Informational Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Educational - Essay Example The brand has different items in its portfolio like lipsticks, nail shines, creams, salves and shampoos. At the present time, I work with advancing their universal scope of shampoos. With my experience in MBA promoting, I likewise took an interest in their exploration program that shows how these shampoos are route ahead for various kinds of hair. The outcomes have been overpowering and soon we expect that the item will swing the market in its step. I work on the web, through the telephone and through gathering awesome individuals like you. The brand has an uncommon cleanser made only for hair surfaces like yours. Its called Smooth and Shine. You realize you should attempt it at some point. Let me present myself. My name is Anna H. I am a mother of two youngsters and a sister for some ladies, youthful and old. We sisters live and cooperate in an association called Surviving Cancer. It unites individuals and causes them common persuasive stories and assemble each other's fearlessness. I am an inspirational orator and advisor and frequently connect with them on different issues. With showing endorsements in the four types of hand to hand fighting, I likewise show these sisters yoga and take up practices on positive reasoning. I am aware of around fifty ladies languishing the injury of chemotherapy over bosom disease. I am aware of ten ladies who are losing trust as they are at the edge of distress for absence of assets. I suggest their cases as exceptionally urgent. They could truly profit by a little liberality, both genuinely and intellectually. It would truly help if socially mindful associations like yours could bolster our motivation. Do visit us and on the off chanc e that you are excessively occupied at any rate set aside the effort to check our site. You could bolster us through assets or by letting us compose a little offer of things made by these ladies. It truly makes a difference. Section three Individual business for classmates (an online presentation) Situation: The online condition not just gives the stage to meet new individuals and make companions, yet in addition proficient collusions. Openings lie in the most startling spots and online talk gatherings of school graduated class is one such spot where presentations are definitely inquired. This gives the special stage for an ideal presentation. Kind of crowd: Both types of people. Individuals of various ages utilized in assorted fields of work Explicit reason: To advance myself as the exciting individual you cherished in school, to reveal to them how extraordinary I am at my work and how I can be of help with any calling. At last to potentially remind a couple of old companions, that their school companion is

The Civil Rights Movement Essay -- Black struggle for civil rights in A

Our difficult today is that we have permitted the inner to get lost in the outside  â â â â -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.      Today's reality depends on appearance, and frequently the objective isn't as significant as the methods by which it is accomplished. For what reason is this such an 'issue?' Time after time, individuals come to find that they have squandered their lives progressing in the direction of an objective which, at long last, was never worth such work in the first place, or they understand that they could have approached their activities in an unexpected way. The individuals of current America are tied in with living live for the occasion, facing challenges, not making penances, and never respecting 'the since quite a while ago run'. Taking a gander at the universe of 2015, one can observer the pinnacle of human development. Who can scrutinize the traditions, ethics, and nature of the present Americans, without contending with results?      Consider the Civil Rights Movement (1954-1991). The coordination of the two races would have gone much simpler and quicker if the two sides disposed of their inward standards and convictions and put forth a valiant effort to fulfill the opposite side, along these lines making an equivalent society.      Until Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, certain proficiency tests confined dark democratic. This was an OK endeavor to satisfy dark needs, however the demonstration just opened democratic rights to uneducated individuals (highly contrasting) and put more control in their hands, which was a mix-up. That currently leaves the inquiry, ?for what reason were there so a lot more uneducated blacks than whites?...

Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories

Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories Basics Print Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on June 24, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on July 17, 2019 Verywell / Andrea Hickey More in Psychology Basics Psychotherapy Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming In This Article Table of Contents Expand Explanations Effects Risks Reducing Conspiracy Beliefs View All Back To Top There has been a growing interest in recent years in why people believe in conspiracy theories. Recent controversial examples of such theories include the belief that terrorist attacks and mass shootings were staged events orchestrated by the U.S. government. Other examples include the belief that the pharmaceutical industry intentionally spreads diseases or that vaccines cause illness rather than prevent them. While it might seem like these beliefs are rare or even pathological, research has shown that they are surprisingly common. Polls suggest that over one-third of U.S. adults believe that global warming is a hoax. Another study found that half of all Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory. What Is a Conspiracy Theory? A conspiracy theory can be defined as the belief that there are groups that meet in secret to plan and carry out malevolent goals. What explains this common and often deep-rooted belief that powerful, sinister, and secretive groups are conspiring to deceive others â€" particularly in a day and age where we have more access to information and facts that might debunk many of these ideas? Researchers suspect that there are a number of psychological mechanisms that contribute to these beliefs, many of which may be the result of evolutionary processes. In a world where you might feel powerless and alienated, it can be appealing to believe that there are forces plotting against your interests. Once these beliefs take root, cognitive biases and mental shortcuts reinforce and strengthen them. Many of the same factors that fuel other types of problematic thinking, such as a belief in the paranormal, also contribute to conspiracy theories. And while such paranoid ideas are not new, the internet has helped transform the way and the speed in which they are spread. In order to understand why people believe in these conspiracies, it is important to explore some of the psychological explanations and the potential effects these beliefs have. 10 Cognitive Biases That Distort Your Thinking Explanations Researchers suggest that there are a number of different reasons why people believe in conspiracy theories. Many of these explanations boil down to three key driving factors: A need for understanding and consistency (epistemic)A need for control (existential)A need to belong or feel special (social) Epistemic Reasons Epistemic explanations refer to the desire to derive certainty and understanding. The world can be a confusing place filled with events that may seem dangerous and chaotic. People are driven to explain the things that happen in the world around them. Doing so helps them build up a consistent, stable, and clear understanding of how the world works. Factors That Increase Conspiracy Belief: In situations involving large-scale events, where more mundane or small-scale explanations seem inadequateIn situations where people experience distress over uncertainty When people encounter disparate information, it is only natural to look for explanations that connect the dots. Conspiracy theories offer explanations that provide this connection. They also suggest that the underlying causes are hidden from public view. When confusing things happen, believers can then assume that it is because they are being intentionally deceived by outside forces. There is also a connection between conspiracy beliefs and educational levels. Lower educational status tends to be associated with higher levels of conspiracy belief. Having lower analytical abilities and less tolerance for uncertainty also play a role. As a result, people turn to conspiracy theories to provide explanations for events that seem confusing or frightening. The confirmation bias can also play a role in the development of conspiracy belief. People are naturally inclined to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs. So when they run across a theory that supports something that they already think is true, they are more likely to believe the information is also true. How Your Brain Plays Tricks on You Existential Reasons There is also evidence that people turn to conspiracy theories as a way of feeling safer and more in control. When people feel threatened in some way, detecting sources of danger can be a way of coping with anxiety. What The Research Suggests: One study found that people who feel psychologically and sociopolitically disempowered are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories.Another study found that people are also more likely to believe in conspiracies when they are experiencing anxiety. While researchers understand these existential motivations, there is little evidence that believing in these theories actually helps people satisfy their need to feel control and autonomy. In fact, by believing in these theories, people may actually be less likely to engage in actions that would potentially boost their sense of control (such as voting or participating in political activity). So while people may be drawn to conspiracy theories as a way of making sense of the world and feeling more in control of their own destiny, the long-term effects may actually leave people feeling more disempowered than ever before. Social Reasons People can also be motivated to believe in conspiracy due to social reasons. Some researchers have hypothesized that by believing in conspiracies that cast out-groups as the opposition, people are able to feel better about themselves and their own social group. Those who believe in the conspiracy feel that they are the “heroes” of the story, while those who are conspiring against them are “the enemy.” People Believe In Conspiracies When: They are on the “losing” side of a political issueThey have a lower social status due to income or ethnicityThey have experienced social ostracismThey are prejudiced against “enemy” groups they perceive as powerful Such findings suggest that conspiracy belief might arise as a sort of defense mechanism. When people feel disadvantaged, they are motivated to find ways to boost their own self-perceptions. Blaming others by linking them to malevolent plots provides a scapegoat on which to lay blame, thus improving how conspiracy believers view themselves. The belief in conspiracies is also rooted in what is referred to as collective narcissism. This is the belief that your own social group is better, yet less appreciated, by other people. People who feel that they or their social group have been victimized are also less likely to believe in government institutions and more likely to believe in conspiracies. The way in which people encounter and share these ideas should also be noted. It’s easy to dismiss a story shared by a random source that you don’t trust. But when multiple people in your social circle who you do know and trust all seem to believe the same story, it starts to seem less like a silly conspiracy and more like a trusted fact. Sharing these kinds of stories within our networks gives social credence to such conspiratorial thinking. How Your Decisions Are Biased by the First Thing You Hear Effects While researchers have some good theories about why people believe in conspiracies, it is less clear what the ultimate effects of these beliefs are. What researchers have found is that while these beliefs are motivated by a desire to understand, exert control, and feel socially connected, these aren’t the effects people are deriving from their beliefs. Rather than fulfilling these needs, believing in conspiracies seems to reinforce feelings of confusion, isolation, disenfranchisement, and loneliness. It is a destructive cycle - negative feelings contribute to the belief in conspiracies, yet the belief in conspiracies results in negative feelings. Believing in conspiracy theories erodes people’s trust in their government, their leaders, and their institutions. It also diminishes trust in science and research itself. This distrust may discourage people from participating in their social worlds. It might also cause people to stop seeing themselves as valuable contributors to society. Rather than helping people cope with their feelings of social alienation and political disenfranchisement, conspiracy beliefs seem to create a cycle of distrust that leads to even greater disempowerment. Risks Believing in things that are not true poses a number of dangers, which can have real effects that impact individual behavior and ultimately have a ripple impact on society as a whole. A resurgence in Measles outbreaks in the U.S. has been largely attributed to a refusal by some individuals to vaccinate â€" a refusal that stems largely from the conspiratorial belief that vaccines cause autism and other health ailments. Failing to address dangerous misbeliefs presents a potential danger to public health and even the political process itself. Faulty beliefs lead can lead people to not vaccinate, not vote, or, in some rare cases, even engage in dangerous or violent behavior. 4 Sneaky Mental Biases That Can Affect Your Health Choices Overcoming Conspiracy Theory Beliefs In the age of disinformation, finding ways to refute conspiracy beliefs seems more important than ever. Social platforms claim to be buckling down on those who peddle and profit off of conspiracies, but is it really possible to change such views once they’ve taken root? One problem faced when trying to disprove conspiracy theories is that people who hold these beliefs also tend to suspect that there are factions engaged in covering up these activities. Those trying to debunk the mistaken beliefs are then viewed as simply being actors in the conspiracy itself. While it might be tempting to simply mock conspiracy theories, especially the more ridiculous ones, this usually causes believers to dig in their heels and deepen their commitment to their belief. Many factors that contribute to conspiratorial beliefs, such as educational background and personality, are not easily or quickly changed. Researchers have found one tactic, however, that is effective â€" encouraging believers to pursue their goals. People tend to take one of two approaches in the pursuit of goals. Those who are promotion-focused believe that they have the power and control to shape their future.People who are prevention-focused, on the other hand, are more focused on protecting what they already have rather than on achieving their goals. Feeling In Control Reduces Conspiratorial Thinking So what does this have to do with conspiracy beliefs? Researchers found that promotion-focused people were more skeptical and less likely to buy into conspiracies. Why? People who believe that the future hinges on their own actions have a great deal of personal agency and control. It is this sense of autonomy and agency that makes people less likely to believe in secret plots and nefarious plans. What the researchers also discovered was that giving people a nudge in the direction of a more promotion-focused mindset could actually reduce belief in conspiracies. In practical terms, promoting messages that help people feel more in control can minimize conspiratorial thinking. Write It Down Researchers had study participants write down their aspirations, which helped them focus on their goals and what they could do to achieve them. This simple activity encourages people to take a more promotion-focused mindset and reduces conspiracy belief. While researchers have been able to reduce conspiratorial thinking in the lab, how applicable is this in the real world? In workplace settings, managers might employ this strategy to help minimize water-cooler worries, office gossip, and interpersonal friction. Regular discussions that center on employee goals and strategies to achieve those goals can help keep workers feeling more in control and less subject to corporate whims. In terms of public health, organizations might start by promoting messages focused on realistic things people can do to take control of their own health. Building this sort of action-oriented mindset may help discourage belief in health-related conspiracies and build greater trust between medical organizations and health consumers. A Word From Verywell Conspiratorial thinking can be problematic and dangerous (Pizzagate, anyone?), but this does not mean that skepticism of institutions, marketing, and media messaging is not warranted. After all, not all conspiracies are false (the Tuskegee experiments and Iran-Contra are just a couple of examples). As you encounter information from various sources, it is important to be able to distinguish between false conspiracy theories and real threats to personal security. While it may be tempting to ridicule conspiracy believers, remember that these sort of beliefs are actually pretty common â€" you probably even believe in some of them. In a world where people feel the very real effects of power imbalances and distrust in leadership, conspiracy theories will naturally flourish, which means discouraging this type of thinking is not always easy. Dunning-Kruger Effect: Why Incompetent People Think They Are Superior

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Analysis Of The Book Cold Mountain - 1296 Words

Charles Frazier’s first novel, Cold Mountain, has earned him a great amount of notoriety. From having a film adaptation of his novel in 2003, to receiving a National Book Award in fiction in 1997. Cold Mountain opens with a quotation from a journal entry by Charles Darwin: â€Å"It is difficult to believe in the dreadful but quiet war of organic beings, going on in the peaceful woods and smiling fields.† And indeed, Frazier’s acclaimed novel describes a war of beings built of flesh and blood–of course not only in the sense of the Civil War. While man’s lone task in war is to destroy the opposition, Frazier’s novel is also dedicated to the struggle which an individual must face in order to survive in a natural environment. From Frazier’s standpoint, the usage of this particular quotation could be a confirmation of Darwin’s influence on his literature. The term naturalism describes a category of literature that applies scientific principles of detachment and objectivity to its reading of human beings. The literary movement of naturalism got its foundation from Darwin’s theory of evolution. In his novel, Frazier makes use of real historical backgrounds and geographical locations. Combined with a style following realism, amidst extensive passages of naturalistic descriptions. There are clear similarities between Darwin’s conclusions and the plot of Cold Mountain. Naturalism in literature often employs that one’s social environment or heredity generally determines one’sShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book Cold Mountain 1155 Words   |  5 Pagesauthor of Cold Mountain, exemplifies quite a few examples of symbolism. From the crows to the roads, and even the title itself, the novel shows show many different points of symbolism. As the book goes on, the amount of symbolism appears, making the character and the symbolism more understand and attention grabbing towards the reader making them not want to put the book down. When people think crows they think annoying black birds that try to steal food from gardens, but in Cold Mountain, it is aRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Cold Mountain By Charles Frazier1002 Words   |  5 PagesHannah Brown Mrs. Dittmar American History First Quarter Book Report (Cold Mountain) 9 October 2014 Cold Mountain a novel written by Charles Frazier, the book gets it’s name from a town that Inman and Ada two of the most important characters meet up in. This novel takes place in 1864, about three years after the Civil War had began. The Civil War starts for a few reasons, but the biggest reason was slavery. Throughout the story Frazier explains the hardships of the Confederate troops. Inman whoRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Cold Mountain 1298 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary Analysis Charles Frazier’s first novel, Cold Mountain, has earned him a great amount of notoriety. From having a film adaptation of his novel in 2003, to receiving a National Book Award in fiction in 1997. Cold Mountain opens with a quotation from a journal entry by Charles Darwin: â€Å"It is difficult to believe in the dreadful but quiet war of organic beings, going on in the peaceful woods and smiling fields.† And indeed, Frazier’s acclaimed novel describes a war of beings built of fleshRead MoreEssay on Main Themes in The Green Mile1473 Words   |  6 PagesOne of the main themes in â€Å"The Green Mile† is death. It encapsulates the whole novel, leaving the reader to think deeply about their fate. It’s an obvious theme, considering the story takes place on death row. However, further analysis reveals a deeper meaning than men dying in the electric chair for their crimes. â€Å"And I think about all of us. Walking our own green mile; each in our ow n time.†(Pg 434) Paul said. The reader will discover that the Green Mile itself is a metaphor for death. Paul comparedRead MoreEssay on Mountains More Dangerous than Everest1156 Words   |  5 Pageshardest mountain in the world to climb and other mountains that pose greater challenges. Everest to one would be seen as dangerous because the height is very intimidating. When first told of the mountain height being 29,029 feet, people automatically assume that is what defines a mountain as challenging. Hence to the public and non-climbers, Everest is a treacherous mountain. Also, the first time climbers of Everest consider it dangerous because one will always remember the dangers the mountain posedRead MoreThe Seventh Tower1231 Words   |  5 PagesTitle: The Seventh tower The Fall Author: Garth Nix Type: Science Fiction Publication date: 2000 Number of Pages: 195 Plot Summary This book is a Science fiction book that is the fist of a series of books called The Seventh Tower. It starts out with a boy by the name of Tal Graile-Rarem receiving word that his dad was missing on a mission that he was doing for the queen. And that is when every thing goes down hill. This is because his dad has the only good sunstone that will allowRead MoreBulgaria Essay1353 Words   |  6 Pages​Bulgaria is a very interesting country from the Black sea to the Balkan mountain range. In this paper I will discuss the complex terrain, urban terrain, key infrastructure and how it affects the people of Bulgaria. I will also be addressing the military history and how it helped shape the culture. Finally we will cover weather analysis and civil considerations following the layout of ASCOPE (area, structure, capabilities, organizations, people, and events). ​The country of Bulgaria has an areaRead MoreThe Great Warming By Brian Fagan1073 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Warming is a book written by Brian Fagan that encompasses the environment and history pertaining to most of the human race between A.D. 800 and 1300. Not only does the book give a new dimension to world history by looking at climate history, but it also provides the reader with an ominous warning of the impact that climate change may have on the human race in the future. Fagan references many civilizations in the book that were affected by the rise in surface temperatures. He goes in depthRead MoreThe Mother Of The Novel Frankenstein By Mary Shelley1202 Words   |  5 Pagesnightmares about her deceased child that would prove to be, what seems, a substantial influence to her writings. One dream in particular was recorded in her journal, saying that, â€Å"Dream that my little baby came to life again--that it had only been cold and that we rubbed it before the fir e and it lived† (Bulkeley). Shelley’s anxieties about not being able to produce healthy children could easily be seen in Frankenstein as a lonely scientist creates a creature by unnatural means. However, these dreamsRead MoreHot and Cold: Warmth in Poetry Essay1234 Words   |  5 PagesHot and Cold: Warmth in Poetry Poetry is one of the more mysterious denizens of the literary world. A poem can be anything, from a three-lined poem known as a haiku to a giant epic poem like the â€Å"The Odyssey.† They can be rhyming or non-rhyming, long or short, sensible or nonsensical. Even lyrics in songs can be considered poetry, seeing as how they are rhyming and flow so well. The parameters for a poem are wide, the requirements few; but no matter what style or author you read, from Homer to Doctor

English Channel and Resultant Displacement Free Essays

An ostrich cannot fly, but it is able to run fast. Suppose an ostrich runs east for 7. 985 s and then runs 161 m south, so that the magnitude of the ostrich’s resultant displacement is 226 m. We will write a custom essay sample on English Channel and Resultant Displacement or any similar topic only for you Order Now Calculate the magnitude of the ostrich’s eastward component and its running speed to the east. 1. Kangaroos can easily jump as far as 8. 0 m. If a kangaroo makes five such jumps westward, how many jumps must it make northward to have a northwest displacement with magnitude of 68 m? What is the angle of the resultant displacement with respect to north? . In 1926, Gertrude Ederle of the United States became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Suppose Ederle swam 25. 2 km east from the coast near Dover, England, then made a 90o turn and traveled south for 21. 3 km to a point east of Calais, France. What was Ederle’s resultant displacement? 3. Cheetahs are, for short distances, the fastest land animals. In the course of a chase, cheetahs can also change direction very quickly. Suppose a cheetah runs straight north for 5. 0 s, quickly turns and runs 3. 0 x 102 m west. If the magnitude of the cheetah’s resultant displacement is 3. 35 x 102 m, what is t he cheetah’s displacement and velocity during the first part of its run? 4. The largest variety of grasshopper in the world is found in Malaysia. These grasshoppers can measure almost a foot in length and can jump 4. 5m. Suppose one of these grasshoppers starts at the origin of a coordinate system and makes exactly eight jumps in a straight line that makes and angle of 35o with the positive x-axis. Find the grasshopper’s displacements along the x and y axes. 5. The landing speed of the space shuttle Atlantis is 347 km/h. If the shuttle is landing at an angle of 15. 0o with respect to the horizontal, what are the horizontal and vertical components of its velocity? 6. The fastest propeller-driven aircraft is the Russian TU-95/142, which can reach a maximum speed of 925 km/h. For this speed, calculate the plane’s resultant displacement if it travels east for 1. 50 h, then turns north and travels for 2. 00 h. 7. The longest shot in a golf tournament was made by Mike Austin in 1974. The ball went a distance of 471 m. Suppose the ball was shot horizontally off a cliff at 80. 0 m/s. Calculate the height of the cliff. 8. What would be the initial speed of a projectile that is launched from a cliff 210 m high and hits the ground 420 m away from the cliff? 10. The world’s largest flowerpot is 1. 95 m high. If you were to jump horizontally from the top edge of this flowerpot at a speed of 3. 0 m/s, what would your landing speed be? How to cite English Channel and Resultant Displacement, Essay examples

Work Groups and Teams in Organizations

Question: Discuss about the Work Groups and Teams in Organizations. Answer: Introduction Work is a group activity which requires co-operation among members for effective functioning of the organization. Groups are an important factor of any company. A group is a number of people who communicates with each other and are psychologically aware of each other and consider them to be a group. A team is formed when a number of people have a common goal to achieve and their personal success is dependent on others. A tension and counter-balance of human behavior need to be shown in the team. People in a team showcase individual skills which are different from each other (Kolb 2013). Literature Review A group can be formal and informal. Formal groups are formed to achieve an organizational objective and co-ordinate work activities. The objectives are identified by the management and certain rules, norms and relations are formed. Informal groups are formed to maintain personal relationship and agreement. People serve to fulfill their social needs and psychological needs not necessary related to the work. Individuals form a group or team for various reasons (Kozlowski 2012). Particular tasks can be performed only by a group of people or by a team. A team or a group provides individual to showcase their skills and take initiative and create new ideas. Individual gets support from their colleague to form a mutual understanding. The team member expects every individual to follow rules and regulations set by the team leader. A person joins a group or team to protect their interest from outside threat (de Wit 2015). Bass and Ryterband have identified four different stages in group development; mutual acceptance and relationship, communication and decision-making, motivation and productivity and control and organization. An alternative model by Tuckman identifies five levels of group relationship and development (Thrmer, Wieber and Gollwitzer 2015). Forming- This stage is the initial formation of the group. Hierarchical structure, leadership pattern, individual roles and responsibilities and codes of conduct is considered. At this stage members try to create a great impression and form personal identity within the group. Storming- After the members get to know each other, they start expressing their agreements and disagreements on the task and arrangements made at the development stage. Norming- The members start forming guidelines and standards and form their own norms of acceptable behavior. This stage is important to create the need of members to coordinate for planning, agree standard of performance and fulfill purpose of the group. Performing- When a group progress, it creates structure and cohesiveness to work effectively as a team. Adjourning- This refers to disbanding of the group due to completion of task, members leaving the group. Some people lose interest in the project characterized by anxiety and sadness. Characteristics of an effective work group are:- A belief in shared aims and objectives Commitment to the group Accepting group value and norms A feeling of mutual trust and dependency Participation by all members in decision-making Free flow of information and communication Expressing feelings and disagreements Resolution of conflict by the members themselves Low level of staff turnover, accidents, errors and complaints A person should behave and perform as a member which is as important as their behavior or performance as an individual. Peace working relationship and good teamwork help make for a high level of staff morale and work performance. Effective teamwork is a vital feature to practice modern management like group management, total quality management, etc. Teamwork management is the important characteristic in certain sectors like hospitality sector which has direct influence on customer relationship and customer satisfaction (Peterson and Kim 2012). Teamwork basically involves reorganization of the way work is done. Teamwork increase competitiveness by:- Improvement in productivity Continuous innovation and quality improvement Taking advantage of technological opportunities Improvement in employee motivation and commitment Teamwork is a necessity and not an option for any company. This leads to creativity, achievement, success and energy level that someone working alone or working with one another person. The aim of teamwork is:- To take the best decision, not just a conclusion or easy decision. The ultimate responsibility of the team leader is to check the quality of the decision taken and quality of the team-thinking effort which led to the decision. To get the best professional team-thinking, the team leader must ensure that office politics, egoistic behavior and ignoring ideas must be avoided at any cost. The team-thinking professionals must ensure to answer the best questions, clearly and completely formulated. The process of team-thinking is not linear, it is iterative. Thus, the question can be altered later and same process can be repeated. The leader needs to keep a track on the sufficient alternatives and their forecasted results which is developed for assessment by the team. The ream leader will ask about other alternatives. He just not wants an answer. The leader realized to listen and seek ideas wisely of the team before expressing his or her ideas and preferences. In any professional team-thinking effort, more ideas should be created than used. But an idea rejected will remain rejected with respect and courtesy with clear explanation of rejection. This behavior is considered smart and decent. A reward equation and a probability of success calculation will be made explicitly before any important decision is taken. After a decision is made by the professional team, it should be implemented professionally. What leaders think should be taken into action. High technology and service businesses require teamwork. Task forces, project teams and committees are important elements in the workplace. If groups are successful and perform effectively, a spirit of unity and cooperation arise. The different behaviours of the team members must mix properly to work in a team successfully and achieve objectives. People are required to behave in a certain way, to concentrate on the work at hand, people to provide special knowledge and problem solvers. A team needs a checker who can make sure that everything is going well and the entire team is contributing. Most of the things to understand about group work is applied equally to both decision-making groups and teams but some issues may arise between different groups (Robbins and Judge 2012). Diagnostic tools Belbins team role inventory is developed by Meredith Belbin which analyze individual roles within a work group or team. Initially Belbin recognized eight types of contribution to the team. But now it is nine (Hollingshead and Poole 2012). Role Contribution description Allowable weaknesses Plant Creative, unorthodox, problem-solver Ignores details, occupied to communicate effectively Resource Investigator Enthusiastic, communicative, find opportunities Over-optimistic, loss interest once enthusiasm is lost Co-ordinator Confident, clarifies objectives, good decision-maker, delegator Manipulative, offloads personal task Shaper Challenging, dynamic, overcome obstacles Provoke others, hurts other sentiments Monitor-Evaluator Sober, strategic, judges accurately Lacks drive and ability to influence other people Teamworker Co-operative, diplomatic, good listener Indecisive in crunch situations. Implementer Disciplined, reliable, initiate practical actions Not flexible, respond slowly to new opportunities Completer Painstaking, anxious, delivers on time Inclined to worry unduly. Reluctant to delegate. Specialist Single-minded, dedicated, knowledgeable Contributes on only a narrow front. Dwells on technicalities. Table 1- Belbins Team role inventory This theory is a popular mode of examining and comparing team roles. Belbin has designed a Self-Perception Inventory designed to provide members of a group with a simple means of entering best team roles (Turner 2014). The Johari Window is a framework to look at self-insight to help people in the T-group process. The main feature of the T-group behavior is reducing a persons individual hidden behavior through self-disclosure and reduction of the blind behavior through feedback from others. A T-group is an approach to human relations training which talks about speaking, provide participants with various opportunities to learn more about themselves and their effect on others and learn how face obstacles (Haslam et al. 2014). Table 2- The Johari Window Hidden behavior- It is that behavior which an individual avoids or never communicate to other group members. It is a hidden or private part of an individual. An important task of the group is to whether a member communicates too less or too much about themselves to others. Blind area- The blind area is a behaviour which is known to others but unknown to self. The blind area includes gestures, manners and voice tone representing behavior of the impact on others the individual is unaware. It is also known as bad-breath area. Members must establish an environment of trust and openness to reduce hidden and blind behaviours and the public behavior is enhanced (Hinds 2015). Brainstorming also known as cloud bursting or thought showers involves adopting freewheeling attitude and generate as many ideas as possible. It includes exercise to generate ideas as much as possible. It encourages members to remove judgement, assume that creative thinking is best encouraged by group members and increase production. The quantity will lead to quality ideas. There are various process of brainstorming. It is based on freedom of expression with a relaxed and informal method. More emphasis is given on quantity of ideas generated. Group size is generally six to ten people. No ideas are rejected of any individual and are encouraged to elaborate on the ideas with no evaluation and feedback. This exercise is used to compare individual and group/team based performance (Egolf and Chester 2013). Table 3: Creative Thinking Areas for Improvement Individual satisfaction and Organization performance derived have a great impact by the communication taking place among the group members. Thus, members should work together not as an individual but as a team and maintain the spirit of unity and co-operation. One of the popular analysis is developed by Belbin who suggest nine important contributions or key roles for creating successful groups. The interaction level is impacted by the channel of communication used. The five main types of communication network are wheel, circle, all channel, Y and chains. To influence the operation and functioning of the group, it is important to study the behavior of individual group members (Rosenthal 2014). Groups and teams are essential feature for any organization. But there should be a balance of respect for all the members. It is rewarding to work in a group but also potentially demanding experience for the individual. To improve the performance of the company, it is important to understand the nature of the human relationships and what happens when a group of people meet together. This is where Johari window is applied to get to know about the hidden behaviour and blind area of an individual. It is difficult to draw any comparison about individual performance. Group decision making provides a number of advantage but can be adversely effected by the risky-shift phenomenon and groupthink (Hillier and Dunn-Jensen 2012). Brainstorming is an initiative to help a group produce more problem-solving ideas. However, doubts appear about the impact of brainstorming over an individual working under same conditions. Interest in group study and team has led to advancement of training process aimed at improving communication skills and self-insight. Attention is given to autonomous work groups. Quality circles are a potential medicine to group problem-solving, creativity and innovation (Barsade and Gibson 2014). Building successful team is important for any organization in this modern world. It is important to take into account various factors including behavior and character of a member, social skills and relationship among the group members and effective leadership emphasizing on clear interaction and trust. The work of a management is to oversee the development of team and give support and training which is necessary. Self-regulation is necessary to realize the potential of teamworking. A team will always need a degree of management direction. The need for continuous development and improvement is necessary for effective teamwork (Cronin 2015). The introduction of teamworking is an important step to be taken by the organization. It is important to ensure that management and employees of the organization contribute to their business strategy and aim for long term transformation of the company. The challenge and excitement of establishing teams may fade and it is easy for an organization to accept a certain level of performance which is less optimum. To achieve high performance, teams require challenges and changes regularly. This include changes in team personnel, new work, re-assessment of the contribution the team member makes to the company objectives and ensure teams have regular dealings with the other teams. Teamworking is not a finite task but a continuous improvement and innovation process (Armstead et al. 2016). References Armstead, C., Bierman, D., Bradshaw, P., Martin, T. and Wright, K., 2016. Groups vs. Teams: Which One Are You Leading?. Nurse Leader, 14(3), pp.179-182. Barsade, S.G. and Gibson, D.E., 2014. Work Teams Have Emotions, Too (and you need to understand them). European Business Review. Cronin, M.A., 2015. Advancing the science of dynamics in groups and teams. Organizational Psychology Review, 5(4), pp.267-269. de Wit, F.R., 2015. 9 CONFLICT IN PROJECT TEAMS. The Psychology and Management of Project Teams. Egolf, D. and Chester, S., 2013. Forming storming norming performing: Successful communication in groups and teams. IUniverse. Haslam, S.A., van Knippenberg, D., Platow, M.J. and Ellemers, N. eds., 2014. Social identity at work: Developing theory for organizational practice. Psychology Press. Hillier, J. and Dunn-Jensen, L.M., 2012. Groups Meet... Teams Improve: Building Teams That Learn. Journal of Management Education, p.1052562912459947. Hinds, P., 2015. Teams and groups. Wiley Encyclopedia of Management. Hollingshead, A. and Poole, M.S. eds., 2012. Research methods for studying groups and teams: a guide to approaches, tools, and technologies. Routledge. Kolb, J.A., 2013. Conflict management principles for groups and teams. Industrial and Commercial Training, 45(2), pp.79-86. Kozlowski, S.W.J., 2012. Groups and teams in organizations: Studying the multilevel dynamics of emergence. Methods for studying small groups: A behind-the-scenes guide, pp.260-283. Peterson, R.S. and Kim, K., 2012. Leadership in small groups and teams: Toward a theory of group leadership. Looking back, moving forward: A review of group and team-based research, research on managing groups and teams, 15, pp.27-47. Robbins, S.P. and Judge, T., 2012. Essentials of organizational behavior. Boston: Pearson. Rosenthal, C., 2014. The Differences between Groups and Teams. A Comparative Conceptual Analysis and Practical Implications. Thrmer, J.L., Wieber, F. and Gollwitzer, P.M., 2015. Planning high performance: can groups and teams benefit from implementation intentions?. Turner, M.E., 2014. Groups at work: Theory and research. Psychology Press.

a civil war essays

a civil war essays A civil war that has raged for seven years in the small West African country of Sierra Leone has turned increasingly brutal. (1, p.1) Rebels are mutilating civilians without much response from the international community. A strong Nigerian contingency has tried to suppress the rebellion, but the rebels continue to cause major trouble in Sierra Leone. The rebels overthrew President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. However, President Kabbah returned to office on March 10, 1998 to face the task of restoring order to a demoralized population and a disorganized and severely damaged economy. (2, p.1) The country of Sierra Leone is located in western Africa between the countries of Guinea and Liberia, and it borders the North Atlantic Ocean. The actual area of Sierra Leone is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population of Sierra Leone is about 5,080,000 people. Its legal system is based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes. Sierra Leone's government consists of three branches, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah was inaugurated March 29, 1996, and President Kabbah is both the chief of state and the head of government. The president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms. On May 25, 1997, disgruntled army personnel under the command of Major Johnny Paul Koroma overthrew the democratically elected government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. (2, p.1) After President Kabbah was overthrown, he fled to exile in the neighboring country of Guinea. In Guinea, President Kabbah remained in the city of Conakry. The coup leader, a relatively unknown army major named Johnny Paul Koroma, declared himself the new head of state and invited fellow rebel leader Foday Sankoh to join the government. (3, p.1) During the rebel invasion, the rebels seized the legislature, burned the national treasury, and raided the capital of Fr...

graham greene essays

graham greene essays A. How setting shows the main theme A. How symbolism shows the main theme B. How characters show symbolism A. How characters show the main theme 1. Mr. and Mrs. Fellow, Mr. Tench A. What makes up the main theme In the novel The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene uses the elements of fiction to show a main theme. Some of the elements he uses are them, characters, symbolism, and setting. The way Greene uses these elements to show a main theme for his novel, is very good. The elements come together to show the theme, which is pity. Pity for a fellow human being. Setting is a major element of fiction. The setting of a piece of literature can set the mood of the scene. Setting, can also make the reader feel a certain way. Some of the scenes in The Power and the Glory evoke certain feelings in the reader. In the scene when the whiskey priest was put the crowded jail, for having liquor on him, Greene makes the scene so horrible that you cant help but feel sorry for the priest. As Kenneth Allott said, The crowded unseen figures in the dark seem like shapes from a Dore hell.(182). In the scenes when the priest is traveling from town to town, the setting is very rough. Through dense forests and complete darkness, he travels and again, the reader feels pity for someone he doesnt know but feels connected to because of being human. As Kenneth Allott said, There is a blanketing sense of crueltys omnipresence ... and very frequently this mood is symbolized by a peculiar background of squalor ...(15). Some critics think that the novel is a melodramatic thriller about a policeman chasing a priest, romanticized ...

Evaluating Internationalization Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Evaluating Internationalization Strategy - Essay Example Technological 7 3.1.5. Environmental factors 7 3.1.6. Legal factors 8 3.2. SWOT Analysis 8 3.3. Market Entry Strategies 8 4. Conclusion 10 5. Recommendations 10 Bibliography 10 Au, K., Suen, B., Shen, N. and Tang, J. 2011. Internationalization of Koyo Jeans from Hong Kong. Â  Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation Pp. 11Â   10 Bardhan, p. 2003. International Trade, Growth, and Development. Wiley-Blackwell. pp.296 11 Brigham, E.F and Ehrhardt, M. 2010. Financial Management: Theory & Practice (with Thomson ONE - Business School Edition 1-Year Printed Access Card) South-Western College Pub 1184 11 Bomann-Larsen, L. and Wiggen, O. 2004. Responsibility in World Business: Managing Harmful Side-Effects of Corporate Activity. Tokyo, United Nations University Press, Pp.305 11 Blenkhorn, D.L. and Fleisher, C.S.2005. Competitive Intelligence and Global Business. Westport, CT, Praeger Pp.308 11 Cullen, J.B. and Parboteeah, K.P. 2010. International Business: Strategy and the Multinational C ompany. Routledge. pp.528 11 Kline, J.M. 2005. Ethics for International Business: Decision Making in a Global Political Economy. London, Routledge. Pp.285 11 Matthew, H. 2012. Demands of Supply: The Illicit Pathways of Global Supply Chains: Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 66 (1). 11 Magretta, J. 2011. Creating Value: The Core--Staking Out Your Company's Unique Competitive Position Using Michael Porter's Elements of Strategy. Harvard Business Press Chapters. Pp.29 12 Magretta, J. 2011. Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy. Harvard Business Press. Pp.2008 12 Montgomery, C.A and Porter M E. 1991. Strategy: Seeking and Securing Competitive Advantage Harvard Business Press. Pp.350 12 Porter M. E. 2008. On Competition, Updated and Expanded Edition. Harvard Business Press. Pp. 576. 12 Wettstein, F. 2009. Multinational Corporations and Global Justice: Human Rights Obligations of a Quasi-Governmental Institution. Stanford, CA, Stanford Business Books. Pp.425. 12 1. Introduction Koyo Jeans’ business was started by William Cheung in 2003 in Hong Kong. Though he had started a small business targeting the local clients in Hong Kong, today the business has spread to China and Spain. The management is targeting to explore other parts of the globe; specifically Singapore and Brazil (Cavusgil.et.al, 2011, p. 457). Technological advancement, political climate, socio-cultural, environmental and legal factors relating to specific nation affects the performance of trading activities in that country (Au.et. al, 2011, p.3). The expansion of Koyo Jeans’ business to other countries like Singapore and Brazil will require thorough understanding of prevailing conditions in the target market and a strategic approach to enable them overcome those. 2. Environment Audit of the Current Market 2.1. Industry Life-cycle When Koyo Jeans sets up business, sales are normally low since clients are not familiar with the business. The owner is not able to enjoy economies of scale hence high overhead cost. With time, the production efficiency and the number of customer increases, hence the owner starts enjoying benefits due to large scale production resulting to low overhead cost. Later on, other producers join the market, the total sales volume of individual investor declines resulting to decline in business growth (Cavusgil.et.al, 2011, p. 463). When the market becomes oversaturated with investors, revenue of the individuals starts declining due to increasing operation cost (Au.et. al,

Topics in Clinical Biochemistry and Haematology (Haematology) Essay

Topics in Clinical Biochemistry and Haematology (Haematology) - Essay Example Sideroblstic anaemia can either ne inherited or acquired but in Johns case, an inherited disease is ruled out because he is already 64 years old and has never experienced any related disorder. Vitamin B6 and copper deficiencies are some of the likely precipitants of sideroblastic anaemia. Another probable diagnosis for John’s condition is Zieves syndrome but the condition can also be ruled out in John’s case because he has no history of prolonged alcohol abuse. John’s condition can therefore be diagnosed as autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. The diagnosis of John’s case was confirmed by the results of the Comb’s test which was carried out. For example, the test revealed some aggregation in the red blood cells and is likely to have been caused by action of antibodies against the red blood cells. The results of full blood count (FBC) are significantly important in the determination of an individual’s health status, assessment of drug treatment and dietary deficiencies as well as during the diagnosis of a number of hematologic conditions. On the other hand, blood biochemistry tests such as Comb’s test can effectively be used to check for a number of abnormalities in the body chemistry (Blann, 2007, p.56). In most haematology laboratories, full blood count and biochemistry tests are some of the widely used wide screening methods that are often applied to check for the presence of disorders such as anaemia(decreased haemoglobin or red blood cells), infections as well as a number of other common diseases that can be manifested in different parts of the blood. FBC may also be requested or performed in a number of other more specific situations such as to determine the severity of blood loss in an individual, help diagnose diseases such as anaemia and leukaemia, monitor the response to some types of drug treatment as well as to investigate the history of abnormal clotting or bleeding. Healthy individuals are generally

Risk Management In Construction Industry Of India Construction Essay

Risk Management In Construction Industry Of India Construction Essay Risk management is something related to uncertainty as it is not fixed and it is a part of daily life, or it is something we cannot predict and may result in negative outcome (Helmen and Shen Li, 2001). However its a process of analyzing exposure of risk and determining how to best handle such exposure. Some firms may use risk assumption, risk avoidance, risk retention, risk transfer or any other combined strategies for proper organized management of future events. Risk is somewhat calculable, since it has to do with probabilities, whereas uncertainty has no previous history to relate any probabilities to. Uncertainty is rather an epistemic uncertainty, since it has to do with uncertainty of outcome and related to system performance (Aven, 2003). However, as an extent previous research also suggests that construction industry is likely to have more risk than to any other business activity mainly because of complexity of project, unskilled labor, climate calamities et cetera. Above all, It often seen that lack of practices and development of risk assessment and management techniques for Indian construction projects. The Construction industry is one of the most dynamic, risky and challenging businesses. However, the industry carrying bad impression in order to manage or deal with risk, along with many giant projects failing to reach its pre determined financial goals. Mainly because of change in weather, unskilled or absence of workers or other labors, improper productivity inside the plant with low level of quality and its raw material. Whenever risk arises whether it gets ignored or dealt with a completely arbitrary way simply adding 10 percent contingency onto the estimated cost of a project is typical. In a business as complex as construction, such an approach is often inadequate, resulting in expensive delays, litigation and even bankruptcy (Hayes et al, 2007). Further supporting this, as per Burchett (2000) risk management is an important part of the decision making process of all construction companies. Risk and uncertainty can potentially have damaging consequences for some construction p rojects. Risk can affect productivity, performance, quality and the budget of a project. Risk cannot be eliminated, but it can be minimized transferred or retained. In addition to this (Flanagan and Norman, 2008) also claims that In Construction industry, Risk includes the processes concerned with identifying, analyzing and responding to project risk, It includes maximizing the results of positive events and minimizing the consequences of adverse events. The characteristics of construction projects usually depends on their transparent nature, value of their business partner and the strong dependability on the basis of their local natural and human environment, which indeed highlights the difficulties of risk management in construction industry. Management of risks in building construction projects has been identified crucially at very best of the processes with respect to achieve project objectives which are in the form of time, cost, quality, safety and environmental Sustainability (Zou et al., 2007). Further as per (Baloi and Price, 2003) the role of above project objectives becomes more vital when a particular organization merges up with the overseas firm and the risk exposure becomes higher due to lack of information and knowledge about the international partner and their local environment. Hence Lipsy, (2008) suggest that global factors of risk are affecting more to the construction firms specially to contractors, because they are the victim who are less familiar with them. However, (Dikmen et al, 2007) argues that the success of construction companies carrying out projects in international markets significantly depends on how the risks that stem from the host country conditions are managed. Many practices and implementations have been aims to develop a risk model that contains the risks of doing business in international markets and handle the global risk. Indian construction organizations have increasingly played a vital role in the world wide market in the last two decades. Indian industry minister had a visit to eight African countries in early 2006 which indeed helped to boost up the involvement of Indian construction organization in an African continent as billions of dollars are poured into infrastructural investments (The Business Times, 2007). Indian construction organizations were able to give up the competitive and effective fight with the contractors against the other developed countries (Low et al, 2006).Above all, (Luther and Hensen 2006) mentions that identified the risks prolonged by overseas construction organizations and different ways of facing those risks while undertaking the construction projects at the outside soil. The manageable corporate scenario always needs to improve their approach to risk management and abilities to learn the lessons from both success and failure cases in order to avoid similar mistakes in the future (McGill et al., 2004) and (Luther and Hensen, 2006). Hence, it enables Indian constructors to improve their way of handling construction management ability in an unseen environment turns in to priority issue. In addition to this (Hastak and Shaked, 2006) describes the construction scenario into three different levels which are country, market and level of project. They further explain the economy stability which linked to the project policy and probability of countrys economy break down. Overall construction market level risk, specifically for an overseas organization does helps in to technological advancement which helps to open up more resources for construction proves and also simplifies complexity of construction process this all indeed turns in heavy competitor against local competitor and also helps to minimize the chances of financial risk. (Dubois and Gadde, 2006) claimed that complications in construction projects Always arises from the two formal sources which are interdependence of tasks and uncertainty. Further, Uncertainty has four sources where first and foremost is managements inexperience nature with local resources and local environment lack of knowledge with regards to what exactly happening at construction site, which includes material placement, the current work status and specialized team with regard to place and time, lastly, unpredictability of environment. Again, Dubois and Gaddes studys main conclusion was that the unstable and changing network is a major cause of the short-term sub optimization hampering a longer-term productivity, innovation and learning. To reduce this uncertainty, a firm should consider at least four different types of coordination inside the network and think relationships longer than just one projects perspective. Risk management is one of the knowledge junction which presented by the US PMI, (Project Management Institute) in the year of 2004. Addition to this Kloman (2004) observed that risk Management is simply good common sense in coping with possible and actual daily Mishaps, and the occasional major disasters that may lead to financial losses and unfulfilled plans for individuals and organizations, and indeed for society as a whole. Furthermore, risk management in the construction industry could be a Systematic way of identifying, analyzing and dealing with risks associated with a project in an order to achieve the project objectives (Zou et al, 2007). The Project Management Institute (2004) characterized risks in to four categories which are; Technical Risks, Organizational Risks, Project Risks and External Risks (abbreviated as TOPE risks). These four categories of risks are regularly faced by an Indian construction firms due to lack of risk management approach towards basic construction objectives and other activities. Specifically while working with the overseas firms which are previously merged with the local firms and invested huge amount of funds as a financial risk that too in metro cities of India. However it is obvious that appears reasonable for the firms, to inevitably face by Indian construction firms when they operate in the domestic firms due to high level of varieties. Against, the Project Management Institute (2004) (Markand and Aury shake, 2005) presents another risk assessment model specifically for an international construction project which is known as ICRAM-1, further they describes the model for risk assessment which shows potential risks with the identification at all three levels such as project level, market level, macro level. Further, results are obtained from the analysis of ICRAM-1 in the form of potential risk indicators, the overall impact of those risks into market as well as countrys environment where specific projects are under process. Furthermore, according to (Densen et al, 2008) states that Risk management systems and other guidelines are not new to implement. It jus requires reasonable and effective awareness of risk uncertainty, the way of qualifying the risk, procedure of controlling the certain possible controllable risk along with minimizing the impact of uncontrollable risk with the help of properly allocating those risk by risk allocation or apportionment. However, According to (Tah and Carr, 2005) the ineffective implementations of risk management are often caused by: A lack of formalized risk management procedures, which includes identification of risk followed by the risk analysis and risk control A lack of continuity of risk management in the various stages of the project life cycle, including conceives, project design, planning of project, allocation, plan execution, delivery of certain core areas, review and support Weak integration between risk management and other key processes, including design, estimating, planning, production, logistics, cost analysis, manufacturing, quality assurance, reliability, schedule analysis, support such as maintainability, and testing and evaluation A lack of interaction among different parties, which includes customers, insurers, contractors and suppliers. All the different parties indulged in a project usually have different conception with regard to risks according to their own background and interests. Customer always needs and expects proper scope and objectives of projects and the financial resource. Contractors take the major responsibility to deal with risks during on time construction process. Contractor has to finalize in order to what exactly they needs such as to maintain, minimize, transfer or avoid risks. However, they frequently use three methods to transfer a risk which are as follows:- 1) Firstly, with the help of insurance to insurance companies. 2) Secondly, through handling over or giving subcontract to subcontractor, else through making changes in the contract and in the certain rules and regulations at customers and other parties (Chapman and Ward, 2004; Luther and Hensen, 2006). Further, Insurance companies does not only helps with the insurance to contractors by transferring risks, but also provides special panel of expertise as a mentor to the contractors in order to managing the risk and identifying the potential risk along with reducing chances of probable risk. Again, (Williams et al., 2005) advised that the willingness of insurer to write an insurance coverage reflects favorably on insureds efforts at risk prevention. The improved understanding and interaction among clients, contractors, and insurers will help in the effective management of risks that will benefit the construction industry (Choy et al., 2006; Liu and Flanagan, 2005). Further in addition to this much has been mentioned on how risk exposure may be an alyzed and managed as per the project management institute. However it also reflects that the risk management study also has been done and gives out some points on an Indian construction industry which is booming along with the overseas partners. Model for Risk management (2005) states that the implementation and information regarding the risk management are not up to the mark or limited mainly in Indias construction industry. This is specifically vital as further it mentions regarding Indias overseas exporting services where rational approach is in action while dealing at first time. The rational approach always seeks a balance or trade-off between the chances of risks occurring and the severity of risk once it has been affected, the aftermath steps to follow. This indeed helps to know whether risks may be managed, but at a cost depending on whether the construction firms decide to mitigate, accept, avoid or transfer (also known as the MAAT) the identified risk. Finally, Baloi and Price (2003) both argued that having a deep knowledge and discipline of continuous development of the risk management seems that practitioners have not fully appreciated its importance. Further it was concluded that the main barriers to effective compliance are cost of implementing management plan, language, educational barriers employees and other labor staff. Therefore, the main barriers to improvement of risk management may be low awareness of risk management of Indian contractors and the difficulties in implementing such a system. In addition to this H.R Pitale (2005) suggests that, the better the tools used to communicate during a project to all parties involved will have a lesser risk. This approach provides for better understanding at every stage in the process. The owners can better understand what they are getting, estimators can have a much higher chance of estimating correctly, schedule planners can receive significantly more information to make a better schedule, contractors can better understand their assignments in the context of the overall project, and laborers on the site, who often cannot read drawings, can quickly understand the task at hand when it is described in a model. Now models are being brought to the construction site to ensure that the communication risk is dramatically reduced. The overall construction needed to be taken care by the group of upper level expertise which indeed requires a good Contract management staff because it includes highly critical functional services such as Cons ultancy service, Project control, Resource scheduling etc. As per the Indian construction industry and its financial condition along with organizations internal risk and outside risk Davendra Surji (1999) states that financial risk is always depends upon the resources to be utilize, the amount of time a project may take, material, and labor cost. If uncertainty occurs in any of this its increases the financial risk. However Technical staff and Human resource, Environmental control and other Government policies are also plays a key role in overall risk of project. In which environmental control and government policies in India have the highest vulnerable risks. However, (Mishel, 2007) argues that risk analysis and management in Indian construction industry depend basically on intuition judgment and experience. Formal risk analysis and management techniques are rarely used due to a lack of knowledge and to doubts on the suitability of techniques for construction industry activities. (Alfredo et al, 2005) states that as far as owners point of view the overall process of risk management has to be particularized for each and every construction projects which could be undertaken by the owners consultant. Further, author puts more emphasize on complete and generic process of risk management which must be used at construction projects where maturity level of risk is large and more complicated. Author also suggests a Delphi method of identifying the risk and how to deal with that risk as a final validation of the project risk all the identified processes simplified and proposed as a summarization where methodology and final results has to be presented. As per (Kenn and Y. Ling, 2002) the most of the project risk and failure of construction project depends on the nature of the project, method and documents of contract. However to mitigate this author suggests that appropriate contracting method coupled with clear and equal contract documents which ultimately turn down the uncertainty and complexity of risk against diverse and conflicting agendas. This means attitudes of the contracting partners and co-operative relationships among the project participants are crucial in order to make a successful project B. Vegamally, (2004). Despite the improvements in the project risk management practices across the construction industry, many contractors still not having proper holistic approach where risk is fully integrated into every aspect of the construction life cycle (right from the project contracting to project completion). This is evident from the fact that still notice construction projects suffering from ill defined scope, design and constructability issues and mismanaged vendors. As a consequence there are clear time-cost quality gaps, add to that a considerable tying up of valuable resources when you shift to fire fighting mode (Edward, 2003). Further, Vegamally (2004) mentions on the basis of Indian construction industries survey that fostering co-operative relationships and better teamwork always turns in to fruitful and riskless completion of project. Again, in order to assessing the risk (Falgun and Rashid, 2001) said that the development of a construction project from the concept, feasibility study and real design which indeed takes huge amount of time and also accommodates many different phases along with it seeks involvement of huge staff which are of different skills and interests, also requires a good amount of materials procurement system and the use of equipment. All of these situation can only possible to handle while skilled staff able to co-ordinate well with a smooth flow of each and every small activities. Above all it becomes important to identify the risk if occurred in between the process, mainly compounded by many external, uncontrollable factors that can generate risk. Risk can manifest itself in numer ous ways, varying over time and across activities. To judge the criteria, whether the level of risk is high or low (Kumaraswamy and Ali, 2005) mentioned that the first is the probability of risk occurrence where chances of an undesirable risk occurrence should be specified then secondly, the degree of risk impact, which is the degree of seriousness and the scale of the impact on other activities if the undesirable even occurs and subordinate issue that should be noticed is that a large number of small losses, caused by risks with little impact, could have a similar effect on a balance sheet to those resulting from a single loss caused by a higher impact. Therefore, degree of risk should be seen both from the probability of occurrence and the degree of risk impact because each will affect the degree of risk. As per (Mills, 2004) three of the most important risks in construction projects include weather, productivity of labor and plant and quality of material. For example these areas are not easily controllable by a contractor before the project execution. (Cohen and Palmer, 2005) identified risk trends in construction projects. They found that typically, risks are determined at the very early phases of the project (feasibility and planning) while the impacts are not experienced until the construction and production start-up phases. Further, as per (Hari and Subra, 2004) mentions that process of risk management must be implemented at the beginning of the project life cycle, hence it allows to make basic fundamental changes at project life cycle. Later overall project must be carefully analyzed in order to check the each phases and respective method is being use, if needed it should be customized as per individual characteristics. The underlying reason for risk management is to identify and ensure the well- grounded and unbiased decision making. However, (Artto and Kahkonen, 2006) concludes that risk management processes mainly includes only three core processes which are identification of risk, estimation of risk, and planning of risk response and execution. Further they highlights about five different accessory processes of risk such as risk management planning, risk communication, risk ownership development, risk management strategy and risk management control. As per (Artto and Kahkonen, 2006) the identification phase is stressed by many researchers (Turner, 2006). Further Turner says that It is quite obvious that if we are unaware of the risks, its difficult to manage them, though this view is limited to the event-type scope of risk management. In addition to this (Turner, 2006) presented the concept of risk from different perspectives, which forcing puts more emphasize on risk in a wider level, moving from single even-scope to wide uncertainty-scope. According to (Chapman,2005) the risk management process builds majorly on the initial identification phase, he explains the reason that success of later risk management phase is directly comparable to the quality of the first identification phase. Further, (D. Ramanand, 2005) explains the detailed steps and methods in order to identifying and differentiates the risks which are presented. He states that, the methods generally include brainstorming, risk checklists, expert analysis/interviews, modeling and analyzing different scenarios and analyzing project plans. In addition to this, author further says, Sources of risk or uncertainty and sources of known unknowns should be listed. In support of this, (Ward and Chapman, 2006) emphasizes using an uncertainty perspective in the project risk identification phase, since they consider such an approach to be the best way to determine all possible sources of opportunities (positive risks), not just threats. The identification lists need to be followed and updated as our knowledge and understanding of the project environment increases. As per (Artto and Kahkonen, 2006) Risk response planning and the execution- phase must have an effective control process by its side to confirm that the risk management processes are iterative and running successfully, are not dismissed as project starts and it follows that decisions are implemented and have the expected results. Monitoring and controlling usually means writing and checking documents and conducting meetings. Further, Author puts emphasize on the importance of team work and communication as a means of risk management. Monitoring should also include evaluating the basis of earlier decisions, and assessing whether the assumptions made at the beginning are still relevant. According to Saari (2005) suggests a simple tool for monitoring the risk management process. She proposes using risk status as an indicator of the process phase under every recognized risk. Risk status describes the current situation of a certain risks. Risk monitoring involves monitoring known risks, identifying new risks, reducing risks, and evaluating the effectiveness of risk reduction. The main output at this stage is associated with corrective actions and project change requests. Project risk continuous reassessment involves periodic reviews of project risk status to identify new risks, and to examine changes in probabilities or impacts and Changes in the contractors project risk responses. (Floricel and Miller, 2008) developed five risk strategies for projects, which are mainly for the large scale projects like construction projects, which further elaborated how risks in large scale projects should be handle. Author further state that strategies of every level of projects. A number of institutional anchoring elements must be put in place to tie project strategy to organizational strategy. It means that all organizations projects (called project portfolio) should be treated as stock portfolio. Also (Ward and Chapman, 2006) promoted the corporate scale view on risks rather than just a project scale view. They introduced the concept of risk efficiency as a prerequisite of the holistic risk management process and formed a decision rule for efficient risk management.

The Importance of Crime Scene Investigation

Crime scene investigation is often a challenging and difficult line of work for even the most experienced law enforcement agent. There are some crimes that are more difficult to handle spiritually and emotionally than others. Crimes against children and the elderly are often most difficult to excuse and most difficult for crime scene investigators to process psychologically (Swanson, Chamelin & Territo, 1999: 313). Such investigations often result in tremendous psychological burden with time (O'Hara, 2003: 178). Homicide in generally is often difficult to recover from emotionally, and often requires the investigator become deeply involved in the forensics model or inner workings of the mind of the criminal to help solve a case (O'Hara, 2003). This can result in increasing psychological stress with time. This paper will review a recent criminal investigation of homicide to two young children and the psychological and emotional effects the crime had on the family of the victims and the criminal investigator. In this case the researcher probes into how a crime scene investigation can result in significant emotional, spiritual and in some cases physical trauma to both the victims family and the crime scene investigator. Here the crime scene demonstrates how emotionally vulnerable crime scene investigators are, much like crime victims in many circumstances. In this particular case two children were murdered by their mother who suffered from severe PPD or post partum depression. The event occurred in the middle of the night and was not revealed until 24 hours later when the father returned from a late night work shift and morning binge. The crime was reported to authorities immediately upon discovery. In this case the two boys, twins, appeared to be suffocated by the mother while sleeping one night. The crime scene was not overly violent. The victims home appeared unkempt however, with trash piling up in the kitchen and littering other rooms of the house. The children were dressed in unclean clothing and the house looked as though it had not been cleaned or attended to in several months. Walking into the family area there was a noticeable lack of children's toys. There were multiple bottles of alcoholic substances and other paraphernalia suggesting one or both of the parents suffered from substance abuse problems. This crime had a particularly devastating effect on me, as I could imagine what it would be like if my family had suffered a similar crime, if my brothers or sisters had been murdered by a family member. Homicide is never an easy crime to cope with. In this case multiple law enforcement agents that were also present at the crime scene had a difficult time coping with the tragic loss of two unique and innocent lives. Not helping the fact were family members that were present wailing and crying out regarding the injustices of the world. Each of the family members present was blaming him or herself for the crime, having recognized the potential for disaster early on but taking no action to prevent it. The father in this case once located and grandparents appeared noticeably distraught. The grandparents were particularly upset, blaming themselves for the incident. The father seemed to waffle between disbelief, shock and terror. The father clearly suffered some sort of substance abuse problem and reportedly was at work when the murders occurred (he works a night shift). Spiritually I found myself questioning how this could happen to two innocent children. The children were not more than a year old. Both were tiny and innocent victims and for moments I considered these parents unworthy of such blessings. Emotionally I wondered what such a tragedy might do to my own family, possibly destroying my motivation for living. There is some indication that the father in this case might be placed on suicide watch, suffering psychologically from these deaths and the death of his wife (who it seems from the investigation took a lethal dose of prescription pills after suffocating the children). The individual lost his life partner but also his children. This crime is in no way justifiable and reveals just how cruel the world can sometimes be to even the most innocent of victims. Even in cases where evidence exists that the perpetrator of a crime was not of sound mind or spirit, there is little justification in cases of homicide. There are in many cases explanations for individual's behavior, as may be the case in this particular instance. The crime scene investigation here suggests that there is evidence to support the idea that the mother in this case was not psychologically fit for parenting at the time in question. There is also evidence to suggest she lacked the support necessary to cope with a difficult situation. That does not excuse her actions nor her substance abuse behavior, but does help explain how a crime like this could have happened. If I were in this particular case I would have ensured early medical intervention and increased familial support to prevent the severe depression that ensued and forced the mother to kill herself and her children. Clearly she was also suffering emotionally and physically, and did not feel she had the resources or support necessary to seek help and solve her problem without resorting to drastic measures. It is possible she suffered from some sort of psychosis. In this case other family members should have stepped in to facilitate earlier intervention and prevent this horrendous crime from occurring. Crime scene investigations are often difficult for crime scene investigators to handle emotionally and psychologically. While the job seems straightforward at first, with time crime scene investigators come to realize how difficult managing the psychological, spiritual and emotional aspects of the job are. Of particular challenge are homicide investigations. It is vital when handling such cases that the investigator separate himself from the investigation so he or she does not associate what is going on in the investigation with any personal situations or circumstances. This can exacerbate the stress experienced by a crime scene investigator. Fortunately there are a number of support mechanism in place that can help crime scene investigators cope with the devastating and trying scenes they encounter from day to day. It is important that these resources be made readily available in the cases where crime scene investigations involve violent criminal activity. While familial support is encouraging and helpful, support among peers and even counselors may be warranted to help crime scene investigators deal with the day to day. Stress management and other relaxation inducing techniques also may help alleviate some of the burden crime scene investigators face when handling difficult or violent cases.

Humanity Essay

People not only have a responsibility to others in the world, but an obligation to follow through,a s much as is possible, to shape a future world where conditions provide the best opportunities for all people to secure safety and happiness. Such a belief has often been regarded as â€Å"utopian† or highly idealistic, but it may be the case that actual conditions on the planet earth will reveal that utopianism is actually a form of pragmatism and that idealism, at least to some degree is a necessary component of social and political thinking. I regard this belief as a form of social responsibility. Social responsibility can be defined as â€Å"†balancing the pursuit of one’s individual goals with the needs of others in establishing a safe and just world and ensuring the continuation of a democratic society. † (Robinson, and Hayes, 2002, p. 6). The challenges of the twenty-first century, whether economic or environmental, cultural or biological will require new methods of thinking and behaving at both the individual and social levels. There must be an emphasis on changing the perceptions, particularly in twenty-first century America, which many people have about the nature of personal responsibility and personal empowerment. While it seems obvious enough to say, as President Barack Obama asserted in his book The Audacity of Hope, that new generations of Americans are â€Å"waiting for a politics with the maturity to balance idealism and realism, to distinguish between what can and cannot be compromised† (Obama, 2004. . 42) the ramifications of such a politics of maturity and realism extend to many important areas of American society including economics, technology, and philosophy and religion. What is necessary for America to meet the challenges of the future is a social cultural acceptance of the fact that responsibility, and not merely the pursuit of self-interests, is a path to personal empowerment. This last statement may seem contradictory to many Americans. A great number of people view themselves in purely materialistic terms and want what they can get out of society without taking any personal responsibility for the consequences. For some people, life holds no meaning outside of its material dimension and this loss of meaning in American culture has consequences beyond the immediately personal: â€Å"We have no choice, we are constantly told, because of economic forces, our unconscious, or our genes. Yet, at the same time, we live in a world that presents us with endless choices† (Sardar, 2006, p. ). As strange as it sounds, the only way to break the cycle of endless anxiety over our limitless freedom is by accepting responsibility for the choices we make. This is a kind of paradox in American society, â€Å"We want to have it both ways, and so we end up confused and cynical. Our obsession with individuality and self-interest further erodes personal and collective responsibility† (Sardar, 2006, p. 3) which means, the les s one begins to value their own existence the less responsibility they will feel for their actions. To accept responsibility is, in itself, to accept that life is meaningful and to accept that life in meaningful is an act of self-empowerment. we must learn to understand that â€Å"Freedom is both a gift and a challenge. It has value only when we respect it and enhance it individually and collectively. And when we exercise it with responsibility. † (Sardar, 2006, p. 3 ). In this way, a change in the basic philosophical vision present in American culture may help us to begin to make inroads against the challenges which face us in the new world. Wendell Berry’s persuasive argument that many modern conceptions of progress and happiness are rooted in ignorance and self-deception finds substantial validation in even a cursory glance of modern media and political discourse. Looked at more closely, the misconceptions ably identified by Wendell Berry in the Western (and particularly American) vision of life and life responsibilities, cast an illuminating light on contemporary government, American foreign policy, and many urgent social crises. Most obvious is the relationship between Berry’s observation that â€Å"The higher aims of â€Å"technological progress† are money and ease† and the recent almost epidemic instances of corporate corruption (and corruption in government) whereby CEO’s have garnered massive bonuses and pay-increases whilst robbing their shareholders and workers of profits and pensions. The corresponding downfall of powerful political figures in the United States Congress, as well as their lobbyist counterparts for racketeering, bribery, and other financial crimes indicates how widespread is the oligarchical strain of political morals in contemporary society. Wasteful projects such as the â€Å"†Big Dig† in Massachusetts (estimated at $2. 5 billion in 1985, over $14. 6 billion had spent in federal and state tax dollars by 2006), as well as the highly-publicized Tyco and Enron financial scandals affirm Berry’s contention that far from securing a worthy future, the immediate greed and gratification of â€Å"big money† has motivated corporate and political leaders to sacrifice the future and well-being of myriad other individuals and the nation as a whole in favor of selfish, personal gain. This type of greed, based on the fallacious assumption of preserving one’s future extends throughout the social hierarchy of America, with most, if not all industries and pursuits subordinated to it; as Berry remarks â€Å"Surely the aim cannot be the integrity or happiness of our families, which we have made subordinate to the education system, the television industry, and the consumer economy† (Berry,1990. p206). The reality is that most families are useful to the controlling interests of the American economy as charted demographics which allow individual economic resources to be targeted at â€Å"tapped† by the said controlling interests. Corporate America, the media, and the governments themselves function as subsidiaries of the overall obsession with wealth and the increase of personal fortunes. The quest for personal enrichment, the acquiescence to greed, predicated on the unknowable future is self-rationalizing behavior. Ironically, it is also self-destructive behavior and also portends the possible destruction of the global environment. Were humanity truly concerned for the future, Berry argues, we would embrace the good things we know about the present such as water, oxygen, trees, oceans, mountains, and wildlife, and see to it that these good things endure â€Å"If we take care of the world of the present, the future will have received full justice from us. A good future is implicit in the soils, forests, grasslands, marshes, deserts, mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans that we have now† (Berry,1990. 16) One implied irony in Berry’s observations is that technology, the science which is supposed to bring our society to a great modern crest, has actually pushed us further into primitive superstition and savagery. Our modern totems are money and power; and we rape the environment rather than protecting it. We use our knowledge to destroy rather than preserve, and, at its pinnacle, technology, so Berry insinuates, has as one of its outcomes, the utter destruction of human thought. If one’ motives are money, ease, and haste to arrive in a technologically determined future, then the answer is foregone, and there is, the fact, no question, and no thought† (Berry,1990. p17). The most philosophically dense and relatively unsupported point which Berry attempts to make is the connection between a rejection of dehumizing technology and religious faith. â€Å"If one’s motive is the love of family, community, country, and God, then one will have to think, and one may have to decide that thee proposed innovation is undesirable† (Berry,1990. p17). With this conclusion, Berry seems to depart from the more linear and persuasive argument he previously offered. After all, if, as he insists, â€Å"We cannot think about the future, of course, for the future does no exist: the existence of the future is an article of faith† (Berry,1990. p17) then surely the substantiation of God or any moral or political belief predicated on the existence of God is similarly â€Å"an article of faith. † Taking Berry’s comments another way: that religious â€Å"faith† comprises a panacea to an abiding though sorely misplaced faith in technology, the argument seems more tenable if no less anecdotal and emotionally based. However, it is the emotion of Berry’s remarks which lends them a convincing and urgent air, which is suitable for the topics at hand. Unfortunately, outside of a faith in God, a dedication to one’s family, and a respect and love for the earth and its environment, Berry offers very few insights into how the prevailing destructive beliefs and practices he describes may be combated or changed. His arguments about selfishness and the hollow pursuit of material wealth as opposed to communal or national prosperity seem well reasons and are substantiate by contemporary facts. His arguments against technology seem a bit less well-reasoned and incomplete, based on emotional rather than evidential criteria. Though Berry’s imploring tone seems to fall short of providing even the slightest recommendation of pragmatic applications to reverse or undo the environmental and cultural damage that has come from America’s mortgaged future, his overall diagnoses of the problems facing our â€Å"Plutocracy† are persuasive and articulated with aplomb. As Barack Obama points out, economics in the twenty-first century no longer function along the same models they had embodied for years. He writes that â€Å"In this more competitive global environment, the old corporate formula of steady profits and stodgy management no longer worked† (Obama, 2004, p. 156). What Obama is driving at with this statement can be considered an aspect of â€Å"humanizing† economics, a must-needed step for America in the twenty-first century. By accepting responsibility for our actions we will understand the connections between the injustices and disparities in society and the damages which have been inflicted upon the environment. Though some of our challenges may be economic and some may be based in moral and ethical issues, the unifying factor is always: human responsibility. We begin to understand ourselves much more clearly and understand our challenges more clearly when we admit that we live in a world which â€Å"desperately needs fixing and in which denial is seductively easy and cheap, at least for a time. We must acknowledge and seek to understand the connection between poverty, social injustice, and environmental degradation. † (Orr, 2002, p. 89) Barack Obama’s insistence that the new economics has paved a way clear of the old economics which stressed only self-interests and profits is a key to understanding the kind of view of business and corporate responsibility which will have to be embraced in American society as we move forward to accept our responsibilities and meet the challenges of the future. Instead of viewing purely money and material growth as the only forms of â€Å"profit† in business, corporations of the future will begin to realize that â€Å"business behavior and government policy toward business requires, more than ever, an appreciation of the firm’s human dimensions, the dimensions left out of the neoclassical theory† (Tomer, 1999, p. 1). The future corporation will accept responsibility for its actions and view itself as shaped by not only â€Å"market forces but by societal ones† (Tomer, 1999, p. 9) and in so recognizing other forms of â€Å"success† and â€Å"profit† namely, the maintaining of ethical and environmental standards which contribute to the overall growth and well-being of humanity may over-ride present-day obsession with self-interest and materialistic profit. If Barack Obama’s writings in â€Å"The Audacity of Hope† are any real indication of the politician of the future — or the President of the future — it si clear that America still has the capacity to grown and recognize leaders who can summon a bold-enough vision as well as present workable solutions to meet the challenges we have at least partially created for ourselves. Obviously, I disagree with the suggestion that all the worlds problems and injustices can be eliminated, but I do believe that positive change can be made and that better conditions can be achieved. Here is why. My generation faces so many different challenges, ranging from war to global poverty, from the impact of technology to the scarcity of natural resources, that it is difficult to assign a single challenge as most crucial or important. However, because the challenges of the twenty-first century, whether economic or environmental, cultural or biological will require new methods of thinking and behaving at both the individual and social levels, the biggest challenge that faces my generation is one of changing the perceptions which many people have about the nature of personal responsibility and personal empowerment. I see changing this essentially self-perceptive issue as a key for facing the specific, concrete challenges that we will face in the future. In my opinion, it is not only possible, but morally imperative, that the social inequalities and injustices of the world be addressed with an eye toward influencing productive change in the world. It is, in fact, possible to make the world a better place. The most important factor, in my opinion, regarding the formation of an ideal society, would be the individual liberties of each of the citizens in that society. To me, a society which contained too may laws or rules, whether intended to ensure liberty or simply to oppress people, would be contrary to a utopia. Any ideal society must ensure the freedom of its citizens while simultaneously preserving their safety and the productivity of the society as a whole. Therefore, although it may sound somewhat far-fetched, the most important reform in my ideal society would be concerned with educational reform. In my vision of utopia, knowledge would be considered the most important â€Å"possession† or accomplishment. Instead of testing people for aptitude in a hierarchical fashion, I belive IQ and other tests should be sued early on in someone’s life to determine where their particular strengths and talents are centered and then that person would be encouraged to pursue these talents and aptitudes without regard of race, sexual orientation, religion, political or cultural biases. Due to the fact that individual liberty is the keystone of my utopian beliefs, no-one in an idealized society should be forced to pursue any endeavor whether they have aptitude for it or not, but all should be encouraged to find their inner-talent and special interests as the highest achievable goal in life. That and respecting the rights of all others to pursue their individual talent and skills and interests. Because I realize that the first and foremost plank of my utopian platform necessitates changing deeply rooted racial, gender-based, and cultural prejudices, it is worth pointing out that â€Å"utopias† are defined, not in terms of practicality and pragmatism, but on imaginative depth and vision, so that â€Å"the influence of utopian writings has generally been inspirational rather than practical. † (â€Å"Utopia, 2004†) This allows for utopian thinkers to â€Å"dream away,† as it were, and this liberty allows me to offer my second most critical element in an ideal society. This second point falls squarely under the category â€Å"economic utopia. † In my vision of an idealized society, money would be completely eliminated. The reason that money would be eliminated is because economic interests traditionally have displaced moral ideals in capitalist societies. Corporation work to obfuscate moral responsibility: â€Å"levels of complexity are added by confusion between descriptions and prescriptions of social responsibility, between what is and what ought to be, and between moral obligation and legal obligation† (Besser, 2002, p. 4). In my ideal society, religion would be primarily left to the individual and there would be no government sanctioning or endorsement of any single religion. Again, this is an impossible social requirement, but the vision of utopia I have would not contain the existence of exclusionary religions, religious ideas taught in public schools or religious ideas being used as a basis for common morality. Instead, a civi l ethic would replace what has in the past been seen as a religious ethic. Because my ideal society would contain neither organized religion or money, I believe that the two most important barriers to personal liberty and happiness would be removed from most people’s lives. Because self-determination would be the highest priority in my utopia, family conflicts and other interpersonal relationships would also play a less-permanent role in people’s lives,encouraging them to view all people as equal rather than those of their family or race or region being more â€Å"familiar† and subsequently more preferred or sympathized with. Most of the social changes in my utopia are probably unachievable and yet I believe by making only a few, albeit radical, changes in social vision and structure, a better world could be realized and a wider spread of happiness and contentment might be embraced; it is the idea that these changes could happen, even if they are unlikely, that defines a utopia.