Skimming is Winning

Skim reading could be what leads to the next epidemic for written works. This can be explained as the phenomenon in which readers pick out only what appear to be the most important and valuable pieces of information from a text. In â€Å"Skim reading is the new normal. The effect on society is profound.† Maryanne Wolf delineates the negative effects of skim reading on our intellectual processes such as; critical analysis, deep reading, and research surfacing as individuals move into digital based modes of reading. Wolf introduces the term â€Å"cognitive impatience† to explain how we are unable to take the time to concentrate because skimming has taken over most of our reading. This affects our ability to comprehend important information.† The argument states that humans are losing the ability to use their intellectual comprehension skills when it comes to reading. Skim reading is affecting the process to obtain information without analyzing the facts. This leaves the reader with â€Å"false information and demagoguery.† False information is obtained through skim reading as the â€Å"act† itself causes one to attain general information and words which can lead to misinterpretation. In addition, it adds a prejudice point of view as the reader fails to dive into facts which stand to be the main focus of the information being presented, and this can be explained as demagoguery. As a solution, she comes up with the idea of a â€Å"bi-literate† brain that will be capable to form the deepest of thoughts on either traditional or digital forms. It will benefit everyone as it will create a sustainable society by giving us the ability to seek more knowledge than we already have. Essentially, Wolf's essay is a warning of the dangers that skim reading has. It is leading individuals to misinterpret knowledge causing them to have false information. In her opening paragraphs, Wolf states (â€Å"The neuronal circuit that underlies the brain's ability to read is subtly, rapidly changing – a change with implications for everyone from the pre-reading toddler to the expert adult.†) The term â€Å"Cognitive impatience† is introduced and explained how individuals around the world are slowly becoming impatient when it comes to reading denser, more difficult texts. It is stated that what underlies â€Å"cognitive impatience† should be critically analyzed far more than the problem itself. Specific real-life examples are presented in relation to cognitive impatience, such as wills, contracts, and voting. For instance, contracts are essential when getting a job, purchasing a house, etc. If individuals fail to read the information correctly regarding the agreements or rules, it can cause them to miss out on specific information one may need to know to avoid unnecessary conflict. The author stresses the importance of deep reading by presenting real-life factors that rely on our growth as a society. The use of these examples in the article is a way of appealing to the reader's emotions, having them become more aware of the impacts skim reading can have even in situations we would not think of, such as the ones that were stated previously as well as digital skim reading. Technology has affected the ways in which we obtain information. As it becomes more advanced we are beginning to rely on technology to gain access to the information that we may require. However, various studies have proved that digital screen use may be causing troubling effects on reading comprehension in high school and college students. Ziming Liu from San Jose University conducted a study where he indicated that Skim reading is becoming the new â€Å"norm.† Many students began to glance at specific words and sentences for the rest of the text. When the brain skims likes this, it does not allow us to â€Å"to grasp complexity, understand others feelings, perceive beauty and for readers to have thoughts of their own.† By this, the author is trying to inform us that reading is comprised of more than just understanding the moral of a story. It is about being able to connect with the author and the emotions being presented, look at situations from a different perspective, as well as create thoughts of our own as we read in depth. Since technology has become a widely used tool in classrooms, this is seen as an opportunity to explain how it is affecting the information that we acquire. Negative effects of reading in digital modes can appear as early as the fourth or fifth grade. The author grasps the attention of the readers by informing them how early the effects of screen reading can affect the mental health of students. By this, she raises awareness to those who provide technology to their children or students constantly. For instance, parents giving their children technology to keep them occupied from a young age can cause them to rely on technology, hindering the development of basic reading skills leading to the underdevelopment of the child's brain. Scientific terms, such as circuit, neuroscience, and brain were present to stress and further explain the issue of skim reading. The author uses various studies conducted by psychologists as evidence to further support her argument. Anne Mangen, a psychologist from Stavanger, Norway came to a conclusion indicating (â€Å"That student's who read on print were superior in their comprehension to screen-reading peers.†) The reading circuit is a part in our brain that both psychology and science are parallel to. When our brain cannot comprehend information, or critically analyze along with various basic reading skills, it affects our brain which in turn affects psychological behaviours. The author references other neuroscientists which show the timeline the issue began, to stress the point that this is an issue across all age groups. Reading is a lot more than just being able to comprehend the text, It is being able to critically analyze and empathize, which is a crucial factor. It involves being able to understand the perspective of the author and the emotion they are trying to portray. Wolf also introduces a type of â€Å"bi-literate brain†, a brain capable of forming the deepest thoughts in traditional or digital mediums. The author does not only stress the importance of deep reading, perspective taking, analyzing, comparing etc. just for a simple book or text, but also indirectly tells us to have the same view towards our society and the way we live. The Bi-literate brain will help view life and certain situations in other perspectives, look at things and be appreciative of the beauty around us and also be able to create beauty with our imagination and ideas. Being able to go beyond our current knowledge and dig deeper to reach the knowledge, is necessary to sustain a good society. Wolf Indirectly states that using those same reading skills can also be used in real life to create a better future not only for literature but also our society. As the future moves society into a more digitized world, members are becoming unable to comprehend information accurately. â€Å"Cognitive impatience† the inability to take time and read, is leading readers to be unable to properly comprehend the information accurately because skimming has become a norm. This causes a prejudiced outlook due to readers being misinformed. It is no doubt that Wolf's article is a warning towards individuals in every age group to stress the point, how we are slowly diminishing in utilizing our basic reading skills such as critical thinking, analyzing, and deep reading. As Wolf presents real-life factors that are essential to our growth, we as members of society also have a duty to go beyond the knowledge that we already acquire and sustain a good society.

Village Uplift

India is an agricultural country. So, it is a country of villages. Most of the Indians live in the villages. India cannot improve if her villages do not improve. The present condition of villages: The present condition of the Indian villages is very bad. The Indian villagers are ignorant. That do not know how to read and write. They do not know hygiene. They rest upon the superstition and the blind faith. Hence, they fall easy prey to the epidemics. Their health is also very bad. They are weak and frail. Their outlook is very limited.They quarrel among themselves over petty affairs. The village touts and litigants drag the innocent people into bad litigation. People do not know improved method of cultivation. They have forgotten their traditional cottage industry. Hence, their financial condition is not good. The able-bodied young villagers flock to the cities to work in the factory. So, the agriculture suffer in the village area. The bullocks are neglected. The cows are very poorly milch. How to uplift the village: The literate people, the students and the educated persons should look to this problem.Free and compulsory primary schools should be opened in every village. Night schools should be opened for the grown-up people. The villages should keep their village neat and clean. Sanitary work should be regularly done. Dispensary should be opened in every village centre. People should be taught improved method of farming. The village industries should be revived. The cattle wealth of the villages should be looked after. Bee-keeping and poultry-farming should be encouraged in the villages. The village Panchayat should be active in the respect.The villages should not quarrel among themselves over the pretty affairs. Co-operation, good neighborly-hood and fraternity should be infused among them. Co-operative farming should be encouraged. Conclusion: Village upliftment is no doubt necessary. The villagers should know their duty for this. They should think of the we lfare of their village. The Government has provided Community Project, National Extension Scheme and the village Panchayat system. The villagers should make the best use of them.

Annonated Bibliography Composition Ii

Lindsay Shipman Annotated Bibliography Composition 122S Richards, Sara. â€Å"The building blocks of a healthy diet. † Practice Nurse 38. 3 (2009): 12-17. Academic Search fComplete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. This article explains which foods to eat and which foods we should ‘stay away’ from or eat in moderation. This article reminds that the human body is complex and it’s important to eat a healthy diet. The author goes into great detail about the complexity of food and the effects they have on the human body. It builds a foundation of knowledge for achieving and maintaining a balanced-healthy diet.It gives great detail about macronutrients and the effects they have on your body. The clear descriptions of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and water give a the reader a great understanding of what is good for the body and what is bad for the body. The authors’ purpose is to prepare a nutrition guideline for a healthy diet. Although it is written more for n urses’ or dieticians it is a good guideline that everyone can follow to create a healthy diet for themselves. It was written in 2009 so it is still an excellent guide to follow today. This main author of this article is a practicing nurse with RGN credentials.She uses many well-known and reliable health organizations as sources for this article. This article gives us the answer to which foods and how much should we eat for a healthy balanced diet. Although it goes into a little more detail than the average person may need to decide which foods are best for you, it gives you a clear guideline for choosing the right foods. For instance, I plan to incorporate more whole grains, vegetables and fruit into my diet and reduce the foods with animal fats, processed foods and refined foods. â€Å"Keeping portions in proportion. (Cover story). † Harvard Women's Health Watch 15. (2007): 1-3. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. This article gives very precise sugges tions for changing the amount of food one consumes. It has a nice chart detailing exactly how big a serving should for every food group in the food pyramid. The chart uses everyday items for comparison so everyone can envision the correct size. The authors suggest training your eye for serving sizes so when you are eating out portions do not get out of control. Another suggestion is while eating out divide the portion in half when it is served and take half of it home to eat at another meal.The article brings to our attention that portion sizes have increase 100% over the years. For example: fountain drinks used to be 7 ounces but now can be up to 42 ounces. Eating filling foods such as whole foods that will keep you feeling full longer will cut down on snacking between meals. The purpose of this article is to remind the human race how much a serving of food really is and just because a huge plate of food is set in front of you, you do not have to eat it all in one sitting. It clear ly places the blame for overeating on the individual.The article was really written for the general audience even though the title suggests it is written about women’s health. The authors included sources from the American Health Association and the USDA. It was written by affiliates of Harvard Medical School which is an accredited institute whom I believe thoroughly check out articles they publish. Harvard was established in 1636 and since then they have been educating our medical professionals. The article included survey results from a variety of Universities concluding that people ate more based on the amount they were served.Other resources used for this article include the United States Dept. of Agriculture and Centers for Disease Control, both are highly respected agencies. I will use this information in my research paper by knowing the correct serving size for foods, especially my favorites that are high in calories. It will help to know what a serving size looks like and applying a few of the other suggestions for portion control. I like the following ideas: Using smaller dishes while eating at home; fix your plate then sit down and do not go back for seconds. The First Line of Defense: Portion Control. † Running & FitNews 28. 2 (2010): 6-8. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. This article reminds us that more does not mean better when it comes to mealtime. We all know to lose weight we have to consume fewer calories and move more. According to this article it is harder today than it was twenty years ago because portions of food offered to us are much larger than they were then. Being able to visualize a recommended serving size is your first line of defense in controlling your calorie intake.There is a chart included in this article which relates serving sizes to everyday objects. The author reminds us that caloric intake is not one size fits all. An active man may require 2200 calories a day and an active woman may only require 1800 calories per day. The purpose of this article is to help the average person realize and visualize a recommended serving size set forth by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. The article brings out a few common mistakes people make when sitting down to a meal and gives us a clear idea of what a well-proportioned meal should look like.It tells us that making small changes in the amount we eat can lead to significant weight loss over time. The article is written by staff members of Running and FitNews. The Running and FitNews editorial board is made up of many medical professionals. There are mainly M. D. ’s on board but also a scattering of PH. D’s. Knowing so many medical professionals comprise the board for this publication makes it reliable in my opinion. The information in this article will help me visualize and strive toward correct portion size in the future.It will help to know that your size, age and how active you are determines your caloric intake per day. I had no idea a recommended serving size of pasta is one half cup or as the chart displays, half of a baseball. This is good to know since the average person tends to steadily gain weight as we age. Young, Lisa. The Portion Teller: Smartsize Your Way to Permanent Weight Loss. Random House, 2005. Barnes and Noble Online. 13 Aug 2011. http://my. barnesandnoble. com/ebooks/ebookslibrary. html This book starts out telling us that our national weight problem can be attributed to how much we eat not what we eat.The serving sizes have grown by leaps and bounds since the 1960’s. The author conducted her own research providing many charts throughout the book stating many portion shockers and comparisons of sizes Chart: portion shockers; stadium size went from 82k 1920 remodeled to 49k top selling women sz 8 to 14 in 20 yrs, queen sz bed 6 in lg than in 1970. Bus seats are 18 in up an inch fr 1997. Europe serv sz smaller than us. By reviewing the charts clearly americans r being served twice as much as before . 5 c of spag = 32 strands 302 strand = 2lbs Given more we eat more 000-2600 calores a day Sedentary women and young child shld eat less Active men and teen boys more Many experiments by experts performed. U cant tell amt of calories by looking at dish Down with diets they don’t wk, the do not address the larger sizes of food portions or lack of understanding what a recommended portion is. Author teaches us to understand food groups. To make Healthy choices from each food group and to estimate portions. Charts consistently reinforce the expanding sizes of everything from drinks to desserts. Cheesecake 14 oz @ 1560 cals.Solo cups were 7 oz in 1950, now they sell 46 oz. Author was a mgr weight loss ctr then nutrition counselor for weight loss programs. This book teaches us standard serv sz, how many serv to eat per day fr each grp She teaches us how to learn to eat correctly not to diet by cutting out our favorites. She gives us an eating plan. Helps us to understand food labels and calorie and nutrient content. 6th ed. Of dietary guideline e for americans emphasizes c and oz. 2005. Usda differs fr fda serv sz, differ criteria. Fda pasta sz= 2 cups uncooked which = 1c cooked, usda . 5 c cooked pasta. Pg 33

Thanks Giving Tower Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Thanks Giving Tower - Essay Example It shows a symbol of economic prosperity and its design and general layout can be used to tell a lot about the political as well as the economic position of the country during its construction. The building has underground tunnels that are owned by the city of Galls and the other parts of the building belong to major private companies and personalities. The structure as its name suggests acts as both a centre of thanks giving, and as major economic activities. This paper critically looks at some of the designs of the building, the influence that the environment at that particular time of construction had on the building and how the building has been able to transform over the years to the present time. The contributions of the architect Philip Johnson are also discussed in detail and how his life influenced the construction of such a marvelous structure. The Thanks Giving square has undergone a lot of transformation over the years and each time reflecting the type of technology at th at particular period of time. This particular building can be used as a tool for comparing modern buildings and technologies from post modern buildings and technologies. The thanks giving square is mainly used for religious as well as social services. This can be used to show that the society at this particular time was religious and observed religious events. For this reason, Philip decided to design a large building that could be used for religious functions. This building can therefore be used to justify the fact that the society of the 70’s was religious and that the designer as well as the owners were religious persons. The building can also tell us a lot about the culture that existed at that particular period of time (Welch 17). At the time of its construction, the US had a lot going on. There was need for unity amongst people from various states and the cold war was still a major problem. During this period, the US government being an anticommunist society wanted to p rove to the rest of the world that it had the best technology. This led to the invention of many products that were to be used in homes and other places. At this particular period, the US was present in Vietnam and there were a lot of questions about their actions. The thanks giving square can present a lot of things about the US during its construction. With its complicated design and nature, this is one of the architectural designs that were used to sell the US to the outside world. It acted as a symbol of economic prosperity, and a technological advancement. The actual services that the building provided the people, acting as a social service and religious centre showed the value that the US gave to social as well as religious activities a neglected thing in the communist states. Philip Johnson designed one of the most beautiful buildings at that particular time not only to show out his mastery of architecture but to also sell the US to the world as a successful state that was be tter than the USSR and other communist states (Jacobson 47). The building of this glamorous building also shows the characteristic of the building technologies that were present at the moment of its construction. This was the era when various skyscrapers erupted to prove to the world that the US was a superpower and that no other nation could be able to compare with it. As time goes by from the 70’s to the 21st century, a lot of changes have been seen and new technologies have emerged. The thanks giving square has been able to transform with time and hence acquire new technology and shape that reflects on the technology of that particular time. In order to be sustainable all through time, there are various changes and transformations that have been implemented in order for the building not to

What was the most important invention of the 19th Century Essay

What was the most important invention of the 19th Century - Essay Example It then follows that the invention of electricity actually came into being the day the bulb was lit, or in other words the day mainstream use of electricity took effect .For this reason, invention of electricity can be argued to have been in the 19th century. This argument can be squarely credited to Nikola Telsa, a mechanical and electrical engineer and inventor. His works led to the development of modern day electrical systems that use alternating current1. Basically the reason why electricity invention becomes the greatest in the 19th century is because of the rapid activities that came into light during this era. Such activities include the agrarian revolution that saw people go to great lengths in such of better welfare and improved transport system. It is almost impossible to imagine this era without electricity, to imagine people trying to run engines in the industry without electricity, or it can be impossible to imagine how we could be staying at our homes using our kerosene lanterns and may be candles and that is very hard very hard to imagine2. During industrial revolution when people across Europe were trying to get industries going, electricity was the all the more important. Heavy machines meant electricity was in place and for this reason industrial revolution was a success. Since then, the world has never looked back and electrically supported gadgets have been invented. In essence, almost in everything we do, electricity is part of us. Even small gadgets we use today like phones use electricity and that explain the impact electricity has had all over the world. It also explains why it is the greatest invention of all time if not the greatest invention of the 19th century3.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is very important to note that the transport industry has been revolutionized by electricity. Electric trains have been introduced courtesy of electricity. This milestone has been achieved in many developed count ries and general infrastructure improved. Communication can be described as the backbone of development and without electricity, breakdown in communication could be evident. Industrial revolution is still evident, sophisticated equipment is being used vastly there and electricity is the source of power. It is therefore safe to say electricity is pivotal in almost every aspect of life without which almost nothing is going to happen. Both communication and transport have been improved and in the process making the world â€Å"smaller†. One could say life could have been a bit4. Agriculture and animal husbandry can also be argued to have been improved by electricity. For one, mechanization meant invention of such electric tools as grinders and reapers. Other machines in the field of agriculture were invented and definitely ones which used electricity. On the other hand, animal husbandry was also improved. For example, milking machines were introduced in ranches where large scale production of milk was the main economic activity. Building technology has also been revolutionized by electricity to a larger extend. This is evident in urban facilities like elevators that have shaped the existence of skyscrapers and other monumental structures in the urban areas. Just like during the industrial revolution, steel industry continues to be a major consumer of electricity in the sense that, during assembling of automobiles high voltage current is required to melt and twist the metals. In that connection, electricity seems to be the only

Epicenter and Magnitude of the Earthquake Assignment

Epicenter and Magnitude of the Earthquake - Assignment Example To locate the epicenter of the earthquake, the seismologists examine seismograms from three seismic stations. The seismologists measure the time interval of S-waves and P-waves in about 45 seconds and place the vertical lines at an interval of about 2 seconds. The measured S-P time interval will help to determine waves distance of travel from the focus to the station. It is paramount to note that the actual location of the epicenter is on the circle's perimeter to be drawn around the station. Therefore, to triangulate this position, there must be three seismic stations. A circle with an appropriate radius is drawn around every station and where the three circles intersect is the epicenter of the earthquake. Â  The seismologists use a well-known Richter scale to measure the magnitude of an earthquake. To determine the earthquake’s Richter magnitude, seismologists require one to know the surface the wave’s amplitude and the distance to the origin of the earthquake at the seismic recording site or location. The distance of the seismic recording and footage station from the epicenter can be determined by getting the time difference between the arrival of the P-waves and S-waves at the station. The difference is called S-P interval. The amplitude of the surface wave depends on the earthquakes magnitude and the distance between the epicenter and recording station. It is a measure of how many millimeters the ground will move at the recording station. The amplitude and S-P interval is then used to determine the Richter magnitude.

Middle School Classroom Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Middle School Classroom Management - Essay Example Why do we eat fast food, in particular It is quick, easy, and comforting. Why do we complain or get angry Perhaps to influence others and to get rid of negative feelings. Why would we avoid meeting others or talking to people We're perfectly comfortable in our own little zone. And the list goes on and on. (Managing, 2006 p. 1). By the same token, why do we avoid good choices such as going to the dentist or doctor. Well, that one's obvious-it's costly and painful! Why don't we save money Because we want things now. Why don't we exercise or eat healthy foods Exercise is hard and preparing healthy foods takes time. For we adults, three steps are needed for us to obtain self-control: We need "standards," which means we need to know what we should do. Secondly we need to be aware if our behavior is failing to meet these standards, and finally, we need to be able to correct the behavior that is producing sub-standard behavior. (Managing, 2006 p. 4). The principles that we as adults can use to change our negative behaviors can translate into principles that we can teach middle school age children as well. These principles will create the lifelong ability for them to both monitor and modify their behavior in many areas of their lives. Of course children misbehave for a variety of reasons; it can be as simple as a cry for attention-good or bad-or as complicated as a difficult situation in their home life. A child may be troubled about an issue and acting our, or simply showing youthful exuberance which goes over the line into disruptive behavior. Many times a teacher is required to be much more than a teacher, and one of these things would be a psychiatrist. The teacher must come to know each and every individual student in such a way that it is obvious to her, even if not to others, just which of the above issues may be the at the root of the bad behavior. The first day of class student and teacher needs, rights and expectations should be openly discussed on the first day of class and reviewed periodically. The student's basic needs includes survival, belonging, power, fun and freedom and they have the right to learn without being disrupted by others. (Wiggins 2006 p. 2) In turn, the teacher has the right to expect the full attention of each and every student as well as the right to establish a learning environment that facilitates optimal success. (Charles 1992 p. 109). Even beyond these basic rights and expectations, the student is expected to come to class both prepared and with the desire to learn. They are expected to behave in a respectful manner both to teachers and other students, and accept any consequence of their own negative behavior. The teacher is expected to consider interesting curricula that both engages the student's full attention

Parent training gender norm during through youth age Research Paper

Parent training gender norm during through youth age - Research Paper Example Gender norms are the creation of society as a whole, with the unconscious notions of normal behaviors for the genders begun through the influence of a child’s parental role models. Gender norms begin through the actions of parents to the children. Reactions define how the child will see themselves as either a boy or a girl. Through the purchase of toys, the tone of speech, and even their own role modeling, parents insert their ideas about gender norms into the behaviors of their children. Newman and Newman (2012) discuss the complexity of influences that parents have on their children concerning norms. They state that â€Å"the experience to which they expose them (their children), and the activities in which they encourage their children’s participation all reflect dimensions of the parents’ gender role standards† (Newman & Newman, 2012, p. 245). When children get to school age they have had discipline for gender inappropriate behavior and encouraged to adopt the social standards of behavior that are expected. Gender is an issue of social construction. Although there are many debates on how children are socialized to enact their gender, whether it is biological or strictly psychological, the development of social roles for the genders as a topic has shown that men and women are taught to act different than each other in society. Gender roles are developed through the creation of norms, behaviors, and beliefs about the abilities of a gender to act within society. Social expectations tend to refine those beliefs so that roles can be filled (Munez, 2013). Acculturation occurs within a family where examples and teaching provide young males and females with information about how their gender identifies them within a community. Through the continuation of these beliefs throughout a community, gender norms are created. The use of gender norms as a way in which to calculate behaviors provides the researcher with a

The threat of cybercrime is rising sharply, experts have warned at the Essay

The threat of cybercrime is rising sharply, experts have warned at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Online theft costs $1 tril - Essay Example The final section is the conclusion and recommendations, in which the issues are wrapped up and the recommendations are put forth. The recommendations are basically that more countries need to be a part of the treaty, the countries that are a part of the treaty need to have their law harmonized, and businesses need to take security measures more seriously. Introduction The advent of the Internet has brought a variety of threats, and the biggest threat is that of cybercrime. Cybercrime can be anything from hacking to copyright infringement to possession of child pornography. The European Council has attempted to address the threats by implementing a treaty that was signed by some 22 countries and ratified by 23 more. Known as the Convention on Cybercrime, this treaty sought to harmonize domestic laws for the member states, while making prosecution of cybercriminals ostensibly easier, as the offenses became extraditable and the nations agreed to work together to help one another fight these crimes. While this treaty has done some good, in that it has served as a model for other countries that were not signatories to the treaty, it has its flaws as well. One of the major flaws is that it does not encompass countries that have the most problems with cybercrime. Another flaw is that the countries that have signed the treaty or ratified it have not implemented the provisions in a uniform fashion, or at all. What this means is that cybercrime is still a problem. How much of a problem it is will be examined by looking into the UK, and assessing the damage that cybercrime has done to its economy. As the UK is a developed country that should be able to combat cybercrime better than most countries, it is a good bellwether as to how serious cybercrime still is. And the numbers are not good. 1.0 The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime – What it is, what it does, and its limitations 1.1 What it is The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (hereinafter â₠¬Å"treaty†) was a treaty that was signed in 2001 that essentially internationalized cybercrime law.1 The treaty was necessitated by the fact that computer crime was not pursued vigorously by many countries, and this treaty attempted to address this problem by harmonizing criminal law regarding cyber crimes and commits the signatories to use their domestic laws to more vigorously pursue these crimes. 2 The provisions of the treaty were enacted in 2004, with 22 countries signing the treaty and another 23 countries ratifying it.3 While it was prepared by the Council of Europe, it was prepared with the participation of the United States, Japan, Canada and South Africa.4 It has also served as a model law for countries that are not signatories to the treaty, as these countries are using the provisions of the treaty as a guidelines for their own legislation.5 Title I of the Act essentially forces the member states to use their domestic laws to make certain actions criminal. It requir ed the parties to the convention to use their domestic laws to criminalize an individual accessing a computer without having the right to do so. It also stated that a member may require that the individual accesses the computer by breaching security with the intent to steal data or another dishonest intent.6 Hence, the treaty left it open to the signing countries – if they wanted to make their laws state that any kind of unauthorized access is

Academic paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Academic paper - Essay Example The paper will also discuss the metrics of implementing change in the HR operations of the organization. As a recap of the SWOT analysis conducted, it has been observed that the main weakness being faced by PAC is that the management styles used by the HR department are divisive. As a result, the employees are not motivated and the other issue is that in the staffing department, only one person is responsible for performing various tasks related to recruitment along with another recruit. The other weakness is that the employee grievances are not addressed on time. The leaders lack understanding of the needs of the employees and this contributes towards low morale among them. The major threat witnessed from this analysis is that the benefits and compensation structures are significantly high and they strain the financial status of the organization. The company is paying large sums of money to cover the benefits of the employees and this scenario may not be sustainable in the long run. From the findings outlined above, it has been recommended that cost cutting measures particularly in the area of labour force should be implemented. This will go a long way in helping the company to save money while at the same time improving its operations. The human resources department should be tasked with assessing the viable measures that can be taken in order to make necessary changes that would not negatively impact on the operations of the company. The other issue is that in order for the company to operate viably, it is recommended that it should adopt change especially in the structure of human resources management. During the contemporary period, it can be observed that change in the operations of the company is inevitable due to the dynamism of the environment in which the company operates (Jackson and Schuler, 2010). Thus, enlightened leaders should anticipate change and act accordingly and they should also take a

Adhering to various articles of the uniform code of military justice Essay Example for Free

Adhering to various articles of the uniform code of military justice Essay Today’s Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice is the result of a long history of advances in the rights of military personnel in which duty, obligation, and consequences are spelled out. It is the responsibility of every member of the armed services to keep this in mind and to embrace the Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice as a guide for appropriate behavior. The precursors to the Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) include the Articles of War (1912-1920), The Elston Act (1948), and The Morgan Draft of 1949, each of which significantly furthered the rights of military personnel while securing the equitable application of justice (Articles of War; Elston Act; Uniform Code of Military Justice). Given the long history of the UCMJ, and the number of revisions that have taken place in order to create the modern Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, military personnel should remember and respect the efforts that were put forth to ensure their protections while serving in the military. All personnel should value the efforts of their predecessors by acting in accordance with the Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As a dedicated soldier in the Military of the United States of America, it is my duty to adhere to the Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice so that I might best represent myself, my Company, and my Country, and I failed in this duty on October XX, 2006 when I did not report to a special work detail. This was an unfortunate event that I should have avoided, and having reflected on the situation, I see that I erred in several respects. In the future, I shall avoid repeating such actions as it is not my intent to perform or reflect poorly on the military, my fellow soldiers, or myself. Although I failed to report to the special work detail, and violated a number of the Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, it was not my intent to ignore my duties or act in a manner that, in retrospect, might be viewed as a lack of effort and dedication on my part as well as, perhaps, being viewed as a general disrespect for my fellow officers. I offer no excuse; however, it is my hope that a brief explanation of the situation will show that I did attempt to fulfill my obligations and that I now understand that my actions should have been different. On October XX, 2006, I made an error by arriving to the designated special work detail location one hour in advance of the actual starting time; this error on my part was due to a simple miscommunication. While the miscommunication itself was an event that was primarily out of my control, my actions following my early arrival could have been different. Instead of making every effort to assure that I was at the correct location and had reported at the correct time, I simply returned home. This was not the best choice, and I regret having erred in this way. I compounded this initial error in judgment by assuming that shortly after leaving the special work detail site that I would be contacted via telephone and informed about where and when I was actually to report. This phone call never came, and I made yet another poor choice in not following up on this on my own. Having thought my actions over, I see clearly that as a member of the armed services, I may be faced with occasional miscommunications. I am aware, now, that it is my responsibility to (when possible and appropriate) confirm my assignments with my fellow soldiers to avoid such miscommunications, and if faced with a situation as was the case on October XX, 2006, it is my duty to do everything in my power to ascertain what my obligations are. The Uniform Code of Military Justice can be viewed as â€Å"the foundation for the United. States military justice system,† and as a member of the Armed Forces, it is important that I respect and follow the Code’s Articles without fail (Index Legislative History of the UCMJ). I showed poor judgment and an overall lack of respect for myself and my fellow soldiers on October XX, 2006 when I failed to report for a special work detail. This was a failure on my part that occurred as a result of a series of poor choices that I made, and I regret having acted in this manner. When I did not appear for the special work detail on October XX, 2006, I violated several Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and in so doing, I did not do my best in representing myself, my Company, or my Country. I am well aware that there are no valid excuses for my actions, and I intend to do my best not to exhibit further incidents of poor judgment. It is my goal to perform my duties at all times to the best of my abilities, and in a manner that reflects positively on me, my Company, and the United States of America. Violating any of the Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice contradicts my intentions, and I regret my actions. Missing the special work detail on October XX, 2006 means I failed to appear at my appointed place of duty at the appointed time which was a violation of Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Absence Without Leave (Powers, Article 86). This action was not appropriate, and I should have made every effort to ascertain when and where I was to have reported. Special work details are a regular part of a soldier’s responsibilities, and by not reporting on October XX, 2006, I let myself and my company down. Obviously, my not being present meant the other members of my work detail had to take up the slack for my not being present: they became responsible for performing my share of the work. This is contrary to my training, and it is contrary to my duties as a soldier. I realize that as a member of a team, my role is one that I must take seriously, and I cannot let the other members of my team down or threaten my team’s ability to succeed by failing to uphold my portion of any given task. This is what happened on October XX, 2006, when I failed to report to the special work detail. This was an action I regret, and one I hope not to repeat. The United States Military relies on each and every one of its members to report to duty fully prepared to perform and in a manner timely enough to perform as required, and because each soldier depends on his fellow soldiers, it is important that no one be absent without leave. It is also possible that one soldier’s failure to report makes more difficult or prevents the ability of other members of his Squad, Platoon, or Company to perform their assigned tasks, and this could create a number of negative consequences that do not reflect well on anyone. I understand that my failing to report where I was required to do so and when I was required to do so on October XX, 2006 when I missed the special work detail was a violation of Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Absence Without Leave, and that this showed a lapse in judgment which should not be repeated in the future. I intend to avoid further violations of this Article as I understand that this failure reflects poorly on the United States of America, the Military, my Squad, Platoon, or Company, and myself. Special work details are often assigned as part of my obligations as a soldier, and by choosing not to report on October XX, 2006, I failed to obey the order of a superior commissioned officer which is a violation of Article 90 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Willfully Disobeying a Superior Commissioned Officer (Powers, Article 90). This was disrespectful, and I regret my actions. I am well aware of the importance of following orders, and it was not my intent to fail to do so. The importance of the Chain of Command cannot be over-emphasized. Each member of a Squad, a Platoon, or a Company must know his role and fulfill it without fail. The Chain of Command provides an easy means by which individuals can work together towards a shared goal while avoiding undue confusion whether completing tasks that are simple or completing tasks that are extremely complex. Superior officers give orders to those under their command to ensure that shared goals are met based on the appropriate and necessary actions of their subordinate personnel. I did not fulfill my role, and in failing to do so, I let myself and those who depend on me down, and I may have cast doubt on whether or not others can rely on me in the future. In addition, my inaction in this situation most likely created a hardship on the other members of my Squad, Platoon, Company by requiring that they do extra work. I understand that my failure to follow the orders of a superior was inappropriate, and not in the best interests of myself or my fellow soldiers, and that further violations of Article 90 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Willfully Disobeying a Superior Commissioned Officer are not in my best interest. Having thought about this, I see clearly that I should have done everything in my power to fulfill my obligations and to avoid the appearance of disrespecting my superior officer by failing to report as ordered. I failed to appear at my appointed place of duty when I missed a special work detail on October XX, 2006. This was a violation of Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Failure to Obey an Order or a Regulation (Powers, Article 92). This was an error on my part that I regret and intend to avoid in the future. As a proud and dedicated member of the United States’ Armed Services, I do not have the luxury of deciding whether or not I will abide by an order or a regulation. My job is not to decide whether or not I want to do something; my job is to do what I am ordered to do when I am ordered to do it. It is my responsibility to understand that I play a role in a team, and that my failing to perform my part of a task assigned to the team I am a part of puts all members of that team at risk of failing. In failing to report to the special work detail on October XX, 2006, I let myself and my fellow soldiers down, and I showed poor judgment. Every Company needs order, and the surest way to ensure that individuals come together to form a cohesive group is to establish regulations that must be followed. By failing to report to my special work detail on October XX, 2006, I jeopardized the cohesion of my group, and I brought into question the degree to which I might be relied upon in the future. After thinking about my actions and the effect that my lack of following through had, I regret not having done more to ensure that I knew where and when I was supposed to report on October XX, 2006. I understand that my failure to report to the special work detail on October XX, 2006 was equivalent to failing to obey an order and reflected poorly on myself and my fellow service members, and that violating Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Failure to Obey an Order or a Regulation does not cast me in a positive light. Because it is my desire to perform all of my duties to the best of my abilities, I regret my actions and hope not to repeat a similar error. My failing to report to the special work detail on October XX, 2006 was in flagrant disregard of good order and discipline and was detrimental to the overall well-being of the command with which I am associated. This was a violation of Article 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman (Powers, Article 133). I now see clearly that missing my assigned task was an error in judgment on my part, and I intend to do everything in my power to avoid a repeat of this error. As a dedicated representative of the United States of America, it is my duty, my responsibility, and my desire to conduct myself in a manner that represents me, my command, and my country in the most positive light possible. When I missed the special work detail on October XX, 2006, I shed negative light on all facets of the Military, and I regret this. Military Units function best when all of their members work in unison towards a common goal, and my missing the special work detail on October XX, 2006 reflects a lack of discipline and an unwillingness to keep good order, both of which are detrimental to my well-being and that of the members of my Company as well as violating Article 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman. It is not my intent to tarnish the image of the Military of the United States of America, and as a representative of the Armed Forces, my failing to report to the special work detail on October XX, 2006 did just that. This is an action I regret. I neglected my duty to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the Armed Forces when I chose to miss the special work detail on October XX, 2006. This action constituted a violation of Article 134c of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Disorder and Neglect to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline (Powers, Article 134c). It also created a hardship to my fellow soldiers and threatened the proper, timely completion of the task at hand. This discipline of a soldier is only truly challenged when he is faced with a duty he does not want to perform. Because the good order of a Squad, a Platoon, or a Company often depends on the discipline of each of its individual members, it is imperative that every single soldier practices good discipline at all times, especially when circumstances challenge what he wants to do with what he must do. When one soldier fails to put his personal desires aside, it shows a lack of respect towards his fellow soldiers, and it may have the additional adverse effect of tempting others to disobey orders as well. Having thought about my actions, I see that my failing to report on October XX, 2006 did just this, and I regret my actions and the effect they may have had on others. I understand that my actions do not reflect well on my desire to uphold good order or discipline, that they cast a negative light on me and my Company, and that further violations of Article 134c of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Disorder and Neglect to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline are not in my best interest. It is my intent to keep this in mind and in the future, to act with a greater degree of appropriate decision-making. I fully appreciate the historical significance of today’s Uniform Code of Military Justice, and my responsibility as a proud and dedicated member of the United States Armed Services to adhere to its Articles. I understand that my actions on October XX, 2006 when I failed to report to my special work detail appears to be an indication on my part of a lack of respect for the UCMJ, the basis of the military justice system, and that in skipping my special work detail on October XX, 2006, I violated Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Absence Without Leave; Article 90 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Willfully Disobeying a Superior Commissioned Officer; Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Failure to Obey an Order or a Regulation; Article 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman; and Article 134c of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Disorder and Neglect to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline. Having taken time to reflect upon my actions, I see clearly that regulations are in place to assist me, as a soldier, in performing my duties in the manner that best suits me individually and my fellow soldiers as a whole, and that in failing to report to my special work detail on October XX, 2006, I let myself and those who count on me down. This lapse in judgment reflects poorly on me, on my Company, and on the United States of America, and I intend to avoid any similar events in my future, so that I might reflect the attitude of the proud, dedicated soldier that I am to those with whom I serve. R eferences Articles of War (1912-1920). , The In Military Legal Resources.Library of Congress. U. S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www. loc. gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/AW-1912-1920. html. Elston Act (1948), The. In Military Legal Resources. Library of Congress. U. S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www. loc. gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/ Elston_act. html. Index Legislative History of the UCMJ (1950). In Military Legal Resources. Library of Congress. U. S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www. loc. gov/rr/ frd/Military_Law/index_legHistory. html. Pound, Edward T. (2002, December 16). Creating a code of justice. History. U. S. News World Report. Retrieved August 30, 2006 from http://www.usnews. com/usnews/ news/articles/021216/16justice. b. htm. Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 86—Absence without leave. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary. about. com/od/punitivearticles/a/mcm86. htm. Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 90—Assaulting or willfully disobeying superior commissioned officer. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary. about. com/od/punitivearticles/a/mcm86. htm. Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 92—Failure to obey order or regulation. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary. about. com/od/punitivearticles/ a/mcm92. htm. Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 133—Conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary. about. com/od/ punitivearticles/a/mcm133. htm. Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 134—General article. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary. about. com/od/punitivearticles/a/134. htm. Uniform Code of Military Justice; Text, References and Commentary Based on the Report of the Committee on a Uniform Code of Military Justice to the Secretary of Defense [the Morgan Draft] (1949). In Military Legal Resources. Library of Congress. U. S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www. loc. gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/morgan. html.

Organizations And Behavior Essay Example for Free

Organizations And Behavior Essay Introduction Management is an important activity in the performance of an organization.   Management involves integrated activities which together ensue that there is effective planning, control, and organization of recourses to lead the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. This means that managers need to have a wide range of information pertaining to different  Ã‚   departments in the organization. In this paper we are going to discus different management perspectives through accomplishment of different tasks.   The paper will look into organization structure can culture, motivation of employees, working with others in teams and groups, and organization leadership and management. Task 1 Comparing organization structure and culture of McDonalds and King George Pizza in Canada The fast food is one of the most competitive industries in the world.   The fast food industry has been recording higher rates of growth in North America including U.S and Canada than any other part of the world. MacDonald is a major player in the North American fast food industry while King George Pizza is one of small fast food establishment in British Columbia. Although the two companies operate in the same industry, there are a lot of similarity and differences in the organization structure and culture. This is based on the difference that comes as result of difference in their operation. McDonald organization structure is based on the size of its operation  Ã‚   which means that the structure has to adapt to the franchise nature of its operation (Haas and Wotruba 2003, p. 92). On the other hand, King Georges Pizza is a local restaurant operating just one branch in British Columbia. The culture between the two organization is also similar and at the same time with some differences. One of the key successes of MacDonald in the fast food industry has been its strong customer oriented culture. McDonald has adopted a market oriented culture which ensures that the company understands its consumers very well.   On the other hand, King George Pizza has also adopted a market oriented culture but its marketing activities have not been well targeted to the consumers like those of McDonalds. Due to its larger size of operation, MacDonald has adopted a bureaucratic structure that allows for standardization of its operations. The company has adopted tall structure in order to provide for standardization of operations and decision making process. On the hand, King George Pizza has adopted a pre-bureaucratic structure which lacks standardization with management strategies meant to meet the operational needs of the small establishment. The success of McDonalds has been cemented on it culture and organization structure. Since it was established, the company has taken consumer oriented hospitality culture that keeps customers coming for more.   McDonald is one of the companies which use a huge part of their revenues on customer service and advertisement in order to create good relationship with its customers. Apart from the customer oriented culture, the leadership of the company is democratic and ensures inclusion of employees in the decision making process.   The company takes its employees as the most important capital asset  Ã‚   for its growth.   Therefore McDonald employees are well motivated.   The structure of the organization has ensured standardized operations in all its establishments. Although there is management control from the head office, the franchises are given freedom in decision making process to make decisions which fits their operation (Haas and Wotruba 2003, p. 92). On the other hand, the King George Pizza has adopted an organization culture and structure that fits its operation. Like MacDonald, the company has a strong consumer oriented culture and although it does not have a customer service department, the employees have been well trained on customer service.   This has ensured the continued flow of customer to the small establishment in a competitive fast food market. At the same time, the company has adopted the right structure for its small operations. This structure ensures that there is strong control of the operation of the establishment by the management. Task 2 – Approaches to Management and Leadership Management approaches and how they can be implemented Management is one of the most important factions in the organization. Management involves playing key roles of planning and organizing the resources for the organization to lead it to achieve the set goals. Research has documented a correlation between the effectiveness of the management and the overall performance of the organization. There are different approaches to management depending on the kind of organization that one is dealing with (Haas and Wotruba 2003, p. 92).  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most common approaches to management is the project management.   This approach ahs been used for decades although it has been undergoing several changes in the recent past. Under this approach, the management takes the organization as a project that has specific goals and objectives to achieve. Therefore the guiding principle in the management is the requirements of the project and the fulfillment of the mission needs of the organization. This approach therefore assumes that the organization runs in cycles like a project and in each cycle, there are specific objectives that have to be leading the achievement of the overall goal.   However, this approach is  Ã‚   more focused on the technical mission or the technical aspects of the projection and various plans of action  Ã‚   and milestones to be achieved are the guiding pillars for the organization. Under this approach, the management takes into consideration activities like team building, budgeting, tracking the tasks as assigned to different individuals in the organization, reviewing individual performance, and many others. The success of the project or the organization is based on the way it meets its deliverables on the stipulated time and the set budget. This means that this approach is a bit rigid and set to details. To implement this approach, the management has to understand the goals and objectives of the organization and then formulate the necessary plan that will lead the organization to achieve the set goals and objectives. Another common management approach is the Balanced score card approach. This is a strategic planning and management system which is widely used in business, government, non-profit organization, and in other organizations with an aim of aligning the acclivities of the business with the vision and the overall growth strategy.   This approach is also aimed at improving the internal and external communications and toe monitor the progress in the performance of the organization in light of the set goals. This management approach is also focused on the drivers for the future growth and performance of the organization.   To achieve this, the management prioritizes the projects or initiatives which are likely to assist the organization to achieve these goals.   In order to implement this approach, the management has to view organization from four different perspectives including the learning and growth perspective, the business process perspective, the customer perspective, and financial perspective (Haas and Wotruba 2003, p. 92). Operational change As the U.S economy recede, most companies have been forced to undergo operations changes which are meant to reduce the cost of operation to align with the changing economic condition. The U.S Automotive industry which is on its knees due to threats of bankruptcy has seen a number of players in the industry under various operational changes in order to reduce the cost of operation. With the large burden of meeting the high labor cost, General Motors is one of the companies which as restructured its operation in a number of ways in order to cut its cost. Although the changes have emanated from the economical factors which may be beyond the control of the company, it has result to massive layoff and closing down of its plants in order to reduce the cost of operation. However, this has not gone well with UAW which is the trade union representing automotive workers in the US. The issues for confrontation has been the agreement that were made earlier between the company and the worker and even in the current financial crisis, the UAW has refused to let the deal go. Apparently the company could have retained some of the labor force and lowered the rate of pay per hour. At this time we can say the company is in a crisis. Managing change during a crisis is one of the most difficult tasks for any organization. At the time of crisis the organization needs to have a strong leadership style that does not compromise on the need to bring the organization back to its feet. Therefore authoritative leadership should be used to manage the current restructuring taking place in Ford General Motors. Authoritative leadership would minimize the number of time the management ha s to engage with the employees and the unions since the union has failed to recognize the current financial situation of the company. Task 3 – Motivational Theories In the 20th century management, the organizational assets were the most important capital for an organization. However, this has drastically changed in the 21st century and employees have become the most important capital for any organization. A well motivated workforce  Ã‚   can help an organization to have a competitive edge in the market which other organizations may find difficult to replicate.  Ã‚   One of the most important factors in human resource management is to ensure the overall satisfaction of the employees.  Ã‚   The main duty of human resource management is to ensure that employees are represented in the management and their affairs are taken care of. Motivation of the employees is one of the human resource practices that have been shown to increase employee satisfaction and therefore low rate of employee turnover and higher retention. Different organizations have taken different approaches to employee motivation (Weightman 2008, p. 45).   Research has documented that  Ã‚   despite the varied methods of employees motivation, monetary incentives remains the most effective.   Employee motivation can be described using behavioral and social approach. According to the behavioral approach, the management needs to have a clear understanding of the employees including the incentives and rewards that are used to motivate employees in the company.   In this case the managers have a duty of identifying the specific behavior that need to be reinforced in employees. These may include outstanding performance of the employee, punctuality, neatness, accuracy in completion of tasks and others. Any employee who shows improvements in these behaviors need to be rewarded to reinforce the development of those positive behaviors. On the other hand, social approaches include the integration of the cognitive and the behavioral aspects.   This theory view motivation as a factor produced by two forces including the expectation of the individual to succeed at work and the need to gain vicarious experience. Once the management recognizes the individual expectations, then they should provide the approach environment that will help the individual employee to achieve these. According the Maslow hierarchy of needs, we have different needs in our life that has to be fulfilled. The Maslow hierarchy therefore assumes that there are those basic needs that have to be met for the employees to the motivated.   The Maslow hierarchy of needs can be used to categorize how employees have different needs that have to be met for them to be motivated (Weightman 2008, p. 45).   .   The Maslow hierarchy theory starts with the basic needs up to social need. At the bottom there is physiological needs, safety, social, esteem, and self actualization a the top This means that it is important to recognize the specific needs of the employee that has to be met first according their hierarchy of needs. According to this theory, there are some basic needs that have to be met and in our life, we struggle to meet these needs. This means that our quest in life is to climb up the Maslow hierarchy to meet these needs.   Therefore if such needs are not satisfied, then individual motivation will arise from to satisfy them.   In line with fulfillment of these needs, a business therefore needs to offer different incentives to the workers in order to fulfill the different need as they progress up the ladder. Another theory of motivation is the two factor theory of Hertzberg.   Also known as hygiene theory,  Ã‚   it emphasizes more on the factors in the working environment which causes satisfaction and dissatisfaction.   The following table lists the top six factors which cause dissatisfaction and the top six factors causing satisfaction. Factors leading to dissatisfaction Leading to satisfaction Company policy Achievement Supervision Recognition Relationship with the boss Work itself Work conditions Responsibility Salary Advancement Relationship with peers Growth Like Maslow, Hertzberg reasoned that there are different individual needs which can be satisfied by money while there are others which cannot be satisfied by money. He argued that physiological needs or basic needs should be satisfied first while the other physiological needs should be satisfied later (Weightman 2008, p. 45).   . The implications of Hertzberg theory assert that the management should not only meet the hygiene factor to avoid the dissatisfaction of employees but they must also provide other factors which intrinsic to work in order to have satisfied employees. For example IBM, which is one of the most prosperous ICT companies in the world, has taken various strategies including flexible working schedules, pay per performance, and others in order to motivate their employees. The company takes an order from a client and allocates it to the worker who then works closely with the client to ensure that they meet all the technological challenges given by the client. Task 4 – Working with others, teamwork, groups and group dynamics Difference between teams and groups In many instances, we tend to use the work group and team interchangeably. However there are many differences between a tem and a group in the real application of the two.   In management we usually stress the importance of team building and not group building. This is because the strength of a team depends on the common purpose and the connectivity of the individual members. On the other hand, the strength of a group come the volume or the willingness to carry out the command given by the leader. In real application, it is very easy to form a group rather than a team. A group can be formed   by individuals of different   types and background but eventually it will be very difficult to achieve the commonality between the group members.   It is very difficult to build consensus in a group for a leader that it is in a team.   Unlike a group which is simple to form, a team is quite difficult to form.    The members of a team are not selected on the ground of commonality but on the ground of compatibility in different  Ã‚   complementary skills. For example a business team can be made up of an accountant, a salesman, secretary, and others.   Every member plays a different role but which are integrated to achieve a common goal. Unlike in a group, there is no room for conflicts in a team. The role of teams in a small and a big organization differs in some aspects although all the teams have the same role of achieving a set goal. However, teams in a small organization may be easier to form and evaluate and their process of work may be simpler due to the size of their operation. On the other hand, teams in a larger organization may take time to form since all members have to be consulted. Their process of work may be a bit difficult since they have a large operation to cover. Application of Tuckman and Jensen team development model Tuckman and Jensen present us with four stages which define group development.   Although the process can be subconscious, the four stages present the process which all groups go through in their formation. The first stage is the forming stage in which the individual behavior is defined by the desire to be accepted by other members of the team (McGrath and Tschan 2004, p. 61).   At this stage, serious issues, feelings, controversy, or conflict are usually avoided.   The individuals get more focused on adapting to their roles and gather information about others. The next stage is storming stage in which the group remains good to the other only when important issues are addressed.   There are minor confrontations which are dealt with or are ignored. These conflicts are related to work or relationship in the group.   The next stage is the norming stage in which the rules of engagement for the group member are established. At this stage, members understands the other well and the experience the efforts and experience of the other. However, individuals at this stage are resistance to change especially from outside for fear of group break up (McGrath and Tschan 2004, p. 61). The last stage is the performing stage which not many groups usually reach this stage.   This stage is characterized by interdependence and flexibility and every group member understand their role and trust each other. The group identity, loyalty and the performance are high as members become task oriented. How communication methods can affect team performance in a large multi national organization. Communication is one of the most important factors for optimum performance of an organization.   The communication process helps the organizations to pass important operation details from one department to the other. The communication structure in an organization is also very important since determines the flow of information from the management to the employees.   The  Ã‚   communication structure in an organization should ensure the smooth flow of information between the dyad in the work place. However, communication methods can affect team performance in multinational organizations. In most multinational organizations, the teams may be allocated to a certain function far away from the managements of the organization. This means that the team may be faced with the difficulty of enquiring important details regarding their duties from the management. At the same time, there is a high likelihood that the team will be made up of individuals using different languages. This means that the team will require an interpreter for it to function effectively (McGrath and Tschan 2004, p. 61). While forming teams for multinational organizations, language barrier should be one of the most important factors to consider. Bibligraphy: Haas, R.W. Wotruba, T.R 2003, Management: Concepts, Practice and Cases, Texas: Business Publications, Inc McGrath, J. E., Tschan, F 2004, Temporal matters in social psychology: Examining the role of time in the lives of groups and individuals. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Weightman, J 2008, The Employee Motivation Audit, Cambridge Strategy Publications

Innocent Ltd Integrated Marketing Plan

Innocent Ltd Integrated Marketing Plan Currently Innocent can be considered as the colossus of natural fruit drinks in the smoothie manufacturing industry. Innocent is headquartered in London with a workforce about 273 people and a global network of more than 10, 000 traders over 13 European countries (Datamonitor, 2009). Innocents product portfolio has been recently expanded to almost 40 different product selections and thus companys success over the competition is the natural ingredients that used in its products and also the aspiration to conserve the nature in its products until the end user (Innocent, 2010). Potential Market Analysis and Resultant Marketing Objectives Regarding Pickton and Broderick (2005), PRESTCOM analysis can help the business in building up the best possible knowledge of the internal and external environment in which the company is preparing to enter. Consequently, an analysis has been carried out and can be viewed below: Considering the Political and Regulatory factors, the UK Department of Health has launched 5-a-day campaign, as a way to influence peoples life in order to be healthier (NHS, 2009). Therefore, the governments goal is to increase peoples knowledge of the benefits of healthy consumption as well as to buy more fruit and vegetables. Additionally, legislations that occasionally come from various governmental health and food departments can also affect the market. A good example is that of the Food Standards Agency which has altered a new labelling legislation where people can be aware of the level of trans-fats used in the product they consume (BBC, 2007). Recession can be characterised as one of the most influential factors of UKs Economic environment. The high amount of unemployment and the low peoples income are significant factors for the market. Such economic conditions, people are more aware of their expenses that mainly spend money on necessary daily items (LaForey, 2010). Finally, the recent rise of ice cream taxes, oil and milk prices can also affect the market at a great extent (Jofre, 2010; BBC, 2010). Lifestyle, value, trends and ethics are some elements that characterise the Social window of the externals environment. In instance, Mintel (2010) states that ice cream consumption is not seasonable anymore but for the whole year. In addition, most adult consumers buy ice cream for pleasure where a high number of people are aware and care of healthy consumption. The Technological concept has recently taken another dimension as social networks and brand communities have gave the ability for consumers to give-and-take opinions for products and services (Mitchell, 2001). In order to understand the Competitive environment of an industry Johnson et.al (2008) suggest that the five forces framework can assists the process. Taking a brief Porters 5 forces analysis of the company, the bargaining power of the suppliers have been assessed to be moderate to high since the company hires a small yet diversified supply chain as the fruits are being provided by suppliers across the world (Annual report, 2008). Thus a possible concentration of suppliers makes this power stronger. The bargaining power of the buyers has been assessed to be high for three reasons: a) buyer concentration due to premium priced products, b) small target market, and c) product standardization. Threats of substitutes has also been assessed to be moderate to high due to current pricing strategy of the products that provides opportunities for cheaper substitutes products. Barriers to entry in the UK market has been assessed to be low due to external threats to the country such as terrorism, recession etc. all discouraging foreign investors entering into the UK market. Lastly, rivalry amongst the competitors has also been assessed to be high due to leading competitors Haagen-Dazs and Ben Jerrys (Mintel, 2010). The evolving changes in the external environment of the businesses today are evidently observed since businesses have been under strict scrutiny for ethical business practices. Additionally the adapted ethical business practices have also been assessed to be competitive advantage of the company along with its strong product portfolio, continue to provide the company with critical success factors in the competitive market (Annual Report, 2008). The strategic advantage of the company capitalizes on savvy and busy customers with little time for taking a meal during the mid-day (Innocent, 2010). Hence, the food products offered by Innocent Ltd. promises healthy and balanced diet options using healthy ingredients such as oats, yoghurt, fresh fruits etc. Finally, the corporate social responsibility policy practiced by Innocent Ltd. as reported in the annual report (2008), continuously indicates towards the importance of the implied approach of the business ensuring that business initiative s shouldnt mess up with the planet (Annual report, 2008). Such elements reflect the current environment of the Organisation. Aaker and McLoughlin (2010) recommend that an examination of the Market can benefit to determine Innocents current and future attractiveness. Even the recent negative period of recession, is expected a positive growth for the market in the next few years. According to Mintel (2009) is expected that the market will have a growth from annual sales of  £0.2 billion until the end of the year 2014. In addition, the weather instability of the ice creams seasonal nature (summer) has made manufactures to seek on developing take-home ice cream (Mintel, 2009). With Unilever controlling up to 43% of the markets share, ice cream has struggled to be as a special treat. Marketing Objectives Brassington and Pettit (2006) define marketing objectives as the goals that companys marketing strategy must be able to achieve. In order to come up with the best possible strategy, Fill (2009) argues that objectives must be SMART such as the company can ensure that its goals are clearly and well defined. Regarding the SMART concept, marketing objectives have been carried out and can be view to the table 1 below. Table 1: Marketing objectives based on SMART mode Specific Innocents main business objective is to promote and launch Innocent Ice Sorbets in the established UK market Measurable Aim for an overall increase of 15 per cent in the market share of Innocent Ltd. in the UK market Achievable The company has to continue with relationship building initiatives with stakeholders of the company so that 20 per cent of existing customers that is accountable for 80 per cent of business revenues, can be retained Realistic The firm has to develop marketing campaign creating awareness and desire of the Ice Sorbets through advertising and relationship marketing and also to develop the brand image, loyalty and awareness Time-able The companys objectives have duration of one year; this means that Innocent is expected to complete its objectives until the end of the year 2011 Integrated Marketing Communications Objectives Integrated marketing communications objectives are usually related with the sales or aims that the company required in order to attract the attention of consumers. They can be also characterised as part of the overall marketing plan development (Moss and Warnaby, 1998). Such objectives can be generated base on AIDAs model (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) which involves the buyers process before the decision of purchase is made (Pickton and Broderick, 2005). Therefore, integrated marketing communications objectives have been produced and can be viewed below: To create an awareness and increase the demand of the product with in the defined target market. To persuade the target market to purchase and re- purchase the product. To be clear and concise with the marketing communication message so that the marketing objectives can be achieved. Target Audience Description and Justification Target segments can be chosen on the basis of their psychographic, behaviouristic, and demographic characteristics. Nevertheless, consumers in such segments may have different needs, attitudes and preferences (Kotler, 2003). Once the marketing plan has been executed, further information concerning the target market can also be extracted by means of organizing marketing initiatives such as marketing surveys, focus group, customer etc. so that the process of re-defining the target market can take place, if needed. Identifying the current target audience for Innocents product are those people who are health conscious and seek taste and health benefits at the same time. In addition, the target audience are 20 per cent of the current customers of the company, who have been assessed to be generating 80 per cent of the business revenues (Annual report, 2008). Therefore, it is important to tightly define the scope of the marketing plan so that the allocated marketing budget can be justified. In order to reach the target market, the marketing communication plan proposes to stabilise and establish communication channels mainly through advertising and marketing initiatives in a valuable approach (Pickton and Broderick, 2005). Conclusively, the target market of this IMC plan comprises of people ranging within age bracket of five years to 45 + years, coming from mostly educated backgrounds male and female both (working men / women, students, housewives, retired people etc.) who are well aware of the disadvantages of processed ingredients, preservatives, added sugar and salt etc. Table 2: Target Market Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy After defining businesss objectives and audiences it is essential to create a communication strategy. For instance, Innocent can use a combination of push and pull strategies as Pickton and Broderick (2005) suggest that a combination of those can reduce any potential dangers. Considering pull strategy, the company can focus its promotion activities to increase demand for the product at the end consumer while push strategy seeks to boost the trade channel to drive and promote the product until the end user (Fill, 2009). In order to create awareness and desire to purchase the product in the target market, the audience should be approached with a persuasive marketing communication message that emphasizes on the importance of the pure ingredients laden with health benefits that are used in the Ice Sorbets (Palmer et.al, 2007). In addition, the target market should also be informed about the product and its ingredients and how the product can be a no-added sugar and sweeteners, concentrates and preservative. The marketing communication messages should embrace 100per cent fruit quality of the product. Develop a unique selling proposition (USP) for the Ice Sorbets and promote the USP throughout the marketing campaign (Pickton and Broderick, 2005). The identified USP of product has been identified as 100 per cent fruits that are being used in making of the product, unlike other similar or substitute products that use artificial ingredients. The USP of the product makes the product safe to be consumed by children as young as five years old so that parents dont have to worry about any unnatural ingredient used in the product. It is very important that the marketing communication message should be persuasive and compelling so that the audience can easily memorize the message since Ice Sorbets may be highly consumed during the summer months (June- August) only. Hence a strong marketing communication message is crucial to the success of the product and the marketing communication plan. The marketing communication plan should be developed while making considerations of relationship marketing as suggested by Peelen (2005). These are: obtaining knowledge of the customers; establish strong relationship with the customers, and lastly persuasive communication along with value proposition of the customers. The marketing communication plan should also embrace a combination of exciting and validating plead, persuasive enough for the target audience. An exciting or emotional plead can be formed through connecting the product with peoples hearts such as care for the family by giving them 100 per cent healthy product made only with fruits. This can even extend to family members who are diabetic. Similarly, it is imperative that any element of mass marketing should be avoided. For that reason, the advertisements designed for the marketing plan should be able to connect to the customers (Dashlen, 2010). Apparently, extensive marketing research initiatives should be undertaken prior to the development of the marketing campaign. While identifying the validating plead, the communication message should converse the functional advantages of the product such as healthy and full of fruits nutritional value (Peelen, 2005). In addition to above, it is equally significant to note that the marketing cam paign is build from the consumers viewpoint rather than from the standpoint of the company. Subsequently, the target audience should be able to connect the rationale and emotional side of their personality with the product. Out of the defined target market, 70 per cent should be reached with in the first four months of launching of the marketing campaign whereas the remaining 30 per cent should be reached in the following months of the marketing campaign. However, repeat messages should be broadcasted and any tweaking of the communication message should also be carried out if necessary. The marketing communication campaign should be reviewed and monitored periodically (Schultz and Schultz, 2004). Additionally, in order to select an effective communication mix of IMC, the AIDAs model (illustrated in Table 3 and Table 4) has to be assessed. Table 3: AIDA model and IMC mix Low Awareness Integrated Marketing Communications Tactic In order to implement that above proposed strategies, following tactical approach has been projected (Blythe, 2006). The tactics take the shape of the marketing communication plan that is categorized as the 4 Ps of the marketing: place, product, price and promotion. Place: Even though the existing distribution channel of the enterprise seems to be adequate to assist this particular element of the marketing mix, however some additional retailers need to be employed while distributing the product. Such retailers have been identified as food retailers like Waitrose and Sainsbury, due to the comparatively high priced products sold by these retailers, suitable to sell premium priced products sold by Innocent Ltd (Mintel, 2010). Additionally, some coffee retailers such as Starbucks, Costa Coffee etc. will also be approached. The coffee shops have been chosen because they are eager to sell low fat / healthy food options unlike their high- calorie bakery items (Mintel, 2010). Similarly, the existing services of the company such as inventory management; logistics, transportation and warehousing will be used to store and manage the availability and transportation of the product. Product: The product is called Innocent Ice Sorbets and is fully concentrated with fruits i.e. no air whipping technique is used to make the product dense as compare to its competing products. This product promises 100 per cent flavour and nutritional content of the fruits. The product initially comes in three flavours: Mango Passion Fruit; Banana Raspberry; and Strawberry. The product will be sold in eco friendly packages whereas the copy on the packages will carry on the marketing communication message that emphasizes upon the natural ingredient laden with health benefits. Price: The pricing strategy of the product should be competitive against the luxury ice cream brands. Hence, the pricing strategy will enable the company to continue with its market leading position (Brassington and Pettitt, 2005). The competitive pricing strategy will also aim to take over the market share of its competitors in this regard such as Ben Jerrys, Haagen-Dazs, Solero and Carte DOr Moreover. The product has high potential in doing so because of its USP i.e. no added sugar, sweetener, preservatives and 100 per cent fruit content. However, it is very important that the pricing strategy must deliver product value to its consumers so that objectives of the marketing communication plan i.e. relationship building relationship with its customers can be attained (Blyth, 2006). Promotion: This element of marketing mix has been categorized into different elements of the communications mix which is basically a tool for the achievement of companys IMC objectives (illustrated in Table 4) (Smith and Taylor, 2004). Table 4: The Communication Mix Advertising: The product will mainly be advertised through different media as explained below: magazines; Vogue, OK, Grazia, Hello! etc, newspapers; The Times, Evening Standard, Metro etc., television channels; Channel 4, ITV etc, internet and, outdoor; billboard, tubes, buses, bus stands shopping malls, etc. Collateral advertising: The product promotion will also be done through designing product literature such as pamphlets, posters, mail shots etc. Direct mail: The product literature will be directly distributed to the target market to ensure the reach of the message to its target audience. Trade shows: To provide a further boost to the product promotion, trade shows will be arranged specifically targeted to business- to- business customers. The objective of trade shows will be a) to educate the supply chain partners / stakeholders about the product and its associated health benefits so that their confidence and trust can be instil in to the product and b) to build relationship with stakeholders so as to internally strengthen the enterprise. Sales promotion: The product will be offered to its business-to- business customers on sales promotion offers such as 15 per cent price reduction in the total bill with the purchase of X amount of volume etc. Branding: Along with branding the product Ice Sorbets, the brand development of the product portfolio will run side by side. Some of the proposed brand development initiatives are developing online networks and communities so that the company / products can stay closer to the target audiences through listening and valuing their opinions, advertising, customer relationship building and so on. Costed Media Plan The costed media plan and budget allocation has been carried out based upon the following tables (Table 4 and 5). The budget allocation amongst the choice of the media has been carried on the designated priority level i.e. TV adverts and print adverts gain 64% of priority whereas out door adverts get 36% of the priority. Table 4: Media plan budget Calculation Total budget is 8 per cent of anticipated sales i.e.  £ 5,000,000 calculated as: 6 per cent of anticipated sales for marketing  £ 4,00,000 + Total budget

The Family Circuit Essay -- Technology Computers Entertainment Papers

The Family Circuit A mother is doing laundry while her infant sleeps soundly in the room upstairs. She is mid-fold when a cry pierces the silence. She looks over at the baby-cam monitor and sees that her child is in his crib. She reads the dials on the side of the monitor: Vital Signs: normal. Diaper moisture level: 0. Minutes since last feeding: 136. Sighing, she reaches over and clicks three buttons, and resumes her work. Upstairs the crib starts to rock gently, as a nearby stereo plays a recording of his mother's voice singing, and a mechanical arm holding a bottle reaches in and holds the bottle for the baby to grasp. The machine retreats and the baby is lulled back into slumber without his mother having to move an inch or touch him. The scenario may seem exaggerated—unlikely in our own time, yet not unforeseeable in the future. Our era has become so obsessed with technology and its time-saving wonders that quality time itself is taking a backseat to efficiency, destroying what is essentially the human experience. Time used to be the feature by which a family's strength was measured: the more time you spent with your children, the closer you were. Families once gathered around a dinner table in talkative interaction. But now dinner conversation is being silenced as technology takes a permanent seat at the American family's dinner table. There is no age or gender group excluded from the target practice of the technology market. Everyone from infants to grandparents is not only involved, but subject to the increasing dependency on technology to keep family life running smoothly. The once low-cost "quality family time" has given way to a thousand-dollar cycle of expenses to keep every member of the family in touch and up... ..." New York Times. February 10, 2001. Centerwall, B. S. "Exposure to television as a cause of violence." Public Communication as Behavior. Academic Press, Inc., 1999. 2:1-58. Guernsey, Lisa. "Toy story, looking for lessons. Do multimedia playthings teach or do they just pacify nervous parents?" New York Times. January 3, 2002. Malley, Michael. "Re-engineering America's leisure time." Hotel & Motel Management. August 11, 1997. Sneed, C., and Runco, M. A. "The beliefs adults and children hold about television and video games." The Journal of Psychology vol. 126 n. 3, 273-84. www.apa.org/monitor/aug98/tech.html www.earthlink.net/~esmejake/psycho.html www.standford.edu/dept/report/news/february16/internetsurvey-216.html www.colby.edu/personal/k/kbmacdon/bad.htm www.consumerreports.com www.fisherprice.com www.census.gov www.wherify.com

Ancient Greek Beliefs Of Religion And Death Differs From Other Culture :: essays research papers

Ancient Greek Beliefs of Religion and Death Differs From Other Cultures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How does the Ancient Greek beliefs of religion and death differ with the view of other cultural groups? Death, the way it is represented in Homer's book, The Odyssey, is always caused by human error. Whether their death was caused by greed, selfishness, or just being curious, many people died in The Odyssey. Still, the question of what happens after we die remains. Many religions have different beliefs of religious ideas from the Ancient Greeks. Afterlife, is a belief where the comparisons among religions become extremely close. The Greek beliefs of gods and death are different from the modern day beliefs of other religions such as Judaism and Ancient Egyptian beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For example, The Odyssey begins with a scene containing a conversation among the gods. The goddess Athena, goddess of war and wisdom, is discussing the matter of Odysseus with Zeus, the head god and god of sky (Homer 10). Of course these are not the only Greek gods and goddesses. Other examples of Greek gods and goddesses are Apollo, god of music, poetry, medicine, archery, and young unmarried men and Hestes, goddess of the home. As you can see, the Greeks believed in many gods unlike the people of the Jewish fate who believed in one god. The Jewish god does not have an emblem that which it is represented by. The belief is that the god is represented by everything. For example, members of the Jewish religion believe god is everywhere, in everything, and represented by everything they do. Another example of the religious differences is how Ancient Egyptians believed in idol gods which are gods represented in statues. Ancient Greek beliefs are different from those of other societies because of differences between how gods are represented in Judaism and Ancient Egyptian beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Equally important are the Ancient Greek views of death. Death caused by human error is widespread throughout the book. Human error is encountered in each one of Odysseus's adventures on his return home. The Kyklopes represented the greediness, selfishness, and uncilvilization of Odysseus's men. Odysseus fell asleep and his men unleashed a bag of bad winds, throwing them off path (Homer 315). Skylla and Kharybdis was a representation of death from nature when Odysseus's men stopped rowing and six of the men were killed. The Seirenes, with their beautiful singing voices represent suicide death. Hades, probably the most down to Earth adventure, represents time and fate. Many religions use time and fate as representations of why people die. Ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died, they were hand picked by god and therefore sacrificed.