The Right Side Of Morality And Ethics - 1904 Words

Jay Leno once said, â€Å"If you think of life as like a big pie, you can try to hold the whole pie and kill yourself trying to keep it, or you can slice it up and give some to the people around you, and you still have plenty left for yourself.† Many industry leaders believe in innovation and technological advancements that will improve life and humanity on many different levels. More importantly those companies that do so, do it on the right side of morality and ethics and believe in the greater good. Unfortunately some big companies, such as those in the automotive industry, that have an influence in society wield their power with greed, with the sole purpose of maximizing profits. A perfect example of the greed that drives these companies happened most recently with German automobile manufacturer, Volkswagen, which installed a device that enable the on cars computer to essentially â€Å"lie† on emissions tests in order to pass. Automotive companies around the world o perate unethically and immorally in order to satisfy their greed. The following research that will be presented will prove that leaders in the automotive industry care only about their pockets and not about their products or consumers. Even though the modern automobile was perfected in France and Germany in the late 1800s, Americans overpowered the industry in the first half of the twentieth century. Henry Ford, innovator of the assembly line in mass production, standardized techniques such as this. With Ford, GeneralShow MoreRelatedThe Distinction Of Ethics And Morality1307 Words   |  6 PagesThe Distinction Of Ethics And Morality: The use of the words ethics and morality are often confused with each other especially these are commonly used in Philosophy and other related fields. This paper will discuss the distinction between these two concepts. According to Gammel (2007), the difference between the terms morality and ethics has a very thin line particularly in the daily language. Adding to this confusion is that other philosophical resources and materials use the terms interchangeablyRead MoreEssay on Utilitarian vs Nihilist1497 Words   |  6 Pagesmorals, which prove to be the subject of discussion for philosophers when they’re going over ethics. This differentiation is also what can be given credit for why good versus evil is so compelling, in media the line between good and evil is often blurred in some places, requiring the viewer to make their own judgement on the ethics of characters, their actions, and their motivations. Depending on the ethics of the viewer characters can be judged on differe nt criteria, for some it is only the intentionRead MoreReligion And Morality On The Hunt Of Finding The Author Of What We Know As Social Norms952 Words   |  4 PagesGod as Author of Morality There is always controversy around when we bring any topic related to religion to the table and it is not different when we talk about morality. This paper will explore the controversial side that plays religion and morality in the hunt of finding the author of what we know as social norms. In this philosophy paper, we will discuss the origin and evolution of the Divine Command Theory and we will analyze an objections against this theory cited by Plato (Atenas, 427 - 347Read MoreIs David Hume Or Immanuel Kant?1428 Words   |  6 Pagestheir ethical philosophies to determine which philosopher, if any, would be considered to be more virtuous. In order to answer this question, we must answer a few other simpler questions such as who these philosophers are, and what they deem to be morality. Much like any situation, sometimes answers lead to more questions, so I will attempt to continue answering smaller questions if they pertain to the understanding of the main virtue question. What is virtue and how does one obtain it? The definitionRead MoreShafer-Landau and Korsgaard 1283 Words   |  6 Pagesis morality, the thing that we are told to achieve. For many morality is doing what is good and doing good is moral. This roundabout answer may be satisfactory to some that only look at the surface of the issue, however once the digging begins the grad question of morality comes into question. While this question has been looked an infinite number of times without being universally solved certain patterns have been made in the conclusions great thinkers and scholars come to regarding morality. OneRead MoreLying to Patients and Ethical Relativism910 Words   |  4 PagesRelativism and Ethical Subjectivism Ethical Relativism - theory that holds that morality is relative to the norms of ones culture. * a culture. i.e.: nobody should ever steal) Objective vs. Subjective (Telling right from wrong) Paternalism vs. Autonomy Paternalism – authority of restricting the freedom and responsibilities of those lower than them Autonomy is a binomial 1) Enlightenment ethics – celebration of the individual’s reason, free will, self seat of values, 2)Read MoreEthic Essay651 Words   |  3 PagesUtilitarianism, and Deontological Ethics. Judith Glowinski ETH/316 - 4/16/2013 MARY CARTER 2 When comparing the similarities and differences between virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontology we find that they all deal with how one judge’s morality and ethics. These theories all include judging in different aspects, whether it is in the moment, what happens after, or over a lifetime. The ethics and morality behind these theories all deal with what is right, or what is best for the presentRead MoreTheme Of Ethics In To Kill A Mockingbird918 Words   |  4 PagesMorality and ethics are two words that represent having a guilt-free conscience and doing something that you know is right; even if it means hurting and affecting relationships or another persons personal life. These days we are constantly being exploited to things such as murder, theft, harassment, and rape. These are all representations of dishonorable actions that occur for the sake of not having enough, or being wistful or just vengeful. This is clearly shown throughout To Kill A MockingbirdRead M oreThe Theory Of Moral Behavior1615 Words   |  7 PagesThe statement claims that no question can ever be neutral. This means that all questions are leading questions, that we always have a notion of the knowledge we find. The definition of ‘neutral’ in the English dictionary is: ‘not supporting either side in a conflict, disagreement: impartial’1. It means being detached and impersonal to situations, questions or judgements. Mathematics, as an area of knowledge is said to be a subject that already exists in the natural world, only that we discover itsRead MoreEthics : Ethics And Ethics1468 Words   |  6 PagesIn Normative Ethics there are three distinct schools of thought, and each differentiate through moral intentions. Consequentialism relies on the consequences of an action in order to distinguish whether or not something is morally acceptable. Deontology considers the morality of an action by one’s reason for doing a certain deed. Lastly, vi rtue ethics bases morality off of virtuous character, and how a virtuous person would act given a certain predicament. Ultimately, consequentialism provides the

What is enlightenment Free Essays

If the mind actually makes perception, this brings about the question whether the outcome has anything to do with the world, or if so, what level. The response to the question, vague, confusing or unusual as it was, made for continuous trouble both in Kant’s idea and for a posterity trying to figure him out. To the point that knowledge fully depends on the organization of the mind and not on the world, knowledge would have no connection to the world and is not even true representation, just a solipsistic or intersubjective fantasy. We will write a custom essay sample on What is enlightenment? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Kantianism looks threatened with the doctrine that we know in our own psychology, not external things. Kant said, in consistent with psychologism that we basically do not know about things as they exist apart from perception. At the same time Kant thought he was trying to defend both a scientific realism, where science really knows the world, and a moral realism, where there is objective moral obligation, for both of which a connection to external existence is essential for enlightenment. Kant believed that rational structure of the mind reflects the rational structure of the world, even of things-in-themselves that the operating system of the processor, through modern analogy, matched the operating system of reality. But Kant had no real argument for this, that is, the ideas of reason just become postulates of morality as well as his system leaves it as something which is unproved. The paradoxes of the efforts of Kant to reconcile some of his conflicting approaches and requirements made it very difficult for the philosophers who came later to take the overall system seriously. Nonetheless, Kant does all kinds of things that seem most appropriate for a non-reductionistic philosophical system and that later philosophy has had trouble doing at all. Kant was able to provide, in phenomenal reality, for a sphere for science that was distinct and separate from anything that would end up relating to enlightenment. The endless confusion as well as conflict which still results from people trying to figure out whether or enlightenment should fit together is fully avoided by Kant, who can say, for instance, that God and divine creation cannot be part of any truly scientific theory due to the fact both involve unconditioned realities, while science can only deal with conditioned realities. In the world, everything affects any other thing, but God is free of any external causal influences. At the same time, Kant can be a phenomenal determinist with science and yet simultaneously allow for freedom and that in a way that will not be entirely explicable to us, a virtue when the very idea of a rational and purposive freedom, and not just subjective choices, but also has involved obscurities that no one has been able to enlighten. Kant’s theory tries to prevent psychological explanations for behavior, however enlightening, being used to excuse moral responsibility and accountability. Thus, the disastrous childhood of the defendant, as much as it may be touching and understandable, cannot, to some extent, excuse crimes committed in full knowledge of their significance (Kant 94). The approach used by Kant is also of comparative interest because of the similar ancient Pastors philosophical distinction between conditioned realities, that mostly means that the world of experience, and unconditioned realities, which interestingly include, not only the sphere of salvation, but also space, which of course for Kant was a form imposed a priori on experience by the mind. The problems which must be sorted out with Kant are at the same time formidable. Most crucial is the confusion which results from Kant mixing together two entirely different theories in the Critique of Pure Reason. The first theory explains that the fundamental activity of the mind which is referred to as synthesis, is an activity of thought which applies certain concepts to a previously given perceptual datum from experience. How to cite What is enlightenment?, Papers

Describe Alpha Beta and Gamma Radiation - Solution is Just a Click Awa

Question: Explain the safety procedures followed when using alpha, beta and gamma radiation and X- rays. Answer: The safety procedures that can be considered when using X-rays, gamma, beta, and alpha radiation include Reduction of the exposure time: The external hazards of radiation can be minimized through the reduction of radionuclide handling, proper planning, and dry runs (Remenec, Dulansk and Mtel 2014). Increasing the distance: The distance between the radiation source and the operator or the patient can be reduced by using tools that have long handles in cases where there is intense radiation penetration. In addition, clamps and stands should be used for holding the radioactive radiations. Shielding: The rate of exposure to radiations can be reduced by shielding the source of the radiation. This can be achieved by scattering the radiation and keeping away from the edges of the shield. Additionally, for gamma emitters can be shielded using lead of appropriate thickness. Barium meal is a type of test conducted using a tube that runs from the mouth to the stomach to show the oesophagus. The organs that can be examined using barium meal include The duodenum The stomach The oesophagus In the case of the stomach, oesophagus, and duodenum, the barium meal is used because these organs have soft tissue structures that cannot be captured by using the ordinary X-ray. The barium meal is used for coating the inner lining of the three organs so that the radiologist has a clear view of them to monitor their functionality. In the case of the stomach, the radiologist gives the patient the barium meal mixed with water. The radiologist then takes the images of the stomach using the X-ray while the patient is lying down or standing. The X-rays images generated are projected on the TV monitor by the radiologist. Additionally, the patient is given any drug that produces effervescence to ensure that the stomach lining is clearly seen. The diagram below shows the image of the stomach using barium meal. Gamma rays can be used for imaging using a gamma camera technique that is capable of conducting a functional scan of the skeleton, kidneys, gallbladder, liver, lungs, thyroid, and brain (Iop.org, 2016). The gamma camera is capable of imaging the radiation by introducing a tracer such as technetium-99 into the body of the patient. The tracer has prolonged the half-life of 6 hours and is capable of mixing with several molecules with the aim of targeting the various body systems. As the tracer traverses the body, it emits radiation, and its movement is traced using a crystal capable of scintillating as it responds to the gamma rays. The radiation oncologist uses brachytherapy to treat and manage cancerous growths using ionizing radiation energy that can shrink or kill any cancerous tumour or malignant growth. The internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy, enables the radiation oncologist to employ radiation at a high total dose to kill the tumour or growth within a smaller area and within a shorter time as opposed to the external beam radiation therapy. The advantage of the internal radiation therapy is that it can be used to treat any cancerous growth throughout the body such as the skin, cervix, prostate, and breast among others. There are two methods of conducting the internal radiation therapy. The first method is called temporary brachytherapy whereby, a significantly radioactive material such as palladium, phosphorous, iodine, iridium, cesium, and radium is placed a slender tube or catheter in an area with cancerous growth within a specified period. The radioactive materials are dispensed at a high-dose rate (HDR) or low-dose-rate (LDR) (Rajekar, Bogammana and Stubbs 2011). The second method is called seed implantation or permanent brachytherapy. Under this method, radioactive pellets or seeds are permanently placed in or within the proximity to the cancerous growth. After some time, the level of radioactivity of the pellets or seeds diminishes and eventually stops. The seeds eventually become inactive and do not cause any harm to the body where they are. The only challenge is that the metal detectors at the security checkpoints can detect the pellets or seeds. Generation of technetium-99 Technetium-99 can be generated in a technetium generator by the disintegration of molybdenum-99 since it has a high affinity for alumina (aluminium oxide) as opposed to technetium does not. The figure below shows a technetium generator. The alumina/molybdenum capsule are injected with a saline solution through an elution process. Any technetium-99m produced is then drawn out. The capsule is put in the middle of the generator surrounded by a shielding material. The figure below shows the radioactivity of molybdenum-99 to form technetium-99. Uses of Technetium-99 The metastable isotope is used for the diagnosis of organs such as lungs, heart, kidney, and bones by scanning. It is also used in gamma imaging due to its emission of gamma rays that can easily be observed by the gamma camera It can be used in various tracer experiments and investigation involving organs such as brains, kidneys, among others. The iodine -131 is a radioactive material that can be used to treat thyroid cancerous growth as an unsealed radiation source (Green 2012, p. 63). In order to minimize the exposure of the radiation, the patients must be admitted for a period of 3 to 7 days in the hospital. The iodine-131 is used as an internal radiation therapy. Both the healthcare givers and the patients visitors are normally advised to minimize the amount of time spent with the patient since he/she is radioactive until the completion of the treatment process. Additionally, extra care must be observed during the disposal of the waste products of the patient since they are very radioactive. After a given period, the radiation level rapidly reduces until a specified time when the effects of the radiation are considered minimal. Ultrasound is any high-frequency vibration or sound wave used in the medical test for scanning and capturing internal body images live such as the lungs, kidney, and uterus. The method is non-invasive, convenient, fast, inexpensive, and less harmful. In ophthalmology, A-scan ultrasound is used for measuring the length from the retina to the cornea. B-scan ultrasound is used for providing the 2D cross-sectional images of the inner parts of the eye. A scan implies amplitude scan while B-scan implies brightness scan. More energy is needed for producing the desired brightness of the image. Similarly, a longer amplitude results to a brighter image while shorter amplitude generates black images. The figure below shows A scan and B scan. Kidney stones are examined using ultrasound by sending the non-invasive waves to the kidney to generate an image of the kidney that shows its blood flow, location, shape, and size. A transducer is used to send the waves at extremely high frequencies by placing it on the skin. The wave penetrates the skin but bounces back upon meeting the intended organ and registered as images on the computer. Sonogram or foetal ultrasound is a technique used to generate images of the foetus in the uterus using high-frequency sound waves (Quintela et al. 2012, p. 924). The procedure can estimate the date of pregnancy in the third trimester that can be used to estimate the delivery date. It does this by generating anatomic details of the foetus such as the length of the foetus. Through these details, the birth defects, foetal position, normality in growth can be determined. The Doppler ultrasound is also known as the duplex study that is aimed at showing the direction and speed of the blood flow in the chest. The major difference between the standard ultrasound and the Doppler sound is that in the case of standard ultrasound, the frequency of the wave is high so that no sound is produced as opposed to the Doppler ultrasound where the examination is audible. References Green, C., 2012. Technetium-99m production issues in the United Kingdom. J Med Phys, 37(2), p.66. Iop.org., 2016. Gamma cameras. [online] Available at: https://www.iop.org/education/teacher/resources/teaching-medical-physics/gamma/page_54689.html [Accessed 8 Jun. 2016]. Quintela, L., Barrio, M., Pea, A., Becerra, J., Cainzos, J., Herradn, P. and Daz, C., 2012. Use of Ultrasound in the Reproductive Management of Dairy Cattle. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 47, pp.34-44. Rajekar, H., Bogammana, K. and Stubbs, R., 2011. Selective Internal Radiation Therapy for Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumour Liver Metastases: A New and Effective Modality for Treatment. International Journal of Hepatology, 2011, pp.1-7. Remenec, B., Dulansk, S. and Mtel, ., 2014. Determination of alpha, beta, X-ray and gamma emitting radionuclides in reactor components and fuel assemblies from NPP V1 Jaslovske Bohunice. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 299(3), pp.1799-1804.

Single Sex Education free essay sample

Women did not attend school; rather, they learned the skill of reading and writing, and some acquired mathematics through private lessons or a tutor, but if they were rich they were sent to a boarding school where the emphasis would be on elegant accomplishments like music, dancing, drawing, painting, embroidery, and even sometimes French. Women were not allowed to further their education after grammar school. If they wished, they could continue their studies privately because a womans thinking is argued, intuitive, rooted in emotion and intensely subjective. A mans thinking is allegedly analytic, freer from emotion and more objective. For this matter women and men were taught separately. ?Single sex education was used for providing an excellent education to the man and sometimes the women in those years. Although single gender schools â€Å"threatened the principle of equal access,†(Stabiner 18) it also strengthened the minds of those sitting in the classrooms by having so many admirable advantages. We will write a custom essay sample on Single Sex Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page By the end of the 18th century some girls were able to attend elementary schools, but only before and after the boys’ had their classes. In 1974 Congress passed The Equal Educational Opportunities Act. It prohibited discrimination against faculty, staff and students, including racial segregation of students, and required school districts to take action to overcome barriers to study equal participation† (Salomone 10. ) The civil rights movement brought about controversies on busing, language rights, desegregation, and the idea of â€Å"equal education† (Salomone 12. ) The groundwork for the creation of the Equal Educational Opportunities Act first came about with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned discrimination and racial segregation against African Americans and women. In 1968, the U. S Department of Education, once the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, issued a declaration saying that school officials are responsible for providing equal educational opportunities for all, regardless of one’s nationality, race, or color(Salomone 15. ) Although these laws gave each person the right to attend a school of his or her choice, the creation of single sex schools brought a new definition to education. â€Å"The single-sex format creates opportunities that don’t exist in the coed classroom† (Sax 1/11). Students who attend single sex high schools have a greater chance of being less distracted than in a coeducational high school. Boys tend to lessen their aggressive edge and become communal in a single sex setting. They can just be boys and not have to worry about what girls may say because they are not in the same school. Boys can enjoy poetry and play in an orchestra. This is a tremendous contrast to a co-educational high school setting. ?Girls drop their shyness and begin to take risks in a single sex school setting. They become more competitive. They embrace sports like field hockey and soccer with enthusiasm without worrying about appearing like tom boys. Young Teenagers are subjected to an inundation of pressure to become adults before they are ready to do so. They grow up too swiftly. Single sex education is a gentler, more controlled atmosphere. On the contrary: some public schools which have adopted single-sex classrooms, without appropriate preparation, have experienced bad outcomes, said Dr. Leonard Sax (9/11. )Simply putting girls in one room, and boys in another, is no assurance of anything excellent happening. Dr. Leonard Sax states that merely placing boys in separate classrooms from girls accomplishes little, but single-sex education enhances a student’s success when teachers use techniques geared toward the gender of their students. Some research indicates that girls learn better when classroom temperature is warm, while boys perform better in cooler classrooms. If thats true, then the temperature in a single-sex classroom could be set to optimize the learning of either male or female students (4/11). Some research and reports from educators suggest that single-sex education can widen the educational prospects for both girls and boys. A quality education is about much more than test scores and transcripts: it ought to open doors and keep them open for as long as possible† (Stabiner 3). Advocates claim co-ed schools tend to reinforce gender stereotypes, while single-sex schools can break down gender stereotypes. For example, girls are free of the pressure to compete with boys in male-dominated subjects such as mathematics and science. On the other hand, boys can easily pursue traditionally feminine interests such as music and poetry. The child’s happiness should be one of the most important factors in choosing a school with a quality education. Equally important is finding a school with inspiring, gifted teachers and this may lead the parents of the teenagers to consider three other factors: letting the child be themselves, the teaching style and what is being taught and, finally, the socialization of the children. Researchers at Stetson University in Florida completed a three-year pilot project comparing single-sex classrooms with coed classrooms. All relevant parameters were matched: the class sizes were all the same, the demographics were the same, all teachers had the same training in what works and what doesnt work, etc (qtd. n single-sex vs. coed 2/11) What’s really important at most coed schools is the game of who likes who, whos going out with whom, whos cool and whos not. That’s hardly ever the case at single-sex schools. Edison Trickett and Penelope Trickett, compared students in private single-sex schools in the United States with students at private coed schools in the United States (5/11), and fou nd that students in the single-sex schools had a far more positive attitude toward academics than did students in coed schools (5/11). This discovery held for both boys and girls. The students at the single-sex schools also developed better decision-making skills, and were more occupied in classroom activities. ?Single sex education has advantages that co-education cant reach. Single-sex schools provide better circumstances; teachers can tailor their teaching to suit students’ leaning styles, improve students’ academic performance and develop conductive skills and personalities.

Corkscrew, by Dashiell Hammett Essays

Corkscrew, by Dashiell Hammett Essays Corkscrew, by Dashiell Hammett Paper Corkscrew, by Dashiell Hammett Paper Essay Topic: Literature There are many different aspects of a novel, which capture a readers imagination and make it a good read. However undeniably the most important part of the novel has to be the opening, where the author must use certain methods and techniques to capture the readers intrigue and ultimately draw them into the story. Almost immediately after starting to read this opening I feel that Dashiell Hammet has succeeded in creating this sense of intrigue by opening her story with very striking yet extremely powerful metaphor, Boling like a coffeepot. The way that she has used such an extreme state, Boiling, to describe how someone is feeling has an instantaneous impact upon the reader and the position of it also creates an instant sense of urgency. We know almost instantly also, that this story is written in the first person and it is this, which helps to get the reader involved with the story. When a story is written in first person the reader is instantly drawn closer to the character as they experience the story through the characters own interpretations and personal thoughts. In this particular story the reader is draw even closer to the character through empathy. There are a few short bland statements which makes the character sound as if he speaks in a distant, bleak tone, there are also several references to isolation and loneliness, I was the only passenger, .. without conversation, No person was in sight. Further more one gets the impression that he is out of control of this situation and unable to stop what is going to happen. I feel the phrase carried me.. conveys this and also .. we pushed up a long slope, topped a sharp ridge and slid down into corkscrew. The whole image of descending down a corkscrew I feel portrays his feelings of powerlessness about the situation he is going into. Another phrase that I feel evokes empathy is when the character speaks of death so calmly and sounding so unmoved and in different, Not that it mattered if it got any hotter, we would all blow up anyway, car, desert, chauffeur and I would all bang out of existence in one explosive flash. I didnt care if we did. That last statement would move the reader as they will be so shocked that the character can be so unconcerned of death and ultimately it will make them more intrigued to what is making him feel like this. Lastly the syntax in some of Hammets opening sentences has been manipulated to make the sentence stand out more and have more of an impact upon the reader. Hammet has rearranged word order to make sentences sound more urgent and dramatic, thus having an impact upon the reader, In the street four dusty automobiles cooked. The way that she has placed the destination of the event before the event makes it more of a visual image, thus making it more interesting to read. The exceptionally convincing, unpleasant desert setting is where Dashiell Hammet opens this story. Primarily it is the authenticity of her portrayal of this harsh desert land that captures and intrigues the reader, however as you continue to read through this introduction one realises that this setting not only works on one level where it has been used to capture the readers attention and illustrate mental images of the surrounding setting, but also on a deeper note where it almost represents more about the nature of the people it beholds. There are several metaphors that directly link characters feelings to the setting, the main one being the heat. The higher it got, the larger and hotter it got. The sun could be seen a metaphor for his destination, and the heat could be portraying his feelings of increasing angst and discomfort as he is nearing the destination. A second representation of how the setting reflects its people is the use of the dust. In the desert dust is something you would come to expect to be everywhere but some of the references in this story lead me to believe that the dust is just a metaphor for the corruption of the town. When the sheriff reaches the town he asks a fairly in hospitable man for a room and a lot of water however the mans reply is but water wont do you no good. You won no sooner drink and wash than youll be thirsty and dirty all over again. If the dust is the representation of corruption it would only make sense that the water the sheriff is asking for is to clean up the corruption. The mans reply on certifies what a desalted and corrupt place this is as he basically tells the sheriff there is no point in saying around and trying to clean up the town as it will only get covered in dust to soon. Dashiell Hammet describes this desert scene in a very successfully vivid and stimulating manner, which helps the reader to feel more attached to the story. She not only gives countless visual descriptions, she also uses alliteration so that the reader gets a deeper impression of the setting. Soft sifting sand, the sound of the ss in this phrase really emphasis the feeling of the sand sifting away, leaving a deeper impression on the reader. Also the phrase cactus-spiked sage-studded has almost been made physically difficult to read which creates a sense of unfamiliarity and almost discomfort within the reader, which reflects his feelings of this climate and environment. Generally the whole atmosphere created by the setting can be seen as a representation of the lifestyle in Corkscrew. The environment Dashiell Hammet vividly portrays is a harsh, desolate, unforgiving desert land. These descriptions could easily be applied to the characters that live in this area. The characters seem to reflect the environment and the environment reflects the people. The crooked, shabby, tumble-down shacks reflect the shallow skinned miscellaneous assortment of people that live there. All of the characters are introduced with depressing and completely negative language, apart from a couple that didnt belong to Arizona. They way Hammet has described this couple with their sharp prettiness and too perfect in their clean-cut regularity almost adds some variation to the bland set of people who live here. It is obvious that they will have some part to play in his story but what part this is will intrigue the reader and entice them to read on. Throughout the beginning of this novel the atmosphere and mood changes several time as the situations unravel themselves. At the beginning the negative description of the harsh unsown desert land creates an uncomfortable, unfamiliar mood. Hammet has used foreign words in this part to reinforce the feeling of unfamiliarity and the feelings the idea of descending down into corkscrew evokes are of helplessness. However as the story progresses and when the sheriff reaches corkscrew and the rest of the characters are introduced, there is a confrontation between the sheriff and a local and the atmosphere becomes increasingly tense, I hid my annoyance under my grin. It is now for the first time that the reader becomes aware of who and what the character the readers have been following is doing and the sceptical mood of before has now been replaced with intrigue and a sense of whats going to happen next! . The final change in atmosphere is in the final paragraph when we see the sheriffs hesitant mood turn swiftly to determination, as he stows away his new . 32 automatic and prepares to show his authority. Here the reader almost mentally prepares, as the sheriff is doing, for what will happen next. These are many of the aspects of the opening that makes it a successful introduction to the novel, in terms of creating intrigue and drawing the reader into the novel.

The Definition of an Emulsifying Agent

The Definition of an Emulsifying Agent Emulsifier Definition An emulsifier or emulsifying agent is a compound or substance that acts as a stabilizer for  emulsions, preventing  liquids  that ordinarily dont mix from separating. The word comes from the Latin word meaning to milk, in reference to milk as an emulsion of water and fat. Another word for an emulsifier is an emulgent. The term emulsifier may also refer to an apparatus that shakes or stirs ingredients to form an emulsion. How an Emulsifier Works An emulsifier keeps immiscible compounds from separating by increasing the kinetic stability of the mixture. Surfactants are one class of emulsifiers, which lower surface tension between liquids or between a solid and liquid. Surfactants keep droplet size from getting large enough for components to be able to separate based on density. The method of emulsification matters in addition to the nature of the emulsifier. Proper integration of components extends the emulsions ability to resist changes. For example, if you are making an emulsion for cooking, the mixture will maintain its properties longer if you use a blender than if you stir the ingredients by hand. Emulsifier Examples Egg yolks are used as an emulsifier in mayonnaise to keep the oil from separating out. The emulsifying agent in egg yolks is lecithin. Mustard contains multiple chemicals in the mucilage around the seed that act together as emulsifiers. Other examples of emulsifiers include sodium phosphates, sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin, Pickering stabilization, and DATEM (diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglyceride). Homogenized milk, vinaigrettes, and metalworking cutting fluids are examples of common emulsions.

Bipolar Disorder in Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Bipolar Disorder in Children - Essay Example They child may actually be diagnosed as having behavioral disorder, as a friend of mine did as a teenager, but there were no known medications to help treat it. Today, although diagnosis continues to be an area of frustration both for the parent and the psychiatrist, the knowledge that children can have bipolar disorder has made diagnosis more acceptable, recognition of the disease more likely, and treatment more successful. With the advancements in modern medicine and the study of psychology and psychiatry over the last decade as well as with the lifestyle choices available, life for bipolar children can be much different than that of their counterparts in the past. It is very important that bipolar disorder be treated. Left untreated, it can be a complete disaster for the child and those around him or her. Mania is especially dangerous, as a person experiencing the manic portion of bipolar disorder is quite literally a "maniac" (you can see how 'maniac' stems from the word 'mania') and there is no limit to what that person will do in that state. He or she may drive drunken, patrol around dangerous neighborhoods in the middle of the night, spend all of his or her money, steal, lie, and perform stunts that no one in his or her right mind would do. He or she is also more likely do fall into a life of drugs. One of the most difficult aspects of bipolar disorder in children is the correct diagnosis of the disease. Besides the obvious, "what is a normal question" in children, the disease is often coupled with other behavior or emotional problems that make the cause of the symptoms difficult to isolate. Also, because children are still developing their personality, testing boundaries, establishing behavior patterns, as well as learning communication abilities, recognizing the disease is very difficult in young children. The symptoms described previously vary between individuals and even within the same individual. Symptoms that are apparent at one time are replaced with another manifestation. Many of the symptoms mock depression or paranoid schizophrenia as well, and so they can be misdiagnosed in that fashion. Figure 1: The Different Sides of Bipolar Disorder Source: Cecille the Storyteller, 2009 The Purpose Statement A person that is misdiagnosed with Bipolar Disorder disease is frequently confused with ADHD and stimulants, along with the aforementioned afflictions, which in turn can make Bipolar Disorder worse because the child is not receiving the proper treatment and Bipolar Disorder can be very dangerous untreated. In addition, Bipolar Disorder in children is misdiagnosed due to the child taking the wrong medications, usually for depression. As can be seen in the following diagram, one can easily see how a misinformed doctor could diagnose Bipolar Disorder as depression or another related illness: Figure 1: People with Bipolar Disorder Are Depressed for Almost 1/3 of Their Lives Source: CNS Spectrums, 2009, pg. 1 Statement of the

Thermal Energy Storage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Thermal Energy Storage - Essay Example Appreciation for the advantages and benefits of the thermal energy systems has encouraged many people to use the technology to cut power costs and lessen the negative impact of non-renewable sources of energy on the environment. The low-cost and readily available materials that can serve as thermal energy storage media also inspired people more to develop and install it. Nevertheless, much has yet to be done in educating people, especially heavy consumers of electrical power, about the science and technology behind thermal energy storage. With this and their knowledge about its advantages, the optimization of the use of thermal energy through its effective storage will further persuade them to shift to renewable energy as the alternative to the diminishing and environmentally harmful energy sources, such as petroleum. Thermal energy, thermal energy storage, renewable sources of energy, solar energy, fossil fuels, law of thermodynamics, heaters, solar heating, kinetic energy, internal energy, thermal storage, thermal mass, storage media For a great number of years, mankind has been largely dependent on fossil fuels and other non-renewable sources of energy to power basic utilities. Since the 1800’s, the industries and the economies, in general, of many countries have been run by relying on petroleum. Consequently, the demand for this particular fossil fuel had increased tremendously in the following decades. Even by the latter years of the 20th century, however, problems have arisen due to the heavy reliance on petroleum. Although there were other means of producing energy introduced, these were very minimal compared to those powered by oil. Today, several countries have used nuclear power, coal-powered energy generation, and other non-renewable sources of energy such gas power as alternatives to petroleum. There are also countries that have developed renewable sources such as hydroelectric, geothermal, solar, and wind energies. However, these

Feminism Reading Essay Essay Example for Free

Feminism Reading Essay Essay The rise of the two classifications of young women was the central theme in Baer’swork. The role of young women was said to be significant in the field of competitive markets, consumption and sexual aspect of life. This significance of young women in the said aspects of society caught the attention of the public such as the state itself, some private sectors, researchers and media. They became aware of the fact that young women have this tendency to create good effects on the society as well as bad effects. Thus, social change was most represented by a trend on young women’s character. Such character of young women can be either seen as moving towards success or failure. Classifications were established due to the contrasting view on the character of girlhood. The former was said to be the kind of young women or teenage girls who are optimistic, resilient and confident in character. They are high-spirited and self-motivated with regards to their future. They do things that they think would help them achieve their goals in life no matter what their condition is. These kind of young women are more likely become successful in any of their endeavor due to their positive character and outlook in life. On the other hand, the latter was described as those young women who are involved in juvenile crimes and possessed unwilling attitudes towards the society. They are the young women who pose threat to social order as well as to other individuals (chiefly because they are the ones who involve themselves on crimes, illegal activities, and untoward actions). At-risk girls are often cited as failure in the society. Consequently, their lives are becoming unsuccessful. Due to these distinctions between can-do girls and at-risk girls, the subject of womanhood has been a target of criticisms and debates. As described earlier, can-do girls are young women who pursue their career with great efforts. They plan everything that is necessary for the actualization of their ambitions in life. Most likely, this planning stage includes the education of young women. Can-do girls start to make plans for their future upon entering in school. This is where they tend to achieve their dreams and ambitions step by step. Can-do girls know what they want to do and what they want to have in the future hence they know very well what actions they should make in order for them to reach their ideal status in the future. Can-do girls were also seen as a very good factor in the economic progress. Consumption was also an area of experience for young women. Since they were getting very good amount of salary, their expenditures contribute to the growth of the economy. With this, the marketplace also saw the importance of producing goods that are attractive to young women. Can-do girls are women who have good taste in purchasing products hence marketplaces should take into consideration the fact that young women do not easily buy goods that are not appealing to them. As Judith Baer cited in her work, product endorser and advertisers used catchwords that more likely have good impact to young women. More so, young women were becoming so much in tuned of patronizing products or goods that were advertised or endorsed by famous women such as Britney Spears, Spice Girls and Madonna. Because of this, marketplaces also considered young women’s interests in buying products. Lastly, can-do girls were also seen as young women who did not prioritize motherhood. In this sense, young women regarded motherhood as a great hindrance for achieving their goals in life. It is to be noted that in order to achieve good career, young women should be focused on what she was doing or what she was pursuing. Nonetheless, having child or children would mean lose of focus on work and diversion of attention from work to family-matters. Being a mother requires sacrificing young women’s personal ambitions while focusing more on keeping their family in order especially their children. (McMahon, 1995) Consequently, the use of contraceptives like condoms and pills were advocated by the government so as to reduce birth-rate (or population growth) likewise help the young women in maintaining their focus on their careers. According to the book, another factor that contributed to this harsh condition of at-risk girls was the fact that they were also belong in a cultural or ethnic groups which were held responsible for the failure of these young women. As stated above, community and family background were also few of the factors that triggered the at-risk girls to live in misfortune and wretched life. Inept family traditions and beliefs confined these young women to a way of thinking that they were inferior in every aspect such that they should not try to make efforts to advance themselves. Likewise, community and environment were other factors that shaped young women’s mentality regarding their role and place in the society. Unable to excel in school or even failed to finish their schooling; at-risk girls had a hard time on applying for jobs. Companies were inclined to pick employees that were able to complete their studies (meaning, those who finished their studies with a degree). Consequently, at-risk girls were most of the times unqualified to be hired in such kind of companies. Or even if they got the chance to be hired in certain companies, they were designated to low positions and had a very small chance of being promoted to a higher position. Looking into History (Herstory) But during the early 60’s some issues arose from the peaceful starting years of the postwar period. One issue was about racism, this have been visible in a series of race riots in Los Angeles in 1965 and in Detroit, 1967. In this decade immigrants to the U. S. included people of color, largely the Hispanic race. At those times poverty was common to the Hispanics and the black-American race. The majority of the families of the black race are single parented. Within that decade, a distinct trend of inequality in the economy was rising, and it created a group of underclass people in which the colored skin Americans prevails. Also these groups have also been used by politicians that wanted to try to appeal to the white voters at the time when the rate of unemployment was high. And majority of the population of the African Americans believed and felt that there is discrimination among colored people. Not only the racial conflicts emerged but also issues on gender were seen arising, and it was in those times when they started to talk about femininism. The Post war feminism focused from definite discrimination, one of the examples is unequal laws, to indefinite conceptions of relationships between genders. While there are many existing issues about discrimination, unbalanced opportunities, compensation and manipulation of reproduction stayed aside, the views and focus seemed to be on the examination of the popularity of male models of society and also in the politics. And women were seen and ultimately women in the view of them as such models, resulted in indistinct potentialities. The Second wave feminists were giving focus on attaining ample equality in the social and economic aspect, since they have already gained nearly full equality in legal rights in a number of nations in the west({Meyerowitz, 1994). On the same period which was the postwar in America, Senator Joseph McCarthy said that the Communists had penetrated the United States government at high levels. As a result Americans felt a sense of anxiety about their nation and it reflected with questions like was America the greatest country in the world? Was life in America the best it had ever been (Bradley, 1998)? As years were passing by, the problem and issue of self-satisfaction and self-doubt in culture about compliance and the truth behind the value of living the American values, were reflected and seen in literature. One of example of these issues impact on the American literature during the postwar period was the writings of Gwendolyn Brooks. Brooks’ was a dedicated poet, she started working and publishing her works since she was on her teen-age years, and her writings were not of the common poetries you can see. During the post war period, her writings created a great impact on society and most of her poems were given attention, it is because she is an African-American that wrote poems usually about the characters from the poor inner city and the African-Americans’ everyday experiences in the neighborhoods. One significant publication of Gwendolyn Brooks was the book â€Å"A Street in Bronzeville†. This book was a collection of poems which described the hopes and disappointments of the Bronzeville people. Most of Brooks’ works focused on the discrimination among blacks in such poems as The Ballad of Chocolate Mabbie; it tells the story of Willie Boone choosing a lighter-skinned girl than Mabbie. And The Ballad of Pearl May Lee. ; a story about Pearl May Lee takes revenge when a threatening situation happens to her. These black women characters in the poems were poor and discriminated (Brooks, 1945). With regards to consumption, at-risk girls were seen as purchasers of alcoholic beverages, prohibited drugs, and cigarettes. They often abused the use of these material goods that in a way had bad effects on their health (physical, psychological, and emotional aspects). Moreover, there were also cases in which at-risk girls paid for deadly and illegal weapons – probably they used them in their delinquent activities. Herewith, government implemented policies that were geared towards the regulation of at-risk girl’s delinquent activities and misbehaviors. Finally, at-risk girls were said to be more prone to early motherhood. Teen motherhood entails enduring social dilemmas and lost of opportunities for young women as well as for the community itself. Lacking knowledge about contraception, at-risk girls failed to plan for their future as mothers. Effects of early motherhood include failed marriages, high cases of unwed teenage mothers, and unemployment of teenage mothers. (Musick, 1995) Additionally, government was alarmed of such instances because when teenage mothers failed to support their children, the government had no choice but to help them in sustaining the lives of their children. It would increase government expenditures in which if the cases of teenage motherhood were minimize, also the probability that the government expenditure would increase would also be minimized. Analysis As how Judith Baer illustrated in her work, young women can be classified in two categories or classifications. Those young women who were most likely become successful in their careers were said to be can-do girls while those who failed to do so were labeled as at-risk girls. Such distinction was obvious. Apparently, the society was in a way aware of this situation – that there were can-do and at-risk girls. And such opposing characters of young women cannot be discounted. Either the two classifications caused good or bad in society’s everyday existence, it truly had immense outcome such that the government cannot undervalue its effects. Planned effort and individual choice were listed as the primary elements in obtaining the status of young women as either successful or failure. As given in Baer’s work, can-do girls truly make well plans for their future. They used all their sources and access so as to arrive at success. However, at-risk girls were either lacking of enough sources and access to plan for their future or really did not have intention of making plans for their future. Using these presumptions, can-do girls and at-risk girls can easily be distinguished. Nonetheless, the aforementioned initial elements were said to be insufficient in evaluating the distinction between can-do and at-risk girls. In addition to the initial elements discussed above, economic and cultural resources were also of great importance. Mostly, young women who were given the luck of having high economic status in life had more chance of becoming can-do-girls, pursuing what she wanted to have and doing what she liked to do. In contrast, young women who were unfortunately situated in a family which have a low financial access were most likely become at-risk girls. Families of the can-do girls can afford to send their youth in schools that were highly-recognized. Likewise, these families can sufficiently finance the schooling of their youth. While families of the at-risks girls lived in poverty, they cannot pay for the education of their youth. In this regard, the potentiality of young women to become either successful or failure can be greatly affected by their economic and cultural status in life. The government should make actions and programs or policies that would encourage and facilitate the conversion of at-risk girls into can-do girls. According to Our Lives Before the Law, the government was really making ways in which they can support and help their young women. This was primarily due to the fact that there is a high demand of young women in the competitive and labor markets. By helping them in achieving good career and also good status in life, United Kingdom would also reap the fruits of such effort prospering its economic status. In addition in the United States, juvenile delinquency of young women was treated by making programs that tend to rehabilitate them. Mental offices were also institutionalized in order to help the government in its rehabilitation program on misbehaved young women. If young women were really supported and helped by the government, cases of at-risk girls would be easily reduced. In such undertaking, at-risk girls could be converted to can-do girls by giving assistance to the young women. In doing so, government should start such assistance by advocating quality education to young women. Having access on education implies good start in pursuit of better future. By monitoring the education young women as well as their family and community background, young women can be directed to the right path. Being successful in education could bring about success in work. Young women who finished their studies most likely got good jobs (high-paying jobs). And having a good educational background, young women were more competitive with regards to their career. Likewise, being a well-rounded person, young women, who were then regarded as can-do girls, became good consumers. Knowing that their demands greatly matters in the marketplace, they would realize that what they were going to buy would reflect who and what kind of woman they were. Hence they would become choosier when it comes to consumption. When it comes to motherhood, government handled it by promoting the use of contraceptives. Family planning was also one of the mechanisms or programs established by the government in treating the case of early motherhood. Government saw that if young women would engage themselves in early motherhood, opportunities for them would be lost. Investing in young women or teenage girls would really mean critical and serious endeavor. Young women, just like young men, have great potentials when it comes to what they can contribute in the society. Therefore government, non-governmental, and private institutions should take young women’s role in the society as significant as how they view young men. Conclusion Young women have been seen as one of the indicators of social change. In this light, the general public, the government and the society itself see young women as vital factors within and outside the community. The distinction between can-do and at-risk girls was derived from the diverse approach of young women on the concept of success and failure. Likewise, the society sets criteria from which young women would be classified as either can-do or at-risk. Furthermore, facets such as personal choice, planned effort, economic and cultural groupings are seen as the defining marks that distinguish the young women. In human life aspects, young women play important roles. They are not only seen as child-bearers and household chores-managers but more of individuals who are capable of transcending themselves from the traditional and conventional roles given to them by the society. In the workplace and marketplace, young women are regarded as co-equal with young men who have big potential of being excellent and very competitive employee as well as very intelligent consumer. In view of motherhood, young women should be guided by the government in order to prevent them from losing their good careers. Also the labor markets or companies also support such endeavor by giving bonuses and maternity leave to the young women who patronize motherhood in their mid thirties and above. It should be stressed out here that the government and the labor markets are against motherhood only that they view motherhood as more enjoyable when the mother already achieved what she wants and has already established good career and good status in life. To end, classification of young women pertains to their character as persons and as women in striving for successful life supported and facilitated by the society. References: AAPOLA, S. , HARRIS, A. GONICK, M. (2005) Young Femininity: Girlhood, Power and Social Change, Palgrave Macmillan BAER, J. A. (1999) Our Lives Before the Law: Constructing a Feminist Jurisprudence. Princeton University Press. BRADLEY, B. (1998). American Cultural History. Retrieved March 12, 2007, from http://kclibrary. nhmccd. edu/decade50. html BROOKS, G. (1945). A street in Bronzeville. New York: Harper. BURN, S. M. (2004) Women Across Cultures: A Global Perspective McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. COLLECTIVE, H. C. W. S. S. (1995) Womens Realities, Womens Choices: An Introduction to Womens Studies, Oxford University Press. EHRENREICH, B. HOCHSCHILD, A. R. (2003) Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy Amazon Remainders Account. HARRIS, A. (2003) Future Girl: Young Women in the Twenty-First Century London, Routledge. HARRIS, A. (2004) All About the Girl: Culture, Power, and Identity Routledge. JIWANI, Y. STEENBERGEN, C. (2006) Girlhood: Redefining the Limits Black Rose Books KESSELMAN, A. , MCNAIR, L. D. SCHNIEDEWIND, N. (2006) Women: Images Realities, a Multicultural Anthology McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. KONZAK, B. , KONZAK, S. KONZAK, M. (1999) Girl Power : Self-Defense for Teens, Sport Books Publisher MAZZARELLA, S. R. (1999) Growing Up Girls: Popular Culture and the Construction of Identity Peter Lang Publishing MCELROY, W. (2002) Liberty for Women: Freedom and Feminism in the Twenty-First Century. Ivan R. Dee Publishers. MCMAHON, M. (1995) Engendering Motherhood: Identity and Self-Transformation in Womens Lives The Guilford Press MEYEROWITZ, J. J. (1994). Not June Cleaver : women and gender in postwar America, 1945-1960. Philadelphia Temple University Press. MOORE, C. T. (1993-2007) Feminism. Feminism and Womens Studies. MORTIMER, J. T. (2003) Adolescents Preparation for the Future: Perils and Promise: A Report of the Study Group on Adolescence in the 21st Century Blackwell Publishing Limited MUSICK, J. S. (1995) Young, Poor, and Pregnant: The Psychology of Teenage Motherhood Yale University Press.

Student-Centered Learning Essay -- Education Teaching Essays

Student-Centered Learning missing works cited Definition(s) There are several ways that student-centered learning can be described, and they all lead back to the same basic idea, the student. First, student-centered learning can be defined as a discipline that involves the interaction of a team of students that experience creative learning to be used in the real world (Thornburg, 1995). Thornburg (1995) also mention that students are essential to the classroom, just like a team member is essential to a game. He says that teachers are part of the definition of student-centered learning, but they are not the main attraction. The students are the focus, and the teacher is the one who can assist among small groups of students. Eaton (1994) describes student-centered learning as the opposite if "teacher-centered". Another way of looking at student-centered learning is that the goals of a system (school) should meet the goals of the students (Harmon, & Hirumi, 1996). Next, the definition that naming students as "partners" with teachers in educa tion can be part of the student-centered learning process (Alley, 1996). Lastly, Csete and Gentry (1995) use the term "learner controlled instruction" instead of a student-centered approach. Learner controlled instruction can be termed as when the learner has some control in the type of instruction that is given. The control factors can range from "procedures" to "time restraints" to "evaluation". The point is that each student’s needs are different and in student-centered learning and learner controlled instruction the learner can decide how and what they want to learn, to function in the real world. Methods and Materials used in Student-Centered Learning Harmon and Hirumi (1... ...linear fashion by using interactive, discovery methods. The use and improvements of technologies like the computer, multimedia programs (Thornburg, 1995), and distance learning (Harmon, & Hirumi 1996) are also shifts from the teacher-centered approach to student-centered approach. The students now like to learn because of the technological influences in the schools (Thornburg, 1995). As a result of these strategies to student-centered learning, school is not just a small period in a child’s life, it is "lifelong learning", and each student can learn what is important to them (Thornburg, 1995). In conclusion, the shift to schools using the student-centered approach lets students take on a proactive role by working with others, using a variety of resources, and learning and evaluating skills on a continuous basis that they can use throughout life (Alley, 1996).

Sociology and Recreational Facilities

I am glad to have been given this opportunity to talk to you today. The title of my speech is ‘Social ills among teenagers'. A lot has been said about the deviant behavior of teenagers. Our education system, the media, teenagers themselves and their parents have been blamed. here is no need to point an accusing finger at any particular group, but keeping mum over the issue is tantamount to condoning it. Our youths are our most valuable assets. They are the future leaders of the nation. The harm has already been done and it is now up to us to undo it.One of the main reasons why our youths go astray may be the lack of parental supervision. Nowadays, both parents go out to work. Children are left in the care of foreign maids and child-minders. As a result, they are faced with the threat of the disintegration of the family values and thus, the rising trend in social ills and crimes among teenagers. Parents should closely monitor the activities of their children and be understanding . When parents are often too busy pursuing their own careers to spare some thought for the welfare of their children, children grow up with little religious or moral guidance.When they do not get love and attention at home, they seek attention from others who may or may not come from similar backgrounds. Thus, the social ills affecting our youth may be a reflection of a much larger problem, such as the disintegration of the family unit. Ladies and gentlemen, the media may also play a part in the moral degradation among teenagers. Television programs which show violence and sex and glorify other negative aspects should be restricted.There should also be stricter enforcement of the ban on pornographic material. Teenagers with little or nothing to do during their spare time usually take to the streets. Therefore, recreational facilities such as those found in sports complexes should be available to all youths. at present, existing recreational facilities seem to either be exclusively f or the rich or for older people. the establishment of teen clubs and community centers, that do not charge high fees and that specially target teenagers, should be given top priority.In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, everyone, including religious, educational and social institutions, as well as individuals and the media, must cooperate with the authorities to combat the social ills afflicting our teenagers. It is important that people, especially youths, do not get into the rut of moral decay. There should be a thorough study of the problem before a proper strategy can be mapped out to channel our youths towards healthier lifestyles. Thank you for your kind attention and have a nice day.

Beer Game

The Beer Game Copyright by Professor John Sterman, MIT October 1984 Sources:http://www. sol-ne. org/pra/tool/beer. html The Fifth Discipline: Pg 27-54 Why play the ‘Beer Game’? Instructions for running the game Steps of the Game Outline for post-game discussion and tasks Supplies Checklist & Mock-up of the Game Board Bibliography CHARTS AND TABLES TO PRINT OUT: [only issue Table 1 and 2 at the onset of the game. Chart 1-3 to be distributed at the end of the game and before post-game discussion. ] Table 1:Record Sheet: Cost of Inventory and Backlog Table 2:Computation of cumulative inventory backlogGraph 1:Inventory and Backlog Graph 2:Orders Graph 3:Perceived order by Customers Slide 1:Facilitator Slides Slide 2:Facilitator Slides Slide 3:Facilitator Slides Slide 4:Facilitator Slides Slide 5:Facilitator Slides Slide 6:Facilitator Slides Slide 7:Facilitator Slides Slide 8:Facilitator Slides Contact Point for loan of Beer Game Set: If you or your unit is interested in play ing this game and need assistance, please contact any of the 1Y LO participants, including the webmaster: Ms Sheila Damodaran at [email  protected] gov. sg. The game sets are kept at TRACOM's Resource Centre (SIRC, TRACOM).Contact: 3594241. Why play the Beer Game? The Fifth Discipline, pg 27 [Prisoners of the System, or Prisoners of our Thinking] This game was developed by Professor John Sterman of MIT to introduce people to fundamental concepts of systems dynamics. Participants experience the pressure of playing a role in a complex system, and come to understand first hand a key principle of systems thinking that structure produces behavior. The Beer Game is a simulation exercise – like a laboratory experiment, where one is able to see: ? The consequences of your decisions play out more clearly in real organisations; In effect it presents a microcosm of how a real organization functions. ? Shift in prevailing assumption of what is required of us for creating fundamentally different organisations; from a perspective of â€Å"the system we are trying to change is out there and we (as change agents) are trying to fix it† to â€Å"we and the system are inextricably linked together†. It was first developed in the 1960s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. Because it is a â€Å"laboratory replica† of a real setting (rather than reality itself), we can: Isolate the disabilities, and; ? Their causes more sharply than is possible in real organisations. Often this reveals that the problems originate in basic ways of thinking and interacting, more than in peculiarities of organisations and policy. Instructions for Running The Beer Distribution Game John Sterman October 1984 This document outlines the protocol for the beer distribution game developed to introduce people to concepts of system dynamics. The game can be played by as few as four and as many as 60 people (assistance is required for lar ger groups).The only prerequisite, besides basic math skills, is that none of the participants have played the game before, or else agree not to reveal the â€Å"trick† of the game. 1. State purpose of Game: a) Introduce people to the key principle â€Å"structure produces behavior† b) Experience the pressures of playing a role in a complex system 2. Provide overview of production-distribution system: a) The game is played on a board, which portrays the production and distribution of beer (show board game). [pic] b) Orders for and cases of beer are represented by chips, which are manipulated by the players.The players at each position are completely free to make any decision that seems prudent. Their only goal is to manage their positions as best as they can to maximise profits. c) Each brewery consists of four sectors: retailer, wholesaler, distributor and factory. One person manages each sector. d) A deck of cards represents customer demand. Each week, customers dema nd beer from the retailer, who ships the beer requested out of inventory. The retailer in turn orders beer from the wholesaler, who ships the beer requested out of the wholesaler's inventory.Likewise, the wholesaler orders and receives beer from the distributor, who in turn orders and receives beer from the factory. The factory produces the beer. At each stage there are shipping delays and order receiving delays. These represent the time required to receive, process, ship and deliver orders, and as well be seen play a crucial role in the dynamics. e) If your participants are not familiar with the concept of manufacturing, shipping, and distribution, consider presenting these concepts initially before proceeding. Call the participants together at one board and demonstrate each step of the way carefully.Often it is the lack of this information that causes the initial confusion of the game. You could say something like: â€Å"The Beer Game immerses us in a type of organization that is widely prevalent in all industrial countries: a system for producing and distributing a single brand of beer. There are four main characters in the story – a retailer, a wholesaler, a distributor and the Marketing Director of a brewery †¦ f) The players at each position are completely free to make any decision that seems prudent. All they have to do is meet customer demand and order enough from your own supplier while avoiding costly backlogs.They should manage their positions as best as they can to maximise profits. 3. State Basic rules: a) Have each team pick a name for their brewery (e. g. the name of a real beer). Have them label their record sheets with the name of their brewery and their position, e. g. retailer, wholesaler, etc. b) Have each person ante up $1. 00, or an appropriate amount, which will go to the winning team, winner take all (optional). c) The object of the game is to minimize total costs for your team. The team with the lowest total costs wins. Co sts are computed in the following way: ? The carrying costs of inventory are $. 0 per case per week ? Out-of-stock costs, or backlog costs, are $1. 00 per case per week ? The costs of each stage (retailer, wholesaler, distributor, factory) for each week, added up for the total length of the game, determine the total cost. d) No communication between sectors. Retailers should not talk to anyone else, same for wholesalers, distributors, and factories. The reason for this is that in real life there may be five factories, several dozen distributors, thousands of wholesalers, and tens of thousands of retailers, and each one cannot find out what the total activity of all the others is.The only communication between sectors should be through the passing of orders and the receiving of beer. e) Retailers are the only ones who know what the customers actually order. They should not reveal this information to anyone else. f) All incoming orders must be filled. If your inventory is insufficient to fill incoming orders plus backlog, fill as many orders as you can and add the remaining orders to your backlog. 4. Steps of the Game. a) Issue only Table 1 and Table 2 to all the participants. b) The game Facilitator should call out the steps as the game progresses. ) The first few times when the system is still in equilibrium the facilitator should go through the steps very slowly to make sure people have the mechanics down. d) Notice that of the six steps of the game, only the fifth, placing orders, involves a decision. e) The remaining five steps only involve moving inventory of beer or order slips or recording your position, and are purely mechanical. For the first few weeks the facilitator should tell everyone to order four units to keep the system in equilibrium. 5. Initialization of the boards: ) There should be twelve pennies or chips representing twelve cases of beer in each inventory. Each chip or penny represents one case. There should be four pennies in each shipping box and production delay. b) There should be order slips with â€Å"4† written on them, face down in each incoming and outgoing order box (orders and production requests). A supply of blank order slips should be available at each sector, as well as a supply of pennies or chips. c) The deck of cards with the customer demand should not be revealed in advance.The pattern of customer demand that is most effective for first-time players is a pattern of (†¦. To be revealed after the game/debrief by the Game Leader). d) Each order deck should have fifty weeks' worth of cards, and the players should be told that the game will be fifty weeks long. Typically it's only necessary to run the game thirty-five weeks or so in order to see the pattern of fluctuation, but telling the players it will be fifty weeks prevents horizon effects, where they run their inventories down because they feel the end of the game is coming. 6. Tips for Facilitators: ) It's very helpful if the game facil itator makes sure that each team stays in step so that you can quickly glance around the room and see that everyone is at the right place. Remind the participants to follow the steps in order to keep pace of the game. b) The game facilitator should write the current week on the blackboard as the steps for that week are called out. c) In about the eighth or ninth week the retailer will run out of inventory and have a backlog for the first time. People do not understand the meaning of backlogs, or the cumulative nature of the backlog.It is necessary to stop the game at this point, ask everyone to pay attention, and explain how backlog accounting works. Explain that: The backlog represents orders you've received, but have not yet filled, and which you must fill in the future, and d) The backlog is cumulative. â€Å"Next week you have to fulfill the incoming orders that you receive, plus whatever is in your backlog, if possible. If it not possible to fulfill the incoming orders, then t he amount left over is added to the existing backlog and must be filled in later weeks. † (see Table 2). ) Emphasize at this point that backlog costs twice as much as inventory. You may need to do this one or two more times, and should be careful to check and be sure that they do in fact fill their backlog. It is helpful to write the following equation on the blackboard to help with backlog accounting (see below). Orders to fill = New orders + Backlog this week + last week + †¦ f) The game can be played in as little as one and a half hours if the facilitator maintains a very brisk pace. The debriefing usually requires at least 40 minutes and can be expanded substantially. g) Consider having 2 persons to play each role.One person is responsible for taking the decision and advancing the chips and order slips and the other person to maintain the figures and filling up Tables 1 and 2. The pair may switch their roles mid-way during the game. 7. End of game a) Halt the game aft er about 36 weeks (but play the game, up to that point as if it is going on to 50 weeks, to avoid unusual end-of-game moves). b) Ask each position on each team to calculate their total cost: c) Cost = Total inventory x $0. 50 + Total Backlog x $1 and to mark the total cost on the Record Sheet for the position d) Pass out Orders graph sheets – one to each position.Ask each position to graph their own orders, week by week. Clarify to Factory that they will graph their Production Requests. e) Pass out Effective Inventory graph sheets – one to each position. Ask each position to graph the inventory week by week, showing any backlog as negative inventory. f) Team name and position must be indicated on all sheets. Once the graph is complete, have the players connect the dots with a bold magic marker (colour coded – Retailer = black, Wholesaler = blue, Distributor = green and Factory = red – to the board) for ease of viewing by the group. ) Pass out the Customer Order graph sheets to everyone except Retailers. Ask each person to sketch what he or she thinks the customer order rate looked like over time. Ask each to indicate a simple scale or maximum value. ? Ask retailers not to discuss anything about customer orders until after the debrief of the game. h) Collect all the sheets, and send players off for a break. i) During break: ? Calculate team costs to determine the winner and compute the average team cost. ? Tape sheets together (as shown below) and hang up team graphs.Effective Inventory Team 1Team 2Team 3 |Retailer | |Retailer | |Retailer | | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | | |Distributor | |Distributor | |Distributor | | |Factory | |Factory | |Factory | |Orders/Production Requests Team 1Team 2Team 3 |Retailer | |Retailer | |Retailer | | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | | |Distributor | |Distributor | |Distributor | | |Factory | |Factory | |Factory | |STEPS OF THE GAME (Adapted) |Step # |General instructions |Speci fic Instruction to players playing the roles| | | |of Factory/ Retailer | | |Receive inventory (move chips from shipping delay 2 into current |Factory advance from production delay 1 to | | |inventory) and advance the shipping (from shipping delay 1 to |production delay 2. | |shipping delay 2). | | | |Use both hands to slide the chips over from respective boxes. | | | |Caution players not to move all chips into one box]. | | | |Look at incoming orders (check the order slip placed in your |Retailer draws consumer card. Follow | | |inbox) |instructions as in adjacent set. ] | | |Fulfill orders from your stock (your current inventory only). | | | |Move chips out into shipping delay 1 of the player downstream. | | | |All incoming orders must be filled. Facilitator to re-mention | | | |this step when the team has entered week 6/8) If your inventory | | | |is insufficient to fill incoming orders plus backlog, fill as | | | |many orders as you can and add the remaining orders to your | | | |backlog (use Table 2 to work out your cumulative backlog). | | |Record your balance inventory and/or cumulative backlog (in the | | | |latter case your balance inventory would have been reduced to | | | |zero) on Table 1. | | | |Advance the rder slips that you placed in the previous week from|Factory introduces production requests from | | |your outbox into the inbox of the player upstream. |previous week into production delay 1. | | |Take decision on the orders you wish to place for the upcoming | | | |week. Place your order slips in your outbox. | | | |Record your orders on Table 1. | FOLLOW-UP TASKS AND OUTLINE FOR POST-GAME DISCUSSION (Adapted) |Step # |Tasks and outline |Group Task | | |Remind participants of the objective |Emphasize that although they played the game to minimize cost, that's | | |of the game. |not the real purpose of the game. | | | | | | |The game is designed to: | | | |give players an experience of playing a role in a system | | | |show them how â€Å"st ructure produces behavior† | | |Request players tabulate total current|None. | |inventory, cumulative inventory on | | | |Table 1. | | | |Accounting: |None. | | |Record penalty of $0. 50 per item in | | | |inventory (at each stage). | | | |Record penalty of $1. 0 per item | | | |ordered but not filled. | | | |Plot inventory versus time (Chart 1) |Place charts at front of classroom for everyone to see (see typical | | |and unfilled orders (on Chart 1 also) |chart below). | | |versus time for your stage and for | | | |your company overall. | | | | | | |Plot order versus time (Chart 2) for |Place charts at front of classroom for everyone to see (see typical | | |your stage and for your company |chart below). | | |overall. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Ask participants: |Each of the players had the best possible intentions: to serve his | | |What’s going through the minds of the |customers well, to keep the product moving smoothly through the system, | | |p layers? |and to avoid penalties. Each participant made well-motivated, clearly | | |What problems arose during the game |defensible judgments based on reasonable guesses about what might | | |playing? |happen.Still there was a crisis- built into the structure of the | | | |system. | | | | | | | |Most people try to explain reality by showing how one set of events | | | |cause another or, if they've studied a problem in more depth, by showing| | | |how a particular set of events are part of a longer term historical | | | |process. | | | | | | |Have the participants illustrate this for themselves by looking at their| | | |own â€Å"explanations† for events during the game. | | | | | | | |Take a particular incident in the game, for example a large surge in | | | |production requests at the factory, and ask the person responsible why | | | |they did that. | | | | | | |Their answer will invariably relate their decision to some prior | | | |decision of the person they supply or who supplies them. Then turn to | | | |that person and ask them why they did that. Continue this until people | | | |see that one can continue to relate one event to earlier events | | | |indefinitely. | | | | | | |Wholesaler/Distributor may say: â€Å"I am ordering four/fives times my usual| | | |order. Maybe the retailer is ordering so much because they can’t get | | | |any of the beer from me. Either way I have to keep up. I am dismayed | | | |the brewery had just stepped up production. How could they be slow? | | | |What if I can’t get any of the beer and they go to one my competitors? | | |The backlog costs due. I am afraid to tell the accountant what to | | | |expect. † | | | | | | | |Retailer may say: â€Å"I ordered more just to be safe and to keep up with | | | |the sales. I don’t want to get a reputation for being out of stock of | | | |popular beers.By the time I call my backlogged customers, I am sold | | | |out before I can sell a single new cas e. What is that wholesaler doing | | | |to me? Doesn’t he know what a ravenous market we have down here? I | | | |think of all the lost potato chip sales† | | | | | | | |Brewery may say: â€Å"Even after Week 14 I had not caught up with the | | | |backlogs.At Week 16 I have finally caught up but the distributors had | | | |not asked for any more beer at all? Why did the order mushroom and then| | | |die? † | | | | | | | |â€Å"The orders have finally arrived but what’s wrong with the retailers? | | | |Why have they stopped ordering? † | | | | | |Briefly describe what strategy you |After a few minutes (about 10) of discussion, look at the graphs of the | | |developed during the game for making |results. Ask them, â€Å"What commonalities do you see in the graphs for the| | |ordering decisions. |different teams? † | | | | | | | |Participants should see common pattern of overshoot and oscillation. | | | |This should be most evident in the effect ive inventory graph. | | | | | | |Get them to really see for themselves that different people in the same | | | |structure produce qualitatively similar results. Even though they acted | | | |very differently as individuals in ordering inventory result (there was | | | |free will), still the overall patterns (qualitative pattern) of behavior| | | |are similar. | | | | | | |This is a very important point–take as long as necessary to have them | | | |see it for themselves. | | | | | | | |Obviously at the factory, the Marketing Director will be blamed for any | | | |layoffs or plant closings that come out of this crisis – just as the | | | |wholesaler blamed the retailer and the retailer blamed the wholesaler | | | |and oth wanted to blame the factory. | | | | | | | |You might reflect at this point on what happens in the real world when | | | |such performance target oscillations are generated. The typical | | | |organizational response is to find the â€Å"person respon sible† (the guy | | | |placing the orders or the inventory manager) and blame him. | | | | | | |The game clearly demonstrates how inappropriate this response | | | |is–different people following different decision rules for ordering a | | | |generated oscillation. | | |Plot what you think was the customer |After having had them all see the extent to which different people | | |order over time (Chart 3) during the |produce similar results in a common structure, you then need to move on | | |game. |to what is usually the most powerful point made by the game: that | | | |internal structure not external events cause system behavior. | | | | | | |The way to make this point is to ask the following question: | | | | | | | |†All of you who were not retailers, or who otherwise have not found out | | | |what the pattern of customer orders was, what do you think the customers| | | |were doing? † | | | | | | | |Most people usually believe that customer demand was fluctu ating because| | | |they believe that the system fluctuations must have been externally | | | |driven. Most draw a curve which rises and falls, just as their orders | | | |rose and fell. | | | | | | |Get each of them (other than retailers) to see that they assumed | | | |fluctuating customer orders. | | |Retailer in your team to plot actual |Draw in each order rate graph the actual customer ordering pattern. The| | |customer order on the same chart. |small step from 4 to 8 orders should make a strong visual impression in | | | |contrast to the order rate fluctuations which often have amplitude of | | | |20- to 40-orders per week.Moreover, the sustained oscillations | | | |generated by the system contrast sharply to the absolutely flat customer| | | |order rate after the step at week 5. | | | | | | | |The Retailer may respond with: â€Å"The demand never mushroomed. And it | | | |never died out. We still sell eight cases of beer – week after week. | | | |But you didn’t send us the beer we wanted. So we had to keep ordering, | | | |just to make sure we had enough to keep up with our customers†. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |This simple exercise of getting them to see how, contrary to their | | | |expectations, the internal system structure is completely capable of | | | |generating fluctuating behavior is the most profound lesson they can | | |Are the oscillations due to external |learn from the game. | | |or internal reasons? | | | |It is important that they see this for themselves, as a demonstration or| | | |an experimental result, which they did, not as an idea of which you're | | | |trying to convince them. In fact, the game is an experiment in very true| | | |sense. The result of oscillating behavior was not predetermined. | | | | | | | |The assumption that the system's problems are caused by the customer | | | |stems from our deeply felt need to find someone or something to blame | | | |where there are problems. | | | | | | |Initially after the game is over, many believe that the culprits are the| | | |players in the other positions. This belief is shattered by seeing that| | | |the same problems arise in all plays of the game, regardless of who is | | | |manning the different positio ns. Many then direct their search for a | | | |scapegoat toward the consumer. | | | | | | |But when their guesses are compared with the flat customer orders, this | | | |theory is shot down too. This has a devastating effect on some players. | | |In the last 20 years, the beer game |If literally thousands of players all generate the same qualitative | | |has been played thousands of times in |behaviour pattern the causes of the behaviour must lie beyond the | | |classes and management training |individuals. The causes of the behaviour must lie in the structure of | | |seminars. It has been played on five |the game itself. | |continents, among people of all ages, | | | |nationalities, cultural origins and |When placed in the same sy stem, people however different, tend to | | |vastly varied business backgrounds. |produce similar results. | | |Some had never heard of a production/ | | | |distribution system before; others had|In system dynamics we take an alternative viewpoint—that the internal | | |spent a good portion of their lives |structure of a system is more important than external events in | | |working in such businesses. |generating qualitative patterns of behavior. | | | |A system causes its own behaviour. In the game.The structure that | | |Yet every time the game is played the |caused wild swings involved the multi-stage supply chain and the delays | | |same crises ensue. First there is |intervening between different stages (refer Tools on ST), the limited | | |growing demand that can’t be met. |information available (refer Tools on TL) at each stage in the system, | | |Orders build throughout the system. |and the goals, costs, perceptions and fears (refer Tools on MM) that | | |Invent ories are depleted. Backlogs |influenced individuals’ orders for beer. | | |grow. Then the beers arrive enmasse | | | |while incoming orders decline. |These an be illustrated by this diagram: | | | | | | |By the end of the experiment, almost | | | |all players are sitting with large |Events | | |inventories they cannot unload –e. g. |(e. g. inventory backlogs and surges) | | |it is not unusual to find brewery and | | | |distribution inventory levels in the | | | |hundreds over hanging orders from | | | |wholesalers for 8-12 cases per week. Patterns | | | |(Panic behaviours / oscillations) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Structure | | | |(only form of communication is through order slips, the use performance | | | |measures by inventory and order sizes and the effect of delays – from | | | |upstream) | | | | | | | |But also remember the nature of structure in a human system is subtle | | | |because we are a part of it and this means we often have the power to | | | |alter structures, which we are operating. | | | | | | | |How can such controlling structures be recognised? | | | | | | | |Characteristic pattern of order buildup and decline at each position, | | | |amplified in intensity as you move upstream from retailers to breweries. | | | | | | |Each position goes through an inventory-backlog cycle: first there is | | | |insufficient inventory and then there is too much. | | | | | | | |Assumptions of an external cause (e. g. the other players or the | | |Think of examples in your |customer) are characteristics of non-systemic thinking. | |organisations where you can apply | | | |these principles. When we feel: |How would such knowledge help us to be more successful in a complex | | |Too much work? |system – redefining your scope of influence? | | |Not enough information? | | | |Too many changes? |Each player adopts the simplest ordering policy possible – simply place | | |Not able to manage changes? |new orders equal to ord ers he received. When this strategy is followed | | |Someone is unfair to you? unswervingly by all the players, all positions settle into stability by | | |Customers are demanding? |Week 11. The strategy may generate persistent backlogs (may not be | | | |practical in real life as it invites competitors to enter the market) | | | |but it eliminates the buildup and collapse in ordering and the | | | |associated wild-swings in inventories. In 75% of teams that play the | | | |game, the â€Å"no strategy† position have a lower total cost. | | |Most players see their job as â€Å"managing their position† in isolation | | | |from the rest of the system. What is required is to see how their | | | |position interacts with the larger system – your influence is broader | | | |than simply of your own position. | | | |You pay close attention to own inventory, costs, backlog, orders, etc. | | | |(events).You respond to new orders by shipping out beer. What this | | | |view misses, is the ways that your order influences your supplier’s | | | |behaviour. Which in turn might influence yet another supplier’s | | | |behaviour. For example, if they place a large number of orders, they | | | |can wipe out their supplier’s inventory, thereby causing their | | | |supplier’s delivery delay to increase.If they then respond by placing | | | |still more orders, they create a â€Å"vicious cycle† that increases problems| | | |throughout the system (see below). Players that share the systems | | | |viewpoint tends to win – in order for you to succeed others must succeed| | | |as well. | | | | | | | |Causal Diagram of effect of systemic structure downstream & delays | | | |upstream | | | | | | | | | | |(see overleaf) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |What do you believe to be the causes |This is a good point to introduce learning disabilities and our ways of | | |of these problems? thinking in an organization: | | | | | | | |Fixation on events – Each player focuses on events giving very little | | | |power to alter the course of events at a structural or strategic levels. | | | |I am my position – because they â€Å"became their positions†, people do not | | | |see how their own actions affect the other positions. | | |The enemy is out there – The game reveals the problems originate in | | | |basic ways of our thinking and interacting, more than in peculiarities | | | |of organisations and policy. Often when problems arise, people quickly | | | |blame each other – â€Å"the enemy† becomes the players at the other | | | |positions, or even the organization structure and polices and/or | | | |customers. | | |The illusion of taking charge – when they get â€Å"proactive† and place more| | | |orders, they make matters worse. | | | |The pa rable of the boiled frog – because their overordering builds up | | | |gradually, they don’t realise the direness of their situation until its | | | |too late. | | | |Delusion of learning from experience – by and large they don’t learn | | | |from their experiences because the most important consequences of their | | |actions occur elsewhere in the system, eventually coming back to create | | | |the very problems they blame on others. | | | |The Myth of the Management Team – the teams running the different | | | |positions become consumed with blaming the other players for their | | | |problems, precluding any opportunity to learn from each others’ | | | |experience. | | |What could we do to potentially change|Analysis using Levels of Perspective tool: | | |the behaviour observed in the game? Espoused Vision: Everybody working as a team | | | |Vision-in-Use: I am my position | | |Check-up the Vision-Deployment Matrix. |Systemic Structure-in -use: No communications, minimising losses for | | | |one’s position and overanticipating the orders | | | |Patterns-in-use: Are not able to meet orders in time and having to deal | | | |with delayed productions and over-doers in the long-run. | | | |Events: Is constantly reacting leading to frustrations and burnouts in | | | |the long-run. | | |Desired Systemic Structure: First, wait patiently for the beer that you | | | |have ordered but because of the delay, it has not yet arrived. Second, | | | |don’t panic. It takes discipline to contain the overwhelming urge to | | | |order more when backlogs are building and your customers are screaming. | | | |Without the discipline, you and everyone will suffer. Third, assume a | | | |†No strategy† approach can actually work. | | |Shift in prevailing assumption of what is required of us for creating | | | |fundamentally different organisations; from: | | | |Firstly, a perspective of â€Å"the system we are trying to change is out | | | |there and we (as change agents) are trying to fix it† to â€Å"we and the | | | |system are inextricably linked together†. | | | |Secondly, a perspective of serving the team rather than the â€Å"individual†| | | |is who counts here; watch out for Number One! | SUPPLIES CHECKLIST PER TEAM: |3 TEAMS |4 TEAMS |5 TEAMS |6 TEAMS | |Game Board |3 |4 |5 |6 | |Single Chips |600 |840 |960 |1200 | |Ten Chips |90 |120 |150 |150 | |Customer Deck (1) |3 |4 |5 |6 | |Order Slips (200) |600 |800 |1000 |1200 | |Graphs (4) |12 |16 |20 |25 | |Record Sheets (4) |12 |16 |20 |25 | |Pencils (4) |12 |16 |20 |25 | |Calculators (4) |12 |16 |20 |24 | |PER SESSION: |Masking Tape | |Four-color markers per team | |Magic Markers | |Debriefing Book | |Flip Charts | |Either white board to hold charts for each organization or space on a blank wall | |Previous game graphs | |Table set ups | [B]- Items are not available with the game set. Please provide required sets. [I] - Items are not available with the game set. Please make required number of copies. MOCK GAME BOARD [pic] Table 1: Cost of Inventory and Backlog Team Name: _______________________ Circle your position:WholesalerRetailerDistributorFactory Wk | | |INV 1 = | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ | |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ | |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ | |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | Graph 1: My Inventory (including Backlog) Team Name: _______________________ [pic] Graph 2: My Orders Team Name: _______________________ [pic] Graph 3: My perception of orders by customer Team Name: _______________________ [pic] The Beer Distribution Game An Annotated Bibliography Covering its History and Use in Education and Research Prepared by John D. Sterman Sloan School of Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 253-1951 (voice); (617) 253-6466 (fax); [email  protected] edu (email) April 1992; revised July 1992 The Beer Distribution Game dates to the earliest days of system dynamics.The game has been used for three decades as an introduction to systems thinking, dynamics, cumputer simulation, and management. It has been played by thousands of people, all over the world, from high-school students to CEOs of major corporations. The references below provide useful information for those who want to follow up the experience of the game. These works describe the history of the game, the equations for simulating the game on a computer, the success of organizational change efforts based on the original model embodied in the game, the psychological processes people use when playing, and even how these processes can produce chaos. * ? Forrester, J. W. (1958) Industria l Dynamics: A Major Breakthrough for Decision Makers.Harvard Business Review, 36(4), July/August, 37-66. The first asrticle in the field of system dynamics. Presents the production-distribution system as an example of dymanic analysis of a business problem. Reprinted in Roberts (1978). ? Forrester, J. W. (1961) Industrial Dynamics. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Contains a description of an early version of the Beer Distribution Game ? MacNeil-Lehrer Report, (1989) Risky Business – Business Cycles, Video, Public Broadcasting System, aired 23 October 1989. Videotape showing students in John Sterman's Systems Dymanics course at MIT playing and discussing the Beer Game. Relates the game to boom and bust cycles in the real world.Excellent in debriefing the game, and helpful to those seeking to learn how to run the game. Copies available from System Dynamics Group, E60-383, MIT, Cambridge MA 02139. ? Mosekilde, E. , E. R. Larsen & J. D. Sterman (1991). Coping with complexity: Determini stic Choas in human decision making bahavior. In J. L. Casti & A. Karlqvist (Eds. ), Beyond Belief: Randomness, Prediction, and Explanation in Science, 199-229. Boston:CRC Press Shows how simple and reasonable decision rules for playing the Beer Game may produce strange nonlinear phenomena, including deterministic chaos. ? Radzicki, M. (1991). Computer-based beer game boards. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dept. f Soc Sci and Policy Studies, Worcester, Ma 01609-2280 Beer game boards in PICT format for Macintosh computers available on disk for $5. 00; all proceeds go to the System Dynamics Society. ? Thomsen, J. S. , E. Mosekilde, & J. D. Sterman (1992). Hyperchaotic Phenomena in Dynamic Decision Making. Systems Analysis and Modelling Simulation, forthcoming. Extends earlier papers by Moskilde, Sterman, et al. to examine hyperchaotic modes in which the behavior of the beer distribution system may switch chaotically among several different chaotic attractors (for afficionados, †Å"hyperchaos† exists when a dynamical system contains multiple positive Lyapunov exponents). ? Roberts, E. B. , ed. (1978) Managerial Applications of System Dynamics.Cambridge, MA: Productivity Press. Excellent anthology of early-applied system dynamics work in organizations, including analysis of efforts to implement the results of the model which led to the Beer Game. ? Senge, P. (1990) The Fifth Discipline. New York: Doubleday. Excellent non-technical discussion of the Beer Game, and systems thinking principles generally. ? Sterman, J. D. (1984). Instructions for Running the Beer Distribution Game. D-3679, System Dynamics Group, MIT, E60-383, Cambridge, MA 02139. Explains how to run and debrief the Beer Game, including layout of boards, set up, play, and discussion. Incorporates debriefing notes by Peter Senge.Some people have found this document, in conjunction with the MacNeil/Lehrer video and plenty of practice, is sufficient to enable them to lead the game successfully. ? Sterman, J. D. (1988). Modeling Managerial Behavior: Misperceptions of Feedback in a Dynamic Decision Making Experiemnt. Management Science, 35(3), 321-339. Detailed analysis of Beer Game results. Examines why people do so poorly in the Beer Game. Proposes and tests a model of the decision making processes people use when playing the game and shows why they do so badly. Additional information on systems dynamics, including publications, simulation games, management flight simulators, journals, etc. is available from John Sterman at the address above. *If you know of additional publications which discuss aspects of the game not ncluded in this bibliography please send a copy to John Sterman at the address above so they can be incorporated in future releases of this bibliography. ———————– [1] Order fulfilled Cost Storage] Total Inventory Balance(w=t) = Inventory Balance(w=t-1) + New Inventory Received(w=t) [2] Balance Inventor y After fulfilling Order(w=t) = Total Inventory Balance (w=t) – Order Fulfilled (w=t) [3] Cumm Backlog (w=t) = New Backlog (w=t) + Unfulfilled Cumm Backlog(w=t-1) ———————– Reta