My Speech On The Emergency Medicine Class - 980 Words

In the summer of 2014, I thought I had life completely planned out. I was enrolled at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College while still attending Mount Pleasant High School. I had just started taking my Emergency Medicine class and had already completed two-thirds of my fire class. I volunteered at Northeast Cabarrus Fire Department and was so close to becoming an interior firefighter, I could taste it. I never slowed down enough to think about God’s plan for me. I seemed to only care about creating my own plan and following through with it. My intentions were to graduate high school and be completely done with my education. Graduating meant I was free to spend my time chasing my dreams, but that changed on my way to my Emergency Medicine†¦show more content†¦I was overcome with an intense pain shooting from my neck to the area between my shoulders. My breathing slowed and shortly was accompanied by my low moans as I tried to squeeze little bits of air into my lungs. I cou ld feel myself being consumed by the feeling of fire inside my chest. I passed out for what felt like a long night’s sleep, to only be awakened by the sound of the ambulance and the frosty fingers holding my C-spine. My precisely drawn out plan was no longer in my control; I had relinquished all rights to my plan when I agreed to join the game leap frog. That fun game of leap frog left me with broken dreams and in excruciating pain. At some point on that rainy day, I found myself consumed in complete and utter denial. It must have been after the doctors notified my parents that I had broken four thoracic vertebra; my T-1 though T-4. The doctors told me â€Å"my life would never be the same† because my back problems would limit my future plans. They informed me the pain I felt would go down some, but never completely subside. A couple doctors wanted to place me on a pain medicine regimen for the rest of my life. I remember the icy puddles from my tears that accumulated on my pillow, the smell of the doctor s cologne that slowly suffocated my already struggling breaths, and the sound of my mother weeping at my bedside. I took the diagnosis like a bullet; it pierced my heart and exited my body carrying myShow MoreRelatedSports And Play After A Concussion913 Words   |  4 Pagesin the brain. Concussions can have serious effects on a child s developing brain. Children may get a concussion while playing sports or doing athletic activities. A concussion can cause temporary problems with certain brain functions, including speech, memory, balance, and coordination. Your child may also feel dizzy or nauseous and have trouble thinking clearly. Symptoms usually go away in a couple of weeks. Sometimes they last longer. It is important for children to wait to return to sportsRead MoreCareer And College Research Paper1504 Words   |  7 Pagesand College Research Paper Ever since I can remember I have wanted to do two things with my career, and that is to travel and to meet as many new people I can. In becoming a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, those cravings can transform into my own reality. Becoming a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative (PSR) has been on my radar for quite sometime. Furthermore, It is going to be vital for me to advance my education and receive a college degree. It is an absolute necessity to comprehend the learningRead MoreThe Downfall Of American Healthcare Essay1688 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween good healthcare only being for the privileged upper class Americans which has left a horrible effect on the middle and lower class Americans. As modern medicine achieves new heights, the prices of healthcare seem to tread right behind maintaining an unbroken pattern that American classes have grown accustomed to over the past few decades of paying more for less. Leaving many Americans uninsured, underinsured, or even in debt. In a speech Bernie Sanders a U.S. Senator from Vermont spoke at a presidentialRead MoreImpact Of Strokes And The Cognitive Mind1819 Words   |  8 Pagesstroke is hemorrhagic, which a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and can cause damage to the brain cells and very well could cause an aneurysm, which leads to death unless detected early. Signs of a stroke are blurred vision or most commonly blurred speech. One could lose their balance or unable to walk. Most strokes are caused by a blood clot in the brain. When a stroke occurs, one needs to measure how much of the cognitive dissonance has been affected and what are the significant changes. The AmericanRead MoreDisasters Throughout My High School And Undergraduate Career4491 Words   |  18 Pages Disasters Journal Assignment Josephine Heil West Chester University SWG 577 Monday, August 3rd, 2015 The first day of class was very emotional and powerful. Prior to signing up for a social work in disasters course, I reflected on how little I learned about disasters throughout my high school and undergraduate career. I was unaware of the political and race aspects from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I am also extremely overwhelmed by the devastation and emptiness from theRead More Principles of Leadership in American Military History Essay3121 Words   |  13 Pagesfallen into, these men display different qualities of a leader, positive or negatively. Both Patrick Henry and Barack Obama gave powerful speeches and shined a new light among many in their crowds with one major leadership skill: unity. In his speech at the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry’s most persuasive qualities lay in his rhetorical questions. Beginning with â€Å"They tell us, sir, that we are weak—unable to cope with so formidable an adversary,† Henry jumps straight into his repetition ofRead MoreThe Family Birthplace : Implementation Of A Discharge Teaching Class2209 Words   |  9 PagesThe Family Birthplace: Implementation of a Discharge Teaching Class Jessica Arthur Oklahoma City University â€Æ' Table of Contents Chapter I: Introduction 3 Chapter II: Description of Mercy Ardmore 3 Chapter III: Mission, Philosophy, Structure 5 Chapter IV: Implementing Change Chapter V: Budgeting Chapter VI: Process of Making Decisions and Evaluation Chapter VII: Conclusion References Appendix Appendix A: Mercy Health Ministry Board of Directors Appendix B: MercyRead MoreSign Language, Cochlear Implants And Turns Others Essay1850 Words   |  8 Pageslittle shown about successful unimplanted Deaf people. They fear that their child may suffer academically from not being able to fully comprehend class lessons or not be able to get their dream job, or any higher paying job, due to not being able to hear. Also, they fear for their safety. They worry about their child not hearing a car coming or an emergency alarm. Cochlear implants give deaf people the opportunity to abandon their deafness and the implied burden that it bears. Many patients who haveRead MoreDeaf Culture History Essay2085 Words   |  9 Pagesparents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and significant level with hearing people all their lives. â€Å"Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group, every region, and every economic class.† The deaf culture and hard of hearing have plenty of arguments and divisions with living in a hearing world without sound however, that absence will be a starting point of an identity within their culture as well as the hearing culture. In todaysRead MoreEssay about Discrimination Against the Deaf Culture 2338 Words   |  10 Pagesparents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and significant level with hearing people all their lives. â€Å"Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group, every region, and every economic class† (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007). The deaf culture and hard of hearing have plenty of arguments and divisions with living in a hearing world without sound however, that absence will be a starting point of an identity within

Pygmalion Review Free Essays

Lauren Conn 06/07/2012 Writer’s Workshop Bill Rubenstein Pygmalion Movie Review Based off of Shaw’s 1913 stage comedy, Pygmalion is the story of two mismatched lovers Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. The story centers on Henry Higgins’ mission to change Eliza Doolittle from a street vendor to a lady. It would be frivolous to comment on the treatment of women, as we are forced to take into account the period in which this play was written. We will write a custom essay sample on Pygmalion Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now Pygmalion is just another reflection of the objectification of women during those times, a representation on how women can be â€Å"changed† to the whim of man and the society man governs. Nevertheless, my intent is not to apply modern value judgments to non-contemporary fiction. I have dissected the play and made an attempt to understand the context in which it was written and presented. All I came to find was a story about a young woman who lost her identity. Henry Higgins is a wealthy phonetics professor who makes a bet with his friend Col. Pickering that he can transform Eliza Doolittle, an uncouth Cockney flower girl, into a lady in three months. Henry compares her to a â€Å"squashed cabbage leaf†. During her lessons she’s put through ridiculous tasks to perfect her elocution, such as speaking with marbles in her mouth. Higgins seems relentless, an example being when Eliza swallows a marble and he states, â€Å"That’s alright, we have plenty more. † Eliza’s first test comes when she takes tea with Henry’s mother – during which becomes a blunder when Eliza rambles about her father’s drinking and the whereabouts of her deceased aunt’s straw hat. Throughout these odd experiments one has to question why Doolittle proceeds to let Higgins treat her as he does. One can be Freudian and claim that it is her drunkard father, who holds no more regard to her than an inanimate object, in which provides evidence enough to Eliza’s decrepit state of self-worth. By the end of these trials Doolittle becomes a success, a lady – but not without losing the essence of who she is. By becoming a lady, Eliza has thrown herself into a state of limbo. She is no longer a Cockney flower girl, but calling herself a lady would be a lie. Instead, Eliza has been transformed into a shell – a canvas to which Higgins painted the portrait. Shaw makes a vain attempt into transforming Eliza into a self-empowered woman by the end of this. We are expected to believe that at some point, the hapless street vendor surpasses Higgins – the master professor. In a way, this almost seems like Shaw’s justification to Eliza’s harsh treatment. For me personally, I was not swayed. I did not believe in her strength by the end of Pygmalion. To me, Eliza’s self-empowered identity as a new â€Å"phonetics† master is just a mask to hide the lack of identity within. How to cite Pygmalion Review, Essay examples

The Effects and Necessity of Secrecy free essay sample

The pathway to Operation Overlord The D-Day happened in Europe at the Omaha beach where many survived the attacks form the allies. The allies were interested in attacking Europe through the entry from various entries into the country. It is believed that the D-Day and Omaha beach was the hardest fought and significant victory for the Allies in the World War II. According to Ambrose, there were five beaches and the Omaha beach was the one that received the most devastating effects of the battles. During the battle many people lost their lives and others were casualties. The allies had to pay a high price with the loss of lives, especially at Omaha beach. The operations overload begun five minutes before midnight On June 5th 1944 (Gilbert 127). There are many surprises on the Omaha beach that were used during the battles of the D-Day. These were the terrain, the configuration of the ground, the length and width of the beach. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects and Necessity of Secrecy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The allies would attack especially with the dominance of the bluff that overlooks the beach used this situation of the Omaha beach. There is a concave shape of the shoreline that would permit the delivery of direct fire from three directions. There were concrete remains of the German defense with its numerous fighting positions along the bluff. The allies also considered the existence of the cliffs that flank the coast from which observers would deliver indirect fire to any location of the beach. The allies were determined to remove all the obstacles that would hinder them from attacking. The allies could stand on the bluff that overlooks the Omaha beach and visualize thousands of American soldiers and sailors on a landing craft when crossing the open stretches of the beach in daylight under enemy fire. According to Gilbert (127) the men who fought at the Omaha beach surprised with their great spirit. From midnight to dawn and many people were killed including 18000 British, American and Canadian origins. The attack at Omaha beach did not have the advantage of darkness or the overwhelming power of fire. The allies well understood that they were attacking an enemy who had an immense capability for reinforcement and counterattack. They had to have tactical surprise that a long pre landing bombing would have lost. They had to accept the risk of heavy casualties on he beaches for the prevention of heavier ones on the plateau and among the hedgerows. The landing took place at the early morning hours of the day in order to extend the effects of enemy fire and to facilitate the achievement of tactical surprise. The assault was considered to be a frontal attack that was unlikely even to have the advantage of tactical surprise. They had a task of smashing through enemy beach defenses to faci litate as far as possible the possibility by naval fire support and air bombardment. The happening of the D-Day was due to the invasion of the Europe allies. The German armies lived in Western Europe together with the forces of the Soviet Union. This regime was believed to hold most of Europe oppression and horror for the past years. The allies would invade Europe by the sea and air. The D-Day was known to be a battle between the allies and the American soldiers on the Omaha beach. The mission of the allies in this battle was to break through the coastal defenses. The allies would advance from the east then invade Germany and destroy the Nazi regime. Through this they would secure a lodgment area on Normandy whereby they would master the armed Western allies. After this they would settle in England where the aim would be to attack and destroy the German. The allies needed a plan that would be used to attack the enemies. The plan was done in secret and surprise by the use of tricks that would help trapping the enemies. The operation overload was a cross channel landing and constituted the primary task that the allies’ air effort would perform against the axis in Europe at te beginning of the D-Day (Gilbert 128-129). The victory of the D-Day was seen as decisive in a theatre of operations in the ancient years. It was also argued to be the decisive turning point in the Americas long uncertainty to achieve power in a fast change in all human aspects including politics, social and economic aspects. According to Ambrose, The D-Day is seen as a significant victory in the sense that it is viewed to be effective to the Americans in serving their interests in the Gulf war. It is also important for the Europeans due to its limitations and dangers to their country. The Europeans were not able to serve their interests in the Balkans as well as serving humanitarian interests in Somalia. The existing battles teach us on how to abide and have actual interest in their causes and effects. These battles help us to understand that it is not the number of the people killed and wounded in a fight that would determine its general historic importance. The D-Day victory was considered to have given an opinion on the outcome of the revolution. This made it possible the founding of the American Republic. The time that was given to the Nazis for the completion of the holocaust, as well as destroying the resistance movement in occupied Europe was one of the consequences of a D-Day defeat. The launching of the invasion started reducing the resistance of German communications. This would have led to the swift and brutal retaliation of the German people. Hence the rebuilding of the movement would be slow and difficult. In the first 24 hours of the D-Day the attackers decided to use clear color photographs and maps that were specially commissioned to be used in landing area and combat zones (Fowler 23-27). D-Day was seen to be a significant victory because in the end of the course the American soldier prevailed on Omaha Beach together with his allies to protect the lodgment. This led to the success of the allies for the mission that they had in mind for the war. There followed battles in the Normandy, Arnhem and Ardennes. The D-Day is seen as a significant victory in the sense that it is viewed to be effective to the Americans in serving their interests in the Gulf war. It is also important for the Europeans due to its limitations and dangers to their country. II. Situation The Nazis occupied most of the European continent. General Eisenhower was Supreme Commander of allied forces. The D-Day happened in the 1940’s the time of the Second World War. This was the time when there was a critical test of the national character since the American Revolution and the civil war. Drez (11-23) believed that the revolution led to the nation from the civil war that was a firmly united nation from the World War II. The fact is that the D-Day did not occur due to remote and infinitesimal influences. This was a time when the American leadership of the western allies was asserted unequivocally. It is believed that, this was a mantle bestowed not to be a kind gesture for the predominance of the American manpower and matters committed to the battle. Eisenhower was the supreme commander of the allied forces and had a duty to figure out a way to defeat Hitler. However, it was not an easy task for Eisenhower to defeat Hitler. The reason is that Europe was already well protected; hence it was a challenge to find the best way of defeating Hitler. III. The plan and deception of Operation Overlord It was necessary for Eisenhower to call in the top military commanders. He organized the plan and deception of operation overload. He owned ships, airplanes, troops, and supplies with which he could send to England to collect the Allied troops. These allied troops would be used to attack the enemies in the beaches. Gilbert (128) argues that it was necessary for secrecy and surprise to be used so as to ensure that the enemies are defeated. The third deception operation glimmer was a substantial air attack followed by fourth which was the largest deception operation that night. To achieve their target the military were dishonesty with their enemies. They never told them the truth about their plan of attack and they used spies to ensure the plan is well monitored. In order to trap their enemies it was necessary for the allies to use rubber tanks and trucks. The duplex drive tank was part of the firepower on which the allies would depend on to get ashore on the D-Day. The thinking that initiated the development of the duplex tank and the doctrine of its employment indicated the thinking that permeated the entire planning process. Due to the failure of the Dieppe raid brought the need of implementing a reliable amphibious tank. This tank would use a nine-foot canvas shroud containing 36 air light pillars held up by collapsible metal struts for floatation. It was possible for one to float any size vehicle no matter the tonnage as long as the shroud wrapping was high enough. At the sea the duplex tank would hung below the surface of the water. These tanks would proceed in column to within 1000 yards of the beach and land in five minutes if no underwater obstacles encountered. They would then deploy literary to attack the pillboxes and other fixed installation. The duplex drive tanks at Utah, sword, Juno and Gold beaches met with varying degrees of success. At Utah beach one duplex tank would strike an underwater mine and sink with all four Duplex drive tanks. The conditions at Utah beach were as severe as those at Omaha beach hence the performance of the tanks was better. IV. Deciding when and where to attack The allies had to plan well the attack and how it should take place with the Germans. All the allied troops were required to be alert on the progress of all the directions of attack. The planners of the Normandy invasion were energized by the magnitude of the task that confronted them. They sought new solutions to problems that had previously been identified and studied. They planned to use lies as well as spies who would spy on the areas of attack. They made the Germans to think that they were attacking at Calais and this made the Germans o relax. They were always alert to track any chance that was available to attack as fast as possible. They used a security clearance of BIGOIT and this was considered to be higher that the top secret. However it was difficult to beat Hitler because he had his own plan and ordered Rommel who would attack instead from Caen against the British bridge head (Gilbert 174). They ensured that no mail was delivered and if available to be concealed for their benefit. Also they did not allow any personal communication to take place inside or outside the camps or ships. They were very keen to keep track on the strengths and positions of the German forces. The commanders had to form a Land at Omaha since it was a necessary target for the attack. They also made a keen observation on the weather patterns for them to decide on the best time to attack. V. Points that were to be considered in launching the attack The allied troops were required to put into consideration the reports from spies before launching their attack to the Germans. The best climate was necessary for the attacks were also considered where short time period attack would be the best for clear weather. It was important to note the troop’s behavior to avoid their impatient from being confined. Also there was a need to ensure that the Germans did not discover their plans to attack. Here the troops saw it necessary to attack as soon as possible whenever a chance was available for them to attack into a springboard to launch an attack. They would also take the steps of raiding from the French coast at Houlgate by the use of eighty eight men (Gilbert 5). VI. The attack D-Day According to Ambrose, on this day the allies had to make accurate arrangements of targets from the air and sea at daylight. The development of an overwhelming fire support from all sources such as air, naval and support craft was the first essential thing to do. This would help them to cover the final stage of the approach and enable them to close the beaches. Infantry performing a forward assault in opposition to a purposeful defense in daylight won the battle for Omaha beach. It was costly to make this improvisation. The allied men were committed to hurling themselves frontal against the strongest defended areas in the assault zone. This was believed to be an act of hubris compounded by the collapse amidst the rough weather. On June 5, 1944 the Infantryman landed by gliders 5 minutes before midnight. At 14 hours General Norman Cota addressed the allied men on how to manage the attack. Cota had predicted the possibility of the allied men not achieving their targets. Ambrose added that this was not the reality that occurred then. The Americans were lying on the shore seeking cover behind obstacles of tanks and vehicles that were burning. Many were wounded and lying on the sand giving the American and German soldiers the impression of failing the assault at Omaha beach. On the early hours of the morning on the following day June 6, 1944, the allied invasion fleets arrived off the coast of Normandy. They were sixteen ships carrying the assault forces. They took up station in the transport area and right away initiated the landing processes. The transport area was far from the enemy artillery and the sea was rough. There were winds and tides that produced waves three to four feet high. This made it difficult to land the small aircraft through the web like scramble net. Soldiers had to time when jump into the craft where a mistake in timing would result to a serious injury. The operational plan for the Normandy invasion that was based on a new a hybrid doctrine was deeply flawed in numerous ways. There were five beaches that were to be attacked in Normandy. They included; the Utah beach, Sword beach, Omaha beach, Gold beach and Juno Beach. Among these five beaches, the Omaha beach was the one that received the most devastating effects of the battles. It was also the one that was most hard fought battle of Normandy (Drez 266). It was believed that the Canadian and British forces at sword, Juno and gold beaches as well as the American forces at the Utah beach fought the German forces. It they could have used the similar terrain of the quality and quantity of those at Omaha beach; they would too have suffered heavy casualties and faced the prospect of defeat. The same day warships numbering from three thousand to seven thousand were required to depart first. During the battle many people lost their lives and others were casualties. The allies were the ones who had to pay a high price with the loss of lives, especially at Omaha beach. The Germans were caught by surprise and with absolute bravery the Germans were defeated. The navy and the air force had chosen their targets on the radar site for the attack (Gilbert 110). It is evident that in the military structure of the western allies there existed a drastic shift in the balance of power. This represented the descent of Britain and the rise of the America to the highest rank in the world power. There was a disparity in forces when confronting the enemy and this was closed quickly. After five years of war, Britain was announced to have reached the limits of its resources. It was required to maintain its forces at its D-Day levels. The growth of the American forces in the theatre continued until victory was declared in Europe. The U. S ground forces were three times greater than all of the western allies united. At the eve of the D-Day that happened thirty months later the commitment of the American forces worldwide was leading. The Britain’s who had maintained its equality in partnership did no longer exist. The Second World War II in Europe ended with the immediate threat of a soviet union bound for world domination. Disaster was the price of aloofness and America had to continue leadership in the free world (Drez 266-268). VI. Conclusion /Summary In the World War II in Europe, this was a time when the D-Day took place in the 1940’s. There existed depression among the people of the country that emanated from the fist world war. The Second World War in Europe ended the depression that existed in the First World War. Eisenhower and all commanders planned the invasion as best as they could. Although all the attacks on all beaches were successful, Omaha beach suffered the most but was the most victorious. The D-Day changed the course of the war in Europe. The D-Day brought about the impact of the American Soldier to be seen as an ignorant person. The D-Day was seen to be a significant victory because in the end of the course the American soldier prevailed on Omaha Beach together with his allies to protect the lodgment. This led to the success of the allies for the mission that they had in mind for the war. The Tactical battles were not expected to fail since the entire campaign would have collapsed and the strategy for the conduct of the war might have also failed. Defeat at Omaha beach could have significantly weakened the margin for success. Each fight at Normandy was of great importance to the tactical plans of the United States and Britain.

Nature vs. Nurture free essay sample

Adoption and Twin studies have allowed behavioral geneticists to learn more about how the prenatal environment verses simple heredity effect the development of people. Identical twins, separated at birth were given tests that measure their intelligence, personality, heart rate, and brain waves; their results appeared virtually identical. However, further studies have proved that identical twins reared together have greater similarities then separated identical twins do. Therefore, even though nurture plays a role in similarly due to prenatal brain development, nature also makes a slight difference. The illegal use of dugs during pregnancy also effect prenatal brain development. Drugs consumed during pregnancy can have a detrimental affect on the baby. The baby can be born too small or too soon, have withdrawal symptoms, birth defects, or learning and behavioral problems. This shows that in this care the nurture in the womb has a greater affect then genetics on the baby. The acquisition of a first language is purely based on nurture. We will write a custom essay sample on Nature vs. Nurture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is proven that any child can learn any language with the same about of facility if learnt at the appropriate time. However, any language acquired after this period of time if stored in a different area of the brain, thus the child can never fully master it. Many epilepsy patients are inclined to have a hemispherectomy due to incessant seizures. When a left side hemispherectomy is conducted, the patient is partially disabled on the right side of their body. However, when this procedure is preformed on children, the child is likely to be able to adapt to its effects due to the increases plasticity of a child’s brain. There have been studies that show that there are no significant long-term effects on memory, personality, or humor after the procedure. This shows that regardless of the conditions put on the brain, it is likely to continue with what it was meant to achieve. Experiments on animals have been conducted to test the effects of nature and nurture on the brain. An experiment on rats tested whether or not experience effects brain development. The study raised a group of rats with friends in a lively environment while isolating some. The isolated rats had smaller brains then the rats with friends. Another experiment was conducted on ferrets to see if the part of the brain meant of vision, the occipital lobe, was the only place vision could take place. A scientist rewired the brains of ferrets so that visual signals were sent to the temporal lobe instead of the occipital lobe. The result was that these ferrets had 20/60 vision; they could see. This proved that nurture can change brain development, but only to a certain extent; the ferrets did not have perfect, 20/20, vision. Nature and nurture work together in forming an individual. All aspects of life, from prenatal brain development to surgeries that may remove parts of the brain, are formed through both nature and nurture. It is the plasticity of the brain that allows these two things to work together.

Improving Mobile Access to Government Websites

Improving Mobile Access to Government Websites The U.S. federal government is working to improve access to the wealth of information and services available on its more than 11,000 websites from mobile devices like tablets and cellphones, according to an interesting new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). While most people still use desktop and laptop computers, consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to access websites with government information and services. As the GAO noted, millions of Americans use mobile devices every day to get information from websites. In addition, mobile users can now do many things on websites that previously required a desktop or laptop computer, like shopping, banking, and accessing government services. For example, the number of individual visitors using cellphones and tablets to access the Department of the Interiors information and services increased significantly from 57,428 visitors in 2011 to 1,206,959 in 2013, according to agency records provided to the GAO. Given this trend, the GAO pointed that the government needs to make its wealth of information and services available â€Å"anytime, anywhere, and on any device.†    However, as the GAO points out, mobile Internet users face a range of challenges accessing government services online. â€Å"For example, viewing any website that has not been â€Å"optimized† for mobile access- in other words, redesigned for smaller screens- can be challenging,† notes the GAO report. Trying to Meet the Mobile Challenge On May 23, 2012, President Obama issued an executive order entitled â€Å"Building a 21st Century Digital Government,† directing the federal agencies to deliver better digital services to the American people. â€Å"As a Government, and as a trusted provider of services, we must never forget who our customers are – the American people,† the President told the agencies. In response to that order, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget created a Digital Government Strategy to be implemented by the Digital Services Advisory Group. The Advisory Group provides the agencies with help and resources needed to improve access to their websites via mobile devices. At the request of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the government’s purchasing agent and property manager, the GAO investigated the progress and success of the agencies in meeting the goals of the Digital Government Strategy. What the GAO Found In all, 24 agencies are required to comply with provisions of the Digital Government Strategy, and according to the GAO, all 24 have made efforts to improve their digital services for those who use mobile devices. In its investigation the GAO specifically reviewed six randomly selected agencies: the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security, the National Weather Service (NWS) within the Department of Commerce, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The GAO reviewed 5 years (2009 through 2013) of online visitor data as recorded by Google Analytics from each agency. The data included the type of device (smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer) consumers used to access the agencies’ main website. In addition, the GAO interviewed officials from the six agencies to gather insights about the challenges consumers might face when accessing government services using their mobile devices. The GAO found that five of the six agencies have taken substantive steps to improve access to their websites via mobile devices. For example in 2012, the DOT fully redesigned its main website to provide a separate platform for mobile users. Three of the other agencies GAO interviewed have also redesigned their websites to better accommodate mobile devices and the other two agencies have plans to do so. Of the 6 agencies reviewed by the GAO, only the Federal Maritime Commission had yet to take steps to enhance access to their websites via mobile devices, but plans to enhance access to its website in 2015. Who Uses Mobile Devices? Perhaps the most interesting part of the GAO’s report is an accounting of who most often use mobile devices to access websites. The GAO cites a Pew Research Center report from 2013 showing that certain groups relied on cellphones to access websites than others. In general, PEW found that people who are young, have more income, have graduate degrees, or are African American have the highest rate of mobile access. In contrast, PEW found that people less likely to use mobile devices to access websites in 2013 included seniors, the less educated, or rural populations. Of course, there are still many rural areas that lack cellphone service, let alone wireless Internet access. Only 22% of people 65 and older used mobile devices to access the Internet, compared to 85% of younger people. â€Å"GAO also found that access to the Internet using cellphones has increased, primarily due to lower cost, convenience, and technical advances,† stated the GAO report. Specifically, the Pew survey found that: 74% of African Americans use cellphones to access the Internet.85% of people ages 18 to 29 used cellphones to access the Internet, compared to only 22% of seniors age 65 and older.79% of those using cellphones to access the Internet have incomes of at least $75,000.Only 50% of people living in rural areas use cellphones to access the Internet.74% have college degrees or higher, compared to 53% with a high school diploma and 51% without a high school education. The GAO made no recommendations in relationship to its findings, and issued its report for informational purposes only.

The History of Japanese Ninjas

The History of Japanese Ninjas The ninja of movies and comic books- a stealthy assassin in black robes with magical abilities in the arts of concealment and murder- is very compelling, to be sure. But the historical reality of the ninja is somewhat different. In feudal Japan, ninjas were a lower class of warriors often recruited by samurai and governments to act as spies. Origins of the Ninja It is difficult to pin down the emergence of the first ninja, more properly called shinobi- after all, people around the world have always used spies and assassins. Japanese folklore states that the ninja descended from a demon that was half man and half crow. However, it seems more likely that the ninja slowly evolved as an opposing force to their upper-class contemporaries, the samurai, in early feudal Japan. Most sources indicate that the skills that became ninjutsu, the ninjas art of stealth, began to develop between 600 to 900. Prince Shotoku, who lived from 574 to 622, is said to have employed Otomono Sahito as a shinobi spy. By the year 907, the Tang Dynasty in China had fallen, plunging the country into 50 years of chaos and forcing Tang generals to escape over the sea to Japan where they brought new battle tactics and philosophies of war. Chinese monks also began to arrive in Japan in the 1020s, bringing new medicines and fighting philosophies of their own, with many of the ideas originating in India  and making their way across Tibet and China before turning up in Japan. The monks taught their methods to Japans warrior-monks, or yamabushi, as well as to members of the first ninja clans. The First Known Ninja School For a century or more, the blend of Chinese and native tactics that would become ninjutsu developed as a counter-culture, without rules. It was first formalized by Daisuke Togakure and Kain Doshi around the 12th century. Daisuke had been a samurai, but he was on the losing side in a regional battle and forced to forfeit his lands and his samurai title. Ordinarily, a samurai might commit seppuku under these circumstances, but Daisuke did not. Instead, in 1162, Daisuke wandered the mountains of southwest Honshu where he met Kain Doshi, a Chinese warrior-monk. Daisuke renounced his bushido code, and together the two developed a new theory of guerrilla warfare called ninjutsu. Daisukes descendants created the first ninja ryu, or school, the Togakureryu. Who Were the Ninja? Some of the ninja leaders, or jonin, were disgraced samurai like Daisuke Togakure that had lost in battle or had been renounced by their daimyo but fled rather than committing ritual suicide. However, most ordinary ninjas were not from the nobility. Instead, low-ranking ninjas were villagers and farmers who learned to fight by any means necessary for their own self-preservation, including the use of stealth and poison to carry out assassinations. As a result, the most famous ninja strongholds were the Iga and Koga Provinces, mostly known for their rural farmlands and quiet villages. Women also served in ninja combat. Female ninja, or kunoichi, infiltrated enemy castles in the guise of dancers, concubines, or servants who were highly successful spies and sometimes even acted as assassins as well. Samurai Use of the Ninja The samurai lords could not always prevail in open warfare, but they were constrained by bushido, so they often hired ninjas to do their dirty work. Secrets could be spied out, opponents assassinated, or misinformation planted, all without sullying a samurais honor. This system also transferred wealth to the lower classes, as the ninja were paid handsomely for their work. Of course, a samurais enemies could also hire ninja, and as a result, the samurai needed, despised, and feared the ninja- in equal measure. The ninja high man, or jonin, gave orders to the chunin  (middle man), who passed them on to the genin, or the ordinary ninja. This hierarchy was also, unfortunately, based on the class the ninja had come from before training, but it wasnt uncommon for a skilled ninja to ascend the ranks well beyond his or her social class. The Rise and Fall of the Ninja The ninja came into their own during the tumultuous era between 1336 and 1600. In an atmosphere of constant war, ninja skills were essential for all sides, and they played a key role in the Nanbukucho Wars (1336–1392), the Onin War (1460s), and the  Sengoku Jidai, or Warring States Period- where they aided samurai in their internal power struggles. The ninja were an important tool during the Sengoku Period (1467-1568), but also a destabilizing influence. When warlord Oda Nobunaga emerged as the strongest daimyo and began to reunite Japan in 1551–1582, he saw the ninja strongholds at Iga and Koga as a threat, but despite quickly defeating and co-opting the Koga ninja forces, Nobunaga had more trouble with Iga.​ In what would later be called the Iga Revolt or Iga No Run, Nobunaga attacked the ninja of Iga with an overwhelming force of more than 40,000 men. Nobunagas lightning-quick attack on Iga forced the ninja to fight open battles, and as a result, they were defeated and scattered to nearby provinces and the mountains of Kii. While their base was destroyed, the ninja did not vanish entirely. Some went into the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became shogun in 1603, but the much-reduced ninja continued to serve on both sides in various struggles. In one famous incident from 1600, a ninja snuck through a group of Tokugawas defenders at Hataya castle and planted the flag of the besieging army high on the front gate. The Edo Period under the Tokugawa Shogunate  from 1603–1868 brought stability and peace to Japan, bringing the ninja story to a close. Ninja skills and legends survived, though, and were embellished to enliven the movies, games, and comic books of today.

Is Globalization good for the poor people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Is Globalization good for the poor people - Essay Example Part of the reason for the recent boom in the Estonian economy has been attributed to the numerous reforms and liberalization policies that have been initiated. Most of the ideas in this direction were suggested by the late Nobel prize winning economist, Milton Friedman. The changes put in place have resulted in it becoming one of the most integrated and freest economies in the world. In the globalization index of 2007, Estonia was placed in the 10th position under the most integrated economies suggesting a massive transformation from its communist past. The country was virtually bankrupt during the 1990s with a high rate of inflation and soaring unemployment rates. By opening itself up to the outside world, Estonia has abolished corporate income tax and bureaucracy is no longer a hindrance to government clearances. In a way, the government has acted as a very thin filter to corporate functioning thereby helping in the smooth and easy conduct of business. Estonia is presently places at 17 among a group of 175 economies in terms of the ease of doing business sixth in terms of feasibility in trade across borders. There is no cap on foreign ownership that has encouraged investments in all major sectors of the economy. Estonia is currently places at 21 for technological connectivity although these figures are expected to improve in the coming years. The country is also increasingly involved in the use of information channels for communication with many of the government functions including voting now possible through the Internet. All such changes have prompted it to be dubbed as ‘E-Stonia’ after the recent general elections were held over the web. Apart from all the above measures, it is also important for the presence of an able administration that is bold and determined to making changes that will necessitate the opening up to trade

Direct and Internet Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Direct and Internet Marketing - Research Paper Example From appearing first in 1952 in annual report of GE (Annual Report, New York: General Electric Company, 1952) marketing concept has acquired the most important aspect for any organization. An organization that has a market orientation focuses its efforts on. The ever changing situation of the market i.e. of buyers, suppliers, customers, employees or technological could change the equilibrium of any organization. Organizations normally adjust to these changes by changing their overall all-round policies and strategies. The market-led approach has three components: Consumer orientation, Competitor orientation and Inter-functional co-ordination (See Appendix). The result is today's "Customers era", in which firms seek continuously to satisfy the high expectations of customers. An important outgrowth of this focus on the customer is the recent attention placed on customers relationship management (CRM), the process of identifying prospective buyers, understanding them intimately and developing favorable long term perceptions of the organization and its offering so that buyers will choose them in the market place (Srivastava, Shervani and Fahey, 1999). This process requires the involvement and commitment of managers and employees throughout the organization and a growing application of information, communication and Internet technology. Now reaching perspective buyers either, directly or indirectly is a prerequisite for successful marketing. To reach out to the customers organizations use different channels through which goods and services from the producer/providers flows to buyers either through intermediaries or without them. To communicate with customers, a company can use one or more of five promotional alternatives: advertising, personal selling, public relations, sales promotions and direct marketing. The first three alternatives are often use mass selling because they are used with groups of perspective buyers. In contrast, personal selling uses customized interaction between a seller and a perspective buyer. Personal selling activities include face-to-face, telephone and interactive electronic communications. Direct marketing also uses messages customized for specific customers. Direct marketing uses direct co mmunication with consumers to generate a response in the form of an order, a request for further information, or a visit to a retail outlet (Economic impact: U.S. Direct marketing today, New York: Direct marketing Association, 1998). The communication can take many forms including face to face selling, direct mail, catalogs, telephone, oscillations, direct response advertising (on television and radio and in print), and online (Internet) marketing. It has an advantage of being customized to match the needs to specific target markets. Messages can be developed and adopted quickly to facilitate one to one relationship with customers. Direct marketing have certain disadvantage First direct marketing requires a comprehensive and up to date data base with information about target market. Developing and maintaining the database can be expensive and time consuming.

Human Resource Law Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Law Essay This paper will show that this scenario provides a case for gender discrimination. Gender discrimination is illegal under Title VII (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). In addition, this paper will show what legal and ethical issues arise in this case. Furthermore, this paper will show what Bob should do in this case. By using the female employee versus the male employee to serve the customer the company would be in violation of Title VII for gender discrimination. Title VII laws regarding gender cover the full scope of the employment relationship which describes that gender may not be the basis of any decision related to employment unless gender is used as a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ). Customer preference is not a legitimate and protected reason to treat otherwise qualified employees differently based on gender. Additionally, allowing the female employee to assist the customer over the male employee would be in violation of the store’s rotation policy. The policy states that each working day, two employees work in the store; one working the front and one working the back. Rotation occurs on a daily basis in order to disperse commissions fairly. Since this is company policy, there is no flexibility to change that policy and to rotation schedule clearly states that it is the male employee’s turn to earn commission. Discrimination based on gender is illegal and not in keeping with good business practices of efficiency, maximizing resources, and avoiding unnecessary liability. Title VII Issues Discrimination comes in all shapes and sizes, and managers have to be careful not to cross the line and do the wrong thing. Companies do not want lawsuits for discrimination or anything else. The store’s best customer, Imelda,  probably did not intend to offend anyone nor did she probably know that she was discriminating against anyone. Many times discrimination is not intended. Customers generally believe they are always right and get what they want. However, in this instance the customer is very wrong. Requesting a female employee over a male employee is a form of discrimination, gender discrimination. Gender discrimination is illegal under Title VII (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). If Bob asks Tom to step aside and allow Mary to assist Imelda with her purchases, he will be â€Å"in violation of Title VII and can be held liable to the employee for gender discrimination. Customer preference is not a legitimate and protected reason to treat otherwise-qualified employees differently based on gender† (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007, p. 283). Legally and ethically, Manager Bob cannot swap employees Tom and Mary simply because Imelda wants it. Choice This is not an easy situation. On one hand, the customer is promising to buy five pairs of shoes if she gets a female employee to help her. This would be a huge purchase for the store, great for the profit margin as well as a large commission for the employee. On the other hand, not providing a female employee may denote a missed sale, Imelda may leave the store. Swapping employees would cheat Tom out of his commission. This would be unethical. Tom deserves his commission; he should not be asked or told to give this up. The Shoe Store has very clear company policies. Company policy does not allow two employees to split the commission (UOPX, 2013, para. 5). As stated previously, having Tom give up his commission would not be fair. Company policy rotates employees to keep commissions as fair and equal as possible (UOPX, 2013, para. 5). Manager Bob will need to explain to Imelda as nicely and calmly as possible that he is very sorry, but cannot provide her with a female employee. Bob should promise Imelda that Tom is a very nice man and that she will be in very capable hands; ensure her that Tom knows shoes and will treat her and her feet right. Bob should smile and guarantee her that she will be happy with the service she receives. Bob should apologize for the problem, explain that he contacted his regional manager to see if he could make an exception to company policy this time and was told no, and explain that the company risks a discrimination lawsuit. Finally, tell Imelda that he understands if she chooses to shop elsewhere today and  apologize again. Bob should not get into an argument with the customer; it is out of the stores control. In any business, a written policy can avoid or prevent lawsuits. The shoe store chain has clearly established that the rotation of two employees daily or weekly will occur in the store to create fairness in commission sales. In addition, if only two employees are present one works in the back of the store and the other works in front, this clearly creates fairness of commissions earned (pay), good business ethics practice. Working in sales requires a lot of personal judgment from a company representative. By its nature, the job relies heavily on social relationships and on persuasion. Sales people also usually work on commission; if they do not make the sale, they lose cash. In the wrong hands, these elements can lead to unethical behavior, causing undue pressure on customers or vendors. Ethical behavior and doing the correct or right thing is at the forefront for salespeople today. Subsequently ethical performance is an individual process and training development related issues are important. Salespeople require guidelines on ethical, equality and discrimination issues. The guidelines should be formulated and clearly communicated to help employees to effectively deal with situations of equal pay, fairness, and or discrimination whenever the need arises. Job performance, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction will prevail with knowledge and understanding of employment laws (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). What has guided the ethical issues is the set of standards the company has worked out from human reason by which the human actions to switch Mary for Tom is ultimately creating wrong business ethics. Trading assign duties between sales and costs will not mix. The maximum concern for sales cannot go hand-in- with maximum concern for employees. Furthermore, the shoe store business has added structure to the business by creating this policy. If the manager deviates from the established policy, Bob will create unfair treatment or discrimination based on gender, which could result in a lawsuit. After Imelda voiced her request that she wanted a female employee Bob was to enforce the company’s policies to avoid a potential lawsuit. Bob did what was necessary to inform Imelda the companys polices and have Tom assist her with trying on shoes. Bob knows the company will lose money  because of the sales lost from this one client; however, the ethical issue arises to do what is fair and correct according the shoe store policy. If Bob makes the switch and has Mary assist Imelda instead of Tom, Bob has violated the discrimination law-Title VII (gender) as well has violating the equal pay law (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). The decision is allow Tom to assist Imelda and loose the extra sales. In future, the suggestion to Imelda would be to arrive at the store when a female worker is working the floor or to come in the s tore to see who is working the sales floor without putting the manager in the position to make compromises. Conclusion Discrimination issues can get many companies into trouble. Knowing the law is important for any manager. When questions arise that cannot be answered easily, ask for help. Title VII does not allow discrimination because of gender, meaning a man cannot be treated differently from a female and vice versa. In this case, all must be treated equally. Company policy will not allow Tom and Mary to split the commission and asking Tom to give up his commission would be illegal. Imelda will need to make her own decision whether to shop at the Shoe Store and allow Tom to assist her or leave for another store or until another day. The company must do what is right, what is legal. The store must treats its employees properly and do what is legal and ethical. Whereas Imelda may not be happy, the company cannot do anything that may bring a lawsuit against them. References Bennett-Alexander, D. D., Hartman, P. L. (2007). Employment law for business (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. University of Phoenix (UOPX). (2013). Week Three. Retrieved from University of Phoenix,

Strategic Planning Paper -- essays research papers

The history of strategic planning begins in the military. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, strategy is "the science of planning and directing large-scale military operations, of maneuvering forces into the most advantageous position prior to actual engagement with the enemy" (Guralnic, 1986). Although our understanding of strategy and applying strategic planning in management has been transformed from a point of military maneuvering to one that aim’s to achieve and gives a structured framework to reach a competitive advantage. Taking its name and roots from the military model, early models of formal strategic planning "reflected the hierarchical values and linear systems of traditional organizations. Undertaken by planning functions at the top of the organization, its structure was highly vertical and time-bound. A certain period would be set aside to analyze the situation and decide on a course of action. This would result in a formal document. Once this was done, the actual work of implementation, which was considered a separate, discrete process - could begin" (Wall & Wall, 1995). Although individual definitions of strategy vary between each author, traditionally, theorists have considered planning an essential part of organizational strategy. â€Å"Strategic planning in organizations originated in the 1950s and was very popular and widespread between mid-1960s to mid-1970s, when people believed it was the answer for all problems, and corporate America was obsessed with strategic planning. Following that boom strategic planning had fallen off and was cast aside for over a decade. The 1990s brought the revival of strategic planning as a process with particular benefits in particular contexts† (Mintzberg, 1994). In Here is a brief account of several generations of strategic planning. â€Å" Analysis model dominated strategic planning of the 1950s. The 1960s brought qualitative and quantitative models of strategy. During the early 1980s, the shareholder value model and the Porter model became the standard. The rest of the 1980s was dictated by strategic intent and core competencies, and market-focused organizations. Finally, business transformation became a requirement in the 1990s† (Gouillart, 1995). Newer models of strategic planning were f... ...s, and action steps to address identified issues. However, having noted some of the benefits that strategic planning can produce, it is important to note that it is not a cure-all. Strategic planning is a time-consuming, labor-intensive process that is not for every organization. It is simply a tool that can be used to help a committed entity work toward becoming more effective. Strategic planning should never be considered an end in itself or a one-time deal. It is not simply a written document that details the activities and results of the planning process. It is also more than the process of analyzing, strategizing, implementing, and benchmarking. No planning process, strategic or otherwise, can succeed without the commitment of key stakeholders and organizational leaders. Strategic planning, to be truly effective, means organizational staff or community residents must think and act strategically each day. Through such daily strategic thinking and acting, "planning" and "process" can be transformed into indivi dual and collective strategic actions that enhance organizational value and effectiveness. This is what makes the strategic planning process valuable.

Managing Diversity in the Workplace

Many people believe that discrimination is a thing of the past. They acknowledge that discrimination in the workplace was a serious problem in earlier times. In the present times, there is already heightened awareness of the problem, as well as the significant legal and financial consequences, have eliminated most forms of discrimination.Aside from globalization, â€Å"multiculturalism† has become one of the buzzwords of the Information Age. Multiculturalism connotes diversity in culture and society. In realization of the diversity in American culture, multiculturalism has its roots in the things that separate people from each other. Varieties of multiculturalism go in different directions; but whether radical or liberal, whether emphasizing power or weakness and the distinct contributions of each ethnic group, multiculturalism keeps coming back to its roots in the word â€Å"difference†.The ideal of diversity, the mixing of things up, spreading the wealth, creating a n ew concept of â€Å"us†, never quite ensued rapidly. In relating to racial, ethnic and sexual identity, multiculturalism carved out discrete areas of high visibility but kept those areas self-contained. Since the middle of the 1990's, dissatisfaction with this situation has been widespread, especially as the very concept of race has been forcefully called into question. Black may have been beautiful in the 1960's, and powerful in the 1970's, but it has also become increasingly viewed by cultural historians as a social construct, one fixed in place only by racism itself (Cotter, 2001).As most of the people leading America's major institutions have grown up in segregated communities with segregated schools, they have had limited opportunities to interact with people from different cultures-people whose first language may not be English, or whose skin color is not the same as their own. Many of these leaders have internalized all the stereotypes about race, gender, sexual orient ation and ethnicity that are built into the structures of our society and our organizations.They are ill prepared for the heterogeneity which exists in most organizations today and will surely exist in all organizations tomorrow. The dramatic changes that are upon us are creating an imperative to consider real integration of all workers–not as a matter of social justice or civil rights, but as a necessity for survival (Cross, 2000, p. 2).Despite the fact that there are laws that inhibit, discrimination still exists in many corporations. Class-action discrimination lawsuits are still being settled every day to the tune of millions of dollars. For example, Texaco settled a $176.1 million racial discrimination lawsuit involving 1,400 employees;Ford Motor Company agreed to pay $3 million to settle allegations that women and minority applicants were discriminated against in the hiring process at several Ford plants; and Coca-Cola settled a racial discrimination lawsuit for $192.5 million. Currently, unsettled suits alleging workplace discrimination are pending at organizations ranging from Johnson & Johnson and BellSouth to the National Football League (George and Jones 2005, 341).In someone's place of employment, for example, what does it mean when individual differences are distributed unequally across organizational levels or among work functions? What are the implications of some members holding majority status while others are minorities in respect to representation with the organization?The daily work challenges faced by minority cultures or populations in organizations can range from having to deal with misunderstandings and lack of sensitivity on the one hand to suffering harassment and discrimination, active or subtle, on the other. In respect to race relations in the workplace, a Fortune magazine article once concluded: â€Å"The good news is, there's plenty of progress for companies and employees to talk about.†¦ But what often doesn't get s aid, especially in mixed-race settings, is how much remains to get done† (Mehta 2000, p. 182).A recent study revealed that when rà ©sumà ©s are sent to potential employers, those with white-sounding first names, such as Brett, received 50 percent more responses than those with black-sounding first names, such as Kareem. The fact is that such bias can still be limiting factors in too many work settings (Columbus Dispatch, 2003). Prejudice, or the holding of negative, irrational opinions and attitudes regarding members of diverse populations, sets the stage for diversity bias in the workplace.Such bias can result in discrimination that actively disadvantages individuals by treating them unfairly and denying them the full benefits of organizational membership. This means that even though organizations are changing today, people are still aware that most senior executives in large organizations are older, white, and male. There is still likely to be more workforce diversity at l ower and middle levels of most organizations than at the top.In seeing diversity, one common theme in some approaches is that â€Å"diversity is about all kinds of difference.† However, this view takes us down a dead-end road. Surely, the goal of management in general is just that: â€Å"managing all kinds of difference.† It is clear that what is   needed from a field that is called â€Å"managing diversity† are theories and practices that help organizations reduce discrimination and enable employees who are increasingly diverse by race, gender, sexual orientation and ability to work together effectively.Managers not only need to be competent in basic management skills, they need to learn how to apply those skills competently and comfortably when the employees in their charge are not like them. They need to know how to apply the organization's policies and practices equitably to all employees.When managers become aware of evidence of potential discrimination, they need to pay immediate attention and act proactively to address the potential problem and perhaps change the organization's policies and practices. The management and leadership implications should be summed up in the concept of managing diversity. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. (1992) defines this as the process of comprehensively developing a work environment that is for everyone, that allows â€Å"all kinds of people to reach their full potential.†To help guide others in managing diversity, he poses these questions: (1) â€Å"What do I as a manager need to do to ensure the effective and efficient utilization of employees in pursuit of the corporate mission?† (2) â€Å"What are the implications of diversity for the way I manage?† When all managers can answer these questions positively Thomas calls the organization â€Å"diversity mature.†In such organizations, there is a diversity mission as well as an organizational mission; diversity is viewed as a strat egic imperative and the members understand diversity concepts. Ultimately, Thomas & Woodruff (1999) considered the basic building block of a diversity-mature organization is to become the â€Å"diversity-mature individual†. According to Thomas & Woodruff, a â€Å"diversity-mature individual† is someone who can positively and honestly answer the nine questions posed in The Effective Manager 2.1:Are You Mature on Diversity?1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Do you accept personal responsibility for improving your performance?2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Do you accept personal responsibility for improving your organization's performance?3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Do you understand yourself and your organization?4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Do you understand important diversity concepts?Do you make decisions involving differences based on ability to meet job requirements? Do you understand that diversity is complex and accompanied by tensions? Are you able to cope with complexity and tensions in addr essing diversity? Are you willing to challenge the way things are? Are you willing to learn continuously?In a research reported by the Gallup Management Journal (December 2001), revealed that establishing a racially and ethnically inclusive workplace is good for morale. In a study of 2014 American workers, those who felt included were more likely to stay with their employers and recommend them to others. Survey questions asked such things as: â€Å"Do you always trust your company to be fair to all employees?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"At work, are all employees always treated with respect?† â€Å"Does your supervisor always make the best use of employees' skills?† they have gathered a conclusion that organizational culture of inclusivity counts both in terms of respect for people and in building organizational capacities for sustainable high performance.Thus, managers and business leaders today find that managing diversity makes good business sense as a strategic imperative, not ju st a legal and moral one. A diverse workforce offers a rich pool of talents, ideas, and viewpoints useful for solving the complex problems of highly competitive and often-uncertain environments. No doubt that well-managed workforce diversity increases human capital. If we are to succeed in helping our organizations and our society become more equitable, more open, more inclusive and more profitable, we must not fall into power struggles between the management and its subordinates.There is still no panacea that would eventually eliminate racial and gender biases, but in working together to the advantage of everyone will somehow dissolve the various barriers that impede productive output and understanding our fellowmen. This is because the success of an organization mainly lies on a common consensus that considers diversity to be an opportunity for everyone in an organization to learn from each other and harness each other’s cooperation in order to improve the quality of the pe rformance – as an individual, as a group and as a company.ReferencesColumbus Dispatch. (2003, January 17). Racism in Hiring Remains, Study Says. p. B2.Cross, E. Y. (2000). Managing Diversity–The Courage to Lead. Westport, CT: Quorum Books.Gallup Management Journal. (2001, December). The Most Inclusive Workplaces Generate the Most Loyal Employees. Gallup Group.George, Jennifer M. & Jones, Gareth R. (2005). Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavior, (4th ed.), New York: Prentice-Hall – Pearson Education Company.Mehta, Stephanie N. (2000, July 10). What Minority Employees Really Want, Fortune, pp. 181–186.Thomas, R. Roosevelt Jr. (1992). Beyond Race and Gender (New York: AMACOM), p. 10Thomas, R. Roosevelt Jr. & Woodruff, Marjorie I. (1999).Building a House for Diversity (New York: AMACOM).

Lord of the Flies Book Report Essay

Lord of the Flies is a book by William Golding and was written during WWII. His choice to join the navy changed the way he viewed the world. A group of students were being evacuated from an airplane that is in a lonesome island. Once the group is settled in, they elect a boy of the name Ralph to be leader. A dispute is started on how their will be rules and who governs who. Problems have risen and the group is torn apart. Lord of the Flies theme is that being hungry for power is natural in humans and examples are given when the band chooses a leader, decision making of the boys, and uncivilized acts among themselves. The theme in Lord of The Flies is seen throughout the novel. For example, they voted on a leader to help have order and act in an organized manner. Jack was a nominee who ran against Ralph. JAck really wants to be the leader, but of course Ralph ends up being the popular vote. â€Å"We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything. ‘† (Golding 40). Golding states that the group must be organized, they are not animals. They know that without order, everything they are could collapse and be their downfall. Plus they call themselves the best at everything so they could have some faith of getting by. â€Å"They obeyed the summons of the conch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority†¦. † (Golding 50). Here it shows the Ralph had what it takes to be a leader, everyone listens and takes his orders without question. Towards the end of chapter four, a character by the name of Piggy wines about some rude hunters, Jack hits the poor character breaking the glasses they were wearing. In the story, being power hungry is a pretty common thing and many examples are portrayed such as the group being split, so there is not one main leader. These islanders act in such a way now that they have obtained power. There will be groups. Jack doesn’t like the idea of Ralph being a leader, but is satisfied with his numbers in his own group. â€Å"The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away. † (Golding 82). It says that they everything they know about society is going downhill, they have started their own world. Everyone wanted power, no one liked the idea of being a follower. â€Å"‘Shut up,’ said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. ‘Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things. ’† Which very blatantly shows how much Ralph thinks he has total authority over all the boys. â€Å"I ought to be chief,† said Jack with simple arrogance, â€Å"because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp. † (Golding 229-231). As of reading it is clear that Jack’s thirst for power was most utterly real and has been going on from the beginning of the book. He saw himself as the big-shot. Evidence is given that Jack might want to be the antagonist of this novel, Lord of the Flies. All Jack really wants is to show he is the true leader nothing much, yeah he wants order, but all in the wrong ways. Finally, is the uncivilized way the boys have acted among the groups that have done more damage than good. They all go through this face to behave well and have order with each other trying there best to ignore all the negative and chaos of a bad government. Biggest bust of the novel was when Piggy got demolished by a giant boulder that had flattened him. Who was to blame? Jack as everyone pointed fingers to him along with a so called Roger. Roger was a savage man, who knew that such evil could be brought out from a human being. â€Å"As he did so, he heard Jack’s voice from the top. ‘Heave! Heave! Heave! † (Golding 193). Jack was most likely behind this diabolical plan that murdered the poor innocent Piggy. The great rock that had killed Piggy had bounded into this thicket and bounced there, right in the center, making a smashed space a few feet in extent each way. †(Golding 192). It is obvious that these two men were the evil masterminds behind the death of Piggy. In the beginning of the book, the group came across a pig while hunting and without a doubt kill the poor creature. Jack’s true side came out, this was the part where he would become the bad guy in the story, stabbing the pig had been enough p roof to show he is a killer. In Lord of the Flies, a group who had been left on an island due to their plane coming on a crashing course evacuating their homes because of treacherous war, are now left to make there own decisions creating new order around them. While waiting for help to arrive, all sorts of issues are created with the main problem being leadership. Lord of the Flies theme is that being hungry for power is natural in humans and examples are given when the band chooses a leader, decision making of the boys, and uncivilized acts among themselves.

How to Identify and Grow Your Own Fringe Tree (Old Mans Beard)

How to Identify and Grow Your Own Fringe Tree (Old Mans Beard) Fringe Tree or Old Mans Beard is a beautiful, small tree when it is in full spring bloom. It can grow nearly anywhere in the continental United States and its white flower color kicks in just as the dogwood blooms are fading. The upright oval to rounded form of fringe tree adds dark green color in summer, bright white flowers in spring. The pure white, slightly fragrant flowers hang in long, spectacular panicles which appear to cover the tree with cotton for two weeks. Specifics Scientific name: Chionanthus virginicusPronunciation: kye-oh-NANTH-us ver-JIN-ih-kussCommon name(s): fringetree, old mans beardFamily: OleaceaeUSDA hardiness zones: 3 through 9Origin: native to North AmericaUses: container or above-ground planter; wide tree lawns; medium-sized tree lawns; recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway; near a deck or patio; narrow tree lawns; specimen; sidewalk cutout (tree pit); residential street tree Special Characteristics Fringetree seedlings can vary in individual characteristics and are nearly impossible to propagate using cuttings. The small tree is cold hardy down to -30 F. Fringe tree makes a great woodland or understory naturalizing plant but can also prosper in full sun. In a word, it is a versatile plant. Horticulturist Quotes This tree looks stunning, almost ethereal when seen at peak bloom at night, illuminated by a full moon. And in the developed landscapes of your home, car headlights scanning around the edges of a driveway work just as well. - Guy Sternberg, Native Trees Fringe tree is an apt moniker for this delightful small flowering tree, whose white blossoms do resemble a fanciful white fringe suspended in the spring sunlight. - Rick Darke, The American Woodland Garden Leaves Leaf arrangement: Opposite/sub-opposite; whorledLeaf type: SimpleLeaf margin: EntireLeaf shape: Oblong; obovateLeaf venation: Pinnate; reticulateLeaf type and persistence: DeciduousLeaf blade length: 4 to 8 inches; 2 to 4 inchesLeaf color: GreenFall color: YellowFall characteristic: Not showy Trunk and Branches Bark is thin and easily damaged from mechanical impact; droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; routinely grown with, or trainable to be grown with, multiple trunks; not particularly showy; tree wants to grow with several trunks but can be trained to grow with a single trunk; no thorns. Pruning requirement: Needs little pruning to develop a strong structure.Breakage: ResistantCurrent year twig color: Brown; green; grayCurrent year twig thickness: Medium; thick Culture Light requirement: tree grows in part shade/part sun; tree grows in the shade; tree grows in full sunSoil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; occasionally wet; well-drainedDrought tolerance: moderate In Depth Dark green, glossy leaves emerge later in the spring than those of most plants, just as the flowers are at peak bloom. This differs from Chinese fringe tree which flowers at the terminal end of the spring growth flush. Female plants develop purple-blue fruits which are highly prized by many birds. Fall color is yellow in northern climates, but is an unnoticed brown in the south, with many leaves dropping to the ground a blackened green. The flowers can be forced into early bloom indoors. The plant eventually grows 20 to 30 feet tall in the woods, spreads to 15 feet, and tolerates city conditions well, but trees are more commonly seen 10 to 15 feet tall in landscapes where they are grown in the open. It forms as a multi-stemmed round ball if left unpruned but can be trained into a small tree with lower branches removed. Although reportedly difficult to transplant, the fringe tree can be successfully moved quite easily with proper care. It could be used beneath power lines where no pruning would be required. Fringetree looks best in a sunny spot sheltered from the wind. The foliage appears more attractive when grown with several hours of shade but the tree blooms best in full sun. It is probably best overall with some afternoon shade. A North American native commonly found in upland woods and stream banks throughout most of the South, fringe tree prefers moist, acidic soil and will gladly grow in even wet soils. It grows very slowly, usually 6 to 10 inches per year, but can grow a foot per year if given rich, moist soil and plenty of fertilizer. There is only one flush of growth each year.

How to Use It Depends in Conversation

How to Use It Depends in Conversation In conversation, it is not always possible to give a yes or no answer to a question about our opinion. Life is not always black or white! For example, imagine you are having a conversation about your study habits. Someone might ask you: Do you study hard? You might want to say: Yes, I study hard. However, that statement might not be 100% true. A more accurate answer might be: It depends on which subject Im studying. If Im studying English, then yes I study hard. If Im studying math, I dont always study hard. Of course, the answer, Yes, I study hard. might be truthful as well. Answering questions with it depends allows you to answer questions with more nuance. In other words, using it depends lets you say in which cases something is true and which cases false. There are a few different grammar forms involved when using it depends. Take a look at the following structures. Be sure to carefully note when to use It depends on ..., It depends if ..., It depends on how /what / which / where, etc., or simply It depends. Yes or No? It Depends The most simple answer is a sentence stating It depends. After this, you can follow up by stating yes and no conditions. In other words, the meaning of the phrase: It depends. If it is sunny - yes, but if it is rainy - no. It depends if the weather is good or not. Another common conversational reply to a yes / no question is It depends. Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no. However, as you can imagine answering a question with this doesnt provide much information. Here is a short dialogue as an example: Mary: Do you enjoy playing golf?Jim: It depends. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Answering the question with a more complete version provides more information: Mary: Do you enjoy playing golf?Jim: It depends. If I play well - yes, but if I play badly - no. It depends on noun / noun clause One of the most common ways to use it depends is with the preposition on. Be careful to not use another preposition! I sometimes hear It depends about... or It depends from ... these are both incorrect. Use It depends on with a noun or noun phrase, but not with a full clause. For example: Mary: Do you like Italian food?Jim: It depends on the restaurant. OR Mary: Do you like Italian food?Jim: It depends on the type of restaurant. It depends on how adjective subject verb A similar usage that takes a full clause is It depends on how plus an adjective followed by adjective and full clause. Remember that a full clause takes both the subject and verb. Here are a few examples: Mary: Are you lazy?Jim: It depends on how important the task is to me. Mary: Are you a good student?Jim: It depends on how difficult the class is. It depends on which / where / when / why / who subject verb Another similar use of It depends on is with questions words. Follow It depends on with a question word and a full clause. Here are a few examples: Mary: Are you usually on time?Jim: It depends on when I get up. Mary: Do you like buying gifts?Jim: It depends on who the gift is for. It depends if clause Finally, use it depends with an if clause to express conditions for whether something is true or not. Its common to end the if clause with or not.   Mary: Do you spend a lot of money?Jim: It depends if Im on vacation or not.

Museum research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Museum - Research Paper Example Most of the animals used in the painting all can cause harm and even lead to loss of human life. However, there is some twist when it comes to the bird. The whole idea of the painting is to symbolize a society where a man needs to be careful when ruling or running his life. The elephant depicts danger that is huge and can be detected from a distance. Such calamities strike severely if not dealt with before hand. The flamingo shows the beauty of the land. Such people may be good and appreciating in life and end up making it even sweeter. Despite the good aspect of peace with the bird, there lies an even bigger danger with the snake. The snake is used symbolically to point at issues, which creep in slowly by slowly and cause detrimental hazards. This may include addictions, drug abuse, failing to service a mortgage amongst others. The bitter peel is that such troubles are nearer than we thought and we are at times blind to them. The land life as depicted in painting appears to be safer compared to water life. The set of aquatic animals the artist uses are known to cause serious damage to human life. The hippo, crocodile, the shark and the polar bear keep man off these areas. The hippo is a silent ruthless creature; the crocodile on the other hand is a slow yet powerful animal that kills its prey using its powerful jaws. The shark sharps teeth and sensory system is able to detect blood miles away and faster to catch the prey. The polar bear has sharp claws and powerful arm that tear flesh very easily and fast. Happy human life can only be achieved by careful balance and keen consideration of every move made in life (Hall 17). The man is able to dominate at the center with careful balancing all his surroundings. Even though the snake is dangerous, man should device a way of maintaining close relationship and be alert of all its impending dangers (Hubbard 149). Where you can avoid trouble, keep them a

Chesapeake and New England Colonies Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chesapeake and New England Colonies - Term Paper Example Chesapeake and New England Colonies Early lifestyles of native Chesapeake inhabitants were affected by both geography and climate while social structure was imbalanced, especially that they had a shorter life expectancy. When Chesapeake became a British colony, there was no difference in terms of population growth. If it did, then it would be a lower life expectancy rate than those who were native settlers. The immigrants' life span was lowered to five years compared to that of the immigrants settling in Northern colonies. This is attributed to the immigrants' lack of immunity of the place's diseases such as malaria (Foner 16). Family life is well instilled in the early Chesapeake community. Children are trained to handle the family at an early age because parents die young. It is said that when a child turns 5, there is a 50 percent chance of losing a parent, or both parents (J. Volo and D. Volo). They were taught how to deal with familial responsibility such as taking care of their brothers and sisters and doing hous ehold chores. Their strong attachment to nature also influenced the natives’ belief system. As expected, they believe in supernatural and complex gods of nature. They attribute the weather, their harvest, and other natural events in general as the gods' reaction to their doings (Mountford). For example, if there is a storm, they would assume that the gods are not pleased with what they are doing. Another region in the colonial America is the New England colonies. While Chesapeake’s settlers had been living in the place ages before the formation of New England Colonies, the latter has a greater number of populations probably because they constitute more land area than the other or active economic ventures of the place. New England colonies include Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Islands, and Connecticut. New England colonies were more improved compared to the Chesapeake region. They make use of land and aquatic agriculture and sell its products to ot her people. In the farming area however, they are not as blessed as Chesapeake of having fertile soil. Farmers are able to plant only one kind of crop because the climate is cold and the soil freezes at certain points of the year. When this time of the year comes, they would shift their means of living to fishing. Being near the Atlantic is advantageous for the people's sustenance because of abundant fish supply. Women are even part of the active economic cycle as merchants, selling home made goods such as soaps, candles and garments (â€Å"The New England†). The religious activities of the people in the New England Colonies are very formal and institutionalized. Unlike in Chesapeake, religious institutions such as the Quaker, Puritan, Baptist, Anglican, Jewish, Catholic, and Congregationalist were beginning to grow, influencing much of the social norms in that society (â€Å"Life in the 13 Colonies†). Like the Chesapeake family life, families in colonial New England a re tight-knit and interdependent to each other. Parents follow a traditional child-rearing strategy, which was to give corporal punishment for children who disobey. Children are also expected to have "unquestioned obedience" to their parents (Wright n.pag.). The Chesapeake community and the New England colonies are different in various ways especially in religion, population, and economy. With the description of their

Globalization and Cultural Diversity in International Business Essay

Globalization and Cultural Diversity in International Business Negotiations - Essay Example Overall, an analysis of the various dimensions of cultural clashes and contradictions will be acknowledged. After a definitional look at globalization and the extent to which its importance has grown in the world of business, its impact on multi-cultural negotiations will briefly be assessed. Whether the business world has managed to eradicate problems created by multi-cultural business activities and how it achieves these eradications will be evaluated through examination and an example interview. This dissertation focuses on the effect of cultural differences on business negotiations, and how businesses from different cultural backgrounds seek to bridge the gaps between their cultures during business negotiations. The paper explores exactly what is meant by the term ‘culture’ and how its different facets may be measured. Then, I review intercultural communication and cultural exchange; in addition, I talk about the impact of globalization on intercultural communication. Business negotiation is under discussion; I examine the impact of culture on international business negotiations and how to analyze a negotiation process. The main problems posed by cultural differences will be ascertained from the research and discussion, and how businesses overcome these differences will be examined through an example interview (German/Italian cultural differences). The interview will involve an analysis of the cultural differences between Germans and Italians, and how the inte rviewed businesses overcome the differences in order to participate in successful negotiations. There has been a great deal of recent discussion as to whether barriers between different cultures have diminished (Nordstrà ¶m, 1991).

Basic token economy

Basic token economy Abstract According to Martin and Pear (2007), a token economy is a system of behavior modification based on the principles of operant conditioning. The original proposal for such a system emphasized reinforcing positive behavior by awarding tokens for meeting positive behavioral goals. Token economies have also been implemented to decrease disruptive behaviors and increase appropriate behaviors. Tokens can then be redeemed for reinforcing objects or activities at a later point in time. Basic Token Economies According to Martin and Pear (2007), a token economy is a form of behavior modification program in which individuals can earn tokens for performing desirable behaviors, and can cash in their tokens for various backup reinforcers. Individuals receive tokens immediately after displaying desirable behavior. The tokens are collected and later exchanged for items or privileges (such as food or free time) and punishing undesirable behaviors by taking away tokens. Shapiro and Goldberg (1986) have provided research to show that the use of an individual contingency token system proves to be an effective method for increasing positive student behaviors History of Token Economies Kazdin (1982), reports that programs based upon the administration of rewards developed long before the emergence of behavior modification systems such as token economies. One such system from the 1800s has been discovered in England. According to Kazdin and Pulaski (2006), Joseph Lancaster posted a notice that read, All who will may send their children and have them educated freely, and those who do not wish to have education for nothing may pay for it if they please. When attendance rose to 1,000 students, Lancaster developed a system by which selected children served as helpers or monitors. The selected monitors would check other childrens work and tokens were given to the children and the monitors. The tokens could be exchanged later for various prizes. Risley and Wolf (1997) state that unlike the token economies used today, the 19th century system was not well defined in that it did not detail the responses that led to the delivery of tickets or give specific exchange rates. In addition, the delivery of back-up reinforcers could be delayed for exceedingly long periods, These rewards will be exchanged, three times a year, for objects of value and useful for the children. Risley Wolf state, Nevertheless, the basic elements of a token economy are clearly present in this classroom discipline system developed in the 19th century. Kazdin (1982) states that token economies with regard to motivating behavior were first formalized in studies performed by Ayllon and Azrin in the 1960s. Ayllon and Azrin worked with mental health institutions and prisons to test token economy systems. They found great success in motivating the change of behavior through token economies. Kazdin (1982) reports on a study performed by Rollins, Thompson, and their colleagues who developed token economies in several elementary school classrooms. These programs were very effective in raising the students academic achievement. When the researchers returned to evaluate the long-term effects they found that the school had discontinued the token economy system and behaviors returned to preprogram behavior. Description Martin and Pear (2007) list several elements that are necessary when developing a token economy. First, tokens can be anything that is visible and countable and can be exchanged for privileges or merchandise. It is best to have tokens that are attractive, easy to carry and dispense, and difficult to counterfeit. Commonly used items include poker chips, stickers, point tallies, or play money. Martin and Pear (2007) contend that tokens are to be administered in a positive manner. When an individual displays desirable behavior, he or she is immediately given a designated number of tokens. Tokens are not to have any value of their own. They are collected and later exchanged for meaningful objects, privileges or activities. In some programs individuals can also lose tokens (response cost) for displaying undesirable behavior. Clearly Defined Target Behavior Martin and Pear (2007) stated that individuals participating in a token economy needed to know exactly what they must do in order to receive tokens. Desirable and undesirable behavior is explained ahead of time in simple, specific terms. The number of tokens awarded or lost for each particular behavior is also specified. Back-up Reinforcers Back-up reinforcers are the meaningful objects, privileges, or activities that individuals receive in exchange for their tokens. Examples include food items, toys, extra free time, or outings. The success of a token economy depends on the appeal of the back-up reinforcers. Individuals will only be motivated to earn tokens if they anticipate the future reward represented by the tokens. A well-designed token economy will use back-up reinforcers chosen by individuals rather than by staff. Developing a system for exchanging tokens Martin and Pear (2007) have stated that a time and place for purchasing back-up reinforcers is necessary. The token value of each back-up reinforcer is pre-determined based on monetary value, demand, or therapeutic value. For example, if the reinforcer is expensive or highly attractive, the token value should be higher. If possession of or participation in the reinforcer would aid in the individuals acquisition of skills, the token value should be lower. If the token value is set too low, individuals will be less motivated to earn tokens. Conversely, if the value is set too high, individuals may become easily discouraged. It is important that each individual can earn at least some tokens. Consistent Implementation by the Staff Martin and Pear (2007) state that in order for a token economy to succeed, all involved members must reward the same behaviors, use the appropriate amount of tokens, avoid dispensing back-up reinforcers for free, and prevent tokens from being counterfeited, stolen, or otherwise unjustly obtained. Staff responsibilities and the rules of the token economy should be described in a written manual. Staff members should also be evaluated periodically and given the opportunity to raise questions or concerns. Initially tokens are awarded frequently and in higher amounts, but as individuals learn the desirable behavior, opportunities to earn tokens decrease. (The amount and frequency of token dispensing is called a reinforcement schedule.) For example, in a classroom, each student may earn 25 to 75 tokens the first day, so that they quickly learn the value of the tokens. Later, students may earn 15 to 30 tokens per day. By gradually decreasing the availability of tokens (fading), students should learn to display the desirable behavior independently, without the unnatural use of tokens. Reinforcers that individuals would normally encounter in society, such as verbal praise, should accompany the awarding of tokens to aid in the fading process. Efficacy Mathur (1996) states that many behavior management techniques, if applied correctly and consistently in a systematic fashion over an extended period-of-time, token economies can be a highly effective method for changing or controlling student behavior. Many factors make a token economy effective. One such factor is that tokens can be easily dispensed without disrupting the teaching/learning process. Another effective factor is that tokens can be exchanged for a variety of individualized backup reinforcers. Requirements for earning reinforcement can be adjusted as the needs of the students change. A token economy system may give the teacher flexibility in adjusting the relationship between certain behaviors and rewards, and may allow for continued pairing of tokens with more natural social reinforcers. Finally, token economies can be used to help the student acquire skills that will eventually lead to other more natural reinforcers such as good grades (Mathur, 1996). Limitations According to Martin and Pear (2007), some include a form of response cost in their token economy. This involves penalizing students for inappropriate behavior by taking away tokens they have earned. The ethics of taking away what a student has fairly earned is questionable. In addition, a threat to the student is implicit in response cost. Response cost may lead to a student behaving appropriately only out of fear or anxiety of losing points or tokens. Additionally, it may lead to power struggles that become setting events for undesired behaviors. Martin and Pear (2007) state some disadvantages of implementing a token economy include cost, effort, and extensive staff training and management. If staff members are inadequately trained or there is a shortage of staff, desirable behaviors may not be rewarded or undesirable behaviors may be inadvertently rewarded, resulting in an increase of negative behavior. Some professionals find token economies to be time-consuming and impractical. Conclusion A token economy, when used correctly, is an effective form of behavior modification that increase desirable behavior, and decrease undesirable behavior with the use of tokens and back up reinforcers. The tokens are collected and later exchanged for a meaningful object or privilege. According to Martin and Pear (2007) token economies have been used effectively in psychiatric wards, in institutions and classrooms for persons with developmental disabilities, in classrooms for children and teenagers with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, in normal classroom settings ranging from preschool to college university classes. References Ayllon, T. (1999). How to use token economy and point systems (2nd ed.). Austin, Texas: Pro-Ed. Kazdin, A. E. (1982). The token economy: A decade later. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 15, 431-445. Kazdin, A. E., Pulaski, J. L. (2006). Joseph Lancaster and behavior modification in education. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 13(3), 261-266. Martin, G., Pear, J. (2007). Token Economies. In Behavior modification: What it is and how to do it (pp. 323-334). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice-Hall. Mather, S. (1996). Why token reinforcement works. Teacher Mediator, 2, 10-14. Risley, T. R., Wolf, M. M. (1997). The origin of the dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30, 377-381. Shapiro, E. S., Goldberg, R. (1986). A comparison of group contingencies for increasing spelling performance among sixth grade students. School Psychology Review, 15, 546-557. Token Economy System Definition. In Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders [Web]. Advameg, Inc. Retrieved 4/9/2009, from http://www.minddisorders.com/Py-Z/Token-economy-system.html.