Thursday, October 31, 2019
The relationship between the nations of the global north and the Essay
The relationship between the nations of the global north and the global south, both before World War II and especially afterwards - Essay Example Even the Global North was effected with the political scenario that prevailed in the scene of pre First World War events and the post Second World War events. Japan for example was totally destroyed by the events that took place in the Second World War. Prior to the Second World War, Japanese government undertook offensive intentions that were dangerous towards the world as well as their own prosperity. The occurrence of the event of Hiroshima and Nagasaki crippled the entire structure of existence and led to destruction in totality. In the post world war second scenario, Japan had to start from scratch in order to provide the people with a means of living and also support their basic needs. In the post world war Two Scenario, the North had an edge over the South. Since the South was economically and politically weak, the North aimed at cashing in on this weakness and in turn provided them conditional assistance. This assistance came about in the form of political dictions. The events of the Cold War in the post Second World War events led to the more suited atmosphere for the North part of the world to bring about their own dictated terms upon the South. The South, badly in need of resources, funds and other basic needs to maintain their economic growth and prevent themselves from falling below the poverty line, had to embrace the tough and vested conditions and interests of the North. The events that took place in the earlier part had a greater impact for the major part of the 20th century. Its traces can be felt even in the modern times in the different parts of the world. The South American continent that comprises of the states of the likes of Bolivia, Cuba, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Peru are still in the throes of economic hurdles and obstacles. In the post First World One scenario, there were two distinct blocs within the Europe, United states of America and its other allies aimed at creating trust and partnership within. While the Central powers
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Culture and Social Structure Essay Example for Free
Culture and Social Structure Essay Culture is a difficult thing to strictly define. Such a large variety of societal aspects fall under its realm, that its sometimes complicated to draw a line between what is part of a culture and what is not. To put it in extremely vague terms, culture is a way of life. All the traits that make up a particular society, from religious beliefs to modes of dress to art to methods of farming, build up a culture. Culture includes the good and the bad, the old and the new, the strong and the weak essentially it includes everything. Many varieties of cultures exist. There are the obvious ethnic cultures African-American culture, Latino culture, Greek culture, etc., each with their own foods, art, religion, familial roles, and values. American culture, for example, is generally considered to be relaxed apple pie, blue jeans, baseball and the like. Family roles are not set in stone, there is freedom to choose a religion based on ones own comfort (or choose no religion at all), and while a certain level of morality is maintained, values are generally loose. Compare this to the culture of the remote parts of India. There, a woman is required to serve her husband and his family, even after his death. They are very devout, and there is only one religion to choose from. They are held to a strict moral code, and anyone who violates this code is considered an outcast. There are many other ways to consider culture. There is the culture of a particular age group. A septuagenarian has a way of life very different than that of a teenager. His music, dress, beliefs, and goals are generally dissimilar to those of his younger counterpart. Or there is the culture of a particular time period. Pre-historic culture is, through modern inventions and human development, very different than the culture of today. A very important part of any culture is the social structure within. The social structure is essentially the roles or positions that particular individuals or groups in a culture fall into. For example, in the American culture, the President takes on a leadership role, those in the armed forces take on a protective role, and everyday citizens take on the responsibility of keeping the economy alive. On a much smaller scale, the social structure exists within a family as well. In your typical family, the mother takes on a nurturing position, while the father takes on the responsibility of earning money and providing for the others. Similarly, on a sports team, the coach is the leader, charged with guiding and motivating his players. The players themselves are responsible for putting forth their best effort and taking the team as far as it can go. While culture can be hard to define using words, one need only look around to experience everything that culture contains. Ones everyday life is culture, from the worldwide culture that everyone lives in, down to the personal culture of ones own house. Each person has a role in many different social structures, and each role is genuinely important. It is these roles, in these social structures that make up every part of every culture.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
The Lamentation over the Dead Christ
The Lamentation over the Dead Christ Classicism in ââ¬Å"The Lamentation over the Dead Christâ⬠The Renaissance Era was an epoch of artistic resurgence in the history of Europe. This period was marked by developments in Italian Renaissance paintings with the renewal of classical forms, motifs and subjects. In edict to discern the Classicism that prospered during this age, conceivably without need, from the Classical architecture of the ancient Romans. The exploration for cerebral legitimacy through art set apart the period. During this period, contemporary Classicism was described as the ââ¬Å"proper techniqueâ⬠. Methodically, this set in motion a blitz against Baroque art, which, with its highlighting of embellishment and delusion, was considered to be distinctly fictitious. Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), in particular, modeled his work entitled ââ¬Å"The Lamentation over the Dead Christâ⬠(c.1480) in rudiments of Classicism. Mantegna used mainly foreshortening, a perspective used for compressing objects from a definitive viewpoint and chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. In this period, Classicism took on more visibly structural insinuations of the use of perspective, chiefly by the use of Foreshortening. Foreshortening occurs when an object appears compressed when seen from a particular viewpoint, and the effect of perspective causes distortion. Foreshortening is a predominantly constructive creative mechanism, used to give the sense of three-dimensional capacity and generate emotion in a picture. To sensationalize the supine Christ in perception, Mantegna paints his light source higher up the horizon line, to create illusion that the viewer will appear to be looking at an angle. The more askew the vanishing point, the more slanted the icon will be, as seen in the painting. Because the body of Christ is supine and symmetrical, the vanishing point is diametrically in the core of the perspective line. Because the spectators plane is parallel to Christs head at this point, the base perspective line appears to be horizontal. This imaginary line gives the fundamental, foreshortening perspective. The farther away the image is from the viewer, the nearer the illusion is to being perpendicular to the portrait plane, as seen in the Dead Christ. The position of the mourners (The Virgin Mary and St. John) are on the horizon line, to th e left the desertion point (Christs Head), as another foremost model to carry this position of foreshortening. The expanse from this point to the center of the perspective line denotes the distance within the painting for the viewer. If the point is isolated from the vanishing point, the mourners will appear condensed, and distant. If it is too close, they will emerge lengthened, as if it is too close to the observer. Essentially distorting the ray of light traveling from its origin to the onlookers judgment and ruining the illusion within the painting. This element is key to understanding Mantegnas brilliance of perspective in this fresco. In the case of the holes in Christs hands and feet; the perspective of the light source that illuminates (at an angle) the area of the holes also represents the use of foreshortening on the picture plane. When the light source hits the area of the holes, it hits at the appropriate angle on the picture plane. In order for the resulting image to ap pear identical to the intended scene, the eyewitness of the perspective must scrutinize the image from the exact vantage point used in the geometric calculations comparative to Christ. This proper use of foreshortening abandons visual imperfections that what would appear to be alterations in the painting when analyzed from a discrete point. These conspicuous distortions in foreshortening are more evident when viewing Christs thorax; as the perspective estimated from the surroundings, to the spectator becomes more finely tuned and comparative to the portrait base. In application, unless the viewer desires a radical perspective, like viewing the body of Christ from the base, the perspective on the whole, is in all probability accurate. It has been recommended that a painting in standpoint still seems to be in perspective at other spots because the individual still distinguishes it as a painting, because of the quality in its profundity of field indications due to the use of foreshortening. For a emblematic perspective, conversely, the field of view in the Dead Christ is tapered to the point, that the distortions are negligible and the fresco can be viewed from a site other than the tangible designed vantage point without seeming distorted, which in turn, buttress Mantegnas conclusion to paint the feet of Christ less significant than the customary individuals. While speaking at a summit on Greek mathematics and philosophy, Plato (429-347 B.C.E.) was quoted in repute to artwork, as stating, Thus (through perspective) every sort of confusion is revealed within us; and this is that weakness of the human mind on which the art of conjuring and of deceiving by light and shadow and other ingenious devices imposes, having an effect upon us like magic And the arts of measuring and numbering and weighing come to the rescue of the human understanding (Plato qtd. in Kahn) The applied use of the expression ââ¬Å"chiaroscuroâ⬠, is the outcome of light representation in painting, in which three- dimensional capacity is advocated by the measure of color and the systematic partition of light and shadow contours on a two dimensional plane in a model of artwork. The creation of these belongings in the West, Skiagraphia or shadow-painting to the primeval Greeks, was attributed to the celebrated Athenian painter of the 5th century BC, Apollodoros. In the print of the Dead Christ, the light is approaching in from one encoded course exceeding Christs body, then light and silhouette will match to a set of natural conventions. An underscore of luminosity on Christs shroud symbolizes the summit where the brilliance is being revealed most unswervingly. This is most often attributed as a lightened white area, as seen in the shroud in Figure 1. As the viewers eye moves away from this emphasis, radiance strikes the article less candidly and consequently broadcast s a darker assessment of hues on the shroud. This changeover continues until the onlooker reaches the point where the darkness of the piercingly drawn material meets the lighted portion of the shroud. Here, there is a more abrupt conversion to darker values since no light is salient between Christs feet. Some oblique light is offered on the underside of Christs feet as the muted side does not turn unyieldingly dark. This is the product of reflected and refracted daylight that logically become apparent within the painting. As the viewer looks at the intense frame of the body of Christ, it is noticeable that it is patently lighter than the shadowed area of the mourners. Light in the environment is illuminating the background. The throw shadows are at odds, with separate values as well. Then, as light becomes more available, the same cast shadow lightens in increments until it reaches the shadows circumference. Craigie Aitchison (1923-2009), a Scottish painter and one of the better kno wn critically esteemed Royal Academians (Members Royal Academy of Arts have a exclusive position in being recognized as reputed artists and architects whose sole objective is to endorse the creation, pleasure and awarnessof the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate), recalls the Dead Christ as his favorite painting, stating, ââ¬Å"I like it because it tells a Story Its a wonderful reddy colour and terrifically drawn If ever a painting was clear, its this one. Its fantastically clear about the story its telling theres no muddling about. It couldnt be any other way.â⬠(Aitchison). Mantegna dominates and operates this modus operandi to generate a inventive sense of pathos in the mourners and character in the Dead Christ. The Mantegna painting, with light entering from above, illustrates a faint modeling of chiaroscuro to give quantity to the body of Christ, which in turn, confirms the strong stimulus of Greek inspired Classicism in this fresco. The contrasts betw een light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. The Renaissance Era was an epoch of artistic resurgence in the history of Europe. This period was marked by developments in Italian Renaissance paintings with the renewal of classical forms, motifs and subjects. In edict to discern the Classicism that prospered during this age, conceivably without need, from the Classical architecture of the ancient Romans. The exploration for cerebral legitimacy through art set apart the period. During this period, contemporary Classicism was described as the ââ¬Å"proper techniqueâ⬠. Methodically, this set in motion a blitz against Baroque art, which, with its highlighting of embellishment and delusion, was considered to be distinctly fictitious. Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), in particular, modeled his work entitled ââ¬Å"The Lamentation over the Dead Christâ⬠(c.1480) in rudiments of Classicism. Mantegna used mainly foreshortening, a perspective used for compressing objects from a definitive viewpoint and chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. Mantegnas version of the Dead Christ, is regarded as an indispensable art piece exemplifying the use of Classicism. Thus, he deserves the acclaim for the merit of these essentials in his work of art.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Serial Killers Essay -- Papers Psychology Murder Crime Essays
Serial Killers Introduction to Psychology Introduction In the past two decades, the creature known as the serial killer has captured the attention of the American culture. With the dozens of books and movies centered around serial killers the term has become a trendy catch phrase, replacing earlier terms such as "homicidal maniac". Fiction and screenwriters use the term "serial killers" with such casual abandon that is seems the meaning of the term escapes them. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my family and friends for encouraging me back to school so I can one day parlay my BIZARRE interest into a bonafide career. Justification of Problem Are serial killers born or made? What stops us from killing a disloyal friend or total stranger with nice shoes? Or ? to rephrase the question ? what fails to stop some people from committing such murders? This question has baffled psychologist, sociologists and criminologists for many years, and is the very essence of trying to establish the nature of this crime. The born or made argument, known as the "Nature versus Nurture" debate, asks whether criminality is due to genetic factors, and therefore unavoidable, or whether it is the product of social situations, environmental surroundings or other external factors. While the debate is a noble one, we must first answer the question ? What is a serial killer? Literature Review On February 9, 1978, 12 year-old Kimberly Leach disappeared; she was found in the first week of April, her body discovered near Suwanee State Park. In 1609, 25 handpicked daughters of Polish nobles left home to attend instruction in social graces at the Csejthe Castle; none left alive. The body of Rose Ambramovitz was found sprawled a... ...nd just as the heroin addict?s need for a fix may drive him to steal, the serial killer?s obligation to the fantasy drives him to murder. In short, the cycle of the serial killer is no different from the cycle of any other addict, the end result being functionally the same as the heroin addict?s theft. Bibliography: References Abrahamsen, David. (1973). The Murdering Mind. New York: Harper & Row. Alexander, Bruce. (1988). "The Disease and Adaptive Models of Addiction." In Stanton Peele (ed.), Visions of Addiction. Lexington: DC Heath & Company. Rule, Ann. (1996). "The I-45 Killer". New York: New American Library. Schechter, Harold & Everitt, David. (1996). "A to Z: Encyclopedia of Serial Killers". New York: Pocket Books. U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. (1984). "Serial Murders". Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Construction Business Memo
The contract value for this project will be for a guaranteed maximum price of $). All work will be completed as required in the modified General Conditions and the Standard Form of Agreement for a Guaranteed Construction has great interest in this project because it is a design of steel base construction we are familiar with. The design is ambitious and will be a great addition to the campus. We are familiar with this type of space frame, base isolation design as it was recently implemented in the Lab project for which we were the General ContractorConstruction Manager. This project was successful through the involvement of the construction management team in the preconstruction process. A constant exchange of ideas determined the best fabrication and erection practices and team members were able to agree upon major cost and constructability issues. We propose for this project with the stipulation that we are highly involved in preconstruction process. On a site with such grade slope, shoring, erection and accessibility are complex issues that require strategic planning. Our project and field teams understand base isolator design constructability and will be able to fficiently and safely implement the product per the desired outcomes of To prepare to build a facility being constructed on a narrow steep slope between a road and adjacent buildings we will need to grub and clear the hillside, construct a retaining wall and begin excavation for the concrete pier foundations. This ensures the safety of the general public using the road and will provide the stability needed in a steep hillside. Construction will anticipate and schedule crane picks of steel and material to mitigate partial road closures. Supports will be temp welded to the oundations while the steel is being erected to counter uplift. This is a hazard characteristic of a raised deck structure that many overlook. BIM (Building Information Modeling) will be a valuable tool throughout this project. The facility's design complexity will require a great deal of precise prefabrication. Each structural member of the base frame must be aligned perfectly and this task alone requires innovation. Our pre construction team worked very closely with the design team on our Lab project and the dividends were countless. We encountered one single misalignment in the space frame base which happened to be a flaw n fabrication. The use of BIM proved to not only save costs in time and material but was a means of checks and balances in terms of insuring engineering integrity of the structure itself. Our team is well suited for and recently experienced this preconstruction collaboration. The project will be a testament to the dedication has to pushing design and innovation to its limit. Construction offers the calculated construction techniques needed to safely and smoothly execute these leading edge designs. Please contact myself or our offices with any questions. We patiently await your response.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
An Authors Agenda During World War 1 English Literature Essays
An Authors Agenda During World War 1 English Literature Essays An Authors Agenda During World War 1 English Literature Essay An Authors Agenda During World War 1 English Literature Essay During World War I, Dreiser, being German American, was censured due to his nationality. Dreiser s work and presence were unwelcome in many occasions. During this clip, Dreiser developed a captivation with Dr. Sigmund Freud s work, which led him to go about haunted with detecting what made liquidators tick. At this point Dreiser was desperately contemplating the footing for a novel about a liquidator, a novel he would call An American Tragedy. Dreiser wrote An American Tragedy to convey to acquire inside the tegument of a liquidator, to convey to illume the effects when one as an person has been driven insane seeking to populate up to the criterions society has set for us and commits a offense. Dreiser spent old ages seeking to convey this book to life, but the characters he used neer seemed to come to life. He continued his hunt for a so called American offense, a slaying that served as a metaphor for an unwellness that plagues society. Finally, Dreiser found the perfect slaying. He based his novel on the slaying of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette. Dreiser found something particular about Gillette s instance, non merely did it suit all of his specifications, but Dreiser besides felt a deeper connexion to Gillette. He saw his immature ego in Gillette, immature and in the metropolis, making anything possible to travel up. The intent of this novel is to function as a reminder to immature grownups now, non to allow yourself be consumed by this unwellness brought on us by society, and to be careful what you wish for because you neer know, someday you might acquire it. 4. Discussion Populating in America, one grows up with a mentality that everybody, irrespective of the fortunes you were brought into, can accomplish all the success desirable. Theodore Dreiser uses this doctrine to his advantage. Dreiser is able to open the reader s eyes and turn out that no affair how hard you work, how much you want it, or how much you think you deserve it, the rough world is the bulk of Americans neer reach what they consider success. In the novel An American Tragedy, Theodore Dreiser uses word picture and prefiguration to convey his impossible dream subject. Theodore Dreiser uses word picture to convey his impossible dream subject. When the supporter, Clyde Griffiths was a kid, he neer seemed to be content of who he was or what he had, he ever seemed outa topographic point ( 5 ) . When he and his parents were out on the streets distributing God s word, he ever complained and believed he and his parents looked foolish and less than normal ( 7 ) . Griffiths neer took into consideration all the difficult work that went into seeking to do a life. Griffiths was ever ashamed of his life style, and embarrassed that this was the manner his parents made a life, he believed his life should non be like this ( 7 ) . He ever compared his life to others and dreamed of things his low parents were incapable of giving him even in his wildest dreams. This outlook caused Griffiths to turn up ever desiring more than he could hold, ever desiring the best out at that place even if he knew he could nt hold it. Turning up, and eventually populating in t he metropolis where Griffith s aspirations of illustriousness could eventually be achieved, he one time and for all felt at place. He took a occupation as a bellboy at a fancy hotel, and from here on he became haunted with seeking to travel up to the high ranks of society. Griffiths shortly begins his relationships with the two adult females that will finally take to his ruin. When Griffiths finds out Roberta is pregnant, he sees his life faux pas off, and he knows that life with Sondra will be much better, so he does the unthinkable, putting to deaths Roberta. For a adult male to kill the adult female transporting his kid must intend there was something awfully incorrect with that adult male, and at that place was. Griffiths was so caught up with his compulsion to the good life that he failed to recognize that he already had it. Griffith s compulsion was so complex that it non merely had the power to eventually give Griffiths everything he wanted, it besides had the power to take a way everything he s been working hard on accomplishing. Theodore Dreiser besides uses boding to convey his impossible dream subject. At the start of the narrative, Griffiths was portrayed as this hapless male child making anything possible to gain his topographic point in the high society. This dream Griffiths had led him to develop his compulsion and get down his backbreaking trek to the top. On one of his darks out with his freshly found friends, the driver of the auto hit a small miss ( 139 ) and everyone indoors flees the scene. This event sparks a sense of boding in the readers mind, and unleashes a ton of inquiry: Will he acquire off with it? , Will it go on once more? with this incident, Dreiser is able to do it clear that Griffiths compulsion is non a healthy one at all, for a adult male to fly the scene of an guiltless miss ran over, is a awful thing to make. It finally shows the readers that Griffiths is willing to put on the line everything he has to accomplish his high place in society. Later in life, when Roberta te lls Griffiths that she is pregnant ( 386 ) , the reader know that Griffiths will non let this to put him back from his dreams. Automatically, one begins to believe, will he make the same thing he did to the small miss? and to the reader s discouragement, our anticipations are right. When Clyde comes across the newspaper article inadvertent dual calamity at base on balls lake ( 456 ) the reader automatically assumes the worst: Clyde is be aftering a awful thing. Throughout the novel, the reader is able to in a manner predict Griffith s hereafter. His compulsion to what he ca nt hold is perilously present, and the reader knows Griffiths is willing to put on the line anything and everything to accomplish his dreams. 5. Decision In decision, Theodore Dreiser s An American Tragedy, to the full exemplifies his subject of sometimes dreams are impossible to accomplish. Because of its position, content, word picture, and its ability to capture an audience, An American Tragedy clearly exemplifies a high virtue for its literary facets. An American Tragedy symbolizes an unwellness that plagues our society today, that everyone will accomplish success no affair the obstructions put in their way. The world is that there are fortunes out at that place that will automatically stop your journey to success, and Dreiser does an outstanding occupation of conveying them to visible radiation. It is because of this consequence wholly good as its captivating content, which leaves readers unwilling to put the fresh down, that makes An American Tragedy a perfect campaigner for a work of literary virtue, stand foring literature at its best.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Impact of Maintenance Activities on the Environment Essays
Impact of Maintenance Activities on the Environment Essays Impact of Maintenance Activities on the Environment Essay Impact of Maintenance Activities on the Environment Essay The Academy Graduate Studies, Benghazi. Term Paper for Maintenance Management Course Titled: Impact of Maintenance Activities on the Environment. Prepared By: Haitham Hashem 4657. Farage Shem 4465. Supervised By: Prof. Dr. Farage Elfeituri. Contents Introduction3 How Can Maintenance Affect the Environment? 4 Limitation of Environmental impact in maintenance operations4 I. Evaluation of Environmental aspects in maintenance4 II. Environmental aspects to be considered5 1. Procurement Concerns5 . Hazardous Materials Storage6 3. Operating Practices6 4. Washing Activities7 5. Reuse and Recycling8 6. Painting Operations9 III. Definition of appropriate actions to limit significant environmental aspects / impacts10 The conclusion12 References13 Introduction When evaluating the overall environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle, careful consideration shall be given to the duration of the life cycle as well as to each of the life cycle phases. The relative importance f the impa ct of each life cycle phase may in fact be significantly different for a short life cycle product compared to a long life cycle product, the following table shows relative importance of life cycle phases on the overall environmental performance of a product: | Procurement| Design| Manufacturing| Use | Maintenance| End of life| SLC| ***| ***| ***| ***| **| *| LLS| ***| ***| *| ***| **| *| | | | | * Not very important| ** Important| ***Very important| For a long life cycle product, it is obvious that the impact of in-service use as well as maintenance of the product will be of significant importance. For example, a lack of maintenance for a vehicle or a machine may lead to a significant increase in the consumption of fuel or other consumables required for proper timing. Particular attention shall therefore also be paid to educating consumers or users to ensure the product is operated in the most appropriate and environmentally friendly condition, and in particular to ensure it is in line with applicable standards or regulations and in accordance with the initial characteristic of the product as delivered. How Can Maintenance Affect the Environment? Maintenance activities can generate a variety of solid and hazardous wastes. Commonly generated wastes include out-of-date supplies, wastewater, oils, petroleum products and greases, solvents (both waste liquids and vapors), paints, and consumed components (seals, belts, bearings,â⬠¦), as well as waste metal, cardboard, and paper. Each of these wastes has the potential to negatively affect one or more of the environmental media (i. e. , land, water, and air), in addition it these activities it can also generate a considerable amount noise which is a kind of pollution. However, such activities and practices as segregating wastes, using proper inventory control, preventing spills, practicing preventive maintenance, improving process efficiency, and recycling can help minimize these impacts. Limitation of Environmental impact in maintenance operations When engaged in a environmental complain, either to improve a maintenance system or designing a new one, the following considerations should be toke into account: I. Evaluation of Environmental aspects in maintenance To limit environmental impact of maintenance during the use phase of the asset, it is essential for the various environmental aspects of the asset to be identified as a prerequisite. This can be done according to the methodology defined in any Environmental Analysis input/output box method, this analysis shall also identify which of the various regulatory frameworks should be applied when maintaining a product, as well as other commitments or company policies to be complied with: The result of this streamlined analysis shall be improved knowledge and identification of the significant environmental impacts related to maintenance operations. Analysis and optimization of the preventive maintenance (PM) program for equipment items associated with the organizationââ¬â¢s significant environmental aspects will be necessary to make sure that maintenance is adequately planned, additionally, how are potentially significant environmental impacts addressed in the job plans for PM activities? There are two starting points for this optimization: Either examine existing PM activities as they come due and modify them to take into account the analysis of environmental aspects, or begin with a list of the organizations significant environmental aspects, check for appropriate PM coverage, and set up PM actions as needed. Predictive maintenance (PdM) activities are of several types: vibration, lube sampling, infrared scanning, etc. PdM actions are focused on more critical equipment and this proactive approach may be well suited for equipment associated with the organizations significant environmental aspects, looking into the PdM program can take the same two starting points as in the PM program above. As for corrective maintenance (CM), it doesnââ¬â¢t distinguish from PM and PdM so much, except for the fact that waste management becomes a focal point, due to the unpreventable association of waste generation to CM operations. II. Environmental aspects to be considered 1. Procurement Concerns Purchasing decisions are an important element of pollution prevention. Making environmentally sound purchasing decisions can help reduce the amount of waste generated by a vehicle maintenance shop. In addition, the purchasing of recycled content products helps support markets for materials collected for recycling. Will the facility use recycled automotive maintenance products and retread tires? Such products as refiltered or re-refined oil and hydraulic fluids, as well as recycled antifreeze and solvent, are available for use in vehicle maintenance operations. Will the facility identify and use the least toxic product available to complete a job? Many maintenance products are formulated with high percentages of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic constituents. Safer, more environmentally sound materials are, however, available and perform as well as traditional products. For example, non-chlorinated solvents can be substituted for chlorinated solvents, detergent-based solutions can be substituted for caustic solutions in many applications, and water-based cleaners often can be used instead of organic solvents. Will long-lasting or synthetic oils be used when possible? Long-lasting oils reduce waste generation because they do not need to be replaced as often. 2. Hazardous Materials Storage Maintenance operations often involve the use of hazardous materials. The use of these materials can affect the environment through improper storage, air emissions of volatile chemicals, and spills and other uncontrolled releases, as well as the potential generation of toxic waste materials. Will hazardous materials be properly stored and handled? Proper storage and handling can include labeling containers, protecting materials from the elements, maintaining secondary containment, ensuring the compatibility of stored materials to avoid explosion hazards, and following instructions on the products Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs). Will the access to hazardous materials be limited? Limiting the access to hazardous materials allows a shop to keep track of chemical usage more easily and helps reduce unnecessary waste generation. Will a first-in, first-out inventory control system be used? This type of system helps prevent materials from expiring prior to use and becoming unnecessary waste. Efforts should also be made to minimize inventory levels by purchasing only the amount of material that will be needed in a reasonably short period of time (e. g. , 30 days) to reduce loss from spoilage. At the same time, however, materials should be purchased in the largest containers appropriate to minimize excessive packaging. 3. Operating Practices The use of oils, solvents, and other maintenance products can have significant effects on human health and the environment. The adoption of environmentally conscious operating practices can, however, reduce these impacts. Will maintenance bays be located to minimize the potential impacts of maintenance activities on the surrounding environment? Will the facility avoid unnecessary maintenance? One of the biggest sources of waste generated from maintenance shops comes from unneeded maintenance activities. An example of a way to minimize this waste is to change equipmentsââ¬â¢ fluids on an as-needed basis rather than according to a fixed maintenance schedule not based on equipment usage. Does the facility operating plan specify reducing the number and types of products, such as solvent, that will be used at the shop? Minimizing the types of different solvents used can simplify inventory procedures, reduce waste management issues, and facilitate recycling. Does the facility keep copies of its spill control and countermeasure plan for hazardous materials in each shop? Will the facility use drip pans, secondary containment, and other collection devices to help reduce the impact of spills and the use of absorbent products? Will a bulk fluids distribution system be cost effective? This type of system allows employees to dispense only as much product as is necessary for a job, in addition to reducing the potential for spills associated with the use of large, unwieldy containers. Will the facilitys solvent sink be operated to reduce environmental impacts? Environmentally preferable operating practices include pre-rinsing parts with dirty solvent before using fresh solvent to extend solvent life, removing parts from the sink slowly to reduce solvent dragout, using drip racks to reduce solvent loss, keeping sink lids closed when not in use to minimize the evaporation of solvent, not leaving solvent streams running, and cleaning out sludges regularly to maintain fresh solvent. 4. Washing Activities Washing can generate a large quantity of wastewater that may be contaminated with oils, greases, and dirt, as well as washing soaps and detergents. In some States, it is illegal to wash equipments without wastewater recycling equipment under certain conditions. Does equipments washing need to take place onsite? In some instances, offsite washing is a more efficient and environmentally preferable option. However, if properly implemented, onsite washing can be preferable since it can reduce the amount of fuel used expressly for moving the equipment for washing. Will equipment washing take place at a centralized, enclosed, and contained area to reduce potential impacts to the surrounding environment from runoff? Will equipment washing be conducted on an as-needed basis, rather than according to a fixed schedule? Reducing unnecessary washing can significantly reduce wastewater generation. Will the wastewater from the wash racks floor drains be properly treated onsite (e. g. , by removing oils, greases, and other contaminants) prior to discharge to a waterbody? Will an oil/water separator be used? Will the wash rack use detergents that do not contain phosphates or toxics? Can water from the wash rack be captured, filtered, and reused rather than being released? If a facility will maintain a large number equipments that require washing, a custom designed washing facility may be cost effective. If equipments washing must be performed by hand, a high volume, low pressure washer system will be more cost effective than a simple hose in terms of reduced personnel hours and energy usage. 5. Reuse and Recycling Many of the waste materials generated during vehicle maintenance activities can be reused or recycled into usable products. Reuse and recycling are preferable to treatment and disposal because they remove materials that would otherwise become waste. Are there plans for adequate segregation and containment of waste oil, antifreeze, and solvent? Each of these materials can be reclaimed or recycled if segregated. However, commingling these wastes makes recovery more difficult or impossible and dramatically increases waste disposal costs. Will the facility use solvent or antifreeze reclamation units? The onsite recycling of fluids is often a cost-effective pollution prevention option for larger shops. When onsite recycling is not cost effective, these materials can be segregated and picked up by a contractor for offsite recycling. Will the facility collect scrap metals generated at the shop (e. g. , used parts, empty material storage drums) for recycling? In some instances, punctured aerosol spray cans and drained oil filter casings may also be recycled as scrap. Will automotive batteries be collected and stored for recycling? Will the facility reuse cardboard and other packaging received in the delivery of parts and materials or collect it for recycling? 6. Painting Operations Wastes associated with painting operations include unused paints and dirty thinner. Thinners and solvents can also be sources of volatile organic compounds VOC emissions. Used spray booth filters are also waste products that may be generated from these shops. Proper training of employees and the use of high efficiency equipment can help reduce waste generation. Can water-based coatings be used instead of solvent-based coatings? some industries are working closely with paint manufacturers to develop acceptable substitutes for solvent-based paints. Will the facility use high efficiency painting technologies? When properly used, high volume, low pressure (HVLP) and electrostatic painting systems can reduce the amount of paint needed for a job and the amount of VOCs released to the air. Will employees be trained to use as little solvent/thinner as possible to clean up after painting activities? Will the facility employ a gun cleaning station? Gun cleaning stations capture the thinner/solvent shot through the gun and condense it for reuse instead of venting the substance to the air. In some cases, it may be possible to use water-based gun cleaners as an alternative to solvent thinner. Will the paint shop utilize reusable polystyrene booth filters? Traditional paint booth filters often must be handled as hazardous waste because of the presence of wet paint or paint containing lead or chromium. Polystyrene filters can be cleaned with compressed air and reused (with the paint residue captured for disposal). Once it can no longer be used, the cleaned filter often can be disposed of by dissolving it in a waste thinner drum. Will painting operations be located in an enclosed and properly ventilated area to reduce potential environmental releases? Will employees be trained to minimize the amount of waste paint generated by mixing only the amount of paint needed for a job? III. Definition of appropriate actions to limit significant environmental spects / impacts Appropriate limitation of environmental aspects in maintenance operations shall be performed in several ways: By considering the life cycle at the earliest stage, appropriate check lists shall generally be useful to ensure efficient and effective limitation of the environmental impact through appropriate control of emissions and/or exposures. Through appropriate training and education of maintenance operators and users, in this case, proper documentation as well as operator qualification and user awareness will be fundamental. Including careful selection of external services with respect to environmental requirements. Appropriate objectives and targets shall be defined in the context of a life-cycle oriented Environmental Management System, and associated action shall be identified and conducted through an Environmental Management Programme for Maintenance operations. The efficiency of the actions set up to limit overall environmental impacts in maintenance operations shall be regularly reviewed. Any deviations shall be monitored and corrected through corrective or preventive measures. Also Pollution Prevention/Reduction Environmental Impact Training in maintenance shops is closely linked with employee attitudes toward their work and the environment. A facility that provides basic environmental awareness/pollution prevention training and enthusiastically supports pollution prevention on a daily basis will have a noticeable effect on worker attitudes and can help reduce vehicle maintenance waste streams through such procedures as good housekeeping, spill prevention, and improved materials handling. The following pointes provide examples of actions to be performed to limit the environmental impact: * Identify all operations demanding energy, water or other resources, and the relevant requirements (environmental analysis). Identify all applicable regulatory frameworks to be complied with where the operations are performed. * Identify all consumables used and the relevant Hazards. Collect all MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) and data and have them available. * Select consumables to be recommended for maintenance operations with respect to environmental and health / safety Hazards. * Provide appropriate training for users when necess ary. * Ensure regular checks are made with respect to the initial performance of the products and proceed with appropriate repair, if necessary. * Identify any materials required to limit spillages, leaks, emissions, etc. nd the corresponding damage to the environment, and keep these materials available for this purpose, particularly in abnormal situations. * Select operators (including external services) on the basis of environmental requirements and give them appropriate training and inform them that the protection equipment is specified on the MSDS. The conclusion The maintenance activities could have significant adverse outcome on environment if not managed properly, although most of these negative effects can be prevented or reduced in cost-effective manners if addressed properly. The environmental management of maintenance operation, through the implement of environmentally sound policies, considering the environmental impact of the equipments life-cycle related to maintenance prior to purchase, and adopting environmental friendly practices in maintenance operations including waste management, will considerably improve the environmental impact of maintenance activities. The maintenance planning and scheduling functions will be expected to add environmental management activities to their agenda. Several questions worthy of investigation arise: How is the backlog sorted to identify overdue preventive maintenance work? How do activities associated with significant environmental aspects rank in the organizations prioritization process? What Key Performance Indicators are in place for assessing whether the organization is complying with its operational controls and achieving its objectives for environmental performance? Are supervisors clearly responsible for seeing that environmental management activities are performed on time? The CMMS is a great tool for tracking environmental compliance. Adding an equipment classification for those items associated with significant environmental aspects is an obvious change to make. There may well be new equipment items to include in the hierarchy. Work order types also may be appropriate for an additional type. Designing environmental performance reports is a good action. A responsive CMMS that is consistent, reliable, timely, and accessible will be a super aid for maintenance environmental management. Although these changes in maintenance practices may seem time-consuming at first, they do not all need to be implemented at once. A good plan of attack can incorporate these changes in an orderly and cost-effective manner.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Geography of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Geography of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Vancouver is the largest city in the Canadian province of British Columbia and is the third largest in Canada. As of 2006, Vancouvers population was 578,000 but its Census Metropolitan Area surpassed two million. Vancouvers residents (like those in many large Canadian cities) are ethnically diverse and over 50% are not native English speakers. Location The City of Vancouver is located on the British Columbias west coast, adjacent to the Strait of Georgia and across that waterway from Vancouver Island. It is also north of the Fraser River and lies mostly on the western part of the Burrard Peninsula. The city of Vancouver is well-known as one of the worlds most livable cities but it is also one of the most expensive in Canada and North America. Vancouver has also hosted many international events and most recently, it has gained worldwide attention because it and nearby Whistler hosted the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. What to Know About Vancouver The following is a list of the most important things to know about Vancouver, British Columbia: The City of Vancouver is named after George Vancouver - a British captain who explored Burrard Inlet in 1792.Vancouver is one of Canadas youngest cities and the first European settlement was not until 1862 when McLeerys Farm was established on the Fraser River. It is believed, however, that aboriginal people lived in the Vancouver region from at least 8,000-10,000 years ago.Vancouver officially incorporated on April 6, 1886, after Canadas first transcontinental railroad reached the region. Shortly thereafter, the nearly the entire city was destroyed when the Great Vancouver Fire broke out on June 13, 1886. The city quickly rebuilt though and by 1911, it had a population of 100,000.Today, Vancouver is one of the most densely populated cities in North America after New York City and San Francisco, California with around 13,817 people per square mile (5,335 people per sq km) as of 2006. This is a direct result of urban planning focused on high-rise residential and mixed-use development as opposed to urban sprawl. Vancouvers urban planning practice originated in the late 1950s and is known in the planning world as Vancouverism. Because of Vancouverism and a lack of large amounts of urban sprawl as seen in other large North American cities, Vancouver has been able to maintain a large population and also a large amount of open space. Within this open land is Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America at around 1,001 acres (405 hectares).Vancouvers climate is considered oceanic or marine west coast and its summer months are dry. The average July high temperature is 71Ã °F (21Ã °C). Winters in Vancouver are usually rainy and the average low temperature in January is 33Ã °F (0.5Ã °C).The City of Vancouver has a total area of 44 square miles (114 sq km) and consists of both flat and hilly terrain. The North Shore Mountains are located near the city and dominate much of its cityscape, but on clear days, Mount Baker in Washington, Vancouver Island, and Bowen Island to the northeast can all be seen. In the early days of its growth, Vancouvers economy was based around logging and sawmills which were established beginning in 1867. Although forestry is still Vancouvers largest industry today, the city is also home to the Port Metro Vancouver, which is the fourth largest port based on tonnage in North America. Vancouvers second largest industry is tourism because it is a well-known urban center worldwide. What Its Known For Vancouver is nicknamed Hollywood North because it is the third largest film production center in North America following Los Angeles and New York City. The Vancouver International Film Festival takes place annually each September. Music and visual arts are also common in the city. Vancouver also has another nickname of city of neighborhoods as much of it is divided into different and ethnically diverse neighborhoods. English, Scottish, and Irish people were Vancouvers largest ethnic groups in the past, but today, there is a large Chinese-speaking community in the city. Little Italy, Greektown, Japantown and the Punjabi Market are other ethnic neighborhoods in Vancouver. To learn more about Vancouver, visit the citys official website. Sources: Wikipedia. (2010, March 30). Vancouver. Wikipedia- the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from:Ã https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Research of Pthisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words
Research of Pthisis - Essay Example Laennec argued on both clinical and post-mortem grounds that pathognomonic was the hallmark of phthisis. Through the knowledge he had on the cause and location of the disease he identified different diagnoses like scrofula and tuberculosis meningitis. A challenge that was common among the French physicians was the identification of the disease. There are different types of diseases that existed in their vocabulary thus; it was hard to know a disease. They relied mostly on correlations between clinical signs and pathological changes to differentiate diseases and with future developments; criteria of identifying a disease have been developed (McNeill, pp. 22). This saw the improvement of the diagnosis to patients as it was easy to identify the disease a patient was suffering from. Something that troubled the physicians was fever and this was solved in 19th century when they came to identify fever as a sign of a disease. Phthisis in Early Civilization A discovery of human remains in 200 8 showed that tuberculosis existed 9000 years ago in a settlement in the eastern Mediterranean during the Neolithic era (McNeill, pp. 24). This is the oldest ever reported evidence of TB infection in human beings and it was confirmed by morphological and molecular methods. Some authors have identified tuberculosis to be the first disease to be known to humankind. More evidence on tuberculosis during the Neolithic era was also discovered in a cemetery in close proximity to Heidelberg. Signs of the disease have also been discovered among Egyptian mummies in the period between 3000 and 2400 BCE. This shows that the disease has been in existence for many centuries and this is why extensive research has been done on the same. In 1881 Grebart discovered a... Since the discovery of tuberculosis as a killer disease, extensive research has been done on the same. The research has continued to advance with more discoveries that are helping to mitigate the disease. Through research of tuberculosis, physicians have also been able to research on other diseases. There are other diseases that are closely related to TB like typhoid and medical researchers have been able to differentiate TB from other diseases. All the signs of the disease at the fingertips of physicians and this have helped to mitigate the cases of wrong treatment. Through research on tuberculosis, physicians were able to discover that fever is a sign of a disease and not a disease by itself. This discovery better research and from there physicians were able to discover other diseases like yellow fever. The discovery of the vaccine on the 20th century was of great importance. BCG has played a vital role in curbing TB and more so in third world and densely populated countries. Despi te the efforts that are been made through international organizations, TB has remained to be a threat of human life and currently India marks the highest deaths from TB per annum.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Globalization of production and operations management Term Paper
Globalization of production and operations management - Term Paper Example Taking a simple circumstance of the use of computers by the manufacturers and the service sector is the best example that reflects how these businesses are growing rapidly in their domains. Manufacturers and their retailers are commonly joining hands and improving their distribution channels. In this case, the manufacturers are not wholly dependable on their retailers to expand their recognition in the market and help selling their products or services; however, they have their own opportunity to do so with the use of digital computers in collaboration with their retailers. First, the direct computer relationship between retailers and manufacturers have increased the possibility of making the manufacturers aware of the selling and purchasing of their products, while they could even collaborate directly if the products becomes short in market so that the delivery of products could be made in time with maximum customer satisfaction (Kozicki, pp.41-42). This way the manufacturers have g reat opportunity to have first-hand information about their consumersââ¬â¢ demands and can play a major part in increasing their productivity according to their target marketââ¬â¢s interests. ... The consumers always want to save their time, money and resources to visit the outlets, choose from a wide range of varieties of products and services and then to reach upon the conclusion of making a purchase or not. In this case, the prospective buyers living abroad cannot even have the possibility of visiting the international outlets easily. Thus, E-Business provides these buyers with an opportunity to place online orders and have their desired products delivered to their doorsteps. This also increases the reach of the manufacturing industry and the service sector to buyers present outside the geographical area. The same could be done by television advertising and providing the prospective buyers a ââ¬Ëuniversally accessible numberââ¬â¢ to place orders. Yet, all this demands work force on the manufacturersââ¬â¢ or the service sectorsââ¬â¢ end to make these facilities available to the consumers. Yet, this advancement also brings a great challenge for the manufacturers and creates quite a conflict between them and their retailers. The retailers are their help these manufacturers sell their products through a proper visible distribution channel. However, if the manufacturers start providing an e-buying service, the business o their retailers would come to an end. Even if itââ¬â¢s not an end, but, it will give a blow to their business and would prove to be a source of loss in the long run as less people would prefer going to the retail markets. This would eventually create competition between the two entities doing the same business and thus, the retailers would have to look for expandable options to increase their selling (Gupta, Koulamas, & Kyparisis, pp. 604-605). Thirdly, people interested in putting their products on auction have an unmatched opportunity
Cross-culture essay (Cross-National Work Experience Interview)
Cross-culture (Cross-National Work Experience Interview) - Essay Example rst, according to Melissa Honda, the major glaring difference between the Japanese and the USA workplace culture is the cooperation aspect of the workplace. This cultural difference is referred to as the collectivism vs. individualism difference (YuÃâki and Brewer, 136). In the USA, there is the tendency of most workers within a working environment doing their tasks on their own, and only engaging others when there is a need. Thus, to the extent that an individual in the USA workplace environment is able to accomplish all the required tasks by him/herself, then there is little engagement with the rest. However, the case is very different in Japan, more especially in the project management related industries, where the workplace mostly constitutes working groups as opposed to individuals. Individuals in Japan collaborate in every aspect of accomplishing their tasks, such that by the end of the project, the work is a product of various contributions, as opposed to being the product of individual specialty. In the high individualistic cultures, self-determination is highly valued (Gudykunst, 241). Thus, the USA work environment comprises of an environment where self-determination plays the biggest role in the accomplishment of tasks, such that there is a high level of segmentation and division of labor within organizations, based on the individual workerââ¬â¢s specialty. On the other hand, Japan presents a collaborated work environment where the tasks are more attributed to group work and group collaboration, such that the individual workers will work well in groups as opposed to working as individuals (YuÃâki and Brewer, 147). Thus, Melissa initially faced the challenge of accomplishing the designated tasks single-handedly when she joined her organization in the USA in 2012, and had to take a few months to get used to this different culture of working. Nevertheless, having worked for the organization for three years now, Melissa is now capable of working both as an
How Personal Can Ethics Get Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
How Personal Can Ethics Get - Essay Example Personal differences and preferences can impart a negative impact on organizational ethics, especially if it is up on the hierarchical level. Favoritism and Partiality has forever been known for violation of equal rights ââ¬â a policy that most organizations carry on their sleeves. If an executive practices partiality in his/her choices of human resource, it not only affects the morale of the competitor individual but also diminishes the overall efficiency of the organization knowing a suitable candidate was rejected for a project against an incapable one. Additionally, this will also demoralize other employees of the organization, knowing that the system for their career growth is corrupt by personal biases. If this partiality is backed by personal gains (monetary or otherwise) on behalf of the executive, it further deteriorates the organizational relationships ââ¬â the employees tend to be uninterested in company decisions, disloyal towards the organization and low- perform ed. Turnover rate can also be expected to be higher than normal for such an organization. Also, it can be expected that such an organization will dissolve rapidly into non-existence. Business operations therefore strictly require the setting aside of personal differences and working in collaboration for common organizational goals. Ethics play a vital role in organizations and organizational commitments on behalf of employees. Ethics, if practiced properly, can guarantee organizational prosperity. This is because ethical environment ensures safeguard of employee rights, allowing them to concentrate on their jobs and prove to be productive members of the organization. The employees will be less pressurized to compromise their own ethics and values, making them comfortable and satisfied in their jobs. It will promote equality among all employees, controlling misconduct and sycophancy naturally. An employee will possess greater willingness to report misconduct, if any, knowing the organization will take appropriate actions against it. The employees will feel valued by the organization for their actual worth (Rhoden). Organizational procedures and policies reflect the ethical system of that organization. In most organizations, the code of conduct and policies are well-written pieces of deep-rooted ethics. However, in reality, these tend to be practiced solely on the surface. Same is the situation with the organization in the case study ââ¬â Wisson possesses elegant and well-written organizational policies, which Valarie (the marketing manager of Wisson) later discovers are not adequately practiced. As vital as the clause for bribes and personal payments was being violated by Valarieââ¬â¢s boss, Waters. Such practices pose serious threats to organizational and personal ethics, creating a conflict between the two. As person-job fit is emphasized in most management guidelines, the importance of person-organization fit is now being increasingly recognized. If a personââ¬â¢s personal ethics and values are not in peace with the organizationââ¬â¢s ethics, serious issues can arise in the for m of ethical dilemmas, greatly hampering oneââ¬â¢s capability to perform. In the case under investigation, Valarie was undergoing the same ethical dilemmas posed by improper person-organization fit. She was a staunch believer of equal opportunities for all and widespread competition being healthy for
Thursday, October 17, 2019
UAE Labor law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
UAE Labor law - Research Paper Example Employees worked for several hours and there was need to address some of the grievances that they had through legislation means and that commenced the labor law institution. In this regard, this paper attempts to address the following with reference to labor laws; As discussed above, labor laws refer to asset of legislations that tries to rationalize the needs of the employees and the employer so that there is a balance between the two parties. In most cases, the employees suffer the most when there are poor labor laws in an organization or within the trade unions. The labor laws thus tend to fight for the interest of the employee as compared to that of the employer. It stipulates clearly how and the extent within which the parties should associate by determining among other things salary and wages, working hours, health related issues at the work place, insurance of the employees, as well as the provision of the protective clothing where necessary (Keller, and Darby, 2005). Thus, labor laws are a set of legislations that provides for a realistic and harmonious relation between the two major players in the working environment- the employee and the employer. It ensures that no side is unduly considered in the play and that all are fairly represented and interest well noted. The labor laws are thus important in the event of a dispute between the employer and the employer in relation to other issues, which include unfair dismissal from work, discrimination, low wages, and long working hours than necessary (Mahdavi, 2011). The possible grievances that can be raised by the either parties are represented within the labor law and it can be used as the reference point for arbitration. It should also be noted that the laws are subject to editorial from time to time depending on the economic situation when it comes to the minimum wage that an employees
DQ knolege creathion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
DQ knolege creathion - Essay Example Can be linked to the work place where it is to be implemented. 4. Solutions to be implemented are found to be efficient in both time taken and overall cost.. It is those who make decisions within an organization who can best take advantage of any research results as this should serve to highlight such things as current and future market trends as well as any possible risks to be considered The maximum benefit from any research undertaken will be achieved if it is based upon most accurate picture of what is actually happening as well as the theories involved, but it can prove to be a difficult task to fit the practical results alongside the theoretical models. The aim for business researchers must be to arrive at knowledge based upon the two complementary aspects of rigour and usefulness. Rousseau ( 2006) and other proponents of a management style based upon evidence believe that this is possible. However , more recently Morrell ( 2008) criticized this picture and questioned whether i t was really possible for management research to be done in this way and yet be rigorous enough. Is such research valid or is it just based upon theories? The topic for research, if it is to serve a useful purpose, must come out of the workplace ad problems faced there Such an example occurred when I worked for KPC Kuwait petroleum. Each month a crude monthly price was issued according to a fixed discount on the Saudi AM price for their crude. This real life practice example was afterwards used as a topic by management researchers. In 2009 Kieser & Leiner said that they thought that it should be easy for practice and theory to come together because good research can unite theory and the practice. For this reason education , whether in business schools or a mainstream university, is able to provide management researchers with the skills necessary to cope with any problems which arise. In 1987, Shrivastava (, p 88) suggested the use of research variables in relation to the goals of an organization and that research findings must be tested in situ with researchers being rewarded , testing research findings in organisational settings and reward researchers based upon the way in which their research can be applied in a practical way. In this way the gap often observed between practice and research will be closed or at shrink to a smaller one., as echoed ( 2005) by Bennis and Oââ¬â¢Toole. It was suggested by Rousseau ( 2006, page 266) that the best evidence based research should be linked to work practise and solutions arrived at using a process of cause and effect. The culture of an organization that wants to be successful must allow for intelligent experimentation and possible failure in order the useful knowledge can be created. Rousseau believes that management is such a complex field that metaskills are required to deal with it successfully. Over simplification is a danger to be avoided, because there are no ââ¬Ëone size fits allââ¬â¢ answers ( page 26 7) Also suggested by the same author is that feedback must flow with ease between educators, managers and researchers. On page 257 ( 2006) decries management gurus such as Jack Welsh and McKinsey who seem to suggest management decisions based upon relatively weak evidence. On the other hand their suggestions are relatively easy to understand as compared to duller and complex academic offerings. Perhaps there needs to be a middle way such as the 2005 article by Bennis and Oââ¬â¢Toole in Harvard Business Review, which is a non-academic, non peer reviewed
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
How Personal Can Ethics Get Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
How Personal Can Ethics Get - Essay Example Personal differences and preferences can impart a negative impact on organizational ethics, especially if it is up on the hierarchical level. Favoritism and Partiality has forever been known for violation of equal rights ââ¬â a policy that most organizations carry on their sleeves. If an executive practices partiality in his/her choices of human resource, it not only affects the morale of the competitor individual but also diminishes the overall efficiency of the organization knowing a suitable candidate was rejected for a project against an incapable one. Additionally, this will also demoralize other employees of the organization, knowing that the system for their career growth is corrupt by personal biases. If this partiality is backed by personal gains (monetary or otherwise) on behalf of the executive, it further deteriorates the organizational relationships ââ¬â the employees tend to be uninterested in company decisions, disloyal towards the organization and low- perform ed. Turnover rate can also be expected to be higher than normal for such an organization. Also, it can be expected that such an organization will dissolve rapidly into non-existence. Business operations therefore strictly require the setting aside of personal differences and working in collaboration for common organizational goals. Ethics play a vital role in organizations and organizational commitments on behalf of employees. Ethics, if practiced properly, can guarantee organizational prosperity. This is because ethical environment ensures safeguard of employee rights, allowing them to concentrate on their jobs and prove to be productive members of the organization. The employees will be less pressurized to compromise their own ethics and values, making them comfortable and satisfied in their jobs. It will promote equality among all employees, controlling misconduct and sycophancy naturally. An employee will possess greater willingness to report misconduct, if any, knowing the organization will take appropriate actions against it. The employees will feel valued by the organization for their actual worth (Rhoden). Organizational procedures and policies reflect the ethical system of that organization. In most organizations, the code of conduct and policies are well-written pieces of deep-rooted ethics. However, in reality, these tend to be practiced solely on the surface. Same is the situation with the organization in the case study ââ¬â Wisson possesses elegant and well-written organizational policies, which Valarie (the marketing manager of Wisson) later discovers are not adequately practiced. As vital as the clause for bribes and personal payments was being violated by Valarieââ¬â¢s boss, Waters. Such practices pose serious threats to organizational and personal ethics, creating a conflict between the two. As person-job fit is emphasized in most management guidelines, the importance of person-organization fit is now being increasingly recognized. If a personââ¬â¢s personal ethics and values are not in peace with the organizationââ¬â¢s ethics, serious issues can arise in the for m of ethical dilemmas, greatly hampering oneââ¬â¢s capability to perform. In the case under investigation, Valarie was undergoing the same ethical dilemmas posed by improper person-organization fit. She was a staunch believer of equal opportunities for all and widespread competition being healthy for
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
DQ knolege creathion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
DQ knolege creathion - Essay Example Can be linked to the work place where it is to be implemented. 4. Solutions to be implemented are found to be efficient in both time taken and overall cost.. It is those who make decisions within an organization who can best take advantage of any research results as this should serve to highlight such things as current and future market trends as well as any possible risks to be considered The maximum benefit from any research undertaken will be achieved if it is based upon most accurate picture of what is actually happening as well as the theories involved, but it can prove to be a difficult task to fit the practical results alongside the theoretical models. The aim for business researchers must be to arrive at knowledge based upon the two complementary aspects of rigour and usefulness. Rousseau ( 2006) and other proponents of a management style based upon evidence believe that this is possible. However , more recently Morrell ( 2008) criticized this picture and questioned whether i t was really possible for management research to be done in this way and yet be rigorous enough. Is such research valid or is it just based upon theories? The topic for research, if it is to serve a useful purpose, must come out of the workplace ad problems faced there Such an example occurred when I worked for KPC Kuwait petroleum. Each month a crude monthly price was issued according to a fixed discount on the Saudi AM price for their crude. This real life practice example was afterwards used as a topic by management researchers. In 2009 Kieser & Leiner said that they thought that it should be easy for practice and theory to come together because good research can unite theory and the practice. For this reason education , whether in business schools or a mainstream university, is able to provide management researchers with the skills necessary to cope with any problems which arise. In 1987, Shrivastava (, p 88) suggested the use of research variables in relation to the goals of an organization and that research findings must be tested in situ with researchers being rewarded , testing research findings in organisational settings and reward researchers based upon the way in which their research can be applied in a practical way. In this way the gap often observed between practice and research will be closed or at shrink to a smaller one., as echoed ( 2005) by Bennis and Oââ¬â¢Toole. It was suggested by Rousseau ( 2006, page 266) that the best evidence based research should be linked to work practise and solutions arrived at using a process of cause and effect. The culture of an organization that wants to be successful must allow for intelligent experimentation and possible failure in order the useful knowledge can be created. Rousseau believes that management is such a complex field that metaskills are required to deal with it successfully. Over simplification is a danger to be avoided, because there are no ââ¬Ëone size fits allââ¬â¢ answers ( page 26 7) Also suggested by the same author is that feedback must flow with ease between educators, managers and researchers. On page 257 ( 2006) decries management gurus such as Jack Welsh and McKinsey who seem to suggest management decisions based upon relatively weak evidence. On the other hand their suggestions are relatively easy to understand as compared to duller and complex academic offerings. Perhaps there needs to be a middle way such as the 2005 article by Bennis and Oââ¬â¢Toole in Harvard Business Review, which is a non-academic, non peer reviewed
Domestic Polices of Johnson and Eisenhower Essay Example for Free
Domestic Polices of Johnson and Eisenhower Essay The decades of 1950s and early 60s were periods of unprecedented affluence, prosperity and economic growth for USA, at scales that is difficult to match by any other country in human history. Years of persistent industrial growth, technological advances, and a full-time developed economy during the Second World War set the platform for USA to experience continued improvements in its industrial outputs, living standards, individual income, business and commercial profits, and infrastructural and capital growth. With its GDP and GNP repeatedly touching new record heights, USA had undisputedly become worldââ¬â¢s richest behemoth. However, amidst this spectacular mantle of prosperity, there remained large patches of poverty, racial discriminations, unemployment and inequality that did not conform to high level of affluence generally attained through out the nation. To bridge this yawning gap, President Johnson launched the concept of ââ¬ËGreat Societyââ¬â¢ with aim to bring equality and justice in US and distribute fruits of growth and prosperity to every citizen. Policies and Programs of ââ¬ËGreat Societyââ¬â¢ The landslide victory of Lyndon Johnson in 1964 general election gave him suitable platform introduce a series of legislations concerning education, healthcare, environmental protection, consumer rights, regional and urban development, civil rights, employment opportunities, social welfare and income supplement programs, as part of his vision towards the great society. As Johnson himself belonged to middle class family, his ideas were well shaped and oriented towards the exact framework that he wished to create. Pursuant to this vision he proceeded to introduce a number of legislations that included, Food Stamp legislation, Civil Rights Acts, Economic Opportunity Act, Mass Transport Program, Public Work and Employment Act, and Medical Health Car, Social Support, and Education Programs. The notable programs under Johnsonââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËGreat Societyââ¬â¢ were 1. Income Assistance: Under the Income Assistance program, financial coverage and assistance were provided to people to enable them to support themselves and become self-dependent. People were counseled, advices and encouraged to strive to meet their own requirements, under government aegis. 2. Education and training: Johnson was of firm view that education and training had crucial role in uplift deprived people to general levels of prosperity and affluence, providing tools and paths to break the vicious cycle of poverty and seclusion. Therefore, he put special emphasis on providing equal educational opportunities to economically deprived children. In the ââ¬ËGreat Societyââ¬â¢ Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, special provisions were included to provide financial help, services and required assistance to schooling agencies and boards covering areas with economically disadvantaged families. Further, provisions were instituted that provided direct financial help and support to individual disadvantaged students. A number of training programs were launched in semi urban and rural areas to provide work exposure, work related training and vocational training to people, to enable them to earn and break free of poverty. 3. Healthcare and Medicare Programs: Recognizing the requirement of healthcare for all, an integral part of ââ¬ËGreat Societyââ¬â¢ vision was to provide medical care for elder and poor people, who are unable to look after themselves. The Social Security Act of 1965 and 66 ensured health care and medical treatment for people belonging to all age groups. 4. Housing: A rapidly emerging urban America required houses to support the millions that came to cities to full fill their dreams. Concurrent were the problems of providing secure shelter to thousands homeless poor, left stranded on streets in inclement conditions. Therefore through Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 one the one hand government targeted construction of 26 million additional rehabilitation units and on other provided for easy flow of real estate credit, liberalized loan market, expanded public housing fund, and low installments to enable people in low and middle income groups to own houses. 5. Environment: One of significant achievements of Great Society vision was launching policies to make environment as free of pollutants and chemicals as possible, and thus imitating the drive towards environmental awareness. Armed with a number of acts and legislations such as Clear Air, Water Quality and Clean Water Restoration Acts and Amendments, Wilderness Act of 1964, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965, Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control Act of 1965 etc, Johnson tried to create a social culture that is aware of its responsibilities in protecting environment. Differences with Eisenhower People, and especially poor oriented polices launched by Johnson stood in contrast with the generally industrial and business focused programs adopted by Eisenhower in his regime from 1953-61. During the Presidency of Eisenhower, social welfare programs had taken backstage before large-scale industrial, infrastructural, and military programs. Although the entire nation as an entity move ahead, serious gaps had remained in its fabrics that Johnson tried to cover with his welfare programs under ââ¬ËGreat Societyââ¬â¢
Monday, October 14, 2019
Impact of Money on Happiness
Impact of Money on Happiness The love of money, as they say, is the root of all evil. Yet money remains an essential commodity in everyday living. It is a universal need that is pursued one way or the other world over. There are several amenities in life that can mostly only be purchased by money; hence the lack of it can speedily reduce an individual, any individual into distress and a state of depression. Money is acquired by several means; for most people of certain ages, to acquire money means to simply work for it. For others of younger and even older ages, their acquisition of money is largely determined by others, such as parents, guardians in the case of younger people or the government, pension and previous investments in the case of the older generation. All in all, money is an essential part of living. It may not necessarily be the most important aspect in life as will be critically examined later on but it most certainly ranks very high indeed on the list. Some might argue that with enough money or a dequate finances, every other aspect of life falls into perspective. Yet it may immediately be counter argued that the term ââ¬Ëenough money or adequate financesââ¬â¢ is, in itself, a relative one. What constitutes adequate finances, when is a man said to have enough money? Perhaps it is worth mentioning at this juncture the economic theory of supply and demand and vice versa. The more you make, the more you need. Human need is such that can never be fully satisfied. For instance the needs and demands of a toddler differ significantly from that of a teenager as does that of a man in his 20s from that of a family man with children. Is it then possible to quantify oneââ¬â¢s overall state of wellbeing by how much wealth the individual has been fortunate enough to acquire? Can money be said to possess the ability of buying or at the very least orchestrating happiness? What, in the first instance, is happiness? While it remains difficult to attribute a specific definition to hha ppiness, it is often referred to as the state of well-being characterised by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy or emotions experienced when in a state of well-being. The opposite of ââ¬Ëhappinessââ¬â¢ would therefore be ââ¬Ësadnessââ¬â¢ or to be in a sober mood. Happiness is a robust state of mind that has been pursued by mankind since the stone ages and is as old as man himself. Man as a social being has goals and expectations in life. Such goals and expectations are quite naturally based on individual beliefs, societal or cultural norms as well as personal experiences. It is however safe to surmise that whatever a manââ¬â¢s[1] ambitions, goals, expectations and desires, when these desires and expectations appear to be within easy grasp and ultimately achieved, he will naturally be in a state of well being and experience what is known as happiness. Some of the major contributory factors to happiness include but are by no means limited to the following: Good or optimum state of health Secured and well paid employment Supportive family or friends As pointed out above however, these factors are based on individual concepts of happiness and the means by which this state of mind can be achieved. From the factors above, it becomes increasingly visible that happiness can be analysed from the economic as well as psychological perspectives. According to economists, it is a standard assumption that happiness ââ¬â individual utility in the economic vocabulary depends on income, leisure and sometimes a few other factors. Yet, although mainstream models would predict that higher income leads to greater happiness, most earlier empirical research has been unable to find a sufficiently strong correlation between subjective well-being and per capita income in rich countries to support the standard utility assumption.[2] In a research carried out in the 90s, it was discovered that even though many, if not all, African countries were classed as under developed societies where poverty assails most of the population, people were still happ ier than others of more substantial means in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States. In a country like Nigeria for instance, the term ââ¬Ëdepressionââ¬â¢ was almost a strange expression for many while others who had heard of the world had never even come close to suffering such a low state of mind. Research on the other hand, shows that quite a significant number of patients in the UK suffer depression which is the exact opposite of happiness or a state of bliss and well being. The pursuit of happiness and all it entails has been a goal shared by people world over more than any other goal in the history of mankind. While economics might be associating the pursuit and ultimate capture, so to speak, of this rather elusive blissful state of mind with the accumulation of wealth and material satisfaction, it has been proven in recent times that this may not very well be the case. In fact, a positive association has been shown to hold only at certain points in time within particular countries and not for the group of high-income countries as a whole.[3] The usual explanations given for this paradox are either that people compare themselves with their peers and neighbours[4] or that as incomes increase, so do peopleââ¬â¢s income aspirations[5]. Both these factors are assumed to be present already at fairly modest levels of per-capita income. However, one recurring problem with previous studies is that conclusions on the absence of an effect of economic performance on well-being have typically been based on either limited cross-sectional samples which may be contaminated by a strong time-constant cultural component[6] or on sparse and incomplete longitudinal data.[7] The unavoidable fact remains that with the accumulation of wealth or any other commodity for that matter, comes more responsibility or need which in turn leads to even more desire for greater accumulation. In that regard, it might be safe to surmise that perhaps wealth or its end less accumulation does not exactly guarantee happiness.[8] For instance, if a man is said to have achieved his goal and been fortunate, lucky or smart enough to secure a fantastic job and comfortable income, if the economist approach on consumer behaviour is accurate, he should be in a blissful state of mind. However there are other factors which need to be considered to determine a manââ¬â¢s state of mind and this is where the psychological and social researches into happiness comes into play. In support of Duesenberryââ¬â¢s paradox, Kenneth Arrow believes that it offered ââ¬Å"one of the most significant contributions of the postwar period to our understanding of economic behaviourâ⬠[9] and that it was to be commended for attempting to link economic theory more directly with psychological motivations and with consumer learning processes.[10] Some saw Duesenberrys work as attempting to broaden the theoretical economists horizon.[11] Others like A. C. Pigou, expressed se rious methodological reservations but nonetheless commended the potential significance of the work.[12] In more recent times, there has been a steadily increasing interest on the part of economists in happiness research. It has been argued that reported subjective well-being is a satisfactory empirical approximation to individual utility and that happiness research is able to contribute important insights for economics. It has also been reported how the economic variables such as income, unemployment and inflation affect happiness as well as how institutional factors, in particular the type of government; democracy or dictatorship and the extent of government decentralisation, systematically influence how satisfied individuals are with their life, the effects and some of the consequences for economic policy and for economic theory. Whereas psychologists and sociologists have been researching the concept of happiness for a very long time, the economist approach to happiness is actual ly a more recent approach. Early economists and philosophers, ranging from Aristotle, who promulgated that a happy life is a good complete life and concluded that although happiness is good other things are equally good and important; such things as health and wealth, knowledge and friendship, and a good moral character[13] to Bentham, who formulated that ââ¬Å"happiness is the greatest goodâ⬠[14] John Stuart Mill, an ardent supporter and disciple of Bentham who agreed that ââ¬Å"â⬠¦. actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happinessâ⬠¦.â⬠[15] have all incorporated the pursuit of happiness in their work. Yet as economics grew more rigorous and quantitative, more parsimonious definitions of welfare took hold. Utility was taken to depend only on income as mediated by individual choices or preferences within a rational individualââ¬â¢s monetary budget constraint. Even within a more orthodox f ramework, focusing purely on income can miss key elements of welfare as numerous economists have noted over time. People have different preferences for material and non-material goods. They may choose a lower paying but more personally rewarding job, for example. The study of happiness or subjective well-being is part of a more general move in economics that challenges these narrow assumptions. Richard Easterlin was one of the first modern economists to re-visit the concept of happiness, beginning in the early 1970s.[16] In economic researches world over, when people are asked relevant questions about what for them constitutes happiness, the answers are mostly identical. For those who are currently struggling to make ends meet, those who are out of jobs, those who are classified as under priviledged in society by virtue of their meager or no income it would appear that the wide belief is that money can indeed buy happiness. But when probed further and deeper, it emerges that money on its own, may not necessarily bring happiness but mere momentary satisfaction. What money certainly does however is to relief people from their financial burdens. Where a family struggles to pay the rent/mortgage at the end of every month, bills accumulate from lack of adequate finances, holidays are a thing of the past or never experienced. If such a family is transported to a place where they can suddenly afford to consolidate their debts, pay off the mortgage, go on holidays, eat what and when they like, their spirits will certainly be lifted significantly higher than when they had little or nothing to exist on. It is therefore apt to surmise that money would most probably clear debts, reduce or out rightly pay off mortgages, which would certainly be a tremendous source of relief for most people. Money however may not necessarily have the ability to purchase true happiness. The human brain is trained to adapt to situations, good or bad. It is therefore only a matter of time before the new found wealth becomes a ââ¬Ëgivenââ¬â¢ and the family is faced with other challenges. Many people, cross-section, agree that acquisition or possession of significantly more money than they have at the moment can calm their day to day frustrations and perhaps distract them from their personal problems, but it cannot make them truly happy. If an individual is basically positive and optimistic, the acquisition of wealth will only enhance that persons life. It is believed that money can bring relief if the lack of it is causing stress (as is the case in the majority). If however, a person is generally neurotic, unhappy and pessimistic, no amount of money will eradicate such pessimism or other unrelated psychological problems the individual deals with on a daily basis. A windfall can also bring problems to people who have no idea how to deal with money. To those who have lived from hand to mouth all their lives, unless they are intelligent about it, there is a tendency to fritter a windfall away. One has to know how to use or invest money wisely, in order to make it work for them. In a survey carried out in England and America on lottery winners it became a clear pattern that people essentially remain who they basically were before winning the lottery. A pessimistic, uninspired individual who wins à £1,000,000 in lottery is more likely to be back to exactly the same spot he was in before winning the lottery in less than five years. While a more optimistic, ambitious and level headed indiv idual who wins à £500,000 is more likely to go ahead and invest the money in ventures that will guarantee him better income for the foreseeable future. Money or shall we say too much money is itself a catalyst for trouble for those who are not psychologically balanced enough to handle instant wealth. Economists and psychologists have come together in numerous attempts to untangle the webs of how, why and why-not of money and the general state of well being/welfare. Of particular importance, it would appear, is the aspect of why money is seen by many as unable to set right all that is wrong in their lives and by so doing guarantee them lasting happiness. Why is it that the more money one has, the more one aspires to acquire? In the popular words of an artist ââ¬Ë..the more money you come across, the more problems you haveââ¬â¢[17] The economics of happiness is an approach to assessing welfare which combines the techniques typically used by economists with those more commonly used by psychologists. It relies on surveys of the reported wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of individuals across countries and continents.[18] Why is it that when one is finally able to possess those material things that appeared all so important in the absence of money and to basically achieve their dreams it only brings momentary joy? In attempting to answer these seemingly depressing questions, scholars of happiness have arrived at some insights that appear very useful and educational indeed. It has been commonly acknowledged and accepted that money can help find more happiness, so long as one knows just what to expect from it and does not have unrealistic expectations. Splashing out money on luxurious cars or even buying a private jet is not necessarily a means of utilising money to becoming happy. Research suggests that seeking the good life at a store is an expensive exercise in futility.[19] It is essential to realise and understand where one has been going wrong in order to achieve a blissful state of mind. According to Richard Gelfond, co-chairman and CEO of Imax, being an achiever and rising out of poverty certainly brings happiness. Wealth therefore appears to play a bigger factor in being happy than most would like to admit. In surveys, people consistently give thre e reasons for their personal happiness: wealth, family and health. Being richer means being able to afford better health, however debatable an argument this is. For a terminally ill patient for instance, perhaps with the notorious HIV virus or the equally formidable cancer; wealth most certainly affords them better treatment and immediate access to the very best specialists in those fields as well as the very best medication. The patients are therefore guaranteed far more comfort in their sickness than the ordinary man on the street who depends on the state or government for his treatment. At the end of the day however, can one honestly assert that the affordability of better health care makes the former patient happier than the latter? Can either be truly happy simply because one has more money than the other? Does it not then depend on the individualââ¬â¢s outlook on their conditions? Would the wealthy not willingly give up their wealth to become healthy again? Strange and surp rising as it might sound, it is not uncommon for the poorer man to come to better terms with his condition and find, if not downright happiness, some sort of peace in the terminal medical situation he finds himself than for his richer or wealthier counterpart. Professor Robert Shiller, a Professor of Economics at Yale University, in his argument for the advantages of having money is of the opinion that more money, in all likelihood, guarantees better relationships.[20] This is open to extensive debate and arguments. The simple question thereafter arises, if money or wealth enables one to find better relationships, how come then that most celebrities, by far the best paid individuals in the world, find it, from time immemorial, practically impossible to be happy in their relationships and marriages? It is common knowledge that marriages and relationships in Hollywood or any other star studded part of the world, for that matter, are more often than not, a fleeting experience for the p arties involved. Talking about celebrities and their wealth, if money does indeed procure happiness, why is it that the majority of celebrities have had at one time or the other alcohol problems, drug addiction issues, depression, suicidal tendencies and even in albeit admittedly fewer cases, death by over dose of one dangerous substance or the other? Surely if money brings happiness they, the celebrities with more money than most should be the happiest on earth. This is however evidently not the case. It stands to reason therefore that while money promotes a better sense of well being in some, better sense of achievement in others, contentment, the satisfaction that comes with the ability and affordability of luxury items o comfort, and even perhaps momentary happiness and joy in others, it is not the mere happenstance of such money or wealth in oneââ¬â¢s life that procures happiness or any true sense of joy for the consumer. Tim Webber of the BBCââ¬â¢s Business Edition, in o ne of his editorials, ââ¬ËWhy money doesnââ¬â¢t buy happinessââ¬â¢[21] quotes an African artist, Youssou Nââ¬â¢Dour as followsâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ Forget money entirelyâ⬠. Youssou NDour is reported as going on to say that there is plenty of happiness in Senegal, even though its people are not wealthy at all. Just see the joy that music and entertainment can bring to the boys in the poorest parts of Dakar. says Mr NDour. But he concedes that one thing was even better than the music and other elements that promote happiness in Senegal; the moment when Senegal beat France in the 2002 Football World Cup.[22] Catherine Sanderson, a psychology professor at Amherst College expresses her opinion on the debate of economics approach to happiness by saying that human beings are never satisfied. It is standard consumer behavioural pattern. The more we have, the more we are likely to want. It is the inherent nature of man. Ms. Sanderson authoritatively asserts that we always t hink just that little bit more money will be the answer to all our problems and bring ultimate satisfaction.[23] Indeed, it would appear that the more money one makes, the more one wants or continue to aspire to make. The more one has the less effective it is at bringing one joy. Little wonder it is therefore that this seeming paradox has long bedeviled economists. Another reputable scholar, Professor Dan Gilbert, psychology professor at Harvard University opines that ââ¬Å"Once you get basic human needs met, a lot more money doesnt make a lot more happiness,[24]. Regrettably, there is no easy way out of being unhappy; money is no short cut to happiness for a depressed person. Overcoming oneââ¬â¢s emotions and teaching oneââ¬â¢s self to be happy can be more difficult that earning more money or winning the lottery as explained above. In fact, according to Matthew Herper,[25] if a person is handed $10, the pleasure centres of his brain lights up as if he were given food, sex or drugs. But that initial rush does not translate into long-term pleasure for most people. Surveys have found virtually the same level of happiness between the very rich individuals on the Forbes 400 and the Maasai herdsman of East Africa. Lottery winners return to their previous level of happiness after five years. Increases in income just do not seem to make people happier and most negative life experiences likewise have only a small impact on long-term satisfaction.[26] Probably via media exposure or even in real life, at some point in time or another extremely rich, wealthy and famous people have been seen to be unhappier than one would expect them to be, given the amount of material benefits that they have. It is surprising that a large number of wealthy people do not seem to experience the happiness that one would expect goes with so much money and riches. A study conducted by the University of Illinois indicated that more than 30 percent of the richest people in America were n ot as happy as the person who earned a modest income.[27] It is worth mentioning that more often than not, most of the sulking, miserable people one comes across in everyday life are rich people. This is obviously not due to the fact that these wealthy people are unable to afford three square meals, pay the mortgage, go on holiday or afford whatever luxurious item catches their fancy. Their misery is as a result of the fact that people generally seem to have more expectations from money. Money cannot buy anyone everything but in the minds of people who give up everything for money, it is difficult to accept, having acquired the wealth of their goal that they strove so hard to achieve partial success. This is not to negate the positive effects money has in the society and on oneââ¬â¢s well being in particular. Yes, money most certainly is important to help one live life to the fullest and be able to experience the good things in life, not necessarily criminally expensive activitie s but such holidays, clothes, jewelries, and cars that become seemingly unreachable when one is void of the purchasing means. But at the same time, an increase in its inflow does not bring proportional happiness with it. As the age old saying goesâ⬠¦the grass will always (appear to) look greener on the other side. If ââ¬ËAââ¬â¢sââ¬â¢ income increases by $20,000, he is happy until he finds out his next door, perhaps less qualified neighbourââ¬â¢s income has increased by $60,000 and that the neighbour can now afford the car of Aââ¬â¢s dreams without breaking the bank. The economics of happiness does not purport to replace income-based measures of welfare, but instead to complement them with broader measures of well-being. These measures are based on the results of large-scale surveys, across countries and over time, of hundreds of thousands of individuals who are asked to assess their own welfare. The surveys provide information about the importance of a range of factors which affect wellbeing, including income but also others such as health, marital and employment status, and civic trust. The approach, which relies on expressed preferences rather than on revealed choices, is particularly well suited to answering questions in areas where a revealed preferences approach provides limited information. Indeed, it often uncovers discrepancies between expressed and revealed preferences. The latter cannot fully gauge the welfare effects of particular policies or institutional arrangements which individuals are powerless to change. Examples of these inclu de the welfare effects of inequality, environmental degradation, and macroeconomic policies such as inflation and unemployment. In a recent happiness survey at the University of Colorado, it was established that actual involvement in doing things can bring more joy than having things. Gilovich and Leaf Van Boven, both of the University of Colorado conducted this survey by asking students what makes them happy, when and where. The students were also asked to ultimately decide if they were at the happiest when they were doing something as against when they were buying something. It emerged that manââ¬â¢s preoccupation with stuff obscures an important truth: that the things that do not last create the most lasting happiness. One reason may be that experiences tend to blossom and not diminish as they are recalled. In your memory, youre free to embellish and elaborate,[28] Gilovich admonished the students. ââ¬Å"Your trip to Mexico may have been an endless parade of hassles punctuate d by a few exquisite moments. But looking back on it, your brain can edit out the surly cabdrivers, remembering only the glorious sunsets. So next time you think that arranging a vacation is more trouble than its worthor a cost youd rather not shoulderfactor in the delayed impact.â⬠[29] Economists have found out in the United States for instance that an increase in income does not necessarily automatically yield an equal increase in oneââ¬â¢s level of happiness. In one of the several surveys conducted, it was discovered that going from earning less than $20,000 a year to making more than $50,000 admittedly makes the recipient twice as likely to be happy, yet the payoff for then surpassing $90,000 is slight. And while the rich are happier than the poor, the enormous rise in living standards over the past 50 years has not made Americans happier.[30] Why? David Futrelle gave three reasons for this. According to him, we overestimate how much pleasure there is to be derived from having more. Humans are adaptable creatures, which has been a plus during assorted ice ages, plagues and wars. But, he argues, that is also why people are never all that satisfied for long when good fortune comes their way. While earning more makes people happy in the short term, we quickly ad just to the new wealth, status and everything that comes with it. Granted, there is bound to be a certain thrill and sense of achievement which comes with the first shiny and exotic car one buys from the increased income or new found wealth, splashing out on huge screen televisions and even spending money on family. But it is not long before all these become ââ¬Ënormalââ¬â¢ and the consumer begins to want even more. It is when this insatiable appetite for more yields little or no result that man begins again to experience dissatisfaction and many people find themselves descending back to the very initial position they were in the first place; reverting to a state of running in place that economists call the ââ¬Ëhedonic treadmill.ââ¬â¢[31] The hedonic treadmill theory explains the popularly held observation that rich people are no happier than poor people, and that those with severe money problems are sometimes quite happy. The theory supports the argument that money does not buy happiness and that the pursuit of money as a way to reach this goal is futile. Good and bad fortunes may temporarily affect how happy a person is,but most people will end up back at their normal level of happiness.[32]Buttressing Mr. Yarrowââ¬â¢s point on the same subject, John Lanchester also observed that following studies of data from all over the world, it is clear that, instead of getting happier as they become better off, people get stuck in a place where their expectations rise at the same pace as their incomes and the happiness they seek remains constantly just out of reach.[33] Reference is here being made yet again to the hedonistic treadmill. Daniel Kahneman, the one time (2003) winner of Nobel Prize for economics is best known for his work on hedonic psychology.[34] Kahneman opines that suddenly the big question is being asked by those who spent their lives on making and measuring money: what indeed is it all for when people are no happier than they were.[35] Be all these as they may, the fact remains undisputable that money does matter in various ways. In England, for instance, people who are earning less than or around à £10,000 per annum are measurably, permanently happier when paid more. It matters when people of any income feel a drop from what they have become accustomed to. But above all, money makes people unhappy when they compare their own income with others.[36] Richer people are happier not by the simple virtue of the absolute size of their wealth, but because they have more than other people. But the wider the wealth gap, the worse it harms the rest. Rivalry in income makes those left behind more miserable that it confers extra happiness on the winners. This insatiable appetite for more will keep driving a man back to the car dealership or to the electronic gadget stores in search of better and bigger items for more satisfaction. According to Gilbert[37] however, what is being mistaken for happiness and satisfaction at buy ing a new ââ¬Ëtoyââ¬â¢ is simply the feeling that comes on the day one actually buys the item in question. Once the initial razzmatazz fades away and the new Ferrari or even private jet no longer races the heart, man tends to draw the wrong conclusions. Instead of questioning the notion or erroneous, if honest, belief that happiness can be bought at the dealership, one often begins to question their choice of car. ââ¬ËPerhaps I would feel better with a Ford Mustang?ââ¬â¢ This thought alone sparks a fresh burst of enthusiasm and hope for more happiness which simply leads to yet more disappointment once the new car is purchased and the racing heart also inevitably settles back to normal after a few days or weeks. Again this is what economists refer to as typical consumer behaviour. More often than not, this dissatisfaction with the material things that come with wealth is borne out of envy for others around us. Quite naturally, more money can and does lead to more stress. The big salary pulled in from a high-paying job may not necessarily procure much in the way of happiness, at least not much more than the individual is accustomed to. Some have even gone as far as saying if one is unable to find happiness in their current situation on a low income job; it is unlikely that such persons will ever be happy even in a high paying job. The whole idea is to cut oneââ¬â¢s coat according to oneââ¬â¢s size to afford flexibility, satisfaction and happiness because however low oneââ¬â¢s income is, there are always people below the hierarchy of earnings. Just as however much one earns, there will always be people on the upper rung of the ladder of success. What more money can do however is to buy one a (more) spacious house in the suburbs. What immediately becomes a problem is the long trip to and from work, taking the children (if there are any) to school and commuting to social activities from the suburbs or the countryside. At the end of the day, it is only natural that the everyday commute, even if permissible initially, becomes a problem and however much one loves their job, becomes a burden and wears down the individual. As in the case of lack of continued satisfaction with ones purchases, compariso
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