Monday, August 24, 2020

What Impact does Italy Being A Patriarchal Society have On The Characters Of Romeo And Juliet Essay Example For Students

What Impact does Italy Being A Patriarchal Society have On The Characters Of Romeo And Juliet? Article Between 1591-1595 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) composed the popular catastrophe Romeo and Juliet. The play included some extremely progressed and mind boggling composing styles for now is the ideal time. One of the most fascinating pieces of his play was the possibility of the impact of a male centric culture on the characters and to be sure the story. In this exposition I will attempt to show how Italy being a man centric culture, among different thoughts, has the impact it does in the play. Romeo and Juliet starts with a question between two families bringing about a battle that must be separated by the sovereign of Verona. He clarifies that on the off chance that there are additional battles, at that point they will be executed without a moment's delay If ever you upset our lanes again, your lives will pay the relinquish of the harmony. At that point the child of the leader of the Montagues, Romeo, goes to the Capulets ball with his companion Mercutio, and his cousin, Benvolio. Here he becomes hopelessly enamored with the girl of the Capulets But delicate, what light through there window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. At that point after a hurricane sentiment they convince Friar Lawrence to wed them stealthily. Anyway after Tybalt, Juliets cousin, incidentally murders Mercutio, Romeo executes him and is exiled from Verona by the Prince as a discipline. In the custom of a man centric culture, Capulet masterminds a marriage between County Paris and his li ttle girl Juliet. We will compose a custom paper on What Impact does Italy Being A Patriarchal Society have On The Characters Of Romeo And Juliet? explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now Her dad doesn't realize that she has just been hitched so this lone exacerbates the situation. So she can abstain from wedding Paris and remain with Romeo, Juliet takes an elixir from the Friar that will cause her to show up dead for 24 hours. She takes the elixir. The next morning Capulet and his family lament and cover her in the family burial chamber while the Friar sends a letter to Romeo clarifying how the them two can escape for eternity. Be that as it may, the letter never shows up. Knowing about Juliets passing Romeo returns stealthily and approaches her body. He drinks a toxic substance with the goal that he will kick the bucket. As he lies dead Juliet awakens. Seeing her darling dead she takes his blade and executes herself as well. The end to this disaster is that seeing their youngsters dead unites the two families. Capulet depicts them as Poor penances of our hostility. The meaning of a Patriarchal society is the organizing of society based on nuclear families in which fathers have essential obligation regarding the government assistance of their families. This is appeared in the play at numerous focuses. Elizabethan Marriage included the little girls guardians picking her spouse for her, typically so the two families could benefit. The lawful age for young ladies to wed was 12, young men 14. It was very typical for the couple to meet just because upon the arrival of their wedding. Typically ladies were exchanged for influence and cash through marriage. This is appeared in the play when Capulet attempts to wed Juliet off to the County Paris for status. It additionally shows Elizabethan marriage since she is just 13 years of age and in current society individuals can possibly wed when they are 18 or 16 with assent. Likewise outlined in the play is complete control by the guys simply because the Prince has the most force and Lord Montague and Lord Capulet tail him in power. These are on the whole guys that are heads of families, which is actually what male centric social orders are about. Anyway issues are featured in the play as the two chiefs put their families in harm's way. Capulet decides, which cause his girl to revolt and at last kick the bucket a nd Montague makes his family battle for an antiquated fight and his kin bite the dust. In Act 1 Scene we see that Lady Capulet is a piece of the male centric framework since she says By my check, I was a mother much upon these years That you are presently a servant. This shows Lady Capulet was just 13 when she had Juliet. Anyway the medical caretaker is a wet attendant, which implies that when Juliet was a child the medical caretaker bosom took care of and cared for her. This implies Juliet would not associate very well with her mom and rather would consider the to be as a good example. It would likewise work the other path as her mom would not associate with her and couldn't care less for her much. This shows why Juliet is so solid disapproved and ready to accept the elixir as though her mom was raised in similar conditions, she was never positioned in a similar situation as Juliet and she doesnt attempt to get it. Woman Capulet acknowledges that male centric culture is a smart thought and doesn't appear to address it. She doesn't think about Juliets circumstance it until it is past the point of no return. Something else about Juliet is that she is more dynamic than Romeo, though she can focus on the results of numerous occasions, Romeo can just ever have his psyche on a certain something (for example Love of Rosaline, Marriage of Juliet and so forth.) likewise Romeo doesnt get things going as much as Juliet. For instance Juliet takes a mixture to show up dead so she doesnt need to wed Paris. Nonetheless, it is just when he thinks Juliet is dead that he takes poison, so he can be with her. So this is connected to Romeos overly fixated point of view. Juliets passing from numerous points of view, can be accused on the Patriarchal Society she lives in. This is on the grounds that she is conflicted between attempting to get what she wants and keep her dad content and not violate Gods laws. It is ex tremely hard to accomplish balance between these two as her standards and societys are totally extraordinary. So in light of these conditions she in the long run needs to confront, and is wrecked by, the man centric culture. The equivalent can be applied for Romeo. .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 , .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .postImageUrl , .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .focused content region { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 , .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3:hover , .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3:visited , .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3:active { border:0!important; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 { show: square; progress: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-change: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; haziness: 1; change: murkiness 250ms; webkit-progress: obscurity 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3:active , .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3:hover { mistiness: 1; change: darkness 250ms; webkit-progress: mistiness 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .focused content region { width: 100%; position: relativ e; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .ctaText { outskirt base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: intense; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; content embellishment: underline; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; text style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; fringe: none; fringe span: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; text style weight: striking; line-tallness: 26px; moz-fringe range: 3px; content adjust: focus; content design: none; content shadow: none; width: 80px; min-stature: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/straightforward arrow.png)no-rehash; position: supreme; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .ue7b0ffad53b 7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3 .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .ue7b0ffad53b7e4434ed839c546ce5fd3:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: GCSE dramatization bunch on Tuesday EssayIn act 2 scene 3, Romeo inquires as to whether he would wed him and Juliet. This scene makes us see the man centric culture with regards to religion. Romeo can't converse with his genuine dad about his circumstance since his dad will be irate on the grounds that Juliet is a Capulet. So he converses with the man that is his profound guide, the man he admires more and trusts. There is next to no in the play about Romeos genuine dad and for a valid justification. This is on the grounds that Romeo is definitely not a run of the mill offspring of the male centric culture so isn't near his d ad. Romeo isn't made a fuss over the fight with the Capulets toward the start of the play yet is discouraged about Rosaline. Romeo is nearer to the Friar as a dad figure. For instance, one line peruses Good morrow Father. In spite of the fact that this is a conspicuous reference to the religion, it is likewise an inconspicuous reference to Romeo looking to the Friar as a dad figure. The monk likewise looks to Romeo as a child figure as he says Thats my great child: after Romeo lets him know of his experience with Juliet. On the off chance that Romeo had considered his to be father as a dad figure he would have conversed with his dad of it first. Rather he just goes directly to the Friar. It even notices he doesn't rest first, that he just goes from Juliets house to the Friars cell. Romeo additionally says Thou chidst me oft for adoring Rosaline. Chidst essentially implies reprimanded me so not exclusively is the minister the dad figure through Romeos reliance on him yet in addition he is the disciplinary figure in his life. The entire of this scene the Friar and Romeo talk in rhymes demonstrating they like wise have an extraordinary connection. For instance, Friar Lawrence begins this association Or on the other hand in the event that not really, at that point here I hit it right, Our Romeo hath not been sleeping to-night. ROMEO That last is valid; the better rest was mine. Monk LAURENCE ?God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline? ? ?ROMEO ?With Rosaline, my spooky dad? no; ? I have overlooked th

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Is War Good or Bad Essay

The continuous discussion, is war fortunate or unfortunate? Generally on the off chance that we see or hear the word â€Å"war† we consider the negative sides first. There is an expression that a timberland fire consumes everything in its way and it destroys the woods however out of the cinders comes new life. War is like this. Out of pulverization comes a fresh start. A nation can profit by war, by picking up riches or opportunity, expanding in influence, and progressing in innovation. In any case, the motivation behind why war appears to be just adverse is on the grounds that there is additionally obliteration where a huge number of guiltless individuals bite the dust, losing their assets and time, and furthermore their cash. Within the nation as well as the entire world could be influenced by war financially and socially. There are a lot of reasons why war is a terrible thing. One primary concern that comes to us legitimately and horrendously is the passing of the friends and family. Wars may take care of issues however in the process it murders a huge number of individuals so war is savage. A genuine model is the WW2, just about 50-60 million individuals passed on. Likewise in a war, the nation needs to go through a great deal of cash. It needs to give weapons like tanks rockets and so on., and it needs whatever number soldiers as could reasonably be expected. As Chinese specialist Tzu Sun stated, â€Å"Where the military is, costs are high; when costs rise the abundance of the individuals is exhausted† (Tzu Sun, c.400 BCE). For the residents this is exceptionally disillusioning on the grounds that this cash would in the long run originate from raised charges and rather this could be spent on poor and uneducated individuals. As I stated, war brings demolition. Expansion is additionally an issu e. For instance after the Angola’s Civil War, their money was futile to such an extent that jugs of lager supplanted it. Uncommon tourist spots, ranches, and firms could be pulverized and the nation could lose a great deal of its assets. After the war, for the most part the nation goes in a gigantic obligation. Then again, war could be viewed as a positive impact. Wars exist since individuals can't concur on something. After the war it could be clear and they would concur and not battle any longer. In some cases war could offer opportunity to a nation. After war the nation could turn out to be all the more remarkable. On the off chance that the war was a direct result of land, after they win they have a greater nation with more assets. These assets could make the economy of the nation rocket up. Additionally war in present moment is in reality useful for the economy. For instance during the Great Depression, joblessness rate diminished. Since they need a lot of weapons made rapidly they employ more individuals and this prompts more occupations. Long haul insightful a war could modify the economy of a nation. Like the French, their creation became quicker after WW1 and WW2. The nation creates in innovation as well. They would require better more remarkable techniques and weapons than the ene my’s so they look into and create in innovation. A while later, this would profit the nation significantly. Could this discussion ever be finished? I don't think so. As should be obvious, there are numerous awful and great sides of war. In general I think wars are terrible, in light of the fact that all these positive things are as yet not worth of a large number of lives. What's more, the acceptable sides are on the off chance that you win the war however that isn't 100% certain. What's more, regardless of whether things are settled after the war, we are people and we continually need more. On the off chance that the nations don't feel fulfilled they may go into a subsequent war and afterward a third, etc. So I figure we should consistently discover more serene ways than war.

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Personality Psychology Research Topics

Personality Psychology Research Topics Student Resources Print Research Topics for Personality Psychology By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on February 09, 2020 elenaleonova / Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers Personality is one of the most popular subjects in psychology, so its no surprise that this broad area is rife with fascinating research topics. Are you looking for a great topic for a paper, presentation, or experiment for your personality psychology class? Here are just a few ideas that might help kick-start your imagination. Possible Topics for Personality Psychology Research How does temperament relate to creativity? Are people with certain temperaments more or less creative? For your project, you might try administering scales measuring temperament and creativity to a group of participants.Are certain personality traits linked to prosocial behaviors? Consider how traits such as kindness, generosity, and empathy might be associated with altruism and heroism.How do personality assessments compare? Consider comparing common assessments such as the Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, and the 16PF Questionnaire.Do people tend to marry individuals with similar personalities?What impact does birth order have on personality? Are first-born children more responsible and are last-borns less responsible?Is there a connection between personality types and musical tastes? Do people who share certain personality traits prefer the same types of music?Are people who participate in athletics more likely to have certain personality charact eristics? Compare the personality types of athletes versus non-athletes.Are individuals with high self-esteem more competitive than those with low self-esteem? Do those with high self-esteem perform better than those who are lower in self-esteem?Is there a correlation between personality type and the tendency to cheat on exams? Are people low in conscientiousness more likely to cheat? Are extroverts or introverts more liable to cheat?How do personality factors influence a persons use of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter? Are individuals who use social media frequently more or less extroverted?How does Type A behavior influence success in school? Are people who exhibit Type A characteristics more likely to succeed?Is there a connection between a persons personality type and the kind of art they like?Do people tend to choose pets based on their personality types? How do the personalities of dog owners compare to those of cat owners? What to Do Before You Begin Your Research Once you find a suitable research topic, you might be tempted just to dive right in and get started. However, there are a few important steps you need to take first. Most importantly, be sure to run your topic idea past your instructor, particularly if you are planning to conduct an actual experiment with human participants. In most cases, you will need to gain your instructors permission and possibly submit your plan to your schools human subjects committee to gain approval. How to Get Started With Your Research Whether you are doing an experiment, writing a paper, or developing a presentation, background research should always be your next step. Consider what research already exists on the topic. Look into what other researchers have discovered. By spending some time reviewing the existing literature, you will be better able to develop your topic further.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Analysis Of Vincent Van Goghs Starrry Night - 770 Words

The swirling lines and brilliantly contrasting blues and yellows and the thickly layered brushstrokes of Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night are engrained in the minds of many. Starry Night was painted in June of 1889 and was inspired by an image of the French city of Arles at night; van Gogh completed this work outdoors with the help of a gas lamplight. Starry Night is an oil on canvas painting and which depicts the view from the east-facing window of his asylum room at Saint Remy-de-Provence. CITATION Van Gogh brilliantly utilized the elements of art with color, light, tone, form, texture, and composition being the elements that stand out the most. Van Gogh’s use of color in Starry Night, particularly yellow and white, creates spiral†¦show more content†¦Van Gogh has incorporated tone and emotion within this painting. Van Gogh portrayed the windows of the houses in the village so that their warming glow could still be seen even with the dark of night. The twink ling stars fill the sky, showing that there will always be light to guide your way. There is a sense of peace and freedom within this painting. The sky’s wind and force swirled together with a calm look, and the village on land, blending and flowing together, forming a peaceful, yet powerful night scene. Starry Night’s texture is remarkable. Van Gogh use of bold brush stokes and undulating circles and swirls make the image seem to jump off the canvas. The texture in this work of art visually provides the viewer with a sense of motion and vibrancy as the exaggerating glow from the stars are out of their realistic proportion. The actual texture on the canvas, each swirl and swoop of paint is represented by the brushwork itself, creating a visual texture in perfect synchronization with the actual texture of the painting. Van Gogh’s use of heavy brushstrokes cause the painting to appear to have a rough texture. This causes the painting to have a three-dimensional lo ok and creates contrast in the painting with the night sky to be emphasized from the village depicted. Van Gogh’s Starry Night’s form and composition depict a starry evening over the French city of Arles. The painting uses a nighttime scene, with stars, the

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Gun Control Of The United States - 985 Words

Casey Clearie English 090 Dr. Smith December 9 2015 Gun Control Did know that there are approximately 4.5 million firearms sold in the United States each year, and and estimated 2 million second hand firearms are sold each year? According to the IANSA (International Action Network on Small Arms of the United Nations), in the United States there are more than ten thousand gun homicides annually (IANSA). These statistics should shock every American. Gun control is the reason for these gross statistics. The strict laws on guns cases a lot of violent crimes, therefore the laws should be changed so that they are easier to buy, own, and protect oneself. To start it off, the strict laws on gun control leads to violence. According to Flamehorse, the rate of intentional homicide in the UK was 1.12 percent per 100,000 people. In 1997, the second Firearms Act banned high calibre handguns greater than .22 calibre. When the Firearms Act Amendment (No.2) went into effect, the homicide rate had gone up to 1.24 percent in 1997. Then, in 1998 it had risen again to 1.43 percent, and hit a peak in 2002 at 2.1 percent. These homicide rates clearly have gone up since the Firearms Act was instituted, and were much lower when these laws were not around. In the United States, the number of intentional homicides in 2004 was much higher than in the UK, with a quantity of 20,654. Some would argue that stopping people from buying guns would help with the homicide, and crime rates involving guns.Show MoreRelatedGun Control Of The United States1698 Words   |  7 Pagesshootings that has happened throughout the Unites States has created a great divide among Americans on what should our nation do to prevent further shootings from happening. Many people believe that forcing new laws on how people purchase weapons should require background checks. Gun Control in the United States of America is a topic that has had lots of criticism and support by many citizens. The critical people of this topic believe that the guns do not kill people, it is the people that kill peopleRead MoreGun Control And The United States1569 Words   |  7 PagesIn the United States gun control is a big controversy that has been blown out of proportion the last few years. Anything that has to do with guns in the news, reporters say it is the guns fault. Gun control laws are being changed and morphed for the new society that we live in today. What gun control really means is a group of laws to control the selling and use of guns.(1). Statistics have proven that most people want more control on guns. Many surveys have shown that the benefits of gun controlRead MoreGun Control Of The United States Essay1412 Words   |  6 PagesGun Control Proposal Gun control is a highly controversial topic in the United States. There are many people who are for gun control - people who want to have stricter laws to make it so criminals and other dangerous people can’t obtain a firearm. But, there are also the people who disagree with gun control laws and believe there should be a more lenient gun control to help people defend themselves during risky situations. Many gun control laws have been passed for many years. While many have beenRead MoreGun Control And The United States929 Words   |  4 PagesGun control has been a debated, revisited and revised issue for more than a century in the United States. Recently, after several mass shootings in the United States, gun violence issues are; yet again, renewed and in the forefront for the United States. This paper will consist of insight on gun violence in the United States and the newly imposed gun control policies by President Obama; along with, the arguments for and against the new policies and what roles both the formal and informal actorsRead MoreGun Control Of The United States1166 Words   |  5 PagesSince America’s birth, guns have played a large part in it’s society. Citizens of the United States have used firearms to protect the land they love, and their families. They even use them for engaging activities such as hunting and sport. Though firearms may seem to have a commonplace in society, weighing the rights and liberties of citizens against the safety and welfare of the public has always been a delicate process. In the United States, gun control is a of heated issue that has two sides.Read MoreGun Control And The United States988 Words   |  4 PagesGun Control Reassessment in the United States Imagine this: you are in World History class at your high school almost falling asleep learning about Ancient China. It is a normal day for you and your classmates, until you hear an announcement from the principal. You expect the typical lockdown drill, but this situation is far from typical. A man with a gun breaks into your school. BANG! Several of your classmates are killed before this man can be controlled. You survive, but live the rest of yourRead MoreGun Control And The United States1435 Words   |  6 PagesGun Control For gun control, there should be some requirements for the people to take in order to own a gun for themselves. Throughout the United States, gun control should allow people to still have guns; however, the citizens should go through some changes to ensure safety throughout the nation. Gun control has given some helpful ideals before that would help the people understand the responsibilities of their guns. They want to make sure that these laws maintain to progress as a better solutionRead MoreGun Control Of The United States1704 Words   |  7 Pagesshootings that has happened all through the Unites States has made an great divide among Americans on what ought our country do to keep further shootings from happening. Numerous individuals trust that forcing new laws on how people buy weapons should require background verifications. Gun Control in the United States of America is a topic that has had lots of criticism and support by numerous citizens. The critical people of this topic trust that the guns don t murder people, is that people kill peopleRead MoreGun Control in the United States1306 Words   |  6 Pages Gun Control in the United States has gone out of control. The United States should enforce laws to not allow any guns in a house hold in order to reduce violence and crime in the country. Reducing the rate of crime in the United States, controlling big weapons, taxing ammunition, and gun collection can help make this happen. Gun Control can make this country a safer environment to live in. Gun Control has obviously gone out of control in the recent years. Look around, they are everywhere. ReducingRead MoreGun Control Of The United States853 Words   |  4 Pagesbut also criminal sphere. Crime in the United States remains one of the main problems of the country. Every year, 6 million Americans become a victims of crime, murders occur every 24 minutes, rape occur every 5 minutes, robbery occur every 54 seconds. Life becomes dangerous and we need to be able to protect your family by yourself, your business, your property. Therefore so many people thinking about to buys guns and to have guns at home. In addition, the gun is freedom. We live in a free country

A Study On Detailed CAT Syllabus Education Essay Free Essays

The CAT ( Common Admission Test ) aims at proving campaigners on different parametric quantities and subjects. The overall construction of the CAT trial remains same. the trial allows one to take admittance non merely in IIMs but besides other top notch B-schools like MICA and SP Jain. We will write a custom essay sample on A Study On Detailed CAT Syllabus Education Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Verbal Ability and Reasoning: This subdivision of the trial accounts for more than half of the verbal subdivision. It is 50 Markss and comprises ‘verbal ability and concluding ‘ subdivision every bit good as ‘Reading Comprehension ‘ . About 25 to 30 Markss inquiries are on verbal ability while the staying 20 to 35 Markss will be by replying reading comprehension inquiries. The inquiries asked in the verbal subdivision can be categorized in one of the types mentioned below: Vocabulary Based Questions:Questions based on proving vocabulary of campaigners can be simple ‘synonyms-antonyms ‘ types. While on the other manus, inquiries asked in vocabulary can besides be in the signifier of fill in the space with the most suited word. It has appeared as portion of the Markss subdivision in the twelvemonth 2004 and the 2 Markss subdivision in the twelvemonth 2005. However, it is notable that the accent on vocabulary in the trial is worsening each twelvemonth and one is non required to larn the significances of words like ‘pleonasm ‘ etc. to check such inquiries in the trial. Correct Usage of English or Grammar:You will happen inquiries based on the sentence or grammar rectification in different signifiers. In these inquiries, you will be required to happen out the wrong par of the sentence or a portion of the inquiry will be underlined with 4-5 options. You need to do right pick to rectify the mistake in the sentence. To fix for these types of inquiries you need to hold a good apprehension of the BASIC of English grammar. Make equal figure of exercising on the assorted common mistakes which tend to look in the trial. Therefore, you will be able to sail through these types of inquiries in CAT. Verbal Reasoning:Questions in verbal logical thinking can be in different signifiers. However, the most common one is rearranging the jumble words of a paragraph. You might besides be asked to rephrase the paragraph. Besides, you can be provided 3 to 4 sentences and so asked to choose which sentence is fact, which one is an illation or a judgement. In brief you need to work on verbal logical thinking, contextual use, opposite word, fill ups, syllogisms, sentence rectification, acquaintance with common foreign linguistic communication words used in English, parlances, one word permutation. Again, as there is non as such fixed construction of CAT. The form tends to differ every twelvemonth. Reading Comprehension: Reading comprehension subdivision of CAT is typically of 100 Markss. This subdivision includes verbal ability and concluding subdivision, and the reading comprehension subdivision. Verbal ability subdivision carries 40 to 60 Markss inquiries while the reading comprehension subdivision carries 60 to 40 Markss. In the twelvemonth 2005, 15 out of sum of 25v inquiries in the verbal subdivisions were based on comprehension while the figure of 12 out the 25questions in the twelvemonth 2007. Questions based on ‘reading comprehension ‘ are frequently in groups for 4 to 8 inquiries. The length of these reading transition ranges from 250 words to 750 words. Here is a manner to make this subdivision successfully: Read the full transition for one time rapidly so t chapeau you are able to hold on the cardinal thought of the transition. Eradicate reply picks which are certain of non to be right. Make usage of outside cognition. Make usage of interior cognition Phosphorusassage Types in Cat:Passages t hat appear in the trial are fundamentally can be fundamentally from one of the types mentioned below: Social Science Passage:This type of transition is frequently about a societal or historical issue. Science Passage:This type of transition gives information on a scientific phenomenon like air power or home base tectonics. Business Passage:This transition includes a concern related subject like transitions on the denationalization of state-owned industries or the causes of rising prices. Entertainment Passage:This type of transition if of amusement, athleticss or leisure related. The transitions can be on Hollywood or Bollywood famous persons or other outstanding people in assorted Fieldss. Quantitative Skills: This subdivision of Cat which is immensely categorized as Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry purposes to estimate quantitative ability of a campaigner from more than 25 subjects. All of these subjects are of high school degree. Let ‘s see the subjects in different classs in this subdivision: Arithmetical:Number system and figure theory, net income and loss, involvement, velocity, clip and distance, norms, ration and proportion, mixtures and alligations, pipes and cisterns Algebra:Linear and quadratic equation, inequalities, map, substitution and combination, set theory, logarithm, binomial theorem, map, chance, patterned advances Geometry:Geometry, co-ordinate geometry, measurement, trigonometry Data Interpretation: Data reading subdivision in CAT is of 50 Markss since the twelvemonth 2001. Most of the inquiries in this subdivision are of 2, 3 or 4 Markss. Date reading subdivision in CAT frequently carries two types of inquiries: Date Interpretation:In these types of inquiries day of the month is presented in the signifier of a table/pie chart/a graph. On the footing of each presentation, the campaigner is required to reply 4 to 6 inquiries. You need to construe the format and reply the inquiries consequently as per the day of the month given in the tabular array or chart. Date Sufficiency:Every day of the month sufficiency job in CAT comprises inquiries with two statements. Here the point is that you are required to make up one’s mind whether the inquiry can be answered or non on the footing of provided information in the given statements alternatively of chew overing over the reply of he inquiry. General Knowledge: For this, you need to maintain yourself updated with current intelligence and personal businesss around the universe. You need to be informed about: Current personal businesss, outstanding corporate events, punch line of companies Books and their writers ‘ name Important quotation marks Social issues, finance, car, amusement etc. Universe records Renowned awards and awards. Science, history, geographics How to cite A Study On Detailed CAT Syllabus Education Essay, Essay examples

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Semantics

Semantics definition Semantics is a literary field that studies meaning of signs, symbols, words, and phrases and how they are used in linguistics. It is a wide field of study which has two main branches: lexical semantics, which focuses on the meaning of words and their relations when used together, and logical semantics, which is concerned with references, sense, implication and presupposition.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Semantics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Semantic properties refer to the parts of linguistic units that give its elements meaning of words or phrases. The property deals with the other meanings associated with the part, or any ambiguity resulting from the relation of the words in the phrase. Semantics is essential since it determines how language users acquire a sense of meaning for different linguistic elements. It also determines how users understand the change in language over t ime, also referred to as semantic shift, and how languages are utilized in any social context. A group of words or a phrase that has been used to refer to the same object or concept is called a semantic field or a semantic domain, and gives meaning to a word in relation to the other phrases used together with the word. Semantics feature analysis is a teaching technique that uses a grid to determine how a set of objects are related. This technique is the most effective in teaching kids by letting them analyze and complete the grids. This technique also enhances vocabulary and comprehension process in learning and the students are able to learn concepts while making connections. Denotative meaning of a word is the cognitive or reference meaning that describes the central meaning associated with the word and can also change over time. Connotation is the effect the word has on someone which can either be personal or emotional. It is the basis of approved denotation, that is, a popular c onnotation is made a denotation that is standard over a given period of time. The relationship between semantic development and reading and writing skills is centered on the use of words to communicate. Age is a crucial factor that determines the development of reading and writing skills. First, we note that at a young age children first seek to understand before learning to use the words or a language. The word â€Å"Dear† The word â€Å"dear† is a noun whose synonym is â€Å"precious†. The most important semantic property for this word is the rate at which its connotations surpass its denotation. The word means something that is costly or treasured. Some of its connotation meanings are either girlfriend or boyfriend and its use is especially common for people in a relationship.Advertising Looking for coursework on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Vocabulary instruction Vocabulary instruction is a vital teaching technique that teaches students to read and improve their knowledge. It encompasses comprehension, fluency, word study and phonemic awareness. The understanding of how important vocabulary is to the learning process allows students to be knowledgeable about their background and enable them to have better comprehension in and out of class. Common core standard tests have relatively detrimental impacts on vocabulary instruction, such as limited knowledge of English due to the limited exposure time provided to students as a result of studying for examinations and no broad understanding of the extensive impact of one’s vocabulary on their comprehension skills. Tests do not encourage students to explore more outside what they learn in class and worse still standard tests do not really consider the challenges of learners with disabilities. One way of teaching vocabulary directly is by creating a word rich environment using word walls, reading a room, word jars, word books and vocabulary rings. This will enhance the ability of students to learn and retain this knowledge. Games such as boggle, Pictionary and scrabble can also be used to foster independent vocabulary learning due to their easiness to learn and remember yet at the same time they are still fun activities. This coursework on Semantics was written and submitted by user Jaylee Francis to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Bloomingdales Balances Selfies with Beauty Tips in Instagram Contest

Bloomingdales Balances Selfies with Beauty Tips in Instagram Contest The target audience of the #Bloomieselfie instagram contest were fans especially women who had interest in the competition as well as the participants. Women value beauty and this competition was important as it was able to enlighten them on tips to ensure they stay attractive (McCarthy, 2013).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Bloomingdales Balances Selfies with Beauty Tips in Instagram Contest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The #Bloomieselfie instagram contest was looking for fans in general but women were selected because beauty tips are of more value to them as compared to men. The issue that was being addressed by this competition was conducting an informative campaign on beauty tips (McCarthy, 3013). Considering the problem situation, many women are not informed of various beauty tips they can apply. In addition, while the #Bloomieselfie Instagram contest was in progress campaigns had to be run so as to in form the fans of the various entrants and to present an opportunity for them to vote. It was an opportunity for all fans not just women only to appreciate selfies (McCarthy, 2013). The use of social media is very effective as it enables information to reach many people at once. Furthermore it is a very cost effective means of advertising as compared to using advertising agencies or the mass media (McCarthy, 2013). The #Bloomieselfie instagram contest was successful as more awareness about beauty tips and self-confidence was created. This is ascertained by more likes on their Facebook page and an increase of their followers on twitter (McCarthy, 2013). It would be appropriate for more competitions of this nature to be launched so as to help in improving self-esteem and self-confidence of individuals as well as increase the level of public awareness of beauty. Model S Fire The target audience is the prospective car buyers and by extension all individuals. The S car model hit a metal o bject and the battery of the car caught fire. The fire department personnel were called and ascertained that the use of water and dry chemical extinguisher was very effective (Musk, 2013).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This was a safety procedure that is important to all individuals. Prospective car buyers prefer a model that is efficient and capable of adaptation in all instances. Tesla was also targeting those are interested to learn more about the S model and the issue that was being addressed was the resilience of the car in severe conditions (Musk, 2013). The problem situation tackles the severity if a gasoline car hit the metal object on the highway. The issue Tesla was trying to raise concerns the safety of a car even in the event of an accident (Musk, 2013). Tesla’s use of social media is very effective since they are able to market the S2 mod el and in the process educating the public on fire safety procedures. The use of social media enables Tesla to display the tenacity of the battery pack in the S model. The marketing plan is very successful since awareness is created easily and in turn the S model car is also marketed. Furthermore the plan succeeds in educating the public on what causes battery fire (Musk, 2013). The battery packs implemented in cars should be able to withstand extreme conditions just like the S model battery pack. In addition, safety measures should be put in place to make the gasoline car safer so as to ensure safety before any accident occurs. References McCarthy, J. (October 31, 2013). Bloomingdales balances selfies with beauty tips in  Instagram contest. Retrieved from https://www.luxurydaily.com/ Musk, E. (October 4, 2013). Model S Fire. Retrieved from https://www.tesla.com/blog/model-s-fireAdvertising We will write a custom case study sample on Bloomingdales Balances Selfies with Bea uty Tips in Instagram Contest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Monday, March 2, 2020

US Supreme Court Procedures and Decisions

US Supreme Court Procedures and Decisions From the day the U.S. Supreme Court votes to hear a case to the day some nine months when we learn its decision, lots of high-level law happens. What are the daily procedures of the Supreme Court? While the U.S. has a classic dual court system, the Supreme Court stands as the highest and only federal court created by the Constitution. All of the lower federal courts have been created over the years in one of the five â€Å"other† methods of changing the Constitution. Without vacancies, the Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight Associate Justices, all appointed by the President of the United States with the approval of the Senate. The Supreme Courts Term or Calendar The annual term of the Supreme Court runs begins on the first Monday in October and continues until late June or early July. During the term, the Court’s calendar is divided between â€Å"sittings,† during which the Justices hear oral arguments on cases and release decisions and â€Å"recesses,† when the Justices deal with other business before the Court and write their opinions to be attached to the Court’s decisions. The Court typically alternates between sittings and recesses about every two weeks throughout the term. During the brief recess periods, the Justices review the arguments, consider upcoming cases, and work on their opinions. During every week of the term, the Justices also review more than 130 petitions asking the Court to review recent decisions of the state and lower federal courts to determine which, if any, should be granted full Supreme Court review with oral arguments by lawyers. During sittings, public sessions start at 10 a.m. sharp and end at 3 p.m., with a one-hour recess for lunch starting at noon. Public sessions are held on Monday through Wednesday only. On Fridays of weeks during which oral arguments were heard, the Justices discuss the cases and vote on requests or â€Å"petitions for writ of certiorari† to hear new cases. Before hearing oral arguments are made, the Court takes care of some procedural business. On Monday mornings, for example, the Court releases its Order List, a public report of all actions taken by the Court including a list of cases accepted and rejected for future consideration, and a list of lawyers newly approved to argue cases before the Court or â€Å"admitted to the Court Bar.† The much-anticipated decisions and opinions of the Court are announced in public sessions held on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and on third Mondays during May and June. No arguments are heard when the Court sits to announced decisions. While the Court begins its three-month recess in late June, the work of justice continues. During the summer recess, the Justices consider new petitions for Court review, consider and rule on hundreds of motions submitted by lawyers, and prepare for oral arguments scheduled for October. Oral Arguments Before the Supreme Court At precisely 10 a.m. on days the Supreme Court is in session, all present stand as the Marshal of the Court announces the entrance of the justices into the courtroom with the traditional chant: â€Å"The Honorable, the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! All persons having business before the Honorable, the Supreme Court of the United States, are admonished to draw near and give their attention, for the Court is now sitting. God save the United States and this Honorable Court.† â€Å"Oyez† is a Middle English word meaning â€Å"hear ye.† After having submitted countless legal briefs, oral arguments give lawyers representing clients in cases before the Supreme Court a chance to present their cases directly to the justices. While many lawyers dream of arguing a case before the Supreme Court and wait years for a chance to do so, when the time finally comes, they are allowed only 30 minutes to present their case. The half-hour time limit is strictly enforced and answering questions asked by the justices does not extend the time limit. As a result, the lawyers, for whom brevity does not come naturally, work for months to hone their presentations to be concise and to anticipate questions. While oral arguments are open to the public and the press, they are not televised. The Supreme Court has never allowed TV cameras in the courtroom during sessions. However, the Court does make audiotapes of oral arguments and opinions available to the public. Prior to oral arguments, parties interested in, but not directly involved in the case will have submitted â€Å"amicus curiae† or friend-of-the-court briefs supporting their views. Supreme Court Opinions and Decisions Once oral arguments to a case have been completed, the justices retire to closed session to formulate their individual opinions to be attached to the Court’s final decision. These discussions are closed to the public and press and are never recorded. Since the opinions are typically lengthy, heavily footnoted, and require extensive legal research, the justices are assisted in writing them by highly-qualified Supreme Court law clerks. The Types of Supreme Court Opinions There are four main types of Supreme Court opinions: Majority Opinions: Forming the Court’s final decision, the majority opinion represents the opinions of the majority of the justices who heard the case. The majority opinion requires at least five justices unless one or more justices have chosen to recuse themselves (not take part) in the decision. The majority opinion is vital as it sets a legal precedent which must be followed by all future courts hearing similar cases.Concurring Opinions:   Justices may also attach concurring opinions to the Court’s majority opinion. As the name implies, concurring opinions agree with the majority opinion. However, concurring opinions may focus on different points of law or agree with the majority for a totally different reason.Dissenting Opinions: Justices who disagree with the majority typically write dissenting opinions explaining the basis for their vote. Not only do dissenting opinions help to explain the Court’s reasoning in its decision, they are often used in majority opinions in similar future cases. Confusingly, justices will write mixed opinions that agree with parts of the majority opinion but disagree with others. Per Curiam Decisions: In rare cases, the Court will issue a â€Å"per curium† opinion. â€Å"Per Curiam  is a Latin phrase meaning â€Å"by the court.† Per curiam opinions are majority opinions are delivered by the Court as a whole, rather than authored by an individual justice. Should the Supreme Court fail to reach a majority opinion arrive at a tie vote the decisions reached by the lower federal courts or state supreme courts are allowed to remain in effect as if the Supreme Court had never even considered the case. However, the rulings of the lower courts will have no precedent setting value, meaning they will not apply in other states as with majority Supreme Court decisions.

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Questios about graphs Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questios about graphs - Lab Report Example Such is the best solution rather than closing down the company. The number of firms remains steady in neither short-run, whereby no firm can enter nor exit. When the market price exceeds the average variable cost, the revenue generated by the firms will then cover the variable cost and some revenue left over to offset the fixed costs. The quantity supplied by each company will decrease and remain steady to where it can sustain to operate in the conditions. Thus, the quantity supplied in the market may not meet the required demand by the customers since the quantity will neither decrease nor increase till the firms are out of operating at loss (Caimcross 66). Q3. b) Monopoly is a market where production is under the control of a single supply. The marginal revenue is less than the average revenue because when the monopolists wants to sell more, they must reduce the price on each unit; this prevents the competition from happening. Q4. b) Economic profits are driven to zero when the demand curve, as well as the average total cost curves, are tangent to each other. In this case, the prices are equal to average total cost and thus the firms will earn zero economic profits. The quantity of outputs in the monopolistic competition is much smaller than the quantity that minimizes average total cost. But in perfect competition, price is equal to the minimum average total cost thus the companies produce at their efficient scale. The price in monopolistic competition is greater than marginal cost since the firm has the market power unlike in perfect competition where it is equal to marginal cost. Q5. b) Oligopoly is where a few firms exist in the market. The oligopolies face the downward sloping demand curve. In this case, the rival firms cannot follow a price increase by one firm hence demand will be relatively elastic and rises in the price that will lead to a fall in total revenue of the firm. Also, the rivals

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 21

Ethics - Essay Example The construction costs are greatly reduced in this plant. The effects of the same include use of cheaper controls from Lutz and Lutz, a decision not to line the evaporation ponds that would have prevented the leakage of hazardous substances into the groundwater, and a decision not to purchase pipes and connectors of high steel or high pressure alloy materials (Mandel & Martin, 2003). In the long run, the plan was not successful as leakages were experienced in the connections as well as failure to control the system automatically; thus, leading to the plan manager doing manual controls (Mandel & Martin, 2003). Worse still, the plant manager dies whilst manually controlling the plant. This case has various stakeholders that had vested interests in the outcome. First was the Phaust administration that wanted to introduce a product that would see to a tough competition with Chemitoil’s paint remover. Fred Martinez was yet another stakeholder who aimed at getting profits from selling off Chemitoil’s design to favor Phaust Chemical manufacturers (Mandel & Martin, 2003). Chuck, the vice president of Phaust is also a major stakeholder and plays a major role in advising Fred to cut down the construction costs of the new plant in Mexico. The new plant manager who dies during the manufacturing process is also a stakeholder as he agrees to control the manufacturing process manually as opposed to automatic control (Mandel & Martin, 2003). The personality types and communication techniques of the stakeholders clearly explain the motivation behind their decisions. Phaust administration was motivation py greed to maintain the markets as the major manufacturer of the major paint remover, and the need to compete with Chemitoil so as to prevent them from taking over the industry. Fred Martinez was motivated by the need to acquire money from Phaust as

Friday, January 24, 2020

Analysing Nora’s Comment to Mrs. Linde :: A Dolls House Marriage Henrik Ibsen Essays

Analysing Nora’s Comment to Mrs. Linde Nora’s comment to Mrs. Linde that Torvald doesn’t like to see sewing in his home indicates that Torvald likes the idea and the appearance of a beautiful, carefree wife who does not have to work but rather serves as a showpiece. As Nora explains to Mrs. Linde, Torvald likes his home to seem â€Å"happy and welcoming.† Mrs. Linde’s response that Nora too is skilled at making a home look happy because she is â€Å"her father’s daughter† suggests that Nora’s father regarded her in a way similar to Torvald—as a means to giving a home its proper appearance. Torvald’s opinion on his wife’s role in their home is his defining character characteristics. His unrelenting treatment of Nora as a doll indicates that he is unable to develop or grow. As Nora’s understanding of the people and events around her develops, Torvald’s remains stationary. He is the only character who continues to believe in the charade, probably because he is the only main character in the play that does not keep secrets or harbour any hidden complexity. Each of the other characters—Nora, Mrs. Linde, Krogstad, Dr. Rank—has at some point kept secrets, hidden a true love, or plotted for one reason or another. Nora’s use of Torvald’s pet names for her to win his cooperation is an act of manipulation on her part. She knows that calling herself his â€Å"little bird,† his â€Å"squirrel,† and his â€Å"skylark,† and thus conforming to his desired standards will make him more willingly to give in to her wishes. At first, Nora’s interaction with Dr. Rank is correspondingly manipulative. When she flirts with him by showing her stockings, it seems that she hopes to lure Dr. Rank and then persuade him to speak to Torvald about keeping Krogstad on at the bank. Yet after Dr. Rank confesses that he loves her, Nora suddenly shuts down and refuses to ask her favour. She has developed some moral honesty. Despite her desperate need, she realizes that she would be taking advantage of Dr. Rank by capitalizing on his love for her. When Nora explains that Dr. Rank’s poor health owes to his father’s promiscuity, for the second time we come across the idea that moral corruption transfers from parent to child. (In Act One, Torvald argues that young criminals result from a household full of lies.) These statements clarify Nora’s torment and her refusal to interact with her children when she feels like a criminal. They also reveal that both

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Walmart Security Issues

Review our  cookies information  for more details Special report:  Managing information A different game Information is transforming traditional businesses Feb 25th 2010 | from the print edition * * IN 1879 James Ritty, a saloon-keeper in Dayton, Ohio, received a patent for a wooden contraption that he dubbed the â€Å"incorruptible cashier†. With a set of buttons and a loud bell, the device, sold by National Cash Register (NCR), was little more than a simple adding machine. Yet as an early form of managing information flows in American business the cash register had a huge impact.It not only reduced pilferage by alerting the shopkeeper when the till was opened; by recording every transaction, it also provided an instant overview of what was happening in the business. Sales data remain one of a company's most important assets. In 2004 Wal-Mart peered into its mammoth databases and noticed that before a hurricane struck, there was a run on flashlights and batteries, as mi ght be expected; but also on Pop-Tarts, a sugary American breakfast snack. On reflection it is clear that the snack would be a handy thing to eat in a blackout, but the retailer would not have thought to stock up on it before a storm.The company whose system crunched Wal-Mart's numbers was none other than NCR and its data-warehousing unit, Teradata, now an independent firm. A few years ago such technologies, called â€Å"business intelligence†, were available only to the world's biggest companies. But as the price of computing and storage has fallen and the software systems have got better and cheaper, the technology has moved into the mainstream. Companies are collecting more data than ever before. In the past they were kept in different systems that were unable to talk to each other, such as finance, human resources or customer management.Now the systems are being linked, and companies are using data-mining techniques to get a complete picture of their operations—â⠂¬Å"a single version of the truth†, as the industry likes to call it. That allows firms to operate more efficiently, pick out trends and improve their forecasting. In this special report * Data, data everywhere * All too much *  »A different game * Clicking for gold * The open society * Show me * Needle in a haystack * New rules for big data * Handling the cornucopia Sources & acknowledgementsReprints Related topics * China * Nestle * IBM * Royal Shakespeare Company * WalmartConsider Cablecom, a Swiss telecoms operator. It has reduced customer defections from one-fifth of subscribers a year to under 5% by crunching its numbers. Its software spotted that although customer defections peaked in the 13th month, the decision to leave was made much earlier, around the ninth month (as indicated by things like the number of calls to customer support services). So Cablecom offered certain customers special deals seven months into their subscription and reaped the rewards. Agony and t orture Such data-mining has a dubious reputation. â€Å"Torture the data long enough and they will confess to anything,† statisticians quip.But it has become far more effective as more companies have started to use the technology. Best Buy, a retailer, found that 7% of its customers accounted for 43% of its sales, so it reorganised its stores to concentrate on those customers' needs. Airline yield management improved because analytical techniques uncovered the best predictor that a passenger would actually catch a flight he had booked: that he had ordered a vegetarian meal. The IT industry is piling into business intelligence, seeing it as a natural successor of services such as accountancy and computing in the first and second half of the 20th century respectively.Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM and SAP are investing heavily in their consulting practices. Technology vendors such as Oracle, Informatica, TIBCO, SAS and EMC have benefited. IBM believes business intellige nce will be a pillar of its growth as sensors are used to manage things from a city's traffic flow to a patient's blood flow. It has invested $12 billion in the past four years and is opening six analytics centres with 4,000 employees worldwide. Analytics—performing statistical operations for forecasting or uncovering correlations such as between Pop-Tarts and hurricanes—can have a big pay-off.In Britain the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) sifted through seven years of sales data for a marketing campaign that increased regular visitors by 70%. By examining more than 2m transaction records, the RSC discovered a lot more about its best customers: not just income, but things like occupation and family status, which allowed it to target its marketing more precisely. That was of crucial importance, says the RSC's Mary Butlin, because it substantially boosted membership as well as fund-raising revenue. Yet making the most of data is not easy. The first step is to improve the accuracy of the information.Nestle, for example, sells more than 100,000 products in 200 countries, using 550,000 suppliers, but it was not using its huge buying power effectively because its databases were a mess. On examination, it found that of its 9m records of vendors, customers and materials around half were obsolete or duplicated, and of the remainder about one-third were inaccurate or incomplete. The name of a vendor might be abbreviated in one record but spelled out in another, leading to double-counting. Plainer vanilla Over the past ten years Nestle has been overhauling its IT system, using SAP software, and improving the quality of its data.This enabled the firm to become more efficient, says Chris Johnson, who led the initiative. For just one ingredient, vanilla, its American operation was able to reduce the number of specifications and use fewer suppliers, saving $30m a year. Overall, such operational improvements save more than $1 billion annually. Nestle is not alon e in having problems with its database. Most CIOs admit that their data are of poor quality. In a study by IBM half the managers quizzed did not trust the information on which they had to base decisions. Many say that the technology meant to make sense of it often just produces more data.Instead of finding a needle in the haystack, they are making more hay. Still, as analytical techniques become more widespread, business decisions will increasingly be made, or at least corroborated, on the basis of computer algorithms rather than individual hunches. This creates a need for managers who are comfortable with data, but statistics courses in business schools are not popular. Many new business insights come from â€Å"dead data†: stored information about past transactions that are examined to reveal hidden correlations. But now companies are increasingly moving to analysing real-time information flows.Wal-Mart is a good example. The retailer operates 8,400 stores worldwide, has mo re than 2m employees and handles over 200m customer transactions each week. Its revenue last year, around $400 billion, is more than the GDP of many entire countries. The sheer scale of the data is a challenge, admits Rollin Ford, the CIO at Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. â€Å"We keep a healthy paranoia. † Not a sparrow falls Wal-Mart's inventory-management system, called Retail Link, enables suppliers to see the exact number of their products on every shelf of every store at that precise moment.The system shows the rate of sales by the hour, by the day, over the past year and more. Begun in the 1990s, Retail Link gives suppliers a complete overview of when and how their products are selling, and with what other products in the shopping cart. This lets suppliers manage their stocks better. The technology enabled Wal-Mart to change the business model of retailing. In some cases it leaves stock management in the hands of its suppliers and does not take owner ship of the products until the moment they are sold. This allows it to shed inventory risk and reduce its costs.In essence, the shelves in its shops are a highly efficiently managed depot. Another company that capitalises on real-time information flows is Li & Fung, one of the world's biggest supply-chain operators. Founded in Guangzhou in southern China a century ago, it does not own any factories or equipment but orchestrates a network of 12,000 suppliers in 40 countries, sourcing goods for brands ranging from Kate Spade to Walt Disney. Its turnover in 2008 was $14 billion. Li ; Fung used to deal with its clients mostly by phone and fax, with e-mail counting as high technology.But thanks to a new web-services platform, its processes have speeded up. Orders flow through a web portal and bids can be solicited from pre-qualified suppliers. Agents now audit factories in real time with hand-held computers. Clients are able to monitor the details of every stage of an order, from the ini tial production run to shipping. One of the most important technologies has turned out to be videoconferencing. It allows buyers and manufacturers to examine the colour of a material or the stitching on a garment. â€Å"Before, we weren't able to send a 500MB image—we'd post a DVD.Now we can stream it to show vendors in our offices. With real-time images we can make changes quicker,† says Manuel Fernandez, Li ; Fung's chief technology officer. Data flowing through its network soared from 100 gigabytes a day only 18 months ago to 1 terabyte. The information system also allows Li & Fung to look across its operations to identify trends. In southern China, for instance, a shortage of workers and new legislation raised labour costs, so production moved north. â€Å"We saw that before it actually happened,† says Mr Fernandez.The company also got advance warning of the economic crisis, and later the recovery, from retailers' orders before these trends became apparent. Investment analysts use country information provided by Li ; Fung to gain insights into macroeconomic patterns. Now that they are able to process information flows in real time, organisations are collecting more data than ever. One use for such information is to forecast when machines will break down. This hardly ever happens out of the blue: there are usually warning signs such as noise, vibration or heat. Capturing such data enables firms to act before a breakdown.Similarly, the use of â€Å"predictive analytics† on the basis of large data sets may transform health care. Dr Carolyn McGregor of the University of Ontario, working with IBM, conducts research to spot potentially fatal infections in premature babies. The system monitors subtle changes in seven streams of real-time data, such as respiration, heart rate and blood pressure. The electrocardiogram alone generates 1,000 readings per second. This kind of information is turned out by all medical equipment, but it used t o be recorded on paper and examined perhaps once an hour.By feeding the data into a computer, Dr McGregor has been able to detect the onset of an infection before obvious symptoms emerge. â€Å"You can't see it with the naked eye, but a computer can,† she says. Open sesame Two technology trends are helping to fuel these new uses of data: cloud computing and open-source software. Cloud computing—in which the internet is used as a platform to collect, store and process data—allows businesses to lease computing power as and when they need it, rather than having to buy expensive equipment.Amazon, Google and Microsoft are the most prominent firms to make their massive computing infrastructure available to clients. As more corporate functions, such as human resources or sales, are managed over a network, companies can see patterns across the whole of the business and share their information more easily. A free programming language called R lets companies examine and p resent big data sets, and free software called Hadoop now allows ordinary PCs to analyse huge quantities of data that previously required a supercomputer. It does this by parcelling out the tasks to numerous computers at once. This saves time and money.For example, the  New York Times  a few years ago used cloud computing and Hadoop to convert over 400,000 scanned images from its archives, from 1851 to 1922. By harnessing the power of hundreds of computers, it was able to do the job in 36 hours. Visa, a credit-card company, in a recent trial with Hadoop crunched two years of test records, or 73 billion transactions, amounting to 36 terabytes of data. The processing time fell from one month with traditional methods to a mere 13 minutes. It is a striking successor of Ritty's incorruptible cashier for a data-driven age. from the print edition | Special report Recommend 140 * * * Submit to reddit * inShare2 * View all comments (4) Related items TOPIC:  China  Ã‚ » * Recommended economics writing: Link exchange * Trade: Mexico rising * The Economist: Digital highlights, November 24th 2012 TOPIC:  Nestle  Ã‚ » * Consumer goods in Africa: A continent goes shopping * Schumpeter: Pretty profitable parrots * Nestle buys Pfizer Nutrition: Feeding little emperors TOPIC:  IBM  Ã‚ » * Schumpeter: Taking the long view * IBM's mainframes: Old dog, new tricks * Phase-change memory: Altered states TOPIC:  Royal Shakespeare Company  Ã‚ » * William Shakespeare: A digital reinvention Culture: Going for gold * Green architecture: The retrofit revolution More related topics: * Walmart Want more? Subscribe to  The Economist  and get the week's most relevant news and analysis. * Print edition X Feb 27th 2010 Feb 20th 2010 Feb 13th 2010 Feb 6th 2010 * Next in The world this week X Politics this week * Next in The world this week X Business this week * Next in The world this week X KAL's cartoon * Next in Leaders X Technology The data deluge Businesses, governmen ts and society are only starting to tap its vast potential * Next in Leaders X Argentina and the Falklands The beef in Buenos AiresThe Kirchners could have more oil if they stopped bullying Argentine business * Next in Leaders X Japan's frustrating politics Nagasaki fallout Japan’s prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, should jettison his Svengali, Ichiro Ozawa * Next in Leaders X India Ending the red terror It is time India got serious about the Maoist insurgency in its eastern states * Next in Leaders X Genetically modified food Attack of the really quite likeable tomatoes The success of genetically modified crops provides opportunities to win over their critics * Next in Letters X Letters On Spain, al-Qaeda, Yemen, torture, Britain, juries, stereotypes, Benjamin Disraeli Next in Briefing X Argentina under the Kirchners Socialism for foes, capitalism for friends While some private businesses in Argentina have faced harassment or even nationalisation, others†¦ * Next in Brief ing X The first family's businesses Welcome to the Hotel Kirchner Such a lovely little earner * Next in United States X Health reform Seizing the reins, at long last After leaving Congress in charge for too long, Barack Obama unveils his own plan * Next in United States X Mitt Romney and the Republicans Fired up, ready to go Mitt Romney takes centre-stage * Next in United States X The administration's economistsGrading the dismal scientists How good is the Council of Economic Advisers? * Next in United States X The economy Back to the crash The American economy has just had its worst decade since the 1930s * Next in United States X Arkansas politics Democrats beware A spirited scramble for suddenly open Democratic seats * Next in United States X Schools and testing The finger of suspicion Is too much weight given to testing? * Next in United States X California's prison-guards' union Fading are the peacemakers One of California’s most powerful political forces may have peaked * Next in United States X America's childrenProtecting the weakest The recession may hurt America’s vulnerable children * Next in United States X Lexington Is Barack Obama tough enough? Conservatives call him too weak to be a warrior. Tell that to the Taliban * Next in The Americas X Corruption in Brazil The money trail Many corruption scandals stem from the high cost of politics, and unrealistically tight†¦ * Next in The Americas X Presidential ambitions in Peru Political satire Jaime Bayly’s breath of fresh air * Next in The Americas X Latin American summitry In ever-closer union, divided we stand * Next in The Americas X Canada's Mohawks Get out of our canoeWhen a Canadian is not a Canadian * Next in Asia X Tackling Japan's bureaucracy Floundering in the foggy fortress The DPJ is finding that it needs to befriend its bureaucrats, as well as bash them * Next in Asia X India's Naxalite insurgency Not a dinner party India’s Maoist guerrillas carry out two slaughters, then offer a truce * Next in Asia X Western aims in Afghanistan Played for fools Hamid Karzai’s shenanigans make the going even harder for NATO * Next in Asia X Migrant workers in Thailand Inhospitality Life gets harder for Thailand’s guest-workers * Next in Asia X China's National People's CongressDemocracy in action Making sure that China’s supreme legislative body is toothless * Next in Asia X Animal welfare in China Off the menu The right to eat cats and dogs is under threat * Next in Asia X Banyan The mother of all dictatorships To understand North Korea, look not to Confucius or the Soviet Union, but to fascist 1930s Japan * Next in Asia X Clarification: Maratha * Next in Middle East and Africa X Israel's controversial intelligence service Does Mossad really make Israel safer? In the wake of the assassination of a Hamas leader in Dubai, presumably by Mossad, the agency’s†¦ * Next in Middle East and AfricaX Israeli spies in Lebanon N ot such a success A round-up of Israeli spies * Next in Middle East and Africa X Senegal's politics Statuesque or grotesque? An outsize statue symbolises the defects of the president and his family * Next in Middle East and Africa X South Africa's economy Steady as she goes A budget that gives little to the left * Next in Middle East and Africa X Somalia's civil war Jihadists on the march The strongest Islamist militia is now formally linked to al-Qaeda * Next in Middle East and Africa X Niger's coup It seems popular, so far The African Union tut-tuts but the people appear to welcome a coup Next in Middle East and Africa X Nigeria's president A sudden return There’s still a vacuum * Next in Middle East and Africa X Correction: Najib Balala * Next in Europe X Ukraine's new president Yanukovich's mixed blessing A triumphant Viktor Yanukovich is inaugurated in Kiev, but his political problems have only just†¦ * Next in Europe X Germany's fractious government Westerwelle's w oes A liberal at odds with some of his coalition partners * Next in Europe X Latvia and Greece Baltic thaw, Aegean freeze Latvia’s economic free fall has halted, and it may now do better than Greece * Next in Europe X Turkey's coup plottersLies and whispers More arrests stoke the battle between the army and the government * Next in Europe X The Dutch government falls Wild things The far right promises to do disturbingly well on June 9th * Next in Europe X France's Socialist Party Fresh troubles A scandal in the south-west shows up the metropolitan party’s weaknesses * Next in Europe X Charlemagne Europe's bear problem The trouble with the European Union’s attempts to woo Russia * Next in Britain X Britain’s prime minister Hero, villain or victim of the global age? Gordon Brown’s pitch for a fourth Labour term—and his critique of the Tories Next in Britain X The Conservatives' mini-malaise Tory blues The opposition is failing to capitalise on the government’s troubles * Next in Britain X Media and the law Publish, perish, protest Bad news for dodgy journalism—and for libel tourists * Next in Britain X Pensions and tax If it says ARF, then it's a dog Pensions rules get complex again * Next in Britain X Assisted suicide The latest chapter New rules on helping those who wish to end their lives but are unable to do so * Next in Britain X Construction jitters Survival tactics Building firms are struggling to emerge from the recession * Next in BritainX Bagehot All too human How much does a prime minister's character matter? * Next in Britain X Internship * Next in International X Sanctions on Iran And the price of nuclear power? America is rallying its friends to concentrate minds in the Islamic Republic * Next in International X A poll on trust What's good for General Motors A new pattern in opinions about bureaucrats, business and charity * Next in Special report X Data, data everywhere Information has gone f rom scarce to superabundant. That brings huge new benefits, says Kenneth†¦ * Next in Special report X All too much Monstrous amounts of data Next in Special report X Clicking for gold How internet companies profit from data on the web * Next in Special report X The open society Governments are letting in the light * Next in Special report X Show me New ways of visualising data * Next in Special report X Needle in a haystack The uses of information about information * Next in Special report X New rules for big data Regulators are having to rethink their brief * Next in Special report X Handling the cornucopia The best way to deal with all that information is to use machines. But they need watching * Next in Business X Recruitment firms Joining the queueThe recession has accelerated big changes for firms that help people find jobs * Next in Business X The spread of GM crops Taking root The developing world embraces a controversial technology * Next in Business X The boom in print ing on demand Just press print New technology promises to prolong the life of the book * Next in Business X Hype about fuel cells Flower power A clean-tech start-up generates lots of excitement and a little electricity * Next in Business X A boardroom row at Repsol Adding fuel A policy shift in Spain heralds more upheaval at its biggest oil firm * Next in Business X Toyota's overstretched supply chainThe machine that ran too hot The woes of the world’s biggest carmaker are a warning for rivals * Next in Business X Schumpeter The emperor's clothes Like other bosses, media moguls are recovering their poise. But that's no reason to start making†¦ * Next in Briefing X Reviving Royal Bank of Scotland Scots on the rocks What really went wrong at RBS? And how can it be put right? * Next in Finance and economics X The balance of economic power East or famine Asia’s economic weight in the world has risen, but by less than commonly assumed * Next in Finance and economics X Emerging-market sovereign debt Risk redefinedThe new problem with Asian sovereign debt—scarcity * Next in Finance and economics X Secondary buy-outs Circular logic Private-equity companies look to each other to solve their problems * Next in Finance and economics X Interest-rate risk Surf's up Banks’ next big problem appears on the horizon * Next in Finance and economics X Buttonwood The very long view For investors, much depends on when you put your money in * Next in Finance and economics X Chinese banks Hole sale Capital calls by Chinese financial institutions elicit questions * Next in Finance and economics X Short-selling rules Shackling the scapegoatsAmerican regulators approve long-awaited restrictions on short-selling * Next in Finance and economics X Economics focus Low definition Trustbusters want to put less emphasis on market definition when assessing mergers * Next in Finance and economics X Correction: Financial risk * Next in Science and technology X Cli mate and combustion Fired up This year’s meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science looked at, among†¦ * Next in Science and technology X How siestas help memory Sleepy heads Researchers say an afternoon nap prepares the brain to learn * Next in Science and technology XLooking for ET Signs of life As the search for alien life turns 50, its practitioners find new methods * Next in Science and technology X Nuclear forensics A weighty matter How to analyse smuggled uranium * Next in Books and arts X China's roads A voyage of discovery A reporter who explored China’s bigger and lesser roads and found treasure * Next in Books and arts X How East Timor became Timor-Leste A country's agonising birth An authoritative account of Timor-Leste's birth * Next in Books and arts X New York low life Bottoms up Essays on New York by St Clair McKelway, taken from the New Yorker * Next in Books and artsX University education in America Professionalising the p rofessor The difficulties of an American doctoral student * Next in Books and arts X A biography of Arthur Koestler Intellectual fireworks A serial fornicator with a powerful, paradoxical intellect * Next in Books and arts X A Japanese silversmith Making waves Pounding flat pieces of silver into beautiful vessels * Next in Books and arts X Old men of the theatre The two Peters A couple of productions that make a compelling case against ageism * Next in Obituary X Alexander Haig Alexander Meigs Haig, soldier and public servant, died on February 20th, aged 85 Next in Economic and financial indicators X Overview * Next in Economic and financial indicators X Output, prices and jobs * Next in Economic and financial indicators X The Economist commodity-price index * Next in Economic and financial indicators X FDIC-insured â€Å"problem† institutions * Next in Economic and financial indicators X Trade, exchange rates, budget balances and interest rates * Next in Economic and financi al indicators X Markets * Next in Economic and financial indicators X Wall Street bonuses * Print edition X Feb 27th 2010 Mar 6th 2010 Mar 13th 2010 Mar 20th 2010 From the print edition  Feb 27th 2010 Comment (4) * Print * E-mail * Reprints ; permissions * Most popular * Recommended * Commented Recommended * 1Mexico and the United StatesThe rise of Mexico * 2International: The lottery of life * 3Atheists and Islam: No God, not even Allah * 4European economy guide: Polarised prospects * 5Egypt: Going up in flames Commented * 1Atheists and IslamNo God, not even Allah * 2France and the euro: The time-bomb at the heart of Europe * 3Secession and elections: Let’s stay together * 4Higher education: Not what it used to be * 5Economist debate: Opening Latest blog posts  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ All times are GMTChristmas countdown: The 2012 Daily chart Advent calendar Graphic detail  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Dec 1st, 06:54 Environmental policy: Trent Lott outs himself as the owner of a titchy,†¦ Lexingto n's notebook  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Dec 1st, 03:45 Mexico's new cabinet: Out with the old, in with the†¦ old Americas view  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Dec 1st, 03:06 Recommended economics writing: Link exchange Free exchange  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Nov 30th, 22:11 The Securities and Exchange Commission: Merger talks Schumpeter  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Nov 30th, 21:50 Defending Grover Norquist: Nice try, John Democracy in America  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Nov 30th, 20:45 Czech politics: The Czech Republic's first presidential debate Eastern approaches  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Nov 30th, 20:23More from our blogs  » Products & events Stay informed today and every day Get e-mail newsletters Subscribe to  The Economist's  free e-mail newsletters and alerts. 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By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Review our  cookies information  for more details Special report:  Managing information A different game Information is transforming traditional businesses Feb 25th 2010 | from the print edition * * IN 1879 James Ritty, a saloon-keeper in Dayton, Ohio, received a patent for a wooden contraption that he dubbed the â€Å"incorruptible cashier†. With a set of buttons and a loud bell, the device, sold by National Cash Register (NCR), was little more than a simple adding machine. Yet as an early form of managing information flows in American business the cash register had a huge impact.It not only reduced pilferage by alerting the shopkeeper when the till was opened; by recording every transaction, it also provided an instant overview of what was happening in the business. Sales data remain one of a company's most important assets. In 2004 Wal-Mart peered into its mammoth databases and noticed that before a hurricane struck, there was a run on flashlights and batteries, as might be expected; but also on Pop-Tarts, a sugary American breakfast snack. On reflection it is clear that the snack would be a handy thing to eat in a blackout, but the retailer would not have thought to stock up on it before a storm.The company whose system crunched Wal-Mart's numbers was none other than NCR and its data-warehousing unit, Teradata, now an independent firm. A few years ago such technologies, called â€Å"business intelligence†, were available only to the world's biggest companies. But as the price of computing and storage has fallen and the software systems have got better and cheaper, the technology has moved into the mainstream. Companies are collecting more data than ever before. In the past they were kept in different systems that were unable to talk to each other, such as finance, human resources or customer management.Now the systems are being linked, and companies are using data-mining techniques to get a complete picture of their operations—â€Å"a single version of the truth†, as the industry likes to call it. That allows firms to operate more efficiently, pick out trends and improve their forecast ing. In this special report * Data, data everywhere * All too much *  »A different game * Clicking for gold * The open society * Show me * Needle in a haystack * New rules for big data * Handling the cornucopia Sources & acknowledgementsReprints Related topics * China * Nestle * IBM * Royal Shakespeare Company * WalmartConsider Cablecom, a Swiss telecoms operator. It has reduced customer defections from one-fifth of subscribers a year to under 5% by crunching its numbers. Its software spotted that although customer defections peaked in the 13th month, the decision to leave was made much earlier, around the ninth month (as indicated by things like the number of calls to customer support services). So Cablecom offered certain customers special deals seven months into their subscription and reaped the rewards. Agony and torture Such data-mining has a dubious reputation. â€Å"Torture the data long enough and they will confess to anything,† statisticians quip.But it has become far more effective as more companies have started to use the technology. Best Buy, a retailer, found that 7% of its customers accounted for 43% of its sales, so it reorganised its stores to concentrate on those customers' needs. Airline yield management improved because analytical techniques uncovered the best predictor that a passenger would actually catch a flight he had booked: that he had ordered a vegetarian meal. The IT industry is piling into business intelligence, seeing it as a natural successor of services such as accountancy and computing in the first and second half of the 20th century respectively.Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM and SAP are investing heavily in their consulting practices. Technology vendors such as Oracle, Informatica, TIBCO, SAS and EMC have benefited. IBM believes business intelligence will be a pillar of its growth as sensors are used to manage things from a city's traffic flow to a patient's blood flow. It has invested $12 billion in the past four years and is opening six analytics centres with 4,000 employees worldwide. Analytics—performing statistical operations for forecasting or uncovering correlations such as between Pop-Tarts and hurricanes—can have a big pay-off.In Britain the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) sifted through seven years of sales data for a marketing campaign that increased regular visitors by 70%. By examining more than 2m transaction records, the RSC discovered a lot more about its best customers: not just income, but things like occupation and family status, which allowed it to target its marketing more precisely. That was of crucial importance, says the RSC's Mary Butlin, because it substantially boosted membership as well as fund-raising revenue. Yet making the most of data is not easy. The first step is to improve the accuracy of the information.Nestle, for example, sells more than 100,000 products in 200 countries, using 550,000 suppliers, but it was not using its huge buying po wer effectively because its databases were a mess. On examination, it found that of its 9m records of vendors, customers and materials around half were obsolete or duplicated, and of the remainder about one-third were inaccurate or incomplete. The name of a vendor might be abbreviated in one record but spelled out in another, leading to double-counting. Plainer vanilla Over the past ten years Nestle has been overhauling its IT system, using SAP software, and improving the quality of its data.This enabled the firm to become more efficient, says Chris Johnson, who led the initiative. For just one ingredient, vanilla, its American operation was able to reduce the number of specifications and use fewer suppliers, saving $30m a year. Overall, such operational improvements save more than $1 billion annually. Nestle is not alone in having problems with its database. Most CIOs admit that their data are of poor quality. In a study by IBM half the managers quizzed did not trust the informatio n on which they had to base decisions. Many say that the technology meant to make sense of it often just produces more data.Instead of finding a needle in the haystack, they are making more hay. Still, as analytical techniques become more widespread, business decisions will increasingly be made, or at least corroborated, on the basis of computer algorithms rather than individual hunches. This creates a need for managers who are comfortable with data, but statistics courses in business schools are not popular. Many new business insights come from â€Å"dead data†: stored information about past transactions that are examined to reveal hidden correlations. But now companies are increasingly moving to analysing real-time information flows.Wal-Mart is a good example. The retailer operates 8,400 stores worldwide, has more than 2m employees and handles over 200m customer transactions each week. Its revenue last year, around $400 billion, is more than the GDP of many entire countries . The sheer scale of the data is a challenge, admits Rollin Ford, the CIO at Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. â€Å"We keep a healthy paranoia. † Not a sparrow falls Wal-Mart's inventory-management system, called Retail Link, enables suppliers to see the exact number of their products on every shelf of every store at that precise moment.The system shows the rate of sales by the hour, by the day, over the past year and more. Begun in the 1990s, Retail Link gives suppliers a complete overview of when and how their products are selling, and with what other products in the shopping cart. This lets suppliers manage their stocks better. The technology enabled Wal-Mart to change the business model of retailing. In some cases it leaves stock management in the hands of its suppliers and does not take ownership of the products until the moment they are sold. This allows it to shed inventory risk and reduce its costs.In essence, the shelves in its shops are a highly eff iciently managed depot. Another company that capitalises on real-time information flows is Li & Fung, one of the world's biggest supply-chain operators. Founded in Guangzhou in southern China a century ago, it does not own any factories or equipment but orchestrates a network of 12,000 suppliers in 40 countries, sourcing goods for brands ranging from Kate Spade to Walt Disney. Its turnover in 2008 was $14 billion. Li ; Fung used to deal with its clients mostly by phone and fax, with e-mail counting as high technology.But thanks to a new web-services platform, its processes have speeded up. Orders flow through a web portal and bids can be solicited from pre-qualified suppliers. Agents now audit factories in real time with hand-held computers. Clients are able to monitor the details of every stage of an order, from the initial production run to shipping. One of the most important technologies has turned out to be videoconferencing. It allows buyers and manufacturers to examine the col our of a material or the stitching on a garment. â€Å"Before, we weren't able to send a 500MB image—we'd post a DVD.Now we can stream it to show vendors in our offices. With real-time images we can make changes quicker,† says Manuel Fernandez, Li ; Fung's chief technology officer. Data flowing through its network soared from 100 gigabytes a day only 18 months ago to 1 terabyte. The information system also allows Li & Fung to look across its operations to identify trends. In southern China, for instance, a shortage of workers and new legislation raised labour costs, so production moved north. â€Å"We saw that before it actually happened,† says Mr Fernandez.The company also got advance warning of the economic crisis, and later the recovery, from retailers' orders before these trends became apparent. Investment analysts use country information provided by Li ; Fung to gain insights into macroeconomic patterns. Now that they are able to process information flows i n real time, organisations are collecting more data than ever. One use for such information is to forecast when machines will break down. This hardly ever happens out of the blue: there are usually warning signs such as noise, vibration or heat. Capturing such data enables firms to act before a breakdown.Similarly, the use of â€Å"predictive analytics† on the basis of large data sets may transform health care. Dr Carolyn McGregor of the University of Ontario, working with IBM, conducts research to spot potentially fatal infections in premature babies. The system monitors subtle changes in seven streams of real-time data, such as respiration, heart rate and blood pressure. The electrocardiogram alone generates 1,000 readings per second. This kind of information is turned out by all medical equipment, but it used to be recorded on paper and examined perhaps once an hour.By feeding the data into a computer, Dr McGregor has been able to detect the onset of an infection before ob vious symptoms emerge. â€Å"You can't see it with the naked eye, but a computer can,† she says. Open sesame Two technology trends are helping to fuel these new uses of data: cloud computing and open-source software. Cloud computing—in which the internet is used as a platform to collect, store and process data—allows businesses to lease computing power as and when they need it, rather than having to buy expensive equipment.Amazon, Google and Microsoft are the most prominent firms to make their massive computing infrastructure available to clients. As more corporate functions, such as human resources or sales, are managed over a network, companies can see patterns across the whole of the business and share their information more easily. A free programming language called R lets companies examine and present big data sets, and free software called Hadoop now allows ordinary PCs to analyse huge quantities of data that previously required a supercomputer. It does th is by parcelling out the tasks to numerous computers at once.This saves time and money. For example, the  New York Times  a few years ago used cloud computing and Hadoop to convert over 400,000 scanned images from its archives, from 1851 to 1922. By harnessing the power of hundreds of computers, it was able to do the job in 36 hours. Visa, a credit-card company, in a recent trial with Hadoop crunched two years of test records, or 73 billion transactions, amounting to 36 terabytes of data. The processing time fell from one month with traditional methods to a mere 13 minutes. It is a striking successor of Ritty's incorruptible cashier for a data-driven age. rom the print edition | Special report * Recommend 140 * * * Submit to reddit * inShare2 * View all comments (4) Related items TOPIC:  China  Ã‚ » * Recommended economics writing: Link exchange * Trade: Mexico rising * The Economist: Digital highlights, November 24th 2012 TOPIC:  Nestle  Ã‚ » * Consumer goods in Africa: A continent goes shopping * Schumpeter: Pretty profitable parrots * Nestle buys Pfizer Nutrition: Feeding little emperors TOPIC:  IBM  Ã‚ » * Schumpeter: Taking the long view * IBM's mainframes: Old dog, new tricks * Phase-change memory: Altered states TOPIC:  Royal Shakespeare Company  Ã‚ » William Shakespeare: A digital reinvention * Culture: Going for gold * Green architecture: The retrofit revolution More related topics: * Walmart Want more? Subscribe to  The Economist  and get the week's most relevant news and analysis. * Print edition X Feb 27th 2010 Feb 20th 2010 Feb 13th 2010 Feb 6th 2010 * Next in The world this week X Politics this week * Next in The world this week X Business this week * Next in The world this week X KAL's cartoon * Next in Leaders X Technology The data deluge Businesses, governments and society are only starting to tap its vast potential * Next in LeadersX Argentina and the Falklands The beef in Buenos Aires The Kirchners could have more oil if they stopped bullying Argentine business * Next in Leaders X Japan's frustrating politics Nagasaki fallout Japan’s prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, should jettison his Svengali, Ichiro Ozawa * Next in Leaders X India Ending the red terror It is time India got serious about the Maoist insurgency in its eastern states * Next in Leaders X Genetically modified food Attack of the really quite likeable tomatoes The success of genetically modified crops provides opportunities to win over their critics Next in Letters X Letters On Spain, al-Qaeda, Yemen, torture, Britain, juries, stereotypes, Benjamin Disraeli * Next in Briefing X Argentina under the Kirchners Socialism for foes, capitalism for friends While some private businesses in Argentina have faced harassment or even nationalisation, others†¦ * Next in Briefing X The first family's businesses Welcome to the Hotel Kirchner Such a lovely little earner * Next in United States X Health reform Seizing the reins, at long las t After leaving Congress in charge for too long, Barack Obama unveils his own plan * Next in United StatesX Mitt Romney and the Republicans Fired up, ready to go Mitt Romney takes centre-stage * Next in United States X The administration's economists Grading the dismal scientists How good is the Council of Economic Advisers? * Next in United States X The economy Back to the crash The American economy has just had its worst decade since the 1930s * Next in United States X Arkansas politics Democrats beware A spirited scramble for suddenly open Democratic seats * Next in United States X Schools and testing The finger of suspicion Is too much weight given to testing? * Next in United States XCalifornia's prison-guards' union Fading are the peacemakers One of California’s most powerful political forces may have peaked * Next in United States X America's children Protecting the weakest The recession may hurt America’s vulnerable children * Next in United States X Lexington Is Barack Obama tough enough? Conservatives call him too weak to be a warrior. Tell that to the Taliban * Next in The Americas X Corruption in Brazil The money trail Many corruption scandals stem from the high cost of politics, and unrealistically tight†¦ * Next in The Americas X Presidential ambitions in PeruPolitical satire Jaime Bayly’s breath of fresh air * Next in The Americas X Latin American summitry In ever-closer union, divided we stand * Next in The Americas X Canada's Mohawks Get out of our canoe When a Canadian is not a Canadian * Next in Asia X Tackling Japan's bureaucracy Floundering in the foggy fortress The DPJ is finding that it needs to befriend its bureaucrats, as well as bash them * Next in Asia X India's Naxalite insurgency Not a dinner party India’s Maoist guerrillas carry out two slaughters, then offer a truce * Next in Asia X Western aims in AfghanistanPlayed for fools Hamid Karzai’s shenanigans make the going even harder for NATO * Next in Asia X Migrant workers in Thailand Inhospitality Life gets harder for Thailand’s guest-workers * Next in Asia X China's National People's Congress Democracy in action Making sure that China’s supreme legislative body is toothless * Next in Asia X Animal welfare in China Off the menu The right to eat cats and dogs is under threat * Next in Asia X Banyan The mother of all dictatorships To understand North Korea, look not to Confucius or the Soviet Union, but to fascist 1930s Japan * Next in Asia X