Saturday, August 31, 2019

Dillemas of social control Essay

Everybody envisions a safer place and a peaceful state. However, recent events in the 21st century have extremely instilled fear and doubt to the people of the world. At present, it seems that the world has turned back to the dark ages of barbarian’s gambit of annihilation and it is challenged by mad men of chaotic beliefs and distorted ideals. Thus, it is no wonder that our everyday lives are confronted with the paranoia of deceit. Basically, the aging society is currently manifesting its senile nature which is represented by men who wander in its fragile state. These men who make the society senile and fragile are characterized by greed and dogmatic ideologies that have resulted in human carnage, famine, and plagues of war. One wonders, what does it would take for the government to sanctify the protection of its people? Do the people desire to be protected or are they the ones who protect? These questions are profoundly manifested in the long debates of legislations specifically on counter-terrorism. Fortunately, there are still a few good men in pursuit of a better and safer place and a peaceful state. In this regard, this paper will focus on America’s public policies that addresses the trauma and torments of terrorism that shocked America in the 9/11 tragedy. In addition, the paper will also discuss how the governments of the world interact with the foreign policy on counter-terrorism and how the implementation of such a policy would affect the way of life. The overall discussion of this paper will use a two-prong approach by discussing selective literatures and apply the ethical parameters of Clark Cochran, Lawrence Mayer, T. Carr and N. Joseph Cayer in their book, ‘American Public Policy: An Introduction’. Literature Review The post 9/11 tragedy is a continuing challenge to American people that seeks justice and determination of further knowing the treacherous powers that be. It is not only America that suffers the trauma of the human carnage of the 9/11 tragedy but all of the allied governments and United Nations’ members as well. The political experts, policy makers, and various intelligence agencies perceive terrorism as a social ill and more than just a phenomenon. It is also evident that the ultimate target of terrorists is the United States, being the world’s most powerful country, and this was proven during the 9/11 attacks. Moreover, the threats of terrorism beset the US’ homeland defense and crosses international borders to implement defense strategies with allied countries that are also potential targets of terrorist attacks. In short, terrorism can truly be considered a serious global threat. According to the report of the US National Counterterrorism Center (USNCC), approximately 14,000 terrorist attacks occurred in various countries during 2006 and resulted in over 20,000 deaths. As compared to 2005, attacks in 2006 rose by 3,000 (a 25% increase) while the death toll rose by 5,800 (a 40% increase), which was also the case last year and was by far the largest number of terrorist incidents that occurred in the near East and South Asia. In addition, the USNCC (2007) disclosed that the two regions of East and South Asia were the locations of 90% of the nearly 300 high-casualty attacks in 2006 that killed ten or more people while only a total of five high-casualty attacks occurred in Europe-Eurasia, East Asia-Pacific and the Western Hemisphere (USNCC, 2007). The research paper of Rohan Gunaratna of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) in 2006 has reported expanded terrorists’ bailiwicks across the world. Based on his report, al-Qaeda and Taliban camps in Afghanistan trained between 70,000 and 120,000 Muslim youths to fight in the Philippines (Mindanao province), Indonesia (Maluku and Poso provinces), Myanmar, China (Xinjiang province), Kashmir, Bosnia, Kosovo, Chechnya, Dagestan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and other countries. It is clear that the expansive mode of the terrorists pose risk and threats to Southeast Asian countries. In addition, the carnage of terrorism would plunge the poor countries into insurmountable human casualties and ultimately result in the devastation of their economies. It may be then perceived that al-Qaeda is being condoned by its Islamic cohorts that could greatly influence the vast Muslim communities around the world. These perceptions attribute to the alarming concern of imminent danger that al-Qaeda which could continuously conduct its terrorist assaults basedon its political-Islamist-religious platform of Jihad (holy war). Stages of Policy Analysis: The Framing of a National Policy Turning our grief into courage is a credo that basically calls for national recovery amidst terrorist threats that has enabled the Americans to overcome their grief and become courageous to surpass the inimical challenge. Indeed, America turned its grief into courage as manifested in condemning the ultimate cohort of terrorism in the US war in Iraq. The Iraq war has highlighted the US’s capabilities to disarm Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction and liberate the people from the tyrannical regime and set a new Iraqi government. The US government has realigned its governmental functions to respond to its vulnerability to the continuing threat of terrorism and shared its burdens with allied governments. The framing of the national policy for an efficient homeland defense system has paved the way for the enactment of the Intelligence Reform and terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA ), which an act to reform the intelligence operational framework for efficient capability. According to Terri Everret’s paper, â€Å"Procuring the Future: 21st Century IC Acquisition,† in January 8th 2008, IRTPA yielded a strategic defense program through the Office of the Director of the National Intelligence (ODNI). The main purpose of the ODNI program, according to Everret, is to avert conflict and preserve peace while specifically focusing on: (1) military, (2) proliferation, (3) foreign policy, (4) economics, (5) terrorism, narcotics, international organized crimes, (6) technology, and (7) regional conflict. Furthermore, the ODNI program empowers the IRTPA to support the enactment of US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 2007 which modernized the National economic programs for Fiscal Year 2008. The overall representation of this development supports the US Counterintelligence Strategy of 2007 basically empowers the homeland defense system. Defining of a Policy From the previous discussions of issues as presented with a brief review of literatures and statistical data, it has been cited that the need of the US government and its people is to materialize and put into national perspective the country’s security. In this aspect, the effectiveness, applicability, and efficiency to enact the US security and defense policy will be examined through the concept and ethical parameters based on the book, American Public Policy: An Introduction. i) According to the American Public Policy: An Introduction, the analysis of a policy requires the interpretation and examination of the fundamental conditions and rationale to enact a policy. Based on the book, â€Å"policy analysis is not value neutral but wants to discover the significance and importance to public values†. In short, public policy is characterized by objectivity of reasoning and intention for a public interest. Furthermore, according to Cochran, et. al, a public policy must be dealt with classifications of purposes, types, and goods. In other words, the objectivity and rationality are combined factors that exemplify the importance, adequacy, applicability, and affectivity of the public policy to the life of the people and well-being of the state. This analysis also coincides and adheres to the moral and social values. In this regard, one example is the threat on terrorism to American people which does not only address the enactment of IRTPA and other programs on State security but also embraces all forms of terrorism-related violence occurring within a domestic domain that may be inflicted by a common crime or street crime, which is commonly called community crimes. ii) The classification of the policy is mainly to deter crime and enact on crime through imposing the punishment or penalty as provided by the rules of court and the due process of law. Another example of terrorism-related violence is the magnitude or scope of implication or damage by size and by number of casualties within household or community, especially when children and women are the victims of crimes. These also include multiple murders with mutilation of the bodies, rape, burglary and arson, which are also considered as heinous crimes. It may be interpreted from the point of view of securing the state that the subsequent enactment of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 2007, and the Counterintelligence Strategy of 2007, focuses on counter-terrorism. On the other hand, the enactment of the National Strategy for Homeland Security of 2007 embodies and embraces all of the provisions from previous policy enactments, which could be interpreted as reinvented applications and coherent enforcements within the domestic system of governance and national policy environment. In short, the scope of the applicability the National Strategy for Homeland Security of 2007 addresses the framework policy. Defining the Ethical Parameters Classification and Purpose for a Safer and Peaceful State i) Classifying a public policy in a category of securing the public is being defined by the magnitude of application to preserving peace and order. Based on the book, American Public Policy: An Introduction, the enactment of a security policy would secure the interstate (domestic) and intrastate (foreign community) domains from the common crimes committed by the citizens of the state and the vulnerability of the state from external attacks being specifically characterized by terrorists. Moreover, according to the book, the underlying claim on which classification of a public policy is relevant for the serious deficiencies in the ability of federal law enforcement authorities to recognize and respond to terrorist threats which is primarily due to the fact that individuals are often labeled suspicious on the basis of ideological, rather than behavioral grounds. It is evident that the classification of a policy to protect and secure the public would likewise define where and whom the policy should cover. ii) The purpose is the deliberate intention of a policy to objectively address the circumstance or phenomenon affecting the well-being of the state in order to preserve the interest of the people. In this case, the interest of the people to live in a better, safer, and peaceful world is being threatened by terrorism. The purpose to live in a better, safer and peaceful state has deliberately and intentionally emanated from the rationale of the government to enact a policy that defines the purpose to protect, preserve, and uphold the sovereignty of people against forces of destruction. According to US President George Bush, the purpose of enacting the US Homeland defense system is aligned with the interstate and intrastate security strategies and is a shared responsibility across the entire nation that has been developed for national culture preparedness [of the local tribal state and federal governments] and crosses international borders for collaborating secured international communities. Perspectives of A Safer and Peaceful State i) Based on Cochran, et. al’s book, â€Å"enacting a public policy must be determined by the type of application and the goods it would impart to people and society†. The community represented by families must enjoy a safer and peaceful life to manifest a better living condition categorized by abundance and prosperity. From this statement, the book promotes a liberating concept of a safer and peaceful state reflective of a crime-free community and is being protected by a public policy that promulgates crime sanctions and the imposition of punishments upon committing a crime. The implementation of the US Homeland defense system, through various policies or State Acts previously discussed in this paper, point out the perspective of a safer and peaceful state, and wholly emphasize a call for national recovery in socio-economic-political aspect. This is also linked to the efforts of the state to secure the lives of the people as well as to preserve the economic resources which could make the world a safer and better place to live in. ii) Cochran’s, et. al. concept and ethical parameters applies in the overall perspectives of the US policy and State Acts for a safer place and peaceful state. In addition, perspectives in the point of view of interstate (domestic) domain protection on combating vulnerability and preempting terrorist aggression from intrastate (foreign) domain can be applied. The US Homeland defense system could be a fortress that shields the American community from terrorism, and while having that shield, the US manages to enforce its strategies in its counter-terrorism efforts across borders. Furthermore Based on Cochran et. al’s book, a policy flows from analysis which is not value neutral but wants to discover the significance and importance to public values. Therefore, the US Homeland defense system has enabled an interstate (domestic) and intrastate (foreign) policy that defines the importance of the public values, which affirms and represents the various concept and ethical parameters stated in the book, American Public Policy: An Introduction. Conclusion It is safe to say that the US government made a safer place for the American people, as manifested by its empowerment of Homeland defense and attainment of security measures. However, the militarism aspect in countering terrorism has somehow inflicted a wound on the flesh of sovereign people. In this connection, it can be perceived that it is also important to rectify the human errors committed in enforcing counter-terrorism measures that add the cost of human toll. The US security policy from its interstate and intrastate scope has its dimensional perspective in achieving a better place. In addition, the â€Å"sharing of responsibility and burdens† amongst nations could be the pursuance of a world order. The creation and execution of the security and defense policies basically represents conceptual frameworks and ethics presented in the book, American Public Policy: An Introduction. However, it is not clear how the realities of implementation could be measured based on the lives of people in international communities. Furthermore, a safer place is perceived as a continuing perseverance in enacting state policies. It is also the moral basis of the existing policies. In short, public policy that can promote a peaceful State is a policy that may genuinely harness the defense and security of people and the State itself. Works Cited Cochran, Mayer, Carr and Cayer. â€Å"American Public Policy: An Introduction†. 2006. Thompson/Wadsworth Publishing, 8th Edition. ISBN: 0-534-60163-4. Rohan Gunaratna. â€Å"Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Threat and Response†. 2006. Center for Eurasian Policy Occassional Research Paper, Series II (Islamism in Southeast Asia), No. 1. , Hudson Institute. 17 March 2008 from http://www. hudson. org/files/pdf_upload/terrorismPDF. pdf. Terri Everett. â€Å"Procuring the Future 21st Century IC Acquisition†. (2008). DNI Senior Procurement Executive, Office of the Director of National Intelligence. 17 March 2008 from http://www. fas. org/irp/dni/everett. ppt. US Department of State. â€Å"National Strategy for Homeland Security†. 2007. Retrieved 17 ` March 2008 from http://www. state. gov/journals/. US National Counterterrorism Center. â€Å"Report on Terrorist Incidents-2006†. (2007). Retrieved 17 March 2008 from http://www. wits. nctc. gov/reports/crot2006nctcannexfinal. pdf.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Social Media Essay

Social Media Negative Effects Social media plays a socialegative impacts of social media has drastically changed since it was introduced in 1979 when Usenet systems were first conceived by Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis, and even since Mark Zuckerberg created â€Å"Facebook† in 2004.  Impact of social media on society sites such as Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Omegle expose today’s adolescence to things they shouldn’t be seeing, and it is as easy as logging in. The following paragraphs will talk about the three main the negative effects of social media plays on youth today. These are; one, continuously putting users of Social Media, (and even the internet), in danger, two, damaging face to face socializing skills, and three, exposing our youth to explicit materials. Negative Effects of Social Media on Society Firstly, Social media poses many threats in today’s society. It is accessible from any Computer, Phone, Tablet or IPod with an internet connection. This means that it is easier for children as young as 8 or 9 to connect to a social media site. This in turn exposes them to nudity, swearing and the worst of all; pedophiles and rapists. Rheana Murray of New York Daily News stated that a whopping one in ten profiles online are fake (May 2013). This means that at least 10% or more of a child’s friends on Facebook could be phony. The Carly Ryan incident in 2006 proves that the internet is a very dangerous platform for children, teenagers and even adults to be using. Unfortunately, fake profiles are not just used for using fake aliases. Even if someone has only, say 10 friends on a social media site, and know that all of these are authentic, there are still ways for hackers to access your information; such as your location, photos or even bank details. Bullying is also a huge danger to youth on the internet. Back before Social Networking was created, bullying stopped when school stopped. Now, a child being bullied is also faced with bullying in the confinement of their own home. Bullying on  social media effects on society has become one of the top three reasons for teen suicide, with a further two teens saying that they had attempted suicide as a result of cyber bullying. The main problem here is that only one in ten will inform a teacher or parent of this. Social Media faces today’s youth with countless dangers, it should be used carefully and decisively. Read more:  Essay About Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media Secondly, social media today is damaging the minds of our youth by suppressing their physical socializing skills. Because most of the time teenagers communicate via text and Facebook instead of writing a letter or picking up the phone, they are subconsciously harming the part of the brain that allows them to have meaningful conversations face to face. It worsens for the generation that were born from 2005 on, as this means social media is all they grew up with. Even for teenagers in high school, social media still played a major part in their influential maturing years that the early years when social media wasn’t known, don’t count towards anything. For instance, studies show that 3 in 5 students are abbreviating their words to acronyms without even realizing (Jasmine Fowlkes 2010). It is also seen that youth today do not have anything else to talk about other than what they â€Å"saw on Facebook last night† or â€Å"guess who is dating who†. This is a perfect example of what is happening to their socializing skills. Teens are unable to hold a decent conversation without mentioning something they saw on social media on the weekend or night before. This is going to severely damage their interviewing abilities when they want to apply for a job, or when they want to be able to stay in a relationship. It is important that people pay attention to how much they are relying on social media to communicate, and to limit themselves so they do not lose their ability to physically socialize altogether. Lastly, Social media plays a negative role on today’s society by exposing them to explicit material that should not be obtainable to today’s youth. Many sites have age restrictions, but it’s not a challenge for young children to say they wer e born ten years earlier on a social media account – the desire to explore the internet will drive them to this. Children still in the 3rd grade can have access to anything they desire, and most of the time will not understand what they are looking at but will always remember the basics. This leads to them asking their parents or other young friends what it means. Which leads to more unauthorized â€Å"research†. Most children at the age of five know what the the basics of sex are, and even more due to the ever expanding social network. When young children are on sites like Omegle (A video chat site where users are connected with another random user from around the globe, which are mostly naked men) they are oblivious to the  negatives of social media effects that these images are  doing to them. They are also exposed to rude and vulgar words which they then pick up and use as a force of habit in their everyday life. These children unfortunately are as young as six or seven. The internet needs to start using effective filters to stop this explicit material from poisoning the the minds of our future generation, and start paying more attention. In conclusion, social media plays a negative role on today’s society by continuously putting users of social media in danger, limiting face to face socializing skills, and exposing our society to explicit materials.  Bad things about social media need to change. There needs to be more restrictions blocking access to inappropriate sites, and security needs to drastically tighten on this essay on social media profiles, or the future generation that will be running the world will incapable of doing the job correctly. –Which effects everybody, and the generations to come. Works Cited Dewing, Michael. Social Media. Ottawa, Library of Parliament, 2010. â€Å"The Social Capital of Locative Social Media.† Locative Social Media. â€Å"Social Media.† Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Advantages of Volunteering at American Institute for Medical and Biolo Essay

Advantages of Volunteering at American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering The paper "Advantages of Volunteering at the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering" is a good example of an essay on social science. AIMBE has over 50,000 members who are in the medical and biological engineering. Volunteering at the organization will provide a platform to interact with other people in the same field. These interactions with different people at different stages of the biomedical engineering field will help grow my career by exposing me to different opportunities. I will also benefit from inspirations that come about from interacting with high achievers. Also, interacting with professionals and getting advice from them will also help in building my career and turn it into a great professionalism. Forging close friendships will also come in handy when looking for recommendations and introductions when it comes to work and career building. I will also get mentors who are experienced in the field to guide me and help me expound on my area of expertise . AIMBE sponsors a wide array of institutions including academic institutions, private industries, and other professional engineering societies (Johnson 2). By volunteering for the organization, I will get exposure to these organizations, Career-wise, this will help my development by opening a number of areas that I can major in and end up working there. The exposure will also provide an atmosphere of what is expected in professional development. Knowing what is expected from you and observing other professionals at work afford an advantage over many people in the job sector. The organization is also actively involved in researching new areas where the engineers can indulge. This expands to the fields where I can specialize in helping people and generally making the world a healthier place (Johnson 1).

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Parkinson's disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Parkinson's disease - Essay Example to treat Parkinson’s Disease associated symptoms, but has also proven to be an inappropriate treatment choice in patients with a history of psychosis or seizures. Amantadine may also be used to treat outbreaks of influenza A in humans. The problems experienced with the use of Amantadine is that its side effects are almost as bothersome or adverse as the symptoms that it is meant to treat. It is also lethal if taken by patients with renal conditions or with renal failure. Amantadine essentially is flushed out of the body via urine. In cases of renal failure however, a patient’s body may not effectively excrete the amount of Amantidine expected to be expelled by the body per normal dosage. When researching this particular medication, it is quite difficult to ascertain all of the facts surrounding its potency and effectiveness. Medline Plus provides only an approximation of what a dosage might be in patients prescribed this medication, as well as a few possible side effects that may be experienced. Another site known as mental health.com, describes in more detail, the pharmacology of Amantadine which is also known as Symmetrel. This source explains that Amantadine works by allowing the brain to release dopamine from nerve endings. This allows for available dopamine excretion which then activates dopaminergic receptors. (Long M.D., 1995). Among the few sources discussed thus far, the depth to which the antiparkinson’s drug known as Amantadine was examined was somewhat vague and lacking in detail or argument as to why this drug supersedes the potency or effectiveness of other antiparkinson’s medications. A more thorough source which detailed a double blind study by Thomas et al effectively described the specifics of Amantadine’s use in patients with Parkinson’s Disease as well as how those patients benefit from this particular drug which possesses a still unknown mechanism of effectiveness (Thomas et al, 2004). The drug known as Levodopa is

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Thin Layer Chromatography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thin Layer Chromatography - Essay Example But butan-1-ol isn’t a suitable dissolvent for amino acids except it is hydrous. Based on the structure of the amino acids in this practical, group B have greater side sequence compared to group A. Furthermore, the movement level of amino acids remainder on the dissoluble on the side sequence in the solvent. The segregation of amino acids rely on the way they are used and the section properties like the impact to aid with one dissolvent or another or variable the pH of the dissolvent. The division by electrical charges would progress to preferable outcome. The basics of paper chromatography are comparable to thin layer chromatography, however, the support substance are not the same. Furthermore, the advantages of the thin layer chromatography over paper chromatography are; Alpha-mannosidosis is an autosomal recessive lysosomal store disease caused by erroneous of lysosomal ÃŽ ±-mannosidase enzyme which is analysed by urine oligosaccharide diagnosis and blood ÃŽ ±-mannosidse test. Maple syrup urine disease is an autosomal recessive aminoacidopathy, it is an outcome of the default of branched-sequence amino acids. This disease is known by a Medical examination via urinary amino acid amount. g) A student spots an unknown sample on a TLC plate. After developing in hexane/ethyl acetate 50:50, he/she saw a single spot with an R f of 0.55. Does this indicate that the unknown material is a pure compound? What can be done to verify the purity of the sample? The way that you see one spot on a TLC plate does not so much imply that the result spotted holds one and only part. This is on the grounds that two mixes can have the same worth of Rf in a specific eluting framework. You must run the specimen in an alternate eluting dissolvable and check whether it again gives stand out spot. This is a great sign that the specimen is immaculate. Be that as it may, you

Monday, August 26, 2019

Summarize the article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Summarize the article - Essay Example Learning context is set on the terms of the importance of L1 and L2 within the learning context. This later on affects the functional roles and area of use put for L1 and L2. L2 language is compared across four different language-learning contexts that represent four separate positions on the second language (SL)-foreign language (FL) context range. Findings show that learners most close to the second language end of the range outperform the learners in the three other contexts on most aspects of L2 proficiency investigated. Studies of L2 learning in a wide range of contexts make an important contribution to the understanding of the complexity and richness of the SLA phenomenon. Identifying and understanding the impact of contextual discrepancy on the L2 learning process depends on the quality of the measurement practices used. According to Norris and Ortega (2009), measure practices in SLA research should capture the fully integrated ecology of complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF) development in specific contexts over time. This helps us understand why and how language develops within them or does not develop within them. There are other factors that promote various types of learning and outcomes not only the context. Factors like the quality of experiences, efforts invested to use the L2 that makes one learning context superior to the other in relation to the L2 development and the nature of the input and output conditions. An instruction has a strong effect and influences the rate of outcome of the L2 acquisition. The main assumption in this study is that the natural/second language/study abroad contexts offer more favorable opportunities for L2 learning which results in higher L2 proficiency and more favorable socio-psychological disposition than foreign language. The trend from this research is that natural second language contexts are more likely to improve oral fluency, lexical

Leadership - Bill Russell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership - Bill Russell - Essay Example However, the mentioned accolades do not exonerate the fact that just likes any other leader and human, he had his failures too. The only difference is that he did not turn his neck off his goals. In this regard, several leadership attributes can be identified from the splendid career of Russell as derived from his book the second wind. From his strengths and weaknesses, four outstanding leadership attributes can be emulated from Brussels lessons and experiences (Russell 67). These include team work and collaboration, managing change, communication, readiness to learn or agility and growth mindset and finally judgment. In addition, personal integrity, commitment and success are also captured in Brussels splendid career span. Russell’s accomplishments and failures are captured in his rules of success. His first rule is on life mission and daily learning experiences. For example he says that â€Å"we work to become, not acquire†Leardership entails learning and he recommend s that the more a person learns the more, the more he realizes that he still has a lot to learn. This rule is evident in his basketball career after he made several attempts to be included in the junior team with no success. He gives the example that he improved on his skills by regularly watching the past matches that he played. Watching the films made him identify his weakness and improve on them on subsequent matches. Some of his failures he attributed to lack of practice which sometimes fails miserably in some matches. The concept of team work is also one of his major accomplishments (Falkner and Russell 51-55). In a broader sense, he says that whenever he played well, it helped his team mates to even get better results. His key interest was not on personal achievements but using individual skills to uplift team performance. The driving factor behind his commitment he says was not to emerge the best in the entire country but to become astute to their best. Symbolically and to dr ive his message home, he explains that the basketball was his laboratory, workroom and classroom. Among the activities he cites and which formed the major aspects of his accomplishments included shooting at a rebound angle. Russell (78) notes that learning on the probability of player behavior in certain situations on how they are likely to respond are some of the things they greatly learnt. Commenting on his various awards, he says that quality and craftsmanship never happen by accident. He attributes his success in his entire basketball stint to principled intentions, intelligent directions, skillfull execution and sincere effort. He summarizes that craftsmanship in itself represents the best choice out of several alternatives. On the other hand, he cites his failures to several misjudgments and assumptions that he made during his career as a player and a coach. For example he registered several failures during his academic stint which he attributes to lack of commitment. Most of leadership strengths and weaknesses of Russell are intertwined and inclined to his accomplishment and failures. For example one his lessons outlines that craftsmanship is contagious and those players of any great team should always learn from one another. This was contrary to his personality which seemed to be so much introverted. He rarely took time to talk to his teammates and was always withdrawn (Russell 91). Despite being a great asset to

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Professional capstone project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Professional capstone project - Essay Example in this theory include â€Å"Carative Factors† (emotional, human and spiritual, care-giving factors), a â€Å"Caring Relationship† (the patient and nurse mutually explore for wholeness and meaning) and â€Å"Caring Moments† (constant time spent, to create a human-to-human relation, with a patient). Caring is the ethical model of nursing whereby the conclusion is enhancement, preservation and protection of human solemnity. Thus, the two individuals, i.e. a client and a nurse, partaking in a caring operation are mutually involved in a process of becoming and being (Adventist Health System, 2011). Since nursing provides a sigh of relief to the ailing patient, this theory provides an insight into the behaviors that can be utilized to apply proper care mechanism to ease the patient’s sufferings. Some of them include comforting, attentive listening, peace, honesty, responsibility, patience, rendering information to enable the patient to construct an informed conclusion, respect, sensitivity, touch as well as addressing patient by his/her name (Anonymous, 2012). Using this theory, a nurse can constitute a caring association with patients by exhibiting unconditional acceptance using a holistic intervention approach (a treatment plan that involves treating the spirit, body, soul as well as mind), spending as much as necessary time with the ailing patient and promoting health through intervention and knowledge. This theory will be applied in the project by implementing the proposed behaviors in the real world situation and reporting the outcomes generated. The factual impact of the application of simulations on scientific decision making is undetermined. Cioffi, Purcal and Arundell (2005), have developed a pilot study that employed a posttest designed to explore the impact of a simulation strategy on the decision making process within the clinic for nursing students. The findings reported suggest that the students that were provided the simulation strategy gathered more

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Middle eastern cuisine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Middle eastern cuisine - Essay Example Marriage entails two individuals to be together, living under the same roof, hopefully for the rest of their lives. Now what can one expect if this marriage is composed of spouses whose cultures greatly differ from each other?3 In answer to this, the paper aims to explore the different causes of issues in interracial marriages in an effort to find answers to why some individuals and societies view such marriages with hostility. Arab Religion and Culture Islam dominates the Arab world, 4 with their laws and culture revolving mainly around the beliefs and practices deemed lawful or acceptable by the religion.5 If one is aware of the Arab culture and beliefs, it is easy to see centuries-old practices and stereotypes that could be strikingly different from other cultures around the world. Even non-Muslim Arabs have a set of practices that are unique to this race. This region of the world is highly patriarchal, and even though the western idea of gender equality may have reached some soci eties, particularly non-Muslim societies, there is still a segregation of gender roles in every family unit.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Information management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Information management - Essay Example Apart from the rights administrators, the user without any external intervention can individually operate Facebook. For the efficient use of telegraphy, there must be actual employees stationed at the transmission and reception stations to manage the process of communication. A telegraphy operator can have a direct and personal conversation without knowing the identity of the person. As examples of information systems, both Facebook and telegraph offer socio-technical systems platform where participants develop, organize and manage information and its contents (Grint & Willocks, 1995, p. 54). This makes these two systems fit for organizational management. They both satisfy the information needs of organizations through the production, dissemination and controlling of knowledge. However, while telegraph relies on paper work to convey information, Facebook requires an internet empowered gadget to transmit information. Such gadgets might include computers, mobile technologies, PDAs, net books, laptops, and tablets (Hammer, 1990, p. 1). Using telegraph for the transmission of information can encounter barriers such as distance, weather conditions, and other physical attributes. This is not true about Facebook. Apart from countries where there are strict sanctions on internet use, Facebook transcends all boundaries of the world irrespective of the distance, time, speed, and weather conditions. One of the most significant hurdles concerning the use of Facebook involves the availability of the internet. Apparently, the cost of the internet is still expensive to the majority of people of the world, and this consequently hampers their access to Facebook (Eisenstein, 2002, p. 127). Impacts of telegraph The history of telegraphy dates back to the revolution of...54). Impacts of telegraph Telegraph has had various impacts in the socio-technical systems. As an information system tool, telegraphy has ensured that information relay flows in a smooth manner besides being unadorned and lean. Telegraph has enhanced commerce in business organization, governments, and the military departments. The socio-technical systems of telegraphy also encouraged critical analysis of the market situations for many business organizations globally. Facebook is a socio-technical system developed in 2004. Facebook drives democracies in various territorial boundaries. The emergence of Facebook as a socio-technical system has increased business management owing to the advancements and improvements in the way consumers behave digitally. The socio technical systems of Facebook manifest the processes through which organizations grow rapidly in engulfing the operations of that business enterprise (Willmott, 1995, p. 7). The management of information system requires an organization to relay the soci al networking system that encompasses the wider initiatives of economic, institutional, and technological aspects. It is based on the understanding that an organization ought to have sufficient knowledge on the operations of the socio-technical systems for successful management of information systems. The introduction of the social networking sites has improved business management processes.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Essay Example for Free

Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Essay Teresa Neal Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper In a world where nothing seems to be considered normal anymore, psychology tries to draw the line between what it is and what is not. The different schools of thought have their own perspective on the definition, origin, and treatment of abnormal behavior and this paper will cover a few, trying to make it possible to have a clear difference between normal and abnormal psychology. Normal and Abnormal Psychology Specifically defining behavior as normal or abnormal is a contentious issue in abnormal psychology. To try to distinguish between normal psychology and abnormal psychology, psychologists use three criteria; whatever is infrequent, maladaptive, and deviant from the cultural norm, falls under the category of abnormal behavior (Spoor, 1999). Mental health, also known as normal psychology, and mental illnesses and disorders, also known as abnormal psychology, have been defined in many ways, but should always be viewed in the context of ethnocultural factors and influence because what is considered normal in some environments may be considered abnormal in others. A person with a normal behavior and mental processes has the ability to adapt and cope with adversity, has a correct perception of reality, accepts self, avoids harm, and experiences continual psychological growth and development (Kowalski Westen, 2009). Abnormal psychology, on the other hand, is characterized by unusual patterns that some people might show in their behavior, thought process, and expression of emotion, patterns that are associated with distress or disability and can cause harm and an unreasonable response to a particular situation. Mental Disorders Daily functions such as the ability to think, read, remember, plan, and understand rely on an individuals cognitive skills (Medalia Revheim, 2002). Cognitive disorders are disorders of thinking or memory that signify an evident change from the personal former level of functioning. In certain situations the exact origin of the disorder can be identified, other cases the cause is unclear. Even though these disorders are biologically founded, the environment and psychological factors play significant roles in shaping the effect and extent of disabling symptoms in addition to the personal capacity to deal with them. (Nevid, et a. 2008). The most common cognitive disorders are amnestic, delirium, and dementia disorders. Amnestic disorders are a cognitive impairment relating a failure to develop new memories and the failure to remember old memories. Delirium is a severe, and reversible state of mental disorder, which involves confusion, and the lack of ability to focus on information or the surrounding environment. Individuals that suffer from delirium may suffer frightening hallucinations, particularly visual hallucinations. The loss of memory and understanding usually associated with behavior and personality changes describes dementia disorders. Different forms of dementia exist, depending on the cause; therefore; some types of dementia may be reversed with treatment. For example; those cases that are caused by brain tumors. Dementia caused by the disease Alzheimer’s cannot be reversed (Nevid, et al. 2008). On a personal note; these patients are difficult, they have to watch be continually as they can do harm to themselves and others. Mental Illnesses Although diagnoses of ADHD are based on behavioral symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity, evidence suggests that children with ADHD also show important cognitive weaknesses in areas that are necessary to daily functioning at home work and school. Particularly research studies indicate that children with ADHD often have problems in; Executive functions (for example, planning a project, keeping attentive to a task, ignoring irrelevant information) Working memory (which is often considered an executive function) speed of information processing (children with ADHD process information more slowly than their peers) Many of these cognitive processes are often interrelated. For example problems in working memory can negatively affect other executive functions, or slow processing speed may lower an individual’s ability to recall and organize information. ttp://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/15499890 From the cognitive perspective, theorists suggest that a person diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorders suffer from impaired information-processing. The impairment is present in defined categories and boundaries that are maladaptive and result in an over-structuring of input but there is no evidence to show that this is the c ause, rather than a consequence of OCD symptoms. Another cognitive theory suggests that OCD fear structures are especially various and a large number of stimuli can become associated with threat or danger. Passive avoidance of such a large number of stimulus associations can be extremely difficult and compulsions become necessary for the individual to feel safe. Although cognitive theories do provide insight into the outward aspect of OCD, they fail to clearly define how and why OCD and this cognitive impairment can arise. Similarities between the Schools of Thought There are quite a few similarities between the different schools of thought in treating mental disorders. All but the Psychodynamic therapies are short term usually lasting a year or less and most all therapies have the client or patient facing the therapist and are conversational. All therapies also look to help the client or patient change behaviors or thought patterns that are causing problems of one kind or another. Cognitive-Behavioral therapies help patients with behavior and cognitive problems. The therapist helps the patient focus on the problematic behavior and helps him or her find ways in which to address these behaviors and learn skills to change them. These therapies use a variety of techniques to help patients with phobias, social skills, accomplishing goals, anxiety disorders, and the like. Psychodynamic therapies both examine the patient’s thought patterns to get to the bottom of the undesired behavior or emotional responses. Humanistic therapies including Gestalt and Client-Centered therapies focus on the patient’s feelings and to experience themselves as they really are. Family, Marital, and Group therapies use group communication either one- on-one or in a group to help with problematic relationships and behaviors. Self-help groups are another type of group therapy that aims to help people either cope with undesired behavior, loss of a loved one, addictions, and disease. [ (Kowalski, 2009) ] The common thread here with most therapies, the approach is a warm relationship with the therapist who shows empathy for the patient or client and giving him or her hope or efficacy in coping with their problem [ (Kowalski, 2009) ] Differences between the Schools of Thought While each school of thought has common factors in treatment methods, each school has developed different ways of addressing psychological problem. For instance, Psychodynamic therapies rely on two principles: the role of insight and the role of the therapist-patient relationship (Kowalski Western, 2009). It is believed that in order for therapeutic change to occur, a person must understand his or her own psychological processes. When in therapy it is one on one; the patient is either face to face with the therapist or lying on a couch with the therapist sitting behind them. Psychodynamic therapy emphasizes the notion that the patients problems stemmed from childhood. These problems follow the child into adulthood causing a conflict within new relationships. This transfer of emotion from past experiences is called transference, one of the techniques psychotherapies rely on. The two main treatments, psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, are a long term process that focuses on developing awareness of these unconscious feelings. Psychodynamic therapy, like psychoanalysis, consists of three days a week over a long period of time. It is considered that patients who meet at least twice weekly benefit more than those who do not. Unlike psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on the person’s life as it is now; the current and conscious thought patterns and behavior. They are not concerned with exploring and altering underlying personality patterns or unconscious processes (Kowalski Western,  2009). The focus is on the present feelings and not the childhood experiences. Cognitive-based therapies are relatively short term and direct. Specific recommendations are made to bring about change in behavior. The sessions are well structured with questioning, and the patient usually is sent home with an assignment (Mote, 2011). While most cognitive behavioral techniques try to alter behavior, such as classical conditioning, cognitive therapy focuses on changing dysfunctional cognitions (Kowalski Western, 2009). These behaviors are automatic, and not unconscious. Therapy is a process of identifying and altering these automatic thoughts. Cognitive therapy techniques such as rational-emotional behavior therapy recognize the behaviors and works to mediate between the activating conditions and the emotional reactions. As each of the other therapies are more therapist-patient, Humanistic therapies focus on the world of the patient and qualities that make him or her unique (Mote, 2011). The therapy techniques that are used, Gestalt therapy and Roger’s client centered therapy, are primarily based on becoming aware of one’s own emotions, values, and motivations to bring about change. With group therapy, the individuals are concentrated on the individual dynamics and their reactions in the group process. Family therapy is centered on the structure of the family, and the main roots of conflict in family interaction.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Sensibility comparision Essay Example for Free

Sensibility comparision Essay Women have been struggling to prove themselves to society for centuries, yet many people today, living in the twenty-first century still think that women arent equal to men. The society one lives in defines a womens role and status and for many years society has always defined women to be too weak and overly sentimental. William Shakespeares Othello and Jane Austens Sense and Sensibility show that despite women continuously fighting for their rights, they still find themselves in the same position after two hundred years. Othello was written in the sixteenth century whereas Sense and Sensibility was written in the eighteenth century, yet the women of both texts struggle to be considered equal to men. Othellos Desdemona and Emilia are obligated to be obedient towards their husbands in order to be considered loyal and of high stature. If women are unmarried they are to be obedient to their fathers as they are considered to be their fathers property. Likewise Sense and Sensibilitys Elinor and Marianne are obliged to find husbands of good fortune in order to live a comfortable life as they are not given the opportunity to earn their own fortune. Throughout Sense and Sensibility Elinor and Marianne are imposed by society to find a husband even though they are not even adults yet. The societies the women of the play Othello by William Shakespeare and the novel Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen live in, compel them to cope with the mistreatment of women and overcome it with regards to their contemporary society. The women in both texts are forced to behave as is expected of them in order to fit into their societies. In Othello Desdemona personifies an oppressed woman who admits to being obedient to her husband, I am obedient. (III. iii. 99). Throughout the play Desdemona follows her husbands orders, despite his insults towards her. She continues to be a dutiful wife when he commands her to go to bed and till the end where she accepts his decision to kill her. The Venetian society Desdemona was raised in has taught her to be submissive and dutiful. She acknowledges her role as an obedient wife and decides to follow what is asked of her by society. Furthermore Emilia also chooses to follow her role in Venetian Society in spite of her being an arguably stronger character than Desdemona. Tis proper I obey him, but not now. (V. ii. 233). Towards the end when she chooses to reveal Iagos acts she still feels the need to justify herself and explain why she is going against her husband. From the very start of the play Emilia does various things to please her husband, without trying to find out his true intentions. She is blinded by her role to be obedient towards him and does everything in her power to depict a perfect wife. Similarly in Sense and Sensibility women also try to conduct themselves in a proper way in order to be accepted by society. Elinor Dashwood portrays a woman of proper demeanour in the eighteenth century. She is careful not to hurt anyone, in spite of their narcissistic characteristics. The pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety. (Jane Austen, 39). Elinor explains to her sister that how polite you are shouldnt always depend on how good ones company is. Being the eldest daughter, Elinor abides to having proper manners and takes on the role of the man of the house, making sure the small amount of money they have is being spent wisely. In order to be accepted by society Elinor also refuses to show her affection for Edward Ferrars knowing the reaction she would get from the people in her society. She knows she must be careful to not let her reputation get tainted if she wants to be accepted by her friends and relatives. Just like Desdemona, Elinor is very selfless and sensible as she cares more about the people around her than herself. These attributes are significant as to why both these characters are well liked in their society. Just as Desdemona is obedient to her husband, Elinor is obedient to her family. Furthermore Marianne Dashwood is another woman who is also forced to behave to the liking of the society in which she lives. Unlike Elinor it is more difficult for Marianne to portray an ideal woman due to her being more frank and caring for things other than being liked by the society. It was impossible for her to say what she did not feel, however trivial the occasion; and upon Elinor, therefore, the whole task of telling lies, when politeness required it, always fell. (Jane Austen, 68). Mariannes thoughts express how she feels obligated to be polite to others because of her sister, who encourages her to be polite in order for their family to have a good reputation in their society. Marianne believes that being polite is just telling lies to a person in order for them to like you. Although she does not like how the people in her society think Marianne must accept the fact that she must fit into her society and in order to do so she tries to behave in a respectful manner towards others. Both Marianne and Emilia are forced to be someone they are not. It is easier for Desdemona and Elinor to be passive women but Emilia and Marianne have more personality that comes in their way of portraying the type of women accepted in their society. Regardless, Emilia and Marianne force themselves to follow the conduct of women of their society. Desdemona, Emilia, Elinor and Marianne all must behave like courteous ladies and conceal their passion and frustration in order to be a part of their society. Not only does the society force them to behave a certain way, women are also taken advantage of and mistreated. In Othello Iago wants to get revenge from Othello for allegedly sleeping with his wife by sleeping with Desdemona. For that I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leapd into my seat; the thought whereof Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards; And nothing can or shall content my soul, Till I am evend with him, wife for wife. (II. i. 317-321). To Iago women are just possessions which is why he does not take into consideration the feelings of Emilia and Desdemona while planning his revenge. Iago knows that there is not much that Emilia and Desdemona can do because of the limitations Venetian society places on them. Therefore he continues to treat his wife with disrespect and plot to make Othello think that Desdemona has committed adultery. Moreover Othello mistreats his wife by killing her at the end . Yet she must die, else shell betray more men. (V. ii. 6). He plots to kill Desdemona because he thinks she has committed infidelity. He continues with his plan even when Desdemona states that she has been loyal to him. Othello is blinded by Iagos manipulative acts and cannot see right from wrong. Him not believing in Desdemona over Iago shows how Othellos mind has been affected by society into believing a mans say is more important that a womans. Correspondingly women in Sense and Sensibility are also uncared for by men. Willoughby is a prime example of a man who mistreats women. He is a heartless womanizer who seduces Eliza, Colonel Brandons foster daughter and then easily moves on to Marianne. Careless of her happiness, thinking only of my own amusement, giving way to feelings which I had always been too much in the habit of indulging, I endeavoured, by every means in my power, to make myself pleasing to her, without any design of returning her affections. (Jane Austen, 173-174). Willoughby confesses to Elinor that he never had any intentions of falling in love with Marianne and he admits to have been a Casanova in the past. Throughout the novel Willoughby mistreats women and uses them for his pleasures. He is driven by society to please women but not care for them and at the end his flawed propensity leads him to being punished by not being able to be with the one he loves. Similar to Othellos Iago Willoughby does not think highly of women. Both Iago and Willoughby are villains of the story because of their harsh behaviour towards women. Although Iago shows no remorse for hurting women whereas Willoughby regrets his dishonesty towards the women in his life, they both are still seen to be of the same nature because of their characters being so deceptive towards women. Furthermore Elinor is also a victim of mistreatment. She now found that, in spite of herself, she had always admitted a hope, while Edward remained single, that something would occur to prevent his marrying Lucy. But he was now married; and she condemned her heart for the lurking flattery which so much heightened the pain of the intelligence. (Jane Austen, 194). Elinors thoughts express how hurt she is by the news of the her loves marriage. Edward Ferrars is someone the reader would least expect to hurt a woman but his loyalty towards Lucy Steele and unplanned love for Elinor lead him to having to choose between the two women. Knowing that either way he will hurt someone, he chooses to be with Lucy in order to be keep the promise of marrying her and not be hated by society for leaving her. One cannot help but blame Edward for leading Elinor on and not letting her know about his engagement with Lucy. Although Othellos killing Desdemona is very extreme compared to Edwards choosing Lucy over Elinor, both characters invoke catharsis in the audience because of the situation the characters find themselves in. Othello is driven to kill Desdemona because of his role in society and what society might think of him if they were to find out that his wife has cheated on him. Edward is driven to leave Elinor because of his engagement to Lucy which is persisted because society would not accept a broken engagement. In both cases the role society plays coerces both men to mistreat women they love and care for. Othello and Iagos treatment towards Desdemona and Emilia and Willoughby and Edwards treatment toward the Dashwood sisters are illustrations of they can be compelled to behave a certain way because their thoughts are driven by the beliefs of society. Though the women in Othello and Sense and Sensibility have to deal with living in a sexist society they are still able to overcome it through their emotional strength. Desdemonas obedience towards Othello does not blind her of how much power she has over him. My lord shall never rest; Ill watch him tame and talk him out of patience; His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift; Ill intermingle everything he does with Cassios suit. Therefore be marry, Cassio, For thy solicitor shall rather die than give thy cause away. (III. iii. 24-30). Desdemona tells Cassio how she shall continue to pester Othello until he is given his lieutenancy back. She is aware that she has a fair bit of control over Othello and she uses this to her advantage when trying to help Cassio. Desdemona does not let society hold her back from showing that she has a voice and that her say in a situation is important to her husband. Emilia also prevails as a strong women by defying Iago, in spite of society judging her for going against her husband. No, I will speak as liberal as the north. Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, all, all cry shame against me, yet Ill speak. (V. ii. 261-263). Emilia chooses to speak up against her husband and reveal him for the evil person he truly is because he has just caused her mistress death. She no longer cares for what society thinks of her as it is more important for her to prove Desdemonas innocence. You see Emilia at her strongest point in the play as she fights for Desdemona and herself, revealing the true strength of women and their ability to rise against men and society. Likewise, Elinor is able rise over societys hardwired perception of women by accepting what society expects from her but still having a mind of her own. Her ability to hide her emotions from others is her greatest strength. Sense will always have attractions for me. (Jane Austen, 29). For Elinor sense is something that allows her to be a part of society and still have as many emotions as Marianne. Therefore she believes that she will always approach life with sense. This is Elinors way of overcoming society. From hiding her feelings about what she really thinks about the Steele sisters to hiding her love for Edward, Elinor is able to keep everybody guessing about her true character and what people should really think about her. Elinors approach of overcoming societys perception is similar to Desdemonas approach as they both take a more subtle path. Elinor and Desdemona both show an enormous amount of strength through their empowerment over people. Elinor is able to get information from people that she doesnt even expect to get by being silent and approachable. Desdemona is able to get Othello to see her as an important figure until Iagos manipulative acts part Othello from her. Elinor and Desdemona are both the voice of common sense in their texts as they rise above societys mentality about women through the power of wisdom. Marianne struggles to accept what society asks of her but by the end she is able to use her sister as an example to find her way from a world of over-romanticizing to a more realistic place. She was born to discover the falsehood of her own opinions, and to counteract, by her conduct, her most favourite maxims. She was born to overcome an affection formed so late in life as seventeen, and with no sentiment superior to strong esteem and lively friendship..! (Jane Austen, 206). Jane Austen describes how at the end Marianne learns from her mistakes of being excessively sentimental and is able to overcome societys perception of women by being more like her sister. Marianne is able to accept that Willoughby was not meant to be with her and that she was meant to be with Colonel Brandon. Marrying Colonel Brandon helps Marianne start life on a new note and accept what society asks of her but still have her own say in matters. For both Marianne and Emilia it takes more time to find a way to rise against society and still be a part of society at the same time. At first Marianne doesnt accept to be a part of society whereas Emilia decides to be obedient and try to be accepted by society. By the end both characters are able to learn from their mistakes and acquire a way to triumph over societys perception of women. Marianne is able overcome society by accepting what society expects of her and Emilia is able to rise above society by telling the truth about her husband, not caring about what society thinks of her. The women of Othello and Sense and Sensibility are able to prevail over society by acknowledging the standards society sets for women but accepting them to an extent that does not allow them to control how they think. The women in Othello and Sense and Sensibility accept the role society gives them regardless of the consequences, and at the end they are able to rise above society by proving how strong women are. Othellos Desdemona chooses to obey Othello as that is what society expects her to do, even though he physically and emotionally abuses her. However she is still able to prevail as a strong women through her empowerment over Othello. Emilia is an obedient wife to her husband because she wants to fit into society, despite him constantly neglecting her. Yet she is able to over throw her husband by revealing his evil acts. By doing this she is able to prove to society how strong women are as she dies protecting her friends honour. William Shakespeare depicts how even though society portrays women as irrelevant people during his time, they still have a great impact on the lives of men. Elinor takes a more restrained approach to fight societys beliefs of women. She accepts to behave as expected of her but does not allow that to change the way she thinks. As a result Elinor learns that she does not always need to approach everything with common sense and she is able to learn to let herself go sometimes. Marianne starts off being the opposite of Elinor, as her being younger and more emotional prevents her from understanding the necessity of being accepted by society. By the end she is able to accept her role in society but at the same time she does not let her sensibility go. Jane Austen shows how that even though there is parallel of both Dashwood sisters fighting society and trying to find love at the same, they both approach it differently and at the end they decide to embark the same route. Jane Austen depicts how a balance between sense and sensibility allows women in the eighteenth century to not only be a part of society but also have a more dominant role as a woman. Though there is a large difference in the period both these texts were written in, the women still struggle with the same problems. Living in the year two thousand and eleven, yes there has been some improvement in how women are treated but that hasnt changed the way men think. Women are still not strong enough or not brave enough in the minds of men. Its still rare for you to see a women as a president or prime minister. After centuries of fighting for their rights women still have a long way to go to prove their strength and capability to men and society.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Rupert Murdoch Media Mogul Case Study

Rupert Murdoch Media Mogul Case Study Since 1952 when Rupert Murdoch inherited two Australian news paper from his father, he started a non-stop career generating growth within the media sector up to the point where the variety of his communication mediums have reached two-thirds of the worlds population. Murdoch has even been accused of monopolistic practices. Criticised by many people but admired by others, his leadership style is matter of analysis as it seems to contradict any Human Resource theory, i.e. the opposite of what is recognised as a good practice. However, his empire is alive and real, News Corporation (News Corp) is the second largest media conglomerate globally just behind The Walt Disney Company. This document will look at insights into Rupert Murdochs behaviour, his learning style as well as his personality characteristics as influencer in his professional development and managerial style. The analysis of competitive advantage for News Corp will be also discussed. From a Human Resource Management (HRM) perspective, News Corps practices need to be analysed in terms of performance appraisal, selection, relationship management, culture and ethics. A further mention with respect to leadership will be made since this is a core aspect that needs to be understood and appreciated. In order to successfully implement changes and improvements in News Corps HRM policy and approaches, improvements and alterations in Murdochs leadership style and approach need to be implemented. Murdochs People Management Style Learning Style and personality characteristics Theoretically, a successful company should have good practices in HRM. Ingham (2007) refers to best practice as an assumption that by doing things in a set best way, any organisation can improve their performance. He also points out that other concepts acknowledge that there is more than one combination of appropriate practices which varies according to context. Through this document, analysis will be made for each aspect as mentioned; linking the personal characteristics of Murdoch with News Corps practices. For years there has been interest in the importance of developing HRM: from hard approaches that looked at employees as a cost to be managed and possibly minimised, to softer approaches looking at employees as investments, valuables and with the capacity to make important contributions to the companys success. For News Corp however, this development has not happened as they are still operating based, clearly, on hard approaches, focusing on the rational management of people as if they were any other factor of production (Ingman, 2007). Murdoch has shaped News Corp and to accurately understand his performance, it is worthwhile to look at him as a CEO but as a person as well. Beyond his managerial and interpersonal skills, or the lack of them, it is undeniable that he has strong business acumen and ability to find new opportunities. For instance, the creation of the first national newspaper in Australia which gave him political clout, and acquisitions of different successful mediums such as Fox tv in the USA or Star Network in Hong Kong .He has been a natural entrepreneur since his youth and some analysts attribute his success to his ability to learn from mistakes, basic rule for a successful management as Templar (2005) highlights. A focused background in the newspaper market, added to his learning style have likely contributed to Murdochs edge. There are many approaches to learning styles by which this could be analysed and understood. One of the most recognised is Kolbs (1984, cited in businessballs) approach, which sets out learning as a cycle and suggests that everybody has a preferred style of learning. HOW TO REFERENCE THIS FRAMEWORK?, I GOT IT FROM: http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm In this framework Murdoch could be described as having an Accommodating Style (combination of feeling and doing). Accommodating people are generalised as those who are hands-on, relying in intuition rather than logic and mainly prefer practical and experiential approaches. According to Kolb, they are persons attracted to new challenges, new experiences and to carrying out plans and setting targets. Murdoch seems to have much of this description. Comparing this description to Felder and Silverman Theory, (1980, cited in mindtools) (Appendix 1) Murdoch seems to be an Active Learner, a person who prefers manipulating, doing and learn by trying. This is a description also confirmed by Honey and Mumford (1982 cited in literature available). Another approach by which Murdoch could be analysed is VAK (Appendix 2), framework in which he can be described as a kinaesthetic person as he has show he enjoy actively doing and experimenting in reality. A combination of his knowledge, learning style and personality, could provide a broad picture to understand his behaviour and motivations. His need for achievement, no matter at what cost, has been clear through this career as a well known risk taker. Murdoch is as well an innovative person who easily incorporated new technologies in his business, as he referred to himself: a catalyst for change. Murdoch has some remarkable characteristics that have led him to achieve his success. He is known for his ever-changing tactics, for exercising control, for his smart mind and acting unlike his competitors. The complexity he has have to cope with in business has led him to think creatively, for instance as it is cited in the case study, when his competitor offered to buy his newspaper he published the opponents offer letter with the headlines Bid for Press Monopoly. As a global figure the press, not just competitors, desire to know his plans and strategies. This has not always been possible since he is considered a very secretive person. His understanding about environmental factors, usually referred at as PESTEL (Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental) has given him distinct advantages. For instance, he identifies financially profitable markets, technologies than can help his business, despite union protests and legal ways to reduce his costs, for example, setting operations of his companies in fiscal paradises henceforth paying less taxes than most of its biggest competitors. Despite the fact that Murdoch is not known as a good relationship manager, he does know the importance of maintaining specific good relationships, such as political ones. Actually, it is said that he switched his political preferences to favour his business. (Between the Republicans and the Democrats in the USA, and between the Tories and th e Laboritie in the UK). Competitive Advantage From the point of view of business performance, his job as News Corp CEO has been successful. But the issue is how sustainable could the performance be?. Barney (1991, p.99) points out that firms obtain sustained competitive advantages by implementing strategies that exploit their internal strengths, through responding to environmental opportunities, while neutralizing external threats and avoiding internal weaknesses. By delivering the desired content that members (subscription based customers) want, often referred to as populist Murdoch truly has exploited his organisational strengths. As discussed, he often takes external opportunities. It is arguable that beyond neutralizing threats he is his competitors threat and in external issues his political manipulation has helped him significantly. Theoretically speaking, News Corp should have a sustainable competitive advantage. However, the resource-based model (Barney, 1991) suggests that a resource to generate sustainable competitive advantage must be valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and without strategically equivalent substitutes. Murdochs strategies have been rare to say the least, unexpected in many ways since he has never let anyone else to know about them and imperfectly imitable due to his power and the size of his company which makes for the competitors it difficult to follow him. However, he is wasting the most important resource by ignoring it as an asset: human resource. The size of his company is greater than most in the sector, having 47,300 employees (CNN); but taking into account his leadership style it is hardly a surprise that for him, employees are not a resource nor an asset. Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence is an aspect that have been gaining importance as it has been recognised as a key factor in relationships and leadership. Goleman et al, (2002 p.3) highlight that No matter what leaders set out to do whether its creating strategy or mobilizing teams to action their success depends on how they do it. Even if they get everything else just right, if leaders fail in this primal task of driving emotions in the right direction, nothing they do will work as well as it could or should. There are four aspects enclosed in Emotional Intelligence, also referred at as Leadership Competences: Self-Awarness, Self-Management, Social-Awarness and Relationship-Management. Self-management clearly is not part of his strengths as he uses to terrorize his employees without stopping and thinking. Social awareness is also missing in his managerial skills as he does not care about what people feel nor try to listening to them. As CEO he is feared rather than respected. His mood and behaviour influenced his treatment toward people. His management of himself and his relationship with people is a clear sign of his poor in emotional intelligence both, in personal and social competence. Relationship management is the result of understanding people and treating them appropriately, according to Bradberry and Greaves (2009); this is clearly a characteristic that Murdoch lacks. In research published in 2005 by Harvard Business Review entitled Heartless Bosses focusing on emotional intelligence, they took a sample from different industries, levels in the organisations and continents. The results showed the lowest average emotional intelligence at CEO level which points out a generalised weakness in this field as a managerial skill. However Murdoch is still an exceptional case. Management Style Murdoch is a recognised manager, who gives results to the shareholders. But analysing in detail, he is managing only the numbers, financial capital ignoring human capital. In this style, some of his approaches are successful while some others are not. For instance, Templar (2005) cites Follow your instinct/ gut instinct and learn from your mistakes as two of the rules of management, but also create a good atmosphere which Murdoch is absolutely not doing. Handy (1995), defines four types of Managers depending on the culture of the organisation: Zeus: The club culture Apollo: The role culture Athena: The task culture Dionysius: The existential culture Murdoch, seems to be a Zeus Manager, a strong leader who likes power and exercises it. However, different to Handys relationship between managerial style and organisational culture, News Corp is better described as a Role Culture or Role Tribe as will be discussed later. To understand why Murdoch share most of his managerial characteristics with Handys Zeus, is worthwhile to look at the following comparison: HOW TO REFERENCE IT:? IT IS FROM THE BOOK GODS OF MANAGEMENT, PAGE 90. DIAGRAM BASED ON KNOW YOUR OWN PERSONALITY EYSENK HR Management in News Corp Performance Appraisal Murdoch is an authoritative person, a control freak, who principally emphasises his employees performance based around his own yield as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI). But if someone did not perform as he liked, then they were fired for not meeting his personal standards. Theory highlights that KPI should help to measure performance reflect on organisational goals and evaluate success or progress. These should be quantifiable and periodically assessed. None of these characteristics can be attributed to Murdochs performance analysis. The case study points out that News Corp HR Systems were poor. With very poor performance appraisal systems and with no annual reviews of staff and no process by which talented people could be promoted this reflects a significant and inappropriate lack of development plans. Early in News Corp launch, Murdochs approach to HR could have been acceptable but in todays fast changing environment, employees are more demanding and relevant theory about good HR practices is being championed by companies, making the leadership style that has been used in News Corp potentially not longer sustainable. Recruitment and Selection Academic literature suggests that a core theme in HRM practice is that people are central to the organisation and it should focus on values and the individual. Human resourcing is often described as a strategic activity, where people are an organisations most valuable asset, and represent the long-term future of the company. Murdochs style is not HR focused. However, some of his practices could be in fact matched with successful HR practices, for instance part of his success could be due to the News Corp selection process. He might not have an HR development plan, but what is clear is he has placed the right people in all his companies, perhaps people with the right skills, knowledge and competences that contribute to the strategy of the organisation. For a global company like News Corp, hiring the right people is crucial. From the potential employees point of view it could be desirable to develop a career there, as they can be involved in the glamour of media in a well-recognised company, thus it is likely that qualified professionals are available for the selection process. However, as News Corp has no performance measurements defined, it is difficult to expect that they have a recruitment criteria established based on measurements that they can apply further. Also it could led to think in Golemans (2002) suggestion Just because a particular executive is the most visible, is he the person who actually leads the company? A CEO who heads conglomerate may have no followers to speak of; rather its the division heads who actively lead people and affect profitability most. Relationship management It is also crucial to remember that the establishment of mutually agreed expectations during selection forms part of a psychological contract, which will strongly influence an employees attitudes and feelings about the organisation (Bratton and Gold 2001, p201). Handy (1999) had referred to this as the secret contract. Every time Murdoch disrespects his employees he is breaching this contract, affecting the labour environment and probably the desire of their employees to stay in the company. In the long term this directly affects costs as recruitment is an expensive process which apart from valuable time, includes use of instruments and training costs. Culture and Ethics A remarkable aspect in Murdochs managerial life has been his ability to integrate different cultures of the acquired companies easily into News Corps as the case states. This is not an easy issue but he has managed it successfully. Culture is a very complex matter of study, especially in non-written aspects, such as assumptions, beliefs and values. But News Corps culture is even harder to understand because of its size and unique characteristics. Some aspects of News Corps culture are noticeable, for instance, behaviour in terms of the relationship between management and employee, this includes a clear lack of development and training. According to the literature available, there are 4 types of culture, one of which is control culture, the framework for News Corp, constantly seeking operational excellence. These organisations have a planning discipline, leadership is a function of authority and decision making is directly related to job role. Handy (1995, 1999) lists this culture types as tribes: The club tribe: centralised, surrounded by circles of intimate and influence. The role tribe: organisations are set of roles or job-boxes, joined together in a logical and orderly fashion. Communications are formalised, as are systems and procedures. It is all managed rather than led. (Handy, 1999, p148-149) The task tribe: individuals cab be allocated in different tasks and projects The person tribe: put the person first than the organisations purpose. News Corp, then, is a Role Tribe. Part of culture analysis refers to communication and behaviours. From ethics, a clear dissonance is reflected between what News Corp as a company promotes and the way Murdoch behaves. Ethics is defined as the study of what is right and good in human conduct and the justification of such claims (Lucas et al, 2006) and business ethics as the study of the conduct of people in the business context. The dissonance can be seen through their communication as they have policies about ethics published for all their employees and for the CEO, yet Murdoch has been accused as having downplayed market news and created a monopoly in media all contradicting many of the policies. They also have competition policies, as referred to in their website, but interestingly he changed the prices of his news papers to destroy competition. Some analysts have also questioned behaviours such as supporting George Bush in his war determination arguing a benefit for the economy as oil were down in prices. Literature available, suggests four considerations in describing ethics in an organisational context: Beyond self-interest, universalised, defendable and action-guiding. The actions taken by Murdoch hardly seem to be beyond self-interest and his treatment among employees in not universalised as is influenced by his mood and demeanour, as discussed earlier. Leadership Analysis Leadership Vs management Murdochs leadership style plays an important role in News Corps overall analysis. He has taken the company where it is now but at the same time he has lost the opportunity to create commitment among his employees sharing his vision and engaging them in the process. For the leader who wishes to increase legitimate power, a long term commitment is required. Trust in relationships, which is the foundation of legitimate power, cannot be fabricated ad hoc. (Covey, 1999 p105) Distinctions between management and leadership need to be assessed. Kotter (1996, cited in Bratton and Gold 2001) explained that the main function of managers is to create plans while the main purpose of a leader is to create a shared vision and a strategy to achieve it. Managers control and probelm-solve, leaders, on the other hand, motivate and inspire. A balance is therefore suggested in order to provide effectiveness in a company. The literature available cites that a manager executes a plan and delivers the goals of the business. Is strong in process and systems, producing key results expected by stakeholders. On the other hand a leader is visionary, envisions where the company should be heading and inspires those in the company to make the vision their own. A good leader has excellent people skills, communicating, convincing, persuading, inspiring and motivating. From this perspective, News Corp is suffering from the first of seven chronic problems in organisations cited by Covey (Appendix 3): Problem 1: No shared vision and values: either the organisation has no mission statement or there is no deep understanding of and commitment to the mission at all levels of the organisation (Covey 1999. p 165) Leadership choice Murdoch has been a highly successful manager, but lacks good leadership practice. A simple way to understand Murdochs leadership choice is also given by Covey in his diagram about the Leadership Choice. Power Process YOU Leadership Choice Principle-Centered Power Utility Power Coercive Power Honor Fairness Fear Sustained Proactive Influence Functional Reactive Influence Temporary Reactive Control REFERENCING: PAGE 106. Leadership Style Murdochs leadership choice has been through coercive power. He has created a fear atmosphere where the commitment is superficial. This definition matches with the Commanding Type described by Goleman et al, (2002) who suggest that there are six types of leadership: Visionary Coaching Affiliative. Democrat Pacetting Commanding The Commanding type is considered the least effective, which defines Murdochs style. such leaders demand immediate compliance with orders, but dont bother explaining reasons behind them. If subordinates fail to follow orders, unquestioningly, these leaders resort to threats. Accordingly, performance feedback if given at all- invariably focuses on what people did wrong rather than what they did well. In short, its a classic recipe for dissonance (Goleman et al, 2002, p76). Dissonant leadership is said by Goleman to generate frustration and resentment, all the contrary to the desirable resonant leadership. Those leaders usually focus only in financial goals regardless for the long-term human cost. In the twentieth-century business, companies were mostly hierarchical and control based, just in the era when News Corp started, but now tends are different and the company has not evolved as it should. Media is a highly competitive sector and the challenges are large and significant. Murdoch has had to successfully navigate through technological changes, for example, the threat that the internet provides to printed news, economic changes globally and different business-related crises. From this point of view his style could have been successful although not appropriate. News Corps initial focus was on printed media, but in the present its main companies are television based. His assertive decisions in its core business has given News Corp a penetration of two-thirds of the population, mainly thanks to Star Network (the Hong Kong based satellite network), Fox Channel in the USA, BSkyB in the UK. It is clear that Murdoch is an excellent business men in terms of results, but, how greater could News Corp be is his leadership style were better? Goleman points out how different leaderships affect different factors in companies, such as climate, financial results, return on sales, growth, efficiency and profitability. Results show that, all the thing being equal, leaders who use styles with a positive emotional impact saw decidedly better financial returns than those who did not (p 54) A CEOs behaviour impacts strongly upon employees, as it is said by Goleman et al, (2002, p 76) Given that emotional contagion spreads most readily from the top to down, an intimidating, cold leader contaminates everyones mood, and the quality of the overall climate spirals down. Thus, News Corps employees are not likely to be committed. This could mean they do just the work they are paid for, not doing their best, nor adding value. As part of a role culture (role tribe) people just do their job, neither more, nor less (Handy, 1995) This is a failure in the psychological contract and as they are not receiving what they expect, they do not do their part. On the other hand, News Corp could experience a brain drain, strengthening competitors and making it harder for News Corp to be sustainable. News Corps organisational climate is another HR aspect that is poorly managed, being the representation of the internal environment among members of the organisation, linked to motivational level (Chiavenatto 2001). It seems to be deficient, taking into account the lack of opportunities of self-actualization, the higher step in Maslows (1943) hierarchy of needs and the relationship of Murdoch with his employees. Murdochs style seems to tend towards Taylorism rather than on relevant, contemporary, focused HR practice, as he is interested on the outcome, efficiency of the work and his employees are just a necessary medium. However, even the scientific management method proposed by Taylor (1911, cited in 12manage) gives its place to training and development in its second step which suggests that the company should select, train and develop the most suitable person for each job, again scientifically, rather than passively leaving them to train themselves Recommendations Based on the analysis outlined here for Murdochs leadership style and his management of his people the following key recommendations are suitable: Move to a more collaborative leadership style: it have been established all the implications that the current leadership style has for News Corp. By improving this core point, the company would gain employees commitment and committed employees will not just work flexibly but rather endeavour to succeed but going the extra mile in pursuit of customer service (Lucas et al, 2006) Redefine Key Performance Metrics to include development and relationship with employees. Clear measurements by which employees could be later appraised. Development plans to ensure the permanence of talent in the company and encourage them to feel ownership; The best people in any field -the talented few who contributes greatest business value- simply dont have to put up with the misery perpetuated by a bad boss. And increasingly, they leave for their jobs. People join companies and leave jobs. (Goleman et al, 2002, p 83). Also performance standards that meet organisational and personal goals, which is often know as good development Succession plan: Through development, ensure the continuity of the business once Murdoch retire, improving in HR Management but keeping the financial and business good results. The following leader should have emotional intelligence strengths as well as control capacity to handle a corporation of News Corps size. Goleman (2002, p27) cites intellect alone will not make a leader; leaders execute a vision by motivating, guiding, inspiring, listening, persuading -and most crucially, through creating resonance. Organisation Development: becoming a learning organisation which means going beyond training individuals. Training all levels in a continuous process and adopting new approaches which take into account more people rather than physical assets. Systematic processes for selection and development. Reach a balance between all the stake holders needs. Good HR practices: Establishment and empowerment of an HRM department to ensure the implementation of good practices and moreover, good fit according to the conglomerate and each organisation that composes it. It might be useful an external consultation to evaluate the situation and suggest ways. However, internal participation is crucial as they know more the company and its environment. Creating sustainable change: Leadership need to be shared in different levels. Decentralising power and looking for collaborative leaders among the company, is easier to make a sustainable change. Any change implies consequences, thus it is necessary take into account the following implications that could result of moving forward: Resources: financial and non financial Resistance: to change, from those who are affiliates to Murdochs style Processes: need to be implemented and/or improved in terms of metrics, recruitment, policies. Conclusion No one doubts Murdochs success and it is clear to see that he is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. However, sustainability could be a key issue for News Corp, as he centralise decisions and the organisation is closely tied to him as a person. He is a strong figure and when he has to retire shareholders might experience uncertainty just like is now happening with Apple, which is increasing the risk of lose shares value and company good-will due to the imminent retire of Steve Jobs. When a company is a reflect of its CEO personality and leadership, succession becomes a problem. If systems, practices and policies are not implemented now, the maintenance and future development of the organisation cannot be ensured. Next CEO will not have Murdochs leadership style and will have to seek for more collaborative approaches Contemporary thinking and new HRM approaches strongly point out that people are key; therefore a win-win approach is convenient to News Corp future development. By treating people as a resource is likely to reach their commitment and build a step to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Murdoch have built a successful empire, the issue now is make it sustainable in the long term. If changes in core aspect such a HRM are not made now, it is not probable to happen. REFERENCES Barney, J., 1991. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of management, 17, 99-120. Chiavenatto, I., 2001. Administracion de recursos humanos. 5th ed. Santa fe de Bogota: Mc Graw Hill Handy, Ch. 1999. Inside Organisations. Twenty-one ideas for managers. 2nd ed. London: Penguin Books Handy, Ch. 1995. Gods of Management. The changing work of organisations. London: Arrow Books Limited. Bratton, J., Gold, J. 2001. Human Resource Management. Theory and practice. 2nd ed. New York, N. Y.: Palgrave Bradberry, T. and Greaves, G., 2009. Emotional Intelligence 2.0. San Diego, CA: TalentSmart Ingham, J. 2007. Strategic Human Capital Management. Creating value through people. Oxford UK: Butterworth-Heineman. Covey, S. 1999. Principle-Centered Leadership. London: Simon and Schuster Lucas, R., Lupton, B., Mathieson, H. 2006. Human Resource Management in an international context. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel Develepment. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., McKee, A. 2002. The New Leaders. Transforming the art of leadership into the science of results. Great Britain: Little, Brown. Templar, R. 2005. The Rules of Management. Great Britain: Pearson. Prentice Hall. Kolb, D. 1984. (Online) Experiential learning. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm (Acceded 2nd April 2011). Felder, R. and Silverman, L. 1980. (Online) Learning styles. Available from: http://www.mindtools.com/mnemlsty.html (Acceded 2nd April 2011). Fleming, and Mills. 1992. (Online) VARK learning styles. Available from: http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=categories (Acceded 2nd April 2011). Taylor, F. 1911. The principles of scientific management. Available from: http://www.12manage.com/methods_taylor_scientific_management.html (Acceded 5th April 2011). CNN (online) http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2007/snapshots/6213.html (Acceded 15th April 2011). Bradberry, T. 2005. (online) Hearless bosses?. Harvard Business Review. Avaliable from: http://hbr.org/2005/12/heartless-bosses/ar/1 (Acceded 5th April 2011). BIBLIOGRAPHY Barney, J., 1991. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of management, 17, 99-120. Chiavenatto, I., 2001. Administracion de recursos humanos. 5th ed. Santa fe de Bogota: Mc Graw Hill Handy, Ch. 1999. Inside Organisations. Twenty-one ideas for managers. 2nd ed. London: Penguin Books Handy, Ch. 1995. Gods of Management. The canging work of organisation

Personal Narrative- My Life as a Student, Athlete and Christian Essay

Personal Narrative- My Life as a Student, Athlete and Christian â€Å"I knew this was bliss, knew it at the time.† These words of Eudora Welty, although expressing her feeling from devouring book after book, can also be applied to my life. While not relating to my literacy, Welty’s lexis nonetheless conveys my own feelings after learning the significance of hard work. I’ve put excess effort in performing the roles of a student, an athlete, and a Christian. Success and growth in each component of my life has taught me the value and necessity of a strong work ethic. Going through grade school, achieving ‘A’s meant relying on studying rather than my intelligence. Though not staffed â€Å"gifted† like fellow classmates, I was still driven to gain the approval and attention of both my teachers and parents. This motivation kept me focused on completing homework assignments and preparing for tests. In other words, I had no room for slacking off. This challenge to be a superlative scholar is similar to Eudora Welty’s trial of going to the library: â€Å"I was willing; I would do anything to read.† She illustrates her commitment to the challenge of reading. Likewise, I was willing to put in as much effort as it took to pull off straight ‘A’s. Moreover, receiving report cards with straight ‘A’s only furthered my ambition. The recognition gained from repeatedly accomplishing that feat proved that hard work did pay off. Continued success as a student has fostered my dedication to maintaining zeal ous work habits. Furthermore, a love for sports coupled my desire to work hard to start a multi-talented sports career. Once again, I found myself seeking the attention of somebody, this time my coaches, in order to stand out from the rest. While coaches ... ...rvice. After three more WorldChangers trips, this passion to be a servant to others has grown to have a deep effect on my work ethic, influencing me to do the best job I can when helping others in order to show God’s love to the fullest. As John Hope Franklin claimed, â€Å"I would use my energies to make me a better person.† With the wisdom acquired from experiences like WorldChangers and from fellow brothers-in-Christ like various youth pastors, I’ve gained a purpose behind the efforts put into my hard work. Fortunately, life has taught me that it is better to rely on studying, practice, and God rather than your own intelligence, athletic skill, or luck. No matter what area of life, success takes a little bit of hard work. The many people and events I’ve encountered throughout my years have â€Å"provided a sound basis for my attitudes and conduct from that day to this.†