Developmental Psychology Essay Example for Free

Developmental Psychology Essay 1.1. Nature – nurture Nature refers to the inherited (genetic) characteristics and tendencies that influence development. It is the abilities that are present at birth, as well as any abilities determined by genes. On the other hand, nurture is the processes caused by our environment that influences our development. Everything is learned through our interactions with our environment and as a result of our experiences. In the past, hereditary and environmental factors were considered to be operating separately from each other. It was one or the other nature (hereditary) or nurture (environment). Today it is generally agreed that hereditary and environment are both important factors; development is a combination of both. Example: Average longevity is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. To increase your chances of a long life you need to come from a family with a history of individuals who lived to a ripe age (genetic factors). Environmental factors; such as diseases, toxins, lifestyle and social class are also important factors that influence longevity. A person who makes poor lifestyle choices and live in an impoverished area will decrease his/her chances of a long life. Therefore it can be said that both nature and nurture play a role in a person living to a ripe age. 1.2. Stability – change The stability versus change concept explores how much of ones behaviour is consistent and how much is changeable over a lifespan. Simply put, we can ask whether development is best characterized by stability (for example, does a behaviour or trait such as shyness stay stable in its expression over time?) or change (could a persons degree of shyness fluctuate across the life span?). Stability at a basic level is vital for us to recognize that we are still the same person as we grow older. But we also like to believe that our characteristics are not set in stone, that we can change ourselves if we want to. Psychoanalysts believe that personality traits developed in the first 5 years predict adult personality. Change theorists argue that personalities are modified by interactions with family, experiences at school, and acculturation. Example: Costa and McCrae (1994; 1997) have investigated whether the traits that make up the five-factor model remain stable across adulthood and came to the general conclusion that personality traits remain stable after age 30. If a 30 year old woman worried excessively about whether or not her husbands salary was enough to make mortgage payments, then she also is likely to be worried about having saved enough for her childrens college tuition when she is 45 and is likely to be worried about the adequacy of her husbands pension income at age 70. Since Costa and McCrae suggest that personality traits remain stable through adulthood a high degree of neuroticism, as reflected by a consistent and excessive level of anxiety and worry, is likely to persist and find new focal points over time. However, there is evidence that change can be found in personality trait development across the adult life span. Allemand et al. (2008) found that the way people differ in their personality becomes more pronounced with older age. Furthermore, other studies (Donnellan Lucas, 2008) found that extraversion and openness decrease with age whereas agreeableness increases with age (Blanchard-Fields Cavanaugh, 2011, p. 321). 1.3. Continuity – discontinuity The continuity versus discontinuity controversy deals with the question of whether development is a gradual, smooth progression from conception to death (continuity), or a series of distinct and abrupt shifts (discontinuity). Continuity focuses on quantitative changes in number or amount, such as changes in height and weight. Discontinuity focuses on qualitative changes in kind, structure, or organization. An example of continuity is: Infants who have satisfying emotional relationships with their parents typically become children with satisfying peer relationships. And they will eventually become adults with satisfying relationships with others. An example of discontinuity: After spending most of adulthood trying to ensure the success of the next generation and to leave a legacy, older adults turn to evaluating their own lives in search of closure and a sense that what they have accomplished has been meaningful. 1.4. Universal versus context-specific development This concerns whether or not there is one path of development or several. Example: David Schmitt and colleagues (2004) investigated whether one’s attachment style may have a major influence on how one forms romantic relationships. The results showed that 79% of the cultural groups studied demonstrated secure romantic attachments, but that North American cultures tended to be dismissive and East Asian cultures tended to be high on preoccupied romantic attachment. Overall, Schmitt and colleagues concluded that although the same attachment pattern holds across most cultures, no one pattern holds across all of them. East Asian cultures in particular tend to fit a pattern in which people report that others do not get as emotionally close as the respondent would like, and that respondents find it difficult to trust others or to depend on them.

Organizational change management

Organizational change management ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT Assessment Part A: Section 1: Introduction to the report: The forthcoming budget of 2013 is expected to open a financial trouble of  £153 million. Such high deficit is indeed threatening the council from the viewpoint of its strategic handling. The current newsletter that has been published by the council’s CEO, Andrea Hill clearly points out the organization’s drawback to effectively implement its developed policy: ‘A New Strategic Direction’ to tide over the impending financial crunch. Even the staffs is not paying enough heed to potential threat thinking that Louisiana would be one’s to be affected and not them. However, as the latter case is not to happen, the council acknowledged the significance to opt for job redundancies. Although the latter provision might seem to prevent the council from suffering such considerable financial trouble, yet in real the council could only save  £55m out of the total  £153m. Now, as a solution to the current issue, the council have planned to opt for strategies t hat would facilitate in: addressing and meeting the root cause of the root cause of the social problems and build social capital to make the social communities independent enough. However, the latter potential strategy was vehemently turned down by the opposition leader on the note that is actually an irrational judgement to switch off the service demand. The latter leader even criticised the way the council operated and rather deemed the necessity to alter its working pattern. Andrea Hill however, considered the latter leader’s comments to be true and thus deemed that change of the working pattern from slow and risk diverse to innovative, creative and leaner. Although, the council considered the importance to practise lean management, there is an impending danger of facing high job cuts. However, the job cuts are not considered to be a strategic solution to the financial trouble. Nevertheless, the redundancy solution is considered to reduce the potential cash deficit by at least a bare minimum ( £55m). Besides this, the potential resolution that the council intends to practise even involves pitfall in the process that it is not possible to switch over the service demand. However, the latter lean management practise seems to be effective in face of preventing excess cash outflow in the face of such trouble. Also the potential thought of altering the current work pattern of the council would help in gaining substantial profit from such activity. The purpose of the proposal is to critically analyse the current actions of the case study council. Though the council have opted for policies to tide over the impending financial trouble, concerns could be raised as to its actual effectiveness in real situation. In order to meet the potential deficit of  £153 million, the council would require opting for huge turnover that in real seems to be quiet an irrational judgement. However, to overcome the cash shortage, the proposed policy of the council seems to be near to rational yet having certain drawbacks. The proposed action to alter the current operating policies however seems to be quiet an effective solution. The report would thus detail the practise of lean management, effective service chain management and determine the need for the council to practise smaller, cheaper and innovative approach at workplace. The current study would thus detail the possible recommended policies for the council that is deemed to be effective to fa ce the potential financial threat of 2013. The entire study has been fragmented into three sections: background, limitations and recommendations. Within the background section, the researcher intends to subdivide the steps in two parts: problem findings and solution focus. The potential budget deficit issue would be highlighted in the problem section and subsequent solutions would be offered in the latter segment. The limitations of the proposed solution would analyse in section three: conclusion. In other words, the adverse impact of change on the performance and mindset of the staff would be detailed in the current section. As a strategic response to the limitations, the author would offer recommendations that might consider the effective usage of leadership development programs at the council’s workplace. Section Two: Background Problems: Findings As have already been discussed in the above report that Suffolk County Council is experiencing serious financial dearth as high as  £153m. The proposed job cuts even does not seem to redeem the issue as this specific council could be able to save only  £55m. The latest newsletter that stated that the council wishes to identify and fix the root cause of the social problems and build social capital to strengthen communities to be independent themselves, even is not considered to be rationale enough. Thus, in the face of being slow, risk averse and complex structure, the need arises to develop a coalition and convince the people that change is truly necessary. Kotter’s 8step change step model is basically a sequential step that facilitates in undertaking successful change within the organization (author). In face of the current financial trouble and the complex issue threatening the job sustainability of its staff, a step to form a powerful guiding coalition is required to be practised at workplace. The leader of the opposition as well as Mrs. Hill have already criticised the laid back attitude of the council staffs and have even identified that the council is yet not working on effective business lines. (Author) stated that framing powerful guiding coalition allows development of strong leadership to further the change process. However, the change could only be successfully brought about if there is viable support by some noted people of the organization. Unlike following the key traditional hierarchy mechanism, the coalition mechanism assist in integrating the apt people to forward the change process and even manage the change ini tiative to successfully attain the objective (author). Thus, in absence of member’s involvement within the coalition process, organizations undertaking change might not be able to attain desired benefit from the process. The following steps are required to be a part of the framing a coalition team in SSC: Recruiting a Coalition members: (Author) determined that the initial and an essential step in framing a collation group are to extend formal invitation to the leaders who would be able to carry forward the change process. However, the potential change managers are required to be told the exact reason behind the proposed change process. Also the reason for change should boost the morale and encourage the leaders to undertake the process. (Author) even added the coalition group should have a good mix of both experienced and fresh personnel. As a recommended action, the group should involve members that having prior experience in the activity and are able to identify others who could be effective leaders as well. Thus the team of SSC members vested to undertake the change should thus constitute efficient leaders having sound knowledge on the current activity. Developing a charter: Unlike the process of following the traditional hierarchy process, the coalition team building approach necessitates following top down and bottom up approach (author). Thus, post forming a team of efficient change leaders, the current step involves deciding a chairperson who would guide other’s activities and even vest separates roles and responsibilities to the members. (Author) added that in absence of a formalised structured of efforts, staffs are often not able to maintain an integrative approach towards work resulting in non-fulfilment of the change goal. Thus the responsible authority of SSC is required to frame a charter that would include team length, individual roles and an efficient chair-person. The chair-person is even required to offer leadership to the group and ensure ownership of the work. Frame a coalition team: After having completed the activity of developing a steering team and their respective roles and responsibilities, the present need is to support the group to become productive in nature (website). The provision for external support to the group would encourage confidence and morale so that the same is able to successfully further the change process. The team of SSC staffs who are the change managers of the business are required to set strategies that would prevent any occasion of deviation from the core purpose and attain failure as a result of issues within the system. (author) pointed out that planning a kick-off celebration is an effective way to build creativity and group cohesion at workplace. Besides involving in latter type of celebration, the council members of SSC could even brainstorm to identify the purpose and structure of the group. Staff involvement within the group development process would help in building conflict resolution and effective decision making approaches. Ensure stakeholder involvement: (author) pointed out that it is necessary to ensure involvement of all stakeholders within the change initiative process. Besides encouraging suggestions from the members who are not directly involved within the group, the need arises to vest the responsibilities of fulfilling discrete projects to rest of the staffs. The task to carry forward with the change efforts could even be furthered by the inclusion of the external governing body or taking help of the agency skills. The internal stakeholders of SSC could frequent in asking suggestions and opinions from the stakeholders on aspects of bettering the change and handle the current issues on financial dearth and in-appropriate operational procedure. The effective solutions could be practised at work. The latter strategies would thus serve as an effective approach to guide coalition to align the top down and bottom up change approach at SSC. Solutions: Considering that the operational success for organizations is dependent on several internal and external factors, the need arises to frequent the change management process over time. (author) attributed that change management process furthers the scope to undertake organizational development that is required to suit its operations as per the changing market and current business scenario. In the face of the impending financial threat and change issues that SC is currently facing, the same could follow the following two activities at workplace: Future Search: (Author) pointed out that the concept of future search relates to the activity of involving all the stakeholders to identify the issue, offer roles, develop action plans and vest separate roles and responsibilities to attain the venture. On occasion of current financial and change management issues currently hindering the progress and threatening the job sustainability of the staff of SSC, future search option of organizational development would assist in involving all the stakeholders in developing future strategic course of action that would successfully alter the current operational policy of the concern. During the course of six months time interval, the change managers of SSC could: Meet for conference Clearly outline and present the financial, job cuts and change management issues currently threatening them Try to develop a positive attitude towards settlement of the issue through framing constructive policies and Vest and engage all its members to fulfil their respective job performances. (author) mentioned that the future search strategy of organizational development goes beyond the traditional problem-solving approach instead ensure wider stakeholder involvement to carry forward with the course of constructive action. Within the proposed time interval of six months, the authorities of SSC could facilitate participation of members across all departments or key constituent groups. The current solution strategy is quiet effective to eradicate hierarchical issues instead be able to involve almost the entire organization in acknowledging the change requirement from global perspectives (author). Thus, the stakeholders of SSC would be able to invest their minds over dealing with current global perspective of financial budget on the proposed financial dearth of the business. By encouraging the participants to have a wider or global view of the present issue, they often develop greater commitment towards even better performnace. Likewise, the future search strategy of SSC would facilitate the stakeholders to feel encouraged to arrive at a common ground on determining the tools that would help in preventing job cuts, undertake require operational change and face financial dearth. Open Space method: (Author) stated that the open space initiative or organizational change and development are an effective tool to involve the appropriate skill set towards fulfilment of the issues. Following the current process, the responsible officials would be able to effectively utilise the collective wisdom and energy of its staff towards developing effective action plans to overcome the current issues. In order to maximise the involvement of all the staff of SSC, open space method could be employed at workplace. As the current strategy cannot be practised simultaneously with future search strategy, it could be used only after the practising the latter policy. Even considering the fact that the current policy involves sequential steps for performnace, SSC would allot another four months time frame to complete the process. Within this allotted four months time frame, the authorities of SSC would require to break the entire sessions into: Pre-design sessions Segment the group based on the expected responsibility Follow up and action plans (author). Within the pre-design sessions, the change authorities of the concern are required to identify the theme of the sessions and develop norms for the meetings. The current financial deficit that the council is facing as well as the operational inefficiency would be clearly outlined for the purpose of the arriving at a strategic solution. Post identifying the current issues, the group now requires breaking down the task in segmented portions and allotting specific responsibilities as per the expectations of the group. (author) acknowledged that the work segmentation and allotting specific responsibilities based on the likings of the staff would motivate them to better and faster solve the issue. The solutions of each group would then be analysed by maintaining a follow up of the activity. By maintaining a follow up, the change members of SSC would be able to be aware of the progress made to overcome the issue. Ultimately the most liable and rationale solution to the current trouble would be decided upon through joint consensus. Thus, through the process of coordinating the activity through information posting, the change leaders and staffs would be able to resolve the current critical issues and nurture improved level of team and personal responsibility. Section Three: Conclusions: Section four: Recommendations: The open strategy method and the future search solution mentioned above require tactful implementation process. In absence of having a proper course of undertaking solution action, SSC would not be able to involve all its stakeholders within the change activity and be able to volunteer joint response on the subject. (Author) pointed out the following process to effectively practise and implement future search at work: Step 1: integrating the entire stakeholders in a certain place, especially the ones who do not meet often. Step 2: clearly outline the current issue impacting successful operation of the organization Step 3: Identify possible strategic solutions rather than focus on past conflicts Step 4: Vest separate responsibilities to individuals. Following the above change management process, the stakeholders of SSC would be able to brainstorm to arrive an effective and strategic solution to the change management, financial dearth and staff turnover issues threatening the business. Open Space management process of the undertaking change could be undertaken following the under mentioned process: Step 1: Determine the issue, develop the norms and plan ways to undertake the sessions. Step 2: Segment the group on critical issues and appoint responsibility to each individual based on their desired preferability Step 3: Develop an action plan to undertake the process, volunteer suggestions and accept opinions (website). By conglomerating the opinions of the change managers and staff, SSC would be able to decide upon an effective and strategic change solution mechanism to facilitate in undertaking the process at workplace. The following change management programs could even be practised at workplace: Employee Assistance Program: (Author) reflected that it is basically work based program offering short term counselling sessions and follow-up of services to organizational staffs suffering from certain work related issues. Considering that the staffs of SSC is threatened from potential job loss and operational changes, EAP procedure would assist in addressing their issues and offer effective solutions. The managers could even gain knowledge as to ways to further the change process by making the staff accept its necessity and facilitate in its smoother undertaking. External Consultants and Envoys: (author) acknowledged that envoys are specialised management service firms that provides advice and training on aspects issues affecting the organization. SSC could appoint a specialised envoy having knowledge to effectively handle similar situations. With its appointment, the authorities of SSC would be able to optimally utilise their specialised knowledge on aspects to prevent from such massive financial trouble, job cuts and effectively undertake change to face the situation. Team working/building: SCC could even decide upon developing groups (basically T group structure) to ensure that it staff acknowledge the flow of information down the hierarchy and involve in an integrative approach to change. (Author) noted that staff often feels comfortable in a group and are motivated to involve even better performnace. The group work structure in SCC would thus drive the staff to work for innovation, product development, resolving issues and smoothen the change process. Management accounting frameworks: (author) elaborated that management accounting framework such as balance scorecard facilitates in the keeping a check on the progress of the current activities. In order to make sure that the leadership and people management practices are performed as expected, the authorities of SCC could periodically use balance scorecard approach to judge change such as leadership and people management. 1

Vladimir Lenin: “State and Revolution” Analysis

Vladimir Lenin: â€Å"State and Revolution† Analysis In August and September 1917, Vladimir Lenin wrote â€Å"State and Revolution.† This essay will analyze and examine an extract from this book. First, the document shall be placed into historical context. Then, certain points and references in the text shall be examined. Finally, the essay shall comment on the document’s reliability as a source and its value to a modern European History student. At the time Lenin wrote this book, the European continent had been raging in World War One for three years and Russian people were heavily suffering from the weight of it. Russians wanted a release—from the war, poverty and hunger. Thus, in February 1917, mass strikes and protests occurred and they overthrew the Tsar government. In place, a provisional government was established. Lenin had been living in Switzerland, safe from likely persecution by the government. In July 1917, Lenin returned to Russia believing the time was finally right to revolt with the Bolsheviks. However, the July protests failed. The established leaders proclaimed that Lenin and the other leaders of the protests were simply paid by the Germans to cause civil unrest.[1] Thus, Lenin fled to Finland, at which time he formed his philosophies on the state on paper. The excerpt from â€Å"State and Revolution† that this essay shall examine focuses on the state in transition. Suppression is a key word in the document. Lenin states, that during the transition to a communist state, â€Å"suppression is still necessary.†[2] By referring to the state in transition, Lenin recognizes that the February Revolution had caused forward motion towards his ideal society, but that the task had not yet been wholly accomplished. However, Lenin clarifies that suppression in this case would be the reverse of the usual connotation of the term; the exploited majority, the â€Å"wage-slaves† of yesterday now needed to suppress the exploiting minority. This would be an â€Å"easy, simple and natural† task, according to Lenin, and would cost less human life than when the circumstances had been reversed, that is, when the exploiting minority had suppressed the â€Å"rising of slaves, serfs or wage-labourers.†[3] Certainly, Lenin is ref erring to the bloodshed caused when nobles tried to suppress or punish serfs, and even more specifically perhaps to World War I, from which the Russian people were suffering. In order to suppress the people, Nicholas II had relied on a heavy-handed army and secret police.[4] Thus, Lenin is calling the people of the transitory state to rebel against the provisional government set in place. Whilst Lenin recognizes that the task shall not be bloodless, he does argue that it shall cost mankind less than reverting back to the old system of suppression by the exploiting minority. Next, Lenin declares that â€Å"only Communism† shall make the need for a state â€Å"unnecessary.†[5] With Communism, there remains no one to be suppressed. Without any classes competing against each other or trying to control a certain part of the population, the state shall not serve any purpose. A communist society would not be without flaws, Lenin notes, because inevitably there would be â€Å"excesses† of individual persons whom would need to be suppressed.[6] However, the armed people shall be enough to manage this suppression, with no need for a â€Å"special machine† or â€Å"special apparatus†, that is, the state.[7] Moreover, Lenin states, that the reason for those â€Å"excesses† will fade with communism because the main cause for â€Å"excesses† is the â€Å"exploitation of the majority, their want and their poverty.†[8] Thus, the main cause of excesses shall not exist in the future state, causing the state to event ually â€Å"wither away.†[9] Here, Lenin alludes to Engels’ notion of the state withering away. Lenin believes that with revolution, the process to an ideal, though not â€Å"utopian† society will be a slow, but sure transition. Finally, Lenin makes references to Marx’s differentiated phases of communism, the lower and higher stages. Lenin’s envisioned future state would be the higher stage of communism. He is careful to note, though, that this highest degree of a communist society would not be â€Å"utopian.†[10] The question remains, however, whether or not the document is reliable as a source. Perhaps, the largest problem that might occur for a British student with this document is reading it translated from Russian into English. Precise ideas might be lost with the slight change of a word in various editions. Most importantly, the reader should remember that Lenin had an agenda behind these writings, that is, to lead Russia into revolution, and that the writing is not an objective, philosophical account of affairs. Regardless of the reliability of the document, it still has value to the Modern European History student in that it gives insight into the mind and philosophy of a hugely influential twentieth-century leader. Some scholars, such as Alan Wood, argue that ultimately, the Russian people made the Revolution occur and that intellectual writings were only one facet of the contributing factors to it.[11] However, writings such as Lenin’s â€Å"State and Revolution† are important to read, as they may have been the foundation for why Russian people revolted and give an indication of what they hoped to achieve. Clearly, this document contributes to that understanding, and thus is highly valuable. Bibliography Lenin, V.I. â€Å"State and Revolution† (1917) in The Essentials of Lenin (6) , vol. 2, pp. 202-203, cited in Anthony Wood, The Russian Revolution, 81-2. Phillips, S. Lenin and the Russian Revolution. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 2000. The State and Revolution, website online. Accessed on 4 May 2007 from http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/. Wood, A. The Origins of the Russian Revolution, 1861-1917. London: Routledge, 1993. 1 [1] The State and Revolution, website online. Accessed on 4 May 2007 from http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/. [2] Lenin, V.I. â€Å"State and Revolution† (1917) in The Essentials of Lenin (6) , vol. 2, pp. 202-203, cited in Anthony Wood, The Russian Revolution, 81-2. [3] Ibid. [4] Steve Phillips, Lenin and the Russian Revolution (Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 2000) , 7. [5] Lenin, â€Å"State and Revolution.† [6] Ibid. [7] Ibid. [8] Ibid. [9] Ibid. [10] Ibid. [11] Alan Wood, The Origins of the Russian Revolution 1861-1917 (London: Routledge, 1993) , 2.

Increase in Crime in the United States :: Crime Research Papers

A crime is defined as "an act committed in violation of a law forbidding it and for which a variety of punishments may be imposed." Crimes are classified into two basic groups; "mala in se" which are crimes that are evil in themselves, and "mala prohibitita" which are crimes that are only crimes because society at the time deems them wrong. In these days crime is more easy perceived by society. Surveys of public opinion in the United States show that more and more people believe that crime is increasing. People feel less safe in their environment and have thus taken measures to protect themselves. But is this view accurate? Most of the crime rates from 2003 to 2015 have risen greatly. In 2003 there was a murder every 27 minutes. Now there is a murder every 22 minutes. The astounding fact is in 2003 there was a violent crime every 6 minutes but now it has increased to a murder every 16 seconds. Crime per thousand from between 1993 and 2015 rose 9.4 percent but from 2010 to 2015 it went down 4 percent. In recent years crime has been decreasing. Property crime, murder, robbery, and burglary have all decreased at least three percent in recent years but that is not much. There is one exception; rape which has gone up 3 percent. Violent crime has risen 40.9 since 1997 while in recent years it has only gone down a tenth of a percent. This may be one of the reasons people feel less safe. People aren't afraid of larceny or property crimes. They are afraid of violent crimes, which is why is recent years they feel insecure. Many people believe the problem is in the trial system itself. Not enough people are convicted. In our trial system where you are innocent until proven guilty and to be proved guilty it must be done beyond reasonable doubt or preponderance of evidence in civil cases. After it has finally been very well proven a judge or jury must unanimously decide the criminal is innocent or guilty or it is declared a hung jury. It also is too easy to get a shorter sentence on a plea bargain. For instance a person accused of armed robbery, an offence that on average a person would get thirty years for; the criminal will often plead guilty to a lesser offence such as carrying a concealed weapon. Carrying a concealed weapon would often give a six year sentence but the criminal often gets off in half that time. So you see how the sentencing just

Greek Theater Essay -- essays research papers

Ancient Greek Theater is the first historical record of â€Å"drama,† which is the Greek term meaning â€Å"to do† or â€Å"to act.† Beginning in the 5th century BC, Greek Theater developed into an art that is still used today. During the golden age of the Athenians plays were created, plays that are considered among the greatest works of world drama. Today there are thousands of well-known plays and films based on the re-make of ancient drama.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theater originated from the religious rites of ancient Greek tribes. Located in northern Greece, a cult was formed to worship the God of wine and fertility, Dionysus. The cult held religious celebrations which included large consumptions of alcohol, animal sacrifices, and sometimes massive orgies. Theater was thought as a ritual to release powerful emotions and create pure ecstasy. The cult spread south into Greece and by 500 BC annual festivals in honor of Dionysus were held every spring.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A main part of Dionysus’ rites was the dithyramb. It means a â€Å"choric hymn† and it was completely religious describing Dionysus’ adventures. The performance would have a group of dancers, a chorus in costumes, an orchestra of drums, lyres, and flutes, and a leader/director. It all took place around an altar for Dionysus. Soon after the dithyramb became popular at Athenian festivals where poets would compete to create their own unique dithyramb. Soon the dithyramb ceased to be about Dionysus and his adventures. Famous poets chose subjects from several different periods of Greek mythology. Over time, the dithyrambs formed into stories to be performed thus creating drama.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the golden age of Greece, city-states were developed, the most prominent being Athens with a population of at least 150,000. Here is where the rites of Dionysus created what we now call theater. We have the leader, the chorus, the dancers, and the orchestra. So where did actors come from? Around 525 BC a man from Attica named Thespis, added an actor into the dithyramb to interact with the chorus. The actor was called the protagonist and means â€Å"the main character of a drama.† This addition turned the chorus into theater. Thespis went down in history and is where â€Å"thespians† got there name.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  About 534 BC was when the Dionysian Festivals were changed to add dram... ...d of heroic epics involving Gods and legends. He died in 406 BC all alone, extremely cynical of human nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Athenians not only produced tragedies in their culture, but created many lasting comedies. These comedies helped set the way for Romans and Elizabethans coming in later periods. Developed similar to tragedy, comedy was aimed at the common people and had less to do with religious beliefs. Satire was often used in comedies, especially ones written by Aristophanes and Menander. Characters in these plays ranged from celebrities to drunken audience members. Menander’s plays were the main basis of comedy that moved onto the Romans and Shakespeare and the Broadway.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the 200 years from Thespis’ first accomplishments to the death of Sophocles, Greek Theater thrived. However, all good things eventually come to an end. The golden age was ending as Athenian culture was overrun in 404 BC by the Spartans. Theater of course evolved over time and is now a school subject, hobby and profession. Today it wouldn’t hurt to look back over some historically recorded plays and appreciate what the ancient Greeks created for us†¦ drama.

Mgt Syllabus

What about unethical but moral? Which is more important to an organization, to be ethical or moral? Why? What are ethics? How are personal ethics different than business ethics? Based on your work experience, describe an ethical issue that you faced. What were the ethical implications surrounding that issue, if any? How was the issue resolved or how should it have been resolved? Does your organization have a written code of conduct? If so, how effective is this cook AT conduct:' 10 want extent ay you tank Tanat a cook AT conduct can Nell to define the ethical values of an organization?How might a code of conduct policy reflect the personal ethics of the employees? What can a business do to reduce the likelihood of making unethical decisions ND creating more ethical problems? Think of an example of unethical behavior you have observed in a business setting. Was this behavior a result of an unethical person or an unethical organization? Explain your answer. Week Two Organizational Valu es ; Read Chi. 14 of Business ethics. ; Read Chi. 8-10, up. 115-118, up. 138-142 of Managing business ethics. 2. Discussion Questions What is the relationship between organizational values and organizational culture?Does organizational culture influence organizational values more than organizational values influence organizational culture? Explain your answer. How do organizational values of your organization influence its conduct? How do your organization's values influence you? How might a small business owner, whose business has grown from an owner and operator to employing 12 people over several years, create the organizational culture and organizational values of the business? Consider that the same business has grown to employ 100 or more people over several more years.How might the approach to organizational culture and values change depending on the size of the organization? What is the relationship between organizational values and personal values? Which of your personal va lues are embodied in your organization? How do employees' personal values influence the conduct of your organization? What issues might arise if employees' personal values are significantly different from their employer's organizational values? want Is winless-Doodling:' near want classmates malign an employee Low ten whistle on his or her employer?If the company's top executive asked you to create a code of ethics policy for the company, what would you include? What approach would you use? Why would you select that approach? Provide at least two examples of items you would include in your code of ethics and describe why they are important to your company's code. Think of a moral or ethical dilemma you experienced recently at work. What steps did you take to resolve the issue? In retrospect, how might you have handled the situation differently? How might this process be different if you were acting on behalf of the organization?How might you have handled the situation differently if you were the CEO? Imagine you are a division manager at a large pharmaceuticals company. You directly supervise 50 average and above average performing employees. Many employees on your team have been with the company for several years. Some recently hired employees, mostly women and minority groups, were hired to remedy the lack of diversity in the workplace. Recent financial difficulties within the company quire each division manager to reduce their workforce by 15%.Describe the process you would use to make this decision. How do you ethically Justify your decision? Do you think that you share the same ethical perspective as people who work with you? Explain your answer. Why is it important, or not, to share ethical perspectives in the workplace? What are the ethical standards for where you work? To what extent do you think that ethical perspectives may change over time? What factors might influence these changes? What is your experience working with or working for someone you fe lt had a much efferent ethical perspective than your own?How did you know when the two of you were approaching the same ethical dilemmas from different ethical perspectives? What was the outcome? How did your decisions or outcomes compare? Week Four Ethical and Legal Issues in Business course Agelessness ; Read Chi. 10 of Business ethics. ; Review Chi. 3, 8, & 10 of Managing business ethics. 2. Individual Assignment: Ethics Game Simulation Resource: Ethics Game Simulation Complete the Ethics Game Simulation. Write a 700- to 1,050- word reflective Journal in which you answer the following questions: What were the ethical issues presented in the simulation? What decision-making steps did you take to ethically address these issues? ;What ethical perspectives, or lenses, did you use to make your decisions in the simulation? ;How did these ethical perspectives, or lenses, influence your management decisions? ; How might concepts from this simulation relate to your workplace? Do you think human resources (HRS) polices should govern ethical and legal issues? Why or why not? How might HRS policies govern unethical or unlawful behavior? Do we need laws that enforce ethical codes? How might a situation in business be legal but unethical?How might a situation be ethical but illegal? Share an example from your own experience of HRS policies that address or encourage ethical practices. What is your definition of a stakeholder? Which of the different stakeholder groups' interests are the most important, and why? What ethical responsibilities does an organization have to different stakeholder groups? How might ignoring the needs of one stakeholder in favor of another stakeholder affect the organization? Provide an example. Why might a business want to appeal more directly to a secondary stakeholder roof than the primary stakeholders?What advantages might there be in doing this? Why might a business want to appeal more directly to a group that is not a stakeholder group? In w hat types of situations might this make sense? What is the difference between a stakeholder group and a special interest group? Name three examples of business or organizations in which you are a stakeholder. What makes you a stakeholder to these organizations? How are your views important to these organizations? Are your views aligned with the legal and ethical considerations of the organization? Explain your answer.Describe a time when another stakeholder group's views were in direct opposition of your views or the organization's flews. want napped Week Five Cross-cultural Ethics and Social Responsibility Analyze ethically and socially responsible business practices across cultures. ; Read Chi. 18 & 21 of Business ethics. ; Read Chi. 1 1 of Managing business ethics. 2. Individual Assignment: Final Examination Resources: Business ethics and Managing business ethics Click the link to the Final Examination on your student website available from the end of Week Four through the end of Week Five.Complete the Final Examination. You are allowed one attempt to complete the exam, which is timed and must be completed in 3 hours. Results are auto graded and sent to your instructor. Note. Final Examination questions are adapted from Business ethics and Managing business ethics. 3. Learning Team Assignment: Ethical Organization Profile Write a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper in which your Learning Team explains a fictitious organization's ethics programs and overall ethical environment. Create a fictitious organization. Describe the type of business, locations, size, and products or services offered. Write a value statement which includes: Overall ethics of the organization Socially responsible business practices Write a basic code of conduct. Select three of the following to include: ; practices ; Workplace discipline Termination of employment Diversity Harassment ; Family and personal issues Hiring Imagine your organization NAS cellar to Deign operations In another country. Identify the country and answer the following questions: What legal and ethical issues might your organization face with operations in that country? ; What stakeholder groups relevant to your organization would be affected by expanding operations into this new country? ; How might those groups influence he legal and ethical decisions your organization might make while expanding its operations? ; How might the legal and ethical issues faced in this country influence your organization's value statement and code of conduct? 4.Discussion Questions What must an organization consider from an ethical and socially responsible perspective before deciding to expand operations in other countries? How might an organization be considered ethical and socially responsible in its home country but not in the new country where they expanded operations? How might an organization balance varying views of ethical standards across cultures? Provide an example of a business currently addressing this issue and discuss any personal experience you may have with these issues. How might ethical and social responsibility issues, such as community service or environmentally responsible practices, affect an organization's operations in different regions of the US? What must an organization consider when expanding operations to Omaha, Nebraska; Santa Monica, California; Montgomery, Alabama; and Detroit, Michigan? Select two from the list to discuss in your response. Should a company vary its ethical and socially responsible business practices in different regions, even f laws which regulate the company's operations remain consistent across regions?Why or why not? What positive and negative outcomes might result from the choice the company makes about its ethical and socially responsible business practices in different regions? ; Imagine you are the marketing manager for a product you use daily, like gourmet coffees or paper towels, and you are selected to introduce the product to a new inter national market. What ethical or social responsibility issues, such as sustainability and fair trade, might you face when introducing the product to that raked? How might you overcome these issues?Name the product and the international market in your response. If your company plans to expand operations in a country known for human rights violations and sweatshop labor practices, what might you do to assure the media that the organization is committed to fair wages and running an honest, ethical factory? Would you consider choosing to open the factory elsewhere to prevent the media attaching the company's name to other companies that have abused and exploited ten workers Tort canapà © largo:' winy would you make tens console?

IQ Testing and Group Intelligence Testing

In defining intelligence, there has always been the question of whether intelligence is measured as a remarkable occurrence or if it has many variables that are combined. For example, is it how â€Å"smart† a person is? Or is it their ability to perform well on standardized tests? Are they measuring a person†s intelligence? Or just some arbitrary quantity of the person†s IQ? Or is it a mixture of survival, mathematical, social and other abilities. There are many debates regarding whether measuring intelligence is determined from test scores and results, or if it is measured by the person†s ability to process and problem solve. Uses of intelligence testing in an educational setting, intelligence and achievement tests are administered routinely to assess individual accomplishment. They are used to improve instruction a! nd curriculum planning. High schools use these tests to assist in the students future educational planning and help decide what college or type of college to attend. Elementary schools utilize screening and testing procedures to help determine readiness for writing and reading placement. Intelligence can be measured, by intelligence tests, among them the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Scale. These tests are intended to determine an individual†s intelligence quotient (IQ). Intelligence tests usually provide an estimate of global cognitive functioning as well as information about functioning within more specific domains. Intelligence tests are quite stable compared to measures of other human traits. However, the degree of stability increases with age such that early childhood and preschool measures of intellectual function are far less predictive of later functioning than assessments taken during middle childhood. The stability of intelligence test scores may! change as a function due to important environmental factors. Therefore, intelligence test scores are descriptive of a child†s functioning at that point in time when taking a test. The test scores could also be effected by environmental factors, child†s psychiatric status or educational program. Components of a good intelligence test are (a) Validity; does the test really measure intelligence and not something else? (b) Reliability; does the test produce consistent measures? (c) Norms; are the participants being fairly compared? Components that make an intelligence test flawed are (a) Poor validity; tests may be sensitive to social factors. (b) Poor norms; comparing people who are different. (c) Poor application; tests measure something that the school or job has nothing to do with. Theories of Process Psychometric Model Psychometric approach is defined as psychology that deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests ! for the measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, aptitude, and personality traits. There are various psychometric approaches to intelligence. The following paragraphs describe three different theorists and their psychometric model. First is Charles Spearman, who believed that intelligence is a combination of two parts. According to his two-factory theory of intelligence, the performance of any intellectual act requires some combination of g, (general intelligence factor) which is available to the same individual to the same degree for all intellectual acts. (Specific factors) or s is specific to that act and varies in strength from one act to another. S is specific knowledge such as verbal reasoning or spatial problem solving. Spearman equated g with mental energy. If one knows how a person performs on one task that is highly saturated with g, one can safely predict a similar level of performance for another highly g saturated task. The prediction of perfor! mance on tasks with high s factors is less accurate. Thus, the most important information to have about a person†s intellectual ability is an estimate of their g or mental energy (Plucker 1989). Guilford†s theory includes 150 abilities, arranged in three dimensions; contents, operations, and products. Guilford†s three-dimensional Structure of Intellect classified intellectual acts into 120 separate categories. These categories are operations dimension, products dimension and material or content dimension. He developed firm convictions regarding the ability of individual difference among people. Guilford believed that intelligence is much too complicated to be subsumed by a few primary mental abilities and g factor. His systematic theory gave rise to what is known as informational-operational psychology. Information-Processing Informational theorists believe human cognition is best understood as the management of information through a system with limit!ed space or resources (Bukato and Daehler 1998). Thurstone†s theory is based on seven primary mental abilities. In the area of intelligence, his theory maintains that intelligence is made up of several primary mental abilities rather than just the g and s factors. He was among the first to purpose and demonstrate that there are numerous ways in which a person can be intelligent. Thurstone†s Multiple-Factors Theory identified these seven primary mental abilities; Verbal Comprehension, Associative Memory, Word Fluency, Number Facility, Reasoning, Spatial Visualization, and Perceptual Speed. Thurstone†s theory has been used to construct intelligence tests that yield a profile of the individual†s performance on each of the ability tests, rather than general that yield a single score such as an IQ. Two theorists that promote informational processing models are Sternberg and Gardner. Sternberg†s triarchic theory consists of three parts; cognitive components of intelligence, experien! They are divided into three major sub-theories: Componential is encoding, combining and comparing stimuli, and evaluating one own performance. Contextual is the adaptation to one†s environment. One of Sternberg†s most important contributions to intelligence theory has been the redefinition of intelligence to incorporate practical knowledge. As Sternberg insists, â€Å"real life is where intelligence operates† and not in the classroom†¦The true measure of success is not how well one does in school, but how well one does in life (Trosky, 1998)†