Monday, September 30, 2019

Motivation Theory Essay

1. What motivates behavior? According to humanist psychologist Abraham Maslow, our actions are motivated in order to achieve certain needs. This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs. This hierarchy is most often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up of the most basic needs, while the more complex needs are located at the top of the pyramid. Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are basic physical requirements including the need for food, water, sleep, and warmth. Once these lower-level needs have been met, people can move on to the next level of needs, which are for safety and security. As people progress up the pyramid, needs become increasingly psychological and social. Soon, the need for love, friendship, and intimacy become important. Further up the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment take priority. 2. Clayton P. Alderfer’s ERG theory from 1969 condenses Maslow’s five human needs into three categories: Existence, Relatedness and Growth. Existence Needs Include all material and physiological desires (e.g., food, water, air, clothing, safety, physical love and affection). Maslow’s first two levels. Relatedness Needs Encompass social and external esteem; relationships with significant others like family, friends, co-workers and employers . This also means to be recognized and feel secure as part of a group or family. Maslow’s third and fourth levels. Growth Needs Internal esteem and self actualization; these impel a person to make creative or productive effects on himself and the environment (e.g., to progress toward one’s ideal self). Maslow’s fourth and fifth levels. This includes desires to be creative and productive, and to complete meaningful tasks. Even though the priority of these needs differ from person to person, Alberger’s ERG theory prioritises in terms of the categories’ concreteness. Existence needs are the most concrete, and easiest to verify. Relatedness needs are less concrete than existence needs, which depend on a relationship between two or more people. Finally, growth needs are the least concrete in that their specific objectives depend on the uniqueness of each person. Contrarily to the idea by Maslow that access to the higher levels of his pyramid required satisfaction in the lower level needs, the ERG areas of Alderfer are simultaneous needs. ERG Theory recognizes that the importance of the three categories may vary for each individual. Managers must recognize that an employee has multiple needs, which must be satisfied simultaneously. According to the ERG theory, if you focus exclusively on one need at a time, this will not effectively motivate. 3. The expectancy theory says that individuals have different sets of goals and can be motivated if they have certain expectations. This theory is about choice, it explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices. In organizational behavior study, expectancy theory is a motivation theory first proposed by Victor Vroom of the Yale School of Management in 1964. Motivation, according to Vroom. boils down to the decision of how much effort to apply in a specific task situation. This choice is based on a two-stage sequence of expectations (effort —> performance and performance —> outcome). First, motivation is affected by an individual’s expectation that a certain level of effort will produce the intended performance goal. For example, if you do not believe increasing the amount of time you spend studying will significantly raise your grade on an exam, you probably wilt not study any harder than usual. Motivation also is influenced by the employeeâ €™s perceived chances of getting various outcomes as a result of accomplishing his or her performance goal. Finally, individuals are motivated to the extent that they value the outcomes received. EXPECTANCY THEORY BELIEFS 1. Valence. Refers to the emotional orientations which people hold with respect to outcomes [rewards]. The depth of the want of an employee for extrinsic [money, promotion, free time, benefits] or intrinsic [satisfaction] rewards. Management must discover what employees appreciate. 2. Expectancy. Employees have different expectations and levels of confidence about what they are capable of doing. Management must discover what resources, training, or supervision the employees need. Facts [+] The 2011 Nielsen survey also showed that the top five dimensions students considered when it comes to seeking employment were high degree of independence at work, salary package, learning on the job, growth prospects and standing of the company in the market [Employer brand] respectively. 3. Instrumentality. The perception of employees whether they will actually receive what they desire, even if it has been promised by a manager. Management must ensure that promises of rewards are fulfilled and that employees are aware of that. Vroom suggests that an employee’s beliefs about Expectancy, Instrumentality, and Valence interact psychologically. In this way they create a motivational force, such that the employee will act in a way that brings pleasure and avoids pain. This force can be ‘calculated’ via a formula: 4. Adam’s Equity Theory Equity theory, most popularly known as equity theory of motivation, was first developed by John Stacey Adams, a workplace and behavioral psychologist, in 1963. John Stacey Adams proposed that an employee’s motivation is affected by whether the employee believes that their employment benefits/rewards are at least equal to the amount of the effort that they put into their work. Definition of equity An individual will consider that he is treated fairly if he perceives the ratio of his inputs to his outcomes to be equivalent to those around him. Thus, all else being equal, it would be acceptable for a more senior colleague to receive higher compensation, since the value of his experience (and input) is higher. The way people base their experience with satisfaction for their job is to make comparisons with themselves to people they work with. If an employee notices that another person is getting more recognition and rewards for their contributions, even when both have done the same amount and quality of work, it would persuade the employee to be dissatisfied. This dissatisfaction would result in the employee feeling under-appreciated and perhaps worthless. This is in direct contrast with the idea of equity theory, the idea is to have the rewards (outcomes) be directly related with the quality and quantity of the employees contributions (inputs). If both employees were perhaps rewarded the same, it would help the workforce realize that the organization is fair, observant, and appreciative. This can be illustrated by the following equation: Adam’s categorised employment benefits and rewards as outputs and an employee’s work effort as inputs. Input Examples The number of hours worked by the employee An employee’s work responsibilities An employee’s work duties The work commitment demonstrated by the employee An employee’s loyalty An employee’s flexibility such as undertaking tasks at short notice The support that the employee has provided to the organisation, colleagues and line managers Output Examples Salary Bonus Prizes Recognition of the employee’s contribution Positive work appraisals Work promotions Pension Employer flexibility Annual leave Adam’s stated that if an employee believes that their work outputs are not equal or greater than their inputs then the employee will become de-motivated. Adams’ theory includes the assertion that when an employee is assessing whether the outputs they receive are fair the employee will often compare their colleague’s work inputs and outputs with their own. The comparison will often be made with an employee at a similar level in the organisation to the employee. Propositions Equity theory consists of four propositions: Individuals seek to maximize their outcomes (where outcomes are defined as rewards minus costs). Groups can maximize collective rewards by developing accepted systems for equitably apportioning rewards and costs among members. Systems of equity will evolve within groups, and members will attempt to induce other members to accept and adhere to these systems. The only way groups can induce members to equitably behave is by making it more profitable to behave equitably than inequitably. Thus, groups will generally reward members who treat others equitably and generally punish (increase the cost for) members who treat others inequitably. When individuals find themselves participating in inequitable relationships, they become distressed. The more inequitable the relationship, the more distress individuals feel. According to equity theory, both the person who gets â€Å"too much† and the person who gets â€Å"too little† feel distressed. The person who gets too much may feel guilt or shame. The person who gets too little may feel angry or humiliated. Individuals who perceive that they are in an inequitable relationship attempt to eliminate their distress by restoring equity. The greater the inequity, the more distress people feel and the more they try to restore equity. (Walster, Traupmann and Walster, 1978) 5. Acquired Needs Theory: McClelland McClelland proposes that those in top management positions should have a high need for power and a low need for affiliation. Psychologist David McClelland created Need Theory, a motivational model that attempts to explain how the needs for achievement, power, and affiliation affect the actions of people from a managerial context. McClelland’s Need Theory, created by psychologist David McClelland, is a motivational model that attempts to explain how the needs for achievement, power, and affiliation affect the actions of people from a managerial context. People who are achievement-motivated typically prefer to master a task or situation. This motivational need stems from a person’s desire to influence, teach, or encourage others. is a motivational model that attempts to explain how the needs for achievement, power, and affiliation affect the actions of people from a managerial context. It is often taught in classes concerning management or organizational behavior (Figure 1). People who are achievement-motivated typically prefer to master a task or situation. They prefer working on tasks of moderate difficulty, in which the results are based on their effort rather than on luck, and to receive feedback on their work. Those who desire affiliation, however, prefer to spend time creating and maintaining social relationships, enjoy being a part of groups and have a desire to feel loved and accepted. People in this group may not make effective managers because they may worry too much about how others will feel about them. In his theory, people are not placed into categories but rather have degrees of these needs: No one is only in ‘one group†™ of these needs. The balance of needs brings out a profile. Needs do not explain competencies in any area. One can have high needs in one area and still be effective in an area where these needs are not necessarily fulfilled. This motivational need stems from a person’s desire to influence, teach, or encourage others. People in this category enjoy work and place a high value on discipline. The downside to this motivational type is that group goals can become zero-sum in nature. For one person to win, another must lose. However, this can be positively applied to help accomplish group goals and to help others in the group feel competent about their work. McClelland proposes that those in top management positions should have a high need for power and a low need for affiliation. He also believes that although individuals with a need for achievement can make good managers, they are not suited to being in top management positions. 6. Herzberg’s two-factor theory states that certain factors cause job satisfaction, and a separate set of factors cause dissatisfaction. According to Herzberg, understanding what causes employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction is important for management. The factors that motivate people can change over their lifetime, but â€Å"respect for me as a person† is one of the top motivating factors at any stage of life. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not on a continuum with one increasing as the other diminishes, but are independent phenomena. To ensure a satisfied and productive workforce, managers must give attention to both sets of job factors. Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory, also known as the motivation-hygiene theory or intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, concludes that while there are certain factors in the workplace that cause job satisfaction, a separate set of factors can cause dissatisfaction. The factors that motivate people can change over their lifetime, but â€Å"respect for me as a person† is one of the top motivating factors at any stage of life. Figure 1 According to Herzberg, intrinsic motivators such as challenging work, recognition, and responsibility produce employee satisfaction, while extrinsic hygiene factors, including status, job security, salary, and fringe benefits – if absent – produce dissatisfaction. Herzberg’s theory appears to parallel Maslow’s needs hierarchy. Individuals look for the gratification of higher-level psychological needs having to do with achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, and the nature of the work itself. However, Herzberg added a new dimension to this theory, including factors that cause dissatisfaction as well, such as company policies, supervision, technical problems, salary, interpersonal relations on the job, and working conditions. This two-factor model of motivation is based on the notion that the presence of one set of job characteristics or incentives leads to worker satisfaction, while another and separate set of job characteristics lead to dissatisfaction. Thus, satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not on a continuum with one increasing as the other diminishes, but are independent phenomena. If management wishes to increase satisfaction on the job, it should be concerned with the nature of the work itself – the opportunities it presents employees for gaining status, assuming responsibility, and achieving self-realization. If, on the other hand, management wishes to reduce dissatisfaction, then it must focus on the job environment – policies, procedures, supervision, and working conditions. To ensure a satisfied and productive workforce, managers must give attention to both sets of job factors. Examples of Business Goal-Setting Theory Business owners will often set individual goals to motivate employees and reach company objectives. Goals that are hard to reach are often more intriguing, as more work is required to fulfill them. Edwin A. Locke introduced the theoretical approach to setting goals and building motivation, which can be directly applied to a professional setting. In fact, this type of goal-setting theory is one of the more useful motivational theories used in industrial and organizational psychology and management. Clarity and Focus One part of business goal-setting theory is creating clear and focused goals that are obtainable. Having a goal of pulling in $100,000 in business profits within a single year may not be obtainable for a small business owner. A clear and focused goal may be to get $50,000 in profits based on $20,000 in product sales, $10,000 from investments and $20,000 from service sales. A single goal must have a plan to reach the goal, whether it is a monthly plan with mini-goals or a weekly plan for short-term goals. Commitment and Teamwork Employees of a given business may be more committed to a goal if they are a part of setting the goals and deadlines. In addition, a team may also work closer together if they have a mutual goal. Commitment and responsibility to a goal may also increase the motivational level within the business. In addition, each employee may have his own goal, but keep all workers informed of larger goals to ensure continuous commitment and teamwork in a business. Feedback and Progression Another theoretical perspective on setting successful goals in a business environment involves getting feedback from managers and other employees as the work towards the goal progresses. Part of the feedback includes getting clarity on tasks, adjusting the goals or methods, making budgetary changes and getting additional help from managers. This feedback may alter the progression of the goal, so the employee working to reach the goal must be informed of the changes. Complexity and Success A single goal may become overwhelming, especially if the goal is long-term or very complex. Fulfilling these types of goals requires a reasonable time period, including time to learn and practice skills to meet expectations. Meeting a revenue goal may not be reasonable within a single month or quarter, so extending the goal deadline for a reasonable time period may lead to more success. Having a short period of time to fulfill goals may inhibit employees from reaching expectations and may end up failing. Dr. Edwin Locke formulated and clarified what has come to be called â€Å"goal-setting theory† in the 1960s. Since then, businesses have found that employees are more likely to do their best work once they have set clear, attainable goals. Goal-setting theory affects many aspects of your business and once you understand specific applications in each area, you can improve your company in concrete ways. Sponsored Link Small Business Loanswww.captap.com Fund your business today $5k to $15k. Apply now! Clarity To be effective, goals must be clear according to goal-setting theory. Employees must know exactly what they’re supposed to achieve and when. Merely telling an employee to â€Å"do better† does not offer a clear course of action and doesn’t indicate how the employee will know when he has achieved the goal. An example of a clear goal is telling an employee you expect a 10 percent increase in sales in three months. Another example might be asking an employee to produce 15 more units per day over a period of six weeks. Such goals make it clear what the employee is supposed to do and what the deadline is. They allow for objective measurement. Challenge A goal is most effective when it presents a challenge to the employee. According to the article, â€Å"Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation† written by Dr. Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, if a task is too easy or too hard employees will not put in their best efforts. However, a goal that is just difficult enough to be challenging inspires maximum performance. For example, asking a production manager to cut costs by 90 percent might be overwhelming. Cutting costs by 20 percent might make a reasonable challenge. Similarly, requiring order takers to double the amount of orders they take in an hour could discourage them. A goal of 15 percent more orders per hour might be more reasonable and challenging. Commitment Getting employees to buy in to the goals you set makes it more likely they will reach those goals. You can do this by asking employees to participate in setting goals. Their commitment will provide the energy and perseverance that will help them achieve those goals. For example, getting your accounting department to agree to having all of your assets labeled and tracked by the end of the year can give them a sense of purpose and direction that will help them work together and improve their ability to value assets for tax purposes. Feedback You don’t just add goals and then check on their completion at deadline time. If you provide benchmarks along the way, this lets your employees know how they are doing. You can also hold periodic meetings so they can give you feedback about any issues that have arisen and adjustments that have to be made. This two-way feedback approach helps measure progress towards achieving goals and provides encouragement in the face of difficulties. For example, if you want the production department to have 20 percent fewer rejections from the quality-control department in six months, you can meet with them each month to give them their current figure and identify any areas where the problems seem to be occurring. In addition, if you would like a 30 percent improvement in customer service ratings, you can give your customer service department feedback on a weekly or monthly basis to let them know how they’re doing. Task Complexity Complex tasks can be overwhelming. Help your employees break such tasks into smaller parts so that they can achieve smaller goals on their way to the big one. For example, if you want to migrate all the data from one database to another, you can set smaller goals of moving a set number of accounts each week or month. Another example might be that if you want expansion plans for a new facility done in six months, you could set smaller goals of completing an analysis for the financing needed, construction costs and the new personnel that will be required as separate goals to achieve.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Impact of ICT on an Adult in Employment, Including the Effect on Working Style Essay

Anything people have made could be called technology, but usually people think of advances in using scientific knowledge and applying it to a practical use, like creating photovoltaic cells or wind turbines. Technology interested in examples of a specific technology in use, such as the â€Å"internet† or â€Å"Decision Support Systems†. Technology can solve most of our problems and everything which we are using in our live for example: radio, television, computers, internet, mobile phone, and†¦ These are called technology. We use technology in different places too for example: at home, in offices, business, shops, or so on. Different people give Different people will give it different meaning depending on their viewpoint and context. The role and impacts of technology in both our personal and lives are ever growing. Technology is about taking action to meet a human need rather than merely understanding the workings of the natural world. We can define Technology like this: A body of knowledge used to create tools, develop skills, and extract or collect materials; the application of science (the combination of the scientific method and material) to meet an objective or solve a problems called Technology. Aim: In this study I am going to tell about the life of John: John is a engineer and he is 52 years old he has 22 years experience and he is a businessman and he use different technologies for his work and for his life he use the following technologies: – E – mail – Mobile Phone – Laptop Computer And also I am writing about the life of John which how does the technology affect on his life and how this technology change his life, because John said that 20 years ago I have not any Mobile Phone, e-mail address and Software, which I have now, and he said that since 5 years the technology has changed my life and I can not do my works without these technologies. E-mail – introduction: E-mail, short for electronic mail, is a system in which a computer user can exchange messages with other computer users using a communications network. To use e-mail, you must have access to a computer that is linked to the outside world, via a modem, phone line, or fiber optic cable (Ethernet). Sending e-mail is similar to sending postal mail, with some very important differences: 1. E-mail is thousands of times faster. A message can go from Illinois to Australia in seconds! 2. E-mail is free on campus-there is no â€Å"postage† cost to students. 3. E-mail is not as private as a regular letter. 4. E-mail does involve learning how to use computer programs. 5. Also, E-mail requires us to have a â€Å"sign-on† to the electronic mail system, and this usually involves having a password, too. 6. E-mail can be sent to many people at the same time, and you can participate in on-going discussions on many subjects at the same time. 7. E-mail can access information and file libraries, we’ll send a message and get a document or pictures back within minutes. 8. E-mail often contains typos and misspellings because it is so easy to produce and send. How/why he uses E-mail personally? John uses e-mail to send his report to the company that he is working for at the time and to send or receive photographs over the internet. Sending reports over the internet saves a lot of time and is an easier method of communicating than through the post. Before he got the internet he used the post to send the report to the company. He use the internet to inform his partners, and when he fine an offer he can send an e-mail to all of his colleague to inform those and some times he sent some maps of homes from his own e-mail to other colleague, and also he use e-mail to sent some photos and videos too, and he said: that I am not always use my e-mail to my own work I use my email for enjoying and sending messages for my Childs, wife, friends and to my families too. What is the advantages/disadvantage of e-mail? John said that E-mail Advertising, as effective as it is has both advantages and disadvantages. It is useful to be well aware of both sides of the coin as one embarks on the use of e-mail for their marketing and advertising, and he is also that the good news is that the advantages of e-mail advertising are numerous and far outweigh the few disadvantages. The advantages of e-mail which effect on his life these are in the following: 1. It’s faster. He received email almost immediately after it is send, usually within minutes. 2. It’s more conversational. Because of its immediacy, a whole series of e-mail messages maybe he exchanged within a very short time. As a result, email messages tend to be less formal and they are also usually shorter and more to the point. 3. Because e-mail is so new, he has no hard and fast rules about what may be said in a message. These rules are evolving because of his increased use of email, as well as the advent of new technology that continually affects how he applies it. And he also said that e-mail does not have just advantages it has disadvantages too, now I am writing about the disadvantages of e-mail which effect on John life: 1. As he has seen, one of the biggest disadvantages of email is the capability for misunderstanding. Email has some other disadvantages as well. It can be used to talk to more than one person at a time, but the means for doing so can be a bit cumbersome. At its core, email is a one to one communication medium. Email requires active participation, and he has to check his email to get messages. If he does not check his email, he will never know that somebody has contacted him. 2. Too much e-mail can lead to management problems with his in-box being overwhelmed by mail. 3. Due to its informal nature it is easy to his to ignore-unlike communication on the telephone or mail. Which things E-mail contain? * Inbox: An area in his mail memory that holds received messages that have not been read or processed. * Drafts: When he saved some documents in his e-mail address, the files and documents which he saved before he can find in Drafts. * Sent: The mails which he sent this sent item will tell him which files, letters, documents and images he sent. * Spam: Internet spam is one or more unsolicited messages, sent or posted as part of a larger collection of messages, all having substantially identical content. * Trash: rubbish and worthless material that is to be disposed of. * Contacts: All his friends, families, workers and someone else that John knows them he can save all his e-mail address in contact and then can see their emails easily and early when he wants. * Calendar: We all know about meaning of Calendar, calendar is a system of organizing days for a socially, religious, commercially, or administratively useful purpose. * Notepad: Some important sentences that John want to save them Notepad is the place that he can save them all their. If John didn’t have E-mail, how would it affect his job? John said: if I didn’t have e-mail address then I would lose my business, because I have lots of workers in my business I can see every one and telling all of them about their jobs, so the easiest way for me is that I am sending all of them and receiving the responses of them, and also by using my mail I can sent some maps and places and directions for my workers, and I am informing them, also I am using my mails to sent and receives from my family, and friends too. Mobile Phone – Introduction: A Mobile Phone (also known as a Cellular Telephone) is defined as a ‘portable electronic device for the purpose of telecommunications over long distances’. Most current mobile phones actually connect to a cellular network of base stations (the cell sites themselves) which overlap to yield coverage and which also link to the standard landline public switched telephone network. It should be noted that mobile phones are distinct from household cordless telephones which generally operate only within range of a dedicated base station (though the distinction is blurring with mobile phones that can link via Bluetooth to a home internet base station). It should be noted, however, that the term mobile phone can refer to any type of mobile telephony device and also includes satellite phones and radio phones. Most phones has camera which we can take photos, and record some videos too. How/why he uses Mobile Phone? John use mobile phones to be connect with his family, children, and wife and with his friends. And he uses his mobile phone in office and to his business to inform his workers and to be in touch with the peoples which he works. He also uses mobile phone to send videos, photos, messages for every body which he wants. He uses different things that his mobile contain and the following things his mobile phones contain: Messages, Contact, Alarm, Calendar, Fun box, Reminder, Call register, Tones, Profiles, Calculator. He uses Messages to send document and messages for his family, friend, wife and sons. He uses Alarm to wake up morning early for his job. And the calendar which his Mobile Phone contain he known that what date is today and which day is today. And his mobile phone has reminder to remind him sometimes which he forgot some works. And some times the times which he filling board he is going to Games which it mobile has and Playing some games, and his mobile phone has internet too that he can go too internet and see his mails and another things which we can do it on internet and he said that I am glad and I am filling too good cause I can solve my lots of problems with using the mobile phone. What are advantages/disadvantages of mobile phone when he use? Advantages of using mobile phone: 1. He can take it with him whom he didn’t miss important calls. 2. He doesn’t have telemarketers bugging him at dinner time. 3. If he has car trouble or an accident he can call for emergencies. 4. He can take the pictures of accident or any things else by his mobile phones. 5. If he is finding for somewhere he can call for directions. 6. If he goes to store and wants to buy something he can use his mobile phone for more details or for more information. 7. He can use his mobile phone to see his mails and some sides. 8. With integrated phones and their features, making his life much easier no matter what kind a profession or age a person is. 9. Mobile phone doesn’t have to call, he uses his mobile phone for the following things too: camera, music player, features, emailing, document editor and so on. Disadvantage of using mobile phone: 1. John said: I had an accident, because when I was derived I talked with my wife. 2. Most of time he missed lots of important calls when he forgot his mobile somewhere. 3. His mobile phone need charges for using it, therefore this is very boring and sad for John to charge it every day. 4. When John has some meeting often his mobile phone disturbs him during his works. How good is it at fulfilling his personal needs? John has got a new version of mobile phone called (Nokia N95), which is the most technically advanced smart phone ever! Complete with satellite navigation, a 5 mega pixel camera with auto focus, 3G video calling, with 8 GB chip, that his Nokia N95 contain. And the following things which his mobile phone includes they are most likely to fulfilling his personal needs. Some times John is recording with his phone everywhere and anything which he wants and can get images too. The Nokia N95 has almost everything else he could use them to fulfilling his needs: * Music Player with support for all common music formats. * A stereo FM radio. * Integrated hands free speaker. * Speaker independent voice dialing. * Talking ring tones. * HSDPA (the fast data transfer technology dubbed â€Å"3.5G†). How good is it at fulfilling his social needs? John use his mobile phone to be always in touch with his friends, workers, families, and businessmen and another ways to develop social and communication called text which he uses most of times. Texting is particularly important in maintaining contact with a wide social network – allows him to maintain social bonds even when he do not have the time, energy, inclination or budget for calls or visits. Texting re-creates the brief, frequent, spontaneous ‘connections’ with members of our social network that characterized the small communities of pre – industrial times. And also John hasn’t always thinks about himself but he is helping people too and sometimes he teach some students in universities too for helping and some people calling him to solve their problems, and this is the easiest way for him to talk with lots of people without meets them. One of the most dangerous of mobile phone is that when he is driving some times he picked up phone and it can cause accident which he did before. How does John use mobile phone at work? Often John uses his mobile phone to be in touch with his family, friends he is not using his mobile phone at office, but he has an office phone which is called handheld mobile phone. And handheld mobile phone is working same like mobile phone but it doesn’t need any chip just he connected his handheld mobile phone on socket which needs electricity and he has three of these. And this handheld mobile phone is cheaper than mobile phone when he called somewhere and John is saying that he made me too much busy therefore I can’t do my works clearly and with good mind. He is using his mobile phone at office too, because some times handheld mobile phone is busy, then he uses he mobile phone he wants, and this is the biggest advantages of mobile phone. John said: when I have bought mobile phone I filled too much comfortable, and my business also day by day increasing and I have got too much money. Laptop Computer – Introduction: I am writing a brief introduction about laptop computer and the kind of things which most of laptop computer (note books) contain: A laptop is a portable personal computer that is of a size that it can sit on our lap. Or we can define it like this: Laptop (or notebook PC) is a portable computer that can be battery or mains powered. They provide flexibility beyond the standard PC but often at a significant price premium. Laptop and desktop have big different and both of them are mixture words. Laptop means we sit it on our lap, and desktop means we sit it on desk. Laptop contains the following major features: * Keyboard: Keyboard layout is often sacrificed. The home, End, Page- Up and Page Down keys may not be dedicated, requiring that we hold down the Fn key at the same time. This can be very cumbersome if we use these keys a lot. Function keys and cursor keys are often made smaller, and one keyboard feels better than another. * Screen Resolution: Today, laptops use high-quality active matrix LCD screens. However, the built-in display system also feeds an external monitor for desktop use or a data projector. * External Display & keyboard Connectors: Connect a full-size CRT and keyboard for home/office. Even if we like our laptop keyboard, we may want to use an external one with our external monitor, so that both units are positioned comfortably. A full-size keyboard can be connected through the external keyboard port or USB port. * Built-in Pointing Device: Either a touchpad or pointing stick is built into the laptop. There are differences. A regular mouse is always an option and connects via the mouse port or USB port. * Expansion: Expansion is a little more critical with laptops than with desktops that have extra bus slots and drive bays. However, nowadays laptops all have PC Card (PCMCIA) slots and USB ports, making them very flexible. * Batteries: Lithium ion batteries do not suffer from the â€Å"memory- effect† of older nickel cadmium, and to a slightly lesser extent, nickel metal hydride. * Multimedia: All laptops today have built-in speakers and generally include an optical drive (CD-RW, DVD-ROM or DVD-RW). DVD drives typically support all CD read and write modes as well. A removable drive offers more flexibility for upgrading later. * Weight: Seven pounds does not sound like much until we lug it around all day. To reduce poundage. Sub notebooks use external floppy. CD and DVD drives. One of the first time laptop in 1983, Tandy’s Radio Shack division launched the Model 100 micro Executive Workstation. It weighed only four pounds and included a built-in word processor, name and address list and modem. The Model 100 was inspiration for the huge portable market that followed. Laptop computers generally cost more than desktop computers with the same capabilities because they are more difficult to design and manufacture. A laptop can effectively be turned into a desktop computer with a docking station, a hardware frame that supplies connections for peripheral input/output devices such as a printer or larger monitor. Laptop usually comes with displays that use thin-screen technology. The thin film transistor or active matrix screen is brighter and views better at different angles than the STN or dual-scan screen. Laptops use several different approaches for integrating a mouse into the keyboard, including the touch pad, the trackball, and the pointing stick. A serial port also allows a regular mouse is attached. The PC Card is insertable hardware for adding a modem or network interface card to a laptop. CD-ROM and digital versatile disc drives may be built-in or attachable. How/why he uses laptop computer personally? After all, today’s laptops have just as much computing power as desktops, without taking up as much space. He can take a laptop on the road with him to do his computing or make presentations. Perhaps he prefers comfortably working on his couch in front of the TV instead of sitting at a desk. A laptop is a full-blown, genuine computer that can do anything a desktop computer can do. John can do programming, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, accounting and multimedia presentations. The portability of laptops allows him to do many things that he cannot do with a desktop. He can write his sales proposal, article or business presentation while traveling on a plane or commuting on the bus or train or subway. What is Laptop computer’s memory? Laptops have memory, both RAM and ROM, just like desktops. The laptop’s ROM chip contains the BIOS just as it does in a desktop computer. RAM stores the application software and data files while the computer is on. RAM differs on a laptop in that it uses a different form facto – that is, the size and shape of the modules that carry the RAM. Manufacturers have to build laptops to be portable (smaller) and to withstand more jostling (durable) than a desktop would ever get, so the memory modules have to be different. While some laptops use a standard Small Outland Dual Inline Memory Module (SODIMM), others use the manufacturer’s proprietary memory modules. Most laptops should have at least 64 MB of RAM to have sufficient memory to run operating systems and applications software. Also, some laptops allow him to upgrade the memory of his computer and come equipped with convenient access panels to plug in additional memory chips. What is Laptop computer’s Disk Drives? Like desktop, laptops have various disk drive storage devices. All laptops have an internal hard disk drive, usually 6 to 20 gigabytes (GB). The hard disk drive stores operating systems, application programs and data files. Although the hard disk drive works the same in a laptop as it does in a desktop, laptops generally have less disk space than desktops and he will have fewer choices for hard disk drives in laptop. The smaller hard disk space is one of the chief limitations of laptops. What are the advantages of laptop when john uses? John think when one thinks of laptops there are a few immediate advantages that come to mind. From John readings and personal experience these revolve around some of the following points: * The flexibility and mobility of laptops increases access time. * They tend to be lightweight-thus mobile. * Can easily be moved around the classroom. * Give you the option of being wireless. * Being able to have them in class away from a lab setting – time management factor * Portable on field trips. * One can get instant access to information (wireless or internet connected laptops) * Access in class to multiple online resources, search engines, encyclopedias and discussion groups * Participate in virtual communities. * Ability to communicate and research at multiple levels. * Digital brainstorming, outlining and presentations can be generated within classroom walls. * Note taking, webbing which then can be shared immediately. * ; Data processing, analysis; incorporating online databases and spreadsheets. * Student with data processing can immediately check their results and develop immediate in class analysis. * It works 2 – 3 hours without any electricity. * It is small and has low density and can everybody bring whit themselves. * Greater ability to share, communicate and access students files or vice versa teacher assignments. * Ability to display and demonstrate leaning using a TV monitor or projector in office, or class accessing. * And our laptops have games too, which in bored time we can play their. What are the Disadvantages of laptop? * Laptops are more expensive * Slower than a desktop * Difficult to upgrade or repair * John has to lug it around all day * Much easier to drop or break * It can be easily stolen * If he speed his type the laptop will probably rock on his laptop with his typing which can become quite uncomfortable. How good is it at fulfilling his personal needs? John recommends that laptop users carry out prolonged task with their machine set up on a desk, with an external keyboard a mouse attached. This allows them to adopt a much safer posture, rather than the position a laptop forces them into. John said: having a laptop means that I can work just about anywhere, and he also said: â€Å"If I go away for the weekend, I can take my work with me, and even do some of it on the train.† He uses his laptop computer to see connect it with TV and see some movies, songs, BBC and so on. What is John opinion about laptop using? John said: The use of laptop or notebook computer is widespread and many people use them regularly as part of the work process. Where a laptop is used regularly by people as a significant part of their day-to- day work, then these regulations will apply. In many cases employers will use the â€Å"one-hour† rule i.e. if a laptop is used continually for one hour or more than the employee will be classified as a user. There are three main categories of risk associated with laptop use: 1. Equipment design 2. The environment that they are to be used in. 3. Physical demands upon the use.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Role of secretariat of the United Nations Research Paper

Role of secretariat of the United Nations - Research Paper Example Workers hired on a contract for less than a year sum up to around 30000 from 180 states. The Secretariat ascertains general guiding principles and offers overall regulation to the Organization. Its headquarters are situated in New York, with regional offices all over the world. Table of Contents Introduction The United Nations Secretariat - a global workforce functioning at duty stations all over the world - performs a number of tasks for the Organization. It facilitates the other major bodies of the United Nations in administering the plans and strategies. The role played by the Secretariat is as varied as the issues that the United Nations faces. These issues include, but are not limited to; (1) managing peacekeeping functions, (2) arbitrating global arguments, (3) studying fiscal as well as societal drifts and difficulties, and (4) organizing forums on constitutional rights and sustainable growth. Secretariat staff is also responsible for regularly updating the media regarding the work of the United Nations; arrange international discussions on subjects of global distress; and understand speeches and translate documents into the official languages (English and French) of the Organization (Meisler, 2011, p. 21). From the time of its foundation, the Secretariat has gone through extensive restructuring. During the first quarter of year 2005, Secretary-General Kofi Annan recommended quite a lot of transformations for the Secretariat. He declared his targets of hiring a technical consultant, forming a peace-maintaining support group, set up a cabinet-style executive system, and make the conciliation task stronger. He moreover requested the legislative body to (1) provide suitable finances for a â€Å"one-time staff buyout† (Zacklin, 2010, p. 102); (2) to support him in modifying budgetary as well as human resources regulations; (3) to give the Secretary-General additional decision-making power as well as flexibility; (4) to support the ‘Office of Int ernal Oversight Services’; and (5) to evaluate all directives that are more than five years old to notice whether the activities concerned are still actually required or whether the funds allocated to them can be transferred latest emerging challenges. Hypothesis Recently, the Secretariat of United Nations is becoming more and more involved in global peacekeeping issues and this increased involvement modifying the core operations of the organization. The Evolving Role of UN Secretariat The role of the UN Secretariat is generally administrative and incorporates the translation of papers in addition to the organization of conferences. It guarantees that the UN as well as its agencies operates efficiently. Besides, the Secretariat can as well intervene in global arguments and study fiscal and social drifts. It is also in charge for correspondence with the media. The Secretariat is formed â€Å"exclusively of civilians (approximately 250) and has some 40,000 staff members around the world† (Negroponte, 2012, p. 122). As international civil servants, employees and the Secretary-General respond to the United Nations only for their actions and take a pledge not to look for or accept orders from any Government or external power. According to the Charter, â€Å"each member state undertakes to respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-General and the staff and to refrain from seeking to influence them improperly in the discharge of their duties†

Friday, September 27, 2019

Are human beings capable of acting from a concern for others that is Essay

Are human beings capable of acting from a concern for others that is not derived from a concern for their own welfare - Essay Example gates various questions for example, the best ways for individuals to live in society, the best ways to conduct businesses using the business ethics and the actions that are considered wrong or right in certain circumstances. Ethics strives to provide the answers for the complex questions regarding human morality by elaborating concepts like evil and good, wrong and right, vice and virtue, and crime and justice. Business ethics is a type of applied ethics that is used to scrutinise the ethical principles and ethical issues that come up in the business environment. Business ethics is defined as the study of the proper practices and policies in businesses in regards to the potential controversial issues for instance insider trading, corporate governance, discrimination, fiduciary responsibilities, and corporate social responsibility.3 The business ethics are developed in enterprises so that a particular level of trust is enhanced among the employees, consumers, and other market participants that promote the business and the general economy of the States. This essay is going to discuss if human beings are capable of acting from a concern for others that is not derived from a concern for their own welfare, from the angle of ethics and economics point of view. Meta ethics seeks to comprehend the nature of the ethical statements, properties, judgements and attitudes. Meta ethics addresses queries such as the goodness in individuals and how people can differentiate between the good and bad, therefore seeking to recognize the nature of diverse ethical evaluations and properties. Human beings are capable of acting from a concern for others that are not derived from a concern for their own welfare depending with how they were brought during their childhood and what they learnt from school, religious places the surrounding environment regarding what is right and wrong. Individuals whose goal is to improve and attract more customers to their businesses act with concern for

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Organizational analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational analysis - Essay Example We were affiliated to the Saint Vincent’s Hospital until 2010 before the hospital was closed and Beth Israel took over the center. Beth Israel is part of the Continuum Health Partners Corporation, a nonprofit organization which operates a network of hospitals in New York. It provides primary care services and specialty treatments to patients. Apart from offering the aforementioned services, the company also offers services to patients in group and private practice settings and ambulatory centers. Continuum Health Partners Inc. was founded in 1997 by Beth Israel and Saint Luke’s –Roosevelt Hospital. A few years later, Long Island College Hospital and New York Eye and Ear infirmary joined the network. According to its website, it has a $2.1 billion budget and its hospital delivers inpatient care with a capacity of 3,100 certified beds distributed in seven major hospitals facilities in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Continuum Health Partners files an IRS form 990, which is the tax document that allows the IRS and the public to evaluate nonprofit organizations and how they operate. Continuum Health Partners Corporation is a nonprofit organization that can be analyzed by reviewing its mission, tax exemption status, established board of trustees, policies and compensations. A nonprofit organization’s is required to have a mission that benefits the community, society or the world. According to Renz and Associates’ The Jossey-Bass Handbook, â€Å"a nonprofit organization is an unofficial government agency and it is not a business seeking to make profit† (2010, p35). Continuum qualifies as a nonprofit organization because it has a mission to benefit society by providing medical services. According to the organization’s website, â€Å"Continuum’s goal is to ensure that each facility is equipped with the resources needed to provide the best care in a compassionate and friendly environment.† The organization states th at it is well equipped to identify and respond to the health related needs of the population that it serves, especially in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Continuum Health Partner’s main objective is to improve health and health care in the various communities that it serves. In general, it is a network of hospitals that work together to coordinate and deliver a broad spectrum of services to the community. Organizations that claim to be not-for-profit are eligible for tax exemptions. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code states that if an organization qualifies for the exemption, it is required to file form 1023 of the Internal Revenue Service. Even though, tax-exempt nonprofit organizations do not pay federal taxes, they do have to file a form with the IRS which allows them to maintain their tax-exempt status. There are over seventy categories of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations registered in the federal tax law. Continuum Health Partners is registered in line with section 501(c ) of the tax law which means that it is an American tax-exempt, nonprofit organization or association. In addition, Continuum is registered as under section 501(c) 3 of the same laws and therefore is a corporation that aims at promoting health. â€Å"Tax exemption is provided for a variety of organizations, which are described in section 501(c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code (Continuum Health Partners, 2009). Exemption is available for cooperative hospital

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Demographic transition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Demographic transition - Essay Example Phase I is mostly seen in pre-industrialized countries (Galloway & Patrick,1986). Most developing countries are in the Phase II of the transition. In the second phase, the state of equilibrium in the population is lost and death rate is exceeded by birth rate thereby leading to a â€Å"population explosion.† This change is subjected to the fact that better facilities such as good sanitation, nutrition, health facilities etc. are implemented. Such measures help in checking the rate of mortality and increase the lifespan. Though the death rate is lowered the birth rate remains high because most of the people looks upon children as assets who will help bring in money into the family. These growths in population triggers the next stage of transition i.e. Phase III. In this phase a decline in birth rate is seen. This decline is seen because the population is educated and use contraception. Most of the people earn more and therefore do not look upo children as assets and parents realize that children need to be looked after well (Lee, 2003,p 170).â€Å"Some of the improvement in child survival is itself a response to parental decisions to invest more in the health and welfare of a smaller number of children† (Nerlove, 1974). In phase IV, both birth and death rates reduce drastically. This is because of societal changes where too many children are looked upon as hindrance in leading a good satisfactory life and hence both fertility and birth rate falls. According to researchers, the factors that are primarily responsible for declination in the Crude Birth rate include education among women, use of contraceptives, medical facilities which help in survival of babies thereby eliminating need for reproduction of more babies. On the other hand better health facilities, newer technologies and infrastructure, faster transport and higher earnings trigger declination in Crude Death rate. All developed

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Analysis of the Hospitality and Tourism Provision in Portsmouth Essay

Analysis of the Hospitality and Tourism Provision in Portsmouth - Essay Example the funding provided to the council was utilised for improving the notorious accident prone areas and a number of road junctions (The Berkeley Group, 2012). Approximately 31 cities and night time economy centres of the UK have been granted the Purple Flag status. These include, Bournemouth, Bristol, Leicester Square, and Winchester. Upon adopting this methodology for improving evening and night time offer, Gunwharf Quays can acquire the Purple Flag accreditation. In addition, it will be able to provide better and varied evening and night time fare for those who reside, work, study or visit Portsmouth (Shaping the Future of Portsmouth, 2013). As such, the Purple Flag accreditation informs visitors that there is vibrant, easy and safe access to evening entertainment. Moreover, it would provide businesses with a lucrative area to invest in. This accreditation emerged from the research project conducted by the Civic Trust. This project discerned that centres are used to a greater extent at night, only when they are accessible, safe and provide variety (Shaping the Future of Portsmouth, 2013). Moreover, the presence of a diverse clientele enhances perceptions. In this context, the Portsmouth Community Safety Survey 2012 demonstrated the presence of a substantial difference betwixt the perception of crime and anti-social behaviour, in comparison to the actual experience of such crime. Furthermore, the presence of a vast array of attractions and consumers results in long term economic viability and improved tourism (Shaping the Future of Portsmouth, 2013). A pragmatic and all inclusive audit of the evening and late night economy is provided by the Purple Flag accreditation process of the Association of Town Centre Managers. The evaluation is on the basis of certain specific criteria. Some of these are appeal or the wide variety of venues providing several different types of activity. Movement or the presence of safe, well managed and affordable public transport. Such

Monday, September 23, 2019

Business Management Affairs Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Management Affairs - Coursework Example For the purposes of consistency and avoidance of double standards, a single choice of the contract law becomes necessary for Simon. Contents of a contract under English law A legally binding contract under the English law contains various elements stipulating the terms of the contract. In the English contract law, three essential elements ought to be present for any contract to be considered legally binding. A promise ought to be made to a person. This can be identified as the beginning point of a legally binding contract. In this section, the promise becomes a determining factor for any arising legal obligations. The promises form the condition under which contracts become actualized. Promises under the English law do not always come with a legal obligation. The agreements involving payments upon performance of a duty can be identified to contain legal obligations. The making of a promise can be regarded as the intention to create a binding agreement pertaining to a specified duty. The promise only states a limited level of information regarding the offer being made. This element shall be essential in the project Simons is undertaking at the recruitment stage for the judges. The promise made can either be providing legal obligations or not. The second phase of English contract law involves identifying the duties arising from the contract. The English contract law makes a distinguishing characterization between the duties arising. Here, the two categories are bilateral and unilateral contracts. While the English law makes this categorization, the common law does not categorize different contracts (Keenan and Riches, 2011). In the English law, unilateral contracts give legal obligations to only one of the contracting parties. The bilateral contracts, on the other hand, provide legal obligations to both parties. Unilateral contracts cannot be used in the case of Simons as they will not give an obligation to the judges. This phase of the contract law can be define d as the beginning of the formal legal contract. Upon agreement, the parties can consider themselves to have gotten into a contract. The last phase of the English contract law lays down the remedies for breaching of contracts. This also stipulates the system to be employed when seeking remedies to contract breach. Under the English law, two methods of seeking remedy exist. While the main difference between the two lies in the courts administering the remedy, the remedies continue to be administered by the same courts. The English law defines the remedies can be administered by either the king’s bench of the chancery courts. These courts shall be used in the administration of remedies for the contracts between the judges and Simons’ company. Requirements of the contract The Simons TV production company needs to draw contracts adhering to the English contracting laws. This becomes essential for the company in avoiding law suits outside the United Kingdom courtrooms. The company needs to ensure adherence to these prevailing contracting laws of England. The company shall solicit the services of any qualified candidates deemed to fit to perform the functions of adjudication. In accordance to the English law, the TV production company shall make the promise to the proposed judges. The company can make use of both

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Harold Hotelling's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Harold Hotelling's - Essay Example These economists make this prediction by studying the prevailing interest rates. According to Per-Olov and Karl-Gustav (2000, 78) upon evaluation and analysis, Hotelling’s theory of nonrenewable resources can still be found to be effective, its flaws notwithstanding. One of the qualities that Hotelling’s theory enjoys and derives vindication from is the fact that the theory generates fundamental implications on how the finite availability of nonrenewable resources affects resource extraction path and resource pricing. Because of this, renowned economists such as Gaurav and Komalirani (2009, 145) divulge that by this virtue, Hotelling’s theory has been instrumental in addressing the most fundamental question that is due to the agent or owner of the investment: the extent to which the nonrenewable asset should be consumed at the moment, and the extent to which the nonrenewable resources should be stored for future use (Per-Olov and Karl-Gustav, 2000, 78). ... uctivity (the flow of the product being generated by marginal units of the resource); the change that will have acted upon the physical characteristics of the nonrenewable asset, over time; and the change that will have acted upon the nonrenewable asset’s market value, over time (Sun and Kaplan, 2010, 75). According to Anderson (2007, 54), Hotelling’s theory considers fast logistics as critical to the success of modern manufacturing industry. This is because people stay far away from work station and thereby have to use automobiles to commute. Likewise, the extraction of oil and other nonrenewable resources by far transcends the use of manual labour and must therefore assume the use of logistics. This reality is further compounded by the introduction and development of global logistic networks. The importance of logistics in Hotelling’s theory is seen in the acknowledgement of logistic curve as an instrument that is important in the estimation of future productio n, through the use of previously observed discoveries. The consideration of logistics in Hotelling’s theory is also underscored by it being instrumental in determining reliability (the most likely estimate and the upper-bound estimate). The upper-bound estimate is the logistic curve that has a growth rate of 6% and ultimate resource which is commensurate to 200 Giga-barrels (Gb) and a peak of 1970. Conversely, the most likely estimate refers to a logistic growth rate that is commensurate to 6%, final resource that equals 150 Gb and a single peak in 1965 (Kandelaars, 1999, 70 and Sanders, 2011, 25). In respect to the above, the value of the marginal unit of natural resources that are held in-situ, minus the cost of extraction will be the value of the resources which will be in the flow market. For

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Against equality of opportunity Essay Example for Free

Against equality of opportunity Essay Rawls is a little to extreme to apply to television presenting as his theories but the point is still there that just because your talented in one area you shouldnt be put on a new level. People who were not successful in the genetic lottery should be helped to, this can clearly be applied to the success sport stars receive because of their bodies, not something everyone can choose.  Dworkin is similar Rawls, all should be treated with the same rules, Dworkin however places a much higher value on ambition rather than endowment. People should receive equality of resources not welfare, with society rewarding those with the ambition, those who make the effort. In the context of this essay therefore the sport star would be the one who benefits. They can be seen as making a huge effort and having the determination to succeed in an entirely competitive world, they therefore should get the job over someone who hasnt shown the same level of ambition or effort in their life. Cohen however finds this harder; he argues that ambitions and endowments are difficult to evaluate and to distinguish between. Ambitions are integrally related to endowments, those with intelligence and talents might have more ambition, just as much or they might have less, we do not know. As with Dworkin, the reason people do well is responsibility of choice. Sport stars are people who have a talent, the reason they do well is because they do not squander it, they make the right choice to do well in their life. The reason people are unsuccessful is down to irresponsible choices or sometimes bad luck. Sport stars therefore should get jobs in presenting if they chose to try that career and are good at it, at the same time however the successful do have a responsibility to those who are unsuccessful because of bad luck. Everyone in that situation should have an equal right to welfare and resources. This argues that sports stars should not just get the presenting jobs automatically, som etimes a retired star is better, sometimes the trained present will be more deserving of the success, each individual is different. As with the others, Rae we all begin with begin with an opportunity to equal means, but he believes this will lead to unequal prospects. He argues making merit a criterion for success will cause peoples differing talents and intelligence to make prospects for success unequal. Because some are much better than others in any given area (in this case sporting knowledge and ability) they will have the unfair advantage to do well in such careers at the expense of the disadvantaged that dont have those talents. This however, also means the people who get hired, for jobs such as sports television presenters, will be the people who are best for the job. Retired sport stars know their game through and through and this added level of knowledge puts them on a better standing, they can give more information and perhaps pass on a love of the sport which got them to where they now are. This therefore argues compared to someone just trained in presenting, sport stars are those who should be present ing the program as they can give more to the people watching. Despite this argument there are still successful programs like Soccer A.M which are not presented by stars and are still very popular, on the whole however with most current sports programs show a definite trend in using ex-stars to front the programs. Perhaps this is because the television companies believe the celebrity of the star will attract viewers, perhaps they feel the stars know all about the sport and so can present and discuss it better. Whatever the reasons there are many strong theories and arguments for both sides, showing the situation could be both fair and unfair in places it just depends on personal views on ambition, talent and choices. Bibliography Cavanagh, M. Against equality of opportunity, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2002.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Dogon Tribe Of Mali Cultural Studies Essay

The Dogon Tribe Of Mali Cultural Studies Essay Due to the history of African slavery in the United States I am unable to find out my ethnicity so I have decided to do an anthropological analysis on the Dogon tribe of Mali. Most of the Dogon inhabit the southwestern part of Mali near the southern bend of the Niger River. There are some members of the Dogon tribe that live in northern Mali, but this group of people consists of pastoralists because the land is arid and barren. The Dogon people are internationally known for their art work. It must also be noted that the villages of the Dogon people vary in name, and that there exists minor differences from village to village. An example is the Dogon village of Bondum who are descendants of a warlike people compared to the Arou and Dyon tribes who despite their tribal origins still jointly use the surname Dolo. The origins of the Dogon are not concrete, but the myth is that they were created by the gods who came from the skies in a space ship. The most notable account is that they migrated from Libya into Guinea, and then Mauritania due to Muslim conquests that were trying to convert them to Islam. Oral tradition states that somewhere around the 15th century the Dogon settled near the Sanga region which is west of Bandiagara. Due to their forced migration the Dogon settled in the Cliffs of Bandiagara because it offered a defensive position from their Muslim neighbors. The Dogon also moved near the Niger River simply because of its water resources. The areas in which most of the Dogon live i.e. the Cliffs of Bandiagara, Bongo Plains, and the Dogon Plateau are made up of cliffs of sandstone, and hot and dry desert where rain is rare. The areas in which the Dogon live receive offshore wind currents that bring fog and dew. The neighboring countries around Mali are Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the west, Burkina Faso to the south, and Niger to the southeast. The climate ranges from subtropical to arid; hot and dry between February and June, rainy, humid, and mild from June to November, and cool and dry from November to February. Their land resources in terms of arable land and availability of water are scarce with only 3.76% land that is capable of farming. National figures for the state of Mali put irrigated land mass at 2,360 sq km with a renewable water amount of 100 cu km. The amount of drinkable water per domestic/industrial/agricultural is a total of 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%) with a per capita average of 484 cu m/yr . The Dogon number anywhere from 400,000 to 800,000, and they make up 0.02% to 0.05% of the total population of Mali which numbers 13,443,225 (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ml.html). The Dogon people have undergone a social cultural shift since the past century primarily due to the Dogon region being a popular tourist destination in Mali. The Dogon are mainly known for their mask dances, wooden Tellem sculptures, architecture, and being called peasant warriors in the past that dwelled in secluded and separated villages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogon_people). Given the physical nature of Malià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s land, and due to the issues of desertification, soil erosion, and inadequate access to water the Dogon tribe are faced with providing food. For the most part the Dogon peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s subsistence strategy is that of agriculture with a small minority in the north who are pastoralist, some who may arguably be classified as gatherers, and a percentage that use industrial type techniques in making arts and crafts. HUNTER/GATHER Villagers use the subsistence strategy of gathering not food, but bat guano on the Cliffs of Bandiagara. The guano is used as fertilizer for their crops like cotton, papayas, onions, rice, beans, tobacco, and it is also sold in the market for 4 dollars per sack. Another gathering technique that is used which may be considered as economic, but also as a strategy to subsist is that some males of a Dogon village will climb the top of the Bandiagara Cliffs looking for Tellem artifacts which they in turn sell to west antique collectors. The Dogon use the technology of rope made out of Baobab bark to climb and retrieve both bat guano, and Tellem artifacts on top of the Bandiagara Cliffs. PASTORALISM The subsistence strategy of pastoralists in Dogon country is relatively small in comparison to other subsistence strategies. This practice is conducted in the arid and barren land of northern Mali where only pastoralists can make a living. The most common animals raised are sheep, goats, chickens, and some cows. There are even some who raise bees in their villages. Nowadays having animals is not used for subsistence, but is a sign of economical status. It is highly likely that the pasotralists use simple herding tools such as fences to keep their animals safely together so that they do not escape HORTICULTURE The subsistence strategy of horticulture makes up 90% of the Dogon peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s subsistence strategy. The Dogon peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s main crops are millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel, sesame, maize, peanuts, yams, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, okra, watermelons, papayas, some figs, gourds, and cotton. In the village of Sangha, onions are grown, and in the village of Kani Kombal millet is their main crop. The division of labor is carried out by the people of the various Dogon villages. I would imagine that the males do most of the hard physical labor like planting, constructing make shift farm land and the like, and the females most likely take the crops that are harvested and store crops in granaries, pound millet, etc. I could not find an amount of how much is produce by the Dogon people in my research, but I assume that it is enough to feed themselves, and an ample supply to sell in the local markets. Given the nature of the land some of the farming techniques are unique to grow crops on what little ground is fertile. One technique that they use is called hillside terracing is small stones that hold pockets of earth in place. The Dogon use their bare hands to construct these terraces which are normally built on stony slopes, and the Dogon even make their own sections of fertile land by building these terraces, and bringing in soil from the outside. Another technique that the Dogon use is what is called transported earth gardens. This involves the creation of farmland on bare rocks using small stones, and building an intricate network of plots. As stated earlier the Dogon use soil found elsewhere, and use this with other things like compost or guano as fertilizer to make these plots fertile for growth. I cannot tell you what tools are used besides their hands because I could not find any information on it. I do know that the Dogon severely lack tools in order to improve their farming techniques on such barren land, but they are able to grow something out of what little they have and have been doing so for centuries. I would imagine that due to the lack of modern day tools that are used in more economically developed countries the Dogon use their bare hands, sticks, and any other means to dig holes, setup farm areas, and possibly animals to move large amounts of crops in order that they can survive. All of these subsistence strategies are intertwined to sustain the Dogon population, and work for the benefit of the whole. POLITICS The politics of the Dogon are very simple in the fact that real power lies with the Mali government. Granted there are minor things that the Dogon may have control over within their villages, authority rest on the central government. The political system within the Dogon community is organized on social status that a male has acquired within the group, and this is further defined by descent and/or locality. As with many other nations around the world who are primarily democratic in practice the Dogon do not have this type of political system. I assume this is because that given such a small group of people who know one another, and that their culture emphasizes a great level of respect towards their elders the Dogon seem to view their chief like those of Bhutan who see their king i.e. great admiration and respect. The Dogon tribes are a large chiefdom of patrilinealy organized villages where the power lies with the oldest male with social status, and at times the one who is also a descendant of someone in his family that previously held power. Legitimacy and power is based upon social status, age, descent, and authority is decided by this head chief. Their whole political system is something that is rarely found because they are a secluded group of people, very homogeneous in culture, and work together for the benefit of one another so there is not that need for some form of centralized organization as the West has in which power lies in the hands of a few, and where they have supreme authority to do as they will. I could not even find anything on conflict resolution, and this is not to say that they do not have their problems with one another or other villages, but it seems that the Dogon do what it is that they do and they are at harmony. I think this way of how the Dogon do things is deeply tied into their religious beliefs which I will discuss later. ECONOMICS The Dogon use negative reciprocity in the market places which they frequent five times a week with others outside the ethnic group, and western travelers in search of Dogon antiques. They also use generalized reciprocity like the trading of bat guano, or tobacco in exchange for other items from village to village which creates a level of cooperation and alliance with their neighbors. The Dogon use market exchange to exchange what they have grown with other people, and sell arts and crafts to foreign tourists. As stated earlier the Dogon produce various agricultural products mainly to sustain themselves, and there are no numbers available to me to determine how much of this is produced and sold. Many art collectors come in search of ancient Dogon tellem artifacts which are sold in the market place to would-be Indiana Jones westerners. Another aspect of the Dogon economic sector is that in recent decades they have been opening up lodges for tourist to stay at that even offer air conditioning and hot showers. The tourism industry has brought some economic growth, but this subsistence strategy is extremely small in comparison to their main strategy of horticulture. I could not find out the type of currency that they use, but I do imagine that it is at least a European based currency that is traded seeing as there are only twenty global currencies used which mostly consist of European based economies. The Dogon do not have an import/export system in place. In terms of what they sell they are mostly known for their large masks, and they are also known for their onions which are sold as far as the markets of Sangha. Most trading that takes place is usually between other villages, different ethnic groups, and tourists. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION Contemporary marriage in Dogon tribes is monogamy, but within the patrilineal system of the Dogon tribe polygyny can occur. Marriage is important to the Dogon people, but not necessarily for the marriage itself which is not played down, but the bonds that are created from one family to the. The Dogon people find divorce to be a serious matte that the entire village gets involved if there exists those who wish to divorce from their spouse. The Dogon people focus on harmony not just in their villages, but also in their marriages. Partners are setup in arranged marriages by their parents, and in the event that a divorce is permitted and the individual wants another partner it is up to that person to choose without parental involvement. Post marital residence is based upon the timing of the first child. Before the birth of the child the wife stays with her parents while the husband lives in a bachelors residence until the baby is born. After this the married couple moves into a vacant quarter which normally is within the settings of an extended family. As stated above family is important to the Dogon people, and they strongly orient themselves on harmony. As stated, the Dogon trace lineage, and base kinship on a patrilineal system. RELIGION The religion of the Dogon people is COMPLEX and highly INTRICATE that a book of exceptional proportions could be written. Within the Dogon community most believe in animism, and their belief is focused on spirits called the Nommo that were with their ancestors centuries ago as they fled their Muslim oppressors. There also exists a minority of the Dogon who practice two monotheistic religions i.e. Islam and Christianity. Their religious practices vary greatly due to some of the cults the Dogon associate themselves with. One called, the Awa, are a cult of the masks who are a major part of the religious worship in Dogon society. The Awa have a ritual that I find interesting where only the men are allowed, and their society has strict obligations, etiquette, and a secret language. Within this group certain young men called the olubaru undergo a rite of passage, and it is their job to preserve the traditions of the Awa. The olubaru are initiated into what is called the Sigi ceremony which is held every once every sixty years. The ceremony involves namely the large ornate masks, chants, and dancing which happens four weeks before the sowing festival of the Sigi ceremony, and the Dama festival which is a ceremony held towards the end of the mourning of those who have passed away (http://dickinsg.intrasun.tcnj.edu/diaspora/dogon.html). OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST One thing that interested me is the complexity of their religion. Their three main cults: the Awa, the Lebe, and the Binu. All of which tie themselves into the Nommo, but which all have little differences in their rituals. The Awa is known for being a cult of the dead, the Lebe are focused on the agricultural cycle, and the Binu who are totemic. All Dogon believe in God which they call Amma, and they give prayers and supplications to Amma, but most religious practices are around the Nommo who are considered to be the offspring of Amma. The Dogon believe in other smaller spirits who inhabit the trees, water, rocks, and other things in nature which makes me believe that the Dogon have a close tie to the naturally world because of their daily interaction with nature in order to survive. As stated above, the Dogon religious beliefs are complex and vary greatly from age and social status. What I also found out about religious practices which may be in other aspects of their culture as a w hole is that the women do not have such complex rituals as do the men especially the Awa. Something else that interests me is that they drink beer that is made out of millet. I could not find anything on how it is made, but I would like to try some of it. There was a video that I watched which showed the millet beer as a milky white substance, and it is served in large salad type bowls before groups of Dogon men. It seems to be usually consumed during an event, and it surprises me that a group of people undergo this with such similarities to other cultures i.e. United States Super Bowl Sunday. There is not really much else that interested me, but I will say that I like the perceived simplicity of the Dogon people. They are a homogeneous bunch of people do what it is that they do, and for the most part are cut off from the rest of the world. A group of people who live in harmony with one another, are centered on their religious beliefs and practices, and carry on with their lives whereas in the United States we live in a continual state of noise, aggressiveness, and spiritual pain. ARTICLE I have chosen to use an article that is dealing with terrorism in the region. I believe this has an impact on not just the Dogon people, but also the people in the region because Islam has grown in the past years in the area. I do not know the number of Muslims among the Dogon, but Mali does posses a great number of Muslims, and those that choose to use Islam as a means to further their own political agendas can cause regional conflict within Mali and other sub-Saharan Africa countries. Seeing as the Dogon mostly live near the Niger River most people naturally live near a source of water, and coupled with the extreme levels of poverty that are rampant it can become a hotbed for new terrorist activity.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Free College Admissions Essays: An Experience that Changed Me :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions : Describe an experience that changed you    The black pirate hat danced around in the air, weaving and bobbing to some Disneyland music. Attached to it was my head and the rest of me, being dragged along on this wild ride. The only sounds I heard were ones of trumpets soaring higher and higher, trying to hit an absurdly high note. The pirate hat and the warm Florida night had taken control, and my self-consciousness went right out the window. I danced, not greatly or with any skill whatsoever, but I danced. For that one night, at the end of our trip to Florida and Walt Disney World, I enjoyed life in a way I never have before.       Earlier that evening, I had wandered around the hotel, feeling lonely and bored. My roommate and I had planned on visiting the theme parks, but his father, a chaperon, had taken him out for a surprise birthday dinner. So I was left alone to wander. Feeling in the mood to play some video games, I headed out to the arcade with a crisp ten dollar bill. Fifteen minutes later, I walked out, penniless, after quickly finding out that I should never get behind the wheel of a race car. I don't believe I even managed to complete one lap, let alone finish. On the way back, I ran into some friends of mine, who had returned from dinner to get their tickets for the theme parks. Seeing how lonely I was, they invited me to go with them. I agreed, happy to do anything.       We got our tickets, and decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the parade. When we arrived there, we walked around, stopping to get some ice cream and pie. The air was constantly filled with the screams of joy from children running around, and every person had a smile on his face. The happy mood was contagious and I began to smile myself. My two friends sat down for a minute to enjoy their ice cream, so I went into a store looking for a souvenir. The pirate hat sat on the table, looking silly even from across the room. I moved closer, a smile and a chuckle coming from me as I thought about what my friends might say. A cartoonish sticker of Captain Hook was on the front brim, and his large smile sold me. Free College Admissions Essays: An Experience that Changed Me :: College Admissions Essays College Admissions : Describe an experience that changed you    The black pirate hat danced around in the air, weaving and bobbing to some Disneyland music. Attached to it was my head and the rest of me, being dragged along on this wild ride. The only sounds I heard were ones of trumpets soaring higher and higher, trying to hit an absurdly high note. The pirate hat and the warm Florida night had taken control, and my self-consciousness went right out the window. I danced, not greatly or with any skill whatsoever, but I danced. For that one night, at the end of our trip to Florida and Walt Disney World, I enjoyed life in a way I never have before.       Earlier that evening, I had wandered around the hotel, feeling lonely and bored. My roommate and I had planned on visiting the theme parks, but his father, a chaperon, had taken him out for a surprise birthday dinner. So I was left alone to wander. Feeling in the mood to play some video games, I headed out to the arcade with a crisp ten dollar bill. Fifteen minutes later, I walked out, penniless, after quickly finding out that I should never get behind the wheel of a race car. I don't believe I even managed to complete one lap, let alone finish. On the way back, I ran into some friends of mine, who had returned from dinner to get their tickets for the theme parks. Seeing how lonely I was, they invited me to go with them. I agreed, happy to do anything.       We got our tickets, and decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the parade. When we arrived there, we walked around, stopping to get some ice cream and pie. The air was constantly filled with the screams of joy from children running around, and every person had a smile on his face. The happy mood was contagious and I began to smile myself. My two friends sat down for a minute to enjoy their ice cream, so I went into a store looking for a souvenir. The pirate hat sat on the table, looking silly even from across the room. I moved closer, a smile and a chuckle coming from me as I thought about what my friends might say. A cartoonish sticker of Captain Hook was on the front brim, and his large smile sold me.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Comparison of Into Battle and Spring Offensive. Essay -- English Liter

Comparison of Into Battle and Spring Offensive. Spring Offensive and Into Battle In the comparison of Into Battle and Spring Offensive, it can be said that they are two opposing poems. Although both of their themes are about war, Spring Offensive is a bleak poem compared to Into Battle. One talks about the adversarial ways of the war whereas the other talks about the beautifulness of its. Both poets use 'nature' as a main object in order to describe war. In the poem of Into Battle the poet uses nature as warmth, something colorful and lively e.g. "The naked earth is warm with spring" but on the contrary to this, the poet in the Spring Offensive talks about the dark, cold, and sad sight of it e.g. "Halted against the shade of a last hill". In addition to this, the structures of the poems reflect the poets' moods. Spring Offensive's broken rhythm resembles grief of a soldier and Into Battle's half rhymes make the poem sound like a song. Into Battle seems to encourage people using both patriotism and propaganda of fighting together. Whereas, Spring Offensive is trying to protect the soldiers from war and make them realize how nonsense it is. The people (that seem to be) living in these poems have exactly opposite thoughts and mood. The soldiers that Spring Offensive talks about are worried, despondent and blank, while the ones in Into Battle are singing, as if they are going to a picnic, behaving like the enemies are the ants which are trying to steal their food. Both of them include death, but in Into Battle, death is emphasized as if it is an honor to die. The poet in the Into Battle talks about life in a pleasant manner. He sees life something colorful and worthwhile to live. On the contrary, ... ...ar is) in every stanza. Both of them set the scene before getting into the main theme. For example, in the first lines Wilfred Owen explained the location of war before actually setting the main theme, while Julian Grenfell by using the environment explained the optimistic side of war. I prefer Spring Offensive as it is more attractive than Into Battle because, it talks about the reality rather than the thoughts of an insane man who loves killing people. In addition, Spring Offensive is more convincing than Into Battle in a sense that it encourages people not to go and fight in war, with a strong emphasis by the use of language e.g. "and instantly the whole sky burned". Both of the poems are good examples of war poems. However, personally I enjoyed reading and analyzing Spring Offensive as it talks about the reality of being a soldier and life at war.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Marxist Reading of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Essay -- One Flew

Fred Wright, Lauren's instructor for EN 132 (Life, Language, Literature), comments, "English 132 is an introduction to English studies, in which students learn about various areas in the discipline from linguistics to the study of popular culture. For the literature and literary criticism section of the course, students read a canonical work of literature and what scholars have said about the work over the years. This year, students read One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey, a classic of American literature which dates from the 1960s counterculture. Popularized in a film version starring Jack Nicholson, which the class also watched in order to discuss film studies and adaptation, the novel became notable for its sympathetic portrayal of the mentally ill. For an essay about the novel, students were asked to choose a critical approach (such as feminist, formalist, psychological, and so forth) and interpret the novel using that approach, while also considering how their interpr etation fit into the ongoing scholarly dialogue about the work. Lauren chose the challenge of applying a Marxist approach to One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. Not only did she learn about critical approaches and how to apply one to a text, she wrote an excellent essay, which will help other readers understand the text better. In fact, if John Clark Pratt or another editor ever want to update the 1996 Viking Critical Library edition of the novel, then he or she might want to include Lauren's essay in the next edition!" At first glance, a reader may wonder how Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a book depicting a group of mentally unstable men and their boisterous Irish-American leader, connects with the economic and sociological view o... ...lett, Moyra. Marxist Literary and Cultural Theories. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000. Print. â€Å"Industrial Revolution.† The New American Desk Encyclopedia. 5th ed. 1989. Print. Kappel, Lawrence. Readings on One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Print. Kesey, Ken. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. Ed. John Clark Pratt. New York: Viking-Penguin, 1996. Print. Viking Critical Library. Loeb, Roger C. â€Å"Machines, Mops, and Medicaments: Therapy in the Cuckoo’s Nest.† Lex et Scientia 13. 1-2 (1977): 38-41. Rpt. Kappel 85-91. Malin, Irving. â€Å"Ken Kesey: One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.† Critique 5.2 (1962): 81-84. Rpt. in Kesey 440-444. â€Å"Marxism.† The New American Desk Encyclopedia. 5th ed. 1989. Print. Parker, Robert Dale. How to Interpret Literature: Critical Theory for Literary and Cultural Studies. New York: Oxford, 2011. Print.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Gender Social Conditioning

The Influence Of Education On Gender Socialization The common misconception about gender nowadays is that it has the same meaning as sex, something innate and natural. However, since 1970s, increasingly more anthropologists like Margaret Mead agree that gender is something that can be conditioned and is prone to socialization. Since a young age, possibly around two to three years old when an infant begins to develop higher cognitive functions, society bombards them with different signals that slowly condition them into a specific gender role: male or female.By gender role, I am referring to a set of attitudes or behaviors that is encouraged or at least expected of a person based on his or her gender. This also means that gender is malleable and a product of socio-cultural and historical contingencies – a social construct. Normal traits that we associate with a specific gender like aggressiveness with men and gentility with women are not as natural as they seem. In fact, these seemingly normative behaviors have been slowly fortifying our own perspectives about gender roles but also help shape people into a gendered being.Therefore, boys are raised to conform to male gender role and girls are brought up to fit the female gender role. In a ‘Western Society’ for example the US or Europe, education becomes an integral part of a child’s livelihood from a very young age. The influences from education that condition children into specific gendered beings cannot be ignored as school time accounts for most of a child or teenager’s life.I am highlighting that this is common in ‘the West’ because family expectations or religious traditions might be the bigger factor or influence for gender socialization in communitarian or other types of societies. I would like to start with an observation I made about this particular issue while looking through an English language textbook for beginners. In a chapter about occupations, I note d that most jobs associated with the public sphere usually carry male connotations with them, for example, fireman or policeman.Furthermore, the pictures depicting people in these public sphere jobs usually have male models. On the other hand, jobs related to servitude or obedience such as waitresses or nurses usually has female models portraying the jobs. This is where I first encountered an example of the issue of gender socialization in the education field. This particular example shows us that children from a young age have been conditioned to relate male with the public realm and also as dominant providers; whereas females are linked to obedience and serving others.This fits in with Sack’s argument that women are discouraged to work in the public realm where their work could be properly evaluated and valued. These subliminal signals from school along with their family’s structure and parents’ roles or occupations could reinforce the children’s expect ations for genders. This in turn would affect the children’s preference of jobs where they choose something that conforms to their genders’ characteristics and thus, the cycle of gender conditioning begins again.Another very important gender socialization process that occurs during a child’s educational years is self-socialization. I first noted this phenomenon when I saw a teenage girl being ridiculed for wanting to play basketball with the boys and thought of another situation when my male friend was mocked for participating in a drama production. The common trend I have noticed is that when an individual does not behave or conform to his or her own gender’s expectations, society often reacts in a disapproving or negative manner.Thus the ‘deviant’ individual through external pressure or other mechanisms like shame or punishment would hope to correct his or her own behavior so that it is more in tune with their gender expectations. From an e arly age, boys and girls would have started self-correcting their own behaviors so that they received less negative feedback from the external reality. This, however, reinforces the differences seen by children between male and female and ultimately leading to the conclusion that you can only behave like one or the other.The duality of gender actually limits opportunities and potential an individual can have because if that specific skill or quality is not within a gender’s characteristics, it might be self-corrected and discarded through self-socialization. We can even see an example or offshoot of this issue in the homosexuality debate occurring right now, men who are acting in a supposingly ‘devious manner’ are being discriminated against not because of any biological reasons but because of socio-cultural pressure to conform to normative gender expectations.This process of self-socialization starts from a relatively early age to shape us into what our society constitutes as male or female genders. Lastly, another aspect of education that has long-lasting effect on forming gendered beings is the way a classroom is ran and methods of teaching. There seems to be an emerging trend of a new style of teaching which uses a more open and interactive system, we see this in new schools such as ‘School Without Walls’. However, the majority of public or private schools in the US, or even around the world in this case, still follows a strict guideline on how students should behave in a classroom.Desired qualities in an ideal student from a teacher’s perspective would be obedience, quietness, maturity, passiveness and patience. In a system where examinations and tests account for the majority of the grading criteria, a student behaving according to these qualities would do better than a student who is more active, ‘rebellious’ or passionate. One might notice that the characteristics that would allow a student to succee d in school are relatively feminine.Especially considering that girls are thought to develop at a faster pace than boys and reach full cognitive maturity sooner. The female gender might have an intrinsic advantage at doing better in our education system over male students who are often described as more energetic, easily distracted and physical. The ways the education system functions and evaluates allow more matured female students to focus and excel in studies while more physical male students would start to lose interest in education all together.This is a trend we have started to notice in the US where the dropout rate for male students is 50% higher than female students in a specific state; the significant gap shows that the education system clearly has different effects on male and female. To sum up how our way of teaching in classrooms can form gendered beings, one can say that boys are ‘discouraged’ from education or demotivated due to the education systemâ€⠄¢s inadaptability with intrinsic characteristics usually associated with male children such as aggressiveness and spirited.This in turn would lead male children to focus more on their own physical aspect while female children who have better chances at completing school, would have less external pressure and could focus on their own mental capabilities and schoolwork. Thus, this social process successfully highlighted the gender differences and strengthens notions about how genders are formed socially. This particular process could later on lead to selecting careers that are clearly relegated to a specific gender.The reinforcement of ideas about the duality of gender into our children’s minds would help them form their own concepts about gender roles and potential. From a children’s textbook to how a class is ran, it seems that our society is crammed with subliminal or direct signals that slowly shape us into our gender roles or to become a ‘gendered beingâ€⠄¢. According to Margaret Mead, gender is something that varies from culture to culture and the gender roles we have established here might not be the norm for another society.Her work shows that gender roles or expectations are complex products of socio-cultural, economical and historical contingencies and not just something innate in our biological differences between male and female. Following her idea, I realized that in our society, a lot of these gender socialization processes have been institutionalized and even the smallest things could help form us into the gendered beings we are today. Hence, I started at an early stage of cognitive development where the mind is the most ‘absorbent’ so to speak.In conclusion, I’ve found out that not only is the education system itself very much reinforcing these gendered ideas but as the children progress in this system, they also increasingly bolster these ideas in their peers through self-socialization, somewhat simil ar to a mutual exchange of ideas. Therefore, one can understand that the influence and effect of the educational system cannot be overlooked on how gendered ideas and eventually gendered beings are formed as these ideas carry themselves into the ‘real’ and ‘adult’ society where these gender expectations are then passed on again to the next generation like a cycle.Bibliography: Abu-Lughod, Lila. Veiled Sentiments: Honor and Poetry in a Bedouin Society. Berkeley: University of California, 1986. Print. Mack, Julie. â€Å"A Closer Look At The Gender Gap In High School Dropout. † The Kalamazoo Gazette. N. p. , Apr. 2012. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Mead, Margaret. Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. Print. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Mack, Julie. â€Å"A Closer Look At The Gender Gap In High School Dropout. † The K alamazoo Gazette. N. p. , Apr. 2012. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.