Divorce & marriage Essay

People from broken families are less likely to have successful marriages. This is because of the psychological implications such families bring into their life. According to available psychological evidence, divorce is a major cause of emotional stress and depression (Clarke-Stewart, & Brentano, 2006). Depression as a psychological impairment has been evidently found to factor much in compromising the social life of the victim. Such individuals are marked with lack of hope for the future, a factor that only serves to negate their chances of engaging in successful marriage. Another commonly cited potential implication of divorce on children is that it can cause negative perception of a particular gender by the child. According to available statistical evidence, it is clear that due to the social and economic hardships experienced by children after the divorce of their parents, most tend to develop hatred against one gender of the community (Clarke-Stewart, & Brentano, 2006). With such a mental setting, an individual finds it a major challenge to accept and appreciate that gender into a binding relationship. This has the direct implication that they are less likely to engage in successful marriages. Still, the sustainable building of character traits in a child is mainly by copying the character traits of the surrounding members of the community (Clarke-Stewart, & Brentano, 2006). This means that their parents are the most influence society members in modeling the character of the child. However, prior to divorce or family breakdown, families are found to have constant conflicts and/or communication failure. Such imply that the character of violence is instilled in the mind of the child. Also, broken families fail to provide the efficient parental love required for modeling reliable social behavior of the child due to the lack of one parent character in the family. All these only negate the children understanding and appreciation of the underlying meaning of marriage. References Clarke-Stewart, A. , & Brentano, C. (2006). Divorce: Causes and Consequences. New Haven: Yale University Press.

International Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR II (1089) Individual Paper Review By Diana Kovacheva ID 0752805 I. Abstract This paper has the purpose to review the seven articles and parts of books stated in class and evaluate them with the help of 3 criteria. Firstly, the three chosen criteria are going to be defined. Then a brief summary of each article or book chapter is going to be made followed by an evaluation according to the mentioned criteria. . II. The Criteria * CurrencyThis criteria is supposed to define if the information in the article is current, not only by stating when it was published, but also by analyzing if this is from importance for the purpose/outcome of the article. This criterion might be very important when evaluating factual information, because new findings constantly emerge. However, for some type of information, currency is not an issue. * Objectivity This criterion is supposed to check if the information presented is mostly based o f facts or it just expresses personal opinion.Important for the evaluation is to examine whether the claims are logical and credible and if there is evidence for that. * Relevance for practitioners Here it is important to evaluate if the information given in the article could be of use for the audience it is meant for. For this paper, under â€Å"audience† is meant people who deal with the issue of international human resource management and organizational behavior. III. Global Managers: no longer men aloneThe article of Nancy Adler explores the changing role of women in management position and traces the evolution of the perceptions of the female role and that of diversity in the context of successful global management. The introduction to the topic stresses on the fact that the traditional judgment for one’s skills and abilities based on gender is increasing the opportunity costs for the companies. Due to the global intensified competition, it is becoming more and mo re crucial for a company’s success to recognize a potential talent regardless of its gender.This has led to an increasing number of female representatives to be found in top leading position. Following this trend, questions about the difference in the management style of both genders have arisen. Furthermore, no consensus has been reached on the issue if male and female managers act differently or they are just perceived to do so. For the better understanding of this issue, a table with a set of six questions – three behavior- vs. hree perceptual-based, two descriptive vs. four evaluating, was presented. In it individual assumptions showed different dimensions of â€Å"difference†, some people stating just that both type of managers are similar or different, and others evaluating the difference as inferior or superior. It was criticized the fact, that most of the assumptions are based on perceptions and not on real observations, due to the fact that still not so many women are to be found in higher positions.After further reclassification of the questions, four approaches were presented about increasing the number of women in global management positions: 1) Identifying with men’s approaches to managing internationally : Here management by men is conceived to be superior to that by women and women try adopt their manner of managing; 2) Denying difference : this approach assumes that there are no differences, there is only one way to manage and both male and female managers are treated identically; 3) Identifying with women’s approaches to managing internationally : here the difference between the two gender is agreed upon, but also the women’s superiority in managing because of the typical characteristics of the female gender and their increasing importance in doing business globally; 4) Creating synergy : this approach stresses on the contribution and synergies of the combined management styles ‘ The article also presents the evolution of organizational culture and classifies it into 5 stages: 1) Homogenous culture: in this first stage it is mainly the historical-conditioned dominance of men in leading roles.This is possible only when no internal or external pressure is present and diversity is irrelevant; 2) Single-culture dominance: identifying with men – since the 60s, equality on the two genders was promoted which led to an increased number of women in domestic and low-level position; 3) Denial of differences: the stress here is not on the gender, but on excellent performers. However, the identical treatment of women like men led to many women in top positions resigning because of the unsatisfactory conditions; 4) Accepting differences: companies recognized and appreciated the different between the genders and the importance of tolerating women’s approach for market segments dominated by women; 5) Leveraging differences: the increased global competition since the beginning of the 20th century has led to the recognition of the importance of diversity and diversity-based learning and innovation.As a conclusion, the evolution of the role women has played over time was briefly summarized again, stressing on the shift from quantitative to qualitative measures. The authors mentions that still only few companies have reached the last level and recommends a more open discussion about the importance of diversity. * Currency : the article was published in 2002 and most of the sources are from the 90s; furthermore, the last trends discussed has started with the beginning of the century and so, are still current; * Objectivity: the statements made are mostly based on research on a global level and a logical relationship between the arguments and the stages presented in obvious * Relevance for practitioners: the topic is of high relevance and importance for practitioner.The issue presented in the article in increasingly discussed globally and represents a crucial part in the modern understanding of management. IV. Creating Values with Diverse Teams in Global Management The central issue in this article is how to create value with global diverse teams and the obstacles that arise using such teams. There teams are believed to have a lot of potential and be able to create significant comparative advantage. However, in practice this is usually not the case because of misunderstandings and lack of interaction between the various cultures. On the other hand, exactly the cultural differences are believed to create value due to the multi-sided approach and innovative solutions they can generate.According to the article, global teams were divided into three performance categories: * The destroyers: those team usually underperform because of mutual mistrust and lack of collaboration * The equalizers: by suppressing the differences, these teams are just performing on average in order for the business to keep going * The creators: here the potential of a global teams is fully taken advantage of and cost and time are saved while coming up with new and innovative products at the same time As stated in the article, the success of the creators? team was due to the use of the three principles of mapping, bridging and integrating (MBI). * Mapping to understand the differences: i. e. understanding the reasons that lead to the different approach of the team members. This principle includes the following steps: define the territory (identification of the crucial differences), draw the map ( assessment of members` characteristics), assess the terrain ( using the map generated in the previous step in order to identify future potential dynamics), develop cartographers ( mapping alone is not enough for high performance, incorporating the knowledge is what makes difference). Bridging to Communicate Across Differences: here of great importance in the well-functioning communication within the team, the latest define in the article as â€Å"send ing and receiving meaning as it was intended†. Three steps are included in this principle : prepare the ground ( â€Å"motivation to communication†¦ and confidence to overcome any differences† are considered to be crucial, keyword here is also self-management), decenter : build to the other shore ( adapting one? s behavior and thinking to the other’s one, without judgment), recenter: span the bridge ( in contrast to the previous step, here essential is the building of a new basis of interaction after the differences are already known). Integrating to Leverage Differences: the final principle in order to manage diversity consist of the following steps: managing participation for basic leverage with the help of tools and techniques that can facilitate the interaction and include all the members, resolving disagreement ( also hidden ones) to increase leverage and building on ideas for optional leverage, where everybody should be given the chance to take part an d to express their ideas. In conclusion, the article states that the MBI principles are just a prescription, and not a guarantee of success. Furthermore, a separate approach for each team should be applied since each team and its potential is unique.Last but not least, the article concludes with the statement that global teams hide great potential, but it takes time and effort in order for it to be exploited. However, global teams belong inevitable to the future and so, the sooner managers try to use differences and not to avoid them, the better their companies will be performing * Currency: The topic is quite current nowadays. It has been discussed for a large degree in the recent years and it is also going to be a leading issue in the years to come. Also, due to the high degree of unsatisfactory performance of such teams, the topic is going to be further analyzed till some form of advance has been found. Objectivity: The arguments presented are following a certain, easily-traceabl e scheme, with logical relationships and empirical supported information. The logical transition from one stage to another is solidly explained. * Relevance for practitioners: this is highly important topics for practitioners. Because of the effects of increasing globalization and the more free movement of people on a global level, work in diverse teams has become a major issue for managers. Especially the fact, that in such teams a huge potential is hidden, makes the article very attractive for this audience. V. Understanding cultures and implicit leadership theories across the globe : an Introduction to the project GLOBE The article of House et al. ntroduces and gives a more detailed description of the GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) research program as well as the motives that hide behind the idea. The aim of the survey is to identify how and to what extend could cultural-specific attributes have an influence on effective leadership. The need f or a deeper understanding of the influence of culture on management and leadership styles has arisen for various reasons. Apart from its practical relevance, nowadays it is also highly important to know in what way one should conduct business in a different cultural environment. In addition to that, factors, not taken into consideration in the existing theories ( e. g. eligion, ethnic background) could play a key role in identifying new relationships. Literature on this issue shows an established connection between culture and leadership styles. However, different points of view also exist. According to the article, some believe that historical background inevitably has an impact on the degree of cooperation and commitment. On the other hand, some aspects of leadership are thought to be universal in practice. The GLOBE research consists of several phases and different methods are being used in order to study the relationship between societal and organizational culture, as well as or ganizational leadership.Its team is represented by the Principal Investigator (who is author of the article), Co-Principal Investigators and Country Co-Investigators (CCIs), who have a specific knowledge of the examined cultures and are able to interpret the results in a proper way and context. As stated in the article, the main goal behind the idea for the GLOBE project was to develop an empirically-tested theory which examines the impact of different cultural variables on effective leadership. Of course, this was achieved with the help of numerous sub-questions, which studied different aspects of the acceptance of leader behavior. The following phases were used in the research: Phase 1 – development of research instruments (societal and organizational measures of culture) ; * Phase 2 – assessment of nine relevant dimensions and testing the hypotheses made; additional measures of ethnic, social, political and economic background were also included; * Phase 3 – impact and effectiveness of leadership styles, culture-specific and organization-specific aspects; long-term effects on the organization; In order to conduct the research, unanimous definitions of the examined factors were needed. A consensus was reached about the definition of â€Å"an organizational leadership† and â€Å"a leader†. However, it was not so easy to give a definition for â€Å"culture†. As House et al. states in the article, the chosen variables were â€Å"indicators of shared modal values of collectivist† (House et al, 2002, p. 5) The studied nice dimensions were: Uncertainty Avoidance, Power Distance, Societal and In-Group Collectivism, Gender Egalitarianism, Assertiveness ( reflecting the Hofstede dimensions), Future Orientation ( Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck ), PerformanceOrientations ( Mcclelland ) and Human Orientation ( Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck ) . The empirical research identified six of those nine dimensions that could be generalized for d ifferent cultures. The results were not presented in the article with further details but a reference to another article of the same author was made. The integrated theory in the areas of leadership, values/belief, implicit motivation and organizational form and effectiveness that hides behind the GlOBE model is based on various propositions about the relationships between cultural values, leaders’ actions, organizational and societal culture, strategic organizational contingencies and leader’s effectiveness and his acceptance by others. Currency: The GLOBE project began in the mid-90s and so, the data analyzed has been collected also towards that time, which makes them considerably current. Furthermore, the topic is of great relevance and this would remain so also in the future. Many current studies are also based on the GLOBE project, which means that the information and data it provides are considered to be up-to-date. * Objectivity: The research has been conducted in several phases, also with the usage of different methods, which means that the results presented could be considered for highly reliable. Also, the logical connection between the arguments and the main points discussed are easy to follow and well-grounded. * Relevance for practitioners: Leadership is also one of the main issues of the new century.Due to the fact that business is conducted worldwide and one and the same company is expanding to new and foreign markets, the problem of effective leadership has been worrying many managers. This is why this article provide an important and relevant information for managers and leaders. VI. Cultural Acumen for the Global Manager: Lessons from Project GLOBE The article by Javidan & House focuses on cultural similarities and a difference among many of the countries examined in the GLOBE project, discusses the results and explains their implications for global managers. Globalization itself in considered to be bringing many opportunities, but with respect to cultures, it also brings many challenges.As stated in the article: â€Å"Being global is not just about where you do business. It is also about how you do it. † ( Javidan & House, 2001, p. 292). As an introduction to the topic, the authors mention the drivers and results of globalization and their impact on international business. Nowadays different cultures come more and more often in contact with each other and business is becoming more global than ever. The main drivers for that are considered to be the increasing trade between nations, internet, foreign direct investments and various mergers and acquisitions. As a result of that, collision of different cultures in the business life has become something common.From this, however, could not be concluded that cultural differences diminish. Quite the opposite, major problems and misunderstandings arise from the lack of awareness for the various cultural values and practices. This is why the importance of a competent global leader is becoming crucial. His role was even rated the most important factor for business success in a survey of Fortune 500. An expert in international business is required to accustom and take into consideration differences as well as to consider the ideas and opinion of the partners he is doing business with. Because of the mentioned above, the authors stress the importance of the GLOBE project as a guide for managers in international business.With the help of the nine dimensions (already mentioned in the previous article as well), the derived results could be used for better understanding of cultural similarities and differences. In the articles the nine dimensions are briefly explained and the results of cultural practices are shortly presented: * Assertiveness – explained as the extent to which a self-confident and assertive behavior is tolerated. Here high score the U. S. , Austria and Spain; low – Sweden, New Zealand respectively, the last be ing thought to prefer cooperation over competition. * Future Orientation – the inclination for planning and investing in the future. As highly future-oriented appear Singapore, Switzerland and the Netherlands.On the contrary, Russia, Argentina and Italy are characterized with shorter planning horizon * Gender Differentiation – the emphasize on garner role differences; As paying less importance on gender appear Hungary, Poland and Denmark. , where more women could be found on higher positions. On the other hand, in South Korea, Egypt and China men enjoy higher social status. * Uncertainty Avoidance – in Sweden and Germany more attention is paid to orderliness and structure, whereas in Russia, Greece and Venezuela people are more tolerant towards uncertainty. * Power Distance – here high rank Russia, Thailand and Spain, where superiors are granted greater power and obedience. In countries like Denmark and the Netherlands, however, there is less differentiat ion in the hierarchical structure. Institutional emphasis on collectivism versus individualism – individual performance counts more in countries like Greece, Italy and Argentina. Cooperation and collective good is more important in Sweden, South Korea and Japan, where because of historical reasons people tend to help and rely on each other for their â€Å"survival†. * In-group collectivism- in Iran, India and China belonging to a group is of great importance. In contract, in Denmark, Sweden and New Zealand people do not feel obliged to the others belonging to their groups. * Performance Orientation – in Singapore, Hong Kong and the U. S. results show a high interest in development and training.In countries like Russia, Italy and Argentina people pay more attention to loyalty and tradition than performance and competition * Humane orientation – in Malaysia, Ireland and the Philippines support of each other is highly valued, whereas in Germany, France and S ingapore people are more interested in power and material gains. As the authors point out, the results of the GLOBE project provide information managers can rely on when confronted with cross-cultural communication. Because of the high sensitivity of each culture, for successful negotiations it is crucial to be aware of some cultural differences in the other country, concerning direct language and punctuality, contract horizon, hierarchy etc. As a further advantage of the project, the author point out the high reliability that the findings provide. All in all, the GLOBE provides guidance and help for the global managers and enhances their cultural acumen. Currency: As already mentioned by the evaluation of the previous article, the information that the GLOBE project provides and the possible areas of its implication are a topical relevance and high interest. Furthermore, the problem discussed in the article in a global problem at the moment and will probably be in the next decades. * Objectivity: Data for the research has been gathered in several phases, also with the usage of different methods, which means that the results presented could be considered for highly reliable. Arguments are logically connected and relationships between the results of the project and the problem discussed are supported. Relevance for practitioners: Since globalization brings so many opportunities and doing business abroad always includes minimum a collision of two different cultures, the impact of culture on the business and negotiation process has been of high relevance for practitioners Because the article provides important information in this matter, it could be used as a guide with real-life related tips. VII. Culture: the neglected concept The book chapter â€Å"Culture: the neglected concept† has as main issue the prediction of behavioral differences across cultures. At the beginning the role of culture is discussed as a tool for cross-cultural comparison, as well as the different aspects that culture, social system and society imply. However, no clear conclusion was reach at on how to differentiate cultures.Furthermore, the author mentions also that there is a huge diversity within major nations (e. g. Japan, UK, the Netherlands) and also that there are many conflicts within nations. As next, with the help of key studies, the author tries to develop a conceptual framework which would help to identify variables with which cultures could be differentiated. Different studies using economic development factors, or ecological and sociopolitical indicators were discussed, but in both cases there were criticism and inconsistent findings. A positive contribution was considered the work of Hofstede in his book â€Å"Culture’s consequences†. He has analyzed a large scale data bank and on this basis has developed a model how to compare countries.He has classified them into four dimensions: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualis m-collectivism and masculinity- femininity. Of course, that model is considered to be just one possibility in finding differences among on a country level. Hofstede’s study was criticized on various basis, but still the data used covers a substantial global sample. Furthermore, conformity is identified in the definition of culture by Hofstede and Rohner. However, it has been pointed out that the core values of Hofstede are applicable to national cultures and not individuals, and as still, they are average results. The Chinese Culture Connection pointed out the necessity to discount cultural bias from the results Hofstede came with.The results of their research overlapped to a great extend with those of Hofstede (three out of four factors). In addition to that, another variable was also proposed which led later on to the supplement of a fifth dimension. Another study by Schwarz was reviewing earlier history and defined three needs as essential: biological needs, social coordin ation needs, and the survival and welfare needs. This study was more analyzing the meaning different people put into values and it focused more on individuals rather than countries. However, the results were seen as a more detailed version than those of Hofstede. Furthermore, Trompenaars examined value dilemmas across nations.He proposed seven dimensions, some of them very close to the ones of Hofstede plus conservatism-egalitarian commitment and loyal involvement – utilitarian involvement. In the last part of the chapter a step-wise approach towards identifying a useful conceptual framework was adopted. Firstly, a search for universal aspects of social behavior, mainly used by social anthropologists and psychologist, has been discussed. In this place universals are further divided into simple, variform and functional ones, the first two mainly used by ‘etic’ analysis of human behavior and the third one- in ‘emic’ analysis. The last one (emic analysi s) is considered for the most reliable method for making generalizations on a local level.In this first step also the four elementary forms of social relations by Fiske are mentioned : ‘communal sharing’ , ’authority ranking’ (these two similar to two of the Hofstede’s dimensions) , ‘equality matching’ ( i. e. parties relate on the basis of equal contribution) and ‘market pricing’ (i. e. people use their comparative advantages over the others). The second step mentioned is the dilemma about the cultural causation of human behavior. A problematic point here is to determine if the research question is to be examined at the individual- or at the culture- level (the so called levels of analysis). The article proposed several different approached by different researchers. Furthermore, Smith and Schwartz (1997) proposed the following dimensions: autonomy vs. embeddedness and equality vs. ierarchy, which resemble again some of the Hofstede’s dimensions (namely individualism-collectivism and power distance), but using the updated results from some more recent studies. Then the authors introduce a further division of collectivism according to the context it is meant: in a hierarchical or egalitarian one. According to Parsons and Shils there is also another pair of concept: universalism and particularism. The first is describing the equal distribution of justice and the second – the subjective desire to associate with somebody. The final part of the chapter comes back to the major issue if values of people serve as a sufficient orientation point when cultures are being compared. Behavior is also mentioned to play an important role in this matter.Different studies are offering different approaches and assumptions concerning those variables and it is also presumed that this is a potential future field of further research. * Currency: Concerning this criterion, this chapter might be classified as a b it old. A reason for that is not only the publication year (1998), but also because many of the studies and data used for it are already dating to even earlier. As it is quite well-known, the new century brought with itself many new directions for the futures and the impact of globalization on culture-related issues changes every now and then. * Objectivity: In this chapter various authors and research results are mentioned, however with the criticism that some of the researches conducted do not based on a solid and reliable data.The different concepts are relationships between concepts and studies are explained, but due to the large number of studies and various explanations, the comprehensiveness sometimes goes lost and this might lead to losing the logic of the argument. * Relevance for practitioners: the approach in this chapter is more theoretical relevant than practical. Many studies are discussed, which are based on different approaches and research fields. However, less prac tical applicability in real business life has been detected. VIII. Theoretical Basis: Intercultural Communication and Cooperation The article of Thomas begins with a discussion about culture and its meaning.He compares it with a ‘system of orientation’ that creates a sense of belonging among the members of the same culture due to its specific features. Moreover, based on the usage of the same symbols and meanings, people can identify that they belong to the same group. However, in the socialization process it often happens that we are confronted with an unfamiliar behavior. Here a crucial point is what orientation signals to use when two persons from different cultures are in a conflict situation. A good example of the different approaches of Germans and Americans is given – the first handing more customer-oriented and the second caring more about technical perfection.Those examples lead to the conclusion that some general cultural standards exists that can expla in why different cultures act differently and the same situation. Furthermore, domain-specific cultural standards also exist, which are bound to a specific context. Lastly, another study indicates also the existence cultural-specific behavior patterns. The main use of cultural standards in that they provide a helping hand for orientating and explain why the partner behaves unfamiliar. The knowledge of other culture standards can be very important by interpersonal negotiating and cooperating. In addition to national culture, the concept of corporate culture also exists and it is highly influenced by the first one.In an organization, many factors, such as the industry the company in operating in and other job-related factors have an impact on the behavior of its members/employees and thus they can also form a â€Å"common language† and values. It is suggested that corporate culture can be analyzed on the basis a three-level-model suggested by Schein. Those are: material and imm aterial artefacts (easy to identify, but not to interpret their impact), values, norm and rules of behaviour (great influence) and basic assumption (vastly accepted values that help attain corporate goals). Thus, due to the daily interaction people in a corporation create their own subjective reality, based on the common values and social norms.So, as stated in the article, corporate culture is influenced by and influences national culture on the one side, and on the other, there are also subcultures formed within the corporate one. As a further point in the article the effects of internalization are discussed. Because of this phenomenon, the international atmosphere that is more often to find in many work places, cause that many different national cultures collide in an organization. Here an importance should also be paid to the industry the company is operating. The author mentions both the advantages and challenges of internalization and mentions that the inability to identify wi th the newly formed corporate culture can has a serious negative impact on the newly formed company.This is why the issue of the transition from the old to a new system has become a central concern for the leaders of such international corporations. The last part deals with cultural overlap, more precisely, the situation when two people with different cultures (values and understandings too) are supposed to work together. This difference can either improve the work together or threaten it. In the article four type of behavioural ruler are presented: either the own culture is considered for superior and the other party has to adapt or vice versa. The third option would be the one, where the two parties are too different in order to cooperate in any case.The best option, however, is when significant elements of the two cultures and combined and integrated into a new one. A Challenge in those rules is to gain more understanding about the cause-effect relationship of each other’s behaviour and also to have a deeper understanding about the own way of thinking and judgement and the reasons defining the way of perception of the other. New opportunities could be recognized and exploited only if a person is open for and interested in the different culture, and not taking right away the unfamiliar behaviour for one of lower rang. Obviously, none of the too extreme options (convergence or divergence) are good for the interaction.As stated in the article, differences should be recognized and acknowledged, and a gradual modification of the own, and adaptation to the other’s culture should follow. The next question that arises is: to what extend should that happen? As a conclusion it is said, that interculturality is only possible is one of the partners has a dominant role. However, he should also be able to understand and accept the other’s behaviour, be tolerant and respect it. This characteristic can be best developed by specialized trainings and int ercultural coaching. * Currency: The book from with this chapter comes was published only in 2010, which is an obvious sign of its currency. Furthermore, the issue discussed in it is becoming more and more important with the ever increasing trend towards internalization. Objectivity: The chapter includes different theories, but no own empirical research. Many situations are given as an example for the stated arguments and those sound quite convincing. Also for the issue discussed, probably observation of behavior in cultural overlap should also be more appropriate. * Relevance for practitioners: The topic is quite important for managers doing business abroad. Even if they are not aware of the fact, that cultural overlap can cause huge problems in negotiations or work together, the topic should be seriously taken by them. The main argument behind that is the fact that the majority of foreign ventures are not successful mainly due to misunderstandings between the parties. IX.The A, B, Cs of Acculturation This chapter is a review of both theory and empirical research concerning acculturation. The term of acculturation is defined here as â€Å"changes that occur as a result of continuous first-hand contact between individuals of different cultures† (Ward, 2001). Furthermore, it can be divided on the basis of various dimensions. In this chapter the focus falls on sojourners, immigrants and refugees on the one hand, and social identification, culture learning and stress and coping theoretical approaches, on the other. The first of the theoretical approaches – social identification- concerns the perception of oneself and others.This can be measured on two levels- on individual (focuses on how acculturation is defined and measured) or on group-level (interaction between a member and a foreigner of a community). Culture learning, on the other hand, blames for the cross cultural problems the ‘foreign’ parties and suggests that they should adap t to the culture-specific variables. The third approach defines the process of adapting as a series of stress-provoking situations, followed by attempts to cope with them. In a reversed order, those approaches constitute the three components of acculturation- affective, behavioral and cognitive, the so called A, B, Cs of acculturation.The question how to define adaptation has been mentioned as an important point. Many indices resulting from numerous researches have been proposed, each offering different approach and models. However, as common variables in all mentioned measures appear the psychological well-being/satisfaction and the effective relationships with representatives of the new culture. Furthermore, the author proposes two major categories for intercultural adaptation – psychological adjustment and sociocultural adaptation – that provide a good but still scarce overview. A model that combines the three theoretical approaches and the two aspects of cross-cult ural adaptation is further introduced and described in details.On the cognitive side (social identification), three models are mentioned for fundamental changes of cultural identity: assimilation of the foreign culture, a middle position between assimilation and separatism (bicultural identity) and the perception of the host and home cultures as independent. The following findings were presented: younger immigrants tend to be more easily acculturated; men get accustomed quicker than women and second generation immigrants are more opened to adapt. In addition to that, demographic, educational and socioeconomic factor also have an impact on acculturation. However, a recommendation for further theory development has been because of the insufficiency and inconsistency of the existing ones. The next approach – cultural learning- focused on behavioral changes in connection with cultural interaction in order to gain useful skills to adapt.Social skills and social interaction has bee n mentioned as crucial. However, many barriers, may threaten the successful intercultural communication. For example, nonverbal forms, such as gestures, silence or facial expression, that have different meaning across cultures, may lead to even an insult without any purpose. These obstacles can be over masters with the help of cultural trainings, participation and intercultural friendships. Sociocultural adaptation could be facilitate with more culture-specific knowledge, it follows a learning curve and it is easier for sedentary groups. Of greatest importance for the last theoretical approach is the prediction of psychological adjustment.For the stress-and-coping approach cultural contact and change are crucial because they lead to the search of a response. Here also a recommendation for further research in the area has been made. In the conclusion the author mentions that concerning acculturation, the field of research is vast. The combination of theory and conducted research cont ributes to the better understanding of the issue, but it is still not universal. Cultural differences could easily be translated into assimilation discouragement and psychological and sociocultural problems. Even if great development in the area of acculturation has been witnessed, for the future more comprehensive and larger scale studies would be warmly welcomed. Currency: The chapter has been published in the beginning of the century, thus also marking the beginning of the century where borders have less and less meaning. The topic is also one that is highly discussed and many future researches will be directed towards the issue of acculturation. * Objectivity: The chapter represents a mix of various theories and empirical studies, the results of various relevant to the topic studies has been presented and so, this criteria could be considered as fully fulfilled. * Relevance for practitioners : No doubt the problem of acculturation and the impact on a global level is of high rele vance for practitioners.Especially since borders has lost their meaning, nowadays people are moving all around the world, and consequently, are directly faced with the problem. References: Adler, N. : Global managers: no longer men alone. In : The international Journal of Human Resource Management, 2002, Vol. 13(5) (pp. 746-761) Distefano,J. , Maznevski, M. : Creating Values with Diverse Teams in Global Management. In : Organizational Dynamics, 2000, Vol. 19 (1) (pp. 45-63) House, R. , Javidan, M. , Hanges,P. , Dorfman, P. : Understanding cultures and implicit leadership theories across the globe: an introduction to the project GLOBE. In: Journal of World Business, 2002, Vol. 37 (pp. 3-10) Javidan, M. , House, R. Cultural Acumen for the global manager: Lessons from project GLOBE. In: Organizational Dynamics, 2001, Vol. 29, (4) (pp. 289-305) Smith,P. B. , Bond, M. H. : Culture: the neglected concept. In: Social Psychology across Cultures, 1998, 2nd edition, Harlow, London, New York ( pp. 38-69) Thomas, A. : Theoretical Basis of Intercultural Communication and Cooperation. In: Thomas, A. , Kinast, E. , Schroll-Machl: Handbook of intercultural Communication and Cooperation: Basics and Areas of Application, 2010, 1st edition, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (17-52) Ward,C. : The A,B,Cs of Acculturation. In: Matsumoto (ed. ): The Handbook of Culture and Psychology, New York, 2001

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet Essay

Many people fear the Internet because of its disadvantages. They claim to not use the Internet because they are afraid of the possible consequences or are simply not interested. People who have yet connected to the Internet claim they are not missing anything. Today’s technological society must realize that it is up to them to protect themselves on the Internet. Children using the Internet have become a big concern. Most parents do not realize the dangers involved when their children connect to the Internet. When children are online, they can easily be lured into something dangerous. For example, children may receive pornography online by mistake; therefore, causing concern among parents everywhere. Whether surfing the Web, reading newsgroups, or using email, children can be exposed to extremely inappropriate material. To keep children safe, parents and teachers must be aware of the dangers. They must actively guide and guard their children online. There are a number of tools available today that may help keep the Internet environment safer for children. Musicians are also concerned with disadvantages to the Net such as, accessibility and freedom. They are upset because the Internet provides their music online at no charge to consumers. File-sharing services, such as Napster, provide copyrighted songs to all Internet users. The main concern is the music is free! Musicians feel they are not getting paid for their work. Because of Napster, it is almost impossible to close down all file-sharing services because there are too many of them to count. Another major disadvantage of the Internet is privacy. Electronic messages sent over the Internet can be easily tracked, revealing who is talking to whom and what they are talking about. As people surf the Internet, they are constantly giving information to web sites. People should become aware that the collection, selling, or sharing of the information they provide online increases the chances that their information will fall into the wrong hands. When giving personal information on the Internet, people should make sure the Web site is protected with a recognizable security symbol. On the other hand, this does not mean they are fully protected because anyone may obtain a user’s information. In other words, the most common Internet crimes are frauds. Today, not only humans getting viruses, but computers are also. Computers are mainly getting these viruses from the Internet, yet viruses may also be transferred through floppy disks. However, people should mainly be concerned about receiving viruses from the Internet. Some of these dangerous viruses destroy the computer’s entire hard drive, meaning that the user can no longer access the computer. Virus protection is highly recommended. Despite all of the terrible disadvantages of the Internet, there are numerous advantages. In fact, the advantages weigh out the disadvantages. The most common thing the Internet is used for is research. Children and students are among the top people who use the Internet for research. Nowadays, it is almost required that students use the Internet for research. The Internet has become one of the biggest sources for research. Almost everyday, research on medical issues becomes easier to locate. Web sites have become available for people to research diseases and talk to doctors online at sites such as, America’s Doctor. Entertainment is another popular reason why many people surf the Internet. Downloading games, going into chat rooms or just surfing the Web are some of the uses people have discovered. There are numerous games that may be downloaded from the Internet at no charge. Chat rooms are popular because users can meet new and interesting people. In fact, the Internet has been used by people to find life long partners. When people surf the Web, there are numerous things that can be found. Music, hobbies, news and more can be found on the Internet. Another popular thing to do on the Internet is to check out the news. Almost all local news can be obtained through the Internet. Up to date sports scores are probably the most popular looked at news. Sports scores are updated on the Internet as soon as the game ends. Weather is also a popular source to look up on the Internet. Using the Internet to get the weather allows people to view weather all over the world. Live radar all over the country and local forecasts are just to name a few of the things that may be obtained for weather information on the Internet. Shopping online has also become a huge success and is considered a great advantage of the Internet. No matter what people are shopping for, it can be found on the Internet. People do not even have to leave their homes. A few companies have collected millions of dollars using the Internet for selling. Clothing is probably one of the most bought items online. Almost every major clothing store has its on Web site. In fact, In US, people can even go grocery shopping online using such sites as Priceline.com. Just one click of the mouse on the items they want to purchase and the items are delivered to their front door. Unfortunately, this kind of service is not yet available in Malaysia for the time being. Groceries and clothing are only a few of the items that may be bought on the Internet. In conclusion, today’s society is in the middle of a technological boom. People can either choose to take advantage of this era, or simply let it pass them by. The Internet is a very powerful tool. It has many advantages; however, people need to be extremely aware of the disadvantages as well.

Health Planning and Regulations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Planning and Regulations - Essay Example This paper aims at discussing United Health Group Company profiled in America’s Health Insurance plan, discussing its program and opinion on how it will improve the education of the people it is targeting. The America Health Insurance plan has more than 1200 companies which sells health insurance to more that 250 million of Americans. One of the companies profiled in the Insurance Plan is United Health Group Company. This institution plays a great role in advocating health literacy to Americans, because, they are responsible for making it difficult or easier for people to use and find health services and information. It provides current health information, which is important for most Americans to make decisions on their health. Health Literacy can affect both people with education skills or not. It is a challenge to many individuals, like when they are not aware of medical terms and how their bodies function. Additionally, sometimes they are forced to interpret risks or numbers in order to make decisions based on their health, or when they are diagnosed with scary illness. Some individuals have complex conditions, which require complicated self-care. According to, Health (23-36) lack of health literacy affects adults in all ethnic and racial groups. Both uninsured and insured adults have low literacy and health skills. Additionally, both college graduates and high school graduates can have limited literacy. United Health Group Company program helps both unschooled and schooled understand and acquire health information. The company’s program consists of health education campaigns that are designed to help the Americans and their families understand group laws and health benefits which govern them, especially when they are experiencing changes in the works, childbirth, retirement, job loss, work situations and marriages. It helps in educating them on some of the benefits of health coverage

Colourimetric Assay for Paracetamol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Colourimetric Assay for Paracetamol - Essay Example ble results. The chief advantage of colourimetric methods is that they provide a simple means for determining minute quantities of substances. The upper limit of colorimetric methods is in general the determination of constituents which are present in quantities of less than 1 or 2 per cent (J. W. Robinson). The principle behind any colourimetric technique for paracetamol analysis is that paracetamol undergoes oxidation-reduction reaction with an aqueous solution of iron(III) ion. In the reaction, iron(III) ions are being reduced to iron(II) ions. The iron(II) ions produced in the redox reaction is reacted with potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) solution forming prussian blue which is an intense blue colored complex. The concentration of the paracetamol in a given solution may be determined by measuring the color intensity of the Prussian blue solution. ... Upon measurement of the intensity in terms of absorbance, Beer’s law is used to calculate the concentration of the paracetamol in micrograms per milliliter. To permit selection of the most advantageous technique, effects of variables such as temperature, heating time, acidity and reagent concentration have been evaluated. Another simple, accurate and fast method of determination of paracetamol is based on the measurement of the intensity of the yellow color that will develop when the sample containing paracetamol is reacted with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in 2 molar solution of hydrochloric acid after heating (Usifoh, et. al.). This yellow color is usually absorbed in the visible region where the wavelength is 450 nm. It is normally stable for several hours and its intensity is directly proportional to the concentration of the drug, that is, Beer’s law is obeyed. This colorimetric technique is mainly used for analysis where the paracetamol is contained in a particular raw material or in pharmaceutical dosage forms such as tablets and syrups. Finally, a fast, automated colorimetric method for the determination of samples containing paracetamol is the latter’s reaction with acidic hypochlorite followed by coupling with alkaline phenol which produces a blue indophenol dye, which is measured colourimetrically (J.W. Murfin). This method is generally used for tablets containing paracetamol and a granule formation containing paracetamol. MATERIALS AND METHOD A stock solution of paracetamol has been prepared for analysis. The stock solution is prepared by dissolving appropriate amount of 0.0023 mol/L paracetamol solution in 10 mL of NaCl solution and made

Human Wisdom and Advertisements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Wisdom and Advertisements - Essay Example Advertisers are sophists. In any given advertisement, the main aim is to convince the buyer that the product is perfect in order for the buyer to buy it. Instead of most advertisers to advertise a product on the basis of the truth, most of them use persuasive tactics. Sophistic advertisements include power point presentations on TV, Web sites content which contain three-dimensional photographs of the products. Advertisements are sophistic since they aim at appealing to the target consumers. Unsophistic advertisements showroom presentations of products and newsletter advertisements (Craig 289). Lesson four Similarities between Stoics & AquinasTop of Form Bottom of Form . The development of natural law has been attributed to Stoic. Stoicism arose in Hellenistic period. Both Stoics and Aquinas believe human beings have a soul which is capable of perception.  Both philosophies agree that human beings have the capacity to assent or resent to presentations made (Craig 28). Both identify God with nature where nature hold cosmos together and cause terrestrial things. Both philosophies consider ethical goals as the kind of life which is consistent with cosmos. Both Stoics and Aquinas recognize that humans have intellectual capabilities which guide them in their moral choices. According to the two philosophies, society wellbeing includes acts which promote co-existence and human wellbeing (Craig 39). Lesson five Aquinas moral philosophy has strengthened my thoughts on personal philosophy. It has supported my thoughts on morality and ethics. According to my thinking, we cannot achieve total happiness in the world since happiness is supernatural and consists of union with God. In order to achieve happiness in life, we must have certain moral virtues which guide us in seeking it in a consistent way. Living things also comprise of matter and substantial form and seek their own perfection (Craig 90). According to my experience, members of the same species have different deg ree of maturity and ability. For instance, adults have more developed cognitive capabilities than a child who is in line with Aquinas philosophy. According to Aquinas, human wellbeing consists of doing acts that are in accordance to human nature and intellectual limitations may prevent us from doing what in good. For instance, mad men commit murder due to their intellectual limitation. Aquinas philosophy emphasis on need of prudence in judgments which is wisdom in human affairs and the reason for the actions. Lesson six Thought experiments are mental hypothesis which are used by philosophers to illuminate dense ideas (Craig 326). Most of them communicate in narrative form or in diagrams. Their role is to increase the man’s understanding of nature. The prisoner’s dilemma is one of the thought experiences I have used before. It analyzes who two individuals may refuse to cooperate when it is in the best interest of them to do so. In this thought experience, two men are ar rested by a police officer without enough evidence to convict them. The police officer separates them and offers them a good deal whereby one should testify against them other. If one betrays the other and the other remains silent, the betrayer is set free while the co-operator is jailed for one year. If both remain silent, they are jailed for

Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education - Assignment Example Given this in perspective, one must understand that the schools need to form a very strong channel of communication with the parents and the community in order to provide quality service to the community. This will paper will give insight into how the channel of communication can be made stronger and deeper through various methods via which the schools can communicate within the community. The schools under discussion would be elementary schools so the entire discussion would revolve around these schools only. I want to address this problem because communication between schools and communities is of vital importance; the stronger the communication, the more effective the interaction between the teachers, the parents and the students. This interaction will help teachers in discussing the performance of children with their family members and will help the school over problems such as students’ absence. Education is an entire cycle which is dependent on the action and communication of students the community, the residents and the educators. Effective teaching is directly related to effective communication. Unless communication is not effective, the desired results won’t be seen within the community at large. Various studies have been conducted in this regard. According to Jeri La Bahn (1995), parents would feel delineated from their children’s schools because they would feel un welcomed at schools. A lot of times, parents would feel that education is not important. The study opined a lot of ways through which parents can be involved in schools in a constructive way. There was another study conducted by University of Illinois. According to this research, children tend to perform better when their parents are more actively involved in school. This means, that it is better when parents talk to teachers more often and are better aware of their children’s

The constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The constitution - Essay Example fectual in running a national government, so a combination of factors further pointed to the need of a stronger government than the articles of confederation provided. Congress could not provide protection for local industries because it did not have the powers, and so America’s manufacturing had failed to grow. Settlers in the west demanded a more aggressive policy on land cessions and wanted more to be done to protect them from Indian attacks2. Merchants wanted a government that could get them advantageous trade agreements abroad. While changing the Articles was not viewed as urgent among the southern and Mid-Atlantic States, their leaders too appreciated that free navigation of the Mississippi River and a solution of the dispute with Spain needed a response from a stronger government. Before the new constitution, only white males who owned property were allowed to vote. The new constitution, however, would allow all citizens to vote. It was also going to abolish slavery, meaning the propertied white would have to find an alternative source of labor3. The preamble of the federal constitution has the words ‘we the people’. These words can be interpreted to be meaning all the citizens of America. This is not true though, what it actually meant is that it excluded slaves, poor white males, women and Native Americans. These groups of people were not allowed to vote, for example. It denied congress the power to abolish the slave trade before 1808. It also required that fugitive slaves should be returned to their masters. The unrepresented groups in the American constitution include the Hawaiians, the Indians and many other ethnic minorities living widely as small minorities. A constitutional republic meant that whereas other people enjoyed the privileges brought about by the new constitution, the unrepresented did not since they were not properly recognized by the constitution. For example, the unrepresented people lost the right of suffrage. Though they

Pen-3 Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pen-3 Model - Essay Example PEN 3 Model Culture is defined as a set of beliefs, behaviors, objects and others that are common to a group of people (Schaefer, 2009). Cultural aspects also include religion, language, values, laws, norms and the like. It is learned by the people by imitating the elders and/or enforcement by means of stigma and praises inside the society. Because of this, it is logical to say that culture can also affect health, as the health of an individual is also affected by culture and in turn also affects the health of the society. The health of the society is vital and it should be assessed regularly to monitor the needs of the people. A healthy population is a healthy civilization. Some diseases, like AIDS, are spread because of behavior. AIDS is transmitted by having unprotected sex or by using soiled needles contaminated by the HIV in medical procedures. These are all controllable and the spread can actually be contained when the people can just adjust their behavior. Behavior, like promi scuity, is an aspect of culture. Therefore, a disease that is spread by culture can also be corrected by culture. The sub-Saharan territory in Africa has the largest population of people with AIDS. The adult prevalence of AIDS in the 2005 was at 5.0% and it continues to grow (UNAIDS).

Short review and critique on a specific Article

Short review and critique on a specific - Article Example This paper is a critique of the article Dating and Relationships, on the relevance of this research, it identifies the hypothesis and measures the success of the methods used in testing the main hypothesis. Purpose of the Study The study presented in the article has three main goals. One is to identify how each of the five conflict management styles influences satisfaction in both the GCDRs and LDDRs. The second aim is to establish how each of the conflict management styles influences communications satisfaction in both types of dating relationship. The last aim is to compare the effect of the conflict management style on GCDRs and LDDRs to establish whether there is any significant difference. The author says it is important to study LDDR because of their increase in prevalence. He says that it has been reported that around 75% of college student were involved in LDDRs. It is thus important to study them in comparison with the GCDR to understand the increasing number of such long di stance dating relationships. I think it is important in understanding what makes relationships last. This is because relationships can be complicated as people have a diverse way of dealing with them (Anon). It could be possible that being in geographically different areas create an aspect in the relationship that makes it last long. Main Hypothesis The study is based on several hypotheses. The most important hypothesis in this study is that there are notable differences on how conflict management approaches affect relational and communication satisfaction in both LDDRs and GCDRs. The variables in this hypothesis are the conflict management styles and the type of relationship. This hypothesis is directional since the conflict management style is expected to give satisfactory outcomes or cause dissatisfaction ones (Anon). Design and Measurement Because of the conflict arising from the definition of LDDRs, the definition was based on how the subjects defined their relationships. The s ample consisted of college student taking communications class in Midwestern University. It was made up of equal numbers of student form each kind of dating relationships who would answer the exact same questions. The volunteer had met the requirement of being in a heterosexual relationship for more than three months. The response to the queries was through emailing a link to each participant who would have one week to submit the responses. In measuring the conflict management styles, the Rahma Organization Conflict Inventory II (ROCI II) would be used. This is used to measure the avoiding, compromising, accommodating, collaborating and competing conflict management style. The scale ranges for strongly agree to strongly disagree with the highest score showing nonalignment with that conflict management style. Dependant Relationship Satisfaction Scale (RAS) was used to gauge relational satisfaction. In measuring communication satisfaction, the Interpersonal Communication Satisfaction Inventory (ISCI) was used (Anon). This measures the kind of satisfaction depending on the level that individual communication expectations are met in a relationship. The analysis would be carried out by developing four dissimilar multiple regression analysis that measures the different hypothesis. Critique The methods of data collection and measurement of the variables do match with the hypothesis. This is because the study utilized good measurement tools to measure the three

Best Practices for School Principals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Best Practices for School Principals - Essay Example This essay declares that principals are the chief executives of schools. In the absence of a competent principal, a school may face lot of problems. In other words, a principal can make or break a school. Scholars often talk about the importance of teaching and the skills necessary for teachers. They speak less about the importance of principals in controlling or managing school resources. In fact principal is the person who is managing the school resources, including teachers and infrastructure facilities in the school compound. This paper analyses the importance and best practices of school principals in general and school principals in Texas in particular. This paper stresses that democratic way of functioning by the principal is always welcomed by the students, parents and teachers. However, it is not necessary that democracy may bring intended results in schools. For example, teachers and students may consider the liberal attitudes of the principal as a weakness and they may try to exploit it. In order to avoid that it is better for the principal to implement situational leadership in his functioning. In other words, the principal should change his way of functioning based on the situations. There are situations in which the principal forced to use his power and authority to punish the students and teachers. Teachers may come late and students may not attend the classes regularly, if the principal fails to punish the culprits. School is a place from which the students lean discipline. In the absence of a competent principal, students may learn crazy life styles from school campuses instead of discipline. It should be noted that in ma ny of the Texas school campuses, drug addiction and alcoholism are big problems. Moreover sexual exploitation is also taking place in many of the Texas school campuses. If the principal fails to take necessary actions to punish the culprits, such unacceptable behaviors may increase in school compounds. In short, an effective principal should be the one who implements

Macbeths path to evil Essay Example for Free

Macbeths path to evil Essay In Macbeth, it is clear that Macbeth at the start of the play is a different person to Macbeth at the end of the play. During the course of the play, he changes a great deal, most obviously from a good and faithful thane of Scotland to a cruel and ruthless king. At the beginning of the play, he is at his noblest. He has shown great courage and loyalty: brave Macbeth well he deserves that name, and is considered a hero by Duncan, the king, for ending the rebellion in Scotland, and is thought trustworthy: O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! He is a great warrior and one of the leaders of the Scottish army: like valours minion carvd out his passage. Yet he is ambitious, and this leads him to become a terrible king, moving from one act of violence to another, seeing one threat after another, so killing conscience and pity. As he is king of Scotland, his evil floods Scotland, making it horribly unnatural and filled with fear: A falcon/Was by a mousing owl hawkd at and killd. However, at the end of the play he still shows that he has not lost his courage as he dies fighting: Exeunt, fighting, but it is somewhat diminished and his fear has grown as earlier in the play he is scared of the apparitions: But no more sights! Yet at the beginning of the play he fought a bloody and gruesome battle in which a single, detached, armoured head (the appearance of the first apparition) would not have been an uncommon sight. It could be said that at the end of the play Macbeth is a villain, as Malcolm does: this dead butcher, or that he is a tragic hero, as he fought, knowing that Macduff would kill him: And thou opposd, being of no woman born, /Yet I will try the last. In order to be a tragic hero however, he needs a tragic flaw. This could either be his ambition, which causes him to be willingly swayed by the witches and risk everything, or it could be his courage, as he does not realise that courage is sometimes the ability to say no. But Shakespeares audience would more than likely consider him bound for Hell, as he at no point in the play asks for forgiveness. One of the beliefs on which Christianity is built is that no matter what people do on Earth, if they ask for forgiveness they will be forgiven by God, and Shakespeares audience would mostly have been made up of faithful Christians. No matter what people do to redeem themselves, God does not forgive them unless they ask to be. But this change from good to evil does not happen overnight. It is triggered at the beginning by the witches, who open the play in the most unnatural of ways for a Shakespearian tragedy. The scene is very short, only 12 lines long, and it is unnatural in every way possible. The three witches are supernatural beings: you should be women, /And yet your beards forbid me to interpret/That you are so, the weather is unnatural and violent, even the incantatory poetry that Shakespeare gives them is unnatural, as no one else in the play ever speaks in the same way as they do. It is a prologue to the evil events that will occur throughout the play. They have planned out everything and know exactly what will happen when they tell Macbeth that he will be king one day: There to meet with Macbeth, All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be King hereafter. Throughout the play, Macbeth tries to control the witches, yet he never can: Speak, I charge you. Witches vanish, and he tries the same with the apparitions, and is scolded by the witches: He knows thy thought: /Hear his speech, but say thou nought. He does not realize that he cannot control either Fate or such unearthly creatures as the witches. Also throughout the play, the witches treat Macbeth as one of their own, and he does not realise that he finds them only because they want him to: Something wicked this way comes. /Open locks, /Whoever knocks. Shakespeare makes this comparison between them in Macbeths very first line, by giving him almost the exact same words as he gave the witches: So foul and fair a day I have not seen. The witches are also significant to Shakespeares audience because there are three of them. There has always been an ancient superstition that the number three is a magical number, yet most of the Shakespearian audience would immediately associate it with the Holy Trinity Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. In Macbeth this has been inverted, as so many other things are. Instead, there is an Infernal Trinity; the three witches or a more elaborate one, made up of the witches, Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth. Still, there could also be an incarnation of the Holy Trinity in Macbeth, represented by Macduff, Malcolm, and Banquo. Macbeths progression to evil is chiefly marked out by his soliloquies and the murders that he performs, or orders. He starts as a mighty and noble warrior, killing rebels for his King and country. Then, once his ambition has started to take over, he goes on to kill Duncan, an innocent, defenceless, old man: Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope/the Lords anointed temple. He puts much thought into this before performing the deed, debating with himself whether to do it or not: Hes here in double trust/his host, /Who should against his murderer shut the door/Not bear the knife myself. And once he has performed the horrific deed, he regrets it bitterly: Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst! His hesitation however, is not the hesitation of fear, as he has a terrible courage, but of an intimate, buried knowledge between right and wrong. Then he goes on to kill Banquo, though not personally. He gives less thought to this deed: There is none but he/Whose being I do fear; and he does not regret the deed at all, yet is petrified of Banquos ghost at the coronation banquet. Banquo, when he is killed, knows what has transpired: I fear, /Thou playdst most foully for t. He knows how Macbeth became king and that he killed Duncan, and also knows that he is behind his own murder: O treachery! Macbeth finally orders the murders of Lady Macduff and her children: give to the edge of the sword/His wife, his babes. While killing men was considered a great crime, killing a woman and her children was considered a much worse crime. This is done without second thought and never regrets it at all; he never mentions it to himself after it has occurred: The very firstlings of my heart shall be/The firstlings of my hand. As he becomes increasingly evil, so Scotland becomes increasingly unnatural. This is most obviously shown when Banquo dies to save Fleance, a parent sacrificing himself for his childs life, which is natural: Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Later in the play however, it is clear that Scotland has become more unnatural as the Son dies in an attempt to save Lady Macduff, a child sacrificing himself for his parents life: He has killd me, mother: /Run away; I pray you! This is unnatural and fails, as both Lady Macduff and her Son die. Finally, another sign of Macbeths descent to evil is that he becomes more and more secluded. This is mainly shown by the increasing amount of soliloquies that Shakespeare gives him, but is also shown by his relationship with Lady Macbeth. At the beginning of the play they are a happy couple, who love each other intensely: my dearest partner of greatness, yet as the play progresses, especially after Duncans murder, Macbeth separates himself from his wife, and once he is king, she must ask to see him: Say to the king, I would attend his leisure. All Macbeths deeds are consequently thought out by himself, unlike the murder of Duncan, in which Lady Macbeth did most of the thinking and planning: Leave all the rest to me, and Macbeth keeps Lady Macbeth out of the murder of Banquo even when she asks him what he is planning: Be innocent of the knowledge/Till thou applaud the deed. All of these points show how Macbeth becomes increasingly evil throughout the play, eventually becoming a much feared villain, or a tragic hero.

Black Colour And Black Consciousness History Essay

Black Colour And Black Consciousness History Essay Slavery, Henry Clay proclaimed in 1816, forms an exception to the general liberty prevailing in the United States. Based on the firm belief that blacks were innately inferior to whites and unsuited for life in any condition other than slavery, slavery was argued by many as essential to human progress. Despite this, many white southerners hypocritically declared themselves to be the true heirs of the American Revolution; inspired by the same spirit of freedom and independence that motivated the fathering generations. The proslavery writers began to manipulate the words of the founding documents to change the peoples perception of freedom: the language of the Declaration of Independence that all men were created equal and entitled to liberty was the most false and dangerous of all political errors, insisted the pro-slavery minister John C. Calhoun. Slaves never abandoned their desire for freedom or their determination to resist subordination to the whites. The creation of an independent culture centred on the family and church created strength in morality and values which could pass from generation to generation fundamentally at odds with those of their masters. Historians have documented rebellions and revolts by slaves; however these are rare and have led some historians to question the extent and nature of slave resistance. I believe that the more subtle forms of resistance that may have been overlooked by historians still stand as rebellions, or silent sabotage, such as purposeful negligence in manual work, obstruction, ignorance, illness, and the destruction of property. In the narrative of Linda Brent, a North Carolina slave, we find an interesting account of how the refusal of women slaves to submit to sexual advances of the slaveholder can be seen as resistance to slavery.[1] However other historians such as George Fred rickson and Christopher Lasch have claimed that such acts should not qualify as acts of resistance; they believe resistance should constitute acts that involved the planning of actual or potential violence. These would have included committing crimes such as arson, poisoning and armed assaults against individual whites. Even small instances of violent resistance were sometimes effective; an Arkansas overseer decided to make an example of a slave woman named Lucy to show the slaves that he was impartial. Lucy, however, was not to be made an example of. According to her son, she jumped on him and like to tore him up. Word got around that Lucy would not be beaten; she was sold by her master soon after, but she was never whipped again.[2] Considerably more crippling to the stability of the slave system was running away, despite the trying and potentially fatal obstacles in their vulnerable escape methods. As Solomon Northup recalled, Every white mans hand is raised against him, the patrollers are watching for him, the hounds are ready to follow in his track.[3] In Frederick Douglasss slave memoir, The Life of Frederick Douglass, he tells us of the plan formulated by him and a group of slaves to escape via canoe to escape to the north. Slaves generally had little or no knowledge of geography but many understood that the North Star led to freedom: Douglass himself planned to follow the guidance of the north star till we got beyond the limits of Maryland. Douglass knew the dangers of becoming a fugitive, but firmly wrote in his memoir For my part, I should prefer death to hopeless bondage. Aged twenty at the time of his escape, there was a general trend of the majority of fugitives being young men. Most slave women were unwilling to leave children and taking them along proved arduous and almost impossible to survive. Some freed slaves also engaged in achieving freedom for others, a highly complex and dangerous undertaking. Enslaved blacks and their white sympathizers planned secret flight strategies and escape routes for runaways to make their way to freedom. Although it was neither subterranean nor a mechanized means of travel, this network of routes and hiding places was known as the underground railroad. Some free blacks were active conductors on the underground railroad while others simply harboured runaways in their homes. No one knows the exact number of slaves that succeeded in reaching the North the most common rough estimate is about 1,000 per year. Most of those who succeeded lived in the Upper South, like Douglass, who went on to publish his brilliant memoir which inspired the huge abolitionist movement. Harriet Tubman escaped to Philadelphia in 1849 and spent ten years risking her life by making some twenty or so trips back to her place of enslavement to lead relatives and other slaves to freedom. Probably one of the most famous instances of slave resistance was the case of the seizing of the Amistad, a slave ship transporting 53 slaves from one port in Cuba to another. The slaves succeeded in gaining control of the ship, and attempted to force the navigator to steer it to Africa. A slave by the name of The Amistad worked its way up the Atlantic coast till it was seized by an American vessel off the coast of Long Island. While the President Martin Van Buren wished to return the slaves to Cuba, abolitionists brought their case to the Supreme Court, where former president John Quincy Adams argued that since they had been recently brought from Africa in violation of international treaties banning the slave trade, the captives should be freed.[4] The court accepted Adams reasoning and most of the captives made their way back to Africa; a huge triumph for the commandeering slaves. This may well have inspired a similar uprising that occurred in 1841 when 135 slaves seized control of the ship they were being carried on, and to the dismay of the administration back home were given refuge by the British. One of the largest scale rebellions was the revolt led by Nat Turner in 1831. Nat Turner was a slave preacher who believed he was chosen by God to lead an uprising. By the time militia could stop the rebellion it had become eighty slaves strong and had killed some sixty whites in neighbouring farms. Turner was subsequently captured and condemned to die; on being asked before his death whether he felt any remorse, he replied was not Christ crucified? Despite Nat Turners rebellion being one of the most significant rebellions in southern history, it proved largely ineffective. Instead of moving the south towards emancipation, the Virginia legislature of 1832 increased in severity the laws which bonded slaves. New laws prohibited all blacks, free or enslaved, from acting as preachers; blacks could not own firearms; and it was illegal to teach a slave to read. Free blacks in the antebellum period the years from the formation of the Union until the Civil War were quite outspoken about the injustice of slavery. Their ability to express themselves, however, was determined by whether they lived in the North or the South. Free Southern blacks continued to live under the shadow of slavery, unable to travel or assemble as freely as those in the North; this made it almost impossible for them to organize and sustain churches, schools, or fraternal orders such as the Masons. Although their lives were circumscribed by numerous discriminatory laws even in the colonial period, freed African Americans, especially in the North, were active participants in American society. Black men enlisted as soldiers and fought in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Some owned land, homes, businesses, and paid taxes. In some Northern cities, for brief periods of time, black property owners voted. A very small number of free blacks owned slaves, and usually these were members of their own family that they had bought off slaveholders to later emancipate. A few free blacks also owned slave holding plantations in Louisiana, Virginia, and South Carolina. Free African American Christians founded their own churches which became the hub of the economic, social, and intellectual lives of blacks in many areas of the fledgling nation. Blacks were also outspoken in print. Freedoms Journal, the first black-owned newspaper, appeared in 1827. This paper and other early writings by blacks fuelled the attack against slavery and racist conceptions about the intellectual inferiority of African Americans. Free people of colour like Richard Allen, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, David Walker, and Prince Hall earned national reputations for themselves by writing, speaking, organizing, and agitating on behalf of their enslaved compatriots. For Frederick Douglass, the most beneficial step for him to the road to freedom was learning to read and recognizing his enslavement was morally wrong. For him, resistance came in the form of giving speeches and writing books about slavery and his experiences, rousing tumultuous crowds and touching the hearts of many. Throughout his Narrative, literacy, education and reason are deemed crucial tools in the fight for emancipation. After reading speeches on behalf of Catholic emancipation in The Columbian Orator Douglass explained that they gave tongue to interesting thoughts of (his) own soul, which had frequently flashed through (his) mind, and died away for want of utterance.[5] Douglass noted that slaveholders were right in forbidding their slaves from learning to read because literacy and therefore access to enlightenment would undermine the system by strengthening slaves recognition of their own humanity and desire to be free. Henry Bibb was born a slave in Kentucky in 1815. He recounts his sufferings, escapes, recaptures, and unsuccessful attempts to free his family. Bibb lectured for the Liberty party in Ohio and Michigan during the 1840s and fled to Canada after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, as did thousands of other fugitives living in the North. His narrative includes many illustrations, including the depiction of the celebration of the Sabbath among the slaves and a slave sale. In the text Bibb mentions that slaves were not allowed books, pen, ink, nor paper, to improve their minds. He stated that such circumstances gave him a longing desire . . . a fire of liberty within my breast which has never yet been quenched. Bibb believed that he too had a right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In Black Culture and Black Consciousness, historian Lawrence Levine summarizes the important role that slave resistance legends played in the black community: For an understanding of the post-slave generations, the history of slave resistance is less important than the legends concerning it, though the two by no means contradict each other. Looking back upon the past, ex slaves and their descendants painted a picture not of a cowed and timorous black mass but of a people who, however circumscribed by misfortune and oppression, were never without their means of resistance and never lacked the inner resources to oppose the master class, however extreme the price they had to pay.[6] These legacies of resistance, which led to the final emancipation after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, marked the generations of change that followed the slave period and have continued to build on the past right up until today. Bibliography Howard McGary and Bill E. Lawson, Between Slavery and Freedom: Philosophy and American Slavery, Indiana University Press 1992 John Hope Franklin, The Free Negro in North Carolina 1790-1860, Norton Library 1971 Ulrich B. Phillips, American Negro Slavery, Louisiana State University Press 1966 Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, Norton Company 2009 Edmund S. Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia, Norton Company, New York, 1975 Deborah Gray White, Arnt I a Woman? Female Slaves in the Plantation South, Norton Company 1995 Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Penguin Classics 1982 Lawrence Levine, Black Colour and Black Consciousness, New York 1977 K.Sue Jewell, From Mammy to Miss America and Beyond: Cultural Images and the Shaping of U.S Social Policy London, Routledge 1993

Developing High Quality Multimedia Products

Developing High Quality Multimedia Products Introduction: The increasing development of computer science including the web design in parallel to the huge revelation of media has resulted to an increase in multimedia content at the final product presented to the user (Martin Lynch, 2003). From this statement, we can immediately see the important role the multimedia is playing in our lives. We can hardly find a business product or a technical application that does not contain a multimedia content at the user interface level, in this paper we will be stating the best approach and methodology for Creating a high quality multimedia product with successful user interface. This methodology consists of including some important phases in the development process such as : Quality assurance, risk management and validation and verification, in order to get a maximum quality product ( sherwood Rout , 1998 ) and a content that is not noisy. Furthermore, to reach this objective, developers are obliged to consider the Human Computer Interaction discipline, in order to get interactive computer systems for human use (Hewett et al, (n.d.)). Concerning the evaluation of the final product, the multimedia interface needs to be evaluated on its usability and its purity, simplicity and beauty (Martin, Bolissian pimenidis, 2003). To recapitulate what we have said above, multimedia industry is facing many problems, such as â€Å" Noise â€Å" , developers are obliged to follow the a methodology and take in a serious consideration the human computer interaction discipline in order to overcome the bug of â€Å" Noisy multimedia product â€Å". Multimedia The first question one may ask when we talk about multimedia is, What is Multimedia ? Multimedia is, In short, the usage of different form of media put together in one seamlessly combined context. However, the definition of this word has been a problematic issue among scientists; the artists see it as a means of expression, a way of transmitting the information to the others. Whereas technologists have defined the word â€Å" multimedia † as a group of means that let the media to be obtained, represented, delivered and displayed. ( Mckerrow, 2005 ) . Multimedia has become a big essential part of our daily lives, as practically all types of information we exchange are categorized under multimedia from music to Tv to presentations to magazines to web sites. Multimedia development has been in permanent growth, this important field in the information technology incorporates expertise and knowledge from software engineering, business environment and the multimedia interface; In oth er words, multimedia is involved in the fields of computers, communications and the media. Having defined multimedia, let us now talk about a key factor in designing high quality multimedia products. Human Computer Interaction ( HCI ) Human Computer Interaction can be defined as the science concerned with the â€Å" plan and design â€Å", evaluation and implementation of computer systems that have user interface (Hewett et al, (n.d.)). The multimedia user interface has a very important role in deciding whether the multimedia content has been successful or not, because if the interface is usable and elegant the multimedia application will be achieving a big part of its objectives , such as being noiseless. Evaluation of multimedia products As multimedia is a vast domain and is involved in all domains, the evaluation of multimedia applications has never been an easy task, there are different aspects to look at when measuring the success of any multimedia application, for instance, the designer has to look to the business aspect and see whether his product is still demanded by customers, and does his product still meet all the requirements. In the visual design or web sites, success lies under the leanness concept (Martin, Bolissian pimenidis, 2003). The evaluation of multimedia product is hard and needs a structured framework, one should follow the coming framework to get his product well evaluated: Does the project accomplish the task was designed for ? Is the user happy with it ? Is the application reliable ? Is the application complete ? Can the user interact with the application in the best manner ? Can the system respond to any sudden changes ? Are the users served with only the exact requested information ? Can the system respond to all the stakeholders requirements (Martin, Bolissian pimenidis, 2003). Another important notion in the evaluation of a multimedia product is the term â€Å" Quality Of Service â€Å" ( QOS ). With the â€Å" Quality Of Service â€Å" we can measure how high quality is the multimedia application. According to Vogel et al ( 1994 ) Quality of service is those parameters of a multimedia application that influence the presentation of the content of the multimedia system to the user. In short, Quality of service is the customers satisfaction with the multimedia product. To sum up, The evaluation of the multimedia application and the Quality of service, which shows the users satisfaction with the product, are very important for the developers to design a high quality multimedia systems. Noise Noise is the first enemy of multimedia products producers, as it is very hard to control and it is unexpected problem. To ensure that our multimedia application is not noisy or to get a high quality product we, as developers, have to follow a structured methodology for multimedia systems development. Before we get into this methodology, let us see what noise is, and what existing solutions are to have noiseless multimedia content. In general, noise is known in the electronic and telecommunication field, when transmitting some data in a telecommunication system using a wire, we call any loss of data that may occur, Noise. The piece of information to be sent is ciphered and then sent to its destination ( the user for instance ) when it is received the data is deciphered and then read, any difference between the source message and the resulted message is due to the data loss and it is called â€Å" Noise â€Å" . To make sure that the data received is the same as the original one, computer programmers have added some codes that detect and correct errors to the original message (Martin Lynch, 2003). This solution seems to be effective and successful as it is still being used by telecommunication peoples and networking programmers. But what about Noise in multimedia ? ? ? which is more complicated to get rid of. In multimedia information systems and multimedia product, Noise can be defined as any inappropriate piece of information or content that is received by the user with regard to the content, structure of display, time of display, accuracy and in functionality and navigation. Basically , Noise occurs when the usability rules are not taken in consideration (Martin Lynch, 2003). Having defined noise, now, developers need to have a scale so that they can know at what extent their products are noisy or are noiseless, Martin Lynch,( 2003) have done it for us, Here is the recapitulation of their nice work : At first, multimedia is involved in a wide context. To well evaluate multimedia product we need to consider users opinion and do not be satisfied only by the view of visual designers and human computer interaction (HCI) designers. To know how noisy your multimedia system is, you must know the profile and the requirements of all the stakeholders. The system should adhere to the usability rules required by the stakeholders in term of meeting the objectives the system was designed for, with consideration to the computing infrastructure and the location where the multimedia system is operating. The framework for evaluating Noise in multimedia product: Stakeholders : does the system provide the users with only the needed information ? Visual design : is the user interface nice? Usabilty : is the multimedia system easy to use ? Information : is the data given correct ? is it on time ? is it the needed information ? Fit with computing devices : do the computing infrastructures give the results needed with the needed details ? Location : do the infrastructures of the system work in all the places. The need for a methodology to avoid â€Å" Noise â€Å" in multimedia products Multimedia industry is growing more rapidly than expected, high quality product and the gain of the users satisfaction has become now a prime consideration. To reach those objectives, developers must create noiseless multimedia systems. Before, the problem was in the method of production and in the way of thinking of developers and designers, as they used to look to what is being developed rather than looking to how is being developed ( sherwood Rout , 1998 ) . Recently, Multimedia producers have defined a methodology for the development of the multimedia products which leads to a Pure and Simple interface that are â€Å" noiseless â€Å" . Developers can benefit from adopting this well defined approach and a rigorous methodology many advantages such as : the quality of the product will be improved, and the staff will be guided and supported by templates and exemplars ( sherwood Rout , 1998 ) . Brief description of the methodology : The structured approach explained above, can be a benchmark which will help in the increase of the productivity and the quality of the multimedia product ( sherwood Rout , 1998 ) . This methodology brings some innovating ideas and tools. It brings new models of practice and it provides the staff of a multimedia project with templates and models which can be used to create a high quality multimedia products. This methodology, as Sherwood Rout ( 1998 ), have stated, includes six phases of multimedia development: Initiation : during this phase the general planning is done. Specifications : during this phase they test the feasibility and the usability of the Project. Design : during this phase the stakeholders are defined, and solution to perspective problems are found. Production : during this phase the final product will be finalizing. Review and Evaluation : during this phase a critical examination of the final product is done. Delivery and Implementation. during this phase the client is introduced to accept and sign the agreement to finalize the product. The power and the strength of this method is the incorporation of the quality assurance throughout all the development phases, which is a new way and very efficient one to get a noiseless product. Each phase of the previous ones, is divided into three main activities: Development Management : deal with legal issues and risk management Support : quality assurance , validation and verification. Further Issues : Well evaluate the multimedia product and well design it following a structured methodology, is the solution to design noiseless multimedia products. This is what we have given to the readers through this paper. But the problem with this solution is it is just a theoretical process in which the successful result does not follow in all cases. Because in the practical world nothing is perfect, bugs and mistakes have always existed. So in multimedia world also nothing is perfect ( noiseless ). I suggest that rather than trying to develop noiseless multimedia products, developers should try creating applications in which noise is minimized. It is better for both the user and the producer. Conclusion : The multimedia product has been evolving without cease in the last years due to the big importance of this field in the information technology. To have better multimedia systems, developers have to design carefully by including in this process many important points. The most important factor in designing not noisy multimedia product is to follow the structured methodology discussed above. Furthermore, producers or developers should think in the interface of the Human Computer Interaction and work out to develop a usable interface and aesthetic application. In my opinion, I see that if the usability rules are adhered, the developers will have a big step to reach their goal to create â€Å" Noiseless â€Å" multimedia application. But as we know multimedia is a vast domain and the main problem that developers are facing is : The perfect noiseless multimedia product can be developed only theoretically, as in the practical world we, always have some unwanted and unexpected errors and b ugs that make the system noisy. Now, its we who ask this question : â€Å" can we perform such applications in the real word ? ? ? â€Å". References: Hewett, Baecker, Card, Carey, Gasen, Mantei, Perlman, Strong and Verplank (2008), ACM SIGCHI Curricula for Human-Computer Interaction content available at : http://sigchi.org/cdg/cdg2.html#2_1 Martin, S., Bolissian, J., Pimenidis, E., (2003) ‘PURE and SIMPLE: a framework for the evaluation of Multimedia products School of computing and technology, university of east London,Uk Martin, S. and Lynch, J., (2003) ‘VISUAL: a framework for the evaluation of visual ‘noise in multimedia interface School of computing and technology, university of east London,Uk McKerrow, P., (2005) ‘Teaching content creation with programing, IEEE computer society 2005, university of Wollongong, Australia. Sherwood, C., and Rout, T., (1998) ‘a structured methodology for multimedia product and systems development, School of Computing and Information Technology, Griffith University, Australia. Vogel, A. Kerherv, B., Bochmann, G. and Gecsei, J., (1994) ‘Distributed Multimedia Applications and Quality of Service, Universite de Montreal 1994, Canada.