The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 1

8 months later†¦ Ella I despise mirrors. Not because I hate my reflection or that I suffer from Eisoptrophobia. Mirrors see straight through my facade. They know who I used to be; a loud spoken, reckless girl, who showed what she felt to the world. There were no secrets with me. But now secrets define me. If a reflection revealed what was on the outside, I'd be okay. My long auburn hair goes well with my pale complexion. My legs are extensively long and with heels, I'm taller than most of the guys I know. But I'm comfortable with it. It's what's buried deep inside that frightens me because it's broken, like a shattered mirror. I tape one of my old sketches over the mirror on the dorm wall. It's almost completely concealed by drawings and obscures all of my reflection except for my green eyes, which are frosted with infinite pain and secrets. I pull my hair into a messy bun and place my charcoaled pencils into a box on my bed, packing them with my other art supplies. Lila skips into the room with a cheery smile on her face and a drink in her hand. â€Å"Oh my God! Oh my God! I'm so glad it's over.† I pick up a roll of packing tape off the dresser. â€Å"Oh my God! Oh my god!† I joke. â€Å"What are you drinking?† She tips the cup at me and winks. â€Å"Juice, silly. I'm just really excited to be getting a break. Even if it does mean I have to go home.† She tucks strands of her hair behind her ear and tosses a makeup bag into her purse. â€Å"Have you seen my perfume?† I point at the boxes on her bed. â€Å"I think you packed them in one of those. Not sure which one, though, since you didn't label them.† She pulls a face at me. â€Å"Not all of us can be neat freaks. Honestly, Ella, sometimes I think you have OCD.† I write â€Å"Art Supplies† neatly on the box and click the cap back on the sharpie. â€Å"I think you might be on to me,† I joke. â€Å"Dang it.† She smells herself. â€Å"I really need it. All this heat is making me sweat.† She rips some photos off her dresser mirror and throws them into an open box. â€Å"I swear it's like a hundred and ten outside.† â€Å"I think it's actually hotter than that.† I set my school work in the trash, all marked with A's. Back in High School, I used to be a C student. I hadn't really planned on going to college, but life changes – people change. Lila narrows her blue eyes at my mirror. â€Å"You do know that we're not going to have the same dorm when we come back in the fall, so unless you take all your artwork off, it's just going to be thrown out by the next person.† They're just a bunch of doodles; sketches of haunting eyes, black roses entwined by a bed of thorns, my name woven in an intricate pattern. None of them matter except one: a sketch of an old friend, playing his guitar. I peel that one off, careful not to tear the corners. â€Å"I'll leave them for the next person,† I say and add a smile. â€Å"They'll have a predecorated room.† â€Å"I'm sure the next person will actually want to look in the mirror.† She folds up a pink shirt. â€Å"Although, I don't know why you want to cover up the mirror. You're not ugly, El.† â€Å"It's not about that.† I stare at the drawing that captures the intensity in Micha's eyes. Lila snatches the drawing from my hands, crinkling the edges a little. â€Å"One day you're going to have to tell me who this gorgeous guy is.† â€Å"He's just some guy I used to know.† I steal the drawing back. â€Å"But we don't talk anymore.† â€Å"What's his name?† She stacks a box next to the door. I place the drawing into the box and seal it with a strip of tape. â€Å"Why?† She shrugs. â€Å"Just wondering.† â€Å"His name is Micha.† It's the first time I've said his name aloud, since I left home. It hurts, like a rock lodged in my throat. â€Å"Micha Scott.† She glances over my shoulder as she piles the rest of her clothes into a box. â€Å"There's a lot of passion in that drawing. I just don't see him as being some guy. Is he like an old boyfriend or something?† I drop my duffel bag, packed with my clothes, next to the door. â€Å"No, we never dated.† She eyes me over with doubt. â€Å"But you came close to dating? Right?† â€Å"No. I told you we were just friends.† But only because I wouldn't let us be anything more. Micha saw too much of me and it scared me too much to let him in all the way. She twists her strawberry blonde hair into a ponytail and fans her face. â€Å"Micha is an interesting name. I think a name really says a lot about a person.† She taps her manicured finger on her chin, thoughtfully. â€Å"I bet he's hot.† â€Å"You make that bet on every guy,† I tease, piling my makeup into a bag. She grins, but there's sadness in her eyes. â€Å"Yeah, you're probably right.† She sighs. â€Å"Will I at least get to see this mysterious Micha – who you've refused to speak about our whole eight months of sharing a dorm together – when I drop you off at your house?† â€Å"I hope not,† I mutter and her face sinks. â€Å"I'm sorry, but Micha and I†¦ we didn't leave on a good note and I haven't talked to him since I left for school in August.† Micha doesn't even know where I am. She heaves an overly stuffed pink duffle bag over her shoulder. â€Å"That sounds like a perfect story for our twelve hour road trip back home.† â€Å"Back home†¦ † My eyes widen at the empty room that's been my home for the last eight months. I'm not ready to go back home and face everyone I bailed on. Especially Micha. He can see through me better than a mirror. â€Å"Are you okay?† Lila asks with concern. My lips bend upward into a stiff smile as I stuff my panicked feeling in a box hidden deep inside my heart. â€Å"I'm great. Let's go.† We head out the door, with the last of our boxes in our hands. I pat my empty pockets, realizing I forgot my phone. â€Å"Hold on. I think I forgot my phone.† Setting my box on the ground, I run back to the room and glance around at the garbage bag, a few empty plastic cups on the bed, and the mirror. â€Å"Where is it?† I check under the bed and in the closet. The soft tune of Pink's â€Å"Funhouse† sings underneath the trash bag – my unknown ID ringtone. I pick up the bag and there is my phone with the screen lit up. I scoop it up and my heart stops. It's not an unknown number, just one that was never programmed into my phone when I switched carriers. â€Å"Micha.† My hands tremble, unable to answer, yet powerless to silence it. â€Å"Aren't you going to answer that?† Lila enters the room, her face twisted in confusion. â€Å"What's up? You look like you just saw a ghost or something.† The phone stops ringing and I tuck it into the back pocket of my shorts. â€Å"We should get going. We have a long trip ahead of us.† Lila salutes me. â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† She links arms with me and we head out to the parking lot. When we reach the car, my phone beeps. Voicemail. Micha â€Å"Why is Ella Daniels such a common name,† Ethan grunts from the computer chair. His legs are kicked up on the desk as he lazily scrolls the internet. â€Å"The list is freaking endless, man. I can't even see straight anymore.† He rubs his eyes. â€Å"Can I take a break?† Shaking my head, I pace my room with the phone to my ear, kicking the clothes and other shit on my floor out of the way. I'm on hold with the main office at Indiana University, waiting for answers that probably aren't there. But I have to try – I've been trying ever since the day Ella vanished from my life. The day I promised myself that I'd find her no matter what. â€Å"Are you sure her dad doesn't know where she is?† Ethan flops his head back against the headrest of the office chair. â€Å"I swear that old man knows more than he's letting on.† â€Å"If he does, he's not telling me,† I say. â€Å"Or his trashed mind has misplaced the information.† Ethan swivels the chair around. â€Å"Have you ever considered that maybe she doesn't want to be found?† â€Å"Every single day,† I mutter. â€Å"Which makes me even more determined to find her.† Ethan refocuses his attention to the computer and continues his search through the endless amount of Ella Daniels in the country. But I'm not even sure if she's still in the country. The secretary returns to the phone and gives me the answer I was expecting. This isn't the Ella Daniels I'm looking for. I hang up and throw my phone onto the bed. â€Å"God Dammit!† Ethan glances over his shoulder. â€Å"No luck?† I sink down on my bed and let my head fall into my hands. â€Å"It was another dead end.† â€Å"Look, I know you miss her and everything,† he says, typing on the keyboard. â€Å"But you need to get your crap together. All this whining is giving me a headache.† He's right. I shake my pity party off, slip on a black hoodie, and a pair of black boots. â€Å"I've got to go down to the shop to pick up a part. You staying or going?† He drops his feet to the floor and gratefully shoves away from the desk. â€Å"Yeah, but can we stop by my house. I need to pick up my drums for tonight's practice. Are you going to that or are you still on strike?† Pulling my hood over my head, I head for the door. â€Å"Nah, I got some stuff to do tonight.† â€Å"That's bull.† He reaches to shut off the computer screen. â€Å"Everyone knows the only reason you don't play anymore is because of Ella. But you need to quit being a pussy and get over her.† â€Å"I think I'm going to†¦ † I smack his hand away from the off button and squint at a picture of a girl on the screen. She has the same dark green eyes and long auburn hair as Ella. But she has on a dress and there isn't any heavy black liner around her eyes. She also looks fake, like she's pretending to be happy. The Ella I knew never pretended. But it has to be her. â€Å"Dude, what are you doing?† Ethan complains as I snatch my phone off my bed. â€Å"I thought we were giving up for the day.† I tap the screen and call information. â€Å"Yeah, can I get a number for Ella Daniels in Las Vegas, Nevada.† I wait, worried she's not going to be listed. â€Å"She's been down in Vegas.† Ethan peers at the photo on the screen of Ella standing next to a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes in front of the UNLV campus. â€Å"She looks weird, but kinda hot. So is the girl she's with.† â€Å"Yeah, but she's not your type.† â€Å"Everyone's my type. Besides, she could be a stripper and that's definitely my type.† The operator comes back on and she gives me a few numbers listed, one of the numbers belongs to a girl living on the campus. I dial that number and walk out into the hall to get some privacy. It rings and rings and rings and then Ella's voice comes on the voicemail. She still sounds the same, only a little unemotional, like she's pretending to be happy, but can't quite get there. When it beeps, I take a deep breath and pour my heart out to the voicemail.

A Love After God’s Own Heart Essay

What is the foundation of Christianity? If the question being discussed is whether something is ideally Christian, then the motivation behind Christianity must be understood. The basic outline of Christianity is simple. Man exists in a fallen and depraved state. Christ died on the cross to conquer death and atone for all humanity. Those who acknowledge their need for a Savior and place their faith in this gift, shall have eternal life. That leads to the logical question of why. Why should Christ sacrifice himself for such undeserving people? Therein is found that basis, that motivation behind Christianity. Love. The Bible says, â€Å"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.† (NASB Jn. 3.16). Love is the heart of Christianity. God sent his Son to pay the ultimate cost for sinners because He loves them so much. Indeed, all truly Christian actions are committed out of out of love. Christ said while he was on the earth, â€Å"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.† (NASB Jn. 13.35) Christianity starts and ends with love. Love is the root of Christianity and it is also the outward manifestation of Christ in a life. God is love. Therefore, though Silas Marner is at first estranged from both God and man, the Christ-mirroring love he bestows upon Eppie is a clear reflection of God’s own nature and is ideally Christian. George Eliot’s Silas Marner details the life of a solitary linen weaver. Silas Marner lives a life of seclusion in the town of Raveloe for 15 years while dealing with deeply inflicted emotional wounds. He loses his faith in God and his fellow man. Marner’s lone refuge is the coins he earns. He treasures them not for their monetary value, but for their companionship. Meanwhile, there is an alternate storyline of Godfrey and Dunsey Cass; sons of a wealthy landowner. The latter is a slobbering drunk while the other is well thought of. However, the former has a secret wife and child, and the knowledge of this allows the drunk to blackmail his elder brother. One day the drunk chances upon the empty house of the linen weaver. He discovers the coins and steals them. When Silas Marner discovers his loss, he elicits the help of the villagers. They search extensively for the coins, but to no avail. No one knows who has taken the coins, but Godfrey is delighted by Dunsey’s absence. On New Year’s Eve, the Cass family throws a large party and Godfrey attempts to woo the respected Nancy Lammeter. Meanwhile, Godfrey’s wife tries to bring their child to the Cass home and proclaim Godfrey’s secret to the world. However, being under the influence of opium, she falls asleep on the snowy ground. The child wanders into the nearby house of Silas Marner. When Marner finds the child and eventually the mother, he rushes to the Cass house for the doctor. The woman is found to be dead and as no father comes forth for the child, Marner claims it as his own. He names the child Eppie and does his best to raise her. He is often given motherly advice by his friend Mrs. Winthrop. Sixteen years go by and Eppie is now 18. Godfrey is married to Nancy. Godfrey regrets not claiming Eppie and decides it is time for her to come live with them. He tells Silas and Eppie the truth and asks Eppie if she wants to come live with him and his wife. Eppie declines, saying Silas is the only father she has known. Later, while a pit is being drained near Silas’ house, the body of Dunsey is discovered and with it Silas’ money, which is returned to him. Silas uses the money to return to his old home for closure on his past wounds, but the entire place is gone. When Silas returns, Eppie gets married to Mrs. Winthrop’s son and the story concludes with Eppie and her husband living happily with Silas. The child Eppie does not have a father, so Silas Marner adopts her as his own. Eppie quite literally wanders into Silas’ life and though she should not have to be his responsibility, he takes it upon himself to be her father. â€Å"Till anybody shows they’ve a right to take her away from me,† said Marner. â€Å"The mother’s dead and I reckon it’s got no father: it’s a lone thing- and I’m a lone thing† (Eliot 679). Though he shows it in his own peculiar way, Silas takes great compassion on this homeless, parentless girl. This is the first way Silas Marner shows God’s love to Eppie. God is obviously not a â€Å"lone thing,† having existed for eternity past in perfect harmony with the Trinity. However, he does take compassion on poor, lost people. God is the Father to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ. â€Å"For you have not received a Spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a Spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, Abba! Father! The Spirit himself testifies with our Spirit that we are children of God† (NASB Ro. 8. 15-16). Silas Marner adopts Eppie and becomes her father who she can always rely on. God adopts sinners who come to him and becomes their Everlasting Father in whom they can rely. The clear correlation between the two is the first way Silas Marner reflects God’s nature and ultimately Christian ideals. As Silas has this Christ-like love for Eppie, he naturally wants to protect her and help her grow. This gives Silas a completely new outlook on his surroundings and his normal everyday life. â€Å"As some man who has a precious plant to which he would give a nurturing home†¦and asks industriously for all knowledge that will help him to satisfy the wants of the searching roots, or to guard leaf and bud from invading harm† (689). Silas’ new role is to do all he can to keep Eppie safe. Eppie is young and inexperienced and vulnerable. Silas watches out for her and keeps her away from trouble because he knows better. Jesus Christ does the same thing for believers. He protects Christians from the Devil’s schemes as well as from their own folly. The Bible often describes this relationship with the analogy of a shepherd and his flock. â€Å"Like a shepherd He will tend his flock, In his arm he will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead t he nursing ewes† (NASB Is. 40.11). Silas is gently leading his nursing ewe, Eppie. Silas, in protecting and shepherding Eppie, is portraying distinctly Christian ideals. Eppie does not do anything to gain Silas’ love and likewise she can do nothing to lose it. Before she does any of the things that Silas later comes to love, Silas loved Eppie. Silas loves her from the first night she toddled into his home. She does not earn his love, it is based on Silas’ goodness and not Eppie’s merit. That is why she cannot lose it. It does not depend on her performance. â€Å"Here was a clear case of aberration in a christened child which demanded severe treatment; but Silas, overcome with compulsive joy†¦could do nothing but snatch her up and cover her with half sobbing kisses† (687). This is such a beautiful picture of what Christ does for the believer. Eppie runs off and disobeys Silas. He tirelessly pursues her until he finally catches her. Christians likewise stray from the fold of God, but Christ pursues them and is overjoyed to find them and bring them back. â€Å"If any man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the 99 on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over 99 which have not gone astray† (NASB Mt. 18.12-13). This is how Silas feels for Eppie. Silas mirrors God with his unmerited and unconditional love for his daughter. Silas loves Eppie so much he is willing to sacrifice his happiness for her betterment.   Silas on the other hand, was again stricken in conscience and alarmed lest Godfrey’s accusation should be true- lest he should be raising his own will as an obstacle to Eppie’s good. For many movements he was mute, struggling for the self-conquest necessary to the uttering of the difficult words. They came out tremulously. â€Å"I’ll say no more. Let it be as you will. Speak to the child. I’ll hinder nothing. (714) Godfrey has now come and is asking Eppie to come live with him and his wife. Eppie is the absolute joy of Silas’ life. Even so, with those words, Silas is letting her go. He is relinquishing his daughter and his happiness that she might have a higher station in life. This is a truly sacrificial love. This again is in keeping with the Christian model Silas has been following all along. â€Å"But he was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon him and by his scourging we are healed† (NASB Is. 53.5). The greatest sacrifice of all is Jesus’ death on the cross. Obviously Silas Marner is not crucified for Eppie, but he is willing to sacrifice his entire happiness for her betterment. Silas’ small sacrifice is a shadow of the Lord’s great sacrificial love for his people and clearly Christian. Sometimes this story is thought to have too many coincidences or be too much like a fairy tale to have realistic Christian ideals, but the Bible clearly disproves this. God is in control and He has a plan for everything. There are no coincidences in His eyes. It is not a coincidence that Eppie comes to Silas’s door. Silas then honors God with love he shows Eppie and God rewards him with happiness and fulfillment. It is a lie of the Devil that happy endings are only for fairy tales. Christians know Jesus wins in the end over evil. That is the happiest ending of all. â€Å"For I know the plans that I have for you,† declares the Lord, â€Å"plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope† (NASB Jer. 29.11). When the Christian is trusting in God’s plan and honoring Him, he can see that Silas Marner is a great story about a man who honored God with his love. Silas Marner’s love for Eppie is adoptive, protective, unconditional, and sacrificial. This clearly reflects the Lord’s love for his own children and thus the ideals in this novel are Christian. Works Cited Eliot, George. â€Å"Silas Marner.† Adventures in Appreciation. Laurence Perrine. Ed. et al. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1973. 390-472. Print. NASB. Anaheim: Foundation Publications Inc., 1996. Print. Taylor

Lawyers, Scientists Urge Ethics in Biological Advances

In this news article, the concerns of scientists toward an amoral approach to the advances of biological sciences and engineering are examined. Much of the article centers on a keynote address delivered by Harvard Law School professor Einer Elhauge where the professor states â€Å"The issue is that people tend not to focus on the consequences of certain forms of human re-engineering.†The professor goes on to comment that the great strides in biological science may yield a great number of advances in helping humanity overcome a number of diseases and afflictions, but he also acknowledges that there is great potential for abuse. Examples of such abuse include issues such as altering the sex of a child in the womb or even a deaf family biologically engineering the deafness of their offspring.Ultimately, the Elhuage’s focus is to convince the scientific community that, even though it has biological technology to alter evolution, it should use ethical standards before embark ing on the proverbial â€Å"playing God† concept that Mary Shelly warned science about 250+ years ago.To a great degree, the article is accurate in terms of its presentation and call for moral and ethical consciousness. Just because science reaches the technological or biological advances of a highly evolved society does not mean that science can now re-orchestrate what is considered morally acceptable in the hearts and minds of the population. As such, science should understand the limits of ethical and moral behavior and not approach advancements with total mindlessness and amorality.Congressman Calls out Tech Firms on China Ethics.The bulk of the purpose of this article is to put the onus on American and international businesses to reconsider their actions when empowering China by conducting extensive business with the nation.In the article, it is reported that Congressman Chris Smith has taken internet companies such as Yahoo, Google, Sysco Systems, etc to task for going along with China’s internet censorship program. This may not seem like an entirely important issue, but one needs to keep in mind that China is primarily a military-industrial complex dictatorship that has a horrible record for human rights violations. As Smith points out, when American businesses work in tandem with nations with such abominable track records they enable such dictatorships and help perpetuate significant human rights violations.Furthermore, it is noted that journalists in China have been censured and punished and imprisoned for exercising their free speech. Smith suggests that American businesses that contribute to such a scenario should be fined and sanctioned.What Smith is essentially doing here is he is compelling American companies to conform to ethical standards of behavior and that is commendable. However, these companies have limited ability in terms of being able to shape domestic Chinese law. Furthermore, in such a highly competitive international bu siness environment, it is difficult to impose ethics as defined by one nation onto another nation, no matter how noble the cause. Smith’s statements are commendable, but it is not entirely clear if they will be successful.Ethics board fines Dow for giving state workers airplane rideAs the title of the article infers, the center of the ethics controversy this article deals with is a fine levied at Dow Chemicals to the tune of $2,500.00 for flying three state college employees to an out of state training program. At the time of the issue of contention, Dow was launching a co-operative training program with the state college (Louisiana Community and Technical College) and provided free airline tickets to employees for meeting purposes. This, however, was a violation of state ethic laws, hence the fine.This scenario strikes one as, well, silly. For Dow to compensate the airline tickets of three state workers so all parties can hash out a co-operative venture hardly seems like une thical behavior, although it is defined as such under state ethics laws. While the whole scenario comes off as much ado about nothing (actually, $2500 to a multi-billion dollar company such as Dow is basically nothing), it technically is a violation of state laws and the levied fine is valid. However, it does not seem like any real, serious ethical violations actually took place.If anything, the situation appears more like an error as the result of an oversight as opposed to a deliberate ethical violation. Oversights, however, are not an excuse for not following directions. In that regard, the decision against Dow was valid and the fine levied justified.BibliographyAnon. (2007, February 9) Ethics board fines Dow for giving state workers airplane ride.The Associated Press.   Retrieved February 12, 2007 fromhttp://money.aol.com/news/ articles/_a/ethics-board-fines-dow-for-giving-state/n20070209095709990003Schwankert, Steven.   (2007, February 12) Congressman Calls out Tech Firms o nChina Ethics. IDG News Service, Retrieved February 12, 2007, fromhttp://www.infoworld.com//07/02/12/HNcongressmanchinaethics_1.html/article/ sourcedomain =www.dailyfreepress.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.comZerey, Ralpha. (2007, February 12) Lawyers, Scientists Urge Ethics in BiologicalAdvances. The Daily Free Press. Retrieved February 12, 2007, fromhttp://media.www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2007/02/12/News/Lawyers.Scientists.Urge.Ethics.In.Biological.Advances-2712941.shtml?

Final reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Final reflection - Essay Example A well-established democratic society requires citizens, who should be active and well aware of their roles and responsibilities for betterment of their society as well as for maintaining their own living standard in the society. In this paper, we shall discuss roles and responsibilities of good citizens living in a democratic society. Discussion Typical definition of a good citizen states that a good citizen needs to represent values, moral and models of responsible attitude and democratic values solely for the growth and improvement of society. To do perform the assigned roles and responsibilities of a good citizen, people are required to gain knowledge concerning social, political, economical and legal and other institutional roles and issues. Up to date knowledge and a good understanding of all rights and roles of social institutions can help a citizen to understand his own responsibilities and actions he/she can take to improve societal condition. Additionally, knowledge or unde rstanding of a good citizen should not be confined to roles and issues raised by societal institutions, but he should be aware of all current happenings that take place in the society and ultimately result in good or bad for the people. Carroll has discussed in his work that responsibilities of a good citizen should be identified as corporate social responsibilities (CSR). These responsibilities involve economic, legal, ethical and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time (Sison, 2008). The core understanding of corporate social responsibilities implies that institutions that are involved in the process of socialization should have moral, philanthropic, and ethical responsibilities. However, from the broader spectrum Carroll as emphasized on the fact that corporate social responsibilities should not be solely viewed in a traditional way. But, citizens should be provided with an opportunity, where they can enjoy a number of constituencies such as from employees, local state or community, environmental groups, suppliers, clients and other special interest parties (Sison, 2008). According to Loeb, responsibilities of a citizen in a democratic society have been defined for the making society more lively, safe and potential place for the people to live in. Author has strongly focused on the role of citizens to bring positive social change in the country, every time when a society suffers any critical social, political or economical issue. Additionally, apart from understanding the roles and responsibilities, a citizen needs to have such feelings and enthusiasm for the society that led him/her to participate actively in all activities and social works that aim to improve living conditions in a democratic community (Loeb, 2011). Also, Loeb highlights that it is not only important to work in a group or with any organization for the betterment of social issues, but it should be noted that each and every effort is worthy and individual efforts of citizens can also contribute to make a considerable difference in a democratic society. It is because, in democratic system all citizens are all equal and they have freedom of speech or thoughts that can even bring a revolution on a national level. Liu has mentioned five core responsibilities

Organisations need strong culture. Consider this statementin relation Essay

Organisations need strong culture. Consider this statementin relation to how we understand and makesense of culture in the post-bureaucratic era - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to explain the mainstream approach to organization culture. Here the managers always work to maintain right values, ethics, code of conduct and norms. Culture is the top priority for organizations where culture management, ensuring employees to follow the organization’s culture leading to organizational success. Values, norms and ethics vary among organizations when organizations are treated as different states. All of these organizations have different value sets and norms leading to differing systems and structures (Brewis, 2007). Culture, therefore, provides a common sense to the organization that enables the human resource to delineate ways to how to act and when and where to act. Organizational culture is responsible for bringing an organization to life as all the strategies, policies, regulations must be synchronized with the culture and the employees and managers (the alive participants) of the organization keeps the culture alive by following it. Organizational culture is therefore written and stored in the form of job descriptions, procedures, strategies etc. But if there arises a conflict between the documented and the practiced norms, values, and beliefs practiced within an organization, serious conflicts may occur leading to disastrous effects. The people will drift away from the formal rules at workplace. Organizational culture comprises of values and sets of beliefs that directly and predominantly originate from people’s minds identified as cultural artefacts (Brewis, 2007). Cultural artefacts are somewhat tangible and more material embodiment of organizational culture consisting of: According to Schein, among the three levels of culture, artefacts forms the tip of the iceberg, that is the visible part keeping hence, the two other parts way behind and hidden beneath. Values refer to answering questions such as what we are

Rama Plaza Building Collapse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rama Plaza Building Collapse - Essay Example While the signing of agreements is a good indication of goodwill, it is essential to consider other issues which will guarantee that employees are treated in the best way possible. Signing go many agreements is however no guarantee that safety is going to improve. Yet, these agreements only make the relationship between workers and employers to be tortuous. It cannot be stressed enough that such unfortunate events as the Rana Plaza accidents are unacceptable in any way. In this regard, firms and industries must be able to have a good way for protecting their workers (Ehap & Salim, 67). Manufacturers must not depend on rules and laws in order to protect human life. Human life is way too important, and the value of human life should not be valued based on econometrics. This means that these firms need to be able to look at these issues in a better way rather than just creating rules and laws and loo at worker safety in a very serious way. In a modern business world, competition has con tinued to increase in this regard; there are many strategies which are mean to help in making sure that businesses are competent. In this regard, business experts has developed the value chain process is the life cycle a product goes through until the product gets to the end consumer (Ehap & Salim, 66). This process is a definition of the costs which the firms will have to incur in order produce a finished item. In other words, the many businesses are geared towards making sure that the firm can present the best quality of their merchandise to their consumer while offering them the best price possible. This has led to businesses trying as much as possible to reduce their operational costs (Ehap & Salim, 78). In this case, human resource has been affected because firms have tried as much as possible to reduce the cost of human labour, leading to firms in the first world to outsource their labour aboard (especially in China) in order to have cheap labour. This means that events such a s the Rana Plaza industrial accident can be traced back to the consumer. To prevent this in the future, it is necessary to involve the consumer and help them understand the real cost of the product thy use. Some cheap products in the market are paid for in blood because humans have been abused to make these products. This can be seen in the way the Chinese sweat houses are used to make low cost garments. This has been seen in other various cases such as in Apple Inc., Nike etc. Consumers need to be educated about these issues and encouraged to avoid blood-products (in other words, products whose real cost is human blood.) by educating the end consumers on these issues it will be possible to avoid instances such as the Rana Plaza. In doing so, firms must be forced to reveal the actual cost structure of producing their products in order to identify any blood cost in their production of goods or in their value chain. From a single business point of view, there is therefore a need to cr eate a solution which is not really considerate of the economic efficiency. Businesses have responsibilities which are tied to various stakeholders and these responsibilities must be met before economic efficiency can be considered. However, in the long run, focusing on these responsibilities will also help individual businesses to save in the long run. A firm

Value Chain Analysis Of DHL And Aramex Assignment

Value Chain Analysis Of DHL And Aramex - Assignment Example Both secondary as well as primary data would be collected in order to present a comprehensive report to the readers. Among these major business operations, supply chain is the common element that has been considered for this report. Though supply chain plays a significant role for both DHL Express and Aramex, but DHL Express is a bigger company and supply chain is segregated for different segment such as, health care, oil and gas, etc. Aramex on the other hand is present worldwide, but yet the company is not as large as DHL, so they have a sophisticated and technology integrated supply chain. I: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The express transportation and logistics industry can be regarded as one of the steady growing segments in the world economy. More than 1.25 million individuals are an example, as well as primary data, recently, which is even more than the size of the petroleum and oil industry. Apart from this, it supports more than 2.65 million other jobs around the world (Oxford Economic Forecasting, 2005). There are many industries around the world which functions with the help of express service industry, such as pharmaceutical, manufacturing, financial services and other technology companies (Transport Intelligence, 2012). The global leaders in this industry are the big four companies; DHL Express, UPS, TNT and FedEx (Thompson and Martin, 2010). The aim of this report is to analyse the business operations of two well-know express transportation and logistics industry, so as to identify a common element in their business operation and compare and contrast them. The companies chosen for this study is DHL Express and Aramex. A specific focus towards the business operation and function of these companies in the Gulf countries, such as Bahrain, etc would be also taken into account. 1.2 Procedure This report will include a comparative study of two companies in the express transportation and logistics industry.

Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Argument - Essay Example Those who drive a race-type car must be jealous at least part of the time of someone who drives a gas saving car with decent, if not flashy looks. Getting good gas mileage is the main reason someone buys a Volt or Prius Hatchback but which one gets better mileage is not a straightforward answer. The EPA rates the Volt’s lithium-ion battery at a 38 mile range. After the battery dies an electric engine turns on which recharges the battery by powering a generator. The car gets 37 mpg with the engine running. The Prius gets 50 mpg with but only has about a one mile range when operating on straight electricity. The Prius plug-in model gets a disappointing six-to-15 mile electric range. The bottom line on gas mileage is the Volt does better if you drive 40 miles per day or less. If you drive 100 or more the Prius is the more economical choice. Unlike a Prius, a Volt can be driven for weeks at a time without putting any gas in it, as long as you drive 40 miles per day or less which many people do. The car will ask the driver if it can turn the engine on every once in a while so the fluids will circulate preventing damage to the engine due to lack of use. Anyone engine needs to be started occasionally to keep the fluids from becoming stale. Volt owners that drive less than 40 miles per day can get the equivalent of 400 miles per gallon. Both cars did well in the crash tests. The Volt is quieter. Mashing the accelerator on a Prius will turn on the engine but not the Volt; it stays silent until the whisper-quiet engine kick in. The Volt is slightly larger on the outside but the Prius has more room inside. The Volt carries four people while the Prius holds five. Both are moderately priced but the Prius is a little less expensive, with an asterisk. The Volt runs from $40,000 to $45,000 fully equipped but most buyers are eligible for a $7,500 rebate from the federal government. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid retails for $32,000 and

Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Obesity - Essay Example At the same time, demands of profession and education require the individual to be less-involved in quality food preparation in this age group with less free time available in contemporary society to seek appropriate exercise and fitness options. It is because of the lifestyles and risks in this age group that a health promotion activity to promote better eating and exercise is being proposed. The Research Findings The Centers for Disease Control (2012) indicates that approximately 25 percent of women between 20 and 30 are considered obese. Though this is significantly lower than other age groups with higher prevalence of obesity, it should be considered that the 20-30 year old age group in society is one of the lowest in terms of total national population percentages. Between 2009 and 2010, there was no reduction in obesity ratios in women, which illustrates that existing health promotion campaigns and other obesity initiatives are not meeting with the psycho-social characteristics prevalent with young females. Of this entire female age group, the majority of obese women are non-Hispanic black females, indicating that this particular ethnic sub-group of 20-30 year old women have unique lifestyle characteristics that contribute to obesity growth. Women between the ages of 20 and 30 are also in the population category that has the fastest increases in obesity compared to the rest of the national population. A study involving 555 women between 20 and 34 found that 63 percent of these women were obese as measured by the World Health Organization body mass index testing (Parrish, 2010). This study supports a finding which has identified that the type of foods purchased is strongly linked to income levels and the choices that women select related to their perceptions of health benefits. It is commonly known that younger females in this age category maintain unequal pay to their younger male peers in the professional organization and many are under-employed. Thus, it becomes more cost-effective for women between 20 and 30 to select cheaper food options congruent to their lower incomes in this particular age bracket. Contributions to the Program The CDC statistics illustrating that 25 percent of women between 20 and 30 being obese contributes highly to this program intention. By understanding just how many women are affected by obesity, it can help select an appropriate target audience and how best to establish an exercise routine that is effective based on lifestyle. The study involving such a high percentage of women being obese by Parrish (2010) acknowledges that obesity rates are significantly higher when measured against body mass index. Further, the linkage between incomes can provide new health imperatives to reduce this rapid phenomenon of weight gain and provide cost-effective solutions that are in-line with budget restraints for the younger female between 20 and 30. The goal of the program is to provide comprehensive knowledge about ex ercise and health lifestyles, which also includes food selections and preparation. It would be fundamentally defeating to the program to not identify the specific ethnic profiles and frequency of obesity within this group before selecting an appropriate strategy for combating this problem and improving young female health

Influences on F. Scott Fitzgeralds writing in The Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

Influences on F. Scott Fitzgeralds writing in The Great Gatsby Essay The Roaring Twenties was a period of frivolous days and exciting nights. Times were prosperous and life was good for most. In The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald writes about the fictitious life of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire (Gross 1). The setting of the novel is New York in the twenties, a time, and place, where people were jovial and carefree. In New York, more than anywhere, people did not worry about lifes downs, but focused on the highlife and partying. Prohibition made partying difficult, but it prevailed nonetheless. In the novel, Fitzgeralds description of humans was of an appalling nature. He shows them as careless, greedy, and inconsiderate; much like they truly were in this decade. Inevitably he would become involved in some type of lackadaisical ways. Fitzgeralds writings were significantly influenced by these surroundings. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgeralds writing was profoundly influenced by events in his life, the exciting times he lived in, and the people he knew. Born on September 24, 1986 to a wealthy merchant family, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald showed signs of an exemplary writing ability (Dyson, 1380). As a small boy, Fitzgerald began writing down his thoughts and ideas. He frequently wrote about his life. While in school, Fitzgerald was very self-criticizing and did not have many friends. He was not very popular at school, although he greatly wanted to be. Just like Fitzgerald, Gatsby did not like who he was, so he decided to change himself. In the novel, Gatsby has a list of things he wants to change about himself. He called them his General Resolves and they were: No wasting time at Shafters, no more smoking or chewing, bath every other day, read one improving book or magazine per week, save $3.00 per week, and be better to his parents (Fitzgerald 182). As Fitzgerald grew, so did his attitude towards life. He kept writing. Fitzgerald attended Princeton, but quit shortly after he began (Young Adult Authors 58). Fitzgerald, like Gatsby, wanted to live and adventure. Soon after the war started, Fitzgerald signed up hoping to have the adventure of his life. He only got as far as the coastline. Fitzgerald, unlike Gatsby was not sent to the war, so he married Zelda Sayre (Hickey 345). In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby lost his love  because he had to fight in the war. Fitzgerald was writing in comparison to his own life, or what might have been if he had been sent off to fight in the war. Since Fitzgerald was not sent to war, and he had to make a living somehow, he began writing for small papers. He and Zelda settled down and had children. His life was now beginning to feel right. In 1922, Fitzgerald came upon the idea for The Great Gatsby. Shortly after his arrival in France, Fitzgerald completed the most brilliant novel he would ever write. Richard Lehan said, Fitzgerald was in position to write a master work like The Great Gatsby everything in his life had been building toward this moment (Lehan 2). Fitzgeralds life, like Gatsbys, had become a series of exciting parties and rich lifestyles. Barry Gross described Fitzgeralds life like this: Fitzgerald was conscious about his social position because his parents had a hard time coming up with money for support. He was always trying to impress people by his estate. His parents were not that wealthy either, so he took his own route to achieve happiness. (Gross 18) In the 1920s, the paparazzi were aware of his eccentric lifestyle. Gatsbys life was just as daring and glamorous as his. Fitzgerald did some illegal activities such as drinking, and forging bonds. Gatsby was also involved in bond forgery and prohibition rebellions. For Fitzgerald, life was better than it had ever been, but to his great dismay it would not last. The key reality in his life was that between his twenty-eighth and thirty-fourth year, he wasnt able to write a new novel. Fitzgerald began drinking and stopped writing. His wife Zelda began having serious mental problems, which dramatically affected Fitzgerald. He very much loved his wife, just as Gatsby loved Daisy. Fitzgerald was a dreamer. He though everything would turn out fine, just as Gatsby had, but he was wrong and had to recompense for it in the end. The roaring twenties was a time of parties, and socializing. Times were prosperous and people just wanted to enjoy themselves. Since the war was over, soldiers were back at home, working and taking care of their families. There was a sense of rebellion in America at this time. The rich were lazy  and slapdash, which, in The Great Gatsby, was portrayed by their very shoddy driving abilities. Times were excellent, for most, and people were beginning to just have a good time. Many people were so rich they had no need to work, so they had to occupy themselves with other things. Prohibition began in 1919 (Moss, Wilson 148). People did not like the idea though, so they started revolting the law. Gangsters would get liquor and other kinds of alcohol to people who wanted it, but for a price. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is involved in these illegal activities. Gatsby always had alcohol at his parties. His wealth gave him things that normal people couldnt have. He invited hundreds of guests to his parties, and most of them got extremely intoxicated before the night was over. The female crowds at Gatsbys parties show how women really dressed and acted in the twenties. Bobbed hair, short dresses, bright red lipstick, and long strands of pearls with a knot tied in them were female fads of the elite citizens. Jordan Baker personified women of the 1920s with her independent and proud attitude towards life (Moss, Wilson 147). Independence was a major influence in the twenties, not just for women, but for men also. The American dream had three key parts. The first was that America was a new Eden with endless opportunity. The second idea was that everyone born in America should expect life to get better and better. The last, and most important, was to be an independent, self-reliant individual and you would triumph over all. In the conclusion of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald connects Gatsbys dream, his platonic conception of himself with the American Dream (Mizener 2). Gatsby believed that everything would work out fine, and that he would get Daisy soon enough. Gatsbys dreams were never realized though. He never ran off with Daisy, and he was killed by mistaken identity. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows how the American dream faded out during the later part of the decade. The valley of ashes,= where Myrtle lived played an important role in explaining this to the readers. Dr. J. T. Eckleburgs eyes faded away as the novel went on, symbolizing the debasement of the American Dream. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald makes several allusions to how he came up with the characters. Fitzgerald shows, in many ways, how he modeled Gatsby after his own life and the things that happened to him. Gatsby and Fitzgerald both wanted to be something different. Fitzgerald had a hard time  making friends while he was a child. When he began writing and getting recognition, his life changed. He was a partier, and had a wild lifestyle. Gatsby, like Fitzgerald, wanted to be someone different. He changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby. As Gatsby was a bootlegger and bond forger, so was Fitzgerald, though he was not as into it as Gatsby might have been. Fitzgeralds wife Zelda and Gatsbys love Daisy share many qualities also. Fitzgerald portrays Daisy as white in the novel, suggesting that is a faà §ade for who she truly is. The white she wears gives her a naà ¯ve and innocent appearance, but her impolite actions seem to prove otherwise. Fitzgerald described Daisy as the girl whose disembodied face floated along the dark corners and blinding signs (Moss, Wilson 150). The cover artwork of the novel shows an illustration of this idea. The floating relates that Gatsby always had Daisy floating in his mind, as well as Fitzgerald had Zelda floating in his. Both Zelda and Daisy were beautiful and demanded great things from their suitors. Another person that relates to one of Fitzgeralds characters was a man named Arnold Rothstein. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby told Nick that Meyer Wolfshiem, a man Gatsby introduced to him, was the one who set up the World Series in 1919. Rothstein was said to have fixed the 1919 World Series. Arnold Rothstein placed bets to lose the series, and since they were playing against Cincinnati, they were going to win (Moss, Wilson 149). Jordan Baker, a tennis player that Nick fell in love with, relates to the whole of women in the twenties. She was loud, pushy, flashy, and had very short hair. In the 1920s, women discarded their old ways of life. They were no longer proper and silent. Women in the twenties were showy and loud. They wore short skirts and short hair. They smoked cigarettes in public and spit on the ground. Jordan Baker was the independent women of the 1920s personified. The Great Gatsby is tragedy of wealth, love, and frivolous pleasures. F. Scott Fitzgerald expressed most of what actually happened in the 1920s in this one novel. The illegal bootlegging, changing women, and happy times of the twenties are all described. Because Fitzgerald was alive in the twenties, he was able to live what he wrote about. He had personal experience with bootlegging and ostentatious women. Fitzgeralds life events also helped him write The Great Gatsby. His wanting to be different helped  him come up with the character Gatsby. Zelda, his wife, helped him come up with Daisy Buchanan, and people around him helped him shape other characters. In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgeralds writing was profoundly influenced by dealings in his life, the exciting decade, and people he was around.

Definitions in Psychology Theories and Research Methods

Definitions in Psychology Theories and Research Methods AP Psychology Identifications History Wilhelm Wundt- (1832-1920) He is the founder of scientific psychology because he was the first person to open a Psychology laboratory in 1879. Wundt is closely tied to structuralism which uses introspection to focus on the basic elements of consciousness. Introspection- introspection is a way for people to look within themselves and describe what they are feeling and thinking. Wundt used this method in the structuralism school of psychology in order to understand the structure of the mind and to identify the basic elements of consciousness. William James- (1842-1910) He is an American Psychologist that is closely associated with functionalism. He was interested in the function and purpose of our behavioral acts and how they intertwine with our environment. Functionalism- The functionalism side of psychology is focused on how our metal operations help us to adapt to our environment. They used methods such as stream of consciousness in order to help explain our behavior. Max Wertheimer- (1880-1943) He is a psychologist mainly known for being a founder of the Gestalt theory who also made contributions to perception, sensation and experimental psychology. Sigmund Freud- (1856-1939) He was an Austrian Physician who is known for creating the Psychoanalytic approach to psychology. He believed that our actions and the way we perceive things are dictated by our unconscious. He also stated that our mind was divided into 3 parts: the Id, Ego, and Superego. Psychoanalytic theory- This is Freud’s theory that our thoughts and actions come from our unconscious. He believed talking with his patients over a long period of time could bring some of their unconscious memories into light and help them overcome their struggles. John Watson- (1878-1958) He was a behaviorist that is most famous for his â€Å"Little Albert† experiment. He paired a white rat with loud noises and because of this little Albert started crying and was afraid of the rat. He believed that this showed our behaviors are all learned. Ivan Pavlov- (1849-1936)He was a behaviorist that founded the theory of classical conditioning. He is most known for his experiment with dogs in which he paired a tone with food which created a conditioned response to the tone (dog drooling). B. F. Skinner- (1904-1990) Skinner was a behaviorist that founded operant conditioning. He created a box (Skinner’s Box) in which rats have to hit a bar for food. This box shows that our behavior is greatly influenced by the consequences after a behavior. Behaviorism- This is the perspective of psychology that believes everything we do is a learned response to a situation. They only believe in objective science and therefore do not believe in any of the mental or unconscious processes. Humanist perspective- This perspective of psychology believes we are all good people and we just have to meet our growth potential. It also states that in order to move on to the next level of growth all of the needs below it need to be satisfied. Psychoanalytic perspective- This perspective of psychology is focused on how our thoughts and actions are a product of our unconscious sexual urges. It also focuses on our development through the psycho sexual stages. Biopsychology (or neuroscience) perspective- This perspective of psychology is focused on the relationships of biological, neuroscience, behavior, and our psychological processes. Psychologists in this field study how our genes and our environment interact. Evolutionary perspective- This perspective focuses on how natural selection has influenced human behaviors and traits and why we act like we do based on evolution. Behavioral Perspective- This perspective of psychology only focuses on observable behavior and how we have learned to react to different situations. Behaviorists do not believe in anything that goes on inside of the mind because they cannot directly observe it. Cognitive perspective- This perspective of psychology studies how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information. By studying this they hope to learn how we solve problems, reason and react to situations based on how we think. Social-cultural perspective- This perspective of psychology is focused on how we are shaped by our culture and how our interactions and beliefs differ from someone with a different cultural background. Research Methods Hindsight bias- in research methods, this is the tendency to believe that they knew something would happen all along after they see the result. For example, you predict the Mavericks were going to win but they lost, after the game you will think, I knew they would lose because their Point Guard was off all game. Applied research- Applied research is a research method used to find solutions to everyday problems such as stress. Basic research- This research method is used to do research for the sake of science itself and to accomplish scientific gain. Hypothesis- In scientific method, a hypothesis is a testable prediction often based on a theory. Theory- In scientific method, a theory is an observation that predicts behaviors or events. In order to test a theory you must make a hypothesis based on the theory you want to be tested. Operational definitions- In scientific method, an operational definition are the set of procedures used to define the research variables. Validity- In the principles of test construction, validity is how well the test can predict what it was designed to predict. For example, a driving test is used to test if you know the laws on driving and how to properly handle a car; this test is pretty reliable in testing the subject it was designed to test. Reliability- In the principles of test construction, reliability is how consistent the scores on a test are. There are two ways to test reliability, you can have someone take the test twice and see how the scores compare or you can separate the test by even and odd numbers and have them take both tests. With both of these methods the scores should be close if the test is reliable. Sampling- In research methods, a sample is a portion of something that is used to represent the entirety of what is being sampled. The sample is usually a random sample because that usually will usually yield results applicable to the entirety of what is being sampled. Population- In random sampling, population is the entirety of the group you are studying. Usually testing or polling an entire population would take too long, that is why researchers often use random sampling of the population. Random selection- In random sampling, random selection is a sample that accurately represents an entire population because everyone has an equal chance of being randomly selected. Stratified sampling- in research methods, stratified sampling is when a population is separated based on criteria such as gender, race or income. After you have your population categorized they are randomly sampled in each category. Experiment- In research methods, an experiment is when a researcher manipulates the independent variables in order to affect the dependent variables. Experiments are often used to find cause and effect. Confounding variables- In research methods, confounding variables are outside influences other than the independent variable. To prevent confounding variables the experimenter must limit the variables that the participants of the experiment have. Assignment- In research methods, assignment is the method the researcher uses in order to assign the participants of an experiment to a group. Random assignment- in research methods, random assignment is to assign the participants to a random group. This method tends to yield the most accurate results because everything is random. Experimenter bias- In research methods, Experimenter bias is when the researcher influences the experiment in order to obtain the results he was looking for. To prevent this from happening the researcher usually just observes the experiment and has no interaction with it. Double-blind procedure- In research methods, a double blind procedure is a way to prevent bias in the experiment. When using the double blind procedure neither the experimenters nor the participants know which group they are in. Participant bias (AKA response bias)- In research methods, participant bias is the tendency for the participants to act the way they think the researcher wants them to act. Because of this data can be inaccurate because the people were responding the way they thought the experimenter wanted, not the way they actually felt. Hawthorne effect- In research methods, the Hawthorn effect is that when people know that they are being observed they tend to change their behavior based upon what they think the observer wants to see. Correlation- In research methods, correlation is the relationship that two variables have. The correlation can measure anywhere from -1 to 1. -1 and 1 are both very strong relationships while 0 would be no relationship. Scatter plot- In research methods, a scatter plot is a graph with multiple dots placed on it. The dots on a scatter plot could be really close or really spread apart. If they are close there is a high correlation and if they are spread apart there is a low correlation. Survey method- In research methods, a survey method is a method of learning the behaviors of a specific group. This is mainly done by questioning a representative sample of a group in order to find out specific information about the group being surveyed. Naturalistic observation- In research methods, watching the subject in their natural habitat without controlling the situation is called naturalistic observation. This is the best method to try and limit the Hawthorne effect and get the best results. Case study- In research methods, a case study is the in depth studying of a specific individual to hopefully gain a better understanding of larger groups. Descriptive statistics- In research methods, descriptive statistics are used to display the data gained through research and experiments. There are many ways to use descriptive statistics such as mean, median, mode, variability, range, standard deviation and many more. Through the use of these things you can paint a picture of the data in easy to use graphics and numbers. Measures of variability- Variability is a huge part of statistics and in order to have meaningful data you need to have your variability clearly displayed through the use of standard deviation or other measures of variability. Normal curve- In research methods, the normal curve is bell shaped and it describes how data is distributed. With a normal curve most scores fall near the mean rather than on either end of the normal curve. Inferential statistics- In research methods, inferential statistics are how we use data to help understand and draw conclusions about the data. Statistical significance- In research methods, statistical significance is the chance that the outcome of an experiment is due to chance or the independent variable. Before a researcher begins their experiment they set their P value to establish what results would be statistically significant. For example, if a researcher set his/her P value at (p APA Ethical Guidelines for Human Research- In research methods, these guidelines protect humans from unethical or psychologically damaging experiments. There are strict standards that must be followed in order to fall within the APA ethical guidelines such as immediately debriefing the participant if you have deceived them. APA Ethical Guidelines for Animal Research- In research methods, these guidelines protect animals from unneeded harm from psychological experiments or any unethical experiments. Biology Neuroanatomy- In biology, this is the study of our anatomical structure of our neurons and how our different parts of the brain make it work. Neuron- In biology, a neuron is a nerve cell that creates the nervous system. Neurons send information through our body through neurotransmitters. Some examples of neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine. Dendrites- In biology, dendrites are the branchlike ends of neurons that are responsible for receiving the information from other neurons. Cell body (soma)- the soma is where the signals from the dendrites go and from the soma they are passed on. Brain plasticity- In biology, brain plasticity refers to the brains ability to adapt if part of your brain gets damaged. Your brain will use another part of your brain to help replace the damaged part. The older you get the less brain plasticity you will have. Myelin sheath- In biology, the Myelin sheath is a cover over your axons to help speed up the process of your neurons. The lack of a myelin sheath causes multiple sclerosis Axon- In biology, the axon is the long part of a neuron that is responsible for the action potential. If you are healthy you will have a myelin sheath covering your axon. Terminal buttons- In biology, terminal buttons are at the very end of a neuron and are responsible for sending the signal on to other neurons. Neurotransmitters- in biology, neurotransmitters are a chemical that passes a message through neurons. Examples of neurotransmitters are dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Synapse- In biology, the small gap in between neurons is called the synapse. The neurotransmitters must pass through the synapse in order to be passed through the next neuron. Receptor sites- in biology, receptor sites are the receivers of specific neurotransmitters. Receptor sites are located on the dendrites. Threshold- In biology, a threshold is the amount of stimulus we need in order for us to detect the stimuli. There are two types of thresholds for humans, the absolute threshold and the difference threshold. Action potential- In biology, the action potential is a brief firing of a neuron. The action potential is an all or nothing thing if the neuron doesn’t receive enough chemical signals it won’t fire. Neural firing- In biology, neural firing is when the neuron reaches its action potential and fires it’s signal to the next neuron. Excitatory neurotransmitters- in biology, excitatory neurotransmitters are like accelerators for the neurons. They increase neural firing. Inhibitory neurotransmitters- In biology, inhibitory neurotransmitters are compared to brakes for neurotransmitters. The decrease neural firing. Acetylcholine (ACH) In biology, ACH is a neurotransmitter that plays a part in our attention and arousal. ACH is located in both the central and peripheral nervous system. Dopamine- In biology, dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for movement, learning, attention and emotion. Too much dopamine is linked with schizophrenia and not enough dopamine is linked with Parkinson’s disease. Heritability- In biology, Heritability is the amount of difference in a group or between individuals you can attribute to genetics alone. Serotonin- In biology, Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal. A lack of Serotonin is known to cause depression. Endorphins- In biology, Endorphins are neurotransmitters that have an ability to dampen pain and they can also control pleasure. Motor Neurons (Efferent) in biology, motor neurons carry messages from the brain and spinal cord to your muscles and glands. Sensory Neurons (Sensory) In biology, sensory neurons are neurons that carry information from your sensory receptors to the brain and spine. Central Nervous System- in biology, the central nervous system consists of the brain and the spine. Spinal Cord- In biology, the spinal cord is the long tube going down your back that is protected by the vertebrae. The spinal cord is responsible for the transmission of neurons between the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system. Peripheral nervous system- In biology, the Peripheral nervous system is the neurons that that connect the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is the head over the somatic and autonomic nervous system. Somatic nervous system-In biology the somatic nervous system falls under the peripheral nervous system. The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary movement. Autonomic nervous system- In biology, the autonomic nervous system is a part of the PNS and is responsible for the regulation of internal organs and glands such as the heart. The Autonomic nervous system is responsible for the sympathetic and parasympathetic part of the PNS. Sympathetic nervous system- In biology, the sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for arousal in situations such as a dog baring its teeth at you. Parasympathetic nervous system- In biology, the parasympathetic nervous system is under the autonomic nervous system. It is responsible for calming the body. Lesions- a lesion is a destruction of tissue. A brain lesion is the destruction of part of your brain tissue. If you were to have a brain lesion you would have brain damage and loose function of part of your brain. Electroencephalogram- In biology, an EEG is an amplified recording of brain waves. In order to see the brain waves electrodes must be placed on the scalp. CAT or CT Scan- in neuroimaging techniques, a CT scan is a series of x-rays taken at various angles and combined. CT scans are a good technique for seeing brain damage. MRI- In neuroimaging techniques, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce pictures of soft tissue. MRIs are good for showing the anatomy of a brain. PET scan- In neuroimaging techniques, a PET (positron emission tomography) is a visual display of our brain activity. We can see which part of the brain is being used by the radioactive glucose that is injected into the body. This method is good for seeing what part of the brain is being used during certain tasks. fMRI- In neuroimaging techniques, a fMRI (Functional MRI) is a technique that shows the blood flow of the brain. This technique is good for showing how our brain functions. Hindbrain- In brain structures, the hindbrain is the oldest part of our brain. It includes the medulla, pons and the reticular formation. The hindbrain is responsible for our heartbeat, breathing, and other automatic survival functions. Medulla- In brain structures, the Medulla is the bottom of the brainstem and it controls our heartbeat and out breathing. Pons- In brain structure, the Pons is the top of the brainstem that is responsible for arousal and wakefulness. Cerebellum- In brain structures, the cerebellum is located at the rear of the brain. The cerebellum is responsible for our balance and movement. Midbrain- In brain structures, the midbrain is responsible for auditory and visual information and is in charge of eye movement and body movement. Reticular formation- in brain structures, the reticular formation is the part of the brainstem that controls arousal. Forebrain- In brain structures, the forebrain is the part of the brain that includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, and the cerebrum. Thalamus- In brain structures, the Thalamus is responsible for directing the traffic to the parts of the brain. It is located on the top of the brainstem. Hypothalamus- In brain structures, the hypothalamus is responsible for eating, drinking and controlling body temperature. The Hypothalamus is located in the limbic system. Amygdala- In brain structures, the Amygdala is responsible for controlling our fear and aggression.

International Capital Mobility Essay -- Economics Economy Financial Is

International Capital Mobility â€Å"Globalization is today's reality. Like it or not, the move to a world economy is a fact of life. At some point in the 1990s the process achieved critical mass and people started to sit up and take notice. Many were apprehensive. Today, almost all of us are aware that our lives are being shaped by an interconnected world economy of cross-border flows of trade, finance and technology. In our hearts, we know that there is no going back.† -Maria Livanos Cattaui, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce. As evidenced by the above quotation, any analysis of the central economic issues of our time is incomplete without a clear understanding of the increasing interconnectedness among nations. Globalization and integration are two very potent and monumental forces that are rapidly transforming not only the way individuals and governments conduct business, but the nature of the modern world itself. Nations’ economies interact on a level unforeseen a century ago, consequently rendering isolationism no longer possible. The ties that bind are growing tighter and economic phenomena are transcending the local to have worldwide implications. It is therefore imperative for today’s observer of economic events to be knowledgeable about the greater picture surpassing the regional. In this regard, there is no greater subject to begin studying than global finance. The international financial system is a phenomenon of vast importance that has demonstrated its power in fueling large amounts of economic growth. Many extol its virtues, citing the massive gains in productivity it channels. Others, however, harbor misgivings and claim... ...ld Economic Crisis,† New Republic April 17, 2000. 7 Paul Krugman, â€Å"Capital Control Freaks,† Slate/The Dismal Science September 28, 1999. 8 Paul Krugman, â€Å"Capital Control Freaks.† 9 J. Bradford DeLong 10 Robert Krol, â€Å"The Case for Open Global Capital Markets,† Cato Trade Briefing Paper: March 15, 2001. 11 Robert Krol 12 Robert Krol 13 Robert Krol 14 Robert Krol 15 Robert Krol 16 Robert Krol 17 Lawrence H. White, â€Å"Asia Needs Capital Controls? It Just Ain’t So!† Freeman March, 1999. 18 Lawrence H. White 19 Anna J. Schwartz, â€Å"International Financial Crises: Myths and Realities† Cato Journal , Winter 1998: 251-256 20 Lawrence H. White 21 David F. DeRosa, In Defense of Free Capital Markets: The Case Against a New International Financial Architecture, (Princeton: Bloomberg Press, 2001) xiv. 22 DeRosa xiv.

Free Essays - Becoming Independent in A Dolls House :: A Dolls House Essays

Becoming Independent   Throughout A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen illustrates through an intriguing story how a once infantile-like woman gains independence and a life of her own. Ibsen creates a naturalistic drama that demonstrates how on the outside Nora and Torvald seam to have it all, but in reality their life together is empty. Instead of meaningful discussions, Torvald uses degrading pet names and meaningless talk to relate to Nora. Continuing to treat Nora like a pampered yet unimportant pet, Torvald thoroughly demonstrates how men of his era treat women as insignificant items to be possessed and shown off. While the Helmer household may have the appearance of being sociably acceptable, the marriage of Torvald and Nora was falling apart because of the lack of identity, love, and communication.   Nora Helmer was a delicate character and she relied on Torvald for her identity. This dependence that she had kept her from having her own personality. Yet when it is discovered that Nora only plays the part of the good typical housewife who stays at home to please her husband, it is then understandable that she is living not for herself but to please others. From early childhood Nora has always held the opinions of either her father or Torvald, hoping to please them. This mentality makes her act infantile, showing that she has no ambitions of her own. Because she had been pampered all of her life, first by her father and now by Torvald, Nora would only have to make a cute animal sound to get what she wanted from Torvald, â€Å"If your little squirrel were to ask you for something very, very, prettily† (Ibsen 34) she said. Through their everyday conversation, Nora and Torvald reveal that they have a relationship full of meaningless talk and games. â€Å"Is that my little squirrel bustling about?† (2), Torvald questions Nora. â€Å"Yes!† (2) She answers, running up to Torvald like a puppy. Because of her whimsical attitude, Torvald had assumed that Nora was always happy and carefree, so what reason would there be for meaningful conversation? Their relationship consisted of nothing truly real. Everything was fun and games and for show. Torvald scolded Nora like he would a child, â€Å"Hasn’t Mrs. Sweet Tooth been breaking rules today in town†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (4). Then, Nora would respond as a young child would facing punishment, â€Å"I should not think of going against your wishes† (4). This type of communications cannot be healthy in any relationship, and greatly hindered the relationship between the two.

A Wizard of Eathsea Ged’s Inner Journey :: Ged Inner Journey Essays

A Wizard of Eathsea  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ged’s Inner Journey    Ged goes though many struggles in the book â€Å"A Wizard of Eathsea.† The book follows him though the many stages in his life, he learns many lessons and goes though   numerous   trials and tribulations.   All these things help him through his own personal battle of life, his inner journey.   Ged’s inner journey is shaped by the many people, places, and things he encounters during his outer journey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Geds inner journey begins as a young boy, he was quite remarkable and very smart.   Then as an adolescent he learns not to let his ego in his way and what happens when he does.   Finally he learns how to defeat the shadow and how too win his life back.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a young boy Ged learns to fend for himself.   His mother dies when he is young, and his father and older brothers have no use for him.   That must have made his soul yearn for love, because he never got it as a child.   He was a wild and unruly child, and the only time his aunt paid attention to him is when she found out he had powers.   It is as if the aunt used him to live vicariously though, and that would make anyone upset and cold to others.   However, Ged learns to overcome all of his emotional struggles and becomes someone who is caring toward others. When he is a little older, he leaves his home.   This is easy for him to do because he has no emotional ties to anyone in Ten Alders, and he has the will to learn.   He has almost â€Å"a calling† to go with Ogion, and it is his fate to do so.   He can feel it inside of him, an urge to go; He doesn’t know what but he needs to go.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Geds ego and impatience are always getting to the best of him, Ogion is trying to teach him important lessons, but Ged is still young and still has romantic fantasies about what being a wizard is all about.   He lets himself make decisions with just his heart instead of with his brain, which gets him in to trouble.   For instance when Serret meets Ged in the field and she teases him and makes him fell dumb, he then tries to use powers, which he can’t handle, so he can feel good about himself.

Hinduism Essay

It is quite evident that the Hinduism community is not a united belief religion. This is because; the religious community is comprised of numerous religious approaches; all marked with different views of animist, antiquity, and devotion to divine worship as well as marriage practices. However, Hinduism has many commonalities making it the Hindu. Such include and not limited to having common faith in yogic practices (Knott, 1998). According to available information, yoga is defined as a combination of both physical and mental practices aimed at meditation or simply soul searching. This involves numerous practices such as restraining of life forces, abstraction from external forces that affect our sense organ, living a non violent life, engaging in maximized concentration on a given objective, and devoted meditation on a given subject (Knott, 1998). Another common practice that makes the Hinduism community is the notion of Karma. Based on available literature, Karma simply means the cycle of cause and effects of things in our deeds. By this, Hinduisms engage to ensure that they act with consideration of morality in their day to day activities. In addition, they do belief that human beings are free to choice good or evil but should be ready to suffer the associated consequences. The third binding belief in the Hinduism community is the Hindus marriage concept. According to the Hindu school, marriage is a sacrament rather than a contract between couples. For all Hindus, marriage entails a life commitment between a man and a woman whose aim is to search God’s will, meet their physical desires, and expand their personal possessions. Hinduism is predominant in the south Asian countries particularly in India. The reason why the religion is cultural and societal influence in its region of influence in India is that its origin is in the Indus River. Hinduism has evidently influenced the lives of members in its origin. This can be quite evident marriage, wealth, and yoga practices in the region. True from the letter, Indians are quite industrious in the process of acquiring wealth. Due to this reason, citizens of this nation have emerged as among the best investors in the world. As an emphasis to this assertion is the claim by available reports that Indians dominate the IT industries. This cultural value is no doubt a consequence of the common belief by Hinduism that marriage entails searching for creation of wealth. On yoga practices, the Indian community has been quite pivotal in the process of influencing sole searching practices across the globe. Just to be appreciated is the fact that meditation does not only influence our living behavior but above all serves the ultimate purpose of shaping our lives (Narayanan, 2010). This is because; it encompasses physical and mental practices in the process of seeking comfort of life. In the societal level, Hinduism has been encouraged social responsibility among members of the Indian community. Owing to their strong believe in this religion, divorce and domestic violence is quite low in India compared to other communities in the world (Narayanan, 2010). In addition, Indians like helping relatives to promote their sustainable social and economic well-being. This can be best explained by the fact that the religion states that people are free to choice good or evil but should be ready to suffer the associated consequences. It is worth noting that doing good will is one practice that one is assured of not consequential repercussions. The process of realizing liberation from earthly existence by the Hindus is based on the concept of samsara. This religious community belief in heaven and hell; with heaven being a place where great and noble people go after performing good things on earth. According to the dictates of samsara, commitment to good or evil while on earth determines where we go after life. The concept has it that a human being is continuously born and reborn on earth. Such can be in form of human being, god or any other being. For Hinduism, living a life of ego-consciousness and desire is instrumental in determining your life after death. Through the process of searching for having a conscious living, one attains liberation. To achieve this, this religion believes in both yoga and karma. In yoga (commonly called soul searching process), an individual has the opportunity to realize their true self through a process of meditation. On the other hand, karma entails doing good deeds as the only way one can attain liberation from earthly life (Narayanan, 2010). According to the religion, engaging in karma yoga gives the individual a guarantee to selfless actions, an element that brings understanding of the need of unity to all. Therefore, the desire for liberation from earthly existence by Hindus is encompassed in the yoga and karma provisions.

Partisanship

Before I continue I would like to reassert that this house believes that a two-party system is preferable to a multi party system. Partisanship is a problem that has plagued America for centuries. In recent decades the issue has become even more severe with the American people witnessing the first government shutdown in the nation's history in 1981. A government shutdown is the result of the failure of congress to pass a budget for the new fiscal year and results in the halt of most federal services. The shutdown in 1981 occurred because the president of the time Ronald Reagan vetoed a budget that had been passed by the Democratic majority in congress. In 2013 the government fully shut down for over two weeks; the result of the partisan debate over Obama care. In recent years the problem of a government shutdown has become increasingly prevalent as the sectarianism within the essential political institutions such as the United States congress become even more extreme. This year the government has already shut down twice. A clear sign of the danger that the irrational level of partisanship within the United States' government poses to its citizens. Beyond government shutdowns partisanship drastically affects many other aspects of government. Recently the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh has showcased the intensity of the sectarianism in the United States today. The hearing, which should have served to validate or invalidate the claims made against Kavanaugh, was instead used by members of both the Democratic and Republican Parties to point fingers at one another in mock outrage. This is only one example of how sectarianism has frequently prevented the United States' lawmakers from properly doing their job, causing laws that benefit many Americans to fail. Laws such as the DISCLOSE Act, which would have forced companies to disclose their political spending, would have helped to ensure transparency in government-private business relations, is only example of a law that was killed by sectarianism. There are countless other examples of laws stopped by nothing but partisan hatred such as the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have ensured equal pay for men and women doing the same jobs. In other words, for no reason then hatred of the basic ideology of another party dozens of men and women in the United States congress have chosen to vote against bills that would serve to make America an even greater country. All that has been accomplished in this country's recent years: rapid economic recovery and growth from the 2008 crash, government subsidized health insurance, and the legalization of gay marriage, has happened despite, not because of the partisanship within our government. Furthermore the sectarianism outside of the United State's government negatively impacts the people of the United States. Far too often people are unable to agree with or even recognize perfectly reasonable claims or ideas simply because they are presented by a person who does not share the same political affiliation as them. This leads to discordance and dissatisfaction among the American public, as well as most populations around the world, as people who do not share opinions constantly fight and bicker failing to see things that are legitimately important. Additionally partisanship leads to extremism such as that propagated by groups such as ISIS or the KKK, due to people forcing the opinions of their party on those who do not share those opinions or violently attacking those who refuse to change their minds. It is clear that with only two parties in America the sectarianism in the country is already stretching the country to the breaking point. With only two parties America's governmental institutions struggle to pass the bare minimum of laws to keep the government running. Ultimately, the addition of new parties to a two party would only add to the strain felt be the American government and others like. More parties would mean more sides, each with their own separate agenda, attempting to force laws through a legislative branch filled with people that oppose them. As no one party would have the majority in a true multi-party system it would be next to impossible for any law to gather enough support to pass through congress let alone the desk of a president who, in all likelihood would be of a different party affiliation than the people trying to pass the laws. The sectarianism seen among the public of America and other countries today would increase as well, the result of even more separate political affiliations, causing further social unrest. The famous saying, â€Å"united we stand divided we fall,† is true. A multi-party system will divide a country's citizens, causing discordance and the eventual failure of its government, while two or fewer parties will unite the country, allowing it to continue unimpeded and grow stronger. From the arguments that the members of my team and I have made, it is clear that a two party system is far preferable to a multi-party system. We affirm the resolution and strongly encourage an affirmative ballot.

Much Ado About Nothing : Acts: I & II

Benedick’s Soliloquy on ideal woman: (2.3.20-27) In Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing Benedick, a romantic young Lord in Padua, is head over shoulders in love with Beatrice, Leonato’s niece. A moment ago he satirized the â€Å"fantastical† behavior of Claudius in love. As he readies himself for love, he contemplates the sterling qualities he seeks in his love lady. He desires her to be the embodiment of all rare virtues admired by men. He would not buy her unless she is â€Å"fair†, â€Å"wise† and â€Å"virtuous†. Furthermore, she needs to be â€Å"rich†, and â€Å"mild†, and   Ã¢â‚¬Å"noble†. He also expects her to be   a brilliant conversationalist as well as an â€Å"excellent musician†. Benedick goes about choosing his woman as a fastidious buyer go bargaining for the best property at lowest price. This speech is meant to provide fun and mirth to the audience; but it also demonstrates the male attitude of regarding women as property. If he succeeds, then he would be in possession of a gem of a woman, and could go about boasting of   his prize catch. We are indeed prone to laugh at such acquisitiveness. The commodification of woman is also deplorable. She has to be tailor-made with all virtues stitched in to satisfy the male ego. It is a folly for Benedick that he rules out the possibility   that if such a perfect woman existed at all , she might   not choose him. Benedick’s reaction to hearing that Beatrice is secretly in love with him: (2.3.181-213):2 paras. On her husband like qualities. On why he is so easily duped by his friends. In the speech following the trap   set by Pedro, Claudio and Leanato, Benedict starts behaving like a very compromising lover who is willing to bury past   his antagonism with Beatrice. As suggested by Pedro, Benedick begins his introspection – self-examination to improve his chances of being a good and worthy husband. Like a repentant lover and future husband he feels he has unfairly treated the fair Beatrice, and her love â€Å"must be requited†. (2.3.216) He also decides that he â€Å"must not seem proud.† (2.3.220). He concludes that she is fair, virtuous and wise for having fallen in love with him. He has now grown wise to listen to people’s criticism which would lead to the improvement of his personality. For having so long opposing and railing against marriage, he makes a 180 degree turn and pledges to â€Å"be horribly in love with her.† (2.3.226) He further argues that he must break his vow of celibacy so that â€Å"the world must be peopled.†(2.3.233). Being conditioned and brainwashed by Leanato, Pedro and Claudio he now discovers â€Å"some marks of love in her.†(2.3.236)His conclusion – â€Å"I am a villain; if I do not love her.† (2.3.253) – is a proof of his delusion. In this speech Benedick recapitulates after eavesdropping the mock-serious conversations of Claudio, Pedro and Leanato who aver that Beatrice is dying for his love, but   is too modest â€Å"to wear her heart out first.† (2.3.195) What he so long regarded â€Å" a gull† now has become veritable truth; as he says, â€Å"This can be no trick: the conference was sadly borne.† Like the typical lover with   Ã¢â‚¬Å"imagination   all compact†, he is duped by the   prank played by Pedro and Claudio. He is unable to see through the â€Å"sport† to mislead both   the proud lovers to hold â€Å"an opinion of another’s dotage.† (2.3.208) The old and the experienced Prince and Governor are successful in manipulating the romantic but arrogant lovers to confess their love and overcome their egoes. All Beatrice’s objections like â€Å"Against my will† and forcing her on â€Å"knife’s point †¦to choke a daw withal.† (2.3.246) are romantically interpreted as signs of love. Benedick’s behavior does confirm Shakespeare’s view of lover in Midsummer Night’s Dream: â€Å"The   lunatic, the lover and the poet/Are of   imagination all compact.† (Midsummer, 5.1.7) Their wild imagination hardly resembles the reality. Qualities I like in a man or woman. Do I choose any qualities admired by Benedick? Why? Or why not? The qualities I like in a man are tenderness, affection, and a capacity for enduring relationship. He must not treat woman as a prized possession for his personal benefit; but treat her as an equal partner. The qualities admired by Benedick are male ego-centric and would not satisfy any modern woman. â€Å"Wise†, â€Å"noble† and â€Å"mild† are admirable qualities in male as well   female spouse. Some intellectual qualities like brilliant conversationalist and excellent musician are   welcome personality traits, but not a necessity. But â€Å"rich† indicates love of wealth and dowry which often creates problems in marital life. Benedick gives the impression of a customer with a shopping list of virtues rather than a lover. To match his list a woman has to be perfect. No woman would like such an exacting husband. Work Cited: Craig, W.J.(ed.),   Shakespeare: Complete Works. London. O.U.P. 1974   

Employment Conditions on Employee Productivity

INTRODUCTIONThe main purpose of devising and improving employee productivity is to increase efficiency, and these results partly form better industrial relations. If people are in suitable jobs, they are more likely to be contended with their work, and this will react favorably on the output directly and will promote co-operative relations. Conducive employment conditions environment stimulates creativity of workers. Non-improvement in work environment and bad working conditions contribute to low productivity of employees because employees lack the motivation to give their individual best towards production.A favourable working condition is one of the most important factors that boost employee productivity, and the level of interaction amongst the employee, employer and the superiors gingers the employees to be either effective or otherwise. According to Likert (1959), the contribution of working conditions to an individual’s job satisfaction varies widely, but generally, it i s considered relatively small. Other things employees complain about include health and safety measures against accident and fire, sanitation and suggestion system. In Nigeria private companies, the plight of workers reflect Fredrick Taylor’s thesis on factory management which states that in the past, the man had been first, in the future the system comes first.Fredrick Taylor says that managers are technically oriented. Greater emphasis is placed on output, higher production and cost savings, no matter the human cost that may be involved in the process of achieving their objectives. For this to be achieved, there must be constant improvement in working conditions which covers claims for higher wages, shorter hours of work, holiday arrangement and pay incentives and bonus e.t.c. Adequate grievance procedure and provision for arbitration over disputes are further safeguarded.Under the 1979 constitution, it is provided that the objectives of the Nigerian states are geared towar ds ensuring that: (a) Health, safety and welfare of all persons in employment are safeguarded and not endangered or abused; b) Conditions of work are just and humane while there are facilities for leisure and for social, religious and cultural life. c) Opportunities are provided for citizen to secure adequate mean of livelihood and suitable employment and d) There are adequate medical and health facilities for all persons.According to Mayedeo and Markak (1962), productivity may be defined as the ratio between the production of a given commodity measured by volume and one more of the corresponding input factor measured by volume. A look at the above definition shows that productivity is made up of labour, raw materials or combination of many factors. It should be however said that productivity of labour has been the main concern. The ratio of output of the factor is the measure of productivity in relation to the particular factor of production.Production = Output of ProductionInput o f Labour P = O/M Where `p’ = Productivity O = Output M = Man hours put inThis research aims at investigating, examining and the analyzing of employment conditions and its effect on employees in an industrial organization on their rate of productivity. Productivity is a vital and major concept to every industrial organization. As a matter of fact, no organization would be able to achieve its goals if the matter of productivity is neglected. It has also been argued that labour aspect is the most vital without which the organization would be far from reaching the desired goals. Even in the committee of nations, productivity is a major tool for development.Productivity took a new dimension with the industrial revolution where productivity transcended mere subsistence. High productivity in industries is highly important as a result of the fact that it is a necessary condition for organizational sustenance and continuity in addition to improved standard of living. It is worthy of m ention that industrialization is an advancement of work. Work itself is seen as an effort or activity carried out for personal or organizational sustenance. Much expectation is attached with the concept of work, in addition to the provision of economic security. Work makes life meaningful and gives the feeling of self-actualization and acceptance to the worker in an industrial environment. However, the importance of work elucidated above working in the Nigerian industrial environment has not been that easy in recent time .So  many thing come into play which affect workers in the process of their daily activities as far as working condition are concern. These challenges often force industrial workers to feel concerned about some important working conditions such as the pay, the physical environment, safety, participation in decision making, career development /progression, heath etc.STATEMENT OF PROBLEMIn a situation whereby the working environment is not conducive enough for the e mployees, there may be a setback in the production level. A number of problems may arise while trying to create a good working condition. This may include good salary package, incentives and bonuses, good insurance policy, allowance, cordial relationship of the superior and subordinate and good compensation.Organization must make sure that the working conditions are favourable so as to motivate the employee without any grudges towards achieving the organizational goals and objectives. Some of the problems that will make an employee less productive will include: Low job satisfaction, inadequate communication, poor employee/management relationship, neglect of job analysis, autocratic management style, weak union structure, and arbitrary change of work rule.AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDYThe purpose of study will include:To find out the extent to which employment conditions and employees productivity can be improved and the impact in on Cadbury Nigeria Plc. To find out how a well carried out job analysis improves productivity in Cadbury Nigeria Plc. To examine the type of leadership style and the relationship between the management and employees To determine the extent of labour turnover in relation to working conditions in Cadbury Nigeria Plc.RESEARCH QUESTIONSThe research questions of the study will include: i. What leadership style is being adopted by the management of Cadbury Nigeria Plc.? ii. Is there any relationship between social interaction and employee productivity? iii. How can working conditions influence employee productivity in Cadbury Nigeria Plc? iv. Is there a direct relationship  between working conditions and employee productivity? v. Does wage rate determine employee’s productivity?RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS Hâ‚€: There is no direct relationship between working conditions and employee productivity. Hâ‚ : There is a direct relationship between working conditions and employee productivity.Hâ‚€: There is no positive relationship betw een social interaction and employee’s productivity. Hâ‚ : There is a positive relationship between social interaction and employee’s productivity.Hâ‚€: Employees are not satisfied with the working conditions and are likely to express the need to leave the organization. Hâ‚ : Employees are satisfied with the working conditions and are likely to express the need to leave the organization.SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDYThe study shows that productivity is a very essential factor in any organization. There is a need for the parties to strive hard to ensure that well carried out job increase productivity and it should be adhered to especially at the company level and there is the pursuit of rendering excellent services to customers. This research seeks to find out why expected returns are not accruing to some organizations while others are reaping the fruit of their labour. The research is also of particular interest in finding out whether employees with best performance are expressed within the range of their working conditions.SCOPE OF STUDYThis study is limited in scope to finding impact of working conditions on employee productivity. This study additionally identifies productivity related problems confronting organization with the intention of providing relevant solutions’ to them. This study is focused on the Food, Beverage and Tobacco industry. This is one of growing industry in Nigeria economy and Cadbury Nigeria Plc. is chosen. It is chosen with the belief that it will provide us an overview into the performance assessment exercise in the Food, Beverage and Tobacco industry.LITERATURE REVIEWLiterature review is very important and crucial to any research work. This is because the review of literature provides us with guidance and exposes us to other works that have been done in any particular field. It facilitates an insight into the understanding of the subject matter of research. Here, various opinions shall be discussed so as to ma ke it easy for other researchers who wish to embark on the same subject matter. Relevant and current literatures will be reviewed.Brenner (2004) argued for modeling of work environment to improve employees’ productivity calls for management responsibilities of holding everything together, improving motivation and creating commitment in the work environment. He postulated the PRIDE model, which managers can use in order to be successful in modeling the work environment. Providing a work environment that simultaneously achieves company goals and employees’ goal involves motivating such work environment with quality of work life.This involves giving employees opportunity for their personal growth, achievement, responsibility, recognition and reward so as to get high quality productivity from employees (Cecunc, 2004). According to Yesufu (1984), the nature of the physical condition under which employees work is important to output. Offices and factories that are too hot an d ill-ventilated are debilitating to effort. There should be enough supply of good protective clothing, drinking water, rest rooms, toilets, first aids facilities etc. Both management and employees should be safety conscious at all times and minimum of requirement of the factories act must be respected.RESEARCH METHODOLOGYThis shall highlight the method that will be employed in gathering relevant information and analyzing such information. The areas that would be covered includes, the research population, sample size, research design, research instrument, re-statement of hypothesis, method of data collection and method of data analysis.The population of this research is based on the food, beverage and tobacco industry, while the sample is Cadbury Nigeria Plc. The research instrument to be adopted will involve the use of questionnaires and  interviews. A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering informa tion from respondents.SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUESThe whole population cannot be studied, thus a sample was drawn to represent the population. The finding from the study of sample shall be generalized for the entire population; all employees of the Cadbury Nigeria Plc. They will be given equal and independent chance of being selected and included in the sample,DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONData analysis and interpretation is the life-wire of any research study, an attempt will be made to classify responses according to sex, age, educational level, marital status, length of service and current salary grade. Simple Random Sampling shall be employed in analyzing the collected data whereby each individual is chosen randomly and entirely by chance, such that each individual has the same probability of being chosen at any stage during the sampling process.DEFINITION OF TERMS i. Job satisfaction Is in regard to one's feelings or state-of-mind regarding the nature of their work. Job sat isfaction can be influenced by a variety of factors, eg, the quality of one's relationship with their supervisor, the quality of the physical environment in which they work, degree of fulfillment in their work, etc.ii. Arbitration A non-court procedure for resolving disputes using one or more neutral third parties — called the arbitrator or arbitration panel. Arbitration uses rules of evidence and procedure that are less formal than those followed in trial courts, which usually leads to a faster, less-expensive resolutioniii. Leadership style Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people.iv. Productivity Productivity is the relative efficiency of economic activity—that is, the amount of products or services produced compared to the amount of goods and labour used to produce it. It can also be said to be the amount of goods and services that a worker produces in a given amount of time. v. Working conditions Working conditions is the safety and healthfulness of the workplace, including the physical work environment and the procedures followed in performing the work.