Should the united states pull out of afghanistan Essay

Should the united states pull out of afghanistan - Essay Example The initial dispatch of troops to Afghanistan was to either capture or kill Osama bin Laden who was the master mind behind the attack and to decimate his network Al Qaeda. If this is the principal reason for the war, now that Osama bin Laden is dead and the Al Qaeda decimated to only 50 members in Afghanistan, is it not time to pull out of Afghanistan. If the reason for our continuing presence in Afghanistan is based on the lofty ideals of nation building of that strife torn country and install democracy, then it cannot be achieved since Afghanistan itself is against that concept and western type of democracy is a fallacy there. We have deployed 100000 troops in Afghanistan and lost nearly 1600 American lives so far and 11541 have been wounded and maimed, many of them seriously and their lives will never be normal. Having accomplished the mission for what they have been sent for, the American troops are longing to come back home. It has been reported that there is no purpose served for prolonging the troops stay over there. The war has a devastating effect on the life of personnel leaving them traumatized. About 25 percent of US army personnel serving in Afghanistan suffer from traumatic stress disorder and close to 16 percent of troops is under medication for mental illness. According to Andrew.J.Belvich â€Å"American Soldiers are now said to face the prospect of perpetual conflict†( Andrew J Belvich). The cost of this longest war in Afghanistan becomes unmanageable with $120 billion a year or $10 billion per month. The Unites State has pumped in $18.8 billion as foreign aid and so far has spent $444 billion on the expenses. The amount so far spent has aggravated our fiscal problem. Our federal government has burgeoning national debt of $1.5 trillion this year which has to be taken care of. Unless we attend to this problem the nation could default on its debt and debt servicing. If we pull out from

Segmentation and Target Market Essay Example for Free

Segmentation and Target Market Essay The point of being in business is to provide a service or product to a particular consumer base and to produce a profit of the service or product given. In order to accomplish this, companies must be able provides its products and services to a particular type or group of consumer that calls for a the need of it. It takes care planning and research in order to produce something that your customer based will embrace and continue to come back for more. It takes, further, skill and effort to advertize your product and service to the right groups of consumers. Apple, Inc. is a prime company to take a look at in terms of the services and products that it provides to its customer base. Apple, Inc. can address the needs and wants of its entire customer base within a particular market segment. In todays business world, there may not be another company out there that is quite like Apple. Over the last two decades, Apple, Inc. has emerged as the premier, go-to, technology retailer for your all your tech needs. Apple offers a comprehensive portfolio to meets all of your entertainment and productivity needs. From the introduction of the Mac desktop computers to the creation of their I product line, which includes the iPod, iPad, iPhone and the new iWatch. Apple provides laptops, music streaming and cloud services along with audio equipment and printers. The company operates in a space where they can reach most individuals and their needs. Understanding market segmentation is what has along Apple to accomplish all it has. Market segmentation divides a market into well-defined slices. A market segment consists of a group of customers who share a similar set of needs and wants (Kotler Keller, 2011, p. 214). They have created easy to use products to help even the busiest student or business person throughout their work day. They have provided a means for the mom to keep her children entertained while out running errands. Apple has made family time better within home  video streaming options as well. Even big and small business have the ability to increase productivity and streamline their workflow with the software and products that are offered by the company. Apple has invested plenty of time and energy in understanding what the wants and needs are of its customer base. Based on the segmentation, there are other variables that a company, like Apple, must acknowledge and address. Demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral segmentation are vital parts to a marketing program. In terms of demographics, it seems that product saturation is not an issue for Apple. According to an article posted on USA Todays website, entitled Half of U.S. homes own Apple products (2012), explains Apples reach across the United States in the title. To put that into perspective thats more than 55 million homes with at least one iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac computer. And one-in-10 homes that arent currently in that group plan to join it in the next year (para. 1). The breakdown goes further stating that consumers tend to be male, college-educated, and younger (Half Of U.s. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). It does not appear that money is an issue when it comes to those who own Apple products. Those on the higher end of the income scale own an average of about three Apple devices, compared with 0.6 for lower-income homes (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Outside of income, age does not appear to be a factor in those who own Apple products. Another statistic from the article shows that just as many Americans between ages 18 and 34 count themselves among Apple users, as those ages 35-to-49 (63 percent). The number drops to 50 percent when you get into the 50-to-64 age group, and down to just 26 percent among those 65 and older (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Parents are more likely to own Apple products than those without children. Sixty-one percent of households with children own Apple devices, compared with 48 percent of homes without kids (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Based off the numbers that were produced in 2012, it seems that Apple has everything working for them. With that many people invested in Apple products, their doors will continue to stay open. Apple has put an emphasis on the quality of their products to make them as easy to use as possible while helping to increase productivity and staying economically friendly.  Placing an emphasis on quality design and adapting to todays culture is another reason Apple, Inc. has been very successful. In todays society, the population has become more concerned about the environment than ever before. Issues of global warming, pollution reduction, and the polar ice cap melting are what drive the eco-conscientious consumer. Apple has a adopted an environmental responsibility for all of their products. As a global company that makes some of the most popular products in the world, we know we use a lot of energy and material, which in turn generates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Thats the part of the problem we can help solve (Environmental Responsibility, 2015). Being able to appeal to a growing, societal concerns makes a play on the human psyche. Apple showing concern for their impact on the environment allows them to reach that environmentally friendly consumer and bring them to their doors. That is one example of how playing to a particular thought process can be in your favor. Apple has, also, answered the growing demand for sleek looking products that can be easing carried around and still provide access to certain daily pleasantries. With todays on-the-go society, being able to access information, view videos, email, listen to music and otherwise stay connected is another way Apple has attacked the psychographic nature of product marketing. The company understands what is essential to its consumer base and will do what it needs to do to appeal to them. Another aspect that needs to be considered is a marketing program is behavioral characteristics. Apple deals with this on several fronts. The first way Apple deals with this is in the quality of its products. With an excellent product comes customers and revenue. A great product is not the only thing that is taken into consideration the marketing plan. A company must take into account what the consumer expects to receive from the company and in exchange for those expectations being met, consumers reward the company with their loyalty. Outside of product quality and appropriately addressing the needs of all its consumer based. Apple has adopted a quality approach in how its retail employees treat those customers in their store locations. They have created an a 5-step process for the customer experience. (A)pproach, (P)robe, (P)resent, (L)isten, (E)nd. Approach customers with a personalized, warm welcome. Probe politely to understand  the customers needs (ask closed and open-ended questions). Present a solution for the customer to take home today. Listen for and resolve any issues or concerns. End with a fond farewell and an invitation to return (Apples Secret Employee Training Manual Reinvents Customer Service In Seven Ways, n.d.). According to By The Numbers: Iphone Vs. Andriod (n.d.), in an infographic provided, it showed device upgrade trends reveal that 76% of Apple customers upgrade for one iPhone to the next (Brand Retention). Creating an excellent environment for the customer is one way to meet expectations and build brand loyalty. The reason we. see customers flock to stores every fall in bigger and bigger crowds for the latest iPhone model is due to the loyalty that Apples consumer base has for their products. What company in the world can create a mass movement that way Apple does across national retailers and those that shop there? There is none. One last factor that goes into a marketing plan is the ability to reach your intended target regardless of their location in the world. Apple, Inc. is not just a United States company. The company has grown into a global presence. An organization or company must be able to meet the demand for its consumer base where their customers are located to achieve the best results possible. Apple as a presence in 16 major countries around the world including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, China, France, Italy, and Japan to name a few. In a press release drafted by the company, it stated that by the end of 2014, the new iPhone 6 and 6+ would be available for sale in 115 countries worldwide. The Statistic Portal created a graph showing the growth and expansion of Apple and their retail store locations. According to The Statistic Portal, Apple increased its retail store locations from 116 in 2005 to 437 in 2014. This shows the growth and willingness to reach as many customers as possible who can all benefit from the use of Apple products or to have place to go to continue to purchase Apple products. This year Apple became the first U.S. company in history to be worth $700 billion. Understanding the market that you are in and how to best service your consumer base is a surefire way to ensure success in marketing your products. This is what Apple as vowed to do and continues to demonstrate that with the incredible productivity level that they are producing with the help of their strong consumer base. There does not look to be an end in sight for the mega company. Marketing is a fundamental  element to their success, but it is not limited to the marketing of their products in terms of getting the word out to the population. It is an essential element when it comes to understanding the marketplace, its consumers, and their wants and needs. With that under control, everything else becomes simple and sweet. Like an apple. References Apple, Inc.. (n.d.). First Weekend iPhone Sales Top 10 Million, Set New Record. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/09/22First-Weekend-iPhone-Sales-Top-10-Million-Set-New-Record.html Apples Secret Employee Training Manual Reinvents Customer Service in Seven Ways. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/08/30/apples-secret-employee-training-manual-reinvents-customer-service-in-seven-ways/ By the Numbers: iPhone vs. Andriod. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/tech/by-the-numbers-iphone-vs-android-97842025474.html Environmental Responsibility. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/environment/ Half of U.S. homes own Apple Products. (2012). Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-03-28/cnbc-survey-apple-products-us-homes/53827254/1 Kotler, P., Keller, K. L. (2011). Marketing Management (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. The Statistics Portal. (n.). Number of Apple Stores World wide from 2005-2014. Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/273480/number-of-apple-stores-worldwide-since-2005/

Arthurian Romances Essay -- essays research papers

Arthurian Romances   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Middle Ages of Europe were governed by a system which is referred to as feudalist. The people of this system flow together well; society in these times require noble people to set the example for the younger. The ranks of the noble include counts, lords, knights, kings,queens,etc. These noblemen can be compared to as dueling politicians; they watch over their communities, keeping everything orderly, and they fend off any attackers trying to besiege land. The peace keeper of the society is the knight. The knight has been appointed the position of knight by a king because his traits and characteristic best fit the standards of a good warrior and protector of the civilization. A knight is truthful, honest, capable, educated, physically fit, noble, sincere, and subservient to the king.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"Arthurian Romances† the knight has a duty to protect his country. When he approaches a situation he does not attack the other party until he has warned them. His place in the feudalist system involves other workers (vassals) to do his bidding. They suit him up in his armor and ready his horse and weapons. The knight in the first story is named Erec, son of the King Lac. He marries a girl named Enide, who is at his side throughout the story. Together they adventure through the countryside and Erec fights his battles as they go on. The knight will give up on nothing ever, it is his duty to serve his King and God...

Five Marketing Steps in Bowie State Expansion Essay

Marketing is the activity and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. Marketing as it applies to Bowie State University plays an integral part in the longstanding tradition and the growth of the university. In order to fully understand marketing you have to be aware that the ability to adapt and change is a major part of grasping and successfully competing in this global marketing society. Accountability in marketing is more important than ever today due to the tight economic restraints and an ever evolving society. Bowie State University realizes that they cannot spend large amounts of money on unproductive marketing campaigns, but in order to be successful an effective marketing plan must be in place. Bowie State University goal should be to create a strategic marketing plan that will have a measurable impact on obtaining and maintaining student enrollment at a minimal cost. There are critical marketing concepts such as relationship marketing, integrated marketing, internal marketing, interactive marketing and market adaptation that all play an important role, not only in society, but also in the development and success of Bowie State University and any other entity or corporation. Relationship marketing is a type of marketing that puts an emphasis on consumer satisfaction and retention. It focuses on the longstanding relationship with the consumer rather than the prominent focus on an immediate sales transaction. With the growth of the internet in the past two decades, relationship marketing has continued to evolve and move forward as technology opens more collaborative and social communication channels. Relationship marketing extends to include inbound marketing efforts, public relations, social media and application development. The overall goals of relationship marketing are to discover, attract and win new clients, take care of and retain those the company already has, attract former clients back into the fold, and decrease the costs of marketing and client service. Retention is a major factor in relationship marketing and to the demise of Bowie State University. The implementation of random surveys to current students is an excellent tool used to measure customer/student satisfaction of the university as a whole. In addition to, there must be some interactive relationship building with future students in whom they are attempting to acquire and retain. I have noticed as new student to the campus of Bowie State that the university doesn’t place enough emphasis on customer satisfaction, because I have been enrolled for two semesters and nobody in the student affairs/customer relations has inquired to my satisfaction. I have definitely been pondering the idea of accepting some of the other offers provided for the MBA program. I am huge on excellent customer as I have personally worked in that area for many years and I understand the importance of retention to the success of one’s business. Bowie State desperately needs to re-direct some resources in that area to decrease the retention rate and increase student morale, and also to a ttract new clients to the campus. Relationship marketing is a concept not only intended for current students, but also for potential staff and faculty that the university is attempting to acquire. Integrated marketing happens when the marketer devises marketing activities and assembles market-programs to create, communicate, and deliver value for consumers such that â€Å"the whole is greater than the sum of its part.† All company communications must be integrated, meaning that being able to choose communication options that reinforce and complement the one another. In order for Bowie State to achieve in this area, there must be commercials via television and the radio, printed advertisements, public relations and some kind o events to entice a more loyal customer population. Bowie State University website is very user-friendly, but the website alone is not sufficient to the success of a greater student enrollment and retention. Integrated marketing must be employed to ensure Bowie State University’s success, because they must equally maximize all areas to ensure and reinforce the face of the university. The ability to employ integrated marketing puts Bowie State University at the center of its strategy and executes extremely well across all channels and lines of business. Integrated marketing doesn’t stop at the organizational boundaries of the marketing department. Integrated marketing requires an integrated approach to marketing, sales, and service. Internal marketing is the task of hiring, training, and motivating able employees who want to serve customers well. This concept is just what it says-internal and Bowie State University in my opinion, isn’t utilizing this concept to help grow the business. This process occurs within an organization where the functional process aligns, motivates, and empowers employees at all management levels to deliver a satisfying customer experience. Over recent years internal marketing has increasingly been integrated in brand management, which strives to build stronger links between the employee brand experience and customer brand experience. The challenge for internal marketing is not only to get the right messages across, but to implant them in such a way that they both change and strengthen employee performance. Bowie State University has a major need for internal marketing, because in my brief experience here on campus I’ve noticed how the faculty and staff are unequally balanced and not customer motivated. We as students are the customers to the university and yet I feel we are treated as to be insignificant and are expected to just accept whatever is offered by key administration. It appears if there is some type of buddy system in place when it comes to hiring qualified staff, because in my observation I have noticed that many instructors aren’t prepared for class, nor are they even delivering a quality education. My experience here at Bowie State University has been a bitter-sweet one, because of the inequalities and inconsistencies I have noticed. Interactive Marketing refers to the evolving trend in marketing where marketing has moved from a transaction-based effort to a conversation. Interactive marketing is the ability to address an individual and the ability to gather and remember the response of that individual leading to the ability to address the individual once more in a way that takes into account his or her unique response. The ability to remember what the customer has said and implementing those ideas can and will benefit the brand of Bowie State University. Amazon.com is an excellent example of the use of interactive marketing, as customers record their preferences and are shown selections that match not only their preferences but recent purchases. Interactive Marketing allows customers and prospects to participate in the process of building a brand’s image in a certain market or target group’s minds and as a result it makes the customer feel empowered and heard. With brands becoming more defined by actions and not simply words, social networks, search engines and mobile device growth gives our consumers even more power, so it’s important to love your customers and most of being able to respect their opinions and views on certain things that would better enhance the brand name of Bowie State University. I would really love to sit with the marketing department and observe their thought patterns as it relates to the student body who are the customers of Bowie State University. Performance marketing is a type of marketing in which business rewards one or more affiliates for each customer gained based on their marketing efforts. I feel that this particular program should also be implemented within the marketing/admissions department here at Bowie State University; however, it should also extend to the number of satisfied customers retained as well. Many times the business is acquired, but maintenance and follow-up is critical to the success of any organization or social enterprise. Bowie State needs to have a plan in place that rewards faculty and staff for generating new referrals/students or staff to the campus. At the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, it is and has been a practice that whenever new undergraduate or graduate students come on-board they are uniquely placed with a current students whose responsibility is to aide them in any means necessary until they are solely comfortable with the campus, the administration and all of the resources th at are offered to the student. Bowie State University acquires the students, but really no follow-up to see how comfortable they are. Now, in my opinion this isn’t good customer service nor should any reward be granted based on that kind of behavior. Performance marketing needs to be measured very closely by upper administration, because many times lower ranked staff generally take the attitude as if it’s not their problem. So, if everyone is taking on that same approach then it’s obvious as to why enrollment has significantly dropped. In my conclusion, Bowie State University has many opportunities where it can advance in the marketing arena. Unfortunately, if they continue down this path then all the other major colleges and universities will obtain and retain the vast majority of business that is streaming abroad.

Case study Technique Essay

In psychology, cases study is the use of descriptive research and analysis to obtain in-depth information about a person, group, or a phenomenon. Case study is conducted using techniques such as direct-observation of the person, personal interviews, psychometric tests, and use of earlier researches archived (Dunbar, 2005). Psychology uses a case study often in clinical research to explain an unusual occurrences and conditions of the patient. The conditions are contrary to the pre-established principles in the fields of psychology and clinical research. Most of the case studies are single-case design; however, there is multiple-case design where instead of using sampling, replication is the criterion for use. Case study in psychology ought to be valid, and reliable to help in the future psychological research. This paper explains the reasons, disadvantages, and advantages of the case study. Reasons for Using Case Study Case study allows the researcher to examine and gather information about persons in far more detail than if the research was on a large number of people. Although the case study is not a research method, clinical and psychological researchers identifies methods of data collection that is suitable for the case study (Goodwin, 1995). For instance, observation, interviews, personal notes, and officially documented records. The reason for the case study is to investigate into the private lives of persons with the focus of understanding them and helping them in overcoming the problems that they experienced in their daily lives. Advantages and Disadvantages of Case Study Case study allows the researchers to collect detailed information about a person that is useful. The information would not have been obtained by the other research methods. The information obtained during the case study is richer and is greater in depth compared to the other experimental designs. Moreover, the research considers rare cases where large samples of similar people are not available. Scientific experiments on the person done during the process of study are also an advantage (Dunbar, 2005). The process enables the researchers to adapt to ideas and come up with a hypothesis that  will be a point of reference in the future research. On the contrary, the data collected during the case study cannot apply in a wider population. This makes the data not be useful in longitudinal case studies. In addition, some of the studies are not scientific in nature (Goodwin, 1995). They are only a generalization of the scientific principles. The study considers only one individual; therefore, the study is prone to the researcher biases. The bias of the experimenter can influence the conclusions more than in the other study designs. It is also difficult to prove the effect from the psychological case study (Dunbar, 2005). A case study is often prone to be more time consuming than the time used in other study designs. Sources of Case Study Data The case study research generates data from different sources. The researchers use field notes to record data that is already available in stored databases. The use of sampling where one person is examined to represent a wider group is also a method of case study data collection. In addition, questionnaires, observations, and interviewing are other methods used to collect case study data. In conclusion, the study tends to collect qualitative data. The psychological case study is important since it collects unique and in-depth data about a person. Mainly, the rare phenomena and conditions allude to case studies. Finally, it is vital to refer to the recorded data to ensure that the findings are accurate and applicable in the real life situations. References Dunbar, G. (2005). Evaluating research methods in psychology: A case study approach. Malden, MA: BPS Blackwell. Goodwin, C. J. (1995). Research in psychology: Methods and design. New

MLA Research Paper Topics You Would Have Got Burned for In Medieval Times

MLA Research Paper Topics You Would Have Got Burned for In Medieval Times Everybody thinks about the Middle Ages like about the time of tortures and fire. And that’s a pretty correct insight for a historical period when people got burned at the stake just because they were beautiful (thus, practiced witchcraft – obvious, isn’t it?) or believed in science more than in God. Michael Servetus was the first scientist from Europe to describe correctly the blood circulation between the lungs and heart. Can you guess how he was rewarded for that? Right – the church called him a heretic and burned him with a â€Å"purifying† fire. And what about Giordano Bruno who supported the theory that the Earth was not the center of the universe? Did the church spare his life? Nope, after 7 years in prison, the Pope decided that it was time to burn the heretic. Quite a period to make discoveries, isn’t it? But you live in a completely different world where sciences are being respected and developed, and the access to information is (almost) limitless. So, let’s have a look at 20 MLA research paper topics that you can easily explore today, but could have been burned for in the Middle Ages. The Foundations and Logic of Mathematics (Famous Greek female scientist, Hypatia, was burned for promoting mathematical ideas in 415 C.E.) The Model Math Theory for Formal Languages Poker and Math – the Fundamental Theorem That Explains the Best Decisions in the Game Stereometry – How Mathematical Science Shapes the Space Distant Solar Systems and the Possibility of Life on Other Planets (Remember Giordano Bruno? Poor guy just predicted the direction of cosmological theories, and got brutally killed for his vision.) The Actual Difference between Asteroids and Planets The Big Bang Theory and Philosophical Questions It Raises The Origins of the Moon: the Most Likely Theories Dark Energy and What We Know about It Multiple Translations of the Bible and the Analyses of the Differences (William Tyndale was a famous linguist who created the English translation of the Bible which was pronounced a heresy. In 1536 he was punished for that at stake.) Notions That Has Been Changed Through the Years of Translating the Bible Contact Linguistics: Knowing Two and More Languages Language and Cognition in Terms of Linguistics The Connection between Pulmonary Cycle and Bronchial Circulation (The contribution of Michael Servetus to blood circulation studies will never be overestimated.) Stem Cells Research: Pros and Cons Correct Diet as the Main Tool to Avoid Cancer Antibiotic Resistance as the Next Health Global Problem Genetic Predisposition to Heart Diseases and Ways to Eliminate It The Role of Robotics in Medicine Did Humans emerge to Eat Meat and Drink Milk? No matter how interesting the topics sound to you, you would have been punished if you had chosen to explore them in the medieval times. Though, if you had confessed your sings, the prosecutors would be more merciful and strangle you before burning. Sorry for the awful details, but that’s the cruel reality, so cheer up! Now you can study whatever you want without any consequences.

Mystery of Napoleon essays

Mystery of Napoleon essays It is unacceptable that a man compared only to the greatest of leaders could die of stomach cancer on a bare, unpopulated island and not die at Waterloo or in Russia but die alone, captive in a dark house in a forgotten exile of more than a decade and a half. It is not a mystery that he died, it is how. It is hard to believe that a man of such achievement and genius could just wither away so unexpectedly. Such men do not just die or wither away. As of March, 2003, many writers and researchers confirmed that Napoleon must have died of stomach cancer. This is contradicted by books written by witnesses of Napoleons exile saying that Napoleon took a special medication labeled Vin dEmpereur. This is believed to be the arsenic poison that is developed into most of these theories. The arsenic poison theory would make sense because the guards were hired to guard the house Napoleon stayed in for however long he lives. Who knows it could have been many more years and the guards would not want to wait around until he actually dies of age. It would make great sense that the guard would want to get rid of him so they could leave and go home. Another piece of evidence showing arsenic poisoning is that when Napoleons body was uncovered for autopsy, it was almost perfectly preserved. This is a major characteristic of a lot of poisons. When dentist, Sten Forshufvud, looked over his body he knew it had to be some sort of poison. They didnt have embalming fluid at that time to help in the decaying process so it is hard to believe that it could just be magically preserved. Forshufvud would later take hair samples of Napoleons to test the levels of arsenic. When tested, they were shown that he had higher than normal levels of arsenic. It also showed that he was given little amounts at a time to try and simulate a fading, weake...

A Collection of Anthropology Definitions

A Collection of Anthropology Definitions The study of anthropology is the study of human beings: their culture, their behavior, their beliefs, their ways of surviving. Here is a collection of other definitions of anthropology from anthropologists and other dedicated to defining and describing what Alexander Pope (1688–1744) called the proper study of mankind- man. Anthropology Definitions Anthropology is less a subject matter than a bond between subject matters. It is part history, part literature; in part natural science, part social science; it strives to study men both from within and without; it represents both a manner of looking at man and a vision of man- the most scientific of the humanities, the most humanist of sciences.- Eric Wolf, Anthropology, 1964. Anthropology has traditionally attempted to stake out a compromise position on this central issue by regarding itself as both the most scientific of the humanities and the most humanistic of the sciences. That compromise has always looked peculiar to those outside anthropology  but today it looks increasingly precarious to those within the discipline.- James William Lett. 1997. Science Reason and Anthropology: The Principles of Rational Inquiry. Rowman and Littlefield, 1997. Anthropology is the study of humankind. Of all the disciplines that examine aspects of human existence and accomplishments, only Anthropology explores the entire panorama of the human experience from human origins to contemporary forms of culture and social life.- University of Florida Anthropology is Answering Questions Anthropologists attempt to answer the question: how can one explain the diversity of human cultures that are currently found on earth and how have they evolved? Given that we will have to change rather rapidly within the next generation or two this is a very pertinent question for anthropologists.- Michael Scullin Anthropology is the study of human diversity around the world. Anthropologists look at cross-cultural differences in social institutions, cultural beliefs, and communication styles. They often seek to promote understanding between groups by translating each culture to the other, for instance by spelling out common, taken-for-granted assumptions.- University of North Texas Anthropology seeks to uncover principles of behavior that apply to all human communities. To an anthropologist, diversity itself- seen in body shapes and sizes, customs, clothing, speech, religion, and worldview- provides a frame of reference for understanding any single aspect of life in any given community.- American Anthropological Association Anthropology is the study of people. In this discipline, people are considered in all their biological and cultural diversities, in the present as well as in the prehistoric past, and wherever people have existed. Students are introduced to the interaction between people and their environments to develop an appreciation of human adaptations past and present.-   Portland Community College Anthropology explores what it means to be human. Anthropology is the scientific study of humankind in all the cultures of the world, both past and present.- Western Washington University The Human Experience of Anthropology Anthropology is the study of humans in all areas and in all periods of time.- Triton College Anthropology is the only discipline that can access evidence about the entire human experience on this planet.- Michael Brian Schiffer Anthropology is the study of human culture and biology in the past and present. - Western Kentucky University Anthropology is, at once, both easy to define and difficult to describe; its subject matter is both exotic (marriage practices among Australian aborigines) and commonplace (the structure of the human hand); its focus both sweeping and microscopic. Anthropologists may study the language of a tribe of Brazilian Native Americans, the social life of apes in an African rain forest, or the remains of a long-vanished civilization in their own backyard- but there is always a common thread linking these vastly different projects, and always the common goal of advancing our understanding of who we are and how we came to be that way. In a sense, we all do anthropology because it is rooted in a universal human characteristic- curiosity about ourselves and other people, living and dead, here and across the globe.- University of Louisville Anthropology is devoted to the study of human beings and human societies as they exist across time and space. It is distinct from other social sciences in that it gives central attention to the full-time span of human history, and to the full range of human societies and cultures, including those located in historically marginalized parts of the world. It is therefore especially attuned to questions of social, cultural, and biological diversity, to issues of power, identity, and inequality, and to the understanding of dynamic processes of social, historical, ecological, and biological change over time.- Stanford University Anthropology is the most humanistic of the sciences and the most scientific of the humanities. - Attributed to A.L. Kroeber The Jam in the Sandwich Culture is the jam in the sandwich of anthropology. It is all-pervasive. It is used to distinguish humans from apes (everything that man does that the monkeys do not (Lord Ragland)) and to characterize evolutionarily derived behaviors in both living apes and humans. It is often both the explanation of what it is that has made human evolution different and what it is that it is necessary to explain... It exists in the heads of humans and is manifested in the products of actions. ... [C]ulture is seen by some as the equivalent of the gene, and hence a particulate unit (the meme) that can be added together in endless permutations and combinations, while to others it is as a large and indivisible whole that it takes on its significance.   In other words, culture is everything to anthropology, and it could be argued that in the process it has also become nothing.- Robert Foley and Marta Mirazon Lahr. 2003. On Stony Ground: Lithic Technology, Human Evolution, and the Emergence of Culture. Evolutionary Archaeology 12:109-122.   Anthropologists and their informants are inextricably bound together in producing an ethnographic text that integrates the impact of their unique personalities, their social incongruities, and their dreams.- Moishe Shokeid, 1997. Negotiating Multiple Viewpoints: The cook, the native, the publisher, and the ethnographic text. Current Anthropology 38(4):638.

Research Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Research Method - Essay Example With improvements in computing technology, information stored in online databases are accessible from distant locations when there is connection between the sources. The method used is keyword and subject headings describe the content of every item in the database. The keyword searching is how you typically search web search engines.   Searching by subject headings is the most accurate way to search literature in the databases. It is not normally easy to presume which subject headings or keywords to use in a particular database. The process is as follows: Combine your keyword to yield results that matches what you are searching by using word such as AND or OR. You can also apply dates to filter search and the time span with which the articles was published. Specify the database that you are going search and use keyword that can be accessed easily via that database. This stage allows you to establish the credibility of your search by considering factors such as the geographical area it covers, credibility and whether it is up-to-date. Other factors to consider include language used and whether it is consistent with the prevailing situation. Using web-based  service by creating a database of references, which will help in recognizing the sources the next time you visit the database. Also, create a list of references (bibliography), save and other website services that can help you trace the

Cyberharassment Laws Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cyberharassment Laws - Thesis Example the most imperative issues with the manner these laws have been implemented is the fact that each state has a certain level of uniqueness in relation to the manner these laws have been implemented or applied for instance: In the United States, the penal code in relation to cyber-harassment in Alabama is quite different with cyber-harassment penal code in Alaska. This simply means that these laws differ on their efficacy as well as challenges (Sternberg, 2014). Apart from the United States, other countries that have also implemented cyber-harassment laws, identifying it as a criminal offense is the Republic of Philippines, Canada as well as Australia. It is quite an important issue to investigate in the contemporary society with a purpose of eliminating possible flaws that may be associated with these laws, taking into consideration that communication technologies are replacing traditional modes of communication at an increasing rate (Sternberg, 2014). The concept of cyber-harassment has been described has an act of repeated electronic contacts, driven by the purposes of creating distress on the targeted recipient (Easttom & Taylor, 2011). However, in order to clarify such acts as harassments, most law-makers claim that a reasonable person, possessing similar information, must consider it sufficient to create distress on their targeted recipients. There are certain considerations that have been given a high sense of priority in relation to cyber-harassment. To begin with, targeted victims of cyber-harassment may not even be in a position to determine that they are being subjected under harassment. Additionally, cyber-harassment is usually accomplished through the use of communication technology, mostly through social-communication technologies; this may be undertaken by a group of individuals or in some cases just an individual (Easttom & Taylor, 2011). Sociologists have claimed that actions considered cyber-harassment are inclusi ve of; destruction of data,

Answer week 10 m9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Answer week 10 m9 - Essay Example Our workplace environment operates in a very strict ethical environment. Any employee who attempts to violate the set norms attracts immediate dismissal or sanction. I admit that the CAL project has equipped me with variety of skills on how to resolve the workplace-based problem. Through the project, I have understood the corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an inevitable component in the contemporary organizations. It encompasses creation of a favorable workplace environment to both the outsiders and the insiders. Having worked for nine months in a research firm, I have notice that one of the main causes of work-based problem is the lack of honesty, honesty, accountability, integrity, and legitimacy (Badaracco, 1992). From the CAL project, I have learnt that CSR provides framework through which such organizational problems can be identified, managed and controlled. One of the challenges facing most of the human resource managers concerns the incorporation of CSR requirements. Most managers find it hard to integrate some of the CSR because of the aspect of cultural differences. Personally, I have been trying my best to incorporate most of the general reflection on learning outcomes in the firm I work in. However, I normally face the problem related to cultural diversity. Badaracco, J.L., 1992, Business ethics: Four spheres of executive responsibility, California Management Review, 34(3), pp. 64-79. Available from: http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/ehost/detail?sid=c2ac9049-a9b7-49b0-9698- 74f9a857ae32%40sessionmgr104ssss&vid=1&hid=103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3Qtb

Environmental Ethics. Assignment 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environmental Ethics. Assignment 7 - Essay Example Although there are significant improvements in environmental protection, there still exist communities that continue to live in an unhealthy and unsafe environment. This is because of the discriminatory environmental policies enacted by the government, causing adverse impacts on the poor people and communities. It is evident that the current environment protection regulations have produced unfair outcomes, such as exposure to harmful substances, promotion of ‘risky’ technologies, economic and political exploitation of communities, as well as subsidized ecological destruction. Furthermore, the contemporary protection paradigm has enforced unequal environment controls by trading human health for economic profit. This tendency has placed a sense of responsibility on the part of the victims rather than the polluting industry. As stated by Bullard, procedural, geographic and social inequities has to be eliminated for ensuring just and fair outcomes from the environment protection policies. Firstly, governing rules, regulations and enforcement of environment policies has to be applied uniformly, without any discrimination. The environmental decision-making has to be reinforced with scientific and democratic opinions through effective communications. Secondly, geographic locations and its proximity to environment hazards have to be taken into account, while formulating the policies and regulations. Thirdly, sociological factors like race, ethnicity, class, culture, political power, etc., and their role in environment protection have to be assessed while making environmental decisions. Thus, the solution for this unequal environmental protection relies on enforcing nondiscriminatory way of environmental policies that includes â€Å"the right to protection, prevention of harm, shifting the burden of proof, obviating proof of intent to discriminate, and targeting resources to redress inequities.† (Bullard, 1994,

Summarize statistical paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Summarize statistical paper - Essay Example To convert mass into energy one needs to cause mass defect by fission of heavy nuclides like U235 and Pu239; which is done inside a nuclear reactor using nuclear fuel elements. In this process, lot of radioactive waste is generated, which needs to be stored safely for very long periods of time (thousands of years). However, there is no precedence available on safe storage of such materials over such a period of time; therefore, whatever is the existing knowledge level is utilized for this purpose. These radioactive wastes are stored in a sealed metallic canisters and these canisters are then stored in repository considered to be safe. However, the incidents of activity leakage do occur and there are certain causes of the leakage and certain probability associated with the causes of leakage and to the activity leakage itself. It is therefore, relevant to understand probability. There are outcomes of any event; like if a coin is tossed it will end up with either a head or a tail. With each outcome there is an associated probability or a chance. As there are only two possible outcomes of this event and each of the outcomes is equally likely, therefore, the probability of getting either a head or a tail is  ½. Similarly one can extend the outcome and say that for a unbiased dice; chances of getting either of the six numbers is 1/6. These arguments can be extended further to calculate probability of different outcomes associated with an event. Probabilities are very important in modern day life as application of this concept is embedded in almost every sphere of our life. Let us proceed further to discuss somewhat complex situation. Let us take an example in which three plates R, G and B are kept in a box and each of the three plates is having identical sized balls of colors Red, Green and Black respectively. If a person is asked to draw a ball from this box, without looking inside the box, then probability that he draws a ball from either of the plates R,

Environmental Ethics. Assignment 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environmental Ethics. Assignment 7 - Essay Example Although there are significant improvements in environmental protection, there still exist communities that continue to live in an unhealthy and unsafe environment. This is because of the discriminatory environmental policies enacted by the government, causing adverse impacts on the poor people and communities. It is evident that the current environment protection regulations have produced unfair outcomes, such as exposure to harmful substances, promotion of ‘risky’ technologies, economic and political exploitation of communities, as well as subsidized ecological destruction. Furthermore, the contemporary protection paradigm has enforced unequal environment controls by trading human health for economic profit. This tendency has placed a sense of responsibility on the part of the victims rather than the polluting industry. As stated by Bullard, procedural, geographic and social inequities has to be eliminated for ensuring just and fair outcomes from the environment protection policies. Firstly, governing rules, regulations and enforcement of environment policies has to be applied uniformly, without any discrimination. The environmental decision-making has to be reinforced with scientific and democratic opinions through effective communications. Secondly, geographic locations and its proximity to environment hazards have to be taken into account, while formulating the policies and regulations. Thirdly, sociological factors like race, ethnicity, class, culture, political power, etc., and their role in environment protection have to be assessed while making environmental decisions. Thus, the solution for this unequal environmental protection relies on enforcing nondiscriminatory way of environmental policies that includes â€Å"the right to protection, prevention of harm, shifting the burden of proof, obviating proof of intent to discriminate, and targeting resources to redress inequities.† (Bullard, 1994,

Evidence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Evidence - Research Paper Example While the $10 note serial number that was used by the undercover police officer had matched the one that the defendant was found possessing in his pocket after the drug was purchased, the discrepancy emanated from the description of the defendant by the â€Å"Eye† officer, who gave details such as the defendant being seen wearing a V-necked T-shirt, with a key on his chain and holding a ginger dale bottle (Weingarten, n.d.). The â€Å"Eye† officer further alleged to have seen the defendant from a distance of 50 to 60 feet, which in reality turned out to be 172 feet distance from the investigations that were later carried out (Weingarten, n.d.). Thus, it is the full disclosure of the evidence from the prosecution side, which allowed the defending side to realize the discrepancy and thus the consequent deceitfulness of the police officer. The purpose of broad disclosure is to help the defense and the prosecution side to prepare well for the case. Especially, broad disclos ure of the evidence held by the prosecution is required, to avoid surprises to the defense, during the trial (Ferdico, 72). Additionally, broad disclosure of evidence is necessary because; it is through the broad disclosure of the evidence, that any disparity and discrepancy can be identified, which then would serve to tell whether either side of the case is being genuine and truthful, or otherwise (Federal Judicial Center, 33). The broad disclosure is also essential, since it allows for the court to have both incriminating and exculpatory information, which then allows it to determine the guilt or otherwise of the defendant. Thus, it is through broad disclosure that a balanced case is enhanced, which then serves to identify the truth, and inform the necessary action by the courts. Various penalties have been set out for failing to give the broad disclosure of evidence, especially the exculpatory evidence, which could help the court determine that the defendant was not guilty, and t hus set him/her free. The first penalty is that; the court may order the party that did not make the necessary disclosure to do it at a specific time, place and manner (Gardner and Terry, 40). The court may also penalize the party that did not make the full disclosure, through allowing the opposing party some more time to go through the newly disclosed evidence, so that the party can prepare well for the trial. Thus, the party that failed to disclose evidence appropriately is punished through having the case being deferred to a later date (Keane and Paul, 63). Finally, the biggest and most punishing penalty that the party that failed to disclose appropriately might get is that, it may be prevented to use the evidence that it did not disclose to the opposing party in the case (Khan, 12). This means that; no matter how useful and convincing the evidence might be, the party will not take the advantage of such information to prove their case. However, there is some evidence that is exem pted from disclosure, which is provided under the exclusionary rule of evidence discovery. Under this rule, it is provided that; the work product of the government shall not be disclosed (Gardner and Terry, 44). This rule provides that any documents that have been made by the government in the course of the investigation or prosecution of the case shall remain confidential, and thus

Barclays Bank PLC Is A Multinational Company Essay Example for Free

Barclays Bank PLC Is A Multinational Company Essay Amenities to attract highly skilled and creative persons at all important levels ? Tradition of closeness to key customers and target customers A business can differentiate itself by performing its existing value activities or reconfiguring in some unique ways. And the sustainability of that differentiation will depend on two things: a continuation of its high perceived value to buyers and a lack of imitation by competitors. There are many alternative strategic directions in which Barclaycard could implement in their current strategy of differentiation. These may include technology innovation or product/ service differentiation. Product/service differentiation Product differentiation occurs when, owing to differences in physical attributes, ancillary service, geographic location, information, and/or subjective image, one firms products are clearly preferred by at least some buyers over rival products at a given price (, 1990, ). For firms seeking to make their demand curve less elastic, successful differentiation provides an insulated position against competitors by enabling firms to sell a larger quantity at a given price or by allowing the firm to create brand loyalty in customers resulting in lower sensitivity to price. This uniqueness may build an entry barrier for competitors to overcome (, 1992; , 1980). However, being unique may require a trade-off with investment if achieving differentiation requires costly effort such as extensive research, product design, high quality materials, or intensive customer support. Thus, the firms employing the differentiation strategy cannot ignore costs and risk (, 1980). Horizontal product differentiation focuses on differences in attribute variety among competing brands. It occurs when one brand contains more of some attributes but less of some other attributes in comparison to another brand (). Consumers different tastes will exploit differing strong and weak points among brands given identical prices (, 1992). The shift towards consumerism is accelerating with significant implications in many of the markets in which we operate. Fundamentally, our view is that consumerism involves a shift in power from institutions towards consumers. The rapid transformation of the credit card industry – first with the severing of the traditional tie between bank accounts and credit cards and second, with the emergence of credit as a true commodity in the credit card industry illustrates this so well. Consumers in the past were grateful if they received credit it was seen as a right granted to a special few by a bank and hence banks held power over individuals. The value proposition was the availability of credit. Technology Innovation In the case of Barclaycard, it is could improve its operations and competitive advantage through real time design data driven tools. This tool would improve their credit limit strategies and increase their interest earning balances. A Fair, Isaac Model Builder for the decision trees may be used as this tool uses historical data to assist in identifying optimal account management strategies. Fair, Isaac Model Builder for Decision Trees is a PC Windows based application designed specifically to support data driven strategy design. It gives lenders the power to rapidly create new strategies in real time using multiple performance dimensions, to process large datasets rapidly so strategies at any point for greater understanding of the portfolio and transfers strategies to and from production application with ease, putting new strategies into production faster. This real time, highly interactive approach dramatically shortens the time between strategy creation and roll out. With Barclaycard objectives of the new strategies to increase interest bearing balances, increase turnover, control bad debt, and address attrition, Fair, Fair Isaac can be a big help for the organization. While the average number of cards in a person’s wallet has increased over the last five years, the value to an individual of having multiple cards will diminish in an environment where credit is a commodity.

Perceptions of Diversity in the Workforce

Perceptions of Diversity in the Workforce Introduction/Research Objectives: Diversity Management: Diversity Management has been defined as accepting that the workforce consists of diverse individuals. Diversity could be on the basis of work-style, age, background, sex, race, disability, personality (Kandola Fullerton, 1998). A productive environment could be created by embracing these differences where everyone is contributing at their highest potential and feel appreciated while they achieve company goals and objectives (Kandola Fullerton, 1998). Company Profile: The organisation for primary data collection is from the Pharmaceutical sector having 40% stake in the market and an annual turnover of  £21 Million (Fig.1.1). With over 160 types of medicine production, this company is Britains 3rd largest Medicine Producer. 300 employees work between 3 sites of manufacturing, packaging and the corporate office. About 150 employees, most of whom are either African or White work at the main manufacturing site; at the second packaging site there are about 130 employees of mixed origins contribute while at the corporate office, out of 30 people, most are women, of Indian origin except one and also most employees are below the age of 40 (Fig.1.2). The company vision is to maximize inclusion to drive greater business results and sustainable competitive advantage (BL, 2004). This would be achieved by fostering a culture that embraces differences and drives innovation thereby, achieving a skilled, high-performance workforce that reflects the global marke t place. Research Aims and Objectives: The main purpose of this dissertation is to research peoples perception of diversity and the effects it has on the workforce of a company. This will be investigated with the help of a questionnaire, interview and a tracking log conducted among the employees of the company from all designations. It would be imperative to research the positives of having a diverse workforce and how they contribute in achieving the company objectives, differently. The trials and tribulations faced by them owing to their diversity will be looked into and methods to tackle them will be discussed. Open questions in the survey would include: Share an experience where the organisation supported your religious needs? Through this research, old theories of diversity will be revised, extended and applied to creating new knowledge which would have theoretical and/or practical application. It will not only simplify and add meaning to existing definitions but also create new understandings of diversity. Considering the industry sector at the time of recession, many people have lost their jobs, mainly those who are not British nationals. Hence, the question is: how will an organization create profits if all the diverse individuals who contribute to the company objectives have been dismissed. Therefore, in this project, the question addressed is: What are peoples perspectives of Diversity and how does it affect an organisation. Literature Review: Diversity – definitions: This section covers some of the theory and research on Workplace Diversity which is of particular relevance to this research. It is important to define diversity for the purpose of this project. CEO of Proctor Gamble, Alan Laffey said that A diverse organisation will out-think, out-innovate and out-perform a homogenous organisation every single time (PG, 2009; Skinner, 2001). Diversity can be defined as a mixture of people with different group identities within the same social system (Fleury, 1999). There are many definitions to diversity, in essence it includes culture, race, geographic origin, ethnicity, gender, nationality, functional or educational background, physical and cognitive capability, language, lifestyles, values and beliefs, sexual orientation, physical abilities, social class, age, socio-economic status, and religion (Dessler, 1998; Ferdman, 1995). The National Council for Voluntary Organisations defines Diversity as the integration of age, gender, sexual orientation, religious preferences, disability and ethnicity without biases into society (NCVO, 2007). According to CIPD, diversity has multiple levels like that of Social Category Diversity that includes demographic variances like age, gender, ethics and race; Informational Diversity which embraces organisational variances like that of education, experience in the field and utility and lastly, Value Diversity encompasses psychological differences like that of attitudes, behaviour and personality (Worman – CIPD, 2005). According to Anderson and Metcalfe, completely diverse people working together may lead to conflicts owing to diversity in their ideologies, experience, personalities, culture and attitude among other variables. Organisations that promote creativity need to find a way to satisfy such differences and lay out ground rules to ensure successful team working. Thereby, it assures competitive edge owing to the creativity and innovation brought by diverse perspectives in products, service pattern and methods of working. The downside is that organisations need to ensure that this does not let employees lose their individuality in the race to fit in (Anderson Metcalfe, 2003). Diversity is often associated with ethnicity as in case of American Indian/ Alaska Native MBA students showed 89% in a survey. Least association was seen in case of Asian-Indian MBA students which showed 67%. Gender was seen to be the second most common associate among all survey groups. It showed strongest association of 78% among American Indian/ Alaska Native MBA students and least association of 43% by Asian-Indian undergraduates (Fig 2.1, 2.2). Among all survey groups, Latino/Hispanic undergraduates associated diversity with language skills while Asian-Indian undergraduates relate diversity with religion and American Indian/Alaska Native undergraduates connected diversity with age (Black Collegian, 2006). History of Diversity and Legislation: Legislation: The concept of diversity came into power in 1990s (Gatrell and Swan, 2008). In the 70s, 80s and early 90s the need for diversity in the workplaces in UK grew because of the diminishing talent sources as well as to curb the discriminatory HR practices that were carried out against colour and gender. The first piece of legislation to be passed to support diversity was the Equal Pay Act 1970 legislates against discrimination between men and women in relation to their terms and conditions of employment followed by Sex Discrimination Act 1974 which made it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of gender. After these came the following pieces of legislation: Race Relations Act 1976 – protection against discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic or national origins. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 – protection against discrimination for disabled people. Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003 made it unlawful to discriminate against workers on the grounds of religion or belief. Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 – made it unlawful for employers to discriminate against or harass a person on the grounds of sexual orientation. Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 – made it unlawful to discriminate against individuals on the grounds of age. Equality Act 2006 Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. (Daniels, 2008) Diversity training and interpersonal learning was introduced to help diverse workforces bridge the gaps between their education and cultures. Policy: The fundamental essence of diversity is based on its policies. To understand this, it is essential to know what a policy is. Organizational policies are a bunch of fundamental codes and relevant directives, devised and imposed by the presiding body of an organization, to express and limit its conduct while aiming for long-term objectives (Business Dictionary, 2009). An organisations goals, strategies and practices can be affected by a recognized set of broad, open directives, devised after an investigation of all internal and external aspects. Corporate policy is devised by the organisations executive board to lay down the organisations objectives to known and predictable state of affairs and circumstances. It also determines the creation and execution of strategy, and directs and limits the strategy, verdict, and deeds of the organisations employees in accomplishment of its aims (Business Dictionary, 2009). A policy is meant to balance individual and personal rights while safe-guarding the nation. Due to the ethnic and diverse mix in USA and Europe, the new diverse workforce required equal opportunities and diversity issues to be sorted out at the fore front ((Kandola and Fullerton, 1994; Cox, 1992). Hence, these countries have created policies and laws that protect diversity and promote equality (Dass and Parker, 1999; Kirton and Greene, 2000; Lawrence, 2000; Woodhams and Danieli, 2000). It was created to eliminate discrimination faced by black and ethnic minorities (Healy Oikelome, 2007). In the 1990s, the NI office initiated the Policy Appraisal and Fair Treatment guidelines (PAFT) which span across areas of religion and political beliefs, ethnicity, sex and race, disability, sexual orientation, age, marital status and those amid dependants. After its establishment, all new policies needed to satisfy the above mentioned nine equality sets (Bagilhole, 2007). Diversity Policies in SMEs v/s Large Corporations: According to Carrell, a policy that focuses on eradicating discrimination and bringing about fairness would help focus on overlooking differences and integration. However, he observed through a study that 70% of his respondents were from small companies while 30% were from companies employing 500 or more employees (Fig 3.1). 46% of this total had policies professing employee diversity in place of which 42% said that their policies were executed only in the last 5 years. 53% of the respondents in all said they do not have a written policy in place to enforce diversity and among them, only 7% opined of having discussed such an issue in their company (Fig 3.2, 3.21) (Carrell, 2006). Some SMEs opine that they are simply too small to employ a diverse range of individuals while others find it convenient to hire within the family. In such enterprises, diversity management can create a platform for new products and diverse clientele and networks which is overlooked in their short-sighted vision (European Community Programme, 2007). While SMEs harangue the increase in competition, they fail to see how innovation with the help of diversity can provide them with sustained competitive advantage. Other identifies benefits are reduced absenteeism, turnover, time wasted or lost, higher client loyalty and brand value and also, access to wider markets. Some SMEs that implement diversity policies feel that it not only increases an employees sense of belonging to the company but also their commitment and dedication to the job. The informal learning obtained from knowledge and skills gathered by working with diverse teams can also be of great competitive advantage (European Com munity Programme, 2007). Determining whether an organisation is diversity friendly is simple. Typically, large organisations have an entire page devoted to diversity and workforce friendly policies which are also available in print on request. A study revealed that 76% of senior global executives opine that their companies have 1 or no minorities (Fig 4). In some cases, in an effort to increase diversity levels, minorities are placed in positions that would add no value to their career graph. Hence, they choose to not be part of the organisation (Diversity Jobs, 2009). Looking at any large company like Coca Cola, General Motors and Nike among others, their common factor is their recognition of diversity being their key to direct and spanning sales. In order to have a diverse external environment, it would help to have a diverse internal environment as well in terms of contacts, approaches and skills (Eaddy, 2003). Contrary to the notion of diversity practices in Multinationals, the challenges faced by them were discussed among 50 academics, senior executives and HR professionals from multinational corporations at the Global Workforce Roundtable Summit at London in 2006. Some of the challenges faced are the dismissal of diversity policies as an American notion, the extent to which these practices need to be developed in order to be trickled down the ladder and implemented, getting people down the ladder to embrace the concept of diversity policies and take initiatives in its implementation (Global Workforce Roundtable Summit, 2006). Research Evidence Perspectives on Diversity: The Jewson and Mason Model (1986) is states that there are two perspectives on equality and diversity: I. The equality of opportunity or liberal approach introduces fair procedures to offer access to institutions, services, social positions and resources. II. The equality of outcome or radical approach refers to affirmative action for historically discriminated and disadvantaged groups (Gatrell Swan, 2008). The liberal approach to equal opportunities is described by a belief of an individual or their imagined capabilities and merits rather than structural sources of inequality. This approach believes that these barriers can be removed such that individuals find a way to make the best of themselves (Jewson Mason 1986: 314; Gatrell Swan, 2008). The main objective of this approach is to make sure people are treated equally at the work place (Jewson Mason 1986: 315). Emphasis is on an individualistic view of fairness and equality rather than a group based approach that encompasses equal and free competition among people (Kirton Greene, 2004). In the radical view, ability, skills, talent and merit are socially constructed norms by powerful dominant groups and that inequality is produced as a result of these social practices (Jewson Mason 1986: 315). Hence, individual merit is not a neutral term but a criterion to filter out diverse candidates from jobs and opportunities based on a socia lly valued judgment (Gatrell Swan, 2008). Thus the radical approach looks at equality as a form of social justice centring on checking the outcome of procedures and its effects of different groups and equalising the outcome rather than the opportunity (Richards 2001: 16; Gatrell Swan, 2008). The Business Case is another model for managing diversity and is related to bettering economic productivity and service delivery and depoliticising models of social relations (Blackmore, 2006; Gatrell Swan, 2008). It harnesses differences so that a productive environment may be created that not only benefits the individual but also the organisation (Kandola Fullerton 1994:8). A diverse workforce brings material benefits to an organisation such as increased profit, creativity and representative customer care (Gatrell Swan, 2008). It is seen as an investment rather than a cost and rejects the notion of justice for an instrumental, utilitarian model (Kirton Greene, 2004). The Social Justice Model favours a structural explanation of inequalities based upon the concept of social justice (Kirton Greene, 2000:5). This mode of diversity management can give rise to increased quality of outcomes for individuals as well as groups as it highlights heterogeneity of difference within social groups while taking into account that difference is not a individual possession but socially constructed within social relations (Kirton Greene, 2000; Ferreday, 2003). This model acknowledges that some differences matter more than others as shown in the research conducted by Ahmed et al. (2006), Hunter Swan (2007) among others demonstrates that race gender have a significant consequence on the admission to paid work, working conditions and experiences and possibility of discrimination (Gatrell Swan, 2008). Cultural Diversity Model addresses how diversity can be used as a tool to achieve competitive advantage in an organisation. This model was viewed from the social responsibility goals of an organisation which is a fraction of the constitution of diversity management. According to Cox Blake (1991), focussing on seven areas of effective diversity management can lead to a companys sustained competitive advantage like education programs, cultural variances, prejudice free human resource management schemes, diversity mindset, heterogeneity in race/ religion/ ethnicity, organisational culture and higher vocation resource acquirement for women i.e. extinction of glass ceiling (Parhizgar, 2002). Glass ceiling is an organisational prejudice or a bias in attitude that prevents women and minority groups from progressing to higher leadership designations in an organisation (Princeton, 2009). Researchers contradict this theory as they dont find the connection between diversity and organisational competitive advantage. In Coxs view, in the 1970s monumental organisations were leading USA that did not give importance to diversity or the essential HR function. Instead of being given a fair chance, minority groups were expected to acculturate themselves to the norms set by majority groups i.e. in this case, white men. Pluralistic organisations that came into power in the 1960s, implement diversity management in ways of recruiting minorities, monitoring for fairness and providing diversity training and programs. A key difference between a pluralistic organisation and a multicultural organisation is minorities group are not only employed and value but also identified as key contributors and formally as well as informally completely integrated into the organisation. Cox and Blake also created a model in 2001 that claimed 5 cyclical steps to a successful multicultural organisation. The five steps are leadership, research and dimension, academic backing, coalition of management syst ems and follow up action steps (Stahl Bjà ¶rkman, 2006). The effect of diversity on performance in an organisation is still unclear. Its effect maybe positive or negative in some situations and also sometimes there may be no effect at all (Barrett-Power Shaw, 1998). Research based on race has shown that diversity in teams can yield benefits as well as costs (Campion, Medsker and Higgs, 1993; Guzzo Dickson, 1996; Jackson, 1991; Magjuka Baldwin, 1991). A team can be defined as a distinguishable set of two or more individuals who interact independently and adaptively to achieve specified, shared and valued objectives (Salas, 1986). Organisations depend upon teamwork to improve quality, experience of work, product and customer service for their members (Guzzo, 1995). Teams are believed to be vital tools for solving problems and making decisions in a highly complex, international environment (Tjosvold, 1995). Magjuka Baldwin (1991) found that within a group, diversity showed positive effect on job performance in a sample of 72 manufacturin g teams. Some studies have shown that diverse groups (based on race) are more creative and make better decisions than homogenous groups (McGrath, 1984; McLeod and Lobel, 1992) but they can also be less cohesive, less satisfied, have less conformity and more prone to turnover (Jackson, Brett, Sessa, Copper, Julin and Peyronnin, 1991). 3 Level Impact of Diversity: Individual Level: Diversity creates an impact on three levels: individual, group and organisation (Nkomo, 1998). At an individual level, key variable in understanding diversity are culture distance, perceived similarity, a sense of control as well as culture shock (Triandis, 1997). According to previous research by Berry (1984), an individual goes through an acculturation process which is; assimilation, separation, deculturation and integration. With assimilation, the culture that is dominant in the group becomes the standard and individuals try to live up to the standard. With separation, majority cultures and minority cultures do not merge as individuals from the minority cultures distance themselves from majority cultures. In deculturation, the individuals of minority cultures lack strong ties with the group as they neither have ties with their own minority culture nor with the standard majority culture. Integration refers to the state where individuals change to a certain extent to accommodate the common norms and standards (Berry, 1984). If an individual from a minority culture is unable to adapt, the group is considered to be at fault instead of the majority culture (Nkomo, 1991). The Alteration Model suggests that minority individuals need not be forced to practice a particular, standard culture or adapt to their own minority culture. They can become competent in multiple cultures and use what is required of it in a context. This may also be known as code-switching where an individual uses a language that best suits a context (LaFromboise, Coleman and Gerton, 1993). Group Level Diversity: At a group level, diversity can give rise to emotional conflict or task related conflict within a group. Task related conflict will increase group performance while emotional conflict will hinder performance (Kottke Agars, 2004). In a group research on diversity, it was found that readily observable factors (surface level) are important for group development but deeply held values and beliefs (deep level) are decisive in group processes that yield group outcomes (Stockdale Crosby, 2004). Group composition has been investigated as surface and deep-level diversity (Harrison, Price and Bell; 1998). Surface-level diversity maybe defined as differences in age, sex, race, ethnicity and other biological characteristics while deep-level diversity maybe defined as differences in behaviour, attitudes, morals, values and beliefs that require interaction to be understood. Organisational Level Diversity: Many consultants and academics argue that organisational level diversity is essential to serve the 21st century consumer (Gardenschwartz and Rowe, 1993; Morrison, 1992; Thomas, 1990; Wilson, 1997). Diversity makes an organisation more effective by bringing a lot of creative perspectives to the table. This has served as a base for many claims that suggest that diversity is a resource and strength for an organisation (Adler, 2003; Dobbs, 1998; Thomas, 1990). OReilley et al. (1997) conducted a research in an organisation that gave primary importance to employee diversity. They found that within the organisations groups, diversity created positive performance-related results. Studies show a negative as well as positive effect in organisations as ethnic groups or minorities perceive themselves less likely to advance in an organisation than majorities. Ethnic groups when exposed to majority groups are more susceptive to emotional conflict (Kizilos et al.; 1996). This creates a branching in the hypotheses as the attraction and social categorization theories suggest that diversity will cause a negative effect on organisation performance while only information and decision making theory suggests that diversity promotes organisational performance (Jarry Pitts, 2005). Information and decision making theory is based on educational and functional diversity and not ethnic diversity. Hence, it forms a weak basis against two prominent theories (Jarry Pitts, 2005). Diversity Management According to CIPD, managing diversity stands for valuing people for who they are; whether they are customers, clients, or even employees, they are all fundamentally diverse. Diversity management is not about identifying a single constant individual difference but about recognizing different individual changes and their ability to create a large scale impact and create dynamic changes (Mullholland, Ozbilgin and Worman; 2006). Managing diversity is meant to bring people from different areas and thought processes together to ensure self development as well as production of superior quality results. It is meant to nurture creativity and innovation by caressing diversity while creating an atmosphere of creative genius and healthy competition (Leader; 2009). The University of Vienna describes diversity management as a strategy or a business plan to perceive, promote, acknowledge implement and preserve essential competencies within an organisation (University of Vienna, 2007). Diversity man agement stresses the necessity of indentifying cultural variances Between sets of employees, and making rational grants for such differences in policies within the organisation (Thomas, 1990). There can be a few negative consequences of diversity management like that of the trainers values expressed in a training program. The trainers values are just ones point of view and not the universal truth and yet it is forced upon unsuspecting trainees during a program. Some trainers may have ulterior motives or discreet agendas and usually training occurs too late. Diversity training is often looked upon as a band aid, a quick fix if you will a shortcut to a difficult situation. However, quick fixes are prone to disintegrating fast. A psychological disadvantage is the creation of an image that the trainees have some issues in dealing with diversity. Also, the definitions of diversity are often too narrow and under-expressed with the focus on diplomacy rather than honest opinions. Trainers chosen are also often based on which minority group they represent rather than how well they train (Public Personnel Management, 2002). A study among companies that provide diversity training revealed 33% who said that their efforts were quite or extremely successful. 30% said their efforts were quite successful while 3% opined extreme success. 50% of the firms opined neutral or varied results while 13% said their results were quite unsuccessful and 5% opined extreme failure (Fig 5) (Public Personnel Management, 2002). On understanding the effects of diversity, it is useful to know how diversity can be managed. Every individual is different from another in matters of age, education, gender, values, physical ability, mental capacity, personality, experiences, culture and the way each approaches work (Jamieson and OMara 1991: 3-4). Diversity advantage can be obtained by realizing, acknowledging and valuing these differences and creating an environment that appreciates these attributes by being flexible enough to meet needs and preferences – to create a motivating and rewarding environment (Jamieson and OMara 1991: 3-4). Managing diversity is not only about handling issues on discrimination but also making sure that everyone is contributing to their maximum potential to achieve the organisation objectives (Argott, 2008). Diversity management does not mean only increasing opportunities for women and minorities. It means increasing competitive advantage by taking those diverse variances and cre ating a comprehensive atmosphere where each can contribute and make a difference (Larson, 2004). This concept covers everyone including the white and middle class males while focussing on movement and culture within the organisation and meeting business objectives (Argott, 2008). Diversity Management differs from Equal Opportunities in its lack of reliance upon positive action or affirmative action (Kaler, 2001). Diversity training is training to increase the contributors knowledge, skills and awareness of different cultures. This would prevent civil rights violations, promote team work and also provide opportunities to different minority groups (Kalev, Dobbin and Kelley, 2006). It is an effective way to broaden diversity in an organisation and also, increase an individuals ability to cope with it (Vaughn, 2007). Present Day Diversity Management Hudson carried out a national survey as a result of witnessing a friend who was denied a job, promotion or increased salary as a result of their ethnicity. The survey conducted in USA in 2005 throws light on startling figures of 31% among African-American employees and drops to 18% among white workers (Fig 6.1)(Hudson, 2005). One out four (23%) employees opined that they know someone who has been treated differently on the basis of their gender. African-American women are more likely to make this claim than others. 23% of workers polled that they do not work for employers who actively promote diversity and 13% are unsure whether their companies have a formal diversity program. 64% of them work for diversity promoting firms (Fig 6.2), 20% of employees know someone who has been treated differently based on their gender and 18% know someone whose been discriminated against based on their ethnic or racial variances (Fig 6.3). These statistics increase to 32 and 29% respectively with work ers in non-diversity promoting companies. Employees working for large or multinational corporations are said to report a statistic of 76% for supporting diversity and its programs (Hudson, 2005). Since this report, two approaches to managing diversity have been founded. One is that which defines diversity in relation to equal opportunities and affirmative action only (Carrell, Mann Sigler, 2006). Affirmative Action can be explained as taking measures towards the depiction of women and minority groups in terms of employment, edification and commerce in which they have been ostracized throughout history. This method includes preferential assortment i.e. selection on the basis of race, colour, ethnicity among other. Hence, it is a subject of great controversy (Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, 2009). The other point of view argues the broader concept is inclusive of differences of the people i.e. considering that team members consist of different ages, genders, races, ethnicities and demographic categories to the likes of sexual orientation, religion among others (Carrell, Mann Sigler, 2006). Hudsons survey called for the implementation of the narrow point of view. Howeve r, more recent studies have shown that affirmative action does little to sort out the causative agents of inequality, bias and injustice and does not contribute to the enhancement of opportunities open to men and women in the workplace (Thomas, 1990). Xerox is among the top employers who enforce diversity. They are ranked among the Top 50 Corporations for Supplier Diversity, Top 50 Companies for Diversity and Corporate 100. They focus on four key areas to enhance diversity management like that of communiquà ©, CEO dedication, staff demographics and purveyor diversity. Xerox has been found to give more opportunities to Hispanics in the USA and also been named the national #1 in womens employment opportunities. At Xerox, a Supplier Diversity Program is mandatory for all employees especially those of middle management. The power of this program lies in the recognition of the strength in adversity right from the entry level to the top management (Poder 360, 2009). Xerox employees being diverse; act as campaigners in recommending and negotiating with diverse clientele. Xerox partnerships with diverse suppliers to finance and contribute to their business while profiting from it (Xerox, 2009). They call this their pioneering practice t hat brings them results (CSR, 2005). AstraZeneca (AZ) is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies who employ over 65000 people worldwide. Formed by the merger of Astra AB of Sweden and Zeneca Group PLC of UK, AZ brought together the merger of likeminded vision and diversity in race, religion, age, gender, ethnicity and skills (AstraZeneca, 2009). Here, diversity is looked upon in the broader sense and utilized to create high performance teams with the help of sharing ideas and discussing strategies across the board. At the heart of their vision, is the creation of true cultural diversity. Hence, they create small programs and global initiatives to embed diversity (AstraZeneca, 2009). Here, diversity is focussed on three a

evilmac womenmac Evil In Women and Its Effect on Macbeth :: Free Macbeth Essays

Evil In Women and Its Effect on Macbeth "...My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not." (1.3.140-143). Throughout Shakespeare's play, we see that Macbeth is the victim of evil seduction by women. In the above quote the evil is perpetrated by the witches. Lady Macbeth also plays a strong role in his moral corruption. "... the influence of Lady Macbeth (though she too has an inarticulate angel struggling against her own evil), and the instigation of a supernatural power all combine to crush his better nature." (Boyce 391). Macbeth would not have even thought of killing Duncan, if it were not for the influence of the witches and his wife. Historically, man has been corrupted by woman. Going back to the story of Adam and Eve, we see such an example. ".. she took of the fruit thereof, and she did eat it; and she gave it unto her husband..." (Genesis 3.6). Eve, out of fear, beguiled Adam. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the witches, succumbing to greed, corrupted Macbeth. Lady Macbeth's actions parallel those of the witches. The witches planted the idea that Macbeth should become king. Lady Macbeth followed through with this idea by pushing Macbeth to kill Duncan. "... a very definition of the weird sisters - calling on them to unsex her to cram her with cruelty from top to toe..." (Bloom 29). This quote illustrates the connection between Lady Macbeth and the witches, showing us that they both participated in Macbeth's moral decline. Shakespeare, it seems, utilizes the symbol of the witches to portray the basic evil inherent in Lady Macbeth. One could not have worked without the other. If it were only the witches' prophecies, then Macbeth would surely not have murdered Duncan. It was because Lady Macbeth constantly harassed her husband, that he was driven to commit all this evil. "... her blood thickened, her milk changed to gaul - into the inhuman, the distortion of nature..." (Ludwyk 233). This illustrates the complete metamorphosis of Lady Macbeth from a loving, beautiful, caring, kind wife to a ruthless, nasty, shrew of a woman. The women in this play distort Macbeth's intuition so much that he thinks he is doing the right thing. "... his liberty of free choice is determined more and more by evil inclination and that he can not choose the better course..." (Bloom 55). Even after the deed is done, Lady Macbeth greets her husband and "... her greeting recalls the weird sisters.

The Transition To The Role of Professional Nurse

My most recent employment included working as a Rehabilitation vocational nurse in an in-patient Rehabilitation hospital. Typically I cared for 6-8 patients at a time, providing total care for each. I am IV certified with much experience in the field, particularly within pediatrics. I have worked with professional nurses, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, dietitians, physicians and more as part of a collaborative and comprehensive health care team. Issues and Concerns Surrounding Transition For Practical/Vocational Nurse A licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN or LVN) is often the first step in one's career toward becoming a certified professional nurse. The role of a vocational nurse differs significantly from the role of a professional nurse. Most nurses trained at this level have one year of study experience at a vocational or community college. A vocational nurse is used to working under the supervision of a licensed RN or professional nurse or physician (Quan, 2004). There are multiple issues and concerns surrounding the transition to the role of professional nurse, none the least of which is the shortage of qualified nurse educators to provide guidance to LPN's desiring a career as an RN (Quan, 2004). There are also multiple levels of education one may pursue as a professional nurse that must be considered (Quan, 2004). For example, while many hospitals in the past have offered three year courses allowing students to live in the hospitals, few of these programs still remain (Quan, 2004). Most vocational nurses now desiring a professional career must pursue their Bachelor of Science in Nursing or an associate's degree in nursing. This requires much time, effort and of course, acceptance into a qualified nursing programs. A vocational nurse must also have the ability to effectively transition to the role of a supervisor or leader, capable of making complex decisions and delegating tasks to others as part of their job responsibilities as a professional nurse. Clinical Judgment in Autonomy and Accountability of Professional Nursing Practice Professional nursing practice affords RN's a relatively large amount of autonomy and accountability on the job. Professional nurses are often called on to use their own technical expertise and judgment to help manage and oversee patient care as part of members of a collaborative health care team (Shanbhag, 2002). They are accountable for the results of any decisions they make regarding patient care, even when those decisions involve delegating tasks to others. In cases where professional nurses supervise the work functions of others, professional nurses must also be held accountable for patient outcomes and the outcomes of their underlings. Professional nurses are often afforded the ability to delegate tasks as they see appropriate to underlings including vocational nurses (Shanbhag, 2002). This requires not only a great deal of decision making ability but also the ability to differentiate among underling's skills, qualifications and abilities. This will help them remain accountable for the actions of each member of their health care team. A professional nurse is also more likely to be held accountable for patient's outcomes as they often supervise the care of other nurses or health care assistants involved in patient care (Shanbhag, 2002). Most are expected to exercise â€Å"independent judgment† reserving the right to direct care in certain circumstance (Shanbhag, 2002). Professional nurses are also more likely to be held accountable for patient outcomes as well as the performance of those working under their direct supervision. How Professional Nurse Collaborates with Others To Achieve Effective Patient Care The best possible outcome for patients is only realized when professional nurses work as members of a multidisciplinary team, collaborating to ensure the best patient outcome. A professional nurse does not work alone but rather as a member of a comprehensive patient care team whose goals include optimizing patient outcomes. Members of this comprehensive health care team may include nursing assistants, professional nurses, primary care physicians, social workers, patients and family members (Coombs, 2004). For collaboration to work in the health care team it must often be defined in a non-hierarchical or cooperative manner based â€Å"on shared power and authority† assuming that each member of the team holds a certain level of knowledge, responsibility and influence that directly influences patient outcomes (Coombs, 2004). Professional nursing requires many of the same leadership skills required of doctors or other management professionals. The primary leadership skills beneficial to the field include (1) the ability to establish, maintain and promote communication and interpersonal relationships, (2) the ability to delegate work tasks and oversee the work of others (3) the ability to make decisions based on one's knowledge, skills and expertise (4) the ability to work as members of a collaborative team and (5) the ability to help create interdependency and promote knowledge sharing among all team members (Coombs, 2004). The ability to work collaboratively is a fundamental skill required of effective leaders (Miccolo & Spanier, 1993). A professional nurse must first be able to provide coworkers, supervisors and underlings with clear communication and insight regarding his or her goals, methods, policies and programs. A professional nurse like any other member of a health care team is responsible for knowledge sharing. Anyone responsible for knowledge sharing within an organization must have the ability to develop communication skills among team members. Further, a leader knows how to delegate work tasks to ensure they aren't overburdened by administrative or nursing tasks at any one point in time. This helps reduce burn out and promotes a more efficient and product team environment. A nurse must also rely on their own education, experience and knowledge to help make directed and responsible decisions within the health care environment. This will help the nurse work as an effective leader within the health care team, and promote cooperation among all team members. Management of Nursing Care and Delegation Professional nurses must act as managers, working to help build, create, maintain and manage effective partnerships or teams of workers within the health care environment. The management of nursing care involves identifying what members of the health care team are capable of carrying out certain roles, and assigning them those roles accordingly to ensure the patients basic needs are met, and to ensure a positive health outcome for patients treated under a professional nurses care. Delegation of tasks is an autonomous task requiring independent decision-making capability. Since professional nurses tend to work in a role that requires leadership, independent thinking, decision making and accountability for patient outcomes, it naturally follows that professional nurses must learn how to delegate tasks appropriately. Proper use of delegation within the health care environment will also free up time for professional nurses to work with multiple patients and to address the many administrative functions and tasks that come along with the role of a professional nurse in today's health care environment (Coombs, 2004).