Cluster Analysis

Cluster analysis is a statistical technique used to identify how various units -- like people, groups, or societies -- can be grouped together because of characteristics they have in common. Also known as clustering, it is an exploratory data analysis tool that aims to sort different objects into groups in such a way that when they belong to the same group they have a maximal degree of association and when they do not belong to the same group their degree of association is minimal. Unlike some other statistical techniques, the structures that are uncovered through cluster analysis need no explanation or interpretation – it discovers structure in the data without explaining why they exist. What Is Clustering? Clustering exists in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Take, for example, items in a grocery store. Different types of items are always displayed in the same or nearby locations – meat, vegetables, soda, cereal, paper products, etc. Researchers often want to do the same with data and group objects or subjects into clusters that make sense. To take an example from social science, let’s say we are looking at countries and want to group them into clusters based on characteristics such as division of labor, militaries, technology, or educated population. We would find that Britain, Japan, France, Germany, and the United States have similar characteristics and would be clustered together. Uganda,  Nicaragua, and Pakistan would be also be grouped together in a different cluster because they share a different set of characteristics, including low levels of wealth, simpler divisions of labor, relatively unstable and undemocratic political institutions, and low technological development. Cluster analysis is typically used in the exploratory phase of research when the researcher does not have any pre-conceived hypotheses. It is commonly not the only statistical method used, but rather is done in the early stages of a project to help guide the rest of the analysis. For this reason, significance testing is usually neither relevant nor appropriate. There are several different types of cluster analysis. The two most commonly used are K-means clustering and hierarchical clustering. K-means Clustering K-means clustering treats the observations in the data as objects having locations and distances from each other (note that the distances used in clustering often do not represent spatial distances). It partitions the objects into K mutually exclusive clusters so that objects within each cluster are as close to each other as possible and at the same time, as far from objects in other clusters as possible. Each cluster is then characterized by its mean or center point. Hierarchical Clustering Hierarchical clustering is a way to investigate groupings in the data simultaneously over a variety of scales and distances. It does this by creating a cluster tree with various levels. Unlike K-means clustering, the tree is not a single set of clusters. Rather, the tree is a multi-level hierarchy where clusters at one level are joined as clusters at the next higher level. The algorithm that is used starts with each case or variable in a separate cluster and then combines clusters until only one is left. This allows the researcher to decide what level of clustering is most appropriate for his or her research. Performing A Cluster Analysis Most statistics software programs can perform cluster analysis. In SPSS, select analyze from the menu, then classify and cluster analysis. In SAS, the proc cluster function can be used. Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

How the Reformation Affected 16th Century Civilization Essay

How the Reformation Affected 16th Century Civilization When Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of his local monastery in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517, Europe was plunged in political and social turmoil. With only a few notable exceptions, a wave of political unity and centralization swept across the Western world. Papal power was perhaps not at its height, yet its corruption and increasingly secular values could be seen from St. Peters in Rome to John Tetzel in Germany. Furthermore, in the economically prospering towns and cities, the middle class was facing an increasing volatile political situation with the growing national monarchies. All of these factors were to only catalyze the reactionary†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, with so many taxes going to Rome, along with such practices as the immunity of the clergy, the nobility held similar views toward the Church. Hence the Reformation presented an intriguing opportunity to break with the church and to align against the emergent national rulers - particularly in the Holy Roman Empire with the Catholic Charles V in power. It would not be until the Diet of Augsburg and the subsequent formation of the Schmalkaldic League that the nobility of the Holy Roman Empire would formally align against the Catholic emperor. Despite Charles anti-Protestant proclamation at the meeting, with the Peace of Augsburg in 1555, the division of the Holy Roman Empire was firmly established. These events which transpired in the first years of the reformation will firmly establish the basis for the massive religious wars which are to sweep the continent in the coming years. Furthermore, these new Protestant alliances will come to define international politics in the next century. The impact of these first years of the Reformation perhaps will not be fully realized until the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, when the Holy Roman Emperor will lose nearly all his power as some 300 German states gain their independence. The Protestant movement will bring much more than scholarly reforms to the churches of Northern Europe, changing the traditional doctrines andShow MoreRelatedThe Age Of The Renaissance1287 Words   |  6 PagesThe term ‘renaissance’, derives from the French language which translates to ‘rebirth’ or ‘revival’. Many English-speakers know of this term from its French derivative. This period in history spanned from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 16th century. This was transitional phase from the medieval ages to a new modern era. In Europe, the renaissance was a time of social and cultural changes. 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Costs of Production at San Juan Cell Phones Free Essays

Costs of production at San Juan Cell Phones This is clearly a challenge for Lisa. If Lisa decides to take the order she will have the opportunity to run the factory to capacity over the next three months and fulfill a Company Value by keeping employees working, in addition, she will have a bonus check on her pocket. This will be the optimal decision if the factory had excess capacity of 100,000 and Big Box asking price remains $20 per unit. We will write a custom essay sample on Costs of Production at San Juan Cell Phones or any similar topic only for you Order Now Let’s say Lisa decides to use the Beta Model Line to make the additional 30,000 units, since we are short on information let’s assume that because of the production line change the factory will be 30,000 short on Beta Models. Based on table 1 (Unit Profitability Report) and if units are sold accordingly then San Juan Cell Phones will generate a profit of $90,000 by manufacturing and selling the Alpha model vs. 240,000 profit generated by manufacturing and selling the Beta model. San Juan Cell Phones will risk $150,000 in profit with the production line change alternative. If the company decides to honor the asking price then San Juan Cell Phones will generate losses. If phones are sold at $15 each and variable cost per unit remains same based on table 1 (Unit Profitability Report) then the company will lose $2 per unit making it a $200,000 or a $140,000 deficit. Variable cost will have to decrease $2+ in order to gain some profit. Another alternative will be to hire the OEM to manufacture the entire order. This alternative will be the most profitable one with a $100,000 profit gain without literary doing anything. Mrs. Norman needs to realize that gains may not be always in the shape of money and that she needs to comply with company values in order to maintain integrity which is very important in business today. It is clear that a deal with a major chain like Big Box will bring a good advertisement for the company which eventually will bring more buyers and that will bring more profit to the company, so no matter what happens the company will benefit from this order if production is handled correctly. Keeping that in mind, ordering the OEM to manufacture the entire order is the most attractive option in terms of money but will not run the factory at capacity and will not keep the employees working which is one of the company’s values. In my opinion there is a happy medium to the situation that could bring some profit will keep the employees working and will comply with the order in time. Dividing the production between San Juan Cell Phones and the OEM will fulfilled most of Mrs. Norman needs. Buy hiring the OEM to manufacture 2/3 of the order will make it even with profit of the OEM deal paying for the losses made by producing the Alpha models within the company’s facility and selling it at the requested price ($14). Since profits were good and cost control met standards this will be an alternative to Lisa because production will increase 33,334 units decreasing the excess capacity to 36,667. In other words factory will be producing closer to its capacity, will keep employees working and will provide the costumers a quality product on time. If Lisa wants to gain profit from the deal then she needs to decide how many more units the OEM needs to manufacture with little impact on factory productivity, employment and of course her bonus. How to cite Costs of Production at San Juan Cell Phones, Papers

Hr After a Disaster free essay sample

All of the five functions were affected by Hurricane Rita greatly. HR made sure that they got on the aftermath right away. The first function is staffing, they had people on the job right away to pick up all of the trees that had been knocked on to peoples houses, lots, and businesses. Also, repair crews were working on the recovery process, repairing roofs especially. Secondly, HRD, people of businesses had to get new workers for all of their businesses. They had to train new people which took a lot of their time. Some had to give benefits for their compensation. Businesses, like Burger King, gave a $1,500 bonus for entry-level workers. People could also demand a higher pay, from minimum wage to $10 per hour. Some of the repair men werent always in a safe or healthy environment. There were repair workers who didnt even have a good place to stay, they went to an open lot and set up tents to sleep in. We will write a custom essay sample on Hr After a Disaster or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Union should be there to make sure that the repair workers had an adequate place for them to stay at, instead of sleeping in tents. . I do think that they would respond like this every time. I think that the one of the most important elements that will influence Scotts plans will be the workers. He has to make sure he keeps the right ones, those who are really good at their work. He also has to watch out for union workers, who will look out for the workers interests. Another is the government officials and civic leaders, who would be wanting information all the time,as to what is going on. He has to make these cuts in the company, because he needs to listen to what the president of the company says. I think that all of these are legitimate, except for worrying about what the shareholders want, and what they believe in. 2. I think that Scott should be definitely concerned as to what the shareholders interests are. I dont believe that they should be a major priority. Although they are putting money into the company, they shouldnt be priority. If they keep them a major priority, they could drive away a lot of their customers, which is obviously bad for their business. Scott has to try to come up with a way to make sure that everybody is happy, and gets what they want.

Bringing Our City Back Changing the Cycle

Helicopter Investigation Essays

Helicopter Investigation Essays Helicopter Investigation Essay Helicopter Investigation Essay Aim: To investigate the factors that effect the time for a card helicopter to reach terminal velocity. Theory/Key Factors: When a helicopter wants to take off it starts its blades moving, and the blades push air under themselves until it they have enough air under them to take off. This is related to a sycamore seed, which is what I am basing my helicopters shape on. Terminal velocity is when air resistance is equal to the force of gravity acting on the helicopter. Therefore, the acceleration is zero and the helicopter falls at a constant speed. When my helicopter starts to spin it means that it has reached terminal velocity. The bigger the air resistance is on the helicopter is, the larger the surface area is, and consequently it will take longer to fall. The speed at which the helicopter falls at also depends on the conditions that I drop it in. To get round the problem of it being an unfair test if we dropped it outside, because of the wind speed, I have decided to drop the helicopter inside. The shape and size of the wings could affect the speed because some of the wing shapes might be more aerodynamic, in which case it would fall at a faster rate. In addition to this, the length of the handle of the helicopter might influence the rate at which it falls. Prediction I predict that the number of paperclips attached to the helicopter should not affect how great the terminal velocity is, or how long it takes to reach terminal velocity. This is because, as Galileos theory shows, objects of the same shape fall at the same rate in air, on earth (9.81 msec-2), regardless of mass, because there is no difference in the amount of air resistance. Hence, the helicopter should reach terminal velocity at the same time, regardless of its mass, as there is virtually no change in its shape. If it reaches terminal velocity at the same instance each time the experiment is conducted, then the terminal velocity will always be the same. This is because, if it is to follow the law V= u+at, the greater the product of at (acceleration and time) the greater the velocity (in this case terminal velocity). Since u is always 0 in our experiment, this does not influence the relationship between the time taken to reach terminal and terminal velocity, and the above reasoning st ill holds. However I predict that our experiment will support the law V= u + at, but will not support Galileos theory due to human error in measuring the accurate time of when the helicopter starts to spin and when it hits the floor. Diagram Method 1. By using my T-Shaped helicopter that I picked from my preliminary experiment, I will add one paperclip to it and then drop it from a height of five metres. * I will record the time from when I drop it until it hits the floor, in addition to this I will note down the time when it starts spinning (terminal velocity). 2. I will repeat the test three times with one paperclip, then I will put two paperclips on and do the test three times, and finally I will place three paperclips on and repeat the test three times. I do this because it means that I get more accurate results. Safe/Fair Testing To make it a fair test I will: * Use the same helicopter each time so that the wingspan and weight are the same throughout. * Drop the helicopter from the same height (five metres). * Drop the helicopter from the inside so that there is no interference from the wind. * Try to make sure that the paperclips are about the same size and that they are roughly the same weight. To make it a safe experiment I will take the following precautions: * I will look before I drop the helicopter, so that it doesnt hit anybody. * I will be careful when using the scissors to cut out my helicopter. * I will follow the laboratory rules to avoid any accidents. Preliminary Experiment By doing this experiment I hope to find which helicopter I could use in my main investigation, by investigating wingspan. Secondly, I hope to find a suitable range of paperclips with in which to conduct my experiment. I will use the same T-shaped helicopter in this experiment, as I will in the actual test, to make my experiment fair. I will drop my helicopter from a height of five metres (same in actual experiment) and repeat it three times so that I get more accurate results. Results: Wing surface area (cm2) Average time to reach terminal velocity (S) 1 paperclip 4 paperclips 7 paperclips 10 0.83 1.09 1.42 20 0.64 0.74 1.29 30 0.49 0.67 1.21 40 0.57 0.72 1.18 50 0.56 0.79 1.26 Preliminary Conclusion From my preliminary experiment I can see that overall the best helicopter wingspan for my experiment is thirty cm2 and the best range of paperclips to have on the helicopter is between one paperclip and four paperclips. I chose these two factors because when using one or four paperclips the helicopter reached terminal velocity the quickest, the and when I used a wingspan of thirty cm2 it reached terminal velocity fastest. Results Number of paperclips Time when dropped (s) Time when helicopter reached terminal velocity (s) Average time when started to spin (s) Time when it hit the floor (s) Average time when it hit the floor (s) Terminal velocity (m/sec, 1 D.P) Average terminal velocity (m/sec, 1 D.P) 1 0 0.53 0.48 2.57 2.49 5.2 4.73 0 0.48 2.48 4.7 0 0.44 2.41 4.3 2 0 0.54 0.56 2.51 2.57 3.3 5.57 0 0.56 2.59 5.5 0 0.59 2.60 5.9 3 0 0.64 0.61 2.81 2.92 6.3 6.0 0 0.55 3.01 5.4 0 0.63 2.94 6.2 * The equation that I used when calculating the terminal velocity of the helicopter (the velocity when it began to spin) was V= u+at. In this experiment: * V was the final velocity, * u was the initial velocity, 0 * a was the acceleration, which was 9.81 msec-2 (2.d.p.), the acceleration of all things under the gravitational pull of earth in air at room temperature. * t was the time taken for the helicopter to begin spinning once it was dropped. Analysis The results of our experiment show that the helicopter reached terminal velocity (on average) earliest when it had 1 paperclip attached to it (0.48 seconds), and it reached terminal velocity latest (on average) when it had 3 paperclips attached to it (0.61 seconds). This is shown in the bar graph between the number of paperclips and the average time taken to reach terminal velocity. The scatter graph between the terminal velocity and the time taken to reach it shows that the greater the time taken to reach terminal velocity, the greater the terminal velocity. This follows the law V= u+at, as the greater the product of at (acceleration and time) the greater the velocity (in this case the terminal velocity). Since u is always 0 in our experiment, this does not influence the relationship between the time taken to reach terminal and terminal velocity. The scatter graph also shows that the larger the weight of the helicopter, the later it reaches terminal velocity and hence the greater the terminal velocity. However, this does not comply with Galileos theory, which follows what I predicted. This is possibly due to human error, although this is not definite, which means that it cannot be ascertained whether this totally supports my prediction. Evaluation The evidence found cant be trusted fully for its scientific merit as there is a large possibility that a substantial amount of human error was involved. The method itself has a lot of faults due to human error. These include, the delay when starting the stopwatch for when the helicopter starts to fall, when it starts spinning and when for when it finally reaches the floor. In addition to this, the height and angle from which the helicopter was dropped from was not constant throughout the investigation, due to the fact that when I was dropping it I had my arm at different angles and at slightly different heights. As you can see from my graph, the experiment I did with two paperclips was the most accurate because the error bars are very close together. The experiment I did with three paperclips was the least precise because the error bars are spread out more. Due to Galileos theory I cant single out the anomalies because Galileo says that there should be only one correct answer, however I cant tell which one it is. To stop this from happening again, I could make my results more accurate by using a stopwatch that went to more decimal places. I could also test a wider range of paperclips so that I would be testing from no paperclips at all, until I reached an amount of paperclips where the helicopter didnt have time to start spinning.

Employee Motivation Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee Motivation - Coursework Example The secret to Motivating Employees,† university management professor Adam Grant proposes an easy strategy to motivating employees for a healthy organizational framework: a brief contact with the beneficiary. With case studies as backbones, Grant proves to a certain extent how such kind of approach boosts employee productivity to a notch higher than usual. In one study in a call center, an agent was made to interact with a recipient of a school fundraising program (â€Å"Open Secret,† 2010). The agent was able to generate twice as much as sales. In another study at a community recreation center, the certain group of lifeguards who were liberated of their abilities to save lives has worked up to several more hours than the group who only learned about the personal rewards of the job (â€Å"Open Secret,† 2010). In these experiments, Grant proposes the need for a social-emotional link between the end-users and the workers which could actually titillate employee motiva tion at its peak. With a consistently motivated employee, it is a no-brainer that a business can run its course into the industry for a long time. Furthermore, he also proposes a customer-driven approach not merely for the benefit of the customers but also to mold the interpersonal relations of the employee which any individual needs.   Grant’s proposition is a psychological assertion in the same way the larger context of ‘motivation’ itself stands on a psychological platform. Psychologist Frederick Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory has been putting important stress on the effect of employee motivation on the overall performance of an organization. In this model, the motivators refer to achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, growth, and advancement (â€Å"Herzberg’s,† n.d.). By adding awareness about who benefits from their jobs, employees will learn the gravity of their social responsibility, the extent of their achievement, and to feel the nature of their work.  Ã‚  

Site Visit Report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Site Visit Report - Coursework Example The mosaics and marbles used in the building are representative of the different religions that ruled it. The changes that took place by different religions are reflective of the changing political situation of Turkey. Mosaics from different religions have been uncovered in the building. Many mosaics were covered by plaster since Muslims disliked representational form of architecture. There is a lot of Islamic calligraphy all over the dome. The Christian mosaics that have been uncovered show Christian scenes. The mosaics leave an impact on the visitor due to their details and fine workmanship. The building has a diameter of over 30 meters. It has a square format and a huge dome with spaces through which light streams in. Minarets and buttresses are present as well. Muslims prefer non-representational forms of architecture and so a lot of mosaics were destroyed (Mosaic Art Source Blog). The remaining ones are depictive of religious and royal pictures such as the one where Virgin Mary is being accompanied by Justinian and Constantine. Looking at the museum was a breath-taking experience for me. I was captivated by the mosaics. The thing that had the most impact on me was how both Christianity and Islam have come together under one roof in a world where religious extremism is rampant. It was built by Justinian in 532. It is named Basilica Cisterns because of it is located on an ancient Basilica, and is also known as Yerebatan Sarayi. The main purpose of constructing the building was to supply water for the Byzantine Palace. It has 336 columns, most of which are Corinthian or Doric style (Atlas Obscura). The building is located near the Byzantine Palace. It was built to overcome any water shortages for the people living in the Palace. To some degree, this tells us of how the rulers ensured that they lived a comfortable and luxurious life. There are two heads of medusa placed on

Can freedom be measured Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Can freedom be measured - Essay Example Can freedom be measured? In some fashion, it would appear so, as many organisations and institutions attempt to quantify freedom utilising various matrices founded on specific criteria which is intended to define freedom. However, the operational definition of what legitimately constitutes freedom, in a fashion that would satisfy the majority, has yet to be developed which makes freedom measurement difficult to justify using existing criteria in various quantitative or qualitative measurement instruments. Hanke and Walters (1997) sees freedom as being invariably linked with political factors, such as the presence of democratic systems within a state and individual wealth. With this in mind, in democratic structures, many nation states attempt to create capitalistic systems, an economic and social system where various economic assets are owned and managed by private individuals, where capital gains are allocated to private ownership, and where pricing is determined by private business with very limited regulation of these capital assets by dominating or oppressive political actors (Degen 2008). If we are to view freedom from an economic perspective, then freedom can most assuredly be measured statistically. An individual attempting to measure freedom could potentially examine the distribution of wealth within a nation and determine whether the majority of wealth is held within elite ruling regimes with considerable power and authority or whether these assets are controlled by the majo rity of a citizenry. Utilising graphic representations, it would illustrate whether this economy being evaluated maintains significant capitalistic tendencies, as compared to other nations where assets are controlled by government, to determine whether this society is freer than another. Of course, such a statistical measurement would be dependent on wealth as a

Nature Of Managerial Work Business Essay

Nature Of Managerial Work Business Essay The verb manage comes from the Italian maneggiare to handle especially tools, which in turn derives from the Latin manus (hand). The French word mesnagement (later mà ©nagement) influenced the development in meaning of the English word management in the 17th and 18th centuries.[1] Some definitions of management are: Organization and coordination of the activities of an enterprise in accordance with certain policies and in achievement of clearly defined objectives. Management is often included as a factor of production along with machines, materials and money. According to the management guru Peter Drucker (1909-2005), the basic task of a management is twofold: marketing and innovation. Directors and managers have the power and responsibility to make decisions to manage an enterprise when given the authority by the shareholders. As a discipline, management comprises the interlocking functions of formulating corporate policy and organizing, planning, controlling, and directing the firms resources to achieve the policys objectives. The size of management can range from one person in a small firm to hundreds or thousands of managers in multinational companies. In large firms the board of directors formulates the policy which is implemented by the chief executive officer. [edit] Theoretical scope At first, one views management functionally, such as measuring quantity, adjusting plans, meeting goals. This applies even in situations planning does not take place. From this perspective, Henri Fayol (1841-1925)[2] considers management to consist of six functions: forecasting, planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. He was one of the most influential contributors to modern concepts of management. Another way of thinking, Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933), defined management as the art of getting things done through people. She described management as philosophy.[3] Some people, however, find this definition useful but far too narrow. The phrase management is what managers do occurs widely, suggesting the difficulty of defining management, the shifting nature of definitions and the connection of managerial practices with the existence of a managerial cadre or class. One habit of thought regards management as equivalent to business administration and thus excludes management in places outside commerce, as for example in charities and in the public sector. More realistically, however, every organization must manage its work, people, processes, technology, etc. to maximize effectiveness. Nonetheless, many people refer to university departments which teach management as business schools. Some institutions (such as the Harvard Business School) use that name while others (such as the Yale School of Management) employ the more inclusive term management. English speakers may also use the term management or the management as a collective word describing the managers of an organization, for example of a corporation. Historically this use of the term was often contrasted with the term Labor referring to those being managed. [edit] Nature of managerial work In for-profit work, management has as its primary function the satisfaction of a range of stakeholders. This typically involves making a profit (for the shareholders), creating valued products at a reasonable cost (for customers) and providing rewarding employment opportunities (for employees). In nonprofit management, add the importance of keeping the faith of donors. In most models of management/governance, shareholders vote for the board of directors, and the board then hires senior management. Some organizations have experimented with other methods (such as employee-voting models) of selecting or reviewing managers; but this occurs only very rarely. In the public sector of countries constituted as representative democracies, voters elect politicians to public office. Such politicians hire many managers and administrators, and in some countries like the United States political appointees lose their jobs on the election of a new president/governor/mayor. [edit] Historical development Difficulties arise in tracing the history of management. Some see it (by definition) as a late modern (in the sense of late modernity) conceptualization. On those terms it cannot have a pre-modern history, only harbingers (such as stewards). Others, however, detect management-like-thought back to Sumerian traders and to the builders of the pyramids of ancient Egypt. Slave-owners through the centuries faced the problems of exploiting/motivating a dependent but sometimes unenthusiastic or recalcitrant workforce, but many pre-industrial enterprises, given their small scale, did not feel compelled to face the issues of management systematically. However, innovations such as the spread of Arabic numerals (5th to 15th centuries) and the codification of double-entry book-keeping (1494) provided tools for management assessment, planning and control. Given the scale of most commercial operations and the lack of mechanized record-keeping and recording before the industrial revolution, it made sense for most owners of enterprises in those times to carry out management functions by and for themselves. But with growing size and complexity of organizations, the split between owners (individuals, industrial dynasties or groups of shareholders) and day-to-day managers (independent specialists in planning and control) gradually became more common. [edit] Early writing While management has been present for millennia, several writers have created a background of works that assisted in modern management theories.[4] [edit] Sun Tzus The Art of War Written by Chinese general Sun Tzu in the 6th century BC, The Art of War is a military strategy book that, for managerial purposes, recommends being aware of and acting on strengths and weaknesses of both a managers organization and a foes.[4] [edit] Chanakyas Arthashastra Chanakya wrote the Arthashastra around 300BC in which various strategies, techniques and management theories were written which gives an account on the management of empires, economy and family. The work is often compared to the later works of Machiavelli. [edit] Niccolà ² Machiavellis The Prince Believing that people were motivated by self-interest, Niccolà ² Machiavelli wrote The Prince in 1513 as advice for the city of Florence, Italy.[5] Machiavelli recommended that leaders use fear-but not hatred-to maintain control. [edit] Adam Smiths The Wealth of Nations Written in 1776 by Adam Smith, a Scottish moral philosopher, The Wealth of Nations aims for efficient organization of work through Specialization of labor.[5] Smith described how changes in processes could boost productivity in the manufacture of pins. While individuals could produce 200 pins per day, Smith analyzed the steps involved in manufacture and, with 10 specialists, enabled production of 48,000 pins per day.[5] [edit] 19th century Classical economists such as Adam Smith (1723-1790) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) provided a theoretical background to resource-allocation, production, and pricing issues. About the same time, innovators like Eli Whitney (1765-1825), James Watt (1736-1819), and Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) developed elements of technical production such as standardization, quality-control procedures, cost-accounting, interchangeability of parts, and work-planning. Many of these aspects of management existed in the pre-1861 slave-based sector of the US economy. That environment saw 4 million people, as the contemporary usages had it, managed in profitable quasi-mass production. [edit] 20th century By about 1900 one finds managers trying to place their theories on what they regarded as a thoroughly scientific basis (see scientism for perceived limitations of this belief). Examples include Henry R. Townes Science of management in the 1890s, Frederick Winslow Taylors The Principles of Scientific Management (1911), Frank and Lillian Gilbreths Applied motion study (1917), and Henry L. Gantts charts (1910s). J. Duncan wrote the first college management textbook in 1911. In 1912 Yoichi Ueno introduced Taylorism to Japan and became first management consultant of the Japanese-management style. His son Ichiro Ueno pioneered Japanese quality assurance. The first comprehensive theories of management appeared around 1920. The Harvard Business School offered the first Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) in 1921. People like Henri Fayol (1841-1925) and Alexander Church described the various branches of management and their inter-relationships. In the early 20th century, people like Ordway Tead (1891-1973), Walter Scott and J. Mooney applied the principles of psychology to management, while other writers, such as Elton Mayo (1880-1949), Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933), Chester Barnard (1886-1961), Max Weber (1864-1920), Rensis Likert (1903-1981), and Chris Argyris (1923 ) approached the phenomenon of management from a sociological perspective. Peter Drucker (1909-2005) wrote one of the earliest books on applied management: Concept of the Corporation (published in 1946). It resulted from Alfred Sloan (chairman of General Motors until 1956) commissioning a study of the organisation. Drucker went on to write 39 books, many in the same vein. H. Dodge, Ronald Fisher (1890-1962), and Thornton C. Fry introduced statistical techniques into management-studies. In the 1940s, Patrick Blackett combined these statistical theories with microeconomic theory and gave birth to the science of operations research. Operations research, sometimes known as management science (but distinct from Taylors scientific management), attempts to take a scientific approach to solving management problems, particularly in the areas of logistics and operations. Some of the more recent[update] developments include the Theory of Constraints, management by objectives, reengineering, Six Sigma and various information-technology-driven theories such as agile software development, as well as group management theories such as Cogs Ladder. As the general recognition of managers as a class solidified during the 20th century and gave perceived practitioners of the art/science of management a certain amount of prestige, so the way opened for popularised systems of management ideas to peddle their wares. In this context many management fads may have had more to do with pop psychology than with scientific theories of management. Towards the end of the 20th century, business management came to consist of six separate branches, namely: Human resource management Operations management or production management Strategic management Marketing management Financial management Information technology management responsible for management information systems [edit] 21st century In the 21st century observers find it increasingly difficult to subdivide management into functional categories in this way. More and more processes simultaneously involve several categories. Instead, one tends to think in terms of the various processes, tasks, and objects subject to management. Branches of management theory also exist relating to nonprofits and to government: such as public administration, public management, and educational management. Further, management programs related to civil-society organizations have also spawned programs in nonprofit management and social entrepreneurship. Note that many of the assumptions made by management have come under attack from business ethics viewpoints, critical management studies, and anti-corporate activism. As one consequence, workplace democracy has become both more common, and more advocated, in some places distributing all management functions among the workers, each of whom takes on a portion of the work. However, these models predate any current political issue, and may occur more naturally than does a command hierarchy. All management to some degree embraces democratic principles in that in the long term workers must give majority support to management; otherwise they leave to find other work, or go on strike. Despite the move toward workplace democracy, command-and-control organization structures remain commonplace and the de facto organization structure. Indeed, the entrenched nature of command-and-control can be seen in the way that recent layoffs have been conducted with management ranks affected far less than employees at the lower levels. In some cases, management has even rewarded itself with bonuses after laying off level workers.[6] According to leading leadership academic Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries, its almost inevitable these days that there will be some personality disorders in a senior management team.[7]

Whitney Ottos How to Make an American Quilt and Norman Macleans A River Runs Through It :: American Quilt Otto River Runs Through Essays

Whitney Otto's How to Make an American Quilt and Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It Many times when I write it is difficult to locate a general theme, or even a clear and precise point. Too often, my papers seem to deviate from the intentional purpose stated in the introduction. The topic and primary idea need to be effectively introduced at the beginning so that the reader knows what to look for and what to expect. Many times, my writing consists of a solid introduction with a good idea, but it wanes as it nears the ending and the conclusion is not effective so as to remain consistent with the proper sequence of the sentence (2-3-1). The reader of my work must distinguish the most important point of the work, understanding the general theme, while remaining captivated by a consistently interesting paper. If a primary point exists, it needs to be expanded, emphasized, or supported. The work needs to remain interesting and captivating throughout. For the reader to infer my opinion on the subject matter, I must show approval or disapproval of it in some way. The resul ts of this personal critique correlate to 101 Dalmatians, 7th Heaven, How to Make an American Quilt written by Whitney Otto, and A River Runs Through It written by Norman Maclean. Each of these works contains a main point, a theme, and this is expanded, emphasized, or supported throughout the plot. The reader is abruptly introduced to the four texts at the beginning. In A River Runs Through It, Maclean introduces the setting and background of the story more effectively, but he still jumps into the plot by beginning with "In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing" (1). That first sentence serves as an introduction, yet it is not a typical beginning point. Otto, likewise, begins her novel with instructions; "You need a large wooden frame and enough space to accommodate it" (7). Even though these authors begin their stories by jumping into the plot, the authors do provide sufficient background serving to remove much of the abruptness. The prologues and introductions found in the books explain what is ahead in the plot; much the same way previews and commercials explain the direction of the plot in the television show and movie. The reader and viewer can anticipate the plot and its direction, making the first line a necessary bridge into the story ahea d.