Ignorance Of Sex Education Has Left Our World Suffering From A Variety

Ignorance of sex education has left our world suffering from a variety of venereal diseases, abortion, neglected children, and sadly enough, even death. This is a very serious problem not only for our children today but also for children of the future generations. Sources of education are available almost everywhere, but there are not useful if they go unnoticed. Sex education should begin at home with the parents, but if the parents are uncomfortable speaking about the subject or not unwilling to take control of this sensitive subject, there needs to be an outside source to help fill this void: the school. Children need to know the basics, such as what diseases are threats, which ones are curable and which are not, just how real these diseases are, pregnancy, and responsibility. Therefore, sex education should be a part of the curriculum for children in the junior high Many children in junior high know there are sexually transmitted diseases, but many do not realize just how threatening these diseases are. Living in a small community, many youth believe that getting a sexually transmitted disease will never happen to them. But our children need to know that there are diseases in our country like Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Genital Herpes, Genital Warts, Hepatitis, and even AIDS. Since 1986, Syphilis cases have increased by 100 percent (Haas and Haas 441). These kinds of facts need to be brought to students' attention. However, just because we inform our children of these diseases does not mean that they will not catch them, but they still need to be informed of the number of diseases that are incurable and can lead to death. Diseases, though, are not all our youths have to worry about. Pregnancy is another major concern. "The United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy and births in the Western civilized world" (Shake Heights). Our teens need to know that infants born to teen mothers are much more likely to have health problems (Shake Heights). By informing them of birth control, we are not necessarily saying it is ok to go and have sex, but if they choose to, they will at least be knowledgeable. If we choose not to inform them, it then becomes at least partly our responsibility that they became pregnant. In addition to informing children of diseases and pregnancy, we can teach them responsibility, and avoid having to deal with a decision on abortion. In Arizona alone last year, there were 11,738 reported cases of abortion (AZ Abortion). Today the simplest abortion procedure that can be performed generally costs around 300 dollars (Glazer). Also, 83% of our counties here in the United States do not even provide facilities where abortions may be performed (Glazer). The decision to abort a pregnancy can scar a teenage mother's life no matter what decision she make. To keep the child means hardship, but not to keep the child can also be mentally frightening. Teaching our children about sexuality and making them more knowledgeable about it does not convey the message that sex is ok. How much can we really control our children when we cannot be with them every minute of the day? Some parents are scared to talk to their children, so the help at school could benefit the child and parents, and possibly stop a major hardship from occurring in the child's life. These topics can be taught in a sensitive manner, but it seems clear that if our children know more about diseases, birth control, and the responsibilities of sex, they will at least be a little wiser when making their decision. Works Cited Glazer, Sarah. "Sex Education: How Well Does It Work?" Editorial Research Reports. 23 June 1989. Haas, Dr. Kurt, and Dr. Adelaide Haas. Understanding Sexuality. 3rd ed. New York: Mosby, 1993. Planned Parenthood. AZ Fact Sheet. 3 Feb. 1999. 12 Feb.1999. Shaker Heights Teen Health Corps. Teen Pregnancy. 3 Jan. 1999. 12 Feb. 1999

Pragmatic Failure in Successful Communication

Pragmatic Failure in Successful Communication Introduction Successful communication is a desirable result of every person, who is participating in the discourse. In order to create favorable conditions for interaction, both interlocutors should be aware of how communication act emerges. First, the speaker is codifying the information, which is proceeded by sending the message to the listener. Further, the latter is decoding this message and perceives this information.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pragmatic Failure in Successful Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Successful communication occurs, when both the message encoded and decoded are of the similar content and force. For successful communication the English philosopher Paul Grice has outlined certain maxims of Quantity, Quality, Relation and Manner: Quantity: make your contribution as informative as is required (for the current purpose of the exchange). Do not make your contribution more in formative than is required. Quality: Do not say what you believe to be false. Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence. Relation: Be relevant. Manner: Avoid obscurity of expression. Avoid ambiguity. Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity). Be orderly. [Grice, 1989] These are the universal guidelines for acquiring interlocutors’ mutual comprehension. However, in order to achieve better understanding, both speaker and listener are to share common principals and rules in cases, when the intents of the utterance are not explicit. These rules and principles are unlikely to coincide with each other, when we are talking about cross-cultural communication. Everyday practice shows how often representatives of different nations fail to manage an appropriate interpretation of the message in a conversation. â€Å"It can cause misunderstandings or create offence when speakers can understand only the literal meaning of words and do not know the rules of use for interpreting th ose words† – state Rintell Mitchell. [cited from Darmayenti, 2010] Indeed, a considerable damage for conversation mostly appears neither in pronunciation errors, nor in grammar and syntax, but in pragmatic incompetence. The latter is the precursor to pragmatic failure, which, as Jenny Thomas defines, means â€Å"the inability to understand what is meant by what is said†. [Thomas, 1983] Pragmatic failure may constitute two subtypes, which are inextricably linked and sometimes cannot be considered separately. Thus, pragmatic failure includes pragmalinguistic and sociolinguistic failure. Pragmalinguistic failure By the definition of Thomas, â€Å"pragmalinguistic failure occurs when the pragmatic force mapped by S onto a given utterance is systematically different from the force most frequently assigned to it by native speakers of the target language, or when speech act strategies are inappropriately transferred from L1 to L2†. [Thomas, 1983]Advertising Looking for essay on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hence, pragmalinguistic failure is connected to the language itself, when it occurs that the words and expressions are transferred from native language to the target language without taking their pragmatic meaning into consideration. There are several types of pragmalinguistic failure, which consider inappropriate transfer of expressions, speech act strategies and target language expressions. [Darmayenti, 2010] The first instance conveys the fictitious translation of expression from the native language into the target language. Taking the conversation between an Englishman and a Russian as a demonstrative model, one may observe where the pragmalinguistic failure occurs. E: How do you do? (saying it in Russian) R: Frankly speaking, not very well. Some family problems are worsening conditions at work and†¦ it seems I have a bad luck. (answering in Russi an) Pragmatically competent people are aware of the fact that expression â€Å"How do you do?†, unlike the expression â€Å"How are you doing?†, does not demand the detailed response about how the listener feels etc. The â€Å"How do you do?† utterance is a manner of formal greeting between the acquaintances and traditional response to this expression would be the same â€Å"How do you do?† Obviously, the Englishman, intending to greet the Russian in a respective way, has simply translated the expression from the native language into the target language and did not consider the fact, that there is no actual expression to correspond to â€Å"How do you do† in Russian. Naturally, answering the question, the Russian started describing his life and the Englishman, in his turn, has been surprised to hear extensive information. The second instance of pragmalinguistic failure lies in inappropriate transfer of speech act strategies. The theory of speech ac ts, developed by J.Austin and J.Searle differentiates several groups of utterances that have communicative force (e.g. performative, expressive, directive expressions, etc). [Searle, 1976] The failure conveys incorrect application of these utterances, when some communicative norms and conventions from the native language are being automatically transferred to the speech in target language.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pragmatic Failure in Successful Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Situation: Somebody (a Russian) set on the Englishman’s foot. The Englishmen says â€Å"Excuse me†. The Russian is embarrassed. This elementary instance illustrates, that English politeness formulas, applied in the majority of situations even when the speaker is â€Å"a victim†, are not commonly used in Russian language. The last sample of pragmalinguistic failure one can observe in inappropriate use of target language expressions. This kind of failure occurs, when a speaker applies direct translation from native language into the target language, often applying the words-equivalents, which may or may not have the same semantic meaning. Let us consider the situation with the Russian- and English-speakers. R: You have bought a new dress!! E: Yes, just yesterday! R: Oh, you’re so extravagant!.. E: (offended)Advertising Looking for essay on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The pragmalinguistic failure occurs while using the word â€Å"extravagant† for this word exists both in Russian and English language and is confusing due to different semantics. In Russian this word has a positive connotation and means â€Å"exquisite, elegant†, while in English the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines it as â€Å"spending a lot more money or using a lot more of sth than you can afford or than is necessary†. Hence, these instances reinforce how ineffective and at times offensive communication may become due to pragmalinguistic failures, which is caused solely by pragmalinguistic incompetence. In order to succeed in cross-cultural communication, the speaker should be aware of at least elementary communicative conventions of the target language. The speaker should be competent in basic expressions in order not to induce misunderstandings or offences during conversation. Sociolinguistic failure In comparison with pragmalinguistic failure, so ciolinguistic one are directly connected to cultural peculiarities and, by Thomas’s definition, is described as â€Å"social conditions placed on language use’ being based on ‘†¦cross-culturally different perceptions of what constitutes appropriate linguistic behavior†. This conveys that the speaker is not familiar with social and cultural conventions of the target language speakers. [Thomas, 1995] Common English-Russian sociolinguistic failures rise upon the taboo topics, politeness conventions, and familiarity. Thus, the expressions used in Russian can be considered offensive, interfering within personal space, or simply impolite. It is widely common among Russian people to ask acquaintances about some private life details of the interlocutor, which, in their turn, the Englishmen would regard as lack of manners and the performance of familiarity quality. [Amaya, 2008] Naturally, the latter is closely linked to the mentality and worldview of each nat ion for the brought up from generation to generation concepts about people and environment bear considerable differences. For instance, in this paper I am analyzing some communicative conventions and problems, arising around them, of the two nationalities – English and Russian. Here the comparison is really topical, because the two languages belong to different language groups: English belongs to Germanic group and Russian – to Slavonic; as well as the nations are representatives of different roots, which makes the research substantial. Turning back to the topic of sociolinguistic failures, it is also reasonable to mention that some uncomfortable situations can be induced by the Englishmen’s extensive politeness. At times, the speech is so euphemistical that for a representative of other nation it is almost impossible to define communicative offence of the utterance. Moreover, the Englishmen consider their speech polite and corresponding to all etiquette standar ds for they have a tradition of modest response. On the expressions of gratitude, praise, and compliment Englishmen usually react very moderately and politely, undermining personal properties in order to sound appropriately. Further, Thomas differentiates that there also are â€Å"sociopragmatic† judgements, concerning the size of imposition, cost/benefit, social distance, and relative rights and obligations. [Thomas, 1995] Russian learners of English language may use certain communication strategies, not taking into consideration the social status of the interlocutor, conditions, in which the conversation is being realized, and time peculiarities. On all of these factors described above it is important to reflect for, disregarding them, the interlocutors may also face a pragmatic failure. Main Reasons for Pragmatic Failure As it has been already underlined, the main reason for unsuccessful communication is pragmatic incompetence of the interlocutors. Here, it is important to consider, that pragmatic knowledge is not easily acquired with grammar knowledge only. Pragmatic knowledge is a complex part of language learning and involves extensive explanations to the utterances of English, their usage peculiarities and broad cultural context. Exactly when applying the latter to language learning, a person may be sure of considerable achievements in pragmatic field. [Wierzbicka, 1991]  While teaching and learning, accordingly, it is reasonable to combine the acquisition of linguistic general information, rules, and norms with the cultural information that would be thoroughly combined together. In such a way students could gradually get some pragmatic knowledge while not forgetting about the structure and rules of the language itself.  Due to the necessity in knowledge about culture in order to gain some pragmatic competence, it is logical, that the second main reason for pragmatic failure occurrence is cultures differentiations. Chen Starosta define that â€Å"a culture is a complex set of shared beliefs, values and concepts which enables a group to make sense of its life and which provides it with directions for how to live.(1998, 54) [cited from Darmayenti, 2010]  Indeed, culture determines our viewpoint, sets our prejudices, and shapes our perception. It also largely determines our reaction towards different messages we receive. Cultures are different from nation to nation; sometimes they even differ within one nation and create special cultural subgroups. [Kasper, 1997]  Naturally, language, being one of the culture constituents, is largely depending on it, is facing the continuous change and transformation. Language, like culture, is dynamic, which explains its constant progress and modification according to the society, which operates it.  That is why, due to the fact that language and culture are inextricably linked, one may consider oneself the language speaker only with presence of cultural context, this is pragmatic knowledge about conventions, phenomena, and processes. Generally, the Russian culture may be characterized as the culture of collectivism, where majorly all Russians are the typical Russians. In comparison, the Englishmen are quite individualistic, while putting strong accent on self-separation from the whole society and finding the features of self-identity. Englishmen are strongly interested in personal achievements and self-realization as a person, and only than as a part of society, which also has its own obligations. [Trosborg, 1994] Undoubtedly, that a language learner should be aware of such general characteristics of a nation, whose language he or she is willing to acquire. The learner is welcome to get acquainted to the cultural peculiarities and accept them, broading his or her outlook. Naturally, this knowledge acquisition would occur only through the prism of own beliefs and conventions, already set by the native culture. However, it is important to be exposed to someth ing different and to learn to respect each custom of a particular culture for it was being shaped through time and obstacles and deserves understanding and consideration. Hence, it would be reasonable to point out again, that pragmatic competence while learning language and succeeding in communicating a message in this language is crucial factor. It is impossible to achieve appropriate language fluency without knowing cultural peculiarities of the nation, whose language you are learning. Because of the fact that language and culture cannot be separated, they should be learned in a composite way, through combining linguistic forms learning with some cultural realia. What is more, only being pluralistic and willing to accept and respect the existence of other cultures’ conventions can lead to true pragmatic competence, which would be able not only to make your communication effective, but also make you more open-minded and wise. Reference List Grice H.P. (1989). Studies in the Way of Words. Harvard University Press. Kasper, G. (1997). Linguistic etiquette. In F. Coulmas (Ed.), The handbook of sociolinguistics United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishers, 374-385. Leech, G.N. (1983). Principles of pragmatics. New York: Longman Group Limited. Searle J.R. (1976). A Classification of Illocutionary Acts// Language in Society. –– Vol. 8, â„â€"1. Thomas, J. (1983). Cross-cultural pragmatic failure. Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 91-112. Thomas, J. (1995). Meaning in interaction: An introduction to pragmatics. Essex: Longman Group Limited. Trosborg, A. (1994). Interlanguage pragmatics Requests, complaints and apologies. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter Co. Wierzbicka, A. (1991). Cross-cultural pragmatics: The semantics of human interaction. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter Co. Amaya L.F. (2008) Teaching Culture: Is It Possible to Avoid Pragmatic Failure? Web. Darmayenti, M. (2010, November 2). Failure in Intercultural Communication: Pragmatics Analysis. Web.

Railroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Railroad - Essay Example By the early 1850's the Harlem Line had revenues of one million dollars a year and transported nearly three million passengers at a fare of two and a half cents per mile (Drury 54-57, 61). In 1853, the New York Central Railroad was organized to consolidate 10 railroads that paralleled the Erie Canal between Albany and Buffalo. Cornelius Vanderbilt won control of the New York Central in 1867 and combined it with his New York and Hudson railroads running from Manhattan to Albany. The railroad helped boost population and travel to this region. The freight trains carried mainly iron ore, animals, and dairy products. Dairy, lumber, mining, and circus businesses in Putnam County benefited from the new mode of transportation. Trains helped carry heavy material for these businesses including both raw and processed materials. The railroad also dispersed large quantities of material that could not be used locally. Initially, farmers were against the development of the railroad as the train tracks frequently ran through their property.

Chinese Foreign Currency Reserves Swell by Record Amount Article

Chinese Foreign Currency Reserves Swell by Record Amount - Article Example This article tries to raise public alarm over the swelling foreign exchange reserve levels of China and how this contributes to the country’s â€Å"worsening inflation problem† (Bradsher, 2011). This has to do with its effect on the renminbi’s exchange rate vis a vis the US dollar.   A high level of reserves causes the renminbi to appreciate against the dollar.   The problem is this will make China’s substantial exports more expensive; thus, losing its competitive advantage.  Ã‚   This then could lead to the loss of jobs by millions of people working in the export industry.   This led to China’s central bank’s decision to keep the value of its currency low.   To do this, it prints renminbi at a â€Å"furious pace in order to buy the dollars and euros† that come in through trade surpluses and foreign investment (Bradsher, 2011).   However, this spawns another problem.   The additional renminbi issued causes the money suppl y in the country to rise even further.   What was not discussed in the article is the direct impact of the level of money supply on inflation.   A high level of money supply circulating in the economy causes aggregate demand to rise.   This increased demand for goods and services is what pushes general prices to go up. Looking at China’s foreign reserve levels, in the third quarter of 2010, it increased by $194 million.   In the fourth quarter, it jumped by $199 million to raise the total to $2.85 trillion.   This increase was much larger than what economists had expected.   During this time, China â€Å"doubled its intervention in the currency markets to about $2 billion a day† (Bradsher, 2011).   And so, the country’s money supply was 19.7 percent higher in December than a year earlier. The increase in money supply though is not solely due to the central bank’s efforts to keep the value of the renminbi in check.   Banking loans have also risen and measures taken by the central bank to slow down lending, primarily by increasing bank reserve requirements have proven to be ineffective.

Approaches for Improving Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Planning Research Paper

Approaches for Improving Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Planning Processes and Procedures in a System - Research Paper Example The paper primarily focuses on planning processes and procedures in a system-based framework. Emergencies often occur because of lack of proper systems or failure of the existing systems to limit, control and prevent the circumstances that trigger incidences that cause disasters. Emergencies are common in any given area: in schools, churches, towns, offices and roads. One of the characteristics of emergencies is that they are not predictable; they hit any time when people are not expecting them. This unpredictability character has forced the stakeholders of areas prone to emergencies and disasters to prepare mitigation mechanisms that they can apply to limit the adversities associated with unforeseen circumstances. The purpose of this research paper is to help people to understand the critical aspects of disaster preparedness and emergency mitigation measures. Emergencies that organizations and people predict and prepare for in advance have lesser adversities than those that are unpr epared for or in terms of planning. It is crucial for the citizens to understand the processes and procedures for mitigating disasters and emergencies in their environments. ... A disaster results in significant physical damage, destruction, loss of life and drastic change in ecosystems (Arthur, 2007). Disasters are tragic events arising from undesirable events such as catastrophic accidents, explosions, earthquakes, fires, and floods. An emergency constitutes a situation that poses an immediate danger to property, health, environment, and life (Karagiannis, Piatyszek & Flaus, 2013). Emergencies require urgent intervention to act as countermeasures for preventing the worsening of the risk. Emergency preparedness is a long-term program involving activities whose aims are to strengthen the capacity and capability of a community to manage efficiently all types of emergencies and ensure an orderly transition from relief through recovery and sustainable development. Most countries have set government emergency services to respond to emergencies; these agencies are responsible for planning and managing emergencies. Emergencies and disasters can cause both mild and devastating damage. The preparedness and planning for these disasters and emergencies is of paramount necessity at all times. A system-based framework is a structure of operation where several independent units are interrelated to work together towards achievement of a common goal. A system-based framework is characterized by environment, feedback, boundaries, controls, inputs and outputs (Sommer & Nja, 2012). Disaster and emergency preparedness approaches are necessary in a system-based framework to a countermeasure the adversities of the risks. Statement of the Problem Major emergencies and disasters do not respect national borders and never occur at convenient times. The intensity of human suffering caused by these events are huge, and affect many aspects of people’s lives such as

Overview of Race Conflict Theories

Overview of Race Conflict Theories Placid Tankie Race is a term that can be defined using many different ways within the society. In the United States of America, for example, research indicates that white people looks black people as having a darker skin color than black people normally have (Hills, 2002). In addition, the meaning and importance of race does not only varies from place to place, but also changes over time. For example, today, the Census Bureau allows people to describe themselves using different racial category which include six single race options and fifty-seven multiracial categories (U.S. Census Bureau 2012). People can classify each another racially based on their physical characteristics such as skin color, facial structures, body structures, and hair texture. George Riter (2003), define race as a socially constructed category of people who share a common biologically traits that member of a society consider important. According to Loveman (1999), in her article titled IsRaceEssential? outline Eduardo Bonilla-Silva ideology and explanation about the limitations on the study of racial phenomena. Eduardo Bonilla-Silva showed that racial phenomena can be better understood if it is considered as a structural theory of racism. According Loveman (1999), Eduardo Bonilla-Silva identified several limitations of the existing approaches toward racial phenomena including the narrow way racism was considered by sociologists as opposed to systematic and rational, contemporary structure, both overt and covert behavior. The article also stipulates that Eduardo Bonilla-Silva believes that the structural theory of racism based on the concept of radicalized social system can be used to overcome the limitations of racial phenomena in order to improve the understanding of the causes, mechanism, and consequences of racial phenomena. According to Loveman (1999), Eduardo Bonilla-Silva concept of improving the understandin g of racial phenomena was based on confounding categories, reifying race, and analytical distinction between race and ethnicity. In addition, Loveman (1999) demonstrated in her work that the theoretical frame work proposed by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva in order to improve the understanding of the meaning of race and the consequences of racism related to the structural theory of racism was undermined by the different concepts Eduardo Bonilla-Silva used. These include: confounding categories, reifying race, and analytical distinction between race and ethnicity. Loveman (1999) and other sociologists agree with Eduardo Bonilla-Silva about the importance of improving our understanding on racial phenomena, but argued that his structural theory of racism was not the best analytical frame work for understanding the meaning of race and its consequences on the society. Furthermore, these sociologists demonstrated that in order to understand how race shape social relation in the society, race should not be considered as a category of analysis, but race should focus on the processes of boundary construction, maintenance, and d ecline which is a comparative sociology of group making that was built on Weberian concept of social closure (Loveman, 1999). More ever, the view of Eduardo Bonilla-Silva on racial phenomena was supported by other researchers such as Omi and Winant. These two sociologists defended the ontological condition of race based on the circular definitions and essentialist reasoning. In addition, their argument for a distinction between race and ethnicity was based on a particular reading of U.S. history rather than on any analytical foundation. Furthermore, Omi, Winant, and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva never define racial category without referencing to race. Mean while Loveman (1999) and other sociologists like Wacquant argued that this analytical pitfall of referencing to race in the definition of racial category can be avoided successfully by considering race as a category of analysis in order to gain analytical study of race as a category of practice.Adopting this analytical frame work which focus on the processes of group making and categorization of essentializing schemas. Generally, one can explore to what extent a particular essentializing vocabulary is related to a particular form of social closure and its consequences. Therefore, it becomes a question to what extent, systems of classification, stratification, and social injustices can be supported by ideas that race can be distinct from those informed by a discourse of ethnicity or nationality (Loveman, 1999). Again, conflict of race occurs when the majority group of the society feels that the different cultures, morals, and values of the minority group causes deviance to the society. The conflict perspective is a frame work for building theory that looks society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and changes. The race-conflict theory sees the society as an inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories. The race-conflict theory is in accordance with the content of race because it highlights how race factors are linked to inequality in terms of several factors such as education, power, money, and social prestige. For example, the United States of America, which has people from different countries worldwide, is considered as the land of opportunity and freedom, and it is also a country that is considered notorious for racial discrimination. From the beginning of this country, just like men have power over women, white people have numerous adv antages over people of color, including higher income, more schooling, better health and longer life expectancy. Racism has been one of the most important issues that the society have been facing and fighting for the past decades. Currently, racism has declined, but it is still an important issue that needs to be addresses always. Although removing racism from the world will caused a lot of sacrifices and suffering, I hope that people will be able to overcome racism, and live in a world where they do not care about an individual skin color or nationality. References Hill, Mark E. Race of the Interviewer and Perception of the Skin Color: Evidence from the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality. American Sociology Review. Vol. 67, No.1 (Februrary 2002): 99-108. Loveman, Mara. Is Race Essential? America Sociological Review: Vol. 64, No.6 (December 1990): 890-98. U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment Statistics. National Occupation Employment and Wage Estimate. 2012. Available at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm

Its Time to Legalize Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Cloning: Just Legalize It! Cloning is a very controversial topic since it relates to moral values of human beings. In February 1997 scientists in Scotland announced the birth of the first cloned sheep named Dolly, this heralded the future of cloning possibilities and scientists began extensive experiments on cloning and have since then cloned both plants and animals successfully. The next step was to clone actual human beings but before experiments could have been carried out pressure started build on the scientists because people started to doubt if cloning was ethical and morally correct. Governments began to introduce bans and constraints on cloning, as they felt cloning was not correct and because they represented the people of its country, it had to act on it. Cloning has its cons but its pros seem to overcome them greatly. If cloning were allowed to be experimented scientists would come up of a way to clone body organs which are an exact replica of an individual body organ. This would prove very to be very beneficial to a person who may have lost a body organ such as a kidney, scientists could clone that particular organ for the individual, which, in the long run, would work better than a transplant organ. Cloning will certainly expand the scope of medicine greatly, thus enhance the possibilities of conquering diseases such as the Parkinson's disease, cancer and other diseases that were earlier considered incurable Cloning could be used to increase the population of endangered species of animals and thus save them from total extinction. This would help maintain a natural balance on the earth and have a continuos natural life cycle. Cloning could certainly benefit couples who are infertile and want to have a child of their own, thus they could use cloning to produce a baby with their similar characteristics. In fact they may be able to even choose the characteristics of their child. Equally important women who are single could have child, using cloning instead of artificial insemination. Cloning could also provide a copy of a child for a couple whose child had died. Another goal of cloning is to produce livestock with ideal characters for the agricultural industry and to be able to manufacture biological products such as proteins for humans. Some people would suggest that cloning is unnatural and not ethically correct but so would be talking medicine when you fall sick.

Organizational Performance Essay

Abstract The measurement of organizational performance has undergone changes in relation to its measurement focus. From a uniquely financial perspective, it began to consider other nonfinancial perspectives, as well as to include a cause and effect relation between the operational dimension and the strategic dimension of organizations. Based on this current view, Performance Prism presents itself as a performance measurement system alternative to be used by organizations, with its main focus being the stakeholders in its field of operation. The objective of this study is to present a conceptual approach to the measurement of organizational performance by means of a review of literature, introducing the Performance Prism as the system for this measurement. Besides introducing the entire conceptual structure, based on the authors who proposed the model, Andy Neely and Chris Adams, this paper introduces a theoretical review regarding the concepts of performance measurement, differentiating the n ew tendencies of new approaches and showing the relation between performance measurement systems and the management of organizational performance. The Performance Prism model presents itself as a new performance measurement system alternative within the current need that goes beyond the financial approach. In relation to the Balanced Scorecard, a broadly used model nowadays, Performance Prism stands out for having a broader aspect with regard to the stakeholders considered, which are the model’s core focus. However, literature shows that the Performance Prism does not stand out yet as a broadly used model in the world. We conclude that this model can contribute towards organizations that seek changes in how they manage performances, mainly due to the fact that most often the stakeholders that belong to the environment in which they are inserted are who  generate the sustainability of these organizations, and therefore it is reasonable that they should be the focus of this organizational performance. Keywords: performance measurement; performance prism; stakeholders. 1. Introduction The measurement of organizational performance has undergone changes in relation to its measurement focus. From a uniquely financial perspective, it began to consider other nonfinancial perspectives, as well as to include a cause and effect relation between the operational dimension and the strategic dimension of organizations. Based on this current view, Performance Prism presents itself as a performance measurement system alternative to be used by organizations, with its main focus being the stakeholders in its field of operation. The objective of this study is to present a conceptual approach to the measurement of organizational performance by means of a review of literature, introducing the Performance Prism as the system for this measurement. 2. Measuring performance in the new context For a long time, performance measurement was focused only on financial  indicators, failing to address other perspectives influencing an organization’s global performance. Eccles (1998) understands that not considering financial indicators as the basis for performance measurement and treating them solely as a single aspect in a broader array of indicators is a requirement for this current competitive environment. Bogan and English (1997) present a differentiation among performance indicators in past and current contexts. Figure 1 shows the indicator set known as â€Å"old performance indicators†, focused on finance. Source: Bogan and English, 1997, p. 60 Figure 1 – Old performance indicators Figure 2 shows the approach with quality seen together with the financial aspects. Currently, other non-financial dimensions are included, as well as stakeholders such as clients and employees. In this context, changes shown in Figures 1 and 2 reflect the transformation of this performance measurement approach using only financial indicators into a set of financial and non-financial indicators. According to Cavenaghi (2001), for years financial performance measurement was seen as the only way, the correct and legitimate way of assessing effectiveness and efficiency in an organization. Drucker (1998) stresses that, regarding performance, it is important to consider the strategic approach that goes over an organization’s internal boundaries, overcoming the vision contemplating cost centers and approaching issues like proprietary and third-party technologies, changes in economy, markets, clients and future targets and financial markets. Source: Bogan and English, 1997, p. 60 Figure 2 – New performance indicators Dornier et al. (2000) see performance indicators as a guide for making investments, defining goals and also benchmarking vs. the actual status, in addition to a facilitating instrument for predicting and reducing uncertainties, identifying high priority actions, helping in engaging and managing staff and being a dynamic tool reflecting the organization’s  behavior. For Simons and Dà ¡vila (2000, p. 73), â€Å"classic financial indicators for measuring performance, i.e. return on net assets, return on assets and return on sales, are useful, but are not specifically destined to reflect the company’s quality of work when implementing strategies†. According to Corrà ªa and Caon (2002), traditional corporate performance measurement systems, in addition to focusing almost exclusively on financial indicators, did not support adequate decision making by the executives, since they did not adequately reflect the level in which the organization is being able or unable to reach meet strategic goals. According to Miranda and Silva (2002), any action to be implemented in a company needs follow-up to know to what extent it is progressing regarding defined goals and which corrective actions should be adopted if required. According to these authors, companies need to valorize performance measurement for the following factors: – Controlling the company’s operating activities; – Feeding employees’ incentive systems; and – Controlling planning. Thus, performance measurement needs to be a part of the control process, involving strategic, tactic and operating levels, continuously assessing planning and actions implemented under different perspectives, such as clients, processes, collaborators, shareholders and other that can interfere with an organization’s global performance, not solely contemplating the financial perspective. 3. Performance Management and Performance Measurement System To Neely et al. (1995), a performance measurement system must contain individual indicators, but inter-related regarding a specific environment, as shown in Figure 3. According to these authors, when designing a performance measurement system the following aspects must be considered: – What performance indicators are to be used? – What are they used for? – How much will they cost? – What benefits will they bring? Source: Neely et al, 1995, p. 81 Figure 3– A structure for the performance measurement system design According to Lebas (1995), measuring performance and managing performance are not separated. He states that there is an interactive process between those two aspects. Performance management is an organizational philosophy supported by performance measurement. According to the author, approach types are different, but in the first case, it is worried with related issues, such as training, incentives, compensation, management style and communication. In the second case, it is aimed at measuring potential, inputs, outputs and deviations. Bititci, Carrie and Mcdevitt (1997) understand the performance measurement system as the information system that represents the core of the performance management process. Figure 4, presents the performance management system according to the authors and the position of the performance measurement system. Source: Bititci, Carrie and Mcdevitt (1997) Figure 4 – The performance management process and the position of the performance measurement system. For these authors, performance management is the process in which a company manages its performance aligned with corporate and functional strategies. The goal of this process is to promote a continuous, proactive control system where functional and corporate strategies are outspread to all business process, activities, tasks, and people and feedback is obtained through a performance measurement system, allowing for an adequate decision making management. According to Martins (1998), the performance management process must be the way in which a company manages performance, aligned with corporate and functional strategies and goals derived from these strategies. According to this author, strong market competitiveness characterizes corporate environment, requiring products with quick technologic innovation  and short life cycles, forcing the performance management to be aligned to these concepts, as presented below:- Acknowledgement of manufacturing  (operations) as the missing link in company strategies and a subsequent source of competitive advantage; – Appearance of Total Quality management as a management philosophy – continuous improvement for products and processes; – Leaving the mechanistic view of the world for a systemic view; – Company aimed at the satisfaction of its stakeholders; – Multiple competitive criterions: quality, cost, reliability, time, flexibility, innovation and service; – Importance of integrating the company’s supply chain, both external and internal; and – Valuing teamwork and proactive decision making, anticipating potential future problems. Regarding the performance measurement system, Martins (1998) sees it in the core of the performance management process, integrating all relevant system information, such as strategy development and review, managerial accounting, management by objectives, nonfinancial performance indicators, bonus incentive structure and individual performance evaluations. For this author, new performance measurement systems must possess the following characteristics: – Be aligned with competitive strategy; – Contemplate financial and non-financial indicators; – Drive and support continuous improvement; – Identify trends and advancements; – Be clear in cause-effect relationships; – Be easily understood by employees; - Encompass the entire supply chain process; – Real -time information and be dynamic; and – Evaluate the group, not the individual, in addition to influencing the attitude of collaborators. For Corrà ªa and Corrà ªa (2005), performance measurement systems are part of the control and planning cycle, crucial for operations management, provided that performance indicators provide the means for collecting performance data that, after evaluated according to certain standards, support the decision making process. According to these authors, establishing an adequate performance evaluation system is crucial for influencing desired behaviors in people and in operations systems so that certain strategic intentions are more likely to become actions aligned to the desired strategy. Thus, performance measurement systems provide, through a set of information, support for the performance management process, which has a broader approach. When designing  a performance measurement system, one must understand the adoption of me measurements, in terms of acquisition costs, justification and utilization and these must be inter-related, being part of the organization’s planning and control cycle. 4. Performance Prism as a Performance Measurement System Evaluating organizational relationships with its main stakeholders and their links to strategies, processes and competencies can be a way to leverage and improve corporate performance. For Frost (2000), depending on business nature, stakeholders can be external, internal clients, regulation authorities, shareholders and others. This author understands one should consider all stakeholders involved with the organization, to the extent of if one is forgotten in  the management and evaluation system, consequences can be dramatic for the business. â€Å"Our business is to create value for our stakeholders; our first job is to know who those stakeholders are and what they value in our performance† (FROST, 2000, p.31). The Performance Prism was created by Nelly and Adams (2000). These authors proposed the model from the premise that several approaches or methodologies for measuring performance have their own context; nonetheless, they all seek to measure performance. In this conte xt, these authors propose the Performance Prism, stating that it is a broader models, since it considers the five surfaces of a prism. According to Adams and Neely (2003), in the structure of the Performance Prism, stakeholder satisfaction, as well as its contributions act at the core of the search for success in an organization. For the authors, even though process perspectives, strategies and competencies are involved and serving as supporting perspectives to reach stakeholder satisfaction or receive their contribution, as shown in Figure 5, stakeholders are the focal point of Performance Prism. According to Neely, Adams, and Crowe (2001), the model has been applied in a real number of situations. It has also been used in mergers and acquisitions, aimed at improving these processes. Adams and  Neely (2006) understand that the Balanced Scorecard, proposed by Kaplan and Norton (1992), takes only three stakeholders into account: investors, clients and employees. The Performance Prism also considers employees, vendors, intermediaries, regulation authorities and the community. The model considers stakeholder satisfac tion and contribution in a unique way. Source: Adams and Neely (2003) Figure 5 – Performance Prism in action Since this model is derived from the process strategy, thus acknowledging the required competencies, the Performance Prism promotes a more comprehensive approach and stimulates views at a magnified angle, in other business dimensions, where possibly performance is missing in the measurement structure. The result is much more realistic for business leadership (ADAMS; NELLY, 2006). Each of the fine surfaces of the Performance Prism represents a key area crucial to success. The weight of each surface will depend on established strategic goals, such as cost reduction, brand increase, research synergies and others. Figure 6 presents the five surfaces of the Performance Prism model and its approaches. Each surface of the Prism must represent an approach perspective – processes, strategies, competencies, contribution and stakeholder satisfaction – in performance measurement. Source: Adams and Neely (2006, p.2) Figure 6– The five surfaces of the Performance Prism model For Adams and Neely (2006), the following are fundamental questions that must be considered when approaching the Performance Prism: a) Who are our key stakeholders and what do they want and need? b) What strategies are we using to meet their needs and desires? c) What processes are needed to put them into practice and reach these strategies? d) What competencies are required to operate and augment these processes? e) What do we want and need from the stakeholders to maintain and develop these competencies? This way, the Performance Prism model, in addition to considering perspectives of processes, strategies and competencies, also considers stakeholders contribution and satisfaction. It focuses on stakeholders involved in the environment of an organization through five perspectives, considering stakeholders satisfaction, stakeholders contribution ad deriving objectives from this process strategy and evaluating inherent competencies to support them. 5. Final Considerations Through the approach mentioned here, developed using a bibliographic research on the theme, it is possible to see that the Performance Prism model is a new alternative as a performance measurement system within the current perspective, going beyond the financial approach. Compared to the Balanced Scorecard, a model widely used currently, the Performance Prism is different because it possesses a broader aspect regarding the considered stakeholders, who are also the core of the model. This model also has a cause-effect relationship structure that follows an orientation from stakeholders demand, over which the strategy is designed, driving processes and competencies for an organization that wants the satisfaction of these stakeholders. Because it is a more recent model, compared to others, consecrated by their application in organizations, the Performance Prism still does not represent a widely used model  worldwide. Nonetheless, it can contribute to organizations seeking changes in the way they manage performance, especially because most of the times, their stakeholders generate the sustainability of these organizations, thus  being only reasonable that are central to the organizational performance. As a recommendation for future studies, it is required to study the application of the Performance Prism in depth, allowing for a review of its adaptability and effectiveness in a larger set of organizations, since there are currently a few cases regarding the application of this model for measuring performance in literature. References ADAMS, Chris.; NEELY, Andy. Using the Performance Prism to Boost the Success of Mergers & Acquisitions, Accenture, New York. In: . (out. 2006). ADAMS, Chris.; NEELY, Andy. The New Spectrum: How the Performance Prism Framework Helps, Business Performance Management, Norwalk, nov. 2003. In: . (jul.2007). BITITCI, Umit S.; CARRIE, Allan S.; MCDEVITT, Liam. Techniques integrated performance measurement systems: an audit and development guide. The TQM Magazine. v.9, n.1, p. 46-53, 1997. BOGAN, Christopher E.; ENGLISH, Michael J. Benchmarking: Aplicaà §Ãƒ µes prà ¡ticas e Melhoria Contà ­nua. Sà £o Paulo: Makron Books, 1997. CAVENAGHI, Vagner. Gestà £o do desempenho empresarial: A contribuià §Ãƒ £o da à ¡rea de manufatura. 2001. Tese (Doutorado em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o) – Programa de Pà ³sGraduaà §Ãƒ £o em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o, USP, Sà £o Paulo. CHIAVENATO, Idalberto; CERQUEIRA NETO, Edgar P. Administraà §Ãƒ £o Estratà ©gica: em busca do desempenho superior, uma abordagem alà ©m do Balanced Scorecard. Sà £o Paulo: Saraiva, 2003. CORRÊA, Henrique L.; CAON, Mauro. Gestà £o de Servià §os, Sà £o Paulo: Atlas, 2002. CORRÊA, Henrique L.; CORRÊA, Carlos A. Administraà §Ãƒ £o de Produà §Ãƒ £o e Operaà §Ãƒ µes: Manufatura e Servià §os: uma abordagem estratà ©gica. Sà £o Paulo: Atlas, 2005. DORNIER, Philippe-Pierre; ERNST, Ricardo; FENDER, Michel; KOUVELIS, Panos. Logà ­stica e Operaà §Ãƒ µes Globais: Textos e Casos. Sà £o Paulo: Atlas, 2000. DRUCKER, Peter F. The Information Executives Truly Need. In: Measuring Corporate Performance. Boston: Harvard Business Review, 1998. p. 1-24 ECCLES, Robert G. The Performance Measurement Manifesto. In: Measuring Corporate Performance. Boston: Harvard Business Review, 1998. p. 25-45. FROST, Bob. Measuring Performance, Dallas: Measurement International, 2000. KAPLAN, Robert S.; NORTON, David P. The Balanced Scorecard: measures that drive performance. Harvard Business Review. p. 71-79, january-february 1992. LEBAS, Michel J. Performance measurement and performance management. International Journal of Production Economics. v. 41, p. 23-35, 1995. MARTINS, Roberto A. Sistemas de Medià §Ãƒ £o de Desempenho: Um modelo para Estruturaà §Ãƒ £o do Uso. 1998. Tese (Doutorado em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o) – Programa de Pà ³sGraduaà §Ãƒ £o em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o, USP, S à £o Paulo. MENDES, Dilermando P. O Balanced Scorecard como instrumento de avaliaà §Ãƒ £o do nà ­vel de desempenho logà ­stico em uma empresa de prestaà §Ãƒ £o de servià §os. 2002. Dissertaà §Ãƒ £o (Mestrado em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o) – Programa de Pà ³s-Graduaà §Ãƒ £o em Engenharia de Produà §Ãƒ £o, UFSC, Florianà ³polis. MIRANDA, Luis C.; GOMES DA SILVA, Josà © D. Medià §Ãƒ £o do Desempenho. In: SCHMIDT, Paulo (Org.) Controladoria: Agregando valor para a Empresa. Porto Alegre: Bookman, 2002. p. 131-153. NEELY, Andy; GREGORY, Mike; PLATTS, Ken. Performance measurement system design. International Journal of Operations Management. Cambridge, v.14, n.4, p. 81-114, 1995. NEELY, Andy; ADAMS, Chris. Perspectives on Performance: the performance prism. In: Handbook of Performance Measurement. London: Bouine, 2000. NEELY, Andy; ADAMS, Chris; CROWE; Paul. The Performance Prism in Practice. Measuring Business Excellence. v.5, n.2, p. 6-12, 2001. SIMONS, Robert; Dà VILA, Antà ´nio Medindo o Desempenho Empresarial. Rio de Janeiro: Harvard Business Review, Campus, 2000.

The Ethics of Sampling essays

The Ethics of Sampling essays I do not support sampling. I feel that sampling is equivalent to someone breaking into your house and stealing a picture you painted. Or perhaps a better analogy would be if they broke into your house and stole a home-made cookie you made and then used computer software to analyze the contents of your cookie so they could sell the recipe. Sampling is wrong and, for good reason, illegal. Without regard to law I believe that sampling a previously recorded sound without compensation or permission does amount to stealing. I feel like sampling is something that should never be done because there are many more opportunities and avenues one can explore to get the same vibe from a song without stealing. Anytime you take someone elses music you are stealing, if you did not recreate that sound yourself. The Beastie Boys have been known for their sampling, but in recent years have gone against it and actually use their own instruments and sounds to rerecord anything they wish to sample. That fully absolves them of any blame and it makes it morally correct. It should not matter that only a slight amount of material is used for the new composition. Copyright laws make that very clear and that is the correct assumption. You should never be able to steal anything even if its only a fraction of a second. You could use 200 milliseconds of James Browns voice and I could identify it immediately therefore NO sampling without permission should be legal. You can always get permission if you go about the correct measure and if you cant there are other avenues that you can explore, because thats the way copyright law is written. Parody is making fun of a song using the same composition, not recording. I personally think parody is great because it doesnt make use of the original recording and allows a hilarious take on the original song. Usually those parodies turn out to be better than the real thing in my opinio...

Team Dynamics and Group Formation

Team Dynamics and Group Formation Introduction Teamwork occupies a special place in the operational models of most organizations worldwide. This comes from the realization that it is the most efficient way of achieving the goals of an organization. Globalization is the major force behind the changes seen in workplaces because it is causing inevitable interaction of different cultures.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Team Dynamics and Group Formation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This realization has been the motivation for learning institutions to adopt the use of group based models of learning to enrich the learning process. This paper relates to the experiences derived from a team-based approach to learning. It focuses on the formative stages and the operational dynamics of the team. The goal of the team is to analyze the operations of Qantas in order to identify sustainable business practices and the change management process at the airline. In itial Functioning of the Group There are two reasons behind the formation of the group. The first reason is that the course under study calls for the analysis of an organization in order to determine elements such as its operations and its change management strategy. This group is working on Qantas Airlines as the case study. The second goal for the team’s formation is to develop an appreciation of how teams function. In addition to the primary objective of analyzing the operations of Qantas, using a team model to do it promises to provide all the members with an idea of how team function and the dynamics controlling the development process. Teams tend to develop through certain stages that follow a logical progression. Different scholars refer to these stages using various terms. According to Phillips and McConnell (2005), teams go through five stages in their development process. These stages are, â€Å"formation, disequilibrium, role definition, maturity and maintenanceâ € . They take on a logical progression that follows the dynamic processes at work in the life of the team. However, the more popular way of looking at the team development process is by the model developed by Bruce Tuckman that labeled the stages of team development as Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since then different scholars have developed variations to it to accommodate new research and to increase awareness to some of the core issues covered under each of the stages. One of those variations presented by Williams (2006, p. 323) adds three stages to the process titled, â€Å"de-norming, de-storming, and deforming† after the performing stage in Tuckman’s model. The goal for these additions is to show that teams are not permanent but must disintegrate after the attainment of the objectives. Another exa mple of variations to Tuckman’s model presented by Heldman and Mangano (2009, p. 187) is the addition of a stage called â€Å"adjourning†, after Tuckman’s performing stage. These examples show that there is agreement among scholars to the fact that teams go through a logical development cycle. In order to discuss the development process of the team under discussion, Tuckman’s model will provide the framework. This is because it is simple enough and covers all the key stages of relevance to this discussion. The first stage that the team went through was â€Å"forming†, which covered the circumstances that led to its creation. The members did not have a choice of whether or not to be part of a team because it was a course requirement. The members decided to be part of a team of their choice but they did not have a say as to whether they wanted to be in a team or not. This brought about a sense of common destiny because the performance of the members in the course depended on their performance as a team. This situation is not unique but is common especially in the disciplined forces. Soldiers do not have a choice regarding the company they will be in. However, once together, they must put their differences aside and work around their differences to win the war at hand because they all have a common destiny.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Team Dynamics and Group Formation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The second stage in the team development process is â€Å"storming†. This is the stage where the actual work in the team begins. It is characterized by infighting and jostling for positions because the member are not yet clear what their roles in the team are. In some cases, some members opt out because they find the jostling unbearable. In the case of the team under review, there was a bit of tension originally as members sought to clarify how the team w ould operate. Most of the member had other jobs, which made the issue of finding a common time outside of class work very difficult to find. In addition, there was the challenge of deciding on who would be the team leader. Since the interaction of the members was limited to classroom encounters, member did not have a good appreciation of who had the best skills to lead the team. A vote to decide on the team leader settled the issue. The next stage that the team passed through was â€Å"norming†. After settling down and appointing a leader, the team found it easier to talk and to raise issues related to the project. Some of the issues had a direct impact on the progress of the work while others had to do with the needs of the members. The team did its best to accommodate the schedules of all the members, especially those who had other jobs. Meeting regularly proved to be a bigger challenge than originally anticipated but the team has worked very hard to settle and get down to business. The team is currently in the fourth stage of â€Å"performing†. There are clear rules guiding the team’s operations and its outcomes. It is clear to all team members that failure to deliver on targets will affect the whole team. The team is working very hard to keep up with the schedule for completion of the work. There are fewer personality related conflicts compared to the initial stages of the teams work. One of the issues that warrant mention in the whole development process is the goal setting process that the team adopted. In the first meeting, the only thing that was clear was that the team was going to analyze the operation of Qantas. However, the process of doing it remained in the hands of the team. It was up to the team to make up its mind regarding how the project was to proceed.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One definition of a goal is â€Å"an end towards which you direct specific effort†. One of the first goals the team had to set and execute was choosing a team leader. The team realized that a team leader would help coordinate the work of the team better than if each member went to work without some form of central control. After choosing a leader, the team looked at the assignment in detail and developed options for meeting the objectives. At this point, the team identified specific objectives relating to the desired outcome of the process. One of the decisions taken included giving each member a particular department in Qantas as their individual area of focus. The idea was to develop a comprehensive picture of the company before going on to analyze the trends that showed up based on individual reports. The outcome of the analysis is what will form the core discussion in the final submission of the teams work. Developed specific goals included the analysis of the operation o f specific departments in Qantas, the development of an overall picture of how the airline operates, and the analysis of the change management strategies employed by the airline. Midstream Changes in Team Dynamics The critical events that characterized the development of the team related closely to the stage that the team was in. During the forming stage, the critical issue was choosing team members. As noted earlier, the task for the team was not open for debate hence it was not possible to opt out. After the class to the class to form teams, people grouped themselves based on what they felt was the best arrangement based on the limited interaction with each other in class. During storming, the team went through a period of distrust and jostling. The members were not sure of whom to trust the responsibilities. Some attempted to take more work to ensure that completion of the assignment, while others took only limited work because of their tight schedules. Eventually, under the guid ance of the team leader, the team rationalized the workload by asking each member to pick a specific aspect of the overall assignment. There was a bit of jostling too because members did not have a good idea of what their role in the team was. Forming stage gave the team a chance to reconsider its goals, processes, and achievements. The members relaxed and became less formal during meetings. It was in this stage that it became necessary to enforce rules developed earlier because members became relaxed. Without direction from the chair, the team would have lost time to socialization and to other irrelevancies. However, these activities also helped to build trust. After the norming stage, the team sorted out many of the issues that came up during storming. The key strengths of different members became apparent during the performing stage. This enabled the team to work better. Some member proved to be more adept at research while others had better analytical skills. Members collaborate d in and out of team meeting to leverage on the strengths available within the team. The key characteristics of the team in this stage were collaboration and high productivity. The team is currently in this stage. Output is satisfactory but there are still problems with meeting the team’s deadlines mainly because of the tight schedules that some team members operate under. Change Management Process The characteristics of strong teams include a clear vision, objectives and goals, synergy, flexibility and adaptability, and a strong review mechanism. The team in this report had a very clear objective, which was the analysis of the operations of Qantas. The setting of this objective partly came from the clarity of the course requirements. In addition to this objective, the team set a number of operational objectives including the number of meetings it needed to have in order to achieve the goals, the targets for each individual member and the quality of work the team wanted to pr esent at the end of the exercise. In as far as strong objectives characterize strong teams, this team met the requirement. The second characteristic of a strong team is synergy. In other words, it is the working together of the team members by leveraging on the strengths of individual members to create a strong result. This aspect came into play when the team used its strongest members to validate research and analysis done by the other members. The team members passed on their work to members who were strong in research and analysis for criticism and comment. This improved the quality of the output that each individual provided and by extension it improved the overall quality of the work the team produced at each stage. The third aspect of strong teams that this team displayed was flexibility and adaptability. Flexibility showed when team members constantly put effort into adjusting and synchronizing personal schedules to create time for team meetings. As mentioned earlier, some of the team members have demanding jobs and getting time off apart from class time to attend meetings is a major issue for them. Nonetheless, a lot of effort went into finding a workable time to ensure the meeting of the team’s objectives. On the issue of adaptability, the team worked hard to find ways of remaining in touch outside the meetings and classes. In this sense, the use of email and text messaging made it possible for the team members to keep in touch and to continue with work despite the severe time constraints. This option was not immediately obvious to the team because the model that the members originally had in mind included meeting together for discussions and compiling parts of the work. The reality however is that it is difficult to meet as often as earlier envisaged. This called for innovation and a flexible attitude to see how to employ electronic means of communication. The final characteristic of strong teams is that they review progress regularly as a sou rce of learning. On this count the team still has a lot to do. The time constrains associated with this team’s work means that most of the meeting time went into the actual development of the work with very little time left for meaningful review. However, in principle, the team fully appreciates the need for regular review. Conclusion The experiences of the team with this project illustrate the practical hurdles teams face in the process of executing their mandate. There are always forces acting to make it difficult for the team to execute its mandate. It also shows that each team must go through the formative processes. The stages of team development occur concurrently with the team’s efforts to achieve the primary goals. There is always need to balance the needs of the team as a growing unit with the achievement of the objectives set for the team. Reference List Burns, J. M. (1979) Leadership. Harper Row, New York, NY. Gaist, P. A. (2009) Igniting the Power of Commu nity. Springer, New York, NY. Heldman, K., Mangano, V. (2009) PMP Project management Professional Exam Review Guide. Illustrated edn, John WIley and Sons, Indianapolis, IN. Hopkins, D. H. (1999) Using History for Strategic Problem-Solving: The Harley-Davidson Effect. Business Horizons, pp. 52-60. Kanter, R. M. (1997) World Class: Thriving Locally in the Global Economy. Simon Schuster, New York, NY. Murthy, C. S. V. (2007) Change Management. Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai. Ohmae, K. (1995) The End of the Nation State. University of Minnesota Press, Minnesota. Paliwal, M. (2006) Business Ethics. New Age International, New Delhi. Phillips, R. L., McConnell, C. R. (2005) The Effective Corrections Manager: Correctional Supervision for the Future, 2nd edn. Jones Bartlett Learning, Sadbury MA. Rosenthal, S. B., Buchholz, R. A. (1999) Rethinking Business Ethics. Oxford University Press, Cary NC. Roulliard, L. (2002) Goals and Goal Setting: Achieving Measured Objectives, 3rd ed. Ceng age Learning, United States of America. Thakur, M., Srivastava, B. N. (1997) International Management. Tata Mcgraw-Hill Education, New Delhi. Vakola, M Nikolaou, L 2005, Attitudes Towards Organizational Change: What is the Role of Employees Stress and Commitment?, Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol 18, no. 1, pp. 163-176. Williams, C 2006, Management, 4th edn, Cengage Learning.

Article brief Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Brief - Article Example The methodology used by the study to come up with a fraud model involved three steps. The first step was to data of a public company from 1995 to 2002. A sample of 100 companies was split into fraud and non-fraud companies (McKee, 2014). The third step was to test 15 predictive variables to determine those that were good predictors of fraud status. The fraud companies were selected from SEC Enforcement Release that provided publicly reported fraud. Non-fraud companies were matched with the fraud companies in terms of three criteria including market value, positive change of 25% in net income, and standard industrial classification (McKee, 2014). The predictive variables were derived from prior research literature. Analysis of the data involved binary logistic regression using fraud status as the variable to be predicted. The variables used when analysing the 15 predictive variables include company size, auditor tenure, and McKee-Lensberg bankruptcy probability. The fraud model was tested with 91 companies which were in the original sample. The other 9 companies not included in testing did not have data for at least one of the three variables used to analyse the predictive variables (McKee, 2014). A company with fraud probability greater than 50 was regarded as a fraud company while a company with less than 50% probability of fraud was regarded as a non-fraud company. The results of the study are that the model predicted 63 of the tested companies’ fraud status correctly. This reflected 69.2% level of accuracy. The model also predicted fraud status of 28 companies incorrectly, reflecting 30.8% rate of error. This model can be compared favourably to the fraud model developed by Alden et al (2012) which showed 75% accuracy of training rates and 64% accuracy of validation. This article is important because it provides a fraud model that can be used by auditors to develop standards

Sustainability in Construction and the Integration of Building Essay

Sustainability in Construction and the Integration of Building Services - Essay Example It is in this context, two documents were determined to provide solutions to the built environment designs. The solutions proposed were different from one another because the first one was a proactive solution and the second one was a reactive solution to climate change. The CIBSE Briefing 8 (2003) was focused on providing new buildings and refurbishments design and operation solutions. The purpose of this proactive solution was to minimise or reduce the use of energy, which was identified as the major source of carbon emission that causes climate change. Meanwhile, the CIBSE Briefing 10 (2004) provided solution that focused on the reduction on the impact of climate change on the built environment. It is considered as a reactive solution because the design responded to the effects of climate trend to the built environment particularly to the thermal comfort. On the other hand, the former briefing was considered as proactive solution because it tried to prevent the causation of climat e change before it emerges. Further, both the information on the briefings was considered useful. However, the application of the building designs could be practicable to new buildings and refurbishments. It could also be used for existing buildings at the expense that it would need massive renovation. Likewise, the built environment design strategies that will be presented in the discussion could be considered in designing a social housing development in an inner city because they ensure economic and environment sustainability. Discussion Designing buildings to address the cause of climate change In the first document, the high consumption of electricity was the key issue. Therefore, it provided several recommendations which will serve as guidelines for the engineers and building designers in designing new built environmnet. The purpose was to provide the required internal environment and services with minimum energy use in a cost effective and environmentally sensitive manner (CIB SE, 2003, 1). The recommendations have included the following: energy- efficiency should be integrated in the client’s brief with all the necessary details support such as energy consumption targets, power density, and energy-efficient equipments to be installed, i.e. CHP or variable speed drives. The energy-efficient plan document should be compared to the standards set by the regulation policies. At the same time to be constantly reviewed while the design is in its installation process. The briefing also recommended that in designing building, design team should be considered and appointed before the building started in order to ensure good interaction between the disciplines. Project targets and life cycle costing should be utilized to promote teamwork. Third recommendation, design built form and services carefully in order to keep energy demand to a minimum. Further, using renewable energy sources, ambient energy and passive solution was also suggested in order to achieve this objective. Fourth, the use of ventilation hierarchy (see diagram below) as a guide was also recommended in order to minimize uncontrolled air infiltration. If possible find economical and environment friendly way to generate ventilation. Avoid the use of air conditioning since it could consume up to 50% of energy. Source: CIBSE, 2003 In addition, the building designers should incorporate in the design to optimize the use of heat gains, natural ventilation, and