Do You Think Mankind Is Born Evil or Good?

Do you believe that mankind is born good or evil? I believe that mankind are born to be good, but to be taught good or evil as they grow up. It depends on how their life was or how their parents taught and treated them. There is no such as thing being born evil only being born innocent. When people are born into this world, they are born innocent and new. Innocence, to me can be seen as good. They are babies, knowing nothing, not even evil . Then they grow and learn and begin to think about behavior.The things they are taught as they are young, and the people they know do much to shape their personalities and awareness. People become aware of what is good or bad partly through experience and mistakes in early stages of childhood development, partly through what they are taught, and partly through their own conscience telling them. If you think back to the first punishment you remember having, do remember why it happened? Do you think what you did was evil? Evil has to do with the hea rt and mind choices we make in thought and in deed.I believe that we are all born innocent, but are able of giving in to evil, especially in weak moments. Those who continue fighting against that evil, no matter how hard it may be or how many times we may fail, are still fighting the good fight. As I have expressed through my paper, mankind is not born evil, but they are born innocent. Not knowing a thing, good or evil. Evil grows in you as you grow up and make mistakes in your childhood. Trying to fight the bad and attempting to be good is innocent. Most bad or evil choices are made by your conscience. So Mankind is not born evil, but good.

“Lolita” by Vladymir Nabokov Essay

The relationship between Humbert Humbert and Lolita, is highly undefined. Many readers who have read Lolita find it to be based on â€Å"lust†, while others find Humbert to truly be in â€Å"love† with his Lolita. However, there is evidence that Humbert’s desire for Lolita is based on some obsessive-compulsive behavior which he cannot control, and therefore keeps returning for her. Humbert’s obsessions can be clearly recognized in his behaviors when looked upon in H. R. Beech’s Obsessional States and Andrew Brink’s Obsession and Culture: A Study of Sexual Obsession in Modern Fiction’s perception of what obsession is. Humbert’s obsessional tendencies are displayed in many passages through his descriptive word choices and his over bearing personality, such as when he describes Lolita after returning from camp to be, â€Å"†¦all rose and honey, ressed in her brightest gingham, with a pattern of little red apples,†¦with s cratches like tiny dotted lines of coagulated rubies, and the ribbed cuffs of her white socks were turned down.† Obsession can be a difficult subject because there is not a finite definition of what obsession really is. Who determines what obsession is? When does deep admiration pass and obsession begin? According to S. Jack Rachman â€Å"an obsession is an intrusive, repetitive thought, image, or impulse that is unacceptable or unwanted and gives rise to subjective resistance† (2). Furthermore, Andrew Brink states that â€Å"†¦the popular meaning of the term obsession, including the new verb ‘to obsess,’ which means to be persistently preoccupied about something, usually in an unsatisfactory relationship† (195). These similar definitions are important when looking at Humbert’s actions because his actions are perceived by these qualities. First, Brink argues that most people have an obsessional defense, and this defense is brought out of men due to their fear of women. More specifically, this defense mechanism is explained as the â€Å"internalization of bipolar impulses to both accept and reject the same attachment object†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (195). He further describes it as â€Å"†¦a defense in which the internalized mother is split into accepting and rejecting aspects by which the person gains quasi-independence from her by identifying with her.† (Nabokov, 112) This conception is demonstrated in Humbert’s relationship with Charolette Haze.  By Humbert describing Charlotte upon there first meeting with â€Å"the poor lady in her middle thirties, she had a shiny forehead, plucked eyebrows and quite simple†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Nabokov, 37) Furthermore, Humbert states, â€Å"Had Charlotte been Valaria, I would have known how to handle the situation by merely twisting fat Valechka’s brittle wrist but anything of the sort in regard to Charlotte was unthinkable† (83) as a way of letting the reader understand his sense of fear, his lack of control, and his desperation to regain his feeling of control. In hopes of regaining his lost sense of control Humbert plots to kill Charlotte; with out her in his way Lolita would be his, and he would have full control over her. However, Humbert never went through with his scheme for the mere reason, â€Å"poets never kill† (Nabokov, 88) In accordance to Brink’s definition of obsession, Humbert seems to fall elusively into obsessional defense in the sense that obsessive men’s fear of women also manifests itself as control (196) Humbert’s tendency to be controlling throughout the novel leads the reader to believe he is obsessive. Throughout the novel Humbert remains in control most of the time, not only in control of the characters, but also in control of the readers. For example, Humbert tries to control the reader by making them believe his side of the story to be true: â€Å"Frigid gentlewomen of the jury!†¦I am going to tell you something very strange: it was she who seduced me† (Nabokov, 132). Humbert also tries to influence the therapists, stating, â€Å"I discovered there was an endless source of robust enjoyment in trifling with psychiatrists: cunningly leading them on; never letting them see that you know all the tricks of the trade; inventing for all them elaborate dreams,†¦teasing them with fake â€Å"primal scenes†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (34). Brink, commenting on this scene stated â€Å"the sadistic, controlling intent of this statement of knowing better than the therapist is typical of obsessional patients†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (102). Humbert has this need to feel he is in complete control. When the control is lost, a desire to retain his sense of dominance can overcome him. This is best presented to the reader as Humbert kills Quilty near the end of the novel. Although previously not taking the opportunity to kill Charlotte, Humbert has already lost his control over Lolita, his love, and therefore finds killing Quilty as a way of having some sort of control recuperated. Walking through Quilty’s house, previous to murdering him,  Humbert locked as many doors as he could, controlling where Quilty could retreat to. (Nabokov, 294) However, after the murder, while swerving back and forth along the road, Humbert is stopped by the police, and at that point gives up full control for insanity. (306-307) And therefore, upon los ing control it is discovered Humbert truly is obsessive. Humbert’s obsessiveness is also conveyed through the words he uses, and the descriptions he gives; his language conveys obsession. For instance, after Humbert’s first sexual encounter with Lolita he describes her as â€Å"brown, naked, frail Lo, her narrow white buttocks to me, her sulky face to a door mirror, stood arms a akimbo, feet (in new slippers with pussy-fur tops) wide apart†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Nabokov, 137-138). By remembering such detail while in jail years after the incident it seems quite clear that Humbert had an obsessive nature. This is also conveyed when he describes Lolita as â€Å"naked, except for one sock and her charm bracelet, a velvet hair ribbon was still clutched in her hand; her honey-brown body, with the white negative image of a rudimentary swimsuit patterned against her tan† (125). Lolita is a very complicated novel to analyze due to the many interpretations made by different individuals. However, it is apparent that Humbert was suffering from some sort of obsessive disorder. It is apparent merely in what Humbert talks about and how he says it. There are few instances in the novel where Humbert is not speaking about Lolita or fascinating about having absolute domination over nymphets.

Death in Prime Time

American Academy of Political and Social Science Death in Prime Time: Notes on the Symbolic Functions of Dying in the Mass Media Author(s): George Gerbner Reviewed work(s): Source: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 447, The Social Meaning of Death (Jan. , 1980), pp. 64-70 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. in association with the American Academy of Political and Social Science Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/1042304 . Accessed: 02/01/2012 20:34 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . ttp://www. jstor. org/page/info/about/policies/terms. jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email  protect ed] org. Sage Publications, Inc. and American Academy of Political and Social Science are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. ttp://www. jstor. org ANNALS,AAPSS, 447, January 1980 Death in Prime Time: Notes on the Symbolic Functions of Dying in the Mass Media By GEORGEGERBNER ABSTRACT: The cultural (and media) significance of dying rests in the symbolic context in which representations of dying are embedded. An examination of that context of mostly violent suggests that portrayals of death and dying representations functions of social typing and control and tend, serve symbolic of on the whole, to conceal the reality and inevitability the event.George Gerbner is Professor of Communications and Dean of The Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania. He is a principal investigator, along with Larry Gross and Nancy Signorielli, also of The Annenberg School, in the Cultura l Indicators research project studying television drama and viewer conceptions of social reality. He has been principal investigator on international and U. S. projectsfunded by the National Science Foundation, U. S.Office of Education, UNESCO, the International Sociological Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, The Surgeon General's Scientific advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior, the American Medical Association, the HEW's Administration on Aging, and other agencies. He is editor of the Journal of Communication, and a volume on Mass Media Policies in Changing Cultures. 64 DEATH IN PRIME TIME 65 D YINGin the massmedia-both news and entertainment (a distinction increasingly hard to make) -has a symbolic function different from death in real life but investing life itself-with it-and particular meanings.We can begin to consider what these might be by reflecting on the nature of representation. A symbol system is an artifact par excellence. It is totall y invented to serve human purposes. It can serve these purposes only if those interpreting it know the code and can fit it into a symbolic context of their own. They must share the rules of the invention and the interpretative strategies by which it should be understood. Symbolic narrative, a story, has two basic elements of invention: fictive and selective. Selective invention is factual narrative such as news.Presumably true events (facts) are selected from an endless stream of events. A narrative is invented to convey some meaning about the selected facts as interpreted in a previously learned framework of knowledge. Fictive invention is fiction and drama; the â€Å"facts† are invented as well as the narrative. (Selection is of course involved in both. ) The function of fictive invention is to illuminate (literally to embody and dramatize) the invisible structure and dynamics of the significant connections of human life. It is to show how things work.Invention that can onl y select events but not create them must be more opaque; it can only show what things are but rarely why or how they work. The full development of the connections between events and human motivations and powers requires the freedom and legitimacy to invent the â€Å"facts† in a way that illuminates the otherwise hidden dynamics of existence. In this totally invented world of and fictivesymbols-selective without some purnothing happens pose and function (which need not be the same). Let us use as example the world of television which we have studied for some years. This discussion also applies to other media and cultural forms, with the difference that television is the generally non-selectively used universal storyteller of modern society. It is, therefore, more a symbolic environment than a traditional medium. People are not born into the world of television. They are selected or created for a purpose. The purpose is usefulness to the symbolic world (called news values or st ory values) that the producing institutions and their patrons find useful for their purposes.More numerous in both news and drama are those for whom that world has more uses-jobs, power, adventure, sex, youth, and all other opportunities in life. These values are distributed in the symbol system as most resources are distributed in the society whose dominant institutions produce most of the symbols: according to status and power. Dominant social groups tend to be overrepresented and overendowed not only absolutely but also in relation to their numbers in the real population. (For example, men outnumber women at least three to one in television and most media content. Minorities are defined by having 1. The long-range project was first described in my article on â€Å"Cultural Indicators: The Case of Violence in Television Drama† in the Annals, Vol. 388, March 1970. The most recent report, including a description of methodology, appears in George Gerbner, Larry Gross, Nancy Si gnorielli, Michael Morgan, and Marilyn Jackson-Beeck, â€Å"The Demonstration of Power: Violence Profile No. 10,† Journal of Communication, vol. 29 (Summer 1979). 66 THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY less than their proportionate share of values and resources.In the world of television news and drama, this means lower underrepresentation numbers, less usefulness, fewer opportunities, more victimization (or â€Å"criminalization†), more restricted scope of action, more stereotyped roles, diminished life chances, and general undervaluation ranging from relative neglect to symbolic annihilation. DEATH IN NEWS AND DRAMA Death in such a context is just another invented characterization, a negative resource, a sign of fatal flaw or ineptitude, a punishment for sins or mark of tragedy.It is always a reminder of the risks of life, cultivating most anxiety and dependence for those who are depicted as most at risk. In other words, death is one feature of the more general functi ons of social typing and control. Obituaries are the Social Register of the middle class. Even a â€Å"nobody† of modest status and power (i. e. a person of no symbolic existence in the common culture) becomes a â€Å"somebody† if the flicker of his or her (and it's mostly his) life can leave its final symbolic mark of existence in the obituary column.Death in the news is a tightly scripted scenario of violence and terror. Murders, accidents, â€Å"body counts† and catastrophies scatter a surfeit of impersonal corpses in ghoulish symbolic overkill across the pages of our family newspapers and television screens. By the time we grow up, we are so addicted to this necromania of our culture (and we are not alone), that its constant daily cultivation seems to add to a morbid sense of normalcy. Yet it is all well (if unwittingly) calculated to cultivate a sense of insecurity, anxiety, fear of the â€Å"mean world† out there, and ependence on some strong protec tor. It is the modern equivalent of the bloody circuses in the Roman empire's â€Å"bread and circuses† that were supposed to keep the populace quiescent. At the center of the symbolic structure of death is the world of stories invented to show how things and drama. The most work-fiction massive and universal flow of stories in modern society (and history) is of course television drama, most of it produced according to the industrial formulas developed to assemble large audiences and sell them to advertisers at the least cost.That is a world in which practically no one ever dies a natural death. Assembly-line drama generally denies the inevitable reality of death and affirms its stigmatic character. Violent death, on the other hand, befalls 5 percent of all prime time dramatic characters every week, with about twice as many killers (many of whom also get killed) stalking the world of prime time. The symbolic function of death in the world of television is thus embedded in its structure of violence, which is essentially a show of force, the ritualistic demonstration of power. THE STRUCTURE OF VIOLENCEAND POWERDominated as it is by males and masculine values, much of the world of prime time revolves around questions of power. Who can get away with what against whom? How secure are different social types when confronted with conflict and danger? What hierarchies of risk and vulnerability define social relations? In other words, how power works in society. The simplest and cheapest dramatic DEATH IN PRIME TIME 67 demonstration of power is an overt expression of physical force compelling action against one's will on pain of being hurt or killed, or actually hurting or killing.That is the definition of violence used in our studies of television drama. Violence rules the symbolic world of television. It occurs at an average 10-year rate of 5 violent incidents per hour in prime time and 18 per hour in weekend daytime children's programming-a triple dose. Violen ce as a demonstration of power can be measured by relating the percent of violents to the percent of victims within each social group. That ratio shows the chances of men and women, blacks and whites, young and old, to come out on top instead of on the bottom.Conversely, it shows the risks of each group to end up as victims instead of victors. Table 1 is a summary of these â€Å"risk ratios† based on annual samples of prime time and weekend daytime (children's) programs major dramatic characters, a total of 3,949, from 1969 through 1978. It shows for each of several demographic and dramatic groups the ratio of violents over victims (including killing) and of only killers over killed (or the other way around) within each group. It also shows the percent of characters in each group involved in any violence as either violents or victims (or both).For example, of the 415 children and adolescent characters studied, 60. 5 percent (65. 0 percent males and 49. 1 percent females) were involved in violence. Of the males, victims outnumbered violents by 1. 69 but killers outnumbered killed by 3. 00. In other words, for every 10 child and adolescent violents there were about 17 victims, but for every 10 killed there were 30 killers in that group of characters. Overall, 63 percent of all characters were involved in some violence. For every 10 violents there were 12 victims, but for every 10 killed there were 19 killers.However, as we have just seen, involvement in violence and its outcome-as with values and resources-is not randomly distributed. Some features of the distribution of violence as a demonstration of power can be illustrated by selecting a few risk ratios from the Table, showing how these victimization rates define a hierarchy of risks within which the depiction of dying (and killing) is embedded. A hierarchy of risks Combining prime time and daytime characters, we find that victimization rates define a social hierarchy of risks and vulnerabilities.For e very 10 characters who commit violence within each of the following groups the average number of victims for white men is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. nonwhite men is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. lower class women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ young women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. nonwhite women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. old women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 13 17 18 18 33 If and when involved in violence, women and minorities, and especially young and old as well as minority women characters, are the most vulnerable. Now let us look at dying (and its dramatic counterpart, killing) in that context.We can compute a lethal pecking order by relating the number of killers to the number of killed within each group. Unlike violence in general, killing eliminates a character and must be used more sparingly, either as curtain-raiser or as the â€Å"final solution. † Therefore, in most role categories, there are more killers than killed. â€Å"Good† m en, the TABLE 1 RISK RATIOS': MAJOR CHARACTERS IN ALL PROGRAMS (1969-197 ALL CHARACTERS INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE VIOLENTVICTIM RATIO KILLERKILLED RATIO MALE CHARACTERS INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE VIOLENTVICTIM RATIO K N NAll Characters Social Age Children-Adolescents Young Adults Settled Adults Elderly Marital Status Not Married Married Class Clearly Upper Mixed Clearly Lower Race White Other Character Type â€Å"Good† Mixed â€Å"Bad† Nationality U. S. Other 3949 415 813 2212 106 1873 987 269 3549 131 3087 360 2304 1093 550 3100 264 63. 3 60. 5 64. 5 59. 8 47. 2 65. 6 45. 5 59. 5 63. 4 69. 5 60. 1 55. 0 58. 4 61. 4 88. 0 58. 1 73. 5 -1. 20 -1. 60 -1. 36 -1. 12 -1. 15 -1. 23 -1. 27 -1. 38 -1. 19 -1. 25 -1. 19 -1. 33 -1. 29 -1. 22 1. 00 -1. 20 -1. 31 +1. 90 +3. 00 +2. 00 +2. 07 -1. 75 +1. 90 +1. 67 +1. 50 +2. 07 -1. 11 +1. 97 +1. 69 +2. 93 +1. 3 +1. 84 +2. 06 +1. 31 2938 297 539 1698 80 1374 626 182 2650 106 2235 280 1659 807 471 2263 203 68. 4 65. 0 69. 6 65. 7 50. 0 69. 7 52. 9 67. 6 68. 3 73. 6 65. 1 61. 1 63. 7 65. 8 89. 4 63. 2 80. 8 -1. 18 -1. 69 -1. 23 -1. 12 +1. 07 -1. 18 -1. 27 -1. 26 -1. 17 -1. 20 -1. 16 -1. 27 -1. 24 -1. 21 -1. 01 -1. 16 -1. 29 + + + + + + + + – + + + + + + + 1Risk Ratios are obtained by dividing the more numerous of these two roles by the less numerous within eac violents or killersthan victims or killed and a minus sign indicates that there are more victims or killed than violent victimsor killersor violents or killed.A +0. 00 ratio means that there were some violents or killersbut no victims or k killed but no violents or killers. DEATH IN PRIME TIME 69 male heroes of prime time drama, are at the top of the killing order. For every 10 â€Å"good† men killed, there are 38 â€Å"good† men killers. Next are young men and American men; for every 10 young males killed, there are 22 young male and American male killers. The killed-killer ratio of all white males is only slightly lower: 21 killers for every 10 whi te males killed.In other words, if and when involved in some fatal violence on prime time television, â€Å"good,† young, American and white males are the most likely to be the killers instead of the killed. They kill in a good cause to begin with or are the most powerful, or both. Women do not fare so well. Their most favorable ratio is 20 killers for every 10 killed, and that goes to foreign women. The second highest female kill ratio goes to â€Å"bad† women: they kill 17 characters for every 10 â€Å"bad† women killed. Next are middleaged women who kill 16 for every 10 killed.Thus women who tend to kill, kill much less than men, have relatively more lethal power when they are foreign, evil, or past the romantic-lead age, than when they are â€Å"good,† American, young, and white, as is the case with men. Their killing is more likely to be shown as unjust, irrational, and â€Å"alien† than is killing by men. At the very bottom of the lethal peck ing order are old women who get involved in violence only to get killed and â€Å"good† women who get killed 16 times for every 10 killers. Old and â€Å"good† women get into violence mostly as sympathetic (or only pathetic) victims, rousing male heroes to righteous (if lethal) indignation.Next in line are lower class men, lower class women, and old men. For every ten killers in each group there are, respectively, 11, 10, and 10 killed. Unlike those of greater ability to survive conflict or catastrophy,older and lower class characters pay with their lives for every life they take. Provocation and retribution In general, then, as can be seen on the Table, the pecking order of both mayhem and killing is dominated by men-American white, middle class, and in the prime of life. At the top of the general order of victimizers are â€Å"bad† women, old men, and â€Å"bad† men, in that order.The presence of evil at the top of the power hierarchy suggests the drama tic role of villains provoking heroes to violent action. Heading the ranking of killers over killed are â€Å"good† and other majority-type males. We can begin to discern not only the provocative role of the â€Å"bad† but also the retributive function of the â€Å"good† and the strong. Lowest on the dramatic scale are women, lower class, and old people. Of the 20 most victimized groups (both total violence and killing), all but three are women. Old women are at the bottom of the heap of both the battered and the killed. Good†women are among the charactersmost likely to be both general and fatal victims of violence ratherthan the perpetrators. â€Å"Good† men have power as indicated by their heading up the killer-killed list; â€Å"good† women, on the other hand, end up near the bottom of the power hierarchy. When it comes to violence, â€Å"good† are the strong men and the weak women of the world of television. Dying on television is a violent retribution for weakness, sin, or other flaw in character or status. It is part of the social typing and control functions of centralized cultural production.Our research has found that heavy viewers (compared to light 70 THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY viewers in the same social groups) derive from their television experience a heightened sense of danger, insecurity, and mistrust, or what we call the â€Å"mean world† syndrome. It can be conjectured that the symbolic functions of dying are part of that syndrome, contributing not only to a structure of power but also to the irrational dread of dying and thus to diminished vitality and self-direction in life.

Research Proposal Master Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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Annotated bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

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Democratic Republic of Congo & M23 Research Paper

Democratic Republic of Congo & M23 - Research Paper Example Africa somehow always has some bad stories for the international world. The continent has been extensively influenced by corruption and mass killings. African growth and development experienced significant decline ever since 1950s when decolonization actually began (Meredith, 2006). Recent violence attacks, improper use of national resources and massive violation of rules and laws done by the M23 rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo are examples of misery and corruption in Africa. However, the query is that how the country has reached to such a devastating state while on the other hand is it now able to maintain peace after the defeat of M23. In order to understand this situation it is important to first discuss the formation of rebellion organization M23. Congolese government signed a peace agreement with the rebels in country on 23rd March 2009 when initially they were recognized as the members of (CNDP) the National Congress for the defense of the People (Q&A: Who are DR Congos M23 rebels?, 2013). But later on they were named as M23 on the basis of the violation of peace agreement. Research indicates that these rebels are actually associated with an ethnic group called Tutsi which has its very close affiliations in the neighboring country Rwanda. Members of M23 started their activities in April 2012. These particularly involved huge crimes against humanity and the Congolese law, for instance, rape, summary executions and child recruitment. On the other side rebels justified their acts on the basis of the fact that they were not satisfied with their pays and the miserable conditions they were supposed to face in Congolese army. But the government officials argue that the real rebellion arose when Ntaganda was arrested and later he w as handed over to ICC (Q&A: Who are DR Congos M23 rebels?, 2013). Here, it is important to notice that M23 is only a ragtag army whereas the distance

Venezuela Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Venezuela - Term Paper Example The history of Venezuela can be traced back to the fifteenth century when Christopher Columbus discovered the land in 1498 during his journey to the New World. Before Columbus however, other people also lived on the soil of Venezuela who were mostly involved in farming and hunting. The name Venezuela is derived from the word ‘Little Venice’ which came into existence after the arrival of Columbus in the region. Alonso de Ojeda visited the soil and named the land as Venezuela. In the 16th century Spain provided a charter to the Germans so that they could open a banking firm over the land. The charter however was later revoked and the Spaniards took over the region. Venezuela was a part of New Granada until the nineteenth century when it finally took independence from Spain in 1821 under Simon Bolivar (Boehm 1987; Unesco 1999). The government run in the republic of Venezuela is a federal form of government. Its constitution was formed in December 1999. In 1830 Venezuela separated from Colombia, Panama and Ecuador to become a sovereign state. The political rule in Venezuela has been very unstable since its independence. Dictatorial rule and revolutions have been witnessed in Venezuela in the 20th century. From 1908 to 1935 and from 1950-1958 there have been rules of dictators. However after 1958 the politics of the state has been run by civilians as after 1958 the military backed off from interfering in national politics. It was after the World War One that the Venezuelan government has focused more on its petroleum based economy which has helped in stabilizing the country’s economy.... It was after the corruption charges on President Perez that the situation of Venezuela started to become better. In December 1998 Hugo Chavez won the votes in the assembly to become the president of Venezuela. The nation has since then developed into a powerful ally of many countries and the political turmoil has come to a standstill in the country (U.S Department of State 2011). Current Situation Hugo Chavez is the President of Venezuela these days after he won his elections in 2006 by defeating Zulia Governor Manuel Rosales. He has since then implemented new laws such as Socialism in Venezuela. He has passed other laws related to airports, industries and roads ever since. The government of Venezuela has to face several problems in the recent years under Chavez’s government. The problem of energy can be cited as one of the problems that Venezuela is facing. Energy blackouts are one of the problems that Venezuela has been facing in the recent years and this has dampened their hopes of expanding their economy. Energy shortages can lead to the increase in the economic problems that the country is currently facing. Chavez has also provided the state with a declaration about the energy crisis and has implemented laws to fight off the energy problems (Starboek News 2010; U.S Department of State 2011). The government type currently followed in Venezuela is a federal type of government. The states of Venezuela maintain some sort of power in their authority and the voters are given the democracy to vote for their governmental representatives. The economy of Venezuela is run through the businesses revolving around the petroleum products. The major industry of Venezuela is oil which is being exported

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 307

Assignment Example It is, therefore, recommendable to encourage HR practices that view employees as important factors in the firms success. In this case, the action will imply that employees get more opportunity to improve the organization with their opinions and views. Nonetheless, employees’ influence concerns offering opportunities to prosper. If an employee has the necessary skills and capabilities to hold top positions, the HR functions should allow this to happen. Another action that can change the image if HR is ensuring that people management is in line with missions as well vision of the business. In most cases, organizations restrict their HR functions to personnel management. However, managers should understand that human resource management is broad and takes into consideration the influence it has on the business performance. The aim should be nurture skills and talents of the workforce so as to improve their productivity. In this case, training and development are necessary for ensuring that employees understand the company’s strategy. A proper management of workforce should, therefore, focus on adding value to both investors and the customers. Therefore, HR functions should focus on managing the workforce towards achieving the strategic goals of the business, which is to make profits, and gain competitive advantage. On the contrary, employees are the ones who bring competitive advantage with their skills and talents that are c rucial to realizing set goals and objectives. Therefore, effective management of workforce through engagement and development can improve the current image of

Exercise is Important for Fitness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exercise is Important for Fitness - Essay Example Regular exercise is an important measure of good health and fitness. If we do not work out our bodies in the form of exercises, we will lose the freshness and fitness that is necessary to keep our bodies in shape. Our bodies need exercise in order to prevent diseases. Regular exercise prevents heart diseases, cancer, high blood pressure and obesity. It improves our look and increases longevity since aging slows down. It improves the stamina of body to do regular tasks. For example, aerobic exercises make us use energy for the continuous and rhythmical motions. So, our stamina builds up, and when we have to do similar tasks, our bodies need less energy because they have been tuned. Moreover, exercises strengthen our bones and tone our bodies so that they remain in perfect shape. For example, exercising with weights develops muscles and strengthens ligaments which results in increased potency and endurance. Stretching exercises like abdominal stretching increases flexibility and improves posture. They help our bodies to move, twist and turn more flexibly. Our weight also gets controlled since we burn the extra calories which are not required by our bodies. Burning more calories than we take in helps us lose weight. In short, exercises are an excellent means of keeping our bodies fit and in perfect working condition. Since the quality of life increases due to reduced bodily stress and controlled weight, we can say that exercises are very important for our health and longevity.

Importance of Examinations Essay Example for Free

Importance of Examinations Essay The world Examination is noun of the word examine. It means to test in order to verify, to judge and to certify, certain facts. Examination is a very wide word, which is used in all spheres of life. The learned examiner does not want that sense of examination to be discussed. He has in his mind the University Examination and he wants to know whether the institution of Examination should continue or should be abolished. Some persons are of opinion that examination is not the sure test of the ability of a candidate. The present examina ­tion system is based on cramming and to pass the examina ­tion has become more a matter of chance than that of abil ­ity. Again, the present system of examination promotes other evils such as copying and even corruption. The violent acci ­dents in the examination halls strengthen this claim. Even today we are told that a third-year student in one of the centers in Delhi gave a sound beating to an invigilator who objected that the candidate should not copy. The pity of the incident is that a police constable was in league with that candidate and he brought the material for him to be copied. Again, how can, the ability of a student be checked by a few questions? The answer to it is certainly in the negative. Thus, there is a strong case that it should be abolished. There are others who think that examination is a must. How can we do without an examination? Life in itself is a big examination. At every footstep we have to face certain tests. The success is always marked with dignity and honor in all the examinations of life. Examinations add to our abil ­ity, power of toleration, perseverance and other good quali ­ties. They think that examination is not only necessary but it is also a blessing. Everybody has been afraid of examinations. Even Lord Christ once uttered, May God not put anybody to test. Teachers, students, examiners and examinees, all think that examination is a curse, a horror and a terror. Most of the mental diseases among the students are the outcome of the examination and cramming. Inspite of all this, there must be something to mark the standards and to judge the ability of the candidates. The students are being led astray. They only study because they fear examinations. If this institution is abolished, it is certain they will not study even a word. Thus, we must assume that the system of examination should not be abolished, but it should be reformed so that it should be of a great advantage both to the student community and the society. The examination is an evil but it is necessary, therefore, it cannot be abolished. We cannot do without examinations, but the system needs a total reform. We should not follow the old orthodox methods, but the scientific change should be brought in the system of examinations.

Determination of Vitamin C Concentration by Titration

Determination of Vitamin C Concentration by Titration Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) is a necessary nutrient in the human diet. Fruit juices are among the most common consumer items taken to meet our daily requirements of ascorbic acid. Vitamin C can be determined in food by use of an oxidation-reduction reaction. The redox reaction is preferable to an acid-base titration because a number of other species in juice can act as acids, but relatively few interfere with the oxidation of ascorbic acid by iodine. This method determines the vitamin C concentration in a solution by a redox titration with potassium iodate in the presence of potassium iodide. The excess iodine is back titrated with thiosulfate (S2O32-). Starch solution is used as indicator. Iodide ions reduce iodate ions producing iodine in an amount equivalent to the iodate. The principal reactions involved are shown by the following equations. Generation of iodine: IO3- + 5I- + 6H+ → 3I2 + 3H2O Titration of iodine with thiosulfate: I2 + 2S2O32- → 2I- + S4O62- The reaction of iodine with ascorbic acid is shown in the following equation: C6H8O6 + I2 → C6H6O6 + 2I- + 2H+ Ascorbic acid is oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid EXPERIMENT Apparatus burette (50 mL), volumetric flasks (250 mL, 100mL), beaker (400 mL), pipette ( 10 mL, 25 mL), Erlenmeyer flasks (250mL) Reagents oxalic acid, C2H2O4.2H2O, potassium iodate KIO3, sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate, Na2S2O3.5H2O, sulfuric acid, H2SO4, potassium iodide, KI, starch indicator solution (2% w/v in distilled water), apple juice Preparation of Na2S2O3 and KIO3 solution Na2S2O3.5H2O and Na2CO3 were weighed 1.8613 g and 8 mg respectively to prepare exactly 250 mL of 0.03M sodium thiosulfate solution. Dilution of 0.25 g KIO3 in 250 mL volumetric flask was done. Standardization of Sodium Thiosulfate 2 g of KI and 10 mL of 0.6M H2SO4 were added into 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask after 25 mL of KIO3 was pipette. This solution was titrated with sodium thiosulfate solution until the initial brown color of the solution turns to pale yellow. 2 mL of starch indicator was added and the titration was completed at the disappearance of the blue color. Titration was repeated 2 times. Preparation of sample 0.1 gm of oxalic acid was added into 50 mL of apple juice after it was pipette then the sample juice was diluted in a 100 mL volumetric flask. Titration of sample 2 g of KI and 10 mL of 0.6M H2SO4 were added into Erlenmeyer flask after 25 mL of KIO3 and 25 mL of diluted sample were pipette. The solution was titrated with standard Na2S2O3. 2 mL starch indicator was added just before the end point. The titration was repeated 2 times. RESULT AND DISCUSSION The molar concentration of standardize solution and vitamin c studied are shown in summary data report sheet and the all calculations are shown in appendixes. Volumetric analyses based on titrations with reducing or oxidizing agents are very useful for many determinations one of the example is iodometry titration. It was performed using visual indicator that is starch indicator to determine the end point. Starch forms a not very reversible complex with I2 that is a very dark-blue color. The color reaction is sensitive to very small amounts of iodine. Iodine is a moderately strong oxidizing agent and a weak reducing agent. When an excess of iodide is added to a solution of an oxidizing agents, I2 is produced in an amount equivalent to the oxidizing agent present. This I2 can therefore, be titrated with a reducing agent and the result will be the same as if the oxidizing agent were titrated directly. The titrating agent used is sodium thiosulfate. The oxidizing agent not directly titrate with the thiosulfate because strong oxidizing agents oxidize thiosulfate to a oxidation states higher than that of tetrathionate. The end point is detected with starch. The starch is not added in the beginning of the titration when the iodine concentration is high. Instead, it is added just before the end point when the dilute iodine color becomes pale yellow. The reason for using acid is that reactions between many oxidizing agents and iodide are promoted by high acidity. Sodium thiosulfate solution is standardized iodometrically against a pure oxidizing agent that is KIO3. from the volume of titrant used to titrate the primary standard, the molar concentration of the titrant can be calculated. The calculations that involve in these data are base on volumetric analysis which consists of titration and standard solution that means need stoichiometric calculations. The data of standardization of thiosulfate in term of volumes sodium thiosulfate have low accuracy because the differentiation between readings quite obvious compare to volumes of sodium thiosulfate in determination of vitamin C. The data of the experiment is compared to the true data. The true data state that the content of vitamin C mg per 100 mL is 15 mg but in the experiment is 0.8096 mg / 100 mL. This is because the vitamin C is decompose by heat. The diluted sample is prepared too earlier. There are several errors that might be occurred in this experiment. One of that is systematic error which means error in burette reading. The sources of systematic error consists of three types ; instrument error, method error, and personal error. Personal error occurred to the operator of equipment especially in sensitivity in color changes. For example in this experiment the color changes involve is brownish to pale yellow. Whereas the method error occurred when the reaction does not complete. Even the instrument also can cause the error especially when the end of burette and pipette are blocked by something. Instrument errors can minimize by good maintenance of equipment. To observe the color changes when do titration in analyte put the plain white paper at the bottom of conical flask. When taking burette reading always read at the meniscus and the reading of pipette as well. The error in data can be overcome by applying statistical tests on data for example find the standard division and mean. To apply this test carries out replicate measurements. In this experiment we do triplicate. CONCLUSION The molarity of KIO3 is 4.6728 x 10-3 M. The molarity of standardize thiosulfate is 0.0278 M and the content of vitamin C in mg/100 mL is 0.8096.

Relational Model Defined By Codds Twelve Rules Computer Science Essay

Relational Model Defined By Codds Twelve Rules Computer Science Essay This report tries to explain what Codds Twelve Rules means. And by comparing MySQL with relational model as defined by Codds Twelve Rules, this report also gives an abstract view on how MySQL comply with Codds Twelve Rules. This report is based on MySQL 5 InnoDB engine. Edgar F.Codd is famous for his contribution to relational model of database in 1970s. However, in 1980s the term relational was used by many database vendors to describe their database products which may not comply with the model that Edgar F.Codd has proposed. In order to clarify his model of relational database, and provide people a simple standard that can indicate to what extent a database software conforms to his model, the Codds Twelve Rules were propose. There are 13 rules in Codds Twelve Rules. Our textbook omits the first one,rule 0, so this report will start from the second one in Codds rules, rule 1. Rule 1: The Information Rule This rule requires all data in relational database management system(RDBMS) should be stored as values in tables at logical level. Some DBMS use Key-Value to store data, Redis for example, which contradict the Information Rule, so these DBMS will not be regarded as relational DBMS. MySQL dose store all data in the form of tables with values in columns of rows. Users can only access to values that are stored in tables. Even the data descript the database itself is store in tables, i.e. table tables in Information schema stores the description of all the tables that have been created. So, MySQL meets the requirement of rule 1. Rule 2: The Guaranteed Access Rule Users must be able to access to values by providing table name, the value of primary key and the name of the columns. In another word, the DBMS should support primary key in tables and enforce each tables contains primary key in order to prevent data duplication. MySQL does support to define primary key in tables. Yet, users can also create tables that dont have it. For example, create one table has columns a and b without primary key. In that circumstance, there may be several rows that has the same value in column a , preventing users to access to the value of column b in the row he want. So, MySQL does not fulfill the requirement of Rule2 and it gives user more flexibility by accepting tables without primary key. Rule 3: Systematic Treatment of NULL Values: The database must support NULL as a value other than 0 or empty string, as a representation of data missing or inapplicable. And the database can provide systematic way to manipulate NULL value. MySQL fulfill this requirement by supporting NULL value and treat it in a systematic way. In MySQL, NULL is supported and is regarded as missing data following ANSI/ODBC SQL standard. MySQL implements ternary logic. Users can not compare values with NULL, even NULL with NULL by using =, because NULL is missing data. The results of those compares are unknown. MySQL provides IS NULL and IS NOT NULL statement in order to treat the compares with value NULL. Rule 4: Active online catalog based on the relational model Data dictionary of one DBMS should be stored as ordinary data in the form of tables. Authorized users must be able to using the query language (SQL for example) that they used to query ordinary data to access to database catalog or structure. MySQL stores database catalog data using tables the same way it store ordinary data. These tables are in system database such as Information_schema. For example, table tables in Information_schema contains information about all tables in MySQL, like TABLE_NAME, TABLE_TYPE. Authorized users can use SQL to query this table in order to access to data catalog of current tables. So, MySQL well implements this Rule. Rule 5: Comprehensive data language The DBMS must support at least one language that can be used directly by users or within application queries. This language must also supports all aspects of database use including data (view) definition, data manipulations, integrity constraints, securities and transaction managements. SQL is a language that is comprehensive enough to support all these requirements. So, any DBMS that implements ANSI/ODBC SQL will comply with this rule. MySQL follows the ANSI/ODBC SQL standard, yet there are several differences between them in several cases. The difference can be seen in documents of MySQL. All these differences are just about statement syntax, i.e MySQL doesnt support select à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ into table, users should using Insert into à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ select to do the same works. But after all, all database use in MySQL can be implemented by using SQL regardless of whether the syntax is different from standard SQL. So, MySQL fulfills Rule 5. Rule 6: View Updating This rule means that the alteration that user makes in a view will result in the alteration of tables from which the view is created, if this view is theoretically updatable. In MySQL, many theoretically updatable views can be updated, yet, there are many limits. For example, due to the documentation of MySQL, delete and update cannot be used to update a view that has more than one underlying table. So, MySQL does not fulfill this rule. Rule 7: The RDBMS may handle individual records but it must primarily handle sets of records This rule means users can use one single command to query, insert, delete and update sets of values in multiple rows or multiple tables. MySQL can handle operation of multiple rows in one table. Because it uses SQL, that has commands that can handle operation of sets of records, as its data language. For example, MySQL can insert multiple records with this statement, INSERT INTO table_name (a,b,c) VALUES (3,4,5), (6,7,8)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. But MySQL cannot handle operation of sets of records that are from different tables in one command. But users can also handle this issue by using transaction that containing a series of SQL commands. So, MySQL implements this rule by allowing user to operate command on multiple rows in one table, while does not support operation of multiple tables in single command. Rule 8: Physical Data Independence This rule means that alterations that have been made to database in physical level, for example, export one database, and open it in another computer will not result in the changes in logical level. And users can still access to the data without altering their commands. MySQL can export one database by creating back up file. This file can be restore by MySQL in another computer. The physical underlying of this database has changed while the table structure will not be changed and users can access to this restored one without any adjustment on their queries. So, MySQL does provide some extent of physical data independence in InnoDB engine. However, if users want to change the store engine of a table from transactional one to non-transactional, the logical level will also change. In sum, MySQL provide physical data independence in InnoDB engine, but changing the store engine may result in change in database logic. Rule 9: Logical Data Independence This rule means that the changes of logical level in the database will not lead to changes of queries that based on former structure. For example, users can split one table into two, while use the same query as before. In MySQL, adding columns to a table will not require changes in application or queries that are base on the structure of this table. However, other changes of logical level, such as combine two tables into one, may call for an alteration of the application based on the structure. So, MySQL does not comply with this Logical Data Independence rule. Rule 10: Integrity Independence This means that integrity definition of data in one DBMS should be regarded as one part of data dictionary, and be stored in the same form as ordinary data. This also requires that this integrity definition can be access by users using language, SQL for example, to query, define or alter the integrity independence. MySQL fulfills this rule. It stores data dictionary in tables in information schema. For example, the column COLUMN_KEY in the table COLUMNS defines whether this column is primary key or has other constraints. And KEY_COLUMN_USAGE table defines which key columns have constrains. Users can access to integrity definition data by query these tables using ordinary SQL statement. Rule 11:Distribution Independence Today, many DBMS introduce the function to using distribute data in different locations. However, due to this rule, where this data be distributed and how DBMS manage them should not be visible to users. Users can use the data in the same way as they use data that been stored in one place. The InnoDB engine does not provide the ability to store data in different locations. MySQL has a distributed engine called MySQL Cluster. In InnoDB engine, MySQL introduce XA Transaction which is based on X/Open XA specification since 5.0.3. This specification provides users the ability to employ multiple resources in one transaction. However, users must know the underlying works, and if the structure of the distributed DBMS changes, the XA Transaction statement may also need to be adjusted. So, MySQL does not comply with the rule 11. Rule 12: The Nonsubversion Rule Sometime the DBMS provide API or other low-level interface for users to handle complicated transactions. However, those interfaces must not break all the rule above and bypassing integrity constraints and security. MySQL provides APIs for different applications or programming languages as low-level interface. There are back doors in them, custom command SHOW for example. However, these backdoors are only maintained for the compatibility with the former edition. Summary In Sum, due to the comparison between MySQl and Codds rules, MySQL implement most of these rules, though there are still some limitations. It can be regarded as a DBMS that is relational.

Why I Love My Mac :: Personal Narrative Writing

Why I Love My Mac I have always loved computers. In school they fascinated me and were fun to play with. When I grew up and became a secretary, I delighted in recreating print documents and forms on my computer using WordPerfect for DOS. My daily success was measured by how little I used my typewriter. The only thing I didn't like was how ugly the programs were on the screen. The backgrounds were always black or royal blue, with (full-bodied shudder) red or green type. Some programs allowed a modicum of visual customization, but the danger of damaging your eyesight was prevalent (imagine red type on a royal blue background!). Still, computers were way more fun than typewriters. No more using calculators either! Each time I had to perform a calculation repetitively, I created a spreadsheet that would do it for me. Although I was "Suzy Super Computer-Using Secretary," I had no clue how the computer actually functioned, nor did I care. When I saw my first Macintosh, my eyes were wide as saucers. It was colorful! It had little pictures on the desktop! No more black or royal blue screen and funky colored type! (Although with some tweaking in the customization settings you could attain that horrid look.) I don't know how but that little Mac exuded a feeling of friendliness and ease of use. Even the cables in the back were "picture-coded" to the plugs in which they belonged! As far as the software, I could poke around in any folder on the hard drive, double-click on anything, and the computer told me what that item was used for. If it was something I shouldn't be messing with, a dialogue box would appear stating, "This extension is used by the system and cannot be opened." When I wanted to delete something I threw it in the trashcan. How logical! And wow, I could open several documents at once, move the windows around, and a word processing document actually looked on screen exactly like it would print. The Mac seemed logical, pure and simply, and it seemed interesting. I knew at that moment when the time came for me to buy a home computer, I would buy a Macintosh. It would be something I could operate, maintain, and upgrade myself. No need to call the geeky, scary, and expensive PC technician to come fix my computer. I could install new software, attach new peripherals, and even upgrade the memory all by myself.

Nike Analysis Essay -- Business Analysis Shoe Industry

Since being founded in 1962, Nike has grown from a small fledgling shoe retailer into a world-wide corporate giant. During its first year, sales for Nike were $8000, but as of November 30th, annual sales for Nike were over 12 billion dollars. (hoover) Although Nike already dominates the sporting world, there are many opportunities for growth. According to our research, key strategic challenges facing Nike are increased competition from Adidas with their technological shoe, the Adidas One, and a potentially fatal inability to enter a new growth market such as the extreme sports market. Our recommendations to help Nike confront these challenges consist of developing a product to remain competitive with Adidas, and also an aggressive move into the extreme sports market. Our first recommendation for Nike is to develop a shoe that will compete with the new, technologically advanced Adidas One running shoe. The Adidas One, which will be available in March 2005 at a cost of $250 dollars, is a high-end, high-tech athletic shoe. Features of the Adidas One running shoe include sensors that measure how much compression is put on the heel of the shoe with each step, a microprocessor that can adjust the cushion of the heel based upon roughness or softness of the terrain, buttons that allow for different comfort levels to be set, and a lithium-ion battery that last about 100 hours. (time-sporting life) With their new shoe, Adidas threatens to capture some market share in the running shoe segment. This stands to be a substantial amount of lost profits if Nike is not able to compete. Fortunately, Nike is already well established in the athletic shoe industry. It should be able to utilize its strength of brand equity compete effectively with the Adidas One. According to market research from NPD Group,  ¡Ã‚ °running is heart and soul of the athletic shoe industry. ¡Ã‚ ± Americans last year spent over 4.5 billion dollars on running shoes, accounting for 25 percent of all money spent on athletic shoes and making them the top category in athletic footwear. (Knight Ridder Tribune)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We recommend that Nike produce a shoe that not only exceeds the technological capabilities of the Adidas One shoe, but also offers a more affordable approach to high tech footwear. Currently it is estimated that serious runners buy an average of 3 to 4 pairs of shoes per year. At 250 dollars ... ...e been implemented, this step helps to acknowledge success and hard work of employees. By reinforcing the good behaviors of employees, Nike can ensure future success and help create a new status quo. The fifth and final step is evaluation.  ¡Ã‚ °Management needs to know whether the change has had the intended effects ¡Ã‚ ± (Lewis). By evaluating the implementations, Nike can ensure that its actions have been effective. For example, if it is determined that creating a new shoe is not working; Nike can halt production of the shoe before further losses are incurred. Equally, evaluating the profitability of the move into the extreme sports market can help Nike determine whether it should continue funding advertisements and sponsorships. In conclusion, we recommend Nike use the five steps for planned change as a tool to help implement our recommendations of creating a new technological running shoe and entering the extreme sports market. These steps include creating a vision, communicating the vision, empowering employees, institutionalizing the new behavior, and finally evaluating the success. By using these steps, Nike can ensure a smooth transition when in implements our recommendations.

Angelo’s Pizza

ANGELO’S PIZZA ANSWER #1. The expansion of stores and eventually franchising while focusing on serving only high quality fresh ingredients should include the following three resource management implications: (1) BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS – This implication represents the importance of the company’s general and competitive environment. Angelo needs a good business strategy. A strategic plan is the company’s plan for how it will match its internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats in order to maintain a competitive advantage (Dessler, 2012).Angelo’s early attempts showed the pitfalls in rushing and making assumptions about replicating a viable business unit. Fortunately, Angelo has realized his lack of proper planning and the necessity to correct his errors before attempting to branch out into more stores and possibly franchising. The locations of the proposed new stores are paramount. These locations must be in area s where high quality ingredients are readily available. The supply of fresh ingredients does not meet all the needs for successful stores. The medium that serves the customer pays a vital role. 2) JOB ANALYSIS – All businesses want to attract and maintain good people. A job analysis is the procedure through which you determine the duties of the positions and the characteristics of the people to hire for them (Dessler, 2012). All of Angelo’s locations must have competent employees who are able to provide good customer service. Angelo has to develop a plan that identifies the characteristics and skills that applicants need to possess before he can develop his staff. Once he knows the type/kind of person he needs to recruit for his business, he needs a comprehensive plan for hiring them.A screening process for applicants that include hiring guidelines, previous work experience, and reference and background checks would be useful. A logical, structured interview session wh ere the job duties and responsibilities as well as the required job qualifications are explained would be the next step. Once Angelo has job candidates that he is satisfied with, he then has to develop human resource strategies that will ensure their success. (3) TRAINING – Angelo should develop a training program for both new and existing employees. The implementation of a training program is beneficial for both the company and the employees.Training programs helps each employee to understand their various role/job expectations. Unskilled workers are counterproductive to the work environment. It can jeopardize a business reputation. Angelo’s newly hired waiter/waitress should be trained on how to correctly take orders and how to serve the customers efficiently. Angelo’s ideas regarding customer service has to be shared throughout all stores. If sufficient time is devoted with the training program, all employees become an asset for the organization with the incr ease of their knowledge.After completion of the training, all of Angelo’s Pizza employees should know where they stand and that their performance can lead to a management position. ` ANSWER #3. By asking the following questions, I feel Angelo will be able to attain qualified candidates. The questions are based on situational and behavioral judgments. STRUCTURED INTERVIEW FORM Name of Applicant: Position applied for: Date of the Interview: (1) Why did you choose our organization? (2) Employees interact with a wide variety of customers. Sometimes customers may become angry/frustrated.Describe a time when you dealt with a customers who was demanding. Impatient or angry. How did you respond to the customer’s request or demands? What was the outcome of your actions? (3) Sometimes employees must communicate unpleasant information to customers. Describe a time when you had to communicate unfavorable information to a customer. What did you have to tell the customer? What was t he outcome? (4) If a customer is dissatisfied and wants to return a ordered food item/dish, how would you respond? BIBLIOGRAPHY/WORK SITED Dessler, G. (2012). Human Resource Managemnet, Thirteenth Edition. Pearson.

An analysis on leaderships’ effect on culture Essay

Facts ConnectCo is an outbound call center in Toronto, Ontario and is the Canadian Subsidiary of a U.S. marketing and sales consulting practice. The parent company has provided services to Fortune 500 companies over its five years of operations and employs approximately 75 people. ConnectCo has annual revenues of $29.4 million, with Symbol Office Solution as their biggest account at $20 million annually, for a contract length of three years. This contract awarded ConnectCo net profits as high as 35% of sales. What ConnectCo offers to clients is the convenience and cost savings of removing a costly field sales force and replaces them with a more cost efficient outbound call center. These call centers help customers with technical problems, provide new equipment updates, and disseminates knowledge about new technologies or equipment. The Symbol account, as previously mentioned, provides a significant sum of ConnectCo`s total revenue and was first negotiated by Charlie Gallagher, the vice-pre sident of Canadian operations, and is managed by Chad Macdonald. Joe Davis is a passionate and experienced consultant that has worked closely with clients to identify and implement solutions to very specific problems. He joined ConnectCo hoping to learn from the pool of experience that he saw within the organization, with the majority of them being former Xerox employees with considerable knowledge in increasing sales. His role in the organization was to ensure that the level of service that ConnectCo provided met or surpassed the needs of clients. As per his position within the company he was the first to notice the discrepancy within the Symbol account. The contract that was signed between ConnectCo and Symbol required that there be a certain number of Inside Account Executives (IAE) that be trained at all times and at a phone making calls in the client`s interests. The recent decline in the IAE pool has left several seats open, with no calls being placed on behalf of Symbol, however they were still billing the customer as if the seats where all operating at full capacity while they should only be billing them for filled operators. The amount of the discrepancy totals $81000. The terms of the contract have been modified several times over its effective term with the first being an extension of the contract and the notice of intent to develop mutually agreed to service levels. Service level targets were never established. Symptoms The four factoring symptoms are communication, trust, accountability, responsibility and integrity. These symptoms are the leading cause for Connectco’s inability to run operations smoothly and effectively. The lack of communication within Connectco is causing headaches for Davis as information continues to be blocked by â€Å"noise† within the company. The communication is next to nonexistent from the top of the hierarchy to the department managers within the company. The lack of trust throughout the company is not helping their cause when trying to create an effective and demanded product for fortune 500 companies. There is little trust betwee the top managers and employees that they will complete their respected jobs at hand with the level of trust level between employees and managers decaying over time and as the situation worsens. Accountability is near nonexistent within the organization. Davis is not able to hold his manager accountable because of his past record in doing so. Accountability is crucial in order for Connectco to run smoothly in the future. Conflict frequently causes employees to look to offload their work onto others to not be responsible for failure, as in the case of Chad Macdonald passing the role of dealing with the Symbol account off to Joe Davis. Finally, there is little integrity. Dealing with the account neither Chad nor Charlie believe that the best solution would be to deal with the problem and would both prefer to make a decision that would go against the main values of the corporation that includes trustworthiness. There is a valid case of values incongruence within ConnectCo. These four main symptoms are major attributes to the problems faced within Connectco and are the four elements that may be the solutions to solving Connectco’s organizational problems in the near future. Problem Statement ConnectCo`s current situation is the direct result of the poor corporate culture as evidenced by the symptoms that are present. This culture stems from the leadership`s poor ethics and lack of values and has cascaded to the rest of the organization. Joe Davis, the new manager of the Planning and Reporting department for ConnectCo, began his new job about a month ago finds himself in the uncomfortable situation of questioning the morals of his coworkers that has led to the jeopardized relationship between ConnectCo and their largest client: Symbol Office Solutions. Joe must decide how to approach this conflicting situation as a new member of the company without compromising his own morals and values. Analysis In evaluating the relevant models to address the problem statement there is one model in particular that effectively incorporates several of the models needed to perform an analysis of the corporate culture at ConnectCo; Edgar H. Schein’s Model of Organizational Culture. Schein’s model is the most relevant to identify the reason for the symptoms and problems currently facing ConnectCo. The incorporation of the many different aspects to identify the culture of an organization including atifacts, shared values, and shared assumptions enables a thorough review of the culture present at ConnectCo. The following analysis will break down Schein’s model and evaluate each section with the following relevant analysis to get a better understanding of the situation. It will be presented in the following order; artifacts, shared values, shared assumptions. Artifacts Communication within the ConnectCo organization does not represent the ideal scenario for a well-run organization. This lack of proper communication and clarity is unfortunately spilling over into its business dealings with clients. Both represent one of the most evident aspects of the artifacts of the company, the cultural norms that are evident to others and neither is impressive. To begin, this analysis will focus on internal communication and then shift focus to the external communication with other organizations. â€Å"Davis opened up a new message and types a simple e-mail, in case Gallagher picked it up with his Blackberry†. This is but one example of the many e-mail conversations that take place within the ConnectCo organization. The situation that ConnectCo finds themselves in is extremely complicated, owing a client a credit for $81000, yet the medium with which Joe Davis chose to use to relay his message was e-mail. A quick analysis of the media richness hierarchy model shows that in this particular situation, which can be easily identified as non-routine and ambiguous, this medium carries too little data-carrying capacity. If ConnectCo is going to come up with a solution they are going to need to switch to a much richer medium such as face-to-face to get a better understanding of the issue and come up with better outcomes. A second occasion that warrants investigation is the initial email from Joe Davis to Charlie Gallagher. In this initial email he again used to wrong medium to convey the breadth of the issue that is ambiguous and non-routine. Charlie chose to respond in an email as well, with nine words. This will play a factor again in the analysis of the shared values, more specifically the espoused values that leadership (Gallagher) conveys. Communication between the organizations is also very weak, speaking to the weak cultural artifacts of the ConnectCo organization, and possibly Symbol. It has been acknowledged that they do indeed have face to face communications with their customers, Gallagher does meet with Puhl for golfing events face to face, this does not represent an ideal time, however, as the venue is much to informal to discuss business matters as public meetings contain significant noise, literally and figuratively, that may lead to the message being decoded incorrectly. The rest of the communication between the two parties, even between the account relationship manager Chad MacDonald and Steve Puhl was done either by telephone or by email. Another aspect of the artifacts of communication that deserves attention is the construction of the contract. Again, the communication process model is most relevant and one of the simplest ways to word the breakdown is that the contract contained too much noise and was not properly decoded by ConnectCo. The ambiguity of the contract comes from many revisions, some of which were not even available to the relevant employees such as Joe Davis and using words such as â€Å"notwithstanding† which was interpreted differently by Joe Davis, Chad MacDonald, and Charlie Gallagher. This occurred because the contract was not descriptive enough. Another aspect to the artifacts portion of the model of organizational culture is the ceremonies that take place within the organization. These ceremonies are used by certain employees and management to get the attention of an audience. In this particular situation the most evident are the golfing trips that Gallagher takes with clients to cement his position as the most important contact to the clients. And finally, the organizational structure, which has a great effect on culture. ConnectCo currently has a client structure, as negotiated within the contract agreement, the organization will maintain a set number of staff specifically to service that account. Espoused Values â€Å"Our values reflect what is important to us. They are a shorthand way of describing our individual and collective motivations. Together with beliefs, they are the causal factors that drive our decision-making.† (http://www.valuescentre.com/values/?sec=values_overview) The above quote reflects what should be the core of any business, the values shared by all of the different employees congruent to the plan laid out by management for the success of the organization. In Schein`s model shared or espoused values represent the second of the 3 components and the first of the invisible dynamics, as in they cannot be easily observed by others. Richard Barrett, author of Building a Values-Driven Organisation: A Whole System Approach to Cultural Transformation believes that values can be either positive or negative and each can have an equal and opposite effect on the corporations culture. The espoused values must begin as an individual value through some authority figure, such as a founder, senior management, or even an individual with significant power within an organization. These individuals` culture then influences their immediate coworkers, the teams with which they operate, then the organization as a whole. These individuals can therefore set the values for the whole organization regardless of what the dominant culture of the organization through countercultures. â€Å" The culture of an organisation, or any group of individuals that share a common identity, is a reflection of the values and beliefs of the leadersâ€Å". (http://www.valuescentre.com/leadership/?sec=leadership__culture) With limited information on the dominant culture of ConnectCo as established by its American head company, which include integrity and trustworthiness, it can only be assumed that the culture that prevails at Connectco is a subculture of the organization as a whole. The following analysis suggests that the counterculture present in ConnectCo is the direct result of the actions of Charlie Gallagher. As the leader in the organization Charlie has had a profound effect on the values and ethics present within the organization. His handling of the Symbol account clearly demonstrates his values and ethics. His position as leader and culture setter warrants investigation based on several components. First, the competency of his leadership will be analyzed incorporating an analysis of his personal values and the source of his power. To begin, Charlie possesses several characteristics of an effective leader. He has significant self-concept, his personality skills are high, he has the motivation to be a leader, and significant knowledge of the business. These competencies push those that work for him to have the same skills as demonstrated in Chad MacDonald; however, his low integrity has also been transmitted to other co-workers. By encouraging Davis to p lay with the numbers and do things that were out of the contract he shows his low integrity. This has led to a lack of trust that is evident from Joe Davis and several other members of the ConnectCo staff throughout the handling of the symbol account. This is not the only negative quality that has displayed. Gallagher also exhibits limited cognitive and practical intelligence. His recommendation to simply `go with the lowest cost` shows a lack of understanding of the situation (and going back to communication) the ambiguity of the situation , this has pervaded to his employees where Chad was more than willing to agree to a band aid solution going against ethical business practices. Neither fully understands the situation and Chad was more than happy to hand off the problem to Joe Davis even though he was the relationship manager on the account and dealing with clients is outside of the scope of work for Joe Davis. The reason for Gallagher`s lack of integrity can be easily explained through the Swartz values circumplex. Clearly, Gallagher is more focused on self-enhancement, his need for achievement is evidenced through the fact that everyone must know that he is the one that negotiated the Symbol account and demonstrated through his golf business trips, as well as his refusal to accept responsibility for poorly negotiating a contract and failing to adhere and communicate the contents of the contracts that he signed. He is also a leader that craves power and prefers significant power distance, as proven by his screening of his employees’ calls and not showing up to the meeting with Joe Davis and Chad MacDonald to clarify the contract for them. Both of these values compromise his integrity and unfortunately those values are only two that his leadership has caused the rest of the organization to adopt, the need for security security being another. Gallagher`s aforementioned need for power is also affecting the culture of the organization. His handling of the Symbol account and the contract shows that he uses a wheel formation of information control to maintain power within the organization. By him going golfing with the big shots at Symbol rather than relationship manager Chad, shows that he needs to maintain that control of information which in turn gives him control over Chad and the account. This is combined with Joe Davis` perception of an upward appeal within the organization that made him rethink his ability to go to the higher ups with the information because he believes that the management will take the side of Gallagher given that they are both MBA graduates. Fear is an influence tactic that Gallagher has wielded to maintain order and obedience from his employees through his connection with the president. The effect on culture is that because employees cannot contact upper management the values that he imposes on the organization will be the ones that dictate how operations are carried out. Indirectly, this is what has causes the problem with ConnectCo and Symbol. Gallagher controlling the information has prevented Chad from acting in the best interest of the company to ensure the contract is followed and that there are no issues. It also means that now since the contract has not been followed the persons involves will use the cultural aspects of poor integrity and dodging that he has used with his employees as Chad demonstrated by dodging Steve Puhl and pushing the problem onto Joe Davis. Shared Assumptions and Values Analysing the shared assumptions of ConnectCo with the Schwartz’s Values Circumplex, we notice that the company talks about wanting to keep their most important client Symbol satisfied by valuing self-transcendence and conservation however their actions and dealing of the contract with Symbol do not reflect those values. The appropriate way to describe the values that ConnectCo tend to go by is self-enhancing. They are working for the client to provide them with everything listed in the contract, in this case a sufficient amount of IAEs, but are hiding information from Symbol to protect their own well-being. This seems to be enforced by Charlie Gallagher as he is telling Joe Davis that they should not have to pay any penalty fees to Symbol for empty seats at the IAE position if there are current individuals in training for that position. Now we will look at the ethical values and behaviour the moral intensity of ConnectCo, more specifically Charlie Gallagher’s ethical s ensitivity to the issue. The degree to which they should be applying ethical principles should be is high because Symbol is their biggest client and has trusted ConnectCo for a few years. However, the intensity being put forth is minimal as they are trying to get out of paying money to Symbol for not having staffed enough IAE’s and they are forcing Joe Davis to go against his values and follow suit. This shows how little Charlie Gallagher cares about ethically conducting operations with clients and co-workers, as Joe Davis is being pressured into complying with Charlie’s demand because he does not want to risk losing his job even though what Charlie is telling him to do is illegal. Taking a look at the conflict process model we find our sources of conflict between, Gallagher, Davis and Steve Puhl from Symbol. The most obvious source is the communication between Gallagher and Puhl. First of all the contract between the two is too vague and open for interpretation as the service level targets have not been defined for almost two years. Charlie is also not communicating the issue of his understanding of the contract, as he is just assuming that they should not have to pay Symbol credit for not having the specified amount of IAE’s because he is claiming that during those times they had individuals in training to fill those positions. Another issue is that even if what Gallagher interpreted was true, he does not have any data to prove that he had employees in training because he failed to communicate to Chad MacDonald, Joe Davis and to Carole Lam the exact details of the contract. This puts Joe in a uncomfortable situation when he receives a call from Steve Puhl and is unsure what the contract requirements. Another source of conflict is the incompatible goals and differentiation between Charlie and Joe. Joe is simply trying to do the right thing because he is new to the company and wants to make a good impression by doing things ethically however Charlie is trying to make it seem like he is fulfilling the terms of the contract by making assumptions of the contract to get away with not having to pay Symbol their deserved credit. Another source of conflict is the scarcity of important resources. As mentioned previously Carole Lam the analyst was never told to keep data on the amount of days and which days that employees were in training. Joe needed this data to complete his work but obviously was unable to retrieve complete and accurate data on employee training. The way that Charlie seems to be handling this conflict is by avoiding communication with clients and co-workers. He is notorious for screening calls, he failed to show up to a meeting with Chad MacDonald and Joe Davis, and when asked how to calculate the credit owed to Symbol he simply tells Davis to use the lowest cost to save ConnectCo money and make himself look good. He also does not seem to be of much help to Joe Davis as Gallagher is the one who began this lack of communication which has led to faulty handling of Symbol’s credit account, and seems to be avoiding Joe Davis. This is causing the rest of the employees to obey his ideas beca use they have no idea what the contract actually calls for and even if they did know, would likely be unwilling to challenge his decisions because he is higher up in the company. Alternatives Alternative #1: Bring these numbers and issues to the President and CEO Pros| Cons| * Issues dealing with the Symbol account get addressed * Issues with the culture of the organization get addressed * Issues are addressed to an authority that can fix these problems and remove the negative counterculture * Keeps the organization from committing accounting fraud like other companies (Enron) * Brings to light all the ethical issues surrounding Charlie Gallagher and Chad MacDonald * Addresses turnover issues that have become routine in the company| * This act could cause tension between Joe and his direct superior (Gallagher) * There is a risk that the President sees this act as disloyal * Working with Gallagher and MacDonald after bringing their issues to light will be difficult moving forward * President/CEO may share the same dysfunctional attitude towards the culture in the organization| This alternative should include him making an appointment with the President/CEO and bringing analyst Carole Lam to help support his findings. She is well aware with the financial numbers and how Gallagher is letting ConnectCo take money from their top client. This meeting needs to be face-to-face in order to bring about the severity of the conflicting situation. The meeting needs to include all facets of the organizations current lack of corporate ethical values and which individuals must be held accountable. Joe must conclude that if there are immediate corporate culture changes, he would still like to keep working with Gallagher and MacDonald and build a trusting and functional working relationship with both. This will help ease the tension between himself and his immediate superior as well as showing the President that he is capable of handling mismanagement. This alternative is highly recommended and addresses all the facets of this situation. Alternative #2: Quit and find another job Pros| Cons| * Joe no longer has to deal with the resoundingly shaky ethical structure and poor communication at ConnectCo * Joe doesn’t become a â€Å"part of the problem† * Joe no longer has to deal with Gallagher’s lack of trust and consideration with their top clientele at his cost * Joe doesn’t become an accomplice to committing accounting fraud| * Leaving an organization after only one month doesn’t look good to future prospective employers * This would go against his newly engaged fiancà ©e who wanted to see him â€Å"get off the road† * No severance package * No recommendation or verbal support from ConnectCo once he leaves| This alternative does not come recommended as it leaves Joe and ConnectCo with an uncertain future. Should Joe decide to leave the company, he would not get a severance package and future employers will wonder why he lasted only a month at his previous job making it more difficult to find employment opportunities. Also, his fiancà ©e did not want his moving around for work a lot and two jobs in less than two months will leave his situation at home stressful. Also, should prospective employers contact ConnectCo, they would have no reason to support Joe for his limited work. Although Joe does not have to deal with this poor corporate culture, running away from the situation does not help in any positive way. Alternative #3: Try to resolve issue without Chad MacDonald or Charlie Gallagher Pros| Cons| * Helps ease relationship between ConnectCo and Symbol * Steve Puhl does not have to deal with Chad (who he is getting nowhere with) * Joe can try to incorporate cultural changes to those he can * Has Carole Lam to help him fix the financial disparities of the comapny| * Leaving Chad and Charlie in the dark is risky * Steve Puhl may accidently contact Chad or Charlie and miscommunication may occur * Does not address how to fix the imminent turnover issues surrounding the IAE’s * Not reporting these changes with his superior could cost him his job| Because Joe handles the reporting side of the company, it would go against his responsibilities as an employee to bring up any new information regarding Symbol and can be subject to his employment being terminated if Gallagher was to find out. This alternative is incredibly risky, but does see some rewards. These rewards include easing the relationship between ConnectCo and Symbol and slowly changing the culture in the corporation as best he can. Unfortunately, he is only just a manager and a new one, so it would be hard for him to get others to respond to his command when there hasn’t been enough relationship development between his other employees. With this in mind, it is best to look at other alternatives. Recommendation Our recommendation is based off of Alternative #1, in which we suggest brining the financial statements and issues to the attention of the President and CEO. This will allow us to ensure that all problems in relation to the Symbol account and the culture of the organization are addressed accordingly. This will also shed light on the ethical issues that need to be addressed, surrounding Gallagher and MacDonald. As well, it will prevent any consequences from occurring, resulting from accounting fraud. Once Joe Davis meets with the President and CEO to inform them of his findings, it will be up to the President to create and urgency for change within the organization. In order to implement this change we would recommend the use of Lewin’s Force Field Analysis Model. By implementing this model the President could unfreeze the current situation, change the organizational culture and ethics of the company, and then freeze the company in that state. By doing so the company would chan ge into operating with a more socially responsible client first attitude. By creating urgency for change the President could use client satisfaction as a driving force to push the employees, in order to ensure each client receives the customer service they deserve. By ensuring the client is always receiving social and ethical treatment, it will drive away any restraining forces, such as lack of integrity, which can be attributed to the accounting fraud. Now we can consider how the President could unfreeze and re-freeze the company in order to complete the change. The President should focus on creating an adaptive culture, in which the company will have an external focus. By creating an external focus the employees will realize that the organizations success depends on continuous change to be a more stakeholder and client oriented company. In this situation it means focusing on changing into a more socially and ethically aware organization to better serve the clients. There is also an internal focus that must be implemented as well. This includes employees working towards the organizational goals that are set. In this situation the organizational goals would be to provide better customer service. As well by creating an adaptive culture, employees would have a stronger sense of ownership within the organization, and therefore take more responsibility for their performance and tasks. Therefore we believe that since a company’s culture often reflects the leader’s personality, it really is up to the President to make the steps necessary to change the organization. One final step we would recommend taking, is to fire Charlie Gallagher. The basis of firing Gallagher is the fact that he was trying to commit accounting fraud. Therefore the company would have just cause for his dismissal. By firing Gallagher, this would also be the first step towards creating a socially and ethically driven company; Gallagher is simply a restraining force that is preventing the organization from making that move towards a better organizational culture. Action Plan Our recommendation is often referred to as whistle blowing, which is when a company employee goes public or to his superiors with private information that could hurt the company. This technique is usually used when social and ethical responsibilities are being neglected or ignored. While it may seem simple enough, the process is far from smooth and the employee doing the whistle blowing is often made out to be a burnt out low level employee who is unhappy. So before Joe does anything of the sort he must be prepared for anything to happen. The best way to approach this alternative would be: 1. Collect all relevant information and be prepared to present your case and be able to answer any and all questions 2. No president of CEO wants to hear that their company’s values and ethics are being compromised, so he must prepare a plan B in order to protect himself from media and personal scrutiny. 3. Joe must schedule a face-to-face meeting with the CEO to ensure that there is no outs ide noise or misinterpretations with his information and language 4. When presenting his findings, Joe must deliver his message in a way that is not an attack or critique. He must not point out what is wrong but what needs to be improved and why. 5. As part of his presentation Joe needs to incorporate his own recommendations and action plan. Once he goes through with this meeting there is not turning back. The recommendation and action plan should follow a similar tone to what was mentioned above, it should not only identify the problems but what needs to be done to fix them and how to go about fixing them. 6. After the meeting is over all Joe can do is wait for the decisions by the CEO and board of governors. At this point in time a lot of different things can happen and Joe needs to be prepared for any outcome. The optimistic outcome would be to have your action plan ready to implement and begin fixing the company. The pessimistic outcome would be that they reject his action plan and making his career a nightmare. If this were the case Joe should be prepared to look for another job, or be prepared to defend himself from public scrutiny. Joe is caught in the middle of a lose-lose situation, so his best alternative is the lesser of two evils. It is difficult being the new guy in a company, especially when you’re the one telling that what they are doing is wrong. However, sometimes it takes an outside perspective to identify the problems that have gone unnoticed for too long. If Joe can present a clear and strong case that does not personally offend the CEO, and present the opportunities for improvement, the process should run as smooth as possible.