Chapter 13 & 14 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter 13 & 14 - Assignment Example The company has been developing new product according to taste and preference and food habits of different geographic segment. But the main aim is to standardize its products globally. This is why the company successfully adopted the concept of think global, act local. Quality of the product ensures its shorter supply chain to get fresh raw food and vegetable products. The company currently has more than 24,500 outlets across the globe and high availability of its product through its worldwide presence enforces the demand and also brand recognition (MacDonald, 2009, p.15). Though the company faces completion from regional players in different regional market but it has segmented brand as premium food and service brand. McDonalds adapts ‘glocal’ i.e. an integrated mix of global and local for its global workforce. All restaurants of this brand consist of local workforce who better understand the demand of the local customers. Physical evidence of this brand is represented by its single message in all the restaurants in the world. Structure and environment of the restaurants, processing of foods and the way of service of the employees in the restores are similar in all McDonald restaurants. High focus on customer service along with the product quality has made it a leading food service brand in the world. The Ritz-Carlton is one of the leading hotel brands in the world. It is recognized for its premium quality of service especially the employees try their best to help in anticipated needs or desire. Service quality is the only area where the leading brands compete with each other. Ritz Carlton provides high quality of training program to its employees to provide best quality service to the customers. This brand always tries to provide unique service quality so that it can drive for future retention of the customers. Key differences are employees training programs, importance on customer satisfaction and service values. Mayo Clinic

Blue Ocean Strategy Essay Example for Free

Blue Ocean Strategy Essay Competing in overcrowded industries is no way to sustain high performance. The real opportunity is to create blue oceans of uncontested market space. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne Included with this full-text Harvard Business Review article: 70 Article Summary The Idea in Brief—the core idea The Idea in Practice—putting the idea to work 71 Blue Ocean Strategy 80 Further Reading A list of related materials, with annotations to guide further exploration of the article’s ideas and applications Reprint R0410D Blue Ocean Strategy The Idea in Brief The best way to drive profitable growth? Stop competing in overcrowded industries. In those red oceans, companies try to outperform rivals to grab bigger slices of existing demand. As the space gets increasingly crowded, profit and growth prospects shrink. Products become commoditized. Ever-more-intense competition turns the water bloody. How to avoid the fray? Kim and Mauborgne recommend creating blue oceans— uncontested market spaces where the competition is irrelevant. In blue oceans, you invent and capture new demand, and you offer customers a leap in value while also streamlining your costs. Results? We chose to show American industries because they represented the largest and leastregulated market during our study period. The pattern of blue ocean creations exempli? ed by these three industries is consistent with what we observed in the other industries in our study. harvard business review †¢ october 2004 page 73 Blue Ocean Strategy Key blue ocean creations Was the blue ocean created by a new Was it driven by entrant or an technology pioneering incumbent? or value pioneering? New entrant Value pioneering* (mostly existing technologies) Value pioneering (some new technologies) Value pioneering (some new technologies) At the time of the blue ocean creation, was the industry attractive or unattractive? Unattractive Automobiles Ford Model T Unveiled in 1908, the Model T was the ? rst mass-produced car, priced so that many Americans could afford it. GM’s â€Å"car for every purse and purpose† GM created a blue ocean in 1924 by injecting fun and fashion into the car. Incumbent Attractive Japanese fuel-ef? cient autos Japanese automakers created a blue ocean in the mid-1970s with small, reliable lines of cars. Incumbent Unattractive Chrysler minivan With its 1984 minivan, Chrysler created a new class of automobile that was as easy to use as a car but had the passenger space of a van. Incumbent Value pioneering (mostly existing technologies) Unattractive Computers CTR’s tabulating machine In 1914, CTR created the business machine industry by simplifying, modularizing, and leasing tabulating machines. CTR later changed its name to IBM. Incumbent Value pioneering (some new technologies) Unattractive IBM 650 electronic computer and System/360 In 1952, IBM created the business computer industry by simplifying and reducing the power and price of existing technology.

HR Policies and Practices

HR Policies and Practices Motivating and Retaining a Multigenerational Workforce Through HR Policies and Practices Abstract In todays workforce management must learn to engage their employees who are of different generations and backgrounds. With roughly half of the workforce primarily Baby Boomers who are expected to retire within the next decade, management must learn to cope with loosing primary employees and training Generation Y and X employees on how to successfully complete Baby Boomers jobs. In the meantime, management must also learn how to keep each generation motivated and feel appreciated in order to produce the companys mission statement successfully. HR professionals will need to ensure management is aware of what the future holds by strategically planning and aligning employees to reach future goals. Introduction There are three generations that make up todays workforce: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. In order for management to successfully manage their organization, they must understand what drives and motivates each generation, what specific behaviors each generation posses, and what values they each perceive as important for their work environment. Since each generation is different, experts suggest that managers adjust their style of leadership in order to avoid problems (Crampton, 2006). The focus of the recommendations tends to be on Generations X and Y. Less attention is given to Baby Boomers and Veterans, because after all, they are about to retire (Crampton, 2006). As management begins to focus on what makes these generations different from one another, they will be able to maximize the organizations profits and prolong competitiveness in the future economy. To better understand each generation, we must gain knowledge about each one individually. Piktialis (2006) briefly describes each generation: â€Å"-Baby boomers, ages 41-59, make up almost half the U.S. workforce. They grew up during an era of economic prosperity and experienced the tumult of the 60s at an impressionable age. Baby boomers tend to be optimistic, idealistic and good team players. They are driven, love challenge and want to be stars and build stellar careers. Because they have had to compete with each other at every step of their careers, they can be highly competitive. -Generation X, ages 28-40, makes up just 29 percent of the workforce. This generation witnessed parents experiences with corporate downsizing and restructuring in the 70s and 80s. Raised in an era of two-earner households and rising divorce rates, many of them got a childs-eye view of work-centric parenting. They value flexibility, work-life balance and autonomy on the job, and appreciate a fun, informal work environment. They are constantly assessing how their careers are progressing and place a premium on learning opportunities. They are technologically savvy, eager to learn new skills and comfortable with change at work. They appreciate frequent and honest feedback from their managers and mentors. -Generation Y, ages 27 and younger, makes up just 15 percent of the U.S. workforce. Over the next two decades that percentage will grow to approach that of the baby boom in its prime. Generation Y tends to be well organized, confident, and resilient and achievement oriented. They are excellent team players, like collaboration and use sophisticated technology with ease. They are comfortable with and respectful of authority and relate well to older people. More than any generation that has come before, they are comfortable with diversity. They want to work in an environment where differences are respected and valued, where people are judged by their contributions and where talent matters.† (Piktials, 2006) As future managers, we need to analyze each generation separately and devise recommendations on how to fully engage employees to the commitment of the company. Here we will analyze Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y in more depth and learn what makes each one unique as well as how to properly communicate and achieve success. Baby Boomers Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 and are predominantly in their 40s and 50s. They are well-established in their careers by now and hold positions of power and authority. This generation constitutes a large majority of corporate executives and other managerial positions of power. Their typical characteristics include optimism, politically conservative, and they are active, competitive, and focus on personal achievement and accomplishment. They work hard maybe too hard, and are often stressed out. They like to set and reach goals, continuously seek self-improvement, care for children and aging parents, and complain about things at work but accept them as part of the job. They are an idealist generation that has predominately experienced a world of peace (Fransden, February, 2009). With single-parent households, growing children, aging parents, demanding jobs, and approaching retirement, baby boomers cant find enough time to go around. Collectively they pushed the work week from a long-time standard of 40 hours up to 60, 70, or more hours per week. They often experience conflict with younger generations who do not share their values. Their primary work focus makes them the generation most susceptible to burnout and stress-related illness (Fransden, February, 2009). Baby boomers are characteristically loyal, work-centric, independent, goal-oriented and competitive. They believe that Gen-Xers and Ys lack work ethic and commitment to the workplace, and should conform to a culture of overwork. Baby boomers equate work and position with self worth; they are clever, resourceful and strive to win. Boomers are well suited to organizations with a strong hierarchal structure, and may have a hard time adjusting to workplace flexibility trends (Brazeel, 2009). Understanding the workplace differences between generations is more important now than ever. As companies look to hire over the next several years, they will interview and evaluate candidates spanning three age generations. Interviewers will meet with a multitude of candidates, and will come face to face with generational differences. Taking into account the foundational characteristics of each generation will add to a more robust assessment and selection of talent that meets organizational values and goals (Brazeel, 2009). In 2005, one in four workers was over age 50. By 2012, it will be nearly one in three, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, between 2002 and 2012, the fastest-growing group in the nations workforce will be the one made up of people between ages 55 and 64 (Cadrain, 2007). Labor statistics indicate that nearly 80 million Baby Boomers will exit the workplace in the next decade. These employees are retiring at the rate of 8,000 per day or more than 300 per hour. This is an unprecedented loss of skilled labor (Kane, February 2, 2010). As the shortage of workers escalates exponentially, future-focused leaders need to be strategic about how to keep t heir boomer talent engaged. The key, according to career counselors Beverly Kaye and Joyce Cohen, is to focus on the aspirations that middle-aged people in the professional workforce have developed overtime. Most senior boomers want to remain productive and to leave their mark on their company and their profession. Good managers will find ways to engage boomers interests and in so doing reduce attrition among their ranks (Anonymous, January 2010). Kaye and Cohen suggest that there are five strategies to engage baby boomers: Contribution: Encourage boomers to tap their unused talents. Help them explore their skills and interests and determine which ones spark creativity. How to begin? Ask each senior employee pertinent questions to discover their interests and talents. Ask questions like, â€Å"What are the favorite parts of your job?† and â€Å"What would you like to do more of?† or â€Å"Less of?† and â€Å"What would you like to learn in the next two years? H ow can I help you reach these goals?† (Anonymous, January 2010). Competence: Encourage boomers to raise their competence levels and quotients. In this era of self-management, employees must continually upgrade their skills and hone their behaviors. Besides content expertise, employees should develop their technical skills, be more aware of other generations, balance work and life, expand their language ability and cultural know-how, integrate new information, deal with change, and transfer knowledge. All of these are essential survival skills and abilities in the new workplace. Good management will help senior employees find a niche in the expanding array of new competencies (Anonymous, January 2010). Competition: Help boomers look internally and externally at whats happening in their professions. Managers need to coach direct reports to ensure they are aware of the impact of globalization, competition, deregulation, new technologies, and emerging skills that change the nature of their work. Employees should know how their current organization could be threatened in the not-too-distant future. At staff meetings or informal gatherings ask all employees, but especially boomers, questions like, What areas are growing within the firm? What are trends that could impact how we do our work here? What skills would it be smart to increase over the next three to five years? To get ahead of the curve in the profession, what could you and the firm be doing right now (Anonymous, January 2010)? Choices: Help boomers identify their desired type of work, level of commitment, and plan of action. Options like cross-training, rotational assignments, travel opportunities, short-term sabbaticals, temporary assignments, and transition management need to be carefully considered and implemented as needs arise. To begin, initiate a dialogue about their interest in each of these learning vehicles (Anonymous, January 2010). Changes and concerns: Encourage their ability to transfer knowledge and take ownership for making it happen. As baby boomers retire, the issue of knowledge transfer is essential and is everyones responsibility. Are experienced boomers working every day with younger people to help them understand problems and solutions? Legacy-leaving is a viable, cost-effective way to solve problems internally, escalate creativity and build the next leadership tier (Anonymous, January 2010). These five areas are fertile ground to launch and expand conversations. It doesnt matter who or what launches the discussion; what matters is that these conversations take place. Boomers have carried the ball for years. The shift to a new backup role will not be easy for many of them. But many others, with the capable guidance of firm managers, will realize that easy or not new responsibilities will be better than walking away (Anonymous, January 2010). There are skills shortages already among health professionals, teachers and public administrators. The average age of a registered nurse is now 47. There are upcoming shortages among scientists, engineers and manufacturing employees. Employers are beginning to take more notice and more action about the impending drain on talent and loss of knowledge, according to findings of a Society for Human Resource Management Weekly Online Survey of 483 HR professionals in March/April 2007, titled Future of the U.S. Labor Pool (Cadrain, 2007). Some examples of best practices for recruiting and retaining workers ages 50 and over are the Atlanta-based Home Depot and the CVS drugstore chain. Both have created a 50-plus employee brand: CVS promotes Talent is Ageless, and Home Depot promotes Passion Never Retires. â€Å"Both companies feature pictures of older workers on their web sites and have made their hiring and screening practices age-neutral (Cadrain, 2007). Some employers, such as Stanley Consultants of Muscatine, Iowa, have formal phased retirement programs that allow employees to move into retirement gradually by reducing their work schedules and permitting them to continue to receive a portion of their salaries as well as benefits such as health care and pension funds. Carondelet Health Network of Tucson, Ariz., has a seasonal worker program where older employees work fewer than three-, six- or nine-month contracts. Borders, of Ann Arbor, Mich., and CVS have snowbird programs aimed at retirees who split their time between homes in different climates. Home Depot offers benefits and tuition reimbursement for anyone who works more than 10 hours a week. The company provides annual wellness visits to identify and prevent chronic health conditions. Finally Baptist Health of South Florida (BHSF) has raised the level of its hospital beds to ease back strain on employees caring for patients (Cadrain, 2007). Generation X Generation X is the most interesting of today, being in between the Baby Boomer and Gen Y generations. This generation consists of those born between born between 1961 and 1976. They are mostly known as the â€Å"latch key kids, because they came up during a time when their mothers had to work and they had to stay home alone (Glass, 2007). Very different life events shaped members of Generation X the term coined by British authors Charles Hamblett and Jane Daverson in their 1964 book Generation X. Canadian author Douglas Coupland popularized this terminology making it part of the lexicon in his book of the same name (Glass, 2007). A growing body of literature suggests that this current group of young potential managers (also referred to as Gen X, Xers, and the Baby Busters) is a generation that appears to be significantly different from its predecessor (Sirias, Karp Brotherton, 2007). Born at a time when the divorce rate was twice the rate of Baby Boomers when they were children; there are far less members in Generation X than that of Baby Boomers. This is because there was easier access to birth control and also because people decided to have smaller families. There was no decision or way of controlling this during the Baby Boomer times (Glass, 2007). During the time of Gen X production, the US Social Security system began to come under scrutiny as potentially not being able to pay Gen Xers in their retirement years; an issue that still exists with Gen X and Gen Y today. This was also a time when it was popular for both parents to be working; something not at all common during baby boomer time. The term latch key kids stems from this, being kids who came home to an empty house, with a key literally on a chain (Glass, 2007). Glass suggests that its also important to recognize that these parents experienced one of the first rounds of mass corporate layoffs in the 1980s, which also shaped their childrens own work-related viewpoint (2007). This was a time when many factories were coming to an end and many people were being laid off. Mothers that were used to staying home and being housewives now had to go out and work to support their family. This is the cause for Gen Xers have little trust and faith in the organization they work for, and more so putting their family first. According to Sirias, Karp Brotherton, â€Å"Since an individuals work habits first develop in the early teens, the economic and political climate prevailing at the time of formation can strongly influence an individuals work values. Although a workers values do change as the individual matures, the generational experiences tend to influence work values more than age or maturation† (2007). The way the members of this group were raised, the things they saw and went through, are all contributing factors of them being the most criticized generation. Its critical for management to understand the different traits and styles of the generations. Generation X is characterized by many traits, but the most important being work/life balance, which is something they dont feel Baby Boomers have. Compared to baby boomers, they are often seen as skeptical, less loyal, and extremely independent (Glass, 2007). According to the SHRM study, there are three main areas where the generations differ: work ethic, managing change, and perception of organizational hierarchy. Xers tend to feel that if the work is done, it does not matter how it was done or where; they are much more concerned about the outcome than the process. They have a strong since of working on their own and become extremely irritated when micromanaged (Glass, 2007). Because they have been raised in the milieu of such things as computer-training, latch key social conditions, the shopping mall, MTV, video games and a myriad of other contributing environmental factors, current literature suggests that the Xers have demands, expectations, values and ways of working that are quite different from those who make up the current strata of management, particularly the Baby Boomers (Sirias, Karp Brotherton, 2007). With this being said, boomers and Xers are constantly at odds; and its managements job to break that barrier, by offering different forms of resources and ways of communicating. Members of Generation X feel that if they did not struggle for balance in their lives, all they would do is work; since due to the prevalence of PDAs and wireless technologies, they can and are expected to work everywhere. They are results oriented, and do not focus or care about the method used to achieve the results. Many Xers see baby boomers as resistant to new technologies and change. Also, when it comes to communication, they will use whatever form is most efficient, which is similar to the preference of baby boomers (Glass, 2007). Xers strive for balance in their lives, particularly between work and family, since they would be consumed by work given the technology to work anytime from anywhere (Beautell Wittig-Berman, 2008)). Another important trait for managers to understand about Gen Xers, is the fact that they truly enjoy feedback. Regardless of if its positive or negative feedback, they want to know how they are doing; which is contrary to baby boomers, who require little feedback. This can sometimes be a problem when an Xer is managing a Baby Boomer, because the Baby Boomer can become insulted due to specific instructions. This can also be a problem, because the younger managers sometimes feel intimidated by the boomer, making it difficult for them to give accurate feedback (Glass, 2007). So, how can management overcome this important trait within Generation X? Glass suggests simply asking the employer or employee what his or her expectation is regarding feedback and instructions, and then learning to adapt ones own approach to the answer (2007). A great manager will understand that some require more and less attention than others, just as well as some require different styles of feedback than others. There are several ways management can leverage everyone and win; and when doing so, there are four basic areas to focus on for overcoming generational conflict: changing human resource policies/corporate philosophies, ensuring an environment of effective communication, incorporating collaborative decision making, and developing internal training programs that focus on the differences (Glass, 2007). Glass states that, â€Å"Every generation wants to earn money, but that is not the only deciding factor in choosing and staying with a job. To better explain this, Xers are yet again compared to baby boomers. Boomers dont care to hear or learn about stock options, because they dont have time to exercise this type of benefit. On the other hand, Xers are greatly interested in this subject and trust when their companies actually teach about and offer this type of benefit (Glass, 2007). In terms of an example of how Gen Xers and Baby Boomers get along, one can bring up mentoring. Baby boomers tend to enjoy teaching or mentoring their younger generation. At the same time, Gen Xers seek the opportunity to learn and have extremely high standards for self-improvement (Glass, 2007). As mentioned earlier, the most important trait of Generation X is work/life balance. This is critical for management to understand, because a Gen Xer will pick a lower paying job if it offers less stringent work hours and far better benefits, in turn allowing for a greater work/life balance. Gen Xers will likely focus more on firms offering maternity leave and daycare benefits, which again, allow flexibility (Glass, 2007). They tend to focus more on the benefits, culture and flexibility of an organization when making a job decision. If a promotion is available, Xers will be more concerned about how everything else is affected before making the decision. They have begun to construct the strong families that they missed in childhood. Many organizations have not achieved the flexibility and work-family support that is consistent with their way of thinking (Beutell Wittig-Berman, 2008). Although its important to find a way to motivate and retain the other generations, this is a critical area to understand when trying to reach that goal with Generation X. The needs of most employees will change throughout their working lives; they may take on caring responsibilities, want to live in another country, or decide to embark on a completely different career. If one organization cannot meet these needs, they will not hesitate to look elsewhere for one that can (Deegan, 2009). Few companies adjust to these flexibility needs, but as Gen X becomes the new managers of companies in the future, this is likely an area that will change. Generation X brings a lot to the table, including a fresh perspective, effortless techno-literacy and an easy adaptability to change. As they take their places in the workforce, their ability to work effectively in teams will contribute directly to the success of their organizations. This is why its so critical for management to understand the different traits of the generations (Sirias, Karp Brotherton, 2007). Sirias, Karp Brotherton suggests that there are three variables that are important to gen Xers, which are: * Self-reliance Xers feel that individuals have to have the self-confidence to be able to perform their individual tasks. They strive to give 110 percent and if they do less than this, they are seen as a free rider or a burden to the team. * Competiveness Xers have a high level of competiveness, which should not be seen as an obstacle, but more so an opportunity. * The willingness to sacrifice yourself for the team To gen Xers, this represents a reflection as to the team should operate and that self-sacrifice is needed for team success. If management focuses on motivation in these areas when dealing with Generation X, success is prevalent. Its important to understand whats needed to retain the generation and its things like this that assist in that area (Sirias, Karp Brotherton, 2007). Gen Xers urge for individuality and have a higher potential for task effectiveness. As the workforce becomes more heavily populated by generation x, what needs to be considered are approaches in which organizations can modify team values and structures to meet the changing needs of the individual team members. Beautell Wittig-Berman suggests that Gen Xers value work-life balance, growth opportunities, and positive work relationships. They want challenging work that can be accomplished in a single day working flexible hours. They value flexibility and expect their employer to accommodate their work-family-life issues (Beautell Wittig-Berman, 2008). Work-family-life or what one can consider to be flexibility is by far the most important aspect of any company to Gen Xers. Although this may seem odd or overwhelming, companies that learn to adapt to this need can reap the benefits of this generation. The benefits that can stem from using flexibility as a motivating factor as follows: * Increased retention Employees are more likely to stay with a company that adapts to their needs and seems to care about their overall well being and not just the company. * Higher engagement and productivity Happy workers produce great goods or service. * Enhanced recruiting and competitive position When employers enjoy where they work, they have a habit of bragging to others about the company, which can lead to those individuals seeking the company when applying for new employment. * Reputation as an â€Å"employer of choice† Again, happy employees brag about the company, which leads to the word spreading of the company being one to work for. * Improved scheduling and coverage across time zones and continents This again stems from the employer feeling happy and content at work, which makes it simple for employees to work overtime when needed. This also makes it easy for everyone to learn to work together. * Reduced real estate costs Sometimes being flexible means allowing employees to work from home, which in turn saves the company space that would have normally been used. Employers that get the business case for flexible work arrangements will reap the rewards through increased employee engagement and loyalty, which in turn will drive their business to even higher levels of performance and productivity (Beautell Wittig-Berman, 2008). Managers should try to make work meaningful and fun for Gen Xers and understand their skepticism for what it is: a reflection of their honest observations about the relationship between employer and employee (Gibson, Greenwood and Murphy, 2009). Meeting employees needs does not mean compromising on performance; its about enabling employees to their full potential (Deegan, 2009). In sum, the relationship between the employer and employee is whats being judged. They dont just care about working, but more so about how work adapts to their personal life. Companies that pay close attention to the main motivating factor of Gen X will quickly run into understanding that flexibility is the key with this generation. Generation Y Although demographers often differ on the exact parameters of each generation, there is a general consensus that Generation X ends with the birth year 1977. Born in the mid-1980s and later, Generation Y legal professionals are in their 20s and are just entering the workforce. With numbers estimated as high as 70 million, Generation Y (also known as the Millennials) is the fastest growing segment of todays workforce (Rothberg, 2006, para. 1). According to the author of â€Å"Generation Y†, these folks â€Å"grew up with technology and rely on it to perform their jobs better† (Kane, 2008, para. 2). This generation prefers to communicate through e-mail and text messaging rather than face-to-face contact and prefers webinars and online technology to traditional lecture-based presentations. They always have cell phones and all sorts of other gadgets on hand (Kane, 2008). Some suggest that Generation Y people live on the fast track, and that they are â€Å"willing to trade high pay for fewer billable hours, flexible schedules and a better work/life balance† (Kane, 2008, para. 3). â€Å"While older generations may view this attitude as narcissistic or lacking commitment, discipline and drive, Generation Y legal professionals have a different vision of workplace expectations and prioritize family over work† (Kane, 2008, para. 3). Generation Y people are also achievement oriented. Just as mentioned on the article, the author describes this generation as one that has been: â€Å"Nurtured and pampered by parents who did not want to make the mistakes of the previous generation, Generation Y is confident, ambitious and achievement-oriented. They have high expectations of their employers, seek out new challenges and are not afraid to question authority. Generation Y wants meaningful work and a solid learning curve† (NA, 2006, para. 4). The authors of Leadership and the Future: Gen Y Workers and Two-Factor Theory describe Generation Y as being more idealistic than Generation Xers when it comes to the workplace but compared to Baby Boomer workers, they are described as being more realistic (Baldonado Spangenburg, 2009). They value teamwork and seek the input and affirmation of others. Part of a no-person-left-behind generation, Generation Y is loyal, committed and want to be included and involved. â€Å"Generation Y craves attention in the forms of feedback and guidance. They appreciate being kept in the loop and seek frequent praise and reassurance. Generation Y may benefit greatly from mentors who can help guide and develop their young careers† (Johnson Hanson, 2006, p.5). Rothberg states that those workers who are part of Generation Y workers â€Å"have a reputation for experiencing boredom and frustration with slow-paced environments, traditional hierarchies and even slightly outdated technologies† (2006). Dr. Larry Rosen, author of the Mental Health Technology Bible and TechnoStress: Coping with Technology @Work, @Home, @Play, argues that: â€Å"The biggest difference between members of Generation Y and those who came before them is that they have spent their entire lives surrounded by technology.†Technology just is for them. Its part of every aspect of their lives, unlike a lot of the people they will be coming to work for (Rothberg, 2006, p. 2). He suggests that the difference is more than a generational experience gap; its a difference in personality. Some state that the reason this generation is so different is because they grew up during one of the best economic times in the last 100 years, allowing them to grow with more luxuries than other generations (Rothberg, 2006). Baldonado Spangenburg point out that a survey was conducted in order to guide a descriptive study of Generation Y. It was designed to â€Å"explore motivational needs of Gen Y and their impact in the workplace† (2009, p. 2). Upon analyzing responses, several recommendations were provided in order for managers to be able to motivate this new workforce generation. The following is a list of suggestion provided by the authors in the article Leadership and the Future: Gen Y Workers and Two-Factor Theory: The authors suggest that companies should: 1. Support work/life balance in the workplace According to the article, Gen Y believes that their personal life is just as important as their professional life. It is recommended for companies to consider options such as fitness facilities/discount membership, education/training opportunities, flexible working arrangements, family leave policies, and childcare/eldercare programs. 2. Provide Gen Y workers with opportunities to grow in their job -Managers can provide Gen Y with challenging work as their skill and knowledge progresses. 3. Use achievement as a way to reward/motivate Gen Y workers Generation Yers are very interested in being recognized in their work environment. Suggestions include: employee of the month award and gift certificates among others. 4. Managers must clearly articulate safety and fun at work to employees. Having a fun and comfortable working environment can greatly motivate Gen Y cohort, according to the author. 5. Generation Y workers enjoy challenges. That is why the authors suggest increasing responsibility as a reward. This is considered a good motivator for this ever changing generation. 6. Finally, it is suggested for managers to create a fair salary/compensation package. (Baldonado Spangenburg, 2009, para. 14). According to the authors of the article Dont be so Touchy! The Secret to Giving Back to Millenials, constant feedback is an almost critical ingredient in performance and job satisfaction (Ferry Sujanski, 2009). The children of Baby Boomers, the Millennial Generation, have been raised in an atmosphere of high expectations, plenty of feedback and heaps of praise. They have received feedback on class assignments at each stage

Moses Herzogs Confused Identity Essay -- Literature Narration Papers

Moses Herzog's Confused Identity While Moses Herzog sits in the Chicago police station after he has crashed his rental car, the narrator of Saul Bellow's work exclaims angrily, "See Moses? We don't know one another" (299). This is the lone moment in the book where the narrator explicitly suggests some separation between himself and Herzog. Much of the rest of the novel provides an unclear division between the narrator and the main character. I would argue that this unclear division occurs because these two figures, the narrator and Herzog, are in fact the same person. There are small logistical hints in the text that this is true. But these small elements of the text exist alongside much larger similarities between Herzog, and the narrator. In the largest sense, the uncertainty, the subjectivity that the narrator evinces in telling Herzog's story shows just how similar he is to the character he is describing. In the end even the quote that began this paper, the remark that ostensibly creates the strongest divis ion between the narrator and Herzog, is evidence that these two figures are really the same - that Herzog is really narrating his own story. The most visible element of the book that suggests some conflation of the narrator and Herzog is the narrator's confused pronoun use for Herzog. On occasion, the narrator confusingly refers to Herzog not in the third person as "he" but instead in the first person as "I," seemingly adopting Herzog's voice. Some of the times that this happens, it seems a stylistic device, such as when the narration is given in Herzog's voice, directly after Herzog's letters. Herzog writes to Madeleine's mother Tennie, before thinking about what he has just written: "It's in the vault, in Pitts... ...rose colored glasses. Similarly, Herzog having this emotional experience would not allow the narrator to empathize with, and thus understand Nachman. But it does. The narrator is, and would only be able to utilize Herzog's own emotional intelligence in narrating the story, because the narrator is Herzog. The confused pronoun references throughout the text strongly suggest that the narrator and Herzog are one. But the less overt moments, where the reader is brought to see the emotional closeness of Herzog and the narrator, are the truly convincing signals that these two figures are one. Even the question that ostensibly sets the two figures apart, in fact contains many of the similarities between the two figures. When Moses tells himself, "See Moses? We don't know one another," Moses is, in fact, keeping with all the uncertainties that define him as a character.

Discuss ‘The Chinese Room’ Argument Essay

In 1980, John Searle began a widespread dispute with his paper, ‘Minds, Brains, and Programmes’ (Searle, 1980). The paper referred to a thought experiment which argued against the possibility that computers can ever have artificial intelligence (AI); in essence a condemnation that machines will ever be able to think. Searle’s argument was based on two key claims. That; â€Å"brains cause minds and syntax doesn’t suffice for semantics† (Searle, 1980, p.417). Syntax in this instance refers to the computer language used to create a programme; a combination of illegible code (to the untrained eye) which provides the basis and commands for the action of a programme running on a computer. Semantics refers to the study of meaning or the understanding behind the use of language. Searle’s claim was that it is the existence of a brain which gives us our minds and the intelligence which we have, and that no combination of programming language is sufficient enough to contribute meaning to the machine and therein for the machine to understand. His claim was that the apparent understanding of a computer is merely more than a set of programmed codes, allowing the machine to extort answers based on available information. He did not deny that computers could be programmed to perform to act as if they understand and have meaning. In fact he quoted; â€Å"the computer is not merely a tool in the study of the mind, rather the appropriately programmed computer really is a mind in the sense that computers given the right programs can be literally said to understand and have other cognitive states† (Searle, 1980, p. 417). Searle’s argument was that we may be able to create machines with ‘weak AI’ – that is, we can programme a machine to behave as if it were thinking, to simulate thought and produce a perceptible understanding, but the claim of ‘strong AI’ (that machines are able to run with syntax and have cognitive states as humans and understand and produce answers based on this cognitive understanding, that it really has (or is) a mind (Chalmers, 1992)) is just not possible. A machine is unable to generate fundamental human mindsets such as intentionality, subjectivity, and comprehension (Ibid, 1992). Searle’s main argument for this notion came from his ‘Chinese room experiment’, for which there has been much deliberation and denunciation from fellow researchers, philosophers and psychologists. This paper aims to analyse the arguments, assess counter augments and propose that John Searle was accurate in his philosophy; that machines will n ever think as humans and that the issue relates more to the simple fact that a computer is neither human nor biological in nature, nor can it ever be. In 1950, Alan Turing proposed a method of examining the intelligibility of a machine to become known as ‘The Turing Test’ (Turing, 1950). It describes an examination of the veracity to which a machine can be deemed intelligent, should it so pass . Searle (1980) argued that the test is fallible, in that a machine without intelligence is able to pass such a test. ‘The Chinese Room’ is Searle’s example of such machine. ‘The Chinese room’ experiment is what is termed by physicists a ‘thought experiment’ (Reynolds and Kates, 1995); such that it is a hypothetical experiment which is not physically performed, often without any intention of the experiment ever being executed. It was proposed by Searle as a way of illustrating his understanding that a machine will never logically be able to possess a mind. Searle (1980) suggests that we envisage ourselves as a monolingual (speaking only one language) English speaker, locked inside a room with a large group of Chinese writing in addition to a second group of Chinese script. We are also presented with a set of rules in English which allow us to connect the initial set of writings, with the second set of script. The set of rules allows you to identify the first and second set of symbols (syntax) purely by their presenting form. Furthermore, we are presented with a third set of Chinese symbols and additional English instructions whi ch makes it feasible for you to associate particular items from the third batch with the preceding two. This commands you consequently to ‘give back’ particular Chinese symbols with particular shapes in response. Searle encourages us to accept that the initial set of writing is a ‘script’ (a natural language processing computational data set); the second set a ‘story’ and the third group ‘questions’. The symbols which are returned are the ‘answers’ and the English instructions are the ‘computer programme’. However, should you be the one inside ‘the Chinese room’ you would not be aware of this. However, Searle suggests that your responses to the questions become so good, that you are impossible to differentiate from a native Chinese speaker; yet you are merely behaving as a computer. Searle argues that whilst in the room and delivering correct answers, he still does not know anything. He cannot speak Chinese yet is able to produce the correct answers without an understanding of the Chinese language. Searle’s thought experiment demonstrated that of ‘weak AI’; that we can indeed programme a machine to behave as if it were thinking and such to simulate thought and hence produce a perceptible understanding, when in fact the machine understands nothing; it is simply following a linear instructional set, for which the answers are already programmed. The machine is not producing intuitive thought; it is providing a programmed answer. Searle was presented with many critical replies to ‘the Chinese room’ experiment, for which he offered a rejoinder; a retort to the replies by looking at the room in a different way to account for such counterarguments presented by researchers in the field of AI. Harnard (1993) supports ‘The Systems Reply’ in refute of the work of Searle. This argues that we are encouraged to focus on the wrong agent; the individual in the room. This implies that the man in the room does not understand Chinese as a single entity, but the system in which he operates (the room), does. However, an evident opposition to such claim is that the system (the room) again has no real way of connecting meaning to the Chinese symbols any more than the individual man did in the first instance. Even if the individual were to internalize (memorise) the entire instructional components, and be removed from the system (room), how would the system compute the answers, if all the computational ability is within the man. Furthermore, the ‘room’ cannot understand Chinese. ‘The Robot Reply’ is due to refutation by Harnard (1989) who argued that meaning is unable to be attached to the ciphers of Chinese writing due to the lack of ‘sensory-motoric’ connection. That is, the symbols are in no way attached to a physical meaning, that which can be ‘seen’ and comprehended. As children, we learn to associate meaning of words by attaching them to physical ‘things’. Harnard argues, that ‘the Chinese room’ lacks this ability to associate meaning to the words, and thus is unable to produce understanding. Yet, Searle’s defence is that if we were to further imagine a computer inside a robot, producing a representation of walking and perceiving, then according to Harnard, the robot would have understanding of other mental states. However, when Searle places the room (with the man inside) inside the robot and allows the symbols to come from a television attached to the robot, he insists that he still does not have understanding; that his computational production is still merely a display of ‘symbol representation’ (Searle, 1980, p.420). Searle also argues that part of ‘The Robot Reply’ is in itself, disputing the fact that human cognition is merely symbol manipulation and as such refutes the opinion of ‘strong AI’, as it is in need of ‘causal relations to the outside world’ (Ibid, p.420). Again, the system simply follows a computational set of rules installed by the programmer and produces linear answers, based upon such rules. There is no spontaneous thought or understanding of the Chinese symbols, it merely matches with that already programmed in the system. ‘The Robot Reply’ is therefore suggestive that programmed structure is enough to be acc ountable for mental processes; for cognition. ‘[this suggests] that some computational structure is sufficient for mentality, and both are therefore futile’ (Chalmers, 1992, p.3). Further to ‘the Robot Reply’, academics from Berkley (Searle, 1980) proposed ‘The Brain Simulator Reply’, in which the notion of exactly what the man represents is questioned. It is hereby proposed that the computer (man in the room) signifies neurons firing at the synapse of a Chinese narrator. It is argued here that we would have to accept that the machine understood the stories. If we did not, we would have to assume that native Chinese speakers also did not understand the stories since at a neuronal level there would be no difference. The opposition clearly defines understanding by the correct firing of neurons, which may well produce the correct responses from the ‘machine’ and a perceived understanding, that is assumed, but the argument remains; does the machine (man) actually understand that which he is producing (answering), or is it again, merely a computational puzzle, solved through logical programming? Searle argues yes. He asks us to imagine a man in the room using water pipes and valves to represent the biological process of neuronal firing at the synapse. The input (English instructions) now informs the man, which valves to turn on and off and thus produce an answer (a set of flowing pipes at the end of the system). Again, Searle argues that neither the man, nor the pipes actually understand Chinese. Yes, they have an answer and yes, the answer is undoubtedly correct, but the elements which produced the answer (the man and the pipes) still do not understand what the answer is; they do not have semantic representation for the output. Here, the representation of the neurons is simply that; a representation. A representation which is unable to account for the higher functioning processes of the brain and the semanticist understanding therein. Further argument suggests a combination of the aforementioned elements known as ‘The Combination Reply’ should allow for ‘intentionality†™ to the system, as proposed by academics at Berkley and Standford (Simon and Eisenstadt, 2002). The idea is such that combining the intelligence of all the replies aforementioned into one system, the system should be able to produce semantic inference from the linear answer produced by the syntax. Again, Searle (1980) is unable to justify such claims, as the sum of all parts does not account for understanding. Not one of the replies was able to validate genuine understanding from the system and as such, the combination of the three counterarguments, will still remain as ambiguous as first presented. Searle quotes; â€Å"if the robot looks and behaves sufficiently like us then we would suppose, until proven otherwise, that it must have mental states like ours that cause and are expressed by its behavior†¦ [i]f we knew independently how to account for its behavior without such assumptions†¦we would not attribute intentionality to it, especially if we knew it had a formal program† (1980, p. 421). Searle’s argument is simple. If we did not know that a comput er produces answers from specifically programmed syntax, then it is plausible to accept that it may have mental states such as ours. The issue however is straightforwardly so, that we do know that the system is a computational set and as such is not a thinking machine any more so than any other computational structure. ‘The Chinese Room’ thought experiment is undoubtedly notorious and controversial in essence. The thought experiment has been refuted and discredited repeatedly, yet perceivably defended by Searle. His own defensive stance has appeared to cause infuriation amongst ‘strong AI’ theorists, resulting in questionable counter attacks, resulting in more of what appears a â€Å"religious diatribe against AI, masquerading as a serious scientific argument† (Hofstadter 1980, p. 433) than a significant opposition. Searle (1980) argues that accurate programming in no instance can ever produce ‘thought’ in the essence of what we understand thought to be; not only the amalgamation of significant numbers of neurons firing, but the underlying predominance which make us what we are, that predominance being consciousness. From a functionalist perspective, with the mind being entwined within the brain and our bodies entangled further, creating a machine which ‘thinks’ as a human is nigh impossible. To do so, would be to create an exact match of what we are, how we are constructed and the properties of substance of which we stand. If successful, we have not created a thinking ‘machine’ but a thinking ‘human’; a human which alas, is not a machine. Searle (1982) argues that it is an undeniable fact that the earth is comprised of particular biological systems, particularly brains which are able to create intellectual phenomena which are encompassed with meaning. Suggesting that a machine is capable of intelligence would therein suggest that a machine would need the computational power equivalent to that of the human mind. Searle (Ibid, 1982, p. 467) states that he has offered an argument which displays that no recognised machine is able ‘by itself’ to ever be capable of generating such semantic powers. It is therefore assumed, that no matter how far science is able to recreate machines with behavioural characteristics of a ‘thinking’ human, it will never be more than a programmed mass of syntax, computed and presented as thought, yet never actually existing as actual thought. References: Chalmers, D. 1992, ‘Subsymbolic Computation and the Chinese Room’, in J. Dinsmore (ed.), The Symbolic and Connectionist Paradigms: Closing the Gap, Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Harnad, S. 1989. Minds, machines and Searle. Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, 1, pp.5-25. Harnad, S. 1993. Grounding symbols in the analog [sic] world with neural nets. Think 2(1): 12-78 (Special issue on â€Å"Connectionism versus Symbolism,† D.M.W. Powers & P.A. Flach, eds.). Simon, H.A., & Eisenstadt, S.A., 2002. A Chinese Room that Understands Views into the Chinese room. In: J. Preston * M. Bishop (eds). New essays on Searle and artificial intelligence Oxford: Clarendon, pp. 95-108. Hofstadter, D. 1980. Reductionism and religion. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 3(3),pp.433–34. Reynolds, G. H., & Kates, D.B. 1995. The second amendment and states’ rights: a thought experiment. William and Mary Law Review, 36, pp.1737-73. Searle, J. 1980. â€Å"Minds, Brains, and Programs.† Behavioral and Brain Sciences 3, pp.417-424. Searle, J. 1982. ‘The Myth of the Computer: An Exchange’, in New York Review of Books 4, pp.459-67.

Sociological Approach to Literature Essay

The study of literature within the discipline of sociology, integrates a concern for meaning and the unique properties inherent in literary texts, reflecting the economics, attitudes, morals and religion of the society that produced the texts.1Each society inter-connected and independent, yet distinct and diverse is influenced by the literature, for there are innumerable instances exemplifying the co-relation of life and literature. The impact of literature is influential on man’s behavior and outlook, moreover, governing the minds of the populace, as proved in the realms of the history, either reinforcing the social system or invalidating it.2From the reserves of the product of a creative and selective process that spanned centuries of historical and religious change, â€Å"Jahili†3 poetry administer the transvaluation of the cultured atmosphere of the Near East and the religious vision of a nascent Muslim doctrine in the pastoral-nomadic societies of the Early Arabs. Projecting the synonymous notion, in the contemporary world, with addition to the eloquent and artistic value, the literature delineates sociological aspects in reality, for instance, the Palestinian poet Ibrahim Tuqan cast an increasingly angry eye on the exacerbating situation of his homeland: You people, your foes are not such as to be gentle and merciful. You people, before you is nothing but exile, so get ready.4 Literature has the efficacy to enlighten the intellectual understanding of the human race, transforming history, conjointly demolishing the hurdles obstructing the growth of society hence ‘each society would develop when the literature flourishes from within’,5 with the assistance of effectuating the ideologies and the postulates registered in the expositions. This paper suggests that the quintessential book of ‘Raudat-Hidayat’6, the stacked selection of hundred conclusive ‘ahaadeeth shareefah and akaaleem muneefah’ by His Holiness. Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin TUS, as being the truest form of literature, reflects the structure and culture of Dawoodi Bohras, meanwhile inculcates the ingenuity for the satisfactory living in this adversary world. The indispensable collaborator, embodying the reflections and descriptions, despite of being sterile from a sociological point at the first sight, genuinely penetrates into the private and discreet sou rces of  individual life. The inferences for the relationship between literature and sociology have been broached and opted for, such as Emile Durkheim rejected the idea that education could be the force to transform society by concluding that education ‘can be reformed only if society itself is reformed’7. The precept of literature being a mirror to the society is ancient; however it is said, the idea of the systematic application appeared as an inception in Madame de Stael’s â€Å"De la litterature consideree dans ses rapports†8, exhibiting a social and historical interpretation of literature of several nations. To further the accessibility of sociological concepts, Lewis Loser proposed to use the literature in the classrooms, in order to deepen the understanding of various social issues. In the neoteric times, Wendy Griswold professed that the â€Å"sociology of literature was a non-field, like an amoeba -lacking firm structure†.9 The ambiance of literature awakens the consciousness of the mankind, generating the idea of utopia, a distinguished world10, established on humanization, which has been suppressed and eliminated, making the wealthiest societies on the Earth uninhabitable11. In the second half of the twentieth century, crime and social disorder began to rise, reckoning to the weakening of human ties, accelerating sharply approaching the decline of trust and confidence. The technological change which brought the â€Å"creative destruction†12 in the metropolis evoked reciprocal catastrophe in the world of social relationships, as registered by the statics of fatherless child, broken trust and deindustrialization. When the perseverance of the universe is close to humiliation, the eminence of this book is irreproachable, affirming the significance of eloquently presented words of wisdom, out of which one hadees, supplementing the cause of humanization, is as follows: â€Å"Do good to the worthy an d the unworthy. If a person is worthy, then he is deserving of that good. If a person is unworthy, then you are one who does good regardless.†13 The message of literature, elucidating the mark of greatest value of human being is humanism, embodied with the intellect which overshadows instinct, to differentiate purified from the contaminated, limiting the access to the beneficial over the hazardous matter. A society build around the technology has covered the grounds of diplomacy, granting in return freedom and equality, which has been claimed and modified, without taking any effect, for inequality of recognition, respect, love, care and  solidarity are found in the recent years14, whereas, this piece of advice deals with the equality on the main scale, which in turn envelopes the social structure with the fabric of love. Thus, the individual attains the best diversion from tension, anxiety, worries and fear for masses towards achieving a sense of relief and freedom, moving forward to the goal of perfection and liberation, which is rightly divulged by the culture of Dawoodi Bohras, as acknowledged by Mathew Arnold15: ‘ Harmonious human perfection can be achieved only by culture, since culture is nothing but the love for the study of perfection in thoughts, words and deeds.’ The aspiration of disembarkation of spiritual satisfaction stem in human efforts in the field of science and technology, literary and religious services, in this manner, it is crucial to reveal such cultural knowledge, to generation after generation. Robert Browning16 visualized the gaining of power by acquiring highest knowledge as the aim of life and with the passage of time realized that the highest goals and ideals shouldn’t be relinquished for earthly desires or trivial things, as failure to achieve perfection is not substantial, which can be spoiled by the efforts of forces, than care and devotion involved for the contrivance of lofty and noble ideals. All of this literary content seems to be imprisoned in the texts, for it is rarely seen that the vision Robert presented is acted upon, the intellectual concepts have been confined to materialism, leaving behind the refinement of spirituality. The theory and practice have the natural affinity to each other, which will be reconciled from the impact of the practitioners, just as His HolinessTUS enlightens the pathway towards good cause by demonstrating His deeds and thoughts. Making theory and methods relevant to real problems of the society and issues would end the tedi um but the question raised is not â€Å"what should we do† but rather â€Å"do we have the will to do it?†17 The dilemma is the courage to carry out the enforced task, however, describing its complex nature, linking the attributes of spirituality along with the dignified body, as W.B. Yeats symbolically expresses the mortal life of man as the broad base of the spiraling cone and the apex representing the spiritual life of man. The clarification of concepts in order to make efforts for the cleansing of the souls, is magnified in the literature represented by His Holiness TUS, like it can be seen in this advice that the doer is sprinkled with the peace and  satisfaction by the revelation of him being towards the positive way, in all the aspects of life, as proclaimed by Syedi Yusuf Bhaisaheb NajmuddinRA in the eloquence of the literature of Syedna Taher SaifuddinRA : â€Å"He served by his noble self in detecting the meanings of eternal kind, and in between those meanings, were factual explanations and eternal concealments, glorifying the aspects of life and the exposures of the universe, with the eternal benefits, explaining all the themes which will emerge continually, appointing its principle and its assets.†18 The idiosyncrasy of Fatemi literature in the combination of this world and here-after, the utter projection of the truth, surmounts the relation between literature and sociology, and grant s the reader this perspective: â€Å"Everything that was bestowed on him, led him to a clear straight path, the view became distinctive, collecting the thoughts in its scope†19 Thus it has been collected that the literature shows the correct path of light, illuminating the human’s mind and soul in the process, which makes him tackle the hardships of life, and evolve personal satisfaction, augmenting the desired perfection, proven by the literary statistics of the Dawoodi Bohra’s society, piously devoted to the welfare of the humanity, and abiding by the laws of humanization, in the guidance of their spiritual father, emanating the theories into practice. The prayers of the Mumineen sect are always for their Moula, before the Almighty to bestow him with a long life, and his descendant till the Day of Judgment. Ameen.

Assistive Medical Devices Essays

Assistive Medical Devices Essays Assistive Medical Devices Paper Assistive Medical Devices Paper Essay Topic: Medical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The development and evolution of technology since the 20th century has paved the way for the creation of new alternatives that continuous to help man in its endeavor towards easing the difficulties of life. It has enabled many to go over hurdles and boundaries. It created better opportunities for man to seek out new ways to innovate and prove the road for betterment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This technology has also spread in the creation of assistive devices for the disabled. It opened up new ways wherein it can go over man’s limitations and function as a normal human being. Now, these individuals too can dream and achieve goals without thinking their respective restrictions. In the end, these devices have been supplemental in the creation of better ways to appreciate life and seek out numerous possibilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One example of this assistive device involves the creation and design of Dr. Maysam Ghovanloo who is an assistant professor at NC State. With his expertise in both engineering and computer science, he looks into creating the ‘Tongue Drive System’ (The All Need, 2006). In this machine, he tries to help the people who had suffered from different severe disabilities. These include spinal cord ailments and degenerative diseases.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Looking at the machine, it is composed of microchip sensors that try to monitor movement within a person’s mouth and the vibrations that it may emit. â€Å"The basic device consists of three components: a tiny permanent magnet the size of a rice grain, which is coated with gold or platinum and can be attached to the tongue by means of piercing or implantation† (The All Need, 2006, p.1). After this procedure, it tries to gather responses from the brain and is receptive towards severe damages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another component of this apparatus involves a control unit. It is in here that the records of the brain activity of a person is recorded and stored. Looking at its components, it is â€Å"comprised of sensor interface circuitry, wireless transmitter, and a pair of watch batteries – is contained in a coin-sized, custom designed sealed package that rests inside the mouth in the area under the tongue† (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Prior to its creation, there were different models available to determine and understand the intentions and thoughts of an individual with severe disabilities. Most of the time, it looks into the attachment of a device towards a body part then simulated to an equipment to actively calculate a response. Examples of these include the sip-and-puff devices which are considered to be designed under a switch-based approach. However, these have proven to be disadvantageous at the long run because it lacks appeal to the public and the limited capabilities it can offer (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another apparatus that is also existent prior to this device is the one that uses webcam that tries to â€Å"scan face or eye movements and require user to sit in front of the monitor† (The All Need, 2006, p.1). Again, this device is difficult to achieve because of the degenerative state of an individual and the obstacle of getting the accurate reading out of the process. At the same time, this is unappealing because it is not user-friendly in nature and requires a professional to make the necessary readings and findings. Seeing this, it is more expensive to pursue this process than the switch-based approach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Ghovanloo mentions that this gadget is supplemental for these individuals because it can generate reactions without really tapping into the damaged area such as the spinal cord. It is said that this device operates and taps into the hypglossal nerve which is connected to the brain; a part that can be seen in the man’s tongue (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though there are physical limitations in this equipment such as it does not operate on a switch based or sip-and-puff device, the Tongue Drive System has components that are appealing even to the disabled person. Its strength lies in the way it is designed; simple yet effective in nature. â€Å"This gadget â€Å"provides maximum capabilities with no invasive procedures and no externally obvious wiring or visually unappealing components† (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also another important advantage of this device is it is inexpensive and not difficult to operate. Not like the new models wherein they try to put in electrodes in the brain to decipher intentions and thoughts, the Tongue Drive system does not use invasive brain surgery and expensive materials for it to work and monitor an individual’s activities (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One way that this device is innovative compared to its predecessors is the way it communicates with other systems. â€Å"The Tongue Drive System uses a wireless transmission to communicate with a basic PDA or nearby technology using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology† (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Moreover, software has been written to actively make this device responsive to the apparatus and its receiver. It tries to â€Å"decode signals from the mouth sensors, translate them to user commands, and then communicate the commands to a specified device such as a computer, powered wheelchair, telephone or television† (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Ghovanloo explains this process between the tongue and his device to be like a peripheral device in a computer wherein the user can point out specific up to complex instructions which would then be interpreted into several actions (The All Need, 2006). The good thing about this device is it also collaborates with previous innovations such as switch based and then enables the person to have control over a connected machine such as a wheelchair. Also, it provides a continuous motion compared to its predecessors as it processes data and information at a faster rate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, Dr. Ghovanloo and his collaboration with other scientists have paved the way for the creation of better devices that will support the needs of patients with degenerative diseases and ailments. By taking into consideration the needs of patients particularly in WakeMed Rehab, he and his team can find better ways that can increase possibilities for these people to live normal lives (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To conclude, assistive devices are inventions that have been supplemental for people with disabilities in making them cope with the challenges of society and life. It gave them the hope and inspiration that despite their current state, possibilities are still available for them. It gave them the motivation that by making these things work for them, they can interact and live like normal human beings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the same time, innovators and researchers also share a unique responsibility in fostering and catering towards improvement. By dwelling into what matters most for these people, they can come up and design new possibilities that will bridge further the gap that exists between normal and disabled people. Reference The All Need (2006) Tongue Drive System Revolutionizes Assistive Device for the Disabled. Retrieved January 9, 2009 from, theallineed.com/engineering/06082931.htm