Category: Computers

Introduction

Following advancements in information technology, the scientific practice in the current century has increased the debate on whether experimentation is the same as simulation. In the past, scientists have relied on experimentation when carrying out different studies. This trend has begun to change since scientists are now combining experimental and simulation methods. This change has developed a new way to view and do science.

Besides, the new trend has created opportunities to review the roles that experiment and simulation play in the scientific process (Parke, 2014, p. 521). In this paper, I seek to support the widespread perception among philosophers of science that experiments have epistemic superiority over computer simulations. However, I also build on this debate by showing that the distinction between experimentation and simulation reveals more information much concerning epistemic value.

To defend the view that experiments have epistemic superiority, there are two main challenges that have to be addressed. The first challenge is to explore and determine the source of the epistemic privilege of an experiment. The second challenge is to show why this comparison is essential.

Background Information

An understanding of experiments as interventions in real-world systems differentiates them from simulations. Field experiments are differentiated from laboratory experiments simply according to their location (Barberousse, Franceschelli, & Imbert, 2008).

Unlike within the confines of a laboratory, where scientists have control over numerous variables, field experiments might entail manipulating a single variable, such as preventing a certain species from a given geographic location. In this light, experiments are viewed as generating more reliable and trustworthy scientific knowledge. Simulations are viewed as only necessary when experiments are too costly or impossible.

Even though they might be less comprehensive or fertile than experiments done for the generation of knowledge, simulations should not be viewed with suspicion and contempt because they have the potential to generate scientific knowledge. Parke (2014) claimed that such opinions on the inferiority of simulations to experiments are mere generalizations. Experiments allow for more direct and comprehensive analysis.

Experiment vs. Simulation

There is a widespread assumption that experiments are more precise than simulations, in the sense that they use tangible objects of study. This assumption plays a role in the concern among various experimental scientists that simulations are chosen merely because they are cheap. Consequently, this assumption might hinder the discovery of new knowledge about the world (Barberousse et al., 2008). According to Fallis (2007), simulations only focus on revealing the consequences of the knowledge that already exists. This assumption is backed by the idea that a computer-based simulation is simply revealing the consequence of various theoretical assumptions. Therefore, all information in the results of the simulation reflects what was present in the theoretical assumptions.

Various considerations play major roles in ones ability to draw conclusions regarding epistemic superiority. First, how much knowledge is available about the object and the target? According to Parke (2014), when the background knowledge is limited, a physical sample of the target or close approximation is an essential starting point, and in other contexts, such information is available from the world making simulations reliable methodology; for instance, the study of molecular bond angles in chemistry (p. 325). Enough information is available about chemical bonding to allow questions to be answered through computer simulations concerning how atomic substitutions will affect the bond angle in a certain molecule. When very little is known, experiments tend to have epistemic value.

Parke (2014) also observed that simulations are seen to have less impact than experiments on the generation of scientific knowledge. Essentially, the claim is that experiments create better inferences about phenomena or natural systems compared to simulations. Experiments have proven to be reliable guides to a generation of scientific knowledge. Parke concurred that experiments have a certain level of epistemic value because she acknowledged that all scientific inquiry entails engaging with some objects of studya model, a physical structure in the laboratory, or a combination of bothto gain insights about some target of research.

This aspect implies that the methodological difference between experiment and simulation is fundamental for compiling conclusions regarding epistemic value. However, Parke refuted this claim by showing that this situation is applicable only in a context-sensitive manner, but not as an abstraction across science. Based on this notion, Parke insisted that differences between experiments and simulations should not be employed as a foundation for generalizations.

It would be rather irrational for one to conclude that experiments had no epistemic advantages over simulations. If there were no significant epistemic privilege, why would scientists choose to invest large sums of money in experimental setups when they could buy a supercomputer for simulation? Even though some philosophers such as Parke (2014) have concluded that it is difficult to determine the epistemic difference between experiments and simulations, it is essential for one to understand the distinction between things that are not rationally implied in peoples prior knowledge.

In this case, simulations are not in a position to solve problems, but experiments are reliable. In other words, simulations can only assist in solving issues that exist within the deductive closure of ones prior knowledge. Thus, Parke declared that computer simulations do not produce new empirical data (p. 326).

Moreover, experiments create higher inferential power. Gendler (2010) suggested that experiments are in a good position to generate credible views concerning their objects of study. This scholar also views experiments as powerful sources of meaningful surprises or valid novel knowledge. However, I do not agree with this claim for just because a case of scientific inquiry counts as an experiment or simulation, it is not proof of epistemic value.

Undoubtedly, there is a great deal of critical work that ought to be conducted if the inferences from objects of research to subjects of inquiry in the natural world are to be realized. By arguing that there is an epistemic value between experimentation and simulation, I do not imply that such a difference is impossible. There are ways to conduct meaningful computer simulations, but only because humanity has learned about the world via observation and experiment.

Focusing on the entire issue, empirical data are essential for solving scientific issues regarding the natural world. Nonetheless, there are two limitations to this claim. First, even though the information is present in theoretical assumptions, it is not obvious that it is known. Thus, even if a computer simulation is simply a calculation, it might generate new knowledge.

Inferential Power

Parke (2014) rejected the supposition that experiments possess epistemic value over simulation, claiming that this view is pervasive among philosophers of science. Parke further claimed that the epistemic superiority of experiments over simulations is founded on the claims of their inferential ability. Parke claimed,

Belief in the epistemic privilege of experiments over simulations is often grounded in ideas about their relative inferential power. In particular, the idea is that experiments lead to better inferences about natural systems or phenomena than simulations do (this is sometimes referred to as the issue of external validity). This difference has to do with the relationship between their respective objects of study and targets of inquiry (p. 75).

Greca, Seoane, and Arriassecq (2014) argued that the tangible objects of study are the distinguishing features of experiments. Parke referred to these widespread views as the materiality thesis (p. 75). On the contrary, experiments elements or objects reproduce parts of the natural world while simulations objects represent sections of the world (Gendler, 2010, p. 118). Because the form of a subject or thing in the laboratory is similar when outside the laboratory, experiments manifest more inferential power. This assertion holds because the objects under study are similar to what is in the real world.

This fact makes inferences about the world possible and simple. In this case, the knowledge has epistemological implications. Scientists tend to feel justified when they reveal new insights into the world through experiments because the world and experiments possess similar characteristics of objectivity.

Therefore, there is undeniably some veracity in the materiality thesis. Experimenting on a real specimen or sample in the natural world is the ideal way to get a grip on acknowledging the process when very little is known about the target under study. For instance, it would be more convincing and idealistic for scientists carrying out laboratory experiments to use living organisms like rabbit fro experiments as compared to using computer simulations of living systems. Computer simulations may not provide the objectivity found in physical objects of study.

Gendler (2010) posited that the the fact that some experiments operate directly on the target system provides epistemic privilege over simulations (p. 126). For instance, if physicists aim to know whether the white light is made of various colors, they can shine a beam of light over a prism to find out. In this experiment, the object, which is the beam of light, is an instance of the target (light) and the fact that experiments can operate on the target system is enough evidence that they have epistemic reach beyond that of simulations (Parke, 2014, p. 330).

The fact that simulations do not incur large sums of money is their only advantage, but it also means that the results might not reflect the real world. Parke (2014) does not concur with this perception and insists that similarity, not materiality, is what matters when justifying certain inferences concerning target systems. However, Parke failed to offer a thorough account of how to determine relevant similarities.

Experiments in virtue of the nature of their objects can surprise in a way simulations cannot (Parke, 2014, p. 331). The exponents of the surprise claim share the notion that experiments and simulations vary significantly, either by value or content. Although surprises arise in simulations, what transpires in a simulation is that familiar and new insights are not anticipated. Arguing from a qualitative viewpoint, Greenwald (2004) showed that although simulations may be in a position to surprise, experiments can both surprise and confound.

Parke (2014) insisted that various computer simulations undoubtedly share some epistemic functions with experiments by asserting that simulations are run to offer new data systems that are complex or impossible to investigate with the normal instruments like lab equipment. For example, neutron-matter interaction has been widely tested using molecular dynamics simulations.

Grune-Yanoff and Weirich (2010) suggested that to determine the distinction between simulation and experimentation, it is essential to compare the two methods with other constant factors. For instance, a researcher conducting a biology test might dissect a mouse to study the internal organs as well as the skeleton. The same researcher cannot obtain the same level of experience from a simulated dissection online.

Simulations manifest how the programmer thinks the actual world should be rather than how the real world responds when explored by a student. Besides, learning new knowledge in science entails being a skilled observer, and a precise recorder of every detail observed rather than being a participant in a computer game claiming to teach about the natural world. However, simulations and experiments can be viewed as complementary rather than competitive activities.

When viewed in this manner, simulations can be helpful when cheap and faster procedures are needed. Simulations offer a high degree of flexibility. Thus, numerical experiments can be accomplished by turning certain terms on or off and by varying input parameters. Both experiments and simulations are dynamic procedures.

Practical Consequences

Parkes (2014) claims are based on an intuition that an experiment has epistemic privilege, not that it is free of pragmatic constraints. However, in this paper, my defense of epistemic value implies that the superiority claim is a principled one because it signifies that in a certain situation, there never exist actual choices between an experiment and an equivalent simulation. This suggests that in any given situation, the experiment overrides simulation in the realm of epistemic utility.

The difference between experimentation and simulation manifests epistemic value. Parke also claimed that the only difference is existing between the two models matters for pragmatic reasons. Based on this claim, it is a fact that performing an experiment is more costly than performing a simulation. The materials, reagents, and the workforce required to do an experiment tend to cost more than conducting a model on a computer. Under simulation, one can see the progress and results faster as compared to the normal process of carrying out an experiment.

Under certain circumstances, several logical simulations provide consistent results, but they will need more background information than experiments do. One of the ways to determine the superioritys practical salience is that relative to a given set of background information, there are cases when simulations will give arbitrary answers where else experiments provide defined answers (Gendler, 2010, p. 122).

This observation implies that pragmatism is not the only essential factor considered when selecting between an experiment and a simulation. For instance, in a given test or question, one cannot justify selecting a simulation over an experiment on the grounds that it is less costly.

Even though such choices might not be made consciously, it is necessary to conduct careful research before deciding which model to adopt. In some cases, those who deny epistemic superiority argue that experiments calling for the deliberate interference of human beings are detrimental and unethical. However, even though the epistemic value might not outweigh the moral cost, it does not mean that there is no epistemic privilege.

According to Gendler (2010), arguing on a pragmatic basis could mean more barriers in obtaining reliable results to questions scientists choose to investigate. For example, in a case where a scientist conducts an experiment, resources could be saved by probing into questions that might require more than one simulation to attain reliable results. For clarity, take the case of smallpox, which was eliminated in the 1980s.

The scientific community has raised debates seeking approval to destroy the remaining stockpiles of the variola virus that causes smallpox in an attempt to minimize the chances of future infections. Recently, research by the World Health Organization has highlighted specific, medically essential research that could not be possible if the existing stockpiles of the virus were destroyed (Greca et al., 2014).

The reason is that there is not enough knowledge of the virus to answer questions solely through simulation. This case provides evidence that there exist some questions that can only be answered with experiments on the virus itself. However, I think it is justifiable to consider disposing of the stockpiles. This assertion implies that studying a material system as opposed to a computer model manifests better inferences and opportunities to uncover surprises (Greca et al., 2014, p. 899).

To this end, it is necessary to consider some of the concerns that Parke (2014) has raised about the materiality thesis and in particular, her view that material correspondence does not necessarily involve higher inferential power and that it is hard to make sense of the difference between material and formal objecttarget correspondence.

Winsberg (2008) is sympathetic to the conclusion that such differences exist, although they might not mean much in the present when simulations should be used to complement experiments. Parke (2014) showed that there are exceptions to the generalization that experiments have epistemic privilege, but thinking in terms of such generalizations is misleading when judging the epistemic privilege in cases of scientific inquiry.

Parke emphasized that researchers should not look to the experiment/simulation distinction to generalize anything in principle about epistemic value. Contrarily, I have shown that multiple cases in experiments are assumed to have the higher epistemological prerogative as compared to simulations. Even though inferential power and capacity to create surprise may not be broadly generalizable across science, they offer important cues to support the epistemic superiority of experiments over simulations. Studying a material system as opposed to a simulation might not necessarily lead to perfect inferences, but at least there is an increase in reliability.

Conclusion

In this paper, I acknowledge that simulation is a critical new tool for scientists. Even though simulation shares many aspects with experiments, experiments possess a dynamic epistemic capacity. Although the foundations of simulations are still shaky, experiments seem to have gained ground. Simulations can allow one to undertake a study within a very short time and with limited resources.

However, this practical advantage comes with an epistemological price. This assertion holds that studying a model as opposed to a material system entails sacrificing realism, which undermines epistemic value. Nevertheless, more information is essential before concluding that one model has epistemic value over the other. Therefore, more research is needed on this subject of the superiority of experiments over a simulation.

References

Barberousse, A., Franceschelli, S., & Imbert, C. (2008). Computer simulations as experiments. Synthese Journal, 169(3), 557-574.

Fallis, D. (2007). Attitudes toward epistemic risk and the value of experiments. Studia Logica, 86(2), 215-246.

Gendler, T. (2010). Intuition, imagination, and philosophical methodology. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Greca, I., Seoane, E., & Arriassecq, I. (2014). Epistemological issues concerning computer simulations in science and their implications for science education. Science & Education Journal, 23(4), 897-921.

Greenwald, M. (2004). Beyond benchmarkinghow experiments and simulations can work together in plasma physics. Computer Physics Communications, 164(3), 1-8.

Grune-Yanoff, T., & Weirich, P. (2010). The philosophy and epistemology of simulation: a review. Simulation & Gaming, 41(1), 20-50.

Parke, E. (2014). Experiments, simulations, and epistemic privilege. Philosophy of Science, 81(4), 516-536.

Winsberg, E. (2008). A tale of two methods. Synthese Journal, 169(3), 575-592.

A computer has become an important part of our life. Most of the work in todays world is done by computer and information technology. Information technology plays an important role in different fields. Some different fields are completely influenced by information technology. The word homunculus is derived from the Latin word homunculus, which means little man. Homunculus is usually used for defining or description of a system. In a scientific system, it is generally viewed as an entity or an agent of a complete system. This term was first used by Alchemist Paracelsus. He claimed in the early decade that he had created a false human being named Homunculus. His creature was 12 inches tall, and it does all work associated with a golem. After a short time, homunculus turned on his creator and ran away. Alchemists made homunculus with a combination of different elements such as skin fragments, sperm, and hair of any animal. Homunculus can be created by combining hairs, skin fragments, bones, sperm, and skin elements from any animal of which a person wants to make a hybrid. For the formation of an embryo, this structure was to be laid down on the ground for about forty days. The ground was surrounded by horse manure for forty days to form an embryo (Frege, 1892). Mandrake method is also used and described by other alchemists for the formation of a homunculus. Various methods are now used for the homunculus, and some alchemist refers Mandrake use.

The most popular method for the creation of a homunculus is usually cited by other alchemists emphasizes the use of the mandrake. A famous belief about homunculus was held that a plant usually grew where the semen often produced by hanged men within last conclusive ends prior to death fell to the ground. Roots usually resemble a human shape to varying degrees. A black dog usually picked a root in the early morning, then washing of root was done. After that, it used to be fed with milk and honey in the same perception as blood, fully develops into a miniature human that usually guards and protects its owner or creator(Homunculus, 1994).

Another method was used by Dr. David Christianus at the University of Giessen in the 18th century. He took an egg of a black hen. In his method, he emphasized a lot on egg laid by a black hen. The egg was poked in a tiny hole with the aid of a shell, and a bean-sized portion was replaced with white human sperm. And the opening was sealed with virgin parchment, and the egg was buried on the first day of the March lunar cycle. There was an expectation that a miniature humanoid would emerge from the egg within thirty to thirty-five days, which would surely help and protect the creator from a steady diet of different seeds, including lavender seeds and earthworms.

Today, the term homunculus is used in different domains to describe a system that thought little man was working inside. There are several homunculus theories about brain modules and sensory events. Both theories are effective in the way of responding mind. Both theories fall in homunculus because everyone agrees that homunculi are responsible for our consciousness, but there is a centralized entity inside our head named the brain. Generally, homunculi are regarded as eventually as absurd as a smear against other theories. According to Daniel Daniel, there is a black box inside our mind which enables all mental abilities. Both theories count as homunculus theory because both are common in the theory of vision.

A simple theory proposed a solution in which a light beam forms an image in the eyes and produces an image in the brain which looks the same as if they are on screen. Some homunculus arguments proved that this is not a complete view because all that has been done on a place as an entire person, or homunculus, which always present behind the eyes and gazes at the retinas (Gregory & Richard L. (1990). Homunculus theories are considered bad because it is a philosophy of diminutive humans and it is fully formed individual believed by adherents of early biological theory about the per formation to be present in the sperm cell. Fodor and Dennetts ideas have been challenged by a variety of philosophers. Fodor explains the natural language learning process as a formation process and confirmation of hypothesis in a LOT, the basic point of LOT is based on the majoritys behavior towards computers but also in regards to humans unconscious behavior, which does not consider that representation is necessary for defining proportional attitudes.

Some things humans do while playing games on the computer like playing a chess game, sometimes he says, I think queen should be moved on left. Here, no one would agree that the computer is actually thinking or believing, but it represents propositional attitudes (Fodor, 1993). Dennett also suggests many of our daily attitudes, such as a desire to breathe in a stuffy atmosphere. Fodor and Dennett suggest that homunculus theories are good enough as several homunculi are nested; this is a virtuous theory (Fodor, 1998). The consequences of people by a conscious concept would replace this theory because its true to some extent that there is a little man inside our brain who responded to our actions and brain messages. Some of Fodor and Dennetts thoughts are challenged by many philosophers from different domains as Fodor considers such concepts as effect, islands, vixen, and week to be all innate and primitive. The use of a similar strategy to replace bad theory is possible because sometimes homunculus doesnt fulfill the requirements associated with a little man. Homunculus arguments are popular in the theory of vision. Arguments and criticism on homunculus theories are common; several homunculus theories have been challenged by some other philosophers. In the field of physiology and philosophy of mind, homunculus theories are extremely useful for detecting certain concepts where the mind failed or could not be able to solve the issue. Very few people would propose that a little man is sitting inside the brain while actively looking at the brain. This proposal is very common and has been used in several theories as a Straw man of mind.

Some homunculi theories are common but usually consider failing or incomplete, and bad. Many people do not believe that there is something like a little man sitting inside the brain or there are homunculi. Many theories are available in this domain, but they have to achieve great success in the domain. Different human behaviors reflect due to human thinking and behavior towards computers which shows human interaction with computers. Mind, brain, and computer all lie in the same line, but the computer doesnt have a mind to think, and also it doesnt respond like a human on brain messages.

Hospitals require to be installed with appropriate Information Technology (IT) systems in order to facilitate execution of tasks in hospitals. Application of computer systems in hospitals will help in minimizing extensive mobility within the hospitals as hospital workers move around to access physically dispersed people, knowledge and shared resources.

Hospitals computer systems should have a central database that should be used for storing all patients records. The presence of a central database will help different hospital personnel to easily access patients medical records for medication purposes.

For example, when a patient is requested to go for a lab test, the lab technician should send the patients results to a central database where the physician can easily access it and recommend appropriate medication. Similarly, a central database is essential to nurses as they can use it to confirm doctors prescriptions. Moreover, a central database will be of great importance in instances where the nurses realize that there are some inconsistencies in a patient record.

The nurses can request the concerned physician to retrieve the patients record and make necessary changes without forcing the nurse to go to the filing cabinet to retrieve the patients hand copy and take it to the physician for correction. Nursing assistants will easily record patients vitals and synchronous the information with the patients record in the central database.

The central database will be important to the physician as well as pharmacy department as it will be used to keep a record of those medicines that the hospital has stocked. This will be important to the physician during the prescription process as it will enable him/her to be aware of all the substitutes drugs that are available in the hospital in order to know which drugs to subscribe to the patient.

Providing a central database will help in managing hospital processes more effectively. For example incomplete orders from the physicians will easily be corrected. Equally, the tracking of lab and radiology orders will be easy to manage since the concerned technicians will send the results directly to the central database where physician can easily access them (Preece, 2002).

It has been observed that poor communication methods that are employed in hospitals are the main causes for the high interruptions present in hospitals that are blamed for the high instances of inefficiency in work practices. Studies have shown that there is a high association between interruption level and medical errors. Adopting computer based communication facilities will greatly boost the communication efficiency in hospitals.

For example, the use of emails will help to eliminate those communications that are synchronous in nature such as face-to-face as well as telephone conversations that are associated with high level of interruptions. Therefore, the uses of email as well as instant messaging for urgent cases are more effective in hospital setting. Relevant parties should be advised to check their emails at specified time intervals and respond accordingly (Parker & Coiera, 2000).

Hospital wards are mainly distributed work environment as a result of hospitals workers being spatially separated because of their constant mobility as well as the propensity of hospital work being distributed in time. Therefore, the presence of central database as well as use of emails for communications purposes will facilitate passing of important information from one shift to the next to ensure continuity of patients information.

To avoid interruptions, mobile communications should be used only for emergencies. Finally, the hospital computer system should be secured accordingly in order to secure patients information from unauthorized access that can render to maliciously damage or altering of the patients records (Waegemann & Tessier, 2002).

Reference List

Parker, J. & Coiera, E. (2000). Improving Clinical Communication: A review Psychology. Journal of JAMIA. 7, 4, 453-461

Preece, J. (2002). Interaction Design: Beyond Human Computer Interaction. New York: Prentice Hall.

Waegemann, C. P. & Tessier, C. (2002). Documentation Goes Wireless: A Look at Mobile Healthcare Computing Devices. Journal of AHIMA, 73, 8, 36-39.

Objectives of the Proposed Study

The modern world is a highly technological environment in which all human activities sooner or later get technological solutions, and education is not an exception in this respect. The use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in education is becoming a more and more important part of the curriculum of the bulk of colleges and universities (Murday et al., 2008, p. 125; Leahy, 2008, p. 254). Thus, it is important to study the modern state of things with the use of CALL in education. Accordingly, the objectives of the proposed study include:

• To study the use of CALL in English teaching for college students using English as a second language;
• To research scholarly opinions regarding the use of CALL for college students with limited English language proficiency;
• To study the opinions of college students and teachers regarding the use of CALL for their English courses;
• To study the numeric data representing the effectiveness of the use of CALL for the specific purposes of teaching college students.

The above-listed objectives will allow the proposed study to focus on the theoretical considerations that surround the use of CALL and see how scholars have already researched the practical side of the CALL implementation in various educational establishments. As well, the above objectives provide for the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods of research, which will allow the proposed study to specifically consider the attitudes of college students and teachers regarding CALL as well as the actual numeric data reflecting the efficiency of the CALL use.

Proposed Study Background

The background of the topic chosen for the proposed study can also help explain why namely the use of CALL for college students is selected for the future research. Thus, it is a fact that CALL is the learning tool for students with limited language proficiency, but little is known about the relation of teachers towards the use of CALL in their practice. Kessler and Plakans (2008) discuss this topic in their article, thus contributing greatly to the research of this side of CALL. According to Kessler and Plakans (2008), teachers confidence in operating the CALL software solutions depends on numerous factors, including training, previous computer experience, specialization in a certain CALL field, etc (p. 270). Accordingly, the teachers side of the CALL use for college students programs is essential for understanding the overall efficiency of CALL in education.

Further on, CALL is obviously not a single tool for language learning. The notion of CALL, according to Futagi et al. (2008), includes the whole range of computerized, both online and offline, software solutions that help students, although to different extents, to master English as their second language through the study of collocations, i. e. basics of spoken and written language (p. 353). These solutions include the databases of word-for-word collocations, software for error recognition in written or typed collocations, web-based collocation-detection systems, and even the grammar-checkers that show the wrong variants instead of correcting them to the needed ones (Futagi et al., 2008, pp. 354  355).

Finally, the issue of CALL use presupposes the considerable preparation and training activities for both teachers and students to enable them to operate and use CALL tools at the highest rate of efficiency (Compton, 2009, p. 73; Finkbeiner, 2001, pp. 340  341). Thus, the topic of CALL for college students is rather significant.

Significance

In more detail, the proposed research of the use of CALL for college students will be a significant scholarly because the topic of computerized solutions for education is a rather widely discussed one today. Kessler and Plakans (2008, p. 270) and Finkbeiner (2001, p. 341), for example, argue that the educational needs and opportunities develop at a rather high speed, and if in the 16^th century a printed book was only a fantasy for educators, nowadays students and teacher can choose among numerous software online solutions that enhance their performance in class. At the same time, the controversy that surrounds the use of CALL tools only adds to the significance of the proposed research, as it is necessary to determine, at least on the sample of several dozens of people, what is the actual effect of CALL on students performance and teachers confidence in class.

Methods

Finally, it is necessary to define the methodological approaches that will be used during the proposed study. As far as the research of the CALL use for college students will involve the direct work with people and the analysis of purely numeric data, the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods will be implemented. As Golafshani (2003, p. 597) claims reliability and validity to have critical meaning for any research, the proposed study will also be developed based on these concepts.

In more detail, the qualitative part of the methodology for the proposed study will include the review of the previous research works on the topic of CALL in education, the analysis of those works, the conduct of interviews and surveys of students and teachers. The sole aim of all the implemented qualitative methods will be to study the attitudes of students and teachers towards the use of CALL in their practices and assess, at least approximately, the efficiency of students and teachers performance while CALL methods are practiced. Golafshani (2003) defines qualitative research as any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at utilizing statistical procedures or other means of quantification (p. 600.). Accordingly, the qualitative methods listed above will deal more with the implications of the findings, rather than with their numerical meanings.

The use of the quantitative method in the proposed research will be limited to two main processes. First, the results of surveys of CALL effectiveness will be presented in the numeric form in relation to the measurements scale that will allow seeing whether a figure displayed by a student reflects the high, moderate, or low. These data will then be related to the effectiveness of students and teachers performance without CALL. Finally, both data sets will be compared and respective conclusions on the efficiency and overall necessity of CALL methods in language learning for college students will be made.

The reliability of both qualitative and quantitative methods will be supported by the objective data about the academic performance of studies students before and after CALL implementation. The validity of the research methods will be ensured through the proper sampling that will include all groups of students and teachers according to their approximate psychological, educational, personal, and professional characteristics.

References

Compton, Lily K. L. (2009). Preparing language teachers to teach language online: a look at skills, roles, and responsibilities. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 22(1), 73  99.

Finkbeiner, C. (2001). One and All in CALL? Learner-Moderator-Researcher. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 14(3), 339  361.

Futagi, Y., Deane, P., Chodorow, M., and Tetreault, J. (2008). A computational approach to detecting collocation errors in the writing of non-native speakers of English. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(4), 353  367.

Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 8(4), 597-606. Web.

Kessler, G. and Plakans, L. (2008). Does teachers confidence with CALL equal innovative and integrated use? Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(3), 269  282.

Leahy, C. (2008). Learner activities in a collaborative CALL task. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(3), 253  268.

Murday, K., Ushida, E., and Ann Chenoweth, N. (2008). Learners and teachers perspectives on language online. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(2), 125  142.

Work plan status

I think that I am on track in relation to what I have done in the last two weeks. I have learned quite a lot with regard to my internship in the Computer Service Department, which is headed by very competent supervisors. In fact, I know that I am on track because I have been assessed by the leaders in the facility with the aim of establishing whether I have gained the required skills and knowledge. In addition, at this point, I can compare my achievements with my goals that were set to be accomplished within the fortnight.

Key achievements

In the last two weeks, I have achieved a lot vis-a-vis gaining practical skills and knowledge. At the start of the level 2 internship training, I began creating an image using Windows. Although it was my first time to build an image using a computer application, I built it with a lot of ease, implying that I rarely needed my supervisors assistance. However, whenever I encountered problems in making sense of the steps outlined in the CDs and DVDs provided, I could request my supervisor to guide me to understand them.

In fact, the supervisor and other personnel in the department were very willing to assist students, implying that they were committed to effective training. Due to the fact that the level 2 of the department was involved in formatting and preparing laptops for new students, I was able to learn the essential aspects in relation to formatting laptops typified by relatively high levels of new technologies. In addition, I gained critical knowledge vis-a-vis fixing problems associated with videos.

Toward the end of the first week, I was taught how to prepare a sheet that was important in formatting a Dell laptop. At the start of the second week, I started working at the level 3 in the department, which was offering computer-networking services. I achieved a lot when I interacted with the universitys network architect, who provided a presentation that contained networking information.

After the presentation, I was exposed to practical sessions that involved types of network, types of cables, wireless connections, components of data centers, firewalls, and servers. Personnel could be called to solve problems and I could accompany them, which enabled me to learn a lot. Some of the problems that I learned to fix were related to access points, wireless connections, office telephone connectivity, and printer-computer networks. In fact, I could be given a chance to assess the source of a problem and apply the best solution that could result in improvement of the performances of different devices.

Problems and solutions

Within the fortnight, it is important to state that I encountered some issues that negatively impacted my learning. In the first week, I could hardly follow instructions in the learning resources provided, which were CDs and DVDs. They contained critical documentation that was aimed at helping learners to understand concepts involved in creating images using applications based on Windows platforms. I solved the issue by asking my supervisor to guide me.

Second, it took me some time to know all the workers in the department, which affected me due to the fact that I could hardly interact with them at the beginning. I found that it was important to interact with all the staff in order to solve the problem. Finally, it took me a relatively long period to adapt to the working environment in the level 3 because of changing from the level 2 after one week. I solved this by increasing the level of interaction with my supervisor and other workers.

Potential problems and solutions

In the future, I would anticipate two problems. First, I think that I would experience a problem associated with implementing software documentation. A perfect solution to the issue would be to request my supervisor to explain to me the content in learning resources. Second, I would face the challenge of limited time within a training level of my internship. This would be solved by suggesting that I spend more time within a section of a department.

Lessons learned

I learned a lot in the fortnight of my internship within the department. From a general point of view, everything went well, but for the few aforementioned problems. I learned important aspects, such as formatting laptops, creating computer images, implementing software documentation, fixing network problems, among others. In the future, I think that I can improve my speed of fixing computer network issues.

Organization and culture

Personnel who aimed at producing excellent performance outcomes typified the work environment. Effective communication was used from the top to the bottom and vice-versa. I also learned that the department had supervisors who considered views of their juniors.

Miscellaneous

In conclusion, the fortnight was one of my best learning periods. I established professional networks that would go a long way in helping me in my career in the future. Given another chance, I would go to the department to continue learning various concepts.

The assessment of political risks and legal environments is a necessary stage before deciding on the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the concrete country. The reason is that the political situation in a country can have negative effects on the companys development and the safety of investments. Therefore, international legal environments need to be assessed to propose efficient strategies for the company planning the FDI (Debaere, Lee, & Lee, 2010). The computer and high technology industry are actively developing in South Korea, and it is characterized by a qualified workforce. Therefore, the decisions regarding the FDI in this country are mostly made by IT companies and producers of laptops and computer components. This paper aims to assess political risks and examine specific legal factors that can affect the decision on the FDI in the computer industry in South Korea with the focus on the macro and micro perspectives, and the other purpose is the provision of recommendations to address the situation.

Expropriation and Confiscation Threats

In South Korea, threats of expropriation and confiscation for laptop production centers are minimal. The reason is that the country refers to the international laws regarding the practices of expropriation of the invested properties (Foreign direct investment hit record in 2014, 2015; Lall, 2013, p. 20). Thus, the foreigners private property is protected by laws, and this principle is also relevant for producing and selling laptops because they represent the significant niche in the technological market of the country (U.S. Government, 2015, p. 3). Although the confiscation is not prohibited in the country directly, the compensation for the possible expropriation of the property for the public use is guaranteed.

It is important to state that South Korea has many regulations regarding business development and foreign investment. Therefore, the use of business models that are not authorized or adopted in the South Korean environment has legal consequences (Chung, 2014, p. 223). Moreover, the level of government interference in various industries and businesses is different, and it is correlated with the level of the industry openness to the FDI. The laptop industry of South Korea is open to the FDI, and the level of government control is low (U.S. Government, 2015, p. 2). As a result, many producers of laptops choose to invest in South Korea in order to use the significant technological base and the high-quality workforce.

Foreign Goods and Labor Laws in South Korea

The regulation of business development in South Korea is perceived differently by investors. The opinion shared by the majority of foreign executives operating in South Korea is that it has the overly burdensome regulatory environment (U.S. Government, 2015, p. 3). This approach is also reflected in developing campaigns limiting the entrance of foreign goods in the country. However, in spite of the fact that the South Korean market is mainly protected from foreign goods, this practice is not relevant for the laptop production as a part of the computer industry (Vu & Im, 2013, p. 19). Such campaigns do not work for marketing laptop components that are produced abroad (Kotrajaras, 2010, p. 13). Many foreign investors are officially invited to the laptop industry to build partnerships with Korean companies and develop the research and development sector (U.S. Government, 2015). Thus, the FDI in the South Korean computer industry is supported without focusing on threats of foreign goods dominating the market.

Planning the investment in South Korea, executives rely on attracting a high-quality workforce. Nevertheless, foreign investors in South Korea need to refer to the labor law on unions and associations at the workplace revised in 2011 (Seol, 2012). Employees working for the foreign-invested business should have the opportunity to join the union and receive the associated benefits (Kang, Lee, & Park, 2011). The mandatory labor laws include the provision of paid leave and the recruitment of diverse people and persons with disabilities. These laws should be strictly followed by foreigners producing laptops because the high-quality technicians work in this sphere is valued.

Political Risks Leading to Economic Changes

To decide on the FDI in the South Korean laptop industry, it is also necessary to assess the role of such political risks as civil wars and violent conflicts in influencing changes in taxation, inflation, and currency devaluations. The reason is that such risks directly affect the profitability of the developing business and investors revenues. Traditionally, South Korea is discussed as a country with a low potential for political risks (Geun-Hye, 2011; South Korea: Country risk report, 2015). However, the problem is in the fact that South Korea is in a state of war with North Korea. As a result, any escalation of the conflict, as it was in August of 2015, has adverse effects on the countrys business environments (Park & Kim, 2015, para. 2). Still, South Korea works to protect the interests of foreign investors in the country, and the production of laptops can be affected only indirectly.

The dependence of the economy on the political situation is supported by the fact that the escalation of the conflict between North Korea and South Korea in August of 2015 led to increasing the risk of currency devaluations and to changes in the inflation rate. In August of 2015, the inflation rate was 0.70 in contrast to the lowest level in 0.40, recorded in April of 2015 (Trading Economics, 2015). Discussing the taxation in South Korea, it is important to state that taxes typical for the laptop industry in the country are minimal. According to the South Korean Foreign Investment Promotion Act (FIPA), the regular increase in taxation is not related to this industry, and the focus is on providing the tax incentives and decreased rental fees for foreign investors in the laptop sector (Lee & Min, 2011; U.S. Government, 2015). However, such political and economic changes can affect the laptop industry because of the threat of freezing the projects and decreasing the local demand.

Discussion of Political Risks from Both Macro and Micro Perspectives

Political risks are discussed from two perspectives. The macro perceptive analyzes political risks related to all foreign investors operating in the concrete country. The micro perspective explains the risks associated with a certain industry (Kotrajaras, 2010). In the case of South Korea, the macro perspective, political risks, and legal factors are threats of expropriation, necessities to follow the labor laws strictly, and risks of the further conflict escalation between North Korea and South Korea (Poulsen & Hufbauer, 2011, p. 12).

Focusing on the micro perspective, it is important to state that the laptop industry is under the threat of intensifying governmental and legal regulations and changes in FDI and taxation laws (South Korea property investment guide 2013, 2013). The problem can arise if South Korea limits the foreign investors impact and control in the industry after revising the list of industries available for the investment. The problematic political situation regarding the development of the North Korea-South Korea conflict can also result in restricting tax incentives for the FDI in the high technology industry.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The assessment of the political and legal environment for investing in the laptop industry in South Korea demonstrates that the overall environment for the FDI is rather beneficial because South Korea focuses on following the international laws regarding the FDI. The FIPA also contributes to creating positive conditions for foreign investors operating in this industry. However, a year ago, South Korea was discussed as one of the most stable economies to invest in, and the situation is different today. Although the compensation for the possible property confiscation is guaranteed for foreign investors, the development of the military conflict can affect this situation. The other important risk is the strengthening of regulations in the laptop industry that remains open for the FDI and having limited governmental control. The current unstable situation in the country can have adverse effects for producers of laptops investing in South Korea because any political changes will lead to economic losses, and radical political changes will lead to property confiscation without reasonable compensation.

It is possible to formulate the recommendations for planning the FDI in the laptop industry in South Korea. Currently, the risk for the FDI is rather high, but the implementation of certain recommendations can decrease the risk to a minimum. Thus, the following recommendations need to be used by the companys management:

1. the choice of the political risk insurance for those situations when compensation is not paid to the investor;
2. the examination of the countrys legal base to determine the secure strategies for the business development;
3. and the formulation of the strict agreement with the South Korean partners on principles of the FDI that is supported by the international and national laws on the FDI.

Such an agreement should reflect the laptop industry specifics. In addition, prior to making the final step and investing in business activities in South Korea, it is important to complete the additional monitoring of the political, legal, and economic situation in the country.

References

Chung, S. (2014). Environmental regulation and foreign direct investment: Evidence from South Korea. Journal of Development Economics, 108(1), 222-236.

Debaere, P., Lee, H., & Lee, J. (2010). It matters where you go: Outward foreign direct investment and multinational employment growth at home. Journal of Development Economics, 91(2), 301-309.

Foreign direct investment hits record in 2014. (2015). Web.

Geun-Hye, P. (2011). A new kind of Korea. Foreign Affairs, 90(5), 13-18.

Kang, S. J., Lee, H., & Park, B. (2011). Does Korea follow Japan in foreign aid? Relationships between aid and foreign investment. Japan and the World Economy, 23(1), 19-27.

Kotrajaras, P. (2010). Foreign direct investment and economic growth: A comparative study among East Asian countries. Applied Economics Journal, 17(2), 12-26.

Lall, S. (2013). Direct investment in South East Asia by the NIEs: Trends and prospects. PSL Quarterly Review, 44(179), 19-28.

Lee, B., & Min, B. S. (2011). Exchange rates and FDI strategies of multinational enterprises. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 19(5), 586-603.

Park, J., & Kim, S. (2015). North Korea and South Korea are fighting a war over loudspeakers. Web.

Poulsen, L. N., & Hufbauer, G. C. (2011). Foreign direct investment in times of crisis. Peterson Institute for International Economics, 1(2), 11-23.

Seol, D. H. (2012). The citizenship of foreign workers in South Korea. Citizenship Studies, 16(1), 119-133.

South Korea property investment guide 2013. (2013). Web.

South Korea: Country risk report. (2015). Web.

Trading Economics. (2015). South Korea inflation rate. Web.

U.S. Government. (2015). Korea investment climate statement. Web.

Vu, T. B., & Im, E. I. (2013). Impacts of FDI relations between the US and East Asia on economic growth. Asia-Pacific Journal of Social Sciences, 5(1), 18-27.

E learning is a wide range of processes that include computer-based learning and virtual classrooms that is received and sent through the Internet, audio and videotape, satellite broadcast, CD-ROM, and intranets. We can generally term it as electronic means of communication, education, and training.

E-learning adds technology to instructions and also utilizes technologies to advance potential new approaches to the teaching and learning process. However, e-learners need to be prepared in the case of a technology failure which is the most common challenge faced in e-learning.

There is need to plan strategies to enable learners become successfull online learners. The learners should come up with time management strategies to enable them to cope up with assignment deadlines. Developing skills on effective use of technology is an essential strategy to having a successful online learning; such strategies include technology plan and e-mail skills, which are very useful when using the computer to research, type using Microsoft word software, save in storage devices and even send the work via e-mail.

It is important that learners develop a personal technology contingency plan to help during technology failure. The contingency plan includes having an alternative computer in case the primary computer being used fails and power back up systems that supply the computer with battery energy incase of frequent electricity failures.

E-learners need to install antivirus and anti-spyware software to protect their computers against virus, malware, Trojan horses, and spyware that are approved to harm and break down computers (Watkins & Corry, 2011, pg 75).

Online learners should also have contact information of their faculty, two classmates, and those of technology support services to get assistance during technology failure. Above all these measures, there is need to include a back up schedule to be able to access important information when a learner cannot access a computer. The back up will include data storage devices such as external drive, rewritable CD, and floppy disks (Watkins & Corry, 2011, pg 75).

Exceptional skills on the use of e-mails also need to be developed by online learners to enable them succeed in e-learning. It is important to improve on written communication skills in the use of e-mail to compose and reply to mails via the internet. These skills enable e-learners to professionally draft concise and grammatically correct messages and documents.

Online learning seeks to close the gap in education system between how students live and how they learn, e-learning therefore pushes education environment to be more relevant to the current living environment. Students and teachers continually engage themselves in learning and doing new things but hardly access new ways of learning and doing them (Holmes and Gardner, 2006, pg17).

Global education and E-learning primarily use computers that provide tutorial materials for learners to gain knowledge from, the learner is then tested with the use of multiple questions regarding the knowledge they are expected to have learnt.

E-learning pays little attention to the learners compared to teachers who interact with students during the learning process. This mode of learning demands that course management, design procedures, and guidelines are developed to enable and ensure there is active student participation (Holmes and Gardner, 2006, pg 32).

In the current and ever developing world technology has become a huge part in education and economic development for students and employees in the dynamic and innovative business world. This is a major breakthrough in technology and education industry.

E-learning is dynamic and is increasingly becoming more complicated with time. This has necessitated the need to develop new types of learning systems and web-based learning infrastructure that needs to be managed efficiently to cope up with e-learning dynamics. Different presentations are used to help in the learning process due varied learning characteristics of individuals.

Web based learning object selection may also be adapted to optimize e-learning in relation to the learners background and performance with specific learning objects (Ma, 2006, pg 57).

Time management strategies and effective use of technology have become the pillars of successful online learning. These strategies form the core issues of challenges facing online learners whose success mainly depends on the implementation of the above measures to help them in online learning.

References

Holmes, B. and Gardner, J. (2006). E-learning concepts and practice. NY: Pine Forge Press.

Ma, Z. (2006). Web based intelligent e-Learning systems: Technologies and applications. PA: Idea group inc.

Watkins, R., and Corry, M. (2011). E-learning companion: A students guide to online success. OH: Cengage Learning.

The current case study entails leasing computers at Persistent Learning, an educational software company. Leasing Computers is in the midst of making a financial decision on the most appropriate way of acquiring assets (computers and related hardware) for purposes of expansion. Owing to its financial position, the company has two options of financing its expansion objective. The options are to undertake a fair-market-value lease and the one-dollar-purchase.

Under the fair-market-value lease the company would be under rental agreement while under the one-dollar-purchase the company would provide financing for the computers purchase. This case study analysis is an attempt to answer different questions relating to the fair -market-value less and one-dollar-purchase less options. In addition, it provides the most effective and appropriate choice between the two leasing options.

Based on the case study, Persistent Learning competitors own their computers which give them a competitive advantage over rivals. Competitors own their computers because they have a higher cash-flow compared to Persistent Learning. In addition the companies have an outstanding capital base that enables them to purchase computers. Companies with their own competitors treat the computers as fixed assets which is a long term investment in an organization.

Also, the companies with computers are flexible as they do not have to negotiate with third party capital equipment providers. This saves time and a lot of paperwork often incurred during a leasing process. By owning capital equipment such as computers, such an ownership enables the companies to enjoy economic life of the capital. Furthermore, the companies can easily sell old computers or upgrade them at a much cheap prices.

Accounting for fair-market-value and one-dollar-purchase

Within a period of three years, fair market value lease would be accounted for as an operating expense or lease payments as opposed to an asset to Persistent learning. On the other hand, one dollar purchase would be accounted for as an asset since the company would get to own the computers after a period of three years.

Under the fair market value the equipments are accounted for as operating expenses because the company would be paying for the equipments for which they lack ownership obligations. The fair market value as a leasing expense is accounted for on the companys income statement.

One dollar purchase would be accounted for as both a liability and an asset and recorded on the balance sheet. It is accounted for as an asset as it reflects the equipments value to the organizations. On the other hand, it is accounted for as a liability because Persistent Learning has an obligation to pay the lease expenses to the lesser.

As an asset, the equipment acquired through the one dollar purchase would depreciate during the three year period. As a result, it would be accounted for as a depreciation expense in both cash flow and income statements. Since Persistent Learning does not own the equipment, there is no depreciation expenses realized under the fair market value. In addition, no liability is accorded to the leasing company thus it cannot be accounted as a liability.

Classification of leases

Fair market value lease would be classified as an operating lease while the one dollar purchase would be classified as capital lease since under the fair market lease, capital equipment is only leased for the operating period. On the other hand, the one dollar purchase ensures ownership of the property or capital equipment after the agreed lease period. Therefore, under the former a firm does not own the equipment while at the later the equipment is treated as owned.

It is important to note that both capital and operating leases either have no effects or different effects on income statement, cash flow statement, or the balance sheet. Although an operating lease may not have an effect on the balance sheet, it tends to affect the income statement.

On the other hand, capital lease has an effect on the balance sheet and income statement. For instance, depreciation of funds under the capital lease lowers their value on the balance sheet, while at the same time recording a depreciation of expenses, which is seen in the income statement.

Operating lease is reflected on the income statement as expenses incurred during the accounting period. Therefore, operating expenses act as lease payment which is an expense that reduces net income. Total cash flow statements are not affected by capital and operating leases since the actual cash flow remains constant even if a lease is accounted for as an operating lease of a capital lease.

With regard to income statement, cash flow under the income statement tends to be comparatively higher in comparison with cash flow under an operating lease. The reason behind this is that under capital lease, a lease is treated as an asset which depreciates as cash flow inclines during the lease period.

Appropriate lease alternative for Persistent Learning

The best leasing alternative for Persistent Learning based on the case study is the Fair-market-value lease. In this alternative, the company would engage in a rental agreement. It is the cheapest option under the circumstances and the most appropriate type of lease as it is flexible and Persistent Learning can still purchase the equipment after a period of three years at the prevailing market fair value.

The company is certain that the capital equipment would be needed for a period of three years. Because of market uncertainty and obsolescence of equipments, Persistent Learning would choose the Fair-market-value lease. In addition, the company would not require the computers after three years. So there is no need to own computers at the end of three years and sell them at lower prices. Having to dispose or sell the computers is a time consuming process which is also costly.

Based on the case study, the company plans to use the computers in three years and the economic life of the computers is 5 years. Therefore, the lease period is defined to be less than 75% of the capital equipments expected economic life which makes Persistent Learning qualify for fair market value lease.

On the other hand, the present value for the lease payments is less than 90 percent of the equipment. Persistent Learning would have to pay for the equipment usage for three years and supposing that it still needs the equipment for another year, the company has the choice to renew the lease.

Alternatively, Persistent Learning can choose to purchase the computers at the fair market value. In this kind of purchase, Persistent Learning would buy the computers after calculating the equipments depreciation in a period of three years. Lastly, the monthly lease rates are lower in fair market value lease compared to the one dollar purchase. Therefore, I would prefer the fair market value lease to the one dollar purchase.

Principal arguments for and against capital leases

Initially, capital and operating leases were recorded differently but the reevaluation by the FASB would now ensure that all leases are treated as capital leases. In other words, all leases would be recorded as liabilities and assets. Capital leases have the capacity to recognize expenses (liabilities and depreciation expenses) compared to operating leases. As a result, leases would be recognized as liability and as an asset when accounted for in a balance sheet.

Consequently, firms (lessee) would be in a position to claim for depreciation of the leased capital equipment annually. In addition, the lessee would be allowed to deduct the interest expense in each financial year. Operational leases are not shown on a firms balance sheet like it is the case for capital leases. Therefore, treating all leases as capital leases would ensure that leases are recorded on the balance sheet thus showing the financial position of a firm to creditors.

One of the major arguments against this move is that debt level reported would increase. This is because classification of operating leases as capital leases would require the levels of reported debts to be exposed to financiers which have effect on individual credibility. In addition, this would have an impact on debt covenant compliance. Another argument against the change is an anticipated increase in lease expenses.

Under operating leases, the lease expenses remained constant for the agreed period. However, treating leases as capital leases would increase lease costs. By reclassifying the leases, the level of debt indicated in the balance sheet would be increased by firms operating large operating leases. This may have negative effect on the financial position of an organization. Lastly, the commitments by lessee to not assume ownership of capital equipment after the lapse of lease period should not be treated as a debt but rather as a rational choice.

Executive Summary

The literature in IT industrial ergonomics point out that it is important to provide a contented work environment in order to avoid suffering from wide-ranging musculoskeletal stress disorders (MSDs) linked with the use of IT device such as the computers. Physiological disorders that could be developed because of strained eye, neck, or back fatigue headache as well as emotional stress can be avoided when better ergonometric designs are applied.

This paper will focus on the ergonomic factors that have been put in place by the Ergotron Inc. to improve their computer workstation environment. Ergotron Inc. is a technology firm specializing in the manufacture and use of computers. In fact, a lot have been published on the ergonometric factors that are involved in the improvement of the computer workstation designs.

However, this paper objectively aims at providing reasonable anthropometry information and guiding principles, which could be drawn on in generating apt as well as approved human workplace milieu within such corporations and afar. In other words, the paper, using documented information and the anthropometric data, focuses on various ergonomic factors applied by Ergotron Inc. to make its computer workstations friendly and comfortable to the workers.

Introduction

Ergonomic Factors

In the past fiscal years, various technical research studies focused on the human or ergonomic factors that are incorporated in designing workplaces. In fact, the studies have acknowledged that ergonomic factors must be considered when analyzing and implementing systems safety. Most of these researchers state that human or employees take part in the systems disposal, maintenance, designing, management, operations, as well as procurement. Thus, human factors are correlated to the failures and triumphs of the companies systems. Furthermore, various theoretical frameworks appraising the causes of organizational accidents tend to recognize the central role played by ergonomic factors towards ensuring the safety of systems used by human. For instance, ergonomic factors play decisive roles such as acting as sources, barriers, and contributors to recovery from industrial risks as well as safety incidents (Lowe n.d).

In any corporation, failure to incorporate ergonomic factors in the management of human resources and production processes could cause stress and accidents that might render the company obsolete. This implies that, proper management of human factors ensures that systems are safe for use and can hardly cause loss of life, stress or harm to the company employees.

In fact, ergonomics also dubbed as human factors entails the comprehension of the correlations amid various organizational systems and the employees. This paper aims at analyzing the ergonomic factors in a specific organization. It also offers a proposal on how to make the workplace safer and less physically and psychologically stressful. Secondary anthropometric data will be used in the study while content analysis will be used to analyze gathered data.

Causes of stress in an organization

Several persons undergo stresses that originate from the intrinsic organizational natural surroundings. A number of ergonomic factors that cause stress at work place are specified in several printed writings. However, policies of the organization, absence of control, as well as physical milieu are the only publicized prevalent causes by the cautious scrutiny carried out by the scholars.

The organizational physical surroundings

An exterior surrounding whereas any employee can be existent may denote a physical milieu. In fact, such environs affect the growth and manners of the workforces in an organization. The ergonomic factors that can influence employee development and behavior encompass conditions that are jam-packed, the extent of noise, exposure to air, and the structural constructions within the premises.

Therefore, safety as well as psychological and physical wellbeing of the personnel in an organization requires healthy and clean environment (Alqahtani, 2012). Nevertheless, the organizational stress as well as insecurity of workers emotional and physical welfare augments due to unhealthy surroundings.

Conversely, stress and workplace injuries are related to the physical milieu once it fails to bump into the measures of standards at fundamental stages. The scholars assert that insalubrious physical environs results from the pessimistic indicators such as employee thronging and noises.

Labor forces experiences inferior presentation on chores that are cognitive as an outcome of abridged sensation of control for instance. Indeed, the situation is an indicator of employee stress owing to crowding and noise that is exceeds limits. The ultimate results of such human factors in the physical setting of an organization render the employees to possess impaired competence of coping with their duties (Alqahtani, 2012).

Dearth of organizational control

Stress is supreme among the organizational workforces because of the diminutive rheostat over the operations and strategies guiding their work. As such, better-quality performance and condensed stress can be fostered through having good sense in certain types of control. In addition, a part from control of the organization, an individual control is also necessary for the reduction of stress and mandate of safety.

On the contrary, employees might experience antithetical effects from the abiding controls such as career accountabilities (Alqahtani, 2012). Hence, the intrinsic environment in the occupation brings about stress at work place. Stress and insecurity increases since such adverse effects are directly linked to the characteristic of natural surroundings of the work instead of the institution itself.

Policies of the organization

In this context, the guiding principles and comprehensive rubrics for organizational activities are used to delineate the strategy of an organization. The rudimentary principles and goals for carrying out business in the organization can be specified by means of the policies. In point of fact, the executives employ these policies as their principal guides in ensuring quality in the jobs they engage in.

So, strategies can be established from the practice of the previous years or they are implied or printed simply (Antai-Otong, 2001). Thus, policies can generate stress due to poor relational rapport, insufficient perceived appreciation, as well as the ambiguity of the starring role.

A meager social support due to lowly relational rapport diminishes work gratification and thus stress. The manual workers therefore find it necessary to enact sufficient and good relational affiliation for the social backing. In regards to the perceived insufficient preferment, supposed an employee is no longer acknowledged for job elevation they probably undergo circumstances of stress at their work places.

On the other hand, ambiguity in policies augments and causes stress in an organization as an outcome of starring role uncertainty. Congruently, lack of safety at the place of work might also result from the ambiguity of the tasks. All these tresses amount when there are inadequate guidelines of any job an employee is likely to execute as indirectly triggered by organizational policies.

The management of stress in an organization

In the organizations bid to make the workstation safer and physically or psychologically stress free, an organization can manage or diminish stress by employing more than a solitary tactic. In this perspective, the use of behavioral approach does not underestimate the other tactics like prescription of the anti-anxiety drugs, which is a psychological approach. Before any attempt to manage stress, the organizational executives need to presuppose three elegances of managing stress.

The employees in an organization should further be in readiness for the challenge, commitment, and control for hardihood to be effective. For personal control to help eradicate stress and augment safety, an organization should make self-efficacy and the rheostat locus certain.

Any employees will be capable of enduring the conditions of stress when the locus of control is situated internally. Additionally, a resilient self-efficacy that is the trust in personal aptitude of performing enables the employees to manage stress (Antai-Otong, 2001). Nonetheless, individual workers should mug up exactly on how to animate with stresses if situations are beyond their control.

Case Study: Ergotron Incorporation

Ergotron Inc is amongst various organizations that incorporate ergonomic factors in its strategic plans and daily operations. The system operation and employees management strategies adopted by Ergotron Inc warrant workplace safety and reduced physical and psychological stress among employees. However, there are various challenges encountered by this corporation in an attempt to incorporate ergonomic factors into the organizations daily operations (Sweere, 2002).

Challenges attached to ergonomic factors

In an attempt to make the workplace system live and operational, Ergotron Inc tends to integrate human factors in all the organization aspects. As an IT organization, the company views that personnel are part of its success and failure.

Thus, when planning to correct, create, or implement new and old procedures as well as policies, Ergotron Inc focuses on the technical and social components also called ergonomic factors that may generate stress and insecurity to the employees (Lowe n.d). Some of the possible ergonomics challenges the company faces include:

• The practical integration amid stress, safety systems, and ergonomic factors poses challenge given that Ergotron Inc systems are concerned with the incorporation of various safety and stress management functions that are consistent in the entire company.
• In all the production and functional operations, Ergotron Inc utilizes possibly the excellent technical ergonomics frameworks to ensure that the processes undertaken run smoothly. Thus, the company encounters structural challenges when implementing ergonomic factors.
• Challenges emerge from the operational factors such as considering the employees issues including the associations and contacts, which establish the final results emerging from the assumed or implemented procedures and processes

Ergonomic factors at Ergotron Inc

Ergotron Inc can be compared to a computer workstation given that most productions require the incorporation of the ergonomic factors to reduce both physical and psychological stress as well as make the workplaces safer. The ergonomic factors that must be incorporated in the daily operations include:

• Space saving and accessibility to the components
• Ease of adjustability and task lighting
• Wrists and foot rests
• Proper designs of chair and adjustable work surface
• Adjustable Visual Display Technology (VDT)

Incorporating all the above mentioned production factors into Ergotron Inc daily operations is a daunting task. However, the issues must be properly addressed by the company to eliminate or reduce various classes of physical as well as psychological stress and disorders related the poor designs and improper integration of the ergonomic factors at workplace.

In case the company fails to deal with such factors, chances that workplace could be stressful and unsafe are high. In fact, poor integration of the ergonomic factors in the company operational plans brings about musculoskeletal stress disorders that cause:

• Synovitis, tendonitis, and tenosynovitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Diseases related to the shoulders, elbow, hands, and wrists
• Headache and fatigue among employees
• Back, neck, and eyes strains

At Ergotron Inc, there are various major causes of such strains and visual problems that the company has been addressing from time to time. For instance, the Ergotron Inc workplace seemed stressful and rather unsafe for the employees due to:

• The inability to regulate the VDT screens stature to the levels preferred by each employee
• Poor positioning of the vertical keyboards including tilt, aft, and fore
• The angles for viewing the VDTs were improper and could not be adjusted by the employees to suit their requisite viewing angles particularly the big computer monitors
• The incapacity to alter the inappropriate Video Display Technology

Proposal: Making Ergotron Inc workplace safer and less psychologically and physically stressful

Expanding the workplace environment

The networking expertise has recently advanced making all operators and companies like Ergotron Inc to integrate workstation in all operations including appropriate locations and applications. In fact, desktops are hardly believed to be just focal points for the designers of ergonomic workplace or corporate ergonomics.

Mainframes found at Ergotron Inc hospital rooms, warehouses, and factory floors appear to be a few instances of non-workplace PCs that emerged prevalent over the past years. Most of the current workplace applications call for diverse ergonomic appliance interfaces different from the customary seated counter display that study literatures have published.

In a company like Ergotron Inc, fresh operational ranks namely session and footholds ought to be integrated alongside various mainframe constituents increasing preferences for instance portable appliances, floorboards, maximum, and partition mounts. While considering such applications, constituent adjustability appears to be somehow imperative compared to Ergotron Inc workplace milieu.

The applications may allow different employees to run similar machine during different as well as similar work-shifts (Sweere, 2002). The desktop workplace cannot allow such functioning since it becomes fixed immediately the appliances are incorporated for specific operators.

Excellent design standards for the ergonomic factors should be used in all cases to allow the employees to have the optimal machine-operator boundary along with the requisite adjustability that could avert workplace injuries and minimize workforce discomforts. The specific VDM know-how meant to be drawn on in such occupation milieus could be utilized in the PC cases so as to secure room and proffer adjusting conditions for the human parameters.

The Novel Display Technology (VDT)

The invention of the VDT provided novel avenues for incorporating ergonomics into corporate operations and improving various work milieus. The VDTs are light in weight and small in size thus allowing for the growth and progression of novel mounting resolutions which might effortlessly deal with adulthood setbacks including screen tilt-ability, distances, and elevation adjustability.

The VDT offer special ergonomic devices including vertical adjustability, stand-sit appliances, comfortable bifocal viewing users, and screen distance adjustability of about 95.0% and 5.0% for male and female users respectively (Sweere, 2002).

Screen height

When feasible, Ergotron Inc VDT heights ought to be adjustable in order to allow for the individuals employees preferences working during the day and night shifts. The VDT monitors should be elevated somewhat below 1.0 to 2.0 of the operators eyes stature. This applies whether the operators are standing or sitting in order for the Ergotron Inc employees to be in relaxed and comfortable positions.

Screen tilts

The Ergotron Inc screens should be tilt-able ranging from 12.0 degrees to 20.0 degrees dependent on the VDT dimension. However, particular care ought to be observed for the minimization of VDT glares. Tilting upwards should provide for optimal screening given that it offers for a dependable central span whenever examining from the VDT bottom to top.

The distance of VDT from the users

Ergotron Inc management should ensure that the VDTs are distantly positioned from the users founded on each employees capacity to comprehend information offered on the VDTs. The span of focus for various employees are 30 and above. Based on ergonomic standards, the space for observing the VDTs should range from 18.0 to 28.0.

The location and elevation of the PC keyboard

At Ergotron Inc stockroom, office, and clinics, the PC handles used ought to be tactically situated to let the employees hold the gadgets with fingers inclined a bit descending while forearms remaining planed. The angle of tilting should range from 90.0 degrees to 110.0 degrees amid the lower and upper arms.

Recommendations

The ergonomic factors found in an organization are many and their management requires proper planning and implementation. Based on study literature, in order to warrant that workplace is safe, an organization must first ensure that all safety management systems are operationally improved.

However, to realize this, the organization systems must be developed from the perspective and better comprehension of the ergonomic factors (Spector, 2006). For instance, the organizational systems must be made amenable to all the perspectives of the ergonomic factors. Thereafter, the ergonomics perspectives should then be adopted or constructed into an operational framework.

Workplace can be stress free and safe only if the organization model integrates the following activities:

• The safety and workplace systems must be changed or adjusted to accomplish the novel requirements and budding challenges
• The management should put in place mechanisms that provide feedbacks to the employees using the organization systems
• The human resource managers should regularly respond to and manage the organization safety systems. These may incorporate:
• The investigation and response to the occurrence of safety breaches
• The managers should survey the ergonomic safety indicators when the employees assume their normal operations
• The organization management ought to maintain all safety management actions during daily functions (Spector, 2006). At this point, the human resource managers should the following decisive sub-responsibilities:
• The introduction of new changes geared towards controlling and eliminating any risks caused via the hazards already identified
• The appraisal of the effects of the organizational risks with respect to the acceptable safety level
• The identification of the organization hazards
• The organization should plan and organize all changes supporting the ergonomics safety and stress management operations
• The company must also write, create, maintain or update the corporations safety and stress management standards and policies

Conclusion

The ergonomics include both the social and technological aspects of an organization. For example, any organization system entails the physical or technical aspects namely the software and hardware alongside their correlations as well as social components such as the interactions amid groups and individuals.

To ensure that such organizational ergonomic components warrant safety at workplace and reduce incidences of employees stress, the human resource managers must make certain that the technical, cultural, and social dimensions are incorporated in the daily organization operations and management. That is, all the artifacts and tools like documentations, databases, information sources, and procedures used by employees when discharging their duties must support safety measures.

Works Cited

Alqahtani, Ayedh. Organizational Stress: Causes and Management. International Journal of Innovation in Business, 1.1(2012): 1-11. Print.

Antai-Otong, David. Creative Stress Management Techniques for Self-Renewal. Dermatology Nursing, 13.2(2001): 31-39. Print.

Lowe, Christopher. A Human Factors Perspective on Safety Management Systems. Bristol, UK, n.d. Print.

Spector, Paul. Perceived Control by Employees, a Meta-Analysis of Studies Concerning Autonomy and Participation at Work. Human Relations, 39.11 (2006): 1005-1016. Print.

Sweere, Harry. Ergonomic Factors Involved In Optimum Computer Workstation Design: A Pragmatic Approach. Constant Force Technology, 2002: 1-14. Print.

Introduction

The main aim of the report is to explore and state the conditions according to which it is possible to choose India as the most appropriate country for outsourcing in relation to the tablet computer industry. The justification of the choice is provided in the report with references to the criteria which are significant for operating within the industry successfully.

India can be discussed as the most suitable country for outsourcing because its labour market is characterised by the highly educated and skilled work force, high quality services provided, possibilities for cost savings, and developed technologies along with favourable government policies, and the fast growing infrastructure, and these factors can be considered as beneficial for implementing effective outsourcing policies (Bullen, LeFave, & Selig, 2010; Thite & Russell, 2007). Moreover, Indias location is strategic for transporting the materials and products easily.

The report also includes a study on suppliers and competitors as well as the nature of the market, and it provides the expert recommendations on these aspects in relation to the specifics of the industrys micro- and macro-environment. Another aim of the report is to analyse the requirements for the establishment of the company in India, studying the competitors in the industry and their experience.

The study can show the level of the technology required and accentuate the particular features of the capital project. Presenting the analysis of the correlation between the companys required characteristics of outsourcing effectively and Indias markets possibilities, this report aims to convince the Board to choose India as the country for outsourcing the companys production activities.

The Requirements for Choosing the Country

Socio-Economic Requirements

To make the process of producing goods profitable, the companies leaders are inclined to orient to outsourcing to the countries which can provide the lower costs in relation to labour costs and production. To compete within the industry successfully, it is necessary to reduce labour costs. Thus, cost saving is one of the main reasons for companies seeking for outsourcing services from India.

Furthermore, there are significant differences between labour costs in India and in the other third world countries (Bullen, LeFave, & Selig, 2010). The producers expect to obtain benefits from hiring the Indian population because of the Indians level of education and their competence in the English language (Davies, 2004). Moreover, the companies in India have the definite freedom to manage their own budgets and gain huge profits (Thite & Russell, 2007).

India can be also discussed as the attractive destination for companies willing to offshore their IT operations and manufacturing processes to other countries in order to lower the costs (Vestring et al., 2005). The particular features of the high technology industry are the orientation not only to the cheap labour and pricing flexibility but also to the highly skilled worker to operate the equipment, machinery, and other technologies (Lacity & Rottman, 2008).

The countrys labour market consists of engineers of different specialisations who can work with high technologies and of a large number of highly skilled and educated people who can perform the various technical activities (Thite & Russell, 2007).

The fact is important for companies producing tablet computers because they need skilled labourers to manufacture the innovative products which can compete favourably with the competitors goods. Moreover, the Indian government worked out the acts on the intellectual property to guarantee the absence of the informations leakage to the competitors because of members of the staff (Chesser & Cohen, 2006).

Demand/Buyer Characteristics

To organise the production of the tablet computers in India successfully, it is necessary to refer to such aspects as proximity, ethical issues associated with the working conditions, infrastructure, and buyers attitudes to the other brands. According to the first point, the location of the country provides the company with opportunities to organise quick transportation of the materials and products within the country and from the countries-suppliers (Bullen, LeFave, & Selig, 2010).

Thus, the countrys closeness to Korea and Taiwan, the major suppliers of processor chips and memory cards for the industry, is advantageous for producing the tablet computers in time according to the quality standards and the companys expectations (Salwan, 2007). Furthermore, the developed transport connections with the mentioned countries make the distribution of the product more efficient, faster, and cheaper.

The next point of the discussion is the working conditions. The third world countries are often considered to be the territories with the worst working conditions round the globe (Lacity & Rottman, 2008). In spite of the fact India has the reputation of the country where foreign companies can find the highly skilled labourers, it is important to pay attention to the issue of contributing to the satisfied working conditions in order to meet the ethical requirements.

During the last decades, the Indian government tries to control the situation in the labour market, supporting the companies invested by the foreign corporations. New regulations and ethical laws were developed to protect the labourers rights and provide the satisfied working conditions for the labour force (Davies, 2004).

It is important to note that buyers brand associations are based on the success of the advertising campaigns and on the quality of the producing goods. The tablet computer industry is highly competitive, and the role of the buyers interest in the product is significant.

Today, the tablet computers are at the growth stage of the development cycle (Thite & Russell, 2007). That is why, the present situation in the economic and technological spheres is the best time to operate within the industry and try to gain the great profits, competing in the market. The following graph illustrates the potential growth of the tablets sales.

In spite of the fact the large percentage of the companys products should be oriented to the international market and Western countries, Indian people can be also discussed influential consumers of the tablet computers with references to the latest tendencies.

The Indian government has offered subsidies for college students to buy the tablet computers at a lower price in comparison with the average price set for the other countries markets (Akash tablets commercial variant, 2011). Thus, it is possible to discuss India not only as a producing country but also as a potential consumer. This fact can encourage firms to seek for outsourcing services from India.

Barriers to Entry into the Market

The company, which orients to producing the new tablet computers, operates within the developed Hi-Tech and IT industry. The problem is in the fact the success of the company depends on capitals investing into the production (Thite & Russell, 2007). The establishment of factories in India specialised in producing tablet computers requires much financing, and it is the first barrier to entry into the industry.

The first barrier is closely associated with the fact that the production of a tablet computer is very intensive in relation to labour and capital issues. The production is based on using expensive equipment and machinery along with hiring highly skilled workers (Vestring et al., 2005).

However, today the contribution to the development of the Hi-Tech and IT industry in India is a top priority of the Indian government, which offers the attractive and effective IT policies to support the industry by giving tax-related and other benefits to the company which is inclined to invest in the industry (Chesser & Cohen, 2006). The government also continues to improve infrastructure and communication networks (Thite & Russell, 2007). From this point, India is the best variant for outsourcing to it.

Economies of scale can be also analysed as the important factor for the companys progress. The scales principle can be used to reduce the companys costs and increase the productivity. The availability of the technical staff allows speaking about maximising the companys profits through economies of scale.

The costs minimisation is the main reason for outsourcing and it provides the firms in India with the possibility to gain from the industrys competition (Thite & Russell, 2007). It is important to not that there will not be significant retaliation from competitors against a newcomer because the size and competitiveness of the industry reduce the retaliatory reactions of the already established companies such as Apple and Samsung (Sonaje, 2012).

There are very little or no protectionist policies in the High-Tech and IT industry in India. No tariffs are applied to companies willing to export their products (Thite & Russell, 2007). It reduces the cost of production leading to the companies gaining profits (Gay & Essinger, 2000).

Supply Issues

It is possible to determine such important supply issues as the transportation of processor chips, memory cards, display screens, and GPS trackers significant for producing high-quality tablet computers from different countries.

The factory located in India can have the opportunity to discuss its location as the advantage in relation to the question of transporting the necessary components from Korea and Taiwan as the major suppliers within the industry. Thus, few big suppliers for the mentioned components are located in Korea and Taiwan, and these manufacturers have the bargaining power in the industry (Chesser & Cohen, 2006).

Technological Requirements

The production of the tablet computers requires the orientation to using the developed technologies. The contemporary tendencies to support the progress of the Hi-Tech and IT industry in India are important for organising the production of the tablet computers which can be discussed as a high-tech consumer product (Thite & Russell, 2007).

The advantages of India for being chosen for outsourcing are in the quality of the labour force and a number of highly skilled and experienced engineers who are ready to work within the industry (Davies, 2004).

In spite of the fact the research and development can be based on the human resources of the head company, the qualification of the workers is important for producing the new tablet computers and for controlling the process organised according to the innovative technologies improvements (Chesser & Cohen, 2006). Thus, to produce the tablet computer, it is necessary to hire highly skilled workers to operate the machinery and equipment and follow the instructions.

Competitors

There are few suppliers of the tablet computers and a relatively large number of buyers that is why the market can be discussed as Oligopolistic. This means that a new company in the industry can develop in the market with references to competitive pricing and controlling quality to entice the large number of consumers and win the industrys rivalry (Vestring et al., 2005).

The main companys competitors are Apple, Samsung, Amazon, ASUS, and HTC. These companies offer tablet computers in a number of different sizes and functionalities. The share of ASUS in the market is 2.3%, RIM presents 2.3%, Amazon -4%, Samsung  7.5%, Apple  63% (Sonaje, 2012).

These companies are some of the largest multinational companies in the world, and there are challenges for the successful entry to the industry (Chesser & Cohen, 2006). The accents should be made on the non-price competition as effective in the tablet industry. That is why, it is important to implement innovative technologies to follow the world tendencies and compete successfully.

Other Important Factors

To provide the complex analysis of the industry and determine the advantages of choosing India as a country for outsourcing the manufacturing activities, it is necessary to pay attention not only to political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, and legal aspects but also to the problem of the environmental sustainability as the key factor of the industrys macro-environment (Bullen, LeFave, & Selig, 2010).

It is important to note that the issues of the environmental sustainability are traditionally accentuated by Western companies, and the main methods to solve the problem can be also used in India in relation to following the governments recommendations in the field (Chesser & Cohen, 2006). Thus, the problem of the environment protection is urgent for India that is why the technological processes should be organised to meet the governments requirements and the principle of the environmental sustainability (Davies, 2004).

Conclusion

To conclude, it is possible to note that India can be chosen for outsourcing the manufacturing activities in relation to the tablet computer industry because the conditions provided in the country meet the basic requirements stated by the company. Thus, the characteristics, which are required by the producer, are the supporting micro- and macro-environment.

The company pays attention to such forces typical for the macro-environment as political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental, and legal factors and to the components of the industrys micro-environment where the accents are made on the role of competitors, suppliers, partners, and customers.

The findings of the industrys analysis and the position of India in relation to the Hi-Tech and IT industry allow speaking about India as the beneficial variant for outsourcing.

It is possible to determine such reasons as the favourable government policies developed to respond to the contemporary intellectual property issues, the orientation to the highly-skilled labourers with references to the engineers and technical workers, the availability of cheap labour while reducing the labour and production costs, the advantageous location of the country to contact with the suppliers and customers successfully, and the presence of the ethical laws and labour regulations controlled by the government.

Modern India is oriented to the progressive participation in the foreign business with references to providing the sources for offshore manufacturing because of the variety of benefits for the companies-producers and for the development of the Indian economy.

References

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