Could Christianity have benefited without Constantine Research Paper

Could Christianity have benefited without Constantine - Research Paper Example In preliminary readings, there seem to be two extreme views of Emperor Constantine who ruled the Roman Empire between 306 and 337.One school of thought asserts that Constantine was the founder of Christendom and his laws and actions laid the foundation for the institution of Christianity in the Roman Empire and throughout Europe. Another set of thinkers present Constantine as an opportunist who used Christianity to further his personal political goal of unifying and ruling the Roman Empire. In either contexts, it can be argued that Constantine played a fundamental role in the promotion of Christianity. This paper examines whether Christianity could have persisted without Constantine or not. According to Professor Stark, in the year AD40, Christians were very few and some estimates put the entire membership of the religion at around 1,0001. It was like any other religious sect and any other group in the Roman empire. However, Christianity grew at a very outstanding rate of 3.42% per a nnum and 40% per decade around AD2502. This suggests that Christianity was already growing when Constantine took over the reign of the Roman Empire in AD 306. In light of this fact, this research will proceed on the premise that Christianity would have survived and grown even without the pro-Christian policies of Constantine. The research will test this hypothesis to ascertain its truthfulness or falsity. Persecutions Before Constantine Constantine was serving in the court of Diocletian who ruled Rome from 285 – 305 AD3. ... om the eyes of Diocletian and other Romans of his generation, Christianity was a foreign religion that had its roots in Ancient Israel, then known to the Romans as Palestine. Due to this, the Romans could not take the criticisms in good faith and make adjustments to their beliefs. Rather, Diocletian and his government felt compelled to take action against the Christian critics of the Roman pagan religious system. Diocletian and his government launched the Great Persecution which was the last and the most severe Roman persecution of the Early Christians5. In the national context, Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire in Diocletian's era. This was the official position and most people in the Roman Empire saw it as a secret society and looked at the members with a high degree of skepticism and suspicion6. Christianity was neither Roman nor Barbarian; it was just some kind of foreign religion that posed a threat to the Roman culture7. More significantly, Christianity in the time o f Diocletian was expanding. This created an urgent need to control the expansion of Christianity. On February 23, 303, Diocletian destroyed the Church in Nicomeda and burnt scriptures and confiscated the Church's assets and treasures8. This sent a clear message that Diocletian was against the expansion and growth of the Christian Church. He was obviously not ready to tolerate the Christian Church as a competitor to traditional Roman customs and practices. On the same day, Diocletian issued an edict against Christians which prohibited Christian worship in the Roman Empire9. Three more edicts were issued by Diocletian and these were meant to ban the practice of Christianity and prevent Christians from carrying out their activities, which he thought were detrimental to the Empire and against

Merced County Health Status Essay Example for Free

Merced County Health Status Essay A community’s health can be established through a myriad of differing factors. Three specific factors that will help to determine the health of the county in which I live are community safety, disaster preparedness, as well as an analysis of the population. The community under review, Merced, is located in central California and made up of seventeen cities and communities whose individual populations do not exceed more than 75,000 and covers an area of approximately 1,972 square miles (United States Census Bureau, 2010) with a total population of approximately 255,793 people in 2010 (Merced County California, 2012). The first area of importance is community safety. It is important to beginning discussion with the one of the most basic of health indicators; the air we breathe. The air quality index in Merced County is 48, a median value that takes into account only the most hazardous air pollutants (Air Now, 2012). This value is only slightly lower than the air quality index of California, but is approximatly 30% higher than the national average (Air Now, 2012). Another important area that must be addressed is the water we drink. In Merced County most of our drinking water comes from groundwater sources which are collected by two public water systems. Most all areas in Merced County are affected by three different pollutants: Nitrates, Ethylene Dibromide (EDB), and Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) (Air Now, 2012). Although all three of the pollutants fall below the water standard or eliminated through the public water systems, these pollutants will continue to be an issue because EDB and DBCP were used by farmers for many years to fumigate crops. Another area of concern in community safety is the safety hazards within the sociocultural environment. The ability to work, shop, or simply ride your bike and feel protected within the area in which you live are important features in determining the health of a community. With 1. 2 police officers and 4. 4 sheriff officers per 100,000 people and an average response time of 3 minutes (Merced County Office of Economic Development, 2012); most people can be fairly confident that they and their property are protected. However, crime rates have risen in the past few years. In 2009, Merced County experienced 1,658 violent crimes; the majority of which involved aggrivated assult but also included 26 murders, 78 forcible rapes, and 276 robberies (United States Department of Justice, 2012). There were also 4,390 property crimes and 90 cases of arson (United States Department of Justice, 2012). Rate of offenses per 100,000 are as follows: violent 568. 3, property 567. 3, drug 512. 9, sex 37. 9, other 489. 1, and totaling 2,175. 5 per 100,000 (United States Department of Justice, 2012). Considering there are only 5. law enforcement officers per 100,000 people, it would appear as though crime will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. These numbers are especially troublesome considering budget cuts that will surely affect all public safety departments (Layoff Watch, 2011). There are a couple of ethnic groups within Merced County that feel especially vulnerable, the Hispanic community and the Asian community. The Hispanic community nearly makes-up 50 percent of the population and is congrigated in the poorest of neighborhoods. Yet another concern involving public safety is the ability to obtain medical services. Within Merced County there are only two hospitals that offer emergency medical service, Memorial hospital of Los Banos and Dignity Health of Merced. Memorial hospital of Los Banos is a relatively small hospital with the ability to admit a total of 46 patients (Memorial Hospital Los Banos, 2008). The emergency room has the ability to care for a total of 6 patient’s requiring immediate emergency care, but has the capability to fly patients out to other facilities if required. Dignity Health of Merced is the larger of the two facilities and cares for the majority of the population of Merced County. Dignity Health has a total of 194 beds available. Dignity Health has approximately 10,900 admissions per year and total emergency room visits equaling around 66,000 per year. On a typical weekend the emergency room will see about 250 patients between the hours of 7 a. m. and7 p. m. (M. Parker RN, personal communication, June 8, 2012). Also serving the community are 8 primary clinics. The majority of these clinics are located within the city limits of Merced and Los Banos. Those located outside of these locations will have to drive upto 30 minutes to obtain medical services. Merced County also has five psychiatric facilities, only 2 of which are capable of admitting patients. Country Villa Merced Behavioral Health Center has 96 beds available for the community and has the ability to care for long-term patients between the ages of 18 to 65 years of age (Country Villa Merced Behavioral Health Center, 2012). Marie Green Psychiatric Center is a smaller facility that has the ability to admit upto 20 patients between the ages of 18 to 65 years of age, but this is a short term facility that can only care for patients for up to 90 days. Currently, in the Merced County area there are no psychiatric facilities that have the capability to care for psychiatric patients under the age of 18 or over the age of 65. Emergency preparedness within Merced County is primarily controlled by the Department of Public Health. Merced County’s emergency preparedness was last updated in 2003 and in general addresses â€Å"preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities† (City of Merced California, 2012). In the preparedness phase, activities are concentrated in advance of a disaster. Actions are focused on â€Å"implementing hazard mitigation projects, developing hazard analyses, developing and maintaining emergency plans and procedures, conducting general and specialized training, conducting exercises, developing mutual aid agreements, and improving emergency public education and warning systems† (Merced County California, 2003). In the response phase an emergency situation is imminent or likely to occur. During this stage the county initiates actions to increase its readiness. In the recovery phase the focus is to return public services to Merced county residents and return any area affected by the emergency to its previous condition. The mitigation phase occurs before and after emergencies. After a disaster or emergency, mitigation or alleviation, includes â€Å"reducing the impact of hazards that exist within Merced County† (Merced County California, 2003). Although Merced County Public Health Department concerns itself with the county as a whole, it must also make provisions for areas more susceptable to emergencies or areas where there is an increased difficulty to disseminate information. Within these areas there are disproportionate ethnic minorities. The two primary ethnic groups, hispanic and asian americans, are particularily at risk because of transportational and housing issues as well as dysfunctional attitudes toward disaster planning or preparedness. Within Merced County the Hispanic community makes up nearly 50% of the population and constitutes the majority of those living below poverty level. This translates into the majority of the population within the economically depressed areas having inadequate housing or malfunctioning transportation. When a disaster does occur, this group will be the hardest hit as they will not have the financial means to recover what they have lost. This group also has the highest potential for harm due to the inability to relocate to an area that is safe due to transportational issue. What places this group at highest risk are their attitudes toward disaster planning or preparedness. After speaking with six different families from a depressed area, all but one family put any thought into a potential emergency, and none of these families had money set aside for such a disaster (personal communication, June 1, 2012).

The Landscape of History Essay -- Book Review, John Lewis Gaddis

In The Landscape of History, John Lewis Gaddis makes a cohesive argument concerning about the debate over the objectivity of truth by stating â€Å"objectivity as a consequence is hardly possible, and that there is, therefore, no such thing as truth (Gaddis 29). The question for objective history has long been debated by numerous historians, and the differing viewpoints of history have led to a transition in our ways of thinking in the modern world. Ultimately, the question that this paper focuses on is: to what extent is history objective? Along with this, the relation to historical consciousness and the challenges of living in modernity will also be assessed. This paper will analyze the texts of John Lewis Gaddis, Nietzsche and the Birth of Tragedy, Modernity and Historical Vision, Living in Modernity, and Hermeneutics. Finally, the paper will argue that history is not largely objective, and is fundamentally shaped through the historian’s subjectivity. John Lewis Gaddis, in his book, The Landscape of History, generates a strong argument for the historical method by bringing together the multiple standpoints in viewing history and the sciences. The issue of objective truth in history is addressed throughout Gaddis’s work. In general, historians learn to select the various events that they believe to be valid. Historians must face the fact that there is an â€Å"accurate† interpretation of the past ceases to exist because interpretation itself is based on the experience of the historian, in which people cannot observe directly (Gaddis 10). Historians can only view the past in a limited perspective, which generates subjectivity and bias, and claiming a piece of history to be â€Å"objective† is simplistic. Seeing the world in a multidimensiona... ... in history. There is no real objective aspect to history, but a multitude of attitudes towards history can make history a discipline that allows for multidimensionality. The debate regarding whether or not history could be objective has been discussed and interpreted by many historians. The ways we think about history has allowed for the divergence of various perspectives in the world we live in today. In sum, the question discussed in this paper pertains to the extent of which history can be objective. This question has left room for several interpretations in the field of historiography and challenged our experienced in the era of modernity. This paper’s argument went for the subjective side of the argument with evidence for my argumentation from John Gaddis, Friedrich Nietzsche, Postmodernity and Modernity, Living in Modernity, and Heidegger’s Hermeneutics.

Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby What is unknown is often talked about as being mysterious, perhaps even ominous. Naturally, many people become curious and want to find out what lurks about in the dark and be able to say that they know what others do not. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, the main character, Jay Gatsby is quite enigmatic. Seclusion and isolation are well known to Gatsby, especially when it comes to his personal life and his history. Throughout the novel, except when with Nick or Daisy, Gatsby asserts himself as an observer, who would rather watch others than to join in with the crowd. The silhouette of a moving cat wavered across the moonlight, and turning my head to watch it, I saw that I was not alone--fifty feet away a figure had emerged from the shadow of my neighbor's mansion with his hands in his pockets . . . (p. 21) Being the absolute mystery that he is, Gatsby is this "silhouette of a moving cat," and lives his life this way. As this quote shows, Gatsby emerges from the shadow to reveal himself to Nick (who is one of a very few amount of people that he confides in with the truth of who he really is). Whether Gatsby is throwing extravagant parties in his own home or with a small group of people, who he is remains a secret. Gatsby is constantly encompassed by darkness and secrecy When Gatsby threw his large parties, he was rarely seen amongst his guests and was most often alone, observing them. "Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another."(p. 50) The one time that Gatsby is noticed talking to his guests is when he introduced himself to Nick and started a conversation with him. Yet, most of the time that he throws these parties at his own home, he is alone and does not socialize with the people who attend. Trying to understand Gatsby is a very difficult thing to do, because there is so much to grasp. Entering into the upper class of wealthy people, Gatsby not only held onto a secret past, but also had the hidden agenda of trying to get Daisy back, whom he had fallen in love with while in the war.

Porters 5 Forces Essay

Five Forces analysis for IT industry Wipro Technologies is a global information technology (IT) services company. It provides custom application design and development, IT consulting, systems integration, technology infrastructure out sourcing, software products and BPO services. Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model looks at five key areas- the threat of entry, the power of buyers, the power of suppliers, the threat of substitutes, and competitive rivalry. Threat of new entrants: New entrant in the market may have an effect on share of older counterparts Threat of substitute: Due to technological advances, Quality constraints or cost effectiveness there can be a threat of the substitute on the industry. Bargaining Power of customer: This is the bargaining power of the customer -one who is consumer of the goods. Bargaining Power of suppliers: This is the bargaining power of the supplier -one who supplies sources that are needed for finished goods. Comparative Rivalry within Industry: It tells about extent of competition in between firms in an industry. Porters Five Forces helps to analyse how these forces act together to cause the company to increase or decrease profitability of the company. The strategy of the company should be to influence these forces to maximise profitability. Hence below is a study of the IT industry and study of profitability in custom application design development, systems integration, technology infrastructure management segments of IT Threats and barriers to entry Economies of scale and Capital Investment Requirements: IT requires very low investment and hence we have hundreds of startups starting every year. While it is easy to invest and start a software company sustaining growth does not come easy. All these start-ups also play in an area where Wipro does not compete like low value projects or in subcontracted work. Hence they are not a threat to the profitability of Wipro. India is the favourite destination for off shoring Information Technology (IT) and IT enabled Services. The Indian IT/ITES industry commands more than 50% of global ITES off shoring market share. The IT/ITES exports are set to cross USD 60 billion by 2010 and Nasscom (The National Association for Software and Services Companies), estimates that the industry will account for USD 63. 7 billion of revenues and direct employment is expected to reach nearly 2. 3 million. The IT industry contributes around 26 per cent of India’s total exports and was around 6. 1 percent of India’s GDP for financial year 2009-2010 (NASSCOM, 2010). 2 Customer switching costs Wipro works across verticals like telecom, BFSI, Media and Communication, Automobiles, Government, Technology, Manufacturing, Energy, Healthcare, Hospitality etc and has several ODC or offshore development centres for nearly all top companies in the world. These offshore development centres have thousands of resources working with multi year projects earning millions of dollars of revenue a year. The cost of shifting or switching even a part of these projects to other companies would involve huge set up, transitioning costs with no guaranteed results. Wipro has quality certifications like Cmmi Level 5, PCMM Level 5,BS9977 etc and new entrants will face a barrier in this regard. Global contracts will not be given to companies with the lack of certification. The lack of security certifications will cause customers to have security related concerns while sending data offshore. 3 Access to distribution channels and technology This poses no difficulty. Many top business unit heads have previously quit from Wipro and spawned off their own company which has grown and sometimes taken a part of the market share of Wipro. Since the industry thrives on knowledge workers when a senior person leave he takes access and knowledge of customer base and customer contacts with him. The Internet is present everywhere and software technology in the era of open source is easily accessible to all. 4 Government Subsidies and policies Current favourable policy by government for new ITES-BPO firms is creating competitive situation for Wipro and other established players in the India IT industry. The reforms have reduced licensing requirements and made foreign technology accessible. The reforms have also removed restrictions on investment and made the process of investment easier. This has tremendously helped the IT industries. The Indian government is actively promoting FDI and investments from NRIs (Non-Resident Indians). FDI can be brought in through the automatic route, based on powers accorded to the Reserve Bank of India. Improvement and reach of telecommunication can aid new entrants into the IT industry. Similary improvements in infrastructure and power sector can also aid new entrants into the IT industry. Recognizing the importance of Venture Capital Funding, the Ministry of Information Technology has set up a National Venture Fund for the Software and IT Industry with a corpus of Rs. 100 crore. The main aim of the venture capital Fund is to provide Venture Capital to start up software professionals and small IT units. Nasscom (most important promoter of the IT/BPO industry) has been playing a crucial role in helping the IT industry achieve the IT and ITES vision and make India far ahead of other players in the field of IT and BPO. But new entrants and start ups can never be in the league of Wipro which adds 20-30 new customers every quarter and earns revenue in the range 0f 50-60 billon USD every quarter. 5 Brand Loyalty Since Wipro is in multi year relationships with most of it’s customers and since the relationship is driven top down from CEO level and exists sometimes with entire IT organisation of the customer, there is a deep brand loyalty that cannot be forsaken. Wipro trades on NYSE and is a well respected global company. Threat of Substitute Price is most often the main differentiator among key players in the software industry quality of service being the same. Indian IT firms like Wipro face stiff competitions from their counterpart in other emerging market like Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines and China. The IT providers in these markets charge competitive rates as compared to Wipro. But Wipro has development centres in China , Philippines so that they can leverage the same advantage. At the same time Wipro attracts a huge pool of resources from the many leading technical institutions across India . These resources are trained to work in many technologies and also are very flexible with respect to work timings. Additionally, the Wipro has been exceptionally quality focused being the first Indian Cmmi Level 5 company with high-skilled pool of knowledge workers with English speaking Hence it has an upper edge over other offshore locations like China, Philippines or Latin American countries 1 Quality/Value proposition While start-ups work like a flash in the pan and sometimes do attract a first time IT outsourcer it is MNCs like IBM and Cognizant which can be identified as substitutes for Wipro. Cognizant with it’s steady and continued growth rate has taken a part of the market share of companies like Wipro. An MNC with a formidable history and background can e work as substitute for Wipro in the software industry due to the differentiation that they bring in terms of delivery models, senior people/leadership in the organisation, R;D focus, steady focus on not yet mature verticals (like healthcare in Cognizant’s case for example) and pumping back money into the business. These MNC bring a better value to the customer and engage the customer at a more strategic level . Buyer’s willingness and relative price/performance of substitute As per a report in Economic Times Emerging near shore rivals, including Ness Technologies of Israel, CPM Braxis of Brazil and Mexico-headquartered Softtek are increasingly becoming attractive for top outsourcing customers such as GE, Citibank and several others seeking to work with local, specialised vendors instead of sending all projects to offshore locations like India. Though Wipro is growing it’s presence in the emerging markets of Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia, they face stiff competition from these newer rivals. For many customers who already have significant presence in offshore locations like India, it’s a risk diversification, Some customers having 70-80 per cent of their offshore resources in India are realising that they need to look at the third category of suppliers that are local and niche. Over the past two years, companies such as CPM Braxis, EPAM Systems, Ness Technologies, Softtek, Merchants and Spi Global have emerged as stronger rivals for Indian tech firms, especially while bidding for an outsourcing contract being fleshed out by a ‘first-time outsourcer’. Brazilian firm CPM Braxis, for instance, which counts GE, ABN Amro and Whirlpool as clients, reported revenues of around $567 million in 2008. One of the top four Brazilian banks, Bradesco, is also among the biggest customers for the company. While these emerging outsourcing rivals are not yet in the big league of mega, multi-year contracts, they are still able to gain business because of their niche and local market expertise. On an average, these companies are able to win contracts worth $2-5 million in annual contract value. Bargaining power of customer Concentration of buyers and sellers There are a large numbers of playes in the software industry. While India and Indian software companies with demonstrated performance are the lead runners, players across the world and especially from other developing countries like Brazil etc are in the run. Hence the customer has huge bargaining power. 2 Profitability of buyer OF late due to the cut in IT spending, while IT spend of the custome rs may have reduced, the number of players are vying for the same budget. Hence cost advantages become very major and customer drives the billing rates. This is because most of the projects are in maintenance or integration and quality differentiation may not be there among number of players. 3 Switching Costs But for existing projects where switching costs are high , new higher billing rates have been worked on on contract renewal even in the recession period. Also with a tighter monitoring of IT spend of customers and in an effort to distribute the risks customers also rarely give an entire project to one customer often distributing the project to all key players hence igniting rivalry and competition. Forward Integration Many captive companies have leveraged the same advantage as companies like Wipro of resource availability at low costs and have opened their captive centres in India, which acts as an IT wing of their company and develops software for them. Examples are many like Shell , JP Morgan, man international banks, Bosch, Boeing etc. Bargaining power of supplier 1 Concentration of suppliers and demand Since there are a lar ge number of technical institutions campus recruitments bring in thousands of entry level people at low salaries. But at the same time attrition is very high in the software field since with experience resources may move to greener pastures. 2 Profitability of suppliers There is a huge demand for experienced professionals in key skill areas. Companies need to continually invest in resource development and training in upcoming technologies and keep them from leaving the company by attractive remunerations, trips abroad etc. Since many of the suppliers who support the IT service industry -are local and IT industry earning capitalize on the rupee dollar difference . The suppliers are happy to be in engagement with the IT company and are happy with what they are offered though it is a miniscule of what the IT company earns. Example are cab companies. Rivalry or Competition 1 Structure of competition The key players in the IT industry are in intense competition with each other. All the major players like TCS, Infosys etc have the same kind of delivery models, verticals focus, billing rates and also almost the same customer base, geographical presence etc. So most of the competition is around excelling in domain knowledge, gaining thought leadership in technology areas and building customer relationships. But the large players are only a few in number who are clear market leaders. Still Startups concentrate on niche technologies and domains and beat inroads into the IT companies market share. Start-ups thrive on a hire and fire policy where the resources are taken on at the beginning of a project at high salaries and fired after it’s completion. Since there is no service differentiation the customer believes in divide and rule policy where the each key player is given a near equal piece of the pie, pitching one player against the other and igniting intense rivalry. The key to getting good projects is good experienced resources, number of people with a specific skill etc. Hence resource poaching is a common phenomenon. 2 Cost structure of the Industry Companies like Wipro have high overheads owing to it’s size and complex organisation structure. New companies with none of the legacy of Wipro, can come in with niche focus and take a portion of maket share related to R;D, innovation where creativity, technicall prowess is more key than standard processes, certifications etc. So time and again projects are lost to smaller companies who are more nimble and lean and once that happens it can plot the growth story of a new rival in that specific domain for Wipro. Wipro thrives majorly on large offshore multi-year dollar contracts in application maintenance, infrastructure management where skills are not high end. The requirement is to maintain large bench strength to quickly source these projects. This adds to the cost of most key players in the Indian IT scene. 3 Strategic Objectives For the past 5 years Wipro and other key players have had relatively lesser focus on moving up the value chain. All key players are still milking the standard IT services industry demand for maintenance, testing, infra management contracts with global companies in an primarly offshore model. Growth strategies are mainly to expand to newer geographies access the same standard IT services demand. Growth of all key players have been demand driven and more or less uniform. There have been few acquisitions but no aggressive growth stories amongst competing players. It can be concluded that Wipro is a key player in the IT industry and carries on with it’s brand name, sheer size and momentum as also it’s leadership and service quality. But to up the ante key differentiations have to be brought in – which needs to be paradigm shift in the way business is done. Whether the innovation is thru new technologies like cloud computing or whether it is through the review of business models to emerge as a product and/or consulting company where it engages with the customer strategically – change is to be brought in. Else the MNCS like Cognizant, near shore companies like Ness etc may soon catch up or take a part of the pie.

Sociology Theories of Deviance and Deviant Behavior

Sociology Theories of Deviance and Deviant Behavior Deviant behavior is any behavior that is contrary to the dominant norms of society. There are many different theories that explain  how behavior comes to be classified as deviant and why people engage in it, including biological explanations, psychological explanations, and sociological explanations. Here, we review four of the major sociological explanations for deviant behavior. Structural Strain Theory American sociologist  Robert K. Merton developed structural strain theory as an extension of the functionalist perspective on deviance. This theory traces the origins of deviance to the tensions caused by the gap between cultural goals and the means people have available to achieve those goals. According to this theory, societies are composed of both culture and social structure. Culture establishes goals for people in society while social structure provides (or fails to provide) the means for people to achieve those goals. In a well-integrated society, people use accepted and appropriate means to achieve the goals that society establishes. In this case, the goals and the means of the society are in balance. It is when the goals and means are not in balance with each other that deviance is likely to occur. This imbalance between cultural goals and structurally available means can actually encourage deviance. Labeling Theory Labeling theory is one of the most important approaches to understanding deviant and criminal behavior within sociology. It begins with the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. Instead, definitions of criminality are established by those in power through the formulation of laws and the interpretation of those laws by police, courts, and correctional institutions. Deviance is therefore not a set of characteristics of individuals or groups, but rather a process of interaction between deviants and non-deviants and the context in which criminality is defined. Those who represent forces of law and order and those who enforce the boundaries of proper behavior, such as the police, court officials, experts, and school authorities, provide the main source of labeling. By applying labels to people, and in the process creating categories of deviance, these people reinforce the power structure and hierarchies of society. Typically it is those who hold more power over others, on the basis of race, class, gender, or overall social status, who impose rules and labels on others in society. Social Control Theory Social control theory, developed by Travis Hirschi, is a type of functionalist theory that suggests deviance occurs when a person’s or group’s attachment to social bonds is weakened. According to this view, people care about what others think of them and conform to social expectations because of their attachments to others and what others expect of them. Socialization is important in producing conformity to social rules, and it is when this conformity is broken that deviance occurs. Social control theory focuses on how deviants are attached, or not, to common value systems and what situations break people’s commitment to these values. This theory also suggests that most people probably feel some impulse toward deviant behavior at some time, but their attachment to social norms prevents them from actually participating in deviant behavior.​ Theory of Differential Association The theory of differential association is a learning theory that focuses on the processes by which individuals come to commit deviant or criminal acts. According to the theory, created by Edwin H. Sutherland, criminal behavior is learned through interactions with other people. Through this interaction and communication, people learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. Differential association theory emphasizes the interaction people have with their peers and others in their environment. Those who associate with delinquents, deviants, or criminals learn to value deviance. The greater the frequency, duration, and intensity of their immersion in deviant environments, the more likely it is that they will become deviant. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Machiavellis Italy - A Renaissance Simulation Essays - Free Essays

Machiavelli's Italy - A Renaissance Simulation Essays - Free Essays Machiavelli's Italy - A Renaissance Simulation This activity is a simulation. A simulation is like a game, but instead of a random subject, like word meanings or running around a board faster than someone else, a simulation uses historical variables and player decisions, coupled to a probability system, and the goal of the simulation is to achieve an outcome that represents the possibilities of history by manipulating successfully all of the aforesaid possibilities. In this simulation, you and a partner(s) will be controlling one of the historical city-states of the Italian Renaissance period, and attempting to dominate southern Europe politically, economically, and militarily. You will have a myriad of options available to you to do that, all of which were prevalent and possible at the time. It is an excellent way to understand, in as real a way as possible, the turbulent times of the 1400-1500s, and the difficulties associated with ruling a Renaissance city-state. It is one thing to study it; it is another to do it. Students will also gain a much keener sense of the problems associated with the practice of diplomacy and realpolitik in any time, as the vagaries of human nature and random events can not be perfectly, if even somewhat predicted. The rules are written like game rules. Each section deals with a different aspect of the simulation. We will do some practice, and then advance to the actual playing of the simulation. You will have to read through the rules, and then practice a turn to get the feel of how it works, and the mechanics of it will become easier as you try different things out. Welcome to Machiavelli's world of 1450. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Object of the simulation/how to win. II. Definitions of terms used in the rules III. Turn sequence A. Basic B. Detailed IV. Control of territories and cities on the board V. Units in the simulation: functions, movement A. Armies: capabilities, uses, and possibilities B. Cavalry: capabilities, uses, and possibilities C. Fleets: capabilities, uses, and possibilities D. Garrisons: capabilities, uses, and possibilities E. Mercenaries: contracting, use, management, capabilities, and possibilities F. Miscellaneous: pirates, other armies of intervention, captured units VI. Unit Orders and explanations VII. Play Cards: explanations Cities Families Trade Persons of Influence Historical Events Papal Offices Spy/Assassin Mercenaries/condottierri I. OBJECT OF THE SIMULATION: to have control of 20 provinces and their cities, including all of one's own, with none in rebellion or containing any Units not your own. If this condition isn't met by a certain or agreed upon time limit, the victor is that player with the most Influence Points. II. DEFINITIONS Army - a square piece representing a citizen army of about 1,000 men, marked with the coat of arms of the controlling power Assassination - the killing of a head of family, ruler of a city- state/nation, or a person of influence by a spy Cards - a set of cards that are used in the game to introduce elements into the simulation that historically had major effects on political, economic, diplomatic, and military outcomes City - a built up area within a province that is controlled by a major family of the Renaissance period, provides income, houses Persons of Influence and garrisons, and provide better protection against outbreaks of plague. Contract - an agreement between two Renaissance states in the simulation that is written down and includes indemnities for non-performance that are kept in escrow by the Umpire Control - a condition where some asset in the simulation is held solely by one player, and is defined differently for each asset Defection - Families, represented by cards in the simulation, may defect to a neutral state or into other players' control depending upon acts or circumstances that arise during the simulation Die Roll Modifier - something in the simulation that positively or negatively affects the chances of something happening that is determined by a roll of a die or dice. Diplomacy - that part of a simulation turn when players from different Renaissance states may engage in diplomacy/negotiations Dowry - a cash payment made from one family, held by one player(s), to another family, held by another player(s), in order to write a Marriage Order. Elites - famous people from the Renaissance period who help a player build Influence, which may be used in Papal Elections. Escrow - an account held by the umpire that represents deposits made by players as a condition of a contract, as the great banking houses of Italy did at that time Family - a representation

Legally Blonde Review essays

Legally Blonde Review essays Legally Blonde is full of a range of fantastic actors including: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Mathew Davis and Victor Garber. It is based around the book by Amanda Brown. Legally Blonde is about Elle Woods who is the stereotypical blonde bimbo, who is president of her sorority house Delta Nu. With her pink fluffy pen and her pet Chihuahua Bruiser she is sure to turn heads. However Elles perfect world is turned upside down when her ambitious wealthy boyfriend, Warner Huntington, the 3rd, dumps her for being too blonde. Elle, who is torn by this, decides to take action and become exactly what Warner wants a serious Harvard Law Student! The beginning of the movie cleverly introduces Elle by using big close ups of Elles main features. It also gives the audience an impression of the sort of things she is interested in, this is shown through swapping from shots of Elle to shots of the other girls in her sorority passing a card for Elle around whilst also being involved in different activities showing the audience the sort of person Elle is. This also conveys their feelings towards Elle. The opening shot is also used to set the tone of the world the movie is supposed to be in. As well as introducing Elle this scene also starts the plot. From this Elle is set to have dinner with Warner and given the false impression that he wants to propose. This film also has excellent camera work. When Elle and Warner are having dinner the camera only shows the face of which ever one of them is speaking, and as the conversation becomes more intense the camera begins to slowly zoom in on each of their facial expressions until the tensi on breaks and the camera is left at a close up shot of Elles facial expression, which displays her disappointment. This is not only a breaking point in the movie but gives the audience an excellent view of both Elles and Warners emotions. Another similar example o...

Research proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Research proposal - Essay Example A detailed literature review focusing on the works of Duncan Brown and Michael Armstrong (Paying for Contribution), Michael Armstrong and Murlis, H. (Reward Management) and Michael Armstrong (Employee Rewards). The Human Resources departments of various companies and corporate who are actively working on improving the performance appraisal processes or are preparing proposals to the management on implementing the performance appraisal process Initially a detailed review of the literature available on the topic is conducted. Based on these reviews, a case study is carried out for a company selected. The various aspects of the performance related pay prevalent in the company are discussed. Based on the literature review and the case study, the research objectives are drawn, both from employers’ and the employees’ perspectives. The research objectives will mainly focus on the best practices for performance related pay and also the effects it has on employees, such as productivity, satisfaction level, etc.., In order to conduct a credible research for the objectives that fall under the first category, it is essential to conduct a qualitative research. A questionnaire is prepared based on the research objectives under this category. This questionnaire is then presented a list of employers, HR professionals and experts in the field and an In-Depth interview is conducted. If viable, an in-depth interview will also be conducted with a representative from the HR department of the company that has been discussed in the case study. For the second category, as the research objectives focus on a wider population, it is essential to conduct a quantitative research. A questionnaire is designed based on the research objectives. An appropriate scaling method is used and the dependent and independent variables are fixed based on the objectives. Once the questionnaire is finalized, an online survey is then conducted to a

Discussion about the Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion about the Product - Essay Example In 1991, Pixar contracted with Disney to product three computer-animated feature films which started with Toy Story.2 The partnership evolved until the current amalgamation. Pixar’s claim to fame is its revolutionary method of producing animated feature films and is the basis of its success. The animated feature film produced by Pixar departs from the traditional method of painting and drawing its shots. Instead, by virtue of its RenderMan and other software products, Pixar choreographs its movements and facial expressions via its computer software.3 Pixar’s greatest contribution to the film industry is its â€Å"three-dimensional-looking animation.†4Pixar, since its inception has â€Å"accounted for† approximately one quarter â€Å"of the animation box office.†5 Pixar competes primarily in the Motion Picture Production and Distribution industry although it does compete in Media and Video productions as well as Computer Software which includes Multimedia, Graphics and Publishing Software.6 Pixar’s main competitors are Vanguard Films another Computer Graphics’ production company as well as DreamWorks and the major motion picture producers such as Universal Studio, Sony, Warner Brothers and MGM. Certainly independent film producers offer some level of competition as well. However, Pixar’s quality films and its track record, having won eight academy awards has proved Pixar with a brand name that safeguards its position in the feature film industry.7 As Wharton Marketing Professor Jehoshua Eliashberg observes: Moreover, Pixar as a brand is firmly established in the film market. Its amalgamation with Disney and even stronger brand name not only fortifies Pixar’s place in the feature film market but serves to strengthen it. In today’s film industry, the average consumer already has an expectation that any film

Anterograde Amnesia in 50 First Dates Movie Review

Anterograde Amnesia in 50 First Dates - Movie Review Example It is proposed that a regular facet of anterograde amnesia is damage to part of an extended hippocampal system that consists of the hippocampus, the fornix, the mammillary bodies, and the anterior thalamic nuclei (Mayes & Downes, 1997). This instigates deficit in the recall of episodic information. The film illustrates that Lucy’s head injury impaired a part of her brain, although details are not explicitly explained. In a review published in the Medical Journal in 2004, According to clinical neuropsychologist Sallie Baxendale (2004), â€Å"it bears no relation to any known neurological or psychiatric condition†. Although dysfunctions in different brain regions can result in anterograde amnesia, the contribution of individual structures and their relationships still remains a matter of uncertainty and debate (Mayes & Downes, 1997). The failure to resolve this central issue is partly due to lack of amnesic subjects with specific patterns of pathology. It may also be due to the complexity of the relationships between those regions contributing to amnesia.Anterograde amnesia â€Å"diminishes between ECT treatments and accumulates across treatments† (Squire & Chace, 1975). It is difficult to identify exactly the point at which new learning ability reaches normal levels. Patients with anterograde amnesia following bilateral ECT in a number of studies seem to have recovered by 6 months after treatment and there is no good evidence that new learning ability is still deficient at this time.

Judaism, Kabbalah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Judaism, Kabbalah - Essay Example This was a period before the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment which saw the development of empiricism and science. Thus things were often explained on the basis of spirituality and mysticism. At such a period, the Kabbalah was an important source of explanations in the Jewish community around Europe because it was seen as the authoritative source of interpretation of the Hebrew Bible. And due to the emphasis placed on spirituality, it had a very strong appeal amongst Jews and Christians alike. Kabbalah practiced amongst the Jews in Europe especially in Italy in the Middle Ages mixed principles of Aristotlean philosophy and Sufism in a way that provided a strong body of knowledge in mysticism that was helpful in the interpretation of Christianity and Judaism in that era (Idel 21). This mix gave a practical guide and reasonable system for explaining things in Europe at that time. Due to this feature, it became widely accepted by most people in Middle Age Europe since it gav e explanations to things that the Church was preaching throughout Europe. Although Kabbalah was a Jewish system, the Catholic Church created units within the Church that applied some of the principles of Kabbalah (Idel 22).

Investigate whether some vocabulary learning strategies are superior Outline

Investigate whether some vocabulary learning strategies are superior to other - Outline Example Environmental factors may involve the host culture and output opportunities. Therefore, the effectiveness of the diverse strategies of learning vocabularies is dependent on the factors. There is no superior strategy of learning vocabularies in a second language because they depend on the personal, task and environmental factors. There have been diverse sets of professionals who take interest in the strategies of learning vocabulary of a second language. The professionals who conducted research under the subject entailed linguists, psychologists, sociologists, and language teachers (Meara,109, 1997). In their studies they established outstanding facts in regard to the strategies of vocabulary attainment. Studies show that there are diverse strategies of vocabulary attainment in a second language. The diverse strategies of vocabulary attainment in a second language entail dictionary use, guessing, and rote rehearsal (Cohen, 76, 2001). A learner may use either strategy for the maximization of new vocabulary in a second language. Guessing as a strategy towards vocabulary attainment in a second language is common in learning processes (McCarthy, 102, 1990). The first language is majorly developed through multiple exposures to vocabularies. It does not develop as a result of direct instruction (Ellis, 125, 1997). Therefore, second language development would as well follow the trial and error approach. Depending on personal factors such as prior familiarity and generality, this would be an ideal strategy (Wenden, 578, 1987). Self-efficacy as a personal factor would enhance this strategy (Flavell, 910, 1979). Simplicity of the language as a task factor would as well enhance the learning process. Therefore, an individual lacking the factors would not qualify this as an ideal strategy of vocabulary attainment. Dictionary use and rote rehearsal would as well be effective dependent of the personal, environmental and task factors (McCarthy, 104, 1990). Personal

Judaism, Kabbalah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Judaism, Kabbalah - Essay Example This was a period before the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment which saw the development of empiricism and science. Thus things were often explained on the basis of spirituality and mysticism. At such a period, the Kabbalah was an important source of explanations in the Jewish community around Europe because it was seen as the authoritative source of interpretation of the Hebrew Bible. And due to the emphasis placed on spirituality, it had a very strong appeal amongst Jews and Christians alike. Kabbalah practiced amongst the Jews in Europe especially in Italy in the Middle Ages mixed principles of Aristotlean philosophy and Sufism in a way that provided a strong body of knowledge in mysticism that was helpful in the interpretation of Christianity and Judaism in that era (Idel 21). This mix gave a practical guide and reasonable system for explaining things in Europe at that time. Due to this feature, it became widely accepted by most people in Middle Age Europe since it gav e explanations to things that the Church was preaching throughout Europe. Although Kabbalah was a Jewish system, the Catholic Church created units within the Church that applied some of the principles of Kabbalah (Idel 22).

Market for Ajax Foods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Market for Ajax Foods - Assignment Example During this test market for Ajax Foods, all the variables in the marketing plan will be tested for the introduction of chicken pies in the grocery stores. We will carry out the test market in â€Å"hot deli† section where there are other variables such as competition with the existing products, the varying prices; package and promotion will be introduced on each section used in order to ascertain customer reaction about the new product. The new product will be left to compete with the existing products. The number of stores we will use will be adequate enough to represent the entire market so that we get actual results on the ground without bias. The customers will be left to make their own decision on purchasing the product (Klan 26).For convenience and efficiency, we will also include internet online tests through the use of surveys in addition to the test branches and sections, when testing the new product. In case customers respond positively to the introduced product, and this will be ascertained by the quantity and quality of sales data that the president requires making an accept or reject decision, then the president can go ahead and introduce other items such as shepherd’s pie and quiche.

District Size And The Distribution Of Seats Essay Example for Free

District Size And The Distribution Of Seats Essay The size of the district or the district magnitude refers to the number of candidates to be elected from that district. Depending on this number of seats, they can either be referred to as single-member or multimember districts. A single member district has a single seat while the multimember districts have several seats with the minimum number being two; a two-member district. Electoral process formulas; plurality and majority formulas can be applied to both this type of districts while the proportional representation (PR) and the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) are applied to only multimember districts ranging from two-member districts to the whole nation where all the members of parliament are elected from (Lijphart, pg. 150). The district size has a strong effect on proportionality and the number of parties in two respects (Lijphart, pg. 50). Studies carried put by Horwill (1925) and, Taagepera and Shugarts (1989) have strongly supported this. First of all, it affects both plurality and PR systems but in a contradicting way. While increasing the size of the district will increase disproportionality by favoring the larger parties with the application of plurality and majority systems, it is vice versa with the PR systems as it leads to greater proportionally by favoring the smaller parties. A good example to illustrate this with regard to plurality is a contest between party A and B in an area where A enjoys a greater popularity than B. A is likely to take all the seats if the area is a three-member district which is unlikely to be the case if the area is divided into three single-member districts; B may be able to capture one. In most plurality cases, multimember districts are smaller than single-member districts with rare cases being seen in countries like Mauritius (Lijphart, pg. 151). It has twenty three-member districts and one two-member districts producing a total of sixty-two legislators. It should be noted that multimember districts have been on the decline due the fact that it increases disproportionality. However, it should be noted that in Mauritius that the three-member districts have improved another kind of proportionality by encouraging parties and party alliances to nominate ethnically and religiously balanced states (Lijphart, pg. 152) which has resulted in a better representation of the minority groups. Another point to note is that the size of the district varies greatly in the PR systems unlike in plurality and majority systems (Lijphart, pg. 152) making it impact greater on the proportionality being achieved. A party representing a 10 percent minority is likely to be successful in a ten-member district which may not be the case in a five-member district. A nationwide district therefore is optimal for a proportional translation of votes into seats (Lijphart, pg. 152) with Israel and Netherlands being the two examples with such PR systems. Two levels of districts are usually used by many of the list PR countries so as to enjoy the advantages of a closer voter-representative contact in small districts and the higher proportionality of large nationwide districts (Lijphart, pg. 152). Larger districts improve proportionality in the smaller districts as in the case of mixed member proportional (MMP) systems but they are less pronounced in the smaller multimember list PR districts than in the MMP single-member districts. Denmark, Norway and Sweden are examples of countries applying the two-tiered list PR systems with a nationwide district.

Job Analysis In Rapidly Changing Organizations Management Essay

Job Analysis In Rapidly Changing Organizations Management Essay The importance of job analysis in obtaining the right people for organizations has been established in literature (Siddique, 2004; Palmer and Valet, 2001; Baruch and Lessem, 1995). Job analysis refers to the process of analyzing the requirements of jobs and identifying skills, behaviours, knowledge, and other characteristics needed for satisfactory job performance (De Cieri and Kramer, 2003; Palmer and Valet, 2001; McKillip, 2001). In recent years however, there have been issues regarding the relevance of job analysis in staffing for modern organizations because of its specific and detailed outcomes, which are inconsistent with the flexible nature of contemporary organizations (Brannick and Levine, 2002). Given the arguments for and against the relevance of job analysis, can it be considered as essential in getting the best staff to work in modern and rapidly changing organizations? Analyzing this statement merits a clear look into the characteristics of best staff in modern organizations and the context where they are working. As opposed to traditional organizations that offer rigid and stable working environments, modern and rapidly changing organizations have been described as flexible (Dessler, Griffiths, and Lloyd-Walker, 2004), dynamic, competitive, and less hierarchical (Brannick and Levine, 2002; Hammer and Champy, 2001; Sanchez, 1994), multidimensional (Hammer and Champy, 2001), influenced by technological, social, political, and global changes (Dessler, et. al., 2004), and boundaryless with tasks and roles that are more fluid and less defined (Nelson, 1997; Hirschhorn and Gilmore, 1992). Given this work context, the best staff to work for modern and dynamic organizations can be considered as those who are flexible, open to learning, dynamic, empowered, and self-directed, able to respond to changing demands of the job, and with sound interpersonal and collaborative skills necessary for team work (Dessler et. al., 2004; Brannick and Levine, 2002; Hammer and Champy, 2001; Hirschhorn and Gilmore, 1992 ). Possession of the essential work-related skills (Palmer and Valet, 2001) and the ability to manage complicated tasks (Hammer and Champy, 2001) is also important. Looking at the characteristics of modern organizations, wherein jobs are constantly changing, a traditional type of job analysis which focuses on specific job descriptors and employee characteristics to match these may no longer be relevant (Nelson, 1997; Sanchez, 1994). A more modern type of job analysis that selects staff on the basis of their capability to function in a dynamic set-up is more appropriate (Sanchez, 1994). Consequently, job analysis, when used appropriately, has been seen to meet the demands of new working environments (Siegel, 1996; Sanchez, 1994). Therefore, job analysis is essential in getting the best staff to work in modern organizations so long as it is performed in a pro-active way (Siddique, 2004) and is able to accommodate and adapt to fast-changing demands (Clifford, 1994). Job analysis is essential in getting the best staff to work in modern organizations, first because it is capable of adapting to organizational needs in regards to providing relevant information for describing jobs and work environment, and staff characteristics that is best for the organization (Siddique, 2004; Nelson, 1997; Sanchez, 1994). Second, it strengthens the validity of measurement tools used to identify characteristics of jobs and employees (Kubiszyn and Borich, 1996). Third, it provides information on education and training needs for staff development (Dessler et. al., 2004; De Cieri and Kramer, 2003). Fourth, it provides the basis for evaluating staff performance needed to enhance their performance (Brannick and Levine, 2002; Palmer and Valet, 2001). Last, job analysis provides data needed in setting-up a working environment that would motivate staff to work at their best (Dessler et. al., 2004). To discuss the first point, job analysis is relevant in getting the best staff for modern organizations because it presents dynamic and new ways of describing jobs, work environments, and organization culture; and the staff characteristics needed to get the work done. Therefore, it serves its basic function of providing a match between organizational needs and staff characteristics. Job analysis no longer limits itself to identifying specific job descriptions and job specifications. Modern job analysis techniques such as the worker-oriented methods of job analysis (Nelson, 1997, p. 43) and competency-focused approach (Siddique, 2004, p.225) provides information on broader qualities such as conflict management skills, motivation, and flexibility that are critical for success in a variety of jobs for modern organizations. In addition, job analysis can also identify team descriptions that can facilitate collaboration in a team-based nature of modern organizations (Brannick and Levine, 2 002; Siegel, 1996). It is worth mentioning however, that there have also been arguments regarding the applicability of job analysis to modern organizations (Sanchez, 1994). Several authors (Brannick and Levine, 2002; Sanchez, 1994) for instance discussed the setbacks of job analysis as being rigid and inconsistent with the fluid nature of modern businesses. However, Brannick and Levine (2002) discussed that problems with job analysis stem from its products such as job descriptors and not necessarily on the entire job analysis procedure. In contrast to accusations, the ability of job analysis to identify characteristics needed to get the best staff to function in modern organizations has been evident in several instances. For example, Milan and Tucker (1992) discussed the story of British Petroleum, the worlds third largest oil company, wherein teams of staff members from its different divisions and locations worked together to develop a skills matrix that included descriptors for families of skills and corresponding performance levels. As a result, the matrix enabled the employees to understand the different roles that they can play in the company and the level of performance required, thus empowering them to take charge of their own development. Similarly, Laabs (1993) related the story of Gillette Co, a fast growing global company that benefited from identifying important broad staff characteristics like adaptability, enthusiasm, and aggressiveness which effectively helped the company in attracting and tapping new graduates that meet its global and competitive needs. Since jobs keep on changing in modern organizations, identifying work environment characteristics has been seen as more important in identifying compatible staff members than specific job descriptors (Nelson, 1997). Job analysis has been discussed to serve this function. For instance, Siegel (1996) mentioned the applicability of job analysis in a TQM environment by detailing the characteristics of the organizations systems and subsystems to enable staff to work interdependently. Similarly, job analysis is also important in ensuring that employees match the organization culture by operationalising and providing a framework for an organizations culture and the necessary staff characteristics that would fit the culture (Dessler et. al, 2004; Nelson, 1994). Clearly, so long as job analysis is up-to-date, it can function as a roadmap for companies to use in selecting the best staff both from within and outside the organization. Job and work descriptions and specifications can only be effective in getting the best staff if measures used to identify relevant characteristics are valid. Dr. Howard Hane (cited in Palmer, H. and Valet W., 2001) said that job analysis aids in the valid and reliable development of these tools by specifying what needs to be measured for a given task and at what standards. For instance, Day (1989, p. 27) emphasized the importance of conducting job analysis in designing a personality inventory and providing an accurate measure for personality traits in selecting employees. Valid personality measurements and other competency measures are important in selecting the best staff for modern organizations because these provide characteristics that are needed for a wide array of jobs. Getting the best staff does not end with matching organizational needs with employee characteristics. Once, their in the organization, they will only continue to be the best if given proper education and training. Education and training are important because in modern organizations, people are expected to be versatile and to attune their skills and knowledge to organizational changes (Dessler, et. al, 2004; Hammer and Champy, 2001). Job analysis is essential in employee education and training needs assessment in modern organizations by identifying skills and competence that needs to be developed and by forecasting skills that will be needed for future responsibilities (Dessler et. al., 2004). For instance Siegel (1996) discussed the use of job analysis in a TQM environment by providing information on employee cross-training for them to work spontaneously in different subsystems. As Clifford (1994) suggested, job analysis also assists the organization and its staff in determining training needs for professional growth planning. Furthermore, job analysis strengthens the validity of training procedures by providing a means to match important characteristics and the emphasis given to these in trainings (McKillip, 2001). The importance of job analysis in employee training for a modern organization was seen in the case of Dixie Group Inc., a major carpet industry in the United States. This company used job analysis as basis for staff education and development to enable them to keep up with and deliver good results amidst fast changing technology (Palmer and Valet, 2001). Once employees are hired, put in the right position, trained, or educated, the effective way of determining the quality of performance is evaluation. Evaluation will provide an objective basis whether the best staff is indeed at place in the organization. The basis for all evaluation is of course a clear criteria or standard of how jobs and tasks should be accomplished (Borich and Kubiszyn, 1996). Job analysis again enters the picture by providing up-to-date information for acceptable standards of job performance that will be used to assess the quality of work of staff (Dessler et. al., 2004; Siddique, 2004). If duties and standards are clearly provided by a job analysis, then evaluation procedures would proceed smoothly (Clifford, 1994). The results of the evaluation can then be used for training needs analysis as well as personal improvement plans of the staff. It can also be the basis for putting people in job categories wherein they excel. Another area of employee evaluation wherein job analysis is important has to do with compensation decisions (Dessler et. al., 2004). Fast changing organizations would likely get the best staff that they require if compensation packages are reasonable and commensurate to the responsibilities given to people and their qualifications. The information on various jobs provided by job analysis is very essential in this process (De Cieri and Kramer, 2003). Finally, getting the best staff also means keeping them at their best by providing motivation. Good employees in modern organizations are normally flexible and talented; therefore they will not stay in organizations that do not offer stimulating work environments. Job analysis addresses this issue by providing information needed in designing and redesigning interesting jobs that foster team work, responsibility, challenge, and employee empowerment (Dessler et. al., 2004; Brannick and Levine, 2002). For instance, proper combination of positive job characteristics in a job design may lead to positive work outcomes (Dessler et. al., 2004), thereby maintaining the staff at their best performance levels. Modern organizations have indeed moved from a static and bureaucratic system to one that is dynamic, flexible, and boundaryless; resulting to changes on the characteristics of the best staff needed for these organizations. Since jobs keep on changing, employees are no longer chosen on the basis of specific skills or how well they can perform specific tasks. This makes the question of whether job analysis is essential in getting the best staff to work in modern and rapidly changing organization an important point for discussion. There have been arguments regarding the applicability of job analysis in modern and fast changing organizations because it was regarded as providing rigid information that is inconsistent the with the flexible nature of organizations. On the contrary, however, literature on job analysis (Siegel, 1996; Sanchez, 1994) has shown that it is capable of adapting to the requirements of modern organizations and has evolved to incorporate methods that enable companies to get the best staffs that are suitable to its changing needs. Thus, job analysis, as long as up-to-date, is important in getting the best staff because it still serves its primary functions of first, providing relevant information about people and work characteristics needed to get the best staff (Siddique, 2004; Nelson, 1997; Sanchez, 1994); second, strengthening the validity of measurement tools used to identify characteristics of best staff (Kubiszyn and Borich, 1996); and third, providing relevant information for staff edu cation, training (Dessler et. al., 2004; De Cieri and Kramer, 2003), evaluation (Brannick and Levine, 2002; Palmer and Valet, 2001) and design of a motivating work environment to keep the staff at their best (Dessler et. al., 2004). Clearly, so long as job analysis is able to keep abreast with the dynamic needs of organizations, it is essential in getting the best staff to work in modern organizations. This topic, however, still merits more research on the applicability of job analysis in acquiring the best staff for real organizations and the development of more relevant job analysis tools.

Apology Essay -- miscellaneous

Apology I apologize for my inappropriate behavior on (what ever date you want here) in the cafeteria. It was very rude for me to laugh while you were speaking, there was no humor in what you had to say. I would also like to apologize to the teachers, I’m very sorry, it will never happen again. My unnecessary behavior as totally unacceptable. This essay taught me to fully respect my teachers, and peers. There is no excuse for why I acted like I did in he cafeteria. I am completely responsible for my own actions. I was in the wrong to laugh while you and the other teachers were speaking. I am completely sorry I learned my lesson and I will never act the way I did towards you and the other teachers ever again. I have decided to write this because I really don’t want to get suspende...

Marketing :: essays research papers

Unit 5 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Learning Objectives Unit 5 is divided into two lessons: Lesson 5A: Personal and Online Selling Lesson 5B: The Marketing Plan Unit 5 wraps up the promotional techniques with personal and online selling, then calls on you to pull it all together for your project with a final Marketing Plan in place of a final exam. This will complete the â€Å"learning by doing† part of the course and give you a taste of what marketers do that affects our lives. Overview of Written Assignment Lesson 5A is really a carryover of two more promotional elements from Lesson 4B: personal selling and online selling, which could be considered as part of direct marketing, but which gets its own consideration in Chapter 21 of the text. Personal selling and sales management could be a course of their own, and we will keep that brief without a written assignment. Online selling, however, is a hot topic, even after the burst of the Internet stock bubble, with much written about it. We will try to summarize strategic choices and good practices for you, and we will give you a chance to design a Website for your product, service, or organization (on paper – you will not have to learn computer programming here). If your organization already has a Website, we will ask you to critique it using the guidelines we give you for a good design. Lesson 5B wraps it all up and asks you to pull together the components of the Marketing Plan you have been building, lesson by lesson, and send it in. That will be, in effect, your final exam, and hopefully something you can use in the future. Instructor’s Notes Lesson 5A: Personal and Online Selling â€Å"Cows don’t give milk. You have to take it from them, twice a day.† – Anonymous In 1939, when Ben Feldman entered the life insurance business, selling $1 million worth of insurance in a year got you into the industry’s Hall of Fame. In 1956, operating out of East Liverpool, Ohio, Feldman was selling $1 million a month, in 1966, $1 million a week, and in 1969, $2 million a week. In February 1992, New York Life had a special sales contest to celebrate Feldman’s fiftieth year with the company. Feldman won, selling more than $15 million worth of insurance that month. At the time, he was recuperating in Florida from a brain hemorrhage (Corman). 1 How did Ben Feldman do it? He tried phrases out on his wife, Fritzie. â€Å"Honey, listen to this. Is it ‘No one ever died with enough money’ or ‘No one ever died with too much

Memories of the mentor Essay

Often in our lives comes a person who leaves us completely changed and different, even to ourselves. In my life such a role has been played by a number of individuals combined but one of them whose influence was maximum was late Mr. Salim, my English teacher during O Levels. May Allah bless him a place in Paradise. I have never met such a person in my life, so gentle, so broad-minded. Even now when I remember him smiling, a smile appears on my face as well and I pray for him. He was a unique man; unique in, perhaps, every sense of the word. I had known him before I came to O Levels. He had been my Oral English teacher during the 8th class but he took only one period every week and hence we knew very little about him. When I entered O Levels he was our Class Teacher as well as our English teacher. He was aware of the fact that we were not very good in English and that we needed a lot of hard work. He gave us a nice little lecture about the new challenges we were going to face and how we were going to deal with them. He told us that everyday for the first five to ten minutes one boy was to come in front of class and make a speech, on any topic he wanted to talk, in English. The students were to come roll-number wise. This was perhaps the most interesting items during my first year at O Levels. Everyday in the morning a boy would come, often reluctantly, and tell Mr. Salim what the topic was. Many times it happened that the student said that he had not prepared anything. Then he would say, with a matchless wave of his hand which I remember clearly, â€Å"Well, then do it offhand. Go on, speak on anything you want, anything you choose.† The thing which impressed me most was his vast knowledge. Before the student started his speech, he would give a little introduction on that topic, and no matter what the topic was he always knew something about it, even if it was like ‘Eating insects for food in the Far-East’! I was a shy student at that moment and I knew that the speech-process would help me in over-coming it. When my first speech was drawing nearer and nearer, I searched for a unique topic. I had taken it as a challenge to find a topic about which Mr.Salim would know nothing. After a lot of search I found one: Antimatter. This was, I think, the real beginning of my relationship with Mr.Salim. When I came to make my speech, he asked me about the topic and I told him. For the first time in my life I saw an expression of unawareness on his old face. â€Å"Ah, well,† he said, â€Å"its something about modern Physics.† And then he beckoned me to make the speech. Now I had become a person he recognized. In fact, I think, he was impressed. A few days after that he praised me for an essay I had written. I used to do assignments given by Mr.Salim with great zeal, perhaps just to hear a word of praise because when I did hear one by him, I felt myself elevated. I wouldn’t say I was very bad at English but I was not very good either. I was just an average yet somehow, slowly and gradually, like the dawn on a wet day, I was converted into a person who could write a good piece of English. I owe a lot of it to him, a lot. He understood the way we worked. He knew that we were short of time and we had a lot to do, but he knew that if he applied too much stress we would break, and so he went slowly. At that time we thought that it was folly on his part that he took us gradually, while the other sections were covering their syllabus rapidly, but now after it is over, I realize it wasn’t folly but wisdom on his part. And I’m thankful to him for the fact that he made English for us a lovely subject. While telling us the meaning of adolescence he pointed towards me, as I had at that moment faint traces of a mustache. Although I have shaved off that mustache long ago, I can never erase that memory. During his last days he taught us the past papers and he would share with me my book of past papers, which I did with great pleasure. If it had been just the love of English, I would never have written this article. He gave us a lot more than that. The outstanding among them is the broadening the horizon of my way of thinking. He was old, but he was not orthodox or conservative. He was a liberal and modern person. He understood the requirements of the modern age and he spoke fluently about it. Often, his views on Islam created disturbance among the ‘orthodox Muslims’ of our class. Topics like ‘Music, Nationality, Hadood Laws and Taliban’ were a cause of heated discussion. He had a weak and gentle heart. He couldn’t bear unjustice to anyone, even to his enemies. He was highly against the ‘Maulvies’ and called them ,’Semi-illiterate, half-educated mullahs, they want to keep us in the past, centuries back.’ He was aware of the fact that the people are apt to use their emotions rather than mind, especially in matters of religion, and this is, perhaps, his greatest contribution. He taught me to use my brain, not my emotions, for emotions are blind. He developed in me a hatred for rage and emotional acts. Yet, he was believer of freedom of speech, and whenever any student of the class objected on his views, he would allow them to say whatever they wanted to say. He would say to them, â€Å"I respect your views but I do not agree with them.† He never forced anyone to change his views. Once the topic of ‘Basant’ was under discussion and a few students of our class were speaking against it for in their view it was ‘against Islam’. He said, â€Å"Why don’t you people understand, its just a regional festival, why involve religion in this? You don’t want to celebrate it, fine, but why do you force others to do what you want? Live and Let live!† All his life he wanted to gain more and more knowledge. Perhaps, the only field in which he was weak was modern Physics. A few days before he came to know about his disease, I was sitting in the class reading the book ‘A brief history of time’ by ‘Stephen Hawkings’ and he saw me reading it. He asked me if he could see it and I gave it to him. He then discussed with me a little about Stephen Hawkings. He said that there was another book by the same author in the market and I told him that I had read that one too. Then he asked me that if I had read it could I give it to him for reading, and I told him that he could take it for reading at that very moment for I was reading it for the second time. He thanked me and took it. But he never returned it to me because we learned only a few days later that he had stomach-cancer and was now on long leave from the school. A few months after that, he died. I don’t feel anything bad about that book, in fact I feel happy that he had with him something I had given, when he died. I remember exactly the last day he spent with us. He was checking our assignments day and while he was checking mine, he asked me what the word ‘mentor’ meant for I had used it in my assignments and he wanted to know whether I knew its meaning or not, and I told him that it meant a ‘wise teacher’. He gave me an ‘A’ on that composition and I feel, I just feel, that the moment he wrote an ‘A’ on my notebook it was written in my fate that I would get an ‘A’ in English. When my result came and I had scored straight As, the person I remembered the most was Mr.Salim. He was a patient person and bore everything with courage and determination. His son had died in an accident but he had kept himself steady and carried on with his life. He adopted a son and he once told us about him. He was very nice with his students and gave us a lot of time to complete our assignments but when a student wouldn’t do any work for months he would say, â€Å"Show me your knuckles, show me your knuckles,† and then he would give a blow on them with a wooden duster. I think I won’t forget him my whole life. I remember him quite often; his words, his expressions, his speeches, his advises, his laughes and his smiles. He was a little hard of hearing and whenever he a person said something he couldn’t understand, he would bring his hand to his ear and say with an unparallel expression, â€Å"Pardon?† I remember it clearly, every moment of it. He never gave me any special treatment, he treated me like any teacher would treat a normal good student but the way he has influenced me is astonishing. I love that person. His death was a big loss, a big loss. I sometimes feel that I never got the time to tell him how much thankful I was to him, and that how much I owed to him, and that how much I loved him but he went away, unaware that he had changed the whole life and way of thinking of a person. At times when I remember him, I feel that he can see what I am doing and that he is happy. I feel that somehow he knows that how much I loved him and how much I am grateful to him. I know that some of his ideas were wrong and in some points he misunderstood Islam but I also believe that it was all due to his gentle and nice nature and he had no bad intentions, and I also hope and pray that Allah would forgive him for his mistakes because he did them in good faith. I believe that Allah is gentle with gentle people, and Mr.Salim was certainly a gentle person. Through this article I just want to thank him because I feel that he is reading this article. I just pray that Allah blesses him with a place in Paradise.

Martha McCaskey The Seleris Associates Industry Analysis Case Study

For the past 18 months Martha McCaskey has been an exemplary performer with high integrity and been assigned as a project leader to a crucial high profile project named Silicon 6. Upon successful completion of Silicon 6, McCaskey has been promised a promotion to group manager. McCaskey is being pressured by senior management to finish the project and have an action plan to present to the client. Now she has some options to weigh in order to complete the project. What McCaskey must decide is where she draws the line on compromising her values in order to complete Silicon 6. She will have to decide what constitutes proprietary information or is she engaging in â€Å"gentleman’s industrial espionage† McCaskey has also realized she might have to pay someone off to finish her project in order to attain her promised promotion. She felt she has always maintained a high degree of integrity until now. There were some warning flags McCaskey should have noticed. The focus this paper is to examine specific reasons underlying McCaskey’s situation, what the warning flags were and what tactics she should employ concerning her involvement in the Silicon 6 project and her future with Seleris. Martha McCaskey Seleris Associates Industry Analysis Division Case Study Martha McCaskey has been assigned as the Project Leader of the Silicon 6 Project with Seleris Associates Industry Analysis Division (IAD). She is facing some real tough decisions that can be career threatening and possibly have legal ramifications. Silicon 6 has become a crucial project for IAD. Silicon 6 will account for 20% of IAD’s revenues. If successful for IAD’s client then more lucrative projects would follow. This should have been a warning sign to McCaskey, a high profile project given to a new hire would not happen. McCaskey has been promised a promotion to Group Manager with a substantial increase in pay if she performs well. This was a warning sign. How could McCaskey be promoted to Group Manager? There were only 2 groups who was going to go? Was it just â€Å"lip-service† to entice her further to obtain the needed information on Silicon 6? Selersis’s client is a semiconductor manufacturer based in California. The client has retained IAD to identify cost structure and manufacturing processes for a new chip being manufactured by a competitor. Selersis’s client has offered to double the consulting fees if the required information could be obtained. McCaskey has been tasked by her management to formulate an action plan to present to senior management of the client and IAD. McCaskey is struggling with how she must decide what constitutes proprietary information and what is public knowledge. McCaskey wonders if she is engaging in â€Å"gentleman’s industrial espionage†. She has always maintained a high degree of integrity, until now. McCaskey now has some different approaches for finishing the Silicon 6 project to ponder. The Events Leading Up To Martha’s Situation Martha McCaskey has the right pedigree; Electrical Engineering (EE) degree from CalTech, and Harvard MBA. Shortly after finishing her MBA she became an associate with Seleris Associates Industry Analysis Division. This division specializes in clients in the computer component manufacturing industry. McCaskey’s offer was generous plus she received a good reference from a former CalTech associate who was employed there. The division was divided into 2 units. One unit was under Group Manager Bud Hackert called the â€Å"Old Guard† which worked mainly on independent projects and the other unit under Group Manger Bill Davies comprised of newer associates or â€Å"New Guard† where McCaskey was assigned. The New Guard group worked predominately on team projects. McCaskey’s first project received high praise from Tom Malone the division’s vice president stating her performance was the best the division had ever seen. The second project was very challenging. Under heavy pressure McCaskey was successful. After presenting successfully to the client, the president of IAD Ty Richardson asked McCaskey what her delay was on this project in writing the clients report. McCaskey was so outraged she finished the report in 10 days. Malone established her report as the new benchmark for IAD projects. This behavior by Malone should have been a warning sign as well. McCaskey had been with IAD a short time and already her work was a bench mark? There is no easier way to gain loyalty then by praise. McCaskey felt Richardson and Malone disapproved of her handling of the project. It was during this period that Malone suggested McCaskey ask advice of 2 members of the Hackerts’ group; Dan Randall and Chuck Kaufmann concerning obtaining sources of information. Hackert’s group was involved in gathering detailed information about competitors. This McCaskey quickly ascertained that Kaufmann and Randall were the real producers of this group. Before she was done on her current project McCaskey was asked by Richardson to talk with the rest of the members of Davies Old Guard group on the Silicon 6 Project. Randall was cold and unapproachable and Kaufmann was unavailable. McCaskey did work later with Kaufmann on some team projects and she found him to be approachable and fun to work with. The Atmosphere At IAD Several senior associates had left the firm in the last few months. McCaskey over the months has discovered was that IAD had some severe ethics issues. The president Ty Richardson is very sharp as well as a convincing salesperson with plenty of charm and charisma. He was very driven, mostly by money. The defacto Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tom Malone was the type of leader who was another great talker and salesman who once stated to Kauffman that he did not care about the turnover at IAD because he could just put an ad in the paper and hire all the staff he needed. Richardson and Malone stated to the staff about being part of the management team. However both would go on a client visit without involving the staff. The staff felt left out and perceived themselves as being non-contributors. McCaskey had been given the freedom by Richardson to perform her work as she wished and her work was also recognized by Richardson. Her bonus that year was $25,000 while the other associates bonuses were much smaller. This should have been a warning sign to McCaskey, special attention by senior management, to include a large bonus in excess of co-workers share. McCaskey And Silicon 6 McCaskey had been asked to work on Silicon 6 because of her EE degree and coursework on chip design. Richardson had stated the project was behind schedule and her expertise would be valuable. McCaskey was informed she would be working with Chuck Kauffman. Kaufmann was hard working but was taken advantage of by both Richardson and Malone. He was paid less than any other associate and felt the company needed his expertise to run the business. Kaufmann could not step back and see his situation. When trying to obtain information from industry sources McCaskey would identify herself as a representative of a trade journal. McCaskey thought that was a little more above board than visiting a target company and pretending to be interviewing for a job, as a consulting friend of hers does. Richardson spends more time with Randall, McCaskey and Kaufmann often making impromptu visits to see McCaskey and Kaufmann. McCaskey was still struggling with obtaining credible information on the target company. Seleris’ client had also placed a stipulation that the target company was not to be contacted, to avoid the appearance of price fixing. Malone had queried McCaskey on whether she had been able to contact any former employees of the target company. On other projects she had found former employees of target companies a valuable source of information. Kaufmann had confided in McCaskey he had paid a former employee of a target company a $5,000 consulting fee for spreadsheets and a business plan for a new product line. He mentioned Randall had done this on a regular basis on Seleris projects. IAD had no written formal policies concerning solicitation guidelines and rules of engagement working for a client. McCaskey confirmed with a coworker that members of Hackerts’ Old Guard group routinely paid off ex employees of target companies to obtain sensitive and proprietary information for Seleris’ clients and the Group Manager Hackert condoned and encouraged this behavior. Desperate for information McCaskey considered using former employees of the target company to complete Silicon 6. When she learned of the bribes McCaskey should have known what Seleris was all about, ethics not being an attribute. This was another warning sign she chose to ignore. Enter Phil Devon McCaskey’s best lead came via some random events. During her research she came across a professor at a small east coast engineering school who actively consulted with European semiconductor manufacturers. After contacting him McCaskey discovered he could not provide her with any information. Malone then suggested McCaskey fly out and interview him in person indicating he might have some â€Å"gossip† on the new chip. The face to face interview provided no new information that McCaskey could use. The professor suggested she contact Phil Devon a consultant in southern California who had been involved in the design and start up of one of the European chip manufacturers. The lead for Devon came about under such obscure circumstances. Malone told her to fly out to see the professor for â€Å"gossip† and then she discovered Devon? Did he know of Devon and intended to use McCaskey as a patsy? This was another set of warning signs for McCaskey. McCaskey set up an interview with Devon and discovered he was a former employee of the target company at the vice president level. This was large warning sign for McCaskey. You should never approach an executive of a target company, they are not ignorant. Your true intentions will be figured out in no time. McCaskey felt uneasy with Devon from the start. Devon was almost too forthcoming with information. McCaskey felt certain that Devon could provide her with all the information she needed to complete Silicon 6. She felt he might be leading her on in order to find out who she was working for. This should have been a red flag warning for McCaskey. Devon was way too anxious to give up information. What were his motives? Just a nice guy who wanted to help for the right price? A disgruntled ex-employee? Was he working for the target company? Was he part of a sting operation ? She did not listen to her â€Å"gut† on this one. McCaskey was an intelligent person she should have gone with what she felt (Welch Jack: Straight From The Gut) When McCaskey debriefed Malone she informed him of her meeting with Devon and how she felt Devon could have provided her with all the information she required had she just asked. She then informed Malone she had come away empty handed with the needed information. She also informed him about how uneasy she felt about Devon’s demeanor to the point that he might call the authorities or inform the target company’s plant Silicon 6 of her interest if she pressed him for the target company’s information. Malone told her not to contact Devon anymore and just go through her client presentation with him. Malone informed McCaskey that Seleris would present the data as though it represented the actual Silicon 6 plant. When McCaskey objected Malone informed her no one would notice when they presented. Another warning sign, Malone was going to lie to the client. What McCaskey thought was to be a dry-run of her presentation turned out to be held in front of the client’s senior plant management. The plant managers stopped her within 15 minutes of her presentation stating it provided no new information. In a closed door session with Malone and McCaskey the client plant management stated their displeasure in Seleris’s handling of the Silicon 6 project stating how much business they had given Seleris and how they hope to continue the trend. However, given what they had just witnessed they had doubts. Malone then brought up how Seleris had just made contact with an former employee of the Silicon 6 plant who could provide them all the information required given the proper â€Å"incentives† were provided. The attitude with the client senior management immediately changed. The client senior management doubled the consulting fee for IAD stating the additional funds could be used for â€Å"incentives†. The client stated they did not care how IAD obtained the information as long as they got it. Malone was delighted in the turn of events and how delighted Richardson would be. When Malone briefed Hackert, he suggested that the consulting fee paid to Devon should be $7,000 not the usual $4,000 or whatever would make it worthwhile. Malone then informed McCaskey to think about how she handle Devon and not rule out the idea of using Kaufmann to meet with Devon. McCaskey realized she was in the middle of paying Devon off to complete Silicon 6 and receive her promised promotion. This was a huge warning sign. Malone was shooting from the hip and he succeeded. Plus he had the perfect patsy; McCaskey or Kaufmann. Strategies Martha McCaskey Could Have Taken One strategy McCaskey could have taken was to stand up and define herself as a person and an employee (Jack Welch Video: Define Yourself or Others Will). If you allow people to think that you condone certain behavior, as in McCaskey stating to Malone â€Å"You’re Amazing! † after the presentation she and Malone made to the Silicon 6 client. She seemed to admire him for his dishonesty. When she learned that Seleris was bribing former employees of target companies she further failed to define herself in not speaking up for ethics and distancing herself form the situation. Her co-workers could only assume she approved of such behavior. Being new McCaskey desired to excel and seek approval of her management; however bribery to succeed is not the way to differentiate or advance yourself. Differentiation is a way to manage your people and your business. It’s about getting the best players on your team in order to have everyone pull together and win. (Jack Welch; Winning; Chapter 3) You do not win by being dishonest. When McCaskey discovered her management was basically unethical she needed to have a face to face meeting with them immediately. McCaskey was not in a situation of good boss vs. bad boss (Welch Podcast: Good Boss vs. Bad Boss) with someone who was just a jerk or a bully, she was dealing with 2 people who were blatantly dishonest and unethical who were condoning and encouraging bribery and industrial espionage. They were crossing a line that could land them or McCaskey or Kaufmann in jail. More than likely it would have not been Richardson and Malone as they were the â€Å"know it all† types of mangers who would let subordinates take the fall. (Welch Podcast: Bosses Who Get It All Wrong). At this point McCaskey has realized both of her managers were dishonest. You cannot trust dishonest people. Trust is the fiber of good peer to peer relationships, once gone it’s hard to win back. Trust is like the stock market you can lose it overnight (Fiener Chapter 3 Law of Trust). McCaskey should have confronted both Richardson and Malone both with their behavior and asked to be moved off of the project. Better to be moved off or moved out than go to jail. McCaskey did not give herself a lot of options to improve her or change her situation as she went along with the status quo. She chose not to stand up and do her job the right way. She more than likely is going to be cannon fodder for her management. (Feiner Chapter 8 Law of Conscientious Objector). A culture change needed to take place at Seleris from top to bottom and bottom to top. However, the persons you had running the company Richardson and Malone were not about to inspire any change that would interfere with their personal cash flow. The main problem with Richardson and Malone is that while both were bright and charismatic, but they were the wrong type of leaders, they were not inspiring the right attributes. Feiner Chapter 2). They were not taking control of the situation for the good of the company or employees, they were doing for themselves. The burning bridge technique might have worked (Fiener Chapter 9 The Law of the Burning Bridge). For change to end it right the process must start right. Malone and Richardson were not about to upset their empire by admitting they were wrong and begin a dra stic change process. It is not in their moral fiber to do so. There was no way for McCaskey to have changed their behavior. A painful end is waiting for them. Three Emails McCaskey Should Write Ty: After some thought and soul searching I feel I should be removed from the Silicon 6 Project. I realize I have not produced well on this project and I sincerely regret my less than stellar performance. I would like to stay on with Seleris IAD and perhaps work on less high profile projects in order to give myself a much needed break. I feel very stressed and overwhelmed at this point. I would like to meet face to face with you in your office to personally discuss my options with you. I would also like to take a 2 week vacation to recover from the last few months as well. I notice your calendar is clear form 1300-1400 would that be convenient for you? Tom: Due to the tremendous stress I have been under I will be taking a couple of weeks vacation to recover. I would like to remove myself form the project. I will let you decide who should meet with Phil Devon, as I know you know the right person to speak with Devon. I have cleared this with Ty Richardson and he agrees that I need some time off. I will be moving on to some less high profile projects. Head of Human Resources: I have enjoyed my tenure Seleris IAD where I feel I have grown personally and professionally. I feel I have worked with some of the industry’s best consultants. It is a decision that I have thought about for a while and I feel it is the best option for me at this point. I will be terminating my employment within 2 weeks from receipt of this email. A certified letter confirming the same will be coming to you forthwith. Conclusion Martha McCaskey has painted herself into a corner. She can pay Devon off take her promotion and hope for the best with her future. Her situation is this; she is considering bribery and has engaged in industrial espionage. McCaskey should run not walk away from this situation. She should run; self terminate her employment and cut all ties with her co-workers. She should have seen the warning flags and listened to her â€Å"gut†. As soon as possible McCaskey should quit Seleris IAD and retain an attorney. She needs to provide him or her with complete details of her dealings on Silicon 6. McCaskey should act on the advice of her legal counsel to protect herself if Seleris IAD chooses to come after her if the dealings with Devon take a turn for the worse. Call it what you want; incentive, consulting fee, gift, it’s still bribery and illegal. I wonder what Jack Welch would have done?ReferencesWelch, Jack with Suzy, (2005). Winning, Harper Collins. Welch, Jack with John A. Byrne. (2001). Jack: Straight From The Gut, Warner Books Inc. Feiner, Michael, (2005) The Feiner Points of Leadership. Warner Business Books. Welch, J., Welch, S. (2009). Define Yourself or Others Will Retrieved from The Welch Way Website. http://www.welchway.com/