Ludwig van Beethoven essays

Ludwig van Beethoven essays The film Immortal Beloved shows us the life of Ludwig Van Beethoven one of the greatest or for some people the greatest composer of all times. The movie not only shows us his music but most importantly examines the man there was behind the music. He was a disabled man that protected himself from the not so understanding society of that time, with an edgy personality. The movie focuses on the letters Beethoven wrote. These letters that are still to this day a mystery to whom they were written for. Letters which had no name or address were written to a woman who he referred to as his Immortal beloved, from where the movie gets its name. Probably the biggest flaw the movie had was on making a wild guess to who had the letters be written for. In reality nobody really knows to whom the letters were intended for. But the film points out that Johanna Van Riess(Beethovens sister in law) was the Immortal beloved. Documents show us that there was a total of three letters written to somebody located at K. which most of the people think is Karlsbad although there are many other possibilities as Klosterneuberg and other towns in Czech Republic that can be associated with the letter K. The movie recreates the mysterious love life of the womanizer Ludwig Van Beethoven. As we all know, the film industry main purpose is to entertain its viewers. It would be impossible to recreate in a movie each and every woman that Beethoven was involved with during his life. It would probably be to lengthy to tell in a film. There is always research done when a movie that is based on real life is made, then history is adapted to make the product sellable and that is when fiction appears. Most likely the producer of this film picked these three women among the many that are revealed in history because he thought they were the most important in Beethovens life. And to give the story a surprising ending he picked Johanna Van Riess to be the heroin o ...

What Aquatic Insects Tell Us About Water Quality

What Aquatic Insects Tell Us About Water Quality The types of insects and other invertebrates living in the worlds lakes, rivers or oceans can tell us if that water source has very high or very little water pollutants. There are a number of ways that the scientific community and environmental agencies measure water quality, such as taking the temperature of the water, testing the pH and water clarity, measuring the level of dissolved oxygen, as well as determining the levels of nutrients and toxic substances. It seems looking at insect life in the water might be the easiest and perhaps most cost-effective method especially if the surveyor can tell the difference from one invertebrate to the next upon visual examination. It can eliminate the need for frequent, costly chemical tests. Bioindicators, which are sort of like a canary in a coalmine- are living organisms that indicate the quality of their environment by their presence or absence, according to Hannah Foster, postdoctoral researcher in bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The main reason to use bioindicators is that chemical analysis of water provides only a snapshot of the quality of a body of water. Importance of Water Quality Monitoring Adverse changes to the water quality of one stream can impact all the bodies of water it touches. When water quality degrades, changes to plant, insect and fish communities may occur and can affect the entire food chain. Through water quality monitoring, communities can assess the health of their streams and rivers over time. Once baseline data on the health of a stream is collected, subsequent monitoring can help identify when and where pollution incidents occur. Using Bioindicators for Water Sampling Doing a survey of bioindicators, or biological water quality monitoring involves collecting samples of aquatic macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates live in water for at least part of their life cycle. Macroinvertebrates are organisms without backbones, which are visible to the eye without the aid of a microscope. Aquatic macroinvertebrates live on, under and around rocks and sediment on the bottoms of lakes, rivers, and streams. Aquatic macroinvertebrates include species of insects, worms, snails, mussels, leeches, and crayfish. For example, sampling macroinvertebrate life in a stream when monitoring water quality is useful because these organisms are easy to collect and identify, and tend to stay in one area unless environmental conditions change. Simply put, some macroinvertebrates are highly sensitive to pollution, while others tolerate it. Certain types of macroinvertebrates found thriving in a body of water can tell you if that water is clean or polluted. Highly Sensitive to Pollution When found in high numbers, macroinvertebrates like adult riffle beetles and gilled snails can serve as bioindicators of good water quality. These creatures are usually highly sensitive to pollution. These organisms tend to require highly dissolved oxygen levels. If these organisms were once abundant, but subsequent sampling shows a decline in numbers, it may indicate that a pollution incident occurred. Other organisms that are highly sensitive to pollution include: Mayflies (nymphs)Caddisflies (larvae)Stoneflies (nymphs)Water PenniesHellgrammites (dobsonfly larvae) Somewhat Tolerant of Pollution If there is an abundance of a certain type of macroinvertebrates, like clams, mussels,  crayfish, and sowbugs, that can indicate that the water is in fair to good condition. Other macroinvertebrates that are somewhat tolerant of pollutants include: Alderflies (larvae)Dragonflies and Damselflies (nymphs)Whirligig Beetles (larvae)Riffle Beetles (larvae)Fishflies (larvae)Scuds Pollution Tolerant Certain macroinvertebrates, like leeches and aquatic worms, thrive in poor quality water. An abundance of these organisms suggests environmental conditions in a body of water have deteriorated. Some of these invertebrates use snorkels to access oxygen at the waters surface  and are less dependent on dissolved oxygen to breathe. Other pollution-tolerant macroinvertebrates include: Black Flies (larvae)Midge Flies (larvae)Lunged Snails

The Nemo Dat Rule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Nemo Dat Rule - Essay Example All in all, the main purpose of any purchase is to have the transfer of the given good from the seller to the buyer (Akseli 2000, p.21). In accordance to the case of Rohit Kulkarni  v.  Manor Credit (Davenham) Ltd, we get to see the application of the sales in goods act and the hire purchase Act. In the case, Manor credit sold a Mercedes car to Gwent via hire purchase terms. When Dr. Kulkarni approached Gwent, it sold to the doctor the car. Later on, when Gwent failed to pay as per the hire purchase agreement, Manor decides to repossess the car. The doctor is then left without a car and no refund (Crosling 2000, p.83). Therefore, Dr. Kulkarni takes Manor Credit to court to have refund of his money. A lot of decisions come in place in this case to decide who the rightful winner of the case is (Clarke 2005, p.63). In addition, there have been several cases like this that have been in court and different ruling made leaving many to argue if nemo dat rule is an efficient law to be us ed in the legal system. From the above case, Dr. Kulkarni wanted refund for the car which he had bought from Gwent, but according to the law, Gwent was not the sole owner of that property (Bar 2011, p.63). Since sale of property involves the transfer of commodity from one owner to the other, since Gwent did not have the rightful papers to prove they were the owners of the car, Dr. Kulkarni is left disadvantaged. In accordance to hire purchase act, the owner of the given commodity can repossess the commodity when the buyer has not paid nine tenths of the price agreed upon hire purchase (Clarke 2005, p.54). This law proves unfair in this case since an individual would have already paid money worth more than even the cash price of a given commodity and the owner repossess (Hoffman 2006, p.161). Though the hire purchase act, advocates for that, its innocent victims who would have lost their money and time buying that commodity. Such a law should either be abolished or changed so as not to belittle the innocent ones in the society. Since the owner of a given commodity is the one regarded as the one who has the rightful details to be the owner, take for instance in the above case, the owner is Manor credit (Connolly 2000, p.67). The nemo dat rule is also a good rule when view from the business point of view. Imagine the business person had invested his money in dealing in the hire purchase business and may be having debts and loans to repay, for a given customer to default payment indicate that the given business will be the verge of making laws. Hence by the ninth tenth rule applying is a way of making businesses not to enter into situations that they make loses (Gillies 2000, p. 78). It is hence disadvantageous to the customer who had the product since he or she would not be compensated by the business person (Luisa 2003, p.73). Such a law should be changed so that in the event that the owner repossesses his or her product, then the customer should have way of not coming out of the agreement worse than he or she entered. Such a law is only disadvantageous to the business people and disadvantageous to the customers. The given business person can be able to repossess and resell the given commodity and still get his or her money while the customer succumbs his or her loses (Howells 2006, p.45). In continuing to analyze the Nema dat rule, the doctor in the above case may have been favored by the ruling that stated that he might have been repaid if the commodity in question was

Difference between Mac and PC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Difference between Mac and PC - Essay Example PC, however, was made more for businesses outside of artistic fields, with many people favoring the word processing programs that PC has to offer (Pegoraro, 2006). The other physical aspect is the designs - Macs have only a handful of designs, each based on which model you buy, while PC has dozens of different models and customization options. The real differences can be found within the different computer models. Within a Mac, every component, wire, and chip is manufactured from the same company ("What is", 2009). Within a PC, everything comes from a different company. Less problems are had with Mac, including a substantial lack of viruses, due to the fact that everything is created and programmed by the same people. If something goes wrong with any piece, it just needs to be sent and repaired by one company. With a PC, unfortunately, while the computer can be sent back to the computers brand name company, it will still need repaired by the proper company depending on the damaged component. Due to the fact that Mac is created by one company and PC is created by many, Mac has less software to offer, as it needs to be manufactured by their name company. PC can accept just about any software, given the fact that it is more versatile. This is perhaps one of the reasons why more people do prefer a PC, with the exception of those that are using Mac solely for artistic purposes. As aforementioned, one of the perks about Mac only being capable of using Mac/Apple products is that the computer has a less chance of contracting viruses. Even when it does obtain a virus, it causes less harm than it would to a PC (Pogue, 2005). Furthermore, there are very few programs that are dual-compatible, meaning they work on both systems. These programs are few and far between, and have proven to be damaging to whichever system it is being used on, especially if it had been on the other operating system prior to its second

The French Headscarf Affair Essay Example for Free

The French Headscarf Affair Essay The Headscarf affair which took place in France during the 1990s is a clear representation of the French refusal to revise their national identity. As the rate of post-colonial migration rose, so did the population of Muslims living in France. This rise of Muslim population spurred the start of the Headscarf affair which was used as a tool, against Muslims, to prevent the revision of the French national identity. The affair was justified by three main reasons, 1) to protect the idea of Secularism, 2) to achieve a â€Å"visible integration† and 3) to prevent the inevitable Islamic invasion of France. These three justifications, when considered in conjunction with each other, are able to show how the Headscarf affair in France is representative of a French refusal to revise their national identity and incorporate their new post-colonial migrants into their society. The French held high the ideology of Republic Universalism, a notion that aimed to decrease traces of difference between people, resulting in a national ‘sameness’. From this, the idea of Secularism was formed which aimed to provide a clear barrier between the State and religion. If the French could succeed in executing the idea of Secularism, they could separate the state from religious practices which would in turn remove any â€Å"religious divides that exist in society† which would lead to a religious sameness which in turn would add to the national identity of France and would prevent a revision of this identity. The Headscarf affair became the French government’s tool to the protection of Secularism in France. In 1989 the affair began when headmaster Ernest Cheniere refused to let three girls, each wearing an Islamic Headscarf into school ‘on the grounds that it would contravene with the principle of Secularism. The affair continued to gain momentum until in 1994 Francois Bayrou, the Minister for Education, put a ban on the wearing of any â€Å"Overt† religious symbols to school, with the aim of removing any religious divides and promoting equality and sameness. This rapid growth of the affair from the point of a refused entry to a ban on the Headscarf not only shows the French dislike towards the Muslim community but also indicates how the Headscarf affair, through the implementation of Secularism, represents the French refusal to revise their national identity. To the French it seems that appearance is more than reality when it comes to the idea of national identity. It can be argued that the French, with consideration to the post-colonial influx of Muslims, were only after a â€Å"visual integration†. It did not matter if the nation was actually unified and could be identified on a deeper more patriotic level; the focus was on the appearance of the nation. If the citizens of France appeared to have one identity, an identity that promoted the idea of sameness, as discussed earlier, then the national identity of the country was upheld. In order, however, for the French to retain this identity of visual integration and sameness, something had to be done about the Muslim women who were â€Å"emphasising religious differences† by wearing the headscarf. Action was taken against visual setbacks to national identity in 1994 when, as previously stated, Francois Bayrou placed ban on the wearing of all â€Å"overt and ostentatious† religious symbols. His justification was that the wearing of such symbols ‘separated students’ by causing visible â€Å"barriers to assimilation†, integration and unification. Clearly, the aim of Bayrou was to demolish any visible differences between the citizens of France and retain this visible unification that was deemed to be the French national identity. Ironically however, excluded from this ban were the Christian Crucifix and the Jewish Kippa, both being deemed â€Å"discreet. † Had Bayrou been consistent in his ban of visible and ‘overt’ religious symbols, his justification of the separation of children may have been plausible. With this ironic exclusion in mind we are now in a position to examine the real underlying factor as to why the Headscarf affair began in the first place and why the French used it to protect a potential revision of their National Identity. The primary and underlying factor contributing to the French Headscarf Affair during the 1990s is the French paranoia of the â€Å"phenomenon of Islamicization. † The French were convinced that with the mass influx of post-colonial Muslims, an Islamic invasion of France would come and with this invasion would come the rapid demise of the already established French national identity. As the wearing of the headscarf became more apparent on Islamic women in France, the French paranoia grew stronger with the Front National party going as far as proclaiming that the Muslims were â€Å"implanting themselves symbolically by the wearing of the headscarf. † In an attempt to protect their country from Islamic invasion and a potential revision of their national identity, the French implemented the ban on Islamic Headscarves and recruited support for this ban from the French community. The government used the media as their main source of recruitment; often portraying Muslim girls as tools used by the Islam’s to infiltrate France. Newspapers began to sprout exaggerated and bias headlines such as â€Å"Headscarves, the plot: how are Islamists infiltrating us† and articles declaring that â€Å"the fact that Muslim girls wished to wear a headscarf was a clear sign of Invasion. † With the support of the majority of the citizens in France, the French began executing the headscarf ban around the country in a desperate attempt to defend their nation from â€Å"the invasion by a troubling stranger and the fear of losing supremacy† and in turn prevent themselves from having to completely reconstruct their national identity. As we can see by examining the French Headscarf Affair and its three primary reasons of justification, the protection of Secularism, the achievement of â€Å"Visible Integration† and the prevention of an Islamic invasion, the Headscarf affair of the 1990s does in fact represent a French refusal to revise their national identity and incorporate their new post-colonial migrants into their society.

As You Like It Essay: Violating the Established Social Order

Violating the Established Social Order in As You Like It  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The recent White House sex scandal raised issues about gender, desire, and an established social order - issues that questioned established social norms and ideas about the power and politics of sex. Our society is not the first to recognize the effects that sexual politics and gender relations have had on social order, however. The works of William Shakespeare are ample evidence that Elizabethan England was firmly in touch with these notions. Shakespeare’s keen observations and careful crafting demonstrate over and over again that the battle for power is an ever-present one, and that social order is an ever-changing phenomenon. Quite often, Shakespeare questions the "norms" of gender, desire, and social order, and does his best to show that these norms can easily be changed (often with hilarious consequences). As You Like It is a prime example. Rife with usurpations, cross-dressing, female aggressiveness, and even a god named "Hymen", Shakespeare does his best to throw the established norms into disarray. He takes the "rules" regarding gender, desire, and social disorder completely upside-down. As You Like It shows that, like a hymen, these rules are made to be broken. The catalyst for the chaos the drives the play is certainly the violation of social order. Charles the wrestler tells us, "†¦the old Duke is banished by his younger brother the new Duke†¦" (I,i,99-100), and we are off and running. The old usurped Duke (Senior) has gone to live in the forest of Arden with several loyal followers, "and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England" (I,i,116). This allusion to the social outsider who robs from the rich and gives to the poor highlights how th... ...of Chicago Press, 1946. Harris, Laurie Lamzen, ed. Shakespearean Criticism : Volume 5. Detroit : Gale Research Company Book Tower, 1984. Holland, Norman. Psychoanalysis and Shakespeare. New York McGraw-Hill, 1966. O'Connor, Evangeline M. Who's Who and What's What In Shakespeare. New York : Avenel Books, 1978. Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. Eds., Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. New York : Washington Square Press, 1960. Spurgeon, Caroline. Shakespeare's Imagery And What It Tells Us. London : Cambridge University Press, 1965. Stevenson, Burton. The Standard Book of Shakespearean Quotations. New York : Funk & Wagnalls Company, Inc., 1953. Thaler, Alwin. Shakespeare and Our World. Knoxville, TN University of Tennessee Press, 1966. Webster, Margaret. Shakespeare Without Tears. New York Capricorn Books, 1975.      

Perception and Decision Making

It is impossible to live a life that does not involve the abstract concept of perception. Perception is essentially how people perceive information in relationship to their personal environment and then form a set of beliefs or opinions from said perceptions. In the business world, management is required to make decisions. While a great deal of the decision making process would appear to be based on empirical facts, the reality is that perception of fact as opposed to actual fact is often the barometer used to make decisions. Because different individuals may have different perceptions on the same issue, it becomes very important for managers to base their decisions on critical thinking and facts so as to avoid the potential problem of making decisions on perceptions that are not entirely accurate. The idea that â€Å"true† reality is never truly graspable by humans' sensory and cognitive equipment goes back at least to the works of Plato. There is, for instance, the distinction between appearances and reality. Show a three-year-old a red ball beneath a green filter and he will typically say that the ball is black, even though he had previously been given the ball to examine. Understanding of this appearance-reality distinction seems so necessary to everyday life that it is hard to imagine a society in which normal people would not acquire it. But the lesson is relatively new historically, such as the lesson of perspective in painting, or the intentional designing of optical illusions (such as the Ponzo illusion), or in the differing testimonies of eye-witnesses of the same event. The fact is that we all do not perceive the same things alike. (Kearl) If there was one caveat about perception, perception is not necessarily reality. Perception is a person’s interpretation of reality that may or may not be completely accurate, if it is accurate at all. Because of this, it is important for management to  ascertain reality, as opposed to a perceptual reality or a problematic situation might be the result. What sets great leaders apart is their ability to manage perceptions. What people observe or assess as your ability to be a leader and your effectiveness becomes their perception, which in turn becomes reality. Perceptions that are not manages become rumors, then gossip, then backbiting, which leads to destruction. Unmanaged perceptions become a reality that was not intended. Perception management requires asking questions and getting feedback from others†¦ For example, oftentimes, management will ask other employees for a â€Å"report† on a new hire. This is a terrible idea because second hand information can often be skewed and it is best for management to make decisions based on first hand experience rather than second hand experience, yet managers will repeatedly make such an extremely foolish error. Consider the following: a manager asks an employee how a new hire is performing. The employee speaks very badly about the performance of the new hire so the manager fires the employee. This is based on a perception of the new hire based on second hand information that has been deemed accurate. However, not all is what it seems. When the new hire is fired, something comes to light that turns out to be very embarrassing to management. The employee who provided the poor evaluation of the new hire turns out to have based the negative report not on the truth, but rather on discriminatory biases. The terminated employee later files EEO complaints and lawsuits against the company, all of which proves to be incredibly embarrassing to the management, if not costly. What was the root cause of this disaster? Management drew a perception of the employee that was not based on reality. Because there was no first hand data that shaped the perception, the perception that was shaped was one that was not based in reality. In short, perception is utterly useless if it is inaccurate because it will lead to decisions that come from a thoroughly flawed perspective. If the perception is harmful, then what good can possibly come from it? This importance for the empirical assessment of facts in the decision making process works on both an internal and external level, as it is important that management decisions provide customers with what the customers actually want. Again, the need for proper feedback plays a great factor in this. In other words, it is of absolute paramount importance for management to understand what their customers want. Again, there will be a perception as to what customers want vs. what they actually want. If management becomes single minded and focused on what customer’s want and that perception is inaccurate, the results can be cataclysmic. Nothing more famously illustrates this problem more that the total failure of â€Å"New Coke† in the 1980’s. Believing that the public was more interested in Pepsi because of its sweeter taste, the Coca-Cola Company believed that the public would be willing to accept a new type of Coke that would taste similar to Pepsi. This was one of the most insanely inaccurate perceptions of consumer desire in history! In reality (not perceptually!), the public was not interested in a form of Coca-Cola that tasted like Pepsi nor did Coca-Cola do itself any favors by essentially  communicating that Pepsi had a superior product. The campaign was a complete and total disaster and it was the result of poor perception of the consumer market on the part of Coca-Cola. So, what is a manager to do when it comes to making sure that perception and proper decision making go hand in hand? Arguably the most difficult and critical step in the decision making process is to identify and clarify the problem or issue. Pressed for time and feeling a sense of urgency, governance leaders often rush through this step. An incomplete diagnosis or assessment restricts a boards' capacity to expand options and select the most appropriate one. Without proper attention paid to this step, boards may come up with a solution that fails to address the etiology of the problem. (Scott) Again, the key to making a proper decision is to manage perception and the key to managing perception involves staying properly informed. If anything, a flawed perception is one that is based on limited or inaccurate information as seen in the case of new Coke or in the hypothetical case of the terminated employee. Ultimately, decision making will always be based on personal perceptions, but the more informed a manager is, the closer the manager’s perception will be to actual reality and not aligned to ignorance or flawed logic. While this seems like an academic point, managers can often approach a problem with blinders on based on personal biases in the decision making process. Regardless of what decision one makes, it will fall into the category or either a good decision or a bad decision. If flawed, then management must face the consequences. Bibliography Kearl, Michael. (DB) â€Å"Social Factors Shaping Perception and Decision Making.† Retrieved February 17, 2007 from http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/socpsy-5.html Russell, Jefffrey. (2001) â€Å"Are You Managing Perception?† Retrieved February 17, 2007 Scott, Katherine Tyler. (2006) â€Å"The Dynamics of Decision Making.† Retrieved February 16, 2007 Perception and Decision Making Decision making occurs when one chooses a choice among reasonable alternatives. Perception is a very important component of the decision making system.   In a psychological perspective perception can best be described as the process of inquiring, processing, and organizing information necessary to make a decision.   Or in other words perception can be scene as one’s thoughts on a situation.   When one is in the midst of a decision making situation they need to evaluate all factors involved and make a decision, which will hopefully be reasonable and satisfactory.   Decision making is a unique tool that is inquired over the course of time.   Students can learn about logic, philosophy, and psychology.   They can understand the concepts behind decision making, but they must first have the opportunity to make important decisions themselves to fully understand the process (Randall, 2004, pp. 10-24).A leadership expert Anthony Robbins said â€Å"as a manager, however, yo ur decision not only effects yourself but all the employees on your team.   For this reason, it is important to strengthen your own decision making skills and prepare for a time when your decisions will shape the events of many peoples lives† (â€Å"Making Decisions†).   In the simulation as the newly promoted manager I had the opportunity to assist the senior manager in very important decisions including reprimanding an employee, a hiring situation, to create an employee evaluation system, and look into an ethical dilemma which could make or loss millions of dollars for the company.Each of these situations requires perception to take a route to the final decision making process. â€Å"Management in organizations today is largely people management. If people are the important asset, effectiveness is related to: ââ€"   how managers perceive the individual ââ€"   how people relate to one another ââ€"   how we get maximum contribution ââ€"   how we go about changi ng from a situation which is seen to be ineffective to one that ensures high standards of performance†(Randall, 2004, p. 46). Today we will evaluate the situations these three situations and examine perception in the decision making process and how the perception from a new managers viewpoint could effect these decisions (â€Å"Making Decisions†).The first situation involved Mark, a long term employee who had been tardy for work for the past week.   There were many different decisions that could be made to come to a conclusion about Mark’s tardiness including, bring this to the attention of Mark’s coworker and ask their thoughts on the situation, checking Mark’s employment records, check all employee time records, speak with Mark individually, or take this to Sarah for advice. In this instance I believe it is best to speak to Mark by himself and see what is going on. Bringing undesired attention to an employee by a manager is never a good route to go so this should be avoided at all costs.Also taking a trivial problem to a manager can be looked down upon.   At this point after one week of tardiness sneaking a peak at the records might be helpful but going straight to the source is the best decision as we all have personal issues that arise.   Plus by informally addressing Mark you are letting him know he can come to you and that you can see eye to eye on some matters.   It is important to build relationships with employees (â€Å"Making Decisions†).The decision to hire the interviewee, Berk, is an important decision for the company.   Berk carried himself well during the interview, had enthusiasm, and similar skills to those needed in the near future.   Although Berk did a great job in the interview all of his abilities and skills need to be evaluated to ensure he is right for the position.   In this situation I perceived Berk as highly intelligent and skilled.   I did not look further to realize his ski lls are not what the company needs.   I let my impression of Berk steer my perception of his eligibility for the job in a positive way.   This is important to not in decision making situations.   Perception may not always work in your favor (â€Å"Making Decisions†).Creating an employee evaluation system as a reward system is a great idea.   Employee evaluation should include job performance, attitudes, helpfulness, dedication, and team work abilities.   The perception of how valuable an employee is to a company can be skewed for many reasons.   The creation of an effective evaluation system will greatly contribute to seeing employees for what they truly achieve for the company.   I believe that this six step system will greatly help reward the best employee (â€Å"Making Decisions†).The last decision is one of ethical nature.   An employee has come to me to let me know she has secretly obtained the designs of our biggest competitor.   If we take the designs we will have the opportunity to create something better and make more money than our competitors.   The downfall is getting caught.   This will cause a multimillion dollar lawsuit and will destroy the company as we know it.   Although the idea of making lots of money is very attractive it is necessary to take a breath and step back to evaluate this situation. Perception is very important in this decision making process as perceived success and wealth can ultimately alter a reasonable persons decision making abilities.All aspects of the perceived or likely consequences of acting on this offer need to be taken into consideration before a decision can be made (â€Å"Making Decisions†). There are ten values the core of ethical understanding; â€Å"caring, honesty, accountability, promise keeping, pursuit of excellence, loyalty, fairness, integrity, respect for others, and responsible citizenship. When put into practice, these values generate widely recognized virtu es that provide benchmarks for ethical decision making† (Guy, 1990, p. 17). Perception constitutes everything necessary to make a decision.   Perceived values and prior experiences help give one insight into the types of decisions they choose to make.   Perception of situations can be influenced in either positive or negative ways.   Having a mentor such as Sarah giving constructive feedback with each decision helps my views on each situation become clearer.   Managers make decisions based on perception of people, influences, and support system around them.   Perception of all of these concepts is vital.ReferencesGuy, M. E. (1990). Ethical Decision Making in Everyday Work Situations. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=15127472Randall, J. (2004). Managing Change, Changing Managers. New York: Routledge. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=10748 9181 â€Å"Making Decisions in Business Situations.† Western International University. 26 Mar. 2007 .

Measuring Training Effectiveness Through Kirk’s Model Essay

If you deliver training for your team or your organization, then you probably know how important it is to measure its effectiveness. After all, you don’t want to spend time or money on training that doesn’t provide a good return. This is where Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model can help you objectively analyze the effectiveness and impact of your training, so that you can improve it in the future. In this article, we’ll look at each of the Kirkpatrick four levels, and we’ll examine how you can apply the model to evaluate training. We’ll also look at some of the situations where the model may not be useful. The Four Levels Donald Kirkpatrick, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin and past president of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), first published his Four-Level Training Evaluation Model in 1959, in the US Training and Development Journal. The model was then updated in 1975, and again in 1994, when he published his best-known work, â€Å"Evaluating Training Programs.† The four levels are: Reaction. Learning. Behavior. Results. Let’s look at each level in greater detail. Level 1: Reaction This level measures how your trainees (the people being trained), reacted to the training. Obviously, you want them to feel that the training was a valuable experience, and you want them to feel good about the instructor, the topic, the material, its presentation, and the venue. It’s important to measure reaction, because it helps you understand how well the training was received by your audience. It also helps you improve the training for future trainees, including identifying important areas or topics that are missing from the training. Level 2: Learning At level 2, you measure what your trainees have learned. How much has their knowledge increased as a result of the training? When you planned the training session, you hopefully started with a list of specific learning objectives: these should be the starting point for your measurement. Keep in mind that you can measure learning in different ways depending on these objectives, and depending on whether you’re interested in changes to knowledge, skills, or attitude. It’s important to measure this, because knowing what your trainees are learning and what they aren’t will help you improve future training. Level 3: Behavior At this level, you evaluate how far your trainees have changed their behavior, based on the training they received. Specifically, this looks at how trainees apply the information. It’s important to realize that behavior can only change if conditions are favorable. For instance, imagine you’ve skipped measurement at the first two Kirkpatrick levels and, when looking at your group’s behavior, you determine that no behavior change has taken place. Therefore, you assume that your trainees haven’t learned anything and that the training was ineffective. However, just because behavior hasn’t changed, it doesn’t mean that trainees haven’t learned anything. Perhaps their boss won’t let them apply new knowledge. Or, maybe they’ve learned everything you taught, but they have no desire to apply the knowledge themselves. Level 4: Results At this level, you analyze the final results of your training. This includes outcomes that you or your organization have determined to be good for business, good for the employees, or good for the bottom line. How to Apply the Model Level 1: Reaction Start by identifying how you’ll measure reaction. Consider addressing these questions: Did the trainees feel that the training was worth their time? Did they think that it was successful? What were the biggest strengths of the training, and the biggest weaknesses? Did they like the venue and presentation style? Did the training session accommodate their personal learning styles? Next, identify how you want to measure these reactions. To do this you’ll typically useemployee satisfaction surveys or questionnaires; however you can also watch trainees’ body language during the training, and get verbal feedback by asking trainees directly about their experience. Once you’ve gathered this information, look at it carefully. Then, think about what changes you could make, based on your trainees’ feedback and suggestions. Level 2: Learning To measure learning, start by identifying what you want to evaluate. (These things could be changes in knowledge, skills, or attitudes.) It’s often helpful to measure these areas both before and after training. So, before training commences, test your trainees to determine their knowledge, skill levels, and attitudes. Once training is finished, test your trainees a second time to measure what they have learned, or measure learning with interviews or verbal assessments. Level 3: Behavior It can be challenging to measure behavior effectively. This is a longer-term activity that should take place weeks or months after the initial training. Consider these questions: Did the trainees put any of their learning to use? Are trainees able to teach their new knowledge, skills, or attitudes to other people? Are trainees aware that they’ve changed their behavior? One of the best ways to measure behavior is to conduct observations and interviews over time. Also, keep in mind that behavior will only change if conditions are favorable. For instance, effective learning could have taken place in the training session. But, if the overall organizational culture isn’t set up for any behavior changes, the trainees might not be able to apply what they’ve learned. Alternatively, trainees might not receive support, recognition, or reward for their behavior change from their boss. So, over time, they disregard the skills or knowledge that they have learned, and go back to their old behaviors. Level 4: Results Of all the levels, measuring the final results of the training is likely to be the most costly and time consuming. The biggest challenges are identifying which outcomes, benefits, or final results are most closely linked to the training, and coming up with an effective way to measure these outcomes over the long term. Here are some outcomes to consider, depending on the objectives of your training: Increased employee retention. Increased production. Higher morale. Reduced waste. Increased sales. Higher quality ratings. Increased customer satisfaction. Fewer staff complaints. Considerations Although Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model is popular and widely used, there are a number of considerations that need to be taken into account when using the model. One issue is that it can be time-consuming and expensive to use levels 3 or 4 of the model, so it’s not practical for all organizations and situations. This is especially the case for organizations that don’t have a dedicated training or human resource department, or for one-off training sessions or programs. In a similar way, it can be expensive and resource intensive to â€Å"wire up an organization† to collect data with the sole purpose of evaluating training at levels 3 and 4. (Whether or not this is practical depends on the systems already in place within the organization.) The model also assumes that each level’s importance is greater than the last level, and that all levels are linked. For instance, it implies that Reaction is less important, ultimately, than Results, and that reactions must be positive for learning to take place. In practice, this may not be the case. Most importantly, organizations change in many ways, and behaviors and results change depending on these, as well as on training. For example, measurable improvements in areas like retention and productivity could result from the arrival of a new boss or from a new computer system, rather than from training. Kirkpatrick’s model is great for trying to evaluate training in a â€Å"scientific† way, however, so many variables can be changing in fast-changing organizations that analysis at level 4 can be limited in usefulness. Key Points The Kirkpatrick Four-Level Training Evaluation Model helps trainers to measure the effectiveness of their training in an objective way. The model was originally created by Donald Kirkpatrick in 1959, and has since gone through several updates and revisions. The Four-Levels are as follows: Reaction. Learning. Behavior. Results. By going through and analyzing each of these four levels, you can gain a thorough understanding of how effective your training was, and how you can improve in the future. Bear in mind that the model isn’t practical in all situations, and that measuring the effectiveness of training with the model can be time-consuming and use a lot of resources.

Definition of a Chemical Period - Chemistry Glossary

Definition of a Chemical Period - Chemistry Glossary In chemistry, the term period refers to a horizontal row of the periodic table. Elements in the same period all have the same highest unexcited electron energy level or same ground state energy level. In other words, each atom has the same number of electron shells. As you more down the periodic table, there are more elements per element period because the number of electrons allowed per energy sublevel increases. The seven periods of the periodic table contain naturally-occurring elements. All elements in period 7 are radioactive. Period 8 consists solely of yet-to-be-discovered synthetic elements. Period 8 is not found on the typical periodic table, but does show up on extended periodic tables. Significance of Periods on Periodic Table Element groups and periods organize the elements of the periodic table according to periodic law. This structure categorizes elements according to their similar chemical and physical properties. As you move across a period, an atom of each element gains an electron and displays less metallic character than the element before it. So, elements within a period on the left side of the table are highly reactive and metallic, while elements on the right side are highly reactive and nonmetallic until you reach the final group. The halogens are nonmetallic and not reactive. The s-block and p-block elements within the same period tend to have different properties. However, d-block elements within a period are more similar to each other.

Help Writing a Research Paper

Help Writing a Research Paper Help Writing a Research Paper Help Writing a Research Paper Research paper advisers expect students to provide some background information about the research studies that they review. Without this information, research paper readers may be unsure about the value of the reviewed studies. Note, the lack of content development causes awkward transitions between ideas and undercuts the college research paper writer's credibility. Because the research paper writer fails to give the necessary background about the studies he or she reviews, his or her discussion may seem choppy and illogical. Many of such research paper problems can be solved by a brief introduction concisely summarizing each scholar's credentials and research methods. Introductions of this sort are also crucial to incorporate someone else research ideas into your discussion. With the hope of swaying a reader, gifted researchers sometimes intentionally avoid clarifying the context of research studies that research paper writers cite to support their positions. If you have a trouble with generating research paper topics ideas, custom research paper service is here to solve your problems. Free research paper is not a solution because thousands of other students have already submitted the same paper to their tutor.   Who knows, maybe your tutor has read that research paper as well. offers help writing a research paper. We guarantee high quality of every written paper we deliver! No hidden costs, no inexperienced writers! Research Paper Writing Academic research paper writing is distinguished from other kinds of writing in the degree of revision expected. While you can write quick memo in a single draft, most academic research papers writing require multiple revisions, some as many as a dozen or even four dozens. While tangled syntax and awkward wording may be acceptable in brief notes to colleagues, the rigorous peer-review process is designed to ensure that college papers are exemplary. Adviser wants you to write elegantly, to offer original contributions, and he wants you to be knowledgeable on the topic you have chosen. Rather than considering revision to be a relatively unimportant activity, like minor housekeeping, you can have a more accurate sense of how experienced college research paper writers perceive revision. You should consider it more similar to major renovation in which you tear down walls, rip off the roof, and add turrets. While you may be particularly adept at identifying and correcting grammatical and mechanical problems, you should ignore these concerns when in the process of first revisions.   If you request help writing a research paper at our site, you are entitled to request unlimited number of revisions. Our blog and writing tips are absolutely free!

Were people offered assisstive devices in the hospital after being Essay

Were people offered assisstive devices in the hospital after being treated for a fall - Essay Example Assistive devices are important tools that aid patients that had gone through a physical injury to recover faster. In line with the importance of assistive devices, this study will determine how well hospitals in Louisiana (River Parishes Hospital and Thibodaux General) offers assistive devices in treating patients with physical injuries. The problem statement is not a group of sentences that talk about the problem area you want to study or the general phenomenon of interest. A problem statement, generally in the form of a question, is a little broader than the purpose. For example, Can a correlation between utilizing ADs earlier after injury and improved patient outcomes be demonstrated? There are approximately 30% of older individuals 65 years old and up suffers from fall each year. (Blake et al., 1988) Physical injuries due to fall causes almost all injury-related deaths among elderly people especially in women. (Arfken et al., 1994) Being able to determine whether physically injured patients in Louisiana Hospitals were offered to use assistive devices will roughly give the nurses an estimate on how frequent these patients were offered to use assistive devices. In your significance, you need to point out cost of injury and prolonged hospital stays, effects of injury on quality of life. Since the study highlights the importance of using assistive devices on patients with physical injury due to fall, it would help the nurses be aware of the necessity of using these devices to enhance the recovery period of the patient. Thus, minimizing the injury-related deaths among the elderly people. Incidence of falls is frequent among the elderly individuals. Fall-related injuries are one of the most common leading causes of injury deaths and disabilities among the elderly individuals more than 65 years of age. (Lord, Sherrington, and Menz, 2001) Although more than half of

Writing for Media Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Writing for Media - Assignment Example ually might have lived a little bit nicer, because gas was so much cheaper.† His comments were mirrored by his girlfriend, Marla, who laughed when asked about savings and interest rates, saying â€Å"I haven’t made enough to put any money away for years, what do you think? If the interest rate were 0 or 10% it couldn’t make a difference to me.† Though state budgets have been viciously slashed by the recession, neither of these two people seemed to notice the difference: they made too much money to be eligible for Medicaid already, and so did not face rollbacks there, and relied on very few other modes of social support. Certainly other people who made less or who were more reliant on social welfare may have had a very different experience, but for some, it is clear that being poor meant that the recession did not take a huge bight out of standard of living. The economic situation seemed much more dire to those in the lower middle and middle classes. Younghee Jan, 62, for instance, had worked as a welder and a post office clerk respectively for 35 years before attempting planning to retire around 2010. Planning to retire to a smaller but distinctly nicer house in a nicer neighborhood than he had lived for most of his life, Mr. Jang decided to buy a house in 2006, having moved here from northern California. His divorced wife tells a similar story. They sank a great deal of their nest-egg into a down payment, negotiating what seemed then like a low fixed interest rate and feeling certain that they could make their payments based on their pensions, especially given how much of the house they had already managed to pay off in a large down payment. As the recession worsened, however, they suddenly found themselves holding the bag on an unsustainable mortgage. The low interest rate they locked in at was almost twice as high as what one could get for a home loan now, and they find themselves, like many people, with a house that could not clear the mortgage