Inner Speech - Definition and Uses

Inner Speech - Definition and Uses Inner speech is a form of internalized, self-directed dialogue: talking to oneself in silence. The phrase inner speech was used by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky to describe a stage in language acquisition and the process of thought. In Vygotskys conception, speech began as a social medium and became internalized as inner speech, that is, verbalized thought (Katherine Nelson, Narratives From the Crib, 2006). See Examples and Observations, below. See also: DialogueInterior MonologueLanguageMemorySpeechTelegraphic Speech Examples and Observations: Dialogue launches language, the mind, but once it is launched we develop a new power, inner speech, and it is this that is indispensable for our further development, our thinking. . . . We are our language, it is often said; but our real language, our real identity, lies in inner speech, in that ceaseless stream and generation of meaning that constitutes the individual mind. It is through inner speech that the child develops his own concepts and meanings; it is through inner speech that he achieves his own identity; it is through inner speech, finally, that he constructs his own world. (Oliver Sacks, Seeing Voices. University of California Press, 1989)If inner speech is marked by the intimate sense of my active thinking, is also quite concretely a thinking in a language. (Don Ihde, Listening and Voice: Phenomenologies of Sound. SUNY Press, 2007)Difficult as it is to study inner speech, there have been attempts to describe it: its said to be a shorthand version of real speech (as one researcher put it, a word in inner speech is the mere skin of a thought), and its very egocentric, not surprisingly, given that its a monologue, with the speaker and the audience being the same person.  (Jay Ingram, Talk Talk Talk: Decoding the Mysteries of Speech. Doubleday, 1992) Inner speech comprises both the inner voice we hear when reading and the muscle movements of the speech organs that often accompany reading and that are called subvocalizations. (Markus Bader, Prosody and Reanalysis. Reanalysis in Sentence Processing, ed. by Janet Dean Fodor and Fernanda Ferreira. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998) Vygotsky on Inner Speech Inner speech is not the interior aspect of external speechit is a function in itself. It still remains speech, i.e., thought connected with words. But while in external speech thought is embodied in words, in inner speech words die as they bring forth thought. Inner speech is to a large extent thinking in pure meanings. It is a dynamic, shifting, unstable thing, fluttering between word and thought, the two more or less stable, more or less firmly delineated components of verbal thought. (Lev Vygotsky, Thought, and Language, 1934. MIT Press, 1962) Linguistic Characteristics of Inner Speech Vygotsky identified a number of lexicogrammatical features which are foregrounded in both egocentric speech and inner speech. These features include omission of the subject, the foregrounding of predication, and a highly elliptical relationship between these forms and the speech situation (Vygotsky 1986 [1934]: 236). (Paul Thibault, Agency and Consciousness in Discourse: Self-Other Dynamics as a Complex System. Continuum, 2006)In inner speech the only grammatical rule at play is association through juxtaposition. Like inner speech, film uses a concrete language in which sense comes not from deduction but from the fullness of the individual attractions as qualified by the image which they help to develop. (J. Dudley Andrew, The Major Film Theories: An Introduction. Oxford University Press, 1976) Inner Speech and Writing Writing is part of the process of finding, developing, and articulating inner speech, that reservoir of internalized thought and language on which we depend for communication. (Gloria Gannaway, Transforming Mind: A Critical Cognitive Activity. Greenwood, 1994)Because it is a more deliberate act, writing engenders a different awareness of language use. Rivers (1987) related Vygotskys discussion of inner speech and language production to writing as discovery: As the writer expands his inner speech, he becomes conscious of things which he was not previously aware. In this way, he can write more than he realizes (p. 104). Zebroski (1994) noted that Luria looked at the reciprocal nature of writing and inner speech and described the functional and structural features of written speech, which inevitably lead to a significant development of inner speech. Because it delays the direct appearance of speech connections, inhibits them, and increases requirements for the preliminary, internal prep aration for the speech act, written speech produces a rich development for inner speech (p. 166).  (William M. Reynolds and Gloria Miller, eds., Handbook of Psychology: Educational Psychology. John Wiley, 2003)

Thomas Nast, Famous 19th Century Political Cartoonist

Thomas Nast, Famous 19th Century Political Cartoonist Thomas Nast is considered the father of modern political cartoons, and his satirical drawings are often credited with bringing down Boss Tweed, the notoriously corrupt leader of the New York City political machine in the 1870s. Besides his scathing political attacks, Nast is also largely responsible for our modern depiction of Santa Claus. And his work lives on today in political symbolism, as he is responsible for creating the symbol of the donkey to represent Democrats and the elephant to represent Republicans. Political cartoons had existed for decades before Nast began his career, but he elevated  political satire into an extremely  powerful and effective art form. And while Nast’s achievements are legendary, he is often criticized today for an intensely bigoted streak, especially in his depictions of Irish immigrants. As drawn by Nast, Irish arrivals to America’s shores were ape-faced characters, and there’s no obscuring the fact that Nast personally harbored a deep resentment toward Irish Catholics. Early Life of Thomas Nast Thomas Nast was born September 27, 1840, in Landau Germany. His father was a musician in a military band with strong political opinions, and he decided the family would be better off living in America. Arriving in New York City at the age of six, Nast first attended German language schools. Nast began to develop artistic skills in his youth  and aspired to be a painter. At the age of 15 he applied for a job as an illustrator at Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, a very popular publication of the time. An editor told him to sketch a crowd scene, thinking the boy would be discouraged. Instead, Nast did such a remarkable job that he was hired. For the next few years he worked for Leslie’s. He traveled to Europe where he drew illustrations of Giuseppe Garibaldi, and returned to America just in time to sketch events around the first inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, in March 1861. Nast and the Civil War In 1862 Nast joined the staff of Harper’s Weekly, another very popular weekly publication. Nast began to portray Civil War scenes with great realism, using his artwork to consistently project a pro-Union attitude. A devoted follower of the Republican Party and President Lincoln, Nast, during some of the darkest times of the war, portrayed scenes of heroism, fortitude, and support for the soldiers on the home front. In one of his illustrations, â€Å"Santa Claus In Camp,† Nast portrayed the character of St. Nicholas dispensing gifts to Union soldiers. His depiction of Santa was very popular, and for years after the war Nast would draw an annual Santa cartoon. Modern illustrations  of Santa are  largely based on how Nast drew him. Nast is often credited with making serious contributions to the Union war effort. According to legend, Lincoln referred to him as an effective recruiter for the Army. And Nast’s attacks on General George McClellan’s attempt to unseat Lincoln in the election of 1864 was no doubt helpful to Lincoln’s reelection campaign. Following the war, Nast turned his pen against President Andrew Johnson and his policies of reconciliation with the South. Nast Attacked Boss Tweed In the years following the war the Tammany Hall political machine in New York City controlled the city government’s finances. And William M. â€Å"Boss† Tweed, leader of â€Å"The Ring,† became a constant target of Nast’s cartoons. Besides lampooning Tweed, Nast also gleefully attacked Tweed allies including the notorious robber barons, Jay Gould and his flamboyant partner Jim Fisk. Nast’s cartoons were astoundingly effective as they reduced Tweed and his cronies to figures of ridicule. And by portraying their misdeeds in cartoon form, Nast made their crimes, which included bribery, larceny, and extortion, understandable to nearly anyone. There is a legendary story that Tweed said he didn’t mind what the newspapers wrote about him, as he knew many of his constituents wouldn’t fully comprehend complicated news stories. But they could all understand the â€Å"damned pictures† showing him stealing bags of money. After Tweed was convicted and escaped from jail, he fled to Spain. The American consul provided a likeness which helped to find and capture him: a cartoon by Nast. Bigotry and Controversy An enduring criticism of Nast’s cartooning was that it perpetuated and spread ugly ethnic stereotypes. Looking at the cartoons today, there is no doubt that depictions of some groups, particularly Irish Americans, are vicious. Nast seemed to have had a deep distrust of the Irish, and he was certainly not alone in believing that Irish immigrants could never fully assimilate into American society. As an immigrant himself, he was obviously not opposed to all new arrivals in America. Later Life of Thomas Nast In the late 1870s Nast seemed to hit his peak as a cartoonist. He had played a role in taking down Boss Tweed. And his cartoons depicting Democrats as donkeys in 1874 and Republicans as elephants in 1877 would became so popular that we still use the symbols today. By 1880 Nast’s artwork was in decline. New editors at Harper’s Weekly sought to control him editorially. And changes in printing technology, as well as increased competition from more newspapers that could print cartoons, presented challenges. In 1892 Nast launched his own magazine, but it was not successful. He faced financial difficulties when he secured, through the intercession of Theodore Roosevelt, a federal post as a consular official in Ecuador. He arrived in the South American country in July 1902, but contracted yellow fever and died on December 7, 1902, at the age of 62. Nast’s artwork has endured, and he considered one of the great American illustrators of the 19th century.

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY-CASE STUDIES IN POLICY PowerPoint Presentation

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY-CASE STUDIES IN POLICY DECISION - PowerPoint Presentation Example The approach of selection using the strict legislative system will most certainly be merit. Therefore, the students who fail to attain pre-determined levels of competency in primary school will be forced to endure more years in intermediate schools until they attain the compulsory age where the legislation gives them the freedom to leave school. However, such a system might discourage some students who might be competent in other areas than education or for slow learners. Furthermore, the psychological impacts of compelling certain students to intermediate levels rather than allowing them to join secondary schools could be devastating to such students. The general realization is that such a system does not give students fair chances to attain their potential by condemning them to legislations, which are mainly aimed at locking students out of secondary schools rather providing them with opportunities. The circular 10/65 perhaps provides a feasible alternative because it gives students options of either taking approaches that will ensure that they remain in school until just after the compulsory age, or they proceed to further their studies after secondary school. The circular 10/65 has two tier systems. These two tier systems ensure that after primary schools that allow students to either proceed to secondary schools or stay in intermediate schools for two years after which they will be free to decide whether they want to proceed or not. Circular 10/65 strongly advocates against a system that will deliberately discriminate against students with the potential to join secondary schools and become productive. The 10/65 circular also creates provision for students willing to stay in school even after attaining the age of 16 even if such students do not qualify to proceed through the conventional system. The circular proposes that middle level colleges be established that will cater f or the

Organizational Philosophies and Technology Paper Essay

Organizational Philosophies and Technology Paper - Essay Example Technology can, very easily, support an ethical business culture. This requires the development of an organization culture of ethics first, before employing technology to maintain that culture despite situations that challenge the company’s values. Ethics is crucially important for the success (and failure) of companies. In particular, in the case of successful companies, ethics provides a framework for actions that are conducive to relationships with others, the environment, and the public. These actions bring about mutually beneficial results, which lay the foundation for positive public relations. In the case of failed companies, ethics provides a challenge to be overcome with immoral, and sometimes unlawful, acts. Ethics, taken in this way, is defined primarily by the moral, social, and organizational context of the company. Company culture must take into account this context. For instance, a cosmetics company that tests its products on live monkey and other animals may ha ve to deal with the ethical context with changing social attitudes toward testing on live animals. For instance, the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) trade-group, consisting of 600 member companies, has controlled vast amounts of resources in order to sway public opinion its animal testing since the industry came under scrutiny in the 1980s (Farsetta, 2006). Companies utilize technology not only to gain favor with the public, but also to maintain and manage their ethical standards and guidelines internally amongst its employees. One way to control how employees interact with customers or vendors is to observe the employees’ emails and telephone correspondence. Some interpret this as a necessary method for avoiding unethical situations with relation to employee-customer relationships; others interpret this as a breach of employee privacy. Another method is filtering searchable websites at the company’s office. A more effective means of managing the e thical corporate culture of one’s organization is to have employees agree with the company to conduct themselves in an ethical manner, according to the company’s values and ethical standards. In return, the employers then give the employees enough privacy in order to do their work effectively. This alternative seems to spare companies the duty of spying on their employees to the extent that current technology allows. From this case, it seems technology has a wide range for ethical and unethical uses in the 21st century business environment. Methods like monitoring employees and filtering viewable websites, while seemingly superficial, contribute to a culture of productivity that excludes actions that detract from the company’s fundamental values. Additionally, it is important for senior levels of management to lead by example: setting these values and working them into the company culture from the top-down. Through these individuals, the company culture and gene ral tone are set for the remainder of the workforce to follow. Managers can either set this example using technology by communicating instantly with all of their employees or giving their employees technology-enhanced values training. Each of these methods ensures that not only will employees treat customers with respect and integrity,

Integrated research Essay Example for Free

Integrated research Essay Introduction A family comprises of mother, father, children, grandparents and others united together by blood or adoption. A family results from a marriage. Family structures are built through marriage and that is why it is said that proper marriages lead to proper families . The family functions that are outlined in marriage settings are almost similar and that the challenges that are experienced in the marriage are those challenges that will eventually impact negatively on the family. This research will outline various challenges that marriage as a practical identity possesses and their eventual implications in the family. Marriage Marriage can be defined as the interpersonal relationship between most commonly a man and woman who are united legally via social, religious are or governmental recognition. There are different types of marriages; †¢ Arranged marriages-this is where marriage partners are chosen by the society e. g. monarchies †¢ Boston marriage-marriage between two partners not necessarily for sex e. g. between two women. †¢ Common-law marriage- involves a class of interpersonal status where people united by a common believe on marriage law marry on that basis †¢ Digital marriage-a kind of marriage where two people with no connection in their ‘gaming’ lives come together within a virtual community and declare that they are married †¢ Covenant marriage- in this case two people come together as partners in union and make a long life commitment for the marriage. Divorce is made more difficult here. In some jurisdictions, the legal concept of marriage has been recently expanded to emerging social beliefs such as same sex marriages. Marriages are considered part and parcel human stage of life and most people believe that at one point in their lives they should get married. People marry for different reasons ranging from; to achieve social and economic stability, to have and nurture children, to form a family unit and finally to legitimize sexual relations. Marriage is considered the main factor and the pillar of a family. Better families result from better marriages as the people involved are given enough guidance to form the next generation of the family. The persons in the family learn good values and teachings from their parents hence this will ensure that any subsequent marriages are strong and stable. Contemporary critics also suggest that modern marriages have become extremely very disadvantageous for women. When it comes to economic or social considerations, women do not compare with women. Contrastingly, the continued bias towards women will mean that in the near future, mean will be on the other side of the fence-where women were in the last century. This is evident from the fact that modern policies and divorce laws have been specifically designed to protect women. However, with the emergence of same sex rights, the situation will be more complicated due to the legal prohibitions and social taboos that deny the practices full recognition. Loss Loss of one of the marriage partner leads to termination of the marriage . Loss may result form death, divorce or any other factor that will mean that one of them is left alone. This is usually disastrous for the family setting where one parent or spouse is left alone to meet all the family requirements, in a case where the children still young and need to be taken care in terms of education provision, health, love, shelter etc. Grief usually results from loss and it is very various legal systems and societal family arrangements offer different legal directions and guidance on handling properties (finances, assets etc. ) developed by the couple incase one dies or incase of a divorce. Some cultures believe that both the wife and the husband are entitled to equal property rights. Other societies also prohibit children especially the girls from inheriting the family’s assets including land. A widow may also lose family property if she decides to remarry. Partners in a marriage are jointly responsible and liable for the debts of the marriage practice and therefore if there is any misunderstanding on the responsibility of the same, then, it might be solved on an individual basis. The era of the myth ‘doctrine of necessities’ where the husband remains the sole provider for the family is gone. Today, all partners in the marriage share responsibilities equally depending on the income generation level of each.

Gothic Fiction Essay -- Literary Analysis, Jane Eyre

Introduction Since the 18th century, Gothic Fiction has become a famous genre. As its popularity has increased during the decades it is still a well-known and much appreciated theme nowadays. Whereas many female authors were restricted to feminist novels and had the reputation of being unable to compose works valuable for everyone, the onset of Gothic writing bore a whole new prospect for them (Heiland 1-8). A famous example for such female authors is Charlotte Brontà «. When she wrote Jane Eyre in 1847 she enqueued herself to the list of successful women of that genre. Even though Jane Eyre contains several aspects of the classic Gothic novel it differs in the font of the uncanny. Whilst novels such as Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Gray or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde allude to a supernatural matter and maintain surreal, Jane Eyre originates from an earthly reason. In this paper a brief definition shall be given of what Gothic Fiction is. The main part will deal with the Gothic elements within Jane Eyre in chronological order. In a final step special attention will be given to the uncanny as it is found during several incidents within Thornfield Hall and why it is different from the classic Gothic. This will be done with special attention to the character of Bertha Mason – the protagonist when it comes to the Gothic aspect of the novel. Gothic Fiction Gothic Fiction is a literary field which emerged in the late 18th century. When it comes to defining its genesis, a precise point in time can hardly be given. Depending on the definition of what Gothic Fiction is, several literary periods bear elements of Gothic – from ancient prose to Shakespearean works, from post-medieval to post-Renaissance. However, the most defined pe... ...extinguished, Jane and Mr. Rochester are able to spend their lives together and to restore peace. She was both a symbol and the reason herself for the burdens which especially Mr. Rochester carried during his life. Without her having died there would have been no way for Jane and Rochester to lead a prosperous consolidated life. Conclusion Jane Eyre indeed is a Gothic novel which shares a great deal of characteristics with the most famous Gothics. Still, its content and reason are beyond surreal factors. It incorporates mysteries and myths and some veritable supernatural happenings. Especially the real, psychological and social origins of the character's fears are the root of emotions and fears haunting the characters. Jane Eyre is a perfect sample for the challenges one has to face in life and the way they obsess one's thoughts and limit the ability to proceed.

A Study on the Effects and Treatment

Alcohol related mishaps and accidents remain the largest concern of society and in response to this more and more sectors of society have been implementing rules to curb the negative effects of teenage drinking.   There is no doubt that society has seen the negative consequences of teenage drinking.In a national probability sample of 4,023 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, it was found that 15% of the sample used alcohol, 10% used marijuana, and 2% reported hard drug use in the past year (Farrell, 2006, p 284)).   This means that the problem of underage or teenage drinking is even more prevalent than other substances.Although some alcohol consumption among adolescents is considered normative, there is great concern for the number of teens who are exhibiting signs of alcohol abuse or dependence with 7% of the above sample meeting diagnostic criteria for alcohol, marijuana, or hard drug abuse or dependence.Trends in alcohol use reported in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in dicate that binge drinking (five or more drinks on one occasion during the 30 days prior to the survey) has shown little variation over the past several years, ranging from 31.3% in 1991 to 33.4% in 1997 to 31.5% in 1999 (Eaton, 2005, p. 79).Drinking continues to be a problem among youth and needs to be targeted specifically.   This drinking problem has led to a number of problems such school absenteeism and failure, depression, risky behaviors (especially driving under the influence), addiction, and death.This brief discourse, shall tackle the issue of alcohol abuse in teenagers as well as the possible treatments that can be done.   It shall also provide an etiological perspective of the problem in order to show the different factors that affect teenage alcoholism.Working as a school counselor for this age group, I agree with the American Academy of Child and Adolescents Psychiatry’s Report (2007) which states that the following groups are most at risk for alcohol abuse: 1) teenagers with a family history of addiction, 2) teenagers suffering from depression, 3) teenagers suffering with low self-esteem, and 4) teenagers that have academic problems.It has been shown that from the following groups the teenagers with a history of alcohol have higher rates of alcohol addiction with over 42% of the sample size coming from that background.The next group is that of those who were drinking because they were upset with a rate of 40% while the rest admitted that they usually drink because of low self-esteem and peer pressure which accounts for 25% of the teenagers (Farrell, 2006, p.284).   The number of teenagers that drink due to academic problems has steadily been on the rise since 1998 and is now at a rate of 25% of the teenagers.   From the list, one could argue that most teenagers have been in one or more of its categories at one time in their lives.Etiological Approach:The article, Etiology of Alcoholism Reconsidered, is an insightful article that p rovides a biophysical analysis of the problem.   Alcohol related mishaps and accidents remain the largest concern of society and in response to this more and more sectors of society have been taking steps to understand the nature of the problem.   One such approach is the biophysical approach conducted by Vailliant and Milofsky on the Etiological Approach to Alcoholism.It is theorized in the study conducted by Vailliant and Milofsky that there are other factors that must be considered when studying the problem of alcoholism.   According to the authors, there are personality and childhood influences that must be examined in order to arrive at a better understanding of the problem.In the study conducted, Vailliant and Milofsky studied many different factors and collected different types of date including ethnicity, heredity, psychological instability, childhood and adult personality variables, and family background (Vailliant and Milofsky, 1982, p43).   The data that was colle cted from all of this was then used to quantify the variance of each of the different etiological factors.It was from the data analytic strategy that Vailliant and Milofsky were able to draw the conclusion that whenever there are correlations that exist between alcoholism and certain behavioral patterns or symptoms, it is usually alcoholism that is the cause of such behavior or symptom rather than it being the result (Vailliant and Milofsky, 1982, p483).Alcoholism is, according to the authors, not so much a disorder whose etiological causes are personality and behavior but rather, it is a precedent for such behaviors.   It was also noted from the study that â€Å"premorbid antisocial behavior† is a major contributor to the etiology of alcoholism.Another important finding in the article is the fact that while Vailliant and Milofsky greatly downplayed the role of child antisocial behavior, it played a significant role in most of the categories.As with the other etiological fa ctors, it has been shown that there are correlations that have been overlooked or underrepresented in the study conducted by Vailliant and Milofsky.   As such, this has led to the theory of Zucker that in order for there to be an accurate etiological study, there must be a study that is conducted over â€Å"developmental time† and inclusive of â€Å"different levels of data† since it is only through this process that a proper understanding can be arrived at (Zucker 1986).There are, however, still certain researchers who argue that this study was not significant in that it failed to account for certain factors or relationships such as that of antisocial behavior and personality factors which was thought to be underestimated in the study.   This does not detract, however, that the study process used presented an angle that was quantifiable and perhaps accurate of the etiology of alcoholism.   

Differentiate between free market economy and mixed economy Essay

Economics Introduction Differentiate between free market economy and mixed economy            Economics is part of business that deals with the production, distribution and consumption of goods or services in the society (Paul, 2008). Economics contains many aspects that helps define different markets, which attribute to the applying of goods and services and also deal with individual needs and some economic issues. Free market economy has free reign on production and distribution of goods or services. In this market, they can take their own decisions on what to purchase and produce. According to Paul (2008) free market economy is also called capitalist economy. Each exchange is done between two people or between two groups represented by agents. Each party undertakes the exchange because they expect to benefit from another. The market economy enforces its own private contacts and ownership. The government only plays a neutral role in its legislation economy and administration. However, the buyers and sellers in this market do not pressurize each other in c ase of obtaining each other’s property rights without the use of force, threat or fraud. Their laws of demand and supply regulate the production of their goods.            This kind of economy is practiced by many countries but is mostly initiated by the United States economy. Their own agents do however, the concerns like maintenance of employment. Mixed economy on the other hand has a combination of communist, market and traditional economics. The mixed economy has both private and owned companies. The government plays the key role in their market (Paul, 2008). They are also limited to free decision since the government and private organizations are the only ones who intervene. The mixed economy is responsible for paying taxes that they get back as s benefit through infrastructure, social programs and government services. However, the government is involved in the planning and even the resources. It is involved in the concerns such as maintenance of employments standards environmental protection and competition. The mixed economy does not define its own policies, laws and limit power by the government. Explanation of joint demand and joint supply            Joint supply is whereby goods are produced or supplied together (Daniel-Kagbare, 2014). The products are produced in a fixed proportion since they cannot be varied. This shows that the quantity of one product can be increased with the expense of the other. An example can be that of a cow. One can breed a cow for either meat or hide. This shows the product can yield two or even more outputs. If the supply of the product increases, the output they produce will definitely also increase. The rise of productions is in response to increase in demand. The joint supply affects demand differently. Decrease in supply depreciates demand while increase in supply increases the demand of goods. However, joint demand on the other hand refers to products or commodities that are complement in production and in use.            The commodities produced are used together to satisfy the needs and wants of consumers. One commodity cannot be used the expense of the other. According Daniel-Kagbare (2014) increase in demand for one commodity increases the demand for the other. The commodities are designed to design to satisfy the same want. An example is sugar, milk and coffee. They work as complements. If there is decline in the supply of sugar in the market, then the demand for milk and coffee is likely to decline. However, price affects joint demands differently. A rise in one commodity leads to fall of price in the other product. A good example is; increase in price of milk decrease the price of sugar and coffee while the decrease of the price leads to increase in the price of sugar and coffee in the market. A clear explanation of relationship between price elasticity of demand and consumer expenditure            Price elasticity of demand is the relative responsiveness of changes in demand to changes price (Banerjee, 2014). There is inverse relationship between price and demand. When the demand increases the price increases and when demand increases the price decreases. It is calculated by dividing change in quantity of demand proportionate to change in price. There two types of elasticity demand that is elastic and inelastic demand. Elastic demand is whereby change in price alters demand. This means rice in price decreases total revenue while fall in price will increase total revenue. The elastic demand occurs when percentage change in quantity demanded when there is percentage change in price. Inelastic demand is whereby increase in price will increase total revenue and decrease in price will result in decrease in revenue. The price elasticity of demand goes hand in hand with consumer expenditure.            According to Banerjee (2014), they are very important to managers since they provide a rough thumb. That is, if the price is inelastic, raising price slightly raises consumer expenditure which attributes to a higher revenue. However, if the price is elastic, lowering of its price slightly alters consumer expenditure by raising it leading to firmness in revenue. According to Barnejee (2014), there is two other price elasticity of demand. That is the income elasticity demand and cross- price elasticity demand. Thee income elasticity demand is whereby impact of change in income level on the demanded quantity keeps the price of a product fixed. Cross- price elasticity is used to measure the effects or influences of change in price of another good on the demand of a particular product. Explanation of difference between positive and negative externalities            Externalists are produced when social costs and benefits differ from private costs and benefits. Negative externality reduces the well-being of others (Besanko et al, 2011). In negative externalist, the third party suffers from loss, which comes because of not having the third party involvement between a buyer and seller. An example of negative externality is an organization burning fuels, realizing poisonous fumes, which in turn result in health problems in the society. In the negative externality, a consumer does not necessarily pay the cost of his or her actions that she or he imposed on people. According to Besanko et al (2011), negative externality occurs or involves common properties. If the social cost is greater than private cost then the negative externality is initiated.            However, positive externality takes place when the private marginal enjoyed from consumption or production of goods or services exceeded by benefits as a whole to the society (Besanko et al, 2011). In this case, the third party apart from the buyer and the seller is included in receiving a benefit because of transaction. An example of positive externality is education and training provided to employees in an organization. This is because, the education and training reduces expenses that an organization needs to encounter or bear in training individuals to make them efficient and productive. Increasing productivity attributes to more efficient use of products such as raw materials in an organization raising the living standards benefiting a greater society. Apart from that, innovation in technologies is also part of positive externality. Having knowledge in technology help, lower production cost, result in better standards that benefit producers and consumers leadin g to better qualification. Explanation of difference between diminishing marginal returns and return to scale            Diminishing marginal return is whereby a firm or organization needs to combine variable input with a fixed input. It is based on the short-run production of a firm. When productivity variable is more used in a short-run production; variable input declines. When productivity of variable input decreases, high cost of productivity rises and also a high supply of price is needed. According to Basenko et al (2011), usage of one input increases the quantity of other inputs such as land and capital that are held fixed. These decrease the input of marginal product. However, rate of technical substitution of labor is equal to the ratio of product of labor to marginal product of capital. This shows capital can be reduced for every increase in every unit in quantity labor and hold output quantity constant.            Return to scale refers to what takes place when all inputs are increased by a certain percentage (Besanko et al, 2011). When all inputs change in the same proportion leads to scale of production. Nevertheless, change in total output due to scale changing results in return scale. When all inputs increase in the same proportion the total product may increase the rate, remain constant rate or diminish the rate. This may occur because the higher efficiency obtaining as a result moving from one level to another; that is from small operation to a large scale operation . Decrease in return may occur if production depreciates as production expands. Also it may occur in a firm or organization expands and it becomes difficult for it to be managed as one single unit. Conclusion            In order for business to expand and economic sector to improve, negative externality need to be taken care of. The government should initiates rules to cut off the behaviors of people or organization after imposing a risk to the society and other organization. A right aspect to take is to punish the organization that pollute environment by taxing them heavily for their consequences. This will help secure other people’s business and even health. The business people should put into consideration aspects like elasticity of demand in other to make sure that the demand or price does not affect the business in a negative way. References Banerjee, S. (2014). Intermediate microeconomics. Routledge Besanko, D., Braeutigam, R. R., & Gibbs, M. (2011). Microeconomics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. Daniel-Kagbere, T.E. (2014). A dictionary of economics and commerce. AuthorHouse Paul, J. (2008). Business environment: Text and cases. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing. 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High

High High-rise building refers to any building used for human occupancy that exceeds 75 feet (23 m) in height. This definition depends upon the fact that ladders on fire department vehicles mostly do not reach past this point. In this case, the height of the building starts from the lowest ground level a fire truck can access outside the building to the floor of the highest story human can occupy (Harmon and Katherine 62).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on High-Rise Building specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More High-rise buildings have occupancy classification to ensure that everyone is safe in a high-rise building. Occupancy classification depends on how the occupants will be using the space. Occupants may use the space for an office now, but later turn it into a conference room for training. As such, we may classify the high-rise building as an assembly instead of business such that the design focuses on stringent co de requirements. The International Code Council (ICC) classification of occupancy may have slight difference in the way the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes define the occupancy type. There are 10 most common occupancy classifications adopted throughout different buildings and life safety codes. Some of the occupancy types may also have sub-classifications. Occupancy classifications include assembly, business, educational, factory or industrial, hazardous, institutional, mercantile, residential, storage, utility or miscellaneous occupancies. Before 1970s in the US, there were no rigid criteria for high-rise buildings in the national codes. In 1970s, various codes combined to form the International Building Code (IBC). These codes developed requirements for high-rise buildings. The NFPA Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) provides the requirements for high-rise buildings, which may differ depending on the occupancy classification. Many jurisdictions in the US have revised th e original definition of a high-rise building of at least 75 feet to include a height ranging from 35 feet (11 meters) to 55 feet (17 meters). High-rise building provisions aimed at providing protection in building structures where access rescue was not possible. The standard height of 75 feet was the longest accessible point that rescuers could access. Therefore, the codes aimed at addressing the safety of the occupant who could not be reached from outside. Apart from stack effect delayed evacuation, all the factors with regard to high-rise building depended on the ladder reach idea.Advertising Looking for research paper on architecture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Provisions regarding high-rise building emerged due to requirements for voice communication, automatic sprinklers, emergency power and pressurized stairs. Most locations also insisted on smoke control systems. Other codes in other countries referring to the provisions in high-rise buildings are similar to the US provisions such as 75 feet tall. However, some countries have more restrictive provisions regarding the number and locations of elevators for firefighters, width, compartmentation, travel distance to stairs of escapes, and structures of fire resistance. The US building codes now target new areas, which are addressing the conditions in existing buildings, which do not comply with the new building codes requirements. There are retrofitting sprinkler ordinances in many buildings, in the US cities. However, the challenge is that retrofit laws vary from city to city. NFPA 101 requires that existing high-rise buildings install automatic sprinklers. The public cannot determine the level of protection they have in high-rise buildings due to sporadic application of the new codes requirements. Another change in code requires additional protection in buildings as high-rise buildings go higher. People may picture a building of a 7-s tory as a high-rise. However, the level of protection they get is similar to those they get in a 50-story building. The only similarity exists in the exterior rescue measurement of 75 feet. Factors such as air movement, evacuation viability, staged evacuation, and the information occupants and fire department need are different from tall buildings to mid-level buildings. These are some of the new areas of concern the codes are addressing. Safety in high-rise buildings is of a paramount concern to its occupants. This is because high-rise buildings pose additional dangers to its occupants due to increased height and characteristics of a high-rise building in the event of a fire. The prominent danger is that it is often impractical to evacuate all the occupants within a reasonable time. Another danger is that fire is more often than not beyond the reach of the fire department equipment. Fire must be fought in place within the building. Therefore, a need to address safety in high-rise b uildings becomes fundamental in relations to compartmentation, means of egress, and the active fire protection systems. The need to pay attention to smoke control is crucial since high-rise buildings have stack effect of smoke in case of fire outbreak. The codes put mandatory requirements such as additional use of automatic sprinkler systems and the overlapping of detection and suppression systems (Moncada 2).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on High-Rise Building specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Let us consider the case of the World Trade Center (WTC) events. The WTC events raise several questions concerning future designs to defend against extreme events and at what costs. There have been several proposals to harden the stairwells. According to James Quiter, people should not react to one event without fully comprehending the negative consequences as a result of the building’s response to other extreme events. James argue that it is difficult to use collective thinking as we respond to extreme events of security threats, which are unlikely, unpredictable, and dependant on emotions. However, we must apply rigor to improve the overall performance of a building (Quiter 1). Another concern is the safety of other high-rise buildings like WTC. The issue, which comes out, is whether occupants are comfortable with other high-rise complex. The damages in WTC 1 and 2 spread to other surrounding buildings such as WTC 7. The problem became worse due to inadequate supply of water, presence of fuel, and fire causing the collapse of WTC 7. The fundamental lessons from the WTC events show that it is significant to ensure protection of high-rise buildings and compartmentation are adequate. Buildings should have automatic sprinkler to make them safer. However, the challenge is that sprinklering existing buildings is not simple. In this case, the government should provide tax breaks and additional time for such buildings to install automatic sprinklers. James sees solutions to high-rise fire issues in the automatic sprinkler. Otherwise, there would be significant risks of fire and safety of occupants. High-rise buildings have several problems associated with them. There is the life hazard. High-rise building contains more people than ordinary buildings. The occupancy classification determines the people in it. However, these people may be senior citizens, children, physically challenged, transitory or asleep occupants. The nature of height of high-rise buildings may make evacuation time consuming, and to some extent, impossible. Another problem of high-rise building is the structural deficiencies. There are always possibilities that a high-rise building fire may be confined in the floor of origin, particularly if the building is sprinklered. However, if the renovation or remodeling violated this integrity of fire concern, then the possibilities of fire spreading to other floo rs are high. Occasionally, strong fire may spread to upper floors through windows.Advertising Looking for research paper on architecture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This increases the intensity and amount of fire causing more danger to the occupant. Open fire doors lead to spread of fire to other areas. At the same time, improper maintenance of firefighting equipment may render them less effective and doubtful. Lastly, high-rise buildings have tactical limitations. Firefighters do not have many options in fighting high-rise buildings fires. Accessing the floor where there is fire outbreak may take time. These situations aggravate the problem. At the same time, the access ladder is limited to 6th or 7th of high-rise buildings. This will force the firefighters to access the fire using the staircases, which in most cases the occupants of the building are using. These conditions increase the amount of time needed to fight the fire leading to spread of fire to other areas. Building codes cannot protect occupants of a building in every situation as we witnessed during the 9/11 attacks. Since then, there have been concerns aiming at creating and imple menting stricter codes, standards, and federal regulations for the aim of making buildings safe to the occupants. The problem is that we cannot construct all buildings to withstand every an imaginable catastrophe. Building codes emphasis the construction needs of a whole building and place with strict restrictions on dangerous materials or equipment used in the building. The purposes of these codes are to ensure public safety, health, and welfare of the people using the buildings. Building codes focus on electrical, structural, plumbing, life safety/egress, natural light and air, fire safety (detection and suppression), accessibility standards and energy conservation. Existing building codes have undergone various changes in the past few decades. Today, we have the ICC and the NFPA building codes which look at the conditions of existing buildings with regard to safety. These codes strive to provide requirements for reasonable upgrade and improvements based on the type and extent of the work. Occupants of existing buildings must confirm that the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) is in use within the jurisdiction. The IEBC determines the extent of repairs, additions, alteration and any other modification in the building based on the level of code compliance. Some of the requirements in IEBC may be lenient than those in the building code. Fire codes are present in both the ICC and NFPA. The first fire code the ICC produced was in the year 2000. However, in the year 2003, the NFPA developed a new fire code in partnership with the Western Fire Chief Association (WFCA). The NFPA revises fire codes after every three years. The NFPA develops the standard fire code but makes references to various sources so that users are aware of the origins of the codes. Fire codes work in conjunction with related building code. Fire code looks at existing high-rise building conditions that are risky and could cause possible fires and explosions. Fires and explosions can oc cur due to several reasons such as type of occupancy and use of space or storage and handling of some materials. Fire codes are almost applicable to all buildings. However, building codes may not cover some requirements. Fire code is specific to the kind of material to use in a different section of the building. However, it is necessary to make references to areas such as means of egress, interior finishes, fire-resistant structures, furnishing and decorative materials. Fire codes have emergency planning to address problems concerning evacuation procedures and fire drills depending on the building occupancy. Fire codes appeal to building owners, occupants and fire departments. Certain fire codes may affect occupancy with regards to signage and other fundamental requirements. Occupancy codes look into occupancy type, which addresses how the occupants of a building are using the building or space. Occupancy codes address the varied hazardous situations or risk factors associated with different occupancy classifications. Hazardous situations consider both the occupants using the space and the activity they will carry in it. Any building risk factors focus on spatial characteristics, fuel loads, types of occupants, concentration of occupants and in some cases, the knowledge of the building. Some situations may require additional occupancy code due to varying characteristics of occupants and building use so that the building is safe. For instance, assembly occupancy may require more exits because of the large number of people using the space. Hospitals may require alternate exiting methods due to the characteristics of patients such as age, health, or security reasons. These various characteristics define occupancy codes of high-rise buildings. Occupancy codes address these various characteristics, so that occupants may feel safe in every high-rise building, or any other space they occupy. Occupancy codes also influence the occupant load (the number of people assum ed safely occupying a building or a space) and occupancy classification. Conversely, occupant loads influence the occupancy code a building requires and other code requirements. Life safety code (LSC) or NFPA 101 was among the first codes NFPA published. This code is subject to revision after every three years. LSC is not a building code rather it concentrates on the evacuation and removal of all persons in the building during an emergency situation. LSC establishes and provides the minimum requirements that give a reasonable degree of safety from fire in buildings and structures. LSC does not address all the issues concerning construction of a building. It leaves out issues concerning accessibility, plumbing and glazing. This is because it is not a building code. LSC focuses on occupancies, fire protection and means of egress. Means of egress may include stairwells, horizontal exits, exit passageways, and other exit enclosures. Sometimes, fire-resistance rating is available both ho rizontally and vertically and get strict towards the exit. LSC provides a table of fire-resistance ratings. LSC provisions for stairs are that they must meet similar requirements as vertical shafts. Normally, the stairs have a 1-hour rating in 3-stories or less and provision for 2-hours in more than four stories. At the same time, there are also provisions for smoke. LSC provision for an exit stair needs a fire-related enclosure if it links more than two floors. A rated stairwell must be vertically continuous through each floor and fully enclose the stair. In order to protect the fire ratings, only a minimum number of penetrations are necessary and allowed. Large high-rise buildings may require smoke-proof to serve as an area of refuge during fire. LSC provision for an exit stair needs a fire-related enclosure if it links more than two floors. A rated stairwell must be vertically continuous through each floor and fully enclose the stair. In order to protect the fire ratings, only a minimum number of penetrations are necessary and allowed. Large high-rise buildings may require smoke-proof to serve as an area of refuge during fire (Puchovsky 4). Horizontal exits provide alternative exit routes within a building. They also have fire barriers to provide an exit within the same floor. High-rise buildings have exit corridors leading to an exit or an exit stairwell. Buildings, which are sprinklered, are easy to determine the rating of a corridor. Business occupancy, which has no sprinkler and has an occupant load of more than 30, requires rating of an hour. On the other hand, if business occupancy has less than a 30 occupant load, then we do not need to rate an exit corridor. Occasionally, corridors, which serve small tenant space, do not require a rating. Exit access corridors, which serve the whole floor must be rated, more so in non-sprinklered buildings. An IBC provision for an exit access corridor is that they serve as a type of fire partition. Evacuation may in volve fire, explosions, toxic release, and other events of extreme danger in high-rise buildings. Occupants of the high-rise story buildings should take safety precautions to avoid incidences of fire. However, we must note that we cannot prevent and control some events like the terrorists attack of 9/11 on WTC. Therefore, uncontrollable fire is likely to occur in high-rise buildings. In this case, the assigned authority must order for evacuation of the building occupants in order to save lives and avert destruction of property. Evacuation starts at where there is an emergency fire, then it can spread to several other floors or the whole building. The best method to complete an evacuation process is through the fire stairwells. In cases of fire or smoke penetrating stairwells, then alternative routes and stairwells should be used. Some cases of evacuation require a joint effort of the police, fire department, building management and tenants. Elevators are only safe for bomb-threat em ergency evacuation but not for fire. Instead, fire stairwells should be used to assist the occupants to safe floors. When fire emergency occur, all elevators should return to the lobby floor as per the American National Standard Elevator Code. Elevators should have installed automatic devices to allow them pass through all the fire-affected floors. Elevators should never be stopped at the floor of the fire incidence. Evacuation should be a controlled and coordinated process. Therefore, an emergency rescue team must take into account the number of occupants per floor, emergency fire stairwells available, and the number of floors directly under threat of a fire. Evacuation priority should focus on directly notifying the occupants to leave the building. At the same time, a priority must focus on the occupants who are directly under threat of fire (Colonna 1). Methods of evacuation depend on the building control systems. This is responsible for determining efficient and safe methods of evacuating the building with attention to the nature of the fire and extent of the damage. People must be controlled during emergencies. Therefore, the floor personnel must control the number of occupants exiting through a single stairwell. At the same time, alternate floors should have different stairwells to provide for full flight between two floors to safe grounds (Blackley 1). Disabilities in people manifest themselves through mobility, hearing, speech, visual and cognitive impairments. These various degrees of impairments and other functional issues are essential in emergency evacuation processes. There should be a plan of evacuation to cater for all manner of disabilities listed above. People with disabilities should be moved down the fire stairwell to an upper part of the building where there is unengaged elevator bank, and then taken by the elevator to the fire rescue officials. In cases of seriously physically handicapped persons, the floor evacuation coordinator should as sist them exit the building (NFPA 1). We must acknowledge the fact that it is impossible to plan for every possible emergency that might occur in high-rise buildings. However, preparation is possible in crucial emergency situations. Preparation for evacuations must involve the input of different occupants including people with disabilities in the building. Evacuation guides must address the needs of people with disabilities in the high-rise buildings during emergencies. The Fair Housing Act Design Manual has general guidelines and provisions for people with disabilities, which new buildings must adhere to as provided for in the building codes and LSC. The manual addresses four areas of evacuating five types of people with disabilities. Therefore, accessibility and evacuations standards must adhere to these five categories. There are several factors design and code people should focus on when high-rise buildings are in consideration. Risk evaluations in high-rise buildings must be gi ven first priority. Designing of high-rise buildings must be integrated, rational and holistic with regard to engineering approach. Risks in high-rise buildings increases as its height increases. Increase in the number of occupants results into an increase in potential hazard to the occupants. Engineering decisions must take such factors as occupant load, potential target to threats, space and its uses, suppression efforts, and other building facilities. These analyses must be present so that the standards meet the building rigor and public safety. The rigor must enable the engineers to make informed designs. High-rise buildings must meet this specification of rigor, instead of putting pieces in the codes together in order to meet engineering requirements and safety standards (Goode 5). There should be some thresholds of protections in all buildings. Codes have gaps particularly where old high-rise buildings are concerned. High-rise buildings also have varied degrees of height. The standard height of 75 feet based on access of fire ladder may not help to fight fire at 20 stories high. At the same time, time to evacuate occupants may vary depending on the height of the building. There are thresholds where elevators may not be useful in evacuation processes and where there is smoke stack effect. At these stages of varying thresholds in emergency responses, the prescriptive code may no longer apply, and the rescuers must use the performance code approach as an alternative. The existing code procedures for evaluating the building fire structural resistance are out-of-date. The system codes should abandon the hour rating and implement the simulation techniques which can give accurate response of building behavior in cases of emergency. Building codes should use simulation techniques to determine the structural and fire resistance ability of the structures. Likewise, the focus should also shift to how much time a high-rise building can withstand an event of fire. Th e current code provisions only match the structural fire-resistance with a reasonable full-time evacuation in medium height buildings. However, very high buildings do not have such provisions. The changes in the energy sector have shifted to energy use in high-rise buildings. There is a voluntary system for evaluating the energy consumptions of a building. Modern building constructions adopt the techniques of building energy friendly buildings. While this may not be important in fighting fire in high-rise buildings, it is necessary to show how such buildings can save both costs and energy usage for the occupants. This new development has ignited the NFPA and the Tall Building Council to search for similar potential system for life safety. The method tries to influence the building owners to improve safety in high-rise buildings with little financial incentives. Blackley, William F. High-Rise Fire and Life Safety: Hazards and Education for Older People. National Fire Academy 1.5 (20 06): 1-46. Print. Colonna, Guy. Introduction to Employee Fire and Life Safety. National Fire Protection Association 4.2 (2001): 1-31. Print. Goode, Michael G. Fire Protection of Structural Steel in High-Rise Buildings. Building and Fire Research Laboratory 3.4 (2004): 5-86. Print. Harmon, Sharon Koomen and Katherine E. Kennon. The Codes Guidebook for Interiors, 3rd Edition. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc., 2005. Print. Moncada, Jaime A. Fire Unchecked. NFPA Journal 1.1 (2005): 2-4. Print. NFPA, (National Fire Protection Association). Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide For People with Disabilities. NFPA Journal 5.3 (2007): 1-60. Print. Puchovsky, Milosh. High concept: Proposed NFPA code changes for high-rise buildings. NFPA Journal 5.4 (2007): 4-6. Print. Quiter, James. High-Rise Buildings: What Should We Do About Them? Fire Protection Engineering 1.2 (2011): 1-1. Print.

Restrictive and Unrestrictive Use of Such As

Restrictive and Unrestrictive Use of Such As Restrictive and Unrestrictive Use of Such As Restrictive and Unrestrictive Use of Such As By Mark Nichol The phrase â€Å"such as† comes in handy for referring to specifics, but whether it begins a longer phrase framed by a pair of commas depends on whether that longer phrase is essential to the sentence or is provided as additional but nonessential information. The following sentences demonstrate erroneous use or omission of punctuation with the phrase; discussion and revision indicate correct usage. 1. In circumstances, such as these, are our strengths and weaknesses revealed. A pair of commas around â€Å"such as these† presumes that the phrase is optional, but â€Å"In circumstances are our strengths and weaknesses revealed,† though a valid statement, misses the point of the sentence, which is intended to relate the sentiment to a particular set of circumstances, so the phrase is essential and should not be set off: â€Å"In circumstances such as these are our strengths and weaknesses revealed.† 2. The use of the technology allows companies, such as World Wide Wickets, to transfer funds faster, cheaper, and in a trackable mechanism. Out of context, it may not be clear whether the parenthesis is necessary, but when one accepts the assumption that the company has already been mentioned, the phrase seems oddly intrusive when treated as an interjection, while its integral placement in the statement is natural: â€Å"The use of the technology allows companies such as World Wide Wickets to transfer funds faster, cheaper, and in a trackable mechanism.† 3. Specific employee information, such as Social Security numbers and I-9 forms for employment eligibility must be transferred in accordance with law. The examples given in this sentence are helpful but not essential, so the phrase beginning with â€Å"such as† and ending before the verb phrase â€Å"must be transferred† should be treated parenthetically. This sentence starts off correctly but neglects to close off the parenthesis with a second comma: â€Å"Specific employee information, such as Social Security numbers and I-9 forms for employment eligibility, must be transferred in accordance with law.† (The sentence is also correct without internal punctuation.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Passed vs Past45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†The Difference Between "Shade" and "Shadow"

A look into the perspective of Operation Management in the context of Essay

A look into the perspective of Operation Management in the context of a Bank Call Centre - Essay Example Thus, the relationships and observations are considered to be independent of the theories used to explain them and can hence be studied, manipulated at will, and controlled as needed by the researcher. Another major characteristic of rationalist research is the goal of determining the distributions of a set of pre-specified variables in the population or verifying a set of pre-specified relationships. The main focal pint is to primarily considering the rationalist methods of modeling by equations, laboratory experiments, and statistical survey analysis in making comparisons to case research. Note that the division here does not parallel a frequently-used one of dividing operations management research between so-called 'theoretical' a misnomer, since all these paradigms can be theoretical and 'empirical' methods. Typical equation-modeling research would include variants of the economic order quantity formulation as well as production-inventory system simulations. Statistical survey research is currently being used in quality management, supply chain, and technology management investigations, among many others. Rationalist research methods also have their draw-b... First, obtaining valid empirical generalizations depends to a large extent on the use of sampling procedures that are rigorous, representative of a well-specified population, and provides a source of information concerning the constructs to be measured. Yet, despite the importance of employing rigorous sampling criteria for generalizability of the findings, the great majority of quantitative studies based on sampling appear to use samples of convenience or opportunity. A call center is a service network in which agents provide telephone-based services. Customers that seek these services are delayed in tele-queues. The attempt summarizes an analysis of a unique operation management record of call center operations. The data comprise a complete operational history of a small banking call center such as UTI, call by call, over a full year. Telephone call centers allow groups of agents to serve customers remotely, via the telephone. They have become a primary contact point between customers and their service providers and, as such, play an increasingly significant role in more developed economies. For example, it is estimated that call centers handle more than 78% of all business interactions and that they employ more than 2.5 million people. While call centers are technology-intensive operations, often 70% or more of their operating costs are devoted to human resources, and to minimize costs their managers carefully track and seek to maximize agent utilization. Well-run call centers adhere to a sharply-defined balance between agent efficiency and service quality, and to do so, they use queuing-theoretic models. The UTI center provides several types of services: information for current and prospective customers,