Personal exercise plan swimming Essay Example for Free

Personal exercise plan swimming Essay What I enjoy doing: I enjoy swimming, playing squash, jogging, aerobics and power walking. What activities I already take part in: I play squash two or three times a week, and got to the gym, and in the spring I cycle with my friends. I also have bleep test/ fitness test once every two weeks. By improving my muscle strength and endurance it will mean that I am able to train for longer. Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of your heart to deliver oxygen to your muscles over a long period of time. This will build up my heart muscle and allow me to train for longer and cope with the pace of a longer game. By improving my agility it will my ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in a rapid succession in opposing directions. By improving my speed I will be able to get across the court in less time so my opponent has less time to react. Testing my Fitness Level I am going to use specific tests, which are associated with my sport. I will test how fit I am at the beginning of the six week session. I will test my cardiovascular endurance and my muscular endurance. I will use my aerobic system, anaerobic system and my power. All the tests I decide to do at the beginning of the six weeks, I will repeat again at the end of it so I can see how much my fitness level has improved by. Swimming (set 1) is a continuous training session. This program is mainly going to contain aerobic training with some focus on anaerobic training, to help improve sprint starts and finishes in the water, and my overall speed. Swimming (set 2) will include several types of ketchup to improve my technique. In the program I must ensure that I have enough rest periods to prevent build up of lactic acid or injury Each week is going to include one circuit session and a two swimming sessions. The exercises of the circuit will be performed in the same order that they are written down. This way, after working each muscle group it is then rested by working another group. The number of repetitions, not how long it takes to carry out one activity, will perform my circuit. An example of a circuit session would look like this: At the beginning I will complete a small warm up, jogging 15m, and then stretching from the neck working downwards. Station 1: arms raises using dumb bells (3kg). I will repeat this 15 times on each arm, it will strengthen the muscles in my arms making them more powerful, and making me swim faster. Increase by: 5 arm raises each time. Station 2: V sits. 16 times, strengthening my stomach muscles. Increase by: 3 more v-sits each time. Station 3: cycles with ankle weights, and dumb bells in hands. I will do 20 cycles. This will work my quads, abs, arms and hamstring muscles, making them stronger. Increase by: 4 cycles each time. Station 4: running on a crash mat, 50 steps, this will strengthen my quads and my cardiovascular system. Increase by: 5 steps each time. Station 5: the plank. Hold it for 40 seconds, rest for 40 seconds, and then repeat it three times. This will strengthen my stomach muscles. Increase by: repeat it an extra time each time. Station 6: arm circles, 60 times. Will strengthen arm muscles, making my pulls in my strokes stronger, making me go faster. Increased by: 4 arm circles each time. Station 7: lunges with weights (3kg), 20 lunges. Strengthen my legs, enabling my kicks to be more powerful. Increase by: 2 lunges each time. Station 8: medicine ball lifts with arms, 15 times. Strengthen my arm muscles. Increase by: 2 lifts each time. Station 9: skipping: 50 skips, improve my cardiovascular system. Increase by: 5 skips each time. Station 10: step ups, 50 times strengthening the muscles in my legs. Increase by: 3 step ups each time. Station 11: running 15m 6times, strengthening my cardiovascular system Increase by: 1 15m run each time. At the end of my circuit training session, I will stretch all of my muscles to prevent the build up of laic acid. When I do my circuit training sessions I will increase the amount of reps I carry out, the number that I increase them by is underlined at the bottom of each section. I need to increase the number of reps so that my body does not adjust to the exercise I am doing, and it keeps improving, and so my muscles become stronger.

Customer Relationship Management Dimensions

Customer Relationship Management Dimensions Purpose The primary objective of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework that depicts the impact of customer relationship management (CRM) dimensions on employee job satisfaction within the customer contact center industry. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a qualitative methodology that comprises of a comprehensive literature review of both academic researches and industry reports. Findings Evidences from the extant literatures have suggested that effective implementations of the four dimensions of CRM (Customer Orientation, CRM Organization, Knowledge Management and Technology Based CRM) will positively effect employee job satisfaction within the customer contact center industry. Research limitations/implications Given that this paper is based on qualitative approach, there is need to embark on empirical data gathering to validate the conceptual model presented. Practical implications The paper suggest that to achieve operational efficiency together with employee job satisfaction, there is need for customer contact centers to integrate CRM dimensions into its operations and measurement practices. Originality/value This paper primarily conceptualize a measurement model that would assist in determining the impacts of CRM on employee job satisfaction and performance within the contact centers. It generally provides contact center Executives with CRM focus, by complementing recent works that have been conducted on the role of CRM constructs in improving employee job satisfactions and organizational performances. It concluded by proposing a model for future testing. Keywords Customer Relationship Management (CRM), contact centers, call centers, employee job satisfaction, caller/customer satisfaction, service quality Paper type Conceptual paper Introduction Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as referred is a concept that derives its popularity since 1990s. It is said to offer a long term changes and benefits to businesses that chose to adopt it. CRM has been argued to enable companies to successfully interact with their customers in a dynamic and profitable manner (Aihie and Bennani, 2007; Adam and Michael, 2005; Gummesson, 2004; Sin et al, 2005). However, many scholars still debate over what should exactly constitute CRM; some says CRM are nothing more than mere software, while others says it is a modern means of satisfying customers requirement at profit (Soon 2007; Nguyen et al, 2007; and Eric et al, 2006). CRM was also defined by Nguyen et al (2007) as information system that allows organizations to track customers interactions with their firms and allows employees to instantly pull up information about the customers such as past sales, service records, outstanding records and unresolved problem calls. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a unit of a bigger Marketing Management which is the art and science of choosing target markets and building profitable relationships with them by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction (Dean, 2007, Eid, 2007; Adam and Michael, 2005; Gummesson, 2004; and Fox and Stead, 2001). McNally (2007) defines CRM as a system which allows both internal and external customers of an organization to critical information through the integration of companys telephone system, Chat groups, Interactive voice response, facsimile transmission, electronic data interchange, Voice over internet, Web sites and e-mail touch points that will result in satisfying customer self services for new product purchases, assist in up-selling and cross selling and creating customer loyalty, value and profitability. While different researchers believed that there is no one correct definition of CRM, this research would like to define CRM as Organizations ability to efficiently integrate people, process, and technology in maximizing positive relationships with both current and potential customers. Authors such as Sin et al (2005) argued that CRM is a strategic business process that involves an efficient management of detailed information about current and potential customers channeled through a carefully arranged customer touch points that assist in maximizing customer loyalty and minimizing costs. Other scholarly arguments have also established that the cost implications in CRM implementations are double sided, from one from the company and the other from the customers (McNally, 2007; Wang et al., 2006; Sin et al., 2005, Yim et al., 2005). On one hand, the customer is able to reduce the cost of traveling to the respective companies to get what they need, while the companies are able to save cost on both their human resources, processes and promotions (Wang et al., 2006; Sin et al., 2005). To strengthen their arguments, Sin et al (2005) explained that whatever orientation that an organization might have put in place, the primary role of marketing management is to create a positive relationship with customers. Exploring CRM literatures Findings from recent researches have been indicating the enormous opportunities CRM is availing employees of several organizations in getting detailed customer information to make quick and intelligent business decisions that will resolve issues and provide efficient service to the customers (Soon, 2007; Rajshekhar et al., 2006; Yim et al., 2005; Adam and Michael, 2005). Similarly are arguments from both academic literatures and industry reports which have established the importance of customer relationship management in marketing activities, specifically in the customer contact centers where it has helped in digitalizing staffs knowledge about organizations customers through computer telephony integration, fax, email, web chatting etc (Dean, 2009; 2007; Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005; Roland and Werner, 2005). While this current study cannot disconfirm the available arguments in favor of CRM applications on employee job satisfactions and performance, there are reliable data that shows a range of major issues that is globally affecting contact centers such as shortage of skilled employees, high abandonment rate, high average speed of answer, employee job dissatisfaction, high attrition rate, high cost of operations, and customer dissatisfaction (Chen eta l., 2010; Callcentre.net, 2008; 2003; McNally, 2007; Adam and Michael, 2005). The model that is created from the literature review From the findings in the extant literature reviews, below is the proposed conceptual model. Relevant literatures in support of each constructs are detailed under the elements of each variable. + + + + Figure 1: CRM Dimensions and Employee Job Satisfaction Model Independent Variables: CRM Dimensions Based on the review of past related literatures on CRM and detail interview with some selected CRM managers, Sin et al (2005) hypothesized that the concept of CRM is a multi dimensional construct which consist of four broad behavioral components in every implementing organizations: key customer focus, CRM organization, knowledge management, and technology based CRM (Sin et al, 2005). They argued that their findings is in accordance with the general notion that a successful CRM is primarily designed to address four key areas in the implementing organization: corporate strategy; people; technology; and processes (Sin et al, 2005; Fox and Stead 2001), and that it is only when all these four components works according to target that a company will experience a superior customer related capability. It was equally argued that for a company to be able to maximize its long term performance in metrics such as customer satisfaction, employees trust, satisfaction and commitment, and return on investment, such a company must build, maintain, and do everything possible to establish the four dimensions of CRM (McNally, 2007; Bang, 2006; Wang et al., 2006; Sin et al, 2005; Yim et al., 2005). Customer Orientations Evidences from marketing literatures, IT literatures and Industry practices agreed to the fact that customer centric focus is a pre-requisite to any successful CRM Projects, particularly in shaping the minds and actions of the employees in becoming customer oriented (Dean, 2007; McNally, 2007; SQM, 2007; Roland and Werner, 2005; Callcenter.net, 2003). Looking at it from the contact center perspective, Dean (2002) defined customer Orientation as the degree to which an organization emphasizes on meeting customer needs and expectations for service quality. Dean (2004) went further to argue that customer orientation should incorporate commitment to customer needs and utilizing the available resources in gathering and efficiently managing customer feedback for effective decision making by the employees. Over the last twenty years, the concept of customer orientation have started to be very critical in the field of marketing management practices and theories, with apparent conclusions in support of the statement that any organization that adopts customer orientation approach are more likely to establish the required customer quality, increase its employee and customer satisfactions, and able to achieve the desired organizational objectives more efficiently than its competitors (Chen et al., 2010; Dean, 2007; Roland and Werner, 2005; Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005; Brady and Cronin, 2001; Lukas and Ferrell, 2000; Narver and Slater, 1990). To Sin et al (2005), they argued that although it is observed that most empirical studies have been concentrating on the degree and measurements of the concepts, but the extant literatures have long neglected the variations in the customer orientation dimensions or the features of the concepts as exhibited by each organizations (Sin et al., 2005). Therefore the general literatures on customer orientation could be argued as not been widely practiced specifically by the contact center professionals in the manner advocated by Sin et al (2005) and supported in other literatures such as Roland and Werner (2005) and Dean (2007) were they all have empirically established a positive linkages between customer orientation, perceived service quality, employee job satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Similarly are previous researches such as Kohli et al (1993) and Berry (1995) that cites several empirical studies that have suggest a linkage between the customer orientation and customer satisf action. Sources from other extant literatures have suggested that customer orientation (CO) is positively related to CRM adoption and customer relationships outcomes (Dean, 2007 and 2002; Eid 2007; James 2004). Customer orientation is said to reflect a companys culture on customers focus, needs and feedbacks (Dean 2007). In a very developed customer oriented approach, it is argued that there should be a continuous ongoing information collection and dissemination about customer and competitor for better decision making process by the employees (Kohli and Jaworski, 1993). The culture of customer orientation in a firm is considered to be very significant in the successful adoption, implementation and acceptance of CRM technology by its employees (Nguyen et al, 2007; Dean, 2007; and Eid 2007). Several other studies have also emphasized that there exist a stronger relationship between customer orientation and employee satisfaction, especially in the service industries where employees are the firs t contact with the customers and taking into consideration the length of time employees spend with customers in the contact center industry (Bhimrao and Janardan., 2008; McNally, 2007; Soon, 2007; Wang et al., 2006; Bang, 2006; Sarah and Meredith., 2006; Roland and Werner., 2005; Feinberg et al, 2002). Given the aforementioned evidences and many more empirical findings that have establish customer orientation as an important antecedent of competitive advantage and business profitability (Brady and Cronin, 2001; Narver and Slater, 1990), probing and measuring the impact of this orientation on employee job satisfaction is said to have captured the attentions of researchers (Wang et al., 2006; Sin et al, 2005; Yim et al., 2006). This research postulates that: H1: Customer Orientation of the customer contact center is positively related to Employee Job Satisfaction. CRM Organizations CRM organization has been argued as an essential means through which fundamental changes in terms of how firms organized and conduct its business processes around employees and customers can be actualized (Wang et al., 2006; Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005). Implementing firms are encouraged to pay necessary attentions to the inherent organizational challenges in the CRM initiatives (Rajshekhar et al., 2006; Adam and Michael, 2005). Both Wang et al (2006), Sin et al (2005) and Yim et al (2005) have all empirically tested and established that there exist a positive relationship between CRM organization and customer satisfaction, with serious emphasis on the positive roles of the employees. They argued further that the key considerations for any successful CRM to be implemented within the whole firm are organizational structures, the organization wide commitment of available resources, human resource management policies and employee job satisfaction that positively worked together t o influence customer satisfaction (Wang et al., 2006; Sin et al., 2005., Yim et al., 2005). By organizational structure means that CRM applications requires that the entire strategic business units in such firms be design to jointly work together towards achieving a common goal in terms of building a strong long-term customer relationships (Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005). For better efficiency of such organizational structure, it was advised that firms should incorporate productive process teams, cross discipline segment groups and customer focused departments (Aihie and Bennani, 2007; Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005). All the aforementioned structural designs are said to require a strong inter-functional coordination between the different departments, a statement that further confirms the existence of a positive relationship between CRM organization and employee job satisfaction and performance (Rajshekhar et al., 2006). Due to the high cost involvement of CRM applications, Sin et al (2005) and Yim et al (2005) conceptualized and established the importance of organizations wide commitment of resources to the intended design of CRM structures as having a positive relationship with employee satisfaction, performance and customer satisfaction. Also very important in their findings are the argument in favor of CRM organization as the established link between the human resources and the marketing interface (McNally, 2007; Sin et al., 2005). Also relevant in this area of studies are literatures such as Dean (2007) and Roland and Werner (2005) that empirically established that there exist a positive relationships between CRM dimensions (specifically customer orientation), employee job satisfaction, perceived service quality and customer satisfactions. Dean (2007), Roland and Werner (2005), Sin et al (2005) and Yim et al (2005) all empirically argued that this is a stage where firms need to logically instill in its customer service representatives the utmost importance of the CRM dimensions in order to positively influence employee job satisfaction, first call resolution, customer satisfaction and organization overall performance. In their concluding remarks they emphasized on four significant firms internal marketing processes, which includes employee empowerment, effective internal communications, standard reward systems, and employee involvement as efficient means of actualizing CRM organizations on employee job satisfaction and performance (Sin et al., 2005). In view of this, this research Hypothesize that: H2: CRM Organization of the customer contact is positively related to Employee Job Satisfaction Knowledge Management With reference to the knowledge based view theory of the firm, it states and I quote that the primary reason for any companys existence is to possess the ability to create, transfer, and efficiently utilize its available knowledge (Acedo et al, 2006; Meso and Smith, 2000; Miller and Shamsie, 1996). Whereas, looking at this from the angle of CRM concept in Marketing, knowledge can be describe as whatever a company or individual has learnt from experience/practice or any empirical study of consumer data (Nguyen et al., 2007; Sin et al., 2005). This will bring us to the key facets of knowledge management dimension which includes a companys knowledge learning and generation, its knowledge dissemination and sharing, and finally knowledge responsiveness (Wang et al., 2006; Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005). As previously discussed that Knowledge about key customers in a company is important for a successful CRM application (Rajshekhar et al., 2006), because it could be use as a master plan to developing a learning relationship between the employees and companys current and potential customers (Nguyen et al., 2007) and thereby availing each organization the opportunity to a successful establishment of a stronger competitive strength in the market through employee job satisfaction and customer satisfaction (Roland and Werner, 2005; Dean, 2004). It is premised on these arguments that both Sin et al (2005) and Yim et al (2005) have conceptualized and empirically established a positive relationship between employee knowledge acquisition and usage, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Also very important under this heading is Customer information, such as customers needs and preferences which may be captured by both directly or indirectly, via a two way communications in the compa nys interactive feedback system (Sin et al., 2005). As argued that the primary reason of knowledge generation is for affording a 360 degree customer view, through an appropriate business intelligence tools such as data mining, data warehouse, and data mart all which could assist a company to incorporate a customer information into its strategic business intelligence (Rajshekhar et al., 2006; Sin et al., 2005). Therefore, it became very important for organizations to develop a sound mechanism for sharing the existing customer knowledge that will facilitate the concerted actions that could positively influence employee knowledge, satisfaction and performance in all the strategic business units of every organization (Sin et al., 2005). Finally it is arguable that marketing is now more concerned with better means of responding to customer demand, with the general believes that actions taken in a prompt manner not only enhance service quality, but also foster positive long-term relationships with both employees and the customers (Dean, 2007; Roland Werner, 2005; Antonio et al., 2005; and Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005). This leads to the following Hypothesis: H3: Knowledge management of the customer contact center is positively related to Employee Job Satisfaction. Technology Based CRM Although it has been established that consumers do complained about the time and efforts that is required in getting their individual questions or problems solved whenever they interact with contact centers (SQM, 2007; Call Centre.net, 2003), but equally important are arguments in favor of careful implementations of CRM Screen Pop-Up as an effective means of improving customer service representative satisfaction and performance, first call resolution, and caller satisfactions while simultaneously reducing the contact center processing costs (SQM, 2007; Yim et al., 2005; Call Centre.net, 2003). This is because most of the findings in the existing literatures and industry reports aptly depict that the major cost of running a call centre is the labor cost (Levin, 2007a), a strong need why every organizations must efficiently link is technological applications to its employee acceptance, satisfaction and performance (McNally, 2007). Meanwhile, not only within the contact centers that CRM technologies and systems are beneficial (McNally, 2007), there are enormous evidence in support of CRM systems as complements to other systems such as enterprise research planning systems etc (Nguyen et al, 2007; Dean, 2007; and Eid 2007). Evidence from existing contact center literatures shows that several authors have argued in favor of FCR technology enablers through intelligent skill based routing as a good means of achieving FCR, employee job satisfaction and caller satisfaction (SQM, 2007; Callcentre.net, 2003). This is because through the application of CRM technologies such as first call resolution enablers, contact centers can match their customers and/or their call types with the appropriate customer service representatives knowledge and skills (SQM, 2007). Equally observed in the extant literatures is the suggestion that there are two aspects of CRM systems integration that are pertinent to the adoption of this technology. Eid (2007) describes the first part as integration into the existing organizational systems and applications, while the second integration is done across other functional customer contact touch points. Part of the available evidence as identified by this research is that it is widely possible for researchers and practitioners to determine if an organization has put in place CRM technologies, but the major issues starts from measuring the effectiveness of CRM technology utilization in terms of user acceptance, and the desired operational performance which is argued to have since been neglected and has been confirmed as very vital to the success of the implementing firm (Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005; Ravipa and Mark, 2004). The existing academic and practitioner literatures on CRM are mostly in the areas of cust omer database, contact centers, online chatting systems, e-mails, Internets and some organizational group support systems, further creating a vacuum for future research in determining the impact of CRM technology on employee job satisfaction (McNally, 2007; Nguyen et al, 2007; Adam and Michael, 2005; Sin et al., 2005; James, 2004). Furthermore, some literatures contend that a companys ability to link the CRM system to different strategic business units such as marketing, finance, distribution, operations, and human resources will provide additional value to both internal and external users, and more importantly to the achievement of both employee and customers satisfactions (Aihie and Az-Eddine, 2007; Coltman, 2007; Nguyen et al 2007; Roland and Werner, 2005; Yim et al., 2005). If efficiently managed, CRM system is argued as having the capacity to assist organizations in handling customer queries and complaints more professionally with both accurate and timely information that would assist in reducing employee role stress, attrition rate and subsequently increasing employee job satisfaction, first call resolution and customer satisfaction (McNally, 2007; SQM, 2007; 2005). Also very important in this area of research is the a benefit inherent in the integration of every unit of the customer contact centers whether inbound, outbound or web enabled via CRM technology that provides a great opportunity for seamless and transparent services in customer touch points (Yim et al., 2005). In relation to the above, the extent of a companys CRM integration will strengthen its ability to resolving customers request in the first call resolution, and also give opportunity for achieving both employee and customer satisfactions (Dean, 2007; SQM, 2007; Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005). The above has led this research into hypothesizing that: H4: Technology based CRM of the customer contact center is positively related to Employee Job Satisfaction. Dependent Variable: Employee Job Satisfaction Issues on employee satisfaction are very much available in several studies, in which the majority postulates a positive relationship between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction (Florian et al, 2007; Dean, 2007; Bernard and Stephen, 2004; Gummesson, 2004). These are so because employee and customer satisfaction are often measured in different ways by marketing researchers, where the majority has stated that employee job satisfaction has a clear effect on customer satisfaction (Eric et al, 2006; Coltman, 2007; Christian, 2005; Gummesson, 2004). Evidences from other recent researches have also confirmed that the relationship between employee satisfaction and performance could be strengthened if there is a high frequency of customer interaction with the employees (Dean, 2007; Florian et al, 2007; Christian, 2005; and Kode et al 2001). Whereas two major existing literatures in the contact center industry by Roland and Werner (2005) and McNally (2007) have empirically established that there exist a positive relationship between customer orientation, employee job satisfaction and customer satisfaction. In Roland and Werner (2005), they argued, tested and established that employee job satisfaction positively mediate the link between customer orientation and customer satisfaction of the contact center industry. A critical look at the foregoing information shows that all the above conditions currently exist in the customer contact centers. Because customer contact center employees enjoys a high level of customer interaction and the existing services within the contact centers shows that there is integration between external factors and the service delivery processes. A review of the reasons behind the relationship between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction is often argued on the premise that the positive effects on every customer satisfaction are mediated by an existing positive effect on working performance (Florian et al, 2007). Importantly, the service marketing literatures have shown that there exist a positive effect of employee satisfaction on employees working performance and perceived service quality (Sarah and Meredith, 2006; Rodoula, 2005; Zeithaml et al, 1985). With evidences from the above extant literatures, this research supposes that employee job satisfaction positively goes along with the psychological state of organization customer orientation, CRM organization, knowledge management and technology based CRM. Conclusion, limitations and directions for future research Despite increasing acknowledgement of CRM importance, disappointedly very little studies have focused on the impacts of CRM dimensions on customer contact center performances (Soon, 2007; Bang, 2006; Yim et al., 2005). In support of the above emphasis are ample of evidences provided by several sources on the severe employee job dissatisfactions and customer dissatisfactions with contact centre systems and services across the globe (Callcentre.net, 2008; 2003; SQM, 2007; Feinberg et al., 2002; 2000; Miciak and Desmarais 2001), and that the major problems are stemming from factors such as lack of established customer orientation, CRM organization, knowledge management, and technology based CRM (Chen et al., 2010; McNally, 2007; SQM, 2007; Wang et al., 2006; Bang, 2006; Sin et al., 2005; Yim et al., 2005), The findings in this research indicate that there is strong reason to modifying the existing CRM implementations and organization performance measurements within the contact center in dustry. More importantly in areas such as measuring employee job satisfaction, first call resolution, customer satisfactions and dissatisfactions. Beyond these findings is a main limitation in the qualitative approach that was applied in this research, a strong factor that is limiting the ability to generalize its findings and recommendations to all industries and countries. Importantly, suggestions from this research are not quantitatively backed by empirical data and appropriate statistical analysis that could validate the proposed theoretical linkages that exist between CRM dimensions and employee job satisfaction, thereby further limiting its diagnostic power of predictions. To rectify the observed limitations, this research suggests that there is need for future study to embark on empirical data gathering to validate the proposed model. However, as could be noted that this research has conducted a detailed literature review to establish the positive relationships that exist between CRM dimensions and employee job satisfaction, it is important for future researchers to conceptualize and if possible determine other construct s for measuring employee job satisfaction within the contact centers, specifically the inbound call centers.

Microbiology for Environmental Engineering

Microbiology for Environmental Engineering By Georgios Tzelepis Microorganisms play a major role in controlling water and waste quality and every biological process is based on the action of microorganisms. Bacteria constitute an important group of microorganisms which are directly related to Environmental Engineering because of their crucial role in wastewater treatment. They are single celled prokaryotic organisms with a structurally and functionally simple form and various shapes, such as spherical, rod-shaped or spiral. One main characteristic of the bacterial cell is the lack of unit membrane system with exception the cytoplasmic membrane. The identification of bacteria is based on a number of different criteria including their morphological (shape, size), physiological and genetic characteristics. Their reproduction is based on the binary split with formation time of about 20 minutes. Bacteria are sensitive to pH changes and they survive under neutral conditions, although some of them can survive in a highly acidic environment. Regarding th eir survival temperature, they are divided into psychrophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic. Bacteria are very sensitive to temperature changes and they have an optimum growth temperature. (Darakas, 2016) Bacteria have the capacity to degrade the organic substances (pollutants) and this is the reason why they are the most important group of organisms in terms of the public health engineering, since biological waste water treatment processes are based on their activities. The assimilation of pollutants is mainly achieved by the biological self-cleaning of the water thanks to microorganisms and specifically bacteria. The main three points of interest in the wastewater treatment is the microorganisms (bacteria), the included organic matter which constitutes food for microorganisms and the oxygen which is necessary for the energy and survival of microorganisms.    Generally, the metabolic diversity of organisms, and more specifically of bacteria, firstly depends on the energy source. Energy is important for the chemical reactions and is obtained from environmental sources. When the sources are chemicals, the species are called chemotrophs, while when the energy is derived from the light they are called phototrophic species. However, some bacteria have the ability to use both energy sources based on conditions. Second classification is based on the carbon source. When they are organic compounds they are called chemoheterotrophs or photoheterotrophs respectively. Otherwise when inorganic compounds are used, bacteria are called chemoautotrophs or photoautotrophs. Finally, chemotroph bacteria which metabolise organic chemicals for energy are called chemoorganotrophs. Contrariwise, those that use inorganic chemicals are called chemolithotrophs. There are two basic types of metabolism for chemoorganotrophs; fermentation, in which the metabolism of the substrate is without external oxidizing agent, and respiration, in which there is an external oxidizing agent. Both types of metabolism can convert a primary source of energy to one which can be used by the cells. 2.1.1 Carbon source Bacteria that use carbon dioxide for the majority (or all) of their carbon requirements are called autotrophs. The obligate autotrophs that are able to use only CO2 as a source of carbon use simple energy substrates and they are either chemolithotrophs or photolithotrophs. (Singleton, 2005) In autotroph bacteria carbon dioxide from the environment is used to form complex compounds, but also there is the situation that carbon dioxide is incorporated in these compounds and called fixed. There are two common pathways for this fixation, the Calvin cycle and the reductive TCA cycle. Autotrophs are able to thrive in very harsh environments, such as deep sea vents, due to their lack of dependence on outside sources of carbon other than carbon dioxide. (Yates et al., 2016) On the other hand, most of the known species of bacteria are heterotrophic, both aerobic and anaerobic. They use as a main source of carbon complex carbon compounds derived from other organisms, with the most significant the glucose, alcohol, and organic acids. However, there are specialised heterotrophic bacteria capable also of decomposing cellulose (actinomycetes), keratin, hydrocarbons, and other substances. Heterotrophs are only able to thrive in environments that are capable of sustaining other forms of life due to their dependence on these organisms for carbon sources. (Lester Birkett, 1999) 2.2 Energy source Microorganisms, and more specifically bacteria, require food to obtain energy. Phototrophic bacteria are mostly aquatic organisms and obtain energy using radiant energy (light), usually via photosynthesis. This happens through specialized pigments that they contain in order to form energy molecules. Generally, photosynthetic bacteria can be divided in two categories, these who accomplish the photosynthesis with production of oxygen (aerobically) and those without (unaerobically). (Singleton, 2005) Chemotrophs are organisms that obtain their energy by metabolisng chemicals from the environment, through the oxidation of inorganic molecules, such as iron and magnesium. They are divided in two different categories, chemoautotrophs and chemoheterotrophs, with their difference already been described. (Boundless, 2016) Carbon source of heterotrophic bacteria can be either soluble and colloidal organics of untreated waste (BOD) or endogenous carbon microorganisms, i.e. the carbon putrescent dead cells or methanol (CH3OH), which is the best organic substrate to the denitrification. (Darakas, 2016) 2.3 Electron acceptor As mentioned, all the bacterial cells have to convert a primary source of energy into forms that can be used. Some cells can convert a primary energy source to an electrochemical form which consists of a gradient of ions between the two surfaces of cytoplasmic membrane. Chemotroph and phototroph bacteria form high-energy compounds from a primary energy source using different techniques. (Singleton, 2005) Respiration is a type of metabolism in which a substrate is metabolized with the help of an external oxidizing agent. Oxygen can work as the exogenous oxidizing agent having aerobic respiration, or organic oxidizing agents can be used instead in an anaerobic respiration. Despite the fact that the oxidizing agent can be inorganic or organic, in chemoorganotrophs, the substrate is always an organic compound. (Singleton, 2005) Oxygen is the final electron acceptor for the aerobic respiration. The sugar is completely broken down to carbon dioxide and water, yielding a maximum of 38 molecules of ATP per molecule of glucose. Electrons are transferred to oxygen using the electron transport chain (ETC), a system of enzymes and cofactors located in the cytoplasmic membrane and arranged so that the passage of electrons down the chain is coupled with the movement of protons (hydrogen ions) across the membrane and out of the cell. ETC induces the movement of positively charged hydrogen ions to the outside of the cell and negatively charged ions to its interior. This ion gradient results in the acidification of the external medium and an energized plasma membrane with an electrical charge of 150 to 200 millivolts. The generation of ion gradients is a common aspect of energy generation and storage in all living organisms. The gradient of protons is used directly by the cell for many processes, including the active tr ansport of nutrients and the rotation of flagella. The protons also can move from the exterior of the cell into the cytoplasm by passing through a membrane enzyme called the F1F0-proton-translocating ATPase, which couples this proton movement to ATP synthesis. (Kadner Rogers, 2015) Bacteria that are able to use respiration produce far more energy per sugar molecule than do fermentative cells, because the complete oxidation of the energy source allows complete extraction of all of the energy available. (Kadner Rogers, 2015) Respiration can also occur under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic respiration uses external oxidizing agents such as nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), sulfate (SO42), or fumarate in place of oxygen. Depending on the different types or conditions, the electron donor (substrate) used by chemoorganotrophs in anaerobic respiration is of various organic compounds. The energy yields available to the cell using these acceptors are lower than in respiration with oxygen, but they are still substantially higher than the energy yields available from fermentation. The utilization of CO2as a terminal electron acceptor is limited to a group of bacteria called methanogens and this process requires a strongly reduced environment. This procedure produces methane (CH4) which can be a problem in some instances like landfill sites. (Maier, 1999) All the bacteria have an optimum growth temperature where their growth is faster, while they also have a specific range of temperature into which they can only grow. Most of the bacteria are mesophilic and they grow in temperatures between 15 and 45 degrees of Celsius. Thermophilic are bacteria with growth temperature over 45 degrees of Celsius, while psychrophilic are the bacteria with growth temperature under 15 degrees. 3.1 Low temperature It is well known that bacteria as well as various other forms of life survive and thrive optimally in moderate conditions of temperature, pressure, pH and other environmental parameters. However, there is also evidence of bacteria life in extreme environments. For example bacteria were found to exist in the very acidic river Rio Tino while also bacteria were detected in subzero environments like in Lake Vostok even in depth of 3600 meters, below the surface ice. (Chattopadhyay Sengupta, 2013) At low temperature, bacteria are challenged with a number of difficulties due to decrease in the rate of biochemical reactions that sustain the life. Bacteria taken from low temperature environments were found with increased branched chain, short chain, anteiso and unsaturated fatty acids. They were also found to synthesize more cis fatty acids in preference to trans fatty acids. All these factors are contributing in the increase of membrane fluidity. Moreover, in order to adjust with the low enthalpy and the reduced atomic and molecular motions at low temperature, they achieve flexibility through reduction in strength and number of non-covalent interactions. Finally a high level of post-transcriptional modification of t-RNA by dihydrouridine also has a major role in psychrophiles. Dihydrouridine unsettles the stacking that stabilizes the RNA. (Chattopadhyay Sengupta, 2013) 3.2 High temperature Thermophilic bacteria are common in soil and volcanic habitats and have a limited species configuration. Examination of metabolic pathways and regulatory mechanisms in thermophiles proves that thermophilic bacteria have almost the same properties commonly found in mesophilic bacteria, with the main difference being specific molecular mechanisms, important in high temperature biological stability and activity. As a consequence of growth at high temperature and unique macromolecular properties, thermophilic bacteria can possess high metabolic rates, physically and chemically stable enzymes than similar mesophilic species. Thermophilic processes appear more stable, rapid and facilitate reactant activity and product recovery. Analysis of important biomolecules in thermophilic bacteria has revealed subtle structural differences in proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. Some of these differences have not been observed in mesophilic bacteria. For instance the membrane lipids of extreme thermop hiles contain more saturated and straight chain fatty acids than mesophiles. This allows thermophilic bacteria to grow at higher temperatures by providing the correct degree of fluidity required for membrane function. Finally the explanation for high temperature stability of tRNA in Thermus species is that Thermus transfer RNA contains more guanine plus cytosine bases in the specific base-paired region, which provides greater hydrogen bonding and increased thermal stability. Also, the base-paired region in tRNAs from Thermus contains more thiolated thymidine which provides a stronger stacking force inside the molecule. (Zeikus, 1979) The restoration, maintenance and protection of the environment with the help of biological agents in general and bacteria more specifically are significantly important in terms of sustainability in the environment. Hence, in many cases, bacteria and environmental engineering go hand in hand and both are interdependent on each other. Their main connection is the removal and treatment of the wastes, solid or liquid, from various sources like the industrial, domestic and other. There are many examples of the use of bacteria especially in waste and wastewater treatment, where some useful characteristics of bacteria are used.   Ã‚   4.1 Wastewater treatment Biological treatment is one of the most widely used removal methods as well as for partial or complete stabilization of biologically degradable substances in wastewaters. General characteristics of wastewaters are measured in terms of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS). Bacteria provide the largest component of the microbial community in all biological wastewater treatment processes, and numbers in excess of 106 bacteria/ml of wastewater are frequently encountered. 4.1.1 Activation Sludge Activated sludge is a process that has been adopted worldwide as a secondary biological treatment for domestic wastewaters. In the activated sludge process the incoming wastewater is mixed and aerated with existing biological sludge (microorganisms). Organics in the wastewater come into contact with the microorganisms and are utilized as food and oxidized to CO2, and H2O. The microorganisms using the organics as food they reproduce, grow, and die. While the microorganisms grow, are mixed together by the movement of air so individual organisms join an active mass of microbes called activated sludge. The wastewater flows continuously into an aeration tank where air is injected to mix the activated sludge with the wastewater and to supply oxygen needed for microbes to breakdown the organic materials. This mixture of activated sludge and wastewater in the aeration tank is called mixed liquor suspended solids and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids. The mixed liquor is sent to the slud ge handling disposal (second part of activation sludge method). A part of this mass precipitates while the rest flows back to the aeration tank in order to maintain sufficient microbial population levels. This is the called activated sludge. The microorganisms in activated sludge generally are composed of 70 to 90% organic and 10 to 30% inorganic matter. The microorganisms generally found in activated sludge consist of bacteria (mostly), fungi and protozoa. 4.1.2 Nitrogen and Phosphorus removal Nitrogen and phosphorus are two essential elements in terms of the waste treatment. The nitrogen compounds and the phosphates existing in wastewaters are very important for the survival of the bacteria although they should be removed in order to avoid problems of deoxygenation and eutrophication in the final recipient. (Bitton, 2010) Nitrification The principal organisms involved in nitrification processes belong into two categories, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. These bacteria are considered to be strictly autotrophs since they derive energy for growth and synthesis from the oxidation of inorganic nitrogen and carbon (CO2) compounds. Nitrosomonas catalyse oxidation of ammonia to nitrite using molecular oxygen, while Nictobacter further oxidize nitrite to nitrate using oxygen derived from the water molecule. It should be mentioned that some some soluble forms of c-BOD can inhibit the activity of nitrifying bacteria since they are able to enter the cells of nitrifying bacteria and inactivate their enzyme systems. (Horan, 1989) Denitrification Denitrification is a process by which certain species of bacteria under anoxic conditions reduce nitrate nitrogen to the gaseous end-products of N2, NO, or N2O which can then escape from solution to the atmosphere. Unlike other nitrogen compounds, the gaseous forms of nitrogen have no significant effect on environmental quality. The presence of oxidized nitrogen and organic carbon are essential properties for denitrification to proceed. Denitrifying bacteria are composed of heterotrophic organisms. The most common denitrifying bacteria are Bacillus denitrijicans, Micrococcus denitrijicans and more. (Horan, 1989) Phosphorus removal The anaerobic-oxic process (most commonly used), consists of a modified activated sludge system that includes an anaerobic upstream of the conventional aeration tank. During the anaerobic phase, inorganic phosphorus is released from the cells as a result of polyphosphate hydrolysis. The energy liberated is used for the uptake of BOD from wastewater. (Bitton, 2010)Removal efficiency is high when the BOD/phosphorus ratio exceeds 10. During the aerobic phase, soluble phosphorus is taken up by bacteria that synthesize polyphosphates using the energy released from BOD oxidation. The anaerobic-oxic process results in BOD removal and produces sludge which is rich in phosphorus. The key features of this process are the relatively low solid retention time and high organic loading rates. (Cheremisinoff, 1997) 4.1.3 Anaerobic Digestion Major applications of anaerobic digestion are the stabilization of concentrated sludges produced from the treatment of especially industrial wastes. The digestion is a complex biochemical process in which several groups of anaerobic and facultative organisms again simultaneously absorb and break down organic matter and can be described as a two-phase process. In the first phase, acid-forming organisms convert the complex organic substrate to simple organic acids. Little change occurs in the total amount of organic material in the system, with decrease in ph . Second phase involves conversion of the organic acids to principally methane and carbon dioxide. The anaerobic process is essentially controlled by the methane producing bacteria. Methane formers are very sensitive to pH, substrate composition, and temperature. If the pH drops below 6,methane formation stops, and there is no decrease in organic content of the sludge. One characteristic of the methane bacteria is that they are hi ghly active in the mesophilic and thermophilic ranges. (Cheremisinoff, 1997) 4.2 Solid Waste Treatment 4.2.1 Composting Composting is the biological decomposition and stabilization of organic substrates. Each gram of decaying compost contains millions of beneficial microorganisms that work to break down organic matter. Of the microorganisms present, 80 to 90 percent are bacteria, including actinomycetes and aerobic bacteria. Aerobic are separated in three different varieties, each of which is active at different phases of the decomposition process. Psychrophilic bacteria (during winter) work on the initial organic matter, at temperatures around 12 degrees Celsius. These bacteria raise the temperature to 20 C, at which time, the mesophilic bacteria take over. These bacteria work at moderate to warm temperatures between 20 and 38 C. At 38 C, the thermophilic bacteria take over, raising the temperature to 70 C. Once this happens, the process starts over again with the addition of new materials. Actinomycete bacteria appear during the late stages of composting to clean up remaining materials that are diff icult for aerobic bacteria to break down. They are responsible for breaking down cellulose, proteins, lignin and starches. References Bitton G., (2010), Activated Sludge Process, in Wastewater Microbiology, 4th Edition, Hoboken, NJ, USA, John Wiley Sons, Inc. Boundless, (2016), Chemoautotrophs and Chemoheterotrophs, Boundless Microbiology, Available from: https://www.boundless.com/microbiology/textbooks/boundless-microbiology-textbook/microbial-metabolism-5/types-of-metabolism-41/chemoautotrophs-and-chemoheterotrophs-285-6153/, [Accessed: 13 January 2017] Chattopadhyay M. and Sengupta D., (2013), Metabolism in bacteria at low temperature: A recent study report., Biosciences, 31, 2, 157-165. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236674848_Metabolism_in_bacteria_at_low_temperature_A_recent_report , [Accessed: 10 January 2017] Cheremisinoff N. P., (1997), Biotechnology for Industrial and municipal wastes, in Biotechnology for Waste and Wastewater Treatment, 1-36 Darakas E., (2016), Environmental Engineering: Process of water and wastewater treatment, Thessaloniki, Sofia Publisher. Horan N., (1989), Biological Wastewater Treatment Systems: Theory and Operation., Chichester, England, Wiley Blackwell. Hurst, C.J. et al., (2002), Manual of Environmental Microbiology, 2nd Edition, Washington, ASM Press. Kadner R. J. and Rogers K., (2015), Bacteria. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/science/bacteria/Salt-and-water. [Accessed: 23 December 2017] Lester, J.N. Birkett, J.W., (1999), Microbiology and Chemistry for Environmental Engineers, London, E. F.N. Spon. Maier, E.M. et al, (1999), Environnemental Microbiology, Academic Press Singleton P., (2005), Bacteria in Biology, Biotechnology and Medicine, 6th Edition, Wiley Smith S. R., (2016), Bacteria, Lecture Slides for the course of Microbiology for Environmental Engineering; MSc of Environmental Engineering, London, Imperial College London. Traumann N. and Olynciw E., (1996), Compost Microorganisms, Cornell Waste Management Institue, New York, Available from: http://compost.css.cornell.edu/microorg.html, [Accessed: 10 January 2017]. Yates V. M., Nakatsu C. H., Miller R. V., Pillai S. D., (2016), Manual of Environmental Microbiology, 4th Edition, ASM Press Zeikus, J.G., (1979), Thermophilic bacteria: ecology, physiology and technology., Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 1, 4, 243-252. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0141022979900437?via%3Dihub, [Accessed: 27 December 2016]

Professional Sports - Free Agency is Causing the Slow Death of Baseball

Free Agency is Causing the Slow Death of Baseball    What ever happened to the old days? This is a comment that my Dad and Grandpa are always saying when it comes to major league baseball in this era. Like clockwork, at the beginning of every baseball season my Dad says, "Every year my team has all new faces. How am I supposed to root for this team if I don't even know who is playing for them." Now, more than ever, this comment is true. It is true because of free agency in baseball. Free agency is destroying the fabric of the baseball blanket in America. This is the same blanket that many of us sports fans have grown up with and have drawn accustomed too. Baseball is our national pastime. If something is not done to change free agency in baseball it may not remain our national heritage in the future. Baseball is the sport that every kid growing up has a dream to play. These same kids also look at major league baseball players as their role models. If free agency runs the same course that it has been running it will destroy baseball. If nothing is done to change free agency all that we, as baseball fans, will remember baseball as is a pastime. According to Rick Reilly, a freelance writer for sports magazines, free agency (which he broadly defines as an athlete's ability to offer his services on the open market to the highest bidder,) is a threat to baseball (108). However, free agency does have a few restrictions that do not allow just any player to file for it. A player with zero to three years of experience must negotiate his salary with club management; a player with more than three but less than six full years in the majors has an option of submitting a salary dispute to an independent arbitrator; and a player with si... ...blanket that fans of the sport have become attached to like a security blanket. What free agency is doing to baseball should not be tolerated by us, the fans. It should not even be tolerated by anyone associated with the sport. Free agency it could end up destroying the future thoughts and dreams of baseball fans yet to come. If something is not done to free agency in baseball, which is considered our national pastime, will not be considered that by future generations to come. Works Cited Gelin, Dana. " Fish Tale." Sports Illustrate Commemorative Issue 1997: 28- 30. Kurkjian, Tim. "Blueprint For Success." Sports Illustrated Commemorative Issue 1997: 16-19. Reilly, Rick. "Fishing For Marlin Fans." Sports Illustrated March 9, 1998: 108 Worsnop, Richard L. "Pro Sports Big Challenge." Editorial Research Reports 9 Feb. 1990, Vol. 1, No. 6, pp. 82-94

Master Engravers of Fifteenth Century Germany Essay -- Master of the P

When thinking of early artistic prints, perhaps one of the few things that come to mind would be playing cards. In modernity, playing cards are not really considered â€Å"artistic† items. However, during the earliest days of print, playing cards were the original media made by the printing process. Even before the printing press, Europe had a love of cards and, whether they were actually intended to be used for play or for show, the people wanted to get their hands on them. Because of the wide spread popularity of cards, it is no surprise that this early print media featured elements that are visually present in other printed media, even to this day. Through the influence of printmakers’ works on each other, these men honed their craft and helped develop printing as a proper art form. The Master of the Playing Cards and the Master E.S. of 1466 were both major engravers in Germany during the fifteenth century. Distinct subject matter, technique, and prevalence in their field has marked them as â€Å"Masters† of their art – a label which has outlived any other identifying information about them. This paper discusses the introduction of printing into Europe and the development of the technique under the influence of these two Masters. The Master of the Playing Cards introduced new subject matter and techniques in his cards, which through his pupil, the Master E.S. of 1466, who replicated and altered these learned skills, went on to spread into other areas of printed medium and marked a path of influence for all who would come after them. Markedly one of the most important developments in the history of visual media was that of the printing press. Brought about by German goldsmith, Johannes Gutenberg, in the mid-fifteenth ... .... "Manuscript Sources for the Playing-Card Master's Number Cards." The Art Bulletin 64, no. 4 (1982): 587-600. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3050270 (accessed April 13, 2014). Wright, Harold J.L.. "Some Masters of Engraving: Lecture II: German and Netherlands Engravers (Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century)." Journal of the Royal Society of the Arts 85, no. 4529 (1939): 1079-1095. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41359422 . (accessed May 9, 2014). Wynne, Marjorie G., and A. Hyatt Mayor. "The Art of the Playing Card." The Yale University Library Gazette 47, no. 3 (1973): 137-184. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40859489 (accessed April 14, 2014). van Buren, Anne H. , and Sheila Edmunds. "Playing Cards and Manuscripts: Some Widely Disseminated Fifteenth-Century Model Sheets." The Art Bulletin 56, no. 1 (1974): 12-30. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049193 (accessed April 13, 2014).

Media: The Fourth Pillar of Democracy Essay

Today, media is considered the fourth pillar of the state all over the world; first and foremost British Member of Parliament Lord Macaulay had given this status to the media. In any republican government system, there must be three administrative bodies, 1- Parliament, 2- Administrative department, 3- Judiciary body. In the absence of any of these three bodies, the government cannot run systematically, but now it is felt that one body more is necessary to be with them, that is media. This body is considered more important these days, it plays an important role as an informative bridge between governing bodies and general public, in absence of media general public cannot know about what kind of bills and acts are passed in the parliament, and what are their positive and negative effects in the society. If media person close their eyes the government officials will do what they want, so media plays a very important and impartial role between government activities and general public, so much so that it is said that the freedom of media is the guarantee of success for a government. Below mentioned are a few recent incidents in which media played a key role and established itself as the fourth pillar of democracy. Delhi Rape Case The media played an important part in raising a debate on women’s safety. As the news of the rape broke, the media went into frenzy, not just in tracking the case but in leading people to introspect. A responsible section of the media asked people to be part of radical reforms the country required while it continued to give expression to the public grief, the mourning and reconciliation as people watched in horror the victim’s final moments. As the movement to bring the gang rape victim to justice went viral, the nation saw a major protest that spread on streets across the country. The media extensively covered the demonstrations, following the protesters; giving their demands for justice a voice and bringing them to the centre of the political debate. It exposed the growing crime statistics, especially in Delhi, against women. The media led bare the growing frustrations of an entire emerging aspirational urban class and generation Rapes that are taking place are being continuously reported in major newspapers with more prominence than before, even though they are not always given the front page coverage. One is assured that the December 16 gang rape incident will continue to be a milestone when covering issues related to women’s safety. This movement goes to prove that the democracy’s fourth pillar can transform incidents of national shame to national justice by establishing confidence in institutions that have been created to protect the citizens of the country. The Anna Hazare Movement The news media, particularly, the TV channels have played a key role in keeping up the tempo of the movement by ensuring round the clock coverage, they ensured that the protests occured across the country and there was a mass frenzy. Even though the channels didn’t state much about merits and demerits of the proposed institution of Lokpal or educated citizens about the implications of the ombudsman, TV and newspapers were visibly the driving force behind the anti-corruption movement. The movement was a perfect example of how media can be used effectively. Though the propriety regarding active participation of news media in a movement is debatable, it is true to an extent that Indian media has voluntarily become a party, a sort of participant, in this drive for Jan Lokpal Bill. The Egyptian revolution The Egyptian revolution began on Facebook with a call to protest in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Protesters used Twitter to manoeuvre around police and reach the area. People arrived at the location expecting to see a few hundred like-minded individuals. Instead, they found a few hundred-thousand. Until they reached the square, Egyptian dissidents had no clue of their strength. It was a remarkable indication of the power of social networks as a political organizing tool, as has been seen in many uprisings sweeping North Africa and the Middle East. Around 20 million people in Egypt, or about one-quarter of the country’s population, are on the Internet. Early in the political unrest, the Egyptian government attempted to block Facebook and Twitter, then took the unprecedented step of shutting down Internet access in the country altogether. The cyberspace blackout lasted a week but could not thwart the revolution. President Hosni Mubarak stepped down a week later.

The appreciation and feasibility of higher education

As an emerging field of survey there are many challenges and inquiries that evoke when one declares higher instruction as a field of survey. Some people like Dennis Mileti ( 2003 ) could easy declare that since people talked about Emergency Management as a subject, â€Å" therefore it is. â€Å" Philips ( 2003:2 ) . In specifying higher instruction as a field of survey there are inquiries that will prosecute us for old ages to come as they have for the old ages ago. â€Å" Position documents will be written, perspective challenged, arguments entered in course of study commissions, turf conflicts waged in alumnus councils † Phillips ( 2003:2 ) . The argument is sometimes reduced to the inquiry of whose definition of ‘field of survey ‘ to be used. Philips ( 2003:2 ) suggests that we need to hesitate and analyze the yesteryear while contemplating the hereafter. How far we are with higher instruction as a field of survey and what way is it taking. We need to look back and state where we come from. harmonizing to Goodchild ( neodymium ) the survey of higher instruction has non yet reached adulthood but possesses many of the properties of scholarly field. He contests that programmes designed to fix individuals entry in higher instruction exist in profuseness. He besides states that there are about eight hundred professors who think of themselves as professors on higher instruction. This suggests that these professors would hold easy agreed with Mileti ( 2003 ) in that when people talk of something therefore it is. We need to look at what characterizes higher instruction and higher instruction as a field of survey in peculiar. Although in the past few decennaries there was really small literature sing higher instruction as a field of survey, new research suggests the antonym at the present. Hobbs and Francis ( 1973 ) and Francis and Hobbs ( 197 4 ) were able to that the theoretical research available in the disciplinary diaries was rare in the higher instruction. They besides found that there was small evident usage of periodical literature of the theoretical findings Kellems ( 1975 ( 3 ) , 135-154 ) . Goodchild ( neodymium ) suggests that there is a turning literature that deals with assorted parts of higher instruction sphere. So, this suggests that we are so traveling in a way. Let us utilize this definition of a ‘field of survey ‘ so that we can all be at par. This has no purpose to sabotage or pique anyone ‘s mind. Can we hold that as a field of survey, Higher Education is more embracing on the one manus, and does non hold its ain theoretical foundation, on the other? it relies on academic subjects such a societal scientific disciplines to explicate the educational procedure. Maybe it is because of this basic ground that we have seen less funding in the field of survey than in the academic Fieldss. Thingss have changed now, or they promising to alter or we need to alter things around. In the following subject I want us to look at the lively-hood and the sustainability of the field.Appropriateness and feasibleness of research within higher instruction.What can we look at and make up one's mind that we can take higher instruction as a field of survey? The argument comes back once more. When we look at the clip line of higher instruction we recognise many alterations with clip before 1994 and the state of affairs after 1994. By 1994, there were in south Africa 36 higher instruction Institutions, which were structured along racial and cultural lines and characterised by a crisp differentiation between universities ( 21 ) and technikons ( 15 ) OECD, ( 2008 ) . New lines would be drawn or are being drawn off from those of the yesteryear. Universities are get downing to see the bigger image now. Where all establishments want to go Centres of excellence. Some have chosen to go entrepreneurial university and other practical universities. the inquiry remains, how we become specializers in higher instruction if there is no specialization in higher instruction as a field of survey. How are the lectors prepared to run into the organizational aims? Nzimande, ( 2009:3 ) negotiations about the cardinal characteristics of higher Education and Training System. â€Å" aˆÂ ¦the system of HET will be supported by an institutional base that is both diverse and differentiated every bit good as being conceptualized as an integrated and consistent whole in which meaningful acquisition tracts are developed across institutional and workplace instruction and preparation signifiers. † Nzimande ( 2009:3 ) the people responsible for the development of these acquisition tracts are the higher instruction practicians. This sets out a challenge to all talks at Higher Education Institutions to prosecute in research in order to turn to the challenges that the curate of higher instruction negotiations about in the subject policy development. Other subjects in higher instruction would include but non restricted to higher instruction direction and leading, plan planning and development, research, passage surveies ( workplace to larning topographic point and larning topographic point to workplace ) . I view the followers as possible countries of research in higher instruction. The green paper on Skills development ( 1997 ) aimed to develop an â€Å" incorporate accomplishments development system which promoters economic and employment growing and societal development through a focal point on the instruction preparation and employment services † . if no 1 is making research on higher instruction we may ne'er happen out what this means and hence higher instruction establishments may ne'er be able to supply the service as suggested by the authorities. To simplify the above, in 1997 the above was taken frontward in the accomplishments development act ( 97of 1999 ) which aimed to: Develop accomplishments of the south African workforceaˆÂ ¦ . Encourage employers to utilize the workplace as a acquisition site Increase the degrees of investing in instruction and trainingaˆÂ ¦ Ensure the quality of instruction and preparation in and for the workplace ; To me all of the above I the act am research chances for higher instruction practicians. Lecturer and other higher instruction staff need to understand and hold expertness in the accomplishments needed for the work force. The lone manner we know how to break get new cognition is through research. This would assist the higher instruction establishments in footings of support from the authorities and other stakeholders based on the turnaround or the results of the preparation and sort of instruction they provide. This brings me to the quality of instruction and preparation in and for the work force. We need more people in the readying of lectors for covering with the demands of the work force. Through invention and promotion in engineering we may non keep the old cognition and hope that it will be equal for more old ages to come. The curate besides mentioned ‘quality intercessions ‘ which include among other things the debut of formal makings for talk Sers Nzimande ( 2009: 5 ) formal makings now will non needfully be formal makings in the following 10 old ages to come. We have seen state of affairss where establishments, in their quest to be the tbest, stop up bring forthing one line of work force more than any othrer. For illustration the University of Zululand is bring forthing more instructors than any other making at the present. Does it of all time occur to the leaders that at one phase these instructors will see what many people call a bottle cervix state of affairs, where there will be more pedagogues than the schools really necessitate? The Education white paper 3, and the National program for Higher Education ( NPHE ) in their policy paperss, they articulate increased engagement as one of the ends of Higher Education Transformation in South Africa, which is the accomplishment of equity in the higher instruction system.OECD, 2008. The higher instruction practicians are expected to react to this call and I f they are non prepared through research they will non react suitably. By reacting suitably I mean that engagement would be increased, equity achieved, and the quality of instruction non compromised. Increasing engagement and accomplishing equity in footings of gender, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic position is easy because it is a statistical issue. Covering with big Numberss of pupils besides needs a research base reply. A addition it is the duty showing itself as an chance to higher instruction practicians to venture out ways and agencies of covering with big Numberss in limited resources, for illustration. The other issue here that needs to be addressed is that of background. To reason, I would wish to indicate out to other fellow talks and faculty members that there is a brighter hereafter in higher instruction as a field of survey, and there can be more subjects than what I mentioned here.