UBIQUITY :: Essays Papers

UBIQUITY As many people have expected, We are living in an environment saturated with wired and wireless connections. This technological explosion has become a part of our daily lives; but we don't really realize, to what extent , our trivial behaviors rely on informatic systems and our interaction with them. While we are living in the era of pervasive computing, we may wonder about the change that pervasive computing has brought to our lives and our social and cultural responses to these fascinating technologies and increased change. Some people remain fearful of the impact of the brain machines on our human behavior, on the other hand, others are struggling to make our environment filled with intelligent machinery, like the air we breath, and to make our interactions with this machinery as smooth as possible. The story of creating smart machines equipped with the same reasoning capabilities of humans is very old but the era of computers makes it very realistic in the eyes of scientists. Since we have machines that manage to do all these tasks, it is time for a new generation of machinery that can do exactly what we can do or better; from understanding our behavior to making decisions on their own. The article: " A Bayesian Computer Vision System for modeling Human Interactions", provides and excellent example of what people interested in artificial intelligence are trying to do. In fact, they focus on creating machines that understand human behavior and respond according to this interaction. It is stated in the article: " Our approach to modeling person-to-person interactions is to use supervised statistical machine learning techniques to teach the system to recognize normal single-person behaviors and common person-to-person interactions" (Oliver, Rosario, Pentland 831). There are many l imitations to accomplish this goal as any new technology or knowledge but the dream seems to be realistic for these people. according to the same article, if the models are trained to recognize a limited number of human behavior, how to make them understand new patterns without limitations : "A major emphasis of our work, therefore, is on efficient Bayesian integration of both prior knowledge (by the use of synthetic prior models) with evidence from data (by situation-specific parameter tuning). our goal is to be able to successfully apply the system to any normal multiperson interaction situation without additional training". This article provides an example of what is going on in many laboratories spread throughout the world and how artificial intelligence focuses on creating smart practical machines that understand and interpret our behavior and probably surpasses our reasoning capabilities.

How My Optimism Helps Me Overcome Obstacles

Alyssa McCutchen Period 6 3/15/12 How My Optimism Helps Me Overcome Obstacles Optimism is such a funny thing. It has the capability to help you solve some of the most challenging and troublesome problems you’ll ever face in your entire life. This is exactly what optimism does for me. I have had some of the most challenging and troublesome things happen to me and using optimism during those times really helped me through them, and I honestly don’t think I would have made it through all of those times without using optimism.During those times optimism came to me in any and every way, shape, or form. It would come to me if the sun was shining outside, from a verse in a song, from a text I would get, or sometimes even from playing a silly board game to pass the time. All of these things helped me to learn that â€Å"can do† attitude. That attitude where you feel like you can fly if you want to, that you can reach the highest peak in the tallest mountain, or that no m atter how bad your situation may be it’ll get better. That attitude that shows optimism at it’s greatest.When I was a little girl, there was always this one specific person that made me such a positive, energetic, and hopeful little girl. That one person happened to be the one and only Dr. Seuss. He was such a motivational person to me as I was growing up and he still is today. Everything he said stuck to me like a magnet, and made me think long and hard about what he was saying and what it meant to me. There was this one quote he said that has stuck with me ever since I was little, and it goes a little something like this, â€Å"Now I’ve heard there are troubles of more than one kind.Some come from ahead, some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat, I’m already you see. Now my troubles are going to have trouble with me. † When I hear that quote I feel like Dr. Seuss is trying to say get up! Wipe that dust off of your back, stand up str aight, and put a smile on your face. Look your obstacles in the eye and show them that you’re not going to back down. That you’re still as positive and strong as ever, and that you will never give up. Although a majority of that quote resembles perseverance, perseverance wouldn’t exist without optimism.Optimism is such a funny thing. It has the capability to put a smile on someone’s face, to put a spring in their step, and to overall brighten there day. My own mother is a prime example of this. My mom has what is called Congestive Heart Failure. Congestive Heart Failure is the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow. Because of this my mom happens to be disabled, and can’t work or do a lot of physical activity. Even though she has so many reasons to be negative about life, she refuses.Instead, she focuses on being a good, positive role model and mother to my Sister, and I. As Elbert Hubbard once said, â€Å"Optimism is a kind of hea rt stimulant- the diagnosis of failure. † Optimism has brought me through some many things in my life, and I’m sure it always will. Because I know this, no amount of obstacles can knock me down. The Greek philosopher once said, â€Å"Happiness depends upon ourselves. † As for me, I choose to be happy because I know I have optimism and that alone is more than enough.In the words of William Ward, â€Å"Every person has the power to make others happy. Some do it simply by entering the room, others by leaving the room. Some individuals leave trails of gloom, others trails of joy. Some leave trails of hate and bitterness, others trails of love and harmony. Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism, others trails of faith and optimism. Some leave trails of criticism and resignation, others trails of gratitude and hope. What kind of trails do you leave? †

Job Analysis and Job Design Essay

Job analysis—The procedure for determining the tasks and responsibilities of each a job, and the human attributes (in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities) required to perform the job. The outcomes of job analysis will be: Job description (what the job entails), Job specifications (what the human requirements are needed for the job). Job analysis is something called the cornerstone of HRM, because the outcomes of job analysis (job descriptions and job specifications) are the basis for most of the interrelated HRM activities, including recruitment and selection, HR planning, training, performance appraisal, pay and benefits, health and safety, labour relation, and so on (you can think about more areas). The Phases and Steps in Job Analysis Phase One: Preparation for job analysis 1. Step 1: Familiarize with the organization and its jobs 2. Step 2: Determine uses of job analysis information 3. Step 3: Select representative jobs to be analysis. Phase 2: Collection of job analysis information 4. Step 4: Determine sources of job data (Human and nonhuman sources) 5. Step 5: Data collection instrument design (Job analysis schedules) 6. Step 6: Choice of method for data collection (interview, observation, questionnaire, etc.) 7. Step 7: Develop a job descriptions and job specifications. Phases 3: Use of Job analysis Information (for other HR management areas) Methods of Collecting Job Analysis Information Collecting job analysis data usually involves a joint effort by an HR specialist, the incumbent, and the jobholder’s supervisor. Job analysis techniques can be categorized into 2 groups: Qualitative methods and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods mainly include 1) Interview, including individual interview, group interview, and supervisory interview 2) Questionnaires—having employees fill out questionnaires to describe the job related information (See Figure 2-4, P. 62-63 of the text) 3) Observation it is useful when jobs consist mainly of observable physical activities. 4) Participant diary/log – Asking employees to keep a diary/log or a list of what they do during the day. Quantitative methods mainly include 1) Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) Very structured job analysis questionnaire Contains 194 items, each of which represents a basic element Provides quantitative job score on five dimensions of job requirements: having decision-making, communication, or social responsibilities performing skilled activities being physical active operating vehicles/equipment processing information Results from PAQ can be used to compare jobs and help determine appropriate pay level. 2) Functional Job Analysis (FJA), a quantitative job analysis method for classifying jobs based on : types and amounts of responsibilities for three functions: data, people, and things the extent to which instructions, reasoning judgment verbal/language facilities required It also identifies performance standards and training requirements. 3) The National Occupational Classification (NOC) –See P. 67-68 of the text Complied by the Human Resources Development Canada An excellent source of standardized job analysis information, containing comprehensive description of approximately 20,000 occupations. A reference tool for writing job descriptions and job specification It’s counseling component: Career Handbook. Classifying system of NOC (See the website: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/lmi/noc/index.shtml) Major group –identified by two digital numbers. Minor group –identified by one digital number Unit group –identified by one digital number Writing Job Descriptions A job description needs to tell: What the jobholder actually does, How he or she does it, and Under what conditions the job is performed The 6 Basic Element of Job Description (See example in Figure2-6, P. 66 of the text): 1) Job identification Job title Department Report to Job status 2) Job summary—describing the nature of the job, listing only its major functions or activities. 3) Duties and responsibilities 4) Authority 5) Performance standards 6) Working conditions Writing Job Specification The 6 basic element of job specification: 1) Job identification * 2) Job summary * Skill factors: Experience 3) Specific skills Education level 4) Effort factors Physical demands Mental demands 5) Working conditions * Notes: items with a â€Å"*† can be the same and combined with those in job descriptions. Job Design Job Design—the process of systematically organizing work into tasks required to perform a job Job Design Considerations (also refer to PowerPoint slides) Organizational considerations Ergonomic considerations Employee considerations (considering human behavioual aspects) Environmental considerations In the history of job design, people usually follow two schools of thinking: 1) To simply the jobs. This practice emphasizes the efficiency of production but pays concern in workers’ well-being 2) To enrich the jobs. This practice emphasizes both efficiency and workers’ needs and well-being The Job Characteristics Model (JCM) To understand this model, we need to understand the basic dimensions and  their relationship to psychological states and work outcomes –See Page 77-78 of the text. The 3 critical psychological states The basic theory underlying the model is that desirable outcomes both for the person, in terms of internal satisfaction and motivation, and for the organization, in terms of high quality performance and low absenteeism and turnover, will result only if the worker can achieve three critical psychological status: 1. The work must be experienced as meaningful, worthwhile, or important. 2. The worker must experience that he or she is personally responsible for the work outcome, that is, accountable for the product of his or her efforts. 3. The worker must be able to determine in some regular and reliable way how his or her efforts are coming out, what results are achieved, and whether or not they are satisfactory. The core job characteristics are then derived by observing what kinds of job characteristics are more or less likely to lead to the desired psychological states. The 5 Core Job Characteristics 1) Skill variety – using different skill and talents to complete a variety of work activities. 2) Task identity – the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole or identifiable piece of work. 3) Task significance – the degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the organization and /or larger society. 4) Autonomy – the degree to which a job gives employees the freedom, independence, and discretion to schedule their work and determine the procedures to be used to complete the work. 5) Job feedback – the degree to which employees can tell how well they are doing based on direct sensory information from the job itself. The Relationship between the above Theories and Management Strategies can be reflexed by various job design strategies as listed below: Strategies for enriching jobs: Based on the Job Characteristics Model, we can employ the job design strategies of: Job rotation –arrange employees to rotate to different job  during a certain period of time. Job enlargement- put more related tasks into a job to make it larger. Job enrichment- let employees have more autonomy and involve in thinking aspects of the jobs. Employee involvement and work teams Use of job families in HR Decisions Increasing job flexibility –cognitively complex, more team-based, more dependent on social skills and technological competence, time pressured, mobile, and less dependent on geography Self-study requirements: Read Chapters 2 and 3 of text Visit the website of National Occupational Classification