Racial Discrimination in US Employment

The United States has been long considered as a nation defined by diversity. An article from the website Mesriani Law Group mentioned that this country is a point where in culture and faces meet. It is the union of languages into one word, and images of many people into one name. However, it cannot be helped that cultures would clash, and the array of disagreements could be far and wide. It cannot be helped that some minds could remain closed even after all the decades different people co-existed. There remains biases and stereotypes, which label so many people with negative names.Although there has been actions and campaigns to counter this unjust behavior in society, it cannot be helped that the ideal one nation is still under construction. Racial discrimination is also most evident in the workplace, where the battle for the better color continues. It could be the pressure from the norms constructed then construed by society. It could be the tradition they never outgrew. It could b e the close-mindedness of people developed by years of inclusion from the many realities of life.Whatever caused this unjust treatment in the workplace, it persists to be a problem in an individuals professional life. This paper aimed to give light to the basic laws that protect the employees from the different forms of discrimination in the workplace. Finding the basic information one should know about this unjust activities is essential in finding conclusions regarding the matter. Furthermore, this paper aims to relate cases into the deliberation to have a firmer grasp about the issue at hand. This is to re-establish the reality of this issue in the country.Discussion Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 With the rise in statistics regarding racial discrimination in the country, laws were also raised and deliberated upon to protect those who experience this kind of injustice. According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there is a law that aimed to protect the individuals who are discriminated against due to their race and place of origin, as well as their sexual orientation and religion. The law also aimed to protect those who are discriminated due to the color of their hair and eyes.This category also includes individuals who are in anyway associated with any particular culture that is different from the host country. This law is the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Employment cannot be denied of any person due to the color of their skins. This law also mentioned that it is applicable to any organization. The local and state government organizations are not exempted from this law and should abide by it. Under this law, it is also prohibited to make organizational decisions based on the stereotypes and general assumptions of different cultures.They cannot point specifically the different races, even those multi-racial individuals, when regarding the total functioning of the organization. In this light, it is considered unlawfu l to evaluate an individual for recruitment, hiring promotion and termination based on the color of their skin. Their wages and other privileges in their employment should not be affected by this factor as well. Organizations should be very particular that they do not have policies that may spite or render a culture discriminated against. Instead, they should be able to adapt a one culture that discourages racial slurs and prejudices.Kinds of Racial Discrimination in the Workplace According to the aforementioned website Mesriani, there are two kinds of situations wherein racial discrimination occurs. This needs to be re-established so find certain solutions to remedy the predicament. The first kind of racial discrimination is the Disparate Treatment. This is the basic form of racial discrimination where the individual is judged by his or her ethnic background and other similar characteristics that may bring about a similar impact on the individual. The second kind is called Disparat e Impact.This, on the other hand, is discrimination brought about by the policies rendered by management, which had a negative effect on an individual based on the color of his or her skin. Website Making Sense also mentioned these kinds of racial discrimination. But they called these as Direct and Indirect discrimination respectively. Those Who Need Protection These people who are being discriminated against need all the protection they could get. They are the people of color, and there exists a certain spite in between. As much as anyone would need, an individual needs to make a living to survive this fast paced society.If they would be discriminated against in employment, then these individuals are only offered the kind of jobs that were stereotyped to fit them. They will not be able to grow, not have any professional advancement, regardless of their capabilities and educational attainment. Furthermore, a lot of individuals of color have superior knowledge and skills. But because of discrimination, they cannot surpass judgmental eyes and their own aspirations. They are unable to make a career and a life because certain people think that they are not capable of doing anything except for menial and routine jobs.Should not one look far beyond, and go deeper than the color of one's skin? Those Who are Liable On the other hand, who are liable for this kind of unjust treatment in the workplace? Website the New Black Magazine wrote that those who ultimately are liable in such situations are the employers. They are in charge and are responsible for the welfare of every employee, regardless of race and certain physical features of an individual. When an employee is involved in the case of discrimination, both he and the employers are taken during the deliberation.It is a rare case though, as the magazine mentioned, for the employer to win against a case of racial discrimination in their office. In the cases when they do, the case continues against the employee invol ved. Race Relations Act of 1976 Simultaneously, there is another act that aims to protect different races. This is called the Race Relations Act of 1976. This, on the other hand, also aims to protect individuals not only in employment but also in housing, education, and the availing of other products and services.On top of daunting discrimination, as the earlier law entailed, this law is aimed to encourage race equality. It takes the issue of equal rights across cultures to a higher level. A Council under this Act is conjured for three reasons. They should eradicate discrimination against different racial groups, promote opportunities across the culture, as well as to reinforce the importance of having good relations between racial groups. Growing Statistics Despite the Improvements According to USA Today, there is a 24% increase in the number of cases about racial discrimination in the workplace.This was reported by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There are 6, 977 case s reported in the year 2007, in comparison to the 5, 646 of the previous year. The article also mentioned that the number of reported unjust activities to the commission was raised to more than half since the year 1991. It was also written that the Commission is yet to study the sudden rise in numbers. However, their speculations are that the spike began with the case about six black teenagers and their white classmate. This injustice also stretched to the offices no one would have found unethical in this sense.On the other hand, an article from the New York Times also mentioned that there is an obvious increase in the number of racial discrimination cases in the workplace. Author Linda Greenhouse mentioned that the Supreme Court has been rather active regarding this kind of cases. One of the cases newly reported then is concerned about the protection of one employee who retaliated against a discriminating supervisor. The other was based on age. Although Title VII also included prot ection individuals against retaliation, the article mentioned that certain courts do not take this as serious as they should.Moreover, this kind of protection was only given to those employees who instigated the complaint against their employers, or those who formally approached the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In this regard, an article from the website Human Rights Watch implied that despite the growing number of cases about racial discrimination in the US workplace, those in government still failed to find an answer to completely annihilate the problem. They have been battling with the issue for so many years, and yet the statistics continue to rise. They have signed and implemented many of these laws, but there are more unhappy employees.The laws they created looked very promising. Actually, it promised a lot of things. It promised protection and be on equal footing in regards to employment. Yet the stereotypes remain to be eradicated. The color of the individual's s kin is assumed to be tied with a certain kind of job, despite the achievement and credibility he or she carries. The above mentioned article said that there was little progress, even during the time of Clinton. The public officials each have an obligation to the advancement regarding the human rights of each individual in their country. Yet many did not fulfill them, or chose to ignore the rising issue.The article mentioned that thousand of workers are discriminated against, harassed and threatened each year because these individuals persisted that they practice their rights to employment. Moreover, in certain states, there were campaigns against migrant workers. The research studies done my many organizations about the issue should be a signal loud enough for the politicians to move. Unfortunately, little effort was made on their part. Small Scale Beginning With this problem, the solution should start at a small scale. That is for the individual to have the initiative to make that change.By beginning from where the case occurred, the government might be further called that the people are doing something about it, and that they need the full support of the people the citizens voted into those positions. The victim should first know his or her rights as an employee. He should be educated about the laws by the government and the policies and regulations of the company regarding their welfare in the workplace. Being educated is their biggest defense. With this knowledge, they would know when employers are being discriminatory of their employment. They could be discriminated against for many reasons.However, it is racial discrimination in the workplace that is most prominent in the a diverse country such as the United States. Backed with this basic tool, an individual will be able to recognize when an employer or co-employee is being discriminative of his person as a man of color. When this situation rise, he or she should immediately report this to the authoritie s. In the recent years, authorities have been more strict about these situations, and protection can definitely be attained. In this light, there remains the question why, despite the laws for protection, these kinds of problems continue to rise.They have become more strict, yet there were no significant changes. Responsibility of the Employer On the other hand, the employers should also do something about this kind of injustice in the organizations they own or manage. The Race Relations Act gave suggestions to what employers should do especially when they are held liable to every name listed in their payrolls. According to the act, the employer should take charge in monitoring their staff, including the applicants for hiring and candidates for promotion and further training. On top of this, they should be able to monitor the grievances by these employees.It should be well documented. No matter how minimal the complaint is, they should always give just attention to it. In line with this, they should also monitor the cases wherein disciplinary actions were implemented. This is also to see if their part as an employer is doing what they can in their level. They should also be able to monitor the outcomes of performance assessment of the employees. While they are taking care of the welfare of each employee, they should still be able to keep the performance of the employees in line with the objectives of the company.This is to keep the employee's end of the bargain intact and active. As the nature of business is, it is a give and take relationship. It is also important for the employers to monitor the type of training they have for their employees, and who are taking these trainings. Training has a huge effect on the kind of work life existing in the workplace. If their training have any effect on the behavior of their employees, then there are also effects on the output of each employee. Lastly, the Race Relations Act also suggests that employers should take note of the people who were dismissed or have resigned from the organization.The statistics from these numbers could lead to how the organization should change, if necessary, or if there are some improvements that could utilize for both their benefit as well as that of the employees. Conclusion Racial discrimination in the US work environment is a reality one will eventually have to face. When one thought that this kind of prejudice only happens in the the community, it also stretch in the offices both small and broad across the country. Many are affected as there are a wide array of cultures that clash against each other. It cannot be helped that there are cultures that will ultimately contradict the next.However, when dealing with professionalism, these biases and prejudices should be put aside for the progress of both the individual and the organization. There is progress on the laws being implemented for the protection of these individuals. Unfortunately, it is not yet enough to cov er all grounds. There is politics where there should not be. There is already injustice to those who are in charge of doing justice. In the end, the people help themselves until they are given full support. Racial discrimination should not exist in the office or the community. It should not exist at all.

Is 533 Homework 4

IS 533 HOMEWORK 4 BY AHMET CAN AYKUT (1835917) 1. What is meant by a symptom versus a problem? Relate these ideas to the case. (5 points) In the Intelligence Phase of the Decision Making Process, the decision maker, Elena, attempts to determine whether a problem exists, identify its symptoms, determine its magnitude and explicitly define it. What is described as a problem may only be a symptom, or measure, of a problem. In the case, MMS sales are off by 10 percent, which is the main problem.In the intelligence phase, the CEO calls the Board of Directors to search through the procedures in order to state and classify the problem. She consults Directors to reach the main reason for the problem or to find the real problem which the off-sales are symptoms of it. 2. Why is problem ownership so important? (5 points) A problem exists in an organization only if someone or some group takes on the responsibility of attacking it and if the organization has the ability to solve it.The assignment of authority to solve the problem is called problem ownership. When problem ownership is not established, except for professional employees, there will be an uncertainty of who is responsible to solve the problem and role diffusions/shifting, tendency to avoid form responsibility may occur easily. Problem ownership ensures accountability. 3. Even though the problem was not identified at the end of the intelligence phase, what was? (5 points) Effects were identified and problem ownership was established. Effects of the problem: . Rentals did not increase while the total market did. (CMO) 2. Sales are dropping fastest on primary markets. (CFO) 3. Advertising expenditures are up. GMC Spiders should be a hot seller but they are off by 50 percent. All the new cars came on in on schedule and inventory is OK from CLAUDIA. (CEO) 4. Half of the GMC Spiders are rented although some local agencies set the prices 15 percent less. Rentals are down 8 percent nationally on the other classes of ca rs. (COO) Problem Ownerships: COO assumes the ownership of the problem.CIO will look at the underlying structures and parameters of the forecasting models (for weird economic trends or events); CMO will look into the advertising for external events, trends or reports on the cars that could affect the rentals 4. How was the design phase performed in this case? (10 points) Search and Scanning Procedures: 1. The problem statement has not been clearly stated. So the next step is the investigation of symptoms. 2. A collaboration group is formed with analysts from different departments: Operations and Marketing.Data Collection: 3. Databases of Operational and Economic Data were checked by data mining tools; relationships and assumptions in the forecasting models and RMS were verified; artificial neural networks, clustering analysis algorithms and statistical regression models were also benefited. It was noticed that the neural networks outperformed the regression-based systems a bit. 4. A n information system and marketing group was set up to look into how they could improve the regression-based models with neural networks. 5.An e-meeting was held to decide on what they were going to do next and sharing information. Problem Identification: 6. After the meeting OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) software was used to â€Å"slice† multidimensional data. The group noticed a slight inverse relationship with sales and advertising and the followings: a. There is a problem in the distribution. Over half of the cars are in the wrong places. b. GMC Spider was entered to the system as a four-seat compact with two doors. System automatically decides this car ideal for a small family or a single business person.This decision rent well rent in Midwest in the secondary markets but badly in the convention areas where there are men and women who like to rent sporty cars. Problem Statement /Search for Alternatives/Create Models: 7. After further analysis and investigation the real problems and alternatives were stated: a. Data Accuracy Problem–? Profile of the spider should be changed to a sports car from a compact car. b. Inventory Imbalance Problem-? 15 percent of the fleet should be moved to secondary markets. All the Spiders should be moved from secondary to primary markets.Some of minivans and full-size cars should be moved to secondary markets. Secondary market demand should be pushed by adjusting advertisement. c. Advertising Imbalance-? Customer locations should be identified well to determine what to advertise where. d. †Try before you buy† campaign should be campaign should be established in the secondary markets. e. In secondary markets people want full size cars. Company advertising features Spider but not the other types of cars. (Advertise backfire problem)-? Substitutes for the Spider should be discounted. f.Florida theme park demand: Florida theme parks are advertising in Europe because the euro is economically stronger than the dollar. -? Advertising in Europe, either with the theme parks or separately, should be increased. 5. The choice phase seemed like a combination of design, choice, and implementation. Is this a problem? (10 points) Both it is a problem and not. It is not a problem because in intelligence, design and choice steps there are feedback points which are Validation of the model, revision of criteria for choice, evaluation of risk and rating the alternatives; verification, testing of proposed solution.It is a problem because the intricate structure of phases may lengthen the choice phase and cause missing the business opportunities. Organizational responses to solution implementations may be slower so that verification and testing of the solution, the sensitivity analysis and plan for implementation may take some time so that phases may become intricate. Also sub optimization and satisficing are potential threats for decision making. 6. The implementation phase seemed to involve el ements of all the phases. Is this a problem? (10 points)It is not a problem because in case of failure all the remaining 3 phases should be revised until the solution is succeeded. Indeed it is hard to implement a solution successfully at the first trial. Making a decision, carrying out a project requires a plan-do-check cycle to get the best. It is a problem because the intricate structure of phases may lengthen the implementation phase and cause missing the business opportunities and not adapting the business environment. 7. How were new problems or opportunities handled as they arose? 10 points) New problems (Data inaccuracy, Inventory Imbalance, Advertising Imbalance) and new opportunities (Discounting substitutes Florida Theme Park Demand and â€Å"Try Before You Buy† Campaign) were handled by identification, problem ownership and implementation. 8. Why do you suppose some alternatives were either modified or postponed? (10 points) First of all, alternatives should be pr ioritized to decide what to first and which one is more/less important than the others; there is a sequential relation between the alternatives whether the 3rd alternative cannot be achieved before completing the 2nd.In the Decision Making Process in each phase there may be updates and changes that may affect the alternatives until the solution is succeeded. All alternatives cannot be applied simultaneously. 9. How can computerized DSS support the management at each stage of the Simon's Decision Making Model? In which phase is the major contribution of made? Why? (15 points) Decision Support Systems may comprise one or more of the systems mentioned below, which are beneficial in decision making phases. Let’s consider each phase separately: Intelligence Phase:Web tools and sources are useful for environmental scanning. Web browsers provide OLAP, data mining and data warehouses. Data warehouses continuously monitors internal and external information, looking early signs of prob lems and opportunities through an enterprise information portal (i. e. dashboard). Also web mining, Expert Systems, Management Information Systems, Artificial Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms and other Automatic Decision Making systems also support this phase by identifying relationships among activities and other factors.Geographical Information Systems can be utilized so that the decision maker can determine opportunities and problems in a spatial sense. CRM systems can identify classes of customers to approach with specific products and services. Knowledge Management Systems can be used to identify similar past situations and how they were handled. Group Support Systems can be used to share information and brain storming. Business Activity Monitoring, Business Process Management and Product Life Cycle Management can also provide decision makers the capability of monitoring the current status of operations.Expert Systems can render advice regarding the nature of the problem, it s classification, seriousness and the like. They can advise on the suitability of a solution approach and the likelihood of successfully solving the problem. OLAP tools are excellent tools for routine and ad-hoc reporting. Design Phase: This phase involves generating alternative courses of action, setting criteria for choices and their relative importance and forecasting the future consequences of using various alternatives. OLAP and data mining software are useful in identifying relationships that can be used in models.CRM, Revenue Management, Enterprise Resource Planning and Supply Chain Management Systems can provide models that can test assumptions and scenarios. GSS and cognitive mapping tools can help identifying important issues and options. Risk analysis can also be carried out in this phase. Choice Phase: DSS can support this phase through what if and goal seeking analyses. Different scenarios can be tested for the selected option to reinforce the final decision. KMS can he lp identify similar past experiences.CRM, ERP and SCM systems are used to test the impacts of decisions in establishing their value. ES can be used to assess the desirability of certain solutions and recommend an appropriate solution. GSS can support to lead to consensus in a group decision. Implementation Phase: DSS can be used in implementation activities like decision communication, explanation and justification. BAM, BPM, PLM, KMS, CRM, SCM, ERP and EIS are useful in tracking how well an implementation is working. GSS is useful for team collaboration for implementation effectiveness.ES’ can be used as an advisory system regarding implementation problems. Also they can provide training that may smooth the course of implementation. A CRM Systems can identify classes of customers to get rid of unprofitable customers so that implementation can be focused on profitable customers. Also they report and update internal records, based on the impacts of the implementation so that n ew problems and opportunities can be identified and one or more of the Decision Making Phases can be revisited. In Intelligence phase the major contribution is made. 10.What is the contribution of using Simon's model for rational decision making for the analysis of this case? (20 points) Decision Making is a process that the Decision Maker should know what, why, when, where, how and with whom to start and how to proceed. Defining, categorizing and modeling the steps of decision making and systematically working on them is crucial. Since humans have a limited capacity for rational thinking, we tend to construct and analyze a simplified model of a decision making process. Simon’s model serves as a principal blue print, a basic guide.According to the problem complexity the decision maker can elaborate on the model and improve the phases according to the problem complexity and solution requirements. For example in the design phase normative, descriptive and nonmathematical descri ptive models, scenarios can be benefitted specifically. Simon’s model reminds us that such models may/should be used primarily in the design phase. For example HP developers consider three phases in developing a model (See 2. 1 Opening Vignette: Decision Modeling at HP using Spreadsheets): Problem Framing, Actual Design and Development of the Tools and Handoff.Each of these phases has sub phases like Problem Framing has â€Å"Will analytics solve the problem? †, †Can an existing solution be leveraged? † and â€Å"Is a tool needed? †; Design and Development of the Tools has â€Å"Develop a prototype as quickly as possible†, †Build Inside, not black boxes †, etc. HP is a major manufacturer of computers, printers and industrial products. They formed this model to solve their repeating business problems. Simon’s model can also be adapted to HP’s decision modeling processes but their model is much specific and ready-to-use because of their need for agility.

College Admission Essay

IntroductionI am writing this admission essay with the hope that I can a secure a place as a student in Bates College. Knowing that Bates College has been ranked as one of the best liberal art colleges nationally prompts me to send my admission letter to your institution. Besides its national accolade, learning of Bates' unique timetable that allows students to take advantage of abroad programs and its expansive offering of courses, equipped with the latest facilities and resources drew me to enroll to this college to help me accomplish my academic goals.Life ExperienceGrowing up in a small community, I had an inherent sense of unity in connection with my neighborhood collective. I lived in a society where neither skin color nor religious choice mattered. This sentiment among the community members did not last forever, though. Some residents formed a small religious group which incited other members of the society against a certain religion. They claimed that a particular religion wa s more superior to the other and urged everyone in the town to convert to that religion – a failure to covert would result in being chased away and even killed. This installed fear in our small society but neither religion was willing to negotiate, for each believed theirs was the correct spiritual path. What seemed to be a mere conflict transformed into a outright war. My community members began killing each other, women were raped, and others   were forced to flee to other towns for protection. These incidents lead to trauma: the people in our community that fled have been living in the fear of another attack and the terrible memories are still fresh in their minds. This experience inspired me to major in psychology to help erase these painful memories from  their minds and also bring a way forward for my community. I feel that attending Bates College would help me accomplish my goals.What I Look Forward To If AcceptedBates College is known for excellence in teaching as well as in learning. It offers state-of-the-art facilities, resources and programs which will be of great assistance to my psychology program – and in turn, my community. Resources such the library, imaging and computing center, as well as archives and special collection will make my learning easier. I al so read that the college offers funding for research, which will be of aid to my endeavors in finding a solution my communities' dilemma, if I can receive such assistance. If I am given a chance to join the ranks of Bates College, I will make the best out of the opportunity. My research assures me that the college has a Diversity and Inclusion Office of Intercultural Education. I would engage myself with learning how this office operates so as to intermingle with people from different cultures, religions and places, enabling me to learn how to connect with people from various life-circumstances. This educational experience will directly reflect on my career aspirations involving my communities' maladies. Bates College also allows students to take advantage of abroad programs. This program would especially be of great help to me, as I believe traveling to different places will supply me with a more comprehensive understanding of my studies.ConclusionI see this opportunity to join a prestigious college like Bates not only as a pathway to personal success, but as an educational endeavor that will provide me with a tool-set that will be able to handle the trauma of reality: the catastrophes that have occurred in my community. I am sincerely dedicated to the cause of my  fellow townsmen, and believe their recovery is assured if given the chance. Though you may consider my case special in terms of personal history, I would argue that every student's education is not solely for themselves, but rather for the greater good.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary - Essay Example Of these, advertisers have more or less concentrated on appealing to the fifteen basic human needs as defined and agreed by several theorists. These include need for sex, affiliation, nurture, guidance, to aggress, to achieve, as well as physical needs such as food and drink, among others. Due to the primitiveness of these factors, ad men see â€Å"emotional appeal† as an effective move to increase marketability of the products endorsed by triggering the inner urges and motives of its consumers. In a way, this, too, affect the second aspect mentioned above. However, aside from emotional appeals, advertisers have also employed the concepts of humor, and other unique styles of presentation, and even utilized models in the image of a celebrity to leave an impression upon the viewers, readers or listeners, that will get them to buy a certain product or use a certain service. Although there are many ways to advertise a product, whether in television, print, and even in radio, it is believed that visual advertisements, such as those seen on televisions before or after a favorite show, have been found to be more effective than the rest.

On the Issue of Debt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On the Issue of Debt - Essay Example This brief analysis will consider what this student believes to be the most pressing and important issue surround the seemingly ever-increasing levels of debt that both federal and state budgets are currently facing. Furthermore, as a function of this increase in overall debt, the negative externalities that such a change portends are vast and systemic. Whereas in previous times the degree and extent to which governments dealt with the issue of debt has always been a high concern for law-makers and citizens, the level and extent to which the current situation weights upon both the government decision makers and the electorate is unprecedented. As a result, the very nature of governance the degree to which this process encompasses nearly every aspect of society and the economy has only exponentially grown (Eichler 1216). For those that are concerned with the overall sovereignty and freedom of the society, this has naturally become a primal concern due to the fact that many nations are able to leverage the United States due to the level of its debt that they hold in the form of bonds and other financial mechanisms. Furthermore, as a function of these factors that have thus far been enumerated upon, this brief work will seek to elaborate upon some key mechanisms through which the problem itself can be lessened over time. The Simpson-Bowles committee put forward what many outside of the realm of politics would deem a fair approach to an infinitely complex issue. The mixed approach that this committee put forward hinged upon the need to make budget cuts, re-work the tax plan, secure Social Security, and reduce the size of the annual budget deficit. The reason that the plan was not latched on to by either political party is due to the fact that it required both an increase in tax revenue and a decrease in spending/budget cuts in order to make the goals that it defined (Croxson 103). These two mechanisms specifically are precisely what must be targeted for the federal (as well as state) budget deficits that currently exist to be minimized. As it is painfully clear, seeking to reduce and/or cancel budget deficits and debt in a relatively short period of time is beyond the realm of possibility. As a result of this, each political party and or leader wants to ignore the issue due to the fact that no political capital can ultimately be gained by seeking to fix an issue that they themselves nor their party will ever receive credit for; however, the larger issue is the fact that the debt crisis threatens the very sovereignty and vitality of the nation, its economy and society (Barth 98). The issue itself is not only a concern for future generations, although this is perhaps one of the greatest concerns that helps to define the size and scope of the problem. Rather, the issue weighs heavily on the way in which the government, both state, federal, and local, seek to provide key services to the communities which they serve. Rather than building more park s, maintaining infrastructure, and providing a litany of other adequate services, the government is forced to expend a large percentage of its annual budget (which itself is already over and above current tax receipts) to service the debt that currently exists. What this portends is a situation in which the government is borrowing money in order to pay the interest on the money that it is already borrowed. It does not take a degree in advanced economics to instantly realize that such a stance is untenable and cannot be long continued without the structure and legitimacy of the entire economic system falling into a state of collapse. As such, the current status quo with regards to debt level and spending is both untenable and unwise. One need look no further than examples of Greece and other nations to rapidly realize what maintaining a dangerously high percentage of debt to national GDP portends. Similarly, whereas the solution mechanism may be a shared sacrifice over a period of ma ny years, the

Research critique Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critique - Research Paper Example Prior to its development, only partial checklists were available for qualitative researches. Other methods, which would have been used, for critiquing this research include Bray and Rees model of 1995 and Benton and Cormack model of 2000. These methods have been used prior to the COREQ method and can still be used for critiquing this research (Lee, 2006). The journal featured in the ERA ranking fro 2009. It can, therefore, be said to be highly regarded among numerous published journals. The authors of the report can be identified as professionals in the field. Kate and Jeannie are research fellows at the George Institute for International Health, Sydney, NSW. Cunningham works at Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT. Numerous related works of research can be associated with her. The other authors also work in related fields of medicine, and they can be termed as credible authors. The analysis of this research based on the credibility of the authors becomes immensely simplifie d. The title choice for the paper seems impressive. While catching the attention of the reader, it identifies a statement from a respondent (Kothari, 2006). It entices a reader to enquire what caused the statement highlighted to be made. Making this enquiry, the reader manages to review the research. The key point of the research sought to explain the understanding of different Australians concerning end-stage kidney disease. The research bases this on the need for effective communication between a patient and medical staff. The understanding of a patient about a disease can immensely help medical staff in offering the patient with desirable care (Devitt J, 2008). The research sought to establish perceptions of indigenous and non- indigenous Australians concerning the disease. The aim of the research can be identified as establishing the difference in understanding of the ESKD between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. The review of this topic provides a solid base for the r esearch. Existing evidence shows that, Indigenous people face numerous barriers when seeking medical care for the disease (Lawton J, 2009). It, therefore, becomes essential to establish the perceptions of these patients to enable healthcare workers understand the patients. Research team and reflexivity Reflexivity can be defined as the ability for an action to affect the person performing. The authors of this report need not be reflexive in order to avoid bias in their reporting. This can be extremely difficult, considering their profession. They, therefore, should try to limit their reflexivity towards the research. The authors are members of the profession aiming to benefit from the research, therefore, reflexivity can be allowed minimally. None of the researchers worked in the hospitals where the interviews were conducted. The researchers worked for various institutions within the medical profession but not directly in hospitals. The participants did not have any knowledge of the interviewer. The interview sought to establish a life narrative about the existence of the disease and, therefore, the participant did not know the reasons for giving the interview. The interviews were conducted through peer-to-peer mode (Holliday, 2007). This ensured comfort of the participant as the interviewer was conversant with the livelihood of the participant. The interviewer had some knowledge of the participant. With interviews conducted in indigenous languages, it became essential to use interviewers who

Michaels Stress Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Michaels Stress - Case Study Example Michael would like to change his job responsibilities to be more adaptive to a broader visitation schedule, however the financial worries associated with his move seems to conflict with his ethical and emotional stability, thus creating anxiety and physical health problems. This scenario is causing conflict so intense that it is physically impacting Michael’s long-term health prospects. Additionally, workplace concerns over potentially losing his job further complicates his ability to approach the situation as it would lead to financial ruin and homelessness associated with unemployment. He worries, essentially, that he would be short-listed as a potential layoff candidate if he were to ask his superiors to adjust his schedule. Question 2 Fortunately, Michael is fully functional and there is no evidence that his own self-concept or self-esteem has been impacted negatively. It is mostly the anxiety caused by a variety of family-related and workplace-related situations that are causing his frustration and internal conflict. Anxiety is not necessarily a product of self-esteem problems, but is an outcome of externalized stressors that are creating the scenario where Michael must choose between two consequences, both of which maintain negative consequences if he approaches them in the pursuit of improving his family lifestyle. Michael seems to be withdrawing from his problems by avoiding managing them, such as asking his superiors for a more flexible schedule. There is no evidence that his self-concept has been affected negatively, only that Michael seems to have a lower locus of control, meaning that he believes external scenarios are directly responsible for his problems. Otherwise, Michael does not seem to manifest long-term self-esteem problems. Question 3 Adjustment is defined as â€Å"any effort to cope with stress, whether successful or not† (Morris & Maisto, 2005, p.452). Michael, as a fully functional person, is weighing the demands of his ext ernal environment against his desire for more realistic possibilities related to his career and his family life. He seems to understand, fully, the burdens that the external environment places on his life and feels trapped by circumstance with his externalized locus of control beliefs. His recent life changes have left him unable to adjust successfully, however he is at least not manifesting more complicated emotional or cognitive problems such as avoidance or concentrated withdrawal. He is clearly feeling pressured by what is occurring in his work life and family life and is doing the best he can to maintain a positive outlook despite the consequences of approaching the situation with direct confrontation. In Michael’s case, personal growth can be achieved, since he really is affected by circumstances out of his control, through exercise, meditation, and practical physician visits or counseling sessions. Question 4 Michael, again, shows all of the traditional signs of a full y functional person and does not seem to be manifesting any of the traditional defense mechanisms commonly found in such scenarios. He recognizes the source, effectively, of his problems and considers their impact if he were to confront them head-on. For example, he is not projecting his anger, denying the existence of the problem, or displacing his feelings by shifting his aggressions onto another person or object, as described by Freudian beliefs related to defense mechanisms. Instead, Michael is simply allowing his externalized stressors to create physical symptoms that could be controlled with active counseling and a trained person to help him work through his difficult

What is a network Discuss the advantages of using a network, and Essay

What is a network Discuss the advantages of using a network, and briefly explain the main types of networks - Essay Example Instead, all computers in a network can be connected to a single printer such that users can access it from their work stations. This helps to minimize costs, time wastage as well as protecting the machines from contracting computer viruses, which may be spread through the use of removable storage devices to transfer documents (Newman, 2010). There are various types of networks which include and not limited to; local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and metropolitan area networks (MAN) (Wetherall, 2010). Computers and other hardware in a LAN are connected within a short geographical distance, for example a building, a hospital or a school, through the use of guided media i.e. cables. If numerous LANs are interconnected within a wide geographical area such as across continents then, they form a Wide Area Network. The internet is an example of a WAN as it facilitates connectivity between users throughout the world regardless of their geographical location. On the other hand MAN is an interconnection of several LANs within a geographical location smaller than that of WAN. This type of connectivity can be found within an area for example a city or a town (Wetherall,

Buddhist Discourses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Buddhist Discourses - Essay Example Firstly the conversation centers upon external and internal anxieties experienced by a person. Buddha says that the anxiety about something non-existent externally can be overcome by the realization that the possession of things is impermanent (Early Discourses, 110). What mine was before is not certainly mine now. If a person understands this truth, he will have no external anxiety. Also a person who thinks he will become a permanent thing and remain so for eternity after death becomes anxious if he is exposed to the dhamma as taught by the tathagata or his disciple. The teaching eliminates all standpoints of speculative views which involve obstinacy, favoritism, and possessiveness, produces an effect of calming of all dispositions to actions, forsakes all attachments, and destroys craving (Early Discourses, 110). The teaching is for nibbana, the complete freedom from suffering. This internal anxiety could be overcome if the person does not think he will be permanent and then expose himself to the teaching. At the end of this part of the conversation, the disciples do not seem to continue their quest for solution to the anxiety. Buddha simply starts asking questions about permanency of things. It was not clear how the internal anxiety could be overcome, meaning the process of removal of the anxiety.

Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Project - Research Paper Example Even though both sexes carry the mutation, the females rarely exhibit the signs of the disease. The symptoms may be visible in early infancy and appear in male children before the age of 6. Laboratory testing can establish the children who carry the active mutation at birth (Dalkilic & Kunkel, 2003). At first, progressive proximal muscle weakness of the pelvis and legs that are associated with a loss in muscle mass. Eventually, this weakness spreads to the neck, arms and other areas. The early signs consist of enlargement of the deltoid and calf muscle, difficulties in standing without help, and low endurance. As the condition progresses, there is wasting of the muscle tissue. By the age of 12, most patients are usually dependent on the wheel chair. Symptoms that occur in the later stage include abnormal development of the bone that leads to deformities of the skeleton. As a result of muscle deteroriation, there is occurrence of the loss of movement, in the long run it leads to paralysis. The average life expectancy for the DMD patients is about 25 years. The diagnoses of the disease include DNA testing, muscle biopsy, and prenatal tests. First, the muscle-specific isoform of the dysrtophin gene is made up of 79 exons. DNA tests and analysis determine the particular type of mutation of the exon (s) that is affected. Secondly, muscle biopsy entails extraction of a small sample of muscle tissue. A dye is then applied to reveal the presence of the dystrophin. Lastly, prenatal tests establish if the unborn child has the most common mutations. The X-linked recessive gene carries the DMD. Males have one X chromosome implying that one copy of the mutated gene will lead to DMD. The mutation is transferred by the mother since fathers cannot pass the X-linked traits to their sons. When the mother is a carrier, one of her X chromosomes has a DMD mutation. In that respect, there is 50 % chance that the

Planned Approach to Change Essay Example for Free

Planned Approach to Change Essay The work of Kurt Lewin dominated the theory and practice of change management for over 40 years. However, in the past 20 years, Lewin’s approach to change, particularly the 3-Step model, has attracted major criticisms. The key ones are that his work: assumed organizations operate in a stable state; was only suitable for small-scale change projects; ignored organizational power and politics; and was top-down and management-driven. This article seeks to re-appraise Lewin’s work and challenge the validity of these views. It begins by describing Lewin’s background and beliefs, especially his commitment to resolving social conï ¬â€šict. The article then moves on to examine the main elements of his Planned approach to change: Field Theory; Group Dynamics; Action Research; and the 3-Step model. This is followed by a brief summary of the major developments in the ï ¬ eld of organizational change since Lewin’s death which, in turn, leads to an examination of the main criticisms levelled at Lewin’s work. The article concludes by arguing that rather than being outdated or redundant, Lewin’s approach is still relevant to the modern world. INTRODUCTION Freud the clinician and Lewin the experimentalist – these are the two men whose names will stand out before all others in the history of our psychological era.  The above quotation is taken from Edward C Tolman’s memorial address for Kurt Lewin delivered at the 1947 Convention of the American Psychological Association (quoted in Marrow, 1969, p. ix). To many people today it will seem strange that Lewin should have been given equal status with Freud. Some 50 years after his death, Lewin is now mainly remembered as the originator of the 3-Step model of change USA. Address for reprints: Bernard Burnes, Manchester School of Management, UMIST, Manchester M60 1QD, UK ([emailprotected]).dismissed as outdated (Burnes, 2000; Dawson, 1994; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; Hatch, 1997; Kanter et al., 1992; Marshak, 1993). Yet, as this article will argue, his contribution to our understanding of individual and group behaviour and the role these play in organizations and society was enormous and is still relevant. In today’s turbulent and changing world, one might expect Lewin’s pioneering work on change to be seized upon with gratitude, especially given the high failure rate of many change programmes (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001; Kearney, 1989; Kotter, 1996; Stickland, 1998; Waclawski, 2002; Wastell et al., 1994; Watcher, 1993; Whyte and Watcher, 1992; Zairi et al., 1994). Unfortunately, his commitment to extending democratic values in society and his work on Field Theory, Group Dynamics and Action Research which, together with his 3-Step model, formed an inter-linked, elaborate and robust approach to Planned change, have received less and less attention (Ash, 1992; Bargal et al., 1992; Cooke, 1999). Indeed, from the 1980s, even Lewin’s work on change was increasingly criticized as relevant only to small-scale changes in stable conditions, and for ignoring issues such as organizational politics and conï ¬â€šict. In its place, writers sought to promote a view of change as being constant, and as a political process within organizations (Dawson, 1994; Pettigrew et al., 1992; Wilson, 1992). The purpose of this article is to re-appraise Lewin and his work.. The article begins by describing Lewin’s background, especially the origins of his commitment to resolving social conï ¬â€šict. It then moves on to examine the main elements of his Planned approach to change. This is followed by a description of developments in the ï ¬ eld of organizational change since Lewin’s death, and an evaluation of the criticisms levelled against his work. The article concludes by arguing that rather than being outdated, Lewin’s Planned approach is still very relevant to the needs of the modern world. LEWIN’S BACKGROUND Few social scientists can have received the level of praise and admiration  that has been heaped upon Kurt Lewin (Ash, 1992; Bargal et al., 1992; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; Dickens and Watkins, 1999; Tobach, 1994). As Edgar Schein (1988, p. 239) enthusiastically commented: There is little question that the intellectual father of contemporary theories of applied behavioural science, action research and planned change is Kurt Lewin. His seminal work on leadership style and the experiments on planned change which took place in World War II in an effort to change consumer behaviour launched a whole generation of research in group dynamics and the implementation of change programs. 978 B. Burnes  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004For most of his life, Lewin’s main preoccupation was the resolution of social con- ï ¬â€šict and, in particular, the problems of minority or disadvantaged groups. Underpinning this preoccupation was a strong belief that only the permeation of democratic values into all facets of society could prevent the worst extremes of social conï ¬â€šict. As his wife wrote in the Preface to a volume of his collected work published after his death: Kurt Lewin was so constantly and predominantly preoccupied with the task of advancing the conceptual representation of the social-psychological world, and at the same time he was so ï ¬ lled with the urgent desire to use his theoretical insight for the building of a better world, that it is difï ¬ cult to decide which of these two sources of motivation ï ¬â€šowed with greater energy or vigour. (Lewin, 1948b) To a large extent, his interests and beliefs stemmed from his background as a German Jew. Lewin was born in 1890 and, for a Jew growing up in Germany, at this time, ofï ¬ cially-approved anti-Semitism was a fact of life. Few Jews could expect to achieve a responsible post in the civil service or universities. Despite this, Lewin was awarded a doctorate at the University of Berlin in 1916 and went on to teach there. Though he was never awarded tenured status, Lewin achieved a growing international reputation in the 1920s as a leader in his ï ¬ eld (Lewin, 1992). However, with the rise of the Nazi Party, Lewin recognized that the position of Jews in Germany was  increasingly threatened. The election of Hitler as Chancellor in 1933 was the ï ¬ nal straw for him; he resigned from the University and moved to America (Marrow, 1969). In America, Lewin found a job ï ¬ rst as a ‘refugee scholar’ at Cornell University and then, from 1935 to 1945, at the University of Iowa. Here he was to embark on an ambitious programme of research which covered topics such as child-parent relations, conï ¬â€šict in marriage, styles of leadership, worker motivation and performance, conï ¬â€šict in industry, group problem-solving, communication and attitude change, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-racism, discrimination and prejudice, integration-segregation, peace, war and poverty (Bargal et al., 1992; Cartwright, 1952; Lewin, 1948a). As Cooke (1999) notes, given the prevalence of racism and antiSemitism in America at the time, much of this work, especially his increasingly public advocacy in support of disadvantaged groups, put Lewin on the political left. During the years of the Second World War, Lewin did much work for the American war effort. This included studies of the morale of front-line troops and psychological warfare, and his famous study aimed at persuading American housewives to buy cheaper cuts of meat (Lewin, 1943a; Marrow, 1969). He was also much in demand as a speaker on minority and inter-group relations Kurt Lewin 979  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004(Smith, 2001). These activities chimed with one of his central preoccupations, which was how Germany’s authoritarian and racist culture could be replaced with one imbued with democratic values. He saw democracy, and the spread of democratic values throughout society, as the central bastion against authoritarianism and despotism. That he viewed the establishment of democracy as a major task, and avoided simplistic and structural recipes, can be gleaned from the following extracts from his article on ‘The special case of Germany’ (Lewin, 1943b): Nazi culture . . . is deeply rooted, particularly in the youth on whom the . . . future depends. It is a culture which is centred around power as the supreme value and which denounces justice and equality . . . (p. 43) To be  stable, a cultural change has to penetrate all aspects of a nation’s life. The change must, in short, be a change in the ‘cultural atmosphere,’ not merely a change of a single item. (p. 46) Change in culture requires the change of leadership forms in every walk of life. At the start, particularly important is leadership in those social areas which are fundamental from the point of view of power. (p. 55) With the end of the War, Lewin established the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The aim of the Center was to investigate all aspects of group behaviour, especially how it could be changed. At the same time, he was also chief architect of the Commission on Community Interrelations (CCI). Founded and funded by the American Jewish Congress, its aim was the eradication of discrimination against all minority groups. As Lewin wrote at the time, ‘We Jews will have to ï ¬ ght for ourselves and we will do so strongly and with good conscience. We also know that the ï ¬ ght of the Jews is part of the ï ¬ ght of all minorities for democratic equality of rights and opportunities . . .’ (quoted in Marrow, 1969, p. 175). In pursuing this objective, Lewin believed that his work on Group Dynamics and Action Research would provide the key tools for the CCI. Lewin was also inï ¬â€šuential in establishing the Tavistock Institute in the UK and its Journal, Human Relations ( Jaques, 1998; Marrow, 1969). In addition, in 1946, the Connecticut State Inter-Racial Commission asked Lewin to help train leaders and conduct research on the most effective means of combating racial and religious prejudice in communities. This led to the development of sensitivity training and the creation, in 1947, of the now famous National Training Laboratories. However, his huge workload took its toll on his health, and on 11 February 1947 he died of a heart attack (Lewin, 1992). 980 B. Burnes  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004LEWIN’S WORK Lewin was a humanitarian who believed that only by resolving social conï ¬â€šict, whether it be religious, racial, marital or industrial, could the human condition be improved. Lewin believed that the key to resolving social  conï ¬â€šict was to facilitate learning and so enable individuals to understand and restructure their perceptions of the world around them. In this he was much inï ¬â€šuenced by the Gestalt psychologists he had worked with in Berlin (Smith, 2001). A unifying theme of much of his work is the view that ‘. . . the group to which an individual belongs is the ground for his perceptions, his feelings and his actions’ (Allport, 1948, p. vii). Though Field Theory, Group Dynamics, Action Research and the 3-Step model of change are often treated as separate themes of his work, Lewin saw them as a uniï ¬ ed whole with each element supporting and reinforcing the others and all of them necessary to understand and bring about Planned change, whether it be at the level of the individual, group, organization or even society (Bargal and Bar, 1992; Kippenberger, 1998a, 1998b; Smith, 2001). As Allport (1948, p. ix) states: ‘All of his concepts, whatever root-metaphor they employ, comprise a single wellintegrated system’. This can be seen from examining these four aspects of his work in turn. Field Theory This is an approach to understanding group behaviour by trying to map out the totality and complexity of the ï ¬ eld in which the behaviour takes place (Back, 1992). Lewin maintained that to understand any situation it was necessary that: ‘One should view the present situation – the status quo – as being maintained by certain conditions or forces’ (Lewin, 1943a, p. 172). Lewin (1947b) postulated that group behaviour is an intricate set of symbolic interactions and forces that not only affect group structures, but also modify individual behaviour. Therefore, individual behaviour is a function of the group environment or ‘ï ¬ eld’, as he termed it. Consequently, any changes in behaviour stem from changes, be they small or large, in the forces within the ï ¬ eld (Lewin, 1947a). Lewin deï ¬ ned a ï ¬ eld as ‘a totality of coexisting facts which are conceived of as mutually interdependent . . .’ (Lewin, 1946, p. 240). Lewin believed that a ï ¬ eld was in a continuous state of adaptation and that ‘Change and constancy are relative concepts; group life is never without change, merely differences in the amount and type of change exist’ (Lewin, 1947a, p. 199). This is why Lewin used the term ‘quasi-stationary equilibrium’ to indicate that whilst there might be a rhythm and pattern to the behaviour and processes of a group, these tended  to ï ¬â€šuctuate constantly owing to changes in the forces or circumstances that impinge on the group. Lewin’s view was that if one could identify, plot and establish the potency of these forces, then it would be possible not only to understand why individuals, Kurt Lewin 981  Ã‚ © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004groups and organizations act as they do, but also what forces would need to be diminished or strengthened in order to bring about change. In the main, Lewin saw behavioural change as a slow process; however, he did recognize that under certain circumstances, such as a personal, organizational or societal crisis, the various forces in the ï ¬ eld can shift quickly and radically. In such situations, established routines and behaviours break down and the status quo is no longer viable; new patterns of activity can rapidly emerge and a new equilibrium (or quasistationary equilibrium) is formed (Kippenberger, 1998a; Lewin, 1947a). Despite its obvious value as a vehicle for understanding and changing group behaviour, with Lewin’s death, the general interest in Field Theory waned (Back, 1992; Gold, 1992; Hendry, 1996). However, in recent years, with the work of Argyris (1990) and Hirschhorn (1988) on understanding and overcoming resistance to change, Lewin’s work on Field Theory has once again begun to attract interest. According to Hendry (1996), even critics of Lewin’s work have drawn on Field Theory to develop their own models of change (see Pettigrew et al., 1989, 1992). Indeed, parallels have even been drawn between Lewin’s work and the work of complexity theorists (Kippenberger, 1998a). Back (1992), for example, argued that the formulation and behaviour of complex systems as described by Chaos and Catastrophe theorists bear striking similarities to Lewin’s conceptualization of Field Theory. Nevertheless, Field Theory is now probably the least understood element of Lewin’s work, yet, because of its potential to map the forces impinging on an individual, group or organization, it underpinned the other elements of his work. Group Dynamics the word ‘dynamics’ . . . comes from a Greek word meaning force . . . ‘group . . . dynamics’ refers to the forces operating in groups . . . it is a  study of these forces: what gives rise to them, what conditions modify them, what consequences they have, etc. (Cartwright, 1951, p. 382) Lewin was the ï ¬ rst psychologist to write about ‘group dynamics’ and the importance of the group in shaping the behaviour of its members (Allport, 1948; Bargal et al., 1992). Indeed, Lewin’s (1939, p. 165) deï ¬ nition of a ‘group’ is still generally accepted: ‘. . . it is not the similarity or dissimilarity of individuals that constitutes a group, but interdependence of fate’. As Kippenberger (1998a) notes, Lewin was addressing two questions: What is it about the nature and characteristics of a particular group which causes it to respond (behave) as it does to the forces which impinge on it, and how can these forces be changed in order to elicit a more desirable form of behaviour? It was to address these questions that Lewin began to develop the concept of Group Dynamics. Group Dynamics stresses that group behaviour, rather than that of individuals, should be the main focus of change (Bernstein, 1968; Dent and Goldberg, 1999). Lewin (1947b) maintained that it is fruitless to concentrate on changing the behaviour of individuals because the individual in isolation is constrained by group pressures to conform. Consequently, the focus of change must be at the group level and should concentrate on factors such as group norms, roles, interactions and socialization processes to create ‘disequilibrium’ and change (Schein, 1988). Lewin’s pioneering work on Group Dynamics not only laid the foundations for our understanding of groups (Cooke, 1999; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; French and Bell, 1984; Marrow, 1969; Schein, 1988) but has also been linked to complexity theories by researchers examining self-organizing theory and non-linear systems (Tschacher and Brunner, 1995). However, understanding the internal dynamics of a group is not sufï ¬ cient by itself to bring about change. Lewin also recognized the need to provide a process whereby the members could be engaged in and committed to changing their behaviour. This led Lewin to develop Action Research and the 3-Step model of change. Action Research This term was coined by Lewin (1946) in an article entitled ‘Action research and minority problems’. Lewin stated in the article: In the last year and a half I have had occasion to have contact with a great variety of organizations, institutions, and individuals who came for help in the ï ¬ eld of group relations. (Lewin, 1946, p. 201) However, though these people exhibited . . .  a great amount of good-will, of readiness to face the problem squarely and . . . really do something about it . . . These eager people feel themselves to be in a fog. They feel in a fog on three counts: 1. What is the present situation? 2. What are the dangers? 3. And most importantly of all, what shall we do? (Lewin, 1946, p. 201) Lewin conceived of Action Research as a two-pronged process which would allow groups to address these three questions. Firstly, it emphasizes that change requires action, and is directed at achieving this. Secondly, it recognizes that successful action is based on analysing the situation correctly, identifying all the possible alternative solutions and choosing the one most appropriate to the situation at hand (Bennett, 1983). To be successful, though, there has also to be a ‘felt-need’. FeltKurt Lewin 983  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004need is an individual’s inner realization that change is necessary. If felt-need is low in the group or organization, introducing change becomes problematic. The theoretical foundations of Action Research lie in Gestalt psychology, which stresses that change can only successfully be achieved by helping individuals to reï ¬â€šect on and gain new insights into the totality of their situation. Lewin (1946, p. 206) stated that Action Research ‘. . . proceeds in a spiral of steps each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action, and fact-ï ¬ nding about the results of the action.’ It is an iterative process whereby research leads to action and action leads to evaluation and further research. As Schein (1996, p. 64) comments, it was Lewin’s view that ‘. . . one cannot understand an organization without trying to change it . . .’ Indeed, Lewin’s view was very much that the understanding and learning which this process produces for the individuals and groups concerned, which then feeds into changed  behaviour, is more important than any resulting change as such (Lewin, 1946). To this end, Action Research draws on Lewin’s work on Field Theory to identify the forces that focus on the group to which the individual belongs. It also draws on Group Dynamics to understand why group members behave in the way they do when subjected to these forces. Lewin stressed that the routines and patterns of behaviour in a group are more than just the outcome of opposing forces in a forceï ¬ eld. They have a value in themselves and have a positive role to play in enforcing group norms (Lewin, 1947a). Action Research stresses that for change to be effective, it must take place at the group level, and must be a participative and collaborative process which involves all of those concerned (Allport, 1948; Bargal et al., 1992; French and Bell, 1984; Lewin, 1947b).

Funds Accounting Essay Example for Free

Funds Accounting Essay Business-type organizations and not-for-profit organizations, including not-for-profit colleges, universities and health care providers b. Business-type organizations; not-for-profit organizations; and all colleges, universities and health care providers, whether organized as not-for-profit or governmental entities c. Business-type organizations only d. All entities, except for those under the jurisdiction of the American Institute of CPAs Answer: a 5. A not-for-profit organization performs all of the following activities except . Charging a fee for services provided b. Paying dividends to shareholders c. Purchasing long-lived (capital) assets d. Paying overtime to employees Answer: b 6. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) establishes financial reporting standards for state and local governmental entities. An entity possessing the following characteristics should follow GASB standards: a. The power to enact and levy a tax. b. The power to issue debt, for which its interest is exempt from federal taxation. c. The potential that a government could unilaterally dissolve the entity and assume their assets and liabilities. d. All of the above. e. Only a and b. Answer: d 7. For which types of organizations is the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) responsible for establishing accounting and financial reporting standards? a. All state, local, and Federal organizations b. All state and local governmental organizations, except for state and local governmental colleges, universities, health care providers, and utilities c. All state and local governmental organizations, including government-sponsored colleges, universities, health care providers, and utilities d. All governmental and not-for-profit organizations Answer: c 8. Which entity establishes financial accounting standards and principles for the federal government? a. FASB b. GASB c. FASAB d. None of the above. Answer: c 9. Which of the following is the most authoritative source of accounting standards for cities and counties? a. Current practices widely used by not-for-profit entities b. GASB Statements and Interpretations c. AICPA Industry Audit Guides d. Implementation guides published by GASB staff Answer: b 10. Not-for-profit organizations obtain their revenues primarily from a. Sales to customers b. Contributions from donors c. Taxes on personal property d. Taxes on real property Answer: b TRUE or FALSE State whether these statements are true or false. Discuss why the false statements are false. True a. An entity is likely to be a governmental entity if a controlling majority of its governing body is appointed by governmental officials. True b. The objective of a government is to provide services to its constituents. False c. AICPA pronouncements have approximately the same level of authority as articles appearing in the Journal of Accountancy. True d. The objective of a not-for-profit organization is to provide services to its constituents. False e. By definition, all funds have cash, financial resources, and capital resources. True f. The objective of a business organization is to enhance the wealth of its owners.

Analysis Of Mills Harm Principle

Analysis Of Mills Harm Principle In 1993, Canadian farmer Robert Latimer killed his extremely disabled child by putting her in his truck and running a pipe from his exhaust into the cab. Latimer fully admitted his guilt and claimed that, by killing her, he freed her from her chronic pain due to her severe form of cerebral palsy. His daughter was a full quadriplegic and required numerous surgeries to maintain her quality of life. She could not feed herself and was in constant pain despite painkillers she was given. Despite her condition, she was able to sporadically smile and respond to some stimuli. Later in the year, Latimer was convicted of first-degree murder. A year following this, his sentence was lowered to second-degree murder. Latimer, through many different trials and appeal processes was eventually released in 2008 as he was not deemed a danger to society. His case brought up many questions in regards to the law such as euthanasia, mercy killing and how it would affect other mandatory sentences for murder. The case itself calls to attention an argument made by philosopher John Stuart Mill relating to harm and liberty. He brings to light his harm principle and draws attention as to what liberty should be. In this essay, Mills argument for the harm principle will be explained and evaluated. Firstly, the harm principle needs to be analyzed as well as Mills argument for it. His essay titled On Liberty discusses civil and societal rights. His concern is mainly to do with the right to use methods of control on another person. He believes that the right to control another individual can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others (Mill, 1). Essentially, Mill is saying that liberty should not be restricted unless it is to prevent harm to other people. He furthers this argument with saying of over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign (Mill, 1). Here, he claims that individuals can essentially do anything to themselves as authority has no say in what they do to themselves. It is from this phrase that Mill states individuals have the liberty to think and have their own opinions, thoughts, and beliefs regardless if it applies to minority groups or the majority of society. Mill also states with this comment that he believes that individuals should have the right to pursue their thoughts, beliefs, and ideas regardless of how society views it so long as no harm is done to others. He declares that his harm principle and push for personal freedom over societal rule would be beneficial to society as a whole. He explains this by saying that individuals would be happier (Mill, 1) and would feel less oppressed. He further explains this by saying that since individuals would be pursuing their passions, society would spend less time controlling people and enforcing rules. Mill explains that that his doctrine is only meant only to apply to people in the maturity of their faculties (Mill, 1). He is saying here that his set of guidelines cannot apply to people who are not involved members of society and are outside a set of principles he applies to a civilized society (Mill, 1). Civilized society consists of people who can engage in their own interests, skills, and capabilities but also have had access to an education. He believes that through personal reflection and freedom, an individual will gain a higher level of power to understand his or her surroundings. However, without access to that educational systems and a developed society, individuals will not reach their potential for personal reflection. Mill explains that people who are dependant of others, like children or the mentally challenged, must protected from themselves as they are not capable of maintaining the state of personal reflection Mill requires. He also states the concept of a civilized society much be maintained in order for individual liberty and the harm principle to be effective for society. He explains that freedom of expression and thought is key t o avoid social stagnation and that with individuality comes progress. Next, analysis of Mills argument will be done. He brings up some solid points regarding societal progress due to individuality and thought development. Essentially, Mill claims that individuals learn from their mistakes and it is through this that personal development occurs. Unfortunately, his essay On liberty has gaps in which he is too vague on the limits of liberty. He also is much too vague on his definition of harm. This is due to the fact that he places way too much importance on individual freedoms to maximize happiness and understanding. He does not take into consideration that personal choices regarding an individual can sometimes be harmful to others. The argument of paternalism is a good example of this. Seat belt laws dictate that individuals must wear their belts regardless that they want to or not. The laws are in place in the name of the protection of the individual. With Mills argument, he claims that seat belt laws would be an infringement on personal happiness and freedom, regardless of the possibility of injury in an accident. Thus, he does not properly address the issue of an individual making poor choices. To conclude, the case of Robert Latimer was discussed and the momentous exception in law that was done. Through this, the Principle of Harm by John Stuart Mill was explored through its definition in regards to liberty and its link to personal freedom. Also explored was the only circumstance in which Mill believes freedom can be limited: to protect others from harm. Lastly, objections to Mill argument were brought up such as his vagueness in his explanations of liberty and harm as well as its tie to bad personal choices.

Corky :: essays papers

Corky As I was walking through the Memorial Union the other day, I noticed a magnificent sculpture encased in a glass fixture. This sculpture is of Corky, Emporia State University’s esteemed mascot. Seeing this sculpture, I decided that it would be perfect for this paper. When an individual thinks of what a sculpture is, they often think of marble or rock of some sort that is carved into shapes or figures of famous people from the past. Taking Analysis of the Fine Arts, one would learn that sculpture is also made of things like metal, clay, and even wood. This brings me to the sculpture of Corky. When discussing sculptures in class one of the questions asked is â€Å"Where does your eye go first.† For this sculpture my eye first goes to Corky’s face. It’s obvious that the sculptor meant for it to exude confidence and happiness. The eye then goes down the sculpture, studying the intricate carvings of the torso down to the legs. I then moved around the sculpture and noticed the wings in the back made of glass. I had never noticed them before now. After walking around the sculpture, the eye ultimately goes back to the face. Corky is carved out of wood. The sculpture is full round. This is where the sculpture is created by the subtracting of a wood from the base to leave a free standing figure that has shape and form on all sides. The sculptor also used addition by adding the glass to serve as wings. The sculpture can be viewed from any angle, also known as three-dimensional sculpture. The sculpture stands on a base that is also made of wood. Corky is extremely smooth and shiny. The sculpture is very intricate, has strong detail, and is proportionate. The lines of the carving are straight, curved, and jagged. Some are carved very deeply and others not so deep. The exterior of the sculpture was probably sanded and then some sort of oil or protectant was probably applied to help maintain the shine and smoothness. The sculpture gives off the feeling of happiness and pride. It conveys a feeling of Emporia State University and what it means to be a student here. He is in a walking stance giving the sculpture action. His shoulders are pulled back and he strides with confidence. Corky :: essays papers Corky As I was walking through the Memorial Union the other day, I noticed a magnificent sculpture encased in a glass fixture. This sculpture is of Corky, Emporia State University’s esteemed mascot. Seeing this sculpture, I decided that it would be perfect for this paper. When an individual thinks of what a sculpture is, they often think of marble or rock of some sort that is carved into shapes or figures of famous people from the past. Taking Analysis of the Fine Arts, one would learn that sculpture is also made of things like metal, clay, and even wood. This brings me to the sculpture of Corky. When discussing sculptures in class one of the questions asked is â€Å"Where does your eye go first.† For this sculpture my eye first goes to Corky’s face. It’s obvious that the sculptor meant for it to exude confidence and happiness. The eye then goes down the sculpture, studying the intricate carvings of the torso down to the legs. I then moved around the sculpture and noticed the wings in the back made of glass. I had never noticed them before now. After walking around the sculpture, the eye ultimately goes back to the face. Corky is carved out of wood. The sculpture is full round. This is where the sculpture is created by the subtracting of a wood from the base to leave a free standing figure that has shape and form on all sides. The sculptor also used addition by adding the glass to serve as wings. The sculpture can be viewed from any angle, also known as three-dimensional sculpture. The sculpture stands on a base that is also made of wood. Corky is extremely smooth and shiny. The sculpture is very intricate, has strong detail, and is proportionate. The lines of the carving are straight, curved, and jagged. Some are carved very deeply and others not so deep. The exterior of the sculpture was probably sanded and then some sort of oil or protectant was probably applied to help maintain the shine and smoothness. The sculpture gives off the feeling of happiness and pride. It conveys a feeling of Emporia State University and what it means to be a student here. He is in a walking stance giving the sculpture action. His shoulders are pulled back and he strides with confidence.

Studying Genetically Altered Mice in Behavioral Genetics :: Behavioral Genetics

The field of behavior genetics is rapidly expanding. The practice of altering genes in mice and observing the effects is very common. Because of this it would be appropriate to adopt specific tests which will demonstrate the behavioral phenotype of the organism. In testing for the effects of genetic alteration it must first be ascertained that all of the necessary genotypes are represented. These include homozygous and heterozygous mice and wild type mice with no genetic alterations as controls. If significant differences are found between male and female mice the two sexes must be evaluated on their own. Care must also be taken in selecting the right strain of mice. This is because it has been found that in the strains that are usually used for testing some behaviors are noted to be aberrant and the unusual behavior in these genes might lead to the misinterpretation of the studied mutation. Different approaches are used in order to make the interpretation of these results more accurate in this sort of genetic background. When evaluating the behavior of genetically altered mice it must be ascertained that the mice don’t show any signs of aberrant behavior which would make further testing difficult or impossible. Indices of general health are obtained by recording the mouse’s weight, temperature, and any abnormal features. Neurological function is then assessed using different types of tests. The mouse is stimulated to see if it reacts normally to various different types of stimuli. Reflexes are measured by seeing how the animal reacts to a moving surface, light, and touch. The mouse is then observed in an area resembling an open field where its movements are recorded. Motor coordination is measure by placing it on a rotating rod and seeing how well it maintains its balance. This is also measures by recording its footprints in ink and measuring their pattern and the distance between them. The hearing ability of mice is also measured. These tests can help demonstrate the behavioral paradigms for the animal that is being studied. In some cases a deficit in motor or neurological function might make it impossible to run any further tests since almost all behavioral tests require certain basic functions such as locomotion. Sometimes the tests will have to be altered in order to effectively study the behavioral phenotype of the mice because of deficits in their functioning.

Child Personality Types Essay -- Classification Essays Psychology Pers

Child Personality Types Anyone who has spent time with or around children will notice that each one has a special personality all of their own. Children, like adults, have different traits that make up their personalities. Experts have researched this phenomenon in detail and classified children into different categories. Some experts have named more than three categories, but Peter L. Manigone has chosen three that most experts agree with. These categories have been named "flexible," "fearful," and "feisty." Children generally may have similar interests, but the way they interact and deal with these interests displays their personality type. The first personality type is called flexible. This is the most common of the three types. About "40 percent of all children fall into the flexible or easy group" (Mangione). These children usually handle feelings of anger and disappointment by reacting mildly upset. This does not mean that they do not feel mad or disappointed, they just choose to react mildly. These actions mean the flexible child is easy to take care of and be around. According to Mangione, they usually "adapt to new situations and activities quickly, are toilet-trained easily, and are generally cheerful." Flexible children are subtle in their need for attention. Rather than yelling and demanding it, they will slowly and politely let their caregiver know about the need. If they do not get the attention right away, they "seldom make a fuss." They patiently wait, but they still make it known that they need the attention. These children also are easygoing, so routines like feeding and napping are regular (M angione). Flexible children may be referred to as "good as gold" because of their cheerf... ...re most like. Whatever their temperament, children need to be treated according to their individual needs. When these needs are met appropriately the child will be happier, and those around the child will feel better also. Knowing the general personality types and how to react to them will help to make the caregiver's job much easier and aid in the relief of unnecessary stress. Works Cited "Facts About Temperament." Temperamentproject n.d. 25 Oct 2000. Mangione, Peter L. The Different Temperaments of Infants and Toddlers. J. Ronald Lally. Dir. Janet Poole. Media Services Unit, California Department of Education. California Department of Education. Viorst, Judith. "Is Your Child's Personality Set at Birth?" Tennessee Electronic Library. (Nov. 1995) Online. InfoTrac OneFile, A17618832.

All quite on Western front-Enrich Maria Remarque Essay

Remarque, being a veteran German of the World War 1, could depict the physical and psychological duress, the government soldiers had to tolerate. He narrates the mental tug of war the soldiers had to bear on being detached from civic life comprising of family and friends. This mental war was allying with the field fight. Remarque in his book does not articulate heroism, but he gives a vivid description of the mental agitation the soldier goes through . having once sailed in the same ship, Remarque could feel the monotony and constant fight for life. This story relates to the kind of trauma and loneliness, the foot soldiers went through. The war had snatched their peace of mind there by causing a situation of alert all the while around them. There was an air of struggle flowing throughout, struggle for piece, struggle for victory, struggle for food and struggle for existence. Remarque remarks, the life of soldiers are always at a jolt and yet they appear old and dead being thoroughly, emotionally drained. The soldiers are here merely escaping from their own self. At this jovial age, the world of love that they had once created is brutally shattered to pieces by their own hands. The author depicts a poignant description by narrating the awe and feeling of being abandoned makes the mental state of the foot soldiers all the more morose. The protagonist of the story, Paul Baumer who was moved by his mentor, joined the German army and entangled himself into an unsigned bond of serving the country at the price of leaving behind the personal life which had just started showing the colors of youth brimming with high spirits. He had also left behind his ailing mother. But now avenues of repentance are lost. Many others like Paul had been a false prey to the futile war. This amusing anecdote throws light on the life in the trenches of the German camp. The outcome of the war brought nothing but destruction, death and needless waste of mankind. The youth directly, though bravely, encountered brutality, soiled dead bodies and evident death which might be their awaiting future. The story highlights the psychological insight resulting out of the pathetic incidences in the trenches. Though being part of the war, the protagonist and his co-mates realized the futility of the war which had brought with it a needless waste of human life in form of mass death. The trenches had a miserable and pitiable sight. The priceless human life turned valueless. Even a stone heart would surely melt at such a terrible death game. The very sight traumatizes people, but the soldiers were facing them boldly. Though trained to be tough, the soldiers break down at the loss and sufferings of the fellow beings. The cooks of the army cooks for hundred soldiers but ends up in serving eighty of them. They often show their frustration by declaring not to serve unless all hundred are present. But they realize the fact that this figure would always be a diminishing trend and complains fatality to none other than fate. The author depicts the character of Tjadesa as a carefree, apathetic person grinning over the cook’s reaction. Though it seemed that there were no trace of repercussions on Tjadesa, but it was his unnatural behavior which depicted his concern and fear. He showed joyous expressions despite the losing his comates for ever, this were out of gratitude of still being alive. Though tjedas’s behavior seemed weird, but his discrete way of accepting the inevitable losses. The ideas ejaculating out of the soldiers mind were often weird, like they felt the war should have been fought by the leaders within a ring rather than such merciless slaughtering and cruel blood shed. The futility of war has given rise to restraint traits of human like selfishness, jealousy, envy, violence and being opportunist. Eventually the brutal results of the war some how dries up the sense of morality, dignity, empathy and many such emotions in the soldiers and life becomes like an unfertile land yielding nothing grow more unfertile for days to come. Similarly wars too yield nothing but destruction, emptiness and ruined humanity. The war may end in victory but the society is held back by the rudderless youth detached from social and moral life and lives with frustrations of shattered dreams. The rumbustious youth turns into old folk. The author relates the feelings of Paula’s, â€Å"Youth! We are none of us more than twenty years old. But young? Youth? That is long ago. We are old folk. † BIBLIOGRAPHY: – Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front. – Wikipedia- All Quiet on the Western Front. – www. docshare. com.

Advantages and disadvantages of technology Essay

Throughout history, technological innovations have helped humankind improve their standards of living, beginning with the simple invention of bone tools of prehistoric times, continuing on to and beyond modern air conditioners, automobiles, and super computers. Nowadays, when the rapidness of development and research is so remarkable, it is easy to think about the advantages of modern technology. Technology has come a long way from floppy disk, to CDs, and now saving information on flash drives and clouds. Although very helpful technology has its advantages and, disadvantages for certain people jobs that are at risk. Technology today has made life better in modern society so much that people rely on it more than humans at times. Modern technology helps simplify life in so many ways such as communication like video chatting which is much more convenient. Another way technology helps people is in business, it helps boost efficiency and productivity in work area. Businesses have integrated modern technology in their production line, most of the hard work has become so simple and fast its results are better than of humans. This world goes through allot of changes as time goes on because of improvements this world is becoming more efficient and productive. Technology even helps save money in the long run with fuel, communication, and electricity. Technology helps make life for humans so much easier one example is through email. A quick email can be done and sent out within minutes rather than writing a letter and waiting days for a response. Opportunities that technology offers and accomplishes can no t only save time but again save money in the long run. Electronics are expensive but worth it when it comes to making life more convenient. Another advantage for these gadgets the mistakes that humans make can be reduced with the use of technology like automated bill pay. Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology Essay The mobile phone has many advantages and disadvantages. It is easy to contact friends and family. Since the first mobile was created we have been able to make calls to anywhere in the world by the click of a button. You are able to get in touch with people nearly 24/7. You have access to constant internet. Having the internet at your finger tips any time you need it has many advantages. Need to find out want time a movie is on in the cinema? No problem. Need to look up the number of a restaurant you fancy having dinner at? Just use your phone. A mobile phone is an all in one device. Having music, a camera, GPS, phone and mini laptop all in one device is handy. Nowadays we use our phones as our calculator, flashlight and fax machine. Many people do not even own a camera anymore as who needs one when you can high quality shots with you camera phone. Mobile phones also allow us to facetime or Skype family and friends. Skype and facetime allow us to view our friends and family members no matter where they are in the world. These apps also allow you to choose between making a video and a voice call. You can connect with anyone else who has internet connection. People survived for years without carrying a phone with them. It’s becoming a necessity for people to carry portable phones with them. Having a phone which is portable is handy for those situations where you break down on a country road; a portable phone can help make sure you are never stuck. Phones nowadays work almost everywhere, there are very few locations where phones don’t work. Read more:  Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology Essay A phone helps ensure business people are always in touch with their clients and those who they need to talk to right away, from work or even at home. A portable phone works if charged during power outs, after accidents or whenever an emergency arises, a phone can be a lifesaver. Portable phones are becoming entertainment on the go. From television and movie downloads to games. Portable phones are great for helping people organize their lives. Some phones can handle e-mail addresses, appointments and more. It’s like carrying a personal computer with you on the go. Mobile phones do so much that we find ourselves glued to them almost every day instead of people interacting with each other they sit with their eyes stuck to their phones having virtual conversations instead of real ones.  When trying to do work it is hard to concentrate when there is a mobile sitting staring at you as the temptation to have a look on facebook or other websites is huge. Mobile phones can actually cost lives when drivers, focused on their mobile phones lose control of their vehicles and cause major accidents. Not as serious but you could fall down stairs, trip or run into something or someone when you’re stuck on facebook. Most phones nowadays have passwords on them but if you leave your phone unlocked and someone gets a hold of it them all your details are exposed – your contacts, messages, social media accounts and maybe even your bank details. Even if your phone is protected with a password a hacker can still access your information if they really want to. There is a lot of evidence that mobile phones cause damage to the brain. Phones produce radiation and should not be left near you when sleeping. They also affect a lot of people’s sleeping patterns which result in sleeplessness and insomnia. Many people like to be constantly upgraded with the newest phone. Some people want a different phone every month, as well as all the accessories that are now on the market for each mobile phone. Also what is the point of a phone without credit? Mobile phones are bottomless money pits. The landline also has many advantages and disadvantages. A landline always has coverage making it totally reliable and easy to access in the case of an emergency. In case of an unfortunate event of an earthquake or landslide, the mobile phone receives no network while the landline stays active. The reliability of a land line makes them advantageous when it comes to emergencies. For example, if someone is hurt and needs immediate medical care, you do not have to worry about poor reception. Landlines also provide a fixed location that emergency responders can rush to. If there is no power and a mobile phone dies, the user is without a phone completely if there is no landline connected to a wired phone. A landline home phones will rescue a user when their mobile phone dies. The larger size of a landline phone allows you to more easily cradle the phone between your head and shoulder. In general, landlines are much less expensive than mobile phones. The setup costs, hardware costs and calling costs of mobile phones are all typically higher. Most landline service providers offer free local calls. Keeping a landline at home can help reduce your phone bill and allow you to talk as  long as you want without worrying about racking up charges. Landlines do not meet the needs of people today. Most people spend more time outside the home. Using their mobile phone allows freedom from checking the home recorder for messages. Nowadays if someone is waiting on an important call they do not have to sit at home and wait for the call. They can send and receive calls from anywhere there is phone service. A landline is not portable and it cannot travel with you. Landline service only works inside the home and it also limits the caller’s ability to move around while on a call. Landline services offer fewer options than mobile phone services. Many mobile phone companies include internet access, text messaging, voice mail and a whole range of applications. Landlines however do not include these options. If you have a landline phone, your number and home address is in the phone book. While there are benefits to having your number listed, there’s also one huge disadvantage which is telemarketers. Landline phones are more likely to get calls from telemarketers trying to sell you something at all hours. That’s because many calling centres will scroll through the phone book, calling listed number after number. These can be annoying to phone owners. Landlines consume more energy than cell phones, as they remain plugged in at all times. This is true of cordless landline phones as well, because of the charger required. While mobile phones do not last as long as landlines they are easier to recycle. The Internet has been the greatest means of communication yet. It is now faster and more reliable than ever. Nowadays it is possible to use video, chat and messenger services. There are many ‘chat rooms’ on the web that can be accessed to meet new people, make new friends, as well as to stay in touch with old friends. Social networking has become so popular amongst youth that it might one day replace physical networking. It has evolved as a great way to connect with millions of people with similar interests. Apart from finding long-lost friends, you can also look for a job, business opportunities. The Internet has made life very convenient. With numerous online services you can now perform all your transactions online. You can book tickets for a movie, transfer funds, pay utility bills, taxes etc., and right from your home. Entertainment is another popular reason why many  people prefer to surf the Internet. The internet has even become some peoples TV as you can watch endless programmes at the click of a button. Also downloading games or just surfing the celebrity websites are some of the uses people have discovered. The Internet has any kind of information on any topic under the sun. The search engines help you to find data on any subject that you need. You can also shop online, there are many online stores and sites that can be used to look for products as well as buy them using your credit card. You do not need to leave your house and can do all your shopping from the convenience of your home. E-mail is another advantage, with e-mail you can send and receive instant electronic messages. Your messages are delivered instantly to people anywhere in the world. If you use the Internet for online banking, social networking or other services, you may risk a theft to your personal information such as name, address, credit card number etc. People can access this information through unsecured connections then use your personal details for their benefit. Internet users are often plagued by virus attacks on their systems. Virus programs may get activated if you click a seemingly harmless link. Computers connected to the Internet are very prone to targeted virus attacks and may end up crashing. People are drifting apart from their friends and family because of the internet. Even children prefer to play online games rather than going out and mingling with other kids. The Internet can be harmful to little children. Children nowadays use the Internet on a daily basis. The Internet has provided a way for children to gain access to all sorts of websites. Cyber bullying is also another huge disadvantage when it comes to the internet. There are now many more ways that people can be harassed and bullied when they have access to the internet. Cyber bullying is one of the worst as it invades the victims’ life in a place they are comfortable in and think they are safe, because they are being harassed in their personal area, cyber bullying leads to more depression decreased self esteem, loneliness and suicide which are all big disadvantages. Another disadvantage of the internet is that it has allowed a great deal of anonymity to a large number of people who have access to different websites and chat rooms available. This has allowed perverted individuals to take advantage of innocent people and abuse their trust. We can always hear from news that paedophiles used  the internet to make crimes. With all its falls the internet has the potential to ma ke your life simple and convenient, as well as wreak havoc in your life. Having a fax machine certainly has its benefits, there are also disadvantages associated with relying on this sending tool. With a fax machine, you can quickly send documents from one building to another without any cost. Not only does a fax machine make this rapid transfer easier and more cost-effective, it also allows for the transfer to take place more quickly. Fax machines provide senders with a receipt after the document has finished the fax process; the user has some evidence that they did, in fact, send the document. Faxes are delivered immediately to around the globe. This method of data transmission is effective when access to email or file share are unattainable or unfeasible. Fax machines are very inexpensive and several are part of multifunction systems. Just like all technology, fax machines can fail. If a company depends too heavily upon the fax machine and the machine fails to operate, the people using the machine may experience some difficulty. Also you cannot send a fax to someone who does not also have a fax machine; the receiver must have a fax machine to get the document. Documents you sent may not be as safe and secure. Information thieves have ways of pulling information from old fax machines or discarded printing cartridges. Any time you send a document, via fax or otherwise, you open up the possibility of someone accessing your data, putting you at risk. Fax machines take up space and also create an opportunity for mechanical failures that may require costly repairs. Emailing documents takes no additional hardware besides an existing computer, and files can be stored digitally rather than taking up space in paper form. Fax machines need regular maintenance. You have to stock the machines with paper and also supply toner, which are the powdered ink fax machines use to print. There is also the possibility that once a document has been faxed and the information is read or entered into a computer, the paper will be thrown away or recycled. Finally, like every machine, fax machines require occasional cleaning. Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology Essay The advantages of stun guns and patrol car video surveillance are a critical tool in law enforcement. Officers are given the option of Tasers, which are extremely effective when pursuing an offender that might have had the upper hand to fight for a long time, resulting in the officer gaining injuries. Currently, patrol car video is a necessity as video records will enhance an officer’s credibility, corroborate identities, and statement issues, and can be used as evidence in court. However, critical to law enforcement; stun guns should be used as a last resort. Let us examine some of the issues that contain some validity to arguments for the continue use of these tools within law enforcement. One may argue that a Taser (stun gun) causes muscle contractions and renders a person helpless while being temporarily paralyzed. Lee (2007) addressed this to be true, but law enforcement has maximized training programs so that suspects and officers lives are not in jeopardy. In addition, when a stun gun is used there is a permanent record and the video surveillance is automatically recorded when an officer takes the safety off the weapon (Lee, 2007). Consequently, the stun gun is used by law enforcement specifically for self-defense, and as a result, Lee (2007) mentions there have been hundreds of arrests that would have been involved in most serious outcomes, such as a suspect or officer’s demise. Read more:  Essay About Technology Advantages and Disadvantages As much as of 1,500 lives a year are taken by accidents with firearms in the United States (Tennenbaum, A. N., & Moore, A. M. (1993). However, guns have been converted into less-lethal weapons such as Tasers. In fact, the Taser gun also known as a stun gun has the capacity of 50,000 volts that are connected to electrodes, and this nonlethal weapon resembles a gun in its composition and has varying degrees of power. Tennenbaum, A. N., & Moore, A. M. (1993) noted that there are available nonlethal weapon technologies, which give citizens options and no deadly force of traditional guns. The stun gun is an alternative weapon that can be operated by an officer with proper training and is a nonlethal weapon. One must be capable of using a stun gun to subdue or neutralize a suspect so that no harm will occur to one’s body. After all, not every person has the same body structure, so  therefore the stun gun can be more dangerous depending on the individual. Example, someone with a heart defibrillator can die from a stun gun (Lee, 2007). However, with the proper training, an officer has the knowledge of reducing or increasing power on the stun gun, and the main idea here is that the Taser will immediately stop an individual in his tracks by setting the Taser to a specific level for the offender. One may argue that stun guns may promptly fall into the hands of criminals who will use them for criminal acts. Although, there is no arguing over this point, nevertheless with these weapons such as stun guns, the consequences will not be deadly for either the officer or the offender. Suppose some others may say that nonlethal weapons are unrealistic but interesting. After all, one knows an advance of technological knowledge is essential in law enforcement. For example, when Tasers are used in the muscular areas, the offender’s nervous system is shut down for up to 30 seconds. As a result, the officer is safe from harm. Finally, an officer now has efficient time to confine or restrain the suspect. Hence, no one gets hurt. Law enforcement wants to prevent any misuse. An individual’s background is nationally run through to verify his credit card information, age, and identification. Finally, there is a check for any felony convictions, not to mention terrorist watch lists. If any information pertaining to felonies show up, the individual will be turned away. When one uses a patrol car and it is equipped with video surveillance, he is being protected in many ways because video does not lie. Whether the officer is acting inappropriately or the suspect is acting hostile the video will prove to be the most critical evidence. Tennenbaum, A. N., & Moore, A. M. (1993) assures surveillance systems are great additions to police cars. They protect both sides, and if one thinks about it, he would rather be stunned than shot. The most distinct video surveillance brings the highest quality to agencies. They are easy to use and they have the technology to transfer, gather, and retrieve evidence. In fact, the video is shared with court officials and the prosecution while maintaining the integrity of the original video. There are no negative factors in having patrol car video surveillance. This tool is capable of functional requirements and meeting legislative mandates. Typically, patrol car surveillance systems tend to use analog tape technologies, which can be copied and transferred. However, overall performance in these surveillance systems is limited. In conclusion, the overall success with law enforcement and the violence out there today are critical tools for an officer’s self-defense. In addition, Taser and video surveillance are the most chosen tools in law enforcement. Furthermore, when the Taser is used properly and efficiently, it will deter the most hostile offenders, whereas most nonlethal weapons will not having the necessary means. Meanwhile video surveillance can help an officer’s defense or a suspect’s guilt in court as it is a permanent video record of an incident. Moreover, video surveillance is never bias, the truth is right in front of you. References Lee, Harry. (2007, February 19). JPSO Tasers Have Proven To Be A Near-Perfect Non-Lethal Weapon That Stuns. Sheriffs Weekly Journal, 27(31), 36, 1/3. Retrieved May 28, 2008, fromhttp://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=24245269&site=ehost-liveTennenbaum, A. N., & Moore, A. M. (1993). Non-Lethal Weapons: Alternatives To Deadly Force. The Futurist, 27(5), 20. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 479634). Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology Essay Technology began when man started to control and modify nature to meet his needs.   Prior to the 20th Century, technology was identified with skilled men and women who passed their expertise and know-how from one generation to another.   Back then technology was associated with new techniques, new processes and new methods of doing things.   With the scientific revolution in the 20th Century, the concept of technology changed.   It is now closely associated with gadgets, products and innovative scientific inventions. This essay examines the advantages and disadvantages of two simple technological innovations: the stun gun and the police car video surveillance.   Their impact, advantages and disadvantages to the society will be evaluated for purpose of deeper appreciation of their use. Advantages and Disadvantages of Stun Guns and Police Car Video Surveillance Technology is closely tied with the concept of innovation.   There was a time when law enforcement officers utilized the wooden batons as their only weapons against violent individuals who resisted arrest (Scott Oldham, 2005, p.1).   In view of the lack of effective weapons that they can use to apprehend and subdue suspects, encounters between law enforcement officers and suspects often lead to a bloody fight.   As a result either the police officer or the suspect ends up getting seriously hurt or killed. Read more:  Technology Advantages and Disadvantages Essay There was also a time when law enforcement officers had to rely on their recollection of the events during dangerous situations.   They had to record the license number of the suspect’s getaway vehicle, remember their faces and the kind of weapons used.   If they were able to arrest the suspects after a dangerous situation, suspects often filed suits against law enforcement officers alleging brutality and violence they experienced in the hands of the police officers.   There being no other witnesses, the police officer had always been placed in jeopardy of being maliciously sued by a suspect he had arrested in his line of duty. With the use of technology, man was able to control and modify nature for the purpose of satisfying his own needs. Law enforcement officers have found simple solutions to their everyday problems.   With the use of stun guns police officers were able to harness the power of electricity.   They were able to control the volt and use it to apprehend violent suspects by incapacitating them temporarily. With the discovery of stun guns, police officers no longer have to worry about getting hurt or hurting anybody in the course of the arrest.   In case a suspect resists arrest and becomes really violent, the law enforcement officer only has to press this gun against the body of the suspect.   It will release an electronic charge that is high in voltage that can disable the suspect for 20 to 30minutes enough time for them to place handcuff on the suspect. Police officers no longer have to worry about the possibility of them forgetting the suspect’s face or the license number of the vehicle or the kind of weapon used.   He also need not fear that suits for excessive violence and brutality may be filed against him because there is physical evidence that can be presented before the court.   Law enforcement officers only have to produce the recording of his patrol car video surveillance and present it in court to disprove the false and malicious accusations against him. Just like any technology, however, it can be abused.   In the hands of an abusive law enforcement officer, stun guns may cause serious injury against a suspect if not used properly.   According to United Nations Committee use of stun guns by the police may cause extreme pain and in certain cases may lead to death.   (David Morgan, 2007, p.2)   It has been reported that since 1999, 80 people have died and others have been seriously injured by police using electronic stun gun which negate the claims that they are non lethal weapons.   (Greg Mathis, 2005, p.1) Use of police car video surveillance may be advantageous for some but it may pose a serious constitutional challenge for others.  Ã‚   Lawyers have challenged the legality of the act of police officers using their video camera as proof to apprehend those who commit over speeding and those who run against red lights.   Their contention is that the owners of the car are automatically considered guilty and imposed a penalty even if it may be possible that the car owners were not driving the vehicles at the time the infraction was committed.   Aside from constitutional violation of presumption of innocence, some police officers may use the video camera for the purpose of invading the privacy of private individuals. Conclusion Technology is indeed the successful attempt by man to control and modify nature for the purpose of satisfying human needs and providing solutions to his problem.   It may happen that the technology may turn into something that it is intended to do or to something that it is not intended to.   This is precisely what technology is.   It may turn out beneficial to mankind but it may also pose serious risks for us. In the case of stun guns, I believe it is still one of the most non-lethal instruments that police officers can utilize against suspects.   It would be better however if police officers are educated on its use and its dangers before they are allowed to use these instruments.   The same thing is true for video surveillance which is most effective if it is utilized for strictly law enforcement work.   These instruments therefore are not dangerous in themselves.   They are not evil in themselves.   Problem starts when those who utilize it use it improperly.   This problem could be remedied by proper orientation and training so that old and new law enforcement officers may be advised on how to properly utilize these new pieces of technology.