Essay on Social Cognitive Theory - 1586 Words

Social Cognitive Theory Nowadays, many people both young and old tend to engage in health compromising behaviors. Some of which include: alcohol abuse, drug abuse, smoking, and the specific topic interest condom use, or maybe in this case condom non-use. From these particular behaviors a question poses: Why do people engage in health compromising behaviors? There are in fact many theories or processes that can give explanations to this particular question. One theory that can be related to this specific question is the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Dr. Albert Bandura originated social Cognitive Theory in the early 1960s. It actually stems from the Social Learning Theory. It has origins in the discipline of psychology, with†¦show more content†¦The third concept associated with the SCT is vicarious capability. Vicarious processes refer to the human ability to learn not only from direct experience, but also from the observation of others. Observational learning allows one to develop an idea of how a new behavior is performed with actually performing the behavior oneself. Forethought capability is the fourth concept that is associated with the SCT. It implies that most human behavior is purposive and is regulated by this. Forethought is a persons capability to motivate themselves and guide their actions anticipatorily. It mentions that previous experiences create expectations of the outcome that will occur as a result of performing a behavior, before the behavior is performed. These expectations influence the likelihood that a behavior will be performed again. In the case of the scenario, this concept implies that if the two had been in this predicament prior to that specific time, then it is likely that they would already know what was going to happen. The fifth concept incorporated into the SCT is self-regulatory capability. This allows people to have personal control over their own thoughts, feelings, motivation, and actions. It is important because it allow s the gradual substitution of internal controls for external controls of behavior. With this concept applied to the scenario, it simply refers to theShow MoreRelatedSocial Cognitive Theory618 Words   |  3 PagesSocial Cognitive Theory The social cognitive theory was formed in in 1977 primarily from the work of Albert Bandura, initially developed with the purpose of explaining social behaviors. It emphasizes that â€Å"learning occurs in a social context, and that much of what is learned is gained through observation† (Anderman amp; Anderman, 2009, p. 834). This theory has been applied to a wide spectrum of areas of study such as human functioning as career choice, athletics, organizational behavior, and mentalRead MoreExpectancy Theory And Social Cognitive Theory Essay1190 Words   |  5 PagesMotivation Theories: Expectancy Theory in Practice and Social Cognitive Theory Expectancy theory in practice In Expectancy theory we focus on the mental processes when considering choice, or choosing. It clarifies what an individual feel while making choices. In the study of organizational behavior, we can see that expectancy theory is a motivation theory, it tells us that employees who are sure in their ability to perform a particular task are motivated by their expectations of the consequencesRead MoreExpectancy Theory And Social Cognitive Theory Essay1163 Words   |  5 PagesExpectancy Theory in Practice and Social Cognitive Theory Expectancy theory in practice Expectancy theory is about the mental processes regarding choice, or choosing. It explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices. In the study of organizational behavior, expectancy theory is a motivation theory first proposed by Victor Vroom of the Yale School of Management. Expectancy theory tells us that people who are confident in their ability to perform a particular task are motivatedRead MoreBandura s Social Cognitive Theory1202 Words   |  5 PagesBandura’s Social Cognitive Theory Video Notes Triadic Reciprocal Causation Describe what triadic reciprocal causation is. Albert Bandura, introduced triadic reciprocal causation as a term referring to mutual influences between three sets of factors: personal, the environment, and behavior. This can be a cognitive factor for memory, anticipation, and planning. How is triadic reciprocal causation of social cognitive theory different than earlier behavioral learning theories? Triadic reciprocalRead MoreThe Social Cognitive Theory Of Albert Bandura1012 Words   |  5 PagesThe Social Cognitive Theory of Albert Bandura Albert Bandura is well known for his accomplishments and scientific contributions to the world of psychology. His research has helped to explain how individuals in a society are influenced by other individuals in the same society. It has also helped in understanding how external factors can influence’s ones feelings of self-worth. Albert Bandura was born in Alberta, Canada on December 5, 1925. Throughout his childhood, Bandura was part of a schoolRead MoreHealth Promotion Model And Theories Of Social Cognitive Theory Essay728 Words   |  3 PagesModel and Theories Social Cognitive Theory, Health Belief Model, and Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change are the three models I chose to discuss. An electronic database searched was completed. Three articles were chosen to summarize and discuss each of the above models. Social Cognitive Theory The article by Son et al. (2011) studies the effect of social cognitive factors among middle-aged and older adults’ leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) participation. The social cognitive factorsRead MoreThe Triadic Reciprocal Causation Of Social Cognitive Theory1749 Words   |  7 PagesDescribe what triadic reciprocal causation is. Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory explains psychological functioning in terms of triadic reciprocal causation. Triadic reciprocal causation is a system assuming human action as a result of an interaction with the environment, behavior, and a person. Bandura explains person as being a cognitive factor such as memory, anticipation, and planning. It is because of these cognitive capacities that some people can select or restructure their environmentRead MoreAlbert Bandura s Social Cognitive Theory926 Words   |  4 Pagespunishment. For 17 years, Mr. R.J. did a lot of observing. Every observation and experience helped with his choices of actions. Albert Bandura s Social Cognitive Theory will explain how R.J. s behavior was caused by his past. Albert Bandura s Social Cognitive Theory explains that people develops a skill or habit based on what they observed during social interactions, experiences, and outside media influences (Santrock, 2011). Bandura uses a model to explain the factors and how they connect betweenRead MoreApplying the Social Cognitive Theory of Albert Bandura1070 Words   |  5 Pagesappeal to Mr. Keller. Im not a good student. Give me P.E. or art over this stuff any day! If we apply Albert Banduras social cognitive theory in her comment I just cant do this writing stuff how does Banduras theory help us to understand Annie? According, the Social Cognitive Theory of Albert Bandura which combines both behavioral and cognitive philosophies to form his theory of modeling, or observational learning states that human personality is an interaction between the environment and a personsRead MoreThe Social Cognitive Theory Of A Dynamic And Reciprocal Fashion1895 Words   |  8 PagesOVERVIEW: The social cognitive theory in essence is the theory that proposes behavior is a result of personal, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence each other in a dynamic and reciprocal fashion. Environments shape behaviors, but individuals have the power to influence the environment as well as their own behaviors through self-reflection and self-regulatory process. Personal factors involve people’s thoughts and beliefs about the desired outcomes, their ability to perform the behavior

Dissertation Mme Bovary French - 2133 Words

Il a à ©tà © dit que la và ©ritable originalità © des grands romanciers rà ©alistes à ©tait  « davoir transformà © la rà ©alità © vulgaire en Å“uvre dart  ». En vous appuyant sur là ©tude prà ©cise de  «Madame Bovary », vous justifierez ce jugement. ? Introduction Le rà ©alisme classique faisait du beau et du laid la matià ¨re de son art. Mais il en proscrivait le mà ©diocre et comme le disait La Bruyà ¨re, on ne saurait reprà ©senter  « un laquais qui siffle  » ou  « un homme dans sa garde-robe  ». La grande originalità © des à ©crivains rà ©alistes fut dadmettre que tout ce qui se trouvait dans la nature et mà ªme le mà ©diocre, pouvait et devait entrer dans le cadre de leurs Å“uvres. Et à   vrai dire, ils ont mà ªme manifestà © une prà ©dilection à   sinspirer de sujets, à   dà ©peindre des†¦show more content†¦Le dà ©cor prosaà ¯que, prà ©tentieux et sans goà »t est bien à   lunisson des personnages. II. LOEUVRE DART Cest pourtant à   partir de cette rà ©alità © vulgaire que Flaubert a crà ©Ãƒ © une oeuvre dart, et cette transformation sexplique quand on prend conscience du soin quil a apportà © à   la composition. Rien nest plus savant mais rien non plus nest plus discret que la manià ¨re dont sagencent les à ©là ©ments au cours de la progression du roman. Le lecteur assiste aux menus faits quotidiens rapportà ©s, semble-t-il, sans choix et sans apprà ªt, dans lordre quimpose la stricte chronologie. Mais, de chacun dentre eux, lauteur met en lumià ¨re la valeur significative : ils rà ©và ¨lent les nuances dun caractà ¨re, ils à ©clairent là ©volution dun sentiment. Car cest bien en dà ©finitive la banalità © à ©touffante des jours qui pà ¨se sur Emma. On la voit se dà ©battre dà ©sespà ©rà ©ment contre lennui et pour sy soustraire aller de folie en folie selon un crescendo inexorable. Dans cette construction rigoureuse de lensemble, les passages mà ªmes qui à   premià ¨re vue font quelque peu figure de morceaux de bravoure, se justifient pleinement. Flaubert sà ©tend longuement sur la description de la noce de Charles et dEmma. Mais la place quil donne à   cet à ©pisode est en accord avec limportance quy attachent les personnages eux-mà ªmes. Une noce est un à ©và ©nement à   la campagne. Cest pourquoi dans la famille

Debate on Board Exams Free Essays

Good morning, one and all! Today’s debate is quite interesting, as we are the victims, rather the part of the society who sees it very closely than the rest. Now, frankly speaking, within each one of us, somewhere or the other we feel, very strongly feel , that board exams are a curse or rather some dangerous, ferocious animals. Truly the very spirit of examination aims at something noble, but unfortunately the implementation process is very unrealistic. We will write a custom essay sample on Debate on Board Exams or any similar topic only for you Order Now The present examination systems, as I said are very unrealistic, and moreover focus on the core subject of ‘Writing based on Memory’; there isn’t any scope for a child to enhance his/her creativity, there is always an obstruction on the out-of-box thinking. The child along with his parents suffer from acute tension, anxiety and fear during the period of exams, that lead to a very different mental status of a child, and is a symbol that the child is stressed out. It is not possible, to judge a student’s capacity in a mere 3 hour exam, How can it be possible that a 3 hour exam will foretell a student’s future? And that, this so called board exam be the only parameter to judge a child’s ability. It is really insane to say that, I feel. And moreover, its pure gambling at times, like it depends on the question, and the child’s preparations that coincide to give a better outcome. Sometimes it does and sometimes not. Mentioning draw backs of the exams will lead me to write a novel full of reasons. Present education system encourages cramming, unnecessary expenditure on help books and also encourages private tuition which has resulted in mushrooming of a large number of tuition shops in every city and even small towns by inexperienced tutors, with a lure to make huge turnovers†¦ Einstein once said and I quote â€Å"Every animal has their own talent, but if we judge a fish with its ability to climb tree, It lands to be a failure, always† This is what, board exam does, It tries to judge the memory power, and the power to reproduce the answers on the exam paper, It is a mechanical approach to test a human’s knowledge and not a holistic way. Now, I would like to ask you, what basically is exam!? Some may say, it’s an art to reproduce things on the exam paper, and yes truly it is! But what is the process involved? Do we give importance to that!? No, some of us might have cheated, used unfair means in the exam, and would come out bravely and speak ‘See I cheated and was undetected† we take credit for this, and here, the basic aim of board exams comes down breaking ! This symbolizes, and I conclude that board exams, or any Exam that focuses on memory, never helps the child in a long run. How to cite Debate on Board Exams, Essay examples Debate on Board Exams Free Essays Good morning, one and all! Today’s debate is quite interesting, as we are the victims, rather the part of the society who sees it very closely than the rest. Now, frankly speaking, within each one of us, somewhere or the other we feel, very strongly feel , that board exams are a curse or rather some dangerous, ferocious animals. Truly the very spirit of examination aims at something noble, but unfortunately the implementation process is very unrealistic. We will write a custom essay sample on Debate on Board Exams or any similar topic only for you Order Now The present examination systems, as I said are very unrealistic, and moreover focus on the core subject of ‘Writing based on Memory’; there isn’t any scope for a child to enhance his/her creativity, there is always an obstruction on the out-of-box thinking. The child along with his parents suffer from acute tension, anxiety and fear during the period of exams, that lead to a very different mental status of a child, and is a symbol that the child is stressed out. It is not possible, to judge a student’s capacity in a mere 3 hour exam, How can it be possible that a 3 hour exam will foretell a student’s future? And that, this so called board exam be the only parameter to judge a child’s ability. It is really insane to say that, I feel. And moreover, its pure gambling at times, like it depends on the question, and the child’s preparations that coincide to give a better outcome. Sometimes it does and sometimes not. Mentioning draw backs of the exams will lead me to write a novel full of reasons. Present education system encourages cramming, unnecessary expenditure on help books and also encourages private tuition which has resulted in mushrooming of a large number of tuition shops in every city and even small towns by inexperienced tutors, with a lure to make huge turnovers†¦ Einstein once said and I quote â€Å"Every animal has their own talent, but if we judge a fish with its ability to climb tree, It lands to be a failure, always† This is what, board exam does, It tries to judge the memory power, and the power to reproduce the answers on the exam paper, It is a mechanical approach to test a human’s knowledge and not a holistic way. Now, I would like to ask you, what basically is exam!? Some may say, it’s an art to reproduce things on the exam paper, and yes truly it is! But what is the process involved? Do we give importance to that!? No, some of us might have cheated, used unfair means in the exam, and would come out bravely and speak ‘See I cheated and was undetected† we take credit for this, and here, the basic aim of board exams comes down breaking ! This symbolizes, and I conclude that board exams, or any Exam that focuses on memory, never helps the child in a long run. How to cite Debate on Board Exams, Papers

Trader Joe Case Analysis for PEST Analysis-myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theTrader Joe Case Analysis for PEST Analysis. Answer: Detailed assessment of the Trader Joes environment P.E.S.T. analysis and the five forces analysis PEST Analysis All types of organizations need to analyze their external environment through the identification of the external factors that affect their operations. The PEST analysis is used as a popular tool to clarify the Political, Economic, Social and Technological issues (FME, 2018). According to Martrous (2016), the PEST analysis of the food retailing industry in the USA could be discussed as follows: The political issues: The USA has issued the Organic Food Production Act in 1990 that stated the national standards for the products grown organically in the United States. The act was based mainly on the consumer interest in the organic food. The economic issues: The American consumer is able to afford the purchasing cost of the organic foods which means a positive market outlook. Social issues: The increase in senior population is likely to cause an increase in consumption of the organic food as it is widely accepted among the population and more people are willing to spend on healthy food. Technological issues: The advancement in technology has positively affected the foods market and improved the end to end shopping experience. Many ways of digital food consumption were developed, including, the online shopping, shopping applications and shopping through the social media channels The Five Forces of competition Porters' five forces of competitive analysis could be applied to Trader Joe's as follows: The bargaining power of buyers: About 80% of the customers are highly educated. The company describes its target market as intelligent and enjoy shopping at Joe's (Ager Roberto, 2013). Bargaining power of suppliers: Trader Joe's deals directly with suppliers without middlemen. It takes the goods at 25% to 40% lower prices than the wholesale prices and it asks the merchants to keep the prices as secret. About 20-25% of its suppliers are overseas (Coriolis Research Ltd., 2006). Threat of new entrants: The potential entrants are low as it is difficult to enter the grocery market. The small and medium-size grocery stores account for about 70% of the industry. The local suppliers make entry restrictions to the market. The product freshness accounts for higher costs for small and medium business size (Martrous, 2016). Threat of substitute products: The threat of substitute product is high in the USA market as the prices of organic foods are generally higher compared to the regular grocery items (Martrous, 2016). Trader Joes does not offer a deduct strategy, but it offers lower prices organic food and it is the cheapest place in the USA to buy vitamins with 50 different types (Coriolis Research Ltd., 2006). Intensity of rivalry: The grocery industry is characterized as a competitive environment. There are four dominating companies; Walmart, Kroger, Safeway and Supervalu that accounts for 30% of the industry revenues and the rest goes to the small and medium-sized The market concentration is low and the wholesale companies provide groceries with 25% lower prices compared to the organic food (Martrous, 2016). Trader Joes offers a big range of ethnic cuisines for the food savvy customers. These products are promoted through flyers with recipes and information about the product to create a source of differentiation among rivals (Coriolis Research Ltd., 2006). Second: Essential skills, competencies, and capabilities of Trader Joes Organizations can create a strategic position through the production of a subset of the industry products, called variety based position. The second strategy is the needs-based positioning, it is based on fulfilling the different needs of some groups of customers with varying amount of information. The third strategy is the access-based positioning through segmenting customers and accessing them through different ways (Porter, 1996). Trader Joe's conduct the first two strategies as it aims to offer a variety of industrial products including organic food, wine, vitamins and music products. Also, it fulfills the complex needs of a certain group of customers who are well educated, love to travel and discover new thing. It is intelligent of him to select the store locations beside the educational institutes. Not conducting the third strategy creates a source of risk to Trader Joe's as it has to excel towards achieving its targeted customers with all of the possible means. Trader Joe's core competencies could be discussed according to MITSloan Management (2010), as follows: Its HRM: Trader Joe's policy towards its staff makes them love to work. It offers them training and pays them above the average market salaries. Also, the staff is very friendly and well educated and loved by the customers. Purchasing of large quantities of products driving the prices down for the customer: It offers high-quality products at low cost and follows the JIT process. It limits its stock for specific product items that could be sold at very low prices. Sourcing products globally and asking vendors to be secretive about the agreed upon prices: It works with a variety of suppliers who make interesting products especially for Trader Joe's. Offering 80% of the traded goods with private label items: It offers about 2000 unique grocery items, with every day reduced prices, moreover, it offers about 15 new products every week. Small size shops allow for low rental cost, or purchase price: It can control its costs. Also, it limits the number of hands that can touch the product by dealing directly with the producers. Also, it keeps its financial results as a secret. Third: Evaluation of the critical gaps in the skills, competencies, and capabilities that Trader Joes currently has versus what is needed in the future Despite the success of the Trader Joe's business, it has to develop certain skills, capabilities and competencies to be able to sustain its competitive advantage. Acting in the same way while not considering the environmental changes are expected to provide a chance to rivals to grow and at the same time, it creates a gap in the organizational skills that should be filled. For example, Wall-mart and other rivals expanded through small locations throughout the market. Also, Tesco has launched a chain of stores in the neighborhood and borrowed the process of the fresh and easy store from Joe's. Moreover, Amazon could utilize the technological advance to attract the consumers and shift their preferences. Trader Joe's lacks the capabilities that enable it from accessing consumer with a variety of means, including technological and even the traditional television advertisements. The company is against this thinking, but it cannot stay for a long time away as it has become a must (Ager Ro berto, 2013; Coriolis Research Ltd., 2006). On the other hand, consumers have been changing their shopping behavior for food. They tend to divide their spending across a variety of choices as hypermarkets, supermarkets convenience stores and online services. Trader Joe's shops' locations are small, offer certain types of goods and achieve customers called the value seekers through the indoor printed flyers only. It lacks the skills of marketing and promotion. It does not have a large distribution network, it depends only on expansion by opening more stores in certain areas. Despite the Facebook page created by people, the company neither responds to them nor create a marketing activity on the social media channels. It needs a technology-driven staff to join the work who clearly realize the fact that the digital technology is embedded now in the consumers' lifestyles. Moreover, during the period (2007-2012), 150 million square feet were added to the grocery retail industry. None of them represented a traditional supermarket format with its hard discounts and quite significant that led to lower operating costs. The Dollar stores enable the consumers to access hundreds of food and non-food items at the lowest prices. This rival expansion creates a threat to Trader Joe's traditional way of marketing as many competitors are imitating it and quickly respond to the consumer changing needs. The company has to obtain the skills that enables it from responding to the changing and customized consumer preferences (Hodson, Egol, Blischok, 2012; Hartman Group, 2017). Fourth: The key success factors required by Trader Joes to bridge identified gaps Being an innovative organization in one area does not mean to be innovative for only one part of the business model. Trader Joe' needs to focus its innovative resources on the threatening areas. Also, it needs to move faster as time is considered as a competitive weapon in the complex business environment (Zook Allen, 2011). Having a value network, including the upstream suppliers and the downstream customers as Trader Joe's is not enough to sustain its competitive advantage in the future. The company needs to acquire highly skilled staff aware of technology to create a freestanding value network. They are expected to market for the company products on a large scale and benefit from the customer orientation towards technology. Also, the company could adopt a new delivery strategy that allows the customers to select the products online to be delivered to the destination of their choice (Christensen, Anthony, Roth, 2004). In order to sustain its high performance in the future, companies need to develop a new generation of leaders. As Trader Joe's need a transformation plan, a new style of leaders needs to be encouraged to implement new business models. The company also has to adopt a new policy of cultivating new skills to join its staff to bring new blood to the organization (Johnson, Yip, Hensmans, 2012). As it is expected that the consumer habits over the next five years will change more towards healthier eating habits as a result of media awareness. Also, it is expected that consumer change will shift from grocery shopping of necessary goods to shopping for experience. As a result, Trader Joe's is likely to face growing competition and if we considered that Joe's company depends on the lower prices we will find that Wall-mart also knows very well (Bellona, Breivik, Cannon, Yap, 2010). References Ager, D., Roberto, M. (2013). Trader Joes. USA: Harvard Business Review. Bellona, D., Breivik, K., Cannon, C., Yap, M. (2010). Industry analysis: Retail grocery industry analysis, value creation Best practices. USA: Strategic Innovation in Product Service Design. Christensen, C., Anthony, S., Roth, E. (2004). Strategic choices. In Using the theories of innovation to predict industry change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Coriolis Research Ltd. (2006). Understanding Trader Joes. New Zealand: Coriolis Research Ltd. FME. (2018, April 08). PESTLE analysis: Strategy skills. Retrieved from Free Management ebooks: https://www.free-management-ebooks.com Hartman Group. (2017). U.S. grocery shopper trends. USA: FMI the Voice of Food Retailer. Hodson, N., Egol, N., Blischok, T. (2012). Four factors shaping competition in grocery retailing. USA: PWC. Johnson, G., Yip, G., Hensmans, M. (2012). Achieving successful strategic transformation. MIT Salon Management Review, 53(2), 25-32. Martrous, B. (2016). Whole foods market case analysis. USA: California State University. MITSloan Management. (2010). Trader Joes vs. whole foods market: A comparison of operational management. USA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Porter, M. (1996). What is strategy? USA: Harvard Business Review. Zook , C., Allen, J. (2011). The great repeatable business model. USA: Harvard Business Review.

The Soul, God, Religion, & Evil Essays - Philosophy Of Religion

The Soul, God, Religion, & Evil The Soul, God, Religion, & Evil Being raised in a Catholic family, I have always been told that my body contains a soul. I have often wondered where my soul is and how it functions. Being asked by my friends questions about the soul, I could not answer because I never really knew myself, so I looked to the writings of the church. According the Catechism of the Catholic Church, written by Pope John Paul II, the soul is not just part of the body, it is the body. In Sacred Scripture the term soul often refers to the life or the entire person. But soul also refers to the innermost aspect of man, that which is of greatest value in him, that by which he is most especially in God's image: soul signifies the spiritual principle in man. The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the form of the body: i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a s ingle nature. The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God - it is not produced by the parents - and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be united with the body at the final Resurrection. That is the belief of my church. Other religion hold different views, are they right? If what I believe is right, then the soul is there, not for Catholics, but for everyone, so that we all have a spiritual awareness and can become closer to God. But what if I am wrong? What if we really do not have soul? How then am I to live my life? What if there really is no God, and religion is just a security blanket for people so that they seem to have some meaning in their lives? How can one justify the existence of God if there is so much evil in the world? What about reincarnation? If we have a soul, then it is supposed to be reunited with the body on the final Resurrection, but then how do certain people have spe cial talents where as others do not? These questions are ones that my personal experiences and beliefs will try to answer. I do not believe that the Catholic Christian religion is the only true religion in this world. If I were to believe this, then I would not be the ideal, loving, open minded person that I am called to be by my beliefs, and by God. I believe that each religion is right for each person involved, depending on where they are located. God calls each person in different ways because all people are not the same, and live in different surroundings. Each culture has certain beliefs based on their cultural pasts, and physical environments. For example, Europe and the Americas are considered to be part of the Western World. The Western World is modern, destructive, fast paced, and highly independent. That is the way our society has developed, and the religions that we believe correspond to these factors. African religions are different then the European religions, just as Asian and Middle Eastern religions are different then African religions, because they do not have the same pasts. The way tha t people had lived, their ancestors, helped to develop their religious ideas. Each culture had to have believed in some higher power, and someone (Buddha, Jesus, Confucius, etc.) helped to lead their people into a system that corresponded with their lives, and contributed to bringing some sort of meaning to the society, fulfilling some void that was present. So in a sense, the religions that were created, were created by a certain type of people to fill something missing in their lives, caused by the type of society they were residing in. It was not that the religions created the people, it was that the people created the religions. In line with that idea, religions have also been

Rhamphorhynchus - Facts and Figures

Rhamphorhynchus - Facts and Figures Name: Rhamphorhynchus (Greek for beak snout); pronounced RAM-foe-RINK-us Habitat: Shores of Western Europe Historical Period: Late Jurassic (165-150 million years ago) Size and Weight: Wingspan of three feet and a few pounds Diet: Fish Distinguishing Characteristics: Long, narrow beak with sharp teeth; tail ending with diamond-shaped skin flap About Rhamphorhynchus The exact size of Rhamphorhynchus depends on how you measure itfrom the tip of its beak to the end of its tail, this pterosaur was less than a foot long, but its wings (when fully extended) stretched an impressive three feet from tip to tip. With its long, narrow beak and sharp teeth, its clear that Rhamphorhynchus made its living by dipping its snout into the lakes and rivers of late Jurassic Europe and scooping up wriggling fish (and possibly frogs and insects)much like a modern pelican. One detail about Rhamphorhynchus that sets it apart from other ancient reptiles is the spectacularly preserved specimens discovered at the Solnhofen fossil beds in Germanysome of this pterosaurs remains are so complete that they display not only its detailed bone structure, but the outlines of its internal organs as well. The only creature to have left comparably intact remains was another Solnhofen discovery, Archaeopteryxwhich, unlike Rhamphorhynchus, was technically a dinosaur that occupied a place on the evolutionary line leading to the first prehistoric birds. After nearly two centuries of study, scientists know a lot about Rhamphorhynchus. This pterosaur had a relatively slow growth rate, roughly comparable to that of modern alligators, and it may have been sexually dimorphic (that is, one sex, we dont know which, was slightly larger than the other). Rhamphorhynchus probably hunted at night, and it likely held its narrow head and beak parallel to the ground, as can be inferred from scans of its brain cavity. It also seems that Rhamphorhynchus preyed on the ancient fish Aspidorhynchus, the fossils of which are associated (that is, located in close proximity) in the Solnhofen sediments. The original discovery, and classification, of Rhamphorhynchus is a case study in well-meaning confusion. After it was unearthed in 1825, this pterosaur was classified as a species of Pterodactylus, which at the time was also known by the now-discarded genus name Ornithocephalus (bird head). Twenty years later, Ornithocephalus reverted to Pterodactylus, and in 1861 the famous British naturalist Richard Owen promoted P. muensteri to the genus Rhamphorhynchus. We wont even mention how the type specimen of Rhamphorhynchus was lost during World War II; suffice it to say that paleontologists have had to make do with plaster casts of the original fossil. Because Rhamphorhynchus was discovered so early in the history of modern paleontology, it has lent its name to an entire class of pterosaurs distinguished by their small sizes, big heads and long tails. Among the most famous rhamphorhynchoids are Dorygnathus, Dimorphodon and Peteinosaurus, which ranged across western Europe during the late Jurassic period; these stand in stark contrast to pterodactyloid pterosaurs of the later Mesozoic Era, which tended to larger sizes and smaller tails. (The biggest pterodactyloid of them all, Quetzalcoatlus, had a wingspan the size of a small airplane!)

Summarize a reading related to issues of human diversity in working Assignment

Summarize a reading related to issues of human diversity in working with individuals of minority status - Assignment Example Hence, the topic is very vast, and gives extensive information regarding the importance of human diversity in organizations. As is obvious from the title of the research article, it is important to understand where we stand now in terms of human diversity, and what we are doing to promote diversity and reduce all sorts of discrimination against minorities at the workplaces. The authors have stated that previous researches focused on only one or the other type of discrimination; while, this research puts forward a more diverse model of human diversity, giving the reader a more exact idea on how we can promote the idea of human diversity in organization. The research also goes in detail of the outcomes of human diversity. Thus, the reader gets to know the importance of the topic in terms of pros and cons. Although there are no definite research questions or hypothesis that is to be tested, still we can say that the research focuses on queries, such as, what past literature is available, explaining different dimensions of diversity in organizations; and, does past literature tells the reader about the limitations and strengths of each dimension. Hence, the focus is on reviewing past literature, and providing suggestions to improve the research. 2.1. Race and ethnic diversity. The authors start with race and ethnic diversity. They state how humans judge each other on the basis of race and ethnic backgrounds. They have also cited much literature, all of which agrees that racial and ethnic discrimination against minorities results in negative effects on social integration and communication, thus, increasing organizational conflict. 2.2. Gender diversity. It is another dimension of human diversity. The authors state that gender diversity is important, but at the same time, it is important for the organizations to eliminate gender discrimination. Women are more at risk of gender discrimination at

Zadie Smith's White Teeth Identity and Progress Essay

Zadie Smith's White Teeth Identity and Progress - Essay Example Joshua supports the environmental group FATE, while his own father supports the genetically-produced FutureMouse. Samad’s twin sons, Magid and Millat, also believe in different goals; the eldest is one with Marcus and his scientific future, while Millat embraces a fundamentalist view of religion and society. White Teeth argues that people build relationships based on their inner preferences and external pressures on life and their differences will perpetually clash, but they have to accept that as part of human identity and progress. People are born to be different in ideas and beliefs, because of their own choices in life and external influences on the development of their human identity. The novel includes three generations that intersects the â€Å"themes of heritage and family history† (Chernysheva 3). Every generation has important questions that they wish to answer. For Samad, he wants to conserve history, which he also does through promoting the myth of his great -grandfather, whose role in Indian history is not entirely reliable. Archie also feels the same nostalgia for the past. His so-called war wound is not real, because he put it on himself. Despite this self-inflicted wound, Archie creates a memory of the war with a strong sense of â€Å"self-defensiveness† (Chernysheva 3). Samad and Archie essentially promote a traditional approach to history and identity formation. They repeat their wartime concerns, where they usually find people forgetting the war, as if it is not important. These best friends, nevertheless, do everything to preserve their fabricated history of the war. Samad comes from a generation that sees history in a linear relationship, where every action has a consequence (Chernysheva 3). He supports the notions of karma and fate. Clara’s mother, Hortense, has the same views but for her, religion has become a different lens from which she makes sense of history. The generation of the youngest characters experie nce and see the future in diverse prisms and for different expectations and goals. The Iqbal twins believe in conflicting values. Magid, who lives most of adolescent life in Bangladesh, returns to England with a more Westernized view than the English themselves, while Millat finds truth and peace in fundamentalist religion. Samad is disappointed that Magid becomes more ultra-Westernized, when he planned for him to continue their traditions. The twins follow extremes ideologies that threaten to break their family apart. Irie has her own personal struggles. She is divided between her volunteer work in Africa and an occupation as a dentist and also faces diverse choices for hairdos and weight-loss plans. Irie’s child, however, bears the consequences of Irie’s choices (Chernysheva 3). The demolition of the Berlin Wall represents the demolition of obstacles to individual freedoms and differences (Chernysheva 3). Traditions versus modernity clash in influencing human progres s and identity. Samad â€Å"moves between positions of authority and deauthorisation or subordination† (Gustar 335). He wants to impose his authority, but he does not have any power over his own family. He exaggerates his claims regarding his life, but he is â€Å"also emasculated by a radicalized discourse in an ethnocentric culture that often treats him as subaltern† (Gustar 335). Ironically, he spreads lies about his heritage that only makes him smaller as a person, since he cannot achieve the same level of greatness. Since he cannot control his life, he applies power chiefly over his family and children and even uses kidnapping to send his elder child to Bangladesh (Gustar 335). He does this because he knows that in the end, his

Apple Computer Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple Computer Culture - Essay Example The positive feature of Apple is that it uses informal communication method which helps it to achieve the goals. It helps to provide satisfaction of members' social needs, and a sense of personal identity and belonging. This type of communication provides additional channels of communication and provides a means of motivation, for example, through status, social interaction, variety in routine jobs, and informal methods of work. Informal type of communication provides a feeling of stability and security, and through informal 'norms' of behaviour can exercise a form of control over members. "The informal approach to management meant that influence was a primary way of The culture and structure of Apple develop over time and in response to a complex set of factors. "Employees expressed great concerns about both Apple's management and its working environment. Many felt that executive management did not have a clear business direction, and that they did not keep employees adequately informed' (Gibbs, Beer, 1991). Apple management team did not take into account that the nature of the 'business' and its primary function have an important influence on its culture. Usually large organizations like Apple have more formalised structures and cultures. Increased size is likely to result in separate departments and possibly split site operations. Nevertheless, this created a problem for Apple's "old" employees who felt that, "There is not as much chance to talk at Apple now. There is less passion or personal commitment. Hotlinks keeps Apple people passionate." (Gibbs, Beer, 1991). This caused difficulties in communication and inter-departmental rivalries with the need for effective co-ordination. A rapid expansion, or decline, in size and rate of growth, and resultant changes in staffing will influence structure and culture. Unfortunately, Apple management did nothing to improve this situation because information through Hotlinks went round them, and they "need managerial shift from control to context" (Gibbs, Beer, 1991). It is important to note that Apple "encouraged individualism". Individuals in the organisation are not guided at all times by the primary goals of the organisation. On the other hand, Apple culture is based on a team work: "people in Apple valued teamwork and liked to work in teams' (Gibbs, Beer, 1991). Goals and objectives pursues profitability, but this is not by itself very clear for its effective management. Apple must give attention to objectives in all key areas of its operations. The combination of objectives and resultant strategies influence culture, and may themselves be influenced by changes in culture. The problem is Apple is that employees have to complete "immediate objectives". It means that the main focus is made on "to get the job done than to get it right" (Gibbs, Beer, 1991). The primary function of Apple determines the nature of the technological processes and methods of undertaking work, which in turn also affect structure and culture. Employees doe not know long-term strategies which prevent them from effective performance. In order to be effective Apple tries to be responsive to external environmental influences. Apple operates within a dynamic environment and it requires a structure and cul

Compensation techniques for 50 Gbps Duobinary System

Compensation techniques for 50 Gbps Duobinary System Pre, Post and Mix Compensation techniques for 50 Gbps Duobinary System Rupinder Kaur, Sanjeev Dewra Abstract: In this paper, the performance of duobinary system is analyzed by using different dispersion compensation techniques. The dispersion compensation techniques tested are Pre Compensation, Post Compensation and Mix Compensation. These techniques are applied to duobinary system, which operates at a bit rate of 50 Gbps. It is found that for 50 Gbps system, Mix Compensation technique shows better performance matrices like quality factor (i.e. 7.54 at 25 km)and bit error rate (i.e. 7.52e-15 at 25 km) as compared to other techniques. Keywords: Mach-Zender Intensity Modulator (MZIM), Single Mode Fiber (SMF), Q-factor, Bit Error Rate (BER), Low Pass Filter (LPF) Introduction For higher data rates, research in optical communications is being constantly driven by requirements. At a minimum bandwidth cost, Fiber Optics has reorganized the data communication technology by examining the limits of high speed network accessibility for the end users [1]. In high speed optical communication system duobinary modulation is a valuable solution that provides the better spectral efficiency and minimizes the performance degradation due to the nonlinear effects and dispersion [2–4]. Due to the promptly growing capacity requirements for long distance transmission, fiber optic communications are advancing into higher bit rate enabled [5]. To increase the capacity of system and to reduce the performance degradation caused by transmission impairments, systematic investigation is essential [6]. Duobinary formats are known for their high tolerance to residual chromatic dispersion and low spectral occupancy [7]. These features make them very attractive for both high spe ctral efficiency and high data rate. For high speed systems, Duobinary signaling has become an essential transmission format as the broadband networks and the bandwidth requirement has increased. By selecting suitable pulse shaping, the selection of optical modulation format has become an essential standard in any high speed link design. This optical signal pre-distortion based pulse shaping increases the dispersion tolerance related performances considerably [8, 9]. In long distance transmission systems, Fiber chromatic dispersion is one of the most severe limiting factor. If the fiber transmission length exceeds several tens of kilometers, dispersion effect can cause intolerable amounts of distortions that ultimately lead to errors. Therefore it is necessary to use dispersion compensation devices such as dispersion compensating fiber (DCF) [10, 11] to overcome dispersion effect and consequently decrease the nonlinear distortion. In this study, we propose three DCF compensation scheme, pre-compensation and post-compensation scheme. Simulation studies show that mix compensation scheme is the best. It can greatly reduce the influences of the fiber nonlinearity and increase the transmission distance greatly System Setup Duobinary Transmitter is designed with laser diodes, filters, modulators and all components which are essential to build an optical network. This simulation is carried out to observe the comparative study with various compensation techniques in the presence of chromatic dispersion. Duobinary signal is launched over DCF SMF spans of 5 km and 25 km each for post, pre and symmetric compensation schemes. Duobinary modulation is achieved by driving an external Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator. MZIM has three inputs, one for laser diode and other for data from the channels. It converts the electrical signal into optical signal. On the receiver side the output of the Lorentzian optical filter a photodiode converts the optical signal into an electrical signal an electrical low pass Bessel filter follows the PIN photodiode. This has a cut-off frequency 193.41449 THz. Finally at the output of the low pass filter visualization tool called Scope, BER estimation Q meter. It is an optical or elect rical oscilloscope with numerous data processing options, eye display and BER estimation features. The system setup of 50 Gbps duobinary transmission with pre, post and symmetric compensation techniques is as shown in figure below. Fig. 1 Duobinary system with Post Compensation technique Fig. 2 Duobinary system with Pre Compensation technique Fig. 3 Duobinary system with Mix Compensation technique Pre-compensation scheme achieve dispersion compensation by place the DCF before a certain conventional single-mode fiber, or after the optical transmitter. Post -compensation scheme achieve dispersion compensation by place the DCF after a certain conventional single-mode fiber, or before the optical transmitter. Mix compensation scheme is consist of post-compensation and pre-compensation Result and Discussion To evaluate the performance of 50 Gbps duobinary system several measurements for Pre, Post and Symmetric compensation techniques were taken. The quality factor versus transmission distance is as shown in Fig.4. The graph shows that the performance of pre, post and mix compensation is compared by varying the distance from 5 to 30 km. Fig.4 Quality Factor vs Transmission distance Fig.4 depicts quality factor versus transmission distance graph. It is observed that by increasing the transmission distance from 5 to 30 km, Quality factor is decreasing. The variation in Q factor is 22.26 to 5.67 for mix compensation, 19.47 to 4.84 for post compensation and 14.04 to 4.69 for pre compensation. It is observed that maximum quality factor is shown from mix compensation technique i.e. 7.54 (at 25 km transmission distance) as compared to post and pre compensation techniques which is 6.33 and 6.12 respectively. Fig.5 Bit error rate vs Transmission distance Fig. 5 shows the transmission distance vs bit error rate graph. The variation in BER from different compensation techniques is 4.05e-72 to 8.20e-8 for mix compensation, 4.61e-58 to 6.57e-7 for post compensation and 4.50e-45 to 4.48e-5 for pre compensation. This simulation result shows that at 25 km transmission distance, the minimum bit error rate value is obtained by mix compensation technique which is 7.52e-15 whereas the bit error rate value for post and pre compensation technique is 3.04e-13 and 1.75e-10 respectively. Fig. 6 Quality Factor vs Input Power Fig. 6 display the influence of signal input power on the performance of duobinary system. From the graph, we can find that as the signal input power increases, quality factor increases upto certain limit, after which it starts falling. This can be understood from the fact that for low powers, the performance of system improves with the increase in input power. However, at higher powers, the wavelengths tend to overlap each other causing more dominance of non-linear effects and thus reduce the quality factor. From the graph it also concluded that the quality factor of mix compensation is greater than the other two kind of compensation techniques. Conclusion In this paper, we investigate the behavior of Pre, Post and Mix compensation techniques on the basis of quality factor and bit error rate at 50 Gbps system and conclude which compensation technique perform better. From the comparative performance analysis for different compensation techniques, it is found that mix compensation is better than pre and post compensation techniques for long haul communication system. It may also be concluded that for lower laser input power, quality factor is better for all compensation techniques. References X. Zheng, F. Liu, and P. Jeppesen, â€Å"Receiver optimization for 40-Gb/s optical duobinary signal,† IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., vol.13, pp.744–746, July 2001. Yogesh Chabra, R.S.Kaler,†comparison of various compensation techniques at high bit rates using CSRZ formats,† Optik (Stuttg),121(9), 813–817, 2010. Dewra, Sanjeev, and R. S. Kaler. Performance evaluation of an optical network based on optical cross add drop multiplexer†,Journal of Optical Technology, 2013, pp. 502-505. Barnoski, Michael, ed. â€Å"Fundamentals of optical fiber communications†, Elsevier, pp. 109-133, 2012. S. L. Jansen, G.-D. Khoe, H. de Waardt, S. Spalter, C. J. Weiske, A. Schopflin, S. J. Field, H. E. Escobar, and M. H. Sher, â€Å"Mixed data rate and format transmission (40 Gb/s NRZ, 40 Gb/s duobinary, 10 Gb/s NRZ) using mid-link spectral inversion,† Opt. Lett., vol. 29, no. 20, pp. 2348–2350, Oct. 2004. W. Kaiser, M. Wichers, T. Wuth, W. Rosenkranz, C. Scheerer, C. Glingener, A. Farbert, J.-P. Elbers, G. Fischer, â€Å"SPM-Limit of duobinary transmission†, pp. 22-28, Sept. 2000. Debabrata Sikdar, Vinita Tiwari, Yajnaseni Saha, V.K. Chaubey, â€Å"Investigation of modulator chirp and extinction ratio in different RZ- and NRZ duobinary transmitter modules for performance optimization†, vol. 124, no.13, July 2013, pp. 1411–1414. K. Yang, S. Ou, K. Guild, H.-H. Chen, â€Å"Convergence of Ethernet PON and IEEE 802.16 broadband access networks and Its QoS-aware dynamic bandwidth allocation` Scheme†, IEEE J. Select Areas Commun. 27, 2009, pp. 101–116. H. Kim and C. X. Yu, â€Å"Optical duobinary transmission system featuring improved receiver sensitivity and reduced optical bandwidth,† IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., vol. 14, pp. 1205–1207, Aug. 2002. Debabrata Sikdar, Vinita Tiwari, V.K. Chaubey, â€Å"Optimized transmitter module for NRZ-duobinary in long-haul optical transmission link†, vol. 124, no. 17, September 2013, pp. 2597–2601. P. Pecci, S. Lanne, Y. Frignac, J. C. Antona, G. Charlet, and S. Bigo, â€Å"Tolerance to Dispersion compensation parameters of six modulation formats in systems operating at 43 Gb/s,† in Proc. Eur. Conf. Optical Communication, Rimini, Italy, 2003, pp. 528–529.

Alternative Methods to Prison Sentencing in Britain Essay -- Papers

More and more people in Britain are being sentenced to jail time: this is a fact. In 2004, there are currently over eighty thousand inmates.[1] (Peter Reydt, 2004 / Scottish Executive, 2003) Crime is on the increase but our prisons are already overcrowded. Consequently, new prisons will be required to accommodate prisoners. Where will the money come from to pay for the construction of new prisons? Will they have a sufficient rehabilitation programs in place? The prison system is obviously failing because it is not acting as a deterrent. Clearly we should now be examining why the system is failing and possible alternatives to prison. What should these alternatives be? Would they work and would they be seen as a suitable punishment? First of all, I'd like to look at why the prison service is failing. Ten years ago, Britain's prison population was actually on the decline (Casciani, 2002)[2]. This was due to the government at the time implementing more community based punishments over the use of prison sentencing. However, not all of the Home Secretaries of the time - Kenneth Baker and Kenneth Clarke - agreed with this policy and soon changed their minds and began to follow up on the 'rhetoric of being 'tough' on crime'[3](Cascianni, 2002) by asking the courts to sentence more people to prison. Due to these sterner policies being put in place, the government figures in 1999 actually showed that there were now more than twenty four thousand people being sent to prison than there were ten years previous.(Cascianni, 2002)[4] This was despite no change in the amount of adults being convicted of offenses. The government's 2001 Halliday ... ...m the best way forward. If one life - even that of a prisoner - can be saved, then this must surely be a very good idea? If these alternatives were in place they would help the overcrowding in jails and the building of more jails - which cost on average sixty million pounds each to build.(Rethinking Crime and Punishment, 2002)[12]. This would be less of a burden on the taxpayer and this money could go into developing these alternatives and having them implemented instead of prison. If the offender is shown to be fully rehabilitated and to want to give something back to society, this can only be beneficial: not only to the offender to but to society as a whole. "There are some duties we owe even to those who have wronged us. There is, after all, a limit to retribution and punishment." Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)[13]

Psychologists describe motivation Essay

Obedience typically denotes something which describes dogs and kids fond of pleasing those they are in particular fond of. It is akin to being docile or domesticated and synonymous to tamed and controlled. It is a necessity where servants and workers are concerned and an anti-thesis to anyone who studies and breathes of terrorism and wreaking small scale havoc. Personally, it is expected of me as an employee, and as a citizen of this country. However, in real life, it can also be threatening if the individual has obedience as a dominating trait in his life; he could be prey to one who is working against the law if and when he intends to be the whistleblower of sorts. The paper attempts to share understanding of obedience in context of two major cultural milieus: India and America. There are important considerations to establish this understanding. It is in laying down the arguments such as providing contrasts to the concepts, extrapolating from a variety of illustrations, and taking on the moral issue as a motivating factor to manifest this trait. In explaining the behavior of people, we start our description with reference to some kind of active driving force: the individual seeks, the individual wants, the individual fears. Various psychologists describe motivation, in other words, as the driving force behind our behavior (Atkinson, et al. 1983). Smith, et al. labels their discussion on motivation as the â€Å"Why† of behavior (1982). Why does the tardy student in mathematics spend the rest of the period outside instead of inside the mathematics classroom? Emotions or strong feelings usually accompany motivated behavior. Often, emotions direct behavior toward goals (Atkinson, et al. 1983). In specific and familiar cases, the need to be accepted is acceptably present especially in collectivistic societies. The paper then attempts to examine this aspect of motivation in a person’s life in contrast to the notion that people move or are persuaded to do something if there is that authority figure to supervise or check on the tasks assigned. It examines theoretical perspectives to help elaborate the nuances of these two general aspects. II. DISCUSSION India is said to be a nation which is characterized by remarkable obedience. Studies have shown repeatedly the landscape of poverty and the primary factor is the value of obedience. America is known for liberty, democracy and freedom of speech, as well religiosity of the best and worst kinds. However, instances that reveal the deep-rootedness of obedience within subcultures described as American help paint a better and bigger picture on this observation. There are similarities and there are distinctions that make each culture stand out in terms of how obedience comes to the fore in decision-making. In addition, the distinctiveness come usually with the flavour that is identified clearly in each of the cultural backgrounds each country represents. a. Studies on Obedience i. Deviance in contrast: Illustrations and comparisons The world of humans is oftentimes unpredictable, changing and wondrously exciting. However, when these attributes become extremely bizarre and painfully detrimental, humans become sick and worried about to what extent can other humans afford to inflict harm against them. Suicide bombing is, if not the most, one of the most gruesome acts anybody can commit. It is outright crazy and stupid. One must be beside the normal to be entertaining such a thought in mind. Ironically, fanatics who have committed and attempted suicide bombings in the past, were deemed normal until the day when the execution of their ultimate plans were made public whether foiled or completed. People who are afflicted with mental disorder may, as other people, travel for the same reasons – vacation, visiting friends or relatives, business, recreation, and sometimes for religious or spiritual focus (Miller & Zarcone, 1968). Others indeed may travel for reasons other than the normal – for reasons triggered by malformed mental state such as the men who carried out the 911 attack of the Twin Towers in New York. Along the 911 attack, suicide bombing through aircraft came to prominence resulting in the stirring of the awareness among the international public of the fact that the regular traveler might not be that â€Å"regular† anyway. It is probable that some of them are driven by excessive anger or motivated by utopic hope as taught in the communities wherein they have pledged their life allegiance (Silke, 2003). In a recent turn of events in Pakistan, upon the return of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to her home country, 124 were killed and 320 plus got injured as a result of another suicide bombing. The bomber threw grenades among crowds of people and afterwards blasted himself to death (CNN update, Oct. 18, 2007). It’s difficult to think of sensible reasons why a sane person (if that person was ever considered sane by his colleagues) has committed such an act in the first place. To spend and expend one’s self for a noble cause is commendable only if they benefit people outside one’s own community. It’s never an ideal to advance a religion’s cause at the expense of the lives of other people. A suicide bomber is demented in that even in the logic of religion, all religions presupposed a benevolent god who is both powerful and loving. There must be distortions somewhere within the suicide bomber’s mind to have associated the act of delivering a bomb and acts of piety. ii. American Context: Milgram Study The world came to know about the kind of research that Stanley Milgram had just started to explore in 1963 when he started to make his experiments known to the public. One of the major consequences of his studies was the development and establishment of ethics in research especially those involving human subjects. However, that became more like a serendipitous outcome of an entirely different pursuit in studying behavior. What Milgram set out to study was the issue of obedience in retrospect of the holocaust and the probable reasons that many people then under the Nazi regime followed orders that were inhuman or barbaric. It was approximately around the investigation of Adolf Eichmann who manned the Gestapo persecutions during the said Holocaust; this person had to face charges of genocide which was held in Jerusalem (Milgram, 1963). The experiment involved what Milgram called the learner, the teacher and the experimenter who authorized the course and duration of the study. The learner is the person who actually was employed to help the experiment (assumingly with the consent and guidance of Milgram). The â€Å"naive† or innocent person (the learner) will work with the same group of people but one who was actually a good actor. The teachers will conduct the tasks assigned to him about the memory exercise he was to supervise which was the learner will be able to accomplish; later an evaluation takes place of what that person (the learner) may have retained. If the learner commits mistakes, varied or graduated shocks were to be applied with matching painful and agonizing sounds that can be heard (Morris & Maisto, 1999). The experiment showed that despite attempts by the learner to communicate to the teacher/volunteer that the painful shocks should be stopped, whenever the experimenter (e. g. Milgram) was asked about stopping the treatment and the latter affirming that this was a part of the experiment, an overwhelming approximately 65% continued administering the shocks. What was even astounding was that when the person playacting as if in sheer agony and even almost dying or breathless, the teacher continued to administer these shocks which were increasing in intensity (Morris & Maisto, 1999). What were the implications of the study? An important lesson could be gaining insight as to people’s reasons why they may subject other people who were innocent to these painful episodes. Like the SS men of Eichmann during the captivity of the Jews in the early 40s, men who were deeply religious to a large degree, obey the orders despite what have been obvious clashes of understanding (Morris & Maisto, 1999). Authority figures cannot be denied as people who ought to be listened. Factors for a brief view on the implications point to people’s previous upbringing or how they were inculcated on by caregivers and figures who acted as people in authority and the value of obedience. iii. Indian (East) Context An example of collectivist culture, India, like Japan and other similar cultures and countries, obedience is a given in this nation (Rajagopalan, 1992). . Collectivism values the contributions of every member of the family and that support of whatever kind is expected from all family constituents. Obedience is then understood in the light of cultural influences. Culture influences our perception both directly and indirectly. Indirectly, because culture influences our personal needs and motives. Directly, because a person’s habits of looking at and interpreting things, objects, persons, and situations depend partly on his culture (Rajagopalan, 1992). A person’s social experiences exert a strong influence on how he sees or interprets a situation, specially a social situation. In his contact with his family, friend, school or business associates his responses to situations are influenced by experiences with these social groups. In other words, his perception of situation depends upon his social interactions with people and (Rajagopalan, 1992). Because of this a person’s social relations, family structure, and his working relationships are greatly impacted depending on whether he comes from an individualist or collectivist background or milieu. A person’s personal identity will be vastly different if he was brought by a culture which is collectivist in nature. His analysis of the things that occur around him, his values on possessions, money and family set-up will be filtered through the collectivist point of view. A person who is raised this way tends to see himself as functioning well only in relation to the valued members of the clan or the community which he belongs. The needs of the rest of the members of his community will always be a consideration. In contrast, the same person when raised and bred in an individualist culture such as in the American setting, tends to only see his function and identity through the training of his parents and community to look out for himself first and the needs of the rest of the family or community come second (Rajagopalan, 1992). Women are expected to occupy the role subordinate to their husbands or men. Consequently role expectations involved that of obedience and nurturance. Alongside this, children need to exhibit strong obedience traits to the mother (Rajagopalan, 1992). iv. Acceptance or obedience George Herbert Mead is a major influencer to many theorists who developed his major concepts into equally powerful viewpoints. His works although never published even during his lifetime had been influential to many of those who followed the path that he carved not only for himself but others close to him. Mead coined a lot of phrases and terminology. An important consideration when attempting to understand â€Å"obedience or conformity† and the idea that all that a person needs is his relationship be improved and eventually show that what motivated an individual is either because of a basic human need which is acceptance or that forces kept a person from committing a deed which is within the bounds of almost modern day type of living. To George Mead, an all important consideration when responding to stimuli of various forms, may actually come from this so-called â€Å"looking glass self† which is a mental picture resulting from assuming if a role of another person. In other words, social interaction is more than the mere contextualization of present experience; rather it takes into account that there is the importance of how the social exchanges take place. This looking glass self is an approach into getting insights in many of a person’s decision-making processes and how that person responds depend a lot to the degree of reality-based kind of relationship (http://www. afirstlook. com/manual6/ed6man04. pdf_). SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSION Common knowledges are often inane talks. They are handed from generation to generation through word of mouth and are thus accepted as they are without clear scientific bases. They are not a good source of information because they are often misleading. They often prevent people from seeking laudable information and at times could be lethal. It should be noted that psychologists now utilize careful measures and specialized research techniques and procedures to avoid pitfalls of the so-called common knowledge (Aronson, 1972). Psychologists, being scientists, are concerned with investigating and explaining behavior. They make use of scientific inquiries in gathering data for obtaining facts about human behavior. These facts are collated, organized, and interpreted or analyzed according to the aims of the research (Aronson, 1972). Experimentation and direct observation are two modes that are employed in the empirical approach to investigation – the approach that is guided by experience. They propose hypotheses or propositions to be tested, which may either be derived from theories or formulated from observations. Hypotheses may be tested by experimental or non-experimental methods (Bower et al. , 1987). There are several well-known methods in social psychological research. Although not all are used for a given research project, a knowledge of these approaches will help one to choose the most suitable way to obtain most data and the most effective technique to use especially when studying individual behavior in groups (Aronson, 1972). Reference: Aronson, E (1972). The Social Animal. San Francisco Freeman. Atkinson, Rita L. , Richard C. Atkinson, and Ernest R. Hilgard (1983). Introduction to Psychology. 8th ed. , New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. Berkowitz, L. (1972). Social Psychology, Glenview, Ill. Scott. Foresman. Bower, G. H. , R. R. Bootzin, R. B. Zajonc (1987). Principles of psychology today. New York: Random House.

Dnde enviar la solicitud para la greencard por matrimonio

Dnde enviar la solicitud para la greencard por matrimonio   Los ciudadanos americanos y los residentes permanentes pueden solicitar la tarjeta de residencia   por matrimonio para sus esposos enviando la aplicacià ³n  al USCIS. Estas son las reglas. La solicitud al Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s)  se hace mediante la planilla I-130. Debe acompaà ±arse de otros documentos y del pago de la cuota correspondiente. A la hora de enviar los papeles pueden darse las siguientes posibilidades: El solicitante est en Estados Unidos y su marido o mujer estn en otro pas Es el caso en el que un ciudadano americano o residente permanente legal est en Estados Unidos y su cà ³nyuge se encuentra en otro paà ­s. El lugar al que hay que enviar la documentacià ³n depende del estado o territorio en el que vive el solicitante. Asà ­: Si reside en: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,Dakota del Norte, Dakota del Sur,  Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Nuevo Mà ©xico, Oklahoma, Oregà ³n, Texas, Utah, Washington o Wyoming o en los territorios de Samoa, Puerto Rico, Guam o las Islas Marianas,  la documentacià ³n que se envà ­a por correo ordinario del servicio de Correos pà ºblico ha de dirigirse a: USCISATTN: I-130PO Box 21700Phoenix, AZ 85036 Pero si se envà ­a por Express Mail o utilizando un servicio privado de mensajerà ­a tipo UPS o Fedex, entonces el sobre con la documentacià ³n ha de enviarse a: USCISAttn: I-1301820 E. Skyharbor Circle SSuite 100Phoenix, AZ 85034 Si el solicitante reside en: Alabama, Arkansas, Carolina del Norte, Carolina del Sur, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Luisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minesota, Misisipi, Misuri, Nuevo Hampshire, Nueva Jersey, Nueva York, Ohio, Pensilvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Virginia Occidental, Wisconsin y Washington D.C., entonces los envà ­os realizados por correo ordinario del Servicio de Correos Pà ºblico (US Postal Service o USPS) han de dirigirse a: USCISP.O. Box 804625Chicago, IL 60680-4107 Sin embargo, si se prefiere utilizar un Express Mail o un servicio de mensajerà ­a privado, la direccià ³n a la que se envà ­a es: USCISAttn: I-130131 South Dearborn-3rd  FloorChicago, IL 60603-551 En los casos en que ambos cnyuges estn en este momento residiendo en el extranjero Puede suceder que el solicitante està © viviendo temporalmente en otro paà ­s pero desea regresar a Estados Unidos. Por esta razà ³n solicita la tarjeta de residencia para su cà ³nyuge. Son pocos los casos en los que se da esta circunstancia pero sà ­ que son posibles. La direccià ³n a la que enviar la documentacià ³n es la seà ±alada en el supuesto anterior cuando se envà ­a a las oficinas (lockbox) de Chicago,  IL. Recordar enviar a una u otra direccià ³n en Chicago dependiendo del servicio de envà ­o que se utilice. Adems, si el solicitante vive en un paà ­s donde el USCIS tiene una oficina internacional, puede enviarse la documentacià ³n allà ­. Es lo que se conoce como una presentacià ³n de solicitud directamente en una oficina consular (DCF, por sus siglas en inglà ©s por Direct Consular Filing).  Estas son las posibilidades con sus direcciones para envà ­o de correo y servicio de mensajerà ­a en paà ­ses en los que se habla espaà ±ol: CubaEl SalvadorGuatemalaMà ©xico DFMà ©xico, Ciudad JurezMà ©xico, MonterreyPerà ºRepà ºblica Dominicana El USCIS mantiene un pgina con las direcciones de correo de cada una de esas oficinas. Cuando el solicitante y el cnyugeresiden en Estados Unidos Si  adems de la solicitud de la tarjeta de residencia para su cà ³nyuge aplica por un ajuste de estatus para à ©ste mediante la planilla I-485. En estos casos, si se emplea correo ordinario del Servicio de Correos la direccià ³n de envà ­o es: USCISP.O. Box 805887Chicago, IL 60680-4120 Si se prefiere utilizar Express Mail o un servicio de mensajerà ­a privado (courier service) entonces enviar la documentacià ³n a: USCISFBAS131 South Dearborn-3rd  FloorChicago, IL 60603-5517 Es muy importante estar seguros de que se puede ajustar el estatus. Ya que si no se puede, la consecuencia es que el cà ³nyuge extranjero debe salir de Estados Unidos y completar el proceso para la green card mediante un procedimiento consultar. Y en el momento de salir de los Estados Unidos comienza a aplicar el castigo o penalidad de los 3 y 10 aà ±os si se ha estado en el paà ­s como ilegal. No pueden ajustar su estatus dentro de Estados Unidos los cà ³nyuges de residentes permanentes que estn en situacià ³n de ilegalidad. En el caso de esposos de ciudadanos el caso es distinto. Sà ³lo est prohibido que ajusten estatus los que ingresaron al paà ­s cruzando ilegalmente la frontera. Por lo tanto, consultar con un abogado para ver cules son las opciones en el caso de estancia ilegal por parte del cà ³nyuge extranjero. A tener en cuenta Si la documentacià ³n se envà ­a al lugar equivocado se va a producir un retraso en la tramitacià ³n de la solicitud. Para asegurarse de tener siempre la direccià ³n correcta se puede verificar si ha habido cambios en la pgina web del uscis o llamando al  1-800-375-5283. Adems, las peticiones de una tarjeta de residencia para el cà ³nyuge pueden ser hechas en base tanto a matrimonios heterosexuales como homosexuales. Y es que las bodas entre gays y lesbianas producen los mismos beneficios migratorios que las que se celebran entre un hombre y una mujer. Finalmente, tener en cuenta que la green card puede ser negada por ms de 40 causas. Algunas son temporales y el problema desaparece con el paso del tiempo. En otras ocasiones es posible solicitar un perdà ³n y en algunos casos simplemente es imposible. Es decir, casarse con un ciudadano o un residente no siempre quiere decir que se obtiene la green card. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Hybrid Cars essays

Hybrid Cars essays As gasoline prices increase and the environment becomes unstable, people will begin to look for other modes to power their automobiles. One of those modes is know as hybrid power. A vehicle is considered a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engines with the pedal power of the rider. Hybrid vehicles are an alternative being used to decrease the emissions of vehicles and to decrease the amount of fossil fuels being used. Hybrid vehicles also cost less to operate because of the decreased fuel usage. The gasoline-electric hybrid car is a cross between a gasoline-powered car and an electric car. Hybrid vehicles are all around us. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. According too How Cars Work, Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. There are two kinds of hybrids. The parallel hybrid has a fuel tank which supplies gasoline to the engine. But it also has a set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission at the same time, and the transmission then turns the wheels. In a parallel hybrid, both the electric motor and the gas engine can provide propulsion power. The other type is a series hybrid. In the series hybrid the gasoline engine turns a generator, and the generator can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission, so the gasoline engine never directly powers the vehicle. Hybrid vehicles have all of the parts that a normal gasoline powered car would have, with a few extra parts such as the electric motor, generator, and batteries. The electric motor on a hybrid car is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor as wel...

Leadership and Teamwork in Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leadership and Teamwork in Management - Essay Example Notably important, over the past year, I have also noticed that there exists a significant variation in the value systems of people from different cultures. To illustrate, I noticed the existence of difference in attitudes among my team members, more so in towards teamwork, achievement orientation, and hierarchy. Through these differences, I learnt how culture can effectively influence a group of people can work together achieving a common goal. Equally important, due to the cultural diversity and different locational backgrounds among members of our groups, there existed various differences in terms of communication, technology involvement, time management approaches, preconceptions and stereotyping among others. As a result of these occurrences, I learnt several factors that could help the team to solidify and work together regardless of the differences. For instance, I learnt not to make instant judgments or assumptions about my colleagues or their different styles they used to ca rry out tasks. I also tried to learn their foreign cultures so as to know what they expected. It is worth noting that doing this enabled me to create a close relationship with my colleagues thus largely eliminating our cultural differences. Besides, my communication skills were also greatly enhanced since I learnt that I should think how information would be received by the other parties before communicating. For instance, communication through text messages and emails can at times greatly be misunderstood and would thus be inappropriate modes in delivering stressful and sensitive messages. It is beyond doubt that this inquiry has a lot to offer in terms of improving and developing my skills. As such, throughout this inquiry, I intend to intensely improve on skills such as time management, team management, communication and social interaction.

Consultancy Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Consultancy Projects - Essay Example The inventory now stands at sixty days requirements as against 20 days stock they used to hold a year ago. The disposal of this stock is causing problems. If it is not sold it will have to be thrown away due to its perishable nature. Her suggestion has caused a furor in the company management and at a recent meeting of the Marketing and Operation Council (MOC) of the company everyone seemed to have a different opinion to solve this problem. The outcome however has been in favour of two different views. One opinion is that the company should reduce its price by 45% thereby increasing its sales volume and bring down excess inventory to far lower levels. The inherent disadvantage here is that this will encourage the competition to do the same and the result will remain the same. Unless market share is increased this move is more likely to create chaos. It will also result in loosing customer confidence as the premium status of the product will be lost. The fear is that there will be immigration of customers to other suppliers. It was further pointed out that this loss could be mitigated by selling the excess inventory by calling it a different brand. It was argued by those who advocated this first policy that this would spare the premium brand and would attract new customers looking for low end products. The second suggestion is to offer deep discount to its captive customers only. Neptune has around 300 restaurants who are its regular customers and it is proposed that they be offered up to 45% discount on additional off take. It was argued that this would not be considered as price cutting and would avoid a price war with competition. This would also target a closed market which had the potential to absorb more quantities if the price was right. This would help the restaurants increase their own customer bas by offering different fares and would not hurt the image of Neptune in the market. The

Analogies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analogies - Essay Example A disease that has very devastating effects on an individual is bound to change that specific individuals biochemistry. The assumptionis that, if a person has a severe disease like PKU, there would have to be some alteration in some of the chemicals handled in the body. All of the bodys chemical courses precede, particular metabolic pathway or route. A Los Angeles freeway system analogy could be applicable in this case. If an accident occurs in Anaheim, traffic may flock in downtown Los Angeles. After a while, substitute roads begin to become operational and the traffic starts to move again but at a slower pace. If the number of cars taking different alternate routes were measured, it would be possible to pinpoint precisely where the accidentoccurred. By use of this analogy, the chemicals eaten as food are the traffic and proceeds along marked major highways known as metabolic pathways until an accident ensues. The accident could bean infectious disease, a mutation, or even a vitamin deficiency. Consequently, after the accident, the traffic courses of molecules are averted onto the slow alternate routes as a substitute of the twelve-lane superhighway. The individual with the slow flow of molecules is alive however, may not be as operational as individuals who has all the metabolic highways are open. The bottleneck with using thi s highway analogy is that; supposing certain freeways were not even registered on the highway map since the people who amassed them were not from town and did not know about them. Overall, analogies are effective strategies for communicating complex materials and concepts and a person with little knowledge of the functionality will easily

Stay at Home vs Working Mothers Essay Example for Free

Stay at Home vs Working Mothers Essay I have been fortunate enough to experience being both a stay at home mom and a work away from home mom. Currently there is a societal debate on which approach raises a healthier and better adjusted child. On that I cannot comment as I have not yet raised a child to adulthood, but having my own mixed feelings on this topic I can clearly see the vast differences to each method. Does working away from home make a more secure and adaptable child? Does staying home form a stronger bond? Does working away from home leave a child to be raised by a daycare provider with different values than your own? Does staying at home compromise social skills and personality? These are the questions that most parents face when they are trying to balance raising a happy and healthy family with paying bills and providing adequate food and shelter. Is one choice really better than the other? I will attempt to use my humble experience to compare these two approaches, not in an effort to decide which the ideal is, but simply to point out what I see to be the differences between each. Each morning as I headed to work, I stopped off along the way to drop my child off at a carefully chosen home daycare facility. From day one, I was fortunate enough to have a child that was easy going enough to leave me for a few hours each day to learn and grow in an environment where learning was first and foremost. I’ve never had to deal with the crying and leg-clinging torture sessions that many children and parents go through almost every-single-day. As a new parent I agonized over the decision to go back to work and send my baby to daycare or stay home and live in poverty because I couldn’t bear the separation. I thought that I was doing my child a disservice by leaving her and creating an insecure environment. On the contrary, I felt that leaving her in the care of someone that I have carefully screened and interviewed has made her a more secure little being. She was secure knowing that mommy leaves her in the morning for a fun filled day of activities and story time and will come back every evening like clockwork to pick her up. She knows that I will always come back. Being a stay at home mom, with all its merits, doesn’t give a child the opportunity to experience his parents leaving and coming back. The routine is not a routine, mommy is always home and there s never a need to worry because she is there to immediately respond to every irrational need and desire. In this scenario a young child never has to experience separation or getting used to a different style of care. Sometimes while at work I get emotional; am I missing out on my little ones formative years? Is she missing out on a mommy that should be there with her at this crucial time? I am! She is! It is me who should be taking her to the park, teaching her to go down the slide and to not let go on the swing. Is she forming a stronger bond with her provider than with his own mommy? Is she feeling so comfortable at daycare that she is not comfortable at home?. Those stay at home moms no doubt have a different kind of bond that working moms don’t have. They are home all day every day to attend to each bump and scrape; to sleep train and potty train on their own terms with a consistency that will foster a strong, unbreakable bond. Oh, don’t get me wrong, working moms have strong bonds with their children too, but they are just following the instructions that someone else is leaving for them. There are six things to consider when deciding whether or not to go back to work or to stay at home with your child or children. They are as follows: 1. Money- Consulting with a financial planner would help you to make a responsible decision because it is important that you are able to afford to stay home if that is your decision. 2. Personal Preference-It is crucial that you understand your own feelings concerning staying at home vs. going back to work because these feelings will affect your children’s lives. 3. Your Significant Other-Your partner’s support in your decision is important and crucial. 4. Social Network- Find a group of friends who are doing the same thing you are doing.  This will be a circle of friends who will provide you with a huge amount of support. 5. Career Workplace-How family friendly is your workplace and your boss? 6. Culture- Think about how your family has raised all the children in the past. How will you let family tradition influence your decision? Above all, it is important to remember that Mother is not spelled p-e-r-f-e-c-t-i-o-n. All our children ask us to do is love them and take care of them. Working vs. staying at home is a decision that you have to make for your whole family keeping everything above in mind. For now, from my stand point there is no right or wrong answer, responsible parents do what they need to do to take care of their children. In this day and this economy being able to stay at home is a luxury and it may not always be the best option. And while being a working mom has definite emotional drawbacks it has strong arguments for being a healthy alternative. In any event there is no reason for one side to bash the other. Either can work if you allow it to . If parents provide love, comfort and security and plenty of quality time, we can be sure that this generation will be just fine.

The Cocoa Industrys Effects on Ivory Coasts Economy

The Cocoa Industrys Effects on Ivory Coasts Economy Chocolate is a sweet delicacy that is associated with joy, comfort and delight. However most consumers do not consider the origins of chocolate and the process it has gone through before it is purchased and eaten. Chocolate is a highly consumed treat in Canada and the United-States, and it is one of my personal favorite sweets, yet there are many worrisome issues that happen throughout chocolates production. The cocoa bean, chocolates main ingredient, must be grown in tropical climates and it is therefore grown in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. West Africa is the largest exporting region of cocoa beans, with the Ivory Coast as its principle provider, supplying 40% of the worlds cocoa reserves and it comprising one-third of the countries economic revenue (Isern, 2006). The Ivory Coasts economy is therefore extremely dependant on cocoa bean buyers who in turn rely on the consumption of chocolate in North America and Europe. This has not only led to numerous econom ic problems, including an unbalanced economy and high debts, but also several social problems, such as child labour. It is imperative to understand the conditions that have led to this social injustice, because Sub-Saharan Africa has the leading rate of child labour worldwide, and the Ivory Coast is a key contributor to this problem. (Kielland and Nkamleu, 2005). For my research, I will examine how the Ivory Coast has become dependent on cocoa exportations and the role transnational corporations have played throughout this process, resulting in them having increasing amounts of power in the cocoa industry. I will also examine the effects of these changes on the Ivory Coasts economy and on the labour force. My working thesis is as follows: Due to the liberalization of trade policies, the Ivory Coasts economy has become reliant on cocoa exportations. As a result, transnational cocoa buyers have obtained power over social conditions within the country, leading to the unethical practice of child labour. To fully expand on this thesis, I will firstly explain the conditions that led to the implementation of structural adjustment programs (SAPs) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in the Ivory Coast. I will secondly examine the consequences of the SAPs on their economy and the increasing centralized power that transnational buyers have obtained. Thirdly, I will examine the effects this has had on child labour and finally the initiatives the Ivory Coasts government and the global community have taken to eradicate child labour. The Historical Context of Liberalization Ever since the Ivory Coast has become independent from France, its economy has been seriously dependant on primary commodities, particularly cocoa (Ahoua 1993). The cocoa industry was regulated by a public organization established by the Ivorian government called the Caisse de Stabilization (Caistab), that offered subsidies, controlled exports in order to protect the Ivorian cocoa market (Losch 2001). However, regardless of the Caistab, the Ivory Coast did not have the economic capacity or stability to deal with the effects of the oil crisis in the 1970s, which resulted in a global drop in cocoa prices. (ibid). The fluctuations of cocoa prices already impacted the countries inner stability and prosperity, causing the beginning of several long-lasting economic issues. Along with the Caistab, the Ivorian government was equally providing funding for infrastructures, such as transportation and energy, and the development of a nationally owned cocoa transforming industry, called SIFCA (Ah oua 1993). All this led to increased lending from banks, amounting to the formation of enormous debts. From 1987 to 1989, the Ivory Coast actively attempted to exert power on the globally dropping cocoa prices by withdrawing from the markets and stopping all exportations. (Losch 2001) However, the Ivory Coasts government was incapable of sustaining such a protest due to their economys dependence on cocoa profits, forcing them to recommence exportations after two months (ibid). This had little effect prices, since corporations had enough stored cocoa to sustain the protest, however it had disastrous effects on the Ivorian economy, pushing their already indebted economy into a crisis (ibid). All these issues created the conditions leading to the liberalization of the Ivory Coasts economy. To amend their problems, the Ivory Coast needed to receive loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). To receive these loans, countries needed to implement Structural Adjustment Programs, fulfilling the stipulations dictated to them by these international organizations. Some conditions included the dismantling of the Caistab, a further drop in the prices of Ivorian cocoa, a cutback in government subsidies given to cocoa farmers, a reduction of tariffs on imports and lesser taxation on industries (Ahoua, 1993). These reforms were suppose to allow the country receive funding from transnational corporations, allowing them to repay their debt. Pardoning the countrys debt was not a considered option by the IMF or WB (ibid). Moreover, social reforms were promised, to ameliorate education and health care, however this was to be effectuated without receiving additional funding and by promoting privatization, which rendered no real improvements (ibid). The Increasing Power of Transnational Corporations All these adjustments were meant to decrease government spending in the cocoa industry and encourage privatization resulting in the development of the country. However, the profits coming from these initiatives were used to further develop the cocoa industry, and not other sectors of the country, increasing the countries cocoa dependency (Isern 2006). Initially, cocoa farmers had control over the markets since there were several buyers competing for their beans, however the centralization of cocoa producer and manufacturers rapidly turned the industry into a buyer-driven market (Folds 2001). Three main cocoa bean buyers have subsequently emerged out of this process: Barry Callebaut, Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) (Folds 2002). This oligopoly forces farmers compliance with the conditions demanded by the transnational buyers, otherwise famers are incapable of selling their cocoa beans. The Ivory Coasts cocoa bean processor SIFCA was also bought by Cargill, rendering their gov ernments attempts to influence the processing industry ineffective (Losch 2001). To make matters worse, the global demand for cocoa is far inferior to the supply provided by the Ivory Coast and competing countries, such as Ghana and Indonesia (ibid). This is detrimental because the Ivory Coast is obligate to produce the best quality cocoa for the lowest price possible to attract the investment from the limited number of corporations, resulting in a further drop of the global cocoa (Losch, 2001). Due to this, farmers are often forced to resort to child labour to overcome these constraints. Another dimension that limits the power farmers have in the market is the two-tiered nature of the cocoa industry. Folds (2002) distinguishes them into grinders, who transform cocoa beans into butter, powder or liquor, and branders, who then transform the cocoa into finished products. This division can create confusion when trying to designate whose responsibility it is to ensure the use of ethical labour practices (Isern, 2006). For example, in 2005, Nestlà ©, ADM and Cargill were sued by the International Labour Rights Fund (ILRF) for buying chocolate from farmers using child labour. Nestlà © denied its involvement by stating that it has no direct cocoa procurement in Ivory Coast, since the company directly buys transformed beans from ADM or Cargill (Orr, 2006). Additionally, ADM and Cargill buy their beans from middlemen, and not immediately from the cocoa farmers, giving them the opportunity to once again pass off the blame (Parenti, 2008). As a result, consumers are increasing ly disconnected from the process and conditions laborers are subjected to in chocolates production. However, certain initiatives have derived from trade liberalization that have helped empower farmers and strive for better labour conditions. There is a growing consumer demand for products created under ethical conditions, creating special markets that can have positive effects in countries (FLO 2005). For example, the Fair Trade movement has aimed to eliminate child labour in the cocoa industry and allows consumer to demonstrate their support for this cause by buying products under these labels. (ICCO 2006). Specifically, the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) has set standards to determine what is considered Fair Trade cocoa, and has certified compliant companies and countries, giving consumers the information needed to make responsible purchases (FLO 2005). The Max Havelaar Foundation has also contributed to this cause by providing fair wages to small-scale farmers, and supporting fair trade cocoa. (ICCO 2006). Nevertheless, Fair Trade cocoa has remained unpopular, representin g 0.1 % of the market (ICCO 2006). Furthermore, Fair Trade cocoa is not commonly produced in the Ivory Coast, rendering zero sales in 2004 (FLO 2005). Although these organizations have been created through consumer demand for them, they have been unsuccessful in producing sustainable change in the Ivory Coast. This demonstrates the need for different initiatives coming from within the countries, as well as global initiatives to reduce child labour. The Consequences on Child Labour Several initiatives have been established to eradicate child labour in the Ivory Coast and the cocoa industry. In fact, the Ivorian government has officially prohibited children under the age of 18 from working, and has signed the Harkin-Engel protocol to fully abolish child labour from cocoa farms (Parenti, 2008). The International Labour Organization and transnational corporations, such as Nestle and ADM, also voluntarily signed this protocol to abolish the worst form of child labour (Isern, 2006). Prohibited activities include wielding a machete, spraying pesticides and heavy lifting, since they are deemed as harmful forms of labour (Parenti, 2008). However, even with these attempts, little improvements have been made and issues of blame and responsibility have been created. Does the Ivorian governments failed initiatives warrant an increase in activities by international organizations and transnational corporations within their country? Or is this an infringement upon the Ivory C oasts sovereignty? The global community answer to this is that transnational corporations should be held responsible. For example, in the newspaper article Slave Chocolate, protestors in San Francisco expressed their disproval of Nestlà ©s labour practices, determining that it is undoubtedly Nestlà ©s responsibility (Orr, 2006). A solution to ensure the responsibility of transnational corporations, originally proposed by The Harkin-Engel protocol, was to implement a child labour label on chocolate products, in order to easily inform consumers about the labour conditions involved throughout their production. (Parenti, 2008) Although this seemed like a good initiative to reduce child labour, it could instead have harmful effect on the poorest farmers and likewise the Ivorian economy. Consumers would discriminate against chocolate produced with child labour, further punishing the poorest farmers who necessitate its use (Isern 2006). This would ultimately worsen the problem and increase the rates of child labour. This demonstrates that policies will essentially need to target trade laws and try to establish a more just free market. On the other hand, it can also be argued that child labour in the Ivory Coast is not entirely a product of the economic dependency on cocoa exportations. In Kiellands (2006) study, she remarks that most forms of child labour were in fact seen as a socialization method; giving families the opportunity to teach their children the proper methods of farming cocoa. She also remarks that community involvement is a more prevalent value in the Ivorian culture, and therefore child labour is often seen as the childs contribution to society. However, there are also many dangers with child labour such as trafficking, abuse and harmful labour practices. Additionally, children who worked on cocoa farms were less likely to attend school than those who did not farm cocoa (Kielland 2006). She suggested that more a more effective implementation of governmental policies would be necessary to prevent child labour by, for example, providing social services and ensuring that adult wages were sufficiently high, thus making child labour unnecessary (ibid). A stricter implementation of government policies surrounding school attendance could also help eradicate child labour. Conclusion To conclude, transnational corporations have obtained increasing amounts of power in the cocoa industry and the Ivory Coast because of trade liberalization and the centralization of the cocoa processing industry. This has had several consequences, such as an increased economic dependence on cocoa exports and higher rates of child labour within the country. Although the Ivory Coasts government and international organizations have attempted several initiatives to reduce child labour, none have been successful in creating sustainable change. Therefore, it becomes important to try new initiatives that confront the issues of the free market, because there is a direct correlation between child labour and the liberalization of cocoa trade. Furthermore, it is important to understand the surrounding complexities involving child labour, for example the different power relationships that come into play, in trying to effectively abolish it. More research is necessary to find a solution that will allow the Ivory Coasts economy to develop without negatively impacting human rights.