General Adaptation Syndrome

The steps of the general adaptation syndrome that I would experience are alarm reaction, which is the body’s initial response to any stressors. This reaction mobilizes or arouses the body in preparation to defend itself against a stressor. This reaction involves a number of body changes, which are initiated by the brain and further regulated by the endocrine system and the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. The next stage of the general adaptation syndrome I would experience is the resistance stage. This stage occurs if the stressor, which initiated the alarm reaction, is not dealt with. The body is attempting to restore the lost energy and repair the bodily damage. The final stage of the general adaptation syndrome that I would experience is the exhaustion stage. If stressors are still not dealt with, the body becomes exhausted, muscles become fatigued, and the body is then depleted of the resources required for combating stress. The emotional effects will make each day intolerable and filled with dread. I could experience anger towards my co-workers, as I filled overwhelmed. Experience depression, as an overwhelming feeling of failure, and prolonged stress of my job. The cognitive effects of stress will inhibit my thinking patterns, my ability to focus, and impair my memory and problem solving ability. The effects of the continuing stress on my health could potentially be deadly. Stress will weaken my immune system. The continued stress will increase my heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. I will suffer from headaches, an increased risk of blood clotting, allergies, hives, or heart disease. To effectively deal with the stress of this new position, some techniques I would use would be writing down the different sources throughout my day. Relaxation training and biofeedback training, evaluate what changes in attitude and behavior will need to be made in order to get the most out of my life. I will seek support from family and friends, to determine if the new position is a benefit to me, or if it is potentially to much stress, for me to commit to taking on.

Golden Parachute

Often in a stack of current newspapers, the front page topics that will catch your attention are ethical issues behind upper management compensations; in this case, on March 30th 2009, the issue that surfaced was Rick Wagoner’s leave from GM and his retirement package and how his actual/ base compensation doubled in his last year from approximately $7M to $15M. (7) With the current economic crisis, many people outside the business society have become aware of the ridiculously high income difference between top managers and regular working citizens. For instance, terms such as ‘golden parachute’ have been put under the limelight and are scrutinized. Golden parachutes are severance pays to CEOs when they leave their company. The amount of money is usually influenced by the size of the business and the effort they put in. The golden parachute was once used to ethically to compensate CEOs who sacrificed their time and effort for the business; however, this is currently not the only case. Before we get into more detail, it is important to understand that the golden parachute once had a reason for being employed. With many mergers and acquisitions during the second industrial revolution, CEOs were offered compensations proportional to how much their effort was worth. According to the Journal of Business Ethics, this was an ethical standpoint because it was followed by two positive effects. First of all, golden parachutes encouraged mergers and acquisitions as opposed to bankruptcy. For instance, the CEO would choose to merge with a competitor and leave with an enticing amount of money. This minimized unemployment and loss of structural capital which is result of bankruptcy. Another positive effect in using the golden parachute was attracting an effective management team. Great CEOs are essential for the success of businesses, yet great CEOs are low on supply. As a result, golden parachutes can be ‘recruitment tool[s]’ and can bring the business back into an economically stable position. In essence, golden parachutes were and can still be ethical if the CEOs receive compensations proportional to their effort that was put forth to the company. 1) However, although these compensation packages began as an alternative that maximizes the sum of stakeholders’ satisfaction, many CEOs began to abuse this privilege. Highlighted by the principle agent theory, most people would prioritize personal incentives above all else. Therefore, it is understandable for a CEO to pursue personal incentives. However, fiduciary responsibilities to shareholders must be reinforced by boards. It is human nature to prioritize personal needs, but it is unethical to harm the business or shareholders during the process. Therefore, whether or not golden parachutes should or should not be mandatory remains a moral dilemma. The question still stands; is it defendable that CEOs deserve and have rights to collect golden parachutes? In a current issue, Rick Wagoner, CEO of GM, was asked to resign by Obama due to his failure to submit a restructuring plan. As a result, he received a whopping golden parachute of $20 million. If the decision was put in the hands of many tax payers, he would not have left with $20 million due to his track record. According to ABC News, under his leadership, â€Å"GM lost tens of billions of dollars, took billions in taxpayer-financed aid, and cut tens of thousands of jobs, including announced plans to cut 47,000 employees by the end of 2009†. (2) On top of that, he was included in a scandal, late 2008, where he was witnessed to have flown private jets when asking for a government bailout. With such exposure, tax payers are petrified with the fact that their money is going towards a paying a company which failed restructure. Thus, many argue that he did not deserve the money since he neglected his responsibility as the CEO of GM to look in the best interest of the stakeholder. On the other hand, GM and the government had to, by law, give Rick Wagoner the pay since it was already negotiated; thus, he was entitled to retirement funds. As a result, another ethical issue may arise based on whether or not he deserves the pay. Let’s also not forget the fact that he worked in GM for 32 years. 2) On top of that, if a golden parachute was not offered, many capable CEOs will lose incentives and GM’s financial position may not be able to recuperate without an effective leader. In essence, the dilemma a remains in debate regarding whether or not the benefits of golden parachutes override the possible abuse of this privilege. To further analyze this case, this dilemma was applied to the seven step decision procedure. Moral Standards To start off with, the first step to the decision procedure is to identify moral standards. Since each stakeholder’s interests vary, there is a conflict among personal goals, beliefs and values. For instance, CEOs and board members take action to maximize their pay due to personal goals; however, it may not be in the best interest of the company. As a result, by pursuing this goal, CEOs and board members believe in egoism where they look solely in the best interest of themselves and consider it as a means to goodness. They also believe that with a capitalist economy, the government should not intervene and should grant businesses’ their freedom resulting a laissez-faire perspective. Similarly, shareholders also intend to maximize their income and personal incentives. In doing so, they value trust and honesty and expect fiduciary duties to be met. Moral Impacts The second step is to recognize all moral impacts and how they either benefit or harm stakeholders. It is also important to identify any rights that are linked to entitlement and/or duty that may be recognized or violated. The following chart is a cost/ benefit analysis if the government was to allow the practice of golden parachutes.

Pollution affects the health of all living thing. Essay

Many peoples, animals and plants depend on water for survival of life but because of water pollution all living things must suffer or die from the effects caused by water pollution. Man is busy inventing new things every day and the consequences of these inventions affect the land, air and stream and causes water pollution. Some of the causes of water pollution are industries trying to fulfill the need of consumers by inventing new products and creating jobs for people. Another cause of water pollution is the chemicals that people use on their lawns and gardens. Water pollution can also be caused by land movement, avalanche and erosion from the weather. Animal also causes water pollution but they are unaware that they are actually causing pollution to the stream, rivers and lakes. The effects of water pollution in our stream, lakes and ocean have a huge impact on the living creatures that uses the water for their habitat. When the beaches and lake are polluted, tourists do not spend time to visit there, animals also die from consuming garbage. Another effect of water pollution is the cause of an oil spill in the ocean which has a huge impact on the living creatures and wild life that uses the polluted water. It is important for individual living in this planet to prevent water pollution. The planet is very precious for all it living thing. People have to use the planet resources carefully, and prevent water pollution to it streams, lakes and rivers. We all share this plant it earth, air, land and water. When one of these characters of the planet is affected it also affects another. One can use water People can purchase items that they need and not want. They can reuse and recycle items that are useable. One can use organic material in their gardens and lawns. Farmers can reduce the use of chemical in their crops. One can walk, bike or use transit to get around. Individual should not put sediments, nutrients, toxic chemicals, pathogens in water. These are some of the thing people can do to prevent water pollution.

Manufacturing Materials and Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Manufacturing Materials and Technologies - Essay Example In most industries carbon fibre reinforced polymers is replacing aluminium and steel. Some of the vehicle manufacturers are making use of Carbon fibre reinforced polymers in their some modals. However, some other vehicle manufacturers like Ferrari, have tested carbon fibre reinforced polymers and other composites and evaluated that aluminium is better due some properties. Carbon fibre reinforced polymers are several advantages over conventional materials. It is strongest composite material and the material formation can be altered to suit various types of applications. Several layers of carbon fibres are applied to make the carbon fibre reinforced polymers strong enough to support ant type of application. Carbon fibres can be used in combination with aluminium, Kevlar, glass fibres and other metals to make the materials durable and attain more density to mass ratio. Unlike metals Carbon fibre reinforced polymers show low thermal expansion behaviour. It has less impact of hot or cold weather. Moreover, carbon fibre reinforced polymers has better thermal insulation properties as compared to metals (Sauder et al. 2002: 503). Aluminium, copper and steel are known bets for thermal conductivity. It is has very less density. When it comes to tension bearing capability, carbon fibres can bear an immense tension. None of the materials has the capability to bear such tension as that of carbon fibres according to the density of the fibres. Carbon fibre reinforced polymers are non corrosive materials. Theses materials can sustain the harshest corrosive atmosphere. In this way, the materials are good for the chemical industries. These materials can replace metals which are highly corrosive and weakens the strength of the material. Theses polymers are good conductor of electricity (Selzer and Friedrich 1997: 595). Carbon fibre reinforced polymer is very light material yet strong enough for any purpose. It is 10 times stronger than

Autistic children in the general education classroom, mainstreaming, Essay

Autistic children in the general education classroom, mainstreaming, inclusion and pull out options - Essay Example This report stresses that available literature on the subject places less emphasis on exogenous variables perhaps due to the fact that it has been conclusively proved that autism is a genetic disorder. Despite this proof there is also a parallel attempt being made by teaching communities at large that behavioral tendencies of the autistic child could be altered with dynamic combinations of internal and external factors. Autism as a disorder affecting a few individuals, has been subject some of the worst misinterpretations in communities today. Yet a growing body of current research has shed new light on the many-faceted nature of this disorder as one of which the severity can at least be reduced with well designed programs that advocate a general educational environment based treatment option of inclusion instead of exclusion. This paper makes a conclusion that Schon’s indefatigable efforts have successfully proved to the world that professional attitudes have to be realigned with reflection-in-action so that a highly desirable qualitative change could be brought about to the very programs that have been hitherto administered with little or no attention being paid to the teaching/learning outcomes. This causative principle of attention re-focus has helped communities to undertake a complete reassessment of techniques and approaches based on compartmentalized thoughtless and antiquated perceptions and conceptualizations. Schon has revolutionized the treatment process by focusing on the need to be reflective-in-action.

ICT Effect on Teaching Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

ICT Effect on Teaching - Term Paper Example Information Communication Technology (ICT) is an umbrella name that covers a range of applications and devices used for collection, analyzing, storage, retrieval, processing and transmission of information for instance radio, computer hardware and software, television, satellite systems, video conferencing software, and cell phones. These applications and devices have played a big role in how various sectors perform their functions due to their ability to improve communication, assessment of objects while reducing the time taken to achieve desired results. The modern ICT usage has been a driving force in the creation of a global village, which refers to the current situation where people communicate with each other across the world in real time. The importance of ICT usage in the contemporary world lies less in the technology itself than in its potential to facilitate higher levels of access to information and communication in areas that record low usage of the different technologica l applications and devices. As a consequence of the focus on access to technology, different countries have put in place special organizations.This basis for concern by relevant authorities that if not less technologically innovative areas are supported with necessary infrastructure to catch up, the continued technological advances experienced in the industrialized countries will only serve to worsen the existing situation where the economic gap between those with an ability to use technology and who do not have been rising.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Cave of Forgotten Dreams - Essay Example The bison, deer, and other animals looked almost like charcoal drawings. Not only animals were depicted, but scenes of animals and hunting. Other images were not as easy to determine. It was like a collage of animal and hunting scenes. All types of images mixed together with some recognizable, while others were not. This could be because of the age, or the rock drawing. The second main point was the security. Instead of an open cave opening, a steel door that is locked has been placed at the opening. The door served another purpose than just keeping people out. This door is to keep the climate the same in the Cave. The archeologist made sure that the cameras, ropes, lights, and people did not touch anything that was not necessary. No one but those authorized by the French government can access this Cave. This film crew had to receive permission first. The security goes high tech in preserving the site. Thin films of sediment are removed to show the cave drawings below. The French gov ernment really wants to preserve this site for future observation. Finally, this film speculated on the people that lived in the cave. What is known can be deduced from the Cave and surrounding areas. Since bones and weapons have been found, the cave dwellers were likely hunters. The reasons for the paintings are less obvious. Some theorize that they are religious or spiritual, others simple records. A comparison with Aborigines in Australia showed that a spirit guided the rock drawings. The humans that lived there adapted to their environment and gave an account. In the film the cave drawings are compared to the capturing of this film on camera. No doubt more research needs to be done on the Cave, but the overall movie was fascinating with possibilities of the past. A footnote was added. A nuclear plant is twenty miles away. Since the water used to cool the reactors is heated up, the environment is changing. The

What is sub-prime lending and how has it affected the housing crisis Essay

What is sub-prime lending and how has it affected the housing crisis - Essay Example nd the nature of subprime lending, this paper also provides a background of the subprime lending which gained popularity in the 1990’s, and also a comparison with other forms of mortgages like the prime lending. Subprime lending is a type of granting loans in which the client’s ability to pay is questionable. Kenneth Temkin et. al (2002) add that subprime lending mortgage originations are more inclined to risky borrowers. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, subprime loans are given to individuals with limited credit histories. One reason for this is the lack of background check on the borrower. In order to compensate for the higher credit risk, the loans that are given have higher interest rates.1 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presents three (3) truths about the subprime lenders: (1) the increased shares of subprime lenders’ overall origination as compared to the prime lenders’ originations are due to home refinance loans; (2) they occupy a bigger percentage in total originations in black-predominated communities than prime lenders; and (3) terms like â€Å"consumer, finance, and acceptance† are seen more in their lender names.2 Temkin et al. (2002) find out that subprime borrowers have lower incomes or belong to minority groups than their primary counterparts. They have less information financially on the bank mechanisms. They are also less sophisticated and less comfortable in dealing with banks. Danielle DiMartino and John Duca (2007) add that the prime or the traditional mortgages are offered to borrowers with good credit histories and can make down payments and document their income entirely. Whereas the subprime or the nontrad itional mortgages, are extended to borrower applicants who are less credit-worthy as reflected by their low credit scores and unsure income forecasts which â€Å"reflect the highest default risk and warrant the highest interest rates†. They also introduce the near-prime

International Finance Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Finance - Term Paper Example Such as a skewed change rate can create a business's exports inexpensive as compared to their foreign counterparts, although for a nation to attain this artificially, they have to trade their own currency by borrowing against the country's assets to pay for another country's currency. If exports or all investment is in high demand, a nation's currency will increase in value due to the demand for that currency to fund exported commodities, services, as well as investment. Companies that depend on exports can find their goods unexpectedly competitive - or excessively costly - in a foreign country’s markets as exchange rates rise and fall. In the same way, businesses that depend on imports can see the charges of these imports fluctuate with the exchange rate. â€Å"Exchange rates directly affect the realized return on an investment portfolio with overseas holdings. If you own stock in a foreign company and the local currency goes up 10 percent, the value of your investment goes up 12 percent even if the stock price does not change at all† (Levi, p. 201, 2009). The study of international finance usually refers to trade and foreign investment as alternative policies. This replacement can however be called into uncertainty as the need to struggle on several foreign markets taken into account. With reference to the theory of international trade, classical conclusion of Mundell has been challenged because of inadequate competition. In addition, macroeconomic series of foreign investment and trade emphasize that these two approaches of internationalisation are complements evidently. â€Å"If foreign investment displaces trade, exports will be at least replaced by local sales on foreign markets, detrimental to the domestic industry of the investor. On the contrary, if trade and foreign investment are confirmed as complements, investing abroad might lead to greater competitiveness in foreign markets, which is beneficial to exports from the investing country and thus to its industry. In order to clarify these relationships, a bilateral and sectoral empirical approach is proposed based on a matching of trade and foreign investment data authorising a break down by industry and partner country. It permits to control for joint determinants of trade and foreign investment such as market size, per capita income or regional integration, or conversely for economies of scale having an opposite impact on both forms of internationalisation† (Sercu, p. 184, 2009). With the most disaggregated data, the finding of complementarities involving trade and foreign investment flows is legalized for many industries. Outward foreign investment is linked further exports and imports, within the industry considered, in comparison with the state of investment. However, in view of the fact that the previous rise more as compared to the latter, investment in a foreign country is linked with a trade excess. On the other hand, inward foreign investment is lin ked with a trade deficit of the host nation. Overflows between industries are substantial. The impact of foreign investment on trade is much higher as these overflows are accounted for, even if the international trade surplus stays comparable with the one approximated on the industry of investment level. A huge share of the complementarities between trade and foreign investment at the macroeconomic level can be clarified by huge overflows between i

David Hilbert Biography Essay Example for Free

David Hilbert Biography Essay David Hilbert was born in Koenigsberg, East Prussia, on January 23, 1862. He was a great leader and spokesperson of mathematics in the early 20th century, he was a Christian. Like most great German mathematicians, Hilbert was a product of Gà ¶ttingen University, at that moment the world’s mathematical center, and he spent much of his working life there. His formative years were spent at Kà ¶nigsberg University where he developed fruitful scientific exchange with his fellow mathematicians Adolf Hurwitz and Hermann Minkowski. At the University of Koenigsberg, Hilbert studied under Lindemann for his doctorate, which he earned in 1885. One of his friends there was Hermann Minkowski, who was also a doctoral student. In 1884, Adolf Hurwitz was appointed to Koenigsberg University and became friends with Hilbert, which was a very significant factor in Hilbert’s mathematical development. David Hilbert was a member of staff at Koenigsberg from 1886-1895, being the Privatdozent until 1892. He was then an Extraordinary Professor for one year before becoming a full professor in 1893. His calculus examination led him to invent â€Å"Hilbert space,† considered to be among the primary concepts of functional analysis as well as modern mathematical physics. He founded fields such as modern logic and met mathematics. In 1899, David Hilbert published his book – The Foundations of Geometry – in which he described a set of axioms that eliminated the flaws from Euclidean geometry. In the same year, American mathematician Robert L. Moore also published a set of axioms for Euclidean geometry at age 19. While some axioms in both systems were similar, there was a feature about the axioms that were different. Hilbert’s axioms were theorems from Robert Moore’s and Moore’s axioms were proved as theorems from David Hilbert’s. David Hilbert developed a program to axiomatize mathematics. With his attempt to achieve his goal, he began a â€Å"formalist school† of mathematics, which opposed the â€Å"Intuitionism† of Brouw er and Kronecker. Meanwhile, Hilbert was expanding his contributions to math in various directions partial differential equations, mathematical physics, and calculus of variations. He knew that he could not achieve this by himself. In 1900, Hilbert gave a massive homework assignment to all mathematicians across the world. He did this when he presented a lecture, entitled â€Å"mathematical  problems† before Paris International Congress of 1900. Hilbert proposed 23 mathematics problems to whose solutions he thought the 20th century mathematicians ought to devote themselves. These mathematics problems are now known as Hilbert’s problems and many of them remain unsolved today. Many Christians believe different things when it comes to mathematics, for example some believe that math is an incredible testimony to God’s faithfulness, while others believe it is anti-Christian. I can help others connected by raising awareness of the different beliefs. This is important to us as Christians because it opens our eyes to reality and how we should look at things through a Christian standpoint.

Beowulf Is A Christian Hero Religion Essay

Beowulf Is A Christian Hero Religion Essay Have you ever had the privilege of reading George Orwells novel known as Animal Farm? If so, you are probably well aware that it is a book that reflects the government and leadership of the days in which it was written. Many people believe that Beowulf is similar to Animal Farm in that it also reflects a part of the culture of its day. But instead of reflecting government, like Animal Farm, Beowulf reflects the changes in the religious culture of England. While describing the background of Beowulf, Burton Raffel points out, When Beowulf was composed, England was changing from a pagan to a Christian culture. Therefore, Beowulf signifies the Christian culture that is overcoming and replacing the pagan culture, which is signified by Grendel, his mother, and the dragon. Beowulf, the poem, may have been written by a heathen (which is a debate for another paper) but Beowulf the character was a Christian. Raffels point can be taken a step further. Not only did Beowulf symbolize the Christian culture, but he also symbolized Christ himself. Along with that comes the idea that Grendel, his mother, and the dragon not only symbolize the pagan culture but also Satan, the devil, or simply evil. The most obvious act of displaying Christ seen in Beowulf is when he sacrificed his own life to kill the dragon and ensure the safety of his people. The next example is not quite as obvious as the first but is still reasonable. Throughout the entire poem, Grendel and his mom are both referred to as the devil or a demon several times. So Hrothgars men lived happy in his hall/ Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Raffel 39). Later on, after Grendel attacked and killed some soldiers in Herot, the name calling continues: In Herot, a mighty prince mourning/ The fate of his lost friends and companions,/ Knowing by its tracks that some demon had torn/ His followers apart. (Raffel 40). Later on when Hrothgar tells Beowulf of what his people have seen, they describe Grendel and his mother in the following way: And theyve said to my wise men that, as well as they could see,/ One of the devils was a female creature. (Raffel 49). Sometimes the author is not as flagrant in his or her references to Grendel and his mom as the devil or demons. Sometimes the author simply hints at the idea. Speaking of Grendel he says, living down in the darkness, where the darkness is referring to hell (Raffel 39). The most obvious hint at the idea is when Grendel will not touch Hrothgars throne because it was protected by God: Though he lived/ In Herot, when the night hid him, he never/ Dared to touch King Hrothgars glorious/ Throne, protected by God God,/ Whose love Grendel could not know. (Raffel 41). This point can be further understood after reading James 2:19. Grendel knows of God yet lives in fear of him. The last hint the author gives is when he calls Grendels mothers cave the God-cursed roof to once again have the place where they live resemble Hell (Heaney 211). Considering the fact that Beowulf defeated these demons or devils pushes the idea even further that he is a Christ figure throughout the poem. Now thinking realistically, how could a story about a pagan who resembles Christ last for several centuries if never written down? It simply could not have. Realistically, for an oral story to last so long, the Christ figure must have intentionally been depicted by a Christ follower or else the story would have basically no meaning or value to anyone at all and therefore be forgotten. Throughout the text, God, as well as many Biblical characters and events, are mentioned and recognized and even prayed to by Beowulf himself. In the very beginning, literally the seventh line of the poem, the Creation is spoken of: The Almighty making the earth, shaping/ These beautiful plains marked off by oceans,/ Then proudly setting the sun and moon/ To glow across the land and light it (Raffel 39). Not too long after that, Cain and Abel are mentioned: Conceived by a pair of those monsters born/ Of Cain, murderous creatures banished/ By God, punished forever for the crime/ Of Abels death. (Raffel 39-40). The most significant segment is when Beowulf prays to God and thanks him for his loot or treasure: For this, this gold, these jewels, I thank our Father in Heaven, Ruler of the Earthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Raffel 59). This shows us not only that Beowulf acknowledged Gods mere existence but that he also considered Him the Ruler of the Earth and knew that He was the one who brought him al l of his wealth. Yes, it is true that even Satan himself believes in Gods existence and that He is the Ruler of the Earth. In James 2:19 the Bible states, You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder. But Beowulfs belief in and of God goes further and deeper than the demons belief. This is backed up later on when Beowulfs eternity in heaven is mentioned. Please do not take my word and my translation of the poem alone. This is not just a personal opinion. Other literature experts have said the exact same thing that I am. Larry D. Benson suggested that the pagan material was added to Beowulf in order to arouse sympathy (Ogilvy 169). An anonymous student wrote a short paper on the matter. Speaking of the poem Beowulf, he said, Although showing signs of being a pagan story, Beowulf is primarily a Christian story. The argument for Beowulf as a Christian poem goes hand in hand with my first point that it signifies the religious and cultural changes that were taking place in its time. Now here are a couple of the top arguments that try to say Beowulf is not a Christian. Arguably the most popular argument is that Beowulf does not believe in God but instead believes in fate. Someone that wrote a paper on Beowulf, who is known as Ultisch said, Many times throughout Beowulf, the author will reference fate, while speaking of Godà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ To reword, they are saying that, yes, Beowulf does mention fate, but when he does, he is referring to Gods ultimate sovereignty and control and not something of pure chance or luck. Some people also like to argue that Beowulfs death bed wish to see the treasures he just earned, instead of his family or something of more long term value, is proof that he was not a Christian. As he dies, Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring him the treasure that the dragon was guarding. (Raffel 58). Now think reasonably. How can this logically prove that he was not a Christian? He is simply being reasonable and realistic. He knows he does not have enough t ime left and that he can not see his family. In their book, J.D.A Ogilvy and Donald C. Baker say, Beowulf is dying why not see the treasure? Even if this was not the case and Beowulf was being greedy, it still would not prove anything. Is a mans greed proof that he is an unbeliever? The obvious answer is no. In Roman 3:23 the Bible says, For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Just because a man sinned does not mean he is not a Christian. In conclusion, Beowulf was a Christian man and did go to heaven in the end. Yes, there is more proof for that too. At the end of the poem, Beowulfs death is described in this way: His soul left his flesh, flew to glory. (Raffel 59). The word glory here quite obviously means heaven. Also, before he fights the dragon, Beowulf says, Ive never known fear, (Raffel 54) saying that he is not afraid to die. This shows us that he knows his eternity is secure in the Lord. This proves that Beowulfs belief in and of God goes further than that of the demons and that he truly is a child of God.

Examining The Types Of Communication Networks Information Technology Essay

Examining The Types Of Communication Networks Information Technology Essay Nowadays there are many ways in which people communicate, because communication became an essential in our daily life. Communication can be done orally and none verbally such type of communication can be done through writing in letters or emails. When the communication is done through the internet then it will be called a Communication Network. Communication are set so that messages can be passed from one part of the network to another though various nodes and multiple links. Communication networks is a made up from five basic components that are all present in each network environment. Those components are: terminals, telecommunications processors, telecommunications channels, computers, and telecommunications control software. Function of each component: Terminals: Devices used to transmit or receive data. Processors: used to support data transmission and data reception. Communication channels: are the ways and methods in which the date is transmitted. Computers: are the devices connected to the network in order to provide data and communication. Control Software: is responsible about controlling all the network activities. When we talk about communication network its much more than the basic communication done through the internet. We have two main types of communication networks in which we can communicate through. These two basic types on communication network are WAN AND LAN, when WAN stands for Wide Area Network, and LAN stands for Local Area Network. From there we can interpret that there is a great difference between both networks. The Wide Area Network is a network that covers a large geographical area, like connecting one city to the other WAN is more like a group of interconnected LAN networks,and it may be limited to an enterprise such as a corporation or an organization, also it can be accessible to the public. WANs provided by service provider connection a collection of LANs to the internet, for that the Internet is considered to be an example of a worldwide public WAN. WANs are widely used by big businesses, whether statewide or multinational, its also used by governmental, educational, research or philanthropic enterprises. The Local Area Network is a smaller type of networks, usually limited with an office base. The most common type of Local Area Networks is the Ethernet. Connection is established between the workstations physically components these physical technologies that build a LAN can be described generally as follows: A physical media such as a cable is used to connect the devices, Interfaces (such as an interface network card) on the individual devices that are connected to the media. Protocols are used transmit data across the network. Application Software that negotiates, interprets, and administers the network and its services. Local Area Network especially if they were large or connected to other networks includes signal repeaters and bridges or routers. LANs can be collectively be linked to create a WAN because they are smaller networks. This is done by using basic network hardware devices such as series of bridges and routers, which enable interconnectivity between separate LANs. The contrasting features of Local Area Networks in comparison with Wide Area Networks is that the LAN date transfer rate is way faster, because WANs needs a leased line and a broad geographical area. While LANs cover a small geographical area and doesnt rely on common carriers. A LAN network is more private than a WAN network, because a LAN needs a password validation as it also has specific user rights. Hardware resources are shared on a LAN, while on a WAN the focus is more on communications. Also there is a difference in their network topology, in a LAN its often a peer-to-peer, which means that each client share resources with other workstations In the network. Whole WAN networks operate more on the client-to-sever topology basis with interconnected LANs, in other words all resources are provided and requested from the server. One other major difference is that the cost to set up a LAN in comparison to WAN. A WAN network is relatively expensive, while setting up a LAN network connections are inexpensive even though the connection is high speed. In other words setting up one big LAN network in comparison to a small WAN network will be the cheaper option. MAN is the acronym for metropolitan area network which is an another type of communication networks. It connects computers in a network; its usually larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN. Often MAN is used to connect the computers of a city, but it may also be used to connect the machines of a University or similar institution. Some cities use MAN such as London, England, Geneva, Switzerland, and Poland. Not all computers in a MAN area need to be connected to the network, but the MAN usually connect as a whole to the internet, and thus provide a connection for those who choose to use this type of network. Efficiency and shared access are two advantages of using a MAN network, because all computer-owning residents in the area have equal ability to go on line. Some disadvantages are related to cost, politics, and security. Circuit Switching Packet Switching Networks: A fundamental way of differentiating between network technologies is done on the basis of the method they use to determine the path between devices over which information will be sent and received. there are two different approaches: either a path that can be set up between the devices in advance, or the data would be sent as individual data elements over a variable path. Circuit Switching: In this networking method, between two devices a connection called the circuit will be set up, which will be used for the whole communication. The network is used to maintain information about the nature of the circuit. There is two different types of circuits: a fixed circuit that is always present, or a circuit that is created depending if its needed or no. even though in circuit switching through intermediate devices there is many potential paths that exist between the two devices communicating, only one path is used for any given dialogue. The main example of a circuit-switched network is the telephone system. When you call someone and they pick up, you establish a circuit connection which starts passing the data, in a steady stream if desired. That circuit functions the same way regardless of how many intermediate devices are used to carry your voice. You can use it as long as you need it, and then after your done the circuit will be terminated. The next time you call, a new circuit will be established, which probably will use a different hardware than the first circuit did, depending on what hardware is available at that time in the network. Packet Switching: In this type of network, no specific/exact path is used for data transfer. Instead, the data is divided into small pieces called packets and sent over the network. The packets can be routed, combined or fragmented, as required to get them to their final destination. While On the receiving end, the process will be reversed; the data is read from the packets and re-assembled into the form of the original data. A packet-switched network is more related to the postal system than it is to the telephone system. Comparing Packet Switching and Circuit Switching One important issue in selecting a switching method is determining the network medium if it is shared or dedicated. Your phone line can be used for establishing a circuit because it is a dedicated network you are the only one using it. While in LANs a single shared medium and baseband signaling is used. If two devices were to establish a connection, they would reserve all the other devices for a long time. For that in a shared medium network it makes more sense to divide that into small packets and send them once at a time. Then, if two other devices want to communicate, their packets can be interspersed and everyone can share the network without any devices lock-out. The reason why packet switching is becoming predominant nowadays is the ability to have more than one device communicating simultaneously without a dedicated path. However, there are some disadvantages of packet switching when compared to circuit switching. one is that since all data does not take the same, predictable path between devices, it is possible that some pieces of data may get lost in transmission, or wont be received in a correct order. But In some situations the order doesnt matter, while in others it is very important. There is two types of packet switching: Virtual Circuit Packet Switching Virtual circuits allow packets to contain only the circuit number instead of the full destination address, so less router memory and bandwidth will be required. Thus the cost is relatively cheap. Virtual circuit consumes time and resources because it requires a setup phase. In virtual circuit, router only uses the circuit number to index into a table to find out where the packet are going. Virtual circuit has some advantages in avoiding congestion in the subnet, because the resources can be reserved in advance, but the connection should be established. The loss fault on the communication line vanish the virtual circuits. In virtual circuit a fixed path is used during transmission, so traffic throughout the subnet cant be balanced. This causes a congestion problem. A virtual circuit is an implementation of a connection oriented service. Datagram Packet Switching Datagram circuits allow the packets to contain full address instead of the circuit number only, so a larger bandwidth is need. Thus datagram is relatively much more expensive. Datagram circuit does not require a setup phase, so there will be no resources consumed. In datagram circuit, a more complicated procedure is required to determine the where will the packet go. In a datagram subnet, congestion avoidance is much more difficult. The loss or fault on communication line can be easily compensated in datagram circuits. Datagram allows the router to balance the traffic throughout the subnet, since the router can be changed halfway through any connection. Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) It is a switching technology that assists and facilitates the movement of data from one point to another. ATM is one of the preferred technologies, because of its high efficiency of use, especially while using different hardware components. Unlike other types of technology, the efficiency and speed used in ATM makes it one of the most common network protocol standards in use nowadays. The main advantage of ATM technology is the ability to transfer many various types of data at the same time. This is because as long as the bandwidth is available it will be utilized. While other type of technologies does not allow all the bandwidth to be used once a particular function is started. Therefore, ATM makes a very efficient way to transfer video files, pictures, e-mail and even live streaming video and audio. ATM Services There is three types of ATM services: Permanent Virtual Circuits (PVC): A PVC provides direct connectivity between sites, so its similar to a leased line. Among its many advantages, PVC guarantees availability of a connection ,and does not require call setup procedures between switches before establishing a connection. Disadvantages of PVCs include static connectivity and the manual setup( Each piece of equipment between the source and the destination must be manually provisioned ). Furthermore, there is no network resiliency available while working with PVC. Switched Virtual Circuits (SVC): A SVC is created and released dynamically. It remains in use only as long as the data is being transferred, which is similar to a telephone call. The dynamic call control requires a signaling protocol between the ATM endpoint and the ATM switch. The advantages of SVCs include connection flexibility and the autoamtix handling of a call setup by a networking device. While the disadvantages include the extra time and the overhead required to set up the connection. connectionless service (similar to SMDS) ATM Virtual Connections ATM networks are fundamentally connection-oriented networks, which mean that a virtual channel (VC) must be set up across the ATM network before any data transfer. A virtual channel is relatively similar to a virtual circuit.) Two types of ATM connections are: Virtual Paths: which are identified by the virtual path identifiers. Virtual Channels: which are identified by the combination of a virtual path identifier (VPI) and a virtual channel identifier (VCI). To conclude, many type of communication are either IT communications or Interpersonal Communication, both types are used by people. Communication helps us to interact, make friends, be success at work, perform well in a team, and the most important thing is being able to use the latest technology in communicating. The one type of communication network used widely is the internet. Nowadays there isnt a single person that does not have a wireless connection or an internet cable at home. People usually use the LAN network instead of WAN networks just as hotels or big firms do. Staying connected at the internet provides a person with a plenty of advantages, it made life way easier..

Character Analysis of John Proctor from The Crucible Essay -- The Cruc

Character Analysis of John Proctor from The Crucible The consequences of shirking accountability for ones actions are depicted through the tribulations John Proctor faced, in Arthur Miller's, The Crucible. Although John reluctantly became involved in the Salem witch trials, his initial silence proved to be the downfall of not only himself, but of his fellow townspeople as well. John Proctor remained silent for one reason, and that was to protect himself. As a result of his self-serving desires to avoid the consequences of his actions, innocent citizens were put to death. Survival is one of the primal instincts of human nature. It is programmed into human beings at birth, and cannot be easily masked. No matter how morally wrong the dilemma is, the primal instinct of survival challeng...

The Cost of Higher Education Essay -- Education College Graduate Schoo

Introduction The increasing cost of higher education in the United States has been a continuing topic for debate in recent decades. American society emphasizes the importance of education after high school, yet the cost of undergraduate and advanced degrees continually rises at a greater rate than inflation. According to the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, cost factors prevent 48% of college-qualified high school graduates from pursuing further education (McKeon, 2004, p. 45). The current system requires the majority of students to accumulate extensive debt with the expectation that they gain lucrative post-graduate employment to repay their loans. The cost of higher education raises several ethical issues. Among these are the perpetuation of the cycle of debt in American commercial society, the hierarchy of differing higher education institutions and cost, and the resulting socioeconomic and racial inequities in college demographics. Both an examination of the current trends and figures and a closer look at a real life example show the troublesome state of higher education and its effect on our commercial society. The Facts about Cost, Financial Assistance, and Loans Research indicates a steep upward trend in the cost of higher education throughout the 20th century. In recent decades, America has witnessed a widening gap between inflation and tuition. An incoming freshman at a typical college incurs charges for tuition, university fees, books, room and board, and other miscellaneous items. During the 1999-2000 academic year the total cost of attendance for full time undergraduates at a 2-year institution averaged $9,083, a 4-year public institution equaled $12,601, and a 4-year private... ...costs? USA Today, 123, 66-67. Retrieved November 29, 2004 from Academic Search Premier Database. Laurence, D. (2003, winter). Notes on the English major. ADE Bulletin 133, 3-5. Malveaux, J. (2004, July). Will tuition become a campaign issue? Black Issues in Higher Education, 21. Retrieved November 30, 2004 from Academic Search Premier Database. McKeon, H. P. (2004, January). Intervention is needed. USA Today, 1/5/04. Reiland, R. (1996, September) Deconstructing the ivory tower. National Review, 48, 36. Retrieved November 29, 2004, from Academic Search Premier Database. Through a different lens: A new angle on the price spiral in higher education. (2000, January/February). The National Center for Postsecondary Improvement. University of Minnesota. (2004). Retrieved December 12, 2004 from http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/01_about.php

Change Management Essay

1.1 Introduction Barack Obama started his election campaign with a plan to renew America’s promise with the words â€Å"Change we can believe in†. His Presidential campaign was marked by changes. He wanted to change a nation and its way of acting. Throughout the campaign, Obama’s changes were aimed towards bringing a rapid end to the war in Iraq, decreasing energy dependence, and providing universal health care. In his victory speech Obama said â€Å"change has come to America†. Up to now, not all his plans and ideas have proven successful and only the future will reveal their full potential. The U.S. election was a change of the governmental position which was decided by the nation. In an admittedly smaller world, every person in his or her life as well as every manager of an organisation is faced with changes or the requirement to make changes every day. Let’s concentrate on the business world and have a look at what changes mean? Change is an alteration of a company’s strategy, organization or culture as a result of changes in its environment, structure, technology or people. A manager’s job would be very straightforward and simple (not to say boring) if changes were not occurring in these areas. Good managers have a competence to manage change in the company’s environment. These changes can be alterations in structure (design of jobs, span of control, authority relationships or coordinating mechanisms), in technology (equipment, work processes or work methods) as well as in people (behaviours, perceptions, expectations or attitudes). 1.2 Reasons for Change A complex structure like an organization is driven by external and internal factors in regard to the need for change. There are a number of external forces that create the explicit need for change: Market situation or market place Technology Government laws and regulations Economics The global marketplace has created a huge need for change because of internationalization and the more dynamic situation. Some of this could not have occurred without the various and dramatic changes in technology. An example of the changing marketplace is the deregulation of the telecommunications industry in the domestic market. By deregulation, the competitive pressure was put on telephone companies such as the German Telecom which has minimised monopolistic emplacement. Regarding this point, advances in technology have had a big impact on the market. Also, the affordability of equipment and software allows greater competition in the IT-sector. Government laws and regulations can have a large impact on an organization such as with deregulation. Organizations have to change because it is now prescribed. The new tobacco taxes and the legislation requiring tobacco manufacturers to disclose the harmful effects of tobacco smoking have created huge pressures on some large organizations. These organisations now have to change to ensure their economic viability. Finally, these economic ups and downs have a dramatic effect on organizations as well on domestic markets as the worldwide economic influence continues on organizations. This phenomenon could be seen during the last financial crisis. The effects were recognized in the USA first; then they hit Europe, Japan and finally the rest of the world. As a consequence, several automobile manufacturers have announced production cutbacks and reduced employment. Parallel to the external reasons there are different internal forces for change: Corporate strategy Workforce Technology and equipment Employee attitudes It is not unusual for an organization to change its strategy. It can lead e.g. to a large number of changes if the organization decides to adopt a new distribution methodology or a new logistic strategy. Also a merger will change an organisation’s way of acting. (For example, a company decides to  enter the e-commerce business). The introduction of new equipment or new technology is another internal force for change which affects an organization. The implementation of new technology needs new processes or structures. Through this, employees will have to be trained for new work processes or new jobs. The composition of an organization’s workforce never stays static because it changes in terms of gender, age or education. New employees join the organization and other people leave. With these changes, managers may need to redesign work and work groups in order to ensure the job requirements match the skills of the people. Lastly, employee attitudes such as the level of job satisfaction can lead to either negative or positive forces for change. If employees are dissatisfied, then there can be an increased level of employee absenteeism which can lead to changing practices or management of staff. 1.3 Origins of Change Management Again, a distinction between change management as a result of changing technologies and change management based on different management styles has to be made (in practice however, one factor is certainly influencing the other). Change management has his origins in the 1950’s. In those days modern forms of management were introduced (e.g. teamwork, autonomous groups) and the â€Å"war† between followers of top-down (change) approaches and bottom-up (change) approaches began. Top-down organizations are characterizes by the relatively low influence of subsystems. With the exception of the top management, employees are placed in a given process pattern. The organisation’s units are co-ordinated within a system of regulations and the organisation’s development is steered from top down. Bottom-up organizations are characterized by the relatively high influence of subsystems. The organisation’s development is carried by involved employees. A structural partial autonomy is conceded to the single subsystems. The organisation units are relatively independent in their execution of problems and could be basically capable of surviving on their own. Regulations are found primarily in the form of general behavioural instructions and the basis of â€Å"Common Senseâ€Å". The organisation’s development is therefore developing itself bottom-up. The best known concepts of  top-down management are business process re-engineering and business reengineering. The concept of business process re-engineering is aimed at changes concerning quality, service, cost and processing time. The core idea is process orientation. The concept of business process re-engineering takes into consideration strategy creation as well as process creation without describing, however, methods and instruments in detail. The documentation of the actual and the planned processes remain at a relatively coarse level and the main weight lies with few identified core processes. Business re-engineering is aimed at the radical redesign of enterprise strategies or essential enterprise processes. Its purpose is the improvement around scales in significant and measurable achievement dimensions in the areas of costs, quality, service and time. The implementation of this concept requires a â€Å"strong manager† who not only initiates the changes but also encourages the employees to make the necessary changes. Business re-engineering, therefore, is based on order and control, while the comprehensive knowledge of the organisation’s development and the participative system’s creation is maintained. The best known concepts of bottom-up management are kaizen and lean management. Kaizen (Japanese for â€Å"improvement† or â€Å"change for the better†) focuses upon continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, development, marketing etc. (main business processes), supporting business processes and management. Kaizen as a management approach is based on the idea that no actual status (of a process or an organisation) is good enough to be kept. Kaizen refers to a continuous improvement of all functions and involves all employees from the executive board to the assembly line workers. It also applies to processes, such as purchasing and logistics and always involves the entire organization. Kaizen was first implemented in several Japanese businesses after the Second World War, influenced in part by American business and quality management teachers who visited the country. It has since spread throughout the world Lean Management explains how to link the advantages of batch-producing organizations (speed, low unit cost) with the benefits of a customer-oriented organisation (high flexibility, customizing, quality). â€Å"Lean† must be understood as â€Å"Lean Enterpriseâ€Å", an enterprise with  customer-oriented organisation which values customers, suppliers and employees. Principles of lean management are a gradual approach, group orientation, own responsibility, constant feedback in lower management levels and a long-term orientation. Other ideas of lean management are an enterprise-wide improvement of the quality, acceleration of the development, harmonious integration of the enterprise into the society as well as outsourcing and concentration on specific strengths of the organisation. The focus lies on the soft factors. Also in relation to a process-oriented thinking and strategy creation, lean management uses the Kaizen approach. Nevertheless, the concentration on a few, significant core processes is strongly stressed here. Comparing the bottom-up and top-down approaches, the advantage of a bottom-up orientation lies with the possibility of adapting the rhythm of the development and the capacity of the organisation for development. Small changes can be achieved at short notice or immediately, while lasting changes run smoothly and could guarantee a constant improvement of the problem solution capacity of the enterprise. On the other hand, permanent change processes and the constant restlessness linked with such change processes can also affect negatively the organisation, as possibly no clear direction is recognizable any longer. Few enterprises are ready for a radical change in their orientation as demanded in a top-down approach. No organisation is able to reorganize itself and the whole value-added chain ad hoc. Frequently the longevity of the soft factor â€Å"enterprise culture† is underestimated. Changes in the enterprise culture need time and, hence, are an object of evolutionary and participative approach and not a revolutionary and authoritarian process. The advantages of the top-down approach are the straight-forward attempt of comprehensive, department-covering thinking and action and the focus on the central processes. Nowadays, within modern change management approaches, top-down and bottom-up approaches are mixed. As shown in fig. 1, analysis and the strategy development is mainly done top-down whereas continuous process improvement is driven from the bottom-up. Constant dialogue between the involved parties guarantees a constant improvement and focusing on the core requirements. Figure 1: Modern Change Management – Bottom-Up meets Top-Down So change management is the: correct understanding of the organizations that want or need to be changed correct understanding of the people who are willing or forced to change the effectively realization of change understanding the dynamics of change Changes should be facilitated by the organizational structure because this enhances adaptation and flexibility. A simple organizational structure will reach a simple dynamic environment or, on the other hand, a simple dynamic environment needs a simple structure only. For a complex dynamic environment an adhocracy will be needed. Adhocracy means more democracy and less bureaucracy. One of the most important points is the people, because they form the organization. The culture of organization includes their way of working, attitudes and norms. These facts are at the core of every change and they are difficult to handle. Personal modifications regarding attitudes or skills in leadership or communication are hard to identify but ineffectiveness can be indicated by problems and conflicts in the management of human resources. 2. Concepts of Change Management A number of models are available to facilitate one’s understanding of transitioning of individuals through the phases of change management and strengthening organizational development initiatives in both government and corporate sectors. 2.1 Lewin ´s Change Theory Kurt Lewin theorized a three-stage model of change that has come to be known as the unfreezing-changerefreeze model which requires prior learning to be rejected and replaced. Edgar Schein provided further detail for a more comprehensive model of change, calling this approach â€Å"cognitive redefinition.† Lewin ´s model will be discussed later in this book in more detail.. 2.2 Chin & Benne ´s â€Å"Effecting Changes in Human System† Chin and Benne (1969) and Havelock (1971) each articulated different approaches but shared some  overlapping concepts. Some of the models had a primary focus on innovation and organization, while others focus on the individual: Empirical-rational approach The basic assumption underlying the empirical-rational model is that individuals are rational and will follow their rational self-interest. Thus, if a â€Å"good† change is suggested, people of good intention will adopt the change. This approach â€Å"posits that change is created by the dissemination of innovative techniques†. A primary strategy of this model is the dissemination of knowledge gained from research. One example of agencies and systems used for the development and diffusion of such research results are agricultural extension systems and the county agents who disseminate the results of agricultural research. In education, these activities are the domain of educational research and development centers,,regional educational laboratories, state departments of education, colleges and universities, national diffusion networks, intermediate service agencies, and staff development personnel within school districts. The rational view generally ignores the fact that school systems are already crowded with existing passive recipients, who may not have the necessary time or expertise to adopt or apply the new knowledge or program. Power-coercive approach The power-coercive approach relies on influencing individuals and systems to change through legislation and external leverage where the power of various types is the dominant factor. Power-coercive strategies emphasize political, economic, and moral sanctions, with the focus on using power of some kind to â€Å"force† individuals to adopt the change. One strategy is non-violent protest and demonstrations. A second strategy is the use of political institutions to achieve change – for example, changing educational policies through state-level legislation. Judicial decisions also impact educational policy. A third power-coercive strategy is recomposing or manipulating the power elite – electing people to public office, for instance, to support an intended change. History is replete with mandates, and other power- coercive strategies, which resulted in little change. Normative-re-educative approach In the normative-re-educative approach, the individual is seen as being actively in search of satisfying needs and interests. The individual does not passively accept what comes, but takes action to advance his/her goals. Further, changes are not just rational responses to new information but occur at the more personal level of values and habits. Additionally, the  individual is guided by social and institutional norms. The overarching principle of this model is that the individual must take part in his/her own change if it is to occur. This model includes direct intervention by change agents, who focus on the client system and who work collaboratively with the clients to identify and solve their problems. The normative-re-educative approach employs the help of change agents to assist clients in the change process by identifying needs; suggesting solutions, examining alternatives, and planning actions; transforming intention into adoption; stabilizing the change. The use of an agent to support clients and facilitate change was present in the early models. The concept of the change agent evolved further and has been reported in studies of educational and other organizational change. 2.3 Bullock and Batten’s Phases of Planned Change R.J. Bullock and D. Batten derived their ideas from project management and they recommend using exploration, planning, action, and integration for planned change. Exploration occurs when managers confirm the need for change and secure resources required to achieve it. These resources may be physical or they may be mental, such as a managers’ expertise. The next step, planning, occurs when key decisionmakers and experts create a change plan that they then review and approve. Next, action occurs with enactment of the plan. There should be opportunities for feedback during the action phase. Finally, integration begins when all actions in the change plan have taken place. Integration occurs when the changes have been aligned with the organization and there is some degree of formalization, such as through policies and procedures in the organization. Bullock and Batten analyzed over 30 models of change management and arrived at their own 4-phase model of programmed change management which can be applied to almost any circumstance. The model is useful in that it distinguishes between the ‘phases’ of change which the organization passes through as it implements change, and the ‘processes’ of change, i.e. the methods applied to get the organization to the desired state. The model progresses as follows: Exploration phase – The organization has to make decision on the need for change: Explore and decide on the need for change Identify what  changes are required Identify resources required Planning phase – Understanding the problem: Diagnosis of the problem Clarify goals and objectives Identify specific activities required to undertake change Agree changes with stakeholders Identify supports required to enable change to occur Action phase – Changes identified are agreed and implemented: Support for change is explicit Changes are monitored and evaluated Results are communicated and acted upon Adjustments and refinements are made where necessary Integration phase – Stabilising and embedding change: Changes supported and reinforced Results and outcomes from change communicated throughout the organization Continuous development of employees through training, education Ongoing monitoring and evaluation 2.4 Beckhard and Harris change formula The change formula is a mathematical representation of the change process. The basic notion is that, for change to occur, the costs of change must be outweighed by dissatisfaction with the status quo, the desirability of the proposed change, and the practicality of the change. There will be resistance to change if people are not dissatisfied with the current state of the organization, or if the changes are not seen as an improvement, if the change cannot be done in a feasible way, or the cost is far too high. This formula can also be conceptualized as (D Ãâ€" V Ãâ€" F) > R. D = Dissatisfaction V = Vision F = First Steps R = Resistance to Change The multiplicative nature of this formula indicates that if any variable is zero or near zero, resistance to change will not be overcome. In other words, the variables of D, V, and F do not compensate for one another, and when one is very low, the cost of change is likely to be too high. 2.5 7-S Model Consultants at McKinsey & Company developed the 7S model in the late 1970s to help managers address the difficulties of organizational change. The model  shows that organizational immune systems and the many interconnected variables involved make change complex, and that an effective change effort must address many of these issues simultaneously. The 7-S Model is a framework for analyzing organizations and their effectiveness. It looks at the seven key elements that make the organizations successful, or not: strategy; structure; systems; style; skills; staff; and shared values. The 7-S model is a tool for managerial analysis and action that provides a structure with which to consider a company as a whole, so that the organization’s problems may be diagnosed and a strategy may be developed and implemented. The 7-S diagram illustrates the multiplicity interconnectedness of elements that define an organization’s ability to change. This theory helped to change managers’ thinking about how companies could be improved. It says that it is not just a matter of devising a new strategy and following it through. Nor is it a matter of setting up new systems and letting them generate improvements. To be effective, your organization must have a high degree of fit or internal alignment among all the seven Ss. Each S must be consistent with and reinforce the other Ss. All Ss are interrelated, so a change in one has a ripple effect on all the others. It is impossible to make progress on one without making progress on all. Thus, to improve your organization, you have to master systems thinking and pay attention to all of the seven elements at the same time. There is no starting point or implied hierarchy – different factors may drive the business in any one organization. The 7-S Model is a valuable tool to initiate change processes and to give them direction. A helpful application is to determine the current state of each element and to compare this with the ideal state. Based on this it is possible to develop action plans to achieve the intended state. 3. The Change Process 3.1 Initiating a Top-Down Change Accelerated by global competition, the pressure to change business strategy is a worldwide phenomenon. Industrial activities are shifting from manufacturing to service, globalization of markets, political realignments, technical advances in management information systems, corporate alliances  and downsizing of organizations are changing the structures of corporations and projects. In parallel, organizations are faced with global competition. This competition is becoming more and more obvious in automobile manufacturing, consumer electronics, computers and communications and household manufacturing. Increasingly, the global heavyweight players of the world economy are large corporations involved in international or multinational projects. There is a global market and competition for most products and services. In order to effectively compete in it, organizations must use creativity and transform their cultures, structures and operations. The emergence of these global organizations c reates pressure on domestic organizations and projects to restructure and internationalize their outlook and operations. Because of these powerful forces for globalization, organizations must explore project opportunities all over the world. Technology is changing at a rate greater than at any time in history. One of the most dramatic technological changes affecting the work environment is the rapid expansion of information system technology. This technological revolution is having a profound impact on project structures, power relationships and the management of complex project interfaces. Artificial intelligence, computerintegrated manufacturing and virtual reality are creating new project opportunities in terms of their development and applications. Technology eliminates the problems of physical distance. Audio/Video conferences create the personal and direct interaction that is needed to work as a team. Engineering and manufacturing industries are assisted by robotics and computer-based design and manufacturing techniques like CAD. Fast-changing consumer preferences caused by rapid and frequent technological changes and innovations have shortened the life cycle of several goods and services. The effects of rapid product obsolescence can be dramatic for organizations which cannot adapt and quickly handle this situation. In the pharmaceutical and electronics industries, some products become obsolete in as little six months. Projects aimed at developing products and services in such industries must adapt to this rate of change in a cost-effective manner to be successful. Fig. 1 about a modern change management process showed that change management starts with a (re-)definition of the current enterprise strategy. Deciding upon the right business strategy stands therefore at the beginning of every change process.  The process of finding the right strategy is illustrated in fig. 2. Figure 2: Finding the right Strategy Countless approaches for strategy definitions are available (e.g. Porter 5-Forces-Model, 7S) and are not topic of this book. Fig. 2 only shows a general approach for the strategic approach during the change process. One step in this approach might differ from a general strategy rehearsal. During a change project, it is necessary to involve an external expert for a strategy audit! A strategy-audit is an important cornerstone for a common image about the general and strategic position of the enterprise. Beside the management or departmental management in particular, the persons who are involved in marketing and sales and therefore have a direct customer contact and should be involved at this stage. The second step in the â€Å"top-down† part has been process analysis. The process analysis reflects the modelling of the existing processes. Participative reconstruction of the processes and the visualisation of the expectations, strengths and weaknesses for the initialization of a lasting change is required. A review process (iterative vote process with the employees questioned) is mandatory. The following stage of process (re-)design cannot be separated with regard to the method and the modelling tools from the process analysis. It is only to be distinguished as an â€Å"incremental† process optimisation and a â€Å"radical† reorganisation of the enterprise processes. The target of the top-down process analysis is firstly the elimination of all non value-increasing activities and secondly the optimisation of all remaining activities. 3.2 Initiating a Bottom-Up Change Managing organizational change from the bottom-up will be more successful if some simple principles are applied. Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation and, above all, consultation and involvement of the people affected by those changes. If change is forced, problems will arise. Change must be realistic, achievable and measurable. These aspects are especially relevant to managing personal change. Before starting organizational change, the question of strategic change has to be answered: What do we want to achieve with this change, why, and how will we  know that the change has been achieved? Who is affected by this change, and how will they react to it? How much of this change can we achieve ourselves, and what parts of the change do we need help with? These aspects relate strongly to the management of personal as well as organizational change. Change needs to be understood and managed in a way that people can cope effectively with it. Change can be unsettling, so the manager logically needs to be a settling influence. Whenever an organization imposes new things on people there will be difficulties. Participation, involvement and open, early, full communication are the important factors. Workshops are very useful processes to develop collective understanding, approaches, policies, methods, systems, ideas, etc. Staff surveys are a helpful way to repair damage and mistrust among staff – provided you allow people to complete them anonymously, and provided you publish and act on the findings. Management training, empathy and facilitative capability are priority areas – managers are crucial to the change process – they must enable and facilitate, not merely convey and implement policy from above, which does not work – Change must involve the people change must not be imposed upon the people. One has to be wary of expressions like ‘mindset change’, and ‘changing people’s mindsets’ or ‘changing attitudes’, because this language often indicates a tendency towards imposed or enforced change and it implies strongly that the organization believes that its people currently have the ‘wrong’ mindset, which is never, ever, the case. If people are not approaching their tasks or the organization effectively, then the organization has the wrong mindset, not the people. Change such as new structures, policies, targets, acquisitions, disposals, re-locations, etc., all create new systems and environments, which need to be explained to people as early as possible, so that people’s involvement in validating and refining the changes themselves can be obtained. The following change management principles should be adopted]: At all times involve and agree support from people within the system (system = environment, processes, culture, relationships, behaviours, etc., whether personal or organizational). Understand where you/the organization is at the moment. Understand where you want to be, when, why, and what the measures will be for getting there. Plan development towards No.3 above in appropriate, achievable measurable stages. Communicate, involve, enable and facilitate  involvement from people, as early, openly and as fully as is possible.

Heredity: Nature Versus Nurture and Development

Does heredity affect your personality, or is it your environment. Many psychologists have been back and forth on this question for years. Both of them can affect your behavior and development, but which one affects it the most? Heredity and environment are both leading causes of how a human being acts, and functions. From the heredity standpoint, however, it is proven that heredity does play a part in a person’s development and behavior.In a twin study, they proved that identical (monozygotic) children have more similarities living together and being separated and living with two different families than the fraternal (dizygotic) twins that are raised together in the same home. Having the same genes that your parents have, such as: eye color, skin color, and hair color somehow means that you have a partial genetic makeup as your parent, which could mean that you could also inherit their development and behavior. From an environmental standpoint, they also make a logical point.E ffects of early nutrition and toxic substances can also affect a person’s development and behavior. Many things can affect your behavior and development. It really just depends on what you believe or if you believe both. There are certain traits that a person has that is either considered physical or behavioral characteristics. To pick three behavioral traits for me personally, I would pick warmth, reasoning, and self-reliance. Warmth being affection or kindness, I believe that it was caused by my environment. My family, and close friends all have a â€Å"warm† side.I was always surrounded by generous people that always showed affection. Reasoning: finding an answer using various possibilities. Instead of being stubborn, I like to look at different problems in a different point of view. This trait is most likely a trait that I received through my environment, also. Self-reliance, I would most definitely say was inherited through my environment because of the things tha t I saw as a child. I watched my cousins rely on other people besides themselves and they are not doing well at all because of the mistake that they made to rely on someone else, rather than doing it themselves.Psychical characteristics, such as: thin hair, blue eyes, and the shape of my feet are all caused by my families heredity. My feet look identical to my fathers, I get my blue eyes from my father, and my hair being as thin as it is I get from my mother. There are certain traits affect development and behavior. Heredity and environment playing major roles. I believe that nurture has more to do with your behavior and development than nature does. Yes, you do receive traits from your parents such as psychical traits but, I believe that your environment determines our development and behavior.Effects of early nutrition (Ricciuti, 1993; S. A. Rose, 1994; Sigman & Whaley, 1998) concluded that malnutrition to an infant can cause a child to have limited neurological development and ha ve long term impact on cognitive development. Another research study, Effects of Toxic Substances can also affect your development and behavior. (Dorris, 1989) concluded that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, where mothers consumed large amounts of alcohol during their pregnancy had children that lack motor coordination, delayed language, and mental retardation.Effects of the home environment (Bradley & Caldwell, 1984; Brooks-Gunn et al. , 1996; McGowan & Johnson, 1984) has plenty to do with development and behavior. Children that are raised around parents that do not care about what their children are doing, and how they are doing with school will most likely end up with bad behavior, and suffering consequences with the law or a higher power because of how they were raised and treated as children.A more stimulating home environment, where there are activities to keep the children busy, the parents are interacting with the children, and there are activities to keep their brain stimulated are shown to have children with higher IQ scores than the children with less of a stimulating environment that has to entertain themselves. It all comes down to what your actually believe. Heredity and environment both play roles in determining development and behavior issues.You can get your skin color from your dad being a cause of heredity, and your clothing style from the environment you were raised around. The nature vs nurture debate will never come to a full conclusion because of everyone that has totally different perspectives of the issues. This is just a situation where you have to view both sides of the argument and decide which side of the argument you favor the most, or do you believe that both nature and nurture play equal roles in a humans behavior and development.

Middle East case studies: Elixir Technology

1.  Ã‚  Entering the Middle East market through Malaysia is the best alternative at this time. Malaysia has a market not dissimilar with that of the Middle East. Entering Middle East via this option gives the Company an opportunity to partner with a company which has insights on working in a Muslim country. This way, Elixir is not starting with zero knowledge since this entry strategy is a duplication of what it did in Japan. 2.  Ã‚  Elixir develops and sells computer software which includes the stand-alone and the server-side versions of the Elixir Report. These two versions provide business an enterprise-class reporting solution. ER â€Å"was designed for high-performance operation, capable of handling large report generation† (O’Neil, 2004, p. 4). As such, Elixir Report is â€Å"able to accommodate multiple input data source types and provide reports in multiple output formats† (O’Neil, 2004, p. 4). Aside from these benefits, ER can support multilingual reporting and platform independence, and can support mobile devices. The core competencies of Elixir for its ER are: Speed in adopting changes in the environment and technologies into ER’s programs and applications. As a matter of Elixir claims that flexibility is built in into the Company’s spirit   (O’Neil, 2004, p. 8). Network with technology vendors. This relationship enables Elixir to rapidly fit its ER into a client’s information system which was sourced from a particular vendor or several vendors. Capacity and capability to localize the Elixir Report into specific customer requirements. This capacity and capability is a result of the unique design of ER which enables Elixir for â€Å"easy modification for accommodating local cultural needs† (O’Neil, 2004, p. 8). 3.  As the Company recognized the positive relationship between its understanding of it’s customers’ technology vendors and the efficiency of the sales process, Elixir made developing partnerships with other technology vendors the basis of its â€Å"marketing, sales and distribution strategy† ((O’Neil, 2004, p. 6). Another component of its marketing strategy is stressing that other technology companies translate their products instead of localizing them as what Elixir does (O’Neil, 2004, p. 8). Also, the Company provided for a free trial of the software which can be downloaded from the Company’s Web site (O’Neil, 2004, p. 9). By scaling the software into different versions and selling licensing agreements, Elixir is able to sell ER at a price 50 percent lower than its competitors. This scalability, however, is not a liability in terms of software performance. 4.  Ã‚  Elixir, as to its plan and strategy to expand outside Singapore, has been averagely successful. For example, in its entry into Japan, the Company’s initial marketing strategy – advertising in international magazines – generated low response from Japanese customers. However, this was remedied with the Company’s partnership with GrapeCity which enabled Elixir to bridge cultural gap and language barriers. This same strategy can be used in entering the Middle east market. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yes, based on the facts presented, it is financially beneficial for Lau Shih Hor to take Elixir into the Middle East. I suggest that Lau pursues a distribution partnership with a Malaysian-based company. This company has a better understanding of the Middle East market than Lau which will allow the Company to better localize ER which is one of the product’s competitive advantages. References O’Neil, E. (2004). Elixir Technology – Entry into the Middle East. Ivey Management Services, pp. 1-24.

The Role Christianity Played Throughout the Light and Truth of Slavery: Aaron’s History

The Role Christianity Played Throughout The Light and Truth of Slavery: Aaron's History In 1845 Aaron is telling a story, a story of his life as a slave; which was documented through The Light and Truth of Slavery: Aaron's History. Aaron, a former slave, notes that he escaped from the South and became a â€Å"poor way-faring Bondman,† where he lectured in churches and public buildings throughout the North during the first half of the 19th century. Aaron advocates the political platform of the Liberty Party because of that party's attempt to pass legislation abolishing slavery as unconstitutional.He also suggests that abolishing slavery would not have the feared financial repercussions on the South but would, instead, financially benefit the South and the nation as a whole. In some ways religion meant nothing at all when it came to slaves and slave owners, but in another sense people took it very serious. Aaron starts his story by speaking about Mr. Harrison, William Henry Harr ison who was running for president at that time. Aaron speaks about how caucasian people spoke so highly of Harrison when in actuality he was doing nothing different than any other person.Harrison was still turning hungry kids away but as Aaron says â€Å"Now what more can you expect from a slaveholding man, for you can expect nothing more† (Aaron 3). Aarons view on slavery connected with religon and politics as well. At this time almost everyone’s religion was christianity, and according to the bible; Every is equal. Aaron could never understand how someone could claim to be a Christian, but promote un-christian like qualities to the world. Although slaves were enslaved, that did not keep them away from their religion. Enslaved men and women kept the rites, rituals, and cosmologies of Africa alive in America through stories, healing arts, song, and other forms of cultural expression, creating a spiritual space apart from the white European world. † (Sambol-Tosco 1). If a slave who was beaten, and treated as if they were not even close to human could stick to their religion and live by the words of the bible, how could a person who had no one holding them back do the same. Slave owners used Christianity as an excuse for how they treated slaves in the 19th century.Throughout the narrative, Aaron is on a journey to use his religion to get others on his side and to prove his point on what he thought religion was all about, but he is faced with people who want to help in along his journey, and also people who could care less about him or if he ate that day. While on his journey he traveled through towns such as Elizabethtown, Foxboro, Wrentham and many more. While on his journey through these many different towns, Aaron ran into many Northern abolitionists who Aaron called â€Å"wolves and sheep clothing† (Aaron 7).When he says this he means it as someone that looks harmless (like a sheep), but is actually not (like a wolf), but is just pretending or disguised. These people pretended to want to help him but then refused to help him in his time of need. While on his journey he also ran into other things that did not make him very happy. He blames southern ministers for hypocrisy, because while they were preaching holiness, they were taking advantage of female slaves. While in Elizabethtown he came into contact with a man that thought it was okay to say things like â€Å"he cut up with his female slaves, more than he did his own wife† (Aaron 3).These are all things that confused Aaron and made him want to continue his journey to promote Christianity, so that people could see it that way that he did. The Bible can be used to support particular viewpoints, and slavery is no exception. There are numerous references to slavery in the Bible which can be interpreted to condemn or either condone this practice (Reddie). Except for murder, slavery has to be one of the most immoral things a person can do. Yet slavery is talked about throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments.The Bible clearly approves of slavery in many passages, and it goes so far as to tell how to obtain slaves, and how hard you can beat them. Many Christians will try to ignore the moral problems of slavery by saying that these slaves were actually servants or indentured servants, like the slave owners did. While many slaves may have worked as household servants, that doesn't mean that they were not slaves who were bought, sold, and treated worse than livestock.When people think about slavery, they think about how bad it is and how it has ruined people but what they do not think about is that once, it was just a way of live. â€Å"Historical records show that Islam and Christianity played an important role in enslavement in Africa† (Reddie). Ever since slaves were being captured from Africa, Christians have witnessed this act and have done nothing about it, so what would that change now that slavery has been going on for many years; and that is what Aaron was trying to prevent. While promoting his religion, that meant promotion freedom as well.Aaron was very big on slaves getting their freedom like he did. Throughout the narrative, Aaron told stories about the things brutality he had witnessed when it came to the slaves. As free people, people today do not think about how important freedom is because they have always been free, but they do not see that without freedom you are nothing. â€Å"A poor slave being on his deathbed, begged of his master to give him his liberty before he died, ‘I want to die free massa. ‘ His master replied, you are going to die soon, what good will your liberty do? ‘O master, I want to die free. He said to the slave, ‘you are free. ‘ ‘But do write it master, I want to see it on paper. ‘ At his earnest request he wrote that he was free, the slave took it in his trembling hand, looked at it with a smile and exclaimed, à ¢â‚¬ËœO how beautiful, O how beautiful,' and soon fell asleep in the arms of death† (Aaron 8). † It is amazing how a person could want freedom so bad, that they would even want their family members to say that they died a free man. Slave owners did not see it the same way, freedom was a privilege slave owners thought, not a right.Aaron wanted everyone to be free, because he was and by spreading his thoughts about religion he thought that would help. On his journey, Aaron ran into many abolitionists that he thought were trying to save the slaves. While some were using Christian scriptures to diffuse slavery, others were searching through the Bible to end it. Even even ran into Quakers, since their establishment in the mid 17th century, Quakers had faced persecution for their beliefs which stated that everyone was â€Å"equal in the sight of God† and capable of receiving the â€Å"light of God's spirit and wisdom†, including Africans.Several of their founders , including George Fox and Benjamin Lay, encouraged fellow congregants to stop owning slaves, and by 1696, Quakers in Pennsylvania officially declared their opposition to the importation of enslaved Africans into North America. Quakers in Philadelphia and London debated slavery at their yearly meetings in the 1750s, became required reading for abolitionists on both sides of the Atlantic (Reddie). Aaron was eager to find out that there were other people willing to help him abolish slavery through religion and willing to do almost anything to get it done.

Responses to Students Posting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Responses to Students Posting - Essay Example I concur with you on the point that sometimes it is necessary to put ethics aside and cross the moral line in order to ensure security and protect the American populace. Considering the statement that to corner a criminal, one has to think like one, criminals have no rules or laws to abide by. In a case where there is no other option, the intelligence service personnel have to violate some laws when dealing with criminals such as terrorists. As much as this is illegal, I support the claim that sometimes, the undercover agents have to do so since if they do not cross the line, they will not effectively fight terrorism and America may face attacks similar to 911. Your yardstick of weighing between what is legal, ethical and moral is quite interesting and favorable especially in this topic of handling criminals. The legal aspect is usually ruled out in an instance where the only way out has to be an illegal process. As much as the 2014 National Intelligence strategy demands that the intelligence personnel must stick to some code of ethics that requires respect for human rights, sometimes they have to violate the ethics to save the larger masses. Torture is usually against the moral nature of human beings. The intelligence personnel however usually employ this method on some suspects in order to derive critical information from them. It is important to note that this method does not work in all cases especially those involving terrorists. Most of them work under oaths and will not let out any secret pertaining their organizations.

English Composition-Progress and Process Reflection beyond the Assignment

English Composition-Progress and Process Reflection beyond the Classroom-Discussion - Assignment Example Teachers grading and mistakes highlighting have made me improve this area greatly. Also, group work and interchanging our article for peer examination have made me able to rate my work against that of the fellow writers and consequently I have been able to improve. Reading my work aloud has enabled me to identify and correct mistakes that may not be detected when reading quietly hence I have perfected my editing. I have been able to choose my words according to the impression I want to make and consequently my grammar has improved with time as I wrote on various topics. Through continuous writing, I have gained new writing skills such as painting word pictures and use of figurative language. This has made me able to make tangible writing reflections as well as creating strong meaning. These writing skills are very applicable beyond the classroom as they help in writing reports, strategies and plans at work. They are also very important in the grant application, online communication, emailing, and Curriculum vitae writing among others. In all these areas, grammatical errors and other poor writing skills may change the meaning of written information and therefore good writing skills become very important. Class work writing practices have helped me to become a better writer. Interacting with peers, being graded and research work introduced in class has med me better my writing skills.