Understanding Goals of Human Resource Management in the Context of Human Capital Theory

Labor economics currently depends on several marketable skills of employees that invest in various spheres of organizational activities. This dimension of human resource management is essential for understanding both the wage system and investment incentives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding Goals of Human Resource Management in the Context of Human Capital Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The theory of human capital, therefore, states that human resources are represented through a set of â€Å"skills, experience, and knowledge have economic value to organizations because they enable it to be productive and adaptable† (Jackson 1995, p. 241). In this respect, people working in organization become the part of its intellectual capital. The full potential of human capital can be fulfilled only through cooperation with an individual. In order to establish favorable relations with individuals , much spending should be directed in training motivating and retaining human capital. Managers should be concerned with different human resource management approaches contributing to increasing the value of their human capital. It should also be stressed that contextual factors, including technology, unions, market conditions, and business approaches are significant because they have a direct impact on the costs linked to alternative methods of HRM practices to enhance the value of the human capital of the organization, as well the value of the anticipated returns. Applications of Human Capital Theory to HRM Practices The standard strategy in labor distribution considers human capital as a set of characteristics that contributes to an employees’ productivity. Human capital, therefore, should rely on efficient methods and techniques that would enhance the intellectual property of an organization. At the same time, there are different views on application of the theory in huma n resource management practices.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Becker’s conception, human capital theory should be regarded in the context of the production process. To enlarge on the issues, the theorist suggests that social capital promotes worker’s productivity in all fields, but to a different extent with regard to the type of organizational activities and situations, a work is involved (Becker 1994). Within these perspectives, human capital theory is presented as a one-dimensional object and the work labor is considered as a set of knowledge, skills, and experiences which directly affects organization’s production rates (Becker 1994). The importance of investing into intellectual development is equal to the investment made in technological and material development of an organization. Human capital theory can also be estimated from var ious angles and, therefore, it cannot be considered as one-dimensional only. In this respect, theorist Garner agrees with the ideas of multidimensionality of the human capital. In particular, the scholar believes that such an approach would enhance the correlation between physical and mental abilities of employees. Gardner’s views human capital through the perspective of multiple intelligences according to which intelligence cannot be regarded as a single ability, but a set of specific modalities, cognitive abilities that allow managers to define in which sphere an employee can contribute most. It also defines the learning and training programs for the personnel. Such an approach is much more beneficial because it identifies which skills are the most developed among the individuals and which ones are the least developed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding Goals of Human Resource Management in the Context of Human Capital Theory specifically f or you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is also an assumption that human capital implies the capacity to adjust to situations (Shultz 1972). The supporters of this approach argue that social capital theory is beneficial while dealing with constant changing environments to which employees had to adjust. Inventing techniques to handling changes also contributes to promotion of intellectual capital, as well as to the overall productivity and performance of an organization. Finally, human capital can be represented through the ability of employees to cooperate and interact in a corporate environment. Such a perspective entails adherence to the principles established by organizational culture (Bowles and Gintis 1975). According to this view, the main task of human capital theorist is to provide individuals with right missions and goals that would allow them to achieve their personal goals as well. Finally, human capital theory can focus primarily on the individual capabilities, skills, and experiences beyond the production process. Person-centered approach, therefore, has acquired recognition due to globalization emphasizing importance of cultural diversity issues. Thus, organizational activities and intelligence should first be considered independently to define the intellectual potential of employees. All the above-enumerated applications of human capital theory highlight the necessity of its integration into human resources management practices. The approaches should be considered in combination to grasp a deeper understanding of the theory.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Organizations should pay much attention to the organization’s mission, goals, and objectives that should be oriented on enhancing corporate social responsibility rather than increasing organization’s profitability. Indeed, focusing on human capital improvement can expand the horizons of marketing approaches because of wider contexts involved into the process. One way or another, workers’ characteristics must be tackled in the workplace. Moral and Ethical Implications of the Human Capital Theory Due to the fact that human capital theory relates directly to the analysis of intellectual capital, it also closely correlates with the moral and ethical principles of organizational behavior. In fact, considering ethics in business environment is essential because it contributes tremendously to economic success of an organization. Human capital management should strongly rely on moral dimensions, which includes such issues as insecurity and risk, along with surveillance and control. Thus, employees often encounter stressful situations because of the responsibilities imposed on them. Therefore, managers should be able to create an environment that would minimize the stress. According to Koster (2007), â€Å"†¦management seeks for transparent employees in order to select those offering not only outstanding professional abilities and knowledge but also displaying desired behavior, attitudes, motivation, and interests† (p. 5). Consequently, the contemporary practices in HRM introduce a set of techniques promoting the privacy and autonomy policies for employees, as well as enforcing values and attitudes by means of change programs. The ethical underpinnings of human capital theory can be interpreted through the prism of gender inequality in the workplace. In this respect, Peil (2009) argues, â€Å"human capital theory, especially as applied to gender inequality, can be interpreted as emphasizing a utilitarian approach to ethics, in which in dividuals’ subjective assessment of their well-being is not challenged† (p. 92). In this respect, both minority groups face challenges while pursuing their personal goals in an organization. With regard to the above-presented applications of human capital theory, particularly to the views of Gary Becker, discrimination is among the most serious concerns in the employed environment. According to Becker, there are two types of discrimination – discrimination in monetary terms and statistical discrimination (Peil 2009). The latter, according to the theorist, is unethical because it is premised on using characteristics related with groups that replace information about separate individuals (Peil 2009). As a result, managers ignore outdated information, which leads to inadequate generalization. The human capital should not be regarded as the intellectual property in which monetary and financial investment should be made. Rather, human capital should also be considered a cultural asset of the company which enriches and improves its corporate culture. Managers should pay particular attention to the encouragement and development of effective network within which employees could enhance their experiences, skills, and abilities. More importantly, they should also feel that their valuable members of the organization. Accepting human resources as cultural capital contributes indirectly to organizational performance through enlarging organizational values and objectives. The development of efficient human resources methods should ensures perfectly organized work of individuals who are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Therefore, human capital theory integrates the concept of social capital underlining the importance of cross-cultural understanding and trust among the employees. Alternatively, lack of cultural understanding and ignorance of ethical norms can lead distrust. In fact, â€Å"the more opportunistic people become with their â€Å"bo unded economic rationality†, the less trustworthy they are†, which contributes to the deployment of corruption and bureaucracy (Werhane and Singer 1999, p. 148). Therefore, such moral values as trust and respect should become the foundation of an organization. The productivity of workers is associated with not only their abilities and skills, as well as the amount of investment in their development and learning, but also on their motivation, and aspiration to work. Managers should recognize the fact that â€Å"motivation in turn partly depends on earning because of the effect on an increase in earnings on moral and aspirations† (Becker 1994, p. 57). Therefore, the incentive to develop moral in organization and increase earnings should depend on the same incentives to encourage outside investments. Therefore, both material and non-material investment into the development of employees can have a positive impact on the organizational development as well. Despite the assumption that business should not be concerned with ethics, human behavior cannot be adjusted to rational decision making only. In this respect, organizational behavior relies on a set of factors, including social and cultural backgrounds, ethical belief systems, and moral obligations. In fact, previous considerations on the theory of human capital prove that lack of or poor ethical standards does not contribute to the development of the corruption-free organizational system, as well as to fair cooperation between supervisors and their subordinates. According to Rose (n. d.), â€Å"Ethical business creates a positive environment in which to buy and sell, like corruption, poverty, and lack of respect for the environment generate problems for the business community in the long term† (p. 28). The excellence of business operations, therefore, is congruent with the success of the developed code of ethical conduct, which highly relevant for today’s globalized business worl d. Ethical perspectives of business development are closely associated with the underpinnings of human capital theory. Such a perspective is highly relevant due to the global trends in business community. This is of particular concern to the development of international standards of ethical codes that should be the guiding principle in an organization. More importantly, human capital theory significantly contributes to the development of morale because it is connected with exploring human behavior and its influence on human resource management. Sustainability of Human Capital Theory Human capital theory has a strong theoretical and empirical foundation because of the growing tendency to apply individual-centered approach while carrying on business. More importantly, the international standards are prone to establishing social welfare as a priority in a corporate world. In particular, social corporate responsibility provides new perspectives of developing relations between managers a nd employees because it directly related to the welfare of the entire organization (Ehnert 2009). In particular, an employee can be considered as an essential stakeholder contributing the development of business. Managers, therefore, should rely on social capital theory while developing new techniques and approaches to treating human resources. The sustainability of human capital theory also lies in the possibility of considering employees not as a workforce for achieving organizational goals, but also an intellectual asset that should be invested and advanced for the welfare of the business. Within these perspectives, considering cultural diversity, ethics, and morale should be at the core of organizational development, apart from profitability and productivity (Ehnert 2009). Appreciation of human capital can also allow an organization to take a competitive advantage over other organizations with poor ethical and moral standards. Sustainable work systems and favorable relations bet ween the employees contribute to the establishment of corporate environment. Applying to human capital theory does not only allow managers to develop a reputable image of an organization but discover new horizons for development. Therefore, the theory of human capital is a valuable contribution to social resource management techniques. Understanding human capital theory as the study of multiple intelligences can provide new methods of exploring employment and recruitment. It also enhances retention culture and reduces the turnover within an organization. Finally, human capital theory contributes to integrating efficient methods of measuring employee performance. Reference List Becker, GS 1994, Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education, University of Chicago Press, US. Bowles, S, and Gintis, H 1975, The Problem with Human Capital Theory – A Marxian Critique, American Economic Review, vol. 62, no. 2, 74-82. Ehnert, I 2009, Sustaina ble Human Resource Management: A Conceptual and Exploratory Analysis from a Paradox Persuasive, Springer, New York. Gardner, HE 2006, Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice, Basic Books, US. Jackson, SE 1995, ‘Understanding Human Resource Management in the Context of Organizations and Their Environments’, Annual Reviews of Psychology, vol. 46, pp. 237-264. Koster, M 2007, Ethics in Human Resource Management, GRIN Verlag, US. Peil, J 2009, Handbook of Economics and Ethics, Edward Elgar Publishing, US. Rose, A, n. d., ‘Ethics and Human Resource Management’, Ethics in Business Environment, 27-40. Viewed on http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0077111028/536508/EHR_C02.pdf Shultz, TW 1972, Human Capital: Policy Issues and Research Opportunities, University of Chicago, viewed on https://www.nber.org/chapters/c4126.pdf Werhane, R, and Singer AE 1999, Business Ethics in Theory and Practice: Contributions from Asia and New Zealand. Spr inger, New York. This essay on Understanding Goals of Human Resource Management in the Context of Human Capital Theory was written and submitted by user 3-D Man to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

THE LIFE AND WORKS OF CHARLES DICKENS essays

THE LIFE AND WORKS OF CHARLES DICKENS essays According to Edgar Johnson, in the novels of British writer Charles Dickens (1817-1870) "there is evidence that his troubled childhood left its mark upon the man and his works. The sense of power and the self-assertion, combined with an inadequacy for self-criticism, were perhaps compensations for the frustrations of his early years" (26). Generally considered as one of the greatest writers of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens' novels "are characterized by attacks on social evils, injustice and hypocrisy" (Books and Writers, Internet) which may be a reflection of his lower middle-class upbringing. In addition, Dickens is "probably the best known and most popular of British 19th century novelists," due to not only "the quality of his writing. . . but also to the widespread adaptation of his work for the stage and screen" (Catharton Authors, Internet). Though born on the South coast of England, Dickens was quite young when his parents brought him to live on the outskirts of London. His father was an ineffectual person with much debt that landed him in prison; his mother Elizabeth taught him to read early in life and some of the popular novels which he read were Tom Jones, The Vicar of Wakefield, Don Quixote and Gil Blas, some of which inspired him to write his first tale "Misnar" that was loosely based on the "Tales of the Genii" (Golden Books, Internet). At nine years of age, Dickens was apprenticed in a warehouse which was a very humiliating experience for such a sensitive, intelligent boy. After two years, better family fortunes enabled him to continue his schooling, but his real education came from his readings and wanderings in London along the Thames River. In 1827, Dickens was placed to a solicitor (a lawyer) and mastered shorthand and attended various sessions of the English court. He later became a re...

Litature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Litature review - Essay Example The group noted that although higher financial losses incurred from white-collar crime compared with street crime, the law tends to focus more on street crime. Moreover, they argued that the public are even more inclined to sustain corrective measures against street offenders. The study improved on prior white-collar research by recognizing the effects of socio-demographics, perceptions of white-collar crime, as well as corresponding punitive actions on public support for allocating budget for white-collar initiatives. (Holfreter, et al. 50). Male and female white-collar offenders have similar ways of declaring their account of how and why they committed fraud. While men declare their white-collar crime as out of character perpetrated out of necessity, women usually plead to the crime as due to necessity and the only reasonable alternative based on the circumstances. Based on qualitative researches, gender has been proven to be am important social characteristic with respect to the choice and use of specific accounts for various white-collar offenses (Klenowski, et al. 60, 69). Meanwhile, public perceptions about the punishment white-collar crimes and street crimes were studied by Schoepfer, Carmichael, and Piquero, particularly, the factors associated to sanction threats. A probability sample was involved in a study comparing robbery and fraud as exemplars. Findings revealed that popular perception tends to consider street crime as having a higher probability of being caught and that the penalties of street crime are stiffer than for white collar crimes. Furthermore, the correlates of certainty and severity for both street and white collar crimes are similar. However, respondents differed in their perceptions about the possibility of being meted particular punishments and actual punishments that white-collar offenders should receive (Schoepfer, et al. 151). Cullen, Clark, Mathers, et

How to Make 1000 pounds a profitable Investment in UK Stock Market Essay

How to Make 1000 pounds a profitable Investment in UK Stock Market - Essay Example b. Acting on rumours knowing that it is in fact a rumour. c. Buying Dividends for long-term investment in stock market. It is a stable and less risky way of earning profit. d. Opening an account with a broker. e. Investing in Penny stock to earn profit. Method 1 Basic Plan: The first method is to look for companies that have undervalued ratings. This method does have it perks considering that undervalued firms have a lot of value, of which general public is unaware, due to rating agencies (Graham, 1985). Now the first scenario is an investor having ?1000 and he or she has to make money through investing it in stocks looking for undervalued companies. The first reasonable thing that the investor should do is to look into companies, which have the least value on the FTSE index. For example, the investor comes up with four companies, whose stock value is ?2, ?3, ?3.50 and 3.75. Initially, I will analyse why that particular company is undervalued, does that company have large debts that it needs to pay, or the company has a record of bad investments or if the company was indicted in law-suits involving fraud etc. If the company has large debts, the investor shall see the prospects of that company paying off the debt while pragmatically and logically calculating, the duration in which the company will be able to pay its debt. If the investor wants to earn the money quickly i.e., in a week and he or she is able to find a company that can pay off its debt in two weeks, it would be best to buy stock of that company. And if the prospects of paying debt are low, the investor shall not invest in that company because of the obvious downfall state of the company. One thing that shall be kept in mind that, one must not sell all the shares if there is a slight rise in stocks because of the thought about, being on the safe side. One must project a slight confidence by observing the attitude of the market towards that company if that attitude is confident towards it then thereà ¢â‚¬â„¢s no need to sell the price and if the attitude contains lack of confidence, then one must sell shares at the price offered as earliest as possible, if one wants to liquidize stocks instantaneously. Another way is to invest it, in two or more companies at a time. The approach shall be the same as above and the reason to invest in two or more companies at a time; is unreliability in any one company. It’s just an alternative because companies are being kept undervalued for specific reasons. Sometimes the reason is right and justified in view of the person who wants to invest, but not always. This is a good way to earn money, but the chances of earning money quickly are very bleak. Drawbacks: The biggest risk involved in this kind of investment is, in case undervalued company gets further devalued because in such cases the value of stocks further decrease, resulting in loss for the shareholders. Another drawback of this plan is lack of experience of the investor who is in vesting the amount of ?1000, which is a high value. It is very important that a person should be an experienced investor person while investing because then there might be rational discussion taking place instead of decisions made on gut feeling. Another risk here is of fraud and being conned, which is very common for new investors. A new investor might get caught because of his or her

Scienece Column Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Scienece Column - Article Example This is all about thermodynamics. In essence, thermodynamics involves the examination of the internal motions of various body mechanisms; or rather it’s a subfield of natural science that involves heat and its relationship to various forms of energy and work. Therefore, heat becomes an integral and essential component of thermodynamics. Virtually, most of the substances that people encounter with in their day to day life consist of body systems of one kind or the other, that is, they either fall under solids, liquids, gases or even light. It is therefore, unsurprising that thermodynamics is a field in physics that comprises exceptional wide variety of applicability. There are numerous thermodynamic experiments used to demonstrate the movement of energy from one substance to another as a result of varying of temperature. This column shall study two of the four forms of thermodynamic experiments discussed in the past few weeks. One of the study experiment that this column shall detail on is 'the meaning of heat and this shall be illustrated using the calorimeter experiment. The second form of thermodynamic experiment to be studied is the Statistical physics lab and this will be based on the concept of thermal energy of randomly moving molecules with heat used as the mode of transfer. Meaning of heat Heat is defined as a form of energy, sometimes referred as thermal energy capable of passing through an object of high temperature to an object with low temperature. The flow of heat is essentially measured using a device known as calorimeter. This device operates in such a way that it is insulated to minimize the loss of heat to the surrounding. Within some essential temperature variance, it is easy to understand the hotness or coldness of something by simply touching it. However, it is unreliable if you place one of your hands in cold water, and the other into hot water, then you plunge both into warm water. You will note the difference, one hand will detect that the water is hot, while the other will experience some cold. In other aspects, when something is too hot to hold or even touch, we usually get an impression of how hot the substance is by approaching it and detecting the radiant heat it emits. if there is an increase in temperature, the substance glows hot. The major problem with such subjective feelings of heat is that, they are different for various persons. If two hands transmit different messages pertaining the hotness or coldness of a substance, how about a group of people? Obviously, they will report varied responses. In illustrating the flow of heat, an experiment was set up, whereby a pan of water was placed on a hot glowing fire and the temperature observed over time. It was noted that, their was steady increase in time, reflecting the transfer of heat from the fire, up to the moment the water started boiling, whereby the temperature remained constant for a long period. The steam emitted had same temperatures as the bo iling water. So, what actually happened to the heat transferred from the fire to the pan of water? It was found out that, heat was needed to change the form of water from the liquid to the gaseous form/steam. In-fact, a high amount of heat is required to change the state of water to steam form, approximately 540 calories per gram. This is far much

Reflection On Nature And Nurture Philosophy Essay

Reflection On Nature And Nurture Philosophy Essay The theme of Nurture v. Nature is a topic of heated debates. Different scientists in many branches of science still can not find agreement about the degree of influence of hereditary and social factors on human development. Carolyn Csongradi in her article Why the Topic of Bioethics in Science Classes? explores this theme and gives her opinion on the topic. The author investigates how relation between nature and nurture influence thinking processes. The research is very interesting because the process of human thinking and cognition is another object of controversy and heated debates and the author unites two interesting and controversial topics in one article. In the first part of the article she explores different approaches to the problem of nature v. nurture influence. The author of the article explores different theories which investigate the relation between hereditary and social influence. The article is interesting because the author gives arguments from different field of human science. She approaches the problem from different perspectives and this gives the readers opportunity to get a detailed information on the topic. Those who believe that hereditary factors have greater influence on human development believe that genetic information determine human personalities and behavior. Of course some behavioral patterns may be nurtured but still major influence belongs to hereditary factors. According to evolutionary approach our knowledge and reactions are inborn but they may be modified by upbringing and society. Evolutionists believe that the most important knowledge about the world is selected by natural selection and passed through time and generation. This kind of information helps different spices to survive. According to Darwin, the founder of the Evolutionary Theory, instincts which are useful for the survival of the entire spice are more valuable and that is the reason why some behavioral patterns became suitable for the life in the society. During the 1800s, Charles Darwin speculated that certain rules for conflict arbitration were needed at the point in time when a species evolved a longer mem ory, a keener imagination and became involved in social contracts. For example, a bird, which could leave an active nest to migrate with her group, choosing that instinct over the one to nurture, would find this choice too difficult with a better memory (Csongradi). Neurological studies described by the author of the article show that nature prevails over nutrition. As an example the author speaks about the research of Oliver Sacks, who investigated behavior of savants people with extraordinary artistic abilities. Oliver Sacks finally came to the conclusion that surrounding has little influence on the abilities of these people. They are not dependant on the things which surround them and on the people around them. Then the author turns to philosophical investigation on the topic. The author turns to the opinion of outstanding philosophers, such as Hume and Kant, who underlined the important role of hereditary factors in human behavior and development. Kant believed we inherited certain categories or concept grids on which experiences could be sorted or organized (Csongradi). Freud, famous behaviorist and the founder of psychoanalysis, also believed that nature became that factor which determined human behavior and reactions. Descartes, famous philosopher of the 16th century expressed even more radical view. He doubted the existence of any objects outside of human mind. The author of the article gives description of the simple experiment which proves that our reactions and perceptions are determined by our mind. This simple experiment very vividly illustrates that human mind determines our perception and experience. In this experiment three bowls of water are put on the table. One bowl of water is hot, another is very cold and the third one is tepid. The participant of the experiment puts one hand in the cold water and another hand in the hot one. After several minutes he places both hands in the bowl with tepid water. The sensations in two hands will be different. This experiment proves that human mind influences our perception of reality. The author also gives arguments against natural approach. As she states there exist values which are not necessary for the survival of the spice. Certain qualities were developed not only through natural selection process and this fact raises doubts concerning natural approach. Such qualities as altruism, truthfulness or justice contradict to natural approach because they are not always necessary for the survival of the spice. Some choices may even result in the death of an individual but still there are people who make these choices. Carolyn Csongradi made interesting investigation on the theme of relation between genetic and social influence on the development of human personality. In her article she provides information in interesting and convenient manner. Information is divided into subcategories which makes it convenient to get the authors idea. It is evident that Csongradi stands for natural approach. Her thesis is clearly formulated in the beginning of the article. She presents several groups of arguments in order to prove her position. These groups are: philosophical discussion, neurological studies, evolutionary view. These three sections present different kinds of proofs for the naturalistic approach. The author uses research data. She bases her conclusions on the research of the contemporary scholars. In addition, she addresses famous philosophers of the past in order to give proofs of her position. Csongradi descries neurological research and studies which give proofs to natural approach to the person ality formation. In addition, the author describes simple experiment with water which can also prove to which extend our perception is conditioned by our mind. Big number of references at the end of the article proves that the author addresses multiple sources in her research. At the end of the article Csongradi describes arguments of the opposing side. She gives data which does not fit smoothly into the theory of natural approach and evolutionary selection. She gives arguments which must provoke reader for their own reflections on the topic. In general, the article gives interesting and trustworthy data on the theme of natural and social influence on the individual. The article Why the Topic of Bioethics in Science Classes? A New Look at an Old Debate by Carolyn Csongradi can be found in the site of National Health Museum (http://www.accessexcellence.org). In these site specialists and researches in different fields of human knowledge discuss questions of human health, bioethics and other important questions. The information presented in the website may be regarded as trustworthy. Despite the site contains advertisements, it does not refer directly to the themes of the articles. The articles presented in the site are written by specialists and presented in simple and interesting manner in order to give different people opportunity to expand their knowledge in different fields. Csongradi, Carolyn Why the Topic of Bioethics in Science Classes? A New Look at an Old Debate http://www.accessexcellence.org/LC/SER/BE/whata.php Why the Topic of Bioethics in Science Classes?A New Look at an Old Debate by Carolyn Csongradi What Is The Relationship Between Nature And Nurture In The Acquisition Of Knowledge? Nature is more influential than nurture: Knowledge arises from genetic information honed by a process of natural selection. Some portions of this knowledge might be nurtured, but genetically determined forms also may modify how we categorize our experiences. Evolutionary view: From an evolutionary point of view, certain things we know about the world are innate, although modifiable by interactions with family, education, religion and society. This knowledge about objects and what is valued is natural having been selectively reinforced over time. For instance, pack behavior observed in wolves is a form of collective behavior which supports kinship preferences and caring, while perpetuating a common genetic pool. These core values, associated with social groups, were used long ago by individuals who were successful in their primitive world and had the greatest chance of procreation. Accurately understanding the world enhanced both group and individual survival. During the 1800s, Charles Darwin speculated that certain rules for conflict arbitration were needed at the point in time when a species evolved a longer memory, a keener imagination and became involved in social contracts.(29) For example, a bird, which could leave an active nest to migrate with her group, choosing that instinct over the one to nurture, would find this choice too difficult with a better memory. He argued that certain instincts, such as caring for young as opposed to making a rapid decision to leave, were preferentially selected in any conflict because those values had longer lasting consequences. (30) A reasonable alternative interpretation might be that those behaviors encouraging the survival of young also perpetuated those genes which might select for altruism at least among relatives. This form of altruism enhances the survival of the genotype of the altruist. Altruism for non-relatives is quite a different story because the personal pay-off or gain is less easil y discerned. Neurological studies: Oliver Sacks, author and neurologist, has devoted much of his recent book to describing the unique behavior of a group of his patients who are savants.(37) A savant is someone who demonstrates an extraordinary talent in a particular field such as art, music, or mathematics. A large percentage of savants are autistic with limitations in their ability to personally relate to others. Sacks became friends with a young boy named Stephen, who was an autistic savant, capable of memorizing complex scenery at a glance and retaining the information for months. When asked he would accurately construct a pen and ink sk etch from what he had observed earlier. He started his pictures at one edge of the paper, working across to the other edge, filling in the framework and all the details without an outline. While drawing, the house could come down and Stephen would not notice. He sometimes took artistic license and added features which did not originally exist, but the basics, the original flavor, remained. In a sense, having demonstrated his enormous talent at an early age, he had little need for nurture from the environment or from other humans. Philosophical discussion: In examining the relationship between what was inherited and what was learned from experience, philosophers Hume and Kant were echoed by the behaviorist, Freud, when they spoke of natures contribution as a force to be reckoned with, educated or subdued. Human nature was always a fact to contend with. In a more extreme view from the 1500s, Descartes questioned whether anything existed outside of the mind. He finally conceded that if there were real things instead of only our thoughts about them, God was responsible for the interpretation. Kant, who realized that Descartes position made all knowledge subjective to each individual, tried to move away from this restrictive view and proposed that the mind was an active participant in knowledge acquisition, constructing certain aspects of an experience. Kant believed we inherited certain categories or concept grids on which experiences could be sorted or organized. (5) To understand how the mind might construct an experience, the following experiment should be helpful. Obtain three bowls each holding about a gallon of liquid. Arrange them so that the first bowl contains hot water; the second, tepid; and the third, very cold water. Simultaneously, place your left hand in the hot water and you right in the cold. Wait one minute and immerse both hands in the tepid water. What has each hand told you about the temperature? Additional examples of the minds involvement in interpreting experience are seen with optical illusions, the unnoticed retinal blind spot and other adaptive behaviors found in the nervous system. One of the problems with a purely nature based argument is how to explain the existence or continuing survival of certain values which may involve actions for which there is no obvious natural selection pressure. For example, why should a choice be made contrary to an individuals stated preferences or which may result in actual punishment? Altruism for non-related individuals, truthfulness and justice as fairness are values difficult to support from an evolutionary view, particularly when some choices cause the death of an individual, effectively removing those genes from the pool. Hypothesizing these as primarily inherited values would generate a requirement for a very complex set of genetic directions having a large common human base of reference. The search for a potential common morality has provoked more debate than agreement among anthropologists, theologians, and philosophers.(33)

Learning to Cope

Davon Daniels Professor Moss English 1500 11/20/12 Draft 2 Learning to Cope Just about everyone has lost that one person that they really care about and they know that everything can change at the drop of a hat. Death is an unexpected occurrence that could sometimes have long lasting mental and physical effects on people. In the play Down the Aisle by Patricia Leigh Gaborik a young girl Katie and her family are learning to cope with the death of their loved one.People handle the death of a loved one in different ways, and Katie tries to handle the death of her father by holding on to all the good memories she had of him. Not only is Katie deeply affected by their lost but the rest of her family is learning to cope with their lost by taking on different roles when he pasts. The father is a symbolic character in this play because he is the rock of their family, because he is strong and dependable. Each character in the play experiences different conflicts and changes in their relations hip after losing the person they all loved the most.One conflict experienced in the play is the relationship between Katie and her mother before and after the death of Katie’s father. Katie and her mother don’t have the best relationship and at times it seems that Katie wishes that she would’ve been in the car accident with her father. This is a conflict because it seems as if Katie may blame her mother for the death of her father for making him go out while she stayed at home and took care of Katie. This causes a lot of tension between Katie and her mother because she also feels as though the death of her father might also be her fault.At the end of the play Katie and her mother appear to be closer to each other and her mother even apologizes for the things she’s done in the past and talks about Katie’s father. This is important because after years of not really speaking about him it shows that their mother is just starting to cope with his death. Her mother states in the play â€Å"I know you always thought I did everything wrong† (pg. 251). This shows that even though she knows they didn’t have the best relationship in the past that she’s trying to be there for her and only wants the best for her.Katie and her brother Joe has a typical brother and sister relationship they argue a lot but at the same time they care for each other. At times Joe even calls his sister Katie a brat but still offers to do things for her. The death of their father changed their relationship because Joe seems to be the person that now holds the family together. This appears to be Joe’s way of coping with his father’s death because he feels as if he has to be strong for both Katie and his mother and take on the new role of the man of the house. Joe: â€Å"What d’ya think?!Mom! The music’s started! You have to get to your seat! Aw, mom. I told you not to say that stuff. You said it, didn’t you ? You’re crying! Come on! Happy. Happy! Are you happy? See, she’s happy. Everybody’s happy. It’s a happy day. Let’s go! Let’s go! This quote is a great example of how Joe keeps everything together as everyone starts to breakdown; he represents the new rock and strength of their family. Katie’s relationship with her father is the most important because out of everyone in their family she had the closest relationship with him.A major conflict in the story is that Katie after these past years still can come to terms with her father’s death. On her wedding day as she’s preparing to walk down the aisle she in visions herself having a conversation with her father and reminiscing about all the good memories they shared. Katie says â€Å"I don’t understand you’re supposed to be the one I can count on† (pg. 247). This quote shows that even though Katie may not entirely get over the death of her father but she is slowly getting to the point where she is learning to deal with it.At the end of the play the conversation between Katie and her mother helps her come to terms with the death of her father because that was first time that they have actually had a conversation about him. Someone who hasn’t lost someone they really care about may not know how it feels emotionally to overcome the death of someone they love but death is hard to get over and not everyone gets over it quickly. The overall theme of these conflicts is that everyone learns to cope with the death of someone in their own way and at their own time. For Katie the wedding shows her starting a new beginning not only for her but for her family as well.

Gender Differences Essay

Sexual double standard refers to gender differences in sexual freedom (Gentry, 1998). In 1960, Ira Reiss defined orthodox double standard as premarital sex prohibition on women but not on men (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). This social standard became the conditional double standard wherein females are only allowed for sexual relationship within marriage while males are not prohibited to incur sexual relationship as many as they can (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). As stereotype, society generally condones certain sexual behaviors only for male but considered as taboo for females (Gentry, 1998). From the early historical period of the Western nations, the unequal treatment between men and women regarding with sexual issues have been recorded (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). Women were usually expected to preserve virginity upon marriage and to avoid sexual contact with any one even after legal separation or husband death (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). This sexual inequality orientation became the traditional moral standards for both male and female groups but with strict provisions on women. Further, this inequality, according to Williams (1987), was resulted from the early conception that women are valuable property of men and an object of exchange (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). As such, sustaining female value requires virginity preservation. In connection to this, the strict observance of chastity has been implemented within a clan for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy, preservation of family honor, and assurance of proper social-class marriage (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). After 1960s’ and 1970s’ decades of sexual behavior liberalization, sexual double standard is deemed to be gone (Gentry, 1998). Although arguments on this matter until this present are still in existence, most researches failed to provide a strong ground for the continuous existence of sexual double standard (Gentry, 1998). In spite of this, sexual issues such as teenage pregnancy, rape, illegitimacy of birth, pre-marital relations, and even sexual-related diseases like AIDS are continuously perceived with respect to gender-based sexual attitudes (Gentry, 1998). In fact, studies on the sexual behaviors for both male and female showed the persistence and effects of double standard for both sexes (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Literature Review During 19th century sexual differences has became the focus of scientific investigation (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). For instance, Havelock Ellis treated women’s sexuality as weakness while the Kinsey era supported the equality of gender (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). Nonetheless, Masters and Johnson proved the similarity in sexual response between male and female (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). Meanwhile, the emergence of more equal opportunities for both sexes was ascribed to the socioeconomic developments (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). At this time, equal educational opportunities for men and women have started to be provided. Moreover, increasing socioeconomic affluence and wealth have improved means and styles of living (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). This paved the way towards sexual exploration, adaptation and revolution (Haavio-Mannila and Kontula, 2003). Gender differences in sexual behaviors, based on evolutionary psychology, are brought by human evolution. Gender differences are related with reproduction; to ensure the survival and perpetuity of species, male organisms needed to impregnate many females as they can (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). On the other hand, as explained by social learning theory, since sexually-permissive women are ostracized while men with multiple partners gained societal popularity, the society was conditioned to delimit sexual relationship of women into monogamous relationship while giving reinforcement to males having many sexual affairs (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). This notion gave way to the rise of sexual script theory that catered explanation for the sexual behavior patterns. In accordance with this theory, to abide with the traditional script, men are used to have many sexual partners while women are exclusively intended for one-partner relationship (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). However, amidst these glaring differences, studies on double standard have produced conflicting results. The differences in results for those studies were ascribed to the instruments and criteria utilized by researchers in the conduct of their study (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). In her study, Gentry (1998) failed to provide conclusive findings on traditional sexual double standard in accordance with gender-based perceptions of her respondents. Also, the respondents’ perception depended mainly on the target’s type of relationship and sexual activity. As consistent with other studies, respondents gave more positive rating on the target with below average sexual activity and in monogamous relationship (Gentry, 1998). Still, the female participants rated an assertive and liberal woman as with higher level of sexual activity (Gentry, 1998). On the other hand, the degree of assertiveness and sexual activity were not significantly associated with the concept of liberal men (Gentry, 1998). As such, it was noted that male and female participants both used social and physical attributes in their perception of a desirable individual (Gentry, 1998). Generally, male respondents relied on gender and sexual activity data in conceiving the personality of male targets and classified targets with below average sexual activity as less appealing (Gentry, 1998). However, the findings of this study did not reflect the noticeable gender bias in the university where it was conducted; the pathway towards female residence halls was named as â€Å"walk of shame† which is an insinuation against female student who spent overnight with male (Gentry, 1998). In 1982, Spreadbury reported that women respondents tended to rate the sexual behavior of women as more promiscuous than men which denoted their support towards double standard (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Also, in 1987, when it comes to the assessment of the first sexual experience of a hypothetical case, Sprecher, Orbuch, and McKinney revealed that respondents gave negative more negative rate on female case than male case (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). In terms of preferences for a partner, in 1995, O’ Sullivan revealed that both male and female respondents less favored for a highly sex-experienced person (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Moreover, in 1997, Sprecher, McKinney, and Regan showed that both male and female respondents preferred for a date without any sexual experience (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Nonetheless, in 1992, Sedikides reported male respondents much preferred sexually experienced women for casual date (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). This male preference for casual date reflected the double standard among male participants. In relation to this, in 1992, Oliver and Sedikides reasoned out that male respondents choose women with more sexual experience as casual dates to gain sex experience but much preferred women without sex experience as their marriage partners (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). This is again an indication of a double standard. In the same manner, as explained by Sprecher, Orbuch, and McKinney in 1991, the refusal of female respondents with highly sex-experienced men in any relationship, implied reversed double standard (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). In their study among university women in Canada, Milhausen and Herold (1999) found that students are personally against double standard even if women’s behavior was deemed harshly than men (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). They also favored for the importance of sex, thus, rejecting one notion of double standard (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). In addition, the respondents gave negative rating for both male and female with more sex experience (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Still, they perceived men with multiple sexual partners as exploitative, sexual predators, and manipulative (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). They also perceived that other women mostly gained criticism from other women than men due to their sexual behavior (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Furthermore, the respondents denounced the idea of supporting either a female friend in dating with highly sex-experienced man or even a male friend dating with highly sex-experienced woman (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). This signified the discouragement for double standard. However, if the highly sex-experienced man has other positive characteristics, the respondents gave possible chance of dating with that man (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Personality attributes take precedence in choosing a partner rather than sexual experience (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). Conversely, there were respondents that even in the presence of good personality traits in a sex-experienced man would still turn down the date (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). In line with this, women who had multiple sexual relations tended to choose men who also had multiple sexual affairs (Milhausen and Herold, 1999). The experimental investigation of Sheeran, Abrams, Spears, and Abraham in 1996, respondents perceived that female should have lower number of sexual relationship than male (Crawford and Popp, 2003). In addition, as perceived by both non-religious female and religious male, sexually active women are seldom observed (Crawford and Popp, 2003). Moreover, participants rated women who have changed sexual partner for several times in a year as more irresponsible than men of the same case (Crawford and Popp, 2003). In the same year, Sprecher and Hatfield observed that male respondents signified a double standard for both male and female in casual dating but not for male and female in a pre-engage or serious dating stage (Crawford and Popp, 2003). In a cross-cultural study, Russian students have higher tendency for traditional double standard even during the dating stage (Crawford and Popp, 2003). In contrast, higher tendency for double standards endorsed by male respondents than female respondents were observed for the United States participants than Japanese and Russian participants (Crawford and Popp, 2003). As such, in the United States, male respondents associated permissiveness more on males than females (Crawford and Popp, 2003). As a general observation, male in the United States have greater inclination towards double standards than female (Crawford and Popp, 2003). In terms of personality attributes, Morris, Young, and Jones (2000) found that Bolivian elite students, both male and female, having high self-esteem generally involved in sexual intercourse. In contrast, home self-esteem was associated with conservative sexual behaviors. Analysis and Conclusion Event though double standards may seem to vanish but its contemporary form may emerge which in turn affects human sexual behavior (Crawford and Popp, 2003). Evidences of heterosexual standards emanated from respondents as they proposed dissimilar levels of accepted sexual activity for both male and female (Crawford and Popp, 2003). Similarly, double standards may arise through the responses of the participants with regards to specific behaviors. Also, double standards can be noticed and evaluated based on the purpose of sexual activity and global measures respectively (Crawford and Popp, 2003). Meanwhile, double standards in sexual issues have been captured the attention of social and biological researchers, the studies have poor methodological designs (Marks, 2008). In relation to cognitive theories, in 2006, Marks and Fraley postulated that observations congruent with the double standard are easily encoded in mind than deviant events (Marks, 2008). For instance, a woman maligned due to extramarital affairs easily clings in the mind of the public than a woman given reinforcement because of sexual activity. Also, in 2007, they endorsed that individuals while in group, tended to support double standard than when alone because of interactions among the respondents (Marks, 2008). The social interaction among the participants may trigger cognitive functions leading to the use of stereotypes, thus, signified the tendency of the respondents to endorse double standard in public but not privately (Marks, 2008). Most of the researches conducted in this endeavor, utilized fictional approach instrumentation in eliciting respondents’ perception regarding every possible aspect of double standard; thus, failed to accurately quantify the sexual double standards in real-life basis (Marks, 2008). In this approach, hypothetical cases in the form of interview or stories will be given to the participants and allowing them to form judgments based on case specificity. However, double standard stereotypes were formed as general impression for a specific class of individuals (Marks, 2008). Hence, the purpose served by the research technique mentioned earlier was individuation not as stereotypes. In connection to this, Marks (2008) found that participants rated both males and females equally with respect to double standards on full attention basis. On the other hand, when their attention was divided, they favorably rated sexually-active men than women (Marks, 2008). Based on the results of his study, Marks (2008) reported that sexual double standard was more common than what has been suggested by previous researches. In addition, the fictional strategy in the assessment of double standard can hardly measure the extent of double standard in sexuality (Marks, 2008). Based on the abovementioned literature, socio-cultural factors shape gender stereotypes which in turn lead to the practice of double standards in sexuality. However, contemporary researches showed that sexual stereotype does not hold true for general cases (Clements-Schreiber and Rempel, 1998). For instance, McCormick (1979) reported that students generally attributed sex goal to males and sex avoidance to females but contemporary researches revealed that women initiated sex with their partners as men showed some form of resistance towards sexual intercourse. In line with this, the value given by the society to sexual double standard is a determinant of gender inequality. On the other hand, double standard may affect women positively. For example, women are prohibited for multiple sexual affairs but men are condoned for such practice. This double standard saves women from unwanted pregnancy and transmission of sexually-related diseases like HIV/AIDS and gonorrhea. Additionally, having unplanned children form different men will also be lessened; hence, causes reduction of population explosion and deterrence of its inevitable consequences such as poverty and food scarcity. Therefore, in a way or another, sexual double standard was spontaneously established through norms, mores, and traditional beliefs of the early society to regulate sexual relationship which in turn leads to a strong clan foundation. As supported by the findings of McCormick (1994), since women in general, make the crucial decision on the extent of sexual behavior in heterogeneous relationship (Milhausen and Herold, 1999), they have been the subject of the preconceived inequality in sexual relations. Hence, for a better perspective of this sexual double standard, contemporary research findings should be integrated with the historical and traditional rationale of double standard existence. In the end, the persistence or re-emergence of any sexual standards in the contemporary society will always depend on individuals themselves. References Clements-Schreiber, M. E. , Rempel, J. K. , and Desmarais, S. (1998). Women’s Sexual Pressure Tactics and Adherence to Related Attitudes: A Step Toward Prediction. The Journal of Sex Research, 35 (2), 197-205. Crawford, M. and Popp, D. (2003). Sexual Double Standards: A Review and Methodological Critique of Two Decades of Research. The Journal of Sex Research, 40 (1), 13-26. Gentry, M. (1998). The Sexual Double Standard The Influence of Number of Relationships and Level of Sexual Activity on Judgments of Women and Men. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 22, 505-511. Haavio-Mannila, E. and Kontula, O. (2003). Single and Double Standards in Finland, Estonia, and St. Petersberg. The Journal of Sex Research, 40 (1), 36-49. Marks, M. J. (2008). Evaluations of Sexually Active Men and Women Under Divided Attention: A Social Cognitive Approach to Sexual Double Standard. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 30, 84-91. Milhausen, R. R. and Herold, E. S. (1999). Does the Sexual Double Standard Still Exist? Perceptions of University Women. The Journal of Sex Research, 36(4), 361-368. Morris, J. , Young, M. , and Jones, C. (2000). Self-Esteem and Adolescent Sexual Behavior Among Students at an Elite Bolivian School. The International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 3(1), 36-43.

Google Inc Performance and Strategies

Google Inc Performance and Strategies Introduction Google Inc. is a technology-based company that offers a wide range of products in the field of internet and mobile technology. The firm was founded in January 1996 by two Stanford University graduate students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The two computer science students were interested in developing a search engine that was able to rate websites based on their relevance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Google Inc Performance and Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The students noted that it was not easy to get to specific websites that one desired using the existing internet explorers. It would take time to get to the needed web pages. They were convinced that they could come up with a better search engine that would make the work of web users easier than what was offered by the existing engines. They therefore started working on their search engine which they named BackRub. The success of BackR ub in ranking search attracted a number of investors who found it more effective than other existing search engines. By 1998, BackRub had become very popular among internet users because of its accuracy in ranking search results based on the words used (Gamble, Peteraf, Thompson, 2015). Larry Page and Sergey Brin renamed their search engine Google in 1998 to reflect its advanced nature in terms of volume of searches and effectiveness in ranking the search results. That same year, an investor tried to purchase Google Inc from the two inventors at $ 100,000, but the deal never sailed through because the two were interested in developing the idea further. Through crowd-sourcing, the two investors managed to raise a capital of $ 1 million to fund its operations. The company experienced a phenomenon growth and by 1999, it had attracted $ 25 million additional funds from venture capital firms that had noticed the potential of the firm. By the year 2000, the firm had entered the wireless search technology and it enabled searches in 10 different languages. It was unique how this firm survived.com bubble burst that saw many internet-related companies crumble. However, Google emerged from the bubble burst stronger than it was before. Its initial public Offering came in April 2009 following a phenomenon growth over a period of six years. The IPO was a phenomenon success because by the end of the first day of trading, there was an 18% appreciation of the firm’s shares in the market. Since then, the firm has experienced massive growth to become the leading search engine in the world. In this report, the researcher will review the performance of Google Inc and the strategies it is using before making recommendations that can help it achieve even greater success in the global market.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strategic Issue Google Inc’ s main source of revenue when it started trading on the stock market was the advertisements it received from the users of its website. However, the management was concerned about this single source of revenue. It came up with a number of strategies to help it expand its sources of revenue to avoid overreliance on one source. The main issue that comes out is how the firm is going to remain competitive even after expanding the scope of its market. To remain competitive in the market, the firm has been using a number of strategies in the market. As shown in the case, the company has embraced diversity and strategic alliance as some of the strategies to help it achieve its desired success. The paper will look at how these approaches help this firm to expand its revenue stream. External Analysis When analyzing the competitiveness of a company, it is very important to look at the external environment and how it affects operations of a firm. The external environmental analysis helps in det ermining the competitive forces and how they may affect the ability of a company to achieve its set objectives. External environmental analysis also makes it possible to look at other environmental forces such as the economy, the political environment, the legal structure of the business environment, emerging technologies and how it affects the operations of a firm, among other pertinent issues. Google Inc has achieved success in the market because of its ability to monitor and manage these environmental forces. The external environment will be analyzed using PESTEL Analysis and Porter’s Five Forces. The Five Forces Analysis is given at the appendix. Political environment This is one of the most important external environmental forces that may affect operations of an organization. The political environment may have serious impact on the internal activities within a firm. It is a fact that political instability may lead to serious insecurity within a given country. Achieving s uccess in a lawless country may not possible. Google Inc has flourished because of the political stability that has been experienced in the United States. The country has enjoyed a long political stability and peace, with a change from one regime to the other happening very peacefully without affecting the national fabric that unites members of the society. The political class has also made an effort to avoid direct interference with the business community.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Google Inc Performance and Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The politicians have been keen to avoid any policies or rhetoric that may have direct or indirect negative impact on the business community. The phenomenon success that Google Inc has experienced is directly related to the political stability and peace that the country has enjoyed since this firm was founded. Economic environment The economic environment is anot her major force that can affect a firm’s ability to achieve success within a given country or region. The economy of the United States has remained relatively stable over the years. The United States remains the leading economy in the world, with a very strong purchasing power. This company has been relying on individuals firms to place advertisements on its website. The impressive economy has enabled these individual companies to experienced massive success. With this success, these individual firms have been using services offered by Google to experience even further growth. This cycle of economic success has been very instrumental in helping Google to achieve success. Other than the 2008 economic recession that affected the United States and the world at large, the economic environment has remained very supportive. Google Inc now operates in the global market. The emergence of strong economies in China, India, Brazil, African, and Russia has helped it to achieve even a gre ater growth. Social environment The social environmental forces may also have strong influence on the ability of Google to achieve success in the market. From the case study, it comes out clearly that the socio-cultural beliefs have a major impact on the purchasing patterns of the consumers. Consumers are always keen to purchase items they believe are of higher class compared to the existing products. Google Inc was able to convince its users that the search engine understood their social needs and was able to meet these needs in a way that no other similar product in the market could. In the United States where Google Inc has its main market, the social environment is highly diversified. The global society considers the United States as the current centre of civilization. In such a highly diversified environment, the firm will need to find ways of meeting the unique needs of different classes of its customers, especially after expanding the scope of its product delivery. It will ne ed to segment the market and then find the best ways of meeting the needs of each market segment. Technological environment The emerging technologies have been as instrumental in the success of some firms as they have been in the downfall of others. Technology can help it to meet the expectations of its clients if it is handled properly. However, sometimes it may be very destructive. Technology has transformed the operational strategies used at this firm.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It currently uses emerging technologies to enhance speed, standardization, and quality of its products in the hardware segment of tablet computer and Smartphone. Technology has also transformed its marketing strategies as it seeks to reach out to the global audience. Google Inc currently uses social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to reach out to its targeted clients. Technology has also enhanced interaction between the firm and its global clients. Through the emerging technologies, Google Inc has been able to introduce a number of new products into the market in order to help it enhance its competitiveness and increase sources of revenue. The increasing internet connectivity of remote parts of the world, especially in Africa and parts of Asia has helped this firm in expanding its market share. This firm’s services are now available in these countries although the firm has not made any significant human and financial resources into these markets, thanks to the modern technology. Ecological environment One of the three pillars of sustainability of any company is the ecology. Firms have always ignored the need to protect the environment even though they rely on it in various respects. Ecological issues may have impacts on the macro environment of a firm. The global society is becoming very sensitive of the levels of greenhouse gases in the air, and other agents of pollution. They are concerned because they know such pollutants may have a negative impact on environmental sustainability in the near future. Pressure has been mounting on organizations to cut down their greenhouse gases emissions into the atmosphere as a way of protecting the environment. This means that firms such as Google Inc will need to have new production strategies which conform to the new environmental policies. This is specifically so after the firm successfully entered the computer and Smartphone hardware market segment. Manufacturing of these products should n ot be done in a way that may have adverse effect on the environment. Legal environment Finally, it is also very important to look at the legal environment and determine how it may affect operations of a firm. The legal environment is a macro factor that has affected the operations of Google Inc in a number of ways. A firm cannot operate successfully in a lawless region. It needs laws that will guide its relationship with other the stakeholders, and protects it from unfair business practices that may be a threat to its very existence. The legal environment in the United States and Europe has enabled Google Inc to operate without any form of interference. This has facilitated its phenomenon growth over the past one decade. Google Inc entered the Chinese market in 2006 expecting a massive growth (Gamble, Peteraf, Thompson, 2015). China had the highest number of internet users than any other country in the world, estimated to be over 300 million people. The initial operations were affe cted by stiff competition from Baidu, a Chinese search engine that had dominated the market before the entry of Google. However, the real threat to this firm’s existence was a new law that censored searches that were seen to be critical of the government. At first, Google tried to find ways of circumventing this law by redirecting its users to its Hong Kong search site that was not affected by the sensor. However, Google Inc later realized that the only way of achieving success in the Chinese market was to abide by all its legal structures even if some of these laws infringed on fundamental rights of people. Key Successful factors It is important to understand key success factors when analyzing external environmental forces that may affect operations of a given firm. As shown in the case study, one of the greatest success factors at Google Inc is the team of highly skilled and very flexible workforce who understands what the market needs, and able to change with changes in en vironmental forces. The company has only been in operations since 1996, but its impact has transformed the world of technology. It has a deep understanding of how to deal with emerging market trends in this industry. The recent acquisition of a number of firms operating in related industries also means that it is in a better capacity to come up with new innovative products that will help in expanding its revenue streams. Google Inc has introduced new strategies which encourage, and define how to manage forces of change in the workplace. Its proactive approach towards change makes it easy for it to deal with new disruptive technological forces that may affect its normal operations in the market. These are some of the key factors that have enabled this firm to be in its current position in the market. Strategic Group Map In strategic group map analysis for Google Inc, emphasis will be put on product diversity, geographic coverage, the market segment, branding extent, and marketing eff ort. The case clearly shows that this firm has diversified its products from internet related products to computer hardware products as a way of increasing its revenue stream. Currently, this company operates in the global market. Its services are currently available in the entire world. Google Inc’s target market segment includes people who are always using the internet quit often. Its computer hardware products now targets user of personal computers within the United States and in the international market. The brand Google has also helped this firm to achieve competitive strength over its market rivals. The brand has earned loyalty among the customers in the global market. The marketing effort of Google Inc has also been very effective in helping it achieve the desired success. Company Situation Google Inc’s has been struggling to expand its revenue stream as a way of attaining competitive edge over its market rivals. To understand the company situation, SWOT analysi s, given at the appendix, will help in understanding the current position of the firm. The management of Google Inc has employed a number of strategies to achieve the intended objectives, as shown in the discussion below. Generic strategy It is important to note that the competitive position of Google Inc in the market has changed from that of an upcoming firm in the mid and late 1990s, to an industry leader it is today. Google Inc has been under pressure to distinguish its products from that of its competitors in the market in order to achieve a competitive advantage, especially when it first entered the industry. The company has been using Porters Generic Strategy options in order to achieve competitiveness in the market. The diagram below shows the strategic options that have been available for this firm. As mentioned above, Google Inc has been using cost leadership strategy in the market by offering discounted products to its customers. Most of the firms advertising directly th rough the firm’s website always get discounted products. They reach a wider audience at a relatively lower cost than what other platforms offer. This has helped it in attracting a pool of loyal customers, especially those who are interested in reaching the global audience. This giant technology-based organization has also been using the differentiation strategy in order to achieve a competitive edge over its market rivals. Some of the products offered by this company are similar to those that are offered by other firms, especially following the decision to enter the mobile telephone market. In order to distinguish its products from those offered by other firms, Google Inc has been keen developing additional unique features in its products. This helps in creating the impression that products from the firm are of superior quality as compared to those of its competitors. In order to achieve maximum benefit in the market, Google Inc has also been giving massive focus on the marke t segments that are least exploited by other market competitors. For a long time, the existing search engines played little attention to the need to rank online searches. Google Inc identified this market gap and came up with a solution that completely transformed this industry. Grand strategy The case provided clearly shows the grand strategy that Google Inc has been using over the years to achieve the phenomenon growth it has experienced over the years. Its grand strategy is based on three approaches which include acquisitions, diversification, and strategic alliances. Google Inc has used acquisition as a strategy of achieving long-term goals in the market. This strategy is very effective for an organization that is keen on achieving robust growth within a very short period of time. Acquiring an already established firm means that the acquiring company will not have to spend a lot of time trying to develop the business. It also easy to determine the profitability and success rates of the acquired business. By acquiring an established firm instead of starting a new one within the same industry, the acquiring company reduces the rates of market competition in such industries. These are the reasons that have driven Google Inc to use acquisition as one of the ways of expanding its market operations. One of the first companies that were acquired by Google was YouTube in 2006. Google realized that YouTube offered a unique potential in the market that would help it expand its revenues. Two years later in 2008, the firm acquired Double-Click at $ 3.1 billion. In 2012, Google Inc made an ambitious venture by acquiring Motorola Mobility at $ 12.5 billion. This meant that it entered the hardware market segment of tablet computer and Smartphone industries. This was a major move that was meant to expand sources of its revenues. Diversification is another grand strategy that this company has used in its strategic plans. The management of Google has been keen to reduce the firm’s overreliance on revenues earned from internet related products. All the major acquisitions made by the firm were all meant to diversify its sources of income. The acquisition of Motorola Mobility was seen as a strategic move by Google Inc to tap into the computer tablet and Smartphone markets. Prior to its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, Google Inc had avoided the computer and Smartphone hardware market segment. However, the management realized that this market segment offered a perfect opportunity for this firm to grow its market share. This strategic move has proven to be successful as shown in the case study. Its Google TV was also introduced in 2010 as a way of diversifying the products of this company. The third approach of grand strategy used by this company is strategic alliance with other established technology-related organization. Sometimes a business unit may realize that it has a common goal with other firms in the same industry or other related industri es. Forming strategic alliance enables two or more business entities to share their resources and come up with ways of achieving a common goal that is beneficial to all the partners. Google Inc entered a strategic alliance with Sony, Dish Networks, Intel, Adobe, and Logitech to develop a new product known as Google TV (Gamble, Peteraf, Thompson, 2015). This was another ambitious project that was meant to enable users to stream videos, watch live networks, and On Demand programs. Market development Google Inc has extensive programs meant to promote market development. As the firm expands, it is necessary to find effective ways of marketing the present products to the targeted clients in the best way that would help in yielding the expected revenues. The company has been doing this by regularly changing the contents of advertising as a way of convincing its customers that it is innovative. The product may be the same, or given cosmetic modification, but the complete change in the con tent of advertising makes the consumers believe that the products offer superior value than it used to before. Marketing development at Google may be looked at using the 4 Ps of marketing mix. The pricing strategy of Google’s products has been very competitive, especially the fees it charges firms which advertise on its website. Google enables individuals and organizations to advertise within a national, a regional, or in the global market based on the firm’s market coverage. The rates offered by this company are friendly compared to the charges of mass media. Google offers a wide variety of products. From search engine services, social media, and now to television services and computer hardware, the firm has expanded its product offering to help it capture wider market coverage as a way of enhancing its sustainability. The promotional aspect of marketing mix is also very important. It not only informs the target audience about the existence of a given product, but als o convinces them that it offers superior value at friendly costs. Inasmuch as this firm earns most of its revenues by offering companies promotional platforms, it has also been keen to promote its own products in the market. Google uses various platforms to promote its products to the target audience. The placement component of the marketing mix is also very important. All the internet related products of this company are readily available to individuals who have access to the internet using their android phones, tablets, or personal computers. The hardware products offered by this firm are readily available various shops within the United States, Europe, and some countries in Asia. Product development Google Inc has also been keen on promoting product development as presented in the case. The management of this firm has realized that the needs of the customers in the market are changing. In order to manage these changing tastes and preferences, this firm has been conducting regular research and modifying its products based on the changes of market needs. For instance, it has been enhancing its Firefox and Chrome products to offer superior value to its customers in the market. These two products have had their features improved remarkably to help improve the experience of the users. This product development strategy has enabled Google to become the leading search engine in the world. Conclusion and Recommendations It is clear from the discussion above and from the case study that Google Inc has achieved massive success within the past one decade due to its effective management strategies. When it started, this firm only earned revenues from the fees in charged on the users of its website. However, the management realized that it was necessary to expand product offerings in the market as a way of diversifying its income. The firm has since become a major player in various industries that has made it direct competitor of some of the leading American companies su ch as Apple and Microsoft. The ability of this firm to achieve success in various markets that it has always targeted is unique. Although Google Inc has made a few mistakes in its expansion strategies, most of the strategic decisions of this firm in its expansion strategy have been very successful. The entry into the new markets means that Google Inc will have to improve its strategies to manage the rivalry that is expected to come from some of the established firms such as Apple Inc and Microsoft Corporation. In this section, the researcher will provide a number of policy recommendations that may help Google Inc to improve its competitiveness in the market. When giving recommendations to this company, the researcher was keen on basing the arguments on the trends that this firm has already taken which have achieved success. For instance, it is clear that the management of Google Inc is keen on diversifying its line of products in the market beyond the internet-related services which are its primary source of revenue. Using the Generic Competitive Strategies Model, it is possible to identify competitive strategies that this firm can employ to achieve competitive edge in the market. Five Generic Competitive Strategies Model This competitive strategies model is very important because it helps in defining the direction that a firm should take in order to achieve specific objectives in the market. The figure below shows the five strategies that a firm can take based on market target and the type of advantage a firm is seeking to achieve. Figure 1: Five Generic Strategies Model As shown in the figure above, a firm can choose one or two of the competitive strategies based on its aim in the market. For Google Inc, two of the five strategies may help it to achieve its aim based on the trend it has taken over the past decade. The first strategy that can work for this company is broad differentiation strategy. It emphasizes on the need to differentiate a firm’s p roducts from that of its market rivals. Differentiation strategy may take different approaches. This may be achieved at Google Inc through developing additional features on its products that rival businesses have not adopted. Branding of the products will also give it a competitive edge because the brand is trusted globally. Instead of using pricing strategies, the company should use technology and innovativeness to deliver unique products which are superior to that of the existing competitors. The decision of the firm to diversify its products means that it will have to do more in order to continue producing products of very high quality. The diversification of its products should not be used to sacrifice the quality of products offered to the customers. The second strategy that may work for Google Inc based on the model above is the best cost provider strategy. In this strategy, this firm will strive to give its clients high value for their money. Google can do this by meeting the ir expectations in terms of product quality provided at fair prices. The company should aim at thrilling its clients by offering what they expect, at fair price. It is important to note that this strategy does not involve offering products at prices much lower than the market average. Such a move may trigger price wars which are always very dangerous to all the firms involved. Instead, it will offer high quality products, but instead of increasing the price to reflect the increased value of the products, the price will remain unchanged. This means that clients will be getting more value without having to pay more. This strategy will also help this firm to strengthen its brand in the market. In the current competitive market place, brand of product means a lot to customers. They often prefer purchasing products of known brands as an assurance of quality. Appendices Appendix 1: Financial Ratios Ratios 2012 2011 Current ratio Current Assets/Current Liabilities =60,454/14337 =4.22 Current Assets/Current Liabilities =52,758/8913 =5.92 Quick ratio (Current Assets- Inventory)/Current Liabilities = (60,454-505)/14337 = 4.18 (Current Assets- Inventory)/Current Liabilities =(52,758-0)/8913 =5.92 Cash ratio (Cash+ Marketable Securities)Current Liabilities = (14,778+33310)/14337 = 3.35 (Cash+ Marketable Securities)Current Liabilities = (9983+34,643)/8913 = 5.01 Appendix 2: Five Forces Analysis Competitive Rivalry Threat Threat of New Entrants Threat of Substitutes Bargaining Power of Suppliers Bargaining Power of Buyers In the market where Google Inc operates, there is stiff competition from established firms such as Microsoft Corporation and Apple. The more it expands its product lines, the stiffer the competition becomes. The threat of new entrants into the internet industry is real. Chinese Baidu is keen on expanding to the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world. These entrants may eat into the market share of Google Inc There is also a ma jor threat of substitutes that this firm should be keen on managing. The computer and Smartphone hardware segment of the market has a number of substitutes The bargaining power of the suppliers of this firm, especially in its Smartphone and Computer hardware segment, is relatively strong. Some of the raw materials come from China The bargaining power of the buyers varies a little. Organizational buyers such as government agencies have greater bargaining power than individuals who want to use products and services of this firm Appendix 3: SWOT Strength Massive financial wealth Highly skilled and experienced management and employees Unique ability to manage emerging technologies Willingness to undertake risky ventures Weakness High rates of taking risks Opportunities Increased expansion of internet infrastructure in the global society Emergence of communication tools Successful entry into global market Rising number of internet users Rising number of tablet and personal computer users Threats Restrictive laws such as those witnessed in China Stiff market competition from rivals Possible threat of new entrants Appendix 4: Strategic Group Map References Gamble, J., Peteraf, M. Thompson, A. (2015). Essentials of Strategic Management: The Quest for Competitive Advantage. New York: McGraw Hill.

Anesthesia Awareness Essays - Medicine, Pain, Anesthesia

Anesthesia Awareness Essays - Medicine, Pain, Anesthesia Anesthesia Awareness Anesthesia is used during surgery to put people to sleep so that they don't feel immense pain, instead they sleep for the entire operation which makes the surgeons job quicker and more effective compared to operating on a living patient going through severe pain and probably moving the whole time making it a lot easier for the doctors to make a mistake that could be life altering. But in some cases patients who are under anesthesia are able to wake up during their operation "which doctors call anesthesia awareness." This situation is rare and refers to when patients can remember where they are and pressure or pain, that occurred to them during their surgery while they were meant to be under anesthesia. And so the patient wakes up paralysed because they are not fully asleep, and because of this they could be screaking and no one would be able to hear them, only after the operation would people become aware of what happened and know that for the duration of the surgery this patient was able to feel everything that was happening to them and had no chance of getting them to stop. Before the operation doctors tell their patients that they will be put to sleep for the duration of the surgery as it ensures that they don't feel any pain. But this is not the case and what they are actually doing is putting the person in a reversible coma so they have no memory of what went on in the operation and the pain they would have experienced. Today doctors use machines that monitor the patient's brain activity that allows them to see if the person wakes up so that they can reduce them from experiencing this extra pain, but this is not always recognised and some people still wake up and have to endure this pain.

Distrust Towards the West in the Middle East Term Paper

Distrust Towards the West in the Middle East - Term Paper Example The only thing that joins them and serves as a binding force is there negative perception and distrust towards the West in general and the US in particular. The perception of the Western and American people is not very positive as well, they consider most of the Middle Eastern population and countries as uncivilized and uncultured with prevailing tribal traditions. They are considered as the originators and masterminds of the post 9/11 terrorism. The only civilized people are the ones who have benefited from the discovery of oil and this perception is legitimate up to some extent because the perception is based upon what is shown on the media. There is a remarkable difference between people living in the same countries, with urbanization on western patterns in some cities and old tribal traditions and ways of living prevalent in the rural areas of the same country. Religion is the most important binding force but there are two major divisions Shiites and Sunnis which are further divi ded into various different factions. But when it comes to hatred toward the Israeli state or the Jews, the whole Middle Eastern world is united under the same flag and leads the whole Islamic world against Jews and Israel because of the beliefs that they are the eternal enemies of the Muslims. There are several reasons behind this distrust and hatred towards the west the most important of which is the Palestine-Israel issue in which the west have always supported Israel. In the First World War, the Ottoman Empire which consisted mostly of the current Middle Eastern states sided with the German forces and the British and French considered the Ottoman Empire as the weak link in the enemy alliance. With the help of people like Sharif Hussein who sided with the British against the wishes of the Ottoman Empire and Arabian people on condition that the Arabs will be given independence after the end of the war, but the British did not fulfill their promise and when the Ottoman Empire was fi nally defeated in 1918, the British and the French disbanded the Empire and demarcated the boundaries between various regions of the Empire which were formally the provinces of Ottoman Empire and made them into separate states under the French or the British rule. The present picture of the map of the Middle Eastern states though seems very natural but was actually carved out by the French and the British after the First World War to fulfill their own interests. The distrust towards the West was seeded after the First World War and the Middle Eastern states never considered the Western World as its allies because of the treatment they received after the end of the war. United States was not directly involved in the affairs of the Middle East after the First World War but always supported the British decisions and division of the Middle Eastern regions into various states. The majority of the people of the Middle are Muslims and it is a religious belief of the Muslims that wherever t hey live in this whole world, they form one nation and the Muslim majority regions of the world should form one state. Therefore the division of the Ottoman by the British was considered as an effort to weaken the Muslims globally. During the war, the British double crossed for their own interests, they promised the Jews that they will be given a separate state in the Biblical

Take Ways from Leadership Skills Speech or Presentation

Take Ways from Leadership Skills - Speech or Presentation Example A concluding portion would highlight relevant concepts and lessons learned from the essay. Take ways from Leadership Skills Leadership is an important component in the existence, survival and functioning of any group or organization. Many organizations have been aware of the fact that their success is greatly dependent upon the quality and effectiveness of this dimension. As an organization grows in size and complexity, the requirements for an efficient and effective leadership multiply. In this regard, the essay aims to define leadership using one’s own words and to indicate what components or elements are involved in leadership. Further, the discourse would describe the different leadership theories in simple words. In conjunction with the discussion of the leadership theories, one would present a theoretical application in one’s workplace (convenience store) through the provision of an example. Finally, one’s personal view on the best leadership skills and a d escription of the follower's role in leadership process would be proffered. A concluding portion would highlight relevant concepts and lessons learned from the essay. Definition of Leadership The term ‘leadership’ has received various definitions and explanations depending on the perceptions, experiences and understandings of those who discuss it. One’s personal definition of leadership sees it as an act or behavior manifested by a person possessing qualities and traits that enable that person to influence others into achieving a well defined goal. At the simplest, leadership have three key elements: leader, followers and the situation (Martires & Fule, 2004). To determine what leadership involves, one must take into consideration various points of views. From the view point of the leader, there are skills and traits that are commonly manifested and exemplified by leaders. According to Martires & Fule (2004), leadership is at once personal, interpersonal, and sit uational. But it can be viewed from one perspective at a time. At the personal level, traits and skills are highlighted. At the interpersonal level, style comes to the fore. Finally, at the situational level, the contingent nature of leadership manifests itself. Murray Ross and Charles Hendry drew a personality profile of effective leaders from many tests conducted to identify leadership traits. In general, they found that effective leaders have attibutes as follows: (1) self-confident, well-integrated, and emotionally stable; (2) warm, sensitive, and sympathetic toward other people and give practical, helpful suggestions; (3) intelligent in relation to the gorup members; (4) identify with the goals and values of the groups they lead; (5) want to take leadership responsibility and are competent in handling new situations; (6) can be relied on to perform leadership functions consistently; and (7) in elected or public positions, usually possess more enthusiasm and capacity for express ion than other types of leaders (Ross & Hendry, 1957). On the other hand, various skills are exhibited by leaders as essentially described by Henry Mitzberg, to wit: (1) skills of introspection; (2) entrepreneurial skills; (3) conflict-resolution skills; (4) peer skills; (5) information-processing skills; (6) skills in unstructured decision-making; and (7) resourse generation and allocation skills (Mitzberg, 1973). Leadership Theories There are diverse leadership theories that evolved through the years