James Dyson A biography Essay Example

James Dyson A biography Essay Example James Dyson A biography Paper James Dyson A biography Paper Dyson ltd is a single man-made business; its’ founder and sole owner is James Dyson. He was born in 1947 and was brought up in the rural town of Norfolk. Both parents worked as teachers, James was expected to follow along his parents’ footsteps and become an academic however he chose to explore and identify his own path; that path led him to become the engineer he is today. He started his higher learning journey pursuing art at the Byam Shaw Art School in London. That journey soon came to a halt as the entrepreneur surrendered to his growing interest in design. This step led him to study at the Royal College of Art where he found his calling. He explored his passion for design under the mentorship of fellow Jeremy Fry whom encouraged the entrepreneur by allowing him to develop his design and engineering skills. It was also here that James found companionship with his art teacher Deirdre Hindmarsh whom he married in 1968. Still a student, James alongside Jeremy Fry developed several inventions. Most notable of which are the Sea Truck and Ball Barrow. Dyson operations Dyson ltd was established in 1992 and it manufactures some of the most innovative electrical home appliances. The first and major product was the Dyson DC01 vacuum cleaner. Dyson has a wide range of products, from vacuum cleaners to washing machines to dryers and heaters. However, vacuum cleaners are the company’s star product. According to The Guardian, in 2010 Dyson had a 40% share of the vacuum cleaners’ market (Finch, 2010) 1. Perseverance amidst setbacks However, the path to success was not an easy one. It took many years and 5,127 prototypes for James to get the product right (Chaey et al., 2011) 2. When James finally had the finished product, his primary intention was to licence the product to other companies with big names. He met with many executives from companies such as Black Decker and Hoover but sadly his attempts to license the product failed time after time. James believed in the technology behind his vacuum cleaner and was determined to put the product on the market. James’ big break perhaps came when he was able to license his product in Japan under the product name of G-Force. This provided James with a push and made him more determined to put his product in the UK market. Not only that, but the returns on the license in the form of royalties are what enabled him to manufacture and sell the product in the UK (Dyson, 2012) 3. James’ vision of a â€Å"vacuum revolution† was in sight (Dyson, 2011) 4. Years of testing, product development and failed licensing attempts would have been enough to deter the average person from carrying on with their vision and their dream. Evidently, that was not the case with James Dyson as all these factors proved to become fruitful. Hoover was one of the companies that turned James down thinking that a bagless vacuum cleaner would not sell. Quite cynically, it was also Hoover that was sued by Dyson for infringement of its patent rights in 1999 after Hoover brought out the Triple Vortex model (Carruthers, 2007) 5. Childhood events foster entrepreneurialism Being an engineer, James has a keen eye for design and a mind that likes to challenge the way things work. He is always interested in producing something that is better and more efficient. That combined with the aggravation of having to settle for conventional goods are the internal driving forces that led him to set up Dyson ltd. However, his success cannot only be attributed to the factors mentioned. It was the financial and emotional support of his wife Deirdre that allowed him to persevere and dedicate himself to building what now is a hugely successful business. James lost his father at the age of 9; in an interview with Beard, he reveals that having suffered that loss made him feel very different and unusual, subsequently that created the need for him to prove himself (Beard, 2012). His determination is also drawn from his favourite sport; long distance running. Growing up, he was always keen on taking a challenge. James believes that what a person may lack in talent he may make up for in determination. In his autobiography, he shares that he was good at this sport not because he was physically fit but because he was more determined than others (Dyson, 2012) 7. James Dyson was able to create success because he has the building blocks of an entrepreneur as well as a solid support system around him. James was able to achieve personal success by setting up Dyson ltd, he was also able to achieve financial success as the Sunday Times placed him on their rich list with a fortune worth  1. 45bn (Sunday times, 2011) . His traits of determination, innovation, perseverance and risk taking allowed him to make a success of himself. Nonetheless, it is without a doubt that James would not have been able to reach his position if it weren’t for extrinsic factors. Working under the mentorship of Jeremy Fry allowed him to explore engineering and design. The unwavering support of his wife Deirdre also allowed him to focus on his goals and believe in his ideas.

Writing with Computers Too Easy

Writing with Computers Too Easy Writing with Computers Too Easy Writing with Computers Too Easy By Hugh Ashton Last week we looked at antiques: quill pens, fountain pens, and typewriters. And so we come to word processors and computers. The word processor brings obvious advantages to writers. The ease with which you can write and revise, having typing and spelling mistakes corrected as you go, leads tocarelessness. I’m not simply referring to over-reliance on spell-checkers that’s been covered adequately in other articles* on this site but to sloppy style and composition. It’s all too easy, as I have found in my nearly 30 years of using word processing software (I started with WordStar 3.1 on CP/M80 for the archeologists among you), to write using these tools. The obvious advantage is that it is easy to go back and change your words and your mind about what you want to say. But one of the serious disadvantages is that you can write half a sentence, break off and come back to write the other half, which may not match the first half in style, content or overall meaning. Of course, this is technically possible with any other writing method but somehow it seemed harder to stop in the middle of a sentence with a pen or a typewriter. In any case, with a typewriter, you felt honor-bound to finish the page. Dropping one piece of writing mid-sentence, taking out the sheet of paper, re-setting margins, etc. and continuing the original on the re-inserted piece of paper usually didn’t work too well. This ability to stop writing a sentence, do something else, and continue from where you left off without always finishing the thought with which you started can make for very disjointed writing. The â€Å"something else† can be totally unconnected with writing (food breaks and the like) or can be something writing- and computer-related (e.g. answering an e-mail message or Twitter message in a completely different writing style to the one used in your main writing assignment) or can even be within the same document, going back and revising something that’s already been written. While writing this piece, I’ve been guilty of all three types of mid-sentence breaks. Can you see them? I hope not, because I do go back and re-read what I have written, matching style and making sure the logic flows neatly from one part to the next. However, it does seem painfully obvious to me reading some writing (including some of my own past work) that the flow of thought hasn’t been checked, and that the â€Å"first fine careless rapture† is the final published product. It may not be as exciting to polish a diamond as to dig it out of the ground, but unpolished uncut diamonds are not nearly as valuable as their processed counterparts. Take time to polish your gems before putting them on display to the world. More about word processors next week. *Spell Check isn’t foolproof Site, sight, and the spell check syndrome Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Mostly Small But Expressive Interjections34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better WriterWriting a Thank You Note

Financial Sector in GCC Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Financial Sector in GCC Countries - Essay Example Nonetheless, current events indicate increasing cooperation among GCC countries on particular trade matters such as customs duties, quality standards, cross-member investment, and intellectual property right protection (USTR 179). An agreement for free trade among the six member countries in 1983 was one of the early achievements of the Gulf Cooperation Council. All of the six member countries were signatories to the United Economic Agreement which provides duty free access to all products manufactured in GCC member countries with compliance to existent origin and ownership laws (Al-Muharrami et.al. 5). With the aim of achieving goals for greater economic integration, member states agreed in 1999 to set external tariffs to a common range by 2005. In January 2003 the six GCC member states put up a Customs Union which in theory implies that member states are to adopt integrated customs laws and regulations, one point-of-entry, with open internal exchange of products and classification of products as national origin inside the GCC. Tariff application, income allocation and quality standards are some of the unresolved issues related to the bylaws of the Customs Union. The council was set to agree in 2005 on convergence criteria for adoption of a single currency in 2010 (USTR 179). Bahrain is one of the most diverse and active financial centers in the Gulf. Much of the financial sector's growth can be credited to the oil boom of the 1970s and the replacement of Beirut as a major banking hub during the 1980s. The financial sector is presently the biggest contributor to GDP at 27.6 per cent. Around 370 offshore banks and representative branches are established in Bahrain (IMF Country Report). . The Bahraini government is planning to draw more foreign banks to the area and is anticipating eliminating impending competition from Dubai and a return of Beirut. The government is assessing the structure that polices commercial banking sector of Bahrain in line with the above objectives. The government implemented new, fortified policies for the insurance sector in 2001 (USTR 33). The Bahrain Stock Exchange (BSE) started operation in 1989 with two responsibilities: playing as a securities controller with management of the capital market and functioning as a securities exchange. Foreign businessmen will be permitted to own 100 percent of listed banks within three years. The BSE has also introduced several information facilities to disseminate real-time values for all listed in real time through satellite TV (IMF Country Report). In July of 2000, the Ahli United Bank (AUB) was established by Bahrain's Al-Ahli Commercial Bank (ACB) and United Kingdom's United Bank of Kuwait (UBK) as an offshore banking unit. Trading began in August 2000 of shares of the AUB. The bank has a capital of $323.5 million which symbolizes an important development in the future of financial sectors in the region (USTR 33). Finance and Banking in Kuwait Kuwait has benefited from considerable budgetary surpluses starting from 1999. The budgetary surplus has risen to 40 per cent of GDP in 2005 and is projected to be in the rate of 43 per cent of GDP in 2006. This has been brought about by remarkably higher oil prices coupled with larger

Determining Best Practices of Effective School Communication Dissertation

Determining Best Practices of Effective School Communication - Dissertation Example As the purpose of the study is to research highly dependable communicative means to be used by schools, it is also the aim of this study to validate that motivation of the parents help school-going students to perform better. The introduction to the topic includes a background to the research topic of determining best practices of effective school communication, the problem statement, the purpose statement, research questions, theoretical framework, nature of the research, scope of the research, its assumptions, limitations and delimitations, besides the importance of the research work in the context of its implications for social change, ending in the summary of the introduction. Research Theory and Research Strategy Methodology for the research is theory based, totally depending on qualitative research method for the analysis of the conducted research. A qualitative research needs to comprehend processes, happenings, and connections between them from social and cultural perspective s. Qualitative research demands no numerical calculations to prove the facts, as it is based on direct information availing from people and social communities in favorable surroundings (Sociology, 2003). As my research is based on similar tenets of interviewing parents on how communication level with school teachers can be enhanced and find out the causes of their inactivity in participation, the qualitative research method is the right choice. My research strategy will be segregated into three phases, first is the introductory phase, which will be followed by the second phase, the main event, after which validation, the third phase will take off. In the first phase the concept of effective school communication with given objectives of the research will be marked for piloting. The distinct aspect of qualitative research is that it helps in explaining the topic and understanding the issues in natural settings on the basis of the experiences, beliefs, and thinking of all participants (Sociology, 2003). The interview of participating parents in the first stage will help in briefing the parents the purpose of the interview in the informal way. The second phase will touch all the research questions deeply, to elicit participants’ opinions on each one of all the five research questions. As the research design of my methodology is observer-participant, the data description will state the behavior, reaction, and practices of the parents. Parents’ answers will be analyzed to get relevant inputs (Sociology, 2003). My role of observing the parents will be very significant here, to correctly state their views and experiences. I need to be friendly enough with the participating parents to create the perfect setting where they express their anguish or appreciation of the school administration without any inhibitions. Further, my qualitative phenomenological research will help in discussing the singular critical question, as experienced by various participants. The phenomenological methodology research strategy will assist me in understanding the parents’ perspectives, as observed from their angle. There are other methodological roots, as symbolic inter-action and ethnography, employed in qualitative field research but phenomenological

Take Back the Night April 17, 2008 Essay Example for Free

Take Back the Night April 17, 2008 Essay â€Å"Take Back the Night† was an evening dedicated to taking a stand against sexual violence, primarily on females. The event had many phases including musicals and spoken word performances, such as the â€Å"Denim Day† fashion show, â€Å"Walk in Her Shoes† contest, and the candlelight vigil. The event started off by introducing the concept of fighting against violence, especially those who were silenced by power. Those who were sexually violated and those who have experienced sexual violence sometime in their lives were also given much attention. â€Å"Take Back the Night† was a reclamation of the right to feel and be safe all the time, especially during the evenings. Statistics showed that an average harasser molests eighteen times before being apprehended. This was an information that surprised everyone. During the event, R. E. A. C. H peer educators were present to showcase their talents through playing music, singing, reading poetries, and sharing their feelings and emotions. The denim day fashion show presented the message, â€Å"Break the dress code, break the silence! †. It was a success for both the viewers and the organizers. The most important part of the event was the candlelight vigil. This was the time when those present were given the chance to voice out their concerns and emotions, at the same time it was a moment dedicated to silence and remembering the events that happened in the past. The event has given me more insights about sexual violence. I was deeply disheartened to hear their stories and chants about the experiences they had. It is my belief that no one can ever fully understand the difficulties and struggles these victims go through, unless the same sufferings were endured as that of the victims. I can personally say that I do not fully understand the real meaning of sexual abuse, although I, myself have experienced some during my youth. As a sixth grader, a female teacher asked me to show her my body parts because I was not paying much attention during her class. She even threatened me not to tell anyone of the incident, or else she will not be nice to me during class anymore. I was frightened, so I never said a word to anybody. A few weeks after, she came to me again. This time, she commanded me to take my clothes off, and masturbate in front of her. I did not have an idea as to what masturbation was, so she helped me. I felt broken afterwards. I do not know if this was considered as sexual abuse or not, all I knew was that she did that horrible deed unwillingly. The event helped me bridge reality with the lessons taught in class. Women were being treated as sex animals, and these treatments often lead to sexual violence. Professor Chikako Takeshita often invited guests to share some of the techniques that would be beneficial for both male and females against sexual violence. Personally, self-defense was the most beneficial for me, although I also valued the other information given, such as the hotline for both endangered and victims of sexual violence.

Essay on Fame in Djerassi’s Cantors Dilemma -- Cantors Dilemma Essay

Dreams of Fame in Djerassi’s Cantor's Dilemma  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   Opportunistic scientists, the most hypocritical deviants of the modern age, revolve around the scientific method, or at least they used to. The scientific method once involved formulating a hypothesis from a problem posed, experimenting, and forming a conclusion that best explained the data collected. Yet today, those who are willing to critique the work of their peers are themselves performing the scientific method out of sequence. I propose that scientists, or the "treasure hunters" of that field, are no longer interested in permanent solutions, achieved through proper use of the scientific method, and rather are more interested in solutions that guarantee fame and fortune. Fame and fortune as a motive for scientific discovery is a popular theme in fictional writing, especially in Cantor's Dilemma by Carl Djerassi. Cantor's Dilemma is a novel of the struggles of two scientists through life and a Nobel Prize "campaign". As one digs deeper into the context of the novel, one finds it similar to that of a political race, a fight for glory. For example, the "Cantor-Stafford experiment", the first tumorigenesis experiment tested in the novel, was not validated before its findings were published. This example fails to meet the standards of the scientific method because a conclusion was reached before experimentation was fully executed. Surely any true scientist would know such conclusions to be unsuitable and not "Nobel" worthy. Yet, Cantor and Stafford, both, won a Nobel Prize for their work. Kurt Krauss in Cantor's Dilemma, an opportunistic scientist, is the extreme of scientific deviance. As a fellow scientist and a competitor, Krauss is charged with the duty of ch... ...o not believe my experience has changed the ways of the scientist at that company. Both in fiction and in real life a certain breed of scientists has decided to ignore the scientific method and chase dreams of fame. With that fame, they hope to dig deep into our pockets and reap the benefits of their poor workmanship. It is most evident from the examples given that these scientists, who have seemingly reversed scientific evolution, no longer care for true science and the scientific method, but rather are interested in personal glory. 1 Carl Djerassi, Cantor's Dilemma (New York, New York: Penguin Books, 1991), pg. 113. 2 Djerassi, Cantor's Dilemma, pg. 113. 3 Abbott laboratories, medical news, (http://www.plsgroup.com/dg/72da.htm), 5:25 p.m. 9/23/97 4 "Cold Fusion Times", (Wellesey Hills, MA http://world.std.com), 7:15 p.m. 9/23/97      

1920s Fashion – Research Paper

The 1920’s fashion was a period of liberation, change, and even more importantly a movement towards the modern era. Fashion in the 1920’s varied throughout the decade but one could see the noticeable change from the previous fashion statements and eras. At the start of the decade, women began emancipating themselves from the constricting fashions by wearing more comfortable apparel.As women gained more rights and World War I forced them to become more independent, flappers came to be, mass-produced garments became available, and artistic movements increased in popularity, one can see how the fashions from the roaring twenties characterized the time and redefined womanhood. (1920s clothing 1) In the early 1920s, change advanced gradually as many women were reluctant to adopt the new styles and changes coming with the new era. From 1925 on however, the styles associated with the roaring twenties were excitedly accepted by the public and continued to characterize fashion i nto the late 1930s.Numerous years had passed since the end of World War I. After the burden of the war, and the female liberation movement, women now felt free-spirited and just simply wanted to have a little fun again. (1920’s Fashion 1) Having won the right to vote in the 1920s, women were able to break free of the traditional feminine image and behaviors previously associated with them. (The American Vision 378) Specifically, women were experiencing a greater sense of individuality and even more importantly a greater sense of independence.As new opportunities arose, women began to shed the confining clothing of the previous centuries. Corsets were forgotten and replaced with looser fitting camisoles. (1920’s Fashion 1) Designers had much more freedom of expression with the new dresses and tops of the twenties. Colorful, loud fabrics showed the joy the women felt about the end of the war and their new freedom and independence. (1920’s women fashions 1) As the 1920s came to a close, one can see how the clothes became more comfortable for women and much less constricting resulting in a slimmer silhouette for women.Thanks to Coco Chanel, the iconic flapper image most closely associated with the roaring twenties came about. The flapper and flapper image didn’t actually come to be until around 1926 and even then was only in style for about three years. Typical flappers were women who appeared to have a bold attitude and were independent women who didn’t adhere to the previously innocent housewife image. A flapper usually had a bob haircut, a shorter than average dress, a flat chest, wore tons of make-up, drank illegal alcohol, smoked with a long cigarette holder, exposed her limbs and danced the Charleston.This was a drastic change from the typical American housewife to the reckless rebel. The flapper dresses stressed above the knee hemlines and construed straight, sleek shapes. This was the first time in centuries women’ s legs were being seen in a garment. (1920s Fashion 1) Flappers loved to jazz up their costume and even their image. Many flappers’ dresses were adorned with jewels and intricate beading. The main object of the flapper image was to appear almost boyish rather than looking feminine. 1920s clothing 1) The nineteen twenties became the first century where mass produced goods really became available and made a significant impact in everyone’s lives. High fashion before the 1920s had really only been for the richer women of society who could afford such luxuries. Mass produced garments became available to more women who could afford them. Mary Pickens Brook of the Woman’s Institute transformed the fashion industry when she invented the one-hour dress. Thanks to Brook, women could now make their own dresses by following a simple sewing pattern.As it was easier for women to make dresses at home it was also easier for factories to manufacture the simple garments. This ba sic style, coupled with the increase in mass production, made fashion easily attainable to women of all income levels. The average person’s fashion sense became more sophisticated than previous eras. Recorded fashion images show after the twenties the fashions of ordinary women and what they typically wore in contrast to just the clothing of the rich. Styles at all levels now were being heavily influenced by the newly portrayed movie stars.Regular people could now see the movie star’s fashion and make their own renditions of it to create an ever changing style. (1920s Fashion 1) Art had a particularly remarkable influence over the 1920’s clothing. Crazy and bright fabrics were becoming more and more prominent throughout the decade as opposed to the blacks, grays, and neutrals of the past years. Designers also started playing around with geometric patterns and shapes. (1920’s clothing 1) Lighter, brighter, and shorter became the new expectations of clothin g in the 1920’s, especially the dresses.Fashion designers started to become more daring and use numerous fabric colors, textures, and patterns in their line of clothing. Ravishing coordinated and accessorized outfits were a must have for the ladies of nineteen twenties. Hats, shoes, stockings, handbags, dresses, and jewelry all came together in perfect harmony to create a unique an elegant style not previously seen in earlier decades. (1920’s women fashions 1) Influences from the 1920s fashions decade can still be found in many of today’s present trends. For starters, women could now find the same looks in high-priced boutiques as they could in discount retailers.Cardigan jackets and sweaters, first worn in the 1920s have become staple items in today’s fashion industry. Even the style of the bob hair cut has become a classic style nowadays. The fashion of the nineteen twenties was the beginning of change and the love of fashion that numerous people share today. As a result of liberation and artistic movements, mass-production, and flappers one can see how the nineteen twenties fashion era began shaping the fashion industry into one of the biggest industries known today.