Printing

In the 1430’s a man named Johann Gutenberg created the predecessor to the modern printing press. The level of importance of the printing press is rivaled by few other inventions, so much so that â€Å"the invention of the printing press† is often used as a reference to the social, political, and scientific change experienced by Europe after the press’s introduction. (Wikipedia). Johannes Gutenberg invented a mechanical way of making books. This was the first example of mass book production. Before the invention of printing, multiple copies of a manuscript had to be made by hand, a laborious task that could take many years. Later books were produced by and for the church using the process of wood engraving. This required the craftsman to cut away the background, leaving the area to be printed raised. This process applied to both text and illustrations was extremely time consuming. When a page was complete, often by joining several blocks together, it would be inked and a sheet of paper was then pressed over it far an imprint. The susceptibility of wood to the elements gave such blocks a limited lifespan. When Johannes Gutenberg began building his press in 1436, he was unlikely to have realized that he was giving birth to an art form which would take center stage in the social and industrial revolutions which followed. The most important aspect of his invention was that it was the first form of printing to use movable type. His initial efforts enabled him in 1440 to mass-produce indulgences – printed slips of paper sold by the Catholic Church to remit temporal punishments in purgatory for sins committed in this life, for those wealthy enough to afford indulgences. Gutenberg’s invention spread rapidly after his death in 1468. It met in general with a ready, and as enthusiastic reception in the centers of culture. The names of more than 1000 printers, mostly of German origin, have come down to us from the fifteenth century. In Italy we find well over 100 German printers, in France 30, in Spain 26. Many of the earliest printers outside of Germany had learned their art in Mainz Gutenberg’s Home and where they were know as â€Å"goldsmiths†. Among those who were undeniably pupils of Gutenberg, and who probably were also assistants in the Guttenberg printing ouse. The new printing presses had spread like brushfire through Europe. By 1499 print-houses had become established in more than 2500 cities in Europe. Fifteen million books had been flung into a world where scholars would travel miles to visit a library stocked with twenty hand-written volumes. Scholars argue about the number. It could’ve been as few as eight million or as many as twenty four million all within 50 years of the printing presses invention. But the output of new books had been staggering by any reasonable estimate. The people had suddenly come into possession of some thirty thousand new book titles. While the Gutenberg press was much more efficient than manual copying, the industrial Revolution and the introduction of the steam powered rotary press allowed thousands of copies of a page in a single day. Mass production of printed works flourished after the transition to rolled paper, as continuous feed allowed the presses to run at a much faster pace. Gutenberg’s invention did not make him rich, but it laid the foundation for the commercial mass production of books. The success of printing meant that books soon became cheaper, and ever wider parts of the population could afford them. More than ever before, it enabled people to follow debates and take part in discussion of matters that concerned them. As a consequence, the printed book also led to more stringent attempts at censorship. This was a sign that it was felt by those in authority to be dangerous and challenging to their position. The spread of literacy and the development of universities meant that by the 15th century, despite an assembly line approach to the production of books, supply was no longer able to meet demand. As a result there was widespread interest in finding an alternative means of producing books. Before books could be mass produced, several developments were necessary. A ready supply of suitable material that could be printed on was required. Manuscript books were written on Vellum and this material was used for some early printed books, but vellum was expensive and not available in sufficient quantity for the mass production of books. The introduction of the technique of making paper and the subsequent development of a European apermaking industry was a necessary condition for the widespread adoption of print technology. Although a number of people had previously attempted to make metal type or had experimented with individual woodcut letters, it was not until a technique was devised for producing metal type in large quantities at a reasonable cost. This involved the design of a type-face and the production of molds used for making the individual pieces of type as well as the development of an alloy that was soft enough to cast yet hard enough to use for printing. It was also necessary to develop suitable inks for printing with the new type. The water-based inks used for hand lettering and for block printing will not stick to metal type; therefore a viscous oil based ink was required. Finally, a press was needed for transferring the image from type to paper. Precedents existed in the presses used for making wine, cheese and paper and one of Johannes Gutenberg’s innovations was to adapt these presses for the printing process. An operator worked a lever to increase and decrease the pressure of the block against the paper. The invention of the printing press, in turn, set off a revolution that is still in progress today. Look around wherever you are, and you’ll likely find plenty of printed material, from business cards to brochures to books. Printing words and images on paper may seem like one of the more environmentally benign things that printing does, but that isn’t necessarily the case. If you examine the life cycle of printed matter – from turning trees into paper through the witch’s brew of chemicals involved — professional printing takes on a decidedly non-green hue. Typically, the process involves a variety of inks, solvents, acids, resins, lacquers, dyes, driers, extenders, modifiers, varnishes, shellacs, and other solutions. Only a few of these ingredients end up directly on the printed page. Many of the ingredients are toxic: Silver, lead, chromium, cadmium, toluene, chloroform, methylene chloride, barium-based pigments, and acrylic copolymers. And that’s mot all. Chlorine bleaching of paper is linked to cancer-causing water pollutants. Waste inks and solvents are usually considered hazardous. Bindings, adhesives, foils, and plastic bags used in printing or packaging printed material can render paper unrecyclable. And you thought it was just ink on paper. Not everyone defines â€Å"green printing† the same way and there is no standard of certification for what makes a printer green. There are several things a printer can do to minimize the detrimental effects to the environment. In general, an environmentally minded printer should use the most eco-friendly papers available, reduce or eliminate toxic chemicals, waste ink, and solvents. The printer should also be willing to use soy or other vegetable inks, educate customers about how to reduce a project’s environmental impact. Green printing is on a roll, moving beyond small, do-good companies and activist groups to larger corporations and government agencies that have mandates to purchase greener goods and services. As demand for green printing has grown, so too has the number of printers offering such services. Many printers now days can recycle up to 98% of there wastes and more and more or doing just that. Life magazine called the printing press the greatest invention in the last 1000 years.

Defining Interpersonal Communication Essay

When asked to distinguish interpersonal communication from communication in general, many people say that interpersonal communication involves fewer people, often just two. according to this definition, an exchange between a homeowner and plumber would be interpersonal, but a conversation involving parents and four children would not. although interpersonal communication often involves only two or three people, this isn’t a useful definition. Perhaps you are thinking that intimate contexts define interpersonal communication. using this standard, we would say that a couple on a first date in a romantic restaurant engages in more interpersonal communication than an established couple in a shopping mall. The best way to define interpersonal communication is by focusing on what happens between people, not where they are or how many present.In simple way, we can say that interpersonal communication is a distinct type of interaction between people. Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication One way of looking at communication barriers is to divide them into internal and external barriers, or environmental barriers. It is important to be aware of all the possible barriers to communication, and to consider how these can be overcome, so that effective interaction can take place either in business or at a personal level. Psychological Barriers Psychological barriers may include shyness or embarrassment. Sometimes, a person may present herself as being abrupt or difficult when she may actually be nervous. One person’s stereotyped views of the other party or the group he belongs to may also provide a barrier to communication. If she is already prejudiced before meeting him, this will cause a barrier. Cultural Barriers Acceptable styles of communication vary between cultures. In some societies physical gestures are extravagant, and touch is more acceptable. In these societies, it is generally acceptable to hug and touch a person’s arm when you are speaking to him. In other societies this would be unacceptable. Some religions have a taboo about members of the opposite sex communicating and particularly touching. Casual hugging and kissing would be completely unacceptable. Language Barriers A communication barrier may be present because the parties do not share a common language. Interpreters and translators may be used to good effect in these circumstances. If a person is deaf or visually impaired, this presents an obvious barrier that needs to be addressed prior to the meeting. Speech impediments or dysphasia as a result of a stroke or other brain problem can present a barrier. The use of jargon and over-complicated language creates barriers to communication. Environmental Barriers Environmental barriers to communication can include noise and lack of privacy. An environment which is too hot or cold will not be conducive to effective communication. Some places of business are busy with many distractions, such as constantly ringing telephones and other messaging systems. Three internal barriers that could affect your communication * Negative emotions * Low self-esteem * Lack of commitment The negative emotions from previous experiences, if not released, continue to hunt us and get expressed when we expect less. They are triggered by similar situations that show up in our life, without consciously recognizing them. Did it occur to you to get upset or raise the tone of your voice for something that†¦ was not really a big deal? It could be one of those situations, that triggered past emotions not released. As long as you don’t identify and release them, they could affect your interpersonal communication since others won’t really know from where your overreaction is coming from. Low self-esteem takes a huge toll on interpersonal communication. Not having the courage to express your ideas (because you believe they’re not worthy), could send a different message than the one you want to project. It might mislead other people, leaving them to believe whatever they want (which might be different from what you want). Low self-esteem could also show up as lack of confidence, or by not taking responsibility for your own actions. Do I have to mention the impact on the interpersonal communication?! Who would like to spend more time or collaborate with someone who doesn’t take responsibility for his actions? Or who does not trust himself, and is waiting for help all the time? Lack of commitment comes usually from not knowing what you want, or from not having the courage to take the right actions. Lack of commitment plays a huge role in interpersonal communication, since its so easy to spot it†¦ and no one likes it. How to communicate effectively with someone who is not committed, who doesn’t pay attention or simply ignores you? If you found yourself at least once in the situations listed above, when do you think it’s the best time to work on your own issues: when a similar situation occurs? or in advance, so you are better prepared to communicate more effectively in any situation?

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 288

Assignment Example Most companies, therefore, are willing to provide funds for NGO’s that conduct human causes. Such profit organizations also participate in marketing for their NGO partners. 3. Social media is an effective marketing strategy for young people since they spend a great deal of their time in such platforms. These privileged children are able to connect with the emotions of other children experiencing problems in other parts of the world. Using social media to reach older people is ineffective because older individuals prefer traditional modes of communication such as face-to-face conversations. 4. Invisible children’s impact should not be understated based on the funds they use on marketing as compared to the funds they use on actual groundwork. This is because the primary purpose of such an organization concerns with raising awareness about the ills in the society. In this sense, the organization attracts more funds than it would have, if it committed more time and resources to actual funding of ground activities. 5. In the films, the directors utilize different techniques in carrying out their stories. For instance, they involve music in narrating the horrendous stories (Invisible children Inc 1). The directors employ their own voice in projecting the emotions of war. The use of documentaries is an effective way of reaching most audiences because they articulate reality through vision and immediate

Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Term Paper Example This paper examines these challenges and how they have impacted on the organization. One of the most challenging facets of organizations today is the need to remain responsible and ethical in their business activities. The past few years have seen many multinationals, big companies, and global association grapple with the issues of unethical behavior. Unethical behavior refers to activities that deviate from the accepted norms, laws, and standards that guide business processes (Blowfield, and Murray, 2014). Essentially, businesses are expected to behave responsibly by acting in a manner that promotes the interests of various stakeholders such as employees, owners, government, and the wider society. However, some organizations find it hard to remain ethical and responsible due to the inability to manage all their huge resources in an efficient way (Crane & Matten, 2010). As such, an irresponsible business on the other hands is one that is involved in dishonest business practices, for instance through concealing or deliberately ignoring issues to do with the environme nt, employees, customers, and the wider society (Blowfield, and Murray, 2014). The most common form of unethical problem that most big companies and associations face is corruption. The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) provides a good example of a large organization that has had a rough time dealing with the unethical problem of corruption. FIFA is the body charged with managing football or soccer globally, which is the most popular sport in the world (Skinner & Edwards, 2006). The organization is an amalgamation of various football associations and confederations representing different countries. As such, it is one of the biggest organizations in the world today. FIFA has vast amounts of resources, hence generating a lot of global interest from different parties

20 century China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

20 century China - Essay Example Deng Xiaoping’s era was marked as the â€Å"decade of reform† as it effected a total revamp of the legal system,brought in more democracy at government and party levels, gave more freedom for the people for self-government and became a new era of hope for the Chinese republic.A transformation from communism to socialist democracy was visible in all spheres. This change brought about also the development of a socialist political civilization. It was a time when writers, a group of Marxist theoreticians, scientists and their disciple-students were lining up for democracy and forming a network.They had a vision that, in order to nourish democracy, a limit has to be drawn on the powers of the ruling Marxist Party.Deng era was also an era of legal reforms. There was a steady reform process going on to establish a socialist legal system. A more independent judiciary and freedom of press evolved through this. In this way, the political reform in China was coming of age by effe ctive changes in administrative and legal systems and policies. In this way, the reform era marked the establishment of a full-fledged legal system, where laws were enacted and codified and a regular network of courts started functioning.The reach and effectiveness of judiciary was considerably increased with effective monitoring and punitive provisions wherever pitfalls were seen. The reforms included, giving more self-determination powers and self rule provisions to ethnic groups and regions, more democratic election process at party-level and government-level and more centralized administration of remote regions of the nation. Multiple candidates were allowed in the elections for the people’s congresses and this was for the first time after revolution (Goldman, 13). Also secret ballot system was introduced (Goldman, 13). In 1987, the elections to the Central Committee were held in the 13th Party Congress, allowing multiple candidates (Goldman, 13). Soon after taking charge of the nation, Deng removed all intellectuals from the category that comes under the term, ‘bourgeoisie’ (Goldman, 30). Elections were allowed for deciding the administrative heads of professional and scientific establishments (Goldman, 30). All these initiated a new vigor in Chinese political scene. The proclaimed slogan of Deng-era had been â€Å"political democratization† (Goldman, 35). All these reforms have been successful when viewed from the side of democracy but they resulted in the lessening of the power of the party. If viewed from the side of the implementers of these reforms, it can be seen that the reforms did bring in more democracy but also weakened the existing domination of the party. The most important aspect of reforms has been that a well-defined system for scrutinizing and recording social situations was established and also a space was provided for public discourses and grievance-hearing onsocial issues. All these changes together saw the b irth of a new socialist China where people had more rights and more freedom. 2. What are the basic element and goals in Deng’s economic reform agenda? What are the major obstacles to successfully completion the economic reform process? Deng’s economic reform agenda looked forward to correcting the anomalies in China’s economy and helping it grow. But despite the few benefits harvested from the reforms through privatisation and new tax system, major sectors like agriculture, industry, finance and foreign trade failed to reap the promises of the reform. The focus was on a socialist economy which could only be developed through extensive industrialization. The major aspect of economic reform in Deng-era was the decentralization that was initiated (Shen, 9 of preface). The key elements of the reform were, â€Å"readjustment, restructuring, consolidation and improvement†

Functions of Management at Ska-Arabia Oil Company Essay

Functions of Management at Ska-Arabia Oil Company - Essay Example Planning Planning is the first function of management that has been fundamental to the success of SKA-ARABIA. Cole (2003) observes that all the aspects of management depend on planning to a large extent. It involves conducting an analysis of the present situation of an organization, as well as its future. After this analysis, the managers set the strategies for accomplishment of the organizational goals that are based on where the management would like the organization to be in future. Planning is a continuous process through out the company’s life especially due to the fact that changes may be necessary so that an organization can cope with the dynamics of the operating environment. In other words, planning helps Basrah managers to strategize and to develop solutions to emerging issues. It has been significant to the managers in dealing with challenges facing the business as well as the utilization of opportunities for the success of the organization. I am involved in the pla nning process through provision of fuel consumption forecast to the management to maintain proper level quantities of fuel at SKA-ARABIA. I am also involved in scheduling any preventative maintenance beyond our responsibilities within the Fuels Department and forwarding to the Maintenance Department of the company. I assisted in planning the establishment and administration of a bulk fuel storage site with 660cbm in Jet A-1 and 26k in JP-8 Aviation fuel in line with stockage objectives. Bradford (2000 p 58) observes that strategic planning is the practice whereby an organization changes its course of action to accomplish upcoming objectives. The managers in SKA-ARABIAÂ  are in charge of constantly evaluating the operating environment and the internal factors that affect business through strategic planning to ensure that the organizational goals are accomplished. This involves conducting a SWOT (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats) analysis to ensure that the business rem ains on track. The analysis is conducted quarterly and recommendations implemented immediately. This flexibility in planning has maintained profitability and constant growth since the company’s inception. Organizing Organizing is the second function in which the managers prepare for implementation of the plan. This is accomplished through evaluating and allocating the available resources to facilitate the accomplishment of organizational goals. Shen (2005) observes that without proper organization, a company may face the problem of insufficiency of resources in some departments while others may be operating with a surplus of resources. Such a situation may hamper the realization of organizational goals. Resources are significant for accomplishment of organizational goals. The organization requires diverse resources to maintain competitiveness in the market. The management of SKA-ARABIAÂ  Oil Company ensures consistency in regard to the availability of resources to avoid shor tages of inputs. These resources include assets such as premises, employees, equipment and finances among other resources that facilitate production and the organization’s competitive advantage. Through organization, managers in the company are able to establish working teams and assign tasks to the workers. Departments are assigned roles and the organizational hierarchy is distinct in the organization. I am in charge of liaison with the Ministry of Oil, local and international airports

International Agenda Setting Conference Assignment - 2

International Agenda Setting Conference - Assignment Example We hope that you will comply with our request to keep the sound at a minimum during your services. We simply ask to keep the music down to a level that is not disturbing to others. This will keep a more peaceful community that can maintain good relations with one another. The neighbors and I agree that writing this letter would be appropriate. You are just as much a part of this community as anyone and a respectful letter is well deserved. I feel that before the city counselor authorities are involved, it is best to consult you first. One change I will execute in my upcoming presentation is to participate more with individual classmates Other students deserve more involvement with my discussion. By questioning my fellow classmates and receiving questions, the presentation is bound to be more fun and interesting. Before the presentation will I ask the students to write down their questions in order to not forget them. During my presentation, I will call on a few people and ask questions. Students will have a chance to voice and hear opinions concerning the topic. This change will allow for more attractive and unbiased presentation. The narcotizing function can be described as giving an appearance of contributing to a cause by excessive mass media coverage when in reality there is no contribution to the problem, people are only informed of the problem. In other words, the media’s wide coverage gives the assumption that something is being done, but the doing is superficial. â€Å"Exposure to this fold of information may serve to narcotize rather than to energize the average reader or listener† (Marris, P., Thornham, S. 22). The term function is typically stated as dysfunction because of its negative outcomes.  

Cloud 9 by Caryl Churcill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cloud 9 by Caryl Churcill - Essay Example Basically, the play serves to create a visual impression of Britain at different times where the country and its people strived to have an identity of their own by breaking the stereotypes associated with the old era. The prevalent themes in this play are those of post colonialism, gender identity and an assessment of the ruling authorities. There is a general quest for identity that is most visible throughout the first act. The acting of the characters in their own true identity is a thing that should be concealed. They must do so in secret like when playing a game of hide and seek. If an identity shows disrespect to England, then that identity ought not to exist or should be concealed as per Clive. Clive’s is inclined to the idea that nontraditional sex identity is a sickness that can be cured though Churchill presents n provision that seems to dwell on the contrary. He asserts that sexual identity cannot be structured in another way but gender can be rearranged. There is a continuous difficulty in search of identity for characters such as Victoria, Betty and Edward in the second act even though they’re free from the direct influence of Clive. This shows that the search for identity is not as simple as thought even in a new world different from the traditional settings. This depiction of gender identity is influenced by the political system and other systems of rule in the times depicted in the play. This makes the play have a political and historical dimension. The play has very deep political insights that separate the political theatre into two strategies. These are the really dominant styles of rule in the last century that is viewed as â€Å"reflectionist† and the modern form of political approach of â€Å"interventionist†. As the characters demonstrate their struggles to discover their real identity, they represent a whole country (Britain) that struggles to find the ideal form of governance. This shows that the country itsel f is struggling to find its own identity. The real nature of Britain and the actions in a period of conquest and territorial acquisition is covered in the first act. The mind of the reader is set in a period of post war Britain therefore visualizing what the country was before its gradual decline in power. The reader can picture Britain being at the peak of its power and its quest to become a great colonizer and a country worthy of repute. This impacts the â€Å"bully† mentality about Britain in that period. The activities of the country are also streamlined to conquer Africa in an attempt to civilize the continent otherwise regarded to host â€Å"beasts’. Joshua is caught in this context of trying to become a native that sees the British as the exclusively civilized people that ought to be emulated but not people from his native background. This play show the impact of the British on people from Africa and what they perpetrated in order to be feared and establish the mselves as a powerful nation among its colonies. Churchill does a commendable work in airing this attribute that shows the attitude of Britain towards its colonies. Another notable observation from the play with an administrative bearing concerns the military. The author seems to suggest that the military efforts of the country were a making a joke of the state. Lin’s brother acts as a soldier who shows least care for the country he is supposed to represent wholeheartedly. It is evident that he’

The Melon grower by Alice Oswald Essay Example for Free

The Melon grower by Alice Oswald Essay The Melon grower by Alice Oswald explains the slow decline in a couples marriage. The melon grower is the man, Oswald uses his care for the melons to demonstrate the mans disinterest in his wife and his lack of emotion towards her. As the poem leads on through the twelve stanzas it becomes increasingly sad and disfunctional however in parts showing a comical side. The frequent use of the pronouns he and she in the poem proves the disfuntion and seperation of the couple as their marriage falls apart. The 12, 3 line stanzas are biographical. The story has been told to the author from the prospective of the wife who is clearly unhappy in her marriage. We dont know fully how her husband is feeling about the disintigration of his marriage, only of his obssessive interest in his melons.We are given a brief insight into his emotions when he was in church and he sang O Lord how long shall the wicked.? and then, He prayed, with his thumbs on his eys. Were we given a glimpse of his own dispair? In the first few opening stanzas there is a sense of seperation through the pronouns he and she there is no they showing that they no longer spend time together. The wife seeks the husbands attention as he spends the majority of his time out of the house with his plants She threw a slipper at him this domestic item contrasts with the plants and highlights the difference between their seperate lives, it is almost as if she is physically throwing the house at him in despiration. The poem doesnt just describe the end of the friendship and communication of the couple but also the end of their sexual realtionship If I can sex he said the flowers, very gently ill touch their parts with a pollen brush made with rabbit hairs. this qoutefrom stanza 5 highlights the abscence of sex within their relationship, he is more intimate with the melons. Stanza eight shows us the passing of time, the relationship still limping on, with him remaining ever neglectful of his wifes even his daughters, feelings, burying his head and hiding in his green house. He cares for his melons with the utmost care and gentleness which is at odds with the decay  of his home and his l I feel that Oswalds sympathy lies with the wife. I feel as a reader, sympathy for both charaters. The misunderstanding, the lack of communication, her anger, his apparent apathy toward the problem, all leading to the slow crumbling of their relationship. Within the last two stanzas Oswald creates a contrast between the two, first of all she paints an image of softness with the nets and fruits big at ease but then writes the last stanza about the wifes final despair with the melony aroma suffocating the whole place becoming sinister.

Problems with Education Essay Example for Free

Problems with Education Essay What is it that’s making our nation suffer from excelling in education? Not many would argue about the importance of excellence in education. Problems such as teacher attrition, lack of parent involvement, and teaching high-stakes testing may hinder progress in education. An education is an indispensable and essential tool, unfortunately, with all the jaded judgments; our students aren’t valuing or able to value their education. An Education can open the doors to opportunities that would have never been possible if it had not been for the knowledge and preparation that one received while in school. With the fluctuating economy and hesitant times, it is more important than ever for our nation’s children to receive the proper education and training that will allow them to acquire a good job and produce the revenue needed to live. Unfortunately, there are many problems facing our education system today, and several of them are having negative effects on the quality of the education our students are receiving. Would one feel comfortable fifty years from now, when the children who are victim of the disadvantages of teacher attrition, lack of parent involvement and a majority of their education being how to take a high stakes test, are running this nation? How soundly can one sleep knowing that their decisions on a bill deciphering how much of a pension someone will receive or what’s legal and what’s not is at stake? Should these problems be quietly swept under the rug and addressed again in another five years, or is it best bite the financial bullet and at the very least, acknowledge there is an issue? A serious problem that is attacking the education system in America is the alarming attrition rate of teachers. Only those not involved with education at all will argue that it is an undemanding profession; in actuality, it is a very demanding profession with an often overwhelming amount of pressure and responsibility tied to it. However, it can also be a very rewarding profession. Unfortunately, many teachers simply cannot overcome the immense responsibilities well enough to stick with the profession for any length of time. Jalongo and Heider (2006) present staggering statistics in their article, saying that forty-six percent of new teachers in this country quit teaching after five years or less, with that percentage growing to fifty percent in urban areas. Even more shocking is the fact that ninety percent of teachers who are hired in this country are replacements for teachers who have left teaching for some reason other than retirement (p. 379). There are many reasons that the rate of teachers leaving the profession is so high. Anhorn (2008) very concisely sums up some of the major problems in her article when she says, â€Å"Difficult work assignments, inadequate resources, isolation, role conflict, and reality shock are some top reasons for the horrendous attrition statistics with the widespread â€Å"sink or swim† attitude that is prevalent in so many schools† (p. 15). It is easy to see why the beginning teacher attrition rate is so high. There is simply so much to do these days, between extracurricular responsibilities and high-stakes testing, it is easy to get overwhelmed. In her article, Sitler (2007) sums it up quite nicely when she says, No one expects the first years of teaching to be easy. No one expects that Teaching assignments will never change. But no one expects either that One’s first years of teaching will be compromised by administrative Systems that make instability and disillusionment routine occurrences Rather than exceptions. (p. 22) If teachers received more support from the administration and less of the strong arm effect, educators wouldn’t be so timid in teaching and instead bring more value to the classroom. Many of us probably remember our parents being very involved with our education, whether they were part of the PTA or just asked about your grades and homework every day when you got home. Unfortunately, today, parental involvement seems to be waning. While there still is a good deal of involvement at the elementary level, middle school and high school, when children really need that parental guidance, it’s almost nonexistent. It is our responsibility to try to involve parents who seem hesitant and reluctant to be a part of their child’s education. No matter what the hesitation is from the parent, be it a language barrier,  fear of school itself, whatever might be causing a parent to be stand offish about their child’s education and being an active part of it, not only the teacher, but administration should use every opportunity to pull a parent in and allow them to become and active part in their childs education. When parents are involved in education, teens typically have higher grade point averages, higher test scores on standardized and classroom assessments, enrollment in more rigorous academic courses, more classes passed, more credits earned toward graduation, and higher graduation rates. Parents are not performing their duties as first teacher to their kids in education. Many parents left their kids behind and keep putting the blame on the teachers due to their misunderstanding of the No Child Left Behind Act. These parents concerned are the ones who left their kids behind and not the schools; teachers are secondary to kids’ education. Unfortunately so many educators feel such pressure to prepare students for the TAKS test that they fail to ever demonstrate the relevance of what they are teaching. They fail to teach the items within the curriculum that are useful outside of the walls of the school. So, we have students who graduate and can solve quadratic equations, classify living organisms and distinguish between a plant and an animal cell but don’t know how to budget money, complete a financial aid form, solve a real-world problem, think for themselves, or apply the testing information beyond what was taught. I have heard people say the purpose of the exams is to make sure our students do not graduate before they know basics skills†¦ like Physics? Most of the arguments I hear come from people who have never even looked at the test; people who just blindly adhere to the regulations because it is a law. Which leads me to the most frustrating and most often argument I hear which is, â€Å"We need to hold students accountable because it is the law? † Well, there have been lots of bad laws over the years. Does anyone remember the Jim Crow laws? If as a country we were to have blindly followed these laws, then blacks and whites would still be segregated. There is no denying the fact that the problems mentioned, are not going to go away over night. They are major issues facing American education, and educators simply must do everything in our power to conquer them. An education is such a valuable and necessary tool, and we must do everything we can to get our students to value their education. I personally do believe there is hope for a positive change. Problems don’t fix themselves, and if admitting that we need help in going about the way our nation views the importance of education is what needs to be done, then it’s time to slap on the â€Å"HELLO MY NAME IS †¦Ã¢â‚¬  sticker and start being honest and start fixing the problems of teacher attrition, lack of parent involvement and teaching children how to take a state issued test. References Jalongo, M. R. , Heider, K. (2006). Editorial teacher attrition: An issue of national concern. Early Childhood Education Journal, 33(6), 379-380. Anhorn, R. (2008). The profession that eats its young. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 74(3), 15-26. Sitler, H. C. (2007). The lived experience of new teachers, or why should I stay in this profession? Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 87(4), 22.

The Criminal Justice System And Mental Health Crisis Criminology Essay

The Criminal Justice System And Mental Health Crisis Criminology Essay Mental health care in the United States today is at a crisis point. Nowhere is this crisis more evident than looking into the criminal justice system. Beginning in the 1970s, the Community Mental Health Act deinstitutionalized all inmates of the asylum that were not a clear and present danger to themselves and society (Allen et. al, 2013, p. 390). Since then, the closing of 90% of state and community mental health facilities has had an tremendous effect on another institution: the correctional facilities. The decline in the use of state mental institutions has resulted in the mentally ill being cast into the streets, often resulting in incarceration for minor offenses such as trespassing, theft, indecent behavior or public intoxication. Their mental illness combined with drug abuse which is quite common with street life, can however result in dangerous and destructive behavior. Since most states today do not have the capacity to accommodate the mentally ill in a treatment facility, t hey are sent to prison instead. In prison, they are treated with medication, examined by physicians, psychologists and counselors and recover from their illness to an extent that they are able to be released to live a normal life. The reality is, however, the recidivism rate for the mentally ill is astounding. Within 18-months of their release, nearly two-thirds will find themselves back behind bars. With little to no support system awaiting them in the free world, they often struggle to maintain a supply of their medication, remember to take any medication they have, find housing or a job. They often become homeless and stop taking their medication. . Their inability to assimilate to freedom once again finds them decompensated, off their medication and back into the system to start the cycle over again; being arrested either for minor or violent crimes and their return to incarcerated life the only life that is able to provide them with a routine of proper care. This creates a revolving door of treatment and reha bilitation followed by decompensation and incarceration for many of the mentally ill. The state of Colorado is no exception to this scenario. In 2009, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) gave Colorado an overall grade of C in their care provided to the mentally ill. The state received an F in Health Promotion Measurement, a B in Financing Core Treatment/Recovery Services, a C in Consumer Family Empowerment and a D in Community Integration Social Inclusion. Not surprisingly, the areas in need of the most improvement included workforce development, housing, jail diversion programs, availability of reentry programs, mental illness public education efforts and per capita mental health courts. The state received a grade of zero in many of these categories and fell well below the average U.S. score in others. On the other hand, the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) Mental Health Unit: provides and manages cost effective mental health services to offenders. Services are provided to diminish the risk to public and institutional safety, and maintain or improve offender level of functioning. The DOC provides a wide range of professional psychiatric, psychological, social work, and mental health treatment services to offenders incarcerated in the DOC.  Ã‚   The DOC Mental Health Unit manages the mental health needs of the offender population from intake at the Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center (DRDC), throughout their incarceration, and provides specialized transition services for targeted populations as they leave the facilities to parole, community corrections placements, or discharge.   (DOC, 2012) The funds and care appropriated to the criminal justice system as opposed to the Division of Mental Health in Colorado for the care of mental illness is a clear indication of the volume of inmates with mental illness that the correctional facilities receive. The criminalization of persons suffering from mental illness is a critical component of the escalating prison populationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ who at one time would have been treated in mental hospitals, are displaced into correctional facilities (OKeefe Schnell, 2007 p.82). Data gathered by OKeefe and Schnell (2007) indicates that nearly 25% of U.S. inmates incarcerated in state facilities are mentally ill while the approximation of mental illness in the general populous accounts for only 2.6% making it obvious that they are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. In the Unites States today, with mental health care in its current state, it is practically impossible to separate mental health care from the correctional system. An offenders first experience within the correctional sytem, whether mentally ill or not, is usually with an arrest being made and sent to a locally operated jail. Thus, it is essential to provide training and appropriate training to those who serve the communities at the most provincial level to understand mental illness in an offender so that they may be directed to the proper institution for care. Public awareness and increased government recognition in recent years has seen the development of jail diversion programs to increase screening and treatment options at the local level. Additionally, mental health screening and treatment is now required to be provided as a matter of policy so that psychotropic medications are prescribed and counseling is done by trained mental health providers in all Federal prisons and most S tate prisons and jail jurisdictions (Davis, Fallon, Vogel, Teachout, 2008, p.218). This seems to be a step in the right direction, however, while the program requires the availability of the service, access and quality of service or rather the lack of, has rendered such programs to be ineffectiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and incompatible with therapeutic efforts (David et al., 2008, p. 218). One of the most important and difficult challenges faced by the correctional systems is identification of mental illness. Screening for mental health at the time of intake becomes a vital part of the process to determine whether an offender requires psychological treatment or to be places in a mental hospital, at least temporarily, rather than to be incarcerated. Offenders with a mental illness require treatments, medications, and social support needs that significantly differ from other, non-mentally ill offenders in order to assist them with the ability to cope with prison life. OKeefe and Schnells rese arch provided that the strongest contributing factor to the identification of mental disorders is a charted history of mental illness. Offenders with a recorded treatment history saw a 91.7% detection rate of mental illness whereas only 32.5% were detected when treatment histories were unknown (2007, p. 84). The conventional challenges confronted by any incarcerated person with a mental health problem are inflated dramatically when focused on these offenders ability to function in a correctional setting. As stated, research has shown that, many of the mental health needs of offenders often go undetected and/or untreated in correctional settings. This has serious implications for the inmate, the individuals surrounding them in the institution (other inmates and staff alike), and the community at large, when the inmate is eventually returned to society (Olley, Nicholls Brink, 2009). Community based care is vital to the success and rehabilitation of mentally ill inmates that have been released. Many of these former inmates have very little family, friends or community which will provide a support system during their transition from incarceration back into society. Those who are released into the custody of parole or probation often find success for the duration of their stay at a half-way house or while probation officers are available to monitor their progress and ensure they are taking their medications. Those who have completed their sentence and are simply released, or maxed out of the system, fare worse as they usually have no home, job, stability or support awaiting them to ease the transition. Without support incorporated with mental health care, substance abuse, employment, and other services, many people with mental illness end up being homeless, disconnected from community supports, and thus more likely to . . . become involved with the criminal justice system (Davis et al, 2008, p. 219). According to John Suthers, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, only 5% of the prison population was chronically mentally ill. By 1999, the number had doubled and 95% of them would be returning to our communities, where theyll have very little support. Theyll probably stop taking their medication, and many of them become violent without it. Thatll force them back into the criminal justice system (Groom, 1999, p.115). Over the course of a decade beginning in 1995, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has enhanced the continuity-of-care policies and procedures for inmates with mental illness and co-occurring disorders, and developed programsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to assist inmates with reentry into the community (Couturier, 2005, p. 83). The Community Orientation and Reintegration program developed by the Pennsylvania DOC and described in Couturiers article (2005) is a two-phase program designed to enable inmates transition from the prison environment to their home community. The program provides an individualized agenda based on the inmates ability levels and progress level attained within the correctional facility. The first phase of the program as described by Couturier (2005) is completed in the prison during the several weeks prior to discharge and addresses the critical issues of parole responsibilities such as employment preparation, vocational evaluation, personal finances, substance abuse e ducation, Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings, housing, family and parenting, mental health, life skills, antisocial attitudes and community (give back) services (Couturier, 2005, p. 83). The second phase of the program prepares inmates to return to the community over a four- to six-week program individually designed to the best capabilities and interests of the offender. The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and DOC community corrections staff establish a release date for the inmate as to when he is able to leave from the community corrections center based upon his progress. If necessary, program procedures can be modified to meet the needs of an offender with special needs. This kind of program greatly benefits not only the inmate as his transition to the community is monitored and supported; it is also beneficial to the community receiving the former inmate as their chances of assimilating to the community increase their potential threat to the community de creases. The Colorado Department of Corrections opened the San Carlos Correctional Facility in 1995 in response to the increasing number of mentally ill inmates that required special needs. The facility supports a capacity of 255 beds and is ran more as a therapeutic community much like a rehabilitation center for addicts rather than a traditional lock-down prison and is able to provide specialized treatment, care, and programming to mental health special need male offenders in a Level V Correctional Facility.  Ã‚  Prepare offenders for successful community re-entry or successful reintegration into Colorado Department of Corrections Facilities.   Promote a positive work culture with innovative management practices in an ethical, professional, and responsible manner by empowering employees and promoting staff development (SCCF, 2012). Programs provided to prisoners at the San Carlos facility in order to aid in transitioning to society include: Adult Basic Education, Work Activity Center wh ere offenders learn basic skills such as sewing, using a time clock and responsible behavior in a work place, Mental Health classes in: Understanding Your Mental Illness, Symptom/Medication Management, Institutional Coping Skills and Addiction Recovery Programs according to their website (SCCF, 2012). Once released, they are sent to a halfway house where the residents continue an after-care program where they learn to live and work in the community (Groom, 1999, p. 119) as well as receive psychiatric care and access to their medications. Although protection of autonomy for those with a mental illness is essential, the rights of the inmates need to be balanced with the necessity of providing care to those whom are not able to understand how the administration of mental healthcare is beneficial to them, the inmate population and to the correctional staff. Some authorities have asserted the benefits of providing mental health services to incompetent prisoners; however, advocating involuntary treatment of individuals who decline to consent should be taken with caution, particularly in such a vulnerable population as inmates. It is advantageous for any civilized society to ensure adequate legal protection of the civil liberties of its marginalized citizens and that any such treatment is provided in compliance with applicable statute. The ethics and human rights requirements require careful monitoring and such treatment must clearly be in the best interests of the inmate (Olley, Nicholls Brink, 2009, p. 829-830). Although there are numerous challenges to providing appropriate mental health services to inmates experiencing mental health problems, the moment of opportunity that is available when an individual with mental health needs is in correctional custody should not be ignored. Many individuals receive their first real, complete mental health evaluation upon entering the correctional system. Their and the attentive care that they receive can offer a therapeutic window which otherwise may not have been available to the offender at any other time in their life. Clinical and research experiences in jails and prisons have found that inmates frequently report that their admissions to corrections is the first time they have been asked about their psychiatric symptoms, their suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and their mental health needs, or had an opportunity to experience the relief brought about by antipsychotic or mood stabilizing medications (Olley, Nicholls Brink, 2009, p. 830). Prison is not an easy place to acclimate to. The function of a prison is to first and foremost provide safety and security to the community it serves; not to provide mental health treatment. Prison life comes with a set of strict rules, regulations, orders and standards that must be maintained by every prisoner regardless of their mental capacity to do so. Despite the provisions of medication, therapy, and other mental health services provided by the correctional system; it is nevertheless true for those with suffering from a mental illness that prison life can aggravate aspects of the illness resulting in behavioral disruptions. Medications relieve many of the manifestations of mental illness that perpetuate behavioral infractions; therefore, disruptive behaviors are most likely to occur when the inmate is not taking their medication. Many mentally ill inmates refuse to take medications, and when this occurs, prison staff typically cannot forcibly administer them without a court ord er. Noncompliance occurs because the inmates want to avoid unpleasant side effects or benefit from selling or bargaining medications for desired amenities (OKeefe Schnell, 2007). Detrimental effects of medication noncompliance are further agitated by environmental variables. The prison environment is comprised of many adverse conditions that negatively affect all prisoners, such as overcrowding, excessive noise and uncomfortable temperatures. Lack of autonomy, physical confinement, and humiliation can evoke fear and stress. The abrasive atmosphere in correctional facilities, when compounded by mental illness, can easily trigger behavioral infractions such as yelling and aggressive behavior toward other inmates and staff, which lead to punitive consequences. OKeefe and Schnell (2007) also site a study conducted in 2006 that further provided evidence of prison adjustment issues where 58% of offenders with a mental illness were charged with rule violations in comparison to only 43% of non-mentally ill offenders. Additionally, the offenders behavioral disturbances can sometimes agitate other inmates and result in aggression towards the individual causing the annoyance. Correspondingly, it was found that mentally ill offenders were twice as likely to sustain a fighting injury as their non-mentally ill counterparts (OKeefe Schnell, 2007 p.87). Noncompliance with the regulations of the facility result in disciplinary action which can extend the sentence of an inmate sometimes far beyond the recommended sentencing guidelines for the crime they committed. Carl McEachron, an inmate at the maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio featured in PBS Frontlines documentary The New Asylum, has been in prison for 16years on a three year sentence for burglary on account of the countless disciplinary actions (Navaski OConnor, 2005).

Odysseus: A Hero Essay -- Greek Gods Odysseus Sophocles Essays

Odysseus: A Hero Heroism was not an invention of the Greeks. Yet, through the first hundreds years of their civilization, the Greek literature has already given birth to highly polished and complex long epics that revolved around heroes. These literature works gave many possibilities of definition of heroism. The Greeks illustrated heroism to obey the rules laid down by the gods and goddesses, and those who obey the rules would gain honor and fame. The Greeks regarded intelligence as one of the highest gifts that all heroes must posses. The Greeks required that all heroes must have courage. Odysseus, one of the heroes of the epic "Odyssey" standout. He was constantly expected to be a true hero, always obey the rules laid down by the immortals, posses wisdom and courage. The Greeks believed that all heroes must always obey the Guest/Host relationship rule-- which all guests must treat the hosts with courtesy, and the host must treat the guests properly-- laid down by the gods and goddesses. Those who did not obey the rule would be punished severely. Odysseus throughout the epic, demonstrated that he obeyed the Guest/Host relationship rule. Odysseus always following the Guest/Host relationship rule, a characteristic that all heroes must have according to the Greeks' tradition . All heroes must followed the rule because if they did not, they would be punished by the immortals, and would not be recognized as heroes. When Odysseus reach the land of the Cyclops race. Odysseus decided to pick his best men, goods offered as gifts, and headed toward a Cyclops's cave. When his men saw cheese, pens, and lamb on lying on the racks, they pleading to Odysseus, "Why not take these cheeses, get them stowed, come back, throw all the pens, and make a run for it? We'll drive thekids and lambs aboard. We say put out again on good salt water!" Odysseus dismissed the suggestion, "I wished to see the cave man, and what he had to offer." Odysseus dismissed the suggestion of his men, and choose to wait to greet the Cyclops with the gifts as in the custom of the Guest/Host relationship rule. Those actions and sayings showed that Odysseus was always following Guest/Host relationship rule, an example for his men to look up to. Odysseus's actions spoke for his character. He posses the characteristic that meets the criteria of always obeying the rules... ... Throughout the epic, Odysseus was a hero. He had indeed pre-eminent qualities and much that were beyond the capacity of normal men. It was when problems come that these heroic traits emerged. When his men asked Odysseus to steal the goods from the Cyclops, which break the rule of Guest/Host relationship, he refused. He showed that he always obey the rules laid down by the immortals. When his men were turned into swine by the goddess Circe, he made Circe swore to reversed her action in trade for him to make love to her. He showed cunning. When Circe told him about Scylla and her unforgiving power, he asked how to fight Scylla to help his men avoid horrible deaths. He showed courage. We know him less from what he thought, which was seldom revealed, than by what he says and did, and his actions follow naturally from his characteristics. If the cunning of Odysseus is mentioned more than his courage , it was his courage that gets him into the scrapes from which his cunning had to deliver him. Odysseus had the all the qualities that the Greek tradition required of all heroes, which were obey the rules of gods, posses intelligence, and displayed courage. He was a hero.

Revenge in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights - Revenge Emily Bronte, who never had the benefit of former schooling, wrote Wuthering Heights.   Bronte has been declared as a â€Å"romantic rebel† because she ignored the repressive conventions of her day and made passion part of the novelistic tradition. Unlike stereotypical novels, Wuthering Heights has no true heroes or villains.   The narration of the story is very unique and divergent because there are multiple narrators.   Bronte’s character Lockwood is used to narrate the introductory and concluding sections of the novel whereas Nelly Dean narrates most of the storyline.   It’s interesting that Nelly Dean is used because of her biased opinions.   There are many major themes of the book, but revenge is the most imminent theme, the factor that leads the protagonists to their dismal fate.   Bronte proves there is no peace in eternal vengeance, and in the end self-injury involved in serving revenge’s purposes will be more damaging than the original wrong.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Heathcliff never finds peace through his revenge.   In fact, the only time he truly finds happiness is when he gives up his plan for retaliation.  Ã‚   Austin O’Malley states   â€Å"Revenge is like biting a dog that bit you†Ã‚   (O’malley 1).   O’Malley’s quote reflects Heathcliff’s immature need to propagate agony in those who have offended him.   Heathcliff’s plan for revenge on Edgar and Catherine is to marry Isabella, who is ignorant of love and of men because she has never experienced either.   He wants to hurt Edgar because of his marriage to Catherine, and he wants to get revenge on Catherine by making her jealous. Catherine’s death proves that this flawed plan of repayment helps nothing.   Heathcliff, haunted by the ghost of Catherine because he is her â€Å"murderer,† still is motivated by the need for revenge and tries to get young Cathy away from Edgar by having her marry his son, Linton.   Heathcliff never finds peace until he gives up his plan for revenge just before he dies.   When Heathcliff gives up his plan for revenge, he meets Catherine in death and truly becomes happy once more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Catherine’s revenge does not make things better for her.   Her   revenge on Heathcliff by blaming him for her upcoming death does not meliorate her mind.   Just before she dies, she ascribes Heathcliff for her â€Å"murder.†Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"You have killed me, and thriven on it, I think† (Bronte 158).   Catherine resembles what Oliver Goldsmith said,   â€Å"When lovely woman stoops to folly, and finds too late that men betray, what charm can soothe her melancholy?

A merger between Kennecott and Carborundum Essay

In 1968, Kennecott Copper Corporation made a hasty decision when it purchased Peabody Coal Company. In the years preceding the acquisition, Kennecott had experienced wide swings in its profitability, which it was looking to offset by diversification. Investing in another company in a different industry was an intelligent decision; however, Peabody was the wrong company to do this with. Although Peabody had been profitable and stable over the past few years leading up to the acquisition, the internal rate of return related to the investment was not high enough to justify a purchase of the company. Peabody’s cost of debt was .038. This was calculated by assuming a 40% tax rate and .095 rate on debt (Exhibit 3). There was a .095 interest rate on notes payable due June 30, 1998; therefore, we assumed the rate of debt at the time of purchase would have been similar. Also, Peabody’s cost of equity was .1397. This was calculated by using a risk-free rate of .055, which was the rate of the 90-day T-bill in 1968. A beta of 1 was assumed and a .082 market risk premium was used. The latter figure was determined by taking the average returns on the short-term T-Bill rate from 1951-1975. This rate was used because we know Peabody was a short-term investment and the years 1951-1975 give a more accurate reflection of the market return than using the figure from 1926-1987. Furthermore, the weight of debt and equity were .35 and .65 respectively. These figures were used because we are told that approximately 65% of Kennecott’s net worth was tied up in Peabody. These figures gave a weighted average cost of capital of 9.70%. The IRR for this purchased was calculated by using $621.5 million as the initial investment. This figure was determined as a result of Kennecott giving Peabody $285 million in cash, assuming $36.5 million in liabilities, and taking on a reserved payment of $300 million. Also, the figures used to determine IRR came from the figures given under cash flow from operation for the 8 years preceding the Peabody acquisition. This gave us an IRR of 6.8% (Exhibit 3), which is less than the WACC. When the IRR of a project is less than the WACC, the project should not be accepted. Likewise, after Peabody was acquired, it under-performed for several years until Kennecott sold it. Because of its underperformance, Kennecott had to sell Peabody for less than it paid for it. After being forced to sell Peabody, Kennecott had a large amount of cash on hand, which it did not know what to do with. Instead of giving the money back to its investors in the form of dividends or repurchasing shares of Kennecott stock that was trading below book value of the firm, Kennecott once again chose to diversify by investing in another company. This time Kennecott tendered an offer to Carborundum, a company that produced abrasives and ceramics used in the high-technology industry. Kennecott is correct in its decision that it must do something with its excess cash. By doing nothing, it will be vulnerable to a takeover; however, we do not believe diversification is the most prudent form of action. Kennecott is simply reacting to low and unstable copper prices, which have drastically hurt its bottom line. Furthermore, there are no obvious synergies connected with this deal. During an acquisition, the company being acquired should provide a greater value to the acquiring firm, than to any other firm. Because there are no synergies and the fact that the $66 tender is over $31 greater than Carborundum’s book value, the acquisition should not be made. Similarly, when discovering the terminal value, we took the total capital for 1976 and divided it by the net profit (Exhibit 1). We then took this figure, which was 10.68, and used it as our multiplier. We multiplied the projected net incomes for the next 10-years by 10.68 (Exhibit 2) to discover the firms terminal value. Finally we added the firm’s projected terminal value in 1977 to its net present value, which we calculated to be ($1.05 Million). This was achieved by discounting the cash flow each year by the IRR. So for year 1 the formula was (410)/1.054 giving (389). We discounted through 1987 (Exhibit 4). The large initial investment is what hurt Kennecott. They paid too much for a company they knew little about. This gave us a firm value of $ 409.06 million in 1977. At the time of the tender there were 8 million outstanding shares. At $66 per share, Kennecott was paying $528 million for a firm with a value of only $409.6 million. Obviously, it does not make sense to acq uire this firm. Like wise, Kennecott was ignoring its responsibility to its shareholders. Making this acquisition would dilute shareholder value. This was most evident in the actions of one investor who took the time to file a suit against Kennecott. This investor also believed the tender offer was too high. We feel Kennecott would best benefit from a stock repurchase. At the time of the Carborundum tender offer, Kennecott’s stock was trading at $28 per share, which was $14.50 less than its book value. By not partaking in a stock repurchase, it appears as if Kennecott does not believe it can turn its own operations around. If it cannot fix its own business, it should not be expanding. Kennecott must take an inward look at itself and discover where its problems lie. Until this is done, it should put ambitions of expanding on hold.

College Degree Essay

The quest for college degree has brought us to here HCC, because there was no real fulfillment in our various jobs. The benefits from having a college education are manifold and range from jobs satisfaction, higher earning potential, and healthier life style choices. With the advances in technology, many of today’s jobs now require more than a high school education or trade skills. Success in the workforce is increasingly defined by the ability to think critically, manipulate a computer, and to work collaboratively in a teaming environment. Today’s college education develops these abilities, providing individuals with invaluable business and personal skills and knowledge, as well as opening the door to better career opportunities and increased earning power. Having a college degree is linked to higher pay. People with a higher level of education are more satisfied in their jobs than people who only have a high school diploma. For example, in 2012 the median of earnings for young adults with a bachelor’s degree was $46,900, while the median was $22,900 for those without a high school credential and $30,000 for those with a high school credential. In other words, young adults with a bachelor’s degree earned more than twice as much as those without a high school credential (105 percent more) and 57 percent more than young adult high school completers. (National Center for Education Statistics website). One of the biggest arguments against a college education is not being able to  go work when you turn eighteen. Many people believe that this will cause them to fall behind and not be able save up enough money. A college education will let you â€Å"skip the line† and start working with better jobs, in better places, with better conditions, and on top of that, the unemployment rates for high school graduates have increased to 8.1% in the last year (â€Å"Value of a Degree†). The bottom line is that better jobs come from a better education. College education will help in making good choice and have a healthier life style. Apparently those with a college education are more likely to live healthier lifestyles, with fewer incidences of smoking and obesity. The gap between smoking rates of those with high school diplomas and those with four-year degrees has risen from 2 percentage points in 1962 to 17 points in 2012. College-educated adults of all ages, and their children, are also less likely to be obese. In addition, mothers with higher levels of education spend more time with their children, regardless of whether they are employed or not (â€Å"Top Universities†). Also in the other hand, according to Malcom X â€Å"Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.† The Luck of education is a serious problem today. Some effects include illiteracy and increased drop rate, this is also leads to have a trouble finding work. It is difficult to see the exact value of your education in the beginning. However, finishing high school is an asset that everyone with the opportunity should take full advantage of. Just finishing high school opens up some doors, but not many. On the contrary, not going to school can result in higher unemployment and therefore a means for extra burden on the society. You can see from the chart that there is a dramatic difference between what a person will be paid with a diploma and as a college graduate. According to the chart a college graduate can bring home nearly fifty-percent more than a person with a high school diploma. Higher education opens up opportunities for people. It gives student the experience and the confidence that they will be able to use in many life situations. Attending college gives students opportunities to express themselves and to learn about other people and their ideas Although college isn’t for everyone, everyone should at least give it a try. By going to college you learn to become independent, you go into the race for bigger, safer, better jobs, and you make more money on the other side. If you are given the opportunity to go to college, you should take advantage of it. You might even find out that you like it. The college experience is both academic and practical. College gives us a great opportunity to grow intellectually and gives us a chance to mature.

Teaching Human Virtues

Human beings grow and mature through their experiences in life. With the help of parents, friends and other people we get to know, human beings are able to learn many different lessons and knowledge. Human virtues are normally inculcated in our minds at a very young age, thought by no less than our immediate family members. Through time, we may or may not abandon the virtues that we believe in depending on our personal perceptions and our social environment. Nonetheless, human virtues can be taught not only because such virtues are ‘social constructs’ but also because human beings have the tendency to teach things by ostensive definition which can easily train people into believing many different things. John Locke proposed in Book II of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding that the state of human beings at birth can be compared to a tabula rasa or a blank tablet—the mind is basically empty of knowledge (Wood, p. 652). Conversely, we acquire knowledge through experience, specifically through sensory perception, as well as through our interactions with other people. One way of learning is through ostensive definition or defining what a concrete object or an abstract idea is by ‘pointing’ to the object or the manifestation of the idea. A child learns what a ‘chair’ is when somebody points an object chair to a child and tells the child that the object is a chair. Similarly, a person learns what the human virtue of kindness is when somebody points to a certain manifestation of the virtue and tells the person to observe the behavior. In essence, human virtues are abstract concepts that can be best understood in terms of their physical manifestations. For instance, the virtue of charity can be learned by observing a person who willingly donates some of his properties to charitable institutions such as orphanages. The virtue of bravery can be learned when a child sees a group of firemen trying to put out a fire from inside a burning building. There are also other ways to teach and learn different human virtues apart from ostensive definition. One of these ways is through formal education where students are taught what human virtues are with the help of books and other written articles. To a certain degree, learning institutions provide the theoretical framework for these human virtues. Thus, students learn the theoretical aspects of human virtues in the classroom while they learn the practical aspects of these virtues in real-life circumstances outside the school. From the state of tabula rasa, human beings progress into filling those empty slates with learning taught from experience, including human virtues. On the other hand, Aristotle maintains that human virtues can only be acquired by enacting the principle of the â€Å"mean†. According to Aristotle, virtues are the â€Å"mean† or middle values between ‘excess’ and ‘deficiency’ (Yu, p. 341). For example, courage is the mean of rashness—excessive courage—and cowardice or the deficiency of courage. How can an individual attain the human virtues or how can an individual live within the confines of the â€Å"mean†? To that question, Aristotle tells us that we should habituate our actions. Since every human being should strive to attain the good life or what he calls Eudaimonia, they should likewise see to it that they constantly practice the virtues so that they can be habituated. Following Aristotle’s theory, human virtues can be taught because virtues can be—as they should be—habituated. By performing virtuous actions to others and by habituating them, others are, in effect, taught about the value of these virtues. Those who are unaware of the idea that helping an old lady cross the street, for example, is an act of kindness can learn about the virtue by experiencing the act themselves. Children who are yet to fill their â€Å"blank tablets† with knowledge can be taught about human virtues through constant exposure to the action and by requesting them to do the same thing in their lives. In his book The Construction of Social Reality, John Searle argues that institutional facts are facts that have been socially constructed. That is, human beings and the society in which they live in are responsible for creating these types of facts. In that sense, human virtue can be considered as an institutional fact primarily because human beings have long proposed varying theories concerning the nature of virtues. Without human beings, one can hardly say that virtues will still exist. The fact that â€Å"human virtues† are called as such suggests that, without humanity, these virtues would not have come into existence. Following Searle’s argument, it does sound reasonable enough to say that human virtues can be taught. Like factual lessons taught to young people in classrooms and in the family, human virtues are also taught in almost the same manner. Some can even go to the point where they create their own virtue systems. The fact that there are varying conceptions of human virtues also points us to the idea that human virtues have been formulated across different cultures in different times. While one act may be considered absurd by one group such as cannibalism, another group may consider the act as virtuous. Among these varieties of groups, every respective virtue is passed on from one generation to another, making it survive through time or reducing it into inexistence or into another form. In highly traditional regions, virtues are taught either through word of mouth or through practice. For example, the virtue of â€Å"bayanihan† in the Philippines—the virtue where members of the community form a team to help a resident transfer his house to another location, typically through manual labor—is taught from one generation to the next through stories told to the younger members of the neighborhood and through the observation of the practice as it happens (Gibson and Zellmer-Bruhn, p. 283). In more modern countries, human virtues are taught through a number of ‘far-reaching’ ways; one of these ways is through mass media. For example, America is host to numerous television networks broadcasting hundreds of TV shows on a daily basis. Cartoons with a broad adult audience composition such as â€Å"Simpsons† and â€Å"King of the Hill† teach human virtues typically related to family matters through the stories of each episode and their characters. Children’s cartoons and puppet shows—for instance, Baby Looney Tunes and Sesame Street, respectively—are more likely to impart human virtues that can be easily understood and appreciated by children because they comprise the larger part of the audience share (Cross, p. 39). Those who think that human virtue cannot be taught may believe that human beings are incapable of teaching virtue in their pure form without alteration or bias. In effect, they might argue that what we consider as the virtues per se that we teach others are actually parodies of a seemingly endless string of parodies of parodies, ad infinitum. The response to that criticism is this: alterations only arise in specific contexts; virtues remain as they are in their general form. For example, a father may teach his children that it is only virtuous to avenge the death of their murdered grandfather when they become adults later in life. The father may have been given that impression about vengeance from the older generation of the family circle who also learned the â€Å"virtue† from those that preceded them, and so forth. And yet, the more general notion that causing harm to others is not virtuous remains. The more general notion that kindness and forgiveness are human virtues that should be practiced still remains intact. Others may also argue that human virtues cannot be taught because human beings are governed by their basic instinct for self-preservation. They primarily seek their personal interests and may or may not eventually promote the interests of others. Thus, they keep the virtues that can promote their personal welfare to themselves instead of teaching them to others out of fear of conflicting interests. The response to this argument rests on the very nature of human virtues; they are called â€Å"human virtues† because they presuppose that human beings naturally interact and share with others. Without sincere interaction and sharing, virtues can only be regarded as personal philosophies or personal guiding principles and not as what we know of them to be. They are called â€Å"human virtues† precisely because these virtues transcend individualism and selfishness. Otherwise, they would not be virtues in the first place. While it may be more or less likely true that human beings have a selfish gene, so to speak, it does not make them pathologically selfish beings. Neither does it totally prevent them from teaching human virtues to others, especially young children and those who need a lesson or two about them. It is through our daily experiences that we are able to learn human virtues as we observe them and, more importantly, as they are taught to us by those who know the virtues well enough. Although some people may decide not to teach others about human virtues, it does not consequently suggest that human beings are indeed incapable of teaching human virtues to others. The fact that each person can decide whether or not to teach human virtues to others also suggests that they can teach these virtues regardless of their personal decisions. A virtue taught to another individual may be in the form of an observed behavior, an ostensive definition or a theoretical example. Either way, human virtues can be taught. Not even the most selfish person in the world can deny the fact that human virtues have been passed on from one generation to the next.

Exposure to Conflicting Ideals Can Weaken a Person’s Sense of Self Essay

Standing at a crossroad, some turn left while others turn right. Will you still choose to go straight even if nobody chooses so? Will you still believe in your beliefs if your values are being strongly challenged by the main stream? The ideal statement is that one should be steadfast in his/her beliefs! However, in reality, exposure to conflicting ideals can cause people to lose sense of self. To settle the conflicting ideals in order to belong predicates to sacrifice one’s own beliefs. As human beings are primary gregarious animals, the impulse to belong is strong. One, who holds different values, will feel alienation from the majority. Consequently, he or she needs to succumb to the main stream in the certain group which he or she wants to belong in order to gain acceptance. Hence, the original, or say the true images of them are obliterated and transferred to fake, too, unstable images. Theresa McTerry, one of the characters in Bombshell written by Joanna Murray-Smith, is so an example of such kinds of people who sacrifice their own identities for the sake of social acceptance and validation. Theresa lives in the contemporary world which has witnessed much advancement, yet, she holds a bygone tradition which she persists can provide her the sameness with other women in society. Her fear of the alienation overwhelms her limited understanding of the dark undercurrents that lie beneath the surface of the failed marriage. In the conflicts of feminism and the male-orientated tradition, Theresa, along with those women through the man-dominated ages, has compromised their own identities for the chance to belong to the hallowed institute of marriage. For some, being constantly exposed under public scrutiny can distract their expectations to social expectations. For the sociable animals who also need to seek for individual fulfillments, human beings always find it hard to achieve the twin goals of social cooperation and personal satisfaction. Facing the conflicts between these two, people always tend to let the social expectation play the role of self-expectation as they care more about the affirmation from other people in the same group or the society. No doubt, this can promote an inevitable loss of self. Meryl Louise Davenport, another character in Bombshell, who pursues the traditional domestic roles, only creates herself a fragmented existence in which she has no room to reflect her own life. The performance of an adequate mother as well as a lovable wife is, from her perspective, a constant appraisal by the public, children, teachers, and by other mothers. At the constant bombardment of expectations of women from the society, Meryl, a woman, mother and consumer, is bewildered and has a fragmented view of self. To sum up, individuals are likely to assimilate themselves to the majority when experience some sorts of conflicts. In the purpose either to belong or to satisfy others’ expectation, conformity always seems to be essential for people to cooperate in groups and society. Hence, ego identity for each individual is always attenuated when exposed to controversial ideals.

American Politics in the Context of Obama’s Election and the First 100 Days Essay Example for Free (#100)

American Politics in the Context of Obama’s Election and the First 100 Days Essay Though none opposes the fact that motivation is the real driving engine of every action, there is considerable differences among the theorists about its mechanism, especially when it comes to explore the possibility to bring out the best out in the employees of an organization, where one school of thought advocates for extrinsic motivation for instant solution and the other insists on capitalizing the long-term efficacy of intrinsic motivation. Under the present context of economic downturn, this issue is extremely important, as extrinsic motivation primarily involves money. Therefore, this paper explores the core elements of motivation and concepts of extrinsic and intrinsic rewards from relevant literature, before coming into its own conclusion. Core of Motivation The core of motivation contains three elements like Consciousness, Inverted Qualia and Absent Qualia. These three together create various mental states. Consciousness It has six major identifiable states like 1. State of awareness: When someone is aware of something (Rosenthal, 1986). 2. Qualitative states: Sensing something out of something like enjoying a meal or experiencing a pain. Such experiences are called â€Å"qualia†, and are regarded as â€Å"intrinsic, private, ineffable and nomadic features of experience, † (Dennet, 1990). 3. Phenomenal states: A state involving more than sensory qualia, covering spatial, temporal and conceptual organization of experiences about the world and the person’s inference about it. 4. What-it-is-like states: Associating a sense of experience with another. 5. Access consciousness: It’s like seeing a thing and ideating something and then deciding on something, where there may or may not be any relationship among the above-said three stages. 6. Narrative consciousness: This â€Å"stream of consciousness† contains a series of thoughts from the â€Å"perspective of an actual or merely virtual self† (Dennett, 1991). Inverted Qualia It refers to a personal package of intrinsic and intricate experiences, with which humans decipher various external signals and respond to them, where the nature of experience governs the nature of response. The difference in perception causes inverted qualia, as for example someone might like green tea and detest coffee for no unexplainable reasons. This trait has a strong connection with intrinsic motivation (Dennet, 1991) Absent Qualia The concept of absent qualia claims that functional duplicates of a creature would do the same. As for example, if Mr. X likes tea and dislikes coffee, then his absolute clone would also do the same, for which the clone would not need an intricate and intrinsic package of experiences (Dennet, 1991). This concept backs the idea of getting result through extrinsic reward – as for example, if Mr. X and Mr. Y do identical jobs under identical conditions, then if Mr. X feels satisfied with cash reward, Mr.  Y would too follow the suit without a second thought! This study thus highlights two sets of hidden relationships, one, between inverted qualia and intrinsic motivation/rewards, and two, between absent qualia and extrinsic motivation/rewards. In any case, humans’ (apparently) involuntary association with rewards too has its routes in their perceptions, which maintain a master list of individual desires, and accordingly propel them to fulfill such desires. Put into an imaginary diagram, the mechanism of human mind can look somewhat like below: Mechanism of Motivation Motivating Tools From the organizational perspective, the ways and means to motivate the employees can be many. However, the common ones among them are, 1. Rewards 2. Retention 3. Morale 5. Job-enrichment 6. Reinforcement 1. Rewards System: Rewards or recognition system has a great bearing on the emotional plane of humans. † Every behavior comes out of ‘pain and gain’ principle†, says Khera (2004, p. 110). There can be many types of tangible gains like money, vacations or gifts, or they can be intangible, like recognition, appreciation, sense of achievement, growth, responsibility, sense of fulfillment, self-worth, etc. 2. Retention: It highly motivates the employees, as â€Å"Retention is critical to the long term health and success of the company† (Heathfield, 2008). 3. Morale: The elements like praise, love and faith can charge up anyone under any circumstance. 4. Job Enrichment: It relates to the in-house grooming of the employees to become an expert in the related field. 5. Reinforcement. By all means, it is a tool to control the employee behavior (Positive, 2000), which binds the company activities together. Other Factors Related to Motivation There are three other factors that can be instrumental to keep employees motivated, and they are: Job Satisfaction, Goal-setting and Performance appraisals. They are considered to be the self-boosters of the employees, and according to Murphy (2001), belief is a thought that causes the power of subconscious to be distributed into all phases of life. Motivation and Reward System Reward systems are created to fuel the employee cooperation, effort and overall satisfaction of all members of the company Cacioppe (1999). Other researchers like Hackman (1997) Shea and Guzzo (1987) too have endorsed this view, and suggested to align rewards with group activities. The basic parameter of the formulating a reward structure, however, is expected to apply the common logic like optimizing the ability of the workforce as a whole, though in practice it might go down to an individual, especially where the work patterns are not interdependent. This situation commands a quick review of the nature of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic Rewards Deci (1975) says that intrinsic rewards evoke a sense of personal causation – i. e.  , an inward mechanism serving as the guiding engine for the action, where its elements are usually intangible and working on the plane of one’s perception, where the journey is being enjoyed over the outcome. Extrinsic Rewards Extrinsic rewards are supposed to generate perceptions of external causation (Deci, 1975) by being mostly tangible in nature – a hike in salary or status, or material gains in other forms. However, researchers like Guzzo, (1979) defies any division in the reward system and considers it a single, usable tools to tweak the frequency of desired response of the employees towards a desired direction. Researchers like Hull (1943) and Skinner (1953) placed extrinsic reward as a direct link between stimulus and response, and their views include punishment as a stimulus too, besides subscribing to the power of stimulus. Reaction No matter how much Hull (1943) and Skinner (1953) wanted to establish extrinsic motivation as the best motivating tool to earn competitive advantage, extrinsic motivation carries a hidden cost besides the cost involved in its implementation. Researchers like Deci and Ryan (1985) used attribution theory and suggested that humans constantly reassess the reasons for their behaviors besides others. Before that, Lepper et al. (1973) had observed that reinforcement generates two effects for the management, like gaining control over activity or fastening the process; two, the backlash effect in absence of reinforcement. The example below would explain it better: A group or an individual gets a reward of x amount of money for a period y, where x+y=m, m being the increased rate of production. Before that, the situation was y=z where production was z. Now in the absence of reinforcement and with the influence of attribution theory, the situation would stand like y-x = n, where n < z. This clearly goes against the basic reason for motivating the employees, i. e. , to enhance the profit of the organization. â€Å"Engagement occurs when an employee connects emotionally with his work,† says Paul Glen (2007), and if one checks the mechanism of motivation, one gets convinced that extrinsic motivation cannot influence the employees to connect emotionally with their work, as it is guided by absent qualia, i. e. , a momentary and involuntary chase, where emotion has no role to play. On the other hand, the intrinsic motivation is guided by inverted qualia, i.  e. , conscious chase and that clearly takes along emotion in its journey and influence the human mind in no less than six ways. Conclusion The research and discussion above clearly shows that extrinsic motivation system can be a threat in disguise for the organizations especially under the present context of economic downturn, while intrinsic motivation can be the ideal solution under the same circumstance, where it can raise emotional attachment with the organization and inspire the employees to produce more for less. References Cacioppe, R. (1999). Using team-individual reward and recognition strategies to drive organizational success. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 20(6), pp. 322-331. Deci, E. and Ryan, R. (1985) Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behaviour. New York: Plenum Press. Deci, E. L. (1975). Intrinsic motivation. New York: Plenum. Denett, D. C. (1990). Quining qualia†. In Mind and Cognition, W. Lycan (Ed. ), Oxford: Blackwell, 519-548. Dennett, D. C. (1991). Consciousness explained. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. Glen, P. (2007). You Can’t Outsource Retention. Computerworld, July 16, 2007. Guzzo, R. A. (1979). Types of rewards, cognitions, and work motivation. Academy of Management Review, 4(1), pp. 75-86. Hackman, J. R. (1997). Why teams don’t work. In R. S. Tindale, J. Edwards, & E. J. Posavac (Eds. ) Applications of theory and research on groups to social issues. New York: Plenum. American Politics in the Context of Obama’s Election and the First 100 Days. (2016, Oct 14).

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Case Study Example Designing and monitoring are the essential factors that come under evaluation to make sure that they have come under performances in the most effective and productive manner in the strategic management process that leads to attainment of the organizational goals on whole (Stahl & Grigsby, 1992). In more detailed words, strategic management process involves designing and setting up overall objectives and guidelines of the organization in a broad-spectrum, create and constitute precise and explicit strategies, plan and carry out implementation of the designed strategies and make modifications if required based on the monitoring or supervision of the outcomes. However, the below diagram clearly defines the process of strategic management in a much more comprehensive way (Mockler, 2002). Amongst numerous organizations that exercise the processes of strategic management, Utica National is an organization that provides its customers with the insurance services and products and is one of the good models that practice the strategic management processes in an appropriate way. However, the course of actions that carries out the strategic management techniques would come under discussion in detail about how this organization employs such practices. Utica National is an insurance group that dates back to early twentieth century that comprises of several companies namely Utica Mutual Insurance Company and Graphic Arts Mutual Insurance Company came under establishment as its principal companies. Utica National (2011) has come under recognition for its devoted and committed services to the policyholders since time immemorial. In the recent times, the popularity of Utica National (2011) has grown so much that it comes in the top rankings in the insurance organizations of the country (A.M. Best Company, 2008). Moreover, they provide the customers with a wide range of insurance products that take account of commercial coverages, personal coverages,

Org behavior Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Org behavior - Assignment Example If organizations need to create a differentiating factor and gain a competitive advantage against its competitors, then organizations need to adopt the broad view. Adoption of this method of conducting CSR activities will aid the organization in exploring opportunities of doing business which can not be uncovered by implementing the narrow view. Businesses do not perform alone; they have to give equal importance to external constituencies such as the society and government. By adopting the broad view organizations realize the importance of its dependence on the society to gain a competitive advantage. Organizations that fail to realize the connection between the business and the society fail to stay longer in business and all their efforts of becoming a socially responsible organization ends up in vain. Today the market is full of homogeneous businesses and marketers are experiencing difficult in differentiating their products from the products of the competitors. Under such circumst ances, the adoption of large scale corporate social responsibility activities can help organizations differentiate themselves from their competitors. Organizations that adopt a functional structure are structured in a way so that the organization is divided into different groups or departments and these departments work together to produce goods and services offered by the organization (Hitt, 2005, p.327). These departments are controlled and monitored by head of the organization even recognized as the Chief operating officer who is responsible for making essential decisions and then he coveys these decisions to the lower level staff to operate the organization. This structure is mostly followed by those organizations that work on one product or have small number of homogenous products. Organizations expand and the number of goods and services they produce even increases. For example: Procter and Gambler produce various