Author’s Surname

Modern society is dependent on oil. At present, the demand of oil is supplied by fossil fuels. Unfortunately, fossil fuels are non-renewable. Soon the supply will run out, as the demand for oil will surely exhaust all resources. In addition, the use of fossil fuels is accompanied by health and environmental risks. Therefore, there is a need for other fuel options, and this is where alternative fuels come in. This research paper aims to discuss biofuels, specifically biodiesel and E85, the pros and cons of using alternative fuels as well as the effects on the economy and the environment.The need for alternative sources has become more urgent. It is from this need that the creation of alternative fuels has become necessary. One of the alternative fuels is biofuel. Before biofuel can be discussed, it is important to discuss what biomass is. Biomass consists of organic matter derived from plants or animals (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). Biomass usually comes from remnants of agriculture a nd forestry, industrial and municipal wastes, as well as crops grown either on land or water that were planted to be utilized as a source of energy.It is advantageous to use biomass, since it is renewable and its resources are uniformly appropriated throughout the surface of the Earth. In addition, biomass can be utilized using technologies that are not harmful to the environment (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). Biofuels, in turn, are fuels that are extracted from biomass (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). Some of the agricultural commodities that are planted to produce biofuels are soybeans and corn. At present, there have been efforts to use other crops, such as woody crops and switchgrass, in the creation of biofuels (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†).One advantage of biofuels is that it does not contribute to increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (â€Å"Biofuels†). This is because biofuels are created from plants which eliminate carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and w hen it is burnt, it only releases the same amount. That is why biofuels are thought to be â€Å"CO2 neutral† (â€Å"Biofuels†). The use of biofuels is relatively easy, as it adapts to existing mechanisms that use traditional fuel. This characteristic makes biofuel usage appealing for both individuals and businesses (West).There is no need for special equipment, or another vehicle, or even a new heating device from home to use this fuel. One can simply fill the tanks with it (West). Biofuels can be used as sources of energy through the energy inherent in biomass, from which it was made. Biomass can be a source of energy through the process of converting feedstock material, like cellulose and starch, into a form that can be utilized (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). Biofuels that are used to power transportation are created through processes that are either thermochemical, or biochemical.The term â€Å"biofuel† is actually wide in scope. There are several kinds of bio fuels, some of which are methane, biocrude, methanol, ethanol and biodiesel (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). Among all the biofuels available, ethanol is the one which has widespread usage (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). Ethanol can be called with two other names: ethyl alcohol and grain alcohol. Ethanol can be used as an alternative fuel. It can also be an add-on to traditional fuel. Generally, adding ethanol to gasoline has many benefits. First, it decreases the gasoline's capacity for pollution, especially in the air.Now, ethanol is replacing methyl t-butyl ether or MTBE, as an â€Å"oxygenate additive† (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). This is because MTBE contributes to the poisoning of the soil and groundwater. Second, adding ethanol to gasoline increases the octane. Third, by blending ethanol with gasoline, the depletion of petroleum fuels is decreased (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). Ethanol is a fuel produced from plant starch and sugar (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). In the Unite d States, it is created from plant starch of grains which include wheat, corn and grain sorghum.All the starch will undergo fermentation and distillation process to turn starch into sugar, which will eventually be turned into alcohol. There are two methods employed for the production of ethanol from biomass. The first one is biochemical conversion. In this process, biomass is divided into cellulose and starch. When in water, these two is disintegrated into various sugars; in turn, these sugars will be fermented to create ethanol. As of now, corn is the primary material in the production of ethanol.However, there are current efforts to widen the range of plant options that would create ethanol. These options include poplar, willow, switchgrass, grain straw and even municipal wastes (â€Å"Biomass FAQs†). There are several benefits in using ethanol. First, it is renewable (â€Å"Ethanol Benefits†). Second, it is domestic. In the United States, petroleum is imported from other countries. The nation's dependency on foreign sources of oil makes it susceptible to problems in price, supply and trade. Ethanol, on the other hand, can be produced domestically, eliminating all those problems (â€Å"Ethanol Benefits†).

Does the Media Promote Terrorism?

Assignment: Some scholars argue that too often the media helps promote terrorists' agenda. Others, however, disagree. What is your own position on the media's role and impact in covering terrorist cases? Organize your reply by selecting three case studies that, by employing the same assumption or hypothesis, appear to compose a pattern that supports your opinion. Your answer should not exceed five hundred words (about two double-spaced, typed pages). Does the Media Promote Terrorism? The news media of American society does not encourage terrorism. The only thing that the media encourages is knowledge of what is going on around the world. Unfortunately, some terrorist organizations use the news media to gain recognition for their groups causes and goals. Most of the time, the media will serve as force to gain citizen support for the government's actions against a terrorist movement. The only problem with having the freedom of press that the United States enjoys is that everyone has a voice. When it comes down to an American killing an American, the media is not allied with the terrorist. Americans do not like to see fellow citizens die at the hands of a terrorist, especially by an American terrorist. Timothy McVeigh, probably unknowingly, helped in decreasing the number of American terrorist. McVeigh's act, bombing the Murrah building in Oklahoma City, was seen as so repulsive that many law-abiding people attracted to militias simply walked away. The majority of Americans didn't want to be associated with anything like the killing of 168 Americans, even though McVeigh had only attended a few militia meetings. (Mahan & Griset, p. 225) The media coverage for the bombing in 1995 gave the American public the education needed to assess what was going on in the militant organizations across the United States. No one truly believes that the media plan or suggest terrorist attacks to groups or individuals. But the action of the media has been scrutinized intensely in recent years to determine whether media coverage of terrorist events caused terrorists to choose one particular choice of action over another. (Combs, p. 179) The education of American citizens is an invaluable tool that is channeled through the media for the benefit of all citizens. With the help of the media, the people get all of the facts and are able to form their own opinion about what is going on, who is responsible for events, and how future events can be avoided. The media and the government have common interests in seeing that the media are not manipulated into promoting the cause of terrorism or its methods On the other hand, neither the media or policymakers want to see terrorism, or counter terrorism, eroding constitutional freedoms including that of the press–one of the pillars of democratic societies. (Perl) In conclusion if terrorists seek media attention and are given after an attack, their act will be seen as successful so, by not overruling other ‘real news’ media, have the ability to affect the scale of an attack. With today’s worldwide Internet accessibility to anyone at anytime the support and especially funding of terrorism acts may increase. But, however, the ‘CNN affect’ in other words may increase the number of casualties from a terrorist attack if international press exaggerating the hatred towards terrorism and ‘war on terror’. Out of this it is clear that media as the ‘voice of the people’ encourages the scale of the terrorist attack but not the actual terrorist attack in itself. References Combs, C. (2010). Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century ( 6th Ed.), Charlotte, NC.: Pearson Mahan, S. & Griset, P. (2008). Terrorism in Perspective ( 2nd Ed.), Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Perl, R. (1997). Terrorism, The Media, and the Government: Perspectives, Trends, and Options for Policymakers Retrieved Febraury 25, 2011 from http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/crs-terror.htm.

The Varying Potentials and Learning Styles of the Students Research Paper - 173

The Varying Potentials and Learning Styles of the Students - Research Paper Example In the previous colloquy, it became evident that schools play a critical role in preparing students to become a part of society. The curriculum in schools facilitates the transmission of cultural values from one generation to the other. Therefore, schools promote the progression of society. Most importantly, schools play a critical role in promoting social values. Schools should also serve as avenues of preparing students for their future occupation. Experience-based learning, as well as child-centred learning, seeks to impart learners with life skills that they can use in the future. When schools focus on a child-centred approach, they can nurture the interests of children, ensuring that learners gain critical skills that can be beneficial to them in handling future challenges. A child-centred approach in school should seek to explore the potential of every student. Such an approach provides students with an opportunity to recognize the learning needs and interests. Teachers who ser ve as facilitators and coaches help children meet their learning needs. Students have diverse interests and potentials. Therefore, the instructional methods used in schools should consider the varying potentials and learning styles of the students. Teachers should ensure that there is maximized learning for each student ensuring that learners benefit from the curriculum. The debate on the child-centred approach has highlighted the potential benefits of identifying the needs of learners before designing the curriculum. Therefore, teachers should implement the planned curriculum with the purpose of influencing learners with new knowledge and skills (Posner, 2003).

Managerment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managerment - Essay Example In South Africa, the private sector comprises of 2.7 million numbers of small enterprises. Majority of these employees are informal and micro enterprises. Only 12,000 of them are considered to be medium and large scale enterprises. 2.7 million enterprises in the country generate employment for 9.3 million people across the country. About three-fourth of these employees are engaged in the small and medium scale enterprises. These enterprises play a major role in uplifting the economic condition of the country, however their progress have remained substantially slow over the last few years. The employment generated according to the size of enterprises has been presented in the following diagram1. In fact the government of South Africa considers the development of small businesses as an important step towards strengthening the economy2. Small businesses are said to contribute significantly to the employment growth in Sub Saharan Africa. The small businesses have been able to absorb more than 40% of the labor force in the region. The most prominent improvements have been witnessed in the five countries, namely, Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland. The increase in the number of start-ups specifically accounts for the improvement in the level of employment in the region. Only about 25% of these small businesses have grown substantially, but their contribution towards employment creation has is substantial. Only 1% of the start-ups has effectively transformed into the intermediate sized firms3. The small firms are said to the backbone of the sub Saharan economy. The size distribution among the firms existing in Africa is highly skewed with large number of small firms4. The small and medium enterprise sector in Nigeria comprises of 50% of the country’s employment and 50% of the country’s industrial output. The contribution of small economies to the economic growth of Africa is at par with the advanced nations of the

Individual Assignment #2 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Individual Assignment #2 - Case Study Example The amount of money saved can then be used to increase speed and precision of product development. Through the company’s strong marketing, it can develop its products globally while reducing cost. A company can reduce the cost and at the same time develop products by using recyclable materials. Relocating of the company’s production plants to low-cost countries will help it reduce the cost, increase speed and precision of product development (Hunger, & Bamford, PP. 35-40). AB Electrolux focuses to relocate its proactive activities to low cost production areas such as China. The company can compete with local Chinese consumer manufacturers in the following ways. First the company is able to offer consumers with quality low cost vacuum cleaners, making it to be very competitive. In addition, the company has ability to use door-to-door sales strategy that will help AB Electrolux outdo Chinese consumer manufactures as this method will help increase sales. Consumers prefer a one to one relationship with companies and therefore AB Electrolux should implement personal contact with consumers. Due to increase in technology, the company should utilize e marketing to promote sales of their commodities and cope with competition. Apart from marketing, the internet also gives price awareness to consumers. The company can also reduce prices of products in Chinese consumer manufacturers dominated areas to increase sales thereby improving their competition (Hunger, & Bamford, PP. 36-42). The company should produce their products that are heavy and bulky near the end users to save cost of shipping and at the same time maintain their premium brand and prices. The company should invest in attractive markets where demand is high as well as income of individuals to be able to maintain premium prices. Ensuring products meet consumer needs will help maintain premium

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

Global Warming - Research Paper Example Green house gases trap heat in the atmosphere and this causes an increase in temperature on the earth surface, these gases include carbon dioxide, an increase in carbon dioxide in the air has mainly be contributed by human activities, states that this include carbon emissions by cars and power plants, power plants that utilize coal to produce electricity have largely contributed to an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Houghton 14). The use of internal combustion engines to run cars has also contributed to the increase in the increase in carbon dioxide, over 30% of carbon dioxide emission in the US is from cars. Worse effects are caused by traffic congestion that results into unnecessary combustion of gasoline (EPA 5). Nitrous oxide is green house gas that is produced by cars and nitric acid products produced, this product is also a major contributor of global warming. He also states that water vapor is considered a green house gas, the increase in water vapor in the atmosphere is mostly contributed to the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as temperatures increase more water is vaporized and this results into an increase in heat trapped in the earth’s atmosphere (Philander 15). Deforestation is also considered to have contributed to global warming, human economic activities such as timber production and agriculture contribute to the reduction of forest cover on the earth surface, when this happens the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere declines in two ways, one of the ways in which deforestation contribute to an increase in carbon dioxide is that the decomposing carbon material increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and second trees utilize carbon dioxide to make their food referred to as photosynthesis which reduce carbon levels in the atmosphere and a reduction in the

Qualitative research- keyword Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Qualitative research- keyword - Essay Example Data refers to information that has been organized into forms that can be manipulated and processed to produce desirable results (Andrews & Herzberg, 2008). In learning, data processing entails the analysis of the organized values to produce meaningful results. Data sets are usually present in typical scientific research exercises aimed at establishing relationships between different variables. Data is also applicable in the context of arts. In my period as an English student, I encountered various situations where I was required to handle some situations involving data organization and manipulation. Learning, especially the concepts of library skills involved acquisition of data concerning books from the library shelves. English also involves the aspect of interpreting information presented in tables or charts. In these cases, I had to become conversant with the aspects of data processing and presenting research information from literature and other art issues in academics (Andrews & Herzberg, 2008). Based on the qualitative research concept of grounded theory, I developed a theory which says that data organization and interpretation facilitates the learning English language. I developed this hypothesis through the ideal procedures involved in grounded theory of qualitative research (David, 2007). Data enables the employment of mathematical skills and information interpretation skills into developing meanings for situations. Data processing and organization awakens the techniques of information analysis. In this context, I started by appraising the role of data is developing meaningful information. Upon recognition of the importance, I devised a standard of gauging the significance of each role in the learning process. I categorized these significances into related groups and established the relationship between these groups and the efforts

Nationally Known Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nationally Known Leader - Essay Example Obama’s charisma moved and continues to move the American society. Employing his charisma, he has successfully drawn the interest of the Americans. His influence to his country is development-oriented through reforming sectors that lag behind or pull the society behind. With his charisma, he has made it possible to influence American masses and garner their trust in his leadership. This does not mean that Obama faces no challenges in his line of work. However, the manner in which he addresses emerging leadership challenges is crucial in his leadership pursuits. The fire and emergency services can also apply Obama’s charismatic traits in the line of duty. This relates to reforming and dynamically improving services as social and economic contexts in the environment these services are offered changes (Chappelow 151). Charisma is basically an influential trait. The ability to move masses is crucial in pushing for reforms and improvement of services in the fire and emergenc y services. It is important to highlight that fire and emergency services can be predetermined, but they cannot be certainly states as to when they will take place. In this context, pushing for a crucial action that is based on uncertainty becomes a challenge. However, charismatic traits can essentially account for this challenge. Being societal oriented is a crucial trait that many world renowned leaders portray. Obama fits in this trait within the American context. His leadership style has depicted that every single person is essential and equally contribute towards the country when empowered. Obama focus his pursuits to the entire American society, both poor and rich. His concern for the society promotes equality, with reduced gaps between the poor and the rich. In the fire and emergency services, disasters are uncertain and they can befall any given individual. This critical part of society should ensure service to the entire society, regardless of their social, economic or poli tical orientation. There are often cases of delayed services to certain locales, while others are responded to when an alarm is mistakenly raised, even without an emergency. A result oriented leader works on goals and objectives set to achieve to realize desired outcomes (Vicere 26-33). President Obama is a result-oriented leader. He operates on strategic planning and processes that are designed to achieve the desired results. The fire and emergency services can also employ these characteristic or trait. Fire and emergency responses have results to achieve, with the primary concern being to prevent damage to property and life. Operating on a result- oriented pursuit will ensure that there are milestones to achieve and check against the final outcome that constitutes the result desired. Socially interactive leaders centrally establish functional relationships with the people they lead. Social relations are critical to account for leadership, meaning that a leader must be equipped wit h socialization aspect so that the people and the leader can both collaborate, rather than the people feeling bossed around. The power and authority bestowed to the leader by the people must be balanced in such a way that best suits both parties. In the Obama’s context, his social ties with the people make them feel that they bestowed power and

Building a learning community project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Building a learning community project - Essay Example ing at an age where plans for the future must be charted, the students’ perspectives for a fulfilling career are usually influenced by their interests and experiences. Hence, teachers must be knowledgeable in balancing teacher-directed learning and student-centred learning. A constructivist philosophy in the teaching-learning process is proposed. Ideally, career planning should begin early in a student’s life. As early as third or fourth grade, an Individual Career Development Plan (ICDP) should be started. This is a student notebook or portfolio containing information about their career interests including education and training opportunities and even exploration experiences (Hoerner, 1994). They are free to design their ICDP as they please because the more it is individualized to their preference, the more responsibility they will take in planning their lives, so they should be encouraged to carry their ICDP to all their classes, to take it home and share with parents, family and friends for feedback. Beginning a career plan in elementary school will help children have a focus around which they can relate their studies and extra-curricular activities. It is also important for teachers to nurture not only knowledge acquisition but also to include knowledge application. They need to think beyond the classroom and learn about possible careers their students may pursue when they go out into the world (Hoerner, 1994) Encouraging students to come up with their own ideas may be in the ambit of the teachers within the school premises. However, a bigger problem may lie outside school, specifically when the students go back to the community. The school, then, in envisioning success for such learner-centred learning must engage the community, most specifically the students’ parents and family members in supporting the students’ activities. Teachers must inculcate in the parents the significance of their cooperation and support if they indeed want their

Losing Common Sense in a Sea of Technology Essay Example for Free

Losing Common Sense in a Sea of Technology Essay Technology has made miracles take place. Technology is an asset to our society. Things we could not do with our anatomical brains we can conjure up with a machine. With the answers to simple questions at fingertips with the availability of the internet, simple thought processes replaced with instant gratification. Critical thinking is almost extinct due to rapid response internet websites and databases. In today’s society, we depend on computers and technology to dictate schedules, lead meetings, and manage social lives. Therefore, ruing personal bonds, destroying critical and creative thinking, and losing common sense. The introduction of technology and computers on society has been beneficial in many areas, science having the biggest impact. For example, new radar technology will allow forecasters to see extreme weather, as will potential improvements to satellite technology, as well as computer models that run on powerful super computers. With these radars improved, more lives saved. â€Å"This will allow us to get to cover faster and be better prepared† (Lubchenco, Hayes 68). Another example of how technology has been beneficial to our society is in the medical field. Today many surgeries perform with the help of robots. Robotically assisted cardiac surgery presents less invasive than conventional surgery, with shortened hospital stays and faster return to daily activities (Krueger, Jones, Howell, etal. ) The largest benefit of technology is the easy and fast access that has come from the Internet. Almost any subject matter, research papers, and technical documents are available to anyone. Communication has also become much simpler using the Internet. Computers and the internet has become a staple in the American home. Not only are Americans conforming to an E-society, the rest of the world is too. This intention of this paper is not to discourage technology. Technology has done the unimaginable in societies here and abroad, perhaps technology has done too much. As we advance in the small gadgets and upgrade our systems to use the latest software, it is safe to say, we have become â€Å"addicted†. Because of this â€Å"addiction† or dependency on technology and computers, more and more people are flooding to their P. D. A’s or to their laptops to do simple everyday tasks; we should know how to do already. Anything from grocery shopping, booking a plane flight, depositing a paycheck, can be done over the internet from a personal computer, cell phone, or I Pad. Life as we know it is becoming a virtual reality within itself. We focus our addenda’s and our itineraries based around technology. Despite the positive impact technology has made on education, there are certainly areas that it poorly used. â€Å"The uncontrolled use of technology without examining its long-term benefits and potential problems is not something that should be allowed to happen in education. (Hodorowicz) For example, more and more often universities are moving toward â€Å"distant learning†, or online classes. â€Å"Nothing can replace the interactions between students and teachers. Once the process of learning from a fellow person has been automated to something mechanical many things will be lost† (Hodorowicz). Furthermore, automated grading loses the ability to see just where a student went wrong, or what the student was trying to achieve in an answer. Online courses remove the ability to deal with truly great teachers in a personal way, and it removes the ability to interact with other students. Automated education also hinders getting help when needed. It has been noted that with the use of computers and technology â€Å"education will no longer be an unpredictable and exciting adventure in human enlightenment, but an exercise in conformity and an apprenticeship to whatever gadgetry is useful in a technical world† (Schwarz). Technology has also been useful inside the home. yet, has been a key factor in the decline of stable, social relationships. Researchers are debating whether the Internet is improving or harming participation in community life and social relationships. This research examined the social and psychological impact of the Internet on 169 people in 73 households during their first 1 to 2 years on-line. We used longitudinal data to examine the effects of the Internet on social involvement and psychological well-being. In this sample, the Internet was used extensively for communication. Nonetheless, greater use of the Internet was associated with declines in participants communication with family members in the household, declines in the size of their social circle, and increases in their depression and loneliness (Kraut, Patterson,Keisler,etal. . Virtual communities are becoming an ever-growing normality. With the social networks like Facebook and twitter comes the anonymous predators. † The Internet is populated by people with false identities, people with inaccurate information, people who express themselves quickly and with little reflection or sense of accountability† (Schwarz). New frauds and ill opportunities to drain ba nk accounts emerge daily; just an example of how we are coming adapt to the cyber world with our eyes wide open. We are losing what it means to be human and the morals that were once instilled. As stated earlier in this paper, this is not a paper of whether technology in our world today is right or wrong. This is a paper proving how our ethical values and use of common knowledge are becoming extinct because we allow computers to think for us. We are losing creativity to think â€Å"outside the box† with our learning becoming more of a mathematical equation than an experience. Relying too much on technology is what will lead to the extinction of man, maybe not of a species, but of an individual, rather than random avitar. Works Cited Schwarz, Gretchen.

What Impact did the Conquest have on Aztec Society?

What Impact did the Conquest have on Aztec Society? The discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492 was the catalyst for change that had been long awaited in European society. After hundreds of years of living in Asias shadow, the sun was finally rising over Europe and their newly conquered land. But we mustnt forget that the New World was not necessarily new to the indigenous peoples of the Americas. By the time Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs had already established a society that had been successfully functioning for many years, complete with a teeming capital that rivaled European cities. However, the Spanish were able to decapitate their society and permanently change it. Simultaneously, they were able change the way society functioned in their homeland in Europe. But how did the Spanish accomplish the conquest of the Aztec Empire and what happened after they did? The discovery and conquest of the Aztec empire, while beneficial to European society in both the New and Old World, leaves Aztec societ y decapitated and virtually unrecognizable The fall of the Aztec empire to Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s and his army was the necessary first step in controlling this area of the Americas. Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s, a Spaniard on an unsanctioned expedition landed on the coast of Mexico in early1519, was searching for the rumored gold and great cities of Mexico.  [1]  He arrived in the city of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, later that year.  [2]  At this time in the early 16th century, Tenochtitlan was one of the largest cities in the world, boasting a population of over 200,000 people.  [3]  According to records, the Spanish were dazzled by the city and had never seen anything like it before.  [4]  The Aztec empire as a whole, run by an emperor named Montezuma, had authority over 5 million people in the area that is now known as Mexico.  [5]  Cortà ©s first attempt to conquer the Aztecs failed miserably and he was quickly forced to retreat. However, he returned in 1521with indigenous allies from surroundi ng areas and was able to decapitate their society. He did this by exploiting cultural and political weaknesses of the empire. First of all, the Aztecs were not accustomed to traditional European warfare. Their fighting had always been ceremonial, not for bloodshed. The Europeans were merciless in their efforts to conquer the empire. Secondly, Cortà ©s disrupts the political structure of the empire very quickly by defeating Montezuma. The Aztecs were highly dependent upon their hierarchal structure, and without an emperor, they were unable to effectively organize resistance.  [6]  They were left in a state of chaos and were finally forced to surrender to the conquistadors after 3 months of warfare.  [7]  For the Aztecs, this surrender to the Spanish meant the permanent loss of their political and cultural society. The Spanish did not just deal a mortal blow to the political structure and culture of Tenochtitlan; they also wiped thousands of its residents off the face of the planet. This, however, was not intentional. The Aztecs had never been exposed to European diseases such as influenza and smallpox, and therefore were extremely susceptible to these illnesses. Smallpox was particularly contagious and deadly. Using the Spaniards as a vessel, it killed over 80 percent, which was approximately 11 million people, of the original population of Tenochtitlan.  [8]  It is difficult to fathom how the Aztecs felt as they watched millions of people die around them in an inexplicable manner. The psychological effect was inevitably devastating.  [9]  This demographic collapse further weakened the empire and left it more susceptible to European control and exploitation. If the destruction of the political structure had not been enough to conquer the Aztec Empire, such an overwhelming loss of the o riginal population did. The fall of the Aztec empire, while a devastation to its indigenous people, was a significant achievement for Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s and his army of conquistadors. After bringing Tenochtitlan to the ground, the Europeans assumed the responsibility of power in the area, which meant they needed to construct a new legal framework. Spains new viceroyalty was appropriately named New Spain and its capital was called Mexico City.  [10]  The Spanish crown appointed Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s governor and established a system much like feudalism that had been seen in earlier European society. In the encomienda system, conquistadors were given land and labor, and in return they had to house the indigenous people and provide them with a Christian education.  [11]  This system did not work as effectively as originally planned. Since the Spanish crown was across the ocean, it was not able to enforce the system. In many cases, the Spanish treated the Aztecs as slaves. In hopes of expanding European society into the area, the indigenous people ultimately lost their religion, their culture, their freedom, and their dignity under this system. Promoting religion in the New World was not only a way for Europeans to legitimize their conquests, but it was a way for them to spread their ideas and exert control in the New World.  [12]  Former religious institutions of the Aztec Empire were considered blasphemy to the Spanish Christians, and by 1521 the Spanish had destroyed 600 temples and 20,000 idols. Outnumbered, the indigenous peoples adopted Christianity without much hesitation.  [13]  The Spanish did make efforts to incorporate Aztecan aspects into the new religious society. They allowed indigenous peoples to be a part of the administrative structure of the church. They also replaced traditional church costumes with Spanish garments.  [14]  Just like in Europe, Christianity became an integral part of society in New Spain. Back in the old world, people heard stories of the magnificent conquest of Mexico and developed a desire to go to the New World. This was a good thing, especially following the depletion of 80% of the original population of Tenochtitlan (lecture).  [15]  This introduction of people from the old world created a society of new ethnic diversity. There were the two original groups of people: the Spanish and the indigenous Aztecs. From the earliest interactions between these groups, Spanish males and Aztecan women bred and created a new breed of people called the mestizo (Darwin 64). The Spanish eventually introduced African slaves into society as a source of labor, and they bred with the Spanish and the Aztecs to and developed the mulatto community (Darwin 64).  [16]  This interbreeding created a hierarchal society based upon race, with the Spanish whites, or criolles on top. The new creole society in New Spain was a direct consequence of the European conquest of Aztec society, f or it never would have transpired without them. The Spanish encountered a plethora of new resources in New Spain, but the one good they valued above all others was mineral wealth. The presence of gold and silver in the New World was one of the strongest factors that encouraged colonization (Darwin 63). The discovery of huge supplies of silver at Zacatecas in the Mexico area impacted the New World, the Old World, and beyond (Darwin 63).  [17]  Firstly, it allowed for the development of technologies. Silver has to be purified when it is mined, and the mercury required for purification came from Iberia and Croatia. The lighting in the silver mines is provided by candles made from the fat of cattle. Labor comes from the indigenous inhabitants. When the bullion is shipped over to Europe, it truly makes a huge impact on society. A radical increase in monetization is seen. (lecture)  [18]  . When Asians hear of this, they demand that they become a part of trade. It changed the way in which the Europeans interacted with the Asians . Prior to this, the Europeans tiptoed around the edges of the Asian continent and were seen as nothing but pests. (Darwin pg 59).  [19]  Silver becomes the first truly global commodity. The discovery of silver allows for European expansion into the east and the west, impacting the societies of Europe, Asia, and the Aztecs simultaneously. We mustnt forget how the conquest of the Aztec Empire influenced society across the Atlantic Ocean in the Old World. The discovery of the Americas as a whole challenged the worldviews of European society and exposed them to new natural history and geography. Maps played a major role in 16th century Europe. During this century we see the emergence of the Waldseemuller maps in 1507, which have become known as the birth certificate of America (exhibit).  [20]  Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s also creates a map, this one of his conquered city of Tetnochtitlan. He sends it to Europe and it becomes the first depiction Europeans see of their newly acquired land. And, according to scholar Barbara E. Mundy, the map assumed a symbolic function in supporting Cortà ©ss just conquest of the Amerindian empire. (article)  [21]  In addition to maps, books and art became popular ways of depicting the New World for those who lived thousands of miles away. Bernal Diaz del Castillo, an infantry man of Cort à ©s, wrote about his adventures in New Spain. He tells the story of myself and my comrades, all true conquerors, who served His Majesty in the discovery, conquest, pacification, and settlementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦of New Spain (exhibit).  [22]  This collection of anecdotes is a classic, even today. The maps, books, and paintings that came from the Old World painted a picture of the New World for European society, enriching their knowledge and enhancing their worldviews. In discussing the impact of the discovery and conquest of the Aztec empire on both American and European societies, one must understand that Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s and his conquistadors ultimately destroyed a once flourishing and dazzling Aztec Empire in hopes of expanding that of the Europeans. This was very clearly a win-lose situation that favored the Europeans. The once great Aztec society was quickly robbed of its culture, religion, and a large majority of its indigenous peoples, and was left with no hope of regaining it. Ultimately, there was no Aztec society left after 1521. It was merely a new European society founded upon the skeleton of the former empire. After the decapitation of the Aztecs, the conquistadors brought in their religion and new political structure and imposed it upon the few remaining indigenous peoples. Tecnotichlan became virtually unrecognizable, both by name and by the new creole society. Back in Europe, the continent was benefitting from the knowledge and goods brought back from the New World. As tragic as the situation may sound for the Aztecs, discoveries and conquests like this happened quite frequently during this time period. It should not be forgotten that Europeans, while an emerging dominant world power during this time period, did not necessarily get there by honest and diplomatic means.

industrial revolution :: essays research papers

The Industrial revolution was a time of drastic change and transformation from hand tools, and hand made items to machine manufactured and mass produced goods. This change helped life, but also hindered it as well. Pollution, such as CO2 levels in the atmosphere, rose, working conditions declined, and the number of women and children working increased. The government, the arts, literature, music and architecture and man's way of looking at life all changed during the period. Two revolutions took place, both resulting in productive but also dire consequences. Before the first industrial revolution, England's economy was based on its cottage industry. Workers would buy raw materials from merchants, take it back to their cottages, hence the name, and produce the goods at their home. It was usually was owned and managed by one or more people, who were generally close to the workers. There was a good worker/boss relationship, which was demolished and destroyed by capitalism. This industry was efficient but the workers productivity was low, making costs higher. The longer it took one person to manufacture a product, the higher the price. Subsequently, goods were high in price and exclusive only to the wealthy people. The year was 1733, the demand for cotton cloth was high, but production was low. This crisis had to be solved or England's economy would be hindered. The answer came from a British weaver, John Kay, who invented and fashioned the flying shuttle, which cut weaving time in half. John Kay was a pioneer and his invention paved the way for numerous inventors. Although at first, many workers didn't accept machines, in fact, many inventions were destroyed, but what was inevitable, couldn't be stopped. The machines had made their way to England, and nothing could stop them. By the 1750's, the industrial Revolution had begun. At first, inventions were strictly limited to cotton weaving. Inventions such as the spinning jenny and the water-powered frame, both of which provided spinning yarn faster, the spinning mule, the power loom and the cotton gin, all helped the manufacture of cotton goods by speeding up the process. Mass production had begun, along with capitalism. Capitalist, people who have their own materials, money and space, bought many machines and stored them in a factory, where hired people worked the whole day manufacturing goods. The factory system had replaced the cottage industry. Mass production made usually expensive items, such as shoes, less expensive and easily affordable by lower class and less wealthy people.

Kevlar Aramid Fiber :: essays research papers

STRUCTURE Kevlar Aramid Fiber is a synthetic (man-made) material known as a Polymer. A polymer is a chain that is made up of many similar molecular groups, better known as ‘monomers’ that are bonded together. ‘Monomers’ are made up of fourteen Carbon atoms, two Nitrogen atoms, two Oxygen atoms and ten Hydrogen atoms. A single Kevlar polymer chain could possibly have anywhere from one to five million monomers bonded together. A group of polymer chains can be organised together in a fiber. How the polymer chains are put together is important, as it improves the properties of the material. The flexibility, strength and stiffness of Kevlar fiber, is dependent on the orientation of the polymer chains. Kevlar fiber is an arrangement of molecules, orientated parallel to each other. This orderly, untangled arrangement of molecules is described as a â€Å"Crystalline Structure†. A manufacturing process known as ‘Spinning’ is needed to achieve this Crystallinity structure. Spinning is a process that involves forcing the liquefied polymer solution through a ‘die’ (small holes). The Crystallinity of Kevlar Polymer strands, contributes to the unique strength and stiffness of the material. Kevlar is very similar to other common synthetic polymers, including Nylon, Teflon and Lycra. In all Polated to strength. Aromatic refers to the Carbon atoms attached in a ring, and Amides refers to a group of Carbon, Nitrogen and Hydrogen atoms. Kevlar fiber is therefore a â€Å"Polyaromatic amide†, as it has a high breaking strength. Polymer chains are long, individual chains, although they behave as if they are attached to each other. The individual chains are actually held together by ‘Electrostatic Forces’ between molecules, also known as ‘Hydrogen Bonds’. Scientists discovered this, by using a special type of X-ray microscopy called ‘XANES’. This was able to reveal the orientation of molecules in materials. It has also been discovered that the components of Kevlar fiber, have a radial orientation that is in a crystal. The crystal-like regularity is the largest contributing factor in the strength of Kevlar fiber. PROPERTIES It is five times stronger, yet the same weight as steel. Kevlar Aramid fiber is an improved material, which is an extremely lightweight, man-made organic fiber. Kevlar fiber has a combination of properties, which have made Kevlar a very useful material. These include, high strength, low weight, high chemical resistance and high cut resistance. This material does not corrode or rust and is also unaffected when placed in or under water.

Appalachian Stereotypes Essay -- Appalachia

"Excuse me miss, but you have the cutest little accent," the pizza delivery guy said. "Well, thank you," I replied. "If you don't mind me asking, where are you from? I know that you aren't from around this area with an accent like that." "I am from a little town called Hazard," I replied reluctantly, realizing exactly where this conversation was headed. "Oh, is that where the Dukes of Hazzard are from?" he asks chuckling. "No, that place is Hazzard, Georgia. I live in a little town in southeastern Kentucky." "I bet you all have a lot of barefoot, pregnant people there don't you?" he asks with a discriminating smile. "Well actually we don...." "Huh, I bet you all don't even have paved roads or indoor plumbing," he persisted. "You know what? I don't feel very hungry anymore. Why don't you take that pizza back?" I asked. "Oh, miss, I was just joking with you." This conversation actually took place during my first semester of college. However, being quite accustomed to the questions that I am frequently asked about the place I call home, this conversation somehow made me more upset than usual. This conversation made me realize just how blind society can be towards other groups in society. Different stereotypes are placed on groups for various reasons-race, sex, occupations, and geographical locations-just to name a few. The last of these four different classifications is the one that distinguishes me from most of society. Growing up in Appalachia has made me a minority (different from the rest of society), and also plagued me with many stereotypes. Everyone in society has heard the stereotypes. However, I would like to focus on the how's and why's of them. How they came to be. Why society does perceive... ...ut trying to find your place within society as a minority is even harder. When you go for a job interview and see the person you are being interviewed by shake their head when they hear your accent, you know that you are in trouble. It's the education that is lacking in America. We are known to be this great melting pot. But it isn't until the stereotypes that plague so many Americans come to an end, that we will truly be united as one. Works Cited Asfahani, Magdoline. "Time to Look and Listen." Newsweek Dec. 1996: 18. Billings, Dwight B. "The Road to Poverty: The Making of Wealth and Hardship in Appalachia." Booklist 36 (1999): 38. Norman, Gurney. Kinfolks: The Wilgus Stories. Frankfort: Gnomom Press, 1977. Waller, Altina. "Two Words in the Tennessee Mountains: Exploring the Origins of Appalachian Stereotypes." Journal of Social History 32 (1999): 963.

Expectations For Boys and Girls

Expectations for boys and girls are extremely high in today’s society. A lot of people feel pressure in today’s society and so much so that some people feel the need to take their own lives. Some people are able to rise above societies expectations, but that is incredibly hard to do and not everybody is strong enough to overcome that. The pressures of society follow everyone everywhere and different people must handle it in different ways. Expectations for girls are a lot higher and a lot more pressured than expectations for boys.Girls are expected to be pretty and nice and clean, but that is not always the case with every girl. They are expected to cook and clean as stated in Barbie Doll. â€Å"The girlchild was born as usual and presented dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons. † This really shows that girls are pressured into this kind of life from an early age. After she hits puberty, expectations start to change, especially with her peers. â€Å"Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: you have a great big nose and fat legs.† Within her own peer group she is being mocked and put down until she can’t take it anymore. â€Å"In the casket displayed on satin she lay. † Only then did the people in her life comment on how she was pretty, but it was too late for her. In the other poem, Good Girl, girls are expected to hold up the world. â€Å"Hold up the universe, good girl. † She also gets compared to Atlas, the Greek God who holds the world on his shoulders. â€Å"Sever yourself, poor false Atlas. † Unfortunately, this is true because some women have to cook and clean the house for her family.â€Å"You are the universe about its pole. God’s not fair. † Some women even have to work for their families also and it is true that some women hold the world on their shoulders. Expectations for boys however are much different. In the poem, Dylan, a mother talks about how her y oung son doesn’t have a worry in the world and is so happy. â€Å"On Monday he was Spiderman. All it took was red P. J’s, gluey palms and two spools of thread. † She then goes on to talk about how she wishes she could bottle up that happiness, â€Å"It seems if I could stash just one of these get-ups and the way your heart soars.† The mother than says, â€Å"Little boy, you could don it the morning some girl wrecks you. † She wants to give him his happiness when he is sad so he can immediately be happy again. This speaks to the expectations of boys in society because they are expected to never be sad but in truth, there will always be times when one is sad. In the other poem, Rites of Passage, the little boys at the party feel the need to compare themselves to one another to see who the alpha male is.â€Å"One says to the other How old are you? Six. I’m seven. So? † Boys are expected to be rough and tough and must appear that way espe cially to other boys. â€Å"I could beat you up, a seven says to a six. † Boys are not allowed to show their sensitive side and if they do then they will be ridiculed. Later in the poem the host of the party, speaks to the group as a whole, â€Å"We could easily kill a two-year-old. † And all was well between the boys again, because they all found a common interest.

To What Extent Are Democracy and Dictatorship Different?

To what extent are democracy and dictatorship different? In order to answer this question we must first examine the generic basis of both democracy and dictatorship separately. The term democracy originates from the Greeks, and is defined as â€Å"rule of the people† coming from the words â€Å"demos† (people) and â€Å"kratos† (power). It was coined around 400 BCE, to denote the political systems then existing in Greek city-states, notably Athens. Commonly, two forms of democracy are recognised, these being direct democracy and representative democracy.Direct democracy was used in Athenian democracy, and is a system in which people vote on policy initiatives directly. Many US states and Switzerland still use this system often. Representative democracy refers to the system which is in place in Britain today. It is a variation of democracy founded on the principle of elected people representing a group of people. The term dictatorship is defined as an autocratic f orm of government in which the government is rules by an individual. For some scholars, a dictatorship is a form of government that has power to govern without consent of those being governed.As is the case with democracy, there are different kinds of dictatorship. An authoritarian dictatorship is one kind whereby the power the govern is held by a small group of elite politicians. A military dictatorship is a form of government wherein the political power resides with the military. We can start to answer this question by looking at the way in which governments are formed in democracy and in dictatorship. We, in Britain live in a democracy whereby every five years we hold in general election in which everyone over 18 years of age can vote for who they would like to be their local MP.Whichever party wins more than 50% of the MPs in the House of Commons can then go on to form a government. We, therefore as citizens of this country, have handed over our sovereignty and elected the peopl e who will go on to govern us for the next five years until we retake out sovereignty to hold another election. We have therefore given the government the right to govern via consent. In a dictatorship however, in many cases the people haven’t given those in power, the right to be there. Figures such s Lenin, who believed in a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat' in Marxist terms, seized power of their government rather than being elected by the people. In the case of Lenin this was after a revolution and due to the failings of the Provisional Government the Bolsheviks were able to take advantage of their weaknesses and, through violent means, take control the the country. However, we must not make the assumption that all dictators have come to power via the means of force and violence. An example of a notorious dictator's rise to power without the use of an overthrow of the then government, is Hitler.He was democratically elected to become Chancellor of Germany, and then used his power in that role to change the laws surrounding the limits on his power, thus securing him as a dictator. From this we can see that the means in which a governments in democracy and dictatorships are formed are different, and can in some situations be the complete opposite of each other. The means in which a government maintains authority in a democracy and in a dictatorship, show one of the many differences between these two forms of governing. Traditionally, in a democracy, a government would use rational and proportional means of policing and punishment.For example, in Britain as a democracy we do not have situations where people are persecuted for expressing their religious views and beliefs. However, across the world, particularly in the Middle East, there are dictatorships where you may be persecuted for your beliefs, whether they be religious, political or cultural. These places have regimes often known as â€Å"police states†, whereby people are constantly under the surveillance of the authorities, and the government controls the police and whole ‘justice' system, making these countries less democratic.Although we can clearly identify stark differences between democracy and dictatorship, there are certain groups of thinkers who believe that the two are actually not as different as it would appear on paper. There are those who follow Karl Marx's thoughts and beliefs that actually democracy, in particular capitalist democracies are simply bourgeois dictatorships, whereby the middle classes are exploiting the working lasses, who he refers to as the proletariat. There is also the question of the ‘tyranny of the majority', an issue raised by many philosophers, from Aristotle in Ancient Greece, to Alexis de Tocqueville and Friedrich Nietzsche. This issue envisions a scenario in which decisions made by a majority place its interests so far above those of an individual or minority group as to constitute active oppression, comparab le to that of tyrants and despots.In many cases a disliked ethnic, religious or racial group is deliberately penalized by the majority element acting through the democratic process. Thus, from this theory, it can be suggested that there are elements of democracy which actually allow dictatorships amongst groups of people, to be formed. It would most certainly be unwise to compare previous Birtish Primeministers like Margeret Thatcher to notorious dictators such as Chairman Mao or Adolf Hitler, but we must also consider the theory of an elective dictatoship.It would most certainly be unwise to compare previous British prime ministers like Margaret Thatcher to notorious dictators such as Chairman Mao or Adolf Hitler, but we must also consider the theory of an elective dictatorship This term coined by Lord Hailsham refers to the way in which some governments can be dominated, or dictated by the executive body within them, thus making them less democratic as less views of the people are being put forward for law making, instead, a small body of elite politicians are running effectively running the government.This along with a large majority in the House of Commons, such as the 1983 Conservative majority of ___? , means that the MPs in the Commons can no longer fulfil their role of representing their constituents effectively as a dictatorship of the governing party may mean that any law proposed by the executive is very likely to be passed due to the huge majority.On paper, and in theory, democracy and dictatorship may seem worlds apart in their basis of power, how authority is maintained and how government is created, but in actual fact, when taking into account the thoughts of leading philosophers and academics, we can clearly draw some parallels between these two forms of governing.Elements of one can often be found in the other, although fundamentally the main aims of democracy are often not met in dictatorship. The freedoms and liberties of the individual are often not emphasised in a dictatorship. However, after studying the different elements of democracies around the world, I don’t think it would be accurate to say that these freedoms and liberties of the people are even being fulfilled in democracies.

Writing Deficiencies in Today

Employers rank oral and written skills as some of the most valuable qualifications desirable when looking for new hiring candidates (Gray, 2005). Writings need to be informative, concise, free of spelling and grammatical errors. Additionally, effective business communication needs to be accurate and clear in meaning. Implications of poor grammar skills of today's employees on company profitability can quickly add up into the billions. Company productivity can be effected due to poor communication between employees and customers.The need to have material interpreted by different employees because of poorly written material causes lost time and productivity. Instructions being misinterpreted due to poorly written material causes unnecessary time being lost. The academic community has long debated the need to teach grammar skills and its benefits to students. Unfortunately; college students are graduating every day without the simple basic knowledge of sentence structure, spelling or gr ammar (College Bad, The National Commission on Writing for America's Families, Schools, andColleges, 2004). Traditionally, two different approaches have been used. In the ass's, a â€Å"rule-based†, approach which used repetitive drills and sentence diagramming was employed. This theory was proven ineffective by Weaver in 1 996 (Weaver, 1996), and a â€Å"context-based†, theory was adopted, which focused on students learning language by using a specific content. Regardless of the approach taken it is clear that it is necessary to take charge of our students need to learn grammar skills at an early age and to reinforce Hess skills throughout their school age years.

Forensic Psychology and Jury Selection Essay

Modern criminal trial practice demands that the law as an academic discipline cannot exist in a vacuum; quite the contrary, the law must be viewed as an overriding set of principles which must be viewed in conjunction with other academic disciplines (Carson & Bull, 2003). This is particularly true in the case of jury selection in criminal trials where the law has been combined with forensic psychology. This essay will discuss the policy underlying the incorporation of forensic psychology into formal criminal proceedings, the precise role of the forensic psychologist in jury selection, and what types of juror risk factors are of particular interests to prosecutors and defense attorneys. Forensic Psychology and the Law If the purpose of the legal process is the discovery of truth, and the guarantee of justice, then it is essential that legal procedures facilitate these objectives. Jury selection, the research has demonstrated, has contributed to many miscarriages of justice in criminal cases; indeed, one scholar has pointed out that In the incidence of capital cases, the U. S. Supreme Court has recognized what research has long shown: Jurors often make sentencing decisions prematurely, and they often base their decisions on their personal reactions to the defendant, their confusion about the rules of law, and their lack of understanding regarding their own role and responsibilities (Schroeder, Guin, Pogue & Bordelan, 2006). As a result of this well-known data, efforts have been made to provide for better jury selection procedures. This has involved a multidisciplinary approach in which lawyers, both prosecutors and defense attorneys, have retained the services of forensic psychologists in order to make better decisions during voir dire. On the one hand, it is hoped as a matter of sound public policy that intelligent jurors will be selected and that truth and justice will prevail. One the other hand, the potential for abuse of the criminal justice system exists because prosecutors and defense attorneys may use the juror profiles prepared by the forensic psychologists in order to win their case rather than to ensure a neutral type of justice. Forensic Psychology and Jury Selection Generally speaking, a forensic psychologist is enlisted in criminal trials in order to make psychological assessments about individuals and a certain set of facts underlying a particular type of criminal case. Jan Mills Saeth, a jury consultant who works with forensic psychologists in order to conduct voir dire on behalf of clients in criminal cases, has stated that â€Å"Jury selection includes helping the trial team eliminate risky jurors, and I help develop a juror profile, voir dire questions, and jury questionnaires. (â€Å"Behavioral Profiling: A Panel of Experts,† 2007). Generally speaking, therefore, the fundamental purpose of the forensic psychologist is to identify potentially risky jurors. What constitutes a risk depends on who the forensic psychologist is representing and whether the nature of the particular criminal allegations. Risk refers to some factor or set of factors which might predispose a potential juror to making certain types of assumptions, to harboring certain types of bias, or to in some way being psychologically disinclined to vote in favor of the forensic psychologist’s client. There are numerous tools employed by forensic psychologists in order to assess a juror’s risk factors during the jury selection process. These tools may include written questions, oral questions posed by an attorney after consultation with the forensic psychologist, and other non-verbal clues. The totality of this information is collected and the forensic psychologist then constructs a series of juror profiles which the attorney can then review in order to decide which jurors to retain and which jurors to challenge or dismiss. One of the difficulties is the fact that, in criminal trials, prosecutors and defense attorneys are zealous adversaries. They are thus required to seek to present their case in the light most favorable to their respective clients; to this end, as is relevant to this paper, the prosecutors and the defense attorneys are interested in jurors whom will be the most receptive to their particular version of the facts, whom are most likely to be swayed by certain facts and witnesses, and whom are most likely to rule in their favor (Tsushima & Anderson, 1996). A prosecutor will seek jurors that possess some psychological tendency to agree with the case in general, to sympathize with law enforcement or a particular type of victim, or some other type of bias that supports their case. Psychological traits favored by many prosecutors include a trust or confidence in authority figures, a generalized conception that the American criminal justice system is fair and reasonable, and a psychological tendency to agree with majority opinions. A defense attorney will be concerned with similar issues; however, the defense will also want to choose jurors whom possess a different set of psychological traits. More specifically, a defense attorney will seek individuals that distrust rather than trust authority figures, that question more than acquiesce to majority opinions, and that demonstrate strong feelings of sympathy or empathy. Conclusion In the final analysis, while forensic psychology can be enormously useful in predicting juror behavior, it can also be misused if prosecutors and defense attorneys do not place professional ethics above the winning of criminal cases. The goal of jury selection ought to be the selection of a jury which will weigh evidence objectively and critically without falling back on extraneous information in order to render a verdict. Forensic psychologists can contribute meaningfully to the criminal justice system, but it is necessary to make sure that their psychological insights are not used by unscrupulous prosecutors and defense lawyers to pervert truth and justice.

The book called Brave New World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The book called Brave New World - Essay Example The first chapter tends to introduce the responder to the society portrayed in Brave New World, as the Director tries to make the students familiar with Bokanovskification, an utterly scientific world; it immediately creates the impression that this highly scientific and sophisticated world is utterly oblivious to the natural considerations and the natural world. The hallmark of the society depicted in Brave New World is to give way to a human form that is starkly divested of its inner urges and yearnings and merely acts as an organic receptacle to the generalized social norms and practices. Thereby in Brave New World the intention of Aldous Huxley is to convey that considering the current direction in which the modern society is advancing, it will eventually distort and alter the human nature itself. Brave New World tends to offer a satirical vision of a future that is sans any flavor and happens to be innately sterile. In that context this science fiction novel happens to be anti-u topian or dystopian in its form and intent. The novel unravels a world that is not only starkly stultified by a marked lack of originality, but is also immensely oppressive in terms of the control that the authorities tend to exercise over the common people. Though the novel deals with a futuristic dystopia, yet it has marked links to the modern history in the sense that it resorts to a profuse usage of irony and paradox to bring out the bleak consequences of the scientific and technological development wrought by mankind in the last few decades. The theme of the novel is the impact of scientific development on mankind and the human interaction with nature that eventually gives way to a regimented world where the denizens are homogenized and categorized as five casts that are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon, each cast fixed in its own set ways and incapable of any impromptu and impulsive inclinations and yearnings. This abominable strict social regimentation gets reflected in the feelings of Bernard, â€Å"The mockery made him feel an outsider; and feeling an outsider he behaved like one. †¦ A chromic fear of being slighted made him avoid his equals, made him stand, where his inferiors were concerned, self-consciously on his dignity (Huxley 65).† Brave New World presents a society that essentially accepts the incompatibility between a shallow and drab sense of happiness and the reality that the human beings are required to contend with on a daily basis by legalizing the consumption of a research drug that is ‘Soma’ that is used by the inhabitants of this futuristic world to escape the drabness and challenges marking the real world. In that sense it is indeed intriguing and disturbing to see that Mustapha Mond, the most intelligent and most accomplished benefactor of the world state regards the drug soma as an immaculate tool to assure social harmony and peace. His thoughts regarding soma become obvious in his conversation with Jo hn where he assures John that the world state will rescue him from the dire consequences of an interaction with reality by giving him doses of soma. The soma is shown to be having the power to induce a pacific state in the people inhabiting the world state at the cost of depriving them of their individuality and innate personality. It is the cherished and legalized panacea in the

How the Hop Hop Music Culture Spread Into Eastern Countries Essay

How the Hop Hop Music Culture Spread Into Eastern Countries - Essay Example Underground hip hop artists and various rappers and â€Å"hip hopsters† began recording and distributing music across America. Though hip hop/rap music was not considered mainstream American music, the artists and their investors were making profits off marketing the â€Å"underground† releases. Such underground artists include, The Sugar Hill Gangs's 1979’s "Rappers Delight† and â€Å"King Tim III’s Personality Jock† by the Fat Back Band (See Appendix #1 and #2). With underground hip hop and rap music spreading like wildfire throughout the Unitied States of America, it would soon prove to be no surprise that the controversial hip hop/rap music would soon be intorduced into mainstream American music. Its introduction would prove to be nothing short of extraordinary, triggering controversial and mixed emotions among America’s youth, parents, and of course, churches. The introduction of hip hop/rap into mainstream American music will neve r be forgotten, leaving countless mass media and personal stories of the adjustments to the revolution (See Appendix #3). The Induction of Hip Hop Music into Mainstream American Music A New York hip hop group called Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay is accredited with introducing hip hop music into mainstream American Music during the early 1980s. Because any type of change is controversial, the introduction of the hip hop genre was no exception. The new style and genre was for the most part, â€Å"clean-cut†, unlike much of the underground music that had been circling the nation during the 1970s. Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay didn’t rap about drugs, sex, or violence; instead, they rapped about normal teen life and the joys... This "How the Hop Hop Music Culture Spread Into Eastern Countries" essay outlines the phenomenon of hip-hop music's popularity. A New York hip hop group called Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay is accredited with introducing hip hop music into mainstream American Music during the early 1980s. Because any type of change is controversial, the introduction of the hip hop genre was no exception. The new style and genre was for the most part, â€Å"clean-cut†, unlike much of the underground music that had been circling the nation during the 1970s. Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay didn’t rap about drugs, sex, or violence; instead, they rapped about normal teen life and the joys of being a part of America’s youth (Bessie Cherry, 2008). They were the â€Å"good guys† of rap, you could honestly say (Bessie Cherry, 2008). In an interview with Letter Press Publications, Darryl McDaniels told Bessie Cherry, Executive Director of Communications for Letter Press Publications, that Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay’s goal for introducing rap into mainstream American music was to positively unify our youth, not to divide or destory it with lyrical adorations pertaining to sex, drugs or violence. McDaniels said that he is most certainly disappointed in how rap music has evolved and does not approve of the lyrics of so many of today’s American artists and the hip hop industry (Letter Press, 2008). â€Å"Several of today’s multi-million dollar production and networking alliances, are signing and promoting artists whose lyrical themes solely project sex, violence, death and destruction.

Validity, reliability and generalisation in the research process Essay

Validity, reliability and generalisation in the research process - Essay Example In addition, the essay provides recommendations, which include a series of questions that could be incorporated into a questionnaire aimed at finding out why post graduate students choose to study HRM. In management research, validity, reliability and generalisation should be addressed in research with a lot of caution because it is tricky to distinguish them precisely. For instance, validity is defined as the relationship between test results on research with other objectives that the study seeks to achieve or measure (Wainer & Braun, 2013: 40). Therefore, researchers should clearly outline their research objectives. On the other hand, Schensul, LeCompte and Schensul (1999: 271) define reliability as the consistency of research results and the ability of such results to be replicated by other researchers. It is worthy to note that a measure may be reliable, but such a measure’s reliability does not ensure its validity (Rubin & Babbie, 2010: 87). It is imperative that business and management researchers should consider reliability and validity separately. This is because reliability is about consistency while validity is about truthfulness in measures (Jackson, 2013: 90). On the other hand, seeking to ensure reliability in management may distort the purpose of a study. This is because a researcher will design a measurement tool or process that will ensure the results obtained from such a study will be replicated by other researchers. This leads to a researcher’s slight deviation from the original purpose of the study, which may in turn, adversely affect validity. Separately, generalisation may be used in businesses and management research to contribute to theory. Therefore, in consideration of generalisation, management research should be designed so that it is properly conversant with theory to contribute to

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Research Paper - Essay Example Therefore, this paper would major on the various methods that were used to encounter Islamic influence in mediaeval Europe. The Islamic social, economic and political changes that were taking place in medieval Europe were met by different responses from Christians. One major response used in Europe was the anti-Islamic discourse. Such discourses tended to stereotype anything that was Islamic in nature. The stereotypes would touch on the religious, social, military, and technology among others. They were meant to instill fear on people to create a state of discomfort. Here, European cultures were made to appear as superior to the Islamic civilisation. It was more or less like a state of competition between the two rival religious groups (Al-Shawaf 1). The two rival civilizations in Europe were unique in that both were embedded in Christian and Islamic religions. Thus, religion took a centre stage in the social, economic and political problems faced in medieval Europe. That marked the emergence of a complex state of crisis in the economic, religious and sociopolitical campaign that was also known as crusades. Crusades were to be used to solve the existing problems in Europe. They then became the central part of European history. Crusades is also believed to have begun at around 11th century and ended in 1798. It was used by Europe as a weapon against Islamic expansion and aggression. They lasted for two decades, leading to the questioning of the moral legitimacy of the church. To some extent, crusades brought religious wars that tainted the image of the church. Destruction of the existing social life in Europe is one of the factors which drought discomfort in Europe. Europe viewed Islamic culture as barbaric and inferior to theirs. Some scholars reveal that Europe referred to Islam and Islamic culture as â€Å"the other† and "people of heresy†. Issues like polygamy, as opposed to monogamy, must have brought sharp contrast

Descartes - A Piece of Wax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Descartes - A Piece of Wax - Essay Example There are many principles which create certain thought which will lead us to conclude something that is usually consistent and powerful. We guide our lives by these thoughts and ideas. And much of this comes about because of our faculties, which allows us to sense things in different magnitudes. Our five senses can lead us to believe in things that may fail us. During Descartes’ second meditation, he decides that everything he sees is not really there. What our eyes perceive may be a result of what the world has labeled to be real. But what our minds observe, gives us greater insight into the world around us. II. Our Mind’s Observations The observation of the world around Descartes has caused him to take a step back and view his life in a different manner. He creates doubt within his own mind because without doubt, he holds that one is naive in their thinking. Doubt allows for reflection and with reflection comes the knowledge of what needs to improve and how one may go about with the improvement. Without doubt, life in itself is blissful. The doubt that Descartes experiences is so powerful that he feels he can’t just forget what he is thinking. He has to act upon this new found doubt and get to the root of the problem. III. Doubt and Certainty For Descartes, the root of the problem is not doubt. Part of Descartes meditation lends closer towards finding out what is being doubted and he states that he will not rest until his longing to find what is certain is satisfied. He is so adamant to find a solution that he is willing to compromise. That compromise is him relinquishing all rights to finding what is certain and being ok with the fact that nothing may be certain in the end. Certainty is not guaranteed. In much of Descartes writings he makes arguments that cause one to think about their existence, the purpose of their existence and the end result. Observing a piece of wax lends towards his argument on the fact that the mind is more certai nly known than the body due to perception. He says that all knowledge of external objects, including his body, could be false as a result of a demon. However, the idea that his mind exists cannot be a deception because his nature is not just made up of the body but also of a thinking thing. He says that even the corporal objects such as his own body is known more distinctly through the mind due to how the mind perceives what is in front of it. IV. Perception’s Relativity Perception is key to knowledge. Such is the idea of wax that Descartes was vehemently focusing on during his second meditation. As the wax melts, he believes that our minds begin to perceive its matter differently. Our mind realizes that the purpose of the wax has changed and can no longer be used in the way that the world has previously dictated. The properties create a new and yet meaningful definition that only our intellect can comprehend. Though the property of the wax may have changed, it now lends to a new purpose but keeps the same name. Our minds know and understand that regardless of the property the wax may be in during a particular state, it still is and will always be a piece of wax. Descartes claims that we know this

Strategic Management Accounting Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management Accounting Master - Essay Example As organizations have a decision-support system in place for continuous evaluation of their market position, business strategies and competitive analysis, there is a need for improved techniques for evaluating the same at regular intervals and SMA is one such tool that is increasingly being used as an appropriate tool for mangers to gauge the strategic position of their company and enhance it continuously. The issues related to the use of SMA and its resulting effectiveness is also studied and evaluated. It is seen that the use of SMA can be uniform for a set of similarly operating businesses which aids in the decision-making process of these businesses and hence this technique can be generalized and applied for a group of businesses with similarities in operational strategy. Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) has been defined by different authors in different perspectives. However, it is found that it serves the common goal of supporting the decision-making in any organization. Smith (2005: 15) observes that managers need to "take strategic decisions in a variety of areas like corporate strategy, competitive strategy and operational strategy". It boils down to the more mundane tasks of the manager to understand and make key strategic decisions on a regular basis to ensure profitability and sustainability of the business. Strategic decisions related to the corporate strategy include decisions as to what profile of business the company needs to be in, what products it should roll-out, the pricing of these products, the procurement, development and manufacture of the same, along with the operational strategy of the organization for enabling the business and its smooth running without being run over by competitors. This requires the managers to effective ly equip themselves with the cost and income of the activities involved and the net profit from these activities on the whole. Further, these activities of the organization are to be ensured to be in-line with the "organizational goals, the mission statement, objectives, operational strategies and the performance measurement" (Smith, 2005: 15). Smith defines SMA as "an integral part of the establishment of a decision-support system providing information to decision-makers" while Drury quotes Innes definition of SMA as "the provision of information to support the strategic decisions in organizations and Cooper and Kaplan's definition as it being a technique to support the overall competitive strategy of the organization, principally by the power of using information technology to develop more

Heroin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Heroin - Research Paper Example People are moving from the abuse of simple drugs to abuse of hard and more dangerous drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2013). In the past alcohol and tobacco were the most abused drugs. However, recently more complex and hazardous drugs such as cocaine and heroin have gained dominance and are the most abused drugs in USA. This paper ill discuss abuse of heroin in the USA and will analyze the available statistics as well as the effects of the drug on the abuser. According to the NSDUH, the number of people using heroin in the year 2012 was about 669,000 (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). The number had increased by more than double as compared to the statistics done in 2007. Most of the drug abusers of heroin are of the ages between 18and 25. According to the research done in 2012, the number of new users was 156,000, and this indicated that the abuse of the drug was increasing at an alarming rate. The statistic done by NSBUH proved that there was a reduced abuse of the drug for people aged between eight years and twelve years (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). A report by the WHO showed that, the numbers of people who were admitted in USA hospitals due to heroin abuse was alarming. According to their research done in 2002, the found out that the number of admitted people due to heroin abuse was 214,000. A follow-up research done in 2012 proved that the number of hospitalized people had grown by 50%. This statistic was interpreted to mean that heroin use had doubled in a period of ten years. Previously, heroin abuse was only in urban areas but recently it has spread to rural areas. 11% of all the heroin abusers in 2012 were all from rural communities such as St Louis and Chicago (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Frequent us of heroine leads to addiction which is a very challenging to stop the habit. Any attempts to quit abuse of heroin leads to the patient experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. The extent to

Death penalty Essay Example for Free

Death penalty Essay First, in your own words define, then compare and contrast the following concepts: Genera deterrence- punishment for crime to scare others not to commit the same crime. Specific deterrence- punishment of a crime that prevents the offender from repeating the same offense again. Incapacitation- punishment of keeping offenders in jail so they can’t repeat offense again in society. Retribution-punishment fairly justly due to the severity of the crime. Then, apply these concepts to the ways in which VIOLENT offenders are sentenced in todays courts. Sentences are based on the severity of the offenses being committed. Punishment can be based on certain factors of the crime. Violent offenders can be sentenced to death or incarceration of life. Using general deterrence it supposed to stop others from committing similar crimes. Specific deterrence is a way to avoid offenders from repeating their crimes. Keeping criminals incarcerated away from society, is the practice of keeping criminal of the street. Retribution punishes the criminal based on their action from the crime committed. Present your views on the death penalty as it exists today in the United States. You must present at least one case from law concerning the use of [for or against] the death penalty. Finally, examine your states rules concerning the use of the death penalty. I have nothing against the death penalty, but I’m not God either. If a person can go on a killing spree for instance like a serial killer, I feel that they should be held accountable. The old saying an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, kind of makes me think of the death penalty. A life for a life, but does that give back the life of the one taken. I have various few on the death penalty. Certain situations require it others I feel are unnecessary. Does that make me bias? I’ve heard some people say they’re against it, for reasons as the offenders suffers more by living day to day knowing they have taken someone’s life. Not all offenders have a conscious so when that comes into play, how the offender does suffers for their crime committed? Kennedy v. Louisiana US Supreme Court, 554 U.S.June 25, 2008 Petitioner Patrick Kennedy was convicted and sentenced to death in Louisiana for the aggravated rape of his then 8 year-old stepdaughter. A Louisiana state statute authorized capital punishment for the rape of a child under 12. The State Supreme Court affirmed the statute, rejecting petitioner’s reliance on Coker v. Georgia, which prevented the use of capital punishment for the rape of an adult woman. The Supreme Court concluded that the Eighth Amendment bars Louisiana from imposing the death penalty for the rape of a child where the crime did not result, and was not intended to result, in the victim’s death.

Is friar Lawrence to blame Essay Example for Free

Is friar Lawrence to blame Essay Friar Lawrence is the local Roman Catholic priest who is also an apothecary. He is the confident of both Romeo and Juliet and plays an important role in the fate of both. He is more than aware of the familys feuding and seems to be well thought of by everybody. Romeo respects Friar Lawrence very much and sees him as a father figure. When Romeo feels suicidal when he has just been banished from Verona, the Friar tells him to straighten up. `This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not. ` When Romeo confesses that he wants to marry Juliet, Friar Lawrence teases Romeo about how fickle in love he is. `Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? ` But in spite of this he still agrees to marry the young couple as he hopes it will end the familys feuding. `For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households rancour to pure love. ` He only agreed to it because he had their best interests at heart. I dont think he is to blame for marrying them as he did what he thought was right. And even if Friar Lawrence hadnt married them, whos to say that another Friar wouldnt have married them? Romeo and Juliet both feel as if they can turn to him when they are in trouble. We see this when Romeo has been banished, because he stabbed Tybalt and Juliet has been told that she must marry Paris. Romeo doesnt seem as if he is very close to either of his parents but Juliet usually has her nurse to turn to, but even the nurse, in the end the nurse rejects her too. `I think it best u married with the county. ` So in desperation each one goes to Friar Lawrence for help. Romeo is helped by being giving him a hide out in Mantua until Juliet can meet him. Juliet, being ordered to marry Paris, has gone to Friar Lawrence in desperation and has asked for help. First of all the Friar has to help Romeo escape. He allows Romeo to spend one night with Juliet, but before dawn he must leave. It is at this time that Juliet has been told to marry Paris. So she goes to the Friar. Friar Lawrence then devises a plan that will ensure Juliet and Romeos happiness. In some ways this shows us the Friars cunning, we are also shown that he is quite a smart man. We know that the friar is also an apothecary, so he gives Juliet a potion, which will make Juliet look as if she is dead. When she is taken to the family tomb, the friar will wait until she awakens, and by which time Romeo will hopefully already be there and take Juliet away. While devising this plan he still has the families interests at heart. He is only doing this in the hope that the two families, Montague and Capulet will reconcile. Although it could be argued, that he only helped them because he wanted to save himself. I personally dont think so. I think he would have known that he would have had to `cover his tracks` before he married the couple. He seems like a prudent man, one that will think things through; he would never have married them and helped them elope for selfish reasons. But the Friar did deceive both the Capulet and Montague parents. And although this was wrong, it was also, in my opinion justified. I think this because he didnt really have much choice. If he had wanted to succeed with his plan then they would have had to be kept in the dark, there was no other way round it. If they had been told, neither parent would have agreed to let their child associate with the child of the enemy. Priests do have the best interests of their parishes at heart and they do not lie and deceive people needlessly, but I think in this case it was allowed. Even though everything didnt turn out the way it should have, it achieved the one thing the Friar wanted: peace between the families. And although the price paid was very high, almost too high, the motivation was honourable he genuinely didnt act selfishly. I think everyone, in the play recognised this including the prince. `We still have known thee for a holy man. ` Friar Lawrence really was a decent man, even if his plans did go slightly wrong.

Effects Of Succession Planning On Employee Retention

Effects Of Succession Planning On Employee Retention Proper succession planning helps an employee to get their work done as well as to sustain the employees in the most effective and efficient manner. This study also highlighted that for any particular job what are the organizational commitment, job security, job content which leads to self-esteem, leadership and staying in the organization for a longer time period. The study is intended to answer the question of whether proper succession planning could mitigate the expected negative effects of retentions on employees. The basic purpose of this research is to find out that whether the way information regarding Succession Planning taking place is well defined or not and what are the impacts of employees behavioral towards retention through proper communicated and well-defined work on succession planning. And up to what level are they emotionally and expressively affected. 1.3 Implications of the Study The findings of this study will have important implications from the perspective of employees and top management associated with employee retention succession planning. The HR department in order to develop a proper job content for every job to develop an organizational commitment security in which employees are most comfortable with the tenure, leadership self-esteem. This research will extend our knowledge on how differences the employee retention and succession planning of the company will impact the performance of employees both internal and external. And would also allow more detailed prescriptions for practitioners faced with such issues. 1.4 Variables Independent Variable Succession Planning Tenure Leadership Self Esteem Dependent Variables Employee Retention Organizational Commitment Job Security Job Content 1.5 Hypothesis Hypothesis 1: There is a positive relationship between succession planning and employee retention. Chapter 2 Literature Review In an organization, every employee tends to rise to his level of ineffectiveness (Jr., 2003).Succession planning is the power to developing the strengths and performance of their people and maximizes production capacity. We provide businesses with a broad range of highly effective tools, methodology and processes, proven to dramatically improve the contribution made by individuals and organizations at all levels (Jr., 2003). These are the role of Succession Planning in an Organization Prepares current employees to undertake key positions Develops ability and long-term development Improves employees abilities and performance Improves workforce loyalty and as a result retention Assemble the career improvement requirements of existing employees Improves support to workforce throughout their tenure Counters the increasing complexity of hiring employees externally Focuses on leadership stability and better knowledge distribution Provides further effective monitoring and tracking of employee ability levels and skills (Jr., 2003). As Succession planning is a core part of an organizations ability to decrease risk, create a verified leadership model, smooth organization continuity and improve staff self-confidence (White, 1987). Succession planning has become really important for managers and executives in the current business world because, now they have begun to understand the importance of securing their companies eventually by selecting future leaders (White, 1987). Succession planning considered to the higher concern to make the right decisions. They must put their self into strategic and planning form to choose the best leader (Jr., 2003).When it comes down to the decision about the succession plan an executive should recognize the needs and requirements of the company that what would be the strengths and weaknesses so an executive will know what kind of person they would need on the considerable situation which will lead the company on the succession path (White, 1987). The basic element in transition is well transparency as it applies on every company the employer should take step to communicate the employees to decrease the gap between the company and the employee which effects better with the reflection of succession (Jr., 2003) To develop an effective succession plan there are four stages Recognizing jobs for succession; Developing a obvious understanding of the capabilities required to carry out those roles; Identifying workforces who could potentially fill and do highly in such roles; Preparing workforces to be ready for development into each identified role. Without the execution of a succession plan, there can be significant impacts on a business including; Lack of expertise and business knowledge Lack of business stability Damaged customer associations (Jr., 2003). Organization succession planning is highly dependent on the competent employee the company highly depends on its employee which can make the path and accelerate the companys business which will play a major role for an organization to become profitable or reciprocal. One major concern which often makes difference for succession if the leader key person leaves the organization- either by choice or other circumstances (Jr., 2003).What will happen when an important key player purged without succession planning? There are few things to look forward. Such as either there will be no skilled successor or there will be who might not ready to manage the business the way it has to be managing with the abilities. Whatsoever the case might came out to be, the situation can be terrible for the company. Business can become unsustainable to carry on (Jr., 2003). The only answer that is left in an unexpected situation is just unproductive quick-fixed solutions the successor is left with temporary substitute if the set up is not been fix yet., and the important result can still be the breakdown of the business. Key factors that affect the success of business are skill and experience. And without it no one can run a business. They significant traits in an entrepreneur not only run the business but also sustain the success (Jr., 2003). Without succession planning, a company that has become successful can just as easily fail. The company grows because there is a leader with experience, drive and ability. Without suitable succession planning, the future growth of the business is left to chance once that leader is gone. Under such a situation, if it succeeds at all, it is by default rather than intended. That is not all. The passing of the crop from one generation to the next is often fogged up by the stakeholders differing views and agendas. Without proper planning, the clashes of views and agendas can pull the company in several directions and this may wreck an otherwise feasible business (Jr., 2003). Succession planning enables your business to identify brilliant employees and provide education to develop them for future higher level and broader tasks. Succession planning helps to build worktable strength. Succession planning helps to decide where public belong to (Jr., 2003). Through your succession planning procedure, you also save superior employees because they value the time, attention, and development that you are investing in them. To efficiently do succession planning in your business, you must identify the organizations long term goals. They must hire better staff (White, 1987). You need to spot and recognize the developmental needs of your employees. You must guarantee that all key employees understand their career paths and the roles they are being developed to fill. You need to spotlight resources on key employee retention. You need to be alert of employment trends in your area to be familiar with the roles you will have a difficult time filling externally (White, 1987). It is a complex process and a successful plan is based on management formation, regular evaluation through evaluations and integrated management development system. Only one tenth of the know-how of professional managers consists of formal education and training and the result is attained through on the job development. Management structure has to be clearly understood by all and frequently reviewed for future planning. One of the reasons for the gradual and slow abolition of business groups of yesterday is that they failed in managing the change. The plan does not mean recognition of an individual to replace his/her ancestor. It means identifying a group of individuals to be trained and groomed for the place of CEO (Zajac, 1987). The organizations offer employee development opportunities through: on the job learning, better training and counseling, formal training programmers and job orientation. All these facilities not only help in employees development but also help in preparing the incumbents probable to fill key positions (Jr., 2003). The companies have to decide today for tomorrow through a complex assessment system for the human development, which is most uncertain. Business environment is getting increasingly vibrant, corporate growth, rate and size is critical, and values are changing which offer superior business opportunities for head hunters (Zajac, 1987). To achieve the aim the process begins from staffing needs periodic appraisal and an elastic plan. Promotions are common and job rotation is a must to expose the incumbents to a diversity of experience, i.e. marketing, sales, finance and even manufacturing. The basic criteria remains performance but potential also play a very key role (White, 1987). To commence such a complex process it is necessary to understand the challenge well in advance and act with obligation. Focus should be on performance as well as potential keeping in view the convenient challenges. The organizations must differentiate between spending on personnel and investment in employees development. It is a fact that a number of the corporate look after their senior executive very well but hardly invests in budding leaders (Zajac, 1987). One of the factors which have been a major obstacle in succession planning is hardly any division of management from ownership. Some of the leading groups vanished because they failed to interpret the change and to educate professional managers. People often presume that a manager by profession and a professional manager are one and the same. To face the emerging challenges corporate need more flexible managers (White, 1987). Imagine for a moment a workplace in which the employees eagerly estimated their performance reviews. Picture your staff telling each other how much they look forward to meeting with their manager and bragging about what an empowering experience these meetings are (Jr., 2003). The length of time an employee has worked for his or her current employer (Rosemary Batt, 2002). Leadership is the skill of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it (Brown, 2003). Leadership is a process by which a human being influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the business in a way that makes it more unified and logical. Leadership is a process whereby a person influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Brown, 2003). Employee retention is a process in which the employees are encouraged to remain with the group for the maximum period of time or until the conclusion of the project. Employee retention is useful for the organization as well as the employee (Sheridan, 1992). Employees nowadays are different. They are not the ones who dont have better opportunities in hand. As soon as they feel dissatisfied with the present employer or the job, they switch over to the next job. It is the responsibility of the employer to retain their greatest employees. If they dont, they would be left with no superior employees. A good employer should know how to attract and keep its employees. Retention involves five key things (Sheridan, 1992). Compensation Environment Growth Relationship Support One of the most vital and key part is to retain the employee of the organization its as important as you understand you need you have got to intact and retain your potential employee because your employee is your asset which will highway the organization on success(Sheridan, 1992). Why employee retention so important? Is it just to cut the turnover costs? Its not only the cost incurred by a organization that emphasizes the need of retaining employees but also the need to retain talented employees from getting poached (Sheridan, 1992).The process of employee retention will advantage an organization in the following ways (Sheridan, 1992). The cost of employee turnover adds hundreds of thousands of money to an organizations expenses. While it is hard to fully calculate the cost of turnover (including hiring costs, training costs and productivity loss), industry experts often quote 25% of the average employee salary as a conventional estimate. (Sheridan, 1992). When an employee leaves, he takes with him valuable facts about the company, customers, current projects and past history sometimes to competitors. Often much time and money has been spent on the employee in anticipation of a future return. After the employee leaves, the investment is not realized. (Sheridan, 1992). Customers and clients do business with an organization in part because of the people. Relationships are developed that support continued sponsorship of the business. When an employee leaves, the relationships that employee built for the companies are disengaged, which could lead to probable customer loss (Sheridan, 1992). When an employee terminates, the effect is felt throughout the organization. Co-workers are often required to pick up the slack. The unspoken negativity often intensifies for the remaining staff (Sheridan, 1992). The goodwill of a company is maintained when the attrition rates are low. Higher retention rates motivate potential employees to join the organization (Sheridan, 1992). If an employee resigns, then good amount of time is lost in hiring a new employee and then training him/her and this goes to the loss of the company directly which many a times goes unnoticed. And even after this you cannot assure us of the same efficiency from the new employee (Sheridan, 1992). Employee retention refers to policies and practices companies use to avoid valuable employees from leaving their jobs. How to retain important employees is one of the biggest problems that plague companies in the competitive marketplace. Not too long ago, companies accepted the revolving door policy as part of doing business and were quick to fill a vacant job with an additional eager candidate. Nowadays, companies often find that they spend substantial time, effort, and money to train an employee only to have them build up into a valuable commodity and leave the company for greener pastures. In order to generate a successful company, employers should consider as many options as possible when it comes to retaining employees, while at the same time securing their trust and loyalty so they have less of a need to leave in the future (Sheridan, 1992). Many people love their job, and there are a huge number of reasons such as they like the company environment, their boss, and their co-workers. A thrilling position, with plenty of opportunity for growth, learning, and advancement, is always desirable, as is a meaningful job that has the possible to make a difference in the lives of others. Dissatisfaction with one or more of these things could force the employee to think about leaving (Sheridan, 1992). A rather obvious way for a company to better retain their employees is by offering competitive salaries and bonuses. Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done, and nothing makes someone feel more appreciated than cold hard cash. It also shows the employee that the company has some degree of loyalty towards them, which could in turn influence them to repay their employers with some loyalty of their own. Increased benefits, stock options, more vacation time, company cars, child care, and other perks dont hurt either. Financial support for employees who wish to continue their education would also most likely be appreciated and rewarded with employee loyalty (Sheridan, 1992). In many instances, employee retention starts just as soon as an employee is hired. If a company sees an unusual amount of potential in a new hire, management could make them feel appreciated right off the bat. Interest free loans to help pay off their college bills or other debts is one way for an employer to do this. In order to keep the employee from jumping ship before the loan is paid off, the employer can do several things, including staggering payments or making the loan contingent on certain performance goals. In a way, this practice can be considered a combination of recruitment and retention tools. Similar programs could also be implemented for employees that already have tenure built up with the company (Sheridan, 1992). There are times when an employee wants to leave a company not for a better job opportunity, but for the chance to relocate. Usually if this is a case, the employees needs are strictly personal ones. If possible, a business can offer a relocation allowance to the employee and still try to keep them in the company in the same or a different capacity. Again, the details would have to be worked out on an individual basis so that the employee does not abuse this privilege (Sheridan, 1992). The implementation of company policies like flextime, job-sharing, and part-time work may also prove useful in retaining an employee who wishes to leave their job for personal reasons. By doing so, a company could gain a reputation as a family-friendly environment and therefore make it more attractive to future potential employees (Sheridan, 1992). Another thing that employees seem to enjoy is casual days or even a company casual dress policy. This allows employees the chance to better express themselves and creates a more comfortable work environment. In most cases, the dress code should be clearly defined so that the employees do not abuse the privilege and promote an unprofessional image about the company (Sheridan, 1992). A company may also want to spend some time to get to know their employees better. A thorough understanding of an employees goals, concerns, skill level, values, health, and job satisfaction are just a few of the areas that can be addressed. By doing so, the employee could be made to feel more like a prized individual and less like a cog in a corporate machine. At the same time the company will educate itself as to which employees are the most valuable in both a business and personal sense. (Sheridan, 1992). When a valued employee leaves, the company can use information gathered in an exit-interview to find out the reasons for the employees decision and the changes that can be made within the company to keep others from following suit. This data can be gathered into a formal report and distributed to management, members of the human resource team, and other pertinent employees to be used for this purpose (Sheridan, 1992). Finally, upper-level employees can be trained as retention managers to help in the seemingly never-ending battle to keep talent. A successful retention manager must be aware of their strengths and weaknesses and have a talent for listening, respecting, and understanding their employees concerns. Retention managers should be individuals who have already proven their loyalty to the company. Honesty, creativity, and patience are other virtues that can help in this type of position (Sheridan, 1992). Every company should understand that people are their best commodity. Without qualified people who are good at what they do, any company would be in serious trouble. In the long run, the retention of existing employees saves companies money. There are advertising and recruiting expenses, orientation and training of the new employee, decreased productivity until the new employee is up to speed, and loss of customers who were loyal to the departing employee. Finding, recruiting, and training the best employees represents a major investment. Once a company has captured talented people, the return-on-investment requires closing the back door to prevent them from walking out (Robert P. Steel, 2002) When an employee leaves a company for a direct competitor, there is always a chance that they will take important business strategies and secrets with them to be exploited by the competition. This is yet another reason why the retention of employees is so crucial to some businesses. While this practice seems a bit unscrupulous, it stills happens quite frequently. As Bill Leonard stated in HR Magazine: because employers know that the best-qualified applicants will come directly from competitors, recruiting and hiring employees away from the competition becomes a necessity in an ultra-tight labor market. And necessity is the mother of inventive and sometimes controversial business practices. Recruiting and hiring from your competitors is probably as old as business itself. But what is new and a hot topic among employers is how to attract and retain qualified candidates in a highly competitive labor market while also preventing their own intellectual capital from winding up in the hands of competitors (Robert P. Steel, 2002). One way for a company to prevent employees from giving valuable information to competitors is to make it a policy to enforce strict noncompeting and confidentiality agreements amongst its employees. The existence of such agreements could in fact deter a competitor from hiring a valuable employ because they might not want to risk possible legal entanglements with the other company. Of course, all this could possibly lead to animosity with the employee who could feel that his or her options are being limited. Many employees dont always remember signing such a document, so a copy of it should always be kept on file for the employee to refer to. This area could prove to be a highly sensitive one between employer and employee, so extreme caution is suggested in all instances (Robert P. Steel, 2002). Employee retention is an issue in just about every business sector. The technology field seems to see the most movement amongst employees, but other markets like education and sales also see more than their fair share of turnover (Sheridan, 1992). The effects of this trend are somewhat different for small businesses. Since the employee base at a small business is fairly low, a stronger sense of loyalty may be a bit more prevalent. One possible reason for this trend would be the generally low number of layoffs that occur in the small business sector. Many small businesses even have no-layoff policies that can be used as a valuable recruiting and retention tool to secure employees. These types of policies are not for all small businesses, especially those with erratic sales trends or those that employ a large number of non skilled workers who are often easy to replace (Sheridan, 1992). In any event, just about every business will have to live with the fact that valued employees will leave at some point. While certain strategies can be practiced to slow this trend, it most likely can never be stopped completely. Successful businesses that are built on a strong foundation should have less trouble dealing with this situation than their weaker counterparts. At the same time, the companys strengths will enable them to promote an image to help recruit and ultimately retain the best employees out there (Robert P. Steel, 2002). When the companies were consulted, the subject of identifying and retaining top talent is always one of the critical items executives tell me theyd like to improve upon. However, when asked what their strategy is in that regard they either mention that theyve found this great recruiting firm that is going to do nothing but send them top-level talent, or they look at me and tell me the people that have left were no good to begin with, basically rationalizing the cause of the turnover(Rosemary Batt, 2002). It is recommended that job analysis audits should be conducted to provide realistic job previews. Job analysis audits should be done with behavioral assessments, cognitive reasoning assessments, job simulations, and hard skills assessments (e.g., computer skills, etc.) to objectively define the core competencies required for success in each role competency modeling. This helps in providing a realistic job preview for candidates and managers. Oftentimes what managers think they need for a certain role is different from that they actually need (Robert P. Steel, 2002). A well-designed assessment and selection process must be implemented. Behavioral assessments and structured behavioral interviewing techniques should be used to increase the likelihood of hiring people who can, and will, do the job at a high level in your environment and for your managers job fit assessment (Sheridan, 1992). Effective employee orientation must be provided. The people who are hired today are potentially the greatest resource for corporate success in the years ahead. A senior leaders participation in new employee orientation sends a vital cultural and leadership message: everyone is involved in the drive toward the future. Everyone even the newest employee has value (Robert P. Steel, 2002). Programs for employee training and development are to be implemented. Ongoing professional development is required to show willingness as an organization to develop the greatest assets which are the people. (Sheridan, 1992). Manager and employee relationships must be improved. Concentration should be on the people who stay with the organization to learn what makes them happy; then give them more of it. It is said that people leave managers, not companies. If there is a turnover problem, assess the managers (Robert P. Steel, 2002). An equitable and fair pay system is also important (Sheridan, 1992). Encourage succession planning. Identify roles for which employees may be suited in the future and work with them on designing their succession plan within the organization. Invest in cross-training, job shadowing, coaching, mentoring, and cross-experience (Robert P. Steel, 2002). Job security is dependent on economy, prevailing business conditions, and the individuals personal skills. It has been found that people have more job security in times of economic expansion and less in times of a recession (Postel-Vinay, 2005). Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Sources of Information The information used in this study is basically primary data collected from respondents who are employees of Banking Sector in Pakistan. Employees at various levels working in four recently banks have been surveyed for this study to identify two responses i.e. organizations involved in succession planning would have employees who are more intend to stay in the same organization. For this research, four banks, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland), SCB (Standard Chartered Bank), UBL (United Bank Limited) and MCB (Muslim Commercial Bank) have been selected to carry out the survey. 3.2 Sampling Technique Procedure The researcher has used the Convenience Sampling technique in which the sample has been selected in such a way that all individuals in the target population had an equal probability of being selected in the sample. Various departments within each bank were approached and employees working at various levels were used as correspondents for this research. 3.3 Sample Size The total sample size was 100 respondents, taking 25 employees from each of the chosen bank which includes Male / Female Graduate / Masters Employee/Supervisor/Manager / Senior Manager or Others 3.4 Method of Data Collection Procedure The private sector Banking Industry of Pakistan is the targeted segment for the collection of primary data through questionnaires which is designed on the basis of research articles and questionnaires related to the topic. All employees from managerial level would be the participants. The survey would be self administered. 3.4.1 Data Collection Basically there are two types of data available for the researchers, Primary and Secondary. In this research primary data has been used collected through questionnaires. Since and its effect is a study which needs to be carried out from employees who actually went through this, therefore the researcher had to rely on questionnaire survey results (primary data) for empirical data. The researcher carried out the research through Survey method i.e. personal survey from employees working within four chosen banks in Pakistan. The survey was carried out by getting questionnaires filled from employees working at different levels within the organization and their perceptions were studied regarding the retention and what factors can come if succession effect created among them. 3.4.2 Research Testing Instruments The instruments used for collecting data for this research consisted of questionnaire for surveys and SPSS as testing tool. For the purpose of data collection a questionnaire was devised based on two sections that consisted questions pertaining to Employee Retention (Dependent Variable), Succession Planning (Independent Variables). The respondents have been asked if they had been properly brief about the effects of succession planning employee retention that had on their behavioral outcomes. The tool used in this research is SPSS. Pearsons Correlation is used in this research and analysis is carried out keeping in view the nature of the hypothesis and the data. During the analysis of data in SPSS, researcher has used technique of Pearsons Correlation, because Pearsons correlation coefficient is a measure of linear association. Two variables can be perfectly related. 3.4.3 Method The questionnaire was mailed and e-mailed to the employees of a random sample of 100 from four chosen banks. 3.4.4 Questionnaire Questions were asked from employees based on their experience. Section A consisted of 15 questions related to Employee Retention which includes organizational commitment, job security and job content. All parts were divided among 5 each questions. The scale for recording responses was 1 to 5 representing Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree and Strongly Agree. The questions were designed in a way to judge the psychological effect of retention on employees mind. Section B consisted of 11 questions related to the Succession Planning of employees which includes tenure, leadership and self-esteem. The scale for recording responses was 1 to 5 representing Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree and Strongly Agree. The questions were designed in a way to judge the psychological effect of succession on employees mind. All the questions of both the sections A B were designed in a way to judge the employees motivation level towards work and whether or not they are planning to leave the organization upon getting an opportunity elsewhere. 3.4.5 Questionnaire Testing A questi