Internet Gaming Addiction Essay

â€Å"So, how was your weekend? † one worker asks another. â€Å"It was amazing,† the other responds, â€Å"My girlfriend and I found a spot on the top of a small hill and talked as we watched the sun set. Then we went to a bar and watched a local entertainer, we had a couple of drinks and spent the night meeting all sorts of interesting people. † â€Å"That sounds nice,† the first worker replies, â€Å"Which bar did you go to? † â€Å"It was a cantina on the planet Corellia. The entertainer was really helpful. We then took my new star-cruiser to join with a group of people who were off to fight the Rancor. That took a really long time, and we had to return to the cantina in shifts in order to use the entertainer to heal, but we finally took the monster down. I got quite a bit of experience for that one. (This is such a great shocker, illustrating the difference between real life and a game and the way the two blur in many people’s minds! ) Man what a busy weekend. That was only part of the first night,† the second worker explains. He is visibly excited, and continues to explain more events in detail, all of which of the game. â€Å"Wait a minute,† the first worker interrupts, â€Å"You mean that you watched the sunset with your girlfriend in a game? † â€Å"Of course,† responds the second, â€Å"She is a Rodian bounty hunter from the planet Tatooine . I think she lives in Brazil in real life. Anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He resumes his story where he was prior to the interruption, detailing the events of his entire weekend. The majority of his weekend it seems has been spent playing a popular on-line computer game based on the Star Wars universe. The exchange above is a small illustration of a steadily growing population of people whose social experiences and interactions take place almost exclusively on the internet, inside virtual game worlds. The widespread availability and use of the internet has allowed people access to communication with anyone else on the planet. As with any other powerful tool however, its use is prone to abuse. Numerous studies have been performed on the addictive nature of the internet and some of its uses and applications. â€Å"Surfing† on the internet, chat rooms and messaging services, and Multi User Domains all have documented cases of addiction that display many of the negative aspects associated with substance abuse, minus chemical dependency. (This shows great use of fact to cement your point of view, rather than quoting widespread opinion. ) Video games like the ones mentioned above, commonly referred to as MMORPG’s or Massive Multi-player On-line Role Playing Games, are hugely popular and are one of the newest forms of on-line interaction prone to habitual use. (Good statement, but maybe a good place for a new paragraph to help follow along? ) What was once thought of as a harmless past-time may be more dangerous than many realize. (Good use of shocking language. ) The reasons behind the addictive behavior these kinds of games can induce lie in the rewarding social experiences and sense of accomplishment offered to otherwise introverted people, a sense of anonymity or alternate identity that serves to boost self esteem, and they seem to offer escape from the often depressing everyday life the addicted individuals feel they are trapped inside. (This is a good statement, but how do you know? Is this opinion, or something that’s been quoted? ) Multi User Domains, commonly referred to as MUD’s, are text based fantasy realms that play like an interactive novel and are populated by user created characters. As these characters, players complete quests, fight â€Å"monsters†, and collect weapons and items in order to become wealthier and stronger. With the advent of 3D graphics and larger servers, this type of medium expanded and improved, providing a much richer environment and the ability to support many more users at one time. These games came to be called MMORPG’s and have become exceedingly popular because they offer much more variety and detail, offering the same level of open ended game play that evolves as much as the characters the players create. For example World of Warcraft, a hugely popular MMORPG, just gained its 10 millionth subscriber as of 2008. This is roughly half of the population of Australia. These games run continuously and are accessible by people from all over the world, making them change and grow all the time. This, along with the experience accrual and monetary system keeps players playing longer and more frequently, as they are constantly being rewarded for their dedication. Peer pressure from other players may also play a role in increased playing time, as the forming of groups is often encouraged and sometimes necessary to accomplish the more advanced goals. These types of games have a much higher rate of addiction and abuse than do video games that are not of the dynamic multi-player variety. In a study performed by Peter Wiemer-Hastings, PhD, and Brian D. Ng, M. S. published in the CyberPsychology and Behavior journal, they found that the majority of the players of non-MMORPG played an average of 1-6 hours per week. The majority of the players of MMORPG are on the other hand played on an average of 11-40 hours per week, and 11% of those studied played 40 hours or more per week. The players of MMORPG’s also had tendencies of playing for long stretches, up to 8 hours at a time, and had reported losing sleep because of their playing habits. The study also asked a series of questions regarding the social behaviors of the two distinct groups of players. The answers indicated that â€Å"MMORPG users would rather spend time in the game than with friends, have more fun with in-game friends than people they know, found it easier to converse with people while in-game, did not find social relationships as important, and felt happier when in the game than anywhere else. † (Wiemer-Hastings and Ng) Playing habits with this level of dedication, especially when approaching the 40 hour dedication level, is almost certain to have negative impacts on the person’s personal life. Playing games this frequently is akin to working a full time job. This leaves little time for other activities or social interactions, especially when the dedicated player has an actual full time job or is a full time student. This can lead to an increasingly fractured personal social life and many who are introverted or less confident may begin to seek the entirety of their social outlets in a virtual world. These types of introverted people often find the anonymity and alternate identity appealing, as it offers them an escape. It gives them the ability to be anyone they wish for the time that they are playing, often times consuming much of the players’ real lives. Another popular game that shares many common themes and ideas with the MMORPG type of games, Second Life, is a 3D virtual world populated by players who create alternate identities to socialize with online. The player creates the way he or she would like to appear in the game, can purchase land and houses for their character to reside, and are free to do in the game world as they wish. Characters can shop and socialize as they would in the real world, all safely behind an alternate identity. Mediums such as these may be useful, as many institutions have begun experimenting with using them in group sessions and for distance instruction, as it can prove to be a more personal means of communication than traditional distance learning techniques. However, people who may struggle with traditional social interaction or who have a low self esteem may begin to find this type of interaction to be a complete substitute. This can lead to habitual and addictive use which may lead to the same problems in the individual’s everyday life that are often seen with the addiction to the MMORPG’s. (What problems, specifically? Do marriages end? Are jobs lost? This sounds a little vague and leaves me feeling like the argument is a little shaky. ) Many who have become to be dependent on their on-line social life may begin to lie to loved or become defensive about their frequency of use. One study indicated that marriage and dating relationships were effected the greatest when addictive computer game usage is present. â€Å"Dependents neglected their spouses in place of rendezvous with electronic lovers, leaving no quality time for their marriages. Finally, Dependents continued to emotionally and socially withdraw from their marriages, exerting more effort to maintain recently discovered on-line relationships. † (Young) The study also found that â€Å"Despite the negative consequences reported among Dependents, 54% had no desire to cut down the amount of time they spent on-line. † (Young) This lack of a desire to change this habitual behavior serves to illustrate the level of dedication and addiction possible in the use of these avenues of entertainment. As the addiction begins to involve larger portions of an individual’s life, damaging their professional and romantic relationships, often times depression can result. This brings us to the third possible cause for gaming addiction, escapism. The nature of these types of games present the player with the ability to play a character as close to or as far away from their own personality type and gender as they choose. They are given the ability to reinvent themselves entirely, to live out their every fantasy. As the players progress through the game, accomplishing quests and gaining experience points, they are receiving a sense of accomplishment. Individuals who have trouble approaching the opposite sex in their real lives can do so with the confidence that anonymity gives them. It may also give individuals who are depressed a reprieve from what they dislike about their lives. The more time the player spends in the game, the more this behavior is reinforced. As the playing time increases, the issues in their daily lives worsen until most of the players waking hours are spent hiding in the virtual world. As previously mentioned, these MMORPG style games excel at creating a believable and enjoyable fantasy world. There are games that cater many different genres and the developers have gone to great lengths to ensure that all personality types and playing styles have options to keep gamers enticed. The incremental increases to stature and abilities within the game serve to keep interest level high. The developers are continuously developing more quests and new game areas to explore, ensuring that the players will always have more to come back to. What was once seen as a harmless past-time may become the next focus of support group therapy. Review This is an excellent and well thought out argument pointing out the fact that online gaming has begun to steadily replace reality for many people. The author supports most of their arguments with facts gleaned from studies, and there is little to no feeling of personal preference here. The only areas where the information seems to draw from personal experience rather than supported fact are the reasons and the potential results behind large quantities of gaming. Otherwise, this argument is very well written and well supported. Works Cited Wiemer-Hastings, Peter and Brian D. Ng. â€Å"Addiction to the Internet and Online Gaming. † CyberPsychology and Behavior 8. 2 (2005): 110-113. Young, Kimberly S. â€Å"Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. † CyberPsychology and Behavior 1. 3 (1996): 237-244.

Questionnaire KAYE FINAL

Your answers will be tabulated with those of others to determine information needs, usage patterns, content requirements, format preferences, and overall quality. Thank you for your time and assistance. Directions: Please read this page before filling in your questionnaire. Take the time to fill in the questionnaire carefully and thoroughly. Allow sufficient time before your appointment for completion. Answer every question possible. Answer questions as honestly as possible. Encircle or mark all possible answers which apply to you. I.Target Situation Analysis Tasks, Skills and Activities of Nurses 1 . Which of the following best describes your practice role? (select all that apply) Case manager Clinical nurse specialist Nurse manager/ administrator Nurse navigator Nurse practitioner Nursing instructor/ educator Research nurse Staff nurse Other (Specify) Other (please specify) 2. What are the tasks that you usually do as a nurse? 3. What are the activities that you usually do which ne ed your skills? 4. What language skills and genres do you usually utilize? . Discourse AnalysisDescriptions of the language used by Nurses 1 . What are the demands of the Standardized Language in your field? 2. What are the goals Of utilizing Standardized Language for Nursing? 3. What are the genres and the terms used by nurses? Ill. Present Situation Analysis Capacities of Nurses 1 . According to you, what does it take to make a good nursing leader? Select all appropriate choices. A. Good interpersonal skills b. Good personality c. Better knowledge and skills d. Ability to handle all the members e. Good nature f. Ability to bring the best out of all members .

Disney’s Transition into Television and its Effects on Child Actors Essay

Disney has expanded their enterprise into many different areas, one of them being television. As Disney has explored the medium of television, they have focused the shows for the audience of children. In 1955, The Mickey Mouse Club was one of the first shows that Disney had on television. In order to appeal to younger audiences, the show had â€Å"young attractive stars performing before a live audience, clowns, magicians, cartoons, guest stars, educational elements, and music written for the show† (Pendergast). Children liked to watch the show because they were watching kids that were about the same age as them, and they could relate to the actors. The children watching the show were heavily influenced by the Mickey Mouse Club because they looked up to and saw the actors as role models (Telotte). They wanted to be like the actors, so Disney profited off this generation of children by putting out merchandise related to the show. In this way, Disney started making more and more money because of these child actors. Many people argue about the effect that watching Disney’s television shows and â€Å"their positive and negative influence on kids† (Hillstrom). However, what about the effect that Disney’s television shows have on the child actors? These children spend their childhood on the sets of television shows, â€Å"being a kid is a full-time job, with scripts to memorize, and tutoring to endure† (Corliss). They are playing the characters of normal kids, without being able to experience a normal childhood themselves, it is no wonder that many child stars get into trouble when they â€Å"start growing up and moving out† (Armstrong, Markovitz) and leave Disney, because they have not been able to experience normal life growing up as a Disney actor. Disney’s â€Å"ability to grow teen talent† year after year is what makes the Disney Channel so successful (Luscombe). While Disney’s other ventures are not making as much money as they used to, â€Å"Disney’s Teen Machine has become a finely tuned profit pump in an industry rife with unpredictability† (Luscombe). Disney seems to have figured out the formula for a great teen star, and they know when they see one. Casting agents at Disney say that â€Å"while they love high-energy kids who can deliver a line and get the humor, they avoid overtrained types† â€Å"they try to cast very real kids who have raw talent† (Armstrong). For most child stars, television is not the endgame, it is just the launchpad that they need to build themselves up until they become big stars. They also cannot just rely on their raw talent to get them though, acting is their job and they are getting paid to film the shows and star in the movies that Disney creates, so they need to not only be â€Å"cute, smart, and quick to learn lines, but also dedicated, focused, and in it for the long haul† (Armstrong). Disney Channel’s stereotypical television character is a teenage girl or boy with a strong family who sometimes gets into funny situations that they learn from in the end. The story lines differ from show to show, but the characters usually have that same background. They always have strong family values with an annoying sibling or two in order to make the show more interesting. Many of Disney’s successful shows have been known to continue for at least four seasons and sometimes more. This is because Disney is a family friendly network so they advertise â€Å"wholesome family entertainment†, and appeal to not only the children, but also their parents (Pendergast). Parents are a very large part of Disney’s enterprise, because they are the ones who are buying all of the merchandise. If they do not think that a certain show is having a positive influence on their children, they will stop letting their children watch the show which leads to less merchandise being bought. In this way, the teen actors also need to be very aware of the decisions that they make. Because they are the stars of these Disney shows, the kids that watch them on television look up to them. They instantly become role models for these children whether they want to be or not. And if they make a bad decision in their everyday lives and it gets into the media, and parents disapprove of the message it sends to their children, they stop being consumers of the actor and the show. Eventually the child and teen actors grow up, and want to leave the Disney Channel and pursue a career as an adult actor. However making the switch from Disney to Hollywood has not been achieved often. Disney has crafted a certain image for their stars, and it is hard for the actors to shake an image that has been associated with them for most of their childhood. The young actors grow out of the Disney shows and want to branch out into more serious roles, and many leave Disney and a lot of money behind to do so, for example Hilary Duff star of the hit Disney show Lizzie McGuire â€Å"famously walked away from a multi-million dollar offer† to start off on her own without Disney (Armstrong, Markovitz). Sometimes the upside for Disney is that when a star moves on, â€Å"the company no longer has to answer for every saucy leaked photo and tabloid scandal† in order to keep up their cookie cutter image (Armstrong, Markovitz). However, Disney would like to keep making money off of the stars, and they do that by â€Å"creating more opportunities so that the talent is more interested in engaging longer with the company† (Luscombe). In trying to keep their young stars, Disney has â€Å"created more opportunities for the stars within the company† (Luscombe). Disney has created many paths that they have their stars take, in wanting them to stay at Disney, they make the stars get involved in all aspects of disney. They make the stars go into no only acting in their television shows, but also getting involved in music and singing. This not only helps the stars gain more fame and fans, but makes Disney much more money than before. Instead of hiring actors and singers and dancers, Disney has shaped their stars so that they do everything with just one person. Disney has also had success in putting all three of these aspects together when they created High School Musical and The Cheetah Girls. They also take stars from their different television shows and put them in special episodes of other shows. This tactic advertises the individual actor and also a new show. Another way Disney gets their stars more involved in the company is if the stars record music and they put it in another movie, it advertises both the actor and the new movie. Disney’s advertising tactics have make their company more successful, and also their stars more famous. However because Disney has incorporated the stars into the company so much and has advertised them and their work as Disney, it is hard for them to branch out, which is exactly what Disney wants. They want to make it hard for the Actors to become disassociated with Disney. However, some stars handle branching away from Disney better than others. For example, Shia LaBeouf became very successful after Disney, starring in many great movies such as the Transformers series. Other former Disney stars handled the Disney branding badly, such as Miley Cyrus. She starred in the very lucrative Disney Channel show Hannah Montana. Where she played a very pure girl who moves for Tennessee to Malibu and has a secret life as a pop star. Miley had an even harder job at getting away from Disney that most other stars because she was not only known for the character Miley Stewart that she played on the show, but also for the character Hannah Montana which was the pop star alter ego on the show. She had two Disney characters to disassociate with and not just one. It was no secret that â€Å"Miley had been publicly testing the waters of adulthood for a few years†, she was taking dramatic and daring Vanity Fair photos and had â€Å"vaguely stripperish dance moves† at an awards show performance (Donahue). She also started to dress differently, less like the character on the show, and more of the short shorts and skin showing clothes. She was trying to change her image from Disney to more dangerous. However, the parents of the children who watched Hannah Montana were angry and made accusations that Miley was now a bad role model for their children and she lost some of her Disney fan base. â€Å"Disney makes you a star, you make them an enormous amount of money, and then you either crash and burn or you go out and stake your claim in the real world† (Donahue). In trying to branch out and get out from under the Disney stereotype, many of the former Disney stars have gotten into trouble with drugs and partying because they go to such drastic measures to change their image. They turn to drug use for the reason that it is so anti-Disney and they feel like that is the only way for people to see them not as their Disney Channel characters but as adults. But because Disney started their careers, they are indebted to them and feel like they owe it to Disney to stay with them for longer than they would want to. They also now have so much money that they could potentially get out of the business all together and be fairly well off. Disney has made a lot of money off of them and their fame, but they have also made a considerable amount off of Disney. Disney has made its young actors so famous that the kids have the world at their feet (Armstrong, Markovitz). But how much has the Disney lifestyle affected the child actors in their development and view of the world around them. They have not grown up like other normal kids did, they act for a living, and it is a full time job. They have to memorize lines and they are on set all day, they do not have time to go to school so they have tutors (Corliss). They play characters that live normal lives, and go to school, but they have not experienced these things themselves first hand. They are sheltered from the outside world while they are being shaped by Disney. They are who many normal children look up to and want to be, but sometimes they might want to just be normal. Having to represent Disney and watch everything that they do and say is a stressful job, and that stress created by Disney’s expectation of them and their fans expectation of them is enough to make anyone want to act out a bit, especially because they are teenagers. Being in the public eye and always being careful of what you do is not how children are supposed to grow up. They are supposed to be able to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes, but these Disney stars do not get the opportunity to make those mistakes because everyone is watching them and if they made even a minuscule mistake, the public would criticize them to no end. They have to live up to the Disney stereotype of the perfect pure child and also try to grow up and learn. Which is why when these stars try to deviate from Disney and to branch out from them, they take the most drastic measures possible because they do not know any other way. These child actors have so many children looking up to them, and so many people watching them that they do not have any room to breath and just be kids, they grow up too fast and then people criticize them for doing things that are too adult like wearing clothes that show ample amounts of skin or going out to clubs and partying, they grew up too fast in Hollywood and in the public spotlight. Disney has made billions off of these child actors and have created many opportunities for them to build their fame and fortune (Armstrong). But is Disney taking these children, shaping them into what they want the stars to be, and then when they are too old and Disney no longer needs them are they throwing these actors out to fend for themselves when they do not really know anything different than Disney? Society expects these children who have had to grow up too quickly in the environment that they were placed in and have not had proper childhoods to be perfect and to not make any mistakes when realistically we should be encouraging them to make mistakes and learn from them. Our society has expectations that are too high for these children and are too high even for adults to meet. We need to put less pressure on these Disney child actors to be perfect and to encourage them to be kids and to have fun. The pressure that they have on them from Disney to be successful, make a lot of money, and to conform to what Disney wants them to be combined with societies expectations for them to be good role models and to always make the right decision is too much pressure for these children to handle. So they turn to drugs and alcohol so that they are no longer expected to be the perfect person. The child actors are sometimes overlooked in the argument of television, but they have also been affected.

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Cross Culture Management - Case Study Example On the contrary, masculinity refers to the distribution of emotional roles between genders. Japan has the lowest score of 46. Japanese are more cooperated at work, and they are likely to have a good relationship with their boss. A job promotion is done on merit basis, which are associated with lower job stress. Germany has a score of 66 thus considered to be masculine societies. United Kingdom and United States have the highest scores of 89 and 91 respectively. Both countries have private people because they believe personal fulfillment is the root of the happiness. Both countries have higher masculinity index that is characterized with numerous challenges and jobs recognition. They also believe in their own decisions, have higher job stress, and prefer to work in large companies. Long-term orientation is a score that measures the philosophy related with Confucianism: perseverance and thrift, personal stability, respect for tradition, honor of ancestors, and have a duty of financial support of parents. Japan has the highest score at 80. U.S, U.K and Germany have relatively low score of 29, 25 and 31 respectively. The type of managerial types in business negotiations among the Japanese is hierarchal in its power structure. In Japan, not everyone is allowed to speak during the negotiations. In most cases, they are represented by a team of experts; also they take longer time during negotiations because they see business as a lifelong commitment to trust and loyalty. The cultural differences also have a significant impact on leadership. The British emphasize on charismatic leadership, on the contrary, the Germans managers are rather more systematic and routinized with the individuals working towards a similar goals. While comparing between the British and Japanese managers, the British are more likely to take risks, and Japanese pay attention to the details. These differences

ONTOLOGICAL PARADOX Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ONTOLOGICAL PARADOX - Research Paper Example ne has the ability to choose from the multiple patterns of lives with the chance of being embedded in one of the possible past-future pairs (Santas 39). The possibility of breaking out of limitations of only being able to exist in the present has led to many depictions of possible situations where human beings are able to freely move through the past present and future. Obsession with changing the past has not been limited to popular culture but has also featured in academic field such as physics and philosophy. This essay argues against the notion presented by some physicists and philosophers that one can travel back into the past to change based on the inconsistencies of time travelling. In this kind of fantasies, many tend to perceive an instrument such as special machine that will facilitate the backward time travel, think of a special machine which will enable man disappear from one place and time and reappear at a past time in a different or same place. There is a philosophical line of thought based on the existence of what is called a closed timelike curves (CTCs) discovered by philosophers and physicists working on time travel. CTCs are â€Å"curves in space and time† which provide â€Å"possible paths of bodies† to move through various universes. The model containing CTCs was discovered by Kurt GGdel in the 1940s and was believed to be models of the Einstein field equations (Seaman and Ssler 141). Based on model, Godel makes a theoretical assumption that it is possible for one to travel and come back at the exact time and place by making a round trip on a rocket ship in a suitably wide curve. This means that the object will get back to its past to the exact moment when it commenced the journey. The argument presented by Godel is based on the belief by some philosophers and physicists that the past, present and future equally real. These views on past, present and future represent the ideas of externalists group of theorists who argue that there was no

Reforms in China Essay Example for Free

Reforms in China Essay Many reforms have been introduced in China since it attained its independence but the most significant ones took place after 1978. These reforms are very popular in the history of China as the economic transformation is all attributed to them. The need to introduce the reforms was the urgent political as well as economic urgency to revive the Chinese economy which was headed for doom. Communism failed to see the country realize its goals of industrialization. Instead it had seen the country compromise its food security and it was clear that development would not be realized self sufficiently. There was need to introduce new and different policies to help change the country’s economy. The reforms were successful in the sense that they liberalized prices, diversified the banking systems and promoted the development of the private sector which was almost inexistent. The state sectors would gain increased autonomy and would operate in a free economy as a way of increasing their efficiency. Despite all these positive effects of the reforms, important issues that emerge calling for serious or vital considerations if they are to be addressed effectively. This paper aims at classifying the CPS reform strategy and establishing if it is a sinified socialist or an authoritarian developmentalist. CPS reform strategy is authoritarian developmentalistic in nature. The reforms have been successful in improving the people’s standards of living and as Randall explain in his book China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? the life expectancy rate has risen. (Peerenboom, 2007). China has been registering economic growth year after year and this is expected to go on for quite a long time. It has promoted trade liberalization and embraced capitalism but the role of the state is also significant and cannot be undermined. The state is responsible for the regulation as well as the control of important sectors of the economy. It also ensures that the conditions are effective for the effective operations of business. Privatization was to be encouraged with the introduction of the reforms. It strengthened the private sector which was almost inexistent during the era of communism. The reforms have brought about mixed feelings to the Chinese people. Despite the economic benefits that came with the reforms it is argued that they brought about separation or segregation among the Chinese people. China introduced the reform as it wanted to revive the economy as well as to increase its independence where the aspect of foreign dominance would be eliminated. The political leaders at the time internalized the need for intensive economic development and there were focused to enhancing industrialization. A socialist nation is one where the state has much control over almost all aspects. Such systems are condemned in the sense that they create minimal incentives to encourage innovation. In general, the issue of efficiency is one that raises much concern in as far as such states are concerned. With the reforms the government control on prices would be minimized and consequently the market distortions that were caused would be eliminated. If power is decentralized the various levels of government would have the autonomy necessarily to enable them work effectively and efficiently. Allowing state corporations to operate within the limits of the market forces of demand and supply would see to it that prices reflected the actual prices. It is this ideology that would enhance the effectiveness of such bodies. As China moved away from the initially practiced socialism it continued to undermine nationalism and the economic aspect was placed above the other aspects. The resultant effect of this practice was the intensive distortions in the economy as well as in the political arena. The popular values that ensured that the people’s interests remained the government’s major role were replaced by the need to develop. As Randall explains in his book China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? chapter four democracy in the Asian countries remains a highly debatable issue and it creates mixed reactions in people. The real sense of democracy does not seem to be felt as can be seen in the manner in which elections are carried out. In any democratic nations elections are carried out to let the people have a say in the matters concerning their nation. They act as a measure that checks on how a country is run. Good leaders are generally elected or re-elected to continue with the projects they have established. However, the manner in which most Asian countries conduct their elections is quite questionable and it raises concerns as to whether the main reason for the elections is to ensure that democracy prevails. They are characterized by chaos and people would go the extra mile of disrespecting the rule of law to secure their position in power. The response of the common man as regards to this issue is hostile in nature. If people are denied the right to freely and fairly participate in the running of their own nation then they end up opting for harsh measures. (Peerenboom, 2007). Tun-jen, Jacques and Deborah argue there is need to reform the political organization too. Power in China has not been reformed and the same powers that the first generation had are the same powers that the four generation has. (Huang, 2005). A good illustration to prove the reality of this statement is the fact that just as the earlier leaders had much power in as far as the military was concerned so are the current leaders. There is need to change the political system especially the party organizations. This would lead to their effectiveness in addressing issues as they emerge. The political leadership should move with the times as different times are characterized by different and unique issues. Tun-jen, Jacques and Deborah suggest that if the government is to regain its lost glory tarnished by the rampant corruption that jeopardizes its very legitimacy then the political leadership must be reformed. It must change in a manner that makes it relevant to the newly emerging situation. (Amin, 2005). The reforms can be explained as ‘authoritarian developmentalistic in nature. The political elite who form the government are committed to ensuring that development remains a highly valued national goal. To attain this goal they have set necessary institutions to design, implement the state led development projects. Although capitalism is embraced in such a state this is not without some restrictions. The institutions with the role of ensuring that policies set in place are geared towards the economic development of the nation makes it hard for other parties to make their contribution. This exclusivity of some institutions at that expense of the majority causes much conflicts or tension. The capitalism exercised in China is limited to the extent at which the state intervention is ensured. Policies that are allowed are those that pave way for rapid industrialization and more preference is given to the structures or institutions that would be of a positive impact in as far as economic development is concerned. The reforms failed to let the market operate effectively as with the mixed economy government control in market was inevitable. As Randall explains in his book China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? chapter four, bureaucratic privileges were not effectively addressed and the country’s power structure was not effectively addressed thus undermining democracy. As a result of this the common man feels detached from the same system that is supposed to ensure that his interests are amicably dealt with. The government has failed in fulfilling its responsibilities effectively as can be seen in the way it exhibits laxity in the implementation of laws that ensure the protection of its citizens. Public participation is highly disregarded in as far as policy making is concerned. The reforms were to bring about significant changes which should be felt by the entire system. (Peerenboom, 2007). Consequently there is need to implement changes in the legal as well as the political institutions. Some aspects of socialism should be adopted to ensure that economic development is not at the expense of the common man. For there to be effective development it is important that countries must embrace democracy. Whenever democracy is undermined then the chances for intensive demonstrations are increased and this is not good for the economy. If people are not allowed to have a say in their affairs they may opt for the harsh ways of expressing their views. Again, if consultation is not done the policies to be implemented may not necessarily the best for the people. Democracy invokes varying or rather conflicting views as some argue that its efficiency is correlated to state of the country in question. To this regard they argue that its effectiveness would be felt in the developed countries. (Peerenboom, 2007). However, in some developing countries with many groups where there is minimal chance of one group dominating the others it can well exercised. In the current position, democracy only works to benefit a few people in the society. The elite who stand a better position in society whether in the aspects of power or money tend to benefit at the expense of the majority poor. Democracy does not address the same issues it was introduced to deal with. In any cases it only works to perpetuate conflicts as the commoners will strive to use whichever means at their disposal to have their voice heard. The inefficiencies that ‘democracy’ is characterized with include the lack of transparency by the elite n society. This paves way for irregularities in the system as the political elites are not answerable to anyone. They are reluctant to meet the needs or interests of the people even though that is their major role. Another important characteristic of this democracy as explained by Randall in China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? is the poor dissemination of information. The reason behind such practice is the need to keep the people in the dark in the running of the state. As the saying goes, ‘what you do not know does not bother you’, if people are not aware of the actual evils of their systems then they would not air their views on the same. Again, if only the positive information is disseminated then the people are less likely to condemn the system or even make contributions in the running of the system. (Peerenboom, 2007). In chapter four of his book, China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? , Randall explains how China prides in the way it has successfully alleviated millions from poverty. However their efforts can be countered by the fact that it has not dealt with the issue of inequalities effectively as the gap between the haves and the have-nots is very wide. (Peerenboom, 2007). The government is however committed to ensuring that education and healthcare are given much priority and this can be seen in the introduction of free schooling and subsidized medical care in the rural areas. There exist significant disparities in as gender is concerned and women tend to for instance register higher illiteracy rates compared to men. The minorities also seems to have been neglected by the current system and thus there is need to address their interests. Although the Chinese people need to address the main issues affecting them especially the inequality and corruption such efforts are hindered by the lack of sufficient resources. The social groups that would have come in handy in enhancing this lack the financial power to operate effectively and efficiently. Randall in China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? describes the civil societies as too weak to meet their challenge. Jianfu Shen in his article, Population Growth, Ecological Degradation and Construction in the Western Region of China, the population growth is also an issue that the Chinese government should address. (Shen, 2004). It is critical for it to promote equality among its citizen so that it has a unified growth. The issue of inequality is also cited as one that calls for urgent redress by Tun-jen Cheng and others in China Under Hu Jintao: Opportunities, Dangers and Dilemmas, (Friedman, 2005). The issue of environmental degradation is also highlighted and it has intensified as industrialization continues to be embraced. In China the elections do not address the people’s problems. (Peerenboom, 2007). This is evident in the sense that the problems of inequality, corruption, poverty and human suffering are not resolved after elections. The elected government seems to forfeit its role in addressing the problems at hand. Politics is dominated by the political elite who are in close links with the business elite or are themselves in business. Money also plays an important role in influencing the elections as the affluent give money to attract more votes. The authoritarian developmentalistic reform strategy gives room for social evils like political violence as well as rampant corruption. Corruption is a major setback in China as Randall explains in chapter five of his book, China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? There is need to ensure that the existing institution especially the legal system reform so that they can effectively deal with it. The role of the legal system cannot be underestimated in as far as economic development is concerned. Law and order must be maintained to create conducive environments for the people. If the rule of law is well adhered to then the chances for corrupt dealings will be minimized to a large extent. The legal systems would ensure that property rights are respected and this will be effective in ensuring that businesses flourish. (Peerenboom, 2007). This paper has by and large explained the aftermath of the reforms as a way of defining the strategy’s position. The reforms produced varying effects as some benefited at the expense of others. Whether the reforms brought about economic growth is undisputable given the fact that they saw the country emerge from just another developing country to register an increment in the country’s GDP year after the other. Many people were relieved from poverty as their incomes rose and so did their standards of living. However there is another aspect of the reforms that is not only worrying but needs to be addressed. The reasons that make the reform strategy take the form of an authoritarian developmentalist by limiting the people’s voice or say is irrelevant need to be well addressed. Lack of effective democracy where important human rights are not respected makes the reform strategy a failure in the sense that it undermines important issues that it ought to be addressing. References Randall Peerenboom. 2007. China Modernizes Threat to the West or model to the rest? ` Oxford University Press Yanghong Huang, 2005. `Is the Chinese State Apparatus Being Revamped? ` in Tun-jen Cheng, et. al. ,eds. , China Under Hu Jintao: Opportunities, Dangers and Dilemmas, River Edge, N. J. : World Scientific Publishing Company, Samir Amin, 2005. `Theory and Practice of the Chinese Market Socialism Project: Is Market Socialism an Alternative to Liberal Globalization? ` in Tian Yu Cao, ed. , The Chinese Model of Development, London and New York: Routledge,. Edward Friedman. 2005. `Jiang Zemins Successors and Chinas Growing Rich-Poor Gap,` in Tun-jen Cheng, et. al. ,eds. , China Under Hu Jintao: Opportunities, Dangers and Dilemmas, River Edge, N. J. : World Scientific Publishing Company Jianfu Shen, 2004. `Population Growth, Ecological Degradation and Construction in the Western Region of China,` Journal of Contemporary China, 13, 41 (November 2004): 637-661

Functions Of The Operating System Computer Science Essay

Functions Of The Operating System Computer Science Essay Introduction A personal computer consists of two components, the hardware and the software. Hardware are basically physical components of the computer, in other words, they are tangible such as the motherboard, graphic card, hard drive, sound card, keyboard à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ etc. Software on the other hand are series of programs, algorithms, procedures, and data that provide instructions and tell computers what tasks to perform and how to perform the tasks. Software are classified into two main types: application software and system software. Example of application software includes Skype, Microsoft office, iTunes, Windows Media Playerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. System software is divided into two classes, utility program which includes Anti Spyware, Anti-Virus, firewallà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. In order to have the computer to run a system, to manage all the hardware and software, and sending an output to a device by recognizing an input, the computer must have an operating system (OS) OS are set of software written with various data and programs that contain instructions and procedures to incorporate and perform the aforementioned tasks; almost every personal computer comes with a preloaded OS. Types of Operating Systems There are three main type of OS, there is the standalone OS, embedded OS and the server OS. These OSs usually have similar functions. Most personal computer uses the standalone OS. Mobiles, PDA uses the embedded OS such as Palm, Android, iPhone OS, Symbian, Blackberryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. The server OS are used for configuring and backup purposes, example of the server OS would be UNIX, Solaris, and Windows Server 2008. Functions of the Operating System and how it Works The OS plays a vital role when it comes to starting and shutting down the computer which is also known as booting. Six steps take place when a computer is booting: The first step begins as soon as the computer is turned on, the electrical signal reaches to the components in the system unit through the power supply. During the second step, the processor chip is reset due to the electric signal and then it locates the ROM that contains the basic input/output system (BIOS), which is a firmware that contains the startup instructions of the computer. Next, the BIOS launches a series of tests to ensure hardware are working and connected properly, known as the power on self-test (POST), usually when the POST launches, the LED lights of the devices flicker, at times there will be messages displaying on the screen. The forth step takes place when the POST compares the result with the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chip data. CMOS uses battery power to preserve the information, data, and memory when the computer shut down. Besides that, it detects new devices and identifies them when these devices are connected to the computer. The beep sound usually results when the CMOS detects which later followed by the error messages. The fifth step proceeds when the POST completes without any interference where the BIOS will locate the OS files also known as the system files from any source of drive. The sixth steps occurs when the system file is located, which is then loaded into the RAM from its storage along the kernel of the OS. The system file then launches, and finally, the OS which was stored in memory takes control of the whole computer system. During the final step, the OS loads the information setting. Certain OS may request for user ID and password. After the OS loads, it displays the desktop screen and it starts up background processes. The second function of the OS is by providing a user interface. The two types of user interface are the graphical user interface (GUI) and the command-line interface. The GUI basically provides user with an easy way to perform a command or task by having the menus with buttons or other pictures to allow user to click it with ease. Instead of having simple buttons to click on, advance users work with command-line interface to configure, manage and troubleshoot devices and other software. The command-line interface works only with commands by using the keyboard. To perform such command, one must type in the commands accurately with the exact spellings and punctuations. OS also manages programs. It depends on certain OS, some OS can only run one program at a time, while some can run up to thousands of programs at the same time with one or multiple users. There are the single user/single tasking OS, single user/multitasking OS, multiuser OS, and the multiprocessing OS. When one multitasks, the program that is actively used by the user is said to be in the foreground, while the other programs are known to be in the background. The OSs fourth function is memory management. The OS does so by transferring the data and program instructions from the RAM to the hard disk when they are not needed at the moment because at times there is only limited space for the RAM when it has to perform other functions, when the same data and program instructions is needed again, the OS then transfer them from the hard disk to the RAM. The fifth function of the OS is coordinating tasks. As the phrase implies, the OS determines the order of the tasks which are processed. User can adjust or set the priority of certain tasks, in which result the other tasks to queue up until the preceding task is performed. Every hardware has a driver which acts like a manual. The sixth function in this case, allows the computer to identify and install it without having the computer to thoroughly learn all the details of the hardware. With the Plug and Play technology today, the OS can automatically configure the new devices as the devices are installed on the computer. The OS is also very important by providing a consistent way for software to deal with hardware without having the computer to thoroughly learn all the details of hardware. The OS interacts with the hardware via drivers. An easy example would be installing a printer to many computers. The seventh function allows user to easily connect to the internet instead of having to configure the tedious broadband service. OS can automatically configure the internet connection. The OS also function as a performance monitor, which in this case identify and reports information about the software or the devices of the computer. File management allows user to easily access their files and documents by allowing users to organize it. It also allows user to search or locate their files at ease and install new programs or software. The ninth function is important because without it, the computer will be a mess where all the files and programs are not well organized and randomly wonders in the computer. The OS also provides other utility such as cleaning up, defragmenting, diagnosing, and backing up the files and disks. With internet access, the OS is able to notify the user or update software automatically when an update is available. Many OS today comes with the automatic update feature. These updates are useful when it comes to fixing program bugs and errors. Sometimes, these updates can enhance the performance of the driver. Last but not least, the OS is also meant for controlling the network and administering security by providing an administrator account. A typical account usually consist of the user ID and password. Without the OS, the computer is said to be useless and unable to perform. The example of a personal computer OS are: Windows7, Mac OS X, Linux, Amigo, Haikuà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. Operating System Details Name of OS Company Current version Average Price Capabilities Additional Info. Amiga OS 4 Hyperion Entertainment 4.1 Update $164 eCom Station Serenity Systems OS/2 Home Student (5 licenses)- $149 Business Edition (unlimited licenses) -$259 Haiku Haiku Inc. R1/Alpha2 Free Mac OS X Apple Inc. 10.6.7 Bundled with hardware Upgrades: $29-$49 OS/2 IBM and Microsoft 4.52 $300 PC-BSD PC-BSD Software 8.2 Free Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows 7 (Build 7601: Service Pack 1) Home Basic (Retail) $99.95, Home Premium (Retail) $119.95, Business (Retail) $299.95, Ultimate (Retail) $300.95 RISC OS Acorn Computers,  Castle Technology,  RISCOS Ltd,  RISC OS Open RISC OS  6.10 Select4i4 and RISC OS 5.13 Bundled with hardware Sold separately at $127 ZETA yellowTAB 1.2 Discontinued ReactOS ReactOS development team 0.3.13 Free Ubuntu Canonical Ltd.  /  Ubuntu Foundation 11.04 Free Linux based Google Chrome OS Google Inc. 0.12.433.57 (Beta)   Beginning at $349 Linux based Windows 7 versus Mac OS X Snow Leopard Interface GUI (ease of use) Desktop Image retrieved from arstechnica.com The differences between the Windows 7s desktop (on the left) and Mac OS Xs desktop (on the right) is that the Windows 7 allows you to add gadgets on the windows sidebar gadgets. In addition, if a program is running on the Windows 7, you are able to see that the application icon is highlighted at the bottom. Whereas, to see whether a program is running on the Mac or not, it requires an additional steps by putting the mouse arrow to the second last icon on the Mac OS Xs dock. A list will appear indicating which programs are in use like the image bellow. Image retrieved from arstechnica.com It can also be seen in the previous image, that the position of the desktop icon and the minimize, restore down/up, and close buttons are different. In Windows 7, the desktop icon default position is on the left, and the buttons are on the top right of the windows explorer. On a Mac OS X, the positions as well as the order of the buttons are different, having this order from the left close, minimize, and restore up/down. Toolbar/ docks Image retrieved from arstechnica.com Instead of using the feature call toolbar, the Mac OS X uses something call the dock to locate the applications and so on. As one can reference from the image below, the dock actually looks graphically nicer than the windows toolbar. As the user place the mouse arrow along the dock, the software icon will expand slightly indicating it is selected. Image retrieved from arstechnica.com However, say when the same internet browser is been launched twice, windows 7 Compatibility Hardware (drivers) HDD>file system types :format cannot support OS Commonly used File System Types Windows7 Mac OS X FAT Yes FAT16 Yes No FAT32 Yes No NTFS Yes Yes (Read only) Software (games) Chemistry sketch Internet explorer Gunbound Emulators: no$GBA, ndsemume Maple story Boot Camp BOOT CAMP (Window7 thing) Price( bought separately, MAC is always bundled with hardware) Performance Speed Battery/power consumption If one can never convert just a simple criticism to a form of motivating device, yet taking it personally and one will never learn Overall Users preference

Cross Cultural Awareness And Preparation Of Expatriates Management Essay

Cross Cultural Awareness And Preparation Of Expatriates Management Essay The integration of world markets has resulted in an outstanding growth of multinational businesses and these corporations have emerged as an important form of foreign investment. As the organizations grow by virtue of investing in foreign countries, the need to manage, coordinate, control and integrate the foreign operations of their subsidiaries with those of the parent company increases to a large extent. To achieve the objectives of the company, parent companies in the home country usually send expatriate employees to host countries as corporate representatives and ambassadors. Firstly, the paper will focus on the importance cross-cultural awareness in preparing successful expatriates for overseas activities. Through examining the literature (comparison of Hofstede and Trompenaars cultural dimensions) this paper will examine how cultural awareness is important in developing successful expatriates. Moreover, the differences in Malaysian and American culture that can create hindranc e in a successful expatriate venture will be analyzed. Finally, it will argue the importance of training and orientation in terms of preparing expatriates for foreign assignments. Literature Review There have been number of researches done on the relationship between cultural distance and adjustment of expatriate, with some arguing that sending expatriates to a same culture is almost similar to sending them to different culture. The studies conducted by those scholars found that there is no or positive relationship between cultural distance and expatriate adjustment. The results of a report by Jan Selmer suggests that although there is a significant between-group difference in cultural distance, that the American expatriates perceive Canada as more culturally similar to America than Germany, no significant inter-group differences are detected for general adjustment, interaction adjustment, work adjustment and psychological adjustment (Selmer, 2007). It could be argued that American expatriates sent to Canada do not experience any cultural differences because those differences are not expected. It has been found from studies that respondents from similar cultures such as U.S. when assigned as expatriates are not keen to report adjustment problems as compare to expatriates which are assigned to more dissimilar cultures, such as China (Forster, 1997). The result given by Forster reflected that the degree of cultural strangeness does not seem to have any correlation with the result of the foreign assignment. Similarly, it has been reported that the Japanese multinational corporations have experienced that their expatriates appear to adjust about the same in different countries, regardless of their degree of cultural similarity to Japan (Peterson, 1996). In contrast to the above findings, there are many researches on expatriate adjustment that lead to the conclusion that cultures which are more dissimilar to the expatriate culture present bigger challenges and result in greater adjustment difficulties (Ward Kennedy, 1992). It has been found that found that U. S. expatriates are more likely to experience greater cultural barriers in Southeast Asia (India and Pakistan), the Middle-East, North Africa, East Africa and Liberia in the areas of job satisfaction, stress and anxiety, and quality of life standards such as housing, food, and health care (Torbià ¶rn, 1982). Furthermore, a report by Tung suggests that American expatriates express higher levels of dissatisfaction with their expatriation experiences in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia than in other world regions since the culture in those areas are most dissimilar (Tung, 1982). Black and Stephens measures this correlation between the cultural distance and expatriate adj ustment using self-report from 220 business expatriates, whose results showed negative correlations (Black Stephens, 1989). Hofstede Cultural Dimensions The study conducted on IBM employees in 53 countries by Hofstede is generally referred as Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. By using standard statistical analysis of large data sets, he was able to define patterns of similarities and differences among the respondents. The theory formulated by using the gathered data states that world cultures differ along consistent fundamental dimensions. Power-distance It refers to the degree to which the members of the organizations and institutions which are less powerful accepting and expecting that power is distributed unequally (Hofstede, 1991). It represents inequality (more versus less) which is defined from below not from above. Hofstede suggests that societys level of inequality is fully endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Collectivism vs. individualism This dimension refers to the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups (Hofstede, 1991). On one side we see individualist approach in societies where the relationships between individuals are loose, where everyone is expected to look after him/herself and his/her immediate family. But on the other side which is referred as collectivism, there are societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families (with uncles, aunts and grandparents) which continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty (Hofstede, 1991). Femininity vs. Masculinity The third dimension describe by Hofstede is masculinity (MAS) versus its opposite, femininity. This refers to the distribution of roles between the genders in a society and it is also a fundamental issue for any society to which a range of solutions are found (Hofstede, 1991). The two main results that were found out by Hofstede on his study on IBM were, first, womens values differ less among societies than mens values; second, mens values from one country to another contain a dimension from very assertive and competitive and maximally different from womens values on the one side, to modest and caring and similar to womens values on the other. Uncertainty avoidance The main purpose of uncertainty avoidance index is that it deals with a societys tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; ultimately referring to the mans search for Truth (Hofstede, 1991). It refers to the extent to which the members of the society are programmed to feel uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. The situations which are novel, surprising and unknown, different from usual are referred as uncertain situations (Hofstede, 1991). Long- vs. short-term orientation This is the fifth dimension that was added after the initial four dimensions were developed by Hofstede. It was developed by a study conducted among students in 23 countries around the world, using a questionnaire designed by Chinese scholars (Bond, 2002). The results of this study revealed that the values associated with Long Term Orientation are thrift and perseverance and the values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting ones face (Hofstede, 1991). Applause and Criticism of Hofstede Theory There are many researchers that are of the opinion that a survey is not an appropriate instrument for accurately determining and measuring cultural disparity. It is mostly apparent when the variable being measured is a value which culturally sensitive and subjective (Schwartz 1999). Perhaps this is the most popular criticism that was made on Hofstedes study and it says that Hofstede assumes that the domestic population is a homogenous whole. It also states that Hofstede tends to ignore the importance of community, and the variations of the community influences (Dorfman and Howell 1988). McSweeney argues that nations are not the proper units of analysis as cultures are not necessarily bounded by bordersm (McSweeney, 2000). It is also proved from recent research that culture is in fact fragmented across groups. There is also a criticism that the study revolves around one company cannot possibly provide information on the entire cultural system of a country (Graves 1986). It is also believed by some researchers have claimed that the study is too old to be of any modern value, particularly with todays rapidly changing global environments, internationalization and convergence. It has been argued that during the time of Hofstedes study there was very little work on culture. There was demand for such kind of work and therefore, Hofstedes work met demand for guidance. Trompenaars Cultural Dimensions Fons Trompenaars, a Dutch culturalist who is renowned for his work on international culture and Charles Hampden-Turner, a dilemma enthusiast classified seven dimensions of cultures. Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1997) categorized cultures as a mix of behavioral and value patterns. The research emphasize on the cultural dimensions of business executives. As a result of their research, seven value dimensions were established Universalism vs. Particularism The dimension of universalism is about finding broad and general rules. If any issue arises and there is no rule that fits, it finds the best rule. On the other hand, Particularism is about finding exceptions. The judgment of cases on its own merits rather than forcing an existing rule in case where no rules fit. Analyzing vs. Integrating The decomposition to find the detail is analyzing. It assumes that people who look at the big picture as being out of touch with reality. Integrating refers to bringing the things together to build the big picture. Individualism vs. Collectivism Individualism is about the rights of the individual. It seeks to let each person grow or fail on their own, and sees group-focus as denuding the individual of their inalienable rights. Collectivism is about the rights of the group or society. It seeks to put the family, group, company and country before the individual. It sees individualism as selfish and short-sighted (Trompenaars and Turner, 2000). Inner-directed vs. Outer-directed The approach that what we think in our head is the most powerful tool and that considered ideas and intuitive approaches are the best way. On the other hand, outer-directed is seeking data in the outer world. It assumes that we will live in a world and should form our decisions on information available to us (Trompenaars and Turner, 2000). Time as sequence vs. Time as synchronization The approach towards time as sequence and sees events as separate items in time, sequence one after another. It finds order in a serried array of actions that happen one after the other. Whereas, time as synchronization approaches the events in parallel and synchronized together (Trompenaars and Turner, 2000). Achieved status vs. Ascribed status The gain of status through performance is achieved status. In this it is assumed that individuals and organizations earn and lose their status every day, and that other approaches are recipes for failure. Gaining status through means of seniority is referred as ascribed status (Trompenaars and Turner, 2000). Equality vs. Hierarchy The approach that all people have equal status and have equal rights, irrespective of birth or other gift is referred as equality. Whereas, hierarchy is about people being superior to others when few are in charge and others obey through the scalar chain of command (Trompenaars and Turner, 2000). Applause and Criticism of Trompenaars and Turner Theory The work done by Trompenaars and Turner is regarded as one of the best in its field but at the same time there has been some criticism of Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner. One of their critics is Hofstede, who claims that the theory of Trompenaars is not supported by his database. Hofstede (1996) argues that a result of correlation and factor analysis at the country level, there are only two dimensions that could be identified and both of them are correlated with his Individualism dimension. This criticism by Hofstede was accepted by Turner Trompenaars (1997) and two contrasting lists of assumptions attributed to Hofstedes work and their own were presented by them. It is also been debated that Trompenaars and Turner didnt develop the dimensions from statistical data, but created their own collection instrument for the data they considered relevant Data derived from questionnaires is based on a limited number of questions by which underlying values were explained. Another notable criti cism is that the data is only selectively documented i.e. it is not to be considered scientific work. Also, the data (not all) is not freely available, it is owned by his company. The difference in the two works (Hofstedes and Trompenaars tuner) is that Hofstedes approach appears to be about the analysis of the variables of national culture, whereas Trompenaars and Turner are more involved in the process of cultural creation. It is also widely believed that there were very valuable dimensions that were added by Trompenaars and Turner. Hofstede and Trompenaars Turner and Preparation of Expatriate Challenges faced by Expatriates (Malaysian and American Culture) The globalization of world has made many international organizations to expand their business globally. Barto and Martin (1998) refer to globalization process a worldwide integration strategy where the purpose involves at developing relatively standardized products with global appeals, as well as rationalizing operations throughout the world. In order to achieve the objectives, organizations are required to send their designate representatives for overseas assignments in order to maintain the standards of their products or services abroad. A study was conducted in Malaysia to examine the issues faced by American expatriates working in Malaysia (Tahir Ismail, 2007). Attitudes of Malaysians Difficulties faced in understanding the indirect and non-confrontational behavior of Malaysians Malaysians misconception towards Mat Salleh Custom and Religion Problems in understanding the dress code of the locals Being cautious over religious issues Addressing Social Status: Difficulty in addressing names of Malaysians according to social status Gender Issues in Expatriation: Preconceived ideas about western women expatriates Malaysian Working Habit Difficulty in complying with the working pace High level of bureaucracy hinders job implementation Cross-cultural Training: Unavailability of a Structured Cross-Cultural Training program Importance of Training and Orientation The extent to which expatriates fail to achieve the expected outcomes of a foreign assignment is due to different reasons such as language problems, lack of effective knowledge transfer between the home and the host country (Tung, 1987), lack of personality skills for the expatriate to understand the cross-cultural interactions, shortage of technical abilities for the work to be done, lack of motivation or the expatriate may have difficulties to understand and adapt to either the physical or the cultural differences in the environment (Littrell et al., 2006). Companies use a variety of methods to teach expatriates cross-cultural skills, aimed at facilitating interactions with a foreign culture. Didactic Training This type of raining is most often provided in informal briefings, which can be given in a classical lecture form or with less structured methods such as casual conversations with experts. It is the most common and more than two thirds of all multinational corporations offer didactic training in the form of informal briefings to their expatriates before deployment abroad (Brewster, 1995). This kind of training provides factual information regarding working and living conditions as well as cultural aspects of the host country. Experiential Training This training is conveyed using a number of methods including, not only, practical exercises, workshops and simulations, but also more genuine concepts such as look-see visits to the host country (Caligiuri et al., 2001). The arrangement of look-see trips can provide a first real experience of the country for the expatriate and sometimes his or her family giving them opportunity to meet people in the new country and get a view of the new environment and the workplace. The planning of these trips should be properly done in order to be effective they need to be well planned, which can make them costly. Brewster (1995) argues that these are designed to give the expatriate a positive view; they may not show the true picture of the host country (Brewster, 1995). Language Training Teaching expatriates the language and/or the business language of the host country is part of the language training. Tung (1981) suggests that while fluency can take months or even years to attain there are still benefits of using this training method. This technique is often used and is an effective way of preparing an expatriate to speed up the adjustment process. Although fluency in the native language is not achieved, the ability to enter into informal discussions, use common courtesies and show cultural empathy can help to facilitate adaptation to the host culture. Cultural Awareness Training The ultimate objective of cultural awareness training is to give the expatriate insight about the culture and cultural differences, by teaching awareness about the home culture. There are different training activities that are included such as self-awareness building and value ranking charts, but the goals can also be reached with more culture-general approaches, such as simulation games and perceptual exercises (Grove Torbià ¶rn, 1985). Methods such as role-plays and self-assessments can be a good way of building self awareness, which translates into acceptance of oneself and an ability to adapt to the host culture. Conclusions In reviewing various cultural theories presented by different authors, it is obvious that culture plays a vital role in doing business globally. Companies that look to expand their operations globally must understand the host culture in depth and cross-cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede and Trompenaars Turner are of great help in this field. Also, organizations wishing to go global by investing in foreign countries, there is always a growing need to manage, coordinate, control and integrate the foreign operations and therefore, the importance of expatriates cannot be ignored. However, it is also found out that preparing expatriates is a great challenge and organizations invest lot of resources to prepare and train them for foreign assignments. Finally, the type of training and orientation provided to the expatriates is plays a significant importance in the successful fulfillment of overseas assignment.

Pros and Cons of the Euro :: Finances Money European Currency Essays

Pros and Cons of the Euro The United Kingdom will not join the single European currency with the first wave of countries on 1 January 1999. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, said in October that, although the government supported the principle of the single currency, Britain would not be ready to join at least until the second wave of countries join in 2002. He added that the UK should, however, begin to prepare for monetary union. There are many possible advantages and disadvantages that the government had to consider: Advantages: 1. A single currency should end currency instability in the participating countries (by irrevocably fixing exchange rates) and reduce it outside them. Because the Euro would have the enhanced credibility of being used in a large currency zone, it would be more stable against speculation than individual currencies are now. An end to internal currency instability and a reduction of external currency instability would enable exporters to project future markets with greater certainty. This will unleash a greater potential for growth. 2. Consumers would not have to change money when travelling and would encounter less red tape when transferring large sums of money across borders. It was estimated that a traveller visiting all twelve member states of the (then) EC would lose 40% of the value of his money in transaction charges alone. Once in a lifetime a family might make one large purchase or transaction across a European border such as buying a holiday home or a piece of furniture. A single currency would help that transaction pass smoothly. 3. Likewise, businesses would no longer have to pay hedging costs which they do today in order to insure themselves against the threat of currency fluctuations. Businesses, involved in commercial transactions in different member states, would no longer have to face administrative costs of accounting for the changes of currencies, plus the time involved. It is estimated that the currency cost of exports to small companies is 10 times the cost to the multi-nationals, who offset sales against purchases and can command the best rates. 4. A single currency should result in lower interest rates as all European countries would be locking into German monetary credibility. The stability pact (the main points of which were agreed at the Dublin summit of European heads of state or government in December 1996) will force EU countries into a system of fiscal responsibility which will enhance the Euro's international credibility.

Humorous Wedding Speech †Two Best Men :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Humorous Wedding Speech – Two Best Men Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen - My name is Steve and this is my partner in crime, Scot. We are the best men today, famed for our double act. Some people may even say we were artists, but I think you'll all realize what kind of artists we are later on this evening. Now, I’d like to think that Gary chose Scott and me to be joint best men so that we could both be by his side on his wedding day. However, Scott reckons Gary only picked us for the wedding photos. Me, so he'd look slimmer, and Scott, so he'd look taller. But in actual fact, it was the bride’s idea to appoint two best men. She thought one person wouldn’t be enough to ensure Gary got to the church on time, smartly dressed and sober. Well, it certainly took more than one person to haul him away from his mini bar last night. Scot It is customary for the best man to retell an embarrassing tale or two from the bridegroom’s past. As Gary’s oldest friend, this part of the speech fell to me. However, I had two problems with this. Firstly, Gary originally insisted on vetting the speech, which would have meant me going to the trouble of preparing two speeches. Luckily, he relented. Secondly, Gary is the original Mr. Nice Guy and it's very difficult to think of anything bad to say about him. So, back to you Steve! Steve I have known Gary a much shorter time than Scot, as you may be able to guess from my youthful good looks and boyish charm. And since I didn't know Gary at school, I've had to rely on his own version of events regarding his education. From this, I gathered that Gary was an exceptionally gifted student and he excelled in almost everything he did, be it sports, academics or the arts, and he left school to the great sadness of his headmaster Scot Well, I did go to school with Gary and I can tell you that’s rubbish. I remember him to be a rather obese, annoying little pupil who excelled at nothing, was constantly picked on, and regularly beaten up – and this was just by the teachers. He most certainly wasn’t gifted at sports either. It didn’t matter what game we played, he was useless in every position.

City of Glass Essay

At the close of the world’s first international conflict, society grappled for understanding in a world that no longer made sense. This desire for order and reason, led to the development of the detective fiction genre and the transformation of â€Å"dime novels† into true literary works. Paul Auster takes the conventional elements of the mystery genre, and inverts them completely in his post-modern novel, City of Glass. In this way, Auster uses his work to satirize the conventions of the past and draw attention to the ever-increasing chaos of the modern day. Daniel Quinn, is simply a hermit in a vibrant city, trying to erase all aspects of his previous life. He writes mystery novels for the same reason they were written in the 20’s, because they represent a figment of order that is lacking in the world. Especially in a world that takes the life a young boy who hasn’t seen much. Quinn’s desire to separate himself from who he was before he lost his family, leads him to adopt fragments of his character Max Work into his own personality. The detective is one who looks, who listens, who moves through the morass of objects and evens in search of the thought, the idea that will pull all these things together and make sense of them. In effect, the writer and the detective are interchangeable† (8). This connection to the fictional world he created, entraps Quinn in the world of the private investigator, as if he willed himself onto the ontological level Work inhabits. His inability to separate his personal life from his â€Å"Work† fostered the parasite that sucked the very life out of Quinn, forcing him to find host in a new identity. The traditional private eye embodied in Work is the hard-boiled â€Å"tough guy† who has all the keys to solving our problems. Leaving Quinn to be the ultimate puzzle that needs solving. By distorting the traditional convention of the problem solver and turning him into the problem, Auster begins to suggest that nothing in this world is actually certain or concrete. And that identity is really just a figment of imagination, and the more your indulge your mind, the more your body begins to give way until, â€Å" the more Quinn seemed to vanish, the more persistent Work’s presence in that world became† (9). The mystery novel represents a world where the truth always conquers, Quinn’s attachment to this genre stems from his loss, and the more he re-focalizes his life, the less he has to deal with the reality of grief. Auster depicts mystery this way because it demonstrates the grand delusion of the human race, the belief that there is reason in this world. Quinn as a detective does not represent order as many of his predecessors did, instead he embodies the chaos that is this world, and the lack of understanding that heightens with every new discovery and every interaction. By inverting the traditional private eye, Auster successfully shows the plight of man, the struggle to piece together the puzzle that creates ones identity. Quinn is not a detective trying to finding meaning in the Stillman case, rather he is searching for understanding in his own life, a search that has no answers and leads no where, but to insanity. Legendary crime writer, Richard Knox, established a set of parameters for the detective genre, stating that such a novel â€Å"must have as its main interest the unraveling of a mystery; a mystery whose elements are clearly presented to the reader at an early stage in the proceedings, and whose nature is such as to arouse curiosity, a curiosity which is gratified at the end. † In every way, City of Glass contradicts this statement, and yet it is still considered to be a mystery fiction, which begs the question: what are the post-modern parameters for this genre? City of Glass is a novel that opens with a mystery; however, the more that is discovered and uncovered, the more the endpoint is obscured, until the conclusion is even more perplexing than any other part of the story. Auster uses uncertainty and chance to disrupt the conventional ways of detective fiction. When Quinn is caught between the two potential Stillman’s in station, there was no way to know for certain which one was the right one, and it is not until late in the story that the question is answered, but by that time, its not even a question. Quinn had accepted what he saw and did as fact, which goes against the key detail he expresses in a detective story. â€Å"In a good mystery there is nothing wasted, no sentence, no word that is not significant† (9). This type of detail-orientated thinking is the first thing that goes in Auster’s novel. Although every sentence may hold the key to the mystery, Quinn and the reader begin to overlook these minor details, accepting that nothing in life is ever certain, and that the traditional fluidity of this genre no longer holds stock in this story. Auster is constantly using his own plot twists and minor details to prove that in the end, nothing exists but chance. Auster purposefully leaves pieces of the story open, to contradict Knox’s definition of mystery. The lack of conclusion with regards to how the Stillman’s got Quinn’s number, what happened to Peter and Virginia, the connection to Auster (character and author), and the narrator’s role in the whole novel, is unsatisfactory and rather uncharacteristic of a mystery. There were moments when the text was difficult to decipher, but I have done my best with it and have refrained from any interpretation. The red notebook, of course, is only half the story, as any sensitive reader will understand† (158). We never get the other half of the story though, which leaves the possibility that Quinn/Wilson/Work/Auster/Dark is just a crazy man who loses himself in a quest to find rational explaination, but for the sake for faith in the narrative, its better to believe that the story is not just some random man’s mumblings. However taking into account Quinn’s role in the novel, and the role his notebook plays, the inability to separate the informational source from this deluded main character unravels the reliability that should be present in a crime fiction. Auster’s intentions were to challenge convention, to prove that no world is as open and shut as a Phillip Marlowe case, to prove that in reality, life is a series of chance happenings that shape identity and action, down to the very last word. Auster’s depictions of the neo-detective fiction are all in an attempt to change the perception of the need for a restoring order. He uses a character that contradicts the traditional private eye, to demonstrate how the search for understanding is one that leads to insanity. The human world is naturally in state of entropy and Auster’s novel uses the conventions of mystery writing to satirize the search for greater reason.

Southern Hospitality

Imagine living near your entire family in your hometown. Imagine that one of those people is your 6 months pregnant fiancee. Now imagine the fact that you have just received a job opportunity some 900 miles away, and the best thing for your future family is to take that job. What would you do? There are three major things that affect you and your life when you move away from home. Those three things are, missing your family, adapting to new living conditions, and expanding your responsibilities as a person and eventually a parent. When you live any distance away from your family, you will miss them with varied amounts of difficulty. Some of us have no problem missing our families, however. When I was eighteen years old I joined the United States Air Force. My first duty assignment was RAF Mildenhall, England. After the first year I became accustomed to missing my family. The largest difference about this move from Michigan to Georgia was, in fact, that I was engaged and that my fiancee was six months pregnant with my son, Derek. This was the most difficult thing I had ever had to endure as a person. When I first moved, she didn’t immediately want to move with me because it was much easier to move by myself, because we had no money, and no place to live. Eventually, after about three months and the birth of our son, she moved down with the help of her parents, and grandparents. When I first arrived in Georgia, it was much hotter than Michigan. Remember now, that I’ve lived in two different places in my life. The first place was Michigan, with its icy and brash winters and mild to medium summers. The second place, being England, with is bone chilling still aired winters and extremely mild summers. Now we move to Georgia with its extremely tolerable winters and scorching hot summers. Think about the differences here and imagine how much anyone would have to adapt to those differences. When I first moved here I had a ratty old Ford Explorer with no air conditioning and only two windows that worked. There was an immediate difficulty trying to regulate body temperature when such extremes are encountered. One thing that helped adapt to it was the friendly people that the â€Å"south† is so famous for. Everywhere you went, someone would say, â€Å"How are you hun? † or â€Å"Can we get you something sweetie? † This is one thing that anyone could get used to experiencing every day. All of these things have helped me grow into a better person. When I found out that my fiancee was in labor, it was an unbearable situation to deal with. I was able to take off of work for two weeks so I could make the sixteen hour drive back to Michigan to be with my family and see the birth of my son. When I made it back, I was able to witness the birth of my son. It was the single-handed most exciting moment and day of my life. After the two week â€Å"vacation† I had to make the trip back to Georgia, again, without my family. Now if that doesn’t make your stomach churn, I’m not sure what will. That was the most difficult thing I’d ever had to do. Think about the things that make you who you are. If I am having difficulty with anything in my life, I think of my children and one simple verse. Philippians 4:13 which reads, â€Å"I can do all things in God who gives me strength. †