Thursday, October 31, 2019

Banned tv ads Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Banned tv ads - Essay Example In this paper we discuss the issues that have led to the banning of two condom adverts in the United States and also describe their intended meanings. The first advert informs and persuades consumers to use Dulex condoms, this advert is aimed at encouraging people to use Dulex condoms, the advert shows a male meeting a woman across the street but he is accompanied by some creatures at the back and this are intended to be signify sperms, however this creatures are trapped in the condom. In the second advert we have a man and male child where the child wants a product but the adult refuses to purchase the product, this shows that parents or adults should not restrict children to purchase products in the market including condoms, the other meaning is that adults should use condoms to avoid unwanted pregnancies that may lead to financial instability where one cannot afford products for their children. The adverts are created in such a way that they are appealing to the general public, they are supposed to pass the message to a lot of people and the more appealing an advert is then the more effective it becomes in the market, for this reason therefore adverts will use humor and other appealing features to encourage viewing and therefore achieve its intended purpose. The first reason why the adverts were banned is due to the fact that US advert regulation is very strict on adverts that are related to food and health, condoms are no exception in that they help in reducing sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, however these adverts may encourage individuals to engage in sexual activities, the adverts may encourage young children to have sex and this will have a negative impact in the society, this is because the advert is aimed at informing the consumers about an existing product and this advert is aimed at explaining its market size through encouraging people to have sex using

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

When Choosing a Career Path Essay Example for Free

When Choosing a Career Path Essay The first step that students can use to choose the career that is right for them is to take a career test. One of the most popular of these tests is known as the Holland Scale. It has six different category areas that students are attracted to such as investigative, social, or artistic. Based on these different areas, students can explore careers based on their interests (Joanna Saison). Evaluate Strengths and Skills When a student has figured out the general idea of his or her career path, the next step in the process is for them to evaluate and find out what their strengths and skills are. These are known as transferable skills (Joanna Saison)[1]. Examples of some of these skills are management and leadership skills, oral and written communication, public speaking or computer literacy (Joanna Saison)[2]. Develop Skills and Experience The authors in the article cited above also mention that if a person discovers that they lack the skills and experience needed for their chosen career field, there are several steps that they can take to gain the skills and experience necessary. First of all, a person who is employed can investigate to find out if they can get trained on the job. They can also look to find out if there are ways to be involved in projects that help to develop skills (Joanna Saison). Students also have access to resources in their community to develop their skills and experience. Chambers of Commerce in their area or state job development programs is a few of the resources that are available (Joanna Saison). Students are also able to increase their skills and experience by being involved with volunteer work or internships. The benefit of an internship is that you are able to work with people in your chosen career field (Joanna Saison). Some fields or industries have specific educational requirements and skills. An example of this would be that if a student is planning on getting into the education field, an education degree would be required. A few more options available to students are that they can take night classes or become involved with school on a part time basis (Joanna Saison). Other Factors Involved in Choosing a Career The previous section covered some of the more obvious factors involved for students trying to figure out a career path that is right for them. This next section discusses and analyzes some other factors that may be involved in choosing the right career. Are you an Introvert or Extrovert? If a student is an introvert, they will be spending much of their time alone. On the other hand, if a student is an extrovert, they will do very well in social interactions (Factors to Consider When Choosing a Career)[3]. Goals and Rewards a Person is Looking For Based on the article cited above, another factor that students may want to take into consideration is what goals and rewards they consider important for themselves. Stated another way, this can also mean what is more valued by the individual person. The author states that â€Å"some people desire to help others directly, while others seek independence and autonomy.† (Factors to Consider When Choosing a Career)[4] Career Resources for Students and Teachers The objective of this report up to this point has been to assist students on how to find career related information. The next section is going to discuss how to choose the right career using a government source. The Bureau of Labor Statistics website contains a section that lists career resources that are designed for use by teachers and students. It is located at http://www.bls.gov/audience/students.htm. Once a student is at that page, they would then need to click on this link. This section gives students access to over 60 occupations by interest or subject area. In addition, students can find out what tasks of their chosen occupation are, how to prepare for that occupation, what kind of salary they can expect and the job outlook for their chosen occupation (U. B. Statistics). Upon clicking on the hyperlink documented above, a student will discover that there is another page that groups job titles based on the skill. This means that those careers that use reading as the main skill are classified into their separate category and those jobs that use math as a main skill are grouped into that category. For example, if a student had the desire to choose a career where managing money is important, they would click on the words managing money (B. o. Statistics, What Do you Like?) To further expand on this vast topic, as an example, let us consider if a student wanted to choose one of the careers associated with managing money. The careers listed are Accountant, Financial Analyst, Loan Officer, Bookkeeping Clerk, and Real Estate Agent. If for instance, a student wanted to pursue a career as an accountant, they would click that job title when they go to the following source: (B. o. Statistics, Accountant) Upon clicking on the job title accountant, the student would then discover that there are several different types of accountants. There are public accountants, management accountants, government accountants and internal auditors listed as job titles (B. o. Statistics, Accountant)[5]. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of accountants have a college degree in accounting. If however, a student had a desire to be a public accountant, they would be required to take a special test. Upon successfully passing that test, the student would get a certification. They would then need to get a license from the state in which they reside. As of May 2008, the average salary for accountants and auditors was $65,840 (B. o. Statistics, Accountant)[6]. A student can access information about another career by following the process of steps described above.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Leadership Improvement Plan Example

Leadership Improvement Plan Example Part A: Program Overview and Session Plan The Leadership Improvement Plan is an excellent tool to utilize as a self-assessment plan for the manager of the future. An individual can assess or evaluate his or her strengths and deficiencies that would aid him or her in transforming themselves into the ideal manager in the future. In completing the self-assessments provided with the book, I ensured that I completed all of them so that I could receive a well-rounded analysis of my personality and my leadership potential. I took the liberty of approaching the Leadership Improvement Plan as I would a SWOT analysis of my organization. I ensured that I employed Porters SWOT analysis to every aspect of my assessment. Typically, SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A key to an effective SWOT analysis involves being realistic about your companys strengths and weaknesses, analysis should distinguish between where your organization is today, and where it could be in the future. I avoided grey areas, always ana lyzed my current status in relation to my ideal vision of a manager i.e. better than or worse than the ideal. I attempted to keep the analysis short and simple and ensured that the Leadership Improvement Process just like the SWOT process should avoid complexity and over analysis and that it is subjective. Part B: Analysis The assessment evaluates team development behaviors in five areas such as diagnosing team development, managing the forming stage, managing the storming stage and managing the performing stage (Stoner, 2007, 18). The score ranges from 18 to 108 and it can help measure my aptitude at building and leading a team in comparison to a group of 500 students. My score on this assessment was 86, placing me in the second quartile (72-94). A score of 95 or above would have placed me in the top quartile. A score of 60 or below is the bottom quartile indicating a deficiency in effectively managing and leading a team. I believe that I am well versed in the different stages of development that teams undergo in their life cycle from initiation to disbanding. Also, I am knowledgeable about guiding the team during the trying stages of forming and storming. My experience as a team leader in a Six Sigma project and Six Sigma Black Belt certification from the American Society for Quality is considerable. One of my strengths is that I give immense feedback to team members regarding their performance and help them hone their skills and facilitate unfettered exchange of ideas. One of my weaknesses is that I often cannot exude a certain charisma or passion required to communicate an exciting and passionate vision of what the team can achieve. Some action I can take is to practice yoga and meditation on a regularly in order to focus my mind on the positive and gain a sense of optimism for the future. I can also review how successful managers exude their charisma and passion to obtain buy-in from their employees and team members. One of the books I can read is Creating Optimism: A Proven, Seven-Step Program for Overcoming Depression written by Bob Murray and Alicia Fortinberry. By doing exercises in the book, I will gain a new positive outlook of life. I wish to learn and experience new and more positive ways of looking at my past, at my relationships, at my work, at my family. Part C: Leadership Style Talking about my personal self, I believe that two qualities in particular characterize my leadership style: the ability to establish a clear vision and the ability to set an example. Establishing a clear vision up front allows me to convey a sense of purpose and responsibility to every member of my team. A clear vision also provides a roadmap for setting goals and developing action plans. As each action plan is implemented and each goal is accomplished, project milestones are reached and overall progress is observed. The impression of progress as well as evidence thereof is key to maintaining a motivated and productive team. (Tichy, 2002, 25) Once a clear vision has been established, I seek to set an example for my colleagues. Specifically, I work to gain the respect of my team through action. People are more apt to mobilize after they have observed another person in action. When team members realize that I am willing to put in the effort, they feel compelled to act accordingly. In addition, they become more responsive to my leadership and more confident in their own work. (Schein, 1995, 187; (Topping, 2002, 26) In order to become a more effective leader, I need to improve my skills in both management and organization. The proper management of resources can make or break a project operating under a tight financial or personnel budget, while efficient organization promotes resource management. A leader who understands organizational philosophy will be a successful resource manager. (Arnold, 2001, 21) Since my primary role has traditionally been a resource rather than a manager of resources, I have had few opportunities to practice these skills. These skills will become a necessity as I step into positions of increasing managerial responsibility and organizational leadership. Part D: Group Dynamics Group dynamics is an important theory that has enabled me to understand my own approach to interacting with others. People work in-groups quite frequently and in many different areas of their life e.g. at work, school/college, sport, hobbies. A group can be defined as two or more people acting interdependently in a unified manner towards the achievement of goals (Bateman, 2004, 98). There are different types of groups; they can be primary or secondary. A primary group consists of members who come into direct contact (Bateman, 2004, 98), e.g. project teams, small department teams, sports teams. A secondary group are larger, less personal, and lack immediate direct contact between members (Robbins, 2002, 28) e.g. long assembly line. This is where there is little interpersonal communication. Groups can also be formal or informal. Formal groups tend be created by management deliberately. Management will pick the members and the methods of doing work. However informal groups are usually e stablished by people who have things in common and they will decide members, methods etc. (Covey, 2004, 54) There are different stages of group development. If people are put together then it doesnt automatically mean that they will form into a successful group. (Covey, 2004, 54) developed a theory that looked at the stages of the development of groups. The first stage is forming, this is the stage where members choose, or are told, to join a team (Covey, 2004, 54; Nicolaides, 2002, 45) The people in the group will come together and start communicating with the other members to find out more about them. Information exchanged between members tends to be superficial because people are trying to establish their position within the group. The second stage is known as storming. It is at this stage that peoples views and opinions start to show and this is when conflicts among the members can arise if these differ. The third stage is Norming. (Daft, 2002, 08) This is when the differences are excepted and people start to try to work together. Peoples roles will be established and so will shared norms and values. The next stage is performing; this is when the group has bonded and interacts with each other to get the set task done. The last is adjourning; this is when the group has completed their objectives or if they agree that the group is not going to work. (Daft, 2002, 08; Nankervis, 2002, 26) In my experience with groups I have found that at times group work can be very difficult. While at college we had to get into groups of 5 to do an assignment. We were all friends so I had no doubt that we wouldnt get on. However it was a lot different to what I had expected. We started at the storming stage because we already knew each other; this is where the disagreements began. It was at this stage that I realised that we had a conflict of opinions on how the assignment should be carried out and by whom. Finally after a lot of disagreements we got to the Norming stage through interaction and communication. It was decided that a voting system needed to be established. This worked because it allowed all of us to view our opinions and then take votes on it. This interaction and communication allowed us to complete the assignment. There are many theories on leadership style and behaviour. There are 4 main styles of leadership. One is authoritarian, this type of leader is the absolute authority on all matters, and little attention is paid to the views of others (DuBrin, 1989, 21; Myers, 2002, 14)). Participative or democratic style is when a democratic leader will consult those involved or who will be affected by the decision and delegates authority to others, encourages participation, and relies on expert and referent power to influence subordinates (Kets de Vries, 2001, 47). The third style of leadership is laissez-faire. This leader does not really direct people and lets them get on with the task based on some guidelines given. The last is a charismatic leader who influences and motivates others because they have outstanding personal characteristics In my experience I have found that this kind of leadership doesnt always work. I have worked (Kotler, 2003, 15). Part E: Moving Forward/ Next Steps My leadership improvement plan would comprise of varying facets of professional and personal adjustments that would enable me to prepare and align with my vision of an ideal manager. In summarizing my results, I discover that I need a well-rounded approach to tackle some of the deficiencies I have. I have to attend emotional intelligence workshops, take courses in ethics, read books, and consider enrollment in management training programs. Additionally, I need to hone my skills in the areas I have competence or mastery in order to avoid having them dull over time. I believe that evaluating my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats continually in the future as I have done so with the Leadership Improvement Plan here will greatly aid me in my aspirations of realizing and sustaining a successful and effective managerial position. References Arnold, K.A., Barling, J. and Kelloway, K.E. (2001), Leadership and organizational development journal, vol.22, Pp 21-65 Bateman, T.S. and Snell, S.A. (2004), Management: The new competitive landscape,6th ed, McGraw Hill, New York, Pp 16-98 Covey, S.R. (2004), The seven habits of highly effective people, 3rd ed, Simon Schuster Ltd., London, Pp 15-54 Daft, R.L. (2002), The leadership experiences, 2nd ed, South Western, Ohio, Pp 08-118 DuBrin, A.J. (1989), Instructors manual to accompany contemporary applied management, 3rd ed, 21-69 Kets de Vries, M. (2001), The leadership mystique, Prentice Hall, London, Pp 47-120 Kotler, P. (2003), Marketing management,11th ed, Prentice Hall. New Jersey, Pp 15-54 Myers, I.B. (2002), Introduction to type, 6th ed, Australia Psychologists Press, Victoria, Pp 14-74 Nankervis, A., Compton, R. and Baird, M. (2002), Strategic human resource management, 4th ed, Thomson, Singapore, Pp 26-96 Nicolaides, C. (2002), Focus on soft skills: A leadership wake-up call, Pp 45-115 Robbins, S.P. (2002), Essential of organizational behavior, 6th ed, Prentice Hall. New Jersey, Pp 28-49 Schein, E.H. (1995), The leader of future, Working Paper 3832, MIT Sloan School of Management, Pp 187-241 Stoner, J.A.F. and Freeman, R.E. (2007), Management, 4th ed, Prentice Hall, New Delhi, Pp 18-74 Tichy, N.M. and Cohen, E. (2002), The leadership engine, 2nd ed, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., New York, Pp 12-25 Topping, P.A. (2002), Managerial leadership, McGraw Hill, New York, Pp 26-36

Friday, October 25, 2019

Jordan craters :: essays research papers

The Jordan Craters volcanic field is located on the Owyhee-Oregon Plateau at the southeastern end of a series of young basalt fields extending from near Bend, Oregon, through Diamond Craters in south-central Oregon (Volcanoes of the World). The Jordan Craters field is limited to the northern most and youngest portion of a larger (250 square kilometers) Quaternary alkaline basalt field. There are three major vent areas aligned north to south along surficial and inferred expressions of the regional Basin and Range faulting (Hart, W.K., and Mertzmann, S.A.). Fluid pahoehoe basalt flows emanated from each of these sources, with pyroclastic activity confined to small scatter cones and to a larger crater-cone complex (Coffeepot Crater) at the northernmost edge of the Jordan Craters portion of this field (Volcanoes of the World). This entire Quaternary alkaline basalt field is part of a larger field (nearly 800 square kilometers) that includes Pleistocene and Pliocene olivine tholeiite to t ransitional basalt flows and vents. Jordan Craters is a wonderful sight mainly because of its well-preserved vents and striking flow features. Near Coffeepot Crater, the flow surfaces are vesicular shelly pahoehoe, which grade to massive tube-fed ropy pahoehoe in the distal regions. A 75-square-kilometer coffeepot Crater is a heart-shaped tephra cone constructed of numerous overlapping lobes of alternating densely to weakly welded scoriaceous lapilli and bombs (Volcanoes of the World). The walls of the crater show good evidence for a fluctuating lava pond, which appears to have broken through and rafted away portions of the northeastern and southeastern crater walls. Backflow of the lava pond into the conduit is indicated by pahoehoe crust on the present crater floor. The Jordan Craters lava flow field is mineralogically and chemically homogeneous, whereas proximal tephra and flow deposits exhibit significant chemical heterogeneity which correlates with the eruptive history. Also noteworthy are the many excellent examples of basalt flow

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Labor and Employment Laws Essay

Human resource departments are responsible for effectively, legally, fairly, and consistently attempting to maximize an organization’s return on its human capital investment while minimizing financial risk. This is why labor laws and Civil Acts are placed in the work place and other felicities to insure the well fare of others are without risk and effective(WGU). Analysis of Situation A In every situation all bases need to be covered and all information gathered before any request is finalized. It is necessary to establish whether the employee qualified for the leave and whether the terms as stipulated under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) were actually met. The Act requires that for one to benefit from the leave he or she must have worked with the employer for more than 12 months. Employee A had worked for 2 years and it can be deduced that he had successfully completed at least 1250 hours at the work place. The rationale of the law is to make it possible for one to accomplish his professional obligations and personal ones without having to choose one at the expense of another. The reason for the leave must be for the care of a family member who has a serious health condition or one’s own health condition. Employee A asked for the leave to take care of his wife who had prematurely given birth to twins. In fact, this is one of the reasons listed in the FMLA for this type of leave. It is not difficult to discern that this is a serious medical condition which requires continuous care of the patient. Therefore, employee A should not be subjected to any victimization upon his request of leave. Focusing on the duration of the leave, an employee is entitled to up to 12 weeks of this type of leave, so long as the right paperwork is provided. Employee A had been out for 11 weeks, hence, was still within the statutory period of 12 weeks. Since the issue of paper work is not a concern under this situation, I have confidence that he supplied all the required documentation. The employee must be reinstated to the same position he held before the leave, so long as he  still is able to perform the essential function of the job. Employee A was still able to perform the functions of the job. Hence, he was reinstated to his former position. On the issue of pay during the leave, the Act does not require employers to pay the employees during the leave but any arrangement to the contrary must, however, be respected. Since, there was no agreement to this effect with the employer; the manager is under no obligation to pay the withheld salary for the 11 weeks. The new manager in withholding the salary did not breach any law and this decision cannot be properly said to be discriminatory laws, in this case FMLA (Lau & Lisa, 2013). Analysis of Situation B General laws of Human Rights are captured in the U.S. constitution. The Civil Rights are contained in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The specifics of employment law are contained in various federal statutes that address specific issues in employment law. The employment law to be considered in the current situation is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA). The brief statement of the facts regarding employee B is that he was 68 years of age and had served Company X for 42 years and was assessed to be above average on his performance. He was allegedly not promoted because of his age with the company preferring a younger employee of 32 years who received a performance review of adequate. First of all, Company X is bound by the Act, since it had 75 employees which is way above the minimum requirement of 20 employees. As such, Company X in hiring, promoting or firing its employees must pay due regard to the requirements of the Act. Secondly, employee B is currently 68 years old, meaning that he is protected by the Act which states that it protects workers above the age of 40. If the assessment of both employees revealed that the older one was still performing better than the younger one then it would be hard to find a genuine reason for the promotion of the younger employee. Additionally, the situation does not fall under the exception of Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) stipulated in the Act. Under this exception, a younger employee can be preferred to an older one if it is objectively established and to some extent obvious that the job cannot be effectively performed by the older employee. In view of the foregoing, I rest upon the conclusion  that there was discrimination on the basis of age in selection of the younger employee for the promotion at the expense of employee B. The fact that the employee was not asked to sign an ADEA waiver or any document to the effect confirms my position. Age was the ‘but for’ reason for lack of promotion of the employee (Lau & Lisa, 2013). Analysis of Situation C The only purpose that Company X gave for failure to hire employee C was that such a move would have been costly to the company. Therefore, I would assume that the employee was qualified for the job as the applicable statue (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) applies to qualified but disabled persons. Consequently, it cannot be doubted that employee C was qualified for the job. Secondly, the Act gives considerations of whether the disabled person can perform the essentials of the job. Under this test it would be understandable when a company fails to hire a blind person as a driver. This is impossible since such a person cannot perform the essential functions of the job. Accordingly, the Act also permits the failure to hire a disabled person if it will require reasonable accommodation in order to perform the job. The essential function of the job would be incompatible with employee C’s situation and as such the level of accommodation required was too high. Company X’s decision not to hire employee C does not amount to discrimination but an instance of genuine distinction. The adjustments needed to accommodate employee C would be too much and, therefore, the decision not to hire him is not discriminatory against him. As a result, employees are more protected since they are the fragile parties in the employment contract bargain. This is because employees can be exploited by ill-intentioned employers. As such employment laws together with other human rights laws take care of employees. The laws also protect the interests of employers by lining the duration of certain leaves, qualifications for some benefits as discussed above and hiring of employees on the basis of merit and not any other considerations. (Lau & Lisa, 2013). Work Cited Page 1.Lau T.S. & Lisa J.A. (2013) The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business. New York: Flat World Knowledge Inc.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Macbeth is a tragic hero essays

Macbeth is a tragic hero essays The purpose of Greek tragedies was to teach people to be good citizens. This was done through the tragic hero. Macbeth fits the mold of a tragic hero because he is an extraordinary man, he has a tragic flaw, and he ends up regretting his actions. The first characteristic of a tragic hero is that they are an extraordinary man. In the beginning of the story Macbeth is shown to be a great warrior. He is so great that he receives praise from the King and is given the title of Thane of Cawdor. Not just anyone can go out into battle and come out victorious. Macbeth not only comes out victorious but he fights so well that he receives praise for it. This shows that Macbeth is an extraordinary man. The possession of a tragic flaw is another characteristic of a tragic hero. Macbeth starts out with the title of Thane of Glamis. Through his bravery in battle he is given the title of Thane of Cawdor. After Macbeth hears the prophecy that he will become king he will do anything to achieve it. Macbeths hunger for power show his ambition, which turns out to be his tragic flaw. Regret is the inevitable result of a tragic heros journey. As Macbeth sits in his castle awaiting the advancing rebel army he thinks about his situation. He says that he should be honored, loved and obeyed in his old age. Instead, he isnt respected or loved. He feels that after everything he went through he isnt in any better of o situation for it. Macbeth realizes his regret. In all Greek tragedies there is a tragic hero. Macbeth fits the mold of a tragic hero because he is an extraordinary man, he has a tragic flaw, and he ends up regretting his actions. Macbeth is used to teach people to control their ambition. ...