Cultural Dilemma in the US Postal Service Essay

There are numerous cultural differences in our societies as a result of the numerous diverse cultures that people belong to. Each culture has its own ways of doing things with different cultural norms, values, perceptions, as well as behaviors. People from certain cultures will practice the values, norms and perceptions that their cultures belief in and therefore will end up having difficulties when interacting with people from different cultures who will have differing cultural norms, values and perceptions. These cultural differences are manifested in the workplace as different people from different cultures come together to work together for the common goal of the institution or organization they work for. Since our cultural values and norms influence our individual understandings and perceptions, people will react differently towards events and circumstances that could occur within us and in the environment. These differences in perceptions will affect how employees within an organization will interact with each other and work in harmony so as to satisfy the needs of the organization’s stakeholders. As such, cultural differences are a major concern for managers within organizations as they could help the organization achieve its objectives or hinder it from achieving them. The objectives of an organization are set in place by its stakeholders who have invested in the organization in one way or the other and expect to gain from such an investment in future. It is therefore the responsibility of managers to find a way in which the employees within an organization can work together in a seamless manner despite their differences in culture so as to ensure the organization operates continually for the common good of all stakeholders. The United States Postal Service The Postal Service is an agency authorized by the constitution of the United States and is responsible for the provision of postal services to the whole of the United States. Established in 1775 in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin through the enactment of a decree passed by the second continental congress, it experienced minimal growth and was later transformed in to its current form as an independent organization through the signing of the postal reorganization act of 1970 by President Nixon. As an independent organization, the postal service is self sufficient and does not rely on taxpayer’s money for its operations. The Postal Service’s mission is to offer the American people with trusted wide-reaching postal services that are at affordable prices. As such, the Postal Service is the only delivery service within the United States with the responsibility of providing all of the various features of a universal postal service at reasonably priced rates. The Postal Service conveys about 660 million mails to about 142 million delivery spot around the United States. Although the postal service enjoys a monopoly as contained in Article I, (8), (7) of the Constitution that grants the Postal Service with the special right to make delivery of letters in addition to the power to restrict the access to mailbox that are exclusively meant for mail. Its major competitors are United Parcel Service and FedEx. The postal service manages 32,741 post offices within the United States with a labor force of about 656,000 employees. Cultural differences of management and how they affect the US Postal Service The United States is a country that is full of cultural diversity with different cultural practices based on the numerous ethnic groups that live in the United States. The employees working in the postal service are drawn from these different cultural groups. As such, managers at the postal service have to deal with these differences effectively so as to ensure continues success of the organization. In doing so, managers need to be aware of and understand the seven dimensions of culture developed by Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner detailed in their book Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business. Below is a discussion of these seven dimensions. Universalism v/s Particularism This dimension is based on the view of how a culture perceives rules and relationships. Cultures that embrace universalism hold the belief that general rules, values, codes, norms and standards take preference over other particular needs, claims of friendship and other relations. In a society that is universalistic, the rules usually apply equally to all of the members of the universe (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Exceptions to these rules are deemed as to weaken them. Universalism is based on finding rules that take a broad and general picture. In the event that there lacks a rule that fits for accomplishing something, universalism advocates for taking the alternative of establishing the most appropriate rule. Cultures that embrace Particularism perceive the ideal culture as one that is based on human friendship, and intimate relationships . People in these cultures view the spirit of the law as being more significant than the letter of the law. This has the effect that when the rules within a culture take a perfect fit, people in such a culture will judge the case based on the advantages of the law instead of attempting to force the rule to fit. Rules and regulations within particularistic cultures merely codify how people are supposed to relate to one another. Individualism v/s Communitarianism This dimension is based on the view of how members of a culture functions, whether in groups or as individuals. Individualism has a basis on rights that appertain to an individual. This is usually experienced in communities that have loose ties connecting their members resulting in an expectation of individuals to look after themselves. Individualism is aimed at giving individuals the right to personal space as well as the freedom of doing things as per individual liking (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). It permits each individual to develop or fail on an individual basis, as well as perceiving group-focus as striping the person of their absolute rights. Individualistic cultures are more egotistical and give emphasis to their personal goals. People resulting from individualistic cultures have a propensity of thinking only on personal basis. Communitarianism or collectivism is based on rights that appertain to a group. Collective cultures usually place a lot of emphasize on groups and are more concerned with the whole rather than on the single individual. Harmony as well as loyalty within a group are very imperative and ought to be maintained always (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Confrontations of any kind are highly avoided with people using expressions and phrases that would describe an argument in less negative manner. Saying no to others is considered to be wrong and deemed as a way of destroying the harmony found within these groups. Neutral v/s Emotional Emotional or neutral perspectives are used in the description of how cultures articulate their emotions. Emotional cultures articulate their emotions in a natural way (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). This is witnessed in reactions that occur instantly through verbal and/or non-verbal means such as mimic as well as body signals. Members of the emotional culture unlike those in the neutral culture display a tendency of overreaction creating scenes. Emotional cultures are usually focused on the individual and rarely on the object or position of discussion. It is considered to be alright for one to use emotional intelligence when making decisions. It is also okay for people to show various forms of physical contact while in public and during the communication process. The neutral culture tends to avoid displaying emotions publically. This is based on the fact that neutral cultures do not reveal what they are thinking in a way that is more precise as well as direct (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). This is an aspect that has the likelihood of leading to misunderstandings. This is because emotions of a certain kind may not necessarily demonstrate a certain situation. Neutral cultures usually appear to be rather reserved, an aspect that cannot be viewed as an indication of their disinterest or boredom. This appearance of reservation is based on lack of emotional tone. On a general perspective they harbor feelings of discomfort over contact in public resulting in a mode of communication that is more subtle thus making it hard for members of another culture to understand. Specific vs. diffuse Specific cultures are those that usually have a small area reserved for privacy and its separated from the public life. People in these societies have many interactions with the outside world and are constantly involved in such activities such as socializing in various areas that involve many people. People from these cultures have a rather small amount of privacy preferring to share there interests with others who are within their groups of socialization (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from such a culture deal with specifics and will view the whole as a sum of these specific parts. The life of an individual is divided into several specific parts and one deals with one part at a time. Conversely, diffuse cultures are usually concerned with maintaining people’s privacy. People in these cultures will avoid any kind of confrontations in the public and have a high degree of privacy preferring to share just a small amount of their private life with other people especially strangers (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from diffuse cultures usually start with the whole before going down to the various parts that make it up. Each of the parts is viewed in the viewpoint of the whole total with all of these parts being related to one another. These people prefer attributes and behaviors that help build trust and honesty fostering the building of strong relationships. Achievement vs. ascription This dimension is concerned with the status accorded to individuals within cultures. In cultures that are achievement oriented, the status of an individual is based on the accomplishments that one has achieved and accomplished. Individuals from these cultures gain their status from the various things that they have accomplished on their own (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). A person with such a status has to show prove of what he or she is worth with the various powerful positions within the culture being accorded to people who have certain accomplishments. In cultures that are ascription oriented, the status of an individual is based on the groups that one is associated with. In ascriptive societies, individuals gain their status mainly through birth, gender, wealth, or age (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). A person who has an ascribed status does not necessarily have to accomplish something so as to preserve his status since his or her status is accorded based on his or her being. Sequential vs. synchronic This dimension is concerned with the attitude of a culture towards time. People who are from sequential cultures tend to carry out one thing at a time in a sequential manner . They examine time as distinct, and made up of consecutive divisions which are both tangible and divisible (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from these cultures strongly prefer to plan for their time and will keep to these plans once they made them so as to aid in implementation. Any time commitments that one might have are usually taken seriously and staying on schedule is considered an important aspect of time management. Sequential people in particular place a lot of importance on the value of completing of tasks. Conversely, people from cultures that are synchronic usually perform several tasks at a time. These cultures view time is a constant flow that allows many things and tasks to be carried out simultaneously (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Time is perceived as a force that one can not be able to contain or control. Time is also regarded as flexible as well as intangible. Time commitments are often desirable but not absolute with plans that people could be having being easily changed. Internal vs. external control This dimension is concerned with the attitude of a culture towards the environment. In internal cultures, people usually posses a mechanistic outlook of nature. They perceive nature as an intricate machine and which can be directed if one has the correct expertise needed to do so. People from these societies do not believe in the existence of luck or any form of predestination (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). These people are directed towards the inside as one’s personal decision is usually deemed to be the starting position for each action that they will do. They also believe that one can live the kind of life that he or she wants to live if that are in a position to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that might come on the way. In addition, they believe that man is capable of dominating nature if he wishes to do so. . In external cultures, people usually posses an organic outlook of nature. They perceive that mankind is one of the forces of nature and should therefore operate in one accord and harmoniously with the rest of the environment. These cultures hold the believe that man should subdue to nature as well as get along with the other forces existing within the environment (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). These people do not believe in their ability of shaping their own destiny but rather hypothesize that nature moves in rather mysterious ways hence one can not never know what is going to happen in the future. As such, their actions are directed externally to the environment and are adapted to the external circumstances surrounding them. Conclusion Based on these seven dimensions, the American culture is individualistic, achievement, emotional, internal, sequential, universalistic, and specific. These dimensions have several implications that managers need to consider in order to make sure that the employees are able to work in a manner that benefits the organization as well as themselves especially in a large organization such as the postal service that employs over 600, 000 employees. In addition, due to the cultural diversity present in the United States and the growth of globalization, there are numerous citizens from different cultures in the United States that do not follow these seven dimensions of the American culture and therefore follow different aspects of the seven dimensions. With the postal service being a national agency that offers employment to all citizens irrespective of their cultural backgrounds, managers need to ensure that the employees are able to work in a manner that benefits the organization. This will require the managers to build cultural understanding through: †¢ Building awareness of cultural differences. †¢ Educating the employees on the various strengths and limitations of different cultures within the workplace †¢ Educating the employees on the Building skills the impact of cultural differences within the workplace †¢ Educating the employees on various adaptive behaviors that could help them to realize valuable results within a setting with cultural differences. †¢ Building unity and consistency through team working †¢ Developing a shared understanding and vision between the employees †¢ Establishing effective communication channels amongst the employees to facilitate quality exchange of ideas between themselves †¢ Establishing feedback mechanisms aimed at reviewing and improving the employee’s awareness of cultural differences. In addition, the managers need to come up with strategies that will enable the postal service to compete effectively. This will require them to actively develop: †¢ A shared understanding of the organization’s goals and objectives †¢ An acknowledgment of the significance of diversity in contributing towards expertise. †¢ A clear and shared comprehension of the role of professional pooling of skills and knowledge within the organization. Reference Trompenaars, F. , & Hampden-Turner, C. (1998). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business. New York: McGraw Hill.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer

I tend to agree that young children can be negatively affected by too much time spent on the computer every day. This is partly because sitting in front of the screen for too long can be damaging to both the eyes and the physical posture of a young child, regardless of what they are using the computer for. However, the main concern is about the type of computer activities that attract children. These are often electronic games that tend to be very intense and rather violent. The player is usually the hero of the game and too much exposure can encourage children to be self-centered an insensitive to others. Even when children use a computer for other purposes, such as getting information or emailing friends, it is no substitute for human interaction. Spending time with other children and sharing non- virtual experiences is an important part of a child's development that can't be provided by a computer. In spite of this, the obvious benefits of computer skills for young children cannot be denied. Their adult wold will be changing constantly in terms of technology and the internet is the key to all the knowledge and information available in the wold today. There fore it is important that children learn at an early age to use the equipment enthusiastically and with confidence as they will need these skills throughout their studies and working lives. I think the main point is to make sure that young children do not overuse computers. Parents must ensure that their children learn to enjoy other kinds of activity and not simply sit at home, learning to live in a virtual word.

Importance of language development Essay

Introduction As psycholinguists began to chart the course of language development, they were amazed that children could learn such a complex symbol system at such good pace. After all, many infants are using arbitrary words to refer to objects and activities before they even begin to walk. By age 5, children already seem to know and use most of the syntactical structures of their native tongue, even though they have yet to receive their first formal lesson in grammar. Marian Whitehead, a consultant on the early years of children, compares the Steiner approach with that of a nursery. She states in her book Supporting Language and Literacy Development in the Early Years and believes that Steiner’s growth stems from the fact that parents are worried about the over-formalization in early education (Whitehead, 2004). Learning theorists represent the empiricist point of view. From their perspective, language is obviously learned. However, other theorists point out that children the world over seem to display similar linguistic achievements at about the same age: They all babble by 4 to 6 months of age, utter their first meaningful word by age 12 to 13 months, begin to combine word by the end of the school year, and know the meaning of many thousands of words and are constructing a staggering array of grammatical sentences by the tender age of 4 or 5. Importance of Language in Imparting of Knowledge to Young Children All the other ways of knowing are controlled by language. The appropriate use of language is central to virtually all aspects of learning and social development. Successful and appropriate language communication is also closely linked to the individual’s place in society, while the inability to communicate clearly hampers and may virtually eliminate a person’s ability to cope with even the simplest educational and social situations. For teachers, language is important and in fact, traditionally, psychological accounts of language development have been developed by theorists who have included language learning in their discussions of a general acquisition process (Miller & Dollard, 1941; Skinner, 1957). Skinner, for example, believes that language is learned, in large measure by waiting for children to emit approximations of the forms of speech which are ultimately desired and then by gradual shaping (by parents or other socializing agents) until the correct sounds and sentence forms can be reproduced in appropriate situations with a high degree of fidelity. This is a fair representation of the interrelationship between perception, emotion, reason and language, for numerous experiments have now disclosed that principles for generating novel responses can be acquired through the observation of others (Bandura & McDonald, 1963) If principles of language usage, rather than mere words, can be shown to be acquired through observational learning, then this would provide at least a partial account of the process of language acquisition. Importance of Language in Schools. How the schools perceive language and whether modifications in the curriculum and imparting of knowledge are made as a result are important factors to keep in mind. The fact that English speakers rarely have the opportunity to enter bilingual education programs reinforces status of these programs. This is where the methodology of knowledge is more important than the knowledge itself. Similarly, imitation and reinforcement clearly play some part in early language development. Certainly, it is no accident that children end up speaking the same language their parents speak, down to the regional accent. In addition young children are quicker to acquire and use the proper name for toys when reinforced for doing so by receiving the toys to play with (Whitehurst & Valdez-Menchaca, 1988). One’s cultural and social upbringing affects the way a person views this. There are no assumptions or deducing involved here. One can verify the information by just looking again at the dizzying array of program alternatives in bilingual education, each claiming to be more successful than the others. In general, most research has found that bilingual programs of all kinds are effective not only in teaching students content area knowledge in their native language but also in teaching them English. This has been proven time and again to be the case in research analyses and specific program reviews (Hakuta, 1990). Whitehead claims that there is an insight in Steiner’s kindergarten routine that can be useful in mainstream settings. Examples of these are its emphasis on play, arts and crafts and storytelling and its integrated curriculum. It is important that children have a good background on language development from the early years. Conclusions If we want our schools to educate the students well, we need teachers who are well-trained, highly respected professionals. But teachers today are not given the right opportunities to be trained well. We simply cannot expect to implement rigorous standards and testing, tightened discipline and effective early interventions without true professionals to deliver them. It is imperative that colleges of education should overhaul their curriculums to include methods of evaluating scientific research. Teachers must know how to determine the effectiveness of new ideas, textbooks and methods of teaching. They have eagerly swallowed too many myths and fads for too long. Knowledge of the social learning theory and its application in a classroom set-up will afford them the chance to create activities that will enhance learning through modeling and imitation. The professionalization of teaching extends beyond teacher preparation to the way educators are treated once they enter practice. Schools cannot possibly train, recruit, and retain teachers who possess sophisticated critical thinking skills until they reward teachers with respect and support. But rewards must also be associated with expectations. Almost miraculously, many excellent, dedicated and well-educated teachers work in public schools today. However, society must muster the courage to weed out or retrain educators who lack the necessary talent and skill to teach our young. Our children deserve true, highly regarded professionals to lead them especially during the early years of his language learning. The child is unique and perceives and understands the world differently from the way the adult does. Thus, the child’s ideas are valued. This kind of philosophy has an integrated core curriculum which is best suited to the developmental interaction and sees the child as a thinking self-propelling, well-adjusted individual. A teacher must believe that the basic tenet of her kind of approach is that the growth of cognitive functions–acquiring and ordering information, judging and reasoning, problem solving, using systems of symbol–cannot be separated from the growth of personal and interpersonal processes–the development of self-esteem and sense of identity, internalization of impulse control, capacity of autonomous response and relatedness to other people. This active form of learning permits young children to quickly acquire literally thousands of new responses in a variety of settings where their â€Å"models† are simply pursuing their interests and are not trying to teach them anything. Thus, when we look at it really close, children are continually learning both desirable and undesirable responses and proceeds so very rapidly along so many different paths, especially in the area of language development. REFERENCES Bandura, A. & McDonald F. J. (1963) The influence of social reinforcement and the behavior of models in shaping children’s moral judgments. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 67, 274-281. Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York, NY: General Learning Press. Hakuta, K. (1990). Bilingualism and Bilingual Education: A Research Perspective,† no. 1 Washington, DC: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. Miller, N. E. & Dollard, (1941). J. Social learning and imitation. New Haven: Yale University Press Whitehead, M. (2004). Language and Literacy in Early Years. Whitehurst & Valdez-Menchaca, (1988). What is the role of reinforcement in early language acquisition? Child Development. 59, 430-440.

AMPACK Computer Company Computer Platform Upgrade Essay

AMPACK Computer Company Computer Platform Upgrade - Essay Example This will help in the transmission and processing of different computerized jobs at hand. To accomplish this, a server that will serve for internet connection provider and a file server need allocation in the office setup. All computer units must have LAN cards installed and a server router or network switch provided to mediate the connection. Once you know what type of computer hardware and software you will need, it is time for you to decide whether you want to purchase for a desktop or laptop computer. To help you decide, we will list the major advantages and disadvantages of both types of computers. The type of computer you choose will depend on how you intend to use it. A portable desktop computer platform is used on a typical office setup, which can be adopted in the company's system. However, laptops are also applicable in some departments preferably the managerial branch to have it transferable if corporate meeting presentation is needed or other similar cases. Portability is more important than performance, because you need to move the computer routinely, choose a laptop. If you will be moving the system very frequently, consider a smaller-sized laptop. Choosing the right Operating System for AMPACK office infrastructure is easily managed since there are current systems involved. Installing Windows XP for the workstation platform and windows 2003 for the server could minimize the current software needs of employees for production jobs. Most computer software needed to do the task involved in production, accounting, and managerial are mostly based on windows environment. Preferring to use this operating system would minimize cost for an over-all adjustment if a new operating system will be used. Not only minimizing the cost for software adjustment but also minimizes the cost for future technical training to staffs who physically involves with the workstations on their daily task. In relation to that, our server will be under the Windows 2003 Server system. The concern for this is the reliability, security and robustness compared to other operating system. Windows 2003 Server edition offers a complete solution for a typical server. T his comprises the file server, internet, printer, email, DNS and database server. If we will consider using Linux and other operating system, the employees will have to adjust to the environment, which they currently are familiar. Software adjustment will be costly if we will use other operating system. Some may say that other software is free or is cheaper than windows but the software and hardware compatibility is limited. The software needed in the company's daily task may not be compatible to other operating system. Thus, windows based systems are encouraged to install because of its wide-range of compatibility that meets the company's requirements. Other than windows and Linux, Macintosh would be an expensive option. Many people are unaware of how easy and inexpensive it is to interconnect existing computers to form a small Local Area Network (LAN). If you are using Windows 2000/XP, no additional software is required to benefit from basic network functions such as shared use of directories, drives, or printers and the hardware costs are minimal. A network can substantially simplify internet access for two or more people. Of course, another reason for setting

Unit 1 - Business Enviroment + Unit Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Unit 1 - Business Enviroment + Unit - Coursework Example erent organizations, there are however four basic goals that an organization focuses on like survival in the growing competitive market, enhancing profits through increased sales and reduced production costs, growth and expansion, and capturing increasing share of the national and international markets. Since most organizations essentially seek profits therefore making maximum profit becomes the most important objective of the owners. However, there are some organizations like the charitable organizations whose principle purpose is to provide service to people. In the beginning of any business, an organization has no goodwill in the market nor does it have loyal customers. Therefore, in the initial stage the key objective remains survival which can be achieved through good marketing and promotional strategies. With the growth of the business, profit making becomes the most important objective. In most organizations, it is the owners who decide what the objectives should be for a give n period; however there are other stakeholders who can also give their views and opinions. Stakeholders are any group of people who have interest in the activities of the business organization which can be managers, employees, suppliers and customers. When a stakeholder’s interest is considered then it is known as stakeholder consideration like owners giving up part of their profits to pay bonus to the employees in order to motivate them to focus harder towards fulfilling the objectives of the concerned organization (BBC, 2014). The objectives of a business organization are subjected to change for both internal reasons, like business expansion, and external reasons, such as economic depression. When a profitable business gets negatively affected by economic depression like decreasing sales, it may change its goal from profit maximization goal to survival as it may become difficult to maintain the same level of output. Organizational objectives and missions are some of the vit al

Entrepreneuship-creating a business opportunity(nutrition restaurant) Essay

Entrepreneuship-creating a business opportunity(nutrition restaurant) - Essay Example I have always had an interest in cooking and serving people. Thus a restaurant was the best idea. Because starting the company should also be in consideration. My finances are not enough at the moment and starting up a business would be a good source of income and has an added advantage. It is what I love doing thus no stress for me while undertaking this activity. The time for starting the company should be perfect so as to make maximum profit from it (Osnabrugge and Robinson 2000). Summertime is a perfect time to open the Chinese nutrition restaurant in London as many people are on holiday. A nutritional restaurant was the best choice as there is non-other on Middlesex Street, London (Hisrich 2011). Many people are trying to live a healthy life, and a Chinese Nutritional Restaurant would be the best choice of business. Prior to the start of any business, it is important to look at the macro market. The initials PESTEL helps a person decide how best to set up the business. The political, economic, and social environment determines the success of a company. The area should have a healthy political environment (Johnson 2005). The rate of transactions that go on in Middlesex Street makes it a perfect location to set up the business. It is an area that has many economic and social activities, thus guarantee customers (Shane 2000). The kind of business one chooses should have the latest technological advancement in them so as to serve the customers better. The business should also be legal and follow all the government’s requirements before going into it. A nutritional restaurant meets all the above specifications and would be a good idea. The street is perfect for the restaurant and would ensure profit for the owner of the restaurant (Stevenson and Jarillo 2007). Four critical factors determine the success of a business, these factors are customer, competition, company and confederations. One should identify the customers before putting up the business. A

SEXUAL OFFENCES AND OFFENDING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

SEXUAL OFFENCES AND OFFENDING - Essay Example According to Lees (2000), law reform initiatives have expanded the definitions of rape, advocacy groups have become more widespread and established, and police officers have been exposed to better training and education programmes. However, it remains less clear how these changes have been accompanied by a significant shift in police officers’ attitudes towards rape complainants. This paper seeks to examine the response of police officers to rape allegations, the manner in which police investigate these allegations, and the challenges faced by the police when dealing with these allegations. According to Epstein and Langebahn (1994), offences if sexual violation and rape have notoriously low reporting rates. Few victims are willing to approach the police on their own accord. At the same time, of the cases that are reported, few of them proceed to the point of prosecution. While several studies have been conducted on rape cases which resulted in prosecution, little research has been conducted on complainant’s experiences of reporting rape to the police. This is despite the significant reforms to law and procedures taking effect in the mid 1980s. One of the first countries to attempt key reforms in its rape laws was New Zealand. It introduced an expanded and gender-neutral definition of rape in 1986. It also abolished married men’s right to spousal immunity from prosecution for rape. Similar reforms have been undertaken in England, the United States, and Australia. Jordan (2001) draws from a research conducted in the 1990s to determine the level to which women’s experiences of reporting rape to the police had improved since the reforms in New Zealand were initiated. In the study, 48 women were interviewed, with extensive information obtained regarding reporting and statement-taking, the medical examination, and support agency contacts. Throughout the study, there was a recurring issue. This is whether or not a woman

Short Answer Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short Answer Responses - Essay Example speech, privacy and the right to a fair hearing and the opportunity to counter the allegations of incompetence and inappropriate remarks are the substantive rights that require protection. 2. Due process under the 5th and 14th Amendment apply in Situation B because the teacher is tenured and property rights are at stake. To this end the dismissal essential deprives the teacher of his property rights and to do so requires that the authorities take certain fair procedural steps as provided for under the US Constitution. The mode of action taken must commensurate with the interest the interest protected. To this end, deprivation of job security should entail an opportunity to respond to the allegations giving rise to the action plan and the dismissal, an opportunity to be heard on the issues and right to appeal any decision. These procedural rights are measured against the school’s interest and the welfare of the students and will only be protected to such an extent that they do not compromise school policy and the welfare of the students. 3. Virginia Code SS 63.2-1503, 63.2-1505 and 63.2-1516.1 apply to situation B. Virginia Code SS 63.2.1503 requires investigation by School officials of suspected incidents of child neglect and abuse. In this case the teacher has been accused of Child neglect with respect to his method of teaching and making inappropriate comments to the children. This invokes Virginia Code SS 63.2.1502. Virginia Code 63.2-1505 requires that the person/teacher investigated be notified of the complaint investigation. In other words a fair protocol regarding employment greivances is required to be followed. If the matter goes to court, the codes may be invoked by the plaintiff to counter any claims by the defendant that he was denied procedural due process. 4. Title VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act 1964 as amended does not arise in the case in Situation B. Title VI arises in instances where the application of public funds is

Valourec Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Valourec Case Analysis - Essay Example The adoption of better technology in the production process yield stunning result in its outcome. If the company chooses most feasible and comfortable method of production in its operation, they can come up with unique feature to the market with modest feature.However its implementation process requires high cost and it cannot affordable to the small and medium scale enterprise due to heavy initial investment. Vallourec was a well motivated a strong personality who aimed to upgrade his production in to world class.The present world is considered as the era of science and technology. Hence due to his well wish, his company could reach countries top most metal tubing manufacturer within a short time. The chemical and gas field requires a huge investment, Technology, Skilled labor and mechanism. If the company follows modern technology and unique production method, they can come up with most efficient low cost product in to the market. The quickest process called by the injunction moldi ng process, which is a highly developed technology adopted by the Vallourec under its steel production process. So here the company was highly interested in developing the quickset process to reduce the production process and to increase the efficiency in the production process. Yet it is a unique production method and it is a adoptable to the metals due to its microscopic layer. The development of technology may incur several time with different stages throughout the process. However the strong desire of the management helped the company to become one of the major manufacturers of metal tubes in the country. However this case study is an attempt to give information on the adoption of modern technology and unique production method than the traditional method of production. Hence this case study reveals the truth, which is involved in the production process by the application of best practice in its operation. Identification of key issues, problems, and opportunities and Evaluation of alternative strategic approaches to deal with the identified problems Vellore's Venture case is one of the most successful cases in the Metal melting process industry. The ultimate aim of every business magnate is to maximize their wealth with a limited risk and prospects. So they require higher return to their heavy investment with in a limited period. Hence the business would modify according to its area of business and the best available methods to operate. Similarly in this case they corporation applied several techniques and methods to get higher return and outcome with a limited effort than the market competitor. The technological innovation gives most suitable and feasible solution to the conventional method of production, where the company can avoid the traditional method of production and come up with unique product to the market. Due to its operation it may suffer several internal as well as the external problems. Let us evaluate the main problems and how it helped to the Vellore's venture to become no one metal producer in the country. Similar to the other metal melting industry the Vellore's has its own issues and problems in the business mater. Yet the company could manage the problem with its effective future plans and strategies. The first and foremost issues related to the process are raising cost. The cost problem is common to almost all business enterprise in the world. However the cost is the major problem and it caused to rise in its price. The rising in the general price of Gas and its material would be a great burden to the Vellore's industry. The slumping sales in the major market hit a heavy burden to the company due to constant increase in the operational cost. So it leads the company in to the situation, where it couldn't estimate the operational cost of its north steel process. Yet on the ultimate stage it could recover its cost in to profitable on due to fell in the oil price in 1979. However it is generally reflecting the issues that the company had been following the conventional

The Image of American Rock Culture in 1960s Research Paper

The Image of American Rock Culture in 1960s - Research Paper Example Rock music is a genre of music that emerged in the United States in the 1950s and spread to different parts of the English-speaking world by the 1990s (Frith Para 1). Rock music emerged as Rock and Roll and it was modified over the years with the inclusion of different genres and styles of music that culminated in a completely different from of music that served various minority interests and popular streams of music. Due to Rock Music’s diverse components, it has split into different types of genres that are active today. One of the notable definitions of Rock music is presented by the Canadian government who define it as music characterized by â€Å"a strong beat, the use of blues forms and the presence of rock instruments such as electric guitar, electric bass, electric organ and electric piano† (Britanicca Developmental Association 2). This presents a set of distinct sounds and it is characterized by the fact that the music is of a distinct nature and of a distinct sound which is somewhat different from other forms of music. The British legislators identified that rock involves all forms of music characterized by â€Å"a strong rhythmic element and a reliance on electronic amplification for their performance† (Britanicca Developmental Association 2). Therefore, like other music forms that were traditionally known to the British society, Rock music comes with some kind of electronic inputs and electronic instruments that makes it different and unique. This provides various forms of influence over listeners that is somewhat different from the effects of the different kinds of songs that existed before Rock music. The distinction between Rock music and other forms of music showed that it was a style of music that was not known prior to its emergence. And it created various forms of performance approaches that were distinct from other

Leadership and change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership and change - Essay Example All the employees presented such a feeling mainly due to neurosis or mental distress. This means, if an employee or employees are not mentally satisfied with the organizational culture or management strategies then such a situation arises. Not only this, maximum extent of co-workers reacted very roughly that lowered my perception towards them. Such a situation aroused mainly due to lack of communication or interpersonal skills. As the employees created a communicational gap within me and them, so their level of dedication and commitment towards the assigned goals also declined significantly. Along with this, the level of performance and productivity of the employees of my department also reduced that hampered the portfolio of the organization in the market. In addition, due to lack of dedication, our department failed to achieve the targets that hindered our reputation among other subsequent departments of the organization. Moreover, due to communicational gap, the other employees of our department failed to converse with me that hampered the operations and functions of the organization to a significant extent. As a result of which, the brand image and dominance of me, as a supervisor declined significantly that proved extremely worse for me and the organization. If a similar above mentioned situation is again faced by me, then I would organise a meeting with all my colleagues and interpersonally communicate with them. In that meeting, I would try to analyse and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each employee at the time of communication so as to reduce the gap among them. Apart from this, such an interpersonal communication might help the employees to communicate effectively with me that might enhance the motivational skills of both of us. This might prove effective in enhancement of the dedication power of the employees thereby amplifying their performance and efficiency at work. In addition, to enhance the

Executive Summary Essay Example for Free

Executive Summary Essay Patient education is crucial to improve quality of patient care, increase healthy behaviors and improve health status. Nursing and patient interaction plays a very important role, and part of a nurses’ job is to educate the patient (Ferguson et al., 2013). Educational programs such as nursing groups would be of great benefit to implement at Aurora Behavioral Health facility. The following content will provide the purpose, target audience, benefits and more details on why implementing this programming will benefit this facility and improve quality of care. Purpose of Programming The main purpose of this programming is to improve patient health and slow down disease deterioration. This also gives the patients a chance to express some of their worries or concerns regarding the treatment or medication they are getting. This type of population already has a challenging time understanding their own condition and or state of mind, not all of them but most of them since they are mentally challenges due to their psychotic disorder. This programming also serves the purpose of nurses developing a therapeutic relationship with their patients, often times nurses will be able to pick up if there is a change in behavior, which can become a very important hint when related to a patient that is severely depressed. Overall increased customer satisfaction is the end goal. Target Audience The target audiences are psychotic, depressed, and detoxing patients. With psychotic patients that are on multiple psychotropic medications it is important to constantly be educating on the side effects of the medication such as lithium and the importance of hydration. Behavioral health technicians would also benefit from this as well as they themselves can  encourage patients to abide by these helpful hints reducing complications that can occur. Benefits of Programming An educated patient can participate in improvement of their own treatment helping improve outcomes or being capable of identifying errors before they occur ending in a shorter length of stay and a speedy recovery (Hà ¤tà ¶nen et al., 2010). For example a patient who has a good knowledge and understands what medications they are on and the times they are taken, will be able to catch a medication error perhaps by recognizing the pill itself and might realize and say â€Å" I take that medication at night, not in the morning† unfortunately we are humans and make mistakes. Individuals with poor mental health conditions often feel inferior, this nursing program will help them build more confidence and also allow one on one time with their nurse resulting in therapeutic relationship. Nurses will also have the benefit of becoming more familiar with his or her patients and recognize any changes in attitude or behavior. Cost, Budget Justification . The only cost in this programming would be the time put into by the nurses. There has to be adequate staffing so the nurse is able to take the time to accomplish this daily task. There are only a few requirements perhaps having the nurse with the lower patient acuity do the nursing group. The cost would be minimal such as providing the patient with printed material for them to read as some of them learn better by reading. Evaluation Basis A nursing group would consist of thirty minutes to an hour dedicated to educate patients to touch base on important topics. Some important topics consist of safety, medications and its side effects, warning signs of complications or basic topics such as hydration and nutrition. The nursing group will be done once a day preferably during the daytime shift when patients are alert and awake. There are two nurses per unit which consists of 20 beds, one nurse can do nursing group while the other remains at the nurses station attending to the rest of the patients that decided not to attend or couldn’t for various reasons. The nursing supervisor is  responsible to making a file with numerous health related topics that would be targeted to this type of population. If there is a chaotic busy day with more important priorities to where nurses don’t have the time to teach nursing group, it can be cancelled and held until the next day. Conclusion Patient education needs continuing emphasis in the healthcare systems and educational programs such as nursing group. This is crucial to patients in the experience of their illness and in the community. According to a study patients perceive structured and systematically conducted patient education programs very useful (Koivunen, et al., 2012). Informed patients can lessen changes of malpractice claims and improve and increase overall patient satisfaction. This is a low cost effective program that will help achieve and meet patient satisfaction as it improves quality of patient care. . References Ferguson, Linda, M., Heather Ward, Sharon Card, Suzanne Sheppard, and Jane McMurtry. 2013. Putting the patient back into patient-centred care: An education perspective. Nurse Education In Practice 13, no. 4: 283-287. CINAHL Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed September 29, 2014) Hà ¤tà ¶nen, H., Suhonen, R., Warro, H., Pitkà ¤nen, A., Và ¤limà ¤ki, M. (2010). Patients perceptions of patient education on psychiatric inpatient wards: a qualitative study. Journal Of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 17(4), 335-341. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01530.x Koivunen, M. M., Huhtasalo, J. J., Makkonen, P. P., VÄLimÄKi, M. M., HÄTÃâ€"Nen, H. H. (2012). Nurses roles in systematic patient education sessions in psychiatric nursing. Journal Of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 19(6), 546-554. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01833.x

Philosophy of Samsung

Philosophy of Samsung Question 1 Samsung is a popular name in almost every household across the world. Samsung group products range from phones to washing machine. Emerging in the 1928 as a food exporter in Korea, shipping seafoods to China (Nytimes.com, 2013). Prior to becoming Samsung Electronics, between 1950 and 1960, Samsung got into business like textiles and manufacturing (Kovach, 2013). Business of textiles and manufacturing proved to be successful to Samsung because their profits had soared by 20-folds (Fundinguniverse.com, 2002). During the late 60s, Samsung group became Samsung Electronics, mainly responsible for manufacturing television. It made its first black and white television in 1970. Parallel to producing electronic goods such as television, Samsung became a part of many service businesses including insurance, department store and security. Samsungs founder Lee Byung-Chull was charged with corruption during the 1960s, which is when Samsung tasted its bitter time period. However the charges dropped as it was proved to be a result of fabrication (Fundinguniverse.com, 2002). Nevertheless, after the release of Lee, due to the start of electronics sale, Samsung continued to witness growth between 1970 and 1980. In the year of 1980, Samsung had bought a well-known telecommunication company known as Hanguk Jeonja Tongsin (Kovach, 2013). As a result, Samsung started the production of telephone, fax machines and switchboards. Despite Samsungs founders death, Samsung maintained its core values and approaches. Its standards could allow for continual expansion (Mathew, 2012). It invested money in research to develop new technology which brought Samsung a good outcome. It is evident in 1992 when Samsung became the only brand name to produce memory chips. Huge profits were made during 1995 when Samsung build Liquid Crystal Display screen (Lim and Park, 2012). Samsungs mass electronics production did not leave it behind in other industries it had invested in. Its construction division was able to conduct big projects like the Burj Khalifa and the Petronas Tower (Kovach, 2013). Recently Samsung surfaced in media reports for all the wrong reasons. These included, the vice-chairman of Samsung, Lee Jae-Yong arrested and Samsung Galaxy Note 7 catching on fire. According to Appendix 1, it is evident that an influential chaebol like Samsung are deeply connected and have ties with government. Opposing the Chaebol system is opposing government which got Lee facing charges of bribery and corruption. Furthermore, it is important to understand that company like Samsung are grounded by the Korean values and the Chaebols do not necessarily accept westernised method of working. Lees western education gave him the vision to change the way this Chaebol functions but as his friend quoted he still operates in a very much Koreanised economic, political and business environment, indicating that the government is not willing to sacrifice the years of traditions and culture that the Chaebols were founded upon (Martin and Cheng, 2017). In short, Samsungs philosophy is described as Inspired by humans, creating the future (Design.samsung.com, 2014). This implies Samsung values the ideas spawned by people and believes that it is essential for us to construct the future in terms of building new technology and revolutionising the way technology plays its role in the society. It also mentions about sustainable values which Samsung promotes, not only to its employees but also to the wide community to build designs and use technology that is compatible with the environment (Design.samsung.com, 2014). Samsungs aim also includes to bring joy and meaning to our lives, focusing on developing the technology that empowers us (Design.samsung.com, 2014). Samsung stands by its three goals which are: balance of reasoning and feeling, simplicity with resonance and meaningful innovation. Keeping into account with its history and understanding its goals for the future, it is valid to conclude that Samsungs approach to future is to inte grate technology in our lives to move forward into the future. Question 2 Chaebol is a style that emerged in the early sixties in South Korea. It is a style started by a conglomerate of businesses that were formed through various strategies introduced by the government, in order to build the Korean economy post war (Stephen, n.d.). The centralised ownership of business like the Chaebol, is leading the Korean economy ever since its creation. Parallel to western style, the organisation/s is owned by the founders family, where the professionals manage and owner earns the credits of both owning and managing the organisation. Chaebol implemented policies that promoted manufacturing industries and exporting of goods which were in synchronisation with the world economic trend, therefore stabilising Korean economic growth and development (Murillo and Sung, 2013). Central leadership to work towards national development and cultural emphasis on acceptance of authority are key features of Korean society which Chaebol implemented into its work management. This as a result made Chaebol grow towards success. Samsung and LG are examples of prominent chaebols known today. Organisation culture is the way members of the particular organisation behave with each other as a result of shared values, beliefs and assumption (Robbins and Coulter, 2012). This is particularly important to highlight when discussing Chaebols organisational culture. Koreas Chaebol is known for its distinguishing management style. Some of its many key features include: self-made founders, management by clan and tight ties with the government (Yoo and Lee, 1987). The management style of Chaebol is that of top-down management. The owners or founders have large influence in the management of Chaebol. Chaebols are largely influenced by the Korean values which sustain Chaebols success (Economist.com, 2017). Its rise in the 1960s meant that the working style was similar to that of colonial Japanese Zaibatsu, however the Korean Chaebols management stick to Confucians tradition, which Korean society is significantly based on. The Confucian tradition promotes the necessity and strength in fa milial relations. Hence the owners are regarded as the father-figure while the employees maintain their sense of belonging through brotherhood (Rhyu, 2017). Confucian culture is not only embedded within the firms but also forms the basis for the management of powerful ties between Chaebol and the government (Rhyu, 2017). The time period of 1960 was also a factor that gave Chaebols a unique characteristic. Conflict during that time had a huge impact on shaping management practices upheld by the rising Chaebols. In order to establish strong relation between the employee and the company, Chaebols used military disciplines which meant new employee had to undergo training. Training included the learning the firms principles in order to uphold the organisations culture (Economist.com, 2017). Question 3 Due to recent incidents of Samsung phone overheating and catching on flames, Samsung witnessed a huge market share decline. The Korean company had to recall all the Galaxy Note 7 that was sold. It had to recall close to 3 million phones costing Samsung more than $5billion. However the replacement phones also caused overheating. This not only affected the companys market share and position but hit the companys reputation (Hollister, 2016). Shares plummeted so much that it was cut by $17 billion from its market. This left Samsung frantically searching for the reason behind the phones defect. The drop in market value was 8% which was recorded the highest since 2008 (Lee, Kim and Kim, 2016). These phones caught on fire due to battery defects. The battery defects was a result of design flaw. The phone design was not compatible with the battery that was supposed to be fit into the phone. Research reveals that the thin sheets of plastic separating the positive and negative sides had slightl y touched at the edges due to stress hence created a puncture point. This point became least resistant to electric flow and caused the phone to eventually overheat to the point of bursting into flames. Phone industries continue to use lithium batteries despite the risk but lithium battery was not the reason for Samsung Galaxy Note 7 to catch on fire (Tibken and Cheng, 2017). According to Gartner, the worldwide sale of smartphones had increased by 7%. Samsung was No. 1 in Global Smartphone ranking, however after the Galaxy Note 7 incident, during the fourth quarter of 2016, Apple took the No. 1 spot, pushing Samsung to the 2nd position on the Chart (Miller, 2017). Samsung suffered a blow due to the Galaxy Note 7, so it is imperative to be successful with the next new device it introduces to regain its momentum in the market (Titcomb, 2016). Question 4 Every organisation represents and stand by the values that it was founded upon. Similarly, Samsung also represents the values it set when it was founded. It has also set goals which allows the organisation to work towards. Samsung, to be a leading smartphone producer, has taken years of shaping the way the organisation works and made improvements where required such as adopting western ethics and code of conduct. Recently, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has caused severe damage and loss to Samsung (Titcomb, 2016). Although its ranking on the global smartphone has fallen from the first to second, the monetary loss and the blow to its reputation was great (Titcomb, 2016). Samsungs incident with Galaxy Note 7 is not reflection of its standards because as mentioned above, there has been events in history of Samsung that caused Samsung loss, both in money and reputation but it is because of its standards it has risen out the troubles. In the incident with the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung has display ed the fact that the company shows quick response to any defects with its products. Samsung acted swiftly when it was notified about its products catching fire (Tibken and Cheng, 2017). Hence in terms of the way the organisation responds is something that should continue not be changed. However, as CEO, it would be necessary to change the testing process prior to launching any product. For Samsung, it just not about just good ideas and new designs, it should be the implementation of that good idea. For example, smartphone producers like Samsung and Apple have been using lithium battery for all their technologies so far but it is vital for them to test it and understand whether the new technology that they have designed is compatible with the battery (Tibken and Cheng, 2017). As CEO, after the Galaxy Note incident, it is essential that Samsung moves forward with technology but keeping into account whether the new technology is compatible with the parts that are not new. As CEO, the workforce should look the way it is but since there are many factors affect work environment, it is essential to take them into consideration. For example, it is understandable that parts of any products are manufactured all around the world, however it is difficult to trace back especially when the product has a defect like how it happened with the Galaxy Note 7 (Mack, 2012). Due to this incident, I would implement a change in the workforce. I would want the testing department to rigorously test components designed and also test after the components that have returned from the foreign country that has built it. Such thorough testing is important in order to not only maintain the reputation of the organisation but also stand firm with the organisations goal to deliver quality products and service. Samsung organisation follows the Korean values which it is founded upon. These values have enabled it to work smoothly within Korea but expand worldwide (Rhyu, 2017). The types of employees that would be hired are the ones that uphold the organisations values. Employees who contributing to make Samsung meet its goals are the sort of employees that would be hired. Employees should be aware of the culture that the organisation is founded upon and must integrate with the organisation. Bibliography Design.samsung.com. (2014). SAMSUNG DESIGN PHILOSOPHY. [online] Available at: http://design.samsung.com/global/contents/samsung_philosophy/ [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017]. Economist.com. (2017). Corporate culture in South Korea Loosening their ties. [online] Available at: http://www.economist.com/news/business/21679214-punishing-work-culture-gradually-being-relaxed-loosening-their-ties [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Fundinguniverse.com. (2002). History of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. FundingUniverse. [online] Available at: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/samsung-electronics-co-ltd-history/ [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017]. Hollister, S. (2016). Heres why Samsung Note 7 phones are catching fire. [online] CNET. Available at: https://www.cnet.com/au/news/why-is-samsung-galaxy-note-7-exploding-overheating/ [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017]. Kovach, S. (2013). How Samsung Went From A Dried Fish Exporter To One Of The Top Names In Tech. [online] Business Insider Australia. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/history-of-samsung-2013-2?r=USIR=T#samsung-was-founded-by-byung-chull-lee-in-1938-in-taegu-korea-the-company-started-as-a-food-exporter-in-korea-and-shipped-items-like-dried-fish-and-flour-to-china-1 [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Lee, Y., Kim, H. and Kim, S. (2016). Samsung Market Value Plummets $17 Billion on Note 7 Sales Halt. [online] Bloomberg.com. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-10/samsung-crisis-raises-prospect-note-7-could-head-to-scrapheap [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Lim, B. and Park, K. (2012). The Success Story of Samsung Electronics: How It All Began | Samsung Official Blog: Samsung Village. [online] Samsung Official Blog: Samsung Village. Available at: http://www.samsungvillage.com/blog/2012/06/01/samsungblog-the-success-story-of-samsung-electronics-how-it-all-began/ [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017]. Mack, E. (2012). Are any smartphones not made in China?. [online] CNET. Available at: https://www.cnet.com/au/news/are-any-smartphones-not-made-in-china/ [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017]. Martin, T., Cheng, J., (2017) Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong spiral to bottom Wall Street Journal in The Australian URL: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/samsung-heir-leejaeyong-spiral-to-bottom/news-story/f39e503332b7cb1b8b5db302c2ac7c67 (accessed 22/2/17). Mathew, A. (2012). Samsung Story History, Founder, Founded, CEO | Conglomerate Companies | SuccessStory. [online] Successstory.com. Available at: https://successstory.com/companies/samsung-group [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017]. Miller, C. (2017). Latest Gartner data shows Apple edge out Samsung in market share during Q4 2016. [online] 9to5Mac. Available at: https://9to5mac.com/2017/02/15/samsung-loses-market-share-to-apple-in-q4-2016/ [Accessed 12 Mar. 2017]. Murillo, D. and Sung, Y. (2013). Understanding Korean Capitalism: Chaebols and their Corporate Governance. ESADEgeo-CENTRE FOR GLOBAL ECONOMY AND GEOPOLITICS. [online] Available at: http://Understanding Korean Capitalism: Chaebols and their Corporate Governance [Accessed 16 Mar. 2017]. Nytimes.com. (2013). From Fish Trader to Smartphone Maker. [online] Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/15/technology/samsung-timeline.html?_r=1 [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017]. Rhyu, S. (2017). Confucianist Culture and Institutional Change: the Growth and Reform of the Korean Chaebols |. [online] Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. Available at: http://journal.georgetown.edu/confucianist-culture-and-institutional-change-the-growth-and-reform-of-the-korean-chaebols/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Robbins, S. and Coulter, M. (2012). Management. 11th ed. New York: Pearson Education. Stephen, K. (n.d.). Chaebol Structure. Hanyang University. [online] Available at: https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=4ved=0ahUKEwjFlMbb7fPSAhVO42MKHUg_DbQQFggsMAMurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kasba.or.kr%2Fezboard%2Fdownload.php%3Fmode%3Ddown%26UID%3D115%26idx%3D1%26BID%3Dboard09%26GID%3Droot%26sysop%3D%26fm%3D%26BType%3D%26ListMax%3Dusg=AFQjCNG7C_C-7QU9U9MdlNEgCoeKRM5Gzwbvm=bv.150729734,d.cGccad=rja [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017]. Tibken, S. and Cheng, R. (2017). Samsung answers burning Note 7 questions, vows better batteries. [online] CNET. Available at: https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-answers-burning-note-7-questions-vows-better-batteries/ [Accessed 12 Mar. 2017]. Titcomb, J. (2016). Samsung and Apples grip on smartphone market slips to less than one in three sales. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/11/17/samsung-and-apples-grip-on-smartphone-market-slips-to-less-than/ [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017]. Yoo, S. and Lee, S. (1987). Management Style and Practice of Korean Chaebols. CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW, [online] 29(4). Available at: https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=4cad=rjauact=8ved=0ahUKEwiTp6-57PPSAhVY2GMKHUvYCMkQFggrMAMurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjournals.sagepub.com%2Fdoi%2Fabs%2F10.2307%2F41162133usg=AFQjCNEOxdFT3forMhyRghBP0BXffWTcfAbvm=bv.150729734,d.dGc [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017].

Hagia Sophia: Architecture Description

Hagia Sophia: Architecture Description Basilicas were used for commerce, as public meeting places and for courts of law. The Hagia Sophia was built as the Byzantine Emperor, Justinians personal imperial church. It was built in the hopes of competing with the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. The Forum was built from a vast stoa-lined piazza measuring 660 by 390 feet (200x120m) with exedrae on two sides. The main entrance to the forum is on the southern side, a triumphal arch surmounted by a statue of Trajan in a six-horse chariot. The Basilica Ulpia lies at the north end of the piazza, which was cobbled with rectangular blocks of white marble and decorated by a large equestrian statue of Trajan. On either side of the piazza are markets, also housed by the exedrae. Justinians basilica was at once the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity and the first masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Its influence, both architecturally and liturgically, was widespread and enduring in the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Cathol ic, and Muslim worlds alike. The largest columns are of granite, about 19 or 20 meters high and at least 1.5 meters in diameter; the largest weigh well over 70 tons apiece. Under Justinians orders, eight Corinthian columns were disassembled from Baalbek, Lebanon and shipped to Constantinople for the construction of Hagia Sophia. The vast interior has a complex structure. The nave is covered by a central dome which has a maximum diameter of 31.24meters (102ft6in) and a height from floor level of 55.6meters (182ft5in), about one fourth smaller and greater, respectively, than the dome of the Pantheon. The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of 40 arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light. Due to consecutive repairs in the course of its history, the dome has lost its perfect circular base and has become somewhat elliptical with a diameter varying between 31.24m (102ft6in) and 30.86m (101ft3in). The dome is carried on pendentives — four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base.[15] At Hagia Sophia the weight of the dome passes through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners. Between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches. These were reinforced with buttresses during Ottoman times, under the guidance of the architect Mimar Sinan. At the western (entrance) and eastern (liturgical) ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semi-domed exedras. Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements builds up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome, a sequence unexampled in antiquity. Despite all these measures, the weight of the dome remained a problem, which was solved by adding buttresses from the outside. All interior surfaces are sheathed with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. This sheathing camouflaged the large pillars, giving them, at the same time, a brighter aspect. On the exterior, simple stuccoed walls reveal the clarity of massed vaults and domes. The yellow and red color of the exterior was added by the architect Fossati during the restorations in the 19th century. Looking at the plan of Trajans Basilica, there seems to be good balance and symmetry in the design. The plan shows that the structure was huge, holding thousands of people if needed. The Hagia Sophia, while a large building in its right, to me still looks smaller and less grand because of its closed dome. Trajans basilica was open, giving it an even more open and expanse feeling. Hagia Sophia is also very symmetrical in design. In both cases, these structures were fully functional as community meeting places or religious places of worship. They reflected the wealth and power of their emperors who commissioned their construction. Each structure is huge and larger than life in their design: the Hagia Sophia was adorned with gold and beautiful mosaics on its interior walls while the Trajans Forum was large, open and had several statues and monuments built inside to honor Trajan. Wikipedia contributors. Trajans Forum. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 May. 2010. Wikipedia contributors. Hagia Sophia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 May. 2010. Web. 10 May. 2010.

Sniper Coward or Hero :: essays papers

Sniper Coward or Hero Since the invention of the firearm, skilled individuals with specialized equipment have influenced the ebb and flow of the battlefield. At times this influence has been so great as to turn the tide of history. The long-range sharpshooter or sniper has had a telling effect on the direction, drive, and scope of battle. The sniper has felled the command structure of his enemies, rendered their equipment useless, and driven fear into the heart of the men. Thus, the sniper is one of the most effective weapons on the field of battle. A true sniper is an operative who gathers intelligence for the command structure and occasionally takes the one, well-aimed shot that, if done properly, will save lives. In order to better understand exactly how snipers are valuable, one needs to consider their mission, training, and equipment. The sniper^s primary mission is to deliver long range, precision fire on key targets and targets of opportunity. His secondary mission is the collection and reporting of information. Both missions are very specific and dangerous. To carry out these missions, a sniper must be highly trained in marksmanship and field craft skills to ensure maximum effectiveness with minimum risk (Lanning 88-100). The U. S. Army Sniper School is five weeks of intense training. Before a student can even be considered for attendance to sniper school, he must meet stringent qualifications and pass a mental examination. Classes are usually small, but have a high failure rate. The first week consists of physical training and classroom instruction, concentrating on the construction of a Ghillie Suit, which is a special hand made form of camouflage (Sasser 215). The second, third, and fourth weeks are composed of practical exercises and tests covering everything taught during week one. Emphasis is placed on developing stalking skills. Stalking is the term used when a sniper maneuvers into his final firing position (Lanning 159). After the fourth week and all the field orientated tests have been completed, the students that are left, participate in a four day field training exercise which is run as a real life mission. The students form two-man teams. One is the sniper and the other is his spotter. The spotter^s main function is to observe a target and provide data to the shooter. The spotter must also be fully sniper qualified and trained to carry out the mission. The team receives an operation order, which explains its first mission or objective. The team must then plan its

A Look at Bipolar Disorder Essay -- Diseases/Disorders

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is more than just ordinary mood swings. People suffer from periods of mania to periods of depression. Bipolar disorder is a significant medical condition that is a great health interest in America (Hopkins Medicine). The number of people being diagnosed with bipolar disorder increases every year; therefore, the importance of education and understanding of this disorder also increases because it can affect so many people’s lives. According to Johns Hopkins medicine, manic depression affects more than 5.7 million American adults--or about 2.6 percent of Americans age 18 and older in a given year. Both sexes are affected equally. Bipolar disorder does not discriminate against race, ethnicity, or social class. Adolescence or early adulthood is when bipolar disorder normally begins, with 25 being the average age. Although researchers have not yet identified the gene, it is believed to be hereditary and likely runs in the family (Hopkins Medicine). The precise cause of bipolar disorder is not known, but there are a few components that to may lead to bipolar episodes. Experts believe bipolar people have biological changes in their brain and an imbalance in brain chemicals (neurotransmitters). Hormone imbalance is also believed to be a cause of episodes. People that have a blood relative with bipolar disorder have a greater chance of also being bipolar. When someone has a stressful, abusive event, or has suffered a great loss may also trigger bipolar (WebMD). Symptoms of bipolar disorder can vary from mild to severe. The symptoms of mania consist of mood changes such as periods of feeling â€Å"high† or exceedingly happy and outgoing while also being agitated. People suffering from mania ... ...y/conditions/adult/mental_health_disorders/manic_depressionbipolar_disorder_85,P00743/>. Johnston, Janice. ABC 20/20. 21 April 2011. 1 April 2012 . Mayo Clinic Staff. Mayo Clinic. 18 January 2012. 31 March 2012 . National Institute of Mental Health. NIMH. n.d. 24 March 2012 . Russell, Peter. WebMD Health News. 14 April 2011. 1 April 2012 . Torrey, E. Fuller and Michael B. Knable. Surviving Manic Depression. New York: Basic Books, 2002. WebMD. WebMD. n.d. 24 March 2012 .

Dell Computer Sustainability Performance Metrics Essays -- Business, S

Dell Computer Sustainability Performance Metrics Dell Computer Corporation is the world’s largest supplier of personal computers (Fleming, 2006). Dell’s goal is to be â€Å"the greenest technology company on the planet† (Ball, 2008, p. 1). Hence, Dell, like many corporations today, establish sustainability initiatives to persuade regulators, stakeholders, and consumers of their commitment to protect society and the environment. However, companies must support these claims with tangible performance metrics. Thus, some of the processes, programs, and reports Dell using to identify and measure performance is examined. Performance Measures Dell Computer Corporation believes stakeholders must be given long term value by ensuring the company commits to and integrates economic, social, and environmental sustainability into its business practices (Litten, 2005). Hence, Dell’s commitment to this goal is evidenced by becoming a Ceres company (Fleming, 2006). Ceres is a national coalition of investors, environmental groups, and public welfare organizations assisting companies with sustainability efforts. Thus, Dell was lauded for being the first in the computer industry to partner with Ceres (Fleming, 2006). Moreover, companies involved with Ceres must agree to the following terms: discuss sustainability issues with shareholders and stakeholders, release sustainability reports to the public, and commit to continuously improve sustainability efforts (Fleming, 2006). Thus, an assumption can be made based on Dell’s definition of sustainability and its Ceres affiliation that industry standards, sustainability performance, and shareholder reaction are key performance drivers. Consequently, aspects of this assumption are found in Del... ...ould be measured or what constitutes a â€Å"footprint† (Ball, 2008). Consequently, Dell is no different than other corporations attempting to calculate emissions on their own terms. Conclusion The relevance of sustainability is clear. Regulators, stakeholders, and consumers expect corporations to account for the impact their business practices have on society and the environment. Hence, corporations must not only promise to act they must also provide realistic, tangible performance metrics that magnify their level of commitment. While this is a challenge all corporations face Dell has embraced the challenge. Dell’s sustainability performance is measured, monitored, tracked, and made public through its annual sustainability reports. Inasmuch as sustainability is continuous more work needs to be done. However, Dell’s overall scorecard is impressive.

Explain the Principal Psychological Perspectives Essay

The behaviourist perspective is an idea that we can understand any type of behaviour by looking at what the person has learner. This includes personality traits such as shyness, confidence, optimism or pessimism. Behaviourist psychologists explain all human behaviour as resulting from experience. Two key psychologists are Pavlov and Skinner, although these two theorists believed that different processes were involved, they both explained all types of behaviour as being the result of learning. This is everything from shyness to aggression and happiness to depression. Classical conditioning was a theory developed by a Russian psychologist called Ivan Pavlov. He was working with dogs to investigate their digestive system. The dogs were attached to a harness and Pavlov attached monitors to their stomachs and mouths so he could measure the rate of salivation. He noticed that the dog began to salivate when someone entered the room with a bowl of food, but before the dog had eaten the food. Since salivation is a reflex response, this seemed unusual. Pavlov decided that the dog was salivating because it had learned to associate the person with the food. He then developed a theory. Food automatically led to the salivation response, since this response had not been learned, he called this an unconditioned response, which is a response that regularly occurs when an unconditioned stimulus is presented. As food automatically leads to this response, he called this an unconditioned stimulus, which is a stimulus that regularly and consistently leads to an automatic response. Pavlov then presented food at the same time as ringing a bell (neutral stimulus), to see if the dog would learn to associate the bell with the food. After several trials, the dog learned that the bell was associated with food and eventually it began to salivate only when the bell was rung and no food was presented. It therefore had learned the conditioned response of salivation to the conditioned stimulus, the conditioned response is a new, learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that mimics the response to the unconditioned stimulus. The Conditioned stimulus is a neutral stimulus that, when paired with the unconditioned stimulus, produces a conditioned response, just as the unconditioned response used to. Operant conditioning was a theory created by an American psychologist called Burrhus Frederic Skinner. Skinner worked mostly with rats and pigeons to discover key principles of learning new behaviours. He used a device called a Skinner box, the box contains a lever which, when pressed, releases a food pellet into the box which therefore should reinforce lever-pressing behaviour. When the rat is first placed in the box it will run around and sniff the various items and at some point it will press the lever, releasing the food pellet. When the rat has performed this action several times, it will learn that this behaviour is automatically followed by the release of a food pellet. Because the pellet is reinforcing, this consequence increases the probability of the behaviour being repeated. The two types of reinforcement are positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is when the consequence following a particular behaviour is experienced as desirable. Negative reinforcement is when behaviour results in a consequence that removes something unpleasant. Skinner tested the negative reinforcement by running a very low electrical current on the floor of the skinner box. The current would be de-activated if the rat pressed the lever. The lever pressing was therefore negatively reinforcing. Social learning theory: There are many influences on our behaviour, this comes from peers, siblings, parents, television, sports and celebrities. According to the social learning theory, role models are very important. The likelihood of imitating behaviours is strongly influenced by the way we perceive the person performing the behaviour. If we observe the behaviour of someone we admire, we are more likely to imitate their behaviour. For example, if someone such as Bradley wiggins recommends that we should wear a cycle helmet, we are much more likely to imitate this behaviour as we are closer to being like this admired model. But, if someone we look down on recommends that we do the same, we are much less likely to do so as we do not want to be perceived as the person we look down on. Certain attributes of a person determine whether the behaviour is more likely to be imitated, these attributes include; gender, similarity to ourselves, status, prestige, competence and fame. Our behaviour is also influenced by the presence of other, no matter how much we believe ourselves to be individuals. Culture is the shared values, norms, language, customs and practices of a group. It also refers to different sub-groups within society. It is important to understand how culture affects our behaviour in order to gain a full understanding of the people we encounter and those we work with. Watson found that the average amount of eye contact made varied between countries, with high degrees of eye contact being seen as insolent by some Africans and East Asians, whereas among Indians and Latin-Americans this was seen as desirable. The self-fulfilling prophecy is a concept in psychology that has an impact on the way we behave towards others and expect them to behave towards us. If we believe ourselves to be worthwhile, pleasant and likeable then we will almost certainly be polite and cheerful towards those we meet, therefore it will create a favourable impression. In response, those who come into contact with us perceive us favourably and behave in a positive way towards us, this results in our positive self-beliefs being confirmed. On the other hand, if we are angry and feel the whole world is against us, then we are likely to behave in a more aggressive way and therefore this is how we will be responded to, which will confirm our views of ourselves and the world. The Psychodynamic approach: This approach was created by an Austrian psychologist called Sigmund Freud. Freud was one of the earliest thinkers to bring to public attention the idea that we are not always aware of all aspects of ourselves. He said that we’re are aware of things in our conscious mind, but things like our memories, feelings and past experiences are locked up in a part of our mind called the unconscious. We can’t access the unconscious part of our minds but they leak out in dreams or through a slip of the tongue. Part of the unconscious that we can easily access he called the pre-conscious. This contains information that isn’t in the conscious part of our minds but can be easily retrieved. Freud believed that early experiences determine behaviours later in life. He developed the psychosexual theory, he believed we all go through several stages of psychosexual development. At each stage, the individuals libido is focused on a part of the body that is particularly relevant at that stage. If the needs are met for the developing child at each stage, it moves on to the next development stage. If there is a struggle or conflict, the individual becomes stuck at this stage. This results in certain personality traits, which are carried through into adulthood and which can explain behaviour in later life. The earliest stage is the ‘oral stage’, the focus here is on the mouth and consists of behaviours such as sucking, biting and licking. Freud believed that, either, the infant was weaned too early and would feel under-gratified and unsatisfied and would develop into a pessimistic sarcastic person. On the other hand, the infant was weaned too late and would develop a gullible personality and naively trust in others. This stage lasts from birth to approximately 18 months. If the infant passes through the oral stage without becoming stuck, the next stage is the ‘anal stage’, which lasts from approximately one to three years. The libido here is focused on aspects to do with potty training. If there is a battle with parents about potty training, with the child feeling forced to use the potty before they are ready. The child may rebel by retaining their faeces, therefore holding on to the control and withholding satisfaction from the parents. This is called ‘anally retentive’ and is associated with later personality traits such as obstinacy, miserliness and obsessive traits. The alternative is that the child is not given enough boundaries over potty training so they take pleasure in excretion and become a messy, creative, disorganised person. During the ages of four to five, a child passes through the ‘phallic stage’. Fixation at this stage is associated with anxiety and guilty feelings about sex and fear about castration for males. If this stage is not resolved, Freud suggests that a boy may become homosexual and a girl may become a lesbian. Between the ages of five to seven and the onset of puberty, a child enters the ‘latency stage’, it is not a developmental stage but is when the focus is on social pursuits such as sport, academic excellence and the development of friendships. The final stage is the ‘gential stage’, this begins at puberty. Freud believed that the less fixated a child has become during the earlier stages, the more easily this stage will be negotiated, resulting in the ability to form strong heterosexual relationships, with the ability to be warm and loving as well as receive love in a mature way. Another important feature of early experiences is the development of ego defence mechanisms. An ego is the part of the mind whose function it is to moderate the demands of the id and prevent the superego being too harsh. It operates on the reality principle. The use of a defence mechanism allows us to block out events that threaten to overwhelm us. Examples of ego defences are things such as repression which allows a person to forget an event such as a traumatic event. Regression is reverting to an earlier stage of development such as wetting the bed when gaining a new sibling despite never doing so before. Denial is pushing an event or emotion out of the conscious mind, such as denying that a loved one has died. Displacement is redirecting desires onto a safe object, such as taking your anger out on someone you love because of someone else giving you a hard time. Freud suggested that the mind is divided into three dynamic parts which he called the ‘psyche’. The ‘id’ is the part of the mind which is completely unconscious and exists at birth. It is focused on getting what is wants and has aggressive, sexual and loving instincts, such as ‘i want’. The ‘superego’ is a result of socialisation and consists of all the instructions, morals and values that are repeatedly reinforced when growing up. It consists of an internalisation of all the values of right and wrong we have been socialised to believe in, it is our conscience and represents a view of our ideal self. The main role of the superego is to subdue the activity of the id. The ego tries to balance the id and the superego. It is the rational part of the mind. Different behaviours can be understood by trying to infer which part of the psyche is dominant at any time. For example, a person who is submissive, guilty and always wanting to please others may have a very strong superego. A person who is impulsive, careless of other people’s feelings and does not care about the consequences of their actions will have a very strong id. A person who can be submissive but assertive when need be, who is able to think about other peoples needs but value their own can probably balance the id and superego. Eric Erikson was a psychologist who agreed with much of Freuds theory that we developed through a series of stages. Although, he believed these continued throughout our lifetime and were essentially social in nature. He believed that Freud put too much emphasis on desire and not enough on our need to be accepted by society and lead a meaningful life. Erikson suggested that we move through a series of psychosocial crises with a different social focus at each stage. The Humanistic perspective: Humanistic psychology looks at human experience from the viewpoint of an individual, it focuses on the idea of free will and that we are all capable of making our own choices. Maslow is an American psychologist who believed that we are all seeking to be the best we can both, spiritually, physically, emotionally and intellectually. He called this self-actualisation. He made a theory called the hierarchy of needs, which explains that every person requires certain basic needs to be met before they can reach the next level. Maslow believed that until our basic needs are met, we will focus on getting them met and not be able to progress further. When we are comfortable physically, we focus on our emotional needs such as self-esteem. When these needs are met we strive to self-actualise. Carl rogers was a psychologist who was interested in the concept of self. Self-concept refers to the way we view ourselves, this is physically and biologically, attributes such as being male or female, blonde or brunette, tall or short, as well as personality traits such as being kind, humble, assertive or hard-working. The self-concept is formed from an early age and children internalise other people’s judgements of them, which may become a part of their self-concept. Internalise is the way we take in information from the outside world and build into our sense of self. It then becomes part of our feelings, thoughts and beliefs about ourselves. If a child is told they’re silly, naughty and will come to no good, part of their self-aspect will contain these aspects. On the other hand, if a child is praised and encouraged to succeed, they will have positive self-concept. The cognitive/information processing perspective: Jean piaget was a Swiss psychologist who initially worked on measuring intelligence. He noticed that children on the same ages make the same mistakes in logic, no matter how bright they were. He came to the conclusion that cognition develops through a series of stages, each new stage building on the previous one. Birth to 1 Â ½ or 2 years ‘the sensorimotor stage’ – Learning to use senses and muscles – thinking without language. Babies are born with the ability to sense objects, they are also born with a range of reflexes such as the sucking reflex to enable them to feed. These reflexes lead to ‘motor actions’ controlling body muscles. The sensorimotor stage is a stage when thinking is limited to sensing objects and performing motor actions. Piaget believed that a baby would not have a working system for remembering and thinking about the world until they were about 18 months old. 2-7 years ‘the pre-operational stage’ – Pre-logical thinking in language but without understanding logic. Piaget believed that during this stage, children could not think in a logical way. Children can use words to communicate but cannot understand logical implications involved in language. Pre-operational children cannot properly understand how ideas like number, mass and volume really work. 7-11 years ‘the concrete operational stage’ – A stage where logical thinking is limited to practical situations. Children in the concrete operations stage can think logically provided the issues are concrete. In the concrete operational stage children may be able to understand simple logical puzzles. 11+ years ‘the formal operational stage’ – Thinking using logic and abstract thought processes – adult thinking. With formal logic, an adult can solve complex problems. This stage allows adolescents and adults to use abstract concepts to gain understanding of the world. Adults can think scientifically and think through complicated ideas in our head without having to see the concrete picture. George Kelly developed a psychological theory called the psychology of personal constructs. He saw the individual as a scientist, making predictions about the future, testing them and revising them according to new evidence. A construct is a way of construing reality and the environment. Kelly believed that we do not have to be constrained by our past history but can seek out new, alternative, more positive meanings. The biological perspective: Maturational theory – this theory holds that the effects of the environment are minimal. A child is born with a set of genetic instructions that are passed down from their parents. Their cognitive, physical and other developmental processes merely unfold over time, rather than being dependent on the environment to mature. It is a theory which states that development is due to nature not nurture. Arnold Gesell believed that development occurred according to a sequence of developmental processes. Development in the womb has a fixed set of stages; the heart begins to form first, along with a nervous system. Bones and muscles develop next and over time the organism develops into a fully functioning human being. As the child develops from birth, its genes allow it to develop gradually into the person they’re meant to be. Genes can affect behaviour in many ways. Many diseases such as Cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease are passed on through parents genes. Diseases such as these are genetically determined, regardless of environmental factors. Disorders that are not genetically determined, but where an individual’s genes may leave them with a vulnerability to developing the disorder are very common. The autonomic nervous system produces its effects through activation of nerve fibres throughout the nervous system, brain and body or by stimulating the release of hormones from endocrine glands. Hormones are biochemical substances that are release into the bloodstream and have a profound effect on target organs and behaviour. They are present in very small quantities and individual molecules have a very short life, so their effects quickly disappear if they are secreted continiously. There are a large number of hormones, such as, melatonin which acts on the brainstem sleep mechanisms to help synchronise the phases of sleep and activity. Testosterone, which may influence aggressiveness, and oxytocin which stimulates milk production and female orgasms.