Socioautobiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Socioautobiography - Essay Example I had to know how to protect myself, but part of that protection meant keeping interest off of me when it came to possible threats. In Queens, in the middle of New York City and surrounded by millions of people, there was never enough space for me to go off and have any time to myself. I had to learn to make my own privacy even when surrounded by other people. I believe this quality has benefited me well in improving my ability to focus in distracting situations. I always lived in a two-parent household. I always knew that my parents loved me, my two brothers, and each other very much. These positive memories from my childhood have given me a stable foundation on which to build the rest of my life. My parents' example of a healthy marriage gave me the guidance I needed in my life to understand how stable relationships and happy families are built. I plan to take this knowledge and pass this on to my own children someday, whenever I decide it is time to take that next step forward wit h my life. My mother worked as a social worker and my father was a police officer. They raised me and my siblings in an extremely value-oriented household. I was taught from an early age to respect others and also to respect authority. My parents also raised me with a deeply-held belief in social responsibility. It was not enough for my family and for me to live in the world without actively causing harm to anyone. I also needed to do something that bettered my community and improved the world around me. As a result of these teachings from my parents, my two brothers followed in my father’s footsteps and became police officers for the city of New York. However, I wanted to do something different with my life and my career than the rest of my family. I had just enough of a rebellious streak in me that I felt it was necessary to leave home and try something new. However, this rebellious tendency was not enough for me to let go of the values my parents had taught me. As a result , my career choice was to join the military, which is a value-oriented career but one that was very different from anything my parents or siblings had ever done. I thought the military was a perfect choice for me, since I could expand on my existing skills and beliefs while seeing new places and experiencing all kinds of new things. For my first year after basic training, however, I felt that joining the military had been a huge mistake, possibly the biggest mistake I had ever made in my life. I was a child of the urban environment where I had grown up. Being sent to places like the farming community out in rural Texas, the location to which I was originally deployed after training, was a major shock. I missed being surrounded by all the activity and the bustle of the city. I felt like there was nothing for me out there, surrounded by nothing but mountains and empty desert all the way to the horizon. I also missed my family members and the closeness I had shared with them during my childhood. My parents and siblings all still lived in New York City. In fact, most of them still live in the neighborhood where I was born. I rarely had a chance to see them. At that time, joining up with the military seemed like the worst thing that had ever happened to me. Unsurprisingly, during my time in the military I was sent overseas to serve in Iraq. I completed two tours of duty there. It was an experience that I will never be able

Economic, Social And Political Economy Essay Example for Free

Economic, Social And Political Economy Essay Introduction In 1920, the independent kingdom of Korea was forcibly annexed to Japan, it lasted until the end of the second World War. After World War II, the United States (US) decided to occupy the southern half of Korea to prevent the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from taking control of the entire peninsula. USSR was helping North Korea’s fight against the Japanese forces. The US divided Korea at the 38th parallel to keep Seoul within the American-occupied area. USSR did not oppose the division. (Korean War, 2006) Both the USSR and the United States started to organize the governments in their half of Korea. When they did so, the political factions that used to be united against Japan started to emerge again. These factions represent the left-wing and right-wing views. The left-wing wanted an overhaul of Koreas land ownership laws, which unduly favored rich landowners. And the right wing vehemently refused the reform. (Korean War, 2006) From 1945 to1948, the US suppressed the widespread leftist movement and backed Syngman Rhee. Rhee had lived for decades in the United States and has a solid anti-Communist credentials. He was also popular with the right. (Korean War, 2006) The USSR, on the other hand, supported the left and Kim Il Sung. Kim II Sung received support from North Koreans and China. Kim fought with Chinese Communist forces against the Japanese in Manchuria in the 1930s. Kim forced a radical redistribution of land when he first came into power. By the end of 1946 the regimes of both North and South Korea were in place. The division of Korea was formalized until 1948. The South established the Republic of Korea while the North established the People’s Republic of Korea.   (Korean War, 2006) The regime was barely in placed South Korea when it had to contend with a rebellion in the south from the left-wing, particularly in its southernmost province. North Korea supported the rebellion. It was South Korea that first provoked North Korea into a war, but and Kim II Sung was willing to fight the war, too, with the help of USSR and China. In 1949, fighting in the 38th parallel broke out between the North and the South. In 1950, the army of North Korea crossed the dividing line. The Korean War reached its height from 1950 to 1953. In 1953, a cease fire agreement was signed. It ended the fighting but the Korean peninsula remained divided. (Korean War, 2006) The Korean War was considered as one of the most destructive of the 20th century. There was an estimated death of 2.4 to 4 million Korean, mostly civilians. The other countries who supporter either side also experienced casualties. China, who supported the North, lost almost 1 million soldiers. The US, who sided with the South, lost a little more than 36 thousands. The economic and social damage to the Korea Peninsula was incalculable. In the North Korea, the three years of bombing destroyed most of the modern buildings. (Korean War, 2006) Because of the Korean War, the US and Japanese economy received a much needed boost after World War II.   Japan became the source of materials for the war. Meanwhile, defense spending in the US nearly quadrupled in the last half of 1950. (Korean War, 2006) The North Korean Economy after the War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because North Korea endured 3 years of US bombing, a new capital had to be rebuilt after the war in North Korea. By 1960, the discipline and forced-labor policies of the Kim II Sung’s regime resulted in recovery and development. The general standard of living of the people remained low.   There was an emphasis to heavy industrial growth but not production of economic goods. (North Korea, 2006) In 1995, there was a nationwide food crisis. In 1996, it became a widespread famine. USSR and China withdrawal of its food subsidies, the government’s agricultural policies, and a series of floods and droughts are factors that contributed to the food crisis. International humanitarian relief agencies provided food aid and other relief efforts. In 1998, an estimated 1 million people had died of starvation and famine-related illnesses. The food crisis continued into the early 2000s. (North Korea, 2006)   The Juche Idea Juche is the official state ideology of North Korea. It is also the basis for its political system. Juche literally means main body or subject. In North Korean sources, it had been translated as independent stand and the spirit of self-reliance. The core principle of the Juche ideology has been that man is the master of everything and decides everything. (Juche, 2006, para. 1) It was Kim Il-sung which advanced Juche as a slogan in speech titled On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Establishing Juche in Ideological Work. It was made in rejection of the policy of de-Stalinization in the Soviet Union. It became a systematic ideological doctrine in the 1960s. Kim Il-sung outlined the three fundamental principles which are as follows: (1) independence in politics, (2) self-sustenance in the economy, and (3) self-defense in national defense. (Juche, 2006, para. 2) In 1982, Kim Jong-il authored a document titled â€Å"On the Juche Idea†. An article in Wikipedia said: According to Kim Jong-ils On the Juche Idea, the application of Juche in state policy entails the following: 1) The people must have independence (chajusong) in thought and politics, economic self-sufficiency, and self-reliance in defense; 2) Policy must reflect the will and aspirations of the masses and employ them fully in revolution and construction; 3) Methods of revolution and construction must be suitable to the situation of the country; and 4) The most important work of revolution and construction is molding people ideologically as communists and mobilizing them to constructive action. (Juche, 2006, para. 3) One of the first application of the Juche idea in North Korea was the Five-Year Plan known as the Chollima Movement. The Five-Year Plan involved rapid economic development, with a focus on heavy industry. This is to ensure independence from the USSR and China. (Juche, 2006, para. 4) But the reality of the Juche Idea is its economic program of self-reliance has resulted in economic dependence. North Korea has been an aid-dependent regime. From 1953 to1976 it depended considerably on Soviet industrial aid. The USSR remained North Koreas greatest economic benefactor until its 1991 collapse. It experienced a food crisis in the early part of its regime which later developed in to a famine. It has accepted aid from China, South Korea and the international community. In 2005, the country was the second largest recipient of international food aid. In 1998, Juche made pragmatic adaptations to capitalism. (Juche, 2006, para. 5) The state ideology has been an alternative to traditional religion. Juche have incorporated religious ideas into the state ideology. Juche is considered the largest political religion in North Korea. Practice of all other religions is overseen and subject to heavy surveillance by the state. (Juche, 2006, para. 6) Improving Relationship with the South After the Korean War, North Korea developed a hard stance against the South. In the 1960’s, an assassination team nearly succeeded in killing Park Chung Hee, the South Korean president at that time. In 1968, North Korean gun boats seized a US intelligence gathering vessel and subjected its crew to extreme circumstances for a year. In 1969, a US reconnaissance plane was shot down. There were guerrilla raids launched against the South. These attacks made the South even more dedicated in renewing their defense measures and influenced the formation of a harder political order in South Korea. (North Korea, 2006) Through the 1970s and 1980’s, there were efforts to affect the unification of the North and South Korea, but these efforts failed. In June 2000, the leaders of North and South Korea, agreed to promote reconciliation and economic cooperation between the two countries. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two countries since the country was divided. (North Korea, 2006) The meeting of the leaders of these two countries led to the first cross-border visits of family members separated since the Korean War which was officially authorized by both states. The agreement also led to many favorable consequences for both countries. Trade and investment increase. There was a more relaxed military tension. It also partially reopened road and rail links severed by the Korean War. There was also a start of mail service between the two countries. (North Korea, 2006) During the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, the athletes from North Korea and South Korea paraded together under one flag, the neutral flag of the Korea Peninsula. But the athletes still competed separately in the different events. (North Korea, 2006) In October of 2000, Kim Dae Jung was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring about reconciliation between the two countries. (North Korea, 2006) South Korea, together with China, is instrumental in bringing almost 1 billion dollars in aid and investment to North Korea. South Korea’s help prevent the collapse of the North Korean economy (Fajola Fan, 2006). However, recent political developments may trigger old hostilities in the region. The insistence of North Korea to develop and test nuclear weapons may bring war in Northeast Asia again (Fajola Fan, 2006). South Korea, despite its own pressing need, offered to supply North Korea energy if it would cease the production of nuclear weapons (David 2006). There is still no news whether North Korea has accepted its offer. Politics and International Relations Before the Korean War, The Workers’ Party of Korea was established. Kim Il Sung emerged as the leader of North Korea. He enjoyed the military support of the USSR until the soviet troops withdrew in 1948. Under the Workers’ Party leadership, political and economic changes had been made. The egalitarian land reforms were enforced. There was a radical redistribution of land from the land owners to laborer and tenant farmers. The landless labor and tenant farmers supported these reforms. Because of these reforms, there was massive confiscation of land and wealth from the Japanese or to enemies of the regime. Aside from the reforms, there was also party-directed economic planning and development. (North Korea 2006) Kim II Sung fought against the Japanese and, in 1949, welcome the war against South Korea. When North Korean forces crossed the dividing line to the South, the US joined the fighting with the approval of the UN. There was also a small contingent from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and Turkey to help with the Americans. USSR, an ally of North Korea refused to vote during the deliberations in the UN. In October 1950, China supported North Korea in the War. When cease fire was finally agreed upon, thousands of lives where lost on both sides. Millions worth of infrastructure were also destroyed, particularly in the North which experienced massive bombing operations from the US. (North Korea 2006). In the political front, North Korean leadership began to veer away from USSR influenced. The intensifying conflict between China and the USSR, allowed North Korea even more independent action. (North Korea, 2006) North Korea actions after the Korean War seemed to be geared towards building of nuclear might. When both North and South Korea joined the UN in 1991, they signed agreements regarding nuclear and conventional arms control and reconciliation. In 1992, North Korea signed an agreement allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect the country’s nuclear facilities. In 1993 the North Korean government refused the inspection of nuclear waste sites which is believed to contain undeclared nuclear material for nuclear weapons. This resistance continued until the first half of 1994. (North Korea, 2006) South Korea suspended its formal acceptance of the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) which it signed in 1985. In 1993, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) suspected North Korea of building at least one atomic weapon from plutonium extracted from fuel rods at a nuclear power plant. (North Korea, 2006) In 1994, the US and North Korea reached an agreement called Agreed Framework. In this agreement, North Korea will suspend the operation of designated nuclear facilities capable of producing and reprocessing weapons-grade plutonium and allow IAEA inspectors to verify the suspension. The agreement called for annual deliveries of heavy fuel oil to North Korea. The U.S. agreed to take steps to end economic sanctions against North Korea, sanctions in placed since the Korean War. (North Korea, 2006) The 1994 Agreed Framework is also a step towards normal diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea. North Korea agreed to suspend operation of the nuclear facilities in return for two new reactors that will be built by US, South Korea and Japan. In 1995, the construction of the two reactors started. In 2002, US abrogated the agreement. It charged North Korea of violating the agreement by initiating a secret weapons-grade uranium-enrichment program. North Korea denied that it had such a program. Because the US abrogated in 2002, North Korea resumed plutonium production. In February 2005, it issued a statement that it was now a â€Å"nuclear weapons state.† (North Korea, 2006) While relations between the two Koreas are improving, the relations between the US and North Korea became even more strained because of the issue of nuclear weapons. The US had placed North Korea on a list of countries supporting terrorism and had characterized North Korea as being part of an â€Å"axis of evil†. China attempted to act as a mediator between North Korea and the US, but the US refused to meet in one-on-one negotiations. To compromise, China fashioned a series of negotiations which would take place among China, Japan, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and the US. The talks were held in Beijing, China. (North Korea, 2006) Without reaching an agreement, the six-party talks recessed in early August 2005. When the talks resumed in September 2005, North Korea pledged to abandon all nuclear weapons and programs in exchange for economic aid and security guarantees. The talks stalled. Early of July 2006 North Korea launched seven test missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which fell into the Sea of Japan. Even if the test were considered successful, these raised tensions in the area. Concerned international community, through the UN Security Council, called for economic sanctions against North Korea. (North Korea, 2006) The 2006 Nuclear Testing Analysts are saying that North Korea’s gaining bragging rights as a nuclear power may have political and economic fallout. Many fears that the nuclear tests being done by North Korea can trigger instability in Northeast Asia. China, which had been a supporter of North Korea, is reconsidering its support for the Kim Jong II. China, with the help of South Korea, had given billions of dollars in aid and investment to North Korea. Both countries helped prevent the collapse of the economy for fear that such will send refugees pouring into their own borders. An Asia Times Online writer said that South Korea offered to supply North Korea’s energy needs if the latter will abandon its nuclear arms. China’s foreign minister, Li Zhaoxing expressed the Chinese government opposition to the nuclear test. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Because of the tests, South Korea stopped the delivery of emergency assistance to help the North deal with recent floods. President Roh Moo Hyun said, The South Korean government at this point cannot continue to say that this engagement policy [sunshine policy] is effective. Ultimately, it is not something we should give up on, but objectively speaking, the situation has changed. Being patient and accepting whatever North Korea does is no longer acceptable, (qtd. in Fajola and Fan, 2006, para. 7). Analysts say that the shift in position of China or South Korea is partly based on the possible reaction of Japan, the nation most threatened by North Koreas ballistic missiles. A nuclear-armed North Korea could lead Japan arm itself more aggressively. A U.S. congressional report may lead Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to develop their own nuclear weapons. It would start an arms race in the region and feed regional disputes. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Japan has already said that it would impose harder measures against North Korea. The measures can include a ban on the remittances sent home by North Koreans working in Japan. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Another motivation for China’s position is its failed attempt to mediate between US and North Korea in the series of negotiations in Beijing. To save face and to meet international pressure, China may impose tougher economic sanctions and reduce aid to North Korea to force the latter to stop production and testing of its missiles. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Seung Joo Baek, an analyst from the Seoul-based Korea Institute for Defense Analyses also said: North Koreas message is that no matter how hard South Korea, Japan, the United States gang up on them, they wont budge. They want to be recognized as a nuclear power. They are assuming that it is the only thing that will keep them safe. We will have to wait and see if they are right. â€Å"(qtd. in Fajola Fan, 2006, conclusion)       References    Korean War. (2006). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved November  30,  2006, from Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9046072. Korean War (2006). In Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://encarta.msn.com. North Korea (2006). In Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://encarta.msn.com. Nguyen, D. â€Å"South Korea Enters the Great Game.† May 13, 2006.   Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/HJ10Dg02.html. Juche (2006). In Wikipedia 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche Fajola, A. Fan M. â€Å"North Korea’s Political and Economic Gamble.† October 10, 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/08/AR2006100801169_2.html

Barclays Organizational Behavior

Barclays Organizational Behavior Organizational behavior is a study that looks at the individuals, employees, and how management teams behave and interact within the organization in a workplace setting. OB is therefore an interdisciplinary field that comprises communication, sociology, psychology, and management.  The key issues that influence organizational behavior include; organizational change, corporate culture within the industry, organizational development, and customer expectations that usually shape the organizational values. This research paper tries to explain the basic but vital principles of organizational behavior in order to equip the management teams with adequate theoretical knowledge regarding essential concepts necessary for the efficient and effective management their work, and to understand some of the concepts and challenges related to the management of behavior in organizations. This is done with focus on Barclays bank, to identify the correlation between employees and the organizations in w hich they work. The research methodologies adopted are online questionnaire, interviews, and the use of observation of the operation of Barclays bank employees. There is an increase in the drive by companies to develop mature organizational behavior and culture, owing to the perceived benefits and success associated with it that companies enjoy. Key words: Organizational behavior Organizational Behavior Research on Barclays Bank This paper seeks to analyze the organizational behavior adopted by Barclays bank across the world. Barclays PLC is a British multinational banking and financial services company, which is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Barclays PLC operations in over 50 countries across Europe, Asia, South America, North America and Africa including Kenya, with a total number of customers exceeding 48 million globally and the fourth-largest bank worldwide by asset (Business.barclays.co.uk, 2013). Barclays is organized in two business clusters, (1) the corporate and investment banking and wealth and investment management and (2), retail and business banking. The corporate and investment banking and wealth and investment management cluster covers three business units: the corporate banking; Investment banking; and Wealth and investment management, while the retail and business banking cluster involve four business units that include Africa retail and business banking; Barclaycard; Europe retail and business banking; and UK retail and business banking (Business.barclays.co.uk, 2013). Most subsidiaries of Barclays PLC operate under Retail, Corporate, Treasury and Card Services with cross functional relationships to support the segments of local business and small to mid-sized enterprises (SME). Barclays financial strength coupled with extensive local and international resources have positioned Barclays as the top provider of financial services in the market for the past several years. Moreover, Barclays consistent financial performance has built confidence in their leadership and management among the Banks shareholders, as well as the indus try in general making it an easy go brand. For example, the Kenyan subsidiary known as Barclays Bank of Kenya Limited has been in operation for 95 years, and has consequently built an extensive network of 117 branches and over 230 ATMs countrywide (Business.barclays.co.uk, 2013). The network is supported by Internet and mobile banking channels plus a Customer Service Centre that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The multinational nature of Barclays bank and the diverse clusters operating in different business environment globally present different challenges to the bank that are related to the industry environment. Similarly, Barclays bank in this regards is influenced by both local and international industry environment since decisions made at the international regions have a direct bearing on the operation of other subsidiaries around the world. The bank draws its employees across all nationalities, races, and cultures as a result of the increasing globalization and interconnectivity where people from different nationalities are hired to work far away from their countries of birth bringing with them different values, norms and cultures. To deal with this, Barclays bank has successfully managed to develop workable and standard organization behavior and culture that that cuts across the nationalities to ensure harmonious operations. Organizational Behavior Principles The success of multinational organizations is dependent upon the organizational behavior principles adopted and applied in the respective subsidiaries. The OB principles that re relevant to this study are customer responsiveness, personality and organization, work motivation, job satisfaction and reward management, communication, change management and leadership. Customer Responsiveness Being that Barclays operates in a service industry; their success is fully attributed to the quality of service and the fast level of responsiveness when handling customer queries. One of the values adopted by the bank is the declaration that customer first, to mean that customers must be attended to first before anything else. This has become part of the organizational behavior, making the bank to strengthen their customer service department by ensuring that all employees handling customers are well trained to offer quality service within the shortest time possible. Every one including the management team is oriented to treat the customers as the boss in all circumstances. Customer responsiveness is also achieved through product diversification to meet the demands of all groups of customers irrespective of their socio-economic status. This is much evident through the introduction of flexible and diversified credit card products commonly known as Barclaycards that match different needs. The market and customers expectation has been modeled to demand flexible and cheaper cards that match diverse needs of the members (Barclays.co.uk 2013a). For example, Barclaycard being the first credit card provider in Britain offers a range of quality products that match the need of all customers including those who require competitive interest-free product, or those in need of first credit card at competitive rates. Similarly, there are low standard-rate credit cards that are preserved for clients with excellent credit histories. This range of product ensures there is a suitable product for every category of customers. It is what is missing in HSBC that needs to be pr ovided to ensure that customers satisfaction are met, corporate communication, group behavior, human decision making. Personality and Organization To develop a good organizational behavior, the management need to understand personality of employees in order to develop a workable interaction model within the organization. Personality involves characteristics, qualities, skills, and competencies of employees, combined with other traits such as grooming and attitude. Personality in most cases is influence by the environment and the social settings. However, there are particular universal characteristics which always emerge in individuals that are acceptable across the board. For example, customer service executives are expected to be aggressive, humble and respectful, have a listening ability, assertive and welcoming. These traits, thoughts, and feelings should be translated into visible behavior that can attract and retain the customers. Communication Clear communication within the organization is very important since it is essential in inculcating common objective. Failure in communication can result when clear purpose is not conveyed or when the message is distorted along the channel of communication followed. Communication setting can also bar clear conveyance of information as a result of unclear chain of command. Some of the barriers of effective communication may include assumptions by the sender who ignores parts of the information to be relayed, preconception among the receivers and biases in delivery. It is therefore imperative for the organization to develop communication culture as part of the organization behavior (Ashraf, 2012). Such culture clearly stipulates the chain of command of communication, communication channel and generally the type of language to be used in any delivery of information, which must strictly be official. Everyone including the management must communicate well with all people within the organiz ation irrespective of being subordinates. This will instill respect and accurate execution of the command as clearly outlined. Clear communication also plays a major role in the satisfaction of customer demands and to provide all the information needed by the customer for decision making Work Motivation Full compliance to the organizational culture and behavior is also influenced by the level of motivation among the staff and the entire workforce. Motivation brings the intrinsic urge to perform at work place, and is connected to the psychological and emotional well-being. The level of motivation among the staff within the organization therefore, activates behavior or an urge that is directed at a goal (Ashraf, 2012).This means that for the organizations culture and behavior to be adhered to at all times, the management need to develop a highly motivated staff that understands and fully embraces the values of the organization. To achieve the work motivation that has direct impact on productivity, several factors can be adopted as part of organization culture to encourage competition among the employees towards production. Some of the factors include; Job Enrichment: Jobs need to be designed to offer opportunities for responsibility growth, achievement, and recognition for good performance. This involves providing challenging responsibilities that fully engages the employees through greater utilization of skills and offers opportunity for personal development. Flexi time: This concept is meant to allow employees to occasionally control their work schedule, such that they decide which work to start with (Ashraf, 2012). This system makes employees more responsible and accountable, and eliminates the general feeling that they are micromanaged to perform. Empowerment: This involves giving employees authority in their area of operation to make decisions and be able to resolve their work related problems without approval from the management. Employees stock ownership plan: this method has become a key tool in attracting, retaining, and motivating workforce in business organizations. The system allows employees to own the companys stock to be part of the stockholders and as part of their benefit package. This motivates employees work harder and protects the organization since their service directly impacts the performance of the company. Low employees productivity means lower value of the stock prices. This strategy was adopted by Equity Bank, which is currently the fastest growing bank in the sub-Saharan Africa, thus should be adopted by market leaders like Barclays bank. Job Satisfaction and Reward Management Organization behavior should be one that promotes job satisfaction, which is the employees overall attitude towards their jobs. It is the fulfillment an employee develops after evaluation of a job or job experience. Job satisfaction can be derived from a number of features such as the amount of pay, promotion opportunities, the work itself, supervision, conducive work environment, and relationship with co- workers. Every organization should therefore create a standard organizational behavior that includes employee promotion on merit, professional supervision, and standard remuneration of employees based on productivity and job group. Although different people may derive satisfaction from different features, the most common elements are as mentioned above and a wider approach to improve job design, work organization and general quality of life. In addition to job satisfaction, effective reward management needs to be developed that fairly recognizes employees efforts to reinforce produ ctivity or adherence to organizational values and behavior standards. Usually, in case peoples good behavior are effectively recognized or rewarded through any means, the desired behavior is usually repeated. Organizations such as Barclays in this regard need to consider designing a standards reward system that is sustainable to the business and make it an organizational culture and behavior promotion tool. Leadership This involves controlling and directing individuals, groups and subordinates within the firm. It includes hiring, training, guiding, and assessment of processes in order to achieve the best performance from employees. Organizations that succeed in their operations usually maximize on the talents and energies of their employees (Ashraf, 2012). This is because such firms develop competitive advantage against their rivals as a result of maximum production. Due to the fact that employees are vital resource to the achievement of the organizational goals, managers should be careful on how they interact and handle their subordinates. This means that managers who are knowledgeable and skilled in organizational behaviors are likely to effectively and efficiently manage their teams and influence them to fully support the companys goals. Different leadership styles such as autocratic, consultative and free will may be adopted depending on the situation (Locke, 2009). Organizational behavior in relation to the leadership style adopted in all the management levels is very important to the success of the organization. The management structure adopted by Barclays bank is usually the vertical line where top management that comprise CEO and the board of directors issue directives that are implemented at the middle and lower level. However, before the decision is communicated downwards, consultation at the tactic level of management takes place, involving the finance department which is responsible for the strategy development process, driving business performance and financial control across Barclays Africa. Other management functions include human resource, operations, consumer banking, risk management, corporate banking, treasury services and card business departments. This also includes the personnel in each of the departments. It is important for organizations to note that decisions made collectively are often easier to implement than forced decisions. Whereas different leadership styles can be adopted in different situations, organizations mindfully need to create a leadership culture that has clear distinction of roles and clear definition of responsibility to enable efficient flow of duties. Leadership must be concerned and emphasize on peoples issues just as the organizational issues (Locke, 2009). Employees are very important resource that must be valued if the organization is to succeed, thus their complaints must be addressed well without ant victimization from the leadership. Organizations must therefore adopt leadership behavior that respects the employees, treats them fairl y in order to improve their attitude towards work and the firm in general. Theoretical Framework Organizational behavior refers to the study of groups and individual dynamics within an organization, as well as the nature of the organizations. The interaction between human resource and the organization and the interaction amongst employees themselves usually bring several factors into play and in turn define the organizational behavior. Presently, different people with diverse cultural values and backgrounds work together in different institutions. Organizational behavior in this respect seeks to bring an understanding and emphasize the acceptable behavior in organizations in orders to develop competencies and standards in which people likely to behave. These finding are therefore, to assist in controlling behaviors that go against the regulations and objectives of the organizations. Equally, it is significant to note that in an organization, the social system comprises all the people, considering how they relate to the rest of the world. Normally, the behavior of one person has impact on the behavior of others either directly or indirectly. Culture refers to the conventional behavior of a society that comprises knowledge, beliefs, customs, and practices and people depend on culture since it guarantees them understanding, stability, security, and the ability to react to a given situation. It shapes human behavior, even if not fully embraced. In an organization set up, people fear change in culture and behavior for fear instability, and loss of security. The operation of organization is usually based on the managements philosophy, vision and mission, values and goals that guide employees. These consequently define the organizations culture or behavior, which is composed of the formal and informal organizations, and borrowed from the social environment. The organizations culture determines the type of leadership adopted, communication channels and chain, and group and individual dynamics within the organization. Existence of such working environment, culture, and behavior becomes a motivating factor to the workforce, leading into high performance, individual and group satisfaction, and personal growth and development. The combination of these elements constructs the framework that guides the operation of the organization. Research Methodology The choice of research methodology to determine the organizational behavior adopted by Barclays bank was depended on the objectivity, reliability and sustainability of the method based on the environment and nature if the industry. To clearly meet the purpose, three methods were used alternatively to determine the employees feelings concerning the organizations culture and the customers feelings on whether the organizations behavior is suitable in the service industry. Online questionnaire was used to collect data from 25 employees in different ranks within the organization equally distributed from the middle management to the cleaners through clerks. This was after securing their email addresses, having that time constraints could not allow them to adequately respond to interview questions. Face to face interview was also used to specifically interview 15 randomly selected walk-in customers from across socio-economic class and age bracket with an intention to gauge if they were sati sfied with the reception and service they received from the bank staff. Their feelings on the general arrangement within the banking hall and personal grooming of the staff were also sought. Finally, observation was used to monitor staff response to customers enquiries and the speed of service. This observation was done during my routine visit to the bank to carry out transactions. The structured online questionnaires were filled by the respondents at their convenient times. Prior to the collection of data, authorization was sought from the bank management, who in turn briefed the security agencies for the days the data were collected. This arrangement was done silently without notifying the staff members to ensure that the data collected in not skewed when employees try to conceal their right attitude and behavior. It is also important to note that more information about the profile and background of Barclays bank was sought from the banks website. This gave a clear understanding of the banks operations and the actual values, vision, mission, culture and the organizational behavior that the bank stand for, to be used gage the level of compliance by the employees. Results and Findings According to the online questionnaire survey that was filled by 25 randomly selected Barclays bank employees from across the socio-economic class and age bracket, most respondents especially the non-management staff who responded to the questions as indicated in the appendix section of this paper disapproved the organizations culture and behavior, while most of those in management positions approved the organization behavior. One of the reasons for disapproval is that management was authoritative in decision instead of being consultative and felt that their views are not accommodated in the running of the system. The interview that involved 15 customers sought to know their view on Barclays banks organizational behavior. The analysis found that 90% or the customers interviewed were satisfied by the arrangement of counters and service points inside the banking hall. Similarly, an overwhelming majority of 14 customers were of the opinion that the official dressing as part of their behavior was commendable and should continue, while only 1 felt the type of dress was not concern. The observations made also confirmed the values of the bank as they are in the mission statement. The declaration that customer comes first in their list of priority was evident, especially in relation to how customers were ushered in and allowed to sit while awaiting to be served. Are Organizations Behavior principles applied in Barclays Bank? The principle of effective reward management is partially applied in the bank based on the findings. Most junior staff complained that the difference in salary bracket between the management, the clerks, and other staff members such as cleaners was very big. It showed that management teams are paid much higher than the rest, thus the feeling that effective reward system be adopted. One area reward that if fully implemented is on earning of bonuses at the end of the year and the yearly increments according to the collective bargain agreement. This is however dependent on individual performance as indicated by the balance score card assessment sheet. Employee recognition based on particular achievements is done within the banks, both formally and informally. As indicated in the principle above, reward is a tool that reinforces good behavior. According to the management, several staff members are given recognition cards for being best communication agents, best time managers, and best i n minimizing the wastage of papers. This reward system needs to continue since it encourages other to work harder to earn bonuses at the end of the year after meeting their yearly targets and receiving nomination cards that improve profile for future promotions. One the standard sustainable reward behavior is adopted; all sectors are covered without discrimination. This research found out that measuring job satisfaction has been a challenging process to most managers. Based on the determinants of job satisfaction such as amount of pay, promotion opportunities, the work itself, supervision, conducive work environment, and relationship with co- workers, several employees, several employees are not satisfied with their jobs, either because of the perception of inequality in the pay structure, the management being too authoritative and the generally routine nature of the jobs that offer little opportunity for personal growth. Customer responsiveness is a principle that is fully applied in the entire Barclays bank. Based on their value that makes customer first, it was evident through the observation that customers were well received, advised, and served within the shortest time possible. Whenever a customer walks into the bank they are advised by the customer care representative on which counter to go to for the desired service. This was also confirmed by the customers themselves who said that they are satisfied with the manner they are handled by the bank staff. Customer responsiveness is also proved by the diversified products offered by the bank that are meant to meet the demands of all customers in all socio-economic groups. The most outstanding product line is the Barclaycard that covers all needs from low interest to low interest cards, as well as those meant for students. Barclays bank personnel composition is composed of top level management that involve the CEO and the Board of directors at the local level, middle management including the branch managers and operation and departmental managers and the lower level staff including clerks and sales representatives. Leadership is in this case is well structured with very clear chain of command from the strategic level to the regional directors and to local subsidiary branches (Business.barclays.co.uk, 2012). This has clearly assisted in separation of responsibilities and entrenched accountability systems within the management. In the recent economic recession, the bank recently adopted restructuring that saw several employees lose their jobs and adoption of the system where junior staffs like the clerks, cashiers are employed on a contract basis in most subsidiaries. This is a human resource policy, accompanied by lower remuneration structures led to mass exodus of staff. Conclusion and Recommendations This research paper looked at the organizational behavior adopted by Barclays PLC, which is a British multinational banking and financial services company with its headquarter in London, United Kingdom. Barclays PLC operations in over 50 countries across Europe, Asia, South America, North America and Africa including Kenya, with a total number of customers exceeding 48 million globally and the fourth-largest bank worldwide by asset (Business.barclays.co.uk, 2012). Organizational behavior is concerned with how individuals, employees, and management behave and interact within the organization in a workplace setting. It is an interdisciplinary field that comprises communication, sociology, psychology, and management. The key issues that influence organizational behavior include organizational change, corporate culture within the industry, organizational development, and customer expectations that usually shape the organizational values. Organizational Behavior Principles are also very i mportant since they guide companies in setting their organizational behavior standards. This paper has discussed customer responsiveness, personality and organization, work motivation, job satisfaction and reward management, communication, change management and leadership as major principles of OB. The methodologies employed in this study are online questionnaire filled in by employees, face to face interview of customers and observation methods. The observation methods were instrumental in monitoring how the staff receive, address, and serve customers if within the organizational behavior standards. These methods were selected based on their objectivity, reliability and sustainability of the method based on the environment and nature if the industry. To clearly meet the purpose, the three methods were used alternatively to determine the employees feelings concerning the organizations culture and the customers feelings on whether the organizations behavior is suitable in the service industry. The study found that most of respondents especially the non-management staff who responded to the questions as indicated in the appendix section of this paper disapproved the organizations culture and behavior, while most of those in management positions approved the organization behavior. Recommendations The success of organizations is dependent upon the organizational behavior principles adopted and applied in the respective subsidiaries. The OB principles that are relevant and should be adopted by organizations include customer responsiveness, personality and organization, work motivation, job satisfaction and reward management, communication, change management and leadership. In order to develop a good organizational behavior, the management needs to understand personality of employees in order to develop a workable interaction model within the organization. Personality involves characteristics, qualities, skills, and competencies of employees, combined with other traits such as grooming and attitude. Personality in most cases is influence by the environment and the social settings. However, there are particular universal characteristics which always emerge in individuals that are acceptable across the board. For example, customer service staff members are expected to be aggressive, humble and respectful, have a listening ability, assertive and welcoming Every organization should therefore create a standard organizational behavior that includes employee promotion on merit, professional supervision, and standard remuneration of employees based on productivity and job group

Formal Analysis of Woman and Bicycle by Willem de Kooning Essay

Formal Analysis: Woman and Bicycle by Willem de Kooning Woman and Bicycle is an abstract expressionist painting created by Willem de Kooning in 1952-53 as part of his collection of Women paintings. It roughly measures 6ft. by 4ft. in size and is an oil painting on canvas. The image can be understood to be figurative, however the figure is difficult to decipher on account of the haphazard style in which it was created. It appears that the picture has been altered a great many times, as if it is just one picture deposited upon the remains of or intentions of ones prior. It is easy to decipher a pair of large jaunty eyes with their gaze intently directed back towards the viewer over a pair of particularly large breasts. The insinuation of a body remains just that, wildly gestural brushstrokes that only imply the presence of hips and thighs. De Kooning himself makes note of the illusive nature of his forms saying, â€Å"Content is a glimpse of something, and encounter like a flash. It’s very tiny—very tiny, content,à ¢â‚¬  (Hess p.148). Another more distinguishable element in this painting is the pair of legs centered at the bottom of the canvas. Beyond this, the theory of content in this piece is at the discretion of the viewer’s imagination. The gestural and heavy working of the paint and the contrasting colors make the painting appear active yet are arduous to follow. The defining element of Woman and Bicycle is the presence of the black lines that do most of the work in terms of identifying the figure. Through the wild nature of the brushwork, color, and composition of the painting, it can be implied that the artist is making an implication towards the wild nature of even the most proper of women. The most... ...ess in such a vulgarly constructed work of art. The contrasts between depth and surface, figure and landscape, promiscuity and modesty, beauty and vulgarity all present themselves in de Kooning’s Woman and Bicycle. Although the figure is a seemingly normal woman out for an afternoon with her bike, she becomes so much more through the artist’s use of color, contrast, and composition. The exotic nature of woman presents itself in her direct stare and slick buxom breasts in spite of a nearly indiscernible figure. It is understood that, on the whole, de Kooning did not paint with a purpose in mind, but rather as an opportunity to create an experience, however, that does not go to say that there isn’t some meaning that can come of this work. Even Willem de Kooning once said that art is not everything that is in it, but what you can take out of it (Hess p.144). Formal Analysis of Woman and Bicycle by Willem de Kooning Essay Formal Analysis: Woman and Bicycle by Willem de Kooning Woman and Bicycle is an abstract expressionist painting created by Willem de Kooning in 1952-53 as part of his collection of Women paintings. It roughly measures 6ft. by 4ft. in size and is an oil painting on canvas. The image can be understood to be figurative, however the figure is difficult to decipher on account of the haphazard style in which it was created. It appears that the picture has been altered a great many times, as if it is just one picture deposited upon the remains of or intentions of ones prior. It is easy to decipher a pair of large jaunty eyes with their gaze intently directed back towards the viewer over a pair of particularly large breasts. The insinuation of a body remains just that, wildly gestural brushstrokes that only imply the presence of hips and thighs. De Kooning himself makes note of the illusive nature of his forms saying, â€Å"Content is a glimpse of something, and encounter like a flash. It’s very tiny—very tiny, content,à ¢â‚¬  (Hess p.148). Another more distinguishable element in this painting is the pair of legs centered at the bottom of the canvas. Beyond this, the theory of content in this piece is at the discretion of the viewer’s imagination. The gestural and heavy working of the paint and the contrasting colors make the painting appear active yet are arduous to follow. The defining element of Woman and Bicycle is the presence of the black lines that do most of the work in terms of identifying the figure. Through the wild nature of the brushwork, color, and composition of the painting, it can be implied that the artist is making an implication towards the wild nature of even the most proper of women. The most... ...ess in such a vulgarly constructed work of art. The contrasts between depth and surface, figure and landscape, promiscuity and modesty, beauty and vulgarity all present themselves in de Kooning’s Woman and Bicycle. Although the figure is a seemingly normal woman out for an afternoon with her bike, she becomes so much more through the artist’s use of color, contrast, and composition. The exotic nature of woman presents itself in her direct stare and slick buxom breasts in spite of a nearly indiscernible figure. It is understood that, on the whole, de Kooning did not paint with a purpose in mind, but rather as an opportunity to create an experience, however, that does not go to say that there isn’t some meaning that can come of this work. Even Willem de Kooning once said that art is not everything that is in it, but what you can take out of it (Hess p.144).

Behavior Therapy

Two hypotheses, stimulus-response and stimulus-stimulus theories, explain the working of classical conditioning. Stimulus-response holds that a link to unconditioned stimuli is created with conditioned stimulus in the brain however, conscious consideration is not involved. Secondly, stimulus-stimulus has to do with mental activity, whereby conditioned stimuli are linked to the unconditioned stimuli notion.Stimulus-response (S-R) theory involves a behavioral psychology hypothetical structure which argues that man plus other creatures may be taught to link a novel stimulus (conditioned stimulus- CS)with some pre-existing stimulus (unconditioned stimulus- US), and may feel, respond, or feel the CS as though it were really the US. It argues that animals may be taught to link some SR, like a bell, to upcoming entrance of foodstuffs, leading to some apparent behavior, like salivating (http://psychology.about. com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/classcond. htm). Stimulus-stimulus (S-S) theory arg ues that some cognitive element is required to comprehend classical conditioning. It argues that animals may salivate after the bell since it is linked to th3e food concept. Operant Conditioning Theory Operant conditioning involves using effects to alter the type and happening of conduct. Operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning in that the former tackles alteration of intentional (operant) conduct.Operant behavior functions within the environment; it is controlled by its effects. On the other hand, classical conditioning tackles the habituation of respondent conducts that are drawn out by precursor situations. Conducts conditioned through classical conditioning process are not controlled by effects. Punishment and reinforcement may be negative (removed after a reaction) or positive (given after a reaction), thus creating 4 basic effects, the fifth being extinction (no consequence alteration after a reaction).Reinforcement consequence increases the frequency of occur rence of behavior. Punishment consequence decreases the frequency of occurrence of behavior. Extinction signifies absence of effects. If behavior proves inconsequential, having neither unfavorable nor favorable effects, it occurrence becomes less frequent. If previously strengthened conduct ceases to be strengthened negatively or positively, the reaction reduces. Positive reinforcement happens when a constructive stimulus follows a conduct, thus increasing the frequency of the conduct.Negative reinforcement happens when the withdrawal of aversive stimuli follows a conduct, thus increasing the frequency of the conduct. Positive punishment (punishment through conditional stimulation) happens when a negative stimulus follows a conduct. Negative punishment (punishment through conditional withdrawal) happens when the withdrawal of a pleasant stimulus follows a reaction or behavior. Social cognitive theory It suggests that parts of a persons knowledge gaining may be directly linked to wat ching other persons through social contact, experiences, plus external media pressures.It remains a knowledge hypothesis that argues that persons learn through observing the activities of others plus that individual though procedures are vital in comprehending personality. Despite the fact that the learned conduct obtained from the surroundings persons grow up in significantly influences development, cognition equally influence ethical development. Persons learn though watching others as mediated by the surroundings, cognition, and behavior. Social cognitive theory stresses a huge disparity between a person’s capacity to exhibit moral competence and performance.Moral competence refers to possession of the capacity to depict ethical behavior. Moral performance refers to adhering to individual moral behavior ideas in particular circumstances. The theory emphasizes learning or knowledge gaining though watching models. Observers do not anticipate punishments or rewards; rather, t hey anticipate similar results to their imitated conduct. Within education, instructors act as models in children’s knowledge acquisition. Learning most probably happens when an observer-model intimate identification occurs and when observers have adequate self-efficacy beliefs.Such beliefs act as vital proximal factors for human effect, action, and motivation, which control action by cognitive, effective, and motivational intervening procedures. Identification permits observers to sense a one-on-one linkage with the model. Observer are thus more probable to attain such replications if they feel they have the capacity to adhere to the imitate actions. Considering many factors (cognitive, social, and environmental) is the simplest way of displaying ethical development. The inter-linkage of such factors offers additional insight regarding morality.Behavior Therapy Techniques Key interventions to behavioral therapy were developed from functional analysis which tackles issues lik e couple relationships’ intimacy, couples’ forgiveness, continual pain, persistent distress, depression, substance misuse, obesity, and anxiety. Even issues commonly encountered by therapists, like client struggle, involuntary clients, and busy clients, have been tackled through functional analysis. Third Generation Behavior Therapy entails a group endorsing radical behaviorism and functional analysis and opposing cognitivisim.It involves: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Behavioral Activation (BA); Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP; Functional Analytic Psychotherapy; Dialectical behavior therapy; and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is founded on Relational Frame Theory. Functional Analytic Psychotherapy is founded upon functional analyses of therapeutic relationships. It focuses on therapeutic contexts and reverts to using in-session reinforcement.Behavioral Activation came from a constituent scrutiny of cognitive behavior therapy. It is founded upon a corresponding reinforcement model. Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy analyses the discrepancies between rule-governed and contingency-shaped behaviors. Such analysis is merged with a comprehensive evaluation of couples’ association. References Wagner, K. V. (2009). Introduction to classical conditioning. Retrieved July 6th 2009 from, http://psychology. about. com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/classcond. htm

Understanding W.E.B. Dubois essays

Understanding W.E.B. Dubois essays Few men have influenced the lives of African-Americans as much as William Edward Burghardt DuBois. He was a scholar, activist, writer, and an international diplomat. During his time, he was at least involved in if not in the forefront of every movement advocating equal rights for African Americans. DuBois inspired the creation of numerous organizations and periodicals. Dubois dedicated a part of himself to numerous worthy causes, but that same generosity had a detrimental effect on the outcome of his efforts. As a result of distributing his efforts amongst many worthy causes, DuBois rarely followed his individual dreams to complete fruition. Although DuBois may not have taken every step he could, he went farther than many people will ever go to better the lives of their people. DuBois made monumental contributions to history, politics, and to lives of African Americans that have been paralleled by few and eclipsed by none. In his work, The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois described the life and problems that black people in America faced. He had a very different plan in the struggle for black equality and for the abolishment of racism. Some leaders spoke of a "separate black nation" while others wanted blacks to simply stay submissive. DuBois believed that assimilation was not the best means of treating discrimination against blacks. Work, culture, liberty, - all these we need, not singly but together, not successively but together, each growing and aiding each... in order that some day on American soil two world-races may give each to each those characteristics both so sadly lack (DuBois 220). Education was a key to a diverse and cultural society. Being a well-respected intellectual and leader, he worked to reach goals of education and peaceful resolutions between the races and classes. The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line, - the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men i...

Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay Example

Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay Example Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay What is it that makes Towards Another Summer so enticingly powerful? Although Janet Frame self-deprecatingly considered her novel to be embarrassingly personal, in fact, its captivating personal nature is where the novels power derives from; where through Grace Cleave, Frame bravely explores her mental illness, difficult childhood and her migratory conflicts with identity and place. Such a brave exploration is evident throughout the novel, including when Grace and the Thirkettles venture out into the Winchley market in the novels 15th chapter. Here, Frame uses her signature narrative methods of extensive syntax, parallel characterization, striking imagery, vivid tone and clever repetition to craft this significant event in Graces weekend of self-discovery and personal growth. Much of Summer constitutes of extensive and relaxed syntax, which not only exposes every thought and feeling Grace has in a lengthy stream of consciousness, but also indicates to readers Graces highly observant disposition and tendency to have complex cognitions. When reaching the library, Frame shows this with Anne changed Sarahs book while Sarah watched dismayed, as the seaside book where the animals had been picnicking on the sands, eating tomato sandwiches, ice cream and bananas, disappeared over the desk, and when the new book was found for her she looked suspiciously at it. Though this abundance of thought may seem harmless, throughout the novel and in this instance also, her almost obsessive thinking and observations juxtaposes with her minimal syntax of speech, for example her reply of -Yes. This suggests not only social awkwardness, but attributes much to Graces mental illness, the novels most pervading theme. Frame therefore makes it clear that even in a new situation and e nvironment that she creates, like the library, Graces mental illness is with her wherever she goes. Modern literary critic Jan Cronin noted in regards to the novel that the past increasingly leaks into the present and readers cannot help but concur where Frame weaves Graces childhood into the fabric of the present. This is not just with literal transitions into her memories, but also through Frames technique of making resonating parallels between characters of Graces past with characters of her present which she does superbly in this instance. As characterized here, the young and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve Sarah who cannot distinguish between reality and narrative fiction, with Anne having to explain that animals had been in the library book to be shared with other children, and now Sarah had a new book with different animals and people , directly reflects Graces inability to do so also as a child (Grace is a Jackdaw, p69) and more sadly as an adult (with her constant delusion that she is a migratory bird). Readers who notice this parallel between Grace and Sarah acknowledge how Frame is ard ent to show that like Graces mental illness, her past is also inescapable no matter what situation she is in. In shaping the situation of the Winchley Market venture, Frame additionally shows how Graces divided sense of place are persistent also, by using salient mood and imagery which contrasts with other parts of the novel. The atmosphere of the Market is described as warm with bodies, steam, sweat, smells with rows of stallsflashy jewellery and knick-knacks where a young man and woman were standing, staring at chocolate box picture. thus crafting an environment of pleasantness and warmth. Readers should note how when Grace is with the Thirkettles and thinking of England she is always warm, however when reminiscing in solitude of New Zealand she is cold (immediately the chilling air surged near her pg.83). Graces feelings of warmth in England may well be symbolic of her relative happiness in the country, compared to the cold New Zealand which holds many painful memories of her childhood and of how she was a certified lunaticadvised to sell hats for [her] salvation. Readers may then apprec iate this situation at the market in how it shows these feelings of happiness and warmth in the protagonist of whom are aware has been through much adversity in their past. Though her mental illness, childhood and divided sense of place permeate this Winchley market venture, Graces personal growth as an individual is evident also, where Grace remarks Wonderful, Grace agreed, with a brazen air of I like flashy things, you know, I appreciate this market!. The tone of voice here is vividly joyous and exciting, and is a vast development from the pre-weekend Grace who seemed incapable of projecting any lively emotion. To further emphasize Graces growth, Frame uses the stunning figurative Grace felt as complete and shimmering as a mermaid where the beautifully elegant metaphor indicates her improvement from a woman who once had a very negative view of herself. As readers have most likely waited 15 chapters for Grace to feel complete, it would come as no surprise if this was the special highlight in the novel. Because of the arrestingly beautiful language and tone Frame employs here, it is with certainty that this moment was a special highlight for Graces (a nd therefore Frames) life also. In her critical review, Joy Cronin also wrote Phillip (the journalist) and Anne frequently meld into Graces parents, George and Lottie, and the Winchley venture is perhaps the best example of this in Summer. Graces perception of Phillip and Anne in this situation is clearly clouded with applied resonations with her own parents, where in contrast to her shimmering as a mermaid, Grace felt sorry for Anne. She guessed that Anne may might not have another chance during the week to buy the sheeting that children, house and home (and Ulysess) would be taking all her time which purposely mirrors the greatly domestic role of Lottie who also made sacrifices for her family and Graces strong guilt she felt for her hardworking mother. Graces symbolism of Anne as her mother is matched with her dramatic perspective of her exchanges with Phillip, where she creates a tension between the two with conveyed tones of mild disapproval, and ashamed emotions but more effectively her incessant repetition of domesticity including a domestic dream, domestic matters and Annes eyes were clouded with what could only be described as domestic concern. Her identification of Phillip and Anne as her parents reflects her almost Freudian desire for new parents who would lovingly say to each other -All right love as the Thirkettles did.

Complete List of FREE ACT Math Practice Questions

Complete List of FREE ACT Math Practice Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Whether you're on a budget or just want to see what kinds of ACT Math study materials you can access for free, you've come to the right place. Though the internet is chock-full of ACT resources of dubious quality, we've collected and put together only the highest quality free ACT Math study materialavailable. So let's jump right in! Note: For guides and reviews of the best for-pay ACT study, check out our list of ACT study links, which includes all official practice tests, and our top picks for ACT prep books. Why You Must Use High-Quality ACT Math Materials Because the ACT is a very specific type of standardized test, it's crucial that you study using the right sources. Studying with the wrong materials is about as bad as not studying at all,and there are, unfortunately, a lot of poorly designed ACT prep materials floating around. So don’t be tempted by the many websites and programs, both free and paid, that provide ACT prep materials of poor quality. If you spend your time studying from inferior materials, you will not have a clear sense of how you’ll perform on the ACT.Proper test prep is about assessing your current level and improving upon it, but you won’t be able to do this if you get a false sense of your skill level (either higher or lower) based on low-quality study materials. In short, any practice problems that don't properly reflect the types of questions you’ll see on the ACT aren't worth your time! Knowing this, the absolute best study strategy is to use official ACT materials.The test is designed by ACT, Inc., and their free materials are far and away the best place to start. From here, you can then branch off to programs and resources that utilize (or closely resemble) this official material. Because you should only be studying from websites and programs that are as close to the source (i.e., the official ACT) as possible, there sadly aren't a whole lot of free materials available. That said, we've found a couple of solid free ACT Math resources you can use in your prep. Read on to see what these are! The 4 Best Resources for Free ACT Math Practice Here are four super helpful websites you can use to help you make the most of your ACT Math studies- and you don't have to pay a cent for any of them! #1: ACT, Inc. The creator of the test itself, ACT, Inc., should always be your first go-to website for any and all ACT matters. Luckily, they also have a good deal of free study resources, offeringboth complete ACT practice tests and individual Math practice materials. Free Official Full-Length ACT Practice Tests The five tests linked below are the only free tests available from the past 10+ years.Each ACT test includes an optional Writing section and answer key: ACT Practice Test 2015-16 ACT Practice Test 2014-15 ACT Practice Test 20-12 ACT Practice Test 2008-09 ACT Practice Test 2005-06 You might notice that there are missing years here (2006-07, 2007-08, etc.). This is because the ACT repeats tests for different years, meaningthatthe tests for missing years are actually duplicates of the ones above. Note: If you buy the third edition of theACT Red Book, you'll have access to five more official ACT practice tests, but this is obviously not free (around $30 on Amazon).You can also buy the more recent 2017-18 edition of the ACT Red Book, but this oneonlyincludes three practice tests whose questions often overlap with those in the practice tests above. Free Official ACT Math Practice In addition to complete practice tests, the official ACT website providessample math questions with answer choice feedback. These are a full 60 questions in ascending order of difficulty, just like a real ACT Math section. It's essentially another free complete ACT Math test with which you can study! We recommend solving all your questions on paper and then checking your work at the end, rather than checking your accuracy after each question. This method will give you a better sense of how you’ll do on the ACT (remember, you won’t get immediate feedback while you’re taking the actual test!). No need to worry about bills here- most of your ACT studying can be done for free. #2: PrepScholar ACT Blog At PrepScholar, we've compiled tons offree resources for all your ACT Math needs, including detailed guides on every ACT math topic. Our articles give definitions and explanations for major math concepts, offer examples of how you’ll see each topic on the test, and provide ACT practice questions with detailed answer explanations. Below are some of our most helpful content-related resources for the ACT Math section: Numbers Integers (Basic) Integers (Advanced) Fractions, Ratios, Rational Numbers, and Proportions Statistics (Mean, Median, Mode) Probability Sequences Algebra Single Variable Equations Systems of Equations Operations Functions Coordinate Geometry Lines and Slopes Reflections, Translations, and Rotations Plane and Solid Geometry Lines and Angles Circles Triangles Polygons Solid Geometry Trigonometry Trigonometry Formulas The 31 Critical ACT Math Formulas You MUST Know In addition, we have strategy guides to help you solve numerous ACT Math problems across the board: Plugging in Answers Plugging in Numbers You can also sign up for a free five-day trialforour online ACT prep program. This customizable program assesses your current strengths and weaknesses and adapts to your needs based on your progress. It also gives you practice questions tailored to your areas that need improvement and provides expert answer explanations for all questions. The questions we use in our program are all based on real ACT test questions,and, though the full program is not free, we guarantee you your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points. #3: Ivy Global ACT Practice Test This company offers afree unofficial ACT practice test. Although the math content overall is solid, some questions are slightly easier than those on the actual ACT. In addition, there are no answer explanations, making it hard to determine how to effectively solve questions you got wrong. Otherwise, this PDF offers helpful practice and is a great option if you've already used up all official resources. I recommend using itmainly to digintoextra math questions (instead of taking it as a full-length test). This will help you develop a clearer picture of what math concepts and question types are especially difficult for you. It should also be noted that unlike other ACT websites, Ivy Global does not require you to make an account in order to access its ACT practice material. #4: Khan Academy A partner of the College Board (the creators of the SAT- not ACT), Khan Academy is a great website to use forACT Math practice and review, as long as you know how to use it effectively. I say that because this free prep website only offers a program for the SAT, so you won't find any official ACT practice questions here. That said, you can still use Khan Academy to drill relevant ACT Math concepts and practice those you've learned. Since the ACT, like the SAT, has a big emphasis on algebra, you can use the SAT's Heart of Algebra and Passport to Advanced Math sections for relevant practice. For geometry (which makes up 35-45% of ACT Math), use the High School Geometry page to choose specific concepts and watch videos on them. Finally, for trigonometry, go with the trigonometry and SAT Additional Topics sections. OK, so you've got your study material. Now how do you best use it? How to Use ACT Math Resources Effectively: 6 Key Tips In addition to knowing what material to actually use (and what to avoid) for your ACT Math prep, it's important to know how to best utilize the resources you find. The following six tips will help you achieve your highest ACT Math score using the free prep materials available. #1: Take a Complete Practice Test in One Sitting Though you're probably mostly concerned about your ACT Math score, you still need to know how you'll fare over the course of the full ACT. Answering one or two ACT questions might not be overly challenging, but the test is a marathon: if you aren't prepared, you'll likely find yourself exhausted by the end of it. And exhaustion can cause anyone to make mistakes! So before you dedicate your focus to ACT Math alone, see how your Math score fits into the larger test-taking picture. Plus, a bonus: by taking a full ACT practice test, you'll also be able to see how your Math score does over the course of the entire Math section (remember, questions get harder and harder over the course of the Math test!). #2: Use Proper Timing As you take your complete practice test and any math-specific sections, be sure to follow the proper timing used on the real ACT. Here's a brief overview of how much time you'll get on each ACT section as well as how much (estimated) time you should spend per question: ACT Section Total Time # of Questions Time per Question English 45 minutes 75 36 seconds Math 60 minutes 60 60 seconds Reading 35 minutes 40 53 seconds Science 35 minutes 40 53 seconds Writing (Optional) 40 minutes 1 40 minutes As you can see, you'll have an average of one minute to answer each Math question,and you'll need to know how well you fit into these parameters before test day. It's not worth much if you can answer every question correctly but can't complete the test in time! Don’t worry if you run out of time while taking your first practice test- this is completely normal and gives you a place from which to begin and improve. If the trend continues, however, consider checking out our guide on how to stop running out of time on ACT Math. #3: Review Your Mistakes Taking a practice test is merely the first step. Once you're done with this, focus on identifying any patterns in your correct and incorrect answers so that you can see what and how you need to improve. For example, do you tend to get the last few questions wrong on Math? Dofunction questions always throw you for a loop? Whatever your case, dig deep to examine your errors, andtailor your study plan to drill your most challenging areas. #4: Target Your Areas of Weakness Your goal is to answer as many questions as accurately as possible, so dedicate the majority of your time to improving your areas of weakness. For example, if you're struggling to understand a certain concept, such as systems of equations or coordinate geometry, take time to review it and then use practice questions and tests to ensure you're getting it down. In addition, make an effort to prioritize the first 40 questions or so on ACT Math.Though each question is worth the same number of points, they get more and more difficult as you go through the test. Therefore, it's more efficient in terms of your time and energy to solve two questions in the 20-range than it is to spend twice as much time solving question 60. #5: Pace Your Studying Don’t cram all your studying into one day before the test. With a busy schedule, cramming might seem like your only option, but real improvement happens over time. And yet don't despair, either! No matter how much time you have left before the test, you can make a balanced study program. Start by looking at the time you have before test day. We generally recommend giving yourself at leastthree to six months to study for the ACT; this should be enough time for you to identify your weaknesses, take several practice tests, and review key content. Next, assign yourself at least three full practice tests in addition to your normal studying time, spaced out over the course of your time until the test. This probably won’t be possible if you only have a week or two before the ACT, but it’s still important to fit in at least one practice test or twowherever you can. If you're on an accelerated or last-minute schedule, check out our guides to studying for the ACT in a month andimproving your ACT score in 10 days. #6: No Improvement? Consider Using a Tutor or Prep Program Some students want to do all their studying alone, but for others this method is impractical. If the material doesn't make sense to you and you need extra guidance (or something to get you to make time to study), a tutor or prep program (or both!) can give you the final push you need to do well on the ACT and maximize your score.At PrepScholar, we offer both expert tutoring and a fully customizable online ACT prep program. As you weigh your options, remember to consider how much you should pay for an ACT tutor and when your ACT test date isso you can come up with a surefire plan that works well for you! There are many different study paths, and you'll find the right one for your needs!(maramao/DeviantArt) What’s Next? Want to best make use of your ACT study materials? Now that you've gathered some ACT Math resources, check out how to get the most realistic ACT experience in your practice. Bitten by the procrastination bug? Time running out until test day? Check out how to beat the urge to procrastinate and learn how to balance your time for your ACT prep. Looking to get a perfect ACT score? Take a look at our guides to how many questions you can get wrong and still get a perfect scoreandhow to get a full 36 on ACT Math(written by a perfect scorer!). Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

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

Odyssey - Essay Example Penelope is an ideal woman in her times because is a generous Queen, she respects and follows the elders, influential men, and the gods, she is clever in keeping the suitors away and managing the household, and she remains virtuous as a wife. One of the greatest virtues of Penelope is her goodness as a Queen. When a beggar (who is actually Odysseus) brings her news about her husband, she treats him kindly and lavishly. She tells her maids to give him a good washing and a nice bed because tomorrow, â€Å"he can sit in the hall beside Telemachos and expect to dine there; and it will be the worse for any of those men who inflicts heart-wasting annoyance on him† (Homer 19.317-325). She is the kind of woman who dotes on a stranger, and a beggar at that. Her great love for her husband seems to spill over to other people too. Furthermore, during the arrow shooting context, his suitors make fun of the beggar. Penelope defends him and tells him to also try his hand in the contest (Homer 21). These actions manifest how good she is as a queen and as a person. She respects all people whatever their social status is. At the same time, she values the beggar enough to even let him participate in the contest. Her hand in marriage is the prize, but she gives equal chances to all. As a queen, Penelope is an ideal monarch with esteem for every person of every social class. Penelope is an ideal woman because she follows the counsel of the elderly and other men and fulfils her duties to the gods. After learning about Antinoà ¶s’ murderous plans against her son, Penelope weeps endlessly. Euryclea, an old nurse, advises her to pray to Athene who will protect Telemachos as she does for Odysseus: â€Å"Ascend your chamber with your ladies here,/And pray the seed of goat-nursd Jupiter,/Divine Athenia, to preserve your son,/And she will save him from confusion† (Homer 4.104-107). Penelope follows her advice and brings

Applied Biology personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Applied Biology - Personal Statement Example Therefore, pure biology gives us the theoretical approach that will be applied and used in the field through applied biology (Roberts et al., 2000). Living organisms or their derivatives such as enzymes have been used to improve and even manufacture new products. Taq polymerase from Thermophillic bacterium Thermus aquaticus has been used in polymerase chain reactions, in the molecular field of biology. Through biotechnology, yeast in the form of Sacccaromyces cerevisae and S. Carbergensis have been applied in production of alcohol. Similarly, scientists through pure sciences have discovered that use of chemical pesticides is polluting the environment besides causing serious health problems to the consumer. In return, they have discovered that B-toxin that is derived from a bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis kills larvae in plants. Through applied biology, the idea has been applied in the manufacture of biopesticides against larvae in maize hence improving production and conserving the environment (Roberts et al., 2000). Therefore, the two fields co-exist and they can not live without the other. Therefore, students should be exposed to more applied field work rather than pure studies. The knowledge learnt should be applied in solving, improving and modifying of life (Roberts et al., 2000). Therefore, it should be emphasised in the school

Networking technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Networking technologies - Essay Example Today, computer networks have become an important aspect in present day communication. A lot of activities and processes are controlled by computer networks. Advancement made in computer network has highly improved the level of communication. However, for effective operations, computers have to be connected to each other and other peripheral devices (Bhunia, 2006, 99). This research paper is about standard office software, file sharing and printing capabilities in a computer network for all employees working in an organization. The paper will examine a bespoke client server application accessing a locally stored database with sensitive data accessible by only 20 employees. It will as well outline a proposal to upgrade an intranet accessible to each employee of the organization and an extranet accessible by trusted clients and an internet site for carrying out clients’ orders. Using ADSL for internet connectivity posses a security problem that brought about by its use, those using this kind of internet lack security since it is are very easy for hackers to hack the data on transit since there is no software to block hackers from reaching sensitive information (Shashi, 2007, 141). The use of Ethernet in LAN cause insecurity to data they transmit because it is a broadcast system. This implies that while transmitting information in this system, there are different segments that transferred data must move through towards the receiving computer. The hackers can use some sniffing programs to out data as it moves from the host towards the receiver (Simmonds and Ekert 2004, 320). Further, adoption of peer-to-peer technology to reduce the expense of coaxial cables in Ethernet LAN, at the same gives an unsecured networking because it bases its operation on sharing of information. Other computers in the group can access sensitive information that they share on the network. The network infrastructures like hubs and

Discuss the role of nature, its character and its significance in the Essay - 1

Discuss the role of nature, its character and its significance in the fellowship of the ring. from the book lord of the rings - Essay Example Nature has its own characterization that features a unique duality: one, ideal and benign; and, aggressively cruel in the other. The reader first learns about nature during Bilbo’s birthday celebration when village talk drifts towards the Old Forest, a â€Å"dark bad place† and unfit to be lived in. As the story unfolded later on, this side to nature would be reinforced by how Mirkwood and Fangorn were described. When Merry and Pippin, for instance, find themselves deep in the Fangorn Forest, their impression demonstrates the perceived hostility of the place. At one point, Pippin quips, â€Å"It is all very dim, and stuffy, in here† later on commenting about the â€Å"weeping, trailing, beards and whiskers of lichen,† underscoring the â€Å"frightfully tree-ish† environs wherein no animals or hobbits could endure. In the Fellowship of the Ring, the bad nature has been sufficiently covered. Gimli, at some point in the quest remarks about the reputation of Caradhras as a cruel mountain and that, true to the stories, it has, indeed, attempted to impede their quest as well. Then there is, of course, Old Man Willow who lulls the Hobbits to sleep and traps Merry and Pippin inside. Without the intervention of Tom Bombadill, they would have been eaten and crushed. Tom admonished the miscreant tree, saying â€Å"you should not be waking. Eat earth! Dig deep! Drink water! Go to sleep!† According to Treebeard, later on in the story in his conversation with his Hobbit friends, some trees â€Å"have bad hearts† as well and so when people are not friendly towards them, they become aggressive in response. The other character of nature is demonstrated in the way the author paints an ecological utopia such as that of the Shire. It is inhabited by peaceful creatures who loathe machines and are content with tilling the earth. This characterization is a potent demonstration of how nature at its best is supposed to be, untouched by man’s greed and abuse. Take for instance

Essay about the provided story Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

About the provided story - Essay Example All these family excursions were great, but I had always wanted to visit California – Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, San Francisco†¦Alcatraz! I just don’t know that I was ready to completely move there. When I began at the school I struggled to meet new people and find my way within the school structure. I was convinced that there was something wrong with me, and that I had trouble meeting people because I was so extremely different that I would never be able to assimilate. Every day at 11:30 I would get a feeling of dread in my stomach knowing that I would soon have to go to lunch and amble awkwardly around, pretending that I actually had a group of people to eat with, and then subtly sit down by myself at a table outside, eating, and wishing that the next bell would just ring so I could slink away to Math class. Even the quadratic formula would beat this. Mysterious Disappearance I realized that eating by myself everyday and spending my weekends watching Full House re-r uns wasn’t the most ideal way to be spending the glory days of my youth. I became frustrated. When I would sit alone I would imagine the life I wish I had. I’d watch the football players laughing with cheerleaders at their table and think they were just lame anyways. I was smart. I thought about things like philosophy and books and Ernest Hemingway. So I’d continue eating my sandwich and watch other groups. One day as I was sitting there, observing people, I noticed two guys walking quickly away from the cafeteria, looking around like they were going to escape from prison or something, and then quickly disappear into the woods. I had no idea where they had gone but I was curious. The next day, after I went through the lunch line and got my hamburger, taitor tots, and milk, I walked around and then saw them standing by the vending machine talking. I had to figure out where they kept going. I sat near where they were standing and put on a happy demeanor. After a m oment they stopped talking and one of them asked me what was being sold for lunch. â€Å"Taitor tots,† I said. He laughed and then they walked off. A few moments later, to my great surprise, they came back and sat at the table with me and joked around for a bit. After they finished, they motioned to each other and said goodbye and then walked down the same path towards the woods that ran adjacent to the cafeteria. I knew they were going to enter the woods again. I still had no idea why. The next day at lunch I looked for them again, even sitting in the same place, but they weren’t there. I didn’t think much of it and the day after that forgot the incident had ever occurred. I decided I wasn’t Perry Mason and gradually lost interest. Fitting In This isn’t a story about not fitting in, however, and indeed, after a few weeks I started making an effort to talk to more people. I even met a friend name Franz. Franz was born in Austria and I thought his n ame was a little weird, but he was a cool guy and we both shared the same interests -- we were readers, played basketball, and could undeniably dominate all lesser-beings on the Playstation. Franz introduced me to his friends and eventually I moved to their table at lunch and began joking around and regaining the same social structure I had back in my hometown. The next semester I moved into the International Baccalaureate program at the school. My classes were a lot more difficult, but I appreciated the challenge and for awhile it

The impacts of both secondary education and bank credit rates on per Coursework

The impacts of both secondary education and bank credit rates on per capital gross domestic product - Coursework Example The study tells that gross domestic product measures a country’s total productivity level. It is defined as the total cost of economic outputs and consists of government expenditure, investments, net export, and consumption. Per capita gross domestic product, a derivative of real gross domestic product is on the other hand a product of population. Consumption in an economy is a factor of people’s disposable income. Similarly, available resources determine the level of a country’s export and hence its net export. Investments, which can be attained through public or private sectors also depends of capital through savings and loans while government expenditures includes spending from central and local governments. Commercial banks and other financial institutions therefore play an important role in economic development through availing investment capital in the form of loans. Provision of financial support also boosts the level of disposable income at a time and as a result boosts consumption. Banks lending capacity however depends on their credit rates that dictate availability of loans as well as loan interest rates. Financial crisis into low credit rates would therefore translate to lower circulation of money and a consequently strained economy through low consumption, investment and export levels. Education has also been identified as an integral factor of economic growth. Researchers and scholars argue that the level of income in jobs is significantly determined by a person’s academic qualifications.... Similarly, educated individuals are relatively more informed and tend to budget their incomes into savings and investments. These observations qualify secondary education, which is a step into colleges and universities, as an important factor to improving per capital gross domestic product (Bloom et al, 2005, p. 16). Research into determining existence and significance of relationships between variables such as per capita gross domestic product and its factors can be undertaken through regression analysis. Linear regression also determines degree of impacts of each explanatory variable in a model and is based on assumptions of linearity, homoscedasticity, and normality of variables (Newbold, Carlson & Thorne, 2010, p. 428; Ryan, 2011, p. 407, 408). This paper seeks to investigate the relationship between per capita gross domestic product and two dependent variables, rate of enrolment in secondary schools and credit rates of financial institutions. The paper will answer two research q uestions, ‘Is there a significant relationship between per capital gross domestic product and two dependent variables, secondary education enrolment and bank rates?’ and ‘Which of the two variables has higher effects on per capita gross domestic product?’ The paper will test the following sets of hypothesis, H 0: ?i=0; There is no significant relationship H 1: not all are zero; there is a significant relationship Using analytical approach, the effects of the two independent variables on per capita gross domestic product will be analysed. The paper will also test on the validity of statistical assumptions of regression analysis. Methods Participants in the project were selected nations whose economic data were