Disney Amusement Park

Executive Summary Disney Amusement Theme Park is one of the world’s most famous parks. The Disney Park in Paris is considered to be â€Å"a little America† in the heart of France. These days, it is one of the most favorite amusement parks in the country, however, the history of its development in Paris faced considerable difficulties and oppositions from the French people that led to the lack of success.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Disney Amusement Park specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The French considered the park to be an invasion of American culture into their national culture. It was due to the misinformation and assumptions, as well as the no compromise attitude the owner adopted for the foreign resorts. The misconceptions were related to the wrong communication and the way the park was portrayed by the French. The stakeholders did not consider the particularities of the French cultur e and customs. There were considerable operational misshapes as to the French and American food culture, management and attitude to employees who were forced to speak English only. Thus, Disney did not consider the cultural differenced and was bad prepared for establishing resort in Paris. The report provides several recommendations that might help Disney Park attract more visitors and improve its management operation. First of all, there should not be any assumptions made, assumptions lead to misconceptions of the culture; a better research of the country and its customs should be done to ensure that integration will be smooth and will not impact traditions of the country; finally, there should be compromise between cast members and stakeholders. Thus, better internal business communication? As well as communication between the guests they serve, should be a core â€Å"tool† to serve the Disney’s success and future development. Introduction: Disneyland World Resorts W alter Elias Disney, founder of the Walt Disney Company, was an ambitious man. His (love of amused parks,) love for amusement parks (lead) led him to (create) creating a place where both children (and) , adults and teens could enjoy themselves. The planning process for the first Disneyland theme park went underway, lasting several years before finally (opening) being opened in Anaheim, California on July 17th, 1955. The park (emphasized on the experience. Of walking) emphasized the experience of walking into one of (Walt’s Disney) Walt Disney’s classics. It laid the groundwork for many of the theme parks built later on and attracted hundreds of millions of visitors each year (The Walt Disney Company).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Following the opening of Disneyland, Walt purchased land in Florida (in hoping (of recreating) hoping to recreate the masterpi ece of a theme park in California †¦ in Florida as well. It was after his (dirth) birth that the theme park was built, much larger than its predecessor in California. It has an area of over 30, 000 acres with numerous hotels and entertainment options. With the success of (it’s) its second and then third resort located in Tokyo, Japan, Disney decided to venture into Europe. Paris was chosen as its location to build the next resort, but much opposition came their way. Under the assumption of how well its prior resorts had done, Disney assumed this venture would (also) be a success as well. The opposition (Disny) Disney faced was that many of the French feared that the opening of the Disney theme park would be an intrusion of the American culture. Invasions of American (Cauture) Culture American Imperialism Many view Americans as trying to reach as many foreign countries (as impossible) as possible, spreading their views and culture. Many other countries have let American c ulture (steeped) step into their own. The French pride themselves (on) for their culture and customs. Thus, when the very American company Disney proposed establishing a new resort in Paris, the city best known in France, many people felt this was an invasion of sorts. Parisians were threatened by the idea that something so American could be placed right in the middle of (a) the city that was so rich and full of culture. Outburst American and French (culture is) cultures are quite different from (the other) each other. Establishing relationships in business is the French way, but being direct is the American route. The French government thought willing to have the Walt Disney Company introduce their fifth world resort within France, would have (quite an impacture) an impact on what happens (in) to the economy, and as such, would have taken their time on finalizing agreements.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Disney Amusement Park specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Joe Shapiro, head of the Disney team, did not show appropriate business manner when he became impatient and had an angry outburst in front of the Chef French Negotiator, Jean-Rene Bernard. â€Å"Get me something to break†, was his response to the process, which was a shock to the French negotiator (Hill and McKaig). Consumerism Capitalism plays (a large) an important role in American popular culture. There is a large emphasis on getting the consumer’s attention (. And) , and marketing products and services toward them. It is a very materialistic way of living and thinking. Since the population (is) has been bombarded by advertisements about things, they â€Å"should want† and treated as segments with one state of mind. The people of Paris, France are very connected to their culture. They do not accept being treated as part of a group, but instead (recognition) recognized as individuals. So when Disney decid ed to build their next world resort in Paris, many took (defence) defense that (They) they did not want to welcome a symbol of â€Å"American clichà ©s and costumer society† (Hill and McKaig). Operational Misshapes Breakfast Food is another important aspect (to) of French culture. What is on the menu is extremely (important. To) important to the French. When Disneyland Paris first set up their restaurant, they were under the assumption that Europeans did not eat breakfast. This (however) , however, was not the case. This (lesion) lesson was learned the hard way when they only had a 350 seat capacity in their restaurant and had to scramble to serve the 2500 people who had come for breakfast. Another issue with breakfast was that their guests did not want the dish being served, which was croissants and coffee. These were common in French cuisine. Instead, the guests wanted bacon and eggs. Lunch Lunch was another computing time for Disneyland Paris. The major issue with the lun ch serving was the (no alcohol) â€Å"no alcohol† rule. Disney did not find it appropriate to serve alcohol to children (within) at a children’s theme park. It did not hold well with their image.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, it is (Frnch) a French custom for everyone to be served a glass of wine with lunch, despite one’s age (Food and Culture Resources). In addition, (to not serving) not serving alcohol, Disneyland cast members had some (difficulty) difficulty explaining to their guests that lunch could not be served between 11 am (to) and 2 pm. This concept was not fully understood as there was a large crowd deriding their lunch at 12:30 pm (Hill and McKaig). Hotels Disneyland theme parks are one of the largest attractions (to) in North (Americans) America each year. Millions visit the theme park to see their (favourite) favorite characters come to life and (experienced) experience the magic that (is Disney) Disney is. Many people also look forward to baking the (week long) a weeklong vacation package to get the most out of (the) a large (pork) park. However, in Europe, people do not see theme parks as enjoyable vacation sports. These parks are seen as daytime excursions. When Disneylan d Paris first opened its doors to the public, they were surprised to see that their luxurious hotels were mostly empty. The idea that the theme park could be a family vacation spot did not take off with their European visitors (Hill and McKaig). French Employees (Langage) Language In addition to their traditions and food, the French take pride in their language. Disneyland Paris imposed a rule where the employees could only speak English in their meetings. This only added to the opposition of Disneyland being in Paris. It presented another way the American company was trying to impose its culture into the French one. Individualism As mentioned, the French take their individualism very seriously. Individual liberty and (dgnity) dignity (is) are enforced by the law (Asselin). Disneyland Paris took away from this right when they made it mandatory that everyone follow a strict (drss code) dress code (and wok a) and worked in a certain way. Disney did not have problems with getting their employees at Tokyo Disneyland to conform (omit word â€Å"to†) these rules because they were more than willing to uphold the image of Disney and embrace that side of American culture (Tuleja and O’Rourke). Training Many of the cast members employed at Disneyland Paris were disappointed (in) with the way they were treated. 1000 employees quit their jobs since the park has been opened 9 weeks earlier. Some employees called it a form of â€Å"brainwashing† because of the amount of training involved in being a member of the Disney team (Hill and McKaig). There (are) were numerous steps in the training process, which (includes) included an orientation catered to all employees and a divisional orientation specific to the different areas of work (Martinez). Because of the constant reinforcement and orientations geared to making (the) employees more effective (many) * were appalled. It was an insult to their intelligence (Asselin). Recommendations Do Not Make (Assumpti ves) Assumptions Assumptions were made during the establishment of Disneyland Paris. Assumptions should never be made, especially when it comes to other people and cultures. For example( ) , there was a misconception that Europeans did not (eat for) have breakfast. Therefore( ) , the restaurants were downsized. However, this information was false and this lead to the park builders using this assumption to make plan changes, which in turn did not serve them well (in the end) at the end. In the future, Disney should take care in finding the right information and avoid making assumptions because in the end it will only cost them more. Research When doing business in any country, it is important that a business take the necessary steps to ensure that integration into that region is smooth. Disney did not completely took those measures, which included doing the research and finding out what the market really wanted. Because of this mistake (. It cost) , it cost them $ 2 billion dollars c umulatively (Hill and McKaig). Had done the required research to learn about (the) customers and preferences of the market they were trying to serve, there would not have been confusion about breakfast or how lunch was served. There was a lack of communication present between the customers and the cast members during this period, which could have been resolved. In the future, Disney should do a thorough research on the region that they consider for their resort. Compromised Because of the large amount of opposition and employees rebuttal, Disney should have considered making an exception to how they operate their resorts in foreign countries. By trying to impose their rules and regulations on the cast members, the cast members took this as an insult. Instead, Disney should have recognized the high value that is placed on individualism in France and that workers did not need constant reminders on how they (preformed) perform their duties. It is important that Disney uphold its image, but there is nothing wrong with showing that they can adapt to diversity. If all the resorts represented the region in more ways, aside from the food and names, more people would be attracted to the park to experience the culture of the region and share it with their childhood love of Disney. In Conclusion Disney could have been better prepared for entering Paris(,) in France, and establishing its resort there. The opposition it faced, the misinformation and assumptions, as well as the no compromise attitude it adopted for its foreign resorts( ), contributed to its lack of success. It did (however) , however, try to make improvements through changing the name to Disneyland Paris from its original name, Euro Disney Resort. This gave it more French identity. In terms of attracting more visitors the pricing for packages were lowered to accommodate for their guests. Also( ) , new concepts have been added to the resort, such as the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which has become a major crowd pleaser (Hill and McKaig). There were many thinks that Disney did not consider, thus causing them to have (pore) poor results. A lot of these issues dealt with miscommunication and the way they were portrayed by the French. (Had each party token) If each party took the time to come to an agreement, instead of Disney (calling) pulling (all) the strings, there would have been a better reception for the resort. Disney still (need) needs to uphold its image when it comes to the Disney name and its creator, however when entering new markets there needs to be a compromise and adopting. If they had shown interest in listening to their employees and catering to their need a little more, the backlash would not have been so great. Disneyland resorts continue to be the most attractive them parks in the world. Many people enjoy the meaning and experiences it creates for them. The communication between the guests they serve and the employees that work for them is essential to Disneyâ€⠄¢s success. With this focus, Disney can ensure future endeavors are success. Works Cited (Asselin, Gilles. Intercultural Systems. 2010. 14 November 2010 http://www.intercultural-systems.com/articles_1.html.) Asselin, Gilles. Intercultural Systems. 2010. Web. http://www.intercultural-systems.com/articles_1.html. (Food and Culture Resources. French Meal and Customs. 2010. 14 November 2010 http://www.food-links.com/countries/france/french-meal-customs.php.) â€Å"Food and Culture Resources.† French Meal and Customs. 2010. Web. http://www.food-links.com/countries/france/french-meal-customs.php. (Hill, Charles W. and Thomas McKaig). â€Å"Disney in France.† Hill, Charles W. and Thomas McKaig Global Business Today, Second Canadian Edition. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2009. 120-121.) Hill, Charles W. and Thomas McKaig. â€Å"Disney in France.† Business Today, Second Canadian Edition. Ed. Charles W Hill and Thomas McKaig, Global Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2009. 12 0-121. (Martinez, Michelle Neely. Disney Training Works Magic. 1 May 1992. 14 November 2010 http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/administration-human/310145-1.html.) Martinez, Michelle Neely. Disney Training Works Magic. 1 May. 1992. Web. http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/administration-human/310145-1.html. (The Walt Disney Company. Corporate History. 2010. 14 November 2010 http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/complete_history_5.html.) â€Å"The Walt Disney Company. Corporate History.† 2010. Web. http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/complete_history_5.html. (Tuleja, Elizabeth and James O’Rourke. â€Å"Walt Disney Company: Launch of a Hong Kong Theme Park.† Tuleja, Elizabeth and James O’Rourke. Intercultural Communication for Buisness. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2005. 142-143.) Tuleja, Elizabeth and James O’Rourke. â€Å"Walt Disney Company: Launch of a Hong Kong Theme Park.† Intercultural Communication for Bu isness. Ed. Elizabeth Tuleja and James O’Rourke. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2005. 142-143. This term paper on Disney Amusement Park was written and submitted by user Rachel Grey to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Analyze of “Crimson Tide” Essay Essay Example

Analyze of â€Å"Crimson Tide† Essay Essay Example Analyze of â€Å"Crimson Tide† Essay Essay Analyze of â€Å"Crimson Tide† Essay Essay ANALYZE OF CRIMSON TIDE In this assignment I will analyse the â€Å"Crimson Tide† based on OB subjects which are organisation. accomplishments. personality. perceptual experience. values. and attitudes. First of all I would wish to state something briefly about the film. On a US atomic missile bomber. a immature first officer stages a mutiny to forestall his trigger happy captain from establishing his missiles before corroborating his orders to make so. An organisation is fundamentally consciously coordinated societal unit. There are three necessities to be an organisation. -group of people-continuous or else undertaking-common end When we look at the Crimson Tide we can see the all three characteristics in that pigboat. First of all they are group of soldier in a atomic pigboat. Second. this group of people are non together but they came together to a undertaking that U. S. Navy atomic pigboat. USS Alabama. to be available to establish its missiles in a pre-emptive work stoppage if Radchenko attempts to fuel his missiles. It is adequate to be an organisation for a group. Third. even though they use different ways. they have a common end which is protecting their state. Most distinguishable accomplishment of Captain Ramsey his experience and trueness to the Navy. He neer inquiries to orders. He thinks he is at that place to use to the orders. sometimes impatiently. and do certain his crew’s trueness to use order. He does non believe to democracy in the pigboat. For illustration he says â€Å"we are here to continue democracy. non to pattern it. Ron Hunter is a immature. rawness. and good educated adult male. He finished Harvard University. He is extremely educated in military history and proficient tactics. Hunter is more analytic and conservative towards his mission. Hunter is against the missile launch and attempts to win over support from Ramsey to corroborate the 2nd message before continuing with the launch. because he has hope that it was perchance an retraction of the old bid. This behaviour shows his humanist and rational side. Hunter plays a figure of functions. He makes certain that Captain Ramsey makes the right picks. For illustration. he is waiting the remainder of the message to launch of the atomic missiles. Besides he motivates his crew. Ramsey is a rigorous and chesty leader who neer motivates his crew. but with the influence from Hunter. Ramsey gives a motivational address after the crew to reconstruct all operations after the Russian onslaught. I will concentrate on Ramsey’s and Hunter’s personality. perceptual experience. values and attitudes in this portion of my assignment ; The Big Five Personality Model: high extroversion: overconfident. pushylow amenity: cold. dissenterhigh conscientiousness: organized. stubbornhigh emotional stableness: self-assured. composurehigh openness to see: funny Properties:Machiavellianism: practical. manipulateSelf-esteem: likes himselfRisk-taking: risk-taking by hiting the missilesMore Type A: multitasksLess Type B: can loosen up without guilty ( after downgrading sitting in his cabin and being composures ) External venue of control: controlled by outside forces ( authorities ) Percept:Perceiver: Captain Frank RamseyTarget: Russians. HunterSituation: Submarine†¦wants to assail RussiaMistakes:Halo consequence: general feeling by a individual feature.Pigeonholing: Harvard pupils are swots and huntsman is one of them without experience Valuess:He belongs seniors coevals. This generation’s features are subject. authorization. traditional Hofstede’s Model: High power distance: Captain as a authorizationHigh Individuality: Focus on his sentimentHigh Maleness: Doesn’t care so much about people ( e. g. fire-alarm ) High Uncertainty turning away: He doesn’t like uncertainness. Privations to move rapidly. For illustration he wants to hit missiles Low long-run orientation: Doesn’t attention about atomic war†¦ . he wants to move now High Indulgence: Submarine/Job is his 2nd place comfy cabin and his Canis familiaris Attitudes: Job satisfaction: work topographic point is like his home†¦ . ( e. g. Canis familiaris ) Disregard: when huntsman took his authorization he went to his cabin and was listening to the music like nil happened before Affectional: emotional relationship to the naval forces. Traditional beliefs Battle: His address to the soldiers at the beginning of the movie. Hunter’s ; Personality:The Big Five Personality Model:high extroversion: self-asserting. gregarious. sociablehigh amenity: co-op. swearing. empathichigh conscientiousness: organized. persistenthigh emotional stableness: self-assured. composurehigh openness to see: flexible. funny Properties:Machiavellianism: practical. manipulateSelf-esteem: ambitious ends related to his callingSelf-monitoring: attending to external environment by constructing a relationship to the MarinessRisk-taking: risk-taking by downgrading RamseyProactive: identifies chances and attempts to forestall atomic war More internal venue of control: controls his fate. independent. makes his ain determinations Percept:Perceiver: Lieutenant Commander Ron HunterTarget: RamseySituation: Submarine†¦ . wants to halt Ramsey and besides atomic war Valuess:He belongs Baby Boomers Generation and Its characteristics are societal acknowledgment. duty Hofstede’s Model: Middle power distance: He sees captain as an authorization but he is non afraid of directing Ramsey in to gaol. He besides makes gags with crew members In-between Individualism: Focus on his sentiment but besides take attention about others sentiment Low Maleness: Takes attention of people and feeling ( e. g. over weight of a crew member ) Low Uncertainty turning away: Takes the hazard of non cognizing what happens following. Doesn’t want to hit missiles High long-run orientation: Afraid of atomic war. Michigans Ramsey Middle Indulgence: Separates work and household. Has his household who is waiting for him but besides he left the birthday of his girl because of his occupation Attitudes: Job satisfaction: He is proud of to be a lieutenantContinuance: Privations to do calling ascent to a captainBattle: Construct a good relationship with the crews

Men,women,sex and Darwin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Men,women,sex and Darwin - Research Paper Example Sex-organs not only decide the gender of human beings but they make a remarkable impact on the social status, social responsibility, attitude, nature and even the destiny of human being. This is the reason why it is not possible to measure both men and women in the same balance scale. According to Hindu philosophy the one and only Supreme Almighty Power divided Himself into two forms, one was Shiva (masculine form) and another was Aadi (feminine form) and thus with formation of two genders the world became complete. Shiva stands for vigour and aggressiveness which is depicted in Indian classical dances whereas Aadi stands for delicacy endurance and optimum commitment. Thus Since ancient time man is regarded as a valiant creature and thus he started dominating the woman. It is the rule of the nature that the strong animal always rules the world. In course of civilization man thus took the charge of ultimate supremacy and thus the Patriarchal family emerged. Sexual desire is same both in man and woman but the desire of man was accepted by the society whereas woman had to conceal her desire all the time. In medieval India, the widowers could marry many times if they lost their wives, but woman, after the death of her husband was never allowed even to think of the other man. She had to live a renounced life even though she lost him at the very tender age of her. Traditionally woman plays the role of a giver whereas man is a taker as far as sexual affair is concerned. She is physically dependent so as financially and mentally. Till now women were financially dependent and this dependency reflects in their sexual life also. Many of the dependent women view that it is their duty to give pleasure to their ultimate God and their God is their husband. Their work all the time is to serve the husband and by default take the entire responsibility of bringing up the kids. The time changed but not the psyche. Yet women are mentally dependent that they cannot take any decision without the consent of any of the male members from the family. There are some women who earn a lot, sometimes more than their husband, but when question of utilizing that money comes, they cannot take their own decision, as they are not used to it. They have not been taught that they also have their views which can differ from their male counterparts. They even cannot spend a single penny without informing their husband. Another thing is that even though in modern world women also are earning and contributing financially in running the family, they get insecure if they find that their husbands are not earning and they are just sitting and living idle life. That is why the educated and earning ladies prefer to marry a rich man or high profiled person. On the contrary, most of the women do not contribute financially but they feel safe in the shadow of their husbands. Even if only man is the bread winner, they do not mind depending on him. So even while choosing the life partner wome n themselves have accepted their second position somewhere. They always want the man superior to them. It does not matter whether the woman is earning or not. Man by nature is polygamous and the circumstances also make him polygamous. He always enjoys lot of freedom and this freedom sometimes leads to promiscuous attitude. As far as love and sex are concerned, man gives importance to the physical beauty of the woman. In case of woman the sexual desire somewhat gets fed after giving the birth to the children. It is because the priorities of her life suddenly get changed and she fully concentrates herself in taking care of her babies. For attaining these ultimate objectives looks for stability from her man. So she always prefers to maintain the relationship with ambitious and rich man. By nature, she tends to fling themselves into the hands of man she loves. At the same time she expects that if she is committed to her husband completely, it is his duty to keep her and their children i n a sound condition always. Libido is the forth basic instinct

Built to Last written by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras Essay

Built to Last written by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras - Essay Example They had been in the business for a long time and had proved that they were solid and not some one-song wonder. The best thing about your book was the criteria that set some firms apart from others. It was good to see that these visionary firms had been selected on the basis of some important traits. I totally agree with the criteria. These firms had to premier institution in their industry, admired by well-known business people and left an impression on the world. All the firms you had chosen did meet that criteria, for example Motorola, Merck and GE had all been extremely successful firms. But things changed for some of them and reading your book now, I feel that some of them wouldn't make it to the list again. For example Motorola is no longer the premier institution, Merck had struggled with its position as well. But there are also the winners such as Procter and Gamble and GE that continue to outperform their competitors. But they might not meet all the standards set for a visionary company. For me today, a visionary company would include some relatively small firms that have earned the respect and awe of public and rivals alike. And my list wouldn't include the big names like Philip Morris or Wal-Mart because there has been severe criticism against their practices.

Trends of electronic communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Trends of electronic communication - Essay Example With the help of webcams, this technology allows communicators to see one another in real time making messages more precise and understandable. It however has the disadvantage of not facilitating communication between individuals when one is offline. E-mail is a communication method that involves the exchange of messages of digital nature from one author to a single or numerous recipients. E-mails have the advantage of storing and forwarding messages, this therefore implies that both the sender and the recipient are not required to be online simultaneously to communicate. This was not however the case at the inception of e-mails when communication could only occur if both parties were online at the same time, more of what is presently the case with instant messaging. It has the advantage of storing information for future reference purposes with e-mails being used as evidence of communication if that need arises. The main advantage of e-mails however, is the inability to receive instant responses especially if the recipient is offline. Unlike e-mails and Instant Messaging, this technology enables individuals to share information with multiple users at the same time. This is unlike instant messaging where communication is on a one on one basis. Users in chat rooms usually have common interests and that makes sharing of similar information among many realistic. In as much as chat rooms allow people to communicate with multiple individuals of identical interest, it has posed a moral dilemma with users using these rooms for sexual purposes giving birth to sexual predators who hide their real identities to advance their evil sexual agenda (Thurlow, Tomic, & Lengel, 2004). Some of these rooms are moderated but the most used have no moderation whatsoever, which is a disadvantage since users could be underage individuals who should not under moderation be allowed to access the rooms, especially those of

Erik Eriksons Eight Psychosocial Stages

Erik Eriksons Eight Psychosocial Stages This paper explores the developmental attributes physically, cognitively and socially of two children, one male and one female, ages five and ten, respectively. This writer will identify the socio-economic status (SEC), age, gender, ethnic background, and family demographics of each of these children. The two children this writer has chosen come from similar living situations (i.e. they both live with single mothers), but have vast differences in their physical, cognitive, and social development. This paper will examine Erik Eriksons Eight Psychosocial Stages as explained by Dacey, Fiore, Travers (2009) in an effort to explain the noticeable differences in the two children that this writer has chosen to observe. These two children were chosen because they are both being raised in a single parent household, which is something that this writer can relate to, as this writer is a single mother. This writer will also explore the Cognitive Development Approach theories of Jean Piaget and A lbert Banduras Social Cognitive Learning in an attempt to further explain the significant differences in these two children. Childhood Observation Theories on Human Development Many psychologists have different perspectives when it comes to analyzing theories on human development. For the purposes of these observations, this writer has chosen to take a closer look at the views of three well known psychologists. The psychological theories of development that this paper will explore are the theories of Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Albert Bandura. First, this writer will discuss Erik Erikson and his Psychosocial Theory of Development. It is a widely accepted belief that, Erik Erikson was the chief proponent of a psychosocial theory of development (2009). This writer believes that Erikson had a great understanding of the human life process. Erik Erikson is best known for his ideas on Stages of Psychosocial Development and Identity Crisis. Erikson broke down the progression of human life into a series of eight stages, each of these stages being marked by a crisis that must be resolved so that the individual can move on to the next stage. It makes perfect sense that everyone should overcome a crisis in order to successfully move on to the next stage in their life. In a seminal work, Erikson used the term crisis as a developmental term that is a time of increased vulnerability and heightened potential (Erikson, 1968). Erikson also contributed to our understanding of personality as it developed and shaped over the course of the li fespan. While we must combine the theories of many psychologists in order to understand the development of humans through the lifespan, Erik Eriksons views on development seem to be the ones with which most people can closely relate. Now, we will move our attention to Jean Piaget, a man who was well ahead of his time. It has been said that, Jean Piaget was among the first researchers to study normal intellectual development (2009). Jean Piaget is credited as being one of the most significant psychologists of the twentieth century. Piaget focused his attention on the roles that cognitive mechanisms play in development. Piagets Stages of Cognitive Development consist of four stages: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete operational, and Formal operational. Piagets first stage is the Sensorimotor stage, which lasts from birth to about two years of age. During the Sensorimotor stage, the infant uses senses and motor abilities to understand the world, beginning with reflexes and ending with complex combinations of Sensorimotor skills (http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/piaget.html). Piagets second stage of Cognitive Development is the Preoperational stage, which lasts from two to seven years of age. It is during this st age that children are able to make use of symbols and rapid growth of language occurs. The third stage of Piagets Cognitive Development is the Concrete operational stage, which lasts from seven to eleven years of age. In this stage, the child can reason about physical objects. The final stage of Piagets Cognitive Development is the Formal operational stage, which occurs from eleven years of age and up. During the Cognitive Development stage, Piaget believed that abstract thinking leads to reasoning with more complex symbols. In this stage we become increasingly competent of adult-style thinking (http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/piaget.html). Lastly, the writer would like to discuss Albert Bandura and Social Cognitive Learning. Banduras Social Cognitive Learning theory suggests that people learn from one another, via observation, imitation, and modeling. For instance, The theory has often been called a bridge between behaviorist and cognitive learning theories because it encompasses attention, memory, and motivation (http://www.learning-theories.com/social-learning-theory-bandura.html). As Bandura and Walters (1963) noted, children often do not do what adults tell them to do but rather what they see adults do, hence learning by observation. There is much to be gained in the area of Social Cognitive Learning by observing others. That is, By observing others, children may acquire new responses, including socially appropriate behaviors (2009). Banduras term for observational learning is modeling. In order for effective modeling to take place, there are four conditions that must be present; these conditions include attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. That is, Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences (http://www.learning-theories.com/social-learning-theory-bandura.html). Discussion This writer will begin by describing the subjects of her observations. For this exercise, the researcher used her son, Aidan, and, Samantha, the daughter of her friend, both of which she has known since birth. Aidan is a 5-year-old, white male with no siblings. He is raised in a single parent household and has no contact with his father. Aidan and his mother live in a very large house with the subjects grandfather on several acres of farm land. Aidan has extensive contact with his grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins, and close family friends that are considered family. Up until recently, Aidan also had extremely close contact and a wonderfully close relationship with his grandmother and great-grandfather, both of whom have passed away within the last two years. In classifying the socio-economic status from which Aidan comes, this writer would describe it as a middle class socio-economic status. Aidan also attends private school with a very small class size. Thus he is privy to more o ne-on-one contact with his teacher, which is something that may not be available to children attending public schools. The second subject that the writer observed is, Samantha, who is a 10-year-old girl, with one male sibling (age 4). She is being raised by her single mother and has never had any contact with her father. Samantha lives in a lower-middle class neighborhood with her mother and younger brother. Before moving into her current home, Samantha grew up in an income based housing complex. Samanthas mother works full time in order to support her two children. Because of her mothers busy work schedule, Samantha spends most of her time with her maternal grandparents. Samantha is of a lower socio-economic status than the other subject of this paper, attends public school and seems to have a hard time socializing with her classmates and teachers. She also appears to struggle with anger issues and has a rather severe lack of self-confidence. Given the observations on the subjects above, the writer will now explore the developmental theories of Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Albert Bandura, respectively. First we will begin with Erik Erikson and his Psychosocial Theories of Development. Aidan, the researchers first subject, appears to be on track with all of Eriksons Psychosocial Stages, within his age range. For instance, In Ericksons first stage, which is by far the most important, infants should develop a sense of basic trust (2009). In Aidans case, this stage was successfully completed due to him being on a set schedule and being surrounded by warmth, care, consistency, and discipline. Though he faced a multitude of health problems during this phase of his development, the love and warmth that was bestowed upon him enabled him to successfully complete Erik Eriksons first stage. Eriksons second Psychosocial stage, Autonomy versus shame and doubt, takes place during early childhood and is focused on children developing a greater sense of personal control (http://psychology.about.com/od/psychosocialtheories/a/psychosocial.htm). Important events associated with this stage of Psychosocial Development include gaining more control over food choices, children wanting to dress themselves and choose their own clothing, toilet training, and control of ones body functions. Aidan was very insistent about doing these things during this phase of his development. Interestingly enough, he displayed some of these behaviors during Ericksons first stage of Psychosocial Development. For example, Aidan was potty trained by the time he was 18 months old, chose his own clothes, and began trying to dress himself. This brings us to Eriksons third stage of Psychosocial Development, Initiative versus Guilt. This phase takes place during the preschool/nursery school years and is marked by children beginning to assert their power and control over the world by directing play and other social interaction (http://psychology.abo ut.com/od/psychosocialtheories/a/psychosocial_2.htm). Manipulation of surroundings are prevalent in this stage of a childs development, as they are building on the ability to control themselves, children now acquire some influence over others in the family (2009). This is the phase of development that Aidan is in currently, and he is definitely an assertive little boy who likes to direct play and be in charge. Aidan can be manipulative in certain situations, such as, if mommy says no, he will immediately go ask his granddaddy. Overall, this researcher feels that Aidan has successfully completed all of Erik Eriksons Psychosocial stages thus far. Now, we will discuss the researchers second subject, Samantha. Upon the researchers observations, Samantha was unsuccessful in completing the Basic trust versus mistrust phase. This writer believes that this may be due to caregivers who were inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting. The afore mentioned variables could very well have contributed to feelings of mistrust in Samantha as an infant. With that stated, Failure to develop trust will result in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable (http://psychology.about.com/od/psychosocialtheories/a/psychosocial.htm). Samanthas mother had her at a very young age and may have been ready to deal with the complete change of life that comes with bringing a child into the world. Because of the unsuccessful completion of this first and most important stage in Samanthas development, she exhibited signs of inadequacy and self-doubt during the Autonomy versus Shame, Doubt phase, thus meaning that she was unsucc essful in completing the second stage as well. When Samantha reached the third stage of Eriksons Psychosocial Theory of Development, there seemed to be a marked improvement in her behavior, however she still displayed characteristics of a child who was very hard to deal with. It was at this time that she was enrolled in a stable preschool where she remained until it was time for her to start kindergarten. This researcher believes that this was probably the stability that Samantha was longing for and so desperately needed. Before being enrolled in preschool, it was not uncommon for her to be subjected to her mothers various relationships, which often were unsuccessful. Since Samantha has never had a father, she always became easily attached to these various men. This leads this researcher to believe that this may be an underlying reason for Samanthas lack of trust and inability to fit in with others. At this point, Samantha has now moved into Eriksons fourth stage of Psychosocial The ory of Development, Industry Inferiority. For instance, Children expand their horizons beyond the family and begin to explore the neighborhood (2009). In Samanthas case, she can best be described as a recluse. From the moment she gets home from school, she doesnt emerge from her room until it is dinnertime. This researcher feels that this is certainly not a healthy environment, as there is no communication between mother and daughter. At times, Samantha seems to be very resentful of her mother. In this researchers opinion, Samantha has not successfully completed any of Erik Eriksons Psychosocial Stages of Development thus far. The writer will now explore Jean Piagets Stages of Cognitive Development. As stated earlier, Jean Piaget believed that cognitive development means that we form more sophisticated cognitive structures as we pass through four stages: the Sensorimotor, the Preoperational, the Concrete operational, and the Formal operational (2009). The Sensorimotor stage, which begins at birth and goes to about 2 years of age, is marked by an infants ability to use their bodies to form cognitive structures. The researchers first subject, Aidan, had various complications that required physical and occupational therapy, as well as neck surgery all before two years of age. Due to these complications, he was somewhat delayed in moving from the Sensorimotor stage to the Preoperational stage. Once he got all of the physical and occupational therapies and neck surgery behind him, he rapidly moved into the Preoperational stage. During this stage, children ages 2 to 7 years, are able to make use of symbols and t here is a rapid growth in language. Aidan, being the researchers son, was taught sign language from three months of age until he was about 2 years old. The reasoning for this was so that he would be able to communicate with others before he was able to talk, but when the time for rapid growth in language came, Aidan preferred to use sign language over verbalization. After a few talks and much encouragement, Aidan soon began to chatter away. Samantha, the writers second subject, flourished throughout the Sensorimotor stage and Preoperational stage. She was a very active little girl with a great imagination and amazing verbal skills. It is the Concrete operational stage that Samantha struggles with. It is during this stage that accommodation occurs. Accommodation is Piagets term to describe the manner by which cognitive structures change (2009). Samantha seems to be unable to make rational judgments, which in turn causes her to be very manipulative. This researcher believes that this goes back to a very lax parenting style in which Samantha is treated as more of a burden than the gift that she is. The final theory to be discussed is Albert Banduras Social Cognitive Learning Theory. Simply stated, Bandura believed that we obtain information from observing other people, things, and events (2009). Bandura stresses the importance of modeling in observational learning. In Aidans case, he has been surrounded by the positive influence of modeling. He is a polite, however sometimes rambunctious little boy who knows how to use his manners. Children are like sponges, always observing and soaking up everything around them. This can sometimes lead to bad behaviors or socially appropriate behaviors. In Samanthas case, she is a product of her surroundings. This researcher believes that due to her stressful home life, Samantha only knows to act out in order to get attention. The unfortunate things about this is that the attention she gains from acting out is never the attention she desperately needs.

Technology - NEXRAD Radar :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

NEXRAD Radar    In the 1950's, the government appropriated money for the building of  Ã‚  Ã‚   weather radar (also known as WSR-57) stations at strategic locations,  Ã‚   usually airports, all across the U.S. Those performed well for the era in which they were used. In the 1990's, new technology was updating  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   everything except weather radar. While Pentium-run computers were plotting scientist's data on color monitors, meteorologists were guessing the movement of thunderstorms on monochrome screens. Because the radar needed to be updated, the Federal Airline Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pulled together money to create a better radar system. This new radar was called NEXRAD (Next Generation Weather Radar) or WSR-88D. Because of this change in technology, more aspects of the weather can be seen and analyzed that in turn save lives. NEXRAD technology is amazing. It can show the motion of rain, sleet, hail and even dust or insects moving towards or away from the radar's antenna. It can detect strong changes in wind direction inside a thunderstorm that could indicate the beginning of tornadic activity. The WSR-57 could never do this. The 88D can track precipitation totals over various periods of time and locations and can track wind speed and direction at various altitudes. The new radar has improved sensitivity and resolution. It can make the invisible wind of a storm visible even if there is no precipitation present. The old radar never had these capabilities and also left 33% of all tornadoes unnoticed. Now that NEXRAD is in place, the percentage has dropped to 13% nationally. Also, offices with WSR-88D radar are issuing fewer severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings that turn out to be false alarms. In Norman, Oklahoma, the false alarm rate dropped from 80% in the 1980's to 18% in 1992 (Williams 43 -46). To understand how NEXRAD receives its images, it is important to know how NEXRAD works. First, it sends radio waves into the surrounding area. Once the radio waves hit something, they bounce back. If precipitation is moving towards the station, it increases the radio waves' frequency. If the wind is blowing precipitation away from the station, the frequency of reflected radio waves is lowered. Doppler radar (NEXRAD) detects these frequency changes and uses them to show wind and precipitation patterns (Williams 176-179). Technology - NEXRAD Radar :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers NEXRAD Radar    In the 1950's, the government appropriated money for the building of  Ã‚  Ã‚   weather radar (also known as WSR-57) stations at strategic locations,  Ã‚   usually airports, all across the U.S. Those performed well for the era in which they were used. In the 1990's, new technology was updating  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   everything except weather radar. While Pentium-run computers were plotting scientist's data on color monitors, meteorologists were guessing the movement of thunderstorms on monochrome screens. Because the radar needed to be updated, the Federal Airline Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pulled together money to create a better radar system. This new radar was called NEXRAD (Next Generation Weather Radar) or WSR-88D. Because of this change in technology, more aspects of the weather can be seen and analyzed that in turn save lives. NEXRAD technology is amazing. It can show the motion of rain, sleet, hail and even dust or insects moving towards or away from the radar's antenna. It can detect strong changes in wind direction inside a thunderstorm that could indicate the beginning of tornadic activity. The WSR-57 could never do this. The 88D can track precipitation totals over various periods of time and locations and can track wind speed and direction at various altitudes. The new radar has improved sensitivity and resolution. It can make the invisible wind of a storm visible even if there is no precipitation present. The old radar never had these capabilities and also left 33% of all tornadoes unnoticed. Now that NEXRAD is in place, the percentage has dropped to 13% nationally. Also, offices with WSR-88D radar are issuing fewer severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings that turn out to be false alarms. In Norman, Oklahoma, the false alarm rate dropped from 80% in the 1980's to 18% in 1992 (Williams 43 -46). To understand how NEXRAD receives its images, it is important to know how NEXRAD works. First, it sends radio waves into the surrounding area. Once the radio waves hit something, they bounce back. If precipitation is moving towards the station, it increases the radio waves' frequency. If the wind is blowing precipitation away from the station, the frequency of reflected radio waves is lowered. Doppler radar (NEXRAD) detects these frequency changes and uses them to show wind and precipitation patterns (Williams 176-179).