Simple Moving Average for a Product Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Simple Moving Average for a Product - Term Paper Example The strategy of the product is mainly based on the product name, store, product store id, sales, promotion, date, three weekly and corresponding four weekly. Moreover, selection of product is based on the long time duration. The forecasting accuracy of the technique relies on the valuable information of the product classes. Step 1 entails observing the 3 and 4 weekly sales volume of the products and make the decision on whether to subject the pattern to the pattern of seasonal alteration or selected necessary historical data2. Step 2: smooth the sales trend with a moving average by 3 weeks and taking the average and 4 weeks. Moreover, the moving average is performed to get the precise centered moving average of the week 3 and 4. Step 3 entails dividing the sales by the CMA in order to attain the ratio that reflects the seasonal influence factor. For instance, the annual ratios of 8a product for 3 weeks are 7.66 and 4 week is 6.0. Product 8b had the forecasting accuracy of 13.67 and 15.5 while that of 8c1 is 4.67 and 3.5 correspondingly. Moreover, product 8d1 had a prediction accuracy of 20.33 and 22.5 while 8e1 was 4.667 and 5.75 respectively. Â  

Segregation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Segregation - Essay Example Despite variety of theoretical models suggested by US scholars to explain the ongoing discrimination in various fields of social life (Massey & Denton 1993; Borjas 1998), the key question still remains unanswered: why several decades of intensive legal and social efforts did so little in terms of eliminating such negative phenomenon as discrimination of minorities Although legal status of minorities is an essential factor in fighting discrimination and segregation, there are likely other equally important factors involved. Main Discussion The efforts to cope with the problem of minorities' segregation and discrimination undertaken during the last five decades largely failed. The seeming success of affirmative action when in 1970 - 1980's the number of students who belonged to racial or national minorities significantly increased, was achieved by reverse discrimination of the white majority: cases of Bakke and Webber (Ball, 2000) in 1970's made this fact evident to the public. Eventually, the surveys of public opinion demonstrated the controversy caused by lack of understanding of the affirmative policy in the nation. A recent survey performed by CNN in 1995 discovered that 80 percent of the respondents felt "affirmative action programs for minorities and women should be continued at some level" (RCPO, 1995). However, at the same time any possibility of reverse discrimination, which in fact had been the main feature of affirmative action programs since 1964, was opposed by 63 percent of participants (RCPO, 1995a). Affirmative action programs in education seem to cause more damage than positive effects. Laws passed to protect minorities from discrimination often led to reverse discrimination instead of... One of the most known accounts of the relationship between prejudice and negative stereotype was suggested by Milton Rokeach, who established a strong link between prejudice and the perception of intergroup differences.Therefore, affiliation with a certain group is an essential aspect of any individual's life. However, an individual affiliated with a certain group starts to distinguish between his/her group and people who belong to other groups which result in the development of two concepts: in-group and out-group. In-group is defined as "†¦ a group to which a person belongs and which forms a part of his or her social identity" while out-group is "any group to which a person does not belong". The major difference between the individual's perception of in-group and out-group members is the following: members of in-groups possess overwhelmingly good personal qualities, while out-group members are perceived with a certain share of negativism. This unique psychological mechanism is likely to be an important contributor to the ongoing discrimination and segregation in the US. This mechanism provides a valid explanation for the phenomenon of ‘voluntary segregation': segregation and racial isolation which results from voluntary choices of the minority representatives in housing, education, etc. The set of negative stereotypes which developed over the centuries when the white majority and the minorities lived on the same territory is an equally important factor in the ongoing discrimination.

Government by the People Essay Example for Free

Government by the People Essay The population growth has caused concern for many Americans because of the terms of numbers and poverty that comes with this growth. There is a pattern showing of wealth transferring from poorer nations to the richer nations of the globe and the information technology revolution is speeding this cycle up. With population growth reaching new heights new concerns for increasing urban growth has emerged. Planning for transportation, environment protection, or management of water and other resources are needed. Unregulated markets forces will hurt individuals and â€Å"politics as usual† will not mandate viable growth patterns or protect the air, water and natural beauty of our country. Planning and growth depends on public support and market forces. In order for plans to be effective they must show he same interests and values of major groups within the community. Even with the fear of the government, something that is generally accepted hampers a lot of effective planning. But it is clear that for any planning to work there must a consensus between â€Å"planners, community leaders, and the popularly elected officials who must bear the responsibility for implementing the plans† (Magleby, O’Brien, Light, Peltason Cronin, 2006, p. 649). This planning for our country, communities and societies along with its citizens has given the United States the status of world power. But controversy has erupted from the resent war with Iraq that questions our authority. I’ve heard many individual claims that America is expanding its empire, rather than fighting for freedom. Our rise to a world power has come because of our industry, colleges and universities, multiple government institutions, military strengths. This along with our innovations in science, technology and medicine catapulted us into our status. Development of such things as television and jet airliners gave America the edge it needed to jump to the top of the ladder. They have also helped to spread our ideologies of democracy and westernization. It has created globalization and keeps it going. Our commerce and business growth has only helped with this globalization. Companies, such as IBM and General Motors have given the national government firm grounds in business. Our national government promotes â€Å"a prosperous economy through its monetary and fiscal policies† (Magleby, O’Brien, Light, Peltason, Cronin, 2006, p. 437). The Department of Commerce has been at the center of the government’s efforts to promote economic growth and encourage businesses to do research and new development. These companies are at the heart of this economic growth plan. But more recently new development has been needed to keep these companies afloat as technology and innovation continues to climb new heights. Turning outdated companies into the companies of the future. The introduction of the electronic superhighway mandates companies to use e-commerce and if they can’t they might get left behind. The internet has given us a faster way for just about everything. It has even influenced society, culture and lifestyles. The Progressive Era began in United States during the mid 1890’s and continued through World War I. It was a time when individuals were beginning to have concerns with the state of society. It also brought about a belief in human compassion and how new innovations along with scientific investigation could somehow show what the problem was with ways of solving the problems. This reformation shows even in today’s time. Our social construct has great bearing on our national government. Take for example the debate on same-sex marriages. Our government has made laws that pertain to this issue, but some in society believe government has gone too far. But the core issue at stake, that I believe, has something to do with insurance. I don’t believe that our national government is trying to establish social norms, but rather maintain certain expectations of commerce and business. Reference: Magleby, D. B. , O’Brien, D. , Light, P. , Peltason, J. W. , Cronin, T. E. (2006). Government by the People: National, State, and Local 21st. Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Authenticity For Investigating The Theory Of Musical Cultures Media Essay

Authenticity For Investigating The Theory Of Musical Cultures Media Essay For years authenticity has been an intriguing issue for journalists and academics investigating the theory of musical cultures. The early investigations concerned the comparison between the integral, honest and authentic folk music deriving from traditional culture against artificial, manufactured and inauthentic products of mass mediated and marketed business (Gardner, 2005). Alongside the popularisation of mass culture and the industries behind it, music fans developed the perception on traditional music, reflecting lives, practices and folklore of people by means that pop music was not. In order to differentiate themselves from the masses, people started to look for authenticity in music as identification with their culture, experiences, feelings and views (Moore, 2002). Also the ways in which the textual content has been delivered, as well as the means of instrumental expression were significantly related to the culture of music listeners (Wiseman-Trowse, 2008). With the technological progress new instruments (for example synthesisers) were introduced by the increasing number of music performers, who at first were rejected as inauthentic, not associated with traditional artists craft. However, technology soon started to form new musical cultures, effectively mixing with the existing, long-established ones (Moore, 2002). Not only the instruments were subject to technical changes; the ways of documentation of artists performances also transformed over the years, supporting better quality recordings as well as more advanced and precise techniques of producing and editing recorded music (Persson, 2006). The use of digital music production has become more popular in recent years, allowing fixes and changes to the recorded performance. This study shall examine the relationship between authenticity of an artists craft and digital music production techniques. Background of the problem Many artists, even those who derive from the cultures they claim to represent, tend to work on improving their studio recordings to the point of even mechanical perfection. This can be the pitch excellence of every note played or sung, as well as beats and bars precision. Also the musical arrangements offer broader opportunities that can be acquired much easier than by traditional means, for example with digital synthesiser imitating the sound of violin or brass (Wiseman-Trowse, 2008). Such an attitude stands in opposition to the traditional meaning of craft as a profession based on particular set of skills. Thus, by denying the conventions of honesty, truth and genuineness, being authentic as an artist can be rejected by some of the fans. By identifying the correlation between such operations and perception on the artists craft in terms of its authenticity, another field in the music culture theory shall be acknowledged. In other words, understanding how the creation of recordings influence authenticity will update the subject data by one of the most recent issues. Statement of the problem By increasing ease of access to digital sound recording and editing tools, a number of music fans become more aware of how music is being made. This has influence on perceiving artists authenticity, especially referring to their craft, which can lead to interpreting them as well as producers as inauthentic manufacturers of music, whose main factor is no longer self-expression, but commercial success only. Statement of purpose The value terms of authenticity, honesty, integrity and realness are probably the most loaded (Moore, 2002). In an effort to identify possible correlations between those related to an artists craft and digital studio production techniques, the study will examine the perception on recorded music and how contemporary technologies can change it. In doing so, the study will uncover the key determinants of such changes. Rationale Digital recording and editing of music is relatively new subject. Therefore, the availability of academic articles on its impact on authenticity of an artists skills is very limited. Most of the bibliographic sources pertinent to the concept of authenticity, dating back to the late 1960s, investigate the subject area from different angles (Wiseman-Trowse, 2008). Although the majority of research has been conducted since the early 1990s, which is the time when Digital Audio Workstations were gaining popularity, very little of the studies focused on the relationship between authenticity and digital studio production techniques. A number of studies investigated authenticity as an ideological notion motivated culturally and industrially, included mostly in lyrics, interviews and artists image itself (Wiseman-Trowse, 2008). Drawing from the fields of history and music cultures evolvement, several studies looked at areas such as development of folk music, which primarily celebrated provincial culture, as well as rock genre, originally belonging to the entertainment music domain (Moore, 2002). Even more recent research does not cover the music production angle of the problem, only mentioning it occasionally in different sources. This study is guided by the rationale of exploring these determinants. Aims and objectives of the study The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between modern music production techniques and the craft of an artist. As influenced by the aim of the study, the primary objective of this dissertation is to examine and analyse the impact that digital retuning, elastic audio and general fixing of recorded sound and the impact of these changes on authenticity of an artists profession. In this context the main objectives of the research study could be stated as: To identify the correlation between contemporary music production techniques and the craft of an artist To evaluate the influence that digital changes, made to the recorded sound, have on authenticity of the artists profession Research question Is applying any digital changes or fixes to recorded sound influence authenticity of an artists craft? Definitions of terms The following definitions are supplied to guarantee a common understanding of the primary terms used in this study. Mass culture is the whole of the culture shared by all, except for infrequent individuals who still appreciate the traditional high culture, which stands to the opposite to the term. It is argued that the mass, meaning the people, enthusiastically accepts whatever manipulative elites provide it with (DiMaggio, 2004). Craft is any object or output that is the development of practical and aesthetic skills and of the vision through the formation and creation of personal work, sold for profit (Houghton, 2005). Although it must have high degree of hand-made input, it does not have to consist of traditional materials or ways of production. The design of craft may be culturally set in the geographical place of creation (McAuley and Fillis, 2005). Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is a digitally based platform that is designed mainly for recording and editing sound. It replaces the traditional tape-based recording techniques, which were complex and time consuming, with fast, precise and convenient digital ones, providing wider choice of tools to process recorded sound (Dye, 2008). Research method The study was both desk-based and ethnographic. Books and articles on authenticity and different angles of defining the concept, as well as on modern audio production techniques were reviewed. In addition, primary data on perceiving authenticity by artists, producers and fans of music was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The study also examined transformations in interpreting authenticity of an artists skill in relation to changes applied to the sound. Assumptions and limitations This study was affected by several assumptions and limitations. First, it used a multiple choice survey, which means that the respondents were not entirely free to specify their views on the questions. This could imply some of the answers not to be accurately representative in terms of the respondents point of view, but only closely related to it. The second limitation of this study is the sample size, which was small and limited to the High Wycombe based population and online respondents only. In fact, there is no indication that the sample in this study is representative of the broader population. The third limitation of this research is the fact that the collection of data took place at particular period of time. Thus, there is no guarantee that the received responses would be indicative of responses requested and given at other time. There is also a possibility that other issues, remaining outside of the researchers control (time of day, recent conflicts, setting, or tiredness of the respondents) might influence the answers (Laurel, 2003). Description of thesis organisation The research consists of five chapters. The first one shapes the area of interest and delineates the examined problem. The research questions are introduced, the studys limitations are characterised and the selected methodology is generally and briefly discussed. The second chapter reviews literature on authenticity and modern music production techniques, particularly relating to those basing on digital sound changing. The third chapter discusses the studys methodology, the strategies used for collection of primary and secondary data, as well as concludes with a rationalization of the defined selections, recognising some inherent boundaries. The fourth chapter presents the studys discoveries as updated by the primary and secondary data collection and answers the research questions described in the first chapter. Responses to the research questions evaluated in the first chapter and an investigation on the accuracy of the research assumptions are presented in the findings. The fifth chapter concluded the research and defines the studys recommendations. Conclusion As described in this chapter, the studys subject shall be the relationship between digitally based music production techniques and authenticity of an artists craft. The next chapter presents the literature reviewed for this study. CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 2.1 Introduction This chapter reviews the literature on authenticity and contemporary music production techniques. Although there is a wealth of literature on the subject of authenticity, very few focuses on the process of the formation of recorded music, while none exploits the correlation between an artists craft authenticity and modern audio production. Instead, and as will be seen throughout this review, the majority of studies consider the socio-cultural aspect of perceiving artists authenticity by fans and theorists of music, as well as the historical one. 2.2 Authenticity in the history of popular music The early theorists of popular music warned against the expanding mass consuming culture that offered artificial art, considered to be inauthentic. For example, Walter Benjamin stated his predictions concerning the world of art and music as uniformed by mass production and with no perspectives for any heterogeneity (1935). Before the growth of the culture oriented industry, musical styles and practices were less influenced by what is considered entertaining and instead they were developing independently, aiming for pure expression of the art. Then, the rise of the business, led to the standardisation of popular culture, which was influenced by its modernisation and industrialisation (Adorno, 1991). In other words, the industry started to apply fixed formulas to the music, considering them to make it more entertaining and therefore more likely to be consumed by more people. Such an approach from the industrys side, led the fans to start missing more honest and integral cultural expressions, and thus, to seek for more genuine, traditional alternative. This was often found in folk music, as by the specifications of it, folk has been developed traditionally as an expression of peoples lives and experiences in different manner than popular culture (Gardner, 2005). Because people were searching for identity and integrity, that would distinguish themselves from the masses, the industry started to adopt different genres, marketing them as more soulful and real options (Sloop and Herman, 1998). It was not only the industry standards that influenced perceiving music as inauthentic. Together with the technological development, people started using amplified electric guitars or electronic instruments, such as synthesisers, which led to a division of music listeners (Moore, 2002). This was quickly adopted by the industry, which appeared to separate music clubs between traditional and contemporary ones. The situation was as serious as the traditionally oriented venues tended to refuse to accept a performer who used modern technology as part of the performance (Boyes, 1993). 2.3 What is authenticity Although the concept of authenticity is explained differently in variety of sources, most of them present similar view that the definition if very subjective. Allan Moore for example, presents a set of value terms that are identified with authenticity: real, honest, truthful, with integrity, actual, genuine, essential and sincere (2002). Also Gilbert and Pearson specify the requirements of authentic rock of the 1980s, wherein the fundamental role of artists was to represent the culture from which they come, speaking the truth of their situations and using particular type of instrumentation (1999). In other words, these theorists claim that authenticity is not any fixed combination of musical sounds or set of lyrical content, but it refers to the artist or the whole of their performance as a matter of interpretation, which should be made from cultural and therefore historical position (Rubidge, 1996). Thus, it is not the integral part of a performance, but something that can be assign ed to one, meaning that the choice whether it is authentic or not, depends on who the one is. Moore considers the rock discourse to be the one frequently referring to authenticity in the textual and musical spheres. He argued that it is the style of writing and performing that made the audience decide of its authenticity, and that it particularly referred to the singer (2002). What also should be noted is the attributes of an artists intimacy and immediacy, that indicate authenticity, meaning that one should uncover their feelings and experiences in unmediated shape and with the purity of sound production (Moore, 2002). Grossberg goes further by stating that the difference between the authentic and the inauthentic lies within the purpose that an artist has in the musical expression. Whether it is the art itself, the public or the income driven by this, defines the authentic as the opposite of commercial (1992). Thus, in order to classify the integrate, the performers realism and lack of pretence have to be examined (Moore, 2002). 2.3.1 First person authenticity The fundamental form of authenticity that was introduced by Charles Taylor (1997) as an expression that can be outlined in an initiatory instance, which Moore later describes as immediacy of expression (2002). This concept has also been reviewed by Bohlman, who identifies the authentic as the constant demonstration of the stylistic genesis, which means the purity of practice (1988). In other words, he presents his idea of an authentic artist as the one whose musical style remains loyal to the origins of the genre. On the other hand, Grossberg (1992) indicates the honesty of experience as the main determinant of authenticity, meaning the lyrical content of the song expressing real experiences of an artist. Both Bohlmans and Grossbergs views are supported by Redhead, who claims that real instruments (referring to the purity of practice) should go along real feelings; the artistic transparency and loyalty to the roots of music in conjunction with a genuine message (1990). Walser argues that even technological mediation, for example use of signal modifiers or amplification, is synonymous to pretence, pointing at artificiality and thus inauthenticity of an act (1993). Such an approach is related to Taylors authenticity of positionality, which describes the authenticity of musicians who reject to get influenced by the commercial music, for example by implementing the style of Western musicians by non-Western ones (1997). Wiseman-Trowse underlines another aspect of the immediate performance, which is the stage one, where an artist has actual opportunity to engage the audience, as opposed to the recorded performance (2008). On stage it is possible for a listener to compare both recorded and live ones, as well as for an artist to convert the listeners perception on authenticity of the performance. On this basis one can decide whether it is the genuine artistic skill that is present on a recording, or rather a result of the work of a skilful producer (Auslander, 1999). As Moore underlines the concept of the first person authenticity, all of the above understandings of the term are connected by the direction towards they lead. This entails the perception on authenticity that is implemented by the personal interpretation made by an entity being a part of the audience (2002). In other words, the first person authenticity occurs when a performer is received by an individual as an integral one who expresses their art in an unmediated way. 2.3.2 Third person authenticity Fornà ¤s distinguishes three types of authenticity: social, subjective and meta ones. They differ with regard to the act of judgement: first is made by a particular community, second depends on the individual, while the last one is evidenced by the consideration of the performer or the author of lyrics (1995). Although meta-authenticity is described as an act of validation made by the author, this side of the subject is also present in the other two types. According to Grossberg, the authentic performer needs to express their own feelings, which are simultaneously shared with the public (1992). This type of authenticity is pictured by adopting the original blues music style, deriving from the economically poor Mississippi delta, to the 1960s movement represented by artists like Cream. The band used to play a cover song of Robert Johnson, Crossroads. Even though Cream did not grow neither over the Mississippi area, nor in the 1930s, they found themselves identifying with the song (Coleman, 1994). This allowed them to express themselves through reproducing Johnsons art and remaining authentic (at least in their own opinion). The third person authenticity is supported by Vaughan Williams, who claims that the artist can never create from the state of entire independence, without any influence of earlier musical acts. Thus, the musician needs predecessors in order to base the artistic experience on them (1987). Thus, the third person authenticity occurs if a performing artist successfully represents the ideas, experiences and feelings of another. 2.3.3 Second person authenticity Grossberg specifies another type of authenticity that, as opposed to the first and third person ones, is being justified by the artists capability to successfully express the experiences of the listeners (1992). Thus, it is the audience that recognises the authentic by basing on their own feelings and thoughts that are presented by an artist. Moore exemplifies this approach by mentioning the 1980s rock scene, which was dominated by synthesisers. The dedication to traditional rock was therefore exposed by the focus on the guitar based instrumentation used by the bands like U2, Big Country, Simple Minds, The Alarm or Bruce Springsteen, who derive from socially disadvantaged areas. By using the guitar, that was easily reachable, they tried to metaphorically escape from their reality (2002). This means, that it is culturally constructed process of artists authentication made by the audience that seeks for the validation of their own experiences in art. 2.3.4 Authenticity as a renewable resource Richard Peterson (1997) introduced the concept of authenticity as a renewable resource, claiming that it is renovated with every era and expansion of popular music with its production. He states that the shifting conditions are reflected by the meaning of authenticity, which is defined by a collective argumentation of fans, performers and producers. It is argued that authenticity is not inseparable in the recording, or a performance, which intend to be authentic by design. In popular culture, the particulars of the words meaning are not controlled by specialists and authorities; it aims to be credible qualified to a explicit model and simultaneously remain original. In other words, it has to fit within fixed framework, not being an imitation of it at the same time. Thus, what is authentic, varies continuously renewing all the time and never remaining static. However, Robert Gardner (2005) disagrees with the generalisation of authenticity as renewable resource. He points out that even the genre on which Peterson has based his research, should not be considered authentic in the contemporary state of it, having been deprived of its integral roots, which displays for example on ABCs Monday Night Football, which uses Hank Williams Jrs theme song. 2.4 Digital audio Todays recording systems, like Pro Tools, Cuebase or Logic, are using the digital way of sound capturing. It is then saved as samples, which are small bits that recorded sound consists of. Frank D. Cook describes sound samples as analogical to pixels in digitally saved images (2009). In order to understand digital audio, it is important to present what sound essentially is. When a human ear hears a sound, it in fact experiences variations of the air pressure around it. These are result of vibrations of objects, that are moving in cycles. If the object is vibrating at a frequency that falls within the range of human hearing, we perceive it as a sound (Cook, 2009, p 21). The actual character of the sound depends on the waveform, frequency and the vibrations amplitude. 2.4.1 Waveform The waveform is the very thing that creates the humans perception on the shape of the sound. This means that one can find out what is the source of the sound, as every object vibrates differently, giving the waveform the distinctive nature and tone (Cook, 2009). 2.4.2 Frequency Human hearing has the range of approximately 20 and 20000 cycles (the whole back-and-forth vibrations) per second, measured in Hertz (Hz). This determines the pitch of the sound, where lower frequencies generate lower sounds; while higher frequencies produce higher pitches (Cook, 2009). For example, the frequency of 130 Hz is assigned to the musical note C3, whereas the semitone lower B2 names the frequency of 123 Hz. 2.4.3 Amplitude The loudness perceived by the human ear depends on the pressure or intensity of the sound variations and is measured in decibels (dB). Thus, the sound becomes louder as the amplitude of vibrations increases. For example, the loudness of a regular conversation is 60 dB. In order to double the loudness, the amplitude would have to be increased to 70 dB (Cook, 2009). 2.5 Modern studio production techniques Dan Daley suggests that listening to the recorded vocals on the radio nowadays brings to mind the increasing popularity of guitar effects in the 1970s, when fuzz, distortion, flanging and wah-wah processors overwhelmed traditional sounding guitars (2003). As it was argued then, whether the non-purist approach is inauthentic or rather an artistic expression of modernity, it is arguable if changing recorded vocals or instruments digitally can be perceived as genuine representation of art (Daley, 2003). The turning point of pitch correction technique came along Chers single Believe in 1998, on which digital vocal processing has been not only used, but made very noticeable. Since then, the number of artists using these features is continuously increasing, as well as there are more and more ways of using them, even to the point of intentional distortion of recorded sound (Daley, 2003). 2.5.1 Pitch correction The pitch correction feature, available by both DAW plug-ins as well as standalone programs allows automatic or manual change of recorded sounds pitch. The most common use of pitch correction is fixing a vocal performance; if a singer sings a false note, the digital technology allows the producer to fix it quickly, without another take. There are two ways of correcting pitch. Automatic mode usually lets the user to choose a musical scale according to which both flat and sharp notes should be corrected. Manual mode provides a graph of the notes that allows the producer to change the pitch of separate sounds manually, by moving the graphical representation of them up and down (Bartlett and Bartlett, 2009). 2.5.2 Elastic audio Huber and Runstein point out another feature that provided by digital technology. Elastic audio allows the change of the timing of recorded sound (2009), for example fixing a guitarists performance, who might have recorded a solo slower than the actual song and then speed it up. This tool does not only generate a change of a tracks speed, but also each sound can be stretched or shrunk separately and manually by the producer (Huber and Runstein, 2009). Such a tool can repair a poor performance that is out of time and make it sound technically perfect. 2.6 Contemporary production techniques and authenticity An American singer and songwriter, Neko Case, expressed her views on auto-tune in the interview for Pitchfork. She claims that singing is not important anymore, as instead bad singing is fixed by the producer (2006). Case also argues that an artist who uses shift correction on vocals cannot be taken seriously, losing all the integrity. Moreover, the singer clearly points out that an artists craft needs more work and thus, those who do not spend this extra hour in the studio trying to hit the note are not valid (Case, 2006). Allison Moore, a singer from Nashville, goes one step further in her proclaiming about using modern production tools on records. She put a sticker on the front cover of her LP release, Miss Fortune, which states Absolutely no vocal tuning or pitch-correction was used in the making of this record (2002). She is a keen supporter of the view that albums should be recorded and mixed in the old way, that is becoming progressively rare (Daley, 2003). On the other hand, the guitarist of The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, Jack White argues that pop artists, like Britney Spears can be more authentic than Tom Waits or Bob Dylan (2009). His rationale for such a controversial opinion was that he finds more authentic an artist whose musical expression is made the way they best know and feel. In other words, White points out that in the modern music world somebody who has grown listening mainly to pop (thus commercial, manufactured and by definition inauthentic) music, knows it as their primary way of articulating feelings and experiences and therefore is not pretentious, which leads to perceiving them as authentic (2009). Some genres can be more focused on the authentic side of studio recording. An example of such an approach is Pearl Jam, representing grunge music. The bands drummer, Matt Cameron called their album Riot Act is an anti-Pro Tools record: Its more interesting hearing musicians in a room playing hard, with the tempo fluctuating slightly as the band heats up. Perfection is boring (2009). He pointed out a significant thing about the modern technology by recalling one of the most popular DAWs as a synonym of commercial and unreal music. Josh Binder argues that the features of pitch/timing of a recorded track does not have to be used only as a tool for fixing a bad performance. This young producer, who has been learning his profession in the world that has already accepted the existence of digital retuning, claims that he uses Auto-Tune (one of the leading digital tools used for pitch correction) to enrich the vocal sound of even a perfectly sung track (2009). An engineer, Michael Brauer, applies no limitations in terms of using available technologies to make a good-sounding record. He states that he is employed for the purpose of helping to make songs that can be sold, regardless of the artists abilities (2009). Nevertheless, he still believes that one needs talent to be an artist and if they cannot sing or play at all, no technology can help them (2009). 2.7 Conclusion The subject of authenticity alone has generated vast amount of theoretical angles of consideration. This has been motivated by the very nature of it, assuming that perception of what is honest, genuine or integral depends on the actual perceiver. Moreover, three basic ways of interpreting the authentic have been specified, which determined further research direction. Furthermore, the digital music production techniques have been described, clarifying how recorded sound can be changed or fixed by contemporary recording and mixing tools. The chapter also presented different perceptions on the relationship between digital production techniques and authenticity of an artists craft. Chapter III describes the methodology used for this study. A review of the studys purpose and investigated questions was presented. This is followed by an outline of the research design and the survey instrument used for it, along with the procedures for data collection and analysis. CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction This chapter reflects the studys selected research methodology. As will be seen, the methodology is the subject of the purpose of this study and is supported by the evaluation of the most beneficial approach responding to the research questions. As such, this chapter presents the purpose of the study, the research questions and hypothesis, as well as discusses the data collection and data analysis procedures and the limitations of the research. 3.1 Purpose of the study The purpose of this study is to examine the concept of authenticity with specific focus on its perception as influenced by applying digital studio production techniques. The reason for doing so is determining what impact changing the recorded sound has on authenticity of an artists craft. To fulfil this purpose, it was significant to review literature on authenticity, as well as on contemporary music production techniques. This necessitated an exploration of the nature of perceiving authenticity by music fans, producers (record manufacturers), as well as artists themselves. At the same time it was important to explore the ways in which recorded sound, being the performance can be edited, fixed and generally changed. All of this was done in order to fulfil the primary purpose of the study, which was the identification of the influence modern production practices can have on authenticity of an artists skill. As it can be presumed from the above, the current research has an explanatory purpose. According to Silverman, the aim for explanatory research is needed to define an occurrence or make a complex subject comprehensible (2006). This can be done by clarifying the correlations between variables. The purpose of the study aims to explain th

Drowning in a Glass Half Empty Essay -- Personal Narrative Hiking Essa

Drowning in a Glass Half Empty Wearily walking into the lobby of my residence hall, a group of my classmates gathered to embark on a pilgrimage through Poly Canyon. We meandered over to our rendezvous with our professor on a gravel road sided by a grove of eucalyptus trees rising up like a rib cage. I doubted that this was going to be anything like what Henry David Thoreau intended in his essay â€Å"Walking,† when he described walking as being â€Å"absolutely free from all worldly engagements.† If one frees oneself from worldly engagements, one may journey into mindfulness, a state of total awareness of being. We had a guide, we were a class, and we brought with us society. I carried a backpack with pen and paper, a sweatshirt, and cynicism heavier than the fog we drudged through. Campus housing structures disappeared behind us, and we were on a road winding around hills. I observed sprinklers watering dead grass, telephone wires cutting through trees, and a dumpster full of waste, worsened by a car passing through our ensemble. We had a ways to go before we could get away from civilization. My pessimism deepened as I listened to my classmates chatter in awe about deer on the hillside and heard our professor mention a toxic waste controversy. One deer stood majestically atop the hill, its dark, shadowy outline nearly transparent in the dense fog, while two others eyed us with less interest than we eyed them. I had seen more deer on a public golf course the day before. One of my classmates began her narrative aloud, adding to the worldly engagements I wished to remove myself from. Moving on, I passed under a stone arch onto a trail where I sat and wrote down my thoughts; drawing ... ...each, looking out to sea. Birds chirped, cows mooed, cameras clicked, and an oddly calming and reassuring white noise of car traffic were all audible. I was alone. In the end, my cynicism is fog. I couldn’t have enjoyed the walk as much as I did without overcoming my negativity; moreover, I couldn’t have appreciated the beauty of the fog without walking above it, to look upon it in its entirety. I sauntered, walking towards a holy land. I gained mindfulness through looking at the bowl of milk that was Poly Canyon submerged in fog, focusing on every breath and each step upon ancient rock, feeling the dew from bunch grass cool the pokes of yucca bush, and traveling to a new place in body and spirit. I undertook a pilgrimage despite fighting it the best I could. Walking gradually beat my cynicism, as the morning sun slowly withered away the fog.

Learning Disability Case Study Essay -- Psychological Assessment

A psychological assessment is a fundamental aspect in measuring intellectual disabilities (Drew & Hardman, 2007). Information provided from partaking in an assessment includes severity of the disability and an understanding of the individual’s limitations as a result of the disability (Drew & Hardman, 2007). Knowledge of these elements, as explained by Drew and Hardman, aid in determining the necessary supports required by the individual to help them cope with the disability. It is important that the assessment measures both cognitive and adaptive aspects of an individual’s functioning because, â€Å"Mental retardation is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviour as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills† (Drew & Hardman, 2007, p. 19). Once an assessment of these areas has been completed an individual may be identified as having an intellectual disability. Information discovered by the assessment may lead parents to feel a sense of relief knowing the reason behind their child’s struggles (Lerner & Johns, 2012). With an identification the information collected from the assessment helps professionals provide better care and support to the child and their family (Drew & Hardman, 2007). Identification also leads to increased legal rights of a child for special education and access to essential supports and services (Lerner & Johns, 2012). Unfortunately, the results for an assessment may not be completely accurate, nor fully capture the child’s true performance capabilities (Drew & Hardman, 2007). Also, a diagnosis entails a label and Lerner and Johns (2012), explain that such labels can harmful for children. This diagnostic la... ...are or after their death. This planning will ensure that the child will be prepared for a life without parents to fall back on for support. Works Cited Drew, C., & Hardman, M. (2007). Intellectual Disabilities Across the Lifespan (9th ed). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson. Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., McIntyre, L. J., & Mykota, D. (2010). Exceptional learners: An Introduction to special education. Canadian Edition. Toronto, ON: Pearson Education. Harwell, J., & William Jackson, R. (2008). The Complete Learning Disabilities Handbook: Ready-to-Use Strategies & Activities for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass. Lerner, J. W, & Johns, B. H. (2012). Learning disabilities and related mild disabilities: teaching strategies and new directions (12th ed.). USA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Organisational Development Essay

Training and development is an important part of knowledge management in any given organization. For the training of staff to be effective the right instructional design model must be used. Instructional system design is a model of training, which utilizes a systematic approach to training with an aim of achieving competence through utilisation of resources available. It must be noted that in any given organization money is always a constraint and when it comes to employee training the best training model must be adapted. Instructional system design is favored over many other models in that it links training to organizational goals and as a result, it is cost effective. The workplace is increasingly becoming a place where business organizations can nurture, improve and encourage the potential and capabilities of employees. One of the most common ways in which organizations nurture these talents is by introduction of training programs which aim at preparing employees to better meet the challenges of today’s workplace. However, unless training programs are carefully constructed, such programs are unlikely to meet the demands of the market as well as individual needs of the employees and the needs of the organization. This paper discusses the important considerations worthy considering while designing training programs. Background information BBC as a company has it core values as; to inform, to educate, as well as to entertain. The vision of BBC, which entails being the most creative as well as trusted organization in the world. It is in line with the vision that a training and development strategy has been put in place. To be creative, it takes well trained staff, men and women who can forecast and remain focused in their duties. However, as (Tjepkema, 2002. 100- 130) notes, for management to perform their duties satisfactorily, they should posses the capability and means. Tjepkema, (2002. 90-94) notes that it is not the talent of employees that is important, it is how employees are helped to bring out as well as discover their talents that matters. Training and development should be geared towards making employees realize their full potential. The much experience BBC has on journalism is a positive for BBC and should be used to put the organization on a class of its own. The fact that training and development as it exists in BBC aims at offering practical education in the journalism industry is worthy mentioning. All training at BBC focuses on knowledge and skills imparting. BBC training and development has been using generally for the purpose of training operational staff. Training is also tailored to meet the ever changing needs at BBC. BBC has embraced the need for computer based programs something which is always at the centre of all training needs. There been efforts geared to meeting the fast changing needs in terms of infrastructure which can cope with today’s broadcasting practices and technology. Research and facts collection is a good step in catering for training needs and that’s evident even from the way BBC chooses its sound training facilities from electronic devices to desks. BBC ensures that all its courses lay emphasis on learning styles and flexibility. While designing the training program, it is important to bear in mind the fact that, the programs lead to the acquisition of new knowledge, change in knowledge especially in cases whereby the nature of the training is based on new skills necessary for the production functions which may require the use of new machines or different technology which the employees do not possess (Nilson, 2003. 34-35). Justification Training and learning is very relevant to today’s organizations. It helps organizations deal with talent development in the organization. As Tjepkema, et al (2002. 100- 120) notes the employees are an organization’s best asset and should be fully developed so that every single employee gives out his or her best. This is made possible by thoroughly training and employee development programs. Journalism is a fast changing business in terms of the high needs for customer satisfaction, competition as well as keeping in line with the ever-changing needs for entertainment, education as well as information. The above is challenging and any organization worthy its salt must prepare its employees for the challenge. In preparing and designing training and development practices BBC is taking the right direction. Learning in the work place has its special challenges and any good programs must factor in factors such as change in the organization and requires a combination of values, cultures and a considerable budget (Tjepkema, et al,2002. 105- 110). According to CIPD survey (2006) different organizations attach variety of importance to talent development but a big percentage (67%) believe that it leads to development of individuals who posses high potential. The report further notes that training is crucial for preparation of individuals who would take management roles in future. This is very much in line with BBC training goals which aim at developing staff into individuals who can carry out duties and responsibilities leading to customer satisfaction. In house training has been noted as the most effective method of training and development in the CIPD report of 2006. In most cases, the training targets specific groups in an organization, depending on the specific needs of every category of workers such as top company executives, middle level managers, professionals and the bottom level employees. All the above categories have very varied training needs and therefore the training programs must take into consideration such factors as; what each category of employees need. For instance, in an engineering firm, the top management may consist of administrators who are not necessarily engineering professionals, the chief executive officer who again may not be a professional as well as some managers such as the production and quality assurance managers, all of whom have different training needs. Therefore, the design of the training program must take care of each category’s special needs. The program should be designed in such a way as to match the roles and responsibilities of each employee and ensure that the training material, activities and content meet the needs, which exist for the given positions. The training should also be designed in a way in which it will take care for the employee’s past knowledge and skills. BBC has adopted in- house training strategy which is supported by yet another training and development expert (Tjepkema, et al, 2002. 100- 130) as an effective training method. However the adoption of external secondment as is evident in the BBC strategy has been criticized for being an ineffective method of training and development and it is an area where BBC should look into and perhaps change more effective practices such as coaching. The fact that BBC has identified as important, talent management is a step worthy praising. Talent management as practiced by BBC is responsible for the success of the organization as well as its position of a market leader in world’s journalism, a status which the organization enjoys as a result of being keen at staff training and development. The methods of learning are very important in the design of the training program and they should take into consideration that, employees are adults and there are some effective instructional methods, which are of preference to them. The learning process should include reinforcement of positive behaviour so as to make the learning process an effective one. In an engineering firm, most staff would need accretion, and fine-tuning of already learnt procedures (Nilson, 2003. 102). A good training program must be detailed enough to meet the goals and objectives of the organization with clear specifications of the purpose, goals and objectives of the training program. For instance, training at the bottom level of the organization is aimed at transferring new skills. This is because new technologies keep on coming especially in this age of information technology. Therefore employees need to update themselves in using the technology and especially in regard to applying the technology to speed-up production. Any effective training program must have specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound objectives in which a clear definition of the goals is given (Nilson, 2003). The employees’ needs are determined in the context of the nature of work. It is also very important for the management to define the goals of the training program in order to make sure that; the training program is aligned to the organizational values. The content of the training program as well as the learner activity, which is central to the communication of the course content, is very necessary and should be determined prior to the onset of the course. The success of a training program is not entirely dependent on organization and the content of training, but rather, on the execution and subsequent follow up after the training. This is where evaluation of the success of the training program comes in. It is imperative that management gets a feedback for the training from the participants who are usually the employees. In line with the best training and development practice BBC has invested in coaching activities and that is something to be encouraged. According to Stewart and Tansley, (2001. 18- 40) coaching activity has become one of the most favored training methods by employees due to its practicability as well as the fact that organisations can expect to see results in a short time. In addition, instructional system design is easy to apply and does not require a lot of expertise something, which means that organizations can rely on their in-house trainers to carry on training programmes within the organization. Therefore, instructional system design creates an enabling environment for continuous training which implies that organizations which settle on the instructional system design are assured of continuous business improvement without worrying about incurring costs commonly associated with other training models. Training Methods can be categorized as being either `on the job’, `off the job’ or `technology-based’. ‘On the job’ training is also referred to as ‘on the site’ training. This is the training method whereby instead of trainees moving from their workplaces to a different destination for training, the trainer comes to the workplace to train from there. Once in the workplace, the trainer together with the management can choose to train under short sessions such as during staff meetings or choose to dedicate full day to training or even choose to dedicate multiple days for the training. The exact method of delivery during the ‘on the job’ training depends on the wishes of the organization. ‘On the job’ training is associated with higher chances of success because attendance is usually higher than the other two training methods for a number of reasons. First of all, trainees do not have to incur extra costs in terms of travelling to training sites this means that ‘on the job’ training is cost-effective. Another key advantage of ‘on the job’ training is the fact that the simulation process becomes easier as trainees can easily link theoretical issues to practical issues. Suggestions BBC has not done enough to ensure talent management is handled with the standards it deserves. Although, Prince, and Stewart, (2002. 55- 72) cited in-house training as the most reliable and popular training, it should be integrated with other methods such as succession planning in order to achieve maximum effects. There is a need for planners to be aware of the effect of in house training if overused and especially in the case of BBC where in house programs have been in use for several years. Over reliance on one approach of training is likely to have reduced impact as employees are more likely to start viewing it as a boring method, something which is very likely to affect effectiveness of the training programs. Instead of over depending on one type of method, this report is of the opinion that training programs such as mentoring and buddying (Dearden, (2002. 11- 32), cross-functional approach, project assignments as well as graduate development courses would yield better results for BBC organizational training needs. However, it should be borne in mind that the more programs BBC adopts, the higher the cost of investments are likely to go up. This situation calls again for constant and regular evaluation so as to make sure the organization does not invest in ineffective programs which may end up costing the organization for nothing. According to Clatterbuck, and Meggnison, (2005. 81- 106) hybrid or integrated approaches are more effective in achieving training goals than single approaches. BBC should experiment with the now popular 360- degree feedback method in order to ensure that its training and development programs remain effective. As noted by, Clatterbuck, and Meggnison, (2005. 81- 106), it is always better if an organization could involve outside help in training. This serves two purposes; one to break the monotony of having same coaches training same trainees who become used to them used to, secondly, an organisation should aim at encouraging diversity. It is evident in (CIPD,2005. 2-39), that external secondments play critical roles in ensuring that employees interests is maintained in all training programs as well as giving employees an opportunity to learn from outside the organization. However this report would like to note the observation by (CIPD, 2005. 28- 100) that not all programs will always achieve the objectives they are designed for. Therefore there are always chances that training efforts may fail to achieve their goals. This report also commends BBC for making talent management a priority as evidenced in the budget allocation awarded to the training and development programmes. However there is a need for BBC to move from the level of policy statements to action since no matter how well intended training programmes are, all that matters in the end is how far they go in assisting the organisation achieve its training goals. This report will be incomplete without highlighting some of the barriers associated with not having an effective training and development programme. The first barrier identified in BBC is that employees have a negative attitude about training and development efforts being made by the organisation. There is considerable evidence that some employees of BBC feel that they are not being involved in designing of training programmes. Dissatisfaction is also arising concerning the criterion followed by the management when deciding which employees enroll for what courses. Dissatisfaction is also seen as emanating from the perception by some employees that they do not benefit even after training in that they never get promotions or salary increments. Therefore the report challenges the management of BBC to act very fast to stamp out this emerging dissatisfaction. Positive attitude is necessary amongst the employees of the organisation. No matter how well intended, how well funded or organized the training programmes are, if the attitude amongst the beneficiaries is negative, the training is likely to be ineffective and even counter productive. It is suggested here that BBC should move fast to include all staff members in the designing and planning of the training and development. This will in turn result into a positive attitude from the employees pertaining to training and development initiatives in BBC. Conclusion To keep a business organization on the top of the market needs well-trained employees. However the training programs cost companies a lot of money and therefore should be aligned and designed so as to make them effective and efficient. A good training program is only made possible by conducting a careful organizational analysis, determination of training needs as well as the execution of the training process and the follow up to the training. The follow up is necessary as a measure aimed at sustaining the gains made by the training programs.