Global performance and corss culture management of Home Depot 04259 Essay

Global performance and corss culture management of Home Depot 04259 - Essay Example The company started its operation with first two stores in Atlanta, Georgia in 1979 and currently has more than 2200 stores throughout United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. By the end of the 2015 (first quarter), the Home depot company will have 293 international operations that collectively represent 12.9% of the total store base of Home Depot. In Canada, the Company has around 182 stores in 10 provinces of Canada. Additionally, the local number of associates in Canada will reach around 28,000 by the same time. The In Mexico, Home depot has around 111 stores while the number of associates in Canada exceed by 9,000. Both locations has retail facilities spread across from 60,000 to 150,000 sq foot (Corporate Homedepot, 2015a). Home depot is among the leading player in the home improvement industry. Home Depot with 58 percent rake of an annual revenue in United States and going to expand in Mexico (Malkin, 2014). It earns more than 95 percent of its revenue; international sales represent 11 percent of the sales of Home Depot (Soni, 2015a). The operations are spread across 2200 stores throughout United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. The operations of the company include selling wider hodgepodge or mixture of home improvement products, building material, and garden and lawn products; Company offers several services to its customers. The operations of Home Depot targets three sorts of customers. Professional customers, do-it-yourself customers and do-it-for-me customers are the target customer around which the operations of the company revolve (Soni, 2015b). For quality and innovative products and services, the company sourcing is spread to India in addition to above three markets (Corporate Homedepot,201 5b). By 2019, the global industry of home improvement retail stores is expected to arrive at $ 2291.6 billion as a result of increased

Green Revolution Essay Example for Free

Green Revolution Essay Interaction between humans and the environment has always had a great importance in the development of humankind; according to Marx, what differentiates humans from other animals is the fact that humans can transform their surroundings to suit their needs, through labor. The Green Revolution is not the exception to that. In times of need the human being manipulated its environment to be suitable for its development, however, the question lingers, how efficient was it, how positive? The Green Revolution, from 1945 to the present, was motivated by the need to increase the production of food to supply for the increasing demand as population grew, to promote national self-sustainability in terms of food. However, during that period the effect of the Revolution have been detrimental to the environment and society: they have damaged agricultural diversity and heritage, damaged the lands, and put at risk food security; also, they have widened the gap between the very rich and the very poor, monopolizing the food industry. The Green Revolution originated after an urgent need to promote food security with a growing trend in global population, as a way to promote self-sustainability and independence. As it is clear in the report given by the Food and Agriculture Organization (DOC 2), in the period ranging from around 1929 (great depression) and 1945 (end of World War II) the global food supply index was below the world population. What this means is that there was literally not enough food being produced world wide to feed the world population. This struggle of human kind to stay afloat in supplying the minimum needs for survival meant that a change needed to occur. The answer, as Dr. Norman Borlaug stated in his Nobel Lecture (DOC 4) was not simply planting more in the developing nations, since the lands in those areas were â€Å"tired, worn out, depleted of plant nutrients†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Clearly, what the document refers is that a new, more effective way of growing food had to be developed. In fact, Dr. Borlaug states that the priority of the developments of the green revolution concentrated in the millions that were lurked by hunger, a large problematic that clearly was under the spotlight. As a proof that the world was prioritizing the deficient food supply is the statement given by President Harry Truman (DOC 3). President Truman was the leader of the most powerful nation in the world at the time, the one with the largest technological developments, and his word was the one that would set the course of the world. This particular speech is vital, since it is the inaugural speech, where he was to set the priorities of the government and address the world with what the United States had as a course for the future. In this speech, he clearly refers to the shocking figure that â€Å"more than half the people of the world are living in conditions approaching misery† and says that the United States will help provide â€Å"technical knowledge†¦ to produce more food† In the speech President Truman refers often to liberty, thus meaning that self-sustainability will provide freedom. This speech is the perfect example, the jewel of the trend that the world was seeing with regard to prioritizing food. The mention of â€Å"technical knowledge† is vital in the construction of the green revolution as a response to the lack of food, with technological developments in the agricultural field. Some have said that the Green Revolution has been a success in improving the food industry, and improving living conditions for everyone; nevertheless the numbers today reflect a mediocre success. Indian minister for food and agriculture (1964-1967) states in an interview (DOC 5) that the farmers of the state of Punjab competed to use the technology that was introduced by the green revolution the best. It is stated with a positive connotation, as to refer to the great feats of Punjab. This seems very positive, however, the most likely reason for this to have occurred is the fact that multinational corporations were kicking them out of the market and they were forced into utilizing the technology that those same corporations were imposing on them. If this were true, which it most likely is, as it has happened in many places around the world, it would discredit the great success that the Green Revolution supposedly is. Furthermore, the claim is that the Green Revolution has brought prosperity, however, to whom, to the ones that were rich already? A perfect example of this negative impact of the Green Revolution is the conversation between Mrs. Dula and the United Nations official (DOC 6), which gives a not very realistic perspective of the impact of the green Revolution and is concentrated exclusively in the sector of the very rich. This document is indeed quite revealing, as the speaker is an aristocratic woman of Mexico, probably a housewife who sees the world through the optic of his husband, a man who earns a salary if the revolution which he works for is successful; in fact, she is most likely part of one of the clubs she talks about herself. The occasion of this statement is a simple conversation with a UN official, probably at some sort of a social event, where the high class is all joined together, with perfectly slanted people who are not really analyzing the global impact of the Green Revolution. This document gives a crystal clear proof of how much the Green Revolution has made the â€Å"rich Mexican farmers† richer probably at the expense of making the poor laborers, poorer, however, this document presents only one, very bright point of view to sell the revolution. With regards to India once again, socially, they sell the idea of improvement, like in the report of the State of Punjab (DOC 9) where it says that the Green Revolution has seen with it the â€Å"emergence of middle and rich peasants† a very undesirable euphemism to conceal the actual situation. This document seems to give a perspective of social growth and development, of a population going for education, yet once again, it seems very idealistic in its tone, when in reality India has totally different conditions. With regards to that, India has one of the largest Gini index’s in the world, meaning a huge social inequality, and has one of the smallest middle classes in the world, which has diminished even more throughout the years, meaning that in reality, India may have had a somewhat positive year, but the general trend is of a very pronounced downturn in social progress, all related to the Green Revolution which is destroying the small farmers. The Green Revolution, in truth has brought more ill than it has brought good, in the environmental and social aspects. Regarding environmental harm, the FAO Wheat Yield report (DOC 1) is very good in demonstrating the introduction of massive scale crops that the Green Revolution brings forth with it. The introduction of these crops damages the lands since they are not prone to such production. The graphs show that in both Mexico and India the crop yields were extremely irregular, and as time passed they have become even more, this is due to the fact that they are not proper to those areas and its planting is something totally synthetic and with complete disrespect towards the natural balance. The article by Dr. Vandana Shiva (DOC 8) reveals how much damage the crops, especially Genetically Modified Organisms; do to the land they are planted in. The â€Å"reduced genetic diversity, increased vulnerability to pests, soil erosion, water shortages†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are effect that will leave marked the land for a long time, as Dr. Shiva states, and are a threat to future generations, which will have totally barren land where it will be impossible to plant food. Dr. Shiva also refers to the social problematic that the Green Revolution is planting alongside its seeds. For instance the fight for water to provide irrigation, previously not needed in India, has lead to â€Å"conflict and violence† and as it has become a worldwide trend, the career for water dominance is â€Å"leading to both local and interstate water conflicts. † This clearly shows how disadvantageous the spread of the Green Revolution has been, since it has brought unmeasured changes that have not been made responsibly, but rather abruptly, causing enormous damage. Dr. Shiva is an Indian Physicist, and being from India she probably has had a very direct contact with the Green Revolution, considering that one of its birthplaces was in fact the State of Punjab. In this occasion she is writing for the Ecologist magazine, a publication read by people with primary interest in the environmental issues, including organization leaders and maybe politicians who will probably get concerned, especially due to the tone of annoyance and hatred that she employs in the article. Expanding on social implications, the Guatemalan National Coordinating Committee of Indigenous peasants (DOC 10) gives a different perspective. Although it may sound somewhat as mysticism from indigenous people, saying that they have contaminated the seeds is not a joke, considering the hormones that can be found in GMO plantations. This also acknowledges a vital issue, the loss of diversity and heritage that society is killing with the systematic Green Revolution trends, like the Mayan traditions, which have been present for â€Å"five thousand years. † Furthermore, the social disaster does not stop there, but stumbles over women, which according to the FAO Newsletter (DOC 7) have been forced to change their job. In this case the implications have made woman, traditionally in other roles, have even less opportunities to succeed, as the increased need for cash income made the woman be forced to work. This implies a social catastrophe since it denies the right of woman to equal opportunities, which are stripped off with the Green Revolution, which makes them simply one more laborer forced to work. Additional to the information presented in the documents it would be vital to contain the point of view of a small scale male farmer that has to compete with the multinational corporations, which have been installed after the start of the Green Revolution circa 1945. This would be important since it would show the first hand effects of the monopolies that the Green Revolution has brought, with regards to the social impact it has made, and whether that impact is positive or negative. As discussed throughout the essay, the Green Revolution, which has lasted from 1945 until the present day, was originated with a need to secure food production in a starving world. However its effects were not so positive, since today many starve, and the Green Revolution has damaged the environment and widened the gap between the social classes. The setup of crops that have give no benefit to the places in which they are grown, with complete disregard to the ecological balance that was being destroyed have caused issues ranging from soil erosion to water shortages and crops with pest vulnerability. The Green Revolution has also made the rich farmers richer at the cost of the poor being poorer, since the costs of the new technologies are not easily accessible, but the yields that they provide take the small farmers out of business. In general, although certain governments sponsor the Green Revolution and make it seem positive, it has brought about large changes in the way humans interact with the environment, with a generalized destruction of it to get short-term solutions to the problem of food shortages.

Jack and Simon in Chapter Three of the Lord of the Flies Essay example

Jack and Simon in Chapter Three of the Lord of the Flies In the Lord of the Flies, William Golding makes many contrasts between his symbolic characters. For example in chapter three, 'Huts on the beach', many contrasts and similarities are made between the two characters Jack and Simon. These descriptions give an idea to their personality and feelings. The description of Simon in the jungle, and Jack in the woods highlights many of their differences. Jack is alone and descriptions like, 'with flared nostrils', and 'ape- like' suggest he is behaving like an animal. Jack's appearance is also starting to resemble animals, as his hair has grown, 'longer', and his skin darker with, 'a mess of dark freckles'. Simon's appearance is described similarly to jacks. He has ' a coarse mop of black hair,' which was 'long' Simon on bare feet, like jack and he has dark skin and only wears, 'the remains of shorts'. This shows that both characters do not take much care in their appearance. In this sense, living on the island has effected them both in the same way. Jack has changed in himself by becoming less prim and proper. He has started to swear, become more dirty and tatty, 'streaked with brown earth' and he is wearing only, 'tattered shorts', these factors all show how jack is loosing his inhibitions and that from the start of the book he has changed greatly. The settings of the wood and jungle are quite similar, although the way Golding presents them greatly changed the perception of Jack and Simon. Simon, in the jungle is presented in an attractive way by descriptions like, 'the scent of ripeness' and, 'flower and fruit grow together on the same tree'. When Simon walks past the candle buds, the quote, 'the ... ... but it is evident that he has much wisdom, and says well thought through comments. An example of this is when Jack and Ralph are speaking, and Simon abruptly joins in their conversation by saying, 'as if it was not a good island'. This is meant in a way to try and make Jack and Ralph consider the point. Then he goes on to say, 'as if the beastie, the beastie or the snake- thing was real'. Simon unlike Ralph and Jack, does not find the beastie a threat, and does not seem scared or frightened about it. Jack and Ralph both like having the role as leader, and have a want for power over the lives of the group. Jack says to Ralph, ''you're chief. You tell 'em off', in a harsh tone, showing he is jealous about Ralph being leader. Simon, unlike Jack and Ralph shows no desire to be leader. This reinforces the idea that Simon could be compared to Jesus figure.

The Evolution of Engineering

It’s no secret that technology has not only changed life as we know it, but has also changed the face of most every career field known to man.   Nowhere is this evolution more evident than in the field of engineering.   In order to better review the impact that advancements in technology have had on the field of engineering, exploration of past versus present comparison is necessary.   Upon reviewing the variations between engineering of the past and engineering of present, the dramatic involvement of technology in the field becomes inherently evident.Over the course of the last two decades, the field of engineering has come into its own.   One major component of the ‘new and improved’ field of engineering is the utilization of modern technology.   In fact, engineering itself is considered a frontier of development in modern technology itself.   â€Å"Scientific discovery and advancement affect our lives in two different ways—through new polici es and regulations that provide broad national direction and through new products and processes that enhance our lives and communities. Technology and engineering translate scientific knowledge into action.† (USDA 2007)Engineering, in the 1980s, was a field wherein the predominant research and development process surrounded countless instances of trial and error.   Due in part to the fact that all experimentation and designed was based solely on human ability and human ideas, engineering was primarily considered a ‘thinking man’s’ career choice.   For example, in the early 1980s, when mechanical engineers designed motor vehicles, much of their design was dependant on tangible models and hand drawn blueprints.   Today, on the other hand, computer technology allows for the use of computerized 3D models and AutoCAD architecture.   This same fact holds true for not only the vehicle industry, but the building industry, property development, and many more .Upon close examination of the implications of technology on engineering, it is revealed that this phenomenon began far earlier than many believe.   In fact, students at Virginia Tech have been required to own a personal computer since the year 1984.   However, improvements in computer technology have dramatically improved engineering accuracy and performance, have increased efficiency, and have made it possible for a wider variant of individuals to enter the engineering field.   â€Å"In terms of the difficulty level of problems, the computer has helped tremendously. In the pre-computer era, we'd spend a couple of weeks on a serious problem. Now it can be done overnight. In terms of the actual mode of teaching, we present less hand-calculation procedures than in previous times. It's just not needed.† (EE/CPE VanLandingham 97)A variety of modern technologies have added to the dynamics of the engineering field.   However, it is arguable that computer advancements have affected the field more than any other.   Because much of engineering is design, the use of computers as a design tool is prevalent.   Thanks to the precision and speed offered by the use of certain computer programs during the engineering design process, problems that once seemed impossible are now considered trivial.   â€Å"Students can do design and some calculations that were real tough to do before.   â€Å"We use computers a lot in the lab to take data and analyze data off the equipment. Most research projects take data using computers, and our folks have to know how to write programs and microprocessor code.† (EE/CPE Claus 97)Experts also agree that the integration of computers into the field of engineering have made the job more ‘fun’.   Computers allow engineers to heighten levels of creativity in their work while allowing for less stress in problem solving.   In short, engineers can now focus more heartily on the creative aspects of their project because they spend less time in problem solving.Interestingly though, the speculation surrounding technological and computer advancements in the field of engineering is not all positive.   There are many people who believe that the overt use of computers in the field of engineering provides engineers with a crutch that allows for less thorough problem examination.   It is also argued that engineers become ‘lax’ in analysis because they trust computers to be accurate.   The problem with this fact is that computers are not infallible.   If one data set is entered incorrectly, the entire analysis will be incorrect.   Basically, computers should moreover be used to verify analysis as opposed to actually perform the analysis itself.Many engineering professors and argue that the overuse of computers will promote carelessness in the field.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"I see students relying too much on computers, computation programs and symbolic manipulators – which is leading them away from self-discipline.   â€Å"They are using tools and have no way to check them. They come up with an answer on the computer and don't know enough to challenge their answer. They are using tools and have no way to check them. They come up with an answer on the computer and don't know enough to challenge their answer. They figure if the computer came up with the answer, it's got to be right.† (EE/CPE Brown 97)There is also evidence the integration of computer technology in engineering will ‘kill’ programming in the field.   Because of the incredible technology and dynamic computer programs available to engineers as a whole, there is a decreased need for new programming.   Certain computer programs offer engineers ‘ready to use’ packages for problem solving, which eliminates the need for writing code in problem solving.   The question as to whether or not this is a ‘good thing’ is perhaps most prominent in engin eering education.   ‘†Technology as the magic bullet for education is being vastly oversold,† cautioned Professor Jim Armstrong. â€Å"We can use the computers for computation and communication, but we must maintain the interpersonal aspect of teaching,†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (EE/CPE 97)The integration of modern technology and the integration of computers in particular, into the field of engineering has changed the face of all engineering disciplines as we know it. It is largely agreed that these advancements have improved the field of engineering in ways never before thought possible.   However, it is pertinent to note that not every implementation or change is considered beneficial. While, for the most part, computers and technology have only improved engineer problem solving and efficiency, it is also argued that these integrations have given birth to the ‘lazy’ engineer.   In fact, there are those who believe that today’s engineer is already considered lax because they now have the computer to do the work for them.   â€Å"Engineers are lazy. Engineers don't like to work hard and like to come up with ways to make their lives easier† (iPaw 2009) This view creates a paradox for many, because the very definition of innovation is the search for ways to make life more simple.In summation, modern technology and computer advancement has made the field of engineering more exciting for those engaged.   It has also allowed for more a more variant professional base within the field.   However, perhaps the most notable change in the field that comes as a direct reflection of computer advancement is the increase in the speed and efficiency with which engineers solve an assortment of problems.   This increased efficiency allows for a more rapid development of a product or and outcome and also allows for a heightened opportunity to concentrate on creativity and design.   Basically, computers and modern technology make the field of engineering more fun.While it must be acknowledged that not all views surrounding computer advancement and engineering are possible, it is widely accepted that computers have drastically improved every discipline of engineering while also acting as a catalyst behind creative engineering and innovation.From a personal perspective, we have entered the dawn of a new engineering age.   The field of engineering is rapidly becoming as much an art as it is an analytical career field.   This advancement and innovation is solely credited to the integration of modern technology into the engineering disciplines.   In the last five years, computer technology has taken not only engineering, but every career to new and exciting levels.   From the farmer to the fighter pilot, computer technology has changed the dynamic of ‘work’ as we know it, and nowhere is this truth more evident than in the field of engineering.Works Citedâ€Å"Catspaw's Guide to the Inevitab ly Insane.† Catspaw's Guide to the Inevitably Insane. 29 Apr. 2009 .â€Å"Computers and Engineering: Instructional Boon or Crutch?.† Virginia Tech | Electrical and Computer Engineering. 29 Apr. 2009 .Govil, Rekha. Recent Advancements in Computer Science and Technology. new york: Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1999.â€Å"Technology & Engineering.† Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). 29 Apr. 2009 .Fundamental Concepts in Computer Science (Advances in Computer Science and Engineering: Texts). London: Imperial College Press, 2009.

Motivation vs Psychological Contract

During the history people’s expectations and needs have been changing. They depends inter alia on actual situation on the market and current necessities of life. The economy climate is also important in creating people’s performance. People will make a good performance at work when their situation is certain. Poor performance will be made when situation is unstable. One of the key issues connected with the employee performance is motivation. Without well-motivated employees enterprise cannot exist on the market for a long time. Employees are very important part of the company, because thanks to them it can perform properly and fulfill its goals and assumptions. Unmotivated employees will not make their job with proper involvement and commitment, so their performance will be contrary to expectations of an employer. One of the biggest challenge for an employer is to motivate its employees to perform on the required level. Nowadays, it is not easy thing to do. Different types of employees have different expectations and things which motivate them. Different authors created motivation theories, but most of them was created in the last century. Great influence over people has also a psychological contract between them and their organization. Motivation theories and the psychological contract are the most powerful tools to motivate people, when they are used in the right context. Person is motivated when he knows what he wants to do to achieve specific goal. Motivation covers all factors which makes person to act from positive, like money, to negative, like fear of defeat. Motivation factors are different for each individual person. They are changing because of age, sex, position in society, education, level of skills, knowledge and circumstances. Also support from the managers and leaders has a significant meaning. Unmotivated manager cannot lead people to good performance. Organizational background and surrounding environment should be motivating. When managers knows employee’s needs, demands and expectations they are able to treat one as an individual and have specific approach depending on person’s character and attitude. Managers cannot forget about person’s development and setting realistic and challenging targets. Important in keeping positive motivation is also reward for a good job performance. People like to be awarded and that keeps them self-motivated on a high level (Adair 2006). â€Å"Motivation is an important part both in an individual’s and in a company’s performance. Even very well trained and very able employee will not perform well unless motivated. Higher motivation does not always result in a direct increase in productivity, because, in many jobs, productivity is limited by other people or by the pace of machine†(Robertson 1992:137). The motivation theories fall into two groups content and process theories. â€Å"First of them explain why people behave in a particular way in terms of those individuals’ pursuits of need fulfillment. Content theories attempt to determine the specific needs that motivate individuals†(Gallagher 1997). A group of the content theories includes theories of McGregor, Herzberg and McClelland. Process theories are those of, for example, Vroom’s, Adams’, Hackman’s and Oldham’s. Theory X and Theory Y created by McGregor assumed there are two kinds of people. In Theory X people are lazy, unambitious and want to avoid responsibility. Employees are against the system and represent defensive attitude. Very high level of supervising is required otherwise people will perform very poor. Theory Y says that work is in a human nature and it is able to provide enjoyment and self-fulfillment. Managers have just to make a positive climate for personal development and minimize supervision. Thanks to this people will feel self-reliance, confident and self-actualized (Tyson 1993:11). Herzberg was researching factors which have influence over people’s feelings about work. Those factors brings out satisfaction or dissatisfaction: achievement, recognition from others, the work itself, responsibility, opportunities for advancement, company policy and administration, supervision, salary, interpersonal relations, working conditions. He recognized two groups of factors satisfying needs. First one are external (hygiene) factors that cause unhappiness and dissatisfaction. They have to be present to avoid dissatisfaction, but by themselves they do not provide satisfaction. Managers need to provide intrinsic factors to keep employees happy with their job. He claimed that employee abilities should be fully used otherwise he will not be well motivated (Thomson 2003). „How Herzberg theory applies to XXXX employees. Management at XXXX understands that hygiene factors can potentially cause dissatisfaction among their employees, which in turn can lead to the loss of productivity and profitability. Therefore, they gave their employees Herzberg's theory assessment. With these results, the company is able to provide competitive pay and bonuses that can motivate employees to work harder XXXX believes that rewarding hard working employees satisfies the motivating factor of job security. The company confirms this with pay incentives. Moreover, Management realizes that work conditions could play an integral part of their business success, not only for their employees, but for their customers as well. In addition to the brand new facilities, they also use state of the art cleaning materials that clean and make any surface resistant to dirt and decay. It is the goal of XXXX to maintain job satisfaction from all of its employees by increasing motivators and decreasing hygiene factors by constantly evaluating themselves through their employees† (Hunter 2007). McClelland’s research has identified three basic categories motivating needs, power, affiliation and achievement, into which people could be grouped, according to which need appears to be the main motivator in their lives. Those most interested in positions seek position of control and influence; those from whom affiliation is most important seek pleasant relationships and enjoy helping others; achieveme nt seekers want success, fear failure, are task-oriented and self-reliant. The implications of the theory in practice are that managers can identify employees who are self-motivated, those who rely more on internal incentives and those who could increase their achievement drive through training† (Tyson 1993:10). Vroom’s theory has three basics elements: expectancy, instrumentality and valence. Expectancy is belief that if a person make an effort to achieve goals he will be seen and appreciated. Instrumentality is conviction that when employee do what should be done with proper accuracy he will be rewarded by salary increase, promotion or other form of appreciation. Valence is the value added by individual to the outcome. Employee will be poorly motivated if his reward has little valence for him (Kermally 2005:53). Adams argued that people want to receive relative returns for the effort they have put into work. Equity theory is based on the individual’s perception of fear treatment. â€Å"This theory bases explanations of behaviour on perceptions of social comparisons. Theory argues that the more intense the perceived inequity, the higher the tension and the stronger the motivation to act†(Buchanan 2004:251). Hackman and Oldham theory of job satisfaction presumes that three main rules decide about work. In the first of them person must perceive work as reasonable, rational. Second one says that person should take the responsibility for own work results. In the last one person should have chance to meet own work results. In their opinion each job should take into consideration above rules. Moreover, if those rules are included the higher probability of motivation occurs more by the job content than by some external factors. In planning the job complexity and level of difficulty should be taken into account (Miner 2006). In every day live people meet with contracts of a different type, for example contract of employment, bank contract etc. Contract is an agreement between two or more participants, which contains some settlements between them. In companies, apart form the contract of employment also can be found an unwritten psychological contract, which is very important to keep a good relationships between the employer and the employees. Psychological contract is necessary to keep long term agreement. It contains mutual expectations and obligations. Fundamentally, the psychological contract expresses the combination of beliefs held by an individual and his or her employer about what they expect of one another. It can be described as the set of reciprocal but unarticulated expectations that exist between individual employees and their employers. As defined by Schein (1965): The notion of a psychological contract implies that there is an unwritten set of expectations operating at all times between eve ry member of an organization and the various managers and others in that organizationâ€Å" (Armstrong 2006:225). The meaning of mutual expectations is also underlined by other researchers, such as: Rousseau and Wade-Benzoni, Katz and Kahn. Expectations are related with behaviour, often they are presumed and they are not formulated in the job contract. Employees may expect, and they usually do, fair treatment, just wage, possibility of future development and that they will be informed what they are expected to do. But expectations are mutual, so the employers also have them. Generally, they want to receive obedience, loyalty, commitment in business or job efficiency. It is normal that each side of this contract possess its own set of assumptions of the other one’s behaviour. Sometimes lack in fulfillment of mutual expectations can cause tensions and misunderstandings, or even dissolving of the contract of employment. â€Å"The significance of the psychological contract was further explained by Sims (1994) as follows: A balanced psychological contract is necessary for a continuing, harmonious relationship between the employee and the organization. However, the violation of the psychological contract can signal to the participants that the parties no longer share (or never shared) a common set of values or goalsâ€Å" (Armstrong 2006:227). Establishing a common set of values or goals is very important to keep positive and proper relations between people in the organization. Especially important seems to be their verbalization, because when people do not know what they can expect, they will not know why they are disappointed afterwards, when their expectations are not met. But they will have a feeling that something is done not as it should be. For the organization that kind of attitude can have a bad influence, because dissatisfied employees can have a negative effect on the organization activities. Specific character of the psychological contract in the organization is not based on a single transaction, because as Spindler claims: †every day people create relationships by means other than formal contracts(†¦) As individuals form relationships they necessarily bring their accumulated experience and developed personalities with them. In ways unknown to them, what they expect from the relationship reflects the sum total of their conscious and unconscious learning to date†(Armstrong 2006:230). Not every person in organization is aware, that in forming specific demands and expectations he or she bases on own knowledge and experience. Psychological contract is something which is usually not defined, so it can develop in unexpected way and have unforeseen consequences. Good psychological contract have a lot of advantages for an employee as well as for an employer. From the employees point of view proper psychological contract should include: proper approach to an employee (equal treatment, appraisal, understanding, respect), employment stability (it is important part of employment, but with dynamic changes on the labour market is not so attractive as it used to be), promotion (employees are focused on personal development and carrier opportunities), power and responsibilities (ability to make own decisions should be related with person’s skills), trust and commitment (employee, who feels understanding and have trust in own organization is more engaged in work and wants the same from the others). On the other hand employers consider that the psychological contract covers competences, effort, commitment, honesty, loyalty and the attitude consisted with the organization values. Psychological contract between the employee and the organization is created when a person is joining the company. The first stage on which some basis of the psychological contract may occur is the process of selection and recruitment. Employer presents own requirements and demands, invites selected persons for an interview and afterwards makes an opinion about the cohesion between the candidate and own organization. Employee acts similarly. After getting to know the organization’s offer he or she should know whether that job is for him or for her appropriate for the offered salary and the level of skills. Psychological contract is not constant, it is not something that stays still. â€Å"The psychological contract remains beneath the surface of relationships and is dynamic in character, continually changing, and frequently unacknowledged. It is a manifestation, too, of the ideals— ego ideals— that one party to the contract has for the other†(Burke 1999:20). It changes, because its environment is changing. External and internal factors have great influence over its state. Internal changes are caused by the market competition. Nowadays career is not always developing from the bottom to the top. It sometimes can be horizontal, which means that individual employee development is not a guarantee of the promotion. Now, in the companies very important are flexibility and capability to changes. Employers are not currently interested in keeping the same team for all time. They make further co-operation dependent on the level of demand of the employee‘s abilities for the company. Because of the nstability in employment Hiltrop suggested new type of psychological contract. According to him: â€Å"There is no job security. The employee will be employed as long as he or she adds value to the organization, and is personally responsible for finding new ways to add value. In return, the employee has the right to demand interesting and important work, has the freedom and resources to perform it well, receives pay that reflects his or her contribution, and gets the experience and training needed to be employable here or elsewhere†(Armstrong 2006:233). The new psychological contract does not guarantee a job for a lifetime. From my own experience I am able to say how important is the psychological contract for an employee. I was working for a building society, which was growing very well. As an employee I could expect from my employer appreciation and respect for my work. The responsibilities and duties for each of us were very clearly. The financial bonuses were the most motivational factor for all of us, because they were really high. The company has very good approach to its employees. When it generated more profits than it was presumed 25% of randomly chosen employees was going for a fully sponsored one week trip for one of the European countries. Also twice a year there was an integrating trip for all employees and lottery with the main prize of 50% of annual salary. None of this was formally written. It was the company’s customs. The best performing salesman had a company car and a mobile phone for an unlimited disposition with the option of buying them from the company after certain time. The loyalty to the company was very high. Nobody has left work by himself/herself since the establishment. Employees were very well motivated, because they knew that they would be appreciated. Thanks to those actions everybody were aimed for the company’s success. They were aware that when the company will gain profits and when the managers will be pleased with their performance the reward will be proper. The relationship between the employees and the organization has been changing recently. The employees want to develop their skills and if the company do not provide any training or development options for them they will leave, because their motivation to action will decrease. Nearly nobody wants to put an effort into company’s performance without being appreciated for it. Underestimated employees will not put much effort into their work. Motivation theories are old and not always adequate for today’s labour market. Employers are trying to motivate people in a different way, using different approaches and different points of view. Theoretical knowledge about motivation can be put into practice to see and explain, not only the psychological mechanism of organizational behaviour, but also to formulate diagnosis. Psychological factors of responsibility for the individual’s level of organizational behaviour have the basic meaning for understanding the peoples’ role in the organization and effective human resources management. Motivation theories are not flexible. They have their definitions, which contain certain rules and factors that create them. The psychological contract is much more flexible and can be changed under some special circumstances and mutual admittance. The negative side of the psychological contract is that, when one of the sides will not feel that their expectations and needs are fulfilled the trust and commitment will decrease. When these two factors are low the performance, positive attitude and motivation are poor. Motivation is important to keep the psychological contract, because without it the whole idea of the psychological contract is useless. Psychological contract has more determinant power than motivation theories. Unwritten mutual expectations, when are appeased, can motivate very well. People can find themselves united with the organization and its goals. Good leaders and managers will do their best to satisfy an employee, but on the other hand they will expect the same from him/her. Retaining positive employment relationship and psychological contract can have great influence over the company’s performance and image. List of references Adair, J. (2006) Leadership and motivation. London. Kogan Page Limited Armstrong, M.. (2006) 10th ednHandbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London. Kogan Page,Limited. Buchanan, D. , Huczynski A. (2004) 5th edn Organizational Behaviour. An Introductory Text. Essex. The Prentice Hall. Burke, E. (1999) Corporate Community Relations : The Principle of the Neighbor of Choice. Westport. Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated. Hunter, S. (2007) Motivation in the Workplace: Applying Maslow and Herzberg Theories. online] Available from [1 Dec 2008] Kermally, S. (2005) Gurus on people management. Oxford. Thorogood Miner, J. (2006) Organizational Behaviour 1: Essential Theories of Motivation and Leadership. New York. M. E. Sharp Inc. Robertson, I. , Smith, M. , Cooper, D. (1992) 2nd edn Motivation strategies, theory and practice. London. Institute of Personnel Management. Thomson, R. 3rd edn. (2002) Managing people. Oxford. Butterworth Heinemann. Tyson, S. , York, A. (1993) Personnel management. Oxford. Made Simple Books.

Free Essays on Puppy Mills

Who hasn’t walked by a pet shop and adored the cute little puppies in the window? I know many people have, because I worked in a pet shop for more than two years. In fact I even took one of the puppies home with me. But then I learned about the places most pet shop pups come from. More often than not, puppies sold in pet shops come from puppy mills, where a female is bred for the sole purpose of mass-producing puppies. There, she spends her entire life in a wire cage. Her only function is having puppies in some cases, more births than her frail body can tolerate. When she can no longer have those cute puppies that everyone falls in love with, she is euthanized. Puppy mills are also well known for being unsanitary. Many times cages upon cages are stacked on each other, and each animal’s waste runs into the cage below. Skin infections are rampant and food is often infested with maggots or shared with rats. These conditions leave the animals subject to many physical and mental diseases. Disturbing behavior often is noted in many puppies from puppy mills due to the total confinement they must endure. In many cases, a common puppy disease such as parvo or diphtheria both normally prevented through vaccination, wipes out an entire litter of puppies. Usually there is no veterinarian on site to care for these ailing puppies, who are lucky if there is someone there that actually cares. When do these puppies get to leave the puppy mill? Most often it is sooner than it should be. Puppy mill operators have been known to fake birth dates on official papers so as to get the puppies to the stores when they are young, small, and more desirable. What is wrong with this? The puppy’s immune system is not fully developed and is more vulnerable to illnesses. They are often not able to eat on their own and can starve. My job at the pet store was to take care of the puppies as they came in by airplane from Kansas. Scared, tired... Free Essays on Puppy Mills Free Essays on Puppy Mills Who hasn’t walked by a pet shop and adored the cute little puppies in the window? I know many people have, because I worked in a pet shop for more than two years. In fact I even took one of the puppies home with me. But then I learned about the places most pet shop pups come from. More often than not, puppies sold in pet shops come from puppy mills, where a female is bred for the sole purpose of mass-producing puppies. There, she spends her entire life in a wire cage. Her only function is having puppies in some cases, more births than her frail body can tolerate. When she can no longer have those cute puppies that everyone falls in love with, she is euthanized. Puppy mills are also well known for being unsanitary. Many times cages upon cages are stacked on each other, and each animal’s waste runs into the cage below. Skin infections are rampant and food is often infested with maggots or shared with rats. These conditions leave the animals subject to many physical and mental diseases. Disturbing behavior often is noted in many puppies from puppy mills due to the total confinement they must endure. In many cases, a common puppy disease such as parvo or diphtheria both normally prevented through vaccination, wipes out an entire litter of puppies. Usually there is no veterinarian on site to care for these ailing puppies, who are lucky if there is someone there that actually cares. When do these puppies get to leave the puppy mill? Most often it is sooner than it should be. Puppy mill operators have been known to fake birth dates on official papers so as to get the puppies to the stores when they are young, small, and more desirable. What is wrong with this? The puppy’s immune system is not fully developed and is more vulnerable to illnesses. They are often not able to eat on their own and can starve. My job at the pet store was to take care of the puppies as they came in by airplane from Kansas. Scared, tired...

Sickle Cell Anemia essays

Sickle Cell Anemia essays Sickle-cell anemia also called sickle-cell disease is a hereditary disorder affecting hemoglobin, which is the oxygen carrying substance in red blood cells. This disease ends up decreasing the ability of the hemoglobin to send oxygen throughout the body. The sickle cells begin to clog up the blood vessels which tend to cause inflammation. Sickle-cell anemia relates to me because my cousin Kenny died from this fatal disease. When he died my family greatly changed. In this research, I will explain the causes of Sickle-cell anemia. Sickle-cell anemia is a hereditary disorder in which abnormal hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, causes the cells to take abnormal sickle shapes. This disease usually affects African Americans. This disease will slowly lower the ability of the hemoglobin to transport oxygen in the body. The sickle cells may block the passageways of small blood vessels which will starve the many tissues they have to give oxygen to. The hemoglobin begins to form polymers that make the red blood cells stiff and fragile. Red blood cells are rounded which allow them to easily pass through the smallest blood vessels. Sickle shaped red blood cells clump easily. It will disrupt the normal flow of the blood. This takes the oxygen away from different tissues and organs. When they begin to sickle, its mostly because they carry an abnormal form of hemoglobin called hemoglobin S. We inherit a gene from each parent. You can either get two normal hemoglobin genes (HbA), one normal hemoglobin gene (HbS), or two abnormal HbS genes. This depends on their parents genes. If a person carries one HbS and one HbA gene, they have the sickle-cell trait or are carriers and may pass it on to their siblings. When a person inherits two abnormal HbS genes from each parent, they have sickle-cell disease and will start to show symptoms. The first crises usually start in the early childhood. Crises are cr...

How Scientists Determine Climates of the Past

How Scientists Determine Climates of the Past Paleoenvironmental reconstruction (also known as paleoclimate reconstruction) refers to the results and the investigations undertaken to determine what the climate and vegetation were like at a particular time and place in the past. Climate, including vegetation, temperature, and relative humidity, has varied considerably during the time since the earliest human habitation of planet earth, from both natural and cultural (human-made) causes. Climatologists primarily use paleoenvironmental data to understand how the environment of our world has changed and how modern societies need to prepare for the changes to come. Archaeologists use paleoenvironmental data to help understand the living conditions for the people who lived at an archaeological site. Climatologists benefit from the archaeological studies because they show how humans in the past learned how to adapt or failed to adapt to environmental change, and how they caused environmental changes or made them worse or better by their actions. Using Proxies The data that are collected and interpreted by paleoclimatologists are known as proxies, stand-ins for what cant be directly measured. We cant travel back in time to measure the temperature or humidity of a given day or year or century, and there are no written records of climatic changes that would give us those details older than a couple of hundred years. Instead, paleoclimate researchers rely on biological, chemical, and geological traces of past events that were influenced by the climate. The primary proxies used by climate researchers are plant and animal remains because the type of flora and fauna in a region indicates the climate: think of polar bears and palm trees as indicators of local climates. Identifiable traces of plants and animals range in size from whole trees to microscopic diatoms and chemical signatures. The most useful remains are those that are large enough to be identifiable to species; modern science has been able to identify objects as tiny as pollen grains and spores to plant species. Keys to Past Climates Proxy evidence can be biotic, geomorphic, geochemical, or geophysical; they can record environmental data that range in time from yearly, every ten years, every century, every millennium or even multi-millennia. Events such as tree growth and regional vegetation changes leave traces in soils and peat deposits, glacial ice and moraines, cave formations, and in the bottoms of lakes and oceans. Researchers rely on modern analogs; that is to say, they compare the findings from the past to those found in current climates around the world. However, there are periods in the very ancient past when the climate was completely different from what is currently being experienced on our planet. In general, those situations appear to be the result of climate conditions that had more extreme seasonal differences than any weve experienced today. It is particularly important to recognize that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were lower in the past than those present today, so ecosystems with less  greenhouse gas  in the atmosphere likely behaved differently than they do today. Paleoenvironmental Data Sources There are several types of sources where paleoclimate researchers can find preserved records of past climates. Glaciers and Ice Sheets: Long-term bodies of ice, such as the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, have annual cycles which build new layers of ice each year like tree rings. Layers in the ice vary in texture and color during warmer and cooler parts of the year. Also, glaciers expand with increased precipitation and cooler weather and retract when warmer conditions prevail. Trapped in those layers laid down over thousands of years are dust particles and gases which were created by climatic disturbances such as volcanic eruptions, data which can be retrieved using ice cores.Ocean Bottoms: Sediments are deposited in the bottom of the oceans each year, and lifeforms such as foraminifera, ostracods, and diatoms die and are deposited with them. Those forms respond to ocean temperatures: for example, some are more prevalent during warmer periods.Estuaries and Coastlines: Estuaries preserve information about the height of former sea levels in long sequences of alternating layers of organic p eat when the sea level was low, and inorganic silts when the sea level rose. Lakes: Like oceans and estuaries, lakes also have annual basal deposits called varves. Varves hold a wide variety of organic remains, from entire archaeological sites to pollen grains and insects. They can hold information about environmental pollution such as acid rain, local iron mongering, or run-offs from eroded hills nearby.Caves: Caves are closed systems, where average annual temperatures are maintained year-round and with a high relative humidity. Mineral deposits within caves such as stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones gradually form in thin layers of calcite, which trap chemical compositions from outside the cave. Caves can thus contain continuous, high-resolution records which can be dated using uranium-series dating.Terrestrial Soils: Soil deposits on land can also be a source of information, trapping animal and plant remains in colluvial deposits at the base of hills or alluvial deposits in valley terraces. Archaeological Studies of Climate Change Archaeologists have been interested in climate research since at least Grahame Clarks 1954 work at Star Carr. Many have worked with climate scientists to figure out the local conditions at the time of occupation. A trend identified by Sandweiss and Kelley (2012) suggests that climate researchers are beginning to turn to the archaeological record to assist with the reconstruction of paleoenvironments. Recent studies described in detail in Sandweiss and Kelley include: The interaction between humans and climatic data to determine the rate and extent of El Nià ±o and the human reaction to it over the last 12,000 years of people living in coastal Peru.Tell Leilan in northern Mesopotamia (Syria) deposits matched to ocean drilling cores in the Arabian Sea identified a previously-unknown volcanic eruption that took place between 2075-1675 BC, which in turn may have led to an abrupt aridification with the abandonment of the tell and may have led to the disintegration of the Akkadian empire.In the Penobscot valley of Maine in the northeastern United States, studies on sites dated to the early-middle Archaic (~9000-5000 years ago), helped establish a chronology of flood events in the region associated with falling or low lake levels.Shetland Island, Scotland, where Neolithic-aged sites are sand-inundated, a situation believed to be an indication of a period of storminess in the North Atlantic. Sources Allison AJ, and Niemi TM. 2010. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Holocene coastal sediments adjacent to archaeological ruins in Aqaba, Jordan. Geoarchaeology 25(5):602-625.Dark P. 2008. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction, methods. In: Pearsall DM, editor. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. New York: Academic Press. p 1787-1790.Edwards KJ, Schofield JE, and Mauquoy D. 2008. High resolution paleoenvironmental and chronological investigations of Norse landnm at Tasiusaq, Eastern Settlement, Greenland. Quaternary Research 69:1–15.Gocke M, Hambach U, Eckmeier E, Schwark L, Zà ¶ller L, Fuchs M, Là ¶scher M, and Wiesenberg GLB. 2014. Introducing an improved multi-proxy approach for paleoenvironmental reconstruction of loess–paleosol archives applied on the Late Pleistocene Nussloch sequence (SW Germany). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 410:300-315.Lee-Thorp J, and Sponheimer M. 2015. Contribution of Stable Light Isotopes to Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction. I n: Henke W, and Tattersall I, editors. Handbook of Paleoanthropology. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p 441-464. Lyman RL. 2016. The mutual climatic range technique is (usually) not the area of sympatry technique when reconstructing paleoenvironments based on faunal remains. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 454:75-81.Rhode D, Haizhou M, Madsen DB, Brantingham PJ, Forman SL, and Olsen JW. 2010. Paleoenvironmental and archaeological investigations at Qinghai Lake, western China: Geomorphic and chronometric evidence of lake level history. Quaternary International 218(1–2):29-44.Sandweiss DH, and Kelley AR. 2012. Archaeological Contributions to Climate Change Research: The Archaeological Record as a Paleoclimatic and Paleoenvironmental Archive*. Annual Review of Anthropology 41(1):371-391.Shuman BN. 2013. Paleoclimate reconstruction - Approaches In: Elias SA, and Mock CJ, editors. Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science (Second Edition). Amsterdam: Elsevier. p 179-184.

Auroas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Auroas - Essay Example The subject of these auroras and related issues such as the aurora borealis and aurora australis are of great significance and importance, and in order to come to a clearer and more knowledgeable understanding of these issues, the related information must be addressed thoroughly. The aim of this paper is to discuss all of this, as well as explain how each of the sub-subject matters are related and correlated. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Auroras are caused by high energy particles from the solar wind that are trapped in the Earth's magnetic field. These particles, as they spiral back and forth along the magnetic field lines, come down into the atmosphere near the north and south magnetic poles where the magnetic field lines disappear into the body of the Earth. "The delicate colors are caused by energetic electrons colliding with oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere. This excites the molecules, and when they decay from the excited states they emit the light that we see in the aurora." (Csep, n.d.). More intricately, the sun sends a constant stream of charged particles, known as a solar wind, into space; then these energized particles interact with a protective magnet shield that shrouds the planet Earth. The Earth's magnetosphere is a sort of shield, which is made up of invisible lines that radiate out into space from the northern and southern poles. The charged particles squeeze the magnetic field into a teardrop shape, and "In the magnetosphere, researchers say, the interaction creates electric fields and electromagnetic waves that transfer their energy to electrons, which then plunge into the atmosphere." (Britt, 2000). "The aurora varies in intensity from brightness equal to that of the Milky Way up to the equivalent of a full Moon," says climatologist Jan Curtis, who photographs auroras from his home in Alaska. "Colors range from mostly greens to reds, and take on the forms of discrete rays, homogenous brands and arcs, or diffuse glowing clouds. Their movement can be stationary, or zip across the entire sky in seconds." (Britt, 2000). Primary auroral particles have energies between few tens eV and few hundred keV, being higher on the nightside than on dayside. Some of them are even accelerated in the field-aligned direction, which indicates the presence of a special auroral acceleration region. "It can be shown that for 2 keV (100keV) electrons the maximum ionization rate occurs at the altitude of about 130 km (85 km)." (Space, 1998). Whereas the average ionization potential of atoms and molecules is about 15 eV, some experimental data show that fast electrons and protons produce one ion-electron pair per 36 eV, and some excess energy is also left for the product electron; this is what leads to electron heating when the energy is being distributed through and among the ambient electron gas. Auroras are considered to appear as "a glow observed in the night sky, usually the polar zone." (Wikipedia, 2006). It is for this reason that some scientists call auroras 'polar auroras' or 'aurora polaris'. In more northern of latitudes, this occurrence is known as 'aurora borealis', which is Latin for

Cover song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cover song - Essay Example Listeners could hear the following musical instruments: guitar, drums, and bass guitar with vocals. The first few seconds from the start until about 8 seconds, listeners would hear only one musical instrument, the guitar at the background which starts soft and melodic with regular beats and rhythmic patterns. At the start of the 8th to 9th seconds, listeners are given the chance to hear the vocals with accompanying instruments that included the drums and the bass guitar. The first few verses of the song were completed within 30 seconds and then, a louder drum instrument started in the 39th second with accompanying vocals that says: â€Å"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah† two times. The second set of verses started in 1 minute 4 seconds, again with vocals and a more softer accompaniment of musical instruments (guitar, bass, and drums) and lasted until about 1 minute 34 seconds, again, exactly 30 minutes in regular rhythmic pattern before going to the â€Å"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah† vocals (1 minute 35 seconds to 1 minute 57 seconds). After this phase, the refrain portion started with louder vocals and musical background starting with â€Å"I like it I’m not gonna crack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and returns to this phrase after repeating the refrain twice (ending after two minutes 29 seconds). A brief space of musical instruments in bass, drums and guitar ensued (2 minutes 33 seconds up to 2 minutes 40 seconds) after the refrain in preparation to the third set of verses where the lyrics of the first verses were apparently repeated. Likewise, at 3 minutes 34 seconds the refrain was also repeated and ended abruptly at about 4 minutes and 10 seconds with the last beat from the vocals and the drum. The musical elements that were predominantly heard were distinctive of rock music with a lot of accompanying drums and bass guitars and the melody was more than average verging to increasingly loud crescendos, especially during the refrain. The cover song

Virtual Project Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtual Project Management - Research Paper Example Despite the fact that project network is growing prevalence, little is known about it and how it can form the many problems within the circle of project management. Therefore, the study gives an extensive literature review that includes definitions of project networks and analysis the body of knowledge of project network. Introduction There is a marked rise in the number of firms that are regarded as being project oriented. Consequently there has been an increase in recognition of the effect of successful projects concerning the gain loss status. Virtual project network is defined as a small number of people with skills that complement who are committed equally to a common goal, purpose and work approach that they are mutually accountable (Zenun et al., 2007). These teams are often formed to overcome temporal and geographical barriers (Cascio and Shurygailo, 2003). Project networks work across barriers of time and space by using computer driven technologies. It covers a wide range of actions and working that is supported by technology (Anderson et al., 2007).The members of the virtual team are located in many different locations. This trait has forced extensive use of array of forms of communication that use the computer unit to enable the members that are physically dispersed, to co ordinate their inputs and hard work (Peter and Maz.2007). Project networks are defined by Gassmann and Von zedtwitz (2003b) as a set of citizens and sub-teams who act together in the course of the tasks that are interdependent , common purpose and work across licks that are strengthened by communication, information and transport technologies like video conferencing, email, telephone. Another suggestion is that they are distributed networks whose members are spread physically and whose work is synchronized predominantly using communication technologies like email, telephone and video conferencing and electronic information (Hertel et el. 2005). The degree of geographical dispersion within a project network team can contrast widely from one associate being located in a special location than others to each member being in his own location. (Staples and Zhao. 2006) We can distinguish different forms of project networks depending on the numbers of persons taking part and the level of interaction between them. One of them is timeworks’ which is done partly or fully out side the company’s place of work with the help of telecommunication and information services. Parallel teams who work within a short time to come up with recommendation for improving a development, project teams: carry out projects for users for a specific period, management teams: work associatively daily with a purposeful division. The first feature of that can be a problem in project management is quality. From the project owners, quality can be a challenge. The client or owner representative spends most of their time on the stewarding of the managers. This means that they could not be focusing on quality nearly as much as they could be. Rezgui (2007) investigates how efficient virtual teams are and any other type of virtual association, in the building sector and investigates the factors that persuade their successful adoption. May and Canter(2007) in this study of virtual network in the European automotive business have revealed that communication and teamwork between

The small entrepreneurial firms and the larger firms and their Essay

The small entrepreneurial firms and the larger firms and their characteristics - Essay Example The essay discusses that product or service innovation has become an integral part of almost every business these days. Most of the firms implement several strategies to improve their product range through renovation of the existing products and services to satisfy the customers. Fundamentally, product innovation or service innovation refers to the process of introducing certain new goods or products and services or the process of modifying the existing products or services to retain the present consumers or to attain certain new customers. Entrepreneurial firms are the firms which are being established by an individual or more than one individual. The owners of the entrepreneurial firm are comparatively more flexible to take strategies and make decisions regarding specific matters than the larger firms. The owners of the entrepreneurial firms are known as the entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs are free to choose their business process and financial statistics. These entrepreneurs ar e accountable for the profit and loss of their business. An entrepreneurial firm can be a family joint venture or non family venture, where the partners are equally responsible for the profit and the loss of the company and all the partners have the equal rights to take part in any kind of decision making process. The larger firms have more exposure than the small firms with the greater amount of capital, large number of manpower, improved technology and definitely huge brand recognition in wider range among others. The large firms are either the advanced form of the small firms or these are the firms which have been established with higher amount of capital or finance in hand. These firms involve large number of investors and shareholders, who have the right to take decisions in the business matters (Kerzner, 2009). The major objective of the study is to highlight the small entrepreneurial firms and the larger firms and their characteristics. The paper would also include the advant ages and disadvantages faced by a small entrepreneurial firm while making innovation in terms of their products and services over the larger firms. There would be a summative conclusion for the overall discussion. Advantages and Disadvantages of Small Entrepreneurial Firms in Innovation of Products and Services Entrepreneurial firms are the sources of opportunities where an individual or more than one individual can explore the facilities available, according to their own determined ways. Entrepreneurial firms give the owner the independence to think, to plan and to execute the plans according to the requirement. The small entrepreneurial firms are more flexible to make decisions and to choose various strategies regarding the need of the business. The entrepreneurial firms do not involve too many investors or shareholders, and they include a simple managerial structure with less possibility of hierarchy system (Hughes, n.d.). In the present scenario, most of the firms and companies are focusing on innovation of their products and services. Innovation provides the firms with the opportunity of exploring their potential and the scope of retention of the customers. The small entrepreneurial firms are more probable to make innovation of products and services as they involve a simple managerial structure and the decision making process

Elderly Receive Free Bus Rides Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Elderly Receive Free Bus Rides - Essay Example Elderly Receive Free Bus Rides These programs are either in operation or are going to become operational soon, the question here to be asked is why seniors throughout the world should have access to such discounts. Several policy makers have time and again given importance to the question and due to various reasons such policies related to free travelling for seniors have been created. Body Studies conducted in different areas and locations show that seniors live longer and healthy if their activity level is high, and in order to increase the quality of life of seniors it should be the first priority of policy makers to give seniors access to free transportation so they can easily move from one place to another and increase their activity level (Nussbaum 122). During the period of 2006, seniors living in the region of England were offered free of cost travelling as soon as the rush hours of weekdays used to end and throughout the weekends (BBC News 20120. This policy is under scrutiny and policy makers are thinkin g of ending the policy. According to a study conducted by Sophie Coronini-Cronberg on the senior citizens of the England, showed that people who had access to free bus passes participated highly in traveling from one end to another through means of walking, public transportation and cycling (U.K. Government Online 2012). The research further suggested that the free ride passes did not only benefit the poor in the community, it even benefited the rich within the community. The research results even showed that those individuals who were car owners participated less in active traveling activities. Active travelling has been associated with better health and exercise, people mostly around the world hate exercising or they do not get enough time to exercise. But if the use of public transport, especially busses increase they will start walking from their homes to buss stands and such travelling activities will assist them in complying with the exercises they have been recommended by phy sicians. According to a research conducted in Britain, when adults participate in active travelling such as travelling from their homes and offices to bus stands, they are able to fulfill certain portion of their recommended exercises (AlphaGalileo 2012). According to Santos those senior citizen that take part in active travelling and physical activities end up with better quality of life, have better mental fitness and are able to participate in economic activities which helps the government in keeping their expenses low as seniors work and do not require government aid (Fleischer 2002). Seniors that are mentally fit easily find jobs due to their experience, this helps them in becoming dependant on their families and their families do not have to think of them as burden. Death rate of senior citizens have even been linked with physical activity, studies show that those senior individuals who participate in physical activities are at a 12% lesser risk of loosing their lives as soon as they cross the age of 60 (Harbert 23). Before policy makers decide to cancel free bus trips and travelling for senior citizens, they should look at the costs associated with doing so. Medical expenses are on a rise, seniors need great amount of medical attention as at their age they experience various health diseases and if free bus rides

The small entrepreneurial firms and the larger firms and their Essay

The small entrepreneurial firms and the larger firms and their characteristics - Essay Example The essay discusses that product or service innovation has become an integral part of almost every business these days. Most of the firms implement several strategies to improve their product range through renovation of the existing products and services to satisfy the customers. Fundamentally, product innovation or service innovation refers to the process of introducing certain new goods or products and services or the process of modifying the existing products or services to retain the present consumers or to attain certain new customers. Entrepreneurial firms are the firms which are being established by an individual or more than one individual. The owners of the entrepreneurial firm are comparatively more flexible to take strategies and make decisions regarding specific matters than the larger firms. The owners of the entrepreneurial firms are known as the entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs are free to choose their business process and financial statistics. These entrepreneurs ar e accountable for the profit and loss of their business. An entrepreneurial firm can be a family joint venture or non family venture, where the partners are equally responsible for the profit and the loss of the company and all the partners have the equal rights to take part in any kind of decision making process. The larger firms have more exposure than the small firms with the greater amount of capital, large number of manpower, improved technology and definitely huge brand recognition in wider range among others. The large firms are either the advanced form of the small firms or these are the firms which have been established with higher amount of capital or finance in hand. These firms involve large number of investors and shareholders, who have the right to take decisions in the business matters (Kerzner, 2009). The major objective of the study is to highlight the small entrepreneurial firms and the larger firms and their characteristics. The paper would also include the advant ages and disadvantages faced by a small entrepreneurial firm while making innovation in terms of their products and services over the larger firms. There would be a summative conclusion for the overall discussion. Advantages and Disadvantages of Small Entrepreneurial Firms in Innovation of Products and Services Entrepreneurial firms are the sources of opportunities where an individual or more than one individual can explore the facilities available, according to their own determined ways. Entrepreneurial firms give the owner the independence to think, to plan and to execute the plans according to the requirement. The small entrepreneurial firms are more flexible to make decisions and to choose various strategies regarding the need of the business. The entrepreneurial firms do not involve too many investors or shareholders, and they include a simple managerial structure with less possibility of hierarchy system (Hughes, n.d.). In the present scenario, most of the firms and companies are focusing on innovation of their products and services. Innovation provides the firms with the opportunity of exploring their potential and the scope of retention of the customers. The small entrepreneurial firms are more probable to make innovation of products and services as they involve a simple managerial structure and the decision making process

International finance structure and IPE of international Debt Essay

International finance structure and IPE of international Debt - Essay Example The diagram also illustrates the law of demand. Fewer dollars will be demanded when the price of a dollar increases according to the law of demand. The chapter also provides appropriate examples, the Microsoft Vista example is very appropriate to understand how the exchange rate works in different countries. Interest rates also play a pivotal role in determining the value of a dollar. Business expectations also play a crucial role in determining the exchange rate, since Mexican Peso has been taken up as an example it is very important to also consider interest rates in Mexico and business expectations in Mexico. Capital gain is another subject that the chapter highlights. The business expectations in the United States are juxtaposed with the business expectations in Mexico. The demand part is initially presented in the chapter and the second part of the chapter comprehensively explains the supply side of the Dollar and how it relates to the Mexican economy. National income in the Uni ted States also plays a key role in the supply of the Dollar. ... same concept can be applied to different currencies and its exchange rate can easily be found out and in addition to this the factors affecting the exchange rate can also be found out. Foreign exchange rates are comprehensively explained in the following parts of chapter 7. Gold standard, Bretton Woods and floating exchange rate are the three most important exchange rate structures that have been used to determine the exchange rate. The Bretton Woods system of exchange was introduced in the year 1944 and the system was established in the Bretton Woods conference in New Hampshire. There is rapid growth and development taking place all across the globe, to make sure that everything goes on well, a system which should stabilize the growth is a must. This paper will throw light upon the advantages of the Bretton Woods system and it will also provide a comprehensive understanding of the Bretton Woods fixed exchange rate system. The system has very old roots, after the devastating World Wa r one all the countries wanted financial security to make sure that economic growth in the country takes place. The great depression in the 1929 was a result of the failure in the introduction of gold standard. Each and every currency intentionally deflated its currency in order to get high margin of profit from the exports which would decrease the deficit from the country’s economy. The same had an adverse affect on all the countries, it triggered off international deflation, and this majorly impacted many countries, mass unemployment increased, big enterprises were going bankrupt, global economy witnessed hyper inflation. There were talks held among the representatives of various countries to form a system which would bring stability with regard to the financial and economic well being

My daughter smokes Essay Example for Free

My daughter smokes Essay We often think that refering people to supporting groups is enough to quit smoking, however how about if instead we educate them so that they wont even start smoking as walker mention peace on earth begins at home, meaning that we need to educate our children and surrounding about smoking and its concecuenses. Smoking not only causes health problems, it can also cause economic problems, and can harm those around you. Smoking can have many negative impacts regarding your health it can cause bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema. According to the center for disease control and prevention smoking causes 1 in 5 strokes in the United States, Menaning that a person that smokes has a higher risk of having a painful and agonizing death compare to a non-smoker person. Smoking can harm not only you but also those arounfd you. People who smoke in public make choicea for others. for example, when you smoke around a 5 year old tou are basically making a choice for them making them a second hand smoker. Also, when you start suffering smoking consequences you dont do it alone because you family will suffer along with you. In addition, smoking can not only cause health problems but economically as well. A packet of cigarettes cost o8.75 an avarage smoker smokes about 2 packets a day, which will make an average of 3200 to 6400 per year.this money can be used for food and or clothing. Also, because of the health problems that smoking will cause, smokers smokers will have to spend a alot of money on health care. In conclusion, we need to educate our familiar, and friends regarding smoking. Smoking its a very additive habit that will make you nicoti e dependent. Therefore when you try to quit it comes with withdrawal symptoms, to avoid withdrawal symtomps from smoking the best choice is to never start. Smoking will not only damege your health it will also damage you economically, and also thos around you.

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart In this film review Im going to discuss how the Native Indians and white Americans are presented in the film Thunderheart and the stereotypes within the film and in which extent it meets the overall purpose. Thunderheart is about an quarter Native Indian FBI agent called Ray Levoi that wont except his Native Indian background and considers himself to be a white American. However things changed when he was assigned to investigate murders that have taken place in the Badland South Dakota. Purely because of his background he was given this task, Ray wasnt keen on doing the task, his body langue said it all four minutes into the film he was very stiff all the way through the interview, small pauses when I was asked questions as well as denying that he knew his biological father who was half Sioux saying he died when he was a baby. Beside how he felt, to please the white man he thanks him and got on with it. Already made his mind up that these murders were done by the Sioux Indians, he go es to reservation area and looking for the prime suspect Jimmy who he believes is responsible for the murders because Frank Coutelle also an FBI agent who he admires told him so. However series of events that take place Ray starts to doubt that Jimmy is responsible, but Frank sidetracks him and makes him believe that the Native Indian police planed the evidence. The change doesnt come quickly 40 minutes into the movie Ray is still denying his heritage when he was asked by Maggie about his nationality he replied The United States this just shows the audience that he is willing to lie to everyone even to those that already know about it. But at some stage in the course of the story, Ray is freed from his stuck-up attitude to Indian culture with the help of spiritual journey that he experience, made to understand the many problems of the violence torn Indian community and forced to accept his own past (the film is set in the late 1970s). Inspired by real events that have took place on several American Indian reservations during the early 1970s, particularly the Wounded Knee incident in South Dakota. The aim of this film was to create a different version of the Wild West and not the Hollywood type where the American Indians are portrait to be savages, indigence and violent people that arent civilised. This film is trying to get away from that entirely and want to show what the American government has treated native Americans The opening scene of the film shows the Native Indians doing a Pow-wow dance, in the early hours of the morning just as the sun is rising. It is a beautiful setting with a blue sky and a tinted shade of light orange at the bottom of the horizon by the waking sun. This portraits them to be spiritual people that are connected to their culture and that they live a very simple life compare to the way the white Americans live. Pow-wow dance is about renewing thoughts of the old ways and to preserve a rich heritage and also that the community bond stays tight because without that they wont have much left. The Native Indians are shot in medium-close-up given them a sense of power and importance and not the outsider that isnt not part of the American dream. As it gets lighter the camera moves away giving a long shot of the whole ceremony that is surrounded by mounts which shows that they coexist with nature and that over the years nothing has changed in terms of the landscape. However this a lso shows how isolated they really are from the outside world and from the number of people that come to the ceremony it indicates that there arent many Native Indians left because normally large number of people would attend it. As the sun light gets stronger the Native Indian fade way, this is symbolic because it shows that the invasion of the white people happened so fast that feels like the change occurred over night and that the Native American become invisible as if they werent there anymore, just part of the history now. The background music that is played in this scene which consists of Shamanic drums, traditional Native American flute and people singing, is very peaceful, relaxing, makes you feel closer to natural life and gives the audience a flavour of what the native culture is like. Two minutes into the film the Extreme Long Shot, gives the audience the perfect view of the Badlands landscape, which shows that over the years there hasnt been any dramatic change, which in dicates that the Native Indians respect the natural habitat that they live in. In the next shot is depressing and mostly shocking to the audience because that last thing they expected. In this scene a Native Indian man is running from the distance, with windswept hair, clear sky, and the sun giving a warm feel and being in the middle of the screen enhances his beauty even more, giving the audience the impression that he is free as the wind, but the closer he gets you can hear that he is breathing heavily, tired and things arent what they seem. The audience were set to believe that everything was good like that American government tells them and all of sudden they witness someone being shot in cold blood. This just show that the white Americans are ruthless killers that have no remorse to what they are doing and are treating these people like animals, in which makes that white man the hunters and the Native Americans the prey. This shows that even the FBI agents that meant to restore order and peace are the same people that are committing these horrendous crimes . Even the people at the very top believe that the indigenous people dont fit into their society therefore they need to help these people that are caught in the illusion of the past to come to terms of the reality of the present. This just shows that the white man are there to change the indigenous people way of life, culture because they are burdening the image they are trying to sell to the rest of world, which consists of being on the move consistently and that hard labour pays. Indigenous This sense of place helps the movie with its weakest story element, the supposition that because the Kilmer character is a quarter Indian, he will somehow summon up his roots to help him decide between good and evil. An FBI agent at the time this film was shot would probably have had little difficulty in choosing between his roots and the rule book, and the rules would have won. Still, this is a movie, after all, and at the end there is a sense of rightness in the way everything turns out. There is also the sense that we have seen superior acting, especially by Kilmer.

Studying Genetically Altered Mice in Behavioral Genetics :: Behavioral Genetics

The field of behavior genetics is rapidly expanding. The practice of altering genes in mice and observing the effects is very common. Because of this it would be appropriate to adopt specific tests which will demonstrate the behavioral phenotype of the organism. In testing for the effects of genetic alteration it must first be ascertained that all of the necessary genotypes are represented. These include homozygous and heterozygous mice and wild type mice with no genetic alterations as controls. If significant differences are found between male and female mice the two sexes must be evaluated on their own. Care must also be taken in selecting the right strain of mice. This is because it has been found that in the strains that are usually used for testing some behaviors are noted to be aberrant and the unusual behavior in these genes might lead to the misinterpretation of the studied mutation. Different approaches are used in order to make the interpretation of these results more accurate in this sort of genetic background. When evaluating the behavior of genetically altered mice it must be ascertained that the mice don’t show any signs of aberrant behavior which would make further testing difficult or impossible. Indices of general health are obtained by recording the mouse’s weight, temperature, and any abnormal features. Neurological function is then assessed using different types of tests. The mouse is stimulated to see if it reacts normally to various different types of stimuli. Reflexes are measured by seeing how the animal reacts to a moving surface, light, and touch. The mouse is then observed in an area resembling an open field where its movements are recorded. Motor coordination is measure by placing it on a rotating rod and seeing how well it maintains its balance. This is also measures by recording its footprints in ink and measuring their pattern and the distance between them. The hearing ability of mice is also measured. These tests can help demonstrate the behavioral paradigms for the animal that is being studied. In some cases a deficit in motor or neurological function might make it impossible to run any further tests since almost all behavioral tests require certain basic functions such as locomotion. Sometimes the tests will have to be altered in order to effectively study the behavioral phenotype of the mice because of deficits in their functioning.

Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos

tatlong taong walang diyos (three year's without god) The film, set during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines between 1942 and 1944, tells the story of Rosario (Nora Aunor), a young schoolteacher engaged to be married to Crispin (Bembol Roco). Crispin leaves Rosario to fight the Japanese as a guerilla, and in his absence a Japanese-Filipino officer named Masugi (Christopher de Leon) rapes her.Masugi later returns to Rosario apologizing for his act, bearing gifts of canned food and rice which Rosario at first refuses. Matters are complicated when Rosario's father Mang Andoy (Mario Escudero) is arrested by the Japanese and Rosario reveals to Masugi that she is pregnant. Rosario must make a choice: accept Masugi's proposal to make her his wife (saving her father and ensuring a safe and stable life for her child), or reject him and with him the baby they have conceived together. n the form of a blind man lighting a candle for himself and his palsied brother. The blind man careful ly picks up the child, and makes his way out the church just when a procession, complete with hundreds of candles and heavily costumed wooden saints, marches in. The symbolism is somewhat obvious–true faith walks quietly out the door, while pomp and pageantry make a grand, meaningless entrance.But the entire wordless scene is so quietly understated, so beautifully shot and staged–a perfect example of the purest cinema–that it literally takes your breath away. Yes, Crispin, there is a God–only he could have inspired O'Hara to shoot a scene like that. ipinapakita ng gumawa ng pelikulang ito kung gaano kahina ang mga pilipino sa panahon ng kahirapan at pag papahirap ng mga dayuhan sa ating bansa. sinasabi ng pelikulang ito na dapat maniwala lalo tayo sa diyos upang tayo'y matulungan niya sa panahong tayo ay nahihirapan.

“Necessity Is Something in the Mind, Not in Objects”

Hume believed that the common notion of cause and effect is wrong. This conviction on his part stemmed directly from the assumptions he made earlier on when creating his philosophical system. He divided human perception into two: â€Å"impressions† were supposed to be instant, strong feelings or perceptions, whereas â€Å"ideas† are those that have already faded away, leaving us with only a partial knowledge of what we felt.Ideas have their source in impressions; therefore if there exists a rational idea of necessity, it has to come from an earlier impression. Yet no impression coming from our external environment can give us any idea about necessity. Nor can we find it in ourselves, because even if we see our body move a hand, how can we be sure it is us who moves it? As it inevitably turns out, according to Hume, because we have no experience of necessity, it is our mind that creates these connections we are so sure about.It is our habit to look for cause and effect, because that’s the way to easily explain how world functions to ourselves. We are assuming that certain causes will create equal effects as in the past not because we can prove it, but because it has been this way before. A good example of this is how we expect the Sun to rise every morning – using the mathematical method of induction we assume that what has been true in the past, will be true in the future as well.Of course, something might stop the Sun from rising in the morning, so the right thing would be to say that it is highly probable that it will rise, but there is no certainty. We skip all of this, because it’s more convenient, and it lies in human nature to take advantage of it. Of course, Hume does not say, that causality/necessity doesn’t in fact exist, he only points to the fact that we are unable to derive its existence from hard facts and are instead using a very defective method of reasoning.

Are Teenagers Apathetic to the Less Fortunate? Essay

I agree to a large extent that teenagers today are apathetic towards the less-fortunate. To be apathetic means to not care about something and to show no interest in that matter. Likewise, I feel that teenagers do not care and show no interest at all towards the less-fortunate and have an ignorant mind-set and attitude towards that matter. Most teenagers are self-centred, causing them to be apathetic towards the less-fortunate. In this materialistic world, teenagers have developed a very self-centred attitude and only care about themselves. They love themselves more than anything else and do not care about the people around them, yet alone the less-fortunate. A survey conducted amongst teenagers in Sydney, Australia has shown that when ask for a donation to help the less-fortunate, only 20% of the teenagers will donate and those who did donate, only donated small sums of money ranging from some spare change to one or two dollars at most. The teenagers who did not donate any money also admitted that they did not want to give the money away but instead wanted to keep it so that they could use the money to buy something for themselves. In a newspaper article about volunteering to help the less-fortunate, a teenager, Arianna had said â€Å"Why should I give my money away to charity just to help others? Why can’t I just keep the money and help myself?†. Another teenager Gerard has also commented, â€Å"Will I get anything out of donating to these people? Like a medal from the president or my name be pasted on the school’s honour board?†. This shows how self-centred these teenagers are and how they will only do things if it benefits themself and makes themselves look better. These teenagers simply do not care about the less-fortunate and only care about themselves. Teenagers are so busy that they are apathetic towards the less-fortunate. Today, teenagers have so many things to focus on such as studying, exams getting good grades, co-curricular activities and hanging out with friends that they are simply oblivious towards the less-fortunate. Their schedules are so packed and filled with activities the whole week they do not even get enough time to rest and relax by themselves, let alone to care for others that they do not even know personally, such as the less-fortunate. Teenagers these days would much rather spend their time studying or hanging out with friends than to volunteer at a shelter for homeless adults or to tutor less-fortunate children for free. A teenager, Max, quoted in a newspaper article about volunteering to help the less-fortunate, â€Å"Why should I sacrifice my own time just to help these people?†. Schools are not helping out either, placing a larger emphasis on scoring better grades and piling their students with homework as compared to placing an emphasis on community service and encouraging students to go help out. Teenagers in some countries are also not exposed to the less-fortunate, causing them to be apathetic towards the less fortunate. Teenagers in some countries are simply not given enough opportunities to be exposed and to interact with the less-fortunate, living an ignorant life during their years of adolescence. For example, teenagers in some countries such as South Africa, France and the United States of America, are not required to do any community service at all and remain ignorant and have no interest at all towards the less-fortunate. However, there are some countries in which schemes are successfully implemented to raise awareness amongst teenagers about the less fortunate. For example, in Singapore, all students in government secondary schools have to do a mandatory ten hours of Community Involvement Programme (CIP) each year in order to be promoted to the next grade at the end of each year. In this programme, students have to serve the community at large and also help the less-fortunate children and elderly. Students also doing the new International Baccalaureate (IB) programme have to do mandatory community service with the less-fortunate living in their community in order to successfully complete their diploma programme. I think that such schemes should be implemented in all countries as this successfully raises awareness amongst teenagers. In conclusion, I agree to a large extent that teenagers are apathetic towards the less fortunate and I think that this is mainly due to the fact that teenagers these days are self-centred, busy and are simply not exposed enough to the less-fortunate. I do not think that it is entirely the teenagers’ fault that they are so apathetic and ignorant towards the less-fortunate but that it is also partially the fault of the schools and the government. I also feel that teenagers should have more initiative to be more empathetic towards the less-fortunate.