The Process of Benchmarking Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Process of Benchmarking - Term Paper Example The purpose of this paper is to examine how the process of benchmarking is important in financial decision making. An online quantitative research study of Jackson Health Care title Nurses downtime 2011 survey elucidates various aspects of benchmarking. This survey offers information that can be used by other organizations for comparison. Factors for comparison outlined in this survey include time spent in indirect care, issues that affect bedside nurse, recommendations on how to increase time spent on patients bedsides, job satisfaction among nurses, and ways to improve job satisfaction. Jackson Health Care has implemented strategies to improve these areas between 2009 and 2011and hence offers a credible basis for comparison. This article informed my understanding of benchmarking in that inequalities in relation to performance gaps are prevalent in healthcare and identifying these variances can help align processes in low performing institutions with those in organizations that perform highly. Subsequently, this article informed my understanding in that benchmarking can either be internal or external. External benchmarking is what is denoted as comparing the processes of an institution with another. Benchmarking involves the creation of specific objectives that ought to be achieved in a healthcare organization to achieve high levels of performance. In my organization, benchmarking can be used to assess the existing strategies under implementation and as mentioned earlier, compare them with those in other similar organizations. During this process, financial data relating to other organizations are collected and analyzed. It is only through this process that what needs to be done to improve performance in terms of finances can be identified and achieved in my organization. As Baker and Baker (2014) points out, "Benchmarking is used for opportunity assessment" (p. 220). In other words, benchmarking can help my organization to identify opportunities and

Equipment & Systems Engineering Essay Example for Free

Equipment Systems Engineering Essay Product overview CATIA Plant Layout 1 (PLO) enables organizations to optimize their manufacturing plant layout. This product is one piece of Dassaults integrated Digital Manufacturing Solutions. It deals specifically with the spatial organization and components of the plant, allowing quick easy layout and downstream evolution of the layout design. Through the CATIA V5 integrated product environment, users have a seamless solution to address all their manufacturing environment needs. They have the tools necessary to optimize production facility layout, leading to optimized factory production and output. CATIA Plant Layout 1 (PLO) provides an accessible solution for departments of small and medium enterprises. Its friendliness, intuitiveness, and ease of use makes it possible for inexperienced users to use the system with a minimal cost of implementation. The complete layout of the facility can be driven almost completely with the mouse and the product has a user interface that helps users make the transition from traditional 2D layout to 3D. With the intelligence behind the V5 Plant Layout model, plant designers and systems layout design teams can identify and solve problems with the layout or production process long before equipment is installed or moved inside the plant. The software enables users to not only complete designs faster, but also to significantly improve the quality of their designs. Today, every manufacturing company is looking for new methods to reduce the time it takes to ramp-up, reduce the number of problems on the production floor including downtime, and get products to market faster. Dassaults Digital Manufacturing Solutions, which include the CATIA Plant Layout 1 (PLO) product line, assist companies in achieving these objectives. CATIA Plant Layout 1 (PLO) , together with Dassault Data Management offerings, gives users the power to manage their plant layouts and associated components from initial design to plant operations, in a way that is easily adapted to how the customer works. Product Highlights Includes an optimized user interface for easy maneuverability and layout design iteration Provides an easy tool to define pathway route for preliminary space claim. Provides optimized tools for quick and easy layout of complex configurations.

Islam and Christianity :: Religion Religious Chirstian Islamic Essays

Islam and Christianity There are hundreds of religions in this world. Of them two are the most prominent. Islam and Christianity. It is averaged that there are 750 million people practicing Islam, and another 1 billion practicing Christianity. The start of Islam is actually derived form Christianity, history books indicates that one night in the year 610, the first of many revelations came to Muhammad from God by way of the angel Gabriel (In Christianity this is the same Angel which brings the news of Jesus' birth, Jesus of course is the founder of Christianity). The message Muhammad received told him that there was but one God (Identical to the inception of the Ten Commandments), not many gods, as most Arabs believed. This God was creator of the world (In Christianity, it's documented in Genesis Chapter 1 verse 1, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth), and He would one day judge mankind (This is also true in Christianity: "The Lord will judge his people." Hebrews 10:30). Both of these re ligions share almost the same framework, but they also differ in many ways. The word Islam means "surrender" or "submission," submission to the will of Allah, the one God. Muslims are those who have submitted themselves. The basic creed of Islam is brief: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah. Islam teaches that there is one God, the creator and sustainer of the universe. This God, Allah, is compassionate and just. Because He is compassionate, He calls all people to believe in Him and worship Him. Because He is also just, on the Last Day He will judge every person according to his deeds. On the Last Day, all the dead will be resurrected and either rewarded with heaven or punished with hell. In Christianity one of the Ten Commandments states that "I am the Lord you God.....you shall have no other gods before me", also identical to Islam God is considered the creator of the universe, and he is also just. On the last day, or judgment day, the same holds true as in Islam in the Christian beliefs, the dead will be resurrected and either rewarded with heaven or punished with hell. Mankind is regarded as the crown of creation, entrusted by God with management of the whole created order. In Christianity this was Adam, who had dominion over all the animals and beasts of the earth.

Family, Friends and Fame: Handel’s Roots and First Influences Essay

A composer’s influence doesn’t end within the pages of his composition. It stretches on, to musicians and other famous composers. Georg Frideric Handel is one famous example. Being a primary influence to many of the most famous composers of all time, such as Beethoven and Mozart, Handel has been one of the most acclaimed men in the history of music. The entire English nation, owes him a debt of gratitude because of the masterly way in how he encouraged and command them to assimilate and accept the beauty of the music he created. Even a master such as Handel, though, has simple and humble origins. He encountered obstacles and experiences during his early years that nearly cost him and prevented him from creating the masterpieces he gave the world. Most of these came during his early years of being a musician, and stemmed from close relationships. Handel Family Origins Handel’s roots originally belonged to Breslau, a city in southwestern Poland, found near the Oder river. For several generations, their family has been coppersmiths. Valentine Handel, the grandfather of the composer, was born in 1582, and in his later years migrated to Halle. Two sons of his followed in the coppersmith trade, but his third son, Georg, became a barber-surgeon instead. Georg married a woman who was the widow of the barber who acted as his mentor. She was 12 years older than he. After the death of his wife, he married his second wife, named Dorothea Taust, the daughter of a clergyman. From this marriage, sprung four children, one of them destined to become famous for his compositions. Birth and Family Ties On the 23rd of February 1685, Dorothea gave birth to George Frideric Handel, in the Duchy of Magdeburg, found at the Upper Saxony. Halle, the place where he was born, was not a very attractive place. â€Å"Travellers unanimously complained of its dusky impression, its sooty buildings, and its crooked narrow, ill-paved streets. † Nevertheless, Halle was home for the Handels, and this was where George Frideric spent his childhood. Handel had a half-brother and half-sister when he was born, Karl and Sophie Rosine, respectively, and both were already older than him. Despite having different mothers, Handel maintained a good relationship with his half-siblings. Karl Handel even played an interesting role in a crucial musical incident involving his younger half brother and his love for music. Relationship With His Parents Even at a young age, George Frideric already had great love for music. When he was still a baby, the toys found in his nursery were those that produce musical sounds, including flutes, drums, and trumpets. The first few years, it was amusing, but as he developed, it seemed to become more serious. Handel had intimate, but very different ties with his father and mother. While one urged him to pursue his dream of being a musician, the other greatly opposed it. Georg, the composer’s father, wanted his child to obtain a proper occupation, and pursue law. He had big ambitions for his boy. When he observed the child’s strong propensity for music, he greatly forbade and opposed it, commanding him to stay away from anything that might steer him towards that profession. He did not understood art, and does not understand the noble part artists play in the world, only seeing them as men of amusement, entertaining the world during idle moments. â€Å" ‘Music,’ said he, ‘was an elegant art and a fine amusement; yet if considered as an occupation, it had little dignity, as having for its subject nothing better than mere pleasure and entertainment. ‘† He forbade the child to attend the public schools, fearing that he would be drawn nearer to his musical dreams. The child was also forbidden to visit places where he can hear music. The musical instruments found in the house were also banished. Despite his father’s harshness towards the dream he loved so much, the child persisted. He knew music was his calling, and even if he knew he was going against his father’s wishes and putting himself in danger of being caught, he found ways. He would manage to lay hands on a dumb spinet or a clavicord, hiding it in a garret. Usually, these were given to him by his mother or godmother, a woman named Anna. At night, when the whole house is asleep, he would sneak out and tinker and play with the instrument. These hidden, stolen moments allowed the young man proper concentration, leading to better understanding of music, and therefore, paving way to greatness. Dorothea, Handel’s mother, was filled with love and ambition for her child. While her husband opposed the â€Å"low dignified† profession, she silently encouraged him to pursue it. Even when he died, Dorothea and her son’s relationship were as warm and devoted to each other, drawing strength from faith. Along with her, Handel’s two sisters also showered him with love and affection. This influence is perhaps the reason why the composer worked with women as singers, and became knowledgeable in the ways of women. â€Å"Sometimes a mixed blessing, he seemed to have thought, but an opportunity and professional relationship most men did not have in that time. † The Incident at the Duke’s Palace Another interesting incident in Handel’s childhood also played a crucial factor in his ambition to be a man of music. When his father was to visit Karl, the son from his former marriage, the seven year old George pleaded to be taken with him, even following the coach on foot when his father refused to take him with it. Eventually, the father agreed. When they arrived at the Duke of Saxe-Weisenfields’ Palace, where the son was a valet-de-chambre, the child wandered off, and started tinkering with the church organ, unable to resist it. The Duke heard the music, asked questions, and the child was brought to him. He asked the boy to play. The royalty recognized the child’s talent and addressed his father telling him that â€Å"it was a sort of crime against humanity to stifle so much genius in its birth†. The father conceded, and swore to respect the vocation. Handel was grateful to the Duke for his good advice to his father. In his later years, he even regarded the Duke as his benefactor. When they returned to Halle, his father allowed the child to be taught by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, the Liebfrauenkirche’s organist and also permitted him to continue his school work. For the next five years, Handel acted as an assistant for Zachow, and finally got his first formal training in the field of music. Following His Father’s Wish Handel’s father ruled him with an iron grip, and even if he allowed the child to practice his ambition of being a musician, he still wished for him to continue a career in law. On February 11, 1967, the composer’s father died in his sleep, perhaps of old age. He left behind his widow, two daughters and son, who was then barely 12 years old. Handel became them the man of the household, and was forced into an adult world at a tender age. Five years after his father’s death, February 1702, he entered the University of Halle, as a student of law or â€Å"Studiosus Juris†. This career choice, however, was not meant to last long. In July 1703, the eighteen year old Handel moved to Hamburg, where he took a job in the theater as a â€Å"violon di ripieno†. Without his father keeping an eye on him, he was able to leave his home and his family, and become a musician. Friendship with Georg Philipp Telemann Handel was not the only musician who was imprisoned in his deceased father’s dreams of studying law. Another young man by the name of Georg Philipp Telemann was also in the same plight, unsure of his plans of studying law. His mother was insisting that he give up his dreams of music, in respect to his deceased father’s dreams for him. Telemann was born at Magdeburg in 1681, and was four years older than Handel. When they met, he was reluctantly traveling to the University of Leipzig to pursue law. Telemann says that while with Handel, he â€Å"imbibed so much of the ‘strong poison’ of music as to nearly overset all his resolutions†. Handel’s enthusiasm for the profession influenced the other man so much, that he became tempted to go against what her mother wanted. However, Telemann’s mother’s wishes prevailed. Fortunately for him, a friend discovered one of his psalms and presented it to a burgomaster, who declared it a fine harmony and inquired about the composer. He was employed to compose something for the church, and was given compensation. When he sent word to his mother (who was then supporting his finances) about this, he was able to prove to her that the profession she had been unfavorable to, yields good results and steady income after all. She finally gave him her blessing to pursue his dream. Handel and Telemann then renewed their friendship, corresponding regularly and meeting often with each other. One composer’s influence upon another is always extraordinary, as seen in Handel and Telemann. Like, their music, their friendship lasted a lifetime. They exchanged advice and encouragement, giving one another the much needed push to pursue the profession they both love. Meeting Johann Mattheson When Handel moved to Hamburg in 1703, one of the first people he made friends with was Johann Mattheson, a composer, theorist and singer. Despite Mattheson’s young age, he had also become one of the most influential men in Hamburg. Like Telemann, he was four years older than Handel. Mattheson was gifted, but vain. Nevertheless, Handel was eternally grateful to Mattheson, because the latter introduced him to the musical life in the new place he was in. Mattheson recounts that the first time he met Handel, the young man was â€Å"strong at the organ, stronger than Kuhnau in fugue and counterpoint, especially es tempore, but he knew very little about melody†. Mattheson helped Handel pursue his dreams, even introducing him to the English ambassador Sir Cyril Wyche. Their family music was assiduously cultivated, and here, Handel was able to get engagements and students. They worked at the opera together, and also went to social excursions and musicals, despite numerous controversies that surrounded their friendship. They also traveled to Lubeck together, to contest each other for the post of the organist at the Marienkirche, to succeed Dietrich Buxtenhude, who was about to retire. They both withdrew, though, upon learning that Buxtenhude wanted the successor to marry his daughter. During the time they spent together, the two became very good friends and inseparable companions. All good friends have their disagreements, and so did these two fervent individuals. Their personalities, fueled by the same music, can be very different at times, and often became the result of conflict. In the marketplace, in front of a large crowd, they fought with swords after a quarrel while conducting â€Å"Cleopatra†, Mattheson’s opera. The fight ended when a metal button on Handel’s coat broke Mattheson’s sword. Perhaps, they both realized the stupidity of their actions. Hence, the two musicians resolved the issue, buried the hatchet, and emerged better friends than ever. During his stay in Hamburg, Handel was able to produce a cantata on the Passion, four operas and several minor compositions. These, and the exposure and experience from this place would not have been possible, if not for the guidance and help of his good friend and colleague Johann Mattheson. Concluding A Life Of Music George Frideric Handel died on April 14, 1759, peacefully in his sleep. He left behind a life’s worth of compositions, the most acclaimed and famous one being the â€Å"Messiah†. If a study on his operas and dramatic works was made, people will discover a Handel that’s very unknown: a composer with an unparalleled sense for dramatic human character. Perhaps, majority of it came from a life of experiences, but a tremendous part of it came from the people closest to him. His family origins and closest friends influenced him, in such a way that he emerged as one of the most famous and celebrated composers in the world. References Bray, Anna Eliza. (1857). Handel: His Life, Personal and Professional. Harvard University. Dent, Edward Joseph. (2007). Handel. BiblioBazaar, LLC. Harris, Ellen T. (2001). Handel As Orpheus: Voice And Desire In The Chamber Cantatas. Harvard University Press. Hogwood, Christopher. (2005). Handel: Water Music and Music for The Royal Fireworks. Cambridge University Press. Lang, Paul Henry. (1996). George Frideric Handel. Courier Dove Publications. Sadie, Stanley & Hicks, Anthony. (1987). Handel: Tercentenary Collection. Boydell and Brewer. Schoelcher, Victor. (1857). The Life of Handel. Oxford University. Streatfield, R. A. (2005). Handel. Kessinger Publishing. Van Til, Marian. (2007). George Frideric Handel: A Music Lover’s Guide to His Life, His Faith and the Development of Messiah and His Other Oratorios. WordPower Publishing. Vaughan, Robert, & Allon, Henry. (1862). The British Quarterly Review. Hodder and Stoughton. Williams, Charles Francis Abdy. (2008). Handel. BiblioBazaar, LLC.

Music during WW2 and how it played a role Essay

Music during World War 2 was made to help get people through depression and motivate the men and women fighting in Europe and Asia. Everyone was into patriotism at this time including the music they listened to. At this time music has expanded its demographic to younger audiences, before it popular music was mainly appealing for adults. It contained many uplifting styles of music such as swing, be-bop, and country. For example Frank Sinatra became very popular to the young teenage demographic. He was the first singing teen idol. He created more swinging music to help with the war with songs like â€Å"The Birth of the Blues†. Jo Stafford also became famous with her romantic World War 2 ballads. Most of her songs helped the troops overseas remember their wives and girlfriends back home. Other songs also helped like â€Å"America Calling† by Meredith Willson, which helped boost morale of the country and convinced men to enlist into the armed services. It reminds them about what this war is about and to support it. â€Å"Angels of Mercy† by Irving Berlin, which was created after the bombing of Pearl Harbor dedicating the American Red Cross nurses, portraying them as Angels of Mercy wounded victims overseas. â€Å"Back Home For Keeps† by Carmen Lombardo, which is about a wife waiting for her husband to return home. This song gave a good mood and also helped support the war. â€Å"Cowards Over Pearl Harbor† by Fred Rose, which gave great American Spirit by talking about how America will over Japan, the evil country. â€Å"G. I. Blues† by Floyd Tillman, which describes the view of an American Soldier at war. It describes them as being lazy and doing nothing, which makes him depressed and wanting to come home. His thinks that if they continue to have lazy soldiers, America will not be able to win. â€Å"Hello Mom† by Eddie Dunstedter, which was about more about the propaganda during the war and gave more morale. Plus, it also supported the war bonds. It helped the parents who had a son in the war make them feel better. â€Å"Ma! I Miss You Apple Pie† by a G.I. at a training camp, which summed up what America is fighting for. The Apple Pie symbolizes Americas Freedom and how a soldier misses his Apple Pie. â€Å"Wonder When My Baby’s Coming Home† by Kermit Goell and Arthur Kent, which is yet another  song about a wife or girlfriend waiting for her lover to come home, waiting in her house. â€Å"I’ve been Drafted Now I’m Drafting You† by Lyle Moraine & Chuck Foster, which is about the pains about separation and a soldier convincing his girlfriend to be proud to so him in uniform. In conclusion, the music during World War 2 where mainly about the war, patriotism, propaganda, and much more with lyrics that helped Americans get through the war years.

The Book of Kells essays

The Book of Kells essays ... you might believe that it is the work of an angel rather than a human being. -thirteenth century biblical scholar Giraldus Cambrensis The book of Kells is a beautiful translation of the four gospels based upon the Vulgate, the original latin translation from the original Hebrew. The book also contains the Eusipian canons and fragments of early Hebrew geneaology. It was presented to the Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland in the year 1661 by the archbishop Henry Jones. It is generally regarded as one of the most beautifull illuminated texts in the world. An Illuminated text are ancient books ussualy done on animal skin, Vellum. They were done by hand and contain marvelous illustrations often done in gold leaf and various other pigments. These pictures are designs that have pretty much spawned and defined what would come to be known as classical celtic art. These illustrations are pictorials of man and beasts, fanciful beings, gargoyles,dragons, birds, dogs, and horses are all woven together in elaborate patterns. What really strikes the viewer is not only the ornate detail of all this ornamentation, but the precis ion of the illustrators hand. The Book of Kells, is also called The book of Columba, after the Irish monk St Collum Cille. He died at the monestary of Iona, an island of the coast of Scotland, in 597 AD. In 806 vikings, probably of Danish origin, mounted a raid on Iona, killing sixty eight of the Ionic monks. Many of the remaining monks fled Iona to the monastary in Kells. Kells is on the irish mainland about seventy kilometers north of Dublin. Many scholars believe that this tranlation was commisioned to commemerate the anniversary of St Collums death in 797. It is believed that the half completed book made this flight with the monks. Very little is known about the actual authors, although scholars have been able to divine four very different hands in the calligraphy. ...

modem essays

modem essays Implementing a Single-Chip Once I was given the task to implement a modem chip, I immediately started to search for the various available types of such chips. The resulting searches gave me a large range of modem chips. The divide between most of the I.C.s found was whether the modem was so-called single-chip or dual-chip. The latter involves the same circuitry as in the single-chip modem but has another chip dedicated to DSP (digital signal processing) and some memory (both RAM and ROM). These chips were found to be too complex and beyond the scope of our requirements. On the other hand the single-chip modems found were also divided into two main types, being those with or without a microcontroller. The latter are not numerous and were initially thought to not even be viable, but upon further detailed research such I.C.s were actually found. The modem chip selected for this purpose is the MSM6926 produced by OKI. The following is a detailed description of the chip and its various functions: The MSM6926 is OKI's 300 bps single chip modem series which transmit and receive serial, binary data over a switched telephone network using frequency shift keying (FSK). FSK is one of the modulation schemes available for data transmission, and is one the most common. Other modulation schemes include ASK, BPSK and QAM but FSK was found sufficient in our case. The MSM6926 is compatible with ITU-T V.21 series data sets, where the ITU-T V.21 is data transfer protocol dictating the different frequencies for the FSK transmission. This device provides all the necessary modulation, demodulation, and filtering required to implement a serial, asynchronous communication link. OKI's single chip modem series is designed for users who are not telecommunication experts and are easy to use cost effective alternative to standard discrete modem design. CMOS LSI technology provides the ...