Cognitive and Emotional Intelligence paper sample Essay Example for Free

Cognitive and Emotional Intelligence paper sample Essay DECLARATION I declare that this assessment is my own work, based on my own personal research/study . I also declare that this assessment, nor parts of it, has not been previously submitted for any other unit/module or course, and that I have not copied in part or whole or otherwise plagiarised the work of another student and/or persons. I have read the ACAP Student Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct Policy and understand its implications. I also declare, if this is a practical skills assessment, that a Client/Interviewee Consent Form has been read and signed by both parties, and where applicable parental consent has been obtained. Organisational Behaviour Assessment 1 Two important differences in organisational behaviour are cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence. The following essay evaluates theoretical and practical strengths and limitations of both intelligences and discusses the application of each in modern organisations. Modern organisations face differing challenges to those of the previous century, high turn-over, globalization and the rapid development of ever changing technology all require special attention. It has never been more important to find the right person for the right job. General mental ability does not give the whole picture. There is a link between cognitive and emotional intelligence, each being important contributors to modern organisations. Cognitive intelligence (CI) has traditionally been the indicator of successful job performance (Bosco, Nathan, Allen, 2012). Organisational psychology uses cognitive ability to predict workplace success (Neisser et  al., 1996). Cognitive intelligence can be generally defined as academic ability, IQ or general mental ability, including the ability to critically think and reason logically, to analyse and problem solve, as well as individual aptitude in reading and writing (Sternberg, 2006). CI is a valuable asset in employees, particularly in some specialist fields where critical thinking, logic and reason are required, occupations such as scientific researchers, accountants, economists etc. The capacity of all workers to engage cognitive intelligence in quick and effective decision making serves as an important basis for achieving successful outcomes in the most workplaces. Patton (2003) found a consequence of the developing business climate is the global economy and the Internet, each necessitating an increased speed of communications in business transactions. Decisive leaders are forced to make timely decisions without consult and all the data on hand, such an environment necessitates in the need for higher levels of general mental ability in order to achieve both increased levels and faster acquisition of job knowledge, thus leading to greater levels of job performance (Schmidt Hunter, 2004). CEO of Southwest Organisational Behaviour Assessment 1 Airlines, James Patton, displayed the importance of quick and effective decision making when facing a crisis on September 11, 2001. When planes where grounded and millions of passengers stranded, Patton decided that customers and staff would come first. No employees were required to stand down or take pay cuts, and passengers were given hassle free refunds, furthermore, Southwest employees were encouraged to take passengers to a movie or bowling to pass the time while awaiting news. In the aftermath of 9/11, while most airlines were reducing their workforces by 20% Southwest announced a $179.8 million profit sharing program for employees and managed to retain all staff (Gittell et el, 2006). Other examples of CI are literacy skills, such as reading and writing which are major tools of modern day  businesses: emails, documents and various other item of paperwork require high levels of accuracy for effective communication, efficiency on computers and an ability to learn new technolog y is important in this information world. McKenney, Copeland, Copeland and Mason (1995) propose that the revolution in communications and information technology should be considered as a dominant force in recent social and economic change. Although CI is undeniably important in establishing an efficient workforce it is not the whole picture. The value of cognitive intelligence is irrefutable however some limitations apply. Validities of predicting outcomes in real life are low. According to Viswevaran and Ones (2002), general mental ability accounts for only 25% variance in work performance. Furthermore, they suggest that intelligent behaviour is more than just the result of what intelligence tests measure. A practical example of the limitations of cognitive intelligence can be referred back to the other airlines effected by the 9/11 crisis. While Southwest airlines triumphed against adversary other airlines suffered greatly. There is no denying that the CEO’s of these struggling airlines were people of high cognitive intelligence, however, this personal asset alone was not enough to avoid financial losses, perhaps other ingredients such  as emotional intelligence and adequate policies are still required in order to retain consumer trust. Other CI limitations include measurement, particularly IQ testing which ma y result in adverse impact against minorities (Viswesvaran Ones, 2002). Tests presented in a language other than an individual’s primary language as well as differing cultural approaches make the result of such tests weighted in favour of the culture that produced it. High IQ does not guarantee adequate function in the  workplace. Highly gifted people are often underestimated and misunderstood by peers and society (Nauta Corten, 2002). They may make ineffective leaders as staff may not appreciate their intensity, perfectionism, questioning, and being â€Å"too smart† Heylighten (n.d.). Furthermore, CI does not guarantee a good team player. Elkin and Burke (2008) report Steve Jobs, while an example of a successful individual with extremely high cognitive intelligence, is reputed to have been a tyrant to work for. Critics claim he took credit for ideas that were not his, was not a team player, and was impatient, domineering and obsessive, behaviour which is inducing of high staff turnover or low employee retention rates. They also suggest Jobs strengths such as vision, magnetic charisma, perfectionism, all drove him to be a great CEO but are also the same drives that placed his company, staff and investors at risk. Highly intelligent individuals may have issues with delegation, trust, admitting error or asking for help. When compared to autonomous work, good teamwork enables tasks to be accomplished faster and more efficiently, reduces workloads, work pressure and improves staff relations (Kelly, 2004). Some highly intelligent people, such as those with Asperger’s Syndrome, may have low social skills. Individuals with Aspergers may test very highly on a CI tests but often their communication with others is blunt, awkward, stilted or odd (Shea, 2009). Saaty (1999) suggests that primary language expresses affections rather than ideas or thoughts. An inability to effectively communicate with consumers may result in difficult social relationships. While CI is indeed an important consideration in e mployee ability it is not a stand-alone measure of success. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is increasingly being viewed as having a significant influence on job performance and effective leadership in the workforce. A commonly referred to definition of EI was given by Mayer, Caruso and Salovey (1999) â€Å"Emotional intelligence refers to an ability to  recognise the meanings of emotions and their relationships and to reason and problem solve on the basis of them. Emotional intelligence is involved in the capacity to perceive emotions, assimilate emotion-related feelings, understand the information of those emotions and manage them† (p. 267). EI reflects one’s capacity to cope with daily challenges and may assist in predicting both personal and professional success in life. Assets in any working relationship include social awareness, social networking, relationship management, self-awareness and self-management. While small business has long relied on understanding the importance of social networking and keeping healthy relations hips and positive reputation in their community, new technology, globalization and social media now take social awareness and social networking to a whole new level. According to Qualman (2009) global connectivity now results in both positive and negative messages regarding products and services becoming immediately, permanently and easily accessible to the whole world. EI is a valuable asset in employees, particularly in some specialist fields where charisma and empathy are required, such as, sales and marketing, counselling or nursing. Effective leaders, as part of their role in managing relationships, should embody competent levels of respect, empathy, courtesy, motivation and be able to inspire others. The importance of empathy can be illustrated by an American business called Toro who manufacture commercial lawn equipment. The nature of the product results in around 100 serious injuries annually, prior to the appointment of CEO Ken Melrose, Toro faced an average of 50 law suits per year, resulting in massive financial losses to the company. However, Melrose added empathy. Injured workers and their families where meet by company representativ es, sympathies where expressed, investigations made and any needs were meet at the onset. This change in policy has reduced the number of lawsuits from an  average of 50 per year to only one since 1991 when the policy was introduced (Rainey, Chan Begin, 2008). Furthermore, leaders need teams who are energetic, innovative, creative and passionate (Sloane, 2007). Understanding individual drives and motivations enables management to get the best results from their team. Effective management must be self-aware and have the ability to self-manage, including being aware of and managing moods, adapt appropriate emotions and behaviours to appropriate situations. Jack Welsh, Chairman of General Electric states that A leaders intelligence must have a strong emotional component. He has to have high levels of self-awareness, maturity and self-control.’ (as cited in Balakrishanan Mouli, 2011, p. 44). EI allows managers to get the best out of their employees. Perks (2007) advises that successful leaders are high in emotional intelligence; they maintain positive working relat ionships and employ adequate coping strategies in all areas of life. Leaders, ideally, should possess emotional intelligence to encourage the best of their team. Emotional intelligence, however, has its limitations. Cherniss (2010) even suggests that EI has produced the highest level of controversy in the social sciences of recent years. More clarity in regard to theory is required. Roberts, Matthews and Zeinder (2010) propose that EI models do not adequately address theory. Furthermore, Roberts suggests that emotional intelligence definitions lack clarity and questions the criterion of which qualities should belong under the banner of emotional intelligence. It seems necessary to adopt one clear common definition. Measures of EI are currently underdeveloped in this relatively new field, more research and the creation of better measures may improve construct validity (Cherniss, 2010). This may result in the development of greater understanding and respect for the field. There is no guarantee that a person high in EI, will use this asset in a positive manner. Individuals with high emotional intelligence may manipulate people or situations for personal gain. Saaty (2001) suggests that decisions are not always based on the greatest idea  but on a person’s ability to persuade others to accept the idea. More exploration and clarification is required to address some of the limitations of emotional intelligence. Modern organisations face fundamentally different problems from those of the in the past, globalization, increases in technology and staff turnover are just some of the issues being confronted. The belief has been held for around a century that higher intelligence in individuals is more valued due to their higher task performance (Viswesvaran Ones, 2002). Modern organisations provide services, and are organised according to a blend of individual’s, information and communication technology, social capital and recognized talents (Schoemaker Jonkers, 2005). The measuring of CI enables modern organisations an affordable and speedy way of evaluating an employee’s general mental ability. General mental ability has been related to occupational level on both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies (Schmidt Hunter, 2004). CI measures allow employers to apply specific cognitive abilities to valid and appropriate positions within the business with a view to discovering the bes t person for the job. According to Holloway (2003) employing the â€Å"right person for the job† or job fit is more essential now than ever. Job fit can be described as â€Å"the degree to which a person’s cognitive abilities, interests and personality dynamics fit those required for the job† (Russell, 2003, p.27). This is where the importance of emotional intelligences comes into play. A constant balance between understanding the individual drives and motivations of workers and ensuring staff remain engaged, enthusiastic and valued has many rewards for modern organisations. Incorporating a balance between both intelligences gives employees the greatest chance of achieving appropriate job fit. Holloway (2003) states that positive job fit, results in increased job satisfaction, increased productivity and reduced staff turnover. Furthermore, research by O’Reilly, Chatman and Caldwell (1991) suggests newly hired staff whose with values that fit in with the culture of the organisation tend to adjust quicker, remain longer with the company and are overall more satisfied. While Hollaway,  (2003) states th at understanding of workers in regards to work/life balance, personal goals and drives may encourage loyalty reducing turnover, saving on retraining and downtime. Furthermore, EI combined with CI addresses the gaps between management and workers through understanding of positive leading by example management that can result in emulation by employees resulting in a ripple effect throughout the organisation. There is a strong link between emotional intelligence and cognitive intelligence and the combination of both intelligences has become necessary for successful business relations in modern organisations. Cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence are each important factors in regard to individual differences in the field of organisational behaviour in modern organisations. While general mental ability accounts for many valuable employee assets such as efficiencies in regard to knowledge acquisition and technological aptitude, limitations to validity and measurement of testing and relevance mean that cognitive intelligence is not the only measure of a successful employee. Emotional intelligence also plays a key role in individual success in modern organisations. Effective leadership, self- awareness, social networking, empathy, self-management are all are assets of the emotionally intelligent. Modern organisations benefit from the combination of both intelligences by finding the best fit for the position resulting in higher job satisfaction, higher retention of staff and greater profits. References Balakrishanan, L., Mouli, S. (2011). Emotional Intelligence – A Key for Effective Employee Management. Amet Journal of Management,1(1),44. Retrieved from http://www.ametjournal.com/attachment/Amet-journal.pdf Bosco, F. A., Nathan, B., Allen, D. G. (2012, July). Higher validity and less adverse impact! Using â€Å"Executive Attention† to measure cognitive ability. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Personnel Assessment Council, Las Vegas, NV. Cherniss, C. (2010). Emotional intelligence: Toward clarification of a concept. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3(2), 110-126. doi:10.1111/j.1754-9434.2010.01231.x Elkind, P., Burke, D. (2008). The trouble with Steve. Fortune, 157, 54-63. Retrieved from http://personal.bellevuecollege.edu/llum/GBUS101/09WSteveJobs.pdf Gittell, J. H., Cameron, K., Lim, S., Rivas, V. (2006). Relationships, layoffs, and organizational resilience airline industry responses to September 11. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 42(3), 300-329. doi:10.1177/0021886306286466 Heylighen, F. (n.d.). Gifted People and their Problems. Retrieved from http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/Papers/GiftedProblems.pdf Higgins, D. M., Peterson, J. B., Pihl, R. O., Lee, A. G. (2007). Prefrontal cognitive ability, intelligence, Big Five personality, and the prediction of advanced academic and workplace performance. Journal of personality and social psychology, 93(2), 298. doi:10.1037/00223514.93.2.298 Holloway, P. (2003). Job Fitness Series: The Right Person for the Job. AboutPeople. Retrieved from http://www.aboutpeople.com/PDFFiles/The%20Right%20Person%20For%20the%20Job.pdf Kelly, B., (2014). Importance of Teamwork in Organizations, Demand Media retrieved March 8, 2014. Retrieved from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/importance-teamworkorganizations-12033.html McKenney, J. L., Copeland, D. C., Copeland, D. G., Mason, R. O. (1995).Waves of change: Business evolution through information technology. Harvard Business Press. Boston, USA. doi: 10.1080/08109029608632025 Mayer, J. D., Caruso, D. R., Salovey, P. (1999). Emotional intelligence meets traditional standards for an intelligence. Intelligence, 27(4), 267-298. doi:10.1016/s0160-2896(99)00016-1 Mayer, J. D., Roberts, R. D., Barsade, S. G. (2008). Human abilities: Emotional intelligence. Annual Review Psychology, 59(1), 507-536. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093646 Nauta, N. Corten, F. (2002) Tijdschrift voor Bedrijfs- en Verzekeringsgeneeskunde Journal for Occupational and Insurance Physicians, 10(11), 332-335. doi:10.1007/12498.1876-5858 Neisser, U., Boodoo, G., Bouchard Jr, T. J., Boykin, A. W., Brody, N., Ceci, S. J., Urbina, S. (1996). Intelligence: Knowns and unknowns. American psychologist, 51(2), 77. doi:10.1037/0003-066x.51.2.77 OReilly, C. A., Chatman, J., Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit. Academy of management journal, 34(3), 487-516. doi: 10.2307/256404 Patton, J. R. (2003). Intuition in decisions. Management Decision, 41(10), 989-996. doi:10.1108/00251740310509517 Perks, J. (2007, September). The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Business. Computer Weekly.com retrieved from http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240082956/The-role-of-emotionalintelligence-in-business Qualman, E. (2009). Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way we Live and do Business. Hoboken, USA. John Wiley Sons. doi:10.5860/CHOICE.48-1576 Rainey, M. B., Chan, K., Begin, J. (2008). Characterized by conciliation: Heres how business can use apology to diffuse litigation. Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation, 26(7), 131-134. doi: 10.1002/alt.20237 Roberts, R. D., Matthews, G., Zeinder, M. (2010). Emotional Intelligence: Muddling Through Theory and Measurement. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3, 140-144. doi: 10.1111/j.1754-9434.2010.01214.x Russell, C. (2003). Right Person, Right Job: Guess or KnowThe Breakthrough Technologies of Performance Information, (2nd ed.). Amherst, USA. HRD Press Inc. Saaty, T. L. (2001). Decision Making for Leaders: the Analytic Hierarchy Process for Decisions in a Complex World (2nd ed.). Pittsburgh, USA. RWS publications. doi: 10.1080/00137918308967693 Schmidt, F. L., Hunter, J. (2004). General Mental Ability in the World of Work: Occupational Attainment and Job Performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(1), 162173. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.86.1.162 Schoemaker, M., Jonker, J. (2005). Managing Intangible Assets: An Essay on Organising Contemporary Organisations Based upon Identity, Competencies and Networks. Journal of Management Development, 24(6), 506-518. doi: 10.1108/02621710510600964 Shea, S.(2009). Capstone: Communications Difficulties Among Individuals With and Without Aspergers Syndrome. Retrieved from: http://www.asdjobsink.com/CommunicationDifficulties.pdf Sloane, P. (2007). The Innovative Leader: How to Inspire Your Team and Drive Creativity. Philadelphia, USA. Kogan Page Publishers. Retrieved from: http://books.google.com.au/books?id=fb1vXOzjIBYCprintsec=frontcoversource=gbs_ge _summary_rcad=0#v=onepageqf=false Sternberg, R. J. 2006. Intelligence. Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science. doi: 10.1002/0470018860.s00555 Viswesvaran, C. Ones, D. S. (2002). Agreements and Disagreements on the Role of General Mental Ability (GMA) in Industrial, Work, and Organizational Psychology. Human Performance, 15(1/2), 211-231. doi:10.1207/s15327043hup150102_13

Realism In Saving Private Ryan Opening Scene Film Studies Essay

Realism In Saving Private Ryan Opening Scene Film Studies Essay Analysis on the opening scene of saving Private Ryan, what methods does the director use to present war in a realistic way? In this essay will provide a detailed analysis on the methods implemented by the director Steven Spielberg, to present the opening battle sequence of Saving Private Ryan in a realistic manner. This film centres itself around D-Day of the Second World War. The battle sequence is illustrated to a great extent to show how shocking the previous World Wars were. The director uses several ways to demonstrate how the war was severely terrifying, and for this uses many cinematic techniques which add to the effect of presenting the opening battle scene to being more realistic. Principally the three main methods that were operated in the film include lighting, camera angles and Mise En Scene. In addition Saving Private Ryan, presents a realistic depiction of the lives and deaths of the allied forces during World War II, hence its documentary style for a film. Moreover the film has received great recognition along with some criticism, winning five Oscars in 1999. Spielberg desperately wanted the film to be realistic and unconventional to any other war movie, to a point where $12 million was spent primarily for the opening scene. The opening scene is set out in Omaha Beach which was one of the main entry points into German-occupied France in Normandy. Saving Private Ryan revolves around this assault where Captain John H. Miller and his men search for a paratrooper Private James Francis Ryan. Whose three brothers have already died in action, and he is the only surviving son missing in action. Spielberg implements a variety of different techniques throughout the opening scene, to add astonishment in order to engage the audience and present a first person perspective. He used such things as desaturated colour, which added to the dulled effect, which brought out the great tragedy and emotions in the film. By adding desaturation to the colour made the deaths seem more explicit, dark and deeply disturbing. In addition the portrayal of the old newsreels allowed the audience to feel as if they were really there witnessing the events that were taking place in the 1940s. The battle scenes are overly surrounded with blood. Stark enactments of deliberate mutilation and random dismemberment depict the too numerous lives that are horribly wasted. The sanctity of life is presented to the audience with lack of meaning; death is illustrated through out the opening scene as continuous and ordinary. The film questions the value of human life and what is valid to sacrifice for it. The openi ng battle scene is an excellent example of this.   Sound is a key factor utilized by Spielberg to add realism. Through out the opening battle scene sounds of gunfire fill the air as the soldiers make their way towards the beach. The soundtrack consists of loud noises, for example, gun fire and exploding bombs. This feature reinforces various points in the scene where dialogue is barely audible, this particular layout is deliberately done so by Spielberg to emphasise to the audience how in reality but in particular, war the difficulties present were. Moreover such small but vital details as these allow the audience to realise what it was truly like for the soldiers on the battle field. In this scene there is too a lot of confusion presented by the muting of sound, which is shown by the way that the soldiers react mainly because of shock and the fact that death cannot be escaped. This rich use of depriving sound adds to the anxiety and anticipation of the scene, including the creation of realistic chaos typical of intense military conf lict. Spielberg applies innovative ways of sound placement and sound deprivation to help reveal character and reinforce central ideas and themes. With the sound effects rising, such as the clanging of the bottle and the man being sick at the begging of the scene, makes the audience aware of the growing tension. Furthermore regarding sound, Captain Millers moment of confusion shows the idea of being shell-shocked. As a bomb loudly crashes into the beach near where Captain Miller is walking. This is greatly shown by the camera shaking to add more chaos and shows that there is more destruction in this scene. Spielberg purposefully used a shaker to vibrate the camera to approximate the impact of explosions. As Captain Miller is shocked, the cameras zoom into a close up of him in jerky slow motion. This creates the idea of helplessness. Many films use blank munitions for sound affects that mimic gunfire, but on the contrary Spielberg instead used weapons with live rounds. The realistic e ffects of the gunfire and the innovative placement of sounds create a rich cinematic experience, in order to present realism. Moreover Spielberg too applies the use of camera shots to present Saving Private Ryan in a realistic portrayal to the audience. Whats more effective about the scene is where the soldiers are still on the engine boat, immediately after the boat door opens, chaos suddenly enters the film. An unforeseen event occurs as German soldiers fire their guns at the only recently arrived Americans. At this part, Spielberg has the cameras set over the German soldiers shoulder with their identity concealed. Such actions from Spielberg illustrate to the audience that no matter what nations participate in the war, nothing good can come from conflict, in this case war. This long shot is also effective as it gives a clear view of their dominance and acts again humanity. As the soldiers are suddenly taken down one by one with the sound of the rushing bullets, the handheld cameras are immediately brought out. They follow the few remaining survivors into the sea. As the camera drifts above and below the water, chaos suddenly emerges as if the individuals present were drowning. This is too presented because the sound is muted as if it were the soldiers own lack of senses not working in his time of turbulence. Spielberg uses haphazard cameras to follow the soldiers into the battle. It has the audience directly feel as if theyre apart of the action because they can view and experience the battle themselves. This allows the audience to feel more involved in the whole experience as if theyre following the soldiers, and taking part in the war themselves. There are a series of long shots of the soldiers but soon changes to the point of view of the Germans once more. This is a great technique as other conventional films only demonstrate the battles being from one-side but using an over-the-shoulder shot for the point of view makes the Germans appear more powerful as they are looking down upon the soldiers and therefore have an advantage. In this scene we can also see that the most common e motion felt is confusion as many soldiers appear to be lost and traumatized because of the terror they witness. The second section of the opening scene was in instant chaos. As the camera turns away from the iron hedgehog and set to a close up of Captain Miller nerves, which is shown through his shaking hands. Also as the camera zooms away from the single image of Captain Miller, the director emphasises how significant his presence is in the war. When the men are shot down underwater there are various close up shots of the wounded, to try and encourage sympathy for the suffering war veterans went through for society as a whole. This is made realistic by Spielberg hiring actual amputees being casted into the film. In Saving Private Ryan the camera focuses on capturing key moments of torment.  The film consists of some men jump over the sides of the boat to avoid gun fire, only to be drowned by their own packs.  Ã‚  The air is heavily filled with smoke and the sound of screams.  Ã‚  Image after image of unforgettable carnage is displayed, and at one point, everything seems to slow down, and the sounds grow distant, as though time were standing still.  Ã‚  Overall Spielberg has clearly made several attempts to illustrate the film Saving Private Ryan in a realistic manner, in which I believe he has succeeded. Moreover the soldiers were in authentic uniforms and weighted down with heavy guns and seen shaking in fear, praying, and throwing up.  Soldiers that survived that day to tell their story helped provide details about what they experienced. In conclusion I believe the opening battle sequence presented the audience with a realistic depiction of D-day, in which included the severe death that occurred through out the war. This depiction was portrayed and directed by Spielbergs spontaneous direction. Therefore providing an uncontrolled lay out to how the soldiers reacted, resulting in a better and realistic scene. The images shown were extremely shocking and brutal but showed the audience what fighting in war was really like and how several soldiers suffered and died. I believe that Steven Spielberg succeeded in putting realism in the film, because the film portrayed a real-life situation and in war, chaos would be inevitable. The film shows that soldiers were put in difficult situations and became confused and shocked because of what they had bear witness to.  I enjoyed the opening battle sequel of Saving Private Ryan because of its interpretation of the war, the reality of war and the in-depth emotions. Also because it was not a conventional war film and its representation of the horrific D-day. The effects used are outstanding and it shows that the little things make the big things happen like the desaturated colour used in the flashback as it looks like it is actually from 1944.

Workers Need a Living Wage Essay -- Its Time to Raise the Minimum Wag

It's 6:00am and that annoying beep of your alarm is ringing in your ears. You get up, start the coffee maker, shower, and get dressed in your work attire. You start your car and back out of your drive-way before noticing that you're running on the last fumes of your tank. You drive to nearest gas station where you see gas prices have, once again, risen. The aforementioned scenario is only one of many examples of the depreciating value of the dollar. In fact, in the past five years, the CPI-U has increased from 168.8 to 190.7 - that's a 12.97% inflationary increase (Historical CPI)! Sure, to Corporate Joe in his fancy sports car, a few extra pennies for gas isn’t much, but what about the school janitor who is trying to successfully raise a family of four on minimum wage? The most immediate reality behind Living Wage organizing is the dramatic erosion of the minimum wage. Even with the 1996 increase to $5.15 an hour the buying power of the minimum wage is still 30 percent below its peak in 1968. This is true despite the fact the economy was about fifty percent more productive than in 1968. A minimum wage that had kept pace with productivity gains would be roughly $11.20 today (Pollin and Luce, 58). In fact, in 2003 the poverty rate rose from 12.1 to 12.5 percent leaving 35.9 million people at or below the poverty line of $18,660 for a family of four (U.S. Census Bureau). These 35.9 million people trudge through their manual labor occupations day in and day out only to see the (few) dollars they earn slowly depreciate in value. In 1906, John Ryan, advocate of the living wage, wrote "Every man who is willing to work, has, therefore an inborn right to sustenance from the earth and on reasonable terms or conditio... ...ome of the fiscal burden they experience. With the increasingly inflating dollar and therefore the depreciating value of the minimum wage, an implementation of a universal living wage would be the humanitarian thing to do. Works Cited Historical Consumer Price Index. Historical CPI. 2003. 4 March 2015. Pollin, Robert and Stephanie Luce. The Living Wage: Building A Fair Economy. New York: New Press, 1998. U.S. Census Bureau. Poverty 2003 Highlights. 26 August 2004. 25 February 2015. Glickman, Lawrence. A Living Wage: American Workers and the Making of a Consumer Society. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997. Acorn.org. ACORN: About Acorn. 2005. 2 March 2015.

Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Synthase Impairs a Distinct Form of Long-Ter

Introduction Nitric oxide (NO), which has demonstrated plasticity regarding processes of learning and memory, has revealed its specific function in memory formation for the honeybee. The predominant amount of NO synthase (NOS) activity has been shown to participate in the processing of olfactory information of a honeybee. A honeybee's antenna (*- Application of appetitive stimuli to the antennae of honeybees elicits extension of the proboscis (PER)) lobes are the primary centers of olfactory processing that exhibit highest NOS activity, which takes place in the brain. The lip of the mushroom body, which is involved in this process, calyces and the lateral protocerebral lobe receives input from the antennal lobs via a median and a lateral pathway; this indicates strong labeling. Neuropils of the central brain exhibited intermediate labeling. The effects of NOS activity on honeybees were revealed injecting a hemoglobin assay. The hemoglobin assay is able to detect NO and other substances (CO, etc.), therefore, these assays reveal at least two signals. By adding NOS inhibitors to the assay mixture, the first signal can be inhibited, but the second signal cannot be inhibited. The second signal includes enzymes other than NOS. Total NOS activity (*- NOS activity: defined as that part of the signal which is sensitive to NOS inhibitors added to the assay mixture) is divided into a major Ca2+ and a minor Ca2+ independent NOS activity which suggested that the existence of at least two NOS isoforms in the honeybee brain. Applying only 1 (l of 100 (l N-nitro-L-arginine or N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 20 minutes inhibits total NOS by 80% (*-show figure 2A). Maximal inhibition of NOS was attained at an approximate conc... ...at MTM (medium term memory) is not affected by the inhibition of NOS, but that blocking the NOS in regards to LTM reduces the LTM to the "level of the single trial-induced memory," (Muller 5). It was further speculated that the NOS activity depends on a sequence of conditioning trials. It was concluded that "the initial conditioning trial leads to an amnesia-resistant LTM, independently of NOS activity, formation of amnesia-resistant LTM by the subsequent conditioning trials requires NOS activity," (Muller 5). NOS plays an important part in the retention of memory, and these findings in honeybees can be used to understand how memory works in other organisms such as vertebrates. References Journal Article Muller, Uli. "Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Synthase Impairs a Distinct Form of Long-Term Memory in the Honeybee, Apis mellifera." Neuron 1996; 16: 541-549.

Legal Provisions Concerned with Business Units :: Business Management Companies Essays

Legal Provisions Concerned with Business Units Our client is in the process of forming a company. She wishes to avoid personal liability upon any contracts she may enter into on behalf of the proposed company. Our job is to design a report to explain the legal provisions concerned with the formation, management and dissolution of business units. The report will identify the relevant legal principles, which can influence the choice of business unit. Explain the differences in the regulatory approach adopted for partnerships and registered companies and describe the procedures for the dissolution of business units. At the end of the report we will advise our client what type of company would be best suited to her needs. There will also be a presentation to go with the report highlighting the main points. 2.TYPES OF COMPANY There are many different types of business unit. Each is formed by a group of people with a common aim. Britain has what is known as a mixed economy where goods and services are supplied by both private and public sector organisations, as shown in the following diagram: Private Enterprise Sole Trader Partnerships Limited Companies Co-operatives Private Public Retail Producer Public Enterprise Public corporations Government Departments Local Authorities The private sector/enterprise is the term used to describe all businesses which are owned by individuals or groups of individuals and run essentially for profit. About half of all trading in Britain is controlled by private sector organisations. The other half known as the public sector/enterprise are businesses which are owned and controlled by the government or Local Authorities and run for the benefit of the country. The sector this report is concerned with is the Private Sector. 2.1 SOLE TRADER This is the oldest, simplest and therefore most common form of business unit. A sole trader is one who conducts their business by themselves either using their own name or a business name. This is somebody who is self-employed and who usually starts a business with capital from their savings or by borrowing from friends or a bank. Capital is the money which every business needs to enable it to set up and operate, for example to buy premises, equipment, stock and pay wages. The main advantage is that you can be flexible. You don’t need to discuss with others (e.g. partners and directors) how you are going to run the business. You also have less paperwork. A sole trader is not necessarily a one-person business and may have many employees or branches. However, the business is owned by one person and it is they who receive the profits. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES - Business affairs can be kept private except for completing tax

Sister Maude

Sister Maude In this essay I am going to write about called sister maude. Sister maude is about two sisters who don’t really get along very well, also this poet is ambigious becase the poem is unclear the reader does not now how the my dear died or the parents and the my shame, also this poem is written in (1830 – 1894) by christina Rossetti. The propse of the poem is to describe how jelousy sisters cuased a death of another. Christina Rossetti uses a range of techniques to show the feelings of the sisters. In Sister Maude the sister's crime becomes a matter of good and evil.Christina Rossetti uses a range of techniques such as oxymoron a qoute to prove this is â€Å"comeliest corpse† the poet has used two opposite feelings together,the letter â€Å"c† is a plosive and echoes her anger to her sister Muade, also â€Å"comeliest corspe† and suggest that even as a corpse, he is still handsome enough and worthy to embrace the queen,in the second stanza it shows the narrators passion for her dead lover. His once beautiful hair is now â€Å"clotted†, also the writer uses letters â€Å"c† to show alliterations to show to her sister, sister Maude.Another technique used by Christina Rossetti is alliteration, the poet has used alliteration such as â€Å"cold he lies, as cold as a stone with clotted curls about her face† the letter â€Å"c† is a plosive and echoes her anger, also the quote says â€Å"cold he lies as cold as stone†this is the first thing you notice that the my dear died because it say cold he lies as cold as stone, alliteration’s used in the last two lines â€Å"sister Maude oh sister Maude, bide you with death and sin† also the quote used by the poet is angry with sister Maude that is why he used repetition

Scope Limitation

ScopeThe scope of the study refers to the parameters under which the study will be operating. The problem you seek to resolve will fit within certain parameters. Think of the scope as the domain of your research—what’s in the domain, and what is not. You need to make it as clear as possible what you will be studying and what factors are within the accepted range of your study. For example, if you are studying the ill effects of bullying on middle school children, the scope could include both face-to-face bullying and cyber-bullying in grades 6 through 8.LimitationsLimitations are matters and occurrences that arise in a study which are out of the researcher's control. They limit the extensity to which a study can go, and sometimes affect the end result and conclusions that can be drawn. Every study, no matter how well it is conducted and constructed, has limitations. This is one of the reasons why we do not use the words â€Å"prove† and â€Å"disprove† wit h respect to research findings. It is always possible that future research may cast doubt on the validity of any hypothesis or conclusion from a study. Your study might have access to only certain people in an organization, certain documents, and certain data. These are limitations. Subsequent studies may overcome these limitations.Limitations of Qualitative StudiesA limitation associated with qualitative study is related to validity and reliability. â€Å"Because qualitative research occurs in the natural setting it is extremely difficult to replicate studies† (Wiersma, 2000, p. 211). When you select certain methodologies and designs, for example phenomenology, they come with limitations over which you may have little control.Limitations of Case StudiesWe cannot make causal inferences from case studies, because we cannot rule out alternative explanations. It is always unclear about the generality of the findings of a case study. A case study involves the behavior of one pers on, group, or organization. The behavior of this one unit of analysis may or may not reflect the behavior of similar entities. Case studies may be suggestive of what may be found in similar organizations, but additional research would be needed to verify whether findings from one study would generalize elsewhere.Limitations of Correlational StudiesCorrelational research merely demonstrates that we can predict the behavior of one variable from the behavior of another variable. If a relationship exists then there is an association between variables. However, two variables can be associated without there being a causal relationship between the variables. If we find that X is associated with Y, it could mean that X caused Y, or Y caused X, or some â€Å"third† (confounding) variable caused both X and Y without there being any causal relationship between X and Y.Correlational research may also have limitations with respect to the generality of the findings. Perhaps the study invol ved a specific group of people, or that the relationship between the variables was only investigated under some situation or circumstance. Thus, it may be uncertain whether the correlational findings will generalize to other people or situations.Limitations of Randomized ExperimentsExperiments involving the random assignment of participants to conditions sometimes allow us to make causal conclusions if the variables that are manipulated are not confounded with other variables. Experiments gain rigor by controlling for influences outside of the variables of interest. However, there still may be limitations with respect to the generality of the findings.The experiment may have involved a specific group of people, certain situations, and only some of the possible conceptualizations of variables. Thus, we may not know whether the findings will generalize to other people, situations, or conceptualizations of the variables. Within  particular bounds, significant findings from an experim ental study may infer a general cause, but the presence of other unmeasured variables can limit that inference.Limitations of Survey InstrumentsSurveys that are distributed with time constraints were noted by Delva, Kirby, Knapper, and Birtwhistle (2002) as problematic in that people who struggle with real or perceived time constraints are less likely to respond to surveys because these possible respondents feel overworked – they just do not have the time to complete the survey. Surveys often also suffer the limitation of forcing respondents into particular response categories, thereby limiting the range of responses. Unlike an interview, where respondents can ask clarifying questions, respondents are usually limited to the text in the survey itself for direction about how to complete it and where to respond.DelimitationsThe delimitations of a study are those characteristics that arise from limitations in the scope of the study (defining the boundaries) and by the conscious e xclusionary and inclusionary decisions made during the development of the study plan. Unlike limitations, which flow from implicit characteristics of method and design, delimitations result from specific choices by the researcher. Among these are the choice of objectives and questions, variables of interest, the choice of theoretical perspectives that were adopted, the paradigm (qualitative/quantitative/mixed), the methodology, the theoretical framework and the choice of participants.The first delimiting step is the choice of problem, implying that there were other, related problems that could have been chosen but were rejected or screened off from view. To elucidate the delimitations of your study review each decision you had to make in putting together your study. In your purpose statement you declare what your study intends to accomplish. In the delimitations section you can repeat this declaration along with a pronouncement of what the study does not intend to cover. In the latt er case, your decisions for excluding certain pursuits are likely based on such  criteria as not directly relevant; too problematic because†¦; not feasible and the like. Make this reasoning as explicit as possible.