Monday, December 30, 2019

The United States Vs. Nixon Case - 1428 Words

I have learned many interesting and informative topics in this course but the three topics that I found the most compelling are the United States vs. Nixon case, the Necessary and Proper Clause, and Social Security. The United States vs. Nixon case fascinated me because it involved one of our former presidents. In 1972, President Richard Nixon was running for a reelection against Senator George McGovern, a Democrat. During this campaign, the Watergate scandal began. This scandal brought down President Nixon and revealed many of his secrets during his administration. Five burglars broke into the Democratic Headquarters located in the Watergate building complex in Washington, D.C. This is where the democratic national committee was located along with their offices which contained democratic papers, private information associated with Senator George McGovern, the vice president nominees, and there were also many other confidential files. These burglars got caught and were arrested. The burglars were recognized by few people and they turned out to be associated with the White House. Many folks thought they worked for the White House or were paid to break into the Democratic Headquarters. Americans were starting to suspect President Nixon. President Nixon disregarded this and told the American people that he had nothing to do with this. Eventually Congress started to investigate the President. During the case hearing, someone revealed that President Nixon has tapes ofShow MoreRelatedSeparation Of Powers : A Principle Of The U.s. Government1528 Words   |  7 PagesJudicial branch they have the power to try federal cases and interpret the laws. As I continue in my paper I will discuss the different concepts that occur in the different branches, what each branch is responsible in doing as well as discuss different cases that follow into the different branches. During an early period the Judicial was the weakest branch of the three until John Marshall established the principle of judicial review in Marbury vs. Madison by declaring an act of Congress unconstitutionalRead MoreThe History And Effect Of Media On Presidential Debates1513 Words   |  7 PagesThe History and Effect of Media on Presidential Debates Throughout American history, it is clear to point out the United States have elected presidents to stand as the countries’ leader since the birth of the young nation. In most cases, the election is seen as a race between two parties even though there are others on the ballot. The vast majority usually did not know much about the other candidates until the turn of the century. Then, when media and information became easier to access it turnedRead MoreTo What Extent Has the Roberts Court Witnessed a Revival of Conservative Activism?817 Words   |  4 Pagesbe judicially active. With a liberal and activist majority on the court the Warren Court expanded  civil rights,  civil liberties,  judicial power, and the  federal power  in dramatic ways. Warren Court Cases | 1954 Brown vs the Board | Based on 14th Amendment- ended segregation and overturned Plessey vs Fergusson | Baker v. Carr  and  Reynolds v. Sims 1962-4 | Based on the 14th Amendment- asserted the right of all votes to be of equal value- and lead to reapportionment across the USA. | Gideon vRead MoreWatergate Scandal Of United States Vs. Nixon1506 Words   |  7 PagesIn the landmark court case of United States vs. Nixon the court had denied Nixon’s presidential power of executive privilege to halt the subpoena against him. The court concluded that his exercised power was not absolute and the need for evidence outweighed the presidential privilege as it was infringing on a criminal case. This case against Nixon was a result of one of the worst presidential scandals in U.S. history. The scandal was the Watergate scandal. The presidential scandal known as WatergateRead MoreNixon Vs. President Richard M. Nixon1304 Words   |  6 PagesTrace Haven Mrs. Molzahn American Literature May 17, 2017 Nixon vs. People   Ã‚  Ã‚   President Richard M. Nixon once said, â€Å" I can see clearly now†¦ that I was wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate† (Watergate Quotes). The Watergate scandal began when five men attempted to break into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Complex. The government had to create an act in order to have the right to view all surveillance footageRead MoreAn man from India deeply influenced a black man in America who persuaded black Americans to900 Words   |  4 Pagesknown as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This boycott was pivotal in the Civil Right Movement by energizing blacks, particularly in the South, to become more involved in politics. This occurred with the help of Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks, President Nixon, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and especially with the influence of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. From King’s studies of n onviolence, he guided blacks peacefully through the boycott and taught the boycotters thatRead MoreThe Montgomery Bus Boycott Part 11033 Words   |  5 PagesPresident Nixon, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and especially with the influence of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. From King’s studies of nonviolence, he guided blacks peacefully through the boycott and taught the boycotters that violence is not the way. King and Gandhi There were several factors that caused the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In the 1950’s, black people were protesting for their civil rights, because of the â€Å"Plessy vs. Ferguson†Read MoreEssay about HIST 1302 FINAL EXAM REVIEW1343 Words   |  6 Pagesas _____________ is to Eisenhower. Brinkmanship 9. Which Supreme Court decision ruled that a state law school have to admit qualified African American applicants even if parallel black law schools existed? Sweat vs. Painter 10. Which Supreme Court decision ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional? Brown vs. Board of Education 11. Where was the â€Å"March for Freedom† in which state troopers and deputized citizens brutally attacked marchers in full view of television that helpedRead MoreThe Government Is A Democracy1374 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause if they do not raise enough money someone else will. We cannot sit idly by. If we do we are letting those with power know we do not care and that we have become automatons. In order to make the government dependent on the people again Citizens vs. United must be repealed, the mainstream media must be changed to report facts instead of operating like a business, and people must be more engaged in governance. It is incredibly easy for those with money to purchase political power. â€Å"It s perfectlyRead MoreWikileaks : Innocent Or Guilty?987 Words   |  4 Pageshow to the past and how this has all happened before in 1971 with the Pentagon Papers. It was Nixon vs. The New York Times. It was Nixon vs. Journalism. It’s shocking to think that basically what is happening right now has already happened, stolen government papers or information being leaked to the public via a commonly known media, but we know the ending to the Pentagon Papers . Journalism won and Nixon lost (Goodale). Now the real question is history going to repeat itself or is there a different

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Writing As A Form Of Communication - 938 Words

Writing is a form of communication that utilizes symbols to express an idea or thought. The earliest form of writing began with pictographs, which were symbols of objects used to portray an idea. Thus, writing started with the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, who carved the first known pictographs in stone in approximately 35000 BC. Eventually, the pictograph developed into phonetic writing, where the symbols no longer just expressed an idea, but rather a sound. This development was a significant one, as information could now reach new audience’s, distant from its original source and unrestrained by it. Hence, phonetic writing coincided with the creation of writing systems such as the Alphabet. However, what makes writing and all forms of communication distinct is that they are necessary for cultural innovation, which is in turn necessary for the advancement of mankind. With phonetically written information it became easy to spread ideas and keep more detailed records of not only agr iculture, but of populations and religious texts. Moreover, writing eventually came to be a symbol of status. If a person was literate, they were most likely a scribe or a member of the privileged class. In this way, literacy became a distinction of where you belonged in society. An example of this can be seen in America where slaves were not allowed to be able to read or write. Slave masters feared that their literacy would make a slave incompetent due to the fact they would be able to become aware ofShow MoreRelated The Evolution of Writing as an Important Form of Communication2953 Words   |  12 Pagesprocess of writing starts to take shape, an idea must be developed and contemplated. The underlying question at the beginning of this process is, Why am I writing? For many, the initial response would be for a job, a grade, or to prove a point. On a basic level, however, animals behave according to two influences: instinct or experience; humans, since they are animals, are no di fferent. There is a debate over whether humans write because it is in their genetic code or because writing is a usefulRead MoreWriting Is The Most Important Form Of Communication We Humans Have953 Words   |  4 PagesWriting is the most important form of communication we humans have. Writing has conveyed our ways of life, our stories, and our discoveries. For someone to say that writing is not important is extremely foolish. If people don’t learn to properly write what they are trying to say, it will be lost to the person trying to read. My father thinks that it isn’t important to improve my writing skills, says that there’s no need to if people can get the gist of what I’m trying to say. He is dead wrong;Read More The Power Of Writing Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesThe Power Of Writing When I entered this class I didn’t think that we would be discussing the concept of writing. In fact, I never thought the concept of writing was that complicated enough to be discussed in a classroom setting. However, as demonstrated throughout history different forms of communication, such as writing, have shaped and evolved human interaction and invoked societal change. For example, in Walter Ong’s essay, â€Å"Writing is a Technology that Restructures Thought,† Ong acknowledgesRead MoreDr. Shamis s Website And Credentials Stood Out The Most977 Words   |  4 PagesJersey and Pennsylvania (B. Shamis, personal communication, July 6, 2016)† He then explained the types of therapies he is proficient in, his educational background, and how he formed his practice. Once rapport was established with Dr. Shamis the rest of the interview focused on writing within the social sciences. The next question asked of Dr. Shamis was â€Å"Compared to your undergraduate studies, was there a significant increase in the amount of writing expected from you upon the entrance of graduateRead MoreWriting Is The Art Of Discovering What You Believe880 Words   |  4 PagesWriting is a unique language comprehended through the specific kind of symbols, alphabets, gestures, and other type of styles which creates the astounding language called writing. Writing is a style in which a writer expresses their own writing skills and experiences. Writing creates a gateway to escape life and form a new life in their own fictional world; a world in which the writers wants them to live their life. It also makes writers feel free of every life problems and help them become themselvesRead MoreExpository Writing : Writing, Expository, Persuasive, Descriptive, And Narrative757 W ords   |  4 Pagesprobably not going to a job interview. Just like anything else, writing has different expressions. Writing is a form of communication; the person is writing to inform, persuade, describe, or tell a story. There are four main types of writing styles, expository, persuasive, descriptive, and narrative. We then choose what we want to read according to our interest in each category. Let’s look at expository writing. Expository writing is usually developed around one topic and is used to describe orRead MoreHow Writing Is The Art Of Discovering What You Believe884 Words   |  4 PagesWriting is a language comprehended through the understanding of symbols, alphabets, and other form styles that completes the language called writing. Writing is a style in which a writer expresses their way of writing skills. Writing is a gateway to escape real life and make a new life the way a writer wants them to live their life. It also makes writers feel free and become themselves. Writing is a work of art; it can be produced and mended in any way possible to create a wonderful piece of writingRead MoreInterview Summary : Style Of Business Writing898 Words   |  4 Pages Interview Summary - The Style of Business Writing Melissa E. de Castro California State University Interview Summary - The Style of Business Writing As a pre-Business Administration or pre-business student, I interviewed a professor from my department. I conducted a classroom observation of a required Business class. The class was MGMT 102 - Business Communications taught by Randall Benfield, which I thoroughly enjoyed as a visitor. With permission, I interviewed him on Thursday, MarchRead MoreDifferences Between Speech And Writing1699 Words   |  7 Pagesexpressions of language being speech and writing. Speech has existed since the dawn of humanity, whereas writing is thought to have been around for a maximum of 8000 years, Gee Hayes (2011). Although speech and writing are the main modes of language, both are not always used. Speech and writing serve different purposes and can be understood by examining important differences between the two. The purpose of this report is to outline the differences between speech and writing in different contexts. The FunctionsRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effects On Society Essay1396 Words   |  6 Pagespossess some form of an electronic device that is capable of accessing social media, rather it be Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and many more. â€Å"Technology’s rampant popularization over the past decade in terms of social media has meant that texting, Facebook, and Twitter have inevitable taken over as the most efficient ways of communicating with each other.† (Jones) From children of young age, to our elders, people of all ages have the potential to gain access to multiple forms of social media

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Place Of Woman In A Society Free Essays

There are two main pillars of human life-man and woman. Both share equal responsibility in the making of society and hence both are supplement to each other. But from the very beginning, there has been a big question mark on the status of women in our society. We will write a custom essay sample on Place Of Woman In A Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now All talk of their role and responsibility but none care for their position. They have been exploited and ill-treated right from the beginning of the creation. But the reality is something else. Women have been put behind walls from ages. Sati Pratha is the bitter truth which shows to what extent our women folk have been exploited. Child marriage and a contemptuous attitude towards the widows are other examples of woman-exploitation. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the first who raised voice against these unhealthy systems prevalent in Indian society. He took up the cause of the women and worked hard to abolish ‘Sati Pratha. ‘ It was due to his courageous work that Indian women dared to come out of Purdah. They got education which provided them opportunities to develop themselves at all levels. And in due course they surpassed the men. Today we see women in every field. They are marching shoulder to shoulder in every walk of life. Apart from teaching school children, women are now pilots, receptionists, police officers, doctors, engineers etc. The elevation in the status of the women sometimes creates confusion among us that Sita and Draupadi have born in the The previous condition was due to the lack of education but now the spread of education among women has same country. completely changed the scenario. They are occupying key positions in almost every field of society. Our country is progressing in this way no doubt. But sometimes it appears that over ­exposure of women is a suicidal attack for our future. On the one hand we are not still ready to forget the image of Sita and Savitri and on the other we are tempted to watch the over ­exposed movies on TV screen with the little kids of our family. Our modern progressive girls are imitating the fashion very fast which is still not acceptable in our society. As a result it creates a lot of problems and crime for which this over-exposure is responsible. It must not be provocative. We must allow women to stand by themselves but they should also be learnt our culture and civilization. â€Å"The hands that rock the cradle the world. † – Napoleon Bonaparte How to cite Place Of Woman In A Society, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Personal Toolkit for Critiquing Research Articles

Question: Discuss about thePersonal Toolkit for Critiquing Research Articles. Answer: Introduction In response to the research articles, the following questions can be used to interrogate the research article; Why am I reading the article? What do I know about the subject? How do various chapters relate to the research topic? How can what the text convey relate to my livelihood experience? After reading the article, the following questions can be asked; Did I understand the principle as per the argument? Did I identify the most important points? Are there gaps relating to the article? Strategies Strategically, critical reading of a research article begins by being selective. Being selective means the reader should select the best text out of the research report. By becoming selective, the user must start by identifying what he or she is searching for. After the identification, examination of the contents page becomes quite easy. After selecting the content page, speed-reading then follows to absorb the overall impression about the research topic. Speed-reading helps in knowing the areas in search; areas, chapters of sections which are most relevant are identified for thorough reading while areas of less relevance are ignored. The main aim of speed reading is to determine what the research article is talking about but not to understand the entire article. Besides this strategy, SQ3R can also be used. SQ3R comprises of surveying, questioning, reading, recalling, and reviewing. Survey is about speed-reading (Taslidere, and Eryilmaz, 2012). Under the question, the text is keenly observed and questions extracted out of it, which are then used as guidelines for reading. With the questions, the reading is changed to active pursuit from passive (Roberts et al., 2012). Some of the possible questions while reading a research article seek to answer the importance of reading the specific piece of writing, what is known about the subject, how various chapters relate to the research question and how what is read can be linked to a real life experience. The next subject is Read, which entails reading the main research article. Reading involves careful consideration of the meaning drawn from the paper. Therefore, it both involves being active and critical at the same time. In the recall, what had been read is traced back. Lastly, a review of the article is taken to ensure that the text has been understood. Article 1: What is Validity and why Does it Matter in Research? Like any other research article, reading this piece of writing begins by tracing the answers for the purpose of reading it, tracing what had already been acquired relating to the article, the relationship of various chapters within the paper and how the entire text relate to the worldly experience. Through speed-reading, the purpose of reading the article is drawn as knowing the actual meaning of validity and identify its importance in research. While relating the research topic and what had been acquired earlier, it is observed that efficacy related directly to research. Selection of critical areas then follows. Here, the heading, four types of validity and the importance of validity are selected as the main parts of the research article (Psucd8, 2011). Other segments are the threats to internal validity and the relationship between validity and reliability (Convery et al., 2015). The heading notifies the reader about the general picture of the article. It defines validity as the degree upon which the study under interrogation measures the intended item. Coming to types, face, concurrent, predictive and construct validity are identified as some of the types of validity. According to the article, threats to validity includes testing effect and biases of instruments. It is also stated that there is various importance of validity. Some of them are ensuring efficient use of results and gives directions on how to control threats to validity (Convery et al., 2015). Finally, the article related validity to reality in that; both of them are independent concepts in research. They also determine a good study. These areas of the research components relate in that; each one of them brings a vivid picture of validity and its importance. Relating to practical experience, efficacy makes any story valid. To ensure that the article is well understood, the main principles and p oints such as the types of validity are recalled by reading the article again but faster. Article 2: Exploring Reliability in Academic Assessment Just like in article one, the quick step in reading is speed-reading. This passage intends to determine the worthiness of the article, familiarizing with it, identifying the various chapters and relating them. As defined by the title, the purpose of reading this paper is to understand the meaning of validity and exploring it in academic assessment. According to the article, reliability is a degree where an evaluation equipment provides a consistence and stable results. Various components of the article are types of reliability, validity, and types of validity. Test-retest parallel forms, inter-rater, and internal consistency is identified under the types of validity section (Sijtsma, 2015). Talking about validity, the paper states that it is the appropriateness of taking the intended measurements by a test. It is also noted that there are many types of validity. They include constructing validity, face, sampling, formative and criterion-related validity (Phelan and Wren, 2005). To relate the research article with what had been learned earlier, it is evident that reliability is directly linked to validity. While validity ensures that tool used to take measurements measure must make sure that the intended subject is measures, security provides that such measurements must be consistency and stable (Wladis and Samuels, 2016). Therefore, validity depends on reliability to remain valid. Apparently, various chapters of the article relate. For instance, the types of reliability are all linked to reliability itself, just like the components of validity. To a worldly experience, reliability is widely applied in learning institutions to determine the level of knowledge acquired by use of tests (Ackerman and Educational Testing Service, 2014). To sum up, the article is read again but fast to recall main points. Such points are types of reliability comprising of test-retest parallel forms, inter-rater, and internal consistency. References Ackerman, D. J., Educational Testing Service, P. C. (2014). State-Funded PreK Policies on External Classroom Observations: Issues and Status. Policy Information Report. Educational Testing Service, Convery, E., Keidser, G., Seeto, M., Yeend, I., Freeston, K. (2015). Factors Affecting Reliability and Validity of Self-Directed Automatic in Situ Audiometry: Implications for Self-Fitting Hearing Aids. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 26(1), 5-18. doi:10.3766/jaaa.26.1.2 Psucd8. (2011).What is validity and why is it important inresearch? Just another WordPress.com site. Derived from https://psucd8.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/why-is-validity-important-in-research/ Phelan, C., Wren, J., (2005).Exploring reliability in academic assessment. UNI. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/USER/Desktop/Reliability%20and%20Validity.html Roberts, K. D., Takahashi, K., Park, H., Stodden, R. A. (2012). Supporting Struggling Readers in Secondary School Science Classes. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 44(6), 40-48. Sijtsma, K. (2015). Delimiting Coefficient from Internal Consistency and Unidimensionality. Educational Measurement: Issues Practice, 34(4), 10-13. Taslidere, E. Eryilmaz, A. (2012). The Relative Effectiveness of Integrated Reading Study Strategy and Conceptual Physics Approach. Research in Science Education, 42(2), 181-199. Wladis, C., Samuels, J. (2016). Do online readiness surveys do what they claim? Validity, reliability, and subsequent student enrollment decisions. Computers Education, 9839-56. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2016.03.001

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions for a Marketing Interview Essay Example

Frequently Asked Questions for a Marketing Interview Essay Frequently Asked Questions for a Marketing Interview 1. What is market research according to you? 2. What is the difference between sales and marketing? 3. Explain the term customer loyalty. 4. What is the difference between Customer Satisfaction and Delight 5. What is Target Market? 6. Give an example of a product which exhibits habitual buying . 7. What are the various methods of Sampling? 8. Give an example of a lifestyle store. 9. What is meant by footfalls? 10. What is Primary Data? 11. Annual Report of a company is primary or secondary data? 12. What is meant by Cross Selling? 13. How will you show a physical evidence for an airline? 14. What is Brand Equity? 15. What is the difference between Market Potential and Sales Potential? 16. What is the difference between sales and marketing. 17. What is market Skimming . In what scenario will you implement it? 18. If you were a marketing manager of a five star hotel, how would you ensure the customer loyalty? 19. What is likert scale? 20. What is blue ocean strategy? 21. What are the applications of BCG Matrix? 22. What is sales territory? 23. Differentiate between needs and wants. 24. What is B2B marketing? 25. What are lifestyle brands? 26. What are cult brands? 27. What is Umbrella Branding? 28. What are quotas? 29. What do you understand from Service Guarantee? 30. What are intermediaries? FAQs FOR MOCK INTERVIEWS – FINANCE / BANKING / ECONOMICS 1. What is break-even point? 2. Distinguish between NPV and IRR. 3. What is a Derivative? 4. Explain Fundamental analysis. 5. What are Basel norms? 6. What is a Non Performing Asset (NPA)? 7. Describe Working capital gap. 8. What is EMI? 9. What is hedging? 10. Describe various types of risks in financial system. 11. What is a monetary policy? 12. What is exchange rate? 13. Mention various instruments of the money market. 4. Name the regulatory bodies for: banks, capital markets, and insurance sectors. 15. What is debt restructuring? 16. Distinguish between fund-based and non fund-based facilities. We will write a custom essay sample on Frequently Asked Questions for a Marketing Interview specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Frequently Asked Questions for a Marketing Interview specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Frequently Asked Questions for a Marketing Interview specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer 17. What are documentary Letters of Credit? 18. What is arbitrage? 19. What is cash management? 20. What is ‘Bancassurance’? Frequently Asked Questions for Mock Interview – Economics/Finance 1. What are Bonds? 2. Define money market 3. What is securitization? 4. What is credit creation? 5. Do you feel banking sector is able to weather recession? 6. India has a heavy percentage of public sector, is it helpful for sustaining high growth rate? . How monetary policy affects the growth of the economy? 8. Explain inter-linkages between monetary and fiscal policy. 9. What is financial crowding out? 10. Are stock prices an indicator of economic health? 11. Are we heading for stagflation? 12. So far as economic down turn is considered, which banking sector is better able to sustain, public sector banks or private sector banks? 13. Are we looking at reality sector recession? 14. Should we appreciate the rupee? 15. Is the dollar over priced? 16. What is capital market? 17. S hould India opt for dis-investment in public sector? 18. What is sub-prime crisis? 19. Could India be facing sub-prime crisis? 20. Are inflation and deficit related HR Domain Questions 1) What is the differences between HR , HRM HRD ? A. human resources, that element within a company which deals with the human aspects/needs of workers. Many companies have an HR department, which may provide a broad range of services to its employees. Some who work in HR are considered part of the department, but many people outside of such a department may have something to do with not just the financial aspects of work, but also â€Å"the human element† of employing workers. Human Resource Management is the organizational function that deals ith issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training. Human Resource Development (HRD) is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. Human Resource Development includes such opportunities as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development. ) What are Functional , Product based and Matrix Organizational Structures ? 3) What do you understand by Induction Program what are the important parameters to be considered before designing an Induction program ? A. An induction program is the process used within many businesses to welcome new employees to the company and prepare them for their new role. Induction training should include development of theoretical and practical skills, but also meet interaction needs that exist among the new employees. Benefits of an induction program An induction program is an important process for bringing staff into an organisation. It provides an introduction to the working environment and the set-up of the employee within the organisation. The process will cover the employer and employee rights and the terms and conditions of employment. As a priority the induction program must cover any legal and compliance requirements for working at the company and pay attention to the health and safety of the new employee. An induction program is part of an organisations knowledge management process and is intended to enable the new starter to become a useful, integrated member of the team, rather than being thrown in at the deep end without understanding how to do their job, or how their role fits in with the rest of the company. Good induction programs can increase productivity and reduce short-term turnover of staff. These programs can also play a critical role under the socialization to the organization in terms of performance, attitudes and organizational commitment A typical induction program A typical induction program will include at least some of the following: †¢ any legal requirements (for example in the UK, some Health and Safety training is obligatory) †¢ any regulatory requirements (for example in the UK banking sector certain forms need to be completed) †¢ introduction to terms and conditions (for example, holiday entitlement, how to make expense claims, etc) †¢ a basic introduction to the company, and how the particular department fits in †¢ a guided tour of the building completion of government requirements (for example in UK submission of a P45 or P60) †¢ set-up of payroll details †¢ introductions to key members of staff †¢ specific job-role training 4) What are the various levels of HR planning done in organizations ? A. Human resource planning is a systematic analysis of HR needs to ensure the availability of the correct number of employees with the necessary skills at the right time. The in creased competitive nature of business that makes workforce flexibility an imperative need has raised the importance of human resource planning. Demand Forecasting The steps to HR Planning start with forecasting the number and type of employees needed in the future. This requires a good understanding of the internal and external environment of the enterprise. The major aspects of the internal environment that affect HR Planning include short-term and long-term organizational plans and strategies, and the status of the organizations human resources. The major aspects of an enterprise’s xternal environment that impacts HR planning include the general status of the economy, developments in technology, level of competition, labor market trends and regulations, demographic trends and the like. For instance, an organization planning to launch a new product would require additional marketing staff, and an organization looking to open a new branch would require more office staff. An organization looking to close down unprofitable branches might look to retrench workers. Similarly, technological developments might prompt the organization to shift to reliance on fewer numbers of technically skilled workers rather than depend on a large pool of manual labor. Correct forecasting of human resource requirements contributes significantly to the competitiveness of the enterprise. Organizations forecasting more workers than required retain surplus or under-utilized staff, and organizations that fail to grasp the full extent of human resources required find themselves overstretched and unable to seize opportunities. The two major methods of forecasting are judgmental methods such as Delphi technique or managerial estimates, and various mathematical models such as time series, personnel and productivity ratios, regression analysis, and the like. Inventory Analysis and Supply Forecasting The second step in HR planning is inventory analysis or keeping track of the current employees in the organization to determine the extent to which this meets the forecast. The HR inventory analysis entails Skill inventory, or keeping track of the number of employees, and the age, locations, qualifications, and skills of each employee to determine the specific role each employee would fill in the short term and long term †¢ Forecasting resignations and recruitment and understanding their impact on the skill inventory levels †¢ Forecasting leaves, transfers, dismissals, sabbaticals, prolonged illness, and deaths of employees and their impact on inventory levels The ways to forecast the internal supply of human resources include methods such as Markov analysis, transitional matrices, replacement schedules, succession planning, and the like. Audit The third step in HR planning is audit, which includes reconciling inventory with forecast through a systematic analysis of demand and supply forecasting, and identifying areas where shortages and surpluses exist. The audit phase also involves, among other tasks: †¢ Identifying reasons for resignations, the cost of such resignations such as recruitment and training costs of new hires, cost of lost experience, skills and knowledge of the departing employee, and the like, and devise retention plans to retain key talent, if required †¢ Review the effectiveness of the recruitment activities, training and development initiatives, career planning exercises, succession planning, and other interventions Reconciliation The next step in HR Planning is developing action plans to bridge the gap between forecast and supply. The various alternatives include: †¢ Strategy to recruit new employees Retrenchment of downsizing strategy to shed excess workforce †¢ Training and Development plans to right-size the workforce †¢ Career Planning and Succession Planning to identify key personnel †¢ Changes in work regulations such as timings, overtime policy and the like The basic considera tions when undertaking the planning process is compliance and impact of labor legislation. Laws that govern overtime and retrenchment for instance can have a significant impact on the strategy adopted. The other consideration is the availability of resources such as financial, physical, and technical for implementation of the plans. Once approved, such plans become part of the company’s strategic objectives. Strategic HR Planning entails aligning such HR Plans with the overall strategic goals of the organization. Control The last step in HR Planning is monitoring and controlling implementation of the HR plan. This entails ensuring implementation proceeds in accordance with the plan and taking timely course corrections. The external and internal environment of an enterprise always remains in a state of flux, and a good HR Plan incorporates mechanisms to make timely revisions in accordance with such changes 5) What is the difference between Job Description Job specification ? A job description is a list of the general tasks, or functions, and responsibilities of a position. Typically, it also includes to whom the position reports, specifications such as the qualifications needed by the person in the job, salary range for the position, etc. A job description is usually developed by conducting a job analysis, which includes examining the tasks and sequences of tasks necessary to perform the job. The analysis looks at the areas of knowledge and skills needed by the job. Note that a role is the set of responsibilities or expected results associated with a job. A job usually includes several roles. The job description might be broadened to form a person specification. An alternate terminology used under the UN system is Terms of reference (TOR). 6) What do you understand by Job Design? What are the modern methods of Job Design [pic]A. Work arrangement (or rearrangement) aimed at reducing or overcoming job dissatisfaction and employee alienation arising from repetitive and mechanistic tasks. Through job design, organizations try to raise productivity levels by offering non-monetary rewards such as greater satisfaction from a sense of personal achievement in meeting the increased challenge and responsibility of ones work. Job enlargement, job enrichment, job rotation, and job simplification are the various techniques used in a job design exercise. In job enrichment, the attempt is to build in to jobs a higher sense of challenge and achievement. The accumulation of achievement must lead to a felling of personal growth accompanied by a sense of responsibility. Job enlargement means increasing the scope of a job through extending the range of its job duties and responsibilities 7) What is Human Resource Outsourcing? What are the various functions which can be outsourced ? 8) Why is reliability and validity a important part of selection tests and interviews ? 9) What are the various sources of recruitment ? SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT [pic] 10) What is the career management cycle? Which stage is the most important according to you ? Career Management Cycle The Career Management Cycle is a life-long process to assist you in making personally authentic career decisions and pursuing your goals. The Career Center can assist you with the following steps: †¢ [pic]Step 1: Know Yourself Can you clearly articulate who you are, identifying your interests, values, and skills? Its imperative that before you pursue a job search, you have a good grasp of yourself. Consider the following: o †¢ [pic]Step 2: Explore Your Options Once you feel confident about who you are, the next logical question is: Whats out there? Consider the following: †¢ [pic]Step 3: Plan your strategy and take action Now that youve narrowed your options, it’s time to set goals and conduct a job search or apply to graduate school. [pic]Step 4: Manage Your Career Once you begin working, be sure to continue networking and developing your skills. Consider the following: 11) What is the difference between Rate range and pay grades ? 12) What percentage of a salary is deducted as a part of the employee provident fund ? 3) When is an employee eligible to receive his/her Gratuity? How is it calculated ? 14) What do you understand by 360 degrees performance appraisal? Where can it be used ? In human resources or industrial/organizational psychology, 360-degree feedback, also kno wn as multi-rater feedback, multisource feedback, or multisource assessment, is feedback that comes from all around an employee. 360 refers to the 360 degrees in a circle, with an individual figuratively in the center of the circle. Feedback is provided by subordinates, peers, and supervisors. It also includes a self-assessment and, in some cases, feedback from external sources such as customers and suppliers or other interested stakeholders. It may be contrasted with upward feedback, where managers are given feedback by their direct reports, or a traditional performance appraisal, where the employees are most often reviewed only by their managers. The results from 360-degree feedback are often used by the person receiving the feedback to plan training and development. Results are also used by some organizations in making administrative decisions, such as pay or promotion. 15) How do you evaluate the effectiveness of training programs? What is Kirk Patrick’s model to evaluate the same ? Evaluation is often looked at from four different levels (the Kirkpatrick levels) listed below. Note that the farther down the list, the more valid the evaluation. . Reaction What does the learner feel about the training? 2. Learning What facts, knowledge, etc. , did the learner gain? 3. Behaviors What skills did the learner develop, that is, what new information is the learner using on the job? 4. Results or effectiveness What results occurred, that is, did the learner apply the new skills to the necessary tasks in the organization and, if so, what results were achieved? 16) What is the difference between Management Development Program Worker Training program ? Give examples of the same 17) What do you understand by Core competency and role based competency ? 18) Who are Kaplan and Norton ? What is the Balance score card ? 19) What were the Hawthorne experiments? Is there any relevance of it in the modern context 20) What are the various leadership styles? Are transactional leaders more effective or Transformational leaders more effective in the work place ? Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. Kurt Lewin (1939) led a group of researchers to identify different styles of leadership. This early study has been very influential and established three major leadership styles. The three major styles of leadership are o Authoritarian or autocratic o Participative or democratic Delegative or Free Reign 21) What are the various stages of Group formation? Which stage is the most important 22) What are the various stages of Grievance handling in a Manufacturing plant ? grievance is a sign of employee’s discontent with job and its nature. The employee has got certain aspirations and expectations which he thinks must be fulfilled by the organisation where he is working. When the organisation fails to satisfy the employee needs, he develops a feeling of discontent or dissatisfaction. Thus, grievance is caused due to the difference between the employee expectation and management practices Steps in the Grievance Procedure 15 Identify grievances: Employee dissatisfaction or grievance should be identified by the management if they are not expressed. If they are ventilated, management has to promptly acknowledge them. ?Define correctly: The management has to define the problem properly and accurately after it is identified/acknowledged. ?Collect Data: Complete information should be collected from all the parties relating to the grievance. Information should be classified as facts, data, opinions, etc. ?Prompt redressal: The grievance should redressed by implementing the solution. ?Implement and follow up: The Implementation of the solution must be followed up at every stage in order to ensure effective and speedy implementation. : 3) What is the Trade Union act, Industrial Dispute act the factories act ? Is it still relevant in today’s context for all industries ? 24) What is the Geocentric and the polycentric approach in International HRM ? 25) What is the importance of cross cultural communication in today’s global Business environment ? Cross-cultural communication (also frequently referred to as intercultural communication, which is also used in a different sense, though) is a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavour to communicate across cultures. 6) How does an organization go about building the next generation of leaders ? 27) What do you understand by Knowledge Management? Can HR processes be benchmarked ? Importaance of training Training your employees do have a significant role in modern business era. Not just to equip them with latest tools your company has implemented, there is a lot more to it. I have sorted down them in a list. This is a must read if you employ or mean to employ in future atleast one person. Training your emplyess is important because 1. Rapid technological innovations impacting the workplace have made it necessary for people to consistently update their knowledge and ski lls 2. People have to work in multidimensional areas , which usually demand far more from their area of specialisation. 3. Change in the style of management. 4. Due to non-practical collage education. 5. Lack of proper and scientific selection procedure. 6. For career advancement. 7. For higher motivation and productivity. 8. To make the job challenging and interesting 9. For self and development 10. For employee motivation and retention 11. To improve organisational climate 12. Prevention of obsolescence 13. To help an organisation to fulfil its future manpower needs. 14. To keep in pace with times 15. To bridge gap between skills requirement and skills availability 16. For survival and growth of organisation and nation

Monday, November 25, 2019

Position of Wage Labour in the United States

Position of Wage Labour in the United States Introduction One of the hefty criticisms of the early stages of industrialisation is that people were used as capital assets to facilitate the production processes particularly in the US.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Position of Wage Labour in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Discussing the impacts of capitalisation of labour on semi-skilled, unskilled, and skilled workers, Kremer points out how the workers were misused following the application of concepts of labour capitalisation during early economic times where they worked under intensively poor conditions (553). The same concept is developed by Dubofsky who argues that, in the early industrialisation age, many employers preferred low priced sources of labour such as children, females, and immigrants who were underprivileged (35). However, the contemporary labour markets of the United States views labour as a distinct resource that can be isolated from the traditional forms of capital since it is subject to controls by forces that are extrinsic to an organisation or any industry employing people. From this perspective, the focus of this research proposal is to examine whether the united State, over time, has fundamentally improved the position of wage labour or it has simply maintained the position of capital. To achieve this noble goal, statistics from the government of the United States are deployed as the primary source of data. Scholarly findings are also deployed to help in integrating the primary and secondary data findings to give a well-informed position on whether United States still clings to the position of capital or it has improved the position of wage labour. The US Department of Labour: Why was it Established? In responding to the question of whether the United States has improved the position of labour or has been maintaining the position of capital, the first chapter of the research will revi ew the circumstances that lead to the establishment of the U.S. department of labour, its mandates and its achievements in improving the welfare of the United States’ workforce.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The chapter will argue that, in an attempt to enhance change of perception that labour can be capitalised and hence subject to operation of market forces to determine labour pricing, several improvements to wages have been realised in a number of ways since the establishment of the United States department of labour. In fact, the U.S. department of labour is mandated to promote, foster, and develop wage earners’ welfares so that their working conditions can be improved coupled with making sure that they are engaged in profitable employments. For precise realisation of its mandates, the U.S. department of labour is given the authority to administer various federal laws of labour, which are meant to guarantee all the employees rights to working conditions. The US Employers Deprived of their Role to Determine Wages Under the ideologies of labour capitalisation, the employer has the supreme ability to determine the right wages to be paid to the workers so that the production process can proceed within the limits of the acceptable levels of profitability. The main question addressed in chapter two of the research will be the manner in which this supreme ability of the employers has been eroded in the United States’ labour markets so that the position of the labour wages is improved. To achieve this goal, the chapter will investigate issues such as role of the United States’ government in influencing the workers coupled with their movements. In this regard, it will be maintained that the main goal of government engagement in the workers’ movements is to ensure that the workers’ unions are d emocratic and independent from coercion by the employing agents. This will confirm Kremer’s argument that states’ role in enhancing freedom of labour unions in United States is aimed at ensuring that workers are shielded from being slaves of the state thus not acting as capital assets for the employers (556). According to Dubofsky, this is achieved through enactment of administrative and political policies coupled with manipulation of various legislative policies of labour unions (26).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Position of Wage Labour in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hence, labour unions are made stable, which has the implication of making workers have the motivation of joining unions as the only way of fighting for their wages, rights, and resolution of wages conflicts with the employers without the risks of being sacked. Additionally, the chapter will argue that the position of the labour wages has been incredibly improved through the creation of social stability emanating from the brave liberal ideas of corporate leaders that denying labourers the freedom and extension of ideologies of exploitation of humans’ resource are not the avenues for enhancing profitability. The US Labour Legal Frameworks Still in chapter 2, as a mechanism of setting the theoretical constructs of the research, the chapter will also consider scholarly criticisms and insights as to whether the United States, through its labour legal frameworks, has altered the agrarian society’s social, political, and economic welfare of the workers. In this argument, the chapter will draw the lesson learnt in the 19th century’s riots against establishment of power hegemonies. It is contended by Huff that such riots lead to the emergence of new demands, which truncate to making the United States workforce have both cultural and social autonomy in the work places (247). This autonomy was a major stepping-stone towards the creation of enabling platforms for workers to claim for wages that are commensurate to their efforts put in the production process without the fear of being prejudiced by the employers. The acquired autonomy also made employees to incredibly engage in labour strikes. Indeed, due to this autonomy, neither the employers nor the government managed to curtail the efforts for the workers to campaign for better wage positions. For instance, President Roosevelt’s government never succeeded in pushing for the legislative demands enacted by the American federation of labour (Lane and Pasteur 716). With this failure, the federation had no option rather than to link up with the Woodrow Wilson regime to promote the quests placed by employees. This resulted to an elementary increment of wage position of the workers.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, exempting labour markets from the action of free market forces is an immense challenge. However, one way of doing this is setting minimum wages. The application of this approach to enhancing wage position of the workers is discussed in chapter three of the research. Setting Minimum Wages In any capitalistic economy, when the free market forces are permitted to regulate labour market dynamic, wage inequalities are produced. To enhance equality, Lalibertà © argues, â€Å"a strong minimum wage can help make a genuine difference in outcomes† (8). Setting minimum wages prevents the emergence of low wage employees coupled with continued wage inequity growth. The debate on minimum wages is widely controversial since moral considerations as to what comprises a minimum wage that would enable workers together with their families to sustain their lives come into play. Arguably, setting of minimum wages is meant to ensure that employers do not employ groups that are vulnerabl e to capitalisation such as emigrants and children by virtue of the fact they would be willing to accept low wages and hence be capitalised so that the employers reap optimal profits at their expense. In the quest to improve the labour wages through the perspectives of minimum wages, concepts of living wages have emerged in the US’ labour market terminologies. According to Luce, â€Å"Basic Family Budget Calculator developed by the Economic Policy Institute, the Self-Sufficiency Standard, developed by Diana Pierce, and the Wider Opportunities for Women† (13) are some of the approaches that are used to compute living wages. Both of these approaches deploy the data collected by the US’ government institutions to arrive at an estimation of minimum housing cost, transportation, childcare, food, taxes, and healthcare costs. When all these costs are summed up, the government, through the department of labour, is able to come up with the total annual income required fo r general workers to sustain their lives. The block figure is then converted into hourly pay rates. The figure arrived at is usually higher than the minimum wage set by federal governments (Luce 14). Another approach of ensuring that the wage position of the employees is improved is setting the minimum wages at levels that would enable workers who work full time to attain the federal poverty line. Primary Sources Amid the attempts by United States to put in place mechanisms of improving the wages position of the workers, statistics indicates that instances of non-compliance to the guidelines are still evident. For instance, according to Sates Department of Labour: Wages and Hour Division 2007 statistics facts sheet, â€Å"results for the fiscal year 2007 show a total of 4,672 minors who are found illegally employed, an average of 3.7 minors illegally employed per investigation† (Para 10). Many of these violations involve situations where children who are under the age of 16 w ere found to work for many hours, very late in the night, and or very early in the morning. This is clearly a violation of working hour standards. With regard to United Sates Department of Labour: Wages and Hour Division 2006 statistics facts sheet, â€Å"WHD assessed nearly $3 million in child labour civil money penalties in the fiscal year 2006† (Para. 9). On the other hand, with regard to United States Department of Labour: Wages and Hour Division 2007 statistics facts sheet, WHD collected â€Å"nearly $4.4 million in child labour civil money penalties in fiscal year 2007† (Para.10). In 2008, according to the United States Department of Labour Employment Standards Administration, this figure reduced only by 0.2 million to stand at 4.2 million U.S. dollars (5). This statistics indicates that the idea of capitalisation of labour is still ingrained within the minds of some employers. Table showing Preliminary third-quarter 2012 productivity measures as a percent change from previous quarter, at Annual rate (Q to Q) and from same quarter a year ago (Y to Y) Nonfarm businesses businesses Manufacturing Durable manufacturing Non durable manufacturing sector Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y Q to Y productivity 1.9 1.5 1.5 1.4 -0.4 1.5 -0.7 3.9 -0.1 -0.8 output 3.2 3.3 2.7 3.2 -0.6 4.1 -1.0 7.4 0.0 0.5 hours 1.3 1.8 1.2 1.8 -0.2 2.6 -0.4 3.3 0.1 1.3 Hourly compensation 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.6 1.2 0.6 0.2 0.1 2.9 1.5 Real hourly compensation -0.4 0.9 -0.4 0.9 -1.1 -1.1 -2.0 -1.6 0.6 -0.2 Unit labour costs -0.1 1.1 0.4 1.2 1.5 -0.8 0.9 -3.7 3.0 2.4 Source: United States Department of Labour Bureau statistics (2) Discussion: The Way forward for the US Labour In the last chapter of the research; chapter 4, discussions and inferences will be drawn on the capacity of United States to precisely shun from capitalisation of labour as an endeavour to improve labour positions. However, it is crucial to note that alleviat ion of permitting market forces to determine labour prices rather than putting in place policies for setting minimum wages is driving the production sector into difficulties. This perhaps explains why there has been massive relocation of the United States-based factories such as Addidas to base their productions in Asia. In the new production regions, such companies have been accused of exploitation of workers in the quest for enhancing productivity. For instance, Nike and Addidas have been accused of child labour and paying very low wages to their employees in the foreign-based production factories. In context of this example, the question that remains is whether the approaches of wage improvements adopted by the US are failing thus prompting it to revert to the early industrialisation age where labour was capitalised. Conclusion Capitalisation of labour means that people working in industries could be optimised to help in yielding optimal profitability. However, the paper argued t hat this was a concept applied in the agrarian society. Due to societal transformations, the paper holds that the United States has improved labour wages since the age of agrarian revolution rather than focusing on the ideologies of labour capitalisation. Nevertheless, due to an intensive search for a mechanism of making the industrial sector competitive, there have been attempts by many firms such as Addidas and Nike to relocate to regions where labour costs are low. Consequently, a dilemma surfaces about whether labour market forces should be applied to determine the pricing for labour, or wages need to be set to certain minimum levels as a mechanism of improving them. Dubofsky, Melvin. The State and Labour in Modern America. North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 1994. Print. Huff, Ann. â€Å"Persistent Effects of Job Displacement: The Importance of Multiple Job Losses.† Journal of Labour Economics 15.2 (1997): 165-253. Print. Kremer, Michael. â€Å"The O-Ring Theory of Economic Development.† Quarterly Journal of Economics 108.12(1993): 551-627. Print. Lalibertà ©, Pierre. â€Å"Social justice and growth: the role of the minimum wage.† International Journal of Labour Research 4.1(2012): 7-10. Print. Lane, John, and Michael Pasteur. â€Å"The Low-Wage Labour Market: Challenges and Opportunities for Economic Self-Sufficiency.† Journal of Labour Economics 16.5 (1998): 702-716. Print. Luce, Sophanie. â€Å"Living wage policies and campaigns: lessons from the United States.† International Journal of Labour Research 4.1(2012): 12-45. Print. United Sates Department of Labour. Wages and Hour Division: 2007 Statistics Facts Sheet, 2007. Web. United Sates Department of Labour. Wages and Hour Division: 2006 Statistics Facts Sheet, 2006. Web. United States Department of Labour Bureau statistics. Economic News Release, 2012. Web. United States Department of Labour Employment Standards Administration. Wage and Hour Di vision: Wage And Hour Collects Over $1.4 Billion In Back Wages For Over 2million Employees Since Fiscal Year 2001, 2008. Web.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Leadership - Essay Example On the other hand, an ineffective and unsuccessful team may be witnessed from a group of people who are greatly focused on gratifying self-interests and are often engaged in unnecessary arguments with one another. Members of such team assert themselves to no avail and exercise ‘crab mentality’ where individual functions and the task of decision-making seem unclear. For instance, in the event that members keep complaining about not meeting personal expectations yet lack the responsibility to follow the leader and contribute to the productivity of the team, there only emerges poor performance with no sense of fulfillment. Sources: AchieveMarketing. â€Å"Effective and Successful Teams: Is It Teamwork or Performance that Matters?† HubPages. Retrieved from http://achievemarketing.hubpages.com/hub/Effective-and-Successful-Teams-Is-it-Teamwork-or-Performance-that-Matters on July 9, 2012. Hager, Timothy D. â€Å"Effective and Ineffective Team Characteristics.† Enr ichment Journal. Retrieved from http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200304/082_stf04_teamchar_sb.cfm on July 9, 2012. (2) Scenario: Given that I am managing a team of eight members whose major task involves architectural design of a commercial site, I have 4 individuals (group A) assigned to come up with one particular scheme while the other 4 (group B) ought to create an alternative so that our client can decide based on the project design that suits their requirements well. In the process, people consult me for further insights besides their resources and group A consists of members who have tenured as much as my length of stay in the organization, being colleagues who are within my circle of intimate relations. Group B, on the other hand, is composed of members who have just been regularized in the company and compared to group A, they are younger, competitive, more dynamic, and most of all, are highly eager to obtain promotion and pay increase. With the first 2 quarters, the client has consistently expressed satisfaction with the progress report of group B and yet on the third quarter, the client wavers decision between the two designs, rationalizing that they also perceive huge potentials from the work of group A, considering future systems. Both divisions worked hard and persevered creatively in my regular assessment, it is just that while group B delivers optimum results, they rarely share ideas to group A though the latter encourages open communication within the team. Then I am about to evaluate performances per group where only one group is entitled to appraisal and one group to receive award after the site project is through. To resolve my ethical dilemma as a manager, I suppose it would be fair for group B to have the award and for group A to be appraised, thinking that people who are focused on obtaining personal achievements should be rewarded right away whereas those who are greatly concerned about teamwork and are more disposed to keep healthy soci al relations and behavior within the entire organization must be found deserving of appraisal. Source: â€Å"Ethics Dilemmas – Hypothetical Scenarios.† Retrieved from http://www.ccat-ctac.org/downloads/2004_Felter_Juteau_e.pdf on July 9, 2012. (3) Diverse organization, as I see it, pertains to an organization consisting of members of various

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Strategies for control and prevention of delinquency Essay

Strategies for control and prevention of delinquency - Essay Example However, the rate went on decreasing as the years went by. Owing to those worrying figures of juvenile delinquencies cases, that evidence is strong enough to find ways of addressing them in order to reduce them considerably if not to totally eradicate them. Actually, without unique techniques of preventing juvenile delinquency, more youths are most likely to involve themselves in criminal and risky activities making the figures to rise again tremendously. Importantly, there are multiple strategies which can be implemented that aim at solving those problems. In a point of fact, there are several factors that make young people to involve in delinquency which include various family circumstances. Thus, this paper elaborates how a legislator can implement strategies that can be used to control and prevent delinquency. Delinquency Control and Prevention Strategies Since the family is the organizational unit that has been mandated the crucial role of bringing up children, a legislator can use it to control and curb delinquency. In this scenario, a number of family interventions should be put in place. The first intervention is family knowledge training plan (Velleman, Templeton & Copello, 2005). The families where one or both parents are drug addicts would be helped as much as possible to avoid using drugs. Such parents would play a crucial role of reciprocating that knowledge to their children. The trainers would help both the children and parents to change their negative thinking and focus more on the positive ideas. In order to help children grow physically, sociologically and spiritually, parents would be obliged to allow their children to associate with the right peer groups (Loeber, Farrington & Petechuk, 2003). Therefore, the young people would be taught good peer groups that they can join. Parents would also be taught good supervision to their children in order not to be too strict neither lenient on their children’s behaviour (Velleman, Templeton, & C opello, 2005). Additionally, parents would learn how to influence their children to acceptable behaviour both at home and in the society. Parents influencing their children in the right way would be critical in curbing delinquency because frequently, majority of the youth normally follow their parents’ recommendations. On the other side, government officials and other stakeholders willing to

Monday, November 18, 2019

Introduction to Law Enforcement unit 2 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Introduction to Law Enforcement unit 2 DB - Essay Example According to (BLS,2012)Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who sometimes are called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes. The role of the law enforcement authorities should change as the circumstances and threats surrounding a county is always unstable.For eg: Since the September 1 1th terrorist attack the role and responsibilities of law enforcement has changed for good. As per (Walsh,2009)†The field of law enforcement has changed greatly since I became involved in public safety in 1985, and my career in Wenham in 1987†. The main change I would like to make is the abuse of drugs among students and selling of drug on the street.This is because protection of young generation is the foremost duty of the law enforcement agents. According to (Bennett,2010)†Illicit drug abuse is seriously affecting our children, our schools, our workplaces and our society†. Bennett, W. J. (2010, September 4). We ignore rise in drug abuse among kids. In http://articles.cnn.com. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-24/opinion/bennett.drug.abuse_1_drug-overdose-drug-abuse-illegal-drugs?_s=PM:OPINION Walsh, K. M. (2009, February 18). Walsh: Law enforcement changes over 20 years. In .wickedlocal.com/. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http://www.wickedlocal.com/ hamilton/news/lifestyle/ columnists/

Friday, November 15, 2019

Effects of Late Procurement for Specialist Subcontractors

Effects of Late Procurement for Specialist Subcontractors 1.1. Overview This dissertation sets out to explore the various reasons why there are delays in the subcontractor procurement process in UK Construction Industry. The dissertation will be focusing on purely the private sector of the industry and determining what effects the late procurement can have on the project, both in terms of the commercial and programme implications. The procurement process in construction begins with the client tendering the project to the main contractors. This dissertation will not focus on this element of the procurement process and will in turn focus purely on the procurement of the specialist subcontractor trades. A specialist subcontractor is defined as a contractor appointed to carry out activities in the development of a built asset that involve specialist construction knowledge and skills, (Specialist Sub-contractor, 2016) The reason for this topic is due to the working environment in which the author current works, the author is a project manager in the glazing facade industry working on major projects in the UK construction industry. The issues surrounding late procurement has been disused both on sites and in the academic environment for many years and links have been made between the number of claims for delay and variations, and the pre-construction process (Mosey, 2009). Benefits of early procurement can include the ability to value engineer solutions, correct design co-ordination, review more sustainable solutions and many more. 1.2. Hypothesis The research will demonstrate that late procurement can harm more than the programme on a project, it will show that late procurement can affect the design and quality of the project. The evidence will also show the negative effects that late procurement can have on the BREAM status of a building/ project and sustainability. 1.3. Null Hypothesis Late procurement has no effect on the project in any way. 1.4. Aims To explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry To determine what classes as late procurement and understand the main and most common reasons for late procurements To evaluate what are the benefits to late and early procurement in terms of the key project requirements; Time Quality Cost. BREAM/Sustainability An additional aim to the dissertation, if sufficient time and resources are available. What can be done to improve the procurement processes 1.5. Objectives Read up on the various different procurement methods and strategies and understand which are relevant to the UK construction industry. Interview 4 to 5 individuals from different sectors of the UK construction industry. Speak to various levels of the construction industry project delivery team to understand the effects they believe early and late procurement can have on the industry. Questionnaires will be sent out to the following parties. Main Contractor Project Directors * Main Contractor Senior Procurement managers Main Contractor Senior Quantity Surveyors Main Contractor Project Managers / Package Managers * Main Contractor Site Managers Main Contractor Design Managers Architects * Specialist Sub-Contract Directors* Specialist Sub-Contract Project Managers* * Indicates the various project members which interviews will be completed with. 2.1. Introduction The initial literature review will explore the various documents which have been reviewed against each aim. This will highlight where there is a vast amount of literature available and where alternative options have had to be used, as set out in the objectives previously. A literature review (also called literature research study or literature survey) groups relevant ideas and evidence from secondary sources into a logical flow, addressing significance and understanding. (Laycock, Howarth, Watson, 2016) 2.2. The various stages of the procurement process Before the procurement process can be understood the term procurement needs to be understood. Dr Denise Bower stated that procurement is the term used to describe the overarching process of the identification, selection and acquisition of civil engineering services and materials, their transport, the execution or implementation; and subsequent project performance. (Bower, 2003). As in any project, there are various elements which need to be procured, in construction these different elements tend to be larger and require sub-contractors to be procured on various different contracts to manage the design, supply and installation of the various elements. The acquisition of the various trade will be linked to the programme, the type of procurement and contract which is being used. One of the first thing which must be created is the Project Execution Plan (PEP), the PEP sets out how the project which has been defined in the strategic brief will be procured (Morledge Smith, 2013). The PEP is directly linked to the procurement approach which can be dictated by the constraints of the project or by the client. As mentioned, the procurement process is directly linked to the programme, for both on and off site. The programme as a whole is linked to the construction process which is stipulated by British Standards BS 6079-1:2010, which is titled, Project management. Principles and guidelines for the management of projects. There are various different stages to the construction process and this is clearly depicted in Figure 1. Figure 1typical stages of a Construction Project (Harris McCaffer, 2013) The British Standard for procurement policies, strategies and procedures are under BS 8532:2011. This document provides the backbone for the procurement division in the UK construction industry. The document states that it gives recommendations and guidance on the development within a public or private sector organization of policies, strategies and procedures for the procurement of construction in the built environment. (British Standards Institution, 2011). Figure 2 portrays a decision structure for which forms of procurement should be used, the structure highlights the main frequently used forms of procurement in the construction sector. Figure 2 Identifying the Procurement process (British Standards Institution, 2011) 2.3. What classes as late procurement Late procurement in its simplest terms can be explained as when the procurement process chosen does not leave enough time to complete the programme to meet all three demands of the performance triangle as shown in Figure 3. Majority of specialist subcontractors packages are design and build. This means that if there is a delay in the procurement process it is the offsite period which is effected as the end date on a construction project rarely moves, unless the delay is due to the client. Figure 3 The Performance triangle Cost, Performance/Quality, time A Design and Build contract is a single source approach in the sense that, generally, the eventual contractor takes on single-point responsibility to develop the entire design and deliver the works according to the clients requirement (Bower, 2003). A reduced design period makes design coordination between the different trades, especially in the specialist works, where the original intent by the clients architect may not adhere to CDM and building regulation. Late procurement in complex projects could be classed as a lot earlier than in the more standard buildings. A complex project can be classed as a project where it is not a standard structure or a repeated building such a chain hotel etc. Banwells report from 1964 stated that specialist consultants, some of whom may infact also be specialist contractor, should be brought in at the earliest stage as full members of a design team (Banwell, 1964). Obviously the precise period when procurement can be classed as early and when it can be classed as late is debateable and will come down to a commercial decision from the main contractor. 2.4. The positive effects early procurement can have on a project The discussion over the benefits of early procurement / contractor involvement has been discussed for over 50 years, Banwell report 1964. In 1998 the Egan report was publish and this was the turning point for the construction industry as he recommended a radical rethink, it was this report which lead to the creation of the Construction Industry Council (CIC). The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is the representative forum for the professional bodies, research organisations and specialist business associations in the construction industry. (Construction Industry Council 2017, 2017) David Mosey looked into this subject in a great deal, he stated that, a procurement model which omits contactor and specialist design contributions can increase risk and can result in poor communications between team members, unnecessary delays to progress of the project and the creation of incorrect information that leads to claims and disputes. (Mosey, 2009). This outlook is in line with many other academics, the JCT CE guide also states that, It is important that contractors and any key specialists are engaged early, ideally at a stage when the proposed design is not complete so that it is possible for the contractor and key specialists to consider ways in which the design can be made easier to build and maintain (JCT CE Guide, 2006). Design consultants are also in favour of this approach, the CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association) interviewed John Hayward, director of Mott MacDonald in 1998. He was quoted as stating Our preferred approach, particularly on more complex projects, is to select the contractor who will construct the project at concept stage. The primary objective is optimise buildability and thus improve delivery against time and cost criteria, (CIRIA, 1998). By engaging contractors and specialist contractors at an early stage allows the creation of improved details which follow the build sequence as well as reduce build costs on site for re visits etc. The early involvement approach reduces the focus on the client. The design and built contract relies on the client expressing a clear performance brief at the outset and leaving the main contactor to determine its own means to complete the project in line with the required cost, time an quality parameters. (Mosey, 2009). The client would normally employ their own design team, architects etc, to generate this clear brief, by engaging a core team of specialist contractors this brief can be specifics and accurtate regarding specifications and details. This will reduce and remove some of the off-site time once a contractor is appointed as the brief should be transparent to both to contractor and the subcontractors tendering for the various packages. 3.1. Introduction This chapter will discuss and evaluate the proposed methods which will be undertaken in the research of the dissertation. The different research methods have been carefully chosen by the author based on the title and topic environment. 3.2. Research Paradigms A paradigm, in business, is a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something (Cambridge Dictionary, 2017). Even though paradigms have increased through the raise in social media, there are still mainly two, Positivism and Anti-positivism. The third paradigm which will be considered in this research is critical theory. (Dr. Nirod K. Dash, June 2005) Positivism, in philosophy, adheres to the view that only factual knowledge gained through observation, including measurement, is trustworthy. (Dudovskiy, Positivism Research Philosophy, 2017) This is a very scientific approach and relies on fact and data rather than thoughts and opinions. Anti-Positivism can also be referred to as interpretive sociology or interpretivist. This is when the researcher interprets the elements of the study and uses their own thoughts, opinions and believes in order to arrive at a conclusion. This method of study usually focus on meaning and may employ multiple methods in order to reflect different aspects of the issue. (Dudovskiy, Interpretivism (interpretivist) Research Philosophy, 2017) Critical theory suggests action research methods to explore the current field knowledge. This is generally used to solve problems immediately. This form of research will form from the back of the interviews when interviewing site level members of the project team. Table 4 The three research paradigms and the various methods (Dr. Nirod K. Dash, June 2005) Research paradigms Research approach Research methods Examples Positivism Quantitative Surveys: Questionnaires longitudinal, cross-sectional, correlational; experimental, Survey of procurement managers into the percentage of late procured packages per major project. Anti-positivism Qualitative Biographical; Phenomenological; Ethnographical; case study Reviewing the literature which is already been written. Completing interviews with different sectors an interpreting their responses. Critical theory Critical and action-oriented Ideology critique; action research In field questionnaires and interviews 3.3. Data Collection Various different types of data will be collected from the different research methods that have been proposed above. These different methods where chosen in order to gain an increased understanding of the industry as a whole, not just from an academic or site level. The different methods will also allow a large amount of different data to be collected, analysed and reviewed. Positivism research will lead to primary data through the surveys and questionnaires. 3.4. Methods 3.4.1. Objective 1 In order to explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry the author will complete an extensive literature review. This review will examine the data from research which has been complete by other academics, this will secondary data. Secondary data will be reviewed as this will provide an alternative opinion on the current and past industry. A wide range of opinions will be critical when reviewing the primary data which will be collected from interviews and questionnaires The emphasis of this objective is also to evaluate how much change has happened in the procurement practise to see if the role of a specialist subcontract has been considered when developing the process. In order to understand this the interview with the Main Contractor Procurement leaders will help explain from a practical level whether the theory mentioned in the literature review is completed in the field. The only issue with this method of research is that the academic literature may be one sided or based on past practice and not reflective of the current UK construction industry. 3.4.2. Objective 2 Determining what classes as late procurement and understanding the main and most common reasons for late procurements will be achieved through primary data, the data will be collected by different members of the UK construction industry completing interviews. In order to achieve a rounded and diverse set of responses the author will also aim to interview difference companies in the same sector. The interview questions will be created following an extensive literature review and a review of the questionnaires. The interview questions will contain the same core questions for each sector in order to achieve a broad understanding of the different opinions of late procurement. There will be different role specific questions which will be directed towards the environment that each interviewee works in. 3.4.3. Objective 3 Exploring the perception of late/early procurement and what effects it has on the construction industry will be the hardest objective to complete. The author will create various surveys aimed at different disciplines to understand the different effects and issues caused by the delay in procurement. The questionnaires for the procurement team will try to gain an understanding into the procurement procedure they follow and whether it is by personal choice, company procedure or effected by time critical requirements. The questionnaires will be sent to colleagues in the authors working environment which will then be passed on to their colleagues, this is referred to as snowball sampling. This method has many benefits including; Reaching members of the construction industry in high positions which would have been previously unachievable. Saving time, as other people are sending the questionnaire around the various other individuals No large scale pre planning required, the author will just have to speak to the various key members about the request. However, there are also some disadvantages to this technique; Lack of control over who takes part in the survey Sampling bias as the initial subjects will pass the questionnaire onto their close colleague who may be in similar positions or have the similar options. (Explorable, 2017) 3.5. Research model The model displayed below highlights the various stages which will be completed during the research stage of the project. The first 3 stages have already been completed, along with the definition of the aims. The next stage is to complete the objectives and then review and analyse the data collected. Figure 4 A flow chart depicting the dissertation process 3.6. Gantt chart displaying target project dates Table 6, Gantt chart displaying the target dissertation timeline In summary the author has shown that there has been previous research into the proposed topic, however this research has been into the various procurement strategies and the benefits of early contractor involvement. There has not been much research into the effects of late procurement or the reasons for late procurement. This is where data from the interviews and questionnaires will be harnessed. The methodology clearly portrays that the results from the questionnaire and literature review will be used to create the interview questions. This method will allow any gaps in information to be capture in the interviews, it will also allow some of the more challenging questions to be clearly answered by the interviewee. The main challenge that the author will face is participation with members of the industry for the questionnaires and interviews. The benefit of working in the industry and on major construction site is that the author will have personal links to various members on the industry, this should aid in the response rate. References Banwell. (1964). Banwell Report The Placing and Management of Contacts for building and Civil Engineering Work. London: HMSO. Bower, D. D. (2003). Management of Procurement. London: Thomas Yelford Publishing. British Standards Institution. (2011). BS 8534:2011 Construction procurement policies, strategies and procedures. BSI Standards Publications. Cambridge Dictionary. (2017, March 01). Paradigm. Retrieved from Cambridge Dictionary: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/paradigm CIRIA. (1998). Selecting Contractors by Value. London: Construction Industry Research and Information Association. Construction Industry Council 2017. (2017, March 7). Retrieved from Construction Industry Council: http://cic.org.uk/ Dr. Nirod K. Dash, I. (June 2005). Module: Selection of the Research Paradigm and Methodology. Manchester Meropolitan University. Dudovskiy, J. (2017, Feb 28). Interpretivism (interpretivist) Research Philosophy. Retrieved from Research Methodology: http://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/interpretivism/ Dudovskiy, J. (2017, March 01). Positivism Research Philosophy. Retrieved from Research Methodology: http://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/positivism/ Explorable. (2017, March 05). Snowball Sampling. Retrieved from Explorable: https://explorable.com/snowball-sampling Harris, F., McCaffer, R. (2013). Modern Construction Management. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. JCT CE Guide. (2006). JCT Constructing Excellence Contract Guide. London: Sweet Maxwell. Laycock, E., Howarth, T., Watson, P. (2016). The Journey to Dissertation Success. Oxon: Routledge. Morledge, R., Smith, A. (2013). Building Procurment. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Mosey, D. (2009). Early Contractor Involvement in Building Procurement- Contracts, Partnering and Project Managment. Wiley Blackwell. Specialist Sub-contractor. (2016, Jan 21). Retrieved from Designing Building Wiki: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Specialist_contractor Please find attached at the end of the report the following documents 6.1 Research Ethics Checklist for Students (Page 19 to 25) 6.2 Participant Information Document (Page 26 to 27) 6.3 Participant Consent Form (Page 28 to 29) RESEARCH ETHICS  CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS (SHUREC7) This form is designed to help students and their supervisors to complete an ethical scrutiny of proposed research. The SHU ResearchEthicsPolicy should be consulted before completing the form. Answering the questions below will help you decide whether your proposed research requires ethical review by a Designated Research Ethics Working Group. The final responsibility for ensuring that ethical research practices are followed rests with the supervisor for student research. Note that students and staff are responsible for making suitable arrangements for keeping data secure and, if relevant, for keeping the identity of participants anonymous. They are also responsible for following SHU guidelines about data encryption and research data management. The form also enables the University and Faculty to keep a record confirming that research conducted has been subjected to ethical scrutiny. For student projects, the form may be completed by the student and the supervisor and/or module leader (as applicable). In all cases, it should be counter-signed by the supervisor and/or module leader, and kept as a record showing that ethical scrutiny has occurred. Students should retain a copy for inclusion in their research projects, and staff should keep a copy in the student file. Please note if it may be necessary to conduct a health and safety risk assessment for the proposed research. Further information can be obtained from the Faculty Safety Co-ordinator. General  Details Name of student Katherine Louise Walter Course or qualification (student) MSc Construction Project Managements Title of proposed research The effects of late procurement for specialist subcontractors in the Uk Construction Industry Proposed start date January 2017 Proposed end date October 2017 Brief outline of research to include, rationale aims (250-500 words). This dissertation sets out to explore the various reasons why there are delays in the subcontractor procurement process in UK Construction industry. The dissertation will be focusing on purely the private sector of the industry and determining what effects the late procurement can have on the project, both in terms of the commercial and program implications. The main aims of the dissertation are; 1.To explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry 2.To determine what classes as late procurement and understand the main and most common reasons for late procurements 3.To evaluate what are the major effects on late procurement and do they aid or hamper the three key feature of a successful project a) Time b) Quality c) Cost. d) BREAM/Sustainability 4.What can be done to improve the procurement processes Where data is collected from individuals, outline the nature of data, details of anonymisation, storage and disposal procedures if required (250-500 words). Data will be collected from individuals in the construction sector via interviews and questionnaires. The nature of the data will be both opinions and facts. The opinions will be taken from various sectors of the construction industry in order to gain a wide range of data. The questionnaires will also be sent to various different employees for different companies. This approach will try to avoid results being effected by one companies practice. The data received from the questionnaires will then be used to generate questions for interviews. These interviews will try to focus down into some of the trends displayed in the questionnaires. The interview will also ask questions about the company procedures as well as the individuals thoughts and opinions on how the system could be improved. 1.  Health  Related Research Involving  the  NHS  or  Social Care/Community  Care  or  the  Criminal Justice  Service  or  with research  participants  unable  to  provide  informed  consent Questi

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Role of the Modern Woman Essay -- Women

Diana Spencer, more commonly known as Princess Diana – or even Princess Di to some – was with out a doubt one of the most influential women of our lifetime. Diana represented what the woman of the 20th Century could become. Strong willed, independent and gorgeous all at once. Not in recent history had royalty, much less that of the United Kingdom, connected so well with the people. She was the first member of the royal family to travel the globe and meet with children victim to land mines and HIV/AIDS. Diana held so much power – and was loved so much by her people – that at her funeral, some referred to her as the Queen of the People. It is said by some that because of her extraordinary influence over the English nation, she suffered an untimely death. Diana was with out question adored by the English people, as well as by foreigners. However, the role she played – which she did with extreme grace – was a relatively new one. One hundred, fifty, even twenty years ago, women were not expected to play the role Diana played. There was no such thing as divorced royalty traveling to devastated parts of the third world countries raising awareness of peoples’ plights. One hundred years ago, women played extremely different roles than they do now. Most educated people are aware of this, however, the evolution of the role women partake in society is one that is not told often. In the past hundred years, two periods really stand out as periods where women made advances in how they were seen by society. The first was in the 1920s when they were granted suffrage. The second was in the 1970s with the rise of the Modern Feminist Movement. The evolution of society’s view of women is best illustrated in the visual publ ications of the last hu... ...ositions in the government, large corporations, even in certain religions. Women have made large and permanent advances that are milestones in this country. Though much needs to be done in other parts of the world – even within the United States – progress is inevitable. Sooner of later, one way or another, change will come. Works Cited The Modern Woman: A Look at Who She Is and How She Got There http://www.ellisparkerbutler.info/epb/pic/womans_world_1913_09_a.jpg http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0000AIZ63.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg http://www.thespiderawards.com/AwardsPass/WINNERS-NOMINEES/PRO- fashion/images/Flapper.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Lee_Bouvier http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/its_a_womans_war_too/images_ html/images/we_can_do_it.jpg http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5002183556&er=deny

Monday, November 11, 2019

James Poniewozik, “Reality TV at 10: How It’s Changed Television †and Us” Essay

Reality programs can be divided into two large categories: competitions (such as American Idol) and voyeuristic events (such as Real Housewives). The reality television phenomenon is part of a larger societal shift in terms of privacy and self-expression. For a select few, reality shows have given them significant real-life opportunities. Reality programs contain qualities that can be labeled American. The best and worst of reality television shows contain aspirational and democratic qualities. They give the common man a chance in the spot light. They can also revolve around issues, such as job satisfaction and security, which are of topical concern to many Americans. Part 2: The experience of watching the video of the Susan Boyle’s first appearance on Britain’s Got Talent illustrates very clearly one of Steven Johnson’s arguments in his article â€Å"Watching TV Makes You Smarter†: â€Å"When we watch these shows, the part of our brain that monitors the emotional lives of the people around us – the part that tracks subtle shifts in intonation and gesture and facial expression – scrutinizes the action on the screen looking for clues. † We see very clearly Simon Cowell’s eye-rolling at :30, in response to Boyle’s announcement that she is 47 years old. After Boyle announces that her dream is to be a professional singer, there is a cut to a young woman in the audience who smirks and rolls her eyes. When Boyle remarks that she wants to be as successful as Elaine Page, there is another cut to the audience to show their disbelief. All of this occurs before Boyle even begins to sing. The audience and the judges, through their facial expressions, have clearly indicated that they believe Boyle to be delusional. As soon as Boyle opens her mouth, cameras focus on the judges’ wide eyes and the microphones pick up the audiences’ wild cheers. The commentator echoes the audiences’ initial impressions: â€Å"you didn’t expect that did you. † This sentiment is directly addressed by the judges in their commentary: Boyle is referred to as the â€Å"biggest surprise† in the show’s history. Cowell’s comments are filled with irony: he says that he knew as soon as he saw Boyle that he was in for something â€Å"extraordinary. † Watching this video at a later date is instructive. Now, there are very few people who do not know of Susan Boyle and her story. However, in looking at this video from her first appearance on the show, we know that her voice is going to be amazing. With all of the benefits of hindsight, we can observe closely the audience’s and judges’ first reactions to this middle-aged woman in need of a makeover (by the standards of reality television). We can engage our cognitive processes, as Johnson argues, in order to analyze more closely how we can be deceived by our first impressions of reality show personalities.