Article Report Example

Article Report Example Article Report – Book Report/Review Example Article Report: Mate-Choice Copying in Japanese Quail Coturnix coturnix japonica is a type of species among the Japanese quails. To determine the criteria that significantly affect how female Japanese quails are searching for their mate, the authors hypothesized that â€Å"female birds copy one another’s choices of males† (Galef & White, 1998: 545). To initiate breeding condition of female quails, the researchers placed them inside a stainless-steel cage for a maximum of 30 days. To initiate breeding condition among the male quails, the researcher purposedly placed the male quails with the females under breeding condition. On a daily basis, each male quail was paired with a couple of randomly selected female quails until the male quail would mount the two females for two weeks. To find out whether or not the authors’ hypothesis is acceptable or not, the researchers conducted a series of experiments using 10 male and 10 female Japanese quail that was taken from a commercial breeder in Ontario. The first experiment examines the female choices on male quails. The second experiment examines whether watching mating changes females’ criteria in choosing male. The third experiment examines how female quail chooses their male counterparts. The last experiment aims to monitor changes in female perception on male quails or male behavior.The authors confirmed that the researchers’ hypothesis which suggests the idea that â€Å"female birds copy one another’s choices of males† is acceptable. Based on the research study result, female quails that were given the opportunity to watch their non-preferred male spent significantly more time together with the male quail during post-tests as compared to pre-tests. Furthermore, watching male and female quails mate does not create any significant changes with regards to the preferences of female quails when choosing a mate. However, it was noted that female quails who mated with a non- preferred male becomes less attractive to them as compared to their non-preferred males whom they have not mated. *** End ***ReferencesGalef, B., & White, D. (1998). Mate-choice copying in Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica. Anim. Behav. , 55(3):545-552.

Clinton scandal essays

Clinton scandal essays The evidence against President Clinton for sexual misconduct is very strong. There have been too many scandals that have surrounded his presidency. This forces the citizens of the United States to deny his plea of innocence. In the spring of 1995, Monica Lewinsky graduated from Lewis and Clark College. She then started an unpaid internship at the White House. Allegedly in November of that year, she became involved in a sexual relationship with President Clinton. Shortly after this point Lewinsky was hired as a full-time White House employee. She left the White House for a public affairs position at the Pentagon. Here she became friends with Linda Tripp, a former White House employee, who worked in the same office. During this time President Clinton apparently sent gifts to Lewinsky, most importantly in the case against him a dress, which she saved as a souvenir, had the President's DNA on it. With things heating up in the Paula Jones case, the President asked Lewinsky to lie about visits to his office. Turning her back on Lewinsky, Tripp taped telephone conversations between herself and Lewinsky about the affairs with Mr. Clinton to setup him up. Lewinsky, allegedly quoting Mr. Clinton, said, "Look them in the eye and deny it." After anonymous tips are given to a firm connected with the Paula Jones case, Lewinsky decided to leave the government and find a new job. On January 7, 1998, Monica Lewinsky signed a sworn affidavit in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case, stating she did not have an affair with the President. Following this, Linda Tripp brought the recorded phone conversations to Independent Counsel for the Paula Jones case, Kenneth Starr. With assistance from the FBI, Tripp wore a wire while Lewinsky lead her step-by-step through her entire sexual relationship with Mr. Clinton. The following day, Lewinsky gives Tripp points on how to respond to Paula Jones' lawyer's questions. After receiving ne ...

Accouting Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accouting - Speech or Presentation Example The formula to calculate dividend yield ratio is dividends per share divided by market price per share. Dividend yield ratio = $1.50 / $60 = 2.5%. d) The price-earnings ratio is an index that shows whether a stock is relatively cheap or expensive in relation to its earnings. The formula to calculate the price-earnings ratio is market price per share / EPS. Price-earnings ratio = 60 / 7.8 = 7.69. The book value per share is lower than the market value per share by $20. This figure does not necessarily reflect that the stocks of the company are selling at a bargain price. The book value per share reflects the amount that would be distributed to investors if all assets were sold at their balance sheet values after paying off the creditors. a) The current ratio is calculated dividing current assets by current debt. Current ratio = 1,120,000 / 600,000 = 1.87. The current ratio shows the ability of a company to pay off its current debt. A general rule for the current ratio is that if the ratio is above 1.0 it is good. The company is in a good position to pay off its current debt. The current ratio of the firm is below the industry average of 2.1. b) The quick acid ratio is another solvency metric. It is calculated similarly to current ratio with the exception that inventory is deducted from the numerator. Quick acid ratio = (1,120,000 – 610,000) / 600000 = 0.85. The quick acid ratio of the company is below the industry average of 1.2. e) The debt to equity ratio is a measure of the amount of assets being provided by creditors for each dollar of assets being provided by the stockholders (Garrison, et. al.). The ratio is calculated by the following formula: total liabilities / total equity. The purpose of the ratio analysis performed was to determine whether Stephens Company qualifies for a $500,000 loan. The broad profitability of the company is a little lower than the

Responsible Gambling Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Responsible Gambling - Assignment Example It is done in order to save the customers from the negative impacts of gambling or gaming. Apart from this, maximum extent of the industries or organizations operating in this industry try to implement land-based and online gambling services so as to enhance the reliability of the customers (Wenderoth, 2009, p. 21). Other than this, with the help of responsible gaming or gambling process, the customers get protection from vulnerable practices, protection against fraud and non-ethical behaviours of other consumers, maintenance of varied information’s utterly private, ensuring prompt payments, delivering a fair and ethical gaming experience, high-level of commitment is also observed to enhance customer satisfaction and demands to retain them. Such types of behaviours are extremely essential for the consumers of the industry of gaming or gambling as their age-bar differs from one another. The prime target audiences seen in the industry of gaming or gambling are mainly youths within an age limit of 18 to 28. In order to fulfil their excitement and fun, maximum extent of these youths of the wealthy families of China, Thai and Korea enter into this sector. The individuals getting attracted to gambling, desire to attain relief from varied types of mental distress and tension, so it is extremely essential to present humble behaviour with them. Otherwise, due to certain fraudulent conducts, he or she might get disturbed resulting in breakdown of their physical and mental health. Due to which, the reputation and image of the organization might get ruined resulting in switch-over of numerous other customers as well. Moreover, adults and parents, suffering from varied types of economic and social hardship, desire to engage themselves in gambling to get rid from such problems. Thus any type of worse behaviour might create an

Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor versus Pressurized Water Reactor debate Essay

Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor versus Pressurized Water Reactor debate - Essay Example On the contrary, the Pressurized Water Reactors are cheaper to maintain, environmentally safe and reliable. This prompted the government to commission the Sizewell B project. Future energy generation considerations are likely to favor the use of renewable sources that are cheaper, and environment friendly. Contents 1.0 Introduction From the 1960s, there was a clarion call to develop nuclear energy in UK with Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactors (AGRs) being the preferred choice. The first prototype of the advanced gas-cooled reactor was developed in 1962, but the first commercial AGR became operational in 1976. Complexities in implementation of the prototype delayed completion of the first AGR commercial plants. Other AGR projects were to be commissioned later in the 70s, and the 80s. However, they faced the same challenge (delayed implantation) compounded with a heavy cost implication. This led to an acrimonious debate about the use of AGR technology to generate electricity, when other econ omically viable means were available. The immense pressure forced the UK government to abandon building AGRs anymore and instead focused on the Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). This led to the commissioning of Sizewell B in 1987 to 1995. The PWRs were considered to be cheaper, environmentally safer and more reliable than the AGRs. ... The AGR is designed to use carbon dioxide as a coolant and graphite as a moderator. The AGR is a specifically UK breed of reactor developed, from the design for the very first nuclear reactor, to generate electricity for commercial use, a reactor built at Calder Hall in Cumbria, UK (Breeze, 2005, p. 258). Figure 1: Schematic diagram of an AGR Source: World Nuclear Association There are several advanced gas-cooled reactors built in the UK, but they have been found to be costly to operate. Most of the AGR plants cost more at the completion than it was initially anticipated and no further units of the design are planned. Instead, the last nuclear power plant built in the UK employed a United States PWR design (Breeze, 2005, p. 258). Pressurized water reactors (PWRs) are used in light-water reactor power plants. Although, there are different manufacturers in the United States, the fundamental characteristics of the PWRs are the same: the main coolant brings up steam vapor in the heat exc hanger, known as the steam generator and this steam drives the turbines. Figure 2: Schematic diagram of a PWR Source: Tennessee Valley authority By the 1970s, United Kingdom was the only major Western Europe country yet to adopt the use of light water reactors (LWR) technology to develop. This was a result of a protracted debate between the protagonist of the AGR and the LWR. It was argued that the LWR was unsafe, thus the promotion of AGR usage. The Magnox stations in UK had for a long time been faced with the problems of low volumetric power density, low operating temperatures and low pressures. The time had come to look for an alternative, and well improved design. This led to the development of the advanced gas-cooled reactors.

Pros and Cons of Creative Labour

Pros and Cons of Creative Labour Assignment question: Critically evaluate the concept of creative labour. Is it good or bad for workers and society? For the last 20-30 years the information, communication technology, media and services and industries have become the most essential and demanded things in the modern world. They bring people new opportunities, which can simplify people’s needs and wants. I believe this Charles Landry claimed : suggests â€Å"that the developments made are essentially cultural as they reflect the way people perceive their problems and opportunities† (Charles Landry). The important point here is that these technologies and services designed and developed by humanity, are what we now call the ‘creative labour’ market. â€Å"Creativity is essential to the way we live and work today, and in many senses always has been† (Florida, 2002 p. 21). The purpose of this essay is to critically evaluate the concept of creative labour in order to answer the question: â€Å"Is it good or bad for workers and society in our world†. Debate continues as to what creativity is exactly, what it means to be creative and how this fits into society and the wider economic environment. John Hawkins (2002) claimed that the best way to define creativity as ‘having a new idea’; he argued that our society needs information. He also advocated that we need to be active, clever, and persistent in challenging this information. In his words, â€Å"there is a need to be original, sceptical, argumentative, often bloody-minded and occasionally downright negative – all these things make us creative. However, it leads us to the question: â€Å"where does this creativity take place?† It is possible to say that creativity is produced by creative industries and it would be the right answer, but in our society, creativity can take place anywhere†. As Hawkins (2002) said, â€Å"creativity is where the brain works in the determining motive†. The psychologist Dean Keith Simonton argued that creativity is favoured by an intellect that has been enriched with diverse experiences and perspectives. Creativity is associated with a mind that exhibits a variety of interests and knowledge (Florida, 2002 p. 33). Peter Drucker said that â€Å"knowledge† and â€Å"information† are the tools and materials of creativity (Florida, 2002 p.44). Because of the ideological freight of its specific features, creative work heightens and denaturalises normal principles of work. In creative work’s marginal context, normal principles of work seem to contradict broader social values. (Theorising Cultural Work, 2013 p.74) To conclude this point, creativity is where thoughts are not ordinary, aesthetic, individual, smart and clever. A creative person innovates, produces, provides and develops new ideas and concepts. Creativity covers social, cultural and economic areas. The creative-labour market is crucial for workers. A creative worker is someone that communicates with society. The creative worker innovates, creates and develops for people; they focus on production. Raymond Williams claimed that creative workers are different from other workers, â€Å"The creative worker makes the communication of experience their central work in life – the artist’s work is the actual work of transmission and uses learned skills to transmit that experience†. â€Å"Creativity involves distinct kinds of thinking and habits that must be cultivated both in the individual and in the surrounding society† (Florida, 2002 p.21). Creative industry workers are organised and mobilised so time constraints such as normal office hours and workspaces are not set in stone. Creative workers are very influential, they form the core of the economy: science, engineering, architecture and design, education, arts, music and entertainment – even finance , law and healthcare. The creative class generates wealth and happiness – local government should develop policies to cultivate them (Florida, 2002). The creative process is social, not just individual, and thus forms of organisation are necessary (Florida, 2002). Creative work is a cooperative and independent model of production. Creative labour is power to people, where a person can take control over things they are going to create and choose how they relate to the world around them. Creativity breeds freedom, autonomy and choice, aspects which make the employee feel empowered, comfortable and in control. Free agents, so the argument goes, are able to break free from the stranglehold of large organisations and take control of their lives. (Florida, 2002 p.28). Another huge benefit for creative workers are good working condition, you can work not only at an office, but you could be in a film or radio studio, atelier, at home or even travelling across the world. Being creative is in itself a challenge, dependent upon many factors including interest and involvement from society. One example of the challenges could be an interview taken from Creative Labour. Media work in three cultural industries, told by faced is below – a documentary producer, Malcolm who shares his experience of working in the creative industries: â€Å"I have had an amazing life. I have watched democracy come to Argentina, witnessed the most violent riots they had in country for 50 years. I was there when the gate of Gaza were opened. I’ve been attacked by the KGB. I’ve filmed with the Contras in Nicaragua, all kinds of places and amazing experiences from plane[WU1] crashes to sharing terrible tragic moments to moments of great elation. I have seen so much of the world and I have been paid to do that. So it has been a very intense life with great experiences and I am glad I had it. (Interview 37 p. 128 â€Å"Creative Labour. Media work in three cultural industries) The Malcolm interview explains that the experience and skills the workers earn in creative labour area cannot be found or reproduced, or recreated in other areas, but moments in history can be captured by individuals and reflected back to a wider audience. This not only provides opportunities to be a witness of history in the making but also be part of this history. To conclude, the issue of creative work is complex and contradictory – a mixture of autonomy, glamour and exploitation, inequality and precarious conditions. Media companies operating in fields as diverse and interconnected as public relations, marketing, advertising[WU2] and journalism have traditionally been considered cultural industries, representing those companies and professions primarily responsible for the industrial production and circulation of culture. (Hesmondhalgh, 2002 p. 163) In the ongoing academic debate on the definition of culture (or cultural) industries, media production tends to be emphasised as particular to the field of action of the companies and corporations involved. In recent years, policy makers, industry observers and scholars alike have reconceptualised media work as taking place within a broader context of creative industries. The term was introduced by the UK government Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 1998, defining creative industries as: those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation pf intellectual property. This includes advertising, architecture, the art and antiques market, crafts, design, designer fashion, film and video, interactive leisure software and computer games, television and radio. Creativity also has some negative effects on workers. The ‘creative process’ can take a long time and there is a high level of risk. In recent times, technological advances have increased so rapidly, that adopting and working with the new technologies can make workers feel uncomfortable and left behind somewhat. With the economy as it is currently, and such high levels of unemployment, workers in the creative industries can struggle to maintain their career progress. This has led to a high level of competition and creates high levels of stress, but ultimately results in progress. David Hesmondhaulgh, a prominent academic and a director of Media Industries Research Centre stated in his book that ‘creative labour and creativity is the big aspect for media workers[WU3]’(Hesmondhalgh 2002 p.168). In his opinion professional identity of creative industries involves four constituent elements: content, connectivity, creativity and commerce (Ibid) Professionals in media industries in particular and creative industries more generally produce content, yes. However, they also invest in platforms for connectivity – where fans and audiences provide free labour. Media work involves the ‘creation’ with the industries, yes, but tends to take place within a distinctly commercial context. Within a context of destabilising legacy industries and dissolving boundaries between media consumption and production, the media worker may feel isolated. However, this isolation can give some creative control to the media professional as well. Arthur (1994) suggests that â€Å"creating a career without boundaries could be the best, if not only, way to survive in the current work environment†. To some extent, individuals could be seen as taking control of their career paths, resulting in a new type of self-directed job security. It could also be said that those who are willing to train themselves, become more[WU4] attractive to management and employers. By being proficient in various methods of media production, workers can use multiple creative talents to their advantage – and are increasingly expected to be doing so. In the everyday construction of a sense of self for cultural workers – that leads to a more or less coherent (or at least imagined) professional identity – it is the interplay between the values of providing[WU5] content, organising connectivity, managing creative freedom and being commercially successful (which is not necessarily an expression in monetary terms) that structures one’s negotiations. There is an argument to say that working in the creative industries would seem to allow the individual to identify themselves as a single producer of content and as part of a larger whole, whereas the intermediate level of the company or organisation seems to disappear. (David Hesmondhalgh, 2002) Society massively benefits from creative and cultural labour. Creative workers are constantly thinking about what audiences’ think, what they want and work on ways of delivering this. There is huge demographic analysis and numerous surveys undertaken in either new creations of technological innovations, the making of new TV shows, art, literature and other various media platforms. Creative workers make products for people and society. As Maurizio Lazzarato[WU6] said: â€Å"The image of society is dominated by knowledge and information work† (Lazzarato, 1996). Creativity and creative labour have a huge effect not only on workers and industries, but also on society and the world. London is a perfect example of a city of huge world status, which is defined and almost created by its cultural identity, practices and the development of its creative industries. Industries present in the capital are internationally oriented and diversified; which in itself cultivates the necessary support for both local and international creative activity. This type of activity makes London a more attractive environment to people that are artistic, thus resulting in the development of the city in economic, social and cultural ways. Charles Landry, (1997) claimed, â€Å"Cultural activities are inextricable to innovation and creativity, and historically this has been the lifeblood of cities as a means of unleashing their capacity to survive and adapt†. The places where the creativity and cultural activities took place in large lead only to development and gr owth of characteristic mentioned above. The cultural and creative industries are part of what is commonly referred to as the ‘service and knowledge economy’. Writers who stress the role of creative (as a source of competitive advantage) point to the injection of ‘creative’ work into all areas of economic life. (Andy Pratt, 2006). Another important point to make here is that creative labour and creative industries create the so-called â€Å"New Economy†. The New Economy, is defined as the transition from ‘heavy industry’ to a new technology based economy. Creative labour is very connected to this concept because the provision of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is central to determining our economy be dynamic rather than just stable. Terry Flew (2001) stated that the core dynamics of this economic system arose out of the fusion of technologies of knowledge generation, information processing, and symbol communication with the processes of globalisation, digitisat ion and networking. He stated that these have led to the rise of the network society as the dominant form of social organisation. The point Terry Flew makes, is that creative industries and labour, whilst providing knowledge, new ideas and innovation of technologies make a huge contribution and are central to the development of our economy, which brings only benefits to our society and world as a whole. In so-called ‘old economy’ markets are stable, in ‘new economy’ markets are dynamic, the scope of completion are less national, more global. Manufacturing used to be at the core of our economy, now everything is centred around services, knowledge and information. The source of value in ‘old economy’ is raw materials or physical capital; you could say that now, more value is placed on human resources and social capital. In business areas, key drivers of growth was capital and labour, now is about innovation, knowledge and networking. The main source of competitive advantage was lowering cost through scale, but now is made by innovation, quality and the depth and breadth of communication. The innovation of new information and communication technologies made by creative labour has changed the tastes of business and economy workers, people started to gain broad skills and adaptability when previously they have basic job-specific skills. Innovation a nd creativity make society think and discover differently in a way that is developing all the time. To conclude, creativity, creative labour and creative industries are great, significant and essential thing in our world. Creative labour creates and innovates things, new technologies, it provides new theories and information, which affects and influences workers, people, and the overall economy. It makes social and cultural life of people, cities and the world more positive and our ways of working smarter. Creative industries is useful for workers, especially media because of its highly popular graduate employment destinations with glamorous and exciting places to work alongside other highly educated, highly skilled workers. Creativity took place in media and communications. These are: advertising, architecture, the art and antiques market, crafts, design, designer fashion, film, interactive leisure software, music, the performing arts, publishing, software, television and radio. (Creative Industries Task Force, 1998) Reference Baker S. and Hesmondhalgh, D. (2011). Creative Labour. Media Work In Three Cultural Industries. Routledge Blair, H. (2001). ‘â€Å"You’re Only as Good as Your Last Job†: the Labour Process and Labour Market in the British Film Industry.’ Work, Employment and Society. 15(1): 149-169. Florida, R. (2004). The Rise of the Creative Class: And how it’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life. London: Basic Books. Flew, T. (2012). The Creative Industries: Culture and Policy. London: Sage Gill, R. and Pratt, A. (2008). ‘In the social factory? Immaterial labour, precariousness and cultural work’. Theory, Culture and Society. 25(1): 2-30 Hartley, J. (2005). Creative Industries. Blackwell. Oxford Hesmondhalgh, D. (2007). The Cultural Industries, 2nd Edition. London: Sage [WU1]Done paraphrasing [WU2]Done paraphrasing [WU3]Check para [WU4]Done in next page [WU5]Working on it [WU6]Can’t find a particular sentence in the book

Micro Environmental Factors Essay

What micro environmental factors have affected Xerox’s performance since the late 1990s? Xerox has dominated the industry by inventing photocopying, but changes in the internal environment shook its fortune and market value. At the beginning of technological change, Xerox lacked a solid management level. Poor leadership makes poor marketing decisions. Restricted product options limited necessary opportunities for growth and staying atop competition. They were stuck on the copying and printing technology at the time when the customer market moved on to sharing documents and information digitally. The inability to meet customers’ demands drove down the stock price and cost the company profits. To stay in business, Xerox had to make changes in marketing channel firms, namely the revision of suppliers, by outsourcing to China. It improved product cost, while preserving quality and creating better customer value. Vast management modifications, in form of attaining good leadership, cutting down on workforce, and changing focus from selling product to fitting customer needs, saved company’s economics from declining. It is until the recession of 2001 that negatively marked all economic activities; to recover, Xerox made a major decision to acquire ACS, an IT company. Incorporation has equipped the company with new expertise, capabilities, and business channels to proceed with a new business plan. Importantly, innovations allowed improving document management process, Xerox’s new production and marketing focus, dropping the number of technological errors and lowering labor to complete tasks. As the company expanded offering a broad portfolio of document management technology and services products, it redefined its name and altered Xerox’s competitors from copy machine producers to IT companies like HP and IBM. A new strong competition usually inspires more effort to serve customers better. These changes in the Xerox’s micro environmental factors have positively affected the company’s ability to serve its customers. Being in business for more than 50 years brings the company advantages in the form of branding and strong reputation with consumers and other customers.

Expectancy Theory

The expectancy theory by Victor Bloom is based on the believe that organizational employees act in a certain way based on the strength of an outcome and how attractive the outcome is to the individual. The theory contains three main relationships and when all three are maintained the desired behavior from the employee will be achieved. These three relationships are effort-performance (Expectant probability), performance-reward (Instrumentality probability) and rewards-personal goals (Valence).In the effort-performance relationship or expectancy the employee must believe that if they perform in a certain manner that they will indeed increase their performance and thus make goals obtainable. In order for the employee to actually believe that increase effort will lead to increase performance they must believe that the process is valid, that they have the tools and resources to achieve the goal and that the goal is meaningful. The goal can’t be without merit based on their knowled ge of the job and their past experiences.The performance-reward relationship or instrumentality hinges of the belief that if the employee does work harder and does meet the performance goal that they will receive a reward or a greater reward compared to others. The employee again needs to have trust in the reward system and the people who manage the processes and reward systems. The reward process should be transparent and fair. The rewards-personal relationship or valence is the value that the employee sees in obtaining the goals. This will be variable because different things motivate people.Paid time off motivate some, bonuses and or pay raises motivate others. Some employees simply are satisfied with being recognized and others seek promotion. The key element to the rewards-personal relationship is not that the employee is satisfied but the satisfactions meet their expectant level of satisfaction. (Expectancy Theory of Motivation, 2012) In the task’s given scenario there is plenty of evidence that the employees have little confidence in the thought of working hard and producing more has any positive affect on them. This is an excellent scenario to apply the expectancy theory.Based on the interviews of supervisor A’s employee by supervisor B’s supervisor there is lack of trust that work is rewarded at all, fairly, and the current reward system is not worth the trouble. The statement that the bonuses are not enough to make a difference in their pay after deductions and the statements that you have to be way underperforming to have a negative effect on your pay and over performance has no positive effect on pay confirm this. These opinions are obviously based on past experience of working with the audio product company.Supervisor A obviously must have the same attitudes as the people he supervises being that his group is underperforming and supervisor B is the person concerned and asking the questions on how to better the situation. There is also a statement that some employees believed they did not have the dexterity to perform the new process undermining the confidence in the new program. The company needs to do several things utilizing the expectancy theory. First there needs to be confidence in the new program that it is meaningful and the goals are obtainable.First for the employees with the issue of dexterity, there needs to be some education and assistance provided to those employees to evaluate what they can do to make it easier to perform the job. Maybe additional tools or resources are necessary. This education and assistance could even be provided by the employees that are doing well and excelling in the new process. The company should set common individual and team goals. The individual goals would motivate the employees and the team goals should motivate the supervisors. These goals need to be obtainable and enough of a challenge that the employee feels accomplishment when they meet them.There also shou ld be regular feedback about their performance. This addresses the expectancy part of the theory that if they work harder that it will increase their performance. Then to gain interest in the rewards, there needs to be an overhaul of the reward system itself. There needs to be variety in the rewards. A poll could be taken of the employees and ask them what would be fair rewards for met goals. The employer could take the majority opinion of the poll and offer the result as a reward or offer options of rewards either by individuals or by group.The rewards must be of value to the employee that is the bottom line. The company needs to have transparency in the new goal and reward program. That will make sure there is confidence and fairness in the reward program. Employees must see that the achievers are being rewarded while the underachievers are not. This tangible difference must be known and visible to reinforce that things are now different and effort is awarded. This aspect addresse s the instrumentality relationship aspect of the expectancy theory.To accommodate those employees that are motivated by recognition, individual rewards that include company wide recognition should be established in addition to the monetary or benefit rewards. Team recognition awards could also be established. This would create a little friendly competition while providing openly displayed performance numbers which in turn provides positive feedback for increased performance. By making sure that the reward system has value and makes the employee desire to make the goal and want the reward addresses the valence relationship of the theory.By giving the employees the skills and tools necessary to obtain goals and to have the employees’ confidence that there is an open and fair reward mechanism is vital for successful motivation of the workforce. It is of utmost importance that the employee feels that their increased effort will increase performance and the increased performance w ill result in meaningful expected rewards for them. Bibliography Expectancy Theory of Motivation. (2012, 11 4). Retrieved from Management Study Guide: http://www. managementstudyguide. com/expectancy-theory-motivation. htm Expectancy Theory Expectancy theory proposes that a person will decide to behave or act in a certain way because they are motivated to select a specific behavior over other behaviors due to what they expect the result of that selected behavior will be. [1] In essence, the motivation of the behavior selection is determined by the desirability of the outcome. However, at the core of the theory is the cognitive process of how an individual processes the different motivational elements. This is done before making the ultimate choice.The outcome is not the sole determining factor in making the decision of how to behave. [1] Expectancy theory is about the mental processes regarding choice, or choosing. It explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices. In the study of organizational behavior, expectancy theory is a motivation theory first proposed by Victor Vroom of the Yale School of Management. â€Å"This theory emphasizes the needs for organizations to relate rewards directly to per formance and to ensure that the rewards provided are those rewards deserved and wanted by the recipients. † [2] Victor H.Vroom (1964) defines motivation as a process governing choices among alternative forms of voluntary activities, a process controlled by the individual. The individual makes choices based on estimates of how well the expected results of a given behavior are going to match up with or eventually lead to the desired results. Motivation is a product of the individual’s expectancy that a certain effort will lead to the intended performance, the instrumentality of this performance to achieving a certain result, and the desirability of this result for the individual, known as valence. [3] Contents hide] 1 Author 2 Key elements 2. 1 Expectancy: Effort > Performance (E>P) 2. 2 Instrumentality: Performance > Outcome (P>O) 2. 3 Valence- V(R) 3 Current Research 3. 1 Management 3. 2 Computer Users 3. 3 Models of Teacher Expectancy Effects 4 Criticisms 5 Related The ories 6 Notes 7 Further reading [edit] Author In 1964, Vroom developed the Expectancy theory through his study of the motivations behind decision making. His theory is relevant to the study of management. Currently, Vroom is a John G. Searle Professor of Organization and Management at the Yale University School of Management. 4] [edit] Key elements The Expectancy Theory of Motivation explains the behavioral process of why individuals choose one behavioral option over another. It also explains how they make decisions to achieve the end they value. Vroom introduces three variables within the expectancy theory which are valence (V), expectancy (E) and instrumentality (I). The three elements are important behind choosing one element over another because they are clearly defined: effort-performance expectancy (E>P expectancy), performance-outcome expectancy (P>O expectancy). 5] Three components of Expectancy theory: Expectancy, Instrumentality, and Valence 1. Expectancy: Effort > Perform ance (E>P) 2. Instrumentality: Performance > Outcome (P>O) 3. Valence- V(R) [edit] Expectancy: Effort > Performance (E>P) Expectancy is the belief that one's effort (E) will result in attainment of desired performance (P) goals. Usually based on an individual's past experience, self-confidence (self efficacy), and the perceived difficulty of the performance standard or goal.Factors associated with the individual's Expectancy perception are self efficacy, goal difficulty, and control. Self efficacy is the person’s belief about their ability to successfully perform a particular behavior. Goal difficulty happens when goals are set too high or performance expectations that are made too difficult are most likely to lead to low expectancy perceptions. Control is one's perceived control over performance. In order for expectancy to be high, individuals must believe that they have some degree of control over the expected outcome. edit] Instrumentality: Performance > Outcome (P>O) Inst rumentality is the belief that a person will receive a reward if the performance expectation is met. This reward may come in the form of a pay increase, promotion, recognition or sense of accomplishment. Instrumentality is low when the reward is the same for all performances given. Factors associated with the individual's instrumentality for outcomes are trust, control and policies. If individuals trust their superiors, they are more likely to believe their leaders promises.When there is a lack of trust in leadership, people often attempt to control the reward system. When individuals believe they have some kind of control over how, when, and why rewards are distributed, Instrumentality tends to increase. Formalized written policies impact the individuals' instrumentality perceptions. Instrumentality is increased when formalized policies associates rewards to performance. [edit] Valence- V(R) Valence:[6] the value the individual places on the rewards based on their needs, goals, val ues and Sources of Motivation.Factors associated with the individual's valence for outcomes are values, needs, goals, preferences and Sources of Motivation Strength of an individual’s preference for a particular outcome. The valence refers the value the individual personally places on the rewards. -1 >0> +1 -1= avoiding the outcome 0= indifferent to the outcome +1=welcomes the outcome In order for the valence to be positive, the person must prefer attaining the outcome to not attaining it. Expectancy Theory of motivation can help managers understand how individuals make decisions regarding various behavioral alternatives.The model below shows the direction of motivation, when behavior is energized: Motivational Force (MF) = Expectancy x Instrumentality x Valence When deciding among behavioral options, individuals select the option with the greatest amount of motivational force (MF). Expectancy and instrumentality are attitudes (cognitions) that represent an individual's perce ption of the likelihood that effort will lead to performance that will lead to the desired outcomes. These perceptions represent the individual’s subjective reality, and may or may not bear close resemblance to actual probabilities.These perceptions are tempered by the individual's experiences (learning theory), observations of others (social learning theory), and self-perceptions. Valence is rooted in an individual’s value system. One example of how this theory can be applied is related to evaluating an employee’s job performance. One’s performance is a function of the multiplicative relationship between one’s motivation and ability [P=f (M*A)] [1] Motivation can be expressed as [M=f (V*E)],[7] or as a function of valence times expectancy.In layman’s terms, this is how much someone is invested in something along with how probable or achievable the individual believes the goal is. [edit] Current Research [edit] Management Victor Vroomâ€℠¢s expectancy theory is one such management theory focused on motivation. According to Holdford and Lovelace-Elmore (2001, p. 8), Vroom asserts, â€Å"intensity of work effort depends on the perception that an individual’s effort will result in a desired outcome†. Vroom suggests that â€Å"for a person to be motivated, effort, performance and motivation must be linked† (Droar, 2006, p. 2).Three factors direct the intensity of effort put forth by an individual, according to Vroom; expectancy, instrumentality, and preferences (Holdford and Lovelace-Elmore, 2001). In order to enhance the performance-outcome tie, managers should use systems that tie rewards very closely to performance. Managers also need to ensure that the rewards provided are deserved and wanted by the recipients. [8] In order to improve the effort-performance tie, managers should engage in training to improve their capabilities and improve their belief that added effort will in fact lead to better performance. 8] – Emphasizes self-interest in the alignment of rewards with employee's wants. – Emphasizes the connections among expected behaviors, rewards and organizational goals Expectancy Theory, though well known in work motivation literature, is not as familiar to scholars or practitioners outside that field. [edit] Computer Users Lori Baker-Eveleth and Robert Stone, University of Idaho, conducted an empirical study on 154 faculty members’ behavioral intentions/responses to use of new software.The antecedents with previous computer experience ease of the system, and administrator support for they are linked to behavioral intentions to use the software through self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Self-efficacy and outcome expectancy impacts a person’s effect and behavior separately. Self-efficacy is the belief a person has that they possess the skills and abilities to successfully accomplish something. Outcome expectancy is the belief a person has when they accomplish the task, a desired outcome is attained.Self-efficacy has a direct impact on outcome expectancy and has a larger effect than outcome expectancy. [9] Employees will accept technology if they believe the technology is a benefit to them. If an employee is mandated to use the technology, the employees will use it but may feel it is not useful. On the other hand, when an employee is not mandated, the employee may be influenced by other factors that it should be used. The self-efficacy theory can be applied to predicting and perceiving an employee’s belief for computer use (Bandura, 1986; Bates & Khasawneh, 2007).This theory associates an individual’s cognitive state affective behavioral outcomes (Staples, Hulland, & Higgins, 1998). Motivation, performance, and feelings of failure are examples of self-efficacy theory expectations. The following constructs of the self-efficacy theory that impact attitudes and intentions to perform: past experience or mas tery with the task, vicarious experience performing the task, emotional or physiological arousal regarding the task, and social persuasion to perform the task. edit] Models of Teacher Expectancy Effects Jere Brophy and Thomas Good (1970, 1974) provided a comprehensive model of how teacher expectations could influence children's achievement. Their model posits that teachers' expectations indirectly affect children's achievement: â€Å"teacher expectations could also affect student outcomes indirectly by leading to differential teacher treatment of students that would condition student attitudes, expectations, and behavior† (Brophy, 1983, p. 639). The model includes the following sequence.Teachers form differential expectations for students early in the school year. Based on these expectations, they behave differently toward different students, and as a result of these behaviors the students begin to understand what the teacher expects from them. If students accept the teachers ' expectations and behavior toward them then they will be more likely to act in ways that confirm the teacher's initial expectations. This process will ultimately affect student achievement so that teachers' initial expectancies are confirmed. [10]In discussing work related to this model, Brophy (1983) made several important observations about teacher expectation effects. First and foremost, he argued that most of the beliefs teachers hold about student are accurate, and so their expectations usually reflect students' actual performance levels. As a result, Brophy contended that selffulfilling prophecy effects have relatively weak effects on student achievement, changing achievement 5% to 10%, although he did note that such effects usually are negative expectation effects rather than positive effects.Second, he pointed out that various situational and individual difference factors influence the extent to which teacher expectations will act as self-fulfilling prophecies. For instance , Brophy stated that expectancy effects may be larger in the early elementary grades, because teachers have more one-on-one interactions with students then, as they attempt to socialize children into the student role. In the upper elementary grades more whole-class teaching methods are used, which may minimize expectation effects.Some evidence supports this claim; expectancy effects in Rosenthal and Jacobson's (1968) study were strongest during the earlier grades. Raudenbush's (1984) meta-analysis of findings from different teacher expectancy studies in which expectancies were induced by giving teachers artificial information about children's intelligence showed that expectancy effects were stronger in Grades 1 and 2 than in Grades 3 through Grade 6, especially when the information was given to teachers during the first few weeks of school.These findings are particularly relevant because they show a form of the expectancy theory and how teachers have certain expectations of students and how they treat the students differently because of those expectations. [10] [edit] Criticisms Some of the critics of the expectancy model were Graen (1969) Lawler (1971), Lawler and Porter (1967), and Porter and Lawler (1968). [11] Their criticisms of the theory were based upon the expectancy model being too simplistic in nature; these critics started making adjustments to Vroom’s model.Edward Lawler claims that the simplicity of expectancy theory is deceptive because it assumes that if an employer makes a reward, such as a financial bonus or promotion, enticing enough, employees will increase their productivity to obtain the reward. [12] However, this only works if the employees believe the reward is beneficial to their immediate needs. For example, a $2 increase in salary may not be desirable to an employee if the increase pushes her into a tax bracket in which she believes her net pay is actually reduced, which is actually impossible in the United States with marginal tax brackets.Similarly, a promotion that provides higher status but requires longer hours may be a deterrent to an employee who values evening and weekend time with his children. In addition to that, if anyone in the armed forces or security agencies is promoted, there is a must condition for such promotions, that they he/she will be transferred to other locations. In such cases, if the new place is far from their permanent residence, where their family is residing, they will not be motivated by such promotions, and the results will be other way round.Because, the outcome, which this reward (promotion) will yield, may not be valued by those who are receiving it. Lawler’s new proposal for expectancy theory is not against Vroom’s theory. Lawler argues that since there have been a variety of developments of expectancy theory since its creation in 1964; the expectancy model needs to be updated. Lawler’s new model is based on four claims. [13] First, whenever there are a number of outcomes, individuals will usually have a preference among those outcomes.Two, there is a belief on the part of that individual that their action(s) will achieve the outcome they desire. Three, any desired outcome was generated by the individual’s behavior. Finally, the actions generated by the individual were generated by the preferred outcome and expectation of the individual. Instead of just looking at expectancy and instrumentality, W. F. Maloney and J. M. McFillen [13] found that expectancy theory could explain the motivation of those individuals who were employed by the construction industry. For nstance, they used worker expectancy and worker instrumentality. Worker expectancy is when supervisors create an equal match between the worker and their job. Worker instrumentality is when an employee knows that any increase in their performance leads to achieving their goal. In a chapter entitled â€Å"On the Origins of Expectancy Theory† published in G reat Minds in Management by Ken G. Smith and Michael A. Hitt, Vroom himself agreed with some of these criticisms and stated that he felt that the theory should be expanded to include research conducted since the original publication of his book.

BELL Surname Meaning and Family History

BELL Surname Meaning and Family History The Bell surname may derive from the French bel, meaning fair , beautiful, or handsome. Since the derivation is descriptive, common ancestry cannot be assumed for all those bearing the surname. The name was sometimes taken from the sign of an inn or shop. The sign of a bell was frequently used - John at the Bell became John Bell. There is no particular country or province of origin, though the name was fairly prevalent in medieval Scotland and England. Bell is the 67th most popular surname in the United States and the 36th most common surname in Scotland. Mitchell is also popular in England, coming in as the 58th most common surname. Surname Origin:   Scottish, English Alternate Surname Spellings:   BELLE, BEALE, BEAL, BEALS, BEALES, BALE, BEEL, BIEHL, BALE, BEALL Where is the BELL Surname Most Common? According to surname distribution from Forebears, Bell is a fairly common surname in a number of English-speaking countries, including the United States (ranked 64th), England (60th), Australia (46th), Scotland (43rd), New Zealand (46th) and Canada (77th). Within the British Isles, according to WorldNames PublicProfiler, the Bell last name is most common in the northern areas, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the North of England. Famous People with the Last Name BELL Alexander Graham Bell - Scottish-born American inventor; known for his patent for the telephoneGertrude Bell - British writer, archaeologist and political officer best known for helping to establish modern Iraq after World War I.Cool Papa Bell - Hall of Fame baseball pitcher who played in the  Negro National LeagueJohn Bell - U.S. Senator from Tennessee who ran for U.S. President on the  Constitutional Union ticket in 1860Glen Bell - American entrepreneur who founded Taco Bell Genealogy Resources for the Surname BELL 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? Bell  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Bell  family crest or coat of arms for the Bell surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. The Bell  Surname DNA ProjectIndividuals with the Bell  surname are invited to participate in this group DNA project in an attempt to learn more about Bell family origins around the world. The website includes information on the project, the research done to date, and instructions on how to participate. BELL  Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Bell  ancestors around the world. FamilySearch - BELL  GenealogyExplore over 4  million results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Bell  surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BELL  Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Bell  surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. DistantCousin.com - BELL  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Bell. GeneaNet - Bell RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Bell  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Bell  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Bell  surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back toGlossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Clinton and The Bill essays

Clinton and The Bill essays In 1993 William Clinton was fast at work trying to pull together legislation on National Service. National Service was a cornerstone of his campaign and he was determined to stick to his word and make it a priority. Clinton gathered a committee and tasked them to make National Service happen The Office of National Service headed by Eli Segal had a long road to travel. As Clinton promised in his campaign, he wanted to provide the financial opportunity to attend college to a broad range of young Americans in exchange for National Service. Along with the National Service legislation Clinton wanted to include a pay-as-you-can loan program that would encourage graduates to enter lower paying jobs such as teachers and police officers, which are more fulfilling and give back to the community and nation. From there the Office of National Service was off to build the framework for the legislation. They began analyzing the current system, and surveying local programs and organizations to see what would work, and how exactly Clintons campaign promise might actually become a viable piece of legislation that might make it through the congressional circus, not to mention the scrutiny of the private sector. After months of constant finagling, changing, assessing, tweaking, overhauling, appeasing and reassessing of the National Service legislation, the Office of National Service was convinced that it was ready to put in the hands of the public and Congress. On April 30th the plan was unveiled. That was when the real legislative process began. The National Service proposal was out in the open for all to see and the Office of National Service had to win over enough support to get the legislation through Congress. Winning over a few senators doesnt sound like a large task, but when it comes down to it party lines run deep and so do the affiliations with financial supporters and other supportive institutions. In short, in order to win ov...

Teacher Education in TESOL (Master's Level) Research Paper

Teacher Education in TESOL (Master's Level) - Research Paper Example 19). Teacher development is the development of a sense of the strengths and weaknesses in a teacher so that the increased self-awareness resulting from the process helps the teacher identify better ways to teach others. Training and education are both the means of development of a teacher. How is second language teacher training different from teacher training in other disciplines? Second language teacher training differs from training of teachers in other disciplines in that it imparts a need for the teacher to study and develop compatibility with different cultural factors that drive the students’ tendency to learn second language, language being intrinsically and integrally linked with culture whereas training in other subjects is not constrained by cultural differences. Teacher training in other disciplines is primarily about developing the expertise of the teacher in the technical aspects of the subject e.g. lab work training for such subjects as physics and chemistry, an d training of software and programming for the subject of computer. On the contrary, training of teachers in the teaching of second language is more about reaching out to the students both individually and collectively so as to understand the barriers they face in developing their competence in the second language. One aspect of teacher training in the subject of second language teaching could be planning and designing of lecture in such a way that it includes activities and exercises aimed at individually targeting the barriers of students in learning the second language, respecting the time constraints of the lecture. 2. Summary of teacher training history and the main theories on teacher training. The history of teacher training varies from one country to another, yet one common and very favorable improvement that has occurred over the years is increased use of ICT and advanced technology in the teacher training. The training of primary school teachers dates back to the late Vict orian period when it commenced almost by an accident after the Kindergarten school was established in the year 1882 (Randall, 2007). Bedford was families’ choice because of the availability of high quality of education. The Training College was established originally with only five students and continued to remain at the site for more than 70 years. The Bedford students followed Friedrich Froebel’s progressive model of training. The system gradually became more developed and advanced. Likewise, the only teaching requirements in the colonial period in America were mediocre learning and low pay. Teacher training began during the 1820s and 1830s in academies that were equal to the contemporary secondary schools (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2011). †¦..and the main theories on teacher training. Ethical theories primarily apply in teacher training. â€Å"We believe that some teaching of ethical theory – the teaching of the ways we can distinguish right from wrong, good from bad - is necessary in ethics courses, but we suggest a modest, not a major role for theory† (Bowden and Smythe, 2008, p. 23). Since unethical behavior is identifiable, students and teachers can individually assess their actions’ rightness or wrongness. Training of the teachers of second language describes the teacher’s notion as a reflective practitioner, that is an individual who reflects on the professional practices with a view to

Molecular Mechanism of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli Essay

Molecular Mechanism of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli - Essay Example Conclusion: Sufficient research results have shown that the E.coli continues to cause infections such as UTIs, resisting the basic ciprofloxacin. These strains are referred to as extended spectrum beta-lactamase E.coli. There is therefore need to develop new antibiotics and explore new ways of tackling the bacteria. Introduction Escherichia coli, commonly referred to as E. coli, are amongst the few organisms that have steered the art of antibiotic resistance in bacteria to altogether new levers. The European E. coli outbreak of 2011 served as an eye opener on the magnitude of harm such a development can cause. On that regard, it is vital to understand the antibiotic resistance mechanism of E. coli, especially at the molecular level. This implies that the quantification of the mechanism upon which this eventuality is realized will have to drench deep into the responsible genetic sequences in the DNA of the bacterium. Fortunately, the genetic sequence of E. coli is already established and safely stored in accessible archives. This is irrespective of the plasticity experienced while sequencing the DNA of E. coli. The main methods by which resistance is observed to occur include: Prevention of entry into the cell, Synthesis of enzymes that lyse the antibiotics, rapid efflux from the cell, and modification of the active site. Evaluation The quantification of the mechanism behind the resistance calls for the isolation of E. coli strains that exhibit this form of resistance. Due to the wide range of antibiotics availed for the fight against the spread of the bacteria, it is vital to focus on strains that exhibit multiple resistances. This is also of merit in a rather different perception in that; it can facilitate the development of antibiotics that encompass solutions to different targets. This helps in the improvement of their therapeutic efficacy. On this regard, a central region of focus falls under the integrons (these are genetic elements able to target and rear range ORFs embedded in gene cassette units and change them to functional genes by ensuring their proper expression). This is with regards to their heightened presence in organisms exhibiting multiple antibiotic resistances. They were originally associated with gram negative bacteria. Progressively the analysis of strategic loci may be of great essence in the quantification of the avenues followed towards the establishment of a resistance in E. coli. Such a locus is the mar locus (Michael, 2007). On reference is that rapid mutations experienced in the mentioned locus; that eventuate into alteration of the coding sequence, hence aberration of the protein sequence produced. Apparently, the development of resistance towards a given antibiotic is based on two broad mechanisms. They include the development of mutated genetic sequence at the DNA level and the horizontal line gene transfer (also termed lateral gene transfer). This simply refers to the accumulation of various mutations via a systematic process; where the central microbe, in this case E. coli, accumulates the necessary mutation via prokaryotic DNA absorption mechanisms. This includes mechanisms such as transduction, transformation, gene transfer agents (found in alphaproteobacteria), or conjugation. The resistance sequences are conveyed along the various tandem sequences, such as transposons, integrons or plasmids (D’