Human Hand Emulator free essay sample

The Human Hand Movement Emulator combines concepts of Mechanical and Electronics Engineering to form a robotic emulator hand, that can grip, move and perform similar tasks as done by a human hand at places that are inaccessible or not fit for the human hand. CHAPTER 2: WORKING PRINCIPLE: The robotic arm will work in two modes. 1. Input by human: The robotic arm will emulate the actions performed by human arm. This will be done using a virtual arm which will be controlled by the human. The microcontroller will sense the motions performed by the irtual arm, understand them and output signals to the robotic arm. The robotic arm will move based on the signals provided by microcontroller. 2. Pre-programmed set of motions: The microcontroller will be fed with a program. This program will contain pre-determined set of movements. According to the instructions provided in the program, the robotic arm will perform the movements. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Hand Emulator or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This mode of operation is generally useful in assembling. CHAPTER 3: Background of the project 3. 1 ARDUINO-An open source electronics prototyping platform Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. Its intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments. Arduino can sense the environment by receiving input from a variety of sensors and can affect its surroundings by controlling lights, motors, and other actuators. The microcontroller on the board is programmed using the Arduino programming language (based on Wiring) and the Arduino development environment (based on Processing). Arduino projects can be stand-alone or they can communicate with software running on a computer (e. g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP). An Arduinos microcontroller is also pre-programmed with a boot loader that simplifies uploading of programs to the on-chip flash memory, compared with other devices that typically need an external programmer. fig 3. 1 1-USB jack, 2-Power jack, 3-Power selection jumper, 4-Digital pins, 5-Analog I/p pins, 6-Power pins, 7-Reset button. Digital Pins In addition to the specific functions listed below, the digital pins on an Arduino board can be used for ipin has an internal pull-up resistor which can be turned on and off using digitalWrite() (w/ a value of HIGH or LOW, respectively) when the pin is configured as an input. The maximum current per pin is 40 mA. * Serial: 0 (RX) and 1 (TX). Used to receive (RX) and transmit (TX) TTL serial data. On the Arduino Diecimila, these pins are connected to the corresponding pins of the FTDI USB-to-TTL Serial chip. On the Arduino BT, they are connected to the corresponding pins of the WT11 Bluetooth module. On the Arduino Mini and LilyPad Arduino, they are intended for use with an external TTL serial module (e. g. the Mini-USB Adapter). * External Interrupts: 2 and 3. These pins can be configured to trigger an interrupt on a low value, a rising or falling edge, or a change in value. See the attachInterrupt() function for details. * PWM: 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11. Provide 8-bit PWM output with the analogWrite() function. On boards with an ATmega8, PWM output is available only on pins 9, 10, and 11. * BT Reset: 7. (Arduino BT-only) Connected to the reset line of the bluetooth module. SPI: 10 (SS), 11 (MOSI), 12 (MISO), 13 (SCK). These pins support SPI communication, which, although provided by the underlying hardware, is not currently included in the Arduino language. * LED 13. On the Diecimila and LilyPad, there is a built-in LED connected to digital pin 13. When the pin is HIGH value, the LED is on, when the pin is LOW, its off. Analog Pins In addition to the specific functions listed belo w, the analog input pins support 10-bit analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) using the analogRead() function. Most of the analog inputs can also be used as digital pins: analog nput 0 as digital pin 14 through analog input 5 as digital pin 19. Analog inputs 6 and 7 (present on the Mini and BT) cannot be used as digital pins. * I2C: 4 (SDA) and 5 (SCL). Support I2C (TWI) communication using the Wire library (documentation on the Wiring website). Power Pins * VIN (sometimes labelled 9V). The input voltage to the Arduino board when its using an external power source (as opposed to 5 volts from the USB connection or other regulated power source). You can supply voltage through this pin, or, if supplying voltage via the power jack, access it through this pin. Note that different boards accept different input voltages ranges, please see the documentation for your board. Also note that the LilyPad has no VIN pin and accepts only a regulated input. * 5V. The regulated power supply used to power the microcontroller and other components on the board. This can come either from VIN via an on-board regulator, or be supplied by USB or another regulated 5V supply. * 3V3. (Diecimila-only) A 3. 3 volt supply generated by the on-board FTDI chip. * GND. Ground pins. Other Pins * AREF. Reference voltage for the analog inputs. Used with analogReference(). * Reset. (Diecimila-only) Bring this line LOW to reset the microcontroller. Typically used to add a reset button toshields which block the one on the board. Arduino projects can be stand-alone or they can communicate with software running on a computer (e. g. Flash, Processing,  MaxMSP). An Arduinos microcontroller is also pre-programmed with a boot loader that simplifies uploading of programs to the on-chip  flash memory, compared with other devices that typically need an external  programmer. ATmega8A Microcontroller The Atmel ATmega8A is a low-power CMOS 8-bit microcontroller based on the AVR enhanced RISC architecture. By executing powerful instructions in a single clock cycle, the ATmega8A achieves throughputs approaching 1 MIPS per MHz allowing the system designer to optimize power consumption versus processing speed. The ATmega8A has 8 KB of flash memory for storing code (of which 2 KB is for the boot loader), 1 KB of â€Å"SRAM† and 512 bytes of â€Å"EEPROM† (which can be read and written with the EEPROM library). . 2 Servo motor A  Servomotor  is a  rotary actuator  that allows for precise control of angular position. It is a  closed-loop  servomechanism that uses position feedback to control its motion and final position. The input to its control is some signal, either analogue or digital, representing the position commanded for the output shaft. A servo motor consists of several main parts, the motor and gearbox, a position sensor, an e rror amplifier and motor driver and a circuit to decode the requested position. Servomechanism It is an automatic device that uses error-sensing  negative feedback  to correct the performance of a mechanism. Position control A common type of servo provides  position control. Servos are commonly electrical or partially electronic in nature, using an electric motor  as the primary means of creating mechanical  force. Other types of servos use  hydraulics,  pneumatics, or magnetic  principles. Servos operate on the principle of negative feedback, where the control input is compared to the actual position of the mechanical system as measured by some sort of  transducer  at the output. Any difference between the actual and wanted values (an error signal) is amplified (and converted) and used to drive the system in the direction necessary to reduce or eliminate the error. This procedure is one widely used application of  control theory. Block diagram fig 3. 2 Servo Motor control: Servo motors have three wires: power, ground, and signal. The power wire is typically red, and should be connected to the 5V pin on the Arduino board. The ground wire is typically black or brown and should be connected to a ground pin on the Arduino board. The signal pin is typically yellow or orange and should be connected to pin 9 on the Arduino board. The potentiometer should be wired so that its two outer pins are connected to power (+5V) and ground, and its middle pin is connected to analog input 0 on the Arduino. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: fig 3. 6 3. 3 Potentiometer A potentiometer informally, a pot, within electronics technology is a component, a three-terminal resistor with a sliding contact that forms an adjustable voltage divide. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat. A potentiometer is essentially a voltage divider used for measuring electric potential (voltage). Potentiometers are commonly used to control electrical devices such as volume controls on audio equipment. Potentiometers operated by a mechanism can be used as position transducers, for example, in a joystick. Potentiometers comprise a resistive element, a sliding contact (wiper) that moves along the element, making good electrical contact with one part of it, electrical terminals at each end of the element, a mechanism that moves the wiper from one end to the other, and a housing containing the element and wiper. Potentiometers can be used as position feedback devices in order to create closed loop control, such as in a  servomechanism. 3. 4 Flex sensors Flex sensors are sensors that changes the resistance depending on the amount of bend on the sensor. They convert the change in bend to electrical resistance-more the bend the more the resistance value. Flex sensors are usually in the form of a thin strip from 1-5 long that vary in resistance. Working Principle: Flex sensors are analog sensors and they work as variable analog dividers. Flex sensors are carbon resistive elements within a thin flexible substrate. More the carbon means lesser will be resistance. When the substrate is bent the sensor gives the output resistance relative to the bend radius. More the bend radius more will be the resistance value. fig 3. 7 Types of Flex sensors: 1. Uni-Directional 2. Bi-Directional Uni-Directional Flex Sensors One directional Flex Sensor is a unique component that changes resistance when bent or flexed . An un flexed sensor Style A has a nominal resistance of approximately 10,000 ohms (10 K). As the flex sensor is bent in one direction the resistance gradually increases. Range of resistances of the FLX-03 Style A sensor may vary between 10K and 40K depending upon the degree of the flex. An un flexed sensor Style B begins with a infinitely high nominal resistance. As the flex sensor is bent in one direction the resistance gradually decreases. Range of resistances of the FLX-03 Style B sensor may decrease to under 10K depending upon the degree of the flex. fig 3. 8 Some applications for the Flexible Bend Sensor are: * Collision detection on mobile robots VR Gloves and VR suits * Physics applications and experiments CHAPTER 4: Block diagram fig 4. 1 Explanation The hardware operates in a way that when you receive a serial input from potentiometer or flex sensors that tells the arduino to perform conversion of analog to digital data, the MCU would read the inputs and sends corresponding PWM output and then send it to the servo, which is connected to a potentiometer or sensor to determine its angular position. The servos are powered by an external DC power supply. Servos are controlled by sending them a pulse of variable width. Given the rotation constraints of the servo, neutral is defined to be the position where the servo has exactly the same amount of potential rotation in the clockwise direction as it does in the counter clockwise direction. The potentiometers were used to determine the position of the base and flex sensors for elbow joints. It gave back to the microcontroller a voltage feedback that was relative to the rotation. The ground and power lines are connected to the Arduino’s ground and Vcc. The wiper connections go into the arduino’s analog input pins. As the joint rotates the voltage changes linearly with the rotation. DC Power Supply to provide 5 Volts of power to the servos. CHAPTER 5: APPLICATIONS * Bomb disposal: to provide safety to the bomb disposal squad by providing an extra line of defense. * To lift nuclear wastes without harming the humans. * Mine disposal (dispose of old or unstable explosives, such as ones used in  quarrying  or  mining). * The robotic arm can be designed to perform any desired task such as welding, gripping, spinning etc. , depending on the application. For example robot arms in automotive assembly line perform a variety of tasks such as wielding and parts rotation and placement during assembly. In space the space shuttle Remote Manipulator System have multi degree of freedom robotic arms that have been used to perform a variety of tasks such as inspections of the Space Shuttle using a specially deployed boom with cameras and sensors attached at the end effector. * The robot arms can be autonomous or controlled manually and can be used to perform a variety of ta sks with great accuracy. The robotic arm can be fixed or mobile (i. e. wheeled) and can be designed for industrial or home applications. Robotic hands often have built-in pressure sensors that tell the computer how hard the robot is gripping a particular object. This keeps the robot from dropping or breaking whatever its carrying. Other end effectors include blowtorches, drills and spray painters this improves their performance. The scope of use of a robotic arm is very vast. There are numerous fields in which using manpower is dangerous. This project will try to act as substitute at these fields and decrease the load of risk that humans have to face. In many of the above stated applications, humans working in those conditions can be harmful. What we aim to do with this project is that the robotic arm will be used in place of humans. Taking one of the examples from above, it’s very difficult to execute precision work in sub-zero temperatures. So, we use the robotic arm to perform these tasks. CHAPTER 6: FUTURE SCOPE: * The robotic arm so far designed is able to lift the objects. It is able to lift the objects of medium weight. In order to extend it to some extent, more advanced tools and material with the capacity to withhold the heavy weight objects are to be used, which is then applicable in warfront and used as a rescuer at several places where there is a need and also in industrial areas, military, and so on. We would like to continue this project for the next year while extending some of the functionalities. We would like to make the project portable by adding motion as one of the features. We would also like to add wireless remote control and camera to make it flexible, thus increasing its fields of usage. REFERENCES: http://www. arduino. cc (About Arduino kit)? http://science. howstuffworks. com/robot2. htm (Basic Structure Of Robotic Arm)? Saha, H. K. Introduction To Robotics. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, 2008.? Banzi, Massimo. Getting Started With Arduino. OReilly Media, 2011.?

Target Behavior Discussion

The identification of practical and ethical considerations related to using a reversal design with a chosen target behavior is an important step that has to be taken.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Target Behavior Discussion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The design of a target behavior is necessary in order to comprehend how something is done for being eliminated or added in regards to a number of ordinary conditions (Spiegler, 2015). The reversal design is considered to be one of the most effective single-subject research designs as it explains how treatment may or may not influence the baseline. Still, some interventions cannot be reserved because of a number of ethical and practical considerations. From an ethical perspective, it may happen that the return to the baseline period creates some harm to a participant. It is also necessary to be sure that a second intervention has enough benefits in comparison to the stability of the process. Cooper, Heron, and Heward (2007) define authority, permission, resources, and social validity as four main ethical considerations in the reversal design. From a practical point of view, single-subject research designs do not require too many issues and explanations: it is enough to choose a few participants, evaluate the effects of interventions on the participants, and use statistics to approve the chosen intervention. It is also possible to facilitate measurements on any stage of the process and achieve the same results (Spiegler, 2015). Anyway, it is always necessary to remember that an ABAB design requires the achievement of the required behavior change more than the conformation that a particular intervention takes place (Sundel Sundel, 2004).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is why the researcher should take into consideration both, ethical and practical reasons for the design, and think about the possible outcomes beforehand to create appropriate relations with the participants. Target Behavior Example with an Inappropriate Ethical Aspect For example, it is ethically inappropriate to use a reversal design when a 3-year-old child under analysis is provided with a doll as the main distraction to make her play alone without paying attention to her parents. Then, the doll is taken away from the child to analyze the baseline stages before and after an intervention. In this case, the researcher cannot predict the reaction of a child and be sure that the baseline phase will be easy to identify. As a rule, the child’s reaction on taking away something is unpredictable, and it is ethically inappropriate to use such design just in order to check the effectiveness of an intervention. First, it touches upon the child’s emotional state. Second, parents undergo certain effects as well. And finally, people around may be distracted by the child’s behavior. Target Behavior Example with an Appropriate Ethical Aspect In order to introduce an alternative design for the same behavior that would be more appropriate, it is possible to use the ABC design that allows additional improvements and identification of a new variable that may help to control the situation. For example, as soon as the doll is taken away, the child may be provided with another alternative (a toy, an activity, or a person). This alternative helps to protect the emotional status of a child and deprive care givers of the necessity to calm the child down. Still, there are many other options that may be taken into consideration because the analysis of child’s behavior is hard to predict all the time.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Target Behavior Discussion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Cooper, J.O., Heron, T., Heward, W.L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Spiegler, M. (2015). Contemporary behavior therapy. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Sundel, M. Sundel, S.S. (2004). Behavior change in the human services: Behavioral and cognitive principles and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. This essay on Target Behavior Discussion was written and submitted by user JoantheMouse 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.

Bahrain Geography, History, Culture, Economy

Bahrain Geography, History, Culture, Economy Population: 738,004 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: ManamaArea: 293 square miles (760 sq km)Coastline: 100 miles (161 km)Highest Point: Jabal ad Dukhan at 400 feet (122 m)Bahrain is a small country located in the Persian Gulf. It is considered a part of the Middle East and it is an archipelago that is made up of 33 islands. The largest island of Bahrain is Bahrain Island and as such it is where most of the countrys population and economy is based. Like many other Middle Eastern nations, Bahrain has recently been in the news due to increasing social unrest and violent anti-government protests. History of Bahrain Bahrain has a long history that dates back to at least 5,000 years ago, at which time the region served as a trading center between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. The civilization living in Bahrain at that time was the Dilmun civilization, however, when trade with India declined around 2,000 B.C.E, so too did their civilization. In 600 B.C.E, the region became a part of the Babylonian Empire. According to the U.S. Department of State, little is known about Bahrains history from this time until the arrival of Alexander the Great  in the 4th century B.C.E.During its early years, Bahrain was known as Tylos until the 7th century when it became an Islamic nation. Bahrain was then controlled by various forces until 1783 when the Al Khalifa family took control of the region from Persia.In the 1830s, Bahrain became a British Protectorate after the Al Khalifa family signed a treaty with the United Kingdom which guaranteed British protection in the event of a military conflict with Ottoma n Turkey. In 1935, Britain established its main military base in the Persian Gulf in Bahrain but in 1968, Britain announced the end of the treaty with Bahrain and other Persian Gulf sheikdoms. As a result, Bahrain joined the eight other sheikdoms to form a union of Arab emirates. However, by 1971, they had not officially unified and Bahrain declared itself independent on August 15, 1971.In 1973, Bahrain elected its first parliament and drafted a constitution but in 1975 the parliament was broken up when it tried to remove power from the Al Khalifa family which still forms the executive branch of Bahrains government. In the 1990s, Bahrain experienced some political instability and violence from the Shia majority and as a result, the government cabinet underwent some changes. These changes initially ended the violence but in 1996 several hotels and restaurants were bombed and the country has been unstable off and on since then. Government of Bahrain Today Bahrains government is considered a constitutional monarchy and it has a chief of state (the countrys king) and a prime minister for its executive branch. It also has a bicameral legislature that is made up of the Consultative Council and the Council of Representatives. Bahrains judicial branch consists of its High Civil Appeals Court. The country is divided into five governorates (Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, and Wasat) that is administered by an appointed governor. Economics and Land Use in Bahrain Bahrain has a diversified economy with many multinational firms. A large part of Bahrains economy depends on oil and petroleum production, however. Other industries in Bahrain include aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizer production, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing and tourism. Agriculture only represents about one percent of Bahrains economy but the main products are fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, and fish. Geography and Climate of Bahrain Bahrain is located in the Middle Easts Persian Gulf to the east of Saudi Arabia. It is a small nation with a total area of just 293 square miles (760 sq km) spread out over many different small islands. Bahrain has a relatively flat topography consisting of desert plain. The central part of Bahrains main island has a low elevation escarpment and the highest point in the country is Jabal ad Dukhan at 400 feet (122 m). The climate of Bahrain is arid and as such it has mild winters and very hot, humid summers. The countrys capital and largest city, Manama, has an average January low temperature of 57ËšF (14ËšC) and an average August high temperature of 100ËšF (38ËšC).​ References Central Intelligence Agency. (11 February 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Bahrain. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ba.html Infoplease.com. (n.d.). Bahrain: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107313.htmlUnited States Department of State. (20 January 2011). Bahrain. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26414.htmWikipedia.com. (27 February 2011). Bahrain - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain

Giordano Surname Meaning and Family History

Giordano Surname Meaning and Family History The Italian form of the name Jordan, the Giordano surname has its roots in Yarden, the Hebrew name of the Jordan river flowing between the countries of Jordan and Israel. Derived from  yarad, meaning descend or flow down. Its origin is Italian. Famous People With the Giordano Last Name Umberto Giordano - Italian composerTyrone Giordano - Deaf actorLuca Giordano - 17th-century Italian artistGus Giordano - Innovator of modern American jazz dance Where Do People With the Surname Live? The largest populations of individuals with the Giordano surname are in Italy, as you might expect. According to  WorldNames PublicProfiler, the Giordano last name is most popular in the southern boot of Italy- Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, and Sicilia. There is also a  slightly denser population in the Piemonte region, but the name is popular throughout Italy. It is also fairly common in Argentina. Surname distribution data from Forebears, indicates that Giordano is the 11th most popular name in Italy and the 30th most common in Monaco.Source:   Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

OUTLINE HOW AND WHAT TYPES OF RESEARCH METHODS ARE IMPORTANT TO Essay

OUTLINE HOW AND WHAT TYPES OF RESEARCH METHODS ARE IMPORTANT TO CRIMINOLOGY - Essay Example In criminology, most research methods are quantitative, that is methods that record social life variation in attributes or numbers. Qualitative methods focus on the interpretation of observation therefore subject to bias. Quantitative methods include observation, surveys and interviews. This paper aims to discuss research methods in criminological research, their merits and demerits. This is research conducted in a way that a subject’s behavior is monitored without any influence. This can be done by studying criminals in confined places and in the field. Field researchers usually get an in-depth view of the subject matter and reach an unusually comprehensive information. There are many disadvantages in regard to this method. First, most criminal activities will be inaccurately measured since some will go unnoticed or reported by other people. Secondly, observing criminals by pretending to be part of their world is highly dangerous and may not work in most situations. This method is highly involving and time consuming, demanding a lot of time from the researcher. The observer also faces dual dangers of over identification with the group under study often testing the limits of the researcher’s commitment to objectivity (Hagan, 2011). Participant observation method is ideal since a lot of detail is availed to the researcher and is less influenced by prejudgments. This method is highly flexible and less unnatural because it enables the researcher to observe subjects in their natural environment. However, the measurements made by a researcher can be inferred differently by another researcher (McBurney and White, 2011) Surveys can be used as a measurement of crime where people are asked about their attitudes, beliefs, values and characteristics and experiences with crime. This can be done by sampling, where a number of subjects who are

The Lockwood Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Lockwood Group - Essay Example In the similar context, it can be stated that rather than paper and packing business, Lockwood had expanded its firm with the food industry. The company had gained long-term profitability in the market related to the food and packing industry. Further, they had expanded the business into other fields (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the major situation faced by the Lockwood Group. Though the company had faced certain problems in the competitive market, it is essential to analyze their marketing situation and provide appropriate recommendations for the company. Therefore, it can be stated that the main motive of the paper is to provide recommendation for future by analyzing the Lockwood Group’s present as well as past marketing scenario (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Major Situation Faced by the Lockwood Group Lockwood Group had faced major ch ange in the competitive market, as the company had initially started the business with packing and paper section. During the second part of the 20th century, Lockwood Group was engaged in producing auto parts, electrical equipments, metal alloys, electric motors, communication equipments, furniture, appliances, power equipment, specialty equipments and consumer products. However, Lockwood could not succeed in the above mentioned businesses. All the segments were sold or liquidated at losses (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Though the Lockwood was bearing a loss, the CEO of the company has taken various majors in the 21st century to set up long-term profitability in the competitive market. Their main business was financial services, energy, and packaging along with forest products. The company had reinvested the funds in vicinity promising the expansion of cost-effectiveness. In 2001, Lockwood had increased its sales from the four main bus inesses due to adoption of various strategies as it has been stated earlier that the company had expanded the business in the four sectors (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Financial Services Lockwood had started financial services in 2000s. The company had appointed the investment banker to trade the unwanted business and had invested the capital in financial business. Lockwood insurance sector had good profitability in the market. Visualizing the profitable financial scenario, the company had extended to insurance operation. In 2002, Lockwood financial services had three broad categories i.e. life insurance, real estate and causality insurance. Though the company was strongly positioned in the financial sector, its competitors were high, because Lockwood financial division was petite by the national standards (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Energy Lockwood had operated in the energy business since 2004. The company had entered into energy businesses through the acquisition of the EasyGas Energy. Previously, Lockwood had small businesses in the offshore and onshore oil industry but later on expanded the firm into Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi. Lockwood had gained long-term

Electronic Usage Policy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Electronic Usage Policy - Research Paper Example Recent researches have shown an increase in the number of, individuals, especially in their workplaces, who access the internet everyday all over the world and these individuals have access to many databases, which may sometimes hold explicit, violent, prohibited and at times illegal content. This has created a situation where these individuals use the electronic resources of the organizations for which they work to access information that is not work related and this has been a source of concern for the managements of these organizations. In order to curb these tendencies by those who use their electronic media, especially the internet, many companies and organizations have chosen to adopt electronic usage policies whose purpose is to ensure that there is responsible use of this resource. Furthermore, these policies have been put in place to ensure that electronic resources are not used for purposes, which are not compatible with the objectives of the organizations in which they are used. ... However, despite the fact that many businesses and institutions have made the internet accessible to their employees for the purpose of ensuring that they conduct their activities with ease, it has been realized that its usage has become subject to abuse by those who use it. In this paper therefore, we shall look at some of the reasons why the use of the internet should be regulated through the introduction of electronic usage policies by various institutions. Literature Review Recent surveys that have been conducted by human resource managers on employees have found that approximately sixty five percent of employees spend at least some of their work time on non- work related internet activity. Among the employees who use social networks sites, it has been found that fifty six percent of them check their profiles during their normal workdays and that fifteen percent of this group spends at least one hour a day browsing the internet on non-work related sites. It was further found that over sixty one percent of employees sent personal emails, with nineteen percent sending more than five personal emails per day. The response of many institutions and organizations to non-work related internet activity has been to establish tougher  policies  regarding internet  usage  and  electronic  means to ensure that their employees are monitored (Ambrose & Noel, 2006). It has been found that the most dominant method of controlling the internet behavior of individuals, is through the blocking of sites, the monitoring of internet usage  and email, and finally, firing employees for  violating the electronic usage policies of their companies. The developments in employee potential misuse of electronic technology, and the