Foreign Trade Zone Legal Issues and Implications

The government of the United States of America (US) created the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) to ease customs procedures for companies within US that continually engage in trading activities beyond the US boundary.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Foreign Trade Zone: Legal Issues and Implications specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This analytical treatise reviews the current revision of the FTZ by the Foreign Trade Zones Board and its legal implications. The Foreign Trade Zones Board reviewed several regulations governing the FTZ activities. Unlike the previous regulations, the reviewed regulation of 2012 dictates that an applicant of the FTZ tariffs must specify business activities within the FTZ (Murray, 2012). For instance, production is now separated from processing and manufacturing through the amended 15 CFR 400. Thus, there should be a special authorization note for any production activity within the FTZ. When r equesting for a permit for production, the revised standards in the amendment 15CFR 400 (37) demands that the contender must provide a clear list of the groups of the finished product and its components in line with the production authorization document (Fennell, 2012). Besides, the list must indicate compliance to trade proceeding regulations such as anti counterfeiting and anti-dumping bills. In addition, under the new regulations, the Foreign Trade Zone Board is mandated with the role of providing adequate and comprehensive information within its domain.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This information includes components, raw materials, and products that are authorized within the FTZ as indicated in the amendment 15CFR 400.14 (C) of 2012 (Fennell, 2012). Under the new regulations, any zone grantee is empowered to gain full control however as a public utility party. The rates charged by the government for allocation of space within the zone have been revised to be fair and reasonable within the market rates. Moreover, the grantees are expected by the law to treat applicants fairly and equally when allocating space and rates. These regulations are aimed at making the US FTZ competitive. Among the immediate benefits expected following these changes include improved methodology of duty exception and deferral, especially for the manufacturing and processing applicants. For instance, the amendment 15CFR 400.14 (C) of 2012 empowers the applicants or businesses within the FTZ enjoy the benefits of inverted tariff since most of business activities within this zone have relatively low rates of duty (Fennell, 2012). Following successful implementation of the proposed changes, companies within the FTZ that import raw material will have the opportunity to afford a fair playing ground with finished goods manufactured in countries such as China. Since the impor ted material are subjected to several compliance and customs formality obligations, the proposed changes within the FTZ regulation will ensure complete control of illegal business activities and improve in customer trust on products (Neville, 2011). Since the proposed changes in the FTZ regulation target low duty products, many businesses within the Foreign Trade Zone are likely to benefit from improved sales.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Foreign Trade Zone: Legal Issues and Implications specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result of improved sales, the profits are likely to double within a short period of time as projected in the case of the Yankee Candle Company. Upon successful qualification to the status of the FTZ, this company has reduced the cost of production since the duty taxes on its imported raw material have been zero rated (Neville, 2011). Conclusively, the changes proposed by the Foreign Tra de Zone Board of the US are likely to contribute positively to the competitiveness of American business operating in the international business arena. These companies are likely to double their export volume since the costs of production are reduced. References Fennell, W. (2012). The U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Revised Foreign-Trade Zones Regulations. Web. Murray, M. (2012). Foreign Trade Zones. Web. Neville, M. (2011). Legal Fiction, True Savings: Has your company paid heed to the potential benefits foreign trade zone status can confer? If not, listen up. Web.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This article on Foreign Trade Zone: Legal Issues and Implications was written and submitted by user Mekh1 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.

Anxiety and mood disorders essays

Anxiety and mood disorders essays Everyone experienced some sort of anxiety feeling before an important event, such as an important exam, going on the 1st date, going on the roller coaster for the 1st time, and etc. during their lifetime. When this anxiety start to be an overwhelming thought in a persons mind and causes nightmares, fears, and panic attacks, it becomes an illness, called anxiety disorder. There are three main theories to the cause of anxiety disorder, the Biological Theory, the Behavioral Theory, and the Psychodynamic Theory. The Biological theory indicates anxiety disorder is cause by a chemical imbalance in the brain from a build-up of stress, the use of drug and alcohol, or genetically from parents. The Behavioral Theory says this illness is cause by consistently learning to react negatively to events. The Psychodynamic Theory says childhood issues, such as trauma during childhood, are the causes of anxiety disorder. There are many effective medication treatments and psychotherapy treatments to anxiety disorder. However, the psychotherapy treatments are the better ways to treat anxiety disorder. Medication treatments have a few disadvantages. As oppose to the psychotherapy treatments such as the Behavior Therapy, the Cognitive Therapy, and the Relaxation Techniques, which are effective and beneficial. Medications can help to treat anxiety disorder; these medications generally belong to a chemical group called the benzodiazepines. They are widely used, safe, and effective, for the short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. Most often, they are taken as needed, when your anxiety becomes especially bothersome. but it is not the best treatment. Medications can only help to relief the symptoms of anxiety disorder by restoring the chemical imbalance that lead to the symptoms, but does not treat the cause of it. (Anxiety and Stress) Also, there are side effects to most medications, which can cause other symptoms. Medications can only help d...

'Magazines offer us a powerful way to look at the history of our Essay

'Magazines offer us a powerful way to look at the history of our society. No other medium better reflects the genuine concerns and interests of ordinary people than magazines.' - Essay Example The content of the magazine in generally controlled by the editor or the editorial board that is associated with the magazine. Thus the views of the people who are associated with the editorial board of the magazine get reflected in the content. There might also be guest writers who would provide their opinion about a particular issue or topic. This means that the magazine acts as a reflection of the ideas and the thoughts that are prevailing in the minds of the people who comprise of the higher strata of the society like the authors, politicians, economists, political practitioners as well as leaders of the countries where the magazines are being circulated. One of the most popular American Weekly that had been in circulation since the 1930 is the Time Magazine. The Magazine used to be published from the New York City and contained mainly the news of the political and the social events that used to take place in the country and around the world. The magazine was published in English. The popularity of the company spread to different parts of the world and there were different editions that were published from Europe, Africa and Middle East. One of the distinguishing features of the magazine was that there was specific issues and topics which were focused on a particular year and hence most of the articles published in that year revolved around that particular topic. For example, in the year 1989 the magazine started its planet of the year issue and was mainly focused on the various ecological imbalances and the environmental issues of the earth (Mott, 1938, pp. 78-89). The aim of the Time Magazine on its initial days was to make the readers aware about the magazine within a very short period of time. The element of fun was also incorporated in the magazine so that it could be distinguished from the conventional newspapers. The TIME Magazine was criticised as being one of the magazines

Morality and Moral Controversies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Morality and Moral Controversies - Essay Example Gender identity is one of the first and most far-reaching identities that a human being learns. Many societies have established social distinctions between the sexes which do not inevitably result from biological differences. This largely reflects the impact of conventional gender-role socialization. Gender-roles were defined as expectations regarding the proper behaviour, attitudes and activities of males and females. The application of traditional gender roles leads to many differentiation between men and women. Both sexes are physically capable of leaning to cook and sew, yet most western societies determine that these tasks should be performed by women. Both men and women are capable of learning to weld metal and fly airplanes but these functions are generally assigned to males. All of us can describe the traditional gender-role patterns which have been influential in the socialization of children and the United States. Male babies get blue blankets while females get pink one. Boys are expected to play with trucks, blocks and toy soldiers; girls are given dolls and kitchen goods. Boys must be masculine - active, aggressive, tough, daring and dominant - whereas girls must be feminine - soft, emotional, sweet and submissive. In any society, gender socialization and stratification requires not only individual socialization into traditional gender roles within the family, but al... ender roles, every society has women and men who resist and successfully oppose these stereotypes: strong women who become leaders and professionals, gentle men who care for their children and so forth. With these realities in mind, it seems clear that differences between the sexes are not dictated by biology. Indeed, the maintenance of traditional gender roles requires constant social controls - and these controls are not always effective. 2. Is Rawls right that the obligation to obey the law rests on the duty of fair play (Political and Social Relationships) I believe that nothing in the world is fair. Social stratifications, gender and racial inequalities are very much apparent that we can say not everything is fair and square. With these differences, the law binds all of us no matter what race we have, what economic strata we belong or what our gender preference may be. In complex and rapidly changing societies, there are dislocations between ends and means that encourage individuals to commit acts that are not defined as deviant. Deviance is somewhat more of a social problem rather than a personal trouble; it is a property of the social structure, not of the individual. As a consequence, the solution to deviance lies not in reducing the mismatch between structured goals and unstructured means. In human groups that are growing and changing, class lines are not immutable. Individuals alter their class positions and the boundaries and strata may change. It is important to understand the relationship among social mobility, structural change and moral panic. A central element in our culture is the value placed on improving one's position - through increased income, a job entailing more authority, an access to prestige, ability to have knowledge about technology.

Organic Farming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Organic Farming - Essay Example The majority of the studies have concluded that organic farming and the food produced this way, providing it is properly monitored, is beneficial to the environment and to the consumer. However, the industry is not experiencing the growth that was forecast in the early days of development. If organic farming is so important, why is it still considered a fad and not become a way of life Is organic farming as important and efficient as its proponents suggest Little research has been directed at this dilemma. The scope of this report is to investigate the nature, structure, business, and legal aspect of Organic Farming, and to ascertain the validity of the claims made as to its importance as a preferable and sustainable source in the food and product chain. The objective is to ascertain why organic farming has not become an important issue to the consumer, and action can be taken to address this situation. To provide an answer to the hypothesis our research focuses on the following areas: - To give a balanced view to our study, we also look at the international aspect of the industry, in terms of its size and market share. Our intention is that this study will complement and add value to the existing research on the subject matter. In an effort to provide a logical ... To provide an answer to the hypothesis our research focuses on the following areas: - The ethics of Organic Farming, to ascertain whether the claims made are valid or not. The industry itself, in an effort to gauge the its marketing effectiveness, how it manages the risk element, and the domestic and international size of the industry. The applicable laws, standards, and labelling requirement imposed upon the industry. How the Organic industry can achieve a more effective program for educating the consumer in relation to the benefits and value of its products. To give a balanced view to our study, we also look at the international aspect of the industry, in terms of its size and market share. Our intention is that this study will complement and add value to the existing research on the subject matter. Overview In an effort to provide a logical progression for the paper, a brief history of the industry and its methods are outlined in chapter two. In the third chapter we concentrate upon the business aspect of the industry and its impact, both national and globally, before we move the to discuss the ethics of organic production in chapter four. The current laws, standards, and labelling upon the producers are reviewed in chapter five before we analyze the methods by which the industry currently educates the industry the consumer, and this leads us to the conclusion of our study in chapter, where appropriate recommendations will be outlined. Chapter 2 Background To provide for an better understanding of the substantial amount of research and debate that surrounds Organic Farming and the content of these papers, it is necessary to understand the origins of the industry, and the methods used and systems of

The expert system

The expert system Abstract The title for this report is Expert System. Statistically, the percentage of current organizations implementing expert systems for their usage is very minimal. This is due to the restraining forces of implementing expert system outweigh its driving force. Yet, as the technologies are frequently being upgraded, the constraints of implementing expert systems are getting easier to overcome. Hence, the reason I chose this title for my report is due to my strong interest in the future of expert system where it may potentially be used domestically for providing the best solutions for complex problems. Also, the knowledge gained from this research will contribute a lot for my final year project which will include in a simple expert system. This report will be explaining what an expert system is, the components of expert system, what a knowledge-based expert system is, the features of expert system, the advantages of using expert system, the drawbacks of using expert system and finally suggestions of implementing expert system into e-commerce systems. In the appendix part, the pictures which I have found from the Internet will be included in for providing better understanding regarding the details of expert system. What is Expert System? According to Wikipedia, an expert system is an advanced computer application that is implemented for the purpose of providing solutions to complex problems, or to clarify uncertainties through the use of non-algorithmic programs where normally human expertise will be needed. Expert systems are most common in complex problem domain and are considered as widely used alternatives in searching for solutions that requires the existence of specific human expertise. The expert system is also able to justify its provided solutions based on the knowledge and data from past users. Normally expert systems are used in making business marketing strategic decisions, analyzing the performance of real time systems, configuring computers and perform many other functions which normally would require the existence of human expertise. The difference between an expert system with a normal problem-solving system is that the latter is a system where both programs and data structures are encoded, while for expert system only the data structures are hard-coded and no problem-specific information is encoded in the program structure. Instead, the knowledge of a human expertise is captured and codified in a process known as knowledge engineering. Hence, whenever a particular problem requires the assistance of a certain human expertise to provide a solution, the human expertise which has been codified will be used and processed in order to provide a rational and logical solution. This knowledge-based expert system enables the system to be frequently added with new knowledge and adapt accordingly to meet new requirements from the ever-changing and unpredictable environment. Components of Expert System An expert system has many core system components to function and interfaces with individuals of various roles. In the appendix area, there will be a diagram (Figure 1.1) displaying expert system components and human interfaces. The major components are: Knowledge base a set of rules as representation of the expertise, mostly in IF THEN statements. Working storage the data which is specific to a problem being solved. Inference engine the code at the core of the system which derives recommendations from the knowledge base and problem-specific data in working storage. User interface the code that controls the dialog between the user and the system. There are certain major roles of individuals who interact with the expert system to fully exploit its functionality and capability. They are the: Domain expert the individual or individuals whose expertises are solving the problems the system is intended to solve; Knowledge engineer the individual who encodes the experts knowledge in a form that can be used by the expert system; User the individual who will be consulting with the system to get advice which would have been provided by the expert. Majority of the expert systems are built with expert system shells which contains an inference engine and user interface. The shell will be used by a knowledge engineer to build a system catered for specific problem domain. Sometimes expert systems are also built with custom developed shells for certain applications. In this scenario, there will be another additional individual System engineer the individual who builds the user interface, designs the declarative format of the knowledge base, and implements the inference engine. Depending on the size of the project, the knowledge engineer and the system engineer might be the same person. For a custom built system, the design of the format of the knowledge base and the coding of the domain knowledge are closely related. The format has a significant effect on the coding of the knowledge. One of the major hurdles to overcome in building expert systems is the knowledge engineering process. The process of the codifying the expertise into a required rule format can be a challenging and tedious task. One major advantage of a customized shell is that the format of the knowledge base can be designed to facilitate the knowledge engineering process. Since the major challenge in expert system development is the building of the knowledge base, it is encouraged that gap and difference between the experts representation of the knowledge and the representation in the knowledge base should be minimized. With a customized system, the system engineer can implement a knowledge base whose structures are as close as possible to those used by the domain expert. Knowledge-based Expert Systems Not all expert systems have learning components to adapt in new environments or to meet new requirements. But a common element each expert system possesses is that once the system is fully developed it will be tested and be proven by being placed in the same real world problem solving situation, typically as an aid to human workers or a supplement to some information system. Although reference books are able to provide a tremendous amount of knowledge, users have to read, comprehend and interpret the knowledge for it to be used. Conventional computer programs are built to perform functions using conventional decision-making logic having only little knowledge along with the basic algorithm for performing the specific functions and fulfill the necessary boundary conditions. The so-called knowledgebase was created in purpose of utilizing some knowledge representation formalism to capture and store the Subject Matter Experts (SME) knowledge. The process includes gathering that knowledge from the SME and codifying it according to a standardized format. Knowledge-based expert systems collect the small segments of human knowledge and combined into a set of knowledge-base which is used to aid in solving a complex problem. Any other problem that is within the range and domain of the knowledge-base can also be solved using the same program without reprogramming. Knowledge-based expert systems solve problems which normally require human intelligence. These said expert systems represent the expertise knowledge as data or rules within a system. These rules and data can be used and called upon for reference when needed to solve complex problems. When compared to conventional programming, the system has the ability to reason the process with explanations by back-traces and calculate the levels of confidence and deal with uncertainty. The knowledge has to be codified into programming code, hence as the knowledge changes, the program has to be changed accordingly as well and then rebuilt. Expert System Features There are a number of features which are commonly used in expert systems. These features allows the users to fully utilize the expert systems capability conveniently in providing the most logical and reasonable decision in a problematic situation. Backward chaining an inference technique which continuously break a goal into smaller sub-goals which are easier to prove via IF THEN rules Dealing with uncertainties the system has the capability to handle and reason with conditions that are uncertain and data which are not precisely known Forward chaining an inference technique which deduce a problem solution from initial data via IF THEN rules Data representation the method where the specific problem data is stored and accessed in the system User interface that portion of the code which creates an easy to use system; Explanations the ability of the system to explain the reasoning process that it used to reach a recommendation. Inference rule An inference rule is a statement that has two parts, antecedent which is an if clause and consequent which is a then clause. This rule is what the expert systems rely on and provides the capability to find solutions to diagnose and prescribe problems. An example of an inference rule is: If the song choice is in Latin, and the singers are in a group, Then the song choice is definitely from Il Divo. An expert systems rule base stores many inference rules such as this. They are stored in as separate rules and the inference engine will draw conclusions by going through all of them. Rules can be removed and added without affecting others since they are non-connected, yet it will subsequently affect which conclusions are to be reached. Inference rules has the better upper hand compared with traditional programming due to the fact that inference rules are able to imitate human reasoning and justify the solutions given. Thus, when a conclusion is drawn, the system is able to justify its course of solution and convince the user. Furthermore, since the expert system uses knowledge in a form identical to a certain expert, the solution provided will be not so different from an actual experts advice. Chaining When using inference rules, two main methods of reasoning used are backward chaining and forward chaining. Forward Chaining Forward chaining begins under the condition that the data is available and inference rules are used to conclude more data until a desired goal is reached. An inference engine using forward chaining searches the inference rules until it finds one in which the if clause is known to be true. It then concludes the then clause and adds this information to its data. It would continue to do this until a goal is reached. Due to the reason that the data available determines which inference rules are used, this method is also called data driven. A large number of expert systems require the use of forward chaining. The data driven approach is practical when combinatorial explosion creates a seemingly infinite number of possible right answers where no definite answer is specified. Forward chaining starts with the available data and uses inference rules to extract more data until a goal is reached. An inference engine using forward chaining searches the inference rules until it finds one where the antecedent (If clause) is known to be true. When found it can conclude, the consequent (Then clause), resulting in the addition of new information to its data. Inference engines will iterate through this process until a goal is reached. For example, suppose that the goal is to conclude the color of a pet named Fritz, given that he croaks and eats flies, and that the rule base contains the following four rules: If X croaks and eats flies Then X is a frog If X chirps and sings Then X is a canary If X is a frog Then X is green If X is a canary Then X is yellow This rule base would be searched and the first rule would be selected, because its antecedent (If Fritz croaks and eats flies) matches our data. Now the consequents (Then X is a frog) is added to the data. The rule base is again searched and this time the third rule is selected, because its antecedent (If Fritz is a frog) matches our data that was just confirmed. Now the new consequent (Then Fritz is green) is added to our data. Nothing more can be inferred from this information, but we have now accomplished our goal of determining the color of Fritz. Due to the fact that the data determines which rules are selected and used, this method is called data-driven, in contrast to goal-driven backward chaining inference. One of the advantages of forward-chaining over backward-chaining is that the reception of new data can trigger new inferences, which makes the engine better suited to dynamic situations in which conditions are likely to change. Backward Chaining Backward chaining starts with a list of goals or hypothesis and works backwards from the consequent (Then clause) to the antecedent (If clause) to see if there is data available that will support any of these consequents. An inference engine using backward chaining would search the inference rules until it finds one which has a consequent that matches a desired goal. If the antecedent of that rule is not known to be true, then it is added to the list of goals. In order for ones goal to be confirmed one must also provide data that confirms this new rule. An example of a system that uses backward chaining will be Google search engine. The aim of the system is to pick the best choice from many enumerated possibilities. For example, an identification problem falls in this category. Diagnostic systems also fit this model, since the aim of the system is to pick the correct diagnosis. The knowledge is structured in rules which describe how each of the possibilities might be selected. The rule breaks the problem into sub-problems. For example, the following top level rules are in a system which identifies birds. IF family is albatross and color is white THEN bird is laysan albatross. IF family is albatross and color is dark THEN bird is black footed albatross. The system would try all of the rules which gave information satisfying the goal of identifying the bird. Each would trigger sub-goals. In the case of these two rules, the sub-goals of determining the family and the color would be pursued. The following rule is one that satisfies the family sub-goal: IF order is tubenose and size large and wings long narrow THEN family is albatross. The sub-goals of determining color, size, and wings would be satisfied by asking the user. By having the lowest level sub-goal satisfied or denied by the user, the system effectively carries on a dialog with the user. The user sees the system asking questions and responding to answers as it attempts to find the rule which correctly identifies the bird. Note that the goals always match the affirmed versions of the consequents of implications and even then, their antecedents are then considered as the new goals which ultimately must match known facts which are usually defined as consequents whose antecedents are always true. Due to the reason that the list of goals determines which rules are selected and used, this method is called goal-driven, in contrast to data-driven forward-chaining inference. The backward chaining approach is often employed by expert systems. For a data driven system, the system must be initially populated with data, in contrast to the goal driven system which gathers data as it needs it. Figure 1.2 illustrates the difference between forward and backward chaining systems for two simplified rules. The forward chaining system starts with the data of a=1 and b=2 and uses the rules to derive d=4. The backward chaining system starts with the goal of finding a value for d and uses the two rules to reduce that to the problem of finding values for a and b. Uncertainty Often times in structured selection problems the final answer is not known with complete certainty. The experts rules might be vague, and the user might be unsure of answers to questions. This can be easily seen in medical diagnostic systems where the expert is not able to be definite about the relationship between symptoms and diseases. In fact, the doctor might offer multiple possible diagnoses. For expert systems to work in the real world they must also be able to deal with uncertainty. One of the simplest schemes is to associate a numeric value with each piece of information in the system. The numeric value represents the certainty with which the information is known. There are numerous ways in which these numbers can be defined, and how they are combined during the inference process. Data Representation For all rule based systems, the rules refer to data. The data representation can be simple or complex, depending on the problem. The most fundamental scheme uses attribute-value pairs. Examples are color-white, and size-large. When a system is reasoning about multiple objects, it is necessary to include the object as well as the attribute-value. For example the furniture placement system might be dealing with multiple chairs with different attributes, such as size. The data representation in this case must include the object. Once there are objects in the system, they each might have multiple attributes. This leads to a record-based structure where a single data item in working storage contains an object name and all of its associated attribute-value pairs. Frames are a more complex way of storing objects and their attribute-values. Frames add intelligence to the data representation, and allow objects to inherit values from other objects. Furthermore, each of the attributes can have associated with it procedures (called demons) which are executed when the attribute is asked for, or updated. In a furniture placement system each piece of furniture can inherit default values for length. When the piece is placed, demons are activated which automatically adjust the available space where the item was placed. User Interface The acceptability of an expert system depends to a great extent on the quality of the user interface. The easiest to implement interfaces communicate with the user through a scrolling dialog as illustrated in figure 1.4. The user can enter commands, and respond to questions. The system responds to commands, and asks questions during the inferencing process. More advanced interfaces make heavy use of pop-up menus, windows, mice, and similar techniques as shown in figure 1.5. If the machine supports it, graphics can also be a powerful tool for communicating with the user. This is especially true for the development interface which is used by the knowledge engineer in building the system. Providing Explanations One of the more interesting features of expert systems is their ability to explain themselves. Given that the system knows which rules were used during the inference process, it is possible for the system to provide those rules to the user as a means for explaining the results. This type of explanation can be very dramatic for some systems such as the bird identification system. It could report that it knew the bird was a black footed albatross because it knew it was dark colored and an albatross. It could similarly justify how it knew it was an albatross. At other times, however, the explanations are relatively useless to the user. This is because the rules of an expert system typically represent empirical knowledge, and not a deep understanding of the problem domain. For example a car diagnostic system has rules which relate symptoms to problems, but no rules which describe why those symptoms are related to those problems. Explanations are always of extreme value to the knowledge engineer. They are the program traces for knowledge bases. By looking at explanations the knowledge engineer can see how the system is behaving, and how the rules and data are interacting. This is an invaluable diagnostic tool during development. Why Use Expert System? In this section, the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the expert systems are provided. Then, the pros and cons will be reviewed according to my viewpoint and I will conclude as to why expert system SHOULD be implemented as a wiser alternative in obtaining the best solutions in overcoming complex problems. The Advantages of Using Expert System Expert system has been reliably used in the business world to gain tactical advantages and forecast the markets condition. In this globalization era where every decision made in the business world is critical for success, the assistance provided from an expert system is undoubtedly essential and highly reliable for an organization to succeed. Examples given below will be the advantages for the implementation of an expert system: Providing consistent solutions It can provide consistent answers for repetitive decisions, processes and tasks. As long as the rule base in the system remains the same, regardless of how many times similar problems are being tested, the final conclusions drawn will remain the same. Provides reasonable explanations It has the ability to clarify the reasons why the conclusion was drawn and be why it is considered as the most logical choice among other alternatives. If there are any doubts in concluding a certain problem, it will prompt some questions for users to answer in order to process the logical conclusion. Overcome human limitations It does not have human limitations and can work around the clock continuously. Users will be able to frequently use it in seeking solutions. The knowledge of experts is an invaluable asset for the company. It can store the knowledge and use it as long as the organization needs. Easy to adapt to new conditions Unlike humans who often have troubles in adapting in new environments, an expert system has high adaptability and can meet new requirements in a short period of time. It also can capture new knowledge from an expert and use it as inference rules to solve new problems. The Disadvantages of Using Expert System Although the expert system does provide many significant advantages, it does have its drawbacks as well. Examples given below will be the disadvantages for the implementation of an expert system: Lacks common sense It lacks common sense needed in some decision making since all the decisions made are based on the inference rules set in the system. It also cannot make creative and innovative responses as human experts would in unusual circumstances. High implementation and maintenance cost The implementation of an expert system will be a financial burden for smaller organizations since it has high development cost as well as the subsequent recurring costs to upgrade the system to adapt in new environment. Difficulty in creating inference rules Domain experts will not be able to always explain their logic and reasoning needed for the knowledge engineering process. Hence, the task of codifying out the knowledge is highly complex and may require high May provide wrong solutions It is not error-free. There may be errors occurred in the processing due to some logic mistakes made in the knowledge base, which it will then provide the wrong solutions. Summary It is entirely subjective as to whether the advantages of expert system overweigh the disadvantages of implementing it. It depends on the organizations viewpoint as to which objectives have the higher priority, whether in cutting cost or in producing a higher quality decision-making. However, in my opinion, the implementation of expert system is critical in providing the better service towards customers as well as possessing the competitive advantages over strong competitors. Cutting Cost VS Better Quality of Services If an organization is financially stable, the expert system is worth spending money and resources on, based on its fame and history of delivering many positive results. Though some organizations may have the cost-cutting objective as the top priority, if a wrong decision is made, it could lead to heavier financial loss. Adding insult to injury, the organizations reputation will be tarnished and customers may lose confidence towards the services of the organization. Expert System VS Human Experts Another main constraint of implementing the expert system would be the process of capturing the knowledge and codifying it into the system. However, an expert will not be available to provide his expertise around the clock. Hence, the importance of having the knowledge available all the time for critical decision-making far overweighs the difficulty that the organization will face in capturing the said knowledge. Humans also have limitations as to how much knowledge a human is able to digest and comprehend. As for expert system, it is able to store as much knowledge as possible base on its storage space. Hence, in terms of performance, expert system is capable to perform as good if not better then human. Implementing Expert System into e-Commerce System It has yet to be common for e-commerce systems to be implementing expert system to enhance its capability and experience for web users. There are still not many web developers willing to embed an expert system into their e-commerce system, mainly due to its difficulty in the knowledge engineering process to codify the human expertise. Yet, it is plausible to have a less complex expert system embedded in an e-commerce system to aid customers make decisions. The appropriate inference technique to be used in an e-commerce system will be forward chaining method, since customers will be providing part by part of data which will then be compared with the rule base to finally draw a conclusion. Providing questionnaires Through forward chaining method, the properly organized questionnaires will be able to obtain parts of small information from customers who couldnt make their decision upon which item to be bought. Every single question will have its purpose in determining the condition of the customers thoughts and liking, and then the answer provided will be compared with the rule base in the expert system to draw a final conclusion. This data-driven method is simple and productive since the process of codifying the human expertise of recommending an item that suits the customers liking isnt that complex. Example of Questionnaire The questionnaire below is used for the purpose of attaining small parts of information from the customer and the answers provided will be compared to the rule base in order to generate a decision for him Question 1 What is your budget range? (Determining the range of performance from the desktop) A. < RM 2000 B. lt RM 3000 C. > RM 5000 Inference Rules If X budget is less than RM2000 Then X needs no NVIDIA graphic card If X budget is less than RM3000 Then X needs NVIDIA graphic card(s) If X budget is more than RM5000 Then X needs NVIDIA graphic card(s) with better computer accessories Note: If user chose < RM 2000 Question 2 will be skipped. Question 2 What are the games you mostly play? (Determining the graphic card requirements) A. Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) B. First-Person-Shooting (FPS) C. All Inference Rules If X needs NVIDIA graphic card(s) AND X plays MMORPG Then X needs NVIDIA GTX 260 If X needs NVIDIA graphic card(s) with better computer accessories AND X plays MMORPG Then X needs NVIDIA GTX 260 and High Resolution Monitor If X needs NVIDIA graphic card(s) AND X plays FPS Then X needs NVIDIA GT 9600 If X needs NVIDIA graphic card(s) with better computer accessories AND X plays FPS Then X needs NVIDIA GT 9600 and Gaming Laser Mouse Question 3 How frequent do you download files such as songs and movies from the internet? (Determining the needed storage space) A. Seldom B. Often Inference Rules If X seldom download files Then X needs 320GB storage space If X often download files Then X needs 500GB storage space Providing Explanations Based on the questionnaire above, if a customer selects C, B, and B, the explanation will be given: The user selects NVIDIA GT 9600, Gaming Laser Mouse and 500 GB storage space. User plays First-Person-Shooting games which require middle-performance of graphic card and a gaming laser mouse to increase precision of mouse-controlling. User often downloads files and requires large storage space. If a customer selects C, A, and A, the explanation will be given: The user selects NVIDIA GTX 260, High Resolution Monitor and 320GB storage space. User plays MMORPG which require high-performance of graphic card and a high resolution monitor to enhance the gaming experience. User seldom downloads files and requires moderate storage space. Conclusion To conclude this report, expert system is undeniably reliable in terms of providing reasonable and highly valuable decisions. Knowledge and experiences from a human expert can lead to the critical decision-making in achieving success. Yet, as humans have limitations in terms of how much of knowledge is comprehendible by a person and the possible fatigue of dealing with too much work, the expert system doesnt have any. As knowledge is a valuable asset to an organization, retaining the experts knowledge is critical for the future of the organization. The expert system can play a vital role in storing and retaining the knowledge from a human expert. This saves the trouble of having the need to hire experts within the same domain for years. The rapid change and improvement of technologies will gradually decrease the cost for implementing an expert system. This will significantly reduce the financial burden for small companies in deciding the implementation of expert system. In the business world, organizations often faced trouble in making tough decisions and overcome complex problems. Customers often require computerized systems to support their decision-making. All these criteria can be met with the implementation of the expert system.

John Philip Sousa :: essays research papers

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA John Philip Sousa was born in 1854, the third child of ten. He was born in Washington, D.C. His parents were immigrants. John Antonio Sousa was his dad. He was originally from Spain, even though his parents were Portugese in origin. His mom, Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus came to America from Bavaria. John was a talented youngster. At the tender age of 6 he was studying music. He learned to play many types of instruments; the violin, piano, cornet, alto horn, flute, baritone. Like his father, who played the trombone in the U.S. Marines Band, John, too, learned to play the trombone. John also spent time studying voice. John was a rather mischevious teen. At the age of 13 John tried to run away to join the circus. Dad was not all that impressed with John and made him enlist in the Marines. While in the service he published "Moonlight on the Potomac Waltzes". That was his first published composition and the beginning of a very successful career. After spending 8 years in the Marines, he was discharged. John found the love of his life in 1879. Jane van Middleworth Bellis became Mrs. John Philip Sousa that year. Together they travelled to Europe four times. On one voyage back, John was inspired to write the "Stars and Stripes Forever". Three of their trips to Europe were for performances, another trip was as a vacation. While they were on vacation Sousa's promoter, David Blakely died. In 1892 John named his band "Sousa's New Marine Band". Needless to say, Washington was not pleased with the name and Sousa had to rename his band. He had a couple of great tours with the Marine Band but was convinced to go into the civilian sector to create another band. As stated earlier, Sousa was a prolific writer. He wrote 135 songs and conducted many , many more. His most memorable song was "Stars and Stripes Forever". It is song that many children remember by singing " be kind to your web-footed friends...". In his lengthy career he conducted over 100 operettas, 11 suites, and 2 concert pieces. Not a man to sit on the sidelines for long. Sousa joined the Naval Reserves at the ripe old age of 62. He sure was not in it for money. He went in as a lieutenant and only made a buck a month. It was only World War I.

Advantages of Group Decision-Making Essay

Firstly, group decision making from experts in different areas is beneficial to solve complicate problems. For instance, in a small company, boss often makes suggestions by himself; the result of his behavior relies on the ability of the boss. So there are cases when he can’t make things right, which may be serious fault to the operation of a company. However, people with different backgrounds consider the problems more carefully and comprehensively, as a result, running the company will be in less risk. Secondly, people making decisions in groups are eager to bear more risks individually. Decisions come with risks. People who make the wrong decision will take the responsibility. A contradiction rises up when they attempt to avoid being wrong and at the same time, solve problems correctly. As a result, people will somewhat not dare to make the final decision. Nevertheless, group decision makers can share the risks because each of them has responsibility for the suggestions to the problem. Moreover, individual risks are decreased when some others rectify the suggestion for him or her. 2.Disadvantages of group decision-making Firstly, low efficiency in decision-making, everyone has his own opinions and under certain circumstances such as brainstorming, it costs more time to decide what to do by group decision-making than by personal decision-making. If things go well, the results will come out quickly. But if each of them in a group can’t comprise in the end, nothing will be achieved. For example, there is news from CCTV about the 2012 DOHA Climate Change Conference, †Nearly 200 countries haggling over how to stop climate change – and how to pay for it – failed to reach a deal on schedule Friday. That sets the stage for the wrangling to continue late into the night.† Things like these are usually occurred when a large number of people attend. Finally, the conference extended until they arrive at an agreement. Secondly, group decision-making will lose effectiveness when people are not likely to put up with suggestions out of some reasons. In such cases, the leader of the group will be the only one who does decision-making, which has no diffidence with personal decision-making. All the members of the group should have equal opportunities and are willing to speak out. Then, group decision-making functions better in dealing with problems.

The Effect of Outsourcing on Public Sector Organizations

The Effect of Outsourcing on Public Sector Organizations JOHN H HANNAH III UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX The Effect of Outsourcing on Public Sector Organizations This paper will examine the particular issues associated with the impact of outsourcing on public sector organization’s performance and employee commitment. As the move to outsourcing is part of a wider phenonom for flexibility in the organizational, structure, development and change paradigms of public sector organizations.This paper begins by examining the problems associated with an outsourcing strategy in public sector organization. Many counties within the US, have chosen to outsource the investment and operation of non-competitive public services, such as water and waste management, public transports, mail services, information and communication technology services, facilities management and road infrastructures. Outsourcing today has become an essential revenue and growth strategy for almost every existing corporation. It creates flexibility in the company, ensuring the maximum utilization of available resources within the company. It also offers corporations cost advantages and help free up their management resources. Orange county government-anywhere USA, requested the services of a Home Land Security Specialist to assist in the collaborative, assessment, development and strategic enhancement of it municipality’s Information Technology (IT) and Critical Facilities’ (CF) upgrades and security.Upon the completion of plan, expectations and deliverables, a series of introductions with Directors, Managers and Supervisors, it was apparent the federal dollars associated with the project was indeed the motive for the invitation. In my initial general assessment and development of a strategy, the organization handbook was the first critical reading which uncovered a mission statement, values, ethical guidelines and the organizational cultural premise. â€Å"The Mayor’s outline the v ision, values and mission as simple – to serve. You have an important job to do as we work to meet the needs of our citizens.We ensure that roads are built and maintained; we protect environmental resources; we respond to crisis and emergency situations; we staff facilities that care for people; and we ensure that the quality of life of our citizens is protected our challenge is to build on the strengths of our diverse community so that everyone can enjoy the very best Orange County has to offer. We are committed to maintaining an organization where citizens are engaged in civic affairs, take ownership in their government and have input in the decision making process†.The following core values serve as our foundation: 1. FAIRNESS, 2. WORK ETHIC 3. INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER 4. EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION: 5. PROFESSIONALISM AND ACCOUNTABILITY (Orange County Government, 2012) . The role of the Security Specialist in this public sector organization is to examine the particular issues associated with the impact of outsourcing on public sector organization’s performance and employee commitment and develop a strategy to move this organization toward outsourcing initially in the areas of IT and CF.Provide an assessment and evaluation of the organizational readiness for change in the area of outsourcing. This paper begins by examining the problems associated with an outsourcing strategy in public sector organization in the form of an assessment. As public sector moves to outsourcing as part of a wider strategy to increase flexibility in the organizational, structure, development and change paradigms of public sector organization. Outsourcing helps organizations to be focused.Since the most valuable resource within management is time, once a process is successfully outsourced, the management gets more and effective time to explore new revenue streams, time to accelerate other projects and time to focus on customers. Traditionally executives spend 80 per cent of their time managing details, and only 20 percent on planning and customer relations, in other words, a successful outsourcing process can help reverse this ratio.Outsourcing can also help companies to have access to new technologies that might not be used in their company. This is mainly because the outsourcers use the latest state-of-the art technologies to serve their private sector clients. And this might also increase the change paradigm shift and rapid migration of these companies to new technology. Outsourcing also helps multi functional areas and department of a public sector providing the benefit of 24-hour operational cycles and providing necessary services to their customer.The ever- growing pressure for increased productivity and profitability of city, county and state governments thus, the pressures to reduce costs and improve productivity are the main factors that influenced the beginning of offshore outsourcing. For example, the main advantages to move producti on to private contracting of products and services to reduce in-house human resources management cost. Hence, today outsourcing has become an attractive and powerful strategy for companies to reduce cost and improve performance.These models provide theoretical guidelines upon which valid and reliable organizational assessments should be based. All of these models provide value to management and human resource organizational leaders performing organizational assessments based on a internal aspects or a system theory evaluation approach (Erwin & Garman, 2010). The McKinsey 7S Framework model is used as a tool to assess and monitor changes in the internal situation of an organization closed system assessment. The model is based on the theory that, for an organization to perform well, these seven elements need to be aligned and mutually reinforcing.So, the model can be used to help identify what needs to be realigned to improve performance, or to maintain alignment (and performance) dur ing other types of change. The basic premise of the model is that there are seven internal aspects of an organization that need to be aligned if it is to be successful evaluation and assessment tool. The Seven Interdependent Elements of the 7s model are Hard elements (strategy, structure and systems) and the Soft Elements (shared values, skills, style and staff) (Waterman, Peters, & Phillips, 1980)Burke & Litwin Model (The Casual Model of Organizational Performance & Change) – The Burke & Litwin Model, suggests linkages that hypothesize how performance is affected by internal and external factors. It provides a framework to assess organizational and environmental dimensions that are keys to successful change and it demonstrates how these dimensions should be linked causally to achieve a change in performance. According to Burke-Litwin’s model, an organization may conduct a change intervention in stages as they relate to a specific focus in two stages â€Å"First order and Second order† changes.If an OD intervention is directed toward structure, systems, and management practice result, it can be considered a first order change, if interventions are directed toward mission, strategy, leadership, and organizational culture then result in second order change (Burke & Litwin, 1992). The Marvin Weisbord-Six-Box Model (Weisbord’s Model) is designed to assess the functioning of organizations based mainly on the techniques and assumptions of the field of organizational development. The model represents a particular way of looking at organizational structure and design.It gives attention to issues such as planning, incentives and rewards, the role of support functions such as personnel, internal competitions among organizational units, standards for remuneration, partnerships, hierarchies and the delegation of authority, organizational control, accountability and performance assessment. The model also follows the basic ‘systems' approac h to organizational functioning including the well-known inputs and ‘outputs' categories. The six-box model is comprised of the following components (boxes): (1). Purposes, (2). Structure, (3) relationships; (4). Rewards, (5). Leadership, (6).Coordinating technologies. The only disadvantage to this model is it s design to only address internal environments (Weisbord, 1978). An open system organizational development theory and (Burke & Litwin) model will be utilized to conduct a diagnosis analysis planned change assessment to the organization. These changes are usually designed to address an organization problem or to help an organization prepare for future. It is the one method of quickly bringing change, which focus on human and social aspects of the organization as a way to improve organization’s ability to adapt and solve problems.The best theory is developed from practice; the best practice should be grounded in theory (Seeger, 2006; Brown, 2011). The Burke & Litwin Model hypothesizes’ how performance is affected by internal and external factors. Public sector management occurs within a complex, dynamic system involving stakeholders, coupled with informational and resource material flows and behaviour that is characterized by interactions related to internal and external environments. According to Burke-Litwin’s model, an organization may conduct a change intervention in stages as they relate to a specific focus in two stages â€Å"First order and Second order† changes.If an OD intervention is directed toward structure, systems, and management practice result, it can be considered a first order change, if interventions are directed toward mission, strategy, leadership, and organizational culture then result in second order change (Burke & Litwin, 1992). The theory of Organizational readiness for change is considered a multi-level, multi-faceted construct. From and organization-level construct, readiness for change refers t o organizational members' shared resolve to implement a change (change commitment) and shared belief in their collective capability to do so (change efficacy).Organizational readiness for change varies as a function of how much organizational member’s value the change and how favorably they appraise three key determinants of implementation capability: task demands, resource availability, and situational factors. When organizational readiness for change is high, organizational members are more likely to initiate change, exert greater effort, exhibit greater persistence, and display more cooperative behavior (Weiner, 2009). References Bateman, T. S. , & Snell, S. A. (2007). Management: Leading & collaboratiing in a competitive world (7th ed. . New York, NY: McGraw Hill – Irwin. Boland, T. , & Fowler, A. (2000). A systems perspective of performance management in public sector management. The International Journal of Public Sector organizations, 13(5), 417-446. doi:10. 110 8/09513550010350832 Brown, D. R. (2011). An experiential approach to organization development (8th ed. ). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Burke, W. W. , & Litwin, G. H. (1992). Causal model of organization performance and change’. Journal Management, 18(3), 523-545. doi:10. 1177/014920639201800306 Erwin, D. G. , & Garman, A. N. (2010).Resistance to organizational change: Linking research and practice,. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 31(1), 39-56. doi:10. 1108/01437731011010371 Harrison, M. I. , & Shirom, A. (1999). Organizational diagnosis and assessment: Bridging theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Kotter, J. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 59-67. Retrieved from http://89. 248. 0. 102/upload/Topplederprogrammet/Kotter. pdf Lewin, K. (1951). Field Theory in Social Science. London, England: Harper Row. Orange County Government. 2012, April). Employee Handbook. Fl. Retrieved from http://www. ocfl. net/Portal s/0/resourcelibrary/employment-employehandbook. pdf Waterman, R. , Peters, T. J. , & Phillips, J. R. (1980). Structure is not organization. Mckinsey Quarterly, 2-20. Retrieved from http://www. tompeters. com/docs/Structure_Is_Not_Organization. pdf Weisbord, M. (1978). Organizational Diagnosis: A Workbook of Theory and Practice. Addison-wesley. Wiener, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation Science, 4, 67. doi:10. 1186/1748-5908-4-67

The Dilemma of Childhood Obesity essays

The Dilemma of Childhood Obesity essays The purpose of this paper is to identify a current issue in lifespan development that has been of personal interest. This issue will draw many questions, concerns, identify features that are increasingly noticeable, and can hinder development in what we would consider to be normal periods of development. Childhood obesity is an issue that has been an increasing dilemma more so over the past few decades. This particular issue is of great interest to me because the adverse effects it has psychologically and I work in a school system where it is obesity is prevalent. When we talk in terms of obesity in children it can modify and create issues in the processes of biological, behavioral, and social cognitive, ethological, ecological aspects of development. How does obesity happen? How does this affect the course of childhood through adulthood? Who is responsible? Obesity is attributed to a possible lack of motivation that stems from parents, peers, and the environment in which a child lives. This sensitive issue certainly is a gradual process that occurs over time and does not happen overnight. I observe too often poor eating habits and more so now in a fast paced society where fast food has become the norm over home cooked meals. It is also important to state that with both parents or single parent homes where work is crucial, there is greater responsibility for children to make more decisions for themselves in regards to eating for there is no guidance. Schools were scrutinized more recently over the years and have modified food choices and portions that help aid in reducing the intake of food consumed by all children. This is a positive step in the right direction, but it is what lies outside the school walls that is a major contributor and is of greater concern, for it is not a consistent routine. Which leads to an important feature whi ch is limited physical activity; meaning there is no motivation to go running, biking, or just ...

Interpretation of Martin Luther King's Letter from Jail Essay

Interpretation of Martin Luther King's Letter from Jail - Essay Example The central ideas of the letter: love and justice, can be seen from the first lines of Martin Luther King’s letter. He tries to disapprove accusation of not being a Birmingham insider. Martin Luther King claims that he had an invitation to Birmingham and had managerial ties as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s president. In addition, he did not consider himself as Birmingham outsider because of the fact that everyone who live within the territorial boundaries of the United States of America could not be referred to as outsiders. This justifies the justice and love idea of Martin Luther King’s letter. Martin Luther King’s letter focuses on nonviolent resistant defense to racism; Martin Luther King argues in the letter that people have a moral responsibility to resist unjust laws. This shows the commitment of Martin Luther King to advocate love and justice to the people of America. The letter though experienced an early setback; it enjoyed a bro ad publication and was considered the major text for the civil rights movement in the United States in the early 1960s. Martin Luther King responded through his letter to the call for unity and acted as a declaration to fight racial inequality. This again supports the thesis of this paper: the significance of love and justice in using appeals to logic, emotion and ethics. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King literary puts into terms his life thesis statement. Martin Luther King illustrated meticulously his reasoning through the use of appeals to emotion, logic, and ethics. A logical appeal is that which utilizes facts, reason and documented evidence to drive a point. Martin Luther King makes in his letter a logical appeal where he responds to being referred to as an extremist. King does this by asserting that majority of historical figures that are today considered heroes were perceived as extremist in their time. Martin Luther King mentions people like Thomas Jef ferson, Apostle Paul, Jesus Christ and Abraham Lincoln (549). In this particular aspect, King uses facts and reason to put across a logical appeal to the reader: if he is considered an extremist because of campaigning for freedom, then all the other people are extremists as well. Martin Luther King cites an illustration of this by pointing out the manner in which the police at Birmingham mistreated the protesters (522). Although he does not in particular cite a source, the event was publicized widely. Martin Luther King uses evidence to invalidate the accusations by the clergymen. He also uses firsthand accounts in illustrating his points. King talks about the way he expected the white religious leaders to provide aid, but found opposition and reluctance instead (550). Martin Luther King states his arguments through providing firsthand account of his real experience. This however relies on the perception of the writer in order to be useful. Credibility is needed for this reason. In order to obtain credibility, explanations as to why things are done in a particular way must be given. Martin Luther King begins his letter by informing readers that he is writing the letter (540-541). Informing readers the reason for particular writings gives the readers insight to the real meaning of

Introduction to Art - Museum Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Art - Museum Paper - Assignment Example He used oil on canvas while working on the painting whose original dimensions were 145.7 centimeters in diameter. The Nativity with the Infant Saint John is a circular painting belonging to a category that Pero di Cosimo called the tondo. It is a unique painting of the 1500s, which received popularity in the Renaissance period. The painting signifies an intriguing cosmic harmony and reflects eternity and divinity. In the painting, Mary, the mother of Jesus is in a kneeling position in an effort to adore the infant Christ who is at the forefront of the painting. The infant Christ is sleeping on a blue mantle. The head of the infant rests on a pillow made of wheat. John the Baptist is also present as a young child with a cross, made from reeds that he holds in his effort to exhibit adoration for the infant Jesus. In the background of the painting, Joseph walks down a staircase guarded by angels. The angels appear to be in a celebratory mood because Jesus has been born. The painting has other symbolic items such as rose, rocks, dove, and bud, which represent different instances in the life of Jesu s (Geronimus and Piero 166). On the left side, Piero di Cosimo reflected the life outside the house with different animals grazing outside in the open fields. Beside Mary is an angel who also kneels in respect before the infant Jesus. In an effort to complement the circular painting, the left has a serene landscape in which Piero di Cosmo made use of rolling contours. Evidently, Piero di Cosimo’s circular painting is a representation of a rich narrative. Piero di Cosimo makes use of different visual elements in an effort to develop appealing art pieces. Notably, he combines different styles that he adopted from different artists whom he admired. In order to develop the tondo painting, he made use of figural volume, robust proportions, bright colors, and tonal contrast in order to develop