Featured Post

T.V and Children essays

T.V and Children articles From what I've encountered from hours before this controlling box, I have learned next to no contrasted wit...

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Evolution of Linux Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Evolution of Linux - Research Paper Example This document focuses on the evolution of Linux since its establishment to the present version. The main reason for discussing the development of Linux is to understand various changes that have occurred in Linux. In addition, studying the evolution of Linux is of importance to planning for future development of the computer system. The origin of Linux can be traced back to the establishment of UNIX in 1969. UNIX was developed and created at Bell Labs in the process of developing a simple system with recyclable code. However, the primary development of Linux occurred in 1991. Linux was initially developed as a self-contained kernel by Linus Toverlds with a goal of enhancing UNIX compatibility. Development and evaluation of Linux have extensively relied on user collaboration and experience with the operating system from many parts of the world. The system is designed to operate reliably and efficiently on common personal computer hardware although it can also run on other platforms (Silberschatz, 2002). Linux has undergone evolution from one version to the other since it was developed. The first version of the Linux Kernel is Linux version 0.01. The version was developed in May 1991 by the Linux developer Linus Toverlds. Linux version 0.01 had limited features and was limited to specific processors and hardware. The version was only operating on PC hardware and 80386-compatible Intel processors. In addition, Linux version 0.01 was only supported by the Minx file system. It was also difficult to network with the Linux version 0.01 because it had no networking capability (Silberschatz, 2002). On October 5th, 1991, Torvalds released a better version of Linux known as Linux version 0.02 that required Minix to run. However, it received more attention than Linux version 0.01. The kernel improved rapidly within the year, and large number of users and volunteers communicated through social media on the internet. In December 1991, an operational,

Monday, October 28, 2019

African american case study Essay Example for Free

African american case study Essay David Brown is a 35-year-old African American residing in Brooklyn, New York. He is tall, lean, and professional-looking. He has short curly hair and neatly shaved face. He has been a successful bank manager for five years and his colleagues look up to him with much respect and admiration. But whatever he has now are the fruits of his hardwork and perseverance. David was born on the 25th of February 1972. During this time, racial discrimination was still prolific and their family experienced hard times. They live in the â€Å"ghetto† where drugs, gang wars, and poverty were rampant. Growing up in such an environment was never easy for David and he found it hard to trust his peers because he did not want to get involved in their vices. His mother had to stay at home to attend to his other siblings while his father had two jobs to support their family’s needs. Considering their situation, David was inspired to study hard and he wanted to give his family a better life. After graduating from highschool, he was determined to pursue college and was fortunate enough to be accepted in a known university to study Banking and Finance. College was the biggest challenge for him because first of all, his father had to support him and he had to work as a grocery clerk in a convenient store at night to make ends meet. Due to the color of his skin, David faced discrimination issues. His classmates regarded him as inferior and some even ridiculed him and his peers who were also African Americans. Whenever he felt down and mocked, he would play basketball because this was his outlet in releasing tension and built-up emotions. However, he did not lose his focus and he graduated with flying colors. It took him a while to land on a job since some of the employers were discriminating. After several months, he got a job offer from a banking company as a clerk. He was very happy because he was starting to fulfill his dreams of helping his family. He worked hard and loved this noble profession and eventually, his efforts were seen by his superiors. His determination and dedication made him climb the corporate ladder. Many got insecure and envious when he was promoted to his present managerial position. Some even doubted his leadership skills and capabilities in performing his duties but, David proved them wrong. In time, he was able to win their support and respect.   David is currently at the prime of his life – he is successful and has given his family a better life. He does not have any intimate relationships because he prioritizes his family and work. Considering Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development, David has gone through young adulthood and it appears that his lack of initiative to form intimate relationships lead to isolation. However, he could only be delayed in establishing intimate relationships with the opposite sex because of prioritization of other more important things. As of now, he is in his middle adulthood and it is most likely that he is experiencing psychological stagnation since he is not showing productivity in helping the next generation achieve their goals. Taking Freud’s theory of psychosexual development into consideration, David appears to be fixated in the latency stage because of his self-fulfilling goals and the direction of his energy towards productive activities like work. Though he knows how to socialize, most of his friends are males and he exhibits lack of interest in engaging in close relationships with women (Santrock, 2002). At this point, he should have been married like most people of his age and rearing a family of his own; but as mentioned earlier, David may only be delayed in fulfilling such human functions. References: Santrock, J.W. (2002). Life-Span Development (8th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education Essay -- Educational Bud

Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education ABSTRACT: Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. The history of Buddhist education is long and complex. In early centuries (400 BCE- 800 CE), Buddhist monasteries in India and China functioned as educational centers where vinaya, sutras and other subjects were taught. Many men and women were refugees from social injustice and the sangha provided them with education, security and dignity. Spirituality and pedantry were always combined in Buddhist education. But from a Zen perspective, modern education has become an occupational training program to promote financial interest. Capitalism, science and technology have formed a new world view; to wit, occupational training has become more essential to one's way of living than the spiritual quest. Today, most students are concerned with finding fin ancial stability and material gain. Against this trend, Zen education encourages students to seek spiritual stability. Because of Buddha nature, this is a natural human inclination, while not everyone is talented to become a computer specialist or an investment banker. Zen education guides students to grasp the "twist and turn" of the samsaric world, teaching them to be compassionate, understanding, patient listeners and well-balanced individuals. Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. In the first section... ...nd appreciate ordinary things to fulfill the other missing fifty percent. Learning, then, becomes more complete. Notes (1) Bapat, P. V. 2500 Years in Buddhism. (New Delhi: Government of India, 1956), p. 158. (2) Ibid., p. 162. (3) Ibid., p. 165. (4) Chen, Kenneth. Buddhism in China. (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993), p. 43. (5) Ibid., p. 44. (6) Ibid., p. 83. (7) Lin chi. The Record of Lin Chi. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (Kyoto, Japan: The Institute for Zen Studies, 1975), p. 14. (8) Hosaka, Gyokusen. Zen no yotei. [ Secret of Zen] (Tokyo: Kyoiku shincho sha, 1968), p. 57. (9) Ibid. (10) Merton, Thomas. Zen and the Birds of Appetite. (New York: New Directions, 1968), p. 31. (11) Pang yun. The Recorded Sayings of Layman Pang: A Nineth-Century Zen Classic. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (New York: Weatherhill, 1971), p. 46. Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education Essay -- Educational Bud Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education ABSTRACT: Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. The history of Buddhist education is long and complex. In early centuries (400 BCE- 800 CE), Buddhist monasteries in India and China functioned as educational centers where vinaya, sutras and other subjects were taught. Many men and women were refugees from social injustice and the sangha provided them with education, security and dignity. Spirituality and pedantry were always combined in Buddhist education. But from a Zen perspective, modern education has become an occupational training program to promote financial interest. Capitalism, science and technology have formed a new world view; to wit, occupational training has become more essential to one's way of living than the spiritual quest. Today, most students are concerned with finding fin ancial stability and material gain. Against this trend, Zen education encourages students to seek spiritual stability. Because of Buddha nature, this is a natural human inclination, while not everyone is talented to become a computer specialist or an investment banker. Zen education guides students to grasp the "twist and turn" of the samsaric world, teaching them to be compassionate, understanding, patient listeners and well-balanced individuals. Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. In the first section... ...nd appreciate ordinary things to fulfill the other missing fifty percent. Learning, then, becomes more complete. Notes (1) Bapat, P. V. 2500 Years in Buddhism. (New Delhi: Government of India, 1956), p. 158. (2) Ibid., p. 162. (3) Ibid., p. 165. (4) Chen, Kenneth. Buddhism in China. (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993), p. 43. (5) Ibid., p. 44. (6) Ibid., p. 83. (7) Lin chi. The Record of Lin Chi. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (Kyoto, Japan: The Institute for Zen Studies, 1975), p. 14. (8) Hosaka, Gyokusen. Zen no yotei. [ Secret of Zen] (Tokyo: Kyoiku shincho sha, 1968), p. 57. (9) Ibid. (10) Merton, Thomas. Zen and the Birds of Appetite. (New York: New Directions, 1968), p. 31. (11) Pang yun. The Recorded Sayings of Layman Pang: A Nineth-Century Zen Classic. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (New York: Weatherhill, 1971), p. 46.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

National Influenza Immunization Program - The Swine Flu of 1976 Essay

In 1976, due to an outbreak of influenza at Fort Dix, New Jersey, the United States set a precedent in immunology by attempting to vaccinate the entire population of the country against the possibility of a swine-type Influenza A epidemic. While a great many people were successfully immunized in a very short period of time, the National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP) quickly became recognized as a failure, one reason being that the feared epidemic never surfaced at all. But this massive undertaking deserves more analysis than just a simple repudiation. For example, all evidence linked to the pathology, microbiology, and historical cycle of influenza and the outbreak at Fort Dix suggests that the reactions of the scientists and other personnel involved in the NIIP were correct. However, one must also acknowledge the many complications and misjudgments that plagued the program after its initiation, from biological difficulties, logistical problems, to tensions with the media. Th e swine flu is a historical event that needs to be evaluated, regarding both its successes and its failures, so that lessons can be learned for future immunization programs. While influenza, or the "flu", is not commonly recognized as an extremely lethal disease, the pathology of influenza, and especially of the kind found at Fort Dix, does suggest that an immunization program was a reasonable course to take in 1976. In the public's mind, influenza is often not seen as a specific disease, using interchangeable names for it like "flu", "gripe", and "virus". (Silverstein: 1) However, influenza is very different from an everyday low fever or "stomach flu". It is a respiratory infection, connected with a fever, coughing, and muscle aches, which often la... ...d be held responsible for not creating a more adaptable program that could deal with these occurrences. The NIIP must be evaluated for its drawbacks and its successes, so that people will not just see this as an unfortunate historical event, but can use it to help further immunization and disease-fighting programs in the future.    Works Cited The "Flu". Online. 17 Feb. 1999. Available: www.ultranet.com/~jkimball/BiologyPages/I/Influenza.html Laitlin, Elissa A. and Elise M. Pelletier. "The Influenza A/New Jersey(Swine Flu) Vaccine and Guillain-Barrà ©acute; Syndrome: The Arguments for Causal Association." Drugs and Devices Line, 1997. Online. 15 Feb. 1999. Available: www.hsph.harvard.edu/Organizations/ddil/swieflu.html Silverstein, Arthur M. Pure Politics and Impure Science: The Swine Flu Affair. Baltimore and London: The John Hopkins University Press, 1981.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

American History (1815-1820)

Economic development is shaped by a nation’s political leaders, the external forces and the natural courses of history. The United States of America was under the leadership of ten presidents from 1815-1850. This started with the 4th US president James Madison who, through the Congress, declared war with Britain in 1812. There was economic depression as a normal consequence of war. But the young nation bounced back and it was during the presidency of John Quincy Adams that the war of 1812 was declared successful. There was an upsurge of nationalism.There was successive waves of economic and social change that swept across the nation. Adams called his idea the American System, where canals, roads, railroads and expansion were at the forefront of his economic model. This stimulated interregional trade and sparked an unprecedented development of towns and cities. He was defeated by Andrew Jackson in the elections of 1828. Jackson destroyed the Bank of the United States, a well es tablished private bank that handled the money of the federal government, as it was run by his political enemies.There was bank war and federal deposits were removed from this bank. The leadership that followed was that of Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison and John Tyler from 1837- 1845. It was faced with problems inherited from Jackson’s presidency as well as problems related to rapid increase in population. The Panic of 1837 resulted from the abrupt closure of a large number of American banks which plunged the US into the first major economic depression or severe economic downturn. Sale and settlement of public lands also became a major focus of the federal government.It was the leadership of James Polk that showed positive trends as he had these as achievements at the end of his term in 1849: 1) reduced tariffs on imports; 2) re-established independent US treasury; 3) settled dispute with Great Britain over the control of Oregon Country; and, 4) acquired California f or the US. It was also during his term that Texas, Florida, Iowa and Wisconsin became states. The American nation also reached the shores of the Pacific Ocean at the end of his term.The presidency of Zachary Taylor from 1849-1850 (as he died after, not completing his term) was marked with the discovery of gold in California which was America’s first â€Å"gold rush†. Vice-President Millard Fillmore took over the presidency and he made sure that the issue of slavery on the newly-acquired lands of the Southwest would not tear the nation apart. 2 References Google, Ancient Lights Educational Media. America’s Era of Expansion and Reform, 1817-1860, http://www. writingco. com/pdf/FH617VTG. pdf Google, Wikipedia, en. wikipedia. org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

buy custom Syrian Revolution essay

buy custom Syrian Revolution essay It is unclear as to what is the cause of the ongoing Syrian protest. Some argue that is largely due to the unrest in the neighboring Arab world that caught on in Syria. Others claim that the protests began after children in Daraa, a Syrian city, endured torture after reportedly writing anti- It is unclear as to what is the cause of the ongoing Syrian protest. Some argue that is largely due government slogans on the walls of buildings. Protests officially began on February 26, 2011 to present day. It is clear that the protests are not about economic hardships, as protests are countrywide, and transcend any religious, economic, or political difference. Many of the protesters allude to dignity and freedom as their main cause of revolt. It is mindful to observe that the government has been paranoid to the royalties of the subjects (Kamrava 290). They also point out to their cause being a direct result of the corruption that inflicts their nation, as well as a host of other injustices. Th ey believe that the Security Services rule should end and that the Army should fight to protect the citizen's interests, and not of the regime. Others point out that the revolution started in Damascus, when a local shopkeeper endured a beating by a traffic police officer, and people from shops nearby tried to defend him. As more people came to his assistance, a full on protest took place. This highlights the sentiments of many Syrians because they were to endure humiliation no more. The current president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, ascended into the presidency after his father, Hafez al-Assad, died in the year 2000. The country hopeful that Bashar would address many of the pertinent issues the country experienced. However, despite his ascendancy, many issues remain unsolved. Syria has very low unemployment rates among youth, in comparison to the older citizens (Allain 142). The protests started out unusually small, with many citizens in fear of retaliation by the ruling government. However, Syrians have undergone what many refer to as the breaking the wall of fear. They say that their hearts would not let them sit whilst the government had its way. They overcame the fear that was in their bodies, and chose to follow the feelings that were in their hearts. The Syrian government did not stand and watch. They have disrupted every single protest that has taken place, despite the fact that theyare peaceful. The government comes under intense criticism for unashamedly firing at unarmed protesters. The latest report of violence took place in Homs, where the army opened fire at protesting citizens, killing 55 in the process. A mass funeral took place in Khalidiya, a district in Homs, where most of the killing took place. Most estimates of the current death toll differ in the actual number. Some estimates point out to 10,000 deaths, whilst point to as many as 40,000. What is clear is that the number of people dead is immense. At its lowest, these figures represent 3 times over the number of people who died because of the September 9/11 attacks (Gad 200). Other similar reports highlight the various injustices by the Syrian government. An estimate has it that 500 children have died due to military intervention, with a further 600 currently in Sy rian prisons across the nation. One can only guess what happens in these penitentiaries, with reports claiming torture and human rights violations. One cannot overlook the importance of Hafez al-Assads rule of Syria as having a direct impact on the current state of things. Hafez took control of Syria in 1973 when he was then minister for defense. Initially, Hafez was exceedingly popular for his contribution to the growth of Syria. He was responsible for the introduction of the Syrian constitution and his foreign policies that opened the country up as a trade destination. This move is noted to have increased foreign interrelations with a view of achieving total control of resources such as the oil-region, Kirkuk (Norwegian Refugee CouncilandGlobal IDP Project 171). He is also responsible for many infrastructural initiatives countrywide, like the construction of Thawra dam. After a failed assassination against him, things took a turn for the worse. He is solely responsible for the Tamdor massacre that occurred a day after an attempt on his life. Tamdor prison housed many of Hafezs political enemies. As a show of might, and as a warning to others, his soldiers opened fire at close to 1000 inmates at the prison, killing them. However, he is most popular for his involvement in the Hama massacre, 1982. At the time, the town of Hama housed a rebel group of Sunni Muslims who firmly objected to Hafezs regime. Several insurgents had attacked Hafezs defense forces and killed them. As a result, Hafez, through his brother Rifaat, laidd a siege on the town. Thousands died in the battle, with estimates of 20,000 deaths (Kamrava, 409). This killing alludes to the fact that Bashar is continuing in his fathers legacy of killing anyone that dares defy his government. However, one could point out that Hafez was reacting to actual violence against his government, whilst B ashar kills innocent citizens. A counter argument is that Syrians are fighting because of the disparity in wealth allocation in the country. Reports indicate that 70% of the countrys GDP goes to only 30% of the population. Army and Alawite high-ranking officers are some of the wealthiest in the country. This gives them control of the government and, by extension, the economy. In addition, the Syrian government controls all imports and exports, wholesale and retail trade, operates monopolies, and owns all insurance companies and banks. Therefore, one can deduce that Syrians are also protesting because the rich keep getting richer, while the poor suffer. The rich-poor divide widens in Syria, with many Syrians unable to meet their monthly costs. The bulk of the money earned in Syria goes to extremely few pockets, and the few control most of the crucial facets of the country. Support for Assad and his Regime Contrary to all popular belief, a YouGovSiraj poll in Syria found that 55% of Syrians support the Assad regime in fear of a civil war. They believe that if the protests continue, they could spark a civil war that would lead to carnage, and a retrogression of the economy. However, Assads regime has grown to become unpopular. Experts cite his inability to organize the masses effectively to account for his lack in popular legitimacy (Kamrava 12). Further to this, others believe that Assads actions are justified because citizens should follow the rule of law, and should not be reckless. They believe the protestors are simply lawless, and that they seek to undermine the authority of leaders. In addition, they believe that Assad is under attack because he hails from a minority tribe. They believe this does not err well with the population who believe that the president must hail from a majority tribe, which will truly reflect the people. However, Assad would rule for yet thirty years before his death in June 2001. His son, Bashar Assad succeeded him (Allain 217). Buy custom Syrian Revolution essay

Monday, October 21, 2019

Dream analysis Essays - Psychotherapy, Symbols, Freudian Psychology

Dream analysis Essays - Psychotherapy, Symbols, Freudian Psychology Dream analysis is a process that is characterized with the attempts to assign sensible meaning to human dreams. Dreams have always been interesting to people and they have been trying to explain their meaning objectively. In ancient civilizations people believed that dreams connected them with gods. If you saw a dream, it meant that spirits or gods decided to inform you about something important. A dream played the role of a hint. In ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and Muslim culture there were special priests who analyzed dreams and explained them to others. Ancient kings also played much attention to their own dreams and they did not make any important decisions if they had a bad dream. They believed that a bad dream was a bad sign, so it was useless to make certain decisions. In the course of time people has decided to analyze dreams from the scientific point of view. Many psychologists observed this issue from their own side. Z. Freud, C. Jung and others devoted much time to i nvestigate the nature of human dreams. On the one hand, dreaming is a brain activity. On the other hand, psychologists tried to explain why people see different dreams in different times. According to Freuds theory, human dreams are closely connected with human subconscious. When one has any obsessive ideas, complicated problems, fears and phobias, it is possible that his dreams will contain things like that. Dream analysis was very popular in the process of psychoanalysis, because experts of that time used dream interpretation to solve human psychological problems. They looked for the answer in a patients dream. Dream analysis is an important topic for research, because one is able to observe this subject from the point of view of numerous disciplines history, geography, religion, psychology, philosophy, biology, etc. You should start your investigation with the detailed explanation of the meaning of a dream, dream analysis and other important terms that have connections with this issue. Then, you ought to observe the history of dream analysis in order to see human attitude towards dreams in the course of time. Moreover, you need to compare different countries and cultures and their attitude towards dream analysis. Finally, you should mention famous psychologists who researched this topic in the past. Moreover, they will have to construct a good well-formatted text. Obviously, many young people do not know how to build their texts wisely, so it is useful to read a free college term paper sample on dream analysis in the Internet. This example text will tell them something new about this subject and the proper style of writing.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Free Essays on War With Iraq

The Debate Over War in Iraq Is the war on Iraq perhaps one of the biggest displays of American hypocrisy? The details as to why we want to go to war are still being speculated upon. President Bush urged the United Nations to encourage Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to comply with U.N. resolutions or "actions will be unavoidable." Bush said that Saddam has repeatedly violated 16 U.N. Security Council resolutions, which include a call for Iraq to disarm its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs. Iraqi officials rejected Bush's comments (Nation par. 4). The Bush administration says Saddam is intent on acquiring chemical, biological and nuclear weapons to threaten his neighbors in the Middle East. The only way to stop him, according to U.S. officials, is to strike first and decisively. In the cease-fire that ended the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq gave U.N. inspectors unlimited access to search for and destroy weapons of mass destruction and pledged full, final and complete disclosure of its arsenal. Iraq hinder ed more than it helped the effort, misleading inspectors and refusing access to sensitive buildings. The debate to go to war with Iraq is a highly debated issue and the information presented points in the direction of hypocrisy. Until the reasoning behind it is made clearer and makes sense, we should not go to war with Iraq. After the September 11th attack, many high ranking officials as well as the media asked for a military attack against Iraq similar to the ongoing US military operations in Afghanistan, even though so far there has been no evidence linking the Iraqi regime to the terrorist operations in New York and Washington. Although they argue that Saddam Hussein’s regime is a constant source of threat to global peace and security, and hence should be eliminated, the fact is that any military strike against Iraq can destabilize the whole Middle East and create more problems for the international community, including th... Free Essays on War With Iraq Free Essays on War With Iraq So What’s a Billion More? For decades, America’s penny bank has looked as though it has been on somewhat of a diet. Looking back into our past, the thirties had launched a new program referred to as the New Deal by president Franklin D. Roosevelt. The New Deal helped to lift America out of the economic troubles brought on by the Depression. Later on during the Kennedy administration, a more active approach was brought on. His administration implemented tax cuts, aid for the inner cities, and the creation of new jobs that let to the acceleration of economic growth. Many of these proposals however were not very effective. The economy had proceeded sluggishly during the mid eighties. It didn’t help that our budget deficit rose to a whopping $221 million. Prior to George W. Bush, the former democratic president Bill Clinton had pushed to strengthen the market along with reducing welfare and the federal work force. It had appeared as though by the end of the nineties. Americans were able to have a se nse of a strong economy. As we potentially fall into war, the question now and for the future of the United States is: â€Å"How will our economy hold up?† A recent article by James Carney and John F. Dickerson from TIME.com had discussed the issues with the post benefits of war for our economy. Beginning with President Bush wanting to give a speech to the â€Å"regular people† after discussing his plans with the Chicago Economics Club. Writing draft after draft, Bush and his speechwriters finally arrived with a satisfied result. He was to give a forty-minute seminar to an audience inside of a high school gym in Kennesaw, Georgia. His top advisors admitted that only war could give America the jump-start that it needs. Business will be able to start a surge in investments and the consumers will begin spending before these national problems. In addition, the tax cuts should slowly decline. This is all if it goes into plan. â€Å"... Free Essays on War With Iraq The Debate Over War in Iraq Is the war on Iraq perhaps one of the biggest displays of American hypocrisy? The details as to why we want to go to war are still being speculated upon. President Bush urged the United Nations to encourage Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to comply with U.N. resolutions or "actions will be unavoidable." Bush said that Saddam has repeatedly violated 16 U.N. Security Council resolutions, which include a call for Iraq to disarm its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs. Iraqi officials rejected Bush's comments (Nation par. 4). The Bush administration says Saddam is intent on acquiring chemical, biological and nuclear weapons to threaten his neighbors in the Middle East. The only way to stop him, according to U.S. officials, is to strike first and decisively. In the cease-fire that ended the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq gave U.N. inspectors unlimited access to search for and destroy weapons of mass destruction and pledged full, final and complete disclosure of its arsenal. Iraq hinder ed more than it helped the effort, misleading inspectors and refusing access to sensitive buildings. The debate to go to war with Iraq is a highly debated issue and the information presented points in the direction of hypocrisy. Until the reasoning behind it is made clearer and makes sense, we should not go to war with Iraq. After the September 11th attack, many high ranking officials as well as the media asked for a military attack against Iraq similar to the ongoing US military operations in Afghanistan, even though so far there has been no evidence linking the Iraqi regime to the terrorist operations in New York and Washington. Although they argue that Saddam Hussein’s regime is a constant source of threat to global peace and security, and hence should be eliminated, the fact is that any military strike against Iraq can destabilize the whole Middle East and create more problems for the international community, including th...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Definition of modeling terms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition of modeling terms - Essay Example Spreadsheet engineering is the study of modeling that enables us to plan and develop more complex and detailed business models. The study also facilitates business communication especially performing modeling tasks and accounting statements in effective and efficient manner. Model formulation is to removing needless details and abstracting critical features of the real world. It is a development for making the actual situation understandable, easier and capturing a core objective of solving a real world problem. Decisions are to make up your mind for selecting a way forward keeping in view the possible alternatives. The decision can be taken on the number of items to buy/sell, quantity of items to be manufactured Problem Context is an activity of modeling that explains the fundamental causes and the current situation of the problem raised by the modeler. It should be structured considering the client’s view of the problem so that they can guide to a solution. Model structure is an activity of modeling in which a modeler builds a model by selecting/ inserting items, values and their relationship in the spreadsheets considering options of using model types, breaking the problem into sub-problems. Model assessment is an activity of modeling in which the developed models are evaluated to find out either they are viable, suitable and satisfactoriness keeping in view the problem of the client and objective of their

Friday, October 18, 2019

Problems with Degu as a result of Incorrect Feeding Coursework

Problems with Degu as a result of Incorrect Feeding - Coursework Example This makes them drink more water and urinate more. If there is too much fat in the food, this causes liver problems in especially female degus who are in fertile age. This results in a drastic increase in weight. Diarrhea is another problem that may occur in degus when they eat too much of something, like a fruit or a vegetable sprayed with chemicals. They will mess around in little bits instead of large droppings. Constipation is caused by incorrect feedings like not taking enough water or dehydration. Overfeeding or unrestricted feeding results in obesity which may also result from diabetes and hepatitis. Hepatitis occurs when degu’s diet contains too much of protein or fat. Degu may also become lethargic and stressful resulting in temperament changes and weakness, a condition called anorexia caused by malnutrition or deficiency of vitamin C. However, excess of vitamin C causes breeding problems like a reproductive failure in male degus. Stress or lack of iron in the diet ma y result in alopecia that causes fur loss. Imbalanced diet for longer periods may also result in degu’s death. To prevent these problems, degu’s diet must be moderated according to the recommended 10 grams of food for a degu per day. Diet should not be high in protein, fat, and sugar. Water should always be available for him. It is important not to breed from degus who have had diabetes in their history. Good exercise levels should be maintained for degus by providing him running wheels and time out of the cage.

Equity Research Report on Whitbread plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Equity Research Report on Whitbread plc - Essay Example The ratio analysis highlights the fact that the liquidity position of Compass Group Plc is better than that of Whitbread Plc. However, it is deduced that the profitability condition of Whitbread Plc is better than the former. From the ratio analysis and equity valuation method, it can be concluded that Whitbread Plc is a profitable company for the investors since it has increased its net income over the four years period from 2010-2013. It is recommended that Whitbread Plc should increase its asset base by improve the cash and equivalent by decreasing its operating expense. The increase in asset base will assist the company to become one of the strongest players in the industry. Whitbread Plc  is a  coffee shop,  multinational  hotel and restaurant company, which are headquartered in  Dunstable, United Kingdom (UK). It is regarded as the largest division in  Premier Inn. Premier is known to be the largest hotel brand in UK, which encompasses about 650 hotels comprising over 50,000 rooms (Whitbread Plc., 2011). It is as the leading hospitality company in UK. The company employs around 43,000 individuals who devote their hard work for its success (Whitbread Plc., 2011). They are motivated to provide their best services to customers every day. The number of customers visiting their coffee shop, hotels and restaurants is 22 million every month (Whitbread Plc., 2011). The financial statement of Whitbread Plc highlights transactions that have taken place throughout the year. It not only depicts profit or loss of company, but also gives opinion to investors about condition of the company financials. The framework for financial reporting that is applied during preparation of financial statement is International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS), which is adopted by the European Union. The report is prepared for management of the company and also for investors. The managers have given their views regarding performance of the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Critical Response Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Critical Response - Research Paper Example This fresh replica of 'mothering' might be assumed by everyone, not only by women; hence, Todo Sobre Mi Madre/All About My Mother demonstrates an 'ethics of care', to remind people that compassionate concern is generally a human need, advocating for a universal human response (Garlinger 100). This paper will give a three page response to the film with regard to some of the cinematic aspects discussed in class for instance the use of sound, color, performance and genre, but mainly discuss the cultural differences that may be found in an engagement with the content of the film. The film talks about complex issues that are affecting our society such as AIDS, transvestitism, homosexuality, existentialism and faith (Garlinger 100). Pedro Almodovar's work has been despised as misogynous, as well as celebrated as a feminist film. In essence, this schizophrenia might be because of critics' tendency to center selectively on specific works. Almodovar's movie also seems to connect directly with current debates in feminist and gender theory, sometimes in unsure fashion (Martin-Marquez 498). ... y, the legal representative, Maria Cardenal, takes on the case of a disturbed young man, Antonio Banderas, who acts as Angel, who has turned himself in to the police for serial murder and rape. As one of his likely rape victims watched the news, a female anchor reported that Angel is in police custody, and that Maria Cardenal, a woman, had taken on his case. One, as expected during that time, would wonder why a woman has chosen to defend a man who made their lives hard for them. As expected, numerous prominent feminists were annoyed that their fellow woman opted to defend such a monster (Martin-Marquez 502). Miss Cardenal provoked people by stating that, according to the law, every citizen (Spanish) has the right to Ð ° lawyer, reveling in a truthfully frightening sarcasm. However, Maria can be perceived as the most feminist person in Almodovar's oeuvre. Maddison (267) proposes that, as a serial murderer herself, who opted for male victims entirely, Maria inflicts on men what she co nsiders to be the greater law of a very radical type of feminist justice with regard to women's history of oppression. The tone of the film has the heart-on-the-sleeve emotions of soap operas; however, it is entirely truthful and, by no means, camp (See 60). Contained in this vital judgment of Almodovar’s turn emotion is the equation of insincerity with camp. If the film captures the attention of someone, it is apparently because they were overwhelmed with the happenings of the film. The vital consensus appears to be that the producer has matured profoundly as a filmmaker. This is because it seems as if he was surpassed in early days of camp frivolity, but matured enough to grant emotional gravities in his film (Garlinger 109). This movie shows that the producer went through some form of

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 6

Marketing - Essay Example come the basic idea of marketing just before the discovery of internet marketing, it is important to understand the level in which businesses or firms have eventually evolved based on their capacity to introduce their offerings to prospective customers. Part of this paper prior to arguing the impact of internet on the dominant logic of marketing is the discussion of the basic concept of marketing. The basic information about this portion is the basis of probable identification on the level if any; the marketing concept has evolved from the basic. Marketing as we know about it is composed of sub functions such as selling, advertising and promotions. These sub functions are common areas where companies can actually establish their corporate advantage (Kotler and Keller, 2008). What makes marketing so alive today is due to underlying five orientations guiding any marketing effort of any organisation in their marketing activities. These five orientations involved production concept, product concept, selling concept, marketing concept and societal marketing concept. Products or services are two most common offerings of companies, but today some of them seldom get much attention because of poor communication of information given to people. Some might have encountered a certain product or service but do not care enough due to lack of details or familiarity about it. A market-driven strategy is therefore important in order to get the consumers acquainted with company’s offerings. One of the ways to depict a market-driven company is to observe their interaction with their target buyers. Companies are always looking forward to unfed needs of their customers and thus they usually reward them with corresponding solutions. This is the case of customer-centered way of dealing business with marketing (Kotler and Keller, 2008). However, what seems to be the most significant and contrasting part here lies on the capacity of each firm to convey or impart information to its

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Critical Response Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Critical Response - Research Paper Example This fresh replica of 'mothering' might be assumed by everyone, not only by women; hence, Todo Sobre Mi Madre/All About My Mother demonstrates an 'ethics of care', to remind people that compassionate concern is generally a human need, advocating for a universal human response (Garlinger 100). This paper will give a three page response to the film with regard to some of the cinematic aspects discussed in class for instance the use of sound, color, performance and genre, but mainly discuss the cultural differences that may be found in an engagement with the content of the film. The film talks about complex issues that are affecting our society such as AIDS, transvestitism, homosexuality, existentialism and faith (Garlinger 100). Pedro Almodovar's work has been despised as misogynous, as well as celebrated as a feminist film. In essence, this schizophrenia might be because of critics' tendency to center selectively on specific works. Almodovar's movie also seems to connect directly with current debates in feminist and gender theory, sometimes in unsure fashion (Martin-Marquez 498). ... y, the legal representative, Maria Cardenal, takes on the case of a disturbed young man, Antonio Banderas, who acts as Angel, who has turned himself in to the police for serial murder and rape. As one of his likely rape victims watched the news, a female anchor reported that Angel is in police custody, and that Maria Cardenal, a woman, had taken on his case. One, as expected during that time, would wonder why a woman has chosen to defend a man who made their lives hard for them. As expected, numerous prominent feminists were annoyed that their fellow woman opted to defend such a monster (Martin-Marquez 502). Miss Cardenal provoked people by stating that, according to the law, every citizen (Spanish) has the right to Ð ° lawyer, reveling in a truthfully frightening sarcasm. However, Maria can be perceived as the most feminist person in Almodovar's oeuvre. Maddison (267) proposes that, as a serial murderer herself, who opted for male victims entirely, Maria inflicts on men what she co nsiders to be the greater law of a very radical type of feminist justice with regard to women's history of oppression. The tone of the film has the heart-on-the-sleeve emotions of soap operas; however, it is entirely truthful and, by no means, camp (See 60). Contained in this vital judgment of Almodovar’s turn emotion is the equation of insincerity with camp. If the film captures the attention of someone, it is apparently because they were overwhelmed with the happenings of the film. The vital consensus appears to be that the producer has matured profoundly as a filmmaker. This is because it seems as if he was surpassed in early days of camp frivolity, but matured enough to grant emotional gravities in his film (Garlinger 109). This movie shows that the producer went through some form of

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

United States Postal Service Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

United States Postal Service - Case Study Example Rather, it creates revenues out of its sale of postage stamps, products and services. Over the last 2 years (2007-2008), the USPS has been hit by increase in cost of postage stamps, cost of deliveries and shipments and the increasing tendency of people to use email to send messages rather than posting letters or cards. It has absorbed a loss of $5.3 million in 2007 and $2.8 million in 2008, leaving it strapped for cash and increasing the possibilities of bankruptcy or business failure. This has been eating into its retained earnings for the period (David, 81). Meanwhile its revenues stand at $75 million and though it has cut back on employees and increased the number of points served, this is not translating into an increase in profitability, mainly due to the rise in costs. USPS clearly needs to follow the lead of its competitors UPS and Fedex, who have leaner and more profitable operations. Its service agreements with them need to be scrapped. USPS also needs to reduce the number of service outlets it has which will reduce the cost of maintaining them. At best one service location per district will work fine. It needs to adopt a centralized system. The internal analysis for USPS shows that it is suffering from many problems. Its employee unions have been successful in bargaining for compensation and benefits, while the employees have been working less hours due to lack of work. As 52 percent of its revenues derive from first class mail, a decline in this volume has affected its revenues. Meanwhile the fact that its Board is appointed by the President and its prices are regulated by CPI, there is a double bind on USPS in that it cannot increase its prices beyond a certain limit. The separation of business into market regulated and Government regulated areas has been the death knell for USPS (David, 83). No organization can be run as a combination private and public enterprise- it is either one or the other. In spite of all its efforts,

The Role Of Family Revision Essay Example for Free

The Role Of Family Revision Essay A family is a western term used to denote a domestic group of people linked together through descent from a common ancestor, marriage or adoption. There are three forms of families one is a motional family which consists of a mother and a children. They can be biological offspring to adopted children .The second form is conscunguineas family which consists of the parent, children and other relatives such as grandparent’s uncles and aunts. The last form is a conjugal family which consists of a more than one spouses usually the women are more and their children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every individual in the family has roles to carry out . The right and obligation associated with these roles is based not only on the family member but also on age sex and marital status. The first role we shall look at is the role of the family in family planning .this is the role of the family to achieve desired birth spacing and family size .This role decrease child mortality, age in marriage increases; better health of infant’s children and women  Ã‚   and the social economic role of women  Ã‚   goes up. Statistics from the united nation world population prospects of 1999 show that the family size decline between 1800 and 1900 from 7.0 to 3.5 children .family planning methods were began in 1912 with a lot of legal battles and by 1933 they were a little established with the average size decline to 2.3 children families began using the birth control methods and in the 20th century statistics show that 71 use contraception douch,47%using withdraw methods 17%   having cervical diagram .currently the family sizes are small having two or one children   Ã‚   The family has a role of providing basic needs to it member the basic need includes food shelter clothing and health care. for the family the provide these the parent need to find and maintain employment and secure a house .adequate and proper   distribution of resources is needed in   order to provided the basis needs other than the basic needs the family has a role of providing emotional support and caring for family member who are ill the elderly and the children need a lot of care and support from the family   the family has a rare safeguarding in solving them .and motivating its member to achieve .much of the achievements of the family member especially the children is through emotional encouragement and support .This also   will encourage support of each family member during crises   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Family has a role in providing supports to disabled persons in the unit .this support can be form of educating the members this is done through taking them to special school where they learn and are able to work on their own without dependences listening to their problems and helping   in solving them .washing their clothes feeding them and directing them considering the disability with this role has improved in most country like India   in the late 1980,s the disabled child was usually   killed or abandoned .Today family have been encouraged and the disabled child is taken care of .more so family has also been encouraged to help other disabled people other than family members in formation of organization For the disabled where they share and encourage each other to move on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another role of the family is to provide spiritual care. When families are experiencing losses, despair, questions about the meaning of suffering or a sense of abandonment by the divine more than anything else they need to be heard and know they are not alone. This is done by emphatisising with the members. The society comes in and gives them spiritual comfort. In case a member can pray for them and comfort them as they receive medical care. In case of death the society comes in to take part in prayer and burial rituals.Spritual leaders should also comfort the members. This role has been their from the 80s and  Ã‚   even today it remain same only that the ritual differ from country to country. Role of the family in promoting the right of the child. The basic institution in society for the survival, protection and development of the child is the family’s civil rights of the child begins within the family. The family has an important role to play as to the right of the child to be registered with a name, to a nationality, to know as far as possible his or her parentage and to preserve his or her identity. Socialization and acquisition of values are also developed within the family for freedom of expression and association. In the family is the child should not be subjected to cruel, inhuman treatment such as neglect, corporal punishment and sexual or verbal abuse. The family is therefore an essential agent for creating awareness and preservation of human rights and also respect for human values, cultural identity and heritage as well as civilization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another important role of the family is raising children. It is this factor that influences the behavior of the children in their early childhood. Rising does not occur with wishful thinking but through advice from the parent to their children and the parent through advice from the parents to their children and the parent presenting good examples to the children. For example if the parent advice the children against drug abuse they should not also smoke or abuse any other drug. The same applies for company. Family encourages the children to have good company to ensure they carry out good morals and avoid drug abuse and other bad morals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  The families in Chinese have evolved from the 80s to today. The stereotyped view of the Chinese family in the 80s was that of a large extended family with several generations living under one roof and being self sufficient. It helped by providing child care and care of the eldery (Daniel, Habib, Southall 45).Today modern Chinese family in Birmingham are mainly a nuclear one with a husband, wife and living with children. In the 80s Chinese men continued to occupy a dominant position in the family in terms of decision making. Today however women are acquiring greater equality with men as they contribute with their income or labor in the family business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The family has a role in developing careers of its members. Family influence is an important force in preparing the youth for their role as workers. In the 80s fewer families encouraged children to study and develop a career especially in the third world countries. As years passed by and even recently the families have played this important role, as they did not respect education.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Family background factors are found to be associated with career development   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Include parent’s socioeconomic status, their educational level and biogenetic factors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such as physical size, gender, ability and temperament. (Forrest, Samara, p.68). Family income is another factor affecting their role in developing members’ careers. If the family economic resources are limited, the family tends to direct them first to the males of the family giving less hope and encouragement for further education to the daughter in the family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The last role of family is on relationship of its members and other people which leads to marriage. The child’s relationship with the parents shapes the potential relationship that will have with their partner in life. More so research shows that a man treats a woman as his dad treated his mom. The family can support and strengthen a relationship, by counseling them and appreciating the both partners. For the disabled where they share and encourage each other to move on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another role of the family is to provide spiritual care. When families are experiencing losses, despair, questions about the meaning of suffering or a sense of abandonment by the divine more than anything else they need to be heard and know they are not alone. This is done by emphatisising with the members. The society comes in and gives them spiritual comfort. In case a member can pray for them and comfort them as they receive medical care. In case of death the society comes in to take part in prayer and burial rituals.Spritual leaders should also comfort the members. This role has been their from the 80s and  Ã‚   even today it remain same only that the ritual differ from country to country.   Work cited: Forrest, J. D, Samara, R, Impact of Public Funded Contraceptive Services on Unintended Pregnancies and Implication for Medical Expenditure. Fam Plann Perspect, 1996. John Daniel, Adam Habib, Roger Southall . State of the Nation. South Africa:HSRC press, 2005.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Influence And Persuasion Are Important Leadership Tools Psychology Essay

Influence And Persuasion Are Important Leadership Tools Psychology Essay Influence can have a major impact on a persons life by how well one is able to influence others and how others influence the individual. By using specific techniques and methods one can greatly increase their level of influence on others. The first step is to assess ones own level of influence to identify personal areas of weakness. The second step is learning and understanding the roots of power in the workplace. The third is learning the strategies of influence and learn the methods of influence and persuasion. The final step is implementing these strategies in life and work to influence others and avoid being influenced. This report is intended to motivate individual(s) to perfect a better understanding of influence and persuasion and be able to implement these facets in life. Influence and persuasion are two of the most important skills required by successful leaders in the workplace today. A good working knowledge of influence and persuasion can help one person to change anothers attitude, beliefs, or actions. This knowledge can also help one to avoid being influenced or persuaded by another. Influence and persuasion can be used in almost all aspects of daily life, whether dealing with family, buying something at a store, or performing tasks at work. Social influence can be found in any environment where multiple people exist or anywhere there is interaction between people. Understanding it is essential for prosperity. In many situations, social influence and persuasion can represent the difference between success and failure. To be successful, one must also understand the relationship between power and influence and how to use power and self-empowerment. What is influence and persuasion? Influence investigates the causes of human changewhether that change is an attitude, behavior, or a belief. Inducing a change in behavior is called compliance. Inducing a change in attitude is called persuasion. Inducing a change in belief is called either education or propagandadepending on ones perspective3. Persuasion attempts to win the heart and mind of the target. Thus persuasion must induce attitude change, which entails affective (emotion-based) change. Although persuasion is more difficult to induce, its affects last longer because the target actually accepts and internalizes the advocacy3. Knowing these definitions create a foundation for learning and implementing tactics for both influence and persuasion. An effective leader must be able to influence and persuade others. This can be done by understanding how to assess ones own level of influence, finding sources of personal power, learning strategies of influencing and persuading people, and learning how to implement those strategies. Assessing Your Level of Influence: When accessing ones ability to influence and persuade, a collection of data must be gathered about the different areas involved with both topics. The collection of data is typically through questionnaires, surveys, or quizzes regarding the subject matter. These methods garner the opinions and ideas of the individual. In order to practice these ideas a person must know and understand the tactics, strategies, and how to implement both into the workplace. The information gathered consists of four main topics related to influence and persuasion. First, the individual needs to display information pertaining to gaining power. Gaining power can be in two forms: personal characteristics or positional characteristics. Personal characteristics explore topics like an individuals appearance, hygiene, or charisma in the workplace. Positional characteristics explore how an individual is perceived throughout the corporation. After gaining power in the workplace it is essential to evaluate how well does one exercise influence in the workplace. Implementing influence in the workplace is crucial. It is vital to evaluate how well an individual avoids using threats and manipulation when trying to influence others. When influencing or persuading does the leader emphasize reason and factual information in their approach, instead of tactics that are opinioned based? Another related topic that would be helpful in assessing is, how well the leader uses rewards when implementing influence. Does the individual reward where needed, do they never use the reward system, or do they reward when its not warranted? Finally, the assessment chain of thought deals with the idea of increasing authority. When one tries to increase authority does the individual try to convince upper management that the idea or issue at hand will benefit or hinder the entire organization if its not focused upon? While on the job how well is the person at stepping out of the normal realm of problems that deal with and taking on job tasks that go beyond their typical scope of work? The four areas of assessment are valuable to determine what level an individual is able to persuade and influence others in the workplace. During the assessment phase, an individual is examined about what their thoughts and ideas are on topics like gaining power, resisting influence, and how they exercise influence in the workplace. Power in the Workplace: Power in the workplace is the ability to influence others to do what you want them to do, when you want them to do it, and in the manner that is required. Power is directly related to control, especially in the work environment. For example, power can stem from an individuals charisma and skill set or the individuals position, can be exercised or not and directly or indirectly at a persons will. There are two types of power: positional power (formal authority) and personal power (acquired authority). Sources of positional power are divided into four categories, formal authority, centrality, flexibility, and visibility. Formal authority is the power directly given to you by your position; reward and penalties: having the ability to give rewards or penalties to other people in an organization. Centrality is where everyone needs you to get their job done because you are central to the organization. Flexibility is having the ability to improvise and innovate in a position and visibility always visiting other members of the organization and always being seen. Sources of personal power are also divided into categories of attraction, effort, expertise, and legitimacy. Attraction is having charisma or behavior that attracts other people to you. Effort describes when one constantly works to get ahead; giving consistent and hard work to do whatever it takes to get a task done. Expertise works related knowledge and through education or other means that other people in the organization may not have. Lastly, legitimacy is having the work done be accepted by others so that everything the person does and the person himself is legitimate to the organization. By following a few steps, a leader can greatly increase his/her power. These steps include: align your goals, ideals, and values, with that of the organization, develop a sense of obligation and accountability, encourage open communication with your co-workers, nurture creativity and innovation in your work environment, provide and welcome opportunities for personal development, demonstrate a high level of working knowledge and expertise, demonstrate trust and confidence in your co-workers, and give recognition to others for their work. Another aspect of power that a leader should remember is the ethics involved in the implementation of power. It is crucial to remember that the goals of the organization come before individual goals. Also, power should not be used to intimidate or coerce people into doing tasks. Strategies for Influence and Persuasion: Many scientists and psychologists have studied the areas of influence and persuasion and have found many sections, disciplines, tactics, clusters, and other descriptive words for the different items people have found. The strategies of discussion are the three types of influence, techniques for handling people, and lastly the continuum of influence. Across the board, there are three generally accepted types of persuasion. The first is Retribution, or command, which is forcing others to do what one says by means of intimidation or coercion1. Retribution is usually based around formal authority. A manager can threaten his/her employee directly to do a task or be fired. He/She can also indirectly force an employee to do something because of consequences at work by not following a superior. Advantages include quick and direct action by subordinates. Disadvantages include loss of creativity, resentment, and need for greater threats in the future. The second is Reciprocity, which is helping others want to do what one says through bargaining or ingratiation1. In this method, the main object is to satisfy the interests of both parties, even if you have to give something up. This is usually used when both parties have the same level of power. Advantages include low resentment and no requirement for justification. Disadvantages of this method include expectations of rewards or gifts to do work and it makes people feel that anything is open for negotiation. The third is Reason, which is showing others that it makes sense to do what you say though presenting facts or appealing to values and goals1. This method is the most powerful used most frequently in the work place. Leaders use this by trying to suggest and convince the other party they are right. Advantages includes the need for surveillance being enhanced. Disadvantages include the time it takes to develop trust and requires both parties having similar values and goals. Another strategy for gaining power and influencing people is described in Dale Carnegies, How to Win Friends and Influence People. He discusses the fundamental techniques in handling people. The first technique is to not criticize, condemn, or complain to the person. For example, if a manager wants an employee to perform a particular task he/ she should not condemn the subordinate for doing the task incorrectly, perhaps the instructions were unclear. According to Carnegie, instead of condemning people, try to understand them. Try to figure out why the employee does what he/ she do. The second technique described is to give sincere appreciation. People want to feel appreciated and recognized for what they accomplish. There are several ways to recognize a person through rewards whether monetary or non-monetary, verbal affirmation, or perhaps, find out how the employee prefers to be rewarded. Carnegie states that the big secret in dealing with people is to make them want to do what you ask. This concept is easier said then done because people have a tendency to forget the power of influence and appreciation. The influence of an alliance is often greater than the sum of the influence of individual allies. In building an alliance, you strengthen your power base and increase the force of your proposals through a network of supporters. Discreetly build the alliance through a series of one-on-one contacts, letting prospective allies know that you need their support and possibly mentioning who else is on board. Ensure that prospective allies agree with your purpose or at least have something to gain by helping to achieve it. Alliance can be hard to form. They require time and energy to maintain. However, members of successful alliances tend to be more receptive to future alliances. Appealing to Friendship Appealing to friendship (asking for assistance based on friendship or membership in a group) relies on the natural human tendency to help friends. We are inclined to grant the request of people we feel similar to. This tactic is powerful but it is hard for some people to use and can damage relationship if overused. Appealing to values Appealing to values is a way to influence people based on their values, feelings, and emotions. You make such an appeal by conveying a strong vision (of excellence, achievement, etc.) or by presenting your case with enthusiasm and conviction: We can achieve our goals if we believe in ourselves and set our own standards higher than anyone expects us to. This tactic can be highly influential and it can reach a large number of people at once. Its good for stimulating extraordinary efforts. However, it takes great skill to do it. Consulting Consulting is influencing through collaboration- inviting the prospective participants to contribute to the approach, concept, proposal, or strategy. When people contribute to the plan, they feel some ownership of it and are more committed to it. You can use consulting by asking for someones advice on solving a problem and then asking or encouraging them to implement their recommendations. This form of consulting is especially effective when senior people use it with more junior people. Exchanging is trading something of value for the support or cooperation of others. In other words, it is negotiating as a form of influence. You ask a person to do something for you and offer an incentive: If you will support my reorganization proposal during the next meeting, I will work over the weekend on your financial analysis and have the figures for you on Monday. Legitimizing is using authority to influence. Authority includes customs, laws, organizational rules and procedures, regulations, traditions, and various symbols of authority (uniforms and badges as well as formal dress). You can also legitimize by citing higher authorities. Legitimizing is the easiest form of influence if you have role power. It can result in quick compliance. But it can also appear heavy-handed and will not work with people who resist authority. Stating is possibly the simplest influence tactics of all. It means, simply, saying what you want or what you think. Gain cooperation by making polite but a direct statement of what you want or what while asserting your position with confidence. Please review and sign this travel request. Remember to leave no room for negotiation or refusal. Avoid tentative phrases like I think, I feel, I was hoping you would, if you dont mind, etc. dont phrase your statement as a question (would you mind, dont you agree, can I ask you, etc.). Resist the urge to be overly polite or apologetic. Clearly stating your needs, wishes or intentions helps to eliminate misunderstanding.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Essay -- Chrysanthem

Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck "A symbol is an act, person, thing, or spectacle that stands for something else, by association a usually broader idea in addition to its own literal meaning" (Cassill & Bausch, 1728). John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" may seem as a story describing a simple day with the Allen couple. It begins with Elisa Allen working in her garden and her husband, Henry Allen, negotiating with two suited business men that want to purchase steers. They seem to engage in conversations and go about their day as they normally would do. By the time the story ends, they are on their way to dinner and a movie. At first glance, this story may seem as nothing special, just a day in the life of fairly happy couple attempting to enjoy their marriage. However, there is much more under the surface of what is written. The story has a relative amount of symbols which gives light on other details of the story. It is not until after looking at deeper meanings of some of the symbols that there can be a m ore comprehensive reading of the tale. If one takes a good look, one can notice that Henry is an uncommunicative husband, and Elisa craves for more from the relationship, and her life. The lack of passion between Elisa and her husband leads her to use her flowers, the chrysanthemums, and other household tasks as an outlet for the attention that she longs for. Elisa, like many other women, is limited by society's view on women's position in the home. A more clear example of how Elisa feels can be better explained by Steinbeck's description of the where Elisa and Henry live. "The high gray-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On e... ...but romantic. That simple gesture is enough to sustain Elisa for the present time. She probably also realizes that the wine is the most she will get out of Henry for a long time. All of this insight and analysis of the meaning behind Elisa's chrysanthemums is what opens up the undisclosed doors of this story. If one did not look further into the story, it would seem as if the author was providing a bunch of unnecessary pieces of information about a specific day in the life of Elisa Allen. The chrysanthemums, being the key to the story, give a more in-depth understanding of this woman's life and her struggles that would otherwise not be acknowledged. Works Cited: Steinbeck, John. ?The Chrysanthemums.? Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 2nd Compact ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. 359-366

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Covenanted Governments :: essays research papers

The covenant is very dear to our modern world, being that many political philosophers that shaped our modern world based much of their theories on a covenanted government. When looking at the United States, the theory was considered important from the Mayflower Compact and on. The theory of â€Å"a covenanted people† is associated with Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau. Our â€Å"framers† took all of the aforementioned history and philosophy in account to develop our virgin nation. The concept of a covenant and covenanted form of government has greatly metamorphisised over time into nations such as ours. The thoughts of its origins are also very electric and diverse. Despite all of these idiosyncrasies, there runs a common thread through a compact form of government, and that is power is in the hand of a sovereign and all involved in the government are there by tactic consent. Around the time the pilgrims rebelled against King James in England, philosophy was abundant, especially that influenced by the belief in god. A majority of the governments around the world were monarchies. As far as our country is concerned, the pilgrims were the first to establish a covenanted government with the Mayflower Compact. This compact stated that all aboard the ship headed for the â€Å"new city of God†, were under the rule of God. Here is the clincher: even though it was a government under the rule of God, the agreement was that the people in God’s name would run the institutions of government. People executed God’s will his â€Å"permission†. In these times, people believe that they were carrying out God’s name and very will. These people weren’t bound together by caprice and whim, but for and out of necessity and deep-rooted religious beliefs. They formed a civil body politics so they may increase their chances at survival. The next vital document that was created in the â€Å"New World† was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. This document was closely related to the Mayflower Compact in that it was made in the name of God, it established a theocracy. This document brought people together in a tacit agreement that they would obey the word of God, as interpreted by the people and the sovereign appointed (a magistrate). The fundamental Orders and the Mayflower Compact are very distinct from the Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution in that they are theocracies. The people governed the letter two of the aforementioned; religion played little or no importance.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Online vs traditional classrooms Essay

Online classes and traditional classes are both great options for obtaining a college education. They have a common goal of helping students reach their educational goals. Either path the student decides to take has its positive and negative aspects. The three biggest areas to consider when making the decision between online or traditional classes are the expenses, convenience or ease of accessibility, and the communication between students and instructors. Both online and traditional classes offer students an education, which is very important part of being successful in life. Expense is one of the biggest aspects of both online classes and traditional classes that should be considered when continuing your education. Online classes cost considerably less in tuition when a student completes a degree that is only online. However, online classes require you to have access to a computer and the internet at all times. There is no housing included, such as a room in a dormitory, so the st udent has to pay rent or mortgage and all the utilities. Books are available in a hardback or e-book, which cost about the same. Traditional classes can have an extremely high tuition, especially if it is at a university instead of a community college. In a traditional classes the student either pays to live on campus in a dormitory, or you rent off campus. If the student lives off campus, you spend money on gas, driving back and forth to campus. The car then has to have more maintenance which in turn cost more money. Depending on the students financial situation cost should be considered when choosing between online or traditional classes.Online and traditional classes are very different when it comes to convenience or the ease of accessibility. Online classes have twenty-four hour availability. A student can schedule the school work needed around their personal life, whether it’s a job, family, or personal time. This convenience can make life easier to balance, or it can make things harder. If the student procrastinates they will get behind in their school work. The work load for online classes can be more spread out, and they have the option to take test inline as long as they are submitted by the due date. The online school system can offer instant feedback on a test because the computer grades it when you submit it. Online  degrees can usually be completed in a shorter amount of time because the online classrooms can admit more students at one time. Students also have a chance to obtain a degree in a program that may not be available in a school in their area. Traditional classes offer the stability of a more structured schedule. In a traditional class you may have a larger work load because of homework due daily instead of weekly. In traditional classes attendance is mandatory which can be difficult for a student working a full time job, or having other matters they have to attend to. Accessibility is an important aspect a student should consider when choosing between the two types of classes. Whether in an online or traditional classes, communication between the student and instructor is important. Online classes require students to communicate with the instructor and other students by e-mail or in an online forum. In order to be successful the student has to have working knowledge of a comp uter and know how to search for answers. When a student has to ask a question they may not be able to get the answer quickly, which may cause them to fall behind. Having to rely on e-mails to communicate doesn’t give the student a chance to have personal contact. When a student is confused or having a hard time the personal contact with an instructor can be the best way to get help. Students also have more interaction with other students in a traditional classroom which teaches better communication skills.A college degree can be obtained by taking traditional or online classes. Some students take a combination of both to get the degree. Students have to consider their lifestyles and personalities when considering what type of classes to take. Some important things to look at when deciding what kind of classes to take are expense, convenience, and communication. Since every student is different there really isn’t an easy answer, both offers great ways to continue somebodies education.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Football Head Essay

Football is an all American sport that has led to the downfall of many great athletes who have suffered from the sport in a psychological and physical manner. Football is a dangerous sport that is only played by one country, the U.S.A. Realistically, banning the sport is almost near impossible, but there should be regulations to the sport if that people would have to meet in order to insure safety and knowledgeable facts about the sport. Football is not meant for children, the players should have a full understanding of the game and of the danger that it can entails. If a child would like to play football, the child should at least be fourteen years old, and at fourteen years old, the children must watch a film that fully describes and informs the participant of the dangers of football and the effects it can have on the brain and on the body. Football can start at a very early age, children as young as five are playing the sport in a league with other children where they beat, push, and knock down other children their age. This is very problematic and dangerous to the child’s long-term memory; the brain of an average person does not fully develop until the person is at least twenty years old. When children begin to beat each other at a young age, they are starting the decaying process of their own brains. Concussions are always trying to be avoided during games, but the pre-concussive hits are just as concerning and alarming as concussions. Football players who have never had concussions are now being diagnosed of chronic traumatic encepha lopathy (CTE). CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is caused from repeated constant head trauma. If children begin playing football as early as five years old, they will begin the process of CTE. Violent games are not suitable for children, at five years old, violence and aggressiveness should not be a priority of a child, and school and education should always be their top priority. If adults choose to play this sport, the NFL needs to accept and admit that football is a violent game and that it can cause long term damages to the brain and body.  The NFL refutes the arguments about CTE and long term damaging effects football has on the brain by stating there are fully aware of the risks. Football players report that it is their choice to play football and that they are fully aware of the risks that are in play. However, concussions are the breaking points to a damaging mind, football players often confess to playing a game injured and from suffering a concussion while playing. For example, Richard Sherman explains in the article, â€Å"Why We Chose the Profession†, that due to a concussion; he was left blind for half of an entire football game. However, he goes on to state that if he had taken himself out of the game, that the legend of the boom would never have been born, this was when he had his first in game interception. Another player who once raved and bragged about the sport was Junior Seau. Junior Seau was one of the greatest football players in the NFL, he was a legend and he too â€Å"fully understood† the risks and dangers of playing in football. He once bragged in a documentary about the perfect tackle, and how he understood that due to the love he had for the sport, his life would be shorten and that he would have limited mobility. However, he did not once ever consider that the sport would cause him to have irrational mood swings, suffer from depression and eventually cause him to take his own life. Football players claim to be fully â€Å"informed† of the sport and understand the consequences it can have on their lives, but the NFL is withholding serious information that players are finding out when it is too late. If a person chooses to play the sport, then they must fully understand the fame, the consequences, and discuss with their families, families can fall apart just as easily as the players mind and body. Football is known to cause CTE, but there are other long term damaging effects that players have still not been informed of by the NFL. Football has been detected to cause early signs of Alzheimer, Dementia, and physical disabilities. According to the article, â€Å"Study: No Proof that Football Causes Alzheimer’s or CTE† was posted in the Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL had a $765 million settlement with retired football players that claimed that they were not fully informed of the risks that came into play when they ran onto the field. Once football players heard of the first few cases of CTE that were diagnosed in retired football players, the players began wondering if the NFL was aware of the causes of football and the long term effects it had on the players. The NFL had also denied all the  claims of the relation from CTE, Dementia, and Alzheimer to football. However, the NFL later revealed a study conducted by themselves that later revealed that football had caused early cases of Dementia, a brain disease that could have been avoided if the NFL had bother sharing the information with their teams and coaches. The NFL however eventually denied their own study as well. In time, the NFL attempted to share information about precautions they were taking in order to ensure the players safety. In pamphlets they distributed to players, they attempted to underplay the dangers of concussions by stating that concussions cannot cause any type of long-term damage. The NFL also conducted their own study, in which they concluded that if a football player endures a concussion in the middle of the game that the player could return to that same game even play in the game where he experienced the concussion. The NFL conducted their own research and discovered the damaging effects of football and the toll it has on the body, and now that players are taking action against the NFL, they are denying the accusations and ignoring their repercussions that have been waiting for them for much too long. Football is a sport, nothing more, and yet it can change a person’s life severely. If a person chooses to play the sport, knowing the facts, the diseases, and the immobility they can endure later in life, then they should be allowed to play. Football is a dangerous sport, people can choose to play or choose to live, but that is a choice when a player decides to walk onto that field or when they decide to walk off that field. It is an American tradition that should not be banned, but it should be limited. This is a game with a lot of fans, and yet many of them who follow the sport have no idea of the football players that are suffering because of it, which is the real shame. Play football, but know the risks. Works Cited Gladwell, . â€Å"Offensive Play.† Gladwell.com. N.p., 19 Oct. 2009. Web. 9 Mar. 2014. Sherman, Richard. â€Å"We Chose This Profession.† The MMQB. N.p., 3 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Reflective Report of a Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflective Report of a Presentation - Essay Example Our chosen leader was Odunola. We allocated ourselves different subtopics on which to research and write about. Each member of the group was to research only a particular area of the topic. I was allocated the duty of compiling the work that the group members had done and coming up with the conclusion. By dividing the work amongst ourselves, we managed to make the work easier and bearable for each one of us considering time limitations. Subsequent meetings mainly involved getting to know how far the group had done in meeting the main objective. During these meetings, we got the opportunity to see and read what each one of the group members had done. We discussed on everyone’s points and critiqued one another positively in a bid to ensure that our overall output was constructive and qualitative, and so that we pushed ourselves to complete the work within the limited time that we had. We were fortunate that the meetings were objective and every person’s had time to present their input to the extent that there were no heated exchanges or ugly scenes. As part of my preparation for the presentation, I visited the British Library and consulted other students and people that I thought were more knowledgeable in the subject. While I got constructive input from some of the individuals that I consulted, the library proved to be invaluable. I encountered several books that gave me hints, clues and information directly related to my assigned subtopic. I was actually lost for choice which sources to rely on for my part. I managed to compile the final document in good time before the due date for the presentation. We made our presentation on March 18, 2014 at around 1315 as scheduled, each one of us presenting their parts as we had earlier agreed for a total of 25 minutes. I realized that presenting before an audience is not an easy task. Odunola presented the introduction after which

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

We do not need guest workers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

We do not need guest workers - Assignment Example Samuelson argues that legalizing the inflow of illegal immigrants such as the guest-workers in United States will be the same as importing poverty (221). He supports his argument by pointing out that an increase in population growth and depletion of national resources is likely to result into an irreversible economic problem. 222, Samuelson says that since the year 1980, the number of low-income Hispanics in United States has risen to 162% (222). However, it is my view that the author criticizes the issue with a lot of harshness. He uses sarcastic phrases and statements such as â€Å"Its a myth that the U.S. economy needs more poor immigrants† and â€Å"we’d be importing poverty† (Samuelson 222). However, the author still manages to present his opinions with substantive evidence and reasons showing why more guest-workers in the country will lead to future problems. The author’s article is interesting and informative at the same time. For example, I was not aware that 400,000 guest workers get admitted annually in United States (Samuelson 222). In conclusion, Samuelson’s article, like all the other collections in Penfield’s book has many elements that make it essential for development of a student’s argument skills and critical thinking. For such reasons, I would recommend my friends to read chapter 8 and other chapters of the book, in Robert Samuelson’s part of the

Monday, October 7, 2019

Apple Corporation Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Strategies Essay - 4

Apple Corporation Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Strategies - Essay Example The paper tells that Apple Corporation like many other multinationals has a code of conduct that guides its operations. It prides itself on being committed to the highest social, environmental and ethical responsibility. The company warns that failure to abide by the code of conduct attracts penalties among them termination of any business engagement with the supplier in question. Some of the issues addressed in the company’s code of conduct guide are addressed below: Apple Corporation expects those who work for their suppliers to be treated with dignity and with respect. As such fundamental issues of human rights need to be addressed and employees should not be discriminated on a basis such as age, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, belonging to labor unions, marital status among other issues. In addition, harassment of any nature is discouraged by the company including forced labor or slavery. Also, the company warns its suppliers against restricting movement of its employees or confiscating identification documents belonging to them so as to hamper their mobility. The code of conduct also warns employees against employing persons who are under age and proposes a minimum age of 15 years. Those employing students should ensure that their education is not interfered with and that proper records should be kept to check on their progress. Safety of all employees is to be observed which includes availing reasonable working hours and providing employees with proper working tools and equipment. The health of all employees is to be observed through the provision of the clean working environment including toilets, eating, sleeping places and other social places.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Politics might be improved by more, rather than less marketing Essay

Politics might be improved by more, rather than less marketing. Discuss - Essay Example Marketing within the political realm is something that must be judged in the proper light to start with. The citizens of the state must be apprised of their due role within the country and then they must also be told about the different aspects related with the spreading of message through the right channels. Politics must make citizens stand up and act. They should take notice of what is happening around them and what the different regimes and movements are doing for their own betterment. This means that awareness and a sense of knowing needs to be the buzzword when we explore the true meaning of politics and marketing the same gives the whole discussion a real boost in the related scheme of things. Political marketing aims to look at the positive sides of delivering quality to the end consumers, for whom the politics is being done. The society is the eventual recipient hence it is the duty of the society to find out what is happening around it. The people are a part of this society and they are rightly the winners and/or losers at the end of the day. They must be made aware of the happenings around them when it comes to true political movements, activities, situations and the like. The usage of banners, websites, rallies, advertorials, email messages, sms texts, web portals, newspapers, magazines and even television and radio suggest that political marketing could be a real happening thing in the times much like today. (KELLEY, 1973) What also is suggested by these factors is the belief that there are a number of other avenues and different forms of media which could be explored so as to propagate the message of the political party or the politics as we might put it here. Politics in the world of today is like a relationship. It connects with an individual in much the same way as a family is connected to him. He is

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Improving your Practice through Research Assignment

Improving your Practice through Research - Assignment Example From this study it is clear that  consulting glossary incase of unfamiliar word is an important characteristic of research methodology in handling unfamiliar studies. Researchers in selecting subjects from certain population participating in the study by use of a random strategy, is random sampling. It facilitates fair representation of the overall population since it requires access to a specific population making random sampling unfeasible always. Health care studies are based on convenience sample where participants are recruited from available population. Therefore, Random assignment should be adopted since it is a significant feature in the hierarchy of evidence of higher-level studies.This paper outlines that  to implement this change Assessment by nurses on the evidence based practiced team needs to identify clinical problem based on their questions, observation, and experiences in working with patients. Problem identification and evaluation based on the discussions and de bates from the team leading to selection of central line topic as the pressing setback affecting the staff nurses oncology. Best available evidence are then analyzed and synthesized and the team should plan to write a statement to guide the proposed clinical change. Finally, the implementation and evaluation by staff nurses should be organized designed and conduct an educational sessions for all the other nurses then integration and maintenance of the unit policy is put in place.

Friday, October 4, 2019

Research papper about Landscape Artist J.M.W. Turner Essay

Research papper about Landscape Artist J.M.W. Turner - Essay Example John Constable, a contemporary of Turner’s, was of the opinion that â€Å"painting was another word for feeling†. A highly versatile and prolific artist, Turner created more than five hundred oil paintings and thousands of water colors, drawings and sketches, and numerous engravings over his long career of over sixty years. Turner developed quickly as an artist producing his earliest drawing in the 1780s. From the young age of fourteen he received training in art from the Royal Academy due to his enormous talent, and was made a full member by 1802. Turner’s penchant for serious reading of learned treatises on painting, literary and historical classics contributed to his vast range of mind (Rodner: 1-2). He won early and consistent patronage and popularity, though in later years some of his freely executed individualistic canvases met with controversy (Rodner:2). The Subject Matter of J.M.W. Turner’s Works: The artist covered an enormous range of subject matter, and was proficient in the use of both oils and watercolors. His paintings were extremely varied. Several works were on similar topics as a series of paintings on historical events, Biblical narrations, rural landscapes, industrialized towns, castles, rivers, marinescapes, rain, catastrophic storms and avalanches, Venetian land and waterscapes, sunsets and sunrises, sketches and engravings and many more. Turner’s versatility is seen in the many genres as well as schools of painting such as impressionism, post-impressionism, romanticism, etc. Turner’s life spanned one of the most innovative and influential phases of technological development. With industrialization came production and manufacturing, the expansion of cities, dramatic rise in population were great influences on his art. Turner’s watercolors of multistorey mills, fiery furnaces and polluted skies reflect the startling novelty of industrialism. The perfection of the steam boat, the introduction of the railroad, revolutionized

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Theories Definition Essay Example for Free

Theories Definition Essay This essay discusses theory in a general perspective and some related concepts underpinning it. Kuhn is also presented as an example of an alternative theorist. Theories, according to Littlejohn (1992) are abstractions or frameworks for speculating, interpreting, guessing, understanding, evaluating, rationalizing, explaining or predicting complexity of phenomena, events, ideas, mathematical or logical discussions, human relations, and communication through observation and critical thinking. The basic elements of theories are (1) concepts, which are usually categorized, and (2) explanation, which identifies patterns in the relationships among variables and can be casual or practical. Theory, in a traditional perspective, is based on the premise of â€Å"knowledge as discovery†. It is modeled on the experimental natural sciences through hypothetico-deductive method that includes four processes: (1) developing questions, (2) forming hypotheses, (3) testing the hypotheses, and (4) formulating theory. This method can be done through variable analysis and it is based on the concepts of hypothesis, operationism, control and manipulation, covering laws, and prediction. Littlejohn cites Robyn Penman in describing alternative paradigm through the following five tenets: (1) Action is voluntary. (2) Knowledge is created socially. (3) Theories are historical. (4) Theories affect the reality they are covering. (5) Theories are value laden. The concept of metatheory is used in discussing the criticisms of the work of Kuhn because it describes and explains the similarities and differences among theories. The critics of Kuhn have also their own set of ideas or theories in explaining why Kuhn’s ideas are not accepted. Metatheory issues are grouped into three Major themes – epistemology (questions of knowledge), ontology (questions of existence), and axiology (questions of value). Thomas Samuel Kuhn (1992-1996), an American natural scientist and contemporary philosopher who contributed in the evolution of science principles, has contributed much in the history of and issues on science, culture, and policy in the academic, political, and business fields. Kuhn’s SSR provides his antithetical views in the philosophy of science in which, like Imre Lakatos and Paul Feyerabend, Kuhn emphasized the role and nature of â€Å"rationality† in the processes of science. Kuhn contends that â€Å"science operates as a social structure rather than as an impersonal entity advancing toward epistemological commitment† (Mackie, 1998, p. 25). He contradicts the concept of logical positivism which states that scientists choose between competing theories in a purely rational fashion (Philosophy of Science, 2004). Like William Whewell, Kuhn denies the overly systematic approach to science or the scientific method as the framework for inquiry (Prosise, Miller, Mills, 1996; Mackie, 1998; Roberts, 2000; Nickles, 2003). In SSR, Kuhn presented issues on the nature of and the role of community in scientific development. Thus, paradigm depends on the community to which a practitioner belongs (Roberts, 2000). He interprets the history of science based on the development of â€Å"paradigms,† which are not just simple theories but also â€Å"accepted examples of actual scientific practice [that] provide models from which spring particular coherent traditions of scientific research† (Kuhn 1970, 4, 10). Paradigms provide new information about the world and people’s behavior (Swirski, 1996; Mackie, 1998; Roberts, 2000). Kuhn argues that scientific thought advances through intellectually violent revolutions (Copulos, 2001). This asserts Kuhn’s statement the evolution of science is characterized by alternating periods of â€Å"normal† and â€Å"revolutionary† scientific activity, with the periods of normal science being far more common (Mackie, 1998, p. 27). For instance, a paradigm shift can be seen in the practice of medicine since alternative medicine has been discovered to be also a promising way of treating diseases but it remains a controversy (Copulos, 2001). It appears that the paradigm cannot be fully developed and evaluated solely in a rational manner based on the verification of facts. This approach impacts on the philosophy of science since it is accepted that a paradigm becomes a prerequisite to â€Å"understanding why revolutionary science occurs and why periods of normal science persist† (Mackie, 1998, p. 28). Kuhn is criticized in his vision of scientific revolution which was seen as maligned for its seemingly inconclusive historical perspective; his description of normal science because it implicitly redefined scientific activity; and his ambiguous usage of the term â€Å"paradigm† in different ways (Mackie, 1998). Specifically, Israel Scheffler (1967) argued that Kuhn is a radical irrationalist, subjectivist, irrealist, and relativist because he denies that science provides the basis for objective truth about reality at the perceptual-phenomenal level. Nickles (2003) adds that: â€Å"†¦Kuhn as a principal source of postmodern relativism and of culture-theoretical treatments of science generally†¦Other critics view Kuhn as intellectually conservative in important ways. ..Kuhn differed rather little from the logical positivists on crucial issues, especially assumptions about language and meaning. †¦Kuhns work is also politically conservative and elitist, so much so that, owing to its great influence, it has destroyed any attempt to develop a more democratic science policy for the foreseeable future† (p. 3). Despite the criticisms he received, Kuhn was able to defend his theories by defining his terms more carefully. His second edition of SSR (1970) made amendments and used â€Å"disciplinary matrix† to substitute for â€Å"paradigm† (Mackie, 1998). In the third edition of SSR, Kuhn denied the accusation of relativism and he further clarified his views to avoid misinterpretation (Dyson, 1999). The changes made by Kuhn in SSR shows development from ambiguity to a clearer explanation. As Littlejohn (1992) notes, theories are constantly evolving and they need to be mastered. As an alternative-paradigm theorist, Kuhn did the process of â€Å"fine-tuning interpretive framework for understanding the flow of events† (p. 25). Although Kuhn was criticized for his theories in his SSR, it is undeniable that his theories played significant role in describing, although not accurately, the development of science principles. Kuhn’s theory focused on rational assessment of ideas and it suits disciplines outside normal science because it is irrelevant to philosophy of science but is significant in the analysis of human behavior. References â€Å"Philosophy of Science.† (2004). The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th edition. New York: Columbia University Press. Dyson, F. (1999). The Sun, the Genome, and the Internet: Tools of Scientific Revolutions. Oxford University Press, Inc.. Kuhn, T. S. (1970). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 2d ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Littlejohn, S. (1992). Chapter 2: Theory in the process of inquiry, Theories of Human Communication. Wadsworth Publishing Co, 25. Mackie, C. D. (1998). Canonizing Economic Theory: How Theories and Ideas Are Selected in Economics. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe. Milton R. Copulos, (November 12, 2001). A Shift in Thinking about Medicine. Insight on the News 17(42), 46. Nickles, T. (ed.) (2003). Thomas Kuhn. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Prosise, T. O., Miller, Greg R., Mills, Jordan P. (1996). Argument Fields as Arenas of Discursive Struggle: Argument Fields and Pierre Bourdieus Theory of Social Practice. Argumentation and Advocacy 32(3), 111+. Roberts, L. J. (2000). Thomas Kuhns the Structure of Scientific Revolutions. ETC.: A Review of General Semantics, 57(1), 59. Swirski, P. (1996). Game Theory in the Third Pentagon: A Study in Strategy and Rationality. Criticism 38(2), 303+.