Science Boon or Bane

Gone is the age of steam. We are now in the age of hydrogen bombs and electricity. The most fantastic dreams of H. G. Wells in his novel Dream have come true. Thus, in this space age, where the wonders of science excel the wonders of nature, science affects our day-to-day life. Science has surpassed the old miracles of mythology and yesterday's faith has proved to be today's superstition in the crucibles of science. Science is a wonderful gift presented to humans. With science, we can create a small matchstick to a huge rocket. Science answers to many of our  questions.Everything around us is just because of science. Internet has given undreamed access to learners. Also science has always helped us to come out from the jaws of death. Nowadays medical techonology is so improved that we can cure illness in the finest part of the body without having any physical contact with it. Their is no field where science has not developed and helped us to make our life's easier. Even agriculture is now depend on science . Robots now do man's chores. Mobile phones, computers have allowed us to reach in  any part the world at any time.Where we need 100's of pages to write a data , it can be now saved in a small chip which we can carry everywhere. Because of all these things science is like a boon to mankind. But it is humans irrational thoughts turn the gifts of science into banes. It is said that science is a good servant but a bad master. When we regenerate energy from natural resources like wind, sun, water and other non biodegradable substances we feel proud but when the consequences lie on ozone layer depletion, radioactive radiation make us afraid.I think it's truly said that good and evil are two sides of a same coin as on one side it has made our life comfortable and easy and also we cannot ignore the other side that science made factories which led to pollution and made phones which causes our eyes irritations and made transport which led to air pollution science made electricity which leads to wastage of coals. So at first we need to restrict our greedy thoughts which may lead to destruction of our planet. If we are able to do that then science will remain as a boon always for mankind.

Awareness of health and safety trainings Essay

Without the correct level of training you are not allowed to carry out certain tasks relating to Health and Safety. Here are a few examples: †¢Moving and handling †¢Administering medication †¢Emergency first aid †¢Giving injections †¢Peg feeding †¢Colostomy †¢Fighting fire If you are unsure about what you can and cannot do, you must discuss this with your supervisor / manager. Where and from whom additional support and information relating to Health and Safety can be accessed? †¢The Health and Safety at Work Act requires employers to ensure workers are appropriately knowledgeable about Health and Safety and that they are properly trained in relevant areas. Your employer may have a health and safety representative who is responsible for health and safety issues at work. Ask your supervisor or manager about the Health and Safety policies and procedures in your work place. The main points of Health and Safety policies and procedures †¢To secure the health, safety and welfare of persons at work. †¢To protect other people from hazards arising from work. †¢To control the keeping and use of dangerous substances and materials, including explosives and highly flammable materials. †¢To control the emission of noxious substances from certain premises. †¢It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety and welfare at work of all his employees. Examples of the subjects that should have Health and Safety policies and procedures: †¢Moving and handling of people and objects †¢Personal hygiene †¢Infection control †¢Personal safety and lone working †¢Fire safety †¢Food safety and hygiene †¢What to do in the event of an emergency †¢Risk assessments †¢Smoking at work †¢Display Screen Equipment (DSE) for people working with computers †¢Use of chemicals and waste disposal †¢Security measures and visitors

Extended Definition Essay: Professional Dog Breeder

Student Instructor ENG 101 9 November 2011 Professional Dog Breeder A definition for the title â€Å"professional dog breeder† is not found in any dictionary nor are there any established laws that regulate the breeding of dogs, only the housing and feeding of them. Dog breeder most commonly calls up all manner of horrific images mass-produced by broadcast news and talk show commentators to depict starving, filthy, dying dogs and puppies caged in tiny wire pens. People do not realize the negative mental outlook this misconception attaches to all breeders nor do they realize that these dog breeders are not only cruel but breaking the only basic laws that regulate the business. It is evident there is a cavernous gap between a good professional breeder and a backyard breeder concerning the quality of dogs bred and the care provided for them. In fact, a good professional dog breeder will do everything in his or her power to insure the prospective owner receives a genetically healthy puppy with the highest quality bloodlines. Being a dog breeder does not automatically make a person a cruel or inhumane pet owner. The definition of a good â€Å"professional dog breeder† is an individual that will have every dog genetically tested to insure only the best are used for breeding, will be meticulously dedicated to improving bloodlines, and will strive to match each puppy to the lifestyle of the prospective owner. One of the first definitions for the title â€Å"professional dog breeder† will be someone aware of the genetic issues prominent for his or her specific breed and will have certified genetic testing completed to prevent these faults from being passed to future generations. Genetic testing is vital to the professional breeder that prefers to sell based on his or her good reputation. In addition, genetic testing on adult dogs will greatly increase the percentage of high quality, genetically sound puppies being produced. Genetic testing on the ears, eyes, and teeth can be certified by any veterinary during a well-puppy visit done between five and seven weeks of age. Therefore, professional breeders have testing performed on the eyes and ears as a courtesy more than a genetic concern. Testing preformed on teeth will be slightly more involved and presents a larger concern because the occasional baby tooth has to be surgically removed to insure the bite pattern is smooth and even. More advanced genetic testing, such as for luxating patella (congenital structural deformity of the knee) and testing on cardiac function, are serious and more involved. Results have to be mailed to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, where test results are recorded to their database. Prospective owners have the ability to view certification and testing results at their convenience. Likewise, a professional breeder will have genetic DNA test results registered with the American Kennel Club for any male old enough to sire a litter. Indeed, the genetic results from the DNA can be invaluable if there is an issue involving proof of parentage. A professional breeder will be very diligent about keeping all test results up to date and posted on the proper canine data research boards. The professional breeder will strive to produce genetically sound puppies that new owners will be proud to own. No professional breeder would ever breed two dogs of questionable genetics because the puppies would be the ones to suffer. Another definition for the title â€Å"professional dog breeder† is an individual meticulously dedicated to improving the bloodlines for any future puppies they hope to produce. The AKC has very distinct guidelines for the ideal representative of each breed. The AKC is the established authority on all things dog related, the AKC rules and regulations are the basis and final word for all breeding, testing and showing. To produce the best quality, needs the true and proven bloodlines of the older Champion dogs. Many of the great old name bloodline sires passed without any offspring to carry their grandeur into future generations. A professional breeder will research and locate these wonderful old bloodlines that may still be available. The professional breeder has a relentless desire to find the perfect male to mate with his or her female to produce puppies with the greatest bloodlines possible. This process involves many hours of research comparing pedigrees to find the ideal bloodlines. As a result, professional breeders will prefer breeding privileges to the older Champion males for the simple fact they may be the only remaining prodigy from a highly desired bloodline. Consequently, the breeding between the prized male and prospective female may require months of planning. The breeder spends hours trying to determine the advantages based on each dog according to size, body shape, and coat length. Professional breeders will wait months and drive ours to procure the breeding rights to a perfect male for their female. The dreams of a lifetime may be the result of crossing two exceptional bloodlines. Lastly, a definition for the title â€Å"professional dog breeder† will be an individual that strives to match the personalities of the puppies to the personalities and lifestyles of the prospective owners. This may sound like a very easy thing to accomplish, when in fact it requires a great deal of effort. A professional breeder will desire for his or her puppy to become part of a wonderful home. It is the responsibility of the professional breeder to ensure his or her puppy is matched with the best human family. For example, a large puppy will be a match made in heaven for a family with several rowdy children. A professional breeder will allow the robust, out-going, much larger puppy to play with the children. In turn, this will allow the parents to see how well the larger puppy responds to children. This puppy will be very comfortable with the noise and activity; his or her larger size will allow slightly more energetic play. In comparison, a smaller, shy puppy may be placed in the room for a second to allow the parents to see how totally unacceptable a tiny, shy puppy would be for their large, noisy family. This puppy will be too scared to move and will cower in the corner. Similar to this, for the young, athletic couple the professional breeder will introduce a very energetic, bouncy puppy that will run laps around the room. It would not be a suitable match to offer this couple a calm, relaxed, or timid puppy because it would never match their life style, both parties would be miserable. On the other hand, when the shy, tiny puppy is placed in the arms of an elderly gentleman, it is love at first touch. Without any fear, the timid puppy gives kisses, plays and snuggles in the gentleman’s lap and goes fast asleep. When the puppy and the prospective owner are matched properly, they form a trusting and loving bond that will transcend time. As one can see, the title â€Å"professional dog breeder† has a depth of meaning often overlooked by the public. Mating a male and a female dog does not make a good professional breeder. With so many things to consider, a good professional breeder will only breed dogs that are tested and cleared genetically. They wish to produce puppies utilizing the best Champion bloodlines available. They strive to match the personality of the puppy to the prospective owner. Competent breeding is a full-time commitment that requires many hours of research. When good genetics, personalities, and bloodlines are combined the professional breeder has the perfect recipe for a lifetime of companionship and happiness between puppy and owner.

Week one day one Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week one day one - Assignment Example On the other hand if employees are not satisfied they will show work deviant behaviour, cyber loafing, presenteeism and counterproductive behaviour. As there should be person-job fit for an employee to perform exceptionally. An employee would only be satisfied when there is person-organization, person-supervisor, person-ability and person-environment fit. A manager can deploy an employee at such a tasks where the employee’s mental and physical abilities matches with the job. The five factor model helps to determine the personality traits and it can be effectively used to determine the personality of employees and placement can be made where they can perform well. For example employees high on openness will perform better at creative jobs, those high on extroversion will be good at sales, those on agreeableness with perform better as a team leader and those high on conscientiousness will perform better on conventional jobs. By accessing the personality types a manager can align the job type with personality to achieve maximum results. If I am the manager I would use big five personality questionnaire to assess the personality types. It would also be the part of recruitment process to ensure that employee’s personality will be aligned to the job he/she will perform. Also for the current employees it will help to determine areas which need training, for example increasing the emotional stability with help of stress management training sessions. The results will be evaluated with the help of feedback forms; they will also be depicted through employee job satisfaction, performance and work

Mimetic Violence in The Road Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mimetic Violence in The Road - Essay Example They work towards getting what they desire, and when they eventually get it, it becomes apparent that they seem to desire the possessor of the object also, not just the object. The second stage is Mimetic Rivalry. At this stage, the desire becomes so strong that it begins to reveals its violent side. At the Skandalon or Scandal stage, the violence has become so immense that it is capable of disrupting the life of an entire community. The situation becomes so scandalous that it becomes very difficult for the players to give up. Scapegoating stage, the fourth, is where a victim is picked and blamed for the sad turn of events. This is the stage where peacekeeping finally fails. Then the final stage which is known as Sacred Violence comes; the scapegoat is punished, most times killed, supposedly at the command of a god. But this doesn’t end the violence. It gives rise to persistent mimetic violence. There are different types of mimetic violence but one feature common to all is tha t the minority in the society are often the scapegoats. In some cases, it is the women. In others, it is the poor. Generally, the scapegoats are those that are not considered to be indispensable in the society. Examples of Mimetic Violence The examples of mimetic violence abound. A typical example is when politicians contest for elective offices. All the stages of that come before mimetic violence are all experienced. Even though in some climes, people are not killed during electioneering, the level of competition still reflects mimetic violence. However, in many places like Africa, during political strife, the mimetic stages eventually arrive at the level of violence. Another example of Mimetic Violence is that which is encountered is found in William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet.† Mimetic violence also develops to its final stages in the play. Hamlet and his Uncle, Claudius, try to skim out each other (for the prize – the throne). The situation at the end b ecomes very bloody as both of them get killed. However, it seems Hamlet remains the hero while Claudius is the scapegoat. Examples and Usage of Mimetic Violence in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road Before much analysis is done on how mimetic violence plays itself out in the novel, it must be clearly stated that the third person narrator in the novel uses such expression like â€Å"the man†, â€Å"the father† and â€Å"the boy† to refer to the fact that the characters represent any member of the human society. Hence, all the characters are involved in mimetic violence in at least one stage. One of the earliest revelations of mimetic violence in the novel is depicted when the boy and his father leave their original home to embark on a journey because they needed to survive. The fact that the circumstance in their original place had ceased to be welcoming reveals the high play of mimetic violence. Recognizing how hopeless their situation is, the man’s wife c ommits suicide; that is mimetic violence. One cannot but wonder why it is the woman that had to sacrifice her life. Why is it not the man that had to commit suicide? That question should actually be directed at the author. The choice of the woman as the one to commit suicide is a depiction of how the people who are considered to be less important than others are the

EDU 636 IP5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EDU 636 IP5 - Essay Example What is even more pivotal is how the online learning environment will foster growth and productivity for the people who are bringing out this environment as well as for the ones who are the recipients of the same. Hence, interaction is the buzzword within such a setting as it grows over a period of time. The online learning environment is termed as a conducive one when there are efforts to ease the navigation in an out and out fashion. What this means is how the users would be able to make their way through the different tasks that are being offered to them through the online learning environment. The user-friendliness therefore is deemed as a very significant entity within the incorporation of the online learning environment which shall foster growth and development across the board. This would mean that there are giant efforts to set things right and that too within the correct perspectives – the viewpoints that take into consideration the already conducted research into the online learning environments of the past, and of today. ... This will set the ball rolling as far as understanding the nuances of the online learning environment are concerned, as the users will feel that they are not only doing their own work within this environment but also being given a thing or two in terms of the aesthetics which remains a point to ponder in this day and age (Laughton, 2011). Since the times of today bank a great deal on the aesthetical angle, it is only natural to have its due incorporation within the thick of things. The usage of audio and video elements has also been seen as some of the more significant pointers within the comprehension of the online learning environments that have been developed in this day and age. What this has meant is the fact that these online learning environments become the tutorials for the audio and video modes and therefore represent success in the long term if the users connect with them in the most basic sense. Any other shortcoming that comes about in the wake of the technical glitches i s something that one must get rid of because these can seriously hinder the smooth working domains of the online learning environments that have been developed today. Thus what one must take into perspective is how these online learning environments are designed and what kind of instructional quality elements are being incorporated so as to receive the best possible interaction that is the sole purpose of having the online learning environments in the first place. There is a dire need to set things right and this is something that poses as a huge problem which must be corrected so as to have proper linkage mechanisms in place. In essence, the principles of design are seen as being quintessential

Recruiting and Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recruiting and Selection - Essay Example Also, a good time manager is a measure often required when recruiting a right applicant in the executive director position. In past years, nonprofit making organizations started using interim directors as an approach of avoiding non-qualified applicants in the field. The employers use the approach since there is a small, but growing body of knowledge around the executive director position. Also, employers look at the experience of the applicant in order to assist in the transition development of the organization. Legality, reliability, and validity are my best standards that meet the requirements and measurement of being a right executive director. In order to be hired as an executive director in an organization, legal documents play an important role as a ticket to be given the job. Legal documents such as curriculum vitae will help me in identifying my skills and experiences as an executive director. The legality of being an executive director will depend not only on the legal documents, but also the skills and experience I have learnt from the previous job position. Also, the validity of my documents will help me in securing the executive director position. Employers consider valid documents and claims before recruiting new applicants into their organizations. This implies that without a valid claim of being an executive director, a panel can automatically disqualify an application. In addition, reliability is an important standard, which work hand in hand with the experience, skills, str ength, and capability measures. An executive director is supposed to be reliable. A theme in the performance appraisal focus on the attitude of an employee is integrity, dependability, and reliability. Reliability of an employee improves the performance of an organization (Monroy & Zwerling, p. 421-422). I have learnt that legality is an important standard to be considered in any selection process of being an executive director in an organization. In his case, a

Drugs and Crime- The Media's Influence-repost Personal Statement

Drugs and Crime- The Media's Influence-repost - Personal Statement Example According to Morgan, the freedom of media need regulation in order to meet the needs of the citizenry, which requires impartial, justice and fairness (46). The misrepresentation of facts is a crime and the media should be accountable for false information. This is because the misrepresentation of facts is a civil misdeed, which may lead to defamation and other damages on the part of the defendant. The media should discourage drugs, instead of the media applying double standards in a bid to save the image of celebrities like Bieber. The media should take the initiative to enlighten the public, especially the youth, on the side effects of misuse of drugs. This will serve as a deterrent measure of the prevalence of drug misuse, which leads to road carnage and other social evils. The media can make use of advertisements and other form of media outlets in the dissemination of information on the effects of misuse of drugs (Morgan 67). Information is power and it can help the decision making process of the vulnerable populace especially the youth population. The media should not be allowed to be part of any criminal proceedings with regard to drugs and crime. This will ensure that justice is administered without undue

Jewish marriage ceremony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jewish marriage ceremony - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that marriage has different meanings for different societies. For some societies, marriage is associated with social and legal implications. Other societies attach strong cultural and religious traditions to marriage. In the Jewish society, marriage is not a mere social arrangement or a contractual engagement. It amounts to a bonding of spiritual nature, which is meant to fulfill what the Jews refer to a mitzvah, which is perceived as a highly divine dictum. It involves complete devotion of the bride’s life to the groom and vice versa and, as Kabbalists would put it, the two souls, upon marriage, are automatically integrated into one, which exists in two different bodies. In the traditional sense, a Jewish marriage cannot be said to happen by chance in any way – it involves what people from western countries do not seem to embrace, referring to it as the old-fashioned way. As such, the first step that defines the uniqueness in Jewish marriages is referred to as matchmaking or shidduch. The meet-up process is not spontaneous and does not rely purely on external influences; it is planned by a person who is close enough to the young man or woman seeking a partner to know the kind of person that he or she would want to be with and suggest a meeting. All of which has to go according to plan. This is an important step in an effort to ensure that the two are compatible with each other.

Paleolithic period Essay Example for Free

Paleolithic period Essay In the Paleolithic period, all the tools used by human beings were made of stone. The tools were useful to their hunting and gathering lifestyle as agriculture was yet to develop. Paleolithic art was hence characterized by wild animal drawings and paintings that was mostly done in caves. The animals depicted in the cave art might have been a source of food, sacred or used for pre-hunting rituals since most of those caves were located in uninhabited areas. Sculptures of the animals that existed in that era were also carved. The Neolithic period saw the introduction of metal tools to complement stone tools, human settlement into communities, agriculture development and domestication of animals. As a result, several drawings have been discovered depicting the Neolithic way of life; mostly domestic animals like herds of cattle and horses. There were also increased images and sculptures of humans (mostly females). The animal incisions on rocks and sculptures in this period were sharper and had finer finishing thanks to the use of more advanced metal tools compared to the all stone tools of the Paleolithic period. Sociology was a major factor in the differences in animal depictions between these two periods. For instance, humans in the Paleolithic period did not live in communities as a result of their hunting and gathering lifestyles which were characterized by constant movement and the lesser the number of humans in a group, the minimal the competition for food acquired. This explains the images of hunting scenes and wild animals in widely scattered and concealed caves. The social structure in the Neolithic period changed to formation of communities that inhabited villages which explains the paintings of domestic animals adjacent to human dwellings. REFERENCES M. Hoover, Art of the Paleolithic and Neolithic Eras. July 2001. Art History Survey 1, San Antonio College. May 22, 2010 http://www. alamo. edu/sac/vat/arthistory/arts1303/palneo. htm

Factors leading to building of good working environment

Factors leading to building of good working environment As HR professionals, we know that the real strength of an organization is its people. It is the only asset which cannot be easily copied but management tend to forget that people are not robots. The management is only concern about bring down the cost rather than focusing on improving the work environment in which their employees work in. Lately especially in Mauritius with the new regulations, employees are more willing to invest in their infrastructure so as to create a safe place to work. However, just investing in infrastructure and increasing pay is not the magic elixir towards the promoting of a good working environment. There are other factors which are important and they are discussed below. Culture The culture of an organization is the typical way of doing things in the organization. It particularly relates to behavioural patterns and relationships. The culture of an organization develops over time. It is created by the people that work for the organization, that is, its workforce and managers. What the organization stands for (its values) and the dreams that it seeks to turn into reality (its vision) are fundamental in creating a dynamic culture. A high performance culture exists when everyone in the organization shares the same vision and where they trust and value each others contribution. This shared belief and behaviors will ensure that the working environment at the firm is stable and consistent. Schein gives a more precise analysis of organizational Culture based on organizational psychology Organizational Culture is: A pattern of basic assumptions Invented, discovered, or developed by a given group As it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation an integral integration That has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore, Is to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to these problem According to Schein, there are four dimensions of culture should be present in a firm namely, company practices, company communication, physical Cultural forms and common language. According to Armstrong .M(1996), Culture management is concerned with: Culture change: the development of attitudes, benefits and values which will be congruent with the organizations mission, mission, strategies, environment and technologies. Culture reinforcement: which aims to preserve and reinforce what is good or functional about the present culture Change management: This is concerned with enabling the culture to adapt successfully to change and gaining acceptance to changes in organization, systems procedures ad methods of work. Commitment gain: commitment of members of the organization to the mission, strategies and values The aims of culture Management are to: Develop an ideology which guides management on the formulation and implementation of coherent HRM strategies and policies Create and maintain a positive climate within the organization which indicates the behavior which is expected of members of that organization in the course of their work The management of the organizations culture is a central activity for senior management with the advice and help of personnel and HR specialists in their increasingly important role as internal consultants. Culture provides a sense of direction and is an unwritten form of norms which guides the employees in their everydays work at the workplace. It is this shared belief which guides and binds each individual at the workplace so that they form part of a family. Moreover, it is this shared belief which helps to form and maintain a good working environment. Each individual is unique in his or her way. It is the employers role to provide and sustain a culture which will be beneficial for each of the firms strategic partners. An employee spends most of his time at the workplace consequently the latter should feel at ease. He should feel that he is valued and not neglected by the company. Leadership Alan keith of Genentech states that, Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen. According to ken SKC Ogbonnia, effective Leadership is the ability to successfully integrate and maximize available resources within the internal and external environment for the attainment of organizational or societal goals. Good management brings about order and consistency by drawing formal plans, designing organizational structures and monitoring results against the plans. In other words, the role of management is in the area of planning, implementation and control. In contrast, leadership involves developing a vision and inspiring people to achieve that vision. This leads to Shackletons definition (1995) Leadership is the process in which an individual influences other group members towards the attainment of group or organizational goals. The modern Leaders should be more of an employee oriented rather than production oriented. The statement You manage things, you lead people from Grace Murray Hopper demonstrates the importance of the behavioural dimensions of leadership . It involves the concern that the leader has for the feelings, needs, personal interest, problems and well being of followers. This is such as employees are the human capital which contributes to the success and development of a company to a great extent. Thus, these days, companies do not see them only as factors of production from the classical perspective, but have started to value them as stakeholders and strategic partners with who long term goals are achieved together. A positive working environment is critical no matter how many employees the firm have. It is management that fosters the work atmosphere so they are responsible for conducting things in a way that helps raise peoples spirits. The statement from David J. Schawartz which states big thinkers are specialist in creating positive, forward looking, optimistic pictures in their own minds and in the minds of others is significant because people generally need some sort of challenge to motivate themselves. Effective leadership means offering people the chance to grow. The management should recognize their contribution through positive feedback and advancement to more challenging positions. Norman Allan statement Skill in the art of communication is crucial to a leaders success. He can accomplish nothing unless he can communicate effectively is indeed true since an organization will experience a good working environment only if the management and the employees are engaged in a collaborative and participation relationship. This reminds us of the statement from Mary D. Poole Leadership should be more participative than directiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.If the employees do not trust the management then this will create conflicting relationship between both parties and this is a major barrier towards the promotion of a good working environment. Thus communication is indeed a powerful tool which can align both partners towards the same goal. The leaders should do their best to create an atmosphere that is conducive to trust and provide the necessary infrastructure for the personal growth of its workforce. The leaders should do their best to create an environment where the workforce will feel at ease and can thus be more productive. The management should not forget that by creating a good working environment it will be a win situation for both the workers and the employers as this will enable the firm to be more competitive and productive. 2.3 Organisational justice Distributive justice This type of justice refers to outcomes being distributed proportional to inputs like the so-called equity principle (Adams, 1965). Outcomes in a work context might take the form of wages, social approval, job security, promotion and career opportunities, while inputs would include education, training, experience and effort. As it can be difficult to determine what constitutes an appropriate level of reward for a particular degree of input, people tend to make this judgement in relative terms, looking for a contribution-outcome ratio that is similar to that of their peers. For instance, if two employees have the same qualifications and experience but only one of them gets a promotion, the one who did not get promoted might feel that he was the victim of an unfair decision from the management. Consequently, such injustice might create a havoc in the firms working environment. Procedural justice Procedural justice is concerned with the fairness of the decision process leading to a particular outcome. It can outweigh distributive justice, in the sense that individuals might be willing to accept an unwanted outcome if they believe the decision process leading up to it was conducted according to organizational justice principles. For example, Greenberg (1994) found that smokers more strongly accepted a smoking ban at their workplace when they felt they had been given thorough information about the change of policy, in a socially sensitive manner. The same principles might apply to the hypothetical promotion scenario given above. An unpromoted worker may be placated if he is convinced that the system used to decide promotions is transparent and free from bias. Thus, if the employees trust the procedures adopted by their managers, they will readily accept them and the good working environment will be sustained at the workplace Interactional justice A third type of justice has been proposed by Bies and Moang(1986), which they call Interactional justice: the communication of fairness. This perceptive argues that people are sensitive to the quality of interpersonal treatment they receive during the enactments of organisational procedures. Researchers treated this as a third type of justice but recently researchers now treat it as one component of procedural justice. Colquitt (2001) divides interactional justice into two components: interpersonal which compasses respect and propriety and informational, which encompasses truthfulness and justification. Positive effects of organisational justice Well-designed systems that promote distributive, procedural and interactional justice profit both the individual, who will be satisfied that they have been fairly treated, and the organisation, which will maintain control over potential challenges and threats from its staff while reaping the benefits of being an employer of choice. Numerous gains can be observed. For example, Sheppard et al . (1992) state that equitable pay improves individual performance, equal treatment raises group spirit, voice creates commitment to a decision, and access creates a loyal ally (p. 102). Justice promotes positive attitudes of job satisfaction, commitment and trust, in turn breeding healthy and constructive professional and interpersonal behaviour. In particular, perceptions of procedural justice have been associated with the termed organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) that is, informal, prosocial acts that go beyond the immediate remit of the job description and encompass such outputs as cour tesy, conscientiousness, altruism and sportsmanship (Organ, 1988; Skarlicki and Latham, 1996). If employees feel that there exist organizational justice at their workplace, they will feel more secure and the wok environment will be more friendly between the management and the employees and this will drive the company towards achievement of its goals and objective. Psychological contract (PC) The long term economic health of most organization depends on the efforts of employee with the appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities. One concept that has been useful in discussing employees relationship with the organization is that of a psychological contract. Which refers to the unwritten expectation that employees and employers have about the nature of their work relationship because of the PC is individual and subjective in nature, it focuses on expectations about fairness that may be defined clearly by employees. The transformation in the PC mirrors on evolution in which organization have moved from employing individual who perform tasks. To employing individuals expected to produce results. Rather than just paying them to follow orders and put in time, increasingly employers are expecting employees to use their skills and capabilities to accomplish organizational results. Studies suggest that employees do believe in these unwritten agreement or PC and hope their employers will keep their side of the agreement. When employers do not, employees feel a minimal need to contribute to organizational productivity because they no longer trust employers. Thus, employers loyalty is necessary and it can be successfully based on a new PC with the following expectation: Employers provide employee provide Competitive compensation Contribute to performance improvement Benefits tailored to the workforce Reasonable tenure with the organization Flexibility to balance work Extra effort when needed and home life balance 2.4 Personality, Health, Work Environment, and Performance According to Schneider (1987), the people make the place, and people are attracted differentially to, differentially selected, and differentially leave organizations. Costa, McCrae, and Holland (1984) emphasized on the fact that people begin this procedure by choosing into vocations that match their behaviors. Similarity between an interviewee values and the values of interviewers and employees in organizations has been shown to result in enhanced work attitudes and improved performance after organizational entry (Judge and Cable, 1997; Chatman, 1991). Research by Cable and Judge (1994) and Judge and Cable (1997) highlighted that interviewee pro-actively prefer such organizational environments based on individual preferences, as they think that job candidates look for organizations with recognize their efforts and reward them and cultures that fit their behaviors. Of even greater significance is the prospect that the link between personality characteristics and good work environments may have an influence on performance (Hurtz and Donovan, 2000). . Training and development programs Employee training programs are an integral part of the HR vision and long term strategic objectives of an organization. Through timely and planned training programs, employees are able to develop their knowledge, skills and capabilities so as to perform assigned jobs consistently and successfully. Ultimately, carefully devised and implemented employee training programs should impact organizational competiveness, long term performance and overall productivity. (By Pallab Dutta, ehow contributor). Nowadays, when we talk of training, employees want to form part of the planning process à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.preparation and agreement with the individual of a development plan including formal training and various development activitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦'(Baron and Armstrong,2005,p.25). This collaboration ensures that efficient training occurs and everyone is capable of learning more and doing better in their job ( Baron and Armstrong,2005,p.25). All employees want to work for an organization that will satisfy their need for development as all employees want to develop and acquire new skills so that they are not only efficient but also more employable. Herzberg (1973) stresses opportunities for learning as a motivation factor in a good working environment when employees are properly trained, they become empowered with the knowledge and skills to perform their job functions with confidence. In turn, they will develop a stronger sense of accomplishment, usefulness and loyalty to the organisation (Peterson). Consequently, if the management caters this need of its workforce then they will be motivated and committed. This will eventually create a good working environment since both parties will respect their promise towards each other. 2.7 Staff Empowerment Creating an environment and culture where employees feel comfortable and capable of accomplishing their finest work, is the only means that ensures these organizations are experiencing their employees peak potentials. People are empowered when they are given the authority and responsibility to make decisions affecting their work with a minimum of interference and second guessing (Maurer, 2000, p.5). Empowerment has received increased attention among scholars and practitioners at the workplace (Donovan, 1994), and an opinion regarding the numerous advantages of empowering employees is shared by both managers and employees. Empowerment has proved to influence both organizational and managerial effectiveness (Spreitzer,1995) and is recognized as a method by which managers can efficiently manage an organization in todays work environment. 2.8 Trust Respect Trust is seen as an important attribute of effective leadership and has been referred to as the glue which keeps an organization together as a functioning unit (Strasser, 1994, p.181). In a study, Mishra (1990) concludes that there exist four factors that breed trust within an organization namely: Communication at all level Shared decision making Sharing critical information Honest sharing of perceptions and feelings This study also concluded that trust is an element which starts at the top of any organization, then filter sits way down due to the upper managements hierarchical advantage and greater access to key information. In a team-based environment, trust is an essential ingredient to the overall success and ensures that there exist a collaborative working environment where all party can cohabit and work together. Grundy (1998, p. 180) concludes that organizations where there are determined levels of trust, employees experience empowerment, satisfaction, and competitive advantage, stating; For a team to work effectively, its members must trust one another. We must be able to assume that we can trust each other, that is we can operate with the same values and purpose, count on each other during tough times, be bone straight with each other and work together with mutual respect and care (Harari,1999, p. 29) 2.9 Office layout and working environment Over the years, many organizations have been trying new designs and techniques to construct office buildings, which can increase productivity, and attract more employees. Many authors have noted that, the physical layout of the workspace, along with efficient management processes, is playing a major role in boosting employees productivity and improving organizational performance (Uzee, 1999; Leaman and Bordass, 1993; Williams et al. 1985). The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID, 1999) carried out an independent study and revealed that the physical workplace design is one of the top three factors, which affect performance and job satisfaction. The study results showed that 31 percent of people were satisfied with their jobs and had pleasing workplace environments. 50 percent of people were seeking jobs and said that they would prefer a job in a company where the physical environment is good. Ergonomics of office furniture is important because an employee has to work with them for the entire time that he is on office, and if they are uncomfortable and not user friendly, their working style and efficiency gets hampered considerably, in turn affecting the overall organizations. Non-ergonomic office furniture can also lead to health problems of employees, which again has an adverse effect on the productivity. Ergonomic office furniture ensures that each employee gels well with the things around him, like desks, chairs, computer alignment and even environmental factors. If the employee is uncomfortable due to any reason, his work is bound to get affected. If all factors surrounding the employee are ergonomically correct, then the employee will be comfortable and remain motivated to give his best. Nowier Mohammed (2009) Barriers towards building a good working environment The promotion of a good working environment has numerous advantages namely the firm will have a motivated workforce which will work to their maximum level so as to make the organization become more competitive. Moreover, the firms reputation will not be affected negatively since it will not suffer from problem like strikes and other major problems. As a result, the organization will be more productive and efficient. However, in spite of these advantages, there exist barriers towards the creation of a great place to work namely: Resistant from both parties At the workplace, there are often conflicts between the management team and the employees and this is due to the simple fact that no one party wants to listen to the other. For instance, the management usually implements decisions first and then they expect employees to follow. The management tends to use the authoritarian leadership style but employees are against that since they want to have a say. Resistance can be constructive if it forces managers to interact more frequently with subordinate, to review the decision to introduce change, and perhaps to explore alternative ways to meet desired objective. Six approaches have been put forward as ways of controlling resistance to change (kotter Schlesinger, 1979): Education and communication Participation Facilitation Negotiating and agreement Manipulation and co-option Coercion If the management uses the above approaches then issues like disagreement can be resolved. For instance, with a proper communication channel, there will be clarification of information and thus both parties will be on the same length. Moreover, by educating the employees, they will be able to see change as an opportunity rather than a threat. Thus, such policies can ensure that the organization will experience a harmonious working environment with very little or no conflict at the workplace.

Civil Liberties Essay -- essays research papers

As Benjamin Franklin once said â€Å"A people who would trade liberty for security deserve neither†. I totally agree in that we as the people of the United States should not ask for greater safety at the price of liberty. I feel that the government does not have the power to limit our First Amendment rights. The people of this country hold the power and politicians are merely their puppets. These leaders can ask for all kinds of authority during a time like this but all it would take is a string backlash from the public for them to back down. What is it about a time like this that renders these rights so unnecessary? People fought incredibly hard and gave their lives for these standards and for us to discard them at a time like this is disgraceful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These rights w...

The Disaster at Chernobyl Essay -- Nuclear Explosions Ukraine Essays H

The Disaster at Chernobyl On April 26th, 1986, operators at the Chernobyl Power Plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, ran what they thought to be a routine safety test. But fate was not on the side of these operators. Without warning, reactor #4 became unstable, as it had been operating at a low power for a possible shutdown and the reactor’s design caused it to be unsafe at this level of power. Internal temperatures rose. Attempts to cool the system produced the opposite effect. Instantly, the nuclear core surged with power. At 1:23 p.m., the reactor exploded. The first blast ripped off the reactor's steel roof. The second blast released a large plume of radiation into the sky. Flames engulfed the building. For ten long days, fire fighters and power plant workers attempted to overcome the inferno. Thirty-one of them died of radiation poisoning. Chernobyl was the worst nuclear disaster in history. It unleashed radiation hundreds of times greater than the atomic bombs exploded over Japan during Wo rld War II. [1] Initially the Soviet Government kept the accident at Chernobyl a secret. Because radiation lacks smell or taste, and is invisible, people carried on with their daily lives, all the while inhaling radioactive particles. It took ten days for the Soviet government to evacuate the contaminated areas. Particles fell into the crops and plants of the people. Cows ate grass that had been contaminated by the nuclear particles causing the dairy produ...

desegregation historiography Essay -- essays research papers fc

Equality and equal opportunity are two terms that have changed or have been redefined over the last 100 years in America. The fathers of our constitution wanted to establish justice and secure liberty for the people of the United States. They wrote about freedom and equality for men, but historically it has not been practiced. In the twentieth century large steps have been made to make the United States practice the ideals declared in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The major changes following Rosa Park’s refusal to give up her bus seat to a young white man and the Brown v. Board of Education trial in 1954. These Supreme Court rulings altered American society and began the desegregation and integration movements. In the 1950’s many writers took interest in writing about segregation, desegregation, integration and black history in general. Many historians write about segregation still existing today and the problems in which integration never had the chance to corr ect. Many works about desegregation were written in the years to follow, was it a good idea and would it last? Murray Friedman, Roger Meltzer and Charles Miller put a collection of essays together in the mid 70’s discussing integration and the many different views pertaining to desegregation in its first fifteen years. Major changes have taken place in American lives that have not been fully absorbed in our thinking that cause confusion and bitterness. The authors agree that the original goal of civil rights forces was the dismantling of school systems segregated under law, despite the strong resistance, was successful in some places. Pennsylvania is one state that issued programs to integrate schools that were successful. Another topic addressed in New Perspectives on School Integration is the study of ethnic groups in schools. At the time programs only study the present or dominant ethnic group at a specific school. It changes from school to school rather than teaching ethnicitie s of many different American groups. The goal in teaching American ethnic culture should include a wide range of content. If schools were to teach all ethnicities to every child, no matter their race, it would benefit and prepare students whom will be entering an integrated society instead of a desegregated society. Desegregation effects on the achievements of black and white students show improvement. James Coleman ... ...States was founded on principles of equality, liberty and the right to exercise them freely. In the Constitution the ideals of the American Creed have thus become the highest law of the land. Kozol also describes the American Dilemma and brings it to life for his readers. The values of the American Creed have historically not extended on a equal basis. The fallacy lies in the ideals of American foundations, if Americans would live up to the lofty ideals, then the race problem in the United States would disappear. Segregating still does exist today and will keep living until we are able to go into cities and change their education program and make funding and instruction equal. Bibliography Friedman, M., R. Meltzer, C. Miller. New Perspectives on School Integration. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979 Harris, Ian M. Criteria for Evaluating School Desegregation in Milwaukee. The Journal of Negro Education, Vol.52, No.4 (Autumn, 1983), 423-435. Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. New York, New York: Crown Publishers Inc., 1992. Samuels, Albert L., Black Colleges and the Challenge to Desegregation. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 2004.

Existentialism in Demian and Crime and Punishment Essay

Existentialism is fairly common in literature, despite being a relatively new school of thought, and both Demian and Crime and Punishment show existentialist traits. This gives each book not just a philosophy, but also a certain feeling and mindset. Existentialism starts that with the idea that existence precedes essence, or purpose. We come into this world without a purpose, and we simply exist. Our task is to find a purpose. The world around us is an alien chaos, a circus that we stumble through, trying to find a meaning for our life. In Demian, it is clear that Sinclair does not know his purpose. His struggle is to find out what it is. Jean-Paul Sartre says, â€Å"Life has no meaning a priori? it’s up to you to give it a meaning. † Hesse declares that â€Å"[e]ach man had only one genuine vocation? to find the way to himself?. His task was to discover his own destiny† (Hesse, 132). It is clear, then, that we come into the world with nothing, no purpose at all. The only genuine task we have is to figure out what we are going to do here. According to Existentialism, no one can find it for you, and, similarly, no doctrine or philosophy can find it for you. Sinclair learns these same lessons. Demian pulls Sinclair away from mainstream religion early in the story, saying that the division of good and evil has no real meaning. Later, Pistorius tries to teach Sinclair about myriad past religions, but Sinclair rejects him, feeling that he should try to come up with something original instead. Throughout the story, Sinclair engages in different mentor-pupil relationships (like his relationships with Demian and Pistorius) but eventually he shrugs those off, taking his friends’ wisdom with him and facing the world alone. That is what everyone must do, eventually? face the world alone. And alone is exactly how we feel, as we stumble through this circus of a world. Sinclair spends most of his time not just feeling but also being by himself, adrift. When he leaves his family and his sisters, it does not affect him much, if at all, he is so isolated. He connects only with a precious few people, and never for very long. He somehow distances himself from his peers. Even when he was partying and drinking a lot, he found a way to separate himself from them. In that case, it was the role of sex in his life. Demian is a story about one man’s journey. The reader never really learns the story of any other character, not even Demian himself, who remains something of an enigma to the very end. This puts the story in an existentialist mindset. Sinclair is drifting through a swirling, gray mass of humanity. Alone is also how we must act. Jean-Paul Sartre says, â€Å"It is only in our decisions that we are important,† and, â€Å"We must act out passions before we can feel it. † This pretty closely mirrors the sentiment presented when Pistorius says, â€Å"[Y]ou can’t consider prohibited anything that the soul desires† (Hesse, 116). It is only when we make our own decisions and act for ourselves that what we do has meaning. Hesse puts the existentialist framework to work for him by using it to highlight the need for independence and spiritual self-reliance. Dostoyevsky, on the other hand, uses the mindset to facilitate Raskolnikov’s downward mental spiral, highlight his aloofness, and pull the story along. The world of St. Petersburg is, without a doubt, a strange and hostile place for Raskolnikov. He stumbles along and things constantly happen around him. He repeatedly wakes up with people in his room. He sees things in the street, such as the drunken rape victim early in the story, or a prone Marmeladov, that cause him to lose his cool. More and more, he finds himself doing crazy things without regard for logic or even common sense. People in this world confound him. He has no idea what they are up to, and he is constantly paranoid that people are plotting against him. His guilty, delirious inner world combines with the crazy, chaotic outer world to make Raskolnikov into a raging, feverish, maniac. He is not just any raging, feverish, maniac, though. He is an aloof raging, feverish, maniac. He considers himself better than those around him, and his superior mentality drives his antisocial behavior. His antisocial behavior, in turn, gives the character and story a feeling of being alone. Not only is the world crazy, but also Raskolnikov is separated from it and everyone in it, at least until the very end of the book. He is isolated, so much so that at times he can â€Å"feel it clearly with every fiber of his being that he could never again address these people† (Dostoyevsky, 122). Finally, Dostoyevsky uses this chaotic world to drive his story along. Things are constantly happening by coincidence, and Dostoyevsky moves the plot forwards at a dizzying pace, forcing Raskolnikov to act. It is fantastic that Raskolnikov should happen upon Marmeladov soon after he is injured, and that Raskolnikov should overhear people discussing the very same murder that is on his mind, and that someone should eavesdrop on him and hear his confession. The frenzied plot makes it much easier for both Raskolnikov and the reader to slip into a mania, which is surely Dostoyevsky’s aim. The philosophy of existentialism, too, plays a part in Crime and Punishment. Sartre says that the only true goal of our lives is that which we set for ourselves. Raskolnikov, through the main portion of the story, has no clear goal. He wavers between wanting to turn himself in and trying to avoid suspicion. Sartre says, â€Å"Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that [he has] no other aim than the one he sets himself,† and it is clear that Raskolnikov’s will is pretty much useless. He can effect no real change in either himself or in his surroundings until he finally picks a goal and follows through with it. His personal development is completely halted during his entire spell of indecision. Only in the epilogue do we see him begin to change, begin to forsake his philosophy of the superman, find happiness, and fall in love. The philosophy of existentialism was around long before anyone gave a name to it, as is evidenced by Dostoyevsky’s St. Petersburg, the perfect example of an existentialist world. Both Dostoyevsky and Hesse use existentialist ideas help them express their points. Andrew Holbrook, 2006.

International Multimedia Conference Essay

Camuri, A. , Mazzarino, B. , Ricchetti, M. , Timmers, R. , and Volpe, G. (2004). Multimodal analysis of expressive gesture in music and dance performances. In Gesture-Based Communication in Human-Computer Interaction, 2915, 357-358. The article focuses on research concerning the analysis of expressive gesture from the perspective of multimodal interaction and the development of systems of multimodal interaction by considering the role that non-verbal expressive gesture would play in the communication process. The multimodal analysis focuses mainly on dance and music because they provide a comprehensive emotional and expressive content. The authors explained the involvement of auditory and visual gestures in demonstrating the expressive purpose of the performers. They tested the model of auditory and visual gestures by making a comparison of the performances with the ratings of audiences of the same dance and music performances. Other topics that students can get from the article include the definition of the expressive gesture, framework for multimodal analysis of expressive gesture in terms of the ability of performers to relay their emotions to the audience, and automated extraction of auditory and visual cues. Dowling, R. G. , Dowling, R. , Reinke, D. , & National Cooperative Highway Research Program (2008). Multimodal level of service analysis for urban streets. Washington, D. C. : Transportation Research Board. The authors highlighted the findings of a study on how the public can interpret the quality of multimodal service offered by urban streets. The study focuses mainly on various factors that influence or affect the perception of various travelers when it comes to the level of service of urban streets, particularly the perceptions of automotive drivers, bicycle riders, bus riders, and pedestrians. The authors stressed the importance of using models of level of service in analyzing the benefits that urban travelers can get from context-focus street designs. The book will help widen the knowledge of students in applying multimodal analysis to urban streets. It provides students with insights into the definition of urban streets and transits, techniques of analyzing the level of service for urban streets, and economic and safety aspects of level of service. Other topics covered in the book include the integration of four models of level of service in order to have the same level of service rating system and suggested level of service for bicycle riders, transit passengers, and pedestrians. Foote, J. , Boreczky, J. , Girgensohn, A. , & Wilcox, L. (1998). An intelligent media browser using automatic multimodal analysis. International Multimedia Conference. Proceedings of the Sixth ACM International Conference on Multimedia, 375-380. The article provides a way to automatically analyze multimedia using an intelligent browser. The automatic multimodal analysis allows users to have informed decisions on various interests in the field of media in order to avoid searching areas outside the scope their interest. The article provides explanation on two types of automatic multimodal analysis, the audio similarity to identify the speaker and the frame differences to detect shot. Recognition of gesture, motion, and face in the browsing scheme and the combination of audio and video analysis are integrated in the automatic multimodal analysis. The article can enhance the knowledge of students on automatic analysis of multimedia resources by providing various ways to make noisy and erroneous automatic estimates more applicable to the user. Some examples of multimedia resources include digital ink, closed captions, audio, video, and text annotations. Kress, G. & Van Leeuwen, T. (2001). Multimodal discourse: the modes and media of contemporary communication. Arnold, New York: Oxford University Press. The authors provided insights into the role that the communication theory will play in the era of interactive multimedia. They compared how the design thinking and production thinking will interact during the design and development of communicative messages. They explained that design thinking and production thinking are two important types of thinking processes that take place during an individual’s interaction with resources and media he or she utilized. The book is very relevant to the research concerning multimodal analysis because it helps widen the knowledge of students and readers in the field of communication, language, and media. Moreover, students will learn to take the challenge brought by the emergence of multimedia, multimodality, and multi-skiing. The book will supplement students’ understanding of designing multimedia that was learned in school. It is not only catered to students but all types of professionals who are interested in multimodal design such as journalists, designers, photographers, and other people who are connected to the of science and mathematics. O’Halloran, K. L. (2006). Multimodal discourse analysis: systematic-functional perspectives. London, England: Continuum International Publishing. The book discusses important research in the field of multimodal texts and multimodal discourses. It focuses mainly on the development of the theory and the methodology of analyzing discourses by utilizing various semiotic resources like visual images, architecture, language, and space. The book provides an explanation on how the multimodal discourses are produced through the interaction of different semiotic modes of communication. Different modes of communication may include static and dynamic visual images, language, electronic media, architecture, electronic print, or electronic film. The book provides explanation on phase and transition, interaction of body movement and camera, use of color, typography, and layout. Other topics covered in the book include the development of multiple integrated semiotic model, visual semiosis in electronic films, application of system-functional theory in various semiotic resources, and analysis of three-dimensional space such as the Sydney Opera House. Ventola, E. , Charles, C. , & Kaltenbacher, M. (2004). Perspectives on multimodality. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Co. The authors provided a background on various perspectives about multimodal discourse by focusing on methodological and theoretical issues such as multiple semiotic systems, mode hierarchies, and multimodal corpus annotation. The advent of computer and the growing use of the Internet allow scholars to be particularly interested on the characteristics of different modes of communication and the way these modes of communication can function semiotically and integrate in the emerging discourse analyses around the world. The book can help widen the understanding of students on the similarity between language and non-linguistic semiotic mode of communication, different signs of nature within the multimodality perspective, role of text imaging in providing positive outcomes for the learners, and the influence of semiotic transformation in the formal language of mathematics on the effectiveness of science to provide description of the physical world. Moreover, students can learn how to apply multimodal analysis in various fields such as entertainment, medicine, mathematics, design of buildings, and translation. References Camuri, A. , Mazzarino, B. , Ricchetti, M. , Timmers, R. , and Volpe, G. (2004). Multimodal analysis of expressive gesture in music and dance performances. In Gesture-Based Communication in Human-Computer Interaction, 2915, 357-358. Dowling, R. G. , Dowling, R. , Reinke, D. , & National Cooperative Highway Research Program (2008). Multimodal level of service analysis for urban streets. Washington, D. C. : Transportation Research Board. Foote, J. , Boreczky, J. , Girgensohn, A. , & Wilcox, L. (1998). An intelligent media browser using automatic multimodal analysis. International Multimedia Conference. Proceedings of the Sixth ACM International Conference on Multimedia, 375-380. Kress, G. & Van Leeuwen, T. (2001). Multimodal discourse: the modes and media of contemporary communication. Arnold, New York: Oxford University Press. O’Halloran, K. L. (2006). Multimodal discourse analysis: systematic-functional perspectives. London, England: Continuum International Publishing. Ventola, E. , Charles, C. , & Kaltenbacher, M. (2004). Perspectives on multimodality. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Co.

Expectancy Theory

The expectancy theory by Victor Bloom is based on the believe that organizational employees act in a certain way based on the strength of an outcome and how attractive the outcome is to the individual. The theory contains three main relationships and when all three are maintained the desired behavior from the employee will be achieved. These three relationships are effort-performance (Expectant probability), performance-reward (Instrumentality probability) and rewards-personal goals (Valence).In the effort-performance relationship or expectancy the employee must believe that if they perform in a certain manner that they will indeed increase their performance and thus make goals obtainable. In order for the employee to actually believe that increase effort will lead to increase performance they must believe that the process is valid, that they have the tools and resources to achieve the goal and that the goal is meaningful. The goal can’t be without merit based on their knowled ge of the job and their past experiences.The performance-reward relationship or instrumentality hinges of the belief that if the employee does work harder and does meet the performance goal that they will receive a reward or a greater reward compared to others. The employee again needs to have trust in the reward system and the people who manage the processes and reward systems. The reward process should be transparent and fair. The rewards-personal relationship or valence is the value that the employee sees in obtaining the goals. This will be variable because different things motivate people.Paid time off motivate some, bonuses and or pay raises motivate others. Some employees simply are satisfied with being recognized and others seek promotion. The key element to the rewards-personal relationship is not that the employee is satisfied but the satisfactions meet their expectant level of satisfaction. (Expectancy Theory of Motivation, 2012) In the task’s given scenario there is plenty of evidence that the employees have little confidence in the thought of working hard and producing more has any positive affect on them. This is an excellent scenario to apply the expectancy theory.Based on the interviews of supervisor A’s employee by supervisor B’s supervisor there is lack of trust that work is rewarded at all, fairly, and the current reward system is not worth the trouble. The statement that the bonuses are not enough to make a difference in their pay after deductions and the statements that you have to be way underperforming to have a negative effect on your pay and over performance has no positive effect on pay confirm this. These opinions are obviously based on past experience of working with the audio product company.Supervisor A obviously must have the same attitudes as the people he supervises being that his group is underperforming and supervisor B is the person concerned and asking the questions on how to better the situation. There is also a statement that some employees believed they did not have the dexterity to perform the new process undermining the confidence in the new program. The company needs to do several things utilizing the expectancy theory. First there needs to be confidence in the new program that it is meaningful and the goals are obtainable.First for the employees with the issue of dexterity, there needs to be some education and assistance provided to those employees to evaluate what they can do to make it easier to perform the job. Maybe additional tools or resources are necessary. This education and assistance could even be provided by the employees that are doing well and excelling in the new process. The company should set common individual and team goals. The individual goals would motivate the employees and the team goals should motivate the supervisors. These goals need to be obtainable and enough of a challenge that the employee feels accomplishment when they meet them.There also shou ld be regular feedback about their performance. This addresses the expectancy part of the theory that if they work harder that it will increase their performance. Then to gain interest in the rewards, there needs to be an overhaul of the reward system itself. There needs to be variety in the rewards. A poll could be taken of the employees and ask them what would be fair rewards for met goals. The employer could take the majority opinion of the poll and offer the result as a reward or offer options of rewards either by individuals or by group.The rewards must be of value to the employee that is the bottom line. The company needs to have transparency in the new goal and reward program. That will make sure there is confidence and fairness in the reward program. Employees must see that the achievers are being rewarded while the underachievers are not. This tangible difference must be known and visible to reinforce that things are now different and effort is awarded. This aspect addresse s the instrumentality relationship aspect of the expectancy theory.To accommodate those employees that are motivated by recognition, individual rewards that include company wide recognition should be established in addition to the monetary or benefit rewards. Team recognition awards could also be established. This would create a little friendly competition while providing openly displayed performance numbers which in turn provides positive feedback for increased performance. By making sure that the reward system has value and makes the employee desire to make the goal and want the reward addresses the valence relationship of the theory.By giving the employees the skills and tools necessary to obtain goals and to have the employees’ confidence that there is an open and fair reward mechanism is vital for successful motivation of the workforce. It is of utmost importance that the employee feels that their increased effort will increase performance and the increased performance w ill result in meaningful expected rewards for them. Bibliography Expectancy Theory of Motivation. (2012, 11 4). Retrieved from Management Study Guide: http://www. managementstudyguide. com/expectancy-theory-motivation. htm Expectancy Theory Expectancy theory proposes that a person will decide to behave or act in a certain way because they are motivated to select a specific behavior over other behaviors due to what they expect the result of that selected behavior will be. [1] In essence, the motivation of the behavior selection is determined by the desirability of the outcome. However, at the core of the theory is the cognitive process of how an individual processes the different motivational elements. This is done before making the ultimate choice.The outcome is not the sole determining factor in making the decision of how to behave. [1] Expectancy theory is about the mental processes regarding choice, or choosing. It explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices. In the study of organizational behavior, expectancy theory is a motivation theory first proposed by Victor Vroom of the Yale School of Management. â€Å"This theory emphasizes the needs for organizations to relate rewards directly to per formance and to ensure that the rewards provided are those rewards deserved and wanted by the recipients. † [2] Victor H.Vroom (1964) defines motivation as a process governing choices among alternative forms of voluntary activities, a process controlled by the individual. The individual makes choices based on estimates of how well the expected results of a given behavior are going to match up with or eventually lead to the desired results. Motivation is a product of the individual’s expectancy that a certain effort will lead to the intended performance, the instrumentality of this performance to achieving a certain result, and the desirability of this result for the individual, known as valence. [3] Contents hide] 1 Author 2 Key elements 2. 1 Expectancy: Effort > Performance (E>P) 2. 2 Instrumentality: Performance > Outcome (P>O) 2. 3 Valence- V(R) 3 Current Research 3. 1 Management 3. 2 Computer Users 3. 3 Models of Teacher Expectancy Effects 4 Criticisms 5 Related The ories 6 Notes 7 Further reading [edit] Author In 1964, Vroom developed the Expectancy theory through his study of the motivations behind decision making. His theory is relevant to the study of management. Currently, Vroom is a John G. Searle Professor of Organization and Management at the Yale University School of Management. 4] [edit] Key elements The Expectancy Theory of Motivation explains the behavioral process of why individuals choose one behavioral option over another. It also explains how they make decisions to achieve the end they value. Vroom introduces three variables within the expectancy theory which are valence (V), expectancy (E) and instrumentality (I). The three elements are important behind choosing one element over another because they are clearly defined: effort-performance expectancy (E>P expectancy), performance-outcome expectancy (P>O expectancy). 5] Three components of Expectancy theory: Expectancy, Instrumentality, and Valence 1. Expectancy: Effort > Perform ance (E>P) 2. Instrumentality: Performance > Outcome (P>O) 3. Valence- V(R) [edit] Expectancy: Effort > Performance (E>P) Expectancy is the belief that one's effort (E) will result in attainment of desired performance (P) goals. Usually based on an individual's past experience, self-confidence (self efficacy), and the perceived difficulty of the performance standard or goal.Factors associated with the individual's Expectancy perception are self efficacy, goal difficulty, and control. Self efficacy is the person’s belief about their ability to successfully perform a particular behavior. Goal difficulty happens when goals are set too high or performance expectations that are made too difficult are most likely to lead to low expectancy perceptions. Control is one's perceived control over performance. In order for expectancy to be high, individuals must believe that they have some degree of control over the expected outcome. edit] Instrumentality: Performance > Outcome (P>O) Inst rumentality is the belief that a person will receive a reward if the performance expectation is met. This reward may come in the form of a pay increase, promotion, recognition or sense of accomplishment. Instrumentality is low when the reward is the same for all performances given. Factors associated with the individual's instrumentality for outcomes are trust, control and policies. If individuals trust their superiors, they are more likely to believe their leaders promises.When there is a lack of trust in leadership, people often attempt to control the reward system. When individuals believe they have some kind of control over how, when, and why rewards are distributed, Instrumentality tends to increase. Formalized written policies impact the individuals' instrumentality perceptions. Instrumentality is increased when formalized policies associates rewards to performance. [edit] Valence- V(R) Valence:[6] the value the individual places on the rewards based on their needs, goals, val ues and Sources of Motivation.Factors associated with the individual's valence for outcomes are values, needs, goals, preferences and Sources of Motivation Strength of an individual’s preference for a particular outcome. The valence refers the value the individual personally places on the rewards. -1 >0> +1 -1= avoiding the outcome 0= indifferent to the outcome +1=welcomes the outcome In order for the valence to be positive, the person must prefer attaining the outcome to not attaining it. Expectancy Theory of motivation can help managers understand how individuals make decisions regarding various behavioral alternatives.The model below shows the direction of motivation, when behavior is energized: Motivational Force (MF) = Expectancy x Instrumentality x Valence When deciding among behavioral options, individuals select the option with the greatest amount of motivational force (MF). Expectancy and instrumentality are attitudes (cognitions) that represent an individual's perce ption of the likelihood that effort will lead to performance that will lead to the desired outcomes. These perceptions represent the individual’s subjective reality, and may or may not bear close resemblance to actual probabilities.These perceptions are tempered by the individual's experiences (learning theory), observations of others (social learning theory), and self-perceptions. Valence is rooted in an individual’s value system. One example of how this theory can be applied is related to evaluating an employee’s job performance. One’s performance is a function of the multiplicative relationship between one’s motivation and ability [P=f (M*A)] [1] Motivation can be expressed as [M=f (V*E)],[7] or as a function of valence times expectancy.In layman’s terms, this is how much someone is invested in something along with how probable or achievable the individual believes the goal is. [edit] Current Research [edit] Management Victor Vroomâ€℠¢s expectancy theory is one such management theory focused on motivation. According to Holdford and Lovelace-Elmore (2001, p. 8), Vroom asserts, â€Å"intensity of work effort depends on the perception that an individual’s effort will result in a desired outcome†. Vroom suggests that â€Å"for a person to be motivated, effort, performance and motivation must be linked† (Droar, 2006, p. 2).Three factors direct the intensity of effort put forth by an individual, according to Vroom; expectancy, instrumentality, and preferences (Holdford and Lovelace-Elmore, 2001). In order to enhance the performance-outcome tie, managers should use systems that tie rewards very closely to performance. Managers also need to ensure that the rewards provided are deserved and wanted by the recipients. [8] In order to improve the effort-performance tie, managers should engage in training to improve their capabilities and improve their belief that added effort will in fact lead to better performance. 8] – Emphasizes self-interest in the alignment of rewards with employee's wants. – Emphasizes the connections among expected behaviors, rewards and organizational goals Expectancy Theory, though well known in work motivation literature, is not as familiar to scholars or practitioners outside that field. [edit] Computer Users Lori Baker-Eveleth and Robert Stone, University of Idaho, conducted an empirical study on 154 faculty members’ behavioral intentions/responses to use of new software.The antecedents with previous computer experience ease of the system, and administrator support for they are linked to behavioral intentions to use the software through self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Self-efficacy and outcome expectancy impacts a person’s effect and behavior separately. Self-efficacy is the belief a person has that they possess the skills and abilities to successfully accomplish something. Outcome expectancy is the belief a person has when they accomplish the task, a desired outcome is attained.Self-efficacy has a direct impact on outcome expectancy and has a larger effect than outcome expectancy. [9] Employees will accept technology if they believe the technology is a benefit to them. If an employee is mandated to use the technology, the employees will use it but may feel it is not useful. On the other hand, when an employee is not mandated, the employee may be influenced by other factors that it should be used. The self-efficacy theory can be applied to predicting and perceiving an employee’s belief for computer use (Bandura, 1986; Bates & Khasawneh, 2007).This theory associates an individual’s cognitive state affective behavioral outcomes (Staples, Hulland, & Higgins, 1998). Motivation, performance, and feelings of failure are examples of self-efficacy theory expectations. The following constructs of the self-efficacy theory that impact attitudes and intentions to perform: past experience or mas tery with the task, vicarious experience performing the task, emotional or physiological arousal regarding the task, and social persuasion to perform the task. edit] Models of Teacher Expectancy Effects Jere Brophy and Thomas Good (1970, 1974) provided a comprehensive model of how teacher expectations could influence children's achievement. Their model posits that teachers' expectations indirectly affect children's achievement: â€Å"teacher expectations could also affect student outcomes indirectly by leading to differential teacher treatment of students that would condition student attitudes, expectations, and behavior† (Brophy, 1983, p. 639). The model includes the following sequence.Teachers form differential expectations for students early in the school year. Based on these expectations, they behave differently toward different students, and as a result of these behaviors the students begin to understand what the teacher expects from them. If students accept the teachers ' expectations and behavior toward them then they will be more likely to act in ways that confirm the teacher's initial expectations. This process will ultimately affect student achievement so that teachers' initial expectancies are confirmed. [10]In discussing work related to this model, Brophy (1983) made several important observations about teacher expectation effects. First and foremost, he argued that most of the beliefs teachers hold about student are accurate, and so their expectations usually reflect students' actual performance levels. As a result, Brophy contended that selffulfilling prophecy effects have relatively weak effects on student achievement, changing achievement 5% to 10%, although he did note that such effects usually are negative expectation effects rather than positive effects.Second, he pointed out that various situational and individual difference factors influence the extent to which teacher expectations will act as self-fulfilling prophecies. For instance , Brophy stated that expectancy effects may be larger in the early elementary grades, because teachers have more one-on-one interactions with students then, as they attempt to socialize children into the student role. In the upper elementary grades more whole-class teaching methods are used, which may minimize expectation effects.Some evidence supports this claim; expectancy effects in Rosenthal and Jacobson's (1968) study were strongest during the earlier grades. Raudenbush's (1984) meta-analysis of findings from different teacher expectancy studies in which expectancies were induced by giving teachers artificial information about children's intelligence showed that expectancy effects were stronger in Grades 1 and 2 than in Grades 3 through Grade 6, especially when the information was given to teachers during the first few weeks of school.These findings are particularly relevant because they show a form of the expectancy theory and how teachers have certain expectations of students and how they treat the students differently because of those expectations. [10] [edit] Criticisms Some of the critics of the expectancy model were Graen (1969) Lawler (1971), Lawler and Porter (1967), and Porter and Lawler (1968). [11] Their criticisms of the theory were based upon the expectancy model being too simplistic in nature; these critics started making adjustments to Vroom’s model.Edward Lawler claims that the simplicity of expectancy theory is deceptive because it assumes that if an employer makes a reward, such as a financial bonus or promotion, enticing enough, employees will increase their productivity to obtain the reward. [12] However, this only works if the employees believe the reward is beneficial to their immediate needs. For example, a $2 increase in salary may not be desirable to an employee if the increase pushes her into a tax bracket in which she believes her net pay is actually reduced, which is actually impossible in the United States with marginal tax brackets.Similarly, a promotion that provides higher status but requires longer hours may be a deterrent to an employee who values evening and weekend time with his children. In addition to that, if anyone in the armed forces or security agencies is promoted, there is a must condition for such promotions, that they he/she will be transferred to other locations. In such cases, if the new place is far from their permanent residence, where their family is residing, they will not be motivated by such promotions, and the results will be other way round.Because, the outcome, which this reward (promotion) will yield, may not be valued by those who are receiving it. Lawler’s new proposal for expectancy theory is not against Vroom’s theory. Lawler argues that since there have been a variety of developments of expectancy theory since its creation in 1964; the expectancy model needs to be updated. Lawler’s new model is based on four claims. [13] First, whenever there are a number of outcomes, individuals will usually have a preference among those outcomes.Two, there is a belief on the part of that individual that their action(s) will achieve the outcome they desire. Three, any desired outcome was generated by the individual’s behavior. Finally, the actions generated by the individual were generated by the preferred outcome and expectation of the individual. Instead of just looking at expectancy and instrumentality, W. F. Maloney and J. M. McFillen [13] found that expectancy theory could explain the motivation of those individuals who were employed by the construction industry. For nstance, they used worker expectancy and worker instrumentality. Worker expectancy is when supervisors create an equal match between the worker and their job. Worker instrumentality is when an employee knows that any increase in their performance leads to achieving their goal. In a chapter entitled â€Å"On the Origins of Expectancy Theory† published in G reat Minds in Management by Ken G. Smith and Michael A. Hitt, Vroom himself agreed with some of these criticisms and stated that he felt that the theory should be expanded to include research conducted since the original publication of his book.

New Mexico’s Border Issues

Illegal immigration refers to the immigration of people across national border without visa or valid documents. The illegal immigration give rise to a larger set of social issues in areas, such as economy, social welfare, education and health, smuggling and crime. The international border between United States and Mexico runs for about 3,141 km which is frequently crossed over by countless illegal immigrants from Mexico. The reason for these illegal crossings is the difference in living standards and wages in US and Mexico. Even though there large group of border patrol personnel’s guarding the border, alien immigrants can still sneak in through various locations due to lack of funds and consistent patrol in the area. .According to an estimate over a million people who cross over to US, 45 percent end up in   becoming agricultural labors in various US states. The economic and social costs of illegal immigration are enormous. It is estimated that about 10,000 illegal aliens cross into US every day with annual figure reaching to   of 3 million. A third of these immigrants are caught and returned to their home country; while half of them become US residents permanently.   About 9 to 11 millions illegal immigrants reside in US at present. Due to the acceptance of low wages by illegal immigrants in New Mexico and other states, about1.8 million native workers suffer loosing not only their wages, but also jobs raising the cost of state welfare to US$ 15 billion annually. According to the National Academy of Sciences it costs $89000 to pay for an alien immigrants during his lifetime stay in US. However its not only the loss of job or revenue, but 80 percent of cocaine and 50 percent of heroin in US is smuggled through new Mexico borders by these illegal immigrants. The illegal immigrants cost billions of dollars every year to the American taxpayers; especially the free treatment offered to illegal aliens. Due to which many hospitals New Mexico, Arizona and California has been closed down. The total economic cost of illegal immigrants is estimated to in between 67$ to $87 billion. Since   1986 US has embarked efforts to restrict illegal immigration with the arrival of Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) which expanded the funding for the US border patrol. Between 1986 and 1996, Congress and President took a series of restrictive actions to regain the control of US and Mexico border. However despite these measure and IRCA act, both legal and illegal immigration continued to rise. The federal government in 1993 initiated another plan to install more officers at the border. These plans have fundamental weakness due to less defended border at many areas. For example when mobilization of forces was activated in El Paso and San Diego, the flow of migrants turned to Arizona and Texas creating new problems in these states. The push by US authorities pushed the immigrants to cross over from more remote deserts and mountains and rivers where its much more hard for border patrol to capture them. Another loss has been the higher rate of injury and death that also accelerated the cost of spending on already poor counties in New Mexico and border states. Even though the Border Patrol budget has been increased 10 times between 1986 and 2002, but the arrival of immigrants has also risen. In 2005, New Mexico declared emergency due to the rise in drug smuggling, kidnapping and murder in the state. The State governor criticized the federal government and Congress by mentioning total lack of support from the Border Patrol.   In recent days the illegal immigrant issue has become a national debate with politicians on both sides favoring and disfavoring the issue due to their own vested interests. There have been suggestions to construct fence, wall, and deployment of more Border Patrol agents to address the cross border issue. In reality the problem is much bigger than it seems. Constructing a few miles wall or fence will not bring any change, unless realistic approach is taken to tackle the issue. Even after the constructions of fence in San Diego the flow of immigrants increased; as fence provides an excuse for Border Patrol to be less careful Analyst believe that US polices have failed to produce any result. A new approach is needed to address the issue. The solution to the problem lies in the undocumented migration, which if made legal can prove   more productive.   Under the current immigration law, all countries have same quota of 20,000 thousand legal immigrants per year; which is same for the Mexico, the closest US neighbor.  Ã‚   A more realistic policy would be to   provide temporary visas, (which President Bush has recently announced), however greater emphasis should be paid to the Mexicans; as Mexico is the major part of the problem. Reference CNN, (August 13, 2005). Border emergency declared in New Mexico. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/12/newmexico/ 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economic Cost of Illegal migration. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.cairco.org/econ/econ.html 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Douglas S. Massey, Beyond the Border Buildup. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: www.ailf.org 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fencing in Failure. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.ailf.org/ipc 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America Org, Illegal immigration a ‘real issue'. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.americas.org/                                             

Shortage of Correctional Officers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shortage of Correctional Officers - Essay Example This shortages could hardly accommodate the increasing number of convicted inmates. As the size of the inmate population increases at a facility, so does the number of custody staff. Variation in the inmate to custody staff is related to many factors including inmate population, facility design , security level, facility population and status of inmates at a facility. The Department are unable to hire enough correctional officers to meet its prison's needs so they often uses costly overtime hours to cover for the shortage of officers. One factor that influence the supply of correctional officers is that there are difficulties in attracting and training enough correctional officers. Although hiring more correctional officers would ease problems, the department may not fill the needs to operate its academy at full capacity. Another is shortfall of budget and plan. Based on Audits report During the first half year of 2001-02, the department spent more than 110 million for staff overtime. The budgeted amount for staff is worth $74 million but surprisingly its already $36 million more than the budgeted amount was spent for overtime. During their study they found out that hiring 3,200 staff of officers is needed to work the hours assigned as overtime to current staff. Other problems must be consider though overtime can be pleasurable to some officers b ut because excessive overtime can raise health and safety concerns, it suggests to assign academy graduates to prisons experiencing high rates of overtime. The department of Correction can give safety concerns by monitoring the amounts of overtime of an individual correctional officer. In regards to salary, based on the audit report, State Correctional Officers salary start at $2,001 a month during their six-week training period. After successful completion of training they receive $2,355 a month with in-grade raises up to $3,835. The usual work week is forty hours, but officers may be assigned to any one of three eight-hour shifts. Overtime, which may be required during emergencies, is compensated at time and a half. Federal employees start their careers at the GS-5 level, which offers a pay range of $ 1,627 to $2,115 a month. The top step usually achieved is the Senior Officer Specialist, GS_8, which ranges from $2,231- $2,901 per month. Correctional shortages at California prison can increase its supply of correctional officers by exploring opportunities to attract more qualified applicants. Make attention of the operating academy to pursue additional funding to give its full capacity. It also recommend to consider the feasibility of increasing the number of correctional officer applicants and physical capacity for training them. Maximize the use of officers by converting them to full time or ensure them that they work as close to the maximum of 2,000 hours a year if possible to fill the needs being met with overtime. Once it attract cadets to the academy than its budgeted positions, then the department should pursue funding for additional correctional officer positions it will need in order to reduce its reliance on overtime. Hiring for additional