Outsourcing Of Manufacturing And Services Essay - 1237 Words

Literature Review Offshoring of manufacturing/services/innovation activities by advanced economies to China, India, or other countries. Introduction For years now it has been widely practised for large companies and firms to outsource manufacturing, services, and innovation activities to low-cost countries like China and India. However, while it may have always existed, it has only been in recent years that is has really started to take off. As discussed by Dossani and Kenney (2007, p.779), â€Å"in less than six years, offshoring of services has evolved from an exotic and risky strategy to a routine business decision.† The extent of this growth is having a huge effect on both emerging economies and advanced economies. According to Apte (2006), new product development is now the fastest growing offshoring segment in India. Advanced economies now have the ability to produce products at a far more productive and efficient rate than ever before. This also means that emerging economies can expand their own economies by having more people employed and paid. Unfortunately, many firms still have not taken advantage of this, and a s discussed by Waltz (2005) it’s the stability and quality of work that is often what discourages firms. Define, and identify the extent of offshoring Offshoring is the practice of basing some of a company s processes or services overseas, in order to take advantage of lower costs to be more efficient. This practise is rapidly taking off for various tasks,Show MoreRelatedThe term outsourcing refers to the act of contracting out business activities and procedures to a1300 Words   |  6 PagesThe term outsourcing refers to the act of contracting out business activities and procedures to a third party. The act of outsourcing sometimes involves the transfer of assets from one organization to the other. The term is also used to describe the act of handling the control of public services to the private corporations. Outsourcing mainly involves both the local and foreign contracting. At times, the term is used to describe relocation of business organizations to another country which is a alsoRead MoreOutsourcing Is An Operations Management Tool876 Words   |  4 PagesOutsourcing is an Operations management tool that is being used more and more by organisations in the effort to seek and maintain competitive advantage. Discuss the history of and reasons for using outsourcing the advantages risks and how you would mitigate those risk using examples of success and failure to illustrate your answer. Outsourcing has become increasingly commonplace in businesses today. Outsourcing is defined by â€Å"the strategic use of outside resources to perform activities traditionallyRead MoreDetails of Outsourcing Decisions774 Words   |  3 Pagesmany details about outsourcing decisions as you can . include the type of of activity being outsourced , the size of the outsourcing being outsourcing and the type of company providing the outsourcing service. Different companies or organization uses outsourcing by transferring portions of work to outside suppliers rather than completing it internally to reduce cost. Outsourcing is very effective if used properly and gives a company short term or long-term effect. Outsourcing is currently relativelyRead MoreOutsourcing China Essay1024 Words   |  5 Pagesrecent years, Chinas service outsourcing have been expanding from scratch, and gradually expand the field, scope of business mainly related to Information Technology industry, producing services, as well as cultural and creative industries, the target involving Japan, Korea, Europe, America and India. In Shanghai, Beijing and other cities formed a group of outsourcing industry cluster, with significant economic benefits of international service outsourcing park; local outsourcing companies grew rapidlyRead MoreOutsourcing : Outsourcing And Outsourcing1579 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Outsourcing refers to obtaining certain services or pr oducts from a third party company, essentially sourcing something like accounting services or manufacturing of a certain input to another company. While many think outsourcing refers to using a service provider in another (usually cheaper) country that is not necessarily the case. Outsourcing can be done to a company that is located anywhere, the location isn’t important.† (Offshoring vs. Outsourcing, n.d.). There are many reason a businessRead MoreIs Outsourcing A Business Practice?983 Words   |  4 PagesIt should be illegal for US-based businesses to outsource their customer service to foreign countries because it weakens the economy and the job market in the US. Offshore outsourcing is a business practice or process that means to export information technology (IT) and manufacturing jobs to other developed countries outside of the US for the sole purpose of cutting costs, such as labor costs and tax savings. By doing so, the US economy is negatively affected, unemp loyment rises, and funds throughRead MoreCustomer Relationship Management ( Crm )1359 Words   |  6 Pagesone of the highest in the auto industry (2010). Supply chain planning is another tool that helps companies to optimize the delivery of products, information, and services to customers. Other tools include supply chain planning, sales and operations planning, business intelligence, procurement, product lifecycle management, manufacturing execution systems, warehouse management systems, transportation management systems, and six sigma. Finally, customer relationship management (CRM), is a valuableRead MoreOutsourcing In The Airline Industry833 Words   |  4 Pages Outsourcing in aviation has become a very common practice. It now encompasses everyone from manufactures like Boeing and Airbus to airlines outsourcing their maintenance, ground labor, even ticketing and customer service. Usually most proponents of outsourcing will cite that it saves money and possibly increases knowledge sharing, which can lead to new innovations. Those that are against outsourcing often bring up the fact that you can easily loose quality control, poo r customer service and possibleRead MoreOutsourcing And Re Shoring Production1732 Words   |  7 Pagesformerly invulnerable to offshoring to be sent overseas. As globalization advances, the off shoring movement is likely to escalate as well. Nonetheless, numerous manufacturing companies such as Caterpillar, Bosh, and Phillips have disclosed that they will return part of their off-shored production to their home countries.(When Manufacturing moves back 1) Throughout this paper I will discuss the politics of offshoring and re-shoring production as well as reflect on globalized production and how theseRead MoreOutsourcing and Off Shoring is Unethical Essay635 Words   |  3 PagesIn light of recent growth of domestic and foreign countries outsourcing and off shoring over seas, companies been taken advantage of the cheap labor cost for outsourcing and off shoring manufacturing. Competitive business investing in domestic and foreign manufacturing have affects every part of the busine ss industries from design, software development, finances and logistic management, i.e., customer and sales. Nevertheless, outsourcing been praised by businesses for outcomes of cost-effectiveness

What Is Absolute Zero in Science

Absolute zero is defined as the point where no more heat can be removed from a system, according to the absolute or thermodynamic temperature scale. This corresponds to zero Kelvin, or minus 273.15 C. This is zero on the Rankine scale and minus 459.67 F. The classic kinetic theory posits that absolute zero represents the absence of movement of individual molecules. However, experimental evidence  shows this isnt the case: Rather, it indicates that particles at absolute zero have minimal vibrational motion. In other words, while heat may not be removed from a system at absolute zero, absolute zero does not represent the lowest possible enthalpy state. In quantum mechanics, absolute zero represents the lowest internal energy of solid matter in its ground state. Absolute Zero and Temperature Temperature is used to describe how hot or cold an object is. The temperature of an object depends on the speed at which its atoms and molecules oscillate. Though absolute zero represents oscillations at their slowest speed, their motion never completely stops. Is It Possible to Reach Absolute Zero Its not possible, thus far, to reach absolute zero—though scientists have approached it. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) achieved a record cold temperature of 700 nK (billionths of a kelvin) in 1994. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers set a new record of 0.45 nK in 2003. Negative Temperatures Physicists have shown that it is possible to have a negative Kelvin (or Rankine) temperature. However, this doesnt mean particles are colder than absolute zero; rather, it is an indication that energy has decreased. This is because temperature is a thermodynamic quantity relating energy and entropy. As a system approaches its maximum energy, its energy starts to decrease. This only occurs under special circumstances, as in quasi-equilibrium states in which spin is not in equilibrium with an electromagnetic field. But such activity can lead to a negative temperature, even though energy is added. Strangely, a system at a negative temperature may be considered hotter than one at a positive temperature. This is because heat is defined according to the direction in which it flows. Normally, in a positive-temperature world, heat flows from a warmer place such a hot stove to a cooler place such as a room. Heat would flow from a negative system to a positive system. On January 3, 2013, scientists formed a quantum gas consisting of potassium atoms that had a negative temperature in terms of motion degrees of freedom. Before this, in 2011, Wolfgang Ketterle, Patrick Medley, and their team demonstrated the possibility of negative absolute temperature in a magnetic system. New research into negative temperatures reveals additional mysterious behavior. For example, Achim Rosch, a theoretical physicist at the University of Cologne, in Germany, has calculated that atoms at a negative absolute temperature in a gravitational field might move up and not just down. Subzero gas may mimic dark energy, which forces the universe to expand faster and faster against the inward gravitational pull. Sources Merali, Zeeya. â€Å"Quantum Gas Goes Below Absolute Zero.†Ã‚  Nature, Mar. 2013. doi:10.1038/nature.2013.12146. ï » ¿Medley, Patrick,  et al. Spin Gradient Demagnetization Cooling of Ultracold Atoms.  Physical Review Letters, vol. 106, no. 19, May 2011. doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.195301.

Slavery And The United States - 872 Words

After the American Revolution, slavery and discussion on whether it should be implemented or illegal dominated the development of the United States. These different views on slavery were the main reason for the Civil War and there is no argument about it. Without slavery, it would not have happened only because there was continuous bickering back and forth. Slavery is a major issue and faced the states, both the North and South wanted to do what they could to either protect or protest what they believed in. The slave state on the eve of the Civil War was Virginia. Not only did the first slaves arrive in Virginia, but the majority of slaves were still residing in Virginia. Americans would earn their profit by forcing the slaves to produce cotton, due to the demand. The amount of work that slaves would do was indescribable. Many Southern Americans did not want to believe that slaves were people, but instead property and did not treat them with any kindness whatsoever. They did not thin k that African Americans were capable of being independent, they were classified as what we would describe some individuals to be so called â€Å"low†. Some may question, how can a human be told their worth when they have not done a thing wrong? It occurred more than it should have been allowed and the thought of it is completely terrible. Although the South was harsh on their slaves and ignorant, the North did not give slaves freedom but they were definitely not near as strict. They still supportedShow MoreRelatedSlavery And The United States891 Words   |  4 PagesThe Unites States during the 1850s was a harsh time for African Americans, not only were they treated extremely harsh; but many of them were slaves as well. Slavery was the topic of every discussion during this time period and the United States was literally split on the issue of slavery. A lot of the Southern States wanted to continue slavery because it was a way of life. Many of the southerners depend on slave ry to help grow and harvest crops that were on acres and acres of land. Northerns, onRead MoreSlavery And The United States848 Words   |  4 Pagesthe United States. During these years, many different topics were up for dispute and compromises were being negotiated. Unfortunately, it was hard for all of the citizens to come to a complete compromise for the disputes. Some states had similar opinions, while others were in a deadlock. One of the biggest disputes during this time were over slavery. While other disputes only involved a few states, slavery was a dispute that caused unrest between two distinctive regions in the United States: theRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States1449 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Slavery is founded on the selfishness of man’s nature; opposition to it on his love for justice.† This saying by Abraham Lincoln tells us that people are really different when it comes to their beliefs and attitudes. Some are so focused on wealth, which is wh y they have slaves to work for free, and treated them as properties instead of real human beings. On the other hand, some people were against slavery because it violated the basic human rights like the right to life, liberty, and security.Read MoreThe Slavery Of The United States953 Words   |  4 PagesEvery country has a dark past, whether it’s about conquering land from Native Americans, or mass genocide of a single race. The United States was no different from the rest of the world, especially when slavery was involved. The South had its reasons on why to establish and justify the slavery system while the North rejected their beliefs. By focusing on the South’s argument, this will help to understand why they fought for their rights to keep slaves and understand how the African Americans wereRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States1095 Words   |  5 Pagesattempted to cure their complete opposition on the regulation of slavery by using federal power to coerce an end to the feud, yet the movement increased tension between the divided nation. By invoking both legislative and judicial power, politicians used laws which included slave codes and freedom laws as well as court decisions like Dred Scott v Sandford (1875) to convince or force the population into acceptance of stances on slavery. Each party viewed their tactics and ideas to be righteous, andRead MoreSlavery And The United States1305 Words   |  6 PagesSlavery; An Issue Neglected to a Key Principle in the U.S. For 20 years slavery had existed in the United States of America despite its immorality and the objections of many citizens. Strides were made to correct this injustice around the time of the Revolutionary war; colonists started to demand their natural human rights from Britain. In 1766, our founding fathers were the first faced with a decision to abolish slavery; they felt the pressure from facing the purpose of their campaign due to theRead MoreSlavery And The United States1507 Words   |  7 PagesOver the centuries, slavery held a prominent factor in United States history. Slavery shaped and formed what society was in the United States. Slavery’s influence impacted the United States in various ways. The ways that slavery impacted United States history are the United States economy, society and politics. Some historians argue slavery is not an important factor in United States history. However, they are wrong because slavery brought many different political movements and t he Underground RailroadRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States976 Words   |  4 PagesSlavery has played a very integral part in the development of the United States so far. It has taught people the importance of racial equality and moral discipline, which was lacked back in the time when slavery existed. Moreover, slaves were used mostly by farmers and business owners who wanted to maximize their profits and wanted cheap sources of labor. Slaves were first imported into the United States back in 1502 by a merchant named; Juan de Cà ³rdoba. The South was very interested in bringingRead MoreSlavery And The United States1673 Words   |  7 Pageshowever, when slavery existed, blacks were undermined and denied many freedoms entitled to them under the Constitution. There were many topics argued about, but slavery caused the most dispute within the country. In the 1850’s, the pro-slavery South and the anti-slavery North collided when the case of Dred Scott, a black slave who attempted to gain liberation, was brought to court. The North and South had vastly different views on the subject of slavery, Scott had resided in the free state of IllinoisRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States1670 Words   |  7 Pageswedge between the nation. As the United States progressed into different industries, slavery benefited only one side of the country – the south. The north began outlawing slavery, deeming it as immoral and unconstitutional while the south needed and depended on slavery to maintain their economy. The opposing sides on the slave system lead to arguments between the North and the South as to decide what new territories would allow slavery, then leading on to outlawing slavery all together. Tensions increased

Life Span Development

Question: Discuss about the Life Span Development. Answer: Introduction: There are few films that accurately portray Alzheimers disease and I believe Away From Her is one of them that has depicted the ravage of Fiona appropriately as a patient of Alzheimers Disease. The film effectively focused on the victim of Alzheimers disease, Fiona, and the neglected victim of the disease, Grant, her husband. The film revealed the effects of Alzheimers disease where the life of this loving couple was changed forever because of the disease. In accordance with the thesis of Erik Erikson integrity versus despair, Fiona was detached from the concerns of her life due to her disease that has been well portrayed in the film (Vaughan Rodriguez, 2013). I think the film positioned the nurse Kristy as a paramount character who has been entrusted with the responsibility of conveying a homelike and welcoming atmosphere for Grant to provide him with some support and advice at his time of despair. She was the one for which the rigid and sterile environment of the nursing home was presented as homely for Grant as he finds some relief while conversing with her about Fiona. As a nurse, I would have primarily focused on the aspect of communication with Fiona as Alzheimers disease affects the communication ability of a person as they become forgetful. Meadowlake Nursing Home is a long-term care facility in the film which I think has been well suited to the mental condition of the patients residing there, suffering from Alzheimers disease. Long term cares and there atmospheres play a critical role in distorting or enhancing the recovery speeds of the residents and the film has diffused the generalization of the nursing home provided gestures for the generation of the notion of home (Casado-Gual, 2015). Supporting the concept of Erikson and his sense of mortality, the nursing home well supported the psychological condition of Grant as he lost his connection with his spouse (McAdams Zapata-Gietl, 2015). The policies of the nursing home as depicted in the movie were ideal for making it a home for its residents on their arrival. The Meadowlake Nursing Home had a no visitor policy for within the initial thirty days of the admission of the patients for allowing them to easily adjust to the new life. I agree with Madeleine and her explanation of the policy to Grant that the policy was implemented to make the patients of Alzheimers disease realize why they have been left there as they are forgetful and this makes them happy. I believe this policy gives a perfect supplement to the nursing home to describe it as a home and as Kristy said, the policy also makes it easier for the staff members to cope up with the patients. I believe that Fiona was not putting on a charade or acting out for punishing her husband as she was markedly confused in the film and her environment and her conversations were filled with platitudes. Although she was suffering from Alzheimers disease, she was absolutely composed and did not drop her modesty with periods of lucidity which confused her husband to believe her disorder as a charade. Eriksons theory well describes the condition of Fiona as he believed maintaining integrity in situations of Alzheimers disease adds up to the process of integrity (Sacco, 2013). The behavior of Fiona reflected this theory and I, being a nurse would have assisted her in maintaining her quality of life by fostering a safe environment. References Casado-Gual, N. (2015). Unexpected turns in lifelong sentimental journeys: redefining love, memory and old age through Alice Munro's The Bear Came Over the Mountainand its film adaptation, Away from Her.Ageing and Society,35(02), 389-404. McAdams, D. P., Zapata-Gietl, C. (2015). Three strands of identity development across the human life course: Reading Erik Erikson in full.The Oxford handbook of identity development, 81-94. Sacco, R. G. (2013). Re-Envisaging the Eight Developmental Stages of Erik Erikson: The Fibonacci Life-Chart Method (FLCM).Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology,3(1), 140. Vaughan, M. D., Rodriguez, E. M. (2013). The Influence of Erik Erikson on Positive Psychology Theory and Research. InPositive Psychology(pp. 231-245). Springer New York.

Lutheranism Essays - Christianity, Religion, Christian Theology

Lutheranism The Roman Catholic Church dominated religion for many years in Europe and became an extremely powerful institution. Over the years, the Roman church became corrupt and immoral in many ways. The development of the Protestant Reformation, Lutheranism, was greatly influenced by political events in the years proceeding the 16th century. The declared aim of the original reformer, Martin Luther, was to restore the Christian faith as it had been at its formation, while salvaging what he considered valuable from the Roman Catholic tradition that had developed during the previous centuries. Luther broke the unity of the Catholic Church forever by exposing their faults and misguided notions. Lutheranism spread quickly due to the availability of the Christian Faith, as well as the close relationship between religion and the state. Luther believed that the Christian Faith was being exploited. The leaders of the Roman church were abusing their monopoly over their Christian followers for their benefit. Luther wrote The Ninety-Five Theses in response to the sale of indulgences by the Pope. He wanted to make the people aware of how a true Christian should act and how the Pope was violating them: The treasures of indulgences are nets, whereby they now fish for the riches of men. (Luther, The Nine-Five Thesis, p.5) He felt that giving to the poor and needy would make them far better off than if they bought pardons. The Romanists had set up barriers so that no one could condemn their actions and power. They thought that the temporal power had no jurisdiction over the spiritual power. Secondly, the only person who could interpret the Scriptures was the Pope. Therefore, he decided what was right and what was wrong: the pope cannot err in matters of faith, whether he be evil or good (Luther, Address to the Christian Nobi lity of the German Nation, p.7). Lastly, the only person who could call a counsil was the Pope. This last point emphasizes that the Roman Catholic Empire created laws of their own that were dictated by one sole person. Luther set out to spread his idea of true Christianity. The main ideology of Lutheranism is that salvation can be gained by three fundamental precepts: by faith, by grace and by scripture alone. Luther felt that Salvation could not be achieved through good works such as prayer or holy living: Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works. (Luther, On Christian Liberty, p.9). Faith in God is created through the belief and love for Him; salvation would rise from it nonetheless. Luther felt that it was up to every individual to interpret the Scriptures and decide for himself what was good. This was a revolutionary concept, as previously it had been only the Pope who could interpret the Scriptures. Another concept of Lutheranism was that every believer could achieve priesthood. All men who had true faith had the opportunity to serve God and were equal in His eyes. Among Christians there shall and can be no authority; rather all are alike subject to one another. (Luther, Part Two. How Far Temporal Authority Extends, p.31). Bishops and priests in the Lutheran church were not authoritative figures but simply serving an office. In comparison to other sects that evolved from the Protestant Reformation, Lutheranism had a different view concerning the relationship between religion and the state. Luther felt that the two kingdoms, that of the world and that of God, were separate entities which both provided a service to God. All true Christians belonged to the kingdom of God, but these true Christians were few and far between. The kingdom of the world was responsible for establishing order and restraining the non-believers from doing evil. He felt there would be no need for temporal power if all humans were true Christians: If all the world were composed of real Christians, that is, true believers, there would be no need for or benefits from prince, king, lord, sword or law. (Luther, On Governmental Authority, p. 21) Luther interpreted the Scriptures, Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed to mean that man should be responsible for punishing the guilty as these laws were established

Concentration Camp Essays - Aftermath Of War, Prisoner Of War

Concentration Camp The article that this paper will be based and discussed upon is titled ?Berthe's prison diary,? written by Hanna Diamond. ?Berthe's prison diary? can be found in the August 1999 issue of History Today, volume 49, pages 43-49. During World War II, it was known that many people suffered. People suffered from the casualties of war, suffered because of their class, but especially because of their race. The group to suffer the most were the Jewish. Over 6 million were killed because of no crime but because of their race. ?Berthe's prison diary? is about a woman named Berthe A. and her experience in the French prisons for collaborators. Besides Berthe's personal experience in prison, through her diary, we also get accounts on how the other people were treated. France gets invaded on May 10, 1940 by the Nazis. On June 22, 1940, France signs treay of peace with the Nazis. Paris is liberated on August 25, 1944. The setting begins in the August of 1944 in Toulouse, France. It was a time of despair and confusion. France was in a chaos. People were hungry and were left in poor conditions. The Germans had finally left Toulouse after their defeat. Joy came at first to the French when the Liberation finally came, yet it soon turned to hatred and vengeance. There was hatred to those that had helped the Germans succeed and also for those that allied with the Germans. These people were labeled ?collaborators.' Even men and women that were seen with Germans were hated. They were tracked down and even arrested. Some were even attacked and worse, killed. Berthe A. was the director of laboratory research in the Faculty of Science at the University of Toulouse. On the twenty-second of August in 1944, at about three o'clock (according to Berthe), someone knocked on her door and soon enough Berthe was arrested. Of those that were arrested, many did not know why they were arrested or what was happening to them. It is only later that Berthe finds out that she was arrested because she was accused of being a collaborator because she had belonged to a group called ?Collaboration.' ?Collaboration' was a ?French group for continental unity' and was formed in the autumn of 1940. Berthe tells us through her diary that although she had paid subscription fees, she however, never attended any of the meetings or participated in any of the activities. Berthe as well as other suspected collaborators spent their first few months at the St Michel prison in the heart of Toulouse. In her cell, which held forty women, she realized what certain people she was placed with. The women, for the most part, were prostitutes from the brothels. These prostitutes were those that have served the Germans because the Germans had money and power. After the liberation, these women were especially targeted as victims. More often times, these women were taken to questioning and would return bruised and distressed. Some even had their heads saved and had swastikas painted on them. For the worst part, these women were marched around the streets naked where they returned morally and physically wounded. According to Berthe, although the prison authorities tried to make the women feel uncomfortable about where they were, many of the women supported each other. Even those of different class knew how to get along with each other. There was actually no sense of class. After about four weeks at St Michel, Berthe was transferred to the Camp of Noe (40km from Toulouse). Berthe then indicated that life was much more tolerable at the camp then at prison. For one thing, life was less severe and better organized. The environment was much more relaxed and more space was available. However, this environment this not last long. For there were soon more people getting arrested and the atmosphere became less comfortable. According to Berthe, most women were arrested because they carried out black market activities with the Germans or they had let the Germans take their room. Some even were believed to be the Germans' girlfriends. There were was also another group of women that was also arrested. And this was because they were involved with the group Malice. Others were arrested in place of their husbands or brothers that have escaped with the Germans. Most of the accusations, however, were almost impossible to prove. One of the biggest problems faced by authorities were what to charge people and what punishment was to

Pauses in Speech and Writing

Pauses in Speech and Writing In phonetics, a pause is a break in speaking; a moment of silence. Adjective: pausal. Pauses and Phonetics In phonetic analysis, a double vertical bar (||) is used to represent a distinct pause. In direct speech (in both fiction and nonfiction), a pause is conventionally indicated in writing by ellipsis points (. . .) or a dash (- ). Pauses in Fiction Gwen raised her head and spoke haltingly, fighting back tears. He told me Tuesday there was too much damage . . . She wiped her wet face with her fingers. But he wants to send her to a specialist in Memphis. (John Grisham, A Time to Kill. Wynwood Press, 1989)Anyone who is guilty of such practices . . ., he paused for effect, leaning forward and staring at the congregation, . . . anyone in town . . ., he turned and looked behind him, at the monks and nuns in the choir, . . . or even in the priory . . . He turned back. I say, anyone guilty of such practices should be shunned.He paused for effect.And may God have mercy on their souls. (Ken Follett, World Without End. Dutton, 2007) Pauses in Drama Mick: You still got that leak.Aston: Yes.Pause.Its coming from the roof.Mick: From the roof, eh?Aston: Yes.Pause.Ill have to tar it over.Mick: Youre going to tar it over?Aston: Yes.Mick: What?Aston: The cracks.Pause.Mick: Youll be tarring over the cracks on the roof.Aston: Yes.Pause.Mick: Think thatll do it?Aston: Itll do it, for the time being.Mick: Uh.Pause.  (Harold Pinter,  The Caretaker. Grove Press, 1961) The pause is a pause because of what has just happened in the minds and guts of the characters. They spring out of the text. Theyre not formal conveniences or stresses but part of the body of the action. (Harold Pinter in Conversations With Pinter by Mel Gussow. Nick Hern Books, 1994) Pauses in Public Speaking If you prefer to read your speech, make sure to pause frequently, take a breath, look up, and scan the audience. . . .Besides allowing you to fill your lungs with air, pausing also allows the audience to absorb the spoken words and create pictures in their own minds. The habit of pausing eliminates the dreaded um and err and adds emphasis to your last point. (Peter L. Miller, Speaking Skills for Every Occasion. Pascal Press, 2003) Pauses in Conversation There are even rules about silence. It has been said that, in a conversation between two English speakers who are not close friends, a silence of longer than four seconds is not allowed (which means that people become embarrassed if nothing is said after that time- they feel obliged to say something, even if it is only a remark about the weather.) (Peter Trudgill, Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th ed. Penguin, 2000) Types and Functions of Pauses A distinction has been drawn between silent pauses and filled pauses (e.g. ah, er), and several functions of pause have been established, e.g. for breathing, to mark grammatical boundaries, and to provide time for the planning of new material. Pauses which have a structural function (juncture pauses) are distinguished from those involved in hesitation (hesitation pauses). Investigations of pausal phenomena have been particularly relevant in relation to developing a theory of speech production. In grammar, the notion of potential pause is sometimes used as a technique for establishing word units in a language- pauses being more likely at word boundaries than within words. (David Crystal, Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 6th ed. Blackwell, 2008) Systematic pausing . . . performs several functions: marking syntactic boundaries;allowing the speaker time to forward plan;providing semantic focus (a pause after an important word);marking a word or phrase rhetorically (a pause before it);indicating the speakers willingness to hand over the speech turn to an interlocutor. The first two are closely connected. For the speaker, it is efficient to construct forward planning around syntactic or phonological units (the two may not always coincide). For the listener this carries the benefit that syntactic boundaries are often marked. (John Field, Psycholinguistics: The Key Concepts. Routledge, 2004) Lengths of Pauses Pausing also gives the speaker time to plan an upcoming utterance (Goldman-Eisler, 1968; Butcher, 1981; Levelt, 1989). Ferreira (1991) showed that speech planning-based pauses are longer before more complex syntactic material, whereas what she terms timing-based pauses (after already spoken material), tend to reflect prosodic structure. There is also a relationship between pause placement, prosodic structure, and syntactic disambiguation across a range of languages (e.g., Price et al., 1991; Jun, 2003). In general, tasks that require greater cognitive load on the speaker or that require them to perfom a more complex task other than reading from a prepared script result in longer pauses . . .. For example, Grosjean and Deschamps (1975) found that pauses are more than twice as long during description tasks (1,320 ms) than during interviews (520 ms) . . .. (Janet Fletcher, The Prosody of Speech: Timing and Rhythm. The Handbook of Phonetic Sciences, 2nd ed., edited by William J. Hardcast le, John Laver, and Fiona E. Gibbon. Blackwell, 2013) The Lighter Side of Pauses: Joke-Telling [A] critical feature in the style of all stand-up comedians is a pause after the delivery of the punch line, during which the audience laughs. The comic usually signals the onset of this critical pause with marked gestures, facial expressions, and altered voice intonation. Jack Benny was known for his minimalist gestures, but they were still discernible, and worked wonderfully. A joke will fail if the comic rushes to his next joke, providing no pause for audience laughter (premature ejokulation)- this is comedys recognition of the power of the punctuation effect. When the comic continues too soon after delivery of his punch line, he not only discourages, and crowds-out, but neurologically inhibits audience laughter (laftus interruptus). In show-biz jargon, you dont want to step on your punch line. (Robert R. Provine, Laughter: A Scientific Investigation. Viking, 2000)