Biography of Francis R. (Dick) Scobee

Since the Space Age began, astronauts have risked their lives to further the exploration of space. Among these heroes is the late astronaut Francis Richard Dick Scobee, killed when the space shuttle Challenger exploded on January 28, 1986. born on May 19, 1939. He grew up fascinated by airplanes, so after graduating from Auburn High School (Auburn, WA) in 1957, he joined the Air Force. He also attended night school and acquired two years of college credit. This led to his selection for the Airmans Education and Commissioning Program. He received his bachelor of science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Arizona in 1965. Continuing his Air Force career, Scobee received his wings in 1966 and went on to several assignments, including a combat tour in Vietnam, where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. Flying Higher He next attended the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Scobee logged more than 6,000 hours in 45 types of aircraft, including the Boeing 747, the X-24B, the transonic aircraft technology (TACT) F-111 and the C-5. Dick was quoted  as saying, When you find something you really like to do, and youre willing to risk the consequences of that, you really probably out to go do it. So, when he had the opportunity to apply for a position with NASAs astronaut corps, he jumped at it. He was selected in January 1978, and completed his training and evaluation period in August, 1979. Besides his duties as an astronaut, Mr. Scobee was an Instructor Pilot on the NASA/Boeing 747 shuttle carrier airplane. Beyond the Sky Scobee first flew into space as pilot of the space shuttle Challenger during STS-41C on April 6, 1984. Crew members included spacecraft commander Captain Robert L. Crippen, and three mission specialists, Mr. Terry J. Hart, Dr. G. D. Pinky Nelson, and Dr. J. D. A. Ox van Hoften. During this mission, the crew successfully deployed the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), retrieved the ailing Solar Maximum Satellite, repaired the orbiting Challenger on board, and replaced it in orbit using the robot arm called the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), among other tasks. Mission duration was 7 days before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on April 13, 1984. That year, NASA honored him with the Space Flight medal and two Distinguished Service awards. Scobees Final Flight The next mission was as spacecraft commander of   the shuttle mission STS-51L, also aboard the space shuttle Challenger. That mission launched on January 28, 1986. The crew included the pilot, Commander M. J. Smith (USN) (pilot), three mission specialists, Dr. R. E. McNair, Lieutenant Colonel E. S. Onizuka (USAF),and Dr. J. A. Resnik, as well as two civilian payload specialists, Mr. G. B. Jarvis and Mrs. S. C. McAuliffe. One thing made this mission unique. It was scheduled to be the first flight of a new program called TISP, the Teacher In Space Program. The Challenger crew included mission specialist  Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to fly in space. The mission itself was delayed due to bad weather and other issues.     Liftoff was initially scheduled at 3:43 p.m. EST on January 22, 1986. It slipped to the  23rd, then to January 24th, due to delays in mission 61-C, and then to January 25th because of bad weather at transoceanic abort landing (TAL) site in Dakar, Senegal.   The next launch date was January 27th, but another technical glitch delayed that one, too.   The ​space shuttle  Challenger finally lifted off at 11:38:00 a.m. EST.  Dick Scobee died along with his crew when the shuttle exploded 73 seconds into the mission, the first of two shuttle disasters. He was survived by his wife, June Scobee, and their children, Kathie Scobee Fulgham and Richard Scobee. He was later  inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

A Note On Sound Money Amendment - 993 Words

Name: Speikes, Foster D. Date: 2/10/2016 Class: Robert Yowell Sound Money Amendment For as long as money has existed, governments have sought to control its supply for their own benefit. The ancient Romans, for instance, regularly debased their coins so that, by the end of the 3rd century AD, the actual content of silver had declined to less than 5% purity. The debasement of and inflation of the money supply has historically been a tool of governments to expand their power. In conventional economics, which this paper will assume as a positive background in defending the feasibility of a sound money amendment, the result is a redistribution of real wealth from savers to the government, the banking and finance system, and other†¦show more content†¦In other words, schemes of redistribution which are organized to counter the symptoms of government interference in sound money misdirect our focus from a cause (debasement of the currency for government and friend’s benefit at the expense of everyone else) to a â€Å"solution† proposed by the sam e organization which caused the problem! It would be like proposing to solve mob violence by making the Capo di tutti capi police chief. The amendment would therefore be formulated to prohibit government interference in the production of any money supply. All money would be private, with contracts between individual depositors, lenders, banks, and other financial parties being enforced like any other privately agreed contract. This is obviously a political impossibility at the moment, but the contemporary global socioeconomic order is poised for massive reforms in the wake of a collapse of the financial system and/or political revolutions. The regular operation of the global financial order is so thoroughly corrupted by government interference that all three political cultures would be able to agree that a sound money amendment would be an improvement. Individualists would be pleased that restrictions on the financial autonomy of individuals, communities, and other organizations wou ld be removed. At present, financial options for individuals and organizations are substantially restricted due to an

Bell 492 Free Essays

Student’s Name: Muhammad Iman bin Shafie Patt Faculty / Group: Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying / 5A Lecturer’s Name: Associate Profesor Puan Noreha Taib Title: THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING Order: Topical Order General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose : To inform my audience about the important of positive thinking in our life. Central Point : A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful result. Introduction I. We will write a custom essay sample on Bell 492 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Did you know that, three letters can determine your life’s direction? Its sounds interesting right? I also impressed with the statement of an article. First time I read this statement I feel that I should improve myself starting today. II. I remembered the situation last year where I got a job interview with my friend. Two days before I went to the interview, my friend are not willing to go because he believed that the other applicants were better and more qualified than him. His mind was filled with fears concerning the job and he was sure he would be rejected. His overall behaviour made a bad impression, and consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job but fortunately, I get the job. But how this kind of thing can be happen? Today I would talk to you about how to be a positive thinker, the characteristics of positive thinker and benefits of positive thinking. (Transition : Let’s start by looking the way to be a positive thinker. ) Body I. The way to be a positive thinker A. Motivate Yourself 1. Anytime, anyway and everywhere. 2. Being productive will help you build self-confidence and make you feel better about yourself. B. Leave the Past Behind 1. Remember past successes and leave past failures behind 2. When you focus on your successes, you boast your self-confidence. When you focus on past failures you belittle yourself and make yourself feel inadequate C. Make Positive Thinking a Habit 1. Start each day and each new effort by reminding yourself how truly great you are 2. Taking the time every day to focus on all the positive things in your life (Transition : I know you can do it because if you do so, you can have your own identity. Here I tell you. ) II. There are a few character that we shall know he / she is a positive thinker. A. Try to be an optimist person 1. A person disposed to take a favourable view of things. 2. There prefer to think before made a mind decision about something. 3. See the best in things and expect a successful conclusion. B. People have a better health and always look happy 1. Practice a better life style and prefer to do something that give a benefits to them. 2. Have a better communication with people that create a harmony society. C. Resistant to stress and less prone to depression 1. Looks cool and steady in various condition. 2. Creative in problems solving. (Transition : Now you know who is a negative or positive thinker, let’s look at the benefits that positive thinker will get. ) III. A lot of benefits if we practice positive thinking. A. Brings strength, energy and initiative. 1. Positive thinking brings more energy, more initiative and more happiness. 2. It makes you more relax and ability to make a good decision B. Clear thoughts produce clear results 1. If we practice to be a good and positive thinker, we will get what we had think 2. Chinese proverb : The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it Conclusion I. As we have seen, there are important for us to practice the positive thinking in our lifestyle because there are benefits waiting for us. II. Fortunately, we can be a positive thinker by practice a simple way in our daily life. III. I can be a positive thinker and I believe you too. IV. Now I get the answer why I can get the job and I hope more lucky for me in the future. Bibliography Internet Sources Awaken The Wisdom And Power Within You. â€Å"Quotes on Positive Thinking†. (01 Okt, 2012) Retrieved 16 Okt 2012 from http://www. successconsciousness. com Awaken The Wisdom And Power Within You. â€Å"The Power of Positive Thinking†. (29 Sept, 2012) Retrieved 16 Okt 2012 from http://www. successconsciousness. com How to cite Bell 492, Papers

Predjudice and Discrimination Essay Example For Students

Predjudice and Discrimination Essay Prejudice and Discrimination are an all to common part ofour cognitive social being, but many social psychologistsbelieve that it can be stopped, but only with the help of socialconditioning. In this writing I hope to explain and point outsome key terms and points made in my assigned chapter. Prejudice refers to a special type of attitude, usually something negative toward any group or ethnicity that is not ofone’s own social class. Attitude plays a very important role inones cognitive framework, in that it forces our minds to processinformation on certain social groups differently making acognitive earmark for that individual group (stereotypes). Racially prejudiced persons take significantly longer than otherpersons who are not racially prejudiced to decide whetherstrangers whose racial identity is ambiguous belong to oneracial category or another(Ch. 6 Pp.211). Why does prejudiceexist? Individuals hold prejudice views because doing soallows them to bolster their own self image(Ch.6 Pp. 213). Bydoing this a person is making themselves believe that they arebetter than another, giving them a feeling of greaterimportance. A second reason for holding prejudice views isthat doing so can save us considerable cognitive effort(Ch.6Pp. 213). In sorts prejudice views are a form of collectiverepresentation because a person forms views of certain socialgroups through analyzing the individual traits of one groupmember, forming one opinion for the whole group. Now when prejudice is acted upon by an individual it iscalled discrimination.In recent years discrimination hasdecreased, yet it has all but vanished from our society. Earlyon in our history people were less subtle than they are todaywhen it comes discrimination. Everything in our society wassegregated, every group had their own facilities and were notto be used by members of a different group. At this timepeople felt less remorse for expressing openly racist views. They would state that they were against school desegregation ,that they viewed minority groups as inferior in various ways ,and that they would consider moving away if persons belongingto these groups took up residence in their neighborhood(Ch. 6Pp.215, Sears 1988).These days many people wouldn’t dareexpress these views because of the way social conditioninghas made it so that the person would be looked down upon byhis peers.â€Å"New â€Å" racism opposed to the â€Å"old fashion’ kind isfar more subtle these days because of the enlightenment of ourtime, yet it still exists. Some examples of this modern racismare that of Tokenism and reverse discrimination. Tokenism isthe performance of trivial or small scale positive actions forpeople who are the target of prejudice (Ch.6 Pp.216) Theseare just ideological terms used today to explain socialOne of the oldest explanations for prejudice in our societyis that of the realistic conflict theory. According to this view,prejudice stems from competition among social groups overvalued commodities or opportunities. In short, prejudicedevelops out of the struggle over jobs, adequate housing ,good schools, and other desirable out comes (Ch.6Pp.219). As competition steadily increases social class label theiropposition as â€Å"Enemies† , viewing their own group as thesuperior power. The outcomes of these confrontations cansometimes lead to violent clashes.The end result beingFrom a dialectical standpoint such prejudices are notinnate in form yet taught at an early age. According to thesocial learning view , children aquire negative attitudes towardvarious social groups because they hear such views expressedby parents , friends, teachers, and others, and because theyare directly rewarded for adopting these views (Ch. .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 , .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .postImageUrl , .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 , .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0:hover , .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0:visited , .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0:active { border:0!important; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0:active , .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0 .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0e5985436784f6c612369f7b384ad7b0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Robert Browning (448 words) Essay6 Pp.222). Yet another theory on the existence of prejudice is one ofsimplicity, people generally divide the social world into twodistinct categories: Us and Them. In other words you eitherbelong to the in group or the out group. Such behavior isdescribed as social categorization. We may not know it but everyday we use certain cognitivemechanisms too hold prejudice or discrimination. Suchmechanisms, like stereotypes, are often used.A stereotype,often used to delegate views a social group is based on thetraits or attributes of a few members of that group. Cognitive frameworks are often laid because of stereotypes, this is adangerous thing because of the opinions that people set ongroups which are unfairly represented. Even worse are thestereotype-threats, these are the threats perceived by theFinally I am brought to gender based prejudice, this is oneof the most widespread prejudices of all. It affects more thanhalf of the human race. At the core of this prejudice aregender stereo types, cognitive framework suggesting thatmales and females posses sharply different patterns of traitsand behavior(Ch. 6Pp241) Females remain as the main targetof gender based prejudice. This type of discrimination is mainlybrought about because of gender role expectations. For somereason or another females tend to hold lower expectationsabout their everyday lives. To achieve a higher social status ahigh level of self confidence is often positively enforced for awoman wanting to obtain higher than average success. Sexualharassment, another form of gender prejudice is most seen inthe work place because of the constant interactions betweenmales and females on a frequent basis. The sex role spill-overtheory makes some very curious predictions . According to thisframework, women working in certain environments-oneswhich most employees are male-will be more likely toexperience sexual harassment than ones working in moretraditional environments(ch.6Pp. 245). Yet people will tend toview such harassment, when it occurs as less threatening orcoercive than it would be in traditional environments. This isbecause they are perceived as role deviates-people whoFrom the dialectic point of view we have come a long way indiminishing racism and discrimination. However, we still have a way togo before our world truly reflects our ideologies. Bibliography:

Video Games and Aggression Essay Example For Students

Video Games and Aggression Essay As technology continues to forge ahead concerns about its effects on the populace are raised. Whether it be microwave ovens causing cancer or cell phones causing accidents, people are always interested in researching, and often condemning, these new products. Such is this case with videogames. Ever since Pong swept the nation, scholars have been researching videogames’ effects on children. The most popular aspect of videogame research is whether or not games increase aggression. A video game is any console or PC based interactive game, aggression is any thoughts or behaviors related with the intention to cause harm. Contrary to popular belief, there is no reliable correlation between videogames and aggression. Claims are the backbone to a study; they are both the starting point and the goal. Cooper and Mackie (1986) sought to discover if a highly violent game would affect 4th and 5th grade kids differently than a nonviolent game or a paper-and-pencil game. Tamborini et all (2000) predicted that aggressive thoughts and behaviors would be highest amongst those playing a violent virtual reality game followed by those playing a violent standard game, followed by those playing a nonviolent standard game. We will write a custom essay on Video Games and Aggression specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Derek (1995) was interested in what effect, if any, playing violent games would have on aggressiveness in different personality types. Ballard and Weist (1996) researched whether the level of violence in a game would affect peoples’ responses on a hostility questionnaire. Sherry (2000) performed a meta-analysis on 25 video game/aggression studies; he wanted to see if there was any credence to the claims. All five studies are very similar in their intent. They mostly focus on whether the level of immersion (via different hardware, violent content, and/or graphics) affects the level of aggression. To understand a study one must understand the definitions used within that study. All five studies use the same general definition of a videogame that the general public uses; an interactive game played on a television or monitor whereby onscreen objects can be manipulated through the use of a controller. Violent video games are those that involve death and destruction to things resembling reality and/or fantasy. Definitions of â€Å"aggression,† however, differ. Cooper and Mackie (1986) used a child’s toy selection and distribution of reward/punishment as an indicator of aggression. Tamborini et all (2000) consider aggression to be hostile thoughts. Derek (1995) defines aggression as a mindset that includes seven subcategories (the Buss-Durkee Inventory): assault, irritability, indirect hostility, negativism, resentment, suspicion, and verbal hostility. Ballard and Weist (1996) use the word â€Å"hostility† instead of aggression. In this case it refers to thoughts of defensiveness, dominance, aggression, self-confidence, nurturance, and autonomy. Sherry (2000) just says, â€Å"†¦and some form of aggressiveness as the dependant variable. † The Cooper and Mackie study and the Sherry study are the only two that incorporate behavior in their definition of aggressiveness. All of the others deal only with thoughts, but are quite similar in their intent. The real make-or-break portion of research is the method in which you seek and categorize the data. Cooper and Mackie (1986) took 84 4th and 5th graders from New Jersey. They had equal numbers of boys and girls separated into three groups. One group played the â€Å"violent† game Missile Commander (a cheesy game where you shoot lasers at little dots representing bombs falling on a city), another played Pac Man (which we all know and love), and the control group solved mazes with pencil and paper. After 8 minutes of game play the kids were told to select a toy to play with while the researcher did some work (the researcher was actually observing how long the child play with each toy. They could select a Shogun warrior (a violent toy), Nerf basketball (an active toy), Lincoln Logs (a quiet game), or pop-up pinball (a skill game). .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba , .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .postImageUrl , .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba , .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba:hover , .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba:visited , .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba:active { border:0!important; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba:active , .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u61fa5cd3c2031cceadbeb3cfcbcd9aba:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Oedipus rex Essay PaperWhich toy the child selected acted as an indicator of mindset. After the play session the children were told to hold down a button to indicate the length of a time a child should be punished for various acts of insubordination. They were then told to hold down a button for the length of time a child should be rewarded for various good deeds. Tamborini et all (2000) enlisted 92 MSU undergrads in the Communications department. The predominantly female assemblage was split into three groups. Before playing any games they filled out a self-report questionnaire concerning aggressive tendencies. The first group got to play Duke Nukem 3D on a virtual reality system (Duke Nukem is a modern first-person shooter where you run around blasting aliens; virtual reality systems incorporate a headset and gloves to more fully immerse the player), the second group played Duke Nukem 3D on a regular computer, and the third group played Cool Boarder (a realistic snowboarding game) on a regular PC. Participants got to play for ten minutes then filled out a thought list coded for types and frequency of hostile thoughts. They also filled out an evaluation of the research assistant they dealt with, this was meant to be another measure of aggressiveness. Derek (1995) enlisted 117 students from Strathclyde University (60% women). Participants were split into three groups. The non-aggressive game group played Tetris (a real-time strategy game), the moderately aggressive game group played Overkill (a typical space-blasters game which no one has heard of), the aggressive game group played Fatal Fury (a martial arts fighting game with high levels of trauma and gore). Players were given a personality test before and after game play under the guise that the study was concerned with hand-eye coordination as it relates to personality. Ballard and Weist (1996) took 30 male undergraduates from Appalachian State University. The guys were split into two groups. Group one played Corner Pocket (a billiards game with virtually no action) while group two played Mortal Kombat (an extremely popular fighting game), which was set at either high violence mode or low violence mode. The subjects played for 10 minutes before filling out a hostility questionnaire. Sherry (2000) drank hundreds of cups of coffee and alienated his wife and kids while pouring over insane amounts of research. There were 32 studies available to him, 7 of which he had to throw out for various reasons. Of the remaining 25 he carefully looked for validity problems while synthesizing them into the definitive meta-analysis on this topic. As with all things capitalist and otherwise, it’s all about the bottom line, let’s see what they found. Cooper and Mackie (1986) found that, overall, the kids played with the skilled toy and quiet toy (118 sec. and 134 sec. respectively) more than the active toy or aggressive toy (89 sec. nd 59 sec. ). After exposure to the aggressive game the kids played with the aggressive toy more than the kids in the other two conditions combined (82 sec. compared to 46 sec. for the other two groups). Amount of time pressing the reward/punishment buzzers was not correlated with the game played. Tamborini et all (2000) found a significan t effect for media environment on hostile thoughts, F (3,91)=7. 21, p*. 01, eta=. 20. Contrary to expectations, a higher number of hostil thoughts was found among those who played the game on a PC, not those who played Virtual Reality. They did find that those playing violent games had higher hostility ratings than those whom played nonviolent games, but the highest hostility was found among those who observed the violent games. Derek (1995) used a one-way ANOVA test and found no significant differences between overall changes in aggressiveness and type of game played. Pearson’s correlation coefficients also failed to show a significant relationship between type of game played and change in level of aggression. Ballard and Weist (1996) used a one-way MANOVA test and found a significant relationship between levels of hostility and type of game. .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 , .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .postImageUrl , .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 , .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740:hover , .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740:visited , .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740:active { border:0!important; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740:active , .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740 .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u38ee7ff7dcdfbf1cfaa85425980fa740:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: War and Society EssayHostility scores were higher after playing high-gore Mortal Kombat than they were after playing low-gore Mortal Kombat. Both were significantly high than those who played the billiards game. Sherry (2000) used the Pearson R on each of the 25 studies individually, he then subtracted out the variance due to sampling error. This resulted in a large standard deviation in the weighted effect size, suggesting extraneous variables at work. He also performed a Fisher Zr test, and was unable to reject the null hypothesis. In the words of Austin Powers, â€Å"whoopdy-doo, what does it all mean † There are many factors that cloud the issue, but overall it seems that the evidence is not very convincing. In the Cooper and Mackie study (1986) the higher levels of play time with the aggressive toy was accounted for almost entirely by the female participants. One theory is that playing the aggressive video game empowered the girls (whom are normally shunned from doing aggressive things) to broaden their aggressive horizons; at the least it calls into question issues of generality. The age of this study is also a factor, Sherry (2000) points out that there is a trend for older video game studies to have greater effect sizes. An issue with all of the studies was the short amount of time participants played the games. Sherry (2000) found that playing time was a negative predictor of effect size. It seems that there is an initial spike in aggression that goes away after longer exposure. Tamborini et all’s (2000) findings are odd due to the fact that the observers reported the highest hostility. This could indicate that seeing violence on screen-not necessarily controlling it- leads to higher aggression. The most convincing evidence of all is the meta-analysis (Sherry, 2000). His exhaustive study was unable to produce resounding results, indicating that the positive findings in some of the studies could be anomalous. This lack of evidence would leave one to believe that the status quo is acceptable. Game content can be found through the rating system, but any other measures would be burdensome and unnecessary. So, until more convincing data comes along we can rest assured that any rage is the result of good old American anger, not blasting on-screen boogie men.

Fatal Flaw of Medea essays

Fatal Flaw of Medea essays The character of Medea fits into the fatal flaw category perfectly. Excessive passion is what leads Medea to her destruction. Her love for Jason, her selfishness, and her rage are all factors of Medea's harm. First, the strongest factor contributing to Medea's fatal flaw is her love for Jason. During Jason's quest of searching for the Golden Fleece and meets the Princess, Medea falls madly in love with Jason and runs off with him. Medea and Jason get married and have two children. Medea's excessive love for Jason started showing when she killed his uncle, who was a king at the time, so that Jason could take over the throne and rule. But his uncle's murder resulted negatively for Medea and Jason. They were forced to flee to the kingdom of Corinth. Once in Corinth, Jason meets the king of Corinth's daughter. He leaves Medea and their two children and marries the princess. Because Medea is madly in love with Jason, Medea is crushed to find out that Jason has left her. Medea explains to the women of Corinth that, It has crushed my heart. Life has no pleasure left, dear friends. I want to die. Jason was my whole life; he knows that well. Therefore, Medea becomes outraged and over powered with excessive passion. Secondly, Medea's selfishness provides power to her fatal flaw. Medea's selfishness is displayed through the act of killing her own two sons. Medea understands that the slaying of her children will make Jason miserable. During this time, the chorus recognizes her self-worship and states, O miserable mother, to destroy your own increase, murder the babes of your body! Stone and iron are you, as you resolved to be. Medea does not stop to think what pain she may cause to herself by murdering them. She is only concerned about her happiness that will be derived from Jason's grieving. Medea comes to the conclusion that it is worth the suffering just to see her ex-husband unhappy. Medea states, My pain's a fair...

Will receiving a college degree improve your career opportunities Essay

Will receiving a college degree improve your career opportunities - Essay Example This paper puts into perspective how a college degree can improve career opportunities. A college degree has the potential of enhancing my career opportunities because it increases an individual's chances in the market. Case in point is that an individual with a college degree has an added advantage compared to those who do not have a single certificate. Unlike previous regimes, a college degree provides an opportunity for an individual to earn decently compared to a high school graduate. The financial value of a college qualification cannot, therefore, be overemphasized because it is the only gateway through which an individual can earn some decent living. A college degree widens an individual's world view making it possible to scrutinize issues from different perspectives. Employees require individuals who are critical and can make appropriate decisions under crucial circumstances and a college degree presents such opportunities. A reflection in the process of Critical thinking used in forming the response Critical thinking is an essential component employed in determining the appropriateness of the information presented. The process of critical thinking used relate to the process used to find content for the answers in this context. Having a college degree improves an individual's portfolio in the job market and understanding such as a phenomenon demands essential interpretation of the inherent facts.

The Benefits of Having a Good Boss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Benefits of Having a Good Boss - Essay Example A good boss increases productivity and promotes healthy working relationship while a bad boss hampers the growth of a company. The two kinds of boss are similar in terms of their professional roles in an organization. Both have people working under them, possess power over others, work towards the success of the company, and implement rules of the company. In an organization, employees look up to their bosses and make them the role model. Serving as role models, bosses should possess admirable qualities that others may imitate. In particular, the boss should behave according to the mission and goals of the company. He should have ideal professional qualities and imbibe the principles of goodwill, justice, and honesty in his profession. However, personal qualities are as important as professional ones to promote good-working relationship with employees. According to Brusman (2), the way a boss treats people is what differentiates him from others. It is the aspect in which many bosses commit mistakes, thus it is one aspect that easily distinguishes a good boss from a bad one. Another aspect is decision-making strategy. As the superior, a boss holds the highest power in an organization but such power may be equally divided among employees if a boss wishes to. Furthermore, the life goals of a boss differentiate a good one from a bad one. Life goals include those accomplishments that a boss wants to attain for himself, his employees, and organization. Treating employees positively is one of the characteristics of a good boss. Positive treatment of employees may be challenging especially with the presence of tension and pressure from work. Deadlines, work quality, and other factors may affect the way a boss deals and treats his employees, thus they can serve as the real margin to distinguish a good boss from a bad one. Despite pressure, a good boss shows good examples that others imitate while a bad one acts in the dismay of his subordinates. A good boss is friendly and deals nicely with others. He is neither feared nor avoided. Rather, subordinates work freely in his presence. In the morning, employees wait for him to arrive and wish to see him in the meeting to discuss issues that need to be resolved. In contrast, a bad boss terrorizes his employees with his presence alone. Subordinates do not feel comfortable when he is around. They are alarmed by his presence, and sometimes pretend to be busy when the boss is around. Likewise, in a meeting, employees do not wish to see the boss, but they still attend because they are afraid of being scolded at. Moreover, employees talk behind the back of a bad boss. They make fun of him and draw funny caricatures, and laugh at his mistakes. In sum, the friendly boss causes a positive atmosphere in the office while the terror boss brings about a negative climate. Athough the bad boss may decrease cases of absenteeism due to the fear of employees to be reprimanded, he may in turn increase employee turnover be cause subordinates could have a hard time dealing with him. A good boss knows how to sympathize with others while a bad one does not care about others’ feelings. As a leader, a boss acts as the parent of the organization. Therefore, he should be concerned of all employees, eventhough they are not directly under them. As such, he should know show sympathy when they need it. Showing sympathy to others could be as simple as giving condolences to bereaved employees, sending get-well-soon cards, calling up employees to check why they are absent, and so on. Likewise, a good boss knows how to appreciate the efforts of his people. He says â€Å"thank you† for favors done for him, greets people on their birthdays, and celebrates birthdays with them. However, a bad boss lacks all the

Strategy Of Oil Spill Disaster In The Gulf Of Mexico Essay

Strategy Of Oil Spill Disaster In The Gulf Of Mexico - Essay Example In the month of April, the year 2010, a platform for deepwater drilling in the Gulf, located fifty miles from the Louisiana coast capsized and sank due to an explosion. Several attempts to seal the top the well continued to be futile necessitating huge volumes of oil to spill and spread to the shores. The spills reached as far as the marshes Louisiana. The company that was behind the oil-drilling venture was the British Petroleum. The effects of this disaster are tremendous and cut across several sectors ranging from the economy to the biological sustainability. The oil spillage threatened the livelihood of more than four hundred species of wildlife. The sea animals whose lives were most threatened includes tuna, whales, and shrimps together with several species of birds. The land animals most affected by the disaster were the white-tailed deer, gray fox several amphibians like the snapping turtle and the alligator. The economic costs arising from the spillage in the Gulf were huge (The Daily Green 2010, p.1). For instance, by June 2010, the government had paid $ 62 million as compensation claims to 26,500 the residents in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, the insurers will likely spend up to $ 1.5 billion in compensation. Close to 12, 000 residents of Louisiana are now jobless due to oil spills in the Gulf (The Daily Green 2010, p.1). For instance, by June 2010, the government had paid $ 62 million as compensation claims to 26,500 the residents in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, the insurers will likely spend up to $ 1.5 billion in compensation. Close to 12, 000 residents of Louisiana are now jobless due to oil spills in the Gulf (The Daily Green 2010, p.1). This is not the initial time the British Petroleum industry has had to confront a disaster. A refinery that the company owns in the city of Texas experienced a massive explosion in 2005.

The Body Shop Internaltional Plc Commerce Essay

The Body Shop Internaltional Plc Commerce Essay Successful business ventures go through the path into business over the decades if not centuries to achieve its goals and objectives which The Body Shop International plc (The Body Shop) finds itself in such high regards. The founder of The Body Shop was Dame Anita Roddick from Littlehampton, an English seaside town (Dame Anita Roddick: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). It had its very first outlet launched on 26th March 1976 in Brighton, on the south coast of England (Our History: The Body Shop International plc , 2012). The Body Shop offers beauty products that are original, natural and ethical beauty brand (Our Company: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). The Body Shop introduces new products into the market with the use of natural materials and ingredients which is fair trade (Support Community Fair Trade: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). The Body Shop emphasises on positive social and environmental through campaigns with five core values of Activate Self Esteem, Protect Our Planet, Against Animal Testing, Support Community Trade and Defend Human Rights (Our Values: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). According to (About Us: The Body Shop International plc, 2012) its website based indicates the desire for this brand is to make the products with love and care that creates the slogan of Beauty with Heart. The Body Shop offers relatively high quality beauty products in the market to meet consumers demands. TASK 1 SWOT ANALYSIS The specific objective of the business venture is to identify the internal and external factors that are favourable and unfavourable to achieve objectives. (McDonald, Rogers, Woodburn, 2000, p. 148) suggested that A SWOT is an analysis of your strength and weaknesses compared to competitors and of the opportunities and treats by a key account. Strength The Body Shop brand itself holds a strong image in the market which well known for its beauty products (The Body Shop: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). Natural ingredients are use to produces good quality and innovative products. We are the leading key player in the niche market where targeting and satisfying needs of the customers. The Body Shop has a high brand loyalty from consumers due to the product differentiation. Weaknesses The Body Shop does not have direct marketing or advertising department where there is no strong physical public awareness. In the United Kingdom (UK) The Body Shop have small number of retail stores in operation. The products are either in the mature or decline stage of the product life cycle due to high and low consumers demand. The franchise system has specific requirement that cause problem to attract new franchisee. Opportunities The Body Shop products are produce with natural material and ingredients that increased awareness of organic and eco-friendly (Protect The Planet: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). Todays world with advanced technology of internet, develop an online website to increased number of online buyers (The Body Shop UK: The Body Shop Interational plc, 2012). Ageing population has increased in the current market that The Body Shop could target the ageing consumers who are willing to spend on products claiming anti ageing properties. Treats The Body Shop faces a huge growing competition within the beauty industry that offers similar products. In the current harmful environment situation that cause climate change and global warming will affect unstable supplies of raw materials. When UK faces financial crisis in the economic downturn, The Body Shop is in the condition of decreased on sales turnover in the overall market. 2.0 KEY PRODUCT # The key product of The Body Shop is Tea Tree Oil which mainly for blemished skin. The use of this product will have the effect of soothing, has antibacterial properties and does not dry out skins which can apply directly to all skin type. (Best Sellers: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). 2.01 ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES An organisation, consumers or in general will conduct a market research that benefits the management to improve economic development. There are six environmental variables which is Political factors, Economic factors, Geographical factors, Cultural factors, Educational-Philosophical factors and Sociological factors use by organisation management to widen the marketing research within a country. (Loudon, 1975, p. 95) Tea Tree Oil considered looking into three environmental variables of Cultural factors, Economic factors and Political factors. Cultural factors In every country have their own culture to learn and influence by tradition that affect different perception towards other culture. Tea Tree Oil is the key product of The Body Shop due to its natural properties where some countries use as an ingredient in medication remedies for healing. Some countries may perceive Tea Tree Oil as a common product where some believe is a valuable product. Economic factors Economic factors plays an important role for any business industry where customers purchasing power and decision making process is concern. Increase costs on raw materials that affect retail price to increase. Most consumers perceived Tea Tree Oil as a valuable product because it uses natural ingredients. Tea Tree Oil could be marketed to any country due to its natural properties that can be use on any skin type. Political factors The Body Shop build relationship with suppliers from different country in order to get finest raw ingredients to produce Tea Tree Oil. Commit local government rules and regulation to import raw materials and ingredients from different country. In the current UK market faces recession that causes The Body Shop to face unstable economic and political environment situation. Tea Tree Oil is a well known product in the world for its natural properties. 2.02 PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLE In physiological variable can be related to Maslows hierarchy of needs which include Physiological needs, Safety needs, Social needs, Esteem needs and Self-actualisation (Shaw, Dibeehi, Walden, 2010, pp. 81-87). The needs that influence Tea Tree Oil are Physiological needs, Safety needs and Social needs. Physiological needs Physiological needs are the basics of life. Tea Tree Oil is consumers basic need on daily usage as a beauty product or traditional medicine. Tea Tree Oil has a positive impact on consumers who are beauty conscious. It has its ability to heal wounds naturally because human body has the ability to absorb oil easily. Safety needs Safety needs are most important where consumers concern on product safety which Tea Tree Oil is contact with skin. Tea Tree Oil has gone through the production process of using fair trade natural ingredients and tested on human instead of animal before its being marketed. The Body Shop well trained sales assistants and product label provides appropriate information about Tea Tree Oil to keep the retention and loyalty of the consumers towards its product and brand. Social needs Social needs where customers and employees build relationship with each other to identify the culture and needs of customers to provide best services and information related to its product. The Body Shop keeps promises of using the raw materials and ingredients to produce good quality and innovative products that will gain good connection with customers. Tea Tree Oil itself has its own ability to build relationship with consumers with the positive responds and natural properties. 3.0 MARKETING MIX Marketing mix is an essential theory for every product or service provided in the business industry. The Michael Porters 4 Ps model entails Product, Price, Place and Promotion which are more appropriate for tangible goods. In todays world marketing mix has extended to 7 Ps with an additional of People, Process and Physical Evidence that is used in the servicing industries. (Borden, 1984, pp. 7-12). In The Body Shop business is involved in products which marketing mix of 4 Ps is essential. Product Tea Tree Oil is a key product which is organically grown beauty product that has natural properties and safe to use in contact with skin. Tea Tree Oil is made from extraction of oil from leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia to form the product which is organic (Wong, 2012). Tea Tree Oil has a short life span due to natural ingredients without preservatives. Price The current retail price in store are selling at  £7 a bottle of 10ml in the UK (Best Sellers: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). The price of Tea Tree Oil is relatively low compared to other competitors in the market. Tea Tree Oil is in the medium price range among the product in store. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil is considered as an affordable product with the natural properties. Place The Body Shop is a business-to-consumer related organisation that involve in the retail industry. Direct target market of The Body Shop is on consumers. The distribution types that The Body Shop emphasises are the mix of intensive distribution and selective distribution. The Body Shop retail stores in the market run their businesses on a franchising basis (Franchising: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). Promotion The Body Shop are against promotion because there is no direct marketing and advertising department. We own a website for customers to browse for information and purchase products through online. All beauty products in store are organically grown for its natural properties. The Body Shop core values of against animal testing which protect animal, cruelty-free and vegetarian (Against Animal Testing: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). TASK 2 4.0 MARKETING OBJECTIVES Marketing objectives are an organisation desire to achieve its mission and vision to generate more revenue and market share. (Lamb, Hair, Jr., McDaniel, 2012, p. 39) commented that A marketing objectives is a statement of what is to be accomplish through marketing activities. It is essential of any organisation to have a marketing objective in order to develop a marketing plan activity. 4.01 SMART ANALYSIS The Body Shop marketing objectives can be set by using SMART analysis to form a marketing plan to expand its roots to a foreign market (Robinson, Wale, Dickson, 2010, p. 144). Specific The Body Shop should specifically define the aims to achieve in future with clear focus on its objectives and develop approaches that can be use to achieve defined objectives to gain significant market share. Measurable The Body Shop should make sure that its objectives can be measured and quantified in the business operation. Achievable The Body Shop should use the market segmentation to analyse in order to avoid setting unrealistic and unachievable targets. Realistic The Body Shop should focus on its available resources such as funds, time, natural materials and ingredients, machine and employees before setting its realistic target to expand. Timed The Body Shop should make sure that its objectives are timed wisely and forecast its sales and profits in the long term period of time. The objectives been set by The Body Shop are smart and time bound as we can prove that The Body Shop currently still stand strongly in the market. We need to develop the visibility of the brand to create public awareness. Emphasises against animal testing in the foreign market that shows The Body Shop is cruelty-free and vegetarian. Widen the target market to kids range that is organic to refresh the image of the brand. Consider to reinforce environmental policies by working only with Community Fair Trade supplier to keep the loyalty of the consumers. Obtain environmental certification to prove to foreign market consumers that The Body Shop is in the business of ethical trading. 5.0 THEORETICAL CONCEPTS OF GLOBALISATION PROCESS In the globalisation process is base on theoretical concepts which there is no specific definition. According to (Bozyk, 2006, p. 1) the most important part of the research is From the theoretical point of view, globalization means an unlimited access to these markets for all interested business regardless of country of origin and economic regions. Globalisation is a free market to enter into any foreign market to start a business without any barriers. Another theory identified that globalisation process involves compression. According to (Zajda, 2005, p. 614) the most important part of the research is Compression makes the world a single place by virtue of the power of a set of globally diffused ideas that render societal and ethnic identities and traditions irrelevant except within local contexts. Organisation set objectives that is standardise to suite the local market and foreign market. The Body Shop have no issues to enter into any foreign market due to its natural materials and ingredients being use to produce products. The Body Shop emphasises the core values that brings positive impact to the foreign market with the organic and eco-friendly policies. 6.0 BEHAVIOURAL TRENDS AND PATTERNS Todays world, consumer demands are wide that every organisation is difficult to commit. Consumer buying behaviour relates to the social and culture of the consumer decision making process. The trends and patterns of the consumers are form base on the development behaviour among a large population in the long term. The Body Shop consumers bargaining power and purchasing power in the current market are strong that demands and expectations are high. The foreign market trends and patterns of the consumers are different from one another due to its social life and culture environment influences. The Body Shop looks into the trends and patterns of a foreign market in order to target the right market and achieve objectives. Market segmentation plays an important role to understand the foreign market trends and patterns of the consumers. The Body Shop conduct focused groups that provide valuable information of the products market acceptance. On the other hand, The Body Shop experience different perception and background of consumers in different country. The trends and patterns of consumers are dynamic which is difficult to commit. Consumers personal lifestyle will influence a brand in the market if consumers are branding conscious. 6.01 MACRO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Macro environmental factors which PESTEL analysis is a useful business strategic tool to measure and understand how The Body Shop market grows or decline, position in the market, potential and direction for its operations (Yeates Wakefield, 2004, p. 265). In any business strategic decision making process, the employment of PESTEL analysis can be use as a framework. Political and Legal factors The Body Shop build relationship with the Community Fair Trade suppliers for raw material and ingredient in different country (Our Values: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). Rules and regulation of the local government in foreign market are different from one another. The Body Shop faces unstable economic and political environment when foreign market is in the recession period. Economic In the current market position consumers demand for good quality beauty products due to climate change and unhealthy meals cause skin problems. The increase cost on raw materials and ingredients that affect the retail price to increase due to high demand. Consumer purchasing power is influences by the disposable income of individual customers. Customers may perceive The Body Shop as a luxury brand in some foreign market. Socio-Cultural The Body Shop consumers may shift to other beauty brand which also offers organic and eco-friendly products. The Body Shop failed to wider the target market to baby and kids range that is organic and natural ingredients for delicate skin. Social media marketing such as Facebook and Twitter is developed to provide information and updates on products to customers. Technology The Body Shop uses social media marketing to promote brand globally and create awareness. The use of natural materials and ingredients that form natural properties creates innovative products. Launching Love Your Bodyà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ card to create consumers retention with the membership privileges when use in store (OUR LOVE YOUR BODYà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ CARD: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). Environmental Climate change and global warming will affect unstable supplies of raw materials and ingredients. Emphasises on the eco-friendly policy in order to save the mother earth (Protect The Planet: The Body Shop International plc, 2012). 7.0 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PROCESS The process of internationalisation business management can be explained that international business intends to enter the global market in its earliest stage to increase the sales and profitability. Certain circumstance do cause for changes, such as the environment do take place which will affect the internationalisation process. In firms which are successful in their internationalisation process will survive through the previous experience being gained. (Vahlne Nordstrom, 1993, p. 531). There is different industry characteristic affecting the process of internationalisation which is economies of scale, research and development intensity, product differentiation, governmental policies and transportation costs (Vahlne Nordstrom, 1993, p. 532). The Body Shop invests in the foreign market need to think global and act locally in the market to satisfy the consumers demands. The Body Shop needs to implement international business management process in order to expand its roots to a foreign market successfully. 7.01 INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT International human resource management is important in the international business operation. (Briscoe, Schuler, Tarique, 2012) commented that Broadly defined, the field of international human resource management (IHRM)is the study and application of all human resource management activities as they impact the process of managing human resource in enterprise in the global environment. The human resource policies and practices need to implement to support the global strategy in any international company. The Body Shop needs to learn the culture of the foreign market in order to have an appropriate human resource management department. Learning and understanding the foreign market local culture that brings positive impact to work and communicate with foreigners 7.02 INTERNATIONAL MARKETING International marketing can be explained that local company takes the opportunity to invest in the foreign market to gain significant profits and market share. There is no specific definition to international marketing where most definitions of marketing are acceptable. According to (Vasudeva, 2006, p. 5) commented that marketing activities carried out by a marketer in more than one nation across national boundaries may be termed as international marketing. Understanding of what marketing is and how it operates in an international context will complete the study of international marketing. The Body Shop goes to international market will benefit to the consumers who concern on beauty and organic products. The Body Shop invest in the international market will generate more revenue to the company that increase sales turnover. Furthermore, gaining experience from foreign market in order to improve company objectives and strategies. 7.03 INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS International logistics definition is divided to international and logistic which it gives a different meaning. (Wood, Barone, Murphy, Wardlow, 2001, p. 1) commented that International means that it will deal with transactions involving individuals or firms in more than one nation. (Wood, Barone, Murphy, Wardlow, 2001, p. 1) also commented that Logistics means the organized movement of goods, services and sometimes people. The combination of international logistics can be defined as local company invest in the international market and export goods across the border. International logistics involves the buyers, the sellers, the carries, the intermediaries or middlemen and sometimes the government. The Body Shop involves in the international logistics where the intention to expand its roots to the foreign market that exporting goods and experience people to start up the business. As a result international logistics are costly due to export duties, taxes and other expenses incurred when exporting. 8.0 CONCLUSION The Body Shop is a successful company in the beauty industry where people, animal and planet are concern. Natural materials and ingredients being use to produce products to save the mother earth with guaranteed good quality and safety product. Through its good business model that satisfied the consumers demand which keep consumers retention and loyalty. The Body Shop objectives to achieve with the participation from employees will lead to good reputation that shows the achievement being met. The Body Shop objectives that have achieved will maximise the revenue and employees efficiency of work performance. 9.0 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES About Us: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from The Bosy Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/content/services/aboutus.aspx Against Animal Testing: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 27, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/values/AgainstAnimalTesting.aspx Best Sellers: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc web site: http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/whats-hot/best-sellers/tea-tree-oil.aspx Borden, N. H. (1984). The Concept of the Marketing Mix. Journal of Advertising Research , 7-12. Bozyk, P. (2006). Globalization And the Transformation of Foreign Economic Policy. Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Limited. Briscoe, D., Schuler, R., Tarique, I. (2012). International Human Resource Management 4th Edition. Oxon: Routledge. Dame Anita Roddick: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/content/services/aboutus_anita-roddick.aspx Franchising: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 27, 2012, from The Body Shop Internaltional plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/content/services/franchising.aspx Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., Jr., McDaniel, C. D. (2012). Essential of Marketing. Mason: Cengage Learning. Loudon, D. L. (1975). The Influence of Environmental Variables on the Use of Marketing Research. Management International Review , 95. McDonald, M., Rogers, B., Woodburn, D. (2000). Key Customers: How to Manage Them Profitably. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Our Company: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/content/services/aboutus_company.aspx Our History: The Body Shop International plc . (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/content/services/aboutus_history.aspx OUR LOVE YOUR BODYà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ CARD: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 28, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/content/loyalty/love-your-body/using-your-card.aspx Our Values: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site : http://www.thebodyshop.com/content/services/aboutus_values.aspx Protect The Planet: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 27, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc: http://www.thebodyshop.com/values/ProtectPlanet.aspx Robinson, P., Wale, D., Dickson, G. (2010). Events Management. Oxfordshire: CAB International. Shaw, C., Dibeehi, Q., Walden, S. (2010). Customer Experience Future Trends Insight . New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Support Community Fair Trade: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from The Body Shop Interbational plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/values/CommunityFairTrade.aspx The Body Shop UK: The Body Shop Interational plc. (2012). Retrieved December 27, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/index_s.aspx The Body Shop: The Body Shop International plc. (2012). Retrieved December 27, 2012, from The Body Shop International plc Web site: http://www.thebodyshop.com/index.aspx Vahlne, J.-E., Nordstrom, K. A. (1993). The Internationalization Process: Impact of Commpetion and Experience. The International Trade Journal . Vasudeva, P. K. (2006). International Marketing 3rd Edition. New Delhi: Anurag Jain. Wong, C. (2012, September 15). Alternative Medicine: About.com. Retrieved December 27, 2012, from About.com Web site: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/TeaTreeOil.htm Wood, D. F., Barone, A., Murphy, P., Wardlow, D. L. (2001). International Logistics. Massachusetts: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Yeates, D., Wakefield, T. (2004). System Analysis and Design Second Edition. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Zajda, J. I. (2005). International Handbook on Globalisation, Education and Policy Research. Dordrecht: Springer.

New Policies :: essays research papers

Many public schools use flunking a student as a regular policy to keep up good quality education in their particular school. While faced with the possibility of being flunked, a student will, without a doubt study harder. But, if schools used policies like, a decreased class size, a mandatory dress code and shortened summer vacation time, students will receive an even better education.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, let us examine the idea of a decreased class size. When the number of students is reduced from thirty to twenty students per teacher, there is more time for the teacher to spend with each student for more individualized help. With a smaller class size, more students will get to participate in classroom discussions and maybe even the students who feel intimidated by large class size will speak up when there are fewer students in the room. Also, when the number of students in class is decreased, the possibility of noisy, trouble making, distracting students goes down and there will be fewer interruptions during class time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, let us examine the mandatory dress code. This policy is a great idea because it would keep students focused on the tasks at hand instead of worrying about what others have worn to school or what they should wear to school themselves. Another good point about this policy is there would other students making it easier to pay attention in class wear less distracting clothing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finally, the last policy for examination is shortened summer vacation time. By shortening summer vacation time, students can be taught their lessons more indeptly without being rushed from one subject to the next subject. Giving them more time to spend on a particular subject than before. With shortened vacation time, students will have less time to forget what they have been taught and when they return to school, there is no need to spend precious class time reviewing what they might have forgotten.

Why Michael Jackson is the greatest musical artist

Do you know of a person who has won more awards than any other person in the music industry? What about a person who has inspired other performers to see the world from a different perspective? Or a man who is also ‘there’ for those in need of shelter, food, and water? Only one man in this world, who has distinguished himself through these great accomplishments, is the answer to these questions, and he is Michael Jackson. Indeed, he is perhaps the greatest musical artist of all time because of his success as an artist, whose list of achievements is endless; because of how his music changed the way people look at the world, and also because of how his kind-hearted, caring personality affected others. Firstly, Michael Jackson is the greatest musical artist of all time because of his success. He has released 13 different singles that have reached No. on the charts – definitely more than any other male artist in our history! In addition, he has been officially set as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time for selling an approximate 750 million records worldwide. Also, he has 13 Grammy awards together with several Guinness World Records. His â€Å"Thriller† album is known as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time while his other records such as â€Å"Off the Wall†, â€Å"Bad†, and â€Å"Dangerous† are the top-sellers as well. So with these, Michael Jackson indeed is the greatest musical artist of all time for being very successful. Secondly, Michael Jackson’s kind-hearted personality also makes him the greatest musical artist. He is a humanitarian who has helped over 40 charities and foundations that include the American Cancer Society, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Make-A-Wish Foundation, End Hunger Network, Childhelp USA, and Great Ormond Street Hospital. In addition, he has spent at least 350 million dollars in funding these purposes. His charitable activities are countless and their effects are enduring. For example, when he established the Heal the World Foundation, it donated 6 tons of supplies as well as supporting treatment for drug and alcohol abuse in Sarajevo. Generally, the fact that Michael Jackson ‘healed the world’ really makes him the greatest musical artist. Lastly, the way Michael Jackson’s music changed the way people look at the world makes him the greatest musical artist of all time. His songs such has â€Å"Man in the Mirror†, â€Å"Black or White†, â€Å"Heal the World†, and â€Å"We are the World† have sent out messages to people to promote positive causes and impacts; whether it is about racism, war, or unity. In addition, his musical style paved way for many artists to develop their skills or invent new styles of music. Moreover, he also influenced many dancers through his music videos such as â€Å"Thriller†, â€Å"Billie Jean†, â€Å"Smooth Criminal†, and more. Hence, his label as the greatest musical artist can be truly defined through his influence in the way people look at the world. Unlike many artists, this man has made major impacts to people of all races around the world. Even 2 years after his death, people still mourn over him because of how important he is to our lives. Whether is it because of his success as an artist, because of a man with a kind-hearted personality, or because of how a man’s music has changed people’s point of views, Michael Jackson is truly the greatest musical artist of all time.

Tennessee Williams Research Paper

Each of these things shows a little of either Williams or someone that was important n his life. I will go in to detail on how these four aspects of â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire† and how they relate to the emotions of Tennessee Williams life. The first aspect I will discuss is the Poker Game and the similarities between it and Williams. In Scott W. Griffins article â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire And Tennessee Williams' Object-Relational Conflicts† he quotes Williams â€Å"Williams once told an interviewer: ‘My work is emotionally autobiographical.It has no relationship to the actual events of my life, but it reflects the emotional currents of my life' (Contemporary Literary Criticism, 1984)† (1 12). So none of the things that actually happened in the story were based on actual events but its based on emotions he felt throughout his life. For example: The Poker game. The first few years of Williams life were nice because his father was gone for his job so he was surrounded by soft hearted woman (Edwina, his mom; Rose, his sister; Grand, his grandmother) ‘Williams remembers these days as shrouded in kindness, sensitivity, and gentleness† (Griffins 1 14).Then his father came home and it completely switched up everything, just like Stanley and the poker game. Griffins supports this in his article ‘When Cornelius came home, his explosive nature burst into the quiet, cultured serenity like Stanley poker game broke into Blanches quiet bath† (1 14). Tom L. Liverish also gives us some insight on this in his article â€Å"The Unknown Tennessee Williams† â€Å"Hard working and hard drinking, boisterous and coarse as ever, C [Cornelius] would still periodically storm the bastion of the Taking household and as quickly leave it in peace† (45).The poker night might not have been a huge similarity between his life and the play but it was an important aspect. Stanley is more important in the play as well as who he represents in Williams actual life. In the play Stanley is the antagonist and Williams does not hold back with him. He has anger problems, he is a drunk, and he is controlling of everyone around him. Stanley is just like what Williams describes his dad as in his biography all the way down to the poker nights. In his biography it say â€Å"Williams father, Cornelius Coffin Williams, was a boisterous, strong-willed man's man† (Alleviate 2).One similarity is that in the play Stanley gets mad cause Balance has moved in to the tiny apartment with him and Stella and is taking up all of Stall's attention. Griffins says â€Å"From the start of Tom's life, Cornelius was jealous of his wife's affection for their new son Cornelius had lost his own mother to tuberculosis at the age of five, and when his attention needs went unmet, he was prone to rage and physical violence' (1 15). Tennessee father isn't the only one that has similarities in traits with Stanley. Williams himself has some of the same personality traits Stanley has in the play.Especially in relationships Griffins supports this â€Å"Most of Williams legislations were fleeting and short lived. He could be the violent and sadistic Stanley, as in his relationship with Poncho y Rodriguez y Gonzales, a handsome young hotel clerk who came to New Orleans to live with him during the writing of the streetcar† (1 19). The last one and also the most complex and important one of the three is Balance. Balance is a very complex character in the play. She is secretive and doesn't want people to see her in the light or know anything about her past at Belle Reeve.She is made up of three people in Williams life: Himself, Rose and is mother. There is a lot of Williams in Balance, the main one being that she is a girl and he is a homo sexual. The next one was his promiscuity, because he lacked a real father figure he craved attention and the way he got that attention was the same way Balance got attention in the play; through short term sexual relationships. â€Å"Like Blanches, Williams promiscuity and hunger for short-term sexual partners was a prominent aspect of his life. † Williams himself said â€Å"Sexuality is an annalistic emanation, as much for the human being as the animal. He said. Animals have seasons for it. But for me, it was a round-the-calendar thing† (Williams 53). He didn't have any self-respect for himself so he tried to fill that void with sex just like Balance â€Å"he could be Balance, subjecting himself to aggressive rape and pursuing the repetitious consumption of young boys† (Griffins 1 19). His mother Edwina was also apart of Blanches character. His mom escaped the troubles of her life by creating an illusion world where nice men replaced them all. Griffins supports this â€Å"Like Balance, Edwina was a model escape artist.Her high strung, histrionic tauter had chased away many men, yet she kept herself narcissistically impervious to the injury by creating an illusion world where admiring gentlemen callers replaced any painful or unwanted realities† (1 18). The last person that helped build Blanches character is Rose. She had a mental illness when Williams was younger. Balance had her own mental fall out at the end of the play after she had been raped by Stanley and Stella wouldn't believe her. She had already started to drift from reality when she got to New Orleans in the first place.She lied so much about her life not because she didn't want people to know about it but I think more because that's how she wanted and wished it was. In the end she ended up breaking down and losing all sense Of reality somewhat like Rose did â€Å"Rose regressed into a delusional world of somatic illness and sexual immortality in her early twenties† (Liverish 247). These 3 people all have one thing in common that is so obvious in Blanches character and that is the want of a father figure. Rose, Williams, and his mother a ll just wanted attention and in the end it really messed them up.Griffins also supports this â€Å"The hunger for a father's security, strength, attention, and value that Williams made so apparent in Balance was painfully present in Rose, in Williams himself and in their mother† (1 19). In conclusion Tennessee Williams had a really hard early life and because of that hard early life the rest of his life wasn't easy either. From being homosexual, to having an abusive father and then abusing sex, drugs and alcohol. That doesn't make for a very pleasant life. And all of these things came out in the play â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire†. The first one being the poker night, then Stanley, and Balance.

Ojt Experience Essays

Ojt Experience Essays Ojt Experience Essay Ojt Experience Essay INTRODUCTION On the job training or OJT is one method by which students is given chance to apply the theories and computations that they have learned from the school. It also helps the students to acquire relevant knowledge and skills by performing in actual work setting. Colleges and universities require their students to  undergo such  training within  a  specific  number  of  hours  as  part  of  the curriculum. For the students, an OJT or internship program provides opportunities togo  through  the  actual  methodologies  of  a  specific  job  using  the  real  tools, equipments and documents. In effect, the workplace becomes a development venue for a student trainee to learn more about his chosen field and practice what he has learn from academy. On the  other hand, an effective OJT program also benefits the companies who accept trainees. First OJT or intern provides additional manpower for lesser labor cost than a regular employee. Most of them are all eager to learn the ropes so chances are high that they will cooperate. Employers can use this internship strategy as a method in recruiting new employees. Since the trainer or the supervisor can follow the trainees’ progress, he can gauge based on performance, behavior and attitude if the trainee will make a good recruit after the completion of his internship. OJT’s can bring fresh ideas  into the organization. Given the opportunity to speak  their  minds  freely  and  without  fear,  they  maybe  able  to  contributesignificantly in brainstorming sessions or research and eventually help improve the organizations productivity. While training the interns, employers are in fact also teaching their employees to process of guiding the trainees stretches their  patience, develops teaching skills and makes them more sensitive to the needs and mind set of the younger generation. The course of supervision also teaches them how to share what they know and be receptive to questions. Hence, theinternship  also  becomes  an  avenue  in  training  for  future  managers  of  thecompany. Accommodating on-the-job trainees can truly be beneficial not only to the trainees but also to the companies that provide opportunities for this type of  learning. There is wisdom in the front lines. Such training can be

Organizational culture and preparing the new employee Research Paper - 1

Organizational culture and preparing the new employee - Research Paper Example Two major federal laws related to the organizational culture and employee nondiscrimination are discussed and explained. The report is concluded by providing suitable recommendations to the organizations facing this issue. The recommendations are given about how these organizations can minimize the challenges related to the preparation of new hires in the organization and how they can develop suitable human resource practices and organization culture to support the preparing and development of the new employees. The current business scenario has seen many major changes in the organizational and human resource practices in different businesses across the world. Globalization and workforce diversity have been emerging aspects which have created the importance of maintaining a suitable organizational culture and integrating the organizational culture within the workforce of an organization. Maintaining a perfectly balanced organizational culture is not an easy task. Human resource practitioners and managers are facing various challenges in the current globally integrated business scenario evolving from trends such as shifts in the political and legal environments across the world, advances in information technology, workforce diversity, increasing practices of outsourcing and offshore business activities and globalization. These changes create pressure on human resource professionals to recruit, develop and retain talented and skilled employees within the business. These challenges are great in magnitude and cannot be ignored by the organizations and HR practitioners across the globe. The human resource management systems are necessarily built and modified to become almost totally equipped to meet the challenges brought about by globalization and the integration of cross cultural diversity in the workforce of the

Performance Pay at Safelight Auto Glass Case Study

Performance Pay at Safelight Auto Glass - Case Study Example The installer’s problem as identified in the PPP was related to the turnover rates. It has been found that the turnover rate of the company has been quite high because the glass installation was a seasonal business. The busy periods were spring and summer and it was found that at this time, the competition for new hires was mounting. However, the demand for the windshield replacement troughed and as a result the repair shops found it necessary to lay off many of their workers and hire them back during spring and summer. In addition to this, another biggest problem was associated with technicians who were lured by other companies’ offer, which promised to pay them a fraction more than what they were currently receiving. Therefore, as a result it was evident that the installers were changing their jobs since they were paid a Dollar more an hour and were allowed to take the company’s truck home during night. In order to reduce the turnover rate, Safelite also offere d truck privileges for a time being, but then stopped it later. It was a matter of concern for the recruiters in HR with regards to getting technicians from other companies to come to Safelite. These were the problems that the PPP had tried to identify which were affecting the company’s productivity. Question Two Pros and Cons of Switching From Wage Rates to Piece Rates After going through the case study, it can be revealed that Performance Pay Plan was revised for both the managers as well as the technicians. It was decided to pay the technicians according to the piece rate system rather than the wage rate system which was previously being practiced. The plan was implemented for the technicians to receive the piece rate for every windshield that they installed. According to this plan, the number of windshield that the technician would install in a week would be accumulated. As a result, the technicians’ pay for the week was decided to be based upon the number of insta llations. The new plan brought both advantages and disadvantages to the technicians. Previously, the technicians received $10-$12 an hour. However, it was analyzed that according to the new PPP, the technicians would receive $15.22 per hour. Therefore, it can be examined that there would be a substantial hike in the salary of the technicians. However, the disadvantages of the plan for the technicians was that for the first twelve weeks of the plan, if the technician did not reach a weekly average which was equal to his previous hourly wage, then he would receive the hourly wage as a guaranteed rate. After that first twelve-week period, his guarantee rate would lower by 30% so that he gets encouraged to work towards the PPP rate. This is quite demotivating for the technicians. This may even discourage the technicians to improve the productivity. The other disadvantage has been that the installers were paid different rates depending on the area of the country in which they lived. It w as also apparent from the case study that the technicians were at times asked to remove a work shield while the auto body work was being completed on a vehicle and then replace it later. The Safelite installers can be considered as good

Discuss the development of garvey's UNIA.what were the factors that Essay

Discuss the development of garvey's UNIA.what were the factors that made Garvey develop his organisationwhat role did geography - Essay Example He immersed himself into books in his quest for more knowledge to complement what he had gained from elementary school. Marcus Garvey’s quest for knowledge saw him travel widely in the Caribbean, Latin America and eventually he landed in London England. His education gave him an advantage over other people of African descent for he was able to secure employment in places where he visited. His position at different newspaper publishing companies gave him an insight into the prevailing conditions and circumstances under which people of African descent were experiencing. It is through his interaction with the outside world that Marcus Garvey became interested in advocating for minority human rights especially for those of African descent. The aim of this paper is to answer questions aimed at illuminating the role that Marcus Garvey played in the development of Pan-Africanism. Marcus Garvey’s exploits in the diaspora saw him attend the Birkbeck College in London where he st udied law and philosophy. His wide travels availed Marcus Garvey the opportunity to interact with a wide range of people from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. This experience gave him the chance to know and understand different people’s opinions and perceptions of the African race in relation to their lives. He was able to realize that there was wide spread discrimination against individuals of African descent even in the minority races. During his stay in London, he worked for a newspaper called the African Times and Orient Review that was published by Duse Mohamed Ali who is claimed to have had significant influence on Marcus Garvey. His desire to address the oppressed and diminished position of people of African descent in society saw him sometimes address public gatherings in London. Marcus’ talks are said to have been greatly influenced by Booker T. Washington, Henry McNeal and Martin Delany who advocated for minority groups’ equal represe ntation in society. It is highly probable that Duse Mohammed’s Islamic principles played a critical role in influencing Marcus to form the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). UNIA was first established in his home country Jamaica in 1914 under the motto ‘One God, One Aim, One Destiny’. The factors that led to the formation of UNIA by Marcus Garvey were based on the ultimate goal of securing economic, social and political freedom for all people of African descent in the world outside and inside Africa. Marcus saw the need for a united forum through which individuals from minority groups could use to advocate for their rights and freedoms. In 1921, Marcus Garvey was able to garner support from most of the small African associations in a National conference. This strengthened his UNIA organization, which saw its membership swell to between 60 and 70 thousand members. This consolidation enabled him to gain a wider appeal and audience through representatio n by the different groups that UNIA had assimilated, and in turn furthering its agenda. His relocation to the United States of America furthered UNIA’s ambition because the realities of African-American oppression and discrimination were more pronounced than in Europe. This was particularly in London where he had a first hand experience of treatment and perception of people of African descent received from the whites. Marcus’ experiences in US prompted him to advance his organization’

Genealogy Revised Essay Example for Free

Genealogy Revised Essay Hundred years ago, the thought of bringing enough cash to purchase your dream house was outrageous. In a modern setting, holding a rectangular piece of plastic smaller than the size of your palm can get you almost anything you want. A credit card was thought to bring convenience to humanity. No longer do people need to bring a stack of cash out or fearing that they might have the financial incapacity to get the latest Gucci bag on the showcase. Go crazy with your shopping-spree but can you really handle it? Credit card is a â€Å"silent killer† to many people, causing a lot of unforeseeable harms as deadly as cancer-cells. BlackBerry Mobile phones have become a necessity to numerous people in the modern world. Cliche as it may sound, mobile phones have brought people closer together. However, how close do you really want it to be? With the of BlackBerrys introduction, business executives and even students can now have access to information from a device the size of their palms. Users can be in their own little world without fearing or worrying the world outside them. The work load of a business person has increased because the idea â€Å"not bringing work home† is long applicable. BlackBerry is a â€Å"devil’s device† that shares a similar implication to George Orwell’s â€Å"Big Brother is watching you! † in the novel 1984, because with a BlackBerry, there is no excuse to not respond to a call or any other form of communication. Female Undergarment Wearing a pair of low-cut jeans and revealing part of the underwear is no longer considered inappropriate in certain societies. Originally, the female undergarment’s primary function is to comfot, support and enhance the femalebody form. In addition, the modern function of the under garment also are also inclined to modesty and erotic display purposes. Diamond When it comes to diamond, many may connect diamond to the purity and longevity of a marriage. Nowadays, in a world where marriage no longer lasts forever, the diamond has become ironic in what its qualities represent. Structurally, the is bonded by several carbon molecules. Despite the various possible substitutes for diamonds were introduced such as crystal, synthetic diamonds and even plastics, but the uniqueness and the superiority of a

Factors Influencing Accuracy of Interpersonal Perception

Factors Influencing Accuracy of Interpersonal Perception What factors influence the accuracy of interpersonal perception  and the judgments we make about other people? Within the social environment, interpersonal perception is used frequently to make judgments about other people. The accuracy of these can have considerable bearing in a business context, affecting, for example, whether a colleague is considered trustworthy or an individual motivated enough to warrant managerial training. These are clearly important decisions which could prove detrimental to an organisation if incorrect, yet for a number of reasons, assessments of other people may be quite inaccurate. By recognising such risks, the organisation may be able to develop strategies to help ensure more effective decision-making and operations. Establishing the accuracy of social judgments is highly complex and perhaps impossible (Pennington 1993: 108). Most such assessments have a culturally situated element: they are made in socio-cultural contexts that influence what might be correct. For example, Saucier and Goldberg (2001), who have carried out research in the applicability of personality testing in different nations, find that terms used to describe personality do not have equivalents in all languages, resulting in a need to recognise different personality frameworks from region to region. Various cognitive phenomena have been identified that may also compromise accuracy. Stereotyping, for example, is identified by Huczynski and Buchanan (1991: 48) as present in interpersonal perception, and involves attributing particular qualities to an individual on the basis of limited information using prior knowledge and experience. The tendency to stereotype has been attributed to cognitive economy (Pennington 1993: 115-6). Because the environment is so rich in information, the cognitive processing capabilities of the mind struggle to respond to it all. Stereotyping allows a detailed assessment to be created from limited information processing, making fewer cognitive demands. However, because a large proportion of information is overlooked, stereotyping can lead to significant inaccuracies. The related concept of prejudice is described by Goleman as â€Å"emotional learning that takes place early in life† (1996: 157). Goleman notes that nevertheless, individuals typically deny prejudices and attempt to justify prejudiced decisions by formulating alternative reasons for them (ibid). This perhaps reflects the cognitive dissonance of wishing to appear reasonable within a context where prejudice is unacceptable while nevertheless holding such beliefs. This results in a situation where not only do prejudices lead to inaccurate assessments, but also the reasoning behind the assessments is itself inaccurate. The fundamental attribution error (FAE), described as â€Å"the tendency to attribute another person’s behaviour to their dispositional qualities rather than situational factors† (Langdridge and Butt 2004: 359), has been widely researched by psychologists working in the social cognitive tradition. In Western cultures, the FAE is reflected by a scenario where a worker blames having to de-ice their car (a situational factor) before driving to work for their lateness, while their employer may see it as a reflection that the worker is poorly organised (a dispositional factor). Again, cultural factors are influential: it has been found that in the US, dispositional biases are widespread while in East Asia a more holistic approach is taken (Norenzayan and Nisbett 2000: 132), resulting in the FAE being less commonly seen in eastern cultures (ibid). Huczynski and Buchanan (1991 48-9) suggest that if interpersonal judgments are to be more accurate, then it is important to be self-aware and recognise one’s own biases. However, even this process demands culturally-situated reflexivity and may be subject to similar inaccuracies. For example, Seligman finds that the majority of individuals overestimate their social skills, with the most accurate self-perception being among those with depression (1990: 109-110). This may suggest that a positively distorted view of oneself is advantageous to well-being, and that its abundance leads to poor evaluation of others because of individuals’ inability to recognise their own weakness of judgment. A further factor to consider is whether judgments are made by individuals or socially. Gleitman identifies the mechanism of social comparison as important in making judgments: this involves establishing what others’ views might be in order to help form a judgment (1995: 418). Group dynamics were explored extensively by Tajfel, who notes several characteristics of stereotyping in group situations with, for example, role stereotypes are more often applied by groups to themselves (the in-group) while ethnic stereotypes are more often applied to out-groups, the groups which are not part of the in-group (1982: 5-6). Additionally, if one member of a group stands out from the others, the tendency of the rest of the members is to stereotype them more actively (ibid: 8). The mechanisms by which judgments are made may contribute towards inconsistencies between individuals making them. Comparison is fundamental to assessment, according to Mussweiler (2003) who argues that this is done against a standard already established by the judge. Because of individual variations, different judges would be likely to use different standards, leading to different assessments. Comparison against low standards may lead to the ‘halo’ effect, where an individual is seen more positively than might be warranted (Huczynski and Buchanan 1991: 48). Another issue is the use of formalised models that may have limited flexibility and overcategorise. This is particularly relevant when applying theoretical constructs in the workplace. For example, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests that individuals move up through different levels of need as each lower level is satisfied (Maslow 1943). It has been criticised for its implication that one need will take precedence (Hersey et al 1996: 45), but it is possible that for some individuals, higher needs may be of little interest even when lower needs are satisfied. The challenge emerging from the above evidence is to establish whether it is possible to minimise risks of poor judgment through conscious effort to overcome the cognitive mechanisms leading to biases. While it is possible that formal controls such as empirically-tested measures could help, there are still issues of the informal judgment of one individual when introduced to another, not to mention the practicalities and ethical issues regarding testing. Overall, this appears to be an area where inaccuracies and biases may always be influential to some degree, thus awareness may be the best approach to preventing them having a detrimental effect on the organisation. 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