision where both eyes are aimed simultaneously at the same visual target and where both eyes work together a coordinated team (1). Stereopsis is defined as vision where two separate images from two eyes are successfully combined into one image in the brain (1). In class it was learned that through the process of depth perception, one can have 3-D vision even though our retina receives visual information as 2 dimensional. This is made possible by the fact that the brain has learned to process visual images by comparing the relative sizes, horizontal and vertical orientations, object overlaps and shadows projected within the field to define our perceptions of the world around us (4). Is this really true? Does the brain learn how to perceive its world as three dimensional or is it something that we always did from birth? The most obvious time to see if this visual process is learned is through the observation of the visual processes of infants. The earliest studies of depth perception and babies used an apparatus called the visual cliff (Berk 151). This device consists of a glass covered table and a central platform, from which babies are encouraged to crawl. Patterns are placed beneath the glass to create the appearance of a shallow side and a deep side. When trying to get the babies to crawl across the glass, the babies readily crossed the shallow side and all but a few reacted with fear to the deep side. The researchers concluded that about the time infants crawl, most of them have an understanding of depth perception. Another study carried out ... ... crucial first weeks of life. The efficacy of vision therapy is something that should also be studied. Not much has been heard about this therapy and if it is effective as it says to be, then the visual system can be better understood. It would also be interesting to note if any changes in brain structure take place as a result of vision therapy. Further investigations (like those mentioned above) can help us better understand whether vision is learned or not. At the beginning of researching this paper, I was ready to say that we were born with our visual abilities and were stuck with them due to genetics, however I am now willing to support a theory that vision is learned and can be re-learned, due to the findings of vision therapy. Internet Sources: http://www.autism.org/visual.html Berk, Laura E. Child Development 4th Ed. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 1997.

Dissecting of a Pig

Purpose: How are the external features and internal organ systems of a fetal pig organized? Introduction: Sus scrofa, or the domestic pig is a member of the class Mammalia and the order Artiodactyla. Since we as humans are also a member of class Mammalia, we have a good deal in common biologically with pigs, although we might not like to think so. Since we have a good deal in common, it is very helpful for us to study these animals both anatomically and physiologically. We do this when we test medicines on pigs, perfect surgical procedures on pigs, and even when we used to use pig valves for replacements in human hearts. Thus the pig is a first-rate example of a mammal and the purpose of this lab is to recognize the specific similarities between the pig and ourselves as humans. As the pig is a mammal, many aspects of its structural and functional organization are identical with those of other humans. Shared traits of those of a pig and human are their mammary glands, common hair, live birth, metabolic systems, similar organ systems, and basic body form. Swine are widely used in research and testing. They share anatomic and physiologic characteristics with humans that make them unique and viable model for any research. Their gastrointestinal anatomy has some significant differences from that of humans; however, the physiology of their digestive processes has made them a valuable model for digestive diseases. The urinary system of swine is similar to humans in many ways, especially in the anatomy and function of the kidneys. The anatomy and physiology of organs such as the liver, pancreas, kidney and heart have also made this species the primary species of interest for doctors to gain a better understanding on how the human body generates. Hypothesis As the pig is a mammal, many aspects of its structural and functional organization are identical with those of other mammals, including humans. Thus, the study of the fetal pig is in a very real sense; a study of humans. When we cut into the fetal pig I suspect for the digestive system that I will see the diaphragm Materials: †¢Fetal pig, preserved †¢Dissecting tray †¢Cord/twine †¢Dissecting kit †¢Paper towel †¢Plastic bags (2) †¢Gloves †¢Ruler/meter stick Procedure: †¢External Anatomy †¢Digestive System †¢Respiratory System †¢Circulatory System External Anatomy As I analyzed our fetal pig I established that the ears and eyes are lateral to its head , the tail is posterior to the nose. On my fetal pig he had 4 digits