Communication Problems in Hugh Garner’s “The Father” Essay

Who is perfect; certainly not John Purcel in Hugh Garner’s short story â€Å"The Father† about a desperate alcoholic father (John Purcel) trying to get closer to his son (Johnny) who seems to be slowly drifting away from him. This will be demonstrated through out a series of examples which will prove the father’s drinking problem, his neglective attitude towards his son and his low self esteem. Alcohol can control a person’s life and make them irresponsible which affects their relationships. John Purcell showed a lack of judgment by stopping to have a drink before he even got home from work making him late for the scout meeting with his son. His irresponsibility continued when he met another irresponsible drunken father at the meeting. When the stranger offered John a drink, he gladly accepted the offer stating â€Å"you’re a lifesaver†. Due to his drunkenness, John Purcell embarrassed his son even further. â€Å"In a paroxysm of pride and happiness he grasped the boy’s hand, and facing the audience, held it aloft like a referee signaling the winner of a boxing bout. There was a short burst of embarrassed laughter from the tables†. His drinking affected his actions and caused his son to be humiliated in front of his friends. It is very difficult to have a healthy relationship with someone when you are controlled by alcohol. Building good relationships involves time and effort. John Purcell never put any effort into trying to know his son because â€Å"most of the time he was too preoccupied with other things to pay much heed to the boy’s activities†. He never encouraged or supported Johnny and never participated or went to any of his son’s events. He did not even know what baseball or swimming team Johnny was on. When the curate, Mr. Redpath, complimented Johnny on his exceptional swimming ability, the father realized that â€Å"he seemed to know less about the boy than anyone†. However, he made the excuse that his son â€Å"was only a twelve-year-old who wanted to be left alone†. Because the father was so involved in himself, he did not make the time or put forth the effort to develop a proper relationship with his son. A person who has low self-esteem finds it difficult to care for others and himself. John Purcell did not know the scout leaders and the other fathers; he stereotyped them as being â€Å"sissies and goons†. When he discovered that Johnny did not have the full scout uniform because of lack of money, his first response was â€Å"What’s the matter with this family anyway? God knows what the neighbours must think of me.† What others thought was more important to him than his own family. Even though he was cheap with his family, he didn’t want others to know about it. He was very insecure which caused him to feel out of place and unsure of himself. Even when he had made an effort to show an interest in his son, he had been â€Å"pointedly ignored† contributing more to his feelings of inadequacy as a father. When one feels like a total failure, it is difficult to have any positive relationships because you are always worried about what others think. In conclusion Johnny’s father finally realized he had to change in order to be closer to his son. It would be hard for John Purcell to have a close relationship with his son due to his lack of interest in him, his alcoholism, and his lack of self-esteem. John’s negative personality dominated his relationships with his son and others.

Public Drinking and Violence: Not Just an Alcohol Problem Essay

The research article was published in Journal of Drug issue 22 in 1992. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach that uses words as the output and input of the research rather than focusing on numbers (Adlers and Clark, 2008). The writer also agrees with the notion that qualitative data have the ability to produce theories that accurately describe real-world issues and processes than do quantitative (Gary Fine and Kimberly Elsbacht, 2000). The researchers suggest that alcohol drinking is very much a part of the Australian culture, a routine activity for Australians. Research by Cohen and Felson (1975) linking routine daily activities with predatory crimes is made reference to by the researches. From this, the researchers state that assaults and homicides frequently involve alcohol in the offenders, victims or both. It is also noted that the researchers pointed to the issue that Australia was facing a hike in violence and made a statement that it was becoming a more violent and lawless country during that period of time. The question that the article wants to address, though, is not the established presence of alcohol intoxication in violent crime cases, but, rather, the researchers want to look into the environment that created the issue. By conducting observational research into pubs and clubs in Sydney, the study attempted to systematically examine the link between aspects of the environment of public drinking and the occurrence of violence. The research aimed to transcend the narrow debate on the effect of ethanol (the substance), by focusing on the total environment of drinking and its regulation (or lack of it) by management, police and public officials. The researchers established a theoretical framework by presenting several past research reports. In a study of serious assault in New South Wales by Robb (1988), the finding stated that 40% of them were nominated by police officers as involving alcohol. Moreover, assaults that come to police attention and are recorded by them frequently occur after midnight around pub closing times, and at least 20% take place in or around licensed premises. The researchers also mentioned a Sydney hospital survey claiming that in a year, many thousands of people, mostly young men, are injured sometimes quite seriously) as a result of assaults occurring in or around licensed premises (Cuthberth, 1990). The article presented a theory by McGregor suggesting that it is quite possible, for example, that male attitudes which legitimize the physical maltreatment of women, or environmental factors like crowding, discomfort, and aggressive bouncers in pubs and clubs, are the real cause of much alcohol related violence (McGregor, 1990). The researchers argued that the regulatory system was dragged down by the notion of the deserved misfortune of victims of pub violence and that this belief is partly responsible for the historic failure in Australia to recognize violence occurrence in, or around, licensed premises as a major societal problem, which has led to the lackluster of legislation and police regulation. This, in the end, has resulted in helping the entrenchment of negative environmental factors, making some establishments into something they dubbed and many more establishments violent on a less predictable basis. The researchers also cited two studies, one conducted in New Zealand and another in Vancouver as influential to their own work. The first study was conducted by Graves, Graves and Semu and Sam (1981) using records kept by security officers employed in twelve pubs in Auckland to examine the frequency and seriousness of pub violence there. The study found that Polynesian patrons drink more and are involved in more violence than European patrons. This was attributed to the former’s preference for drinking longer in larger groups and their tendency to be engaged in group activities rather than individual ones by the study. Thus, the study highlights the importance of patron mix, group sizes, and time spent drinking as variables. The second study by Graham et al (1980) was cited as especially valuable to the researchers as their research’s guide. The study was conducted in Vancouver and found several variables as being positively connected to the aggression; they include percentage of drunken patrons, percentage of American Indians, poor ventilation, the amount of sexual body contact, lack of cleanliness and hostile environment. The authors of the study stressed their view of the environment as an ecological system and implied that the overall effect of this ecology has more impact than the sum of the effects of individual variables. The researchers used the Vancouver study as their starting point for their own study. They used a qualitative method by relying more on unstructured observations on licensed premises, as these are the places where alcohol related aggression most likely will occur. To a lesser degree, they also used semi-structured interviews with some officials and security industry personnel for their study. The study aims to contrast between premises known to have many violence occurrences with the ones noted for their lack of them. Using this design, they hoped to explore the possible drinking settings that were associated with violence by observing any occurrence of violence, however small. The researchers identified 4 premises known for regular violence occurrences and 2 premises known for the lack of them on the basis of first-hand knowledge, police information and exploratory visits. Two observers visited those premises at least 5 times, each observation visit about 2 to 6 hours in duration. It is to be noted that the researchers sent an observation team to another 16 sites, at least once, making a total of 55 visits to 23 sites at 17 establishments. They stated that the total observation times they completed were 300 hours. In the results report, they observed 32 total assaults involving physical violence, excluding 9 rough ejections which were borderline assaults. The results amount to about 11 occurrences per one hundred hours of observation. This is much more than the 7. 4% showed in the Vancouver study. It is to be noted, though, that the researchers oversampled the violent premises and conducted many of the samplings late at night when violence was more likely to occur. Further result comparisons with the Vancouver study show that while the Vancouver study didn’t report any and serious physical injuries, the Sydney study claimed four and several occurrences were rated as physical by their observers. The results presented very interesting variables as the cause of violence occurrences. Presence of big males groups often spell trouble, while single males, groups of mixed males and females, and couples are less likely to be involved in a fight. The researchers also suggested that the boredom factor is one of the key variables in the cause of physical violence occurrence. Premises with entertainment like TVs, game machines and stage entertainment creates comfort levels that appease the patrons’ boredom level which resulted in less violence occurrence. The researchers also suggest that in live bands quality of music matters very much, and that small crowds of patrons entertained with bad quality music will more likely cause trouble than large crowds entertained by good quality music. It is to be noted that, despite all myths, rough pubs with rowdy crowds are not necessarily violent. The results also stressed high levels of drunkenness as a major issue in pubs, especially those caused by management styles encouraging such behaviour, along with the pubs’ staff behaviour, especially with the bouncers. Summarizing the results, the researchers attributed violence occurrences to interactions of several key variables. Some of them are groups of male strangers, high boredom, low comfort, high drunkenness and aggressive bouncers. The researchers pointed out that the NSW legislation bodies did not pay enough attention to the issue, and that there are major flaws in the NSW Liquor Act. They concluded that better regulation and legislation can help solve the problem. They cited Sherman et al (1989) suggesting that it is easier and more desirable to regulate the routine activities of the premises rather than trying to regulate the routine activities of the patrons. Jumping forward to the present day, the NSW Liquor Act 2007 addresses many points being brought up by this study. This includes the need and the enforcement of RSA certification to work in any premises that serve alcohol, fines to servers serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons, setting up 50 meters perimeter from the premises for ejected patrons, and mandating premises to provide free water and also to serve warm meals to help patrons deal with alcohol intoxication. Examining the Sydney study and its comparison with the Vancouver study, it might help for future studies to set up a standard for what constitute a brawl and serious physical injuries. Different observers will have different standards for these issues which might cause discrepancies, especially when studies are being compared with one another.

Points of Concern in the Company’s Evaluation Form Essay

The evaluation form currently being used by the company has many points of concern. First, it takes a look at the personal characteristics of the employee such as friendliness and attitude towards work. These criteria must be taken into account, however, results / accomplishments of the employee must be considered. It must be noted that assessing characteristics of the person in relation to the job may not be very credible since the rater can be very subjective. The fact that the manager discontinued the evaluation to give it a thought is a proof that the manager has little confidence that the evaluation process is credible and acceptable to all. It must also be noted that the engineer himself is not confident about the process, claiming that no one is qualified to evaluate him since he is the only trained engineer in the company. Value of Common sets of Evaluation Criteria Having a common set of evaluation forms for all employees can post problems especially when employees compare the results of their performance evaluation. It is best to set realistic targets first and then come the appraisal period; these will be checked if they were accomplished excellently. The form can be common but the measures will be varied based on the position of the employee and the function. On the other hand, using common sets of evaluation criteria also have advantages. First, it would be easy for the managers and employees to understand since evaluation forms are similar across positions or functions. Second, come promotion or lateral employee transfer, raters in the evaluation procedure won’t have any difficulty in going through the process since nothing has changed even if employees delivered varying results. For employees, even if they adjust themselves with the demands of the new job (lateral transfer or promotion), what is expected of them has not changed as stipulated in the evaluation forms. What Should be Evaluated? Given the company’s evaluation form, the Balanced Scorecard developed by Kaplan and Norton can be adopted. The Balanced Scorecard takes into account all perspectives that contribute to the accomplishment of the job. â€Å"The Balanced Scorecard translates mission and strategy into objectives and measures organized into four perspectives: Financial, Customer, Business Process and Learning and Growth. † (Kaplan and Norton). The Financial perspective is the ultimate indicator of whether the strategies being implemented contribute to the achievement of the company’s objectives and goals. This can be measured through percentage in savings, return on investment, actual sales versus sales target, etc. For the Customer Perspective, â€Å"the core outcome measures include customer satisfaction, customer retention, customer acquisition, customer share, etc. † In the Business Process Perspective, results are being taken into account. The measures should answer the question: What processes / transactions should the employee be good at? These processes include everyday transactions of the employee. The measures under this perspective should have a direct impact on how the company takes care of the customers. For example, a Marketing Associate must be good at conceptualizing and delivering good marketing programs. The Learning and Growth Perspective focuses on the development and competencies of the employee. Competencies such as attitude towards work, teamwork, integrity, timeliness, etc can be taken into account. For some companies, they require employees to submit reviews of prescribed books, articles and movies to build a culture of learning within the organization. The four perspectives developed by Kaplan and Norton are inter-related and must all contribute to the achievement of the Financial objectives. The relationship can be two-pronged, which means a focus on one perspective will have a significant effect on the other perspectives. Ideally, when the organization takes care of the people and make them equipped with the necessary skills (Learning and Growth), they will excel in the workplace and can do their jobs well (Business Process). If they can do the job well, customers will be delighted because quality products and services are delivered to them (Customer). If customers are delighted, they will be loyal to the company’s products and services, thus, will translate to revenues or profit. Involving Other Raters in the Appraisal Process Aside from the Balanced Scorecard, the company can also use the 360 degree feedback. Involving different persons in the evaluation process or multi-rater feedback is beneficial for developmental purposes (Madigan, 1999). The ratee can have an idea on the different things that he has to improve on. As Madigan (1999) quoted Mark Edwards, co-author of the book 360 Degree Feedback: The Powerful New Model for Employee Assessment & Performance Improvement, â€Å"Single-source feedback is not very credible to managers and employees. When people get feedback from a boss, they often just don’t believe it. Whereas, if they get the same feedback — saying the same thing — from multiple sources, they believe it. † Drawbacks of Involving Other Raters in the Appraisal Process However, multi-rater feedback or 360 degree feedback has not been validated as a tool for performance appraisal. This is especially when the raters are not consistent on what they say about the ratee. Survey fatigue can also be a factor (Madigan, 1999). Employees may find exhausting to rate a lot of their colleagues in their company. Also, raters have a natural tendency to become subjective in the appraisal process. -Edwards, as again quoted by Madigan (1999) said that his favorite use of the 360 degree feedback is for talent assessment and promotions as the method gives the management an overview of who will succeed in the organization. As Madigan (1999) says, â€Å"Legal concerns can arise when a 360-degree instrument, valid only for development purposes, is used for performance appraisal. The Center for Creative Leadership, a nonprofit, educational organization, sells 360-degree instruments, but they are not for appraisal (due in part to the group’s policy of dealing only with leadership development). Dalton explains, â€Å"Anytime you are going to use something that calls itself a test, or a measurement tool, it has to be validated to show that the score means something and that what you are going to use it for is an appropriate purpose. If someone takes you to court, your validation strategy has to be such that you can say, ‘Yes, your honor, we have validated this tool, and it is perfectly acceptable for me to give Carol a 20 percent raise and Maxine a 5 percent raise based on what we understand about this test. ’ Our instruments have not been validated for appraisal purposes, and so we tell people when we sell them, that, in essence, if they use them that way, they will be in court alone. † Errors in the Appraisal Process that are Caused by Bias Also, it must be noted that performance appraisal methods are affected by several factors that can disrupt the whole process thus, neglecting the true purpose of the Performance Evaluation System. In organizations where managers or superiors usually rate employees, de Koning (2004) says that they are usually subjective in evaluating employees especially when the evaluation rating is linked to a performance bonus or an increase in pay. De Koning (2004) even noted that in one organization surveyed by Gallup, employees refer to the performance appraisal as â€Å"the form you need to give out to give a person a raise. † With this culture in the organization, managers will be pressured to control the performance appraisal to give everyone a raise. In some cases, this control can even be used by the rater to deliberately disqualify a ratee from a raise, especially when they are not in good terms. For the employees’ side, they would tend to currying favors for their superiors rather than focusing on excellently performing their respective business processes. There is also the HALO effect. This is when one performance criteria influences the rating in another. For example, if an employee is often absent, other factors will be lower than normal. Citing of critical incidents are also factors for biased because these may be isolated cases only. Consistency in these incidents must be established so that appraisal results would be credible. A culture of feedback must also be developed so that members of the organization will take the performance appraisal process seriously. In many organizations, the HR units usually send notices reminding everyone to beat the deadline for submission of results of performance appraisal. This is an indicator that the organization crams about the process and not interested to it. Whenever this scenario happens, both raters and ratees would always hustle the ratings just to submit on time, thus to receive a raise. Timing is also a factor. Performance Appraisal periods must not coincide with other company projects, events or busy period of the year so that the employees’ attention will be focused on the process. If employees are busy delivering business results, they might not have enough time to do the appraisal process and thus, cramming about it just to beat the deadline. Performance appraisal must be given time such that the employees’ exemplary results and points for development can be properly highlighted. Other Performance Appraisal Techniques There are a lot of performance appraisal methods that can be adopted by the company. Methods include the Critical Incident Method where the rater lists down incidents that had an impact to the performance of the employee. The Weighted Checklist is a list of effective and ineffective behavior on the job. Essay Evaluations are narratives prepared by the rater about the performance of the employee. However, this method is highly dependent on the ability of the rater to articulate his thoughts into writing. Another technique is the Management by Objectives (MBO) method. In this method, the managers set objectives for the employee. MBO focuses on what is accomplished rather than how it is accomplished (Ngo, D. , 2009). It must be noted that the Critical Incident Method and Essay evaluations tend to be subjective and focus on the behavior or competencies while the Weighted Checklist and the Management by Objectives measure results. Results look at the expected outputs of the job while competencies are sets of skills, behavior and knowledge that drive the delivery of outputs. However, these methods may work for if fit for the type of organization (e. g. MNC, NGO, GO, etc. ) As stated in wikipedia. org, there is also the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales that are used to report performance. It is an appraisal method that seeks to combine the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified ratings by securing a quantified scale with specific narrative examples of good or poor performance (wikipedia. org). How to Improve the Evaluation Form The company can evaluate the above methods and study which is the most appropriate and acceptable to the employees and management. Company culture and practices must be taken into account when adopting a particular method. The company must also take into account that their strategies must be linked with the appraisal method. However, every company can adopt a generic method that has three phases. Phase 1 is setting of expectations. Usually, management set these expectations during Strategic Planning Sessions where it stipulates what should be delivered within a given period. Phase 2 is monitoring. Delivery of results must be monitored so that appropriate interventions can be implemented to drive the results. The last phase is the evaluation and follow through. This is the evaluation proper and when next steps are identified for the development of the employee. To determine the appropriate evaluation form, the question of what is expected by management must be answered. If management expectations focus on competencies such as customer orientation, decision-making, teamwork, etc. Whatever the case is, the above techniques can be used. For the case of the engineer, the Balanced Scorecard can be used since it can integrate both results and the competencies. A balanced weight for both will add credibility to the appraisal process. The weight can be based on what is more important for the company, results or competencies? Whatever the case is, results of evaluation must be justified or can be explained well by the rater. Also, appraisal must be about performance and not the importance of the job. Usually, organizations benchmark with others regarding their performance management systems. Also, HR Consultants can be hired to help the organization improve the appraisal system. It is suggested that the company do an organizational diagnosis first. An organizational diagnosis will give the company the necessary data that will improve the performance management system. After the organizational diagnosis, they should develop a framework that will link the performance appraisal rewards. It must be noted that linking performance with rewards will make employees more motivated in their job. After this, the company can develop their system. As stated above, planning sessions must be done to communicate to the employees their key result areas (KRAs). Once KRAs are identified, a per division or department meeting must be done to identify how these KRAs will be measured. For example, it is a KRA of a manager to send his or her subordinates to training. This can be measured by the number of employees sent. A 100% attendance of subordinates can be the â€Å"outstanding† while 50-99% is â€Å"satisfactory. † This must be done to all positions. Once the employee knows how exactly he or she will be measured, he or she can easily determine if the job is being done well or not. Doing these steps can make the evaluation process in the company more credible and objective to employees. References: De Koning, G. M. J. 2004. Evaluating employee performance (part 1). Retrieved June 14, 2009, from (http://www. whatmakesagoodleader. com/Employee Performance-Evaluation. html) Kaplan, R. and Norton, D. 1996. Translating strategy into action: the balanced scorecard. Harvard Business School Press. Boston, Massachusetts. Madigan, C. O. 1999. Full-circle feedback. Retrieved June 13, 2009, from (http://businessfinancemag. com/career-hr). Ngo, Davi. (2009). Performance appraisal methods. Retrieved June 13, 2009, from (http://www. humanresources. hrvinet. com/performance-appraisal-methods/). Wikepedia. org. Behaviorally anchored rating scales. Retrieved June 13, 2009, from (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Behaviorally_anchored_rating_scales).

Capital Budgeting Problems Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Capital Budgeting Problems - Article Example Rather than that it is easier to the investment. This is due to the difficulty the future organization face in calculating the future benefits; most organizations normally do not undertake new investments. These judgements can be undertaken if the assets are quantifiable. The benefits attached to the intangibles can only be judged by the educated senior executive of the organizations and investments in such projects can be made on the basis of the beliefs of the organizations heads. The investments in these projects should be formally budgeted on the other hand it is strongly recommended to undertake periodic reviews of the outcomes and benefits attached to these projects. With investment in value delivering projects it is also important to invest in organizational skills and system since they affect the value. Activity Based costing system is used to achieve the organisation's objectives by supporting decision-makers inside the enterprise. Internal decision-makers are employed by the enterprise. These internal decision-makers create and use internal accounting information in order to undertake cost cutting and enhance the business profits (Meigs, Williams, Haka & Bettner, 1999). The development of effective management accounting systems although has played an important part in dealing with the problems discussed above but also it has given rise to the problems of downsizing and cost cutting. There are several factors, which were identified to have influence on the structure of these systems. These include differentiation degree of integration (internal & external) and the configuration of the organisations. Some researchers reveal contextual relationship between the above mentioned factors the management accounting system and information systems. (Daft and Mac intosh 1978; Khandwaila, 1972) Although many theories have been put forward in order to find out the efficient allocation of resources of the organizations but each of them has different drawbacks attached to them. Open theories: Open theories address all the social, psychological and structural factors. According to the open theories organisations are the organisms which take inputs from the environment and give outputs. Open systems undertake the analysis of all the different disciplines and levels. The open theories address all the aspects such as political social and technological extending its scope from other theories, which are confined only at studying the economic consequences. Cybernetics: covers the techniques applications. The cybernetics theories contend goal oriented behaviour and emphasise the change of role of individuals according to the situation. The main drawback of the theory is that it doesn't provide a universal solution and fails to provide specified guidelines for the individuals about their behaviour in different scenarios. (Aney, 1980) Social

CSR strategy in the oil and gas industry Term Paper

CSR strategy in the oil and gas industry - Term Paper Example Presently, most of the oil drilling companies have set shop in hostile waters, deeper in the sea, which has resulted in numerous achievements over time in the industry. Petroleum is a crucial element to the economy with numerous applications across all industries, and it is, therefore, critical to maintain the supply to drive the global economy. Apart from driving the global economy, the industry provides employment opportunities to thousands of worker around the world. In the United States, the industry provides employment to about 9 million people, which accounts for 5% of the country’s total employment. In addition, oil and gas industry tops the list of revenue generation through taxation, and its contribution to the national economy was over $1 trillion in 2007, about 7.5% of the US gross domestic product (COGA, n.d.). Among the key players in the oil and gas industry in the US include Exxon Mobil Corporation, British Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Total, and Royal Dutch Shell among others. This Corporation was formed in 1999 following a merger between Exxon and Mobil, to form the largest company in the world (Corporate Watch, n.d.). The merger was aimed at consolidating the economic position of both companies in the oil and gas industry, and enhances the company’s ability to remain an effective competitor in a highly volatile global economy. The Exxon Mobil Corporations net worth is over $264 billion, which makes it the largest in the oil and gas industry (BERA, 2010). Individual companies allied to the merger have been actively involved in heavy exploration and development around the world, with drilling expeditions in the Middle East, Gulf of Mexico, Asia and Africa. The company specializes in the extraction, manufacture and marketing of petroleum and other petroleum products. The corporation holds a sizeable deal of resources that aid in the refining and marketing of its products, with affiliated companies

Revising Techniques in Crime Scene Processing Essay

Revising Techniques in Crime Scene Processing - Essay Example This has provided an opportunity to update the techniques with modern techniques and procedures (Wise County, 2012). The main objective of this study is to provide a detailed explanation of the different techniques and analysis methods that can be adapted in today’s investigation process. Discussion Topics That Need To Be Updated In the Guidebook The increasing crime rate globally has highlighted the importance of adapting updated measurements to detect criminals. With reference to section C in the guidebook i.e. ‘Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law Enforcement’, it has been viewed that certain procedures stated in the guidelines are backdated as compared to the new investigation procedures or equipment invented. The different topics that need to be updated in the guidelines are stated hereunder: With reference to the notion of team composition as represented in Section C, it can be viewed that the guideline only focuses on documenting or recording all the vital factors that can help in further investigation, therefore, this aspect should be updated. In the contamination control context, the guideline related to limiting scene access should be changed. The policy of preparing preliminary sketches should be altered as well. The policy of focusing firstly on easily accessible areas should be changed. And lastly, the process of establishing chain of custody should be updated (Reno et al., 1999). The Vital Reason behind Updating the Topic and How This Would Affect the Forensic/Criminal Justice Community With reference to the above mentioned factor, the first facet that needs to be changed is the process of documentation. It has been viewed that earlier investigators mainly focused on collecting data from the spot of the incidence. However, it has been proven that the belongings of the victim act as a great evidence which can be studied to find the major reason behind the crime. Additionally, if electronic surveillance is done of the area of accident, it would provide more help for the investigators to come to the final result. Again, it has been viewed that according to contamination control guidelines of Section C, it suggests that the access to people directly involved in processing the scene should be limited. However, if the scenes are made open for the people associated with the investigating process, the procedure would have been more effective as different people are qualified with diverse techniques and skills which ultimately would result in making the method more effective. In addition, in the documentation part of Section C, it requires the preparation of initial sketches. However, if taking preliminary sketch is replaced with electronic recordings it would provide a more detailed study of the area. Additionally if electronic sensing devices are used to detect smell, temperature or weather, it would help in making the investigation process more effective by providing more precise data (Cameron, 2011). Mor eover, it has been viewed that the Section C states to focus firstly on the easily accessible area however, if the section prioritizes on areas that are difficult to access or mostly remain unnoticed it would be quite beneficial for the forensic team. This would help in collecting more prior data of the crime conducted and would also help in producing effective

ENVM510_M5GradedAssign Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ENVM510_M5GradedAssign - Assignment Example In the study related in the question, potential bias could stem from the following aspects; selection of samples, estimation biases, detection biases, exclusion bias, analytical bias and reporting bias. These biases all affected the results of the research in one way or another. The selection bias relates to bias that arises from the selection of samples for the study. These lead to a control of the results and hence a sense of bias. Estimation biases guide the study in making estimates or drawing conclusions in a study. Detection bias refers to the prejudiced mind in detecting the aspect of study. The mind would have the research emphasize a specific set of people while ignoring others that could easily prove helpful to the study. Exclusion bias comes in when a study seems to exclude a given set of people from the study yet could provide reasonable samples to provide a reasonable outcome. Exclusion could prove less professional in research and this could have the right people for the study closed out hence affecting the results. Analytical bias refers to that bias that arises in a research study due to poor evaluation techniques of the results. The analytical bias results at the analytical stage with many people evaluating the results badly due to the prejudicial state of their minds on the expected results of the study. Lastly, reporting bias arises from the last stages of a research. These contribute much to the report developed after that could have value based on the nature of information provided. The bias affects the research in the sense that it provides results reported with more inclination to the mindset that the researcher held during the process. The existence of bias in most of the material used for the research makes readers or the users obligated to identify the aspects of bias and their effects to the work at hand (Gerhard, 2008). Addressing the aspects of bias that exist in a research requires a thorough consideration

Buddism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Buddism - Essay Example Buddhism is considered a philosophy and a religion at the same time, due to various reasons. First, it is a philosophy since it is a way of life. People have to adhere to the set standards of the way of life to be connected to the religion. Without focusing on this, one cannot be considered to be a Buddhist. In its philosophy or way of life, it is stated that people allied to Buddhism should have acceptable standards of behavior. This means that all the people in the religion have to adhere to the set standards to be considered as followers of the religion and philosophy. In many instance, the people have to connect their way of life to an awakening call. They have to change their way of life as they have been â€Å"awaken† from their previous lifestyle. This shows that when a person is joining Buddhism, they have to change their way of life to fit the religion. This will go a long way in ensuring the religious norms are observed to utter optimum. Buddhism as a philosophy in t he world has been elaborated to mean love for wisdom. The people in Buddhism must have unending love for wisdom to develop as straight and obedient followers of the religion. Since this is the vital element of the religion, anyone wishing to join the religion must adhere to the philosophy of awakening, and elaborate on unending need for wisdom. In the Buddhism teaching, people with freedom have to lead a better way of life due to their decisions on matters in the world (Keown, 6). With their increasing wisdom, they are able to make decisions that are for the benefit of their life and the religion as a whole. As a Buddhist, the immortal love for wisdom is a practical lesson that should be adhered to and protected. Since this is the core element in the religion, the love for wisdom was split into three main parts. Simplifying the love for wisdom was a practical element that ensured the people allied to the religion understood the message to core. In the first presumed path of the love for wisdom, a person allied to the Buddhism religion should lead a moral way of life. This is an acceptable standard that has been highlighted by the Buddhism culture. All the people that are in the religion should have a connection to other people that lead a moral life. As such, there is a need to have universal way of life, which is moral. This is by avoiding any activities that may be deemed mortal to the Buddhism culture. As such, leading a universal way of life that is moral is an element that needs to be achieved in the Buddhism culture. According to the Buddhism philosophy, people have to consider their away of life as sacred and only attempt activities that are acceptable. This is both in the society and the normal way of life (Keown, 7). With such in mind, the Buddhism culture will have a dominant society that initiates morality in the society. When a person leads a moral life, it creates a scenario where people accept the religion and its philosophical grounds. In bringi ng up the Buddhism culture, the prince, Buddha had been distracted in his early life. He was raised in the loyal life as a prince and had loyal life of ease. This was a life that would shield him from the miseries and cruelties of the world, which made the prince, live lavishly. However, he was often distracted by sensual pleasures and this led to luxurious living. With such a living, he had never encountered any form of

Interview report about education Research Paper

Interview report about education - Research Paper Example People make money by selling their scientific knowledge and related skills to the concerned buyers. This imparts the need to improve the quality of education in general and the scientific education in particular so that the world’s civilization can touch new heights. Likewise, improving the quality of schools as the platforms of deliverance and exchange of knowledge is no less important. To achieve these purposes, a qualitative study was conducted to evaluate people’s perceptions on education and the potential ways in which education can be improved. A total of 15 people were included in the survey, 11 of which were students and were outside the professional education community, while 4 of the research participants were from the professional educational community. There were 8 questions in total in the survey. Question statements are shown in Table 1. Table 1: Questions of survey Question No. Question Title Question Statement 1 Significance of schools Why do you think w e have schools? 2 Significance of science classes Why do you think we have science classes? 3 Outcome of holistic success of schools If all schools were very successful, what do you think the result would be? 4 Outcome of holistic success of science classes If all science classes were very successful, what do you think the result would be? 5 Learning needs and processes What do you think students should learn and how should they learn? 6 Learning needs and processes of science classes What do you think students should learn in science classes and how should they learn it? 7 Ways to improve schools What would you suggest that schools do differently so that they could be successful? 8 Ways to improve science classes In the sciences specifically, what should be done differently in order to be successful? Table 2: Particulars of the research respondents Name Maximum Education Gender Age (Years) Religion Country A PhD (Geotechnical Engineering) Male 62 Christian USA B MS-Comparative Reli gion Studies Female 35 Christian USA C Master of Business Administration Male 25 Muslim India D BSC-Mechanical Engineering Female 33 Christian USA E Intermediate Male 18 Christian UK F Grade 9 Male 15 Jew Israel G Grade 8 Male 14 Christian Australia H Grade 7 Female 13 Jew Australia I Grade 6 Female 12 Muslim Pakistan J Grade 5 Male 11 Hindu India K Grade 3 Male 9 Christian China L Grade 2 Female 8 Hindu Nepal M Grade 1 Female 5 Christian USA N Upper Nursery Male 5 Muslim USA O Lower Nursery Female 4 Buddhist Japan Findings Common themes in the responses to all questions were identified. Table 3 lists the common themes identified in the answers of the respondents along with the respondents that supported them. Table 3: Common themes in responses Question No. Common Themes in Response to Question 1 To have a formal and structured educational system 2 To develop an understanding of the way things work 3 Demand of good jobs would outweigh the supply 4 Very rapid technological advanceme nt 5 Students should learn ethics and science. They should learn them in schools 6 Corporate social responsibility in addition to the traditional science education. Teachers of science should be experts in professional ethics 7 Upgrade the curriculum to incorporate latest knowledge 8 More practical work, and provision of technical training including software Response to Quest

How to Protect the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How to Protect the United States - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that considering the ever-evolving nature of terrorism and the risks posed by the terrorists to the American future, it becomes imperative that the nation should prepare itself for potential future attacks. The overall nature and modus operandi of the attacks can be uncertain however, it is important that a comprehensive and holistic strategy is developed to counter any potential threats and terrorist attacks. It is suggested that in future, the overall barriers to large and catastrophic events will be low and the individuals, as well as small groups, will have larger and better capacity to strike their targets. Such enemy can pose a greater level of threat to the security of the nation as compared to those enemies whose strength is almost known. The overall threats are not just limited to the man-made threats but the natural disasters can have an impact on the economy, people as well as the society at large of the United States. It is crit ical to note that the ideology and the Jihadist philosophy is still intact despite the fact that senior Al-Qaeda leadership has been killed. This continuity in the Jihadist ideology, therefore, offers a greater vitality to the overall Islamic Jihad and thus pose the greater level of threat in future. In order to dilute this ideological surge, it is critical that Homeland Security must evolve and develop a new strategy to deal with the ever-increasing level of terrorist threats.

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process Essay

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process - Essay Example In most cases, the entrepreneur himself will not be capable of raising the required capital for the business. Sometime, even when the initial capital is brought in by the owner, further expansion or the need for additional working capital requirements will force him/her to approach a venture capitalist or financial institution. In any of these cases, the clarity of the business plan is what convinces the concerned institution for granting finance. A good business plan should be prepared based on an outside-in approach. An entrepreneur should have a good understanding of the external environment in which the business will operate. A vision and mission for the business forms the two main components of the business plan. Vision is the ultimate goal that the business wants to achieve and mission statement states in brief about how the vision will be achieved by the business. Thus a well charted out business plan is an inevitable component for a successful business venture. The following section will give a critical analysis of the various steps of the business planning process. ... Identification of a problem that exists in the market is the first step that an entrepreneur should take. â€Å"If you keep up with your industry, talk to customers, study what is not working in your business, you should have a ton of problems you would like to solve.† (Starak, 2006) Identification of problem will lead to finding of various alternative solutions for the problem. All ideas should be screened well and the entrepreneur should select the one best solution that becomes the real business idea. Thus it can be said that the first thought that should come into the minds of an aspiring entrepreneur is a market problem. Strategic Objectives: Strategic objectives refer to the core business objectives of the venture. It mainly consists of the vision and mission of a business. Apart from that, it also consists of the other objectives of the business. Formulating good strategic decisions are extremely important for the success of a business. Most of these objectives are long term in nature. Therefore, an entrepreneur should have good foresight in order to formulate clear business objectives. Also, the entrepreneur should have a good understanding of the market and environment situation in order to make the objectives clear, focused, realistic and achievable. The objectives are the motive behind a business success. The various strategies that the business should take will depend mainly on the business objectives. Clear objectives imply that half the work of an entrepreneur is complete. He/she just have to manage the business to make sure that it is operating as per the objectives. Market Analysis and Research: It was mentioned that an understanding of the market is very much essential for idea generation

Marketing and New Product Essay Example for Free

Marketing and New Product Essay Scenario 1: Clean Edge Razor: Splitting Hairs in Product Positioning description After three years of development, Paramount Health and Beauty Company is preparing to launch a new technologically advanced vibrating razor called Clean Edge. The innovative new design of Clean Edge provides superior performance by stimulating the hair follicles to lift the hair from the skin, allowing for a closer shave. The company has already decided to introduce Clean Edge into the mens market where it has a strong presence. Jackson Randall, the product manager for Clean Edge, struggles with how best to position the product for the launch. One strategy is to release Clean Edge as a niche product, targeting the high-end market of fastidious groomers looking for superior skin care products. Another strategy is to release the product into the highly competitive mainstream razor market where the product can be positioned as the most effective razor available. Randall meets internal resistance to the mainstream strategy from the product manager for the companys current, but aging, mainstream razor products and he must consider the effects of cannibalization in his plan. Randall must recommend an optimal strategy and provide supporting economic analysis of his decisionnot just for Clean Edge, but for its effect on the entire company. Learning objective: Explore issues associated with strategic product positioning. Review new product development process and understand the importance of evaluating product-company and product-market fit in assessing new product opportunities. Understand the importance and marketing implications of determining whether a new product is a big breakthrough or a simple line extension. Subjects covered: Marketing strategy; New product marketing; Product positioning; Profitability analysis; Quantitative analysis Setting: * Geographic: United States * Event Year Begin: 2010 Scenario 2: Culinarian Cookware: Pondering Price Promotion description Subjects Covered: Price Promotion, Pricing Policy, Consumer Marketing, Profitability Analysis, Retailing, Sales Promotion, Distribution Policy, Brand Equity, Trade Relations, and Product Management. In November of 2006, senior executives at Culinarian Cookware were debating the merits of price promotions for the companys premium cookware products. The VP of Marketing, Donald Janus, and Senior Sales Manager, Victoria Brown, had different views. Janus felt price promotions were unnecessary, potentially damaging to the brand image, and possibly encouraged retailer hoarding; Brown believed the promotions strengthened trade support, improved brand awareness, and stimulated sales from both new and existing customers. The issue was complicated by a consultants study of the firms 2004 price promotions which concluded that these promotions had a negative impact on profits. Janus trusted the results, but Brown, believing the study assumptions were flawed and required further analysis, suspected the promotions had actually produced positive results. The pressing decision is whether to run a price promotion in 2007 and, if so, to determine what merchandise to promote and on what terms. The broader issue is what strategy Culinarian should pursue to achieve sales growth goals, and what role, if any, price promotion should play. Subjects Covered: Price Promotion, Pricing Policy, Consumer Marketing, Profitability Analysis, Retailing, Sales Promotion, Distribution Policy, Brand Equity, Trade Relations, Cookware Learning objective: 1. Explore the risks and opportunities of price promotion as a strategic and tactical marketing tool. 2. Through quantitative analysis, evaluate the financial impact of a price promotion using different cost and sales assumptions. 3. Develop the details of a price promotion policy consistent with overall marketing objectives. Subjects covered: Brand equity; Consumer marketing; Pricing policies; Profitability analysis; Sales promotions; Small medium-sized enterprises Setting: * Geographic: United States * Event Year Begin: 2006 Scenario 3: Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy for a New Weight Loss Drug (Brief Case) description Topics include Consumer Behavior, Marketing Communications, New Product Launch, Product Positioning, and Push/Pull Marketing. This case can be used separately or in conjunction with Brief Case #4183, Metabical: Pricing, Packaging, and Demand Forecasting for a New Weight Loss Drug. Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals (CSP) expects final approval for its revolutionary weight loss drug, Metabical. Metabical will be the only weight loss drug with FDA approval that is also clinically proven to be effective for moderately overweight people. Barbara Printup, Senior Marketing Director for CSP, must develop the positioning strategy and marketing communications plan in preparation for the launch of the new drug. Printup must consider the consumer decision-making process and the interaction between the consumer who purchases the drug and the health care provider who prescribes the medication. Despite promising medical studies and consumer research, poor positioning of the drug in the highly competitive market for weight-loss solutions could spell disaster. Students analyze market research data and consider the optimal positioning strategy and marketing communications program. Learning objective: Understanding the hierarchy-of-effects, the decision-making unit, the decision-making process, and push vs. pull communications. Identifying strategies for segmenting, targeting, and positioning new products. Understanding the critical elements of a marketing communications program. Subjects covered: Consumer behavior; Marketing communications; Product introduction Setting: * Geographic: United States * Industry: Pharmaceuticals * Event Year Begin: 2008 Scenario 4: Reed Supermarkets: A New Wave of Competitors description Reed Supermarkets is a high-end supermarket chain with operations in several Midwestern states. Meredith Collins, vice president of marketing, visits stores located in Columbus, Ohio, an important region with the largest market and the greatest impact on revenue growth. She is concerned about increased competition from dollar stores and limited-assortment stores offering very low, appealing price points. Reeds market research shows that as a result of the economic downturn, customer loyalty is dwindling and consumers are willing to go to multiple stores to get the best deals. Collins must decide whether to change the current marketing and positioning plan in an effort to increase market share to meet challenging corporate targets. Her options include retreating from price competition and focusing on quality or embracing more private-label brands and competing more aggressively on price. She can also maintain the current positioning and appeal to customers looking for a quality shoppi ng experience. The case contains an implicit quantitative assignment that instructors can emphasize to the degree they choose. Learning objective: Explore elements of marketing strategy, market segmentation, product differentiation, and product positioning for a retail organization. Analyze and differentiate among conflicting strategic perspectives. Understand the cycle of retailing, which suggests that new retail stores naturally evolve from low-price, low-overhead stores to become upscale retailers offering additional services and product lines. Subjects covered: Competitive strategy; Consumer marketing; Market positioning; Market segmentation; Marketing strategy Setting: * Geographic: United States * Industry: Supermarkets * Event Year Begin: 2011 Scenario 5: TruEarth Healthy Foods: Market Research for a New Product Introduction (Brief Case) description Topics covered include: consumer marketing, market research, new product introduction, and quantitative analysis. TruEarth Healthy Foods, a maker of gourmet pastas, sauces, and meals, wants to build on its successful introduction of fresh whole grain pasta by introducing a similar product concept for pizza. In an increasingly competitive market, TruEarth is focused on beating its competition and wants to act quickly and decisively. The company conducts extensive market research, first using focus groups to test the concept and then following up with take-home trials. Acting as brand managers, students must complete a quantitative analysis of the available data to project the sales volume for pizza and then decide whether to bring the new product to market. Learning objective: 1. Understand the assumptions and techniques for estimating markets and projecting sales 2. Analyze and interpret data to decide whether to bring a new product to market 3. Recognize the importance of perceived value to consumers for a new product as compared with existing products 4. Understand the limitations of making decisions based on research and available data

Staff Guide on Assessment and Moderation

Staff Guide on Assessment and Moderation Purpose The purpose of the assessment and moderation staff guide is to ensure: All staff are aware of the moderation activities requirements All staff are aware of the assessment requirements; adheres to the quality standards (i.e.: fair, valid and consistent assessment) expected from external parties (e.g.: NZQA) Policy This policy will be achieved through planning and implementation of an annual Moderation Calendar, and regular analysis of assessment results.ÂÂ   Findings and action plans from moderation activities will be implemented and monitored by identified parties Procedure The Programme Leader will be responsible for managing the expectations and delivery of internal and external moderation activities; which includes and are not limited to a. completing an annual Moderation Calendar for the department b. monitoring action plans developed to address findings from moderation activities c. implementation of action plans, where required d. the day-to-day running and requirements of the Moderation Calendar e. monitoring and/or reporting any risks identified from moderation activities to the Academic Board Key responsibilities Programme Leader Prepare Annual Moderation Calendar to include pre-,post-, and external moderation requirements Identify any assessments requiring amendment after post-moderation Summarise results of annual moderation activities and record key learnings Identify moderators required and assign moderators for stages of moderation Nominated Moderator Carry out moderation activities as requested (pre-, and post-) Complete moderation and reports to be submitted to Programme Leader Teaching Staff Discuss planned moderation activities and nominate moderators Complete review of assessment materials Complete amendment of assessment materials with consultation with Programme Leader Policy Quality Indicators Moderation activities are planned and carried out according to the annual Moderation Calendar Assessments submitted meet the quality standards (i.e.: fair, valid and consistent) expected from external partied[AG1] (e.g.: NZQA) Part 2: Personal Reflection Moderation is comprised of a set of procedures designed to ensure quality assurance through monitoring and evaluation of assessments (The Skills Organisation Incorporated[AG2], 2014). The characteristics of moderation activity include fairness, validity, reliability, consistency, sufficiency and authenticity (The Skills Organisation Incorporated, 2014). The five different types of moderation will be discussed below. In addition, a reflection form personal practise of some factors that can have an impact on the type of moderation will also be discussed. Internal pre-moderation Why: This is carried out by nominated internal moderators to ensure the validity and sufficiency of assessment materials prior to being used by learners (The Skills Organisation Incorporated, 2014). Any actions identified following this activity must be implemented, reviewed and moderated prior to being used by learners. Review of factors and issues: In my[AG3] experience, this is a crucial process which requires time and attention, to ensure for the validity and sufficiency of assessment materials. The responsibility is with the moderator to ensure he or she is knowledgeable of the learning outcomes, the assessment requirements and assessment materials. Internal post-assessment moderation Why: This is carried out by nominated internal moderators to ensure there is fairness, validity, consistency and authenticity displayed by the assessor of the assessment materials (The Skills Organisation Incorporated, 2014). Review of factors and issues: This process can be used to ascertain if the learning has occurred for students. In my experience, internal post-assessment moderation requires a sample of highest, middle and lowest graded assessments. This is to ensure there has been consistency in the assessors judgement in allocating marks for the assessments. This is also an opportunity to gain an insight into the students learning progression. However, there has also been times that an assessor has received the feedback and/or suggestions from the action plans in a negative manner, creating an environment that is less conducive. There has also been times whereby there has been leniency from the moderator due to sympathy or the fear of causing offence to the assessor. Such behaviours can have serious consequences[AG4], relating to both the quality of the assessments as well as the integrity of the process. Peer moderation Why: This is carried out to ensure there is consistency between assessors within the same department and/or organisation (The Skills Organisation Incorporated, 2014). Review of factors and issues: In my personal experience, peer moderation can create a perception whereby an assessor may feel targeted[AG5] due to the feedback provided. Often, an assessor may feel like he or she needs to be able to justify his or her decisions, which can lead to an environment that is less conducive. On the other hand, peer moderation can also be a very useful process whereby assessors are given an opportunity for wider collegial discussion, which can assist with learning and further understanding of the assessment materials. External pre-assessment moderation[AG6] Why: This is carried out by nominated external moderators to ensure there is fairness, validity, consistency and authenticity displayed by the assessor of the assessment materials (The Skills Organisation Incorporated, 2014). Any actions identified following this activity must be implemented, reviewed and moderated prior to being used by learners. Review of factors and issues: As previously identified, this is a crucial process to confirm assessment materials are fair, valid and consistent with the required standards. The moderator is required to have sufficient understanding and knowledge of the learning outcomes, assessment requirements and assessment materials. External post-assessment moderation Why: This is carried out by nominated external moderators to ensure consistency, validity and reliability of assessment between Tertiary Education Organisations, Government Training Organisations, Industry Training Organisations and schools are being maintained (The Skills Organisation Incorporated, 2014). Review of factors and issues: The findings from post-moderation can be useful in ascertaining if the learning[AG7] has taken place, as this provides evidence of learning outcomes being achieved by learners. This further solidifies the characteristics required by moderation, for example, authenticity. References The Skills Organisation Incorporated. (2014). Moderation. Retrieved from http://skills.org.nz/assessment__moderation/moderation

Sport Management Business

Sport Management Business Sport management is a young field that is built on a foundation of business and other professional fields. The discourse of sport management is the same vocabulary as other professional fields. Its history is not very extensive, and the curriculum is still very young. Although the field is young, there are great resources available to advance the curriculum. The ability to manage a staff and effectively communicate to the staff is crucial to the success of a sport administrator. And while APA is the citing resource for sport management, MLA is one of the other citing resources that are very common in professional and educational settings. Overall, sport management is an emerging field that will flourish in the future. Discourse of Sport and Recreation Management When engaged in conversation with another human being, it is important to listen and follow along with the conversation. It is also keen to speak with proper tone and the appropriate language of the topic discussed. Language of a discussion is referred to as discourse. Copley said it best when describing discourse: â€Å"Imagine someone new to sports initiating a conversation with long-time sports fans: ‘So what do you think the Raiders will wear in their next game? (Copley, 2006)† This is better than any definition that a dictionary could ever provide simply because her discourse is easily understood by the readers of the document. Sports management is one of the highest requested majors for incoming freshman in the United States (Mahoney, 2008). While the degree is one of the highest requested majors, it is also one of the most understaffed and underappreciated by universities around the nation (Mahoney, 2008). The discourse, or discourses for sports management are ver y broad and are interdisciplinary with other fields of study. These fields include law, business, physical education, communications, and psychology. Throughout the paper, these fields of study will be discussed in correlation with sports management; along with their purpose in academia. The first and most important topic of discussion in sports management is business. Business is a strong cornerstone in sports management, as the word management is quite often associated with training and facilitating in business. The business aspects of sports management consist of marketing, and management, with specific focus on individuals, teams, facilities, and organizations. To start off, there are the two main ways to market sports: First is marketing a product through a sport, and secondly marketing of a sport. Marketing through a sport tends to bring companies a higher revenue then regular advertisements (Gladden Sutton, 2005). A good example of marketing through sport is Budwesier. They like to market during the football season with beer drinkers (usually young men) playing or enjoying a football game with a fictitious background story, that subsequently features beautiful women, glamorizing drinking, to market the product (Gladden Sutton, 2005). The best example for mar keting of a sport is a television commercial for Monday night football, or Sunday night baseball on ESPN. The network is trying to get people to watch the game, so they in-turn advertise and if the viewer watches the game they have successfully marketed. Generally though, business is all about profits and losses. The numbers dont lie and they can tell whether a business is doing well or if it is not. Therefore, the unofficial language or discourse of business is accounting (Warren, Reeve Duchac, 2007). Accounting is the backbone of business because again, the numbers dont lie. If a business is failing, a balance sheet can tell you why. And from there, a business can make a decision to raise their numbers by making cuts or taking out loans and collecting interest payments from stockholders. Accounting has a language of its own, similar to economics. But a good business man and woman should have a firm, and comprehensive knowledge of accounting to understand the language and concepts of business (Warren, Reeve Duchac, 2007). The second comprehensive field in sports management is law. Law is most commonly associated with the rights and wrongs in our American government. However, it also deals with contracts, property, negligence, statutes, and upholds regulations by other companies (Cotten Wolohan, 2007). The most well known practice of sport law comes in the form of contract negotiations by agents and sports teams. Throughout most of the United States, it is required for sports agents to hold a law degree so that they have a complete grasp of how contract negotiations are supposed to work and ensures they follow all the proper channels that it must go through to become an official contract (Cotten Wolohan, 2007). It is very important in law, to understand what every sentence or article says because one word can change the complete meaning of a very closely worded law. Therefore, an extensive knowledge of the American language, and numerous legal terms is required to be involved in such practice. Extens ive knowledge of the American Constitution is needed for a career in law as well. The Constitution is the first form of precedence in the United States (Cotten Wolohan, 2007). If a law can be traced back to the constitution, it is a powerful tool and a great advantage to have over your legal opponent. The third major discourse of sports management is kinesiology, better known as physical education. It is a good thing to know how the human body works and what makes it function properly. It is also good know how it reacts under stress, and how it works at rest. Sports management and kinesiology are at first often confused for the same thing; when in fact, they two completely different fields. Practical use of kinesiologic discourse is mainly used marketing and in media relations. In marketing, a company might say â€Å"improve your vertical leap by training your fast twitch muscles.† This would be a correct statement and would directly correlate to the discourse of kinesiology as fast twitch muscle control sudden quick movements such as jumping as high as you can (Jeukendrup Gleeson, 2004). Of course, if no one knew what a fast twitch muscle was they probably would not be interested. In an instance like that, a consumer would probably be more inclined to purchase because the y recognize the scientific word used in the advertisement (Duncan, 2005). In media relations, terms of kinesiology are used less frequently and come from more of a medical standpoint for example if an athlete was injured in a game (Nichols, Moynahan, Hall, Taylor, 2002. â€Å"Brett Favre suffered a pulled hamstring yesterday in practice. Brett said ‘it was a little tender after it happened, but the doctor said it was minor enough so I could play Sunday.† Obviously, this is a general discourse statement. But, it is related to kinesiology because you need to have an understanding of where the hamstring is located on the body and what happens to the muscle when it is pulled (Jeukendrup Gleeson, 2004). Again, Kinesiology is not nearly as closely related as sports management as people believe and as shown so far, does not scratch the surface what the heart and soul of sports management really is (Mahoney, 2008). Fourth, related field of sports management is communications. Communications play an integral part in collegiate and professional athletics (Nichols et al. 2002) as most organizations have multiple staff members who market and publicize their respective university or team. These people are often referred to as Sports Information Directors. Their job duties, in most cases, are as follows: Writing press releases about or for organizational events and athletes, taking statistics of athletic events, statistical research, designing school athletic brochures, writing and publishing media guides, web publishing, and grammatical editing (Nichols et al. 2002). Sports Information Directors, like most people who work in communications for a company have certain ethical obligations like always writing positive about the university that they represent. The basic guidelines are as follows: Honesty, truthfulness, respect, compassion, fairness, accuracy, professional distance, and ethical models (Ni chols et al. 2002). At the same time, these writers need to find a way to entertain in their press releases so that fans and consumers will read their writing. Often, the directors use common slang terms that the average sport fan would understand in their writing. For example, if a press release says â€Å"Jean-Sà ©bastien Giguà ¨re played great between the pipes tonight, saving all 31 shots for the shutout,† this would easily be translated by a sports fan as â€Å"Giguà ¨re played great in front of the goal, as he stopped all of the opponents shots to win the game tonight.† The slang terms allow the reader to engage with the release; and if the reader was not at the game, they could recapture a sense of the excitement that took place during the game (Nichols et al. 2002). As most people see athletes getting in trouble off the field, naturally damage control is a current trend in professional athletics. The directors want to minimize harm to the athletes image and to the organizations reputation. When it comes time to write a press release or release a statement at a press conference about the situation, it is of the utmost importance that â€Å"hot† words or catch phrases are not included in the statement (Nichols et al. 2002). Any words that would allude to any wrong doing are never good for other reporters to hear. Like a profession in law, sports information directors need an extensive knowledge of grammar and language as their job relies heavily on writing. Finally, sports management deals in psychology. If the common nomenclature says that â€Å"playing a sport is twenty percent physical, and eighty percent mental,† then sports psychology will prove that. Life is what you perceive it to be, and the same can be applied to sport (Plotnik, 2005). If someone believes that they are performing badly, then they probably are performing badly. The discourse of the field is no different than that of a regular discussion about psychology. The main trend that seems to follow in sports psychology however, is motivation. If a person has a hard time working out, why is it that they do not want to work out? Are they self-conscious? Are they just that lazy? Or is that they are not physically able? Sports psychology applies the principals of psychology to sport, and hence psychology of sport is born (Plotnik, 2005). Sport psychology does apply its own kind twist however. As in most cases discussed in the textbook, the questions are more directed towards how you could remedy any psychological situations, as a manager or a coach would do; a standpoint towards the reader that they are always in control of their destiny. The proverbial cookie jar that is sports management is a big jar that is filled with all different varieties of â€Å"cookies† that do have a similar taste at times, but are unique in their own way. Business of course being the most popular choice or widely used discourse as all business conducted will always rely on numbers to provide the evidence. Sports law is a least popular variety that no one can escape, because someone will always need someone to talk for them to get more money or to get them out of trouble. Kinesiology is a standard choice, â€Å"the chocolate chip† of discourse as sport is in the title of sports management. However, at the end of the day, is a completely different field of study. Communications is the underground of sports management that keeps the wheels spinning and allows people that were not at the game to experience the excitement. While psychology is everything in the field: Being able to understand situations that may arise and the motiv ation to do things for the betterment of a team or individually. Instead of focusing on one specific area of discourse, it is clearly beneficial to have a broad understanding of all the discourses in sports management. It is a big broad business, and its foundations are deep. Albert Spalding to Earle Ziegler: Foundations of Sport Management Since the beginning of civilization, it has been in the nature of humans to compete with another. In ancient Greece, the citizens trained in gymnasiums or â€Å"naked places† to perfect their wrestling or boxing technique (Sweet, 1987). â€Å"Athletics were more important to the Greeks than us today† according to Sweet; like the current American society, cheating was looked down upon in ancient times. Cheating was looked at as sacrilegious; a disgrace to Zeus (Sweet, 1987). Today cheating is not looked at as a sacrilegious act to a god, but as a shameful act of cheating. Today there are entities in place that ensure all athletes have the same competitive advantage. The act of managing sport can level a playing field, negotiate a salary, relocate an athlete, advise an organization, run a facility, or teach others the topics in sport management in a college setting. The modern field of sport management is a fairly young field that is constantly adapting to the demands req uired. The curriculum of sport management also adheres to the same principles of business, but is even younger than the practice of sport management. Through history, sport and sport management has shown its progressive tendencies and ideals that were ahead of common American society at the turn of the 20th century. This leads to the five significant events and the influential minds behind the events in sport management, which will be the topic of this paper. They are certainly not all the people and events that had significant contribution, but simply the top five that are deemed worthy for this assignment. Thoroughbred Racing Since history is usually placed in chronological order, the trend continues today. Thoroughbred horse racing was a very popular sport in eighteenth century England; along with baseball, cricket, and field hockey (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). Positions of political and social power were appointed to men with wealth; most of those positions being horse owners, track or club owners, and other various supervision roles. Each club in the given area had its own set of rules, which were created by the owner; sometimes even to work in his own favor. Complications often arose when a rider from one track would race at another as rules varied (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). And by the 1830s with the innovation of railroads, horse owners wanted to compete nationally to increase profits, and breed with new horses to create faster horses. Naturally a new management style was needed, but this was only the first complication of two. The second was gambling. Gambling was a very popular event amongst the upper and lower classes at the track. The lower class was then able to wager bets at the track with the upper class because club/track owners did not charge admission to the event. The track was a social setting in which a diverse group of people intermingled for a common purpose; whereas a member of the upper and lower class would hardly be seen in the same place, sharing a common purpose (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). The gambling itself took place during the race, which was a four-mile course broken up into three legs. The winner would have to win at least two out of the three races. If the fans of the race suspected the jockey of throwing a race, the jockey would often be physically abused by the fans (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). It was not very common for unethical behavior to take place when bets were made, but they did occur and were dealt with promptly. Sometime after the 1830s, there became a standardized management sys tem in horse racing which forced club/track owners to standardized lengths of the course, forced the track to time the events, and even spawned a new style of horse racing: Thoroughbred racing with weights added to the horses (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). In gambling, a standardized system was also adopted as club owners started handicapping the races, ran a sweepstakes race and even started to offer tip sheets to the customers at the events. These strategical changes are viewed as the first managerial changes in club sport; while also being viewed as the successful model for club sports, which ruled the eighteenth century in the forms of boxing, cricket, rugby and soccer (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). The club sport system still exists today, although it does not thrive as it once did in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. But these clubs set a precedent that would contribute to the next innovator in the sport management profession. William Hulbert and the National League As stated in the previous section, club teams were the dominate structure for athletic teams in the nineteenth century. Baseball was no different. Most teams were around and had a small fan base, but most teams were never able to play a whole season, or keep fan interest for a whole season because of lack of funding. It was not uncommon for teams to just quit halfway through the season. The most popular team of the 1860s was the Cincinatti Red Stockings who toured the east to play teams and because of their fan base, were able to pay for travel expenses and earn a profit while playing on the road (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). On a road trip at the end of 1870 season the Red Stocking lost the three games of the season, and because of that were no longer considered the champions of baseball. The fan base for the club fell drastically and the team disbanded before the beginning of the following season (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). In 1871, after such hard times, remaining team s formed a union; a new league called the National Association of Professional Baseball Players. Unfortunatly, the beginning results were no different than that of their predecessors in the club system as teams would form, stop playing halfway through the season, and perhaps start operations the next season. After years of trying to gain credibility and reach stability in the league, an entrepreneur by the name of William Hulbert purchased the National League of Professional Baseball Players in 1876 and was often referred to as the National League from then on (Masteralexis, Barr, Hums, 2005). Hulbert made sure that all business aspects were in the open and not conducted behind closed doors as to ensure an honest means of doing business. He also set guidelines for the eight teams to follow: he was going to make sure that the league would not crumble because of one teams financial irresponsibility. All teams were accountable for each other, or the league would fail. Hulbert made many decisions for the league. On one occasion, Hulbert canceled the final series between Philadelphia and New York as both teams were struggling and their outcome would not have affected league standings (Crosset Hums, 2005). By doing this, he allowed the teams to shut down the operations so the team would save money for the next season and not hinder future operations. Ethics and citizenship were staple points in Hulberts National League as well, forcing teams to set curfews for the athletes and enforcing strict policies that meant banning players for life if they were gambling, for example. Hulb erts precedent still stands today, as over 100 years later, Pete Rose was banned from ever stepping foot into a baseball park because of gambling allegations. He also made sure that the fans were proper citizens as well; raising ticket prices to keep rowdier, lower-class fans out and not allowing alcohol to be sold in the ball park. However, the â€Å"revolutionary idea,† according to Crosset and Hums, was the implementation of a pennant race at the end of the season. The two top teams at the end of the season would play a series for the pennant, better known as the National League Championship. Hulbert also protected teams from losing their players, as players under contract were not allowed to negotiate or be bought out by other teams without both parties being aware of it. The â€Å"players reservation† system was a precedent in sport management, and is still a foundation in modern sport management. After some success with the league, local newspapers started to cov er the games; giving updates on injuries, interviewing players, keeping track of statistics and reporting other coaching strategies to keep the fans interested. This also opened a new element for sports as fans who could not afford to attend games and only followed by word of mouth. The media coverage allowed fans to follow keep track of the games played and re-enact the game through the written stories. The precedents set by Hulbert were truly astronomical; building foundations that still stand in baseball today. His demands for class and integrity are considered sacred to the game of baseball and were followed for years; which is why steroids have been such a paramount concern in baseball for the past couple of years. For his actions he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995 as a pioneer of the game. Albert Spalding While William Hulbert was a great innovator himself, accomplishing many feats, he was not alone in the formation of the new National League. Albert Spalding was a pitcher for the Boston Red Stockings, who subsequently were members of the National League of Professional Baseball Players. Spalding was a major celebrity of the game, winning 241 games, and losing only 60 between 1871 and 1876 (Lampster, 2006). An innovator himself, Spalding pitched with his own signature designed baseball. After leading the Red Stockings to the first National League Championship in 1876, he decided to create his own company named simply after himself. That same year, Spalding was the official baseball of the National League, and baseballs were sold to the general public; therefore, becoming the first sporting good company in America (Lampster, 2006). The year 1877 proved to be Spaldings last season as a professional ballplayer. He then focused solely on managing his company and the Chicago White Stocking s as their team president. After managing, he became an international promoter of baseball, spreading the game around the world in 1888. In 1887, he created and manufactured the first American football. And in 1894, he created the first basketball. Spalding was a true innovator and strived to set precedent like Hulbert. Spalding and Hulbert fed off of each others innovations and cleverly marketed each other through each others company (Lampert, 2006). Sport Management as an Academic Field Almost 100 years has passed since the wrinkle in time that was the beginning of professional baseball. The time was the 1960s, Major League Baseball was a prevalent organization, Albert Spalding had already been inducted into the baseball hall of fame, and the â€Å"sports industry was thriving† (Crosset Hums, 2005). According to Crosset and Hums, two men discussed the idea of a sport management curriculum in 1957; a physical educator from the University of Miami, James G. Mason, and owner of the then Brooklyn Dodgers, George OMalley. OMalley is most recognized as the chief legal counsel for Jacky Robinson when he broke the color barrier in 1947 and for moving the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. Mason and OMalley decided that in order to keep up with the demand in the sports industry, a professional degree needed to be created to accommodate this need. In 1966, OMalley and Mason started the first Sport Management graduate program at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. The idea of a sport management degree caught on soon thereafter as Biscayne College and St. Johns University founded the first undergraduate programs in the United States (Crosset Hums, 2005). The University of Massachusetts-Amherst followed in Ohios footsteps, offering the second graduate program in the U.S. in 1971. As the field grew, unions of teachers started to form; most of which were short lived. Todays dominant sport management scholarly union is the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM). Sport Management is one of the most highly sought after degrees by incoming freshman at the University of Louisville (Mahoney, 2008). With massive growth however, teachers are in high demand and there are not enough people to teach the high volume of students and conduct new research to progress the field in a brand new direction. The next paragraph focuses on a man who changed the field of sport management forever. This dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada implemented his own curricul um; his name is Dr. Earle F. Ziegler. Dr. Z. According to the official Earle F. Ziegler website, Ziegler got his start in education at Yale University where he taught physical education and coached football and wrestling from 1943 to 1949. He began working for the University of Western Ontario in 1949 as a part-time German instructor. Shortly thereafter, he became the department head for Physical, Health, Recreation for the university. At the University of Michigan, Ziegler began his research for physical education and how to manage it effectively. He then conducted research at the University of Illinois, and then went back to the University of Western Ontario. After years of solely researching in the field of physical education, Ziegler intertwined physical education with other topics such as philosophy and administrative theory. In 1975, the year Ziegler returned to Western Ontario, he released six publications on various topics branching physical education out. An acquired copy of â€Å"Management Competency Development in Sport and Physical Education† written by Dr. Ziegler in 1983 is an interesting read. Ziegler explains throughout the opening chapter the different types and amounts of research he did to write his book. He opened the book with four chapters about management theories and the emerging field of study. He then presented a strategic plan on how to implement management into sport. It is hard to comprehend that this had never been done before. Dr. Ziegler was in the field conducting research on different topics and drawing parallels between the two. There were degree programs before this at universities around the country, but Ziegler created an entirely new school of thought with the publications that he wrote; inspiring young professionals to think proactively and engage themselves in theory. Most of the topics discussed today in sport management courses are based off of his research and those who followed in his footsteps. Ideals that a person would just take for granted now were accomplished for the first time 25 years ago by an old man from New York City. Ziegler, in fact, was the first president of NASSM, and because of his contributions to the field was honored with an award in his name in 1988. This award is given out annually to the educator in the sport management field making positive contributions in research and education sport management. Conclusion As clearly shown throughout the paper, the field of sport management shares a rich history like other fields of academia, even at its young existence. The models of conformity in club horse racing would open the door for the brand new league system created by William Hulbert. And without the newly renovated National League, Spalding would not have marketed his new product, as well with Hulbert. As the field slowly grew and innovation lay dormant for sometime, that opened the door for OMalley and Mason to create a brand new field of study to feed their vision of enhancing the field of sport management. And finally without Earle Ziegler, sport management would not be flourishing the way it is today without his teachings and theories. Again, he opened a new doorway for students to walk through. Teaching his knowledge and inspiring students then, who are the administrators of today. The interesting thing throughout the paper is the progressiveness of society through sporting events in hi story: The intermingling of upper and lower classes at horse tracks, the introduction of baseball throughout the world, and OMalley breaking down the color barrier by signing Jacky Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although there may have been some differences between some, athletics has set a standard for breaking down sociological barriers between class and color. These are the five significant events and the influential minds behind the events in sport management; they are certainly not all the people and events that had significant contribution for todays sport management, but simply the catalysts for change and progression. Resources for Sport Management Socrates once stated â€Å"No one person knows everything, but everyone knows something.† Socrates was implying that by engaging in discussion with people from all walks of life, one can learn something new from a person. People were the main resource for Socrates in Ancient Greece as he did not have scholarly journals, or the Internet to work with. It is stated that today is an information age. Information and knowledge are only a click away on the Internet. Wikipedia is a source of information on the Internet, as it is an online encyclopedia. However, true scholars maintain that â€Å"It is not a credible source† because anyone can go online and edit the information that is written. That is why it is important to get information from professionals in the field of study in which a person is researching. Sometimes it takes a person to create their own field of study from other related fields to create a new school of thought. Earle Ziegler was the author of many books t hroughout 1970s and 1980s that created the current field of sport management, using concepts of business, physical education and other social sciences. Through Zieglers contributions, sport management has found its place in academia across the United States on college campuses. The scholarly journals in sport management feature some of the top minds in the field. A few of these journals will be discussed in this paper; along with their contributions to the field of sport management. These journals will be referred to as â€Å"fruits,† as they nourish thought and sustain a desire to learn more about sport management. In turn, the seeds are spread, and more fruit is grown creating more fruit and expanding sport management even further. Journal of Sport Management According to the Journal of Sport Management website, the journal was initiated as a biannual publication in 1987 by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) and is seen as the organization that progresses the sport management field hosting annual conferences to discuss the topics of sport management, and commending the members on some of the work they did the past year. It is currently edited by Lucie Thibault of Brock University. The journal remained bi-annual until 1992 when it was then released three times a year. In 1996, the Journal of Sport Management became a quarterly journal and it continues that trend today. The journal itself features articles in many different topics: A few of which include management, economics, accounting, governance, tourism and communications. The articles also vary in sport and in level of play; covering issues in high school athletics, all the way to professional sport. Here at the University of Minnesota, Crookston when searching fo r articles on current topics related to sport management, it is very common to find most of the articles that are listed in the search results are from the Journal of Sport Management. In a personal communication with Dave Rolling, head of Sport and Recreation Management at the University of Minnesota, Crookston on March 10, 2008, â€Å"the Journal of Sport Management is the one of the best journals one could use to find topics in sport management.† Journal of Sport Economics The Journal of Sport Economics is a quarterly published journal that focuses on the economic issues that are concer

Free Color Purple Essays: Celie and Albert :: Color Purple Essays

Celie and Albert in The Color Purple  Ã‚      The relationship between Celie and Albert went through many changes throughout this novel. Albert, or Mr._________, was a man who seem to be a person who was very angry, powerful and hateful. His father was a man who believed that love was not the point while trying to find a good wife, obedience was. The woman didn't have to be attractive, rich or one who was in love, all she had to do was cook, clean and tend to the children. Albert was taught that this was the way to an successful life. Albert feel in love with Shug, they did not marry. Mr.____ was controlled by his father even as an adult. His father wouldn't allow his son to marry Shug. His father didn't want him to actually love, because he never loved himself. Albert married a woman his father approved of, and he treated her how his father taught him to. Margret cooked, cleaned and tended to the children. After his father took shug away from him, he hated his father, but was so controlled by him that he could never stand up to his father. She later died and left behind a house to be cleaned, cooking to be done and children who needed to be tended to. He fell in love again with Nettie, but she was not allowed to marry him. Albert was forced to find a quick replacement for Margret. So instead he married Celie. He beat her not only because of the angry towards his father, but also because she was neither Shug nor Nettie. In the marriage of Celie and Albert there was no love or devotion. They were just stuck with the other. Celie married Albert because her step father told her too and Albert married because he wanted a full time maid. They just went one day to the next with Albert giving the orders and Celie carrying out these orders. It was like boss and employ, except Celie was anything but rewarded for carrying out the orders. The women in those days were thought as something that a man owned. Once the women was his he was to do what he pleased with it. Celie was thought of as a item that Albert purchased, like cattle, and once he had purchased her she was his and no one else's.