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Monday, September 30, 2019

Sci 275 Week 8 Assignment Energy Resource Plan

Water Resource Plan Written by EMMANUEL MCCLAIN Axia University of Phoenix SCI 275 Instructor TED BREWSTER Eutrophication is the depletion of oxygen in an aquatic ecosystem. Eutrophication occurs when a body of water enriched with excess nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus from dead plant material and waste. Nitrogen pollution largely derived from agricultural fertilizers and emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels. Phosphorus pollution comes from wastewater treatment and detergents. These elements and compounds make their way to coastal areas through the drainage networks of rivers and streams. This nutrient and phosphorus mix results in increased algae growth that makes water cloudy and unhealthy. There are two ways for eutrophication to occur; the first is artificial eutrophication through the release of sewage, fertilizers and grey water into natural waterways. The second occurs is naturally occurring over lakes and tributaries that flood and pick up dead vegetation, cattle manure and fertilizer. This can lead to loss of biodiversity, global warming, and pollution of drinking water, fish kills, acid rain, and ozone depletion. However, the main culprit behind human caused eutrophication is the phosphorus released from sewage, septic systems and fertilizers. This point source pollution enriches the water and causes a buildup of algae and cyanobacteria in the ecosystem. The process of photosynthesis then starts as the begin feeding on the nitrogen and phosphorus enriched environment leading to murky and hard to see through water this is a sign of eutrophication. My sustainability plan is to educate others on the causes of eutrophication and the effects it has on ecosystems. Increasing awareness will allow many to pinpoint possible sources and causes of eutrophication in their local ecosystems. My first step is to educate myself on the causes and effects of eutrophication. I will research the internet as well as peers reviewed articles. I will then develop an educational tool such as a PowerPoint Presentation to highlight how humans through artificial eutrophication add to the already naturally occurring process. I will include how eutrophication affects humans, animals, fish and plant life. I will then schedule a meeting with the community board members and invite local residents to discuss eutrophication. 1) I will spend the first three months studying and learning about the cause and effects of eutrophication on ecosystems. 2) I will use the library to research the topic to find peer reviewed articles. Using the internet to research magazine, newspaper articles, and DOH and EPA websites, I will gather information regarding how phosphorous and nitrogen get into ecosystems what it involves and how to stop them from forming. ) I will spend several weeks creating a PowerPoint presentation that explains what eutrophication is how it develops, what cause it, and how to prevent it. 4) In the final month, I will schedule the time and day of the presentation. 5) I will invite the community and homeowners. I will first spend time at home gathering the necessary information and research. I will then incorporate this data together to create a cohesive story involving eutrophicati on. I will then place all this into speaker notes and find scenes for use as pictures in the presentation. In order to schedule a meeting with the Homeowners Association I will first create time to introduce myself to the homeowner’s committee. I will use several friends and associates to make introduction easier. I will then request permission to present information to the committee at the next available meeting. After scheduling the meeting, I will proceed to invite fellow businesses and homeowners to attend. The research will require anywhere from 1-3 months to finish while the PowerPoint presentation will take anywhere from 1-3 weeks. Scheduling time with the homeowners association will be at the next scheduled meeting. Overall, it will be an ongoing process but should take no more than 5 months to complete altogether. The problems that may occur are that point source pollution is not the only cause of eutrophication. There can be several causes of eutrophication including nonpoint source pollution such as urban runoff. There are areas that have limited supplies of drinking water and count on areas infiltrated by eutrophication. The local vegetation that live and thrive in this infected ecosystems are choked and killed off. The dead vegetation allows many different species of algae to thrive and form. While the lack of oxygen created from the photosynthesis kills many species of fish. There is an upside to this plan the excess phosphorous taken from these areas can be placed into landfills. There is a shortage of phosphorus on land and this would help revitalize many fields. There are several limitations to the plan the plan would need the community as a whole to effectively combat eutrophication. This would require not only the cooperation of the local Home Owners Association but every local business in the community. Eutrophication also increases with the rising demand of meats and fossil fuels. Developed nations and developing nations alike will see a rise in eutrophication. The problem overall would be resources funding an operation to clean up local waterways and make local industry and sewage systems compliable can cost millions of dollars easily many cities and states are cash strapped and tightening their budgets. References Eisberg, N. (2009, August 10). Getting to the clean point of use. Chemistry & Industry , 11. retrieved from Pheonix University online library website Powersearch . Welch, M. A. (2009). Lake Clean up Plan Panned. Winnepeg Free Press , B. 2. retrieved from Pheonix University online library website Powersearch . Writers, S. (2009). Nutrient Pollution Chokes Marine And Freshwater Ecosystems. Space Daily . retrieved from Pheonix University online library website Powersearch .

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Frantz Fanon on “National Culture”

In â€Å"On National Culture,† an essay collected in The Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon foregrounds the following paradox: â€Å"national identity,† while vital to the emergence of a Third World revolution, paradoxically limits such efforts at liberation because it re-inscribes an essentialist, totalizing, fetishized, often middle-class specific understanding of â€Å"nation† rather than encouraging a nuanced articulation of an oppressed people's cultural heterogeneity across class lines.In other words, although the concept of â€Å"nation† unfairly characterizes colonized subjects as historically unified in their primitiveness or exoticness, the term's promise of solidarity and unity often proves helpful nonetheless in their attempts at political amelioration. Fanon encourages a materialist conceptualization of the nation that is based not so much on collective cultural traditions or ancestor-worship as political agency and the collective attempt to dismantle the economic foundations of colonial rule.Colonialism, as Fanon argues, not only physically disarms the colonized subject but robs her of a â€Å"pre-colonial† cultural heritage. And yet, if colonialism in this sense galvanizes the native intellectual to â€Å"renew contact once more with the oldest and most pre-colonial spring of life of their people,† Fanon is careful to point out that these attempts at recovering national continuity throughout history are often contrived and ultimately self-defeating.â€Å"I am ready to concede,† he admits, â€Å"that on the plane of factual being the past existence of an Aztec civilization does not change anything very much in the diet of the Mexican peasant of today. † In the passage below, Fanon explains that â€Å"national identity† only carries meaning insofar as it reflects the combined revolutionary efforts of an oppressed people aiming at collective liberation: A national culture is not a folkl ore, not an abstract populism that believes it can discover the people's true nature.It is not made up of the inert dregs of gratuitous actions, that is to say actions which are less and less attached to the ever-present reality of the people. A national culture is the whole body of efforts made by a people in the sphere of thought to describe, justify, and praise the action through which that people has created itself and keeps itself in existence.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Pecan Tree Essay

1. Hi, my name is John Doe. I am here to inform you on the historical background of pecan trees. First I will explain the characteristics of pecan trees and then move into who founded the tree first and how the tree benefited them. Lastly, I will bring you up to date on how the tree has been domesticated and the benefits that it brings today. 2. The pecan tree starts off small and eventually gets bigger over time like pretty much everything else in the world. The best chance for this tree to survive is to plant it in alluvial or other words (riverbed) soil that is deep and well drained.However, pecan trees can grow on any soil that allows water penetration to a depth of four or five feet 3. The Pecan tree’s growth rate is roughly 2 feet per year. The trees will begin producing a few nuts three to four years after being planted significant production can be achieved in six to eight years. And good production will begin around the ninth or tenth year. 4. The pecan, Carya illinoi nensis, is a member of the plant family Juglandaceae. This family includes the walnuts and the hickories. The pecan is a large tree, often growing to 100 feet high or more and has a stately appearance.It has been proclaimed the state tree of Texas. 5. Pecan trees may live and bear edible nuts for more than 300 years. The crown of the pecan tree is roughly rounded or oval in shape, which can have a spread up to 75 feet wide. 6. For those of you who do not know what a pecan tree leaves looks like, they are green in color during the spring and summer, and when fall hits they start to turn a yellowish color. The leaves will eventually fall completely off the tree during winter season because these trees are considered to be deciduous trees, meaning they are seasonal, unlike evergreens which stay green all year long. . Here is a picture of the bark of a pecan tree. The bark of a pecan tree is grayish in color and has a rough appearance to it, which is relatively thin. The picture also sh ows the base of the tree which can reach up to six feet in diameter. 8. A pecan, like the fruit of all other members of the hickory genus, is not truly a nut, but is technically a drupe, a fruit with a single stone or pit, surrounded by a husk. The husks are produced from the exocarp tissue of the flower, while the part known as the nut develops from the endocarp and contains the seed 9. The outer husk is 3–4 mm (0. 2–0. 16 in) thick, starts out green and turns brown at maturity, which ranges from (1. 0–2. 4 in) long and (0. 59–1. 2 in) broad, and over time it will split off into four sections to release the thin-shelled nut. [2][4][5][ 10. Pecans come in a variety of sizes – mammoth, extra-large, large, medium, small and midget. They also come in several forms including whole pecans, pecan halves, pieces, granules and meal. There are over 1,000 varieties of pecans. Many are named for Native American Indian tribes, including Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux , Choctaw and Shawnee. 1. Pecans are native to a number of states in southern and Midwestern United States and to scattered locations in Mexico, but are most common in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. They have been growing over their present range in the U. S. for at least 8000 years and, based on archaeological and ethnohistoric data, were an important source of food for people who inhabited certain areas within this range in prehistoric and early historic times 12. Before European settlement, pecans were widely consumed and traded by Native Americans.As a food source, pecans are a natural choice for preagricultural society. They can provide two to five times more calories per unit weight than wild game, and require no preparation. 13. many years after the discovery of the pecan tree by the Native Americans the United States has become the world’s leader in pecan production. While exact numbers for world production are unknown, it is estimated that the U. S. produces 75 perc ent of the world’s pecans 14. Pecans are produced on about a million acres worldwide.Since the exact number for worldwide production is unknown there is a estimation of about 200 to 300 million pounds produced each year However, unlike most cultivated crops, the domestication of the pecan tree did not started until the late 1800’s 15. And since then there have been new inventions called harvesters that issues a burst of powerful high frequency vibrations that, for 10-15 seconds, it shakes all the pecans out of the entire tree creating a noisily intense crackling hail of pecan nuts, a dense shower, followed by an eerie silence that will leave any observer stunned 16.Also, the trees are planted in rows to make for an easier harvest. Also, before a shelled pecan is ready to be sold, it must first be cleaned, sized, sterilized, cracked and finally, shelled. 17. 6Unlike other horticultural crops, the native pecan is very important commercially. Most of these species are con centrated in the Northern Hemisphere of the New World, but can be found on every continent except for Antarctica 18. The Pecan Trees and the nuts have not changed a whole lot, since the Natives irst discovered them, but the way they are harvested has changed drastically. Unlike, the Native trees that were kept natural and could only produce what its genes allowed it too. Now there is grafting of trees to make the tree produce better 19. Not to mention the sprays that is used to keep disease down and the attack of bugs on the tree or the nuts themselves. I hope you know a little more about pecan trees and there origin and how much they have been domesticated to meet our needs. And to think all of this is being done to harvest a tiny pecan nut

Friday, September 27, 2019

Quiz for modern europe class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Quiz for modern europe class - Essay Example Apart from this, Italy had one of the world’s oldest universities in Modena, and had lost it to the Austrian control. With this seat of knowledge under Austrian auspices, the Italian rulers were aware that a university would be one of the most deadly weapons for Austria to remain a European superpower and maintain its control Italy on Italy. Hence, to restore its pride as the birth place of the renaissance, Sardinia believed engaging Austria in a war was a reasonable way to regain Modena and unify knowledge. In my opinion, to build a nation not every ‘justified’ means should be used. The concrete terms, the means I am against here is war. This is because it has repeatedly been proven that wars have actually created more problems than it actually intended to redress. One of the most recent of such happenings is the war in Iraq. On the contrary, using bilateral negotiations in nation building should be the best solution, as seen recently between the two African states of Cameroon and Nigeria over the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula. The allies placed moral responsibility on Germany for causing the war because under the directives of the William II, it engineered the first attack on Serbia in retaliation to the sudden assassination of Archduke Frank Ferdinand, heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne. This reaction was to crush the Black Hand, the secret organization that was believed to be behind the assassination. The decision to attack Serbia was deeply rooted in William II’s staunch support for a union between Austria and Hungary. As a personal friend to Frank Ferdinand, William II (fondly called the Kaiser), was sure that should Frank Ferdinand come to power, then the synergy created between Austria, Hungary and Germany would be a European and world superpower. So, in effect the allied placed moral responsibility on Germany for inciting the war because Germany lost the war, and the biggest blow to

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria Research Paper

Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria - Research Paper Example This can partly be attributed to the fact that microbes and bacteria which spread the infections are quite flexible in nature and have a great tendency to resist the effect of antibiotics. Another factor that has increased the resistance of microbes and bacteria against the antibiotics is the increased use of antibiotics. 12500 tons of antibiotics were prescribed in the US in the year 1998. More than 60 percent of the use of antibiotics in the US can be attributed to the agricultural practices resulting in an increase of 18000 tons of antibiotic use yearly (Todar, 2009). These days, almost 70 percent of the infection-causing bacteria are able to resist some common antibiotic drug. Antibiotics were found originally as a result of an experiment conducted in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. In the 1940s, the findings generated by this experiment were employed for mass-production of penicillin using the Penicillium notatum as a mold. Strains resistance of bacteria were started to be found in t he late 1940s. As of today, over 70 percent bacteria which are responsible for the spread of the hospital-based infections resist at least one antibiotic. There are myriad of reasons for the continued spread of the antibiotic resistance. These reasons include but are not limited to the excessive recommendation of the antibiotics’ by the doctors, retarded compliance of the patients with the prescribed treatments, employment of the antibiotics as growth drivers in the animals, insufficient hygiene of the hospital environment and enhanced international voyage. There are two fundamental ways in which the resistance of bacteria can be improved. The first way is by employing a built-in feature that facilitates the exchange of resistance genes among the bacterial DNA. The second way is by mutation. Antibiotics kill the cells of the bacteria by causing a distortion in the critical function. â€Å"This is achieved in the cell in much the same way that a saboteur can cause a massive j etliner to crash by simply cutting the hydraulic lines† (Purdom, 2007). Antibiotic resistance of bacteria works only by causing a disruption in the functional systems. Evolution of the bacteria into man needs strengthening of these systems. It becomes difficult for the antibiotic to link with the altered protein when the bacteria â€Å"have a mutation in the DNA which codes for one of those proteins† (Purdom, 2007). Public health is exposed to a lot of threats with the increase in antimicrobial resistance because it declines the efficiency of the antimicrobial treatment and increases the mortality rate, morbidity and the cost of healthcare in the long run. The mortality rate jumped from 0.2 percent to 3.4 per cent upon the outbreak of resistant Salmonella spp. Strains. â€Å"In 1995 the cost of containing an outbreak of infection caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus in a district general hospital in the United Kingdom was estimated to exceed US$ 560 000†¦whil e the annual health care cost associated with the treatment of resistant infections in the USA was estimated at over US$ 4 billion† (Smith and Coast, 2002, p. 126).

Machiavelli and the novelty of its political though Essay

Machiavelli and the novelty of its political though - Essay Example Machiavelli returned back to Florence where he observed how the Medici family was expelled, the oligarchic tyrants who had been in power for decades. He also witnessed the rise of Savanorola Girolamo, a firm religious believer who took over the power in Florence for a short period after the Medici Family. At that period, Italy was under severe political clashes. States were in a scramble for power over Italy, and so did Spain, France, and the Holy Roman Empire. Each state engaged in a battle of outdoing the powers of their opponents which amounted to less worthy activities as violence and blackmail (Herbert, 2007). That same year of the return of Machiavelli, the French attacked under the leadership of Charles VIII. This flow of events during Machiavelli’s time pressured Machiavelli’s thoughts about governance. This formed the basis of his later heartfelt appeal for the Italians to unite. Machiavelli in his farm wrote a controversial book called The Prince which is term ed as a realistic guide for ruling. Machiavelli uses this book to expose his thought on political power. However, this piece of art and Machiavelli’s tool of conveying his thought on politics has received criticism from various scholars that it only guides on how not to rule and not how to rule. Machiavelli uses a simple style and logic for the reader to understand, and this is due to his bid to provide political advice (Ryan, 2013). He evidently exposes his purpose of writing the book from the beginning of the book where he devotes the book to the ruler of Florence, Lorenzo de’ Medici. In his beginning two chapters of the book, The Prince, Machiavelli less talks about republican regimes and puts more of his concern on the autocratic regimes. He sets up the outline of the entire book in the first chapter by delineating the different princes’ and categories of principalities. According to Machiavelli’s book, he talks about warcraft and statesmanship where he considers that superior laws are track naturally from a superior military. He demonstrates this when he says â€Å"the presence of sound military forces indicates the presence of sound laws†. He tries to elaborate how a sound military system is related to the formulation of sound laws for the state. Machiavelli has a rather contradicting perspective on the war; he believes that triumphant states are built after a war has been won. This is contrary to the conventional understanding that successful states are those without war. His thought about war is fundamentally on how to make a city or state much stronger, how to handle citizens on newly acquired regions, and how to avoid internal rebellions that may be a hindrance in overcoming external adversaries. Machiavelli in his political thought gives emphasis not only on making use of the military but he also includes global diplomacy, calculated strategy, understanding geographical regions, understanding history, and domestic politics. This kind of political thinking be Machiavelli was timely novelty at the period when Italy was facing attacks from principalities neighboring them. Machiavelli also highlights how the human nature has impacts on politics. He says â€Å"|Love endures by a bond which men, being scoundrels, may break whenever it serves their advantage to do so; but fear is supported by the dread of pain, which is ever present†. He believes that various political traits are intrinsic in individuals’

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Compare and Contrast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Compare and Contrast - Research Paper Example This paper is a comparison of two Islamic arts: The Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain and the Mamluk Glass Oil Lamp. Enameled as well as gilded glass lamps were custom-made in big numbers for most Cairo built mosques by Mamluk Sultans as well as their Amirs. Lamp donation was contemplated as respectful act towards God. Such an act connects to a Koran text that explains that God is the Heaven’s as well as Earth’s light. This verse explains further that the light of God happens to resemble a niche within which one can find a lamp. This lamp is glass made while the glass resembles a brilliant star. The Mosque lamp also is decorated using bold encryption frieze that contains Sayf al-Din Shaykhu al-Nasiri’s names as well as title, also his heraldic device that joins a red cap is situated at the roundels center on the neck as well as the lamp’s underside. The wealth as well as influence of Shykhu made him a Cairo’s significant art as well as architecture patron (Over 11 Mosque lamps that are inscribed similarly. It is most likely that these are from the mosque of Shayk hu at Citadel’s foot in Cairo that got completed in the year 1349 as well as taken as among its time’s finest (British Museum). The great Mosque of Cordoba which is as well known as Mezquita, is among the Islamic civilization Jewels. Unlike the malmuk lamps that were of the 14th century, the temple was began in during the 8th century by the Emir Abd al-Rahman I, in the year 745, added in the year 833 by   Abd al-Rahman II and in the 10th century ended by the Vizier  al-Mansur and al-Hakam II. The most decorative as well as striking of the 4 phases is the one by al-Hakam that contains the mirhab (niche within the wall that faces Mecca) ( Khan Academy). The great mosque’s growth was a symbol of the increasing power of the city and came in hand with population growth hence need for

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

International Law - tax system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Law - tax system - Essay Example The meaning of tax can be actually described as the money, which is charged by the government for Public Sector Borrowing Requirement (PSBR) (Public Acts 1994). When we interpret the definition, we may find out the reason why countries charge tax. The governments levy tax upon its citizens because they want money to regulate it in the whole country. It as actually meant for the betterment of the country and the nation itself. Governments may built roads, built a better infrastructure, improved public organization services, improve the level of education, building schools to remote areas, proving better and free health care, etc. Government may charge the tax to invest back to the country in turn. Where as international law refers to the general rules and regulations practiced in most part of the world (Mifflin 2007). It is the law which is followed by all the countries worldwide and so it is called international. There are certain rules and procedures which are followed in every country of the world. These practices are important to carry out in the country, as they enable governments to work and perform better and in organized way. Those laws are called international, as they are practiced in every country and are accepted as well. ... but the thing which binds then together is the law which they practice in the country, only that is common in them and it keeps the countries linked together. This essay will include all the necessary and valid information about the international laws regarding the taxation issues. As far as the case study is concerned, I will try to ensure the reader abut the authentication of the information and will make sure that my answer shall convince the reader as well. The essay will proof to be the perfect guide for the three friends for their decision about the avoiding tax and the OECD proposal about the business. As described in the case study, that the friends do not want to pay taxes and their nature of business is to contribute to the tertiary sector of the country. It is yet no specified that whether the owners plan is to provide services to the country only or to the rest of the world as well. The type of job which these friends are going to do can be practiced in a country as well as outside the country, ignoring boundaries. It is because of the reason that, the friends will have headquartered at one place and will precede the business from there only. That means headquarter; will exist in one place, yet their operation in different part of the world at the same time. This is what most of the translational companies do, ignoring the boundaries. But trans-national businesses do not try to void tax and in this case, the partners are trying to ignore the tax as well. Now, it is very essential to understand the two types of taxes, direct and indirect. Before I shall proceed, I may make it clear that the direct taxes are unavoidable. This means, the direct taxes cannot be ignored and we have to pay them even if do not want to. These taxes are the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Primary education- reflective practioner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Primary education- reflective practioner - Essay Example Action research, otherwise known as participatory research, collective inquiry, emancipatory research, action learning, contextual action research, depending on the theme (O’Brien, 1998), is an â€Å"inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of an organization and its performance† (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, n.d.). Unlike ordinary research, the members of the said institution who design and conduct action research are also part of the study themselves. They find ways to develop how things are done in their fields. The process of action research which consists of four steps which are planning, acting, observing and reflecting, as presented by Stephen Kemmis (cited in O’Brein, 1998), makes it very useful in developing methods and materials in schools as it presents new ideas and options to teachers. It allows them to evaluate outcomes of their teaching strategies and lay these down to fellow mentors to lessen drawbacks among their students. Through this, further possible needed changes and amendments in the institution’s educational programs and syllabus can be carried out. In problems previously and presently experienced in the â€Å"real world,† disputes between the â€Å"insider-outsider researchers† continue. Academicians debate about the pros and cons of one over the other and vice-versa. Issues regarding sensitivity to the problem, presumptions and assumptions, and objectivity are pointed out by the opposing bodies. Researches conducted by â€Å"outsiders,† or those not actually a part of the studied group, are said to merely â€Å"add to the knowledge in the field and to publish in peer-reviewed scholarly journals† instead of giving precise aid to the group being assessed (Collet, 2008). To add to the complications pointed out about â€Å"insider-outsider researchers,† Bridges (2001 cited in Collet, 2008) perceives that even if the individual is dubbed to be an â€Å"insider,† by being a researcher, he

Sunday, September 22, 2019

America’s economy after the Civil war Essay Example for Free

America’s economy after the Civil war Essay After the Civil war in the United States, Corporations grew significantly in number, size, and influence between the 1870s and 1900s. Big business impacted America’s economy, politics and as well as the Americans responses to these changes. Big business began when entrepreneurs in search for wealth and success combined their business into massive corporations. Vertical and horizontal integration were tactics used to make business grow faster. Vertical integration is the acquiring of material from the bottom up for means of production, for example Carnegie used this strategy. Horizontal integration is the controlling of other companies that produce the same product, which Rockefeller used. The corporations were so large that they could and some did, force out the competition which resulted them in gaining control of that particular market. This allowed corporations to set the prices they desired, which affected the consumers pocket as that was the only place they could obtain the product or good from. Business men who ran these large industries became extremely wealthy, powerful and influential, often at the expense of many poor workers, and much of the public saw them as robber barons who exploited workers, in order to accumulate immense fortunes. For example, in 1882 Rockefeller solidifies his control by establishing a monopoly or trust, which centralized control of a number of oil related companies under one board of trustee. By 1879, Rockefeller controlled 90% of the county’s oil capacity. As a result of this, companies in other industries quickly imitated this trust model and used their broad market control to raise prices. Also in document A, statistics are shown of the index prices to the average prices during a certain period of time and it is evident that as the years progressed, the cost for food, fuel and lighting decreased significantly but the cost of living of also decreased but not to the degree of the above mentioned. Trusts were a common way to force out the competition and control a market in the 1800s. Big business also impacted America politically as seen on document D. This political cartoon shows wealthy industrial owners, which are taking up most of the space in the US senate and are coming in from a door that is labeled â€Å"Entrance for monopolist† and all the trusts are lines up to enter. Also, in the left corner there is a door labeled â€Å"People’s entrance† that had a â€Å"closed† hanging from it, which clearly shows that the people do not have a say in the senate. This means that industries have a great amount of power in the senate as well as a big impact politically. Also in document B, from George E. McNeill, a labor leader, is a short passage about â€Å"The problem of today† in 1887. He starts out explains how the railroad president holds so much power that it is almost as if he were the king of the railroad. The article states that the railroad king collects his tithes, which is the 1/10th annual income given to clergy and to support the church, by lowering the worker’s wages. He also has the power to fire anyone, take away their income, delay trial on a suit at law, and postpone judgment indefinitely. This shows the amount of power in his hands, and how he has a say in politics and court. At the end, McNeill states, â€Å"In his right hand he holds the government; in his left hand, the people† to show the sense of control he has in both areas and the degree of his influence on both, the people, and his government. American’s responses to the growing corporations were evident in document C. In this document David A. Wells claims that individualism or independence of the producer in manufacturing has been in great degree destroyed as well as the pride workmen took in their work. Also, he says modern manufacturing systems have been brought into a condition similar of that of a military organization. This shows the rigidness of the bosses and the demand for their work to be perfect. It is also mentioned in this document that as a rule, workers are only good for one thing, and then are useless once there is no more work of that kind. Lastly, the works are no longer independent. But depend and have to obey rules to keep progressing. In document E, by Andrew Carnegie, he states that to set an example of modest he has to provide to those who depend on him. Andrew Carnegie of the steel industry donated much of his wealth to building libraries, schools, and universities to support the less fortunate or poor. The growth of corporations evidently impacted the economy and politics, as well as the American responses to these changes, in 1870-1900.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Architecture Of Theatres Architecture Essay

The Architecture Of Theatres Architecture Essay Back to the first half of the 20th century and it was in America that mass production was becoming ever more efficient and chains of theatres were blooming all over the country. Architects commissioned to design these theatres were no longer being briefed by the playwrights and managers but by the owners of the chains with the sole intention on increasing box office sales. The aesthetics were clearly intended for the paying customer and the money directed at the entrance lobby and the ever growing auditorium spaces and the less spent on the ever smaller dressing rooms. This problem was less common in Britain around that time as very few theatres were built during the war but a prime example for Britain did come about with the redevelopment of the Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1930. Designed by modernist architect Elizabeth Scott, after months of fundraising and committee meetings, was expressed by the director of the theatre William Bridge-Adam as having, Absolute flexibility, a box of tricks out of which the child like mind of the producer may create whichever shape it pleases. It should be able to offer Mr Poel an Elizabethan stage after his hearts desire. The Architectural Review responded to it with critical acclaim. Sightline was an area singled out as being particularily good with no pillars obstructing any views and no boxes. Acoustics were also mentioned, the shape of the theatre resembles a giant horn and is so deigned that the players can be herd from all parts of the stage and the sound distributed evenly throughout the auditorium. The splays and the ceiling of the proscenium, together with the forestage when in use, act as reinforcment to the source of sound. Finally the use of materials and the style where mentioned. Though new theatres continue to appear in constant succession throughout the country, each newcomer, with very occasional exception, represents no more than another step along the tiresome path of motif ornament and meaningless decoration. Since Palladio built his theatre of Vicenza there has been no development other than an increasing tendency towards vulgarity and over-elaborationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in the new theatre in Stratford-on-Avon materials are used with intelligence, selection and fitness of purpose and designed by the nature of the material. It later became clear that the actors did not feel the same way. Comments were made over the distance from the stage and front row and the bare walls stretching from the proscenium to the circle. It was described in The Other Theatre, published in 1947,Word count: 294 as if performing to Calais from the cliffs of Dover. (Baliol Holloway) Clearly the architect had not achieved what she had wanted (an intimate theatre) nor what the client desired. What had happened here was a lack of communication and cooperation between the two professions. In the past there was an understanding of what was required and little was said between either professions but back then the architects working on theatre buildings would have specialised in Theatre design, most of them being builders themselves with several years of experience under their belts. The word specialist was not used in Britain until the mid-19th century, pervious to that an architect who designed theatres would just be referred to as a Theatre Designer. Earlier cases have been recorded in other parts of the world where renowned general architects have thought they could solve the problems aroused by the old theatre designs. At the end of the 18th century London had several theatres which had work done to them such as Benjamin Dean Wyatts Theatre Royal in Drury Lane which also received architectural critical acclaim. Too often theatres built by renowned generalist architects are more extravagant and end up having work done to the auditorium within and around a decade. Luckily for both architect and theatre owner money had become available for rebuilds and amendments however vast. The theatre professions displeasure with the works of Wyatts at Drury Lane and Elizabeth Scott at Stratford -upon-Avon are only a couple of examples of what happens when famed architects try and impose a solution to and old and accustomed problem. Their belief that they could rethink the nature of the auditoriums issues upon their first attempt can be seen a s naÃÆ' ¯ve and as the theatre profession is more voluble than the architectural realm when provoked, the public tend accept the blame being placed on the architect. Word count: 385 Luckily there are a few first time Architects, Theatre Designers and Consultants who do listen to their clients and are willing to spend the time studying the code for auditorium design as well as meet technical requirements. As a result there are many theatres in both Britain and America which function out of a healthy relationship between both theatre and architecture professions. The breakdown in communication is what both sides have to be wary of and this can often be caused by the architects instinctive to offer slender resources to the external design. In some cases it may be the case that the architect has taken a modernist mind-set, strange to the theatrical precedence which is generally that the outside of the building should express whats inside and also the other way around. Therefore in the name of architectural truthfulness as a whole, the detailing and shape to the auditorium could be sacrificed by the architect under his manifesto. Looking at it the issue in detail, th e same outcome can be caused by the opinion that the architect is not changing anything just reorganising the auditorium elements more effectively which is just as dangerous as believing that they can change the nature of the auditorium itself. Therefore by trying to organise these key components such as lighting, side seating and acoustic materials, and moving them to the perimeter of the space the eye of the viewer may be drawn to the outside of the stage rather than inwards at the actor. The attention would be drawn to the side walls and ceiling hence the actor will have to try harder to gain the attention of the audience. The problem with auditoriums in the past was the failure to draw the attention to the front 15ft of the stage which should appear to float. Some of the causes may have been that the seating went too far back or was spread too wide. The stem for this problem maybe that some architects are taught and become firm believers that form follows function, thus the functionality fallacy. They work only with statistics in creating a design which is dictated purely on numbers. Areas of the design which could not be measured were often ignored or left to the architect to decide on the outcome unattended. This is a clear example of a lack of a real philosophical discussion on the nature of how theatre functions, between the theatrical technician and the architect. Word count: 403 To understand the architect lets look at how the development of the proper approach to theatre design. First of all a team needs to be formed consisting of: an architect, engineer, acoustic consultant, cost consultant and theatre consultant. An architect naturally heads the team as is in the architects office where he or she works alongside partners, associates and has technicians underneath heading different departments on the construction drawings. There will be some younger members of the team which would have graduated high from their architectural schools wanting to work for an experienced architect on high level projects who spend their time trying to find rational solutions through designing sketch schemes with the architect. These young people are who the Theatre Consultants should liaise with. The Engineers occasionally have a tendency to take over a project which can be dangerous for the position of the architect. The electrical engineer has the safest role in terms of lighting which can be overseen by the Theatre Consultant and more central to the success of the project is the mechanical engineer. The mechanical engineer takes charge of the heating and ventilation. Theatres require that the space be dry and cool whilst also being silent, something theatre managers specify as being essential is the silence. Architecture Actor Audience states that Quite simply there is nothing more expensive and nothing more necessary. The overall job of the engineers be them electrical, structural or mechanical is to solve how the design is put together as opposed to the what and the why of the design. This leads us to the dangerous cases in which the engineers take over the role of designer of theatres from the architects. 1950s America and engineers were emerging with numerous qualifications in stage design and acoustic and scenic engineering claiming they had solutions to sights and sounds. Fixed angles where determined for acceptable sightlines in the auditoriums. Ceilings hidden by lighting, previously referred to as the heavens to capture the rising human spirit and to keep a cap on the theatre space to focus the attention back down to the actor. The side walls which had been lined with humanity in the early years were also now shaped for acoustic advantages. To create a theatre that was intimate, it was suggested that the furthest seats from the stage had to be of a certain distance. Jo Melziners so called field tests in which he concluded that the furthest distance of: 55ft (16.8m) for Julie Harris in drama, slightly more for Gertrude Berg in a rather broad comedy and 100ft (30m) for Ethel Merman in anything. What had not seemed to be considered was the density of the space given to the individual audience member or of the impact of the amount of people to be fitted into the full distance allocated. Just to mention some of the theatres loved by the theatre profession; the Old Vic in London, the Lyceum and the Booth in New York, all of which would be considered badly designed with views obstructed with bad sightlines and areas with a lack of legroom but shows succeed in these theatres Word count: 331 Nowadays this is realised as being a mistake in design as functionality actually took away from the experience but in the 50s and 60s this confusion of the criteria of what makes a good theatre experience had not been realised. What differentiates the live theatre is the sense of community and involvement not the emphasis on the visual lines and sound quality. Maybe if we take a step back and look at what Marcus Vitruvius Pollio wrote in the early first century BC on theatre architecture, we could possibly find another angle on design. Vitruvius having been an architect and builder shared most if not all his knowledge in his ten books on architecture. He makes detailed reference to existing buildings and gave recommendations on how to build new ones. Word count: 248 The conclusion is that clients are appearing to be increasingly greedy wanting larger seating volume with equal comfort. The architect must not fall for the naivety that they can solve the problems which have been around for centuries. An architects overconfidence in his technical skills can easily cause the failure of a production and not have the talent of the production or writers to blame. Many newly emerging architects believe that theatres need modernisation but there needs to be a greater understanding of the magic and illusionistic handling of the space of such a complex building type. It seems better then to stick to old strategies which work and if there is an old theatre in question then keep it if it works. Amendments can be made to the dressing room and bar, possibly the foyer but not to the spaces in which the audience interact with the performers. By looking to the past for answers we will find that the majority of successful theatres are based on the principles of the sacred geometry which should be considered as special harmony with the intention to encourage movement of energy not as a robust net of formations. Finally the sightline paradox. It seems the theatres which work well suffer from the occasional views with obstructions but those theatres which have excellent sightlines all-round are universally disliked by actors and audience.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Impact of Organizational Communication on Employee Performance

Impact of Organizational Communication on Employee Performance Man is a social animal. He cannot overcome the worldly activities alone. He needs help from other people to do his usual deeds. We spend a lot of time in writing, reading, talking and listening, infect most of our time is spent while communicating. For the implementation of our routine activities we always need someones help. Then process of communication starts. No one can communicate alone. Theres always a sender and one or more receivers. Communication is a source of delivering messages form one to another. Through communication people share their ideas, feelings, thoughts and emotions. Man carries out his needs and also helps others by knowing each other. And life will pass with the same zeal. Communication plays a vital role in the working of any business. Organizations have to communicate to carry out their business activities. Researches indicate that organizations cannot meet their goals unless they have effective communication. In the triumph of any organization, the relationship between manager and his subordinates plays the significant role. In any business activity manager is a key player. Communication is a ribbon, which binds the management and its official together, and is very obligatory for the success and excellent performance of any organization. Communication helps the organizational members to make both personal and organizational goals. And also help them to co-ordinate on the internal activities of the organization. To the extent the less effective communication of any organization is, the less effective its performance will be. E.g. the new employee orientation program is the first and most essential step for any organization towards efficient communication. New employees feel a great sense of confidence with orientation program. And this thing leaves a positive impact on their performance. In this respect the job of a manager cannot be ignored, because problems occur when directions are not clear. Every manager should be a good communicator. Because he is one who communicates the message to one or a group. (Ivancevich Matteson, 2002) Effective communication increases the efficiency and productivity of any business. And also make the employees more satisfied. Researches illustrate that effectual and well-organized communication positively relates to the job satisfaction, performance and positive attitudes of employees. A study by University of East London shows that the concept of communication is immeasurable in modern management, and it seeks to meet clear understanding between manager and all the employees. It explains that employee communication is; infect exchange and clear provision of information, commands and directions between management and employees. And it makes the organization to work properly and employees to be well aware about their responsibilities and duties. (University of East London, 2009) Communication is a course of action in which information is being shared from one person or group to another by using common symbols. Though science and information technology become advance now even yet the human element of communication cannot be ignored, because communication within the organization is preferred for any business. It is necessary for the healthy environment of any establishment. Communication is a pervasive activity through which people become able to know each other and they combine their efforts. Today employees want to know what is happening in their surroundings, what their co-workers are doing and how they are participating in the organization, and how the daily functions of the organization are carried out? Today the manager requires more effective and logical communication in all the directions i.e. upward, downward; lateral etc. when there is effective communication in the organization it provides a bridge of understanding to people. In this way they can better understand each other. And this bridge of understanding helps them to cross the river of misinterpretation. Communication is not what the sender says; it is to what degree the receiver understands the message. Organizations cannot survive without communication. When there is no communication, workers were not clear with their everyday jobs, management cannot get the information, group leaders and executives cannot lead and direct their employees. (Newstrom, 2007) Through communication we can better understand each others feelings, opinion, beliefs and principles. Communication makes it possible for the organizations to perform their daily management functions e.g. organizing, planning, controlling and leading. Co-ordination is an essential element to carry out the business actions. When there is no effective internal communication, co-ordination of work also becomes impossible. And organizations have to suffer a lot in this situation. Co-operation also becomes impossible because people will not discuss their ideas and feelings with others. This will lead to low productivity and low performance in the organization. Innovation also stumps in this way. According to Balondi, companies that are very good at communication are effective listeners to their employees, and also they plan effectively. He explains that effective internal communication keeps the employees on track and it increase the financial performance of the companies. The results of the study confirm that companies with effective communication, their market value increases by 20 percent. (Balondi, 2006) Communication is the stream of information, material, knowledge and insight between different people and various departments of any organization. It influences each and every action of the organization. Infect, it is a chain of perceptions which moves the organizations towards their goals. Organizations cannot meet their goals and challenges until they communicate well. Good communication leads to good results, and toward more satisfied, motivated and dedicated employees. And boost their morale as well. Communication is possibly the most imperative thing for the continued existence of any business. The purpose to have good communication in any organization is to have employee involvement in the organization. There should be good communication between management and their officials, because internal communication plays a fundamental role in the performance of any organization. BROAD PROBLEM AREA Every organization has its own culture and patterns on the basis of which they conduct their functions and activities. The present study is an attempt to analyze the factors which affects the performance of employees in the organization, as in organizations there are several things which affects the employees performance. The communication is the most important thing in this respect. Many studies have conducted in this regard but those did not discuss the factors which affects the employee performance with respect to communication. From a managerial perspective, it is important to discuss the relationship between management and employees with reference to communication. As there are many factors which relates to communication and enhance the employee performance in the organizations e.g. co-operation, co-ordination, job satisfaction, employee motivation, image of the organization and accomplishment of goals. Keeping this in mind, the study of communication and managerial behavior requires an in-depth analysis of all those circumstances in which the functions of the organization takes place. This study will focus on the managerial behavior and patterns of communication in the organization which leads to employees performance. This study will incorporate the attitude of managers/organizational leaders towards their employees by taking in-depth information from the concerned functionaries. LITRETURE REVIEW A literature review discusses published information in a particular area, and sometimes information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. A literature review can be just a simple summary of the source, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine with old interpretation. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates. And depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant. According to Hellweg Phillips (1982), the worker productivity increases when there is communication within the organization. Besides many other things the communication within the organization helps the employees to perform their tasks well, to have information about the duties they have to perform, and about the goals of the organization. They argue that existence of communication within the organization lead to the effective decision making. Smidts, Pruyn, Riel (2001) define the employee communication as communication transaction in their study. They argues that employees who are well informed about organizational activities as goals and objectives, new developments and achievements can enable the organizations members to develop such characteristics which differentiates it from other organizations. They found that communication climate is an important variable in the relationship between employee communication and organizational identification. In their point of view the lack of communication within the organization affect the organizational decision making. According to them, its the foremost duty of the manager to pay serious attention towards the internal communication climate, by giving each employee opportunities to speak, get involved and be listening and guide them for the fulfillment of goals. A study by Harshman Harshman (1999) concludes that the structure of the organizations is changing day by day as the environment is changing. The changing social and economic atmosphere in any country brings change in the work settings of any organization. Organizational communication is the critical function, and it affects the content and structure of the organization. These changes lead to change in formal and informal patterns of communication in the organizations. The previous researches show that there is a strong bound between communication and other organizational functions. Another study by Monge, Cozzens, Contractor (1992) shows that communication variables like information sharing and communication between group members leads to innovation in the organization. They found that communication variables have a strong effect on the organizational outcome. They argue the participative environment within the organization, increase its productivity and improve its performance and outcomes. Effective communication in the work setting of any organization promotes trust in the employees. When they are getting involved in decision-making or when they are empowered this thing will increase their confidence level and definitely have a positive effect on the performance of the employees. In connection to this another pertinent study to be quoted is the one proposed by Dirks Ferrin (2001) on the role of trust. Their findings show that trust is an important element in the organizational settings as it positively relates to the attitudes, perceptions, behaviors and performance outcomes within the organizational settings. It has direct effect on the various outcomes. Trust is an essential building block in the functioning of an organization. They found that trust is directly relates to increase productivity, positive attitude of the employees, their good behaviors and more likely to the high level of cooperation between management and employees. A study of manager-employee surveys, Trinka (2006) found that managers can increase their overall effectiveness by 50-60 percent by focusing on communication. He argues that employees are interested in learning communication skills to make a healthy and co-operate working environment. He proposes that a manager can play an important role in retaining employees and in their performance. He found that those managers, who discuss and communicate the performance standards with their employees, get more effective results and outcomes. A study at BigCo Company of USA found, those leaders who follow the bureaucratic model in the company, results as restricted interaction patterns. The social interaction between employees is very low which indeed leads to low sharing. They argue that social interaction is the core of any business and there should be good interaction between the leaders and the employees. They further illustrated that women are more efficient and active at communication. They found in their research that women working at BigCo are more likely to bridge the communication in the company. They explain that the coordination between top management and the subordinates is very less which seems divergent in the complex world of information and technology, as communication and coordination are two most important ingredients in the working of any organization. (Kleinbaum, Stuart, Tushman, 2008) Previous studies conducted on organizational communication suggests a visible relation between trust and communication. In relation to this, Yamaguchi (2009) proposes that there exists a strong relation between these two factors i.e organizational communication and trust. He predicted that bad news such as about failure of proposals or low performance, results in developing a bad perception of employees about their boss. Wheras as good communication between superiors and employees leads to good results in the organization. He further explain that good communication can change the attitude of employees for the desired results. Communication decreases the uncertainity and effective communication enhance the trust, increases the job satisfaction, employees commitment and their loyalty towards work. He found that effective communication breaks the wall of misunderstanding and conflicts can be avoided in this way. Yukl Falbe (1992) gave the relation between soft and hard communication tactics in his study. He found that the hard communication tactics are not as effective as the soft ones. He predicted that consultation is the most effective tactic and it leads to the positive results in the organizations because hard communication tactics are least successful in the organizations. Hard communication tactics make the employees violent and they mistrust their superiors. He argues that to influence the people is the most important thing in the managerial effectiveness, that how the manager motivates his subordinates. Gray Larry (2005) suggests that CEO is the supreme head in the organizations and he lead the employees and workers to achieve the goals. They give directions and their behaviours sets the culture in the work setting that how to fulfill the objectives and achieved the visiion and mission. They found that, employees are most satisfied with those Executives and CEOs who are good communicators. The CEO and Executive communication influence the employees perceptions. They explain that communication is not only information sharing but also to create a sense of understanding. Organizations are nothing without their people, success of organizations is not possible until there is a balance between employees and the tasks. Employees can only be able to get full results when they are clear about their assigned tasks and duties, and when there is a relation of trust and appreciation. The strong relation between management and employees results in many positive aspects in the organization. Goris, Vaught, Pettit ( 2000) proposes that job performance and job satisfaction can be achieved only when there is a balance relationship between employees needs for growth and job characteristics. They found that high level of downward communication in the organizations make employees to feel dependent on their bosses. And when there is too much upward communication, employees sometimes assume that their superiors dont know how to perform their tasks and duties. He further agues that excess of everything is dangerous in the same way excess of any communication direction in the organization creates trouble for workers. Negative reactions can be the result of too many good things or too little things. In lateral communication employees compare themselves with their co-workers and this thing negatively affects employee sstisfaction and their performance. Communication is considered to be an important ingredient in the work setting of the organization. Organizational communication is a way to develop a strong culture within the organization to achive the set goals and objectives. In this regard Scholfelder (1998) defines organizational communication as an approach in which everyone should participate to create an effective culture within the corporation. This leads to sharing of knowledge, opinions and ideas which results as innovation, effective decision making and also increases the productivity of the organization. He found in his study that managers spend 70-80% of their daily time in communicating with others and if their communication skills could increase by 10 % this will lead to 7 % increase in the productivity. Trust in an important element in getting the effective and efficient result. Researches further makes this point more clear and understandable. Goris, Pettit, Vaught (2000) examines the relationship between trust in and influence of superiors and job satisfaction and job performance. They propose that trust and influence are two vast concepts in the organizational context. And this permits the supervisors and managers to attain desired results and enhance positive working conditions. Trust in supervisors is related with job satisfaction and innovation. Whereas influence of supervisors leads to employees satisfaction. They found a positive relationship between trust in supervisors, influence of supervisors and job performance and satisfaction. Denton (1993) define the relation between communication and productivity. He found that 88% of the engineers strongly believes that least productivity is the result of poor co-ordination and lack of communication between different business units. CEOs also on the view that good communication with employees directs the job satisfaction. General Electric, is a well-known organizatation, expierencing the open communication to make employee relations more effective and to increase productivity. This helps them to eradicate the communication problems because CEO;s and leaders of their 14 business units are in direct communication with each other. This results as effective and quick decision making. He further explains that Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, California uses the open communication and gets the drastic change in their productivity. When employees feel that they are listened and they are important for the organization, this increases their motivational level. Open communication is simply sharing and trusting each other in the work setting. The corporations use open communication, gets the employees satisfaction, motivation and cooperation. The improvement in the employee relations leads to the increased productivity. Role of communication cannot be ignored in any establishment. communication between management and employees keep them up to date about what is happening in their sorrundings. Dinsbach, Feij, de Vries (2007) founds that there is a positive and strong relation between communication, job satisfaction and organizational identification. They talked about in the terms of discrimination between employees and found that those employees who are treated unequally leads to negative outcomes. Whereas those employees who are treated equally are more satisfied and committed to their management. They examined a positive relation between communication and job attitudes and outcomes. The study demonstrates that communication is the best way to know about tha attitudes of employees. They explain that communication among people is essential in all type of organization, because when there is good public relations this results as increase productivity, job satisfaction, positive attitude of employees t owards their organization and also organizational identification.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Effects of spanking on children :: essays research papers

The use of spanking is one of the most controversial parenting practices and also one of the oldest, spanning throughout many generations. Spanking is a discipline method in which a supervising adult deliberately inflicts pain upon a child in response to a child’s unacceptable behaviour. Although spanking exists in nearly every country and family, its expression is heterogeneous. First of all the act of administering a spanking varies between families and cultures. As Gershoff (2002) pointed out, some parents plan when a spanking would be the most effective discipline whereas some parents spank impulsively (Holden, 2002). Parents also differ in their moods when delivering this controversial punishment, some parents are livid and others try and be loving and reason with the child. Another source of variation is the fact that spanking is often paired with other parenting behaviours such as, scolding, yelling, or perhaps raging and subsequently reasoning. A third source of varia tion concerns parental characteristics. Darling and Steinberg (1993) distinguished between the content of parental acts and the style in which it was administered (Holden, 2002). With all this variation researchers cannot definitively isolate the singular effects of spanking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Holden (2002) reviewed Gershoff’s (2002) meta-analyses of eighty-eight (88) studies and noted that there were both positive and negative outcomes associated with the punishment of spanking. According to Gershoff’s (2002) analysis, the one positive outcome was immediate compliance by the child (Holden, 2002). This result was found to be consistent in five (5) studies. Immediate compliance was defined as the child complying to the parents directive within five (5) seconds. In stark contrast, there were four (4) negative outcomes. The analysis showed a negative effect on the quality of the parent child relationship, the child’s mental health, the child’s perception of being a victim of physical child abuse, and also impacted aggression in adulthood (Holden, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spanking should always be of reasonable force, never leave bruises or marks, and only ever be on the buttocks. Spanking advocates argue that the buttocks are the safest place to administer corporal punishment since it produces a sharp stinging pain but injury is unlikely.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Technicolor Research Topic Report: Sound and Image. :: essays research papers

Technicolor Research Topic Report: Sound and Image.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a written report where my partner on the topic and I presented a ten minute oral summary of our chosen research topic on Technicolor. We chose Technicolor as we felt it had most to say to us, threw the progression of the technology the problems threw out the years of perfecting the technology, to the ultimate glory of the Technicolor experience. As we didn’t know too much on Technicolor we were quite eager and wanted to broaden our knowledge on the subject.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We started the research primarily on the internet as we found a lot of informative sites we also confirmed the information using books. The books and sites used were www.technicolor.com, www.widescreenmuseum.com/oldcolor/technicolor1.htm and www.imdb.com. The books are as follows, Glorious Technicolor: the movies' magic rainbow / Fred E. Basten. Barnes, 1980 and Mr. Technicolor / Herbert T. Kalmus with Eleanore King Kalmus. Our intention on the project was to separate the project with Tom doing the early years and I doing the later years in the company’s history. We would share the different information with each other helping each other understand the difficult technological information to hand with the different camera systems that were created threw out the years. Technicolor was the collaboration of Herbert Kalmus, Daniel Comstock and W. Burton Westcott in 1912 with the intention of creating flicker free color films, Technicolor as we know today has produced much success and revolutionized the way we look at cinema but this was not without there many teething problems. Actors and critics criticized the technology every step of the way. There first invention produced was the Technicolor System 1 Additive Color, which I’m sorry to say flopped massively due to the unfortunate screening of The Gulf Between in 1917 which only a few frames remain of this film today. This was the first public premier of the technology and was disastrous. The film was captured through two separate filters red and green and the light through those two filters was captured on a single reel of film, when processed this negative had red and green information captured on a black and white reel, when this was processed the reel was placed into a projector and then threw red and green filters. To project the image an adjustable prism that had to manually lined up by the projectionist as two separate images formed on the projection screen this did not work as planned as the projectionist failed to line up the images correctly.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

New vs Old Yankees Stadium

â€Å"The House that Ruth Built† has seen many history-making moments in its 85 years in the Bronx: twenty-six World Series titles, four Major League Baseball All-Star games, two papal visits by John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Now that the Bronx Bombers have ended their 2008 season 8 games out of first place, finishing third behind the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, the old Yankee Stadium will shut its doors (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"2008 Regular Season Standings†).The start of next season will bring extra attention to the Yankees due to the opening of their brand new stadium, located across the street. Their new stadium is just one of many recent parks that have been built. These â€Å"new stadiums† change the classic pastime of watching a game with a hot dog in hand. Even though the modern ballparks have amazing architectural designs with countless means of entertainment, the central sport of baseball seems to be just playing in the background.Sinc e 2000, twelve Major League teams have built new stadiums. The two New York Teams, the Yankees and the Mets, will both open brand new parks in the spring of 2009. Five teams have plans in progress to have completed their new fields by 2012, which will leave the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park, built in 1912, the oldest baseball stadium in the country (Grand Slam Enterprises). The new Yankee Stadium is the most expensive one in America, costing approximately $1. 6 billion (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"Yankees Unveil 2009 Schedule†).The opening of two baseball stadiums, as well as the Jets and Giants new stadium, all in the same state and the same season has prices flying through the roof for local ticket holders, and the citizens of the state concerned about what their taxes are going towards since all the stadiums received some aid. The Yankees received over $200 million from the city and the state, which, even though only covers a fraction of the cost, the money still comes from the taxpaying citizens (E. S. P. N. ). People that have had season tickets for years now have to sacrifice their exclusive seats because they cannot afford the prices (Sandomir).However, money aside, New York City is going to get extra sports attention in the upcoming year. According to the teams website, the Yankees are â€Å"all about embracing the future,† and their new stadium does exactly that. The virtual tour of their new facility explains the countless number of new additions and changes, and shows how the new stadium takes the same basic design of the old one by creating the same atmosphere, but modernizes it entirely (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"New Yankee Stadium Virtual Tour†).This means that the new home of the Yankees will contain well-known features such as Monument Park, the white frieze that runs along the top border and the playing of Frank Sinatra’s famous â€Å"New York, New York† after a home game win. The Relocation Gui de that all the ticket holders received opens up its 48 page description of the stadium by stating: â€Å"The new Yankee Stadium†¦will merge the glorious past and future greatness of the Yankees to create the ultimate fan experience by providing the latest technology, luxurious fan amenities and customer service in a setting that will feel both reassuringly familiar and surprisingly fresh. Before going into detail about all features, it states: â€Å"the new Yankee Stadium will be all about choice, comfort, convenience and accessibility† (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"New Yankee Stadium Relocation Guide†). Notice there is nothing said about baseball. The new house of the Yankees has many improvements. The gentler slope of the seats gives everyone a good view of the game. The stadium itself is 63% larger than the old one, yet has less seats. The available wireless Internet and major cell phone antennas around the stadium, will give fans web access and strong cell phone service, which seem unnecessary for a night at the ballpark.Do fans actually need their cell phones and laptops for a couple-hour game in New York? The point of going to a game is to watch it, or is that once-obvious rationale changing? The Yankees plan on opening a Metro-North train stop right at the stadium so that fans from neighboring states can easily arrive and depart the game without dealing with the subway or the street traffic, which takes away from the hustle and bustle of the pregame street activities. This includes souvenir shops, food vendors etc.And finally, the most un-baseball related aspect of the new stadium on the list is the fact that Yankee Stadium will be open year round with clubs, restaurants, banquet rooms, conference rooms and business centers, and will host corporate outings, business meetings, bat mitzvahs, seminars and weddings (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"New Yankee Stadium Relocation Guide†). According to Brian Cashman, Senior Vice-Pre sident and General Manager of the New York Yankees, the team has â€Å"to be in a position to pursue excellence. He knows the potential of the Yankee organization, and he feels that the new stadium is the best thing for it. Although many have complained about the destruction of such a historical landmark, Cashman says that the new stadium is just as good, if not better than the old one. He states that the move was necessary because of all the improvements and new stadiums that other teams have made. The opponents all have better â€Å"batting cages and health recovery areas† and other key advantages at their home fields, so the Yankees obviously needed to keep up.Cashman feels that the new stadium will bring the community together in the Bronx, making the investment a good thing for everyone (Cashman). Even if the Yankees improve their practice facilities, which may make their team better, will the fans be paying any attention to the game? Or will they be having a drink at t he martini bar or spending the game with their head down looking at their email? The Washington Nationals call their new stadium a â€Å"beacon for business development,† and all the new stadiums are exactly that. The game has been lost, but the fans might not mind this new era of sports entertainment.The Nationals say that they would like to offer their fans the opportunity to enjoy the game or â€Å"explore the unique array of entertainment options† that they have available at the stadium (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"New Nationals Park Virtual Tour†). The Yankees, Mets, Twins, Royals, Marlins, Athletics, Rays and all the other franchises that decide to rebuild soon want to make a profit from this transition in ballpark style as well. The Yankees know that â€Å"all the new stadiums† do the same thing, and it is the Yankees’ reputation to â€Å"do things right,† according to Jim Kaat, an announcer for the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Networks (Kaat).To do thing right for the Yankees mean to make money. And they plan on pushing their fans towards retail, entertainment and expensive ticketing options to make that happen. Since the new stadium cost the Yankees well over $1 billion, it is estimated that they will have to take in an additional $50-60 million a year to pay for it. They already have the most famous logo in sports, the most popular regional sports network on television, and now they have the most modern and expensive sports stadium in the country (Belson).In order to make a profit with the new stadium, the Yankees dropped their capacity by over 4,500 seats, but tripled the amount of luxury suites available. The luxury suites include different levels of luxury: Legends, Luxury, Club, Main Level and Terrace. All the suites come with club access, preferred parking, a bar and restaurant, private bathrooms and HD televisions (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"New Yankee Stadium Relocation Guide†). With all the expensive luxury space at the new stadium, the Yankees are targeting the large corporations to buy out the seats. The Yankees may sell out every game, but they almost never have full attendance.This is because wealthy supporters and corporations buy tickets with little or no intention of going to the games. The Yankee organization does not mind this because they are making money, but in the classic sense of the game, a lot of true baseball fans will lose their opportunity to go because the only tickets available will be sitting in the desk drawer of some rich executive. The stadium now has a sports bar, a martini bar, a steakhouse, a grillroom, an art gallery, a sports memorabilia store, a museum and four retail stores on top of the hundreds of regular concession stands that are all available to the ticket holding fan.The luxury suites have special admission to their own clubs, bars and restaurants depending on which one of five levels you have access to. Ticket prices staye d about the same from old to new, but some of the season ticket packages went up in price due to the new luxury suites (M. L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"New Yankee Stadium Relocation Guide†). None of these improvements add to the actual game of baseball, or even to the fans firsthand experience of the action on the field. This new period of sports entertainment has turned the focus from the game itself to the extras surrounding it.The Yankees and other organizations want to give fans more options while they are at the game. Whether or not this is a good idea will be seen in the near future, after the public settles in to the new fields. George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees said, â€Å"I am thinking about the future and the new Yankee Stadium being built next door. There is no doubt in my mind that the Yankees should have the best ballpark in baseball, and I will make sure our new home does justice to the great tradition of this franchise†¦Yankees fans deserve nothing less† (M.L. B. Advanced Media, â€Å"New Yankee Stadium Relocation Guide†). Yankees fans have always had the best ballpark in baseball. The stereotypical â€Å"new stadium† draws the crowd from the field to the entertainment. Hopefully this new style ballpark does not damage the American pastime, and take away the opportunity to watch live baseball for future generations. The history of the old stadium is unbeatable by the other teams. Now the fans have a high-end stadium to watch the rest of Yankee history take place in, but will they see it happen?

Monday, September 16, 2019

Retention Management

What is Employee Retention ? Employee retention refers to the various policies and practices which let the employees stick to an organization for a longer period of time. Every organization invests time and money to groom a new joinee, make him a corporate ready material and bring him at par with the existing employees. The organization is completely at loss when the employees leave their job once they are fully trained. Employee retention takes into account the various measures taken so that an individual stays in an organization for the maximum period of time.Importance of Retention Manage Employee Turnover Employers implement retention strategies to manage employee turnover and attract quality employees into the organization. Retention programs focus on the relationship between management and their workers. Competitive pay, benefits, employee recognition and employee assistance programs are all apart of a company's attempt to maintain employee satisfaction. Human resources special ists utilize feedback they receive from exit interviews and focus groups to improve employee relations and reduce turnover. Cost EffectiveA company can significantly benefit from employee retention programs because of a direct effect on an employer’s bottom line. High turnover can be very expensive. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, â€Å"employee replacement costs can reach as high as 50 to 60 percent of an employee’s annual salary. † Strategies geared towards retaining good workers helps offset employee replacement costs and reduces the indirect costs such as decreased productivity and lost clients. Maintain Performance And Productivity Employee retention practices help support an organization’s productivity.Recruiting and training new employees takes time. An unfilled position means work is not getting done. Even if a position is filled, there is still a learning curve most employees must overcome before their work becomes profit able. Taking the necessary steps to keep current workers satisfied with their roles will ensure productivity is not interrupted. Enhances Recruitment Effective retention strategies often begin during the employee recruitment process. Employees are more inclined to remain with a company that fulfills the promises made when their employment offer was extended.Companies that provide a realistic view of their corporate environment, advancement opportunities and job expectations to new hires can positively influence employee retention. Increases Morale Employees that enjoy what they do and the atmosphere in which they work are more likely to remain employed with their company. Retention strategies are important because they help create a positive work environment and strengthen an employee’s commitment to the organization. Strategies that target employee engagement, such as team-builders and community involvement, increase company morale and give employees a sense of pride in what they do.The procedure of Retention Management The procedure of retention management consists of six steps[5]: 1. Identification of the target and actual needs of the staff 2. Analysis of the fluctuation risk of the staff 3. The Analysis of factors of Motivation/Demotivation of the retention group 4. Identification of the targeted measures 5. Implementation of the measures 6. Evaluation of the measures Step 1: Identification of target and actual needs of the staff The starting point is the corporate strategy and business objectives.The product, market or organisational goals of the company can help to identify strategic staffing needs and the strategic relevant skills of employees. Step 2: Analysis of the fluctuation risk of staff In step 2, the HR manager is interested in the degree of the fluctuation risk. First, it is important, to analyse the common portfolio of the potentials and performance of the employees. In large companies, this could be done through a management audit. In small businesses this can be clarified with an employee interview. This gives the manager information about the power structure in the relevant group.But this information is not enough to estimate the probability of fluctuation. It is also necessary to consider the demand for the relevant skills in the labor market. When a manager combines the results of the analysis he can identify three risk categories, which would cause a priority for the retention management: * Those employees, who are in great demand in the labor market and who have a high capacity, are the key target group for retention management measures. * Those employees, who perform well and whose skills are somewhat in demand in the labor market, have a mean fluctuation risk.Depending on the corporate strategy they are the second important target group for retention management measures. * Employees that have skills that exist in large numbers in the labor market and who also who perform well are currently not a relevant retention target. Step 3: Analysis of factors of Motivation/Demotivation of the retention group Now motivators and demotivators must be found in the identified retention target group. The motivators must be taken into account and demotivators must be removed with the help of appropriate measures, to ensure that the employees develop affective commitment.Motivators and demotivators can be estimated from the outcome of questionnaires. Subsequently a Motivation/Demotivation profile of the retention target group should be formed. Step 4: Identification of the targeted measures The various measures of human resource management relate to different motivational factors. These connections can be used to create a specific matrix in which the action areas of personnel management and appropriate measures will be brought together with the motivational factors. Step 5: Implementation of the measures After the analysis measures will be implemented.Here are some important aspects: * Conceptual fo undations: The measures must be defined and applied according to clear rules, in this context ad hoc measures lead only to short-term success with negative cultural impact. * Cultural fit: Measures must be in accordance with the corporate culture and the existing Management tool system For example, a variable compensation system makes little sense without a performance appraisal system! * Marketing personnel action: The application of the measures must be accompanied by internal communication. Only then the efforts of a retention manager will be perceived! Retention factors: By the design and implementation of retention management policies respect and transparency must be taken into account. Only when these measures convey these values, they will have great influence! Step 6: Evaluation of the measures After the implementation of the measures it is necessary to assess the success of the activities. This can be achieved by comparing the results to the objectives that were set in the retention management strategy. After the expiry of the defined period and after application of the retention policies the manager can check how the objectives were achieved.For example, if the objective was that 80% of the defined strategically relevant staff should be in business at time X, then the manager can determine whether this ratio was reached at time X, and whether it was exceeded or not exceeded. From this statement the manager can derive new measures and draw conclusions about the practice of the concept of retention management. Important conditions for the success of retention management are on the one hand, human resource management in the company, and on the other hand project management of the implementation of retention management. Determinants of Retention CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIESCareer development is a system which is organized, formalized and it’s a planned effort of achieving a balance between the individual career needs and the organizationâ€⠄¢s workforce requirements (Leiboiwitz et al, 1986). The rapidly growing awareness makes it obvious that people can give the firm its leading edge in the market place. The new challenge for the HR professionals is to identify the developmental strategies which can inspire the commitment of employees to the firm’s mission and values so that the employees become motivated and help the firm to gain and maintain a competitive advantage (Graddick, 1988).A company that wants to strengthen its bond with its employees must invest in the development of their employees (Hall ;amp; Moss, 1998; Hsu, Jiang, Klein ;amp; Tang, 2003; Steel et al. , 2002; Woodruffe, 1999). It entails in creating opportunities for promotion within the company and also providing opportunities for training and skill development that let employees to improve their employability on the internal and/or external labour market (Butler ;amp; Waldrop, 2001). Growth opportunities which were offered by the employers are reduced due to turnover intentions of employees because the lack of training and romotional opportunities was the main cause for high-performers to leave the company (Allen, Shore ;amp; Griffeth, 2003; Steel et al. , 2002). Career development is important for both the organization and individual (Hall, 2002). It’s a mutual benefit process because career development provides the important outcomes for both parties (Hall, 1996; Kyriakidou and Ozbilgin, 2004). Organizations need talented employees for maintaining the sustainable competitive advantage and individuals require career opportunities to develop and grow their competencies (Prince, 2005).SUPERVISOR SUPPORT One of the most important factors that have impact on retention is the relationship between a worker and a supervisor. Supervisors are the â€Å"human face† of an organization. According to Eisenberger and associates (1990), a worker’s view of the organization is strongly influenced by their relationshi p with their supervisor. By having support, workers are less likely to leave an organization and be more engaged by having good relationship and open communication with the supervisor (Greenhaus, 1987).Supervisors interact as a link to practice applications among stated goals and expectations. By harmonizing the competing demands, they support in managing both inside and outside the work environment. If the relationship does not exceed then employee will seek to any other opportunity for new employment and vice versa. The supervisor support is so essential to retention that it can be said that employees leave bosses, not jobs. Organization must groom supervisors to well build the place where employees want to stay.Providing each level of performance and opportunities can enhance their capabilities to work. WORK ENVIRONMENT Numerous studies have attempted to explain work environment in various areas such as for example employee turnover job satisfaction employee turnover, job involve ment and organizational commitment. Work environment is one of the factors that affect employee’s decision to stay with the organization. Hytter (2008) analyzed that work environment has commonly been discussed by industrial perspective, i. e. ith a focus on physical aspects such as, heavy lifts, noise, exposure to toxic substances etc. The interesting part is; characteristics of work environment vary in services sector as compare to production sector because it has to interact with the clients/consumers (Normann 1986). Depending on the kind of business and kind of job, interactions will be more or less frequent and more or less intense. The interaction between employees and consumer/client hence demands a move of focus from the physical to the Psycho social dimension of work environment.Psycho social work environment includes support, work load, demands, decision latitude, stressors etc. It’s very important to recognize the emerging needs of individuals to keep them c ommitted and provide the work environment as necessitate (Ramlall, 2003). Milory (2004) reported that people enjoy working, and strive to work in those organizations that provide positive work environment where they feel they are making difference and where most people in the organization are proficient and pulling together to move the organization forward. REWARDSThe term ‘reward’ is discussed frequently in the literature as something that the organization gives to the employees in response of their contributions and performance and also something which is desired by the employees. A reward can be extrinsic or intrinsic it can be a cash reward such as bounces or it can be recognition such as naming a worker employee of the month, and at other times a reward refers to a tangible incentive, reward is the thing that an organization gives to the employee in response of their contribution or performance so that the employees become motivated for future positive behavior.In a corporate environment rewards can take several forms. It includes, cash bonuses, recognition awards, free merchandise and free trips. It is very important that the rewards have a lasting impression on the employee and it will continue to substantiate the employee’s perception that they are valued. Rewards are very important for job satisfaction because it fulfills the basic needs as well as helps to attain the higher level of goals. Earnings is the way by which worker get to know that how much they are gaining by dedicating their time, effort and skills in a job.Attractive remuneration packages are one of the very important factors of retention because it fulfills the financial and material desires as well as provide the means of being social by employee’s status and position of power in the organization. Many researchers demonstrate that there is a great deal of inter-individual difference in understanding the significance of financial rewards for employee retention . An organization’s reward system can affect the performance of the employee and their desire to remain employed. WORK-LIFE POLICIESMany researchers tested the impact of work and family benefits which comprise of flexible schedules, childcare assistance, parental leave, childcare information and parental leave on organization commitment. Researches showed that there is greater organizational commitment if employees had access to work life policies and also these employees articulated considerably with lower intent to renounce their profession. Today a major concern in business is Workplace flexibility. The one thing becomes very clear that money alone is not enough; employees are willing to trade a certain amount of money for reduced work hours in their schedules.It is argued by the researchers that reduced work hour options should have the potential of win-win situation for both individuals and organizations, there should be a fit between the schedule the person needs and th e actual number of hours worked. Distress and fatigue from excessive time on job can lead to decline in performances of the employee and also it affects the safety level. A large amount of time at work is not a good predictor of productivity and it is observed that periods of time away from work can be extremely beneficial to the quality and productivity of a person’s work.The employee willingness to opt for reduced –hours schedules is not simply a matter of scheduling it involves redesigning work arrangements which leads to change in organization culture and careers, viable reduced-hours career options require simultaneous changes in the areas of compensation, assignments and promotions. So it is more cost-effective and productive for management to design the work arrangements to fit the human than it is force the human to fit the system (Barnet ;amp; Hall, 2001).By applying work-life course of actions, an organization can enhance its ability to respond to demands of customers for better access to services and also the tactics for the organizations to deal with the revolutionized way in order to satisfy both employees and employers . ABSENTEEISM Absenteeism is a serious workplace problem and an expensive occurrence for both employersand employees seemingly unpredictable in nature. A satisfactory level of attendance byemployees at work is necessary to allow the achievement of objectives and targetsby a department. Employee Absenteeism is the absence of an employee from work.It is a major problem faced by almost all employers of today. Employees are absentfrom work and thus the work suffers. Absenteeism of employees from work leads toback logs, piling of work and thus work delay. Absenteeism is of two types -1. Innocent absenteeism – Is one in which the employee is absent from workdue to genuine cause or reason. It may be due to his illness or personalfamily problem or any other real reason2. Culpable Absenteeism – is one in which a person is absent from workwithout any genuine reason or cause. He may be pretending to be ill or justwanted a holiday and stay at home.Many employees will, on occasions, need a few days off work because of illness, however, whenabsences become more frequent or long term and reach an unacceptable level, action bymanagement is necessary. Absence from work can be expensive in both monetary and humanterms. The costs incurred when an employee is absent from work may include:(i) Replacing the employee or requiring other staff to cover the absence;(ii) Inability to provide services, or achieve section and departmental objectives;(iii) Low morale and general dissatisfaction from other staff, particularly if the absence isHigh absenteeism in the workplace may be indicative of poor morale, but absences can also be caused by workplace hazards or sick building syndrome. Many employers use statistics such as the Bradford factor that do not distinguish between genuine illness and absence for inap propriate reasons. As a result, many employees feel obliged to come to work while ill, and transmit communicable diseases to their co-workers. This leads to even greater absenteeism and reduced productivity among other workers who try to work while ill.Work forces often excuse absenteeism caused by medical reasons if the worker supplies a doctor's note or other form of documentation. Sometimes, people choose not to show up for work and do not call in advance, which businesses may find to be unprofessional and inconsiderate. This is called a â€Å"no call, no show†. According to Nelson & Quick (2008) people who are dissatisfied with their jobs are absent more frequently. They went on to say that the type of dissatisfaction that most often leads employees to miss work is dissatisfaction with the work itself.The psychological model that discusses this is the â€Å"withdrawal model†, which assumes that absenteeism represents individual withdrawal from dissatisfying wor king conditions. This finds empirical support in a negative association between absence and job satisfaction, especially satisfaction with the work itself. [1] Medical-based understanding of absenteeism find support in research that links absenteeism with smoking, problem drinking, low back pain, and migraines. [2] Absence ascribed to medical causes is often still, at least in part, voluntary.Research shows that over one trillion dollars is lost annually due to productivity shortages as a result of medical-related absenteeism, and that increased focus on preventative wellness could reduce these costs. [3] The line between psychological and medical causation is blurry, given that there are positive links between both work stress and depression and absenteeism. [2] Depressive tendencies may lie behind some of the absence ascribed to poor physical health, as with adoption of a â€Å"culturally approved sick role†.This places the adjective â€Å"sickness† before the word à ¢â‚¬Å"absence†, and carries a burden of more proof than is usually offered. Evidence indicates that absence is generally viewed as â€Å"mildly deviant workplace behavior†. For example, people tend to hold negative stereotypes of absentees, under report their own absenteeism, and believe their own attendance record is better than that of their peers. Negative attributions about absence then bring about three outcomes: the behavior is open to social control, sensitive to social context, and is a potential source of workplace conflict.Thomas suggests that there tends to be a higher level of stress with people who work with or interact with a narcissist, which in turn increases absenteeism and staff turnover TURNOVER Employee turnover is the process of replacing one worker with another for any reason. A turnover rate is the percentage of employees that a company must replace within a given time period. This rate is a concern to most companies because employee turnover can be a costly expense, especially for lower-paying jobs, which typically have the highest turnover rates. Having n employee leave a company, either because of his or her choice or after being fired or otherwise let go, might require various administrative tasks to be performed and severance pay or other payments made to the employee. Replacing the employee might require such things as advertising the open position, using a so-called headhunter or other service to find potential job candidates, bringing in candidates for interviews and eventually training the new employee. Types Of Turnover The two general types of turnover are voluntary and involuntary.Voluntary turnover is when the employee chooses to leave for whatever reason. Involuntary turnover is caused by layoffs and similar actions where the decision for an employee to leave is made by the company and not the employee. As a general rule, voluntary turnover is the measure used to discuss and compare employers. It is the type mo st directly affected by the front line supervisors. Involuntary turnover, caused by layoffs, can be a long-term result of high levels of voluntary turnover. What Is Turnover RateTurnover rate is a calculation of the number of employees who have left the company and it is expressed as a percentage of the total number of employees. Although turnover rate is usually calculated and reported as a percentage per year it can be for different periods. How to prevent turnover Employees are important in any running of a business; without them the business would be unsuccessful. However, more and more employers today are finding that employees remain for approximately 23 to 24 months, according to the 2006 Bureau of Labor Statistics.The Employment Policy Foundation states that it costs a company an average of $15,000  per employee, which includes separation costs, including paperwork, unemployment; vacancy costs, including overtime or temporary employees; and replacement costs including adve rtisement, interview time, relocation, training, and decreased productivity when colleagues depart. Providing a stimulating workplace environment, which fosters happy, motivated and empowered individuals, lowers employee turnover and absentee rates. 10] Promoting a work environment that fosters personal and professional growth promotes harmony and encouragement on all levels, so the effects are felt company wide. [10] Continual training and reinforcement develops a work force that is competent, consistent, competitive, effective and efficient. [10] Beginning on the first day of work, providing the individual with the necessary skills to perform their job is important. [11]Before the first day, it is important the interview and hiring process expose new hires to an explanation of the company, so individuals know whether the job is their best choice. 12] Networking and strategizing within the company provides ongoing performance management and helps build relationships among co-worker s. [12] It is also important to motivate employees to focus on customer success, profitable growth and the company well-being . [12] Employers can keep their employees informed and involved by including them in future plans, new purchases, policy changes, as well as introducing new employees to the employees who have gone above and beyond in meetings. [12] Early engagement and engagement along the way, shows employees they are valuable through information or recognition rewards, making them feel included. 12] When companies hire the best people, new talent hired and veterans are enabled to reach company goals, maximizing the investment of each employee. [12] Taking the time to listen to employees and making them feel involved will create loyalty, in turn reducing turnover allowing for growth. ATTRITION Attrition or Employee Attrition is a voluntary reduction in an organization’s manpower through resignations or retirements. A high attrition rate causes a high employee turnove r in an organization, reducing quantity and quality of an organization’s manpower.This in turn causes a huge expenditure on human resource, by contributing towards repeated acquisition, training and development, and performance management. Attrition or voluntary turnover, although undesirable to any firm, is not completely avoidable. Yet, by improving employee morale and providing a satisfactory working environment, this problem can be nullified to a greater extent. A major cause for voluntary turnover is uninteresting and unchallenging job that offers boredom rather than enthusiasm for employees. Employees who experience boredom at work usually try exploring alternatives to make their work life happier.An easy track to retain these employees is by adopting some sort of job shift through job enrichment, empowerment, de-jobbing, or job rotation. There is also a great impact from the working environment that an organization offers to its employees. An unhappy employee with orga nizational culture, superiors, subordinates, or even customers cause high attrition rate to that organization. These employees can also influence his peers and subordinates by sharing their feelings and opinion. There is also another group of employees who hunt for better alternatives and hop as they get one.These employees may rather spend their majority of working hours in searching new options than contributing to the present employer. This means, behaviour and attitude of an employee also can cause attrition. Why do Employees Leave the Organization? It is said that people leave their bosses,not organizations. When employees are happy with their superiors they choose to stay, if not they look for a switch. So now I see the following reasons to Leave the Boss * Higher pay * Work timings * Career growth * Higher education * Relocation to other places Women leave the job after marriage to take up their house-hold duties * Work pressure * Work Environment * Poor performance. * Losing faith on merger/acquisition * Verbal abuse The Brighter Side of Attrition * A poor performer is replaced by a more effective employee * A senior retirement allows the promotion or acquisition of welcome ‘fresh blood'. * When business is slack it is straight forward to hold off filling recently created vacancies for some weeks. Diagnosing Attrition Commonly Used Techniques in the Industry: 1. Surveys : They are commonly used as part of the information gathering process.They are a reasonable way of obtaining relevant information, though response rates are often disappointing. Questionnaires need to be designed carefully to be effective. They should be easy to use, anonymous and fairly brief. Questions can be open or closed, multiple choice answers, ranking of items or checklist format. 2. Exit Interviews : Exit interviews are used by the majority of companies. They tend to be conducted just before an employee leaves, though some firms wait until after the departure. Exit interv iews will normally to be done in the form of a questionnaire, though one to one interviews are also used.