Power and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Power and Politics - Essay Example Researchers typify these arenas as a set of activities (Ferris, Frink, Bhawuk, et al., 1996; Mintzberg, 1985) in which few of the involved individuals are not known, and in which most of the rules are ambiguous. Organizational politics and power influence pits some individuals or employees of the organization against other similar entities or even against the organization itself, causing harm to the individuals, organizations and the growth prospects. However, politics and power influence remain an integral part of organizations, which the management personnel have long tried to reduce if not eliminate it from the company culture. The structure of a team is important in determining how the team will perform. Each team member should contribute skills to enhance the team's overall performance. Individual work habits and leadership styles will determine if the team has the ability to join together and complete their common goals. Teams create environments that bring out the best in each team member. A commitment to effectively communicating information and ideas is a characteristic of an effective team. That is why the usage of coercion and politics to gain advantage over team members can be very destructive to team dynamics. Coercion is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary is to force one to act or think in a certain manner, to dominate, restrain, or control by force. Often at work or in a group environment one might utilize this form of power to control dominance over the group. This usage of power can often make other team members conform. In a successful team conformity is not a useful tactic. The usage of politics and coercion to gain advantage over team members is a danger to the success of the project. Once team members realize that their input is not wanted more than likely they will withdraw from the process altogether. The USA today states, "offices dynamics often change from the usage of intimidation". (Bartol, 2008) For example a team must work together to process information for the desired results. Once a member takes advantage of a situation and use coercion to gain advantage it often leads to disaster. An example of such disaster happened recently within our team. A couple classes ago we had a member that was an extremely dominant person. The person was very smart and well educated but had a problem understanding the syllabus. Everybody in the team would understand the group assignments one way but she would always play devil advocate on the simplest details. She would use coercion to gain advantage over the other team members when we would meet to complete group assignments. The entire team was guilty of just going with the flow, not wanting to cause any problem. She was so convincing we felt she had to be correct! The result was a low grade, because the content was not correct. So the team from that moment on did not allow that dominant personality use politics and power to manipulate the group any more. Information Power is define as power through information as; Information power is the access to and/or the 'control' of information. It is one of the most important

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Essay Example for Free

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Essay After reading the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I got a much better understanding of what that title means. When you think of part-time you normally think of having a part-time job when you only work some days but not all the time. Well that is a lot like the life of the main character in this story. Throughout the book, Junior manages to be â€Å"half Indian† and â€Å"half white. † He says â€Å" It was like being Indian was my job. How could someone be â€Å"half Indian† and â€Å"half white? † If you have ever moved to new town, or changed schools, then you probably have a pretty good idea how Junior felt throughout the book. After Mr. P talks Junior into getting out of the REZ the only option Junior has, is to travel twenty three miles to Reardan and attend school with the white kids. Being the weirdest and least popular kid, life on the REZ must have been tough. Having parents that drank all the time, and spent money that Juniors family did not have on Alcohol made it hard for him to have clean clothes, and a new outfit to wear now and then. But having a best friend like Rowdy made things a little bit easier. Rowdy was Juniors secret keeper, he also beat anyone up that tried to hurt Junior and was all ways there for him. Well up in till the day Junior changed schools, everyone on the REZ hated Junior they looked at him like he was some sort of trader or bad person. His first day at Reardan was tough, Reardan was the complete opposite of school back on the REZ. It was opposite of his family, and it was opposite of him. The only good part of the day was meeting Penelope. Junior gassed in wonder at her beauty, blond hair and blue eyes he had never seen anything so beautiful. Things were a lot different at Reardan, on Halloween Junior dressed like a homeless man, which was pretty easy for him since there was not much difference between his good clothes and his bad clothes.

Narrative Essay: A Canoeing Adventure :: Personal Narrative Essays

A Canoeing Adventure    Although I was born in Texas, my father was transferred when I was just ten and I spent most of my impressionable years in a tiny village a few minutes from a national park.   This move to a rural area was an event that changed my life forever. Surrounded by beautiful forests and lakes, most of my free time was spent romping through the woods, navigating rivers in a canoe and camping in the many provincial parks nearby.    At the university, I came across a group of students who had never experienced "the great outdoors" before. Most of their lives had been spent in the hustle and bustle of big cities such as New York and Chicago. They wanted me to show them what it was that inspired me to head north every weekend with a truck packed to the brim with camping gear. I explained to them that the only way that they could experience my passion for nature would be to join me on one of my outings. They agreed, and I designed a four day canoeing/camping weekend for five men and two women in Algonquin Park, one of Canada's finest treasures. I felt that this trip was well planned (two months in the making). But once the trip was underway, it was evident that there were a lot of things that I hadn't planned for.    Four hours into the canoeing, our map blew out of the boat and could not be found. Our only compass was attached to it. Not having been on this river before, I had to navigate by instinct. This method takes considerably longer and nightfall was creeping up on us. Various hazzards such as beaver dams and unseasonably low water levels exhausted us as we pulled the canoes, rather than paddled them through these areas. Before we knew it, darkness had overtaken us and we were far from our designated campsite. The surrounding area was extremely marshy and I couldn't find any solid land. Taking a rope out of my bag, I lashed the three canoes together to form a raft and then anchored off for the night. The evening sky was clearer than I had ever seen it before. Sleeping in a canoe is far from comfortable, but accompanied by brilliant stars and the sounds of wolves howling from the nearby hilltops, not one person complained.

John P Roche-The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action Essay

John P. Roche published a Thesis â€Å"The Founding Fathers a Reform Caucus in Action† where managed to dwell upon the significance of the contribution made by the builders of a country. He characterizes them as great contributors. Apart from that, the author claims that the creation of the constitution was a natural and entirely democracy connected process, which equally contributed to the creation of state, economy, and politics. He calls a target reader to give the Founders acknowledgements for the big efforts they made and value their efforts, which resulted in the arising of the strong and influential country. The members of the Philadelphia convention were obliged to perform significant formation work to satisfy all the needs and fill in all the political gaps that were previously overlooked. He proves that the motive of founders was fair and aimed at the promotion of prosperity of a state. What was an essential concern for the founding fathers when drafting the articles of confederation? According to the position of P. Roche, it was a significant contribution to gather Philadelphia conference and change the social and political orders. Thanks to their bright minds and legislative competence, they managed to imply changes and implement the same political rights for all citizens. Apart from that, they defended the interests of the layman. They led to conclude that the government was not strong enough and more innovative measures were needed. Founders managed to keep the state functioning correctly by modifying the constitutional issues. The task was rather tough – they were obliged to keep everyone happy and look for the ways of satisfying the demands of all citizens. Founders managed to elaborate and structure the statute of the future state. They launched a powerful mechanism that proves to be effective for many years. Thanks to their contribution, the state’s economy is stable; the political system functions appropriately and proves to be well built.   Roche claims that the most prominent contribution of the Founders a successful convincing of men from all parts of the country that the changes are necessary in the process of creation of a strong and united nation. I support the position of Roche. According to his point of view, Founders contributed to the development of USA exceedingly being oriented on the interests of people. Their most significant achievements were that they have realized that to win respect and acknowledgment of people, it is necessary to satisfy their interests. Politicians have realized that the Articles of Confederation were a failure. They came to the conclusion that the USA would not develop. The ability to think globally and make right decisions made them successful and efficient rulers. Each of Founding Fathers made his contribution to the development of the state. B. Franklin propagated the idea of political self-determination of the North American colonies, for the first time called them states (states), advocated their confederation. Concerning general political questions, he promoted the natural equality of people. The emergence of inequality, property, and laws associated with the creation of society and state. B. Franklin advocated the legal equality of citizens, the democratic consolidation of their rights, equality of votes of states, powers of the Senate and the US Congress. He laid the democratic traditions of local constitutionalism and federalism. How does Jefferson support his major premise in the body of the declaration of independence? Jefferson still hoped for the peaceful rendering by England of independence of the American colonies. He added a list of abuses, which England made to the citizens. As the principal author of the preliminary version of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson proceeded from a democratic and revolutionary interpretation of the natural-law doctrine and substantiated the legality of the separation of colonies from England and the formation of an independent state. The statement of natural and civil rights, the justification of people’s position in the society and the people’s right to express one’s position made the Declaration an outstanding theoretical and political document of the era. These are the essential points of the author of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. First, for Jefferson, there are apparent truths – all people are created equal, endowed with inalienable rights: to life, freedom, desire for happiness. These ideas confirmed the unacceptability of the class privileges and feudal rights, the equality of colonists with the inhabitants of the metropolis. Secondly, to ensure human rights, according to Jefferson, people are founded by states, governments. Thus, the people’s right to revolution was substantiated. Third, the author of the Declaration consistently advocated a republican form of government for the country, based on universal suffrage, equal representation in legislative institutions, the election of executive bodies and judges, the variability of judges, jurors, sheriffs, and extensive self-governance. T. Jefferson is a supporter of a clear division of the competence of the three authorities in the republic. I was convinced that state power should promote and not restrict citizens’ freedom. Fourth, the actual basis of the new country government, according to Jefferson, is the equality of â€Å"every citizen, the level of personal and property rights and the disposal of them.† In his opinion, equality is based on the will of the people and should be consistently carried out in every paragraph of the constitution. This equality must be realized primarily in the general electoral law, the right of the people to elect officials and judges. Fifth, Jefferson claimed that the right becomes the right because it is the will of the nation. However, he saw the danger of unification of legislation for all states, its threat to self-government. Sixth, Jefferson does not leave hope that humanity will soon â€Å"learn to derive the benefit of every right and authority that it owns or can take upon itself.† The ineffectiveness of unlimited power, its abuse can lead to corruption. At a certain point, Founding Fathers have realized, that arose the need for implements changes. For that reason. They gathered to reshape the structure of state and develop a new set of constitution articles allowing regulating all political and social issues. They managed to achieve nationhood. These people managed to understand that sometimes it is necessary to take control over the situation in the country and implement changes even if citizens do not see the necessity of such radical measures. The period of the struggle for independence of the United States was marked by their victory, the creation of a state confederation. Bibliography Woll, Peter. American Government: Readings and Cases. 16th ed.

Nrs-437v | Introduction to the Study of Ethics

My Moral Compass The personal values that help contribute to my worldview and philosophy of nursing that is most important, is my religion. I am a Christian and this means that I am to be Christ like in my every day life and work. I am taught to treat others as I would want to be treated and care for them as I would do for myself. I am to help the sick, wounded, poor and widowed. Nursing in its roots are very much the same thing. Helping the ones who are unable to help themself. The underlying rule for nurses is to do no harm. My spiritual vales shape who I am, what I am and what I do.If I do all things as if I were doing them to the glory of God, then I know all things would turn out right. When obeying God and his commands, my spiritual values teach me that all things work to the good of God and according to his purpose. Values are defined as the criteria to which actions, people and states of affairs are judged ( Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology 2006). Merriam-Webster defines morals as, of, or relating to principles of right and wrong behavior (Merriam-Webster). Ethics are the science of morality and also known as moral philosophy.It is defined as it seeks to discover a consistent principle by which human actions and character can be judged ( The Macmillan Encyclopedia, 2003a). The values, moral, and ethics that may effect my obligation to nursing practice are ones that are from the American Nurses Association’s code of conduct. It is my duty to follow a specific set of nursing code of ethics, which states the nurse shall in all professional relationships, practice with respect and dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by factors of socioeconomic class, personal attributes or the nature of the health problem.The primary commitment is to the patient, family, group and or community; protecting the health, safety, and the rights of the patient (American Nurses Association, Inc, 2001). My personal views, values, philosophy a nd world-view has been at times difficult in my nursing career. A couple of times we had to terminally wean patients from the ventilator support they were on, being a Christian and nurse you are to do no harm and this really plagued my values early on in my career.I was after a while to rationalize that because these patients had no quality of life and were clinically brain dead, we were not causing any harm. Then we had a patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This patient was on ventilator support, unable to move his extremities, he was able to talk and make his needs known, and was able to eat. Then one day the doctors advised the patient related to the fact he was silently aspirating he was no longer going to be able to eat, and would require a feeding tube.The patient refused a feeding tube and then terminally weaned himself off the vent. It was my duty to take care of this patient on the day of the terminal wean, which was difficult for me, because I felt as though he was committing suicide and we were assisting his efforts. For me this was no different than the hospital being a Dr. Kevorkian. I do not believe in suicide and it was very difficult to maintain and preserve his wishes even though they were totally against my beliefs and values.I had to take care of him no matter what his decision was, whether right or wrong his values led him to remove his life support. During my years as working as a floor nurse I have now developed my own sense of what I feel is ethical and humane. I believe that if a patient has already been placed on ventilator support, instead of withdrawing life support, you place them on a do not resuscitate, do not treat, palliative measures only. Person’s whom are on long-term ventilator support, in most cases will develop some sort of infection, such as pneumonia or urinary tract infection.If you do not treat the infection and just let nature takes it’s course whether it is to have the body heal itself or if the body is overtaken in death, they can then die peacefully by letting nature take its course. Some personal thoughts on how my values, morals and ethics effect my nursing are that no matter what my beliefs and values are, when entrusted with the care of a patient, I may disagree with their values, beliefs, or ethics, however I am to treat them no different than I would someone with whom I do share the same values, beliefs or ethics with.My job is to treat everyone with the same type of respect, kindness and attention I would anyone else. I used to get a little unnerved at times when the hospital would have very important person (VIP) in the hospital and that particular patient would get preferential treatment, such as a 1:1 nurse. My education and beliefs are that no one in particular is a VIP, that all patients should be treated as if they were the president of the United States or the Queen of England. References values. (2006). In Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Psychology. Retr ieved from http://library. gcu. du:2048/login? qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. credoreference. com/entry/hodderdpsyc/values Merriam-Webster. (n. d. ). Merriam-webster dictionary. Retrieved from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/moral ethics. (2003). In The Macmillan Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://library. gcu. edu:2048/login? qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. credoreference. com/entry/move/ethics American Nurses Association, Ince. (2001). Code of ethics with interpretive statements. Retrieved from http://www. nursingworld. org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics. pdf

Vouch for Education essays

Vouch for Education essays For wealthy families, sending their children to private schools is often times a way to show off how much money they have, but, for a family who earns less than average yearly income, it is more of an opportunity for their kids to get a better education, and to be in a safer environment. This is where school vouchers come into play. School vouchers are groups of people who try to get the government to help low income families by giving their children financial aid towards going to a private school. Just recently the government had a debate on whether or not school vouching should be legal, or if it is a bad idea. Yes, it should be legal for many reasons. First of all, vouchers help lower class families to be able to afford to send their children to private or parochial schools. Each year, the government gives out scholarships to these children that range from about two to four thousand dollars per child. This helps their parents out significantly. Vouchers will also help by trying to get private schools to accept these children. They believe that if it is in the childrens best interests to send them to a private school for better education, then it needs to be done. When whole classes are failing a certain subject year after year, then something is wrong with the way the teachers are going about their job. On September 30, 2000, 20/20 interviewed a mother that lived in Florida and was not satisfied with the education that her six year-old daughter was getting at her public school. She stated that when her daughter Jessica would have entered Kindergarten, most of the students at the public school failed the states reading tes t (ABC News). This gave the mother reason to want to send her daughter to a nearby private school, which many unfortunate parents have done, just so she could get the best education that she could. But, the school she had in mind was a little too expensive for her. This is where the gov...

Free Essays on Freud Vs Social Learning

Freud’s Theory of Personality vs. The Social Learning Theory During Freud’s time he was not appreciated for the work that he was doing. Before he developed his theory of personality he used psychoanalysis for people with certain psychopathologies. After a while Sigmund Freud began to use this as a treatment for regular people and people suffering from mental illness. Eventually it developed into his theory of personality. For Freud to believe in and formulate his theory he had to hold certain beliefs. A main idea that he had was that the body is the sole source for all mental experiences. Another belief that Freud held was that mental events are brought about by conscious or unconscious intention and are determined by events that proceed it. He believed in three types of consciousness the conscious, unconscious, and preconscious. The conscious is the part that we use for everything we are aware of in a given moment. The unconscious mind is the storehouse of unacceptable images according to Freud. It also has instinctual elements that we are unaware of. The preconscious is part of the unconscious that holds memories that the conscious needs in order to perform its functions. In Freud’s theory of personality there are three parts. Those three parts are the id, ego, and superego. One part of a person’s personality is the id. The id is totally unconscious. When you start out this is all that exists. It works on the pleasure principal. That means that it always requires instant gratification for what it desires or needs. When it comes to basic body functions or needs like hunger or thirst the id demands it immediately. He felt the libido was controlled by the id. He referred to the libido as psychic energy. This energy fueled the thought processes, perception, imagination, memory, and sexual urges. Freud did not think that energy could be lost or gained only transferred. Freud believed that your dr... Free Essays on Freud Vs Social Learning Free Essays on Freud Vs Social Learning Freud’s Theory of Personality vs. The Social Learning Theory During Freud’s time he was not appreciated for the work that he was doing. Before he developed his theory of personality he used psychoanalysis for people with certain psychopathologies. After a while Sigmund Freud began to use this as a treatment for regular people and people suffering from mental illness. Eventually it developed into his theory of personality. For Freud to believe in and formulate his theory he had to hold certain beliefs. A main idea that he had was that the body is the sole source for all mental experiences. Another belief that Freud held was that mental events are brought about by conscious or unconscious intention and are determined by events that proceed it. He believed in three types of consciousness the conscious, unconscious, and preconscious. The conscious is the part that we use for everything we are aware of in a given moment. The unconscious mind is the storehouse of unacceptable images according to Freud. It also has instinctual elements that we are unaware of. The preconscious is part of the unconscious that holds memories that the conscious needs in order to perform its functions. In Freud’s theory of personality there are three parts. Those three parts are the id, ego, and superego. One part of a person’s personality is the id. The id is totally unconscious. When you start out this is all that exists. It works on the pleasure principal. That means that it always requires instant gratification for what it desires or needs. When it comes to basic body functions or needs like hunger or thirst the id demands it immediately. He felt the libido was controlled by the id. He referred to the libido as psychic energy. This energy fueled the thought processes, perception, imagination, memory, and sexual urges. Freud did not think that energy could be lost or gained only transferred. Freud believed that your dr...

cryptonym - definition and examples of cryptonym

cryptonym - definition and examples of cryptonym Definition A cryptonym is a word or name thats secretly used to refer to a particular person, place, activity, or thing; a code word or name. A well-known example is Operation Overlord, the cryptonym  for the Allied invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II. The term cryptonym is derived from two Greek words meaning hidden and name. See Examples and Observations below. Also see: Name That -nym: A Brief Introduction to Words and NamesPseudonym Examples and Observations Cryptonyms are  often temporary, are known to only a select group of people, and are usually of unrelated or at best covert meaning. Some  cryptonyms are  simply combinations of letters and figures.(Adrian Room,  An Alphabetical Guide to the Language of Name Studies. Scarecrow, 1996)Reinhard was the cryptonym for the German plan to exterminate the Jews of Poland.(MichaÅ‚ Grynberg, Words to Outlive Us: Voices From the Warsaw Ghetto. Macmillan, 2002) White House CryptonymsThe Oval Offices next occupant opted for this moniker [Renegade] after being presented with a list of names beginning with the letter R. As custom dictates, the rest of his familys code names will be alliterative: wife Michelle is known as Renaissance; daughters Malia and Sasha are Radiance and Rosebud, respectively.(Renegade: President-elect Barack Obama. Time magazine, November 2008) CIA CryptonymsThe true identities of  cryptonyms are  among the most precious secrets of the Central Intelligence Agenc y (CIA).- The CIA often used multiple cryptonyms for the same entity to strengthen operational security and maintain compartmentalization of the information.In the CIA nomenclature, cryptonyms always appear in capital letters. The first two letters were used for cryptographic security and were based on factors such as the geography or type of operation.  The rest of  the cryptonym  was a word selected randomly from a dictionary, in principle with no particular relation to the place or person  the cryptonym  was supposed to mask. However, it is not difficult to imagine tongue-in cheek CIA officers picking words like wahoo for Albanian, drink for Greece, credo for Rome, gypsy for communist, roach for Yugoslavia, crown for United Kingdom, steel for Soviet Union, and metal for Washington, D.C.(Albert Lulushi,  Operation Valuable Fiend: The CIAs First Paramilitary Strike Against the Iron Curtain. Arcade, 2014)- Vladimir I. Vetrovwho had the cryptonym FAREWELLreported to Weste rn intelligence services that the Soviets had placed bugs on the printers used by the French intelligence service for communications.(Ronald Kessler, Inside the CIA. Simon Schuster, 1992)- The longtime personal physician of the Castros mother and some of her daughters was a reporting source. Bernardo Milanes, known to  the Agency by  his cryptonym  AMCROAK, was recruited in December 1963 in Madrid. At the time he and others were plotting an assassination attempt against [Fidel] Castro.(Brian Latell,  Castros Secrets: The CIA and Cubas Intelligence Machine. Palgrave Macmillan, 2012)-  The Farm was known officially by the  cryptonym  ISOLATION. The names of places and operations were a special language in the Agency.(Don DeLillo,  Libra. Viking, 1988)-  Flower was the overall top-secret code-name designator given to anti-Qaddafi operations and plans. Only about two dozen officials, including the President and Casey, were given access.Under Flower, Tulip was the code name for a CIA covert operation designed to topple Qaddafi by supporting anti-Qaddafi exile movements.(Bob Woodward, Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981-1987. Simon and Schuster, 2005) Pronunciation: KRIP-te-nim

INTERNATIONAL HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

INTERNATIONAL HRM - Essay Example an now be called on to create company wide policies which affect the people working in London as much as they affect employees working in other parts of the globe. Implementing a global policy is never an easy task since the HR manager who is assigned to the job may have to balance several cultural, national and business systems related issues. Cultural differences are probably the widest set of problems since the phrase is used as a generic term for all the differences which people may have in their workplaces from country to country and region to region. In fact, I think that the elimination or at least the reduction of cultural differences could be the best course of action a HR manager could take. This is actually at the heart of the definition of globalisation where we are heading towards a mixture of cultures that represent us as human beings. The company wide HR policies can be a document which sets up the culture of the company even as an isolated bubble in a country where the outside culture is significantly different. However, this could also be asking for trouble as going with policies which are very much at odds with local cultures can create resentment and even a loss of human capital. The problems are compounded by the fact that MNC by their nature and definition may have origins in countries other than their main operations (Edwards & Kuruvilla, 2005). Wipro originated in India for example but has established offices in Sweden and London. Microsoft still calls the U.S. its home, yet the majority of their software is developed in India. An HR manager therefore, might consciously or unconsciously found the companies policies in the culture of its national origins thereby somewhat defeating the purpose of an international HR policy (Faulkner, et. al. 2002). To carry over the same style of HR management between countries with vastly different business cultures is very difficult. The situation which comes about in these cases is that important

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

Stem Cell - Research Paper Example Thus stem cells are the basic root for the existence of the multicellular organisms. These stem cells previously were not given enough heed to be researched upon, but recently as the world of medicine has improved research on the stem cells have become an important breakthrough in the world of science (Solo & Pressberg 2007). Stem cells can be of two types which are embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are retrieved from human embryos whereas adult stem cells are retrieved from the organs of adults. Because of the stem cells to proliferate rapidly and form organs it is important for the medical experts to discover the inner functioning of these stem cells. And thus it has become important to retrieve these stem cells from the embryo and adults. The ethical issue arises in the concept of retrieving the stem cells from human embryos. In the process of retrieving the stem cells the scientists have to destroy the human embryo and in this process a death of a hu man being may be caused as believed by the opponents of stem cell research. However the proponents believe that the embryo has yet not developed enough to be called a human being and thus a life is not being taken. This essay would further revolve around both these view points and would provide with a definite conclusion as to which view point is more convincing (Newton 2007). According to the scientists stem cell research can be a breakthrough in the medical world to cure many of the diseases which are causing deaths. These stem cells give birth to the organs in the body and it is because of these stem cells that a systemic way of functioning is observed in the human beings. Thus the very reason of the existence of these organs can help to transform many medical researches into success. The exact functioning of these stem cells can help the doctors to replace organs which have become dead or diseased due to any condition in the human being and they can further provide ways to compl ete healing in a human being. It is believed that successful research on the stem cells can provide a way for breakthrough in the cure of genetic and nervous disorders. Stem cells can help to replace the neurons placed in the body if the research is successful and the parts of brain which are not functioning may be able to function because of these stem cells (Newton 2007; Solo & Pressberg 2007). The question now arises as to why these stem cells are not being used for research by the medical experts. The answer is given by the controversial debates of the moral thinkers. Human Embryonic Stem Cells can be retrieved from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst. As a human embryo begins to develop a blastocyst is formed which consists of an inner cell mass and an outer cell mass which is known as trophoblast. Acquiring the stem cells requires the destruction of the outer cell mass of trophoblast and thus the immediate death of the embryo (Thomas et al 1998). This death of the embryo has c aused many arguments to be raised against the stem cell research. According to the opponents the killing of embryo is just like killing an innocent citizen and depriving him of his rights. These opponents argue that a life emerges the very moment a zygote is formed because of fertilization and after this process the killing of the child would be unethical and against the rules of this world. (George & Gomez-Lobo 2002, 258). However the proponents for stem cell research

Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Journalism - Essay Example The development of information technology and other communication technology has helped journalism to grow further. (Balunywa 2009). The improvement in the technology has made people's life so easier and it has paved way for the other industries to use make use of them and grow. The drastic improvement has changed the way people communicate and it has a great impact on journalism. The way in which people were looking at journalism has become different. New technologies are being used in all stages. Development has taken place in terms of equipments. Introduction of Internet has taken over everything. It totally changed the way journalism was before. Traditionally communication media was in the form of television, newspaper and radio. After internet's development there has been a decline in the amount of people watching the news in television and people opting for printed materials. (Allan 2005). Technology allows the journalists to grow with efficiency that helps them to achieve more difficult tasks. materials. Normally reporters collect the information first hand or get the data from a reliable secondary source. Reporters mostly follow the same procedure in gathering the news. Then they had to take it to their respective offices and do the necessary modifications before publishing. Editing was also done by a separate group of people after which the information will be ready for publishing. Now all this can be done with the help of systems specially developed to serve these purpose. (Fredrick 2007). Channels have also undergone a change by introducing separate news channels that work for 24 hours. The increase in the competition between the various channels has led to the improvement in the way they approach the news. With the increasing number of private sector in the media field, there is an urge for the journalists to make sure they are well equipped. It has actually reduced the burden of the journalists. As everything can be done through internet, they can easily undergo an online training as of how to use these modern equipments. Internet gives the option of getting the information round the clock. Any topic like health, sports, environment and education can be got from the internet. People are able to watch the news live in the available news channel's website without any problem. E-Publishing has transformed the normal publishing industry and it has taken them to heights. The disadvantage of e-publishing is that anyone can publish their own articles which may sometimes give wrong information to people, but it has its own advantages. Almost all the magazines and books can be viewed online. Even the newspapers can be read in the corresponding website. In some days the online newspapers will comprise of video files of particular news. It will contain links which provide the detailed description of that news. This has changed the way people look at these industries. Internet is the most emerging standard using which a person can get information regarding anything that he thinks. After the evolution of mobile phones, the world has shrunk. It has brought people closer. Nowadays mobile phone includes all the features using which a person can view everything through his mobile. Using this reporter can get in touch with anyone at anytime which helps them

PC Reflective Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PC Reflective - Assignment Example He revealed that his family and close associates have been shocked initially but later they reconciled themselves with the situation. Laurie Strike actually desires euthanasia which means â€Å"the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit† There are many form of euthanasia like: The American Medical Association opposes the concept of euthanasia and held the view that a physician assisted death is harmful not only for the ethics of medical profession but for the patient also. The association negates the idea of abandoning the incurable patients instead more love and affection should be shown to these patients to lessen their miseries. Like AMA, many medical practitioners in Australia have the view that medicines are meant to cure the diseases of patients and the concept of euthanasia is quite opposite to it. In euthanasia, medicines are used to snatch the life of a living being. Pope Benedict XVI declares it a grave sin. Besides, he also declares abortion as a kind of euthanasia, when a mother chose abortion to avoid abdominal pains. He stated, â€Å"The deliberate decision to deprive an innocent human being of his life is always morally evil and can never be licit†. He asked the family members of patients who were suffering with the incurable diseases to come forward and help the patients with love and care; in this way the family system would also be strengthened. The National Catholic Bioethics Center declares life as a beautiful gift of God and said, â€Å"God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living† (Wisdom 1:13). They are saying that human life is precious and any effort to temper with it will be immoral and grave sin. Roman Church also has the same views on euthanasia and terms this concept as morally wrong. According to BBC, â€Å"The Roman Church does not accept that human beings have the right to die. Human

Strategies for Improving Efficiency and Cost Reduction Essay

Strategies for Improving Efficiency and Cost Reduction - Essay Example As the shareholders are the legal owners of the company, therefore management has the fiduciary obligation to act in the best interest of the shareholders. Stockholders are often called shock absorbers as they provide risk capital to the company. The stockholders cushion the claims of other stakeholders. The value of any company can decline by as much as the value of equity capital. Without shareholders and their equity, the companies would have all been financed by debts and would continuously face financial anguish which results in liquidation or bankruptcy. The shareholder value approaches favorable strategies, by compelling managers to review business strategies based on prospective cash flows. The more company ability to generate cash, the more it can distribute to its shareholders. In short maximizing shareholders, wealth is equivalent to maximizing company's price. In order to attract the capital equity easily, many companies focus more on establishing shareholder value. Capit al equity is especially sensitive in those companies which are seeking to grow and operates in a risky environment. Every business profit is calculated by deducting expenses from the business incomes. The profit margin varies from business to business as the nature and size of the business requires different kinds of resources. The business needs resources for its development and each of this development has a cost to bear. No matter what type of business is your need human and financial resources needed to establish it. It is the utmost responsibility of the management of any company to provide quality resources at reasonable costs because they play the vital role in the business. The more company ability to generate cash, the more it can distribute to its shareholders. In short maximizing shareholders, wealth is equivalent to maximizing company's price. In order to attract the capital equity easily, many companies focus more on establishing shareholder value. Capital equity is esp ecially sensitive in those companies which are seeking to grow and operates in a risky environment. The profit margin varies from business to business as the nature and size of the business requires different kinds of resources. The business needs resources for its development and each of this development has a cost to bear. No matter what type of business is your need human and financial resources needed to establish it. It is the utmost responsibility of the management of any company to provide quality resources at reasonable costs because they play a vital role in the business.

PC Reflective Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PC Reflective - Assignment Example He revealed that his family and close associates have been shocked initially but later they reconciled themselves with the situation. Laurie Strike actually desires euthanasia which means â€Å"the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit† There are many form of euthanasia like: The American Medical Association opposes the concept of euthanasia and held the view that a physician assisted death is harmful not only for the ethics of medical profession but for the patient also. The association negates the idea of abandoning the incurable patients instead more love and affection should be shown to these patients to lessen their miseries. Like AMA, many medical practitioners in Australia have the view that medicines are meant to cure the diseases of patients and the concept of euthanasia is quite opposite to it. In euthanasia, medicines are used to snatch the life of a living being. Pope Benedict XVI declares it a grave sin. Besides, he also declares abortion as a kind of euthanasia, when a mother chose abortion to avoid abdominal pains. He stated, â€Å"The deliberate decision to deprive an innocent human being of his life is always morally evil and can never be licit†. He asked the family members of patients who were suffering with the incurable diseases to come forward and help the patients with love and care; in this way the family system would also be strengthened. The National Catholic Bioethics Center declares life as a beautiful gift of God and said, â€Å"God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living† (Wisdom 1:13). They are saying that human life is precious and any effort to temper with it will be immoral and grave sin. Roman Church also has the same views on euthanasia and terms this concept as morally wrong. According to BBC, â€Å"The Roman Church does not accept that human beings have the right to die. Human

Queer approach to analyzing mainstream culture Essay

Queer approach to analyzing mainstream culture - Essay Example f seeking to understand this to a greater and more complete level, this brief analysis will consider one scene of the film and attempt to go in depth with regards to the different understandings of sexuality, identity, and gender that are therein represented. The scene in question that this author has chosen for analysis is that of the discovery of Mulan as a woman. This scene is a powerful indication of cultural approaches to gender and sexuality in a number of ways. As such, the first determinant that will be measured is with relation to the identity that is revealed within the given scene. In this way, as the men of the story find out that Mulan is indeed a woman, she is manhandled and forced out of the residence. This is importance for a number of reasons. Firstly, the revelation of her true identity is something that gives the men in the story the courage to treat her in a way that they would have never considered before had she still been considered a man. Her identification as a woman does not only change the way that the men physically treat her but the way in which their worldview is formed with relation to how they think of her. This is represented in two distinct ways within the scene in question. Firstly, as she is taken forcibly from her tent and pushed into the snow, the viewer is made aware of the clear and determinate connection between this action and the rejection fro mthe Garden of Eden; also presumably he result of female weakness. The inclusion of this reference to early mythology is unique due to the fact that it serves to further differentiate the response of the men within the scene to the gender that Mulan now represents. With regards to gender, the men make a clear and determinate change in the way that they speak to Mulan after the revelation. Indeed, the characters state â€Å"I knew there was something wrong with you†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ a woman – treacherous snake† (Mulan 1). These words belie the true underlying motivations and

Reasons I Choose Belmont University Essay Example for Free

Reasons I Choose Belmont University Essay One of the universities that have caught my attention was the Belmont University. Coming from a Christian Community, I felt that the university can help me develop into a more mature Christian. The schools mission is to provide an to its education that is academically challenging, that promotes the empowerment of both men and women. Their diverse backgrounds help hone the students to become engaged with current issues, and in the improvement of the society, through their compassion, courage, discipline, and faith in God. Since the university is centered on the needs of its students, the university provided an environment that helped its students grow spiritually and intellectually. With the help of their peers and professors, the students are able to help themselves become the best in their chosen field. In addition to this, the university offers a wide variety of courses that cater to each individuals interest and needs. Admission to the university definitely allows an individual to grow and mature to become a better person, both intellectually and spiritually. Other factors are also taken into great consideration, such as their social and physical needs. The diversity and artistic favor that this university has can help in the building of strong foundations for the future of its students. Belmont does not only offer a conducive environment suitable for learning, but also caters to an environment contributory to spiritual growth. In addition to this, the universitys location is beyond par. Since Nashville is known to be a â€Å"Music City†, the university can help hone its students to become excellent in their field by providing world class performances. After acquiring a degree form Belmont, anyone can easily find jobs just outside of the university, with the wide array of job offerings in Nashville. Church-related activities may still be practiced, through the number of churches near the vicinity. The Belmont University is definitely the answer to all our prayers.

Laplace transforms

Laplace transforms Laplace Transforms – Motivation convenience – differential eqns become algebraic eqns. – easy to handle time delays – frequency response analysis to determine how the system responds to oscillating inputs Block Diagram Algebra – doing math with pictures – arithmetic for manipulating dynamic components using boxes and arrows Laplace Transform – Review Given a function f(t) Notes f(t) defined for t from 0 to infinity f(t) suitably â€Å"well-behaved† – piecewise continuous, integrable Linearity of Laplace Transforms the Laplace transform is a linear operation we will use Laplace transforms to analyze linear dynamic systems if our models arent linear, then we will linearize Useful Laplace Transforms for Process Control We need a small library of Laplace transforms for – differentiation – step input – pulse/impulse functions – exponentials – oscillating functions because these are common functions that we will encounter in our equations Lets think about a simple linear differential equation example: with V and F as constants Library of Useful Transforms differentiation – initial conditions disappear if we use deviation variables that are zero at an in initial steady state unit step function (Heaviside fn.) Library of Transforms exponential – exponentials appear in solutions of differential equations  » a provides information about the speed of the response when the input changes. If a is a large negative number, the exponential decays to zero quickly  » What happens if a is positive? – After we have done some algebra to find a solution to our ODEs in the Laplace domain, we must invert the Laplace transform if we want to get a solution in the time domain. We sometimes use partial fraction expansion to express the Laplace expressions in a form that can be easily inverted. CSTR Example Transform Model (in deviation variables) using our library of transforms, the Laplace transform of the model is: For a step change in feed concentration at time zero starting from steady state. Tank Example Solution Solve for CA(s) If we like, we can rearrange to the form: This is the solution in the Laplace domain. To find the solution in the time domain, we must invert the Laplace transforms CSTR Example Solution inverse Laplace transform – Can be determined using a complex integral easiest approach is â€Å"table lookup† Use Table 4-1, entry 5 Maple is good at inverting Laplace transforms too The Impulse Function limit of the pulse function (with unit area) as the width goes to zero and height becomes infinite transform CSTR Impulse Response physically dump some pure A into reactor, all at once input function Transform time response Interpretation of Impulse Response dump a bag of reactant into the reactor in a very very short time we see an instantaneous jump to a new concentration due to the impulse input concentration then decays back to the original steady-state concentration Time-Shifted Functions Representation of Delays Laplace transform for function with time delay Just pre-multiply by an exponential. How could we prove this? – change of variables in integration in expression for Laplace Transform (see p. 103 of Marlin, p. 115 in first ed.) Reactor Example with Time Delay Suppose we add a long length of pipe to feed – assume plug flow – It will take a time period, q minutes, before the change in concentration reaches the tank, and begins to influence cA – delay differential equation  » difficult to solve directly in time domain  » easy to solve with Laplace transforms Tank Example with Time Delay – Solutionresponse to step input in cA0 time response Final Value Theorem An easy way to find out what happens to the output variable if we wait a long time. We dont have to invert the Laplace transform! Why is it true? – Consider the Laplace transform of a time derivative now let s approach zero provided dy/dt isnt infinite between t=0 and t ®Ã‚ ¥ (i.e y(t) is STABLE) This will be true if Y(s) is continuous for s ³0 Using the Final Value Theorem Step Response Reactor example final value after a step input What can we do with Laplace Transforms so far. Take Laplace transforms of linear ODEs (in deviation variables). Substitute Laplace transform expressions for different kinds of inputs we are interested in: – Steps, pulses, impulses (even with dead time) Solve for the output variable in terms of s. Invert the Laplace transform using Table 4.1 to get the solution in the time domain. Find the final steady state value of the output variable, for a particular input change, even without inverting the Laplace transform. Laplace transforms are mostly used by control engineers who want to determine and analyze transfer functions. compact way of expressing process dynamics relates input to output p(s), q(s) polynomials in s – q(s) will also contain exponentials if time delay is present Once we know the transfer function of the process, we can use it to find out how the process responds to different types of input changes:

Examinations on the Dismantling of Canadian Multiculturalism in Rawi Ha

Rawi Hage’s Cockroach focuses on an unnamed immigrant of unclear, perhaps Lebanese, origin as he struggles to fit into his new life in Canada. The protagonist throughout the novel struggles to assimilate into Canadian culture, undermining people’s desire for him to integrate through imagining himself as a cockroach that scurries beneath society. By doing this, and through showing memories of his character’s traumatic past, Hage signifies the struggles, which many immigrants from warring countries face, in migrating to North America, contrasting the image Canada mostly promotes as being multicultural. Jesse Hutchinson proposes that the space created by Hage where the immigrant exists between the cultures of their homeland and their new country’s, is one of possibilities and where the protagonist can retain his cultural freedom (11), while Domenic A. Beneventi examines the class divides present between the privileged and the poor, noting how the latter exper iences the city space as a place of poverty (263). Indeed, I am interested in the concept of multiculturalism through how Hage represents his immigrant characters, demonstrating that idea of Canada’s multiculturalism as flawed. Syrine Hout discusses trauma and its lasting effects on immigrant Lebanese writers and how their writing of traumatic events creates a lasting memorial to the Lebanese civil war effects (330), which I will draw upon to study how Hage gives voice to immigrants who struggle with memories of their old culture as well as fitting into their new country. This paper will examine the techniques used by Hage to give representation to the turmoil faced by struggling immigrants as they attempt integration into the supposed multiculturalism of Canadian society. Exami... ...s on much of the time. While there are many immigrants who arrive and assimilate easily into Canada, Hage gives voice to the ones who do not, the ones most often overlooked. This creates a novel that maybe speaks to all identities of immigrants, creating a work that can truly be called multicultural. Works Cited Beneventi, Domenic A. "Montreal Underground." Journal of Canadian Studies 46.3 (2012): 263-286. Web. 24 March 2014. Hage, Rawi. Cockroach. Toronto: Anansi Press, 2008. Hout, Syrine. "Cultural hybridity, trauma, and memory in diasporic anglophone Lebanese fiction." Journal of Postcolonial Writing 47.3 (2011): 330-342. Web. 24 March 2014. Hutchinson, Jesse. "Immigration and Liminality in Rawi Hage’s Cockroach." Veljanova, Irena C. . Perception, Meaning and Identity. Ed. Irena C. Veljanova. Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press, 2010. 1-14. Web. 24 March 2014.

The Grand Canyon Railway

One interesting feature of the southwestern United States is the area known as the â€Å"Four Comers. † the only place in the United States where four slates meet at one point. Within the 130,000 square miles of the Colorado Plateau in this region lie many wonders of nature. The plateau contains eight national parks, twenty national monuments, as well as numerous other nationally designated areas and huge tracts of national forests. This wealth of natural features and the cultures of the various Native American tribes in the region have made the area an important destination for tourists, especially those interested in natural history and culture. The â€Å"crown jewel† for this region is generally considered to be the Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This wonder of nature is 190 miles long, one mile deep, and between 4 and 18 miles wide. The Grand Canyon covers 1. 900 square miles of the Colorado Plateau and is home to 1,000 species of plants 250 species of birds and 70 species of animals. A number of Native American tribes are found in the region of the Grand Canyon, including the Hualapai, Hopi. Navajo and Havasupai (who live on the floor of a side canyon) The principal attraction to visitors is the sheer size and beauty of the canyon itself. The walls of the Grand Canyon are made up of many layers of rock, with widely varying textures, colors, and hues. This panorama of nature changes by the season, weather, and time of day. Generally, the morning and late afternoon offer the most striking views for visitors to the canyon. The South Rim in Grand Canyon National Park (Grand Canyon NP) is open year-round, whereas the North Rim (also in the park) is closed in winter. In the summer months, Grand Canyon NP becomes quite crowded with visitors and motor vehicles. Consideration is being given by the National Park Service to ban vehicles from the park and move visitors around the park by shuffle buses. Williams, Arizona, serves as one important â€Å"jumping off† point for visitors traveling to Grand Canyon NP, with the South Rim of the canyon only fifty-nine miles north of the town. Williams is closely identified with travel to the canyon and has even registered the trademark â€Å"The Gateway to the Grand Canyon,† which no others may use. At an elevation of 6,800 feet, Williams, by itself, has many attractions in the town and surrounding area such as lakes for swimming and fishing, horseback iding, and a downtown listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The surrounding Kaibab National Forest in the vicinity of Williams offers opportunities for camping, fishing, and hiking for both visitors and resident alike. The town has for many years been an important transportation hub for both rail and highway. Williams is closely identified with Route 66, also known as the â€Å"Mother Road,† that connected Chicago, Illinois and Santa Monica, California, long before the interstate highway system was developed. Williams has the last stretch of the original Route 66 bypassed by the interstate system (in this case, 1-40). Even before highways became highly developed, Williams has served as a railroad terminal (since 1882) for the forerunners of the Atchison, Topeka, & the Santa Fe Railroad (Santa Fe) the latter continues to serve the town today with freight-only service. The most popular way for visitors to get from cither Williams or Flagstaff (thirty-two miles to the east) to Grand Canyon NP is by motor vehicle, although the pending restrictions on vehicles might be expected to change this somewhat. An attractive alternative for some visitors is to travel between Williams and the Grand Canyon by rail. The Grand Canyon Railway (GCRy) offers this option with one round-trip per day. This rail service, which operates purely as a tourist railroad, began operations in September 1989 and has provided daily service since that day (except for December 24 and 25). Historically, rail service on this line began much earlier but passenger service was abandoned in the 1960s due to economic pressures from the automobile. Freight service from the Santa Fe was abandoned in 1974, with no work performed on the track between Williams and the Grand Canyon until 1989. The work to get the GCRy running was monumental, because all engines and passenger cars had to be acquired and completely rebuilt. In addition, the depot at Williams and the adjoining Fray Marcos Hotel were in need of substantial refurbishing. In the depot, operating offices, ticket offices, a waiting room, and souvenir shop are found. All of this work was accomplished in a span of seven months to be ready for the September 1989 opening. Today, the GCRy provides an interesting and nostalgic way for visitors to travel to the canyon. During the summer months, daily round-trip rail service is provided by steam locomotive, and in the winter diesel locomotives are used due to the severity of weather conditions. For all service, passengers travel in railcars that date from 1923 and are reconditioned to approximate that time period. Departure from Williams is at 9:30 A. M. and arrival at Grand Canyon NP is at 11:45 A. M. , in the center of the park's historic district at the 1910 Grand Canyon Depot. The train departs from the Grand Canyon at 3:15 P. M. and arrives back in Williams at 5:30 P. M. No smoking is allowed on the train in â€Å"any of the railcars. Reservations can be made by calling a toll-free number, 1-800-THE TRAIN. Information about the train ride, but not reservations, is available on the railroad's website, wvw. thetrain. com. Different classes of serviceareoffered to travelers, depending on the fare paid and the car in which a passenger rides. The basic coach service is priced â€Å"at $49. 50 per adult and $19. 50 per child. Snacks are available for purchase; Diet Coke and Coke are complimentary in this class, with the latter served in GCRy keepsake bottles. Club Class, which includes the availability of alcoholic beverages and complimentary coffee and pastries in the morning, is priced at an additional $14. 50. The Coconino Main Class provides recliner chairs, a full continental breakfast, appetizers and champagne in the afternoon and the availability of alcoholic beverages for an additional $49. 50 per person. Coconino Dome Class represents a further upgrade. The service level is the same as Coconino Main Class, but passengers ride in an upper level enclosed dome which provides unsurpassed views of the surrounding landscape. The highest class of service, Chief Class, is provided in a railcar with an open-air rear platform; complimentary continental breakfast, coffee, tea, and juice are provided in the morning and champagne and appetizers in the afternoon. This class of service is priced at an additional $64. 50 per person. For all classes, the entrance fee to Grand Canyon NP is an additional charge. Oilier services are also available from the GCRy for additional charges. Continental breakfast is served in the terminal for $5. 95 per person until the train departs. Narrated motorcoach tours of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are available from the Fred Harvey Transportation Company (the concessionaire for Grand Canyon NP) of varying lengths, some of which include lunch. Packages are available which may include one or two nights at the Fray Marcos Hotel in Williams and one night at a hotel in Grand Ganyon NP. During the ride from/to Williams many natural and man-made venues can be seen. There is formal narration for some of these venues and a printed guide is available for purchase, which describes these sights and provides a history of the GCRy. Interestingly only a very limited view of the Grand Ganyon is available from the train just as it arrives at and departs from the park. In Coach Class, each railcar has an attendant who serves beverages (Coke and Diet Coke), goes around with snacks for sale, and engages in conversations with the passengers. During the summer, many of these attendants are college students on break from their studies. The Grand Canyon Railway uses costumed performers in a number of different ways to simulate an earlier time period. Before the train departs from Williams, performers stage an â€Å"Old West† gunfight, just as was found some 100 years ago, Performers also move among the railcars: often singing songs of the â€Å"Old West, during the trip to the Grand Canyon. Passengers are encouraged to sing along with the performers. All of the performers are costumed in the' type of dress found at the â€Å"turn-of-the-century. † On the return trip, the activities are slightly different. A group of performers stage a train robbery, just as was found during earlier times in the southwestern United States. Passengers are included in portions of the action, but none are actually robbed. Eventually, the sheriff captures the train robbers and takes them away to be put in jail. Passengers, especially younger children, enjoy this activity, which makes the trip back to Williams seem much shorter than it actually is. The other activity that some engage in is to take a nap, because many are fired due to their activities at the high altitude and in the low humidity of the Colorado Plateau. A recent survey conducted by the GCRy found that many passengers rate their train trip experience as excellent. Perhaps just as important, these passengers say that they would recommend the GCRy trip to friends. Additionally, the most satisfied passengers were likely to return again. Passenger satisfaction derives from the varied experiences received during the round-trip ride and the Grand Canyon itself wish the latter experience not under control of the GCRy but rather the National Park Service. ?This case was prepared by Dr. Fredrick M. Collision and is intended for classroom use. The situations portrayed here do not imply either effective or ineffective management on the pun of the Grand Canyon Railway. The cast: was written based on published materials of the railroad, the National Park Service, the, Williams-Grand Canyon News and the author's personal experience.

Thesis Reading

The title of the thesis that I chose for my Thesis Reading is â€Å"BARKADAHAN SA MC: Communication within Peer Groups in Miriam College and how it leads the members to commit major violations of school rules. † It was written by four authors namely, Catherine J. Macasaet, Michelle Corazon S. Robles, Alexandrea Camille C. Rodriguez, and Anna Monica T. Torres. The thesis was published on February 9, 2008 and was submitted as a partial fulfillment of the authors’ requirements in Communication Arts. The problem of the said thesis is, â€Å"Does communication within peer groups in Miriam College lead its members to commit major violations of school rules? † and with this being said, their general objective is to identify whether communication within Miriam College students affect their chances of committing school violations. According to the findings of the group members of the thesis, based on the survey that they have conducted, almost all of their respondents are part of a peer group or what they mostly call as a â€Å"barkada. † Only 3 out of a hundred responded â€Å"no† when asked if they belong to one. And with this, those who answered â€Å"yes† to the question showed some symptoms of Groupthink that lead them to committing violations of school rules. The Groupthink phenomenon allowed the students of certain peer groups to have faulty decisions causing them to do wrong actions. The group also discussed the activities that peer groups mostly do and their self-evaluation of their school performance. With this, they have also included the number of people among their respondents who have encountered committing violations and their peers’ influence on this. The Groupthink phenomenon which was stated a while ago was the most evident situation that peer groups are commonly facing when together. Three of the symptoms present were the thought that each group’s actions are always right, that they always have undisputed choices in decision-making, and lastly, that every group does not consider the beliefs of out-groups. As an analysis of the problem stated for the thesis, the authors used two theories namely, Social Identity Theory and like what was mentioned a while ago, Groupthink Theory. First off, the Social Identity Theory was developed y Henri Tajfel and John Turner in 1979. It was used to comprehend the psychological foundation of discrimination within inter-groups. The theory has three elements in it which are categorization, identification, and comparison. The categorization element comes in when a person labels his or herself and other members of a group. Identification, on the other hand, is when a person identifies his or h erself as a part of a group which allows him or her to have a more sense of worth. Lastly, comparison is when the group members already compare their positive characteristics as a whole to the characteristics of other groups. The theory also states that groups look for confidence by positively distinguishing itself from other groups. The Social Identity Theory applies in the said thesis because, before actually studying the effects of communication of peer groups in their chances of committing school violations, the researchers first studied an individual’s process of being a member of the group through the visibility of the said theory in him or her. It showed that Social Identity is what mainly occurs first because a person labels his or herself, becomes a part of the group, and then compares his or her group to others. The theory is applicable because it helped the researchers identify how the participants of their survey identify themselves as part of a peer group. Moving on with the theories used in the paper, another relevant theory is the Groupthink Theory which was stated several times a while ago. This theory was developed by Irving Janis in 1972 and was based on human social behavior in which a hypothesis—that critical thinking is used to assess the efficiency of a group’s decision-making—was developed. Groupthink is actually a way of planning used by a group when their aim of agreement overcomes their assessment of other plans of actions. The theory also involves the group’s cohesiveness wherein the group’s involvement in each other affects their decisions—the more cohesive a group, the more pressure is applied on the members to preserve such cohesiveness. Such cohesiveness is visible when group members like each other, and would want to stay within the group, thus, not wanting to be left out. With too much of this said cohesiveness, there are dangers involved like not being able to exercise independent critical thinking, thus, having irrational decisions like hoices that are incomplete and involve risks. With these said, groupthink is actually a weakening of effectiveness in thinking because it affects how the groups actually consider different plans of actions and not just what they think is right. Groupthink Theory is relevant to the thesis of the researchers because it allows them to look at the process of decision-making by a group which is relevant in understanding how communication within p eer groups leads to commit school violations. The theory was used when the authors analyzed how each member of a group develops confidence and then starts to meet the terms of her whole group’s actions and choices. It is also applicable when the researchers were able to identify that the theory is the most apparent communication pattern within peer groups of Miriam College in such a way that after going through a phase of Social Identity which was stated a while ago, peer groups then tend to apply Groupthink which involves pressure within their group members to comply with the unanimous decision of the group as a whole. With having the thought that the group’s decision is what is right, they then tend to become confident with their actions which are sometimes, are already the violations of school rules. Because of faulty decision-making, peer groups are lead to disobedience of school policies. These are what the researchers have found out with the use of the Groupthink Theory of Irving Janis. With the help of Social Identity Theory and Groupthink Theory, authors of the said thesis were able to understand the effects that communication within the â€Å"barkadas† of Miriam College have on each of the members. The theories were actually very relevant in helping them find the results for their problem and were able to give answers to the questions that they have objectives of responding to. Both were able to help the researchers because having a thesis on peer groups, the theories also being about groups helped in defining the problem stated. Reference: Littlejohn, S. W. (2008). Theories of human communication 9th ed. Belmont, California: Wadsworth.

Difference Between Black and White

Audrey Edwards propagates her belief that blacks must only marry blacks for the simple reason that whites continue to feel superior to blacks because the latter were their slaves at one time. Apparently, the difference between the whites and the blacks of the United States is deep-rooted – going back to early America where Europeans had brought African slaves. Although slavery was abolished in the centuries to come, the huge socioeconomic difference between the white masters and their black slaves was to remain at the level of the subconscious mind of America.From the subconscious mind to the culture of America – it was effortless for the â€Å"difference† between black and whites to make a transition. In a newspaper report published in the year 1957, the Governor of Arkansas maintained that peace was not possible without racial segregation, that is, without strict adherance to the concept of white privilege, which is defined as â€Å"a special advantage or bene fit of white persons; with reference to divine dispensations, natural advantages, gifts of fortune, genetic endowments, social relations, etc.  (Clark)†Integration was virtually impossible, in other words, and racial tension was expected to rise as a result of the discussions about letting the African Americans and the whites study together in an academic institution (â€Å"Act To Block Integration in Arkansas†). After all, the concept of white privilege entailed that the whites were socially and intellectually superior to the blacks, and therefore could not study with those that were inferior to them. In a racial riot like the one that was expected back in 1957, the African Americans were expected to fight for their self-esteem.The white Americans, on the contrary, were expected to protect their notion of superiority by fighting back. It appears to be a fact that the â€Å"difference† was mainly maintained by the whites as opposed to the blacks. The blacks wer e fighting for equal rights during the Civil Rights Movement of America. In response to the racial abuses they had suffered at the hands of the whites who had considered themselves superior to their slaves of the past; the blacks had to be compensated by means of affirmative action.Affirmative action is defined as a â€Å"policy that gives a preference to individuals based upon their belonging to designated groups who are underrepresented not only in the most desirable occupational classes, but also in school admissions and government contracts. † Those who are underrepresented thus can be referred to as disadvantaged groups, seeing as they do not have a powerful representative voice to speak for their rights.The policy of affirmative action serves as a blessing for the disadvantaged groups for this reason, by not only adding extra points to the credit of the members of disadvantaged groups when performance evaluation is called for, but also by allocating extra funds to recru it such members of the community. Whereas the opponents of affirmative action claim that it is injustice to favor a group just because it is considered â€Å"disadvantaged,† proponents of the policy assert that affirmative action is necessary to right the wrongs of the past with respect to discrimination and/or racism (Boylan).In other words, in the absence of affirmative action, discrimination and/or racism may very well continue in almost any if not all spheres of life. The â€Å"difference† between whites and blacks has definitely seeped into the culture of America from its subconscious mind where the history of the nation is stored. If the whites of America had not used the services of black slaves in the past, there would have been no question of white privilege, and America would not have found it useful to combat racism with affirmative action.In actuality, white privilege translates into obvious racism, which is a belief system claiming that individuals can be superior to others solely on the basis of race. The theory of racism has led to much violence and genocide in the world. It was racism that led the Nazis to slaughter the Jews simply by believing that the latter were inferior. The theory of racism seems to have been applied everywhere in the world, even though universal values inform us that people who are superior are only those who do good in this world.Would universal values, therefore, be able to end the â€Å"difference†? The answer appears to be Yes. Even so, the collective memory of America will not be eradicated, and nobody can force the whites, in particular, to forget that the blacks were their slaves in the past. The â€Å"difference† is expected to be maintained at some level. Finally, it is worthy of note that without the great socioeconomic divide between the blacks and the whites in America’s early memories, there would have been no conflict whatsoever.

CLIMATE CARS MARKETING REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CLIMATE CARS MARKETING REPORT - Essay Example and also, for rented cabs in the country. At the end of the research, the paper would comment on the tactical ways through which climate cars can augment their performance in the next three years. The learnt from the essay would help to analyze the significance of marketing and its development over time. The essay will also give a detailed view of the nature of the automobile industry in U.K. Contents Growth of science and technology over time has proved to be advantageous for modernization in the world. Living standards of the individuals have radically improved with the contribution of modern technologies. However, with time, ecological balance of the environment is depleting substantially. This paper would try to focus on ‘Climate Cars’, which is a company engaging in providing eco-friendly transport services in United Kingdom (U.K.). The report would perfectly analyze the market for eco-friendly transportation in U.K. and also, for rented cabs in the country. At the end of the research, the paper would comment on the tactical ways through which climate cars can augment their performance in the next three years. The learnt from the essay would help to analyze the significance of marketing and its development over time. The essay will also give a detailed view of the nature of the automobile industry in U.K. ... Educated individuals in the contemporary world are taking prompt initiatives to ensure protection and preservation of environment. This report would try to focus on the business of ‘Climate Cars’, which is a company engaging in eco-friendly transportation services in United Kingdom (U.K.). At the end of the research, the paper would comment on the strategic ways through which climate cars can enhance their performance in the next three years (Hakim, 2000). The learnt from the essay report would help to examine the importance of marketing and its evolution over time. However, the paper would also put some emphasis on the growing consciousness of environmental protection nowadays (Casals and Garcia, 2013). History of Eco-Friendly Transportation in United Kingdom After the World War, Industrial Revolution had increased the aggregate demand and wealth thresholds in the market. From 1950 to 1979, number of vehicles in U.K. had increased by 500%. It was at this point of time w hen Transport Planning became a crucial segment of engineering in U.K. After the global oil crisis in 1973 and the global energy crisis in 1979, the market analysts in U.K. had started understanding the importance if Sustainable Transportation (Parker, 2009). Since then, many private companies had started to contemplate manufacturing hybrid cars in U.K. Figure 1: First Electric Car (Source: Parker, 2009) The above picture is of the first electric car built by a Victorian inventor, Thomas Parker. Over time, there were many companies who have engaged in the manufacture of electric cars in the market. Analysis of the Present Market At present, there are many multinational companies that operate in the market of U.K. for

Jus 102 3 short paper see below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Jus 102 3 short paper see below - Essay Example This type of leadership has been proven to make a positive impact to the subordinates by making them exert more effort in their work areas and to comply with rules and regulations. In Transaction leadership style, police leaders who practice this model are said to rely more on rewards and punishments and they tend to act only in situations where there are deviations from expected behaviour and service delivery of their subordinates. This model has lesser positive impact on the subordinates than transformational style but individuals who are less self-motivated express a liking of this model (Avolio, Sosik, Jung, & Berson, 2003). Mixed style leadership is where a police leader combines both the transactional and transformational leadership. According to research done on this models of leadership, it is said that those who practice mixed style leadership are more effective leaders than those who just practice the transformational type. In addition to this there is active leadership and role modelling where leaders are said to be active, they set a good example and employ role modelling tactics including on acceptable cultures of the police force and integrity, unlike the transformational leaders who rely heavily on mentoring and inspiration motivation. They influence subordinates behaviour than the transformational leaders. In situational leadership, leaders modify their behaviours to suit the context. This include the years of experience of their subordinates and their ranks. In addition, Participative leadership involves encouragement of subordinates to involve themselves in decision making so as to be committed and satisfied with their different jobs. Lastly there is the inactive leadership model where police leaders fail to lead effectively. This model has negative impacts on the subordinate’s willingness to work. The

Living with a long term, multiple pathology Essay

Living with a long term, multiple pathology - Essay Example About 1,131 deaths were attributed to asthma in 2009, and 12 of these were less than 14 years of age (Asthma UK, 2012). For depression, it is considered the fourth leading cause of disability and disease in the world (NICE, 2011). In the UK, the prevalence of this disease in 2006 was 2.6%, and these rates are often higher in cases where chronic illnesses are present and among women, the rates are often higher (NICE, 2011). This study shall first provide a background for the patient’s case. Secondly, a plan of care would be presented. Thirdly, the delivery and evaluation of care shall follow, and finally, a summary and conclusion will end this discussion. This paper is being carried out in order to improve the management of multiple long-term conditions among patients. Background The patient Bruno (not his real name) was admitted into the emergency room after an asthma attack. Before the admission, Bruno was self-managing his asthma attacks through his regular asthma medication s. He is now 70 years old. His current admission is also associated with depression. On further evaluation of his symptoms, it was determined that he was feeling very sad and lonely. I met the patient after being assigned to his care as a student nurse on my sixth week of placement. The patient’s heart rate was at 112, but he had low blood pressure at 96/50. His temperature was about 100 degrees while his respiratory rate was 22. He had poor skin turgor and this indicated that he needed immediate medical attention. This is why this patient was chosen for this paper. Based on initial laboratory tests, Bruno had the following condition: Creatinine 14.4 mg/dl, BUN 212 g/dl, bicarbonate 10 meq/l, chloride 145 meq/l, potassium 6.9 meq/l, sodium 176 meq/l, platelets 554 and hemoglobin 18.5 g/dl. Bruno’s life has been a very busy one, he worked as an economist and he was often able to easily work out math problems in his head. In his 50s, his children were all fully grown and he then participated in fund raising activities for local charities (Carrier, 2004). Bruno suddenly noted that he was losing his mathematical ability. He committed frequent mistakes and he often forgot to pay bills, turn water off, and he sometimes burned his meals (Catton, 2006). Bruno has always been mild-mannered and he seldom got angry, however, he started losing his temper especially when tired and stressed. He often held himself together long enough to get home and then lose his temper and his emotions there. This affected his relationship with his family (Titelman, 2003). He never told his doctor everything that was happening and as months went by, his mental health got the better of him and he became more difficult to live with. He finally decided to take time off work to resolve his issues and get well. After the diagnostic exams, he was diagnosed with early onset of asthma (Croghan 2006). He was also diagnosed with depression. Long-term diseases are those which also call for long-term medical attention (London Health Observatory, 2011). These long-term diseases are also diseases which often require constant care, care possibly lasting for years. These conditions include cancer, hypertension, chronic asthma, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, end-stage renal disease, and mental health issues like schizophrenia, senile dementia, and depression (London Health

The War on Poverty - Social Welfair Policy Assignment

The War on Poverty - Social Welfair Policy - Assignment Example Family size has reduced drastically hence reducing the mouths to feed and cloths which decreases the overall budget for the household encouraging more saving. Women have been able to break the stereotypes and started engaging in reproductive work bringing in additional income to the family. Majority of the people are completing their high school education which means they are getting better employment and remunerations to eliminate poverty. Income inequality has been on the increase with the rich becoming richer through investments while the poor continue to wallow in poverty as they lack even the money for basic amenities yet are still expected to pay their share of taxes. The number of male under employment has continued to decrease hence reducing family income and the family heading towards poverty. With the increase in single parenthood, many of these parents are unable to provide fully for their families leaving them to struggle to even complete school. Social security programs offered to the elderly are an opportunity to completely eliminate the elderly from the poverty statistics and an opportunity to assist them lead better lives. Public programs have started being funded by government and NGOs making them affordable to the local people who can now save the money they were spending on healthcare for example and also embrace the free education being offered. The government offers unemployment benefits and this amount has been increased which mean the unemployed can move from the category of living below poverty line and start sustaining themselves. The problem with the opportunities to reduce poverty mentioned above will lead to a reduction in the amount of people paying tax as well as the tax being collected which means the haves will have to up their tax contribution to sustain the nation. People are bound to take advantage of their handouts from government to be lazy and relax in the issue of job hunting hence

The Step Pyramid of King Zjoser Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Step Pyramid of King Zjoser - Essay Example From this essay "The Step Pyramid of King Zjoser" it is clear, that Egypt is bordered by the Red Sea and Israel on the east side. (1) The country is divided into two extreme arid regions, The North-West flowing Nile River. The Nile starts 110 miles (162 km.) south of the Mediterranean and fans out to a sea front of 155 miles between the cities of Alexandria and Port Said. The ancient Egypt was divided into two major parts, first was â€Å"black land,† and another was â€Å"red land.†The black land was situated on the bank of the river Nile and it was very fertile land. The land was used for growing crops. This was the only land in Egypt which was formed due to a layer of rich, black silt, deposited there every year after the flood of the Nile. The Red Land was a barren desert that protected Egypt from its neighboring countries and invading armies. This region provided precious metals and semi-precious stones to Egyptians. The major responsible factor for flourishing the ancient Egyptian civilization is the river Nile. It is the gift given by God to the Egyptian people. It is hardly possible to think Egyptian civilization without the river Nile. (2) The river Nile is the longest river in the world which is over 4000 miles long. The shape of Nile is like that of a lotus flower and it is always depicted in ancient Egyptian art. The river Nile has been playing a very crucial role in developing the Egyptian civilization. The Nile River plays very important role in giving food, water to the people.

Evaluation of Gender Inequality Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of Gender Inequality Essay Charlotte Brontà « wrote in Jane Eyre, â€Å"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.† No visible net ensnares womankind. However, long have women been viewed and treated as unequal to their male counterparts. This inequality is alive everywhere. As displayed in Of Mice and Men, gender inequality is alive even in fiction. Gender equality has been an ongoing struggle in fiction and reality, our country and foreign countries, and in the past and the present. Gender inequality effects the people of the entire world. For example, there are major issues involving gender in Egypt. In Egypt, there are the sparks of movements trying to introduce women into government without challenging the reigning Brotherhood. Another place that struggles with gender inequality is the U.S. where women representation in government is very low. Only 17 out of 100 senate seats are held by women. Even in the U.S., one of the most highly regarded nations in the world, women are not entirely equal. Gender inequality has effected people all through time. In example, it wasn’t until the 1920’s that women could vote in the U.S. Women have long been considered less than their male counterparts. Only recently have women put a dent in the extreme patriarchy that has existed all through history. Today, women still are of unequal representation, pay, and rights across the globe. For example, in the U.S. today, there is an average pay gap of 77% (as of 2009). This means women earn 77 cents to a man’s dollar as pay for the same positions. This is one example of how inequality lingers in modern day first world countries. Gender inequality is also existent in both reality and fiction. We have already given many examples of real cases and statistics including representation and wage gaps. However, there is also gender inequality in the fictional world. For example, in Of Mice and Men, Curly’s wife is a prime example of gender struggles. She is constantly being marginalized. Sheis viewed as a thing that would get Lennie in trouble instead of an actual person. Even her name is never spoken. She is referred to as â€Å"Curly’s wife† which reaffirms Curly’s ownership over her and her status as a possession or an object instead of a human being. When her dead body is found, the first and only comment made of her death was along the lines of, â€Å"Poor boy.† Curly’s wife’s death was seen as nothing but something unfortunate for Lennie. This contributes to the pile of evidence that can conclude that Curly’s wife was considered a mere object. Through time, in foreign countries, and even in between pages, gender inequality has been a constant struggle. Charlotte Bronte wrote that she, a woman, is no bird. A woman, after having a net thrown on her and her fellows time and time again, must decide to declare that they are not a bird, but a human being. Human beings aren’t to be ensnared. It is said that the first step of fixing a problem is the recognition that it exists. So, women must understand that the net encompassing them is not a blanket, but a prison. Together, womankind must stand and declare, â€Å"We are not birds.† Hopefully, these examples of gender inequality is bringing more attention to the â€Å"net.† Hopefully, the realization will dawn that gender inequality is thriving among us and will not die out on its own. It has existed everywhere, always. A mighty effort is to be made to begin the reversal of this inequality and injustice.

The Big Five Inventory Bfi Psychology Essay

The Big Five Inventory Bfi Psychology Essay The present research is aimed at exploring the relationship between the Big Five Personality Factors and Academic Success. The Big Five Inventory, developed by John Benet-Martinez (1998), was administered on 158 students of the first and second year postgraduate (HR and Business Management) programs at XLRI. The participants current CQPI at XLRI and the XII standard percentage marks obtained at school served as the two measures of academic achievement. The results revealed that conscientiousness was significantly and positively associated with XII Standard percentage scores (r = 0.124, p Acknowledgements I am grateful to Dr. M. Srimannarayana for his unparalleled guidance and support which was a major motivation behind my doing this dissertation. I thank the participants of this study for having filled up the forms and for having shared their experiences with me for this project, without which I would have been unable to go anywhere with my analysis. I would also like to thank my classmates who helped me in many instances with valuable inputs regarding various concepts and issues. Table of Contents Introduction Two traditional indicators define academic performance grades and highest level of educational attainment. Academic achievement is affected by an interplay of cognitive abilities and personality traits, both of which are involved in the determination of the direction and intensity of intellectual investments. Previous studies undertaken to examine the predictors of academic success have focussed largely on intellectual ability. Anastasi (1954) noted declining correlations between IQ scores and academic performance with increasing levels of educational attainment. Specifically, the correlations between the two constructs declined from r = .70 in elementary school to r = .50 in secondary school and to r = .40 in college (Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham, 2005). Within postsecondary education itself, there is a declining correlation between ability tests and other measures of intelligence with increasing years at school. This pattern repeats itself at the post-graduation level abilities have the highest predictive validity at the commencement of a students university or postgraduate experience, and then subsequently decline in magnitude (Humphreys, 1968; Humphreys Taber, 1973). These results indicate that individual differences in academic performance due to cognitive ability disappear with increasing years of education, even after clearing successive hurdles to admission. Hence, it appears that non-ability factors (i.e., personality, self-efficacy, and motivational variables) become more important in distinguishing between better and worse students when the students are pre-selected by past academic performance or intellectual ability (Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham, 2006). Recent studies provide evidence in support of the measures of personality dimensions as possible predictors of academic achievement (e.g., Duckworth Seligman, 2005). Martin et al. (2006) found that personality characteristics have a major impact on performance at the undergraduate level across all 4 years of coursework. This impact was observed over and above the effects resulting from high school academic performance and intellectual ability (i.e., achievement test scores). Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham (2003) studied the linkages between personality traits and academic performance using two longitudinal samples of British university students. They found that personality scores measured during the first week of the academic year were significantly related to final exam results and programme work that were assessed three years later. Further, the predictive power of personality traits accounted for another 10-17% variance in academic performance when it was related to both academic behaviours (like attendance and class involvement) and teachers predictions. In another study, Furnham et al. (2003) found that personality traits accounted for about one-fifth of variance in exam marks and one-third of variance in essay grades over a 2-year period. McLaughlin, Moutray Muldoon (2007) examined the impact of personality in predicting academic performance among nursing students. They administered the Eysencks personality questionnaire (EPQ-R) on 384 nursing students in their first year of study. The results of the EPQ-R were then analysed along with the final marks obtained at the end of the program. They found that students with high scores on psychoticism were more likely to withdraw from the program. Extraversion was also seen to negatively impact academic performance those scoring high on extraversion were more likely to achieve lower marks. In another study, Bisping Patron (2008) also found personality type as a significant determinant in academic success. They used the MBTI to study the impact of personality type in an introductory general business course designed to incorporate knowledge from various business disciplines. Caspi, Roberts, and Shiner (2005) argued for a causal relationship between personality traits and academic performance. They postulated that personality traits and academic performance might be causally related if achievement criteria and personality dimensions overlap. In other words, the causal relationship will arise when a certain behaviour indexing a certain personality trait is also a part of successful performance. For instance, exerting effort as a behaviour (relevant to conscientiousness) is likely to be important for securing high grades in school (Rothstein, Paunonen, Rush, King, 1994), thereby indicating the existence of a causal relationship. Given the wide variety of personality measures available and the subsequent difficulty of making generalisations across studies, there is considerable debate regarding which personality traits are associated with superior academic performance. Nevertheless, the majority of research examining the importance of personality in academic performance has used the Big Five Model of Personality (Costa McCrae, 1992). For example, Tok and Morali (2009) examined the predictive ability of the Big Five personality factors on academic success for a total of 295 physical education (PE) teacher candidates. They found that academic success as GPA was positively related to Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness and negatively associated with Neuroticism. In a meta-anlysis by O Connor and Paunonen (2007), conscientiousness (r = .24), extraversion (r = -.05) and openness (r = .06) were identified as the most consistent predictors of academic achievement. In another study, Mervielde (1994) and Mer vielde, Buyst, and De Fruyt (1995) examined teacher ratings of different age groups (from 4-12 years). They found that both Openness and Conscientiousness showed significant association with academic performance. Barbaranelli, Caprara, Rabasca, and Pastorelli (2003) also found these two traits as the most important personality correlates of academic success across different informants (self, teacher, and parent). Each of the five factors Conscientiousness, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Neuroticism have been discussed below with regards to their impact on academic performance. Conscientiousness Conscientiousness is associated with the will to achieve, self-control, determination, purposefulness, and dependability. Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham (2004), and Moutafi, Furnham, Crump (2003) report a negative relationship between IQ and conscientiousness. Nevertheless, it appears that conscientiousness, as a personality construct, most strongly correlates with academic achievement in both undergraduate and graduate settings (Busato, Prins, Elshout, Hamaker, 2000; Noftle Robins, 2007). Noftle and Robins (2007) used multiple personality inventories across four independent samples of more than 10,000 participants. They found conscientiousness to be the strongest predictor of both high school and college GPA. Chamorro-Premuzic, Furnham, and Ackerman (2006) found conscientiousness to be a good predictor of academic success (r = .19 to .31) on multiple measures including exams, continuous assessment (presentations), and written essays over a three year period. Lievens, Coetsier, De Fruyt and De Maeseneer (2002) found conscientiousness to be a significant predictor of academic performance among medical students in each of their three preclinical years. Further, successful students differed from the unsuccessful ones on the subconstructs of dutifulness, achievement orientation, and self-discipline. Conscientiousness is associated with sustained efforts and goal setting activities (Barrick, Mount, Strauss, 1993), both of which are said to contribute to scholastic achievement (Steel, 2007). It is also related to compliance and attention to home assignments (Trautwein, Ludtke, Schnyder, Niggli, 2006), to time management and to regulation of effort in learning activities (Bidjerano Dai, 2007). This attests the relationship of conscientiousness to academic performance, class attendance, and final grades (Conard, 2006). MacCann, Duckworth, Roberts (2009) found that each facet of conscientiousness (e.g., diligence, dependability, self-discipline, prudence, competence, dutifulness, order, and achievement striving) contributed to higher performance in academic settings, attainment of scholastic success, and lower disciplinary infractions. The facets also independently predicted Grade Point Average (Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham, 2003; Furnham et al., 2003; Martin et al., 2006), motivat ion (Komarraju Karau, 2005), effective learning styles (Duff et al., 2004), and academic aspirations (Rottinghaus, Lindley, Green, Borgen, 2002). Finally, Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham (2003, 2006) argue that in competitive settings, conscientiousness may play a compensatory role for lower cognitive ability and consequently promote higher academic achievement. Thus, the conscientious person who works hard, completes tasks, and strives to succeed is more likely to be motivated to perform well. This would help him in achieving higher academic success (Furnham Monsen, 2009). Openness to Experience Openness to Experience is characterised by receptiveness to new ideas, preference for varied sensations, attentiveness to inner feelings, and intellectual curiosity. Evidence supporting the relationship between Openness to Experience and scholastic success is mixed. Some studies report a positive relationship between Openness and academic performance (e.g., DeFruyt Mervielde, 1996; Farsides Woodfield, 2003), effective learning style, and higher academic aspirations (Rottinghaus et al., 2002). However, other studies do not support such a relationship (e.g., Busato et al., 2000; Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham, 2003). Openness has been positively related to final school grades and to strategies involving critical thinking (Bidjerano Dai, 2007; Komarraju Karau, 2005), and motivation to learn (Tempelaar, Gijselaers, Schim Van Der Loeff, Nijhuis, 2007). Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham (2003) found openness to be positively related to intelligence and intellectual curiosity. Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnhams (2008) confirm a positive relationship between the openness and academic achievement. They argue that open individuals are more likely to engage in activities that stimulate the acquisition of knowledge and learning experiences. Caprara et al. (2010) found that openness along with academic self-ef ¬Ã‚ cacy contributed to junior high-school grades, after controlling for socio-economic status (SES). Graziano et al. (1997) assessed the Big Five self-reports of 5th to 8th graders. They found Openness positively related with both, self-reports and teacher ratings of academic adjustment. However, OConnor and Paunonen (2007) reported in a review a very low correlation (r = .06) between openness and academic achievement. They rejected the idea of an overall interaction between the two variables. Neuroticism Neuroticism is the degree to which a person experiences negative emotions that are associated with irrational beliefs (Ellis, 1994), weak impulse control, and difficulty coping with stress. A number of studies report a negative correlation between neuroticism and academic performance (Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham, 2003; Ridgell Lounsbury, 2004), thereby indicating that academic performance tends to be higher in the case of emotionally stable students than neurotic students, who may experience higher levels of anxiety during stressful situations (OConnor Paunonen, 2007). However, results of meta-analyses examining the relationship between neuroticism and academic achievement remain inconclusive (OConnor Paunonen, 2007; Trapmann et al., 2007). Such studies suggest that neuroticism may not be a strong predictor of individual differences in academic achievement in general. Agreeableness Agreeableness may be defined as the disposition of a person toward nurturance, altruism, trust, and a willingness to help others. Studies examining the relationship between agreeableness and academic achievement have produced differing results. Gray and Watson (2002) and Farsides and Woodfield (2003) found agreeableness to be positively associated to GPA (r = .15 and r = .14 respectively). Deary et al. (2003), using the Big Five Inventory found that those who failed to complete the program scored lower on agreeableness. However, in other studies (Conard, 2006; Duff, Boyle, Dunleavy, Ferguson 2004) researchers failed to find such a significant association between the two variables. Thus, agreeableness may not be that important a determinant of academic performance. Extraversion Extraversion is the degree to which individuals are sociable, preferring large groups and gatherings. Extroverts demonstrate a tendency to be cheerful, assertive and active. Although a positive relationship exists between IQ and Extraversion, Extraversion has been found in several studies (Busato, Prins, Elshout, Hamaker, 2000; Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham, 2004; Furnham, Chamorro-Premuzic McDougall, 2003) to be negatively associated with academic success. Early studies, in particular, indicated that introverts performed better than extroverts, suggesting that the former were better at revision and possessed a higher ability to learn (Entwistle Entwistle, 1970). More recently, Sanchez-Marin et al. (2001) found that extraverts failed their programs more frequently than introverts, again suggesting that this was to do with their distractibility, sociability, and impulsiveness. However, Furnham et al. (1998) found that extroverts performed significantly better than introverts on a meas ure of logical reasoning. Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham (2003) state that it is difficult to find a consistent relationship between intelligence and extraversion. Overall, extraversion supports academic achievement in some studies and hinders it in others. It must be noted that several variables like age, educational level, gender and assessment method may moderate the relationship between the two variables. In light of the preceding research, today it is more important than ever to determine the personality factors influencing academic success among college students, given the increasing levels of early withdrawal from college and their declining levels of academic performance (Tok Morali, 2009). While a considerable amount of research has been undertaken to establish the relationship between personality factors and academic achievement, there is a virtual gap in study in this area in India. Thus, the present study extends the earlier literature on personality-academic achievement relationship by studying the linkage between the two variables among B-school students in India. Hypothesis Based on the results of the previous research, I hypothesise that Conscientiousness as a personality variable would have the strongest impact on academic achievement. Method Participants Data was collected from 158 respondents studying in the postgraduate program at XLRI. Convenience sampling technique was used to identify the respondents. The sample size comprised of a mix of participants belonging to the first year and second year HR and Business Management (BM) programs offered by the Institute. Specifically, 81 respondents (51.26%) were studying in the HR program and the remaining 77 participants (48.73%) belonged to the BM batch at XLRI. Out of these, 108 participants (68.35%) were in the second year and the rest 50 (31.64%) were studying in the first year. All the respondents were between the age group of 21-32 years. There were a total of 112 male respondents (70.88%). 46 female respondents (29.11%) comprised the rest of the sample. Measures Personality Measure: The Big Five Inventory (BFI) developed by John Benet-Martinez (1998) was used to measure the five personality dimensions of Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. The participants were asked to respond to 44 items on a 5 point Likert Scale with a score of 1 indicating strongly disagree and a score of 5 indicating strongly agree. Out of the 44 statements, eight items each measure Extraversion and Neuroticism; nine items each measure Agreeableness and Conscientiousness and ten items measure Openness to Experience. Sixteen items in all are reverse scored. John Srivastava (1999) report the reliability coefficient of the BFI to be 0.83. The convergent validity for the instrument ranged from 0.73 to 0.81. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a validity coefficient of 0.92 for the instrument. (See appendix: Big Five Questionnaire) Academic Achievement: The participants Cumulative Quality Points Index (CQPI) at XLRI at the time of the research study was used as a measure of academic achievement. The maximum CQPI that can be obtained by a student is 8.00. The CQPI, as a measure, was coupled with the percentage of marks obtained in the XII standard in school. Information on both these measures was obtained from the participants self-reports. Data Analysis Responses obtained from the participants were first recoded to take into account the negatively worded items. Thereafter, the scores on the five dimensions of the BFI were computed for each participant by summating the responses of the assigned items. In order to explore the relationship between personality factors and academic success, the Pearsons Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was calculated between the Big Five Dimensions and the two measures of academic achievement, namely XLRI CQPI and XII standard percentage scored. Results The results indicate that Conscientiousness was significantly and positively associated with XII Standard percentage scores (r = 0.124, p No significant correlation was found between other personality factors and the measures of academic achievement. Table I: Correlation Coefficients between the Big Five Dimensions Measures of Academic Achievement Big Five Dimension XII Percentage XLRI CQPI Extraversion 0.095 0.025 Agreeableness -0.051 -0.047 Conscientiousness 0.124* 0.248** Neuroticism 0.077 0.164* Openness to Experience 0.012 0.058 where ** indicates p Discussion The findings of the study revealed that when compared to other personality dimensions, Conscientiousness had the strongest influence on academic success, both at the XII board level and at the post-graduation level. Thus, the hypothesis was accepted. More specifically, conscientiousness was significantly and positively associated with XII Standard percentage scores (r = 0.124, p Neuroticism was also found to be significantly and positively related to CQPI at XLRI (r = 0.164, p Further the high structure academic environment prevalent at XLRI may also facilitate a comparatively better performance for students who are high on neuroticism (as is indicated by positive correlation obtained between the two variables in the present study). It has been argued that neuroticism has a more substantial influence on academic performance under high pressure situations. This may be because the presence of evaluation apprehension may trigger a variety of cognitive and affective reactions among individuals with high levels of anxiety. In fact, under low levels of situational pressure these individuals might experience less anxiety and stress, thereby performing better or at a level similar to individuals with low levels of Neuroticism. The evaluation system at XLRI is such that it emphasizes round the year academic performance rather than evaluation being restricted to a single examination, as is the case with the XII board exams. Further at XLRI, aside from the quizzes an d end term examination (which are individual evaluation components), a major focus is on evaluation of group projects and assignments. These further reduce the stress and anxiety levels for students and make the environment a low press situation. This may explain for the significant positive association observed between Neuroticism and academic performance at XLRI. Finally, no significant correlation was found between the personality factors of Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Agreeableness with the measures of academic achievement. Research evidence regarding the association of these personality dimensions with academic success is mixed and there are numerous studies that report no relationship of academic success with Extraversion (e.g., Hair Hampson, 2006; Furnham, Chamorro-Premuzic, 2004; Phillips et al., 2003, etc), Openness to Experience (e.g., Busato et al., 2000; Chamorro-Premuzic Furnham, 2003) and Agreeableness (e.g., Conard, 2006; Duff, Boyle, Dunleavy, Ferguson, 2004). The results of these studies are in line with the current results. Implications Overall, the results of our study, along with those of previous studies, clearly demonstrate the useful nature of Conscientiousness in predicting the academic success among college students. This information may be beneficial to college admissions committees armed with the mission to reduce the increasing levels of early withdrawal from college and academic failure. However, the problem of accurate measurement of the personality constructs leaves the admission committees wide open to the challenges of self-report scales. These self-rating measures may be highly prone to the effects of impression management, given the high stakes nature of admissions to graduate school. One suggestion is to apply other data collection methods that may approximate the personality constructs sought here. For example, Trapmann and colleagues (2007) suggested that structured interviews may be used to assess the personality trait of Conscientiousness and its associated components. Here also concerns regard ing impression management remain, despite the fact that interviews form a substantial component of selection process for a majority of graduate schools. Another suggestion is to request ratings about the student from knowledgeable informants that could be used to assess particular personality traits (Wolfe Johnson, 1995). However, admissions committees may find locating willing and unbiased informants a huge challenge. Those who provide letters of recommendation could be asked to address particular student characteristics. The idea is to gather as much information as possible about a students non-ability traits to guide admission related decisions. Limitations Directions for Future Research The first limitation of the present study concerns the investigated sample. The participants were students of the postgraduate management program at XLRI. Since, the participants had already been pre-selected by ability and intelligence; it may have resulted in a narrow distribution of the students characteristics. Future studies can focus on samples from multiple backgrounds with a wider distribution in abilities. Another limitation of this study is that it focuses exclusively on grades as a measure of academic performance. Grades represent only one measure of performance that people exhibit in the context of education. In the classroom there are several behaviours that may be more highly related to personality, such as the frequency of asking questions or seeking help (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, McKeachie, 1993), or even showing up for classes when the attendance is not taken. Investigating the effects of personality on these and other data sources may reveal that personality plays a much larger role in student behaviours, than the sole examination of grades and level of educational attainment would reveal. It is suggested that future research can focus on examining homework and other study-related behaviours discussed above. Because they occur in a relatively unstructured environment, it appears that they would be more likely to capture the influence of non-ability traits rather than just in- class assignments or grades.