Saturday, December 28, 2019

Paavlovian Prodition And Unconditioned Rating Classical...

Pavlovian conditioning, also known as classical conditioning, was a theory developed by John Watson (1913). The theory included learning a new behavior through association. In other words, two stimuli are connected together to create a new response within an animal or a person. Pavlovian conditioning consisted of conditioned stimulus (US), unconditioned stimulus (UCS), condition response (CR) and unconditioned response (UCR). In Pavlov’s (1902) case, food was UCS and salivation was UCR. Then later on when he associated food with a bell, the dog began to salivate. In the end, every time the bell was rung, the dog began to salivate without seeing any kind of food. As long as the two stimuli are presented in a short amount of time, in this†¦show more content†¦As for instrumental conditioning, a rat has to voluntarily work to receive the reward, almost as if it’s a motivation. If a Pavlovian conditioned stimulus is associated with a reward, it will enhance instr umental responding towards the same reward or different. A basic PIT procedure was performed by Estes (1948), which included one positive conditioned stimulus and one lever press. Previous research on transfer was complicated due to lever press training done first. So Estes (1948) decided to train the Pavlovian acquisition before allowing the rats to lever press. In the beginning the rats were reward during each tone (CS), then lever press was required to receive a reward. At the end, there was a greater increase of lever pressing by the rats when the tone was present, versus when it was silent. However, the research done by Estes (1948) only included reward and no extinction. Azrin and Hake (1969) revealed the phenomenon of conditioned suppression in which the rate of response is reduced due to stimulus being paired with a non-contingent shock. However, this study used a non contingent reinforce rather than an aversive shock. When the rats pressed the lever, they were reinforced wi th food or water. During this time, a stimulus was presented with a non-contingent positive reinforce, which was either food, water or brain stimulation. For the rats that were trained with water, were now given food instead and vice versa. However, the rats were placed in an open

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau Essay - 1178 Words

â€Å"Civil Disobedience† by Henry David Thoreau was a means of educating people on why they should not settle for a less than perfect government. Thoreau’s work is a reminder that it is our duty to throw off an unsatisfactory government, as stated by Thomas Jefferson in the â€Å"Declaration of Independence.† Civil Disobedience touches on the subject of why people choose to do nothing about a government they are unhappy with. People fear the consequences they might suffer if they do interfere with the current government. Thoreau stated people cannot spare the protection of the existing government, and they dread the consequences to their property and families of disobedience to it (Thoreau 681). Therefore, most people would not try to†¦show more content†¦Refusing to pay taxes would be considered mostly harmless, however, they are others whose efforts to improve the government have gone drastically overboard and they cause harm to others. Some comm it federal crimes against the government, such as a bombing. Since some means are violent and destructive, some may think Thoreau’s ideas cause more harm than good. Because Thoreau’s ideas conspire against the government, some would think his ideas would cause anarchy and/or chaos. Bei Dao’s poem â€Å"The Answer† was considered to be defiant towards the Chinese government during the 1960s and 1970s. In the poem, Dao states that If a thousand challengers lie beneath your feet, Count me as number one thousand and one. (Dao)† Basically Dao is saying he was tired of seeing people being held back by a corrupt government. It was his hope that by writing about it, people would realize what was happening and stand up for themselves. Dao’s work gave many people hope that they could change the government, and that is exactly what happened. People protested against the government in the Tiananmen Square movements in 1979 and 1989. Consequently, the government changed the way in which it treated its people. There is plenty of evidence showing that a corrupt government is ruling society today. Politicians are often charged with some sort of financial crime. In addition, a large number of political leaders have lied to everyone about their actions while inShow MoreRelatedCivil Disobedience By Henry David Thoreau975 Words   |  4 Pages Henry David Thoreau was a very influential writer in the 1800s and still is today. Thoreau was one of America’s â€Å"greats† when it came to early American literature. Henry David Thoreau wrote one of the most influential essays entitled Civil Disobedience. This essay was Thoreau’s political statement, it outlined his views on non violent resistance. Civil Disobedience was written during the Mexican War. The Mexican War was a conflict between Mexico and America that was caused by a dispute over theRead MoreCivil Disobedience By Henry David Thoreau888 Words   |  4 Pageswhether or not Civil Disobedience is an appropriate weapon in a democracy, one must understand what Civil Disobedience is and how it was developed. The definition of civil disobedience is simple: the refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something. The man who developed the undertones of Civil Disobedience was Henry David Thoreau. Several key figures looked to his famous paper, The Duty of Civil Disobedience, for inspiration. In a Democracy, Civil Disobedience is not anRead MoreHenry David Thoreau And Civil Disobedience1455 Words   |  6 PagesHenry David Thoreau was an American philosopher known for his interest in politics; specifically raising awareness about the injustice committed by the American government. He’s the author of prominent works like Civil Disobedience and Slavery in Massachusetts, which set the setting for the United States at the time. Both of these works follow a common theme of perseverance through difficult ti mes and the role of the self when choosing right from wrong. Thus, he was deeply engaged in the idea ofRead MoreCivil Disobedience By Henry David Thoreau969 Words   |  4 Pages Transcendentalism is an idea that expresses the individuality of a person and his differing beliefs from the current societal opinions. This idea had a few articles written about it such as â€Å"Civil Disobedience† by Henry David Thoreau which in summary states that if you don’t agree with the society’s opinion, you should form your own and fight for it. Another writing about it is â€Å"Self Reliance† by Ralph Waldo Emerson which also basically states that you should follow your heart and not conform toRead MoreHenry David Thoreau : Civil Disobedience933 Words   |  4 Pagesa quote from Henry David Thoreau from his well-known book called Civil Disobedience (Baym, Levine ,2012). His famous book was written after he was jailed for a night for refusing to pay a tax. However, the following day his relatives paid the tax without his knowledge and this inspired his book Civil Disobedience. Though Henry David Thoreau is also known for being a poet, practical philosopher and his two-year project at Walden pond near Concord, Massachusetts (â€Å"Henry David Thoreau,† 2014). His projectRead MoreCivil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau1260 Words   |  6 PagesCivil Disobedience was written by Henry David Thoreau. The Letter From A Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King Jr. They both had similarities and differences. There were injustices that were done wrong to each of them by others in the society in which they both lived. The injustices and civil disobedience they incurred should never happen to anyone. Henry David Thoreau spoke in an emotional tone in his essay â€Å"Civil Disobedience.† The emotional part of his essay of Civil DisobedienceRead MoreCivil Disobedience, By Henry David Thoreau1650 Words   |  7 Pagesweakness? In his 1849 essay â€Å"Civil Disobedience,† American writer Henry David Thoreau explained he had refused to pay his poll tax to the U.S. government for six years because he opposed the U.S. engaged in war with Mexico. This kind of â€Å"civil disobedience,† Thoreau (1849) said, is crucial because â€Å"a minority is powerless while it conforms to the majority; it is not even a minority then†. In fact, he said, â€Å"It costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the State than it wouldRead MoreCivil Disobedience By Henry David Thoreau1384 Words   |  6 Pagesis also known as civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is the most efficient form of protest in a society. In all societies both modern day and past, there has been some sort of government. In history many of these governments have abused their power and have become too powerful. In these cases it was the right of the people to protest. All past societies have agreed the less power a government has the better. In an essay Civil Disobedience, written by Henry David Thoreau the text states â€Å"ThatRead MoreCivil Disobedience: Henry David Thoreau771 Words   |  4 PagesHenry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was a philosopher and writer who is well known for his criticism of the American government during the time. During Thoreau’s life, there were two major issues being debated in the United States: slavery and the Mexican-American War. Both issues greatly influenced his essay, as he actually practiced civil disobedience in his own life by refusing to pay taxes in protest of the Mexican War. He states that the government should be based on conscience and that citizensRead MoreHenry David Thoreau s Civil Disobedience933 Words   |  4 PagesIn Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience, he is writing to the American people. He is trying to spark a desire for change, for people to oppose their government without actions. He uses this work to criticize the American institution of slavery as well as the Mexican-American War. Thoreau is attempting to convey the importance of listening to one’s conscience over the laws, believing that it is more important to do what they feel is right rather than listen to the laws given by the majority. Thoreau

Friday, December 20, 2019

Project Proposal - 1723 Words

Project Plan Project Information Project: PROJECTNAME Project Time-frame: STARTDATE - ENDDATE Attached worksheets: Plan Resource needs Related Documents: Project proposal Target audience and benefits Software development methodology Glossary Process impact: This plan will be used to evaluate and manage the project. Key assumptions that affect the plan should be documented here. The project plan should be updated throughout the life-time of the project. TODO: Fill in the information above and below. Add or remove rows as needed. Use the worksheet to help identify and scope resource needs. Summary of Project ONE OR TWO SENTENCES HERE. For more information see the Project proposal. IF YOU PLAN TO ORGANIZE YOUR WORK†¦show more content†¦Documentation for other groups 3h 6. Reflection 6.1. Postmortem report 10h Total 329 hours Deliverables in this Release TODO: List project deliverables in detail, with delivery dates. Deliverable Name Description Delivery Date Deliverable Name Description Delivery Date Deliverable Name Description Delivery Date Deliverable Name Description Description Description Description Description Description Description Description Delivery Date Deliverable Name Description Delivery Date Schedule for this Release TODO: Make the rows in this table match the steps in your WBS above. If you have a large number of detailed steps, you can skip the most detailed ones. The columns of the table represent weeks of calendar time. For each cell in the table, enter the number of hours ideal engineering time that the team will spend on that task that week. Total your hours across and down. TIP: These hours should total to the same as the total of the hours listed in your resource needs document. And, the hours for each type of effort resources needed should correspond to the sum for each type of task. Task \ Week W-01 W-02 W-03 W-04 W-05 W-06 W-07 W-08 W-09 W-10 W-11 W-12 Task Total 1. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 2. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 3. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 4.1.A. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 4.1.B. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 4.1.C. 00 00 00 00 00 00Show MoreRelatedProposal for Final Project996 Words   |  4 PagesPROPOSAL FOR FINAL PROJECT Background This is my answer to the Week 5 which is the starting week for the Module Three Final Project. I will be using diverse sources of knowledge and information including real life experience, text books, class discussions, journals and publications both hard copy; and where available and on the internet. I will be doing an original review and analysis in the final project. Proposal This week however, I will be submitting a proposal for the final project. ThisRead More Project Proposal Essay568 Words   |  3 PagesProject Proposal INTRODUCTION Topic and Purpose This proposal identifies the need for a document, which will propose and develop reasons why a for-profit transportation service for Kent should be perused. This service should be considered because of the recent parking and commuting problems both on and off campus. There have been many reasons why on-campus parking has become difficult in recent years. Increased student enrollment at Kent State University has posed many problems. TheRead MoreProject Proposal For Saving Spending800 Words   |  4 Pagesorganization profitability, there are things that must be done. Here below are my proposals. 1) Proposals for saving spending in the organization: The current organization runs with 25 expatriates from different countries. These headcounts are 10 times more expensive compared to the local headcounts. If these expatriates are replaced by the local indigenes the organization can save a lot of money. The proposal is to reduce the number of expatriates from 25 to 18. Benefits to the organizationRead MoreStudio Proposal For A Studio Project2349 Words   |  10 PagesStudio Proposal Jogendra Chowdari Achanta Proposal JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICAL, COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES Making predictions on the closing of new questions posted on the Stack Overflow Website Jogendra Chowdari Achanta Advisor: Dr. Aaron Garrett Submitted in partial fulfillment Of the requirements of a Masters Studio Project November 28, 2016 Preface This is a proposal for a Studio Project for partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of ScienceRead MoreProject Proposal Template1433 Words   |  6 Pagesreza.sinha@yahoo.com Project Proposal Template Cover Page United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability Project title:   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Name of implementing agent(s):  Ã‚  Ã‚   Project location:   Ã‚  Ã‚   Proposed starting date:  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Project duration: Amount requested from Voluntary Fund (US$): Government inputs:  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Implementing agent inputs: Other donor inputs: Brief summary description of the project proposal: Describe problem addressed, proposed solution, expected results, intended beneficiariesRead MoreProject Proposal For A Project831 Words   |  4 PagesPURPOSE A Project Charter is a mandatory document written in the â€Å"Project Initiation†. It provides the formal authorization of the existence of a project, and provides the Project Manager with the authority to apply resources to support project activities. The information contained in this Project Charter is high-level information that is known at the time of approval / issuing the Project Charter. The primary audience of this document consists of the project team and the stakeholders of theRead MoreGuidelines for Project Proposals1783 Words   |  8 PagesGuidelines for Project Proposals* A technical proposal, often called a Statement of Work,† is a persuasive document. Its objectives are to 1. Identify what work is to be done 2. Explain why this work needs to be done 3. Persuade the reader that the proposers (you) are qualified for the work, have a plausible management plan and technical approach, and have the resources needed to complete the task within the stated time and cost constraints. What makes a good proposal? One attribute is appearanceRead MoreEvaluation Of A Project Proposal1163 Words   |  5 PagesVice-president Deirlien, I have received the three project proposals for review along with the information relative to what the company is seeking to gain as a result of project implementation. Taking those factors into account, my team is prepared to present a project recommendation. Moving forward it would make the most sense to move forward with two of the three proposed projects, Project Juniper and Project Stargazer. While these projects are drastically different, implementing together willRead MoreProject Proposal Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pagesseven to eight (7-8) page paper in which you: 1. Recommend a project portfolio management method for your selected project. Provide a rationale for your recommendation. Note: Be sure to align your project with the strategic efforst of the organization. 2. Create an outline of an executive summary that includes the type of problem, requirements, and proposed business problems solutions. 3. State the vision and the goal of the project. Note: Be sure that the goals are specific, Measurable, AttainableRead MoreProject Proposal For The Charter1367 Words   |  6 PagesProject Closeout The project was initiated with the creation of the charter. The charter was made to set up the project and summarize its goals, vision, objectives, constraints, deliverables, scope, business needs, assumptions and vision. Throughout the whole project, the charter was used as a reference to remind us what the purpose of the project was. The project charter formally established the legitimacy of the project and allowed the project manager to have an authority over applying organizational

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Characters of Women in The Handmaids Tale and The...

Women in The Handmaids Tale and The Bell Jar nbsp; Sylvia Plaths renowned autobiographical legend The Bell Jar and Margaret Atwoods fictional masterpiece The handmaids tale are the two emotional feminist stories, which basically involve the womens struggle. Narrated with a touching tone and filled with an intense feminist voice, both novels explore the conflict of their respective protagonists in a male dominated society. In spite of several extraordinary similarities in terms of influential characterization and emotive themes, both novels are diverse as far as their respective style, structure and setting is concerned. While Plaths preference of frequent flashback is admirable and absorbing, Atwoods choice of†¦show more content†¦While, the shock of such dreadful experience leaves a profound impact on Esther, the protagonist of The Bell Jar resulting in her mental downfall, it is common for Offred, the protagonist of The Handmaids Tale to uncensoredly accept the reality of her world, as sexual involvement is her profession. We are for breeding purposes. There is supposed to be nothing entertaining about us, no room is to be permitted for the flowering of secret lusts. We are two-legged wombs, thats all: sacred vessels, ambulatory chalices (The Handmaids Tale, p. 176). and I used to think of my body as an instrument, of pleasure, or a means of transportation, or an implement for the accomplishment of my will...There were limits, but my body was nevertheless lithe, single, solid, one with me...Now the flesh arranges itself differently. Im a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I, am and glows red within its translucent wrapping (The Handmaids Tale, p.95). These two are the outstanding quotes narrated by Offred, showing her acceptance to the actuality. In addition both novels convey similar themes of sexual exploitation and restricted role of women in the society. The Bell Jar represents sexual exploitation in 1950s which is true to a certain extent, since the origin of pornography due to the impact of movies and sexual revolution which became rampant during this era. On the contrary, it is indeed, ironicShow MoreRelatedFeminism in Novel Makaan of Paigham Afaqui1301 Words   |  6 Pageshuman being, before being cast into a gender stereotype. Not all these works follow a direct approach towards this goal of equality. It is only through such media that women believed a change was possible in the way they were perceived in society. Not all feminist literature has been written by women, but also by men who understood women beyond the roles they were expected to fit into, and delved into their psyche to understand their needs and desires. Some works may be fictional, while others may be

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Outsourcing Entire Reservation Department †Free Assignment Sample

Question: Discuss about theOutsourcing Entire Reservation Department. Answer: Introduction Over the past decade, outsourcing of the human resources has become a major trend. Outsourcing refers to the practice of contracting another organisation to perform some of organisation functions instead of maintaining an in-house department to perform those functions (Kubr 2002, p. 509). According to Heywood (2001), organisations are motivated by different factors to outsource their functions. For example, organisation A can outsource its functions because of lack of qualified personnel while organisation B can outsource its services to reduce its operational costs. Outsourcing in the hotel industry is increasingly becoming common although the practice is not widespread (Lamminmaki 2007, p. 88). Lamminmaki further argues that the practice is common especially among the hotels and resorts operating in regional areas because of the difficulties they face in attracting competent staff. This paper will provide a literature review on whether a hotel can outsource its entire reservation d epartment. Discussion The hotel industry is quite competitive because of a large number of players operating in the industry. The industry competitiveness calls for the hotels to be more innovative in their operations. Therefore, it is important for the hotels to develop and implement policies that act as a source of competitive advantage. Outsourcing can be used by hotels to gain a competitive advantage. Outsourcing helps a hotel grow while restraining its payroll costs (Espino-Rodriguez Robaina 2005, p. 703). According to Hospitality Management (2012), the reservation department is one of the most important departments because its the first contact point with customers making reservations. Providing poor services at this point can lead to loss of customers. To objective of the hotel is to sell all the rooms and ensure customer satisfaction. To achieve this objective, the hotel should emphasise on its advantages and ensure competent and qualified personnel in the reservation department. The hotel can either invest in maintaining an in-house reservation department or consider outsourcing the department to an independent firm. Outsourcing the reservation department will have the following advantages; Improved Quality Lamminmaki (2011, p. 968) argue that the outsourced firms are professional firms in their areas of operation. As such, these firms invest significant resources to ensure they have competent and qualified personnel as well as the right types of equipment. The outsourced firms better perform the outsourced functions because they are professionals and have more expertise. Therefore, outsourcing the reservation department would improve the quality of services offered to the customers. Risk Sharing According to Chatzoglou and Sarigiannidis (2009, p. 112), outsourced firms are independent contractors and are responsible for their actions. Outsourcing the reservation department functions helps the hotel shift responsibilities to the outsourced firms. Additionally, the outsourced firms can better plan the risk-mitigating actions. Outsourcing helps the hotel concentrate on essential operations without worrying about the reservation departments risks. Reduced Recruitment and Operational Costs Outsourcing eliminates the need to hire and train staff and also the need to provide space within the company. Thus, outsourcing the reservation department would help save costs associated with the recruitment of staff as well as other costs of maintaining an in-house department. Cost saving is one of the prime advantages of outsourcing (Asefeso 2012, p. 46). Concentration on Core Business According to Chatzoglou and Sarigiannidis (2009, p. 123) outsourcing provides an opportunity for the organisation to concentrate on its core business rather than concentrating on the supporting operations. When business concentrates on operations, not their expertise, they are likely to implement inappropriate policies leading to loss of customers and reduced profitability. Outsourcing the reservation department would enable the hotel management to concentrate on the core hotel business. Concentrating on core hotel operations could lead to the provision of better services and increased profitability. Customer Satisfaction The outsourced firms are independent contractors and are bound by contract to offer certain levels of quality and service (Leeman Reynolds 2012). Leeman and Reynolds (2012) claim that it is unlikely for the outsourced firms to offer poor services or fail to meet customer needs. These firms have specialised equipment and qualified personnel. Therefore, outsourced firms usually offer high-quality services hence increasing customer satisfaction. Increased Efficiency According to Leeman and Reynolds (2012) outsourcing a function exposes an organisation to competent and qualified staff as well as specialised equipment. Thus, outsourcing allows for quick service delivery and provision of high-quality services. The outsourced departments are more efficient compared to the in-house organisation departments. Therefore, outsourcing the hotel reservation department increases efficiency in service delivery. Outsourcing the reservation department would also have some disadvantages. Some of these disadvantages include the following; Lack of Customer Focus Whiteman (2009) argues that the outsourced firms are likely to have more than one client. Therefore, it is likely that the outsourced firm will lack complete focus on the organisation tasks. Thus, outsourcing the reservation department could result in delivery of poor quality services. If so, the hotel could lose its customers, especially, considering the importance of the reservation department because it is the first position of contact with customers. Risk of Exposing Confidential Information At the reservation point, the company is likely to acquire confidential customer information. The hotel has a duty to ensure such information is not disclosed to any third party. The breach of this duty could result in increased litigations against the hotel and loss of customer confidence. Outsourcing the reservation department involves a risk of exposing customers confidential information. Poor Quality Services According to Whiteman (2009), outsourcing could expose an organisation to the provision of poor services unless the contract specifically identifies parameters to measure the quality of services provided. As such, outsourcing the reservation department could lead to the provision of poor services resulting in customer dissatisfaction. Negative Customer Experience According to Tavana (2014, p. 128) it is likely that the outsourced employee will not be as passionate and knowledgeable about the organisation as regular employees, resulting in negative customer experience. The reservation department is the first point of interaction between the hotel and its customers. A negative customer experience at this point would create a bad image of the hotel to the customer. According to research, a majority of customers who have a negative experience at the first point of interaction are unlikely to visit the hotel in future or even recommend someone to the hotel (Lamminmaki 2007). Therefore, outsourcing the reservation department could lead to loss of customers because of negative customer experience. Loss of Managerial Control Signing the contract to have another firm perform the functions of the entire company department turns the control and management of that function to the outsourced firm (Hunter 2006, p. 58). As such, the outsourced department is under the control and management of the contracted firm. Hunter (2006, p.59) further claim that the outsourced firm is driven by different standards and mission. The mission of the outsourced firm is to make a profit from the services they are offering. The conflicting objectives can lead to the provision of poor quality services. In such a situation the hotel management cannot be able to influence the quality of services because they dont have control of the outsourced department. Hidden Costs According to Whiteman (2009) the contract between the outsourced firm and the company clearly spell out the services to be offered by the outsourced firm. Therefore, the hotel would be expected to meet the costs of additional services not covered in the contract. Additionally, the hotel will be required to meet additional costs like legal fees for hiring a lawyer to review the contract. Bad Publicity Donada and Nogatchewsky (2009, p. 369) argue that outsourcing has a different meaning to different people. Some people argue that outsourcing result in loss of jobs and provision of poor quality services while other people argue, outsourcing result in delivery of high-quality services. Therefore, outsourcing could result in bad publicity for the hotel. Inefficiency Chatzoglou and Sarigiannidis (2009, p. 125) argue that efficiency is influenced by factors like the management ability to motivate employees and the level of resources of the outsourced firm. When the entire department is outsourced, there is the risk of the department becoming inefficient. For example, if the outsourced firm is financially unstable, it is likely that the outsourced function will become inefficient over time. There are various advantages as well as disadvantages of Outsourcing an entire department of an organisation. Therefore, the decision to outsource or not to outsource requires careful evaluation by the management. Prior to outsourcing the entire reservation department the hotel management should conduct a cost-benefit analysis. The outsourcing cost-benefit analysis should consider the following factors; Cost Saving According to Kremic, Icmeli Tukel and Rom (2006, p. 476), the aim of outsourcing is to reduce the operation expenses and increase profits. The hotel management should thus consider whether outsourcing will result in cost reduction and provision of high-quality services. Tavana (2014, p. 132) outsourcing should not result in the provision of poor quality services despite the cost reduction. Therefore, if outsourcing would result in the provision of poor quality services, then the services should not be outsourced. Outsourced Firms Resources The quality of services depends on the level of resources of the outsourced firm (Kremic, et al., 2006, p. 476). For example, if the outsourced firm is financially unstable, it is likely that it will provide poor services. Therefore, the decision to outsource should carefully consider the level of resources of the vendor, especially the human and technology resources. The purpose of outsourcing would be defeated if the human and technology resources cannot successfully hand the operations of the outsourced department. Quality and Timeliness According to Heywood (2001, p. 89) organisation competitiveness depends on the provision of quality and timely services. The hotel management should enquire about the quality of services provided by the vendor. The management should outsource the entire department only if there is a guarantee that the vendor will provide timely high-quality services. Competitive Advantage Factor Outsourcing should be targeted at creating a competitive advantage for the hotel. The outsourced firm should be more of a partner rather than being just a vendor. To ensure a competitive advantage in the market, the vendor should be reliable and willing to maximise resources for the client's interest (Heywood 2001, p. 90). Outsourced Firm Management Outsourcing results in the management loss of the control over that department. Therefore, it is important for the hotel management to consider the competence of the vendors management. If the vendors management is incompetent, it is likely that the department will be inefficient (Heywood 2001, p. 90). Confidentially According to Kremic, et al., (2006) outsourcing exposes the hotel to the potential danger of disclosure of confidential client information by the outsourced firm. Signing a confidentiality agreement restrict the outsourced firm to disclose any client information and imposes liability on the vendor in the event of disclosure of information. The hotel should only be willing to contract a vendor who is willing to sign the confidentiality agreement. A hotel can outsource its entire reservation department. However, the hotel management should conduct a cost- benefit analysis to ascertain the costs versus the benefits of outsourcing. Outsourcing the entire reservation department should only be acceptable in circumstances where the benefits are more than the cost. Therefore, the question of whether a hotel can outsource its entire reservation department depends on the outsourcing cost-benefit analysis results. Conclusion The hotel industry is quite competitive because of a large number of players in the industry. To successfully compete, hotels need to develop and implement appropriate strategies. One of the strategies adopted by hotels is outsourcing some of its functions. Outsourcing enables the hotel management to concentrate on core activities. However, a careful cost-benefit analysis will help the management make an informed decision. Therefore, before making the decision to outsource the entire reservation department, the management need to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages as well as other factors that would influence their decision to outsource or not to outsource. Reference List Asefeso, A. (2012). Outsourcing: the competitive advantage. Lexington, KY, [publisher not identified]. Chatzoglou, P.D. Sarigiannidis, L. (2009). Business outsourcing and organisational performance: The case of the Greek hotel industry. International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 11(2), pp.105-127. Donada, C. Nogatchewsky, G. (2009). Emotions in outsourcing. An empirical study in the hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(3), pp.367-373. Espino-Rodriguez, T.F. Robaina, V.P. (2005). The management perception of the strategic outsourcing of services: An empirical examination in the hotel sector. The Service Industries Journal, 25(5), pp.689-708. Heywood, J. (2001). Outsourcing dilemma: the search for competitiveness, the. FT Press. Hospitality Management. (2012). Hotel departments and their functions in room division. Hunter, I. (2006). HR business partners: emerging service delivery models for the HR function. Aldershot, Eng, Gower Pub. Kremic, T., Icmeli Tukel, O. Rom, W.O. (2006). Outsourcing decision support: a survey of benefits, risks, and decision factors. Supply Chain Management: an international journal, 11(6), pp.467-482. Kubr, M. (2002). Management consulting: a guide to the profession. Geneva, International Labour Office. Lamminmaki, D. (2007). Outsourcing in Australian hotels: a transaction cost economics perspective. Journal of Hospitality Tourism Research, 31(1), pp.73-110. Lamminmaki, D. (2011). An examination of factors motivating hotel outsourcing. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30(4), pp.963-973. Leeman, D. Reynolds, D. (2012). Trust and outsourcing: Do perceptions of trust influence the retention of outsourcing providers in the hospitality industry?. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(2), pp.601-608. Tavana, M. (2014). Developing business strategies and identifying risk factors in modern organizations. Whiteman, H. (2009). Outsourcing: a study of the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Ayn Rand Anthem Paper Essay Example For Students

Ayn Rand Anthem Paper Essay When born into the world, you are sheltered and nourished. When the appropriate age is reached you begin your schooling. Once your education is complete you are employed and work with complete security in your trade. At forty years of age you retire and spend the rest of your days with your peers, with everything requested provided for you. That is as long as you learn at the same pace as everyone else. If youre too bright you will be punished. And as long as you dont ask too many questions, the overly inquisitive are beaten. As long as you dont care who you are told to sleep with, because we know who your genes are most compatible with. And as long as you dont believe you are any different or any better than anyone else is, because that will cost you your life. You arent granted a name or an identity or a soul. There are no individuals; there is only the collective. This is the world of Anthem. Ayn Rand composes Anthem in an almost lyrical fashion and the majority of the text embraces poetry more faithfully than it does prose. This does little to affect the storytelling, but it encourages the reader to view the novella as an extended poem which detracts from the seriousness of the piece. Rand presents her tale of a man who dares to make individual choices, to seek knowledge in a dark age, to love the woman of his choice. In a society in which people have no names, no independence, and no values, he is hunted for the unpardonable crime: having the courage to stand above the crowd. Rands own beliefs and her philosophy are most obviously seen through the protagonist, Equalitys, struggles. By having us bear witness to this oppression, her opinion on the detrimental effects of collectivism is projected to us. The world described in Anthem is a primitive one, although it is set in the future. All technological development has been lost, because What is not done collectively cannot be good, and, What is not thought by all men cannot be true. p.81 In this collectivist society, the individual has been lost to assimilation, and all creativity is suppressed. In spite of all of this, Equality has always been different; in the world in which he lives, this is a terrible sin. He is continually reprimanded for his free thinking, and for a variety of circumstances which are beyond his control. Among these are his height, and his ability to learn. This illustrates what Rand believes will happen should the state become too powerful. Her philosophy desires a limited government, where no one has the right to control an individual in ways such as these. Those who break the terms of the oppression placed upon them in Anthem, are known as transgressors. Rands philosophy claims that all are entitled to as much as they are able to attain; therefore, to achieve freedom in Anthem, one must be willing  to go beyond these enforced limitations. This is a key statement from the book, in that to transcend mediocrity one must more often than not disregard set limitations. This initial transgression leads to his progression away from the state, and helps him to discover the power within himself. At this point, Equality is still not yet free. Complete freedom comes to him in the Uncharted Forest. It is here that he first begins to question authority, as Rand firmly believed that we should. Although he had been disobedient for some time, he had never considered his society as a flawed one. Equality says, We have broken the law, but we have never doubted it. p.97 According to Rand, accepting without questioning will lead to the downfall of society. Anthem is meant to be an inspiration, as the saint of the pyre in the story inspired Equality to search for the unspeakable word. .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c , .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .postImageUrl , .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c , .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c:hover , .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c:visited , .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c:active { border:0!important; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c:active , .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0a8e61eee758f26c68537791c5203a6c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Work Of Joseph Beuys Art EssayThis aforementioned word is I. Throughout the story, characters struggle with their language, unable to find a way to express themselves individually. Without any singular pronouns, the words of one are made to be the words of all. Throughout the story, Equality has two main accomplishments. One of these, is the discovery of the word I. The other is the rediscovery of electricity, the power of the sky. p.56 This power is referred to as the light. This light is the central symbol in the story. It represents enlightenment, as well as the individuals spirit and power. The allusion to Prometheus is obvious in this segment of the story. This is the message Rand wished to express in Anthem. While Rand is often criticised for her work, and how her philosophy excuses mans inhumanity to man, Ayn Rand has an incredible vision to offer in many respects a radiantly rational one. I am convinced that there are errors in that vision and elements that need to be changed, eliminated, modified, or added and amplified, but I am also convinced that there is a great deal in her vision that will stand the test of time. Objectivism was interesting in high school and there are elements of it that form the basis of my thought process, but it is something that you outgrow. In part I believe from Rands own statements. Individuals wish to think like her for a period of time and then wish to think like themselves. This is perhaps the only real good that comes from Rands work. Unfortunately there are many who cling to objectivism as the manual for life. While I would not advocate her philosophy, she is an exceptional writer and I would recommend Anthem. Just dont get carried away.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

A Systematic Review of Business Incubation Research free essay sample

This article systematically reviews the literature on business incubators and business incubation. Focusing on the primary research orientations—i. e. studies centering on incubator development, incubator con? gurations, incubatee development, incubator-incubation impacts, and theorizing about incubators-incubation—problems with extant research are analyzed and opportunities for future research are identi? ed. From our review, it is clear that research has just begun to scratch the surface of the incubator-incubation phenomenon. While much attention has been devoted to the description of incubator facilities, less attention has been focused on the incubatees, the innovations they seek to diffuse, and the incubation outcomes that have been achieved. As interest in the incubator-incubation concept continues to grow, new research efforts should focus not only on these under-researched units of analysis, but also on the incubation process itself. JEL Classi? cation: M13, O2, O31, O32, O38 1. Introduction Incubator-incubation research began in earnest in 1984 with the promulgation of the results of Business Incubator Pro? es: A National Survey (Temali and Campbell, 1984). Underscoring the enthusiasm of early researchers, only three years passed before two literature reviews were generated (i. e. , Campbell and Allen, 1987; Kuratko and LaFollette, 1987). However, since these early efforts to synthesize and analyze the state of incubator-incubation science, and despite the fact that the body of research has grown considerably 1 Vanderbilt University Management of Technology Program Box 1518, Station B, Nashville, TN 37235 USA E-mail: sean. m. [emailprotected] vanderbilt. du 2 Vanderbilt University Management of Technology Program Box 1518, Station B, Nashville, TN 37235 USA E-mail: david. m. [emailprotected] edu in the intervening years, a systematic review of the literature remains conspicuously absent. The primary objectives of this article are to systematically review the incubator-incubation literature and to provide direction for fruitful future research. Ultimately 38 studies were included in our review. We included a study in our review if it viewed the incubator as an enterprise that facilitates the early-stage development of ? ms by providing of? ce space, sharedservices and business assistance. When examining the literature chronologically, ? ve primary research orientations are evident: incubator development studies, incubator con? guration studies, incubatee development studies, incubator-incubation impact studies, and studies that theorize about incubators-incubation. While these orientations are not necessarily orthogonal, we employ them as classi? cations of convenience that we hope will facilitate a discussion of the literature. We have limited the review in several ways. First, we con? ne our coverage of the literature to studies devoted explicitly to incubators and/or incubation. Although the locus of the incubatorincubation concept is the nexus of forces involving new venture formation and development, new product conceptualization and development, and business assistance (each of which has an established body of research), to expand the scope of the review beyond research explicitly focused on incubators-incubation would make this research project impossible to complete on a timely basis. Second, although practitioner literature has in? uenced academic research, we center our review on the academic literature, except in cases where the practitioner literature has proven especially in? uential and has some intrinsic academic face validity. Third, with our long-term research interests in mind, we selected literature that conceptualizes incubators-incubation as a strategy Journal of Technology Transfer, 29, 55–82, 2004 # 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Manufactured in The Netherlands. 56 Hackett and Dilts or facilitating new business development rather than as a strategy for developing real estate. While this review is primarily intended for researchers who are considering potential research topics, we also believe that it will be of use to incubation industry stakeholders who are interested in understanding the epistemological evolution of the incubator-incubation concept. Our contribution is a synthesis and analysis of concepts, empirical ? ndings, and problems related to extant incubator-incubation research, as well as an identi? ation of potential areas for future research. In this section, we have noted the need for a systematic review of the literature, provided a working de? nition of the incubator-incubation concept, and delimited the scope of our review. The remainder of the article is organized in the following manner. First, we describe the methodology we employed in identifying and selecting articles for review. Second, we provide a formal de? nition of the incubator-incubation concept, place incubator-incubation literature in its historical context and review the research along the ? e primary research orientations described above. Third, we identify several challenges within extant research and suggest new avenues for future research. Speci? cally, we note the need for future research to address the lack of convergence in the terms and concepts of discourse related to incubators-incubation, the lack of theoretically meaningful incubator classi? cations, the lack of a business incubation process model, and the longstanding challenges in the de? nition and measurement of incubator-incubatee ‘‘success’’. We conclude by emphasizing the need to identify and unpack the variables of business incubation with a view toward developing theories that help to explain how and why the incubation process leads to speci? c incubation outcomes. 2. Methodology for identifying articles for review To identify the population of publications for review, we conducted an electronic journal database search of ProQuest-ABI/Inform, Science Direct and UMI Dissertation Abstracts using the search terms ‘‘incubator’’ and ‘‘incubation’’. Our objective was to conduct a census of all published esearch on incubators-incubation written in English between 1984 and early 2002. After identifying and retrieving all articles archived electronically in the databases identi? ed above, we read the bibliographies of these articles to identify other articles on incubators-incubation published prior to electronic archiving or not archived in the electronic databases, and subse quently retrieved those articles. We reviewed those articles’ bibliographies and found yet more articles dealing with various aspects of incubators-incubation and repeated the process of retrieving articles and reading through the bibliographies. Reasonably con? dent that all extant articles on incubators-incubation had been identi? ed and retrieved, we then checked all of the retrieved articles against a bibliography created by the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) in 2001 that lists all (peer-reviewed, non-peer reviewed and popular press) articles related to incubation in order to ensure to the best of our ability that the entire population of articles on incubators-incubation had been collected. The articles considered for review appear in the following journals: American Journal of Small Business, Economic Development Quarterly, Economic Development Review, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Harvard Business Review, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Journal of Property Management, Journal of Small Business Management, Policy Studies Journal, Public Administration Quarterly, Regional Studies, Research Policy, Technology Management, and Technovation. Ultimately 35 articles (26 empirical studies and nine non-empirical studies), two dissertations and one national survey were included in this literature review (a complete listing of the studies reviewed is included in Appendix A). The distribution of articles among journals was highly skewed toward journals with an economic development perspective: Six articles appeared i n Economic Development Quarterly and another four articles appeared in Economic Development Review. Considering the high number of often-cited publications appearing in these two periodicals, it is clear that the economic development perspective has in? enced the ? eld of published business incubation studies. A Systematic Review of Business Incubation Research 57 The complete distribution of research perspectives applied to business incubation studies is detailed in Appendix B. 3. Primary research orientations In this section, we offer a formal de? nition of the incubator-incubation concept. Next we brie? y describe the historical context in the United States in which incubator-incubation research has evolved. Then we review the literature, using the ? ve primary research orientations mentioned above as our organizing principle. When reporting key ? ndings of each research orientation, we stratify the results based on their relevance to three different units of analysis: community, incubator, or incubatee. Figure 1. Incubator-incubation concept map. graphically depicts the incubator-incubation concept de? ned here. What is the incubator-incubation concept? Based on insights gleaned from reviewing the literature as well as from conducting ? eldwork in Asia and North America, we offer the following de? nition: A business incubator is a shared of? cespace facility that seeks to provide its incubatees (i. . ‘‘portfolio-’’ or ‘‘client-’’ or ‘‘tenant-companies’’) with a strategic, value-adding intervention system (i. e. business incubation) of monitoring and business assistance. This system controls and links resources with the objective of facilitating the successful new venture development of the incubatees while simultaneously contain ing the cost of their potential failure. Additionally, we offer the following corollary: When discussing the incubator, it is important to keep in mind the totality of the incubator. Speci? cally, much as a ? rm is not just an of? e building, infrastructure and articles of incorporation, the incubator is not simply a shared-space of? ce facility, infrastructure and mission statement. Rather, the incubator is also a network of individuals and organizations including the incubator manager and staff, incubator advisory board, incubatee companies and employees, local universities and university community members, industry contacts, and professional services providers such as lawyers, accountants, consultants, marketing specialists, venture capitalists, angel investors, and volunteers. Figure 1 Historical context of ncubator-incubation development in the USA It is generally accepted that the ? rst incubator was established as the Batavia Industrial Center in 1959 at Batavia, New York (Lewis, 2002). A local real estate developer acquired an 850,000 ft2 building left vacant after a large corporation exited the area (Adkins, 2001). Unable to ? nd a tenant capable of leasing the entire facility, the developer opted to sublet subdivided partitions of the building to a variety of tenants, some of whom requested business advice and/or assistance with raising capital (Adkins, 2001). Thus was the ? rst business incubator born. In the 1960s and 1970s incubation programs diffused slowly, and typically as governmentsponsored responses to the need for urban/Midwestern economic revitalization. Notably, in the 1960s interest in incubators-incubation was piqued by the development of University City Science Center (UCSC), a collaborative effort at rationalizing the process of commercializing basic research outputs (Adkins, 2001). In the 1970s interest in the incubator-incubation concept was further catalyzed through the operation of the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Centers Program, an effort to stimulate and institutionalize best practices in the processes of evaluating and 58 Hackett and Dilts commercializing selected technological inventions (Bowman-Upton et al. , 1989; Scheirer, 1985). In the 1980s and 1990s the rate of incubator diffusion increased signi? cantly when (a) the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act in the U. S. Congress in 1980 decreased the u ncertainty associated with commercializing the fruits of federally funded basic research, (b) the U. S. legal system increasingly recognized the importance of innovation and intellectual property rights protection, and (c) pro? t opportunities derived from the commercialization of biomedical research expanded. In this environment several incubator development guides4 as well as non-academic reports and articles5 with a geographic and normative focus on current or potential business incubation efforts were generated. This surge in report-generating activity in the early 1980s and the formation of the NBIA in 1985 underscore the growth in popular interest in business incubation in the 1980s. Concurrent to these and other local efforts at studying and unleashing the potential of business incubation to foster economic development, academic incubation studies began in earnest. Much of this early research addresses the questions ‘‘What is an Incubator? ’’ and ‘‘What do we need in order to develop an effective incubator? ’’ Business Incubator Pro? les: A National Survey (Temali and Campbell, 1984), a ground-breaking survey of 55 business incubators, is the ? rst academic attempt to address these questions by describing in detail the incubators operating in the United States. It is comprehensive in scope, taking the incubator, the incubator manager, the incubatees, and the services provided by the incubator as various units of analysis. Although this survey does not test hypotheses or attempt to build theory, its rich descriptive data and insightful perspective established a platform upon which much subsequent incubator development research is based. In the late 1990s, fueled by irrationally exuberant stock valuations of several for-pro? t incubators and/or their incubatees, the media popularized a fantasy of business incubators as innovation hatcheries capable of incubating and taking public ‘‘in? itely scaleable, dot-com ebusiness start-ups’’ less than a year after entering the incubator. This fantasy and the incubatorincubation concept were largely abandoned and left for dead by the popular press after the collapse of the United States’ stock market bubble. 6 However, rumors of the demise of the incubatorincubation conc ept are ‘‘greatly exaggerated’’. The media reached its negative conclusions regarding incubators-incubation while ? xated on forpro? t incubators, a relatively small segment of the total incubator population. The vast majority of incubators are non-pro? t entities that continue to incubate below the ‘‘radar screens’’ of most journalists. Since the establishment of the ? rst business incubator, most incubators have been established as publicly funded vehicles for job creation, urban economic revitalization, and the commercialization of university innovations, or as privately funded organizations for the incubation of highpotential new ventures (Campbell and Allen, 1987). The fact that most incubators are publicly funded is not trivial. Despite normative incubation industry association positions asserting the importance of operating incubators as enterprises that should become self-suf? cient, pro? t-oriented intentionality has not been translated into pro? tability for the majority of publicly funded incubators (Bearse, 1998). Financial dependency forces incubators to operate in a politically charged environment where they must constantly demonstrate the ‘‘success’’ of the incubator and its incubatees in order to justify continued subsidization of incubator operations with public funds. Such a politically charged environment can tempt incubator-incubation industry stakeholders to underreport incubator-incubation failures and over-report successes. 8 For the researcher interested in understanding, explaining and building models of incubator-incubation phenomena, the politically charged environment and the state of subsidy-dependency in which many non-pro? t incubators operate cannot be ignored. Overview of research orientations We review the literature along the following ? ve primary research orientations: incubator development studies, incubator con? uration studies, incubatee development studies, incubator-incubation impact studies, and studies theorizing about incubators-incubation.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Wills and Trusts Essay Example

Wills and Trusts Essay Gloria, a widow, stated to Tom Larry that a typewritten paper was her will. Shethen signed the paper in the presence of Tom and Larry, who witnessed Gloriassigning, and signed the will as witnesses. The will contained the following provisions:1. $10,000 to my friend, Tom.2. My residence to my only daughter, Dora, provided she survives me by thirty days.3. All my Mega Corp stock to my friend, Max, requesting that he distribute it as indicated in a letter to be found with this will.4. The residue of my estate to my only son, Seth.Subsequently, Gloria and Dora were involved in an automobile collision. Dora was killed instantly, and Gloria died one day later in the hospital. Glorias will is found in her safe deposit box together with a typewritten, signed, but unwitnessed letter requesting Max to distribute the Mega Corp stock to Ben, a needy cousin whom Gloria had assisted financially in the past.Max truthfully testifies that the letter was prepared after the will was executed and that he orally agreed with Gloria to distribute the stock as requested in the letter. Dora is survived by her husband, Hank, and her daughter, Gail.In addition to Hank and Gail, Tom, Max, Ben and Seth all survived Gloria. Glorias net estate consists of her residence, Mega Corp stock, and $100,000 in cash. What portion of Glorias estate, if any, should be distributed to each of Tom, Hank, Gail, Max, Ben and Seth? Discuss.Assume that the applicable statutory law is the same as that of California.Issue:Whether or not the provisions in the will as well as the letter purportedly attached to the same are valid and should be given effect.Rule:The issue in the case at bar is covered by the law on probate   and the law on wills and trusts which provides for the formalities as well as the requirements that must be complied with for a will to be considered as validly executed.  It is as a rule required that the person making a will must have legal capacity to make a will, which means that he o r she must be of sound mind, memory or understanding and must be at least at in the age of majority. The testator is considered to be of sound mind if he or she understands the general nature of his act, the extent of the estate involved and the will looks reasonable (California, 2001).Furthermore, the law requires that the testator must have a genuine intention to make the will. The testator’s intention may be presumed if at the time the will was executed he or she has the legal capacity to accomplish the same. With regards to the formalities of the will, the same must be written by hand, typed or printed, signed by the testator and two witnesses in the presence of one another. Both witnesses must be present at the same time and should not benefit under the terms of the will.All of these requirements and formalities must be present in order that a written instrument which provides for the disposition of the properties of a person upon death may be considered as a valid will. Analysis:At this point, it is now proper to make an examination of both the relevant facts of the case vis a vis the applicable rule stated above. The relevance of each of the dispositions in the will mentioned in the facts will now be inspected in the light of the abovementioned rules.Based on the facts and the law involved in the case at bar, the first provision in the will allocating $10,000 to Tom must be declared invalid since Tom is a witness to the will, hence, must not be allowed to benefit from the terms of the same.The second provision of the will must also be considered as inoperative since the facts clearly showed that Dora did not survive Gloria by thirty days as required in the will for the provision to operate. In fact, Gloria was able to survive Dora by one day.Similarly, the third provision of the will is also not in order since the signed letter   Ã‚  referred to in the will must also comply with the formalities prescribed by law for it to be considered valid. It is a codicil or and appendage to the will which, must comply with the requirements of the law and the formalities of a will to be considered as valid. The letter should be considered as part of the will since it is in a nature of a mortis causa disposition of part of Gloria’s property. It must contain the signature of witnesses if it is to be considered as valid.It appears then that the only valid provision of the will is the fourth stipulation one which disposes of the residue of Gloria’s property to her son Seth.Based on the foregoing the $10,000, the residence, the Mega Corp. stock and the $100,000 in cash forms part of the whole estate of Gloria. Since the provisions in the will disposing of the first three properties are invalid, they shall form part of the â€Å"residue† which must all go to Seth as provided for in the will. Therefore, only Seth is entitled to the whole of the estate of Gloria. Tom, Hank, Gail, Max, Ben gets nothing.Conclusion:The law on wills and trust as well as the law on probate applies in the case at bar. For a will to be valid, the same must comply with the requirements of the law as well as the needed formalities. Additionally, the conditions of the will must also be complied with to give effect to the disposition contained thereat. When a provision of a will disposing off a property is declared invalid, the property forms part of the portion of the estate not disposed of with particularity. It reverts back to the â€Å"residue† portion of the estate.In the case at bar, since the first three dispositions made in the will are either invalid or inoperative, the properties involved in these provisions shall form part of the residue of the estate. Since under the will, the residue of the estate of Gloria shall belong to Seth, only Seth should be entitled to the same. In effect, the whole of Gloria’s estate should pass on to Seth in testate succession.Reference:California, L. C. o. (2001). Official C alifornia Legislative Information [Electronic Version]. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/index.html