Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Book Review - Essay Example Obama’s political position on many different subjects such as war in Iraq to health care and education. After reading this book I really appreciate the author because he was eloquent and seemed thoughtful. Mr. Obama has an inviting and warm way of communication which shows him as an agent of change in the history of American politics. The writing style of this book is really good but it seems a bit too earnest for political correctness in America. The author presents his faith and values in such a way that is far more comfortable than many other political contemporaries. In this book Mr. Obama does a good job of describing how and why his values cause him to act and think in the way that he does. In my point of view if even someone doesn’t agrees to his plans and policies but will respect his commitment to change and energy of the author. I take issue with the author’s actual policies like health care which may seems great but it will lead to decreased choice and quality for most of the fellow Americans and issues like budget deficits and soaring taxes but I do agree with his policy that our country must overcome the addiction of foreign oil. I also agree on the point that more emphasis required for upholding traditional values and strengthening families. Mr. Obama’s opposition for many different reasonable remedies is really curious. The most important point was the emphasis on finding the root causes of poverty in the world and in our country and we should focus on dangerous issue like teen pregnancy. There are many expressed ideas of Mr. Obama that cannot be aligned with the ridiculous and radical statement of the senator’s pastor, who was the man that inspired the title of this book. In my point of view whether someone is liberal or conservative this book is a great source of information and it gives a great insight into the most significant

Monday, October 28, 2019

Interpersonal Communication Skills Essay Example for Free

Interpersonal Communication Skills Essay Emotion: The word emotion includes a wide range of observable behaviors, expressed feelings, and changes in the body state. Emotions are feelings. Emotional communication, then, refers to the act of communicating your feelings. This is also known as emotional intelligence or social intelligence. There are six principles of emotion and emotional messages. 1. Emotions may be primary or blended: A primary emotion is a basic emotion. These would be the eight basic emotions: joy, acceptance, fear, surprise, sadness, disgust, anger and anticipation. Emotions that are close to each other on this wheel are also to close to each other in meanings. In this model there are also blends. These blended are the combinations of primary emotions. They are noted at the outside the wheel. For example, according to this model, love is a blend of joy and acceptance, whereas remorse is a blend of disgust and sadness. 2. Emotions are influenced by body, mind, and culture: Emotions involve at least three parts: bodily reactions, mental evaluation and interpretations and cultural rules and beliefs. Bodily reactions to emotions are pretty obvious and include things like blushing when youre embarrassed, nervous habits, or sweaty palms. The mental and cognitive part of emotion experiences involves the evaluation and interpretations you make on the basis of what you experiences. For example, you may feel angry if someone is rude or insensitive to you on purpose. Culture also dictates how we should express and interpret our emotions as well. For example, Chinese students show respect by being quiet and passive. Asking questions would imply that the teacher was not clear on the lecture. 3. Emotions may be adaptive and maladaptive: Emotions are often adaptive that is, they can help you adjust  appropriately to situation. For example, if youre worried you wont do well in something, youll work harder to prepare for that situation. Emotions may be maladaptive and may get in the way of your accomplishing your goals. For example, if you are so anxious about a situation that you dont prepare for it. In other ways emotions can create problems is in a tendency that some theorists have cleverly called catastrophizing â€Å"taking a problem even a minor one and make it in to a catastrophe. 4. Emotions are communicated verbally and nonverbally: According to DeVito (2009), Theorists do not agree over whether you can choose the emotions you feel. Some argue that you can; others argue that you cannot. You are, however, in control of the ways in which you express your emotions. In some instances you determine whether you want to express your emotions in full, but with other times you censor your emotions. 5. Emotional expression is governed by display rules: Weve talked about display rules before, but to refresh your mind it is what is and is not appropriate to do. The differences we see are in the emotional expression. Men and women also have gender display rules for what is and isnt appropriate to express within his or her culture. For example, its appropriate in our culture for women to divulge a lot of their emotions and feelings; however, it is not seen in the same light when men divulge all of their emotions to other men. 6. Emotions are contagious: Emotions can be contagious. If you think of a time where one person starts laughing, and then the people around start laughing, you can see this theory working. Emotional contagion is defined as emotions passing from one person to another. Another form of emotional contagion deals with persuasions utilizing emotional appeals.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

OBEY GIANT :: essays research papers

OBEY GIANT   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heidegger describes Phenomenology as â€Å"the process of letting things manifest themselves.† Phenomenology attempts to enable people to see clearly something that is right before their eyes but obscured; things that are so taken for granted that they are muted by abstract observation. The first aim of Phenomenology is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one's environment. The Giant sticker attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings. This is exactly what happened to me when I first saw an Obey Giant sticker. Hence, the theory of Phenomenology was just proven with me as the example. The stickers and posters have no meaning and exist only to cause people to react, to contemplate and search for meaning in the sticker. Because the sticker has no meaning, the various reactions and interpretations of those who view it reflect their personality and the nature of their sensibilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I first encountered my first Obey Giant sticker poster was when I went to San Francisco with my Mom. Immediately upon arriving in the city, where the artist Shepard Fairy is from, It was on almost every block we passed riding in the taxi you could find a sticker, poster, or stencil of the Obey Giant image. The image is merely a black and white stamp of Andre the Giants’ face with the word OBEY in red and white underneath it. When I first saw it I didn’t really think anything of it, it was only when I would see the image almost everywhere we went around the San Francisco area when I began to wonder what it meant. After reading about it on the Internet and learning that these images can be found across the United States and around the world, I was amazed and intrigued. I immediately became almost obsessed with this idea. I just loved everything about it. It is to this day the most interesting thing I have ever encountered. Many people, like myself have demanded the sticker, merely because they have seen it everywhere and possessing a sticker provides a sense of belonging. I collect them mainly because I love the idea, and part of the experiment is spreading them around and making others aware. There are many other imitations, and other artist who are fascinated with the idea and come up with their own visuals used for the same purpose as Shepard Fairey.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Essay --

society poverty has various definitions that lack the true picture that poverty depicts. Dictionary defines poverty as â€Å"the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money on material possessions.† In other words poverty is a situation where a person fail to earn a sufficient amount of income to purchase basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothes etc. In reality, poverty is much more than the capital resources. According to Laster Brown explained poverty as â€Å"the world without orders’ and further emphasized that â€Å"unfortunately it is a human condition. It is despair, grief and pain.† However, the issue of poverty and how we deal with it could differ among people. This idea is reflected in Peter Singer’s â€Å"Famine, Affluence and Morality† essay and the opposing essay written by John Arthur in â€Å"World hunger and moral obligation: the case against Singer.† Peter Singer raises the question of pove rty and our obligations toward it in his essay â€Å"Famine, Affluence, and Morality†. In the essay, Singer addresses the question of what obligations we have toward those ar...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Top 5 Companies in Terms of Social Responsibility

November 13, 2012 Top 5 Companies in Terms of Social Responsibility We live in a society that holds companies accountable for their actions in relation to the environment, the welfare of the less fortunate, and the investors that fund them. A company’s actions in terms of social responsibility are placed into three categories: profit responsibility, stakeholder responsibility, and societal responsibility. Profit responsibility refers to a company’s responsibility to maximize profits without using deceptive or unfair practices.Stakeholder responsibility is a company’s responsibility to consider the consequences of its actions on those that can be negatively affected by them. Societal responsibility refers to the duty a company has to preserve the environment and to the public in general. Using these guidelines, CR magazine compiled a list of the most socially responsible companies. The top five on this list are: 1. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. 2. International Busines s Machines Corp 3. Intel Corp. 4. Microsoft Corporation 5. Johnson Controls IncAs a global â€Å"BioPharma† company, Bristol-Myers Squibb uses its resources to formulate medicines that help millions of people affected by various illnesses. They have devised a strategy that combines their resources in order to maximize profit while providing a value to consumers. â€Å"We focus on our customers’ needs, giving maximum priority to accelerating pipeline development, delivering sales growth and continuing to manage costs† (BMS). While making a profit, Bristol-Myers Squibb has continued to pursue its mission to provide access to healthcare through their patient assistance programs.These programs provide free or low cost medicines and services to those that have met financial hardship. In addition, they provide a diverse workforce that respects cultural and familial differences among its employees. As for the environment, Bristol-Myers Squib integrates â€Å"comprehen sive energy management, pollution controls, and other practices to reduce environmental impacts† at their worldwide facilities. â€Å"Bristol-Myers Squibb delivers on its commitments: to our patients and customers, to our employees, to our global communities, to our shareholders and to our environment† (BMS).According to the New York Times, Bristol-Myers Squibb declared a self imposed ban on drug ads in 2005. He reasoning behind this ban was to give physicians time to understand new products before patients began asking for them (Saul). â€Å"We want to make sure that before we start mass media – television, radio and print branded advertising – that physicians have a level of comfort about the treatment and which patients are appropriate for it,† Brian Henry, a spokesman for Bristol-Myers, said (qtd. in Saul).International Business Machines Corp, also known as IBM, is a global technology company that prides itself on thinking outside of the box to â€Å"solve some of the world's most complex problems† (IBM). In terms of corporate citizenship, IBM uses a comprehensive approach to focus on societal issues that include literacy, education, and community economic development. They utilize a global environmental management system to ensure they are protecting the environment at all of their worldwide facilities.Approximately 8% of their purchases are from diverse suppliers and they also have a commitment to maintaining employee diversity. â€Å"IBM believes that a company culture based on core values not only helps our business, but also defines the role that we can and should play in society† (IBM). CBS News published an article detailing IBM’s 2008 study on corporate social responsibility. This study showed that only 17 percent of companies ask customers for their social responsibility concerns. â€Å"IBM believes that by asking customers about their CSR concerns, companies can actually uncover new sales op portunities† (Holstein). One clear implication of the study for top management is this: it no longer suffices to have one office dedicated to CSR, handing out a few community grants. CSR needs to be built into the business units and into the business strategy† (Holstein). Intel prides itself at maintaining the highest standards through leadership, company governance, contributions to health and environment issues, and within its commitment to being socially responsible. The company has created a code of conduct that focuses on improved worker conditions, economic development, and a cleaner environment for communities.Beyond their code of conduct, Intel has an innovative education program that provides girls worldwide with educational opportunities through technology access and community learning programs. They have also created their Teach Program to assist teachers in becoming effective educators. All of this is in line with their vision: â€Å"This decade we will crea te and extend computing technology to connect and enrich the lives of every person on earth† (Intel). According to Huffing Post writer, Ryan Scott, â€Å"Intel has decidedly immodest goals for its corporate community involvement† (Scott). In 2011 alone, Intel funded nine different projects to the tune of $125,000 in total to nine different projects. One of the recent programs is Intel's work studying colony collapse disorder† (Scott). Microsoft Corporation claims global corporate citizenship through the company’s commitment to fulfill its public responsibilities by serving the needs of people in communities worldwide. â€Å"As our company has grown, this commitment has extended far beyond our own products and services and has been amplified many times over through our network of partners, including governments, nonprofits and other organizations† (Microsoft).One of the ways in which Microsoft serves the community is through YouthSpark. YouthSpark is a hub that provides access to tools, programs, and resources to help children and teens imagine and reach their full potential. In addition, they strive to work responsibly through a diverse workforce that provides competitive compensation and extensive employee training in addition to benefits to domestic partners of employees. They also provide humanitarian response worldwide and aid in empowering nonprofit organizations to do the same. We provide powerful technologies and human support that make it possible to keep families and communities connected, and speed the arrival of much needed aid† (Microsoft). Beyond an initial response, Microsoft stays to help rebuild. â€Å"We extend our commitment beyond the immediate need, supporting rebuilding efforts for months and years afterward† (Microsoft). Microsoft’s statement seemed to ring true in a brief article published by the Seattle Times. â€Å"Microsoft said it will donate $1. 25 million, a combination of cash and in-kind donations, to Haiti earthquake relief† (Chan).With this effort, they also encouraged employee participation by â€Å"matching annual donations up to $12,000 per worker and reaching out to local government and non-government agencies to offer help† (Chan). Johnson Controls provides an environment in which their employees understands and values each other’s similarities and differences. â€Å"We cultivate a culture where our people recognize it is the strength of personal relationships across businesses and functions that help us continually succeed† (Johnson Controls).The company also practices diversity in its selection of suppliers, increasing diverse suppliers from 300 to 420 in 2009. Johnson Controls also shares a spirit of giving through global community relations that support arts, education, health and social services, the environment, and leadership development. â€Å"In 2011, Johnson Controls donated more than $15. 4 million worldwide to nonprofit and community organizations in support of these causes† (Johnson Controls). According to WTMJ out of Milwaukee, Johnson Controls made a â€Å"historically large† donation to Milwaukee Public Schools in September 2012. The plan involves an investment in Pulaski High School's automotive program† (WTMJ). While details of the dollar amount were not available, the donation itself is a testament to Johnson Controls support of education. To conclude, a company’s actions in terms of social responsibility are placed into three categories: profit responsibility, stakeholder responsibility, and societal responsibility. The top five are known as, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. , International Business Machines Corp. , Intel Corp. , Microsoft Corporation and Johnson Controls Inc.From resources to formulate medicines that help millions of people affected by various illnesses, to inventing the new Microsoft Windows 8 system, each have become a huge part in society and in our lives and most likely continue to be part of our future. Works Cited BMS. â€Å"Bristol-Myers Squibb – A Global Biopharmaceutical Company. † Bristol-Myers Squibb – A Global Biopharmaceutical Company. N. p. , n. d. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. . Chan, Sharon. â€Å"Microsoft Donating $1. 25M to Haiti Earthquake Relief. † Seattle Times. N. p. , 15 Jan. 2010.Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . CR Magazine. â€Å"100 Best Corporate Citizens 2012. † Corporate Responsibility Magazine. N. p. , n. d. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. . Holstein, William J. â€Å"IBM's Study on Corporate Social Responsibility: It's a New World. † CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 18 Mar. 2008. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . IBM. â€Å"IBM – United States. † IBM – United States. N. p. , n. d. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. . Intel. â€Å"Company Overview. † Intel. N. p. , n. d. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. . Johnson Controls. â€Å"ABOUT USOur Community Focus. † Our Community Focus. N. p. , n. d. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. . Microsoft. â€Å"Microsoft Corporate Citizenship. † Microsoft Corporate Citizenship. N. p. , n. d. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. . Saul, Stephanie. â€Å"A Self-Imposed Ban on Drug Ads. † New York Times. N. p. , 15 June 2005. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . Scott, Ryan. â€Å"Intel: Making the World Better for Every Person on Earth, That's All. † The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 24 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . WTMJ. â€Å"TODAY'S TMJ4. † Johnson Controls Set to Give ‘historic' Donation to MPS -. N. p. , 26 Sept. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Many Ways of Via

The Many Ways of Via The Many Ways of â€Å"Via† The Many Ways of â€Å"Via† By Mark Nichol Via, the Latin word for â€Å"way, is also the basis of many words, many of them disguised, that refer to movement or the way things move (or act). This post lists and defines terms derived from via. In English, via itself often replaces â€Å"by way of† in writing in reference to traveling, though it is seldom employed in conversation. Words in which via is the first element include viaduct, which describes a raised watercourse, and viaticum, which refers to an allowance or provisions for a journey, or the ritual offering of Communion given to someone on the verge of death (the plural is viaticums or viatica). A viatical settlement (the phrase is sometimes simplified to viatical) is an insurance agreement pertaining to a death benefit. Voyage, too, stems from via by way of French. Someone who voyages is a voyager; the French equivalent, voyageur, describes someone employed to transport goods for a fur-trapping company, especially in colonial Canada. Other words derived from via include deviate (literally, â€Å"turn out of the way†), which means â€Å"differ from the norm† or â€Å"leave the expected course.† As a noun, the word describes a sexual pervert, though deviant is more commonly employed for that meaning; deviant is also an adjective in this context, while devious describes someone who is cunning or deceitful (although it is used, albeit rarely, as a synonym for errant, roundabout, or remote). Deviation describes a departure or difference, and deviance pertains to perversion. Convey and convoy (â€Å"with way†) both refer to carrying away, but to convey is to bear, deliver, impart, or pass, while convoy means â€Å"accompany,† especially for protection, and as a noun refers to the act of accompanying for protection, or one or more people or things that provide such protection, usually in the context of a group of vehicles or vessels. An envoy (â€Å"way in†) is a messenger or a representative from one government to another; the word may refer to someone with a particular diplomatic rank. It may also pertain to concluding remarks to a poem, song, or other composition, though the French spelling envoi is usually employed in that sense. Invoice, meanwhile, is not related to voice; it stems from the otherwise obsolete â€Å"message† sense of envoi. Pervious (â€Å"way through†) means â€Å"accessible† or â€Å"permeable,† though its antonym, impervious, is much more common. Previous (â€Å"way before†), meanwhile, means â€Å"prior† or, rarely, â€Å"premature.† An instance of being previous is previousness, and the adverbial form is previously. To obviate (â€Å"get in the way of†) is to prevent or to make unnecessary (an act of doing so is obviation), while obvious means â€Å"easily seen or understood,† and the noun form is obviousness. Quadrivium (â€Å"four ways†) and trivium (â€Å"three ways†) refer to the division of the seven classical literal arts. (The former comprises arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and music, and the latter consists of grammar, logic, and rhetoric.) Trivium also, in Latin, referred to a three-way crossing, where information might be posted- or passed on by travelers meeting at the intersection. From that idea, English acquired trivia, meaning â€Å"inconsequential information.† The adjective trivial pertains to such information but also has the broader senses of unimportant and ordinary; to portray something substantial as trivial is to trivialize it, and the noun form triviality denotes the quality or state of being trivial or something trivial. (Trifle, meaning something trivial and the name of a type of dessert, though it appears as if it could be related to trivial, is actually from an Anglo-French word, by way of Old English, meaning nonsense.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?On Behalf Of vs. In Behalf Of50 Words with Alternative Spellings

Monday, October 21, 2019

Marriott Forecasting Essay Example

Marriott Forecasting Essay Example Marriott Forecasting Paper Marriott Forecasting Paper This case involves the study of the Hamilton Hotel and the use of forecasting to help predict their demand on a specific day. Marriott Hotels operated the Hamilton hotel. Marriott has been known for a culture that puts people first. Marriott is recognized worldwide for their enduring values, their spirit to serve, and their corporate commitment to creating better places to live and work. 1) Critical Issue: The critical issue is the manager has to choose either to accept up to 60 additional room reservations for Saturday or not. ) critical Facts: The hotel loses revenue if the room is vacant for one night. Customer service is a priority for Marmots hotel. Customers often cancel reservations in the last minute or they dont show up. Sometimes, customers stay in the hotel for an additional date beyond their original reservation. Sometimes, customers checked out early. Every Tuesday, the manager needs to prepare a forecast for the follow week occupancy for each day from Saturday to Friday . If the hotel meets targets for occupancy ND revenue, hotel managers will be reward for their performance. The hotel has 1877 rooms. On Tuesday, August 18, 1 987 the manager received a reservation request for up to 60 rooms from a tour company for Saturday August 22. Although 1 839 rooms were reserved already for Saturday. The contribution margin from a room was about 590. The cost for denial a room would be about twice the contribution figure. Frequent guests are the customers that stay more than 45 nights a year in the hotel. ) Analysis: In order to forecast the expected demand in the short term and make the eight decision for Snow either to accept up to 60 rooms, first we decided to look at the historical daily demand for the last 13 weeks and analyze the demand pattern. In graph 1, given data shows peaks and valleys, has no trend and shows seasonal variations in time series. It is difficult to forecast an accurate future demand for this data without using the seasonal forecasting method. Graph 1 When analyzing Pickup Ratio (Demand/Tuesday Bookings) for each Saturday, we can see that most ratios are less than 1. 00. If reservation manager, Snow, decides to accept 60 rooms reservation from the tour company, she will overbook 22 rooms. As we know, 1839 rooms have been already reserved and she can give only 38 additional rooms. If she accepts 60 rooms reservation and there are no cancellations, she will have to accommodate additional 22 room requests providing with a comparable room in a different hotel somewhere in the city, transporting the quest, giving ratify such as fruit bucket. According to the text, if a customer is a frequent guest (Marquis cardholder), he or she would received $200 cash plus next two stays at the Marriott for free. Also, the approximate cost for denying a room is about $180. For 22 rooms it will be $3,960. If she decides not to overbook 22 rooms, she might be missing 22*90 = $1 ,980 Of revenue. Moreover, she might be losing an opportunity to establish a good relationship with the tour company, who may book steady numbers of 60 rooms on Saturdays in the future. This would generate additional profit, since we know from historical data that Saturdays are always under booked. Given a very low variable costs and marginal profit of 90$, it is a great opportunity for Snow to maximize profit during one of the slowest day of the week Saturdays (according to DOD indicator). However, she has to forecast demand for Saturday to make sure that she will have those rooms available. Denying a guest with reserved room can be very costly, especially for loyal customers and negatively reflect on hotels reputation. 4) Recommendations Effectiveness: We are recommending that the hotel accept the request from the tour company for up to 60 rooms. It was important for us to have the multiple forecasts and use the one with the lowest mean absolute deviation (MAD) before we made our decision. You Will see in the excel attachment that the seasonal forecast did in fact produce the lowest MAD and produced a forecast extremely close to the previous actual data. According to the seasonal forecast the hotel is expected to have 1,787 guests show up out of the 1,839 that were booked.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

10 Latin Abbreviations You Might Be Using Incorrectly

10 Latin Abbreviations You Might Be Using Incorrectly 10 Latin Abbreviations You Might Be Using Incorrectly 10 Latin Abbreviations You Might Be Using Incorrectly By Mark Nichol Abbreviations deriving from Latin terms and phrases can be troublesome for us non-Latin speakers. Here’s the long and short of the most common short forms adopted into English from the classical language: 1. e.g. This abbreviation of exempli gratia (â€Å"for example†) is not only often left bereft of its periods (or styled eg.), it’s also frequently confused for a similar abbreviation you’ll find below. Use e.g. (followed by a comma) to signal sample examples. 2. etc. This sloppily formed abbreviation of et cetera (â€Å"and so forth†) is often misspelled ect., perhaps because we’re accustomed to words in which c precedes t, but not vice versa. (Curiously, Merriam-Webster spells out etcetera as such as a noun, but at the end of an incomplete list, retain the two-word form, or translate it.) A comma should precede it. Refrain from using etc. in an e.g. list; the abbreviations are essentially redundant, and note that etc. is also redundant in a phrase that includes including. 3. et al. This abbreviation of et alia (and others†), used almost exclusively to substitute for the names of all but the primary author in a reference to a multiauthor publication or article but occasionally applied in other contexts, should have no period after et, because that word in particular is not an abbreviation. Also, unlike as in the case of etc., refrain from preceding it with a comma, presumably because only one name precedes it. Fun fact: We use a form of the second word in this term alias to mean â€Å"otherwise known as† (adverb) or â€Å"an assumed name† (noun). 4. i.e. This abbreviation of id est (â€Å"that is†) is, like e.g., is frequently erroneously styled without periods (or as ie.). It, followed by a comma, precedes a clarification, as opposed to examples, which e.g. serves to introduce. 5. fl. This abbreviation of flourit (â€Å"flourished†) is used in association with a reference to a person’s heyday, often in lieu of a range of years denoting the person’s life span. 6. N.B. This abbreviation for nota bene (â€Å"note well†), easily replaced by the imperative note, is usually styled with uppercase letters and followed by a colon. 7. per cent. This British English abbreviation of per centum (â€Å"for each one hundred†) is now often (and in the United States always) spelled percent, as one word and without the period. 8. re This abbreviation, short for in re (â€Å"in the matter of†) and often followed by a colon, is often assumed to be an abbreviation for reply, especially in email message headers. 9. viz. This abbreviation of videlicet (â€Å"namely†), unlike e.g., precedes an appositive list one preceded by a reference to a class that the list completely constitutes: â€Å"Each symbol represents one of the four elements, viz. earth, air, fire, and water.† Note the absence of a following comma. 10. vs. This abbreviation of versus (â€Å"against†) is further abbreviated to v. in legal usage. Otherwise, the word is usually spelled out except in informal writing or in a jocular play on names of boxing or wrestling matches or titles of schlocky science fiction movies. (â€Å"In this title bout of Greed vs. Honesty, the underdog never stood a chance.†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Types of Narrative ConflictHomogeneous vs. HeterogeneousPhrasal Verbs and Phrasal Nouns

Saturday, October 19, 2019

What is the Calorie Plate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

What is the Calorie Plate - Research Paper Example In fact, the concept has never been introduced before. It uses state-of-the-art technology which digitally shows the number of calories the calorie plate contains. Calorie Plate has recently just been patented, with the concept coming from a group of students in Brisbane Australia. The emergence of this new product prompted the individuals involved in its intention to create a business unit that would market, sell and distribute the product in various locations within the country, and other major parts of the globe. The company behind Calorie Plate is named C-Med, Inc. Due to the nature of the product and the forecasted demand for its distribution in key sales channels for medical products, C-Med, Inc. will primarily take on a direct-selling approach to the product. This method shall be supported by both above-the-line and below-the-line advertising efforts, with specific emphasis on merchandising and web-based promotional and marketing activities. C-Med, Inc. will handle all aspects of the business – from manufacturing, operations, distribution, and marketing. The management will carry these out through partnerships with third-party suppliers and distributors to ensure that it reaches the right channels and the right market. As primarily a corporate type of business, all incorporators have invested an equal sum to make launch and operate the business. As a support to the current investments, C-Med, Inc. will open shares to other individuals who believe in the marketability of the product. Weight management is both wellness and aesthetic concern. Due to the competitive nature of the society we live in, people are now more conscious of their looks and their health. The first area of concern is one's health. As such, there are countless weight-management program and supplements in the market today. In Australia, there is a need to address the growing concern about the increasing number of people who may be considered obese.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Source evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Source evaluation - Essay Example As seen in this crowdsourcing article, collaboration and online organisation is the main objective of this project. Over and above, the theme of internet collaboration and organisation is vivid in all the chapters in the book. This book source is therefore, reliable and useful to students and researchers (Pallof, & Pratt 43). This is because it highlights the basis of learning community via the internet, innovativeness and critical thinking skills it fosters to the internet users. â€Å"The online environment can be a lonely place. Students and faculty alike report feelings of isolation when working online. The benefits of taking or teaching an online class - being able to connect any time and any place, from one’s bedroom in pajamas and bunny slippers or from a library or computer lab – also can be a detriment of sorts given that, for the most part, the people with whom one is interacting are represented by worlds on a screen.† (Pallof, & Pratt, 32) This is an easy to read book where the author, Pallof, & Pratt have taken their ample time to showcase their vivid thoughts and reflection towards online collaboration. They clearly indicate that collaboration and internet organization is the backbone of the media in the present day. The fact that the book highlights the process of media embracing the digital technology in a means to spread out their audiences is a clear sign of contemporary/modern networking and collaborative development. In reference to Pallof, & Pratt (2005), focus is put on using technical and internet related channels to bring people together for their own success. As seen in the book, the authors Pallof, & Pratt (2005), have managed to fill the gap in the internet world by spreading out to digital channels of communication that targets the old internet users and further brings about new internet users for collaborative purpose: The ways in which

Common assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Common assessment - Essay Example In the United States, it is the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) that sets the GAAP standards for private firms while it is the IASB sets principles for international accountants (Horngren et al, 2008). Compliance with GAAP is mandatory by every business operating in the USA. Corporations that are public companies are closely monitored by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to ensure their compliance to GAAP. II. GAAP and description of the accounting principles In the GAAP there exists accounting principles which also serves as measurements of conventions that are significant which are cost recording, revenue recognition and the matching principle. The recognition principle states that a company records revenues in its accounts only when it has earned and realized the revenue (Horngren et al, 2008 p.703). Revenues therefore cannot be recognized if it has not been earned. A second important convention is the matching principle which states that revenues must be li nked to the expenses associated with them. Accountants apply the matching principle by identifying the revenue recognized during a period and by linking the expenses to the recognized revenue directly ( Horngren, 2008 p.703). The Cost Principle This GAAP accounting principle states that the recording of cost must be at their fair market price. Fair market price is determined by the amount reflected on documents accompanying the goods and/or services to ensure objectivity and accuracy of accounting when purchases are made. The effect of this costing principle on assets is that its value will not change until the market value of the asset changes. To effect this change in the books according to GAAP principle, a new require a new transaction as an evidence to effect the change of the value of the asset. In cases where objective evidence is not available to ascertain cost, the transaction can instead be recorded at its fair market value as determined by a third party appraiser (McKeown , 1973). The Revenue Recognition Convention The recognition principle states that a company records revenues in its accounts only when it has earned and realized the revenue (Horngren, 2008 p.703). Revenue cannot be recognized if it has not been earned. This principle states that revenue must only be completed and recorded into a company’s books when the transaction is already completed. This means that revenue will only be recorded once actual payment is received. On occasions when transactions involve huge projects which take a very long time to finish such as construction of buildings, revenue is done an accrual basis whereby it will bill its client on periodic basis on the amount of work that has been done or completed and recognize the revenue even if there is still work in progress (Klueh, 2009). Recognizing revenue correctly is important to the accuracy of the financial statements because earning is a critical aspect of a financial statement which can affect the compan y’s many stakeholders. The Matching Principle A second important convention is the matching principle which states that revenues must be linked to the expenses associated with them. Accountants apply the matching principle by identifying the revenue recognized during a period and by linking the expenses to the recognized revenue directly (Horngren, 2008 p.703). This can be likened to the revenue recognition principle whereby expenses related to the revenue that were earned during a certain accounting period must be reflected in the books of the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Movie Analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Movie Analyses - Essay Example This reality shall be divulged upon, in light of movies such as Volver, A Separation, The White Ribbon, Tsotsi, Departures, Animal Kingdom and The Secret in their Eyes. Thesis All movies are derived from prevailing socioeconomic realities with the main intention of fostering emancipation, justice and equity, in lieu of comic relief, catharsis and entertainment. Question 4 Of the seven movies, Tsotsi has the most interesting setting. This is by virtue of the manner in which the author and the film crew have labored to use various elements of filmmaking to make the movie more persuasive. For instance, although South Africa’s Johannesburg is more urbane than any other city in Africa, yet the featuring of the neighboring sprawling and (in)famous Soweto slum makes the plot of the movie more plausible. Another instance which reinstates this sense of authenticity is the presentation of large construction pipes which serve as Tsotsi and his gang’s domicile. Otherwise, it would be out of order to speak of Tsotsi’s crime as taking place within Johannesburg (Hood, 2005). The author also uses special effect filmmaking strategies to make the setting very plausible and congruent with the plot. Specifically, lightning techniques have been used to this effect. In instances where Tsotsi and his gang carry night raids, weak light is used, thereby making the audience believe that such criminal undertakings are nocturnal. Through the use of silhouettes, Tsotsi and his proteges are also densely shadowed, so that they are easily identified as malefactors. The failure to use proper lighting could have portrayed Tsotsi’s criminal exploits as taking place during daytime, and thereby painting Johannesburg as an insecure, crime-riddled city where crimes happen even during broad daylight. Lance Gewer and Gavin Hood as the director and cinematographer respectively showcase their dexterity and ingenuity in filmmaking by making the movie polyglot. The movie consists of languages such as English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and isiZulu, and thereby rightly painting Johan nesburg not only as a polyglot but also a cultural melting pot. Question 5: The concept of family In all the seven movies, the concept of family is not only ubiquitous, but also given a central thematic value. In the 2009 German film titled The White Ribbon, a family is depicted in Eichwald, northern Germany as the world is on the verge of World War I. Authored by Michael Haneke, the film portrays the family as morally hypocritical. On the facade, the society appears chaste by the virtue of a puritanical pastor’s emphasis on sexual asceticism. However, a thorough look at the society peels back this facade. The village doctor treats other children kindly but has a penchant for humiliating his housekeeper and is found in a compromising situation with his teenage daughter. The family is also presented as morally unstable, even in the person of the baroness who confesses to her husband of being in love with another man. The larger family of human society is painted as unjust and giving way to moral decay. Particularly, this is seen in the instance where the baron whimsically dismisses Eva from work, but retains and recommends a farmer whose son had rummaged the baron’s cabbage farm (Haneke, 2009). In Volver, the family is also depicted as one that is replete with sexual scandals and unresolved matters. Particularly, there is an instance where Paco tries to rape Paula, despite being Paula’s father figure (Almadovar, 2006). In Tsotsi, the family is depicted as being characterized with a degree of inequality and

Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Abortion - Essay Example Sinnott and Robert (467), argue that one can use pills that terminate the life of the embryo or go through medical processes of abortion. In this article, I will discuss the disadvantages of abortions, and some of the long-term effects one has to carry on after the procedure. I will also discuss on the legal nature of the act and the religious view of the practice. From a religious point of view, I agree that, killing of any human life is wrong, and there is no any legible reason for life termination. All life begins at conception and hence fetuses are just innocent beings and no killings are justifiable by law and religious holdings. I view it that, every being is unique, and termination of any life means the extinction of an individual with a unique genetic code (Sinnott and Robert 469). Out of biological knowledge, I understand that genes carry desirable traits that are rare and desirable giving organism’s unique qualities. The different aspects like knowledge, performance, or significant physical appearance may be in the genes of the terminated embryos. I agree with Sinnott and Robert (470) that, all humans have their potentials no matter how they may seem; hence, every life has a mission to accomplish, and thence it is wrong to terminate any life that may not yet be born. I agree with him that it is wrong to destroy foetus and no killings are justifiable. I find the act of causing pain on other living creatures wrong. Abortion causes pain moreover, sufferings to the foetus which later results to its death. My opinion remains that, however young the foetus is during the time of abortion it still causes it pain and sufferings, which is un-acceptable on any living creature. Governments that have legalized on abortion allow killings, and this means tolerating un-ethical practices in the societies. According to my thinking, this is lack of respect for young life. It is a terrible thing, and it results to under populating some regions since the

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Movie Analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Movie Analyses - Essay Example This reality shall be divulged upon, in light of movies such as Volver, A Separation, The White Ribbon, Tsotsi, Departures, Animal Kingdom and The Secret in their Eyes. Thesis All movies are derived from prevailing socioeconomic realities with the main intention of fostering emancipation, justice and equity, in lieu of comic relief, catharsis and entertainment. Question 4 Of the seven movies, Tsotsi has the most interesting setting. This is by virtue of the manner in which the author and the film crew have labored to use various elements of filmmaking to make the movie more persuasive. For instance, although South Africa’s Johannesburg is more urbane than any other city in Africa, yet the featuring of the neighboring sprawling and (in)famous Soweto slum makes the plot of the movie more plausible. Another instance which reinstates this sense of authenticity is the presentation of large construction pipes which serve as Tsotsi and his gang’s domicile. Otherwise, it would be out of order to speak of Tsotsi’s crime as taking place within Johannesburg (Hood, 2005). The author also uses special effect filmmaking strategies to make the setting very plausible and congruent with the plot. Specifically, lightning techniques have been used to this effect. In instances where Tsotsi and his gang carry night raids, weak light is used, thereby making the audience believe that such criminal undertakings are nocturnal. Through the use of silhouettes, Tsotsi and his proteges are also densely shadowed, so that they are easily identified as malefactors. The failure to use proper lighting could have portrayed Tsotsi’s criminal exploits as taking place during daytime, and thereby painting Johannesburg as an insecure, crime-riddled city where crimes happen even during broad daylight. Lance Gewer and Gavin Hood as the director and cinematographer respectively showcase their dexterity and ingenuity in filmmaking by making the movie polyglot. The movie consists of languages such as English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and isiZulu, and thereby rightly painting Johan nesburg not only as a polyglot but also a cultural melting pot. Question 5: The concept of family In all the seven movies, the concept of family is not only ubiquitous, but also given a central thematic value. In the 2009 German film titled The White Ribbon, a family is depicted in Eichwald, northern Germany as the world is on the verge of World War I. Authored by Michael Haneke, the film portrays the family as morally hypocritical. On the facade, the society appears chaste by the virtue of a puritanical pastor’s emphasis on sexual asceticism. However, a thorough look at the society peels back this facade. The village doctor treats other children kindly but has a penchant for humiliating his housekeeper and is found in a compromising situation with his teenage daughter. The family is also presented as morally unstable, even in the person of the baroness who confesses to her husband of being in love with another man. The larger family of human society is painted as unjust and giving way to moral decay. Particularly, this is seen in the instance where the baron whimsically dismisses Eva from work, but retains and recommends a farmer whose son had rummaged the baron’s cabbage farm (Haneke, 2009). In Volver, the family is also depicted as one that is replete with sexual scandals and unresolved matters. Particularly, there is an instance where Paco tries to rape Paula, despite being Paula’s father figure (Almadovar, 2006). In Tsotsi, the family is depicted as being characterized with a degree of inequality and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Security Management Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Security Management Paper - Essay Example Because of these, several hiring selection matrix are being developed to help employers to choose the appropriate person for the job. With the help of the hiring selection matrix the employer will be able to compare the applicants more accurately and objectively. The matrix is use to be able to provide equal opportunity to all the applicants on lawful job related and non-discriminatory criteria. A pre-designed tool was created by Texas Tech as a hiring selection matrix. The matrix composed of a spreadsheet, which helps to evaluate the applicant. The snapshot of the matrix is shown below (figure 1). To start with this matrix on the upper portion of the matrix just types the required qualification of the person needed for the job. The preferred skills may include education, Clerical experience, MS Office experience, ten key by touch, TTU experience, bookkeeping experience, keyboarding score and spelling score. On the lower part of the preferred skills you can rate the skills from 1 to 5 (with 5 as the highest scale). Once the application received, the name of the applicant can be inserted on the applicants’ column. Opposite to the applicant column are column wherein you can put your rate for a certain applicant (rate 1 to 5 – 5 is the highest). Once done with the rating an application score will be shown, this is where the basis as to who will be interviewed or not. If someone does not meet the minimum requirement, put an X on the minimum requirement column of the applicant. To better view who among the applicants got the highest rate click the â€Å"sort† button. The applicants name will be arranged from highest to lowest. From here it is easily to pick who among the applicants will continue to the next step and who are not. After the interview the score are place on the interview score column and the reference score are inserted. The Hiring Selection Matrix will automatically show the total

Platos Republic Three Parts of the Soul Essay Example for Free

Platos Republic Three Parts of the Soul Essay In his book The Republic, Plato searches for justice within the individual and what makes a person just. By comparing his sense of what is just at a political level and what is just at a psychological level he proposes three virtues of the individual which will make that particular person just. The virtues are of wisdom, courage and moderation. A just man won’t differ at all from a just city in respect to the form of justice; rather hell be like the city (Republic 435b). Once Plato has found justice within the city he seeks to transfer it back into the human soul. Plato talks about the ability of a person to be indecisive about actions such as drinking when something in their soul forbids them to do so even if they desire it. This indecisiveness can be transformed into internal conflict between more than one part of the soul. One part of the soul is the rational part and the part that lusts, hungers, thirsts and gets excited is the appetitive part (439d). Plato then identifies a third part of the soul, the spirited part, which is used to create emotions. Appetite is a really big part of our souls. It contains both necessary desires, which should be indulged (such as the desire to eat enough to stay alive) and unnecessary desires, which should be limited (such as the desire to eat your entire birthday cake). Though the appetite lusts after many things, Plato says it’s money-loving, since money is required for satisfying most of these desires. It is therefore obvious to Plato that the rational part of the soul should rule, as the rulers in the city do, because they both display the virtue of wisdom and can therefore exercise foresight on behalf of the entire soul. 441e) Similarly, just as the guardians assist the rulers in maintaining justice within the city, the spirited part of the soul will use emotions in order to maintain order and harmony within the soul which is justice. These two parts of the soul will be able to control its appetitive part, which may, through its insatiable desire for money, attempt to overthrow its particular role and rule over the body and even tually the classes that it is not naturally suited to rule over (442a). Consequently, justice in the individual and justice in the city would be overturned leading to chaos and war. The rulers and guardians exist in order to control and direct the producers who are the majority of the population, as the rational and spirited parts of the soul rule the desires of the individual. Therefore a just person would be one with a spirited part of the soul that would persevere through pleasures and pains in order to carry out the rational parts intentions on what should be feared and what should not (442b). This ability is identifiable as the virtue of courage, which is evident in the guardians. Moreover, this pattern of parallel virtues between the city and the soul continues as a persons reason is most able to make decisions about what is advantageous for each part and for the whole soul when he/she has the knowledge associated with wisdom. As a result the desires should be kept in a state of moderation by the rational part of the soul so that the ruler and the ruled both agree that the rational part should rule and not engage in civil war (442c). In conclusion, justice in the individual is similar to justice within the city where a person puts himself in order, is his own friend, and harmonizes the three parts of himself like three limiting notes in a musical scale (443d). In the city, justice is obtained by the three parts of society each fulfilling their role as best they can, and displaying the same three virtues of wisdom, courage and moderation. This leads to a harmony between the parts, the best possible combination, which is described as justice by Plato both within the city and within the soul. This should be obvious as; after all, a city is made up of many individuals. The harmonious or rightly ordered soul, then, is one which practices the virtues of each part. The virtue of the appetites is moderation; the virtue of the spirit is courage; the virtue of the intellect is wisdom. Through these virtues the human soul attains a certain concord or integrity, which Plato understood as the only real happiness worthy of the name. The overall purpose of the Republic is for Plato to understand what makes people happy. He discovers this through the process of dividing the soul up and seeing how they work together. Ultimately, if you live a just life you live a life of wisdom and your rational side comes first. If you live an unjust life you live your life by honor, victory, or money. Most men and women living unjust lives have a one-track mind. They forget their other priorities and doing what’s right just so they get what they want. Just people always beat and unjust person and live a happier and fuller life. His separation of the soul is very simplistic altogether. However, his individual ideas were very complex. Plato wanted us to to think for ourselves to discover how we decide to arrange our parts of the soul.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity in the Workplace In todays multicultural workplace, it pays to be familiar with the culture of fellow employees, supervisors, clients or customers who may come from a different ethnic background from you.   Understanding their cultural traditions and customs will allow you to work with these individuals more effectively.   Being able to understand ethnically diversified individuals will help to unlock their potential.   How can you teach these individuals to work together?   What can you do to motivate them to want to win or be successful? Employees become more productive when there is harmony in the workplace among co-workers.   This harmony comes from showing respect for individual differences.   An employer who values cultural smarts will often hire trainers to give their employees in house workshops on cultural diversity.   These workshops could cover nonverbal communication such as eye contact, which in some countries it is rude to make eye contact.   They might even discuss the use of hand gestures when speaking.   There are cultures where a handshake is offensive and the good ole American thumbs up can mean something completely different.   In Iraq, it means up yours. Cultural and language barriers are a challenge that needs to be beat in order for diversity programs to succeed.   Ineffective communication results in confusion, lack of teamwork and low morale.   There will always be that one employee who refuses to accept the fact that the social and cultural makeup of their workplace is changing.   Attitude plays an important role in the positive progression is this type of attitude that can hinder progress.   Make language learning and support for language learning part of the team ethic and encourage people from different language backgrounds to communicate with each other.   For example, encourage co-workers and managers to reach out and learn each other’s names and to learn set, â€Å"ritualized† phrases in each other’s languages, such as â€Å"Hello,† â€Å"goodbye,† and â€Å"how are you?   Such small gestures go a long way towards improving workplace relationships because they demonstrate res pect and acceptance for all employees.   Eliminate prejudices and become sensitive to the needs of individuals who have different customs or traditions.   Pick an ethnic group and write down as many adjectives as you can that you feel describes the group.   See if there are similarities that apply to both your group and another ethnic group.   Become proactive at work and identify immigrants, talk to them, ask where they came from, what their goals are.   The best way to develop rapport is to find a common ground that can discussed and built upon, such as favorite food, holidays etc. Workplaces can benefit from the mix of cultures, traditions, and experiences. People of a different ethnic background bring new energy and vibrancy to the workplace.     This allows   people who do not naturally see the world in the same way to learn to work with each other, solve problems together, and collaborate for success.   We also need to understand gender differences in the workplace because gender may determine certain attitudes, behavior, and thinking.   Both men and women are equally competent in the work force.   We must show respect for each genders different approaches and views because doing so will be beneficial to everyone success.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Instant Essay -- Creative Writing Essays

Instant I'll always remember Instant. That was the nickname the men had tacked onto the muscled giant that wielded the M60 in my unit. "Instant" was short for "Instant Death." And I'll always remember the first time I saw Instant in action. I was a new Lieutenant assigned to Vietnam. Back then, the Army didn't try to develop any "team spirit" within the corps; men were rotated frequently before any friendships developed. Consequently, my men were a group of strangers united only by the need to survive. They were eighteen- and nineteen-year-olds with the eyes of old men. My first real assignment was to check a tiny hamlet, Dien Hoa. Army Intelligence believed the Viet Cong were operating from Dien Hoa. Our job was to determine if that was correct. We rode in an olive-drab chopper. The whooping blades of the helicopter give us a little relief from the relentless heat of 'Nam; the blades cut the thick, humid air and pushed a breeze downward over the passenger compartment. Soon, we circled the landing zone. The LZ looked cold. There's only one way to find out if it is really cold, I thought as I double checked my M16. If no one zapped us when we entered, it was cold. If they did, it wasn't. "Lock and load," I yelled. The helicopter circled low and slowed down until it almost hovered four feet from the ground. The door gunner mashed the spade grips on his .30 caliber M60 machine gun. The gun spewed bullets over the field below us. It was time to jump off the skids while we skimmed above the surface of the lush, green valley. My stomach felt like it was turning wrong-side-out. We dropped into the grass, stumbling under heavy packs and the weight of ammo and weapons. I wondered about snakes and hoped the groan I mad when I hit the ground was drowned by the noise of the helicopters. Though the helicopter gunner continued firing into the heavy growth to the north of them, there was no return fire. We were safe for the moment. "OK," I yelled signaling with my hands the way you're not supposed to. Hand signals are a good way to mark yourself as the leader. It's just the thing enemy snipers watch for. But few of my twenty-seven men could hear me over the roar and firing of the helicopters. I had no choice. "Move out. On the double," I ordered. The choppers lifted. We were on our own. The soldiers started with the usual complaining b... ...prized buck. We made careful, deliberate shots. One after another, the black, running forms crumpled. With a final flurry of shooting, only a lone Charlie managed to escape into the grove of trees below. The bodies of the VC dotted the open hillside. Sporadic last shots ended the lives of the few wounded who continued to stir below us. Complete silence reigned for a few moments, then Blake yelled an obscenity at the last Cong who had eluded us. Silence. "We did it," I simply said, my words falling flat. A weak cheer went down the line; one man dropped to his knees and cried. Even though we'd all felt as good as dead, we realized we had won. Afterward, waiting with the wounded and dead for dustoff, I thought about the firefight. Instants selfless deed had saved our skins. It was little wonder the men had so much respect for the soldier. I studied him for a moment. He sat by himself beneath a tree, carefully cleaning his M60 like a mother washing a baby. He wore a bandage over his right eye and a second on his arm; except for those minor wounds, he had managed to come through the fight uninjured. And he'd shown a green lieutenant and his men what true bravery was.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Family Violence :: essays research papers

In his book Wounded Innocents, writer Richard Wexler recounts the testimony of eight-year-old Mary Ellen Wilson in the first U.S. court case concerning child abuse. The year was 1874: Mama has been in the habit of whipping and beating me almost every day. She used to whip me with a twisted whip, a raw hide. The whip always left a black and blue mark on my body. I have now the black and blue marks on my head which were made by mama, and also a cut on the left side of my forehead which was made by a pair of scissors. She struck me with the scissors and cut me . . . I do not know for what I was whipped—mama never said anything to me when she whipped me. Interestingly, this case was brought before the court by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Although there had been laws enacted as early as colonial times to prevent child abuse, in practice the legal system had mostly ignored the issue. In Mary Ellen’s case, the ASPCA successfully argued that the girl was protected under laws barring the mistreatment of animals. As a result of the publicity surrounding Mary Ellen’s case, more than two hundred Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children sprang up around the country, and many states passed laws making child abuse illegal. However, public awareness of the problem wavered over the next eighty years, and child abuse remained a largely unacknowledged fact of life in America. Most communities continued to expect the family itself to deal with the issue; if anyone did intercede on the behalf of the victim, it was likely to be an extended family member or a pastor, and the problem was unlikely to be reported. Children were rarely removed from any but the poorest families. Historically, authorities got involved only when violence resulted in severe physical injury or death. The passage of the first mandatory child abuse reporting laws at the state level in the early 1960s began a transformation of the issue— from a taboo family secret to a social problem worthy of academic debate. As reports came in from doctors and teachers, the public’s willingness to address the issue on a national level coalesced, and in 1974 Congress passed the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). The act, which earmarked federal funds for states that passed mandatory child abuse reporting laws, has encouraged the passage of such laws in all fifty states.

Vignette

Application of ethical theory to a case study vignette Instructions: †¢ Choose ONE of the following four cases †¢ Identify key stakeholders in this case. Identify and discuss main (ethical) issues of this case in relation to the stakeholders. †¢ Evaluate the case using TWO ethical theories (you must use the theories that were taught in the lectures apart from Ethical Egoism). †¢ Explain how you would act / you would have acted in this situation, and why. Your word limit must not exceed 1,700 words. Do not forget to include your word count in Your essay.The essay will be marked using the following criteria: †¢ Identification of stakeholders and issues †¢ Outlining of main features of ethical theories and application of theories to case †¢ Style and Presentation (including authenticity and accurate referencing) Submission deadline is Friday, 25 January, 2013, 9pm. Failure to submit on time will result in a fail grade. You are required to submit your c oursework both electronically through TurnItIn (see instructions in module handbook), and as hard copy to the UniHelpdesk in the Sheppard Library.Please ensure that you submit exactly the same versions of your work as hard copy and electronic copy. The electronic copy is the one that will be marked. You should also be aware that students may beasked to attend a viva should there be any doubts regarding the authenticity of their work. Case 1 Safia, having completed her Business Management degree at Middlesex University, has found a job as executive assistant in a medium-sized city law firm. She very much enjoys her job and, although she has only been working for the firm for a few months, has already become a valuable and trusted employee.She has been asked by Jamal, the partner in the firm for whom she works, to organise the event that the firm hosts every year for its corporate clients. Her brief includes organising the catering (finger food and drinks) and because they are expecti ng up to 200 guests, she is required to follow the company guidelines, which state that she has to get quotes from four catering firms and then give the contract to the firm that offers best value for money. Meera, a close friend of Safia’s, has recently taken over her father’s struggling catering business.Meera’s father has been suffering from a long-standing and severe illness, which forced him to retire from the business. Safia knows that a large catering contract would provide a much needed boost to Meera’s business, and therefore includes it in the list of firms who she will ask to produce a quote for her. Even though the food and service offered in each quote is not exactly identical, Meera’s quote is not quite the best value for money. Safia asks Meera to revise her quote so that she can give her the business.Has Safia done the right thing? Case 2 Tom works for a small firm specialising in textile print designs. The firm has recently landed a contract with a large supermarket chain. Among other things, they have been asked to produce a print design for a sweatshirt, to be sold to young adult females. Tom is given the brief. He drafts various designs but is not very happy with them, neither is the managing director, who occasionally asks how Tom is getting on with his work. Tom is also busy working on a range of other projects.As the deadline approaches, Tom gets slightly desperate, but then while browsing the internet during his lunch break he comes across a girl called Nina’s internet blog. Nina is a fashion student and uses pictures of herself on her blog to advertise her own fashion designs. One of the photos depicts her in a dreamy-looking pose, and Tom thinks that with some flower pattern placed around the photo, that would make the perfect print design for the sweatshirt. Nina has a statement on her blog that says that all the content featured on her site belongs to her and permission for use any of her ph otos is required.He emails her to ask her permission to use her photo but does not hear back from her. The deadline arrives, he still hasn’t heard from Nina but he does not want to ask for an extension of deadline, knowing that the supermarket chain would not be pleased about it and also because he has been in trouble before for not meeting deadlines. He passes his design on to the managing director, who likes it. The managing director usually trusts that his employees work within copyright rules and therefore does not ask Tom any questions regarding the photo.The designs the company has produced find the supermarket’s approval and shortly afterwards clothes with the new print designs are going on sale in all their large stores across the country. Did Tom do the right thing? Case 3 Dr Victoria Patel is a non-executive board director at SuperSoftware, a FTSE 250 company. The company had been struggling for some time to retain its market share. As a result, SuperSoftware hired a new CEO called Richard Smart, with the aim to turn the company’s fortune around.Victoria is a member of the company’s nomination committee and as such was responsible, together with the other committee members, for the hiring of the new CEO. What impressed her and her fellow board directors was not only the experience Richard brought from his previous work roles but also his qualifications, which include a computer science degree from Harvard University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. One year on, SuperSoftware’s board directors are very happy with Richard Smart’s work.Following the implementation of his new strategic plan, the company has been gaining significant ground on its competitors. Furthermore, the CEO has been playing a vital role in the development of SuperSoftware’s CSR policy, which now includes a workplace scheme that the company offers to disadvantaged young people in the community. At a school reunion, Victoria r uns into her old friend Janet, with whom she had lost contact over the last few years. Victoria remembers that Janet also went to Harvard to study computer science and that would have been around the same time that Richard Smart was a student there, too.Victoria decides to mention her new CEO to Janet and ask her how well she remembers him from her time at Harvard. Janet gives Victoria a blank look and says that she had never heard Richard’s name before, she is nearly absolutely certain that no student with that name studied on the university’s computer science programme. Victoria is a little puzzled by this. She decides to check with the university herself and they confirm that Richard Smart has not been among their computer science graduates. What should Victoria do?Case 4 (adapted from Siu and Lam 2009) Sam works in the design department of Baby Mobile, a pram and children’s accessories manufacturer. In the past, the company has been quite successful in selli ng infant carriers that can also be used as infant car seats. However, the current models are relatively expensive to manufacture so profit-margins are rather low. Sam is member of the project team that has been asked to design a new, lighter weight model that should be in line with current trends but is also less expensive to manufacture.Michael, the head of the design department, makes it clear to the team that he expects them to develop the new model within the set deadline, especially as executive management have already communicated to shareholders their plans of launching a new, more profitable product. On the day of the deadline, the team reports to Michael that they have come up with a new design that meets the project brief. However, the new model, because of its lighter materials, currently has a slightly higher risk of handle collapse, which could cause injury to children.Their report states that they would need a few more weeks to find a solution to the problem with the handle. Michael Says that he will pass on their report to the executives. Two days later, Sam’s team learns that the executives have decided to treat the ‘handle problem’ as a quality issue and launch the model as it is to satisfy shareholder expectations, although Improvements to the product may be incorporated later on. Sam thinks of his sister who has not Too long ago given birth to a baby girl†¦ What should Sam do?

Thursday, October 10, 2019

I Never Expected This Essay

Hey guys, I’m writing my English exam soon, and would really appreciate it if you can give me some suggestions one how to improve this piece. The word limit is 400~450, so I’m a little over the limit here. Topic is: This is the story of a young man/woman who was able to escape from a difficult past to make a success of his/her life. My essay: â€Å"This is the story of a young woman who was able to escape from a difficult past to make a success of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tuned off the school principal’s voice at this point, ignoring his excited gestures and flying spittle. I was eight then. The man came out of nowhere, and I remember pain, horror, screaming, torn clothes, more screaming†¦It was only afterwards, in the hospital, that I understood what had happened to me. Twenty years ago the society wasn’t exactly sympathetic towards rape victims; it still isn’t today. Principal Clarke’s voice pulled me back to reality. I stood up to the pitiful round of applause, and walked up the stage. As I looked down, half the students were dozing off; and most of the other half had a snicker on their face. I putted on a smile, and began to tell my story in a grave voice: how I struggled to live with my past; how my family gave me hope and support; how, after years of hard work, I finally became a bestselling author. It is a boring old story, nothing unheard of before. And if this speech managed to inspire even one of these students, it would be nothing short of a miracle. Of course, there are things that a high school guest speaker just cannot include in her speech. For example, the way my mother indulged in various substances after my â€Å"incident†, and my father and I never sent her to the rehabilitation centre for the fear of even more publicity. Or better, how I found my puppy strangled and hung from a tree one day, the words â€Å"WHORE† in red paint glistening right behind him. And the fact that my ex-boyfriend had left with all my money last year, leaving me too heartbroken to write is definitely unmentionable. If it was not for this, I would not have been stuck at this little school, allowing people to dig up my past for a minuscule payment in return. There are some things that a person simply cannot look past. I sat back down, and endured another hour of the old principal’s speech. Apparently, according to Principal Clarke, if I can live with been raped then the students can surely get over their teenage issues and focus on learning instead. His words are not what finally pushed me over the edge, though. It was his the way he looked at me – as if I am some pathetic, filthy stray dog. I caught his eyes when he turned towards me again, and smiled until he hurriedly looked away. The next morning I rose early, and in the aroma of fresh coffee listened to the radio news reporting the shocking, gruesome death of a certain high school principal. I hummed to myself, and started typing my new story.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Terrorism in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Terrorism in the United States - Research Paper Example To accomplish this, U.S. entered into agreements which included military protection with ultra-conservative monarchies in exchange of oil reserves. Consequently, leadership in this region has perennially remained undemocratic alienating the masses further from the government. This has further triggered Islamic resistance against the American domination and undemocratic rule (Jackson, 2006). Secondly, Washington’s decision to support Israel to the detriment of Palestine contributed immensely to the creation of Arab and Islam antipathy towards U.S. This factor became much evident in 1967 when Israel invaded and occupied large swaths of Palestinian territory. Up to date, Israel and Palestinians are at war over this contentious territory. The third reason that probably contributed to 9/11 was involvement of U.S. army in the Afghanistan civil war that erupted in 1978. Unpopularity of United States within the Arabic regimes worsened following the sanctions that U.S. government impos ed against the people of Iraq in 1991. This decision preceded the gulf War and more than 1.5 Iraqis died following dozen years of U.S. sanctions. Lastly, the move by U.S. to forcefully employ its Military in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks triggered radical sentiments in most of the Arabic states. Understanding the root causes of terrorist attacks targeting United States and to a larger extent the entire globe offers the best framework to addressing the challenges. Principally, the radical Islamic views against U.S. is a product of the United States’ foreign policies and foreign interests. In an effort to maintain its global dominance, U.S. has been forced to directly or indirectly intervene in the governance... Terrorism has been a growing concern for both the government and the citizens of United States in the last two decades. Prior to the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, the government appeared to have successfully kept the international terrorist organizations away from the American soil. However, this did not in any way imply that the citizens of United States were safe from terror attacks. Terrorism, according to U.S. State Department, is defined as premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by particular groups or individuals, usually with an aim of commanding influence or expressing grievances. Essentially, terrorism is classified into either international or domestic terrorism. International terrorism, which forms the focus of this research work, is that which involves citizens or territory of more than one country. On the other hand, domestic terrorism are normally carried out by citizens of a particular county within the borders of the same country (White, 2011). In conclusion, terrorism stands out as one of the greatest threat to U.S. homeland security. The situation is further complicated by the recent proliferation of nuclear weapons and the fears of these organization accessing these weapons. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to employ both diplomatic and tactical moves in countering the activities of terrorist organizations. Washington has the obligation to recognize the need to engage Arabic nations in talks aimed at resolving historical conflicts.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Madrid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Madrid - Essay Example Despite the exponential growth of Madrid as a global city in the world, there exist severe social issues such as social inequality, socio-economic distinction, unemployment, educational differences and gender discrimination etc. The extent of social inequities and uneven development in Madrid is depicted by high suicide rate. Men attempt and commit suicide at a rate higher than women in the city. According to a survey conducted in 1996-97, there were 135 people who committed suicide in which 105 were men and 30 were women.4 In the year 2005, the number of men and women who committed suicide rose significantly to 1,585 and 642 respectively.5 The mortality rate between men and women are different. The differences in suicide rate among men and women can also be explained with the help of distinctions in educational level and socio economic conditions. Out of all the men committing suicide in Madrid, about 63% of men belonged to lower secondary education group. This rate is slightly high er in women, which is 73% at the same educational level. 6 It shows that women at lower education level confront with suicide risk more than men. Suicide rate in men decreases due to increase in the socio-economic well being. This is not the case with women. Surveys show a high level of inequities in Madrid in education etc as compared to the other countries. 7 Mental illness is also a factor leading to suicide which is highly suffered by people having lower socio-economic position in the society. Use of drugs in Madrid is also deeply concerned with the educational level. Drug addiction among women is higher than men. There are serious social inequalities in Madrid with respect to income, education, social status etc that lead to high suicide rates. The lower socio-economic level of people who are attempting suicide reveals the fact of social inequality in the city. As men are more involved with socio-economic activities, this inequality affects the mental attitude of men more than women and thus men have a greater tendency to commit suicide. The concerned authorities have now become more active in removing the inequalities and social gaps among people to decrease the rate of suicides.8 The Madrid city has high social inequalities and issues as compared to other big cities like Paris, New York, Tokyo and London etc. The differences in social and economic status play a vital role in fostering these inequalities among people leading to social issues. People of lower economic level have significant social issues and it is the greatest factor that forces them to take a step like suicide. It is imperative for the government to minimize the existing gaps between citizens in Madrid so as to make the city compete with other global cities more effectively. Women are seriously deprived of their rights not only in Madrid but in whole Spain. In response of this inequality, a movement started in 60's to defend the rights of women called equality feminism.9 There still exists gender discrimination in Madrid with respect to the social and econom

Monday, October 7, 2019

Marketing plan for homecare organization Carewatch UK Term Paper

Marketing plan for homecare organization Carewatch UK - Term Paper Example The intention of this study is Carewatch UK. The company is a world leader in providing homecare services to elderly, or medically unfit people, it also provides a substitute to nursing and residential care and, and is the leading homecare service providers in UK. The company today offers practical, personal and complex care to more than 23,000 clients that also include people with behavioral problems, mental issues, and learning disabilities. The company provides personalized services based on individual needs of the client that deals mainly in personal care, home care and medical care. It has become one of the largest companies in homecare sector across the globe and the company has set its business by focusing upon individual customers and their needs. At present, the market analysis for Carewatch seems to be positive. There are a number of prominent benefits to the company in various markets across UK. The company offers personalized services through care and support workers that assist the consumer in different ways such as practical support with light domestic duties, shopping, washing, getting ready, and cleaning, and companionship. The company also provides complex care services in the wake of illness, nursing (long and short term), hospital discharge, and specialist support for mental health conditions. The company offers person centered services that are designed to give flexibility, choice and control; and assist people who remain at home or are forced to remain at home following poor health conditions, people who need early intervention, and respite care. The practical Suppo

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Hollywood Farmers Market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hollywood Farmers Market - Assignment Example I noticed that the produce are clearly marked and can be classified into non-organic, certified organic, unofficial organic and no spray produce. The market also provides resources and information about organic farming and foods; this gives consumer’s knowledge on decision making on whether to purchase organic or non-organic foods. A number of certified organic products in the market had the USDA logo, and they were clearly classified and arranged in different stalls from the rest of organic products which enabled the customers to choose wisely. Enquiring on regulations, I found out that some of the farmers and vendors who had a gross turnover of 5000 were exempted from the certification process but they faced regulations and inspections by the government. In the market organic produce included a number of fruits, oranges, tomatoes, mangoes and vegetables which included spinach, kales and herbs. There were also some free range chickens, with some natural eggs which were certif ied organic produce. Some of non-organic products included vegetables, herbs and fruits that were produced using genetically engineered seeds, chemicals, radiations, chemically based fertilizers and pesticides. I got a unique experience from the live chickens in the nooks and crannies of the store display counters (Clark, 1). I figured out that it was great fun carrying out open air shopping and having meals in the restaurants around the farmers market. A number of un-official products like omega XL a natural supplement, natural wine CSA and other minerals like Fulvic ionic were present in the market. After enquiring from one of the vendors, I realized that there are 100% organic product which contained certified contents. Examples of such products included fruits, vegetables, milk, orange, juice, cheese, eggs, chicken and beef. Upon talking to a number of farmers and vendors, it came to my realization that a number of farmers in Hollywood market have complied with a number of organ ic restrictions but they have not taken or given any certification with some arguing that the cost of getting the certification is high and if one is acquired the burden can be passed to the consumers. After walking around the market, I interviewed some farmers and vendors regarding their products, their farming methods and the justification for using the methods that they do. On the methods that are used to produce particular vegetables which are mainly organic, majority of their responses was that the vegetables were purely grown using manure through compost or droppings from a number of animals. Most of the people I interviewed said that they used artificial fertilizers. They further said that the vegetables were exposed to harsh environment and were not covered or housed in any greenhouse. They also used natural ways of preventing pests such as mixing farming with plants like pyrethrum which repel pests away. The farmers also gave me some perceptions that are used in organic far ming, majority of their fields are planted with grains such as corns, oats, soya beans, wheat and cover crops so as to build soil fertility. Other farmers outlined the guidelines used to get organic certification in their farms, which included a number of aspects like land requirements, pesticides used, seed selected and growing practices (Clark, 1). On their farming methods the farmers argued that some conventional methods are used to raise cattle where they are fed with diets

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Why, if at all, is freedom a good thing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why, if at all, is freedom a good thing - Essay Example The Anti-Terrorism Act 2001 has already made privacy and freedom to conduct political manifestations of the Freedom of Speech a thing of yesterday.We have accusations of hate speech and incitement everywhere.. All this has left us wondering whether Freedom can exist with law or Voltaire said we are in the shackles of law,regulations and even democracy everywhere we go.Are we actually free or have we been led to believe that we are free in the trap of the legal norms of this society The so called modern British Citizen is not free from the nuances of being controlled by the Government.Many recent developments would indicate that the modern British citizen despite being domiciled in a free country is still subject to draconian laws like the Regulation of Investigatory powers Act 2000 which allows public authorities to access communications data, of British citizens for investigation. Furthermore these public authorities can also obtain communications data from operators of telecommunications or postal services. Therefore now the police, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, the National Crime Squad, the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue and any of the intelligence services all have access to an individual's private information which is indeed a scary prospect.It is also true that the word freedom has become a concept much played by political bias and historical arm twisting.Consider the situation post 9/11 where Mrs M ary Robinson,1 once stated "Unfortunately, what I saw and heard was undemocratic regimes using the tragedy in the United States of 9/11 to pursue their own repressive policies, secure in the belief that their excesses would be ignored. New laws and detention practices were introduced in a significant number of countries, all broadly justified by the new international war on terrorism. The extension of security policies in many countries has been used to suppress political dissent and to stifle expression of opinion of many who have no link to terrorism and are not associated with political violence." Of course then all the atrocities in the Iraq and Afghan war were carried out in the name of Freedom.The media responded by taking "freedom of speech" for granted by showing its own versions to the audience and shamelessly selling its credibility as many "fair and balanced" members of the media chose to become "embedded" journalists. Today there is no concept of paid political advertising on television and radio. This is a flagrant breach of the freedom of speech and expression. Moreover this ban on political advertising does not just apply to political parties, but anyone with political views. All is not lost however. The saving grace comes from the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998 which have aided the judiciary in upholding the notions of Freedom of speech and privacy. Taking the example of the Data Protection Act 1998.This act compels data controllers to erase information like patients details or telecoms customers call records etc. Data controllers can be anyone from a doctor to a telecom company. Moreover the Human rights Act 1998 has played a large role in strengthening the

Friday, October 4, 2019

The Evolution of Voice Recognition Essay Example for Free

The Evolution of Voice Recognition Essay Aw the Dictaphone! What an extraordinary invention. This device has been used to record spoken notes of medical professionals to be transcribed at a later date for over a century. The Dictaphone has truly been an icon in the health care industry and will be missed. Since its invention health care has underwent so many changes and introduced so many technological advances. To follow suit the way in which medical notes are recorded and stored must too undergo change. And so it did. There has been skepticism along the way however, voice or speech recognition is beginning to be more accepted and widely used in the health care field. Voice recognition software was developed to produce text from spoken words. Instead of typing the words a computer user only needed to talk to the computer, and the text is typed by a program which is integrated into the software. Voice recognition was being experimented with by the government agencies for over six decades however, did not become reality in the public until the last two decades of the 20th century. This new technology allowed the user to enter comments or commands without keyboard functions or a mouse. This was truly hands free (Parente, Kock, Sonsini, 2004). The mid 1990s finally brought the induction of voice recognition into the health care industry. Many doctors feared the use of this new technology and others disbelieved the capabilities which prevented them from using the system. The vocabulary of the technology lacked the sophistication which would be required for its purpose. This program required the user to adapt to its capabilities instead of the program adapting to the user; this was backward to how the program would ideally work. Having a cold or an accent made the technology quite difficult to use. Computers were slower at processing information during this time in technological history; this made the problem worse. With the early version of voice recognition it was sometimes hard to tell the difference â€Å"between background noise and the user’s speech† and the technology was much less than cost effective. The system generally started at â€Å"$27,000 per workstation† (Parente et al. , 2004, Historical Development of Speech-Recognition Technology, para 6). The voice recognition system would be improved upon and become an important part of the technology used in hospitals today. A wider understanding of medical vocabulary would be important for doctors to hold any faith in the system. Improvements were indeed made over time. †Accuracy rates rose dramatically, and doctors were no longer struggling for the right words for the system to understand and record. Newer systems even provided each user with an opportunity to teach the computer to understand† the way that he or she speaks (Parente et al. , 2004, Historical Development of Speech-Recognition Technology, para 7). According to Business Source (2006), many hospitals are now using voice recognition technology with ease and finding the system quite dependable. Though expensive, using this â€Å"technology to replace transcription can lead to savings of over $10,000 a year. Thus, adopting voice recognition solutions can eliminate the need for in-house transcription staff, resulting in huge cost reduction† (para 3). The voice recognition technology has many functional uses; they â€Å"include transcription, patient monitoring, interactive response systems, telemedicine as well as electronic health record generation, maintenance and security† (Business Source, 2006 para 2). Though one must always be sure that patient privacy is protected, Wager, Lee, Glaser (2005) describes voice recognition, as a â€Å"method used in health care† which can best be used in â€Å"work environments where using a keyboard, mouse, or touch screen is not practical. † The newer systems are capable of understanding the speech of the user and how he or she applies the voice, through tone, pitch, and pattern; then this â€Å"is converted to computer-readable data† (Wager, et al. , 2005, p. 220). The voice recognition does not come totally without disadvantages. The disadvantage of these systems is the time it takes to train the computer to recognize the speech. This is a particular challenge in an area with many users. Higher-end systems are designed to understand any person’s speech, but most of these systems have fairly limited built-in vocabularies. Most would agree that speech recognition is still under development and its use is most likely in certain segments of health care, such as radiology, pathology, and emergency medicine. However, it does have the potential to be used with many other types of health care applications (Wager, et al. , 2005, p. 220). The use of voice recognition systems also requires the user to be aware of his or her surroundings. One must take precautions to restrict use to areas which are not accessible to the public, as the voice may carry and patient information may be heard by wandering ears. Depending on the information this could be harmful to the patient (information used may lead to identity theft if overheard) and violate confidentiality laws.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Self-Evaluations and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour

Self-Evaluations and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Background and Rationale The current research is aimed at identifying whether there is a relationship between an individual’s core self-evaluations and their organisational citizenship behaviour. Core-self evaluations are defined as a personality trait that reflects how an individual views themselves. For example, people who have high core self-evaluations think positively of themselves and are confident in their own abilities. Organisational citizenship behaviour is a term that encompasses anything positive and constructive that employees do, of their own choice, which supports co-workers and benefits the company; such as ‘going the extra mile’. Overall, this research is aimed at finding out whether core self-evaluations directly affect organisational citizenship behaviours or whether core self-evaluations affect an individual’s level of job satisfaction and organisational commitment, which in turn affect their organisational citizenship behaviours. Being able to identify factors that affect organisational citizenship behaviour is beneficial to organisations, as they can use this information in both the selection and development of their employees. The literature relating to each concept will be discussed. Core self-evaluations The concept of core self-evaluations (CSE) was introduced by Judge, Locke Durham (1997). They describe it as â€Å"a broad concept representing the fundamental evaluations that people make about themselves and their functioning in their environment†.In other words, it is a personality trait that reflects the extent to which an individual views themselves. CSE combines four, traditionally separate and distinct, personality traits: self-esteem, general self-efficacy, emotional stability, and locus of control. This self-assessment reflects who the individual is and how the individual perceives themselves (Judge, Locke Durham, 1997). For example, individuals with a positive core self-evaluation perceive themselves in a positive way regardless of the situation. They would be likely to see themselves as capable, worthy, and in control of their lives. However, individuals with a negative core self-evaluation would see themselves as less worthy than others, dwell on their failures, an d see themselves as victims of their environment (Judge, Locke, Durham Kluger, 1998). Previous research on CSE have found that individuals with high levels of CSE have a variety of positive outcomes such as higher levels of: subjective well-being (Judge, Erez, Thoresen, Bono, 2002), job satisfaction (Judge Bono, 2001), job performance (Erez Judge, 2001), engagement (Rich, LePine, Crawford, 2010), and popularity (Scott Judge, 2009). They also report lower levels of stress and conflict, cope more effectively with setbacks, and better capitalise on advantages and opportunities (Erez Judge, 2001). Core self-evaluations and Job attitudes There is evidence to suggest that there is a relationship between core self-evaluations and job attitudes. In this case job attitudes incorporates both job satisfaction and organisational commitment. The relationship between core self-evaluations and job satisfaction has been researched by various authors in which a consistent and significant relationship has been found (Judge, Locke Durham, 1997;Judge, Locke, Durham, Kluger, 1998; Bono Judge, 2003; Dormann, Fay, Zapf Frese, 2006). Furthermore, Stumpp, Hà ¼lsheger, Muck Maier (2009) looked at the relationship between core self-evaluations and found that core self-evaluations were related to both job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Organisational Citizenship Behaviours Organisational citizenship behaviours (OCBs) are voluntary employee behaviours that are not formally rewarded by the organisation, but contribute to either the success of the whole organisation or to the well-being of other employees (Borman Motowidlo, 1993). Examples of OCBs include: assisting co-workers with their work, helping new members of the organisation, talking favourably about the organisation to outsiders, and attending non-mandatory functions that help the organisation’s image (Lee Allen, 2002). Research on OCB’s have shown that they are important as they contribute significantly to both individual level (Rotundo Sackett, 2002) and organisational-level performance outcomes (Podsakoff, Whiting, Podsakoff, Blume, 2009). Organisational Citizenship Behaviours and Job attitudes There has been a relatively large amount of research into the main effects of job attitudes on OCBs. Various meta-analyses have found that job satisfaction and organisational commitment are all positively related to OCBs (Dalal, 2005;LePine, Erez, Johnson, 2002;Organ Ryan, 1995). Furthermore, job attitudes have been conceptually linked with OCBs (Bowling, Wang Li, 2011). It is thought that that the principle of reciprocity (Cialdini, 2001;Gouldner, 1960) and social exchange theory (Cropanzano, Howes, Grandey, Toth, 1997) can predict a positive relationship between job attitudes and OCBs. For example, employees who have positive job attitudes, such as high job satisfaction, are expected to reward their organisations for giving them a good job environment, by engaging in OCBs (Dalal, 2005;LePine etal., 2002;Organ Ryan, 1995).The current study is interested in testing whether core self-evaluations moderates the effects of job attitudes on OCBs. As research has suggested that positi ve self-concept contributes to ones general level of initiative and self-confidence (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, Vohs, 2003), job attitudes may therefore be more strongly related to OCBs for employees who have positive core self-evaluations (CSE). Core self-evaluations and Organisational Citizenship Behaviours Although scarcely examined in previous research, CSEs are expected to be positively related to OCBs. The rationale behind this is that positive self-concept contributes to an individual’s general level of initiative and beliefs about their general level of competence (Baumeister etal., 2003). Therefore, engaging in certain OCBs requires the individual to initiate social interaction and to be confident about their level of interpersonal competence (Bowling, Wang Li, 2011). For example, offering help to a struggling co-worker or volunteering to assist a new employee. Individuals with a positive CSE are more likely to engage in OCBs that incorporate high levels of social interaction for two reasons: they do not fear social rejection and they know that they are socially competent. Other types of OCB require the individual to be confident about their beliefs and have the drive to defend those beliefs (Bowling, Wang Li, 2011). These OCB’s may include: defending the organisa tion when others criticise it, communicating ideas to help improve the organisation, or showing loyalty to the organisation. Again, individuals with a positive CSE are more likely to engage in OCBs that require this form of initiative, because they are more likely to have a high level of self-confidence. Therefore, a certain level of initiative and self-confidence may be required to perform most OCBs. Reasons for Research The current study will expand on the existing CSE literature in two ways. Firstly, it will examine the relationship between CSE and OCBs. To date, few studies have identified whether CSE affects OCB’s. There is a clear conceptual basis to expect that CSE will be positively related to OCBs as many OCBs require personal initiative and self-confidence, both of which are enhanced by positive self-evaluations (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, Vohs, 2003). Furthermore, the constituent traits of CSE have been linked with OCBs. For example, self-esteem (Bowling, Eschleman, Wang, Kirkendall, Alarcon, 2010), internal locus of control (O’Brien Allen, 2008) and emotional stability (Small Diefendorff, 2006) are all positively related to OCBs. It will also examine whether there is an interaction between CSE and overall job attitude (job satisfaction and organisational commitment) and test whether this moderates the CSE–OCB relationship. The current research seeks to examine whether individuals with high core self-evaluations perform more organisational citizenship behaviours or whether there are moderating effects of job satisfaction and organisational commitment