Instrumental Conditioning

When one hears the term instrumental (operant) conditioning they tend to immediately think of the â€Å"Skinner-Box†. Skinner conducted classic experiments where he trained rats and pigeons to press a lever in order to obtain a food reward. The experimenter would choose a suited output to pair it with a consequence. After a training period, the animals would show the behavior (BH, e.g. pressing the lever) even in absence of any reward, if the BH-US association had been memorized. Instrumental conditioning differs from classical conditioning in that it operates on the environment and refers to the modification of voluntary behavior. For the purposes of this paper I will evaluate the application of instrumental conditioning to learning how to use the toilet (potty-training). I will describe the process of potty-training, and compare and contrast the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to potty-training. I will explain the role of reward and punishment in potty-training as well as explain which form of instrumental conditioning would be most effective in potty-training. What is Instrumental Conditioning? â€Å"Instrumental conditioning is a process by which humans and animals learn to behave in such a way as to obtain rewards and avoid punishments. It is also the name for the paradigm in experimental psychology by which such learning and action selection processes are studied† (Staddon & Cerutti, 2003). All behavior is guided by consequences. Dogs beg/perform tricks for treats; politicians study poll results in order to steer the directions of their campaigns. Instrumental conditioning similarly is goal-oriented behavior. The selecting consequences that guide operant conditioning are of two kinds: behavior-enhancing (reinforcers) and behavior-suppressing (punishers). The most important factor in instrumental conditioning is the consequence of the response. â€Å"Responding often seems to be under exquisite control of the reinforcement conditions: Larger and tastier rewards provoke more vigorous response, delayed rewards weaken responding, and satiation of drive leads to a reduction in responding† (Terry, 2009). This consequence takes place because of an arranged contingency (relationship) between the occurrence of the response and the delivery of the reinforcer. The response is â€Å"instrumental† in acquiring the reinforcer, which is the reason this type of conditioning is referred to as instrumental conditioning. The response in turn â€Å"operates† on the environment causing a kind of change which is why it is also known as operant conditioning. Instrumental Conditioning and Potty-Training The Process of Potty-Training. Potty-training—the process of training a young child to use the toilet. Children typically begin to exhibit signs of readiness between the ages of 12 to 18 months and the process is usually fully completed by the time the child reaches 4 years old. Generally it takes longer to learn to stay dry during the night, however most children have mastered this by age 4. Cultural factors also play a role in determining the appropriate age of readiness for potty-training, with Americans usually beginning training later than other cultures (Paul, 2008). Potty-training is a mutual activity requiring cooperation, understanding and agreement between the child and the caregiver. The best methods emphasize consistency and positive reinforcement (over punishment) in order to make it a pleasant experience for the child. Research suggests that around 18 months old is the ideal time to start training due to the child's eagerness to please his/her parents. Positive and Negative Reinforcement. Positive reinforcement refers to the presence of a response-to-reinforcer relationship. â€Å"In positive reinforcement, the reinforcer is contingent on performance of the instrumental response† (Terry, 2009). Each action is followed by an outcome or consequence. Negative reinforcement involves particular behaviors being strengthened (increased) by the consequence of stopping or avoiding a negative condition. It is often confused with punishment, but they are very different. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior whereas punishment weakens (decreases) behavior because a negative condition is introduced as a consequence of the behavior. For example, driving in rush hour traffic is a negative condition for most people. One day they decide to leave home a little earlier, and avoid running into the heavy traffic. They leave home at the same time the next day and again avoid heavy traffic. Their behavior of leaving home earlier is strengthened by the consequence of the avoidance of heavy traffic. Positive and Negative Reinforcement as they Relate to Potty-Training. According to Terry (2009) when teaching our children we most often tell them the rules between behaviors and consequences. In some instances the contingencies are simply left for the subject (child) to discover on his/her own. In potty-training, the child must discover what response is necessary to stay dry and receive a reward. Positive reinforcement is the basic practice of rewarding a child for displaying a desired behavior, such as using the potty. The most successful method is to find what your particular child likes most of all, which for the majority of children is either a treat or a toy. When your child acts as desired you use positive reinforcement by rewarding him or her with this highly preferred item as close to the behavior as possible. Add in praise and positive reinforcement has been achieved. The main reason positive reinforcement works so well for potty-training is the way in which a child learns– through association. In contrast, children are not in a rush to move from diapers to using the potty on their own. New behaviors are seldom if ever, accomplished perfectly the first few times. During this time there will be mistakes. That is what learning is all about. When negative reinforcement is used for mistakes then the child learns that new growth experiences should be avoided at all costs, no matter what the new growth opportunity is. Negative reinforcement will likely cause negative outcomes not only in potty training, but in the way the child grasps future experiences. The Role of Reward and Punishment in Potty-Training Rewards. There are many different types of rewards that can be used to motivate toddlers to potty-train. What is most important is that the reward be given immediately following any successful attempt to use a potty. The best rewards are verbal praise, however some may wish to use a small treat as a reward. Positively responding to the child's achievement shows the child that you approve and support them. Positive attention increases the chance of the child repeating the behavior. Rewards and verbal praise should be easy, quick, and inexpensive. Rewards should be given immediately, are not used in place of praise (social reinforcement), used specially for potty-training and not made available any other time, given for the tasks the child can already manage. As the child is managing new skills, praise should be continued and other types of rewards gradually reduced. Punishments. Punishment should not be used if a child has an accident. Some children become upset and frustrated while potty-training so it may help to use clever phrases like â€Å"That silly pee pee just wouldn't wait for the potty, let's see if we can catch it the next time†. Caregivers should remain calm and relaxed rather than punitive when potty-training because it is supposed to be a fun and educational experience. In my own quest to potty-train my children, I have found positive reinforcement to be the most effective training method. The times I got upset and showed anger in response to accidents only served to frighten them and discourage them from trying again. The Most Effective Form of Instrumental Conditioning in Potty-Training In my opinion, the most effective form of instrumental conditioning in potty-training is the use of positive reinforcement so that the child learns to generalize his/her behavior across situations. Positive reinforcement gives the child the courage and confidence s/he needs to be able to use the potty not only in the home/caregiver setting, but in other places as well, thus generalizing his/her behavior. â€Å"The potential strengthening effects of a reinforcer are usually confounded with its reward or incentive effects, both of which lead to improved performance† (Terry, 2009). In other words, the more positive and frequent the praise (and other rewards), the more likely the child is to repeat the desired behavior. Conclusion Instrumental conditioning is dependent on people to act upon their environment and their behavior is subsequently shaped by the response their behavior solicits. Those responses that evoke an increased state of satisfaction are generally repeated as opposed to responses that render a person dissatisfied are likely to decrease. A vital factor in instrumental conditioning is the concept of positive and negative reinforcement. In potty-training a child, the use of positive reinforcement is the most highly effective form of motivation as it increases the likelihood of them repeating desired behavior. In closing, I have evaluated the application of instrumental conditioning to learning how to use the toilet (potty-training). I have described the process of potty-training, and compared and contrasted the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to potty-training. I have explained the role of reward and punishment in potty-training as well as explained which form of instrumental conditioning would be most effective in potty-training.

Style, Tone, & Mood in Landlady

STYLE, TONE, AND MOOD IN LANDLADY Prose 1 Arief Febriyanto63708028 Moch Fajar Akbar63708014 Willi Adjie63706897 ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LETTERS INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF COMPUTER 2011 STYLE, TONE, AND MOOD 1. STYLE Style is the use of literary devices, tone, and mood in a particular way that makes author’s writing recognizable. In another word, the style of writing is the style of author who writes it. The author’s style can be recognized by the following components: †¢ Personal word choice or vocabulary †¢ Types of sentences Point of view from which the text is told †¢ Organization of the text To analyze an author style, we need to consider the point of view, formal or informal writing, structure of text, level of complexity in the writing, and overall tone. By using these features in writing, different meaning of the content are shown to the audience. Categories of Style Formal Style The following are some characters of formal style: †¢ Vocabul ary: high-level; business-like †¢ Organization of text: very structured; perhaps with subtopics †¢ Audience – usually 3rd-omnisicient point of view Sentences: structure varies (simple sentence/compound sentence/complex sentence) Informal Style The following are some characters of informal style: †¢ Vocabulary: low-level; perhaps slang; dialogue style †¢ Organization of text: more so narrative or note-like †¢ Audience: usually personal (more first or third-limited point of view) †¢ Sentences: mostly simple or compound sentences Organization of Text Writing is organized in various ways, depending upon the author’s purpose: to inform, to entertain, to express a belief or opinion, and to persuade. Text usually falls within one of these types of organizational patterns: †¢ Cause – Effect †¢ Problem – Solution †¢ Chronological (sequencing the order of events) †¢ Compare/Contrast †¢ Inductive (specific to general) †¢ Deductive (general to specific) †¢ Division into categories †¢ Ranking 2. TONE Tone is the author’s attitude toward the writing (his characters, the situation) and the readers. A work of writing can have more than one tone. An example of tone could be both serious and humorous. Tone is set by the setting, choice of vocabulary and other details. Identifying the tone is all about knowing the definitions of many descriptive vocabulary words. In literature an author sets the tone through words. The possible tones are as boundless as the number of possible emotions a human being can have. Has anyone ever said to you, â€Å"Don't use that tone of voice with me? † Your tone can change the meaning of what you say. Tone can turn a statement like, â€Å"You're a big help! † into a genuine compliment or a cruel sarcastic remark. It depends on the context of the story. 3. MOOD Mood is the general atmosphere created by the author’s words. It is the feeling the reader gets from reading those words. It may be the same, or it may change from situation to situation. Mood is the emotions that you (the reader) feel while you are reading. Some literature makes you feel sad, others joyful, still others, angry. The main purpose for some poems is to set a mood. Writers use many devices to create mood, including images, dialogue, setting, and plot. Often a writer creates a mood at the beginning of the story and continues it to the end. However, sometimes the mood changes because of the plot or changes in characters. Examples of moods include: suspenseful, joyful, depressing, excited, anxious, angry, sad, tense, lonely, suspicious, frightened, disgusted, etc. STYLE, TONE, AND MOOD OF LANDLADY 1. STYLE OF LANDLADY Informal style is applied in the short story Landlady. The style can be recognized by these components below: †¢ Personal word choice or vocabulary: The short story Landlady uses low level vocabulary many dialogues. Example: .. he got to Bath.. , But the air was deadly cold†¦, and â€Å"Well, you see†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . †¢ Types of sentences: Types of sentences used in Landlady mostly are simple and compound sentences Example: Billy was seventeen years old. He was wearing a new navy blue overcoat, a new brown trilby hat, and a new brown suit, and he was feeling fine. †¢ Point of view: The short story Landlady uses third person limited point of view. This use is to hide the intention of the landlady character which is to kill Billy Weaver character. For comparison, if the author uses the first person point of view so that the intention will reveal since the beginning of the story. Organization of the text: Narrative style is used in the short story Landlady. 2. TONE OF LANDLADY Some tones that are in the short story Landlady are as the following: ? â€Å"†¦nine o'clock in the evening and the moon was coming up out of a clear starry sky. But the air was deadly cold and the wind was like a flat blade of ice on his cheeks. † shows a sinister tone. ? â€Å"even in the darkness, he could see that the paint was peeling from the woodwork on their doors and windows, and that the handsome white facades were cracked and blotchy from neglect. † shows a scary tone. â€Å"He had never stayed in any boarding houses, and, to be perfectly honest, he was a tiny bit frightened of them. † shows a fear tone. ? â€Å"BED AND BREAKFAST, it said. BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST. Each word was like a large black eye staring at him through the glass, holding him compelling him. † shows a queer or weird tone. ? â€Å"she gave him a warm welcoming smile. † shows a gracious tone. ? â€Å"She seemed terribly nice. She looked exactly like the mother of one's best school-friend welcoming one into the house to stay for the Christmas holidays. shows a gracious tone. 3. MOOD OF LANDLADY There are two moods created in the short story Landlady; suspicious and surprising. Here are some parts of the story that lead us to feel suspicious: †¢ â€Å"I was wondering about a room. † â€Å"It's all ready for you, my dear,† she said. †¢ â€Å"I should've thought you'd be simply swamped with applicants,† he said politely. â€Å"Oh, I am, my dear, I am, of course I am. But the trouble is that I'm inclined to be just a teeny weeny bit choosy and particular; if you see what I mean†. †¢ â€Å"But I'm always ready. Every ­thing is always ready day and night in this house just on the off? chance that an acceptable young gentleman will come along. And it is such a pleasure, my dear, such a very great pleasure when now and again I open the door and I see someone standing there who is just exactly right. † She was half? way up the stairs, and she paused with one hand on the stair? rail, turning her head and smiling down at him with pale lips. â€Å"Like you,† she added, and her blue eyes travelled slowly all the way down the length of Billy's body, to his feet, and then up again. †¢ â€Å"Well, you see ? oth of these names, Mulholland and Temple, I not only seem to remember each one of them separately, so to speak, but somehow or other, in some peculiar way, they both appear to be sort of connected together as well. As though they were both famous for the same sort of thing, if you see what I mean ? like . . . well . . . like Dempsey and Tunney, for example, or Churchill and Ro os ­evelt. † â€Å"How amusing,† she said. †¢ Now and again, he caught a whiff of a peculiar smell that seemed to emanate directly from her person. It was not in the least unplea ­sant, and it reminded him ? ell, he wasn't quite sure what it reminded him of. Pickled walnuts? New leather? Or was it the corridors of a hospital? Here are some parts of the story that lead us to feel surprising: †¢ â€Å"But my dear boy, he never left. He's still here. Mr Temple is also here. They're on the third floor, both of them together. † †¢ â€Å"Excuse my asking, but haven't there been any other guests here accept them in the last two or three years? † â€Å"No, my dear,† she said. â€Å"Only you. † ———————– TONE: the way feelings are expressed MOOD: (sometimes called atmosphere) the overall feeling of the work

Goods Spend Analysis

Individual Assignment Goods Spend Analysis Prepared by: Anjela Li Date: January 13, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction3 2. Goods Spend Analysis: How is it conducted? 4 3. Key Triggers5 4. How spend analysis fits the procurement strategy6 1. Introduction Spend analysis  is the process of collecting, cleansing, classifying and analyzing expenditure data with the purpose of reducing procurement costs, improving efficiency and monitoring compliance. It can also be leveraged in other areas of business such as inventory management, budgeting and planning, and product development. There are three core areas of spend analysis – visibility, analysis and process. By leveraging all three, companies can generate answers to the crucial questions affecting their spending, including: ? What am I really spending? ? With whom am I spending it? ? Am I getting what’s been promised for that spend? Spend analysis is often viewed as part of a larger domain known as  spend management  which incorporates spend analysis, commodity management and  strategic sourcing. Companies perform spend analysis for several reasons. The core business driver for most organizations is profitability. In addition to improving compliance and reducing cycle times, performing detailed spend analysis helps companies find new areas of savings that previously went untapped, and hold onto past areas of savings that they have already negotiated. Benefits of Spend Data Management: [pic] 2. Goods Spend Analysis: How is it conducted? 3 major components of a spend analysis: Component |Activity |Typical deliverable | |(a)Opportunity assessment |Collect and validate category spend data/diagnose |High level spend analysis | | |company spend |Savings opportunity ranges | | |Analyze industry/market trends |Sourcing project plan | | |Prioritize and sequence opportunities |Sourcing maturity assessment | |(b)Creation of category profile |Define category spend by supplier, spend, |Detailed baseline spend analysis | |(c)Marketplace assessment |region/customer |Preferred parts list | | |Determine category requirements, specifications, |Industry and supply market analyses | | |forecast |Total cost components | | |Determine total cost components |Potential switching/change out osts (ex: replacement cost| | |Conduct detailed supply market and value chain analysis |of propane tanks when switching suppliers should be | | |Determine supplier universe and identify potential |considered when creating a sourcing strategy and in the | | |suppliers |analysis for potential savings) | | |Collect feedback from stakeholders regarding supplier | | | |performance | | 3. Key Triggers ? Spend by type of goods: provides visibility of what the money is spent for and enables further analysis to apply 80/20 rule to define the top 20% of goods that represent 80% of spend. A proper spend analysis by type of goods typically requires splitting main product categories into subcategories to provide visibility of â€Å"hidden† costs ? Spend by a Business Unit: provides visibility of spend by end customer, i. e. ho spends the money, compliance rate to the possible existing preferred supplier agreements and whether or not the spend is fragmented within the organization ? Spend by Supplier (enterprise view): allows understanding of who the money is spent with, how fragmented spend is within the supplier base and whether an opportunity exists for volume concentration ? Spend by Supplier (by Business Unit): allows visibility of the breakdown of spend among suppliers within a specific Business Unit. This helps to define whether there are common suppliers that are being used across all Business Units and whether an opportunity exists to gain a better price leverage by consolidating the volume for specific products across all Business Units. This type of analysis also prompts sourcing specialists to engage with stakeholders to understand whether there were any supplier performance concerns that might potentially impact distribution of spend and therefore, should be addressed and considered at the stage of building new strategic sourcing strategies 4. How spend analysis fits the procurement strategy A proper spend analysis allows to build effective sourcing strategies, which can be leverage oriented, relationship oriented or a combination of both (see Figure 1 below). The sourcing strategy for the category will depend on three factors: a) How competitive is the supplier marketplace? b) How aligned are your organization’s users on the need versus opportunity to test incumbent relationships? ) What alternatives to a competitive assessment exist for your organization in this or connected categories? Typically, if there are categories with High/Low Business impact and Low Market complexity the left side of the Sourcing Gemstone will be used: Volume Concentration, Best Price Evaluation or Global sourcing. If more complex markets are confronted (Ex: sole source supplier situation, single source supplier due to complexities in the product specifications and/or industry regulations, lack of substitute suppliers or products, other suppliers vs. the incumbent had critical performance issues in the past, long term industry shortage due to the economic downturn in the global market, etc. we may want to consider Product Specification Improvements, Joint Process Improvements or Relationship Restructuring strategies. It is also important to acknowledge that commonly, the higher the maturity of a specific category, the lower is the opportunity to capture high net dollar savings through a competitive event effort and the more is the need to focus on strengthening the relationship with your preferred supplier and reap the benefits of a joint effort in areas related to the right hand side of the Gemstone (Ex: p roduct standardization, electronic invoicing, product innovation, etc. ) Figure 1 [pic] Supply Market Complexity (High) ———————– High Business Impact

Human Computer Interaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Computer Interaction - Essay Example The other assumption is that the virus might have been obtained from other computers through transfer of files using a flash disk. Some of the factors that contributed to this problem include ignorance, whereby my antivirus program was out-to-date and I had not taken any measures to update it or else purchase a newer version. On the other hand, before the presentation, I had been transferring files from computers belonging to all group members. In case, I gathered all their work and transferred it my computer using a flash disk. One of the factors that can be minimized include ignorance, whereby I can ensure that my computer is set to update the antivirus program automatically. On the other hand, I should avoid sharing files using flash disks from different computers since they are likely to have malicious viruses. Nonetheless, one of the possible sources of progress is the lesion that I learnt, whereby I discovered that I could have avoided this incidence by asking the group members to send their work to my email address, and later I would have downloaded it without viruses. Human being are known to distort information and as such, second hand information is mostly wrong and could lead to wrong diagnosis; firsthand information is usually valuable in learning and undertaking investigations. For example, at the earlier experience with the use of computers, there were so many theories that were presented in respect to issues such as computer virus attack. While under the attack, the computer graphical user interface would be affected alongside various programs running on the computer. After undertaking research and training on computers, I understood how the virus were transferred and how they affect different functionalities of the computer. This has been useful in avoiding vague information, which might do more harm than good in the diagnosis of computer problems. In the recent past, the use of technology has been integrated in all aspects of our interaction, r anging from work to entertainment. For example, in education sector, technology is used to enhance the learning process; children search for solution to various assignments they are assigned online, as the internet provides a platform through which a variety of materials can be availed. In the engineering sector, complex machines with diverse capabilities have been manufactured to assist making in undertaking various chores. As a result, man have become too dependent on the technology to an extent in which its failure could cause mayhem in the execution of various duties; for example, many institution s across the globe are dependent on computer in running their assignments. As such, in case of a total computer failure, the works would not be executed, which would have adverse negative effect on the institution at large. Cyborg came into existence after the technological development of the human computer interaction. Through technology, the developed creatures are observed to perfor m activities, which are similar to those executed by human beings. In many instances, the term is used to refer to living organisms although other structures are used though at a less frequency. A term such as ‘supercyborg’ would be good enough to describe humans’ interaction with computers; this is because the term

Marriage Practices of Chicano Population Research Paper

Marriage Practices of Chicano Population - Research Paper Example The mother in law plays a significant role during the marriage ceremony. Firstly, they help the bride to prepare for the big occasion. Mother in laws is expected to prepare their children for the roles that are expected of them as a mother and wife. Similarly, in Chicano culture, the mother in law is expected to prepare her daughter for her new roles. In addition, they are expected to help them to prepare for the big moment in their lives. A Chicano woman is expected to enter the marriage institution fully aware of expectations and equipped with the necessary skills to be a good wife and mother (ODea 812). Furthermore, they are expected to prepare the big dinners. The Chicano community has a special relationship with food. In the community, food plays a significant role, as the community not only enjoys eating a well-prepared meal but it also serves as a celebration of their culture. The Chicano community is among the closest-knit community in America. The bride is not expected to see the groom before the wedding day. The practice is widespread among all societies in the world. Most people believe that seeing the groom before the wedding would jinx the marriage. As a result, there is a period of separation between the bride and groom before they get married. The liminal phase is represented by the actual wedding day. The Chicano community loves to party. As a result, weddings are an excellent excuse for having a good time. The event is characterized by good music and dancing. The Chicano community has a deep appreciation for music. In addition, the community loves to celebrate the big moments in a person’s life.

Illegal Immigrants and Their Impact on Jobs in the United States Research Paper

Illegal Immigrants and Their Impact on Jobs in the United States - Research Paper Example Rising costs Injustice Increase in other criminal activities If these issues are addressed in an appropriate manner, it will help us to overcome these problems and the country will be stabilized economically. Problem Recognition: Illegal immigration is itself a grave problem that causes a lot of internal damage to a country. In United States, illegal immigration has reduced employment opportunities for the local citizens of the Unites States. Due to this injustice, the citizens are left with limited or no job opportunities, which increases their frustration with illegal immigrants and the entire social structure of a certain place can be damaged. These illegal immigrants are being paid by their employers or even if they are being paid undercover, we will find the other citizens of the United States of America looking for employment opportunity. It is unethical for the employers to pay the illegal immigrants under the table and even employers are also aware of their unlawful actions. This action also raises discrimination and violation of rights against citizens. As the illegal immigrants are paid under the cover by their employers; they receive more money, they get better employment opportunities than the citizens and then they compete with the other citizens in acquiring the better jobs which gives rise to competition, discrimination, violence and hatred in the society. Also, illegal immigrants do not pay tax because of their illegal status which causes a lot of damage to the economic infrastructure of the country. Therefore it is highly important for the U.S Government to strategize a proper policy to take strong action against employers who hire illegal immigrants and take away the ‘right’ of employment from the citizens. This step will help the economy to recover itself, stabilize the job market condition and equal distribution of rights and opportunities will become available to every citizen. Analysis of the Problem: United States is the only country that is faced with the largest number of illegal immigrants. The rise of illegal immigration is gradually contributing to the increase in U.S population every year. For illegal immigrants, the United States of America is a place with better living conditions and unlimited employment opportunities. Many of the illegal immigrants consider the country as a â€Å"dreamland† where they can make better money and live a high quality life. As a result, every year the country’s population increases due to influx of a large number of illegal immigrants to the United States. It should be remembered that an increase in population is not a worrisome condition. However, it may become such, where a large number of illegal immigrants benefit themselves from the programs created by the government, that are intended to help and facilitate people who do not have affordability or access to benefit themselves for better healthcare facilities, food, medicines and other essential da ily life amenities. These facilities are funded by the tax payers. As the population and the need for these benefits increase, the tax payers are required to pay more tax in order to facilitate the less privileged people on a large scale (Adam David). Hence, we can say that due to large population of illegal immigrants, the less privileged people fail to receive their rights and the tax payers pay more

Organization in the Freight Forwarding Industry Research Proposal

Organization in the Freight Forwarding Industry - Research Proposal Example Organizational change or change, in general, can be defined from a variety of points depending on the perception of the user. An individual or employee in an organization may look at a new post or position as a change while higher management may feel it is unimportant. (Cao et al, 2000, p187). Changes viewed also by management may also not be looked upon as change by outsiders like competitors or suppliers. This has led to the categorizing of change in various ways, some of which include strategic and non-strategic change, incremental and radical change, changes of identity, co-ordination and control, planned and emergent change, change in terms of scale, human-centered change in terms of individual, group and inter-group or organizational level, quantum change and so on. (Cao et al, 2000, p187; Todnem, 2005, p372). Innovation is a management change process. There is a growing number of existing literature on value drivers, core competencies, and success factors in an organization. E .g. Sim & Ali (1998) compared the attributes and performance of firms from developed countries with those from developing countries within the same industry, Park & Russo (1996) focus on the differential impact of firm's size to its success and parents shareholders value, Hagan (1998) and Prahalad & Hamel (1990) focus on the core competence of an organisation, however, none of these studies has addressed the qualities and salient features with respect to a particular organisation. Under today's fierce competition it has become increasingly necessary to probe into some of the puzzling questions of what factors create an organization dominance and success in one industry while others continue to lag behind. This is the primary question this paper seeks to address with respect to Innovation and cross-functional team. The main research question, therefore, is to find out how innovation by cross-functional team creates a strategic breakthrough in companies. Thus this paper has as the mai n research objective to evaluate and analyze innovation by the cross-functional team as a competitive breakthrough in companies. The paper draw samples from the freight forwarding and transportation industry. 1.2Purpose and Objectives of Study The main objective of this piece of work will be to analyze the effect of innovation with a cross-functional team on the activities of the organization.

The American Declaration of Independence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The American Declaration of Independence - Essay Example The signers concluded that the colonies must then break political ties with the British Crown and become "independent states with full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce" among others and that, representing every colony, they pledge "to stand by the Declaration with their lives, fortunes, and honor." The independence of these American colonies was however recognized by Great Britain only on September 3, 1783, by the Treaty of Paris (Wikipedia 2005). Leading Writers. According to Ingersoll (1856), the literature of American liberties was first edited by written constitutions of Virginia and North Carolina, who first seceded from the union, followed by Massachusetts or other States. As originators working not only for independence but for larger liberties, slave-holders took the lead. "Slave-holders in the undisturbed meditation of plantation life, with frequent transactions in State representations, were the two principal founders of American free government," he said. Ingersoll (1856) further said "every bill of rights and written constitution came first from the slave-holders; every American founder of American liberty had been a slave-holder." American bondman. Frederick Douglass, American bondman, was invited to give a speech in Rochester. He gave a scathing one on Americans celebrating their freedom day on the fourth of July while in their hypocrisy kept nearly four million humans as slaves. Speaking on the subject of "American slavery," he says he does not hesitate to declare, being identified with the American bondman, that the character of America never looked blacker to him than this Fourth of July" (Douglass, 1852). While they listened, he continues with rage - "Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty That he is the rightful owner of his own body You have already declared it. Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery Is that a question for Republicans Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to understand How should I look today in the presence of Americans, dividing and subdividing a discourse, to show that men have a natural right to freedom, speaking of it relatively and positively, negatively and affirmatively To do so would be to make myself ridiculous, and to offer an insult to your understanding. There is not a man beneath the canopy of heaven who does not know that slavery is wrong for him" (Ibid). Historian interviews. Horton (2001) who had interviewed several sectors of southern states says withdrawal from the United States of these colonies was "directly connected to the protection and preservation of their institution of slavery." Those in power in the south, he said, understood it as such. For example, he said, Georgian Governor Joseph Brown explained that Georgia seceded (just after South Carolina), considering that Lincoln was "a mere instrument of the

THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENT Assignment

THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENT - Assignment Example nt of the differing cultures within the organization in order to determine an appropriate way of managing the organization in order to enhance the profitability of such organizations. My score did not surprise, I had adequate understanding of the varied cultures interviewed. The United States is a cosmopolitan society. This implies that the society experiences some of the cultural conflicts quizzed in the interview. As such, I have interacted with people from varied cultural settings and therefore understood the differences in cultures in the different societies. Among the strengths I exhibit in intercultural awareness is the fact that I have interacted with people from varied cultural backgrounds. Through such interactions, I understood the intricate features of the culture besides understanding the dynamic nature of cultures. Through our interactions, we trade cultural values as people abandon specific cultural features they feel retrogressive and adopt new cultural values. The dynamic feature of culture has helped integrate the society, as the world became a global village. The weaknesses I portrayed in the quiz was lack of knowledge of African cultures among other cultures of far flung areas such the minority societies in east Asia and the enclosed areas such as Northern Korea. Understanding culture is often relative depending on the interactions that people have with each other. My lack of knowledge of such cultures is therefore a portrayal of the enclosed nature of the societies a feature that therefore limits their interactions with the rest of the world. However, I must improve my weaknesses and build my strengths in order to enhance my understanding of the cultural differences in the different societies. In order to do this, I plan to undertake studies on cultures. I plan to read different books that address the cultural diversity in the society. Existing literatures provide appropriate information about different cultures including cultural practices

My Victory Essay Example for Free

My Victory Essay Whats happening? I heard the soldiers crying. I didnt understand how everything went wrong. First we were happy Then we were sad. It was like a blossoming flower caught in a storm. The knocking in my head wouldnt end. Were we so stupid all along? This is what happened We are going to win this war! my regiment sang happily. This was exactly what my mum always wanted me to be independent, have a family of my own and fight for my country! She would be so proud of me. Even though shed passed away a while back, she could still see me from heaven which she used to call a special place. Time flew past as we were on our way to win the war. We began digging up the damp mud to build our trenches. Our feet were sinking into the soft surface of the mud. The time had slowed down. Throughout the day, the clock ticked slower as if it has completely stopped. Our brightness had faded away. Even the smiles on our faces were forgotten. What happened? We had thought that we would win, that this war would be a war to end all wars. We thought this would be the Great War. So what was going to happen? Nobody knew. I had that feeling, which felt like the END! That feeling is fear. I was frightened that I was going to die. I was frightened that we were going to lose. I was frightened that it would get worse. And it did get worse. The Germans began to fire. My fear came back. The captain ordered us to cross no mans land; he said we had no choice. This was it. My heart was pounding like the footsteps of a running horse. We started to cross no mans land. My feet were hurting from standing in the muddy trenches. The land was so empty and lonely. I was so stiff from the coldness of the wind, trying to walk on the mud and scared to death. At if I got shot? I thought. The Germans were firing all around us and I could hear the fast beat of my blood drumming through my ears. I was motionless, trying to think of what to do. But it was too hard. At once all I could think about was my mum. Her words went through my head one day, youll find your victory! Its inside you from then on I knew exactly what to do. I knew that I would find my victory. I didnt care if my body was in pain. My mind was strong and thats what mattered. I dodged the bullets and fought so hard, running and shooting the Germans. But suddenly I felt a pain, a bigger sharper pain than Ive had before. It was just above my stomach, in the middle. It hurt so much. The ripping feeling was an agony. I looked down and saw blood everywhere. Id been shot! As I through my feet forward to walk, I couldnt take any more of the tearing pain. Slowly, I dropped to the muddy ground. Blood was running down my hands. The incapable agony of the burning bullet got worse and worse but I was still alive. And then Flash! through my eyes! Something wonderful had happened. The pain flew away, along with my fear. Flash! again, but this time I saw my whole life in a flashback right before my own eyes! It felt incredible. Everything went dark. And suddenly I saw my mum. She was standing in a bright light like an angel. This wasnt a memory this was a real fantasy. Her eyes filled with happiness. Her tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped of her lips. She was happy, and so was I. I knew that I would never lose her. I knew I found my victory.

The Residential Child Care Practice Processes Social Work Essay

The Residential Child Care Practice Processes Social Work Essay To consider the process and practice of admitting young people into residential care today it is important to have an awareness of the history of residential child care. The second half of the 19th century saw the introduction of Childrens homes by philanthropists such as Victorian Gentleman William Quarrier and the Reverend Jupp. Residential child care was provided in groups of small cottages usually in rural locations. Residential child care today still contains charitable/voluntary interventions. (RGU 2007) Prior to 1983 there was no specific legislation that controlled the admission of young people into secure accommodation, an exception to this was if a young person was convicted of a serious offence through the criminal courts. In these circumstances the Secretary of State had the power to place the young person in a place of security. A hearing could name a specific school for a young person or child but it was left to the head of the establishment as to whether or not the placement was in a secure or open setting. This meant that the child could be moved between the units within the residential establishment without informing the hearing system. This raised concerns that the European Convention of Human Rights was being breached by Scotland. The three heads of the existing establishments and the Scottish office set out criteria for admission into secure accommodation. This resulted in new legislation being added to the health and social services and social adjudications Act (1993) which took effect from 1st February 1984. (Secure in the Knowledge, 2005, p7, p8) Scandals that led to public enquiries involving the standards of residential care for children and young people have also contributed to the higher level of care now provided. Grounds for referral: The reasons a child or young person is referred to the reporter and childrens hearing system vary, the child may have been abused physically or sexually or both. They may have been absent from school without reasonable cause, offended, been a victim of an offence or bullying, misused drugs or alcohol, be out with parental control, or any combination of these could be grounds for referral. (Childrens hearings 2011) Referral: The foundation of the childrens hearing system has laid out the following guidelines for the childrens reporter and panel. When a Reporter receives a referral, they will undertake an initial investigation to decide what course of action, if any, is in the child or young persons best interests. The Reporter has to consider whether there is enough evidence to support the grounds of the referral and then decide whether compulsory measures of supervision are required. The Reporter has statutory discretion when deciding the next step, they may à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ decide that no further action is required. The child or young person and usually the parent or appropriate person will be informed of any decision in writing. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ refer the child or young person to the local authority so that advice, guidance and/or assistance can be given on an informal and voluntary basis. This usually involves support from a social worker. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ arrange a childrens hearing because they consider that compulsory measures of supervision are required for the child. A childrens hearing panel is made up of three members of the public who have had training in this area. It must be made up of both male and female members and aims to have a balance of age and experience. One of the panel members will chair the hearing. The hearing thinks about and makes decisions on the welfare of the child or young person, taking into account all of the relevant circumstances, including any risk taking and offending behaviours. (ibid) According to Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) Consultation Pack on the Review of the Childrens Hearings System, the most common decision for disposal of a hearing is a supervision requirement. This means that the child will have contact with a social worker or other identified professional on a regular basis. The child or young person will have to meet certain criteria. This is as well as other people and professionals having to do specific tasks to work with the child or young person. A supervision requirement can have any condition attached if the hearing thinks it will help the child or young person. The local authority has to put the supervision requirement into action. Some examples of conditions attached to disposals are: seeing your appointed social worker regularly; attending a special programme to address their behaviours; being placed in foster care or in a residential school or in a secure unit because of particular concerns; victim-awareness and/or mediation. (GI RFEC) Pre-admission: Requests for placements must normally be made by Practice Team Workers. Exceptions to this are out-of-hours Referrals from the Emergency Social Work Services or emergency Referrals through the Criminal Justice system from Court Social Workers. Once initial requests for placement are received and considered appropriate, and then the referring worker will be required to complete our Secure Referrals Application Form. This will then be considered by the next meeting of the Secure Referral Group. The main principles that guide this decision are: Secure Accommodation must only be used as the last resort and all secure placements must be for the shortest time possible. (Edinburgh Secure Services 2009) It is always better if there is a transition plan put into place for a child or young person coming into care but this is not always available as the child or young person may have a secure warrant attached to them or they may have to be accommodated imideatly for their safety or the safety of others. Admission: The admission process is the same for all children and young people who are entering the care system. This is however a more relaxed process if the child or young person has a planned transition into care. A transition plan follows a basic four week plan. This is not set in stone but the principals are. Week 1 induction, this is a chance for the keyworker to become familiar with the young persons background and file, do risk assessments based on the available information and start to develop a transition plan. Week 2 transition plan, this will include meeting the young person discussing the care plan and putting a transition plan with visits to the unit into place. Week 3 introducing the young person to the open unit through meeting staff and other young people, Week 4 building on Week 3, within the secure environment there would be preparation for endings. The keyworker from the secure unit would also visit the young person in the open unit during the move and once they have moved to provide support for their transition. (ibid) By following these guidelines the trauma of being admitted into care can be minimised although the child or young person will still suffer the feelings of loss and separation from their family, community and peers. Elizabeth, Kubler Ross describes the stages of separation and loss as D.A.B.D.A, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. These stages of grief can also be applied to a young person going into care and will not necessarily follow any set order. (Kubler Ross, 1969) Anthropologist Kalervo Oberg discussed four stages of culture shock which an individual can go through when entering a strange culture. These stages can also be related to a young person entering into care. The four stages of culture shock are described as, the honeymoon period, the crisis phase, the adjustment phase and adaptation. Young people coming into care often display behaviours that they would not normally use, this will include being really quiet, angry, violent, hostil and submissive before they accept the new milieu they find themselves in. Staff in the unit can also assist in a less traumatic transition by assisting the young person to decorate their bedroom with posters and personal effects to make them feel more at home. Facilitating contact with parents or careers and ensuring the child is made to feel welcome in the unit by introducing them to the other residents and staff. Institutionalism is the syndrome which is now used to describe a set of poorly adapted behaviours that are induced by the pressures of living in any institutional setting. (McNown, Miriam. Johnson Rhodes, Rita. 2007) There is always a danger of becoming institutionalized when staying in care for extended periods, by trying to promote a sense of self and personal identity within the young people this is less likely to happen. If a young person is to be secured under section 70 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 they have no involvement in the identification of a placement. The resources available may mean that the child is placed out with their geographical area. This is an institutional response which is in direct conflict with the rights of the child; thought also needs to be given to statutory requirements and the law. The national care standards for care describe what each individual child should expect from their time in care. The relevant section is beginning your stay standards 1-7. The standards are grouped under headings that follow the child or young persons journey through the service. The significant ones in this case are Beginning your stay (standards 1 to 7) 1 Arriving for the first time 2 First meetings 3 Keeping in touch with people who are important to you 4 Support arrangements 5 Your environment 6 Feeling safe and secure 7 Management and staffing arrangement By following these standards admission trauma can be minimized and the young person will be able to continue to have a sense of self and personal identity. Forming new attachments is another area that a young person coming into care can find problematic, a securely attached child, according to, Mary Ainsworth, in the Strange Situation study, exhibit distress when separated from caregivers. Edinburgh children and Families department are now working towards an attachment promoting model of care. This will work in conjunction with anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. It is vitally important to us that young people are able to develop their identity within a positive environment. Therefore, we will not tolerate any unfair treatment or discrimination of young people which is based on their age, gender, culture, race, religious practices or beliefs, sexual orientation or indeed any other characteristic of the young person that they have a right to hold or express. (Edinburgh Secure Services 2009) In 1989, governments worldwide promised all children the same rights by adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. These rights are based on what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential. They apply equally to every child, regardless of who they are, or where they are from. (GIRFEC) Within the care setting it is vital that all children have access to a childrens rights officer to act as an advocate for the young people who are looked after by Children families Services. The Care Commission was set up in April 2002 under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 to regulate all adult, child and independent healthcare services in Scotland. From 1 April 2011 a new regulatory body, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS), is responsible for regulating social services. (National Care Standards)

Pregnant Women: Preeclampsia

Pregnant Women: Preeclampsia In todays world complication during pregnancy are not unheard of. In fact many women are at risk for some sort of complication during their pregnancy. One of the most common complications during pregnancy is preeclampsia. Preeclampsia, also know as pregnancy induces hypertension, effects between three and eight percent of all women during pregnancy. Preeclampsia affects the health of the mother and the baby. Preeclampsia is usually diagnosed in the second trimester of the womens pregnancy, more commonly after 32 weeks, but may be diagnosed as early as 20 weeks. There is no one way to diagnose preeclampsia. The doctor will monitor the mother for symptoms associated with preeclampsia including an increase in blood pressure, proteinuria (which is an increase in protein in the urine), increase in liver function test, thrombocytopenia, (low platelet count), swelling of the upper body, and weight gain. Some swelling and weight gain during pregnancy is normal, but a large amount of swelling and weight gain the doctor will question. Other common symptoms for preeclampsia include severe headaches, decrease in urine out put, vision changes. Upper abdominal pain is another common symptom associated with preeclampsia. These signs and symptoms accompanied by nausea, vomiting and dizziness should be reported to you physician. Women who have certain preexisting health condition like diabetes, hypertension, obesity and kidney disease before their pregnancy are at a higher risk for developing preeclampsia. First time mothers along with African American, teen and women over forty are at a greater risk for developing preeclampsia. Women with a family history of preeclampsia tend to have a higher risk for preeclampsia. If you were diagnoses with preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy your risk are higher. Having a multiple pregnancy, for example twins, increases your risk for developing preeclampsia. On the other hand women who have been pregnant more than once tend to have a lower risk except in those with a family history. Complications may occur after the onset of preeclampsia. One common complication is the shunting of blood to the placenta, preventing the placenta from getting the proper amount of blood. The decrease in blood flow to the placenta keeps the fetus, your baby, from getting enough oxygen and food required for healthy development. This can result in low birth weights and other complications for your baby including death. Placenta abortion is another complication commonly associated with preeclampsia. This is where the placenta pulls away from the uterine wall causing heavy bleeding. Placenta abortion can cause fetal distress. Placenta abortion is life threatening for the mother and the baby. HELLP Syndrome may also develop. HELLP Syndrome stands for the symptoms that are involved; Hemolytic anemia, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelet count. HELLP Syndrome in many cases has already developed before the mother is diagnosed with preeclampsia. This is one reason early and continuous pre natal care is important. Another major complication of preeclampsia is eclampsia which is the development of seizures during preeclampsia. Eclampsia can cause permanent damage to the internal organs of the mother. If no intervention are taken to resolve preeclampsia the mother may end up having brain damage or end up in a coma or even may end in death for the mother and the baby. The only known treatment for preeclampsia is abortion of the pregnancy if the pregnancy hasnt reached the period of viability or delivery of the mature fetus. Even if the fetus has reached the period of viability the baby may experience complications due to being premature. In order to prevent this doctors have found ways to help manage preeclampsia allowing the fetus more time to mature in the womb. Methods to manage preeclampsia include lowering the blood pressure. The physician may recommend that the mother reduce the amount of salt intake in her diet. While resting it is recommended that the mother lie on her left side to reduce the workload of the heart. Another method used to manage preeclampsia is to take aspirin and a calcium supplement as ordered by your physician. Since there is now way to prevent preeclampsia it is important to seek early and regular prenatal care. If preeclampsia is detected early, you and your doctor can work together to prevent complications and make th e best choices for you and your baby. During my friend Jessicas pregnancy the doctors were concerned she had a few predisposing risk factors for preeclampsia including obesity and diabetes before her pregnancy. The doctors were concerned and monitored Jessica very carefully during her pregnancy. Without fail Jessica was diagnosed with preeclampsia at thirty weeks into her pregnancy. She developed the classical signs of preeclampsia including high blood pressure with proteinuria accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and blurred vision. Jessica was worried about the health of her baby. She changed her diet to a reduced sodium diet, and other little things to reduce recommended by her doctor to help her blood pressure. Even after attempts were made to lower Jessicas blood pressure it continued to show an increase in pressure. At thirty-six weeks doctor decided to have the best out come for her and the baby they were going to induce her labor. Lucky for Jessica she received the appropriate prenatal care the doctor was able to mon itor her for preeclampsia.

Free Essays - The Second Coming :: Second Coming

The Second Coming The Second Coming reminds me of the Marabar Caves in A Passage to India because of the "disconnectedness" that is portrayed. The poem quickly begins: "Turning and turning in the widening gyre [cycle of history] The falcon cannot hear the falconer'; Here Yeats reminds us all about the cycle of life that is constantly in rebirth. Everything is constantly "turning" in a "widening gyre" and yet the "falcon cannot hear the falconer" Life is connected in the sense that it is constantly in motion, constantly "turning" and yet there exists this strange "disconnectedness" because nature "the falcon" is so far separated from mankind "the falconer" that it can no longer be called. I may be reading too much into this small passage but it really reminds me of Forster's Marabar Caves: "A tunnel eight feet long, five feet high, three feet wide, leads to a circular chamber about twenty feet in diameter. The arrangement occurs again and again throughout the group of hills, and this is all, this is a Marabar Cave. . . They are dark caves. . . there is little to see, and no eye to see it," (137) It doesn't matter how deep you get into the caves, it doesn't matter how many turns you follow because you end up in a cave that looks exactly like the one in the beginning. Even language cannot be understood well, everything amounted to "Boam." Nature changed the very language of mankind to "boam." Is Forster's caves a symbol of life as he saw it ? "Circular chambers" that "occur again and again." I may be totally wrong but the Caves remind me of the first two lines of The Second Coming. Yeats cry continues with: "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world," The world is in disarray, nature has been separated from mankind due to the Industrial revolution and philosophical thought. Locke has shown us all that metaphysical entities, like nature, don't exist because it's not physical and thus able to be tested by scientific methods. At least in the Romantic era, mankind was connected with nature. In Wordsworth, Blake, and Keats we find a special connection with nature that is lost in Yeats. The Romantics understood the connection mankind has with nature and tried to amplify it with their prose and poetry.

Character Traits of Chris McCandless of Into The Wild Essay -- Into th

Christopher Johnson McCandless is a respectable man in so many ways but, yet such a foolish man in many others. Chris McCandless possessed a seemingly ever-lasting bravery that constantly shined through his unique and matchless character. He was very righteous in himself to the point in which he kept himself from any sin or evil, committing his life to what seemed like an idea of celibacy, not just in refraining from any desire of flesh but also in all lusts of life with his diligent power of will that constantly shined through his exterior. Onto the contrary of his good characteristics, McCandless remained to be very foolish in his decisions and under takings, whether it be by his arrogance of sheer narrow mindedness. Over all he was a boy of many talents and knowledge, with a bright soul and good heart but, still somewhere in the depths of his thoughts he lacked something that made him think things through, and in this his foolishness he would lose his life. As stated previously, McCandless had a deep bravery that protected him from the darkness of fear or negative thought. Never once in this story does he seem frightened in that he might lose his life, grow ill or become hurt, and in one way he proves this by his insatiable habit of hitchhiking, I mean, with all do respect he could have been picked up by a serial killer and that probably would have cut his adventure a little short. In addition, he does not cower to much of anything, his bravery led him to some pretty interesting place such as digging dead rats from farm equipment, diving waist deep in grime, muck, and not to mention stench, that is if you would consider all of that to be brave. Set aside the trivial matter, his true bravery is shown... ...lse in his former life. In review McCandless was a man with boyish and romantic ambitions or maybe he was a boy with an intellectual mind stuck in the body of a man, because that theory would certainly exist as plausible in describing his foolish ways. Let us not forget that Chris did have a truly unique idea with good intention and maybe he did accomplish what he set out for, true inner peace with himself and the world around him maybe he did find himself in this whole ordeal. Yes McCandless was a bright soul but, in the end his foolishness or maybe even it was his bravery lead him to his demise, his lonely death in starvation. With all of this said was McCandless brave or was he foolish and stupid, well, for certain he never acted in any stupid way, but he did act in both foolishness and bravery because in many ways it takes quite some foolishness to be brave.

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority

IntroductionTraditional market structure suggests that all market decisions should be based on utilitarian theory. We often witness market decisions which neglect other important aspects of the market activity. As a result, we appear under the impact of one-side unbalanced decisions which ultimately neglect the principles of morality and moral theology of the marketplace.Rising fares and tolls by MTAâ€Å"After an unusually vigorous and spirited debate, the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to raise fares on subways, buses and commuter railroads and tolls on bridges and tunnels† (Chan, 2007a). Why is it so surprising that not all members of the MTA board wanted to turn into the proponents of fares and tolls’ increase? Does this mean that more and more political and business players realize the importance of morality in taking market decisions?Evidently, the situation is much worse than one may imagine. One may initially think that increasing the f ares will lead to less traffic congestion, and will urge more people to use public transport; yet, the public transport fares are being raised, too. From the viewpoint of those who vote for raising fares and tolls in New York, this decision is the first step towards â€Å"fiscal responsibility. The authority had for long applied windfalls and real estate taxes hoping that someone would bail us out and turning a blind eye to our responsibility to put this MTA on a firm future monetary structure† (Chan, 2007a).Simultaneously, from the viewpoint of morality and theology of the marketplace, commercial activity is not limited by rational market decisions, but also â€Å"confronts us with the moral predicaments† (Gregg, 2004). The major concern within this situation is that the decision to raise fares has completely neglected the position of those whom we traditionally consider to be vulnerable populations. The representative of Working Families Party is confident that raisi ng fares will seriously hit working people (Benjamin, 2007). â€Å"Today, once again middle class New Yorkers and those struggling to make it, are bearing the cost†, Rep. Anthony Weiner said (Benjamin, 2007).â€Å"A fare hike now is the wrong choice for New York. It would hit many people who are struggling hard to make ends meet and hurt the region's economy. [†¦] This fare hike will hit 86 percent of the riding public who use fare discounts. These include pay-per-ride bonus MetroCards and 7- and 30-day unlimited-ride passes. It's also a double whammy for most L.I.R.R. and Metro-North commuters whose railroad fares would go up!† (Chan, 2007b)The discussed fare hike will also cause the bonuses' decrease for riders (from 20 to 15 percent), and the discounted fare will cost $1.74 instead of $1.67 (Chan, 2007b). The problem is that New Yorkers pay more than they have to for the transport they use. â€Å"In 2005, riders paid 55 percent of the costs of running the subw ays and buses† (Chan, 2007b). Objectively, this is much higher that the riders in other cities pay: those in Boston do not compensate more than 29 percent of the discussed costs, and those in Philadelphia pay no more than 37 percent (Chan, 2007b).As the M.T.A reports $140 million reductions, does this mean that they will make the riders pay this amount through higher fares and tolls? Doubtlessly, the suggested fares and tolls increase will help compensate the under-financing of the MTA by the state Government, but if the decision framework remains unchanged, this compensation will actually take place for the account of the already mentioned vulnerable populations. â€Å"To rely upon utilitarianism as the moral – philosophical foundation of the case for the market creates tremendous difficulties for Catholics† (Gregg, 2004).The utilitarian desire to find the greatest good and to satisfy the masses does not meet the ethical and moral criteria of religion. Those who were taking the decision to raise the fares and tolls in New York have neglected one essential aspect in their decision making: when one looks for the means to produce the greatest pleasure for the greatest number of people, one has to perform numerous calculations and to produce the decision which satisfies everyone. From the viewpoint of moral theology, such calculations in market decision-making are simply impossible.â€Å"No person can make such an assessment without admitting a tremendous degree of ignorance about all the possible effects that might proceed from a freely chosen act† (Gregg, 2004). The MTA governors have evidently gone beyond their reasonable abilities, trying to persuade us that that the future with raised fares and tolls for everyone was better than other possible alternatives. The MTA board members view the increased tolls and fares as the means to close the gaps in MTA’s budget and to provide safe and reliable system of transportation for the New York’s citizens. However, it is not the ultimate goal for those who use public transport and belong to vulnerable layers of the city population.ConclusionThe moral theology of marketplace rejects any uniform measures in defining the goals of decision making. This is why the governors should have considered the financial opportunities of those who cannot afford paying more for using public transport. The diversified structure of prices would resolve all moral and ethical issues, and would not create serious obstacles on the way towards better functioning of the city’s transportation systems.ReferencesChan, S. (2007a). Board approves subway and bus fare increase. The New York Times.Retrieved February 17, 2008 from https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/mta-board-approves-fare-and-toll-increases/Chan, S. (2007b). Hundreds stranded online by botched M.T.A. â€Å"Webinar†. The New YorkTimes. Retrieved February 17, 2008 from http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.co m/2007/12/10/mixed-reaction-to-new-mta-fare-plan/?hpGregg, S. (2004). Ethics and the market economy: Insights from Catholic moral theology.IEA Economic Affairs, June, pp. 4-10.

Buisness operations

Dealing with banking problems is a hassle for any individual, especially for those who are involved with the business sector. Transactions come and go and money is fast, banks cannot afford to fail. Banks are offering the services of Personal Banking Consultants, specially designed for individuals who do not wish to deal with meager problems such as invalid pin codes or name changes. Though these problems are not serious, they require time to sort out. The use of a PBC come with perks for business people and proves to be a worthy investment. The following case discusses a client’s experience with a PBC.There were inherent problems with the bank company that the PBC was able to assist the clients through. The clients went through numerous problems and delays in changing accounts. Wrong names, invalid pins, existing accounts, and long delays were said to be a common occurrence. The real issue did not come from the PBC, rather from the company itself. The banking company utilizes agency staff, or contracted workers for some of their operations. Though this is beneficial to the financial status of a company because of the easy access to labor and the affordable cost of hiring agency staff, it also has inherent risks and downsides.What were the gaps between customers’ expectations and perceptions in the process described? In the case, the clients were burdened by the changes with their previous bank in the south. Two accounts were being used, one for business and one for personal use, each with different offices and different numbers. The location of the bank was also a problem because of a change of residency of the clients. Due to these factors, the client chose to switch the northern bank. The presence of the Personal Banking Consultant at the northern bank helped persuade the client to switch banks.It is important to note that the process of switching banks involved numerous intricacies, such as the change of cheque books, credit cards, standing or ders, and debit instructions. The gap between customer specification and operation specification seems to be a match. The bank offers their services to the clients, along with the bonuses of the package which the client chose. These included preferential interest rates, free annual travel insurance, a reward scheme, a â€Å"golden† credit card, and the services of the PBC. We can assume that the clients have fulfilled the requirements to apply for membership and enjoy the rewards.The gap between quality specification and the actual quality of the service or product is one of the most important gaps in the case. This type of gap, as stated by Reuber and Fisher (2005), shows the marketed specifications of the good or service, what it should provide and the benefits of its use, and compares it to the actual specifications of the good. Cleary, there is a gap between these two in this case. Sue was clearly aware of the problems that plagued the company, yet presented these to the clients as simple â€Å"computer problems†. This is the case of marketing the specifications of the service to be better than the original.She did, however, admit that the problems were caused by the agency staff. The decision to cover the reality of the situation was a risky move by Sue. The clients did not withdraw from the offer and became members, a successful deal for the bank. However, the reputation of the bank has been severely tarnished. The clients were very dissatisfied with the process of transferring, and this has left an initial impression on their mind. Though there have been no problems beyond the transfer process, another mistake on the bank’s part will remind them of the initial problems that they faced.The gap between the actual quality and the communicated image of the service matched. This gap explains the difference between the qualities of service that the customers are expecting against the actual quality (Beckford, J. , 2002, pp. 145-150). The clients already had a bad experience with their previous bank and know that the transfer of accounts is a very tedious process. They acknowledged this difficulty in choosing to transfer, and the bank did not hide this fact from them. However, they were assured that the process would go smoothly, which we know was not the case.How were the customers’ expectations influenced from the outset? The idea of transferring accounts was not initially welcomed by the clients. They had a negative experience with their previous bank, with impersonal call handling because of outsourcing, the lack of access to their assistant bank manager, and the complication of having two accounts under different telephone numbers and offices. Under the circumstances that they face, any better alternative would have been welcome. The clients’ previous experience has affected their perception of consumer expectation.Consumers generally want to have faster service, convenience in both application and usage, flexibility in payment options and other packages, and helpful customer policies. This type of consumer expectation is formed thru the wants of the client. In reality, what consumers want does not necessarily equate to what they expect to receive. This is called the customer expectation paradox. Real consumer expectations are formed thru experience in the marketplace (Lucas, J. , 2006, pp. 137-144). A real life example of the paradox is a visit to a dentist.Customers want to be served quickly and immediately, no waiting lines, timely appointments, and available dentists at hand. However, the expectation of the reality in the office is different. Customers know that they will have to wait in line, that they will not be served immediately, and that the availability of the dentist may be in question. The same can be said for the case, as the clients know from experience that the process of transfer is a very hassling endeavor. The clients want to have no problems regarding the transfer – that no errors are made, that everything is done quickly and in a timely fashion.The experience of the clients tells them that this is not the reality, leading them to expect that their wants will not be fully satisfied. The clients did not have high expectations for the replacement bank; they were simply in search for a way to ease the burden of their previous bank. The package that was offered to them was a factor that influenced their decision. The assurance that the process will go smoothly also led to their expectations to be affected. When Sue informed the clients that everything will be handled by the company and that the clients will not experience any hassle, this significantly affected their expectations.What aspects of the bank’s service quality specification have been revealed to the customer? Are these reasonable for such an account? The prime concern of bank customers is to be served conveniently without any errors or problems. Such complicatio ns cause consumers to lose loyalty with the bank and eventually lead to them leaving and searching for other service providers. In order to gain consumer trust, which is vital to service oriented businesses such as banks, firms show their focus on quality specification. In the case, the source of one of the problems of the bank is the outsourcing of several operations to agency staff.This was revealed to the clients by their bank consultant at the end of their transfer process. The company alone cannot meet the demands of the customers, thus the use of agency staff to fill the gap. This is a good decision for the bank, as agency staffing provides the company with flexibility because of the ease of hiring new staff and the availability of a wide variant of employees. Agency staffing is also more cost-effective in terms of employment since these employees do not require extensive training and are not a liability to the hiring company (Huffman, L., 2008. ). The use of agency staffing d oes have some drawbacks, such as the employees’ lack of loyalty for the company. Since they are often not considered to be part of the main team, temporary employees have little incentive to be loyal. Lastly, cheap agency staffing may be less efficient compared to trained employees. Although errors cannot be avoided in operations, especially with agency staffing, it is not an appropriate reason for the clients to be burdened. Sue has pointed that this has been the reason for the errors in the clients’ transfer process.While the agency staffing may pose as a problem to the clients, it is significantly worsened by the practices of the bank consultants. Sue, as an example, continued to press clients to accept packages and offers even if she is aware of the problems that the staff is experiencing. This action allows the company to meet their quotas; however it has severe repercussions on the clients. It was been visible to the clients that such transactions happen even if the bank cannot sufficiently deliver some of the services involved. This suggests serious problems with the bank’s coordination between departments, and among the clients.It is also clear that the bank suffers from capacity management, that the agency staff are either underperforming or the bank is understaffed. Evaluate Sue’s reaction to the problems at every stage. Was the bank’s service recovery successful? Before the transfer process began, Sue faced the problem of the clients coming from a previous bank where they had a negative experience with. The clients were initially against transferring banks, mainly because of the hassle of having to change card info, cheque books, credit, and others included in their personal and business accounts.Upon sharing this problem with their personal banking consultant, Sue assured the clients that all the details will be processed by the computer in a week. She also stated that with the level of technology that the bank is using, the clients would simply have to fill out a few forms and wait for seven days. She was successful in dealing with the clients’ concerns with the decision of the clients to utilize the bank’s services. The first problem that the clients encountered was the late chequebook. They were told that all the required materials would be delivered in a week; however the last chequebook came in six days late.Though Sue was not informed of this problem, the clients did receive a welcome package from Sue consisting of information regarding the services the bank offers, notification that the accounts are active. The messages were written in a personal manner to improve customer relationship. The welcoming package may possibly be the standard operating procedure of the company; however this act serves as a way to make the clients feel that they are part of the company. Upon receiving the chequebooks, there was an error with the names for both the business and current account c heques of the clients.Sue apologized for the mishap, and informed the clients that new cards will be issued for them, and that PBC cards are given special priority. Sue had also given the clients an alternative, that the former cards could be used since they were linked to the existing accounts. The credit cards arrived a day after, with the names correctly spelled. Sue’s reaction to the clients’ problem was done well and provided in a speedy manner. The errors were fixed quickly and Sue suggested a temporary workaround to the problem.Though the name mishap was solved swiftly, the clients experienced another problem with the personal identification numbers (PIN) of their cards. The said PINs did not arrive with the credit cards, making them inaccessible. When the clients informed Sue of this, Sue relayed that PINs arrive several days after the cards because of security reasons. She also assured the clients that the PINS will arrive along with the cheque guarantee cards . The PLC’s reaction to the clients’ concerns was a standard customer reply. The PLC simply informed the clients that there was no error, and that the process was going as planned.After a week, the clients had received the guarantee cards. However, these had the names misspelled similar to the first batch of cards. The PINs for the other cards have also not yet arrived. Sue was informed of this and was surprised with the delay. According to her, the PINs were sent 5 days ago and suggested that it may have been lost in the post. She confirmed this after a while, informing the clients that the cards have to be reissued for security purposes, and that the new cards will have a new PIN code. Again, Sue suggested the temporary use of the old cards.With the increasing occurrence of errors, Sue had been very apologetic regarding the problems that the clients were facing. The new PINs and cards had arrived 3 days after, the time limit that Sue had set for the revised cards. Ho wever, the clients faced another problem with the PINs because they were being rejected. The new PIN codes were for the old cards, and the new cards did not have their codes yet. The whole mess was sorted out after 4 days, and the card company sent a personal letter of apology regarding the problems that the clients faced. A bouquet of flowers had also arrived for the clients.Their PLC, Sue, also called to ensure that there were no more problems. The clients were also given leather holders for their cards and chequebooks. These actions show that the company was trying to please the clients by offering gifts in order to ensure that client satisfaction. It is clear that Sue had done everything in her power to solve the problems of the clients. Sue herself did not suffer from any errors; rather the mistakes took place within the system itself. Sue was successful in appeasing the clients, and no problems occurred after the events, thus restoring customer satisfaction.What costs have bee n created by these problems, and how do they compare with the underlying costs and root cause of the problem? The main costs that the problem has created have been those to the customer, to the bank, and to Sue. The costs that the clients had incurred came in the form of inconvenience and time. The original agreement was that the clients would have everything ready within a week, however after the delays and errors the clients had fully finished the transfer process after 25 days, 18 days after the original deadline. The psychic costs that the delays caused also affected the client.In addition to that, the clients were embarrassed due to a mishap with their former credit cards and cheques, which would have not occurred if the process of transferring went smoothly. The bank had also suffered losses due to the errors. The cost of the reproduction and reissuing the cards and chequebooks and the cost of delivery of these products are taken by the company. The numerous errors have also c aused customer satisfaction to decrease. This is a cost to the company because the clients’ experiences with their bank show the quality of service that is provided.If there are complaints that stem from errors and delays, the bank’s reputation is negatively affected. The root cause of the problems comes from the system management of the bank’s operations. The hiring of agency staff shows that the bank cannot support the services demanded by the operations alone. The performance errors of the agency staff suggest that the bank is understaffed, or the hired staff is underperforming. There is also a lack of communication between the departments within the company. Customer revisions are not communicated efficiently to the card issuing company, thus causing errors in PIN codes and credit cards.Lastly, the company suffers from poor target setting. The bank aims to meet the demands of clients within a specified timeframe, yet their operating staff cannot meet these d eadlines. CONCLUSION The bank suffers from multiple mistakes in their system organization and management. If left unsolved, they will be operating at a sub-optimal level and experience multiple losses. Clients will choose to use the services of other banks. The costs that the errors and delays bring upon the company hamper growth and decrease revenue.The changes required to solve the management problems of the company are costly and hard to achieve. The short-term recovery procedures used are also costly and prove to be an inconvenience for both the clients and the bank. These can only alleviate the problems, but not completely solve them. The main issue that has to be settled is the long-term plans of the bank to solve their problems. In the end, we cannot always just call Sue. REFERENCES Beckford, J. (2002) Quality. 2nd ed. London, Routledge. pp. 145-150. Huffman, L. (2008) The Pros and Cons of Using an Employment Agency for Temporary Staff.[Internet], OfficeArrow LLC. August 26. Available from: [Accessed May 2009]. Lucas, J. (2006) Broaden the Vision and Narrow the Focus: Managing in a World of Paradox. Westport CT, Praeger. pp. 137-144 Reuber, A. R. & Fischer E. (2005) The Company You Keep: How Young Firms in Different Competitive Contexts Signal Reputation through Their Customers. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, Vol. 29, p. 1.

Government Essay

Government is an inevitable asset because human beings are savages and without government there would be total chaos. James Madison said â€Å"If men were angels, no government is needed†. People need a form of organized authority to create and enforce laws. Government plays a major role in everyday life, it provides people with public services, set goals and public policies, maintains tradition and culture, and resolves conflicts. In this essay, I will be discussing politics and public administration. I will further explain how both are intertwined and would never be able to be separated from one another. In hearing the word politics, what usually springs to mind are images of government, politicians and their policies or more negatively the idea of corruption, scandals and dirty politicians. The actual definition seems to have been obscured and almost lost by such representations and cliches that tend not to pinpoint the true essence which defines politics. Politics is a very emotive word and is used by different people to mean different things. There is no unifying theory of politics and hence no set boundaries of what can and cannot be said to be political. Politics is a broad term, which encompasses a wide range of activities and beliefs that help shape the modern world in which we live. The general contention is that politics is the preserve of government, either through influence, elections, or through the power and authority exerted by those who rule. In order to understand politics, and the role it fulfils, I feel it is important to backtrack to the beginning where the term politics originated. The word politics stems from the ancient Greek word polis, which means city-state. Ancient Greek society was divided into a collection of independent city-states each possessing its own system of government. Therefore, politics can be defined as â€Å"what concerns the state†, a view currently held by the public. The common belief is that if someone is to be involved in politics, then they hold a government office or position, whether it is in local government or the central government (Retrieved February 2, 2009, from http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Polis ). The Greek philosopher Aristotle identified the word politics is as â€Å"politike†, a practical science, which is concerned with the noble action of happiness of citizens (Retrieved February 2, 2009, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Politics_(Aristotle). Politics is the decision making process, the settling of conflicts and the enforcing of goals and interests of citizens. Politics and public administration are cl osely linked, because public administration is defined as government management and examines the practices of governance. The separation of them from each other is a completely impossible. Traditionally, public administration is thought of as the accomplishing side of government. It is supposed to comprise all activities involved in carrying out policies of elected officials and some activities associated with the development of those policies. How these responsibilities are carried out reflect on the legitimacy of the administration, as well as the legitimacy of the government (Fesler & Kettl, 2005). Public administration impacts everyone’s life in different ways. Public administration allows people working in government to make a positive impact on society. They are organizations and agencies that apply and control different areas of society. Public administration creates and changes public policy programs to respond to the needs and interests of our nation. Every aspect of our daily lives is impacted in some way by the actions of federal, state, or local bureaucracies that manage and organize the public lives of its citizens. Public administration controls everything from the way we travel, our health, our education and our law enforcement. The American Public Transportation Agency improves and advances public transportation. They provide safe, proficient and cost effective transit services, improve services to meet national energy, environmental, and financial concerns. They are responsible for planning, designing, constructing, financing and operating transit systems. The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing important human services for those who are not able to help themselves. This public administration includes the FDA, Food and Drug Administration, that assures the safety of foods, cosmetics, safety of pharmaceuticals, biological products, and medical devices. The HRSA, Health Resources and Services Administration, provides access to important health care services for people who are low income, uninsured or who live in rural areas or urban neighborhoods where health care is limited. These agencies are just a few of the many agencies that impact our everyday lives (Fesler & Kettl, 2005). Politics and public administration are intertwined and can never be separated from one another, because they complement each other and are connected in numerous ways. Through politics, members of the government make decisions and public administrators carry them out. Politics are not governed by a single institution, but by a collection of institutions, many of which are specialized. Public administrations on the other hand, have an extensive focus on governance systems. In other words, politics can never be separated from administration, because their functions always overlap one another. Politics and administration functions both need to be performed to have a successful governance system. Public administration is created as a result of politics, although others might say that there is politics in public administration. Both of which are true. As new laws are passed and policies change, it is up to the public administrator to implement these changes and carry them out. It can be a police officer issuing a ticket for a new law that was recently passed or a building evacuation by Department of Buildings inspectors, because a new building code was passed and the building is deemed unsafe to live in. It is simply a vicious circle with politics and public administration. In conclusion, politics and public administration have essential functions which simply cannot exist without each other.

Life’s Path Is A Maze Essay

As a writer, I feel I am going through a maze. In the beginning I realized there is more than one path to take, either it can lead me toward success or it can lead to a dead end. In my mind I know it can be easy at times, but other times when I come to a stopping point I overthink things. I feel like my choices need to be made right away. I think of it as temptations being called from every direction. One way will lead me to the finish line and the other path will only take me back to where I had started. When I’m given a writing assignment I feel the pressures is on. I’m ready to step up and face the biggest challenge I have in English class which is essays. As I was told, it is okay to write my first draft essay badly to make it easier, but as we get further along everything seems to be going faster. â€Å"When we are finished with the essay the pressure on my decisions are finally over.† I am relieved and confident in my first draft. Hopefully this will lead m e to the key to life in English. A Radiology Technologist performs imaging of the human body for diagnosis or treating medical problems. My dream is to become a Radiology Technologist and day after day it had transformed me into an ambition which I wanted to move towards. A Radiology Technologist requires you to gain four top skills throughout your learning experience; Communication, Physical, Clinical, and Education. First, I will keep working hard at Seward so I’m able to get the appropriate basic skills for me to get into the Radiology program in Weatherford. I will acquire a variety of classes that will challenge me to write many different papers. In order for me to become successful in my career I will focus on becoming a better writer. Writing will be a huge part of my career because I will need to interview patients to learn about their medical history, write reports for referring doctors, and also communicate Therapeutic and Diagnostic position. Although this will be a challenge, I will try my best to achieve this goal. My goals for school are ridiculously challenging. I want to be able to  understand critically and accurately, which means I have to develop my own reasoning and stand up for what I believe in. My second goal is to learn to write clearly and precisely. I am determined to be able to expand my vocabulary so that I can paint a strong mental picture in someone’s mind when I’m explaining something. My third goal is to be exposed to ideas outside of my own background. I need to be able to get out of my comfort zone, I’m a shy person when it comes to doing activities that I’m not familiar with. This goal will give me the opportunity to use personal and professional skills which I will gain as I get further along in my studies. My last goal is to learn how to interact reasonably and responsibly with others. Interacting with others provide great working relationships, and successful communication. This goal helps build strong character with others as a Radiology T echnologist. â€Å"When life hands you lemons, have someone else make you some lemonade.† This is a quote I found on the internet that I’ve followed through life which has helped me now and will also allow me to face many challenges in the future. In my eyes it means when something negative happens try to make the best of it and when something positive happens you make it sweet. When I hear someone say smart goals I think of Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. My English teacher from sophomore and senior year taught me this. It means, my specific goal would be to become a Radiology Technologist. I would then ask myself how much time will this take. How will I know when my goal is accomplished? When I look at these questions it helps me realize how important my goal. I also have to think about how my goal is realistic? In my opinion yes, because it isn’t impossible to go into the medical field. You have to be willing to put others before yourself. The last part I think about is how much time this will take. I want to be able to transfer to a four year university in order for me to get the right training for my career. Dreams are the most amazing thing people can strive for. We all love to dream, to hope, and to see ourselves get better each day. Every one of us dreams of being something big in life whether it’s becoming a lawyer, doctor, or maybe a police officer. In order to pursue my dreams I have to become a stronger writer. Which means I have to complete my studies and work hard to achieve many more goals in life. If I put my best abilities forward I can accomplish my goals in the best way possible. There’s no doubt that there will be times when I feel  like giving up, but I know I can’t give up on myself and my family. I have to learn to just stand up and try even if I have to try for a thousand times. when I finally reach my goals I’ll feel happy from deep inside my heart because then I’ll l be doing exactly what I love to do and I’ll be testing my wildest dreams . I believe nothing can be compared to this moment because when you set your dreams in front of your eyes and work for them, there will be no d oubt in my mind that I will achieve them someday. I will also be able to say I’m proud of myself because I proved that there’s nothing impossible when I actually was determined to do.