Communicative Language Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communicative Language Teaching - Essay Example   Communicative Language Teaching is effective since it focusing on determining what the student can do in functional terms and practically. It involves the use of thorough evaluations and helps students to identify things that are useful to them in a practical sense. It enables the students to complete the required grade or level of the curriculum successfully to meet the required national standards when it comes to education, and especially foreign education. It is a practical approach to foreign language students and applies to them all the way from kindergarten up to university. Communicative Language Teaching is important for students because it helps to make students understand what they can do after completing a certain level of education. The use of this teaching method enables a learner to use and apply certain strategies that may apply to the particular student.Since Communicative Learning Technology does not support one particular theory or working method, it can draw id eas from many practical methods such as sciences, psychology and the use of second languages. It embraces the different approaches that apply to helping the learner to meet their learning goals. Moreover, using this learning model has effectively enabled accommodation of different students who have different personalities and needs for learning. The practicality of this teaching brand appears in the way that it requires the frequent interaction between the learners to create a suitable atmosphere for the students to perfect their language skills.

Performance Management Essay Example for Free

Performance Management Essay William Hill employee workers in order to help the company to contribute its services. The efforts of Human Resources are directed towards improving the performance of employees and thereby enabling the business to achieve its objectives. Every business has to measure the performance of their company, this is to ensure efficiency and therefore they need their staff to perform effectively. William Hill always tries there best to recognise areas that are unsatisfactory for workers and find the aspects of weakness in the organization and do provide relevant training for individuals in order to develop this skills. They also realise that hard work has to paid off well so William Hill promote and reward good performance of employees with the use of bonus and this ensures workers tend to work better because they know that if they work well the organisation does better and further increase in pay will be awarded. Due to different hierarchical structures in companies, you will find that there are several methods to monitor performance, which do benefit these companies, and the system, which is commonly found, is the appraisal system. This is a one to one meeting with employee and manager to discuss the individuals performance between a certain periods. It is a rather good way in which to gain feedback from workers, discussing their performance to improve for the next meeting, identify what training is required if needed also to classify the potential for promotion and finally to reward performance related pay. William Hill does not find this method rather approachable due to the decentralisation of power of each subsidiary and some workers dont have a based shop but it can be used to encourage their employees to perform better because in appraisals you set targets which one would strive to meet in order to gain better financial gains. This relates with Hezbergs theory of motivator factors, one is given recognition of their efforts, which then enables a chance of improvement such as promotion due to the motivation the employee has also gained job satisfaction. Douglas McGregors theory Y can also be linked to appraisals if they met the targets that are set in the appraisal meeting then there is a good chance of promotion, this means that there is chance that workers can start enjoying work and be motivated by the job itself. McGregors theory X concurrent also that a pay increase, as he assumed that those in X are motivated by money. Abraham Maslows theory correlates with employees gaining job security by performing well, and if promotion is acknowledgeable then promotion will allow them to reach self- actualisation because their full potential has been realised. Businesses can use observation, which is when the manger watches the worker while they are working to ensure they are working efficiently and fault analysis, which is when the work is checked after it, has been finished to check for mistakes. In both incidents training can be identified and check for good performances and it indicates to the individual where they are going wrong and what needs to be done better. Training enables workers to be very familiarise with their job and will perform it to their best which according to Maslow will gain self-esteem to workers due to the confidence given by performing well. Performance through profit is when a business compares profit form previous years or to rivals to show how well they are performing. William Hill can use this in enabling them to see which area needs more work to increase workers routine such as training in needed areas to ensure that they perform rather more competitively with rivals also so that employees can be awarded dep ending how well the company does. This links with Taylor and McGregor theory Y as they all presume people are only motivated by money. Performance through productivity is when a company measures its workers output, this is done through William Hill by how much betting slips are taken by each Cashier and if targets are met then bonuses are rewarded monthly with your pay. This links with Maslow stating that rewarding workers gives them esteem as well as receiving recognition for their good performance. Performance related pay is when workers are paid according to their performance at work. William Hill can increase pay according to productivity or give the workers a bonus. This can be linked into the same theories as performance through productivity as they will be rewarded in the same way because it is financial gains that workers are gaining. Through various achievements within the organisation reward can also be given for instance when new employees go through the whole stage of induction program, William Hill will issue a certificate nicely presented to the worker, also a sense of achievement means more responsibility so they have moved from the trainee section which is related to promotion also so an increase of pay due to this. Through all of this William Hill are recognising their employees effort within the organisation which relates to Maslow theory of gaining once again esteem needs due to an increase of responsibility and Herzbergs motivator factors of achievement and recognition because the have ascertained to this level in William Hill PLC. Employees tend to be rewarded with good sales performance in William Hill through the way they demonstrate their skills, knowledge, behaviour and attitude towards customers. They are rewarded with promotion, job enlargement, job enrichment and fringe benefits that should keep them motivated to perform better at their position in William Hill. Theorists such as Taylor, Maslow and theory X believe those economic sorts of rewards are good for those who only work for the love money and this will motivate them to perform well whereas theory Y, Herzbergs motivators states that the job enrichment, enlargement and promotion are giving them more responsibility which should motivate but at the end of the day they want do the extra job with less pay that what is deserved. Long service to William Hill is also an achievement made because you have gained various skills and abilities also knowledge of William Hill to apply and allow new employees to imitate. This loyalty is rewarded with extra paid holiday allowance greater bonus at the end of each year to acknowledge also. This allows workers to feel respected and recognised by the company also part of the family. Gaining the bonus is a financial incentive and Taylor believes that is what motivates workers but Herzberg sees this as only causing job satisfaction not a motivator, the real motivator is that sense of achievement and reorganisation and this also relates to Maslow because esteem is given through respect and effort due to the loyalty the worker has given to William Hill.

Essay on Hardships on Cold Mountain -- Cold Mountain Essays

Hardships on Cold Mountain  Ã‚  Ã‚   The events one goes through in his or her life often shapes the person he or she becomes.   The challenges faced early in life work to strengthen one’s personality and enable them to live and flourish. In the novel Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier the reader learns about the many obstacles Ruby has had to face while growing up.   These hardships added to the person that she became and made her strong enough to face the obstacles that come later in life.   In being faced with many obstacles in life Ruby was able to learn from them, become a stronger person and therefore survive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of her lack of love and parenting, Ruby was forced to mature and learn how to survive at unimaginably young age.   Not only did Ruby grow up motherless, she practically grew up without a father.   Stobrod did not only abandon her physically he was never present her for emotionally, and often disclaim her as his own.   He told her the story of how her mother would say â€Å"he had no part in the baby and that its cause was a tall blue heron.† (Pg. 194)  Ã‚   To gr...

Ppi and the Big Mac Index

Estimating the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) of currencies using the Big Mac Indexâ„ ¢ Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Purchasing Power Parity and Theory of one Price 3. Over/Under Valuation of currencies against the Dollar 5. Comparative analysis of the most overvalued to the most undervalued 6. Observation and Alternative indexes 7. Limitations 8. Appendix INTRODUCTION Purchasing power parity (PPP) is an important and critical topic in international economics. It arises when the purchasing power of an amount of money is the same in different countries. This is when prices of two different countries are converted to a common currency. The idea is based on the law of one price, where in the absence of official trade restrictions, similar goods will have the same price in different markets, with the prices being expressed in the same (common) currency. Deviations from parity infer differences in purchasing power of goods across countries, which means that for the purposes of many international comparisons, countries' GDPs or other national income statistics need to be â€Å"PPP adjusted† and converted into common units. There can be a huge difference when adjusted by purchasing power and when converted via market exchange rates. For ex:- If calculated at nominal exchange rates, India has the tenth largest economy while adjusting by PPP, India has the fourth largest economy. Thus, to remove this discrepancy, a common currency of measurement is highly essential. The Big Mac Index is an example of a measure of law of one price. It refers to the prices of a Big Mac burger in McDonald's restaurants in different countries. It helps in determining whether a currency is undervalued or overvalued and thus accordingly gives an idea about the direction in which currencies should move. The Big Mac was selected because it is available for a common purpose in many countries around the world as local McDonald's franchisees have significant responsibility for converting input prices(at least in theory). The Big Mac Index is useful because it is based on a very well-known food item whose final price can be easily tracked in many countries. PPP and the Theory of One Price The One-Price Theory The theory of PPP and One price go hand in hand. It is imperative to understand the implication of â€Å"One Price† to understand the Purchase Power Parity as it is based on that. The Law of One Price proposes that if a gadget costs $2 in USA and the same gadget costs Rs 5 in India , then the exchange rate should be 2/5 = 0. 40 for the real prices to be same in both the countries. Let us denote it empirically as Price of a good in one country A be X and Price of the same good in some other country B is X* , then equalization of both the prices can be done using exchange rate denoted by the formula Exchange Rate = X/X* Suppose in the above example where the exchange rate is calculated to be 0. 4, increases to 0. 6, and then the same gadget would cost Rs 8. 33 in India. This would result in the inflow of gadgets to India from USA causing increase in the demand of dollars and increase in supply of Rupees. Law of One Price (LoOP) It states that identical goods should sell at same price in two different markets when there are no transportation costs and no differential taxes applied in two markets One Price Theory and PPP While this concept of one –price here in the example is being applied to one commodity, it can be applied universally to all other commodities in market as well. The Big Mac burger is one of the brightest examples of the application of One-Price to a commodity. It looks at the price of a big Mac burger across different countries. This way Purchase Power Parity applies not just to a single commodity but on general price level. This way we can universally derive a relation of One-Price theory and Purchase Power Parity. The Big Mac was created by Jim Delligatti in the year 1967 and introduced throughout the US in 1968. The Big Mac is now available in around 120 countries around the world and its composition is generally the same throughout – two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun. Since beef is not consumed in India, a special Mac known as the â€Å"Maharaja Mac† can be found with chicken patties replacing beef patties. In Islamic countries the Big Mac is made with Halal beef and in Israel it is made with Kosher beef. The price of a Big Mac in US is calculated by the average of 4 cities – Atlanta, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. The price of Big Mac in Euro area is calculated by the weighted average of prices in Euro area. The Big Mac considered in India is the Maharaja Mac. Country| Big Mac Price| Implied PPP rate +| Today's| Over(+) / Under(-) Valuation against the USD, % ++| | | | Exchange Rate| | in Local Currency| in US dollars| | 1 USD =| | US| $ 4. 07| 4. 07| —| 1| —| Argentina| Peso 20. 0| 4. 4153463| 4. 92| 4. 530| 8. 6175| Australia| A$ 4. 56| 4. 6373416| 1. 12| 0. 983| 13. 8996| Brazil| Real 9. 50| 5. 2511951| 2. 34| 1. 809| 29. 3452| Britain| ? 2. 39| 3. 7447139| 0. 59| 0. 638| -7. 5573| Canada| C$ 4. 73| 4. 6363004 | 1. 16| 1. 020| 13. 7021| Chile| Peso 1850| 3. 6281104| 455| 509. 907| -10. 7681| China| Yuan 14. 7| 2. 3129209| 3. 6| 6. 356| -43. 3570| Colombia| Peso 8400| 4. 326| 2066| 1941. 748| 6. 3990| Czech Republic| Koruna 69. 3| 3. 6412205| 17. 1| 19. 32| -10. 1517| Denmark| DK 28. 5| 5. 1401734| 7. 01| 5. 545| 26. 4302| Egypt| Pound 14. 1| 2. 3477628| 3. 47| 6. 006| -42. 2217| Euro area| Euro 3. 44| 4. 6013727| 1. 18| 0. 748| 57. 8378| Hong Kong| HK$ 15. 1| 1. 9404672| 3. 71| 7. 782| -52. 3236| Hungary| Forint 760| 3. 3439474| 187| 227. 276| -17. 7213| India| Rupee 84. 0| 1. 6163756| 20. 7| 51. 968| -60. 1679| Indonesia| Rupiah 22534| 2. 501274| 5543| 9009. 009| -38. 4727| Israel| Shekel 15. 9| 4. 2277811| 3. 91| 3. 761| 3. 9662| Japan| ? 320| 4. 1212269| 78. 7| 77. 647| 1. 3564| Malaysia| Ringgit 7. 20| 2. 2981176| 1. 7| 3. 133| -43. 5046| Mexico| Peso 32. 0| 2. 3459637| 7. 87| 13. 640| -42. 3040| New Zealand| NZ$ 5. 10| 3. 9382574| 1. 25| 1. 295| -3. 4741| Norway| Kroner 45. 0| 7. 832 1279| 11. 1| 5. 746| 93. 1925| Pakistan| Rupee 205| 2. 3019159| 50. 5| 89. 056| -43. 2943| Peru| New Sol 10| 3. 7022146| 2. 46| 2. 701| -8. 9255| Philippines| Peso 118| 2. 7064108| 29| 43. 600| -33. 4865| Poland| Zloty 8. 63| 2. 5572242| 2. 12| 3. 375| -37. 1806| Russia| Rouble 75. 0| 2. 3810975| 18. 5| 31. 498| -41. 2663| Saudi Arabia| Riyal 10. 0| 2. 6661761| 2. 46| 3. 751| -34. 4121| Singapore| S$ 4. 1| 3. 4060498| 1. 08| 1. 295| -16. 5865| South Africa| Rand 19. 45| 2. 3850647| 4. 78| 8. 155| -41. 3850| South Korea| Won 3700| 3. 2782| 910| 1128. 668| -19. 3740| Sweden| SKr 48. 4| 7. 1816695| 11. 9| 6. 739| 76. 5741| Switzerland| SFr 6. 5| 7. 036772| 1. 6| 0. 924| 73. 2128| Taiwan| NT$ 75. 0| 2. 4825847| 18. 5| 30. 210| -38. 7629| Thailand| Baht 70. 0| 2. 2628537| 17. 2| 30. 934| -44. 3985| Turkey| Lire 6. 5| 3. 5532705| 1. 6| 1. 829| -12. 5349| + The Purchasing Power Parity or the PPP rate is the price of Big Mac in local currency divided by the price in the US. Price of Big Mac (and corresponding implied PPP rates from The Economist and is the latest). ++ The Over/Under valuation against the dollar is calculated using Exchangerate’s latest rates ( i. e as of 09/12/2011): 100 x ( P P P – Exchange Rate) / Exchange Rate (Source http://www. exchangerate. com/) OBSERVATION The most overvalued of currencies is the European Nordic countries’ currencies and most undervalued is the Indian Rupee. At market exchange rates, the Burger is 60% cheaper in India than in US. In other words, the Indian rupee is 60% undervalued against the dollar. However it should be noted that cheap burgers in India don’t mean that the Indian rupee is highly undervalued. Average prices should be lower in poor countries than in rich ones because labor costs are lower. The chart in the Appendix A shows a strong positive relationship between the dollar price of a Big Mac and GDP per person. Purchasing Power Parity is actually an indicator where exchange rates should move in the long run. For estimating the current fair value of a currency, a best fit line is drawn between Big Mac prices and GDP per person. The price thus predicted after the best fit line is drawn is compared with the actual price and this provides a better estimation of the currency over and under valuation than the above index. The â€Å"beefed up† index shows that the Brazilian Real is the most overvalued in the world; the Euro is also slightly overvalued. However the two major developing countries – India and China appear to be almost equal to its fair values. ALTERNATIVE INDICES An index similar to the Big Mac index has also been developed by the financial company UBS as part of general compilation of differences in prices and incomes around the globe. The Economist  also comes out with variants of the same. For example in the month of January in 2004, it proposed a  Tall Latte index  by replacing the Big Mac with a Starbucks Tall Latte. Refer Appendix B for the same. Commonwealth Securities, an Australian bank's subsidiary, proposed to create the iPod index by using the concepts behind the Big Mac index. The banks contention that since the Big Mac index can be distorted by taxes, transport costs, labour laws and trade barriers in each country and the iPod was made in a single country – China, it made more sense to use the iPod as a measuring index. Since the iPod was made in a single country, the price should be broadly be the same all over the world and if the price difference were substantial, customers would switch their purchases to other countries (thanks to internet). However it was found to be ineffective since freight charges vary from country to country and countries such as US may get volume discounts. Bloomberg LP also introduced an alternative index known as Billy index after the iconic Ikea’s bookshelf. The index was calculated after converting the bookshelf’s price to US dollars. LIMITATIONS aapendix a APPENDIX B APPENDIX C (Exchange Rates as Of 9th December 2011) | | Country| Currency| ISO| 12-08-2011| 12-09-2011| % Change| | | ARGENTINA| Peso| ARS| 4. 52995| 4. 529656| -0. 01%|   | | | AUSTRALIA| Dollar| AUD| 0. 975877| 0. 983322| 0. 76%| |   | | AUSTRIA| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%|   | | | BELGIUM| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%| | | BRAZIL| Real| BRL| 1. 804477| 1. 809112| 0. 26%|   | | CANADA| Dollar| CAD| 1. 014437| 1. 02021| 0. 57%| | | | CHILE| Peso| CLP| 508. 4706| 509. 9073| 0. 28%|   | | | CHINA| Yuan| CNY| 6. 362878| 6. 3556| -0. 11%| | | CZECH REP. | Koruna| CZK| 18. 90629| 19. 3208| 0. 67%|   | | DENMARK| Krone| DKK| 5. 542461| 5. 54456| 0. 04%| | | | EUROPEAN UNION| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%|   | | | FINLAND| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%| | | FRANCE| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%|   | | | GERMANY| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%| | | | | GREECE| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%|   | | HONG KONG| Dollar| HKD| 7. 776135| 7. 781631| 0. 07%| |   | HUNGARY| Forint| HUF| 227. 0945| 227. 2763| 0. 08%|   | | | ICELAND| Krona| ISK| 119. 1911| 118. 9654| -0. 19%| | | | INDIA| Rupee| INR| 51. 73987| 51. 96812| 0. 44%|   | | INTNL MON. FUND| SDR| XDR| 0. 642256| 0. 642147| -0. 02%| |   | | IRELAND| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%|   | | | ISRAEL| Sheqel| ILS| 3. 775473| 3. 760838| -0. 39%| |   | ITALY| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%|   | | JAPAN| Yen| JPY| 77. 60051| 77. 64678| 0. 06%| | | | KOREA (SOUTH)| Won| KRW| 1132. 612| 1146. 365| 1. 21%| | | KUWAIT| Dinar| KWD| 0. 277164| 0. 277164| 0. 00%| -| | | MEXICO| Peso| MXN| 13. 62357| 13. 64045| 0. 12%|   | | | NETHERLANDS| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%| | | | NEW ZEALAND| Dollar| NZD| 1. 28856| 1. 294989| 0. 50%|   | | | NORWAY| Krone| NOK| 5. 70238| 5. 745565| -0. 43%| | | | PAKISTAN| Rupee| PKR| 89. 01636| 89. 05625| 0. 04%|   | | PERU| Sol| PEN| 2. 701086| 2. 701086| 0. 00%| -| | | PHILIPPINES| Peso| PHP| 43. 29727| 43. 60018| 0. 70%|   | | | POLAND| Zloty| PLN| 3. 360573| 3. 374753| 0. 42%| | | | PORTUGAL| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%|   | | ROMANIA| Leu| RON| 3. 23797| 3. 23797| 0. 00%| -| | | RUSSIA| Ruble| RUB| 31. 43216| 31. 49808| 0. 21%|   | | | SAUDI ARABIA| Riyal| SAR| 3. 750569| 3. 75069| 0. 00%| | | | SINGAPORE| Dollar| SGD| 1. 291813| 1. 294755| 0. 23%|   | | SLOVAKIA| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 4%| | | | SOUTH AFRICA| Rand| ZAR| 8. 204971| 8. 154915| -0. 61%|   | | | SPAIN| Euro| EUR| 0. 74732| 0. 747603| 0. 04%| | | SWEDEN| Krona| SEK| 6. 771076| 6. 73938| -0. 47%|   | | | SWITZERLAND| Franc| CHF| 0. 925818| 0. 923719| -0. 23%| | | | TAIWAN| Dollar| TWD| 30. 16208| 30. 21045| 0. 16%|   | | THAILAND| Baht| THB| 30. 77703| 30. 93439| 0. 51%| |   | | U. A. E. | Dirham| AED| 3. 673236| 3. 673236| 0. 00%| -| | | UKRAINE| Hryvnia| UAH| 8. 000472| 7. 998369| -0. 03%| |   | UNITED KINGDOM| Pound| GBP| 0. 637984| 0. 638233| 0. 04%|   | | | UNITED STATES| Dollar| USD| 1| 1| 0. 00%| -|

Reducing Stress through Meditation

In today’s world every one experience stresses almost every day and human body involuntarily reacts in ways that prepare them to fight or run. However, stress is something that needs special attention and if it is not taken care properly it may lead physical damage to every part of the body. There are several studies that suggest the beneficial affects of meditation is exactly the opposite ways that stress does. Therefore, they claim that â€Å"meditation can restore the body to a serene state, serving the body to repair on its own, and averting further harm due to the physical effects of stress† (Scott n.pag). This paper is a literature review on what the experts think of the impact of meditation on stress management.It is a well known fact that stress and tension has become the common thing in the world today. There are enormous pressures of work, finances, family life, disease, studies, parents, children, etc. â€Å"In fact it is proven beyond doubt that stress and anxiety are the main cause for many serious health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and strokes and many more problems† (Monslow n.pag).Meditation is an age old technique that includes relaxing methods such as â€Å"listening to the breath, repeating a mantra, or detaching from the thought process, to focus the attention and bring about a state of self awareness and inner calm† (Canter 176-177). Though many researchers have worked on this issue it has been difficult to prove its therapeutic value. However it is assumed that this stress releasing activity may have prophylactic and therapeutic health benefits. This has been proven because of certain physiological effects such as a decreased of slowed heart rate or a particular electroencephalographic pattern that occur during meditation and describe a calm state may provide insight into how meditation works.According to a study conducted by Eisenberg et al. (964-972) â€Å"an association was found in a meta-anal ysis of cognitive behavioral techniques such as meditation for hypertension†. In another study of â€Å"meta-analysis trials of relaxation and meditation for trait anxiety that included 70 trials of meditation and showed that the 35 trials of transcendental meditation were linked with significantly larger effect sizes than other techniques† (Eppley et al. 957-974).According to another study in asthma problem it was found that sahaja meditation which is a technique of passive witnessing of thoughts, improved some outcomes. However, differences were not maintained at two months (Manocha et al. 110-115). Similarly, studies showed that people with epilepsy practising sahaja meditation had a significant decrease in objective stress measures and frequency of seizures (Panjwani et al 111-116; Panjwani et al 165-172).A study that was designed to determine the effectiveness of a group stress reduction program based on mindfulness meditation for patients with anxiety disorders. I n this study 22 study participants were selected with a structured clinical interview and found to meet the DSM- III-R criteria for generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. During the study assessments, including self-ratings and therapists' ratings, were obtained weekly before and during the meditation-based stress reduction and relaxation program and monthly during the 3-month follow-up period.It was found that a â€Å"group mindfulness meditation training program can successfully decrease symptoms of anxiety and panic and can aid preserve these reductions in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or panic disorder with agoraphobia† (Kabat-Zinn 936-943). The findings of a study by Kaplan et al (284-289) suggested that a meditation-based stress reduction program is effective for patients with fibromyalgia. In fact this is a chronic illness characterized by extensive pain, tenderness to light touch, fatigue, sleep distur bance, and resistance to treatment.In yet another study by Barnes et al. (366–369) that was taken up to determine the impact of stress reduction on blood pressure in adolescents by the Transcendental Meditation program it was found that there was a greater decreases in daytime systolic blood pressure (P < .04) and diastolic blood pressure (P < .06) in those people who were practicing transcendental meditation when compared with the control group. Therefore the study concluded that there is a beneficial impact of the transcendental meditation program in youth who are at risk for the development of hypertension.A study carried out at Harvard University found that elderly individuals who learned Transcendental Meditation exhibited considerably superior improvements in a range of age-related aspects of mental and physical health when compared to other techniques or among the control group with no-treatment. This study demonstrated that majority of subjects involved in Transcenden tal Meditation rated this technique as individually helpful and uncomplicated to do when compared to the other techniques. A follow-up study after three years found that all those who had learned Transcendental Meditation were still alive compared with significantly lower survival rates for the other groups and for the remaining population of the institutions where the study was carried out (Alexander et al. 950-964).Work CitedAlexander CN, Langer EJ, Davies JL, Chandler HM, Newman RI. Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: an experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (1989) Vol 57, 6 pp 950-964.Barnes, V.A., Treiber, FA and  Johnson, MH. Impact of transcendental meditation on ambulatory blood pressure in African-American adolescents. Am J Hypertens (2004) Vol 17 pp 366–369.Canter, P The therapeutic effects of meditation, editorial STUDENT BMJ VOL 11 (June 2003) pp: 176-177.

Airline Industry in Cyprus

Airline Industry in Cyprus Review of the Research Problems According to the introduction and literature review chapters, the aspects that need to be analysed in this research are the perceptions that consumers have on the service quality of the airline industry with particular focus on the airline industry in Cyprus.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Airline Industry in Cyprus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aspect of prioritising service quality factors based on customer perceptions will also be analysed in the research as well as the inconsistency that exists between customer perception of quality and the actual performance of service quality in the airline industry. The literature review has dealt with the aspects that are related to service quality perceptions as well as the satisfaction of customers. It has provided a foundation to the study by focusing on past research and studies that have been conducted on customer perception on service quality in the service industry. The research seeks to answer the question of how customers that use Cyprus airlines perceive the service quality of these airlines. According to the literature review, service quality is measured by the tangibility of the consumer’s surroundings which is represented by objects or subjects, the reliability of the service provider, the involvement and interaction of the service provider, the assurance that the customer will get a wide range of services and the readiness of the company to provide the customer with individualised services (Nadiri and Hussain 2005). The measurement of the various aspects of service quality in the Cyprus airline industry involved analysing the airline tangibles which include the cleanliness of the airplanes, the airport and the staff as well as the terminal’s facilities. Service quality was also measured in terms of empathy where the readiness of the airline staff to help customers and the punctua lity of the airline was analysed. The availability of health care facilities in the airport and the care of passenger luggage was also measured.Advertising Looking for dissertation on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Research Approach The appropriate methodology that will be used to collect and analyse data that is important to the research will involve determining the sample of the study. In this research, the sample of the study will consist of customers who use the various airline companies that are based in Cyprus. The non-probability sampling technique will be used to determine and this method of sampling is relevant to the study because it selects samples of the population that are judged to be a typical representation of this population. Non probabilistic sampling involves the use of samples that have been selected in way that has not been suggested in probability theories. Some of the most common methods in non probability sampling include snowball sampling, purposive or judgmental sampling, quota sampling and reliance on available subjects. For the purposes of this study, the non probability technique that will be used to sample the population will be the judgmental sampling of passengers in the airport (Babbie 2008). The type of data collection technique that will be incorporated within this research will be the use of questionnaires that will be distributed to passengers of the various airlines in Cyprus. The use of questionnaires is suitable for this research especially if the sample population is large in number. Questionnaires are also suitable as they provide the researcher with a detailed explanation of the various aspects that are under study by the researcher. The questionnaires will be self- administered where the passengers will be encouraged to fill them out based on their general perception of the airlines service quality. The main aspects that will be covered by the questionnaire include service quality and customer perceptions which will be represented by the questions or items. The items in the questionnaire will measure the dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale which is also known as the RATER scale. The dimensions of the RATER scale include reliability, assurance, tangibles (airline tangibles, terminal tangibles, image and personnel tangibles), empathy and responsiveness. The SERVQUAL scale developed by Parasuraman et al (1988) was designed to address the gaps that existed between customers’ expectations of service quality and their perceptions of the actual performance of the service.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Airline Industry in Cyprus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The items in the questionnaire will therefore measure the reliability of the Cyprus airline industry as well as the assurance that exists within these airlines. The questionnair e will also cover tangibles such as airline tangibles under the SERVQUAL scale such as the cleanliness of the aircraft, the quality of food provided in the plane, the cleanliness of the planes seats and toilet seats and the quality of air-conditioning within the planes. Terminal tangibles will also be measured in the questionnaire such as the cleanliness of the airports toilets, the number of shops available in the airport, the availability of parking within the airport, the comfort of waiting lounges in the airport, the level of air conditioning within the airport and within the smoking areas, availability of trolleys in the airport and the number of passengers that the airport can hold at a given time (Parasuraman et al 1988). The questionnaire will also measure tangibles that are related to personnel within the airport such as the general attitude of airport staff, the responsiveness of airline staff, the level of personnel care accorded to every passenger, the level of empathy t hat airline personnel have to their passengers, the level of training and experience that the employees have, awareness of airport duties and the level of error-free reservations and transactions. Another item that will be measured in the questionnaire will be empathy where the punctuality of flight arrivals and departures will be measured as well as transportation to the airport (Nadiri et al 2008). Other items that will be measured under empathy will be compensation schemes available to passengers, the care of passenger’s luggage, number of flights available to passengers, the locations of airline offices within and outside the airport and the availability of health care services during the flight. The questionnaire will also include an image item that will be used to measure the general perception that the customer has of the image of the airline, the availability of low ticker prices and the consistency of airline ticket prices. Finally the questionnaire will include a cu stomer satisfaction item that will measure the satisfaction that the customer has with the airline, the impression that the customer has of whether the airline has improved and the general attitude of the customer towards the airline (Nadiri et al 2008).Advertising Looking for dissertation on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The questionnaire will also include an item that deals with loyalty of the customer towards Cyprus airlines by analysing the repurchase intentions of the customer such as whether they consider the airlines to be their first choice and whether they will continue to use the airline in the future. The responsiveness aspect of the SERVQUAL scale will also be measured in the questionnaire to ascertain whether the Cyprus airline industry is responding well to its customer’s needs. Each item in the questionnaire will be measured by a five-point Likert scale where the scale items, reliabilities and corrected item-total correlations will be used to analyse the results of the questionnaire. The SERVQUAL scale is suitable for this study as it measures the behavioural intentions of airlines and airline passenger by measuring customer satisfaction and the service quality dimensions that are included in the RATER scale (Parasuraman et al 1988). Through the consideration of Parasuraman et a l’s study on airline service quality and customer perceptions, several hypotheses for the study can be developed. The first hypothesis H1, based on the SERVQUAL scale will be a â€Å"high level of perceived reliability related to service quality will have a positive effect on customer satisfaction.† (Nadiri et al 2008) Another hypothesis that can be derived from the SERVQUAL scale, H2 will be â€Å"a high level of perceived assurance related to service quality will lead to positive effect on customer satisfaction. With regards to tangibles on the SERVQUAL scale the hypothesis H3, will be â€Å"a high level of perceived tangibles related to quality will have a significant impact on customer satisfaction. Hypothesis four which is related to customer empathy will be â€Å"a high level of perceived empathy related to service quality will have a significant effect on customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions (Nadiri et al 2008). The hypothesis that will be used to reflect the responsiveness of the airline industry in the SERVQUAL scale will be â€Å"a high level of perceived responsiveness will have a significant positive effect on customer satisfaction†. After the questionnaires have been filled, the study dimensions within the questionnaire will be related to the hypothesized relationships. The diagram below represents service quality dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale measured by airline tangibles (ATANG), terminal tangibles (TTANG), personnel (PER), empathy (EMP) and image (IMG) as well as their link with the hypothesized relationships within the study. The dimensions are represented by circles which demonstrate the independent and dependent variables of the study. The hypotheses demonstrated by the arrows are used to measure both customer satisfaction with the airlines in Cyprus and their repurchase intention (Nadiri et al 2008) (Source: Nadiri et al 2008) Primary and Secondary Research Data Research data can be collected from eith er primary sources of information or secondary sources of data. Primary data refers to information that has been collected by a researcher that has not been subjected to any forms of processing or manipulation. Primary data which is also known as raw data is the information that the researcher gathers as he continues to conduct his studies. Raw data is usually generated from experimentation and field studies where the researcher collects information that has not been previously collected by other researchers. For primary data to become information, it has to undergo selective extraction and analysis to ensure that it is suitable for presentation (Thyer 2010). Secondary data is information that has been collected by someone else apart from the user of the research. The most commonly used resources of secondary data comprise of surveys, questionnaires, census results, academic journals, articles, books, government records and data collected via qualitative or quantitative research. Se condary data is the most preferred source of data collection as it ensures that the researcher saves time while collecting the relevant information that pertains to the study. It also ensures that less time is spent in collecting quantitative data which requires the development of higher quality databases to capture quantitative information (Thyer 2010). The source of secondary data in quantitative research is from censuses, surveys and government statistics. The source of secondary data in qualitative research is derived from structured or non-structured interviews, observation, questionnaires and focus groups (Thyer 2010). The type of data collection method that will be used for this study will be secondary data sources such as journals, articles, websites, textbooks, statistics, reports and surveys that contain information qualitative and quantitative information based on previous studies and research work that has been conducted on service quality and customer satisfaction with particular focus on the airline industry. The use of secondary data will be important to the study as it will save on time and also ensure that the research has a strong theoretical background and framework based on previous research and theories. Research Design and Data Analysis Techniques The purpose of a research design is to determine whether the research questions of the study can be transformed into testable hypotheses. In selecting the most suitable research design, the researcher has to first assess the research questions of the study. Once the research questions have been developed, the researcher has the option of selecting various research methods to structure the research in a suitable way. The most commonly used research designs include experimental designs, non-experimental designs and quasi experimental research designs. The experimental research design involves the researcher actively trying to change the circumstances of the research while the non-experimental rese arch design involves the researcher studying two natural groups that are under conditions or circumstances that have not been manipulated (Creswell 2003) The quasi experiment research design is an observational study that is conducted on the subjects of a study who have not been randomly assigned to the groups that are understudy. In a quasi experiment people would be grouped according to the categories in which they fit in. The research design that will be used for the purposes of this study will be the non experimental research design as it ensures that the circumstances or conditions of the aspects or subjects that are understudy have not been manipulated or changed in anyway. The non experimental design will also ensure that a range of dependent and independent variables can be able to be measured by the researcher during the study such as the various dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale and the customer perception of service quality in Cyprus airlines (Creswell 2003). The data anal ysis technique that will be used to analyse the qualitative information within the research will be the constant comparison or grounded theory assesses secondary data sources to determine whether any indicators exist that can be used to explain the consistencies and differences in customer perceptions and service quality. The constant comparison method will also assess the various theoretical frameworks and conceptual backgrounds that exist in various research works that have been conducted on the topic that is understudy. It will also ensure that the researcher is able to compare the various works of researchers with regards to the airline industry in Cyprus (Ratcliff 2011). In analysing the qualitative information that has been collected in the study, the most suitable data analysis method that will be used to analyse the statistical measurements derived from the Likert scale will be the SPSS computer program which will provide a descriptive analysis of the standard deviations and frequencies that have been calculated for the five dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale which include airline tangibles, personnel, empathy, image and terminal tangibles. The psychometric properties of the collected data will also be measured on the basis of reliability, convergence and dimensionality. References Babbie, E., (2008) The basics of social research. Belmont, California: Thomson Higher Education, Print. Creswell, J., (2003) Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed method  approaches. London, UK: Sage Publications, Print. Nadiri, H., and Hussain, K., (2005) Diagnosing the zone of tolerance for hotel services.  Managing Service Quality. Vol.15, No. 3, pp 259-277. Nadiri, H., Hussain, K., Ekiz, E.H., and Erdogan, S., (2008). An investigation on the factors influencing passengers’ loyalty in the North Cyprus national airline.  Total Quality Management Journal, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp 265-280. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1988) SERVQUAL: a multiple-tem scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, Vol.64, No.1, 00 12 -40. Ratcliff, D., (2011) Methods of data analysis in qualitative research. Web. Thyer, B., (2010)The handbook of social work research methods. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Print.

Spaceship Earth - More than a Disney Attraction

Spaceship Earth - More than a Disney Attraction Visionary and designer, poet and engineer, R. Buckminster Fuller believed that we must work together as a crew if we are to survive on our planet, spaceship earth. How did the dreams of a genius turn into a Disney World attraction? When Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) conceived the geodesic dome, he dreamed that it would house humanity. Constructed of a complex framework of self-bracing triangles, the geodesic dome was the strongest and most economical structure ever designed for its time, first patented in 1954. No other form of enclosure covered so much area without internal supports. The larger it is, the stronger it becomes. Geodesic domes have proven durable in hurricanes that have flattened traditional homes. Whats more, geodesic domes are so easy to assemble that an entire house can be built in a single day. Spaceship Earth at Disney World The enormous ATT Pavilion at Epcot in Disney World is perhaps the worlds most famous structure modeled after Fullers geodesic dome. Technically, the Disney pavilion isnt a dome at all! Known as Spaceship Earth, the Disney World attraction is a full (although slightly uneven) sphere. A true geodesic dome is hemispherical. However, theres no question that this Disney icon is Buckys brainchild. EPCOT was envisioned by Walt Disney in the 1960s as a planned community, an urban development of the future. Disney allotted 50 acres of his newly purchased Florida swampland to be what I remember to be called an Environmental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Disney himself presented the plan in 1966, explaining the Celebration-like development as an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, a climate-controlled bubble community, with, perhaps, a geodesic dome atop. The dream was never realized at Epcot- Disney died in 1966, shortly after he presented the master plan and shortly before Buckminster Fuller had great success with Biosphere at Montreals Expo 67. After Disneys death, amusement prevailed, and living under a dome transformed into being entertained inside a sphere representing Spaceship Earth Built in 1982, Spaceship Earth at Disney World encloses some 2,200,000 cubic feet of space inside a globe that is 165 feet in diameter. The outer surface is composed of 954 triangular panels made of a polyethylene core sandwiched between two anodized aluminum plates. These panels are not all the same size and shape. Geodesic Dome Homes Buckminster Fuller had high hopes for his geodesic domes, but the economical designs didnt catch on the way he envisioned. First, builders needed to learn how to waterproof the structures. Geodesic domes are made up of triangles with many corners and many seams. Eventually builders became skilled in geodesic dome construction and they were able to make the the structures resistant to leaks. There was another problem, however. The odd shape and appearance of geodesic domes proved to be a hard-sell for homebuyers used to conventional houses. Today, geodesic domes and spheres are widely used for weather stations and airport radar shelters, but relatively few geodesic domes are built for private homes. Although you wont often find a one in a suburban neighborhood, geodesic domes do have a small but passionate following. Scattered around the world are determined idealists, building and living in the efficient structures Buckminster Fuller invented. Later designers followed in his footsteps, creating other types of dome housing such as sturdy and economical Monolithic Domes. Learn More: Movies About Famous Architects, Including Buckminster FullerWhat is a Geodesic Dome?From our architecture glossary, illustration and definition of the geodesic dome, conceived by Buckminster Fuller.Build A Geodesic Dome ModelStep by step instructions, with diagrams, by Trevor Blake.Buckminster Fuller: BiographyFast facts about the life and works of Buckminster Fuller.Buckminster Fuller: InventionsAn extensive collection of resources from your Inventors Expert.Buckminster Fuller Bibliography by Trevor Blake, 2016Walt Disneys Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow by Richard R. Beard, 1982

Tlaxcallan - Mesoamerican Stronghold Against the Aztecs

Tlaxcallan - Mesoamerican Stronghold Against the Aztecs Tlaxcallan was a Late Postclassic period city-state, built beginning about 1250 AD on the tops and slopes of several hills on the east side of the Basin of Mexico near modern day Mexico City. It was the capital of a territory known as Tlaxcala, a relatively small polity (1,400 square kilometers or about 540 square miles), located in the northern portion of the Pueblo-Tlaxcala region of Mexico today. It was one of a few stubborn hold outs never conquered by the powerful Aztec Empire. It was so stubborn that Tlaxcallan sided with the Spanish and made the overthrow of the Aztec empire possible. A Dangerous Enemy The Texcalteca (as the people of Tlaxcala are called) shared technology, social forms and cultural elements of other Nahua groups, including the origin myth of Chichemec migrants settling central Mexico and the adoption of farming and culture of the Toltecs. But they viewed the Aztec Triple Alliance as a dangerous enemy, and fiercely resisted the placement of an imperial apparatus into their communities. By 1519, when the Spanish arrived, Tlaxcallan held an estimated 22,500-48,000 people in an area of just 4.5 square kilometers (1.3 square miles or 1100 acres), with a population density of about 50-107 per hectare and domestic and public architecture covering about 3 sq km (740 ac) of the site. The City Unlike most Mesoamerican capital cities of the era, there were no palaces or pyramids at Tlaxcallan, and only a relatively few and small temples. In a series of pedestrian surveys, Fargher et al. found 24 plazas dispersed around the city, ranging in size from 450 to 10,000 square metersup to about 2.5 acres in size. The plazas were designed for public use; some small low temples were created at the edges. None of the plazas seems to have played a central role in the life of the city. Each plaza was surrounded by terraces on top of which were built ordinary houses. Little evidence of social stratification is in evidence; the most labor-intensive construction in Tlaxcallan is that of the residential terraces: perhaps 50 kilometers (31 miles) of such terraces were made in the city. The main urban zone was divided into at least 20 neighborhoods, each focused on its own plaza; each one was likely administered and represented by an official. Although there is no governmental complex within the city, the site of Tizatlan, located about 1 km (.6 mi) outside of the city across unoccupied rugged terrain may have acted in that role. Governmental Center of Tizatlan Tizatlans public architecture is the same size as the Aztec king Nezahualcoyotls palace in Texcoco, but instead of the typical palace layout of small patios surrounded by large numbers of residential rooms, Tizatlan is made up of small rooms surrounded by a massive plaza. Scholars believe it functioned as a central place for the pre-conquest territory of Tlaxcala, serving as many as 162,000 to 250,000 persons dispersed throughout the state in about 200 small towns and villages. Tizatlan had no palace or residential occupation, and Fargher and colleagues argue that the location of the site outside of town, lacking residences and with little rooms and big plazas, is evidence that Tlaxcala functioned as an independent republic. The power in the region was placed in the hands of a ruling council rather than a hereditary monarch. Ethnohistoric reports suggest that a council of between 50-200 officials governed Tlaxcala. How Did They Maintain Independence? The Spanish conquistador Hernn Cortà ©s said the Texcalteca kept their independence because they lived in freedom: they had no ruler-centered government, and the society was egalitarian compared to much of the rest of Mesoamerica. And Fargher and associates think thats right. Tlaxcallan resisted incorporation into the Triple Alliance empire despite being completely surrounded by it, and despite numerous Aztec military campaigns against it. Aztec attacks on Tlaxcallan were the among the bloodiest of battles waged by the Aztecs; both early historical sources Diego Muà ±oz Camargo and the Spanish inquisition leader Torquemada reported stories about the defeats that pushed the last Aztec king Montezuma to tears. Despite Cortes admiring remarks, many ethnohistoric documents from the Spanish and Native sources state that the continued independence of the Tlaxcala state was because the Aztecs allowed their independence. Instead, the Aztecs claimed they purposefully used Tlaxcallan as a place to provide military training events for Aztec soldiers and as a source for obtaining sacrificial bodies for imperial rituals, known as the Flowery Wars. There is no doubt that the ongoing battles with the Aztec Triple Alliance were costly to Tlaxcallan, interrupting trade routes and creating havoc. But as Tlaxcallan held its own against the empire, it saw an enormous influx of political dissidents and uprooted families. These refugees included Otomi and Pinome speakers fleeing imperial control and warfare from other polities who fell to the Aztec empire. The immigrants augmented Tlaxcalas military force and were fiercely loyal to their new state. Tlaxcallan Support of the Spanish, or Vice Versa? The main story line about Tlaxcallan is that the Spanish were able to conquer Tenochtitlan only because the Tlaxcaltecas defected from the Aztec hegemony and threw their military support behind them. In a handful of letters back to his king Charles V, Cortes claimed that the Tlaxcaltecas became his vassals, and that they were instrumental in helping him defeat the Spanish. But is that an accurate description of the politics of the Aztec fall? Ross Hassig (1999) argues that the Spanish accounts of the events of their conquest of Tenochtitlan are not necessarily accurate. He argues specifically that Cortes claim that the Tlaxcaltecas were his vassals is disingenous, that in fact they had very real political reasons to support the Spanish. The Fall of an Empire By 1519, Tlaxcallan was the only polity left standing: they were completely surrounded by the Aztecs and saw the Spanish as allies with superior weapons (cannons, harquebuses, crossbows and horsemen). The Tlaxcaltecas could have defeated the Spanish or simply withdrawn when they appeared in Tlaxcallan, but their decision to ally with the Spanish was a savvy political one. Many of the decisions made by Cortessuch as the massacre of the Chololtec rulers and selection of a new noble to be kinghad to have been plans devised by Tlaxcallan. After the death of the last Aztec king, Montezuma (aka Moteuczoma), the remaining true vassal states to the Aztecs made the choice to support them or throw in with the Spanishmost chose to side with the Spanish. Hassig argues that Tenochtitlan fell not as a result of the Spanish superiority, but at the hands of tens of thousands of angry Mesoamericans. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Aztec Empire, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Carballo DM, and Pluckhahn T. 2007. Transportation corridors and political evolution in highland Mesoamerica: Settlement analyses incorporating GIS for northern Tlaxcala, Mexico. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 26:607–629. Fargher LF, Blanton RE, and Espinoza VYH. 2010. Egalitarian ideology and political power in prehispanic central Mexico: the case of Tlaxcallan. Latin American Antiquity 21(3):227-251. Fargher LF, Blanton RE, Heredia Espinoza VY, Millhauser J, Xiuhtecutli N, and Overholtzer L. 2011. Tlaxcallan: the archaeology of an ancient republic in the New World. Antiquity 85(327):172-186. Hassig R. 1999. War, politics and the conquest of Mexico. In: Black J, editor. War in the Early Modern World 1450-1815. London: Routledge. p 207-236. Millhauser JK, Fargher LF, Heredia Espinoza VY, and Blanton RE. 2015. The geopolitics of obsidian supply in Postclassic Tlaxcallan: A portable X-ray fluorescence study. Journal of Archaeological Science 58:133-146.

A Love Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

A Love Story - Essay Example Interactions increased during the exam revision period as we got to know each other. With each meeting, I started admiring him more and more. He also had a good sense of humor while his smile made me go crazy. I felt drawn towards him as days passed. I also got the vibes that he too was keen to meet me. The next three months were spent in intense exchange of messages. I used to look forward to parties thrown by my friends because that would mean meeting Cheng. It was like as if I wanted there should a party every other day, so attracted I was towards him. About three months later, I decided to express my feelings to him and start a relationship. However, I also prepared myself for rejection from his side – I did not want to break down or shatter my life. So I told myself that even if he does not same feelings for me, we could continue to be good friends. This is because I liked him immensely as an individual and valued his friendship. I did not trust myself so I jotted down al l that I wanted to express and then called him up. I picked up the courage to call him up and â€Å"read† out my feelings, all the while nervous as a wreck. His silence further unnerved me. He then calmly conveyed that he was not ready for any steady relationship yet. A couple of days later we did meet again when we all went to the Adelaide show. While I was trying to be as natural as if nothing had happened, I could sense that he was trying to avoid eye contact with me. At times, he joked as if to cover up his emotions.

Memoir - texting while driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Memoir - texting while driving - Essay Example The American national traffic highway reports that about ten million US drivers use their cell phones when driving. Consequently, there has been high number of accidents that happen every day in US and the world as a whole. Consequently, there have been many deaths being reported from such accidents. Even the most experienced drivers are not safe from distraction by their cell phones while driving. It is so painful to lose souls of innocent persons from the ignorance of few drivers failing to observe driving safety precautions. Distracted driving has been identified by the national highway security management as a critical issue that leads to many accidents. Such driving is attributed to have caused more than three thousand deaths in the year 2011 (Richard 2014). According to Richard 2014, distracters in driving include, looking away from the road while driving, texting and reading text messages when driving. From my experience in driving, no one would have expected I could have caused an accident. Surprisingly, an experienced driver had caused a minor accident and got away with it. In the last 20 years, road accidents used to be caused by abuse of drugs and alcohol. My experience in driving dates more than twenty years ago. Consequently, one could say that I represent some of the many keen drivers in the country. Nevertheless, I used to check my emails and texts when driving my car, and nothing had happened until some time back last year. I was driving down the streets of Texas in a sunny day. As usual, my cell phone was notifying me when a text just came in. In the next 5 seconds, I just realized that I had hit something before me. My mailbox costed me four hundred dollars to pay for the damage I had caused. I was just lucky not to have hit another car or a playing child. I wanted to make a phone call telling my neighbors that I had done it, but I thought it would be worse making him know that I have caused

Fourth Amendment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fourth Amendment - Research Paper Example The enactment of the fourth amendment guarantees to every citizen â€Å"the security of privacy against arbitrary intrusion by the police† (Levy 1995, p.164) In the case of Wolf v. Colorado, the Supreme Court recognized that â€Å"fourth amendment rights are basic to a free society and are therefore, implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.† (Article 1,  § 7 of the Tennessee Constitution) It is thus evident that the fourth amendment is also enforceable against the states through the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment that also secures the rights of an individual to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. The are various interpretations of the clauses contained in the fourth amendment, but’ reasonableness’ tends to be the defining factor in the legitimacy of a search or seizure conducted by government and law enforcement officers. There are some considerations associated with the reasonable expectation of privacy, although there is no bright line rule indicating situations in which an expectation of privacy is reasonable under the constitution of the United States. The Supreme Court has ruled that an individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy in any goods or property that is located inside the home of such an individual. There is also reasonable expectation of privacy in any conversations taking place in an enclosed phone booth. On the other hand, reasonable expectation of privacy is not feasible in activities that are conducted outdoors, in open fields or in a situation where a person has entered the house of another person without the house owner’s consent, with the intent of committing crime. A person using a computer also does not have a legitimate expectation of privacy related to information from email addresses, total volume of the users traffic or the IP address of websites the user may have visited. This is because the supreme court has long held that â€Å"an individual has no legitimat e expectation of privacy in such information, which already has been exposed to a telecommunications carrier for the purpose of routing a communication (Lasson, 1937, p. 106), although a computer user generally has legitimate expectation of privacy with respect to the contents of email messages while they are still in transmission over the internet A relevant case law involving reasonable expectation of privacy is United States v. Maxwell, 45 M.J. 406, 418 U.S. Armed Forces Ct. App. 1996 in which the court addressed the issue of email privacy â€Å"the sender of an e-mail generally enjoys a reasonable expectation that police officials will not intercept the transmission without probable cause and a search warrant. Users do have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the content of their text messages vis-a-vis the service provider.† (Devenpeck v. Alford, 2004) Probable cause is the situation or event that may prompt a law enforcement officer to take certain actions. In the ca se Terry v. Ohio 392 U.S. 1 (1986) the supreme court ruled that in a situation in which a law enforcement officer witnesses unusual behavior that leads the officer to reasonably believe that crime is being committed or that the suspected persons pose a threat to the officer or to other people, then the officer may frisk or search such a suspect to ascertain whether the suspect is carrying a weapon. In order to conduct such a frisk, the officer must be able to

Groups and teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Groups and teams - Essay Example All the activities were electrically related as the groups were required to design a digital invention for sale at the end of the semester. Two poorly functioning groups or teams were identified and denoted as team A and team B (Borkman). For the purpose of this assignment, the two poorly functioning groups or teams will also be denoted as team A and team B. This paper elucidates the multiple factors that caused the poor functioning of each of the two poorly functioning groups, draws a comparison between the two groups in respect to the conflict process in regard to the Tuckman’s framework or model. This paper also suggests a resolution to the conflicts and further elucidates why the resolutions will be effective. Team A It is of significance to posit that there is a range of factors that caused the poo functioning of each off the group. Team A was one of the teams involved in the project. In this group off seven members, Borkman posits that only four of the group members were unfailingly involved in the activities off the team. The other three members of the team failed to actively participate in the activities. One of the factors that caused the poor functioning of the team was leadership. Of the three constantly absent members of the group, one of them initially presumed a leadership role. This person’s name was denoted as ‘All Talk’ and was adopted by other group members. ... As illustrated by Tuckman in his model off development, a team or group ought to identify and recognize authority, as well as role and communication arrangements or organizations. In team A, all the members had divergent views and opinions on whether there were too many or too few individuals in positions of leadership. The members had also divergent opinions on whether the leaders within the team were legitimate or not. Secondly communication issues also cause the poor functioning of the team. In the forming stage, it was agreed upon that members of the group could either contribute through emails or could physically attend group meetings. Though a common discussion tool for communication was proposed and created, the members who physically attended meetings failed to update those who missed the meetings through the discussion tool. Therefore, there was poor communication within the group hence the poor functioning off the team. According to the Tuckman’s model of development , communication is vital or critical for the normal functioning of the team (Borkman). Thirdly, the poor functioning of the team was caused by the fact that some of the members of the group were isolated by the others. When the members were interviewed, it was observed that four members of the group worked hand in hand while the other three members were isolated. Therefore, the isolated individuals had divergent opinions and views regarding the project as compared to the four members who worked collectively. There are other factors that caused the poor functioning of the group. Some lf the team members were not dedicated and devoted in their work. This is attributed to the absence of three of the members hence the

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Essay

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Essay Example They believe in the complete Bible plus an open canon that includes the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These are based largely on the dictates of Joseph Smith, Jr. and are followed in the LDS church as the irrefutable works of God (Mormon, 2009). The group then multiplied and grew. It grew enough to draw attention of the mainline churches as well as the general population. The Mormons effected thousands of conversions in the 1830s, following which the group under Smith Jr. intended building a â€Å"City of Zion† in Missouri. They could not build the city, however, owing to persecutions and charges brought against them. Joseph Smith Jr. and his brother, Hyrum Smith, were assassinated by a mob in the prison on 27 June, 1844 (Mormon, 2009). The teachings of the LDS church are based on the life of Christ but emphasis is laid on the rules and their interpretations by the central and local LDS churches. The tenets of the LDS church are based on the extra material found in the â€Å"open canon†. On the basis of these extra materials, the church relates future events that are again subject to the interpretations of their modern prophets. For instance, before his assassination, Joseph Smith Jr. appointed Brigham Young and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles to oversee the LDS churches affairs. He also gave them the keys of the priesthood. So, it naturally followed that Brigham Young and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles took over the reins of leadership of the church after the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. Others in the church split from the church and followed denominational leaders of their liking (Mormon, 2009). The LDS church claims the natives of ancient America are descendants of Semitic race of Asiatic origin and trace it down to Joseph Smith, Jr. Thus, with the ties of Joseph Smith, Jr. established to a Jewish race, the next step to proclaim his closeness to Jesus Christ and the â€Å"true

Job Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Analysis - Research Paper Example This job related behaviors are therefore considered as important in order to define who to hire and recruit. (Fine & Steven F, 1999) One of the key purposes of preparing job analysis is to define the job specifications as well as job descriptions which invariably allow an organization to identify the right kind of attributes required to perform the job. As such the future hiring and selection of the employees takes place based upon this. It is also critical to note that the job analysis is also used for later improvements in the overall job process besides defining the promotion and compensation criteria based upon the overall contents of the jobs. Job analysis is also used for the purpose of defining the training requirements of the employees and what kind of training and development programs need to be implemented in order to allow employees to move from one position to another. It is critical to note that organizations use job analysis as one of the legal defense tools in the courts. Job analysis can have serious legal implications if there are any elements of bias in the overall process of preparing job analysis for the employees. Since job analysis is also used in the supervisory evaluations as well as the rating of the employees, it is therefore important that all the criteria are effectively measured and carefully defined in order to reduce the chance of bias. Uniform Guidelines on employee selection specifically ask for the thorough job analysis as one of the selection criteria for hiring the employees. Further, validity studies are also required to be based upon careful review of the information about the job and the reviews should give due consideration to the job analysis. Americans with Disability Act specifically give more importance to the job analysis and strictly prohibits discrimination against persons with

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Essay

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Essay Example They believe in the complete Bible plus an open canon that includes the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These are based largely on the dictates of Joseph Smith, Jr. and are followed in the LDS church as the irrefutable works of God (Mormon, 2009). The group then multiplied and grew. It grew enough to draw attention of the mainline churches as well as the general population. The Mormons effected thousands of conversions in the 1830s, following which the group under Smith Jr. intended building a â€Å"City of Zion† in Missouri. They could not build the city, however, owing to persecutions and charges brought against them. Joseph Smith Jr. and his brother, Hyrum Smith, were assassinated by a mob in the prison on 27 June, 1844 (Mormon, 2009). The teachings of the LDS church are based on the life of Christ but emphasis is laid on the rules and their interpretations by the central and local LDS churches. The tenets of the LDS church are based on the extra material found in the â€Å"open canon†. On the basis of these extra materials, the church relates future events that are again subject to the interpretations of their modern prophets. For instance, before his assassination, Joseph Smith Jr. appointed Brigham Young and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles to oversee the LDS churches affairs. He also gave them the keys of the priesthood. So, it naturally followed that Brigham Young and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles took over the reins of leadership of the church after the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. Others in the church split from the church and followed denominational leaders of their liking (Mormon, 2009). The LDS church claims the natives of ancient America are descendants of Semitic race of Asiatic origin and trace it down to Joseph Smith, Jr. Thus, with the ties of Joseph Smith, Jr. established to a Jewish race, the next step to proclaim his closeness to Jesus Christ and the â€Å"true

Art as a Political Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Art as a Political Statement - Essay Example But it is a measure of his talent, of his ability to meld form and context, that these works have only served to enhance his reputation over time. In fact, one of his political paintings is generally considered to be his greatest work. The Death of Marat portrays the murder of Jean-Paul Marat, one of the French Revolution’s most incendiary journalists and radical thinkers. Just as Marat himself was a polarizing figure who stirred powerful sentiments, David’s portrait of his murdered corpse was intended to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. The painting’s context is clear: Marat has been martyred by an enemy of the revolution, whose act should serve as a rallying point for those whom Marat sought to inspire. Marat had admitted into his chambers a young Girondist woman named Charlotte Corday, a citizen of the provinces. She plunged a knife deep into Marat’s chest as he sat in his bathtub, killing him in seconds. David’s representation of th e murder exhibits a form that is at once affecting and subtle, as though the artist sought to make a political statement in a way that would be impactful without alienating the viewer’s sensibility. There is a blending of subject and background that focuses attention on the dead man’s body in a unique manner. ... xiv). It is a remarkable achievement. The Death of Marat is undoubtedly a work of political propaganda by an artist deeply moved by a politically motivated assassination. David’s painting was also remarkable for the effect it had on its subject’s legacy. In Revolutionary France, Marat was widely seen as a rabble rouser, an unscrupulous politico and opportunist who had parlayed unprecedented social and political turmoil into a stage for his own renown. In spite of this, David’s subliminal appeal to the viewer, his classically oriented interpretation of the Revolutionary period’s most famous assassination has obscured the negative aspects of Marat’s persona. David’s purpose in The Death of Marat is to bring attention to Marat’s prestige as a leader of transformative social change, a matter for which the artist cares deeply. Marat himself is â€Å"idealized and flawless,† an expression of the â€Å"compassion and outrage† Da vid felt at his murder (Twomey, 2012). It is this expressiveness that makes David one of the greatest synthesizers of form and content within the context of politics. Pablo Picasso - Guernica The great abstract artist Pablo Picasso was decidedly not a propagandist, though he is responsible for what many consider the greatest anti-war painting ever created. Guernica is Picasso’s representation of the slaughter of innocent citizens in the Basque village of Guernica by fascist (German and Italian) armed forces under the command of Spain’s nationalist government, headed by the dictator Francisco Franco. Picasso’s mural, created for the 1937 Paris International Exposition, portrays a chaotic, jumbled scene meant to convey genocidal destruction let loose by the fascists on a profoundly vulnerable populace. It is also

The Importance of the Past Essay Example for Free

The Importance of the Past Essay When I was 3 years old I remember my mother taking me to day-care for the first time in my life. I was scared and it was very hard for me to make friends. There I understood for first time the meaning of rather having one or two good friends than to have many of them and none of them really cherishing your friendship. That was an opinion I stuck to since and it pretty much had an effect on every one of my relationships. Every single memory and experience has an impact on our lives and builds up our personalities. Sometimes more and sometimes less, but it is still very essential what kind of things has happened to us before. For example someone who has always been mocked about some quality he or she possesses, may become very sensitive about the matter later on. Or it may be something as serious as a Freudian theory about how our childhood affects our personality when we grow older. Whatever it is and no matter how aware are people about the impact of that issue on their lives, it most certainly will affect them somehow. Why is then our past so important in development of our personalities? Well, maybe simply because the most of our thinking consists of remembering something we did couple of hours, two days or even many years ago. The more we think about something particular, the more it grows on us making the subject a part of who we are and controls what we do. The rest of the time we are dreaming or making plans for the future, and that is possible only of the construction of millions of different memories, schemes and expectations of the various outcomes. That fact makes future a very flexible thing. If eventually our future is just a combination of our past, then we have some power to make it something we crave it to be. That is achievable by trying to live our lives in the best way for us as possible. That way everybody can become a person he or she wants to see themselves like.

Learning to Cook: Awakening Queer Tastes :: Sexuality Homosexuality Essays

Learning to Cook: Awakening Queer Tastes The initial stages of vegetarian desire are characterized by what may be termed 'epicuriosity' on the part of the food consumer -- an inclination towards food pleasures beyond the meat-centred menus favoured by North Americans -- but often, the transition to a vegan or vegetarian diet is made difficult by the centrality of omnivorism within popular culture. From frozen TV dinners to foie gras, meat's accessibility as a convenient pre-packaged commodity means that animal products are the accepted norm. And, since popular adherence to the principles of omnivorist consumption culture dictates that the rejection of meat-eating be viewed as a cultural transgression, the choice to adopt a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle is often met with hostility (not surprising given that aggression and defensiveness seem to be standard responses to the suggestion of difference within western social orders). However, this hostility is especially evident towards young vegetarians for whom the choice to adop t an alternate diet is interpreted as an affront to the 'compulsory carnivorism' that is the social and parental expectation of the adolescent. Therefore, the challenge facing the bold vegetarian is one of articulating her appetites to a meat-oriented populace. Queer Subjectivities in formation A similar obstacle faces the adolescent subjects in Leontine Sagan's Machden in Uniform and Sadie Benning's Me and Rubyfruit, who are forced to express their sexual identities and desires from positions defined as marginal in relation to the normative paradigm of heterosexuality. What these characters are faced with is the supremacy of one model of sexuality that pathologizes all other forms of sexual preference as deviance. The importance of these films is that not only do they represent characters whose expressed desires destabilize dominant expectations of adolescent sexuality but that further, by performing such challenges they offer the potential to contest the very system of socialized heterocentrism which impedes the acceptance of queer sexualities. In Machden in Uniform we are offered a peek into the bourgeoning of such illicit desires amongst a group of girls sharing a dormitory at a German boarding school. The girls are represented as exploring a number of erotic fantasies -- some revolving around male film stars but others centred around their teacher, Fraulein von Bernburg. Within the closed environment of the school, the expression of any type of desire is considered a sinful indulgence but it is the expression of homosexual affection that is the least tolerated transgression.

growaw Edna Pontellier’s Search for Self in Kate Chopins The Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

The Search for Self in The Awakening    In The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, Edna Pontellier is a married woman with children. However many of her actions seem like those of a child. In fact, Edna Pontelliers’ life is an irony, in that her immaturity allows her to mature. Throughout this novel, there are many examples of this because Edna is continuously searching for herself in the novel.       One example of how Edna ¡Ã‚ ¦s immaturity allows her to mature is when she starts to cry when LeÆ’Vonce, her husband, says she is not a good mother.  ¡Ã‚ §He reproached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother ¡Ã‚ ¦s place to look after children, whose on earth was it? ¡Ã‚ ¨(13). Edna, instead of telling her husband that she had taken care of her children, began to cry like a baby after her husband reprimanded her.  ¡Ã‚ §Mrs. Pontellier was by that time thoroughly awake. She began to cry a little ¡Kshe thrust her face, steaming and wet, into the bend of her arm, and she went on crying there, not caring any longer to dry her face, her eyes, her arms, ¡Ã‚ ¨(13,14). These tears made Edna look as if she was still a child and that she is tired of being treated as a child by her husband. These tears also showed her she did not like where she was, a sign of maturity. Her tears symbolize her first awakening.       Although the next morning, after Edna had cried the night before had to go and say good-bye to her husband because he was leaving on a business trip. Edna acted immaturely around him again when he gave her half the money he won the night before.  ¡Ã‚ §Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ ¥It will buy a handsome wedding present for Sister Janet! ¡Ã‚ ¦ she exclaimed, smoothing out the bills as she counted them one by one, ¡Ã‚ ¨(15). Edna is spoiled by all of her husbands money.       Another example of how Edna ¡Ã‚ ¦s immaturity allows her to mature is when Edna swam like a baby when she went swimming for the first time, and she had over estimated her power.  ¡Ã‚ §Once she turned and looked toward the shore, toward the people she had left there. She had not gone any great distance ¡Kshe made no mention of her encounter with death and her flash of terror, except to say to her husband,  ¡Ã‚ ¥I thought I should have perished out there alone.

Japanese Management Essay

In the early 1980s, William Ouchi asserted in the U.S. soil the significance of Theory Z (1981), a Japanese management style that includes communal relationship in organizations and strong trust bonds as a more effective way to handle business as evidenced by the success of Japanese corporations.   This has made the interest and appreciation for the Japanese style of management and practices grow for the last twenty years, especially those successful Japanese companies who used unusual approaches (Lee and McCalman, 2008). For Japanese firms, the development of good relationship is a primordial interest. A Japanese firm may refuse to deal with another and ink a partnership regardless of the possible profits it may gain from the venture. The drive to develop a good relationship is primarily due to the very important principle called â€Å"tsuikiai† (socialization) (Lee and McCalman, 2008). Peer-to-peer relationship is more essential than relationship between levels as the Japanese believe that an organization draws strength from the former rather than from the latter. Hence, for American managers, it is only normal to assess their subordinates based on certain criteria. On the contrary, Japanese organizations tend to assess their employees based on their ability to work with their colleagues (Byham, 1993). Japanese managers get good evaluations if their subordinates can work well with each other. As such, Japanese firms give more emphasis on the ability of the employees to work with other employe es and not much on their performance. This is due to their belief that as long as a good relationship is established within the organization, the organization can handle other matters effectively (Lee and McCalman, 2008). For the Japanese, good relationships can be developed through the following: 1) After work dining & drinking session As previously mentioned, the principle of tsuikiai or socialization allow the Japanese to continue to incorporate good relationships as part of their corporate management style. Apparently, this can be seen in their popular practice of usually having dinner and drinking sessions amongst employees after office hours (Lee and McCalman, 2008). This is also the idea of the â€Å"communication plaza concept† wherein the executives meet their employees informally to have lunch or dinner and at the same time to listen to each other   (Otsubo, 1993). Through such engagements, employees have the chance to be more familiar with each other away from the four corners of their business premises. This positively affects the connections among the employees. This enables the Japanese organizations to create a warm and communal workplace where employees feel that they can communicate freely with everyone (Sullivan, 1992). Such practice is not the same with Americans where the latter would pr efer to   maintain the division between their personal and work life. According to Arenson (1993), the connection between U.S. workers and their companies are created by written contracts and the compensation that the companies renumerate to their employees. This complimented the observation rendered by   Rehder (1979) that Japanese managers treat their subordinates like their family members while western managers’ relationships with their subordinates are through contracts which makes the relationship depersonalized.   This is contrary to the belief of Japanese workers that they are obligated to the company they are working for because of the close relationship and bond that they have with their company and this creates mutual trust between the employees and the company. They likewise have a sense of shared focus to reach the goals of the organization. This management theory has been one of the core values of Honda from 1980s when they first established their operations in the United States and this was adopted by Nissan, Mazda and Toyota ( Sullivan, 1992). 2) Quite often meetings rather than electronic or paper work Americans would prefer to have everything first on paper before they can act on a project. Whereas Japanese prefer to do meetings rather than convey their messages through e-mails or doing paper works primarily as they despise memos and paper work (Arenson, 1993). According to Lee and McCalman (2008), it is through meetings that the workers would begin to know each other and determine the things that need to be done. This is most applicable in cases where there are no contracts or written documents involved and through meetings, the employees are able to worke on matters they need to attend to (Lee and McCalman, 2008). 3) Informal arranged agreements vs. legal agreements Before an American company would deal with another enterprise, it is not needed that the two companies develop a good relationship. It does not matter if a company would deal with a competitor provided that the two companies would gain mutual benefit. As a sense of security, American companies need to employ countless lawyers and execute numerous contracts before setting matters off. As a pre-requisite, everything needs to be laid out on paper before anything is started (Lee and McCalman, 2008). The mentality in America is that everything is governed by laws to make sure that people involved know what is set on the line (Arenson, 1993). It is ordinary for companies to deal with strangers and just develop a relationship during their venture (Lee and McCalman, 2008). This is not the case for Japanese companies as they require developing personal relationships before they transact with other business entities. This is because of their belief that it is important that a trusting relationship between two companies is developed before considering to have business venture   (Lee and McCalman, 2008). In Japan, there is less dependence on the laws and rather, more premium is placed in developing a trusting relationship before going into a business transaction. Unlike Americans that prefer to settle everything in a legal way or execute contracts first, Japanese are known to have healthy disdain for lawyers and legal or written actions. And unlike the Americans that would employ lawyers and execute contracts before the transaction, Japanese dislike being forced to deal just because of the contracts and in the process may just ignore some provisions thereto. They believe that the situations will have changed after signing the contract (Lee and McCalman, 2008). In fact, the two countries have a big difference in the number of lawyers as in the United States, there are over 800,000 lawyers as compared to Japan that has 15,000 lawyers only (Arenson, 1993). Moreover, Japanese would prefer to spend more time interacting with their potential customer or supplier before they would commit themselves   (Otsubo, 1993). 4) Networking- personal contacts Japan depends on networking as their society is very much a relationship-oriented one. Japanese would get things done though their personal contacts. For them, a man’s success or failure could be directly affected by their connections that he or she has developed over the years. In fact, a newly graduated Japanese would almost depend exclusively on his or her connections through university or from personal connections to land a job. That is why there is a high probability that the company recruiters would hire applicants coming from the same university as theirs because of the special connection that is existing between the recruiters and the university faculty and staff. This is what Japanese called â€Å"jinmyaku† or the web of human beings. Any internal or external undertaking to the company is accomplished through personal contacts (Lee and McCalman, 2008). It is then ordinary for an employee to develop extensive personal network within and outside the organization to protect his or her success rate especially that a person’s capability depends also on the extensiveness of the networks he or she may have   (Kase and Liu, 1996). Such mentality may affect the attitudes of the Japanese of not working with strangers. Through developing personal contacts takes time, once the networks have been created, everything is much easier as there is not much paperwork and lawyers involved. This principle makes it more difficult for foreign companies to penetrate Japan (Lee and McCalman, 2008). Japanese organizations would prefer hiring somebody who has a connection thereto because hiring a new employee is like welcoming a lifelong member of the corporate family. An individual applying for a position in a company by reason of an advertisement is considered a total stranger. As such, there is a possibility that Japanese companies may look after the personal attributes of an applicant rather than his or her technical attributes (Lee and McCalman, 2008).   It is very vital for an organization to ensure that the person to be hired is a team player and will blend well within the group. This is in contrast with U.S. companies as they prefer to look at the technical attributes of the applicants and highly rely on grade-point averages and specific credentials or competencies (Lee and McCalman, 2008). Networking works wonders in cases where a manager tries to launch a new project and the project is not really within the expertise of the concerned department, managers that have a w ell-established network within the organization could use their connections to persuade their colleagues to support their projects and also use these connections outside the organization to help make the project successful (Kase and Liu, 1996). Japanese manufacturing companies were able to capitalize in their personalized networking system that they were able to establish when they internationalized their operations during the late 1970s and 1980s. The personalized networks developed between their head offices and subsidiaries made the flow of the information run smoothly and eventually positively affect the efficiency of the companies (Kase and Liu, 1996). Moreover, Japanese companies establish personal networking with other Japanese companies in other countries (Yu and Ohle, 2008) for their advantage. 5) Teaming up in everything they do One of the major difference between Japanese management and Western management is that the structure of the organization is loose or poorly defined whereas the structure of the organization of the western management is tight or the specific functions are associated with specific boxes (Rehder, 1979). Teaming is a very important aspect in the management of a project. That is why the composition of teams that will handle organizational projects are carefully selected (Lee and McCalman, 2008). Even in creating an organizational project, the composition of the team that will develop and plan the concerned project is carefully assembled from the different departments of the organization (Gray and Larson, 2003). And up to the time that the organizational project is already running after the planning stage, there are still some times that the personnel from the planning stage will coordinate with the functional managers and project managers of the actual operation of the project (Gray and Larson, 2003). As Japanese companies or the Japanese culture itself has high regard on the â€Å"web of human beings†, it is part of the establishment of trust within the team to develop close personal relationship among the team members. The trust created by the â€Å"tsuikiai† plays an important role in the accomplishment of the interconnected tasks of the team members. A high level of trust is necessary for the accomplishment and implementation of the various tasks that the manager is leading (Kezner, 2000). Every meticulous aspect of the project requires the highest level of cooperation and team work among the players performing the tasks. That is why it is the responsibility of the project manager to build and maintain a high level of trust within the team to ensure the successful operation of a project throughout its course (Kezner, 2000). This is where the American employees of some Japanese companies are impressed with how every Japanese members of the team would persist to wo rk together to collect and discuss data gathered and develop ways to respond to different situations and improve their performance (Sullivan, 1992). Another thing that shows the Japanese persistence to teaming up is their decision-making system, or also known as â€Å"ringi† or decision by consensus system. This enables the employees to be motivated to work together.   The term ringi actually came from two words: ‘ri’, which means to ask from below and ‘gi’ which means to deliberate (Ichiro, 1977). By the Japanese decision-making systems, the organization initially debates on the meaning of a certain question and determines its possible solutions until consensus if finally reached. The process of the decision making and even the initiation of the process are participated in by all levels of the organization, whether the process be a verbal or written one (Naotsuka, 1978). This is because the Japanese have a view that it is important to first debate the problem or the question to achieve full comprehension in its general corporate-wide perspective, after which is to establish a consensus to preve nt groups from taking sides on one solution or another hastily. In such case, clash between the prevailing and losing groups is prevented because conflicts will only weaken the implementation of the favored solution. This normative process is called by the Japanese as â€Å"nemawashi† (Naotsuka, 1978).

Why Music?

Life has rhythm and melody to it. People may state that they don't listen to music. Is that true? Sound, it's all around, whether we like it or not. If we live and hear, then avoiding music is impossible. It surrounds us entirely, but why? Why are people drawn to music? Why does music even exist? â€Å"The more mellifluous the singer, the more dexterous the harpist, the more mates he attracts. † According to the article ‘Why Music? ‘ a reason for why people choose to listen and perform music is because of sex and love. There is some truth in that hypothesis: the better the musician is, the more attractive they will be to potential mates. Many famous singers and band members that are widely known around the world can thank both their talent and physical appearance for their success. Fans might enjoy their music purely because they are attracted to that certain artist instead of to the music itself. This argument states that music exists just to allow people to attract and fall in love, but that may not be entirely true. The author states, † A man does not have to be gay to enjoy the music of an all-male orchestra. † This makes sense, and just proves that the argument of sex being the reason for music wrong. % of the world's population has amusia, where they can't understand and distinguish differences in music; so would that mean they aren't capable to fall in love? There are also many songs that are being recorded, performed and enjoyed where their lyrics have nothing to do with love, sex or relationships, for example traditional, children and purely instrumental songs. They are considered music, but aren't connected to mating. So therefore, this argument, no matter how reasonable can't be entirely true. There has to be a reason that is fully accurate though. So, if it's not sex, what else could it be? Social bonding? Music may exist for us because it helps bind us together just like it did for our past ancestors; the early humans. Before music's emergence, an important social activity was grooming. Grooming was a vital way to allow primates and animals not only to clean their pelts but also to socialize. As groups expanded over time, social grooming became harder and â€Å"the gap was bridged by music, which may thus be seen as a precursor to language,† as Dr. Dunbar believes. Nowadays we still listen to music in groups, and it still is a way to socialize. Concerts, clubs, parties, all are places and events where people who enjoy and share the same interests in music gather together. People may not only get together because of similar taste in music, but they might also have other interests that are the same. But, like the first hypothesis, it can't be entirely true. Isn't it possible for people to listen to music when they are by themselves? Of course, it might not be as enjoyable and the whole atmosphere of it may not be as vivid, but it still is possible. People are constantly listening to their personal music players. By themselves. There are also times when people want to listen to music on their own, to allow them to forget everything else†¦ have some time just to listen and think without other people around them. Adding to this, just pretend that every single person, from all the countries, on this Earth decided to get together in groups according to interests in music. Two problems: the groups would be way too large and too hectic; also, people might find different types of music appealing to them, so for that reason choosing only one group to belong and stay in would be too hard, confusing and just a waste of time. This theory is hard to agree with, and may be even less believable than the first one. An accident? Or an invention? Maybe both, maybe none. Most of us are born with the special ability to hear and either to enjoy or hate the sounds that we notice in this world, and there skills have allowed us to start inventing the music we know today. At least, according to Dr. Pinker; he further believes that music is an â€Å"auditory cheesecake† he also suggested that if either music or cheesecake â€Å"vanished from the species little else would change. † No. This argument has very little value to it, and isn't very convincing. First of all, we aren't the inventors of music, humankind merely classified certain noise that according to the sound like what music should be. Secondly, music doesn't have to be the work of famous classical composers; the catchy pop songs heard on the radio; the unique flavor of each country's traditional music, it can be anything. It is arguable that music can be the sound of a dog panting after a long run; water pouring down great and majestic waterfalls; the loud traffic at busy intersections during rush hour; or pretty much anything we hear. For instance, the composer John Cage was one of the first people to breakdown the barriers and rules that music from the past had. He is most famous for his piece 4'33† where for four minutes and thirty-three seconds, not one single note is played by the performer on stage, in its place, the whole piece is coming from the noises that the audience and the atmosphere of the place makes, therefore that being the music. Likewise, it is possible to disagree with the statement that little would change if music was to disappear. Many, many people wouldn't have jobs such as the numerous musicians everywhere. Visualize a world without any music. None. Movies need music to create a mood, just picture a whole film without music. What about radios? What could we all dance to? Sing our hearts out to? Nothing†¦ without music. Countless things around us are based on music, and our lives wouldn't be complete without it. The more this hypothesis is thought about, the more mistakes it contains, and the less believable it becomes. In conclusion, although there are some that seem more accurate than other, none of the three hypotheses are one hundred percent correct for why music exists and why we listen to it. However, there has to be a reason why. Maybe a combination of the first and second hypothesis, with none or very little contribution from the third hypothesis. It is possible that reasons why are because music changes moods, creates atmospheres, and is an escape for all of us. People all listen to music, and too many people take it for granted, without paying attention to it, really thinking and wondering why we all listen to music.