Catatech Industries The Question of Electronic Commerce

Catatech Industries focuses on providing electric measuring tools to both local and international market. Jose Fernandez founded Catatech in 1911 based on meeting their set targets or numbers. Markedly, the company’s key objective was to maximize on returns to realize high profit on sales irrespective of the management style within the firm. Since the company’s management is a lineage one, it has maintained a conservative culture in its operations.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Catatech Industries: The Question of Electronic Commerce specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, the firm is in business to offer quality services and products to the final users: customers. The inclusion of former electricians and professionals among sales representatives at all times attests to the urgent need for quality-service provision. In essence, the sales personnel commanded vast knowledge on the Catatech p roducts. Catatech Industries also intended to dominate the global market with its products. Its international expansion relied primarily on local acquisitions or takeovers, which were small. Notably, the company’s need for international presence had faced numerous challenges over the years since it had not adopted modern technology in promoting and selling its products. The company relied on the philosophy of profit maximization, but was slow to accept changes in the business world. Additionally, Catatech Industries has tried to accomplish the use of technology under Marisa Riviera as the CIO. According to Marisa, upgrading electronic commerce was a necessity; however, it was destined to attract negatives receptions from the longtime conservative CEO and the entire community that had appreciated his roles at the helm of the company. For instance, the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) led to production of better products and cost reduction in overall operati ons. The package integrated all functions and departments within Catatech Industries into a single component of a computer system that was able to serve needs of all the departments. Evidently, the company worked towards cost cutting techniques by employing the use of ERP single unified software, which enabled all departments to process customers’ orders at once. Essentially, outcome-based objectives alter the attitude, perceptions, understanding, behaviors, and opinions of consumers (Pearlson Saunders, 2013). From this aspect, it is possible to determine whether the company had reached its objectives or not. After making numerous ratifications in the services of the company, Catatech recorded increased customer purchases, especially in 1998 where it had revenues of close to $2 billion. Carlos also ensured that they customized their products to meet the needs of the local market.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company’s measure of outcome relies on setting measurable objectives that are time bound, achievable, realistic, and specific (Pearlson Saunders, 2013). When objectives are clear and measurable, key stakeholders will build credibility for the value of communication hence resulting to understandable outcomes and outputs. Evidently, the whole process starts with alignment of marketing objectives that are communicable to gauge their contributions and demonstrations of the leadership team. Catatech’s moves in the market created great impact on its operations. For instance, the use of ERB streamlined the company’s global supply chain, which resulted to reduction of inventory costs by 20%. There were also improvements in the delivery of quality products at low cost of production. The streamlining of the global supply chain minimized the time for processing of customers’ orders since the Manufacturing, Fina nce, and ERB departments could process the orders on the same platform at the same time. Marketers, therefore, should be in a position to demonstrate their values and contributions to their enterprises in order to register significant benefits. With adequate resources, time and knowledge, the objectives become achievable within a specified time. Again, if marketers find great satisfaction in the relationships and reputations among the leaders, they become confident to maximize effectiveness through proper resource allocation. In short, the objectives must be SMART since they focus on outcomes hence enabling businesses gauge their success. Through this approach, the management can determine the business outcome without a clear set measure for success. Catatech allowed slight independence in the operations of international outlets provided they could meet the numbers. This meant that there were ways of determining or measuring success. In summing up, effective measurements call for be st demonstrations of the value of work, clarity of goals and inclusion of all stakeholders in the process. In line with accountability, the company maintained local management in the operations of all its outlets and through its Board’s refusal to accept changes that could require more funds for implementation. They believed in traditional modes of doing business as they could engage the local electricians and professionals who had wealth of knowledge on the electrical products. For example, the evolution in electronic commerce, which required funding, attracted massive debates on the potential impacts in the market. The Board perceived the internet initiative as difficult and expensive to implement.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Catatech Industries: The Question of Electronic Commerce specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Marisa, on her part, was also cautious on the cost of implementing the website id ea and had to convince the Board to accept it through mass education. By 1998, the Board had to contend with the new idea of electronic marketing in order to remain a float in the global and dynamic market. Marisa had focused on taking the services of Catatech Industries to the online platform so that their products can receive global attention from a click of the button in any part of the globe. The CIO had remained persistent on the need for internet marketing such that during Executive Board meetings, she could assert her point in order to convince them. Markedly, having successfully achieved the implementation of ERB package, she could easily get the yearly infrastructure investments and operating funds. Earlier, Catatech merged with small, local firms so that it could expand its services to the global front. The acquisitions occurred after several years of attempts to go international. Further, in absorbing qualified sales representatives, the company aimed at meeting and surpa ssing its objectives. The implementation of the IT system in the operations of the company will automatically minimize the overall costs of marketing, expand its regional and global market, and reduce the logistics and expenses within the management. The business environment, at the time, faced changes in technology where businesses were adopting the use of internet in marketing their products. For example, â€Å"eHerramientas,† an unknown company had automated its services such that people all over the world could view the products at any time. So convenient and effective was the internet-marketing platform that Marisa took the initiative of convincing the conservative CEO who had remained adamant in adopting internet services. Carlos believed that the time for such technologies had not reached and they could still make profits without it. Clearly, the state of the economy called for inclusion of internet in promoting products in order to remain competitive in the global mar ket. Catatech Industries has been facing numerous binding constraints that have been affecting their ability to achieve the aforementioned objectives. Some of the constraints include lack of liberal talents, the conservative management and Board members and possible inadequate funds. The company has been targeting to expand its presence in the global stage using traditional means of marketing at a time when other businesses were adopting the use of internet to reach a large customer base at a low cost. Marisa is the only person that has been engaging the Executive Board on adoption of recent technological applications in their services. In addition, the company’s conservative culture has posed serious challenges to the achievement of the set objectives.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the Board argued that adopting the power of internet in their marketing strategies would undermine the efforts of local sales representatives and marketing. An attempt to adopt electronic commerce in their operations will imply a departure from the past autonomous and localized culture. The company had also showed fears of implementing a global electronic commerce strategy as it would be tough and expensive to execute. The challenges that arose from the implementation of electronic commerce reveal lack of adequate technocrats who could monitor the entire process of implementation and laxity by the Executive Board to commit funds in projects in which they have little knowledge about. In solving the constraints, the company can use its limited funds to outsource for internet services from international marketing organizations like in the US. The company’s financial strength is also a plus to the achievement of its objectives given that it recorded revenues of $2 b illion in 1998/1999 financial year. Moreover, Catatech Industries have a professional group of sales representatives and Board members that Marisa can educate on the benefits of using the new technology. Primarily, the company has an IT savvy CIO who is extremely interested in inculcating internet usage in its operations. The company can influence all the previously mentioned resources towards achieving its goals and objectives. Key processes help a firm to remain competitive in the market, produce maximum output on its success, and deliver outcomes that are specific and measurable (Pearlson Saunders, 2013). In essence, key processes create real value for an organization’s shareholders and customers. The current key processes include training and education on new technologies, human involvement effective communication, execution of the ERP package, desktop upgrading, automation of the sales force and knowledgeable sales representatives. These processes had steered the compan y above greater heights thus enabling it enjoy steady growth and un-challengeable cash flow. The business remained competitive in the local market with revenues of $2 billion as at 1998. Clearly, the current performance level shows that the firm is meeting its goal of profit maximization and international expansion, but at a high cost. The company’s ability to customize or tailor its products to the local markets has proved that the company believes in meeting the diverse needs of its customers. The outcomes of the current key processes are not meeting the objectives fully. The CEO’s view of rejecting the use of internet in reaching the international market at a lower cost than the present method is one cause for failure of the key processes. The present methods require high capital input hence lowering the amount of working capital. Catatech, therefore, cannot expand its services due to inadequate working capital for further investments. Inadequate allocation of resou rces constitutes to failure of key processes. Further, lack of organization’s readiness to accept change can result to un-cooperation among key stakeholders in achieving common goals as evident in Catatech Industries (Pearlson Saunders, 2013). Catatech had a conservative management that was not ready for change amidst attempts by the CIO to train them on the benefits of online marketing. The root cause of the challenges facing Catatech Industries is unwillingness of the CEO to learn new technological developments. He is a reservist who believes in old means to meet the objectives of the firm in the present times. Markedly, Carlos showed lack of leadership during Executive Board meeting by leaving the members argue over crucial issues for the success of the business. The Board could easily manipulate the CEO given that he mostly took passive roles during such discussions. The Catatech Executive Board, which was composed of conservatives, was also the root cause of the company ’s reluctance to go global via the internet platform. In addressing such issues, the company should recognize hardworking employees such as Marisa given that she successfully oversaw the streamlining of the manufacturing, ERP and finance departments, and automation of the sales force. Employee motivation is crucial as a way of attracting and maintaining qualified employees in an organization. In addition, the firm ought to have conducted wide market research on the benefits of internet so that the Board members could easily comprehend the essence of the initiative. The Executive Board could also have gone through training and education in partnership with international firms in order to gain competitive advantage over its competitors. If the company could have dynamic Board members, it could minimize cost of marketing and, subsequently, improving its creditworthiness. On the other hand, online sales are prone to fraud cases and website hacking; therefore, Catatech will have t o adopt high internet security to avert such cases. In the global platform, there is constant competition that will lower the prices of Catatech’s electrical products. Catatech could also opt to do nothing and continue with the conservative management. This approach could result to greater local market control and slow growth as well. The criterion for selecting the best option lies on the ability of the firm to understand the dynamic needs of its customers. In the current market, consumers’ tastes and preferences change frequently; therefore, Catatech should consider involving its customers in decision-making process. Moreover, consumers like comfort and, as a result, will easily accept to make orders online at any location. In making customers’ needs a priority, Catatech will have achieved its goal of maximizing sales, producing quality products and maximizing profit levels. If the company targets to interact with most of its customers at a low cost, then goin g online will be the best option since it will be able to align its strategy with the IT infrastructure (Pearlson Saunders, 2013). Catatech will be able to expand its market globally thereby maintaining a strong presence in the competitors’ regions. In long-term perspective, Catatech will also acquire new ideas on how to improve their manufacturing process since it will attract and retain skillful employees globally. In global market, there are stiff competitions that will require the management of Catatech to conduct frequent employee trainings and seminars to inculcate new ideas in them. Such moves will enable the firm to remain competitive in the global arena, as employees will be up-to-date on recent technological developments. In addition, there will be effective communication within and outside the company with the alignment of IT infrastructure with the marketing strategies. Reference Pearlson, K.E. Saunders, C.S. (2013). Managing and Using Information Systems â€⠀œ A Strategic Approach 5/E. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. This case study on Catatech Industries: The Question of Electronic Commerce was written and submitted by user Dorothy R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Supriya Panjiyar et al. Essays - Family, Family Law, Free Essays

Supriya Panjiyar et al. Essays - Family, Family Law, Free Essays Supriya Panjiyar et al. Professor Hernandez English 1302 4/8/17 "Paternity and Maternity leave": Gender role beliefs Are only mothers obliged to stay at home after giving birth to a child and take care of her newborn? Or should the father take care of his newborn as well? The six month period after a child is born is the most crucial time for forming a born with the child and family. The same amount of six month is the time the mother recovers from the child birth. The bond that a family creates during those six months is what that makes the family stronger. The value of receiving care from both parents while the child grows up is what makes the difference in how the child has been raised and how the child perceives their own life. Like maternity leave paternity leave is the time father takes time off from their work. According to Oxford English Dictionary Paternity leave is, " a short period of authorized absence from employment granted to a father after or shortly before the birth of his child". We live in a culture that hands child care mostly to the women. Historically, women are always the one who takes care of the newborn along with the help of their mother in law, sisters, friends or neighbours while fathers are always taken as the one who earns money and takes care of the family needs. But since everything in our world is becoming more modern the idea of paternity leave is slowly coming to light. Paid paternity leave should be given as much priority as paid maternity leave since involvement of fathers are as crucial in a child's life. The father should be able to take time off of his work and be paid for so that he can still help and support his family. Some might oppose that taking too much time off after the birth of a child might take away their opportunities in workplace. That might hinder the relationship between him and his family.

Response Phase 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response Phase 2 - Essay Example am also pleased to see that you did not choose to have a one-size-fits-all contract in the transaction that you undertook but considered the best alternative in each case. This is a very insightful discussion, very well-researched and thought of. I learned a lot from it. Thanks. Your discussion has depth and substance by allowing me to absorb details on how to make the purchase a success. Your emphasis on the processes and factors which will ensure the smooth running and success of the scheduling tool is commendable. I like it that you made suggestions in some areas which will enable ADC to possible avoid mistakes and mitigate risk while operating the tool. However, let me suggest that you need to define your acronyms in order to be understood by the class. For example, instead of just saying FFP, you can elaborate by mentioning Firm Fixed Price. Also, you should add Guaranteed Maximum Shares Savings (GMSS) into your types of contracts. Having all of them for discussion will enable you to choose the best one.. ï Å  Your paper’s main strengths is its focus on two factors which allows ADC to make decisions according to the bases being risk minimization and time constraint. These factors are always present in real world situations and should really be taken into account when deciding about purchasing and installing tools for business operations. The process that you outlined in procuring the software is very logical. Yes, a company would have to search for vendors, products, and features available and a choice is made. The cost plus incentive contract that you choose is reasonable noting that the vendor and ADC shares the risk. However, I believe that you should also have outlined how it will work. Like how much costs should be shared and how much cost is fixed. With the company’s target of risk minimization, it should be prepared how to handle this situation. I suggest that instead of choosing a type of contract for the number of tasks, you could choose one

Distributors Dell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Distributors Dell - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that, due to this illicit practice which violated the contract Dell had signed with these distributors the company had to file lawsuits against their own distributors. Another mistake Dell made was that it did not foster long term relationships with distributors in order to create partnerships. There was a sense of distrust between the distributors and Dell because the distributors believed that Dell at any time would stop using their services and introduce a direct sales model in China. A third mistake the company made was that it did not invest any resources in to enhance functionality of their supply chain function with its distributors. The company could have gotten more involved in the operation of its distributors by providing managerial and technical assistance. If the company would have established a mutual relationship based on respect and high ethical standards the distributors would have seen Dell as a business allied instead of just another com pany with a product to sell. When a company creates close relationship with suppliers and distributors it enables a business to obtain concessions and favors the firm would otherwise not receive. A fourth mistake the company made was delegating market strategy to its distributors. The communication between Dell and its distributors was weak. Due to this fact the distributors moved the merchandise utilizing their own criteria without taking into consideration any strategic input from Dell. The problem with the direct model in China was that the company was entering a market in which the people had different expectations than the US market. First of all a computer purchase to a Chinese person means a lot more than to a customer in the US or Europe because a worker would have to save money for nearly two years before they could make such a purchase.  

Giving Guantanamo back to Cuba Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Giving Guantanamo back to Cuba - Case Study Example Though it is debatable, I am of the opinion that at some point we might have lost our goodwill. I have no doubt that the United States is after the well-being of humans worldwide, but that does not mean we ought to let our feet of the gas and take for granted the happenings at Guantanamo bay. I say so because for over a decade we have allowed our government to use duress in Guantanamo bay detention camp. For the first time in several, we have maintained hard line stands and consigned human dignity to oblivion. In my opinion, I think the key players who take part in the process of national decision-making have backed the wrong horse. This is because they have overtime watched with crossed hands the dismal conditions under which those who stay at the Guantanamo bay detention camp put up with on a daily basis. In handling this project description, I am going to assume the role of the Secretary of State and shed light on how I can address the issues raised by Jonathan M. Hansen in his article titled Give Guantanamo Back to Cuba. I am going to evaluate the best possible action mechanisms we can employ to put the issue to rest. At the same time, I am going to discuss the relationship between the courses of action with the aim of preserving our national interests. Supplementary to the above mentioned, I am going to take account of the possibility of handing over the leadership of Guantanamo bay Island to Cuba and weigh the consequences of such an action. Since its creation by the Congress in 1789, the State Department under the watchful eye of the Secretary of State has risen to become one of the most looked upon offices not only in the United-States but worldwide. As the Secretary of State, I would put into use my duty as the President’s prime advisor on US foreign policy and recommend the end to American rule at the Cuban based Guantanamo bay detention camp. I am convinced by far, that the closure of the Guantanamo bay detention camp shall enable the US to be the custodian of two of its most important national interests: values and international organization. I say so because those suspects detained at the camp are subjected to undignified treatment. For starters, those detained at the facility are still innocent and the prosecutors are still in the process of proving that they are responsible for the various crime charges they are facing (Air University, 2012). If recent statistics collected from the facility are anything to go by, then the fact that only one out of 172 detainees is put to trial is even more worrying. I would ensure the enactment of laws that leave the military, which is our main instrument of power at the facility with no choice but to ensure that they treat the suspects with honor and decency. I would bring to an end the physical abuse that t he suspects always go through. This is achievable by penalizing heavily those military officers who harm the captives (Air University, 2013). During the transition process, I would recommend information as an instrument of power. Information shall come out through proper guidance and counseling of the captives. Guidance and counseling is imperative because it enables the captives to know that there is hope amidst all the tribulations they face. Another reason as to why information as an instrument of power should be employed during transition is because, of the causes of death at the facility. Recent studies taken from the Guantanamo ba

Concepts in Cognitive Psychology

Concepts in Cognitive Psychology Memory, Thinking, Attention, Perception, Language Cognitive psychology is primarily interested in the role of the mind and its conceptual functioning. As by way of communicating information to and from each other and understanding the external world through the process of labelling and categorising certain elements pertaining to that world, the cognitive approach to psychological investigation has been interested in the nature of language from its origins. Such conceptual structures as memory , thinking, attention, perception and language have been put into place informing much research relating to this school of psychology (Sternberg, 2006). The concepts associated with memory, thinking, attention, perception and language are prominent within the school of cognitive psychology are inter related across a multitudes of experiments. Memory can be seen as having a basis in the retrieval, store and recall of information and is commonly divided into the working memory model (or short term memory) and long term memory (or long term store) . Thinking is often associated with the way in which a process of logic is undergone by any subject. Attention is the mental ability to focus and apply thinking and memory, usually characterised in experiments as the. Perception is the way in which the individual may perceive any task and language is the underlying source of communicable information that externalises the subject of any culture. Research into the functioning and processes of semantic memory suggested a key model that was a primary source in the formation of the memory system. This was called the working memory. This model of the working memory, which is a system and procedure whereby information is internalised and subsequently turned into stored long term memory, was believed to be more than just a simple function involving storage and retrieval. At its procedural stage, we can see from the concept of the short term memory model that the process is broken into a schematic procedure in which stimuli, such as words, signs or symbols are encoded and stored within the memory. At this point it is believed to be rehearsed in the mind before being either rejected through forgetting or being accepted into the long term store, probably due to the perception of its significance (Waugh Norman, 1965). Due to its limited capacity, the working memory is believed to incorporate this forgetting procedure due to the effect s of either decay (unrehearsed code) or displacement (rejection due to irrelevance) of the encoded stimuli (Bjork, 1970). However, although many studies have indeed indicated that this model is accurate in terms of the basic procedure of memory, it can not be considered as fully accounting for other important phenomena as the effects of rehearsal are not always found to be defining (Craik Watkins, 1973). For instance, primacy and recency effects that are found in many free recall tests are suggested as being due to the length of rehearsal time spent on the initial words presented to individuals, whilst also finding that fewer words present to displace the more likely the encoding of the latter words presented (Murdoch, 1972). In terms of memory, this research into the phenomenon of primacy and recency effects indicated that slow presentation of words would increase primacy performance, but would have no effect on recency performance (Murdoch, 1972). This indicated that the more tim e permitted to information rehearsal, the stronger the likelihood would be for that information to enter the long term store, whilst contrastingly, the faster that the information was presented to the individual the more likely it was for that individual to forget. What this research suggests is that the working memory model requires an engagement with a target stimuli rather than just mere exposure alone, which suggests a strong relationship with the perception of language and the nature of thought processes (Nickerson Adams, 1979). Further study on the effects of primacy and recency with relation to language indicated that individuals required subjects to identify early and late acquired nouns presented in noise (Young Ellis, 1980). Subsequent findings from these studies indicated that early acquisition of words were recognized more accurately than words acquired at a more recent stage of language acquisition, when the words were matched on frequency, image-ability, concreteness , familiarity and letter length. However, they did not examine the full effect of frequency and the identification of words matched onto age of acquisition or other factors. Subsequently, further research suggested that high frequency words were more intelligible when heard in white noise than words of lower frequency, using lists uncontrolled for age of acquisition (Broadbent, 1971). Essentially, this meant that language and attention were fundamental factors in determining the process of memory. Another important phenomenon regarding the role of language and attention within memory is chunking. This phenomenon indicates the role that thinking plays, in particular the encoding of language meaning. This is the phenomena in which the individual categorises an array of information and configures it as one chunk. For instance, the numbers one, nine, four and five could be stored as one whole chunk as opposed to four individual units when rehearsed under one set of information known as nineteen forty five; a key cultural date. What we can see in this phenomenon is the construct of perception. Essentially, because no significance is placed upon the individual’s prior knowledge or their difference in experience, we can see that the memory model can not account for chunking alone. For example, the chunking of one, nine, four and five would more likely be stored if this chunk correlated with a significant date or number already maintained in the individuals learned experience, such as a soldier who saw the end of the Second World War (Ericsson et al, 1980). Therefore, seeing memory as language alone does not take into account the reality that prior meaning vastly reduces the significance of time taking in memory, as rehearsal is reduced due to recognition of former learned categories in relation to semantic structures held in the mental lexicon. This would suggest that prior learning, familiarity, chunking, categorisation as well as rehearsal can determine the success of word recognition of different lexical constructs. Subsequently, Baddeley suggested a notion of limitation within the working memory, which indicated that encoding stimuli (or information) and storing memory was a system of varying depths of processing (Baddeley, 1992). Situating all five factors as one inter related mechanism we can see then a notion of a mental lexicon from which all language can be understood, constructed, learned and articulated via communication and understanding (Aitchison, 2003). Subsequent inquiry into such a word store has created an appreciation of certain phenomena relating to how individuals understand and articulate language. This has become a very useful resource for research into anything involving the nature of language within the cognitive realm. One such piece of research was conducted by Collins and Quillian, who constructed a model of semantic memory storage and retrieval that was imperative to language. This was called the hierarchy of semantic memory (Collins Quillian, 1969). We can see from this model how memory and language inter relate. In their model, it was suggested that individuals would store memory in sets and would retrieve knowledge judgements according to the familiarity of a certain concept and it s association to certain definers regarding any particular concept. In further studies, it was established that semantic distance was based upon the strength of the perceived relationship between one concept and its hierarchal group (Rosch, 1973). Essentially, knowledge was seen as being stored in the structure of a mental lexicon and concepts were recognised and categorised due to the specific and relevant qualities and properties that it accorded to in the mental lexical structure (Conrad, 1972). This conceptual notion forms the basis for perception as information is seen as belonging to certain defining features held by the knowledge of the individual. The assumption was that the farther you moved up this hierarchy of conceptual information, the more the defining features would decrease (Loftus, 1973). For instance, a Robin would be more strongly accorded to the hierarchy of birds than a flightless bird, such as a chicken, as the defining variable of flight was recognised (Rips e t al, 1974). It was believed that if something were to disturb this hierarchal structure of word storage, then incorrect recall would become present (Loftus, 1973). Subsequently, this suggests that cognition is governed by perception as well as memory and word meaning. Essentially, the conceptual construction of this mental lexicon gives us good indication as to how words are conceptualised, understood and recognised by the individual. This avenue of research requires the investigation into thinking and learning in relation to perception. The role of perception with relation to thinking formed the interest of the seminal cognitive psychologist Bruner, whose studies investigated the nature of learning. He famously devised a test to measure and explore the nature in which people constructed and comprehended meaning. Bruner’s findings suggested that there was an intelligent procedure in operation during learning that performed by way of a hypothesis testing. This form of logical thinking was indicated as being understood through stages of either acceptance or rejection of similarities and categories based upon an intelligent process of trial testing (Bruner et al, 1956). Bruner gave a sample of individuals various sets of pictures, each portraying a variety of different and similar shapes. The different categories of shapes were considered as the conditions of the experiment. Some of the pictures in the conditions shared the same number of shapes; some of them shared the same colour of shapes while others shared t he same number of borders surrounding the shapes. However, in each condition the shapes were marginally different; none were identical. From the findings of these studies, Bruner was able to discern that there were two forms of learning that could be identified. These were dubbed successive and conservative scanning (Bruner et al, 1956). Successive scanning was deemed the type of learning that used a thinking process that involved trail testing that attempted one hypothesis at a time before either accepting or rejecting similarities. However, conservative scanning was believed to indicate a deeper form thinking that categorised certain classes of type before carrying out the acceptance or rejecting of any hypotheses. It was concluded that the latter thought process was a much faster and more efficient process than the former. What is crucial here is that these thought processes have little to do with language or memorised knowledge. However, not everyone within the field of the cogn itive psychology accepts this notion of thinking. Many researchers and theorists related to the field of thinking and perception have argued that categories are an innate knowledge rather than a learned one and so the use of language and memory are not essential to thinking (Fodor Chomsky, 1980). The main implication in this idea is that empirical category learning may not be done with the rejection of hypothesis but with the rejection of the externally governed conceptualisation of the external world. Studies relating to word recall have highlighted the role of attention in the role of psychological research. In one such piece of research the ability to read words was indicated by letter identification and visual configurations (McClelland Johnson, 1977). Other research has indicated the use of non literal cues in the recognition of word (Marchbanks Levin, 1965). In either case, we can see that an attentional basis for word recognition. More contemporary research into the relationship between word recognition and the effects that peer groups had within the educational learning structure indicated that there was a significance of both memory and the symbolic structure of the mental lexicon within the recognition of words that could be applied to the acquisition of knowledge (Fuchs Fuchs, 2005). It would seem that from the results involving lexical decision tasks that the more a child is familiar with the semantic construct of words the more likely they are in recognising the wor ds without error or side effects. Particular attention has focused upon the possibility that the numerous amounts of previously reported effects of word frequency in attentional tasks might actually result from confounded effects of the age of acquisition as the two variables are related. Subsequently, high frequency words tend to be learned earlier in life than low frequency words, so that sets of words selected as being of high or low frequency of occurrence tend also to be sets of words which are acquired early on or more recently. There has been evidence put forward suggesting that the age at which a word is acquired during a child’s development affects performance throughout life. Essentially, the earlier that the process of word acquisition is incorporated the more successful it will be in producing meaning. It would seem that the later the words are acquired, even when attentional factors such as frequency of usage and word image-ability are controlled, the poorer the memory and articulation will be (Brown and Watson, 1987). The effects of frequency can be understood in the interaction activation model of McClelland and Rumelhart (1981). This suggested that there is a node for each familiar word in this connectionist stimulation of word recognition. Each node was believed to have an activation level which varied from cycle to cycle and a resting level which is determined by the node’s level of activation over a long period of time. The node for a high frequency word was believed to be constantly activated. This was effective by having a higher resting level than the node for a low frequency word, which rarely received this activation. Studies have revealed that the age of acquisition is known to affect object naming speed, yet not the speed with which pictures of objects can be classified into semantic categories in the mental lexicon (Morrison Ellis, 1992). The naming of words was then followed by a delayed cue which has also been established as being unaffected by the age of acquisition (Morris on Ellis, 1995). This strongly indicates that the effect of language does not accord to the process of articulation, but to a process of deductive reasoning. However, research by Brown and Watson (1987) has suggested that the phonological output representations of early acquired words are more complete than those for later acquired words and can be accessed more easily. We can see from our analysis of the five key components regarding cognitive psychology and the way in which they inter-relate with one another philosophically and practically that they apply to the psychology of everyday life. Whether it is the perception of birds, the recognition of a word or concept, the thought process that delivers a solution to a problem or simply the recall of a particular number, such as a bank sort code or telephone number, the roles of memory, thinking, attention, perception and language are fundamental components in the psychological study of cognition. It is difficult to conceive of a world without these five components working together. Without perception we would not be able to conceive of a world or understand the processes in which we experience the external environment and inform our knowledge of it. Without language we would not be able to categorise the various constructs that we encounter in the world, exchange our experiences of them or recognise the amount of information that we do. Without memory we would not be able to retain any information or experience that we had gathered about the world or be able to determine what in our immediate experience was relevant and considered vastly significant from what was not. Without attention we would not be able to discern between the varying contexts in which we experience language and information about the environment or acquire specific knowledge and without thinking and understanding thought processes we would not be able to solve problems, reason, make decisions, extract symbolic meaning or even conceive of mental imagery or spatial awareness. These factors are then, vastly significant in the understanding of both cognitive psychology and ourselves and although distinctions between these five components is necessary for both academic knowledge and practical application, they are best seen as factors that inter-relate and are prevalent to studies and practices of cognitive psycho logy. Bibliography Atchison, J., (2003) Words in the Mind: An Introduction to the Mental Lexicon Sydney: Blackwell Publishing. Baddeley, A.D. (1992) Is Working Memory Working? The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 44A, 1-31 Broadbent, D, E., (1971) Decision and stress. London: Academic Press. Brown, G. D. A., Watson, F. L. (1987). First in, first out: Word learning age and spoken word frequency as predictors of word familiarity and word naming latency. Memory Cognition, 15, 208-216. Bruner, J, S., Goodnow, J, J., and Austin, G, A., (1956) A Study of Thinking New York: John Wiley and Sons. Bjork, R, A., (1970) Positive Forgetting: The Non-Interference of Items Intentionally Forgotten. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour, 9, 255-68. Chomsky, N., and Fodor, J, A., (1980) Statement of the Paradox, in Piatelli Palmarini, M. (ed.). Collins, A, M., Quillian, M, R., (1969) Retrieval Time from Semantic Memory. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour, 8, 240-47. Craik, F, I, M., Watkins, M, J., (1973) The Role of Rehearsal in Short Term Memory. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour, 12, 599-607. Ericsson, K, A., Chase, W, G., Faloon, S., (1980) Acquisition of a Memory Skill. Science, 208, 1181-1182. Marchbanks, G., Levin, H., (1965) Cues by which children recognize words. Journal of Educational Psychology, 56 (2), 57-61. McClelland Johnson (1977) The role of familiar units in perception of words and nonwords. Perception and Psychophysics, 22, 249-261. McClelland Rumelhart (1981) An interactive activation model of context effects in letter perception: Part 1. An account of basic findings. Psychological Review, 88, 375–407. Morrison, C, A., Ellis, A, W., (2000) Real age of acquisition effects in word naming and lexical decision. British Journal of Psychology, 91, 167-180. Murdoch, B., (1962) The Serial Position Effect of Free Recall. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64, 482-488. Nickerson, R, A., Adams, M, J., (1979) Long-Term Memory for a Common Object. Cognitive Psychology, 11, 287-307. Rosch, E, H., (1973) On the Internal Structure of Perceptual and Semantic Categories. In Moore, T, E., (Ed.) Cognitive Development and the Acquisition of Language. New York: Academic Press. Sternberg, R, J., (2006) Cognitive Psychology (4th ed) Belmont: Thomson Waugh, N, C., Norman, D, A., (1965) Primary Memory. Psychological Review, 72, 89-104.

Beowulf The Hero :: essays research papers

In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live. Beowulf’s fight against the dragon shows Beowulf as a hero. Although Beowulf had previously defeated two other foes, he stands fast and fights his most formidable foe yet, the dragon. Dragons were notoriously difficult to kill, and the poem states that it was a great man, who could kill a dragon, even if it meant losing one's life. While others cower away Beowulf fights the dragon. Beowulf defeats the dragon but loses his life in the same instance. Like the classical hero Beowulf loses his special status in death. Beowulf sought no compensation for his services; the mere satisfaction of helping others was pay enough. Like his two previous battles Beowulf fights for those who could not fight for themselves. While fighting the Dragon Beowulf shows feats of strength and courage that define him as a hero. The classical hero displays a special quality that separates him from the rest of Moss 2 society. In Beowulf, Beowulf shows extraordinary courage and strength that gives him special status. This notion is shown, when Beowulf fights Grendel and Grendel’s mother, but it is especially noticeable when he fights the dragon. When Beowulf fought Grendel others had the courage to attempt to fight him. The same is true with Grendel’s mother. When Beowulf goes to fight the Dragon, the other warriors cower away into the woods. Beowulf shows his courage by fighting the Dragon. Even when Beowulf is fighting the Dragon and realizes that his sword can do no damage he continues to fight. After Beowulf is on the verge of death he shows a combination of courage and strength by delivering the death blow to the Dragon, and not just laying down to die. Beowulf’s strength is shown when he is able to actually do battle with the Dragon; any normal man would have fallen to the dragon immediately.