Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Memory Loss

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Memory Loss OCD Print Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Memory Loss By Owen Kelly, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on March 14, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 10, 2019 Getty Images Credit: PhotoAlto/Ale Ventura More in OCD Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Types Living With OCD Related Conditions If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder  (OCD), you may have compulsions in which you repeat behaviors over and over again. For instance, you might have to repeatedly check to make sure that the front door is locked or that the stove is turned off. Or, you might have to repeat a ritual such as washing your hands or counting up to a certain number. Because of the repetitive nature of many OCD symptoms, there has been some suggestion that people with OCD may experience some sort of problem with memory and simply forget that they’ve already carried out their compulsion. Does Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Cause Memory Impairment? Before talking about OCD and memory it may be useful to remember that there is more than one kind of memory. For instance, memories can be stored both as words (verbal memory) and as images or pictures (non-verbal memory). In general, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that people with OCD have any problems with remembering information that has been stored verbally or in the form of words. In contrast, it has been consistently found that people with OCD show deficits in non-verbal or visual memory. For example, in comparison to people without OCD, people with OCD often have trouble accurately recalling and drawing a complex geometric shape that they have just been shown. Likewise, OCD has been linked to deficits in spatial memory such as remembering places on a map or the location of a room within a building. People with OCD are more likely to have difficulties with non-verbal or visual memory. They dont have any unusual problems with memories stored verbally or in word form. Research suggests that these deficits in non-verbal memory are probably caused by the way information is encoded in the brain. Specifically, in OCD, certain information seems to be stored and organized in a way that can make it difficult to access when it needs to be recalled. Metamemory and OCD Metamemory refers to a person’s knowledge or awareness about their own memory and how confident they are in their own memory performance. Not surprisingly, people with OCD, particularly those who have symptoms involving checking, have less confidence in their memory than those without OCD. Also, the worse OCD symptoms are, the worse this confidence in memory seems to be. Interestingly, people’s level of confidence does not seem to be related to their actual performance on memory tasks. Implications for Treatment So, what does this all mean for our understanding and treatment of OCD? Currently, it is unclear whether the changes in memory, particularly non-verbal abilities and metamemory seen in OCD, are a cause or effect of the obsessions and compulsions that go along with OCD. It is also not clear whether such changes are specific to OCD or whether they may apply to all anxiety disorders. As such, it is difficult to know whether targeting memory problems would be of any value in the treatment of OCD symptoms. Clearly, much more research is needed in this area. A Word From Verywell It is well established that major depression can cause  problems with memory and concentration and it is possible that the memory problems seen in OCD are actually related to the overlap of symptoms between depression and OCD, which often occur together. Thus far, most studies looking at memory and OCD have not done a good job controlling for the effects of depression on memory.

The Development of Computers Essay - 1473 Words

THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTERS 1945-2013 What is machine before year 1935, it was an individual who do the number juggling estimations. Between year of 1935- 1945, definition alluded to machine, as opposed to an individual. The machine is focused around von Neumanns idea where gadget can accessto information, forms information, saves information, and produces output.it has experienced from vacuum tube to transistor, to the microchip.microchip starts conversing with modem. Nowdays we trade content, sound, photographs and films in a natures turf. Machines additionally has an exceptionally essential influence in our lives and with such a large number of late innovations, no one can claim to have sole obligation regarding their†¦show more content†¦Von Neumann planned the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC) in 1945 with a memory to hold both a put away program and in addition information. This put away memory strategy and also the restrictive control exchange, that permitted the workstation to be halted sometime or another and afterward continued, took into account more amazing adaptability in machine programming. The key component to the von Neumann construction modeling was the focal transforming unit, which permitted all machine capacities to be facilitated through a solitary source. In 1951, the UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer), manufactured by Remington Rand, turned into one of the first monetarily accessible machines to exploit these developments. Both the U.s. Statistics Bureau and G eneral Electric claimed Univacs. One of UNIVACs amazing early accomplishments was foreseeing the victor of the 1952 presidential decision, Dwight D. Eisenhower. 1946: Mauchly and Presper leave the University of Pennsylvania and get financing from the Census Bureau to manufacture the UNIVAC, the first business workstation for business and government applications.eniac - Worlds first electronic, expansive scale, universally useful machine, constructed by Mauchly and Eckert, and initiated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946. ENIAC reproduced on an advanced machine chip. See a clarification of ENIAC on a Chip by the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania.Show MoreRelatedThe Development Of Computer Development1631 Words   |  7 PagesTHE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTER FROM 1980 TO 2014 The history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the different generations of figuring out/ calculating devices. A generation refers to the state of improvement in the product development process. This term is also used in the different advancements of new computer technology. With each new generation, the circuitry has gotten smaller and more advanced than the previous generation before it. As a result of the making somethingRead MoreThe Development of Computers Essay1346 Words   |  6 PagesDevelopment of computer What is computer? According to Wikipedia, computer is a device that can be programmed to do a set of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. It is started with the basic device to perform a mathematic problem which is known as Abacus. Computer has been developing year by year and we have seen a lot of generation or development of computer nowadays. The first generation of computer starting from years 1940-1950, this can be called as the first electronic computer.Read MoreDevelopment of Personal Computers2502 Words   |  11 PagesThe Development of Personal Computers The history of the computer goes back hundreds of years. From the abacus through the modern era the evolution of computers has involved many innovative individuals. 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Within this decade, concerns regarding the dubious security of contemporary cryptography will begin to emerge as the secrets of quantumRead MoreHistory of the Development of Computers Essay1718 Words   |  7 PagesDEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTERS As we are stepping towards the era of 2020, man have consistently been innovative and creative in developing and improving technology for various sectors to make the world a better place for us to live in. If we look closely today, the development of IT and Computer sector and its application have greatly influenced various other sectors like telecommunication, transport, agriculture, labour, finance, etc to be more efficient and effective at their work. 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Hardware is categorized in two ways: external hardware and internal hardware. External hardware is the devices such as the keyboard, mouse, printer, speakers, and thumb drives. Internal hardware consists of items like theRead MoreComputer : The Application Development Crisis Essay1362 Words   |  6 Pagessoftware development ran across a dilemma. It was commonly referred to as the application development crisis, or application delivery lag. Industrial professionals projected the time between an actual business need and an actual application in production was about three years. The issue was, businesses moved quicker than that, even 25 years ago. Within the span of three years, requirements, systems, and complete industries were expected to transform. This meant many developments ended up beingRead MoreRecent Development in Computer Technology2872 Words   |  12 PagesRecent Development in Computer Technology Tablet Computer: A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen. It often uses an onscreen virtual keyboard or a digital pen rather than a physical keyboard. Electrical devices with data input and output on a flat information display have existed as early as 1888. Throughout the 20th century manyRead MoreEssay about History of the Development of Computers1478 Words   |  6 Pages In this world the development is consider to be the most important factor because human beings tends to invent and create new things so that they can compete with each other in their own field of work . Moreover, the people whom chooses their field which is relevant to computer appliances in their daily life also thinks the same and the develop the improvement of the computer from time to time until the computer technology reaches the development that we does not imagine before. When we think

Education As A Social Function - 991 Words

. According to John Dewey education plays a large role in the development of an individual and it is an element that separates humans from other animals. It is important to try to comprehend what Dewey means by this and in order to do so the following must be done. First, one must understand the role education plays in an individual and Dewey’s notions of education in the areas of growth, direction and social function. Second, after comprehending Dewey’s notions of education in the areas of growth, direction, and social function, one must be able to grasp the distinction between education as a social function and the simple notion of training and what sets these two apart. Third, after being able to comprehend the notions of education and the distinction between education as a social function and training, the idea of why education is distinctive of human life will be further developed. Now, it is necessary to understand Dewey’s notions of education in the areas of growth, direction, and social function; a brief summary of each will be given. The first notion of education that will be addressed, is that of education in the area of growth. Dewey makes it clear that education does not consist of routine and that routine only hinders an individual’s growth (in the area of learning) (Dewey 53). Dewey believed immaturity to be the primary condition of growth; he furthers this idea by redefining the meaning of immaturity as the potential, capacity, or power to grow and not as aShow MoreRelatedAssess the view that the main function of the education system is to reproduce and legitimise social inequalities930 Words   |  4 PagesThe education system has faults and many inequalities throughout it. 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Thus, theories explain â€Å"How† and â€Å"Why† something operates as it does (Johnson Christensen, 2007). As statedRead MoreThe Function Of Education By Sociologists And Educators874 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction American education serves both political (power) and economic needs, which dictates the function of education. Today, there is a huge debate on the function of education by sociologists and educators. Specifically this paper will not only address the functions of education but also, educational issues that affect both spectrums of society. Because it is known that education does promote social inequality through the use of tracking and standardized testing and the impact of its hiddenRead MoreThe Latent Functions of Education685 Words   |  3 PagesManifest and latent functions of education Education can be defined as a learning process in which a student and a teacher are involved. The work of the teacher is to pass on the message to the student while the student understands and applies what has been taught. It is also considered as a process of developing skills, knowledge and character of an individual. Education, whether formal or informal, has a function both to the individual and the society, these functions are either manifest or latentRead MoreThe Importance Of Education And Medicine1004 Words   |  5 PagesTwo very important aspects of every society are education and medicine. Education is defined as â€Å"the social institution through which society provides its members with important knowledge, including basic facts, job skills and cultural norms and values† (Macionis). It’s about much more than learning about math and grammar. Education has many functions that go beyond what it’s formally intended to do. Medicine is defined as  "the social institution that focuses on fighting disease and improving health†Read More Marxist Perspective on Education Essay1564 Words   |  7 Pages Education system is seen as an important part of the superstructure in society. This statement was written in a Marxism perspective by individuals who see education not just an important part of the superstructure but as well an important aspect in a child life. Even though Karl Marx himself did not widely write about education, many of his followers did. This paper will look at how class and alienation which is a theory that Karl Marx wrote, plays a part in education and a general look at the perspectiveRead MoreSocial Institutions And Its Impact On Society1602 Words   |  7 PagesIn the context of the overall development of an individual, social institutions in a society play an important role. There are some major social institutions which have considerable impacts on the lives of the members of society, such as religion and education. These institution act as the means of providing opportunity for the overall development of individuals. In this regard it can be said that â€Å"The role of religion is to remind republican citizens of their duties to and reliance upon God. VirtueRead MoreIn A Postmodern Industrialized Nation Like The United States1424 Words   |  6 Pageskind of personal freedom and individual success that has been fundamental for advancing our society in the past. This means that as far as the U.S. citizen is concerned, everyone should be given the opportunity to educate themselves and improve their social and economic position to the best of their ability. As Americans, we should have the right to make our own personal contribution to our society. This is the fabric that holds our nation together. It has been woven historically into our culture, andRead MoreFunctionalist And Conflict Paradigm Of The Role Schooling And Education1580 Words   |  7 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. once said that â€Å"the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education†. When we think of schooling and education and what it really entails many might assume it serves the same function. In this essay we shall elaborate on the views of the functionalist and conflict paradigm of the role schooling and education, we will also look at the differences and similarities of the two theoriesRead MoreImpact Of Social Institutions On Caribbean Culture1223 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent social institutions: family, education, political systems †¢ Understand the main ideas of the Marxist and Functionalist perspectives †¢ Understand the Marxist and perspective on social institutions Functionalist Social Institutions †¢ Social Institutions are a fundamental part of the operations of society. They are the major organising framework in social life. Social institutions have evolved overtime and therefore embody what the society holds valuable in relation to family, education, religion

Music Lyrics Do Not Promote Violence Free Essays

Music Lyrics being NON-VIOLENT Rap music can be considered a style of art, and a way for the artists to express feelings through their words on paper. However, there are quite a few rap artists that get criticized for their lyrics. In my essay, I want to discuss why rappers use certain lyrics in their music and why people shouldn’t believe that it causes violence among the younger generations. We will write a custom essay sample on Music Lyrics Do Not Promote Violence or any similar topic only for you Order Now People shouldn’t censor the music just because of violent, vulgar and abusive messages it promotes to the world. I believe in my own mind, that there is a reason for these types of lyrics that rap artists use and I will simply explain those reasons in this essay. Rap has been called one of the most important music forces to emerge in two decades. It’s pounding beats and staccato rhymes exploded on the streets of the urban America in the early 1980s and since have become the theme music and lyrical heart of the vibrant youth culture called hip-hop ( SIRS 1993). There are many different types of rap artist. There are some that talk about money, some talk about righteousness, and the list goes on and on. Every rap artist had their own way of expressing themselves. There are those that talk about sex, drugs, and violence who receive the negative attention( SIRS 1993). People, think this so- called gangster rap is a bad influence on children in the world and that it promotes violence and that it also is abusive to women. Delores Tucker, head of national congress of black women has been among those pressuring different record companies to stop distributing gangster rap music. There were other significant names that participated in this action. Names like Senate Majority leader Bob dole, and former education Secretary William J. Bennett(Surveys, pg. 1). There are some rap artists that have been openly criticized for their lyrics. Rappers like Lil Kim, Too Short, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and a member from â€Å"Too Live Crew,† named Luke Skywalker. These rap artists in the past have been appointed for the things they say in their music. Lil Kim talks about sex in her music, Too Short talks about drugs, sex, and how much of a pimp he is, and Luke Skywalker talks about girls and sex. The lyrics that these rap artist use in their music might not be suitable for everybody to listen to but I don’t think their music should be banned or criticized because you don’t have to listen to it if you don’t choose to. Rap music, how much influence does it really have on it’s youthful listeners? Many, from record company executives to high school students agree that it plays a critical role in the lives of many tans, affecting the way they dance, dress and speak(SIRS 1993). Personally, I feel that rap music is a form of art. I think it takes a great deal of talent to write lyrics that rap artists write, because you have to use metaphors and similes, and at the same time get your point across so the listeners can understand. I give rappers a great deal of credit because I know it took them a long time to get where their at today, and I know it takes a tremendous amount of time to write a song. It’s also true and I strongly agree with that rap artists use lyrics that reflect on their childhood and the way they grew up. That could be the reason why gangster rappers and rappers talk about sex, drugs, and violence in their music because that was what they were exposed to through out their life. Rap artists generally write about what they know because it is easier to write about things and situations that you know, and if sex, drugs and violence is what you know about, then you are going to write about situations that involve those subjects. Not just write about them in hopes to cause more violence in our world. Young rap fans caution it is wrong and simplistic to believe music can dictate their actions. Upbringing and circumstance steer a child’s behavior, they say, not a record on a turntable or a performer posturing on stage(Newsweek, 1998). There are other reasons why gangster rappers should not be criticized for their lyrics. One reason is that I would rather hear gangster rappers talk about violence on the streets than them actually going out on the streets and participate in the violence. Another reason why rappers shouldn’t be criticized is because the world was violent long before rap was invented, and it is not rap music that is making the world more violent then it is already. I strongly believe that people have the freedom of choice to listen to rap music and if you don’t like what rap artists talk about, then you do not have to listen to the music. If people didn’t have a choice that would be one thing, but as long as people have a choice to do or not to do something then they shouldn’t try to criticize it. To me, rap music is more than a strain. It is the reflection of horrible suffering, struggle and pain of the ghetto life. I feel that art reflects life, so I ask myself why aren’t the National Black leaders like Delores Tucker, more concerned about where the source of rap music exists than the work denuding these types of harsh conditions(SIRS 1993). â€Å" I think that kids know the difference between right and wrong, music and reality. They know it’s not right to go kill somebody and if there driven to that, that’s not the fault of the music,† says Jon Shecter, editor of The Source, a rap magazine(SIRS 1993). If the people throughout the world that criticize gangster rap music would begin to really care then they would try to find and fix the conditions that this art of music comes from and stop criticizing the artist. In other words, the abusive language and rise of violence found in most gangster rap songs are the reality of our present day society. Americans should be mature enough to realize that not talking about something won’t cause it to go away. People talk about the violence of gangster rap music, but look at the violence we see on television everyday, on almost every channel you turn to. Violence is everywhere, you might see or hear something violent every day of your life, whether it is on television, radio or in real life. Violence has been existing for hundreds and hundreds of years, gangster rap music hasn’t remotely made violence more intense or worse than it already is( Surveys, pg. 1). So is it then fair to pin point rap music and blame it’s lyrics on the violence happening around the world? Teen-agers, both black and Latino, say it is the driving beat that attracts them and many other young people to rap. That, and the music’s honesty(SIRS 1993). It’s not the guns and drugs that make them like the music. The rappers aren’t saying to solve a problem you must kill, they are just stating what they know. In which, ever since they were young, that violence around them always ends in a shooting or stabbing, so is it right to blame them for singing about it when really they learned it from television? Sex in rap music shouldn’t be criticized either because look at all the pornography that is in the world today. There are magazines that are being sold nearly everywhere. They have triple X rated movies that could be purchase and you could rent these kind of movies at your nearest video store(Showbiz, pg. 1). So, lyrics that talk about sex can’t hardly be no worse than the movies and magazines being sold all over the world today. When rappers talk about drugs in their songs, they could be talking about how drugs were used in their neighborhoods growing up, and maybe they had to sell drugs for a while to put food on their table( Newsweek 1998). I feel, people get confused about what the rap artist is trying to say to people. They are missing the whole point. Just because rap artists talk about drugs in their songs doesn’t mean they are actually selling the drugs or using the drugs. These rap artists are making thousands of dollars just by making records, why would they go out and sell drugs? That doesn’t make any sense. There are plenty of artists that are positive, and speak positive aspects in their music about life, like A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots, De La Soul, and many others. So for those that think that rap music has a negative effect on children, and people in the world, there are a lot of rappers that speak unity, and things that are positive about life(Showbiz, pg2). If a person could listen to some of these positive rap artists, they could learn about life. There have been plenty of times where I was in a terrible mood or I was upset about something, and I popped in a CD of a rapper, and after I was finished listening to the CD I felt much better. The words and phrases used, are words of actual life events and the positive things or outcomes of them. In conclusion, I speak in favor of gangster rap, and I don’t think people should criticize these rap artists because they are speaking the truth. Situations they’ve been in are shown through their lyrics and we need to try to find the source of the problem instead of criticizing the person speaking about the problem. Drugs, Sex, and Violence are what gangster rappers are considered to be glorifying, but drugs, sex, and violence was in effect long before rap music was even thought of and so we shouldn’t use the type of music against the type of behavior caused by teens around the world. Word Count: 1667 How to cite Music Lyrics Do Not Promote Violence, Papers

Loblaws Case Study Essay Example

Loblaws Case Study Essay Inc.Loblaws companies limited Loblaw Company Limited is currently Canadian’s market leader in the grocery sector including holding the 24th spot of the world’s top grocery retailer. While Loblaw seems to be doing very well due to the fact that they have a big portion of the market share, but it may not be for long when Wal-Mart becomes one its major competitors. Wal-Mart has decided to expand its business by entering the grocery sector in the Canadian market. Loblaw’s current issue is the affect that the entrance of Wal-Mart in the grocery sector will have on their current position and if they can remain in business with their presence. Loblaw needs to decide what their next move will be in order to stay competitive with its newest competitor, who seems to dominate in most of the sectors it partakes in. Recommended Decision It is recommended that Loblaw continues what they are currently doing and in the process improving their services. They need to focus on their current strengths and work on fixing its weaknesses. Decision Options In order to remain competitive in a market segment that Wal-Mart is entering into, Loblaw should do at least one of these suggestions: * Improve its distribution system, Compete with Wal-Mart by following some of the same strategies and adding non-food items to the store, * Add new services such has online grocery shopping and self-serve check-outs, or * Continue with what they are currently doing and improving while in the process Decision Criteria The reasoning behind my decision of Loblaw doing what they are currently doing and improving at the same time, is the fact that they are doi ng very well and by changing it may affect their current financial position. It has been proven that stores that try to compete with Wal-Mart have suffered, such has K-Mart. We will write a custom essay sample on Loblaws Case Study specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Loblaws Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Loblaws Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Other companies, like Best-Buy and Staples, have been able to stay competitive and increase their net income without having to bring in new departments to their stores. It is possible for Loblaw to continue what they are currently doing but it will require them to make some improvements. Proof of Recommended Option Although the entrance of Wal-Mart in the grocery sector is new in Canada it isn’t new to our neighbours to the South, the United States. Although they have took a big majority of the market and is the number one top food retailer it has not prevented other grocery retailers to compete with them. Kroger’s, Supervalu, and Safeway are just some of the few grocery retailers present in the states. These retailers have been able to maintain and increase their sales every year since the presence of Wal-Mart. Some factors that have helped in this is that Wal-Mart stores are mostly situated in the farthest part of town because of their needs of big pieces of property, which made these stores more favourable due to the fact that they were situated in more favourable areas, and the demand for food increases on an yearly basis, which there was more room for competitors. None of these previously mentioned stores have added new departments to their stores which prove that there is no need to compete against Wal-Mart. It would be beneficial to Loblaw to continue what it is currently doing due to the fact that it has many strengths, as seen in Exhibit 1, and that is what has made them the number one grocery retailer in Canada. Control Label Products Currently Loblaw has its own private label product under the name of President Choice. As stated in the case, Loblaw has been able to persuade its consumers towards its control labelled products instead of the well known brand name products because of the lower prices. Once you start liking a certain product, especially when it’s at lower price, it’s a lot easier to pry yourself from trying other similar products, due to the fact that you already know you love the product and you don’t want wasting money on a product that you aren’t sure if you’re going to like. Although Wal-Mart has its own control label product, it may be too late for them to get the current PC product users for the simple fact that the cost of these products are low in cost, its already familiar to consumer and the use of customer loyalty programs. With producing their own products, they are able to avoid buying marked-up goods which will reduce their costs, it can control the amount of units produced, and the make their own marketing strategies that the can use to increase sales. Having control label products can reduce cost, providing consumers with lower priced items while keeping gross margin he same or higher, and producing customer loyalty which will keep consumers from shopping elsewhere due to the love of the product offered. Wide Product Range Loblaw has a range of products including from fruit and vegetables, fresh meat, bakeries, wide variety of shelf items, organic foods, ready-made meals, multi-cultural food items, a pharmacy department, and photo labs. Altho ugh Wal-Mart has a food department, a pharmacy, and photo labs, only its Supercentre have meat, vegetables and fruits, and bakeries on site. By not offering full services of what is present in a regular grocery store, Wal-Mart may lose possible consumers, which will be a benefit for Loblaw. Leading presence Loblaw is currently the leader in the market share and it can continue to be as long has it stays competitive to Wal-Mart. In the US, Kroger remained the number one grocery retailer in the States until 2002. Wal-Mart’s grocery department was first introduced in the States in 1988 which means that there is some time for Loblaw to continue its competitive edge against Wal-Mart before they dominate in the Canadian market. Customer Loyalty Program This factor will probably be the most important factor that will help Loblaw maintains its current market share. Currently Wal-Mart doesn’t have a customer loyalty program for its customers. The customer loyalty program was launched with President’s Choice Financial, where customers receive points when they shop at any Loblaw chain store. With the collected points, customers can exchange them for free groceries. This persuades customers to stay at Loblaw because they receive something in return for shopping there. Location of Stores Wal-Mart stores are mainly situated in the far-end of towns due to the fact that they need the wide space in order to be able to offer all of its services. Due to the less needed space, Loblaw stores are situated in preferable spots. When in a rush people tend to go to the nearest location to purchase what they need, and when it comes to buying food items, most cities have more than one option and they will pick the one that is nearest to them. Although Wal-Mart may have some favourable prices over some at Loblaw, the price of gas and time is not worth the small amount of savings. The disadvantage of only focusing with continuing what they are currently doing is that they may lose the opportunity to grow. By not choosing any of the other options, they can possibly be losing on increase number of sales, getting new consumers into the store, being more efficient and in the process reducing cost. If Loblaw continues to keep working on maintaining and keeping its strengths, it will be able to compete with Wal-Mart. It may lose its spot as the number one Canadian Grocery Retailer but it does not mean that it will be seeing decreases in its net income due to the fact that the annual demand keeps increasing, which means there is room for both competitors. Also by not spending their money on the other options, it will be able to save for the future which is one of the company’s strategies that seems to be working. Although they are not fixing their current weaknesses such has improving technology, which will be discussed below under improving its distribution system, they are currently working effectively without the use of technology. Having unionized workers can increase cost and create some conflicts in the organization but it is better than having higher employee turnover and they are currently dealing with the issues. Critique of Options Loblaw has other option other than sticking with what they are currently doing. In the next paragraphs you will see the advantages and disadvantage of the other options they have: Improving its distribution system Currently Loblaw is behind on their technology. Many other similar stores have implemented Radio Frequency Identification technology in their organization, which Loblaw has not. The advantages of improving their distribution system, is that they can have better control on their inventory and it may improve their communication with suppliers and warehousing employees. The implementation of technology usually helps reduce cost in future years. The disadvantage of improving their distribution system is that it is costly at the beginning and this money could be used in other aspect of the organization. Technology is not always reliable; there is always a possibility of a break-down, when this happens there could be an extra cost, some information may get lost, and they may not being able to function as effectively. Although it is something that Loblaw should check into doing in order to be more efficient, it shouldn’t be one of its priorities considering that they have been able to have only 34 warehouses for delivering to 8766 stores, which gives a ratio of 257:1 while Wal-Mart at the most is 100:1 and they currently using the Radio Frequency Identification system. So although technology helps the efficiency of certain organization, it seems that this company is doing pretty well without it and the implementing new technology may cause more harm than good. Competing with Wal-Mart The advantages of competing with Wal-Mart are that Loblaw would be offering more products to its consumers, there would be another source of income coming into the company that they never had before such has clothing, electronics, etc and it can attract new customers. The disadvantage of competing with Wal-Mart is that they have been known has having the lowest price in any department stores. Kmart tried to compete with them and ended up having to declare bankruptcy. Bringing in new product that Wal-Mart already has will cause some major challenges for Loblaw, considering Wal-Mart have really low prices on some of their items due to the fact that they have an active power over their suppliers which they receive their products at a low price, in which in return they pass-on the savings to their customers, which Loblaw will not be able to do due to the fact that they don’t have a relationship with these suppliers. There will also be an increase cost for them, due to the fact they will have to expand current location in order to be able to carry their new items, in which also will require bigger warehousing units in order to have stoke ready for demands. They will also have to focus on their new departments which may lead to neglect in their grocery department. It is not recommended for Loblaw to compete with Wal-Mart because they may need to move in less favourable areas due to the fact that they will need an increase in space for the new merchandise, they would need to compete with the low price of departmental products that Wal-Mart currently has, and the fact that their main product may suffer due to neglect. Adding New Services Self-service check-out reduces time due to the fact that one employee can run more than one checkout which increases the number of customer being served rather than having one cashier serving one customer at a time. Having this service reduces the number of employees which will help save in the long-run. Some customers like having the privacy aspect of it because they do not like having other people knowing what they are buying. The disadvantage that Loblaw would have to face would be the union. As stated in the SWOT analysis, one of the weaknesses of Loblaw is that it is a unionized organization; the union is there to keep jobs, so it may face some challenges. The check-out runs on a weighting scale, if there is a mistake in the weighing, there can be potential sale lost to the company due to robbery. The initial cost of the new machine may prevent the company from pursuing other projects. Another service that may be beneficial to them is the implementation of online grocery shopping. The advantage of this service is that customers are able to place their orders online and get their groceries delivered to their home which gives great convenience. The disadvantage is that Loblaw will have an increase in cost such has designing a website, the cost of shipping, a lot of people might not feel comfortable with using this new technology, and program malfunction may put a temporarily shut-down on the service. Action Plan In order to continue what it is currently doing and improving at the same time, it should follow its current strategies which are mostly present in the strengths of the company. So in order to continue and improve its: Control Label Products: * Come out with new innovating control label products that are different from competitors * Analyze competitors control label products * Hiring new people in the RD sector that show some potential for innovation * Increase awareness of the product * Making coupons * Keeping low prices Offering samples in store at peak time Wide range of products * Offering specialty food items that are not available in other local stores * Keeping in stock ethnic food items * Asking customer to identify items they believe should be offered in the store * Expanding their ready-to-eat meals * Increasing kitchen size in order to have a bigger selection of readymade foods * Offering both control label brands and brand name products Customer Loyalty Progr am * Offering extra points for purchasing PC brand items * Offering the loyalty program to all consumers Currently the program is only available to PC financial customers, other customers can sign-up at the customer service desk and will receive a card in the mail that will look like a debit card and will be used to collect point and be redeemable to purchase groceries. PC point users who aren’t a PC financial customer will be required to collect more points. Location of store * A major advantage that Loblaw has is that it own 63% of its stores, it should continue investing in buying good located properties in order to maintain its current advantage. Loblaw should be in constant contact with local realtors to find potential new locations with high traffic and big space availability. * In an article, the author, B. Martens, stated that a Wal-Mart take over can be prevented, if the current companies could make themselves known by increasing the number of stores in that city, so continuous store openings will help on defeating its new major competitor. Analysis All of the elements in the action plan come together to form, the Porter’s Five Forces, as presented in Exhibit 2. By being able to have control label products, it is able to have power over its suppliers by having other products of similarity which prevents suppliers from overpricing their products. Due to the fact that Loblaw and its competitors have a strong presence in the grocery sector, it can prevent smaller companies from entering due to the fact that they have some customer loyalty, lower price items from having private label products, and an existing relationship with their suppliers. Although consumers don’t have power over the set prices put nto place by Loblaw, they can make Loblaw charge reasonable prices by threatening to shop elsewhere. By continuous improvement and finding and making innovative products, Loblaw can prevent competitors from introducing their similar products to their current consumers. Keeping prices low of their current control label product will prevent its consumers looking elsewhere for substitute items. If Loblaw continues what it’s doing and ta kes advantage of the increase demand for the grocery market it will continue to succeed even if it’s at a lower market rate.

Introduction About Angiosperms

Introduction About Angiosperms Anatomy is a study of the internal structure of organs. There are between 200 000 and 300 000 different species of angiosperms (flowering plants) known. In comparison with other organisms, only insects number more species than angiosperms. Although a wide variety of flowering plants occur on earth, all have more or less the same structure and consist of three basic organs: roots, stems and leaves.Angiosperms are divided, according to certain characteristics which you studied in std.7, into two large groups, viz. Dicotyledoneae and Monocotyledoneae. In this section I shall refer to the former group as dicotyledons and the latter group as monocotyledons. In this chapter you will learn more about the anatomyRootsThe root system of a flowering plant begins its development from the hypocotyl of the embryo of the seed which gives rise to the primary root. Roots generally grow downwards into the soil (positively geotropic) and upwards (negatively geotropic).Figure 3Roots do not bear leaves and therefore no nodes are present.Two kinds of root systems can be distinguished in flowering plants: tap root systems andadventitious root systems. Usually dicotyledons posses tap root systems and monocotyledons adventitious root systems.Tap Root System: The primary root grows vertically down into the soil in the tap root system. Later lateral or secondary roots grow from this at an acute angle outwards and downwards, and from these other branches may arise. The main or primary root is known as the tap root; together with its many branch roots it forms a tap root system e.g. the bean.Adventitious Root System: The primary root usually dies at an early stage and is replaced by numerous roots that develop from the stem. These roots, which develop from the stem, are...

Quotes from Grace Hopper, Computer Programming Pioneer

Quotes from Grace Hopper, Computer Programming Pioneer Rear Admiral Grace Hopper helped to develop an early computer, invented the compiler making possible higher level computer languages, and helped to define the design of the programming language COBOL. First a member of the WAVES and the US Naval Reserve, Grace Hopper retired from the Navy several times before returning and gaining the rank of Rear Admiral. Selected Grace Hopper Quotations I’ve always objected to doing anything over again if I had already done it once.   From then on, when anything went wrong with a computer, we said it had bugs in it. If its a good idea, go ahead and do it. Its much easier to apologize than it is to get permission. It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. The most dangerous phrase in the language is, Weve always done it this way. Humans are allergic to change. They love to say, Weve always done it this way. I try to fight that. Thats why I have a clock on my wall that runs counter-clockwise. A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are for. Sail out to sea and do new things. You dont manage people, you manage things. You lead people. Leadership is a two-way street, loyalty up and loyalty down. Respect for ones superiors; care for ones crew. One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions. Some day, on the corporate balance sheet, there will be an entry which reads, Information; for in most cases, the information is more valuable than the hardware which processes it. Were flooding people with information. We need to feed it through a processor. A human must turn information into intelligence or knowledge. Weve tended to forget that no computer will ever ask a new question. There sat that beautiful big machine whose sole job was to copy things and do addition. Why not make the computer do it? That’s why I sat down and wrote the first compiler. It was very stupid. What I did was watch myself put together a program and make the computer do what I did.   To me programming is more than an important practical art. It is also a gigantic undertaking in the foundations of knowledge. They told me computers could only do arithmetic. In pioneer days they used oxen for heavy pulling, and when one ox couldnt budge a log, they didnt try to grow a larger ox. We shouldnt be trying for bigger computers, but for more systems of computers. Life was simple before World War II. After that, we had systems. We went overboard on management and forgot about leadership. It might help if we ran the MBAs out of Washington. At any given moment, there is always a line representing what your boss will believe. If you step over it, you will not get your budget. Go as close to that line as you can. I seem to do a lot of retiring. I handed my passport to the immigration officer, and he looked at it and looked at me and said, What are you? Quote About Hopper It was warm in the summer of 1945; the windows were always open and the screens were not very good. One day the Mark II stopped when a relay failed. They finally found the cause of the failure: inside one of the relays, beaten to death by the contacts, was a moth. The operator carefully fished it out with tweezers, taped it in the logbook, and wrote under it first actual bug found.† –Kathleen Broome Williams