Ellen Ochoa Essays

Ellen Ochoa Essays Ellen Ochoa Paper Ellen Ochoa Paper Ellen Ochoa Ellen Lauri Ochoa was born May 10, 1985 in L. A, California. Her parents are Joseph Ochoa and Rosanne Ochoa. Ellen Ochoa grew up in La, Mesa. When Ellen was a junior in high school her father left the family. Her mother struggled with 5 children alone. Her mother always helped her children to achieve. Her mother used to tell her to â€Å"Reach for the Stars†! In high school earned a reputation of being a great classical flutist and she was valedictorian of her graduating class of 1975! After high school she attended San Diego State University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1980(Before she was planning to study journalism but changed her mind into that she wanted to study physics). She then received her masters in science degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1981 and 1985. She later became a researcher at Sandia National Laboratories and NASA Ames research center. Ochoa later selected into NASA’s space program then she was accepted in the July of 1991 and became the first Hispanic woman in space on the Discovery, on this 9-day mission the crew of Discovery conducted atmospheric and solar studies in order to better understand the effect of solar activity on the Earths climate and environment. Ochoa is now married to Coe Fuller Miles which who she has 2 children with. She is now a retired astronaut and engineer and she is currently Deputy Director of the Johnson Space Center. She is a inspiration to many that you have to reach for what you want in life .

Void Keyword Definition in Java

Void Keyword Definition in Java The void keyword in Java denotes that a method does not have a return type. However, even though a constructor method can never have a return type, it does not have the void keyword in its declaration. Examples The method displayBookData() does not have a return type as shown by the use of the void keyword. Note that the constructor method Book(String, String, String) does not use the void keyword even though it too does not have a return type. public class Book {   Ã‚  private String title;   Ã‚  private String author;   Ã‚  private String publisher;   Ã‚  public Book(String title, String author, String publisher)   Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  this.title title;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  this.author author;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  this.publisher publisher;   Ã‚  }   Ã‚  public void displayBookData()   Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  System.out.println(Title: title);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  System.out.println(Author: author);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  System.out.println(Publisher: publisher);   Ã‚  } }

The Future of Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Future of Power - Essay Example However, other sources have disapproved this argument terming it as inappropriate. They argue that the rise of other countries does not necessarily result into the decline of the previously powerful countries. They went ahead to state that no single country however powerful it may be, can rise without the help of the other countries. The emergence of technology has played a great role in the rise of power in several countries. For instance the internet has been of significant influence in empowering various countries. Through the internet the world politics can be conducted from anywhere in the world. Similarly, countries have been able to analyze the economic status and foreign policies of rival countries through the internet. (Lundestad 24) A group of economists recently projected the economy of China would surpass that of the United States of America come the year 2027. But Joseph Nye has refuted these claims arguing that the Chinese economy would require stability in its military force similar to that of the U.S before it can catch up. They state further that the Chinese economy is yet to face setbacks such as social challenges that could see it tumble. There are other factors in China that are also believed to be capable of causing stagnation in its economic growth. These include: the rising of the urban middle class, the one child policy, regional inequality, high level of rural poverty and an uprooted working class. Joseph Nye believes that these factors will always have the per capita income of America being superior to that of China. The rise of the Chinese economy has not gone down well with many American citizens with the recent research implicating that many American view China as a constant threat to their economic security and jobs. America has been viewed as using its role as a superpower to earn political stability, democracy and economic supremacy in the world stage. The United States has been involved in several activities including invading o ther in the name of eradicating international terrorism and promoting positive relations among countries. However, many countries have viewed this as an effort by America to enhance its power across the globe and refused to support the globe. (Lundestad 34) The growth of the Chinese economy has caused ripples across the world with many viewing China as a future power house on the world stage. China has experienced tremendous economic growth and diplomacy in the twenty first century which has been of huge significance in the entire East Asia region. This is due to the emergence of several new economic activities in the region resulting into industrialization and hence emergence of several urban centers. This has resulted into China acquiring more credibility and influence in handling world matters. Questions have risen as to whether China will join the world super powers or try to surpass them. Many analysts believe that as China gets more powerful, it will try to use its influence t o change the policies used in the operations of the international system to favour its interests. This has been the trend by many of the reigning world super powers such the United States. The rise of China may cause tension in the world stage as the reigning super powers view as a constant security threat to their dominance across the globe. This is said to be as result of China’s rise from outside the established post World War II international order. The rapid growth in the economy of China is

Buyer behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Buyer behaviour - Essay Example iour can be individualized or associated with a group in which friends or even families possess the power to influence the buying and consumption patterns of an individual. A brand is an important aspect of marketing and promotion for any good or service produced. Companies and organizations develop brands that they present to the potential customers and clients around the globe. A brand is a symbol, sign, name or a combination of all of the above used to identify a good or service in the market. Branding enables the customer identifies the product as the only available solution to their problems as compared to other products in the market (Wang, et al. 2014). Understanding consumer behaviours has a number of psychological relevance to marketers or even advertising firms who take upon themselves to design a product advert for a company. Knowledge of consumer behaviour is important in making marketing strategies and decisions such branding, which can enhance the performance of a company within the market (Williams, 2014). Branding is done for particular objectives chief among them helping in the delivery of the message to the potential clients with clarity and precision. A great brand also confirms the viability of a product and the company that presents the brand and connects the target market with the product emotionally. A good brand also motivates buyers and gives them more reasons to identify with the product has made specifically for them. Wanting cannot be done in isolation without understanding the needs and desires of the customers. A brand should therefore integrate the emotions and desires of potential clients with the identity of the product to increase the magnitude of the product (Schiffman et al. 2011). Consumer behavior is defined as a set of human characteristics that can be identified in a product, good or service that is available in the market. Brand personality is a feature that customers and potential clients can easily relate with due to

Growth Performance Management Essay Example for Free

Growth Performance Management Essay In this report I have given a lot of research into the relevant subjects. I think that the way I have looked at the possibilities will help Helen Marsh and Brian Taylor overcome some of the obstacles in their organisation in order to make there business successful. Suggestions on what you should be specifically looking at in order to make your business a success, in my view would be the try to improve employee attitudes and training for employees. I think I have covered all the points that you have given me in depth if I have not apologies on my behalf. Introduction- Aims of the Report The aim of this report is to show Helen Marsh and Brian Taylor the problems of their business in more detail than the report give (case study). I will outline and investigate further into the following matters: * Growth * Performance Management * Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation * Motivation * Rewards * Employee Turnover/Retention * Training and Development * Communication Growth To consider the growth of Brian and Helens company, we will look need to examine into the PEST (Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors) and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis for this company, this will help us identify if the company should continue to grow. By understanding about the SWOT and PEST analysis this will show us key information and help us identify some of the problems with the business. SWOT Analysis: SWOT Analysis is a very effective way of identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses, and of examining the Opportunities and Threats you face. Carrying out an analysis using the SWOT framework helps you to focus your activities into areas where you are strong and where the greatest opportunities lie. SWOT Analysis is a strategic method for identifying your businesses Strengths and Weaknesses, and to examine the Opportunities and Threats. These are just some of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats there may be more if you feel that there are, pleases do not hesitate to call me we can discuss these further. By reading the report that you gave me (case study) I found more weaknesses than strengths. This is not bad as this shows you that you can improve on these to make your business a success. Read more:Â  Difference Between Performance Management and Performance Appraisal PEST Analysis: It is very important that an organisation considers its environment before beginning the marketing and decision planning process. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The SWOT analysis shows a lot of weaknesses in the business, the points that I have mentioned in the SWOT analysis affect the future growth of the business. I think that if you over come the weaknesses that are outlined in the SWOT analysis this will help improve and develop the company significantly because the employee would contribute to the full potential and would also create a good working environment which means less staff turnover. I suggest that you should postpone in growing for the moment and consider improving on the weaknesses that I outlined in the SWOT analysis. I suggest that you should consider growing in the future rather than now. I found out that: Weakness are not necessarily indicating bad things of the organization but showing a path to a better future. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR (1990) Northcraft. G page 437 You should consider improving the weaknesses into strengths as this would be beneficial in the future when you should consider to grow (it is not necessary yet) by improving weaknesses the business would function better and more advantages would be gained such as more share and profit. Performance Management In the report given to me (case study) I see that you have a problem on monitoring the field based staff. This is a important issue as the staff may or may not be doing what you have told them this would cause all sorts of issues with your company for example you may be losing money, valuable resources and time. Field based staff may be difficult to manage but there are ways. Staff that work in the office are easier to evaluate on what and how that are doing. When managing or monitoring employees you have to be aware of their privacy and not to breach that mutual line as this may inevitably cause conflict in the work place. But When you cant be present to observe employee performance, be sure that you have the right processes in place through which you can learn about how theyre doing this can be undertaken for field based staff also. These processes should be open, fair, and understood by everyone. Options for obtaining input about performance in your absence may include, but are not limited to, the following: * Evaluate the output and products of the employees work. * Have routine one-on-one meetings with your employee and include discussions of performance. * Every so often review and discuss with your employee the standards of performance for his or her job and your expectations. * Ask your employee to do periodic reports and share them with you for discussion. * Obtain feedback from customers in writing when possible. * Do brief stand-up check-ins or phone calls to field based staff as well as office based staff. * Ask an appropriate person who is present day-to-day to serve as a work leader or give the person authority to act in your stead, and ensure that everyone understands the persons role. * Perform routine spot checks of the employee at work. * Ask for confidential evaluations of employee performance by peers (or direct reports of supervisors). This process should be clearly understood by everyone and applied fairly to all. Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation Performance appraisal systems are designed to serve the companys and employees interests. They are used to inventory the abilities and resources of employees and to let an employee know where he stands so that he will be stimulated to improve his performance. Employee motivation can be enhanced and performance improved with the monitoring of employees performance level and the use of feedback to advise those employees about their effectiveness. Performance feedback exchanges can be ongoing and informal, on a day-to-day coaching basis or on a formal basis, annually. I found this statement: ..Employers want to be sure their employees are doing a good job, but employees dont want their every sneeze or there trip to the toilet logged Managing People 2nd edition Tomson. R I think that employee monitoring is acceptable to a reasonable level but should nod be exceeded. I used to work at KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and the manager was constantly monitoring me and other staff that work there. I can understand this as people in other restaurants have tampered with food for example a Mc Donalds restaurant in USA Mississippi once was shut down because of food tampering. So to some degree a lot of monitoring needs to be undertaken. But I think you should use some of the procedures I have given for example I would recommend these: * Perform routine spot checks of the employee at work. * Obtain feedback from customers in writing when possible some sort of feed back sheet of possibly a questionnaire * Do brief stand-up check-ins or phone calls to field based staff * Ask your employee to do periodic reports and share them with you for discussion. Motivation Staff motivation is the one of the most significant factors in managing people. No one style is better than another for motivating employees, but it is essential that leaders are aware of their staff motivation style and are able to adapt for different circumstances. Some circumstances will call for a strong direction to inspire staff motivation other circumstances will call for staff motivation to be influenced by a more advice-giving approach. The necessary skill is in knowing what motivates people and satisfying the needs of individuals and groups at a given time. Staff motivation in regard to reward and recognition means taking account of and balancing the needs of the organisation and its objectives as well as the needs of the people expected to achieve those objectives. One of the worlds most successful Software and Hardware entrepreneurs stated: When we create a desirable workplace and find good ways to have work/life balance, well attract and well retain the best people and thats our competitive advantage. Lewis Platt, CEO, Hewlett-Packard (1001 Ways to Reward Employees 2000) Source: www.nelson-motivation.com/hpackard/ceo Hear is an example of a motivational theory: Douglas McGregor, was a American social psychologist, he proposed his famous X-Y theory in his 1960 book The Human Side of Enterprise . Theory X and theory Y are still referred to commonly in the field of management and motivation. Mc Gregors X-Y Theory remains a valid basic principle from which to develop positive management style and techniques. McGregors XY Theory remains central to organisational development, and to improving organisational culture. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y THEORY X THEORY Y 1. Workers must be supervised as closely as possible, either through direct oversight or by tight reward and/or punishment systems. 1. People usually do not require close supervision and will, if given a chance to control their own activities, be productive, satisfied, and fulfilled. 2. Work is objectionable to most people. 2. Work is natural and enjoyable unless it is made offensive by the actions of organisations. 3. Most people have little initiative, have little capacity for being creative or solving organisational problems, do not want to have responsibilities, and prefer being directed by someone else. 3. People are ambitious, desire autonomy and self-control, and can use their abilities to solve problems and help their organisations meet their goals. Creativity is distributed normally across the population, just as is any other characteristic. 4. People are motivated by economic factors and a need for security. 4. People are motivated by a variety of needs only some of which involve economics or security. Figure Obtained from: MANAGING PEOPLE R. Tompson, 2nd Ed, Pub: Institute of Management I think that employee motivation in regard to reward and recognition means taking account of and balancing the needs of the organisation and its objectives as well as the needs of the people expected to achieve those objectives. I think that motivation should also have been included in the SWOT analysis. I think you should also consider how you can motivate staff you could use the web site I have given above for more information. The more you motivate staff the better they will work, this will also help with the monitoring of employees. You should also consider looking at the various patterns used by managers to encourage motivation in the work place, for a good example see Appendix 3. Rewards There are a staggering amount of reward types and schemes, you just have to make sure you have the right ones chosen for your business because performance of staff is the key to the success of any organisation. One of the main rewards that I think is relevant for your business is PRP (Performance Related Pay) One of the key contributors to effective performance is a well-designed performance management process. Such a process should incorporate objective setting, the day-to-day management of performance, the review or appraisal of performance, and rewarding performance. Your employees are your most important asset, they are the people who shape and form the companys future. Rewarding staff can develop healthy in-house competition between individuals, teams or even departments. Another major factor in rewards are employment benefit packages. Reward and incentive programs are a popular part of employee benefit packages. Many employees value such offerings as flexible scheduling, tuition assistance, and child care in order to satisfy personal needs and professional development. I think that you too should consider re designing your employment package. Nowadays society, it is becoming more and more common to support these reward systems with the overall business strategy of an organisation in order to satisfy business needs and to improve shareholder value. In addition, many organisations are developing or restructuring their rewards programs based on employee performance. This trend is likely to continue as costs continue to increase and competition continues to thrive in a highly unpredictable economy. Some other useful reward types that can be used are as follows: Social Rewards: Which include praise, employee recognition, and social acceptance within the business. Psychic rewards: Which include self esteem, job satisfaction, and feelings of accomplishments You could also give piece-rate pay, commissions, merit pay and bonuses. When I was talking about the business and how it will grow in Conclusion of Growth in the first part I think that in order for the business to grow you need the best employees you can get. So you would need to have the reward schemes that the employees are looking for. I the way you are rewarding employees at the moment is not working in fact I know it is not working I think you should use the PRP (Performance Related Pay) method, and also consider giving annual bonuses. Also if you give PRP (Performance Related Pay) you will sort out the problem you have with the monitoring of Field based staff as they too will be attracting more customers for the business. You should also give bonuses if the company is making a stable profit as this would encourage more work to be completed. Employee Turnover/Retention One of the most difficult problems companies had to cope with in the increasingly volatile business climate of the 1990s was the high rate of employee turnover. When employees, particularly long-term employees leave a company that has made a substantial investment in them, they take with them training, skills, experience, and productivity. Output is inevitably diminished during the training process of new employees, no matter how qualified. additionally, a high level of workplace turnover rends the types of social bonds that encourage other employees come to work and maintain their normal levels of productivity. ..In todays workplace, employers are not only having a hard time attracting employees, but are also having a difficult time keeping them.. (Harkins, 1998) I found out that employees leave for a variety of reasons, including poor supervision, unchallenging positions, limited advancement opportunities, lack of recognition, limited control over work, perceived pay inequity, and the perception of more favorable opportunities in other companies. Measuring Absence Obtained from: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES J. Weightman, 2nd Ed, (1996), Pub: Cromwell Press This overall figure, however, leaves many questions unanswered. For example, is the absence rate a reflection of a few employees suffering from long-term ill-health or are a substantial number of employees being regularly absent for relatively short spells? A more in depth way to monitor absence and retention is give in Appendix 1. Hear I found some of the ways in which to help with retention: * Align your employees with company goals and visions * Establish department goals and standards * Set employee goals and performance measurements * Conduct performance reviews that test the established goals * Train managers to effectively coach their staff * Identify barriers find strengths to build upon * Isolate key performance gaps and craft a plan to improve performance * Define the relationship between job satisfaction, goal alignment and individual performance growth I suggest that you should consider some of the points above in order to combat turnover/retention. You should regularly try to monitor staff absence. Try to make the rate as nearer to 8.5 % as possible if it goes over this may be critical to the business. You should have a maximum number of days for employees to comply by, for example I work as Safeway Petrol station in the Penn, employees there are only allocated 50 hours off of work (excluding sick or acceptable absence). You should check out Appendix 1 in how to measure turnover and retention in your organisation. Training and Development There are a number of advantages to training and development and this is another point that was added in the SWOT analysis that needed to be improved in order for the business to function properly and effectively. Training has become the most important feature of a successful organisation. Training is necessary because it improves profitability and/ or more positive attitudes towards profit orientation. Enhances the job knowledge and skills at all levels of the organisation. The work force gets a high morale. Due to proper training employees can identify with organisational goals, corporate image gets improved. Training fosters realism, openness and trust. A boss an the subordinates get to work in a better environment and relationship. Some typical reasons for employee training and development can be initiated for a variety of reasons for an employee or group of employees, for example: * When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement is needed * To benchmark the status of improvement so far in a performance improvement effort * As part of an overall professional development program * As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role in the organisation * To pilot, or test, the operation of a new performance management system * To train about a specific topic I found out some key topics for employee Training and Development they are as follows: * Communication- The increasing diversity of todays workforce brings a wide variety of languages and customs. * Computer skills- Computer skills are becoming a requirement for conducting administrative and office tasks. * Customer service- Increased competition in todays global marketplace makes it critical that employees understand and meet the needs of customers. * Diversity- Diversity training usually includes explanation about how people have different perspectives and views, and includes techniques to value diversity * Ethics- Todays society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility. Also, todays diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace. By giving the appropriate training and development you can gain a lot of advantages. The general benefits from Employee Training and Development are: * Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees * Increased employee motivation * Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain * Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods * Increased innovation in strategies and products * Reduced employee turnover * Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics training!) * Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training I think that training aids in developing leadership skill, motivation, loyalty, better attitudes and other aspects that successful workers and managers usually display which we discussed earlier in the report. The quality of work is also increased and so is the productivity. Its cost effective as well, it cuts costs in different areas e.g. production, personnel, administration etc. it develops a sense of responsibility to the organisation for being capable and knowledgeable. Labor management is also improved, as workers instead of feeling ignored, feel taken care of which develops a sense of loyalty Communication Effective communication skills are vital for success in a business environment with most business people being engaged in some form of communication activity most of the time reading, listening, writing or talking. Business communication is, however, different from educational or literary writing and speaking it requires precision, clarity and efficiency since business people just do not have the time to savor an idea or an expression. Moreover, unethical behavior in the workplaces arising from the lack of ethical communication by the top management to the first-line supervisors proves the fact that employees are either directly or indirectly rewarded for unethical acts or harshly abandoned for going against the norm of practicing corruption (Zimmerman: Jansen and Von Glinow, 2001, p. 119). As explained in this text that I researched into, Jansen and Von Glinow through their in-depth study that encouraging counter norms in an organisation is also a form of promoting corrupt standards in a company in order to save the firms name or to avoid charges by this means reflecting the decreasing ethical communication in organisations. There are many factors that help establish an organisations ability and skill in maintaining the stability and organisation among its employees/members. One of these factors includes attaining an organisational communication process through effective communication skills. The most prominent forms used by most organisations are the development of verbal and non-verbal communication since these are the most obvious ways of communication that provide a dialogue for employees and the management in an organisation. However, what is not realized by both the employees and management is that listening is one important communication aspect that precedes verbal and non-verbal communication. I think that in order to attain effective communication verbally or non-verbally, communicators must first learn to listen in order to assess carefully the issues at hand and the required action that must be taken. If you have a look at Appendix 2 it shows you different types of communication processes. I would recommend that you try to focus on the complete network as this would make communications in your business better. Overall Report Conclusion and my Recommendations I think overall this is what we should be doing in order to maintain and run a successful business: * Growth- we should not be growing just yet as there are to many problems as indicated in the SWOT analysis. We should be improving on the weaknesses and consider to grow and expand in the future. * Performance Management- monitoring needs to be undertaken but only to some degree that is acceptable by you and the employees. But I think you should use some of the procedures that I have indicated in this previous section (please refer to Conclusion for Performance Management). * Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation- Performance appraisal systems are designed to serve the companys and employees interests. * Motivation- You have to consider Douglas McGregor Theory X and Theory Y. to offer the best motivation go through the chart that I have drawn and consider what you can do to have a successful motivated staff. Look at Appendix 3 for patterns of managerial approaches to motivation. * Rewards- if you offer better rewards and better benefit packages then Turnover/Retention will be low, and employees will work more and contribute their highest potential. * Employee Turnover/Retention- you need to make sure that you monitor employees sickness and absenteeism and make sure it dose not go over 8% Check Appendix 1. * Training and Development- if you train and develop employees better the function of your business will be better, you should try to encourage more employees to gain different skills and knowledge. You should also try to offer recognised qualifications. * Communication- look at Appendix 2 I recommend that you try to bring in the process of complete network communication. There are numerous factors that help conclude an organisations ability and skill in maintaining the stability and organisation among its employees/members, one of these factors includes attaining an organisational communication process through effective communication skills. References I recommend that you look at the following text as this will help you improve on the factors mentioned in this report and also help you with difficult decisions about your business. I recommend looking at this text: ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR: INDVIDUALS, GROUPS AND THE ORGANISATION I. Brooks (1999) 1st Ed, Pub: Financial Times HUMAN RESOURCE STRATAGIES Salman, (1998) Pub: The Open University MANAGING PEOPLE R. Tompson, 2nd Ed, Pub: Institute of Management ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR: A MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE G.B.Northcroft M.A.Neale (1990), Pub: Ronda Colour PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT GA Cole, 4th Ed (1997), Pub: Ashford Colour Press MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES J. Weightman, 2nd Ed, (1996), Pub: Cromwell Press The following Web-Sites are useful also: www.bized.com www.hrmang.co.uk www.humanrecourses.co.uk/text/hrissues www.resourcemanage.co.uk

The Mystery of Style :: Plays Mysteries Essays

The Mystery of Style Introduction: There has been a fight in a bar and a person was killed. Through the investigation the detective is bringing forth testimonies that give clues to who the people are (what they do). It is the up to the audience to guess what Jill, Tony and Robert do. Characters: Detective Joe Jill Tony Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A bar set back, stage left. Three or four tables set in various places on stage. Lighting is dim. One table and two chairs, close to stage right, have been knocked over. Light rock music is heard. Lighting is dim. The bartender is wiping a glass or serving a drink. There is a customer at the bar and two at tables. Lights become brighter. Detective enters stage right - he is writing in his notebook. The music quiets. Detective: [walking toward the bar] Coffee Joe? Joe: [reaches under the bar for a cup and the coffeepot] Sure thing. Detective: [taking the cup of coffee and turning toward the people at the tables] O.k. folks. I just have to ask you a few questions and then you can leave. [looks at Jill] IÕll start with you. Jill: [looks uncomfortable] I'll tell you what I can officer, but I really don't know much. Detective: [sits down across from her at the table] That's fine ma'am. Any information you can give me right now will help. [notices Jill is uncomfortable] Now just relax and tell me what you saw. Jill: [tries to relax, takes a drink from her glass] Well, I must tell you first of all that I don't normally visit this sort of place but my husband and two children are on a camping trip... they went up north... anyway, my friend Darla calls me and talks me into meeting her at this place for one drink. She says I need to get out more but I knew I should have stayed home... Detective: Could you please just tell me about the incident in question ma'am? Jill: Sorry officer [fidgets in her chair] Anyway, as I said, I was here to meet Darla - who never arrived- and I was just about to leave when this big guy comes in and goes up to the little guy, who was sitting at that table by the door, and begins shouting at him. They began to shout back and forth and calling each other names - [leans closer to Detective] I don't have to repeat the names do I officer?

Conformity Essay

This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure. Conformity can also be simply defined as â€Å"yielding to group pressures† (Crutchfield, 1955). Group pressure may take different forms, for example bullying, persuasion, teasing, criticism etc. Conformity is also known as majority influence (or group pressure). The term conformity is often used to indicate an agreement to the majority position, brought about either by a desire to ‘fit in’ or be liked (normative) or because of a desire to be correct (informational), or simply to conform to a social role (identification). There have been many experiments in psychology investigating conformity and group pressure. Jenness (1932) was the first psychologist to study conformity. His experiment was an ambiguous situation involving a glass bottle filled with beans. He asked participants individually to estimate how many beans the bottle contained. Jenness then put the group in a room with the bottle, and asked them to provide a group estimate through discussion. Participants were then asked to estimate the number on their own again to find whether their initial estimates had altered based on the influence of the majority. Jenness then interviewed the participants individually again, and asked if they would like to change their original estimates, or stay with the group’s estimate. Almost all changed their individual guesses to be closer to the group estimate. However, perhaps the most famous conformity experiment was by Solomon Asch (1951) and his line judgment experiment. Types of Social Conformity Man (1969) states that â€Å"the essence of conformity is yielding to group pressure†. He identified three types of conformity: Normative, informational and ingratiational. Kelman (1958) distinguished between three different types of conformity: Compliance, Internalization and identification. Normative ConformityInformational Conformity Yielding to group pressure because a person wants to fit in with the group. E.g. Asch Line Study. Conforming because the person is scared of being rejected by the group. This type of conformity usually involves compliance – where a person publicly accepts the views of a group but privately rejects them. This usually occurs when a person lacks knowledge and looks to the group for guidance. Or when a person is in an ambiguous (i.e. unclear) situation and socially compares their behavior with the group. E.g. Sherif Study. This type of conformity usually involves internalization – where a person accepts the views of the groups and adopts them as an individual. ComplianceInternalization Publicly changing behavior to fit in with the group while privately disagreeing. In other words, conforming to the majority (publicly), in spite of not really agreeing with them (privately). This is seen in Asch’s line experiment. Publicly changing behavior to fit in with the group and also agreeing with them privately. This is seen in Sherif’s autokinetic experiment. Ingratiational ConformityIdentification Where a person conforms to impress or gain favor/acceptance from other people. It is similar to normative influence but is motivated by the need for social rewards rather than the threat of rejection, i.e., group pressure does not enter the decision to conform. Conforming to the expectations of a social role. Similar to compliance, there does not have to be a change in private opinion. A good example is Zimbardo’s Prison Study. Sherif (1935) Autokinetic Effect Experiment Aim: Sherif (1935) conducted an experiment with the aim of demonstrating that people conform to group norms when they are put in an ambiguous (i.e. unclear) situation. Method: Sherif used a lab experiment to study conformity. He used the autokinetic effect – this is where a small spot of light (projected onto a screen) in a dark room will appear to move, even though it is still (i.e. it is a visual illusion). It was discovered that when participants were individually tested their estimates on how far the light moved varied considerably (e.g. from 20cm to 80cm). The participants were then tested in groups of three. Sherif manipulated the composition of the group by putting together two people whose estimate of the light movement when alone was very similar, and one person whose estimate was very different. Each person in the group had to say aloud how far they thought the light had moved. Results: Sherif found that over numerous estimates (trials) of the movement of light, the group converged to a common estimate. As the figure below shows: the person whose estimate of movement was greatly different to the other two in the group conformed to the view of the other two. Sherif said that this showed that people would always tend to conform. Rather than make individual judgments they tend to come to a group agreement. Conclusion: The results show that when in an ambiguous situation (such as the  autokinetic effect), a person will look to others (who know more / better) for guidance (i.e. adopt the group norm). They want to do the right thing but may lack the appropriate information. Observing others can provide this information. This is known as informational conformity. Non Conformity Not everyone conform to social pressure. Indeed, their are many factors that contribute to an individual’s desire to remain independent of the group. For example, Smith and Bond (1998) discovered cultural differences in conformity between western and eastern countries. People from western cultures (such as America and the UK) are more likely to be individualistic and don’t want to be seen as being the same as everyone else. This means that they value being independent and self sufficient (the individual is more important that the group), and as such are more likely to participate in non conformity. In contrast eastern cultures (such as Asian countries) are more likely to value the needs of the family and other social groups before their own. They are known as collectivist cultures and are more likely to conform.

Aligning Profitability and Sustainability Essay

Aligning Profitability and Sustainability: Nike BY lucy78 Aligning profitability and sustainability A central issue that companies grapple with as they try to become more sustainable is how and to what extent they adopt this as part of their corporate strategy. Nike faces the same dilemma as it builds on the success of the ‘Considered’ initiative while simultaneously encountering challenges implementing the ethos across the entire brand. How far can and should Nike go in â€Å"considering the right thing and doing the right thing†? Businesses often strive to find the balance between being economically and environmentally sustainable. However, it is possible, with innovation, to align the benefits of these aspects and minimize trade-offs. For Nike to advance on the sustainability scale, it is imperative that they identify and pursue alignment mechanisms that will allow it to become profitable and sustainable. Integrating sustainability across the brand While Considered as an ethos is promoted and accepted across the Nike brand, a key obstacle to progress is its limited and non-uniform implementation across the arious categories. Sustainability needs to evolve from being a strategic initiative to an organizational strategy that encapsulates all categories setting brand wide objectives, identifying resources, and establishing uniform metrics for performance. As noted in the case, sustainability for Nike is not Just a CSR goal anymore rather a crucial factor in long-term growth and competitiveness of the company. Specific measures in the strategy to accomplish this could include creation of a comprehensive index covering all categories and products taking into consideration he differences in costs, prices, and targets. Secondly, modifying the operations to build in the impact of sustainable design, development and manufacturing on the production time line will allow for wider implementation of the practices. Furthermore, this helps incorporate iterative design through measurement, audit, and tracking through the product life cycle. Adoption would also increase if Nike can create a broader negotiating platform to enable all categories to benefit from price reductions from suppliers. Finally, any organizational strategy would require champions among the various teams to disseminate the sustainability ethos, build liaisons across functions and in general ensure broader enforcement of best practices. The message of â€Å"being good is good for the business† needs to be part of the leadership’s vision, implementation and evaluative measures in the company. External partnerships and alliances An internal philosophy and focus on sustainability is one part of the equation in and foster an eco-system around them that help them align the profitability and ustainability goals. Nike, as the market leader, is in an excellent position to create partnerships and alliances towards that goal. Nike should spearhead the creation and/or consolidation of industry wide practices including rating systems for the products and performance metrics. Promoting environmentally friendly systems would accelerate adoption by suppliers thereby strengthening its global sourcing channels. Third-party monitoring and validation relationships would bolster Nike’s credibility and improve its standing as an environmentally responsible organization. This is especially important in the light of its past experience with the labor crisis. Nike should create strategic partnerships with suppliers promoting knowledge sharing, assisting in training and education and identifying long-term benefits. It should engage the suppliers in dialogues regarding comprehensive standards promoting alignment in their goals. Customer awareness and branding An organization’s value is in the eyes of the customer. The Nike brand commands tremendous customer loyalty and recognition through its association with high erformance, innovation and aesthetics. For Nike to evolve as a sustainable brand, it has to create value for its customer to be part of the new ecosystem. Nike should differentiate itself by the additional dimension of eco-friendliness to build on its performance and aesthetic values. Leveraging celebrity endorsements and raising consumer awareness, Nike should engage customers in the sustainability vision through collaboration with NGOs, eco-friendly groups and environmental campaigns. Evolving the brand to be associated with social and environmental esponsibility would improve customer satisfaction and the bottom-line. In conclusion, Nike’s challenge is to interlock profitability and sustainability as it strives to address global sourcing, competitive and environmental issues. To succeed, Nike should create a comprehensive strategy to implement sustainability practices internally while simultaneously forming alliances and partnerships with external stakeholders, including customers. By marrying innovation with ‘green’ it is feasible for Nike to create cost-effective, high performing, and ‘cool’ eco-friendly products.

Riordan †International Marketing Plan

Riordan – International Marketing Plan Free Online Research Papers Riordan Manufacturing is an industry leader in the manufacturing of plastic injection molding. Currently, Riordan Manufacturing employs 550 people and has annual earnings of nearly $46 million. Their parent company, Riordan Industries, exceeds $1 billion dollars per year in revenue. Currently, Riordan markets their products predominately in the United States but are in the process of developing an International marketing campaign for several countries in Asian market with an emphasis on South Korea. Ethical business practices need to be a part of the marketing strategy implemented. When it comes to South Korea, â€Å"It is a major international economic power; it has the 15th economy in the world and the 4th in Asia, behind Japan,China and India. Its largest trading partner and export market today is China.South Korea has achieved rapid economic growth through exports of manufactured goods, and is one of the Four Asian Tigers. Major industries in South Korea today are automobil es, semiconductor, electronics, shipbuilding, and steel.† There is 3 things need to be considered for the marketing campaign: the company, the industry, and society. The first thing to consider is the employee of Riordan Manufacturing. It is very important that decisions made within the company are done in a manor that is fair and have a positive impact on the employees of the company. For example, compensation packages should coincide with workers skill levels and experience. It could be considered unethical for Riordan to pay higher wages to workers in one section of the company and lower wages to employees that have equal work skills but work in another department. Discrimination is area that always raises questions on ethical business practices. Riordan needs to be aware of the employment laws in South Korea to avoid unethical hiring practices. The South Korea electronics industry as a whole is another area to consider that could be affected by unethical business practices. One way that the industry or particular company could be affected by unethical practices would be through the use of false or misleading advertising. If Riordan developed advertising pieces that depicted the competition in a false or negative way would be a major ethical violation and probably have a negative impact of Riordan Manufacturing. This type of violation could also impact Riordan’s acceptance into other global markets if they create a reputation of being unethical. Major product suppliers and vendors may be unwilling to do business with Riordan if they are perceived as unethical. The last area of concern that may be greatly impacted by unethical business practices is society. This includes consumers and everyone else that either buys or uses Riordan products. An example of questionable ethics could be selling products in South Korea that are made with less quality materials, degrading the quality and trying to sell for the same or greater price in order to reach higher profit margins. Environmental issues also typically play on ethics. Problems could arise if Riordan were purposely or incidentally polluting the environment, therefore it is important the Riordan is aware and follow environmental laws in South Korea and other global markets. Riordan marketers must also be sensitive to the differences that exist between the cultures in the US and South Korea. Advertising campaigns that are successful in the US may not have the same success in South Korea. Different cultures may have different viewpoints on what is considered right and wrong, therefore m arketers will need to conduct extensive research on foreign markets and their cultures before implementing a marketing campaign. The decision to begin marketing to the entire Asian region will have several implications on the current marketing strategy. First, Riordan will need to adjust their marketing efforts to reflect the diverse cultures that exist in different regions of Asia. Asia is comprised of many countries and with many different languages and cultures, which makes marketing more difficult. The Korea Information and Communication Trade Unions was formed to consolidate countries within Asia and create one economic market, which does some to simplify the market, but there are still differences that exist in different countries. A large multi-national market can be very beneficial to Riordan in many ways. â€Å"A company like Riordan, which deals in mass production, can distribute larger quantities of products throughout the entire region while increasing economies of scale.† Riordan Manufacturing has been an industry leader for years because of their creative product design and ability to affectively market their products. If Riordan is to achieve success in the South Korea market, they will need to be aware of ethics as it pertains to society, the industry, and Riordan employees. Marketers need to examine the changes and adapt to the differences that exist between the US and South Korea markets in order to achieve success. References: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea –307k Cateora, P. Graham, J. (2007). International Marketing (13th ed.) McGraw Hill, New York, NY. Research Papers on Riordan - International Marketing PlanRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesDefinition of Export QuotasAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaTwilight of the UAWMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfOpen Architechture a white paperNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice

Meniscus Definition and Examples (Science)

Meniscus Definition and Examples (Science) A meniscus is a phase boundary that has been curved because of  surface tension.  In the case of water and most  liquids, the meniscus is concave. Mercury produces a convex meniscus. Meniscus in Chemistry A concave meniscus forms when the liquid molecules are more attracted to the container via adhesion than to each other via cohesion. A convex meniscus occurs when the liquid particles are more attracted to each other than to the walls of the container. Measure the meniscus at eye level from the center of the meniscus. For a concave meniscus, this it the lowest point or bottom of the meniscus. For a convex meniscus, this is the uppermost or top point of the liquid. A meniscus is seen between the air and water in a glass of water. The water is seen to curve up the edge of the glass. Meniscus in Physics In physics, the term meniscus can either apply to the boundary between a liquid and its container or to a type of lens used in optics. A meniscus lens is a convex-concave lens in which one face curves outward, while the other face curves inward. The outward curve is greater than the inward curve, the lens acts as a magnifier and has a positive focal length. Meniscus in Anatomy In anatomy and medicine, a meniscus is a crescents in humans are found in the wrist, knee, temporomandibular, and sternoclavicular joints. In contrast, an articular disk is a structure that completely divides a joint cavity.

The changes in the world landscape caused by tsunamis, earthquakes and Research Paper

The changes in the world landscape caused by tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes - Research Paper Example This hazard may be caused by a variety of factors. Some include earthquakes, submarine landslides and volcanic eruptions (National Atlas, 2013). The other common hazard is volcano. This is known as the vent on the earth surface. In this process, magna and associated gas erupt, and a cone may be built by eruption (National Atlas, 2013). These hazards cause a significant effect to human lives, property, and the landscape. A reflection on tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes help in gaining insight on how they cause changes in the world landscape. These hazards cause significant alteration to the landscape. One of the hazards that cause significant damage to the landscape is tsunami. This hazard had a significant impact on various nations. First, movement of tsunami causes destruction of buildings and towns near the sea as the wave moves in greater speed (Discovery Education Science, n.d.). This has well been demonstrated in some parts of Asia such as Tokyo. Moreover, this geological hazard leads to destruction of an ecosystem that plays a vital role in landscape. This occurs through destruction of plants as they are uprooted. Additionally, there is destruction of some of coral reefs that play a significant role in the sea through the movement of tsunamis giant waves (Discovery Education Science, n.d.). These effects may lead to death, migration, and vanishing of wildlife (Discovery Education Science, n.d.). In fact, most of them die through drowning in the violent waves. A significant number of animal species may also be los t through this geologic hazard. Moreover, tsunami may lead to secondary succession. This may occur after the hazard leads to destruction of the already existing plants or forests in already established ecological regions (Discovery Education Science, n.d.). The recovery of these areas affected by this geologic hazard occurs through secondary succession. Plants and animal in these areas are majorly different from those that existed