Body Imaging Influenced by Media Essay - 635 Words

It is no secret that today’s society defines beauty as thin, long-legged women with statuesque bodies. Examples are found everywhere just by glancing at the closest magazine ads or by scrolling down the latest fashion article online. Normal, everyday women are being forgotten and tossed aside to make room for the â€Å"Top-Model†-like women currently crowding up Hollywood. Media depicts women as an unattainable image. They pressure ladies to buy the products they’re advertising; luring them with false advertisements promising that with it, they too could be perfect. While the media portrays women in a certain way for advertising and marketing benefits, it has caused numerous negatives effects to women’s self-esteems nationwide, it contradicts†¦show more content†¦In 2004 a study was conducted of an analysis of popular children movies. It was proven that 60 percent of female characters were thin and it was presented as a positive female trait. Also , in 2004 where only five percent of the females in the United States were diagnosed as underweight, 30 percent were presented as underweight in the films. There are also numerous websites online now geared towards pro-anorexia. There are blogs out there specifically made to help people hide and get away with their eating disorders. They perceive eating disorders as a healthy lifestyle choice and encourage other women to follow in their footsteps. In 1954, Leon Festinger create the Social Comparison Theory which hypothesized that people are impulsed to evaluate and compare themselves to similar persons. That theory also stands true today, in 2013, with women everyday comparing themselves to each other and celebrities they see onscreen. Research back ups the theory that media parading the thin-ideal hypothesizes lower self-esteem, eating disorders, and the favoring of comparing themselves to thin socialites. The media pressures women to conform to the rail-thin models they display on their ads, and areShow MoreRelatedUse Of Photoshop And Its Effect On Today s Society703 Words   |  3 Pagesseen in the media today. Although Photoshop was originally intended for good uses, it has a negative effect on today’s society. Photographers and other artist use Photoshop to enhance the quality of their work, whereas, the media uses it to alter images beyond fictional standards. Photoshop can alter someone’s entire appearance, and basically create a whole new person. On a daily basis, we see a multitude of images of what is supposed to be â€Å"flawless perfection† through many different media sourcesRead MoreBody Imaging Has A Negative Effect On Society1716 Words   |  7 Pagesthey looked like the girls they see on media sources. Body image is the way you see yourself and imagine how you look (Positive and Negative Body Images). Society makes girls and women think that if they aren’t skinny, they aren’t pretty and no one will like them. Girls feel pressured by society to have ‘perfect’ bodies, this encourages bad eating habits (Schulten). This affects how thousands of girls see themselves and how they feel about their body. Body imaging has a huge negative effect on societyRead MoreHas Digital Manipulation Gone to Far?1393 Words   |  6 Pagesnegatively affecting vulnerable children, and teens with low self-esteem issues. One important justification for why people go through serious issues with their bodies like self-esteem, and eating disorders is because of the media. The media plays a huge role in our everyday life, and when a person sees an image they are automatically influenced by what that image portrays. Digital manipulation of photos is a staple tool for almost all print, web, and digital designers. whether is be something theyRead MoreThe Study Of Body Image1572 Words   |  7 PagesThe study of body image is a broad topic that touches many subjects including gender. However, the study of body image has been focused mainly on females. This is because the physical shape and image of male bodies have not changed over the history. From the ancient Greek until the modern era, the masculinity is the predominant stereotype for men. Masculine traits include courage, independence and assertiveness (Judith, 2001; Murray, 2000). In contrast to the male body, the female figures have beenRead MorePlastic Surgery And Its Effect On Society1169 Words   |  5 Pagesthem. These standards of beauty are projected through the media, magazines, advertisements and the ideal beautiful portray. Many people feel that the only way to achieve such looks is through the process of plastic surgery, women e specially. Women feel an immense amount of pressure to achieve a certain look to be considered beautiful. Plastic surgery is a cosmetic procedure in which in helps to alter the appearance and functions of the body. Over the cosmetic procedures have become a norm and manyRead MorePrinciples of Physics in Ultrasound Essay1717 Words   |  7 Pages This enables doctor’s to treat patients before their condition deteriorates. This procedure would not be possible without the use of X-rays, CAT scans, MRI scans, ultrasound and endoscopes, which allow doctors to see inside the body with little or no surgery. Without such equipment doctors would be forced to use invasive techniques, which could cause patients more harm as it increases the risk of infection. A sound or ultrasound wave consists of a mechanicalRead MoreMedia And Its Impact On Society1696 Words   |  7 Pages Media has an impact on many of the population’s everyday life. It comes to no surprise that the media is closely related with body imaging. There are thousands of advertisements out in the media that depict images of beauty and physical attractiveness which are unrealistic. The masses see these images and think that they are achievable thus lowering the self-esteem of many. Many of these commercials and advertisements fall under the category of the following: weight loss, clothing, cosmetics andRead MoreBody Image By Andrea M. Bradbury s The Lit Class 1476 Words   |  6 PagesBody Image By Andrea M. for Ms. Middaugh’s American lit class Don t change your body to get respect from society. Instead let s change society to respect our bodies. -Golda Poretsky The media needs to stop being the judge of what beauty is because everyone is pressured to look like the photoshopped version of the people the media portrays. Bad body imaging can lead to mental and eating disorders, and â€Å"fear of becoming fat† has become a common phenomenon. Body image by definition is anRead MoreThe Medical Definition Of Body Imaging Essay1586 Words   |  7 PagesMerriam-Webster Dictionary the medical definition of body imaging is â€Å"a subjective picture of one s own physical appearance established both by self-observation and by noting the reactions of others.† This medical definition got me thinking, why does the â€Å"reactions of others† have anything to do with how we see ourselves, why do we let other people hold power of this strength over us? It doesn’t matter your age everybody has thoughts about their body image, this paper will be an in depth look at theRead MoreSocial Cognition And Social Psychology1412 Words   |  6 Pagesand look at a more biological sense of this, we find ourselves with social neuroscience. Social neuroscience is a fairly new interdisciplinary field, it is devoted to understanding and explaining how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of people are influenced by the presence of o thers. This growing field uses cognitive neuroscientific methods to address the questions normally asked by social psychologists. Once known as social cognition, social neuroscience was popularized and introduced in an article

Cost of Drug Abuse on Society Essay - 923 Words

Drug abuse is a rampant problem in the United States. Drugs can be abused in a variety of different ways by people from every walk of life. Most of us have been affected by drug abuse either directly or indirectly. Drug abusers harm themselves, as well as their families and communities. Drug abuse takes an enormous toll on our society at many levels. The cost of drug abuse on our society is astronomical, not only financially but also personally, emotionally, socially and professionally. Drug abuse is the misuse or overdose of any medication or drug, including alcohol. Many people abuse drugs to deal with everyday life. â€Å"Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the†¦show more content†¦Illicit drug abuse causes higher crime rates; abuse, rape, robbery and murder. In 2004 32% of state prisoners and 26% of federal prisoners said they committed their current offense while under the influence of drugs (Shannon 102). Society is forced to pay for incarceration for these prisoners as well as the agencies involved in investigating and trying these inmates in court. Government agencies such as DEA, FBI, and Drug Enforcement agencies just to name a few, are at the forefront on the fight against illegal manufacturing, soliciting and consumption of illegal drugs. The abuse of legal over-the-counter and prescription drugs found in everyone’s medicine cabinet is more difficult to pursue. Anyone around us could potentially be abusing drugs. Parents, neighbors, teacher’s, politicians, no one is exempt from drug abuse. From birth to death, the opportunity to abuse drugs presents itself throughout life. â€Å"What do a six-week-old infant, her 19-year-old mother, an 83-year-old nursing home resident, a 47-year-old landscape designer, and a high school sophomore have in common? The thread that ties- - or the hope that binds- -is frequently the pervasive challenge of substance misuse †(Abbott). People can be prescribed mind altering medication for daily living, but the misuse can be unintentional. â€Å"According the National Library of Medicine, an estimated 20% of Americans have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons† (Grohsman) Whether aShow MoreRelatedDrug Testing for TANF Recipients1020 Words   |  4 PagesDrug Testing for TANF Recipients Drug problems costs the US billions of dollars every year from disease, crime, accidents, child abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, and lost wages that causes deaths and other serious economic and social consequences (Hunter). The crimes include stealing, drug trafficking, murder, robbery, domestic violence, breaking and entering, child abuse and neglect, and assault. Health care problems, such as overdoses, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis, are often resultsRead MoreEconomic Impacts Of Drug Abuse1013 Words   |  5 PagesEconomic Impacts of Drug Abuse in the United States Drug abuse is a major public health issue that impacts society both directly and indirectly; every person, every community is somehow affected by drug abuse and addiction and this economic burden is not exclusive to those who use substance, it inevitably impacts those who don t. Drugs impact our society in various ways including but not limited to lost earnings, health care expenditures, costs associated with crime, accidents, and deaths. The useRead MoreAddiction and Society1244 Words   |  5 PagesAddiction and Society Sociology Professor Trembicki February 22, 2013 Abstract Drug addiction is a disease that damages addicts, their families, communities, the economy, and society. Addiction has a widespread reach: from dealing with unpredictable and often dangerous addicts at home to the costs incurred by society as a whole. As the population of addicts rises and the average age of an addict is younger, society is forced to deal with a pressing matter. Addiction is no longer limitedRead MoreVictimless Crime1282 Words   |  6 Pagesillegal act that is felt to have no direct or identifiable victim. Drug possession and usage is considered to be a type of victimless crime. Libertarianism says the government is set up to offer protection for each of us against the initiation of force by others. They say this gives us the â€Å"moral space† in which to live our own lives in our own chosen way-even if that means choosing to use drugs. A person under the influence of illegal drugs is known to cause damage to themselves, other people or propertyRead MoreD rug Abuse Effects1320 Words   |  6 PagesDrug abuse is a major public health issue that impacts society both directly and indirectly; every person, every community is somehow affected by drug abuse and addiction and this economic burden is not exclusive to those who use substance, it inevitably impacts those who dont. Drugs impact our society in various ways including but not limited to lost earnings, health care expenditures, costs associated with crime, accidents, and deaths. The use of licit or illicit drugs long term, causes millionsRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On Society Essay1136 Words   |  5 Pagesall felt the effects of drug abuse. In other words, whether it affects an individual directly or indirectly every person has seen or felt the negative effects of drug abuse in our society. The ultimate question, is why does such an abounding amount of Americans abuse illicit drugs, and how does it affect us as a nation? Moreover, something such as this doesn t occur for without a distinct cause, there must be something occurring in our society that creates these illicit drug abusers. CorrespondinglyRead MoreLong-term consequences of Child Abuse on the Society1559 Words   |  7 Pagesof Child Abuse Child abuse is the physical, emotional, or sexual mistreatment of a child by his or her parent or guardian. Many do not realize how many children are abused in their homes every day. According to a publication titled Child Maltreatment 2008, children are more likely to be the victim of child abuse and neglect than they are to be the victim of anything else (Speak-Up-Be-Safe). In fact, more than one million children in the United States alone are a victim of child abuse (WisdomRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On American Soil Essay1539 Words   |  7 PagesIn a day and age where there is no clear or apparent bad guy, the United States battles an elusive foe on our home soil. The current epidemic of drug abuse claims the lives of thousands of Americans without any discrimination or bias. The decades old â€Å"war on drugs† has done little to hinder the devastating carnage of widespread drug abuse decimating today’s youth. This affliction hits home for almost all of us to at least some extent. The enemy is known, we as a country however have yet to deviseRead MoreBody. Alcohol Is Surprisingly The Largest Consumed Drug1608 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol is surprisingly the largest consumed drug when it comes to the United States, and with that comes a higher addiction rate than those drugs deemed illegal such as heroin or even marijuana still (Thio, Taylor, Schwartz, 2013). Due to this epidemic that is rarely discussed in the same categorization of illegal substances, there is a bit of a justification seen that alcohol use is not as severe. Yet data shows that is not the case, because alcohol abuse leads in terms of arrests and related deathsRead MoreMarijuana is a Social Problem Essay example976 Words   |  4 Pagespopular drug after alcohol in the country today. So many people smoke marijuana that the numbers alone seem to legitimize and condone its presence in peoples lives. Yet, even in moderation marijuana is not safe. Somehow this inf ormation had not filtered down to people who think they are smoking a fairly innocuous drug. Our society perpetuates the myths about pot being a fun, harmless, recreational drug. These myths feed into peoples denial of marijuanas problems (Baum 6). However, the abuse of marijuana

Ethics - Professionalism and Governance Professional Environments

Question: Discuss about the Ethics, Professionalism and Governance Professional Environments. Answer: Introduction: The case study is an apt example of the violation of professional ethics and codes of conduct. Courtney is employed as a programmer for a small company that works in the area of web development with health care as its primary domain. She did not receive due credit for her efforts and work done towards development of a new system. Michael took away all of the credit and acknowledgment associated with the new system. The case study showcases the violation of some of the essential codes and guidelines set up by the Australian Computer Society (ACS). As per ACS Code of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct, there are six essential ethical values that the employees shall adhere to during all of their professional commitments and activities. These values include primacy of public interest, enhancement of quality of life, honesty, competence, professional development and professionalism (Acs, 2014). There has been violation of honesty, competence, professional development and professionalism in the scenario as stated in the case study. Michael took away the credit for Courtneys efforts which must have been done with the aid of false reporting and dishonest conduct. Also, the appreciation and acknowledgement must fall in line with the effort that is devoted towards a particular task. Michael did not reflect competence and took away the credit for the efforts that were put in by another employee. Such occurrences lead to disturbances in the professional atmosphere and also take a toll on the professional development of an employee and the entire team. ACS Code of Professional Conduct also suggests that there shall be complete professionalism maintained in all the work related activities. There is a clear violation of these values in the case study (Roberts, 2017). There should be mechanisms maintained in the organization to clearly track the activities and performance of the employees through the aid of automated tools and regular audits and reviews. Such activities will ensure that there is complete honesty maintained by the employees in their responsibilities and also in the feedback and credit that is provided in return. Also, it would ensure that there is required competence present among the employees. There shall also be ethical trainings and sessions organized by the managers and human resource department so that the employees are aware of the ethical standards and practices that shall be followed. It would lead to the enhancement of the quality of life along with the professional development of the employees (Metz, 2016). One on one conversation with the leaders and managers would maintain the required level of professionalism within the organization. Such practices would have proved to be advantageous for Courtney as well as stated in the case study. It would have ensured that Courtney received the due credit for her efforts and would have prevented Michael from taking benefit from the situation. There shall also be enhanced reporting done at every organizational level to avoid the ethical and professional misconducts in an organization (Knapp, 2013) References Acs, (2014). ACS Code of Professional Conduct Professional Standards Board Australian Computer Society. [online] Available at: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-documents/ACS%20Code-of-Professional-Conduct_v2.1.pdf [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017]. Knapp, S. (2013). The Dark Side of Professional Ethics. [online] Available at: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/pro-a0035110.pdf [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017]. Metz, M. (2016). Professional Ethics and Business. [online] Professional Ethics and Business. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/Fulltext/2016/10000/Professional_Ethics_and_Business.2.aspx [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017]. Roberts, M. (2017). Professional Ethics and the ACS Code. [online] Web.science.mq.edu.au. Available at: https://web.science.mq.edu.au/~mattr/courses/object_oriented_development_practices/7/notes.html [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017].

Why has Conservatism been described as philosophy of human imperfection free essay sample

Conservatism can be seen to be a ‘philosophy if imperfection’ according to O’Sullivan. This idea is manifested in their pessimistic view of human nature advocating Tradition, Pragmatism and Paternalism. As Burke states society should be ‘a partnership between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are born’ which clearly shows support of the status quo otherwise change and uncertainty can lead to disruption. The first strand of imperfection according to Conservativism is psychological as psychologically humans are limited and fear isolation and instability so they very much seek the safe and familiar ‘knowing their place. ’ If they do not have stability then it could lead to ‘anomie’ as proposed my French sociologist Durkheim where people feel a sense of normlessness and isolation everything being meaningless. So liberty is constrained to maintain social order as opposed to freedom being epitomized in people as utility maximizers according to liberals. We will write a custom essay sample on Why has Conservatism been described as philosophy of human imperfection? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore social order in put in place to provide certainty in an uncertain world. The second strand of imperfection according to Conservativism is moral as immoral or criminal behavior is deep-rooted in the individual. There is a ‘power after power’ conception according to Hobbes with human beings drive consisting of physical prosperity, power and avoidance of deprivation and doing anything they can to maintain or maximize these basic appetites so people cannot be trusted and crime is based on the consequence of human instincts. So it leads to the idea of people behaving in a civilized way if they are deterred by a firm government putting a tough criminal justice system so there is an invisible amalgamation of law and order with the role of law preserving order and morality. The third strand of imperfection according to Conservatism is intellectual as the world is too complex for human reason to grasp fully. So the idea is that the world is ‘boundless and bottomless being beyond out capacity to comprehend. This subsequently leads to the idea that we should form ideas around a paradigm of tradition, experience and history without considering abstract ideas and systems as ‘rights of man’ and ‘social justice’ lead to reformation of the world which could lead to suffering. So ‘the cure is not worse than the disease’ as opposed to Liberals and Socialists who desire changes or revolutions based on the extensive rationality that human beings possess. The New Right has weakened the ideas of tradition as they were principled with a clear vision based on privatization and deregulation ‘selling off the family silver. ’

How to Make Blogging Work as an Author

How to Make Blogging Work as an Author How To Make Blogging Work As An Author - An interview with Anne R. Allen Here’s another thing that we, startups, have in common with indie authors: we often blog. Whether it’s as a way to establish ourselves (in time) as thought leaders in our industry, to drive traffic to a main website, or to keep customers engaged with us, we are big fans of what we use to call â€Å"content marketing†.This strategy is all the more attractive to authors that they are used to producing content for a living. However, â€Å"blogging† is not â€Å"writing†. It’s writing, engaging, promoting, socialising, etc. It is time-consuming and not necessarily something all authors are good at. I believe there are actually two schools of thought out there, one urging authors to have a blog, the other one stating that time spent on writing for the blog is time you could have spent writing â€Å"sell-able† material: books.So today we interview one of the most successful author bloggers out there: Anne R. Allen. And she offers some good p oints on how useful blogging can be, if done right!Reedsy: Hi Anne, thanks for granting us this interview. It is fair to say that you have, together with Ruth Harris, one of the best-performing author blogs out there. And you’ve written several posts on blogging, but we’d love to dive deeper into that. The â€Å"B† word is sometimes scary to authors: do you think blogging is a requirement for indie authors today? Or just a very useful option?Anne: Thanks. I do post extensively on blogging. I’m a big fan of â€Å"slow blogging†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat is blogging once a week or less. I feel a working fiction writer doesn’t need to blog as often as somebody who is blogging to monetize, and most of the rules for blogging don’t apply to novelists.But fiction writers can definitely benefit from maintaining a blog.I’ve also written a book that discusses blogging in depth, along with the other skills I think benefit a 21st Century writer. The boo k is HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGE, co-written with NYT bestseller, Catherine Ryan Hyde.I’m working on a short handbook specifically for new authors who want to learn to blog. It will launch with Kotu Beach Press later this year.In answer to your question: no, not every author should (or can) blog. Some authors aren’t cut out for writing little nonfiction essays every week. If you hate it, that will show, so don’t do it if it’s not fun for you.On the other hand, blogging is probably the most useful form of social media for the new author. For one thing, it’s the only kind of social media where you have most of the control. It gets you into search engines, helps you relate one-to-one with potential readers, and connects you with other authors and publishing professionals.Virtually all the people I work with in this industry I met through my blog. That includes two of my publishers, my first agent, my blog partner, and the wonderful fellow authors I work with for boxed sets and joint promotions.  Reedsy: I feel there is as big a proliferation of content in blogging as there is in books†¦ And the â€Å"big blogs† are the ones most trusted by the readers, so is it still possible nowadays for a starting blogger to get â€Å"big†, and how might they achieve that?Anne: Wonderful new blogs are getting my attention all the time. They don’t need to be â€Å"big† like ours to be useful to an author for networking and interacting with fans. All a blog needs to do is provide an author with a kind of â€Å"home† online where people can stop by and get to know you.Reedsy: What is the most common mistake you see authors making in their blogging activities?Anne: Oh, you probably shouldn’t get me started†¦let’s give my top 6:Not visiting other blogs. Social media is social, people, get out and meet the neighbors!Dark background, light font. Tough on the eyes and looks like an old M ySpace page. If you’re a writer, your text is all-important. Make it readable!Posting erratically. Don’t try to post every day. Choose a day of the week or month to post, and then do it regularly.Starting a bunch of blogs. Unless you write in wildly different genres, say Christian YA and Erotica, you don’t need more than one blog. You won’t be able to keep them up and readers will be confused and won’t be able to find you.Treating it like a personal journal. A blog is more like a magazine column. Be professional. Nobody cares what you had for lunch.Not putting your name on your blog! I can’t believe how many writers give their blog a cutesy title and don’t let us have a clue who the heck they are and how to contact them. You’re trying to establish a brand here, not join an anonymous hackers club.Reedsy: Is it useful to mix content forms and media (text, image, audio, video) or better to stick to one?Anne: It depends on you and your audience. Ruth and I are strictly old school and our audience is mostly mature adults. They prefer their information gimmick-free. No videos and very few images. Those things take a lot longer to load and we want people to be able to read our blog quickly and interact in the comments. But every blog is different. Lots of great blogs use video, podcasts, and tons of images.Reedsy: You mention in one of your posts that you believe the 500 word limit many set for their posts is archaic now. What would your recommendation be? Is it useful to mix lengths or should the reader always be able to know what to expect?Anne: I’ve seen studies that say today’s ideal blogpost is about 1200-1500 words. Our readers would be very disappointed to see a 500 word post. They expect in-depth work from us. But if you blog more often than once a week, shorter is fine.Reedsy: What should the #1 motivation be for an author to start a blog: the desire to monetise it eventually (through ads or referral programs), the intention of generating traffic to increase book sales, or just for fun?Anne: First, if you’re a new author, I don’t think monetizing a blog is a good idea. The income from affiliates and other advertising sources is going to be pennies a month. Ads annoy your readers and make you look needy.Your blog should aim to raise your online profile and be the â€Å"hub† of your online presence. Blogs aren’t that great for direct sales. What they do is help establish your platform. They make you Googleable. Having fun is a bonus.Reedsy: The #1 topic out there on authors’ blogs is writing and publishing advice. Is this still a good thing to go for or should authors start thinking about blogging on other subjects (maybe topics that are more related to their readership)?Anne: There are a lot of â€Å"how to fight writer’s block† and â€Å"prop up your book’s sagging middle† blogposts out there, so a blog t hat concentrates on writing tips is going to have a lot of competition.What you blog about can change and grow with your career. When you’re starting out, you want to network with other authors, so writing-related stuff can be useful, but later, when you want to reach fans, you’ll want to change focus. Write more about your settings and subject matter and let people know about you as a person.Reedsy: What is the best way to promote a blog? Is it fair to say guest-posting is the most effective method?Anne: Guest posting is probably the best way to get your name out there, whether you have your own blog or not. Landing a spot on a high profile blog can jumpstart a career in a major way. My blog went from about 10 hits a week to 1000 when I won a guest spot on Nathan Bransford’s blog in 2010.But it doesn’t have to be a high profile blog (blogs like ours are booked a year in advance and we only take people who already have big followings†¦although we may run a contest for a guest spot sometime this summer.)But guesting on a smaller blog run by an author who writes in the same genre can actually sell more books than getting on a blog that gets 100K hits a month like ours. One of my best sales days in my early career came when I visited a chick lit blog with only a couple of dozen followers. Nearly every reader bought my book.And the #1 way to get invited to guest blog is also the best way to get traffic to your blog: comment on other blogs. Get to know the blogging community. One comment on a blog like Nathan’s or The Passive Voice (or ours) will put your name in front of thousands of readers.Also, don’t underestimate the power of other social media. My blog took off mostly from Tweets from readers.Google Plus is also essential for bloggers, IMO, because a post that’s reposted on Google Plus will immediately get a high SERP rank.   If somebody Googles â€Å"How to Blog† I might see one of my articles on the first page of the search results. But it won’t be a link to the actual blog. It will be a link to my Google Plus page where the blog has been automatically reposted. People who click through will see my entire Google Plus profile as well as the blogpost link. Very nice for getting your name out there.Facebook is becoming less and less useful for authors (or anybody else), but we still do get about 10% of our traffic from FB shares.Reedsy: Thanks for your time, Anne!  Anne R. Allen is an award-winning blogger and the author seven comic novels, including the bestselling Camilla Randall Mysteries. She has recently published a book of short stories and verses: WHY GRANDMA BOUGHT THAT CAR and she’s the co-author, with NYT bestseller Catherine Ryan Hyde, of HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGE: A SELF-HELP GUIDEYou can find her and Reedsy on Twitter: @annerallen and @reedsyhq​Credit for the header photograph goes to  Christine Ahern  Do you have a blog too? How often do you post and what’s your experience it in terms of dos and don'ts? Make sure to leave us your opinion, or any question you’d like to ask Anne, in the comments below!

Be Sure Your School or Program Is Accredited

Be Sure Your School or Program Is Accredited Accreditation is recognition that an educational institution has a certain standard of quality that other reputable organizations will honor. There are two kinds of accreditation: institutional and specialized. Institutional refers to the entire school. Specialized, or programmatic, refers to specific programs within an institution. When you see that a program or institution is accredited, don’t accept that it is accredited by a reputable agency. Check it out. Make sure you can trust online programs. Be careful not to spend money on programs accredited by agencies not on the following list. They may be okay, but caution and good sense is recommended. When a program offers you a diploma in a matter of days, red flags are blowing. The U.S. Department of Education has the authority and responsibility of recognizing accrediting agencies that can be trusted. Here is their list as of May 1, 2009: Regional Accrediting Agencies Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher EducationMiddle States Commission on Secondary SchoolsNew England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher EducationNew England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Technical and Career InstitutionsNew York State Board of Regents, State Education Department, Office of the Professions (Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, Practical Nursing)North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, Board of TrusteesNorth Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning CommissionNorthwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesOklahoma Board of Career and Technology EducationOklahoma State Regents for Higher EducationPennsylvania State Board of Vocational Education, Bureau of Career and Technical EducationPuerto Rico State Agency for the Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational, Technical Institutions and ProgramsSouthern Ass ociation of Colleges and Schools, Commission on CollegesWestern Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesWestern Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for SchoolsWestern Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of TechnologyAccrediting Council for Continuing Education and TrainingAccrediting Council for Independent Colleges and SchoolsAssociation for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on AccreditationAssociation of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, Accreditation CommissionCouncil on Occupational EducationDistance Education and Training Council, Accrediting CommissionNational Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and SciencesNew York State Board of Regents, and the Commissioner of EducationTransnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission Hybrid Accrediting Agencies Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental MedicineAccrediting Bureau of Health Education SchoolsAmerican Academy for Liberal EducationAmerican Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the BarAmerican Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on AccreditationAmerican College of Nurse-Midwives, Division of AccreditationAmerican Dietetic Association, Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics EducationAmerican Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic College AccreditationAmerican Podiatric Medical Association, Council on Podiatric Medical EducationCommission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological SchoolsCommission on Massage Therapy AccreditationCouncil on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational ProgramsCouncil on Chiropractic EducationJoint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic TechnologyMidwifery Education Accreditation CouncilMontessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, Commission on Accredi tationNational Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on AccreditationNational Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on AccreditationNational Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation, Commission on Community/Junior College AccreditationNational Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on AccreditationNational League for Nursing Accrediting Commission Programmatic Accrediting Agencies Accreditation Council for Pharmacy EducationAmerican Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy EducationAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental AccreditationAmerican Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy EducationAmerican Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on Optometric EducationAmerican Physical 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Management Accounting 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management Accounting 2 - Essay Example Budgeting is a continuous process in large organizations. Operation department create plans to help the company achieve its corporate goals. Overhead costs, capital expenditures, operating expenses and sales are forecasted for the upcoming fiscal year by the unit managers. The forecasted figures are then sent to the upper management for its approval. The upper management reviews all the projected costs, expenditures and revenues and then approves it. The approved formal budget forms the guideline for operations in the coming year. Monthly and quarterly budget are also prepared by organizations to keep a track of performance against projected figures and takes corrective action if there is any deviation. Upper management has a bottom up approach in respect of budgeting. Corporate managers take the top down approach in meeting business goals. Managers who have a good understanding of profits and sales and have the capacity to overestimate costs typically create successful budgets (Singla, 2009, p. 147). There are various benefits of budgeting such as managers can compare the company’s performance against the projected figures which also forms the basis of their functioning within an organization. They compare the current performance of the company against projected figures and takes corrective action if there is any deviation. In this way, the managers are also able to keep their employees focused and guide them to performa nce (Lucey, 2003, p. 187). Formal budgeting provides the company with a detailed and comprehensive picture of the immediate future and also informs the company about the possible opportunities and threats. Time is an important factor in the budgeting process. Managers sometimes find themselves completely lost in their effort to meet the rules and regulations that are there in the formal budget. But to have a sound system to exercise

The Implications of Reconstruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Implications of Reconstruction - Essay Example 562). Reconstruction's biggest failure was the backlash that was created when Northern Republicans attempted to rule the South. The backlash resulted in violent hate groups that disrupted the political system, and the lives of African-Americans for the next 100 years. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were all passed during the era of reconstruction. These important amendments prohibited slavery, guaranteed the freed slaves citizenship, and granted them the right to vote, but were largely unenforceable in the South. However, these amendments would form the foundation for the Civil Rights movement 100 years later. Reconstruction ended when the disputed election of 1876 saw the Republican Rutherford B Hayes gain the presidency, even though the electoral votes were in dispute. In return, Hayes agreed to remove the federal troops from the South and not oppose the newly formed Democratic governments there (Zuczek 171). This spelled an end to Reconstruction and another 100 years of racial violence, segregation, and discrimination. By the late 19th century, African-Americans had still not realized the American dream of liberty and the right to vote, or the constitutional guarantees that came with the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments.

Biology Lesson 6 Exam Essay Example for Free

Biology Lesson 6 Exam Essay Question 1 2 points Save Epithelial, muscle, connective, and nervous are types of what? bones cells tissues (pages 846-847) organs Question 2 2 points Save Which of the following is NOT a structural characteristic of bone? Haversian canals periosteum connective bone (pages 851-852) bone marrow Question 3 2 points Save Freely movable, slightly movable, and immovable are types of what? bones subcutaneous tissues muscles joints (page 854) Question 4 2 points Save Which is NOT a characteristic or function of the epidermis? repair of damaged cells (page 861) flattened cells protection from outside forces  contain waterproofing protein Question 5 2 points Save Which type of blood vessel is both strong and elastic? capillary artery (page 873). Vein venule Question 6 2 points Save Which of the following are the smallest and most numerous blood vessels in the body? venules veins arteries Capillaries (page 874) Question 7 2 points Save Air moves through the bronchi to the alveoli by a network of tiny tubes called arterioles. venules. capillaries. bronchioles. (page 886) Question 8 2 points Save Which of the following lists the correct order of structures through which air passes as it enters the body and proceeds to the lungs? Nose, larynx, trachea, pharynx pharynx, nose, larynx, trachea nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea (page 886) pharynx, nose, trachea, larynx Question 9 2 points Save Most of the end products of digestion are absorbed into the circulatory system from which organ? liver (page 911) pancreas large intestine small intestine Question 10 2 points Save The mouth, small intestine, and kidneys have functions that involve the digestion of food, synthesis of vitamins, and filtering of the blood. intake, digestion, absorption, and elimination of food and its wastes. secretion of bile, digestion of food, and reabsorption of water. All of the above. Question 11 2 points Save Pancreas is to small intestine enzymes as stomach is to saliva. stomach is to proteins from amino acids. liver is to bile. (page 910) liver is to hydrochloric acid. Question 12 2 points Save Ureter is to urinary bladder as urinary bladder is to ureter. urethra is to urinary bladder. urethra is to ureter. urinary bladder is to urethra. (page 914) Question 13 2 points Save As urine passes through the nephrons in the kidneys, urine from the renal tubule empties into a larger tube called a(n) ureter. (page 914) collecting tube. Bowmans capsule. renal vein. Question 14 2 points Save Which of the following is the blood vessel with the largest diameter? capillary artery vein (page 874) venule Question 15 2 points Save The skin repels pathogens by functioning as a barrier. by producing antibodies. with sweat, which contains lysozyme. both a and c. (page 924) Question 16 2 points Save As a defense against pathogens, mucous membranes cover all of the bodys surfaces to act as an impenetrable barrier. line internal body surfaces that contact the environment. (page 924) produce antibodies to combat infection. secrete sweat, which has antibacterial enzymes. Question 17 2 points Save An allergic response is NOT typically caused by harmless antigens. pollen. histamine. both a and c. Question 18 2 points Save The function of neurons is to maintain a difference in electrical charge across the cell membrane. have specific ions cross the membrane through ion channels. maintain a membrane potential with charged ions on either side of the cell membrane. all of the above. (page 945) Question 19 2 points Save When an impulse moves down the axon, sodium ions first rush out of the cell. a small part of the axon momentarily reverses its polarity (page 946). The resting potential of the cell does not change. potassium ions are pumped into the axon. Question 20 2 points Save When a neuron is at rest, sodium ions are most concentrated inside the cell. potassium ions are most concentrated inside the cell. the outside of the cell is negatively charged. b and c. (page 946) Question 21 2 points Save After an action potential, the voltage-gated sodium channels close and then sodium ions diffuse into the axon. potassium ions flow out of the axon. (page 947) the membrane potential becomes positive. neurotransmitters cross the cell membrane. Question 22 2 points Save. Refer to the illustration below to answer this question. Which structure regulates movement and posture? A B (Cerebellum) C D Question 23 2 points Save Refer to the illustration in question 22 to answer this question. Which structure regulates intellectual function? A (Cerebrum) B C D Question 24 2 points Save The brain stem is responsible for directing information in the brain and secreting hormones. regulating vital functions and memory. (pages 951-952) motor processing and regulating homeostatic functions. sensory processing and regulating balance. Question 25 2 points Save. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the spinal cord? It runs through the vertebral column. It extends just below the rib cage. It uses spinal nerves to connect to the PNS. It has a dorsal and ventral root at each end. (pages 952-953) Question 26 2 points Save Which of the following is NOT a function of hormones? initiate behavior and reproduction (page 974) coordinate the production and use of energy maintain nutrition and metabolism react to stimuli from outside the body Question 27 2 points Save The gland that is stimulated during emergency situations (causing the fight-or-flight response) is the  hypothalamus. thyroid. adrenal. (page 985) pituitary. Question 28 2 points Save Development and maintenance of female sexual characteristics are mainly stimulated by secretions of the pituitary. hypothalamus. pancreas. ovaries. Question 29 2 points Save Thyroid hormones stimulate cell metabolism and growth. (page 984) slow growth of their target cells. stimulate synthesis of DNA. bind to receptor molecules on the target cells surface. Question 30 2 points Save Which of the following is NOT a major structure of the male reproductive system? testes corpus luteum epididymis urethra Question 31 2 points Save. A sperm cell consists of a tail used for locomotion and a head that contains ____, which help(s) the sperm cell penetrate an egg cell. semen RNA enzymes (page 997) mucous Question 32 2 points Save After the ovum leaves the ovary, what is the first structure it passes through? corpus luteum cervix uterus fallopian tubes (page 1000) Question 33 2 points Save Which of the following is NOT a major structure of the female reproductive system? bulbourethral glands uterus ovary fallopian tube Question 34 10 points Save Match the terms in Column I with the definitions in Column II. Skeletal system F endocrine system H immune system C reproductive system I muscular system F circulatory system D digestive system G respiratory system A excretory system J nervous system E A. regulates supply of gases from ATP production B. provides negative feedback signals C. protects body against foreign dangers D. rapid transit for liquids and gases E. primary regulator of sensory functions F. provides support and means of motion G. processes materials for growth and maintenance H. makes cells used in circulatory system I. only system in which meiosis occurs J. takes out whats not wanted in the blood.

Contrasting the Natural and Mechanical Worlds in Hathaways Oh, Oh Essa

Contrasting the Natural and Mechanical Worlds in Hathaway's Oh, Oh      Ã‚   The French poet and essayist Louis Aragon, in his Paris Peasant, wrote that "light is meaningful only in relation to darkness, and truth presupposes error--we only exist in terms of this conflict, in the zone where black and white clash" (Aragon 18).   Aragon noted that the world is full of contrasts, and it is through those contrasts that we live and understand who we are and why we are here.   Without an understanding of light, Aragon argues, we cannot understand what darkness really is.   Or, without an awareness as to the concept of truth, one cannot possibly error, for the act cannot be defined.   In William Hathaway's poem "Oh, Oh," the poet uses language, word choices, images, onamatopoeic descriptions, and even the title of the poem to define the intrusion of the mechanical harshness of the world into the carefree land of nature.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The images, content, and focus of the poem change with the intrusion of the train.   Before the protagonist's girl notices the train, the two characters are concerned with the cows, grass, and simply ambling down a country lane.   But, as soon as the train approaches, and as it passes, the characters are no longer concerned with nature.   Rather, they suddenly begin dreaming of "being president" (11) and of "wonderful, faraway places" (14).   This switch from the serenity of nature to the dreams of the world finally ends with the poems last line -- a punishment or at least a warning.   The tranquil and peaceful nature suddenly becomes filled with "fifty Hell's Angels" (17).   But, more than simply motorcycles waiting at a railroad crossing, Hathaway has personified the motorcycles creating the mechanical Hell... ...orld where two universes are defined through their contrast.   Through his world choices, images, and even his title, we are transported to a picturesque country landscape with "moo cows chomping daisies" (2) and "maple dappled summer sunlight" (7).   Standing at a stark contrast to this land is the "lit headlight" (8) of a passing train and "growling [...] Hell's Angels" (17).   Hathaway, through his firm grip of language, has recorded a poem that, through contrasts, gives us an understanding of both the natural and mechanical world in an attempt to show us how we can "look / eagerly to the road ahead" (16-17).       Works Cited Aragon, Louis. Paris Peasant. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1926. Hathaway, William. "Oh, Oh." The Bedford Introduction to   Literature: Leading, Thinking, and Writing. Ed. Michael Meyer. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford, 1996. 593-94.      

Customer Satisfaction of Fast Food Chains Essay

Therefore, this study suspects whether other important variables exist in fast food industry consumer behavior patterns to support this result. This study tries to combine variables that are related to fast food industry characteristics, such as consumption frequency, perceived price and convenience, to propose an integrated model of customer satisfaction and loyalty in the fast food industry, and apply relationship inertia as the mediator to discover the major factors that impact customer satisfaction and loyalty in the fast food industry. This study has collected 594 effective questionnaires and applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to verify the various path relations of the study model. The study result found that in addition to being positively impacted by customer satisfaction, customer loyalty will be impacted by customer relationship inertia more. In the relationship of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, customer relationship inertia plays a key mediator. In addition, perceived price has a negative impact on customer satisfaction and relationship inertia. Convenience will enhance customer satisfaction. Consumption frequency will enhance customer relationship inertia. Finally, this study expects to provide the study result to the fast food industry as a reference for enhancing the customer loyalty strategy. Key words: Customer satisfaction, relationship inertia, customer loyalty, convenience, perceived price. INTRODUCTION The enhancement of national income and the change of consumption habits have resulted in the rapid growth of the market scale in the service industry. In 2008, the average ratio of the global service industry accounted for over 60% of the overall Gross National Product (GNP), the average ration for major developed countries reached over 70%, and at the same time Taiwan also reached 73. 2% (Central Intelligence Agency, 2009). Taking Taiwan as an example, the total turnover of food retail was NT$261. billion in 2001, NT$302. 7 billion in 2006, and NT$321. 7 billion in 2009 (Ministry of Economic Affairs, R. O. C. , 2010). This indicates that the business scale of food retail has the gradual growth trend every year in Taiwan, and its market competition will inevitably become more intense. The fast food industry is the representative food retailer type in various countries. The overall fast food market in the US is expected to grow in the coming years and will cross the US$17 0 billion mark by 2010 (RNCOS, 2009). Corresponding author. E-mail: m9019011@chu. edu. tw Tel: +886-2-28102292. Fax: +886-2-2810-6688. Cheng et al. 5119 The fast food industry in Asia’s major countries, such as China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan can also create a production value over US$1 billion every year (Report buyer, 2009). However, occasionally, there will be some negative food safety events, such as the frying oil containing arsenic, and the beef event (Taiwan news, 2010), which will impact the image and performance of the corporation. However, after the storm has passed, the sales performance of fast food industry can all rise rapidly. This result, in addition to the response management of when the industry has a great crisis, is also a worthy exploration issue of consumers’ purchasing behavior in the fast food industry. For the service industry, the cost of developing a new customer is at least 5 to 9 times the cost to maintain an old customer (Raphel and Raphel, 1995). How to enhance customer satisfaction and customer loyalty will be the important factor that impacts the operating performance of the food retailer. Past studies indicate that customer loyalty will be positively impacted by customer satisfaction (Fornell, 1992; Gwinner et al. , 1998; HennigThurau et al. , 2002; Terblanche, 2006; Hsu, 2008). However, Bruhn and Grund (2000) pointed out that the factors that impact customer loyalty may have some other important factors which are not included in the consideration. Some scholars found that when customers benefit from the past frequent consumption behavior, relationship inertia will be formed, and the past consumer behavior will be continued (Ouellette and Wood, 1998), then there will be no strong motivation to look for alternative plans (Colgate and Danaher, 2000), and the service provider can therefore maintain the current relationship with the customer (Gounaris and Stathakopoulos, 2004). In the study of Carrasco et al. (2005), it also verified that in the consumption of food and service, consumers have the inertia behavior. In addition, consumers will have the habitual repeated purchase behavior due to convenient purchase or other factors (Heiens and Pleshko, 1997). When competitors offer a lower price, it will enhance the possibility of the customer changing the purchase behavior (Wathne et al. , 2001), and also undermine the consumer’s consumption inertia for the original company. The study found that there are three issues existing in the studies of customer purchasing behavior in the fast food industry: (1) Why can consumers rapidly return in such a short period of time after a fast food industry negative news outbreak, or even not be impacted at all. Therefore, regarding the factors that impact customer loyalty in the fast food industry, in addition to customer satisfaction, are there any other important impact factors? (2) The fast food industry is different from the general food retailer. It has the characteristics of being rapid, convenient, and having a low price; however, the commonly seen customer satisfaction model (e. g. American Customer Satisfaction Index; European Customer Customer Satisfaction Index) cannot really present these characteristics. 3) Inertial behavior exists in the food purchasing behavior (Carrasco et al. , 2005). However, there have been no scholars who have applied it to explore the relation between customer satisfaction and loyalty in the fast food industry. It can be seen that there is an important study gap that exists in the exploration of customer satisfaction and loyalty in the fast food industry; therefore, it creates the motive for the study to explore this issue. The major study purpose of the study is to integrate the related variables of fast food industry characteristics, such as consumption frequency, perceived price and convenience, and propose a customer satisfaction and loyalty integrated model for the fast food industry, and apply relationship inertia as the mediator to find out the major factor that impacted the customer satisfaction and loyalty in fast food industry, with the expectation to provide it as a reference for the fast food industry in developing the improvement strategy of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. LITERATURE REVIEW Customer satisfaction The primary task of a corporation is to create customer satisfaction. Profit is not the most important result; after all, it is only the feedback after satisfying the customer (Drucker, 1954). As long as the customer is satisfied, the corporation’s profit will relatively increase. Along with the more and more intense market competition and the rise of consumer awareness, customer satisfaction has a significant impact on corporate profits, and it can provide the future product or service quality of the corporation as a reference according the past consumption experience and assessment of customers. Therefore, customer satisfaction has become a recognized index which can be broadly applied in measuring customer consumption behavior. Customer satisfaction is regarded as customers can get more benefits than their cost (Liu and Yen, 2010). Different scholars’ definitions for customer satisfaction can be summarized as follows: Oliver (1981) thinks that customer satisfaction is the comments made by the surprising experience of product obtainment or consumption. Fornell (1992) pointed out that customer satisfaction is the overall measurement after a customer has purchased the product or used the service. It is the overall attitude created based on experience, which is the comparison of before (expectation) and after (feeling) the customer received the service (product). If the actual feeling after receiving the service exceeded the expectation before receiving the service, then the customer will be satisfied; if it is to the contrary, the customer will not be satisfied. 5120 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. In addition, Kotler (1997) thinks that customer satisfaction is a person’s happiness or disappointment, which is formed by comparing his/her perceived product performance (or result) and his/her product expectation. To be more specific, satisfaction is the function of perceived performance and expectation. Lin (2007) pointed out that good service quality will indeed satisfy the diversified demands of the customer, which means customer satisfaction is the overall assessment of products and services processed by customers according to the past experience. When the actual service result provided by the service provider is higher than the customer service expectation, then the customer will be very satisfied; if it is to the contrary, the customer will be very dissatisfied (Joewono and Kubota, 2007). In addition, Fornell et al. (1996) pointed out that the measurement of customer satisfaction can be divided into the overall satisfaction level of a customer on a corporation, the difference between expectation and actual feeling, and the difference between actual feeling and ideal perfect service (product). Combining all of the above-mentioned scholars’ dissertations, customer satisfaction is the result of comparing customer expectation and experience. Therefore, the study will refer to the perspective and measurement dimension of Fornell et al. (1996) as the basis for measuring food retailer satisfaction. Customer loyalty For the service industry, the cost of developing a new customer is at least 5 to 9 times the cost to maintain an old customer. If the customer loyalty can be increased 5% effectively, then 25-85% profit can be increased (Raphel and Raphel, 1995). Therefore, if the service industry wants to reduce the expenditures on money and time cost, it shall focus on maintaining customers, not obtaining new customers (Oliver, 1999). It will bring a long-term or short-term profit by maintaining a long-term relationship with the customer, because maintaining long-term relationship refers to keeping the customer and obtaining his/her loyalty (Ranaweera and Prabhu, 2003). It can be seen that the importance of customer loyalty establishment on the service industry operation cannot be understated. If the food service industry can keep the customer and make him/her a loyal customer, then it will also be able to bring long-term operating efficiency. Dick and Basu (1994) pointed out that customer loyalty can be divided into true loyalty, false loyalty, potential loyalty and no loyalty according to the strength level of the relationship between the personal attitude and repurchase behavior. Schneider and Bowen (1999) pointed out that customer loyalty refers to a customer’s possible repurchase behavior, and willingness to become a member of the service institution. Neal (1999) thinks that customer loyalty is the performance of a consumer still choosing the same product or service after comparing it with other competitor’s products with the premise that the competitive product can be easily purchased, and it will go through the four stages of perceived loyalty, emotional loyalty, intentional loyalty and action loyalty (Oliver, 1999). In the measurement of customer loyalty, Zeithaml et al. 1996) pointed out that the measurement items of customer loyalty in customer behavior intention include: repurchase after the price has increased (price tolerance), priority purchase and recommendation. Fornell et al. (1996) thinks that customer loyalty can be measured by the repurchase will and customer price tolerance. Gronholdt et al. (2000) pointed out that customer loy alty be constructed by the four measurement indexes of the repurchase will, the will of recommending the company or brand to others, price tolerance and cross-purchase will of the customer. Finally, the study mainly refers to the perspectives of Fornell et al. (1996) and Zeithaml et al. (1996) and the service characteristics of the food retailer to summarize the measurement method of customer loyalty in the behavior dimension of the four measurement indexes, which are repurchase will, recommending to others, price tolerance and priority repurchase. Relationship inertia Relationship inertia is a fixed consumption pattern. With all consumption, customers will purchase the same product because of habit, without the need to spend energy or time to think too much during the decision making process (Assael, 1998). The reason for this type of consumer purchasing the same brand or purchasing the same product repeatedly is that they feel comfortable due to not having to make new choices. When purchasing the same brand again, it can save time, and by being familiar with the brand, there will be no sense of difference, and also can reduce the perceived risk (Bloemer and Kasper, 1994). Dick and Basu (1994) pointed out that the false loyalty in customer loyalty has the characteristic of low preference attitude, and high repeat purchase rate, and inertia is a kind of false loyalty performance. In addition, Oliver (1999) pointed out that after the consumer decides to be on the relationship inertia track of action loyalty with a brand, then the previous assessment, trial and elimination in the consumption process can be removed, therefore, relationship inertia is the performance of action loyalty. Colgate and Danaher (2000) proposed that relationship inertia is the basis of human nature. When the customer is used to a specific thing, he/she will not have the motive that is too strong to look for alternatives plans, which means habit is an automatic behavioral tendency responding to a person’s past development (Limayem and Hirt, 2003). In other words, inertia is a specific future behavioral intension a person usually does and also Cheng et al. 5121 shows, which allows the current behavior to continue. Therefore people will continue and repeatedly do things in the way they are used to. Inertia is guided by rapid, easy, and the least attention grabbing perceived process, and can be a parallel processed with other activities, which does not have further thought or rational analysis on their behavior, and is just based on the habit (Ouellette and Wood, 1998; Gefen, 2003). After combining the aforementioned perspectives and the characteristics of food retail, the study defines the relationship inertia of the fast food industry customer as: customers often form a dependent and characteristic relationship with a specific food or service quality with their own habit factor. They will not have a motive that is too strong to look for alternative food service. Gremler (1995) defined relationship inertia as the inertial behavior during repeat purchase of consumers avoiding decision making and having high-repeatable visits. Therefore, â€Å"If there are no other reasons, the original store service will still be chosen†, â€Å"Unless I’m not satisfied, the original store service will still be chosen†, and â€Å"It is most unlikely for me to shop in the store† are used to measure relationship inertia. Carrasco et al. (2005) applied Panel data to view whether the customers’ consumption behavior has inertia, and found that indeed there is inertia behavior for consumers in the food and service consumption. From the abovementioned studies, the study refers to the perspectives of many scholars (Gremler, 1995; Gefen, 2003; Carrasco et al. , 2005) and combines them with the consumer characteristics of the fast food industry, and derived five items to measure the customer relationship inertia of the fast food industry. The items are respectively the fast food store visit inertia, familiarity, impression, will of continuous selection and will of enjoying to consume in this store. characteristics. It can be known from the abovementioned scholars’ perspectives that past frequency is often applied in measuring customer behavior intention, and to further understand consumer future behavior intention. With the frequency exploration of the abovementioned scholars, the study will apply the store consumption frequency at a specific time to measure the food consumption frequency. Perceived price Since the operating environment of the service industry changes rapidly, service industry suppliers often apply the method of reducing service quality to correspond to the dilemma of little profit, which therefore results in the lose-lose predicament of consumers and suppliers. From the consumer perspective, price is the amount which needs to be paid for the consumer to obtain the product (Hawkins et al. , 1983), or the price that the consumer must give up or sacrifice to obtain a product (Zeithaml, 1998).

Pharmocology

The exact mechanism of action of ingloriousness is unknown however it is known to researchers and medical professionals that ingloriousness suppress the immune response of Re- negative pats. To Re- positive red blood cells as well as reestablishing normal importunately pathways (Apostate). Side Effects of MOA – Octagon and Privilege both have black box warnings however this black box warning does not apply to all Ingloriousness.The black box warning consists of increased risk of acute renal dysfunction/failure as well as thrombosis. The risk of thrombosis is increased in patients over the age of 65 years old, prolonged manipulation, etc. (Apostate). Other serious side effects include hypersensitivity, nonphysical, rather multiform, hyperinflation, hypersensitivity, aseptic meningitis, psychotherapeutic, viral transmission risk, and hemolytic anemia Teaching – It Is common for the patient to experience headache, cough, (Apostate). Cause and vomiting, rash, Uralic, fever, rigors, flushing, back pain, fatigue, chest tightness, muscle cramps, and elevated BUN Cry elevated lab values (Apostate). It is important to alert your doctor of any allergy before beginning to take these medications. Do not get any type of immunization while taking ingloriousness without getting an okay from your doctor (Monoclinic). Administration Consideration (Special timing, take with/without food, etc. ) – It is important to take this medication on a very regular schedule as well as making sure to take the medication with food.There Is a serious risk of nonphysical with these medications so the Importance of telling your doctors your allergies is very great (Monoclinic). Drug/Drug Interactions Major – proportioning most concerning) – Consult your doctor if you are on any medications for heart problems, blood clotting, or atherosclerosis as ingloriousness can cause an increased risk for blood clotting and a higher risk when these other types of medication s are Involved (Monoclonal).Taking other immune globulins at the time of administration can cause a very serious side effect of nonprescription (Apostate). Required Labs – Numerous ingloriousness labs must be completed to determine which mucilaginous within the body has quit working. (Gig, leg, LCD, IGMP, and Gig). Doctors use these tests to determine what type of indemnification disease the patient is suffering from by seeing which mucilaginous levels are increased or decreased from the normal lab values (Kids Health).

Every IB Business and Management Past Paper Available FREE and Official

Every IB Business and Management Past Paper Available FREE and Official SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you want to do well on your IB exams (which you should since acing them will get you college credits), you need to prepare like you would for any standardized test such as the PSAT, SAT or ACT, with practice tests. Preparing for the IB exams doesn't simply mean reviewing your class notes. You should use IB Business and Management past papers as practice tests so that you feel prepared for the length, format, and types of questions asked. In this article, I'll provide you with links to IB Business and Management past papers, free and official. Additionally, I'll give advice on how to use them to ace your real IB test. Free IB Business and Management Past Papers Links The IB has cracked down on illegally uploaded real past papers in the last few years, so many previous sources are no longer available. Compounding this problem, IB so far has not provided any free sample IB Business and Management exam papers on its website. We'll be sure to update this article as soon as they do with links, though! While searching for "free IB Business and Management papers" online may still turn up some results, we do not recommend using them, as there's no guarantee those papers are real past IB papers. Instead, we recommend using the relatively inexpensive official paid IB past papers and markschemes for further practice. Paid IB Business and Management Past Papers Links To download safe and official IB Business and Management SL/HL past papers and markschemes, purchase them from the Follet IBO store directly. Currently, the IBO store has two sets of English-language IB Business and Management SL past papers and IB Business and Management HL past papers in the new, 2016-exam format: one set from May 2017 and one from November 2016. (There are a small number of past IB Business Management papers in French and Spanish available on the store as well.) Note: The IBO sells each paper and mark scheme individually (boo); an individual paper or mark scheme costs $3 (or about  £2.50). This means a full test (with all papers and mark schemes) will cost about $12. Buying everything on the site from 2015 to 2017 will be costly (not to mention in different languages), so we recommend you only buy the two most recent (November 2016 and May 2017) past papers. These past papers will be the most similar to your test, and two exams will provide plenty of practice. How to Use These Exams An IB Business and Management test will take you 3 hours for SL or 4.5 hours for HL. If you are going to invest that much time, you need to be maximizing your learning from these tests. To make sure you get the most out of each practice test, follow these rules: #1: Split the Test Over Two Days In May 2019, the IBO scheduled Paper 1 and Papers 2 on two separate days before and after a weekend. If possible, you should copy this schedule exactly so that your practice is realistic. At the very least, make sure you are taking the two papers on two different days. Having to hold on to the information over multiple days (with a weekend in-between!) makes it difficult to cram for this test. You need to have mastered the IB Business and Management concepts and be able to write intelligently about them. #2: Use Exact Timing. Make sure you time yourself so that you force yourself to practice your pacing. The time allowed per paper is: Business and Management SL Paper 1- 1 hour 15 minutes Paper 2- 1 hour 45 minutes Business and Management HL Paper 1- 2 hours 15 minutes Paper 2- 2 hours 15 minutes Do not stray from this timing, not even by a minute. You need to get used to the actual exam timing. Also, you’ll get an inflated practice exam score if you allow yourself extra time. Don’t do it! Stick to the real timing so that you have a realistic indicator of your IB score. #3 (and the most important): Review! After completing all papers, review your exam with the mark scheme. Why do you need to review? Reviewing helps you figure out what mistakes you are making or what information you do not know before you take the real IB Business and Management exam. If you don’t check your answers, you’ll make the same mistakes on the actual IB Business and Management test. Take some time (at minimum an hour) to review your answers. Taking one practice test with in-depth review is far superior to taking 8 tests without review. What’s Next? Learn more about IB Business and Management and related topics: IB Business and Management Study Guide Return on Assets: What It Is and How to Use It Check out where to find past papers for your other classes: Every IB Biology Past Paper Available: Free and Official Where to Find IB Chemistry Past Papers - Free and Official Every IB Economics Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB English Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB Geography Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB History Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB Math Past Paper Available: Free and Official Where to Find IB Physics Past Papers - Free and Official Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Lepenski Vir - Mesolithic Village in the Republic of Serbia

Lepenski Vir - Mesolithic Village in the Republic of Serbia Lepenski Vir is a series of Mesolithic villages located on a high sandy terrace of the Danube River, on the Serbian bank of the Iron Gates Gorge  of the Danube river. This site was the location of at least six village occupations, beginning about 6400 BC, and ending about 4900 BC. Three phases are seen at Lepenski Vir; the first two are whats left of a complex foraging society; and Phase III represents a farming community. Life in Lepenski Vir Houses in Lepenski Vir, throughout the 800-year-long Phase I and II occupations, are laid out in a strict parallelepiped plan, and each village, each collection of houses is arranged in a fan shape across the face of the sandy terrace. The wooden houses were floored with sandstone, often covered with a hardened limestone plaster and sometimes burnished with red and white pigments. A hearth, often found with evidence of a fish-roasting spit, was placed centrally within each structure. Several of the houses held altars and sculptures, sculpted out of the sandstone rock. Evidence seems to indicate that the last function of the houses at Lepenski Vir was as a burial site for a single individual. Its clear that the Danube flooded the site regularly, perhaps as much as twice a year, making permanent residence impossible; but that residence resumed after the floods is certain. Many of the stone sculptures are monumental in size; some, found in front of houses at Lepenski Vir, are quite distinctive, combining human and fish characteristics. Other artifacts found in and around the site include a vast array of decorated and undecorated artifacts, such as miniature stone axes and figurines, with lesser amounts of bone and shell. Lepenski Vir and Farming Communities At the same time as foragers and fishers lived at Lepenski Vir, early farming communities sprang up around it, known as the Starcevo-Cris culture, who exchanged pottery and food with the inhabitants of Lepenski Vir. Researchers believe that over time Lepenski Vir evolved from a small foraging settlement to the ritual center for the farming communities in the areainto a place where the past was revered and the old ways followed. The geography of Lepenski Vir may have played an enormous part in the ritual significance of the village. Across the Danube from the site is the trapezoidal mountain Treskavek, whose shape is repeated in the floor plans of the houses; and in the Danube in front of the site is a large whirlpool, the image of which is repeatedly carved into many of the stone sculptures. Like Catal Hoyuk in Turkey, which is dated to roughly the same period, the site of Lepenski Vir provides us with a glimpse into Mesolithic culture and society, into ritual patterns and gender relationships, into the transformation of foraging societies into agricultural societies, and into resistance to that change. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com Guide to the European Mesolithic, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Bonsall C, Cook GT, Hedges REM, Higham TFG, Pickard C, and Radovanovic I. 2004. Radiocarbon and stable isotope evidence of dietary change from the Mesolithic to the Middle Ages in the Iron Gates: New results from Lepenski Vir. Radiocarbon 46(1):293-300. Boric D. 2005. Body Metamorphosis and Animality: Volatile Bodies and Boulder Artworks from Lepenski Vir. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 15(1):35-69. Boric D, and Miracle P. 2005. Mesolithic and Neolithic (dis)continuities in the Danube Gorges: New AMS dates from Padina and Hajducka vodenica (Serbia). Oxford Journal of Archaeology 23(4):341-371. Chapman J. 2000. Lepenski Vir, in Fragmentation in Archaeology, pp. 194-203. Routledge, London. Handsman RG. 1991. Whose art was found at Lepenski Vir? Gender relations and power in archaeology. In: Gero JM, and Conkey MW, editors. Engendering Archaeology: Women and Prehistory. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p 329-365. Marciniak A. 2008. Europe, Central and Eastern. In: Pearsall DM, editor. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. New York: Academic Press. p 1199-1210.

Rumbold v General Medical Council Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Rumbold v General Medical Council - Essay Example At interview Mr. A found it difficult to appreciate the severity of the offenses for which he appears before the court, viewing himself more as a victim of modern technology rather than as an offender. He had clearly given little consideration to the harm caused to children by the production or distribution of such images, although when this was discussed with him, he did admit that he was beginning to realize the harm that this could cause. Mr. A is a 44-year-old man, who is married with two young children aged 8 and 10. He has no previous convictions. As a result of this conviction, his partner has ended their 15-year relationship and he now resides with his parents in a household with no children. He currently has no access to his children, a matter which is being dealt with by social services and the civil courts. Whilst he understands the reasons for this he tells me that he is profoundly depressed as a result of the breakdown of his family. He is adamant that he has never posed any risk to his family. Mr. A left education following a degree in public sector management, and until his conviction work as a manager for the local authority. He is currently suspended from work pending the outcome of his sentence. Mr. A tells me that he has never had any issues relating to alcohol or drug dependency, however, his level of alcohol use has increased in recent months as a result of his anxiety relating to these proceedings. Mr. A continues to make a financial contribution to support his ex-partner and their children. In the case study above it is stated that the number of images was relatively small. There is no indication of the level of the images and therefore it is not possible to give a definitive answer as to whether a community sentence is appropriate.

Globalization of the Microsoft Corporation Essay

Globalization of the Microsoft Corporation - Essay Example This process is not necessarily between the people but also amongst various companies and organizations. Jaffe, Bacchus and Alon (2006) believe that anything that happens around the world is labeled as globalization. Hence, the fact that whether it is related to the business world or not, the term globalization is of an immense importance, but it is necessary for us to discuss further how or why this notion is raised an essential question. It has been elucidated that globalization is relevant to money making only, whereas, it has also been verified that not only money is exchanged through globalization but cultures, customs, traditions, values and beliefs are also a product of transference in the current era. In my perspective as the further study is related to an organization which is business related, hence, I shall support the former outlook. The reasoning behind the goodwill of the former topic lies in the explanation that customs, traditions, values, beliefs and cultures are tra nsferred and exchanged through globalization. Hence, when people circulate through borders they tend to circulate money of that specified territory as well. Hence, when money is circulated from country to country and from region to region, this process causes the mingling of businesses. This is the reason why the notion of today’s globalization holds such an importance as the circulation of almost everything throughout the world that is related to it. Hence, the world is now called a global village. Brawley (2008: pp.198) correctly states that â€Å"One of the most important aspects of globalization is the integration of economies across great distances.† THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: We might have heard Bill Gates’ name somewhere. Gates; someone everyone is well... This essay discusses that the major question that is to be analyzed is that how shall an organization like Microsoft should develop a strategy in order to achieve what they are working upon and what the market and customer requirements reveal. This notion can be spurred by the answer of Davenport, Leibold, and Voelpel that â€Å"Strategy generally requires careful, analytical calculation and choice, which assumes that there is a great deal of reliable information available.† As this organization climbs up the mountain of success it shall keep the future conflicts and divergences in mind. In Sà ¤Ãƒ ¤ksvuori and Immonen’s (2002) perspective business strategies affect the product strategies, which could work the other way as well. Looking at the diverse product nature of the products offering by Microsoft and the way the products are designed to cater the customer all around the world like providing language options in its products by using National Language Support (NLS) . The codes written for the products at Microsoft required the developers to understand the concepts of globalization and localization.When the runners of this organization will look upon it as their personal asset, they will understand the complete methodology of a transparent system. This can be done when they think less about their profit and more about the success of the entire organization as an institution of a society. How this organization can help in the improvement of various aspects which not only include economy but also other factors.

Action report 4 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Action report 4 - Article Example The most affected are the young workers looking for the first opportunity to have a job as they have no experience. Also, the increase in the minimum wage reduces the freedom of the American citizens in spending. This is because there will be increase in the price of services and products in the economy (Schmitt, 18). Also according to the article, â€Å"Why Does the Minimum Wage Have No Discernible Effect on Employment,† research has evidently shown that minimum wage has no discernible effect on the employment practice of the low-wage earners. This is because the cost of the minimum wage in most firms is relatively small and that employers have many channels of adjustments. One channel of adjustment is that employers may reduce their expenditures on job training for low wage workers. Employers may also adjust by upgrading the skill level of their workforce and work against the employment of the less-experienced and less-educated workers. Employers in a highly competitive economy may also respond to a high minimum wage by passing the added cost to the consumers in form of high prices (Schmitt, 16). In conclusion, employers can cut pay to more highly paid workers, shift the composition towards higher skilled workers and accept a smaller profit margin as minimum wage has no discernible effect on employment. As for the workers, they may respond to the higher wage by working harder on the job and reducing labor turnover which enables the employers to save on

Critical approach

Critical approach Introduction Critical theory sets out to critically examine organisations in contemporary society. This approach has emerged from the radical humanist paradigm (Morgan, 1995, Burrell, 2000). This approach argues that a positivist (functionalist/modernist) approach to the management of organizations if not utilised cautiously it may result in the dehumanisation of the employee and the workplace. Individuals are generally seen as machines and work as a technical process (Robbins and Barnwell, 2006, pp. 21-22). It is the humanist approach that focuses on placing people first rather than those of the organisation. It also argues that organisations need to be ethical and humane. Unfortunately, these ideals are not always pursued by organisations. A critical approach sets out to improve the practices and traditions of the positivist/functionalist approach to management. For example, a critical perspective sees work as the problem rather than the positivist view of the worker as the problem. However, critical theorists are not focused on removing the system but rather prefer to improve it through raising awareness, critical reflection and self analysis (Robbins and Barnwell, 2006, p. 22). Learning outcomes After completing this module/topic, you should be able to Outline and analyse the basic assumptions of the radical humanist paradigm. Outline the various critical theories and analyse the implications they have for managing organisations. Analyse the basis of and the need for an ethical approach to managing organisations Analyse the link between critical theory and the radical humanist paradigm Define and explain the concept of ‘alienation and its implications for organisations Develop an understanding of the radical humanist concept of power Critically evaluate the concept of ‘ideological trap Explain and analyse issues such as diversity, equity and fairness in organisations Critical theory Critical theory has its origins in the Radical Humanist Paradigm (see Crowther and Green, Chapter 9 on E.Reserve). This approach questions the current accepted views of organisations and their impact on society. Previous examples of now outdated views that would not be accepted today would include ideas such as, women should not be encouraged to work and that organisations can freely pollute the environment. The basic assumptions of this paradigm are according to Morgan (1995), Ideological traps: Tunnel vision is based on our previous experience becoming the blueprint for interpreting our current experience (we often let myths and our past experience becomes our reality). We are unable to interpret reality without prejudice. Power dimension: The right to define reality or the right of some to have power over others overt use of power. Power is also used in a subtle or covert way (soft domination) and its use and abuse is often unquestioned. Eg. How is power distributed in organisations? We discuss empowerment and participation but we rarely see this happening in organisations. Ethical dimension: Organisations need to act in an ethical manner. How do the actions of managers and organisations impact on employees and society? People first Work is the problem Critical theory proposes that the functionalist approach to management is based on a technical and mechanistic view of organizations rather than understanding organizations as social and human activity. This technical view of organizations reinforces the view that managing organizations can be achieved by developing more efficient and effective technical control (Alvesson and Willmott, 1996). However, the focus on efficiency and effectiveness may overlook the needs of people in organisations. The use of control in organisation may become authoritarian if not carefully monitored. A critical approach is often viewed as being negative; however, a critical approach is important skill to develop. A critical approach means that we do not take things at face value and question the current way things are done. Contemporary social movements such as environmentalism, feminism and consumer issues often take a critical approach because they question the current belief systems and practices in society and organisations (Crowther and Green, 2004, p. 115). Conflict: Questioning may give rise to conflict but this does not necessarily mean that the conflict needs to be dysfunctional. Critical theory is clear that any conflict should be dealt within the system and in democracies this is done through political debate, academic debate, education, legislation, Television (Australian Story ABC; 7.30 Report, ABC), Documentaries (Who Killed the Electric Car: An Inconvenient Truth), Films (see Erin Brockevich; The Devil Wore Prada) and good journalism (eg. Financial Review; Washington Post; The Economist; The Observer; New Scientist; Business Week). Functionalist theories focus on unifying different ideas and blending peoples ideas into one view of the world. While this idea has merit, taken to its extreme it can result in the demise of the company eg. One Tel and Enron and others. So some conflict, questioning and critique is important in order to ensure that organisations do not descend into group think (see module 6). An example of a critical approach that has been viewed as negative until recently has been the environmental movement. This movement has been seen by business and governments to be overly negative toward business and in particular energy organisations. However, the scientific support (Stern Review and the Report by the United Nations) is so strong that people now take this movement seriously. Therefore organisations need to examine the implications that climate change may have for their business otherwise they may not survive in the long term. In addition a critical approach recognises that there are different and shifting realities and that the interpretation of the issue should be considered within the framework of the context in which it occurs (Crowther and Green, 2004, p. 118). A critical approach (Radical Humanism) consists of many theories that were developed to critique the excesses of the capitalist/business world. Theorists include the Frankfurt school who argued that the over use of technology may prove to dehumanise the workplace. Other critical theorists include; Marcuse argued that consumerism was becoming a problem for society and people were becoming ‘one dimensional. In other words individuals did not question whether they needed to consume but rather they consumed unquestioningly, for example buying bigger cars when oil supplies are diminishing and the problems associated with global warming (The West Australian, 2007). He argued that the creation of ‘false needs that serves to keep people happy and working long hours and in difficult conditions (cited in Burrell and Morgan, 1988, p. 293-294). An important aspect of this theory is the unquestioning acceptance of technology. Habermas argues that work is the dominant form of social action in society. Habermas also suggests that work is a form of communicative distortion because the power relationships in organisations are not equal. Organisational structures do not enable the empowerment of individuals so that they can be free to communicate so that genuine consensus can occur. An ‘ideal speech situation is one where dialogue is open and not influenced by those who are more powerful (Burrell and Morgan, 1988, pp. 294-295; Crowther and Green, 2004, p. 121). An example of this would be the ‘One Tel situation where employees could not discuss the organisations problems with Jodee Rich because he did not want to hear bad news (Robbins and Barnwell, 2006). Habermas proposes that there a three main issues that need to be addressed to ensure empowerment. They are, Technical Reason: the value given to science and technology has taken precedence over human and ethical issues. Control is the main aim with the ends being more important that the way things are done. Practical Reason: this concept refers to the importance of achieving mutual understanding instead of focusing on prediction and control. The means are as important as the goal. The needs of employees and society should be taken into account. Emancipatory reason: communication needs to focus on consensus and be conducted in a climate free from domination. Critical self reflection is important. That is individuals must question their own ideas and values. This self questioning enables the development of critical thinking and frees individuals from past practices (ideological traps) which may not be relevant for the present or the future (Crowther and Green, 2004, pp. 121-122). Critical theorists agree with the interpretivists that assumptions and beliefs are taken for granted by people. However, although they share the idea that organisational life should be explored from a subjective, they prefer to question these beliefs rather than just understand them. Therefore a critical approach is more concerned with developing a questioning and critical approach to organisational life. Journalists, lawyers and researchers are trained in this approach. Academic training focuses on questioning and extending knowledge rather than accepting the status quo. A good example of this focus on questioning are Barry Marshall and Robin Warren who are from Western Australia and received the ‘Nobel Prize† for their work on ulcers in 2005 and made Companions of the Order of Australia in 2007. Their findings challenged the prevailing beliefs and assumptions that ulcers were caused by stress. They found that ulcers were caused by bacteria could be cured by antibiotics. However, the consultant specialists in the field were unimpressed and it took Ten years before they were listened to and almost 20 years before their findings were accepted by the medical establishment and business (Knowles, 2007). Another group that have challenged conventional wisdom have been the environmentalists. Our headlines now are raising the issue of climate and its impact on society (Hartcher, 2007; Stern Report) scientists now are in agreement that climate change has the capacity to severely impact life on earth as we know it is still seen by business as not a major issue. Although the Stern Report (commissioned by the British Government) concluded that climate change is the consequence of the greatest market failure and called for business to take action to control greenhouse emissions, American CEOs were far less concerned about climate change than the Europeans (Kitney, 2007, p. 40). Critical thinking is concerned with the development of foresight and learning (Fulop, 1992). Organisations and society cannot always wait until the problem has been experienced objectively because by the time we experience the event it may too late to rectify the situation. The lack of a Tsunami warning system in the Indian ocean was an example of this problem. Scientists had been warning for many years that a warning system was needed. Many lives and businesses were lost as a result of the Tsunami. Without critical thinking we cannot have innovation and change. Change requires questioning what we are doing currently and if it can be done better. The radical humanist concept ‘ideological trap illustrates how people can become trapped in a non-reflective and unquestioning way of thinking. Stop and Consider: Why should people and society question current thinking? Can you outline any examples of ‘ideological traps Business leaders have that need to be challenged to ensure a focus on the human side of organisations? A critical approach to organisations: Placing people first Critical theory proposes that organisations should be concerned with the emancipation and empowerment of employees in organizations. Critical theory also recognises that the placing of people first is not always the primary concern of organisations. For example, although organisations argue they foster empowerment, there is evidence that employees are working longer hours and extreme jobs are becoming the norm (Hewlett and Buck Luce, 2007). If employees are over controlled then organizations face the prospects of employees experiencing alienation. Alienation results in employees experiencing low motivation, low morale, poor mental health, job dissatisfaction, job stress, anxiety and depression (Kanungo, 1992). Work alienation is defined as ‘an experienced psychological state of the individual that represents a cognitive separation from ones job and other work contexts; a sense of frustration and accompanying negative affect, that is the result of the workers perception that they have failed to achieve their objectives through their job, and results in the experience of apathy (Kanungo, 1992, p. 414). Empowerment is considered by critical theorists to be a way of overcoming alienation. Empowerment involves giving the worker more control over their work by participating in decision-making. In addition it involves giving the worker encouragement, and to provide workers with meaningful goals. According to Kanungo (1992) empowerment has an ethical foundation and goes beyond the focus on the bottom line. Thus Kanungo (1992) argues that organisational ethics begins with the humane treatment of workers. Soft domination The central tension in organisations is often between resistance and obedience. Management control excessive use of coercion invites overt resistance because is used in an obvious manner. However, power as a form of control can also be used in a more subtle way. According to Courpasson soft domination is characterised by the administration of rule that give managerial discretion to managers while reinforcing the strength of centralised authority. It is based on the appearance of equality and fairness but ultimately in organisations the power lies with only a few (Cited in Clegg, Kornberger and Pitsis, 2005, p. 169). Processes such as performance appraisals, promotion systems, discipline procedures and being made redundant all contribute to feelings of powerlessness and that others have the right to define the workers reality. Teamwork is often seen associated with the rhetoric of empowerment but it can be a form of soft domination. Single solutions such as TQM, Lean production, Learning organisations, and BPR appear to reverse the individualistic approach of Scientific Management. Teamwork and in particular self managing teams does not isolate workers and set them competitively against each other. In contrast to scientific management teamwork encourages communication and sociability among workers. However, Barker notes that it is a form of ‘concertive control because the team members watch over each other because the responsibility for rule making is shifted to the team who then set their own limits. It is more difficult to argue with team members than it is to argue with a supervisor. The subtlety of ‘concertive control is powerful and very difficult to escape (Cited in Clegg, Kornberger and Pitsis (2005, p. 172-174). Concertive control has the capacity to promote the notion of overwork and extreme jobs because people feel they cannot take time off such as a sick day because they will let others down. A study by Deery, Iverson and Walsh (2002) studied five call centres (480 telephone service operators) in the communications industry has show that the use of teams alone cannot overcome problems in the workplace. The study also showed that elements of scientific management contributed to worker exhaustion. These researchers carried out a well designed study and used good quality scales of measurement and analysis. Workers in this industry are often subject to customer hostility and verbal abuse. Workers were measured on employee withdrawal, emotional exhaustion, customer interactions and scripted conversational rules. Workload items included were the pace of work, role overload, and routinisation of work, team leader support and physical health. They found that customer abuse along with scripted and rigid rules of response also contributed to emotional exhaustion. Workers experience exhaustion because although the scripted approach facilitates a more efficient approach to the custom er, less time is spent with them so that workers can deal with more calls. Consequently customers feel that they are not important and often become abusive. This streamlined approach is based on Taylors scientific management principles. However, it only serves to dehumanise the worker and irritate the customer. The researchers initially thought that the longer a person stayed with the organisation they would become more competent and therefore less likely to experience exhaustion. However, this was not the case. The longer workers stayed the more they were likely to experience emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion was also associated with withdrawal (levels of absence). Withdrawal was related to a high workload and customer abuse. The symptoms of withdrawal and emotional exhaustion are linked to the concept of ‘alienation. A critical approach: Are organisations ethical? A critical approach argues that organisations should have an ethical approach when conducting their business. This means dealing with their employees, clients, society and other business associates in an ethical manner. This contrasts with the functionalist theories that are concerned with efficiency and effectiveness. Functionalist theories focus on survival and profits. Now these are important for without organisations the majority of people would not be able work and survive. However, if organisations only focus on their own interests then the ramifications may ultimately be detrimental for their survival and lose the good will of the community. The pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness may become an ideological trap (tunnel vision) that prevents organisations from seeing the bigger picture. Activity: Read James Hardie from fibro in suburbia to mesothelioma and the US siding market in Robbins and Barnwell (2006, p.254). The focus on organisational success in terms of profits etc can lead an organisation and its management to develop tunnel vision (ideological trap) which stops them from considering ethical issues and how society views its actions. The idea of unquestioned obedience needs to be explored. The question ‘why do people do morally bad things whey they are asked to do so by those in authority? What aspects of organisational life make unquestioning obedience occur? The technique of power, i.e. the right to define reality enables leaders to ask people to do things they would not normally do. Therefore if employees are authorised to do something then it takes away the responsibility for questioning their leader. Milgram (cited in Clegg et al., 2005, p. 181-182) showed how easily this could be done. He found that individuals are inclined to follow the commands of people who are in authority. He created an experiment where ordinary people were directed by scientists to do cruel things to other people (participants) as part of a laboratory experiment. When the individuals were instructed to deliver electric shocks to the participants they did so (however, they did not know that the shocks were not real and the parti cipants were actors). The individuals believed that each shock they gave was higher than the previous one. If the individuals could see the participants only 30% administered the shock if they, however, if they could not see the participant then 62% were willing to administer the shock. Milgram showed that the obligations of the situation were stronger than the individuals ethical and moral values. Milgram also found that when the expert was questioned then individuals were less likely to follow instructions unquestioningly If organisations do not empower employees to speak up and contradict ideas and thinking, then CEOs will not be exposed to different perspectives and/or limit the probability of unethical behaviour in organisations. Therefore it is easy to regard the person speaking against the issue to be incompetent, a trouble maker and/or a whistleblower. In module five it was noted that the functionalist to culture focused on developing a single corporate culture. However, a critical approach would argue that this may lead to an organisations downfall if taken to the extreme (One Tel, Enron) or experience major problems such as James Hardie (Robson, 2007; Robbins and Barnwell, 2006, p. 254). The power of the organisation to facilitate organisational commitment and loyalty has advantages and disadvantages. A study by Ahern and McDonald (2002) found that nurses who were more traditional in their behaviour and deferred to the surgeon and others in authority in a hospital were less likely to report misconduct. However, nurses who were committed to their profession and the nursing code of ethics tended to report misconduct because they were advocates for their patients. Traditional nurses felt powerless to alter the status quo were restricted in their moral and ethical development. Nurses who believed they were advocates for the patient were more likely to blow the whistle in hospitals. These results are not good for either the patients or the organisation because patients like to think their life and health is placed first. In contrast organisations such as hospitals would prefer to have undivided loyalty and that the problem be dealt within the organisation rather than read ing about it in the newspaper. Ethical issues such as insider trading have created difficulties for organisations and their shareholders. It is difficult to prove; however, in 2002 the burden of proof was lowered with the introduction of civil penalties. One of the recent cases involved Steve Vizard who was fined $390, 000 and banned from managing a corporation for more than 10 years. (Johnston, 2007, p. 32). Johnston (2007) also draws attention to other Australians and overseas people who have been prosecuted for insider trading. The Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC) is a corporate watchdog that oversees companies to ensure they abide by Australian company laws. The legal system attempts to ensure that corrupt and unethical behaviour does not occur in organisations, however, the legal framework, cannot ensure businesses are ethical and moral. For example, large mining companies now accept that closing a mine is not just walking away from a ravaged landscape. Closing a mine is now an environmental and sustainable process (Mellish, 2007). Legislation and public sector organisations in Australia attempt to ensure that employee and community safety is ensured, that minorities are treated fairly and that the environment is not compromised. Until recently Australia had one of the best legal systems in the world for ensuring the workplace treated workers fairly. The new ‘Work Choices legislation, according the Professor of Law at Sydney University is now comparable with the US and Australians will find that their jobs in the future will be less secure and less well paid (Mccallum, 2007). An ethical approach: Diversity in organisations A critical approach to organizations also examines the decisions and practices of organizations for their ethical approach. It challenges the notion that management is a scientific and impartial process. The pursuit of gender equity in organizations is a humanist and ethical approach to organizations. For many years women in organizations were not given equal pay for equal work. The view that women should receive less pay than men was an outcome of the historic industrial wage decision by Justice Higgins in the Harvester Judgement in 1907. Justice Higgins determined what was needed by a man to support his wife and children at a reasonable standard of comfort. It was also argued that women should receive 54% of the male wage because she only had to support herself and/or supplement her husbands salary. Societys values supported this approach and the unequal pay and unfair treatment of women at work continued until 1972 . Married women usually had to resign their positions on marriage and married women were not allowed to join the Public Service until 1966. Following the introduction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act in the states of Australia the workforce was generally gender segregated. However, there are still very few women in senior management positions in large organizations and fewer women directors of Australian Companies. Barriers to womens progression in organizations occur through social and organizational practices and the final barrier to senior position is called the ‘glass ceiling (Robbins and Barnwell, 2006). Learning Activity: Read pages 501 to 512 in Robbins and Barnwell (2006) and outline the different barriers that inhibit womens progression in the workplace. What does the ‘glass ceiling mean? Do question three on page 528 of your text. A critical approach by women and men has questioned the early ideas of women and work and enshrined a fair go for both women and minority groups into legislation. The main feminist theories that emerge from critical theory are Radical Feminist Theory, Psychoanalytic Theory and Anti-capitalist feminist theories (see table 16.1 in Robbins and Barnwell, 2006, p. 516). These theories explore the reasons for the unfair and discriminatory treatment of women. In 1986 Federal legislation was introduced to ensure that women were treated fairly at work was the introduction of the Affirmative Action (Equal Opportunity for Women) Act 1986. The Act specified a number of provisions that organizations must meet to fulfil the requirements of the Act (Robbins and Barnwell, 2006, p. 522).