20 Types and Forms of Humor

20 Types and Forms of Humor 20 Types and Forms of Humor 20 Types and Forms of Humor By Mark Nichol Humor comes in many flavors, any of which may appeal to one person but not to another, and which may be enjoyed in alternation or in combination. Here are names and descriptions of the varieties of comic expression: 1. Anecdotal: Named after the word anecdote (which stems from the Greek term meaning â€Å"unpublished†); refers to comic personal stories that may be true or partly true but embellished. 2. Blue: Also called off-color, or risque (from the French word for â€Å"to risk†); relies on impropriety or indecency for comic effect. (The name probably derives from the eighteenth-century use of the word blue to refer to morally strict standards hence the phrase â€Å"blue laws† to refer to ordinances restricting certain behavior on the Sabbath). A related type is broad humor, which refers to unrestrained, unsubtle humor often marked by coarse jokes and sexual situations. 3. Burlesque: Ridicules by imitating with caricature, or exaggerated characterization. The association with striptease is that in a bygone era, mocking skits and ecdysiastic displays were often on the same playbills in certain venues. 4. Dark/Gallows/Morbid: Grim or depressing humor dealing with misfortune and/or death and with a pessimistic outlook. 5. Deadpan/Dry: Delivered with an impassive, expressionless, matter-of-fact presentation. 6. Droll: From the Dutch word meaning â€Å"imp†; utilizes capricious or eccentric humor. 7. Epigrammatic: Humor consisting of a witty saying such as â€Å"Too many people run out of ideas long before they run out of words.† (Not all epigrams are humorous, however.) Two masters of epigrammatic humor are Benjamin Franklin (as the author of Poor Richard’s Almanackand Oscar Wilde. 8. Farcical: Comedy based on improbable coincidences and with satirical elements, punctuated at times with overwrought, frantic action. (It, like screwball comedy see below shares many elements with a comedy of errors.) Movies and plays featuring the Marx Brothers are epitomes of farce. The adjective also refers to incidents or proceedings that seem too ridiculous to be true. 9. High/highbrow: Humor pertaining to cultured, sophisticated themes. 10. Hyperbolic: Comic presentation marked by extravagant exaggeration and outsized characterization. 11. Ironic: Humor involving incongruity and discordance with norms, in which the intended meaning is opposite, or nearly opposite, to the literal meaning. (Not all irony is humorous, however.) 12. Juvenile/sophomoric: Humor involving childish themes such as pranks, name-calling, and other immature behavior. 13. Mordant: Caustic or biting humor (the word stems from a Latin word meaning â€Å"to bite†). Not to be confused with morbid humor (see above). 14. Parodic: Comic imitation often intended to ridicule an author, an artistic endeavor, or a genre. 15. Satirical: Humor that mocks human weaknesses or aspects of society. 16. Screwball: Akin to farce in that it deals with unlikely situations and responses to those situations; distinguished, like farcical humor, by exaggerated characterizations and episodes of fast-paced action. 17. Self-deprecating: Humor in which performers target themselves and their foibles or misfortunes for comic effect. Stand-up comedian Rodney Dangerfield was a practitioner of self-deprecating humor. 18. Situational: Humor arising out of quotidian situations; it is the basis of sitcoms, or situation comedies. Situational comedies employ elements of farce, screwball, slapstick, and other types of humor. 19. Slapstick: Comedy in which mock violence and simulated bodily harm are staged for comic effect; also called physical comedy. The name derives from a prop consisting of a stick with an attached piece of wood that slapped loudly against it when one comedian struck another with it, enhancing the effect. The Three Stooges were renowned for their slapstick comedy. 20. Stand-up: A form of comedy delivery in which a comic entertains an audience with jokes and humorous stories. A stand-up comedian may employ one or more of the types of humor described here. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 50 Synonyms for â€Å"Idea†English Grammar 101: Prepositions

Free Essays on Texas Cattlemen Vs Oprah Whinfrey

On April 16, 1996, Oprah Winfrey featured former cattle farmer turned vegetarian activist, Howard Lyman, as part of the Humane Society’s, Eating with Conscience Campaign. The topic was Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) which is very similar to mad cow disease. Only one month earlier the British Government had announced that 10 citizens were dead or dying from mad cow disease. The disease can lie dormant inside of a person for years, and would only be discovered when the victim began to experience Alzheimer’s like symptoms. Lyman made a comparison between BSE and AIDS, then raised the possibility that a form of mad cow disease could exist in the U.S. Lyman also suggested that the practice of grinding up dead cattle and feeding it to other cows as a protein supplement in cattle feed might have contributed to a potential outbreak. Oprah was horrified by the possibility that something like this could exist right under our noses. She asked, â€Å"†¦you say this di sease could make AIDS look like the common cold?† â€Å"Absolutely,† Lyman responded. To which Oprah responded, â€Å"It has just stopped me cold from eating another burger.† Obviously this got cattle ranchers into an uproar, and investors and consumers panicked and cattle futures dropped that same day and drop to even further lows for two months. This dramatic drop in beef consumption shows just how powerful the effects of mass-media can be on the public. This show came on the heels of a massive story about tainted beef in Great Britain, so tensions were already running high. Millionaire rancher Paul Engler led the group of cattle ranchers who filed a $12 million lawsuit against Winfrey, her production companies and Lyman. Their claim was that Oprah and Lyman were liable for damages due to the comments made on her show. They alleged that Winfrey and Lyman had violated the 1995 Texas disparagement law, or the â€Å"veggie libel law,† which seeks to protect farmers against fa... Free Essays on Texas Cattlemen Vs Oprah Whinfrey Free Essays on Texas Cattlemen Vs Oprah Whinfrey On April 16, 1996, Oprah Winfrey featured former cattle farmer turned vegetarian activist, Howard Lyman, as part of the Humane Society’s, Eating with Conscience Campaign. The topic was Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) which is very similar to mad cow disease. Only one month earlier the British Government had announced that 10 citizens were dead or dying from mad cow disease. The disease can lie dormant inside of a person for years, and would only be discovered when the victim began to experience Alzheimer’s like symptoms. Lyman made a comparison between BSE and AIDS, then raised the possibility that a form of mad cow disease could exist in the U.S. Lyman also suggested that the practice of grinding up dead cattle and feeding it to other cows as a protein supplement in cattle feed might have contributed to a potential outbreak. Oprah was horrified by the possibility that something like this could exist right under our noses. She asked, â€Å"†¦you say this di sease could make AIDS look like the common cold?† â€Å"Absolutely,† Lyman responded. To which Oprah responded, â€Å"It has just stopped me cold from eating another burger.† Obviously this got cattle ranchers into an uproar, and investors and consumers panicked and cattle futures dropped that same day and drop to even further lows for two months. This dramatic drop in beef consumption shows just how powerful the effects of mass-media can be on the public. This show came on the heels of a massive story about tainted beef in Great Britain, so tensions were already running high. Millionaire rancher Paul Engler led the group of cattle ranchers who filed a $12 million lawsuit against Winfrey, her production companies and Lyman. Their claim was that Oprah and Lyman were liable for damages due to the comments made on her show. They alleged that Winfrey and Lyman had violated the 1995 Texas disparagement law, or the â€Å"veggie libel law,† which seeks to protect farmers against fa...

IKEA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IKEA - Case Study Example These attributes are the main competitive priorities of IKEA. IKEA own 349 stores which are operating in 43 major countries of the globe. The location of these stores are determined by keeping the easily accessibility of customer to carry on its business with a firm. The other most important factor that IKEA consider while selecting new sites is whether it reduces transportation cost. The most important troupes in the furniture industry are Euro market Designs Inc, Galiform plc, Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Argos and many others. But still IKEA is categorized in world biggest furniture retailer because it is offering modern architectural and interior designs of furniture at a low cost and with best quality therefore it is leading market among existing firms. There are many threats for the new entrants into the furniture industry. A large amount of monetary investment is required to establish a business. After established a business, expertise and skills are required to offer quality products with a discounted price. Time factor is another essential element which plays an important role in building up its image in the market. IKEA is established since 1943. It has successfully built its image in the market. It has its huge investment in various part of globe whereas for new entrant all this required time to get stable and for successfully operating. IKEA has targeted a wide range of customers. As this firm is operating at national level as well as at international level so it has a strong bargaining power among customers. On the other hand buyers have extensive range of products offered by IKEA with respect to quality, price and many other

Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Review - Assignment Example Gandhi stated that, the actual meaning of civilization is ‘good conduct’, which can only come through the existence of villages. These were the people who outwardly argued with their views on the thought urban renovation. According to Jane Jacobs, the survival is impossible from World Bank. Considering the levels of urbanization and GDP per capita, they both are directly linked with each other. Due to it, the argument about the development of countryside areas on their expenses itself, has been in light from ages. The development, social justice and status discrimination (cities dominating the countryside) crisis also relate the argument. Cheap food coming out of the agriculture and their import export has also been the factor of criticism by 2008, where most of the countries imposed ban on the exports by increasing the subsidy on crops. That is the reason which backs the idea of under-funding of agriculture. Overviewing the entire scenario, Urban Bias Thesis (UBT) came into being, to resolve the crisis against Gandhi’s claim, food crisis and price issues associating the rural development. Lipton was the man who analyzed this thesis into details. The claims of Lipton involved the price issue on rural commodities which were decrease, and those of the urban bias increased outside Latin America. In 2000, the extreme increase of urban bias in China has been seen. The main discussion point of Lipton was that, reduce in urban bias haven’t been fulfilled, considering the terms of economic liberation and structural adjustments. This debate took peak under the light of four circumstances; matters of measure & definition, urban poverty, causes & consequences of urban growth and the value of rural & and urban in complex livelihood strategies & interdependencies. The main understanding which should be look up to here is the mobility benefits

Economic Benefits Of Daylight Saving Time Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic Benefits Of Daylight Saving Time - Essay Example Daylight Saving Time also has the added benefit of an extra hour or so of daylight after work hours for people to get home safely and to engage in social and recreational activities. Regardless of what one decides to do, whether go home and spend time with the family or go out and spend time with friends, DST can also save energy. The combination of these advantages of DST – working when there is sunlight, finishing work and safely getting home (or going out with friends) when there is still light, spending time with people one cares about and saving energy while doing so – will help the world get out of its economic crisis if DST is extended the whole year round. The reasons are easy to understand. First, finishing work early allows everyone to do many things while there is still light. It is these â€Å"many things† that one cannot do in the dark that has the power to help solve the economic crisis. One can decide to do things on one’s own that would save money and increase savings, like clean the car, mow the lawn, or paint the roof. One could also decide to do things to spend money and keep the economy running, like go bowling, visit friends, or have a beer. As mentioned in several portions of his book Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time, David Prerau enumerated many proofs of the beneficial economic effects that DST has had on many sectors of the economy, such as candy manufacturers, amusement parks, restaurants and shops, movie houses and theaters, and the sporting goods industry. While there are objections that the cost of air-conditioning warm rooms and spending on outdoor activities may increase, the overall benefits to the economy were proven by DST’s role in bringing America out of Depression.

The Critical Success Factors Of Scope Management Information Technology Essay

The Critical Success Factors Of Scope Management Information Technology Essay Until today, the ICT project success has yet to demonstrate an excellent track record. Findings from a research done by Standish Group from 1994 until 2009 revealed that the percentage for challenge and failure IT projects was still high as compared to that of a successful project [4]. There are many reasons which contribute to these failure. One of the main reasons is the poor PSM ([3],[5]). According to many researchers, PSM is a critical area which needs to be given attention in ensuring the success of a project ([6]-[11]). Based on the literature review, it has been found that none of the research done applies the concept of CSF in ICT PSM in order to upgrade the ICT project success. Therefore, this research was conducted with the intention to identify the CSFs in PSM, which could contribute to the ICT project success, in terms of stakeholders satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy. It was expected that this study would give researchers some new insights on PSM CSFs for ICT project success. This paper consists of four sections, which are background, research methods, results and discussion, and conclusions. II. BACKGROUND This section explains briefly two main concepts in this research, which are ICT Project Scope Management and CSF. Then, a brief explanation will be given on the research factors which are obtained from the combination between failure factors and success factors in PSM. These factors have the potential to contribute to the ICT project success. ICT Project scope management In this research context, ICT Project Scope Management is defined as the processes required to ensure that the ICT project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully [12]. Meanwhile, ICT is defined as any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit, or receive electronically in a digital form, which comprises of technology, communication and application [13]. PSM is one of the nine project management fields of knowledge [12]. It is very crucial in ensuring the project success as compared to the other eight fields of knowledge [6]. PSM includes the process of scope planning, requirements collection, scope definition, WBS creation, scope verification and scope control. All these processes are needed to ensure that only the required work will be carried out. Any unnecessary works is a waste and can increase the risks in project management [15]. Incomplete and vague project scope could cause requirement creep and scope creep [5] which could cause the project to be incomplete on time and at a predetermined cost. It could also cause the delivery produced (product, service or result) could not satisfy the stakeholders. The Critical success factor approach In 1979, Rockart introduced the CSF method and concluded that CSF is an effective and efficient method to assess data requirements [19]. This method has been studied until it becomes more stable ([20]-[21]) and it has been applied widely in various industry sectors and domains [22]. Bullen and Rockart defines CSF as the limited number of areas in which satisfactory results will ensure successful competitive performance for the individual, department, or organization. CSFs are the few key areas where things must go right for the business to flourish and for the managers goal to be attained [20]. According to them, each CSF set is created uniquely and differently based on the environment where this method is applied. In IT/ICT project management field, CSF method is applied as an effort to upgrade the ICT project success such as to plan, develop and implement the software project ([23]-[24]) and data depository execution [25]. Success Factors in ICT Project Scope Management Based on a thorough review done on academic and practitioner literatures, it has been found that there was no formal research that has been carried out to identify CSFs in ICT Project Scope Management. However, there were success and failure researches in ICT projects such as software projects, development and implementation projects of information system, web-based project and network installation project which involve project scope ([6],[23],[26]-[33]). From these researches, the factors which have the same criteria were combined according to three dimensions: Project, Process and People. To determine the project success attributes which reflect the whole perception on an ICT project success, PMBOK guidelines were used which demonstrate the essential relationship between PSM and Project Time Management, and between PSM and Project Cost Management [12]. Based on the stakeholders role and responsibility in managing project scope, the stakeholders satisfaction as an ICT project success attribute was taken into account ([12],[14],[34]-[35]). Table 1 shows the summary of the attributes used in this research. TABLE 1 SUCCESS ATTRIBUTES Dimension Attribute Overall perceived level of success Stakeholders satisfaction (Stakeholders are satisfied, accept and approve with the project scope planned, defined and implemented; All the deliverables produced by the project were accepted and approved by the stakeholders). Time estimation accuracy (All the work that has to be carried out (project scope) for a project helps successfully in estimating the time needed to complete a project; Clear main deliverables (product, service, result) helps successfully in estimating the duration of time needed to complete a project. Cost estimation accuracy (All the work that has to be done for a project (based on the scope) helps successfully in estimating the cost needed to complete the project). III. METHODOLOGY This research was an exploratory survey which used quantitative method. The instrument used was a questionnaire and it was developed based on the combination of failure and success factors gained from the literature review. Reliability test, factor analysis and regression analysis have been conducted to determine the critical success factor using SPSS version 17. Survey questionnaire In this study, a survey questionnaire was employed as the method of data collection. A structured questionnaire was constructed to capture the respondents perception of the questions. The survey instrument consists of six sections. The first section was on respondents profile and demographic information. The second, third and fourth sections were on success factors related to project, process and people. The fifth section was on perception of ICT project success. The last section was for additional comments, where respondents were invited to give any feedback or thought related to the questions stated. To measure the importance of success factors and perception of ICT project success, a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1= strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree was adopted to solicit the perceptions on the degree of importance for the identified success factors relative to the ICT project success. An in-depth discussion about the questionnaire was done with five experts in ICT project management, who were two experts from the public sector, two experts from the private sector and one expert from academia. All five experts have experience of at least five years in ICT project scope management and more than ten years of experience in ICT project development. The purpose of this discussion was to obtain opinions, views, suggestions or comments about the survey instrument content validity and face validity. Feedback from the expert was used to refine the clarity of the questionnaire items by rephrasing the items as necessary. The internal consistency reliability of the items in the questionnaire was tested by conducting a pilot study. The respondents for pilot test were ICT officers working in Malaysian public sector. A pilot survey was administered to five public sector agencies with the distribution of ten sets of questionnaires for each agency. 31 respondents returned their feedback after waiting period of 20 days. Cronbachs alpha was used for the internal consistency reliability testing. The results of these tests shows that the values for the entire construct were greater than 0.8. Thus, it shows that the items in the questionnaire have a good degree of reliability [36]. This indicates that there were no problems with the internal consistency reliability. Data collection method The target population for this study was ICT professionals in Malaysian public sectors. One thousand questionnaires, delivered personally by hand, were administered from 1st March 2010 among Malaysian public sector ministries, departments and agencies located in Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. For other locations, three hundred questionnaires were distributed using web-based survey method from 8th March 2010. The questionnaires used for both methods were the same. After six weeks of survey period, a total of 561 valid questionnaires, representing response rate of 43.15%, were received (531 were collected personally and 10 were collected through web-based interface). Data analysis method Factor analysis and stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze data from the survey questionnaire. Factor analysis was conducted in three stages [37]. The first stage was the assessment of the suitability of the data. The correlation among the factors was identified by examining the correlation matrix among items, Bartletts Test Sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy (KMO MSA). The second stage was factor extraction. Common factor analysis and principal axis factoring technique were used to extract the factors. Kaisers criterion or eigen value rules were used to determine the number of factors to be retained. The third stage was factor rotation and interpretation. The orthogonal rotation approach with Varimax method and cut-off loading point 0.4 [38] were used to clarify the factor structure. Factor extraction and rotation will be repeated until there were no cross-loading factors or no factor loading value less than cut-off loading point. Items with fa ctor cross loading or factor loading less than cut-off loading point were eliminated [38]. Stepwise regression solution procedure was used to determine the CSFs of PSM which contribute to the ICT project success. Through this procedure, only significant success factors were used in the model. The general multiple regression model is: Y = A + B1X1 + B2X2 + à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ + BkXk where Y is the dependent variable (DV), A is the Y intercept, the Xs represent the various independent variables (IVs) and Bs are the coefficients assigned to each of the IVs during regressions [39]. In this research, the IVs were the success factors of ICT project scope management and the DVs were the stakeholders satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy. IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Factor analysis The result of factor analysis as shown in Table 2 shows seven factors with 45 attributes which were included in the structure and explained 60.57% of the total variance. All the seven factors were translated according to the items included in the factors. The first factor was called stakeholders commitment which consists of 12 items. The second factor was called Work Breakdown Structure which consist of 11 items. The third factor was called project objective and justification definition which consists of 9 items. The forth factor was called change control which consists of 4 items. The fifth factor was called project constraint definition which consists of 3 items. The sixth factor was called realistic project assumption which consists of 3 items. The seventh factor was called business knowledge which consists of two items. TABLE 2 FACTOR STRUCTURE FOR PRINCIPAL AXIS FACTORING EXTRACTION AND VARIMAX ROTATION ON PSM SUCCESS FACTORS ITEMS Item Factor 1: Stakeholder commitment Percent of variance explained = 43.381, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 43.381 The project received strong top management support during the process of project scope management. The project had a cooperative and supportive process owner during requirements elicitation. The Steering Committee is committed to the meeting scheduled Users are able to explain their needs or requirements to project team or project developer. Project manager have the communication skills to communicate with all stakeholders involved in the project scope management. Project Team meetings held regularly to manage the project scope processes. Project Champion commitment, especially during a crisis in managing the project scope Project team members fully responsible in managing the project scope. Method of brainstorming or face to face is used to obtain user requirements. Project manager fully responsible in managing the project scope. Project team members have knowledge in ICT field that will be required for the development and implementation of the project. Roles and responsibilities of project team is determined and clearly defined Factor 2: Work breakdown structure Percent of variance explained = 4.892, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 48.272 The infrastructure (hardware, networking, telecommunication) specification is compatible with the product (system) to be produced. The software specification is compatible with the product (system) to be produced. The system development methodology is suitable to the product (system) to be produced The application specification is complete and clearly defined The user requirements are realistic. User requirements specific to the project objectives to be achieved. Each user requirements meet business requirements embodied in the project. User requirements can be implemented in accordance with the stipulated time period. Human resources responsible for carrying out each of work activity is clearly mapped in the WBS hierarchy. Distribution of activities in the WBS is well planned and precisely defined. The WBS defined the project overall scope. Factor 3: Project objective justification definition Percent of variance explained = 3.460, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 51.732 Specific and clear project objectives Realistic project objectives Achievable project objectives Acceptable project objectives by main stakeholders Measurable project objectives Justification stated the importance or benefit of the project implementation. Justification focuses on the organization goal to be achieved. Clearly defined works that included in the project. Justification stated the improvement of employees skill with the implementation of the project. Factor 4: Change control Percent of variance explained = 2.601, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 54.333 Coordinating Committee set the action to be taken for the change request. Decisions and actions taken for the change request was agreed by all members of the Coordinating Committee. Decision made by Coordinating Committee is well recorded Coordinating Committee taking into account the interests, benefits and negative affects for each of the change request. Factor 5: Project constraint definition Percent of variance explained = 2.409, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 56.742 Clearly defined uncontrollable project constraints. Clearly defined controllable project constraints. Source(s) for each constraint (controllable or uncontrollable) are clearly described. Factor 6: Realistic project assumption Percent of variance explained = 2.187, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 58.929 Realistic project deliverables (product, service, results) Realistic technical assumptions Realistic assumptions of project management organization Factor 7: Business knowledge Percent of variance explained = 1.644, Cumulative percent of variance explained = 60.573 Project team members have knowledge in business processes related to the project. Project manager have knowledge in business processes related to the project. The seven factors were translated into seven main hypotheses. The hypotheses were numbered from 1 to 7. Since there were three success dimensions for each factor, the corresponding success dimensions were identified by the letters a, b and c. As a result, there were a total of 21 hypotheses, from 1a until 7c as stated above. Hypotheses related to the Project dimension: H1: The existence of well-defined project objective and justification is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a)Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H2: Having realistic project assumptions is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a)Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H3: The existence of well-defined project constraints is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. Hypotheses related to the Process dimension: H4: The existence of complete WBS is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H5: The practice of correct change control procedure is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. Hypotheses related to the People dimension: H6: Having project team that is knowledgeable about the business process is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. H7: The existence of strong stakeholder commitment is a PSM CSF that contributes to the success of ICT project in terms of (a) Stakeholder satisfaction, (b) Time estimation accuracy, (c) Cost estimation accuracy. Regression analysis A stepwise multiple regression was conducted between the three ICT project success dimensions (stakeholder satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy) as the dependent variables and seven underlying PSM success factors as independent variables. TABLE 3 SUMMARY OF OUTCOME FROM STEPWISE MULTIPLE REGRESSION ICT project success dimensions R2 ANOVA Selected variables ÃŽÂ ² value Stakeholder satisfaction 0.614 F(3,527)= 144.3, P Strong stakeholder commitments 0.519 Complete Work breakdown structure 0.227 Well-defined project objective and justification 0.111 Time estimation accuracy 0.451 F(3,527)= 144.3, p Strong stakeholder commitments 0.346 Complete Work breakdown structure 0.318 Well-defined project objective and justification 0.100 Cost estimation accuracy 0.380 F(3,538)= 110.066, p Strong stakeholders commitment 0.390 Well-defined project constraints 0.225 Change control 0.104 Table 3 shows significantly three factors which were strong stakeholders commitment, complete WBS, and well-defined project objective and justification as the CSFs of PSM which contribute to 61.4% variant changes to ICT project success in terms of stakeholder satisfaction. The finding also reveals significantly that the three similar factors, were the CSFs of PSM which contribute to 45.1% variant changes to ICT project success in terms of time estimation accuracy. For the ICT project success in terms of cost estimation accuracy, the result demonstrates significantly that strong stakeholders commitment, change control and well-defined project constraint were the CSFs of PSM which contribute to 38% variant change to ICT project success in terms of cost estimation accuracy. With the above observations, the results of the hypotheses testing can be finalized as follows: out of 21 research hypotheses, a total of 9 hypotheses were supported, while the remaining 12 hypotheses were rejected. Those hypotheses were rejected due to their low coefficient values and high probability level for their corresponding null hypotheses. It means that the presence of those factors did not make a significance difference to the value of ICT project success dimensions. V. CONCLUSION In carrying out this quantitative research, a questionnaire survey method was used to determine the CSFs of PSM which contribute to the ICT project success. ICT project success was investigated in terms of stakeholders satisfaction, time estimation accuracy and cost estimation accuracy. A total of 557 usable data were successfully collected from the respondents who were the public sector ICT professionals. Seven success factors of PSM have been extracted through the factor analysis. The factors were strong stakeholders commitment, complete WBS, well-defined project objective and justification, change control, well-defined project constraints, realistic project assumption and good business knowledge. With the use of stepwise multiple regression analysis, it can be concluded that strong stakeholders commitment, complete WBS and well-defined project objective and justification were the PSM CSFs which contributed to the ICT project success in terms of stakeholders satisfaction and time estimation accuracy. Strong stakeholders commitment, change control and well-defined project constraint were the PSM CSFs which contributed to the ICT project success in terms of cost estimation accuracy. Strong stakeholders commitment factors were the main contribution to the three aspects of ICT project success. Realistic project assumption and project team business knowledge were failed to be proven as th e critical success factor for any aspect of ICT project success. All the critical success factors which have been discovered for each aspect of ICT project success are the main contribution from this research. These factors should be given attention by practitioners while managing ICT project scope so that the project scope that is being managed: 1) could produce deliveries (product, service and results) which successfully give satisfaction to the stakeholders, (2) successfully helps in making time estimation accurately, and (3) successfully helps in making cost estimation accurately.

Essay on Stagnant Lives in Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie

Stagnant Lives in Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Stagnant Lives of Blanche DuBois and Amanda Wingfield  Ã‚  Ã‚   "All of Williams' significant characters are pathetic victims--of time, of their own passions, of immutable circumstance" (Gantz 110). This assessment of Tennessee Williams' plays proves true when one looks closely at the characters of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire and Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie. Their lives run closely parallel to one another in their respective dramas. They reject their present lives, yet their methods of escape are dissimilar. Both women have lost someone they cared for, and so seek to hold, and unintentionally suffocate, those they have left. A major problem that both Blanche and Amanda face is their misconception of reality and the "New South." "The predominant theme of these plays is Southern womanhood helpless in the grip of the new world, while its old world of social position and financial security is a paradise lost (Gassner 78). They are victims of a society that taught them that virtue, attractiveness, and gentility all led to happiness. When tragedy strikes, Blanche and Amanda are unable to adjust to modem society and eventually withdraw into the securities of the past. "For Blanche and Amanda, the South forms an image of youth, love, purity and all of the ideals that have crumbled along with mansions and family fortunes" (Tischier 319). Tragedy after tragedy has struck the character of Blanche DuBois of Streetcar until nothing is left except her tenuous grasp on sanity. Her young homosexual husband, Allan, kills himself, leaving her racked with guilt with which she cannot deal. It s as if the "Grim Reaper set up his tent," taking the... ... New York: Chelsea Publishers, 1987. 99-112.    Gassner, John. â€Å"Theatre at the Crossroads.New York,† Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960. pp. 77-91, 218-231.    Howell, Elmo. "The Function of Gentlemen Callers: A Note on Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie." Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie: Modern Critical Interpretations. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1988. Contemporary Literary Criticism 11 (1979): 575-576.    Nelson, Benjamin. Tennessee Williams: The Man and His Work. New York: Ivan Obolensky, 1961.    Tischler, Nancy M. "The Glass Menagerie: From Story to Play." Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie: Modern Critical Interpretations. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea Publishers, 1988.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: Viking Penguin, 1976.   

Petroleum and Investment Grade Rating

Petrolera Zuata, Petrozuata C. A. case study â€Å"La Apertura† (The Opening) †¢ Target: Orinoco Belt heavy/extra heavy oil accumulation (biggest known in the world) †¢ Key Strategy: Opening Venezuelan oil sector to foreign oil companies †¢ How: Profit sharing agreements, operating service agreements, strategic joint-venture associations †¢ Ownership: PDVSA or subsidiaries contribute10 years), fixed interest rates, fewer more flexible covenants, larger amounts. – Cons: fund must be raised in a lump sum.Excess funds create a drag on earnings (negative carry) †¢ Rule 144A market (private placement market): – Pros: Like public bonds + speed, underwritten within six months – Cons: only qualified investors can invest in them Conditions needed: hot markets and investment grade rating What kind of debt to choose? †¢ The sponsors should use 144A (private bonds) to fund the deal because of the important advantages and the significant d isadvantages which can arise by using the other debt kinds. Rule 144A has big advantage of time – Markets seem to be going in the right direction (Hot markets) – What else is needed?†¦ (on the next slide: Investment grade) Investment Grade Rating †¢ Agencies look at 3 main factors: sponsors’ creditworthiness, project’s economics and Venezuela’s sovereign risk. †¢ Problem: Venezuela’s rating: S&P â€Å"B† Moody’s â€Å"Ba2† †¢ Petrozuata is strictly connected with country’s risks because it is controlled by PDVSA which is Venezuela’s state oil company and operates in Venezuela †¢ If Venezuela defaults on its debt Petrozuata will default too unless†¦ Conoco Inc. is a subsidiary of DuPont which operates worldwide and has investment grade rating †¢ Investing in Petrozuata is indirectly investing in DuPont †¢ If you invest in Petrozuata your real investment is also in Vene zuela and DuPont †¢ Petrozuata project has a very good structure and business projections †¢ Same comparables with other oil companies operating in other countries and having investment rate grading †¢ Ras Laffan example of oil company having higher rating than the country in which it operates(Qatar) In order to obtain investment grading it is very important to have DuPont in the deal †¢ If rating agencies consider the fact that Petrozuata will repay its debt although Maraven defaults on its part of debt because DuPont wants to mantain its good reputation it might obtain an investment grading †¢ If Venezuela is strictly linked to Petrozuata and has a â€Å"B† then Petrozuata should have at least a â€Å"B† rating plus a considerable bonus because the risk is diversified into DuPont †¢ Project’s base case DSCR would probably have to exceed 1. 0X †¢ Break-even point low enough so the project can cover all operating and financing costs if oil prices fall substantially Is it a good deal? †¢ We would invest in project bonds as they will likely yield a higher return compared to the 21% cost of equity. Factors that need to be considered: †¢ Hierarchy of payments is good (referred to â€Å"Cash Waterfall†) †¢ Balance Sheet and Income statement suggest PDVSA and DuPont are supposed to be solid companies †¢ Oil prices are not that volatile; fluctuating but arresting around a price between $20 and $25 per barrel (suggested nominal break-even price in 2008 $8. 3 per barrel) †¢ Lower operating costs with respect to competitors (cash operating cost around $3. 19 against industry median at $8. 55) †¢ More than enough heavy crude oil reserves to sustain the planned production according DeGolyer & MacNoughton (U. S. based oil consulting firm) †¢ Project’s design in accordance with good industry practice; complying with Venezuelan and International environmental laws as stat ed by Stone & Webster Overseas Consultants, a U. S. ngineering and consulting firm What should Conoco take into account? †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ True problem is not very favorable business environment Theoretically, if all contracts are respected and hierarchy of payments holds, the only entities bearing risks are PDVSA and DuPont with their capital investment Banks and whoever invests in project bonds according to the hierarchy of payments should be a safe investor Uncertainty in government’s future actions could be very harmful.Remember that in January 1976 the Venezuelan government nationalized the domestic oil industry and the compensation package was only 20% of market value!!! (according to foreign oil companies). Lending to Petrozuata is indirectly investing in Venezuela’s business environment and doing business with the government as PDVSA is 100% government owned, which has a non-investment grading by rating agencies †¢ What should Conoco do? Take carefully in consideration what has been mentioned †¢ Make an in depth analysis on Venezuela’s macroeconomic issues †¢ Try to revise the â€Å"Off take agreement† to be sure of having the right to buy the 104,000 BPCD at the pre-fixed price †¢ If benefits exceed these further costs then consider equity investment †¢ Otherwise the best move would be to take some other entity in the deal to diversify risks even more †¢ Personally, we would be very cautious with investing equity capital as Conoco.

Berkeley Academic Calendar 2017-2018 Essays

Berkeley Academic Calendar 2017-2018 Essays Berkeley Academic Calendar 2017-2018 Paper Berkeley Academic Calendar 2017-2018 Paper Essay Topic: Academic Fall Semester 2017 Event Date Fall Semester Begins Wednesday, August 16, 2017 Instruction Begins Wednesday, August 23, 2017 Academic Administrative Holiday (Labor Day) Monday, September 4, 2017 Academic Administrative Holiday (Veterans Day) Friday, November 10, 2017 Non-Instructional Day Wednesday, November 22, 2017 Academic Administrative Holiday (Thanksgiving) Thursday, November 23 Friday, November 24, 2017 Classes End Friday, December 1, 2017 Reading/Review/Recitation Week Monday, December 4–Friday, December 8, 2017 Last Day of Instruction Friday, December 8, 2017 Final Examinations Monday, December 11–Friday, December 15, 2017 Fall Semester Ends Friday, December 15, 2017 Winter Commencement Sunday, December 17, 2017 Academic Administrative Holidays (Winter Holidays) Monday, December 25 Tuesday, December 26, 2017 Academic Administrative Holiday (New Years) Friday, December 29, 2017 Monday, January 1, 2018 Spring Semester 2018 Event Date Spring Semester Begins Tuesday, January 9, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) Monday, January 15, 2018 Instruction Begins Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Presidents Day) Monday, February 19, 2018 Spring Recess Monday, March 26–Friday, March 30, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Cesar Chavez Day) Friday, March 30, 2018 Cal Day To Be Determined, http://calday.berkeley.edu/ Classes End Friday, April 27, 2018 Reading/Review/Recitation Week Monday, April 30–Friday, May 4, 2018 Last Day of Instruction Friday, May 4, 2018 Final Examinations Monday, May 7–Friday, May 11, 2018 Spring Semester Ends Friday, May 11, 2018 Commencement Saturday, May 12, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Memorial Day) Monday, May 28, 2018 Summer Sessions 2018 Event Date Spring Semester Begins Tuesday, January 9, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) Monday, January 15, 2018 Instruction Begins Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Presidents Day) Monday, February 19, 2018 Spring Recess Monday, March 26–Friday, March 30, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Cesar Chavez Day) Friday, March 30, 2018 Cal Day To Be Determined, http://calday.berkeley.edu/ Classes End Friday, April 27, 2018 Reading/Review/Recitation Week Monday, April 30–Friday, May 4, 2018 Last Day of Instruction Friday, May 4, 2018 Final Examinations Monday, May 7–Friday, May 11, 2018 Spring Semester Ends Friday, May 11, 2018 Commencement Saturday, May 12, 2018 Academic Administrative Holiday (Memorial Day) Monday, May 28, 2018

All the Kings Men, by Robert Penn Warren

All the Kings Men, by Robert Penn Warren Free Online Research Papers Summary: All the King’s Men was written by Robert Penn Warren and published in 1946. It is about a politician named Willie Talos, who becomes the governor of a state somewhere in the South. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1947, and was made into a movie in 1949. Willie Talos suddenly becomes well known throughout his state because of the collapse of a schoolhouse. He had warned the people not to use that contractor, who was known to use inferior materials, but no one listened to him. When the schoolhouse collapsed, killing three children, Willie’s idea that state government made some kind of secret agreement with the contractor was brought to many people’s attention. Sadie Burke and Tiny Duffy, working for another candidate, convince Willie to run for governor so the votes for the others would be split. When Willie finds out, he is furious, and makes an emotional speech that the crowd loves. But he drops out of the election, and campaigns against Sadie and Tiny’s candidate. Four years later, Willie becomes governor and hires Jack Burden as an addition to his pack of political cronies, which already includes Tiny Duffy, lieutenant-governor, and Sugar-Boy, Willieâ €™s reckless driver and bodyguard. Jack Burden is a reporter who admires Willie Talos. Jack is also a historian, having studied American history at the state college where he also researched and started to write the biography of Cass Masters, one of Jack’s ancestors. Jack is used by Willie to research his opponents and find unpleasant facts about them. Response: Throughout the book, the story shifts in time. The main time periods are the present, three years ago, and fourteen years ago. Although this can be a little confusing, it makes it easy to see the changes in Willie’s personality. He goes from being quiet, careful, and always honest, to a bullying governor who is seeking revenge on the Judge for not supporting him. Summary: Judge Irwin makes himself an enemy of Willie by backing an opposing candidate, and Jack is asked to â€Å"dig up some dirt† on him. But Jack hesitates, since he has known the judge his whole life. The judge was like a father to him. But he decides that there is probably nothing to find, since the judge has such a good reputation. Willie knows better. He says that everyone has some secret, and the judge is no exception. After Jack had researched the judge for seven months, he discovers that Judge Irwin had once accepted a bribe, and that Joel Stanton, the governor and the father of Jack’s childhood friends Adam and Anne Stanton, had covered it up. Jack hopes that he never has to reveal this. But when Willie wants Adam to become the director of his new hospital, Jack has to tell Adam to persuade him. Willie’s free hospital is his plan for helping the poor of the state and boosting his own popularity. Willie’s actions become more dishonest by the day. Response: Jack has always liked the judge, and is shocked to learn that he took a bribe. Despite his claims that the purpose of the free hospital is to help the poor people in the state, it seems that Willie is building to more for himself. He wants to be remembered as good for the state. Summary: Sam MacMurfee, a powerful enemy for Willie, threatens Willie with a paternity suit against Tom, Willie’s son, if Willie runs for the Senate. After trying several ways to stop him, Willie remembers the research Jack had done on Judge Irwin, who has the power to control MacMurfee’s threats. Willie orders Jack to blackmail the judge into helping him. Jack obeys Willie, telling Judge Irwin that if he does not help Willie, people will find out about his bribe. Instead of bending to Willie’s will like Jack, Judge Irwin kills himself. In the commotion following Judge Irwin’s death, Jack learns that Judge Irwin was his real father. Willie strikes a deal with Gummy Larson, a building contractor and friend to MacMurfee. Willie gives Larson the contract to build the hospital, and Larson persuades MacMurfee to drop the case on Tom. Response: Here is more proof that Willie would stop at nothing to get what he wants. Jack obeys Willie and threatens the judge, causing him to commit suicide. Jack seems to be more of a puppet than a person. Judge Irwin once called him Willie’s â€Å"body servant† after seeing Willie tell Jack to get him a drink, and Jack going to obey blindly. Summary: Just as things were looking alright for Tom, he has an accident playing football and is paralyzed. This causes Willie to take a long look at his life, and what has happened to him since he got into politics. He cancels all the plans for the hospital, which angers Tiny Duffy. To get even with Willie, Tiny tells Adam that his sister Anne is Willie’s mistress. Adam is furious and shoots Willie. Then Sugar-Boy, loyal to Willie as always, kills Adam. Willie, unable to recover from the serious wound, dies a few days later. Now Jack is trying to figure this all out, and make sense of his own life. He marries Anne and finishes the biography of Cass Mastern. Response: If this novel has a moral at all, it’s probably about power and truth. Power changed Willie and caused him to do things that he’d never have dreamed of doing before he got into politics. Truth and the fear that people would find the truth caused Adam to kill Willie and Judge Irwin to commit suicide. Morality is probably a big part of it, too. The main idea at the end of the book was that if you drop your morals, everything else goes, too. Research Papers on All the King's Men, by Robert Penn WarrenUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresWhere Wild and West MeetHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoBringing Democracy to AfricaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenCapital Punishment

Shaping Ethical Contexts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shaping Ethical Contexts - Essay Example oped to explain and give insight into how leaders ought to conduct business in a multicultural environment and the perceptions their employees have towards them. One of the theories is the implicit leadership theory which postulates that people’s beliefs, assumptions, and stereotypes tend to influence their perception on the qualities of good leadership. The other one is the culturally endorsed implicit leadership theory which advanced some leadership dimensions that include power distance, gender egalitarianism, societal and group collectivism, humane orientation, performance orientation, assertiveness and uncertainty avoidance (Murrell, Crosby & Ely, 1999). Ethical leadership styles across cultures include transformational, transactional, and paternalistic leadership. Paternalistic is a leadership style that incorporates a hierarchical relationship between the leader and the workers. The leader expresses personal interest in the personal and professional lives of employees and in return expects respect and loyalty from them. The three defining elements are moral leadership, benevolence, and authoritarianism. This type of leadership has been found to yield positive organizational commitment and exchange between leaders and the employees in a multicultural environment (Brown, Trevià ±o & Harrison, 2005). Transformational leadership is one that emphasizes on a common goal and therefore, it is a charismatic form of leadership style that mobilizes employees around a common goal. Transactional leadership on the other hand is one that emphasizes on incentives and rewards between leaders and their employees (Brown & Trevià ±o, 2006). This form of leadership styles have been shown to yield trust and performance at the workplace in various populations but not all of them. It has further been noted that collectivists are more responsive and conform to transformational leadership because they unite individuals. On the other hand transactional leadership most welcomed in

Discuss religion and religious freedom in Somalia Essay

Discuss religion and religious freedom in Somalia - Essay Example The paper begins by explaining the meaning of religious freedom, and then goes ahead to explain religion and religious freedom in Somalia. Freedom of religion is the individuals right or freedom to hold whatever religious beliefs he or she believes to be the best for him/her. Religious freedom, also known as the freedom of worship, allows people to freely practice their religion as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of other people by practicing their preferred religion. Religious freedom is one of the basic human rights universally recognized. Somalia is a country found in the Horn of Africa; Somali borders Ethiopia to the West, the gulf of Eden to the north, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, and Indian Ocean to the east. Somali is predominantly a Muslim country; majority of the Muslims in Somali are Sunni Muslims, according to the Pew research conducted in 2010, 99.8% of Somali people are Muslims (Pew Research Centre, n.p). But, there are also a few other religions in Somalia, although these other religions have very few followers; Christians are minority in Somalia and they constitute less than o.1% of the Somalia population. According to the Catholic diocese of Mogadishu estimates in 2004, there were less than 200 Catholics in Somalia in the year 2004 (The economist, 22/10/2009). The Mogadishu Catholic diocese is the only Catholic diocese in Somalia. Besides Muslim and the few Christians, there are religions in Somalia. According to the Pew Research conducted in 2010, the other religions in Somalia, in cluding Hinduism, Judaism, and Buddhism constitute less than 0.1% of the Somalia population (Pew Research Centre, n.p). For better explanation of Somali religion and religious freedom in Somalia, it is important to briefly look at the political situation in Somalia because religion and politics in Somalia are inseparable. This is because the constitution of Somalia