What are UPS “Smart Labels?

Use the link below to view the Video, UPS and the Diad IV, then answer the following questions.https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FTwCZ3bqRUNRpFKY9S6s24X3BOEyB30lZ8IWzlhL76c/edit?usp=sharing1. What are UPS â€Å"Smart Labels?† What role do they play in UPS operations?2. Write out the steps a package takes from pick-up by a UPS driver to delivery including the role of DIAD, the UPS Data Center, and the UPS Package Center.3. What role does wireless communication play in the UPS systems?4. How has information technology transformed the package delivery business?5. How does UPS’s investment in IT help it achieve the strategic business objectives described in Chapter 1?ANSWERS:1. Smart labels are bar-coded labels that are computerized to provide shipping information. Smart labels play the role of providingcustomer information for shipping. The smart label is scanned every time a shipment, stop, or delivery has been made so thatcustomers can track their packages from the starting point to the finishing point.2. The package is either picked up from the customer of the customer drops it off and then a smart label is created that contains all itsinformation like shipping information and tracking number. This information then has to be sent to the warehouse. The drive then has ahand help computer called a DIAD that he/she carries around with him/her to show them the routes and stops. They use the DIAD toscan the package which then sends all the information of that package to the customer and the data center. All packages are alwaysprocess through the package center before delivery.3. Wireless communication is important to the UPS systems due to all of the drivers information being held on the DIAD which gets itssignal from a wireless cell phone tower. In order to get information updated efficiently to customers and to the data center thenwireless communication is a huge role, also so that the driver has up to date information and can get any informatio n immediately ifsomething has changed to their route.4. Information technology has transformed the package delivery business due to it allowing a more efficient business because it allowsthe driver to get all information needed as soon as possible so that he knows if their is changes to his rout or pickups, Informationtechnology is also good for the employer to know the where about of their employee at all times. Information technology also savesmoney.

Rome’s Decline

Test Essay October 3, 2012 Question: â€Å"What were the main factors in Rome’s decline? Which do you judge as the most important? Why? † When we hear the word â€Å"Rome,† a very definite picture comes to mind. We see a strong military conquering a vast majority of the ancient Mediterranean world, Julius Caesar sitting on his throne, leading Rome to newer heights each day, and the highest, most innovative new technology being put to use as Rome grows stronger and stronger. Rome was a very successful civilization, as it lasted from 100 BC to 476 AD.For a 200 year span, called the Pax Romana, trade, entertainment, the economy, and overall satisfaction increased. This was a time of peace. Unfortunately, because of numerous misfortunes such as power struggles, inflation, military rebellions, and foreign invasions, even the mighty Roman civilization came to an end. Power struggle was a major conflict of Rome. After the Pax Romana, whose last king was Marcus Aurelius, emperors were continuously overthrown and killed.This was such an issue, that during one fifty year period, 26 emperors ruled and either resigned or were murdered. Out of those 26, only one died of a natural death. Because of the constant change of rulers, the kings lost the support of the citizens, since the emperors they were loyal to did not remain in power. The collapse in politics was the first step to the fall of Rome. The economic decline was the second step to the fall of Rome. Large taxes were put in place to support and fund the military due to corruptness.Because of this, a heavy burden was placed upon businessmen and farmers. With the majority of their income going to the large taxes, farmers were financially struggling. They could no longer afford their land, so they were forced to leave and work for large landowners. Money gradually started losing its value, and inflation occurred. The third step in the Roman decline was the military rebellions. Because of the constan t change in emperors, different groups in the military felt loyal to different rulers.This caused the military split and often rebel against each other. The military became so weakened and disorderly that emperors began to hire mercenaries. The final step in Rome’s decline was the foreign invasions from Germanic Tribes. Great Britain, Spain, and France were the first of the Roman territories to be surrendered. Rome itself was shortly after, and it was apparent that the largest and most powerful empire in the world at the time had come to an end. Rome was no more.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi In the early age of computers, transferring of information from one computer system to another was a mere physical task. Nowadays, wireless technology is making it easy for everyone to effortlessly communicate with each other free from the use of any physical wiring and making it very cost effective. It is now being widely used by many organizations such as schools, hospitals, business-establishments, airports, and government facilities. Because of the increasing improvement and the price consistency of this technology (Rabbani, 2009), Computer hardware is no longer a major barrier to wide use of wireless information systems. Prior to the advancement of the Wi-Fi technology and the computer networking systems, computer users used only magnetic removable media devices such as an 8-inch floppy disk to transfer data from one computer system to another. Users had to upload data to the removable device and literally deliver it to the requesting computer using a pair of sneakers.View of Ho llywood and Los Angeles from Griffith Pa...This method ended up being called sneakernet and it is still popularly used today by professionals and end-users alike (McMahon, 2003).After the advent of the computer networking system, it enabled end-users and IT Professionals to instantly transfer computer data through wired network systems without having to physically transport it to the proper destination. This involves using routers, switches, and hubs (Pavlou, 2007). By 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer or IEEE developed the first implemented wireless network technology called the IEEE 802.11 specification and since then developed other more-advanced standards based on this specification. This became known as the Wi-Fi standard and this revolutionized the communications system ever since (Burger 2010).There were three types of wireless standard that were certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance association, the organization that tests and certifies these Wi-Fi product s to interoperate with each other. These products were...

Behavioural learning theory Essays

Behavioural learning theory Essays Behavioural learning theory Essay Behavioural learning theory Essay Behavioural learning theories consist of two main forms of learning, classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning. I will briefly be looking at both types of learning and then talk about phobias and the exposure techniques used to eliminate them. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov demonstrated classical conditioning in his experiments with dogs. Pavlov rung a bell every time he gave the dogs food and the sight of the food would make them salivate. Eventually the dogs associated the bell ringing with food, so that the bell alone would make them salivate. He explained that there are two types of reflexes, conditioned and unconditioned. Unconditioned reflexes are those that are innate whereas conditioned reflexes were acquired through conditioning. Unconditioned reflexes are based on a connection between unconditioned stimulus (US) and unconditioned response (UR). In Pavlovs experiments, the unconditioned stimulus was the dogs sight of food and the unconditioned response was the dogs salivating. Similarly, condition reflexes are based on a connection between conditioned stimulus (CS) and conditioned response (CR). In the experiments, the conditioned stimulus was the sound of a bell ringing while the conditioned response was salivation (Gleitman, 1995). Therefore classical conditioning is concerned with the learning of the relationship between the conditioned stimuli and the unconditioned stimuli. Pavlov also showed that the more often the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus are paired together, the more the strength of the conditioned response increases. The pairing reinforces the connection and such trials are called reinforced trials. Likewise, if the unconditioned stimulus is presented without the conditioned stimulus then the conditioned response gradually weakens. This is known an unreinforced trial. This will eventually lead to extinction whereby the conditioned reaction is undone and therefore the conditioned response disappears (Gleitman, 1995). However, the conditioned response can be resurrected through reconditioning. This typically needs fewer reinforced trials to bring the conditioned response to its previous strength because there is a spontaneous recovery (i. e. he conditioned response was masked rather than abolished during extinction). Conditioned responses can be suppressed through fear, which is known as response suppression. This may be one cause of why phobias develop. For example, someone who gets bitten by a snake may develop a very intense fear (or phobia) of snakes. Instrumental conditioning (also known as operant conditioning) is a form of learning whereby a reinforcer (reward) is only given once the correct instrumental response has been performed. Edward L. Thorndike proposed a theory known as the Law of Effect. In this he explained that responses that are followed by a reward (positive reinforcement) are strengthened and responses that are followed by no reward or punishment (negative reinforcement) are weakened. This is supported by the theory of evolution. Those that choose the best responses will have a better chance of survival (Gleitman, 1995). Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder which are characterised by an intense and irrational fear of an object or situation. The sufferer is usually aware of this irrationality, but continues to be afraid. Phobic people are always preoccupied with their phobia and avoiding the particular objects or situations that frighten them. Avoiding those particular objects or situations does not always help minimise the problem. This is because most of the time, the phobia tends to extend to other similar stimulus. For example, a person who fears leopards may also fear cats, spotted objects or even parts of the city where the zoo is located (Gleitman, 1995). One mechanism which explains why phobias develop is that chance association of ideas lead to fears. For example, a child that is told that goblins come by at night may develop a fear of the dark (Locke, 1690 in Gleitman, 1995). Many modern theorists explain that phobias derive from classical conditioning, where the feared object is the conditioned stimulus. An example would be a fear of snakes after a snake bite (Wolpe, 1958 in Gleitman, 1995). This theory also explains why phobias tend to expand. If a person who is conditioned to fear a particular stimulus encounters the stimulus in a different context, then that person will be conditioned to fear the new stimuli. There are two main types of phobias, specific and social. Social phobias are a fear of embarrassment or humiliation. Examples of sufferers avoiding situations include public speaking in case they falter or eating in restaurants in case they choke on their food. These sufferers may turn to alcohol or drugs in order to give themselves more confidence. Specific phobias, on the other hand, are a fear of particular objects or events. The classical conditioning explanation doesnt explain why patients tend to be afraid of only a limited number of stimuli. Phobias of snakes, spiders and heights are particularly common whereas phobias of knives, cars and electrical equipment are rare. If classical conditioning was the cause of phobias, then fear of knives and fire would be much more common as most people have been hurt by them. An explanation for this may come from the Preparedness Theory of Phobias, which is based on evolution. The theory explains that our ancestors had a built-in predisposition to fear stimuli that were dangerous to them (like spiders and snakes). Natural selection, therefore, favoured those that were innately predisposed to learn to fear these stimuli very quickly (Seligman, 1971 in Gleitman, 1995). To support this theory, experiments have been carried out in which nonphobic subjects were shown pictures of various objects. The pictures were paired with electric shocks. It was found that the subjects more often feared the pictures of snakes and spiders than the pictures of flowers and mushrooms (i hman, Eriksson and Olofsson, 1975; i hman, Dimberg and i st, 1985 in Gleitman, 1995). However, these studies have been criticised because it is not known what prior fears the subjects had before they participated in the experiment. Some investigators have used laboratory-reared monkeys to get around this problem. Experiments showed that the monkeys who had never seen snakes before become much more easily frightened by toy snakes than by flowers. As monkeys are our simian cousins, humans come to fear some stimuli much more readily than others (Cook and Mineka, 1989 in Gleitman, 1995). Behavioural therapy is a technique used to treat mental disorders. Behavioural therapists use classical and instrumental conditioning to re-educate patients. The treatment does not look at the causes of the disorder but aims to modify the sufferers behaviour. The more specific methods used to treat phobias are known as exposure techniques, so called because the patient is exposed to the phobic stimulus as part of the therapeutic process. Exposure treatments involve extinction, in which the classically conditioned connection is removed. One technique is flooding whereby the person is immersed in the fear reflex until the fear itself fades away. A person who suffers from ophidiophobia (snake phobia) may be placed in a room full of harmless snakes until the fear is extinguished. Some phobic reactions are so strong that the flooding is done in the patients mind rather than in real life. This is known as implosion therapy. Some patients cannot handle flooding so an alternative technique that is used is systematic desensitisation (Wolpe, 1958 in Gleitman, 1995). This tries to remove any anxiety connected to various stimuli by a gradual process of counter-conditioning (Watson, 1924 in phobialist. com/treat. html) to a response incompatible with fear, usually muscular relaxation. The first stage of the therapy involves getting the patient relaxed through meditation and untensing exercises. The explanation for this is that relaxation is incompatible with feeling fearful or having anxiety and therefore the relaxation response counters the fear response. In the second stage, the patient constructs an anxiety hierarchy. Fear situations are arranged from least to most threatening. In the final step, known as desensitisation, the patient imagines each situation on the hierarchy while practising relaxation techniques, until all the situations have been dealt with successfully. Biofeedback instrumentation is often used to ensure that the patient is truly well-relaxed before going to the next higher situation in the anxiety hierarchy. Several indexes have been used in this approach including pulse rate, respiration rate and electro-dermal responses. An example of a hierarchy would be when treating snake phobias. First, the patient may imagine a ball of string and then imagine a worm and handling a worm. They will then progress to visualising a snake and finally handling a snake. When this is done and the patient is relaxed with this, the patient may then attempt to actually handle a snake in real life (Gleitman, 1995). Sometimes, this process is paired with modelling. In modelling, the patient observes others in the presence of the phobic stimulus. The models would be responding with relaxation rather than fear. This encourages the patient to imitate the models and thereby relieve their phobia. In conclusion, the behavioural learning theory uses conditioning to explain why people develop mental disorders. Therefore, behaviourists try to treat phobias by reconditioning a patient so that their conditioned response (phobic response) is changed or removed. The types of methods used to do this include flooding, implosion therapy and systematic desensitisation. There are different views as to why people develop phobias. One view is that people become conditioned to fear certain stimuli due to past experiences or hearing stories. However, this does not explain why people tend to be prone to certain kinds of phobias more than others. The biological view for phobias may give a better explanation in that due to evolution, humans have inherited fear of certain stimuli that were dangerous to our ancestors (e. g. snakes).

Sociology and the Power of Sanctions in Compliance

Sociology and the Power of Sanctions in Compliance Sanctions, as defined within sociology, are ways of enforcing compliance with social norms. Sanctions are positive when they are used to celebrate conformity and negative when they are used to punish or discourage nonconformity. Either way, the use of sanctions and the outcomes they produce are used to encourage our conformity with social norms. For example, an individual who behaves appropriately in a given setting by being polite, socially engaged, or patient could be sanctioned with social approval. An individual who chooses to behave inappropriately by acting out of turn, saying or doing strange or unkind things, or expressing rudeness or impatience may be sanctioned with disapproval, expulsion, or more severe consequences, depending on the situation. How Sanctions Relate to Social Norms Social norms are expected behaviors that are agreed upon by a social group. Social norms are part of society as a whole (like using money as a tool for exchange) and of smaller groups (like wearing a business suit in a corporate setting). Social norms are thought to be necessary for social cohesion and interaction; without them, we could live in a chaotic, unstable, unpredictable, and noncooperative world. In fact, without them, we might not have a society. Societies, cultures, and groups often use sanctions to enforce compliance with their desired social norms. When an individual conforms- or does not conform- to the social norms, he or she may receive sanctions (consequences). In general, sanctions for conformity are positive while sanctions for nonconformity are negative. They can be informal sanctions such as shunning, humiliation, accolades, or awards to help shape the way individuals and institutions behave. Internal and External Sanctions Sanctions can be internal or external. Internal sanctions are consequences imposed by the individual, based on compliance with social norms. For example, an individual might suffer from embarrassment, shame, or depression as a result of noncompliance and associated exclusion from social groups. Imagine a child who decides to challenge social norms and authorities by stealing a candy bar from a store. Not being caught and without external sanctions, the child may feel miserable from guilt. Rather than eating the candy bar, the child then returns it and confesses guilt. This end result is the work of an internal sanction. External sanctions, on the other hand,  are consequences imposed by others and include things like expulsion from an organization, public humiliation, punishment by parents or elders, and arrest and imprisonment, and more. If a person breaks into and robs a store and is caught, there will be an arrest, an accusation of a crime, a court trial and the likelihood of being found guilty, and maybe jail time. What happens after the person is caught ​is a series of state-based external sanctions.​​​ Formal and Informal Sanctions Sanctions can be formal or informal. Formal sanctions are imposed through formal means by institutions or organizations upon other institutions, organizations, or upon individuals. They can be legal or based on an institutions formal code of rules and ethics. A nation that fails to comply with international law may be sanctioned, meaning that economic opportunities are withheld, assets are  frozen, or trade relationships are ended. Likewise, a student who plagiarizes a written assignment or cheats on a test may be sanctioned by the school with academic probation, suspension, or expulsion. To expand on the former example,  a nation that refuses to comply with an international ban on building nuclear weapons will face economic sanctions from nations that comply with the ban. As a result, the noncompliant country loses income, international status, and opportunities for growth as a result of the sanction. Informal sanctions are imposed by individuals or groups upon other individuals or groups without the use of a formal, institutional system. Scornful looks, shunning, boycotts, and other actions are forms of informal sanctioning. Take the example of a corporation whose products are made in factories in which child labor and abusive practices are rampant. Customers who object to this practice organize a boycott against the corporation. The corporation loses customers, sales, and income as a result of informal sanction.

Applied linguistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Applied linguistics - Essay Example The input that a learner receives has been identified as a major contributor that affects the acquisition of a second language. The importance of the input given to a learner was emphasized by Stephen Krashen who advocated for comprehensible input as the solution to acquisition of a second language (Hunston & Oakey, 2010). Input is invariably determined by the amount of time granted to the learner and thus the longer the time allocated the better a learner becomes in speaking a second language. Input can be enhanced by personal reading habits of the learner (Ortega, 2009, p. 60). Learners who are committed to reading books written in the second language of choice are at a better place than their non-reading counterparts are in speaking the language fluently. Voluntary reading of books can be termed as one of the best-input tools, and the results justify the significance of input in the learning process (Hunston & Oakey, 2010). The importance of the type of input in the acquisition of a second language cannot be overemphasized as grammatically sequenced processes have been found to be ineffective. The use of sequencing should be limited and the process should be limited to individual learner’s abilities. However, input is not the only solution in the learning process and more alternatives have to be accommodated. ... might undergo significant lessons in language their communication might not be as sharp as that of those learning the language in France or a French-speaking nation. The interaction hypothesis emphasizes on the conditions that are present during the learning process. The interaction of a learner in the second language is crucial in developing fluency and deeper understanding of the actual meaning of certain words. Interaction entails using the language in day-to-day activities. The interaction phase is conducive when there is some sort of breakdown in the communication and a learner is forced to negotiate for the meaning (Ortega, 2009, p.63). This insinuates that for communication to be successful a learner should be in a surrounding where they can use the second language in their activities. The interaction phase is important in helping learners in simplifying input and pushing them to modify parts of their speech. The output hypothesis plays an important role in a person’s a ttempt of learning a second language. The output process essentially assists learners of a language by providing them with the necessary feedback (Hunston & Oakey, 2010). The output of the process should be comprehensible to the learner for maximized automation of their knowledge of the new language. Finally, the importance of the output hypothesis in the process of acquiring a second language is assisting individuals in concentrating on the form and nature of their communication. The input process can also pose a challenge in SLA for example if too much emphasis is placed on classroom teachings (Ortega, 2009, p. 60). The teaching of a second language primarily in the classroom can be part of the hindrance to the acquisition process as emphasis is placed on vocabularies instead of literally

Factors That Have Enabled India to Become an Emerging Economy Essay

Factors That Have Enabled India to Become an Emerging Economy - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the increasing competition and changes in the global marketplace have resulted in forcing the organizations to come up with new and innovative methods for increasing the market growth and share. Increasing globalization and internationalization have resulted in providing these organizations with an option to expand into international markets. On the other hand, different countries and international markets are trying to attract the organizations and foreign investment with the help of favorable policies and factors in order to improve the overall economic condition of the country. India is eyeing to become one of the powerful economies of the world, as it can be seen from recent past that Indian economy is showing rapid growth and is amongst the top growing economies of the world at present. India is the tenth largest economy in terms of nominal GDP and is amongst the top three (third largest) economy with respect to purchasing power p arity (PPP). The main reason behind this growth comes from various alterations and transformations made in economic, social and political practices of the country or in simple words by adopting reforms. This has lead towards creating a situation that country which was a few decades ago under the list of under developing countries is amongst the top powerful economies of the world. Meanwhile at present according to the economic survey of 2011-2012, Indian GDP showed a positive growth and is amongst the top three economies of the world that have shown significant growth over a recent past in terms of GDP. However given below are some of the important factors that are playing important role in the growth of the Indian economy. India has been able to grow and improve its economy by attracting more and more international business and organizations. The country is striving hard to provide the international investors with feasible conditions in order to increase the Foreign Direct Investme nt in the country. The economic, political, social, and technological factors all have been shaped in such a manner that more and more international organizations are investing in the country. The economic, political, and technological factors of India are attractive for any method of internationalization including; export based, nonequity based, and equity-based methods for internalization.