Critique of a qualitative study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critique of a qualitative study - Essay Example They will be better handle to handle the situations and help them and give them support in areas that will be most beneficial to their recovery. Moreover, the method used to collect data is compatible with the purpose of the research. The method is also adequate to address the phenomenon of interest, to document and follow whether African-American men and women utilize their support network and resources when coping with their illnesses. The type of sampling used is that 28 African-American men and women were selected from 291 men and women who had completed Health-funded studies for three National Institutes: Managing Uncertainty: Self-Help in Breast Cancer Study funded to Principal Investigator (PI) Merle Mishel, Phd, RN, FAAN; Promoting Self-Help: Underserved Women with Breast Cancer Study to PI Carrie Braden, Phd, RN, FAAN, and Managing Uncertainty in Stage B or Early Stage C Prostate Cancer Study to Mischel. The informants who were chosen were appropriate to inform the research because the 28 African men and women that were selected did not receive any type of intervention for their conditions. Some of the men were in control groups, resulting in them having to deal with their condition full-force. They would be better able to study whether they might be affected by support in coping with their illnesses because they didn't have any interventions to stop or alter the full affects of the illnesses. Additionally, the data collection is focused on human experience, and the researcher does describe the data collections used such as interviews, observation and discussion. The protection of human participants is addressed, and the saturation of the data is described in that the support findings and interviews with the participants are described in detail. The procedure for collecting data was open-interviewed with the participants, mostly in their home, in a place where they would feel comfortable. It was also stated that the interviews were began very casually, "Tell me more about your experience." This helped the interviewee relax more knowing that their experience was important enough to be heard. Another procedure used was data analysis of the participants. This helped to know what backgrounds, social status, or other areas the participants were contained within. Additionally, the researcher does address the credibility, auditability, and fittingness of the data in this research. The researcher does address that these findings are important to the welfare of the participant, thereby making it fitting for the welfare of others that are African-American men and women as well. The participants did recognize the experience as their own, and they were given ample time to fully understand the phenomenon of their cancer. Furthermore, the reader can document the researcher's experience as they read through the experiment. The researcher does document the research process very well by separating the experiences of the individuals into labeled categories, there again better enabling the

Coconut Tree Essay Example for Free

Coconut Tree Essay The coconut tree as a â€Å"tree of life† is characteristically a food supplier as this tree provides fruit and is well-known to be devoid of any anti-nutrient factors and is known as a whole food with 5,000 years of recorded use in food preparation with health benefits.The fruit is edible at any stage of maturity. It provides not only a solid food but a large volume of very safe and healthy drinking water-based juice. The fruit of the coconut palm is the main source of many food products such as coconut milk/cream, desiccated coconut, coconut chip, coconut water, nata de coco, coconut oil, copra, etc. Apart from these, the unopened inflorescence can produce coconut sap or toddy (tuba) which can be processed into high value and nutritious food products. Coconut sap sugar, considered to be one of the best natural sweeteners, is truly a perfect and healthier substitute for artificial sweeteners because it is not a product of chemical laboratories, not an artificial sweetener and not a by-product of sugar cane, not brown sugar nor muscuvado sugar. Coco sugar is good for both diabetic and non-diabetic consumers because it does not induce high blood sugar because it has a Low Glycemic index. Glycemic index (GI) is a numerical system of measuring how much of a rise in circulating blood sugar a carbohydrate triggers-the higher the number, the greater blood sugar response. So a low GI food will cause a small rise, while a high GI food will trigger the opposite. GI is about the quality of the carbohydrates, not the quantity. Coco sugar can be good for weigh maintenance. (Dr. Trinidad P. Trinidad, Scientist II of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute – Department of Science and Technology.) It is also rich in various amino acids, vitamins and minerals that are essential for the human body to benefit.

The Australian Legend and Feminism :: essays research papers fc

The Australian Legend And Feminism Until recent years it has been believed that there are two sexes, being male and female, and with these there are two genders, with these being masculinity and feminity. It may also be argued that sex is biology determined where as gender is socially and culturally constructed as studies of societies, both present and past, have shown that there is no relationship between social roles and biological sex (Abercrombie, Hill & Turner, 2000). With the introduction of post modernist feminist theories we have begun to question whether or not there are only two genders and how to classify transgender (Flax, 1990). It can be argued that masculinity has socially and culturally been constructed as dominant within the public world. In western countries, such as Australia, it is upon men that â€Å"autonomy, control over the world and mastery of others† (Porter, 1998, p. 27) has been placed. Parsons (Porter, 1998) suggested five alternative sets of positioned values which are structured as being either expressive or instrumental. Parsons (Porter, 1998) was of the belief that men embodied the instrumental values of affective neutrality (capable of unemotional and impersonal interaction), self-orientation (primary pursuit of own interests), universalism (making objective evaluations when interacting with others), achievement (ability to achieve set goals and related status) and specificity (interacting or working within a specific role). Parsons theorized that these five instrumental values were associated with western ‘advanced’ societies (Porter, 1998). In Australia, women and children are seen to be subservient to the male superiority. Parsons (Porter, 1998) believed that women embodied the expressive values of affectivity (highly emotional), collective orientation (putting others interests before your own), particularism (responding differently towards different people), ascription (having status ascribed regardless of intrinsic qualities), and diffuseness (role covers a wide range of interests and is non-specific). To Parsons these roles were seen to belong to primitive society and in modern times were to be associated with women and private life (Porter, 1998). These roles have been reinforced through popular media, for example by the bible which is the worlds’ best selling and most distributed book (Guinness World Records). Within the bible the word "man" may be found 5,335 times in 4,536 verses whilst â€Å"woman† may be found 379 times in 347 verses (Christ Unlimited Ministries, n.d.). Passages of the bible may also reinforce the notion of male superiority for example in Genesis 1:26-28 (Christ Unlimited Ministries, n.d.) which tells of god creating Adam in his own image and then creating for Adam a helper, Eve, whom God calls Woman as she is created from the rib of man.

Cell Organelles :: essays research papers

The studies of Robert Hooke 1665 into a plant material would allow the determination of a pore like regular structure surrounded by a wall of which he called ‘cells’ this in itself unbeknownst to him, was the discovery of the fundamental unit of all living things. In 1838 a botanist called Schleiden derived the theory ‘The basic unit of structure and function of all living organisms is the cell.’ Over 150 years later this can be regarded as one of the most familiar and important facts within the biological fields. Drawing of cork cells published by Robert Hooke 1665 The Cell itself and use of Cytology: The cell can be thought of as a bag in which the chemistry of life is allowed to occur, partially separated from the environment outside the cell, it exists within all living organisms as its basic structure. The study of cells is made possible through the use of ‘cytology’ the preparation of materials for examination through microscopes as an average animal cell exists on a scale of 10 microns roughly one hundredths of a millimetres. Originally light microscopy was used in this field but with the advancement of knowledge scientists were restricted to 200nm magnification, or 2 tenths of a micron. Realising the existence of cell organelles within the cell structure, allowing the function of the cell itself to occur; It was necessary to increase magnification by utilising an alternate source radiation (alternate to light).The result was the electron microscope, whereby the short wavelength and negative charge of electrons when supplied with energy allowed for greater focusing with electromagnetism. This method bends the path of the beam in the manner of a lens to light. Cell Organelles and the variation between Plant and Animal Cells: We have already determined the cell to be the foundation to all organisms, however the term cell is associative and categorises a wide variation. Every animal cell has a specified function whether it be the production of hair, mucus, or the process of other chemicals ( multiple reactions occur within a cell for other purposes i.e. creation of ATP, protein manufacture etc.) So from this we must examine the cell in more detail and determine what it is within the cell that creates it specialised function and separates it as an individual type. Plant cells vary from animal through the existence of certain organelles. Organelles are the substances that provide a cell with the ability to produce (a production line) and exist within the cells boundaries.

Workers Participation In Management Commerce Essay

Harmonizing to one position, workers engagement is based on the cardinal construct that the ordinary workers put his labor in, and ties his destiny to, his topographic point of work and, hence, he has a legitimate right to hold a portion in act uponing the assorted facets of company policy † . Harmonizing to G.S. Walpole, engagement in direction gives the workers a sense of importance, pride and achievement ; it gives him the freedom and the chance for self-expression ; a feeling of belonging to his topographic point of work and a sense of craft and creativeness. It provides for the integrating of his involvements with those of the direction and makes him a joint spouses in the endeavor † . The signifiers of workers engagement in direction vary from industry to industry and state to state depending upon the political system, form of direction dealingss and capable or country of engagement. The signifiers of workers engagement may be as follows: Joint Consultation Modes Joint Decision Model Self Management, or Auto Management Scheme Workers Representation on Board It should be borne in head that when persons are provided with chances for look and portion in decision-making, they show much enterprise and accept duty well. The principle of workers ‘ engagement in direction prevarications in that it helps in making amongst the workers a sense of engagement in their organisatoin, a better apprehension of their function in the smooth operation of industry and provides them a agency of self-fulfillment, thereby, advancing efficiency and increased productiveness. INTROdTION Participative Management I s a sophisticated construct I n the modern managerial universe, atleast in Indian Scene. Engagement in the decision-making procedure helps to accomplish greater occupation satisfaction on the portion of the employees and hlgher production on the portion of the administration. The workers can be motivated more efficaciously through non-monetary Incentives than through pecuniary inducements. I t one s observed in recent times that engagement Is one of the best non-monetary inducements I f the administration applies the engagement schemes decently, one T is believed that it w one cubic decimeter cubic decimeter be able to better the production and productivenesss of the different factors of production. At the same clip it serves as a incentive and satisfaction to the employees by run intoing their self-importance demands. Participative Management is the procedure of affecting subsidiaries i n the decision-making procedure. I t emphasiss active engagement of th e employees. I t utilizations thelr expertness and creativeness in work outing of import managerial jobs. I t remainders on the construct of shared authorization which holds that directors portion thelr managerla1 authorization with their subsidiaries. Participative Management, â€Å" is a procedure of deputation of authorization and duty in the general country of managerial maps. I t agencies sharing in an appropriate mode the decislonmaklng power with the lower ranks of the administration of an endeavor Participative Management is hence, a system or procedure in which workers are called upon to show their positions sing the preparation of policies and decision-making, to the direction. This is nil but a manner of sati sfylng the workers ‘ impulse for self look and making in them a feeling of belongingness in order to acquire their willing co-operation for the efficient working of the administration. The purpose of this system is to do the workers feel that the administration is their ain and its success or failure, Is their ain success or failure. I t would take the feeling of disaffection from the workers towards the direction every bit good as other workers In the same industry. Four procedures influence engagement. These procedures create employee engagement as they are pushed down to the lowest degrees in an organisation. The farther down these procedures move, the higher the degree of engagement by employees. The four procedures include: Information sharing, which is concerned with maintaining employees informed about the economic position of the company. Training, which involves raising the accomplishment degrees of employees and offering development chances that allow them to use new accomplishments to do effectual determinations sing the organisation as a whole. Employee determination devising, which can take many signifiers, from finding work agendas to make up one's minding on budgets or procedures. Wagess, which should be tied to suggestions and thoughts every bit good as public presentation.BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATIVE MANAGEMENTA participative direction manner offers assorted benefits at all degrees of the organisation. By making a sense of ownership in the company, participative direction instils a sense of pride and motivates employees to increase productiveness in order to accomplish their ends. Employees who participate in the determinations of the company feel like they are a portion of a squad with a common end, and happen their sense of self-pride and originative fulfillment heightened. Directors who use a participative manner happen that employees are more receptive to alter than in state of affairss in which they have no voice. Changes are implemented more efficaciously when employees have input and do parts to determinations. Participation keeps employees informed of approaching events so they will be cognizant of possible alterations. The organisation can so put itself in a proactive manner alternatively of a reactive 1, as directors are able to rapidly place countries of concern and turn to employees for solutions. Engagement helps employees derive a wider position of the organisation. Through preparation, development chances, and information sharing, employees can get the conceptual accomplishments needed to go effectual directors or top executives. It besides increases the committedness of employees to the organisation and the determinations they make. Creativity and invention are two of import benefits of participative direction. By leting a diverse group of employees to hold input into determinations, the organisation benefits from the synergism that comes from a wider pick of options. When all employees, alternatively of merely directors or executives, are given the chance to take part, the opportunities are increased that a valid and alone thought will be suggested.REQUIREMENTS OF PARTICIPATIVE MANAGEMENTA common misconception by directors is that participative direction involves merely inquiring employees to take part or do suggestions. Effective plans involve more than merely a suggestion box. In order for participative direction to work, several issues must be resolved and several demands must be met. First, directors must be willing to release some control to their workers ; directors must experience secure in their place in order for engagement to be successful. Often directors do non recognize that employees ‘ regar d for them will increase alternatively of lessening when they implement a participative direction manner. The success of participative direction depends on careful planning and a slow, phased attack. Changing employees ‘ thoughts about direction takes clip, as does any successful effort at a entire cultural alteration from a democratic or bossy manner of direction to a participative manner. Long-run employees may defy alterations, non believing they will last. In order for engagement to be effectual, directors must be echt and honest in implementing the plan. Many employees will necessitate to consistently see cogent evidence that their thoughts will be accepted or at least earnestly considered. The employees must be able to swear their directors and feel they are respected. Successful engagement requires directors to near employee engagement with an unfastened head. They must be unfastened to new thoughts and options in order for participative direction to work. It is of import to retrieve that although the director may non hold with every thought or suggestion an employee makes, how those thoughts are received is critical to the success of participative direction. Employees must besides be willing to take part and portion their thoughts. Participative direction does non work with employees who are inactive or merely make non care. Many times employees do non hold the accomplishments or information necessary to do good suggestions or determinations. In this instance it is of import to supply them with information or preparation so they can do informed picks. Encouragement should be offered in order to habituate employees to the participative attack. One manner to assist employees prosecute in the decision-making procedure is by cognizing their single strengths and capitalising on them. By steering employees toward countries in which they are knowing, a director can assist to guarantee their success. Before anticipating employees to do valuable parts, directors should supply them with the standards that their input must run into. This will help in flinging thoughts or suggestions that can non be implemented, are non executable, or are excessively expensive. Directors should besides give employees clip to believe about thoughts or alternate determinations. Employees frequently do non make their most originative thought on the topographic point. Another of import component for implementing a successful participative direction manner is the seeable integrating of employees ‘ suggestions into the concluding determination or execution. Employees need to cognize that they have made a part. Offering employees a pick in the concluding determination is of import because it increases their committedness, motive, and occupation satisfaction. Sometimes even merely showing several options and leting employees to take from them is every bit effectual as if they thought of the options themselves. If the employees ‘ first pick is non executable, direction might inquire for an option instead than rejecting the employee input. When an thought or determination is non acceptable, directors should supply an account. If direction repeatedly strikes down employee thoughts without implementing them, employees will get down to mistrust direction, therefore holding engagement. The key is to construct employee assurance so their thoughts and determinations become more originative and sound.ConcernsParticipative direction is non a charming remedy for all that ails an organisation. Directors should carefully weigh the pros and the cons before implementing this manner of direction. Directors must recognize that alterations will non take consequence overnight and will necessitate consistence and forbearance before employees will get down to see that direction is serious about employee engagement. Participative direction is likely the most hard manner of direction to pattern. It is disputing non merely for directors but for employees every bit good. While it is of import that direction allows employees to take part in determination devising and encourages engagement in the organisation ‘s way, directors must be cognizant of the potency for employees to pass more clip formulating suggestions and less clip finishing their work. High-level direction will non back up a participative direction plan if they believe employees are non run intoing their daily or hebdomadal ends. Some suggestions for get the better ofing this possible job are to put aside a peculiar clip each hebdomad for workers to run into with direction in order to portion their thoughts, or to let them to work on their thoughts during less busy times of the twenty-four hours or hebdomad. Another thought that works for some directors is to let employees to put up single assignments to discourse thoughts or suggestions. Directors should retrieve that participative direction is non ever the appropriate manner to manage a given state of affairs. Employees frequently respect a director that uses his or her authorization and makes determinations when it is necessary. There are times when, as a director, it is of import to be in charge, do a determination, and so accept the duty for the picks made. For illustration, participative direction is likely non appropriate when disciplinary action is needed. When directors look upon their ain occupations as a privilege alternatively of as a duty, they will neglect at doing participative direction work. They will be less willing to turn over some of the decision-making duty to subsidiaries. Another ground that participative direction fails is that directors do non recognize it is non the same as deputing or merely switching duty. Participation entirely has no value ; it is merely an effectual tool if it is used to work out jobs and meet ends. Some directors believe that ask foring employees to fall in in meetings and signifier commissions will make a successful participative direction plan. However, these steps are merely successful when employees ‘ thoughts are accepted by direction and implemented. The larger the organisation, the more hard it becomes to establish a participative direction manner. Large organisations have more beds and degrees, which complicate effectual communicating and do it hard to register the sentiments and suggestions of a diverse group of employees and directors. Critics argue that brotherhoods are frequently more effectual than participative direction in reacting to employee demands because brotherhood attempts can cut through bureaucratic organisations more rapidly. Participative direction plans can be threatened by office political relations. Due to conceal dockets and peer force per unit area, employees may maintain their sentiments to themselves and decline to state a director if they feel an thought will non work. Directors besides play a portion in political relations when they implement participative direction plans to affect their ain foremans but have no purpose of seeing them through. Many companies have experienced the positive effects of participative direction. Employees are more committed and experience more occupation satisfaction when they are allowed to take part in determination devising. Organizations have reported that productiveness improved significantly when directors used a participative manner. Participative direction is non an easy direction manner to implement. It presents assorted challenges and does non win nightlong. Directors will be more successful if they remember that it will take clip and careful planning before they will see consequences. Get downing with little undertakings that encourage and reward engagement is one manner to acquire employees to believe that direction is sincere and trusty.

Dissertation Service

Dissertation Service Dissertation Service Dissertation Service Our time is running out, our time is running out These words by English musical band Muse are no more than a song, but for some students they are becoming a horrifying reality. Indeed, time goes by too fast, how is your dissertation progressing? If you are stuck with your dissertation, maybe it is high time to address a dissertation service. Do not worry, you are not alone in your trouble. Luckily, our experienced writers are ready to provide you with any kind of dissertation writing assistance. Why do people decide to contact a dissertation service? The reasons for this are many:Lack of time. With your busy schedule it is impossible to devote about 2 hours to writing your dissertation every day. Sometimes to be able to devote time to dissertation writing you have to sacrifice something. It is difficult to choose between your studies and part-time job, isnt it? Not enough sources. Your topic may turn out to be not well explored, and you might have failed to find the needed amount of material. Problems with your supervisor. Your supervisor rejects your work time after time and you do not understand why.This list may be even longer, as many students have troubles of their own. Many problems, one solution. When you choose to address our dissertation service for assistance, you may relax and forget about your anxiety, as the fate of your dissertation is in reliable hands. Each of our dissertation writers is an expert in a definite field of science. We have been working with our dissertation writers for some years on end, that is why we know you can rely on them. A qualified writer from our dissertation service will send you definite chapters of your dissertation on the interim deadlines, so you will be able to see the progress. In the process of dissertation writing you will contact your writer, you will always know on what part of your dissertation the writer is working at the moment. We guarantee that our dissertation expert wil l deliver your dissertation by the time specified by you. When you order a dissertation from our dissertation service, be sure that your dissertation will be free of plagiarism. This means that your university dissertation will be 100% unique and authentic. So, why keep worrying and losing your precious time? Order your dissertation now and you will forget about your problems.

Italian Prepositions Tra and Fra

Italian Prepositions Tra and Fra The book is BETWEEN the couch and the wall. There’s a big difference BETWEEN say something and doing something. BETWEEN all of the girls, Giulia is the nicest. In English, the best definition for the prepositions â€Å"tra† and â€Å"fra† is â€Å"between,† but it can also be understood as â€Å"among.† Luckily, these two prepositions are simple to use in comparison to their counterparts, like â€Å"di,† â€Å"da,† or â€Å"in.† Here are some usages along with examples. How to Use â€Å"Tra† and â€Å"Fra† Between two objects Il libro à ¨ tra il divano e il muro. - The book is between the couch and the wall.un ponte tra una riva e laltra del fiume -a bridge between one bank and the other of the rivertra due monti si stende una vallata - between two mountains lies a valleyuna casa tra gli alberi - a house amidst the trees FUN FACT: The popular proverb â€Å"Actions speak louder than words,† can be loosely translated as, â€Å"Tra il dire e il fare c’à ¨ di mezzo il mare,† which literally means, â€Å"Between saying and doing there’s an ocean.† Movement to a place or particular location Torna tra noi. - Come back between us.Un raggio di luce passava tra le imposte socchiuse. - a beam of light passed through the half-closed shutters. Distance Tra due chilometri cà ¨ un benzinaio. - Within two kilometers, there’s a gas station. Time Arriver tra due ore. - She’ll arrive in two hours.Sono libero tra le otto e le nove. - I’m free between eight and nine oclock.Tra una cosa e un’altra abbiamo fatto tardi! - This and that and we’re late! Connection or relationship una discussione tra amici - a discussion between friendsSi consultarono tra loro. - They conferred amongst themselves. Companionship or alliance Ama stare fra gli altri. - He loves to be among others. To highlight one part or person Sei il migliore tra i miei amici. - You’re the best among my friends.Alcuni tra i presenti protestarono. - Some of those present protested.Fra tutte le ragazze, Giulia à ¨ la pià ¹ simpatica. - Between all of the girls, Giulia is the nicest. Tips In some sentences, the phrase tra tutti means throughout, overall: tra tutti saranno un centinaio - overall there will be a hundred.In certain expressions, the preposition tra (fra) has a causal value. For example, Fra la casa e i bambini non ho mai il tempo di uscire - Between the house and the children, I never have time to get out. The Difference Between â€Å"Tra† and â€Å"Fra† There’s no difference in meaning between the two forms. Which one you choose to use is governed by sound; It’s much preferred to say fra travi and tra frati to avoid groups of identical sounds (other examples include tra fratelli and fra tre anni). Even so, tra is the more common form. Tip: If â€Å"tra† precedes personal pronouns, its often followed by the preposition: tra di noi.

The Most Important Soft Skill You Might Not Be Developing

The Most Important Soft Skill You Might Not Be Developing The most important skill people  attempting to address the â€Å"skills gap† tend to miss is actually problem solving! Employees: Improve Your Skills!As many as 77%   of employers are determining their new hires based on soft skills like problem solving, communication, and ethics. They know that without these kinds of skills, on-the-job training is more difficult for managers  and colleagues alike.If you are good at problem-solving, then you know how to learn independently- you’ll improve and develop as an employee no matter what context you’re working in. When you get frustrated, you turn that into motivation to find the answer instead of giving up. You know how to maintain  your problem-solving â€Å"muscles† so that they that kick in whenever the going gets tough.In order to improve your abilities, Tim Murphy, founder of ApplyMate, recommends exercise books that give you brainteasers or word problems to solve- these are  low stakes opportuniti es to build your skill set.Employers:  Find and Nurture  this Important SkillAs an employer, Pomeroy recommends developing screening protocols for job applicants, like  tests that ask prospective hires to solve real problems they’re likely to face on the job. Hiring managers  could even build in a collaborative component by asking them to talk through issues with current employees.If you’re looking at your current employees and noticing crucial deficits, consider offering employee training with personal coaches or monthly professional development presentations. You can give your employees agency to identify and address their own areas for improvement. In addition, allowing them to give presentations in groups or alone will build their sense of self-sufficiency. Prioritize problem solving, and you’ll cultivate a workforce that knows how to work together and independently; eventually they’ll solve problems before they happen.How to Identify and Trai n the Skill That Matters MostRead More at TalentCulture World of Work

RESEARCH METHODS (AT LEAST THREE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES) CONCEPT PAPER Coursework

RESEARCH METHODS (AT LEAST THREE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES) CONCEPT PAPER - Coursework Example According to Wiles (2007), organizations must incorporate MOT in their organizational structure to survive the stiff competition currently prevailing in the American corporate sector. Technology is an imperative asset that can help organizations outperform their competitors and gain a significant market share. However, the challenge faced by technology specialists and decision makers is gaining an all-inclusive understanding of MOT that normally incorporate understanding of technology development, auxiliary intelligence and relevant processes and activities in the product value chain (Malhotra, 2004). As an important management discipline, MOT explores the potential of technology and how that potential can be harnessed for the advantage of organizations. However, as Van (2008) reiterates, the field and professions it obliges remains ambiguous due to absence of established task sheets and books that would nature the attention of students and practitioners. Additionally, an immense confusion surrounds MOT concepts and its relevance in solving management problems is disregarded by American managers (Christiansen,  2000). Deliberations on MOT reveal divergent viewpoints about nature, history, origin, role and etymology of technological terms. Van (2008) further reveals that the copious definitions of technological concepts have caused a disagreement that is yet to subside. However, the revival of MOT in recent years has created a pompous structure for systematic consideration of technology and its organization leading to introduction of teaching programmes in university and establishment of professional societies such as IAMOT (international association for the management of technology) (Wiles,  2007). The mesmerizing quest for students and practitioners is to have a fundamental structure that will aid in edification of technological related knowledge thus easing management related tasks through effective and efficient

Group reference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Group reference - Essay Example Social networking is also a very large method for companies to promote their products since people in group-oriented cultures value the wisdom that social networking sites and blogs can provide. It is an effective method of promoting word of mouth since Chapter 11 described this as a very important element of changing or improving buyer behavior. It has influence on 2/3 of all sales and therefore should be recognized as providing excellent marketing and advertising opportunities for many businesses in the UAE. The Internet is widely used in this country and provides a forum for success. When comparing the readings from the two chapters about social stratification and buyer behavior related to reference groups, Carrefour and Lulu hypermarkets have mixed results in terms of self-promotion and the forums where they advertise. Ameinfo.com (2000) identifies that these firms are often reluctant to address different media sources about their business strategies and success. This makes it di fficult to predict the type of strategic focus that these hypermarkets have and how they will change buyer attitudes especially when they are seeking information from knowledge sources of power. The UAE has very group-oriented values and therefore rely on reference groups to help them make product decisions. Unlike other countries such as the United States and the UK that actively use media press releases to promote their products and business strategies, these hypermarkets are not taking advantage of the word of mouth potential that such media sources provide. Therefore, in the UAE, in relation to the hypermarket concept stores, certain social classes must rely on their own experiences to decide whether to continue to patronize the stores. This is a limitation for the hypermarkets in many ways for not taking advantage of the advantages of media sources. At the same time, the social class status of buyers is mixed in the UAE and makes it difficult to target them. There are four dist inct social classes of buyers in the UAE: Those with immense wealth and political power, the business class, the middle class with moderate income levels, and lower-income households who work in service industries (Omair, 2010, p.123). With such a mixed variety of consumers, it would be necessary to understand whether social mobility is occurring through infrastructure development or jobs creation to determine whether buying attitudes and behaviors would change over the long-term. This again makes it difficult for the hypermarkets to promote their products effectively and develop a long-term strategy for marketing success. The UAE is also experiencing a recession much like the rest of the globe and global commodity prices are increasing. To combat this, the UAE is fixing the prices at the political level for different food products and other household products as a short-term strategy to prevent inflation (a1saudiarabia.com, 2011). This is going to impact the buying behavior of many different social classes at a time when value and pricing are considerable motivators for buying behavior. These efforts are being done in an environment that will directly impact the hypermarket stores of Carrefour and Lulu since this is the bulk of their total product variety. Pricing will definitely

Comparison Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comparison Report - Assignment Example The figure 2 below is a contemporary piece that is similar to the French directoire style. On the case of this piece, a fabric will not be needed for the sake of upholstering it because it is a table that does not have such requirements. If it were a chair, however, voile would be the most preferable fabric for it. There are a number of similarities that appear in the two architectural pieced selected for the purposes of this assignment. For example, all the pieces have minimal carving and are characterized by highly grained veneers (In McPhee, 2015). Only one difference is prevalent. The French directoire does not have as much decorative painting as the latter. OReillys Plaza Art Galleries. (1976).  Steinway Grand piano, antique French directoire, provincial, Regency English furniture, Meissen and oriental objects, oil paintings, silver and oriental rugs\. New York: OReillys Plaza Art

Stock Valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Stock Valuation - Essay Example Common stockholders are entitled to voting where shareholders come together and are recipients of dividends while a preferred stock is a bond at the same time, that is, it is a cross between a common stock and a bond (Damodaran, 2007). Some of its characteristics include scripted return, lack of maturity in most cases, ability to recover as a mature bond and conversion to a common stock. In case of company bankruptcy, preferred stock holders are a priority in the payment of liquidated assets then the common stockholders. A direct implication of this is that the former mentioned stock preference is high regarding liquidation and some of its dividends are preferred. There are instances where dissolving a company results to no payments to the common stockholder. Therefore holding the same value for stock by investors goes against the principles of the two kinds of stocks in discussion. An imbalance of the stock market is therefore inevitable in the long

Is the U.S. seeking to contain China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is the U.S. seeking to contain China - Essay Example China is believed to be aggressive and power hungry. Over the years it has built-up its military force and deployed them massively in the region. Such moves are seen as a threat to the security and stability of the region and a deliberate attempt by china to assert its power over its neighbours. This action prompted the U.S to construct an off shore alliance with other military forces in the eastern and southern borders of China such as Japan and South Korea. The U.S also formed the SEATO and ANZUS treaties which linked up countries such as Thailand, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand as its allies in the period between 1949 and 1969. It maintained military bases in these regions and also went to the extent of encouraging them to refrain from entering into diplomatic ties with china. However, over the years the Chinese have managed to create a coalition with some of its neighbours who are dedicated to containing Chinese power. Notably these coalition partners include South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines all of whom previously were U.S allies. This in some circles can be viewed as a deliberate move by the Chinese government to move into the territory previously occupied by the Americans. Such moves are further fuelling tensions of the intentions of such a quest for power and dominance by China. Furthermore, the Chinese constant threats to Japan over the island dispute amid the already heightened tensions created by its military forces are not helping the situation. These islands called Diaoyo by the Chinese and Senkaku by the Japanese has ushered in a new rise to probable aggressions and security instability especially considering Chinas firm stand on the subject. These threats to Japan further escalated when the Chines targeted a Japanese ship with its weapon s radar, a situation that did not go unmentioned when Japans prime minister issued a stern response terming that move as dangerous. An article that appeared in Chinas Daily, by Wang Xiaoxuan, confirmed that the territorial disputes were dangerous and needed prompt action from both parties. China has also been highly vocal criticizing the U.S. and its activities in the region. In 2009,

Stock Valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Stock Valuation - Essay Example Common stockholders are entitled to voting where shareholders come together and are recipients of dividends while a preferred stock is a bond at the same time, that is, it is a cross between a common stock and a bond (Damodaran, 2007). Some of its characteristics include scripted return, lack of maturity in most cases, ability to recover as a mature bond and conversion to a common stock. In case of company bankruptcy, preferred stock holders are a priority in the payment of liquidated assets then the common stockholders. A direct implication of this is that the former mentioned stock preference is high regarding liquidation and some of its dividends are preferred. There are instances where dissolving a company results to no payments to the common stockholder. Therefore holding the same value for stock by investors goes against the principles of the two kinds of stocks in discussion. An imbalance of the stock market is therefore inevitable in the long

Nonprofit Reflection Questions 2,3+4 Coursework

Nonprofit Reflection Questions 2,3+4 - Coursework Example e even though succession planning isn’t highlighted as something extremely important, but it does impact an organization a great deal since it affects financial returns. And stakeholders need an assurance that wherever they invest, they will be secure, not only in the short run but also in the long run. For example, Apple with the demise of Steve Jobs has no successor, and therefore its stocks have come down to 5% simply because of the fact that Steve Jobs was great when he was here, however investors feel insecure about the company due to the fact that there is not successor to Steve Jobs. Apple could have saved itself the trouble of plummeting stocks if it had invested in succession planning. And this succession planning could similarly be for any other employee and not just a leader. For succession planning, an organization should realize that it is something that requires devotion and commitment from all levels in the organization, regardless of the hierarchy or flatness of its structure. It is also essential to be abreast with the talent in one’s organization and keep a record so that they can be honed into whenever the need may be. At the same time, it isn’t an activity that is just performed outright; all the potential employees as well as the shareholders need to be kept informed about the plan so that they can aspire to be in particular post. And it isn’t a once in a year activity that the organization performs but rather an ongoing activity that must be done and polished and repeated so that the perfect person can fill in the perfect shoes. A great deal of anxiety and stress can be avoided before-hand if this process is conducted before the need falls. This is because leaders can retire or expire unexpectedly, and the market is full of fluctuations and any change can occur without anticipation and the company can be left in dismay. This is where succession planning helps the organization. And it is the duty of the board to act for the company

The First Essay Example for Free

The First Essay In the first part of this lab, E. coli cells were transformed with an R-plasmid carrying a tetracycline resistant gene, giving rise to tetracycline resistant E. coli strain. This was accomplished through transformation, which allowed E. coli to directly uptake the naked DNA molecule carrying the antibiotic resistant gene (1). However, in order to take up the DNA and incorporate them into their genome via recombination, cells must be competent (1). Therefore, E. coli cells which are not competent under normal conditions were treated with cold and high concentration of CaCl2, in order to make them artificially competent (1). The transformants were grown on the LB with the tetracycline antibiotic, and on the LB without the tetracycline. Then the viable competent cells and the viable cells were counted to calculate the frequency of transformation. In the second part of the lab, lateral gene transfer by generalized transduction was done on E. coli cells. In the process of transduction, the transfer of genes is facilitated by bacteriophage, which is a virus that infects a bacterial host (1). Generalized transduction involves lytic infections that kill the bacterial cells, and during the process, bacterial DNA is packaged into a new phage head which in turn injects the DNA into another bacterium (1). In this lab, P1vir phage was used and grown on the donor strain by making a phage lysate. P1vir phage kills bacterial cells by lytic infections, which is required in the generalized transduction (1). On the other hand, the wild-type p1 is a lysogenic phage and therefore could not be used for the generalized transduction (1). In order to prevent excessive killing of the recipient E. oli strain, the P1vir lysate was tittered by serial dilutions. This would also prevent infection and lysis of the transducing particle. In generalized transduction, trp-pyrF region of CSH61 chromosome, which was the P1vir lysate, was laterally transferred to the recipient CSH54 strain. The genotypes of transductants were tested by patching them onto a Petrie plate lacking tryptophan and uracil, whi ch will allow growth of trp+, pyrF+, and not the trp+,pyrF- transductants. Trp gene encodes for trypsin, while the pyrF gene encodes for pyramidines, such as uracil. Thi, his, and pro genes encode for thiamine, histidine, and proline respeictively (1). Finally, the frequency of transductant was used to obtain the distance between the trp and pyrF gene. Discussion In the transformation experiment, E. coli cells were transformed with Plasmid DNA containing the tetracycline resistant gene, and were tested for competency by growing them in LB in presence of tetracycline antibiotic. Tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic that works by inhibiting translation, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. It attaches to the 30S subunit of ribosome and prevents the charged aminoacyl-tRNA from binding (3). As shown on Table 1, Tube 3 and Tube 2 did not have any growth of E. coli cells. Tube 2 contained E. coli cells only, and when cultured on the LB plate in presence of tetracycline antibiotic, the growth was inhibited by the antibiotic. Because the E. coli cells in tube 2 lacked the tetracycline resistant gene contained in the plasmid DNA, it was unable to grow in the presence of tetracycline antibiotic. Tube 3, lacked the E. coli cells and so, there were no cells to grow in the LB plate with or without the tetracycline. Tube 3 instead was used as a control, to test for contamination in the plasmid DNA and the calcium chloride. In tube 1, which contained the E. coli cells and the plasmid DNA containing the tetracycline resistant gene, transformation occurred. As a result, E. coli cells have acquired the tetracycline resistant gene, being able to grow on the LB plate in the presence of the tetracycline antibiotic. Therefore the viable competent cells were counted from tube 1 contents in 102 diluted LB (with antibiotic), which had cells between 30 and 300 colonies. On the other hand, the total viable cells were counted from tube 1 in 106 diluted plate that was grown on LB without the antibiotic. As shown on table. 2, the viable competent cells were calculated to be 24350 cells/100ul and the total viable cells were found to be 370,500,000 cells/100ul. Finally, the transformation frequency, which is the ratio of transformants per viable cell, was calculated and was found to be 6. 49 x 10-05 as shown on table 2. In the generalized transduction experiment, trp gene from the donor strain of CSH61 (P1vir lysate) was laterally transferred to the recipient strain, CSH54. CSH61 strain are trp+, pyrF+ and the CSH54 strain are trp-, pyrF-, and because trp and pyrF are linked together on the same chromosomal fragment, they are cotransduced (1). The transductants were identified by selecting for the trp+ marker by growing in absence of tryptophan, however the pyrF marker may be present or absent, depending on the crossover event during recombination. This was identified by patching the transductants onto a Petrie plate lacking tryptophan and uracil. The trp+, pyrF+ transductants will be able to synthesize both tryptophan and uracil, and therefore will grow in this minimal medium (1). However, trp+, pyrF- transductants cannot grow in the medium, because they won’t be able to synthesize uracil (1). As shown on table 3, 57. 5% of transductants were trp+, pyrF+ while 42. 5% were trp+, pyrF-. This means trp is cotransduced with pyrF at 57. 5% frequency, which indicates that they are very closely linked. Markers which are separated by less than 0. 5 minutes are cotransduced at 35-95%, and so, trp which cotransduced with pyrF at 57. 5%, is very closely linked (1). This closely matches the actual cotransduction frequency of 55% between trp and pyrF in E. oli (2). According to the Wu formula, the cotransduction frequency of 57. 5% yielded distance of 0. 084 minutes, which was very close to the distance of 0. 09 minutes at cotransduction frequency of 55% found in literature (2). Bacterial genes can also be analyzed by a method known as Southern blotting (4). In this method, DNA is treated with restriction enzymes, which cuts the DNA into fragments of different size. Then the fragments are run on an agarose gel by electrophoresis, which separates the fragments by size.

An Examination Of Explosive Compaction Environmental Sciences Essay

An Examination Of Explosive Compaction Environmental Sciences Essay 1.0 Introduction Explosive compaction has been used in various projects throughout the world over the last 80 years. Explosive compaction involves placing a charge at depth in a borehole in loose soil (generally sands to silty sands or sands and gravels), and then detonating the charge. Several charges are fired at one time, with delays between each charge to enhance cyclic loading while minimizing peak acceleration. Often several charges will be stacked in one borehole with gravel stemming between each charge to prevent sympathetic detonation. Explosive compaction is attractive, as explosives are an inexpensive source of readily transported energy and allow densification with substantial savings over alternative methods. Only small-scale equipment is needed (e.g. geotechnical drill or wash boring rigs), minimizing mobilization costs and allowing work in confined conditions. Compaction can be carried out at depths beyond the reach of conventional ground treatment equipment. Most explosive compaction has been driven by concerns over liquefaction, and has been on loose soils below the water table (and to depths of nearly 50 m). (W. B. GOHL, 2000) However, compaction also increases ground stiffness and strength, and explosive compaction has wide application for general ground improvement . 1.1 Backgrounds on explosive compaction In 1936, explosive compaction was first used for the densification of a railway embankment at the Svirsk hydroelectric power project in the former Soviet Union (Ivanov, 1967). Ivanov notes that up to 44cm of settlement occurred as a result of 3 blasting coverage, but the blasting caused extensive cracking of the overlying unsaturated soils and was not considered successful. The first successful application of explosive compaction was performed in the late 1930s to dandify the foundation soils for the Franklin Falls dam in New Hampshire (Lyman, 1940). Soon following the work at Franklin Falls dam, the effectiveness of this technique was confirmed by its successful performance for compaction an hydraulic fill dike on the Cape Cod Canal and by several tests at the Dennison Dam in Texas and the Almond Dam in New York. These cases concluded that blast densification could be widely used for compaction loose cohesionless soils that are substantially saturated. In 1967, Ivanov presented a ma nual on explosive compaction which provides guidelines for the placement and sizing of the explosive charges used in compaction. However, in most explosive compaction projects several short columnar charges are placed in each blast hole, and neither set of available guidelines appears valid. More importantly, these guidelines present no method to estimate the impacts from the blasting or final soil properties achieved. (Mitchell, 1995) 2.0 Cohesionless soil Explosive Compaction is conducted by setting off explosive charges in the ground often applicable to cohesionless soil. The explosive energy will caused cyclic straining of the soil. This strain process, repeated over many cycles caused by the sequential detonation of explosives, induces a tendency for volumetric compaction of looser sub soils. It is thought that shearing strains are responsible for this volumetric compaction, particularly at distances more than a few meters from a blast hole. In saturated soils, the overburden pressures are thrown onto the pore fluid and excess pore pressures develop during blasting, which caused a shakedown settlement of the soil. If strain amplitudes and number of cycles of straining are sufficient, this will caused liquefaction of the soil mass (i.e. pore water pressures temporarily elevated to the effective vertical overburden stress in the soil mass so that a heavy fluid created). The reconsolidation of the soil mass caused by the dissipation of water pressures is time dependent, generally happens within hours to days. This depends on the permeability of the subsoils and drainage boundary conditions, and is reflected by release of large volumes of water at the ground surface. Immediate volume change can happen and is caused by passage of the blast-inducted shock front through the soil mass. 2.1 Disadvantage Issue associated with explosive compaction is it results in large amount of gas being released into the soil water system, in the form of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Release of carbon dioxide may lower the PH of the ground water and this may increase the ammonia level. Both nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide are both poisonous substance in the air and venting is necessary if blasting is carried within confined areas. Hence, the chemical make-up of a particular explosive and its by-product should be reviewed for every project in order to assess its suitability for use at a particular area. 2.2 Blast hole pattern The blast hole pattern generally use a staggered rectangular grid of boreholes at spacing of 4 to 9 metres. This pattern is used to provide a pattern of two or more phases within the treatment area. The initial phase will destroyed any bonds existing between the cohesionless soil particles. Subsequent passes cause additional settlement after pore pressure dissipation. Once the area has been shot and pore pressures have largely dissipated, repeated applications of blast sequences will cause additional settlement depending on soil density and stiffness. Bore holes are drilled over the full depth of soil deposit to be treated, and 75 to 100 millimetres diameter plastic casing is installed. The casing will support the loaded explosive at one or more levels within the boreholes, with each charge separated by gravel stemming. The stemming will reduce the back blast and encourage the crater effect. The number of holes detonated in any shot will depends on vibration control considerations an d the effect of liquefaction and settlement on adjacent slopes and structures. The advantage of using multiple blast phases is the increase of settlement and more uniform densification. This is because local soil loosening can occur immediately around a charge, subsequent passes of blasting from surrounding boreholes are designed to re-compact these initial loosened zones. Therefore at least two phases are usually recommended for explosive compaction. 2.3 Instrumentation The instruments used for an explosive compaction projects generally includes the following: Surface geophones to measure vibration response at critical location. Pore pressure transducers to measure residual pore pressures generated by blasting. Hydrophones installed in water-filled casings near blast zones used to identify charge detonations. Sondex tubes to measure settlements with depth in a soil profile after blasting. Ground surface settlement measurements Inclinometers where blasting is carried out near slopes to measure slope movement. In some projects, additional confirmation of explosive detonations is required, electronic coaxial cables are installed down the blast holes and used to measure firing times of explosive deck using high speed data acquisition systems. Alternatively, high speed filming of the firing of non-electric delays can also be employed to monitor charge detonations. Standard Penetration Testing (SPT), Becker Penetration Testing (BPT) or electronic Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) is commonly used to assess the improvement in soil density after explosive compaction. For sand and silt areas, CPT is considered to provide the most reliable and reproducible results. 3.0 Cohesive Soil Explosive Compaction has been a method used in past decades for the compaction of loose granular soil. However, the use of explosive compaction for cohesionless soil, such as clay, is rare. A new explosive method for replacing soft clay with crushed stones by blasting has been development by Yan and Chu[8], which is called explosive replacement method. Meanwhile, this method has been used in conjunction with a highway construction in China. 3.1 Outline of the method There are three main steps described by Yan and Chu [6] to achieve the replacement method, which are: The explosive replacement is set up as shown in fig1. The explosive charges are first installed in the soil layer, and then crushed stones are piled up next to it on the side of the site that has been improved. When the charges are detonated, the soft soil is blown out and cavities are formed. At the same time, the crushed stones collapse into the cavities. In this way, the cohesive soil is replaced with crushed stones in rapid manner. The soil that is blown into the air will form a liquid and flow away after it falls to the surface. The crushed stones after collapsing from a slope of 1V:3H or 1V:5H, as shown in fig1(b). The impact of the explosion also causes an instantaneous reduction in the shear strength of the soil below the level of explosion so that the crushed stones can sink into the soft clay layer. The stones help the soil at the bottom to consolidate, and the clay itself will also remain part of its original strength after explosion. The explosion also has a densification effect on the gravel layer below the clay layer. More crushed stones are backfilled to from a leveled ground and steeper slope, as shown in fig1(c). Fig 1.(a)Before explosion; (b) After explosion; (c) After backfill 3.2 Ground-probing radar(GPR) tests GPR test is used to detect the distribution of the crushed stones in the soft clay. The radar system transmits repetitive, short pulse electromagnetic waves into the ground from a broad bandwidth antenna. Some of the waves are reflected when they hit discontinuities in the subsurface, and some are absorbed or refracted by the materials that they come into contact with. The reflected waves are picked up by a receiver, and the elapsed time between wave transmission and reception is automatically recorded.[Koerner R.M. Construction and geotechnical methods in foundation engineering. McGraw-Hilll, New York,1984] 4.0 Explosive Compaction Design Explosive Compaction Design is based on empirically methods, which had been presented by Narin van Court and Mitchell (refer 1). Wu (refer 2) developed the explosive compaction design by using the finite element model. His model applies dynamic cavity expansion theory and assumes that a charge detonation may be idealized by assuming a blast pressure-time input applied normal to the surface of a spherical cavity. The charge weight per delay is proportional to the size of the spherical cavity, thus larger charge weight could result in larger cavity size and larger detonation effect. Wus model also considers the non-linear shear stress- strain response of the soil and rate dependent viscous damping. Parameters used in the Wu model are calibrated based on initial estimates of the relative densities of the granular soils and analysis of single and multiple-hole test blasts at a site. Cavity expansion theory indicates: a) multiple cycles of blasting will be more effective than single cycles; (b) the zone of influence of a given charge detonation increases as the size of the cavity increases (c) charge weight should be increased as the depth increases. (Refer 3 Gohl et al, 2000). The design of explosive compaction often begins with Hopkinsons number (HN) and Normalised Weight(NW) as: Where Q is the charge weight in kilogram and R is the effective Radius in plan (metre). However, due to the infinite combinations of charge weight with radius, a suitable HN can be difficult to select. Meanwhile, explosive compaction typically uses columnar charge and a good correlation of energy attenuation by the square root method is demonstrated, so this attenuation function is used in the following analyses, and the energy input attenuation is derived as: where Wi is the weight of individual charges around a point in the soil mass(g), and Rvi is the minimum vector distance from a charge to a point in the soil mass(m). The distance between charges can be estimated as: Where, to allow some overlapping, should be taken to be less than 2. In those equations, HN, NW and E are constants. However, for a given value of HN, NW or E, the above relationships may provide infinite combinations of charge weight with radius. Furthermore, it is difficult to select suitable values of HN, NW or E1 in practice. Based on blasting mechanics, a new set of equation has been derived by Yan and Chu (2004) [6], and the finally radium could be govern as follow : Where Pk is a pressure constant in Pascal, is the density of the explosive in kilogram per cubic metre, D is the velocity of the explosive in metre per second, Pa is the atmospheric pressure in Pascal, Qis the mass of the explosive,is the unit weight of soil in Newton per cubic metre and hc is the thickness of the soil above a cavity in meter. The distance between charges can be estimated as: Where, to allow some overlapping, should be taken to be less than 2. In addition, Gohl has developed an equation to approximate the charge effectiveness in a given soil type and it is derived based on the Hopkinsons Number and it is given as the following: Where e is the fraction of maximum achievable vertical strain and k is a site factor related to the soil properties and damping. From past project, k was found to be 81 to 143. 5.0 Conclusion Explosive compaction uses the energy released by completely contained detonations within the soil mass to rearrange the particles into a denser configuration. This technique offers several advantages over other soil improvement techniques. especially with regard to the cost, soil type, and depth effectively treated. Moreover, explosive compaction is an effective and predictable method for both cohesive and cohesionless soil. In which explosive replacement method for cohesive soil is newly developed. Although this compaction method has been used for decades, under a variety of site and environmental conditions, explosive compaction has not achieved general acceptance in civil engineering. Therefore, further development is encouraged and due to the physical testing restrains, possibly numerical simulation will develop in future.

Naïveté in Flannery OConnor’s Good Country People Essay -- OConnor G

Naà ¯vetà © in Flannery O'Connor’s Good Country People In "Good Country People," Flannery O'Connor skillfully presents a story from a third-person point of view, in which the protagonist, Joy-Hulga, believes that she is not one of those good country people. Joy is an intelligent and educated but emotionally troubled young woman, struggling to live in a farm environment deep in the countryside of the southeast United States, where she feels that she does not belong. Considering herself intellectually superior to the story's other characters, she experiences an epiphany that may lead her to reconsider her assumptions. Her experience marks a personal transition for her and constitutes the story's theme--the passage from naà ¯vetà © to knowledge. O'Connor crafts the story so that the plot does not actually begin until insight into the characters has been provided. The limited omniscience persona of the narrative voice alternates between Joy and her mother, Mrs. Hopewell. The exposition provides an understanding of how the characters have developed the personality traits they possess when the drama begins to take place, which is on a Friday evening during the Spring sometime during the mid-1950s. The exposition demonstrates how Joy develops the social and philosophical assumptions that deeply affect the way she sees herself and relates to others. A view into Joy-Hulga's past reveals why she has so much internal conflict and needs to empower herself through the constant judgment of others. What most strongly sets her apart from others is her prosthetic leg, which she has been wearing since her real leg was shot off at ten years of age in a hunting accident. Enduring teasing and other social hardships caused by her disability has led... ...she has also lost the foundation of her identity, her leg. She is faced with the realization that she has been naà ¯ve all along. In her pattern of being quick to make assumptions to build her own self esteem, Joy-Hulga has not used her intelligence in a socially beneficial way. The results of her shocking experience could be one of many, but considering Joy-Hulga's personality, she is likely to become even more defensive, hostile, and antisocial. She might become less willing to trust others, especially those who come across as "good country people." One would hope, however, that Joy will continue to recognize and admit her own naà ¯vetà © and to make fewer assumptions about the naà ¯vetà © of others. Work Cited O'Connor, Flannery. "Good Country People." Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert DiYanni. 5th ed. New York, NY: McGraw, 2002. 181-194.

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Alliteration in Beowulf -- Epic Beowulf essays

Alliteration in Beowulf  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   The diction of the Old English poem Beowulf is distinguished primarily by its heavy use of   allliteration, or the repetition of the initial sounds of words.    In the original manuscript version of the poem, alliteration is employed in almost every line (or two half-lines); in modern translations of the poem this is not so. Beowulf uses alliteration [my italics] and accent to achieve the poetic effect which Modern English poetry achieves through the use of poetic feet, each having the same number of syllables and the same pattern of accent (Wilkie 1271). In lines 4 and 5 of the poem we find:    Oft Scyld Scefing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   sceapena preatum monegum maegpum  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   meodo-setla ofteah    The repetition of the â€Å"s† sound in line 4 and of the â€Å"m† sound in line 5 illustrate alliteration, and this occurs throughout the poem, providing to the listener an aesthetic sense of   rightness or pleasure. In 1958 two language scholars, Lehmann nd Tabusa, produced an alphabetized list of every alliterated word in Beowulf. One translator, Kevin Crossley-Holland, in his rendition of the poem in Literature of the Western World, actually includes considerable alliteration, but less than the original version of the poem (Wilkie 1271). The Old English poet would â€Å"tie† the two half-lines together by their stressed alliteration (Chickering 4).    The first half-line is called the on-verse, which is followed by the off-verse. Each line of poetry ideally contains four principal stresses, two on each side of a strong medial caesura, or pause, and a variable number of less-heavily stressed or unstressed ones. â€Å"At least one of the two stresse... ...lishing, 2000.    Magoun, Frances P. â€Å"Oral-Formulaic Character of Anglo-Saxon Narrative Poetry.†Ã‚   In TheBeowulf Poet, edited by Donald K. Fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.    Renoir, Alain. â€Å"Point of View and Design for Terror in Beowulf.† In TheBeowulf Poet, edited by Donald K. Fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.    Stockwell, Robert. P. and Donka Minkova. â€Å"Prosody† In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: Uiversity of Nebraska Press, 1997.    Tharaud, Barry. â€Å"Anglo-Saxon Language and Traditions in Beowulf.† In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998.    Wilkie, Brian. â€Å"Beowulf.† Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.         

Achieving Sustainable Development Through Reuse Environmental Sciences Essay

AbstractionAll over the universe, rapid industrial development of metropolitan metropoliss have ever resulted in a growing in population and besides in the general addition of the size of municipal solid waste generated. The direction of municipal solid waste, if non handled decently, will take to assorted jobs now and in the hereafter. Developed states in the universe have, to a big extent succeeded in managing their waste utilizing assorted rules and methods. From suited aggregation methods to technologically advanced disposal methods, they have made certain that municipal solid waste has been efficaciously controlled in their metropoliss. Unfortunately, the same can non be said about other developing states of the universe. Developing states such as Nigeria are still combating with municipal solid waste direction. As a direct consequence of the oil roar, Port Harcourt metropolis, the capital of Rivers State, Nigeria ( which is the instance survey of this research work ) has experienced a major rural- urban migration. The population has about tripled over the old ages. This has, in bend, led to a monolithic addition in the sheer volume of solid waste generated within the city.. Approximately 168,201 metric tons of solid waste are produced in the metropolis of Port Harcourt every twelvemonth and waste disposal has non been efficaciously handled. Residents resort to indiscriminate discarding of their waste at every given chance The most common agencies of waste disposal in the metropolis by the populace are chiefly by dumping the garbage by the route, firing the garbage in the unfastened air in their compounds, littering it openly on street corners and besides dumping them in rivers and watercourses and drainage systems. These methods of waste disposal contribute greatly to the debasement of the environment in so many ways. However, really small is done to recycle and recycle the solid waste generated. Research shows that a immense per centum of the public do non recycle and recycle their wastes which indicates that the awareness degree of the populace about reuse and recycling of waste in Port Harcourt metropolis is really low and offers a batch of chance fo r betterment. This survey hence investigates the grounds why proper waste disposal methods are neglected by occupants of Port Harcourt. It besides seeks to detect why the method of Reuse and Recycle of waste is non acquiring the consciousness and Government support it greatly deserves. Recommendations were made about schemes that will let the authorities and stakeholders involved to progress on modern methods of waste Reuse and Recycling as a nucleus facet of municipal solid waste direction in the metropolis. Through the usage of informations collated via questionnaires, it was gathered that a bulk of respondents agree that reuse and recycling of waste can positively impact the environment, create gross and besides employment chances. It reconnoitres the nexus between reuse and recycling of solid waste as a means to make gross and to finally accomplish sustainable development in the hereafter.DedicationTo God Almighty whose grace has brought me this far and will ne'er et me fallaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦..mu na chi m so.RecognitionTITLE PAGEaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . ABSTRACTaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ DEDICATIONaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Table OF CONTENTaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. List OF FIGURES AND TABLESaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Table OF CONTENT Chapter 1 INTRODUCTIONaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Background of StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Problem StatementaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Purposes and ObjectivesaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Research QuestionsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ Significance of StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Scope of StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ Structure of StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ .Chapter 22.0. LITERATURE REVIEW2.1 Definition of WasteaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 2.2 Categorizations of WasteaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 2.3 Municipal Solid Waste ManagementaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 2.4 Principles of Waste ManagementaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 2.4.1 Prevention of WasteaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 2.4.2 Recovery of WasteaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 2.5 Waste Composition in Port HarcourtaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 2.6 Municipal Solid Waste Management in Port HarcourtaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 2.7 Review of EU/UK ordinances on Solid Waste ManagementaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 2.8 Existing Environmental Policies in Nigeria/Port Harcourt ( Legal model ) aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 2.8.1 Institutional FrameworkaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 2.9 Reuse and Recycling of Municipal Solid WasteaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 2.9.1 Reuse and Recycling a tool for Sustainable DevelopmentaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 2.9.2 Reuse and Recycling as an avenue for Revenue GenerationaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 2.9.3 Existing province of Reuse and Recycling of MSW in Port HarcourtaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦Chapter 3RESEARCH METHODOLOGYMethodologyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ Reasons for pick of MethodologyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ Primary Data CollectionaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Secondary Data CollectionaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Analysis of ResultaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Ethical motives of Research ConsiderationaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦..Chapter 4RESULT ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONResultsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Risk Assessment on MSW generated in Port HarcourtaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Significant Risks of Indiscriminate waste Disposal in Port Harcourt/Health & A ; Environmental implicationsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 4.3 Composition of Waste in Port HarcourtaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 4.4 Growth and Employment through Reuse & A ; RecyclingaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 4.5 Discussion of ResultsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 4.5.1 Waste coevals and CompositionaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 4.5.2 Methods of Municipal Solid Waste Collection and DisposalaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 4.6 Problems Affecting Reuse & A ; Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste in Port HarcourtaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 4.7 Benefits of Reuse & A ; Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste Management..aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 4.7.1 Environmental Benefits of Reuse and Recycling of PaperaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 4.7.2 Environmental Benefits of Reuse and Recycling of PlasticsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 4.7.3 Environmental Benefits of Reuse and Recycling of GlassaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 4.8 Overall Economic Benefit of Reuse & A ; Recycling of Municipal Solid WasteaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 4.9 Demerits of Reuse & A ; Recycling of Municipal solid WasteaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ .Chapter 55.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS5.1 Summary of FindingsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 5.2 RecommendationsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . ConclusionaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Reference aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ .

Cell phone use while driving: a literature review and recommendations Essay

1. Introduction Cellular telephones (cell phones) were first introduced in the United States in the mid-1980s, and their use has since experienced explosive growth. Today there are more than 262 million cell phone subscribers, representing 84 percent of the United States population. Cell phone technology has become very useful for people on the move, which is demonstrated by surveys that show that the majority of users reported using their phones while driving. Cell phone use by drivers, although difficult to quantify, has been estimated through observational data by the federal government at six percent of drivers in 2007 (IIHS, 2006). This rate means that at any moment during the day, one million passenger vehicles in the United State are being driven by people on hand-held cell phones. Further analysis of these statistics show that women are more likely to be on their phones while driving; eight percent of women use cell phones while driving compared to five percent of their male counterparts. Also of importance, this data found that young drivers (16-24 years old) were most likely to be on their cell phones at 10 percent compared to six percent of those aged 2569 and one percent of drivers 70 and older (see Figure 1). Public perception of the dangers of cell phone use while driving seems to coincide with common sense and experience, but common practice does not. In a survey done by Nationwide Insurance (IIHS, 2008), four out of five surveyed cell phone owners admitted to driving while distracted. Even though almost half of the surveyed people consider cell phone use to be the most dangerous distraction, 98 percent of the drivers consider themselves to be safe drivers. An interesting result of the survey was that almost two-thirds of cell phone owners say they were expected by family, friends or employers to always be reachable by phone or other communication device. Among young drivers in this survey, 40 percent said they send or read text messages along with other activities while driving in order to â€Å"remain connected† (IIHS, 2008). Another survey of only teenage drivers conducted by State Farm Insurance, found that only 25 percent viewed cell phone use while driving as dangerous. Almost 80 percent, however, recognized that texting on cell phones while driving was risky (IIHS, 2008). The rate at which young drivers are most likely to be using cell phones while driving, along with their attitude towards the perceived risk of using such devices, is concerning because this group is already at the highest risk for collisions even without these distractions. A survey conducted by AAA and Seventeen magazine found that 46 percent of drivers 16 and 17 years old said that they text message while driving. This is a profound statistic because 37 percent of the same teenagers said that they believed that text messaging was the most dangerous driver distraction (Quain, 2007). 2. Quantifying Cell Phone Usage and Crash Risk Drivers’ attentiveness has been a concern since the invention of the automobile. As technology increases, the number of driver distractions increases. Each year, more than 42,000 people are killed, more than 3 million are injured, and more than 6 million collisions occur on roads in the United States (IIHS, 2006). Estimates have attributed between 30-50 percent of collisions to distracted drivers, resulting in huge amount of societal cost (Cohen, 2003). Although common sense and experience tells us that using cell phones while driving is dangerous, a number of studies are devoted to quantifying the exact risk associated with using a cell phone while driving. Since the mid-1990s, around 120 studies have attempted to validate a common conception: using a cell phone while driving is a distraction and therefore increases crash risk (IIHS, 2008). The literature on this subject investigates various relationships between cell phone use and accident risk. These studies can be separated into three general groups: epidemiological studies, experimental studies, and real-world studies. Epidemiological studies examine real-world accident data and cell phone records to draw conclusions based on the relationship between the two. Behavioral and experimental studies attempt to measure some cognitive effect of cell phone use on normal driving functions such as visual attention, following distance, reaction time, and other driving tasks. Real-world studies attempt to show how real-world situations either justify or disprove the other data. Before discussing selected studies, a summary of the general conclusions from each type of study is presented below: (a) Epidemiological Studies: Studies that analyze the relationship between cell phone use and increased crash risk using case studies where people have been in actual accident. Researchers have concluded that the use of cell phones while driving significantly increases the risk of collision (Ontario Medical Association, 2008). (b) Experimental and Behavioral Studies: These studies have been able to demonstrate that having a conversation on a cell phone is cognitively distracting and causes deterioration in driving performance. These studies also confirm the finding of the epidemiological studies that when driving performance is affected negatively, an increased crash risk is observed (Ontario Medical Association, 2008). (c) Real-World Studies: These studies are observations of test subjects that are monitored while in the field. Conclusions are drawn based on the observed data and are a reflection of actual events. The real-world studies have proven that the single most dangerous driver distraction is cell phone use. 2.1 Epidemiological Studies Epidemiological studies have attempted to measure the association of cell phone use with the risk of collision. They examine accident data and cell phone records to obtain a correlation, resulting in a relationship between cell phone use and accident risk. The following review focuses on three epidemiological studies that indicate cell phone use is associated with an increase risk of collision. 2.1.1 Cellular Phones and Traffic Accidents, 1996 In an early study in 1996, Violanti and Marshall used a case-controlled design study where they selected 100 random drivers that had been involved in crashes in the previous two years and compared them against another group of 100 randomly selected drivers who had not been involved in crashes in the previous 10 years. The study concluded that using a cell phone for 50 minutes per month resulted in a collision risk 5.59 times greater than not using a cell phone at all. In this study, the risk ratio is statistically significant, but the confidence limits were large. The obvious limitations of this study are: (1) small number of cell phone users in the sample; (2) selection bias; and (3) lack of evidence that the cell phone users were using their phones at the time of the collision. 2.1.2 Association between Cellular Telephone Calls and Motor Vehicle Collisions, 1997 Redelmeier and Tibshirani (1997) conducted the most quoted epidemiological study of cell phone use and increased crash risk in 1997. This research was a case cross-over design, where each subject served as his/her own control. The study included 699 drivers who had been involved in a collision and who owned cell phones. The authors used five-minute intervals of time before the time of the collision, and compared those against the same time on the previous day. The authors were able to conclude that the risk of collision was approximately four times higher than when the same subjects were not using their cell phones. The only significant limitation to this study is that collision times are estimated. There exists the possibility that cell phone use was a post-collision call instead of a pre-collision call. The authors made a conscious effort to eliminate calls that were precipitated by the collision by identifying 9-1-1 calls and through thorough questioning of the drivers. 2.1.3 Wireless Telephones and the Risk of Road Accidents, 2001 Laberge and Nadeau conducted an epidemiological study in Quebec in 2001. This study was based on a self-reported questionnaire from a sample of 36,079 participants, of which 35 percent had records with cellular telephone providers. Taking into account only age and year of observation, cell phone users had a 38 percent higher risk of collisions than non-users. Including additional constraints, such as miles driven and driving habits increased the relative risk by 11 percent for males and 21 percent for females. The authors also applied the case cross-over design used by Redelmeier and Tibshirani to their data. This method produced a relative risk of being in a crash while using a cell phone at 5.13 times that of a non-user. However, the authors concluded that this case cross-over design over-estimates the risk, and determined that a more realistic risk of collision is around 1.3-1.4 times that of a non-user. 2.2 Experimental and Behavioral Studies The majority of the literature reports on experimental and behavior studies examine the impact of cell phone use on the cognitive functions necessary for driving. Many of the experimental studies have correlated how cell phone use, including hands-free devices, while driving interferes with or degrades various aspects of driving. Because of the quantity of experimental and behavioral studies, only representative research is reviewed in the following four categories: (1) Field-of-View Studies; (2) Brain Research Studies; (3) Simulator Studies; and (4) Benchmark Impairment Studies. 2.2.1 Field of View Studies In 2003, Strayer’s reseach group at the University of Utah found that drivers who use cell phones are less able to process visual information. Based on the observations of participants in a simulator, the study was able to conclude that drivers conversing on cell phones increase their risk of collisions. The researchers attributed the increase in collision risk to a theory called â€Å"Inattention Blindness†. Inattention Blindness is summarized to be, â€Å"Even when participants [drivers] are directing their gaze at objects in the driving environment, they may fail to ‘see’ them because attention is directed elsewhere.† The study also found that the use of hands-free and hand-held cell phones equally impair the driver’s ability to see objects. The study found that â€Å"the disruptive effects of cell phone conversations on driving are due in a large part to the diversion of attention from driving to the phone conversation.† This diversion of attention also affects the driver’s ability to react to sudden event placing pedestrians and others at increased risk for injury (Strayer, 2003). In 2005, researchers from the Japanese Automobile Research Institute further examined the findings from the University of Utah report. The authors of this report agreed with the conclusions of the earlier report, but felt that a more direct assessment of the visual attention needed to be done to identify the exact amount of diversion from what the driver is looking at to the cell phone conversation. The authors conducted experiments with drivers on a simulator using the medically known physiological response â€Å"Binocular Fusion†. The results of this study show that, â€Å"engaging in hands-free phone conversation interferes with visual information processing. The increment of binocular gaze dissociation by conversing on a phone indicates that the driver’s attention is diverted from the external scenery to the conversation.† The purpose of the report was not necessarily to prove that speaking on a cell phone increases crash risk, but this relationship is inferred by the authors (Uchida, 2005). Figure 2 is extracted from Wood’s field-of-view study in 2006 that obtained similar results as the studies mentioned above. It demonstrates the number of errors drivers made while listening and responding to questions went up dramatically when compared against no distractions. 2.2.2 Brain Research Studies A 2005 Study by GM Corp., Wayne State University Medical School, and Henry Ford Hospital set a foundation for understanding how cell phone use by a driver influences the brain function. This study used Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Æ’MRI) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) to locate essential brain activated structures and their corresponding dynamics. As discussed above, field-of-view studies generally depend on behavior observations to determine if the mind is focused on the road and thus fail to completely reflect what the brain may actually be doing. The authors suggest that there are situations where behavioral indicators will show that the mind is on the road, but in reality, it is not. With this understanding, the authors set out to uncover the exact neural mechanisms that are associated with distracted behaviors while driving. Putting participants in a simulator and monitoring their brain function, the authors were able to identify the major brain pathways involved in driving and distracted driving. This study set a foundation for determining and measuring how the brain reacts to distracted driving (Young, 2005). In 2007, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University conducted a study furthering the previous study by using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Æ’MRI) to investigate the impact of concurrent auditory language comprehension on the brain activity when simultaneously exposed to a simulated driving experience. Participants operated a driving simulator, either undisturbed or while listening to statements they had to identify as true or false. This auditory language comprehension was designed to mimic talking on a cell phone. The participant’s brain activity was monitored during the simulations and was compared against the Æ’MRI scans of the undisturbed driver’s brain. The authors found that when participants experienced the dual-task condition, mental resources were taken away from areas of the brain that deal with driving tasks (see Figure 3). This occurred even though the areas of the brain that deal with driving tasks and auditory comprehension are different. The authors were able to make two conclusion based on their experimental data: (1) mental resources are diverted from driving tasks to 5 auditory comprehension regardless of other physical tasks; and (2) the deterioration of driving performance occurs because of a competition of mental resources in the brain between driving tasks and auditory comprehension (Just, 2008). Figure 3 Percentage Change in Signal Intensity for Five Functional Groupings of Cortical Areas (Source: Just, 2008) Spatial processing areas significantly decrease with the addition of the sentence listening task. 2.2.3 Simulator Studies In 2001, Strayer’s research group at the University of Utah submitted test subjects to different levels of distractions while driving in a simulator. The researchers were able to conclude that cellular phone conversations while driving caused the subjects to react slower to stimuli and perform tasks with considerably reduced precision. Specifically, while engaged in cell phone conversations the subjects were twice as likely to miss simulated traffic signals compared to when they were not distracted. These results were also qualified by showing that talking on a cell phone was more dangerous than when the driver was subjected to common in-vehicle distractions, such as the radio and books-on-tape. The researchers also wanted to determine if the reason the subjects missed the traffic signals was because they did not see them or because they were slow to respond to them. To determine this, the researchers examined the memory of the subjects after normal driving as well as distracted driving. The results indicated clear memory impairment after having been engaged in cell phone conversations. The researchers were able to conclude that active participation in a cell phone conversation while driving disrupted driving performance by diverting attention from driving tasks to a cognitive process. In a 2002 observational study by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, researchers used a complex method of identifying specific cell phone users and non-users through in-field observations, and linking these people with their driving records. This method presents some obvious limitations or uncertainty about the user classification; however, the results corresponded well with other identifying methods. The driving records of the cell phone users had higher counts of moving violation citations over the previous four years, to include speeding, alcohol, failure to use seat belts, aggressive driving violations, and non-moving violations. Although the correlation between these violations and use of a cell phone is not scientifically proven by this study, it does likely reflect a difference in lifestyle, attitude and personality of the typical cell phone users; indicating they are inherently riskier drivers (Wilson, 2003). These simulator studies are consistent with a self-report survey conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation. The authors of this report determined that people who use cell phones while driving were more likely to have received a traffic ticket in the last year, drive after drinking, and to consume greater quantities of alcohol when they drink. Again, these behavioral indicators cannot necessarily be directly linked to cell phone use; rather, they suggest a personality type who frequently uses a cell phone while driving (Beirness, 2002). 2.2.4 Benchmark Impairment Studies Innumerable studies have been able to prove the correlation between cell phone use while driving and an increased risk of crashing when compared to normal driving. What these studies have failed to do is show a comparison to known impairment levels. There have been at least three studies that compare the cell phone driver to a drunk driver at the per-se blood-alcohol concentration limit of 0.08 wt/vol. This blood alcohol concentration has been thoroughly studied and quantified as the limit at which the average driver will become incapable of safely operating a motor vehicle. Comparing the cell phone driver to a benchmark of this caliber becomes a solid comparison and explanation to how dangerous driving while on a cell phone really is. In a 2002 study by Burns et al., the authors designed a study to compare the impairment from handsfree and hand-held phone conversations to the decline in driving performance caused by alcohol impairment. Participants were given either an alcoholic beverage or a placebo drink and placed in front of a driving simulator that represented realistic driving tasks. The quantity of alcohol was determined from the participant’s age and body mass, and was closely correlated with the legal limit of .08 mg/ml blood alcohol concentration. The results of this experiment showed a clear substantial decrease in driving performance when using a hand-held phone, in comparison to the sober condition. Driving performance under the influence of alcohol was significantly worse than normal driving, but better than driving while using a phone, leading to a conclusion that driving while talking on a phone is more impairing then driving at the legal limit of alcohol. Strayer’s research group at the University of Utah published research comparing the cell phone driver and the drunk driver in 2003, and a revised report in 2006. The purpose of their research was to provide a direct comparison of the driving performance of a cell phone driver and an alcohol impaired driver in a controlled laboratory setting. These researchers used participants who were casual drinkers and compared their own sober driving, cell phone driving, and alcohol-impaired driving to themselves. This method of control seems to be more accurate than the previous studies’ process of comparing the same situations in different subjects. The researchers were able to conclude that both the intoxicated driver and the cell phone drivers’ driving profiles were different from the sober base-line. Cell phone drivers exhibited a delay in their response to events, had longer following distances, took longer to recover lost speed following braking, and were involved in more traffic accidents. Drivers in the intoxicated condition exhibited a more aggressive driving profile by following closer to the vehicle in front of them and braking harder. The researchers suggest the data indicates impairment or risk from cell phone use is as great as that of the intoxicated driver, but in different ways. The authors also noted that driving impairments associated with hands-free devices and hand-held devices were not significantly different, indicating that the impairment comes from a diversion of attention from the processing of normal driving tasks. 2.3 Real-World Studies Several real-world studies have been conducted and are being conducted to further validate the epidemiological and experimental studies. Our review indicates that the majority of these studies are funded in part by insurance companies or makers of driving performance enhancers. The most commonly cited real-world study involved 100 cars and 42,000 hours of driving time monitored by in-vehicle cameras and sensors over a one-year period. The study was conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in 2006, and concluded that, â€Å"secondary task distractions† were the prime factor in collisions. The single biggest distraction leading to collisions was cell phone conversations, dialing, and sending text messages. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute is conducting another study that involves 2500 drivers and will last three years (Bunkley). We have been able to identify several other current real-world studies that are underway. The studies are funded primarily by insurance companies, and we have been unable to obtain any information about them due to proprietary reasons (Olson, 2007; Robinson, 2008). 2.4 Police Accident Reports Since the studies prove the hypothesis that cell phone use while driving increases crash risk, quantitative analysis of crash causation data should reflect this. This, however, is not the case. The reasons that the real-world data does not match the experimental and epidemiological conclusions are due primarily to two factors. First, three states in 2001 and six states in 2002 provided a specific space on their uniform crash reports to indicate that the use of a cell phone had been involved in the collision. In addition, even with a space available on a police report to record cell phone involvement, the box may or may not be marked. The investigating officer has multiple responsibilities at an accident scene, including tending to injured, restoring traffic flow, completing the investigation, and issuing citations for criminal violations. Officer discretion plays a part in the completion of police reports; even if evidence of cell phone use is present, the officer may or may not indicate that cell phone use was a factor in the collision. A NHTSA study of North Carolina supports this analysis. The study concluded that the underreporting of crashes that are a result of inattention due to cell phone use is substantial. The portion of crashes that were reported to be due to inattention because of cell phone use was 1.5 percent which is significantly below the estimated value obtained in more comprehensive studies of 3050 percent (Cohen, 2003). Second, even if the collection of this data is a requirement for every state, it would likely still be inaccurate because of the public’s reluctance to report cell phone use to police. Because the risks of using cell phones while driving are becoming commonly known and more states are adopting laws to outlaw the use of cell phones while driving, the likelihood that an offender admit to using a cell phone to a police officer becomes less. In addition, a police officer’s reasonable investigation time does not allow for a comprehensive investigation of every crash to include determining the use of cell phones. This is more likely to be reserved for very serious crashes where serious injury and or loss of life were present. To help address the underreporting of crashes that are due to cell phone use, several federal agencies, national organizations, and state and local governments have worked to improve the data collection. In 2003, the national Governors’ Highway Safety Association released a revised edition of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC), which included changes that would help record the number of crashes associated with distracted driving. The changes, which were developed with the help of NHTSAS, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and numerous state and local agencies, define the information that should be collected at an accident scene. Included in the new criteria is that reports should include any information regarding distracted driving. The changes are designed to facilitate more accurate reporting of distracted driving, which in turn, will give policy makers and data analysts more concrete data from which to make conclusions (Sundeen, 2004). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also taken aim at the problem of cell phone use and its underreporting. In a press release in 2006, the NTSB acknowledged that cell phone use by driver’s results in a cognitive distraction that leads to an increase in accident rates. The same press release suggested that the remaining 20 states that at the time did not have driver distraction codes on their uniform accident reports add them (National Transporation Safety Board, 2006). In 2008, the NTSB made a press release that again emphasized the dangers of cell phone use by drivers by citing research conclusion that such activity reduces driving performance. The press release also indicated that the NTSB had added cell phone restrictions by commercial drivers to its 2009 list of most wanted safety improvements (National Transportaion Safety Board, 2008). 3. Cell Phones and Teenage Driver 3.1 Teen Drivers’ Collision Statistics Teen drivers are alarmingly prevalent in the collision statistics. In 2005, 4,544 teens ages 16 to 19 died of injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes. In the same year, almost 400,000 motor vehicle occupants in this age group were hospitalized from injuries sustained in automobile crashes. Overall in 2005, teenagers accounted for 7 percent of the driving population, but they account for 14 percent of all fatalities. Young people ages 15-24 represent 14 percent of the U.S. population, but account for 30 percent of the motor vehicle injuries. The most concerning age group is the 16-19 year olds. Drivers in this age group are three times more likely to be killed in an automobile crash than people 25-64 years old (Lynch). As shown in Figure 4, crash risk is especially high during the first 6 months of unsupervised licensure (Lee, 2007). Understanding exactly why young drivers are so overly represented in the crash statistics is difficult to isolate, especially while the interactions between young drivers and new technology remains mostly unexplored. Even so, it is safe to conclude from the research that new drivers have difficulty with driving because of inexperience, risk-taking behavior, immaturity, and risk exposure (Lynch). Driving is a divided attention task requiring the driver to multi-task, which is a skill that one improves with experience. This is demonstrated also by figure four in the difference between the novice and learners (supervised) crash rates. The difference in crash rate is probably due to the restriction of exposure to risky situations and aid that is provided from the adult passenger assisting in much of the multi-tasking requirements. Figure 4 Crash rates for drivers under the supervision of an adult and during the first months of independent driving. (Source: Lee, 2007) A study by the Brain Trust Alliance published in 2006 suggests a possible explanation for why young drivers are overrepresented in crashes. The researchers found that the human brain continues to develop well past childhood into early adulthood, reaching maturity at around age 25 (see Figure 5). Different parts of the brain fully develop at different times. Specifically, the prefrontal cortex and parietal lobe are areas of the brain that are still developing through adolescence and the teen years. The prefrontal cortex controls planning, working memory, organization, risk management, self restraint and emotional control. The parietal lobe controls spatial perception and vision which gives the ability to interpret location, speed and distance. The researchers concluded that understanding the brain development is valuable in understanding why young drivers are at risk and the limitations that should be placed on them to reduce the risk. Specifically, the researchers suggest that the time young drivers are under supervised driving needs to be extended to give them the time they need to comprehend the risks of driving and responses for common driving situations. 3.2 Teen Driver and Cell Phone Distractions Technological distractions that tend to distract drivers, such as making phone calls, watching videos, corresponding through email, text messaging, and selecting and listening to music, are become more prolific and are alarmingly most popular with the younger drivers. All of these technologies have the ability to distract the driver; however the cell phone has attracted the most attention. Text messaging among young driver is especially alarming since 46 percent of drivers 16-17 years old admitted to driving while texting and since it not only requires cognitive resources, but it takes eyes off the road (Quain, 2007). In a 2007 study at the University of Iowa, the researchers concluded about young drivers that, â€Å"A high rate of early adoption of new technology, peer pressure, risk-taking tendencies, poor ability to detect and anticipate hazardous situations, and underdeveloped vehicle controls kills all leave young drivers particularly vulnerable to the distractions posed by the increasing variety of infotainment systems† (Lee, 2007). 3.3 Supervised Driving and Parental Involvement Young drivers, especially those recently licensed, who use cell phones compound their risks; intervention of some type is needed. A survey conducted by Allstate in February 2007 of parents of teen drivers found the following: Most parents (55 percent) said they wished they had more time to teach driving safety to their teens. Parents have the ability to influence their teen children’s’ driving in ways that no one else can. The Allstate survey shows that parents feel that teaching children how to drive safely is their responsibility and wish they had more time to teach and supervise their children. Graduated Drivers Licenses, a program to facilitate more parental involvement in a newly licensed teens driving development, are becoming more common throughout the United States. These alone, however, are proving to be insufficient to reduce the increased crash rate of young drivers. Teen driving contracts have been emphasized in many states as a way for parents to passively maintain interest in their teens’ driving behavior. A teen driving contract typically is a signed contract between parent and a teen that specifies the rules, expectations, and responsibilities for safe driving. A typical safe driving agreement covers cell phone use while driving, speeding, driving at night, carrying passengers, as well as seatbelt use. The privileges set out in the teen driving contracts are designed to be reviewed periodically and may be updated depending on how the parents feel the teen is performing (Michigan Secretary of State, 2007). 4. Legislative Attempts to Prevent Driver Cell Phone Use Although young drivers present a particularly urgent situation when it comes to cell phone use while driving, the issue is also a risky one for adult drivers. Either way, the literature and research suggest that something needs to be done to reduce the loss of life and money associated with cell phone use while driving. Numerous efforts are underway to keep drivers safe, including efforts from federal, state, and local agencies, parent groups, and schools. Governments have made various attempts through legislation to outlaw the use of cell phones while driving. This review has identified three reports on legislative efforts designed to help reduce crashes resulting from cell phone use and they are presented below: 4.1 New York State 2001 Hand-Held Cell Phone Ban In 2001, New York became the first state to adopt a law that bans the use of hand-held cell phone devices by all drivers. Prior to the law, the rate of drivers using cell phones was observed at 2.3 percent. Immediately after to several months after the enactment of the law, the observed cell phone use dropped by approximately 50 percent to 1.1 percent. By March of 2003, the rate of cell phone use had risen back up to 2.1 percent which almost matches that of the pre-ban rate. Between December of 2001 and January of 2003, only about two percent of the traffic citations issued in New York were for cell phone use even though a survey conducted by NHTSA of New York drivers showed that 30 percent admitted to still using their phones while driving. A possibility for the decline in effectiveness is the decline in media attention and enforcement since its inception (IIHS, 2003). 4.2 District of Columbia Distracted Driving Safety Act of 2005 In July 2005, the District of Columbia enacted the Distracted Driving Safety Act which prohibits all forms of inattentive driving that result in the unsafe operation of a motor vehicle including hand-held cell phones. Prior to the law, the rate of drivers using cell phones was observed at 6.1 percent. Shortly after the law took effect, the usage rate dropped to 3.5 percent. Interestingly, when the usage rate was measured a year after the law it had risen to four percent, but was still significantly lower than the preban rate. The introduction of this law also followed the typical pattern where a new law is introduced, compliance is at its highest and as time passes, the compliance drops off. Although the rise in usage a year after the introduction of the law was not as significant as that of the New York ban, it was still present. One possibility for this less significant return to pre-ban usage levels is the District of Columbia’s reputation for strict enforcement (McCartt, 2007). 4.3 North Carolina Under 18 Ban of Mobile Communication Devices In December 2006, North Carolina enacted a law that prohibited the use of any mobile communication device by drivers younger than 18 years old. Cell phone usage was observed at high schools prior to the law and five months after the law took effect. The cell phone usage prior to the law was observed at 11 percent. Cell phone usage five months after the law took effect was observed at 11.8 percent. As a control, cell phone usage in the adjacent state of South Carolina was observed over the same period of time and cell phone use there was steady at 13 percent over the observation time. Researchers conducted interviews of teen drivers in which 50 percent of the surveyed teens reported using their cell phones (post-ban) if they had driven the day prior to the survey. The conclusion of the researchers was that the cell phone law had little effect on teenage drivers’ use of cell phones (Foss, 2008). 5. Distance-Based Insurance Polices Keeping drivers safe behind the wheel is becoming an ever increasing priority as evidenced by the many new and innovative approaches to the problem. Solutions are being sought and in some cases found in areas of science, engineering, biomechanics, state-of-the-art safety designs, etc. The following review is based on a relatively new insurance concept called distance-based insurance. Vehicle insurance is typically based on a lump sum pricing method which translates to a fixed cost for each consumer regardless of how many miles a vehicle is driven. A lump-sum insurance policy will result in the same premium across a similar demographic, assuming that other aspects such as age, gender, location, driving records, etc. are the same. Consumers will not see any reduction in price if they reduce their yearly mileage which results in lower risk. Since the risk of collision and other policy claim related losses are dependent on how many miles the vehicle is driven, it seems unfair to apply a lump-sum pricing scheme to such a complex situation (Bordoff, 2008). In a paper written by Litman (1997) he makes a profound analogy of this situation to the sale of gasoline. If gasoline was sold by the car-year, vehicle owners would be required to make one lump-sum payment at the beginning of the year. This payment would allow the owner to fill the vehicle up with gasoline unlimited times throughout the year. Prices would be based on the average consumers’ use of gasoline in his/her demographic. Litman suggests that this unlimited distribution of gasoline would perpetuate an increase in fuel usage resulting in more miles driven, overall vehicle costs, congestion, pollution and increased accident risk. Consumers who use less fuel than the average would find the system wholly unfair and unaffordable and would not use it. Consumers who used more than the average would be in favor of the system because of the benefits it offers them. This system is obviously unreasonable, and anecdotally explains the limitations of our current lump-sum insurance system. In response to this problem, a new distance-based insurance pricing method has been suggested and is being implemented in some places. Distance based insurance policies are variable and are based on the vehicle-miles driven instead of the current practice of lump-sum policies. These policies are designed to better reflect the risk of consumers, since claims are generally proportional to miles driven (Bordoff, 2008). Figure 6 represents the average 2003 distribution of expenditures for ownership of an automobile in the United States. The percentage paid in insurance costs is 21 percent, a significant 13 amount. The benefits of distance-based insurance policies are many, but most importantly is that they more accurately reflect the customers’ mileage-based risk and give many consumers an opportunity to proportionally reduce their insurance rates. Figure 6 Average 2003 Distribution of Expenditures for Automobile Ownership in The United States. (Litman, 1997) Similar to how distance-based insurance pricing has revolutionized the way insurance premiums are being evaluated, safety-based driving systems can revolutionize how driving habits are reflected in insurance premiums. For example, cell phone use while driving increased the risk of collision. If a driver were to voluntarily participate in a program that restricted his/her cell phone use while driving, thereby reducing his/her risk of collision, that behavior could be rewarded by a lower insurance premium. This same methodology could be applied to any risky driving practice (i.e. speeding, teen driving at night, etc.) as reported to an insurance company through reliable technological methods. This, much like distance-based policies, would more accurately reflect the consumers’ safety risk and could result in lower insurance rates. Those who choose not to participate in the program would have to assume the average risk and associated premiums. This program would be a huge incentive for people to participate and subsequently drive safely. 6. Technological Methods for Improving Driving Safety 6.1. Active Safety Features through Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Comm. To help avoid car accidents and minimize harmful effects of accidents, many automotive manufacturers aim to provide active safety features such as: forward-looking speed radar, autopilot systems, lane departure warnings, integration of video cameras, collision alerts, situational awareness systems, active headlights, and vehicle-to-vehicle communications to name a few. The radar-based system can be used to help avoid or mitigate the effect of front-end collisions. A number of systems focus on how to utilize wireless vehicle-to-infrastructure communications to provide early warnings to drivers about potential hazards at intersections, where 40 percent of all traffic accidents and 20 percent of crash-related fatalities occur. Specific technologies designed to mitigate the use of cell phones by drivers are generally marketed toward the young driver because that is where the largest concern for safety is, as well as where the most potential improvements can be made. It is also the primary market because often these technologies require voluntary involvement where parents are more likely to involve their children than themselves. These devices are, relatively speaking, in their infancy. Many devices on the market seem to individually employ a portion of what is needed to be a complete and effective system, but each has its limitations. 6.2. GPS-based Driving Monitoring System Examples of a technologies used to monitor teens and provide a possible solution for talking while driving are the wide variety of Global Positioning System (GPS)-based monitoring systems. These systems use the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) network to log the vehicle’s location and speed at regular intervals and allow downloading of the data for further analysis. Some advanced monitoring programs provide over-speed alerts and/or send data to a central computer or system through a wireless communication network for tracking teen drivers in real-time. It should be remarked that, in addition to the use of teen driver tracking, these kinds of GPS tracking systems have been successfully used for commercial fleet tracking and network-wide traffic monitoring. Similarly, the windshield camera produced by DriveCam Inc. can record the driving behavior and transmit digital images to a central data server for further analysis. The above-mentioned (passive monitoring) systems, however, are not seamlessly integrated with cell phones, so none of them can actively prevent the use of cell phones even when the vehicle is in motion. They provide only an opportunity for the monitor to give post-violation advice and instruction to the teens, when it might be too late. 6.3. Cell Phone Based Context Identification Currently, mobile phone usage is no longer limited to making and receiving calls, both GPS and accelerometer sensors have been widely supported in the next generation of mobile phones. For example, both GPS and accelerometer sensors have been installed in iPhone 3G smart phones from Apple Inc., and 50 percent of Nokia mobile phones shipped in 2009 will be GPS-enabled. A number of studies aim to utilize embedded sensors in the next generation of mobile phones, specifically GPS and accelerometer sensors to discover and take advantage of contextual information such as user location, time of day, as well as the type of activity the user is involved in, such as walking, driving, or standing still. This contextual information can be used to alter the phone’s status creating a â€Å"smart† phone that is safer and/or more user friendly. Chen and Kotz (2000) provided a comprehensive survey on context-aware mobile computing research. They suggest that although context-awareness is a widely researched topic, there are still areas that could be further explored. The authors specifically highlight the need to further develop the awareness, communication, and use of context-based computing as having the most potential to benefit society. The application of contextual information to cell phones is critically important because it determines what the user is doing, and thereby when to alter the phone status. SenSay is one recent application (Siewiorek et al., 2003) that integrates contextual information with cell phone use. Combining a cell phone with sensory data, user information, and user history, the researchers were able to provide a context aware phone that improves its overall usability. For example, the phone is able to change ringer volume and vibration, and further provide dynamic phone alerts and call handling depending on the users’ activity. The real-world application of this device is limited because of peripherally needed devices, but the integration of this type of context sensing devices within phones holds great potentials. In a GSM or 3G networks, triangulation among two or more cellular towers, signal strength fluctuations, and changes to the current serving cell phone towers can be also used to estimate the context of cell phone users (e.g. study by Anderson and Muller in 2006). The result of context identification, including the speed of moving cell phones, can be used to distinguish driving vs. walking or remaining still. This contextual information can be used to prevent risky driving behaviors, such as talking while driving and texting while driving. However, as shown in a study by Smith et al. (2004), the existing cell phone-based speed estimation results are less accurate when compared to GPS-based methods. These results are exaggerated during periods of congested traffic or stop-and-go traffic on arterial streets. This review was able to identify various devices for sale that are marketed toward teen drivers all with the purpose of monitoring and or reducing poor driving habits. These devices are tools which parents can use to monitor, advise, and teach their children long after the learner and graduated driving experiences have passed. Several companies currently offering some of these devices were contacted and asked if there were any studies or research that had been done showing the effectiveness of their products. The companies responded that studies have been done, but that the results were proprietary because they had been financed by insurance companies. 7. Economic Analysis of Restricting Cell Phone Use Although there is sufficient data to prove that cell phone use while driving increases the risk of crashes, complete restriction of cell phones by drivers has been controversial in part because of the benefits consumers and society receive from these calls and because the exact number of crashes caused by cell phone use are unknown. Several researchers have attempted to quantity these values by comparing the total societal cost of crashes caused by cell phone use to the benefits society receives from the same. The results of three such studies are listed below: Hahn and Tetlock (1999): A complete ban on cell phones by drivers would result in a societal loss of $23 billion annually. Redelmeier and Weinstein (1999): A complete ban on cell phones by drivers would result in a societal loss of $300,000 annually. Cohen and Graham (2003): A complete ban on cell phones by drivers would result in a net societal loss of zero. The Cohen and Graham study was a re-analysis of the Hahn and Tetlock study with updated estimates and more comprehensive analysis. Because the exact numbers of crashes that are caused by cell phone use is unknown and it is difficult to quantify the value of cell phone use in society, these variables needed to be estimated in the analyses. The variability between the three estimates shows how the results are highly dependent on the estimation of these variables. In a Study by Martin et al. (2006), researchers analyzed the impact cell phone use by drivers had on traffic flow. A â€Å"car following behavior† was identified by simulated driving for both the non cell phone user and the cell phone user. The researchers then used these â€Å"car following behavior† models and through simulation and microscopic traffic modeling, were able to identify the impact that cell phone users had on the traffic stream efficiency. The research found that with different traffic conditions and varying percentages of cell phone users, cell phone usage while driving had a negative impact on traffic flow when traffic volumes were moderate or high. Converting these delays into monetary units, the researchers were able to project the cost of the delays caused by cell phone users throughout the entire United States highway network as significant. 8. Findings and Recommendations Distracted driving has been a public concern ever since the beginning of the automobile. Cell phone use by drivers is widespread. Intuitively, one understands that cell phone use while driving is distracting and dangerous, and many studies have proven that instinct to be true. Experimental and behavioral studies have drawn an unambiguous conclusion that cell phone use by drivers results in a cognitive distraction leading to an increased risk of collision. Studies have also been able to quantify this risk as at least as dangerous as driving while impaired by alcohol at the legal limit of .08 mg/ml. Epidemiological examination of actual crash data compared against cell phone records provides confirmation that driving while using a cell phone increases the risk of collision. In the epidemiological studies reviewed in this paper, the increased risk of collision when using a cell phone while driving was found to be between 1.3 and 5.59 times greater than non-users. Real-world data, although scarce, has also confirmed that cell phone use while driving is the single largest driver distraction leading to collisions. Studies are mounting that show an obvious correlation between cell phone use while driving and increased crash risk. The association between cell phone use and increased risk of traffic crashes seems to be validated by epidemiological, behavior, experimental and real-world studies, but the actual number of crashes directly related to cell phone use is harder to determine. Because the exact number of crashes directly related to cell phone use is unknown, the likely financial savings to United States drivers for outlawing cell phone use while driving is also uncertain. Other important findings are listed as follows: (1) Government at all levels has tried to legislate a solution for this problem with poor results, (2) Young drivers are especially susceptible to the danger of cell phone use while driving because they are already overrepresented in the crash statistics, (3) Technology is intervening where legislation has failed to provide solutions to the problem of cell phone use while driving. To improve driving safety in general, and to prevent talking on cell phones while driving in particular, the following initiatives and innovations are critically needed. 1) Accurate reporting of cell phone involvement in collisions on police reports The underreporting of cell phone involvement in collisions on police reports, the best indicator of how many collisions are directly related to cell phone use, has proven to be significant. This is worrisome because many legislative efforts to stop the use of cell phones by drivers are based at least partly on this data. Legislative efforts in themselves have shown to be minimally effective to statistically ineffective in curbing the use of cell phones by drivers. Several government agencies have nonetheless continued seeking for some type of solution to this problem. 2) Technological solutions for accurately identifying driving mode of cell phone users A wide variety of research has been devoted to mobile phone-based context identification by GPS, triangulation, or signal strength. Despite considerable research efforts, the technology remains insufficient to properly distinguish the exact mode of cell phone uses such as driving, walking, or remaining still. Even with all the available location and movement data, it is still extremely difficult to distinguish if a cell phone user is driving a car, seating as a passenger, or riding a bus or train. Inaccurate context identification could lead to problematic disabling of the communication capability when a cell phone user is not driving a car. Additional research is still needed in the area of artificial intelligence to improve the context estimation accuracy. 3) Integrated driving monitoring system There are many products that have been designed to address the problem of cell phone use by young drivers. Some existing context based technologies are designed to passively monitor an individual’s driving by recording their movements and making them available for download at another time. Some advanced monitoring technologies allow for real-time alerts to be sent to a central computer or by text message through wireless communications. These technologies can give real-time information to parents about safety concerns, but fail to provide any way of actively preventing the dangers from happening. The need for a context based solution that also allows for active prevention of cell phone use while driving is apparent. 4) Safety-based insurance policies Distance-based insurance policies have revolutionized the way automobile insurance is evaluated. Distance-based policies are more reflective of the individual mile-based risk and result in more fitting premiums. As distance-based insurance policies have changed how we think about insurance, so can safety-based insurance policies. If a driving safety profile could be determined for an individual consumer, insurance rates could be tailored to better reflect the individuals collision risk. This method could help further reflect a driver’s risk and in many cases lower the insurance premiums or be an incentive for aggressive or inexperienced drivers to drive safely. 5) Cost-effective car safety features Automotive manufacturers are engaged in the design of safety features on vehicles, which are intended to enhance the driver’s ability to avoid collisions. Some of the state-of-the-art safety features that are being explored by the automobile manufacturers are: forward-looking speed radar, autopilot systems, lane departure warnings, integration of video cameras, collision alerts, situational awareness systems, active headlights, and vehicle-to-vehicle communications. Automotive manufacturers have the objective of creating a â€Å"smart† car through the integration of technology. The â€Å"smart† call will be designed to enhance the driver’s ability to avoid collisions, but the driver will still maintain control. These devices, although potentially very effective in reducing vehicle collisions, fail to address the problem of cell phone use by drivers. Automotive attempts at collision avoidance systems are also relatively expensive and in some cases are limited by participation and communication between vehicles. The complete restriction of cell phone use by drivers seems to be unlikely because of the lack of concrete evidence showing how many crashes are caused by cell phone use, and what the cost of such a ban would be. Short of a complete restriction, a technology that would self-impose restrictions or that could be tailored to the most dangerous demographic of young drivers becomes most probable. A technological solution that is practical, effective, context-based, cost-effective, and focused on the driver’s actions is critically needed. References Allstate Foundation. (February 2007). Parents and teen driving safety quantitative study. 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