Languages in Cyberspace Essay

Governments have encourage industrial farming and non-organic meat production to improve the crop yield and revenues. However, studies have shown the side effects and health hazards of industrial farming and meat processing. A distinct cultivation of a health-conscious culture became apparent as time goes by which resulted to an increase in sales of organic vegetables and meat in the world. Hence, the sales and marketing of organic products is influenced by the culture or trend that exist in the market. Muslims are known for faithfully abiding with their religious beliefs and practices. When it comes in meat, Muslims only consume meat from slaughtered animals through the Halal way. Three times more blood is pumped out of Halal-slaughtered animals than those butchered in non-Halal way. Hence, lesser toxins are consumed by Muslims since most toxins are stored in the blood. With the introduction of organic aspect, an animal is not pumped with antibiotics and hormones or additives that would increase the toxicity its blood. Hence, Muslims are drawn to organic meat because of its inclination towards their religious belief in meat intake thereby creating an outward effect to the sales and marketing of organic meat. Language is a way of communication of thoughts, messages and feelings. In the global market, one barrier that must crossed by companies to reach out to their market is language. Without the right tools and strategies to cross this barrier, marketing a product will be difficult. A Firm must find a way to communicate and introduce a product in a language known by its market, otherwise, awareness and recognition of the product will not be achieved. This does not apply in the organic meat industry alone but to all industries and businesses. Marketing have evolved with technology through the years and e-commerce was introduced and adopted by most businesses. The worldwide web has a broader scope and the interaction with the customer is direct. In marketing organic meat products, e-commerce is the best way to reach out to its customers directly. It is also the cheapest way to market and promote a product. Longcloud should develop its website in languages other than English to cross the communication barrier that language created. If Longcloud develops a website with different languages, the scope of its accessibility and comprehension will be broader and more comprehensive. It will open the gates for the development of new markets in different countries. Moreover, with this strategic undertaking, the company will be globally competitive and accessible. The power of information technology can promote and increase the sales and distribution of organic meat worldwide. In choosing the languages to translate and include in the website, there are several aspects to consider and these are the opportunities, scope and target market definition. The company’s website must be available in Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French and Spanish languages. Most Muslims speak Arabic and it was clearly identified that Muslims are one Longcloud’s target markets and about 150 million people speak this language. Chinese, specifically, Mandarin language should also be available to reach 1365 million people who have developed a fondness for organic meat products. Moreover, the growth of the organic meat industry in French-speaking countries like France, Canada, North Africa and Switzerland should also be considered. 23% of the current Internet users are from Europe which include some of these countries. Although only 2% can be accounted for the Spanish-speaking Internet users, a considerable target market was defined and identified in the Latin America. There several threats and disadvantages that must also be considered in making the website available in different languages like the uneven percentages of the target market with Internet access. However, with the growth of technology, many countries have relied in the use of Internet and it has become a household need. Moreover, although some people are accustomed to using English for conducting business, it must also be noted that, English literacy only accounts for about 50% share globally. Software complexities must also be considered, however, software upgrades and development are done continuously to address these problems.

One Man Control Essay

What is Meant By One Man Control? One man control or one man business (also called sole proprietorship) is the simplest form of business organization. The description ‘One man business’ or ‘one man control’ is sometimes con as misleading one, as there may be more than one persons working as employees in the business. The essential condition of one man control or one man business is that it i. e. a business owned by one person, managed and operated for one’s own profit. Statute of One Ban Business The one man business’ was the earliest to be developed. It is even today, the most common and numerically the largest form of business ownership in the developed and underdeveloped countries of the world. It represents about more than 74% of all the business firms. However the share of sole proprietorship in the national income is small of all the business activities. That is why it Is said of sole traders that they are an awful lot of them but they do not do very much. † Is One Man Control Best in The World? With the advent of Industrial Revolution, introduction of machinery, division of labour, specialization, expansion in the scale of production, greater business risks, diversification of managerial tasks, large capital requirement, etc. , etc. the one man control Is no more the rule of the world. The reason is that ‘one man’ Is not big enough to manage everything. The basic functions of business i, e. , buying, selling, advertising, accounting, insurance, credit, personal management etc cannot be successfully performed by one man. He cannot be expert in all these areas. In addition to this, one man can provide a limited amount of capital for establish and operating a business. His risk bearing capacity is ‘also limited. In the present age of competition and technological advancement, the single proprietor has to seek the aid of other persons, managers, secretaries, advisers, consultants etc. He now is one man among many, though perhaps he is the most important one. The one man control is the best in the world It that one man is big enough to manage everything does not seem to be feasible. The sole trading business is confined now to small scale sector. Suitability of sole proprietorship The sole proprietorship from of organization is existing and competing quite successfully with other forms of organizations like partnership, Joint Stock Company. There are many reasons for it. Sole proprietorship is the most ancient form of business enterprise. If has a weight of tradition behind it. Moreover it is good to experiment with it. The circumstances favorable to sole proprietorship form of organization are: a) Where Market Is Local When the market for a good or service is local, the scale of business opera will be small. The amount of capital required will also be less. Under such circumstances, the sole proprietorship is considered the most suitable from of organization. For example most of the retail trading is controlled by the sole traders. (b) When Personal Contract With Customers is Required There are certain businesses where goods or services are provided according t o the individual tastes or liking of the customers. For example in the beauty parlours, the tailoring shops, cafeterias etc the sole proprietor has a direct link with his customers. He provides the goods and caters to the individual tastes of the customers. So in al these and other similar businesses, sole proprietorship is the most popular and suitable form. (c) Where One Likes, Being His Own Boss There are many owners who cannot work w other persons or under some one else. They want to work hard and succeed in business. Being one own boss and keeping all the profits with himself has a special attraction to run the business individually. (d) Where Promptness is Required in Decision Making There are businesses where immediate decisions is required as warranted by the situation. The businessman has no time to consult others. Far example, the prices of the shares change every rapidly in the stack exchange market. The businessman has to take prompt decisions. In such businesses where demand and prices of goods change quickly, sole proprietorship form of business is most suitable

When do the hague visby rules apply Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

When do the hague visby rules apply - Essay Example includes, apart from several other aspects, the physical state of the vessel, the competency as well as adequacy of the crew, the adequacy of fuel as well as other sundry supplies which may include the facilities that are necessary as well as appropriate in accordance with the requirements of the carrier. a. The vessel must have suitable and sufficient manpower, as well as adequate equipments to combat and survive the ordinary perils of the sea that could be encountered during the voyage, and that are deemed necessary for performing the services required of it Under The Hague – Visby Rules, the ship owner is under a continuous obligation to exercise due diligence to provide a sea worthy vessel which includes providing of a competent crew, at the commencement of each voyage. Moreover, such an obligation also extends to the shore staff of the company, where the ship owner could well be held responsible in the event of loss or damage caused to the carrier / goods of the company. The types of deficiencies that could lead a vessel to be deemed as unseaworthy include, Defective Engines, Defective Compass, Incompetency of the personnel hired to man the vessel – such as employing of incompetent engineers as well as other officers, the stowing of the Deck cargo in a way that has the effect of rendering the vessel unstable. In general, The Hague – Visby Rules, entrusts the ship owner with an additional liability of exercising due diligence and care in providing a seaworthy ship which must â€Å"have the degree of fitness which an ordinary careful and prudent owner would require his vessel to have at the commencement of her voyage having regard to all the probable circumstances of it† (source: G.P. Pamborides, International Shipping Law: Legislation and Enforcement,page-154) The failure of the crew to adhere to the established procedures of the company and the subsequent casualty arising out of such negligence, leads to an impending liability on the company, either

McClellands Learned Needs Theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

McClellands Learned Needs Theory - Assignment Example The individuals, who are achievement based, avoid both high and low risks and avoid norms for the fear of rejection at their workplace (Daft & Lane, 2008). Besides the need for the achievement, other people have a need for affiliation. This kind of people prefers to create and maintain social relationships and enjoys being a part of a particular group. They adhere to the norms in that culture, and they do not change them for the fear of rejection in their workplace. In addition, they prefer collaboration to competition and dislike high uncertainties and risks situations. This group of people works best in social areas like client interaction services and customer service. The other group of people has a need for power. In this class of person, they work to their best when they are in charge. They do well in competition hence doing well in goal orient (Daft & Lane, 2008). Employees are the most valuable resources in a company and therefore motivation is essential. Every bright idea, act of selfishness’ for the betterment of the organization, plan on money saving should be rewarded through online point system. An employee motivation increases their morale and reduces the turnover rates. To enhance employees’ motivation the management should break the monotonous of duty to reduce boredom and assign employees to challenging jobs. Secondly, in applying Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, managers do have a responsibility they meet the deficiency needs of the workers. Proper working environment should be created to develop full potential. In addition, the theory of needs requires workers to be assured of job security that lumps employees

Organizations' strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizations' strategies - Assignment Example This paper presents a case study exploration of the elements of real organizational change interventions based on the context of the six key qualities of a good leader. It provides an analysis of how leadership and management can influence the occurrence of â€Å"resistance to change† through creating authentic and open lines of communication within today’s complex organizations (Gardner, 2006). The case study focuses on today’s aggressive banking industry, exploring the leadership competencies Main Street Bank has demonstrated in its efforts to remain prosperous in a volatile and continually changing external environment. While customers are constantly reevaluating how to handle the economic challenges and opportunities in their lives, banks are evaluating new ways they can provide better support and services for their customers and communities. This situation has created a necessity to think about reorganizing the organizations’ structure and assess the need to effect changes in strategies and design approaches. This paper explores the steps followed at each level by organizations to implement these changes to address customer concerns effectively and preserve vision while keeping an excellent relationship with followers. Main Street Bank asked thousands of their customers what they wanted in a bank account. The answer was, â€Å"Simplicity† through open and transparent rules, accounts with no surprises or unreasonable fees, and products in which they understand the true value. This prompted the institution to make changes by giving its customers a review that shifts their thoughts using real changes that influence their thinking. (Kotter & Cohen, 2002). In this scenario, the bank was able to maintain consistency with its vision, pay attention to customers and employees, admit mistakes, and make suitable decisions while displaying a good understanding of the business and integrity. The bank demonstrated both ability to liste n to customers by conducting a research in which they presented their customers with several sets of product choices, with different combinations of features, benefits, price points, and ways to earn out of fees. The findings of the research indicated that customers do not need a long list of account benefits alone; instead they want straightforward account features where they see the true value, such as identity theft protection. Main Street Bank also found out that customers are willing to pay for the convenience of banking with a bank offering online bill payment, mobile banking and an extensive ATM and branch network. Customers preferred a single up-front monthly fee rather than separate per-usage fees and wanted the ability to earn out of fees in various ways. The input from the customers was able to show â€Å"others the need for change with a compelling object that they can actually see, touch, and feel† (Kotter & Cohen, 2002). The decisive quality of a good leader is display by Main Street Bank through the decisions it took to address customer needs. First, the bank decided to simplify the fee structure by eliminating the daily overdraft fees and â€Å"per-transaction† fees for excessive withdrawals from a savings account. It also created a lineup of core checking and savings accounts that include basic, clear monthly service charges, with opportunities to reduce or waive the service charge based on a customer’s direct deposit, minimum monthly balance, and overall relationship with the bank. This was meant to capture the full range of their customers’ banking needs and enable them choose what is right for them. These decisions display good understanding of the business which is another key quality of a good leader. The way the business operates also shows understanding of

D'Andrea Special Occasion Baskets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

D'Andrea Special Occasion Baskets - Essay Example Me and my partner plans to open a retail shop of gift baskets located storefront in our local shopping mall as well as a virtual storefront on the Web. We envision our shop to be the most up-to-date, fastest, most accessible and the most outstanding gift basket shop in the whole area. Our store will boost of everything that our clients want-from birthday, funeral, Thanksgiving or just a mere "Thank You" gift basket. Every time a new client enters the shop, that person should feel as if they are transported into a new dimension. The store will be filled with 20th century charm but surrounded with the comfort of 21st century since my partner and I are not new in the retailing industry. Me and my partner already ventured into other business like flower shops, merchandising and clothes retailing. Since college, I have already envisioned myself in the retailing business. Since then, I have designed and became a partner for many companies until I met my new partner just two years ago. From that time on, we started to build small companies. And this gift basket business is the latest addition to our companies. We have realized that the gift basket business is somewhat new to our locality; that is why; we have decided to come up with this idea. With this situation, every advantage is on our side. For starters, we plan to be the number one and leading gift basket retailer shopping shop in the area. We plan to do this by extensive promotions on the area and on the Internet. We would hand out fliers and do promotions on the radio and local newspapers. We will also put a site exclusively devoted to our shop and business. We will put up big banners all over the mall. We will go to different orphanages, houses and business establishments to promote our gift basket business. Secondly, the main ambiance of the shop and the gift baskets would that be of old American countryside. The shop would be mainly decorated with wood and scents of the American countryside. This would be e mulated in our "general" gift basket. Although our clients will be ordering varying gift baskets for certain occasions, our old American touch would still be felt in every gift basket that they order. Every gift basket will have that special touch. As part of our long term goal, our company shall be the pioneering gift basket retail shop that introduces flair and tribute to the old American countryside through its gift baskets. As you might have realized by now, we have a very specific and good vision for our business and we want you to be a part of it. Frankly, we just have enough money to serve as the start-up capital of our retail shop but it is not enough to subsidize for other finances that we need like maintenance, promotional budgets, etc. Due to these, we would like you to be an investor in our company. According to our feasibility, it is one of the most promising businesses that is available in our area. We have also learned from our feasibility that in two years time, we c an already regain our capital; and in five years time, our projected income will be triple as compared from our starting capital. As part of our business, you would be entitled to every 10% of our monthly income to reimburse your investment. After we have paid the money, you will still be a partner of our shop. You can help

Online Retailing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Online Retailing - Case Study Example Dell Inc makes direct sales or direct marketing in the market place so as to keep up with the pace of the competitors. By these means, Dell ha managed to follow up the changes in the customer preferences and the change in technology and as a result, the company has managed also to build a long term customer firm relationship hence increasing customer confidence and satisfaction, consumer loyalty and client profitability in a price valuable way, Dell (1999). The success of Dell Corporation is based on successful research in market segmentation, positioning and other aspects of business success. Successful segmentation has placed Dell Inc at an advantaged position with the opportunity to make moves towards every client in each segment and to enhance customer relationship. Market segmentation is the foundation of Dell marketing operations, and through these segmentations, the Dell Corporation establishes its positioning and changes its offers for every segment's client. Segmentation is significant constituent of virtual integration with clients, and the finer the segmentation the better it is for the company to predict the client needs and timing, Dell (1999). Coordination between suppliers and other aspects is enhanced by coordination of flow of strategic This is the client relationship manageme... in view of the fact that what the company does is an ideal example of direct marketing (Huff et al 2000). Through extensive research, Dell Inc was able to prepare this project. Through these connections, the market share has greatly increased and the major contributors to thus success are; Customer Relationship Management and Direct Marketing (online retailing). Relationship Marketing The operations of Dell are based op three important aspects of marketing and segmentation. This enables the execution of a relationship marketing strategy. They are; Small enterprises and Home customers, Larger corporate clients (Relationship Customers) and the public sector. It has been the tradition of Dell using the terminology 'relationship marketing' to define its segmentations (Huff et al 2000). For this reason, each segment is treated differently and customized to the specificity of their needs. Marketing Communication Dell Inc uses two main communication modes in its marketing strategy that is; the internet and calls. During operations, sales and telephone services are allocated to the representatives of the departments to individual relationship customers, while every sales representative is committed to on one client, Dell Computer Corporation Annual Report (2002). On record, employees worked extra hard to maintain Boeing's 140 000 personal computers. Their websites are customized to ensure faster and reliable communication between the company and customers in terms of placement of orders, and are on line 24 hour a day. The Information Technology department has improved other functions like support, accounting and planning module to assist clients. Conclusion Immediately after Dell adopted

Should Taxpayer's Continue To Fund Welfare and Do Illegal Immigrants Research Paper

Should Taxpayer's Continue To Fund Welfare and Do Illegal Immigrants Contribute To The Welfare State - Research Paper Example The bottom line of all of this is that every group has strong points and arguments that are valid to differing degrees. But discounting a massive revolution that restructures the government completely and re-imagines a new set of core American values, the welfare system should be at very least left intact, and at best vastly restructured and better funded. It is better for American society overall, and more in line with fundamental American values, to continue to fund the welfare state. To understand the welfare state in America one must first understand a little bit about its history. Unlike Europe, patronizing liberal-democracy thinking and Christian fundamentals played little role in developing the welfare system in the United States (Trattner 5). Instead, the welfare system in the United States has always been developed, cut or expanded depending on economic circumstances. It was born out of the Great Depression as part of the New Deal Program (Trattner 7). The basic premise at t his time was that there were massive numbers of people who were willing to work, but far too few jobs available even after the expansion of federal work programs. President Roosevelt essentially either had the choice of instituting a welfare system or letting people starve (Tratter 102). The Great Society period of the 1960s saw welfare expand so that someone who was neither infirm, young nor elderly could get enough to live on through welfare payments from the US government (Lawrence and Strakey 19). The last major change in welfare occurred during the booming economy of the 1990s under Bill Clinton. In this first massive cut of the welfare state, which saw welfare return to the states rather than the federal government, and become a smaller and more temporary program than it had been in the past. At the time of record-low unemployment, booming compensation and a robust economy under Clinton, it seemed inconceivable that anyone who wanted to work would be unable to in the long term , so it seemed that the only people on welfare were people unwilling to work, so the cuts seemed justified. This change has been lauded as one of the best in the history of welfare in the United States, because poverty levels dropped substantially and welfare rolls decreased along with this change (78). The problem, however, is that the decrease in poverty was largely a function of a robust and booming economy, not the changes in welfare law. Though the economic affairs of the US have shifted drastically in the last decade, the welfare system instituted by the Clinton administration in 1996 is essentially the same one in operation now. Welfare obviously has a long history in the United States, but this does not explain the arguments for keeping or further funding welfare. There are two main sets of arguments, ideological and some practical. The first ideological argument comes from some of the founding documents of the United States. The Declaration of Independence argues that †Å"all men are created equal.† The problem, however, is that this is self-evidently not true. Some people are born with a brain that is incapable of accomplishing many tasks whereas others are born geniuses who can unlock the mysteries of science and technology. This fundamental problem has been explained away by saying that this passage means that everyone should have equality of opportunity

Industrialization and the Gilded Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industrialization and the Gilded Age - Essay Example This idea is expressed in the life of Jurgis, and the lives of his family as characterized with constant work, not to live but only to survive. They signify the ones in the working class who are confronted with issues concerning unequal opportunities and labor exploitation. As mentioned by Wasowski, The Jungle serves as Sinclair’s commentary against Industrialization and Capitalism (n.pag.). In the story, the growth of public and private owned businesses creates a gap between employers and employees. The Gilded Age, the period after the Civil War and before the start of World War 1, drives economic and political change. For instance, as the Civil War had made the government more concerned about the people, the American government implemented the tenets of democracy more firmly during the previous years. Additionally, as America had already settled its internal political and civil conflicts, it took concern on economic expansion. The economic expansion in America during the Gilded Age created the working class, widened the gap between workers and employers, and spurred the development of American industrialization. In The Jungle, Sinclair establishes that the Gilded Age is the cause of the unfavorable working condition and unequal opportunities of the working class. Additionally, Sinclair implies that Industrialization and Capitalism can potentially deteriorate the basic American values (equality, independence, democracy). The Gilded Age contributes to the shift in ideals from cooperative alliance to competition among workers. Thus, Sinclair describes the working class in Packington as â€Å"low class and mostly foreign, hanging always on the verge of starvation, and dependent for its opportunities of life upon the whim of men every bit as brutal and unscrupulous as the old-time slave drivers† (116-117). Although slavery is

Rational Choice Theory Essay Example for Free

Rational Choice Theory Essay â€Å"Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason. † As seen from Oscar Wilde’s famous quote, rationality is one of the most crucial and controversial subjects in studying human behavior. To study and examine this rationality, numerous scholars have tried to establish their own theories and generalize their explanation with empirical evidences from real world, which ultimately produces so called, the theory of rational choice. Rational Choice Theory is an approach to understand human behavior. The approach has long been the dominant paradigm in economics, but in recent several decades it has become more widely used in other fileds such as Sociology, Political Science, and Anthropology. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of rational choice theory and briefly discuss its basic assumptions, critiques, political implication, and alternative explanations of individual choice mechanism. First of all, historical backgrounds of rational choice theory and its transition from the field of Economics to that of Political Science will be elaborated. Next, various definitions and meanings of the rational choice will be discussed. The basic assumptions of the rational choice approach with political implication will be followed. Several issues raised by rational choice theory will be followed after this discussion. This paper will suggest some of the main criticisms that have been levied against the rational choice approach. Limited empirical validity of rational choice theory and methodological individualism, which reveals innate problematic nature of the theory, will be discussed. Finally, alternative explanations of individual choice mechanism will sum up this discussion. Before elaborating its theoretical discussion, it is necessary to discuss historical backgrounds of rational choice theory. In the article, â€Å"A Genealogy of Rational Choice: Rationalism, Elitism, and Democracy†, Maloy introduces Skinner’s analysis of behaviorism as fundamental background for the discussion of rational choice theory. He argues that, â€Å"Skinner’s analysis deserves the attention of the recent debates around rational choice ecause it calls attention to the ineluctable ideological features of methodological debate† (Maloy 751). According to Maloy, Skinner could â€Å"clarify the sorts of normative force which attach to empirical theories in social sciences by a close textual analysis of some leading contributions to the behaviorist debate†, which ultimately enables the discussion of rational choice to be furthered applied into different fields of study (Maloy 751). Milton Freidman is another crucial figure that provides profound theoretical base for discussing rational choice theory. In â€Å"The Methodology of Positive Economics†, Friedman argues that people and firms make decisions that can maximize their profit under perfect information. He defended rational choice model by arguing that, â€Å"a theory should be judged by its predictive accuracy, not the realism of its assumptions† (Friedman 10). His argument provides theoretical foundations of rational choice theory in Economics, even though it is often criticized by later scholars because of its weak empirical validity and ceteris paribus nature. While rational choice theory has been dominant paradigm in Economics, it has become â€Å"adapted and adjusted in a number of ways to fit† different fields of study such as Political Science; Maloy explains that â€Å"the distinctiveness of the rational choice approach among political scientists consists, in general terms, in the use of economic models to explain and predict political behavior (Maloy 753). Maloy points out three prominent figures, Arrow, Downs, and Olson as rational choice founders especially in the field of political science. According to Maloy, Arrow’s work focuses on so called, â€Å"collective rationality whose underlying purpose is to measure collective choices using standards normally applied to individual choices (Maloy 753). Down uses Arrow’s collective rationality as the starting point of his study and â€Å"aims to articulate a behavior rule for democratic governments so that they could be included in economic theories of general equilibrium, alongside non-state agents like private firms and consumers (Maloy 754). Finally, Olson’s analysis has taken â€Å"the key elements of Arrow’s and Down’s constructs and applied them to a narrower field†; He argues that â€Å"as long as the service provided by a voluntary association is a public good on which an individual can ride-free, there is no incentive actually to take on the costs associated with joining, membership and participation, unless the marginal contribution of that individual appreciably advances the organizational cause† (Maloy 754). All three choice founders’ works have enabled rational choice theory to be in the central place of political discussion in â€Å"the creative and cross-disciplinary ways† (Maloy 755). By arguing that voting results have no specific social meaning, voting has no individual efficacy, and participation in interest group activity has no special individual efficacy, these rational choice founders could criticize unrealistic and irrational assumptions and norms of traditional democratic system and bring rational choice model to the place of political discussion from the field of Economics (Maloy 755). Rational Choice Theory generally starts with consideration of the choice behavior of individual decision-making units, which in economics are often consumers and firms. The theory suggests that the individual decision-making unit is certain larger group such as buyers or sellers in a particular market. Once individual behavior is set up, the analysis generally moves on to examine how individual choices interact to produce outcomes. Then, what does it mean by arguing that a choice is rational? In rational choice theory it means that an agent’s choices reflect the most preferred possible alternative among given opportunities. In other words, choices must reflect utility maximization. Elinor Ostrom defines rational choice theory as a guide to â€Å"understand humans as self-interested, short-term maximizers† in his work, â€Å"A Behavioral Approach to the Rational Choice Theory of Collective Action† (Ostrom 2). In the article, â€Å"The Political Psychology of Rational Choice Theory†, William H.  Riker also suggests that â€Å"the rational choice model begins with the assumption that actors know what they want and can order their wants transitively† (Riker 25). â€Å"Transitively† here means that an agent of rational choice model can do so called, â€Å"a transitive ordering†; â€Å"To know what one wants requires one to choose the best from among several goals and, failing to attain it, to choose the second best, etc† (Riker 24). This formulation of ordering enables an agent to pursue the best option with given constraints that limit choices he or she can have. In their work, â€Å"Rational Choice Theory†, Coleman and Fararo define rational choice sociologically as they use the term, â€Å"models of purposive action†, rather than rational choice; â€Å"These models rest on the assumption that actors are purposive which means they act in ways that tend to produce beneficial results† (Coleman and Fararo 21). These several definitions point out that choices pursuing utility maximization and outcomes made by these choices are key elements in rational choice theory. Then how is different when rational choice theory is applied into the field of Political Science instead of other fields of study such as Economics and Sociology? According to Riker, Economists’ main concern for rational choice is â€Å"the process and outcomes produced by voluntary exchange, where of course, all participants benefit. On the other hand, â€Å"Politics mainly concerns processes and outcomes produced by group decisions which are practically binding on those who cannot resign from the group. Thus, there can be losers and winners in politics according to Riker’s argument (Riker 24). Although Rational choice theory has long been the dominant paradigm in Economics and other fields of study, it has been subject to vigorous criticism. In â€Å"Pathologies of Rational Choice Theory†, Don Green and Ian Shapiro raises several empirical problems that rational choice theory possess; they â€Å"conclude that a number of methodological deficiencies plague empirical applications of rational choice models. They argue that, â€Å"fundamental and recurrent methodological failings rooted in the universalist aspirations that motivate so much rational choice theorizing† (Freidman 59). According to Green and Shapiro, â€Å"these mistakes stem from a method-driven rather than a problem-driven approach to research, in which practitioners are more eager to vindicate one or another universalist model than to understand and explain actual political outcomes† (Friedman 59). Green and Shapiro’s argument can be summarized into three propositions; â€Å"there is a list of methodological characteristics that are undesirable in an empirical science and are thus to be avoided. † â€Å"Empirical applications of rational choice theory are more likely to commit these mistakes than other types of empirical analysis in political science. â€Å"These pathologies are not due to and historical coincidence, but are rooted in fundamental characteristics of rational choice theory, especially its universalist aspirations and the lack of specificity in the rational actor assumption† (Freidman 60). These propositions suggest that rational choice theory has its empirical limit for testing and predicting actual political outcomes. In detail, Green and Shapiro point out several problems of rational choice theory that possibly undermines the empirical validity of the theory itself. Post hoc theory development† known to statisticians as â€Å"curve fitting† is one of these problems that rational choice theory contains. Green and Shapiro â€Å"contend that rather than formulating bold predictions that are falsifiable by empirical evidence, rational choice theorist tend first to look at the empirical evidence, then design a rational choice model that fits it† (Friedman 5). Another problem raised by Green and Shapiro is rational choice theorists’ engagement in â€Å"arbitrary domain restriction† (Friedman 5). As discussed earlier, certain restrictions or constraints enable â€Å"a transitive ordering† in rational choice theory. Green and Shapiro argue that these constraints and restrictions are defined in ambiguous ways in rational choice model, which ultimately makes the empirical validity of the theory weakened. Green and Shapiro’s examination of the phenomenon of voting behavior is another major example that shows these problems rational choice theory innately possesses. â€Å"In a real-world election with a large electorate, it is instrumentally irrational for anyone to case a ballot, since no single vote has more than an infinitesimal chance of deciding the outcome. Whether one favors selfish or selfless ends, virtually any activity in pursuit of those ends would be more effective than the time spent on voting and on educating oneself about candidates and issues. Yet hundreds of millions of people do vote. For rational choice theory, this would appear to be a gigantic anomaly† (Friedman 6); As noted earlier, rational choice theory presumes that an agent of the model seeks best possible outcomes to maximize his or her utility in given constraints. However, according to Green and Shapiro, in a real-world voting behavior does not confirm this assumption of rational choice theory where voters cast a ballot without having enough time to assess or predict its possible outcome and realizing whether his or her action of voting maximize benefit or not. Another issue raised by Green and Shapiro is free riding problem; While voters can easily pursue a free riding action on the efforts of others to help the cause succeed, there is no need for people to devote resources of time and money to cause desired results. In other words, â€Å"rational choice theory would seem to be refuted not only by people who vote, but by those who contribute small amounts of money to political campaigns, attend rallies, and engage in other forms of collective action designed to secure goals whose achievement is independent of the efforts of any single participant† (Friedman 7). As seen from Green and Shapiro’s founding, most criticisms of rational choice theory seem to be that the assumptions of the theory are not literally and completely true. No model can pass such a test, as all theories abstract from reality in certain way. Determining the empirical validity of a model would therefore seem to involve an examination of both feasibility of assumptions and conformity with real-world data. The most basic assumption of rational choice theory is that the primary unit of analysis is the individual decision-maker. Those who believe that groups are fundamental have criticized this assumption. This issue of so called, â€Å"methodological individualism† are dealt in many contexts in the social sciences. In the book, â€Å"Rational Choice Theory: Advocacy and Critique†, Coleman and Fararo argues that models of purposive action or rational choice model can be useful in explaining and predicting human behavior. They further their argument by saying that â€Å"because the values and beliefs of individuals are shaped primarily by the socializing influences of society, especially as mediated through social relationships with significant other, an understanding of the culture and structure of societies and of the positions of individuals within them is necessary† (Coleman and Fararo 22). According to Coleman and Fararo, major problem for applying rational choice model particularly into Economics and Political Science, in which the primary interest has been in aggregate level outcomes, â€Å"is that the postulate of purposive action has been linked to arbitrary and narrow assumptions about what individuals value and believe† (Coleman Fararo 33). Also the assumption that human behavior is narrowly self-interested and the use of the term rationality to refer to the efficient pursuit of economic benefits has often produced incorrect assumption that rational choice model are innately egoistic; â€Å"that they regard individuals as calculating the expected benefit to themselves of alternative lines of action and acting accordingly (Coleman and Fararo 34). Recent empirical evidences suggest that human beings are capable of acting in ways for the interests of others or the social group above their self-interest, which implies that the assumption of individual’s pursuit of self-interest does not match with reality. Coleman and Fararo further their discussion of this â€Å"methodological individualism† by arguing that a social norm can be one primary example, which refutes the basic assumption of rational choice model. According to Coleman and Fararo, â€Å"When a social norm is know to have been violated, some type of formal or informal sanction will result† (Coleman Fararo 35). Formal sanction like a legal code or a set of rules and informal sanction like a disapproval or social ostracism would affect individual’s choice making process. Therefore, unlike the basic assumption of rational choice model suggests that human behavior is oriented from self-interest, by the effect of social norms and values, individuals can consequently act in altruistic or selfless way for pursuing the interests of groups they are involved in. Because of its limit and problematic nature of rational choice theory, the need for alternative explanation has become necessary for many scholars who criticize the theory. Dennis Chong provides some insights for the possible alternative of rational choice theory in his article, â€Å"Rational Choice Theory’s Mysterious Rivals†. According to Chong, even though Green and Shapiro’s critique against rational choice theory has failed to provide complete form of alternative explanation, there are some theoretical debates and discussions that suggest possible theoretical replacement or revision. Chong argues that, â€Å"Green and Shapiro occasionally allude to the influence of social-psychological and moral factors† such as group loyalties, emotions, political identities, ideology, obligation, and altruism (Friedman 47). As found in Coleman and Fararo’s arguments that institutional or social factors can affect individual’s choice making process, many scholars further their discussion of this social motivation as the alternative of rational choice theory. In his article, â€Å"When Rationality Fails†, Michael Taylor argues that social identification and intrinsic motivation can explain some of significant social phenomenon and collective action that has been ignored by rational choice theory; â€Å"If a person defines herself as a member of a group, or if her membership in a group is made cognitively salient, then she is more likely to observe the group’s norms and cooperate with group members in social dilemmas† (Friedman 230). For intrinsic motivation, Taylor explains that there are some activities that are intrinsically motivating people to be participated such as interesting work, volunteering, and political activities. In this case the activity itself or enjoyment of that activity is the reward for people. When extrinsic rewards like money are introduced, intrinsic motivation would diminish (Friedman 231). By suggesting the concept of social identification and intrinsic motivation, problems of rational choice model for explaining some collective action can be resolved. In this paper, a sense of how rational choice theory works and of its methodological foundations has been introduced. It has also been noticed that rational choice theory is not an ultimate answer. The theory is subject to a number of criticisms, but there is no doubt that its influence in various fields of study have brought tremendous amounts of theoretical debates, and increased the depth of economic, sociological, and political discussions. It is impossible to attain complete knowledge about anything, especially social phenomena. However, it is certain that rational choice approach is one of most crucial theoretical resources for human beings to explore and examine to gain this ultimate answer. It can be useful or misleading, depending on how it is treated. It is responsibility of remaining and future scholars and people to correctly apply and use this theory with open-minded attitude.

The left realist perspective on crime

The left realist perspective on crime This assignment is about how realism define crime,it causes and how these crimes could be prevented.There are numerous crime theories, example labelling theory,life course theory,anomie theory an so forth.All of the above mentioned theories have different views in the definition of crime,it causes and prevention.This essay will talk about realism theory in particular on how they do define crime.its causes and prevention.There are two types of realism theories and these are left and right realism but for the purpose of this assignment left realism will be the key area that will be discussed on how property crime like shoplifting its causes and how it could be prevented. Left realism sees crime as a real problem for ordinary people and explains it through analysis, social and economic relationships, and how some groups become marginalised. In one regard, the left realists do share some degree of agreement with the radical theorists in that it is common ground that crime is a reaction to an unjust society (Lea and Young, 1984:45). Emergence as a means of explaining its main principles in respect of how the left realists see the causes of crime and its prevention methods. It will also identify its criminological perspectives with which it conflicts with other theories like right realism and the theory of anomie.One of the basic dogmas of the left realism is that criminals offences other than white collar crimes are serious problems and they demand to be explained and tackled.Left realist counter a number of arguments which criminologist have gone on to suggest that such offences are grievous.Jock Young(1993) argued that there has been a substantial and significance increase in street crimes since World War Two. In one regard, the left realists do share some degree of agreement with the radical theorists in that it is common ground that crime is a reaction to an unjust society (Lea and Young, 1984:45). However, on that point is also disagreement in that, unlike radical criminologists, left realists do not imagine that the criminal should not be blamed for responding by engaging in offending behavior. Offense is one form of egoistic response to loss. Its roots are injustice, but its growth often perpetrates injustice (Lea and Young, 1984:72). Lea and young believed that deprivation will only contribute to crime where it is known as relative deprivation. A group experiences relative deprivation when it feels deprived in comparism to other similar groups or when its prospects are not touched. It is not the fact of being deprived as such, only the touch of privation which is significant. Lea and Young (1984) point to a group army of young unemployed for whom a collective violence and the tempora ry ascendancy over their territory through riots is a substitute for organized crimes. Lea and Young suggested that culture and subjective meanings also have to be critically analyzed. Relative deprivation may be defined as the experience of being deprived of something to which one believes oneself to be entitled (Walker and Smith 2001). According to Runciman (1966) he argued hat the poor became aware of the scale of difference between them and the rich through political revolutions. Lea and Young asserted that not just unemployment or poverty lead to the cause of crime, it is when the feelings of resentment of the people what they could actually earn compared to their expectations which leads them to perpetrate a felonious crime. While single causes of crime are rejected, they argue that much is brought about by relative deprivation.This does not mean deprivation in itself produces crime as there is no clear evidence to substantiate this argument and such argument neglects white collar crime (Lea and Young 1993).Left realists believe that most group in a society have different expectations which are connected to what they feel they deserve.They may compare their s ituations with other members in the society whom they would expect to equal.If these expectations are not met ,they may feel deprived not absolutely but relatively.Unemployed youth in society may feel relatively deprived when they compare themselves with employed youth in the same society and this may lead them to frustration because they might feel for them being unemployed is not their fault and this can lead them in engaging them to commit property crimes such as shoplifting. The second facet of causes of crimes in left realistic perspective is marginalisation.Lea and Young argued that marginalisation means the process by which certain groups find themselves on the edge of society.Black and white working class youth sometimes feel alienated by the police force,educational institutions ,low- wages and unemployment.Young peole, example those in black community do face some level of marginalisation through prejudice and harassment example military police (stop and search) and they asserted that this may be the â€Å" straw that breaks the camel back†. Economic marginalisation that have been created by upper class in the society are transferred in criminal acts like committing property crime example shoplifting. The third problem of the left realist identified as a cause to crimes such as property crime is the problem of subculture. Lea and young argued that subculture of blacks is distinctly different from their parents who largely acceptd their marginalised position in society.Black people in a society example those in subculture has got aspirations and high expectations in life that is they always try to use status symbols like acquiring flashy cars , buying expensive clothings and the use of costly mobile phones and other expensive gadgets. Because black youth is so closely enmeshed in values of consumption style, and wealth, this is precisely why they engage in committing crime because of blocked opportunities.Lea and Young see subcultures as the collective solutions to groups problem.So, if a group of people share a sense of relative deprivation,they develop lifestyles which allow them to cope with this problem.Nevertheless,a particular subculture is not an automatic,inevitable respons e to a solution; Human creativity will allow a mixture of resolutions to be developed. These are the three main causes the left realist identified as causes of crimes.The left realists did not only focus on the offender as compared to some other theories.They did go beyong the scope of the offender and showed concerns for the victim patterns and formal and informal as well.They did so by explaining the square of crime which are the Offender, Victim,State and lastly the internal controls.Lea and Young argued that there must be interrelationship between these four elements before crime could be understood. Above all, these causes left realism adopted some approaches as a prevention methods to curb the growing of crime.Left realist believe that for crimes to be prevented ,there must be a considerable attention by focusing on practical measures .In Losing the Fight Agaisnt Crime(1986), Jock Young,Richard Kinsey and John Lea suggested the ways policing could be changed.Lea ,Young and Kinsey contended that the key to police success lies in improving relationships with the community so that stream of data which the police rely increases.To accomplish this ,they suggested minimal policing should be adopted.Even though,he indicated that the public should establish priorities for the police.Young also identified some sectors which he believes are under-policed and over-policed.Young thought the state and the police force spend too much of their time and energy in tackling certain types of crimes and not enough to others.This type of approach to policing warp the stats as to the genuineness nat ure of crime. Young and Lea also suggested that for offenses to be foreclosed, there must be some prioritization of social justice programs of crime prevention. When groups in a society feel that the law treats everyone in the same society, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, race, etc. they forget the presence of marginalisation and as such for them (lower-class) thinking that they have been prejudiced will be out of context. This will not create any social misconduct in the society henceforth prevent committing of criminal offenses. Another prevention methods the left realists adopted was the idea of prison sentences should be longer than usual which will create a solution rising crime rates.They also believed that for crimes to be prevented , the powers of the police force should be increased (Formal social Control).They did also suggested that there should be more informal social controls such as quality housing, improvement of social services,good job prospects,quality community areas like play areas; which all these create a sense of belongings. The left realists also suggested that there should be pre-emptive deterrence (situational and social target hardening) should be adopted in order to control or prevent crimes.To prevent crimes from left realists perspective involves intervention of each part of the crime at the level of factors which give putative offender (such as structural unemployment), the formal organisation (such as lack of public mobilisation),the victim (such as inadequate target hardening) and the formal systems (such as ineffective policing) (Young,1986:41). Above all,Feminist criminological theorists have been critical of left realism in its tackling both of female criminal behaviour and its failure to explain the crimes that are traditionally viewed as targeting women,such as rape.Precisely,as it could be criticised for neglecting to offer an adequate account of different types of criminal behaviour.Left realism was accused of an overly one-dimensional focus on youth,male,working-class criminal behaviour to the detriment f offenders from other socio-demographic backgrounds.Female criminality is largely unaddressed and moreover,exposes a central weaknes in one of the key principlesof left realism.Evenly, it difficult to see how left realism can explain sexual crimes against women unless it comes within the same class of violent offences that are the result of frustration following a failure to achieve legitimate success.This appears an extremely tenuous argument for such complex crimes and in any case,left realist have tended not engros s with the issue of rape to any degree thus the explanation remains speculative(Heidensohn,1985). To conclude,the left realists see the causes of crime example property crime(shoplifting) are relative deprivation,marginalisation,and subculture which all these constitute the causes of crime.They also suggested some approaches which must be practised in order to prevent crimes from happening.They suggested formal social control measures thus the police should be given more powers to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently and also suggested longer prison sentences to avert crimes from rising.Lastly they suggested informal social control measures like good job prospects,quality housing and quality community areas like playing grounds for belongingness.

Beautiful Disasters: Pearl As A Living Breathing Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Sometimes beauty is found in places as unexpected as a rosebush growing outside of a prison in a puritan colonial village. Pearl Prynne is an unearthly beautiful child with a wild spirit born under unimaginably sinful conditions, all of which are somehow related to the ideas, actions, and views of others on Hester’s punishment. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Pearl serves as Hester’s living, breathing Scarlet letter. Pearl evokes the same emotion and reactions from the townspeople, as does the scarlet letter. The people look at the slight sense of pride Hester has in her letter in the same way they look at the way Hester lets Pearl do whatever she wants. They feel Hester isn’t fit to raise the child. The extremity of gossip from the females of the village in the beginning of the book is only matched by the amount that Pearl’s wild attitude stirs up later on. Hester’s â€Å"A† is the example for all of what sin is. The â€Å"A† makes Hester much avoided and the parents tell their children to watch out for her. Theses same parents say the same things to their kids about avoiding Pearl, who is infamous for her uncontrollable behavior with her peers and other adults. Just as infamous as Hester’s â€Å"A† for the wild sinful actions it symbolizes. Like Hester’s scarlet letter, Pearl shows extreme beauty in a form that is not traditional, positive, tame, or fully accepted. When Hester crafts the â€Å"A† that she has to wear on her chest, She uses a deep, passionate shade of red and embroiders it very intricately with bright gold thread. The â€Å"A† was meant to mark Hester in a negative manor; its purpose is to let everyone know that Hester is a sinner. Hester takes something extremely negative and makes it appear as passionately beautiful. Hawthorne portrays Pearl in a very detailed specific manor, meant to put emphasis on the similarities between Pearl and the â€Å"A†. She is the symbol of Hester’s sin but the tone that is used when referring to her makes her out to appear as a stunningly beautiful creature. The narrator states, â€Å"There was a trait of passion, a certain depth of hue, which she never lost† ( ). Even the adjectives he uses in describing Pearl suggest something color related (â€Å"hue†). There is a feeling of wildness and uncontrollably in Pearl’s appearance; more specifically in her eyes.

Human Inequality :: essays research papers

Nothing in life is guaranteed, but there is one thing that we all expect to receive throughout our lifetime. Every human demands to be treated equally in the same manner as the person next to them. This general consensus of modern day was not the norm throughout the history of America. No matter how much we try not to look back upon our obtuse behavior towards particular ethnic groups, what took place cannot be undone. The only positive effect that can be derived from the past is to learn from these mistakes. Less than a century after abolishing what had become a two hundred year old practice of enslaving African Americans, the â€Å"Land of the Free† again displayed its disregard for human equality as Japanese Americans were stripped of their every belonging and sent to internment camps during World War II. The enslavement of African Americans began during a time when the United States was a budding country in the need for cheap labor. In response to this necessity, slave traders would go to various regions within Africa to hunt for the residents who they would then capture and sell. It is mind-blowing to imagine an entire family being taken from their home in chains, only to then be separated never to see one another again. These Africans were not only robbed of their family and home but also their freedom and right to live their own lives. Upon their arrival to America, along with the new title of African Americans, came a new life of cruelty and inhumanity. Their self-respect was the first thing to be disposed of as they were assigned a monetary value when auctioned off like prize cattle. In Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, the author describes the sale of her uncle with, â€Å"Though only ten years old, seven hundred and twenty dollars was paid for him.† This was only the beginning of the slaveholders’ attempt to confiscate any remnant piece of dignity so that the slaves could be more easily oppressed. Slaveholders recognized the potential that knowledge created within a person and thus, kept their slaves as ignorant as possible. Because literacy was not allowed by any means, slaves were deprived of the celebrated joy of a birthday. Douglass describes in Narrative of the Life of an American Slave, slaves’ inability to know their own birthday because there were no authentic records considering nobody was able to read or write.

Essay example --

Molecular technology has become the talk of mainstream science and technology today. As the aviation industry searches for new forms of efficient aviation, molecular technology would be the only logical place to start. For this report the various beneficial uses of carbon nanotubes, in form of buckminsterfullerene, will be both discussed and theorized. The infinitesimal molecular structure of carbon 60 has provided a revolutionary solution for flight efficiency and advancement today. Through the use of an experimental material derived from carbon nanotube technology some of flights oldest conjectures will be solved. Manifested in the form of paper like sheets, these carbon molecules have been transformed into a material better known as buckypaper, possessing less than a quarter of steel’s overall weight and ten times its conductivity(Jade Boyd). It’s strong yet lightweight properties could perhaps pave the way for major breakthroughs within the ever critical flight industry today. Introduction Phenomenal leaps in the flight and aviation industry today have caused a state of static ignorance throughout the minds of innovative aviators. What baffles the mind of contemporary aviation today is not the next high speed jet, perhaps soaring some speed close to that of light. What baffles modern aviation today is the creation of an effective yet practical form manpowered flight. With the creation of the combustion and jet engines the dreams once conceived by numerous pioneers of early flight have become the lost fables of history. As a result, the aviation industry today has ultimately failed when searching for better forms flight efficiency. In order to modify the wheel it must first be rebuilt using the most practical and effective m... ...et from destination A to destination B with a cheaper and safer means of affordable flight. Though the general public knows very little about alternative methods of mass production for buckypaper, it will probably become the most prolifically used molecule in aviation sector for many years to come. The general public should expect to see a technological revolution in the future that will make flight cheaper and more affordable. To retrieve any scientific information pertaining to the topic’s progress has currently proven to be a difficult task, partly because there aren’t many published journals pertaining to the topic of buckminsterfullerene. This, however, does not mean research will remain stagnant and future opportunities lost. Buckypaper’s diverse fields of application will redefine the status quo of aviation and technology today once research is complete.

Myths and Facts About Bullying

A topic of great concern among American society, and parents in particular, is that of youth violence. The media often makes the situation appear as though youth violence is on the increase in the United States. However, scientific research shows that youth violence is not truly increasing, but that certain environmental factors make the statistics read as though the violence is increasing. Statistics can be influenced by a number of factors besides actual increases in violence, such as the introduction of ‘zero tolerance’ policies in schools or the reduction of police discretion on police forces.These environmental factors lead to more incidents of youth violence being detected by those who measure youth violence, but dose not actually represent an actual concrete increase in the violence. However, there is one area of youth violence that has increased somewhat over the past three decades. Although the increase is not drastic, bullying is a form of youth violence that i s highly prevalent in all schools in North America, and abroad. Bullying is a lesser form of violence in which one or more students pick on, verbally or physically abuse another student who is viewed as a weaker child.This often takes the form of physical and/or psychological harm (Bastche & Knoff et al. , 1994). Although bullying is a major problem within the school system, the topic is not fully understood and there are many circulated myths related to the subject. This paper attempts to highlight some of these myths and clarify the actual facts that do exist within the documented literature. Myths about the topic of bullying are widespread and are commonly believed by the majority of individuals.One of the most common myths can even be seen in the above definition of bullying, in that the victims of bullying are not always weaker children than are the bullies. One of the myths about bullying relates to the fact that some schools say their do not have bullying. Sometimes schools w ith ‘zero tolerance’ policies in place believe that they have successfully managed to end bullying as a problem for their students, but it is highly unlikely that this is true (Byrne, 1994).There are many different ways bullying can occur beyond the sight of teachers and authority figures, as bullying is often a very subtle form of violence or harassment, and can be as simple as a glance from one student to another. The only difference between schools with the subject of bullying is whether or not they choose to deal with it in an effective manner. Schools that take a proactive approach to the problem of bullying, by educating their students and dealing with it promptly and firmly, are the most likely to have success in combating the issue, but no school will ever fully remove the problem of bullying (Byrne, 1994).Another common myth about bullying relates to how children are encouraged to deal with the issue. Nearly everyone can relate to a parent or teacher telling th e victim of bullying to simply ‘ignore it. ’ Nearly all victims of bullying are told that they should ignore their bully, not give in to them or respond, as all the bully wants is to get a reaction. But bullying should not be ignored. Every student and child has the right to attend school without being harassed or bullied by other students (Hoover et al, 1992).To tell the student to simply ignore the problem is telling them that the problem does not matter, and the other student is within his or her own right to bully. This is not true. Victims of bullies should maintain records of the events and insist that the school deal with the problem effectively by punishing the bully (Hoover et al, 1992). Many adults believe that bullying really has no damaging effects on children. It is often believed that bullying is a part of life, or a part of growing up and that all children are teased over one topic or another. Thus, the lesson to be learned is how to brush it off and cont inue on with life.Some adults will say that â€Å"it builds character,† but this is not true. Bullying does have immediate and long term detrimental effects on victims. It certainly will build character, but not the positive time. Victims of bullies often carry the damage with them for the remainder of their life, and may become weary of social situations or develop a habit of being submissive to any other person who appears to be somewhat dominant (Craig, 1998). Victims of bullying have even been found to suffer from forms of post traumatic stress disorder, in that they often spend the majority of their school years in fear.The fear of bullying victims can also have negative impacts on their school performance. Thus, the effects of bullying are far from being fleeting or unimportant. Victims of bullying have their psychological injuries reinforced by such myths and untrue so called facts, as they never witness anyone telling them that it is not their fault, that they should not have to put up with bullying, or that the bully is the individual in the wrong. Another related myth is that bullying serves to toughen kids up and make them resistant to future problems as adults, but this is not true at all (Craig, 1998).Myths abound concerning who the targets and victims of bullying are. Many believe that the bully-victim dichotomy is one that is analogous to the strong-weak dichotomy. This, however is not true. Victims of bullies are often sensitive, caring individuals. While their kindness, intelligence, honesty or creativity may be taken as a form of weakness, in reality they are strong individuals who endure years of abuse at the hands of bullies (Olweus, 1997). The typical victim of a bully is not inclined towards violence in the least, making them an easy target, but hardly a wimp or weakling.Often this low inclination towards violence is a result of high levels of personal integrity and values, not a result of being a wimp. If society were made up sole ly of these so called ‘wimps’ and ‘weaklings’ society would be a much better and safer place to live. Many have viewed bullying as something at attacks individuals who are in essence, the best individuals society has created (Craig, 1998). They are smart, respectful, honest, creative, have high values, morals and integrity, and often have a very strong internal sense of fairness or justice.Bullies target these individuals because often they will not fight back due to their own values, but this does not make bullying acceptable or explainable. Other myths concern the relationship between bullying and social skills. Many people believe that it is the popular kids with good social skills that become bullies and pick on the children who do not have good social skills or who are psychologically weak. On the contrary, it is bullies who lack the social skills and who are themselves psychologically weak. Many bullies are in fact afraid of social situations or of re jection (Olweus, 1997).They set themselves up into social situations where they cannot be rejected because other children are afraid of them. Bullies often also suffer from low self esteem which is one of the reasons they derive a better sense concerning their own abilities through the harassment of other students. Bullies will often also target individuals whom they envy, either due to their increased social skills or higher intelligence. Unable to articulate the fact that they are envious, or in some cases actually wish to be the victim’s friend, bullies react with negativity towards these individuals (Rigby & Slee, 1991).Thus it is clear that there are quite a few myths concerning the topic of bullying. Bullying is a very serious problem that causes long lasting, and sometimes life long damage to victims (Craig, 1998). Bullying cannot be completely removed from any school system, but effective policies can be put in place for dealing with bullying. Such policies should tak e the side of the victims and assert to students that bullying, in any form, is not acceptable. Both bullies and victims should be taught effective social skills and skills of communication that allow them to sort through difficulties using words that are not harmful and a lack of violence.Bullies should be dealt with harshly in a manner that informs them that their behaviour is unacceptable, yet at the same time it should not be ignored that bullies themselves are often victims of lowered self esteem or may be victims of violence in another part of their life. Above all, the feelings of victims and their experiences should not be discounted by adults as ‘parts of life,’ ‘rites of passage,’ or ‘wimpy and sensitive. ’ The feelings of victims of bullying are very legitimate and should be dealt with immediately to prevent long term psychological effects (Craig, 1998).References Batsche, G. M & Knoff, H. M. (1994). Bullies and their victims: Unders tanding a pervasive problem in the schools. School Psychology Review, 23,165-174. Byrne, B. J. (1994). Bullies and victims in a school setting with reference to some Dublin schools. The Irish Journal of Psychology, 15, 574-586. Craig, W. M. (1998). The relationship among bullying, victimization, depression, anxiety and aggression in elementary school children. Personality and Individual Differences, 24,123-130. Hoover, J. H. , Oliver, R. & Hazler, R. J. (1992). Bullying: Perceptions of adolescent victims in the Midwestern U. S. A. School Psychology International, 13, 5-16. Olweus, D. (1997). Bully/Victim problems at school: Knowledge base and an effective intervention program. The Irish Journal of Psychology, 18, 170-190. Rigby, K. & Slee, p>T. (1991). Dimensions of interpersonal relation among Australian children and implications for psychological well-being. The Journal of Social Psychology, 133, 33-42. Online Sources: Bullying by Mobile Phone and Abusive Text Messaging  œ Child Bullying, http://bullyonline. org/schoolbully/mobile. htm Terrorism Starts in the Playground – http://www. bullyonline. org/schoolbully/terror. htm

Natsume Soseki has written Kokoro

Natsume Soseki has written Kokoro in such a way that the reader be acquainted with Boku and Sensei.   Through them, Soseki believed that a person’s actions should be coming from their true emotions and not by what others perceive of it.   A person should always do things in accordance to what he thinks is right and not by merely considering what the people dictates to him.   Sometimes people tend to live up to what the people tell them because their reputation is at stake.   Just like the planned graduation party of Boku[1].   Even though Boku did not want to have a party, his parents insisted because his father has a reputation to maintain in their community. Kokoro was also written in such a way that there is a special connection between Sensei and Boku in being able to see their imperfections by means of their shallowness.   Despite the two characters having different worldly views, they still found company in each other’s presence.   Boku is somewhat a person who wants to know who Sensei really is and Sensei was not the type of person who would reveal the real him. The style of the first part of Kokoro resembles that of a detective novel, and helps first to establish the reader’s curiosity towards Sensei. Narrator Boku provides no self-introduction and no adequate explanation for his interest in Sensei. Instead, he continuously feeds the reader small ‘clues’ – pieces to the puzzle of Sensei – to gain the reader’s curiosity. ‘â€Å"I cannot tell you why,† Sensei said to me, â€Å"but for a very good reason I wish to go to that grave alone. Even my wife, you see, has never come with me.† [End of passage]’[2] Sudden breaks in narrative are often used to leave these clues hanging, helping to compound the suspense felt by the reader. Additionally, despite having already experienced all the events he describes, Boku chooses to present them in the original chronological order and to narrate his original thoughts regarding each event.    â€Å"I wondered also why Sensei felt the way he did towards mankind.†[3] Revealing his thoughts and experiences in this manner assists Boku in linking with the reader, as it constructs between them a shared interest towards Sensei. Soseki seeks to direct this interest, as evident in the sentence: â€Å"Had I been curious in an impersonal and analytical way, the bond between us would surely not have lasted.†[4] This explanation of the nature of Boku’s curiosity can be interpreted as a suggestion to the reader; in order to complete the puzzle of Sensei, the reader needs to explore Sensei on a more personal level – not simply to analyse from a third person perspective, but rather to attempt to interpret Boku’s regard for Sensei by examining the similar attitudes and values that the two espouse. In the third part of Kokoro, Soseki switches to a new narrative frame, and we read Sensei’s letter through the eyes of Boku. Sensei directly addresses Boku in the letter – driving us as readers even closer to Boku, as we to try to interpret Sensei’s words through the mindset of Boku. Contrastingly, despite the title ‘My Parents and I’, part two of the novel serves to distance the reader from Boku’s family. As readers, our interest draws to a peak when Sensei agrees to tell Boku about his past. However, Sensei does not, and instead Boku’s father’s illness forces Boku to leave for home. This is frustrating for Boku, and for the reader, as is revealed in the passage: ‘†¦ there was much that I did not know about Sensei. He had not told me about his past, as he had promised. I could not be content until he was fully revealed to me.’[5]  Even as Boku’s father lies on his deathbed, Boku’s thoughts wander towards Sensei – physically represented by his moving back and forth between his bedroom and his father’s bedroom. In the process of affiliation with Sensei and Boku, the reader is exposed to the two characters’ disdain towards external appearances and opinions.  Both Sensei and Boku show their disregard for academia. Boku shows little regard for his diploma – he ‘pretends his diploma is a telescope’ surveys the world outside his window in it, and then throws it down on his desk. Similarly, Sensei does not know where he put his diploma.  In contrast, Boku’s parents hold Boku’s diploma in the highest regard. They scold Boku for not having taken better care of the diploma, and display it in the house. Boku’s narration shows that he also is not interested in the appearance of things.   He tends to observe, conclude and investigate on it.   Just like what happened when he saw Sensei at the beach centre.   He overlooked at Sensei’s appearance and focused his attention more on his behaviour thus speculating Sensei’s state of mind.  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"He was always aloof and [†¦] seemed totally indifferent to his surroundings†.[6] Sensei bears a similar disregard towards appearances to others and describes it:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I used to consider it a disgrace to be found ignorant by other people. But now, I find that I am not ashamed of knowing less than others †¦Ã¢â‚¬ [7]  Sometimes people tend to pull themselves down because they think they know less about things.   But come to think of it, even though a person does not graduate high school or college, it means that he is more ignorant than those who have graduated.   People know different things and not all individuals can learn everything. With these, it forms a sharp contrast with Boku’s parents.   The parents of Boku have a high regard for the physicality of things while Sensei and Boku do not.   Boku’s parents seem to relate the physical aspect of a thing with its value just like the diploma.   For them, being able to have a diploma is something that should be cherished, treasured and be well cared of.   While for Sensei and Boku, a diploma is somewhat like a representation of the knowledge acquired while in the university.   A diploma is just a paper, nothing more, nothing less.   What is important are the learning obtained during the years studying in the university. In conclusion, Kokoro is a classic example of presenting two characters that may turn out to be indifferent from one another at first but later on saw their similarities.   Even though these two characters obviously come from different generations, they still were able to find a common ground.   These two started out as complete strangers and tended to avoid the fact that they needed each other’s company but in the end, it just proves that no matter the distance of two persons, they still are close when always remembered. Bibliography Soseki, Natsume. Kokoro (Part 2) Chicago: Regnery Gateway, 1957. 21 Jan. 2000. http://www.eldritchpress.org/ns/k2.html [1] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Online Version, 2001. part 2                                                                                                                               [2] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p11 [3] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p22 [4] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p11 [5] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p65 [6] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p5 [7] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p37

Alving in Search for Freedom Essay

Henrik Ibsen’s works are dealing with the well kept secrets and dogmas in society. His plays strip away the defending layers of the established ethical and moral virtues of social life and therefore create a great commotion and distress among the general public. Ibsen’s radical exposure of highly tabooed themes such as sexually transmitted diseases, euthanasia, incest, dysfunctional marriages, and the â€Å"angel of the house† role of women causes the painful response of the spectators facing the brightness of the truth. Prof. Bjorn Hemmer in his â€Å"The Dramatist Henrik Ibsen† laconically summarizes the magnitude of Ibsen’s impact on modern theatre and social conventions: â€Å"However, drama was the focus of his real lyrical spirit. For a period of many hard years, he faced bitter opposition. But he finally triumphed over the conservatism and aesthetic prejudices of the contemporary critics and audiences. More than anyone, he gave theatrical art a new vitality by bringing into European bourgeois drama an ethical gravity, a psychological depth, and a social significance which the theatre had lacked since the days of Shakespeare. In this manner, Ibsen strongly contributed to giving European drama a vitality and artistic quality comparable to the ancient Greek tragedies.† â€Å"Hedda Gabler† and â€Å"Ghosts† are the two plays this essay will focus on and especially on the importance for the two protagonists-Hedda Gabler and Mrs. Alving- to defeat social constraints according to which they have structured their lives. The great dramatist Ibsen masterfully reveals the disastrous consequences on his heroines’ psyches and souls this social canon of conformity inflicts. Through the subtle play of light, language and stage position, Ibsen reinforces the tragic circumstance in which Hedda and Mrs. Alving exist, the mundane lamp and living-room furniture encapsulate the deep tragedy of human beings and simultaneously show Ibsen’s naturalistic talent in portraying life. In â€Å"Hedda Gabler† the movement of the protagonist’s own pieces of furniture in the front and back room are emphasizing and helping even the spectator to anticipate her following action. Hedda Gabler is the daughter of General Gabler, who bequeathed her no financial independence, but a pair of dueling pistols and anachronistic, severely strict military aristocratic code of behaviour and is newly married to the historian George Tesman, whom she neither loves nor respect. She is conscious of her total dependency on the very reliable Tesman and this acknowledgement tears apart her being with rage and helplessness. In order to be able to continue living under these circumstances Hedda viciously emphasizes her intellectual and rank superiority over Tesman and his ever-sacrificing Aunt Julia and hurts them through her highly sarcastic language. She denies in her mind falling into the frame of the assigned female societal role and therefore slips fully into the indulgence of nothingness and boredom. This state could have remained for ever unchanged until the abrupt reintroduction of her former platonic lover Lovborg who becomes what before seemed to Hedda â€Å"impossible†, i.e. â€Å"†¦some goal in life to work toward.†2 Ibsen confronts her with the reformed alcoholic and genius Eilert Lovborg and throws her back in the idyllic past of General Gabler reading a newspaper and her experiencing the â€Å"forbidden world† through the wild and seductive stories of young routhen Lovborg on the sofa behind him. Lovborg is back on his feet fighting for a clean starting in life and writing books that are a tremendous success. But Hedda is not the inspiring power at Lovborg’s site anymore and that makes her extremely jealous of the woman who has such a positive power on him at the moment Mrs. Thea Elvsted and who is ironically a former flame of her husband. Hedda Gabler’s personality is a very complex mixture of the severely installed in her being notions of correct behaviour in social aspect of rank and class belonging and the fully suppressed personal creative potential. Hedda is lamed with fear; her whole existence is driven not by the positive force of creating, but the devastating nihilistic grip of fear and conventions of society. In order to contradict this haunting power of correctness and properness Hedda searches through Lovborg life experiences to live out her inborn human desires for creative fulfillment. But Hedda is a woman of good standing, she cannot do as she pleases, she can do as she pleases solely within the framework of the norms prescribed by public opinion. Lovborg is only a feeble opportunity for her to show her creativity, because the fear of a scandal creeps in and Hedda’s creative potential and suppressed sexuality are distorted into a storm of malevolence.

Phi/105 Letter

Letter to a 20 or 21 Century Philosopher PHI/105 September 23, 2012 Letter to a 20 or 21 Century Philosopher I am writing this letter to John Dewey regarding his theory of pragmatism. I am choosing this theory because it interests me in the scientific aspect of your thinking. I know that you chose to challenge logicians to answer the question of truth. This is a hard thing to sort out and make real and true. Going up against some of the times most logical thinkers and challenging them to come up with true answers was one of your strong points.I know that you were not totally opposed to modern logic as you have stated â€Å"logic based upon the idea that qualitative objects are existential in the fullest sense. To retain logical principles based on this conception along with the acceptance of theories of existence and knowledge based on an opposite conception is not, to say the least, conductive to clearness – a consideration that has a good deal to do with existing dualism be tween traditional and the newer relational logics. †(Qualitative Thought  1930) This statement to me means that you had maybe exhausted the traditional way of thinking that you had imagined.I believe that you had to reach for more answers and different ways to get those answers. Truth is a hard thing to come by and it is not easily obtained. I know that you were a philosopher of science and that you used this to try and understand the world. From you research you did not stretch the truth but rather examined all of the parts that could be explained by science. In figuring these things out you were able to determine if the phenomena that you were examining at the time were actually true or not.I find this interesting because there are many things in this world that are hard to explain. I am sure that there were many questions left unanswered for you because the research technology was just not there for you at the time you were doing your research on different phenomenaâ€⠄¢s. The scientific method that you chose to follow would be a base for all of the scientists that followed your research and I find it amazing that you are still known to this day. I can see now by researching your history why you did not believe in religion. I would have to say this is ecause it is something that could not be proven. The phenomena that a being could exists and create everything is just too impossible to conceive. It is impossible to determine by science even to this day if someone such as this did or could ever exist. There is no scientific method that can prove the truth of this and this is why you did not believe it was possible. I would have to also agree with this point and if there were a way to research it scientifically and prove that such a being or person did exist I would believe that to be the truth.With no truth about certain things it is hard to put any kind of faith in them. The more I think about these things the more I believe the scientific method the best way for me to go about life and think about things. I believe that the other two schools are just as good as yours. I just lean a little more towards science then math or metaphysics. These other two schools are necessary as well for the understanding of almost all things that are explainable. There is no one school that is better than the others and I would have to relate to all three of them.As for the things that are just phenomena I would have to agree with you in analyzing the facts and truths that we are able to prove and believe in rather than just making things up and believing in false truths. John Dewey you are truly someone to look up to and I have found in your readings some truth to this life that we lead. Many things go unanswered but in time many things that were unanswerable will get figured out and the truth shall be revealed. References READING:  Ch. 9 of  Philosophy: The Power Of Ideas. READING:  Ch. 8 of  Philosophy: The Power Of Ideas. http://w ww. infed. org/thinkers/et-dewey. htm

Team Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Team Work - Essay Example The Belbin theory of team building states that in order to build a good team, a workplace should be assessed in great detail to look at the strength and weaknesses of individuals. The information learned at this stage can be used in selecting the right people for the right task. It will help in building good working relationship because people with the right skills will be doing the right tasks and hence will enjoy success and authority over what they do and this will in turn make them more confident and will help them achieve their targets with ease. It will also help the development of high performing teams because right people will be doing the right work. This will create positive synergies and generated output will greater than the sum of inputs by the team. It will also help build mutual trust and understanding because all the team members will know that right people are doing the right job and hence it will be easier for all team members to communicate, report any blunders and take the corrective action as a team if necessary. All of this will build a winning team which will work extremely efficiently in congregation to achieve their tasks, goals and target within the given span of time. Belbin also gave a clear definition of team members. He believed that personality hardly matters in team setting. An individual should be judged by the way he behave, contributes and interrelates with the other team members and sees them as his peer. Team working can help team members in working in the field in which they are strong in and eliminating their weak aspects by assigning some of the tasks to people who are good at one of the team member’s weakness. In other words, team work is a congregation of strengths and elimination of weaknesses. Everyone in a team can focus on the core competencies while letting other team members do the task in which one is weak in. This is an impressive utilization of the congregational strengths that a team has. It leads the t eam to be more efficient, productive and time efficient. As a result, many of the large organizations divide their work in projects to be completed by competent team of individuals having varied skills sets and way of think. This eliminates the problem of being stuck in tasks and all the work flows smoothly which benefits the entire organization. During research done on the topic, it was found that balance is the key in the success of a team and individual’s that are part of a team. Too much of one kind of skills may lead to a team that may not be able to operate as efficiently as a team that has varied skill sets. Hence, all kinds of skills should be given a weightage when composing a ideal team. This weightage should then be compared with the skills required in a job and team composition should not be complete until and unless the two are not in equilibrium or the sum of skills sets required in a job and sum of skill sets of a team are equal. Only then an ideal team will be formed, when both are in equality. Belbin allowed certain types of weaknesses in a team. These include people who are forgetful, people who delegate too much work leaving too little for them, people who are slow, perfectionists, bad-humored and specialist in their old fields. All of these weaknesses are accepted because there is no incompatibility in the team’s targets and all of these weaknesses are personality based and not work based. Hence, Belbin believes that these types of weaknesses in a team setting are allowable and does not make much difference as compared to work related weaknesses. The personal example that I would like to share through this essay is when I was completing a research work in a group. I encountered people of diverse personality

Productivity of Disabled People at Workplaces Essay

Productivity of Disabled People at Workplaces - Essay Example This document is set to discuss the major benefits associated with the hiring and employment of disabled qualified people in different business organizations. Productivity of Disabled People at Workplaces In Canada, an estimated 13% of the total population has a disability affecting their agility, mobility, vision, hearing, and or learning (Canadians in Context, 2006). This estimate is less other disabilities such as psychological, pain, speech, memory and developmental disabilities; which when included sums up to an estimated 4.4 million Canadians with disabilities, which is about 14.3 % of the population (Canadians in Context, 2006). No matter the number one decides to quote, the basic fact still remains that the fraction of the people living with disabilities across the globe has been on a constant increase down the years. Disability is not age conscious and can come at any stage in life, either being temporary or permanent, mild or severe. Once asked, an Ottawa business executive commented that: â€Å"disability is no longer a dirty word. Now we are trying to make the term disability acceptable and another part of business. In the next 10 years, when you say you have a disability, it will just mean that I work differently than you do† (Sobecki, 2007). A 2009 survey commissioned by Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities pointed out that disabled adults are less likely to participate in the labor force. According to the report, only 52.1% of the total disabled women are employed as compared to the 70.1% of the women without disabilities. Furthermore, the ratio is similar in men where the percentage of the disabled men employed was 55.5 while that for men without disabilities stood at 80.2 (Advancing the Inclusion, 2009). Archaic times saw medical conditions such as diabetes and epilepsy perceived or rather viewed as disabilities which hindered the participation and succeeding of people in workplaces (Brightman, 2006). However, Brightman (2 006) asserts that much has been done to eliminate this notion via awareness campaigns, accommodation and accessibility, individuals with various different disabilities have emerged to form an integral part of the contemporary business world. The major reason behind this scenario is that major organizations, governments, employers and co-workers have come to look past such illnesses and are working together with disabled personalities helping them much in their quest for success (Sobecki, 2007). In the USA, the 1990’s Americans with Disability Act (ADA) presents employers with numerous opportunities to tap people with disabilities into their workforce (Barlow and Hane, 1992). According to the ADA, people with disabilities have the same and equal access to employment opportunities and their related benefits just as everyone else is. Other than prohibiting discrimination in employment of the disabled, it also covers other services like public transportation, state and local gove rnment activities, and telecommunications relay services as well (Barlow and Hane, 1992). In essence, the meaning of the ADA is that every person seeking employment is totally free to forward their applications to any job they feel qualified enough to carry on with. The ADA defines a