Saturday, December 28, 2019
How to Avoid Burying the Lede of Your News Story
Every semester I give students a news writing exercise from my book about a doctor who is giving a speech about fad diets and physical fitness to a group of local businesspeople. Midway through his speech, the good doctor collapses of a heart attack. He dies en route to the hospital. The news of the story may seem obvious, but a few of my students will invariably write a lede that goes something like this: Dr. Wiley Perkins gave a speech to a group of businesspeople yesterday about the problems with fad diets. Whats the problem? The writer has left the most important and newsworthy aspect of the story - the fact that the doctor died of a heart attack - out of the lede. Typically the student who does this will put the heart attack somewhere near the end of the story. Thats called burying the lede, and its something that beginning journalists have done for eons. Its something that drives editors absolutely nuts. So how can you avoid burying the lede of your next news story? Here are some tips: Think about whats most important and newsworthy: When you cover an event, think about what part of it, whether its a press conference, lecture, legislative hearing or city council meeting, is likely to be the most newsworthy. What happened that will affect the greatest number of your readers? Chances are thats what should be in the lede.Think about what you find most interesting: If youre hard-pressed to figure out whats most newsworthy, think about what YOU found most interesting. Experienced reporters know that all people are basically the same, meaning we generally find the same things interesting. (Example: Who doesnt slow down to gawk at a car wreck on the highway?) If you find something interesting, chances are your readers will as well, meaning it should be in your lede.Forget chronology: Too many beginning reporters write about events in the order in which they occurred. So if theyre covering a school board meeting, theyll start their story with the fact that the board began by reciting the pledge of allegiance. But no one cares about that; people reading your story want to know what the board did. So dont worry about the order of events; put the most newsworthy parts of the meeting at the top of your story, even if they occurred midway through or at the end.Focus on actions: If youre covering a meeting, such as a city council or school board hearing, youre going to hear lots of talks. Thats what elected officials do. But think about what actions were taken during the meeting. What concrete resolutions or measures were passed that will affect your readers? Remember the old saying: Actions speak louder than words. And in a news story, actions generally should go in the lede.Remember the inverted pyramid: The inverted pyramid, the format for news stories, represents the idea that the heaviest, or most important, news in a story goes at the very top, while the most lightweight, or least important news, goes at the bottom. Apply that to the event youre cove ring and itll probably help you find your lede.Look for the unexpected: Remember that news by its very nature is usually the unexpected occurrence, the deviation from the norm. (Example: Its not news if a plane lands safely at the airport, but its definitely news if it crashes on the tarmac.) So apply that to the event youre covering. Did anything happen that those present didnt expect or plan on? What came as a surprise or even a shock? Chances are, if something out of the ordinary happened, it should be in your lede. Like when a doctor has a heart attack in the middle of a speech.
Friday, December 20, 2019
Children With Adhd At The Age Of Eight - 835 Words
My oldest nephew was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of eight and as he was growing up, it was really tough to understand and control him. He would be very impulsive, disobedient and would constantly pace around the house along with periods of hyperactivity. When he would get his report card sent home, some of his teachers would write a note saying that he constantly called out in class without raising his hand, shake his legs uncontrollably, got out of his seat to walk around or disrupt the other kids and have such short attention span. The thing about all of those disturbances, he maintained very good grades and is a very smart kid. As he got older, he began to learn about the triggers and where his ADHD would kick in and heââ¬â¢s doing great now; heââ¬â¢ll still have his moments where the ADHD will kick in, but it is much better present day. And he was never administered medication or therapy; he learned how to push the urges away but allow them to come out when the surroundi ngs were not overwhelming. ADHD is another term I believe is loosely used and thrown around like Bipolar Disorder because some people are just not good at holding a focus. It takes a lot to begin with to hold our focus on something for a good amount of time and a lot of people immediately resort to saying they have ADHD when focus is limited. Thatââ¬â¢s unfair to those who are actually diagnosed or suffer the same symptoms but are not diagnosed yet. I cannot say I have every experienced what it is like to haveShow MoreRelatedAdhd : Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay714 Words à |à 3 PagesADHD is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a condition affecting how children and adults pay attention or control impulsive behaviors. 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Among the questions of precursors to substance abuse, lies the hypothesis that individuals diagnosed with Attention Deficit HyperactivityRead MoreAdhd Case Study1043 Words à |à 5 PagesFlorida Hospital for Children for an epilepsy and/or ADHD evaluation. The current study will utilize a smaller subset of the subjects (N=107) due to the following requirements: 1) Participants must be between the ages of 5 and 18 years at the time of baseline neuropsychological assessment. 2) The epileptic participants were diagnosed by a neurologist/epileptologist following a neurological evaluation which included a clinical interview and electroencephalography (EEG). 3) The ADHD participants wereRead MoreAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder is an anxiety disorder that affects the behavior of many600 Words à |à 3 Pagesaffects the behavior of many people. ADHD symptoms such as impulsiveness and inattentiveness may begin in childhood and continue into adulthood. 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The symptoms include difficulty staying focused, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity. The inability to stay focused and the increased chance of misbehavior in a classroom can jeopardize a classroomââ¬â¢s success rate. The main goal that this student is striving for is toRead More Behavior Disorders in Children: A Look at ADD ADHD Essay888 Words à |à 4 Pages In todayââ¬â¢s society children can be super ramped up especially with all the sugar and junk food lying around. Most parents may start to wonder if sugar or a short temper is all that is affecting their child. A child can exhibit multiple signs of anything when observed closely enough. Many parents do not want to acknowledge that their child may have an issue far beyond their control. According to the article, Children Who Have Attentional Disorders: Diagnosis and Evaluation.â⬠which can be foundRead MoreThe Emotional Development Of Young Children1085 Words à |à 5 PagesThe emotional development in young children plays a very important role throughout their lives especially in their education. From birth to about eight years of age, children are learning the meaning behind each emotion and how to appropriately use them to express themselves. Erik Erikson, psychologist, created an 8 socioemotional stage development theory explaining what skills were being developed at certain ages. Parental monitoring is important during childhood to determine their emotional progressRead MoreEssay about Children and ADHD Medications1305 Words à |à 6 PagesChildren and ADHD Medications What is attention deficit hyper disorder? ADHD is a ââ¬Å"chronic condition that affects pre-school or very young school children (Zivkovic 3822). ADHD symptoms are difficulty sustaining attention, impulsive behavior and hyper activity (3822). There was a research conducted by Cordest hat ADHD prevails in 3 to 5% of preschoolers and is more common in boys than in girls (3822). Children as young as three and four years of age are being diagnosed with ADHD and are being
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Corporation Laws free essay sample
Week commencing: Monday, 20. 05. 13 Tutorial 4: Corporate Finance and Liability Note: Focus in this tutorial is on corporate contracting Problem Set 12: Read Chapter 23. 1. FWPL has traditionally transported its wine using a fleet of trucks that it owns. It is considering selling the fleet of trucks, which should sell for approximately $3 million. FWPLââ¬â¢s Board of Directors has not yet made a final decision to sell the trucks. Would a contract of sale be enforceable by the purchaser if the contract was executed: (a) By being signed by Nick Galli for and on behalf of FWPL b) By being signed by Mario Galli for and on behalf of FWPL (c) By the FWPL common seal being fixed in the presence of, and witnessed by, Nick Galli and Pia Galli (d) By being signed by Nick Galli and Pia Galli (e) By being signed by Mario Galli and his friend Ryan Booker (Ryan does not work for FWPL). See 23-200 ââ¬â 23-400, 25-390 and ss127 and 129 Corporations Act Overview: * Contracting with a company requires both formal authority and substantive authority. * Section 127(1) Corporations Act, * Section 127 gives formal authority to sign documents. To establish substantive authority (in the absence of a board resolution) the party to the contract would need to show that the officers or agents have enough actual or apparent authority to bind the company. * There are two types of authority that an agent of a company might have: * actual authority; * apparent authority. (a) By being signed by Nick Galli for and on behalf of FWPL Is Nick a director of FWPL? Yes/No Does he have formal authority to sign by himself under s127? Yes/No Why? Does he have substantive authority? Yes/No Why? Actual authority means: Has the board made a decision? Yes/No Does Nick have express actual authority to sign the contract? Yes/No Why? Implied authority: Powers that attach to a particular office/position/customary/ acquiescence. Customary authority: Brick and Pipe Industries Ltd v Occidental Life Nominees Pty Ltd. Acquiescence means: Acquiescence: Brick and Pipe Industries Ltd v Occidental Life Nominees Pty Ltd (1992). Nick would/would not have customary authority as a single director. There are/are not circumstances of acquiescence. b) By being signed by Mario Galli for and on behalf of FWPL Who is Mario? Does Mario have formal authority to sign under s127? Yes/No Why? Does he have substantive authority? Yes/No Why? * Hely-Hutchinson v Brayhead Ltd. * Entwells Pty Ltd v National and General Insurance Co Ltd) * Corpers (No 664) Pty Ltd v NZI Securities Australia Ltd) The transaction of selling the trucks would/would not be within a MDââ¬â¢s authority. (c) By the FWPL common seal being fixed in the presence of, and witnessed by, Nick Galli and Pia Galli * Does this contract comply with s127? Yes/No How? * Is substantive authority assisted by the statutory assumptions in the indoor management rule? Yes/No How? * Section 129(6): Note ââ¬Ëappearsââ¬â¢ * If s129(6) applies, then any purchaser can assume that the contract has been validly signed. * Section 129(2): what can any purchaser assume? * Effect of s 128(4) ââ¬Ëknew or suspectedââ¬â¢ Conclusion: Would an ordinary purchaser in this situation actually have knowledge or suspicion about the conduct of FWPLââ¬â¢s affairs? Yes/No Possibly? (d) By being signed by Nick Galli and Pia Galli Would the position be altered? Consider s 127. Yes/No Why? Does s 129(5) apply? Yes/No Why? ââ¬ËAppearsââ¬â¢ Additionally, what assumption can be made using s 129(2)? (e) By being signed by Mario Galli and his friend Ryan Booker (Ryan does not work for FWPL). Who is Mario? Does he have formal authority to sign by himself under s127? Yes/No Why? Who is Ryan? Do we have any information concerning his role? Does he have formal authority to sign under s127? Yes/No/Do not know Does he have substantive authority? Yes/No/Do not know How can his authority be determined? Fiberi case Is there insufficient information to determine his role? Yes/No In these circumstances, could a purchaser rely on the IMR s129(2)? Yes/No Conclusion: Consider Marioââ¬â¢s position re Part B: Reasonable conclusion 2. Would your answer in any case be different if, unknown to the purchaser, FWPL had a constitution and clause 35 of the constitution said ââ¬Å"a proposed sale of all or a substantial part of the companyââ¬â¢s main undertaking must be approved by ordinary resolution of the shareholders in general meetingâ⬠, and this has not been obtained? See 23-560 * Section 129(1) Corporations Act * The answer would/would not be different. 3. Would your answer to 1(b) be different if Mario Galli had never formally been appointed as Managing Director, although he acted with the consent of the other directors in that capacity? See 23-440 and Brick and Pipe Industries Ltd v Occidental Life Nominees Pty Ltd * Substantive authority: either actual authority or apparent * Actual authority can be express or implied. * Implied authority can arise several ways office/position/customary/ acquiescence. Brick and Pipe Industries Ltd v Occidental Life Nominees Pty Ltd. * Selling the trucks is/is not within the usual scope of running the business. * Conclusion: If yes, company is/is not bound. 4. Would your answer to 1(e) be different if Mario Galli had introduced Ryan Booker to the General Counsel (chief in-house lawyer) of the purchaser as the Company Secretary of FWPL? See 23-440 ââ¬â 23-450 and Who is Ryan? The facts do/do not tell us. How has Ryan been introduced? See question In (e) what type of authority, if any, did Ryan have? What is substantive authority? Actual or apparent. What is apparent authority? * Freeman amp; Lockyer v Buckhurst Park Properties (Mangal) Ltd * Crabtree-Vickers Pty Ltd v Australian Direct Mail Advertising and Addressing Co Pty Ltd * Brick and Pipe Industries Ltd v Occidental Life Nominees Pty Ltd Does the introduction amount to a representation? Brick amp; Pipe Yes/No Why? Conclusion: * Mario has/has not customary authority as MD * Ryan has/has not customary authority by being represented as secretary. * Could a purchaser rely on the indoor management rule s 129(2) that Ryan is an officer? Yes/No Why?
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Leadership Behaviors and Subordinate Resilience â⬠MyAssignmenthelp
Question: Discuss about the Leadership Behaviors and Subordinate Resilience. Answer: Introduction The success of a business organization is dependent upon the leadership and the organization culture. In the recent years, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia has suffered from several cases of corporate frauds and money-laundering scandals. These cases show that there is some serious issue in corporate culture and the leadership style of the organization. Since 2011, the Managing Director and the CEO of Commonwealth Bank of Australia is Ian Narev. It is the largest company of Australia by market capitalization. Ian joined the company as the Group Head of Business Strategy. Since 2009, Ian was given diversified job roles of Group Executive, Business and Private Banking, SME banking and CommSec retail brokerage business. He was a tenured and talented candidate focused on developing the organization culture in several different ways. He introduced new technologies to enhance the customer engagement with the organization, enhancing the employee productivity, adapting new business regulations, and developing a customer-centric and value-driven culture (Bolman Deal, 2017). Ian is well-educated and director of Business Council of Australia and International Monetary Conference. As the CEO of CBA, Ian promotes workplace diversity and positive organization culture at the workplace. He has a broad view and believes that diversity can increase the productivity at the workplace. He also promotes leadership and inclusion of disabled people and older people at the workplace. His initiatives have yielded positive results and resulted in high diversity in terms of religion, sexual orientation, and ethnic background (Willaims, 2015). However, in the recent years, the organization has been plagued by different corporate scandals in the insurance industry, financial planning and the money laundering cases. It can be stated that these scandals are the results weaknesses in the leadership style and the corporate strategy of the organization (Antonakis Day, 2017). With the analysis of these scandals and the management intention of Ian Narev, it can be stated that the intention of the management is good; however, there are certain loopholes, which has given the middle management autonomy. They have taken certain decisions, which have resulted in negative outcomes for the society as well as for the organization. With this analysis, it can be discussed that the leadership strategy of Ian Narev is Laissez-faire leadership style (Fairhurst Connaughton, 2014). It is a delegate leadership, in which the leaders allow the group members to take certain decisions. However, this leadership style results in lowest productivity among the group members. The most prominent characteristics of Laissez-faire leadership style are that the employees receive very little guidance from the leaders. It also provides significant freedom to the followers so that they can take easy decisions. In this leadership style, the power is handed over to the followers; however, the leader is responsible for all the decisions (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt Van Engen, 2003). The conventional Laissez-faire leadership style is the leadership approach, in which the leaders adopt a hands-off approach. These business leaders remain open to the different group members for consultation and feedback. The leaders provide direction to the team members; however, the employees are allowed to complete their job with little oversight. The approach to leadership is effective, if the employees are responsible, expert and trustworthy. The leaders should feel confident that the employees of the organization have the necessary skills, knowledge and capable of managing the projects without any supervision (Skogstad, Einarsen, Torsheim, Aasland Hetland, 2007). However, there are certain pitfalls of this type of leadership style. The leadership style is not ideal, if the people lack the experience or the knowledge to make certain decisions. The leadership style is associated with poor job performance, leader effectiveness and lack of group satisfaction (Xirasagar, 2008). There are several negative sides of Laisez-faire style, which are lack of awareness, involvement with the group, low accountability and passive behavior towards the organization (Hinkin Schriesheim, 2008). The money-laundering scandal was a result of the negligence from the management of the organization. The ASIC is investigating CBA for regulatory uncompliant behavior. It is evaluating if the organization has complied by the regular disclosure laws. The organization should also immediately alert the investors of any suspicious behavior. The ASIC committee suspected that the bank might have played some foul play and has not complied with the licensing obligations. The public and the media criticized the board of the bank regarding the money laundering allegations; however, Norak rejected the criticism. He stated that the organization is very large in size and therefore, they have developed several autonomous teams, which has to be managed by the investors and the regulators (Ryan, 2017). There were other issues as well. The public relations of the organization were not appropriate, which created several issues in the mishandling of trust and the public confidence (Butler and Johnston, 2014). There has been a lack of financial planning and foresight in the introduction of the financial policies in the organization. The financial planning scandal has led to several questions regarding the leadership style of Ian Narev and whether he will be capable of handling the financial crisis. The current decisions of the CEO states that he has very static style to handle the financial planning crisis. As a result, the customers, companies and the captains of the organization have also accused the company of hubris (Jones Rudd, 2008). The lack of foresight can also be perceived by the personal career growth of CEO of the organization. The career growth of Ian shows that there is lack of career planning. The current annual package of Narev is the lowest, which shows that he has not negotiated properly with the Board of Directors. Further, it can be critiqued that Ian follows transactional leadership style. This style demonstrates a lack of vision, as the leader is focused on running the day to day operations of the organization rather than leading the organization for the future growth. The business leaders make the followers comply by the rules and regulations with the help of rewards and punishment. These leaders set goals and explicit agreements with the followers of the organization. They also increase the efficiency and establishing routines in the organization (Amanchukwu, Stanley Ololube, 2015). These leaders are focused on establishing rules and making the followers to work accordingly. Diversity and inclusion are important criteria for the transactional leaders. They consciously seek diverse talent to build a competent workforce. They emphasize building and working with heterogeneous teams by understanding the significance of diversity and inclusion in the business enterprise. Ian Norak also emphasizes the importance of diversity in the organization (Harland, Harrison, Jones Reiter-Palmon, 2005). The recruitment and the talent management department of the organization emphasize the inclusion criteria and try to select the employees from different walks of life. Along with it, Ian Norav has also been a good leader and mentor for the employees. The mentoring relationship is crucial for the corporate to develop the human resources. It is the process, which can be used to emphasize the growth and talent of the employees. Norav has introduced a unique organization culture, in which the employees are given freedom and flexibility. They are also provided opportunity to develop their talent within the organization. There are several training and development programs within the organization, which are dedicated towards the employee growth (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt Van Engen, 2003). Other than that, there are several leadership development programs, which are dedicated towards to develop the future leaders of the organization. The organization culture also promotes diversity and empowerment of the employees. The employees are given autonomy so that they can control their growth. Other than that, the organization culture of the bank is positive and flexible. The employees have a flexible work schedule. However, since the privacy and security is the major concern for the banks, proper training is provided (Chaudhry Javed, 2012). The bank has fixed timings and the employees should follow them. Conclusion It can be concluded that the leadership style of Isan Norak is that of Laissez-faire style. . It also provides significant freedom to the followers so that they can take easy decisions. In this leadership style, the power is handed over to the followers; however, the leader is responsible for all the decisions. The employees were capable of conducting fraud, due to the freedom provided to them. There has been a lack of financial planning and foresight in the introduction of the financial policies in the organization. It also shows the issues in the leadership style of the CEO. Since 2011, he has been the Managing Director and the CEO of Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is the largest company of Australia by market capitalization; however, his compensation has been low. References Amanchukwu, R. N., Stanley, G. J., Ololube, N. P. (2015). A review of leadership theories, principles and styles and their relevance to educational management.Management,5(1), 6-14. Antonakis, J., Day, D. V. (Eds.). (2017).The nature of leadership. Sage publications. Bolman, L. G., Deal, T. E. (2017).Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. London: John Wiley Sons. Butler, B. and Johnston, E. (2014). Commonwealth Bank's Ian Narev fast to rise, but slow to move. The Sydney Morning Herald. [Online]. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/commonwealth-banks-ian-narev-fast-to-rise-but-slow-to-move-20140704-3bdug.html [Accessed on: 29 March 2018]. Chaudhry, A. Q., Javed, H. (2012). Impact of transactional and laissez faire leadership style on motivation.International Journal of Business and Social Science,3(7). Eagly, A. H., Johannesen-Schmidt, M. C., Van Engen, M. L. (2003). Transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles: a meta-analysis comparing women and men.Psychological bulletin,129(4), 569. Eagly, A. H., Johannesen-Schmidt, M. C., Van Engen, M. L. (2003). Transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles: a meta-analysis comparing women and men.Psychological bulletin,129(4), 569. Fairhurst, G. T., Connaughton, S. L. (2014). Leadership: A communicative perspective.Leadership,10(1), 7-35. Harland, L., Harrison, W., Jones, J. R., Reiter-Palmon, R. (2005). Leadership behaviors and subordinate resilience.Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies,11(2), 2-14. Hinkin, T. R., Schriesheim, C. A. (2008). An examination of" nonleadership": From laissez-faire leadership to leader reward omission and punishment omission.Journal of Applied Psychology,93(6), 1234. Jones, D., Rudd, R. (2008). Transactional, Transformational, or Laissez-Faire Leadership: An Assessment of College of Agriculture Academic Program Leaders'(Deans) Leadership Styles.Journal of Agricultural Education,49(2), 88-97. Ryan, P. (2017). Commonwealth Bank: ASIC to investigate CBA over money-laundering scandal. ABC News. [Online]. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-11/asic-to-investigate-cba/8796542 [Accessed on: 29 March 2018]. Skogstad, A., Einarsen, S., Torsheim, T., Aasland, M. S., Hetland, H. (2007). The destructiveness of laissez-faire leadership behavior.Journal of occupational health psychology,12(1), 80. Williams, M. (2015). Why workplace diversity matters to Ian Narev. FinSia. [Online]. Available at: https://www.finsia.com/insights/news/news-article/2015/01/15/why-workplace-diversity-matters-to-ian-narev [Accessed on: 29 March 2018]. Xirasagar, S. (2008). Transformational, transactional and laissez-faire leadership among physician executives.Journal of Health organization and management,22(6), 599-613.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Homer, the Iliad
Historical background The Iliad by Homer is more of myth art than factual historical happening. It considered as has a great Greece mythology. It is known to have contributed greatly to the western civilization (Kershaw 34). More often, the Iliad is referred to as the Song of Ilion. It is an ancient Greek poem and its setting is on the Trojan War in which the Troy city was blockaded for 10 years. Troy is a union of several Greeks states. The poem seeks to illustrate on the battles between Agamemnon the King and the warriors Achilles.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Homer, the Iliad specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The famous Iliad poem is one of the oldest literatures in the western nations. Actually, no one can exactly tell the precise time during which the poem was written. Little is known concerning its author. Some books assert that the composition is dated back to around 8 century BC. However, current stati stical models grounded on language evolution indicate that the literature was written between 760 and 710 BC. The literature is made up of about 15693 verse lines and is written in Homeric, which is a Greek language that emerged from a combination of Greek and other dialects. The Iliad poem only covers a brief final week of the Trojan War. Homerââ¬â¢s works have influenced several poets such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Chaucer over centuries. Over 2700 years the Iliad has remained the greatest war story in the West. The summary of the book It is notable that Iliad myth has undergone several changes over centuries. The original Homerââ¬â¢s story has been greatly interfered and readers should be careful while reading it. The Iliad story begins at almost the end of the Trojan War during besiege by the Greeks (Fagles Bernard 3). We encounter a cleric by the name Chryses who gives out some possessions to the Greeks in exchange for her daughter, Cheryseis, who had been imprisoned b y Agamemnon. Agamemnon was the Greek leader. Unfortunately, Agamemnon rejects the offer. Thereafter, Chryseis prays to Apolo who sends plaques to devour the Greek army. Later, Achilles the leader of Myridon calls a meeting to find a solution to the plaques. The pressure of the plaques forces Agamemnon to release Chryseis and takes Achilles Breseis as compensation (Lombardo 57). The Odysseus takes Chryseis via ship to her father. Thereafter, Achilles and his men declare not to fight anymore for Agamemnon and retreats to their homes. Apolo ends the plaque when Chryseis reunites with her father. Later, Achilles requests his mother, Thetis, to negotiate for the intervention of the Trojans from the hands of Eam Zeus. Zeus agrees and through a dream, he urges Agamemnon to attack the city. Agamemnon accepts the plea; however, he hesitates to test Greek armyââ¬â¢s morale. The plan fails and it takes the intervention of the Odysseus who confronts and beats the ordinary soldiers. This lead s to the deployment of companies by the Greeks onto the Trojan plain. King Priam soldiers attend the occasion. On the plains, they meet with the Greeks.Advertising Looking for report on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Before the armies approached each other, Paris terminates the war. In turn, he fights a duel with Menelaus as suggested by his brother who was the leader of the Trojan army. Both rivals agree to respect the outcomes of the duel fight. Paris is defeated and later Aphoride rescues him and takes him to bed before being killed by Menelaus. Later, a war broke out forcing the heroes as well as the commanders such as Hector to join the battle. During the battle, many Greeks are killed. My perspective and understanding After reading and analyzing this narrative, I can affirm that the authorââ¬â¢s story has changed my perspective and understanding of the Iliad poetic works. The informal narrators have passed down some of the stories focused by the book over from generation to generation (Powell 26). Some authors have written books based on these storytellersââ¬â¢ understandings. Notably, these books are not reliable as they depend on here say. Compared to these books, the above narrative provided me with facts. The author supports his narratives with several historical and archeological evidences. For instance, he asserts that the epics were composed at around 650 to 750 BC in Mycenaean, Greece. Equally, the author asserts that the Greece Bronze Age witnessed several great kingdoms. This account is supported the archeologist by the name Heinrich who discovered the ruins of the Troy city. Recommendations to students I recommend this book to other students because it is rich of literature. This implies that students can learn a lot from it. Over the years, the book has inspired several writers and poets. Even the scholars find the story of the Iliad by Homer very outstandi ng (Carter 45). They believe that the oral poetries contained in the book are useful for all readers. It builds the student skill of narrating of the poetry. Similarly, the book offers a deeper understanding of literature to students. In addition, the book expands the understanding about poetry enabling them to think broadly when analyzing poems and related arts. Works Cited Carter, Maureen. A laymanââ¬â¢s guide to the poet Homer. Athens: Efstathiadis Group, 1998. Print. Fagles, Robert, and Bernard Knox. The Iliad. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Viking, 1990. Print.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Homer, the Iliad specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Kershaw, Stephen. A brief guide to the Greek myths. London: Robinson, 2007. Print. Lombardo, Stanley. The essential Homer : selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000. Print. Powell, Barry B.. Homer. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2004. Print. This report on Homer, the Iliad was written and submitted by user Adele O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Revamp Your Resume 21 Mistakes to Avoid
Revamp Your Resume 21 Mistakes to Avoid 1. Broad, vague examples of work experienceââ¬Å"Essentially,â⬠ââ¬Å"Basically,â⬠ââ¬Å"More or lessâ⬠= I am trying to hide what my real job was and pretend I had a different job. Use numbers, facts, and measurable results to make the case that you were a productive and engaged employee.2. Listing duties instead of accomplishmentsThink about how to frame your sometimes mundane daily to-dos as achievements: ââ¬Å"Successfully coordinated office staff meetings and payroll,â⬠ââ¬Å"Completed annual reorganization of the medical library on schedule and with innovative twist on the Dewey Decimal systemâ⬠, etc.3. A watered-down, generic objectiveââ¬Å"The opportunity of a lifetimeâ⬠ââ¬Å"The career that touches the hearts of Americaâ⬠ââ¬Å"Great opportunity in office settingâ⬠ââ¬Å"Seeking a desk with chairâ⬠If you canââ¬â¢t do better than these, skip the objective.4. A one-size-fits-all vibeI know itââ¬â¢s tempting to try to be the ideal candidate for any and every job that crosses your path, but the truth is itââ¬â¢s a) impossible and b) going to result in a super boring resume. Be your poised, professional self on the page- tailor your experience to the specific responsibilities the job seeks. Donââ¬â¢t try to be all things to all people.5. Incorrect contact informationMake sure your address, phone, and professional email (not skateboarderyahoo@hotmail.com, please) are all up to date and spelled correctly. You donââ¬â¢t want to lose a gig because they had to track you down by carrier pigeon.6. Too much creativityWhat so swirly fonts and elaborate stationary and clip art all have in common? They have no business migrating from your scrapbook to your resume. Keep it clean and sharp and polished. A resumeà should not look like an art project.7. Typos and grammatical errorsHave an exceptionally literate friend read your resume. Then turn it upside down and read one line at a time with a ruler- itââ¬â¢s the best way to spot typos once your brain has started skimming from over-exposure.8. Emphasis on irrelevant previous positionsWhen I applied for my first editorial positions, I still had my Build-a-Bear Workshop summer on my resume. It came off immediately after I was hired. It was also buried on the second page right above my exemplary skills with Excel and Powerpoint.9. Excessive personal informationAvoid mentioning political affiliations, religious organizations, or any reference to being a ââ¬Å"bright and hopeful spirit.â⬠You never know what will be read as controversial or inappropriate, and you donââ¬â¢t want to find out by pushing someoneââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"autodeleteâ⬠button.10. ââ¬Å"References available upon request.â⬠Unless you are Captain Obvious applying for an unnecessary superhero job, this one comes with the territory. Presumably somewhere you have worked before there is at least one living soul who can verify your general fitness fo r employment.11. Salary history and/or salary requirementsItââ¬â¢s like having dessert at a wedding- wait until itââ¬â¢s offered.12. ââ¬Å"Resumeâ⬠as the titleYour name should be front and center at the top of your resume, with the job youââ¬â¢re applying for as the optional ââ¬Å"titleâ⬠beneath your name.13. Your present employerââ¬â¢s letterheadIââ¬â¢ve been trying to decide whether this is tacky or just dumb for 10 minutes.14. More than 2 pagesAn important caveat here is if youââ¬â¢ve been asked to prepare a CV (curriculum vitae), which is most common in academic jobs- if they ask for everything, they want everything. Otherwise, curate and edit it down to 2 pages, max.15. Handwritten notes or correctionsOn my very first job application I was so nervous I kept having to white out my answers to routine questions like ââ¬Å"Why do you want to work at the snack barâ⬠. But then I was 12, and on the swim team, so I had an excuse. You are a grown up and it is 2015. You do not.16. Piling your job-related skills and experience at the bottomThis is really the only thing employers care about. They read everything else to be polite. Put it up top!17. Non-specific keywordsââ¬Å"Enthusiastic.â⬠ââ¬Å"Focused.â⬠ââ¬Å"Detail-Oriented.â⬠ââ¬Å"Team Player.â⬠Delete, delete, delete, delete.18. Old and outdated experienceAlways update your skills and your work history as soon as the offer letter is dry; if youââ¬â¢re filling in gaps due to illness or family obligations, see if you can capture the experience you gained from volunteer opportunities to cover time when you would ordinarily have been working.19. Pictures of yourselfI recently read about a Portland Trailblazerââ¬â¢s cheerleading audition. They had to turn in headshots. And their measurements. It was grim. Unless youââ¬â¢re heading to a dance callback, ditch the selfies. Donââ¬â¢t describe your physical characteristics or appearance either.20. Honorable mentionsHigh school certificates, participation ribbons, scholarly awards (unless youââ¬â¢re going for a job with some research components), eating contests, beauty pageantsâ⬠¦ unless somehow you know for 100% sure itââ¬â¢s relevant, leave it off and stick to the transferable skills.21. Reasons why you left a company or positionThe time to finesse ââ¬Å"I flipped my bossââ¬â¢s desk over and kicked the copier down the stairsâ⬠is in your second in-person interview, if you get one (mention your ââ¬Å"uncontainable passionâ⬠for your job). On your resume, donââ¬â¢t get defensive or feel like you need to explain your start and stop dates.à Resume Mistakes ââ¬â 21 Things NOT To Include On Your Resumeà Read More at www.medreps.com
Thursday, November 21, 2019
APPLE INCORPORATED Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
APPLE INCORPORATED - Research Paper Example As of August 2010, the association began working 300 retail stores in ten countries and an online store where fittings and modifying things available to be purchased. Made on April 1, 1976 in Cupertino, California, and combined January 3, 1977, the association was aforetime designated Apple Computer, Inc., for its first 30 years, yet scatterbrained the proclamation "Computer" on January 9, 2007 to reflect the association's endless wander into the client fittings promote in mixture with its customary concentrate on Pcs (Livingstone, 37). Establishment and advancement Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, created Apple Computer in the 1976 out of the silicon valley. From the Apple Ii microcomputer familiar in 1977 with the Macintosh exhibited in 1984, Apple Computer has transformed into one of the heading machine originators on the planet. On the other hand, Apple's pace of the generally business fell as competition from Microsofts' Windows and the comparably efficient Ibm Personal machines wh ich were great machines that moved the business division in 1990s. This was the pivotal turning point for Apple from a beneficially lucrative association to an endeavour with debilitating cash identified incidents. Apple, made a couple of movements turn the business around yet again. On May 2001, Apple pronounced the opening of the Apple retail stores in critical Us client zones. These files were planned to stem the tide of Apple's declining partition of the machine publicize and to nullify a poor record of promoting, Apple things with their-assembling retail outlets. What's more, Apple introduced its first ipod conveyable electronic sound player later that year. It was a completely early item offering of its workstation business. Not long after the showing of ipod, itunes Store was made to offer online music downloads for Us 99 pennies a musical amalgamation for its ipod lines. Notwithstanding music, more than 2200 system shows, circulated full-length films from Disney. This extern al examination of Apple Corporation utilizes a mix of Porter's Five Forces, complementors, and parts of a Pest examination to investigate the danger levels in Apple's inclination. The logical arrangement is an amalgam of the sundry models, certain things are broken out for phenomenal thought underneath. The human resource hiring process Regularly, the meeting process is fluctuated. A few applicants share in 4 meetings with 4-5 individuals at once while others, contingent upon the position, may be subjected to the same amount as 10 meetings. A portion of the more key inquiries touch on why somebody needs to work for Apple with one candidate noting that they're testing for "obsessive brand grip.", The interviews at Apple inc are quite tricky in that they are follow up questions to the questions that are asked in a normal interview. One of the ways that one can get to work for apple more easily is wen they had an internship there. In the process there also includes brain teasers for on e to prove they are well endowed in the mathematics section. Strategies and executions Before all else, in order to get a vigor about that nature's domain, an audit of Apple is publicized. Mac is incorporated in two associations: the Pc market and the regalement as well as the market of the media. Its ways have been to fuse its punctual
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Recent cancer research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Recent cancer research - Essay Example Li C, Heidt DG, Dalerba P et .al (2007) has found that stem cells cause cancer in blood, breast, brain, prostate, ovary .The recent findings on the role of stem cells in causing cancer in pancreas also been stated in the study. In order to determine the mode of therapeutic intervention, it is quite critical to understand and define the specific stem cell where the cancer has originated. The study by Clarke, Michael F., Becker & Michael W (2008) has explained the potential of the stem cells in turning malignant and serves as the root of the cause of cancer. Further it has been stated that the stem cells promotes the growth of new cancer cells, and are considered as the origin of malignancy itself. In this regard these cells are termed as cancer stem cells. The study has also suggested the chances of these cells being normal stem cells at the origin or premature stage and they undergoing a malignant transformation in the growth stage. The authors urge the need for an accurate understanding on the transformation process in order to target the precise cancer stem cells in the process of cancer treatment or prevention. It is quite important to characterize and differentiate the normal human stem cells and the cancer initiating cells in order to have further knowledge on cancer therapy. A number of studies have evaluated the role of a number of antibodies on the Normal Stem Cells and the Malignant cells which is capable of Initiating Cancer. Donald J. Vander Griend, Wouter L. Karthaus, Susan Dalrymple, Alan Meeker, Angelo M. DeMarzo and John T. Isaacs have studied the role of the antibody CD 133 in Cancer. The study suggested that Androgen Receptor expressing prostate Cancer-Initiating Cells (CICs) is derived from malignantly transformed intermediate cells. (Donald J et. al, 2008). The importance of identification of stem cells has been asserted by Tuch, Bernard E. The study summarizes that the
Monday, November 18, 2019
Watch vedio, answer the question Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Watch vedio, answer the question - Coursework Example Analyzing Friedmanââ¬â¢s idea, one can provide one serious objection to it. In particular, given that the activity of the corporations has a direct impact on the lives of many people, they should be seen as agents of moral responsibility. 2. The Yes Men justifiably blamed Dow for not doing the right thing in Bhopal. The Corporation did not provide all the necessary treatment for the victims and did not compensate for all the losses they have suffered. In this regard, government agencies should monitor the work of corporations and individuals acting as moral agents. Despite the fact that various economists including Milton Friedman expressed the conviction that the market economy should be free from government influence and control, this theory has every reason to be considered incorrect. There should be a main controller since it allows maintaining the moral responsibility in society. 3. Yes, indeed, one can state that Dow values some lives - those of asbestos claimants in Texas more highly than others - Bhopalis, for example. Many recognize that the Bhopal tragedy was terrible. Nevertheless, despite the large number of victims, they claim that no production company can guarantee the absence of risk. Thus, the emphasis is not on the need to reduce the risk of tragedy, but on the fact that the risk in countries like India should be seen as quite a common phenomenon. 4. Indeed, Andyââ¬â¢s fraud was perceived negatively by the BBC reporter. This is largely due to the fact that his speech was considered a manifestation of cruelty against the people of Bhopal. Many of them became the victims of the terrible accident a few decades ago; they did not get a decent compensation for their losses and suffering. It took them many years to put up with this tragedy. It does not seem that the reporter protected the Corporation as he primarily focused on the fact that Andy gave people illusory hope and thus he made these people remember the horror of
Friday, November 15, 2019
Dells Just In Time Inventory Management system
Dells Just In Time Inventory Management system Just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing is specific type of inventory production strategy that is used to improve a companys return on investment through a cutback of stock held. The primary goal of JIT is the achievement of zero inventory, not just with within the confines of a singe organisation but ultimately throughout the entire supply chain (Hutchins 1988). Many companies are making the transition into adopting JIT manufacturing; however it was the automotive industry sector that initially pioneered the principle. It was first developed by Toyota in the 1980s and it is now frequently used within the production of a diverse range of different goods. Nowadays companys inventories are shrinking to almost nothing mainly because of the large increase of JIT manufacturing. Dell is probably the most well known business that had implemented the lean manufacturing process. Therefore for the purpose of this report I am going to focus on how Dell the computer producer has integrated JIT, a parti cular type of inventory management into their firm. 2.1 Dell company analysis The Dell Computer Corporation is one of the leading sellers of PCs with its main rival being the Hewlett Packard Company. (Mintel 2009) claims that Dell is the the number two supplier worldwide. It is a very successful firm that has gained exceptional sales accomplishments because of its unique direct marketing model. They have had the right amount of resources within their business to develop an extremely successful inventory production model. As a result Dell has gained competitive edge and many rival computer companies are now starting to replicate Dell. However simply imitating Dells strategy without fully researching the management theory behind it is not an ideal approach for other firms to adopt. Most of the enterprises that have tried to do this have not succeeded, to much of a degree that Dell has. The competitive advantages of Dell over its competitors are that Dell has well thought out JIT inventory system and very good supplier integration. This has helped in cutting down inventory costs within the business and has also reduced the lead time in serving customer orders for computers and laptops. This had caused Dell to gain a very successful process improvement within their enterprise. 2.2 Dell JIT strategy It is quite clear that these JIT inventory systems have evolved over the years. (Helo 2004) states that JIT is believed to enhance productivity and build a leaner manufacturing system which minimises inventories. This is because Just-in-time makes production operations much more efficient compared with other methods of production, as it is a cost effective approach. Dell realised that this would be a excellent opportunity for their business processes before any other computer firms did and have therefore have cut their inventories from having 20 to 25 days of inventory to having no warehousesà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦and no more than two hours of inventory in its factories (Mishra 2009). By doing this Dell reached one of their main goals of constantly improving performance of their business. They also recognized that they could reduce expenditure by integrating and optimizing their computer manufacturing system. Overall such a system builds a leaner supply chain for Dell, so that their inventor ies are minimized. 2.3 Requirements for JIT manufacturing Establishing a JIT company like Dell requires commitment from every department and a lot of support from the companys strategic management team. A pull production method of work flow needs to be put into practice for JIT systems to be useful within Dell. The entire supply chain system is built around the flexibility and speed therefore customer demand is the factor that activates production of Dell computers. Normally this is fine within Dells business as they use the direct marketing model to sell their computers. However sometimes demand for computers can rapidly increase without any significant explanation. Dell has to have a contingency plan in place in case this happens unexpectedly. Even though inventory is low Dell still have the ability to stretch and push the factory processes to the capacity at times when demand succeeds supply. Table 1. Key Requirements for JIT Production (Lubben 1988) 1.High quality standards 2.Demand or pull scheduling 3.Level production schedules 4.Sufficient lead time (minimum setup time) to change to new products 5.Long term contract commitments from customers and with suppliers 6.Contiuous improvement of the production process 7.Minimum inventory in the manufacturing system 2.4 Advantages of Dell adopting a JIT system There are a wide range of benefits that JIT manufacturing can have on an enterprise. Firstly JIT appeals to a wide variety of businesses as it helps to prevent manufacturers from getting stuck with outdated or unusable inventory. Dell only has 2 hours worth of inventory in their manufacturing plants. This ensures that they are controlling their production of computers fully. In addition to this it has been found that JIT adoption has significant positive results on the financial figures of a business. Dell has achieved a cash conversion cycle from implementing JIT systems. This allows a healthy flow of money within their business, which will have an encouraging impact on their profitability. Another one of the many advantages to just-in-time manufacturing is the reduced cost. This is only achieved after the JIT systems has been in place for quite while, but it reduces capital tied up in stock, which allows a company like Dell to spend money on other areas of the business such as adve rtising and marketing. Just-in-time also has a much faster setup and saves resources by streamlining production systems. This as a result prevents overproduction of computers, which will therefore help Dell with the elimination of waste within their company. As a further point JIT systems also abolishes costs of warehouse space and storage facilities. This also allows Dell to inject cash into other parts of their enterprise and can also keep travel costs to a minimum. 2.5 Limitations of a company such as Dell implementing JIT manufacturing Just as JIT manufacturing has many strong points, there are some weaknesses as well. The Just-in-Time system may not suit every business, thorough research needed to be done by Dell to ensure such inventory management would work in the way they wanted it to, before they executed it. This would have been a very long process as they would have needed to weigh up the risks it could have on their business. In addition to this it is difficult and very expensive to introduce as there is possible large initial set up costs, which may put some businesses off. This did not put Dell off as they knew the long term benefits would mean that they would become more profitable if they introduce this method. They also found that it would allow them to gain continuous improvement within their business practices in the future, which could allow them to become the superior computer manufacturer over the Hewlett Packard Company who currently has the top spot in the industry. It is also true that JIT proc esses can become vulnerable to market demand fluctuations and unforeseen production interruptions. Again Dell had to look in depth into the buying patterns of their customer base, before investing in JIT systems within their firm. Conclusion Just in time manufacturing can have a positive influence on an enterprise such as Dell and by utilizing JIT systems they have gained a competitive edge against similar rivals in the computer industry. The direct selling model compliments their JIT systems which could in the future make them the worldwide leader in computer manufacturing. However as an important point inventory management systems do not appear to be consistent across all industries. Dell Computer Corporation must critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of implementing Just-in-time systems within their operations. Nevertheless Dell has done their research correctly and as a result JIT is rather successful within computer manufacturers. It is true that the computer industries do not have the experience of JIT systems that the automotive industry has, but it has successfully implemented JIT principles over the past 20 years and will continue to in the future. In addition to this implementing a new concept such as JIT systems requires a constant support from each and every aspect of the organization. It demands complete support from every department operating in the organisation. If a company like Dell accomplishes the implementation of JIT purchasing systems it can result in improved productivity. Despite JIT process it self is not complicated, the implementation stage is not easy to face at all. However it is possible the system can bring high levels of competitiveness to big companies such as Dell and they have proved this with their financial status in the market. The most important factor Dell has to remember, is that they have to sustain good working relationships with their suppliers for JIT to work within their organisation in the first place. For the reasons highlighted in the paper above I can come to the conclusion that Dell have successfully implemented JIT inventory management within their business processes and they are using continuous improvement within their company to mai ntain to be one the leading manufacturers of computers and software. References ALPHABETICALLY Helo (2004) Managing agility and productivity in the electronics industry Industrial Management Data Systems Hutchins (1988) Overview of JIT Just in Time Lubben (1988) Pull production system Just-in-time Manufacturing Mintel (2009) PCs and Laptops [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/showHYPERLINK http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=474522/display/id=475761#hit1HYPERLINK http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=474522/display/id=475761#hit1/display/id=474522/display/id=475761#hit1 [Accessed 30 April 2010] Mishra (2009) Just-In-Time production: the Dell Way [online] Available at: http://penofaparanoid.blogspot.com/2009/06/just-in-time-production-dell-way_18.html [Accessed 30 April 2010] http://www.ehow.com/about_5099120_pro-just-time-inventory-system.html
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Affirmative Action, A Social Issue Essay -- Inequality Equality Minori
Affirmative Action, A Social Issue The black rights and womenââ¬â¢s rights movements of the 1960ââ¬â¢s fought against injustice and discrimination that had been suffered by minorities for years (Hudson). In response, President Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925 in 1961, creating a Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and mandating that projects financed by federal funding would ââ¬Å"take affirmative actionâ⬠to ensure that hiring and employment practices were free of racial bias (Hudson). Two more executive orders in 1965 and 1968 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, and gender, giving the federal government the power to enforce this prohibition (Hudson). However, in current times, affirmative action programs have suffered setbacks. Affirmative action in education has been abolished in Texas by court order, and in California and Washington it has been terminated by public referendum (Bybee). Currently, the main question concerning affirmative action is whether or not it is the best way to combat inequality. Also: What groups should or should not have affirmative action? When will the problem be ââ¬Å"solvedâ⬠and affirmative action no longer necessary? While the United States is divided between 49% of citizens supporting affirmative action programs and 43% opposing them, many Americans have a difficult time even defining what affirmative action is (Gallup 2003). The term ââ¬Ëaffirmative actionââ¬â¢ includes laws, policies, and programs designed to reduce or eliminate inequality (Hudson). Inequality is also a difficult term to define, but the fact that significantly fewer women and minorities enjoy high paying jobs, attend prestigious universities, and reside in wealthy neighborhoods m... ... of Michigan Sees 23% Decline in Minority Applicants.â⬠Black Issues in Higher Education. Reston: 11 Mar 2004. Vol. 21, Iss. 2, p. 10. {scholarly primary, print via internet, reputable} Yetman, Norman. ââ¬Å"Race and Ethnicity.â⬠Sociology: Social Foundations of Public Issues. Mc-Graw Hill: 2003. {scholarly primary, print, reputable} Gallup Poll. N=1,385 adults nationwide (MoE à ± 3), including, with oversamples, 821 non-Hispanic whites (MoE à ± 4), 241 blacks (MoE à ± 7), and 266 Hispanics (MoE à ± 7). Interviewing was June 12-15, 2003, for non-Hispanic whites, and June 12-18, 2003, for blacks and Hispanics. Associated Press poll. Feb. 28-March 4, 2003. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE à ± 3. Fieldwork by ICR. NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). Jan. 19-21, 2003. N=500 adults nationwide. Affirmative Action, A Social Issue Essay -- Inequality Equality Minori Affirmative Action, A Social Issue The black rights and womenââ¬â¢s rights movements of the 1960ââ¬â¢s fought against injustice and discrimination that had been suffered by minorities for years (Hudson). In response, President Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925 in 1961, creating a Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and mandating that projects financed by federal funding would ââ¬Å"take affirmative actionâ⬠to ensure that hiring and employment practices were free of racial bias (Hudson). Two more executive orders in 1965 and 1968 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, and gender, giving the federal government the power to enforce this prohibition (Hudson). However, in current times, affirmative action programs have suffered setbacks. Affirmative action in education has been abolished in Texas by court order, and in California and Washington it has been terminated by public referendum (Bybee). Currently, the main question concerning affirmative action is whether or not it is the best way to combat inequality. Also: What groups should or should not have affirmative action? When will the problem be ââ¬Å"solvedâ⬠and affirmative action no longer necessary? While the United States is divided between 49% of citizens supporting affirmative action programs and 43% opposing them, many Americans have a difficult time even defining what affirmative action is (Gallup 2003). The term ââ¬Ëaffirmative actionââ¬â¢ includes laws, policies, and programs designed to reduce or eliminate inequality (Hudson). Inequality is also a difficult term to define, but the fact that significantly fewer women and minorities enjoy high paying jobs, attend prestigious universities, and reside in wealthy neighborhoods m... ... of Michigan Sees 23% Decline in Minority Applicants.â⬠Black Issues in Higher Education. Reston: 11 Mar 2004. Vol. 21, Iss. 2, p. 10. {scholarly primary, print via internet, reputable} Yetman, Norman. ââ¬Å"Race and Ethnicity.â⬠Sociology: Social Foundations of Public Issues. Mc-Graw Hill: 2003. {scholarly primary, print, reputable} Gallup Poll. N=1,385 adults nationwide (MoE à ± 3), including, with oversamples, 821 non-Hispanic whites (MoE à ± 4), 241 blacks (MoE à ± 7), and 266 Hispanics (MoE à ± 7). Interviewing was June 12-15, 2003, for non-Hispanic whites, and June 12-18, 2003, for blacks and Hispanics. Associated Press poll. Feb. 28-March 4, 2003. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE à ± 3. Fieldwork by ICR. NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). Jan. 19-21, 2003. N=500 adults nationwide.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Liam Oââ¬â¢Flaherty and The Anglo-Irish War Essay
Liam Oââ¬â¢Flaherty (1896-1984) â⬠¢ Served in the Irish Guards of the British Army from 19151917 â⬠¢ Suffered serious injury from a bomb blast in Belgium; was discharged due to depression. â⬠¢ Following WWI, traveled widely and developed a world view based on atheism, communism, and the notion that Ireland should be an independent nation Liam Oââ¬â¢Flaherty (1896-1984) â⬠¢ Joined the Irish Republican Army to push for Irish independence. â⬠¢ Opposed the 1921 treaty that made Ireland a part of the British Commonwealth. â⬠¢ Wrote 13 novels between 1923 and 1976, many of which focused on the effects of war, revolution, and social upheaval in Ireland. Anglo-Irish War ââ¬â Origins The Easter Rising took place on 24 April, 1916 in Dublin, Ireland. The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) successfully incited a rising of about 1,600 rebels, which was quickly crushed by Crown (British) forces. The handling of the rebels, however, created mass sympathy and the consequences of this rebellion are still felt in Irish and international politics. The Anglo-Irish War â⬠¢ 1919: The Irish Parliament, lead by Eamon de Valera and Michael Collins, declared Ireland a free state. â⬠¢ The Irish Republic army launched guerilla warfare during the Irish War of Independence Anglo-Irish War ââ¬â 1920 March ââ¬â Thomas McCurtain, Lord Mayor of Cork was shot in front of his family by British forces. October ââ¬â His successor, Terence McSwiney, dies after a 74-day hunger strike. 1 November ââ¬â Kevin Barry, an 18-year-old medical student, was hanged for his part in an ambush he took part in when he was 16. 21 November ââ¬â Collinsââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËSquadââ¬â¢ killed fourteen members of an elite British spy group known as the ââ¬ËCairo Gangââ¬â¢. Revenge was taken by Crown forces, who fired on the crowd in Croke Park. 12 people were killed and 60 wounded. Later that evening, two IRA men and one innocent man were shot ââ¬Ëwhile escapingââ¬â¢ ââ¬â in fact, they were marched into the prison courtyard and told to run, and when they refused they were shot in the back. Afterwards, 21 November became known as ââ¬ËBloody Sundayââ¬â¢5. Bloody Sunday The Anglo-Irish War ââ¬â 1920 (cont.) 28 November ââ¬â a flying column led by Tom Barry killed 18 auxilaries in an ambush at Kilmichael in west Cork. Shortly after, revenge was taken by the burning of the centre of the city of Cork. December ââ¬â the Government of Ireland Act set up Home Rule parliaments in Dublin and Belfast. Each parliament was given control over domestic affairs. Sinn Fà ©in rejected it. This Act implemented the Partition of Ireland. The Anglo-Irish War ââ¬â 1921 25 May ââ¬â the IRA burned Dublinââ¬â¢s custom house, where seven government departments were located. The attack led to the capture or death of more than 80 IRA men. 22 June, at the opening of the northern parliament at Stormount, King George V appealed for a truce: Pause, to stretch out the hand of forbearance and conciliation, to forgive and forget. King George V, 22 June, 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty An Irish Free State (Saorstà ¡t Ãâ°ireann) of 26 counties was established The Irish state was a Dominion and was still part of the Commonwealth The British Monarch would remain as head of state and would be represented by the Governor-General The Royal Navy retained control of the ports of Cobh, Berehaven and Lough Swilly The border between the Free State and Northern Ireland would be drawn up by a Boundary Commission Aftermath of the Anglo-Irish Treaty 1922: The Irish civil war breaks out between pro- and anti-treaty parties. Armed groups crossed into Northern Ireland and attacked British installations. They hoped to force the British to give up control of Northern Ireland. Todayââ¬â¢s IRA stems from anti-treaty forces. May 1923: The civil war ends and Northern Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom. 1937: A new constitution ratified by the Irish government changes the name of the Irish Free State to Ireland. 1949: Ireland formally declares its independence from Britain. Ireland had cut all ties with the United Kingdom and became an independent republic.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Bismarcks Role in german unification essays
Bismarcks Role in german unification essays What were the main characteristic features of the first Bismarckian Alliance system 1879-1883 During the 1870's in the aftermath of the creation of the German Empire, the main issues to vex the Great Powers were Austro-Russian rivalry in the Balkans, and German fear that such a rivalry might develop into a general conflict which could provide an outlet for French revanchism against Germany. The Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78 demonstrated that Austria and Russia could restrain their rivalry in the interests of the general peace; the disputes following the Treaty of San Stefano leading up to the 1878 Congress of Berlin demonstrated that such restraint was limited. The issue of the Balkans was to remain an area of concern for the European States up to and beyond the First World War, even though there was to be no further significant conflict involving the Great Powers between 1879 and 1914. Having lost Italy and Germany the Balkan region was the only remaining external sphere of influence for the Dual Monarchy, and Slavic Russia was dependent on the Bosporus Straits for her grain exports. Bismarck still feared the consequences of a great power conflict in the Balkans and hence aimed to build an alliance structure that provided more security than the loose and vague agreements of the early 1870's. Bismarck's first such structure, just as his second in the later 1880's, was built around a number of characteristics and it set the foundation for international relations in this period. One of the most striking characteristics about the system and the way it was constructed is that many of the decisions were dependant on Bismarck's insecurity and fear of a number of threats to Germany, many of which had little basis in fact, or what basis they had was provoked by the Chancellor's own actions. In 1879, for instance, faced with the imminent resignation of Andrassy from the Austrian foreign office, Bismarck illogically expected the appointmen...
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Deductive Essay on Tobacco essays
Deductive Essay on Tobacco essays Tobacco products kill more than 400,000 people in the United States a year. That is more than the number deaths from homicides, fires, AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, suicides, and illegal drugs put together. It is by far the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. Action should be taken to stop the use of this legal killer. Death is not the immediate consequence of choosing to use a tobacco product though; first you must go through the minor, disgusting, sometimes uncomfortable results that progress over years of smoking. Premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, clothing and hair stench, and yellowing of the nails and teeth are some of the common side effects that are not life threatening. Smokers not only put themselves at risk for disease and death, they also put at risk their family and others close to them. Infants and children are the most susceptible to disease from second hand smoke. Children are most vulnerable to disease if their mother had smoked during pregnancy or immediately after. When people smoke, it is very likely that they dont know exactly what they are inhaling. The active ingredient in tobacco is nicotine. When smoke is inhaled, nicotine is carried deep into the lungs where it is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and carried to the heart, brain, liver, and spleen. It is a fast acting drug that affects the central nervous system, containing both stimulant and depressant characteristics. Nicotine produces elevated blood pressure by increasing heart rate and constricting blood vessels. It also acts as an antidiuretic, the effect being fluid retention. Nicotine is as addictive as heroine or cocaine. The body becomes physically and psychologically dependent on it. Smokers may not know that when they indulge their habit, they are taking in, not only nicotine, but also tar and 4,000 other harmful chemicals. Any one of these elements alone is deadly. Among the chemi...
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Life imitates art far more than art imitates life by Oscar Wilde Essay
Life imitates art far more than art imitates life by Oscar Wilde - Essay Example George Bernard Shaw is one of those who were quick to side with Wilde. When he wrote his opus, Three Plays for Puritans, he argued that "when a certain type of feature appears in painting and is admired as beautiful, it presently becomes common in nature; so that the Beatrices and Francescas in the picture galleries of one generation come to life as the parlor-maids and waitresses of the next" (xix). This is also not unlike when fads and trends emerge after it appears on films and videos especially today with the permeation of content-rich media. This phenomenon is not limited to the visual art because it is also true in cases of literature and other cultural artifacts. For instance, not a few real life stories have been patterned after Romeo and Juliet or Ophelia or Tristan and Isolde. Remarking about the penchant of people to pattern their experiences out of the characters of this literary masterpieces, Kirwan explained that stories are a way of taming the world wherein the unculti vated is systematized into stories that we can tell ourselves and feel good about (150). What this tells us is that art can dictate a particular way of life or an aspect of it because the way it represents substance, notoriety or sophistication, among other concepts attached to it, it appeals to people as they negotiate their relationships within a community. For some, there is a need to standout, for others, notoriety or substance. Every year, the Art Institute of Chicago holds a photo competition that works around the theme of life imitating art. Here participants shoot photographs of themselves or of others as they copy and imitate artworks in various states of fidelity, some with uncanny accuracy, while some are tinged with a sense of humor and creativity. An excellent example of an initiative in this kind of literal tradition was when several years ago, the town of
Friday, November 1, 2019
African American Stereotypes in Trading Places Assignment
African American Stereotypes in Trading Places - Assignment Example There have been several theories proposed regarding how race is represented in the media. To understand the concept fully, it is necessary to understand how media influences society, with examples from the movie Trading Places. Even in the world of strict entertainment, the media continues its long-standing tradition of reinforcing middle-class societyââ¬â¢s concepts of the world. ââ¬Å"Above all, the media are defensive about the sacred institutions of society ââ¬â whereas black people most encounter problems in this sensitive power-areas: employment, public discrimination, housing, parliamentary legislation, local government, law and order, the policeâ⬠(Hall, 1974). In order to appeal to the middle class, many of the films that come out of Hollywood tend to reflect the hopes and dreams of this class of society. This typically involves the concept that the lifestyle of the very wealthy is the only lifestyle worth having. It also reinforces the thought that it is only through hard work and struggles that one can appreciate this good life. The black man, and occasionally a woman, is allowed to enter this world only at the invitation and assistance of a white man while the typical portrayal con tinues to hold him down at the lower rungs of society. This type of portrayal reinforces the concept that black men are not capable of success and white men are not very capable of failure. As Hall (1974) makes obvious, even comedies that are merely supposed to entertain, such as Trading Places, can contain several unremarkable messages that serve to maintain and promote the existing power relations within society, representing the black man as a necessary failure. Within the movie Trading Places, these ideas can easily be traced.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 175
Assignment Example Mr. E. Pass and his wife Mrs. Martha N. Pass crashed with their aircraft after it had been repaired by Shelby Aviation. After half year Mr. Max filed a case against Shelby Aviation claiming that they had broken, ââ¬Å"Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Codeâ⬠. The UCC does not apply in this case, because Mr. Pass accepted the devices which were fixed to aircraft even though they were of low quality. Shelby could have fixed the devices under instruction of Mr. Pass hence no enough evidence for UCC to apply in the case. In this case, both Randy and Bob were injured due to negligence. The Seat post broke and Bob felt down; this shows that the manufacturer manufactured substantial product, which did not ensure people safety. If the health club supervised people, Bob could not have mishandled the facilities. Due to negligence both manufacturer and the club are guilty and they should compensate. In the second case, Randy sued both Bob and club for negligence. In this case they do not have evidence to prove their innocence. Bob destroyed everything and the club failed to supervise
Monday, October 28, 2019
Management Influences on Turnover Intention of Software Developers Essay Example for Free
Management Influences on Turnover Intention of Software Developers Essay Introduction The Information Technology (IT) Age has created many opportunities for employment in the IT and IT services industry.à IT professionals are in demand all over the world.à Organizations worldwide invest money that go not only into salaries but for further training of IT professionals they hire. However, around the world, the demand, supply, selection, recruitment and particularly retention of IT professionals has threatened organizations that use, manage or deal in IT or IT services for the past few years (Parà © and Tremblay 2000; Ermel and Bohl 1997; Morello 1998; Guptill et al. 1999). This is why the departure of an IT professional from a company usually comes with disastrous effects to the organization.à When an IT professional resigns, the organization suffers loss of business process knowledge and acquired technical skills (Dorà © 2004). Since late 1996, the turnover for IT professionals has jumped from 15% to 20% annually, with only 8 of 10 IT positions being filled with qualified candidates (McNee et al. 1998).à With the annual turnover rate estimated at 20% or more (Alexander 1999; Kosseff 1999), job-hopping of IT professionals has been one of the biggest problems among managers and human resources (HR) experts (Parà © and Tremblay 2000). IT professionals seem to have a tendency to change their jobs faster than other employees when they feel dissatisfied with their current employer (Hacker 2003).à The estimated cost of replacing IT professionals range from 1.5 to 2.5 times of their annual salaries for the companies they resigned from (Kosseff 1999).à On the other hand, the cost of losing a qualified IT professional is actually 3 to 6 times more expensive than the cost of losing a manager (Kochanski and Ledford 2001). IT professionals, as also mentioned previously in this study, also tend to change jobs more quickly than other employees when they feel dissatisfied with in their current employment (Hacker 2003).à However, rational models of voluntary turnover cannot be used to explain the high turnover rates for IT professionals (Rouse 2001) since many IT professionals remain dissatisfied with their jobs even though they enjoy high financial rewards yet their creativity and expertise do not receive high respect from their peers, supervisors and companies as a whole (Fisher 2000). Furthermore, another explanation why IT professionals may resign more quickly when dissatisfied with their current employment is that ââ¬Å"much of IT work is project oriented, the technical employeeââ¬â¢s loyalty may be more to the project, and not necessarily to the employerâ⬠(Hacker, 2003, p. 15). These trends place intense pressure on both IT executives and HR managers.à High IT professional turnover translates to a threat not only to an organizationââ¬â¢s IT department but to the business as a whole. Most importantly, high IT turnover poses a threat to the growth, competitive positioning and strength of the global economy (Parà © and Tremblay 2000). A dissertation by Dr. Timothy Lee Dorà © (2004) studied the relationships between job characteristics, job satisfaction and turnover intention among software developers.à These two factors ââ¬â job characteristics and job satisfaction ââ¬â are deemed to play crucial roles in understanding turnover intention not only among software developers but IT professionals as a whole. The current study aims to investigate the management influences on employee retention of IT professionals, focusing on job characteristics and job satisfaction, and their impact on turnover and retention. à à à à à à à à à à à 1.1.1à à à Scope and Limitations of the Study This research will study the impact of job characteristics and job satisfaction on the turnover intention of IT professionals.à Although this paper intends to replicate some of Dorà ©Ã¢â¬â¢s findings, the study will not be limited to software developers only as this sector only constitutes a small sample of IT professionals as a whole. Specifically, the research study will focus on the turnover intention of IT professionals in___________. In studying the relationships between job characteristics, job satisfaction and turnover intention, this study is limited to the use of the following theoretical models and theories to support its conclusions: For the discussion on job characteristics, the research study will make use of the Job Characteristics Model developed by JR Hackman and GR Oldham (1975/1980) and the analysis on Model Employers by Minda Zetlin (2001). For the discussion on job satisfaction, as well as motivation, the paper will use the Motivator-Hygiene Theory by F. Herzberg (1968/2003) and the Synergistic Model by T.M. Amabile (1997). For the discussion on turnover, the study will use the Voluntary Turnover Model by R.M. Steers and R.T. Mowday (1987); the Rational Turnover Model by P.D. Rouse (2001); the Instinctual or ââ¬Å"Unfoldingâ⬠Model of Turnover by T.W. Lee, T.R. Mitchell, L. Wise and S. Fireman (1996); and the Conceptual Model for Investigating Turnover in IT, developed by J.B. Thatcher, L.P. Stepna and R.J. Boyle (2002-03) These models will be discussed in detail later in this chapter, as well as in Chapter 2 on Review of Related Literature. Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature This chapter will analyze the various literature which are related to this research paper. It will discuss the works of other analysts and researchers on theories/models that will be used to support this study, as well as pertinent literature on IT professionalsââ¬â¢ turnover intentions. The chapter begins with a general discussion on motivational theories, cutlure, and leadership which are all critical factors that affect an employeeââ¬â¢s intent to leave. The discussion them dovetails into a more specific presentation of the framework used in the current study. This chapter will also include a definition of terms incorporated into the discussion of related literature. 2.1à à à à à à Relationships between Job Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention In 2004, Timothy Lee Dorà © submitted a dissertation titled ââ¬Å"The Relationships Between Job Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention Among Software Developersâ⬠.à à According to Dorà ©, the factors leading to the turnover intention of software developers have been poorly understood.à His study was designed to further understand the relationships between job characteristics, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among software developers.à His study involved the use of 326 web surveys that contained questions relating to job characteristics, job satisfaction, turnover intention and demographic information. The results of Dorà ©Ã¢â¬â¢s study showed that several factors can influence turnover intention, most significantly, job characteristics that may be influenced by management, such as training, autonomy, feedback, number of developers, task significance, and skill variety (Dorà © 2004).à In his study, Dorà © made use of two research questions and sixteen hypotheses to understand the job characteristics variables which contribute to the various dimensions of job satisfaction, and which of these job satisfaction dimensions, in turn, contribute to turnover intention. Dorà © made use of indirect effect tests, to determine if certain job characteristics could be linked to turnover intention through the job satisfaction scales he provided.à The results of his study indicated that ten of the indirect effects were statistically significant.à All ten of the statistically significant indirect effects were associated with only three of the seven job satisfaction scales: internal work motivation, general job satisfaction, and satisfaction with pay. The largest indirect effect, according to Dorà ©, was the effect of autonomy on turnover intention through general job satisfaction: higher levels of autonomy lead to lower levels of turnover intention by increasing general job satisfaction.à à The next largest indirect effect was the effect of organizational training on turnover intention through general job satisfaction: organizational training decreased turnover intention through an increase in general job satisfaction.à The next three highest indirect effects in Dorà ©Ã¢â¬â¢s findings were also between a job characteristic (feedback, skill, variety, and number of developers) and turnover intention through general job satisfaction (Dorà ©, 2004, p. 130). 2.2à à à à à à Measuring Turnover Intentions Among IT Professionals Guy Parà © and Michel Tremblay, in contrast to Dorà ©Ã¢â¬â¢s study, completed a research covering the turnover intention of not just software developers but IT professionals as a whole.à Their study, ââ¬Å"The Measurement and Antecedents of Turnover Intentions among IT Professionalsâ⬠(2000), submitted to Cirano research center, aimed to present and test an integrated model of turnover intentions that address the unique nature of the IT profession (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 3).à The authors identified a multidimensional set of HR practices that will most likely increase retention among IT employees.à à They emphasized citizenship behaviors as well as two distinct types of organizational commitment as key antecedents of turnover intentions. The study involved the sending of questionnaires to 394 Quebec members of the Canadian Information Processing Society.à à The study addressed four research questions: 1) What are the essential HR practices necessary to create an effective plan for retaining IT professionals? 2) What is the impact of compensation and negotiation conditions on the turnover intentions of IT personnel? 3) What is the effect of employee demographic characteristics on the turnover intentions of IT personnel? 4) Do organizational commitment and citizenship behaviors mediate the effects of HR practices, compensation and negotiation conditions as well as demographic characteristics on the turnover intentions of IT personnel? (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 4) Parà © and Tremblay provide that IT employees who are highly committed to their organization are less likely to leave than those who are relatively uncommitted.à They attach three distinct dimensions to organizational commitment: affective, continuance and normative commitment (Meyer and Allen 1997). 1)à à à à à à à Affective commitment ââ¬â means an employeeââ¬â¢s personal attachment and identification to the organization.à This results in a strong belief in an acceptance of the organizationââ¬â¢s goals and values.à ââ¬Å"Employees with a strong affective commitment continue employment with the organization because they want to do soâ⬠(Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) 2) à à à à à à Continuance commitment ââ¬â is a tendency to engage in consistent lines of activity based on the individualââ¬â¢s recognition of the ââ¬Å"costsâ⬠associated with discontinuing the activity.à à ââ¬Å"Employees whose primary link to the organization is based on continuance commitment remain because they need to do so.â⬠(Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) 3)à à à à à à à Normative commitment ââ¬â provides that employees exhibit behaviors solely because they believe it is the right and moral thing to do. ââ¬Å"Employees with a high level of normative commitment feel that they ought to remain with the organization.â⬠(Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) In their findings, Parà © and Tremblay provide that affective commitment and continuance commitment are negatively related to turnover intentions (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 6).à In addition to these two distinct types of commitment affecting turnover intention, their studies also points to the factor they call Organizational Citizenship Behavior or OCB. OCB is considered as a key element in organizational effectiveness.à OCB is defined as ââ¬Å"an employeeââ¬â¢s willingness to go above and beyond the prescribed roles which they have been assignedâ⬠(Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 6, quoting from Organ 1990). Based on Parà © and Tremblayââ¬â¢s findings, the stronger the citizenship behavior of an IT employee, the more likely they are to stay in their company.à The IT professionalââ¬â¢s affective commitment, or attachment to his or her organization, also decreases turnover intention. 2.3à à à à à à Job Characteristics Model Hackman and Oldhamââ¬â¢s Job Characteristics Model, as earlier introduced in Chapter 1 of this research study, predicts what aspects of jobs reflect the level of job enrichment for employees, and how these relate to employeesââ¬â¢ individual differences and to the work outcomes required. The model includes five core job characteristics that can be applied to any job: skill variety, task identity, task significance, task autonomy and feedback. Skill variety is defined as ââ¬Å"the number of different skills required in the jobâ⬠(Hackman and Oldham 1980; Pilon 1998). Task identity means ââ¬Å"the completeness of the tasks done in the jobâ⬠(Hackman and Oldham 1980; Pilon 1998). Task significance on the other hand is defined as ââ¬Å"the importance of the job to the served population.â⬠(Mohamed 2004). Autonomy means ââ¬Å"the vertical expansion of responsibility, the amount of decision-making and independence allowed for employees.â⬠(Mohamed 2004). And lastly, feedback means ââ¬Å"the extent that the job itself provides information about employeesââ¬â¢ performanceâ⬠(Huber 2000). These characteristics ââ¬â skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback ââ¬â are combined into a single predictive index which is called the Motivating Potential Score (Hackman and Oldham 1980). Figure 1. Job Characteristics Model Source: A.H. Mohamed (2004) à à à à à à à à à à à The five core job characteristics enumerated in the previous paragraph are in continuous interaction with individual differences that evoke three critical psychological states in an employee.à These three states are: 1) when the job is structured by skill variety, task identity and task significance this could lead employees to experience meaningfulness in their work. 2) The second state, task autonomy, which leads to feelings of responsibility for the outcomes of work. 3) The third and last state is feedback, which leads employees towards knowledge of the results of their work (Douthit 2000; Huber 2000). à à à à à à à à à à à These three critical psychological states lead to a set of affective and personal outcomes:à high internal work motivation, high growth satisfaction, high general satisfaction, high work effectiveness, and low rate of absenteeism (Mohamed 2004; Donovan and Radosevich 1998). à à à à à à à à à à à These affective and personal outcomes are the results of en employeeââ¬â¢s job characteristics.à They are defined as follows: High internal work motivation ââ¬â this is the degree to which an employee is willing to work and to consider the organizational objectives as part of his or her own goals (Mohamed 2004). High growth satisfaction ââ¬â this is the achievement of the employee in overcoming challenges, succeeding and growing (Steers and Black 1994) High general satisfaction ââ¬â this the feeling derived from the overall satisfaction with the work itself. ââ¬Å"This type of satisfaction is reflected mainly in decreased rates of absenteeism among employeesâ⬠(Steers and Black 1994; Omachonu et al 1999). High work effectiveness ââ¬â this refers to both the quality and quantity aspects of work performance (Hackman and Oldham 1980). Low rate of absenteeism. The Job Characteristics Model, also includes three attributes that are identified as Moderators: knowledge and skills, context job satisfaction, and employee growth-need strength.à These attributes indicate which employee will respond positively to the Motivating Potential Score of their job and its outcomes (Hackman and Oldham 1980). An employeeââ¬â¢s knowledge and skills are dependent on their educational qualifications which in turn will reflect their perceptions toward their work outcomes (Sabiston and Laschinger 1995).à On the other hand, an employeeââ¬â¢s perception of his or her context job satisfaction involves factors like pay, supervision, colleagues, and job security.à All these affect the employeeââ¬â¢s outcomes as well (Mohamed 2004).à à Lastly, growth-need strength is the degree in which an employee seeks opportunities in his or her job for self-direction, learning and personal accomplishment.à These elements in turn affect the employeeââ¬â¢s level of work internal motivation (Mohamed 2004). An example of a study which made effective use of Hackman and Oldhamââ¬â¢s Job Characteristics Model is the one conducted by A.H. Mohamed (2004) called ââ¬Å"Using the job characteristics model to compare patient care assignment methods of nursesâ⬠for the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alexandria in Egypt.à à The population used were the nurses in the Alexandria Main University Hospital.à Mohamed made use of a Job Diagnostic Survey (also developed by Hackman and Oldham) to determine nursesââ¬â¢ perceptions towards the components of the Job Characteristics Model in relation to their performance in utilizing the case and functional methods of patient care assignment (Mohamed 2004). In his study, Mohamed concludes that the jobs of intensive care unit nurses result in different expectations based also on the different categories of nurses, based on skills and challenges inherent in the work they perform (Mohamed 2004). Generally speaking thus, studies like Mohamed shows that an employeeââ¬â¢s personal and affective outcomes are a result of the employeeââ¬â¢s job characteristics. 2.4à à à à à à Model Employers However, management also plays a crucial role in the retention and conversely turnover of IT professionals.à à Since IT professionals still enjoy a wide selection of employers to choose from, employers constantly compete to attract the best IT professionals by becoming ââ¬Å"model employersâ⬠.à In her 2001 article for Computer World, called ââ¬Å"Model employersâ⬠, Minda Zetlin outlines the strategies that make certain companies ââ¬Å"model employersâ⬠. By compiling its eight annual list of 100 Best Places to Work in IT, Computer World roughly sums up the model employers as offering not just top compensation, but also ââ¬Å"opportunities for career growth, investment in training, diversity in the work place, work flexibility, and, ideally, a comfortable and fun place to spend their daytime hoursâ⬠(Zetlin 2001).à Zetlin in her article outlines three common themes behind the success of these model IT employers: IT is central to the best employersââ¬â¢ success According to Zetlin, excellence in IT is a top corporate strategy.à à Prioritizing IT should not be limited to companies that strictly provide IT or IT services.à Companies such as Avon, for instance, which ranks 4th in Computer Worldââ¬â¢s list of 100 best employers, may be perceived to operate on a relationship-based environment.à à Yet to process its more than 60 million custom orders every year, the company relies heavily on IT to process its complex supply chain.à The fact that is it is actually a very transactional business, dependent on technology, makes IT one of its priorities (Zetlin 2001). Management takes an active interest in employersââ¬â¢ careers from the day they arrive This includes having development plan for employees as soon as they join the organization.à Employees meet with their managers on a periodic basis for a formal review to assess their development plan and to evaluate its progress.à à Orientation programs at the start of the employment are also part of this strategy.à Apart from orientation, Harley-Davidson, Inc. (ranked as No. 11) also provides for a yearly self-assessment for its employees against the established competencies for their jobs, with their supervisors doing the same (Zetlin 2001).à Such focus on career development per employee makes the employee feel that management takes an active interest in aligning its objectives with the employeeââ¬â¢s personal goals. Model employers also provide for continuous interest on their employeesââ¬â¢ careers throughout their employment with the company.à Knowledge mentoring programs and career mentoring programs, used by the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. (ranked No. 13), for instance, allow employees to learn more skills and career guidance from their more experience colleagues, and help management to identify employees to fill leaderships positions in the short and long term (Zetlin 2001).à State Farmââ¬â¢s mentoring program is in fact so successful that it has extended the program to employees who havenââ¬â¢t even arrived yet ââ¬â such as assigning mentors to college students who plan to join State Farm after they graduate. There are no walls between business and IT Unlike other organizations, model employers ensure that IT people and business people work side by side.à There is no division or competition.à à IT professionals are given a better understanding that what they do helps the business succeed.à This understanding leads to career satisfaction for IT professionals.à Technology people know exactly how they contribute to the revenues of their business and how important they are in the business plan.à One advantage here is that a close relationship between IT and business allows people to switch between the two fields (Zetlin 2001).à Another strategies such as cross-functional work teams gives career development not just to IT professionals but to business people in the organization as well.à à There are continuously different career tracks available.à An IT professional may opt to advance by taking on management roles within technology, or they may shift to business management positions (Zetlin 2001). 2.5à à à à à à Voluntary Intention Model à à à à à à à à à à à R.M. Steers and R.T. Mowday, in their study ââ¬Å"Employee turnover and post-decision accommodation processesâ⬠(1981) analyzed turnover as rooted in voluntary intention.à Steers and Mowday viewed the interaction of intention to leave, and alternative job opportunities (ease of movement) as direct antecedents to turnover (Steers and Mowday 1981; Rouse 2001). à à à à à à à à à à à As earlier discussed in Chapter 1 of this study, the direction of the process in Steersââ¬â¢ and Mowdayââ¬â¢s Voluntary Intention Model starts with Job Expectations, then Affective Responses, then Turnover Intention, then finally,à Actual Turnover (see Section 1.2.1.1 of this paper).à However, these four elements were actually grouped together by Steers and Mowday under three steps. As can be seen in the Figure 3: Each step in Figure 3 contains two constructs.à The second construct (Job Attitudes) of Step 1 becomes the first construct of Step 2.à The second construct (Intent To Leave) of Step 2 becomes the first construct of Step 3. Step 1 of the Voluntary Intention Model involves the manner in which job expectations influence an employeeââ¬â¢s attitudes regarding his or her job.à Attitudes are composed of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job involvement.à Job expectations in turn are influenced by three stimuli. The first stimuli focuses on individual characteristics such as occupation, age, tenure, family concerns, and personality form (Steers and Mowday 1981; Rouse 2001). The second stimuli involves information obtained during the recruitment process and at various assessments points throughout the employeeââ¬â¢s career (Steers and Mowday 1981; Rouse 2001). For instance, studies have shown that job expectation levels are often high when the employee first accepts a new job (Porter and Steers 1973). At these particular periods, expectations are developed from both the employee and employerââ¬â¢s ends. In other words, a sort of unwritten social contract is deemed to be adopted by the two parties (Prouse 2001). Lastly, the third stimuli affecting job expectations are alternative job opportunities.à Studies have shown that the more alternatives there are confronting an employee, then the more negative the employeeââ¬â¢s attitudes becomes concerning his or her current job (Pfeffer and Lawler 1979). Step 2 in the Voluntary Intention Model involves the Affective Responses that are elicited from Step 1.à These responses include the construct of job satisfaction, and how those responses influence the employeeââ¬â¢s desire to leave the organization.à Factors that affect the employeeââ¬â¢s decision to leave include non-work factors such as family, hobbies, religion and political influences (Cohen 1995). Steers and Mowday also identified the potential of employees to alter their actual job, in terms of pay, working hours, environment, etc., and thus change their attitudes regarding their jobs (Prouse 2001). Chapter 3 Methodology The aim of the research is to examine the relationships between job characteristic, job satisfaction and turnover intention among IT professionals in ______________.à The proposition is that job satisfaction and job characteristics as management influences have indirect impact to the levels of turnover intention among IT professionals.à The literature review indicates that there are different factors affecting IT professionalsââ¬â¢ turnover intention.à This research is going to study the turnover intention of IT professionals in _____________. 3.1à à à à à à Research Questions The study will answer the following two research questions: Which job characteristic variable(s) causes the job satisfaction among IT professionals in ____________? What job satisfaction variable(s) cause the turnover intention among IT professionals in ____________? à à à à à à à à à à à In answering these two primary questions, the thesis will make use of the following framework: à Hypotheses Research Question 1 à à à à à à à à à à à ââ¬Å"Which job characteristic variable(s) causes the job satisfaction among IT professionals in _______________?â⬠à à à à à à à à à à à The first research question will analyze the standardized effect of job characteristics to job satisfiers.à à The null hypotheses tested were: Job Characteristics à Job Satisfactions H1: The level of IT training does not affect the various measures of job satisfaction. H2: The level of user contact does not affect the various measures of job satisfaction. à à à à à H3: The job-required skills do not affect the various measures of job satisfaction. à à à à à H4: The level of task significance does not affect job satisfaction. à à à à à H5: The amount of workload does not affect job satisfaction. à à à à à H6: The amount of feedback does not affect job satisfaction. Research Question 2 à à à à à à à à à à à ââ¬Å"What job satisfaction variable(s) cause the turnover intention among IT professionals in ________________?â⬠à à à à à à à à à à à The first research question will analyze the standardized effect of the job satisfaction scales to turnover intention.à à The null hypotheses tested were: à à à à à à à à à à à Job Satisfactions à Turnover Intention à à à à à H7: The level of internal work motivation does not affect turnover intention. à à à à à H8: The level of job security satisfaction does not affect turnover intention. à à à à à H9: The level of social job satisfaction does not affect turnover intention. à à à à à H10: The level of job growth satisfaction does not affect turnover intention. à à à à à H11: The level of satisfaction with pay does not affect turnover intention. à à à à à H12: The level of satisfaction with supervision does not affect turnover intention. Research Procedures à à à à à à à à à à à 3.3.1à à à Data Collection à à à à à à à à à à à Research is a process of studying and analyzing situational factors of a specific problem or issue in order to determine solutions of it (Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran 2001). According to Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran (2001), there are three research paradigms: positivist, interpretivist and critical research. à à à à à à à à à à à As the research hypotheses of this study try to explore the relationships between job characteristic, job satisfaction and turnover intention among the IT professionals in __________________, the positivist approach will be adopted and it will provide the framework upon which the methodology of this study can be used. à à à à à à à à à à à In this study, the research problem requires primary data to specifically address the twelve hypotheses. An Internet questionnaire will be used as it is the most effective and appropriate data collection method. ââ¬Å"Questionnaireâ⬠is defined as a ââ¬Å"pre-formulated written set of questions to which respondents recorded their answers within closely defined alternativesâ⬠(Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran, 2001). A well-designed questionnaire provides accurate and useable data for analysis in order to make a conclusion of accepting / rejecting a research hypothesis.à à A copy of the questionnaire to be used is attached as Appendix A of this study. à à à à à à à à à à à After gathering the data from questionnaires, the analysis of the data (including frequency distribution, correlation analysis and regression analysis) will be performed by a quantitative data analysis tool called SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). SPSS predictive analytics advances in usability and data access, drawing reliable conclusions from the collected quantitative data (SPSS, Inc. 2002). In depth quantitative analysis of the data will be undertaken. Frequency Distribution, Correlation Analysis, and Regression Analysis will be used to analyze the collected data. à à à à à à à à à à à The population of this research is the _________ professionals in the country. The research is expected to have a 10% response rate (i.e. ____ questionnaires).à A reminder email will be sent to the students to ensure reaching the planned response rate. Participants are not inconvenienced or exposed unnecessarily to potential harm by recruiting more than is required. The research conducted by Dorà © in 2004 (which this paper intends to compare itself to) only received 326 responses which is less than 0.1% of the population. à à à à à à à à à à à An invitation emailà will be sent to the administration managers of the participating institutions. Then the manager will forward the invitation email to all qualified IT professionals and invite them to fill in the Internet anonymous questionnaire within 10 business days. A reminder email will be sent by the manager on the 6th business day. The invitation email only contains a consent form à and a URL to the Internet anonymous questionnaire. Participation is entirely voluntary. The participant can withdraw at any time and there will be no disadvantage if the participant decides not to complete the survey.à At no time will any individual be identified in any reports resulting from this study. A copy of the consent form is attached with this application. Variables à à à à à à à à à à à The variables which will used in this study can be categorized into two categories: job characteristics and job satisfaction.à The factors within each category are discussed as follows: à à à à à à à à à à à The following job characteristics for IT professionals were selected for this study, based also on previous usage in similar studies as indicated in the literature review: IT Training User Contact Job-required Skills Task Significance Workload Feedback à à à à à On the other hand, the job satisfaction scales include the following: Internal Work Motivation Job Security Satisfaction Social Job Satisfaction Job Growth Satisfaction Satisfaction with Pay Satisfaction with Supervision Data Analysis à à à à à à à à à à à The study will make use of descriptive and inferential analysis were used throughout the study.à à Descriptive statistics (percentages, means, standard deviations, frequencies, and item means) were computed using the SPSS (SPSS, Inc., 2002).à This general-purpose analysis program will be used to characterize the sample in terms of demographic characteristics pertaining to gender, income, education, age, years as an IT professional, years in the current organization, and years in the current position.à SPSS will likewise used to analyze the correlation among job characteristics, the correlation between job satisfaction scales, the correlation between job satisfaction and job characteristics, and the correlation between job characteristics, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. à à à à à à à à à à à The primary inferential technique that will be used is bivariate correlation.à SPSS will à also be used to analyze the regression analysis for the data.à A 0.01 level of significance was adopted for testing significance.à The standardized effects of all the job characteristics for each job satisfier will also be computed.à The same method will be used to analyze the standardized effect of all the job satisfaction scales to turnover intention.à From these standardized effect analyses, the prediction of turnover intention by job satisfaction scales will be computed. à The job satisfaction scales which had a 0.60 level were considered significant to turnover intention.à The reliability coefficients ranging between 0.60 and 0.70 are deemed adequate for research purposes (Aiken, 2000, p.88).à For purposes of this study, the job satisfiers and job characteristics which have indirect effects of 0.60 above significance to turnover intention will be used.à The standardized effect of the significant job characteristic will be multiplied to the standardized effect of the particular job satisfier. à à à à à à à à à à à Each of the twelve hypotheses of this study will be tested in essentially six multiple regression analyses ââ¬â one for each job satisfier as the constant, independent variable and its relation to each dependent variable represented by the job characteristics.à Otherwise stated, each job satisfier will represent a criterion variable and the six job characteristics will be considered predictors in each of the six regression analyses. 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