Monday, September 30, 2019

Power point presentation on racism Essay

Definition of Racism rac*ism n (1936) 1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary Segregation The separation of groups of people by custom or by law. It is often based on differences of race, religion, wealth, or culture. The first major challenges to racial segregation in Canada occurred in 1946 when Viola Desmond, a black businesswoman, refused to sit in the balcony of a New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, theater but instead sat downstairs, an area designated exclusively for whites. Viola Desmond’s action occurred nine years before Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama Causes of segregation Media examples of racism What is racism? The holding of derogatory social attitudes or cognitive beliefs towards members of a particular group on the account of their membership to that group What is racism? The ICERD (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) defines racism as follows: â€Å"Any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise, on equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, or any other field of public life.† Social function of prejudice & racism Prejudice and racism may be a necessary means of creating scapegoats for individual or groups that feel threatened It may be due to socialization (e.g. authoritarian personality) It may be the animal instinct of territoriality and feral restraint. It may be mere bigotry and ignorance It may be egotism and inflexible ethnocentrism Elements of racism an underlying belief in the superiority of one race over another and its right to dominate. generalizing one group of people by believing in simplistic stereotypes of that group. affects every aspect of the lives of communities of colour: social, economic, political, health, etc. Elements of racism Prejudice: A preconceived, unreasonable judgement or opinion of people or situations. Where prejudice is negative it often results in harmful or unfavourable consequences for the victim Prejudice may have social & biological basis Stereotypes and their function Stereotypes are relatively fixed sets of oversimplified beliefs about people or events Stereotypes are often over generalisations about people and their assumed defining characteristics Social cognitive theories of prejudice & stereotyping Prejudice and discrimination may stem from the misuse of: 1)cognitive heuristics 2)categorisation and stereotyping of in-groups and out-groups 3)information processing and the inability to deal with complex data (need for shortcuts) Racism types Individual racism refers to the prejudicial beliefs and discriminatory behavior of individuals. Institutional racism refers to the policies that restrict the opportunities of minorities.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

José Rizal Essay

Jose left Calamba for Binan to study under the instruction of Maestro Justaniano Aquino Cruz. His days in school were full of memories and It is where he develop his skills in painting and the arts of wrestling. He was also the best student in their school. Jose surpassed all the Binan boys. It contributed for the love of independence in Jose. At that tender age, he was able to control himself. Although he was struck by homesickness but diverted the feeling of nostalgia in developing talents and focused more in his academic studies. I remember when I was in my elementary years. Sometimes, I was left alone by my parents. I just use my time by coloring books and playing with my friends. This activity helps me in identifying colors and building harmonious relationship with others. December 1871 Jose went to Calamba, his home town, where he was welcomed home by his parents, brothers, and sisters. He also spent his Christmas in Calamba. He was given a chance to celebrate with his family the Christmas on 1871. He even shared his experience in Binan. Christmas and other holidays would be merrier when we spend it with our family especially when we exchanges jokes and stories. January 1872  The Cavity Mutiny flared up, followed by the execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora on February 17th. Paciano was deeply affected with the execution of his friend. As a sympathy and protest against the injustice of Spanish authorities, he quit studies and went back to Calamba. This was the period when Jose’s determination to consecrate his life to combat the evil forces of his times despite of his tender age. As a Filipino, I too, is greatly affected by this event because it shows injustice and racial discrimination because Filipino priest were considered inferior and given limited assignments. They were not allowed to hold parishes. June 1872 The hero’s mother was accused and arrested on malicious charge that she aided her brother, Jose Alberto, in trying to poison Alberto’s wife. She was forced to walk on foot from Calamba to Santa Cruz. Jose Rizal experienced the injustice of the Spanish authorities. This event in his life was inculcated in his mind and opened his eyes to reality and dreamed to have equality between Filipinos and Spaniards before the law. This event shows how Spaniards manipulate justice for their own benefit. This will also leave a message to the reader not to trust anyone be June 1872 to 1873 Jose entered Ateneo Municipal. He was at first put at the tail of the class, but he was soon promoted and kept on being promoted so that at the end of one month he had attained to the rank of Emperor. At the end of the term he obtained marks of excellent in all the subjects and in the examinations. . He had reason to feel proud of his advancement; and so when he went home on vacation that year, he ran alone to see his mother in the prison and tell her the happy news. Jose shows that he can do better even when he is Second year in Ateneo (1873 to 1874) The second year, Jose had the same professor as in the previous year; but instead of lodging outside the City, he resided at No. 6 Calle Magallanes. At the end of the term he obtained a medal, and upon returning to his town, he again visited his mother in jail alone. This was three months before her release. Third year in Ateneo (1874-1875) Rizal family was happy because Dona Teodora was released from prison however, Rizal returned dissatisfied to his hometown because he only won one medal. He failed to win a medal in Spanish because his spoken Spanish was not that fluent. A Spaniard who delivered Spanish with fluency and right accentuation defeated him. He studied harder this year and regained his leadership composure and became an emperor again. Fourth Year in Ateneo (1875-1876) Rizal obtained five medals, which pleased him immensely because with them I could repay my father somewhat for his sacrifices. Last Year in Ateneo (1876-1877) Rizal was considered as â€Å"the pride of the Jesuits† because he was the most brilliant Atenean of his times.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

How would you, as the manager of this company, deal with the risk Essay

How would you, as the manager of this company, deal with the risk associated with doing business in countries that feel threatened by American culture - Essay Example The extent of threat needs to be examined and this can also be measured whether the threat can be minimized or not. In addition to that, the people of the selected country can be appointed for working and teaching the staff the customs and culture of the country in order to establish friendly relations with the natives. In my view, a dummy setup should be started in order to evaluate all the risks involved. Also, a small staff should be appointed including locals as well as Americans to assess their compatibility with each other. A humble and communicative attitude should be adopted in order to accommodate the natives. Relationships of the government with the host country should be evaluated in order to start a business (Shong 32). So, to handle the risks involved in a country being threatened by American culture, the manager of the company has to evaluate the whole setup of starting a new business. Risks are needed to be identified and evaluated. Afterwards, planning should be there to facilitate the natives and minimize the threat felt by

Friday, September 27, 2019

Describe the importance of angiogenesis for the development and Essay

Describe the importance of angiogenesis for the development and treatment of cancer - Essay Example More than a dozen dissimilar proteins have been recognized as angiogenic activators and inhibitors as well. The extent of appearance of angiogenic factors reveals the forcefulness of tumor cells fostering the cancer. The detection of angiogenic inhibitors should assist in lowering both morbidity and possible mortality resulting from carcinomas. A significant number of patients have obtained antiangiogenic therapy up to this moment. In spite of their speculative effectiveness, antiangiogeic treatments have not demonstrated advantageous in terms of long-term survival of patient and the mitigation of the carcinoma (Kerbel 2040). There is an imperative necessity for a new all-inclusive treatment approach merging antiangiogenic agents with conservative cytoreductive treatment in the regulation of cancer that poses as worldwide menace. Keywords: Angiogenesis, Prognosis, Immunohistochemistry Introduction Cancer is capable of spreading to bordering or distant organs and the organ systems, wh ich renders it a potential threat to life. The tumor cells can go through blood or lymphatic vessels. Additionally, they can then circulate through the intravascular stream, and then propagate at another site: metastasis. The development of the vascular network is imperative for the metastatic multiplication of cancer tissue. The processes in which new blood and lymphatic vessels result are referred to as angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, in that order (Shih, Lindley and Bevacizumab 1801). In this case both processes have a fundamental function in the generation of a new vascular net to supply nutrients, oxygen and immune cells into the system, as well as facilitating the elimination of waste products. The angiogenic and lymphangiogenic determinants are gradually more receiving consideration, particularly in the area dealing with neoplastic vascularisation (Gotink and Verheul 12). As per the above explanations, this exercise intends to describe the importance of angiogenesis for t he development and treatment of cancer. The description of the essence of the angiogenesis targets the provision of a comprehensive approach on the connection of the angiogenesis with cancer (Siemann 68). Therefore, it is logical to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the angiogenesis. Through this, it would be easier to understand the principles behind the operation and hence its exact means of development and cancer treatment by angiogenesis (Achen 550). Angiogenesis in Cancer Angiogenesis incorporate the formation of new blood vessels in a particular body tissue, tissues or organs (Nishida et al 213). The angiogenesis process entails the migration of endothelial cells, their growth and differentiation into tissues or specialized cells (Andre et al 178). The angiogenesis process is regulated by the bodily chemical signals (Cook p 232). The signals can foster both the repair of the deformed or damaged blood vessels and the creation of new blood vessels (Amioka et al. 416). The ch emical inhibitors are also chemical signals that intervene during the angiogenesis process and hence the formation of the blood vessels. Under the normal functionality of the body systems, the chemical signals are controlled so that the blood vessels are only formed at the required parts of the body organs (Boocock Charnock and Sharkey 512). Cancer only endangers life through the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Company Analysis - Ipremier Case Study Term Paper

Company Analysis - Ipremier Case Study - Term Paper Example Turley is in a hotel room during the attack, it takes him time to coordinate a team to handle the crisis. The worst is that the team or the employees of the institution do not have proper knowledge of the technical operations of the system or the website hence they have to move all the way to the provider who cannot be reached over the phone at the time. The customers are at stake since their credit cards are in the verge of being stolen at any moment then. Taking into account the short period presented to Bob to handle the crisis as the CIO, we have to commend him for the enormous tasks he had to perform. It is also important to note that one of the obstacles is that the scenario was complicated. The case shows vividly that all the communication line got broken down during the attack prompting stress and panic among all the junior employees (Pendlebury & Groves, 2004). There is no clear division of duties to enhance the operations of the firm effectively and efficiently. Duties and responsibilities have to be assigned during the attack and this is further fueled by the existence of the outdated emergency procedures. We are informed from the case that, Bob during his tenure was to install or renew the system which they had no done up to this far and therefore had to move with speed most so after the occurrence of such vices. Another major problem was with Qdata the computer service provider. The firewall and the infrastructure of the services provided by them were not satisfactory and did not help in blocking or mitigating the attack. Qdata employees did not show enough expertise and experience in dealing with similar situations. The firewall was not able to prevent the attack given the low level of technology that Qdata was still embracing (Axelrod, 2004). Above all, Qdata employees were not willing to help iPremier’s representatives to access the NOC. In addition, this predicted the miscommunication between Ipremier and Qdata was clear in the case give n that an employee had to run all the way to the service provider (Fink, 2006). If I were Turley, amidst the crisis I would have engaged several risk management strategies rushing to protect the data systems using my It knowledge before remaining helpless. Secondly, I would have brought in an expert who was readily accessible to help in blocking any form of transactions from the site at least until normalcy returned before I informed the CEO of the technicalities just for a point of information. An urgent meeting of all the employees would then be called immediately to ponder on the way forward from the integration of the views of all the parties (Austine, Leibrock, & Murray, 2007). 2. The Ipremier Company CEO, Jack Samuelson, had already expressed to Bob Turley his concern that the company might eventually suffer from a "deficit in operating procedures." Were the company's operating procedures deficient in responding to this attack? What additional procedures might have been in pla ce to better handle the attack? As earlier pointed out by the CEO of Ipremier, Jack Samuelson of the existence of the operation procedures, actually, there exist several of the deficiencies in terms of the response given to this attack. The deficiencies are in form of the risk response and recovery systems concerning the business that the business is engaged and how they are running the business. First, the firewall of the system does not have a backup system given the low

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Blogs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blogs - Essay Example When barcodes were not enough, QR codes emerge. One of the latest technological applications that apparently revolutionizes consumer shopping, from a host of other applications, is through quick response (QR) code. The Tesco QR Code Subway Store, for instance, applied this technology by creating virtual stores that presented images of grocery items in places frequently visited by consumers, like subway areas and where customers shop using their smart phones to shop (YouTube 2011). Its origin was actually traced 18 years ago from a Japanese company, Denso Wave, as a means of â€Å"tracking parts by vehicle manufacturers† (Mobile-Barcodes: Overview, n.d., par. 1). With the proliferation of smart phones, the QR code applications were seen to be evidently applicable in other service areas including business cards, billboards, direct mail, repair orders, and even in bus stop stations where convenience stores, manufacturers, and service organizations could post virtual shops and encourage shoppers to select their grocery items, products and services to be delivered and consumed in comforts of their homes (Think Tank Tuesday 2011). What could be the next faster and extensively applicable paced codes than QR? Consumers just have to wait and see. Smart phones are the latest global technological craze where applications continue to evolve. Not only do smart phones serve distinct and varied personal needs of discerning consumers; but more so, smart phones have capabilities that actually help organizations in their marketing strategies. As people become immersed with the coming holiday season, for instance, smart phones could just be the life saver. In convenience stores and shopping centers which could just be a conundrum of chaotic proportions, locating for much sought of products amidst voluminous array of inventories could be addressed with radio frequency identification (RFID). This

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Project management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Project management - Coursework Example That is, business would go on as usual without interruption. Renovating such an old building considering the extent of the damage while at the same time worrying about the safety of millions of passengers passing by, posed a great challenge (Badiru 2009, pp. 71-78) Second, it was challenging to install sustainable resource utilization systems like new water systems considering that the building was constructed using old and outdated materials. Third, the project’s size and scale made it difficult to manage the suppliers effectively due to communication breakdown. The project had more than dozen employees and 11 suppliers reporting to the project manager. As a result, effective communication was compromised. Fourth, it was challenging to replace the network system in the terminal since the systems currently used by the passengers and flight systems would be shut down during the process. As mentioned the renovation was to take place without interrupting the usual activities. The network system replacement process was also a challenge (Larson, Gray, Danlin, Honig & Bacarini 2013, pp. 77-100). Despite the above mentioned and other challenges, strategies were formulated to ensure effective utilization of resources. The strategies comprise of the following: first, the project manager was strict on gauging the performance of different stakeholders with the standards set by BAA Airport Ltd. The strategy enhanced the performance of the suppliers, workers, and the contractor. Second, even though it was impossible to overhaul the water system, the contractors were able to replace lights and heaters with those that economically consume electricity. Third, the network system was improved without disrupting the usual activities at the terminal by use of â€Å"Online change control† software built by IT specialists. The strategies facilitated the delivery of project

Monday, September 23, 2019

Western Civilization of the French Revolution Essay

Western Civilization of the French Revolution - Essay Example It essentially detailed his life, including capture, slavery, brutality, and eventual literacy. It was created in the United Kingdom. It is useful to historians because it provides a first-hand account of slavery, something that is relatively hard to come by, as so few were literate. The French Revolution was one of the most turbulent times in western history – it involved mass uprisings, huge reversals in power and wealth, and had one of the strangest endings: the rise of Napoleon. The development of one of the world’s most famous late emperors is a strange ending to a democratic revolution. Some argue that Napoleon largely upheld revolutionary values during his reign – and indeed there are some ways this was true, such as installing a civil code of laws to replace the whims of rulers, aristocrats and so forth and would eventually be a major influence in many countries around the world. However, this and similar achievements cannot overshadow the fact that the fundamentals of the revolution were populist, and an emperorship is anything but. If the spirit of the revolution was enshrined in the phrase â€Å"Libertà ©, Égalità ©, Fraternità ©,† then it is clear Napoleon did not live up to those standards. As mentioned previously, it is tempting to argue that Napoleon upheld many aspects of the revolution. Certainly his reign was nothing like as terrible to the French populace as that of the monarchs that proceeded the revolution: the economy was largely stabilized, wealth was less concentrated in the hands of the wealthy than previously and so forth. His Civil Code embodied many of the features present in the declaration of the rights of man,1 especially in imagining the rule of law as the prime mechanism of power, replacing the absolute control held by previous monarchs. While these achievements should be

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Should the government have a say on what we eat Research Paper

Should the government have a say on what we eat - Research Paper Example Indeed, this happens to be a very divisive question. There are health experts who support a direct state intervention in the dietary choices made by the people. Yet, there are also groups and bodies who believe that government should have no say in what people eat. Pragmatically speaking, government should not have any say at all in what people eat because government has no right to interfere in the decisions people make, and if government really wants to help people eat healthy, it can do say without opting for a direct intervention. Government should not have any say in the food people eat because government has not right to interfere in expression of the free will of the people (Caplan 175). In any thriving democracy, too much government interference in lives of the people is not good. This trend if allowed to gain grounds could certainly lead to a diminishing of the rights of the people (Caplan 175). The government should not have any right to dictate as to what the tax payers or ordinary citizens should eat. People do have the wisdom and the maturity to decide as to what they and their families need to eat. Diet of people happens to be a social issue and not a legal issue. One of the primary roles of the government is to make new laws. Hence, government does not need to pose interference in an issue that happens to be more of a social problem and not a legal issue. Besides, the purpose of any effective government is not to define the lives of the people, but to assure that people are able to live their lives the way they want to. The other thing is that if the government is allowed to have a say in what people eat, the state may surpass this power to interfere with each and every aspect of the people’s life. This is not good for democracy. There does need to be a limit as to how much the government is allowed to interfere in the lives of the people. Telling people what to

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Pavlovian Conditioning’s Cause and Effect Relationship With Overdose Essay Example for Free

Pavlovian Conditioning’s Cause and Effect Relationship With Overdose Essay Summary: Harm Reduction Journal Gerevich, Bacskai, Farkas, and Danics’ case report studied if Pavlovian conditioning can directly relate to death from overdose. The case followed a young that had been treated multiple times for an addiction to heroin. As a result for the multiple treatments studies have shown that drug overdose occurs most frequently when the patient accustomed to the drug gives up its use then after a while attempts to continue addictive behavior with the same dose before withdrawal. His daily dose had not differed even the fatal overdose, thus proving the conditioned tolerance failed to operate. This indicates that morphine concentrations measured in cases of drug related death do not differ substantially form those measured in cases where the outcome is not fatal. Conditioning can contribute to prevention of fatal cases however, also contribute to cases of tolerance becoming fatal. Summary: Pavlovian conditioning and Drug Overdose: When Tolerance Fails  Siegel’s performed a study of that which Pavlovian conditioning and drug overdose play an important and integral relationship with one another. Siegel researched and studied cases of overdose and examined rats injected with an opiate. He observed that Pavlovian conditioning contributes to tolerance when the user begins to make observations of the effects of the drug in the presence of cues that were previously paired with the drug. Two stimuli are present and one will presumably predict the other, this includes the drug. When the tolerance the chance for overdose increases as well. The unconditioned stimulus in Pavlov’s conditioning is the effect of the drug.  This conditioning makes relapsing common because of the craving for unconditioned stimulus. It is necessary to allow extinction the cues that are presented with the drug in order for recovery. Overdose doesn’t necessarily have to c ome from the conditioning process but many experiments verify a higher risk if conditions are present. In 1927 Ivan Pavlov studied a direct relationship between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. As the result of as series of conditionings, Pavlov discovered that the conditioned stimulus is able to create the same response as the unconditioned stimulus over a period of time. The relationship of the two is evident and a major factor in fatal overdoses, whether in drug overdose or binge drinking. The correlation between classic conditioning and overdose can be observed where tolerance fails. If one were to treat an addiction, one must acknowledge the conditioning process and eliminate conditioned cues related with the drug (Bacskai, Danics, Farkas Gerevich, 2005). Cases where tolerance failed can be directly found in classical conditioning involved with drug or drinking paired cues and environmental cues as well as associated with the addiction, therefore the cue must be eliminated in order for proper recovery. Tolerance plays a crucial role in overdose as well as addiction. Overdose becomes fatal when tolerance does not occur. According to Siegel, â€Å"Evidence that drug tolerance depends not only upon experience with the drug but also experience with the drug-paired cues† (p. 505, 2001). Addicts suffer from overdose primarily because they do not show the level of tolerance that they expect in drug-experienced individuals (Siegel, 2001). Those suffering with addiction have become conditioned not only physically, but also emotionally in need of the high that is released with a substance. The addiction is the conditioned stimulus, which leaves room for the effects of the drug or drink to be the unconditioned stimulus. Siegel found that events that occur during the drug administration directly correspond to a Pavlovian conditioning trial (2001). Over time the effects become a conditioned response in which they will relate the experience of the high as a cue. Cues are dangerous when de aling with conditioning and treatment. Cues accompanying the drug effect function as CSs, and the direct drug effect constitutes the UCS. Prior to any learning, this UCS elicits responses- UCRs- that compensate for drug-induced disturbances. After some pairings of the pre-drugs CS and pharmacological UCS, the drug compensatory response are elicited by drug-paired stimuli as CRs (Siegel, 2001, p. 505). Thus, in approach to treatment prior to an overdose, the cues must be eliminated. In the study by Siegel, it is studied that drugs and alcohol in particular will have a greater impact if they are administered in the presence of unique cues rather than in the presence of predictable cues that it is associated with (2011). In Bacskai, Danics, Farkas and Gerevich study, they followed the life of an addict which overdosed and claimed that the user could not recover properly due to learned conditioning regarding his heroin addiction. In the autopsy report they were able to clarify that his over dosage was the exact same as his no rmal dosage of .05mg/L. â€Å"The fatal consequences of the heroin injection may have been caused by the failure in the action of conditioned tolerance† (Bacskai, Danics, Farkas Gerevich, 2005). Environmental cues are also factors of conditioning that are paired with cases of overdose. The term tolerance situational-specificity, according to Siegel, results because we prepare ourselves in advance for the psychological changes produced by the drug when we are provided with certain cues that a drug or drink can imminent (2011). An example can be taken from Shapiro and Nathan in1986 when they studied the relationship between environmental cues and substance ingested. They had two groups, one that drank at home and one that drank in the lab environment. After 10 days they reversed the environment for the remaining participants. Upon the discovery they realized that those who had consumed alcohol in the lab environment were less affected in their performance tasks than those who consumed alcohol in the home environment. This demonstrating that tolerance was situationally precise to the environment in which the alcohol was once consumed. Environmental cues can be anywhere from a p arty to a room in a house. They can also be an atmosphere or specific type of people. It is important to identify these cues apart from the actual addiction. Now that cues can be identified separate from the drug of drink, the conditioned  response must be eliminated in order to treat recovery. Pavlov discovered that in order to eliminate a behavior, it is necessary to remove or substitute the conditioned stimulus. In order to eliminate any such cue, one must identify the cues present. In severe cases one might create a lesion in the hippocampal area located in the brain but it is not completely necessary. The most likely case in elimination is when a conditioned response becomes extinct. In order for extinction to occur the conditioned stimulus must be presented without the unconditioned stimulus. An example of a drug or drinking paired cue could be a positive or negative factor, like vomiting or, a party like environment. The cue can be created with induced vomiting when the drug or alcohol is present. This creates a fear tactic, which becomes associated with the addiction and thus making one afraid of the substance. Environmental cues can be both simple and difficult to eliminate. One must be taken out of his or hers setting of addiction. This could mean a living room, bathroom, party scene, work scene, or anywhere that the drug or drinking is associated with. These environments can cause pr essure in the subconscious toward the substance. Remember the Shapiro and Nathan experiment in1986; environment does affect one’s attitude toward the addiction. In Siegel’s 2001 study he discovered that when heroin was injected in an unfamiliar place the user is not as dangerous or place to overdose. The dangers of not eliminating cues can allow tolerance to take its role until overdose occurs. â€Å"Users familiar with the concept of conditioned place preference could have greater chances of survival than those who are not aware of it† (Bacskai, Danics, Farkas Gerevich, 2005). Demonstrating that it is necessary for the cues to be eliminated to reduce the risk of overdose. Therefore, Pavlov’s conditioning has a direct and present relationship involved in overdose cases. Conditioning turns unconditioned stimulus into conditioned responses. The responses can act as cues, which can trigger the addiction. Cues can be both drug, or drinking paired and environmentally stimulated. Tolerance has been proven to fail in fatal cases of overdose due to classical conditioning. In order to recover properly these cues must be eliminated. Treatments can include anything from fear tactics, to removing  the entire substance. Severe cases of addiction, which relate to overdose can be treated with lesions in the brain. References Gerevich, J., Bacskai, E., Farkas, L., Danics, Z. (2005). A case report: Pavlovian conditioning as a risk factor of heroin â€Å"overdose† death. Harm Reduction Journal, 2. Siegel, S. (2011). The Four-Loko Effect. Perspective on Psychological Science, 6, 357-361. Siegel, S. (2001). Pavlovian conditioning and drug overdose: When tolerance fails. Addiction Research and Theory, 9, 503-513. Shapiro, A. P., Nathan, P. E. (1986). Human tolerance to alcohol† The role of Pavlovian conditioning processes. Psychopharmacology, 88, 90, 95.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The word perfume

The word perfume Introduction: History of Perfume The word perfume itself is derived from the Latin per fume, which means â€Å"through smoke†. Due to the fact that the original use of aromatic materials was of burning incense, as an offering to the gods.1 Aromatic materials have been used for a variety of different purposes over the past thousand years. Perfumes during this era largely consisted of uncharacterized aromatic compounds.2 Ancient Egyptians used such fragrant materials in many different forms. While it wasnt until the Crusades that perfumery became more knowledgeable, due to the increase in trade of spices which was a known ingredient in perfumes.1 However it wasnt until the 19th century when alchemy became more popular that perfumes began to evolve and change into its current state. The past 100 years has seen the rise of many perfumes that extensively use synthetic chemicals. The first example of the modern perfume was in 1882, Fougere Royale created by Paul Parquet, composed of many synthetic compounds.1 Throughout the next few decades major advancements in the structural characterization of aromatic compounds (with the use of gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy2) led to the creation of synthetic materials. Perfume industries of late use large amounts of synthetic ingredients in the perfume production compared to natural sources. Statistically out of 3000 fragrance ingredients, less than 5% come from natural sources.1 Section 1: Production of Perfume The components of perfume that provide the fragrance can be produced/extracted in 2 major ways. As mentioned above until 100 years ago perfumes used natural sources for use of fragrant chemicals, since then the compounds are synthesised artificially in laboratories. Methods of both production types are mentioned below. Natural Perfume Ingredients Natural sources vary from plants (lavender, jasmine etc.), fruits (lemon, orange etc.), and animals (musk from deers, ambergris from whales). The components that contribute to the smell of the above sources are produced using methods that fall into 3 basic techniques. Expression: simplest of the 3, only used for citrus oils, involves squeezing and compression of the material to obtain oil.3 Distillation: used in manufacture and extraction of essential oils in plants, steam is utilised to help release aromatic molecules from the material. The oils co-distil with the steam, causing the water to be separated (using a Florentine flask) and discarded from the oils. However in some cases the water can be distributed as â€Å"floral waters†, as they may contain certain fragrant qualities.1 Solvent Extraction: the most important and frequently used in modern perfumery. Typical solvents consist of combinations of petroleum ether, acetone, hexane and ethyl acetate and various others. This technique produces a concrete (resinoid) which can then either be distilled into an essential oil or extracted using ethanol to produce an absolute.1 However ethanol extraction cannot be used on plant materials as they contain water, which can be absorbed by ethanol. Therefore a new technique known as the ‘Superficial Fluid extraction is used where the solvent used is Supercritical CO2(carbon dioxide in its fluid state). This process is more successful in providing fragrant compounds with odour, that more closely resembles that of its raw material.3 On the other hand its is a very expensive process, due to the pressure and temperature required to keep CO2 in its liquid state.1 Synthetic Perfume Ingredients As organic chemistry began to develop, the fragrant chemicals involved in perfume began to gradually become synthetic. The first perfume to utilise new synthetic materials is known to be the popular Chanel No5 in 1921. It used aliphatic aldehydes for the first, which helped to create a rich jasmine ‘note for the perfume. One major reason that the perfume industry use synthetic compounds over the natural is because of its expense. It is much cheaper to produce the materials synthetically than extracting it by natural means. Structurally almost all fragrant molecules have stereocenters, any point in a molecule where interchanging of any two groups leads to a stereoisomer. 7 Due to this it becomes difficult to synthesise the particular isomer required for fragrance. In 1991 however a scientist known as Paquette synthesised a steroisomer of Ambrox, which is known to be an amber odorant.2 The isomer is (-)-9-epi-Ambrox. This was made possible due to the use of a method known as oxy-Cope rearrangement2 to isolate a single isomer. Process: The active species, the bicyclic ketone is treated with dihydrofuranyl lithium, producing 2. This product is then reacted with phenylselenyl chloride, producing the compound 3. The removal of the phenyl selenium group providing the double bond required, and then followed by alkylation with methyl iodide and LDA. Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is then used to reduce the ketone molecule into an alcohol. Catalyst palladium utilised to reduce double bonds. This product is then dehydrolated to produce the desired (-)-9-epi-Ambrox.2 The above example of chemical rearrangement is one of the many process is used in the formation of synthetic fragrances. Determining the fragrant materials of perfumes requires analysis of its chemistry. This is done by the use of gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. The use of analytical chemistry is also evident in the synthesis of perfume. These aromatic compounds that have either been extracted or synthesised are eventually formulated with other ingredients to produce the end product, Perfume. Formulation of Perfume Once the perfume oils are collected, they will be ready to be blended together. There may be as many as 800 different ingredients and take several years to formulate a special scent.5 Once the scent is created alcohol is mixed with it, this can dilute the scent of the perfume. Alcohols also evaporate quickly which allows the scent (top notes) to be released at a faster rate. The alcohol used in perfumery is ethanol and is odourless.5 Alcohols used in perfumes is usually denatured so that they are not marketed as alcohol rather than perfumes. This process is known as Blending. Section 2: ‘Notes on Perfume The term â€Å"notes† in perfumery means smell. The whole concept behind perfume is its fragrance. Notes are a descriptive form of the many layers of fragrances found in perfume. Perfumes usually consist of three notes: Top Notes: are responsible for the initial smell of perfumes. They normally consist of small, light molecules that evaporate quickly (with the help of alcohol), the most volatile compounds. Heart Notes: the smell that sets after the quick evaporation of the top notes. Forms the main aroma (hence known as ‘heart) of the perfume, has the ability to last several hours. Base Notes: expectantly the scent that appears after the exit of the heart notes. These are made of heavy, large compounds which evaporate the slowest. The long lasting scents of the base notes are very rich and deep, helping to sustain the effect of the perfume.6 Section 3: Physical aspects of Perfume The main physical aspect of perfume is its colour. Perfumes that have colours are found to be more attractive to the buyer. However not all perfumes are coloured, this is because manufacturers add compounds, compounds that reflect certain colours in light, into the perfume. For example: Section 4: Allergies caused by Perfumes Breathing problems, asthma and contact dermatitis (an itchy and inflamed skin rash) are typical reactions to fragrances. These irritations are known to be caused by the various mixes of chemicals in the perfume. Examples of the many allergenic fragrances include chemicals such as amylcinnamic alcohol, anisyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, even natural products such as clove oil, nutmeg oil, odor of rose and cinnamon oil. These can result in rashes or swelling on surfaces of hands, arms and face.9 The addition of alcohol in perfumes only increases the allergies/irritation to the skin. To prevent alcohol allergies it is possible to manufacture perfumes with perfume oils4 instead. Perfume oils other than preventing alcohol allergies can be less expensive to produce and in terms of fragrances allows the scent to last longer. To make perfume oil, carrier oil is required to substitute the alcohol and the water. Jojoba is an example of carrier oil, as it has a very long shelf life, no scent of its own and it is not greasy.4 Conclusive Summary: As the above discussion suggests, the manufacturing process of perfumes uses a vast array of chemistry. Organic and analytical chemistry being the most important fields involved in the chemistry of perfumes. With more research and understanding of the mechanisms involved in the mixture of the components. It can be possible to have perfumes with ingredients that are less volatile in the future.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Oh, Ill Do It Tomorrow Essay -- essays research papers

Oh, I'll Do It Tomorrow Washing the dishes after a meal, doing your homework, getting up in the mornings, calling a loved one; These are only a few activities you might put off doing until the last possible minute. You don't enjoy doing them and it takes time to do them. Time that you would rather spend doing something enjoyable, right? Well, procrastination may not seem like a bad habit, but you would be surprised of the effects it can have on your health, relationships, job, and even your future. Procrastination is when we wait so long to complete a task that we do not want to do, that we only have a short time to complete it. When you have waited until the night before the final exam to study, you worry that you will fail the exam. Worrying causes stress, and stress has been proven to be harmful to a person mentally and physically. When someone is under stress about something thier body releases adrenalin, the hormone that gives you a sudden burst of energy. The body does this to help you cope with sudden stress. For example, do you remember that exam you have tomorrow morning? You are under stress because you don't want to fail, so you stay up all night studying for it. You are capable of staying awake all night because of the release of adrenalin. About eight hours later, it's time for the exam. By now your body is exhausted from using so much energy- you are completely drained. You can hardly stay awake and you can't concentrate. Procrastinating has weakened you mental...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Tess of the dUrbervilles- summary of part I :: essays research papers

Tess of the d’Urbervilles Chapter I   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The scene begins with a middle-aged peddler, named John Durbeyfield. Making his way home, the man encounters Parson Tringham, who claims to have studied history. The Parson tells Durbeyfield that he is of noble lineage, the d’Urberville family, and his family has prospered for many generations until recently. Tringham tells his him however that this heritage comes from such a long period of time ago that it is worthless. At this the seemingly drunk man sits near a road and beckons a young boy to fetch him a horse and carriage to take him home in his newly liberated state. Chapter II   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tess, the eldest daughter of the Durbeyfield family, has accompanied the other women in the village, young and old, to celebrate May Day. All of the women are clothed in white, but not the same shade of white, as noticed by the narrator. They all hold white flowers in one hand and a white wand made from oak in the other. This celebration commemorates the coming of spring, and all the women enjoy it, as it seems, because it allows them to forget their insignificant role in society. In the middle of the procession, John Durbeyfield rides along in his carriage, making quite a spectacle. Tess is embarrassed, and three very attractive (and obviously rich) brothers walk in. Only one of them, the youngest stays to dance, while his brothers continue their journey. All the women are anxious to be picked to dance by him, for all dream of a better life as the wife of a gentleman. Tess is chosen to dance with the young man, and before they can even exchange their names, the b oy runs off to catch up with his siblings. Chapter III   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon Tess’ arrival home after the festivities, her mother, Joan confronts her with two important pieces of news. She relates that their family has been found to be of noble blood, and that John has been diagnosed with a heart condition. Tess sees the Compleat Fortune-Teller, a book full of superstitions that her mother follows for guidance. Mr. Durbeyfield is not home, but rather at Rolliver’s, the local inn and drinking hole, celebrating the news of his new â€Å"wealth†. Obviously, the man spends a many hours there, and it is no surprise that he has not returned home. Joan, leaving Tess to tend her 5 siblings, leaves to fetch her husband.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Free Hamlet Essays: Hamlet Interpreted :: The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

Hamlet Interpreted It is clear Hamlet can be interpreted from a multitude of perspectives on numerous levels. I cannot quite grasp Mr. Bloom's contention that this is a work of near biblical importance nor can I accept his allusions to Jesus or the Buddha. "Hamlet remains apart; something transcendent about him places him more aptly with the biblical King David, or with even more exalted scriptural figures."(Bloom, 384). My immediate response is that when Mr. Bloom shuffles off this mortal coil, I don't believe Billy Shakespeare will be waiting with a pint of ale. Professor Schechner's enjoyable production increased my appreciation of the value of wardrobe and inflection of voice. Prior to this performance I did not see Polonius as a buffoon (as portrayed by Mr. Shapli), nor the incestuous nature of Ophelia's familial relationships (Ms. Cole's ability to transform from coquette to lunatic was shocking). Doubtless there are near as many interpretations of Hamlet as there are Shakespearean aficionados. My own expertise lies in the political arena. I believe Hamlet could be construed as a treatise on aggressive, imperialist behavior. Throughout the Dramaturgic Analysis of Hamlet Prince of Denmark the indecisiveness of Hamlet is noted. He does not immediately seek vengeance but continually schemes, rants and raves (both in his rational and insane moments). Whether cowardice, caution, or simply indifference dominate his persona is unclear - what is clear is his distaste for his own behavior: "How stand I then, That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,...And let all sleep, while to my shame I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men... (sic)." (Shakespeare, 116). The impending doom of the twenty thousand men alludes to a campaign waged by Fortinbas, the Prince of Norway. Though the battleground is said to be of little value, Fortinbas is warring on principles of honor and the subsequent expansion of Norway. An enraged Hamlet mistakenly slays Polonius. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent to their inconsequential deaths only when he is inspired by pirates to save his own life. These murders involved no elaborate schemes but were simply enacted. Yet with all his planning, his opportunities, his justification, why can he not kill Claudius? The portrayal of the pirates as "merciful thieves" (Shakespeare, 124) and the fact that warlike Fortinbras succeeds in Poland and obtains the Kingdom of Denmark by play's end - may be a commentary on decisive, imperialistic behavior.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Change management Essay

Change management is an approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations to a desired future state. In this assignment I will be covering Rollin and Christine Glaser’s (1992) five elements to improve team effectiveness, IT management competencies, reasons for mergers and acquisitions in reference to South African businesses and roles leaders should play during the change process. In the aim to provide one with a better understanding of and insight of change management. Question 1 Rollin and Christine Glaser (1992) the five elements that contribute to the level of a team’s effectiveness over time. These are: †¢ Team mission, planning and goal setting; †¢ Team roles; †¢ Team operating processes; †¢ Team interpersonal relationships; and †¢ Inter team relations. Team mission planning and goal setting The most effective teams have a strong sense of their purpose, organize their work around that purpose, and plan and set goals in line with that purpose. Teams and individuals within teams must have a clear understanding of their objectives. Clarity of objectives together with a common understanding and agreement of these objectives are fundamental. Locke and Latham have identified that the very act of goal setting was a prime motivator for a team; the more your team sets clear goals the more likely it is to succeed. When implementing clear goal setting in a team it will increase the effectiveness ratio. Clear goals are even more substantial when teams are involved in change, partially because unless they know where they are going  they are unlikely to get there, and partly because a strong sense of purpose can mitigate some of the more harmful effects of change. Team roles The team should comprehend their own and other team members roles, and how these link to achieving the team objective. This becomes even more important with teams based remotely and some that are part-time working. The best way for a team to achieve its goals is for the team to be structured logically around those goals. Individual team members need to have clear roles and accountabilities. They need to have a clear understanding not only of what their individual role is, but also what the roles and accountabilities of other team members are. Clear roles have two useful functions. It contributes to a clear sense of purpose and it provides a supportive framework for task accomplishment. Team operating processes A team needs to have certain enabling processes in place for people to carry out their work together. These processes can be seen as ground rules for a team to adhere to. Certain things need to be placed that will allow the task to be achieved in a way that is as efficient and as effective as possible. Processes deals with the issues and decisions and how the team will respond to them in an efficient and effective way without disrupting the work process within the team. During the change process when team change typically puts pressures and priorities it can isolate people away from the team, the team operating processes can act like a lubricant, enabling a smooth healthy team to continually function. Areas that a team need actively label by discussing and agreeing include: †¢ Frequency, timing and agenda of meetings; †¢ Problem-solving and decision-making methodologies; †¢ Ground rules; †¢ Procedures for dealing with conflict when it occurs; †¢ Reward mechanisms for individuals contributing to team goals; †¢ Type and style of review process. Team interpersonal relationships To encourage team members to communicate with one another, share information, communicate openly, respect differences, which will increase relationships and understandings within the team. This all helps to build trust and a better working atmosphere. To achieve clear understanding of goals and roles, the team needs to work together to agree and clarify them. Operating processes must also be discussed and agreed. To achieve this level of communication, the interpersonal relationships within the team need to be in a relatively healthy state. Allowing for open communication that is assertive and task focused, as well as creating opportunities for giving and receiving feedback aimed at creating development. High levels of trust within a team are the foundation for coping with conflict. Inter-team relations Regular communication flows between teams are essential as they help to keep up with changing situations and ensure the right thing is being delivered. Teams cannot work in isolation with expecting in achieving their organizational objectives. The nature of organizations today are complex, sophisticated and with increasing loose and permeable boundaries. Teams need to connect more. It is also because the environment is changing faster and is more complex, so keeping in touch with information outside of your own team is a basic survival strategy. Question 2 IT MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES †¢ Business deployment: A systematical procedure of implementing an activity, processes, programs, or systems to all concerning areas of an organization to achieve a particular outcome. Communicate the value offered by emerging IT organisations. This needs to be coupled with the use of IT teams, with good knowledge of IT, to improve IT solutions. Examination of the potential business value of new, emerging IT Utilization of multidisciplinary teams throughout the organization Effective working relationships among line managers and IT staff Technology transfer, where appropriate, of successful IT applications Platforms and services Adequacy of IT-related knowledge of line managers throughout the organization Visualizing the value of IT investments throughout the organization Appropriateness of IT policies Appropriateness of IT sourcing decisions Effectiveness of IT measurement systems †¢ External networks: The network outside a team’s internal network environment which can’t be controlled by the team or the organization. These needs are to create close partnerships with external companies to create more organisational awareness. Existence of electronic links with the organization’s customers Existence of electronic links with the organization’s suppliers Collaborative alliances with external partners (vendors, systems integrators, Competitors) to develop IT-based products and processes. †¢ Line technology leadership: Line technology leadership is a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task within the IT management environment. It is having the ability in organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal. Users such as line managers and senior managers need to participate actively in leading IT  initiatives. Line managers’ ownership of IT projects within their domains of business responsibility Ability of employees throughout the organization to serve as Project Leaders. †¢ Process adaptiveness: The ability to change and adapt suitably and accordingly to suit the IT climate and are able to conform to the new conditions by means of modification. It is also about the companies track record in restructuring its processes, and the existence of an environment where employees can find and explore the functionality of IT systems. Ability of employees throughout the organization to learn about and subsequently explore the functionality of installed IT tools and Applications restructuring of business processes, where appropriate, throughout the organization Visualizing organizational activities throughout the organization. †¢ IT planning IT planning is the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve a desired goal within an information technology environment. It involves the creation and maintenance of a Strategic plan. The thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of an IT plan in relation to strategic planning, or integration of it with other plans. It combines with developments with the preparation of scenarios of how to react to them. Integration of business strategic planning and IT strategic planning Clarity of vision regarding how IT contributes to business value Effectiveness of IT planning throughout the organization Effectiveness of project management practices. †¢ IT infrastructure IT infrastructure is a combined set of hardware, software, networks, facilities, etc. In order to develop, test, deliver, monitor, control or support IT services. It controls the restructuring, design and architecture of data and networks etc. It is also about the appropriateness and flexibility of the underlying infrastructure which allows innovative IT practices to be emerged. restructuring of IT work processes, where appropriate Appropriateness of data architecture Appropriateness of network architecture Knowledge of and adequacy of the organization’s IT skill base Consistency of object (data, process, rules) definitions Effectiveness of software development practices. Question 3 Growth A lot of commercial mergers and acquisitions are about growing and expansion. Growth normally involves acquiring new customers. Merging or acquiring another company enables a faster way of growth, which detours around the unnecessary, long, tedious and uncertainty process of internally generated growth. It brings with it the risks and challenges of understanding the intended benefits of this activity. The appeal of immediate revenue growth must be weighed up against the negatives of asking management to run an even larger company. Massmart a South African firm has merged with American giants Wal-Mart in hopes to create more and new customers. It can also be about getting access to facilities, brands, trademarks, technology or even employees. This strategy was used to implement growth and expansion in this particular industry. Synergy It’s the cooperation of two or more organizations to produce a combined effect greater than when they were separate . If two organizations are  thought to have synergy, this indicates the potential ability of the two to be more successful when merged than they were apart. This usually translates into: Operating synergies are those synergies that allow firms to increase their operating income from existing assets ,increase growth or both. †¢ Growth in revenues through a newly created or strengthened product or service (hard to achieve) †¢ Cost reductions in core operating processes through economies of scale (easier to achieve) †¢ Financial synergies such as lowering the cost of capital (cost of borrowing, flotation costs) †¢ More competent, clearer governance (as in the merger of two hospitals). However, there may be other gains. Some acquisitions can be motivated by the belief that the acquiring company has better management skills, and can therefore man age the acquired company’s assets and employees more successfully in the long term and more profitably. Mergers and acquisitions can also be about strengthening quite specific areas, such as boosting research capability, or strengthening the distribution network. Diversification Diversification is about growing business outside the company’s traditional industry. This type of merger or acquisition was very popular during the third wave in the 1960s (see box). Although General Electric (GE) has flourished by following a strategy that embraced both diversification and divestiture, many companies following this course have been far less successful. Diversification may result from a company’s need to develop a portfolio through nervousness about the earning potential of its current markets, or through a desire to enter a more profitable line of business. The latter is a tough target, and economic theory suggests that a diversification strategy to gain entry into more profitable areas of business will not be successful in the long run (see Gaughan, 2002 for more explanation of this). A classic recent example of this going wrong is Marconi, which tried to diversify by buying US telecoms businesses. Unfortunately, this was just before the whole teleco ms market crashed, and Marconi suffered badly from this strategy. Integration to achieve economic gains or better services Another increasingly common motive for merger and acquisition activity is to achieve horizontal integration. A company may decide to merge with or acquire a competitor to gain market share and increase its marketing strength. Public sector organizations may merge purely to achieve cost savings (often a guiltily held motivation) or to enhance partnership working in the service of customers. Vertical integration is also an attraction. A company may decide to merge with or acquire a customer or a supplier to achieve at least one of the following: †¢ A dependable source of supply; †¢ The ability to demand specialized supply; †¢ Lower costs of supply; †¢ Improved competitive position. An example of this in South Africa is when Glaxo-Smith Kline (GSK) one of the largest pharmaceutical company worldwide decided to merge with Aspen Pharmaceuticals (Largest Pharmaceutical Company in South Africa) in order to get a better hold of its market position in Africa and by obtaining tenders and contracts by the government to supply local communities within South Africa generic medication and also anti-retrovirals. Defensive measures Some mergers are defensive and are a response to other mergers that threaten the commercial position of a company. Pressure to do a deal, any deal  There is often tremendous pressure on the CEO to reinvest cash and grow reported earnings (Selden and Colvin, 2003). He or she may be being advised to make the deal quickly before a competitor does, so much so that the CEO’s definition of success becomes completion of the deal rather than the longer-term programme of achieving intended benefits. This is dangerous because those merging or acquiring when in this frame of mind can easily overestimate potential revenue increases or costs savings. In short, they can get carried away. Feldmann and Spratt (1999) warn of the seductive nature of merger and acquisition activity. ‘Executives everywhere, but most particularly those in the world’s largest corporations and institutions, have a knack for falling prey to their own hype and promotion.  Implementation is simply a detail and shareholder value is just around the corner. This is quite simply delusional thinking.’ Question 4 There are various views about the role a leader should play in the change process †¢ The machine metaphor implies that the leader sits at the top of the organization, setting goals and driving them through to completion. †¢ The political system metaphor implies that the leader needs to become the figurehead of a powerful coalition which attracts followers by communicating a compelling and attractive vision, and through negotiation and bargaining. †¢ The organism metaphor says the leader’s primary role is that of coach, counsellor and consultant. †¢ The flux and transformation metaphor says the leader is a facilitator of emergent change. Different types of leaders have different types of role. Local line leaders These are the front-line managers who design the products and services and make the core processes work. Without the commitment of these people, no significant change will happen. These people are usually very focused on their own teams and customers. They rely on network leaders to link them with other parts of the organization, and on executive leaders to create the right infrastructure for good ideas to emerge and take root. Executive leaders These are management board members. Senge does not believe that all change starts here. Rather, he states that these leaders are responsible for three key things: designing the right innovation environment and the right infrastructure for assessment and reward, teaching and mentoring local line leaders, and serving as role models to demonstrate their commitment to values and purpose. Network leaders Senge makes the point that the really significant organizational challenges occur at the interfaces between project groups, functions and teams. Network leaders are people who work at these interfaces. They are guides, advisors, active helpers and accessors (helping groups of people to get resource from elsewhere), working in partnership with line leaders. They often have the insight to help local line leaders to move forward and make changes happen across the organization. The interconnections are hard to achieve in reality. We have observed the following obstacles to achieving smooth interconnection between the different roles: †¢ Executive leaders are busy, hard-to-get-hold-of people who can become quite disconnected from their local line leaders. †¢ Executive leaders and local line leaders rarely meet face to face and communicate by e-mail, if at all. †¢ Network leaders, such as internal consultants or process facilitators, are often diverted from their leadership roles by requests either to perform expert tasks or to implement HR-led initiatives. †¢ Network leaders may be busy and effective, but are usually undervalued as leaders of change. They often have to battle to get recognized as important players in the organization. Senge’s model recognizes the need for all three types of leader, and the need for connectivity between different parts of the organization if change is desired. Conclusion: It’s more appropriate in anticipating objections than to spend your time putting out fires,(prevention is better than cure) and understanding how to overcome resistance to change is a essential part of any change management plan. Expecting resistance to change and planning for it from the start of your change management course of action will allow you to effectively and effectively manage objections. Not dealing with change proactively is one of the larger downfalls. In the end all sources of resistance to change need to be acknowledged and employee’s emotions validated in order to move forward with the change. Index Page Glossary of terms Introduction Question 1- Rollin and Christine Glaser (1992) five elements to improve team effectiveness Question 2- Discussing five categories of IT management competences Question 3- Reasons for mergers and acquisitions in reference to South Africa Question 4- Roles leaders play in the change process Conclusion Bibliography and References Glossary of terms Restructuring: This type of corporate action is usually made when there are significant problems in a company, which are causing some form of financial harm and putting the overall business in jeopardy. The hope is that through restructuring, a company can eliminate financial harm and improve the business Acquisition: An act of purchase of one company by another. Merger: The combining of two or more companies, generally by offering the stockholders of one company securities in the acquiring company. Change: The act or instance of making or becoming different. Resistance: The refusal to accept or comply with something, the attempt to prevent something by action or argument. Cognitive: The mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment. References and bibliographies Cameron ,E, Green ,M. â€Å"Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change†. Kogan Page Publishers, (2012) Kotter, J. (July 12, 2011). â€Å"Change Management vs. Change Leadership -What’s the Difference?† Filicetti, John (August 20, 2007). â€Å"Project Management Dictionary†. Conner, Daryl (August 15, 2012). â€Å"The Real Story of the Burning Platform†. Anderson, D. & Anderson, L.A. (2001). Beyond Change Management: Advanced Strategies for Today’s Transformational Leaders.

Assessing a Underachieving Employee Essay

Executive Summary This is a short study about measuring an underachieving employee that I personally had to cover with. It discusses the jobs that arose. I analysed them and so put into topographic point a twosome of solutions. The most debatable work state of affairs that I personally encountered was with a work co-worker who was a immature lady working at the Cooperative nutrient group and she was underperforming. This relates to the constructs of book2. An debut to human resource direction in concern. session 4 Assessing and developing people at work. When my work co-worker foremost started working at the Cooperative she was an first-class worker who gave 100 % all the clip. She had worked at the Cooperative for merely over two old ages and we were in the procedure of believing about advancing her from a client service helper to a supervisor. She started to do errors at the check-out procedure. our director noticed hard currency deficits. losing dealing paperwork and errors on the lottery and paypoint terminuss. As a supervisor my director asked me to supervise the state of affairs over a two hebdomad period and to compose down any errors or hard currency deficits and put the day of the months they happened so that our director could make up one's mind what the following class of action would be. Measuring a Underachieving EmployeeThe analysis of the jobs that arose. I am utilizing constructs from book 2. An debut to human resource direction in concern. session 4. assessing and developing people at work. These errors that my work co-worker were doing could be go oning for a figure of grounds. She could be holding fiscal troubles so she has stolen the money that is why there are hard currency deficits. nevertheless that does non explicate why the other errors have occurred on the lottery and paypoint terminuss and it’s really easy to leap to the incorrect decision when analyzing this. I believe the chief point to be about public presentation direction as it states in book 2. session 4. 1. public presentation direction â€Å"ensuring that staff are motivated† . I don’t believe she is motivated any longer. as when she is at work she is stuck on a check-out procedure for really long periods of clip. There is no assortment in her occupation function to maintain her motivated. and to be absolutely honest when other members of staff are busy she does acquire forgotten approximately and if she does non inquire the other members of staff she would non even acquire her interruptions as they forget about her. Making the same thing twenty-four hours in twenty-four hours and twenty-four hours out can go a spot humdrum. This is why her public presentation has started to endure as she feels deflated and demotivated. It is as though she has given up on this occupation and merely turns up because she has to and she needs the money. As it states in book 2. session 4. 2 Measuring public presentation â€Å"the individual may miss way or be working to less than full capacity† . Which in this instance I believe to be true. This will impact how the concern is run if non cover with as other members of staff could get down to make the same. Customers will non desire to shop at that place if t he staff don’t show an involvement. The criterions that were one time at that place will get down to drop ensuing in a negative impact on the concern. A solution to the jobs that occurredThe first thing I would make would be to put up a record of meetings with this work co-worker and our director. This is a treatment about what is go oning and it is recorded for future mention. At this meeting I would discourse how we can travel frontward together as a squad. I would explicate to her the importance of her occupation function and how of import it is to acquire it right. I would put her little accomplishable marks to take for with wagess given when achieved. Arranging regular meetings is besides a good thought ; this could be done as a public presentation assessment. As it states in book 2. session 4. 4. table 4. 2. it has the â€Å"Opportunity to actuate staff by recognizing achievements† . I believe this is what is needed in this state of affairs. she needs to experience like a valued squad member. this would so give her the motive needed to make her occupation right and to her full capacity. the concern will so be more prod uctive as it stated in book 2. session 4. 2 Assessing public presentation. I may so look into whether she would be interested in altering her occupation function a small. for illustration. stock refilling. and bringing bringings in. look intoing day of the months on merchandises. that kind of thing. This would give her some assortment in her occupation and hopefully actuate her once more. This would necessitate more preparation and cost the concern. nevertheless if she is merely on the check-out procedures and non been monitored she is bing the concern money anyhow through the errors she is doing. Some of this preparation would be done externally. through preparation classs. nevertheless most of the preparation would be done by training. As it states in book 2. session 4. 6. Developing is non merely preparation classs. â€Å"coaching ; a manner of reassigning cognition and accomplishment from a more experient individual to a less experient person† . I think this is the best manner frontward for this work co-worker in this state of affairs.Research fr om the Internet I looked on the cyberspace and did some research to see how to develop underperformers at work. I found two the first 1 was Yourbusiness. azcentral. com. It fundamentally states that underperformers inhibit teamwork and lower morale of other staff members. It besides says you need to organize relationships with employees. so you can make a willingness to assist the person. It besides says to put incremental ends for the employee. What this web site was stating made sense. nevertheless I’m non certain how dependable this beginning is as it wants me to subscribe to them. The following 1 I looked at was World Wide Web. acas. org. uk. I found this website really interesting as it gives a full list of different signifiers that you can publish including appraisal signifiers. absence record sheets and tonss of information about how to pull off public presentation. I believe this to be a dependable beginning as this administration is devoted to forestalling and deciding employment iss ues. besides it wasn’t seeking to sell me anything. Tutor group forumI peculiarly enjoyed the coach group forum activity 2. 1 – Work Pleasure or Pain? It was nice that most people thought the same as me. in that they enjoyed their work. My hubby hates work and ne'er understands how I can bask traveling to work. I wholly agreed with what Mark Pickering said in that work is a pleasance and that it allows me to accomplish my ends in life. while supplying for my household. Mentions Book 2 ( 2012 ) ‘An debut to human resource direction in business’ The Open University. Milton Keynes. Study Companion ( 2012 ) . The Open University. Milton Keynes.Yourbusiness. azcentral. com.World Wide Web. acas. org. United Kingdom

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Adoption of New Innovations Essay

Consumers go through five stages in the process of adopting a new product: 1. Awareness: The consumer becomes aware of the new product, but lacks information about it. 2. Interest: The consumer seeks information about the new product. 3. Evaluation: The consumer considers whether trying the new product makes sense. 4. Trial: The consumer tries the new product on a small scale to improve his or her estimate its value. 5. Adoption: The consumer decides to make full and regular use of new product. This model suggests that the new-product marketer should think about how to help consumers move through these stages. Individual differences in Innovativeness People differ greatly in their readiness to try new products. In each product area, there are â€Å"consumption pioneers† and early adopters. Other individuals adopt new products much later. Time of Adoption of New Innovations The five adopters groups have differing values. Innovators are venturesome—they try new ideas at some risk. Early adopters are guided by respect—they are opinion leaders in their communities and adopt new ideas early but carefully. The early majority is deliberate—although they rarely are leaders, they adopt new ideas before average person. The late majority is skeptical—they adopt an innovation only after a majority of people have tried it. Finally, laggards are tradition bound—they are suspicious of changes and adopt the innovation only when it has become something of a tradition itself. This adopter classification suggests that an innovating firm should research the characteristics of innovators and early adopters and should direct marketing efforts toward them. In general, innovators tend to be relatively younger, better educated, and higher in income than later adopters and non-adopters.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Marketing of Zoo Essay

Q .Which tools and media would you use to attract visitors to see Gorilla Kingdom? Answer: First I would like to say something about the actual gorilla kingdom that the ZSL London zoo has created to boost the animal diversity that it is having. Gorilla kingdom is a new product offering by the zoo authorities in which not only gorilla but the scenic beauty of the area also in which it has been conceptualised is an eye catching sort of thing. Here follows the description of gorilla kingdom, â€Å"The Island that will form the gorillas’ outdoor space is a beautiful green oasis boasting a cave, heated rocks, a hill that provides a perfect gorilla vantage point and a scene-setting waterfall that cascades through the gorillas’ home and the public area. African style plants will give the gorillas extra food to munch on if they want and trees and ropes offer a stimulating climbing environment. The gorillas’ indoor day gym includes ropes to swing on, climbing walls all around and nesting baskets high up for them to snooze in.† Now coming to the important features of Gorilla that the ZSL London Zoo can highlight:- * It is showcasing an endangered species. * Gorilla is very intelligent animal. * They show emotions. * The Gorilla Kingdom has been created as a place of experience and not only as a place of sightseeing. * Its natural habitat is endangered. Following are some advertising activities that the Zoo authorities can undertake to showcase the various features / features mix of the Gorilla kingdom to attract the visitors to visit:- 1. Creating Awareness – To create awareness about the gorilla kingdom the authorities can start with pamphlets and leaflet distribution among the tourists and locals at places where they go for leisure, those leaflets should have information about Gorilla Kingdom and Gorilla. 2. Liking – The Zoo authorities need to create liking about the animal and the gorilla kingdom both, for this hey can use radio. Radio will really help because a radio is something that keeps playing mostly on streets, the authorities can ask radio channel to create a character on the lines of gorilla and use a voice that sounds peculiar to Gorilla. This will attract the youths and children’s. 3. Preference – There are a lot of parks, malls in London where the people generally go for experience, so the London Zoo authorities should create a image of Gorilla Kingdom and promote it as a new place to experience. For doing this the authorities can go for advertisement in newspapers and on the tickets of buses and metro throughout the London. 4. The authorities can talk to some local souvenir manufacturing units to print the image of Gorilla or the Gorilla kingdom along with a enticing message on it. A good example of it is Coffee Cup advertising. 5. Crowd sourcing – The concept of crowd sourcing has given way to the trend of user-generated advertisements. User-generated ads are created by consumers as opposed to an advertising agency or the company themselves, most often they are a result of brand sponsored advertising competitions. For the 2007 Super Bowl, the Frito-Lays division of PepsiCo held the Crash the Super Bowl contest, allowing consumers to create their own Doritos commercial. The resulting ads were among the most-watched and most-liked Super Bowl ads. 6. The Zoo authorities can also ask travel and tourism companies to show information on their websites as new things to see in London and marketing as must watch destinations along with printing on  their coupon and tickets. The points that I have given above could be used by the ZSL London Zoo authorities to attract visitors. The various media used in my suggestion were like: * Radio advertising * Print advertising * Mass advertising

Friday, September 13, 2019

Case Commentary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case Commentary - Essay Example The bone of contention was that while domestic companies were allowed to set their own individual baselines, the foreign companies were not allowed to set their own baselines and had to comply with those established by the Act.12 The US government argued that while it was possible to evaluate the small number of domestic companies compliance with the Act based on their baselines, using the same approach for foreign companies that were more in number would place an unjustified quantitative pressure on the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). The statutory baselines for the foreign companies were, therefore, necessary to allow EPA function. They further argued that the Act was absolutely necessary and in compliance with Article XX for human health protection, clean air and conservation of exhaustible natural resources. This case was unique in that while it pursued the greater environmentalist goals, it was based on trade disputes thus its arbitration by the WTO appellate body was justified.34 On 24th January 1995, Venezuela requested a WTO address while Brazil did the same on 10th April 1995. The two countries alleged that the US Clean Air Act discriminated against their rights and violated the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Articles 1 and 3, and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Article 2. On 10th April 1995, a panel was set up to review the complaints and evidence presented by Venezuela. The panel was finally formulated on 26th April 1995. Upon a request from Brazil, a third panel was set up on 19th June 1995 to specifically review Brazilian complaints and evidence. On 31st may 1995 it was decided that the two panels reviewing Venezuelan and Brazilian evidences and complaints be coalesced into a single panel. The decision to coalesce the two panels was reached in accordance with Article 9 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU).56 The panel concluded its review and

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Business Operations and Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Business Operations and Systems - Essay Example However, the designing of a business model requires the effective use of human, tangible and intangible assets of the company. The conceptualization of a business model depends upon the efficiency of the manager and the employees. An effective implementation of a business model paves the path of success for the companies. A business model needs to change as per the changing market trends of the economy. A manager must possess certain qualities which can distinguish him/her form other managers of the companies (Birch, 2008). The managers should be able to perform activities within a particular time frame. The managers should be result oriented and be able to think in terms of results and not duties. The managers should be able to prioritize among various objectives and make effective decisions by examining various alternatives. The managers should be able to create learning atmosphere within the company to improve the knowledge base of the employees and translate visions into strategi es (Prahalad and Hamel, 1996). Leaders and managers are not synonymous because a manager may possess leadership qualities but a leader may or may not possess managerial qualities. A leader is an individual who influences the work and behaviour of his subordinates in group efforts towards the achievement of a certain goals and objectives. A leader motivates his subordinates to attain the goals and objectives in an effective manner. To attain the goals and objectives of a company the managers of a company need to establish a healthy relationship with their subordinates. Managers of the company should apply the â€Å"Social Capital† theory in their companies. The central point of the theory is that relationships constitute a valuable resource for the conduct of social affair. According to theorist Bourdieu, the application of social capital theory in the fields of management can help in harnessing the true potential of the employees (Bourdieu, 1993 cited in Lesser, 2000, p.121). Social capital theory helps in exploring the actual and potential intellectual capital of the employees. The manager of the company needs to utilize the human resource, tangible and intangible assets at the optimum level to determine the effectiveness of the company. Authors Hamel and Prahlad conceptualized the enterprise as a portfolio of knowledge, assets and resources and competencies. According to these authors, certain companies were more productive than the other companies because they utilized the knowledge, capacity and competence of their resources at the optimum level. The tangible assets of the company include fixed assets like plant and machinery, buildings etc and current assets such as inventory. Non tangible assets include patents, copyright etc. The human resource of the company includes the skill and competence level of the employees. The manager needs to establish juxtaposition between these three assets to achieve optimum level of efficiency. According to authors Hamel and Prahalad, resource leverage is defined as doing more (or adding more value) with what you have (Hamel and Prahalad, 1966 cited in Morden, 2007, p.445). One of the main task of the manager is to recruit qualified employees and give them proper training and guidance to utilize the company’s fixed assets and resources. The manager needs to ensure that the company has a right mix of skills and knowledge to meet the goals

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Humans are rational. Critically discuss the theoretical and empirical Essay

Humans are rational. Critically discuss the theoretical and empirical evidence from psychology for and against this assertion - Essay Example These biases, such as confirmation bias, anchoring, base rate neglect and overconfidence, make up the first section of this essay. The biases are present in behavioral economics, which dictates that humans will behave in a way that is efficient for them in an economic sense, and this makes up the second portion of this essay. There is some indication that humans can be rational when it comes to domain specific tasks – such as exposing cheating or enforcing social contracts. Because of this, more study should be done regarding other domain specific tasks to indicate if there are pockets of rationality in other domain specific areas. Moreover, there is considerable thought that the irrational nature that is detected on the tests could be the result of something other than irrationality at work – such as poorly worded tests, computational errors, incorrect norms being applied, or inattention of the participants. Therefore, it is possible that humans are not as irrational a s these tests might presume. This analysis makes up the third and last portion of this essay. Discussion Reasoning is a part of cognition, which is virtually wholly made up of using inference. There is some question of whether or not reasoning has a separate cognitive system unto itself, or whether or not it is merely a part of the whole of cognition (Manktelow & Chung, 2004, p. 66). That said, reasoning must be distinguished from intuition. The main difference between reason and intuition is that reasoning is done deliberately and consciously, while intuition springs forth from the mind in a spontaneous fashion, without effort or a conscious search (Kahneman, 2003, p. 1450). Thus, when a person is doing an income tax form, he is using reasoning; when that same person revolts at eating a piece of chocolate that is the shape of a cockroach, that person is working from intuition (Kahneman, 2003, p. 1450). Reasoning is a function that is only in the higher order beings, as there has be en no evidence that reasoning is present in animals or children who are pre-verbal (Mercier & Sperber, p. 3). There are three basic types of reasoning, according to Samuels et al. (2004). They are descriptive, which describes how humans actually reason; normative, which describes how humans should reason; and evaluative, which describes the difference between how humans actually reason and how they should reason. In other words, there is an assumed standard that has been established by the normative project, so researchers interested in the evaluative project are interested in finding out how actual reasoning fit the assumed standard (Samuels et al., 2004, p. 1). These are the bases of deciding whether humans are rational or irrational – does their reasoning fit what is normative? If this is the case, then rationality can be presumed, for this would mean that the individual is making decisions that benefit him or herself. There are a series of normative rules that prescribe h ow humans should behave. One of these is cancellation, which means that a human will eliminate â€Å"any state of the world that yields the same results, regardless of one’s choice† (Tverskey & Kahneman, 1986, p. s252). Cancellation is important because only one state will be realized, which makes it easy to evaluate the other options separately for each state. Transivity is another rule, which means that each option in an

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

AM Transmitter Circuit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

AM Transmitter Circuit - Assignment Example The amplitude modulation and transmission of modulated audio signal is carried out through AM Transmitter. Depending upon the type of application and level of operation, an AM Transmitter consists of following basic building blocks as shown in fig.1. Fig. 1 Block diagram of an AM Transmitter From fig.1 it is obvious that an AM Transmitter has following important building blocks. 1- Oscillator (OSC) 2- Buffer 3- Pre-Driver 4- Driver 5- Microphone Amplifier 6- Modulator 7- Power Amplifier 8- Transmitting Antenna For detail description of each block, the schematic diagram of a basic level AM Transmitter is given below in fig. 2. Fig. 2 Schematic circuit diagram of an AM Transmitter The circuit diagram given in fig. 2 can be broadly divided in two major sections namely; - The Oscillator section. - The audio amplifier section and The oscillator section (that comprises of an oscillator, buffer, pre-driver, driver and microphone amplifier and modulator) is built from the transistors Q1 (BC109) and biasing resistors (R1, R2, and R3). The components L1 and C1 constitutes the tank circuit that can be tuned in RF range of 500kHz to 1600KHz. The Q1 (BC109) that is the key component of oscillator circuit section is provided with regenerative feedback by connecting the base and collector of Q1 to opposite ends of the tank circuit.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 17

Leadership - Essay Example An example of a transformational leader motivating followers is M. Fethullah GÃ ¼len. He has convinced a movement in Turkey promoting a different kind of Islam. GÃ ¼len motivates his followers with education, a promise of peace, and tolerance. He has built education centers world wide. These educational centers are based on the Islam faith, but do not require students to be Muslim. GÃ ¼len teaches of respect among all religions, Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. Dialogue should be shared among all. Many of GÃ ¼len’s student and followers are motivated by the thought of peace between the religions and furthering of education. The vision is also important. Anyone can say they want to go to the moon, but it takes a leader to get followers to build a rocket ship. The vision must be practical and achievable, with benefits for the followers. It might be impossible to those not wanting change, but GÃ ¼len’s vision is achievable. Thousands of Muslims have heeded GÃ ¼len’s cause of non-violence. GÃ ¼len’s followers believe Islam is a religion and a way of life, just like Islamic terrorists. However, his followers believe that terror or forcing Islam on other cultures is morally wrong. GÃ ¼len’s vision is being carried out, maybe not by every Muslim, but by a good following in Turkey. Hopefully one day Muslims can achieve a lasting peace with each other and the world through transformational leaders like

Sunday, September 8, 2019

The effect of freezing water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The effect of freezing water - Essay Example The transition phase is the next stage in the process, and it occurs at the stage between freezing and formation of ice blocks. Where water now starts to expand after falling below the 39 degree mark, here, water molecules slow down and start moving away from each other. The molecules form a pattern which is really interesting. The last effect happens when it starts expanding to form ice. When the temperatures drop, the molecules separate and begin to expand in the form of ice; this explains why if water is kept in a water bottle, after ice forms, the bottle might explode. In conclusion, we may not know how just water turns into ice. In the past when fridges were not around, merchants used to sell ice after cutting blocks of ice from frozen lakes and selling them. But now we can actually make our own ice; this is possible through improvement in the technology sector of today. So the next time ice forms, you know what

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Taoism, The Principle of Wu-Wei Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Taoism, The Principle of Wu-Wei - Research Paper Example This paper will shed more light upon Taoism and the principles of Wu-Wei. Confucianism is a term which is very closely related to Taoism, a lot of can be learned about the Chinese people just by knowing more about Taoism and Confucianism. These are terms which reflect the spirit of the Chinese people and what they are made up of. The ancient Chinese society must be given credit for coining the term Taoism, the ideology and the beliefs of the Han nationality is often portrayed when people talk of Taoism. Ancient people in China used to worship spirits and gods and this was how this term originated. â€Å"Daoism encompasses thought and practice that sometimes are viewed as philosophical, as religious, or as a combination of both.   While modern scholars, especially those in the West, have been preoccupied with classifying Daoist material as either â€Å"philosophical† or religious, historically Daoists themselves have been uninterested in such categories and dichotomies.  Ã ¢â‚¬Å"(IEP.UTM) Taoism has raised a debate for the scholars across Europe; they have been completely discombobulated as to whether Taoism falls under religion or whether it falls under philosophy. Some scholars in Europe say that it should be classified under religion while some others say that it should be classified under philosophy so there is no general consensus when it comes to the classification of Taoism and much debate is going on amongst top scholars in Europe. It is very important to know more about the Han dynasty in order to know more about Taoism, no traces of Taoism were found when the Han dynasty ruled China but the beginning of Taoism can be found in important texts like Daodejing and the Zhuangzi. The Chinese people unanimously believe that a teacher by the name Laozi was mainly responsible for writing Daodejing, he was a very dedicated teacher who also opened a school for the Chinese children and single-handedly wrote Daodejing, it was a great achievement but not too many people know of this incredible achievement. People who followed Taoism were called Taoists and they had some similar beliefs, they understood the connection between nature and their bodies and this again was a great achievement. They also knew that God had not made them immortal and they trotted on the difficult path to become immortal. Taoists also believed in experimenting with their bodies, they found new exercises to keep themselves fit; they were also responsible for discovering interesting and new sexual positions. Chemistry was one subject which fascinated the Taoists and quite a few of them tried new experiments to discover something new which would help them but these experiments did not go down too well and many of them lost their lives trying to do too much. There were emperors who were also fascinated with Chemistry and they met with the same fate when they tried doing the same experiments, this clearly goes to show that there were hungry for success and wanted to find new things which would help their fellow human beings. Self-cultivation was a major objective of Taoism, every Taoist wanted to inculcate this quality in him and pass it on to their family members. â€Å"The teachings that were later called Daoism were first known under the name of Huanglao Dao in the 3rd and 2nd cent. BCE. The thought world transmitted in this stream is what Sima Tan meant by Daojia. The Huanglao School was a center of Taoist practitioners in the state of Qi (modern Shandong). Huangdi was the name for the Yellow

Role of Media on African Americans Essay Example for Free

Role of Media on African Americans Essay There has always been a lot of discussion about the perception of African Americans in the media and how it affects their self-identity. It is easy to find examples of bias in portraying African Americans in the media. So what exactly is it that the media does to bring out these stereotypes, biases, and images that tend to stick with a lot of African Americans? The goal of this paper is to explore the different perceptions African Americans have gone through, how it has given them a sense of double consciousness on life, where the media image of African Americans that has stuck with them for so long can, and will go from here. According to the United States Census Bureau (2001), 12. 3% of all people reporting as one race reported they were â€Å"Black or African American†. This ethnic identity is now the second biggest minority group in the United States. It also refers to a group of people that has been in the United States for as long as it has existed. However, through the persecution of slavery, the austerity of segregation, and the continuing underlying prejudice, African Americans are still searching for their true identity. Look more:  the issues concerning identity theft essay Just as children that were adopted tend to long for a true identity most of their lives, so are the circumstances of the African American. Stolen from their homeland and forced into slavery in a new country, African Americans were basically victims of identity theft. Although a lot of progress has been made in the way of an American identity for African Americans, a true identity has not yet been found. According to W. E. B DuBois (1903) â€Å"The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife—this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self† (p.68). Many African Americans feel the same as W. E. B. Du Bois when he says, â€Å"After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world – a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. † He also states, â€Å"One ever feels his twoness – an American, a Negro, two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled arrives; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. † A quick look at American history makes it easy to understand where this split identity stems from because Du Bois claims that African Americans were always forced to see things through â€Å"white† eyes only and not have a vision of their own. In an effort to rephrase Du Bois’ comment above, the terminology of â€Å"twoness† is really him trying to define double consciousness as a few different things: 1 the power that white stereotypes have on African American’s lives and also having that internal conflict between labeling themselves as African and American simultaneously. 2 it is a sense of awareness of one’s self along with the awareness of how others may perceive one. This in turn leads to conforming based on level of power, which is basically what occurred. PBS’ African American World Timeline (2004) says that there is a large history of not granting African Americans an identity. Before 1787, of course, African Americans were slaves and only thought of as property. In 1787 the U. S. Constitution was approved. It allowed for the continuation of the slave trade for another 20 years and claimed that a slave counted as three-fifths of a man for representation by the government. In 1865 some progress was gained when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, outlawing slavery and creating a Freedmen’s Bureau to help out former slaves. Also in 1865 Union General, William Sherman issued a field order setting up 40-acre plots of land in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida for African Americans to settle. But, in 1866, some all-white legislatures in the former Confederate states passed what were known as, â€Å"Black Codes† harshly cutting the freedom of African Americans and practically re-enslaving them. Since that time there has been some progression and also some difficulty for African Americans. Based on the history of the United States’ treatment of African Americans, it is easy to understand how they could struggle for their true identity. James Jones (1991) might say it best when he states, â€Å"Black personality is in part an adaptation to the political contours of racism. The conflict between the freedoms and rights of United States citizens is connected to the denial of freedom and rights that is the history of the African American presence in this country. If we view personality as the resultant of coping pattern and socialization directives, then black personality is, in part, the cumulative representation of the effects of racism over four centuries. It reflects over time, the effects of the form and structure racism takes, and comes to signal the nature of race relations at any point in time (p. 305). † This would lead to accepting of the fact that African Americans do, of course, have an identity, but a lot of the time it is dependent on the identity of White race at that time. Alain Locke (1925) explains the upward moving and upbeat side of African American identity: â€Å"In the last decade something beyond the watch and guard of statistics has happened in the life of the American Negro and the three norms who have traditionally presided over the Negro problem have a changeling in their laps. The Sociologist, The Philanthropist, the Race-leader are not unaware of the New Negro but they are at a loss to account for him. He simply cannot be swathed in their formulae. For the younger generation is vibrant with a new psychology; the new spirit is awake in the masses, and under the very eyes of the professional observers is transforming what has been a perennial problem into the progressive phases of contemporary Negro life. Could such a metamorphosis have taken place as suddenly as it has appeared to? The answer is no, not because the New Negro is not here, but because the Old Negro had long become more of a myth than a man. The Old Negro, we must remember, was a creature of moral debate and historical controversy. His has been a stock figure perpetuated as a historical fiction partly in innocent sentimentalism, partly in deliberate reactions. The Negro himself has contributed his share to this through a sort of protective social mimicry forced upon him by the adverse circumstances of dependence. So for generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be kept down, or in his place, or helped up, to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden. The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself, in the distorted perspective of a social problem. His shadow, so to speak, has been more real to him than his personality. Through having had to appeal from the unjust stereotypes of his oppressors and Traducers to those of his liberators, friends and benefactors he has subscribed to the traditional positions from which his case has been viewed. Little true social or self-understanding has or could come from such a situation†¦ †¦Until recently, lacking self-understanding, we have been almost as much of a problem to ourselves as we still are to others. But the decade that found us with a problem has left us with only a task. The multitude perhaps feels as yet only a strange relief and a new vague urge, but the thinking few know that in the reaction the vital inner grip of prejudice has been broken. It does not follow that if the Negro were better known he would be better liked or better treated. But mutual understanding is basic for any subsequent cooperation and adjustment. The effort toward this will at least have the effect of remedying in large part what has been the most unsatisfactory feature of our present stage of race relationships in America, namely the fact that the more intelligent and representative elements of the two race groups have at so many points got quite out of vital touch with one another (p. 631). † Even in the premier times of African American identity there were still questions to be answered. Now those questions lead to progressive thinking like Locke’s, â€Å"middle of the road† thinking and â€Å"extremist† thinking. An example of the term â€Å"middle-of-the-road† thinking can be seen in a post by Malcolm Frierson (2004) to a discussion board using the topic of what label to give African Americans. He says: â€Å"It is the right of the individual to be self-defining. Black is a color, not a term for a race of people in this millennium. The word was made beautiful and strong in the 60s and beyond for obvious reasons. That effort was admirable and effective, but now fairly done. It is time to move forward. † The term African American linguistically puts the race on more comfortable ground. It doesn’t seem right or fair to look at four men and call one Italian, one Native American, one Chinese, and the other black. â€Å"Whites† dont seem to have this concern obviously because they sit at the top of this name issue. The whole system was constructed to glorify the â€Å"whites† (the imperialists) and belittle the â€Å"blacks (the subjects). † Also, many whites and blacks together, beg for an end to this issue because they claim, were all Americans. But if we are actually honest with each other, nobody while in contemporary American society, when asked for their race or ethnicity, will never be able to simply label them self as simply â€Å"American. † There will always have to be a distinguishing label put upon everyone. Why is it that blacks have to go through this labeling issue more than any other American subgroup? Asian Americans, Italian Americans, and Filipino Americans often become Asians, Italians, and simply Filipino without ridicule or persecution (Asians further become Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, and others). A possible answer to this would be that we all identify with our most dominant ancestral line or native country – German, Spanish, Portuguese, Jamaican, what have you. It should come before the understood American part. But again, we should respect an individuals rights to be self-defining. One black problem could be that a lot of people really havent been to Africa and are in a sense kind of ashamed about or tend to disregard that fact possibly feeling a sense of ignorance in that area. The term African should be proudly used along with the term American just as other foreign groups use their places of origin along with their American status. Unfortunately this viewpoint is just a common middle-ground between the two poles. The other pole is a belief best supported by the All African People’s Revolutionary Party. They say, â€Å"African People born and living in over 113 countries around the world are [one group of] people, with one identity, one history, one culture, one nation and one destiny. We have one common enemy. We suffer from disunity, disorganization and ideological confusion. And we have only one scientific and correct solution, Pan-Africanism: the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism. They feel that African people that have been born or are living outside of Africa are intentionally kept from the knowledge of Africa and her achievements through European capitalism. They also feel that people inside of Africa are tricked into living in separate countries because of the â€Å"divide and rule† tactic used by Europeans which basically means it forces large concentrations of power (people) into smaller units of power to constrain them from gaining more power as the larger unit. It is this pole that receives the most voice in the media and also probably this pole which leads to the bias media outlets against African Americans. Perhaps the earliest example of media bias against African Americans, whether intentional or not, came from 19th Century naturalists that divided mankind into Caucasians, Mongolians, Malayans, Ethiopians and (native) American races. The Caucasians were defined as wise, the Mongolians crafty, and the Ethiopians/negro unintelligent. This bias is blunt and disrespectful, but possibly not hateful in intent back in the day. Today our media comes from less than ten gigantic media conglomerates in the United States. Salim Muwakkil (1999) mentions that, â€Å"Virtually all of our information, our cultural narratives, and our global images derive from institutions whose major goal is to pay handsome dividends to stockholders (p. 2). † Which in other words the media doesn’t really care what they say even if it sounds hateful. If it sells and gets publicity, it’s a hit. He also points out that black-owned media operations are becoming increasingly rare as much larger corporations continue to buy out more places and more property. Muwakkil’s fear is that the mainstream will continue to alter the image of African Americans without challenge to the point that their â€Å"anti-black† tendencies will be encouraged and sustained. Muwakkil makes a very strong point when he states the Kerner Commission’s findings: â€Å"The Kerner Commission (formally known as the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders), which was charged with finding the reasons for the long-hot-summer rebellions, had concluded that the United States was headed dangerously toward ‘two societies, one black, and one white, separate and unequal. ’ It blamed the urban unrest on persistent racial discrimination and a historical legacy of disadvantage, but it also singled out the nations news media for censure. The media treated African Americans as invisible, the commission concluded, and failed to communicate to white audiences a feeling for the difficulties and frustrations of being a Negro in the United States (p. 1). † In the book, The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America, Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki (2000) point out some surprising statistics from studies done on American television. While Black actors are now more frequently appearing in films, its a debatable question as to how well theyre being represented. In the top movies of 1996 representation of African American Females and Caucasian females was drastically different where statistics from differences in using profanity, to physical violence were very often a difference of 70% or more between the 2 races with African Americans being in the higher percentage of the two for those certain areas. Television ads now show, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance pertaining to African Americans. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the majority of television ads, but as opposed to Whites, they rarely even touch each other, expressing a slight message assuming that Black skin would be taboo. A ranking of racial preference is implanted within the casting of commercials. Network news also tends to place a â€Å"ghetto† label or more urban image on African Americans. Increasingly, African Americans appear mostly in crime, sports and entertainment stories. Rarely are Blacks shown making an important contribution to the serious business of the nation. The exception of blacks rarely being shown in a positive fashion contributing to the nation would be President Obama, which will hopefully turn the stage for this image stereotype. Unfortunately however, that negative image is not the only blunt indication of a media stereotype. It is noticed by a lot of different people that African American athletes tend to receive a bad representation by the media, pointing out that when they get into any level of trouble, it is reported significantly more and also perceived in a much different way than when White athletes behave in the same manner or worse. It also is sometimes apparent that sportscasters tend to point out solely the athletic abilities of African American athletes in contrast to their tendency to point out the intelligence and savvy of White athletes. It is a known stereotype for quarterbacks on football teams for example, people perceive this position to demand a much more mental capacity and take a much more conscious effort as opposed to other positions on the team. Therefore the stereotype has often been viewed as teams primarily consisting of white quarterbacks. This tends to lead people to believe that black athletes achieve greatness by some coincidence or by simply their natural physical makeup instead of just assuming they are talented and hard working. There are several more examples of media bias against African Americans and there are far too many to speak on individually. Ultimately the point that is trying to be made is that there is a high level of publicity and strong case for media bias against African Americans. Any actor or famous person for that matter will almost always tell you that no publicity means bad publicity. It is logical then, to see the media (whether its biased or not) as a great tool for providing a voice to the African American community. It is also logical to say that a more biased media representation gives African Americans more publicity as Americans simply love bad press because â€Å"dirt† on other people sells, and the media has never cared about ones feelings if it means for them to make money. Ultimately, where I see this issue going from here has everything to do with President Obama. With the world-wide publicity he received for his changing of history for our country, I really feel this will open up many doors into the media for African Americans to have their voice, and create and defend a sense of identity that is much more positive than any other that has been labeled upon them. Obama is the best thing that has happened to African American media and just them as humans because he is what America needs to not only fix the economic and other issues in this country but most importantly bring the people of different colors together even closer than ever before to becoming one country where everyone is separate in color, but equal in representation and voice. Works Cited Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk. Chicago: A. C. McClurg Co. ; [Cambridge]:University Press John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U. S. A., 1903; Bartleby. com,1999. P. 68. Entman, R. M. and Andrew R.. (2000). The Black Image in the White Mind: Media andRace in America. 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