The opening of Pride and Prejudice Essay Example for Free

The opening of Pride and Prejudice Essay How does Jane Austen in the opening of Pride and Prejudice decide the subject and the tone of the novel? How does this prepare the reader for rest of the book? Pride and prejudice is Jane Austen most popular Novel. In this novel Jane Austen has portrayed the book on a real life story and tells us about the initial misunderstanding between Elizabeth and Darcy. Darcy is a handsome, rich man, and full of attitude, this is what Elizabeths point of view is Elizabeth thinks like this of him because he was being very mean and arrogant on their first meeting this can be a misunderstanding, its possible that Mr Darcy will take some time to get along with her or he is acting like this maybe because he is finding the atmosphere very annoying. Mrs Bennet can be the cause of that, because they way she acts show how desperate she is about getting her daughters married and Mr Darcy finds it very annoying. Mr Bringleys sisters husband offers Mr Darcy to dance with many ladies but he refuses to because he doesnt find anyone much attractive, he also refuses to dance with Elizabeth and when says that she, in particular, is not pretty enough for him to ask her to dance. Mrs Bennets daughter Elizabeth heard that, but being a very simple and down to Earth kind of a person she ignored it. The Novel starts with showing how curious and crazy Mrs Bennet is about getting all her daughters married to rich men, which is not good for her daughters future. This way they might find men who are rich but they wont be able to stay happy with them later on in life. On the other hand Mr Bennet being the father of all these girls shows no interest in what Mrs Bennet is up to. He is a very sensible man and is going to let his daughters decide who they want to marry. In the beginning of the novel when Mrs Bennet finds out that Mr Bringley is moving to their neighbourhood she tells Mr Bennet to go meet him so he could get close to the family, (because she wants Mr bringley to see one of her daughters and marry them) but Mr Bennet doesnt want to and shows no interest in this. As the novel moves on we will see that Mrs Bennets pressure is going to cause her daughters to marry guys they wont be happy with, later on in life. They might marry these guys because of their mother wants them to, and because of that they wont stay happy with them. Elizabeth Bennet is a very simple girl and would want to marry someone who is very simple and has no attitude unlike Mr Darcy. She would want a loving and caring husband, but as I see it she might end up marring Mr Darcy because of her mothers pressure on her, or it can be possible that she would herself want to marry Mr Darcy because they both might fall in love and build up good relationship.

Impact Of Variations On Project Performance

Impact Of Variations On Project Performance Given a well-structured schedule of works, the maximum project performance could be achieved if the work progress flows smoothly within the time frame and within the budget. However, it is rare that a project performs according as scheduled due to several reasons such as market conditions changes and Variations on the design drawings or contract. Therefore, the occurrence of Variations has negative impact on project performance. Thomas et al (2002:144) believe that variability generally impedes project performance. Ibbs (1997:308) concluded that Variations have tremendous effect on the project performance as the negatively affect the productivity and cost. Arain Pheng (2005:285) argued that Variations are unwanted but inevitable reality of any construction project. Hanna et al (2002:57) indicated that projects impacted by Variations causes the contractor to achieve lower productivity level than planned. There are 16 effects identified from the literature review, as shown in Figure 1 is discussed bellow. Delay in payment: Delay in payment occurred frequently due to Variations in construction projects (CII, 1990a). Variations may slow down the project progress, leading to delays in achieving the targeted dateline during construction (CII, 1995). Eventually, this may affect payment to the contractors. These delay may causes severe problems until it end up in delays in payment to the subcontractors; this is because the Contractors may not be able to pay the Sub-Contractors unless they get paid by the Employer first. Quality degradation: If occurrence of Variations is frequent, they may affect the quality of works. According to CII (1995), the quality of work was usually poor because of frequent variations because Contractors tended to compensate for the losses by doing short cut works. Productivity degradation: Interruption, delays and redirection of work that are associated with Variations have a negative impact on labour productivity. These in turn can be translated into labour cost or monetary value (Ibbs, 1997b). Hester et al. (1991) argued that the productivity of workers was expected to be greatly affected in cases where they were required to work overtime for prolonged periods to compensate for schedule delays. Thomas and Napolitan (1995) concluded that Variations normally led to disruptions and these disruptions were responsible for labour productivity degradation. The most significant types of disruptions were due to the lack of materials and information as well as the work out of sequence. Lack of material was reported as the most serious disruption, because labours could not continue their works and end up idling while waiting for the materials to be available. Hence, to manage Variations, one needed to manage these disruptions. However, the disruptive e ffects could not be avoided in many instances. Rework and demolition: Rework and demolition are frequent occurrences due to Variations in construction projects (Clough and Sears, 1994). Variations which are imposed when construction is underway or even completed, usually lead to reworks and delays in project completion (CII, 1990a). Rework and demolition are potential effects of Variations in construction, depending on the timing of the occurrence of the Variations. These effects are to be expected due to Variations during the construction phase. This is because the Variations during the design phase do not require any rework or demolition on construction sites. Logistics delays: Logistics delays may occur due to Variations requiring new materials and equipment (Fisk, 1997). Hester et al. (1991) observed that logistics delays were significant effects of Variations in construction projects. Logistics delays were experienced in construction projects where Variations in the construction phase required new materials, tools and equipments. Tarnish firms reputation: Variations are referred to as a major source of construction claims and disputes (Fisk, 1997; Kumaraswamy et al., 1998). The claims and disputes may affect the firms reputation negatively, due to unable to solve sever Variation cases. Variations also increase the possibility of professional disputes. Conventionally, Variations present problems to all the parties involved in the construction process. Poor safety conditions: Variations may affect the safety conditions in construction projects (OBrien, 1998) as changes in construction methods, materials and equipment may require, therefore additional safety measures are needed during carrying out the construction phase. Poor professional relations: A construction project is not a mere brick and mortar brought together. Rather, it creates professional relationships between parties to the contract. Each project successfully completed constitutes an added experience to participants and their reputation builds up. But disputes may arise between parties to the contract owing the occurrence of Variations. Misunderstanding may arise when the Contractor is not satisfied with the judgment of the consultant in terms of a fair valuation of a Variation. Bower (2000:264) argued that parties to a contract have been left to argue over the cost, time effects and due compensation of a Variations. Since the Contractors are pessimist of the outcome of the negotiations, they usually allow higher value than the real cost incurred. Bower (2000:264) opined that this causes the contention between parties as the Contractor continually push the client to settle the claim for additional costs while invariably feeling that the reimbursement has been insufficient. As a consequence, this can be very damaging to relationship between all parties representatives (Bower 2000:264). Charoenngam et al (2003:197) remarked that disputes between the Employer and the Contractor can occur if the Variations undertaking is not managed carefully. Harbans (2003:42) warned that unless a mutually acceptable solution is agreed by the parties, valuation of Variations would remain at the forefront of disputes and claims making their way ultimately to arbitral tribunals or the corridors of justice. Ssegawa (2002:92) revealed that more than one-third of disputes occurs pertain to how to ascertain losses arising from Variations. The excessive occurrence of Variations due to design errors or omission may undermine the professionalism of the designer. Furthermore, workers get demoralised when they demolish a portion of work that has already been done. Additional payments for contractor: Additional payments for the contractor can be a potential effect of Variations in construction projects. Variations are considered to be a common source of additional works for the Contractor (OBrien, 1998). Due to additional payments, the Contractor looks forward to Variations in the construction project because contractor benefits from the additional profit on Variations. Disputes among professionals: Like poor professional relations, disputes among professionals are also potential effects of frequent variations in construction projects. The disputes over Variations and claims are inevitable and the Variation clauses are often the source of project disputes (CII, 1986a). Clear procedures presented in the contract and fair allocation of risks can help in resolving disputes through negotiation rather than litigation (CII, 1986a). Frequent communication and strong coordination can assist in eliminating the disputes between professionals. Completion schedule delay: Various authors agree that Variations could be one of the reasons behind project time overruns or delays (Chan Yeong 1995:467, Mohamed 2001:1). It is said that a project that finished within the shortest time could, achieves some monetary savings. Unfortunately, each additional day due to occurrence of Variations on a project implies additional money. Variations issued during any various phases of construction gives negative affected to both projects completion time and cost increase (Koushki 2005:292). Hanna et al (2002:63) revealed that the more the Variations occurrence the more significant productivity losses. The productivity is the amount of output over a unit of time.

Workplace Bullying and Victimisation on Productivity Impact

Workplace Bullying and Victimisation on Productivity Impact TASK 1: BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO FORMULATE A RESEARCH SPECIFICATION Evaluating how workplace bullying and victimisation can affect productivity. Introduction Any effective and successful business understands the importance of productivity in the workplace. Being productive can help the firm increase and utilize the capacity of the human resources it has. Most productive companies have happy and healthy employees, which are the basis of a successful organization. Customer Benefit Productivity in the workplace will often translate into good customer service and interaction. This total client experience is the key to satisfying customers and clients, and almost all highly productive companies use this to gain customer loyalty. When a customer is loyal to your business, they will share their experience with others, which is a marketing advantage coming out of high levels of productivity. The Company The employees themselves are an investment, and like any investment, they should yield a healthy or worthwhile return to the company. Therefore, when employees are highly productive the company achieves its goals of investing in them in the first place. Productivity also helps to motivate the workplace culture and boost morale, producing an even better company environment. The Work Force More often than not, when a firm is highly productive, it eventually becomes successful, and because of this, incentives are bound to be made available to the employees. These include pay raises, bonuses, medical insurance and so on. This will also motivate employees and gives them more job opportunities as the company grows. Productivity in the workplace is an important aspect of every company and when top management understands this concept, success is just around the corner. However, if your company doesnt give you the incentive to increase productivity, you may want to start looking for another job because the lifeblood of your company is running out. I have chosen this research proposal because I have heard of cases of bullying at work and it also happened to me in one of my previous roles. I believe its a topic that can be viewed from different perspectives and I have tried to tackle it as best as I could. In order for me to understand this research I will be using different methods of evidence of primary research conducted by using the questionnaire methodology and including secondary data that will be derived from literature and other sources related to bullying and victimisation. This research will be conducted in the Private sector specifically in the IT field. Literature review Various literatures support the belief that bullying falls into one of four forms of behaviour: verbal, non-verbal, physical and subtle. Townend (2008) examined each of these to identify how they are reflected in practice. In relation to verbal behaviours, the author reported that bullying would often occur through the aggressor/bully making unpleasant, sarcastic comments, with the intention of humiliating the individual.The strongest verbal bullying behaviour refers to the deliberate andrepetitive exclusion of an individual from conversation; for example, asking all members in a team meeting for a contribution, except for the targeted individual. Non-verbal bullying behaviours were reported to be initiated through factors such as the avoidance of eye contact. Technological advancements have significantly impacted upon non-verbal bullying, with the potential to use emails, text messages and social networking websites as a means of distributing abusive messages, and further excluding individuals. Physical bullying is fairly obvious, with the behaviour often involving physical violence, such as striking the victim, or d amaging their property. Regarding subtle bullying behaviours, Samnani (2013) defined these behaviours as negative acts which are not immediately obvious, but undermine the individual. This is often the most popular choice of bullying behaviour, with actions being open to interpretation, making it difficult to detect from a neutral perspective. Subtle bullying behaviours include actions such as withholding important information, persistent criticism, excessive supervision, being assigned menial tasks, excessive workloads, gossiping and insults (Samnani, 2013); actions which through not being immediately obvious, may not always be perceived by victims as bullying. In defining workplace bullying, Einarsen et al (2011: 22) put forward the definition that bullying at work revolves around harassing, offending, socially excluding someone or negatively affecting someones work. In order for the label of bullying to be applied to a particular activity, interaction or process it has to occur repeatedly and regularly over a period of time. Bullying is an escalated process in the course of which the person confronted ends up in an inferior position and becomes the target of systematic negative social acts. Elaborating upon this, it is important to differentiate workplace bullying from workplace violence. The former is primarily psychological and persistent, whilst the latter is primarily physical and irregular (Cooper-Thomas et al, 2013). Your literature review has to incorporate both literature of the importance of productivity in a work setting and the effects of bullying and victimisation. Purpose of the research This aim of this research is to examine workplace bullying from a theoretical perspective; providing an insight into the prevalence of workplace bullying and how it might affect staff and productivity and the implications and suggest effective ways organisations could use to tackle this phenomenon. The objectives that will be used to achieve that are as follow; To assesses gender differences and ethnicity in a given work place To identify perceptions of work bullying and victimisation To analyse implications of work bullying and victimisation To determine the response of organisations in cases of bullying. Rationale of the research: In determining the extent to which workplace bullying can detrimentally impact an organisation, appropriate response is required. It is reported in the United Kingdom, that approximately only 80% of organisations have anti-bullying policies in place (Harrington et al, 2013); thus, suggesting there is still a sizeable population allowing the issue to go uncompromised. This is not the case for all organisations, with data suggesting workplace bullying costs upwards of  £2 million a year, and 18 million in lost working days, organisations understand the need for action (CIPD, 2006). Bullying is typically a problem faced by Human Resource departments (HRM), and thus it is their role to be at the forefront, introducing eradicative methods. Khan and Khan (2012) proposed four key strategies that HR departments can implement in attempting to manage workplace bullying; education and training, corporate responsibility, possession of the right machinery and support. The collaboration of these four items, form an organisations anti-bullying policy. Scope and limitations I believe my research project is suitable for all employees and employers out there who deal with such situations where work bullying and victimization may occur. By reviewing some of the literature available online and the questionnaire I have put together to see some real views from individuals who have experienced bullying a work, I hope to raise more awareness of this phenomenon prevalence. I expect this research to take up to 1 month in order to get the best of the resources that need to be analyzed and acknowledged for optimal results. As a disadvantage, I would mention that if I would have more time to look into more cases of bullying I may get more results that would add help in enhancing my research. Ethical implications The implications and ethical issues involved in my research affects safety, engagement, productivity, trust, and the workplace culture. It poses the question to leaders, just how important is a healthy work culture to business and long-term success. Research methodology The method of primary research utilised a questionnaire methodology. However, emphasis was placed on asking open-ended questions, so to attain qualitative data. This focus was assigned, as I sought to obtain in-depth responses, outlining individual exposure to bullying. The sources used for this research project include: questionnaires, books and internet pages. ADD QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE INFO. (DATA USED) ADD WEBSITE USED Evidence research proposal Word count: 800/1000 words TASK 1 part 2: Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification (AC1.5); Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification Here, you need to set an action plan using the key objectives(see above) and your research methodology (e.g design questionnaire, do a survey, gather secondary information, arrange interview etc) of your research question of hypothesis. Research objective By when Resources to be used (2.1) Milestones (when do you know this objective is achieved) Review dates (which is after the by when to ensure that you have actually achieve the objective ) How will you monitor this objective is being achieved? method of monitoring To assesses gender differences and ethnicity in a given work place 25/12/2016 Books, internet information 25/01/2017 03/02/2017 To ensure that I have met my target To identify perceptions of work bullying and victimisation 25/12/2016 Books, internet information 25/01/2017 03/02/2017 To ensure that I have met my target To analyse implications of work bullying and victimisation 25/12/2016 Books, internet information 25/01/2017 03/02/2017 To ensure that I have met my target To determine the response of organisations in cases of bullying. 25/12/2016 Books, internet information 25/01/2017 03/02/2017 To ensure that I have met my target TASK 2: BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE RESEARCH PROJECT WITHIN AGREED PROCEDURES AND TO SPECIFICATION 2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification and procedures. Primary data collection The primary research revolved around the adoption of a questionnaire methodology. The purpose behind this research was to provide and source first-hand accounts from individuals that have been exposed to incidents of workplace bullying. Questions were formed with consideration being allocated to the items highlighted in the literature review. These included questions referencing how the respondent was bullied, by whom, whether it impacted upon their intention to leave the organisation, the short-term and long-term implications, and how the individual structured their response. Qualitative data was selected and in turn open ended questions posed, providing contexts, like one-to-one interviewing, that allow a participant to express their beliefs, assumptions, desires and understandings (Horn, 2012, p103). The questionnaire was created using the Likert scale. This method was used instead of alternative methods, such as face-to-face interviews, as according to Dayan et al (2009) when responding to sensitive questions, methodologies that reduce the level of question administration by human interviewers, such as online questionnaires, increase responses to sensitive personal questions and yield more honest, candid answers. This belief is formalised as researchers suggest that without the presence of an interviewer, online questionnaires are able to attain higher levels of personal disclosure and reductions in responses being affected by social desirability. Online questionnaires also allow respondents to remain anonymous. This is critical in two ways; firstly people are more willing to theoretically open up and disclose information if they feel free from further repercussions, and secondly, anonymity has been proven to reduce social anxiety and social durability when divulging information . For this methodology, the author elected to adopt a self-selective sample. This was selected as the author wanted to obtain responses from individuals that met the specific criteria of having experienced exposure to bullying first-hand, but in doing so placed no pressure on individuals to participate and divulge information. Although this is not high, emphasis was placed on quality rather than quantity. Please be more specific as to what you intend to prove Advantages and disadvantages of the methodology used Although this research question addresses an important topic of discussion in literature, there are a number of limitations and benefits that can be associated towards the chosen methodology. As mentioned the method used is questionnaires, with open ended questions. In evaluating these, the methodologies will be discussed separately. Regarding the questionnaire, it can be recognised that this methodology is faced with the limitation of only having obtained a very small sample size in the form of n=4. The problem this inflicts in respect to the relevance of the data is that through the attainment of such a small sample, it raises questions regarding the generalisability of the results. Although the author hoped that this would not be the case, through the research conducted having very specific and sensitive criteria, in the form of having been bullied and willing to disclose their account, the author acknowledged that the potentiality of an undergraduate finding and sourcing willing respondents would be slim. As such, in an attempt to counter this and make the most of the sample size obtained, the author sought to compensate the limitation through ensuring the responses were in-depth. The intention was to ask a magnitude of questions, which would result in the attainment of individual detailed accounts, addressin g the various elements highlighted and discussed in the literature review. However, the rich data yielded by this small sample group offered important insights into the effects of bullying in the immediate and longer term, that now warrant further investigation through wider sampling. The benefits attached to this methodology, refer to the provision of sensitive and personal data. Dayan et al (2009) stated that online questionnaires have the strength of obtaining honest answers, as through the removal of question administration by human interviewers, participants are made to feel more comfortable in the relative anonymous environment of the internet. This in turn yields greater detailed and candid answers as participants feel comfortable and free from judgement; although the danger associated with online participation runs the risk of whether the information disclosed is indeed factual, or ultimately a positive contribution towards the discussion. Secondary data used- sources from online website Advantage and disadvantages of the methodology used 2.3 Record and collate relevant data where appropriate. DEFINE ANOVA AND EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF USING IT. ANOVA One-way completely randomized       Workplace bullying Male Male Female Female 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 5 4 4 4 4 6 4 4 4 4 7 1 1 1 1 8 2 2 2 2 9 1 1 1 1 10 2 2 2 2 n 10 10 10 10 X 2.300 2.300 2.200 2.300 s 1.252 1.252 1.317 1.337 Xave 2.275 source df SS MS F P-value treatments 3 0.075 0.025 0.0150 0.9974 error 36 59.900 1.664 total 39 59.975 INTERPRET THE DATA AND WHAT YOU THINK OF THE DATA ANALYSIS MEHTOD USED-ANOVA! 2.Advantages and disadvantages you found for the data analysis methods? Points to be considered forData analysis and interpretation (you can use at least 2 for advantage and 2 for disadvantage); qualitative and quantitative data analysis interpreting transcripts; coding techniques; specialist software; statistical tables; comparison of variable; trends; forecasting. Evidence: record and completed evidence of data collected Although this research question addresses an important topic of discussion in literature, there are a number of limitations and benefits that can be associated towards the chosen methodology. As mentioned the method used is questionnaire, including open ended questions. In evaluating these, the methodologies will be discussed separately. In reference to the questionnaire, it can be recognised that this methodology is faced with the limitation of only having obtained a very small sample size in the form of n=4. The problem this inflicts in respect to the relevance of the data is that through the attainment of such a small sample, it raises questions regarding the generalizability of the results. Although I hoped that this would not be the case, through the research conducted having very specific and sensitive criteria, in the form of having been bullied and willing to disclose their account, I acknowledged that the potentiality of an undergraduate finding and sourcing willing respondents would be slim. The intention was to ask a magnitude of questions, which would result in the attainment of individual detailed accounts, addressing the various elements highlighted and discussed in the literature review. However, the rich data yielded by this small sample group offered important insights into the effects of bullying in the immediate and longer term, that now warrant further investigation through wider sampling. The benefits attached to this methodology, refer to the provision of sensitive and personal data. Dayan et al (2009) stated that online questionnaires have the strength of obtaining honest answers, as through the removal of question administration by human interviewers, participants are made to feel more comfortable in the relative anonymous environment of the internet. This in turn yields greater detailed and candid answers as participants feel comfortable and free from judgement; although the danger associated with online participation runs the risk of whether the information disclosed is indeed factual, or ultimately a positive contribution towards the discussion. D3 Justify the choice of data collection methods used for 2.3. Why did you use the collection methods that you chose? Evidence: report. TASK 3: Be able to evaluate the research outcomes 3.1 Use appropriate research evaluation techniques. How was the project planning? Explain how you met your aims and objectives from the proposal by stating each objective and explain on how you met this (please link to useful research). What were your research methods effective? How valid and reliable were you findings? e.g. successes and failure What are the benefits of your research results? linked to the usefulness of the research. What were the difficulties you encountered? e.g. people not willing to talk, time consuming, working on excel , not enough literature review, not experienced with regards to research. Discuss about methods of data analysis used and why? Please add conclusion. Evidence: a report on how you used the research evaluation techniques. Please demonstrate the use of the techniques with the aid of statistical or any other relevant tools. Please make sure that you are linking the above to your research. The purpose of this research has been to examine the prevalence of workplace bullying, whilst addressing the experiences of how people responded to their personal experiences of workplace bullying. 1. Prevalence Considering the data obtained in evidence the questionnaire, it can be identified that of the population surveyed were classified as exhibiting bullying behaviour; owing to their responses, whilst some were classified as exhibiting victim behaviour. Referring back to literature findings regarding prevalence rates, similarities can be recognised with the study conducted by Einarsen et al (2011), where empirical evidence suggested that around 5-10% of the European population had at some point been a victim of workplace bullying. Although, the actual rates differ to an extent, they do not drastically juxtapose; supporting the overwhelming theme that workplace bullying remains a continuous and prominent issue in organisational culture. This is further supported through the basic comprehension of the questionnaire, with the four participants each accounting for how the bullying they had experienced had taken place, and the factors that facilitated its continuation. In seeking to generalis e these findings however, difficulties would be faced as no unilaterally agreed prevalence rates could be established. The only conclusion that could be formalised was that the issue remained a threat to both individuals and organisations. 2. Prosocial Recognition regarding the prominence of these behaviours brought into focus the hypotheses, particularly hypothesis one; that a negative relationship existed between the variables of prosocial behaviour and bullying behaviour. In relation to the response obtained from the questionnaire and the subsequent ANOVA analysis, it could be identified that this hypothesis was proven, with the relational significance being obtained. Comprehension of this analysis, in reference to the research question, would seem to suggest that the adoption and implementation of prosocial behaviour directly correlates with a reduction in bullying behaviour. Based upon this finding, it can be suggested that the creation of a culture that promotes prosocial behaviour would be an intellectual move, and one that would be likely to obtain success in diminishing the incidence and effects of workplace bullying. Relating these findings to the literature review, it can be met with support, with Griese (2013) speaking of it as possessing the potential to be utilised as a resilience tactic. By this, the author suggested that prosocial behaviour would reduce incidence of bullying, as the aim is to assist others and to attain social needs; something that would be severely hampered by acts of bullying. In respect to what has been identified thus far, the statistical evidence would seem to support the suggestion, as it shows firstly that bullying remains a predominant issue, and secondly the importance prosocial behaviours can play in eliminating workplace bullying. In applying these findings to the questionnaire, it can be acknowledged that the evidence gathered from the qualitative data supports the creation of a prosocial culture. The interviews conducted with participants via questionnaires, for example, highlighted that in many cases, failure to create prosocial behaviours and positive leadership from management was instrumental in allowing bullying to occur, and in some cases actually led to it being instigated by those in management. This in turn had an effect upon other people within the organisation, with bullying escalating from one-on-one to the creation of a climate of bullying where people felt compromised in their position. The perceived vulnerability that this inflicted upon workers, and in particular victims, reduced their ability to report their experience, as the appearance of bullying as an organisational wide issue resulted in the feeling that their claims would not be listened to; suggesting either nothing would change, or t he risk that the issue would potentially even intensify. This has important implications for both the organisation and management, with the recognisableneed for training to be put into place, setting behavioural boundaries and guidelines that promote the implementation of prosocial behaviour as a form of organisational strategy. The adoption of such training would have to extend itself towards raising awareness amongst workers, regarding the mechanisms available to them to report any grievances. This would be an integral component of the training programme, as in both the literature review and qualitative questionnaire, the findings outline a common perception held by victims, that there is either a sense of non-existent, or limited knowledge of the mechanisms available. Referring to the implications identified, in particular the need for training programmes to promote prosocial behaviour and counter the wider spectrum of workplace bullying, Branch et al (2012) expanded upon existing literature to provide support. The authors (2012) claimed organizational training designed to educate employees about bullying behaviours, the nature of its influence and equipping them with skills to address incidence of bullying, had been found to incur long-term, positive benefits, with improvements in attitudes, knowledge and behaviour. In particular, emphasis would be placed on equality training amongst management. This is important as reflection of the qualitative data highlighted that participant one had been victimised whilst on pregnancy leave, with a job offer being sent by management as a subtle technique of pushing her towards the exit. Equality of opportunity would not do this, but it does depict the necessity for organisations as a whole to create a culture, whereby managers are not capable of displaying such negative acts. What the collaboration of the data shows is that whilst it does occur, it is important the organisation itself implements training for managers, to create a line to be answered by management/organisation. The creation and implementation of the prosocial culture will helporganisations raise awareness and possess knowledge regarding how workplace bullying takes place, so that it can be identified efficiently and appropriately handled if an incident were to occur. Further support for the creation of a prosocial culture originates from the qualitative data. Participants claimed during their negative experiences, other employees had approached them and shared that they had noticed what was going on, but did nothing about it out of fear of being personally targeted. This outlines the importance for the creation of a prosocial culture, as the concept of looking out for the well-being of others and promoting positive behaviour would enable employees to acknowledge the sense of duty to report any acts which pose a threat to the elected culture. 3. Reporting and Long-term effects Examination of the qualitative data identified that none of the four participants reported their experience, citing that neither felt comfortable doing so. The participants highlighted the cause for this as being a lack

Media’s Sexualization of Children :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

  Ã‚  Ã‚   One very disturbing trend in fashion, advertising, and particularly recently in the music industry is the sexualization of children, especially girls. They are constantly portrayed as sexual caricatures of adults. In some cases, young children are portrayed scanty-clad. In yet others, they are wearing such outfits and mimicking sexual poses. In other cases, a teenager or young adult is dressed in a way to make her appear younger. She may be wearing a cheerleader uniform, a school-girl uniform, she may be posing clutching a stuffed animal, or with dolls, etc. and she is often posed in a sexual fashion. Britney Spears is the most notable example of this. The then seventeen-year-old donned a little school girl uniform complete with pigtails for her "Baby One More Time" video. However, that uniform blouse was tied up to reveal her mid-drift and her skirt was cut short. There are a wide variety of pictures of Britney Spears available, particularly on the web. It's quite disturbing to flip through these pictures and see one of Miss Spears standing next to a school bus smiling sweetly, then one of her in a tiny cheerleader outfit lying provocatively in the bed of a truck, and then one of her tearing her clothes off. Her early photographs painted her as "the girl next door" type. Even the cover to her first album was a picture of her completely clothed and smiling sweetly. Her photographs and videos then captured her as a school girl "sex kitten", making her appear younger, yet sexualizing her image with tiny tops and skirts.    Our popular culture and our modern society seem to be speeding up the sexualization of young girls. We have a problem in our culture and her name is Britney Spears. When I say "Britney Spears" I mean, of course, all her clones as well, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, Jessica Simpson, etc. All of these girls are either under or hover very close to the age of consent... These girls are marketed specifically to preteen girls and they are not singing about sugar and spice; they are singing about sex. "Give it to me / I'm so addicted to the loving that you're feeding me / Ohhh / Can't do without it, this feeling's got me weak in the knees/ Oh, baby / Body's in withdrawal every time you take it away/ Ohhh/." (Kleinheider)

Organic Biofumigants Essay -- Agriculture Biology Farming Farm Essays

Organic Biofumigants In recent years, production of many crops has become inhibited by taking several herbicides and pesticides off the market. If a producer wishes to be in organic production, this is even further inhibited by products useable to stay within organic guidelines. Biofumigants are basically any product used to control pests and competing weed species within a crop. This has become a hurdle for many producers due to labeling issues as well as the desire to keep the crops and their land feasible for â€Å"organic† production. There has been a great deal of research and discoveries pertaining to alternative methods of controlling the crop inhibitors (weeds and pests) in a more organic matter. Organic biofumigants have become one of the most feasible options for carrying out this daunting task. A big problem that today’s producers face is the control of nematode populations. Certain crop rotation systems may greatly increase the control a producer has over these problems. There are several crops that can be implemented into a rotation that can perform several tasks including: bio-fuel production and the control of pests and weeds organically. According to Klein et al. (2006), glucosinolates are natural products that when degraded in a soil can have profound impacts on the defense of insects and fungi invading a crop. Many of the crops that contain glucosinolates are in the Brassicaceae family. One of the most popular cover crops for the purpose of releasing glucosinolates is mustard and its different varieties. Mustard can be planted as a cover crop before several different crops. The crops that we found to benefit the most from this type of system were tap-root crops such as potatoes and sugar beets. ... ... Mohammad , Akhtar, Abdul Malik. "Roles of organic soil amendments and soil organisms in the biological control of plant-parasitic nematodes: a review ." Bioresource Technology Volume 74. Issue 1.August 2000 Pages 35-47 . 03/27/07 5&_user=2532480&_coverDate=08%2F31% 2F2000&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000057783&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=2532480&md5=0f8465d8d83ce62f9ccf3fa585e54c76>. Zasada, I.A. and Ferris, H.. "Nematode suppression with brassicaceous amendments: application." Department of Nematology, University of California 18 February 2003 3/27/07 . Wilson, D. â€Å"Lecture: Mutualism.† Given 28 March 2007. University of Wyoming Department of Agriculture.

Early School Leavers Essay

Why do student dropout of school? Do you know why students drop out of school? Nowadays students usually drop out of school, to get a career. More than before job seekers are looking for people who have finished high school (at least). The fact that students drop out of school is caused for different reasons. There are three main causes why students drop out of school: they can’t afford tuition, they prefer to work, and they fail the course. Family problems are one cause. If parents are divorced, no-one may be taking responsibility for the child. If parents are uneducated, there may be little encouragement to do homework or to stay in school. Financial factors are also important. Some students want to work in order to support their families. In contrast, others may have family businesses and not see any benefit in obtaining a high school certificates. Perhaps the main reason why students drop out is for academic reasons. For many students, school is stifling and boring. The curriculum does not challenge them or grab their attention and they are unable to be creative. Others have learning difficulties that need specialist help. New Zealand has the second-worst drop-out rate in the developed world. It shows that 26. 9 per cent of New Zealanders aged 15 to 19 are not in education. More than a quarter of Kiwi teenagers quit school early. Many students fail to complete their basic schooling. This can cause serious problems for the individual, their families and the country. In this opinion, I will examine the reasons why students leave school early, and suggest some possible solutions. I both agree and disagree with the reasons presented here. The paper said one of the main reasons is that students drop out because they PERCEIVE that classes are boring. The truth is that many classes ARE extremely dull, due to poor lesson-planning and unmotivated, apathetic teachers. Demonizing the students’ perception of the classes is nothing more than a tactful yet deceptive approach at the internal shortcomings of the educational bureaucracy. Instead of engaging work and active intellectual discussion/debate, students are forced to jump through the hoops of pointless busy work and futile self-help/self-awareness assignments such as this one. Student disinterest and apathy are products of a stagnant and stifling environment. Dropout rates, I personally believe, would be exponentially lowered if educators took a less bureaucratic approach at student achievement. You can’t have a successful one size fits all plan that will actually end up working. The theories of Dr. Howard Gardner attest to this by outlining the many different ways that people can think. Standards written by left-brain officials cannot work for predominantly right-brain students. For years in this school system my creativity and viewpoints have improve in some classes, but for the most part have been stifled by teachers not willing to either put forth the effort necessary to facilitate such individuality or that are simply opposed to any unorthodox thinking or changes in practice. In an environment where the students are not the â€Å"customers† and when individuality is squelched in the name of following senseless, regimented practices, the students are done a great disservice. I am committed to graduate ONLY because I know that I must do so to get anywhere in life. I am frustrated, dissatisfied, and stifled by MANY of the practices employed in many classes I have this year and have had in the past within the school system. Many who read what I have written here will look down on my views, because they will [see] them as â€Å"rocking the boat,† something that I believe it is safe to say is frowned upon here as a general rule. There is a quote by John Locke that says, â€Å"New opinions are always suspected and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not common. There is such logic in this and the sad thing is that my ideas (in this respect) are neither new nor radical, only despised because they require energetic commitment to be put into practice. It saddens me deeply that the school boasts of a forward-thinking, cutting-edge, technologically-cantered, example-setting school system, when in reality these claims are only partially true. Money is NOT the issue. I am so fed up with the excuse of lack of funding bein g used to excuse time-wasting, needless activities! An engaging, entertaining, worthwhile class can be executed with nothing more than a committed instructor and engaged students . I am not referring to some ideal, yet non-existent classroom setting. My PHYSICS class this year has been absolutely enthralling EVEN THOUGH some of the required, yet frustrating practices have been implemented in her class on a regular basis. At the end of the day, those who come to school with a genuine DESIRE to take something away from the experience do so; and those who have no drive do not do so, REGARDLESSS of the implementation of the practices put into place in hopes of improving student achievement. The problem with these types of measures is that they focus solely on boosting TEST SCORES. THIS IS NOT THE PROPER APPROACH! (Standardized tests are 9 times out of 10 are a very poor representation of student UNDERSTANDING. Simple memorization is not adequate education! I can memorize scores of random information and then ace a test over it, but all that proves is that I have a good memory. Memory is of importance, there is no doubt of this, but equally, it is NOT the main goal. A deep understanding of the material is vastly more instrumental in the students gaining REAL-WORLD understanding. It is no wonder to me why so many graduates/dropouts here go into construction/metalworking, etc. These are the only classes many individuals find worthwhile because they are the few classes offered that provide hands-on experience that guarantee understanding through practice, not simple words. I guarantee you I can read an instructional book on how to do just about ANYTHING, and then write extensively on how to do it, but that writing is no proof whatsoever that I actually understand how to perform said task or that I am physically capable of doing the activity in a real-world setting. I have a lot more that I could say but basically all I’m trying to get across is that the entire focus in this school is wrong and that is one of the main reasons for teenage dropouts here. As can be seen, there is no one solution to the problem of school drop-outs. Educational authorities, parents and schools need to work closely together to find the reason for each student’s decision to leave school, and to try to do as much as possible to encourage them to stay in the system.

IQ tests and the IQ scores

Most IQ tests and the IQ scores that come from them are based on the belief that intelligence is an objective quality that can be measured and ranked along with other objective personal qualities such as height or weight. In reality, society's perception of individual intelligence is highly subjective and may be affected by culture, environment, and other factors. Traits that make a person look like a genius in one context may be of very little value in another context. Ways of thinking that are totally inappropriate in one setting may be very valuable in another. Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences recognizes that there are many different ways in which a person may demonstrate intelligence (Gardner, 1999).IQ tests that   are based on the theory of multiple intelligences do not simply measure how intelligent a person may be, but instead try to find out how a person is intelligent. It is important that parents, teachers, and psychologists recognize that there are many differe nt ways in which a person may demonstrate intelligence so they can help students reach their full potential. To encourage this, psychology should adopt a theory of multiple intelligences.Western culture places a high value on a student's ability to read and the ability to do math. Students who perform well in these areas are considered to be more intelligent than are students who have less developed verbal or mathematical skills. Traditional IQ scores also emphasize a person's verbal and mathematical skills. In fact, almost all of the tests that a student takes during his or her academic career will be affected by the student's ability to read.   Students who cannot read well are at a severe disadvantage when they take an IQ test or any other type of a test, even if the test is supposed to be measuring something other than the student's ability to read. Reading and math are important because our culture and the jobs that it has created are based on reading and math.However, in a c ulture that was based on hunting, the ability to read and do math would be much less important than the ability to hunt for food. A person in a hunting culture could have a very high verbal score, but he would still starve to death unless he could hunt. A person with a high mathematical aptitude but no social skills would not be very successful in a culture that placed a greater value on the individual's ability to get along with other people. Depending on how much value the culture placed on social skills and how little value the culture placed on math, this individual might not be able to find a job or do much of anything else unless he could develop some type of social skills.Gardner recognized that although reading and the ability to do math are important, they are not the only forms of intelligence that a person may possess. Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences is not designed to determine how intelligent a person might be, but in what ways a person is intelligent. Teache rs who believe in the theory of multiple intelligence would not be as interested in measuring how much the student knows as they would be in determining how the student has learned what he or she knows.While traditional IQ tests only recognize two types of intelligence, verbal and mathematical, Gardner identified eight types of intelligence. Gardner's list of intelligences includes the traditional verbal and mathematical intelligences and adds spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, and naturalist intelligence. Gardner also recognized that there may be other types of intelligence that have not yet been identified but that may be used by some people and in some cultures (Gardner, 1999, p. 47).People who value verbal skills, mathematical ability, and the ability to use traditional logic – in other words, people who place a high value on traditional IQ scores – may not agree with Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Critics of multiple intelligence theory may argue that it is wrong to call a student's athletic ability or musical talent a type of intelligence. These critics may say that the theory of multiple intelligence is just another way to help bad students to feel better about themselves.While people who do not believe in multiple intelligence theory may recognize that a student may have highly developed skills in areas like music or athletics, they would probably say that these other skills are somehow less important and less valuable than verbal and math skills, which are the only true measures of IQ.   This belief could create a problem in English classes and math classes, where the teachers tend to have high verbal skills and high math skills and are looking for the same types of intelligence in their students.Gardner also stated that intelligences could overlap one another. For example, a student might have high musical intelligence and a high verbal intelligence. This type of person might become a songwriter. Another student, like a basketball player who can instantly compute the exact trajectory that is needed to make a basket, might have high athletic intelligence and high math intelligence. Business executives or politicians might have high verbal scores along with high interpersonal or social skills. Gardner believed that people could have multiple intelligences that they could call on when necessary, depending on the situation.Gardner is not the only person to recognize that there are other types of intelligence besides verbal skill and mathematical ability. Daniel Goleman developed a theory of emotional intelligence, or EQ. Goleman originally claimed that EQ was more important than IQ. More recently, Goleman acknowledged that both EQ and IQ are important and that there may be some situations in which a person's verbal, math, and logic skills may be more valuable than the ability to read and understand emotions (Goleman, 2008).Goleman's recognition that EQ may not be as important as IQ in some situations does not take away from the credibility or the importance of EQ. He still emphasizes that EQ is important for jobs that require leadership skills and other social interactions. In fact, if Goleman had stubbornly insisted that EQ was the most important characteristic, then he would have been guilty of having the same attitude that the developers of the IQ test had when they insisted that there was only one way to measure human intelligence.By recognizing that EQ is only one of several factors that might contribute to a person's success, Goleman actually makes his theory more credible. The recognition that EQ and IQ often work together also confirms what Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences said about people drawing on the type of intelligence that was necessary for a specific situation.Abraham Maslow said, â€Å"When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem begins to resemb le a nail† (â€Å"Maslow's Hammer†). For decades, the traditional IQ test of verbal and mathematical ability was the only tool that psychologists and teachers had to measure student intelligence. Consequently, IQ became strongly associated with verbal and mathematical ability. However, Gardner, Goleman, and everyday observations of how people think and learn prove that IQ is more than that.Teachers who recognize these multiple intelligences can do a better job of preparing lessons that are more consistent with how their students learn. At the same time, students who are able to identify how they learn and how they think can use that knowledge to learn new material in ways that they can remember and apply to other situations.Schools and teachers that insist that there is only one or two types of intelligence and that students who do not perform well in those areas must not be very intelligent will be less successful as they try to educate their students. It is possible, for example, that special education classes are not full of students who are disabled, but are instead full of students who have been mislabeled by a system that refuses to recognize other types of intelligence. That would be a tragedy. To prevent this type of mislabeling, psychology and education should adopt a theory of multiple intelligences.References Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: Basic Books. Retrieved April 22, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/read/91465967Goleman, D. (2008). When Emotional Intelligence Does Not Matter More Than IQ. Emotional intelligence, Social and emotional learning. (March 24th, 2008). Retrieved April 22, 2008â€Å"Maslow's Hammer†. (2005). Online. Retrieved April 22, 2008, from http://www.abraham-maslow.com/m_motivation/Maslows_Hammer.asp