Te Uku - wind farm project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Te Uku - wind farm project - Essay Example Networks that constructed the 33kV transmission line with a length of 25 kilometers in order to distribute electricity generated by the 28 wind turbines of the wind farm. Overall, the wind farm has a capacity of 64.4 MW coming from 28 turbines, with an average of 2.3MW of power from each turbine (Discover Te Uku, 2014). The Te Uku Wind Farm project in Waikato is very efficient in terms of energy production in supplying the area which it is supposed to supply with electrical power. Moreover, when it comes to sustainability, the assessment of environmental effects shows that the wind farm has mostly a neutral relationship with its surrounding flora, fauna and earth. However, in terms of its earthworks, the Te Uku Wind Farm project somehow falls short of some of the requirements of the RMA. Nevertheless, the company’s continued existence proves otherwise. Lastly, the economic value of the wind farm is that it has somehow provided so many jobs to workers. The Resource Management Act, or RMA, is the specific national policy or the aspect of the law that explains the laws that govern the establishment, maintenance and operations of certain projects, firms and infrastructures in New Zealand. Specifically, when it comes to the operation of wind turbines, wind farms do not actually qualify as â€Å"rural industries† because the term â€Å"rural industries† excludes the generation of electricity (Resource Management Act, 2007). Therefore, wind farms are known as a â€Å"Discretionary Activity† and may not comply with some of the standards of Permitted Activity as specified by the law (Resource Management Act, 2007). Nevertheless, the continuous operation of the Te Uku Wind Farm up to this day implies that its requirements as a discretionary activity have been complied with. The earthworks plans for the project have also been considered questionable by virtue of the provisions of the Resource Management Act, but the fact that the wind farm operates until now somehow

Video game console and Pg Essay Example for Free

Video game console and Pg Essay The Attractiveness of the Console Video Game Industry (Porter 5 Forces) Suppliers (Medium to Low) Suppliers include Foxconn Precision Components, IBM etc. for chip manufacturing, product assembly, video game creators, and content providers. Each supplier would provide a small piece of the complete product and as such bargaining power would be low (pg. 282). Buyers (Low) Buyers consisted of various retailers that carry the product and would vary in bargaining strength depending on their size. From the sheer number of retailers that carry the product along with the global presence of the major competitors in the industry there is no single retailer in a position to exert any significant level of power. Substitute Products (Medium) Direct substitutes for the console video game industry are personal computers, arcade machines, and handheld game devices which vie for consumer spending (pg. 279). These substitutes are near in cost and provide no switching costs aside from their price. Combined with the presence of a large number of near substitutes vying for entertainment expenditures there is a threat from substitute products. Threat of New Entrants (Low) Large capital investments, distribution channels, technological complexities and other critical factors within the game console industry would be barriers for new entrants. Also the creation of an assortment of games and accessories would bring down the threat of new entrants even further as this would be a huge obstacle to overcome. Rivalry among Competing Sellers (High) Rivalry within the video game console industry would be high. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo would â€Å"battle for market supremacy† (pg. 275). This battle would weaken differentiation by competitors developing products that were technologically superior and more powerful than the offering of rivals (pg. 283). This benchmarking lead to price wars by competitors squeezing profit margins and limiting market share gains (pg. 281). Conclusion With the recession making 2009 sales decline to $382. 6 million from $617. 3 million in 2008 (pg.283) and with the overall assessment of the five forces the video game console industry would not be attractive. This accompanied by the high risk technological complexities and the increased intensity of competition the industry would be considerably unappealing. Success in the Game Console Manufacturing Industry The 3 – 4 critical success factors are: 1. 2. 3. 4. Advancement in Technology Price and Strategy Research and Development Quality and Innovation of Gaming Accessories (ex. Games, remotes, etc. ) a) Distinctive Resources/Capabilities Leverage by Nintendo: 1. Differentiating the User Interface and Remote Value There is a high value in Nintendo’s ability to differentiate its product offering in comparison to Microsoft and Sony as it allows Nintendo to appeal to a new market segment which included people who did not generally play video games (pg. 281). This value is best shown with Nintendo’s dominance in unit sales for 2009 (exhibit 4, 5, and 6). Rarity The user interface and remote was rare as Nintendo was the first to bring together a Bluetoothactivated wireless controller which provided gamers with a wide range of motion capabilities (pg. 280). This new ability harnessed by Nintendo allowed users, â€Å"to physically interact with the virtual world, significantly changing the experience of video gaming (pg. Pg. 280). † Imitability Patent protection would protect this technology from being duplicated, but the remote capability and interface could be substituted by competitors. In fact, Microsoft and Sony had announced intentions to create a variety of ways for their consumers to interact with games on their systems (pg. 287). (Temporary Competitive Advantage) 2. Marketing Strategy Innovation Value (Temporary Competitive Advantage) This is of high value as it would allow Nintendo to appeal to a larger market and create an infinite possibility for profitable growth (pg. 281). Also, since this new segment did not require technological complexities and hyper realistic graphics (pg. 281) Nintendo was able to cut down drastically on costs and have a profit margin of an estimated $50US per unit where Sony took a loss of around $250US per unit sold (pg. 284). Rarity This was rare as Nintendo was attempting to target new customers rather than fighting with competitors for old ones (pg. 283). Its overall rarity would be explained by Brian O’Rourke as he states, â€Å"Microsoft and Sony spend a lot of time developing cutting edge technology. Nintendo is not a technology company it is a toy company. It is not interested in bleeding edge electronics and graphics (pg. 284). † Imitability This marketing strategy could be duplicated by Sony or Microsoft. This is possible by the competing firms leveraging into new ways for its consumers to interact with its consoles as both companies have shown intentions to pursue the casual gamer market (pg. 287). Organization for both Resources Nintendo was able to leverage these capabilities by bringing together the company’s research, innovation, technology and functionality (pg. 280). The organization was also able to leverage its success within the DS, and interactive games like Duck Hunt and Track and Field (pg. 281) while focusing on differentiating. b) Resources and Capabilities Leveraged by the Competition: Sony Technology and Innovation Value There is great value in developing faster and more advanced consoles. As this allows Sony to secure consumer interest and market share by being able to provide a more realistic gaming experience (pg.275). Rarity A focus in technological development is fairly unique although it is a capability pursued by two of the three main competitors in the industry: Sony and Microsoft, and so is not very rare. (pg. 275) Imitability The development of technology would be made easier by the experience that Sony had in the research and development of earlier models. This would create time compression diseconomies as competitors attempt to develop similar advancements. (Temporary Competitive Advantage) Microsoft Building a Successful Community with Xbox Live (Temporary Competitive Advantage) Value This was valuable as Xbox utilized various PC features. These features included a broadband connection and memory storage which connected Xbox players all over the world (pg. 283). The value to the consumer was the online voice chat, opportunity to download new video game content, and the ability to play multiplayer games over broadband (pg. 286). Rarity Neither Sony nor Nintendo had an established online gaming community. In fact, this was one of Microsoft’s biggest differentiating factors to its competitor’s (pg. 285). Although it had been tried before this would still be considered rare as currently within the marketplace no other competitor had the capability. Imitability The idea was imitable as it could be substituted. Xbox themselves substituted Dream casts online initiatives with Xbox Live. The advantage Xbox had was the ability to leverage advances in both technology and social trends (pg. 283). However it would not be able to be duplicated do to patent and copy right laws. Is This a Blue Ocean Strategy Yes this is a blue ocean strategy as Nintendo was able to give players the ability to physically interact with a virtual world, thus changing Nintendo’s direction to an undetected marketplace. This change was more compelling to consumers who had never considered buying video game consoles before (pg. 280). In fact, Nintendo was able to simplify its consoles design and focus less on hyper realistic graphics saving money and also attracting individuals who didn’t ordinarily play video games (pg. 281). Even the name Wii was created to emphasize that this console â€Å"was for everyone,† which went into a completely different direction then current industry rivals (pg. 281). This strategy moved Nintendo into a larger and more diverse market while giving them a large increase in sales and in profit margins. Marking Scheme 5 FORCES: 28/30 Overall this section is extremely well done. The analysis is clear, succinct and supported. VRIO: 30/35 For the most part the analysis is well done, organized, clear and supported. For Nintendo’s inimitability consider issues like time compression, path dependence and first mover advantages. I’m not sure if it is a clarity issue or requires further explanation as the features you have mentioned for the Xbox are for the most part offered by the Playstation 3.There is a possible rarity argument though. Well Done. BLUE OCEAN: 10/10 This section was extremely well explained. MECHANICS: 23/25 There is minimal writing issues present. For example, â€Å"The user interface and remote was rare as Nintendo was the first to bring together a Bluetooth-activated wireless controller which provided gamers with a wide range of motion capabilities (pg. 280). † Change to â€Å"were† as the plural version should be used after the compound subject. Overall an outstanding job! TOTAL: 91/100.

The Hotel Industry Of United Arab Emirates Tourism Essay

The Hotel Industry Of United Arab Emirates Tourism Essay First of all we will be analyzing the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE) using Industry Life Cycle Model. Then after deciding the stage in which the industry is, we will be analyzing the threats and opportunities associated with the industry using Michael Porters Five Forces model. Then after deciding the threats and opportunities respectively, we will be deciding the business level strategies that will be best for our growth and development. This selection of business level strategy will be on the basis of Michael Porters Generic Business-Level Strategies. Then we will be analyzing the areas that can prove to be our strength and then we will be deciding the functional strategies accordingly. The selection of the functional strategies will be according to the Value Chain Model. After that we will be having the internal analysis of our capabilities in order to mark our presence in the industry. Then the suitable business model will be proposed according to the resources avai lable and constraints. Further we would be focusing on our mission, vision and our goals and finally the conclusion. 2. External Analysis: Industry Life Cycle: The life cycle of an industry is very similar to a persons life cycle. Just as a person takes birth, then grows, matures and finally dies, similarly the industry also experiences such phases. The various stages of industry life cycle are: i. Early  Stages Phase   It is the first stage when any industry comes up. The main focus is this phase is design of the product i.e. the different firms try to attract as many customers as possible to create the domain and boundaries of the industry. ii. Innovation Phase In this phase the main focus is on the process design rather than on the product design. The competitors try to sustain the customers by providing attractive services or adopting creative processes. This phase also helps in designing energy efficient practices. iii. Cost or Shakeout Phase   Here the dominance of the major players in the industry is clearly shown. The established firms force the smaller players to leave the industry by acquiring them or by achieving economies of scale which makes it difficult for a smaller firm to survive in the market. iv. Maturity   Once the industry is established the focus shifts from growth to market share. Companies try to earn as much profit as they can. Market share becomes the main attraction for a company. v. Decline   After seeing the happy days, the industry has to face this phase also. There comes a significant decline in the sales of the firms, they no longer are able to attract new customers but also the older customers are also decreasing. The hotel industry in UAE is in its maturity phase definitely. A number of facts and figures support this. UAE is being famous for organizing a number of events (sport events, trade fairs, business meetings etc.) due to its profound infrastructure and world class facilities in terms of transportation, hospitality. This has attracted a large number of people from countries all over the world including Europe, Asia, and America for the last many years. Definitely this is possible when there is an established Hotel Industry having world class facilities in UAE. Dubai has also been voted as one of the top ten desirable places to be visited by the people all over the world. This clearly shows that the hotel industry in United Arab Emirates is established and is in a healthy state. It has been estimated that about 500,000 new staff will be required in the hotel industry in UAE over the next five years. Thus hotel industry will help in the economic development of UAE as it will be providing employment to a large number of people in the upcoming years. Also a handsome amount of foreign currency will be earned that will further help in the development of United Arab Emirates. Michael Porter Competitive Forces model analysis: The threat of the entry of new competitors: Since the hotel industry is an established industry in UAE there is very little threat for any established player from new entrants. On the other hand it is definitely a challenging task for a new entrant to enter and keep the pace up with the already established players, as they have an upper hand in adopting new strategies. Thus for a new entrant in the Hotel Industry in UAE it is better to enter through merger or acquisition with an already famous brand name. Alternatively in order to survive, the new entrant can come up with some innovative idea that has not been implemented by the existing players. In terms of legal issue, there is no major barrier being established by the law and regulations. However there are laws when a new player (including foreign player) wants to enter the industry. The intensity of competitive rivalry: Definitely there is a very strong competition among the established rivals like Burj Al Arab, Sheraton Dubai Creek, and Dubai 7 Star Hotel etc. Thus this is definitely a threat for a new entrant as the customer loyalty is one of the major factors in the hotel industry. The customers prefer to stick to the hotels they used to visit unless and until some other hotel is providing something exceptional. Thus this can be considered a major threat because even if a new player is able to make entry in the industry, it will be very difficult for him to survive in such a competitive environment. The threat of substitute products or services: The threat of substitute products or services is somewhat low in this case as the substitutes of hotels and restaurants cannot be much. The alternatives will again be some hotels with different specialties or features that make it stand alone from the rest. Thus it can be considered to be an opportunity for any new player as UAE is organizing a number of events in 2011 and subsequent years. Some of these events are Dubai International Parachuting Championship and Gulf Cup, Dubai trade fair and conference, Dubai Shopping Festival etc. This will attract a large number of people to Dubai. Thus it can be considered as an opportunity for a new entrant as well. The bargaining power of customers (buyers): Here in UAE customers do have the bargaining power with them as there are a large number of hotels with similar facilities available. The customers can anytime switch to another hotel whenever they feel dissatisfied with a particular hotel. Thus bargaining power of customers can prove to be a threat for a new entrant. The bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers comes into light when there are many buyers or customers for the product they produce or they are limited number of suppliers of a particular item. Here in the Hotel Industry the suppliers can be the real decorators, real state builders, raw material suppliers, crockery suppliers etc. There are a large number of suppliers of all these basic requirements. Thus the suppliers do not have a very significant bargaining power and hence do not provide much threat to the Hotel Industry in United Arab Emirates. Thus some of the forces of the Michael Porters model appear to be a threat for a new entrant whereas others provide opportunities and new prospects for the new entrants. 3. Business- Level Strategy Michael Porter has laid down several Generic Business-Level Strategies to neutralize the threats and at the same time exploit the available opportunities. He has basically categorized the Business- Level Strategies in basically three broad heads. These are used by different business people to have a competitive advantage over others. The three categories are Cost Leadership strategy, Differentiation Strategy and Focus Strategy. The strategies are based on two dimensions: namely strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope is a dimension that is based on the demand whereas strategic strength is a dimension based on the supply side. Strategic scope deals with the composition and the size of the targeted market whereas strategic strength looks at the core competency of the business. Cost Leadership strategy: This strategy aims at producing the products and services at the minimum possible rate. Then the firm sells its products at either the average market price or sometimes even less than the average market price. Selling at average price helps a firm to make profits while selling at a price even less than the average price helps a firm to acquire market share. The cost leadership strategy is applied in a wide market where there are a large number of buyers and sellers. The cost leadership is achieved by improving the efficiency of the various processes involved, by acquiring the materials at a lower rate, vertical integration and minimizing the wastage. Here in the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE) outperforming the established players on the basis of price is definitely a very challenging task because all the major hotels are into existence for a very long time. Thus they know how to deal or change strategies. Thus for a new hotel venture cost leade rship is quite difficult to achieve and can only be implemented with some new innovative plans. Differentiation Strategy: This strategy focuses on developing unique products and providing unique services. This allows business firms to decide their own prices which can be more than that what is charged by the competitors. This helps the firm to capture a large market share and that too with making handsome profits. Here in the Hotel Industry, product differentiation strategy can play a crucial role in making a hotel distinguish from others. Thus a new entrant can come up with a differentiation strategy that will make him stand distinguished from others. The new entrant can specialize in particular area, this will him to attract the customers. c) Focus Strategy: This strategy focuses on a narrow aspect that is either on differentiation or on the cost advantage. The new entering Hotel should better focus on a narrow segment of the industry. This will help in gaining the new loyal customers as the services being provided to them will be better. The firms having focus strategy are likely to have lower market share as they are targeting a particular section of the industry initially. Thus the new Hotel entering in UAE hotel industry should initially focus on a particular section of the industry and should then expand itself. Thus it will be best for the entering Hotel to adopt differentiation strategy as it will attract the customers. 4. Functional-Level Strategies Michael Porters Value Chain Model divides the activities at either support activities or primary activities. The primary activities include: Inbound logistics: It includes transportation scheduling, storing, inventory control etc. These are basically the requirements that are necessary for the production of any product or service. Operations (production): It includes assembling, packaging, maintenance of equipment, testing and packaging. These are associated with all the process from product (service) design, manufacturing, quality testing. Outbound logistics: It includes all those areas which are required to transfer the finished goods to the customer like warehouses. The manufactured products are transferred from the store of the company to the warehouse or store of the retailer so that he can further transfer the goods to the customers. Marketing and sales (demand): The activities covered in this step are the product value enhancing techniques like advertising, promotion, pricing, selling. Depending on the aim or objective of the organization the money spent on marketing strategy can vary significantly from a very small amount to very large budgets. Services (maintenance): It includes services like customer support, selection, management, training, upgrading etc. Some of the services can be on-site while in some the customer is required to come at the office of the organization itself. The support activities include: Administrative infrastructure management: Includes planning management, accounting, public affairs, quality management etc. Human resource management: The activities being focused here are related to the human labor management like recruiting, educating, compensating, Technology (RD): Focuses on the involvement of technology to support the activities of value chain, like process automation, process up gradation etc. Procurement: Activities related to procurement of items like raw materials, servicing, spare parts, machines etc are covered in this. Therefore the smart selection of the primary and support activities for the Hotel entrant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hotel industry becomes very crucial. The one of the most important activity here for new entrant in the Hotel Industry is a proper selection of the Human work force as it plays a very significant role in this industry. A proper selection of Hotel managers, chefs, workers will help to attain new heights easily. Another important activity includes a very effective management which includes planning, organizing, leading and controlling of the workforce. This management plays a significant role in reducing the cost associated with any service provided by the hotel. The other primary activity that should be given appropriate focus is the services that are being offered that are aimed by the Hotel entering in UAE hotel industry. The services should be such that the consumers feel completely satisfied. The use of technology can ease the work of hotel management departm ent. Some of the work that can be easily managed with use of technology is the maintenance of a database system providing information regarding the rooms occupied, employee database, the information regarding the people coming to the hotel, automated billing system etc. This will help the hotel to provide quality and fast services which will further help the managers to focus their attention on other tasks as well. A proper strategy for the advertising of the hotel is also very important because that is something that will force the customers to leave their regular hotels and try the new one. Thus a proper and adequate amount of resources should be dedicated for the marketing purpose.    5. Internal analysis: The various capabilities for the new entrant (including having technologically advanced management, proper procurement, advertising, focused perspective etc.) can be a real bliss for the new entrant. For instance if the new hotel which is coming up in the industry has a proper planning of how to implement the automated system in all the activities (maintaining database of employees and customers, billing etc), it will be much easier for it to implement as compared to an existing hotel as its system has been designed in that way for many years and it will be difficult to shift to the technology. Other capability of the new Hotel that cannot be easily copied by the competitor is the innovative interior design of the rooms, reception, dining hall and other outdoor structures like swimming pools, lawns, parking etc. These better designs cannot be immediately imitated by the competitors because the change will require the redesigning and reconstruction which in itself is definitely a time taking process. Also the specialization in a particular type of food or beverages cannot be immediately copied by other rivals because for that new workers and chefs are required to be recruited which by any means is not an easy task. Also, as UAE is organizing a lot many events in the upcoming years a lot many tourists will come to UAE therefore having a proper advertising plan (online, magazines, newspaper, hoardings etc) will also be very beneficial for the new hotel. Also the hotel can provide some attractive packages like free city tour, or some discount on the hotel rates and food rates. This will help the hotel to make a beginning in the industry where already there are a number of established hotels like Burj Al Arab, Le Royal Meridien Resort, etc. 6. Business Model: The various components of a perfect business model are: Value proposition It is a complete picture of the problem of the customer, the process or the method that should be used to solve that problem and the values that should be taken into account while actually solving the problem. Here in UAE hotel industry the problem or objective is the hotel services to the customers. The process involved in providing those services includes clean and maintenance of the hotel, proper food facilities, proper lightning and water supply in the rooms. Market segment This component selects which segment of the market should be targeted according to the need or requirements in the market and then selecting which customers to target, so that the firm can acquire a large proportion of the market. Also focus on different segments of the market help the organization to create innovative processes as different strategies have to be adopted in different areas. The hotel industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also divided into a number of segments. Sometimes need for expensive hotels come while at some other time cheap hotels may be in demand. Generally the expensive hotels are in demand for arranging business meetings whereas cheaper hotels may be preferred during some fair. Value chain structure It evaluates the position of the firm in the industry and how can the firm capture a major part of the value created by the firm. It can be a very important factor in the deciding that which hotel has how much share of the market and how the new entrant can vary its plans in order to capture the same. Revenue generation and margins This figures out the ways in which the revenue can be generated. The different steps could be support, sales, annual subscription etc. The firm always tries to maximize the revenue generated by the operation of the firm like selling products, or providing services. Here the upcoming hotel will try to find out the areas where the revenue generation possibilities exist. It is basically the exploration of the market areas which are still unexplored by the other competitors. Position in value network In this step the complementary firms and industries are identified. These complementary firms also need to be as competitive because since both industries are interdependent they need to be moving at the same pace. This will help in deciding that which hotels will be rivals and which other industries are must for the existence and the progress of the hotel industry. Competitive strategy Making profits only for the one time is not the motive of any firm. Every firm tries to sustain its profits making processes over larger time so as to prosper at a regular pace so that they can be at par with the major rivals. The new hotel will try not only to make one time profit, but the profits margin should increase steadily with time. The business models itself are very important factor in the success and profits of an organization. Thus the implementation of the above mentioned steps in a pre decided sequence is very important for the progress of a new hotel like us. We intend to enter the hotel industry of UAE by first opening a hotel and then expanding it as a chain in all the Emirates of Arab while at the same time providing the world class facilities in terms of hospitality, infrastructure, recreation, food, service and all the areas that befall under a hotel. As far as the business model is concerned we would mainly focus on the differentiation strategy that will attract the loyal customers of other hotels as well as the new customers also. This differentiation strategy includes all those things that are not focused by the established hotel names in United Arab Emirates. The functional strategies include adoption of a proper procurement process, effective management of all the resources (human, material etc), and moreover a separately focused advertising plan to spread to whole of UAE. As far as the core or the distinct competencies are considered, our main focus will be on the quality of service to the customers. We will be having the qualified managers and workers and most of them having past experience. This will help us serve the customers in a better way. 7. Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals: Our mission is to make an impressive entry in the Hotel Industry of the United Arab Emirates with quality customer service as our priority. It also includes attracting the tourists that will be arriving in UAE to attend events like Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai International Parachuting Championship and Gulf Cup, Dubai trade fair and conference and many more. First of all we look forward to come up with a single but unique Hotel in the industry. As far as our vision is concerned we hope to have a chain of hotel all over the Emirates of Arab and become a famous name in the Hotel Industry of UAE. We value the customer as our main area of focus because customer satisfaction plays a very important role in long term run. Also our employees are a big asset for us and hence we value their satisfaction as one of our other priority. Without proper human resources it is not possible to survive in this industry. Our goal is to provide the tourist all the facilities that can ever think of. Some of these include providing best possible service, providing as many types of food types that can be possible, proper hospitality so that the tourists coming from all over the world should feel like A home away from home. 8. Conclusion Based on all the above mentioned strategies and plans we expect to make significant progress both in the short as well as the long term. Although we know that are a number of established players in the market which have their presence in every single area of the area, but we are quite positive about are plans and the strategies. It may be a bit difficult in the initial startup but the things will definitely work our way once we get a start. Also the initial profits may be somewhat less but in the long run we will definitely be able to outperform the existing major players. Our main focus as already mentioned above will be the Customer Satisfaction that will become an asset for us in the sustainable growth and development in the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE). This will help us in attracting the local as well as foreign visitors, tourists, business delegates etc to our hotel. Therefore the prospects of making huge success are quite bright, thus a properly planned and eff ective implementation of the strategies decided above will help us to achieve new heights in the Hotel Industry of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Diagrams: 1.Porters Generic Business Strategies: E:documentsgeneric-strategies-porters-mbaknol.jpg 2. Porters Five Forces ModelE:documentsPorter_Five_Forces1.jpg.png 3. The Value Chain Model E:documentsporter-value-chain.png 4. Business Model: E:documentsbusinessModel.jpg

Free Automated Essay Writer :: Automated Essay Writer

The new and improved Automated Essay Writer automatically writes your assignment, essays, articles, research papers for you. All you need to do is enter your assignment requirements and the Automated Essay Writer will present you with a unique and original essay within just few seconds. The only problem is that it has not yet been developed. Until the day we have finally perfected the Automated Essay Writer, one must be able to express themselves in writing if they wish to participate in the modern world. One of the first steps in mastering the ability of self-expression is to learn how to write a simple essay. What is an essay? Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary (2nd ed.) defines an essay as â€Å"a short literary composition dealing with a single subject, usually from a personal point of view and without attempting completion.† Kathleen McWhorter, author of The Writer’s Express, defines an essay as â€Å"a group of paragraphs about one subject.† Aldous Huxley called the essay â€Å"a literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything.† As you might have guessed from these passages, the essay may take many forms. Most of the essays you will write during your college career, however, will be what are known as persuasive (or argumentative) essays. A persuasive essay takes a position on a topic and attempts to prove that position. Structure of a persuasive essay A persuasive essay usually consists of the following three parts: 1. The introduction starts with a fairly general opening statement which introduces readers to your topic (or subject) and gradually narrows to a specific thesis. The thesis, or thesis statement, tells the reader what you are going to say about your topic. Thesis statements often come at the end of the introductory paragraph. This movement from the general to the specific is referred to as a funnel paragraph. 2. The body is made up of the paragraphs which support your thesis. These paragraphs contain the evidence, arguments, and examples that support your thesis. 3. The conclusion starts with a summary of the specific points of your essay, followed by a restatement of your thesis (usually in a slightly reworded form), and ends with a rather general statement about the implications of your thesis. This movement from the specific to the general is just the opposite of that in the introduction, and is known as an inverted funnel. Writing the essay 1. Choosing a topic

Understand How to Create Inclusive Learning in Lifelong Learning

|Unit Number: |CU3813: Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships in LL | |Summary/Introduction: |The roles and responsibilities of a teacher in the sector of a lifelong learning are the key relationship | | |between the learner and the teacher, the teacher is endeavoured to treat each learner has an individual, | | |practising equality and diversity among the learners always.Having effectiveness of a good communication skill,| | |and the importance of self-evaluation and feedback. The use of the training circle and the Learning Styles | | |(VAK). The completion of attendance records, induction of learner for the course to identify their learning | | |style, which would, helps a teacher to plan the session more effectively, to be able to know the learners | | |learning styles, a learning styles test or skill scan needs to be carried out on the learner.After obtain the | | |learning style, boundaries and ground rules are established between learner and teacher to know their limit. | | |Having a duty of care for the learner, carrying out a one-one feedback with learners where needs arise. | | |Maintaining a record of the learners’ progress.Referring learners to others when necessary. Be aware of the | | |different types of levels of learning, the need of a good verbal skill, intellectual skill, cognitive strategies| | |and a good attitude towards the learners and the organisation. |Learning Outcome 1: |Understand own role and responsibilities in LL | |AC 1: | Aspects of Legislation and code of practice are: | |Summarise key aspects of |Equal opportunities 2000: | |legislation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. |Learners must be treated as individual regardless of their gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, | | |sex, civil partnership, age.Treating each learner fairly and according to their needs. Rights for learner to be| | |able to attend and participate in any session. These differences create productive environments where everyone | | |feels valued, talent s are fully utilised and organisational goals are met. | | |Data Protection act: | | |Processing of learners information to be kept under confidentiality, not to be disclosed to another party. | |Personal data must be accurate and kept up to date where necessary. Personal data shall be processed in | | |accordance with the right of the data under the act 1998. | | |Health and safety act 1974: | | |The responsibility to be able to protect yourself and all others around you, who may be affected, Learners are | | |entitled to learn in a safe environment.And be aware of rights as an employee to the employer. | | | | |AC 2: |Responsibilities in promoting equalities and valuing diversity; always treat the learner has an individual with | |Analyse own responsibility in |different needs and abilities, each learner is entitled to be treated with adequate respect and dignity, | |promoting equality and valuing |ensuring equal support to all learners and no favouritism, ensuring equal access o pportunities to learners to | |diversity. |fully participate in the learning process.Ensuring the policies, procedures and processes are not | | |discriminating. Learners may come to an educational organisation and therefore act differently in this | | |environment from the way they would at school, all must be treated and according to various needs. Teacher has | | |to be Honest, not to say you don’t know something, but better to say I will find out, communicating effectively;| | |involving learner activity and listening to what they have to say.Giving constructive and positive feedback | | |(University of Edinburgh). | |AC 3: | Areas of work: Health and Social care. Roles of learning are; Preparing the material according to the syllabus,| |Evaluate own role and |Following ethics and values, keeping records of learners’ progress, carrying our one to one feedback/tutorials | |responsibilities in lifelong |with learners.Maintaining confidentiality and a positive learnin g experience. Applying lifelong learning skills| |learning. |obtained, Developing skills by outdating and regularly. When applied to benefit the organisation goals, e. g. | | |Customer service, good telephone manner, be a people person, listening and customer satisfaction been met. | | |Identify needs and deficits, working towards it. Gram training| | |PowerPoint) | |AC 4: | The organisation must provide a syllabus to use, to develop the course content on the subject to be taught, the| |Review own role and |learners needs should start from skill scan, induction/interviews, to be able to identify their styles, needs, | |responsibilities in identifying|and potentials.And be able to identify the level of assessment they are able to learn. Set a time with | |and meeting the needs of |organisation to review the learning plan, with this learning plan to set a target with supervisor, keeping | |learners. |records (portfolio) of the life long learning, having a mentor to meet regularly. Kn owing your learning styles,| | |to be able to identify weakness and strengths and devise a plan on how to improve it.This plan has to be | | |measurable, realistic and achievable, Facilitating learning in a conducive environment, been a facilitator makes| | |learning enjoyable for the learner. ( Gravells A Simpson S 2008) | |Learning Outcome 2: |Understanding the relationships between teachers and other professionals in Lifelong Learning. |AC 1:Analyse the boundaries |Every organisation has professional boundaries within to work, and it’s a tutor duty to abide by the | |between the teaching role and |organisation rules, been. Unprofessional. i. e.. been too familiar with the learner. In the teaching role, | |other professional roles |ground rules are made and all learners are required to work within it, its makes the learner to know their | | |limit, their routine and be organised.In adult learning there are responsibilities to learning by them self, | | |learning by observat ion, discovery, evidence-based and trial by error. Contract is drawn between learner and | | |teacher, which could consist of a learning duration of 12 weeks, 1years etc. A module is followed, either theory| | |based or practical or combined. Ability and competences is required. Belbin 1996) | |AC 2: Review points of referral|Individual learning: teaching on a one-one basis, learner may respond differently then when learning within a | |to meet the needs of learners |group. A learner can be referred to another professional, if learning needs are not met in the one-one | | |learning. When learners are not responding to teaching, or the resources been used are not fully utilised. | |Explaining to learner that the other professional is more specialised in the learners learning styles. | | |(Daines JW 2006) | |AC3:Evaluate own |As a teacher working, within a value base organisation with a code of professional practice, set by an external | |responsibilities in relation to|body. hen teac hing value must be added to get a good outcome, remaining professional and retain self respected,| |other professionals |been passionate about the course been taught, Helping to motivate the learners and their learning experiences,| | |not only are they learning the subject but, they are also observing the way the teacher is been conducted, | | |composed, dresses, responds to feedback and support them. Identifying their needs, planning, designing, | | |facilitating, and evaluating their learning plan and styles. Reece, walker, 2007) (Gravells, Simpson | | |2008) | |Learning Outcome 3: |Understand own responsibility for maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment | |AC 1:Explain how to establish |Suitable/Safe learning environment; | |and maintain a safe and |Preparing the presentation in advance. | |supportive learning environment|Setting up the room according to delivery method. | |Ensuring the venue has accessible facilities, (toilets, refreshments areas, fire exit and evacuation procedures,| | |and ventilated room). | | |Considering flexible breaks and other individual needs are met, informing learner how long the break is. | | |Informing learners the importance of learning and how what they are learning has value and meaning, giving | | |precise targets of the subject and summarising occasionally. | |Making learning interactive, by giving groups discussions, role-play. | | |Introducing yourself, and getting to know your learner by name. | | |Informing learner on any useful resource material they might need. | | |Making special requirement is any of the learners has Disabilities. | | |(Learning and skills network lsneducation. org. k) | |AC 2:Explain how to promote |Appropriate behaviour between learner and teacher must be addressed immediately with the learner, informing the | |appropriate behaviour and |learner of the ground rules and boundaries and the reasons for instigating the rules, for the learners to know | |respect for others |their li mits. Learners should be engaged in an activity relating to the session to avoid boredom and class | | disruption. group discussions or role play among one another make the learner more interactive and focus, having| | |a one-one session with them to improve working as a team and good feedback being professional always, whatever | | |the feedback good or bad. Having a positive approach towards the learner and self, not losing temper at the | | |learner staying in a relaxed and positive manner. National programme for specialists of behaviour and | | |attendance) | | |(Wallace 2007) | |Evaluation: |What Have I learnt? | |The use of Planning in advance all materials needed, Identifying the needs of the learner, Facilitating the | | |learners learning styles; giving clear and precise instruction and summarising the subject regularly, | | |encouraging the learner to ask questions, treating each of the learners has individuals.Assessing the learners | | |at the end of the session or duri ng the session, to ensure they have learnt the knowledge and skills. Feedback| | |from the learners to ensure how to deliver next sessions. Taking into account equality, entitlements, | | |inclusively and diversity of all learners, always having a positive and professional attitude, most importantly | | |Listening to learner, having eye contact.Making sure the Aim of teaching is delivered and reflected on the | | |sessions to develop future delivery. | |Bibliography |What text have I researched or used to answer the assessment criteria? | | |Books | | |Berlin M, Team Roles at work, (1996) | | |Gravells A, Simpson S, Planning andEnabling in the Lifelong Learning Sector, Learning Matters. (2008). | | |Daines JW, Adult Learning, Adult Teaching, (2006) | | |Reece I, Walker S, Teaching, Training and Learning, (2007) | | |Wallace S, Achieving QTLS: Teaching, tutoring and training in the Lifelong Learning Sector, 3rd edition. (2007). | |Gram Training, PowerPoint (Handout), July (2012) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Websites | | |City & Guilds – www. cityandguilds. com | | |City & Guilds 7303 – www. anqdevelopment. co. uk | | |Educational sites and resources – www. support4learning. org. uk | | |Learning and Skills Network – www. lsneducation. org. k | | |National Programme for specialists of Behaviour and Attendance – www. teachernet. gov. uk | | |University of Edinburgh – www. ed. ac. uk | | |GSS Training – www. gsslimited. co. uk | | |Ask Jeeves – www. ask. com | | | |

Do Male Nurses Make More Money

Do Male Nurses Make More Money We know a wag gap exists throughout the business world, and that the fight for equal pay is super important. But does this happen in the nursing field? Surely if a male and a female nurse, with the same experience and education, are working in the same job, they must make the same money, right? Wrong. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), female RNs made a median weekly salary of $1,011 in 2008, while male RNs made $1,168. That doesn’t look like a huge difference, but remember to multiply that by 52. The gap begins to widen.Turns out, female nurses make 86.6 percent of what their male counterparts are making. Is this just because they make higher hourly wages? Yes and no. Male nurses typically have the advantage coming straight out of school. They make up 6% of the nursing workforce, but tend to be better represented in the more specialized, high paying sectors of the field.Almost half of CRNAs (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) are men, and making signific antly more than floor nurses, the vast majority of whom are women. This is mostly because becoming a CRNA requires a master’s degree, and men are more likely than women to go further in their nursing education. Men also factor highly in military nursing positions, which are also super lucrative.Now, this isn’t all salary discrepancy. Sometimes male nurses have the advantage because they’re not responsible for the same amount of childcare as some female nurses. They tend to have more freedom to work overtime shifts and take on extra work, relying on partners to pick up more of the domestic duties.And, perhaps more than anything, they tend to be more aggressive in asking for what they want in salary negotiations and annual reviews.Take away lesson for the ladies? If you can, get that extra degree. Ask your partner to take a few extra shifts of child care so you can bring in a bit more bacon. Push yourself a little further. Fight for pay equity. And, above all else , ask for a raise. You deserve it.

Gray Wolf essays

Gray Wolf essays The wolf is the largest member of the dog family. It is a very powerful animal and has great endurance. It is usually grayish or brownish, however in Arctic regions it is white, and in parts of North America it is black. Color and size of the wolf vary greatly in the different regions of its range. The wolf is about four and a half feet long with a twelve to eighteen inch bushy tail. It weighs from anywhere 40 to 170 pounds. They have strong jaws with sharp teeth, including their long canine teeth that can tear flesh. They have excellent eyesight, sharp hearing, and a very keen sense of smell. Wolves howl as a signal to other wolves, telling of the beginning and ending of a hunt, of a wolf separated from its pack, as a warning to other wolf packs, and sometimes just for fun. The Gray Wolf, also known as the Timber Wolf, tends to live in packs of 5 to 15 individuals based around a dominant pair of wolves. The leader of the pack is called the Alpha. Wolves hunts in their packs, the preferred prey being large herbivores such as elk, deer, bison, and mountain sheep, but it will also take smaller game, most commonly beaver and domestic animals. When food is scarce, they will eat smaller things such as mice. Nearly extinct, the gray wolf is now only found in Alaska, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Usually only one female per pack reproduces. Mating usually occurs once a year in January or February, with gestation lasting about two months, after which four to seven cubs are born. The den is usually in a hole in the ground or a crevice in some rocks, and is often used year after year. Within 3 to 5 months the young pups are able to travel with the pack. During the time when the alpha female has her pups in the den, the pack stays in one place. Other than that, they are always on the move. Gray wolves may live up to thirteen years in the wild, although the average life span is five to six years. Some wolves that are held in captivity...

Candide Abstract Essays

Candide Abstract Essays Candide Abstract Essay Candide Abstract Essay Essay Topic: Candide Candide Voltaire, a French philosophe and writer, wrote this document during the Enlightenment. He illustrates his opinion on many Enlightenment ideas, such as Leibnizian optimism, deism, and religious tolerance. He impacted many people, including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with his belief of religious toleration and civil rights. His view on organized religion also influenced the French Revolution. One of the Enlightenment views Voltaire addresses is Leibnizian optimism, or the iew that the world men live in is a perfect world. Everything that happens is supposed to happen and all will turn out for the best. Voltaire mocks this view by having unfortunate things happen to Candide and other characters in the novel. Pangloss is a representation of his view, and often impedes other characters from taking positive action. One such instance was when Jacques the Anabaptist was drowning and Pangloss prevented Candide from saving him by saying, the Lisbon harbor was formed expressively for the Anabaptist to drown in. Also, when Candide was trapped under the rubble after the earthquake, he requests Pangloss to bring him some oil and wine, however the philosopher is too busy debating cause and effect. Finally, Candide encounters a slave in Surinam with one leg and one hand. He finally loses his faith in optimism by saying it is mania for saying things are well when one is in hell. Voltaire also expresses deism through the city of Eldorado. Deism is the belief that God created the world, but then left it to run on its own. Eldorado is free of crime and suffering with decent equality and advanced sciences and mathematics. Deism is illustrated by showing how this civilization tapped into nature and God and became incredibly successful. Voltaire is showing the ideal society in Eldorado. Finally, Voltaire mocks organized religion. In many instances, he shows the hypocrisy of religions. The Old Woman was the daughter of the Pope, however, the Pope is supposed to be celibate. Also, the Catholic Inquisitor was a hypocrite for aving a mistress and the Franciscan friar was a Jewel thief even though he was supposed to live a life of poverty. The Catholic Inquisition also displayed religious oppression for a small reason when they held an auto-da-f? © after the earthquake and attempted to kill Pangloss and flogged Candide. However, Voltaire does not completely condemn religious believers because Jacques the Anabaptist was the most virtuous and good character in the whole novel. Candide Abstract By sophiarita366

The company brand - Starbucks Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The company brand - Starbucks - Case Study Example Taking its name from a character in the novel Moby-Dick, Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, from a small Coffee shop in Seattle 36 years ago its has developed itself to own 7521 self-operated and 5647 licensed stores in 39 countries. Surveys have shown that is the most successful and admired company in United States today, it has revolutionized the way Americans used to view Coffee and rejuvenated the drinking experience into a lifestyle, a trend that has been a successful social epidemic, as Gladwell puts it, for the past two decades. Starbucks' success has been attributed to a number of factors apart from the ones mentioned above, the theories put forward by Malcolm Gladwell are well suited to its case as it had a number of Connectors, Salesmen, the stickiness factor and the power of context all played a major role in it turning out to be a successful trend. Starbucks Connectors and Salesmen involve some big names like the Pepsi Cola and McDonalds. The story of Starbucks represents one of the classical American commercial success stories where three college friends used to meet from time to time to discuss the potential business venture to initiate. An English teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev... Background of Starbucks The story of Starbucks represents one of the classical American commercial success stories where three college friends used to meet from time to time to discuss the potential business venture to initiate. An English teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev Siegel, and writer Gordon Bowker were three people who conceived the idea of Starbucks and opened the first coffee bean roaster and retailer outlet under the banner of Starbucks in Seattle, Washington in 1971. Coffee was a neglected commodity in America at that time mainly due to the procedures and the type of coffee that was available throughout the country. The three founders Siegel, Bowker and Baldwin managed to provide the European style roasted coffee which was a lot different then the percolated brown beverage that the Americans were used to. A unique taste and an innovative product was the primary reason for its Starbucks in the first ten years of its operation. Howard Shultz, the entrepreneur, formerly working for a Swedish Kitchen company felt attracted by the growing success of Starbucks and joined as a Marketing Manager in 1982. Shultz was always ready with new ideas and was hungry for changes that would make life easier for the customer and transform Starbucks into a more user friendly spot. Returning from a tour to Milan, Howard Schultz suggested that the company should sell coffee and espresso drinks in addition to beans. The owners rejected this idea, believing that getting into the beverage business would distract the company from its primary focus. To them, coffee was something to be prepared in the home and they strictly opposed the idea of bringing the Italian coffeehouse culture in United States. But, Schultz was

Nursing -improper identifacation of non pressure wound Research Paper

Nursing -improper identifacation of non pressure wound - Research Paper Example Nurses often fail to recognize non-pressure ulcers and document them as pressure ulcers, thus leading to confused and suboptimal treatments and devastating consequences to the patient. In diabetic ulcers, delayed and inappropriate treatment increases the risk of amputation. Thus, it is very important to identify and documents ulcers appropriately. In this essay, improper identification of non-pressure wounds will be discussed through review of appropriate literature. Evaluation and improper identification and documentation of non-pressure wounds The first step in the evaluation of a patient with ulcer is taking appropriate medical history and hence this aspect is very important to ascertain whether the ulcer is pressure or non-pressure type. History should include age and sex of the patient and presenting complaints. The chronology of events, whether the onset of the wound was traumatic or spontaneous, the treatments taken for the wounds and the outcomes of the treatments must be enq uired. The history should also include whether the ulcer is associated with pain and if present, whether the pain is sudden in onset, and whether it is nocturnal or present when the leg has been in the dependent position for a long time. Other details to be included in the history are history of any chronic disease like diabetes and hypertension, occupational history, history of varicose veins, previous history of lower limb wounds/ulcers/gangrene, history of amputations and history of any other surgeries. Family history of similar ulcers also must be enquired into (Kunimoto, 2001). Influence of biological and social factors also must be assessed. The next step in assessment is to determine the etiology and risk factors of the wound. Age, malnutrition, collagen disease and drugs like steroids inhibit wound healing (Kunimoto, 2001). After medical history, physical examination of the wound must be undertaken. Physical examination gives valuable information especially in the elderly wh o cannot recall history details. One of the aims of physical examination is to differentiate between venous leg ulcers and non-venous leg ulcers. Venous leg ulcers occur in the distal medial third of the lower extremity and they are shallow without punched margins. The amount of granulation tissue and its color must also be assessed. Nurses are often confused here. Differences in documentation of the quantity and color of granulation tissue by the nurses have been reported (Frank-Stromborg et al, 2001). Decreased granulation tissue or bluish hue color of this tissue are indicators of bacterial infection. The drainage from the wound must be examined as to whether it is serous, purulent or serosanguinous. There is evidence that there is no homogeneity among nurses and other health professionals in ascertaining the type of secretion from wound (Stremitzer et al, 2007) and this aspect plays a very important role in wound evaluation and diagnosis. Purulent discharge is an indicator of ba cterial infection. The length, depth and width of the ulcer must also be assessed. Surrounding skin examination gives a valuable clue to differentiate between venous and non-venous ulcers. Peripheral arterial circulation assessment is a must in ulcer evaluation. Palpation of the dorsalis pedis artery is useful for this purpose. However, it is absent in about 10% of people. Color and perfusion are other markers for arterial sufficiency. Nurses must be aware of

Behaviorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Behaviorism - Essay Example Write a speech to be delivered in front of politicians, appealing to them to act for a drug-free state MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Instructional Materials: Copy of the poem Pad paper for writing Ballpen Pictures of street people doing drugs Resources: â€Å"We Real Cool† A Poem by Gwendolyn Brooks INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN Sequence of Instructional Procedures/Activities/Events (provide description and indicate approximate time for each): 1. Review/Assumptions Students already know the basic concepts in analyzing a poem such as persona, addressee and situation. They should know that the persona and the author are different. Although there are times when the situation in the poem relates closely with the experience of the author, it should be assumed that the author is thinking of another persona as his poem’s persona. 2. Presentation of New Information or Modeling: The teacher provides a brief introduction about the author, Gwendolyn Brooks and how famous her poem is (5 minutes). 3 . Guided Practice: The teacher shows the way to write a speech by asking students to think of a thesis statement they can use to start the speech and asking them to identify three points for discussion. The teacher checks if the students are able to write these four ideas before they proceed with the writing (5 minutes). 4. Independent Student Practice: Students work in pairs to write a persuasive speech based on their reaction to the poem. After writing, one of the students in the pair reads the speech in front of the class (20 minutes). 5. Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: Students choose the best speech and tell the reasons why they like it (5 minutes). Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): Partner work; Reader-response Approach Differentiated Instruction: Students with difficulties will be paired with those without difficulties, in the same way that those who are good in English writing will be paired with those who are not. The students are encouraged to think of three points to discuss in their speech but there is no requirement as regards the length of the speech. Student Assessment/Rubrics: The following rubrics will be used to evaluate the speech made by students: Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 1. The speech has a well-defined thesis. 2. The speech contains three main points that support the thesis. 3. The speech is persuasive; its main points are clear and true to the real-life scenario. 4. The speech is free of grammatical errors. 5. The speech is free from biases and fallacies; direct to the point and informative. â€Å"We Real Cool† A Poem by Gwendolyn Brooks The Pool Players.   Seven at the Golden Shovel. We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon.   B.   Discuss how you could modify the lesson plan you provided to incorporate behaviorism. 1.   Justify a curriculum content modification in the lesson plan that incorporates behaviorism. Setting the mood of st udents is an important feature of the behaviorist classroom (Wheldall, 2012). Behaviorists try to avoid negative behaviors by reinforcing positive ones (Wheldall, 2012). In the given lesson, the teacher could say, â€Å"

The Toys and Games Industrys Response to Globalazation Essay - 1

The Toys and Games Industrys Response to Globalazation - Essay Example The strategies used by this industry to effect globalization include a comprehensive marketing and online-selling of its products. This aspect enables the company to access many customers from diverse backgrounds of culture, race, beliefs and religion. According to Baker (2011, 82), the industry’s products and services get an international recognition and much revenue. Moreover, the management in the Toys and Games industry has learnt new management strategies through the recent access to large volumes of data. The access to volumes of data is a recent occurrence, which has greatly globalized many aspects of business (Butler, 2008, 41). For instance, the access to bid data has enabled the Toys and Games industry to gather crucial information with regard to global performance trends in various sectors and product lines. Mayer (2013, 46) asserts that new methods of product differentiation and diversification have been learnt after the acquisition of bid sets of data from a globa l platform. The big information has culminated in the restructuring of organizational structure for efficiency and effectiveness in the Toys and Games industry operations. According to Cerra (2012, 34), the big data have led to the realization of new ways of achieving global customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and total quality management within the Toys and Games industry. These principles are critical in the thriving of the industry. In the case of transportation of commodities, there is the use of sensors on trucks in order to streamline the delivery of goods through shipping. This contains the problem of stock-out cost and machine overhaul cost. The massive data have also helped the manufactures in tracking the trend of customer preference and taste (Gill, 2010, 56).

Movie Analysis of Ender's Game (2013) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Movie Analysis of Ender's Game (2013) - Essay Example The novel is fashioned on purely speculative future invasion of the earth by an alien insectoid race referred to as ‘buggers’ (Card, 2002).The Enders Game (2013) film adaptation has combined the futuristic speculation with the current action, in which Ender Wiggins, the protagonist kid in this film ends up actually fighting and wining against the alien Formics, while he still believes that he is in the process of training. Thus, the film Enders Game (2013) is an epic science fiction film that rarely demonstrates anything of the realistic world, but rather focuses purely on scientific inventions, technologies and speculated future events that are not based on any realistic worldly happening either at present or in the past. The film, Enders Game (2013), is science fiction film, owing to the fact that the film presents a futuristic theme of war between the planet earth and aliens from another planet, based on no realistic prediction or occurrence that would trigger such a war. One of the fundamental elements that qualify a film as a science fiction genre is the fashioning of the film based on a futuristic setting (Morse, 2006). In this respect, the film Enders Game (2013) presents the preparation of genius kids for a battle between the earth and another planet, which happens many years into the future. The alien Formic had invaded the earth previously and caused the death of millions of people, and therefore the most gifted and talented of all kids have been recruited into the battle school to be trained in readiness of fighting the next evasion that is anticipated. The film Enders Game (2013) becomes an epic science fiction, owing to the fact that the course of training the kids and winning the war over the Formic aliens takes the form of training on unrealistic settings such as the zero gravity ‘battle room’ (Hood, 2013). Ender Wiggin is

A report (maximum of 1500 words) describing your current understanding Essay

A report (maximum of 1500 words) describing your current understanding of BIM (Building Information Modelling) and its use in the Civil Engineering - Essay Example The processes associated with building information modeling (BMI) are linked to infrastructure and new buildings and have extended potential in refurbishment and retrofit projects especially when rapid energy analysis and laser scanning are employed. The technology associated with BMI is considered an association between software industry and construction sectors with and aim at developing an environment for synergies and opportunities. Building information modeling aids in managing and generating data during construction life cycle. The approach utilizes real time, three dimensional and dynamic building modeling software to increase construction and building design productivity. The process has gives rise to BMI (Building information model) which encompasses spatial relationships, building geometry, geographic information, properties and quantities of building components. Building information modeling has various benefits such as improved visualization, reduced costs, increased productivity as a result of easy access to information, and improved delivery speed, improved coordination of documents associated with construction and linking and embedding of vital information for instance location of details, vendors of specific materials and quantities required for tendering and estimation (Crotty, 2012). Building information modeling extends beyond the computer assisted design and software since it involves designing and shaping. It is an architectural process that entails construction and virtual design and connects and integrates information by utilization of technology. BMI software such as Revit, Tekla and Microstation allows construction of a three dimensional model by the design team. The virtual approach integrates structural, electrical, mechanical and architectural. The process applies to interior fit out, master planning, infrastructure projects and building architecture. During the phase of construction, building

The Toys and Games Industrys Response to Globalazation Essay - 1

The Toys and Games Industrys Response to Globalazation - Essay Example The strategies used by this industry to effect globalization include a comprehensive marketing and online-selling of its products. This aspect enables the company to access many customers from diverse backgrounds of culture, race, beliefs and religion. According to Baker (2011, 82), the industry’s products and services get an international recognition and much revenue. Moreover, the management in the Toys and Games industry has learnt new management strategies through the recent access to large volumes of data. The access to volumes of data is a recent occurrence, which has greatly globalized many aspects of business (Butler, 2008, 41). For instance, the access to bid data has enabled the Toys and Games industry to gather crucial information with regard to global performance trends in various sectors and product lines. Mayer (2013, 46) asserts that new methods of product differentiation and diversification have been learnt after the acquisition of bid sets of data from a globa l platform. The big information has culminated in the restructuring of organizational structure for efficiency and effectiveness in the Toys and Games industry operations. According to Cerra (2012, 34), the big data have led to the realization of new ways of achieving global customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and total quality management within the Toys and Games industry. These principles are critical in the thriving of the industry. In the case of transportation of commodities, there is the use of sensors on trucks in order to streamline the delivery of goods through shipping. This contains the problem of stock-out cost and machine overhaul cost. The massive data have also helped the manufactures in tracking the trend of customer preference and taste (Gill, 2010, 56).

A report (maximum of 1500 words) describing your current understanding Essay

A report (maximum of 1500 words) describing your current understanding of BIM (Building Information Modelling) and its use in the Civil Engineering - Essay Example The processes associated with building information modeling (BMI) are linked to infrastructure and new buildings and have extended potential in refurbishment and retrofit projects especially when rapid energy analysis and laser scanning are employed. The technology associated with BMI is considered an association between software industry and construction sectors with and aim at developing an environment for synergies and opportunities. Building information modeling aids in managing and generating data during construction life cycle. The approach utilizes real time, three dimensional and dynamic building modeling software to increase construction and building design productivity. The process has gives rise to BMI (Building information model) which encompasses spatial relationships, building geometry, geographic information, properties and quantities of building components. Building information modeling has various benefits such as improved visualization, reduced costs, increased productivity as a result of easy access to information, and improved delivery speed, improved coordination of documents associated with construction and linking and embedding of vital information for instance location of details, vendors of specific materials and quantities required for tendering and estimation (Crotty, 2012). Building information modeling extends beyond the computer assisted design and software since it involves designing and shaping. It is an architectural process that entails construction and virtual design and connects and integrates information by utilization of technology. BMI software such as Revit, Tekla and Microstation allows construction of a three dimensional model by the design team. The virtual approach integrates structural, electrical, mechanical and architectural. The process applies to interior fit out, master planning, infrastructure projects and building architecture. During the phase of construction, building

Positive changes to the communication environment Essay Example for Free

Positive changes to the communication environment Essay There are many positive changes to the communication environment which can be made to support the communication development of children with BSED, and some have already been outlined in Assessment 2.2 and 2.3. Other positive changes may include using visual support in the form of picture cards, makaton signs or even pointing to objects when speaking. This gives further clarification to our speech and helps a child with communication difficulties understand what is being taught or requested of them, which in turn will prevent any confusion and misunderstanding which could lead to undesired behavior being displayed. To assist a child’s understanding of our instructions, we should also speak clearly and slowly, using simple age appropriate language in simple sentence structures. Asking the child to reiterate what is being asked of them can help ensure they understand, although in some children they may not have the vocabulary to do this. With those children, we could demonstrate our request i.e. asking ‘please help tidy up’ can be reinforced by picking up blocks and putting them in the box and indicating for the child to assist. In older children using written and verbal language, we should again ensure they understand by reading through any signs or written documents with them, pointing out and explaining any key words and reiterating any importance. Similarly, storage for toys and equipment could be labeled with words and pictures, so each child knows where items belong when they need to be put away, and also where to find them if they need them. Staff, including volunteers could offer regular one to one direct support to the child for their communication skills whether this is assistance with reading or phonics. This allows the child to learn in a quieter and less pressured environment and gives them extra precious time to potentially develop the skills which their peers already have. All staff should be given extra training and be made more aware of the difficulties that children with  SLCN and BSED experience in order to offer extra support successfully. As already mentioned, creating a calmer and quieter environment with fewer distractions can help most people concentrate better, but will work exceptionally well for a child who is already easily distracted due to their BSED. Minimal distractions allow the adult to spend more quality time supporting the child, making it easier to communicate as the child is more focused and therefore more receptive to learning. In any environment there needs to be clear boundaries and rules, and these need to be made easy to understand and achieve for children of all ages and abilities. A consistent approach to dealing with conflicts regarding rules helps to avoid any misunderstanding for the child. As already mentioned, a child seeking attention will gain this in the way easiest to him or her, and if attention is usually only given following negative behavior, then this how the child is likely to behave. Positive encouragement and praise should be given as often and as emphasized as negative comments as this will help the child acknowledge that good behaviour is just as, if not more so rewarded than undesirable behaviour. Unfortunately in society there is a stigma attached to people with SCLN and/or BSED, and a less than favourable opinion can be formed by a child when witnessing how an adult deals with a child’s behaviour. It is therefore imperative that we show no discrimination towards a child with SLCN or BSED, nor make them feel any different or inferior to their peers. All children can benefit from having information clarified and reiterated especially rules and boundaries, so this doesn’t need to be a direct communication just towards the child with extra needs. If a child is made to feel different than their peers in a classroom, they may react to this in a negative manner as it accentuates their extra needs and draws attention to them which may be unwanted. Their reactions may be to become more withdrawn and show less pro-social skills, or to display disruptive or even aggressive behaviour in order to express their feelings of upset. A child with BSED and communication difficulties may not understand their work or what is required of them and we must encourage ways of the child asking for help, as well as  us pro offering support. One way to do this within a classroom environment could be to use playing cards, with each pupil having a card each, and if they require help they can turn the card over on their desk, so only the teacher can see, avoiding drawing attention to themselves by having to put their hand up and request help and reducing any embarrassment they may feel. Simple reward charts work well with most children but need to be realistic regarding expectations and consistent in recognizing achievements. This could be done as an overall class chart or individual charts for each child aimed at specific development areas. The school my 5 year old daughter attends uses a ‘traffic light’ system to acknowledge good and negative behaviour. All children begin with their name tag on green, however if negative behaviour is witnessed then they move to amber – if the behaviour improves, they move back to green, if it proceeds as negative behaviour then move to red. Each time a child moves to amber, they lose 5 minutes from their playtime, and if on red, they lose their ‘golden’ free play time on a Friday. If the child is on green all week, they receive a treat on a Friday (usually a sweet, lollipop etc) and for those displaying exceptional hard work or efforts, a certificate of merit is given. The children respond well to this as their ‘punishment’ for negative behaviour is immediate (or as near as can be) so they quickly learn to display alternative behaviour. It is important to remember that a child with BSED may not recognize boundaries and the cause and effect of their behaviour or a reward scheme and therefore a tailored approach would be required. Teaching a child with BSED techniques on how to deal with their emotions before they reach a crisis point can help the child manage their behaviour and develop their emotional and social skills at the same time as their communication skills. Ways of doing this could include teaching the child a way in which to communicate to their key worker or teacher that they require help or that they are angry or frustrated. This allows the key worker or teacher to support the child before the feelings escalate. Other ways may include helping the child to use a ‘time out’ facility whereby when the child is feeling anxious or angry, they go to a quiet corner until they feel calmer and someone can support them. Using play or activities which the child has a specific interest in (or even using favourite toys or characters within the activity) will help the child maintain their interest and allow them further opportunities to interact, increasing their communication and social skills. Finally, reiterating the day’s timeline can help children understand what is happening next or when certain activities will take place. Many young children have little concept of time, and for a child who is unsettled and finding it difficult to conform to the boundaries within the setting, it may help them feel more at ease and less anxious if they know what to expect next. The timeline could be repeated verbally or simple pictures could be displayed to show what activity will be happening soon i.e. lunchtime (a picture of a sandwich and drink), outdoor play (picture of trees and a ball) or home time (a picture of a coat). Many different ways can be implemented but they may require a lot of time, and a great deal of extra effort from staff before a child begins to display any positive changes and this should be taken into account before deciding that a specific strategy appears to not be working.

Mechanisms Of Conservative And Replicative Transposition Biology Essay

Mechanisms Of Conservative And Replicative Transposition Biology Essay Bacteriophage Mu is a temperate phage which adopts transposition pathway in its life cycle. Mu has the capability to integrate into numerous sites in host Escherichia coli genome and cause mutations due to its insertional activation. Mu transposes via two major pathways; conservative and replicative transposition though the molecular switch between the two mechanisms remain unknown. This review will focus on the comparisons between replicative and conservative transposition. The first part will discuss the similarities between the two mechanisms; donor DNA cleavage step and strand transfer step which involves nucleophilic attacks, generating single-strand nicks in Mu DNA and joining it to target DNA via one-step transesterification mechanism. The latter part will concentrate on the different characteristics in each transposition mechanism; in replicative transposition, the end product is duplication of transposon copy in both target and host DNA while in conservative transposition, a simple insertion of transposon is produced in the target DNA. 1. Characteristics of bacteriophage Mu Phage, derived from the Greek word phagein, literally means to eat. Bacteriophage Mu was named as such(find out who did) due its nature of infecting and inducing high levels of mutation in host bacteria Escherichia coli., hence the name Mu for mutator. The dual nature of Mu transposon and virus has made it as the archetypal model of studying phage genetics. Bacteriophage Mu is a temperate phage of E. coli which employs the transposition mechanism in its life cycle. Transposition can either be conservative (excising the transposon and inserting it into bacterial chromosome) or replicative (transposon copies are produced in both transposon and bacterial chromosome). Both mechanisms will be discussed extensively later in this article. Unlike the phage ÃŽÂ », insertion of Mu genome into the target site proceeds in a randomly manner which makes it an excellent mutator. Fig. 1: The life cycle of bacteriophage Mu(5). The life cycle of phage Mu is shown schematically in Fig. 1 above. Bacteriophage Mu infect susceptible host cell by adsorption and then, injects its linear viral genome. Once inside the host cell, the linear genome does not circularized(4,5,19), unlike in phage ÃŽÂ ». In either case of lytic or lysogenic phase, Mu integrates its DNA into the host genome via conservative transposition(16,19). This is observed differently in phage ÃŽÂ » where the infecting phage DNA will be integrated into host genome only during lysogenization(19). An enzyme called transposase, encoded by MuA gene in the phage genome, is absolutely crucial to carry out this conservative transposition step. Phage DNA is inserted at multiple sites in a bacterial genome which lead to the assumption that the insertion occur by a random manner(8). However, there are several factors that influence target site selection such as MuA protein efficiency and transposition immunity(15). After integration, Mu usually adopts a quiescent prophage lifestyle(lysogenic phase). The preference between lysogenic and lytic phase in Mu life cycle is dependent on its stability in the lysogen and lysogenic repressors. However, lysogens of Mu phage sometimes enter the lytic phase though this is a rare event. When induced, usually by using temperature-sensitive repressor mutants of phage Mu and subject it at 42ËÅ ¡C, the lysogen will enter lytic cycle. When the lysogenic repressor is inactivated, Mu transposes via replicative transposition, producing copies of phage genome which will be packaged into new virions. The virions then lyse the host cell and infect new hosts. Bacteriophage Mu virions comprised of icosahedral head(diameter 54nm), a baseplate, a contractile tail and six short tail fibres(5). Fig. 2: Simplified cartoon illustrating packaging of Mu genome. Typical length of phage Mu DNA is approximately 37kb long. Additional 2 kb of host DNA is incorporated during DNA packaging which is shown as flanking each end of the integrated Mu genome, with most of it at the right end. Unique sequences of host DNA and at the right end of the packaged DNA is dependent on initiation site of packaging in the host DNA(24). Fig. 3: Physical and genetic map of bacteriophage Mu. Solid black lines represent Mu DNA while the boxes at the two ends indicate flanking host DNA sequences. Mu genes (indicated in block letters) and their corresponding translational products are as indicated(19). A typical size of wild-type phage Mu DNA is about 37.5 kb, however each phage capsid can accommodate up to 39 kb long. Phage genome has a pac site which serves as the starting point in packaging of the phage DNA, located within attL(5). The initiation cleavage by phage enzyme terminase occurs upstream of the phage pac site, which includes host sequence of about 50-150bp flanking the left end. Second cleavage initiated when a complete filling of capsid is achieved, which includes 0.5 kb to 2 kb of host sequence flanking the right end(1). Genetic and physical map of phage Mu is illustrated in Fig. 3. Bacteriophage Mu utilizes headful mechanism strategy, which confer variable lengths of host DNA flanking the left ends of Mu DNA depending on the initiation site of genome packaging(Fig. 2). 2. Transposition mechanism (E) (D) (C) (B) (A) Fig. 4: Modes of bacteriophage Mu transposition. (A), (B) and (C) are the common steps in both conservative and replicative transposition of phage Mu. In conservative and replicative transposition, phage Mu will follow-up step (D) and (E) respectively. Curved arrows indicate nucleophile attack, transferring the 3-OH ends to the staggered 5-phosphate ends of target DNA. Dentate lines (XXXX) indicate target DNA sequences which are duplicated during transposition (16). Numerous in vitro studies have been conducted to study the mechanism of transposition, and usually mini-Mu elements are used. A minimal Mu element consists of a selectable gene, a plasmid replication origin and essential Mu ends(2). The mechanism of transposition is discussed in respect to an in vitro system from this point onwards unless stated otherwise. Following discussion on transposition mechanism are based on Shapiro model(22) as it has been widely accepted as the golden model in this field. The current known modes of transposition is divided into two: non-replicative (conservative) and replicative transposition. Both strategies utilize the same mechanism up to point (Fig. 4C) where each strategy employs different mechanism, producing different end products. A simple insertion of transposon is generated in target DNA by conservative transposition (Fig. 4D) while two copies of transposon formed in both donor and target DNA by replicative transposition (Fig. 4E). Point A to C are considered as the similar features in both conservative and replicative transposition while point D and E is the distinction between the two modes of transposition. Therefore, mechanisms involved in point A,B and C are discussed in context of both replicative and conservative transposition, which comprises of DNA cleavage step and strand transfer step. Sequential stages of both cleavage and strand transfer steps are illustrated in Fig. 4. 2.1 Donor DNA cleavage step Two critical chemical steps in both transposition pathways are donor DNA cleavage step and DNA strand transfer step(5,8). The donor DNA cleavage step is initiated when water molecules within an active site act as nucleophiles, and attack phosphodiester bond in DNA backbone at each of the transposon end(4,5). The cleavage step involves a direct hydrolysis of phosphodiester bond by water, and not by covalent enzyme-DNA intermediate(17). The phosphodiester bond is cleaved at the flanking host-transposon DNA boundary. 3-hydroxyl (OH) ends of the Mu DNA are exposed at the end of the cleavage step. Strand transfer results in fusion of target and donor DNA, which forms an intermediate molecule (8). The process (simplified in Fig. 4C) follows the Shapiro model(22). Bacteriophage-encoded proteins, MuA protein (transposase) and MuB protein (ATPase) are required for transposition. Other requirements to ensure efficiency of transposition are accessory proteins such as host-encoded DNA bending proteins called hydroxyurea (HU) and integration host factor (IHF)(8). The inverted repeats at the end of donor DNA, and target sequence on bacterial chromosome are also important in transposition mechanism. The assembly of higher order protein-DNA complexes called transposome has been identified by in vitro studies(6). A three-site synaptic complex called the LER complex comprising right and left ends of Mu and transpositional enhancer, was formed in the beginning of transposition in vitro(23). MuA protein binds to MuA binding site at the ends of Mu DNA as monomer, and subsequently function as tetramer of MuA (transposase). Host IHF and HU protein were found to aid in formation and stabilisation of LER complex. The LER complex is relatively unstable and so, is rapidly converted into stable synaptic complex (SSC), also known as type 0 complex(17). This is the critical checkpoint before any chemical reaction is carried out as it is the rate-limiting step of cleavage reaction(6). A stable synapse between tetramer of MuA and the two ends of Mu DNA is made but no cleavage is initiated yet at this point. Nonetheless, the active site is structurally occupied to the region around the scissile phosphate while the flanking DNA are destabilized upon formation of the SSC complex(6). In addition to formation of a stable synapse, the Mu ends needs to be properly-oriented, a super coiled DNA topology, and accessory DNA sites are also important to proceed to the next step. Formation of SSC usually is short-lived in presence of Mg2+ but can be accumulated in presence of suitable divalent cations such as Ca2+,which promotes the formation of SSC(8,17). Next, SSC is converted into a type 1 transposome complex, also called as cleaved donor complex(CDC)(9). The 3 ends of Mu DNA are nicked in presence of Mg2+. Two subunits of MuA tetramer, that are associated with the sites that undergo cleavage, assemble in trans arrangement which favours the strand transfer reaction(5). The formation of CDC can then be thought as the result of donor DNA cleavage step. Type 1 transposome complex exhibits greater stability than the type 0 complex though MuA forms structural and functional core in both transposome complexes(6). In addition of stably bound tetramer of MuA proteins, there are loosely associated MuA proteins present in the CDC as well. In absence of MuB protein, MuA tetramer is unable to promote strand transfer reaction unless these extra MuA proteins are present. MuB protein is an ATP-dependent DNA-binding protein, which also acts as an allosteric activator of Mu transposase (MuA proteins)(21). Transposition can still proceed in absence o f MuB proteins, but MuA protein by itself is only 1% efficient(3). 2.2 Strand transfer step A hallmark of this step is the formation of strand transfer complex (STC), also known as type 2 transposome complex. The end product of STC is formation of a branched molecule(Shapiro intermediate) which is characterized by a covalent interaction between donor DNA and target DNA via 5bp single-stranded gaps and its ÃŽÂ ¸ structure(22). MuB protein first captures a target molecule and bring it to the vicinity of the transposome complex, forming a TC complex(6). Formation of TC complexes rapidly undergo one-step transesterification reaction, which is the rate-limiting step in the strand transfer step. Interestingly, recruiting of target molecules by MuB proteins and formation of TC complexes can occur at several time point during the reaction pathway(6). This is a particularly efficient step to maximize transposition potential as it would speed up rate of strand transfers during transposition. The free 3-OH ends produced from the cleavage step act as nucleophile and attack phosphates of target DNA at the 5 ends. 5-nucleotides long offset nicks are made in the target DNA, generating a staggered arrangement(3). At this stage, the MuA proteins(transposase) are still tightly bound to the branched molecule with single stranded gaps. This pose an obstruction for the assembly of replication fork by host replication factors. The structure of the branched molecule is simplified in (C) of Fig. 4. The forming of this intermediate molecule serves as the critical point which distinguish between conservative and replicative transposition. A widely accepted model is that the resolving of this co-integrate molecule by a special resolvase complex leads to double copies of transposon being made in both donor and target site(REFerence). This is by definition, a replicative transposition pathway. Thus, the strand transfer complex is destabilized and disassembled by a system of eight E. coli host molecular proteins (DnaB helicase, DnaC protein, DnaG primase, DNA polymerase II, single-strand binding protein, DNA gyrase, DNA polymerase I and DNA ligase) and molecular chaperon called ClpX, producing cointegrates(13). This transition from transposome complex to a replisome results in duplication of 5-bp target DNA sequences flanking both ends of Mu DNA. Alternatively, if the bacteriophage Mu is to enter the conservative pathway, the co-integrate molecule is repaired or processed without performing Mu DNA replication. The end product of STC in a conservative transposition is a simple insertion of single mini-Mu element inserted into the target DNA(8). However, the mechanism of this model is poorly understood. Fig. 5: Transposome complexes involved during DNA cleavage complex and DNA strand transfer. (A) A plasmid (gray line) bearing donor mini-Mu element (black line) DNA in the in vitro system is negatively coiled. (B) In presence of host HU protein, Mu A protein bind to the two ends of Mu DNA forming a stable synaptic complex (not shown). Assembly of MuA tetramer produces a nick at each ends of Mu DNA, creating a cleaved donor complex (CDC). (C) Nicked 3 ends of Mu DNA are joined together to target DNA in presence of MuB protein forming a strand transfer complex (STC). MuA tetramer is still tightly bound to the Mu ends in the STC. (D) In replicative transposition, a cointegrate molecule is produced when replication of target DNA initiated from the 3 Mu ends by host replication machinery (13). 3. Replicative transposition Replicative transposition was first suggested by Ljungquist and Bukhari (1977) to occur in situ after induction of lysogens, which means that the Mu prophage was not excised from host chromosome during transposition(14). The lysogens were digested with restriction enzymes which cleaves both host and Mu DNA at specific restriction sites. Two of the fragments from the restriction digests contain both host and Mu DNA, which corresponds to junctions between host and prophage DNA, suggesting that prophage DNA is replicated in situ of host chromosome(19). Several genetic and biochemical predictions made in the Shapiro model have been demonstrated in both in vivo and in vitro studies, hence this model is accepted as a plausible mechanism to explain transposition in phage Mu. Numerous techniques have been done to study the direction of replication of Mu DNA during transposition. Results obtained by annealing of Okazaki fragments to separated strands of Mu DNA shows that more than 80% of Mu molecules replication proceed from left to right end(11,19). Electron microscopical observation of mini-Mu element shows that replicating molecules in vitro replicate from both ends in equal probability'(11,19). Replication of Mu DNA is accepted to be predominantly unidirectional, that is from left towards the right end(20). Intramolecular replication pathway can result in inversion, deletion, and simple insertion while intermolecular events can produce co-integrate molecules(19). In the case of Mu transposition, formation of co-integrate molecule needs to be resolved in order to produce two replicons; one molecule contains transposon and target DNA while another molecule contains transposon and donor DNA(10). 4. Conservative transposition The main characteristic of conservative transposition is that phage DNA is not replicated prior to integration. Upon infection of a susceptible host cell (usually E. coli), Mu employs conservative, or also called non-replicative transposition to transfer its genome to the target site. As discussed earlier, conservative transposition pathway follows single strand nicks at the 3 ends of Mu DNA, of which the exposed 3-OH ends join to the staggered cut target DNA at the 5ends forming a co-integrate molecule. The co-integrate or so-called Shapiro intermediate is repaired and generates a simple insertion in the target DNA though the mechanism is still poorly understood. Shapiro model emphasized on single-stranded nicks at Mu ends, joining of Mu to a staggered double-strand break in target DNA, formation of an intermediate molecule, and shedding of heterogeneous of previous host DNA sequences after ligation in conservative pathway(22). On the other hand, Morisato and Kleckner (1984) proposed a different mechanism based on results with Tn10 transposition. Their model is double-stranded cleavages at the transposon ends generating an excised transposon, which then circularizes via ligation on one of the strands(18). It predicts shedding of host sequences from the Mu DNA ends before ligation into the new target DNA. Study of Mu transposition using plasmid substrates in vitro produced results in favour of the Shapiro model, and hence this model has been widely accepted and used in studies. Fig. 6: A model of conservative transposition which utilizes double-strand cleavages during integration. (A) Transposase bind to the inverted repeats at Mu-host boundary sites and cleaves off the transposon away. (B) Transposase made a staggered cut at target sequence of which exposed 3-OH ends of transposon attacks 5-phosphate ends of the host (not shown). The transposon then joins to the host sequence. Duplicated target sequence of 5-bp are completed by host replication machinery (7). The debate on single-strand or double-strand cleavage however does not end there. If phage Mu were to utilize the Shapiro model of transposition during integration (the well-established cointegrate mechanism), the flanking host sequences would remain bound to Mu ends. This would clearly pose a problem as subsequent target-primed replication of the linear integrant would not work, or simply break the chromosome(1). Evidently, results from in vitro experiments are against this as the transposition end products contain transposon, suggesting a complete transposition process have been accomplished. So, does the infecting Mu DNA utilize the Shapiro model where the cointegrate molecule gets processed and repaired, prior to replication at the flanking sequence? Or does it follow a cut-and-paste mechanism where both strands of Mu DNA gets cleaved off from the flanking host DNA sequence (as illustrated in Fig. 6), where no cointegrate molecule is generated, which eventually means, there is no need for resolve by replication? An in vitro experiment was done by Au et al. (2006) to observe the fate of flanking host DNA sequences upon phage Mu infection. Specific markers specific to the infecting phage Mu DNA as well as the donor host (lacZ/proB) were used. These markers were acquired from the host in which the phage had been propagated but absent in the host being infected(1). Upon infection of plasmids by bacteriophage Mu, signal for flanking sequences and Mu DNA were detected in the chromosome at the same time point (approximately at minute 8), which correspond to the integration time point of Mu. Subsequent expression of lacZ and proB were detected maximally at minute 15, significantly reduced at minute 30 and by minute 50, expression were halted(1). Maximal expression at minute 15 most likely corresponds to climax of integration of the infecting phage population. These findings strongly suggest that flanking sequences get integrated together with Mu DNA into the new target site and are subsequently, rem oved by a special mechanism(which explained the undetectable expression at minute 50). This then proves that infecting phage Mu employs an alternate cointegrate mechanism (also called as nick-join-process mechanism) in conservative transposition pathway, where the Mu DNA undergo single-strand nicks, joins to the target DNA, and repaired before replication of the 5-bp gap left by the flanking sequence(1). The mechanism of removal and repair of host flanking sequence however, remains ambiguous. Conclusion Dual nature of bacteriophage Mu, a transposable element and a virus, is certainly interesting but what is more fascinating is that it utilizes both replicative and non-replicative transposition throughout its life cycle. The former mechanism produces a transposon copy in both donor and target DNA while the latter usually generates a simple insertion of transposon in the target DNA, leaving a gap in the host DNA which most likely will get degraded. In the early stages, both replicative and conservative transposition pathway share a similar mechanism. Regardless of the transposition pathway, infecting Mu DNA during the first round of infection will integrate its DNA into the target chromosome via two critical steps; donor DNA cleavage step and strand transfer step. Mu uses a phosphoryl transfer involving nucleophilic attacks of water on phosphodiester bonds of Mu DNA, producing single-strand nicks. A second nucleophilic attack by exposed 3-ends of Mu DNA on 5-ends of target phosphodiester bonds, which then joins the Mu DNA to target DNA via one-step transesterification mechanism. A series of transposome complexes are formed throughout these processes including Mu-encoded MuA proteins(transposase) and MuB proteins(ATPase). A cointegrate is produced in both pathways but in replicative transposition, this intermediate molecule is resolved producing two replicons with transposon copy in each molecule. In conservative transposition, the cointegrate is repaired generating a simple insertion in the target DNA. Hence, it is more accurate to name conservative transposition as nick-join-process rather than the conventional cut-and-paste mechanism as the latter suggest double-strand nicks at the transposon end, which has been proven inaccurate by in vitro experiments. Both transposition pathways have been compared extensively in this review but much of functional core of the mechanisms remain to be understood. (2944 words)