Book Report for Creative Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Book Report for Creative Business - Essay Example It's spawning new businesses, transforming existing ones, saving companies money, and creating wealth. It's changing the way people shop for books, cars, vacations, advice-just about everything. It's forcing companies of all sizes and types to face new competition, explore new business opportunities, and adopt new ways of conducting business. In the span of just a few years, these changes had touched every business and industry. Cameron Foote's The Business Side of Creativity: The Complete Guide to Running a Small Graphic Design or Communications Business (2002) is a landmark book that contributes to the idea of graphic designers of how they could manage their own small business in the Information Age. Starting a new business or successfully managing a small company in today's global economy could be a cumbersome challenge and it definitely requires immense creativity and willingness to exploit new opportunities. Small companies often lack the resources to buffer themselves from competition. Furthermore, once a new product or process is brought to the market, competitors need only a short time to be up and running with something similar. Thus, the biggest challenge for small businesses today is to make a product or provide a service that is hard to imitate. Foote's book is divided into five sections. ... He tackled the things one had to know in starting and running a single-person operation in graphic design. It includes the norms, standards, and appropriate expectations. There are some helpful tips strewn over like: "Just remember that the only place you'll ever find that is 100 percent free of politics is your own, single-person office. You'll have more time for personal work. When you work alone, you can work very productively" (p. 20). He reminded that the fact that one has decided to stake his or her future on freelancing shows he or she is to be a person with high energy and an entrepreneurial spirit. It also marks us as the type of person whose self worth depends on what we can do best. In Section 2 of his book, Foote tackled the pricing and the taxation part of this kind of business. This section of the book gives the readers an overview of how to charge for time, explains the preparation estimates, and keeping more of what one makes in managing a freelance designer job. In pricing, for instance, he suggested before sitting down to determine how much to charge, one must look at the big picture. Many individuals assume that pricing is the most important factor in business success. When a designer decides that "I'll make up with higher volume what I lose through lower rates", it could mean two flaws. First, working harder at lower prices often results in creative burnout. It may be financially successful, but for how long and at what price Second, a reputation for low-price work attracts smaller, less sophisticated, and more demanding clients (p. 99). In Section 3, Foote tackled the marketing and selling strategies in this type of business. He gave some tips where the opportunities are, the portfolio preparation and presentation,

Understanding Consumer Behavior Essay Example for Free

Understanding Consumer Behavior Essay Why is understanding consumer behavior of such importance to marketers? Give examples of how marketers apply their understanding of consumer behavior to their marketing strategies. The study of Consumer behavior plays an importance role to the marketers which need to study in how individuals, groups and organizations select, buy, use and dispose of goods, services, idea or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants. The marketers need to research and understand how the study of consumer behavior works and only can positioning their production in the particular groups of people. Marketers need to considered about the factors that affecting the consumer buying behavior before starting a business. Some of the factors that may influence consumer purchase decisions are the cultural influences, social influences, personal factors and psychological factors. Those of the factors are vital when using them to apply as the marketing strategies. For example the marketers are planning to launch a non-halal restaurant in a new shopping complex. Firstly, the marketers need to considered throughout the factors that affecting their consumer behavior. For the cultural influences, the marketers need to concern about the nationalities, religions and values norms or the lifestyle of their target consumer. So in this case the halal users are not be able to visit the restaurant since it touch the religions issue. Therefore the marketers have to change their strategies or set the restaurant in other places which accept with the constraints. Furthermore, the occupation, lifestyle and economic situation of consumer are affecting a people buying decision. When comes to the introduction of sports car, family group of people will rather consider to buy a family car whereas some upper social class of people will take it as consideration. For the people in working class are usually driving a normal car or take public transportation. In this case, the marketers should selling the sports car to the consumer who taking the high salary in upper class. Therefore, the marketers need to understand which group of consumer they are targeting and put on focus to target them.

Captain Ahab and Moby Dick Essay -- essays research papers

Captain Ahab and Moby Dick: Literary critics point to a variety of themes and juxtapositions when analyzing Herman Melville's â€Å"Moby Dick†. Some see the land opposed to the sea or Fate opposed to free will. Most mention man versus nature or good versus evil. A perspective that seems overlooked though is the perspective of the self and the other. The self and other is when one discovers the other (something not us) within oneself, when one realizes that one is not a single being alien to anything that is not them. There are many such relationships throughout the book, such as that of Ishmael and Queequeg and Ahab and Starbuck. However, this paper will focus on the essential relationship, which is of Ahab and Moby-Dick. By recognizing the other within ourselves, we are saved from hating the other in itself. Captain Ahab struggled to see Moby-Dick within himself, in this began the book's main problem of the self and the other. Before I get to this problem lets track the character of Ahab’s development up to that point. Chapters early in the book describe Ahab as having lost his leg to Moby-Dick. This character development suggests that Ahab is the victim of an attack by a vicious animal. However, by chapter 36 â€Å"The Quarter Deck", Ahab is described as a man infatuated with destroying a great white whale, named Moby-Dick. By chapter 37 â€Å"Sunset", it is obvious that Ahab is mad and in chapter 44 â€Å"The Chart", the reader is made aware of Ahab's "monomaniac thought of his soul." He was so obsessed with Moby-Dick that he couldn’t sleep. Ahab must have had some cause for his feelings toward the whale. It seems that Ahab and many other sailors have been exposed to the story of Jonah, which may have established man and whale as enemies. Also, is chapter 54 â€Å"The Town-Ho's Story" Melville tells of an account of Moby-Dick's capabilities. In this story, Moby-Dick snatches Radney from his ship and takes him below the ocean’s surface. However, for some reason Ahab does not hear this story. Melville may be showing the reader that the whale can be violent, and by not allowing Ahab to hear this story he (or the reader) won’t be able to use this information as an excuse for Ahab’s madness. By telling only the reader of the Town Ho's story, both the characters of Ahab and Moby-Dick are developed further. The character of the whale is set up as a dan... ...k this way Ahab created himself. Just like a master and slave relationship the self and the other are linked. There can be no slave without a master and there can be no master without a slave. When a master defeats and creates a slave, the master creates a role as "master" for himself or herself as well. In Melville's book, Ahab played the role of hunter and Moby-Dick became the hunted. The self/other relationship can be far more complicated than what has been offered here. Many racists, sexists and those who cannot tolerate homosexuality do not always follow the standards. Ahab and Moby-Dick are a special case of the relationship, and they are one that deserves consideration. Once again when I say self/other I am referring to a type of linkage of two separate beings. It is when one (the self) discovers the other (something not us) within oneself, when one realizes that one is not a single being alien to anything that is not them. The main point of this paper is the main problem of the self and the other which is that Captain Ahab struggled to see Moby-Dick within himself. Since he could not see this he hated and became obsessed with Moby Dick and thus apart of himself.

Julius Caesar Essay -- essays papers

Julius Caesar Expository Essay The decisions that one man makes can determine the length of life. Rome has many people that have the characteristics to be great leaders. Antony is a manipulative man, Brutus is an honorable man, and Octavius is a quiet strength. All three men would do an excellent job in leading Rome. Antony is a manipulative man. This is shown throughout the play in several cases, but most prominently at Caesar’s funeral. â€Å"I thrice presented him a kingly crown which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?† (III, ii, 96-96). Antony is very cleaver in the way that he presents his case to the people. He uses rhetorical questioning to show the people that Caesar was in fact not ambitious. Antony also played on the people’s greed, to influence them to his side. â€Å"I found it in his closet; ‘tis his will/and they would go kiss Caesar’s dead wounds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (III, ii, 129, 132-133). Antony is very smart in the way he does this. He knows how to talk to the people to get them to believe his side of the story and revenge Caesar’s death. Likewise, Antony is conniving. He uses this strength by flattering Brutus, and falsely befriending the conspirators into letting him speak at Caesar’s funeral. â€Å"I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand.† (III, i, 200-201). Antony presents his case in such a way that Brutus and the other conspirators think that he is on their side, when in fact he really is going to turn the common people against them to revenge Caesar’s death by creating a war. Furthermore, Brutus is an honorable man giving him the chance to be a great leader. Brutus is an idealist man , who is optimistic about assassinating Caesar. â€Å"Grant that, and then is death a benefit. So are we Caesar’s f... ... the only way to honor his dead uncle was to revenge his death. Even thought Octavius is the quiet strength of the second triumphant, he displays his leadership qualities and respect for others in a diplomatic way. In conclusion, throughout the play Rome has a source of people who would make excellent leaders and guide Rome to victory. Antony is seen as being a manipulative man and proves that nothing will stand in his way to revenge his friends death. Moreover, Brutus proves that he is an honorable man by keeping his motives pure and standing by his story that he truly loved Rome more than Caesar. Likewise, Octavius played a small roll as a quiet by-stander, yet proved his point that he will not stand for being push around in any sort of matter. Antony, Brutus, and Octavius learn that the decisions they make today could very well be their death of tomorrow.

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay

The nursing profession is a complex field that can challenge you mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. People who go into the field of nursing have daily interacts with patients’ and families in need of medical help and guidance. Nurses face numerous challenges on a daily basis and must be able to handle not only their patients’ issues, but remain strong and healthy to avoid compassion fatigue and burnout. Compassion fatigue is defined as emotional, spiritual, and physical exhaustion resulting from â€Å"witnessing and absorbing the problems and suffering of others† (Wisniewski, 2013). Compassion fatigue can lead to burnout with one’s professional career and affect home life. Caregivers can also be affected by compassion fatigue and burnout from the roles that they play with their loved ones. It is vital to be able to identify the warning signs of compassion fatigue and burnout. This is a battle that can be â€Å"fought with a commitment to personal health and well-being† (Chapman, 2007). Health care professionals and caregivers need to be able to find a balance and maintain health in their own spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional lives to assist patient’s to optimal care. Strategies on stress management, healthy lifestyle choices, and resources available will be discussed to help prevent and manage these issues. â€Å"Nurses are the backbone of the medical system and act as the first line of patient medical care† (Chen et al., 2009). Dealing and coping with stress is vital for nurses to maintain to provide adequate care. Compassion fatigue is a feeling of hopelessness and a loss in the sense of meaning in one’s life. Symptoms can be â€Å"strong feelings of anxiety, difficulty concentrating, being jumpy or easily startled, irritability, difficulty sleeping, excessive emotional numbing, and intrusive images of another’s traumatic material† (Portnoy, 2011). These symptoms need to be recognized to receive help or they can progres s to long-term effects and  complications. There are five concepts of compassion fatigue that need to be addressed to help with prevention and burnout. The first concept is cognitive; symptoms can be apathy, disorientation, trouble concentration, and harshness. The second concept is emotional; signs can be anxiety, fear, helplessness, feelings of powerlessness, depression, having bad dreams, and shock. The third concept is behavioral which can be lack of sleep, moody, change in appetite, withdrawn, and repeatedly having bad dreams. The fourth concept is spiritual. This area can lead the individual to question their role in life and their profession, feelings of being lost, and questioning faith and personal beliefs. The last concept is somatic, meaning affecting one’s voluntary nervous system. This can cause rapid heartbeats, trouble breathing, headaches, aches and pains, trouble staying or falling asleep, and sweating (Portnoy, 2011). There are numerous factors that can lead up to and cause compassion fatigue. Triggers can be issues with management such as nursing acuity, patient to nurse ratios, overworked nurses, personal issues, lack of support from coworkers or bosses, and loss of the feeling that the nurse is making a difference. To combat these factors in nurses and other employees in health care, managers and organizations need to be aware of this dynamic issue and offer help (Portnoy, 2011). Creating an open environment along with education and training on how to deal with these complex issues is the first step to addressing compassion fatigue within the workplace. Group meetings within the workplace will offer the nurses a chance to share their thoughts and feelings, realizing that they are not alone. Building bonds with coworkers and sharing patient experiences will help to encourage positive healthy habits. Self-care is vital for nurses to maintain to keep life in balance and to adequately take proper care of our patients. Everybody has stress, learning how to deal with it is the key to happiness and a healthy well-being. Nurses are constantly educating our patient’s on lifestyle changes needed to maintain health such as a proper diet, exercise, and a strong support system. We in turn need to practice what we preach and maintain our health to be at our best to help our patients achieve their best. Burnout and compassion fatigue are sometimes talked about as one, but there are differences. Burnout is â€Å"state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress† (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). Signs of burnout can be depression or  detachment, emotions are rigid, loss of hope and motivation, and a feeling of not worthy of living. Burnout can be caused by lifestyles or work-related issues. Working in an environment that you feel like you have no control or lack of resources can lead to burnout. Self-care is needed to maintain positive outlets to express one’s stress to avoid burnout in one’s personal life. There are physical, emotional, and behavioral signs of burnout. Physical signs are feelings of being tired all the time, being sick a lot, change in sleeping habits, body aches, and frequent headaches. Emotional signs can be loss of motivation, feelings of helplessness, feelings of detachment, sense of doubt, and an increased negative outlook in life. Behavioral signs can be isolation from others, avoidance of responsibilities, drug or alcohol abuse, missing work, and anger directed at others (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). There are several ways to help prevent burnout. Learning how to manage stress and adopting a positive healthy eating, sleeping, and exercising habits are good examples to start with. It is important to know when you need help and that it is available. Burnout can lead to compassion fatigue within your professional career. Nurses who are tired, overworked, and stress out over time without help can suffer from burnout and in turn fall into compassion fatigue. Nurses need compassion to help guide patients in their medical situations, if the nurse is stressed out and needing help herself then how can she guide the patient? Burnout can be healed, addressing the issues and finding â€Å"your balance by reassessing priorities, making time for yourself, and seeking support† (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). There is a three â€Å"R† approach when dealing with burnout; recognize, reverse, and resilience. Recognition of burnout, reversal of the damage caused from stress, and building resilience to deal with the stress by taking care of one’s emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual health. Identification is one step into addressing compassion fatigue and burnout. One can recover from burnout. There are three strategies that one should remain mindful of, slow down, get support, and reevaluate your goals and priorities (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). When dealing with job burnout there are a few options that you can do to improve the circumstances. Taking time off, asking for a new assignment, speaking with management about issues, and clarifying your job duties are a few suggestions to start with. Caregiver burnout can happen to anyone at any  given time. The roles of caregivers are equally important like that of nursing. Caregivers are responsible for the direct care of a loved one and can experience compassion fatigue as well as burnout. Being involved with a loved one’s care can cause physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual distress. The health of the caregivers is important for the success of the one who is receiving the care. Promoting policies and interventions that will help the caregivers to avoid emotional exhaustion is the goal. Caregivers need to remain aware of their needs and beliefs and know when to ask for help should they need it. Education is the start to helping patients, families, and caregivers; talking about compassion fatigue and burnout allows people to see that they are not alone and that help is available. There are numerous resources available to assist those seeking help such as The Gift from Within organization that specializes in helping people deal with trauma and stress. There is also a Compassion Fatigue organization that aims at educating people on how important self-care is and how vital it is to know the signs and symptoms (Portnoy, 2011). In conclusion, compassion fatigue is the loss of self and burnout is the emotional exhaustion that one can feel. Nurses and health care professionals are at higher risks of having these issues come up; however caregivers can suffer from these issues just as easily. The goal to combating these topics is to bring awareness to them and to continue educating people on the ways to handle them. Sometimes asking for help is hard, but it is the first step in the right direction to becoming a healthy well-being who can handle stress. Seeking guidance from professionals will benefit the person in distress as well as their families. To be emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually sound one must take care of themselves in all aspects of life. One must have compassionate caring, empathic boundaries, self-awareness, spirituality and hope, and self-forgiveness to succeed in life (Bush, 2009). References Bush, N. (2009). Compassion fatigue: are you at risk? Oncology Nursing Forum, 36(1), 24-28. doi:10.1188/09.ONF.24-28 Chapman, E. (2007). Radical loving care: Building the healing hospital in America. Nashville, TN: Vaughn Printing Chen, C., Lin, C., Wang, S., & Hou, T. (2009). A study of job stress, stress coping strategies, and job satisfaction for nurses working in middle-level hospital operating rooms. Journal Of Nursing Research (Taiwan Nurses Association), 17(3), 199-211. doi:10.1097/JNR.0b013e3181b2557b Portnoy, D. (2011). Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Watch for the Signs. Journal of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, 47-51. Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/healthprogress.pdf Preventing Burnout. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/preventing-burnout.htm Wisniewski, L. (2013, February 5). What is Nursing Stress, Burnout, or Compassion Fatigue? Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://www.nursetogether.com/what-is-nursing-stress-burnout-or-compassion-fatigue

Sojourner Truth Quotes

Sojourner Truth Quotes Sojourner Truth was born a slave and became a popular spokesperson for abolition, womens rights, and temperance. A history-maker from the start - she was the first black woman to win a court case against a white man when she won custody of her son after running away - she became one of the eras best known figures. Her famous Aint I a Woman? speech is known in several variants, because Sojourner Truth herself did not write it down; all copies of the speech come from secondhand sources at best. It was delivered at the Womens Convention in Akron, Ohio on May 29, 1851, and was first published in the Anti-Slavery Bugle on June 21, 1851. Truths public life and remarks contained many quotations that have endured throughout time. Selected Sojourner Truth Quotations And aint I a woman?There is a great stir about colored men getting their rights, but not a word about the colored women; and if colored men get their rights, and not colored women theirs, you see the colored men will be masters over the women, and it will be just as bad as it was before. So I am for keeping the thing going while things are stirring; because if we wait till it is still, it will take a great while to get it going again. Equal Rights Convention, New York, 1867It is the mind that makes the body.If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.Truth burns up error.Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.Religion without humanity is poor human stuff. Two Versions, One Speech Truths most famous speech, Aint I A Woman, was passed down through history in a decidedly different version than the one she originally delivered. During the American Civil War, her remarks regained popularity and was republished in 1863 by Frances Dana Barker Gage. This version was translated into a stereotypical dialect of slaves from the South, whereas Truth herself was raised in New York and spoke Dutch as a first language. Gage also embellished Truths original remarks, exaggerating claims (for instance, claiming that Truth had had thirteen children when the real Truth had five). Gages version includes a framing device depicting a hostile crowd won over by Truths almost miraculous speech. It also contrasts the regular English spoken by bystanders with the heavy dialect of Gages version of Truth: Dat man ober dar say dat womin needs to be helped into carriages, and lifted ober ditches, and to hab de best place everywhar. Nobody eber helps me into carriages, or ober mud-puddles, or gibs me any best place! And raising herself to her full height, and her voice to a pitch like rolling thunders, she asked And ant I a woman? Look at me! Look at me! Look at my arm! (and she bared her right arm to the shoulder, showing her tremendous muscular power). I have ploughed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ant I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear de lash a well! And ant I a woman? I have borne thirteen chilern, and seen em mos all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mothers grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ant I a woman?  Ã‚   In contrast, the original transcription, written down by Marius Robinson (who attended the convention where Truth spoke), depicts Truth as speaking standard American English, without markers of an accent or dialect. The same passage reads: I want to say a few words about this matter. I am a womans rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now. As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart – why cant she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, – for we cant take more than our pintll hold. The poor men seems to be all in confusion, and dont know what to do. Why children, if you have womans rights, give it to her and you will feel better. You will have your own rights, and they wont be so much trouble. I cant read, but I can hear. I have heard the Bible and have learned that Eve caused man to sin. Well, if woman upset the world, do gi ve her a chance to set it right side up again. Sources History of Woman Suffrage, ed.  Elizabeth Cady Stanton,  Susan B. Anthony, and  Matilda Joslyn Gage, 2nd ed., Rochester, NY: 1889.Mabee, Carleton, and Susan Mabee Newhouse.  Sojourner Truth: Slave, Prophet, Legend. NYU Press, 1995.

Otero Assignment Essay

Otero Assignment Essay Otero Assignment Essay The Otero Family Assignment Marife Alston ­Torres Brook ANTH201_02 Part A: The purpose of the table below is to identify the various individuals and organizations that contributed to the eventual collapse of the Otero family. Individuals, Nature of Contact Job Description Agencies/Organizations Evaluation of Job Performance School Attendance Officer First came into contact with Otero’s after their initial move to New York. Required to investigate why the children were not attending school. Responsible for ensuring that the Otero children were attending school and living in a healthy home environment. Seemed to be concerned about the conditions in which the Otero children were living, and with the state of Maria’s mental health. Should be commended for calling Jesus and encouraging Maria to seek help for her initial condition. Doctor From Medical Clinic Met the Otero’s under the circumstances of Maria’s difficulty breathing. Responsible for diagnosing Maria’s condition and determining the current state of her health Unfortunately, this doctor could not speak Spanish, therefore, he was not able to make a personal connection with his patient in order to treat her properly. He also noted that Maria may be suffering from a possible â€Å"anxiety reaction†, however, he did not take the steps to follow up with that suspicion. At most, he only scheduled Maria for urine and blood tests. Surgical Resident from ER Came in contact with Otero’s after Maria’s first break ­down Responsible for diagnosing why Maria was having difficulty breathing This doctor was able to communicate with Maria in spanish and therefore obtained a much beter understanding of her mental state. Which, he determined, was not entirely sound. However, he was not able to properly diagnose her because he was not a psychiatrist. Doing the right thing, he referred the Otero’s to a mental health clinic. Psychiatrist from Clinic Met the Otero’s after they were referred to him following Maria’s break ­down Responsible for determining what was causing Maria’s anxiety This doctor was able to diagnose Maria with an â€Å"acute schizophrenic reaction† due to culture shock. This was very important in terms of evaluating what kind of help Maria needed. After determining that she was unstable, he was the doctor who suggested she be hospitalized Social Worker from Hospital Was referred to the Otero family after Jesus was having Responsible for helping Jesus to find domestic This social worked was unsuccessful at finding any kind of assistance for Jesus with the children. Although she offered to personally step in and difficulty finding help with the children, post Maria’s hospitalization help/ help with supervising the Otero children while Maria was away. watch the children for a short period of time, her assistance was very short ­lived. What would have been helpful for the Otero’s was if she had provided alternatives for Jesus in terms of supervision for the children. However, it seems once the job could not be immediately solved she stepped out fo the picture. And it was not stated that she frequently checked up on the Otero family for any improvements on their state of affairs. Judge Working on Julio's Came in contact Cases with the Otero family after Julio's run ­ins with the law. Responsible for ensuring that Julio would not get into any more legal trouble and refrain from committing any more illegal acts Ordered that Juilio be remanded into a state training school after his second charge. However, Julion should have been on probation or some other form of intervention. This is because he would have been able to live in his environment (which he would be more comfortable in, rather than a foreign institution) The State Training School Attended by Julio after the Judge ordered him to do so.

Franklin Pierce - 14th President of the United States

Franklin Pierce - 14th President of the United States Franklin Pierces Childhood and Education: Pierce was born on November 23, 1804 in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. His father was politically active having first fought in the Revolutionary War and then served in various offices in New Hampshire including being Governor of the State. Pierce went to a local school and two academies before attending Bowdoin College in Maine. He studied with both Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He graduated fifth in his class and then studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1827. Family Ties: Pierce was the son of  Benjamin Pierce, a Public Official, and  Anna Kendrick. His mother was prone to depression. He had four brothers, two sisters, and one half-sister.  On  November 19, 1834, he married  Jane Means Appleton. the daughter of a Congregationalist Minister. Together, they had  three sons all of whom died by the age of twelve. The youngest, Benjamin, died in a train accident soon after Pierce was elected president. Franklin Pierces Career Before the Presidency: Franklin Pierce began practicing law before being elected as a member of the New Hampshire legislature 1829-33. He then became a U.S. Representative from 1833-37 and then Senator from 1837-42. He resigned from the Senate to practice law. He joined the military in 1846-8 to fight in the Mexican War. Becoming the President: He was nominated as the candidate for the Democratic Party in 1852. He ran against war hero Winfield Scott. The main issue was how to deal with slavery, appease or oppose the South. The Whigs were divided in support of Scott. Pierce won with 254 out of 296 electoral votes. Events and Accomplishments of Franklin Pierces Presidency: In 1853, the U.S. bought a stretch of land now part of Arizona and New Mexico as part of the  Gadsden Purchase. In 1854, the  Kansas-Nebraska Act  passed allowing settlers in Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide for themselves whether slavery would be allowed. This is known as  popular sovereignty. Pierce supported this bill which caused great dissension and much fighting in the territories. One issue that caused a lot of criticism against Pierce was the Ostend Manifesto. This was a document published in the New York Herald which stated that if Spain was not willing to sell Cuba to the U.S., the United States would consider taking aggressive action to get it. As can be seen, Pierces presidency was met with much criticism and dissension. Therefore, he was not renominated to run in 1856. Post-Presidential Period: Pierce retired to New Hampshire and then traveled to Europe and the Bahamas. He opposed secession while at the same time speaking in favor of the South. Overall, though, he was antiwar and many called him a traitor. He died on October 8, 1869 in Concord, New Hampshire. Historical Significance: Pierce was president at a critical time in American History. The country was becoming more polarized into Northern and Southern interests. The issue of slavery became once again front and center with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Obviously, the nation was headed towards a confrontation, and Pierces actions did little to stop that downward slide.

Balanced Scorecard Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Balanced Scorecard - Essay Example Halifax Balanced Scorecard began evaluating the necessary factors in October/November of 1995. Operations of managers consisted of explaining the principles and appearance of the scorecard. The managers secured self-learning manuals and training disks for all the participants. Time completion for the activity was only two months and the actual launch comes in January 1, 1996. The main principles of Halifax Balanced Scorecard are financial and business perspective, customer perspective, interview process perspective and staff development and improvement perspective. Concerning the timetable given to change details on each perspective, the updates on financial, business and internal perspective happen each month, while the customer perspective arrives at quarterly and six months duration. The last perspective changes every six months. Tracking each update is essential because accuracy is one main factor of the Balanced Scorecard (Mee & O’Creevy, 2007, p. 60). The usefulness of the tool on the operational strategic processes never protruded in managing the whole system of approach. On the stance of operational balance scorecard, the focus on four steps in performance management and personal development made good turns in the investment of the company. Moreover, concentrating the stages to start and develop rapport between the management and staff gave a better view of the management. However, detracting the scorecard from the strategic objectives was on the overturn of cultural change than on business and financial perspective. The company believes that there is a relation between business and customer focus program. In summary, what the company did was to emphasize more on the â€Å"people and staff† rather than the core mission, which is the financial and business perspective. Plans for Halifax balanced scorecard was to divert focus on one

Future & Forecasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Future & Forecasting - Essay Example Four companies under analysis, Black and Decker, Makita, Bosch, Porter Cable, are direct competitors participating in the power tool market. Competitiveness foundations are the set of macroeconomic, policy, and infrastructure variables that determine an economy's long-term dynamic competitiveness. Economists acknowledge the critical influence of government policies on economic efficiency and growth. Black and Decker is a leading company faced by strong competition and market fluctuations. On the business level, Black and Decker has followed sourcing and acquisitions strategies which help the company to compete and grow. Black and Decker undertook three initiatives: it diversified its products, often through acquisition, into other related products and services; it diversified geographically; and it began an intensive R & D program to find a suitable raw materials to replace old technology. On the corporate level, the aims are to achieve global leadership and enter Asian markets. On t he business level, Black and Decker implements inventory rightsizing strategy and specific value-chain strategic design. Innovations are the main tool used by the company to grow and penetrate new markets, primarily Asian and Latin countries. On the operational level, the company uses multi-echelon inventory optimization and improves its safety-stock levels. Economists argue that competitiveness foundations are correlated positively with economic growth. The case of Black and Decker shows that reduced inventory investment allows the company to obtain stable market position and increase productivity. On the functional level, the company created a strong brand name and customer loyalty appealing with unique value proposition to diverse customer groups (www.blackanddecer.com). Makita, a Japanese-based company, is a leader in four segments: portable general purpose tools, woodworking tools, stationary woodworking machines, and other woodworking items. On the functional level, the company introduces products able to meet the diverse requirements of target audience. On the operational level, Makita use special scheduling and cost reduction methods which help the company to save costs and deliver products faster and easier. Makita is a low-cost producer. On the business level, Makita follows a standardized approach. It produces standardized power tools for world consumers. For an established business it is helpful to identify the stage of development that the business has reached and recognize that it is a point in the development process. Decisions can then be taken to remain at that stage (if relevant) or seek to move on. On the corporate level, Makita follows acquisition strategy as the main tool to reach global markets and penetrate European countries. Fo r instance, strategic alliance with Nailer Business of Kanematsu-NNK

Personal an Managerial Effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Personal an Managerial Effectiveness - Essay Example It then outlines potential strategies that managers can utilize to effectively manage assorted workplace populace. The possible benefits of efficient diversity management are further stipulated in the report. In the subsequent section, the paper focuses on challenges linked to diversity in the multinational organization under scrutiny. The principal conclusion drawn from the analysis section is that, senior management at the MNC in question must strive to adopt suitable diversity management strategies in order to capitalize on employee productivity. Some of the recommendations include improvement of intercultural communication and implementation of training programs that foster multicultural interaction within the organization. Overall, the report recognizes that fact that with increased globalization, contact among individuals from widely varying backgrounds is inevitable. For this reason, senior managers could have better ability, to place the organization in a strategic position, where it can maximize profitability by taking advantage of a diverse yet integrated workforce. Contents Executive Summary 2 Contents 3 Introduction 4 Discussion 4 Definition and Justification of Diversity 4 Workforce Diversity Evolution in 21st Century Companies 6 Approaches to Manage Diversity 7 Benefits of Effectively Managing Workforce 8 Analysis 8 Conclusion 10 Recommendations 11 Bibliography 14 Introduction Growth of the business environment to a global scale has prompted companies to extend their services beyond their parent countries to other nations thus gaining worldwide influence. It has become apparent that individuals in the contemporary world do not work or exist in isolated places like was the case in the past. People and businesses in the modern world compete with others at a global level, meaning that they are bound to encounter a wide range of cultural beliefs that differ from their own (Aswathappa, 2006, p. 10). This implies that, organizations seeking to benefit f rom widespread globalization must adopt strategies that enable them to embrace and manage diversity effectively. Workplace diversity concerns are progressively becoming significant to organizations not just because of the spread of globalization, but also due to the change in population structure within different countries. Companies must examine their diversity management capacity and formulate innovative ways of ensuring that they are completely inclusive; since diversity would enable them to foster employee productivity thus gaining and retaining competitive advantage over other organizations. Discussion Definition and Justification of Diversity There are numerous definitions of diversity. However, the most common definition acknowledged by many scholars is that diversity refers to the recognition, comprehension, appreciation and acceptance of disparities among people. These differences could be related to social or economic class, gender, ethnicity, religion, race and mental or physical ability, among other factors that distinguish individuals (Aswathappa, 2006, p. 16). Diversity concerns have become a crucial element of management, due to globalization of companies and continued restructuring of the global population. Many management scholars also uphold the notion that diversity is a highly valuable asset for companies, since they can use it to distinguish themselves from competitors. Further, diversity managem

Greek mythology discussion questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Greek mythology discussion questions - Assignment Example On the other hand, a legend cannot be passed on to become a myth because myths have to originate from legends. Therefore, the reverse is impossible. The United States of America is characterized by a number of religious beliefs, which include Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all having different religious practices and beliefs. However, it is also evident that these religious groups do not perform their common rituals while in the U.S. as compared to other nations. This is because, in the U.S., there is a massive cultural assimilation that has led to the loss of various cultural rituals and languages as compared to other nations. Additionally, high profiling of people by the government bar people like Muslims from practicing their rituals due to the fear of being attached to terrorism activities. If Big Bang and law of nature were part of the intelligent design, then most people will not believe that these processes led to the creation of the solar system and everything that happens on Earth are all controlled by a supernatural being (Graves 267). The idea of apocalypse is a common thing to all cultures because everybody believes that one day the world will come to an end (Graves 184)). This is usually justified by death that is a ritual performed in all cultures. On the other hand, most cultures believe that death is a means of punishing those who offend the Supernatural being. Therefore, it is advisable to the good in order to survive. The idea of apocalypse is spread in order to instill fear in people so that they learn how to do good in order to survive death. The Ancient Romans had no myths because they did not try to humanize their deities with their personality and actions (Graves 87). It is until they met Greeks that their divine being underwent transformation. They were particularly influenced by the stories in the Greek myths. This is the reason they adopted Greek gods and gave them their own names. Numinous experience does not only happen

Case4 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case4 - Article Example This happens even despite the fact that the author made that amount of money in a short period of time. The issue of income averaging does not work in favor of the people who receive payment in large lump sum payout. This is because a tax rate of certain number of years would produce a total tax bill void of present value considerations with more than fifty percent of marginal rates. Introduction of the income splitting with joint returns in 1948 meant that the overall difference between the tax on the lump sum payment in five year distribution with income splitting amounts to over fifty percent of the money to be paid with the lump sum tax of more than two percent the amount of the smaller tax bill. The case is relevant to the American federal income tax system in the sense that it talks about the impacts of high marginal rates with enormous progressivity. Therefore, in order to ensure fairness, the federal income tax system need to introduce income splitting and averaging provisions in the tax policy, and lowering the marginal rates as well as decreasing the number of brackets. Just like my colleague Robert referred to Mikesell’s work that splitting the income in the five year phase would lessen the tax load from $85,092 to $48,213, I agree that this would be a big step in adjusting the federal income tax system operations. For example, altering the dollar amount would act as an effective way of lessening the marginal rate from approximately 84.55% to 56.05%. To revise the tax code, income averaging can be considered to promote compliance with the current tax system, which depends on the corporation of citizens to pay the shares. These measures ensure that individuals a re not taxed heavily since their taxes are calculated on the present value of their

Greek mythology discussion questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Greek mythology discussion questions - Assignment Example On the other hand, a legend cannot be passed on to become a myth because myths have to originate from legends. Therefore, the reverse is impossible. The United States of America is characterized by a number of religious beliefs, which include Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all having different religious practices and beliefs. However, it is also evident that these religious groups do not perform their common rituals while in the U.S. as compared to other nations. This is because, in the U.S., there is a massive cultural assimilation that has led to the loss of various cultural rituals and languages as compared to other nations. Additionally, high profiling of people by the government bar people like Muslims from practicing their rituals due to the fear of being attached to terrorism activities. If Big Bang and law of nature were part of the intelligent design, then most people will not believe that these processes led to the creation of the solar system and everything that happens on Earth are all controlled by a supernatural being (Graves 267). The idea of apocalypse is a common thing to all cultures because everybody believes that one day the world will come to an end (Graves 184)). This is usually justified by death that is a ritual performed in all cultures. On the other hand, most cultures believe that death is a means of punishing those who offend the Supernatural being. Therefore, it is advisable to the good in order to survive. The idea of apocalypse is spread in order to instill fear in people so that they learn how to do good in order to survive death. The Ancient Romans had no myths because they did not try to humanize their deities with their personality and actions (Graves 87). It is until they met Greeks that their divine being underwent transformation. They were particularly influenced by the stories in the Greek myths. This is the reason they adopted Greek gods and gave them their own names. Numinous experience does not only happen

Southwest Airlines selections system Case Study

Southwest Airlines selections system - Case Study Example Southwest is also the largest carrier based on scheduled domestic departures.. Yearend results for 2006 marked Southwest's 34th consecutive year of profitability. Southwest became a major airline in 1989 when it exceeded the billion-dollar revenue mark. Southwest is the United States' most successful low-fare, high frequency, point-to-point carrier(southwest.com 2007)" However, the success of the airline did not only revolve on how they deal with the customers in which majority of the businesses deems that they are the most important element of the company, South West airlines also deals with their employees which the management also deems that it is very important to give them the right compensation as the said company believes in meritocracy wherein they tend to give rewards for the employees in order for them to do more. With this, the company gives incentives and perks for the employees. With this, there are a lot of individuals who wishes to be employed in the said company. To date, the said company provides work for 33,000 total employees. Considering the fact that the company has the prestige and volume of applicants, the interesting part that one must look into and garners interest is the selection process. Of course, it is an established fact that due to the aforementioned premises, the selection process is much different from other employment method. The question, how the selection process is done in line with the standards of the company and the demand of the job without sacrificing the prestige and the name established by the company This is indeed a subject that is worth dealing with specially, the selection system of the company. The company focuses on the strength and weakness of an individual in which, this is the basis on how an employee is selected. Of course, there is an advantage for those people who can project their strength much more than their weakness in a certain job description but this kind of bearing is not the sole basis of the company in order for one to be employed in the job. There are instances that hired applicants are assessed how they can adjust their weakness into strength and how a job description could be suited in an individual's personality- even if it means that a person's weakness is the main reason of why he/she is employed. Petree (2003) further added that "Southwest philosophy is to hire for attitude and train for skill," and having a process for assessing and developing needed skills for the job is a part of the learning management strategy. "That done, we also want to focus on increasing people's strengths-not always focusing on where you may have development opportunities, but where you have strengths that we want to enhance to make you even more effective in your job" Upon analyzing the costs that the company shoulders whether direct or indirect has something to do with the operation of the company. In this case, some companies would suggests that the lesser the cost, the better and the more it would benefit the company. There are a lot of considerations that are needed in order for its impact in the company to be analyzed. In this case, one should look into a more concise and deeper perspective. This means that we should look into the price that the company should pay in order for the said system to be utilized by the company. If we are to analyze, the company

Edgar Allan Poe Essay Example for Free

Edgar Allan Poe Essay Many poets and story writers write their stories based upon events and aspects of their life. They do this because it is so relatable and easy to write about because there is some truth in the words. Edgar Allan Poe is said to be one of these because his stories actually relate to his tragic, love stricken life. He is known to lead an overall depressing life that was full of loss and grief of loved ones. So because of this, Poe suffered most of his life. But although he had many misfortunes, he resorted to his passion of poetry to help him. Poe wrote many stories and poems that both reflected and represented his life. Stories such as Annabel Lee strongly show this as it is about the death of a loved women. Edgar Allan Poe was a mysterious man that accomplished many feats and went on to become one of the world’s most famous poets, although he also had a devastating life. On January 19th, 1809, Edgar Poe was born in Boston (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). He began his tragic life at a young age of three years old when his mother died and father left him (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). Then as an orphan, young Edgar was adopted by his uncle, a tobacco merchant, John Allan, and his wife Frances (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). After years of school, Poe was admitted to the University of Virginia at only sixteen, but stayed for only one semester because of lack of financial aid from Allan (Giordano). Angry with Allan, Poe decided to enlist into the army as a private (Giordano). There, he published his first book in 1827, â€Å"Tamerlane and Other Poems,† and his career as a writer spiraled outward from there (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). Poe continued to write and publish small books, earned little money, and did what he could to get noticed. He soon had another book published and by this point, he had a great fan base and was considered a celebrity in Baltimore (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). His readers felt his work was so unique and sometimes even asked for autographs from Poe. From this publicity, he was earning good money. But the good fortune didn’t last long and he was soon at the poverty level again and moved back and forth from New York to Virginia, submitting stories to and working for different magazines, getting small amounts of money here and there. Then, in 1841, while working for Grahams Magazine (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† NNBD), Poe wrote the first ever detective story, a murder mystery. It was titled â€Å"The Murders in the Rue Morgue† (Giordano). The public had never seen this kind of story so it immediately became famous and Edgar’s fame rose even higher. Poe had created a whole new topic in literature and some agree that this was his greatest contribution to world literature. In the next several years, Poe lost his wife Virginia but continued writing novels and stories in his grief (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Gale). This is said to be a basis for inspirations for his stories such as Annabel Lee and others (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). He once said â€Å"The death of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world. † (LeVert 12). When not further loved, Poe tried to commit suicide in Boston (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† NNBD). In this state of depression, Poe wrote the poem â€Å"Annabel Lee† using his favorite theme, the grief a man feels when he loses women (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). Poe died on the October 7th due to complications related to a brain lesion (Giordano). This was the end of the tragic life of poet Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe led an influential but very rough life. He was usually in need of money despite his fame, but wrote a total of 30 books alongside starting a whole new genre of writing. This author/poet wrote some of the best stories and poems and although he wasn’t so lucky in the events of his life, he will always be remembered as a great influence on American Literature. One of the stories Poe wrote relating to the â€Å"death of a beautiful women† was Annabel Lee wrote in 1849, approximately 5 months before his death. This makes sense because throughout his life, Poe had lost many women to death in his life including his mother and his only wife Virginia, who died two years prior to the poem being written (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). There has been debate on who this tragic story is about but most believe that is was truly written for Virginia, who he had married when she was 13 years old and died in 1847 (Giordano). This is supported by the fact that Virginia was Edgar’s only marriage, and the only one of his girlfriends that had died (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). Also, in the poem, the narrator says that he fell in love with â€Å"Annabel Lee† when they were children and he did make her his wife (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). The famous poem is about, again, the death of a beautiful woman named Annabel Lee and the eternal love after death he fells for her. The narrator says that â€Å"even winged seraphs of heaven coveted her and me† meaning that even the angels in heaven were jealous of the love he and Annabel shared (Giordano). Like Poe’s love for Virginia, the narrator expresses great loss and sadness when she dies, losing his one true love. As also implied in the poem, he sits by her grave at night just to be near his loved one. This shows the divine love he had for â€Å"Annabel Lee† (Giordano). Annabel Lee is a prose poem written in the first person and was first published in Sartain’s Union Magazine. As it was so close to his date of death, it was his very last completed poem (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† Wikipedia). Edgar Allan Poe had a great impact in the poetry and the overall literature world. He was a very mysterious man who lived a tough life and went through several struggles including death of loved ones. But from these losses and hardships came the inspiration for incredible poems like â€Å"Annabel Lee†. He wrote some of the world’s best poems, short stories, and novels and in doing so introduced the first detective story to America. The inspiring work he produced will be read and cherished forever.

Study Key Drivers Of Organizational Talent Management Management Essay

Study Key Drivers Of Organizational Talent Management Management Essay Organizations recognize that they ought to have the best talent in order to thrive in the hypercompetitive and all the time more intricate global economy. Along with accepting the need to recruit, train and keep hold of talented people, organizations are conscious that they have to manage talent as a decisive resource to realize the best promising outcomes. Hardly any, organizations nowadays have an ample supply of talent. Gaps subsist at the top level, middle level and even at the lower rung. Talent is progressively more scant resource, so it must be managed to the fullest effect. The idea of managing talent is not novel. Five or six decades before, it was observed as a marginal accountability best transferred to the personnel department. At the moment talent management is considered as a critical organizational function that is taken so seriously. In The Conference Boards 2007 CEO Challenge study, CEOs rankings of the significance of finding Qualified managerial talent improved by 10 percentage points or more when compared to the identical research carried out just one year earlier . Research conducted in 2008 by DDI and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) established that 55 percent of executive level respondents said their firms performance was likely or very likely to suffer in the near future due to deficient leadership talent. This point of view was restated in one-on-one interviews with top executives, conducted as part of the same research study. This importance on talent management is unavoidable known that, on average, companies at present expend over one-third of their profits on employee wages and benefits. Your Organization can produce a new product and it is effortlessly imitated. Decrease your prices and competitors will chase. Go after a money-spinning market and someone is there right behind you, vigilant to stay away from making your preliminary mistakes. But imitating a high-quality, highly engaged human resources is practically impractica ble. The capability to successfully hire, retain, deploy, and engage talent-at all levels-is really the only true competitive lead an organization enjoys. TALENT MANAGEMENT DEFINED There is no lack of definitions for this phrase used by company leadership the world over. Talent management is a mission significant practice that guarantee organizations have the quantity and quality of human resources in position to congregate their present and future business priorities. The procedure covers all key facets of an employees life cycle: selection, training and development, succession planning and performance management. Significant components of a exceedingly efficient talent management process include: A lucid understanding of the organizations existing and future company tactics Recognition of the key gaps linking the talent in place and the talent requisite to make business success. A sound talent management plan intended to close the talent gaps. It is supposed to also be incorporated with strategic and business plans. Precise hiring and promotion choices. Association of individual and team objectives to corporate goals, and given that clear expectations and pointer to administer performance. Expansion of talent to boost performance in existing positions as well as willingness for evolution to the next level. A focal point not just on the talent strategy itself, but the rudiments obligatory for winning Implementation. Business impact and human resource success dimension during and after execution. Organizational Key drivers of Talent Management Workforce trends Workforce trends drive talent management strategies. Issue such as an ever more global and virtual workforce, diverse generations functioning together, longer life expectancies and an empowered workforce have eternally altered the workplace. Owing to demographic adjustments, the pool of employees is also progressively more variedfrom age, gender and ethnicity to lifestyles, relocation patterns and civilizing norms. Organizations are by now captivating benefit of these workplace trends. Talent management strategies also offer the skeleton for diversity and insertion. Proctor and Gamble, for instance, sense that recruiting the precise blend of employee is a chief part of talent management and it recruits several of its leaders as university recruits. Anticipated Skills Shortage Although not all organizations, industries and professions will face deficient in ability, companies are by now contending for talented employee. For instance, there will be sharp talent shortage in the areas like customer service, health care, computer hardware field etc. In addition, as eminent in the report of Future of the U.S. Labor Pool Survey conducted by SHRM in 2005, the expected loss of talented employees in the subsequent decade will differ by organization size, segment and industry. For example, big organizationsas compared with small and medium companiesare further alarmed about loss of talent from the retirement of the baby boom age band, and government organizations are further concerned on the subject of the loss of gifted talent than private companies. Measuring Business Impact Talent management metrics bond human capital investment to financial performance. Numerous companies have started to comprise talent management in their dashboards or scorecards. For instance, HSBC, a banking institution, exercises the Balanced Scorecard[TM], along with talent management in learning and growth. Scorecards present a clear line of prospect to organizational tactical goals by relating talent management to aims and assessment of employee performance. Measures may comprise issues like results of employee survey, attrition(e.g., talent pools) and the number of temporary employees. Superior Source of Value Creation The monetary value of our companies consistently depends upon the eminence of talent. In fact, the Brookings Institution established that in 1982, 62 percent of an average companys value was attributed to its physical assets (including equipment and facilities) and only 38 percent to intangible assets (patents, intellectual property, brand, and, most of all, people). By 2003, these percentages nearly tumbled with 80 percent of value attributable to intangible assets and 20 percent to tangible assets. Changing Employee expectations In Todays context, employee expectations are rapidly changing .This forces organizations to place a superior prominence on talent management strategies and practices. Todays Employees are: More and more fascinated in having challenging and meaningful work. More loyal to their profession than to the organization. Less cooperative to traditional structures and authority. More concerned about work-life balance. Geared up to take ownership of their careers and development. Reacting to these numerous challenges makes it tricky to capture both the hearts and minds of todays workforce. Relationship between better talent and better business performance More and more, firms seek to measure the return on their investment in talent. The outcome is a body of proof that paints a undeniable picture of the bang talent has on business performance. To Highlight Just a Few: A 2007 study from the Hackett Group established that firms that do extremely well at managing talent post earnings that are 15 percent superior to peers. For an average Fortune 500 company, such an enhancement in performance means hundreds of millions of dollars. A study from IBM found public companies that are more efficient at talent management had higher percentages of financial outperformers than groups of similar sized companies with less effective talent management. Conclusion To maintain stupendous business results in a global economy, companies will alter and reinvent their approaches to talent management. Successful talent management calls for strong participatory leadership, organizational buy-in, employee engagement and workplace scorecards with talent management metrics. Firms that master talent management will be well equipped for consistent long term growth in employee performance for years to come.

How the concentration of an acid affects the rate of reaction on marble chips :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

How the concentration of an acid affects the rate of reaction on marble chips Background: These different speeds of reaction are referred to as their rates. The rate of reaction depends on how often and how hard the reacting particles collide with each other. Particles have to collide in order to react, and the have to collide hard enough as well. This is called the collision theory. When the temperature is increased the particles all move quicker. If they are moving quicker then they are going to have more collisions. Reactions only happen if the particles collide with enough energy. At a higher temperature there will be more particles colliding with enough energy to make the reaction happen. This initial energy is known as the activation energy, and it is needed to break the initial bonds. If one of the reactants is a solid then breaking it up into smaller pieces will increase its surface area. This means the particles around it in the solution will have more area to work on so there will be more useful collisions. A catalyst works by giving the reacting particles something to stick to where they can bump into each other. This obviously increases the number of collisions too. If the solution is made more concentrated it means that there are more particles of reactant knocking about between the water molecules, which makes collisions between the important particles more likely. Chemists overseeing large reactions in industrial situations must carefully consider the rates of reactions. For some reactions, such as the production of a final material, fast reactions will be desirable to increase production and therefore sales profit. For other reactions, such as the degradation of a material, reducing the rate may be beneficial to increase the lifetime of a product. Times Education Series Chemistry GCSE Plan: I will investigate how the concentration affects the rate of reaction between hydrochloric acid and calcium carbonate (marble chips). The rate of reaction can be measured by measuring the amount of gas produced after a certain amount of time. The reaction will take place in the conical flask from where the gas produced will travel into the up-turned measuring cylinder. The gas will then displace the water in the tube. I will measure out exactly 50ml of 1molar hydrochloric acid into the conical flask. I will then weigh out exactly or as close as possible to 2 grams of small sized marble chips. I will put the chips into the flask with the acid and immediately place the bung over it so as to lose as little gas as possible. I will then take readings at intervals of fifteen seconds.

Medical Terminology and Healthcare

TBLS Week 1- TBLS Assignment BC1030X: Medical Terminology and Healthcare Setting & Claims Processing (7-30-2012) Section 13 Melissa Brown | Doing the exercises allows us to really look at how we can determine our future by enforcing positive thoughts and â€Å"self-talk†. OR we can destroy all possibilities by succumbing to negative† self-talk. † Today I made a conscious effort to push out of my head any negative â€Å"self-talk†. While I enhanced the positive â€Å"self-talk. † Doing both exercises allows me to really see the effects of both.I had never realized how my thinking and attitude plays such a vital role in every aspect of my life. The exercise allows me to see how I can take control over my future and even my today. How do I see myself? Well, self-examination allows me to see how my personality can positively affect others and more importantly†¦ myself. I am making an effort this entire week to use nothing but positive self-talk, acti on, behavior in every aspect of my life. I never realized how much a negative attitude, disposition and outlook affects me as a person. I have been unemployed for almost 4 months.I thought I had a job however, something went wrong with the drug test or background test and I just know they are avoiding me. I never heard of any test that takes a month to come back, so I assumed something went wrong. However, I just decided to keep putting in applications and I refuse to allow that to get me down. Positive thinking allows me to keep going with a smile on my face. I am grateful because I have a family that chips in and we will be ok. I found out what is necessary and actually what isn’t a necessity. And we are doing ok. I accredited God for that.So in that aspect a positive attitude allows me to wake up in the morning with a plan of action and I am actually enthused about it. That enthusiasm allows me to stay positive, think positively and make my day a pleasant day with all kind s of new possibilities. How I feel about myself inside reflects how others will see me. A smile can be contagious. If I am positive others around me will be as well. Self-examination and having control of our thoughts is something that I am sure with practice I can master. We will always have challenges and obstacles.I have learned how we see them, deal with them and behave plays a vital role in the overall outcome. I have faith and devoted to the most high, as a servant I believe that he gives us the empowerment to control ourselves in a manner that allows us personal growth, strength and control over ourselves. We can benefit by staying positives self-examination, and correction and that is shown in our attitude, behavior and focused on our goals. Exercise: TBLS-self talk snapshot What’s going on up there http://www. positive-thinking-for-you. com/positivethinking. html

Change of Audience †Letter to Peer

Three skills an Administrative Medical Assistant needs to possess are planning, strategy and effective communication. Planning is a criterion that is required in the job description of a medical assistant. Medical Assistants should be able to plan appointments for the specified times needed for the availability a patient needs. Medical assistants should also be able to plan well for ordering medical supplies, if a medical assistant does not have planning or organizational skills the company he or she is working for will be out supplies and cannot care for the patients or use the materials needed to complete everyday tasks.Strategy is a skill that medical assistants need to possess in everyday job experiences. Strategy is something that every person uses on a day to day basis. A good medical assistant should be able to strategize to achieve any goal he or she desires. Working in the medical field there are chaotic days that a person needs to be able to make quick and accurate decision s within an instant. Medical assistants need to be able to strategize each course of action he or she needs to decides and it needs to be accurate and effective because the company is in stake of each strategic decision.Communication is a skills that every person possess however to be a good medical assistant effective communication is important. Medical assistants use communication at the office answering phones, planning patient’s appointments, and greeting patients with professional hospitability. The medical assistant is the first person a patient see’s when entering the office everyday therefore a medical assistant needs to possess the abilities to understand, listen and control the behavior of other individuals and groups.Medical assistants should be understanding of patient’s complaints and should have the ability to be a good listener and give professional feedback to the patients. Patients sometimes need someone other than family members and friends to listen and understand their problems and situations and as a professional healthcare employee medical assistants need to possess these skills.

Fast Food in HK

McDonald's VS KFC Fast Food culture In the worldwide Fast food, as you can understand Is the term referring to food that Is prepared and can be delivered In a fast time. It Is traditionally American style meal that always included French fries, burgers and soft drinks. Restaurants store precooked ingredients, once the customer gives an order, take-away can be ready In a while. To be called as â€Å"Fast food†, these foods must meet a few standards: good time management, quality stability and fixed price. It is a very popular meal style in some well-developed cities, since the people have a totally busy life.The first recorded fast food restaurant A;W is founded in 1919 at the united States of America, and the second one is the famous company White Castle in 1921. In this century, fast food restaurants develop and most of them become chains suppliers. US people spent billions on buying fast food every year. The fast food globalization had now become a huge social issue. Nowaday s there are over 500,000 fast food restaurants and thousands brands in the whole world. And today we are going to focus on the two head quarters in Hong Kong- McDonald's and KFC. Introduction of McDonald's McDonald's Is definitely the biggest fast food chain In the world.It founded In 1940 by Richard and Maurice McDonald. Nowadays, over 33,000 McDonald's restaurants were established in the worldwide. The products of McDonald's are In various types, mainly hamburgers, French fries, chickens and soft drinks. Sometimes, they will provide seasonal meal to attract customers such as ‘Shake Shake French fries'. Following differences of choices, McDonald's would also offer vegetarian food too. In order to fit the culture, they may change the meal a little bit for example not providing beef in India. You can always find one on the street, because there are in total 200 stores in Hong Kong.McDonald's became popular all the time due to busy life schedule of Hong Kong people. Introduction of KFC On the other hand, the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is the largest fried chicken shop in the world, and the second largest fast food chain after the McDonald's. Harland Sanders founded KFC in 1930 at Kentucky in the United States of America. KFC practically sells fried chicken pieces, coleslaw and drinks. The popularity of KFC's chicken comes trom its original secret recipe which mixed with 11 herbs and spices. Not Ilke the McDonald's, KFC has a smaller scale with only 63 stores In Hong Kong.However, the numbers didn't affect the KFC's second largest place of fast food chain In Hong Kong. Advantages and disadvantages of Fast Food always in busy life schedule. Facing the hard workload, they may only have half an hour to have a meal and rush beck to their work. Thus, these quick service restaurants help to solve to lack of time problem. Meals can be prepared within ten minutes. No matter how delicious other food are, Hong Kong people have not enough time to buy ingredients, co ok or enjoy. Second is the stability of food within one chain of fast food restaurant.Tastes are ainly the same in any store. You will never taste bad with the same meal. And the prices are predictable and affordable too. One fast food meal is always cheaper than you cook alone at home. However, fast food as called as Junk food, affecting people's health. Restaurant usually uses a lot of additives such as salt, flavorings and preservatives. The large amount of calories and additives are harmful to human body. Since the fast food is all pre-cooked, the nutrients of the ingredients are lost. Therefore, some people may say that fast food is only for surviving.Eating fast food in a long term may cause arious diseases such as diabetes and heart attack. Comparison of McDonald's and KFC In Hong Kong, McDonald's is obviously in a larger scale than KFC. Except the differences on the food kinds, the way they run the company are a bit different too. Apart from fast food restaurant, McDonald's have McCaf ©s to provide desserts and coffee like Starbucks. Besides, McDonald's have works in different area of society such as charity, children health affair. But the KFC is Just only a restaurant in Hong Kong. Therefore, people would called McDonald's as a better company than KFC in Hong Kong.

Healthcare Organization Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Healthcare Organization Management - Essay Example For a health care administrator, it is clear to utilize a strategy that assesses policies within the environment of the organization. Each organization faces different challenges. One of the heavy reflections that was taken from the article is the administration of Social Security within the context of HIPAA. This strategy is more for a standardized approach and does not cater to an individual organization. Hence, a more integrated approach is needed in order to understand and acknowledge the perspectives all stakeholders is illogical because every case is different. This article is relevant because it discusses the intricacies of healthcare field, which is the focal point of discussion in our class. Since this class discusses the impacts of healthcare, it is highly crucial to understand the current environment of healthcare and how it correlates with this discussion. processes are placed. Another important aspect within the realm of 120,000 eligible healthcare professionals and more than 3,300 hospitals have qualified to participate, which allows a seamless access of patients to extract their information online â€Å"outpatient lab reporting† as a menu option for hospitals and â€Å"recording clinical notes† as a menu objective for both physicians and hospitals. Stageful 2 is a supplementary transition for organizations from stageful. The purpose is to also facilitate regulation in an organizational environment. One thing I took away from the article is that in order to be more lucrative in this field, education is extremely

Program of Study and the Professional Development Plan Essay

Program of Study and the Professional Development Plan - Essay Example Education and Professional Background My name is Juan and I will start my program of study and Professional Development plan by providing some background information about myself. Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to participate in enabling the sick regain their health. However, my journey toward a professional started when I joined the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez to pursue Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Minor in Physics. I knew I wanted to become a surgical nurse and that is why I choose to do some units in physics since I knew I needed to learn how different surgical equipment work. While pursuing my Bachelor’s degree I was working at Medical Center of Mayaguez, in Puerto Rico. I supported registered nursing staff with direct patient care. This increased my passion in nursing and I knew I had made the right choice. After graduating, I worked as a registered nurse for the United States Army from 1998 to 2003. As an army nurse, I wa s involved in caring for medical-surgical patients. Working within the army was challenging but interesting and helped me sharpen my skills. I am currently a CV-ICU Nurse at Emory University Hospital since 2003. This position has helped me master skills in areas such as patient care of the immediate post-operatory CABG, cardiac valve replacement, or repair, dissecting aortic aneurysm repair, esophagogastrectomies, pneumonectomies, and other variety of surgical procedures. I have also participated in managing access/monitoring central lines (pulmonary artery catheters, arterial lines, etc.), lumbar drainage device, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD), Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump, and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT). In addition to the above achievements, I hold certifications such as Emory Lifesaver Award awarded in 2011 and Army Nurse Recognition Ribbon, which I was awarded in 1999. As demonstrate above, I have worked in dive rse settings. This has enabled me to be flexible in addition to exposing me to different situation in my field. My expertise areas in nursing include post-operatory CABG, pneumonectomies, lumbar drainage, and monitoring patients after heart relater operation. Being exposed to different challenges has helped me understand different concepts regarding nursing and increased my desire to advance my studies in nursing. I have realized that a bachelor’s degree is not enough for me achieve my goals. Professional Goals The field of medicine and health sciences is dynamic. It is thus crucial for professional in this field to be armed with up to date skills. Being a profession in this field, I have realized the importance of being equipped with relevant skills. My personal goal is to be the best that I possibly can. Professionally, I want to obtain a master’s degree in Nursing and become a Family Nurse Practitioner. This is because I want to interact and care for patients across different ages. Additionally, I want to expose myself to different working environment such as community as well as hospital environment. I want to be able to diagnose and treat patients independently. Just like the University vision and mission proposes, my aim of pursuing the Masters is to get equipped with appropriate skills to enable me change the society positively. With my current degree status, I lack the relevant

Alcohol Related Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alcohol Related Violence - Essay Example Most of the violence take place when the venues close or when the known figureheads move out of the bar. According to the research, lighting and security staff, taxi ranks and availability of public means of transport are a precursor to liquor related violence. The study recommends frequent revision of licensing terms for setting up liquor venues to reduce the possibility of injury and potential harm. The environment within which the bar needs special consideration since they contribute largely to liquor related violence. Proven evidence shows that change in alcohol price directly affects alcohol consumption. Increased taxation can effectively reduce liquor related violence through reduction of access to alcohol. High taxation of alcohol encourages consumers to turn to drinks with low alcoholic levels of or avoid alcohol. The reduction in alcohol uptake translates to a decrease in alcohol-related violence. The tax earned from increased alcohol taxation can in turn be used to educate the public on the dangers of alcohol as well as treat alcohol-related problems. An increase in alcohol tax will reduce alcohol related violence. Evidence shows that the best way to reduce alcohol related violence involves the local community in addressing the liquor related violence. The community in conjunction with the government and the businessmen can work together towards changing the drinking habits of the people. The empowered community can set code of conducts at the beer dens and agree on violence minimization practices. The community can also come up with measures such as frequent identification at liquor places to know the clients and also spearhead responsible drinking. Research suggests that the government should fund and provide them with the necessary support. Evidence shows that short-term interventions from the community are effective in reducing alcohol-related violence and should be supported. Local

MGT599 - Strategic Management, Mod 5 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

MGT599 - Strategic Management, Mod 5 SLP - Essay Example It managed to expand its business on a large scale mainly due to its acquisition of AirTran Holdings in the year 2011 and as at December 31, 2011 the company operated a total of 698 aircrafts that includes 88 Boeing 7171s and 610 Boeing 737s. AirTran Airways is now operated as one of the wholly owned subsidiaries of Southwest Airlines. The company is regarded to be one of the lowest fare domestic airlines in United States and is committed towards providing best Customer Services in the airlines industry. The company encourages employees to express individual ideas to improve performance of the company. Employees are treated as greatest asset for the company and they have the independence to present their feedback in front of management of the company. The company encourages employees to compete against each other to meet performance standard but the competition level is always maintained as a healthy practice to develop personal skills. Although the organization structure works in a centralized manner but communication line follows both top vertical and horizontal approach. Organizational hierarchy of the organization has minimum number of layers to decrease the time for communication process. For example, flight attendants clean the flight themselves in order to save money and time. It is evident from the above mentioned organization structure that vice presidents report to their respective senior vice presidents and senior vice presidents report to CEO of the company. Multiple rol es playing by individual employee is the specialty of the company. The company gives importance on creating separate task force for various activities. They use guidelines for employees to perform daily work and work schedule is prepared according to the requirement. For example, top managers of the company perform as ticket agents, reservation agents or cabin crew member once in every

Making of Collateral Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 36

Making of Collateral - Essay Example From this study it is clear that directing covers the methods, technologies, thought processes, and judgments that a director must use throughout the fascinating process of making a film. Directing also should help you master technical and conceptual skills in the filmmaking process. â€Å"The first time we watch a film; we usually don’t know or think about the artistic decisions that were made during its production.† According to the discussion Scriptwriter Stuart Beattie originally set Collateral in New York City. Max was to be portrayed as a loser, hiding from the world in his cab and getting little out of life. Once Mann took charge as a director, he made numerous changes. The setting was changed to Los Angeles. Max became less a loser and more a laid-back, intelligent man content to observe the world from behind a steering wheel and to interact with his passengers, endlessly delaying his plans to start his own limousine service. The story largely consists of this pair interacting, so Mann’s decision to change Max’s traits altered the nature of the conflict between them. Max becomes our point-of-view figure for most of the film. Unusually for a film about a professional killer, we don’t see the first murder but stay with Max in the cab until the shocking moment when the body falls onto his cab roof.  The switch to Los Angeles affected many aspects of the film’s st yle. One of the attractions was that this tale of a random crossing of destinies took place almost entirely at night, from 6:04 p.m. to 4:20 a.m.

Operations Management Essay Example for Free

Operations Management Essay 1. Discuss how just-in-time manufacturing might affect a Job Shop (Consider both positive and negative impacts on both internal and external operations). Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing may affect a Job Shop both positively and negatively. The most important affect is that it improves the performance of job shop production. JIT also eliminates waste and/or decreases work in progress (WIP) in that same sense. JIT allows for products that are produced to fulfill an immediate demand for them. JIT emphasizes on quality. Quality is very important in JIT manufacturing because it decreases or eliminates costs and increases profits by producing high quality products the first time around. JIT allows for quality products to be transformed from raw materials into finished goods as expediently and efficiently as possible without delay. Some of the negative affects are unskilled or untrained workers. They may not make quality products because they are not trained properly or often. It may affect external operations by promoting competitive bidding between vendors to provide needed inventory. Sometimes this can cause friction between long-standing vendors and the company when they’re out bid by another vendor. It can tarnish the business relationship. 2. You operate a dairy farm, raising cows for the production of raw milk products. Briefly identify the levels of vertical integration that you would anticipate being possible for such an operation (include both backward and forward integration in your response). Operating a dairy farm, raising cows, would be a very challenging business to conduct. The competition for market share is outrageous. One level of vertical integration that I would anticipate is to possibly setup my own distribution center. I would face some challenges because I’d have to hire workers with this type of expertise, along with the knowledge of farming. Though I’d have to invest more capital and purchase or allot warehousing space for the added inventory, in the long run it would be much more economically beneficial to my farming business. I would become my own distributor, thus passing these savings to my customers, while gaining market share. Another level of vertical integration would be that I’d purchase more land to have grass to feed my cows, instead of purchasing feed from a feed company. That type of integration is called forward integration. 3. Discuss the concept of the â€Å"Process Spectrum†. Use examples where appropriate. The Process Spectrum is made up of five major types of manufacturing processes that a company may use to get to an end product, or a finished good or service. The continuous flow process is characterized by the flow of material. During this process, the material hardly ever stops, but moves constantly from one process to another. Using the continuous flow process, the time to transform raw material into a finished project can be easily estimated. The Job Shop process is the most flexible of the processes. Unlike the continuous flow process, the Job Shop process it group’s similar equipment together. This most often allows for products to flow from one machine to a different type of machine and back to a previous type of machine, if needed, unlike the continuous flow process. This process fulfills an outside customer’s order by an agreed-upon date and whatever quantity ordered. The batch flow process is most similar to the job shop process, in that the equipment is grouped by function rather than product. Unlike the job shop process, it produces products in an established lot size that move into an inventory from which further production or final customer orders are filled. The Line Flow process mostly resembles a moving assembly line, such as in the auto industry. In contrast to the continuous flow, the line flow is more flexible, less automated, and more labor/worker driven. The hybrid process is where the first part of the flow of materials resembles the batch flow process, while the latter part resembles a line or continuous flow process. In a hybrid process, on process separates the inventory by parts or semi-finished inventory, to be passed to the other process for assembly or finishing. 4. Compare and contrast the â€Å"Worker Paced Line Flow Process† and the â€Å"Machine Paced Line Flow Process† as relates to capital use, process speed, pacing, and materials requirements. In comparing and contrasting the â€Å"Worker Paced Line Flow† and â€Å"Machine Paced Line Flow† processes in reference to capital use, it is fairly cheap to manufacture and or service the customer base in the worker paced line flow than the machine paced line flow. Though the equipment is specially designed to produce the quality products of the company, the difference in capital use is greater in the machine paced line flow because the operations are most likely larger in size than the worker paced line flow process. In a worker paced line flow, the process of making raw material into a finished product is increasingly fast, such as in a fast food restaurant. The customers expect to be served in a decent time frame and expect their food to be fresh, hot, and in good or great quality. The product flow depends on the immediate demand. The greater the customer base, the greater the need to produce products and in a faster pace. However, it is still dependent upon the pace of the workers and their pace is monitored and adjusted by management as deemed fit for customer demand. In a machine flow process, the process of speed is fast. This is based upon the speed of the machine producing the product. However, machines can be set to achieve a set goal by management. In reference to materials requirements, in a worker paced line the amount of material or inventory needed or required is closely estimated by the amount of sales. In a machine paced line flow process, the amount is not known for certain until a production plan is established. 5. Briefly discuss the concept of the â€Å"cost of quality†. Consider both positive and negative costs associated with a typical quality program in a manufacturing facility. My understanding of the term â€Å"Quality is Free† is to make the product to specifications the first time, as to avoid the costs associated with correcting all of the defects. Poor quality could lead to poor customer relations, which is bad because most businesses are advertised through â€Å"word of mouth†. To scrap means to start over from the beginning. That’s not good because you’ve made the product twice at twice the cost. Costs can be mitigated when the products are inspected and tested to detect defects at different stages of WIP, before rolling out to the market. This is a good process to have in place. Ensuring workers are properly trained and cross-trained is a good preventative measure to have in place. The more processes a worker can perform, the more productive the company can be.

Genetic and Environmental Factors for Criminality

Genetic and Environmental Factors for Criminality Is a crime committed because the criminal is a rational being, able to make the decision to offend as an act of free will? Does the crime occur because environmental influences – parents, peer group, culture and so on – determined the act would invariably happen? Or is the real clue to be found in the genes: are criminals born not made?† (Hollin, 1989, p.3-4) Discuss each of these perspectives and consider which theory (or combination of theories) is the most plausible and why? Introduction: What motivates individuals to commit crimes, particularly violent crimes against other individuals has been the subject of research in criminology for over two hundred years. Globally the search for the causes of crime continues to form the bedrock of most criminological studies (McLaughlin et al., 2003, p.73).The nature versus nurture debate in respect of criminology has been central to the research, having been especially intense, and often emotional in explaining criminal behaviour (Sarbin and Miller, 1970). The debate regarding the relative impact of genetics and environmental influences continues to inform a considerable body of research. In respect of commission of crime two distinct schools of thought have dominated the debate. Classical criminologists approach the question from the standpoint of individuals having, and employing, a free will. They take no account of the circumstances or environment in which an individual has been formed, taking the view that a criminal commits a crime because he wants to, the deed depending only on the voluntary determination of the individual (McLoughlin et al., 2003, p.53). On the other hand are those who believe that an individual acts in a certain way as a result of the circumstances in which he finds himself. It is only when the circumstances conspire against an individual that he will commit a certain criminal act, but this will not happen simply as a consequence of his wanting to (McLoughlin et al., 2003, p.53). Those approaching the problem from this point of view believe that intervention programmes and improvements in circumstances could reduce levels of violent crime in society. The aim of this paper is to investigate these theories and the evidence in support of each of them. I will conclude with a consideration of which is the most plausible theory, or combination of theories, following on from the arguments given. The Concept of Crime and Criminology: Criminal acts may, in their simplest form be thought of as acts which are prohibited by the law and they can be specific to a particular culture, what is acceptable in one, being unacceptable and unlawful in another. There have been wide ranging definitions of what constitutes crime, but this has been problematic as there is no general agreement on what crime is (Jones, 2006).The fact that crimes do not constitute natural or homogenous behavioural categories poses particular difficulties in identifying the subject matter of criminology and for constructing theories of â€Å"crime† and â€Å"criminal behaviour† (Blackburn, 2000, p.16). Because of the difficulties faced in defining the patterns of behaviour associated with criminality, there is an associated difficulty in isolating the causal effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors and the extent to which these exert an influence on an individual’s behaviour. More and more evidence is suggesting that the crimina l justice system is home to individuals with psychological problems. The fact that many of these problems have been shown to have a genetic component suggests that individuals could find themselves engaging in criminal activity (Jones, 2005). In order to address this problem and effectively treat the individuals involved, it is necessary to attempt to establish the causes of these psychological problems. Criminal Behaviour: Criminal behaviour is defined in the context of the legal structure adopted by a society. It is a widely held view that criminal behaviour falls within the realms of anti social behaviour. The influence of genetic components on anti social behaviour has been investigated by Morley and Hall. They suggest three different ways to define anti-social behaviour as follows: Anti-social behaviour can be equated with criminality and delinquency, with individuals involved being liable to arrest and involvement in the criminal justice system which may include prison; Anti-social behaviour can be defined as a result of personality disorders, particularly anti social behaviour problems which lead to an increased risk of involvement in criminal behaviour; Anti-social behaviour can be defined as a measure of personality traits, which can lead to an increased likelihood of engaging in criminal behaviour. These include aggression and impulsiveness, both of which have been associated with increasing levels of criminal behaviour. (Morley and Hall, 2003, cited in Jones, 2005). Genetic Factors: Family studies have been the focus of research for quite some time. While the early studies in this area suggested that there was an inherited basis for a predisposition towards criminal activity, it was shown that environmental influences could modify an individuals characteristics and personality (Joseph, 2001). Research like that carried out by Joseph was questioned largely in methodological terms, but nonetheless raised important questions which became the focus of a great deal of further research (Jones, 2005). In recent years the study of genetics, largely as a result of more sophisticated techniques, has become one of the fastest moving and most significant areas of modern science (Williams, 2004, p.131), giving an enormous insight into the make up and working of the human body, including the mind. Human behaviour patterns are generally accepted to be an interaction of life experiences and genetic predispositions (Mednick et al., 2003, p.77), with an acceptance of biological e xplanations only suggesting that criminals are inherently defective (Blackburn, 2000, p.136). The idea that genetics are a factor in criminal behaviour has existed for a very long time, one of the earliest studies in this area being carried out in 1877 by Richard Dugdale. His work investigated the criminal behaviour of a notorious American family called the â€Å"Jukes†, six of whom Dugdale had encountered in prison. When tracing their family tree over a period of two thousand yeas, Dugdale found a history of poverty, prostitution, and crime. With no scientific basis for his supposition, he attributed this to the â€Å"degenerate nature of the family, and despite the lack of scientific support, the work was very influential at the time. He did not consider the fact that the family members were being impacted upon by the same or very similar environmental factors which could have impacted substantially on their behaviour. By the end of the nineteenth century, scientific theories in respect of heredity had taken on increasing importance and were being supported by empirical evidence, albeit doubtful in validity. Another early writer, Goring, suggested in 1913 that criminal tendencies were basically inherited. He studies convicts from the same families and found that the correlation for criminal behaviour was very similar to that for some physical characteristics such as eye colour, and stature, suggesting that the genetic material passed on by parents was vital in shaping the way their children would turn out. Parents who were criminals would pass this trait on to their children in the same way in which they might pass on any other characteristic (Goring 1913, cited in Williams, p.132). Twin Studies: Twin studies have been important in trying to establish links between genetics and subsequent behaviour. There are two types of twins: Monozygotic twins come from the same egg. They are commonly known as identical twins, although this is, in fact, incorrect. They have the same genetic structure, are the same sex and have a very similar physical appearance. Dizygotic twins occur when two eggs are fertilised simultaneously and are no more genetically similar that any two siblings. It could therefore reasonably be said that if monozygotic twins were to behave in the same way, for example in criminal behaviour, this could be attributed to some sort of genetic influence. If crime is related largely to environmental influences, then it would be safe to assume that all twins would have the same chances of future criminal behaviour. Studies involving twins have been notoriously difficult because of the very similar environment in which they grow up, making it difficult to isolate genetic from environmental influences. The chances of monozygotic twins who are separated would be the ideal for the purposes of research but, due to the fact that twins are not often separated, the sample on which research can be based has traditionally been small. Such studies have nonetheless been carried out, one of the earliest of which was undertaken by the German physiologist Johannes Lang. he studied pairs of criminal twins and found that in 77% of cases concerning monozygotic twins, where one twin had a criminal record, not only did the other twin also have a record, but the patterns of the offences were similar in nature. In a group of dyzygotic twins, the correlation dropped to 12%, falling to only 8% when pairs of brothers were compared. The studies were subject to methodological flaws in so far as the identification process was based on observation only, and many of the twins came from psychiatric clinics which may mean that the chances of criminal behaviour were increased from the outset (Jones, 2006). Christiansen attempted to overcome some of the methodological problems of earlier work when he studied the entire database of twins in Denmark. For both male and female twins he found that the rates of offending were more highly correlated for monozygotic than for dizygotic twins. He also found that the more serious the offence, the stronger was the potential genetic component. He was nonetheless aware of the difficulty in separating genetic and environmental factors which he acknowledged in his work. Adoption Studies: Adoption studies have been central to research which has attempted to establish the relative roles of genetics and the environment in determining an individual’s behaviour. The rationale behind these studies is that if children adopted soon after birth resemble their biological parents more than their adoptive ones, the evidence points towards genetic rather than environmental explanations. One of the earlier studies in this field was carried out by Hutchings and Mednick in 1975. They compared adopted children whose fathers had criminal records with adopted children whose father did not. They reported a higher incidence of criminal behaviour in those children whose fathers had criminal records than in those whose fathers did not (cited in Towl and Crighton, 1996, p.15). These findings have been refuted by a number of subsequent studies which have suggested that these findings are unreliable, as only a very small number of adopted children engage in criminal behaviour in adulth ood. Stott has suggested that it is more likely that the predictor of this criminal behaviour is the result of problems encountered by mothers during pregnancy. Many of these problems are most prevalent in low socio economic groups which is typically the tier to which mothers who have their babies adopted tend to belong. He argues that it this rather than the operation of any genetic factors which accounts for the relationship between criminality in adopted children and their biological parents (Stott, 1982). Family Studies: Studies in this area which have attempted to ascertain the relative influences of genetics and the environment, have been largely unaccepted in academic circles. The most salient problem inherent in research of this nature is the notoriously difficult task of separating the nature from the nurture effects and therefore establishing causal links. While this is a problem that is also inherent in the twin studies, it is more apparent in family studies when the genetic similarity between siblings is less. Mednick and his colleagues tried to address this methodological issue when they investigated rates of criminal behaviour in children of criminal parents who had been adopted and were not therefore exposed to their parents. They found that the children of such parents were indeed more likely than the population in general to engage in offending behaviours, but that the genetic explanation did not account for the types of criminal behaviours these would be. They concluded that there was at least some genetic component in the commission of criminal behaviours (Mednick et al., 2003, p.89-90). Biological Factors: Recent research has suggested that characteristics observable at birth will develop in the context of the circumstances in which an individual finds himself. Manicus asserts that it is brain activity that provides the causal mechanism for behaviour thereby making biological processes as real a cause of crime as social processes (Manicus, 1987). Many studies have suggested that crime does, in fact, run in families. Research conducted by Blair and colleagues has pointed to a genetic component in the development of psychopathic tendencies. They suggest that as well as this genetic component, complications during the birth of some babies are a strong risk factor for later violent and anti social behaviour, but recognise that intervention and helping parents could be an important component of ensuring that such behaviour does not subsequently manifest itself (Blair et al., 2006). Problems encountered by mothers during pregnancy has been attributed to subsequent criminal behaviour. Chromosomes: Recent advances in the field of genetics have led criminologists to look at the role of chromosomes in the criminal behaviour. In particular scientists have investigated the sex chromosomes and their possible role in crime causation. This research began in 1965 when a British researcher, Patricia Hayes, examined chromosomal abnormalities in a group of Scottish prisoners. The blood test employed, a technique called karyotyping, revealed that twelve out of the 197 examined showed abnormalities in their chromosomes while seven were found to have an XYY chromosome. Normal males possess an XY chromosome, and while there are several different permutations of the chromosome, the XYY male was identified as potentially very dangerous and termed a â€Å"supermale.† A number of criminals have subsequently tried to offer this a defence saying that this biological trait was what spurred them on to criminal activity. This defence was successfully used in 1969 in Australia by one Lawrence E. Hannell, judged a â€Å"supermale† and subsequently released on the grounds of insanity. Other attempts have not been so successful. When such an attempt was made in the case of Richard Speck, accused of killing a number of his classmates in the United States, he was not acquitted and it was later revealed that he did not, in fact, have an additional Y chromosome. While a number of studies have subsequently been carried out in this area the majority or the research has suggested that this is a theory with little or no substance. In their study Sarbin and Miller concluded that â€Å"studies done this far are largely in agreement and demonstrate rather conclusively that males of the XYY type are not particularly aggressive† (Miller and Sarbin, 1970, p.199). Genetic Causes: Family studies have been the focus of criticism but research carried out by Brunner and colleagues has made a considerable contribution to the research in this area. Despite the relatively unsuccessful investigation into the role of chromosomes as a possible cause of criminal behaviour, in the 1990s Brunner and his colleagues claimed that they had uncovered a specific gene which was linked to criminal behaviour. They engaged in an extensive study of what was termed â€Å"the Netherland’s most dysfunctional family†. The male members of the family in question seemed to be unable to control their violent tendencies and were frequently arrested. Tracing the family back for five generations, Brunner et al. found fourteen men whom he said were predisposed to criminality, including violence towards members of their own family who were female. Brunner and his colleagues suggested that because men have only one X chromosome they are especially vulnerable to any defective gene. After a decade of intensive research the scientists claimed that they had isolated this defective gene. The gene, they said is the one which is responsible for production of the enzyme â€Å"monoamine oxidase A†, which is involved in the process by which signals are transmitted in the brain. Specifically it breaks down serotonin and noradrenaline which, when found in excess, have been linked to aggressive behaviour in humans. Since men with the mutated gene identified by Brunner and his colleagues do not produce the enzyme necessary to break down chemical transmitters, researchers suggested that they were overwhelmed by stimuli in the brain, a situation that causes uncontrollable urges and leads them into criminal behaviour (Schmalleger, 1996, p.182). While the authors accepted the fact that their research had not been replicated in any other s tudies, they did suggest that this was an area for future research, suggesting as it did, that genetics play an important role in criminal behaviour (Brunnet et al., 1993). Monoamine oxidase has been linked with other neurochemicals which may be linked to criminal and antisocial behaviour (Jones 2005). Eysenck’s personality theory has been used to measure possible factors of personality which may be influential in the commission of crime. Suggesting that within the criminal fraternity different types of crimes are related to different personality patterns (Eysenck, 2003, p.93) Eysenck has pointed out that it is connected to norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, all of which have been linked with personality traits important in psychosis Eysenck, 1996). Biochemical Factors: An increasing awareness of the physiology of the human brain, coupled with more sophisticated techniques, is leading modern criminologists to investigate the effects that certain biochemicals have on behaviour. If it were to be established that certain chemical imbalances were responsible for certain types of criminal behaviour, then this would lend weight to the theory that certain behaviours are indeed not within the control of an individual. The Effect of Serotonin: Current research centres on the role of neurotransmitters, chemicals in the brain which are fundamentally important to all human behaviour. There has been considerable research in respect of serotonin levels and the role this plays in criminal behaviour, where it has been identified as an important element. Serotonin has been shown, in both animal and human studies, to be an inhibitor of aggression, so low levels of serotonin have been linked to violence and suicide in humans (Williams, 2004, p.152). Raine found that individuals who were prone to anti social behaviour had lower than normal levels of serotonin in their brains (Raine, 1993), a relationship also found in research carried out by Virkkunen and Linnoila (1993). This would appear to confirm the findings of the Dutch study described above. Serotonin has been linked to brain development and it has been suggested that a disorder in this development system could lead to an increase in levels of aggressiveness and impulsivity, s uggesting that the individual in this case would not have full control over his actions. While scientists have been able to link a number of neurotransmitters, with various sorts of anti social behaviour, the nature of the relationship is not completely understood. It is unclear whether these neurotransmitters are linked to all aggression or are linked to specific types of aggression and may lead to the commission of certain specific acts and crimes. Williams points out that the role of neurotransmitters is a classic chicken and egg situation. It is not known whether the mood produces the neurotransmitters or whether the neurotransmitters lead to changes in an individual’s mood (Williams, 2004, p.153). Criticisms of the Biological Approaches: Attempts to explain criminal behaviour in the context of biology and genetics have been criticised, often on the basis of methodology. Walters and White have criticised many of the studies carried out on the basis that they have been badly designed, and largely inadequate in addressing the relevant issues. In particular they highlight the following shortcomings: Few biological studies have adequately explained the concept of criminology, often relying on a single arrest as an indicator of criminal tendencies; Twin studies, in particular, have often been inaccurate in identification of monozygotic and dizygotic twins; Biological data has often been based on interviews with individuals which is subjective in its nature and therefore open to a range of interpretations; Methodological problems are common including small sample sizes, lack of control groups and the use of inappropriate data analysis techniques; Results have not shown consistency from country to country. (Walters and White, 1989). Personality Disorders: The term â€Å"personality† is used to describe an individual’s temperamental and emotional attributes that are relatively consistent and will influence behaviour (Jones, 2006, p.398). In recent years there has been an increasing focus on individual personality traits, persistent or stable personality characteristics, and disorders and this focus has been seen as extremely useful in predicting future criminal behaviour. Theories talk about a criminal personality in which it is assumed that individuals possess definable and dominant sets of rules which determine how they will behave in virtually any situation (Williams, 2004, p.178). Many tests of personality have been developed by psychologists over the years in order to test the theory that those who have criminal tendencies have personalities which are different from those of the normal population. Many of the personality disorders which manifest themselves are initially evidenced in childhood. If it were indeed to be the case that these are predictive of later criminal behaviour, intervention with children displaying personality disorders may be a useful preventative measure. Holmes and colleagues have identified three personality disorders which can be diagnosed in childhood and have been shown to be predictive of later behaviour: Oppositional Defiance Disorder – characterised by argumentativeness and non-compliance. As these children become older their behaviour often changes for the worse, with them often starting to engage in petty crime and displaying aggression to their peers and others; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – children with this disorder are unable to stay focused on any one task for anything but a short period of time. These children are unable to analyse the consequences of their behaviour, cannot easily see things from another’s point of view and are generally unable to learn from their previous behaviour; Conduct Disorder – children diagnosed with this disorder are already at the stage where they have begun to break society’s rules. This is the most severe of the three personality disorders as diagnosed in childhood and is often predictive of the development of Anti Social Personality Disorder, a disorder which can only be diagnosed when an individual is aged eighteen, and at which point they have travelled quite far down the road of anti social behaviour and not conforming with the norms in society. (Holmes et al., 2001). With a clear link established between these early childhood disorders and future criminal behaviours, early diagnosis and effective interventions are vital in this area. Tests for determining an individual’s personality and the likelihood for future criminal behaviour have come under considerable scrutiny. The tests themselves have developed considerably in their complexity and the sophistication of their methodology but a study by Arbuthnot and colleagues stated that the doubtful validity of much of the research that had gone on in this area prevented their coming to the conclusion that there was a link between personality and criminal behaviour (Arbuthnot et al., 1987). Problems in respect of personality theories have mainly concerned the way in which personality has been measured, usually on some numerical scale. Personality tests are also problematic in that they require objective attitudes in respect of what constitutes normal. Inherent in the use of personality tests is that those who commit crimes and go against the norm must have something different from that which is viewed as normal. The personality theories that have found the most application in the context of criminality are psychoanalytic explanations and the learning theories. There is some evidence that personality difficulties displayed in childhood are highly predictive of later criminal behaviour and can be inherited. Personality theories have not really seen much application in the predictive context, having been used mainly in respect of treatment after an offence has been committed. The rationale behind using personality tests is that behaviour can be changed by behaviour modification techniques. Criticisms of Personality Theories: Personality theories generally assume that all individuals have a core personality which explain how they will react to a wide variety of stimuli and whether they are likely to become criminal. They take little account of the fact that these could be changed through interventionist or environmental factors. Environmental Influences: Criticisms have been levelled at the approach which considers genetics as being the dominant factor in criminal behaviour, often because the methodology of the research conducted has been questioned. One such study was that carried out in Denmark in 1977 by Christainsen who reported that identical twins inherited some common characteristics that increased the likelihood of their becoming involved in criminal behaviour (Crristiansen, 1977). The criticisms levelled at this and other similar research is the fact that twins may share higher than average levels of shared experiences, thereby making it difficult to isolate the genetic component as a causal factor in such studies. The first real attempts to consider crime in the context of where criminal lived, and their associated environment, took place in the 1820s in France and Belgium. These studies were pioneered by Adolphe Quetlet and Andre-Michel Guerry who collected data about the areas in which criminals lived, and in so doing began a field of research that would continue throughout Europe for a long time to come, eventually being adopted by American and global researchers also. Modern Environmental Criminology: It has been suggested that the impact of the environment on behaviour reduces with age. While adults are able to exercise some choice as to their environment, children have no such choice, so the impact of the environment in more profound (Jones, 2005). Reluctance to consider genetic factors as instrumental in criminal conduct has had political overtones (Haller, 1968), as it suggests a somewhat depressing prognosis for individuals born with the genetic predisposition to become criminals. The idea that there as an inextricable link between crime and the environment has been considered as an alternative and really came to the fore in the UK in the 1970s, with crime figures beginning to rise sharply, and crime being increasingly attributed to young, disaffected males living in areas of social deprivation (Jones, 2006, p.134). Situational Crime Theory: The ideas surrounding environmental criminology have had a considerable impact on public policy in the UK. The Home Office Research Unit was set up in the 1950s and began to work on what it called situational crime prevention, an attempt to reduce the opportunities to commit crime. This approach does not see crime as the result of any physiological or biological impulses but sees it as more opportunity driven which causes individuals to make choices in the context of these situational factors (Jones, 2006, p.138). Situational crime theory does not focus on career criminals who will find their own opportunities to commit crime, but seeks to address the problem of those who may not have been involved in the criminal justice system before. In the context of this theory the key factor is opportunity and the exercise of free will, and proponents of this approach argue that a reduction in opportunities will, in turn, lead to a reduction in the commission of crime. Situational crime theory has its critics who suggest that the theory focuses too greatly on the crime at the expense of focusing on the type of persons involved in the commission of crimes. Tonry has argued that it is likely to increases the fear of crime among the general public (Tonry, 2004). Despite criticisms, recent research carried out in London has added weight to the idea that there may indeed be a causal link between deprivation, crime and a particular area, when a study by Dorling and colleagues in 2001 suggested that patterns of social deprivation in London have changed very little since the turn of the nineteenth century (Dorling et al., 2001). Crime and Poverty: Because large numbers of crimes are committed by people who have very little money, there has long been a school of thought that there is a causal link between crime and poverty. This is a view which has been held for many years and was first investigated in France by Guerry who found that in the more affluent areas there were higher rates of crime against property while in the poorer areas there were higher incidences of violent crime. There were poor people living in the more affluent areas and Guerry concluded that it was not poverty per se that caused higher rates of crime but the fact that there was more opportunity in the wealthier areas for crime against property. Recent research as been inconclusive regarding the role played in criminal activity by poverty. What does appear to be clear is that there is no direct link between crime and poverty as an isolated factor as there are, for example, many tribes who are materially very poor but did not engage in high levels of criminal activity (Williams, 2004, p.286). Research has suggested that poverty only becomes a factor in criminal activity when there is a large degree of social inequality, a large gap between the â€Å"haves† and the â€Å"have-nots†. This leads to the suggestion that if, in the population as a whole, there was a degree of poverty, this would not lead to higher rates of crime. This has been coupled with the suggestion that it is not even the inequality which is the causal factor but the perception that this is unfair which leads to higher levels of criminal activity (Stack, 1984). Recent theories have investigated the link between crime and inequality and it has been suggested by Vold and his colleagues, who refer to a number of studies, that there is a link between inequality and violent crime including homicide (Vold et al., 2002). Family: In terms of environmental factors, none is more important or exerts such an influence in shaping an individual as the family in which he grows up. Famil