Influence of Social Networking Sites on Relationships Essay

Influence of Social Networking Sites on Relationships - Essay Example The essay "Influence of Social Networking Sites on Relationships" discusses the influence of social networking sites on relationships. A social networking site is a form of media of the digital age that helps people in the development of communities and networks. Some of the most popular examples include Facebook, Twitter, and Orkut. The system of kinship includes people who have close relationships with each other or those who are living as a unit or family. We create our own definition of family. We can decide to add and not add people depending on whether we trust them or consider them family. In this way, we actually go beyond defining kinship as just blood relationships and add such relationships to the definition that leaves a great impact on our lives. Some people believe that close relationships fall into the definition of kinship whereas some people believe that only a blood relationship is real kinship. Today, anthropology is heading towards forming new forms of kinship. Fo r example, we can find many people on Facebook who have their close friends or childhood friends as their sisters and brothers. On the other hand, many people present on Facebook have blood relationships between each other. Social networking sites, such as Facebook, also helps people in the formation of imagined communities and networks. People can form such communities where there are no boundaries, no nation states, but a place where they can find people with whom they feel good. Facebook has made people less individualistic.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Essay Example for Free

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Essay Children are normally difficult to deal with and could be very challenging sometimes. They usually have mood swings and tantrums that are sometimes hard to control and deal with. On the other hand if the child or an individual is observed with relentless pattern of tantrums, arguing and have disruptive behaviors to their parents or other people then there is a possibility that the person have oppositional defiant disorder. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a kind of disorder that is being characterized by a recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient and hostile behavior towards authority figures such as parents and teachers and the elders and it usually occurs and happens for at least 6 months. Teenagers and children with ODD shows a consistent symptom pattern of refusing commands, orders or request coming from adults and they may manifest great annoyance, irritability and stubbornness to people that are older to them. ODD is usually normal in early childhood and adolescence stage (Sadock, Kaplan, Sadock, 2007). Symptoms Having a defiant behavior is usually common among children most especially if they are in the transition of 2 to 3 years or when they reach the teenage years. At this age children normally act with defiance so that they can affirm themselves and check their limits. There are a lot of symptoms that may indicate that a child or a teenager has ODD. Symptoms of ODD are: if an individual always loses his or her temper, often argues with adults, deliberately annoys people, blames other people for his or her mistakes, misbehavior, often annoyed or angry, academic problems, often spiteful and defies obeying with adults’ rules and requests. It is an oppositional defiant disorder if four or more symptoms are present in a person’s behavior and lasts for at least six months (Sadock, Sadock Levin, 2007). Furthermore, children with ODD are usually moody and they get easily frustrated with things and they can also have a very low self-esteem. There is also a possibility that they will abuse the use of drugs, other substances and alcohol (Webmd, 2008). Etiology There is still no clear cause behind the oppositional defiant disorder. The etiology of ODD is believed to come from different factors such as environmental and genetic or combined. A child who has ODD is more likely to have a history in his or her family of some behavior disorders, anxiety disorder, personality disorder, and mood disorders. In addition, if the parents of the child are alcoholic or have problems with the behavior such as being always into trouble the child can adapt the behavior and may develop into having ODD later on (Tynan, 2008). Diagnosis/ Assessment It is difficult to determine and diagnose different kinds of mental health conditions in a person because some of the symptoms of a certain disorder may also be present in another mental disorder. Furthermore, it makes also difficult to diagnose a child whether he or she has ODD because it is normal for children to have the different behaviors that ODD characterized. In diagnosing ODD, there are no medical tests such as blood test that can determine whether a child or a teenager has ODD or another type of disorder. Some disorders such as ADHD, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder and other mood or behavioral disorders can overlap the signs and symptoms of ODD, therefore it is very important to have a thorough check up and observation to see and diagnose a child suspected with ODD (Rapoport Ismond). Moreover, in diagnosing ODD different types of medical tests may be given to the person to be bale to rule out physical illness or medication side effects like X-rays and blood tests. Only mental health professionals like the psychiatrist or psychologist can determine different kinds of mental illnesses such as ODD in an individual. By looking at the child’s family and health history experts will be able to find it easier to diagnose a child with ODD (Chandler, 2008). Prevalence Oppositional defiant disorder is said to be more common in boys rather than in girls and in children or adolescents. This disorder can usually be seen and observed when a child reaches the age of 8. It is said in some research that there are about 2 to 16% of the US population both male and female have ODD and about 25 % of the population with ODD develops conduct disorder and about 10% of the population have antisocial personality disorder and mostly are already adults (Videbeck, 2007). ODD is more prevalent in males than females before they reach the puberty stage. However after they reach the puberty stage or adolescence, the ratio of both genders already become equal due to the reason that females tend to be involved with antisocial males as partners (Corcoran Walsh, 2006). Risk Factors Oppositional defiant disorder usually comes with other behavior disorders or mental disorders. There are about 50% to 65% of children with ODD usually have attention deficit disorder (ADD) or Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ome form of affective disorder may also be present among 35% of children with ODD, 20% with mood disorders like anxiety disorder or bipolar disorder and 15% develop some personality disorder (Kane, 2008). Other risk factors that may be present to children with ODD are; being abused or neglected, lack of supervision from parents, poor relationship with one or both parents and other family members, family instability such as incident of divorce, financial problems in the family, exposure to violence and abusing substance like drugs and alcohol (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007). Treatment Psychotherapy There are many options for treating oppositional defiant disorder in an individual. Different treatments depends on the age and the severity of the condition and its symptoms and the person should be willing or aware so that he or she will be able to participate and cooperate well in the treatment process of ODD though it is usually complicated and difficult especially if the individual is a child. First and common treatment being used with patient with ODD is psychotherapy. In psychotherapy the process is juts like counseling. The goal of this kind of treatment is to help and assist the child in developing ways on controlling his or her anger and other defiant behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy is another way of therapy that can help a child or a person with ODD. It is a kind of technique or approach that intends to influence bad behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented process. This kind of therapy has been proven to be effective on most mood disorders, behavioral disorders, personality disorders and other mental diseases. In addition, family therapy can also serve as a great help for treating ODD. This can help family interactions and communications not only to the child with ODD and parent but to rest of the members of the family as well. There is also a new therapy that has been introduced that can help treating ODD and it is called parent management training (PMT). This approach teaches the parents different techniques to positively modify or change their children’s behavior (Webmd, 2008). Medications Medications or drugs can also help in the process of treating oppositional defiant disorder in a child. There was a study made to see whether a certain drug called Ritalin can be effective in treating children with ODD. The research’s result found out that there were about 90% of children with ODD who were treated by Ritalin do not have ODD anymore when they finish the study. Another drug called Strattera did also help and got treated for some children with oppositional defiant disorder. Mood stabilizers can also help in the process of treating ODD using medications to be bale to control the behavior of the person with ODD. Lastly, other alternative treatments but has not been proven by studies that is suspected to help in the treatment of ODD. It is said that Omega-3 oils and Vitamin E helps lessen the behavioral problem of a child with oppositional defiant disorder (Kane, 2008). Prognosis Treating oppositional defiant disorder usually takes time to treat. It requires long term commitment to the person and most especially to the parents. If the individual did not receive proper treatment there will be a higher risk that the child will develop a conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder (Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, 2007). Prevention Good parenting can prevent the prevalence of oppositional defiant disorder. It is very important that parents should treat their children fairly and should be consistent with their rules and consequences inside the home. Proper communication is also needed between children and parents to avoid such problem to occur. Abusing and neglecting children should be also avoided; hence it is one factor that triggers ODD to occur in an individual. If parents can already observe different or unusual behavior in their children they should ask for help or seek advice to experts to know if there is something wrong with their children. If ODD is detected earlier then it will be easier also to treat and the person will no longer have to suffer and experience this kind of disorder that can disrupt their lives (Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, 2007). Conclusion In conclusion, becoming aware and knowing all the information that lies ahead in oppositional defiant disorder is very important. One should be attentive most especially the parents of all the necessary repercussions that it can bring to a person particularly children and adolescence to be able to stop the increasing number of ODD and so that children and other people will be able to live normally and function well in the society.

Mithraism :: essays research papers fc

Mithraism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is the third day of December, only twenty-two days remain till the celebration of Mithra begins (Cunningham, 197). Myself and a few of my army comrades have big plans for this upcoming occasion, it is just a shame though that some of our fellow country men, and our own wives even, are trying to spoil our Mithristic festivities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It seems the beliefs of Mithra are becoming quite unpopular in Rome. Only a small portion of my fellow soldiers still belong to the brotherhood, and the soldiers are the only ones who follow the ways of Mithra. Most of the Roman people will not even admit of an existence of my religion, women do not like it because they are not aloud to partake in it (197). That is for their own good though, Mithraism is not meant for women or the weak, their are some things they just can not understand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No, the people of this land do not believe in Mithraism, but they do have their own god to worship. In fact it is all my wife can speak of, this Christianity. The faith the people of Rome are demonstrating for this man Jesus and his teachings is very uncanny, and it is only hurting my creed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The nerve these Christians have, putting their most holy of days on the same day as ours (197). This must be some sort of conspiracy in trying to finish off a dying religion. If that is not enough, they even tore down my place of worship and built a church of their own in place of it (197). Now I must travel two hours by horse just to fulfill my spiritual needs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My wife, she cannot understand anything. We argue continuously over how to raise our son. Before my church was torn down there was little to fuss over, now all she does is complain. She says that it is to far of a trip for him to journey with me every week, and that he should go with her to the Christian church. She also protests that our ways are to barbaric, and he should not take part in some of its activities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She is in great dismay over what I have in store for our young lad this coming twenty-fifth. In my religion only men can join, and the men must follow certain rites of passage to be aloud to enter. One of the more important rites is the sacrifice of a bull (197). She believes that she is going to take him to her chuch in celebration of the Christian god Jesus.

A Character Analysis of the Book “A Painted House”

How do unpleasant realities of life are presented and experienced by a seven-year-old boy? As the child travels from being an innocent into becoming an experienced person, both the good and bad facets of life will eventually shape his emotions, perspectives and dealings with other people.In doing so, the breaking of the child’s innocence turns into a learning experience which he and even the people around him may use as an instrument to continue living in accordance with the norms of the society. While it is expected that life realities, when witnessed from a boy’s point of view, may be rather unclear or incomplete, this does not necessarily mean that the child is totally unaware and unmoved of its accompanying and eventual implications.This is because a child may be physically small but he is able to grasp what the society is presenting to him and ultimately identifies the good and bad things which he needs to keep and disregard, respectively. Manifestations of such ab ilities are evident among almost all children because they are naà ¯ve by nature.Such innate and youthful characteristics open a child to many opportunities and possibilities. When guided properly, a child may use life realities, however harsh they are, to work to his or her advantage and even to the benefit of other people and the society in general.One book which ideally depicts the said quality of a child in John Grisham’s 2001 book titled â€Å"A Painted House.† Aside from its notable plot, which is about the story-telling of a seven-year-old boy of the struggles facing his family’s cotton-picking business in rural Arkansas in 1952, the Grisham novel is most worth-reading because of the character of the young protagonist – Luke Chandler (Grisham, 2001).In fact, it is the said struggles which brought out the best in Luke because of the fact that even at a young age, he is determined to help out in their business and in his little way, solve the proble ms even if his mother always tells him: â€Å"Don’t worry.The men will find something to worry about† (Grisham 1). The ways how Luke dealt with his growing-up miseries through his exposure to the cruel realities of life, Grisham succeeded in imparting to the public a touching novel about a child’s journey from being an innocent child into becoming a knowledgeable person (Grisham, 2001).Manifestations of above awakening are evident with the power of Luke to overcome the cruelties in his life which he personally witnessed. These include a murder, a rape incident which has resulted into pregnancy and an illegitimate child, the poverty of the Mexicans and hill people and other adult-related obstacles.The novel, as seen from the view of Luke, told of the unwavering determination of the Chandler family to make their business survive and show to the people of Arkansas that despite living in an unpainted house, their cotton-picking trade will pick up. While the author s tands out in his law-related books because of their plots, Grisham’s A Painted House novel definitely shines because of the character of Luke.Using the first-person point of perspective of Luke, the author effectively provided the public with a view of the hardships which then challenged the people of Arkansas (Grisham, 2001).Through the eyes of Luke, A Painted House serves as a blank paper where the author excellently writes the details which happened in the United States after World War II. The character of the protagonist is one which is filled with many real incidents and people albeit presented through Luke’s youthful point of view. In fact, Luke’s life is very simple and his world is small with the family’s business of cotton-picking being his concentration.The child in Luke is presented in the book many times with the Chandler family trips to town on Saturdays, church activities on Sundays, special treats at carnivals and the boy’s ultimate dream to play baseball as attested by his statement that he will not be a farmer but a baseball player (Grisham 5).However, as Luke takes on his journey, becomes exposed to the characters in his life such as his family and the workers composed of the hill people and Mexicans as well as harsh realities of life, the boy unwittingly somehow grows as an experienced person even at a young age.Hence, it is worthy to consider how Luke, in his simple yet uplifting manner, is able to address and cope with cruel issues which confronted his young life. The life realities which are too enormous and difficult for Luke to realize but triumphantly handled include the ethical conflicts about a murder case, a child born out of wedlock and even the financial destruction that hit the area.Despite these cruelties which Luke’s innocence may be unable to understands, it is remarkable to consider that the boy’s naà ¯ve personality managed the said dilemmas. Beyond Luke’s notable trai ts and abilities in his original innocence as manifested by his child-like faith when he believes that God has control over anything just like there is reason when rains sweep away their harvests.It is during the boy’s journey, where he is faced with the true events of life, that Luke is able to attain his experience and realizes that indeed there is reason for every thing that happens. This is evident when he said â€Å"I was certain there was a reason the Cardinals lost the pennant, but I couldn’t understand why God was behind it† (Grisham 251).

Philippines Literature Essay

The diversity and richness of Philippine literature evolved side by side with the country’s history. Long before the Spaniards and other foreigners landed or set foot on Philippine shores, our forefathers already had their own literature stamped in the history of our race. Our ancient literature shows our customs and traditions in everyday life as traced in our folk stories, old plays and short stories. Our ancestors also had their own alphabet which was different from that brought by the Spaniards. –> LITERATURE: the body of oral and written works, text, books, poetry, etc. these are the several things that concern this subject. we have been exposed to literature ever since we were young. reading, writing, that’s what we do. but is this really the essence of literature?  the time i realized that i was going to take up â€Å"Philippine Literature† this semester, i was rather a bit curios about what would be in store for me, for the whole class.  our Literature instructor Ms. Dinah Laguna-Mission is very enthusiastic in teaching us. never came a time that i felt sleepy or bored during our lit. subject. she has a lively voice and pronunciation, lively gestures and the witty use of words were the things i looked forward to every time she came.  at first, i expect that the subject content and the teaching method was just a repetition of what has been taught to us during high school. but i was wrong, the different genre of literature, different devices and ever famous figures of speech were the ones being taught to us. After all the experiences and new knowledge imparted to me, i realized that Literature is not only about just reading the stories, poems, riddles, etc. but either its understanding them deeply. i thank Ms. Mission for imparting this knowledge imparted to me and the whole class for making this journey bearable and truly enjoyable one. it was beyond doubt an accomplishment for us and so, even if i finish the subject Philippines Literature, the things i  learned, the memories and experience will truly mo no matter what. ^_^

How To Make a Dry Ice Balloon

How To Make a Dry Ice Balloon You usually blow up balloons with air or helium, but did you know you can get a balloon to inflate itself using dry ice? Heres how you perform this simple science project: Dry Ice Balloon Materials BalloonsDry Ice PelletsFunnel (optional) Its easiest to work with a funnel because it holds the neck of the balloon open. If you are working with dry ice pellets, you may find it easier to break or crush them so you can pour them into the balloon. However, if you wear gloves, its pretty simple to do this project with just your hands and a balloon. If you have a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher, you can even make the dry ice yourself. What You Do Hold open the mouth of the balloon.Place or pour dry ice into the balloon.Tie off the balloon so that the gas wont escape.The balloon will inflate as you watch. Youll see water freeze on the outside of the balloon where the dry ice is cooling the air across the surface of the latex. How much the balloon inflates depends on how much dry ice you added. A small amount of dry ice will slightly inflate the balloon, while a large amount ultimately will make it pop. How It Works Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. At normal atmospheric pressure, dry ice sublimates from a solid directly into a gas. As the gas warms, it expands. Carbon dioxide is more dense than air, so if you drop a dry ice balloon, it will fall to the ground rather than float like a helium balloon. Dry Ice Safety Dry ice is cold enough that it can give you frostbite after a very brief exposure. Its best to wear gloves for this project and to let the balloon inflate on a countertop and not in your hand. Also, dont eat the dry ice. Keep it away from children and pets.

Inherit the Wind Essay

Inherit the Wind Essay Inherit the Wind Essay Movie Summary on the Movie Inherit the Wind Movies and films in general have been used to relay different kinds of information to different audiences in an attempt to ensure that people are able to get a certain message within which the producers and the makers of the film generally have in mind. It is a way of entertaining while at the same time, relay different kinds of information to the different people who might be in need of the same. It is not in line to indicate or assume the fact that a movie or film could be used for entertainment purposes only. The film inherit the wind was a piece of rather ingenious creation of Stanley Krame who was the overall director of the film. He sought to look into the misfortune of a science teacher (Bert Cates) who was charged and subsequently convicted of teaching the theory of evolution as according to Charles Darwin in Hillsboro located in Tennessee. This film covers more than the entertainment part of which most of the films are to cover and provides for a scenario whereby there are differences that exist whereby the freedom to inquire is generally challenged with the dogmatic thoughts which were present at that time. It goes on to accurately depict what used to happen during the early ages and time and subsequently look into the issues which dealt with the right to information and the subjects within which people were to teach and relay as information. In the film, the teacher is arrested while teaching in class and is subsequently convicted of the crime as the teaching on Darwin’s theory of evolution was not allowed. One of the major themes noticed in the plot of the movie is the right to information. There is clear depiction that the information within which people were supposed to have was limited as people were only able to have part of the information which was seen to be appropriate. The teacher was not allowed to relay this information as it was seen to be inappropriate for the audience which comprised of students in a class of history. The church, seen as the epicenter of the community was clearly unshaken when it came to the issue of which it considered the whole theory of evolution to be ungodly. The state on the other hand did not consider it to be so and thus the reason as to why there was a tussle between the two with a presidential candidate and a founder of ACLU. This therefore raises another important question which dealt with morality and the law. The church considered it to be immoral while the state was of a contrary opinion. Therefore while looking into the issue one would be forced to ask themselves whether what is morally accepted should just be the law or there should be some form of scrutiny done to establish what could amount to the law. The very nature of the fact that the church considered teaching of the theory to be immoral and did not want the children to be exposed to the same did not mean that the law necessarily advocated for the same. This was an issue which was considered to be quite weighty as different philosophers had different views on what constitutes law and whether what is generally accepted could be said to constitute law. Such were Aristotle who was a naturalist, Plato and others. The movie thus seeks to put into perspective the differing views which were present. writing company can provide you with a high-quality custom essay paper on any movie you need. Order custom essays written by professional writers.

Why Vegans Dont Wear Silk

Why Vegans Dont Wear Silk Its clear to most people why vegans dont eat meat or wear fur, but why vegans dont wear silk is less obvious. Silk fabric is made from the silk that is spun by silkworms when they form the cocoons for their pupal stage, before becoming a moth. Harvesting of this silk directly harms these creatures so, because vegans do not use products that exploit animals, vegans do not use silk. Although there are multiple ways to harvest and mass-produce silkworms for their secretions, they all involve the ownership and exploitation of these small insects, oftentimes killing them in the process of harvesting their silk. Since all insects are considered sentient - or at least possessed of a nervous and therefore capable of feeling (if not experiencing) pain - vegans value their animal right to a life free of suffering. How Is Silk Made? Mass-produced silk is made from domesticated silkworms,  Bombyx mori, raised on farms. The silkworms, who are in the caterpillar stage of the silk moth, are fed mulberry leaves until they are ready to spin cocoons and enter their pupal stage. The silk is secreted as a liquid from two glands in the caterpillars head. While they are still in their pupal stage, the cocoons are placed in boiling water, which kills the silkworms and begins the process of unraveling the cocoons to produce silk thread. If allowed to develop and live, the silkworms would turn into moths and chew their way out of the cocoons to escape. The chewed silk strands would be much shorter and less valuable than the whole cocoons. Approximately 15 silkworms are killed to make a gram of silk thread, and 10,000 are killed to make a silk sari. Silk thread can also be produced by killing silkworms while they are in their caterpillar stage, just before they spin their cocoons, and extracting the two silk glands. The glands can then be stretched into silk threads known as silkworm gut, which is used mainly to make fly fishing lures. Non-Violent Production Silk can also be made without killing the caterpillars. Eri silk or peace silk is made from the cocoons of Samia ricini, a type of silkworm who spins a cocoon with a tiny opening in the end. After metamorphosizing into moths, they crawl out of the opening. This type of silk cannot be reeled in the same way that Bombyx mori silk is reeled. Instead, it is carded and spun like wool. Eri silk represents a very small portion of the silk market. Another type of silk is Ahimsa silk, which is made from the cocoons of Bombyx mori moths after the moths chew their way out of their cocoons. Because of the chewed-through strands, less of the silk is usable for textile production and Ahimsa silk costs more than conventional silk. Ahimsa is the Hindu word for non-violence. Ahimsa silk, though popular with Jains, also represents a very small portion of the silk market. Why Don't Vegans Wear Silk? Vegans try to avoid harming and exploiting animals, which means that vegans do not use animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, fur, leather, wool or silk. Dropping silkworms into boiling water kills the worms and probably causes them to suffer - depending on whether or not they actually can experience suffering, scientifically. Even Eri silk or Ahimsa silk are problematic because they involve the domestication, breeding, and exploitation of animals. Adult Bombyx mori silkmoths cannot fly because their bodies are too big compared to their wings, and adult males cannot eat because they have underdeveloped mouthparts. Similar to cows who have been bred for maximum meat or milk production, silkworms have been bred to maximize silk production, with no regard for the well-being of the animals. To vegans, the only possible ethical way to produce silk would be to collect cocoons from wild insects after the adult insects emerge from them and dont need them any longer. Another ethical way to wear silk would be to wear only second-hand silk, freegan silk, or old pieces of clothing that were purchased before one went vegan. Are Insects Sentient? While experts disagree over how much an insect can suffer or feel pain, most at least leave the door open on the question and believe it is possible that insects feel something that we would call pain. However, an insects nervous system is different from a mammals despite also transmitting signals from stimuli that cause a response in the creature. While some conclude that insects do not feel pain, at least not in the same emotional way that humans experience pain, they still believe that all creatures are deserving of humane treatment. Even if insects do not feel pain when dropped into boiling water, a death free of pain is still a death.

Issues-Long Hours vs. Meeting Customer Needs Assignment

Issues-Long Hours vs. Meeting Customer Needs - Assignment Example What she doesn’t see is a number of personnel, management, leadership, communication and training problems that Frame It is beset with at the present. If she is not careful, this could spell disaster and even possible closure for the business, so it is better that she take note and do something like getting professional help to sort out these myriad problems. To this end, she has finally recognized the serious nature of the various issues that face the business and is prepared to hire a Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour expert to take charge of the present situation and handle it as best he can so that all the issues are sorted out and the business can resume with renewed vigour and success. I am the Human Resources and Organization Behaviour expert who was called in to review and handle the situation and am soon due to meet the CEO giving her my points of view on the current situation and what needs to be done to set it right. I might add that Fran is prepared to give me considerable authority and responsibility so that the situation is handled in the best possible manner and with a minimum of interference from other staff or management. The remaining parts of this report will discuss the present scenario, the various aspects that need to be handled and how the situation can be set right again to the satisfaction of both employees and management. From the available facts recounted in the case, it is evident that there is trouble brewing up between management and employees. For one thing, the long hours, lower pay, lack of training and absence of motivational factors have frustrated the employees. The authoritarian attitude of the CEO does not help the situation, and that is why she has called in a Human Resources and organization Behaviour expert to handle the situation. It was one of the best things she could do under the circumstances.

A Matrix of Functions under the Umbrella Company Essay - 1

A Matrix of Functions under the Umbrella Company - Essay Example The company has heavily invested in cutting-edge technology that has enabled it greatly improve its level of customer engagement and satisfaction. It keeps on top of business trends through engaging the best in all fields that are relevant to its day to day operations. It is constantly on the lookout for innovative methods of doing business so that it can deliver its services to its clientele as well as improve its service delivery. Â  The process of doing business is a learned art and a science in itself and Accenture offers these services to its clientele. This is ensured first though the companies own performance in business and translated into services of better improving and providing the same services to clients. Â  Customer engagement and customer satisfaction are taken very seriously at Accenture with measures put in place to ensure that these two functions are closely monitored and controlled to achieve optimum levels. Surveys, consultants, and other professionals are engaged to ensure that both internal, as well as external research into these functions, is achieved. Â  Accenture has finance at its heart and its proper management in order to make a profit is a top priority as evidenced by its performance in the New York Stock Exchange. It also endeavors to ensure confidence in investors as well as clients through sound financial management and adherence to international accounting standards for all its transactions. It publishes its accounts in all the relevant mediums for this express purpose. Â  The fact that the company stretches across the world makes it able to offer services, products of the same high quality around the world.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the YCJA on youth crime rates and Essay

Evaluate the effectiveness of the YCJA on youth crime rates and incarceration rates - Essay Example gued that the law was effective, whereby they cited the reduced rates of youth deviancy and custody in comparison to other nations of the world (Doob & Cesaroni, 2003). Nonetheless, the country identified the importance of reviewing the law and ensuring that they implemented another law that was not divisive and controversial. In addition, the review sought to address the argument that YOA overused the country’s custodial and court systems. Moreover, the review aimed at improving efficiency in responding to minor offenders who committed serious crimes (Department of Justice Canada, 2002). Based on the foregoing, it is evident that YCJA was a compromise between politicians. Nonetheless, the act is a response to the increasingly growing number of small cases about incidents of youth offenders committing heinous crimes while also acting as a response to the growing number of cases resulting from incarceration of youths for minor offenses. Indeed, these minor offenses had resulted to a decline in the confidence that the public had on the country’s judicial system. Overall, the main objective of the legislation was to deal with crimes committed by the youth and their eventual outcome. In effect, this expose will carry out an evaluation of the role that YCJA has played on the twin aspects of youth crime rates and incarceration rates. The Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children (CCRC) (2011) identified Canada’s youth custody rates as among the highest in the world, which is prior to the implementation and legislation of the YCJA. In effect, this implies that Canadas implementation of this law was essential in order to enable the country deal with these youthful offenders and reduce these rates. In effect, CCRC (2011) observed a 27% decline in the rate of youths charged in a court of law or recommended to facing  court charges between 2002 and 2006. It is important to point out that the Canadian legislative system made this law in 2002. In line with this,

Methods of research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Methods of research - Assignment Example Answer to Question 2: The first step is to define and refine a topic. Here, the researcher starts with a clearly defined and well-focused research question and a plan. The second step is to design the search. This step involves planning the research strategy at which point the research decides on the type of literature review, its extent, and the forms of literature to include. The third step is locating the research literature. This step depends on the type of literature sought. It is usually advisable that multiple research strategies be employed in order to counteract the limitations of a single search method. The fourth step is evaluating the results and determining what to record. The final step is to write the review. This requires planning and good, clear writing. The aims and objectives of the study need to be kept in mind and then be questioned and evaluated, not just accepted as facts. Answer to Question 3: A keyword is an important term relating to a specific topic, and is likely to be found in a title. Keywords are important in the literature search because they help the researcher obtain relevant information. This is because keywords break down the research problem into its key words or concepts which can be searched with ease. Answer to Question 4: The steps of writing a quantitative review of literature are: identifying the problem or research question; determining the purpose of the study; searching and reviewing the literature relating to the question and developing a framework; defining and refining the research question or formulating a research hypothesis; selecting the research method and determining the design of the study; specifying the group of subjects to be studied. Answer to Question 6: This depends on what sample size she needed but she seems wrong. The first step should have been to determine the population from which the sample was to be selected. Supposing that the town had a population of

Complete Marketing Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Complete Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example Executive Summary Chipotle Mexican Grill Restaurant has been present in the market since 1993 and has been successfully meeting the needs and demands of its customers. It went public in 2006 when McDonald’s divested its non-core business restaurants and Chipotle was one of them. Since then, it has been following a focused marketing strategy for expanding into various regions locally and internationally. It has competitive edge in the market as it is the only company that is offering healthy and nutritious food items along with fast-casual dining experience; the main target market of the company is young generation aged in between 16-30 years who are looking for delicious meals at economical prices. Although it has successfully earned a good reputation in the market but there are many avenues that are unexploited by the company. One attractive segment is of old people aged above forty years who are looking for healthy food along with a pleasurable dining experience. The marketi ng plan for this target market is designed especially for Columbus, Ohio region where no fast-food restaurant is targeting this segment. In order to reach and satisfy this market, the marketing strategy along with implementation and evaluation plan is discussed so that the company can easily implement it. The most effective way of fulfilling the needs of old people is to offer them affordable meals by marketing them on the online mediums as these people are technologically savvy. If the plan is properly implemented, then there are high chances that the company can successfully penetrate in this market. II. Situation Analysis Brief Introduction of Chipotle Mexican Grill Restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill was started by Steve Ells in 1993 in Colorado with the aim of providing exceptionally high quality fast-food items that are made from fresh and premium ingredients. Presently, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is a chain of restaurants that are located in Canada, United Kingdom and United S tates. The name of the restaurant was derived from chipotle which is the Mexican Spanish name of smoked and dried jalapeno chili pepper (â€Å"Unique Corporate Culture drives results†, 2008) The specialty of the chain is in the burritos and tacos offered to the customers along with use of natural and organic ingredients and assembly-line production. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and it went public in 2006 when McDonald’s divested all of its non-core business restaurants (â€Å"About Us†, 2012). The mission of Chipotle Mexican Grill Restaurant is defined as Food with Integrity that highlights its focus on using only pure and organic ingredients and serves the customers with naturally raised meat; it gives the restaurant a competitive edge over all other restaurants present in the market (â€Å"Food with integrity†, 2012). It is among the pioneers who developed the concept of fast-casual dining restaurants. Currently, it is present in more than 1200 locations in about 43 states including France, Ontario, England, Washington and Toronto. According to Brandau (2012), the chain earned net income of US$215 million in the year 2011 and had a workforce of about 30,940 employees. The chain is run by a board that comprises of four directors along with a chairman (Steve Ells) and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado (â€Å"

Methods of research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Methods of research - Assignment Example Answer to Question 2: The first step is to define and refine a topic. Here, the researcher starts with a clearly defined and well-focused research question and a plan. The second step is to design the search. This step involves planning the research strategy at which point the research decides on the type of literature review, its extent, and the forms of literature to include. The third step is locating the research literature. This step depends on the type of literature sought. It is usually advisable that multiple research strategies be employed in order to counteract the limitations of a single search method. The fourth step is evaluating the results and determining what to record. The final step is to write the review. This requires planning and good, clear writing. The aims and objectives of the study need to be kept in mind and then be questioned and evaluated, not just accepted as facts. Answer to Question 3: A keyword is an important term relating to a specific topic, and is likely to be found in a title. Keywords are important in the literature search because they help the researcher obtain relevant information. This is because keywords break down the research problem into its key words or concepts which can be searched with ease. Answer to Question 4: The steps of writing a quantitative review of literature are: identifying the problem or research question; determining the purpose of the study; searching and reviewing the literature relating to the question and developing a framework; defining and refining the research question or formulating a research hypothesis; selecting the research method and determining the design of the study; specifying the group of subjects to be studied. Answer to Question 6: This depends on what sample size she needed but she seems wrong. The first step should have been to determine the population from which the sample was to be selected. Supposing that the town had a population of

U.S. History Terms and Definitions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

U.S. History Terms and Definitions - Assignment Example The society is recalled as being involved in ritual sacrifice and, on occasion, cannibalism. There reign came to an end with the Spanish invasion; between disease and attack, eventually the last of the Aztec surrendered to the Spanish. Christopher Columbus: Christopher Columbus was an Italian born explorer who has often been credited with discovering America; however modern scholars and archeological evidences prove that that may be a myth. He did make several trips across the Atlantic Ocean exploring European interests. His voyages did lead to the first lasting European presence in the new world and coined the term, â€Å"indios,† which is Spanish for Indians. His later life was filled with sickness and discomfort. He died in Spain at the age of 54. Anne Hutchinson: In 1634 Anne Hutchinson was the daughter of a minister who came to live with her husband in Boston, Massachusetts. She was said to be witty, outspoken, intelligent, and highly opinionated young woman. She was fond of sharing the teachings of John Cotton. She created quite a stir in Boston society. She accused the local ministers of, essentially, teaching the Bible wrong. Of course, the ministers denied her claims. However, she, what at the time was a bold act, claimed that God spoke to her and gave her permission to interpret biblical content. These arguments were tearing apart Boston. Ultimately she would be brought into to court and sentenced, along with her husband, to banishment from Boston. Jamestown: Jamestown is the first British colony established in the Virginia in the year 1607 by the Virginia Company. The early years of the first colony knew disease, famine, and continuing attacks by the Native Americans that already inhabited the land. It is here that fam ous historical characters like Pocahontas, John Smith, and John Rolfe met and began the stories that this country was founded on. In fact, Jamestown remained the capitol of Virginia until the King believed that the land was being mismanaged by the Virginia Company and the colony became a colony of the crown in 1622. Triangle Trade: Trade was the means by which the early American colonies were able to get the things that they needed. The Triangle Trade was named so because of its 3 pointed route. The way that it worked was that molasses would be sent to New England for the makings for rum. Then the New Englanders could manufacture the molasses into rum and then ship it to the West African coast to be traded for slaves. The slaves acquired would be taken to the West Indies where they would be sold for molasses and money. From that point the cycle of the three stages would start again. Great Awakening: There has been more than one period of time credited with being â€Å"Great Awakeni ng† in the United States. It refers to a great evangelical religious movement that occurred at that time. The first came with the settlers of the 1700s, which would ultimately result in the Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist churches. There was a second Great Awakening in the last part of the 18th century and continued to the earliest part of the 19th century, which was marked by religious good deeds of the Salvation Army and the YMCA. Stono Rebellion: This is the name given to a specific rebellion that occurred in South Carolina, a few miles outside Charleston, on September 9, 1739. A band of, approximately 20, slaves began walking down the streets and carrying a banner claiming â€Å"Liberty!† The men and women stole weapons and ammunition, set fire to

Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation Summary Essay Example for Free

Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation Summary Essay Perceptual maps help to improve a companys current product on the market by mapping consumer expectation of the product. The motorcycle company Thorr Motors perceptual maps were used to create a marketing plan to aid in maintaining a high brand image of their motorcycles. The Marketing Dictionary defines perceptual maps as a process by which consumers perceptions of an existing product are charted (n.d., para. 1). In this paper the three phases of the simulation, the situation, recommended solution, and results will be discussed. In addition there will be a discussion on relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or services and the impact of the product life cycle on marketing. Phase I (201)Sales of the Cruiser Thorr are decreasing. This is so because the Cruiser Thorrs target consumers are aging and their tastes have begun to outgrow the lifestyle that Cruiser Thorr symbolizes. In addition to this issue, younger consumers are more interested in lower priced motorcycles due to their lower personal disposable incomes and they do not indentify with Cruiser Thorrs lifestyle image. This scenario wanted to determine the Cruiser Thors position in the market by choosing four relevant parameters that will reflect the highest potential. For phase I the parameters that were chosen were lifestyle image, services offered, price, and quality engineering. Lifestyle image was chosen since the image for the Cruiser Thorr was being outgrown by the aging target audience and was not identifiable with younger consumers. Since the Cruiser Thorrs lifestyle image is set very high any vital information gathered will be highly useful to maintain that level of image so that it satisfies both an older and younger audience. Services offered was another parameter chosen because compared to their competitors the services offered by the Cruiser Thorr are limited. The more frills a product comes with, the more it may heighten the desire for it. The third parameter that was chosen was price. Price was chosen because for many consumers price is one of the most important factors in making a buying decision. Furthermore, it was stated earlier that younger consumers were more interested in lower priced motorcycles. Finding out how much is too much as well as how low can you go without diluting brand image will be important in determining the  appropriate price tag to spark consumer interest. The last parameter chosen was quality engineering. This was chosen because of the fact that the Cruiser Thorr will not be able to maintain a high brand image without this feature (University of Phoenix, 2004). The decision to use lifestyle image, services offered, price, and quality engineering were the appropriate parameters to use. The parameters that were chosen were fundamental to the perceptual map and gave the best perspective as opposed to the other options. Phase II The position of the Cruiser Thorr is determined by the perceptual map and this position has not helped sales. This scenario calls for the marketing manager to create a marketing plan that will either reposition the Cruiser Thorr or launch a new motorcycle. Upon researching threats and weaknesses of Thorr Motorcycles, the decision was made to launch a new motorcycle, the RRoth, which will grab the attention of younger consumers. With the new launch the marketing mix needed to be determined. The price for the new RRoth was set between $13,000 and $15,000. This price range was chosen because earlier surveys conducted showed that the younger consumers were more interested in lower priced motorcycles. The types of promotions chosen were sponsored events at Daytona, offering insurance and protection plans, free test rides, publicize through Hollywood films, and providing giveaway merchandise. These were all chosen because of the high amount of appeal these types of promotional methods would have on younger consumers. The places chosen to promote the RRoth were the internet (Manufacturers Web site), Dealers, and Distributors. These options were chosen because of the accessibility to younger consumers, especially the internet. The services chosen were training to dealers, customization options, and financial services. Training to dealers was chosen so that the dealers can provide detailed and accurate information about the products sold. Customization options were chosen because this would add to the cool and youthful image of the RRoth. Financial services were chosen because the younger consumers indicated an interest in financing options. Choosing to launch a new motorcycle turned out to be a good decision. The marketing mix options chosen were the most optimal for the formulation of a differentiation strategy. Phase III It has been a year since the marketing plan was implemented and it is now time to determine if the plans have or have not been a success. Consumer perceptions of the Cruiser Thorr and the RRoth have been surveyed and a perceptual map will show whether or not the marketing activities have been a success. The marketing manager has to interpret market research to plot brand attributes of Cruiser Thorr. In addition, attributes relevant to the RRoth need to be chosen and interpreted to create RRoths perceptual map. The Cruiser Thorr was rated in lifestyle image at 9 because initially this was rated very high. A nine would be most appropriate. For price a rate of 4 was chosen because consumers saw this particular motorcycle as pricey compared to other brands. A rating of 4 or 5 would be appropriate. Services offered are rated at a 7 because services for the Cruiser Thorr is limited compared to competitors but were revamped because of consumer response. A rating of 7 is most appropriate. Quality engineering was rated at 8 because consumers think that Cruiser Thorrs engine is the best. A rating of 8 is very appropriate. The RRoth was rated at a 7 for lifestyle image because like other Thorr motorcycles consumers are already considering it a status symbol. The rating chosen was the appropriate choice. Price was rated at 8 because the RRoth is cheaper than the Cruiser Thorr in order to target a younger consumer. An 8 rating is appropriate. Cool was chosen for the RRoth because of the younger audience and a rating of 8 was chosen. A rating of 8 was most appropriate. Relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or servicesDifferentiation of product is according to Investopedia a marketing process that showcases the differences between products (Investopedia, .n.d., para. 1). Positioning of products is the consumer perception of a product or service as compared to its competition (Lake, n.d., para. 1). The relationship is that in order for a company to be a leader in that particular industry not only do they have to differentiate themselves from  the competition, but they must also secure a position in the market that when consumers needs need to be met, that company will be number one on the list in consumers minds. The repositioning of the product in the simulation is what I had expected. It was expected because one of the main issues was the changing perceptions of the consumers and there was nothing wrong with the physical product. Tastes were changing but the product was still of high quality. Like many companies they offered a fresh new product and for Thorr Motorcycles this attracted younger consumers. But they did not totally scrap efforts on the Cruiser Thorr and worked on revamping the image. Product Life Cycle The impact the product life cycle has on marketing is that business need to plan their products around the product life cycle. Knowing where the product is on the cycle, marketing strategies can be adjusted to maintain profitability. A particular firms marketing mix usually must change during the product life cycle (Perreault et al, 2004, pg. 270). In the simulation the Cruiser Thorr was in the decline stage of the life cycle as their sales were declining rapidly. The declining sales were because the older audiences tastes were outgrowing the Cruiser Thorr and younger consumers were put off by the high price. Because Cruiser Thorr was in decline stage, a new motorcycle, the RRoth was introduced to the life cycle and aimed at a different target group to revamp sales and consumer perception. ConclusionThe perceptual map helped to determine consumer expectations for Thorr Motorcycles. Precise parameters were determined to hone in on exactly what they wanted and expected from the company. This ultimately is what enabled Thorr Motorcycles to reposition consumer perceptions back to where Thorr motors wanted. In this paper the three phases of the simulation, the situation, recommended solution, and results were discussed. In addition there was a discussion on relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or services and the impact of the product life cycle on marketing. References: Differentiation. (n.d.). Definition. Retrieved on February 16, 2008  from,http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/product_differentiation.aspLake, L. (n.d.). Product Positioning Definition. Retrieved on February 16, 2008 from,http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingglossary/g/prodpostdef.htmPerceptual mapping. (n.d.). Dictionary of Marketing Terms. Retrieved February 16,2008, from Answers.com Web site:http://www.answers.com/topic/perceptual-mappingPerreault, W.D., McCarthy, E.J. (2004). Basic Marketing: A Global-ManagerialApproach. McGraw-Hill CompaniesUniversity of Phoenix. (2006). General Marketing. Retrieved February 16, 2008, fromUniversity of Phoenix, Resource, Simulation, MKT421-Marketing Web site:https://mycampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/vendors/tata/UBAMsims/general_marketing/general_marketing_perceptual_maps_simulation.html

internal communication system

internal communication system Does a successful internal communication system result in a motivated Workforce? 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Internal communications: It is a generic expression for all communication (formal and informal) that an organization undertakes with its close stockholders — i.e. those people with whom it has a relationship that requires support, principally direct/indirect employees and members. The main purpose of formal internal communications is to inform employees or members of the direction and performance of the organization (and team) to which they belong. The profession of internal communications builds on fundamental principles of other disciplines like human resources (HR), marketing, project management and media planning. As a result it often gets adopted in organizations under different labels: employee communications, employee engagement, internal marketing, company communications, staff communication, etc. Responsibility can also reside within different functions: marketing, corporate communications, transformation, HR, CEO office, etc. In common with other communication professions, there are different areas of specialism within internal communications: channel management, speech-writing, change communications, HR communications, project communications, event management, social media, intranets, etc 1.2 Motivation work force: A motivated workforce is one which individuals and teams generally strive hard and successfully to achieve the goals set t them. They perform at a high level and make significant effort to help you to achieve your business strategy. A committed work force is one in which individuals identify with the purpose, goals and values of the organization, wish to remain with it and are prepared to put themselves out on its behalf. Motivation is about staff focusing their effort on achieving specific targets. That is, what staffs do? It also is about getting your staff to behave in the right way. That is, how they do things. Key indicators include: †¢ Communication †¢ Management leadership †¢ Performance Management and Recognition †¢ Work Management You can motivate people with: †¢ varied and interesting work perhaps giving the opportunity to travel †¢ high-quality training and development e.g. encouragement to study for professional qualifications †¢ an open door culture in which managers are approachable †¢ respect for a good work-life balance e.g. offering the opportunity for flexible working †¢ fairness at work, including promoting equality and diversity †¢ proactive and regular communication †¢ regular appraisal and positive feedback restating business objectives and recognizing your staffs contribution †¢ requests for feedback, either in person or via staff surveys, on how employees feel about their roles, the support they get, and improvements to the business †¢ the chance to socialize with colleagues at organized events †¢ recognition and reward for ideas or competitive intelligence Commitment is concerned with the loyalty of staff t to the organization and feeling good about it can be increased through creating and maintaining a positive working experience. Key indicators include: †¢ Job Satisfaction †¢ Employee involvement †¢ Training and development †¢ Working environment †¢ Co-operation †¢ Working relationship To be effective employee opinion surveys should be conducted on a regular basis. This could be six-monthly or annually. They do involve extra effort on behalf of the staff in term of taking time to complete the survey. 2.0 Research As little as a few decades ago, managers believed that the behind the scenes dealings of their companies were of no concern to employees. Thus, information that may have motivated employees or inspired their job interest was not available to them as they were merely considered another cog in the organizational wheel. Since that time, management science has formed a basis for analyzing management style and its influence on communication and motivation. Most organizations, be they public or private understand the importance of strategic communication with customers and stakeholders. Hence we have marketing and communication specialists to produce communication plans for external use. In the private sector that means more income; in the public sector it means better public relations, and better use of government services through client information. Many organizations also understand the importance of developing strategic plans to guide longer term decision-making. The thinking is that without knowing where we want to be (and how we are going to get there), we cant coordinate organizational resources so that we get to where we want to go. Frequently, communication methodologies for communicating with customers and the public are included in strategic planning. However, few organizations address internal communication in the same way. Determining what should be communicated to staff, when it should be communicated, and how it should be communicated is often left up to the decisions of individuals made when there seems to be a need. In other words internal communication strategies are developed, reactively, when there is a crisis or major event that clearly requires addressing communication issues. Where communication is planned out, it is often around upheavals like major corporate or organization change, layoffs and downsizing, and technological change. However, once the initiating focus has been eliminated communication tends to go back to an unorganized incoherent process. 2.1 Principle of Internal Communication Some basic principles to keep in mind when creating your strategic internal communication plan are: ï‚ § Develop a long-term focus ï‚ § Identify clear values for your organization ï‚ § Define the specific goals for your internal communication strategy ï‚ § Use comprehensive, pervasive methods ï‚ § Be consistent in your messages 2.1.1 Openness: All information should be communicated in an open and honest fashion. While the positive aspects of any news or decision should always be clearly communicated. Message senders should not be afraid to admit that they have changed their mind or have been mistaken. As a result, senders should be prepared to receive contradictory or critical views and should be ready to engage in debate with staff. In the light of freedom of information Act, all information should be open to access by any members of staff. 2.1.2 Relevance: Information should be clearly relevant to the audience they are delivered to. Each message should answer the question that many staff has what in it for me? The needs of the audience should be put in all communications activity and information should be tailored to ensure that it is relevant to different audiences. If the recipient is expected to act on the information they have received this should be made clear to them. 2.1.3 Simplicity: Simple, Straightforward language should be used in all written and verbal communication. The use of jargon and management speak should be avoid. Messages should be carefully thought out and constructed so that the point of clear. Any actions you expect staff to take as a result should be clear. Messages should not be overly long or complicated and all communication should be consistently of a high quality. 2.1.4 Clarity: All communication should be clear in its aims. Message senders need to tell their audience in direct terms the status of the information they are communicating. Here just four examples. 2.1.4.1 A policy decision: A decision taken by one of the universitys three committees which applied to the whole university and must be considered by all staff. 2.1.4.2 A Mandatory Decision: either taken by the university, or imposed by an outside authority. 2.1.4.3 Consultation: Information which is in the discussion stage and is open to consultation by staff. If this is the case, the message sender needs to be clear as to where feedback can be sent. 2.1.4.4 Work in progress: Where is it necessary to keep staff updated about a major projector policy which is still in development. 2.1.5 Planned and timely: Information should be prioritized and planned so as to avoid information overload, duplication of messages or long periods of non-communication. Communication with staff should not be an afterthought or an add-on but should be at the heart of all planning within university. This will ensure that information is given to staff when they need it- not when decision makers happen to think about it, or in the worst case scenario, when staff learns of major decision via the regional or national media. To this end, all major committees or decision making groups should develop an explicit communications strategy which outlines how information will be fed to staff via existing channels of communication. 2.1.6 Two- way communication: A one way conversation is very boring wherever possible, communication should be two way. All communication should be ensure that there are as many opportunities for listening and asking questions as there are sending messages out. These opportunities should be opened for all staff. Where these opportunities are offered the message owner should ensure that good quality and rapid answers can be given to the questions and issued rose. In this way communication will be positively encouraged and staff will feel that they can influence the development of relevant strategies, policies and procedures at a university and local level. 3.0 The advantages of Internal Communication We know that some of the most successful companies and corporations create a workforce that understands the mission, goals, values and procedures of the organization. The intent of creating such cultures is not to dominate or control employees, but to aim them at a set of common goals on which they can act every day. This brings coherence to the workplace, and allows better coordinated action. By clearing up ambiguity in whats, hows, and whys, the common culture permits employees to act with empowerment. When we have staff that understands the basic values and purposes of an organization, we give them the opportunity to make decisions that fall within those parameters. That means, for example, that more decisions can be made at the line level, reducing micro-managing. When your organization is communicating effectively with its internal stakeholders, whether they are employees, management or volunteers, it develops a cohesive culture where everyone is focused on the same goals and ha s the same objectives. By working within a cohesive culture, your stakeholders can work more efficiently together and collaborate more effective. Clearly, if we are to create such a common culture, we need to harness all of our organizations communication resources to achieve the purpose. Before we talk about that, lets look at some other advantages to having a coherent, shared organizational culture. †¢ Permits employees to make more decisions online since they have the tools and knowledge needed to make the right decisions. †¢ Encourages a sense of identification, on the part of staff, with the goals, mission and procedures of the organization, which can result in a sense of making a difference. This can have direct impact on effort and efficiency. †¢ Has the potential for reducing day-to-day conflict. Much conflict is generated by conflicting ideas on what is important to the organization often an indicator that the people involved do not share a common vision or understanding. †¢ Helps staff feel a part of the organization. When we look at organizations that use their common culture as a strategic advantage, what we find is that they create that culture through the use of very strategic, coordinated communication strategies. They use multiple methods, consistently. Their training supports their cultural goals, as does their written communication (e.g. newsletters, billboards, slogans, etc). Their management communicates consistently with common messages in a number of forums (e.g. performance management, department or sub-organization meetings, award and recognition programs, etc). And perhaps most importantly, management behavior is consistent with the messages echoed via other communication methodologies. 4.0 Internal communication strategy There are two sides of strategy in internal communications. In the first instance there is organizations strategy — what it hopes to achieve and how it plans to go about achieving it. That strategy will be supported and, to some extent, delivered through effective internal communications. In this context internal communication can help on several different levels: †¢ Tell: simply informing people of the direction, non-negotiable †¢ Sell: anticipating some form of backlash, requiring some persuasion †¢ Consult: seeking specific areas of input to the decision-making process †¢ Involve: seeking varying degrees of involvement and co-creation Secondly, and more importantly, internal communications needs a strategy of its own. It should be positioned more than a simple plan of tactical interventions in support of business activities. The strategy should consider the following: †¢ Market: What does the organization know about its audiences needs? How should its audiences be segmented? †¢ Message: What is it the organizations message is trying to achieve? In what tone should it be conveyed? †¢ Media: Which channels work best for the different audience segments? How will it maximize reach and cut-through? Are there clear editorial guidelines for each? †¢ Measurement: Are there clearly defined success criteria? What are the leading and lagging measures? As well as informing all of the other three Ms, it should be used to demonstrate value and measures of performance (rate of return, message penetration, hit rates, quality of feedback, etc) The strategy will inform the best way to organize effective communications 5.0 Conclusion The development of a strategic internal communication strategy and its implementation can provide a number of benefits to organizations. To achieve those benefits we need a coordinated, comprehensive, long term communication approach. Effective communications require the active commitment and endorsement of senior managers. It is not enough simply to develop a vision statement or formulate in general terms the values by which the company lives. Behavior is what counts. Managers must be seen to behave in a manner that is consistent with the ethos they are promoting. Communication applied to development initiatives is still too often limited to activities aimed at informing the stockholders or the general public following the typical and dated top-down approach. Government counterparts and project managers are often not used or ready to democratize the decision making process, but are more interested in accelerating it. However, the budget, time and effort devoted to communication will almost certainly be worthwhile. Tele business relying on a mix of adequate telecommunications infrastructure, a quality workforce with reasonable wage levels and corresponding linguistic skills, such requisites are today available in other countries, particularly in the developing world. The workforce skills have to be permanently upgraded so as to satisfy the requirements of new applications. The internal communication techniques can inform and encourage policymakers to base their decisions on a clear understanding of beneficiaries perspectives from the beginning of a development initiative. Such communication not only needs to be carefully planned and implemented but must also be properly integrated with emergency management activities and operations therefore effective internal communication is therefore a key responsibility of public health professionals and information officers, especially during emergency. 6.0 References Effective media communication during public health emergencies (Google book) By Randall N. Hyer, Vincent T. Covello pg 4 published 2007 Information and communication technologies and rural development (Google book) By Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development pg 76 published July 2001 The role of communication in large infrastructure: the Bumbuna Hydroelectric (Google book) By Leonardo Mazzei, Gianmarco Scuppa, World Bank pg 39 published June 2006 Strategic Communication for Privatization, Public-Private Partnerships and Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects (Google book) By Daniele Calabrese World Bank published March 2008 pg 39 http://www.uneed2.com/assets/Summary_Guide_to_Employee_Opinion_Surveys.pdf dtd. 7/10/09 http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/internal-comms/ic-principles.pdf dtd. 10/10/09. http://performance-appraisals.org/Bacalsappraisalarticles/articles/comstrat.htm dtd 7/10/09 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_communications#Internal_communication_strategy dtd 7/10/09 http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Communication-Organisation/165925 dated 14/10/09.

The Importance of Arts Education Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Edu

The Importance of Arts Education Jane Alexander, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), once said, â€Å"Many children are missing out on something which gives their education context, gives their lives depth and meaning, and prepares them to be the future workforce.† This â€Å"something† that she spoke of is music and art education. Unfortunately, she is entirely correct. We are currently seeing in our country a dramatic cut in arts education curriculum in our public schools due to the limited amount of both time and funding. In many cases budget cutbacks mean arts education cutbacks. This limited amount of resources often forces administrators to place a value on the various subject areas. There is always a demand for greater concentration upon the traditional basics: English, math, science, and history. There is also a new focus on computer competency and a renewed focus on the need for foreign language education. Add to this health education, family life educati on, industrial arts education, AIDS education, home economics, physical education, and business education and one begins to wonder where arts education fits in. â€Å"Every student in the nation should have an education in the arts.† This is the opening statement of â€Å"The Value and Quality of Arts Education: A Statement of Principles,† a document from the nation’s ten most important educational organizations. The basic message is that music and art programs in the schools help our kids and communities in real and substantial ways. There is an abundant amount of facts and information that supports this statement. The benefits of arts education can be narrowed down into 4 basic categories: success in developing intelligence, success in ... ...ls. There is so much that can be gained from arts education. It is imperative that music and art education remains in public schools. Because, even though it has been said many times before, the fact remains that the arts enrich us all. @â€Å"Arts education opens doors that help children pass from school in to the world around them – a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes the arts.† –Gerald Ford, former President of the United States of America @â€Å"The arts are about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and, by studying the arts in school, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives and experience the world from a new perspective.† –Bill Clinton, former President of the United States of America

Reflective Log: Post Modernity

Through the lecture of week 2, I understood the definition of post modernity. It is defined that ‘Post modernity is a reaction to the advanced alienation of late capitalism tempt to restore some meaning to the existential despair over the growing irrationality of modernity’ (Lee, 1992). In addition, I also learned that post modernity has many characteristics which consists of hyper reality, chronology, fragmentation, dedifferentiation, pastiche, anti-foundationalism, reversals of production and consumption, decentering of subject and paradoxical juxtapositions. However, I did not understand what they are and it is really complex to learn initially. After the lecture, I knew them better than before. For example, Disney land theme parks all over the world could be strongly reflected the hyper reality. Personally, Hyperrealism is a symptom of postmodern culture. Hyper reality does not â€Å"exist† or â€Å"not exist. It is simply a way of describing the information to which the consciousness is subject. I good understand about this feature. Furthermore, take ‘Hui Li’ Sneakers in China as a good example. This brand sneaker is popular in 1990s, and goes out of the market for nearly 20 years, but it is popular on the market up again as the symbol of the main trend. Moreover, pastiche as a feature in post modernity was reflected interestingly. For example, in the post modern society, those creative people are not rigidly adhere to old things and want to use modern elements on the basis of the original classics. A famous oil painting of ‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci was recreated in a new interesting style. I have understood three features of hyper reality, chronology and pastiche very well. Nevertheless, the rest features are not so well understanding about them, and I will continually learn them step by step.

Inventing the University

Many beginner or introductory writers are strangers to academic discourse; they do not have the understanding of the principles and logic needed to devise scholarly compositions. Thus, throughout various universities, students are assembling and mimicking the discourses taught by knowledgeable educators, ultimately trying to successfully write for a variety of diverse audiences (Bartholomae 61).Students intuitively understand that they need to reproduce a similar composition in order to gain acceptance in the academic community and to succeed in their coursework. Unfortunately, he or she does not have the knowledge necessary to complete the assignments. David Bartholomae defines â€Å"Inventing the University† as writing processes that college students must undertake each time they create a new composition. He has described the essential reason for making the comprehension of academic discourse the primary component of any first-year writing class.In his essay, Bartholomae off ers insights that could aid college composition teachers in understanding the difficulty beginner students without prior exposure to academic discourse may encounter when trying to write university level writing coursework. Essentially, students must learn to abandon their old discourse communities, use authoritative roles in their papers and use a special vocabulary to become great scholars.David Bartholomae is a leading Professor at the University of Pittsburgh; he is a revolutionary scholar and expert of composition studies. Bartholomae has challenged his profession to observe more intensely, and think more self-critically about what happens when people write and read. His vision of literacy is comprehensive and rational; he has transformed the way teachers think about students which has caused many universities and colleges to modify practices that have needed improvement for a long time.His primary research interests are in composition, literacy, pedagogy; his work engages lear ning in language and in American literature and studies. His thoughts and visions are based on Aristotelian philosophy. Students have entered many discourse communities throughout their lives that have shaped their writing styles and language patterns. Basic writers’ problems when entering college is they â€Å"face a clash, not of dialects but of discourse forms† (Bizzel 295).There are many students from different countries and social classes that come to universities with different abilities to deal with academic discourse. In order for students to effectively reproduce compositions, they need to abandon their previous discourse communities with the help and knowledge of professors. According to Bartholomae’s paradigm, educators are empowered with the responsibility of introducing students to a set of codes and conventions that will allow beginning writers to enter into a new and allegedly empowering, discourse community (67).An important task of an educator i s to â€Å"pry loose† the scholar from their previous discourse community to which he or she had been a part of prior to entering the university (Bartholomae 83). Bartholomae describes these communities as structured by the â€Å"naive† codes of â€Å"everyday' life,† and he asserts that we must replace them with â€Å"the peculiar ways of knowing, selecting, evaluating, reporting, concluding, and arguing that define the discourse of our community† (79, 60).Contrastingly, Harris argues that the role as teachers should not be â€Å"to initiate our students into the values and practices of some new community, but to offer them a chance to reflect critically on those discourses – of home, school, work, the media and the like – to which they already belong† (19). As a fourth year university student, I have taken many literature classes, and by observing many struggling students, I believe that Bartholomae’s arguments are accurate. Students need to conform to the universities’ discourse community to properly compose writing assignments and be proven successful in the course.Many students are penalized for not appropriating a privileged discourse. First year writers have difficulty adopting an authoritative voice in their writing assignments. Writing with authority isn't a matter of correct grammar; it is a prose that displays enough skill and professionalism that it convinces the reader that the author has a purpose to his or her writing. It is important for authors to be comfortable with the audience and to ensure that readers’ expectations are met.Bartholomae explains â€Å"To speak with authority [students] have to speak not only in another’s voice but through another’s code; and they not only have to do this, they have to speak in the voice and through the codes of those of us with power and wisdom†¦ † (78). Writers only gain authority when their arguments can be rel ated to those of other critics (Gaipa 419). A student’s argument can be cogent and engaging, but it will lack authority â€Å"until its author clarifies [his or her] contribution to a larger critical community† (419).Despite having four years experience in academic writing, establishing authority and creating a purpose for various audiences continues to be an exceptionally complex task to achieve. Many hours are spent revising and modifying compositions to generate an academic essay that reaches the professor’s expectations. Most native-speakers of the English language come to a University or College with a vocabulary of approximately twenty thousand words. Generally, students will be taught more than one thousand new words every year from academic writing.Undergraduate’s discover that creating academic composition requires the use of â€Å"professional language† and a â€Å"specialized† vocabulary (Graff and Birkenstein 116,119) However, st udents should not use complex wording in there essays unless the terminology is clear and completely understood. Essays require â€Å"correct and complete understanding of the meaning of their vocabulary in order for the reader to process their intellectual substance† (Stotsky 318) Writers need to learn that â€Å"what they say (the code) is more important than what they meant(the intention)†(Bartholomae 77).I think students underestimate the importance of language used within a composition. Many words are overused by scholars or too difficult for readers to comprehend. To conclude, in order to gain familiarity with scholarly discourse, imitation is essential for the beginner and basic writers. Students continuously struggle with establishing an authoritative voice and satisfying syntactical standards to the teachers’ expectations, therefore continuous practice is necessary.It is to the students benefit to abandon their prior discourse community and engage in th e university’s academia. Ultimately, to become successful authors, students must follow a teacher’s examples and examine their preferable writing styles and techniques. Bibliography Bartholomae, David. â€Å"Inventing the University†. Writing on the Margins: Essays on Composition and Teaching. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. Print. Bizzel, Patricia. â€Å"What Happens When Basic Writers Come to College? † College Composition and Communication 37, 1986. 294-301. Web. Nov 30. 2009.Gaipa, Mark. †Breaking into the Conversation: How Students Can Acquire Authority for Their Writing† Pedagogy 4, 2004. 419-437. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. Graff, G and Birkenstein, C. They Say I say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York, NY: W. W,Norton & Company, 2006. Print. Harris, Joseph. â€Å"The Idea of Community in the Study of Writing† College Composition and Communications 40, 1989. 11-22. Web. 25 Nov. 2009. Stotsky, Sandra. â€Å"T he Vocabulary of Essay Writing: Can It Be Taught? † College Composition and Communication 32, 1981. 317-326. Web. 27 Nov. 2009.

Ib Psychology Bla

Discuss the use of technology in investigating one cognitive process-Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder that results in memory loss, impaired thinking and personality change. No blood test, brain scan, physical exam can definitely diagnose Alzheimer's disease. PET scan detect radioactively tagged glucose that are injected into a patient’s body before the imaging.Glucose enters through blood stream and brain. The most active brain areas need sugar, while damaged and less active areas need much less. By detecting the weak radiation signal from the sugar molecules are they travel throughout the brain, PET scanners can map out the brain. Using PET scans, researchers can show that early stages of Alzheimer’s disease has a reduction in brain metabolism in hippocampus.Masconi(2005) have developed brain-scan-based computer and found out that in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease there is a reduction in brain metabolism in the hippocampus. He also found out that early signs of reduced metabolism in hippocampus was associated with later development of Alzheimer disease. Therefore, PET scan is useful in finding out the early development of Alzheimer’s disease. MRI scan uses magnetic and radio waves to provide very clear and detailed static 3D images of brain structure.MRI scan can show images of shrinkage in the hippocampus; this shrinkage reflects death of substantial numbers of brain cells. The phenomenon can be detected even before symptoms interfere with daily functions, helping patients to prepare for Alzheimer’s disease. Goshe et al (2000) looked at MRI result for 119 patients with varying degrees of cognitive impairment. He was 100% accurate when determining which patients had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and which had no symptoms.The study reported a 93% accuracy rate when researchers were asked to distinguish between patients with no sympt oms and those with mild cognitive impairment, but not yet diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This shows that MRI scan is very accurate in determining whether the patient has Alzheimer symptoms. According to above examples, PET scan finds out early development of Alzheimer’s disease, while MRI scan determine whether the patient shows symptoms. It is clear that Alzheimer’s disease can be investigated through PET scan and MRI scan.

Consumerism and Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 10

Consumerism and Identity - Essay Example In this paper I will qualify the statement that the capitalist commercial culture has been blamed for the bad experiences in the society. Argument for the Claim The society has continually faced problems that range from economic to political, and fingers point to the commercial culture of capitalism. Profit motive in the commercial sector plays an important role on food that people eat and to a great extent account for effects of other consumables. Emergence of economic concepts of cost minimization towards optimal profits play a core role as capitalists seeks less costly strategies to productions and marketing strategies for market control. In the food industry, for example, industrialization has transformed eating habits to commercially processed foods that are rich in chemicals and fats and expose consumers to eating disorders such as overweight. Using the media to penetrate into new markets also influences consumers towards the capitalists’ products and increases incidence s of effects of industrial products (Twitchell 1). Economic effects of capitalism also support the claim that the commercial culture is responsible for depression and associated disorders among members of the society. Unlike in socialist culture where the society owns resources and collectivism ensures needs of every member of the society, capitalism concentrates excessive resources on a few individuals while a majority of members of the society remain in poverty and have to struggle for their needs. Human suffering due to lack of basic needs or wants therefore flourish in the society while a non-capitalist system would have resolved such conditions. The condition worsens by capitalists’ selfish interest that seeks to increase the capitalists’ possession at the expense of the working class that mainly lives in poverty. Capitalist commercial culture has also threatened social cultures and cultural figures through undermining cultural values. Competitiveness in the corpo rate sector and the profit orientation of capitalists has for example promoted creativity into cultural shifts in what appears as better practices and utilities. Cultures and their benefits to the society have suffered from the developments as they become inferior and lose value. High level of competition in the market and self-interest has also promoted ills such as corruption and associated consequences in substandard products that risk consumers’ lives and undermine economic growth (Twitchell 1). Established criticisms of the commercial culture also support Twitchell’s position that the culture does not benefit the society. Some oppressive conditions are manageable, especially through collective responsibility as observed in socialist culture, but self-centered interest in the capitalist culture overlooks strategies for resolving the conditions. Widening gap between economic classes is an example and explains why the poor get poorer and the rich continue to amass we alth. Capitalistic culture also undermines efforts for harmonizing living standards in the economy and promotes such acts as discrimination and exploitation to promote suffering and stress.

Compare and contrast the views of Howard Zinn's presentation of the Essay

Compare and contrast the views of Howard Zinn's presentation of the Vietnam War to the American Promise text - Essay Example both Zinn and the American Promise text begin by describing the combatants, the American Promise text seems to tacitly cast their communist leanings as irrational and in-direct opposition to freedom. Conversely, Zinn elevates their position to equal footing with the United States. Zinn describes North Vietnam as, â€Å"a nationalist revolutionary movement in a tiny, peasant country† (Zinn). One can easily argue that Zinn is even romanticizing the North Vietnamese movement, casting them in the mythic role as David in a battle with the United States’ Goliath. Zinn’s historicism goes on to explore the perspective of the North Vietnamese in more sympathetic details than the American Promise text. Where the American Promise text identifies the promise Kennedy made in fighting against Communist aggression, Zinn’s history notes the Atlantic Charter which promised the people the right to choose their own government. It shows that despite such a document, pleas by the North Vietnamese to President Harry Truman went unrecognized. The American Promise also focuses predominantly on the Vietnam War once it was started, and not the factors that ultimately caused the United States’ participation. While of this is surely attributed to the fact that it focuses on American History, key facts are left out, which Zinn includes. One of the most notable of these is that after the French left Vietnam there was scheduled to be an election that would unify the country. It was the United States that stepped in and prevented these elections from occurring, and placed a Vietnamese man who had previously resided in New Jersey in office. Quoting the Pentagon papers, Zinn states, â€Å"South Viet Nam was essentially the creation of the United States" (Zinn). When considering the Gulf of Tonkin incident the two textbooks have slightly different perspectives. While the American Promise acknowledges that there might be more to the attacks than was initially reported by the United States

Analysis for Higher Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis for Higher Learning - Essay Example As the report declares the movie â€Å"Higher Learning† is a drama about different issues of university student life, especially as they relate to all kinds of prejudice: sexual, racial, social included. Racial prejudice is one of the main themes. At the start of this movie, we can see one of the movie’s main characters, Remy, who is an outcast and misfit, ignored by another students. We also find Kristen, who has a little bit racial discrimination and isn’t sure of her own identity yet, and Malik, who is an African American confused about his own identity. Each of them ironically share some of the same prejudices toward each other and others. Each of them value some of the same things about life but do not realize they have anything in common. This essay stresses that when Malik gets on the elevator and meets Kristen by chance, Kristen reflexively grabs her bag, even though they have never seen each other. Malik notices and shakes his head to himself, accustomed to the scenario. This is the introduction to racial tension in the movie. The point that we should consider is why Kristen did that. If she had personally had a bad experience with a black person, it would be understandable. But what is more likely is that Kristen had the fear of being alone with a black man because of her preconceived bias and her lack of relationships with black people in her primarily caucasion neighborhood near Disneyland.

Infection Control practices in Dentistry Research Paper

Infection Control practices in Dentistry - Research Paper Example The paper tells that dentistry is one of the most important and widely studied disciplines in medicine. It refers to the study, examination, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders, conditions, and diseases related to the oral cavity. This pertains to teeth in particular, along with the conditions present in the face and jaws (maxillofacial) area to some extent. Though the field of dentistry is also related to the cosmesis, it is usually considered entirely as a branch of medicine. In order to stay healthy in every aspect, dentistry is considered significantly important. A dental team carried out the dental treatment, and it usually comprises of dental auxiliaries (dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental assistants, and dental technicians) and dentists. Majority of the dentists render their services in primary care or private practices, along with some others working in secondary care (hospitals), and other institutions such as armed forces bases, prison etc. The histo ry of dentistry dates back to 7000 BC when it was practiced in the Indus Valley Civilization. Thus, dentistry is thought to be equally ancient as the history of civilization and humanity is. Slovenia was the place that showed the evidence of the earliest dental filling, formed from the beeswax more than 6500 years back. Then, in the 17th century, the Edwin Smith Papyrus wrote a manuscript, which reflected those written in 3000 BC detailing the treatment of various dental diseases. The Code of Hammurabi had referenced twice the dental extraction relating it to the punishment. The science of advanced dentistry finally took roots and developed between the years 1650 and 1800 by Pierre Fauchard, a French surgeon, who also got popular as the "father of modern dentistry".