Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Differences Between Prejudice And Stereotyping

Lately in Freshman Seminar we have been discussing topics that relates to me and my other classmates as well. The different types of topics we have been discussing are prejudice, stereotyping, and propaganda. I received a clear understanding on the difference between prejudice and stereotyping. Those two words often gets defined or interpreted wrong. In class, we had also discussed the different type of conflict styles/resolutions. These topics are encountered in everyday lives. By different types of conflict resolutions relating to at least one of the topics. One conflict resolution I had learned about was forcing. Forcing resolution is when the issue is more important than the relationship. Forcing is the power made operative against resistance. An example of this conflict resolution relating to me, is when I chose to do group work with a person that is going to work, but at the end they don’t. This relates to the propaganda saying negative things about the competition. Say ing negative things about competition propaganda is the person lie and try to persuade you something, that’s not true. I had found out that they wasn’t going to do any work by me coming up with all the ideas and having to use my own brain to think. The person did simple tasks like getting the poster board and markers. This student was popular in school. So this made me have a stereotype on all popular people. Thinking they let the people who are smart or capable of understanding do all the work. MyShow MoreRelatedPrejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination Essay1414 Words   |  6 PagesMost people have experienced prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination at some time in his or her life. There is no doubt social discrimination, prejudice, and hostility still create serious problems and challenges, even in today’s apparently more and more individualized and â€Å"enlightened† society. This paper will discuss prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination in the context of social psychology; what the consequences of stereotyping and discrimination are; and strategies to improve attitudesRead MoreEssay on Is Stereotyping Inevitable?1740 Words   |  7 PagesPrejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping are important topics at the cause of debating within social psychology. A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people, in which certain traits cling to all members, regardless of actual individual variation (Akert, Aronson, Wilson, 2010). As humans, people assign objects and individuals into categories to organize the environment. Individuals do this for not only organization, but also survival. Is stereotyping inevitable? That is theRead MoreStereotyping : Can We Prevent Stereotypes?1557 Words   |  7 PagesStereotyping is one of the few activities that must be prevented at all costs, due to the fact that it brews rage and hatred amongst the people in our daily society. First things first, Stereotyping is basically a belief of a certain group of people, for example, all African-Americans are excellent in sport activities. Stereotype is similar, but not the same, to prejudice, the feeling of a person based off of their social status , and discrimination, the action of treating others different basedRead MoreLanguage and Culture1039 Words   |  5 PagesLanguage and Culture Differences in cultural language: what is the significance and how does it affect the world? As the world becomes more interconnected by technological advances, the need for interpersonal communication among different cultures has become evidently clear. It is quite obvious that ones culture affects almost all of ones communication behaviors. In â€Å"Language Reflects Culture,† and article written by Margaret Cote, she states that â€Å"language determines the way a person viewsRead MoreStereotype and Prejudice784 Words   |  4 Pages------------------------------------------------- Associate Program Material Stereotypes and Prejudice Worksheet Please complete the following exercises, remembering that you are in an academic setting and should remain unbiased, considerate, and professional when completing this worksheet. Part I Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each: * Race * Ethnicity * Religion * Gender * Sexual orientation Read MorePrejudice and Stereotyping1460 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Introduction Social science distinguishes between prejudice and stereotyping: Stereotypes involve learned generalizations about typical characteristics of members of the groups. Prejudice, on the other hand, is evaluative in origin and usually comes from felt negative conditions experienced, or perceived, in connection with an alien group (e.g., Hoyland Sears, 1940). The two, therefore, although similar in consequence are utterly distinct: one is cognitive in origin, whilst the other is evaluativeRead MoreStereotypes Against Indian People in Thailand1269 Words   |  5 Pageswas trying to avoid the Indian passenger due to certain stereotype toward the Indians. To recognize stereotyping prejudice on Campus: In my observation on campus, Thais often avoid sitting with or be friends with Indians. Some Thais avoid Indians only because of their different skin colors, body odor, and different fashion of clothing. However, also due to the idea of stereotype and prejudice people have toward Indians, people tend to automatically generalize every Indians to be the same. ThisRead MoreAppedix C673 Words   |  3 Pagestreatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the| | |grounds of race, age, or sex. | |Institutional discrimination |Unfair prejudice against individuals as a result of the way an organization works or | | |delivers services. | |Political correctness Read MoreA Social Psychological View Of The Help. The Movie, The1423 Words   |  6 Pageswomen fought racism and prejudice by becoming unified with one another. This paper will address how prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, and inequality affect the characters and their relationships in the story. Prejudice Prejudice is defined as â€Å"negative feelings toward persons based on their membership in certain groups† (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). There are several examples of racial prejudice within the movie, but the most interesting display of prejudice comes between women of the same raceRead MoreThe Impact Of Social Stratification On Minorities1195 Words   |  5 Pageshierarchy. For example, There are fundamental principles of stratification: slavery, caste, and class. The class system which is characterized by its social mobility social stratification is a characteristic of society not because of individual differences, but because social stratification persists over generations. Each of these groups is stratified into its own class; the group of people ranked most closely to them in property, power, and prestige. A person’s position in the stratification system

Friday, December 20, 2019

Ikea Case Study on Marketing - 22843 Words

University of Halmstad School of Business and Engineering Bachelor Degree A creation of competitive advantage by using differentiation of company’s strategy actions. The case study of IKEA Sweden with experiences on Chinese and French markets. Dissertation in Marketing Credit point level – 10 ( 15ECTS) Supervisor: Venilton Reinert Authors: Landry Capdevielle Min Li Paulina Nogal Halmstad, 23rd of May 2007 The table of contents Introduction..........................................................................4 Problem .................................................................................................................................. 5 Purpose†¦show more content†¦29 Furnishing and house building at the same time .............................................................. 30 Promotion ............................................................................................................................. 30 Price...................................................................................................................................... 32 Place ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Distribution of products ................................................................................................... 35 PEST analysis about France ............................................36 Political aspects .................................................................................................................... 36 Generalities....................................................................................................................... 36 Business politics in France............................................................................................... 36 Social pressure groups...................................................................................................... 36 Economical aspects .............................................................................................................. 37 Production sectorsShow MoreRelatedThe Key Ingredients Between A Successful Company And A Non Successful One1650 Words   |  7 Pagesfactor, efficient marketing is bound to get a company to their desired outcome, regardless in what business field they are in. Ikea, a global furniture company, has created a strong marketing strategy along with a strong marketing planning process that has help their brand a lot. They have really strong brand recognition, loyal customers, and are increasingly growing. Their marketing efforts have truly help set them apart from their competitors. In other to have a great marketing strategy, they developedRead MoreGlobal Business Environment: Interview With IKEAs Senior International Manager1139 Words   |  5 Pagesfor this paper is Mr. Jeff Anderson, who has been in the international business for more than a decade. Mr. Jeff is the senior International manager at IKEA and is working with IKEA since last 10 years. He often visits different countries that have IKEA stores; and has been to Europe, Middle East, North America, Australia and United Kingdom. IKEA is recognized as the global business of retail home furnishings and house ware and is counted in the list of firms that have adopted a rapid internationalizationRead MoreIKEAs Use of Store Environment to Achieve Competitive Advantage1303 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿IKEA: Use of Store Environment to Achieve Competitive Advantage Spatial and place concerns are the most detrimental issues of modern day marketing approach. There has been an increased emphasis on sensory marketing as a new addition to the branding literature (Hoyer). Companies and brands are realising the importance of involving the customer in non-product characteristics of their sale. The retailer is constantly interplaying with various places through different resources including business unitsRead Morebusiness1116 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ BTEC Centre Guangdong AIB Polytechnic College Unit Unit 19: Marketing Planning Class 2011 HND Marketing Assignment A1: Compiling Marketing Audits and Examining Barriers in Marketing Date issued Apr 28, 2014 Date deadline Apr 19, 2014 Tutor BAO Yinglei IV QIU Ling Declaration: I am aware that cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated in any assignment and that this work complies with the requirements. Student’s Signatureï ¼Å¡ (In Pinyin) Read MoreSwot Analysis : A Swot1371 Words   |  6 Pagesand revising a business’ position before the future company direction is decided. Marketing plans require competitor analysis and SWOT analysis allows us to do this. Typically PEST is completed prior to a SWOT in order to supply information for the opportunities and threats. After the SWOT diagrams are completed of your business and your competitors’, marketing plan decisions will be easier and improved. Marketing should include the common weaknesses of the competitors as it would appeal to peopleRead MoreIs Marketing One Dimensional Problem Solving Discipline? Essay1368 Words   |  6 PagesIs Marketing One-dimensional Problem-solving Discipline? The increasing interest in marketing studies has heightened the need for further discussion of the managerial ideology of marketing. Although considerable research has been devoted to criticizing marketing studies, rather less attention has been paid to the social influence beyond the marketing itself. With regard to marketing, the first interpretation popping up in your mind probably would be selling products to customers by variety effectiveRead MoreIkea Case Study Analysis1117 Words   |  5 PagesIKEA- Case Study Political Risk Is the possibility that an unexpected and drastic change due to political forces will result in adverse circumstances for business operations. * 1998 the Russian Monetary policy finally collapsed-This caused a MACRO POLITICAL RISK for all companies operating in Russia, including foreign companies. * Due to this INTERNAL THREAT, all foreign companies left the country. IKEA also faced a political risk in Russia in terms of ORGANISED CRIME: Although developingRead MoreIkea Case Study Questions1745 Words   |  7 PagesMKT 4001 CONTEMPORARY MARKETING STRATEGY Ikea CASE STUDY Lecturer: Dr. Ian Michael BY SALMAN MAQSOOD SHEIKH M00122796 Word count - approx. 1700 WORDS Question 1 Develop a profile of the typical ikea customer. To what extent does this profile vary across countries? Ikea has managed to create an unbeatable atmosphere throughout each and every store they have opened world-wide. Paying attention to every little detail from beddings to photo frames, it gives visitors a sense of being at homeRead MoreIkeas Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs Essay1242 Words   |  5 PagesThe case â€Å"IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A)† is about IKEA’s development from a backyard company to one of the world’s largest furniture retailers, which has to deal with the issues of child labor and how they should behave considering economical issues and the company’s policy! Conclusions made in this study are only based on the facts given in the case, considering pros and cons of an action. How should Marianne Barner respond to the invitation for IKEA to haveRead MoreIkea Tows Analysis960 Words   |  4 PagesStudy paper on ikea TOWS Maxi-Maxi We have chosen to elaborate on the maxi-maxi problem which maximizes the strong sides and maximize the opportunities. The problem which we have discovered is that IKEA should focus on promoting their green products because it is a growing trend all over the world and we assume that it will keep growing for many years to come. This problem will be solved by using Ansoff’s intensification strategy. Therefore we have chosen to focus on the marketing mix in

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Decision to Enroll in College free essay sample

People have many decisions to enroll in college. The global economy now days demand an education beyond high school, whether it is a high skilled-certification a two year or four year degree. Some of my decisions to enroll in college were based on me preparing for my career, investment for my future, the flexible schedule, and to be able to look at aspects of a higher education. My decision to attend college online has had several advantages for me. The schedule is flexible. I can attend class whenever is good for me. I am able to work comfortable at my own pace, which allows me to do a lot more like work and attend to my three year old son needs. Therefore I am able to maintain all my work. Enrolling in college helps me to prepare for my career. Having a higher education helps with job training. Part of preparing for a career is learning how to analyze problems and finding a solution in a work environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Decision to Enroll in College or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page And understanding how to work with an expert is important part of preparing for your career. By making the decision to enroll in college is an investment for the future. A college degree will earn more than a high school diploma by a great percentage. In some companies having a degree will start you off in a higher position. Another advantage of having a degree it will give you a higher selection in the screening process for jobs that pay greater. Having a college degree in the twenty-first century makes a big difference and will take you a lot further in life. Once I have finally made the decision to enroll in college I can look forward to aspects of a higher education. Having a higher education will open the door for the student mind to learn more. It will also open the door for better oppourintys in life. In achieving each level of progress this allows for self advancement. Going to college allows the student to get good work after education. In conclusion there are many reasons to enroll in college whether you are investing in your future, wanting a higher education, or seeking career preparation, enrollment is the start. The greatest reason for enrollment everyone has to decide for themselves.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

A Portrait of The Artist Essay Example For Students

A Portrait of The Artist Essay Portrait of The ArtistA Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man Stephen, makes the claim that he perceives his identity as being selfcontained and non-contradictory. Being readers we see that this in actuality is almost a direct opposite of how Stephen has been living his life. As his mind jumps from thinking about a life as a man of god then to life as a man who can express his feelings he sees a women on a beach. This passage shows where Stephen attempts to apply his esthetic views. In this, the fourth chapter, Stephen confesses to the director that he has been thinking about becoming a priest. During this he thinks about the power that he could obtain from being part of the churchs clergy. At the end of the meaning however a dark warning that he must think of his decision. you must be quiet sure, Stephen, because it may depend the salvation of your eternal soul. It is almost like the priest had been reading the life of Stephen and knew that he had other worldly wishes. This final comment puts Stephen into mood that would in fact change his mind. During this time when Stephen is leaving the meeting James Joyce uses imagery as before in the novel to compel the reader to think of Stephen the artist. A quartet of young men .. stepping to the agile melody of their leaders concertina. This is where Stephen starts to think of the dull passionless life that awaited him. These troubles lead him into thoughts of the symbols of the church especially that of the Virgin Mary and how they are loosing their slots in his memory. These in turn are being replaced by images of freedom and the ease at which men of his kind can fall. His thinking leads him on a walk that passes by the ocean. In this part of the book is where Stephen tries to apply his esthetic understanding to a girl that he sees at the beach. When he sees her his mind transforms into a painters board where he transforms the girl into a strange and beautiful seabird. When he is describing this it is almost like the true Stephen is let loose and all that he wants to be is before him. He turns and looks away from her after his soul feels joy and he walks in the pure joy of the thing he saw. But then suddenly finds himself unknowing of where he is and how long he had been walking. However he had finally been able to open up to his eyes to the fact that he is not destined to be in the priest hood. This is how the passage shows development of Stephan as a young man and also as an artist. As with other sections of this book another contradiction is made. Right after Stephan decides that he wants to be a priest he turns the tables and finds his true calling to be a artist. I dont however truly believe that he is so much contradicting himself as much as it seems. As in most choices of life a series of events has to be set into motion to achieve a goal. Young catholic children are raised to respect the church and to try to be as close to those that they respect as possible. Young Stephen is not supposed to the man or artist that he wants to be and therefore hasnt been subjected to those surroundings that would let his mind progress in the way it wants to. It takes the image of a women who is almost unreal to set in motion the life of Stephen the Artist.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Odessey Essay Research Paper The Odessey free essay sample

The Odessey Essay, Research Paper The Odessey is a narrative that has changed literature and storytelling. In this narrative Odysseus is a Soldier from the conflict of Troy seeking to acquire place to his island of Ithaca, where he is king. His married woman and boy must wait ten old ages while he is seeking to do his manner place. In Odysseus # 8217 ; s absence suitor # 8217 ; s, or better known as suers, learn of his absence and travel to Ithaca to win his married woman # 8217 ; s manus in matrimony. These work forces come every twenty-four hours banqueting on Odysseus # 8217 ; s nutrient and vino, and give his retainer # 8217 ; s orders. His boy Telemachus, does his best to maintain the suers from destroying his male parents house but he is merely a male child, and doesn # 8217 ; t have the regard of an grownup. Telemachus so has a visit from the God Athena, whom Odysseus is friends with, who advises him to go to happen out about his male parent. We will write a custom essay sample on The Odessey Essay Research Paper The Odessey or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In his travels he hears that Odysseus may still be alive. Meanwhile Odysseus goes through a series of escapades and adversities that prove his wisdom. It is interesting in contrast of the Iliad, even though Achilles was much stronger and a better warrior, Odysseus was portrayed as a greater hero due to his wisdom. He uses this wisdom to get away from the Cyclops. On the Cyclops # 8217 ; s island Odysseus and his work forces are trapped and eaten as nutrient by a giant with merely one oculus. Odysseus commands his work forces to take an olive tree and carve a big interest from it. Then Odysseus gives the Cyclops all of their vino in order to acquire him imbibe. After the Cyclops degree Fahrenheit alls asleep they stab the steak into his one big oculus, therefore blinding him. Now with the Cyclops blind Odysseus and his work forces cleaving to the underside of sheep to avoid the Cyclops and flight. Even though the cyclops cheques everything go forthing his cave he doesn’t happen the work forces keeping to the underside of the sheep. This narrative coincides with the times in Greece. This was a clip that art and Philosophy were highly of import and respected by the people. Odysseus was a new type of hero that didn # 8217 ; t win by overmastering his oppositions, but by utilizing his head to overreach them. Mannerss besides seemed to play an of import function to Odysseus, as he was learned to be polite and generous to aliens and in the terminal punished those who weren # 8217 ; T. Odysseus, like most of his fellow soldiers, is a instead chesty greedy individual at the beginning of the verse form, and brings much grieve on himself by his actions. Yet the Gods are no better than he is and their penalty of Odysseus and his crew has more to make with the urges of the Olympians than the wickednesss of the persons. Athena herself would non assist Odysseus while he was sailing, for she did non desire to travel against her brother, Poseidon # 8217 ; s wants. Poseidon was upset that he had blinded the Cyclops since that was his boy. As the God of the sea he made it every bit hard as possible for Odysseus to do it place. Poseidon, nevertheless, disregards the fact that his boy was utilizing Odysseus and his work forces as nutrient, and would of course make anything to get away.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer essays

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer essays A mischievous boy who does whatever he wants. The life of this boy is almost liberal to as an adult and his Aunt Polly isnt helping much. He decides that this life isnt for him and runs away with a couple of his friends. This story was based on the authors experience as a boy. The story was about a boy named Tom who like all boys in his society hate to go to school. The love, Becky Thatcher, breaks his heart and after this he witnesses a murder of the young Doctor Robinson to a Native American Injun Joe. Tom and Huck runaway and make an oath to never tell anyone of what they just seen. They find out that their funeral is going to take place and hurry to witness it. Rejoiced by all of his friends back at his home he decides to stay and not come back. After the Muff Potter trials began he began to feel really guilty and testified against Injun Joe. When Potter is acquitted Injun Joe escapes from a window. He flees to an abounded house. Tom and Huck decide to go look for treasure at the same house in that house and not aware of Injun Joes presence. Injun Joe is under the suspicion that someone maybe in that house as well other than him so instead of reburying the gold he decides to take it. Huck find him and watches his every move to nab the gold. Meanwhil e Tom goes off to the cave to have a picnic with his classmates. He and Becky Thatcher get lost in the cave and run into Injun Joe. The search party is sent and when they were just about to give up out comes Tom and Becky. Judge Thatcher locks the cave so Injun Joe can starve to death. Tom and Huck come back to the cave and discover a box of gold. It is invested in them and then Huck decides to runaway from civilization. Tom said if he comes back he can join his group to robbers. Obviously, Huck agrees. This story was based on the authors experience because, when he was younger, he would do a lot of the thing Tom and Huck would do. He would go have adventures w ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Economic Situation In Slovenia Post Financial Crisis Research Paper

Economic Situation In Slovenia Post Financial Crisis - Research Paper Example Slovenia is a developed state in the central Europe which experienced a period of boom between the years 2004 to 2006, when the economy grew at a rate of 5 % per annum. The economic growth surge was mainly due to the rising expenditure (mainly in construction) supported by public debt (OECD, 2015). However, after the global recession of 2007, Slovenia entered in a period of financial austerity to reduce its burden of debt which was earlier created by bailing out its banks. Slovenia’s austerity programmes were aimed at reducing its budget deficit caused by the amounted debt. The austerity policies of the government hence included the rise in the tax rates or introduction of new taxes, reduction of public expenditure and privatisation of state owned companies (Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor; communications operator Telekom Slovenija; airline Adria Airways; Ljubljana airport and Elan ski manufacturer). Such kind of financial strictness often results in rising unemployment; fall in c onsumption level and higher debt to GDP ratio (despite being fall in the budget deficits). With advent of rising debt obligations of Slovenia, financial austerity is a well justified approach by the government. The easier accessibility to credit and the meagre risk assessment prior to the crisis had resulted in such unsustainable debt. The economic reforms in the form of financial consolidation, privatisation and recapitalization of banks were hence required to drive the credibility of the country in financial market.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Commercial Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Commercial Law - Essay Example According to the problem, Gill who had made hire-purchase contract with Bob’s Motors by exchanging her Ford Fiesta with Nissan Micra by overlooking her previously made contract with Universal Finance. Besides, the third problem in this case depicts the issue of serious engine fault in a second-hand Nissan 370Z sports car by Hussein after purchasing it from Bob’s Motors. Therefore, the study provides relevant advice to Hampshire Hire Ltd, Universal Finance Ltd and Joan along with Hussein on the basis of the case situation. The discussion of the study provides the claims that can be made by each party relating to the case and also ensures to demonstrate effective remedies that are available for the parties to claim their responsibilities. With reference to the problem associated with the case of Bob’s Motors Ltd., it has been ascertained that John, a key representative of the company (Bob’s Motors Ltd.) had entered into a valid contractual agreement with Hampshire Hire Ltd. for selling Nissan Note cars for  £13,000 each. According to the deal, Bob’s Motors is likely to deliver four new Nissan Note cars on 25th June 2014. In the similar context, Hampshire Hire has accepted the terms and conditions of the contract and agreed to carry the pre-ordered vehicles at his own risk. However, the transporter had undergone natural calamities that led all the pre-ordered Nissan Note cars by Hampshire Hire to explode. In this context, Bob’s Motors has denied to take the responsibility regarding the incident. Subsequently, it can be stated that the incident associated with the explosion of four Nissan Note cars during the delivery to Hampshire Hire occurred due to lightning. In relation to the concern associated with the case of Hampshire Hire, the occurrence of such unavoidable incident can be termed under the consideration of Force Majeure. According to Sale of Goods Act in English contract law, it

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Victim Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Victim Interview - Essay Example interviewee provided information that matches with the nature of his work during the accident, date, time, the magnitude of the injury and the aftermath. In September 2010, an employee whose name will remain withheld was going about his normal duties at his usual work place. As a mansion at a construction site, the interviewee’s responsibilities included pushing, lifting, carrying, pulling and throwing variety of objects at work. A track had offloaded several building blocks some few meters from the construction site on the day of accident. At this stage of construction, the major building works were happening in the second floor of the same building. This implied that some of the workers had to carry the bricks physically to the second floor. This task involved bending or squatting to reach for the brick, lifting, the block and then transferring it to an appropriate position of the body, preferably on the shoulders. The interviewee would then carry the load on his shoulders as he climbs up the stairs up to the second floor. Upon reaching the destination, he would transfer the load from the shoulder into his hands before caref ully lowering it to the ground. The interviewee started on well and was registering encouraging progress as manifested by the diminishing number of bricks at the site of the offload. However, as time went elapsed and the number of trips increased, most of the employees started showing signs of exhaustion. My interviewee began to feel pain in his back, shoulders, waist and knees but the pressure from his supervisors to get the job finished was overwhelming. Although the job was later completed, my interviewee was taken to the hospital after he collapsed due to the immense pain he encountered from the slave like task. He complained of general body pains but especially on the shoulders, back, waist and the knees. The incident that happened on 2 September 2010 led to the sustenance of immense injuries on the body. The interviewee’s body had

Friday, November 15, 2019

2012 London Olympic Games Construction Essay

2012 London Olympic Games Construction Essay My report is based on the 2012 Olympic Games project in London, the selected contractor submitted detailed documentation and project details which were evaluated reviewed by the clients. All the documents deal with all type of administrative procedure, procurement strategy among others. The report also explained all items involved in the construction industry coming from the project history, the pre-construction and post-construction stage. This report will benefit the client as to the successful completion of the project due to organize administrative procedure of procurement strategy. 1.2 Project Brief or History The London 2012 Olympic Games, the Project Brief was a high level document that outlined the objectives and operational requirements for each project. As the project progressed through the different Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stages of the design process, the brief was developed to form Initial Brief Design brief Project Brief The initial brief was used to set out the initial ODA requirements of the project and informed the development of the design through RIBA design stages A/B. It captured the data from the Project Initial Document and the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) Venue Requirements and described what the Design team was required. The design brief defined what will be the next phase of the project that should be delivered and informed the RIBA Stages C/D. It focused on the technical requirements and the measurable criteria defined during Design development. The Project Brief The London 2012 Olympic Games projects are including 1 to 10 Milestone base as below Milestone -01, Construction of the Olympic Stadium Milestone -02, Construction of the Aquatics Centre Milestone -03, Construction of the Velodrome Milestone -04, Construction of the International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre(IBC/MPC) Milestone -05, Construction of the Handball and Basketball Arenas Milestone -06, Construction of the Lee Valley White Water Centre Milestone -07, Construction work on Eton Manor and the Royal Artillery Barracks Milestone -08, The External Structure of the Olympic Village Milestone -09, Construction of all Permanent Bridges Milestone -10, Construction work at Stratford Station Including the project photo Appendix -B Under the Project Brief, the following are included: Project Name- 2012 London Olympic games Project Value-  £9,298m-the Public Sector Funding Package Contract Period Construction took four years from 2007 to 2011. Project Procurement Method- design and build Awarded Main Contractor Name- Sir Robert McAlpine Barr Construction Carillion ISG Balfour Beatty Consultant Name : Architect Populous Wilkinson Eyre Architects KSS Design Group Hopkins Architects, Grant Associates Zaha Hadid Architects Structural and services engineers, Planning Buro Happold Expedition Engineering Hyland Edgar Driver Ove Arup Partners, BDSP SKM Savilles Hepher Dixon Project client IOC, LOCOG, ODA, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, 02. Chapter 2.1. Identified Various People / Organisations London 2012 Olympic Games Organizations involved in key Project Stakeholders Olympic Delivery Authority : (OAD) The London Organizing Committee of the Olympics Games: (LOCOG) The Greater London Authority (GLA) British Olympic Association (BOA) The Government (MPA, 2006). And also in additional The Mayor of London Olympic Park Legacy Company London Development Agency (LDA) British Paralympic Association (BPA) The Olympic Board (OB) International Olympic Committee (IOC) International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Their main functions are to collectively advice and provide assurance to the board (MPA, 2006). These stakeholders have different perceptions as to what constitute success. While they all have different responsibilities towards the success of the game, their individual objectives has to be met. It is worth noting that their varying objectives were well reconciled as per the game. Shared understanding was created among them and reconciliation of objectives was easy because one of the predominant overarching aims of both the UK government and IOC for the games is sustainability among the Consultant, the main Contractor, the Sub-Contractor and the Supplier. The more details including the Appendix-A 2.2. Financing Structure/Final Cost The financing structures are two distinct aspects of the London 2012 Olympic Games, the preparation for the games by the ODA and LOCOG operational budget running the games. The Secretary of state for culture, media and sport announced, in an oral Statement to the house, that the budget for the preparation of the 2012 London Olympics had increased from an initial estimate budget of  £ 2.375 billion, at the time of the bid the estimated cost of the Games was  £4 billion:  £3 billion for the Olympic Park and an element for elite and community sport; and  £1 billion as part of the wider Lower Lea Valley regeneration (excluding tax and wider security costs). Following a review by the Government a revised funding cost was announced in March 2007 of  £9.325billion, as details below Table-01. The Budget as Announced for the Games on 15 March 2007 Item Description Amount Million ( £) 1 Core Olympic Costs -Olympic Delivery Authority(ODA) 3,081.00 2 Infrastructure and regeneration costs associated with the Olympic park and other venues 1,673.00 3 Contingency (Excluding Tax) 500.00 4 Total ( Net of Tax )(1+2+3) 5,254.00 5 Other (Non ODA),Olympic Cost 388.00 Other Provisions Policing and Wider Security 600.00 Tax (on ODA Costs) 836.00 General programme Contingency (including tax) 2,247.00 6 Total Provisions 3,683.00 Grand Total (4+5+6) 9,325.00 Overall Revised Budget 9,325.00 Table -01 The 2012 Olympic Games over-all budget (9.325 Billion ( £) were distributed to all stockholders and summarized as follows on Table-02. Public Funding Available Item Description Amount Billion ( £) 1 Exchequer 5.975 2 National Lottery 2.175 3 Greater London Authority 0.925 4 London Development Agency 0.250 Total Cost(1+2+3+4) 9.325 Table -02 However, on 24 March 2010, the Awarded budget was reduced to  £ 27m and breakdown as follows Table 03: Item Description Amount Million ( £) 1 Olympic Delivery Authority(ODA) ODA Base Cost Including VAT 6,100.00 Programme Contingency 968.00 Funders Contingency 1,004.00 Total Available to ODA 8,072.00 2 Non-Olympic Delivery Authority(ODA) Elite and Community Sports 290.00 Paralympic Games 66.00 Look of London 32.00 Security 600.00 Security Contingency 238.00 Total Non ODA 1,226.00 3 Total Public Sector Funding Package (1+2) 9,298.00 Overall Original Budget 9,298.00 Table -03 The 2012 Olympic Games over-all Revised budget (9.298 Billion ( £) were distributed to all stockholders and summarized as follows on Table-04. Sources of Funding Item Description Amount Billion ( £) 1 National Lottery 2.175 2 London (GLA and LDA) 0.875 3 Central Government 6.248 Total Cost(1+2+3) 9.298 Table -04 Unveiling the governments final quarterly budget update, the sports minister, Hugh Robertson, said that at a conservative estimate the final cost of the Games would be  £8.921billion against an overall original budget of  £9.298billion 2.3. Project Procurement Structure/Methodology The specific new construction of Olympic stadium, the project leadership has been established, and then the procurement method will be accepted. The project was procured on a design and build basis. A method where the contractor is responsible for undertaking both the design and the construction of the work in return for a lump sum price. There are variants on this option depending on the degree to which initial design is included in the clients requirements. Appointment of a contractor is often by two stages tendering, thus keeping a competitive element, but not expecting every tenderer to produce full proposals. The clients requirements can range from a simple accommodation schedule to a fully worked out scheme design, but generally should be matched by the contractors proposal For design and build procurement there are three main types of contract: Package Deal or Turnkey Contract Design and Build Contracts Contractors Design Obligations Contractors Design for Specific Elements Only The project procurement plan includes the following: Sourcing materials with low embodied carbon Minimizing waste at source, promoting use of secondary materials Policies on eco Ecologically sensitive materials: e.g Timber and Food Ethical procurement and fair employment Sourcing healthy materials and ensuring health and safety on site (ODA, 2009:1) The procurement plan is being implemented by a rigorous procurement process. All partners and collaborators will have to meet individual and overall criteria in order to contribute to the successful outcome of the plan. This will have to be made visible through product and service supply, engagement in relevant projects, promotion of behavioral change, consumers, employees and supply chains (ODA, 2009). 2.4. Main Forms of Construction Contract/Tender Document The New Engineering Contract (NEC) was used to facilitate all the necessary documents during the bidding and awarding stage. Both parties, the Client and the Contractor, agreed and closed the project based on the NEC contract. The NEC3 suite of contracts was selected because it provided the following key attributes in response to ODA, s Requirements. A flexible approach, providing a range of contract solutions relative to the level of design information available and procurement option being considered. The pro-active management of risk as an inherent and fundamental element of the entire contract forms. A collaborative approach supporting timely delivery, which is fundamental to ODA. Full visibility of cost (Except under option a contracts), supporting effective programme budget management. ODA has number of obligations under the London Olympic Games Act 2006, particularly around risk, brand protection and stakeholder rights, which necessitated changes to the standard NEC3 Contract Forms. These changes included, Additional collateral warranties for key interested parties Restrictions in change of ownership of tier 1 contractors Enhanced conflict of interest provisions Items NEC3 Contract and Option Usage Rationale 1 Engineering and Construction Contract Option- C (Target contract with activity schedule) Major and complex venues and infrastructure Target price was best fit to developing specification 2 Engineering and Construction Contract Option- A ( Priced contract with activity schedule) Other venues Designs were firm allowing cost certainty 3 Term Service Contrcat Option -A ( Priced contract with activity schedule) Logistics and security contracts Pricing schedules accommodated required flexibility in both volume of services required and scale ( through enhanced services schedules) The New Engineering Contract 2005 version 3 Engineering and Construction Contract recommends that the various methods of specifying the works should be adopted Option A C Activity Schedule Option B D Bill of Quantities Option E F A traditional Specifications or drawing The Olympic Delivery Authority used procurement through e-procurement system and methodology, particularly an evaluation system to enable delivery of its policy objectives and ambitions as follows: Sustainability and Legacy Design and Accessibility Equality and Inclusion Employment and Skills Health, Safety and Security Delivery of London Olympic Stadium in Time, Cost and Quality Tender documentations are: Activity schedule Method statement Working drawing BOQ Quantified Specification Work Schedules ( the word Item denotes pricing) Specification + Contract Sum Analysis or Schedule of Rates 03. Chapter 3.1. Construction Technology Challenges The London 2012 Olympic Games project was constructed with many construction challenges and new construction technologies. Some of which are as follows : Low-carbon concrete with 40 percent less embodied carbon was used for concreting structures. Surplus gas pipes were used to build the top ring of the Stadium. Recycled containers were used as toilet facilities. Demolished existing structures were placed on top of the ground that served as a solid base for the construction. To reduce the loads on the project, 75 percent lightweight steel materials were utilized in the construction. As part of the landscaping works. 500,000 plants were planted in the Olympic Parks wetland areas Due to new technologies that were adopted, only 10,000 tons of steel were used. Tensile roofings were used as to cover the ground bowl-like stadium. The project settled at 2,821 feet perimeter land and stands at 197 feet high. The Delivery Partner was comprised of three construction industry leaders, who were responsible for the construction of all new venues and infrastructure needed for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Olympic Park will house nine state-of-the-art venues including the Olympic stadium, velodrome and aquatics center. New Technology was used to fast track the project and attained the completion date of the Project. As the time is the essence, the constructions were done on a 24 hour basis as the design required new methodology to meet the criteria of the Project Specifications Methodological challenges that are anticipated include: Achieving adequate coverage of project-level evaluations, within the bounds of practicality, across legacy and sub-legacy themes, geography, demographics, project size/type etc; The complexity of the task and the interdependencies that exist between outcomes and impacts of different projects and programmes; The aggregation and synthesis of different measures and indicators, which may also be of varying quality; Assessing the impact and additionality of interventions in a consistent fashion; Ensuring value for money and benefits are being measured or estimated using credible evidence; Measuring intangible impacts using experimental measures such as subjective well-being and through custom techniques such as media content analysis; Measuring wider strategic impacts and added value generated through coordination of the organisations involved in planning and delivering legacy 3.2. Health and Safety Records/Achievement The HSE has published the first in a series of research reports on the London 2012 Olympics as part of a concerted effort to circulate the health and safety lessons learned from the Stratford project among the wider construction industry. There are so many magnificent aspects of London 2012 when it comes to Safety issues and this was achieved through the excellent safety record, especially during the construction phase. The park was built with zero construction fatalities. It shows the approaches to gain a good occupational Safety and Health. Some of the achievements are as follows: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) honored the Olympic Delivery Authority in a ceremony. More than 12,500 workers helped construct the venues and the Big Build of the site was hailed as the safest construction of an Olympic Stadium. The Executive started working with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) soon after London was awarded the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and set out clear targets of what standards were expected, encouraging strong leadership and sharing of good practice. Up to this month, the HSE has received reports of only 114 injuries and eight dangerous occurrences that occurred during the projects 66 million hours of work. And also the ODAs commitment to health and safety has been recognised by the British Safety Council (BSC) with its 5-star award, following an independent, rigorous audit of the ODAs health and safety management system and processes, in which the ODA received a score of 98 per cent. The ODA was also awarded the Sword of Honour, one of the most prestigious international health and safety accolades that an organization can receive, which is designed to encourage and reward organizations that work to best practice. All applicants must have already received 5 stars from the BSC 04. Chapter 4.1. Conclusion Based on the above submission, it can be concluded that the Construction of the facilities needed for the 2012 London Olympic Games were successfully done and completed to the satisfaction of the Client. This achievement was due to the following: Thorough evaluation of the Project Requirements as reviewed and evaluated by the Client. An organized procurement strategy within the UK and International market environments. Teamwork and coordination among the stakeholders Utilizing the familiar form of contract in UK Proper implementation of all construction methodology accepted in the construction industry. Proper planning and implementation to meet the required completion date. Utilizing new construction technologies and materials. Likewise, a complete record for health and safety were properly organized. A strict implementation of a Safety Plan were followed resulting to no fatalities or major injuries recorded. With respect to the financial aspect of the project, variation orders and cost were not clearly indicated as this will have a big impact on the total and final cost of the project involved. Nevertheless, the over-all aspect of the report can be recommended as it clearly shows that all necessary strategies and construction methodology will have a successful outcome as expected by the client specifically the completion of the project as per the time schedule, work quality and project cost. 05. Chapter 5.1. Bibliography Olayide Mutiu Adedeji, Senior Quantity Surveyor, February 20,2013 Company : CEG International Contact : Tel- +974-44551188 Fax +974-44551144 E-Mail: [emailprotected] Web: www.ceg-qatar.com Post: P.O. Box -3973, Doha Qatar Mohamed Azhar, Senior Quantity Surveyor, February 22,2013 Company : CEG International Contact : Tel +974-44551188 Fax +974-44551144 E-Mail: [emailprotected] Web: www.ceg-qatar.com Post: P.O. Box -3973, Doha Qatar Elajun E. Custodio, Civil Engineer, March 20,2013 Company : CEG International Contact : Tel- +974-44551188 Fax +974-44551144 E-Mail: [emailprotected] Web: www.ceg-qatar.com Post: P.O. Box -3973, Doha Qatar Mahmud Anees Senior Quantity Surveyor, March 15,2013 Company : KESO Contact : E-Mail: anees @yahoo.com Web: www.ceg-qatar.com Post: P.O. Box -3973, Doha Qatar

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Identity in James Baldwin’s Stranger in the Village and Zora Neale Hurs

Identity in James Baldwin’s â€Å"Stranger in the Village† and Zora Neale Hurston’s â€Å"How it Feels to be Colored Me† Everyone has a story, a past experience that has built them up to be the person that they are today. In both James Baldwin’s â€Å"Stranger in the Village† and Zora Neale Hurston’s â€Å"How it Feels to be Colored Me† the presence of conflicting views in their stories holds a large impact on how they later develop as individuals. While Baldwin’s piece demonstrates the ignorance from society which is projected onto him from Swiss villagers, it shares both similarities and differences to the attitudes demonstrated in Hurston’s piece influenced by her surroundings. Being that it is difficult to escape the past and the events that have brought strength through triumph, it is important to focus one’s attention on the present and into the future. Although the past determines who an individual is, the future determines who an individual will become. James Baldwin holds the ability to push through negative affiliations in order to reach self establishment. As demonstrated in â€Å"Stranger in the Village,† Baldwin is simply just a black man who â€Å"was motivated by the need to establish an identity† (196). Through his desire of recognition as a human being rather than as an object, Baldwin is willing to look past the ignorance of the Swiss villagers and focus on defining himself. Greeted by the children’s calls of â€Å"Neger! Neger!,† Baldwin unintentionally finds himself reminiscing (191). Although the children’s label is not meant in a derogatory fashion, it causes Baldwin to surrender to the racial indifference of his past. Baldwin attempts to disregard his unpleasant reflection and justify the fact that change has been made. ... ...experiences and refocus his or her energy toward the future, however, through the works of both James Baldwin and Zora Neale Hurston, it is shown to be possible. Through their experiences they worked to develop their identities, and through the present they looked toward the future in order to reach establishment. It is true that everyone has a story; however, it is up to each individual to take that story and make it his or her own by creating an identity for him or herself. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Stranger in the Village.† The Norton Reader. Ed. Linda H. Peterson and John C. Brereton. 11th ed. New York: Norton, 2004. 360-68. Hurston, Zora N. ""How It Feels to Be Colored Me." Grammar and Composition - Homepage of About Grammar and Composition. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Byzantine Empire and Greco-Roman Culture

The Byzantine Empire has a very strong connection to Greek culture. In 1453 A. D. the Byzantine Empire was very important in not just only the world, but also in terms of economic, political and militaristic strength. The Byzantine Empire was a significant part of the Roman Empire and historical research has helped unravel the strong relationship between the Byzantine Empire, Greek Heritage and culture.In addition to what I listed above, the Byzantine Empire was important because it maintained the given knowledge from the Greeks and the Romans The strengths of the Byzantine Empire are the preservation of Roman- Greek culture and cultural diffusion. When the Roman Empire collapsed in 476, the Byzantine Empire survived. As a result of this collapse, the empire served to preserve the majority of the Greek and Roman achievements for Western Europe.In the aspect of cultural diffusion, the Byzantine Empire not only helped to preserve Roman, Greek culture and Christianity but it also spread these ideas to other parts of the world. Another big impact of the Byzantine Empire are the achievements of architecture and art. The greatest example of this is the Church of Hagia Sophia. The purpose of this monument was to symbolize the unknown of Christian religion. A weakness of the Byzantine Empire is that the position of the church was detrimental to the Orthodox Church.It had no influence on the people, it did not have any control over a prosecuted ruler, it was not a substantial leader in education, and it lacked the power of growth. As a contribution of Islam to the Byzantine Empire, the Islam’s occupied the reconquered Byzantine territories and then proceeded to claim Jerusalem as a religious site for Muslims. They also took in the Persian Empire and went westward to North Africa.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Rudeness in America essays

Rudeness in America essays In my point of view, lack of education on proper behavior and good ethics is the main reason for increasing rudeness in our civilized and educated country. Therefore, the young generation in America doesnt even know the difference between rudeness and kindness. When my family and I moved to U.S. eight years ago, we had to deal with all kinds of rudeness and discrimination the first few years. It seemed like we were hated just for not talking to anybody and for dressing differently. Little kids would call us different names right in front of their parents, and would tell us to go back to Russia even though we came from Ukraine. However their folks, instead of telling them that such behavior is impolite, would just laugh with their kids encouraging them to do it again. Teenagers would kick our apartment door in the middle of the night and then would burst with laughter watching my dad in his pajamas and barefooted, chasing one of them. Even adults, who seem to have some life experience and basic knowledge of proper behavior, would act rudely by parking their cars in our parking space knowing that we wouldnt call the towing company due to a language problem. These and many other examples show how rudeness and even violence can be passed from generation to generation. As a result, rising population who never been taught differently, take this kind of rude behavior for granted thinking that this is the only way to live and survive. They adjust themselves to this kind of lifestyle passing it every day to the people around them, therefore the effects of that could be seen instantly and in a long term. Some people become aggressive, lose their temper, and get into fights over miner misunderstandings. Others, more emotional and who been often rude to, close inside of themselves from the rest of the world, loose their self-esteem and fall into depression, which often leads to either suicide or m ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Ayatollah Khomeni essays

Ayatollah Khomeni essays What Were The Significant Influences of Religion Upon Ayatollah Khomeinis Leadership Style? Ayatollah Khomeini was born in 1902. After his initial religious training he taught in the major Shi'i theological school at Qom, but was exiled for his opposition to the government of the Shah, Reza Khan. Living in Paris after 1978 he orchestrated the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran. He became both the political and religious leader of the country throughout the protracted Iran-Iraq war, until he died in 1989. Ruhollah Khomeini can be portrayed as one of the most seminal and enigmatic characters of the twentieth century. In no small way has his influence touched our lives, even, or perhaps especially, here in the detached atmosphere of a western first world country, and herein lies the dilemma: Khomeini represents a type of politico-spiritual leader virtually unheard of in the West save the token titles of ruling monarchs in Victorian England. This, combined with the different social implications of Islam compared to Christianity leaves a wide gap in our perceptions, and therefore our ability, to produce an objective analysis. There are many factors to be considered when evaluating the leadership of an individual, and these will vary significantly in effect from leader to leader, but with one proviso there will always be a single unifying purpose. It is this purpose that drives the individual to greatness, or alternatively, excess, and in Khomeini this manifested itself in the form of religious fanaticism. Religion in the Islamic world governs every facet imaginable of society, from law to education to social customs, and the clerics hold great sway over public opinion. This essay will attempt to address the implications of this religious control when utilised by a charismatic, single-minded individual, and how a sufficiently eloquent orator can twist the emotions of the populace. Now, in the light of recent tra...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Operating a Retail Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operating a Retail Business - Essay Example The main daily operations management role are cash handling, safety and security, visual merchandizing, customer services, and inventory and stock management (Pinson2004) . Cash handling is an essential operation of any business .The business involves selling of artifacts on cash basis and so management of cash must have tight internal controls. In addition, since the aim of the business is to make profit, the amount of cash is an essential measure of profitability and a mean of covering operating expenses. The most appropriate cash management technique is computerized (electronic) cash management system (Balkin &Cardy, 2008). Customers are assets in any business and so a good customer care service is an important business strategy that any organization must prioritize. The customer service include assisting customers when shopping, allowing customer to make their purchases choice without unwarranted influence from the staff, giving customers correct and honest information and feedback, ensuring that the quality of the products is of high standard, and offering appropriate after sales services such as packaging(Pinson2004). Visual merchandising is a daily operation management that ensures that enhances the ability of the business to attract potential customer once they note the presence and arrangement of its stock. The important visual merchandising include attractive display of products, ensuring that there is enough lamination within the shop, enhancing ventilation, daily cleaning procedures, advertisement charts and portable advertisement boards are to placed in right places, and ensuring that there is enough space for customers to move within the premise(Sullivan &Steven, 2003) . Stock and inventory management ensures that the business has sufficient stock for its customer. This operation management action also ensures that adequate steps are adopted and adhered to avoid loss of stock (Sullivan &Steven, 2003). Safety and security ensures

Friday, November 1, 2019

Interactive Behaviour at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Interactive Behaviour at Work - Essay Example Poor communication in the organisation, lack of family-friendly policies, distressed interpersonal relationships, conflicting job expectations and career concerns are the issues that only add up to the degenerating spirit of the sales staff. The above listed internal issues of this organisation are becoming the root cause of declining revenue, which is one of the main corporate goals of this or any business. The sales staff is given sales targets that are unrealistically high, and the policies are such that upon failure to achieve these targets, the respective employee's job will be terminated. With such policies, employees are unable to work diligently and up to their optimum calibre. Instead, the staff is continuously on the outlook for other job opportunities, which steals their attention from their work even more. The dilemma of the situation is that the employees do not feel comfortable having a discussion with their management regarding such chronic work issues. High employee turnover results in a haphazard sort of scenario in the workplace. New employees that are recruited in place of the departing people are not properly oriented or introduced to the existing staff. There is no team building in result of such ma lpractice and work uncertainty and job insecurity is on the rise. The department of sales in any organisation has to have dynamic and outgoing human resources in order to function properly. For such a situation to exist, the managers and superiors of the department must adopt such strategies and policies that a free flow of communication be inherent. This flow of communication should be both upward and downward so that the right decisions are taken at the right time. The essence of such a system is in the involvement of employees in the work scheduling and goal setting process. In any organisation, the main corporate goal is achieved by setting and accomplishing middle and lower level goals and targets. These middle and lower level goals are achieved after proper planning, organising and controlling. If the goal itself is not set with the right vision, tasks are not organised in the proper well-chalked out manner, resources are not deployed in the most productive and effective way, then there is no way that the organisation will achieve its mission fruitfully. Such a mismanaged situation persists in the sales department of Business Plus TV channel. The goal setting process in any department of any organisation is a sensitive procedure requiring high level of expert and knowledgeable input. The department under study is engaged in the setting of targets that are neither smart nor realistic. These targets are overly demanding and instead of boosting efforts on the employees' end, these are putting unreasonable pressure on the staff. Besides, the designing of the task is such that the workers are over burdened with high levels of time pressures. Inflexible work schedules unpredictable and long hours are the results of the unorganised task design. The horror of losing jobs in case of failure to achieve the assigned targets are aggravating the pressure and strain amongst employees. The staff is dissatisfied and insecure with little hope of career development. The over all culture of the workplace is confined sort with poor communication, low level of support for problem solving and personal development and lack of definition of orga nisational objectives. This organisation faces the unsound and

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Justify the Importance of the Safe School Collaborative Process Essay

Justify the Importance of the Safe School Collaborative Process Considering the Social Cognition of School-age Children - Essay Example School, society and organizations should form collaboration for this purpose because the lives of school-age children revolve around the school and the society. According to Winer and Ray (1994), partners who are coming into collaboration usually have in mind services they want to integrate so as to achieve some long-term goals together. Therefore, they must overcome various layers of resistance to policies, attitudes and relationships within and across institutions, throughout the community and among consumers. This means they have to develop a process of change that will enable them overcome any resistance. These partners have to device a process of working together and this process should be flexible enough to accommodate or allow adjustments to new circumstances. After agreeing to collaborate, the first and most important thing that has to be done by the collaborative is the creation of the process itself. This involves the development of important guidelines that will serve as the framework on how the parties involved will work together throughout the project. For collaboration to succeed, there needs to be a full support of the management. At times, collaborative can find themselves repeating milestones and stages because new people have become involved or because the group has clarified its intent and purpose another level (Winer and Ray, 1994). For successful collaboration, tactical planning and strategic planning are very crucial. Strategic planning entails visualizing something and then coming up with a way of making it actualize. Therefore, strategic planning is a tool that gives direction of actions and builds systems that will lead to the achievement of the desired outcome or goals (Kono, 1994).On the other hand, the purpose of tactical planning is to link the strategic plan or the long-term business plan of the collaboration to operations. It provides a motivational and intellectual framework for

Monday, October 28, 2019

Counselling, Caring and the Ambulance Service Essay Example for Free

Counselling, Caring and the Ambulance Service Essay Introduction In order to discus counselling and its meaning both generally, and in my workplace, it is necessary to come up with a definition. The dictionary describes it in terms of advice but this interpretation is a traditional one and carries an immediate implication of inequality for those involved. It is a narrow interpretation of the concept when compared to modern attitudes, which usually include a psychological aspect. Nevertheless, the traditional view still bears three of the fundamentals of counselling. These are: * That it involves at least two people, thus constitutes a relationship. * That there is agreement about the nature of the interaction, i.e. it is cooperative. * The aim is to help those involved. According to Stephen Murgatroyd (1990, P.5) counselling is not the sole prerogative of professional counsellors. It is a process that is widely used in within a community, which can take many forms. I have found this particularly true in my own profession. As a Paramedic within the NHS for ten years I have used techniques, which I now recognise as essentials of counselling practice, but have never considered myself a counsellor. Rather a professional who can learn much from the subject. In my workplace I find frequent examples of the more traditional model of counselling, as described by Murgatroyd (1990 P.7) as prescriptive or directive but also of other the facilitative or developmental forms, which seek to encourage patient centred self-actualisation. These I will seek to analyse. I hope to draw out some of the problems involved and discuss ways in which to improve. Counselling, Caring and the Ambulance Service Once upon a time ambulance staff had a clear job specification, or at least their managers liked to believe so. Crews were told their mission was to preserve life and transport to hospital with the minimum of deterioration in the patients well-being. In reality things are not that simple and ambulance staff deal with a myriad of human responses and emotions every day. In the past many of my colleagues thought of counselling as a nebulous concept, which had no place at the cutting age of ambulance work. More attention was paid to physical trauma than emotional. With hindsight we can see that the best ambulance staff were those that used the skills that we now identify and welcome, in a natural and confident way. Usually they were also those that had plenty of experience. Just as my job covers a range of human conditions, so counselling and guidance demands a range of approaches to those being counselled. In my job these can be patients, their friends, relatives, bystanders or other professionals. Also though, it includes my colleagues. I have discussed briefly the nature of counselling, now I would like to examine it in more detail. Nelson-Jones (1983) talks of a distinction between skills and specialism or counselling relationships, whereby counselling is the primary activity, and helping relationships in which counselling skills form part of the helpers relationship with another person. Clearly the latter applies to my own job as well as many others. Our primary role is not that of counsellors but we use some of those skills so as to be effective practitioners. Davis Fallowfield examine four models of psychological theory that have had a major impact on counselling. These are: * Behavioural * Cognitive Behavioural * Person Centred * Psychodynamic Each of these allows us a better understanding of the processes of helping by affording us a different view of the human psyche. In my work I can recognise elements of all the models in patients and colleagues. Rogers, (Person Centred), gives insight into the importance of the conditions necessary to create an effective relationship. Based on humanistic philosophy he espouses the belief that all people have the capacity to achieve self-actualisation, if the basic conditions can be created. Freud, (Psychodynamic) demonstrates the importance of the relationship, the unconscious processes which arise from them and the insight into them in dealing with problems The behaviourist theories espoused by Pavlov, Skinner, Ellis and others, deal with the nature of behaviours learned and observable, and how maladaptive thought processes can be unlearned by the use of cognitive processes. A fifth model, that of Gerard Egan, integrates many of the ideas of the former to create an eclectic model that I believe has particular relevance to my workplace. In The Skilled Helper (1994) Egan incorporates some of Rogers and Maslow`s humanistic ideas in a pragmatic way, to outline some of the counselling skills that we use so much as teachers or carers. As Egans model is concerned with problems other than just psychological it provides a more relevant ethical base for those in teaching or healthcare and has been increasingly embraced by those professions in recent years.(Burnard 1990 P.27) Egan mirrors modern healthcare by treating the patient in an holistic way. He proposes a need for empathy, respect, genuiness and mutual respect. All of these are very necessary to accomplished ambulance staff. The Three-Stage Model Egan uses a three-stage model to outline the helping process. The first stage concentrates on the social skills that I find so important to my job, setting the scene and allowing a warm relationship to flourish through showing genuine empathy. Skills such as body language active listening and attention giving are prerequisites. Communication is established and advanced. Stage two moves the process forward by drawing out themes to allow the subject a new perspective. The subject is gently challenged so as to recognise themes, feelings and experiences. . Building on the previous stages, the third seeks to encourage a creative ambience. Problem solving drawing on points raised, maybe seeking solutions and encouraging the subject to establish a plan of action. The establishment of communication is common to the whole process. This is a massively important. The process may also move backwards or forwards. It is not intended to be prescriptive but rather to draw out the empathetic human qualities that can help. I can recall so many instances where Egans ideas have been used in my workplace that it is hard to select examples. We are often called upon to assess our patients well being in a very short time. Once we have established that avenues of communication are possible, i.e that the patient is able to communicate in a rational way, we embark on a dialogue that seeks to put them at ease, allow them insight and hopefully afford them a feeling that they have some measure of control over the situation. Power thus becomes an important issue. In Davis Fallowfield (P.15) the patient/practitioner relationship is discussed. They state that one of the most common problems encountered is the need for medical staff to take on the role of expert in order to reach conclusive goals. Very often this leads to neglect of the patient as a whole. Sanders (1994) identifies two qualities that he describes as non-counselling. One of them, he describes as being distant and expert. Sometimes, in a medical emergency, this is a necessary quality but creates feelings of guilt. I have often left relatives at the scene of a cardiac arrest at home whilst taking the role of expert and wondered at the emotional carnage that we have just encountered as we speed towards hospital with their loved one. Many times I know that we have not even begun to address their needs. It is certainly easier not to shoulder that sort of emotional involvement, as mentioned by Burnard (P.148), when he talks of the possibility of burnout. But sometimes assuming the role of expert can be used as an excuse to avoid emotional involvement. I believe that in my workplace this is a very common problem and have many times taken issue with colleagues who have deliberately refused to move away from the expert mode and address the patient as a whole person. In one such incident a young female patient was brought by chair into the AE department by a crew. Wheeled into the centre of the busy department she sat hunched, clearly embarrassed, and hiding her face. One of the crew held a large collection of empty pill packets, making it obvious to those who could see that the patient had overdosed. Overdoses are a very common emergency and can bring out negative attitudes from all medical workers. Whilst the patient remained on public view the ambulance man walked up to the nursing station and ritualistically poured the packets onto the desk in an obviously condescending way. The patient began to cry quietly. The behaviour of this colleague incensed me. He had ritualistically humiliated his patient presumably because of his intolerance and judgmentalism and a refusal to see the patient as anything but a manipulator. I believe that the ability to extract necessary information and perform tasks in an empathetic way is not only achievable using Egans techniques, but also vital to patient well-being. During my time in the ambulance service time I have passed through stages that have been identified by Maynard Furlong (1998) as distinct points in development, from early idealism to realism and occasional disenchantment. I have found that after several years a degree of cynicism is a common occupational hazard and is probably to be expected. Staff have to come to terms with what is achievable within the constraints of the job and workplace stress is common. Very often in my workplace I witness a range of abilities in communication. Simple techniques such as positioning, eye contact and general body language can be taught but I am convinced that without a genuine love for ones fellow man these techniques are not convincing. The humanistic approach that I have discussed is not always easy. It is easy to dismiss, especially when staff are tired and demoralised. Judgmental attitudes are commonplace and to some extent inevitable. The ability to rise above these and retain an open mind is something that can be massively affected by peer pressure in a working situation where crews work in twos. Usually one crewmember is senior and the dynamic of the relationship is affected by experience, sex, strength, (psychological and physical), age etc. This can often create an imbalance of power, between crewmates. This particularly affects less experienced younger staff in a workplace where experience is such a valuable commodity. Sometimes staff suffer because of their role as unofficial counsellors. Burnard (1990) talks of the potentially painful relationship between the parties. I believe that prolonged exposure can lead to problems and in my workplace this had lead to the formation of a structure designed to aid the problem. Five years ago the ambulance service started an in-house Staff Support Scheme network, in order to create a pathway to help to reduce the impact of psychological problems. It was thought that staff who had been trained to identify some of the symptoms of psychological or emotional problems were in an excellent position to guide the subject to help in the form of professional counselling. Whilst I wholeheartedly supported the concept and became a member, I had doubts about some of conditions attached, particularly about the principles of confidentiality and supervision. We were trained in debriefing techniques (not as counsellors) by a very experienced professional counsellor. However the trust felt bound to encourage us to disclose not only health safety and legal confidences, but also those that may contravene trust rules. This I felt was unethical and impractical. They also had no formal supervision structure in place and no mechanism for further development. All these factors left the idea profoundly flawed. I continue to serve as a staff support member but refuse to create reports on individuals or to pass on confidences. This is a position that is supported by Nelson-Jones (P.143) who maintains that breaking confidences is a serious breech of ethics. Counselling and helping work colleagues outside the classroom can be a much more intimate affair. Crews routinely spend twelve hours in each others company, often on standby or on station, alone, un-chaperoned and unsupervised. Thus if there are emotional needs and issues the workplace can become extremely intense. Staff obviously have issues themselves, quite apart from the problems they may face with patients and support can be close at hand. But the operational ambulance environment can also become a minefield of ethical limits and the process of helping can be impaired as well as enhanced. Burnard (P.139) discusses the problems of transference and countertransference. In the above-mentioned situation where an inappropriate relationship develops he suggests the transfer of the client to a more senior counsellor. Although the obvious solution, this is not always possible and it is obvious that problems will continue to occur. Development The back of an ambulance is no respecter of class and ambulance work can be a great leveller. As a developing teacher of ambulance staff I am in the privileged position of teaching those who I believe are routinely placed in a position of power and privilege that can be used or abused. I believe a major part of my teaching role is to encourage the use of the humanistic approach, and to encourage students to reflect on their own attitudes and judgements in order to allow them to better use the skills described by Egan and the key aspects required as described by Carl Rogers in Kischenbaum Henderson, (1989). The humanistic approach is already practised in my workplace and has been by the more experienced staff for years. Even though they did not attach labels to their skills they were using the humanistic approach espoused by Egan, Rogers and others. In the emergency care setting they have honed these skills to bring benefit to their patients as quickly as possible. It remains a joy to watch I see my future role as that of a champion for the humanistic approach, by my actions and my teaching methods. As more demands continue to be heaped on staff this may become more difficult. We are in danger of becoming more concerned with the product than the process. Bibliography Murgatroyd. S (1985) Counselling and Helping. Haworth Press Nelson-Jones.R (1997) Practical Counselling and Helping Skills. Cassell Davis.H and Fallowfield.L (1993) Counselling and Communication in Health Care Wiley Sons Burnard.P (1990) Counselling Skills For Health Professionals Chapman Hall Borck.L and Fawcet. S (1982) Learning Counselling and Problem Solving Skills. Haworth Press Kirchenbaum Henderson (1989) The Carl Rogers Dialogues (From Course Handout)

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Amendments :: essays research papers

Amendment I (1791) Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Amendment II (1791) A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Amendment III (1791) No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Amendment IV (1791) The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Amendment V (1791) No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Amendment VI (1791) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. Amendment VII (1791) In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Do You Think You Can Have A Great Leader Missing Either Trust Or Humility? Essay

One cannot have a great leader missing either trust or humility since the force of leadership nowadays is toward considering the leader as a developer, not a controller, of followers. The leadership assignment is developmental and integrative. The confront is to shape followers into an amalgamated, impartial whole competent of unrelenting supportive action. I find this assignment as substantial, that is, structural, or one can see it in the emotional or social contracts leaders and followers construct. A forever present, however frequently ignored, feature in the group and organizational relations is trust. If not followers consider assurance in the leader’s evenhandedness and trustworthiness, they will not carry on to go behind. (Martin, 1998) Leadership machinery can only function when trust among members in association is elevated. Trust can appreciably modify individual and organizational efficiency. It is trust more than authority or chain of command that in truth makes an organization work successfully. Trust is a decisive definitional constituent in defining contemporary leadership or customs that maintain effective leadership. Certainly, it is a vital component in all human relations. Every day living needs us to trust those around us. Organizations also need associates to trust each other in order to work, let single-handedly achieve superiority. (Sinner, 2005) Trust is precondition to any effort by the leader to change the organization’s culture. Vision setting and propagation relies on trust in the leader. Performing vision based plans needs trust. Trust is the prominent factor in finding efficiency in many relations. (Dees, 2004) Trust creates interpersonal recognition and honesty of expression easy. Mistrust suggests interpersonal denial and arouses suspicious behavior. Trusting behavior adds to one’s susceptibility to another in manners and in conditions in which the danger is greater than the possible outcome to the trusting person. References Dees H. Richard, (2004), Trust and Toleration. Routledge. New York. Martin M. Mirta, (1998), Trust Leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies. Volume: 5. Issue: 3. Sinner R. Von, (2005), Trust and Convivencia: Contributions to a Hermeneutics of Trust in Communal Interaction. The Ecumenical Review. Volume: 57. Issue: 3.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Case Management Overview Essay

The case worker has many different roles and responsibilities that are part of their jobs. Being able to support all of their roles no matter of what population or problem there is the case worker needs to be able to deal with it, this is an important part of a case worker responsibly. The case worker can use different tools and methods to help support their clients. Roles and Responsibilities of a Case Worker There are many roles that case workers have. Some may think that the case workers are only there to find services for a client, but there is more to their jobs and responsibilities. Some of the roles that case workers have are caregivers, teachers, advocate, outreach worker, mobilizer, community planner and a behavior changer. Case workers have responsibilities that go with each role. For the caregiver role the case workers role is one that supports a client and is concerned about their wellbeing the caregiver is also part of the planning process. The teacher role, this role is a support to the client helps the client gain, develop and increase knowledge in emotional behavior or intellect. Advocate role for a care worker a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular service or resource that will help the client in their plan. Outreach worker is another responsibility that a case worker has, an outreach worker will reach out to people that are having problems, and help them find services that may need. The role of the mobilizer is to get specific service that are not yet in the area, that service does not have a presents in that particular area that the clients need support. A case worker may work on getting certain support with help from others. Another is a Community Planner; this role helps the clients as well as the community. The responsibility is to work with community based boards, committees, to ensure that a community development  supports the community and the people in it. The last role is behavior changer, is to encourage their clients to change their negative behaviors for more positive behavior. Behavior changers provide support for their clients and provides them with the needed tools to change their behaviors, so they are more positive. There are many roles and responsibilities that case workers have, all of their roles support their clients in many ways. Theoretical Models â€Å"Ecological model to develop a broad understanding of each individual client who comes before them. This model sometimes referred to as person-in-situation or person-in-environment model looks at the individual client in the client’s context†. (Summers, 2012). Within this modal there are three levels that, Micro, Meso, and Marco levels. Micro level, where the focus is on the client’s personality, motivation, affect, and other personal attributes Meso level, where the focus is on the context immediately surrounding the client (family, church group, close friends, and work group) Macro level, where the focus is on the larger society’s characteristics and the way the client experiences these or the way these are brought to bear on the client’s situation (institutions and organizations such as the political system, social stratification, the educational system, and the economy). (Summers, 2012) Being able to use these levels will help identify the problems that the client is having. The Micro level, is more personal, the Meso focus on the surroundings of the client and the Marco focus on the larger group around the client. Being able to figure out the problem and where it is coming from and affecting will help the overall help the client. When looking at all the problem behaviors that come up, one that we can look at it Life transitions. This situation in someone’s life can affect many things. Breaking it down it done into the levels can help support the client and figure out how to help. The Mico level, getting to understand the life transition and the client, the Meso level, looking at the close relationships that the client is having is any of these relationships supporting or interfering with the client’s behavior and last the Macro level looking at the community and the bigger picture of where the client is at. Looking at all of these areas will help support the client’s behavior problems. Special Populations When a case worker is thinking about Special Population they have a good understanding of what that is really saying. Special population is a term used to express a disadvantaged group.[where?] In health professions, special populations include those with disabilities, minors, and the elderly. Special populations often require accommodations for physical, mental or emotional differences. Their bodies may respond in a different manner to treatment or medication. For example, the small liver in a child means that he or she can’t take typical adult doses of medication. The same goes for an elderly person, whose decreased liver function similarly affects the processing of medication. (â€Å"Wikipedia†, 2014). As a case worker you have to be prepared to have a good understand of things that may come up. There may be certain issues that may come up when working with a client that is part of a special population. One issue is does their special population and or problem fall within the Human Service field, or do you as a case worker need to help them find other services. Other issues are there and mental, emotional or physical development problems that could change the services that are out there to support the situation they are in. Also there can be problems with understanding what is needed and getting them support in there are, which them may cause transportation issues. As a case worker, being prepared to handle things that special population deal with, abuse and neglect for an example. When working as a case worker there are many roles and responsibilities that are taken on as part of a case workers job. Having a good idea how to support their needs and help to figure out how to help is important and to make sure that as a case worker you understand them as a person is also needed. As a case worker there will be many different types of people that you woke with Special Population being one of the group, and may be one of the most challenging. But, remembering that as a case worker there is a job to be done, it is not always done the same way, and remembering that is very important. References Mehr, J. J., & Kanwischer, R. (2011). Human Services. Concepts and Intervention Strategies (11th ed.). : Pearson Education. Summers, N. (2012). Fundamentals of Case Management Practice. Skills for the Human Services (4th ed.). : Cengage Learning. Wikipedia. (2014). Retrieved from http://n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_populations

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

HOW FREE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITES HELP YOUR WRITING

HOW FREE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITES HELP YOUR WRITING The federal government sponsors top-notch websites free for the searching. But why search the federal government websites instead of just googling your question? The answer lies in quality. These websites contain trusted sources and the top experts in their fields.   Of course, non-fiction writers should be acquainted with them, but they can also aid the fiction writer who has a question/problem. Once you choose a website, the searching process is guided so you don’t have to be a subject expert yourself to use them. A sampling of these free subject databases and examples appears below. Multidisciplinary:   http://usa.gov   A primary source for access to U.S. government documents. It is a â€Å"portal† which searches all agency documents at once in a unified way. As an example of how a fiction writer would use usa.gov, maybe Hope Clark’s Carolina Slade would need to know about the disease that killed Jesse Rawlings’ hogs. Just search â€Å"domesticated hogs diseases South Carolina† for a possible answer. As an added bonus, the portal lists U.S. government grants. Just enter â€Å"grants writers† and your state name. Criminal Justice: National Criminal Justice Reference Service https://www.ncjrs.gov/app/abstractdb/abstractdbsearch.aspxNCJRS services and resources are available to anyone interested in crime, victim assistance, and public safety including policymakers, practitioners, researchers, educators, community leaders, and the general public. Authors of murder mysteries can find source material here, for example, the murder rate in Detroit or any major city. Education: ERIC eric.ed.gov/ERIC is the world’s largest collection of education literature, containing more than 1 million records of journal articles, research, reports, curriculum and teaching guides, conference papers, books, and more and more full text. It covers preschool through higher education. An example of its use might be to find the relationship of an autistic child with his classmates for a character study. Medicine: There are two excellent medical databases MedlinePlus nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/and PUBMED ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Healths website for patients and their families and friends. It brings the layperson information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information. It helps you learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition. This source is especially good for drug side effects and overdose information, again for those murder mysteries. Find the lethal dose of a drug for a fictitious poisoning. It contains medical encyclopedias for diseases your characters may suffer. More technical than MedlinePlus, PubMed comprises more than 21 million   records for

Monday, October 21, 2019

police brutality essays

police brutality essays Police brutality is a problem in our country today. There are many instances where the police have gone too far in dealing with criminals. There are many things that people are doing to stop police brutality. More and more bad cops are being caught in their wrong doings. There are many cases that go unseen. The police are good at keeping things quiet. They have a code of honor that says that police do not tell on each other. The Johnny Gammage case was a recent case in the news. One of the only reasons that this case made the news is because Gammage is the cousin of Pittsburgh Steeler Ray Seals. The outcome of this case angered many people. On October twelfth, 1995, Johnny Gammage the 31-year-old black male was pulled over. Gammage committed no crime. After an altercation with the police he was brutally beaten. Over the course of seven minutes he was beaten and suffocated by five police officers. An autopsy showed that Gammage was suffocated by pressure applied to his neck and chest when the officers were trying to restrain him. On November third, 1995 a six-member coroner's jury recommended that criminal homicide charges be filed against the police officers. District Attorney Bob Colville said that he would only charge three out of the five officers involved in the beating. He charged Lt. Milton Mulholland and Patrolman John Vojtas with 3rd degree murder, official oppression, and involuntary manslaughter. He charged Patrolman Michael G. Albert with involuntary manslaughter. Allegheny county judge James R. McGregor ordered the three officers to stand trial for the misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter. This is the lowest form of homicide. He dropped the third degree murder and official oppression charges against Mulholland and Vojtas. During the trial a witness said that he witnessed a fight that lead to Gammage's death. He contradicted the story told by the police and said t...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

All the College Ranking Lists You Should Read

All the College Ranking Lists You Should Read SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips People love ranking lists. It seems that the majority of articles posted on social media and television shows on basic cable are ranking something, from the prettiest celebrities to the best songs of the 1980's. The fascination with college ranking lists has been around for over 30 years since the U.S. News World Report debuted its list in 1983. There are quite a few college ranking lists out there, but which ones are the best ones? Which ones should you look at? Honestly, all overall college ranking lists are flawed, and you should spend more time researching and visiting colleges than obsessing over college rankings to determine which college you should attend. However, in this article I will detail the pros and cons of different college ranking lists and of college ranking lists in general. You can obtain some worthwhile information from these lists, so you shouldn't completely dismiss them. The Benefits of Using College Ranking Lists From looking at college ranking lists, you can discover colleges you may not have been familiar with that could be a good fit for you. By looking at these lists, you may find a school that matches what you're looking for in a college. College ranking lists provide extensive data in one place for you to compare schools. In one list, you can see statistics for different colleges like average class size, high school GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and cost. Also, these lists give you a rough idea of the reputations of different colleges. While these lists are subjective, they do tend to reflect how colleges are regarded in the academic and professional worlds. There is probably little difference between a #1 and a #5 school in terms of reputation, but the #1 school in a list is going to have a better reputation than #100. Finally, these lists can give you an idea of what you need to do to make yourself competitive for admission to a specific college. These ranking lists often give you the average GPA, standardized test scores, and the percentage of students who graduate in the top 10% and 25% in their high school classes. From these numbers, you can determine what you should accomplish to make yourself a qualified applicant. Your numbers should compare favorably to those of the average student at a particular collegeif you want to give yourself a realistic shot at gaining admission. Why You Should Avoid Basing Your College Decisions on the Rankings Some of the criteria these lists use to compile their rankings are highly subjective and are based on survey responses. "Quality of life" and "academics" can be major factors for rankings and both are often based on opinions from surveys. The primary problem with these survey results is that they don't seem to be representative; they suffer from voluntary response bias and nonresponse bias. For example, Princeton Review ranks colleges in 62 categories. Often, a college alerts the student body that the Princeton Review surveys are available online and then students choose to complete the surveys. Those students who volunteer to take the surveys are likely to not be representative of the student population as a whole. Typically, those who would volunteer have stronger opinions than those of the average student. Similarly, U.S. News World Report determines the academic quality of an institution based on survey responses from top academics and administrators from other colleges and from high school counselors. Are those who choose to respond to the surveys necessarily representative of all college representatives and high school counselors? Some top academics and knowledgeable high school counselors who are sent surveys choose not to submit responses. Additionally, some colleges, like Reed College, may have their rankings affected because they choose not to submit information because they do not want to participate in college ranking lists. Students can get too focused on the rankings instead of figuring out which school is the best fit for them. There's probably not much difference in the quality of education at a #5 school vs. a #10 school. The #10 school may be a much better fit for a student who could excel academically at both. Furthermore, colleges are motivated and influenced by the rankings. Colleges understand that these rankings are popular and influential. They'll spend money on things the lists consider important or aggressively recruit students who have little chance of gaining admission just to raise their selectivity rating to increase their rank. Finally, and perhaps most disturbingly, schools cheat to improve their rankings. Colleges have lied (and probably do lie) when reporting their numbers to college ranking lists to get a better rank. Colleges have cheated to improve their rank. How Should Reputation Factor Into Your College Decision? As much as some of us like to discount the importance of reputation, it can play a significant role. Colleges that are ranked more highly often have more motivated and academically gifted students, and colleges that do well in the rankings tend to have influential alumni and professional connections that can have a positive impact on your future. Similarly, graduates from well-ranked schools are often favored when they apply to professional or graduate schools. Keep in mind that your work ethic and aptitude will have a far greater influence on your future success than the college you attend. You can be highly successful regardless of the college you go to; however, going to a highly ranked school will offer you undeniable advantages. Now, let's take a look at some of the better and more well-known lists. U.S. News World Report The U.S. News college rankings are viewed as the gold standard of college ranking lists. Its list is the most well-known and referenced. Here is a basic overview of how U.S. News determines its rankings: A total weight of 30% is given to factors related to student retention and graduation rates. It gives a 22.5% weight to a school's academic reputation based on survey responses from peer institutions and high school counselors. The remaining 47.5% is devoted to objective statistics about the school including measures of selectivity, faculty information, financial resources, and alumni giving. Pros U.S. News separates colleges into four categories for its rankings: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. The categories allow for more direct comparisons and prevent ranking a large public college with 40,000 undergraduate students against a small liberal arts college with less than 1,000. Because U.S. News surveys top academics and college administrators to determine academic reputation, the rankings do provide a general idea of how well regarded a school is in academia. U.S. News rankings heavily emphasize student retention rates and graduation rates. Both are important factors to consider when choosing a college. They provide some clues about the quality of the support services and the student satisfaction level at different colleges Finally, because the U.S. News rankings are the most prestigious of all the ranking lists, they are the most influential and help shape public opinion. The top-ranked schools in U.S. News are generally considered to be the best schools by employers, academics, and admissions committees. Graduation rate is an important factor in the rankings. Cons Not all colleges are ranked in the U.S. News rankings. For the latest rankings, 148 colleges are listed as "unranked" within the four categories of schools. Schools are unranked because they lack regional accreditation, fewer than 200 students are enrolled, they don't use the SAT or ACT in admissions decisions, or they didn't get enough responses on the U.S. News peer assessment survey. Therefore, if you're interested in a very small school or a college that doesn't use standardized tests in admissions decisions, this rankings list won't be very helpful for you. Also, in the U.S. News rankings, there is little emphasis on quality of life. The most important criteria for the U.S. News rankings are the surveys regarding academic quality and the rates for student retention and graduation. This rankings list is less helpful than others in indicating how much students enjoy their experience at a particular college. While I previously mentioned some of the problems with relying on survey responses in U.S. News to determine academic reputation, there is an additional major problem. Many of those who respond to the surveys may not even be qualified to assess the academics at different colleges. The typical respondent grades about half of the colleges in his or her category. There are 262 National Universities. Are respondents knowledgeable enough to evaluate the academic programs of over 100 colleges, or are they simply relying on reputations generated from earlier rankings? Prominent writer Malcolm Gladwell addresses this point in a New Yorker article: (W)henU.S. Newsasks a university president to perform the impossible task of assessing the relative merits of dozens of institutions he knows nothing about, he relies on the only source of detailed information at his disposal that assesses the relative merits of dozens of institutions he knows nothing about:U.S. News...The U.S. News ratings are a self-fulfilling prophecy. Furthermore, the criteria used in U.S. News rankings seem to favor private colleges almost by default while disadvantaging public schools. Private schools often score higher in selectivity because public schools are more focused on being accessible to qualified in-state applicants. Similarly, because private colleges tend to have significantly lower student populations, they can offer smaller classes and their student-faculty ratio is lower. However, public colleges can offer advantages that are not measured nor reflected in the rankings. Public colleges can have larger and more diverse student bodies, more academic programs and majors, and more extracurricular activities. Finally, U.S. News rankings don't directly consider the salaries of graduates nor the likelihood of getting the job you want after graduating. Many people go to college specifically to prepare for a certain career or to get a well-paying job after they graduate. U.S. News rankings may not be as beneficial in helping you to decide which college is most likely to help you reach your professional goals. U.S. News doesn't consider the salaries of graduates. Forbes The Forbes college rankings list is newer and less prestigious than the U.S. News list, but the Forbes list is still very popular and Forbes is considered to be a reputable publication. Forbes emphasizes student outcomes from colleges to determine its rankings. Rankings are heavily dependent on post-graduation success, freshman retention rates, and graduation rates. Here is a general breakdown of the factors that determine the Forbes rankings: A weight of 25% is given to Student Satisfaction, which is determined from student evaluations from RateMyProfessors.com (7.5%), freshman retention rates (12.5%), predicted freshman retention rates compared to actual rates (2.5%), and a school satisfaction survey conducted by Forbes via Facebook (2.5%). A full 32.5% of the rankings is based on post-graduate success, which is determined from alumni salary statistics gathered from Payscale.com (10%) and rewarding the alma maters of those who are on the Center for College Affordability and Productivity's America's Leaders List (22.5%). America's Leaders List is composed of people who are at the top of their fields, including Nobel and Pulitzer winners, Guggenheim and MacArthur fellows, those elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and winners of an Academy Award, Emmy, Tony, or Grammy. A weight of 25% is given to student debt, which is determined by average federal student loan debt (10%), student loan default rates (12.5%), and predicted vs. actual federal student loan debt (2.5%). Graduation rate counts for 7.5% of the rankings. Graduation rate is divided into the four-year graduation rate (5%) and the predicted vs. actual four-year graduation rate (2.5%). Finally, academic success makes up the final 10% of the rankings. Academic success is based on students who receive prestigious academic awards like the Rhodes Scholarship (7.5%) and alumni who get PhDs (2.5%). Pros "Student Satisfaction" is an important component of the rankings.The Forbes listmay be more beneficial than the U.S. News list in determining the quality of life at different colleges. Because you'll probably be spending at least four years at the college you attend, you want to not only choose a school that will educate you well and prepare you for your future, but also you want to be happy during those years. You want to enjoy your living environment, your peers, and the time you spend outside of class. By emphasizing post-graduate success, the Forbes list may give you a better indication of the impact of a specific college on your attaining your future professional goals. Finally, the emphasis on student debt in the Forbes rankings separates it from most of the other college ranking lists. By measuring the average federal student loan debt and the student loan default rate, the Forbes list may give you an idea of the affordability of a school, the generosity of a school's financial aid, and whether students are capable of paying back their loans after they graduate. Cons Unlike U.S. News, Forbes does not separate colleges into categories. There is no distinction between the different types of colleges in the Forbes rankings. It's extremely difficult to effectively compare schools that vary tremendously in size, degree options, and research capabilities. Because some of these colleges are so different from one another, it's impossible to determine which school is "better" for everyone. For example, how can you rank Penn State University, which has over 40,000 undergraduates and more than 160 majors against Wesleyan College, which has fewer than 700 undergraduate students and only 31 majors? Additionally, the Forbes list can favor schools that have wealthy student bodies. A college's student debt grade may not reflect the generosity of the school's financial aid or whether students get high-paying jobs after they graduate. Students from affluent families are less likely to have to take out loans and are more likely to be able to pay back loans. Therefore, schools that have more wealthy students are likely to do well in the "student debt" component of the rankings. There is still only a small emphasis paid to the actual student experience. The student satisfaction survey given to students is only a very small component of the rankings. Additionally, information from Rank My Professors is hardly a reliable source to determine how happy students are with their classes at a particular school. Teacher evaluations from Rank My Professors are not representative because they suffer from nonresponse bias. Most students don't use that website. Furthermore,Forbes rankings provide little information about what life is like on campus. Finally, Forbes has a very narrow definition of success. "Student Success" is based on the salary of alumni and whether students obtain prestigious positions and awards. Schools with pre-professional programs in potentially high-paying fields like accounting and business may get a bump in the rankings. That doesn't mean much to you if you're not interested in pursuing accounting or business. Similarly, colleges who have more alumni who go into less lucrative fields like teaching or non-profit work may score poorly in "Student Success." However, that is no indication that a college isn't good or that its alumni aren't successful. Niche Niche is a website that has been around since 2002. It provides rankings and reviews for neighborhoods, cities, and schools. The Niche college rankings are less well-known than those of U.S. News and Forbes. However, the Niche college rankings list does provide some information and advantages that the other ranking lists don't have. Niche rankings are based on the overall experience at traditional 4-year colleges and universities. How does Niche determine the "overall experience" at a school? The academics grade counts for 35% of a school's ranking. The academics grade is based on objective statistics like acceptance rate, SAT/ACT scores, research expenditures, 6-year graduation rate, professor salary index, admissions yield, freshman retention rate, freshman National Merit Scholars, and faculty awards. Additionally, Niche incorporates survey responses from students regarding the quality of academics at their college and statistics and survey responses about diversity on campus to determine the academics grade. Then, 12% of the rankings are based on student survey responses about the overall experience at the college they currently or recently attended. Additional factors that influence the rankings are statistics and student survey responses based on campus quality (8%), loan default rate (6%), athletics (5%), average net price (5%), diversity (5%), local area (5%), endowment per full-time student (4%), "guys and girls" (4%), health and safety (4%), party scene (4%), and private gifts/grants per full-time student (3%). Niche grades colleges' party scenes. Pros Niche relies on many more factors to determine its rankings. The rankings are based on more than 50 statistics and survey responses on 20 topics from almost 300,000 current students and alumni. Niche tries to incorporate every factor that could possibly influence the college experience, from the acceptance rate to the attractiveness of guys and girls on campus. It seems to be a more well-rounded ranking list instead of just using factors that it deems important. Also, the Niche rankings place a much higher emphasis on factors that are related to quality of life. Student survey responses about the quality of the overall experience at the college count for 12% of the rankings. Additionally, Niche gives scores for "campus quality," "athletics," and "party scene." Besides overall college rankings, Niche also provides college rankings in 54 different categories. Some of those ranking lists include "best campus food," "best academics," "best party schools," and "safest campus." You can focus on the ranking lists in categories that are important to you instead of just looking at the overall rankings that may utilize criteria that don't matter to you. Another positive of the Niche rankings is that they incorporate average net price. Net price is the average cost of a school after financial aid for students receiving grants or scholarship aid. Unlike metrics such as average amount of federal loans and loan default rate, net price doesn't favor schools with more wealthy students. Finally, Niche is one of the few ranking lists that factors in diversity in its rankings. Diversity doesn't just refer to the ethnic and racial breakdown of the student body. Niche uses "diversity" to mean that a school "fosters a community that accepts and promotes a diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses." Also, a diverse school has a significant percentage of international students and students that represent every geographic region of the United States, and the faculty is diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity. Cons Niche is not as well-known asU.S. News or Forbes. Because its rankings are not as prestigious or referenced, they have much less of an impact on the reputations of different colleges. Additionally, because Niche uses many more factors in its rankings, it's likely to use criteria that don't matter to you in a college. You may not be very concerned about a school's party scene, the athletics, or how the girls rank. Those are all factors in the Niche rankings. Final Thoughts Use college ranking lists to determine the reputations of different colleges. The ranking lists do tend to reflect and shape public opinion. While the exact ranking of a school will vary from list to list, the colleges that are consistently ranked highly do offer advantages while you're in college and after you graduate. Browse college ranking lists to discover new colleges that may be a good fit for you. You may not be familiar with Amherst College, Bowdoin College, or Pomona College, but Forbes ranks all three of them within their top 20 colleges. There are literally thousands of colleges, and ranking lists can introduce you to excellent schools that may match what you're looking for in a college. Instead of just looking at overall college ranking lists, pay attention to lists that focus on criteria that matter to you. You can look at lists from Niche that rank schools based on "best technology" or "best food" if you care about those things. Overall college rankings vary from list to list because there are so many factors that go into the college experience, and there is no exact science to determine if one school is better than another. U.S. News ranks the University of Chicago as the #3 National University while Forbes ranks it as the #18 college. Don't get too caught up in the specific ranking of a school. Each list focuses on the criteria that it deems important. When you're looking at a college rankings list, you should also be familiar with how the rankings are determined. Finally, college rankings should only be one small tool you use to help determine your college decision. More important than a college's ranking is figuring out whether or not the school is a good fit for you. Does it have the extracurricular activities you want to pursue? Does the school excel in the academic areas that most interest you? Are there appropriate support services that will allow you to be successful? How's the social climate? Make sure you know how to choose a college. What's Next? Instead of solely relying on ranking lists, use the best college search websites to help you find the right college for you. Also, learn more about the differences between public and private colleges. If you need to improve your grades to help get into the college of your choice, check out this post on how to raise your GPA in high school. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: