Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Phoenix Advertising Essay Example

Phoenix Advertising Essay Phoenix Advertising, with its main headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, serves clients that include banks, insurance companies, and retail chains. Youre the vice president of human resources management at Phoenix. You report directly to Gregory S. Forest, the company president. Mr. Forest advises you that in the last month, four clients have complained about the advertising work produced by the Roanoke, Virginia branch of the agency. He reminds you that the clients served from the Roanoke branch are vital to the overall success of Phoenix Advertising. Mr. Forest also explains the little he has been able to learn about the situation at the branch: In the last three months, two of the top management people-an art director and an account executive-have left the agency. Three of the graphic designers and four of the copywriters are threatening to quit because they feel their creative efforts are being rejected or revised without consultation. They want to be part of a collaborative team, not to simply produce work that the art directors and account executives can alter arbitrarily. In an attempt to increase revenues, the branch is accepting new clients without evaluating the effects of the new accounts on the current project workload. As a result, without notice or compensation for the additional hours, all salaried employees are required to work long hours several days each week. Employee morale and productivity are declining day by day. Process Part A: Interoffice memorandum Step 1 We will write a custom essay sample on Phoenix Advertising specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Phoenix Advertising specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Phoenix Advertising specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Begin by creating facts, figures, and people to flesh out the above background information and your position in the company. The following questions are provided to jumpstart your prewriting, but you must expand on them to brainstorm thoroughly. In addition to listing details, also freewrite about the Phoenix Advertising agency and its executive team. How large is the agency? How many branches does it have? Where are the branches located? The agency employs approximately 100 people. It has five branches in addition to its Charlotte, North Carolina office: Greenville, South Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; The Hamptons, New York; Key West, Florida; and Roanoke, Virginia. Whats the companys mission? How does each branch relate to that mission? Our Mission: From the right line of copy or a well-composed press release to a beautifully composed print ad with the correct message, Phoenix Advertising creatively tells the story of each account. This all starts with the best possible team for each campaign. Whether you need an ad, brochures, a company jingle, tag line or complete marketing package, expert talent will manage your account. We will ask the proper questions and in return you will get honest answers. Well work within your budget and achieve your goals. We are a full-service advertising agency handling accounts in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, New York and the Hamptons. Our network of branch offices along the East Coast enables us to connect you to the public- locally and nationally. What are the companys primary business goals? At Phoenix Advertising our experience in strategic planning allows us to anticipate the future needs of each account. Each account is managed individually, based on their product and market. From local and national print to radio, television and web site design, at Phoenix Advertising we produce quality product and help decide the right medium for every client. What do clients need from Phoenix Advertising?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ad Campaigns  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Branding  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brochure Design Printing  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Copywriting  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Creative Direction  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IPIX 360 ° Photography  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Outdoor Advertising  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Photography  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Print Ads  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Promotional Merchandise  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Radio and Voice Overs  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Search Engine Optimization (SEO)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Video and Multi-media  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Web Sites  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Packaging Who are the people on the executive team (other vice presidents of other departments)? Gregory S. Forest, President; Bill Ludwick, Chief Executive; Theresa Wyalusing, President of Human Resources; Janet Ribble, Vice President of Human Resources; Saul Waters, Chairman; Moe Frands, Managing Director; Sasha Larr, Planning Director; Jane Dresser, Creative Director; Mandy  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whos in charge of the agencys accounts in all the branches? Moe Frands, Managing Director, is in charge of managing the client accounts. He oversees the managing directors at each regional office. Who knows about policies for accepting and assigning new accounts? Moe Frands,   Managing Director Who knows about the policies for collaborative work among account executives, art directors, graphic designers, and copywriters? Jane Dresser, Creative Director Are any other branches losing clients? Only the Roanoke Branch office is losing clients. While the company, like most, is experiencing a loss in revenue, its clients are remaining loyal. Now brainstorm and freewrite more specifically about your own department and the people who work for you. What are their names and positions? Theresa Wyalusing, President of Human Resources; Janet Ribble, Vice President of Human Resources; Lance Ayers, Human Resources Director; Devon D’Angelo, Human Resources Generalist; Regina Cobb, Office Assistant; Howard Heiney,   Office Assistant What would an organizational chart of your department look like? What policies have you established for the agency about overtime for salaried employees? Are branches allowed to have different policies? Under what conditions? All salaried employees are aware that under their contractual obligations they are not compensated for working beyond forty hours per week. This policy is the same for every branch location; however, the manager of each branch office has the power to allocate PTO for any employee who has worked excessively in order to complete a project on time. What are the compensation and benefits packages for the positions of art director and account executive at the branch level? Do they depend on the location of the branch and local competitors or is there a general agency package for each position? There is a general agency package for both the art director and account executive at any branch. They are salaried positions which provide medical and dental insurance, in addition to 401K, and profit sharing. Step 2 After your meeting with Mr. Forest, you realize you need information from other members of the executive team. Using the ABC method, draft one interoffice memo to be sent to the entire executive team. Briefly summarize in one paragraph the situation with the Roanoke Branch. Explain how the situation affects Phoenix Advertising as a company and why it demands immediate attention. In a separate paragraph explain the actions you need different team members to take (who must provide what information). Tell the team when (specific date) and how they should get the information to you (report, e-mail, etc.). Close your memo with an appropriate final line or two. Make sure you copy the president on the memo. Phoenix Advertising Interoffice Memorandum DATE: May 5, 2009 TO: Moe Frands, Managing Director; Sasha Larr, Planning Director; Jane Dresser, Creative Director FROM: Janet Ribble, Vice President of Human Resources SUBJECT: Roanoke Branch Update In recent months, the Roanoke branch office has been experiencing difficulties. After a change in management, the graphic artists and copywriters have made it apparent that their work is no longer being received well. Although it is not completely clear, this employee upset may be the cause of the complaints that the branch has received by four of its clients.   This matter demands immediate attention, as the Roanoke branch services some of the companies’ most valuable clients and thus is important to the overall success It is vital that the executive team contact the Roanoke branch employees to oversee the operations there at once. Jane Dresser should speak with the graphic designers and copywriters to evaluate the work they have submitted and the revisions that were made by their art director.   Moe Frands needs to assess the new accounts that the branch has taken on recently and verify their ability to generate revenue. Sasha Larr should develop a plan for the new accounts creating a timeline for the project workload that is currently causing the staff to work longer hours. I will oversee the human resources department in managing employee relations and ensuring that the branch managers are indeed allocating PTO to the salaried employees. A report detailing your findings and procedures is expected in my office no later than May 12, 2009. After reviewing your reports individually, I will hold a meeting of the executive officers to review the status of the Roanoke branch on May 14, 2009. If we all work together effectively I am sure we can resolve all the issues and ensure the success of the Roanoke branch. Copies: Executive Team Gregory S. Forest, President; Bill Ludwick, Chief Executive; Saul Waters, Chairman; Theresa Wyalusing, President of Human Resources; Moe Frands, Managing Director; Sasha Larr, Planning Director; Jane Dresser, Creative Director Part B: E-mail Step 1 If necessary, brainstorm further about your department, your staff, and the agencys policies about overtime. Step 2 Invent e-mail addresses for yourself and another person in your department. Use the company name as the host rather than general commercial providers like AOL or Yahoo. Include all necessary components such as the @ symbol. Step 3 Using the ABC method, draft an e-mail of three to four paragraphs in which you assign the staff person in charge of payroll to provide you with payroll statements from the Roanoke branch for the last 12 months. Use your own judgment about what, if any, information that person needs to know about the Roanoke situation to complete the task. Include a request for a summary of the agency policies and the branch policies regarding overtime and compensation/ benefits packages. Explain clearly what you need that person to do, the date you need the information, and how you want the person to convey the information to you. Be sure you follow the format of the sample e-mail, using the new content youve written for the assignment. Use a specific subject line formatted in title case.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Home Health Aide Competency Testing Essays

Home Health Aide Competency Testing Essays Home Health Aide Competency Testing Essay Home Health Aide Competency Testing Essay 17   1  W   Su   er  or  St   ee   73   . S   pe  io   tr   et   1   31  W. up   ri   r  S  re   t   Du  ut   ,  M   55   06   ul   th   N   58   6   D   lu  h,  MN   5   80   Ph   ne  21    ­7   1 ­Ã‚   73   Fa   21    ­7   3 ­Ã‚   49   ho   e  2   8 ­Ã‚   21  47   2  F   x 18  73    ­0   99   P   on   18  72    ­4   32   ax  2   8 ­Ã‚   33  04   9 Procedure: Home  Health  Aide  Competency  Testing ____________________________________________________________ ___________   Purpose:   To  ensure  that  all  employed  Home  Health  Aides  (HHA)  meet  minimum   standards  in  their  ability  to  perform  client  care  in  accordance  with  state  and   federal  guidelines. Registered  Nurses  with  two  (2)  years  of  experience,  one  (1)  year  of  which   is  in  home  care. Applies  To: Related  Procedures:   None   Equipment/Supplies:      Transfer  belt      Bed/equivalent      Wheelchair/equivalent      Thermometer      Stethoscope      BP  cuff      Personal  hygiene  supplies/equivalent      Bedpan/urinal      NLN  Home  Health  Aide  Skills  Assessment  Test      Home  Health  Aide  Competency  Evaluation  Record/Forms Process:   1. 2. 3. 4. Introduce  yourself  and  explain  the  purpose  of  competency  testing,  state  and  federal  laws   affecting  home  care,  and  the  forms  to  be  utilized. Have  participants  complete  Skills  Assessment  Test  (form  to  be  completed in  one  (1)  hour). After  completion  of  written  test,  test  scores  are  evaluated  and  pass/fail  determination  made   according  to  agency  guidelines. Review  agency  policies  which  include  but  not  limited  to:   a. b. Home  Care  Bill  of  Rights   Grievance  procedure  and  customer  feedback 17   1  W   Su   er  or  St   ee   73   . S   pe  io   tr   et   1   31  W. up   ri   r  S  re   t   Du  ut   ,  M   55   06   ul   th   N   58   6   D   lu  h,  MN   5   80   Ph   ne  21    ­7   1 ­Ã‚   73   Fa   21    ­7   3 ­Ã‚   49   ho   e  2   8 ­Ã‚   21  47   2  F   x 18  73    ­0   99   P   on   18  72    ­4   32   ax  2   8 ­Ã‚   33  04   9 . d. e . f. g. Emergency  policies  of  the  agency  ­ how  to  access  emergency  information  and  use   services   DNR/DNI  policies/advance  directives   Reporting  maltreatment  of  vulnerable  adults  or  minors   Inservice  requirements  (agency  and  employee  responsibilities)   Agency  policies  on  observations,  reporting  and  documentation. (Have  the   Participants  give  direct  examples  of  when  they  would  call  supervising  nurse,  and   appropriate  charting  examples)   Basic  infection  control  procedures. Have  the  participants  demonstrate  proper   hand  washing  technique,  explain  the  universal  precautions,  and  how  to  maintain   clean,  safe  environment. Confidentiality  principles   Medication  administration,  per  agency  policy   Individual  agency  competencies. h. i. j. k. 5. 6. During  the  participant’s  performance  of  all  skills,  assess  hand  washing  techniques,  body   mechanic  practices,  respect  for  the  client’s  privacy,  and  safety  awareness/intervention. Do  direct  observation  of  the  participant’s  techniques  in  performing  the  following  skills  in  a   laboratory  setting  or  in  the  client’s  home:   a. Reading  and  recording  temperature  (using  a  mercury  thermometer)   1. Wash  hands   2. Read  mercury  level  and  if  97. 6,  shake  thermometer  until  mercury  reads 96. 0  degrees  F   3. Place  thermometer  under  tongue  in  posterior  sublingual  pocket   4. Have  the  client  hold  the  thermometer  with  lips  closed   5. Maintain  thermometer  position  for  two  to  three  minutes  (five  minutes   6. for  axillary)   7. Remove  thermometer  and  read  at  eye  level   8. Wash  thermometer  in  tepid  soapy  water  or  use  antiseptic  solution   9. Record  temperature  on  flow  sheet   10. Report  abnormal  findings. Assess  participant’s  knowledge  of  normal  range,  how  and  where  to  document   findings,  and  how  long  to  leave  thermometer  in  place. b. Taking  a  radial  pulse:   1. Wash  hands 17   1  W   Su   er  or  St   ee   73   . S   pe  io   tr   et   1   31  W. up   ri   r  S  re   t   Du  ut   ,  M   55   06   ul   th   N   58   6   D   lu  h,  MN   5   80   Ph   ne  21    ­7   1 ­Ã‚   73   Fa   21    ­7   3 ­Ã‚   49   ho   e  2   8 ­Ã‚   21  47   2  F   x 18  73    ­0   99   P   on   18  72    ­4   32   ax  2   8 ­Ã‚   33  04   9 2. Place  tips  of  first  two  or  three  middle  fingers  over  groove  along  radial  side   of  inner  wrist   3. Lightly  compress  against  radius  and  then  relax  pressure  so  pulse  easily   palpable   4. When  pulse  felt  regularly,  use  watch  with  second  hand  to  count  rate  for  15   seconds  and  multiply  times  four   5. If  pulse  irregular,  count  for  a  full  minute   6. Document  findings   Assess  participant’s  knowledge  of  normal  values,  when  and  what  to  report  and   how  long  to  count. c. Checking  respiratory  rate:   1. Wash  hands   2. Position  the  client  for  comfort  with  visibility  of  the  client’s  chest  or  place   hand  on  upper  abdomen  or  lower  chest   3. Count  respiration’s  for  30  seconds  and  multiply  times  two   4. If  irregular,  slow  or  fast,  count  for  a  full  minute   5. Document  findings   Assess  the  participant’s  knowledge  of  normal  range  and  when  and  what  to  report. d. Bathing  a  client  in  bed:   1. Gather  equipment  and  wash  hands   2. Remove  clothing  and  cover  the  client  with  a  blanket  or  towel  for  privacy   3. Fill  basin  with  water  and  check  temperature  using  inner  wrist  (warm  not  hot)

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Why Laboratory-Grown Meat Is Not Vegan

Why Laboratory-Grown Meat Is Not Vegan On August 5, 2013, Dutch scientist Mark Post presented the worlds first laboratory-grown burger at a press conference, where he shared the patty with two food critics. Although the foodies found the flavor lacking, Post stated that the purpose of the exercise was to show that it could be done; flavor could be improved later. Laboratory-grown meat may seem at once a Frankenfoods nightmare, as well as a solution to the animal rights and environmental concerns regarding meat-eating. While some animal protection organizations applaud the idea, meat grown in a laboratory could never be called vegan, would still be environmentally wasteful, and would not be cruelty-free. Laboratory-Grown Meat Contains Animal Products Although the number of animals affected would be greatly reduced, laboratory-grown meat would still require the use of animals. When scientists created the first laboratory-grown meat, they started with muscle cells from a live pig. However, cell cultures and tissue cultures typically do not live and reproduce forever. To mass-produce laboratory-grown meat on an ongoing basis, scientists would need a constant supply of live pigs, cows, chickens and other animals from which to take cells. According to The Telegraph, Prof Post said the most efficient way of taking the process forward would still involve slaughter. He said: Eventually my vision is that you have a limited herd of donor animals in the world that you keep in stock and that you get your cells from there. Furthermore, these early experiments involved growing the cells â€Å"in a broth of other animal products,† which means that animals were used and perhaps killed in order to create the broth. This broth is either the food for the tissue culture, the matrix upon which the cells were grown, or both. Although the types of animal products used were not specified, the product could not be called vegan if the tissue culture was grown in animal products. Later, The Telegraph reported that pig stem cells were grown using a serum taken from a horse fetus, although it is unclear whether this serum is the same as the broth of animal products used in the earlier experiments. Posts final experiments involved shoulder muscle cells taken from two organically raised calves and grown in a broth containing vital nutrients and serum from a cow fetus. Its Still Considered Wasteful Scientists are hopeful that laboratory-grown meat will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but growing animal cells in a laboratory would still be a waste of resources, even if the cells were grown in a vegan medium. Traditional animal agriculture is wasteful because feeding grain to animals so that we can eat the animals is an inefficient use of resources. It takes 10 to 16 pounds of grain to produce one pound of feedlot beef. Similarly, feeding plant foods to a muscle tissue culture would be wasteful compared to feeding plant foods to people directly. Energy would also be required to â€Å"exercise† the muscle tissue, to create a texture similar to meat. Growing meat in a laboratory may be more efficient than feedlot beef because only the desired tissues would be fed and produced, but it cannot be more efficient than feeding plant foods directly to people. However, Pamela Martin, an associate professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago, co-authored a paper on the increased greenhouse gas emissions of a meat-based diet over a plant-based diet, and questions whether laboratory-grown meat would be more efficient than traditional meat. Martin stated, â€Å"It sounds like an energy-intensive process to me.† As reported in the New York Times, Post replied to a question about whether vegetarians would like lab-grown meat, Vegetarians should remain vegetarian. That’s even better for the environment. Perpetuating Animal Use and Suffering Assuming that immortal cell lines from cows, pigs and chickens could be developed and no new animals would have to be killed to produce certain types of meat, the use of animals to develop new types of meat would still continue. Even today, with thousands of years of traditional animal agriculture behind us, scientists still try to breed new varieties of animals who grow larger and faster, whose flesh has certain health benefits, or who have certain disease resistance. In the future, if laboratory-grown meat becomes a commercially viable product, scientists will continue to breed new varieties of animals. They will continue to experiment with cells from different types and species of animals, and those animals will be bred, kept, confined, used and killed in the never-ending search for a better product. Also, because current research into laboratory-grown meat is using animals, it cannot be called cruelty-free  and purchasing the product would support animal suffering. While laboratory-grown meat would probably reduce animal suffering, it’s important to keep in mind that it is not vegan, it is not cruelty-free, its still wasteful, and animals will suffer for laboratory-grown meat.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Decision support Systems (DSS) United Arab Emirates context Essay

Decision support Systems (DSS) United Arab Emirates context - Essay Example At the present, we can see lots of innovations in how business organizations make use of automated information systems in making decisions. In fact, as a number of business organizations and managers have become more knowledgeable, decision support systems (DSS) have started evolving from its opening as a private support tool and now it has emerged as the common resource in a business organization (Xiaoli & Gaojin, 2010). Especially, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the majority of organizations heavily rely on data and decision making to run their businesses. This basic purpose of this research is to discuss the use of decision support system in the context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This paper shows how the use decision support systems and techniques can be useful especially in the UAE. A â€Å"decision support system (DSS) is an application of an information system that provides users with the appropriate decision-oriented information when a decision-making situation takes place.† Additionally, a decision-support system allows the business management to take effective decisions by collecting and combining information, appropriate logical models and applications, and user-friendly interface into a single strong system that facilitates unstructured or semi structured decision making. In this scenario, a DSS also offers to its users a proper set of tools, techniques and support and services for making effective use of key blocks of data (Laudon & Laudon, 1999, p. 468; Whitten, Bentley, & Dittman, 2000, p. 47). The basic objective of a decision support system is to help top management in decision making. In this scenario, decision support systems are not developed to be used by technically skilled people however these systems are particularly designed by keeping in mind the specific needs and requirements of managers or CEOs. Additionally, they are provided with an easy to use interface through which they can interact

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Assignment on us history Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

On us history - Assignment Example All the more along these lines, we verbalize that the outlaw laws requires the way that the profit of slaves "for ache of overwhelming punishment" is acknowledged yet allowed a jury trial under the condition that outlaws be restricted from affirming with all due respect (Gordon, 2013). Because of this and thinking about the historical backdrop of west domains possessed by the slaves, being a stakeholder I feel that slaves dont possess and additionally propose to o claim any slaves and hence the bearings could be viewed as invalid and void. The War of 1812 was, it could be said, a second war of freedom, for before that times the United States had not been concurred fairness in the group of countries. With its decision, a large number of the genuine challenges that the adolescent republic had confronted since the Revolution now vanished. National union under the Constitution brought a harmony between freedom and request. With a low national obligation and a landmass expecting investigation, the possibility of peace, success and social advancement opened before the country. Pondering the part of the uncovered framework, the position of the central government at this point is incredibly reinforced by a few Supreme Court choices as saw from the way that a conferred Federalist, John Marshall of Virginia, got to be head equity in 1801 and held office until his demise in 1835. Subjection, which had up to now have gained minimal open consideration, started to expect much more amazing vitality as a national issue. In the early years of the republic, when the Northern states were accommodating prompt or progressive liberation of the slaves, numerous pioneers had assumed that bondage might vanish. In 1786 George Washington composed that he passionately longed some arrangement could be embraced "by which bondage may be abrogated by moderate, beyond any doubt and subtle degrees. The desire from that point forward have been turned out to

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Internet of Things (IoT) in Insurance

Internet of Things (IoT) in Insurance There are many Insurers with well-defined IoT based solutions in their core business product space, such as Usage-Based Insurance in auto insurance, discounted smart sensor device offers etc.   Large Property and Casualty (PC) insurers have been watching the IoT technology space mature over a period of last couple of years, and thus have capitalized well on their learnings and analysis.   Expectations from IoT continues to grow in the field of insurance. IoT is not just about the connected devices, but any IoT solution is incomplete without capturing the real-time and relevant data.   This captured data should be available in cloud, to have the ability to run advanced analytics to provide appropriate customer and other stakeholder dashboards.   It is key for the insurers to leverage their existing high volume of data, and develop the ability to drive improved outcomes for customers, brokers partners. In this article, we review the journey of IoT in the insurance industry, and we discuss what to expect from IoT in future.   Other aspects of this article includes the impact of other technology trends with IoT, such as Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language processing etc. Influence in PC (Property Casualty) and (Life Annuities) LA industries IoT has been able to mark its impact in PC market, but LA market still needs exploring opportunities.   PC insurers have deployed more IoT projects than LA players have. Connected ecosystem is one of the core IoT trends in the insurance space.   Approximately 34 percent of customers have indicated that they would be inclined to smart homes and real estates.   Close to follow in terms of trends are the wearables with 30 percent customer interest. In terms of numbers, LA has only 5% projects deployed, whereas in PC percentage is 12%. The trends clearly indicate that growth of IoT based solutions in both the domains is obvious. As IoT grows in adoption, leading insurers will find ways to leverage the data available from these technologies to improve operations and better engage customers. BI Intelligence recently projected that by 2020, there will be over 34 billion connected IoT devices, and over $6 trillion spent on IoT solutions in the next 5 years. With this expected growth in IoT and wearables, insurers need to plan for their use by consumers and the impact of these devices on consumer behavior and expectations. Below are a couple of success stories in the PC world where IoT has played a significant role in improving their business: Progressive Snapshot ® Progressive insurance groups Snapshot ® product is a flagship initiative that primary deals with IoT and high volume of data with analytics to provide Usage-based insurance to its customers.   Its primary intent is to reward good driving, and thereby encourage insureds to save in their insurance costs.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Snapshot ® is an OBD II based simple device that pluggable into most modern cars.   This device keeps a track on the driving habits such as usage of brakes, average speed etc., along with other relevant data such as time of driving etc. Liberty Mutual Google Nest Liberty Mutual has collaborated with Google Nest to provide its customers an ability to prevent perils.   Customers are offered the Nest protect device along with their insurance at no extra cost.   This IoT device helps customers identify and alert on critical parameters such as smoke, CO emission levels, temperature variations etc. It rewards the insureds for staying safe. Challenges and Barriers for IoT in insurance Some of the apparent challenges that comes along with IoT based solutions in the insurance industry are: Security Risk IoT is susceptible to cyberattacks as it involves multiple devices and multiple protocols.   IoT based solutions are effective with very large volumes of data flow between entities, over networks and many a times over public networks.   Such solutions make the Insurance Company vulnerable to interceptions. Large investments are required to secure IoT generated data, to avoid intrusions as well as misuses of such data for fraudulent activities.   IoT solutions should include a clear focus on identifying and addressing the possible security risks and threats as an important aspect.   Insurers and the insureds should understand the security dimension of such solutions to ensure appropriate measures are in place. Data Volume management Strength of IoT solution is to provide and capture data (real-time in most cases), which is added to the Insurers big data repositories.   Such large datasets are the assets for the insurance companies and the whole solution relies on how stakeholders utilize these large volumes for the benefit of all.   With large data volumes, comes the volume management challenges that requires significant planning and appropriate enterprise strategy.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   It is also very important to plan the inclusion of the IoT real-time data with the historic data such as Policy, Client, and Claims data etc. Data ownership is also a challenge with IoT data management strategies.   It is always a challenge to understand if the data belongs to the insured or the insurer.   There are other data challenges such as privacy, data tampering etc., which need absolute attention from the Insurers while defining and establishing a long-term solution. Standardization and Regulation With an increasing trend of growing numbers of IoT devices, interoperability is already a challenge.   Plenty of startups as well as large players are trying to capitalize on the IoT market by deploying and integrating devices.   With lack of regulations and agreements in place, the IoT solutions are bound to fail.   There have been quite a few initiatives by many players on this front, but the process maturity will take some time. Disruption to existing large business models Insurance industrys business relies on the right balance between the volume of risk managed, and the claims associated with the covered risks.   To understand this better, insurers always seek to contain the volume of claims by preventive measures to have a good handle on the loss ratio.   This leads to have a direct impact on their written premium to losses ratio and thus improves their margins.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   IoT solutions give a great advantage in avoidance of claims by providing relevant indications and alerts for most of the critical major perils. There is always a threshold to such business theory because if the claims keep going down then it will have a direct effect on bringing down the premiums as well.   Insurers need to ensure the IoT based solutions provide the right balance and manage the alignment between solutions and core business models. IoT with other technologies Insurance industry has recognized the importance of IoT in its business, and we have seen a clear growth trend for the last couple of years. We believe that the trend will continue in the same direction, with an increase in the implementations of IoT based solutions.   IoT solutions involve multiple technologies to maximize benefits for stakeholders.   For example, IoT solutions are inclusive of Analytics, Cloud, protocol management etc. Some of the other trends where we see an immediate impact in the insurance industry are: Natural Language Processing Talking to devices is not something new for the human beings.   We have had our smartphone based digital assistants in existence for quite long now.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Amazon echo has already pioneered in the home digital assistant space.   Imagine a situation where an IoT device like Amazon echo, captures the conversations by a senior citizen living alone.   IoT devices can be extremely beneficial in emergencies for senior homes, and NLP capabilities to such sensors can help prevent any medical situation by understanding, processing and alerting appropriate agencies for help. NLP and Text processing is predicted to have a positive disruption in the insurance industry by providing abilities such as information retrieval from unstructured data, sentimental analysis to streamline the flow of information to customers thereby improving customer relationships, kiosk based Chabot etc. Blockchain Blockchain looks very promising when it comes to providing some of the challenges that IoT solutions possess.   Roadblocks such as inorganic scaling of IoT devices (without identity, or interoperability), information and privacy concerns etc. can leverage the fundamental principles of Blockchain technology for an appropriate resolution.   We foresee Blockchain considered as a heavyweight partner technology for IoT based initiatives. Insurance companies and their technology arms will need to understand and implement the appropriate solutions involving Blockchain.   Blockchain comes with its own baggage of challenges hence we recommend a thorough study of the problem scenario. Artificial Intelligence IoT generates high volumes of data, and such significant and relevant data is of no use if we do not have machine-learning capabilities introduced in our IoT based solutions.   As the devices are increasing, so will the data volume as well.   This significant and invaluable data will help our systems to understand what is working vs what is not working. This data volume goes beyond human capabilities for analytics; hence, a machine learning will be inevitable to maximize the return from IoT based solutions. Future Impact of IoT in Insurance Industry IoT based solutions have done tremendous development in all horizons of human life and the impact has been on positive as well as negative side. On the positive side, IoT provides real time data, which provides useful information ahead of time to both Insurers and Insureds that helps them in taking preventive action and reduces/eliminates losses. On the negative side, IoT brings risks, both physical and financial; with the connected devices over Internet. Some of the significant areas of IoT impact listed below: Need of Cyber Insurance policies will grow With the growth of IoT, the risk of data loss and resulting liabilities will increase. Cyber insurance policies provide coverage against data liability losses and the costs involved due to data breaches, hence there will be improved focus on cyber insurance products, which increase the sale of such policies. List of excluded risks will increase in cyber policies With IoT penetrating more and more in human life the risk of cyber-attacks on IoT devices will also increase. Providing coverage against all these risks will be loss for Insurance carriers hence insurers will provide specific exclusion for cyber perils. Minimize the insurance need IoT based solutions will continue to alter the risk associated with customers and their perils, which will make both Insurance carriers Insureds aware of the risks before time. This will have an impact on the global insurance market, as the chances of error will reduce which results in shrinking the insurance market thereby minimizing the need for insurance. Artificial Intelligence and containers will distribute IoT: The year 2017 would see Internet of Things software distributed across cloud services, edge devices, and gateways. Further, machine-learning cloud services and Artificial Intelligence will be used to mine data from IoT devices. Role of Insurance carriers in IoT security will increase More and more inclination of consumers towards IoT enabled devices lead to more security risk for them. Since IoT technology is changing so fast, it has become a big challenge for the insurance regulators to cope up with that and design the new products accordingly. Insurers are taking on the financial risk associated with the increase use of IoT; hence, they will address the IoT security via proper underwriting. IoT will affect the mobile industry in both directions Many upcoming solutions will create enhanced mobility solution requirements and at the same time, we will see some IoT solutions making mobile apps redundant.   With increased connected devices, mobility solutions will enhance the user experience using digital assistants, smart watches etc. IoT certification will suppress Industry specific certification In order to get into the nerves of IoT, the vendors will be motivated to get IoT certified inspite of having Industry specific certified. Investments will be focused on minimal cost based trainings and certifications along with maintaining high standards of these certifications. Along with it, all major industrial vendors will come together to jointly certify their IoT-enabled products with enterprise vendors. *Forrester ICRMC Report NIIT technologies IoT We have been participating in the growth of IoT based solutions across industries.   NIIT Technologies Ltd has already worked with a large US based insurer to come up with a complete connected solution suite.   This solution involves end-to-end IoT based package for the Personal lines insurers, especially dealing home and dwelling insurance based. NIIT Technologies also has in-depth experience with IoT based devices including, but not limited to, Bosch XDK, Google Nest, Amazon Echo, VR devices, Pressure and Temperature measuring devices as well as expertise in learning and research devices such as Raspberry pi, Arduino etc.   Our dedicated IoT lab and its experienced resources work closely with our Data Analytics experts to design comprehensive solutions for the insurance industry. NIIT Technologies is also working on other relevant initiatives i.e.   IoT solutions integrated with NLP, machine learning and Non Natural disaster artificial intelligence solutions etc. Recommendations for Insurers Research and understand customer needs and identify how IoT based solutions can improve your business model.   Understand your capabilities and whether you have the right solutions in place with the existing landscape for data management IoT in isolation is not beneficial for long term; invest on solutions that are beneficial for all stakeholders. Invest on partner technologies, as per relevance with your business Start looking beyond business as usual.   Disruption in business has already become a norm, hence business, technology and product research should be an ongoing process.   Focus on impact by IoT innovations on insurance products, for example, insuring driverless cars, drones etc. Enhance your business model and focus on how to help customers adopt the IoT based solutions.   Without customer buy-in, IoT solutions will have no value, and the benefits to the insurance companies is quite high hence, it is worth the focus. For many insurance products, IoT has minimized the need of large historic data and maturity.   This has happened because IoT has the ability to provide real-time, more relevant and custom user specific data to improve and customize underwriting.   This has allowed smaller players to jump in to participate in this levelled field.   Large insurers need to be flexible to customization of products and need to bring in more agility in product designing as well. Insurers should invest on appropriate Proof of Value and Proof of Concept initiatives for IoT solutions with their trusted partners before initiating any industry scale implementation or solution. Abbreviations and Acronyms IoT Internet of Things PC Property and Casualty insurance LA Life and Annuities insurance NLP Natural Language Processing

Friday, January 17, 2020

1920 Baseball

How the 1920s Forever Changed Baseball It should come as no surprise to a majority of Americans that baseball is considered America’s national past time. In fact, for many people baseball has always been an enormous part of every day life. People are exposed to baseball through multiple mediums such as television, newspapers, and even the radio. When did this obsession start for the citizens of America? The 1920s is known as the Golden Age of Sports. While many sports started to emerge during this decade, baseball was already established in 1875 and rapidly gaining popularity.Multiple factors affected the way that baseball changed during the 1920s. Due to its increased popularity of baseball and certain aspects of the game, the 1920s created what is known as modern day baseball. Previous to 1910 a rubber-centered ball was used, which had â€Å"less resiliency than the modern cork-centered baseball. † When baseball switched to the cork-centered ball in 1910, â€Å"batti ng averages shot upward phenomenally, but the managers continued long afterwards to employ the ‘scientific’ strategy† (Mandell 131).Before the cork-centered ball, the game was dominated by extraordinary pitchers and batters who had difficulties hitting (Mandell 130). Walter Johnson was considered the decade’s best pitcher and totaled 3,497 strikeouts and 113 shut outs in his career (Mandell 130). Once the ball was changed the game became more interesting by having the game now balanced between the offense and defense. This made it possible for listeners to be entertained listening to a ball game instead of constantly having to go to watch the game. During this decade and the decade before, mass production made the radio a staple in most households in the United States.The wide scale production made radios much more affordable for common families. â€Å"By 1925, 40 percent of workers in the United States earned at least $2000 annually †¦ and many enjoy ed shortened workweeks, which gave them increased leisure time† (â€Å"The 1920s: Sports: Overview† 1). With the excess money that the workers now possessed, they would go out and buy, â€Å"among other items, automobiles, radios, and tickets to movies and athletic events† ((â€Å"The 1920s: Sports: Overview† 1). Swarms of people were going to stadiums to watch their favorite team compete. More people went to baseball games, more people followed baseball, and more people played baseball for fun than any other sport† (â€Å"The Golden Age of Sports† 1). No other sport was as prominent as baseball was during the 1920s. A major draw to baseball was that it was a new form of theater. â€Å"The sheer drama of baseball was yet another attraction. Baseball had a cast of well-defined heroes and villains, familiar plots, comedy, and the unexpected† (Rader 129). Baseball proved to be able to produce larger-than-life characters, or the â€Å"hero es,† time after time.To name a few there was, most notably, Babe, Wahoo Sam, and Bugs. In every game, the umpire served the purpose of the villain (Rader 129). While people in the 1920s might not have had the financial excess to spend money on seeing a Broadway play or other large-scale theater productions, baseball games had the same attraction for a lesser price. While many well-to-do people did attend baseball games, â€Å"†¦ every mother’s son from banker to bum is eligible for membership in the Benevolent Brotherhood of Baseball Bugs† (â€Å"The National Pastime in the 1920s: The Rise of the Baseball Fan† 1).Everyone was welcome to play participate in baseball, whether it be as a spectator or player. At this time baseball was not just for one race either. People of all races and backgrounds played baseball. For example, in 1920 Andrew â€Å"Rube† Foster founded the Negro National League, NNL, so that when baseball was finally integrated th e black and Hispanic players of the time would be ready for the challenge (Heaphy 39). Even men that did not come from well-respected upbringings were immediately accepted into the world of baseball.George Herman Ruth Jr. , more commonly known as Babe Ruth, was the prime example of how accepting baseball was. Babe grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and said, â€Å"†¦ he became a ‘bad kid,’ who smoked, chewed tobacco, and engaged in petty thievery. † When Babe turned seven â€Å"his parents sent him to the St. Mary’s Industrial Home for Boys, and institution †¦ for †¦ delinquents. † (Rader 178). After twelve years in the home and building his baseball reputation, Babe was drafted to the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox (Rader 178).Babe wrote in an autobiography, â€Å"The greatest thing about this country is the wonderful fact that it doesn’t matter which side of the tracks you were born on, or whether you’re homeles s or homely or friendless. The chance is still there† (Rader 178). All people of different races and upbringings were brought together through baseball, as spectators and players, although the sport would not be integrated until 1947. The popularity of baseball greatly affected the way that the sport would change. Without the demand of the spectators, certain changes would not have been made to the game. The most marked feature of the new sporting landscape was the ascendancy of ‘big-time’ spectator sports, that is, sports that were attracted and were designed for mass audiences† (Rader 173). Baseball changed from a player-centered sport to a spectator-centered sport. In American Sports it says that: After 1920 the fans virtually dictated the character of American sport history. Even the ethos and structure of ‘amateur’ sports like Little League Baseball and high school football resembled their professional counterparts more than the player-cent ered sports of an earlier era.In principle, if not in practice, amateur sports had been for the pleasure and benefit of the players; in short, the athletes ‘played. ’ But with the ascendancy of the spectators, the athletes ‘played’ for the fans; sports then became a form of ‘work. ’ (Rader 173) Baseball eventually became a consumer run industry. Magnificent stadiums were beginning to be built during the 1920s, beginning with Yankee Stadium in 1923 (Rader 128). â€Å"The massive baseball parks, built of concrete and steel, bore mute testimony to the values Americans place upon baseball. The fans saw the parks as more than a place for commercial amusement, the stadiums were also a â€Å"king of civic, religious sanctuary representing and entire community† (Rader 128). Judging solely on the change of the stadiums from rustic to urban, it’s clear that America was changing baseball into a larger-than-life, commercialized industry. Bef ore Babe, fans were loyal to certain teams, but Babe changed the face of baseball, making the fans more player-loyal.Apart from the enormous increase in the popularity of baseball during the 1920s, Babe Ruth was extremely influential in how the game is now. Paul Gallico, a sports-writer, said, â€Å"In times past we had been interested in and excited by prize fighters and baseball players, but we have never been so individually involved or joined in such a mass outpouring of affection as we did for Ruth† (Rader 179). Not only did Babe change the focus of the spectators to the individual players from the team, he set a new standard in the amount that players should expect to be paid.Christy Walsh became Babe’s literary agent and â€Å"†¦ as Ruth’s ‘literary agent’ he increased Ruth’s writing income from $500 to $15000 in the first year† (Rader 181). Most players made less than $10000 a year playing professional baseball. By the tim e Babe was at his highest point, he was making close to $3 million from playing and outside endeavors relating to baseball (Rader 181). Other than the amount that he was paid and how America idolized him, Babe Ruth undoubtedly changed the history of baseball forever by making the homerun a common feature of the game.Before Babe, homeruns were not common, especially out-of-the-park homeruns. Outfielders played very shallow, which caused inside-the-park homeruns more frequently than seen today (Rader131). Babe Ruth shattered that normality by hitting out-of-the-park homeruns like no one had ever seen before. Baseball was forever influenced by the skill, idolization, and salary of Babe Ruth. There is no denying that baseball has long been considered America’s pastime, but it was not always like that. The game grew immensely in the 1920s and morphed into the baseball that is around today. One distinguishing and very important quality of baseball was the (however much the game did , indeed, resemble games played in many places for millennia) it was believed to be historically and exclusively American† (Mandell 180). Growing up with parents that were actively involved in athletics throughout their adolescent life, sports were an enormous part of my and my brothers’ lives. Starting at age six I began playing tee-ball and from there moved onto softball, while my brothers did the same, except moved onto Little League.The popularity of professional baseball was evident even in tee-ball and Little League by having the teams named after the professional teams. It is obvious that the popularity in the 1920s continue into modern day baseball, not only by the growing number of fans, but almost how professional baseball has affected the amateur level of baseball. Work Cited Heaphy, Leslie A. The Negro Leagues 1869-1960. 1st . Jefferson: McFarland&Company Inc. , Publishers, 2003. Print. Mandell, Richard D. Sports A Cultural History. 1st . New York: Columbia University Press, 1984. Print. Rader, Benjamin G.American Sports. 1st . Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1983. Print. Sumner, Jim. â€Å"The Golden Age of Sports. † North Carolina Museum of History. American Social History Products, Inc. , n. d. Web. . â€Å"The 1920s: Sports: Overview. † American Decades. 2001. Encyclopedia. com. 4 Dec. 2012 . . â€Å"The National Pastime in the 1920s: The Rise of the Baseball Fan. † History Matters. American Social History Products, Inc.. Web. . 1920 Baseball How the 1920s Forever Changed Baseball It should come as no surprise to a majority of Americans that baseball is considered America’s national past time. In fact, for many people baseball has always been an enormous part of every day life. People are exposed to baseball through multiple mediums such as television, newspapers, and even the radio. When did this obsession start for the citizens of America? The 1920s is known as the Golden Age of Sports. While many sports started to emerge during this decade, baseball was already established in 1875 and rapidly gaining popularity.Multiple factors affected the way that baseball changed during the 1920s. Due to its increased popularity of baseball and certain aspects of the game, the 1920s created what is known as modern day baseball. Previous to 1910 a rubber-centered ball was used, which had â€Å"less resiliency than the modern cork-centered baseball. † When baseball switched to the cork-centered ball in 1910, â€Å"batti ng averages shot upward phenomenally, but the managers continued long afterwards to employ the ‘scientific’ strategy† (Mandell 131).Before the cork-centered ball, the game was dominated by extraordinary pitchers and batters who had difficulties hitting (Mandell 130). Walter Johnson was considered the decade’s best pitcher and totaled 3,497 strikeouts and 113 shut outs in his career (Mandell 130). Once the ball was changed the game became more interesting by having the game now balanced between the offense and defense. This made it possible for listeners to be entertained listening to a ball game instead of constantly having to go to watch the game. During this decade and the decade before, mass production made the radio a staple in most households in the United States.The wide scale production made radios much more affordable for common families. â€Å"By 1925, 40 percent of workers in the United States earned at least $2000 annually †¦ and many enjoy ed shortened workweeks, which gave them increased leisure time† (â€Å"The 1920s: Sports: Overview† 1). With the excess money that the workers now possessed, they would go out and buy, â€Å"among other items, automobiles, radios, and tickets to movies and athletic events† ((â€Å"The 1920s: Sports: Overview† 1). Swarms of people were going to stadiums to watch their favorite team compete. More people went to baseball games, more people followed baseball, and more people played baseball for fun than any other sport† (â€Å"The Golden Age of Sports† 1). No other sport was as prominent as baseball was during the 1920s. A major draw to baseball was that it was a new form of theater. â€Å"The sheer drama of baseball was yet another attraction. Baseball had a cast of well-defined heroes and villains, familiar plots, comedy, and the unexpected† (Rader 129). Baseball proved to be able to produce larger-than-life characters, or the â€Å"hero es,† time after time.To name a few there was, most notably, Babe, Wahoo Sam, and Bugs. In every game, the umpire served the purpose of the villain (Rader 129). While people in the 1920s might not have had the financial excess to spend money on seeing a Broadway play or other large-scale theater productions, baseball games had the same attraction for a lesser price. While many well-to-do people did attend baseball games, â€Å"†¦ every mother’s son from banker to bum is eligible for membership in the Benevolent Brotherhood of Baseball Bugs† (â€Å"The National Pastime in the 1920s: The Rise of the Baseball Fan† 1).Everyone was welcome to play participate in baseball, whether it be as a spectator or player. At this time baseball was not just for one race either. People of all races and backgrounds played baseball. For example, in 1920 Andrew â€Å"Rube† Foster founded the Negro National League, NNL, so that when baseball was finally integrated th e black and Hispanic players of the time would be ready for the challenge (Heaphy 39). Even men that did not come from well-respected upbringings were immediately accepted into the world of baseball.George Herman Ruth Jr. , more commonly known as Babe Ruth, was the prime example of how accepting baseball was. Babe grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and said, â€Å"†¦ he became a ‘bad kid,’ who smoked, chewed tobacco, and engaged in petty thievery. † When Babe turned seven â€Å"his parents sent him to the St. Mary’s Industrial Home for Boys, and institution †¦ for †¦ delinquents. † (Rader 178). After twelve years in the home and building his baseball reputation, Babe was drafted to the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox (Rader 178).Babe wrote in an autobiography, â€Å"The greatest thing about this country is the wonderful fact that it doesn’t matter which side of the tracks you were born on, or whether you’re homeles s or homely or friendless. The chance is still there† (Rader 178). All people of different races and upbringings were brought together through baseball, as spectators and players, although the sport would not be integrated until 1947. The popularity of baseball greatly affected the way that the sport would change. Without the demand of the spectators, certain changes would not have been made to the game. The most marked feature of the new sporting landscape was the ascendancy of ‘big-time’ spectator sports, that is, sports that were attracted and were designed for mass audiences† (Rader 173). Baseball changed from a player-centered sport to a spectator-centered sport. In American Sports it says that: After 1920 the fans virtually dictated the character of American sport history. Even the ethos and structure of ‘amateur’ sports like Little League Baseball and high school football resembled their professional counterparts more than the player-cent ered sports of an earlier era.In principle, if not in practice, amateur sports had been for the pleasure and benefit of the players; in short, the athletes ‘played. ’ But with the ascendancy of the spectators, the athletes ‘played’ for the fans; sports then became a form of ‘work. ’ (Rader 173) Baseball eventually became a consumer run industry. Magnificent stadiums were beginning to be built during the 1920s, beginning with Yankee Stadium in 1923 (Rader 128). â€Å"The massive baseball parks, built of concrete and steel, bore mute testimony to the values Americans place upon baseball. The fans saw the parks as more than a place for commercial amusement, the stadiums were also a â€Å"king of civic, religious sanctuary representing and entire community† (Rader 128). Judging solely on the change of the stadiums from rustic to urban, it’s clear that America was changing baseball into a larger-than-life, commercialized industry. Bef ore Babe, fans were loyal to certain teams, but Babe changed the face of baseball, making the fans more player-loyal.Apart from the enormous increase in the popularity of baseball during the 1920s, Babe Ruth was extremely influential in how the game is now. Paul Gallico, a sports-writer, said, â€Å"In times past we had been interested in and excited by prize fighters and baseball players, but we have never been so individually involved or joined in such a mass outpouring of affection as we did for Ruth† (Rader 179). Not only did Babe change the focus of the spectators to the individual players from the team, he set a new standard in the amount that players should expect to be paid.Christy Walsh became Babe’s literary agent and â€Å"†¦ as Ruth’s ‘literary agent’ he increased Ruth’s writing income from $500 to $15000 in the first year† (Rader 181). Most players made less than $10000 a year playing professional baseball. By the tim e Babe was at his highest point, he was making close to $3 million from playing and outside endeavors relating to baseball (Rader 181). Other than the amount that he was paid and how America idolized him, Babe Ruth undoubtedly changed the history of baseball forever by making the homerun a common feature of the game.Before Babe, homeruns were not common, especially out-of-the-park homeruns. Outfielders played very shallow, which caused inside-the-park homeruns more frequently than seen today (Rader131). Babe Ruth shattered that normality by hitting out-of-the-park homeruns like no one had ever seen before. Baseball was forever influenced by the skill, idolization, and salary of Babe Ruth. There is no denying that baseball has long been considered America’s pastime, but it was not always like that. The game grew immensely in the 1920s and morphed into the baseball that is around today. One distinguishing and very important quality of baseball was the (however much the game did , indeed, resemble games played in many places for millennia) it was believed to be historically and exclusively American† (Mandell 180). Growing up with parents that were actively involved in athletics throughout their adolescent life, sports were an enormous part of my and my brothers’ lives. Starting at age six I began playing tee-ball and from there moved onto softball, while my brothers did the same, except moved onto Little League.The popularity of professional baseball was evident even in tee-ball and Little League by having the teams named after the professional teams. It is obvious that the popularity in the 1920s continue into modern day baseball, not only by the growing number of fans, but almost how professional baseball has affected the amateur level of baseball. Work Cited Heaphy, Leslie A. The Negro Leagues 1869-1960. 1st . Jefferson: McFarland&Company Inc. , Publishers, 2003. Print. Mandell, Richard D. Sports A Cultural History. 1st . New York: Columbia University Press, 1984. Print. Rader, Benjamin G.American Sports. 1st . Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1983. Print. Sumner, Jim. â€Å"The Golden Age of Sports. † North Carolina Museum of History. American Social History Products, Inc. , n. d. Web. . â€Å"The 1920s: Sports: Overview. † American Decades. 2001. Encyclopedia. com. 4 Dec. 2012 . . â€Å"The National Pastime in the 1920s: The Rise of the Baseball Fan. † History Matters. American Social History Products, Inc.. Web. .