Mathematical Contributions of Blaise Pascal :: Biography Biographies Essays

Mathematical Contributions of Blaise Pascal Introduction Blaise Pascal was born on June 19, 1623 in Clermont Ferrand. His nationality was french. He died in 1662. He was credited for his imaginative and subtle work in geometry and other branches of mathematics. His work influenced later generations of theologians and philosophers, helping make mathematics what it is today. Blaise Pascal is considered part of the foundation of the very heart of mathematics. History At age 12 he mastered Euclid's Elements. In 1645, he invented and sold the first adding machine. His study of hydrostatics led to the invention of the syringe and hydraulic press. At age 16, he formulated the basic theorems of projective geometry. These theorems became known as Pascal's theorem. He proved that the level of mercury column in a barometer is determined by the increase or decrease in the surrounding atmospheric pressure. This discovery verified the hypothesis of the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli, concerning the effect of atmospheric pressure on the equilibrium of liquids. After publishing Essay pour les coniques (Essay on conic sections), Pascal temporarily abandoned the study of mathematics due to poor health. He lived in Paris for a while in a frivolous manner as a break. His interest in probability theory of the odds in gambling games lead him to discover the Theory of probability in conjunction with Pierre de Fermat. This theory dealt with the actuarial, mathematical, social statistics, and calculations used in today's modern theoretical physics. At the end of 1654, after several months of depression, Pascal had a life altering religious experience. He entered the Jansenist monastery in Port Royal. Here, he never published his own name again in his mathematical studies. He wrote a pseudonym to help in the struggle against the Jesuits for the defense of the Jansenist, Antoine Arnauld. In 1658, he broke with the Jansenists, and left the monastery. Pascal died on August 19, 1662 from cancer, at age 39. In his life, his most famous work was perhaps Pensees (thoughts). This was a set of deeply personal meditations in a somewhat fragmented form on human suffering and faith in God. Another famous work of his was called "Pascal's Wager." This expressed the conviction that belief in God is rational: If God does not exist, one stands to lose

Health In your own hands :: essays research papers

In response to the question of what I am most thankful for, I said I am most grateful to god for leaving me with great health. Maintaining good health and preventing illness is not an easy task and requires major responsibility. Health is with the individual when they take that first breath and with them when they take the last. In that sense, it is the individual’s responsibility to maintain good health since they are with it all the time and it plays a crucial part in their well being. Good health is a privilege that can be altered or taken away at any instant. Good health comes with responsibility. Responsibility requires time, knowledge, maturity, and determination. Responsibility is defined as the social force that binds you to your obligations and the courses of action demanded by that force (Princeton University, 2003). Moral questions arise when health and responsibility come together: How much does a person value his or her health? Do they have a desire to live? If the answer to both of these questions is no, then that person creates a greater risk in putting their health in jeopardy. If the answer is yes, then the individual must take advantage of the tools provided to them to sustain good health. The modern world has provided literature, internet sources, gyms, health food stores, and most importantly the men of wisdom; physicians. One concept that is beyond the capacity for any person to understand is that the human body is just an encasement, or compartment for a phenomenon known as the soul. It’s a driving force that recycles itself every time we make a conscious decision to direct an action. The body can be compared to a machine: it contains pumps, filters, electrical currents, receptors, tubes, and many other functions. It needs to be maintained just like a vehicle. And like all vehicles, they need to be taken to be checked up and given maintenance by a mechanic every few thousand miles, or as often as it breaks down. Our mechanic is our doctor. His job is to make sure that our fluid levels are correct, diagnose if necessary, and treat if science allows him to. The only thing that separates us from machines is that the engineering and mechanics of our bodies are not fully understood. This dilemma stirs up many questions on how a doctor can and should perform his work.

Review the article What is strategy? by Michael .E. Porter Essay

Michael Eugene Porter is a Professor at The Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, based at the Harvard Business School. He is generally recognized as the father of the modern strategy field. One of his great writing is â€Å"What is strategy?† published in 1996. The beginning of the article raises a mistake of Operational Effectiveness for Strategy that many companies had suffered for almost two decades. In the article, Operational Effectiveness means performing similar activities better than rivals perform them. To achieve this objective, companies based on its strength using their best available technologies, skill, management, human resource, eliminated wasted effort, motivated employees†¦ As the result of this, they could offer lower cost but superior quality to the customers meanwhile moving toward the frontier. In this case, customers and suppliers received a lot of benefit. But for the companies the fast and dramatic profit they received at the early time day by day became nothing. They just run faster and faster in the endless race of Operational Effectiveness, no one could win. One of the reasons for this is so irony. Competitors imitated the best practices in technology, management, input improvement. Therefore most of the com panies look nearly the same. There were no difference and competitive advantage anymore and the sinking price ever nearer to marginal cost. We can see it clearly in mobile phone market; Samsung is facing with the imitation from Chinese companies for example Xiaomi. Those new entrants put a heavy threat on market share and made Samsung lose a lot of money. By finding out and describe the matter really clearly, this article has shown the conflict in operating the companies. Managers have tried to get the better but receive the worse. It explains why many companies got stuck in their management trap for almost twenty years. To make it clearer, a very typical example falls into Japanese companies which imitated and emulated one another, tried to satisfy any need from customers. This argument from Porter helps managers avoid mistake and remind them about strategy. In the second part of the article, the method to solve the matter is introduced: â€Å"Strategy rests on Unique Activities†. Porter suggested that to avoid copying, and to be different, managers have to choose a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value, and perform activities different from competitors. It is Strategy positioning including three sources: The first one is â€Å"Variety Based Positioning†. The companies use this if they can create a particular product or service using distinctive set of activities to satisfy one common need of a group of customers. A very good example for this case is Jiffy Lube International. It just focus on automotive lubricants, no other car repair or maintenance service. Therefore, their service is faster at lower cost, persuading customer to get oil changes. This way will attract customers with strong and specific need especially the wise customers who believe in the advantage of specialization. The second one is â€Å"Needs Based Positioning† meaning serving all or most of the needs of a particular group of customers. To illustrate this case, Porter showed a very excellent example of Ikera. This company tried to serve all the home furnishing needs of its target customers who were happy to trade-off service for cost and need stylish furniture, in-store child care, extended hours. Besides according to the customers’ life period or special occasions, companies can offer different kinds of services, for example, BIDV bank can offer student a loan for study, after that another loan for buying car, house or when he needs some money for his wedding or business. The third one is â€Å"Access Based Positioning†: Segmenting customers who are accessible in different ways (geography, scale, or other differentiator that requires customizing of activities to reach this group of customers). For example, in Indian rural places where the roads were too poor that car and truck can not approach, Unilever group used local people to carry their products (shampoo†¦) and deliver to the local people in those remote places. In practice, some companies likes Blackberries, Samsung can attract normal customers by advertising but for famous people who create the fashion trend and influence community’s preference, the best way is sponsor or giving them the new expensive product as a present and paying them to use it. Anyway, there is an argument that is strategy doesn’t mean niche approach and the most important is that decision on selecting a set of activities has to meet a group of customers’ common needs. The more valuable the company’s position is the more attractive for rivals to imitate. Competitors can reposition itself or straddling (Continental airline maintain its full service while imitated Southwest point-to-point routes, no meal, low fare†¦). In order to make strategic position sustainable and avoid a burden of functions, companies have to trade-off. And it is mentioned in the third part of the article. â€Å"Trade-off† creates the need for choice and protects against repositioning and straddles as well as limit what a company offers. The company trades-off for three reasons; the first is in consistencies in image or reputation. For example Neutrogena has built it image for medical reputation, other brand can not copy because of huge expense. Some famous singers, actors or actresses never appear in small-time, unimportant show or event which may blur their image and rep utation. The second is from activities themselves, different position need different standards, method, and equipment (Ikea)†¦. A university lab room is just used for teaching or checking models in simple cases. It can not be used to do business in complex case like the lab room in industry. Finally; it comes from limit on internal coordination and control. Continental lost a lot of money when imitating Southwest to add a new service for point-to-point flight. However, in practice, trade-off is not easy. It’s not sure to choose what to remain and what to give up. In psychology, managers always want to make their company grow. When seeing the competitors who are successful and get a lot of profit, it’s hard to ignore without jump into that business. Therefore, trade-off requires thoughtful decision and sensitive impression. Furthermore, Porter argues that to gain competitive and sustainability every thing has to be â€Å"Fit†. That is the way activities relate to another. They are combined to fit and reinforce another. Activities can be performed separately but the give effect on each other. Since competitors are facing an entire ecosystem, with elements that allow and strengthen each other existence, they need to be very persistent, capitalize, or creative to be able to replicate or break the company’s strategy. To break a single chopstick is easy but it’s impossible to do the same with a bundle. Samsungà ¢â‚¬â„¢s success is achieved by a combination many aspects. Their products are well designed by excellent designers who are often visit world’s wonders, museum, and learn more knowledge from specialists. In addition, they have 33 technology centers for research. Their new management philosophy is another strong point, quality control and positive changes are extremely focused. On the other hand, Long Thanh milk fell to get fit. Their product â€Å"Lothamilk† is really good on quality and preferred by customers but the conflict among the leaders, the problem in management, and weakness in promotion prevent them from being in the top and growth. In the last part, Porter mentions about Rediscovering Strategy. One of main point is Failure to choose. Managers have been confused about the necessity of making choices. Scaring of leaving behind, companies imitated one another rush to meet all the needs of customers. Focusing on the efficiency frontier could lead one to think that companies should be able to beat its rivals simultaneously on all dimens ions. Another one is Growth Trap that means blind pursuit of growth has a diluting effect on a company’s strategy. Neutrogena suffered such a painful experience when they expanded into a wide variety of products: eyes-makeup remover, shampoo†¦which are not unique and weaken their image. Everything became worse when they began turning to promotion. The second point is Profitable Grow: Too often efforts to develop might harm the strategy but managers can choose suitable activities and cost to element their performance, deepen the long-term position. For example, Maytag organized it value brands into separate units with different strategic position while creating umbrella appliance company for all its brands to gain critical mass. The last but not least important is The Role of Leadership. The managers’ making choice or decision is really important. They have to choose what to do and what to trade-off. In Samsung’s management, when the CEO’s decision is made, all the members in this company have to strictly follow without any other argument or objection. In conclusion, improving in Operational Effectiveness is essential but it’s not enough because company need strategy for long-term success. Therefore, every company has to create preservable positive difference to set up it position, know how to trade-off, keep fit, and flexible enough to adapt wit h major constructional changes in its industry. The article â€Å"What is strategy† helps the readers to find out the difference between operational Effectiveness and Strategy, Then managers can realize the way to develop a valuable and sustainable strategy to control the company’s growth and maintain its composition as well as avoid mistake, and copy from the rivals. After reading this managers can combine positioning, trade-off, fit together to have a good strategy. It also shows us Strategy is the direction and capacity of an organization over long-term, and it is very important for the success of any business organization. Besides all the arguments in the article are in a good order. At the beginning, the problem was raised, and then came many explanations leading the solution. Each argument is made clear by a typical example which is clearly analyzed. On the other hand, the subjects in examples are reused many times, that helps the readers feel familiar and understand deeply about every case. Moreover, the information in the article is really useful and practical for management because it is the result of a careful research based on real, practical situations of some famous companies from all over the world. In addition, the business reality reflected in this article clearly illustrates the theory in the book. Finally, it is well designed and easy to understand. Therefore, all readers from beginning or advantage levels can enjoy it and find some thing useful for them. — The end —

Change Management Plan

This document will cover Riordan Manufacturing’s current management plan and the new proposed plan. It will also cover how the management plans on changing this plan over the next 12 months. Change Management Plan Riordan Manufacturing is a company which operates its official system like a bureaucracy. Every division has a manager and that manager responds to their manager who then reports to the president and CEO Dr. Michael Riordan. The bureaucracy is established like a matrix system. Every division consists of those who perform specific jobs. Every division has their own informal systems. These informal systems are created by building working associations collectively. Riordan motivates every worker to report any problems that they may have directly to their supervisor. This lets every worker, as stated in Riordan Manufacturing’s Worker Handbook, â€Å"Our experience has demonstrated that when workers deal openly and directly with administration, the work atmosphere can be fantastic, interactions can be obvious and attitudes can be optimistic. † By opening up the door to open interaction with all administration it improves worker behavior since they are capable to convey their values and problems. When workers are motivated to express themselves freely it increases the dedication to the organization and increases job satisfaction. Although Riordan Manufacturing desires to apply a fresh client administration method, Riordan Manufacturing must continue to adopt the matrix structure which they presently have set up. By setting up a fresh client administration system it will let every place be capable to assess the info for every client regardless of what place they would be at. Maintaining the existing matrix system will let and continue to improve team attempts to develop the complete work which is expected from every division. Riordan Manufacturing is a plastics production organization which employees more than 500 individuals. They have organizations in Albany, Georgia, Pontiac Michigan, Hangzhou, China, and San Jose, California where their company head office is located. Riordan items contain plastic drinks cans, customized plastic components, and plastic fan components. Their major clients are auto and plane component producers, soft drink producers, Department of Defense, and appliance producers. Worker conduct affects how they work and react to their work, managers, and clients. The company tradition at Riordan contains equity, confidence, commitment, have an inventive and team work atmosphere, impairment accommodations, performance assessments, worker rewards for example 401K, academic help, health and life insurance, respect vacations, honor vacations, assistance with day care, and employees compensation insurance coverage. Riordan seems to be a production organization which tries to become a choice for their clients rather than being a problem to their clients. Although this organization might be a great organization they just like any other producer have issues that must be tackled together with modifications which might influence the organization for the organization to remain in the loop with present economy problems. Some workers can't cope with modification and they may become unwilling. Some workers avoid modification is because of the lack of knowledge regarding the modification, comfort, personal private views, lack of confidence. However, even though the workers are being resistive, the administrators are intending to cope with the opposition and assist workers cope with the modification more efficiently. Administrators may apply the modification by conveying clearly, being straightforward, and acknowledging their worries together with acknowledging and respecting the workers. Administrators may rovide reinforces and support by letting workers to meet with them face to face with regards to the modification or the worker could benefit from some additional coaching. Administrators might place the resistive workers with somebody who is already using the modification, therefore the worker that is not adjusting will see a confident and administrators may make certain they have set some objectives to make sure the success of the modification was worthwhile and advantag eous. Modification is a part that needs constant and continuous quality of improvements. During the months administrators must be sure that the modification they put in place keep growing and continue to remain effective. Administrators can perform this by applying reaction to areas which are in danger, continue to make contact with their workers whether it is through phone, email, individual to individual, text messaging, or memo. Safety precautions will also continue to be managed and improve, and when the economy changes medical care in the organization might accommodate employee’s requirements. Staff and administration attitudes will remain optimistic, involve your workers, care for their views, ideas, thoughts, continue to provide training sessions, set objectives and goals (praising the workers might be a plus), and encourage inspiration in which this will let the workers to be more devoted. Administrators may assess achievement by viewing how the organization modifies that went into effect is up and running, organization numbers/sales haven't decreased, and workers are producing good results. To assess failure it would be the total reverse, however what would it be to assess. In case the organization is failing or haven't seen any growth then they must put forth one more change. Communication Plan When modification is introduced in the office it may also bring opposition from workers. This opposition arises from a modification in routines, anxiety about the unfamiliar, a reduction in a sense of safety, or even a danger to associations to name a few. While developing an interaction to workers, administration must try to train regarding the modification as well as contact as many employees as is possible. Doing so will likely reduce the opposition from workers and let approval of the modification. Administration must pick a type of interaction to convey administration modification at Riordan Manufacturing which will reach all workers with the same information. In this situation the best way to contact the most workers is to utilize a mix of a memo and e-mail. In these types of interactions, administrators must express why the modification is essential, what the modification will bring to the company, and develop a fresh mission. Describing the modification to workers will train them on why the modification must be made and provide them insight into the unfamiliar. The new administration mission will assist create company tradition that workers can buy into. Using a memo and e-mail is the most efficient way to convey the modification to the workers. This technique additionally permits the identical information to be sent. The information being sent is vital in order that workers aren't getting different info regarding the modification. While transmitting the message to workers, some hurdles might come up. Some workers might not read the message that will lead them to be unaware. Administrators must contact front line supervisors to make sure that all workers have read the message. A read receipt may also be linked to the e-mail to make sure that workers are getting the email. The information found in the message must also help the modification in a positive manner. Some workers might take the information as a bad modification that will enhance opposition. Team conferences must take place in order that supervisors can go over the content in the memo and e-mail. These conferences will let supervisors to deal with any queries regarding the modification and put the workers relaxed. Conveying modification is a vital method utilized to permit the change to be finished properly and keep worker spirit. Conveying modification in the office is essential to reduce opposition among employees. This interaction must try to train workers regarding the modification to assist put the employees relaxed. This information must be created in a manner to reach all workers with the same message in order that all workers are receiving the same info. Conveying modification in an efficient manner will probably enhance approval of modification and maintain the company tradition unchanged. Valued Employees of Riordan Manufacturing: The organization has made a decision to apply a client administration method which will permit you to easily monitor our clients. Administration knows that we have put great accountability on you to manage client info and wish to provide you the methods to do this job more efficiently. This info might be better more effective when we keep it in a uniformed style and saved in a convenient location. By applying this method we are allowing the info to be easily available to all workers and will get rid of any requirement for substantial searching. We know that info, if not saved correctly will get lost, and we don't want to endanger the client associations which you have worked so carefully to maintain. Formalized training will be given to all workers prior to execution. Our objective is to ensure that you are happy using the latest program before it's put into use. We have created a formalized coaching agenda for following week to make sure everybody has had time to see, work, and know the program. Administration knows that knowing latest method is a difficult job, however we are assured you will notice the advantage of this latest program. We thank you all for your persistence and assistance. Please contact your immediate supervisor with any queries or problems. Thank You, Riordan Manufacturing Management This document has successfully explained the new management plan and a plan on how the management is going to convey that message to their employees. After reading everything the reader should have a better grasp on what the management is doing and when the changes are going to be implemented. References Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2011).Organizational behavior (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Riordan/index.asp

Managing the employment relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing the employment relationship - Essay Example Under this situation, it is highly likely that the new and experienced staff would find it hard to continue performing their tasks in a professional manner. Till this point of time, both Harvey and Wong have not been able to provide any practical human resource policy. In a closer analysis of the case study, it can be easily deduced that the organization is more interested to expand business and to look for new business opportunities in Europe and Asia as well instead of giving fair time and attention to both internal and external issues. From a business perspective, this expansion policy is commendable step. However, giving insufficient time and the absence of any policy to the internal matters makes it hard for them to achieve their business and performance objectives in a timely and professional manner. As a result, both Harvey and Wong face the problem of grumbles and it further intensifies as no formal mechanism has been put in place to address the concerns of employees. Demotivation among other employees will be increasing. It is a normal practice that employees share their feelings and grievances with colleagues in the workplace. More specifically, the employees do not find it reasonable to hide their grievances instead they find it as a way to forward their concerns to appropriate authority through sharing their employment problems with their colleagues and friends as well. As far as the current situation is concerned, it is highly likely that the employees are not satisfied but highly worried about their employment issues. Moreover, if the grievances of one employee are not addressed on time, it cannot be ruled out that the employees find little motivation to complete their assignments and tasks enthusiastically. Employee productivity and motivation go hand in hand. Employee productivity refers to the output produced by

Foundations of Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foundations of Behavior - Essay Example F Skinner. The theory believes that behavioral development happens through classical and operant conditioning. There is a strong relation between stimuli and behavioral response. In this case development is seen as a continuous process where learnt responses keep accumulating and new ones increase with age. Several studies were conducted to reinforce the theory that responses in behavior are a result of external stimuli and that the external factors are more important as compared to internal factors. To take an example, John Watson experimented with an infant's responses to a rat and stimuli coupled with it. The infant was not afraid of the rat. However, he developed fear of the rat after a series of sharp sounds were made whenever the rat was shown. Behaviorists conclude that environment is more influential in shaping behavior. Also, behaviors can be modified using external stimuli. In context of psychodynamic theories, famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and his theory of psychoanalysis come to mind. Psychodynamics refers to theories of Freud, his followers' or theories based on his ideas. Anna Freud, Alfred Adler Carl Jung and Erik Erickson are some of the most popular contributors from the field of psychodynamics. The theories are have been derived from sessions with patients, case studies and use of projective techniques to understand the workings of human mind. Psychodynamics strives to make connections between thoughts, motives, subconscious mind and how people perceive the world. The prime focus in psychodynamics is the interrelation between emotional states of id, ego, and superego and their impact on early developments and processes. Psychodynamics also believes that early experiences are conserved in the unconscious mind. Later in life, these conserved experiences, thoughts and emotions either remain buried in the unconscious or find way to the conscio us mind. These buried experiences are at times the cause of mental disturbances. Various psychodynamic theorists have devised their own stages of development from infancy through adulthood. However, the underlining concept is that at each stage, an individual is confronted with conflicts between biological drives and social expectations. The way to resolve these conflicts differs at each stage. Individuals constantly strive to strike a balance between personal needs and social expectations. In contrast to behaviorism school of thought, psychodynamic theory focuses on drives and forces working consciously or unconsciously within a human mind. While behaviorist theory lays stress on continuous development, psychodynamic theory believes that development happens in stages. In psychodynamics, nature and nurture both play an important role in development because the inner impulses are channeled through environmental experiences. The cognitive theory looks at humans as active participants in building knowledge. The most influential theory was propounded by Jean Piaget. According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, children acquire 'schemes', which are the building blocks of knowledge. According to this theory, there are four stages in

American Marriage in Transition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

American Marriage in Transition - Essay Example Cherlin points out child bearing outside family, changes in household labour division, cohabitation and gay marriage as factors which redefined the structure of marriage as a social intitution (403). Other materialistic trends included â€Å"decline of agriculture labour and the corresponding increase in wage labour; the decline in child and adult mortality; rising standards of living;and in the last half of the 20th century, the movement of married women into the paid workforce†(403). These factors along with global events including depression and World War II brought in changes in the sociological understanding of the term marriage to a large extend. One of the first meaning assigned to marriage was that of a process which legitimises sexual relationship and to have children. Cherlin here provides a comparitive global picture on the understanding of marriage at this context. He notes that this trend resulted in an increase in the percieved importance of marriage among young Americans during the 1950s (403). This trend began to diminish in the 1960s. The median age of marriage in US began to be as it used to be in early 1900s (403). Cherlin also notes that during this perion living together before marriage became more common. Another notable trend during this period was that divorses increased and â€Å"same sex unions found greater acceptance†. The article further talks about the transition from companionate marriage to individualistic marriages. The three vital characterestics of these marriages were; self development; flexible and negoitibale roles within marriages and communication and openness in confronting problems(404). The article provides extensive literature support which suggests similar trends. Cherlin identifies that a complete deintitutionalisation of marriage occurred in the 20th century. Here the bonding of marriage was not based on the traditional roles as that of raising children. These