Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Enviromental Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Enviromental Science - Essay Example Biodiversity on the other hand is the variation of life forms and species within a given ecosystem (Spicer, 2009) If the need for biodiversity is not met there will be imbalance on the environment. The extraction of minerals has negative impacts on the environment in that it destroys the natural beauty of the environment. Extraction of minerals leaves behind large pits that act as water collection points which turn out to be breeding grounds for disease causing organisms according to Spicer (2009). Also during mining there is a lot of pollution from dust and bad smell. Energy resources may pollute the environment like it was the case in oil mining by the BP Company. Meat production involves rearing of animals and subsequent slaughter. The waste products from the animals if not dumped correctly leads to pollution of the environment. The slaughter houses produce an awful smell that is not friendly to the environment. Recycling of materials greatly contributes to environmental conservation. Also the by products of some of the companies can act as inputs to other companies for example the sugar companies and the molasses companies. During the semester I have gained a lot in regard to environmental conservation and the measures necessary to eradicate environmental pollution. One can engage in planting of trees, environmental conservation advocacy and educating the public on the need for environmental

Monday, October 28, 2019

Various Definitions of Hegemony and Pax Americana Essay Example for Free

Various Definitions of Hegemony and Pax Americana Essay The politics of hegemony is an important area of political science. During the Pax Americana period – that is, after WWII – the United States is known to have helped the world establish economic order (Samuelson, 2006, p. A31). Moreover, the U. S. is known to have assisted other countries with economic aid and in reconstruction efforts, for example, with the well-known Marshall Plan (Hogan, 1989, p. 1-25). Heardon (2002) describes the United States as an architect of a new world order during the Second World War. Hence, it is important to comprehend the power of the U. S. in the light of various definitions of hegemony. The word, ‘hegemony,’ is known to have its roots in the Greek verb, â€Å"hegeisthai,† meaning â€Å"to lead† (â€Å"What is Hegemony,† 2007). In the ancient Greek civilization the term applied to leaders that were able to influence and exert a tremendous amount of control over groups of people. The hegemons had to be supported by at least one dominant group so as to keep the common people from rebelling against established leaders (â€Å"What is Hegemony†). Watson (2002) refers to two meanings of hegemony in International Relations: â€Å"One has to do with the distribution of power in a system. Not merely military force, but also technical and financial strength. The other meaning is the dominance of a particular idea or set of assumptions, such as economic liberalism and globalization (p. 1). † Certainly the second definition of hegemony in International Relations cannot be applied to a country that influences other countries, for example, the United States since the beginning of the Pax Americana period. The first definition of hegemony in International Relations, on the other hand, may aptly describe the power of the British Empire in the mid-nineteenth century, and of the United States during the period known as Pax Americana (Pigman, 1997, p. 186). Watson writes that the first definition is a â€Å"material condition† enabling a â€Å"great power, or a group of powers, or the great powers in a system acting collectively, to bring such great pressures and inducements to bear that most other states lose some of their freedom of action de facto, though not de jure (p. 1). † Also according to the author, the Western world’s hegemony in our times, and especially that of the United States, has aimed to alter the â€Å"internal behaviour† of other countries as well as societies (Watson, p. 1). The implications of change of â€Å"internal behaviour† induced by powerful countries combine the two definitions of hegemony in International Relations (Watson, p. 1). As an example, if the Western world, and especially the United States, manages to convert a large number of countries into believers in economic liberalism as well as globalization – these ideas proposed by hegemonic societies would be considered the dominant ones. Likewise, the Western world has its own ideas about human rights in addition the environment and the â€Å"standards of civilization,† which happen to be prominent today seeing that the world media is by and large controlled by the Western civilization (Watson, p. 1). All the same, the world at large has not adopted these ideas as their own, which suggests that the second definition of hegemony in International Relations cannot really be applied in our time. According to Ferguson (2003), hegemony of the United States during the period referred to as Pax Americana was based on four pillars. The first pillar was entirely economic, as the economy of the United States outperformed most of its competitors in the twentieth century. The second pillar of U. S. hegemony related to the country’s â€Å"power to advance multilateral, mutually balanced tariff reductions under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (later the World Trade Organization) (Ferguson). † During the Kennedy Round negotiations of 1967, reductions in tariffs were achieved mainly due to pressures from the United States (Beck, 1970, p. 33-36). Pressures were exerted through â€Å"conditionality,† that is, the terms that the International Monetary Fund, based in Washington D. C. , applied to grant loans (Ferguson). The third pillar of U. S. hegemony may be understood by the way the U. S. dollar was presented by the U. S. government as a â€Å"key currency,† both â€Å"before and after the breakdown of the Bretton Woods institutions (Ferguson). † This allowed the U. S. to be â€Å"less restrained† than other nations as far as foreign investment and strategic policymaking were concerned (Ferguson). Subsequently, the world experienced the hegemony of the U. S. dollar, granting extensive privileges unto the United States (Ferguson; Paul, 2006). The fourth pillar, according to Ferguson, was the maintenance of hegemony by the United States through its ability to formally constitute an â€Å"alliance of states† – in other words, NATO – which was committed to the â€Å"containment of two rival superpowers (Ferguson). † In fact, the chief responsibility assumed by NATO has been to secure Europe and the United States against military attacks (â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions,† 2008). If we were to believe that Pax Americana continues to this day, the conventional definition of hegemony in International Relations is enough to help us understand the period since 1945. After all, the United States has maintained its leadership position among the countries of the world by using its military power as well as economic and technological strength, despite the fact that its use of military force has been disapproved by many nations. (The very meaning of ‘Pax’ is ‘Peace’). Furthermore, even the recession of 2008 has not given the world a new leader dethroning the United States. Noam Chomsky believes that the current recession is not expected to end U. S. hegemony in any case (Rattansi, 2008). All the same, Antonio Gramsci’s definition of hegemony cannot explain the position of the U. S. from 1945 to 2008, seeing that this definition may only describe a leading nation that is respected by the subordinate groups for all its decisions (â€Å"Hegemony in Gramsci’s Original Prison Notebooks†). The fact that the United States’ decisions during the Vietnam War were not supported by the American public and the world at large confirm Wallerstein’s (2002) hypothesis that Pax Americana must have ended during the Vietnam War. Foster McChesney (2004) write that the end of the Vietnam War was the time when the mask of the American Empire was lifted. The period called Pax Americana was â€Å"revealed as imperialism pure and simple (Foster McChesney). † This is because the president of the United States could no longer explain the foreign policy of his nation as based on the â€Å"liberation of man† and the â€Å"survival of liberty (Foster McChesney). † Hence, Gramsci’s definition of Pax Americana may only explain the period between 1945 and the Vietnam War, when the United States was considered a helper and facilitator rather than a hostile imperialist nation. According to Gramsci, hegemony refers to political power flowing from moral, intellectual and political leadership as well as consensus or authority instead of military force. Thus, a ruling class may form as well as maintain hegemony in a civil society by the creation of political and cultural consensus using political parties, unions, media, schools, the church, and various other kinds of voluntary organizations that exercise hegemony over social groups in addition to â€Å"allied classes (Hainsworth, 2000). † These organizations of persons, the media, as well as information that flows from them control the behaviour and thinking of the people by presenting them with â€Å"dominant ideologies,† thereby creating â€Å"a state of domination (Hainsworth). † Moreover, the leading class may hold greater power over the people than the government, according to Gramsci. Besides, all decisions made by the leading class must be democratic in nature. In particular, the subordinate groups should agree with the leading class in matters of economic development as well as legislation, seeing that the people are significantly affected by decisions in these areas. The leading class is allowed by the people to use force against hostile groups. Just the same the force used by the leading class should not exceed the consent of the people (â€Å"Hegemony in Gramsci’s Original Prison Notebooks†). The work of the United States during the period, 1945 to the Vietnam War, may definitely be understood in the light of Gramsci’s definition of hegemony. U. S. financiers and corporations along with the U. S. government formed the leading class, with the financiers and corporations playing a major role and the government simply voicing their interests through new plans and negotiations with the rest of the world. The role played by the U. S. government on behalf of the ruling class, that is, the financiers and corporations, is comparable to the present role of the media. All the same, it is obvious that the functions of the United States during Pax Americana – if it is believed to be the period, 1945-Vietnam War – were entirely democratic. As a matter of fact, the ideologies of the United States during this period were almost entirely accepted by the rest of the world. The U. S. continued to foster enmity with the Soviet Union. Even so, the subordinate groups did not disagree with this stance of the United States. As the U. S. promoted anticommunist ideologies, subordinate classes preferred them to communist ideologies. Thus, the United States had managed to dominate almost the entire world with its moral, intellectual, and political ideologies. References Beck, R. H. (1970). The Changing Structure of Europe: Economic, Social, and Political Trends. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. Ferguson, N. (2003, Sep-Oct). Hegemony or Empire? Foreign Affairs. Foster, J. B. , McChesney, R. W. (2004, Sep). The American Empire: Pax Americana or Pox Americana. Monthly Review. Frequently Asked Questions. (2008, Jun 11). North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Retrieved Dec 10, 2008, from http://www. nato. int/issues/faq/index. html. Hainsworth, S. (2000, May 17). Gramsci’s Hegemony Theory and the Ideological Role of the Mass Media. Retrieved Dec 10, 2008, from http://www. cultsock. ndirect. co. uk/MUHome/cshtml/contributions/gramsci2. html. Hearden, P. J. (2002). Architects of Globalism: Building a New World Order during World War II. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press. Hegemony in Gramsci’s Original Prison Notebooks. Retrieved Dec 10, 2008, from http://socserv2. mcmaster. ca/soc/courses/soc2r3/gramsci/gramheg. htm.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Moses Essay -- essays research papers

"Born a slave and raised by kings, he was chosen to lead. His name is revered by millions......Moses. By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict." Hebrews 11:23 Revered as a prophet but even more importantly as a teacher and a lawgiver, Moses was the leader of the Israelite people 3,300 years ago during their journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom as a nation in the land of Israel. For 40 years Moses led the people through the desert on their way to Israel and helped shape them into a nation that could live under the laws of God. Moses oversaw the creation and development of the first Israelite systems of worship, the anointing of the family line of his brother Aaron as priests, and the creation of a legal system of governance for the community. Ancient Israel had a long oral tradition of laws and legends, and it is likely that some parts of the story of Moses were written long after his lifetime. Modern scholarship recognizes that while the core of the biblical story of Moses contains real history, there is disagreement as to the accuracy of every action and every word attributed to Moses by the biblical writers. Whether one views the Bib le as the revealed word of God or as the writing of inspired people, the figure of Moses towers over the early history of the Jewish people. Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions revere Moses for his central role in communicating the Ten Commandments and the Torah directly from God to the Jewish people soon after their escape from Egypt. Thus, the Torah is also known as the Five Books of Moses. According to Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the Israelite people first came to Egypt in search of food during a famine that affected the entire ancient Near East. At first welcomed by the Egyptians, after about 400 years the Israelites, or Hebrews, were perceived as a threat and were enslaved. In addition, the Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, decreed that all newborn male Israelites were to be killed. It was at this time that Moses was born. His older siblings, Aaron and Miriam, would join him later in his life to help lead the Israelite people. Moses was saved from death when his mothe r, Yocheved, floated him down the Nile River in a small basket, where he was discovered and saved by the daughter of ... ...he Ten Commandments. Moses next prepared to lead the people from Mount Sinai to the promised land of Israel. However, the Israelite people, accustomed to slavery and uncertain of freedom, soon rebelled against God. They became convinced that they could not conquer the new land, and they constantly questioned Moses' leadership and their own faith in God. As a consequence, the generation that left Egypt was not allowed to enter the promised land. The Bible describes Moses himself as once losing patience with the people and seeming to doubt God: rather than speaking to a rock to get water as God commanded, Moses struck the rock with his staff. For this, Moses was also destined not to enter the new land. Near the end of his life, Moses taught the laws of the Torah to the new generation that had grown up in the desert. He then transferred leadership to Joshua. The Torah ends with Moses' final blessing to the people, after which he ascended Mount Nebo, which is identified with Mount Pi sgah, on the eastern edge of the Jordan River. Moses died there, able to see, but not to enter, the promised land. Moses was true to himself and his beliefs, even though his path was uncertain and painful.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Demanding Creativity: A Production-Oriented Approach to Teaching the Comedia :: Essays Papers

Demanding Creativity: A Production-Oriented Approach to Teaching the Comedia For a growing number of people in the twentieth century United States, the phrase "twenty-first century" evokes the current prominence and future promise of information-age technology. The wonders of e-mail, Web browsing, and "wired" classrooms have descended upon all of us, and these developments have made lasting contributions to the way we think, organize our time, plan our activities, and interact with other people.1 With each passing year, more and more groups and individuals embrace computer technology—most notably, the Internet—for personal and professional purposes, and teachers, scholars, schools, and institutes seem to be at the forefront of this movement. In general, this trend remains in an incipient stage, as the mystique of the Internet has not fully given way to the established use of it, and as profound socio-economic disparities within our society keep the promise and implementation of any computer-based activity out of the reach of some educators and m any students.2 Even in the colleges, universities, and privileged school districts where the technological revolution has been solidly institutionalized for teaching and research purposes, there exist among today’s students—Don Tapscott’s "Net Generation" or "N-Gen"—significant disparities in interest and familiarity with the medium that defines them.3 The twenty first century as a special moment in the history of the technologizing of society may indeed be overstated, but it is certain that Internet technology exercises a direct influence on select aspects of our society, and this phenomenon has affected and continues to affect the people and institutions of society that have remained at the margins of technologization.4 In particular, the process of creation and consumption of Internet technology in certain circles of United States society has emerged from and reinforced an image culture established during this century by the mass popularity of blockbuster cinema and broadcast television.5 The predominantly visual nature of information, ideas, and epistemology of cinema and television has defined image culture in the United States, and image culture, in turn, has transformed and marginalized the primarily verbal nature of information, ideas, and epistemology of print culture. As image culture has established itself in our society, there has been no lack of cultural historians who have taken to print in order to lament the demise of print culture. Neil Postman argues in Amusing Ourselves to Death that this century’s triumph of television over books has weakened the quality of public discourse and thus has rendered education ineffectual.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Best Death Ever

The Best Death Ever – Niall Griffiths By Christian Steenfeldt, 3. U Children cannot differentiate between what is fun and what is serious. In the short story â€Å"The Best Death Ever† by Niall Griffiths four boys are playing a game where they have to fake a death. The boy whoever fakes the best death wins the game. The four boys do not understand what they are doing and see the game, The Best Death Ever, as a fun game. Until one moment, when one of the boys misjudges the distance to ground and almost hang himself meanwhile his friends where shooting at him with their toy guns.The story is narrated by a first person narrator who looks back at a specific incidence. The narrator technique is very post modernistic. Niall Griffiths uses a lot of humor which makes the story fun to read. For instance, when the boys are shooting with their toy guns they make these funny noises. Niall Griffiths also uses the boys non existing knowledge about death to make the readers laugh â₠¬Å"– That was rubbish! Yer meant ter die, not just fall over like a fart. Since when have did you see anyone die like that? (Page 94 line 1-2) Niall Griffiths takes a serious subject like death and turns it funny by saying Mick fell like a fart. The slang that is used also makes the atmosphere more relaxed. Niall Griffiths also points out a child’s innocence. â€Å"Soft lad. How can you hurt yerself if yer dead? † (Page 94 line 7) For the children it is simple logic, because why should Mick not be able to fall properly, if he is dead? Irony is also well used. The title of the story is â€Å"The Best Death Ever† and it is the same name as the game the four boys play. The irony occurs because when Gavin tries to make the best death ever, he almost dies trying.Another significant post modernistic is the open ending because it leaves the reader confused. The story is also a fix point of the narrator’s life, where he is very nostalgic. It takes place in the yard of the narrator’s house in Netherley, Liverpool. The setting does not really matter, but as often in post modernistic stories it is in an urban environment. The story is a flashback of roughly 45-60 minutes of his life. The narrator looks back at that special episode of his life and he turns all nostalgic. The boys are strongly inspired by war movies and war stories told by the elderlies.The narrator has received a toy gun from his granddad. He knows a lot about it because of his big interest in war. As almost every other boy, they play games with guns and death involved. The problem is not that the boys play war, but that they cannot differentiate between where the fun stops. In this game Gavin almost killed himself, but it was not on purpose. A problem is, when the mom notices Gavin, she immediately saves him. Then she slaps the narrator. By slapping the narrator she punishes him for something that he does not know is wrong. Related essay: â€Å"Realism and Expressionism in Death of a Salesman†The narrator is angry, because they have to award Gavin the price of the best death. â€Å"I would shock and shake them all with the violence of my going. But we never played the game again. † Because his mother hit him and did not tell him what they did wrong, he does not understand consequences. Therefore he still wants to win the game next time and he wants to put even more violence in than Gavin did. Luckily they never played the game again, because nobody knows what would have happened then. This story is a perfect example to show that taking extra care of your children is highly necessary.If you do not teach your kid what is dangerous and what is not, it will have serious consequences. As in this story, the boys cannot see what they have done wrong and therefore they continue their games. The narrator has no intentions to stop he even wants to surpass the other boys by doing more dangerous stunt s. The parents must teach their children what is wrong and what is not. They shall not slap the children if they do not hurt someone like in the story, but instead tell them what they did wrong because the children cannot differentiate between right and wrong.FOKUSPUNKTER3g – EN LF For at fa mere ud af jeres afleveringer/mine rettelser og kommentarer skal I sammen med n? ste store aflevering aflevere denne seddel hvorpa I anforer hvilke fokuspunkter I har fokuseret pa i denne essayopgave. I skal basere jeres fokuspunkter pa mine kommentarer fra den foregaende store aflevering. Der skal fokuseres pa min. Et punkt (gerne flere) i bade indhold og sprog. INDHOLD: Fra sidste aflevering: 1. Overfortolkning 2. Mere indhold 3. SPROG: Fra sidste aflevering: 1. pr? positioner 2. ingen udeladelse 3.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Research Paper Example

Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Research Paper Example Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Paper Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Paper It is important to identify the key strengths and weaknesses of Nike to try and find strategies that may be used to help protect the weaknesses and oppose threats and identify and fulfill new opportunities in the market. To help me analyse these strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats I am going to use a SWOT analysis to assess the current situation with regards to these factors to try and help me better understand the pressures on Nike and hopefully develop strategies able to effect these current conditions and improve the Nike organization. Nike is known as the lead competitor in the footwear industry. It is a globalised brand, recognized all over the world. Because of this it plays an important role in the footwear sector and some may say are the trend leaders and setters in particular in relation to sport shoes. Nike promote themselves as the innovator of footwear and pay particular detail to the research and development of their products. Nike do not own any factories which means it does not tie money up in property or manufacturing works. This makes Nike a very lean organization. Nike is the worlds top sports manufacturer and can use this brand image and power to promote their products. The footwear sector of Nikes organization is the largest and most profitable so it is imperative Nike concentrate on the innovation and promotion of their products in this sector. The retail sector is very price sensitive. For this reason Nike have to ensure they are producing products as cheaply as possible without compromising quality. Because Nike sell primarily to retailers this is an ever more important factor as Nike does have it own retailer (Nike town) and large retailers Nike sell too put companies under pressure to produce products cheaply to improve margins. Product development offers Nike many opportunites. (Marketing Teacher). Although Nike believes they are a sports brand, some consumers of the Nike products do not partake in sport. This shows that Nike is not only a sports brand but is now considered a large fashion brand too. This means there are new opportunities to create innovating products to try and target the fashion market. Nike has used various celebrities to endorse products which has, to some extent, made Nike the trend setter as people copy the stars. This is a great way to promote products and capitalizing on this new, potentially huge market in fashion footwear could promote new opportunities in the sector. Nike could also further their worldwide brand dominance by expanding their services to new countries. China and India are both economies that are expanding rapidly so the increase in income for these two economies could be potential to promote products to the wealthy Indian or China economies. As Nike trade internationally they are prone to changes within the international markets. This can include differing exchange rates so costs and margins are not as stable as they could be. This means Nike has to assess its markets and products especially regarding price, regularly to stay competitive. Most of Nikes products are manufactured abroad to make them cheaper, however, many other companies including Nikes top competitors have done the same in order to compete with Nikes cheap production costs. This has made the footwear market very price sensitive and so price competitiveness is now more important than ever before. In the following diagram it shows the fall of the average price of footwear in the UK from 2002-07. This demonstrates the importance of lowering costs as Nike no longer have a sufficient competitive advantage in this sense.

Monday, October 21, 2019

How planet of the apes is an anti-war film

How planet of the apes is an anti-war film Some things aren't always what they seem, sometimes there more sometimes there less. In many cases there is a hidden meaning or clues that suggest theirs more than meets the eye. One particular film that caught my attention is planet of the apes the story of slavery, and history repeating itself. Its cryptic value is so hard to see I had to watch it three times to find it. When I finally found it I wondered how I missed it the two times earlier. The movie itself is intensely interesting and entertaining. But I have learned to look past the prevalent and see the unseen. Past all the make-up and special effects theirs significance to the fact that apes have taken mans place.Man has always had an obsession with death and war. Its nothing we can explain or rationalize. Man will always slay one another and destroy everything that could ever matter.English: Total world nuclear power capacity, in GW...In planet of the apes man destroys man leaving only apes to take their place. We blew each other up until there was almost nothing left we could blow up. We lead ourselves to our own destruction. Without cause or reason we will attack our brother, our friend, our family. There is a point where man could kill his own blood for a futile motive like land, money, drugs, and power or privilege. When you really think about it it's so ludicrous we could think of it as laughable. In fact we have even put it in comedies like half-baked, lion king, and a bugs life. We think of these as simple and innocent movies with a safe moral. A man will kill a man for something as small as a bag with a plant in it or seat in a castle. Is a crown worth...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

What Mean Means

What Mean Means What Mean Means What Mean Means By Mark Nichol The verb mean, in the senses of â€Å"destine† â€Å"direct,† â€Å"intend,† and â€Å"signify,† is from the Old English phrase mae nan. To say that someone â€Å"means business† signifies that he or she is earnestly serious about something; to say that someone â€Å"means well† means that the person has good intentions. (One is said to be well-meaning when his or her intentions are good; the person’s actions are said to be well-meant.) Mean has multiple adjectival meanings. Used to convey the ideas of â€Å"base† or â€Å"contemptible,† â€Å"petty† or â€Å"stingy,† or â€Å"malicious† or â€Å"troublesome,† it is from the Old English phrase gemae ne, meaning â€Å"common.† It also has the less negative senses of â€Å"ashamed,† â€Å"dull,† and â€Å"humble† and actually has a positive connotation as a slang synonym for â€Å"effective† or â€Å"excellent† in references to having admirable skills, as in â€Å"He plays a mean saxophone.† (This may derive from a confusion with the idiom â€Å"no mean† followed by a noun or noun phrase, as in â€Å"He’s no mean poker player,† where â€Å"no mean† means â€Å"not average† or â€Å"not inferior.) The expression â€Å"lean and mean† likely derives from the notion of aggressive competitiveness. The adverb meanly means â€Å"in a humble, inferior, or ungenerous manner.† The sense of mean as a synonym for â€Å"average,† â€Å"intermediate,† or â€Å"midway† is ultimately from the Latin term medianus (by way of Anglo-French and Middle English), which is also the source of median. (Mesne, borrowed with an alteration in spelling from Anglo-French, means â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"intervening† but is used only in legal contexts.) As a noun, mean can refer to something intermediate (as in the mathematical sense), something helpful (as in the phrase â€Å"means to an end†), or resources (as in the sense of having the means to accomplish something). Related idioms include â€Å"by all means† (â€Å"certainly†), â€Å"by means of† (â€Å"through the use of†), and â€Å"by no means† (â€Å"not at all†). The synonymic compounds meantime and meanwhile both derive from the â€Å"intermediate† sense of mean, while mean-spirited alludes to the sense of â€Å"petty.† (The slang term meanie, also spelled meany, refers to a person who is cruel; this usage is considered dated, however, and is now used only in a jocular sense.) To demean, meanwhile, is to debase or put down, while meanness can refer to poverty, stinginess, or weakness. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Farther vs. Further"Replacement for" and "replacement of"Forming the Comparative of One-syllable Adjectives

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Matching Cube Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Matching Cube Analysis - Essay Example The matching cube depicted above shows the comparison of different personality traits which are common or different in me and my spouse. We are living a very healthy life because of the fact that we have inculcated the fact that the trust and sacrifice are the most important traits in any relationship. If we will become itchy and problematic in every matter, there will be no coexistence and the relationship will come to breakup very soon. Me and my spouse have been living a healthy life for past two years and despite of all the problems that are common in every relationship, we have dealt with every issue and there is no serious problem that is challenging our relationship. There are many factors that are matching in our relationship. Physical attraction is the first and foremost common trait that is increasing our love bond. My spouse has a very healthy body and a good height of 5’ 10†. She is weighing around 132lbs which is totally perfect according to her BMI. I have a height of around 6’2† and my weight is around 165lbs which is almost according to the BMI. There is also a great love bond between me and her because of the perfect physical matching. Our needs are satisfied and we both look forward to increase the love relationship. Physical attraction with each otter gives us a chance to be confident all the time and my attention never deviates from her to other women because of her beauty. Similarly she is also very happy because of my physical attraction and we always feel sexually attracted to each other even after years of relationship with each other. The political ideology and interests are also a great match between us because of the fact that I am also of the favor of the secular system in which the religion and politics don’t have to overlap and my spouse is also of the view that the religion and politics must be segregated. This gives us a great chance to work for the same cause because we spend our time together di scussing these issues with each other and we also work on a website t promote this ideology. There is also an increased love bond between each other because of the social thinking we have developed for the political system in our country as she is also from a well educated background. Spiritual factor is also a great match between me and my spouse. we both belong to Christian background ( catholic) and we go to church every now and then to refresh our faith. This gives us chance to come close to God and each other. The spiritual factors give a great sense of responsibility and soothing to us. Me and my spouse are from well educated background and this gives a great advantage for us to come close to each other. There is no communication gap between us and put thinking perspectives are matching most of the time. Educated background gives us a chance to share the same feelings and thoughts about different events happening around us. As far as the differences are concerned, there are ma ny, and differences are a beauty of any relationship because humans are prone to get bored of the monotonous routines. If there will be no differences, we will not get any chance to learn new things and ideologies. Me and my spouse have different interest for example when I am watching cricket on TV, She always insists to change the channel and switch on different soaps and talk shows whereas I get always bored of the talk shows. But we never tend to

Friday, October 18, 2019

Managing Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Knowledge - Essay Example Knowledge is passive, analytic and atomistic (Thomas, Kellogg & Erickson, 2001). This does not imply that knowledge is power, rather applied knowledge is power. To apply knowledge, to use the abundance of information that is available in any organization today, codification of knowledge is essential. Codification of knowledge into information implies making knowledge portable, re-usable and transferable within the organization (Hall, 2006). Only when this is possible can knowledge become power. Organizational knowledge can then be used to gain competitive edge over the rivals but the organization should know how to use that power. Technological advancements have made it possible to retain knowledge and transmit it to the persons concerned within the organization. Knowledge can be a powerful weapon when retained, transmitted, disseminated and applied. It is thus important to understand the implications and the ways of retaining and applying knowledge. Knowledge has been classified into two categories - tacit and explicit. Explicit knowledge is that which has been previously defined and codified. It is usually gained through formal education, training, books and now the internet. Explicit knowledge is static and does not have the capacity to renew itself (Ehin, 2008). It requires an outside entity to keep it current. Tacit knowledge on the other hand is acquired by interacting with others and is connected to life's experiences. Tacit knowledge is the basis for generation of new knowledge or "the key to knowledge creation lies in the mobilization and conversion of tacit knowledge" (Nonaka cited by Marwick, 2001). The individual tacit knowledge characterizes the human capital of an organization. Human capital is the combination of genetic inheritance, education, experience and attitude towards life and business (Bontis & Fitz-enz, 2002). Human capital is the source of innovation and strategy. Sustained competitive advantage can accr ue from a pool of human capital. Human capital adds value and is not substitutable. An organization is not a passive repository of knowledge. The tacit knowledge in the form of organization culture may interact with the explicit knowledge of the individual. The core competencies of an organization incorporate both tacit and explicit knowledge and should be conceived as a mix of skills and technologies (Lindgren & Wallstrom, 2000). These interactions and combinations result in new knowledge as organizational learning or innovation. This knowledge has to be efficiently managed so as to derive competitive advantage. Managing knowledge Managing knowledge or knowledge management (KM) is nothing more than getting the right information to the right people at the right time. It is also known by other terms like organizational learning, organizational memory and expertise management. Most organizations may not even be aware of the knowledge they have, let alone knowing how to manage knowledge. They may under estimate the value and creation of knowledge; they may even unknowingly give away what they possess (Earl & Scott, 2001). They may defer the sharing of knowledge or under invest in the utilization of the knowledge. As organizations started recognizing these facts, they created the post of a Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO), whose popularity and demand has increased in the recent

Executive Summary- Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Executive Summary- Wal-Mart - Essay Example Sam Walton’s key growth strategy for Wal-Mart was to open stores in isolated rural areas and small towns typically with populations of 5,000 to 25,000 that all the other major discount chains were ignoring and provide them with goods and services at competitive prices. This way Wal-Mart was able to tap into the market segment that previously had to drive up to four hours away to the cities to do their shopping. However, this preference for rural areas meant that Wal-Mart had to endure a more costly distribution channel than its competitors. To mitigate against this weakness, Sam Walton took the company public in 1972 to raise the capital required for Wal-Mart to build its own warehouses to serve its â€Å"boondocks† stores (Bradley & Ghemawat, 2002) and thus lower its cost of goods sold. In the 80s Wal-Mart finally came of age. It opened its now phenomenal Sam’s Club members-warehouse store in 1983, its first Supercenter in 1988, and by the end of that decade it had revenues in excess of US $26 billion from 1,402 Wal-Mart stores and 123 Sam’s Clubs. Company key facts Presently, Wal-Mart operates in three business segments: Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club in the United States, and Wal-Mart International in 14 countries and Puerto Rico. Its retail stores are organized under 53 different banners across the world. It has a workforce of 2.1 million associates worldwide who serve customers and members more than 200 million times per week. In the fiscal year 2010 the company achieved sales of US $405 billion. (â€Å"Walmartstores.com: About Us,† 2011). Products and services Wal-Mart U.S. is a one-stop shop. It has divided its business into six strategic merchandise units across its various store formats namely: grocery, entertainment, hardlines, apparel, health and wellness and home merchandise. Within these merchandise units there is an array of products and services to be found. In addition to that, Wal-Mart U.S. segment also offers financial services and products, markets lines of merchandise under its private-label store brands – such as Parent’s Choice, Great Value, No Boundaries, etc. – and also markets lines of merchandise under licensed brands such as Disney, Black & Decker, Just My Size etc. (â€Å"Wal Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) Company Profile | Reuters.com,† 2011). Sam’s Club also offers its membership a collection of products and services online at www.samsclub.com. Company’s vision statement and purpose Wal-Mart has continued to embody within its corporate culture the vision of its founder, Sam Walton, who came up with the organization’s purpose: â€Å"If we work together, we’ll lower the cost of living for everyone†¦we’ll give the world an opportunity to see what it’s like to save and have a better life.†(Farfan, n.d.). This belief has been engrained into the organization through unique sets of best practices that are carried out daily within Wal-Mart. For example managers are encouraged to be open and accessible to all employe es through the open door policy, questions from anyone – supplier, customer or employee – need to be answered on the same day (the sundown rule), and associates must make eye contact, greet and offer help to customers who come within a ten feet radius (the 10 foot rule). The open door policy makes Wal-Mart’s associates to feel appreciated and thus increases their commitment to better customer service. The sundown rule ensures that there is a quick turnaround of solutions to solve any

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Malnourishment Research Project Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Malnourishment Research Project Overview - Essay Example Political and social factors are attributed in the growing concern about overnutrition It is a misconception that first world countries or economically-progressive countries are capable of having luxurious ways of living and as a result this leads to the citizens having poor diets and exercise deficiency. America is considered as the fast-food nation. The reasons are very much obvious. Statistics show that every twenty four hours, there is at least one American out of four who eats fast food. Their main reason is that fast food eating is very convenient and a cheap option. (Levinstein, 2003) The overnutrition rates in the second and third world countries are almost at the same levels as the rates of the developed countries. Economic stability has nothing to do with the prevalence of o overnutrition. The second and third world countries show the presence of malnourished citizens but they also have cases of obesity or overnutrition. Changes in the rates of overnutrition in different countries can be due to several factors. This may be due to societal changes such as greater food consumption and genetic adaptations that impact metabolism. Therefore, lifestyle and technological changes have adverse effects with the nutrition of the people. In the book entitled Competitive Advantage by Jaynie Smith, she stated that there is an increasing need for people to eat healthy food. Since fast-foods are their usual first option for getting access to ready food, the fast foods have to think of new ways and strategies to offer healthy food options that will not prevent any potential or existing customer from buying food from them due to lack of healthy foods available. (Fjellstrom, 2004) Fastfood chains and restaurants do not only have the responsibility to address marketing needs for they also have the obligation to address their moral responsibility to their customers by helping them live healthy lives with the

Fill out chap 11-12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fill out chap 11-12 - Essay Example In addition to this, food plays a crucial role in contributing to stress levels as people undergo two types of hunger. One is physical hunger while other is emotional hunger. Emotional hunger is there as an output of stress and requires one to have a certain craving of selected foods that contain elevated sugar and fat levels. Some foods that are required for emotional hunger can exacerbate stress condition. Directions: For a period of one month, starting today, keep track of all those purchases you make. This includes not only objects you buy—necessities and luxuries-- but also splurges for meals and social activities. After you have accumulated your list, go through the items one at a time and ask yourself in retrospect, with strict objectivity, which of these purchases you wish you could cancel. Which ones represented an impulsive decision? Circle those items on your list. The clothes that I bought contained certain items such as trousers and shirts that were not required or necessary currently because I was able to deal without them. I also got additional pair of socks that could be shifted to two months ahead for the purchase. I also consumed a lot of fast foods that I consider as additional expenses. I also got a cushion that I liked but did not need. Therefore, I could cancel two of the clothes items, two additional pair of socks, some fast food expenditures and the cushion. If I would have saved the money that I used on all these items, I could have obtained some intensely needed product after two months or so. Saving is in itself rewarding so that action would have merited me. Directions: Analyze how your dietary patterns for three days by using the following table provided. Examine it and write a summary about it. Is what you eat conducive to handling much stress and improving health? Look at the frequency and amount of food you eat. I usually skip morning breakfast that

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Malnourishment Research Project Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Malnourishment Research Project Overview - Essay Example Political and social factors are attributed in the growing concern about overnutrition It is a misconception that first world countries or economically-progressive countries are capable of having luxurious ways of living and as a result this leads to the citizens having poor diets and exercise deficiency. America is considered as the fast-food nation. The reasons are very much obvious. Statistics show that every twenty four hours, there is at least one American out of four who eats fast food. Their main reason is that fast food eating is very convenient and a cheap option. (Levinstein, 2003) The overnutrition rates in the second and third world countries are almost at the same levels as the rates of the developed countries. Economic stability has nothing to do with the prevalence of o overnutrition. The second and third world countries show the presence of malnourished citizens but they also have cases of obesity or overnutrition. Changes in the rates of overnutrition in different countries can be due to several factors. This may be due to societal changes such as greater food consumption and genetic adaptations that impact metabolism. Therefore, lifestyle and technological changes have adverse effects with the nutrition of the people. In the book entitled Competitive Advantage by Jaynie Smith, she stated that there is an increasing need for people to eat healthy food. Since fast-foods are their usual first option for getting access to ready food, the fast foods have to think of new ways and strategies to offer healthy food options that will not prevent any potential or existing customer from buying food from them due to lack of healthy foods available. (Fjellstrom, 2004) Fastfood chains and restaurants do not only have the responsibility to address marketing needs for they also have the obligation to address their moral responsibility to their customers by helping them live healthy lives with the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Air Travelers Profiling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Air Travelers Profiling - Essay Example Profiling systems are a part of the legal structure for security which has become an established part of what airport security and counter terrorism today has created for us. The Patriot Act and the Real ID act are just two examples of how civil liberties have become less important than the idea of securing a nation from its own citizens. Another negative aspect of the law is the ability of law enforcers to detain individuals without presenting them arrest warrants or allowing them to seek legal advice without granting them security clearance. Halperin (2003) reports exactly such an incident when he was held at gunpoint in a restaurant while federal officers checked for his legal status in the United States (even though he was an American citizen) and quizzed him about his out of state driving license.The law appears to have served its purpose in reducing attacks on American soil and American citizens. If simple safety is a measure of how successful the laws have been then there can be little argument that the laws have been largely successful in keeping us safe even though from the articles described by Hudson, it does not appear that Americans feel any safer. It must be remembered that the American governmental and administrative system is founded on the basis of checks and balances which control how much power the government can actually have.If the profiling rules are seen by enough people as being too harsh, or they are seen as being against the Constitution itself, I believe that we can trust the judicial system.

Indian Education Essay Example for Free

Indian Education Essay A strong education system is the cornerstone of any countrys growth and prosperity. Over the last decade, India has made great strides in strengthening its primary education system. The District Information System for Education (DISE) reported in 2012 that 95% of Indias rural populations are within one kilometer of primary schools. The 2011 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), which tracks trends in rural education, indicated that enrollment rates among primary-school-aged children were about 93%, with little difference by gender. However, behind the veil of such promising statistics, the learning outcomes of Indias children show little progress. The country ranked 63 out of 64 in the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, with some of its best schools ranked about average among those surveyed. The 2011 ASER stated that only 48. 2% of students in the fifth grade can read at the second grade level. The number of students completing their primary education with inadequate numeracy and literacy skills is startling. To see this manifest in an economic sense, one may attribute Indias productivity growth lagging behind that of East Asian economies to a lack of progress in the foundational elements of countrywide, high-quality education. Indias private-schooled, English-speaking urban elite may attract global attention, but they are in the minority. The vast majority of Indian children attend government-run primary schools in rural areas. In 2008-2009, rural India accounted for more than 88% of Indias primary-school students, of whom over 87% were enrolled in government-run schools. This is where we see some of the nations toughest challenges. A Diverse Set of Problems Indias education system has not achieved strong learning outcomes for reasons that are as diverse and nuanced as the country itself. Key among these reasons is poor teaching quality, which results from a multitude of factors. Inadequate Teacher Qualification and Support: Teachers working in primary schools across rural India have a difficult job. Dhir Jhingran, a senior civil servant in the Indian Administrative Service, with more than two decades of experience in rural primary education, explained the multiple challenges they face: Teachers have to teach multiple grades, textbooks are pitched far above the comprehension level of students, and each classroom has children with different levels of learning achievements. Anurag Behar, CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation, an education non-profit, noted that the average school teacher in India does not get adequate pre-service or in-service education, nor does she get the support to overcome these problems. Compounding this is the relatively low educational qualifications of many teachers themselves. In 2008-2009, on average, 45% of these teachers had not studied beyond the 12th grade. Low Teacher Motivation and High Absenteeism: A key factor affecting the quality of primary education appears to be low levels of teacher motivation. In 2002-2003, 25% of primary-school teachers in rural India were absent on any given day. The impact of absenteeism is exacerbated by the fact that the average primary school in India has a workforce of no more than three teachers. At a school for girls in rural Rajasthan, we observed this problem first hand: Of the eight teachers assigned, only five were present. The three who were actually teaching were juggling eight different grades. The obvious reason remuneration does not appear to be a driver. In fact, both education experts and ordinary citizens argue that government-employed school teachers are paid relatively well. UNESCO surveys from as early as 2004 indicated that the annual statutory salary of primary school teachers in India with 15 years experience was more than $14,000, adjusted for purchasing power. This was significantly higher than the then-statutory salaries of $3,000 in China and Indonesia, and the Indian GDP per capita in 2004, which was $3,100. Indian primary-school teachers may not be underpaid, but some argue that they may be overworked. For Vivekanand Upadhyay, a seasoned educator and language professor at a leading national University, one reason for the lack of motivation is that primary school teachers employed by the government, particularly in rural India, are required to perform a wide range of duties completely unrelated to imparting education. These duties including administering government programs such as immunization clinics, assisting with data-collection for the national census, and staffing polling stations during elections in addition to their teaching responsibilities, place significant demands on teachers time. Another disheartening factor has been a highly bureaucratic administrative system that discourages bold decision making and makes implementation difficult. For example, as Jhingran observed, it is difficult to test new practices on a small scale before rolling them out: If a new program has been developed, the philosophy is that every school must have it. Such indiscriminate application often means that teachers are implementing programs without understanding their key principles and ultimate goals. Flawed Teaching Methodology: In India, rote learning has been institutionalized as a teaching methodology. Primary school teachers in rural India often try to educate students by making them repeat sections of text over and over again, said Jhingran. Often they do not explain the meaning of the text, which results in stunted reading comprehension skills over the course of the childrens education. For example, many students in grades two and three in one particular school struggle to read individual words, but can neatly copy entire paragraphs from their textbooks into their notebooks as though they were drawing pictures. Linguistic Diversity: Finally, Indias linguistic diversity creates unique challenges for the nations education system. The countrys 22 official languages and hundreds of spoken dialects often differ considerably from the official language of the state or region. Jhingran commented that the teacher not only has to account for varying learning abilities within the classroom, but also dialectic nuances which affect students comprehension of the subject matter. Government-school-educated children from rural India struggle to speak even basic sentences in English. Students with rural primary schooling are at a significant disadvantage as they transition to higher education, because Indias best universities teach exclusively in English, said Upadhyay. Part of the problem is that there is no one to teach them. As Chandrakanta Khatwar, an experienced middle school teacher in a rural government-run school in Rajasthan, asked: When teachers themselves know little English, especially spoken English, how will students learn? A Parallel, Non-governmental Education Universe Since the late 1980s, government efforts to augment rural primary education have been supplemented by the emergence of an intervention-based non-governmental system that spans multiple institutional types. While private schools have emerged as a parallel system over the last two decades, their impact is limited because they serve less than 13% of Indias rural primary-school children. However, do private schools really make a difference? Some studies have found a small, but statistically significant, private school advantage in rural India. Behar was skeptical about the superiority of private rural schools over their government-run counterparts, noting, Once we control for a childs socioeconomic background, private schools add little-to-no value. In many ways, private schools are in much worse shape. However, according to Khatwar, more and more parents in small towns are choosing to send their children to private schools if they can afford it perhaps with good reason, because, on average, the number of students in each classroom in private schools is often smaller and school heads exert greater control over teachers. Some organizations are attempting to innovate with new formats and systems of education. Avasara Academy, a new school for girls, is a private institution whose mission is to mold leaders from among the best and brightest girls in India, regardless of their background. While admission is merit-based, the school intends to draw half its students from disadvantaged rural and urban backgrounds, awarding them full scholarships. In addition, it is developing a special curriculum that encourages excellence beyond academics. Avasara seeks to identify high potential young women and guide them along a powerful journey of leadership development. We expect that our graduates will form a network of leaders who will collaborate to drive positive change across the country, explained Mangala Nanda, humanities department chair for Avasara. While still in the early stages of its development, Avasaras successful implementation would provide a viable model for high-quality, accessible education and integration across socioeconomic boundaries. Governmental Efforts The Indian government at every level recognizes the need for educational reform and has made a conscientious effort to achieve it. The midday-meal plan, for example, is a highly publicized nationwide program through which government school children across India are provided with a midday meal every day of the school week. The program is largely considered a success. A study in 2011 by Rajshri Jayaraman and Dora Simroth found that grade one enrollment increased by 20. 8% simply if a midday meal was offered. According to Behar, The Indian government has worked very hard to provide rural schools with adequate infrastructure, something that was critically lacking a few decades ago. For instance, DISE reported in 2012 that more than 91% of primary schools have drinking-water facilities and 86% of schools built in the last 10 years have a school building. However, there is still a long way to go: Only 52% of primary schools have a girls toilet, and just 32% are connected to the electricity grid. In 2012, the Central Government enacted the Right to Education (RTE) Act, under which every child between the ages of six and 14 receives a free and compulsory education. In addition to regulating access to education, the act contains certain provisions that could positively impact the quality of education. According to Jhingran, one of its major achievements has been the dramatic reduction of non-teaching duties assigned to government school teachers, freeing up valuable time and lowering absenteeism. Partnering with the Government Over the past few decades, many organizations have begun working with government schools and teachers to improve learning outcomes. Pratham, a joint venture between UNICEF and the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai, runs multiple programs to supplement school education, such as learning support classes, libraries and additional learning resources. A hallmark of these initiatives is that Pratham engages volunteers from local communities and trains them to run these programs. Another important initiative that has resulted from Pratham is the annual ASER, an assessment that measures reading and arithmetic abilities by surveying more than 600,000 children across 16,000 villages in India. This remarkable exercise in data-gathering constitutes the foundation for informed decision-making and benchmarking. Other initiatives address teaching quality by placing specially trained teachers in government schools. Teach for India, modeled after the Teach for America program, was introduced in 2006. Young, motivated Indian college graduates and professionals apply for two-year fellowships to teach at government-run and low-income private schools that lack sufficient resources. An important distinction of Teach for India is that instruction is, by design, always in English. As Mohit Arora, fellowship recruitment manager for Teach for India, noted, the organizations philosophy on this point is that learning English is essential to future success, as English in todays world is more than just a language. It is a skill set. Students who do not speak English may have some difficulty initially, but the organization has made learning at these schools experiential and therefore engaging. The dynamics of one particular grade 3 Teach for India classroom were in stark contrast to other classrooms at the same school students were listening intently, contributing in class, answering questions beyond the textbook and demonstrating a strong command over English. The challenge is scaling this model to rural India. Still other organizations focus on capacity development of teachers in government schools, such as the Azim Premji Foundation. As CEO, Behar is categorical in his view that the foundation works in partnership with the government, and that it does not believe in supplanting the government school system. The foundation has established scores of institutes at the district level that provide in-service education and also empower teachers to learn from each other. For example, Behar described a voluntary teacher forum in a district of Rajasthan, initially organized by the Azim Premji Foundation, but now being run increasingly independently by teachers in the district. The Future of Primary Education in India Education in India has improved dramatically over the last three decades. Schools are accessible to most children, both student enrollment and attendance are at their highest level, and teachers are adequately remunerated. The RTE Act guarantees a quality education to a wider range of students than ever before. However, challenges in implementing and monitoring high standards in teaching and learning outcomes across regional, cultural and socioeconomic subsets prevent India from fully achieving this goal. In addition, teacher support and scalability of high-performing teaching professionals in disparate areas, funding allocation for schools in remote districts and limited use of technology in the classroom remain barriers to reforming primary education. Indias growth story remains one of the most anticipated global economic trends, and its fulfillment relies on a well-educated and skilled workforce. Improving education is a critical area of investment and focus if the country wants to sustain economic growth and harness its young workforce. A weak foundation in primary education can derail the lives, careers and productivity of tens of millions of its citizens. Already, a significant proportion of the adult workforce in India is severely under-equipped to perform skilled and semi-skilled jobs. As Rajesh Sawhney, former president of Reliance Entertainment and founder of GSF Superangels, noted, No one is unemployed in India; there are just a lot of people who are unemployable. Furthermore, in order to develop India as a consumer market of global standards, it is imperative that all of its children reap the full benefits of a high-quality education. Otherwise, large segments of the population in rural India will continue to have low purchasing power, find themselves in highly leveraged scenarios and, more often than not, continue to make a living through agricultural means. While some of this can be attributed to deficiencies in secondary and tertiary education, the root of these issues lies in low-quality primary education.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Organizational behaviour | Knowledge and power

Organizational behaviour | Knowledge and power ABSTRACT Much of the recent sociological debate on power revolves around the issue of the enabling nature of power. A comprehensive account of power has been discussed in the report i.e power of knowledge, power of money and power of social class and the ways in which these powers can be altered in the future. Much of this debate is related to the works of the French philosopher Michel Foucault (1926-1984), who, following the Italian political philosopher Niccolà ² Machiavelli (1469-1527), sees power as a complex strategic situation in a given society [social setting]. Being deeply structural, his concept involves both constraint and enablement INTRODUCTION Power is one of the most important determinants of managerial effectiveness. Bennis and Nanus (1985) regarded it, as the basic energy needed to initiate and sustain actions. It is a factor without which, leaders cannot lead. It provides the capacity to translate intentions into reality. Power is at the essence of managerial actions and leadership. It can be defined as the potential ability to influence behavior, to change the course of events, to overcome resistance and to get people do things that they would not otherwise do (Pfeffer, 1981) Balance of Power Because power operates both relationally and reciprocally, sociologists speak of the balance of power between parties to a relationship: all parties to all relationships have some power: the sociological examination of power concerns itself with discovering and describing the relative strengths: equal or unequal, stable or subject to periodic change. Sociologists usually analyse relationships in which the parties have relatively equal or nearly equal power in terms of constraint rather than of power. Thus power has a connotation of unilateralism. If this were not so, then all relationships could be described in terms of power, and its meaning would be lost. Even in structuralist social theory, power appears as a process, an aspect to an ongoing social structure. One can sometimes distinguish primary power: the direct and personal use of force for coercion; and secondary power, which may involve the threat of force or social constraint, most likely involving third-party exercisers of delegated power. Etzioni (1961) talked about two kinds of power: position power and persona/power Position power refers to ability to induce or influence others behavior because of ones position in the organization. French and Ravens (1959) legitimate power can be considered position power. Employees obey the orders of those who have formal authority or position power Taking my position as the ticket consultant, I find that Ive several powers that are directed towards both seniors and subordinates. One of the powers is persona/ power. i e this is where individuals derive their power from their own skills and efforts. Persona/ power is the extent to which subordinates are willing to follow the leader. This personal power has extended my affection, love, consideration, encouragement, recognition and attachment. Bass, Wurster and Alcock (1961) found that people want to be valued and esteemed mainly by those whom they value and respect. Therefore people bestow such persons with personal power. It is therefore clear that personal power comes from below and can be taken away more quickly by the subordinates as compared to position power. French and Ravens Referent Power and Expert power would form part of personal power. Other than the personal power, which calls for respect from the seniors, there is also the power of authority. This power is mostly directed to the subordinates in the office. It can be subdivided into: Line authority. This is the authorityover subordinates inmy chain ofcommand. However this authority corresponds directly to the place within my chain of command and does not exist outside my chain of command i.e this power cannot be exercised beyond my department Staff authority. This is the rightof staff to counsel, advice, or make recommendations to line personnel, and as a member of staff, I feel this is one of the powers that I possess. This type of authority though doesnt give me the right to give line personnel orders that affect the mission of the line organization The managers, possess the power of authority and position power over their subordinates of which am one. Position power and authority have been interchangeably used in the present times based on Etizionis findings. This is by applying various tactics, some of which are: Authority to sanction, i.e. any permission or approval that makes any course of action valid is under them. Therefore any intention to misuse their power and an important idea seeking their approval results to waste. This influential principle dictates what and when.a choice is to be made. Michener and Burt (1975) examined factors responsible for leadership success in eliciting compliance. They reported that compliance was greater when leaders explained that their demands as good for the group, had power to punish persons who did not comply to the leaders commands, and had a legitimate right to make demands on subordinates. Another study (Gamson, 1968) suggested that leaders would shift toward coercion of subordinates if they perceived that they lacked subordinates approval but did have the legitimate authority for asking for compliance Authority to Reward i. e having the final say in matters pertaining to promotions, working is directed towards trying to appease the seniors, with a notion of hard work recognition that will lead to a promotion. This results to award of promotions without merit considerations. Persuasiveness contributes positively to powerfulness of managers while appeasement and doing favors to superiors contributes negatively to the same. Powerful managers perceive their subordinates behavior relatively more positively. Enforcing discipline, pressure for compliance, persuasiveness and authority to reward emerge then as important influence strategies to arrest dysfunctional employee behaviors. Exchange of favors on the other hand seems to be ineffective influence strategy as it helps in thriving dysfunctional employee behavior. Knowledge (granted or withheld, shared or kept secret) Knowledge can be expressed as expertise and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject or what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information As a sale consultant, Knowledge acquisition involves complex cognitive processes: perception, learning, communication, association and reasoning. Knowledge also helps sale consultant in understanding subject matter with the ability to use it for a specific purpose if appropriate. Situated knowledge is knowledge specific to a particular situation. A sale consultant can use various methods of generating knowledge, such as trial and error, or learning from experience, tend to create highly situational knowledge. One of the main benefits of the scientific method is that the theories it generates are much less situational than knowledge gained by other methods.[citation needed] Situational knowledge is often embedded in language, culture, or traditions.[citation needed] Knowledge generated through experience is called knowledge a posteriori, meaning afterwards. The pure existence of a term like a posteriori means this also has a counterpart. In this case that is knowledge a priori, meaning before. The knowledge prior to any experience means that there are certain assumptions that one takes for granted. For example if you are being told about a chair it is clear to you that the chair is in space, that it is 3D. This knowledge is not knowledge that one can forget, even someone suffering from amnesia experiences the world in 3D. See also: a priori and a posteriori. There is also partial knowledge. This whereby one discipline of epistemology focuses on partial knowledge. In most realistic cases, it is not possible to have an exhaustive understanding of an information domain, so then we have to live with the fact that our knowledge is always not complete, that is, partial. Most real problems have to be solved by taking advantage of a partial understanding of the problem context and problem data. That is very different from the typical simple maths problems one might solve at school, where all data is given and one has a perfect understanding of formulas necessary to solve them. This idea is also present in the concept of bounded rationality which assumes that in real life situation people often have a limited access of information and take decision accordingly. Another implication of knowledge is the scientific knowledge. The development of the scientific method has made a significant contribution to understanding of knowledge. Majoring on this concept of knowledge, a sale consultant has to be equipped with a method of inquiry which is based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. The scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses. Science and the nature of scientific knowledge has also become the subject of Philosophy. As science itself has developed, knowledge has developed a broader usage which has been developing within biology/psychology-discussed elsewhere as meta-epistemology, or genetic epistemology, and to some extent related to theory of cognitive development. Power of Persuasion Persuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding people and oneself toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means. Persuasion methods are also sometimes referred to as persuasion tactics or persuasion strategies therefore as sale consultant, one need to be equipped with these methods for effective running of the organization. These methods include: Reciprocity This is where by sale consultant tends to return a favor. This is especially when one feels something good has been done and needs to appreciate the effort. Commitment and Consistency Once people commit to what they think is right, orally or in writing, they are more likely to honor that commitment, even if the original incentive or motivation is subsequently removed. For example, in car sales, suddenly raising the price at the last moment works because the buyer has already decided to buy. Social Proof This is where by people tend to do things that they see other people are doing. For example, in one experiment, one or more confederates would look up into the sky; bystanders would then look up into the sky to see what they were seeing. Social value of unfamiliar people is ambiguous and requires a lot of effort to assess accurately. Given limited time and motivation, other people will often evaluate others based on how surrounding people behave towards them. For example, if a man is perceived to be in a company of attractive women, or is associated with them, then his perceived social value and attractiveness will be perceived to be greater. The implied cognition in this case would be All those girls seem to really like him, there must be something about him thats high value. If he is seen to be rejected by many women, his social value will be judged negatively. The implied cognition is then I just saw him being rejected by many women, there is probably a good reason why they dont like him. Liking People are easily persuaded by other people whom they like. People were more likely to buy if they liked the person selling it to them. Some of the many biases favoring more attractive people are discussed, but generally more aesthetically pleasing people tend to use this influence excellently over others. Scarcity Perceived scarcity will generate demand. For example, saying offers are available for a limited time only encourages sales. Propaganda is also closely related to Persuasion. Its a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of large numbers of people. Instead of impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience. The most effective propaganda is often completely truthful, but some propaganda presents facts selectively to encourage a particular synthesis, or gives loaded messages in order to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the cognitive narrative of the subject in the target audience. The term propaganda first appeared in 1622 when Pope Gregory XV established the Sacred Congregation for Propagating the Faith. Propaganda was then as now about convincing large numbers of people about the veracity of a given set of ideas. Propaganda is as old as people, politics and religion. Sources of power can provide organizational members with a variety of means for enhancing their interests and smoothing over or creating organization conflict.. For example, some people derive power because they have been given authority by the organization to tell others what to do.Other people might have particular expertise or knowledge which the organization is dependent on, which gives them power.Some individuals might not have formal authority or expertise but might be very popular and thus have power through their own personal. The following are some of the sources Formal authority: This is when one is the legitimate owner of an organization, is the chief executive officer, or the general manager, one can use this authority to make crucial decisions in an organization whether good or bad. Use of organizational structure, rules and regulations can change the scope of working in an organization. Ability to cope with uncertainty: this feeling makes one have an advantage over the rest of the members of an organization since one feels that the organization will depend on your idea once anything happens. Interpersonal alliances, networks, and control of informal organization : if one is capable of uniting the entire workforce, the seniors will hold you as a valuable asset which can be used in case of a conflict. The same is also true when maybe a manager possesses these traits over his/her subordinates .i.e. he/she can use them to convince the subordinates in case of a misunderstanding. Symbolism and the management of meaning: This is applicable to managers whose record of management is high and who lead by example. This makes the subordinates to fear and respect the senior. Some may also possess the power to control: scarce resources,decision processes knowledge and information, boundaries, technology, counter organizations. With this power of control, the organizations development is determined by how you use it. Sources of power depend upon mainly three abilities whish are: reduce uncertainty, lack of substitutes and centrality of activities. Uncertainty: resource control, information control, decision making control, substitutability, centrality and managing the boss. Since most of us work in socially intricate organizations where we need the help not only of subordinates but of colleagues, superiors, and outsiders to accomplish our goals, its important for us to bridge the power gap so formed because we must depend on people over whom we have little or no explicit control. Hence all members of an organization should use the interpersonal power relations that include, reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, reference power and expert power In reward power, the needs and wants of the people are put into consideration and their actions appreciated. In coercive power credible penalties are identified to deter unacceptable behavior and when done effectively rules and targets can be set. Reward and coercive power depend on the agents ability to bestow on the clients positive and negative outcomes, respectively. Using either of these bases will induce only a superficial change in the client; that is, none of the clients privately held beliefs, attitudes, or values are changed. Instead, only public compliance is obtained, the continuation of which depends on successful surveillance of the client by the agent. In the legitimate power, formal power can be used to maintain it while for effectiveness; politeness and sending of requests are applied. Its based on the targets belief that the agent has a legitimate right to exert influence, and that the target has an obligation to accept this influence. It leads to private acceptance that comes from within the target and as such it does not require surveillance by the agent in order to be successful. To maintain reference power, managers should show acceptance and positive regards and for effectiveness, they should use personal appeals where necessary. It depends on the targets identifying with the agent. It leads to private acceptance by the target through enabling the target to maintain a satisfactory relationship with the agent and see himself/herself as similar to the target on certain relevant dimensions. To maintain expert power managers should earn more relevant knowledge and try to explain the needs and reasons for request of proposals. Expert power of the agent depends on the targets attributing superior knowledge or experience to the agent. When such faith in the agent is present, expert power will again result in private acceptance on the part of the target. Contrary to the bases of power discussed above, informational is independent both of the person of the agent and of the agents relationship with the target, and is instead based on the perceived relevance and validity of the information. A related discussion of social influence processes in terms of compliance, identification, and internalization is offered by Kelman (1956, 1961; Raven, 1974). Bosses should also use power ethically i.e. ethical power means using logical power in the favor of humanity which comes from managers characters. There are some processes that use ethical power in a firm or organization which are: Reward power in ethical way should be used by managers as means to verify, compliance, make feasible and reasonable requests etc. Hence, all powers should be used ethically by all managers and all members of any organization. References 1. Cervero, R., Wilson, A. (1994). Planning Responsibly for Adult Education: A Guide to Negotiating Power and Interests. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2. Cervero, R. M., Wilson, A.L. (1998). Working the planning table: The political practice of adult education. Studies in Continuing Education, 20, 5-21. 3. Drennon, C.E., Cervero, R.M. (2002). The politics of facilitation: Negotiating power and politics in practitioner inquiry groups. Adult Education Quarterly, 52, 193-209. 4. Robbins Stephen P. (2003), Organizational Behavior (Tenth Edition), Prentice Hall of India Private Ltd. 5. Aswathappa K. (1991), Organisational Behaviour: Text, Cases and Games, Himalaya Publishing House. 6. Singh Yogendra Pandey Mamta (2004), Organisational Behaviour, A.I.T.B.S. Publishers. 7. Fincham Robin Rhodes Peter (2005), Principles of Organisational Behaviours, Oxford Press. Health Benefits of Swimming: Cultural Case Study Health Benefits of Swimming: Cultural Case Study Section A In the assignment, I have engaged in my chosen occupation which is swimming that I will be discussing in relation to meaning, form, purpose and performance components. Occupations are where individuals engage in activities that have meaning and purpose (World Federation of Occupational Therapists [WFOT], 2011). The chosen occupation will be explored in relation to individual meaning and socio-cultural meaning of how this could differ in other situations for others. The case study of Jessica, aged eight years old, female and has moderate cerebral palsy [CP] will be discussed in relation to my chosen occupation. The findings will also discuss how Jessicas social-cultural and occupational dysfunction impacts on her occupational participation; especially using my occupation as a therapeutic application. Occupational dysfunction identifies any difficulties that clients may have when engaging or performing in occupations (Reed, 2015). Therapeutic application defined as the therapeutic use of self-associating the link between relationship, efficacy and individuals involvement (Solman, Clouston, 2016). In addition, it will also explore whether Jessicas condition can have positive and negative effects on her health and well-being. Although physical and built environments impact on what and how people do things, it is the cultural context through which people understand and ascribe meaning to what they do (Whiteford, 2010). Meaning is the entire interpretive experience engaged in by an individual encountering an occupational form (Kramer, Hinojosa, Royeen, 2003). Cutchin Dickie (2013) do specify that occupations are forms of activity that create and re-create a multitude of our relationship with the worlds we experience. In addition, the result of engaging in occupations is vital to understanding the experience, social development and relates to well-being. Occupational form guides, structures, or suggests what is to be done by the person (Kramer, Hinojosa, Royeen, 2003; Nelson, 1994). Nelson (1988) stated that the form is observable and objective, but it can change, for example; completing an activity on your own and doing the activity with friends; the form may have an impact on meaning. The purpose is wha t it is experienced once an individual has engaged in the occupation, it provides meaning and motive for the individual (Kramer, Hinojosa, Royeen, 2003). My chosen occupation was swimming which I have engaged in individually. I see swimming as a leisure activity which means I engage in the activity in my free time within my own choice and it is fun (Poulsen, Ziviani, 2010). The meaning of engaging in swimming for me is that it provides exercise, reduces stress and time to myself. Nelson (1988) argued that the meaning may not positive, but the purpose gives a reason for engaging with a form. Culture provides scaffolding for informing and shaping an individuals perception of the different roles and behaviours that are important in the social group (Burke, 2003). As occupations are culturally placed, individuals can be influenced by other causes, for example, choice, personal need, the level of skills and gender expectations (Wilcock, Hocking, 2015). Performance components, for example, sensori- motor, cognitive, psychosocial, and psychological aspects are the elements of performance that occupational therapists assess and, when needed, in which they intervene for improving occupational performance (Duncan, 2011). Performance components that I have used in my occupation are a range of motion, strength and muscle tone within the neuromusculoskeletal category.   Performance components refer to what the person is thinking, feeling and doing, which leads to effective engagement in occupation (Strong, Gruhl, 2010). Section B In relation to Jessicas background, she was born in the United Kingdom and the parents are Chinese. There are specific values and beliefs within their culture which impact on how an occupational therapist is able to deliver a specific therapeutic program with the child. The Chinese community do not like their child to socialise with other cultures, especially receiving intervention from professionals and although education is an exception. The Home Affairs Committee (1985, p.14) stated that The Chinese community is still fairly conservative in nature, sticking well within its own created socio-economic subculture (Chau, 2013). The occupational therapist breaks down barriers and reassures parents. An occupational therapist creates an intervention when working with children, it is taken into consideration of the family and childs interests, including gaining an analysis of the childs behaviour and performance when engaging in occupations. It should be acknowledged that the familys pers pective may differ than the occupational therapists perception and to ensure what priorities are important to that particular child and family (Case-Smith, 2010). Jessica has moderate CP, she is quite an interactive child and has no language difficulties. Jessicas occupation dysfunction is that she does not often attend school as she frequently loses her balance when walking and uses a stick occasionally as she has long term chronic pain. Jessicas physical activity is minimal. Swimming will be used as a therapeutic application for Jessica to improve her general fitness levels, improve her gross motor skills, for example, walking or running and the benefits of using swimming in the long term. At the beginning of the intervention for swimming, it is one to one basis to start with to provide a person-centred approach and focusing on improving Jessicas gross motor skills and her confidence. Long term goal for Jessica is that she will be able to incorporate swimming into her routine, including swimming at school with other children. This would increase socialisation, makes swimming fun and whilst maintain fitness levels. Swimming as a physical activity for children with CP shows the benefits in improving chronic pain and preserves locomotor skills from deterioration in the long term (Declerck, Verheul, Daly, Sanders, 2016). It is agreed by Kelly, Darrah, (2005; p.69) that children with CP to improve fitness and function because of the properties of water, reduce excessive joint loading and promote strengthening while at the same time providing assistance to help support children with decreased postural control and muscle weakness. However, taking into consideration that all individuals are unique and have their own needs, it is argued that attention should be focused on the childs health and well-being, especially accessibility of activity, pain, fatigue and support network (Lauruschkus, Nordmark, Hallstrà ¶m, 2014; Whiteford Townsend, 2011). The World Health Organization [WHO], (1948) defined heath as the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Wellbeing is central to ones physical and mental health which includes quality of life and satisfaction (Bass, Baum, Christiansen, 2015). Long term goal for Jessica is that she will be able to return to school full time and increase improvement with Jessicas walking, with support from her teachers and parents (Duncan, 2011). Jessica will gradually increase the duration of attendance from half a day to one full day on a weekly basis, eventually, attendance will full time. Jessicas walking progress will be monitored by the occupational ther apist, family, and teachers. Leisure activities can be a creative therapeutic tool, or a targeted component of a holistic occupational performance plan (Polatajko, Davis, McEwen, 2015). It is essential that children with CP should be encouraged at an early age to participate in physical activity (Zwier, van Schie, Becher, Smits, Gorter, Dallmeijer, 2010) as it is known that children with CP have even lower physical activity levels than their typically developing peers (Maltais,   Wiart, Fowler, Verschuren, Damiano, 2014). Lack of physical activity has negative effects on health and wellbeing of children with CP especially an increased risk of health related conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, depression and heart disease (Bania, Dodd, Taylor, 2010; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2016). It may lead to potential barriers to enable participating in physical activity due to poor physical health and lack of support (Creek Lougher, 2011). There is evidence of therapeutic use i s that positive leisure engagement can improve subjective well-being, including short-term mood enhancement and longer lasting thoughts about life satisfaction in general. (Poulsen Ziviani, 2010). Furthermore, it is argued by Poulson Ziviani (2010) that choice and mastery are vital provision for a child to be satisfied with general life; consequently allowing a child to choose a physical activity that they enjoy enables a long term satisfaction (Preston, 2009). According to Harris, Yuill, Luckin, (2007) when an individual engages in activities that are meaningful, it may deliver a suitable level of challenge and interest which encourages mastery-oriented approach. When an individual has a long-term neurological condition, it may have an impact on the choice, control and potential abilities of the individual to engage in occupations which are meaningful (Stadnyk et al., 2010). Therapeutic knowledge is required in making decisions about leisure interest that match the childs abilit ies and interests and meet the familys needs and resources (Rodger, 2010). In conclusion, a holistic approach to working with individuals is paramount and knowledge about socio-cultural issues is required to understand many possible barriers. It is important that occupational therapists focus on the meaning than the purpose when individuals engage within an occupation. It is essential to allow individuals to have the control that allows them to be confident and capable to continue to engage in occupations independently, therefore helps them not to be reliant on others (Duncan, 2011; Crist, 2010). Wilcock, Hocking, (2015) argued that meaning, purpose, control and choice is fundamental for a quality of life, health, and well-being.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Veterinary Medicine Essays -- essays research papers

Veterinary Medicine For my agriculture report, I chose to do a report on veterinarians. I chose this career field because I like working with animals and learning about them. While doing my report I learned more then I thought there was to learn about animals and becoming a veterinarian. I learned how long it takes to become a veterinarian, what my chances are on being accepted by a veterinary college, what veterinarians do, and much more. Veterinary Medicine is a branch of medical science that deals with the prevention, cure, or alleviation of diseases and injuries of animals. There are about 55,000 veterinarians and of that only 15,000 or so are women. Many veterinarians work for federal, state, or local governments, inspecting food, supervising laws that protect human and animal health, or dealing with environmental problems. Many veterinarians treat all animals, but in recent years and in the densely populated areas of the country, many have limited their practice to pets. Some specialize in the treatment of certian populations such as horses, cattle, poultry, or zoo animals. A small number of veterinarians are employed as managers of large feedlots for beef - cattle, large dairy cattle operations, and many of the increasingly large poultry farms. A few veterinarians are now becoming involved in embryo transfer work, in which fertilized eggs are removed from superior donors and transferred into the uterus of a cow of lesser genetic qualities. A minimum of six years ...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Anti News Media Censorship Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Anti News Media Censorship†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The best method of informing the public is using television. As a result, the news is televised. Many believe that it is the job of the news media to report to the public what is happening in society. Some, on the other hand, claim that the news media are only interested in increasing their ratings and that they achieve this by reporting events that are of a violent and outrageous nature. Some people who believe this also believe that violence in the news has a direct effect on our society. To them this effect would be influencing people's behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The news media's main goal is to inform the society about world events. Their task is to notify their viewers of new developments around the world. News broadcasts generally strive for accuracy in reports. These reports are presented in an unbiased manner otherwise they would mislead their viewers. It is because the masses do not wish to be mislead that the viewers expect these qualities. Censorship should not be imposed upon the news media because the news is merely circulating to society what is happening right now.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a result, the news has done nothing but simply display...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Jock Culture Essay

In 1975, Robert Lipsyte wrote â€Å"Jock Culture† which was in â€Å"The Sportsmaster.† It didn’t appear in â€Å"The Nation† until 2011. Analysis will examine the credibility of the examples used by the author to stage his claims. Robert is a sportswriter and a broadcast journalist who is also known for his young adult novels. He was born in 1938 in the Bronx. Throughout his childhood, he would’ve described himself as a â€Å"puke.† He was bullied and felt like an outcast. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in English from Columbia University at only 19 years of age. He also received his Master’s degree in journalism. When Lipsyte was a reporter and writer for The New York Times, he published more than 500 columns, & is the author to nearly 30 books. He became a sports commentator for National Public Radio, an on-air essayist for CBS and NBC, and was even the host of a public television show, The Eleventh Hour, which he won an Emm y for. To this day, Robert continues to write both nonfiction and fiction work. Basically, Robert is targeting everyone, both jocks and pukes. Judging by his descriptions of jocks, he assumes none would end up reading this article anyway, so is main focus is â€Å"puke.† Jock Culture glorifies the young, the strong and the beautiful, and Lipsyte gets the tragic implications. Although in his article, he describes himself as a puke, it seems as if he would fit better under the jock section. Given the competitive journalism, he probably owes his success as a sports writer in some measure to his own socialization in Jock Culture or whether his socialization into success in those savage precincts renders him now more sympathetic than he would otherwise be to Jock Culture. He goes on to talk about that there are more than just these 2 categories of people or you can fall under both categories. Boys are taught to be tough, stoical, and aggressive, to play hurt, to hit hard, and to win in every aspect of their lives. Jocks could also be pukes though, they have the jock mentality, and the puke work ethic. They come to work sick, they strive to be the best. It goes to show that there can be more than just the 2 groups. Robert  describes Jock Culture as a danger to the common good, and a distortion of sports. â€Å"It is fueled by greed and desperate competition .† (pg 350) Jock Culture applies the rules of competitive sports to everything. It’s to keep the fear of being known as â€Å"feminine† to the others. You want to be known, overall, as the alpha male, or masculine at least. At a young age, most kids are thrown into peewee sports and classified from then on in that point of their lives, as either a jock or puke. Which is where all the horror starts with Jock Culture. As they grow older, it gets worse, in high school, the jocks are looked up too. As if they belong on a throne or are â€Å"godlike.† This what Robert is trying to explain basically in paragraph 7 and 10. It didn’t use to be all bad like this with Jock Culture. Sports were a way of being taught leadership, teamwork, responsibility, respect, and bravery. Now, it has become a cockpit of bullying, violence, and a commitment to the â€Å"win at all costs† attitude. Which is why Robert is pushing to show the dangers of what Jock Culture actually does to people, especially at a young age. â€Å"Pukes† get out casted but grow up and become writers or such while jocks, the â€Å"in† group, grow up to be stockbrokers or the like, because of the competitive culture the jobs come with. Overall, Jock Culture is everywhere, and very difficult to steer away from. It’s a stupid wasteful destructive madness and there’s nothing good in it. Lipsyte is ri ght to be worried about the growing dominance seen starting earlier and earlier in young boys, but he has scarcely begun to scratch the surface of the hell of Jock Culture and the impact it makes on earth, and not only our youth, but our adult population as well.