Analysis of ‘The Truman’s Show’ in search of reality Essay

The film, The Truman Show, is a fiction movie that has been created to help the human search for reality in what apparently seems real. It shows that many times, people are absorbed in an unreal environment thinking that they are indeed in the reality. Media is to blame for making false impressions of the environment. The film depicts Truman as a person who has been entangled in a false environment and is trying hard to discover the truth. In other words, this film is intended to bring to the attention the many times that we get absorbed in situations that we cannot derive any real meaning. It challenges people to wake up and search for the true meaning and not become captives of falsehood. The film depicts Truman Burbank as a person who is born in a fake world. The environment that surrounds him is that of actors. It is in a big dome decked enclosure that is fitted with high-tech simulations of the sky and the sun. The wind and rain are also simulated. They are under the control of the director of the show. Apparently, Truman does not realize that he is in a simulated world initially. Moreover, he has no idea that he is in a television studio from which people all over the world can watch him in his normal behavior as he carries on with his normal activities. However, all the situations that he finds himself in have been staged and, therefore, lack a true meaning in the real world. However, with time Truman realizes that he is in a simulated environment. He is made to discover the false surrounds he is in by the help of Sylvia, who was intended to be his wife in the artificial world. He comes to know that staged events and scenes fill his life. He then begins to plan a way of escaping to the real world. He tries all means to escape but does not succeed immediately. That is because of two major barriers. One barrier is that he has been made a victim of fear by the director of the show has he controls his world. He has been made to fear travelling by water because his father had supposedly died while fishing. Truman is informed that travelling by water was dangerous at the time, and it was safer to stay at home. Secondly, obstacles have been placed in his way such that he cannot escape easily. He is unable to arrange for flights. Traffic jams that are also staged hinder him from travelling. Therefore, he does not manage to escape easily at first. Later on, Truman devices a way to escape and finally manages to escape to the real world. The first step in his escape is that he manages to overcome his fear. He sails in the water despite the many attempts by the director to enclose him from attempting such a move. Truman discovers a door marked â€Å"Exit† and he manages to escape completely to the real world. The escape is praised by the audience as an act of courage and triumphant. He meets with Sylvia, and they reunite. That marks the end of the artificial world created on falsehood and a new beginning in the world of reality. The Truman Show has significance in ordinary lives. It depicts how people live under the false beliefs painted by the media. Truman’s discovery that he had been living in the fallacy can be compared to how people realize that media creates only illusions that do not depict the reality. However, just as Truman was unable to get out of the fake world easily, people are reluctant to break away from the false impressions created by the media. Moreover, Truman had been absorbed into the fake world just as many people find themselves hooked by the illusions created in the media. Truman is a character used to show how people get absorbed into the fake world that is created by the media. Usually, people do not notice the impact of the illusions that they absorb have on their lives. Many live in a fantasy. However, later on, they realize how impractical the life created by the media is as compared to the real world. As such, some try to find a way out of the bondage with the media. While some of them succeed in getting out, others remain as slaves of the media. Media critics act to sensitize people on the negative side of the media just like Sylvia helped Truman to discover that he was leaving in a fake world. The film, The Truman Show, is a fiction movie that has been created to help the human search for reality in what apparently seems real. It shows that many times, people are absorbed in an unreal environment thinking that they are indeed in the reality. Media is to blame for making false impressions of the environment. The film depicts Truman as a person who has been entangled in a false environment and is trying hard to discover the truth. In other words, this film is intended to bring to the attention the many times that we get absorbed in situations that we cannot derive any real meaning. It challenges people to wake up and search for the true meaning and not become captives of falsehood. The film depicts Truman Burbank as a person who is born in a fake world. The environment that surrounds him is that of actors. It is in a big dome decked enclosure that is fitted with high-tech simulations of the sky and the sun. The wind and rain are also simulated. They are under the control of the director of the show. Apparently, Truman does not realize that he is in a simulated world initially. Moreover, he has no idea that he is in a television studio from which people all over the world can watch him in his normal behavior as he carries on with his normal activities. However, all the situations that he finds himself in have been staged and, therefore, lack a true meaning in the real world. However, with time Truman realizes that he is in a simulated environment. He is made to discover the false surrounds he is in by the help of Sylvia, who was intended to be his wife in the artificial world. He comes to know that staged events and scenes fill his life. He then begins to plan a way of escaping to the real world. He tries all means to escape but does not succeed immediately. That is because of two major barriers. One barrier is that he has been made a victim of fear by the director of the show has he controls his world. He has been made to fear travelling by water because his father had supposedly died while fishing. Truman is informed that travelling by water was dangerous at the time, and it was safer to stay at home. Secondly, obstacles have been placed in his way such that he cannot escape easily. He is unable to arrange for flights. Traffic jams that are also staged hinder him from travelling. Therefore, he does not manage to escape easily at first. Later on, Truman devices a way to escape and finally manages to escape to the real world. The first step in his escape is that he manages to overcome his fear. He sails in the water despite the many attempts by the director to enclose him from attempting such a move. Truman discovers a door marked â€Å"Exit† and he manages to escape completely to the real world. The escape is praised by the audience as an act of courage and triumphant. He meets with Sylvia, and they reunite. That marks the end of the artificial world created on falsehood and a new beginning in the world of reality. The Truman Show has significance in ordinary lives. It depicts how people live under the false beliefs painted by the media. Truman’s discovery that he had been living in the fallacy can be compared to how people realize that media creates only illusions that do not depict the reality. However, just as Truman was unable to get out of the fake world easily, people are reluctant to break away from the false impressions created by the media. Moreover, Truman had been absorbed into the fake world just as many people find themselves hooked by the illusions created in the media. Truman is a character used to show how people get absorbed into the fake world that is created by the media. Usually, people do not notice the impact of the illusions that they absorb have on their lives. Many live in a fantasy. However, later on, they realize how impractical the life created by the media is as compared to the real world. As such, some try to find a way out of the bondage with the media. While some of them succeed in getting out, others remain as slaves of the media. Media critics act to sensitize people on the negative side of the media just like Sylvia helped Truman to discover that he was leaving in a fake world. Reference The Truman Show (1998). Directed by Peter Weir. 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Characters in Hamlet Essay

William Shakespeare uses various elements, themes and connections between them to present ideas of enduring value in ‘Hamlet. His character development in Hamlet &Claudius and use of dramatic techniques present values in ‘Hamlet’ those of which are timeless. These enduring values include guilt, corruption and life & death. Shakespeare has used various dramatic techniques to express his idea and enduring value of guilt. In Act 1, as Polonius talks about ‘the devil hiding’, Shakespeare uses a dramatic technique as Claudius acknowledges his conscience in an aside, â€Å"how smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience†. Claudius is the villain of the play, however Shakespeare has a created a complex character with a working conscience and serious feelings of guilt. Claudius sense of guilt emerges through the use of the dramatic technique, soliloquy. Furthermore, it also makes him a more ‘rounded’ character in his development, not merely evil or lacking in human qualities. His guilt is emphasized when he attempts to ‘pray’, and he finds that as a sinner, he cannot, while he still desires the fruits of his crime, these being Gertrude and the crown, â€Å"Forgive me my foul murder? That cannot be since I am still possess’d of those effects for which I did the murder. †Shakespeare has used metaphor and alliteration in, Oh bosom black as death† as Claudius, concedes that he is not really capable of praying. From this point, as a development of his character, his villiany increases as he becomes desperate to eliminate Hamlet and ultimately plotting his death. Gertrude can also be played as experiencing guilt throughout until she concedes her guilt and claims it will not go away, â€Å"I see such black and grained spots/ As will not leave their tinct†. Claudius and Gertrude share the guilt for what goes wrong in the play, as theirs is the corruption that infects Denmark. Corruption is another prominent value in ‘Hamlet’. In Act 1, the dramatic technique, monologue is used as Claudius addresses his court and celebrates his coronation and marriage to Gertrude to reconcile the grieving for Old Hamlet. His speech, â€Å"mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage† is commonly known as ‘spin’ today. There is a notion that Claudius’ motive for killing Old Hamlet is envy, strictly a lust for power and to be king however this cannot be interpreted as Claudius consistently shows true love for Gertrude and displays qualities of a good king. Consequently, it is plausible that the function of the marriage is genuine however also essential for Claudius’ agenda which makes his reign corrupt. Shakespeare demonstrates the idea of corruption, that if the king reigns on false or evil grounds, hence the whole kingdom suffers, as Marcellus says, â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark†. Furthermore, through Hamlet’s main source of distress of the thought of his mother remarried too soon, and to his uncle, he introduces the theme of corruption with the technique, imagery, â€Å"unweeded gardens†. Hamlet interprets news of Old Hamlet’s ghost as a reflection of the corruption in Denmark, â€Å"My father’s spirit in arms! All is not well†. He believes that foul deeds will rise and that evil will inevitably unravel. The use of Hamlet’s development of a complex multi-faceted persona demonstrates Shakespeare’s idea on life and death, conveyed through the use of the dramatic technique, soliloquy. Hamlet’s situation in the play is relevant today because circumstances force him from being a critical observer of the world to being a participant, an experience that is universal. The flaw in Hamlet’s character lies in the involutions of his character. He is guilty of â€Å"thinking too precisely on th’event†, a man who â€Å"continuously resolves to do, yet does nothing but resolve†. It is assumed Hamlet is honest and open in his soliloquys. At other times he is puts on a ‘faà §ade’, the main purpose is to hide his true state of mind and intentions often portraying himself as ‘mad’. In Hamlet’s first soliloquy he is already contemplating about the desire to disappear or commit suicide, â€Å"O that this too too solid fle sh would melt†. Hamlet rejects the idea of trying to predict the future and reaches a point of acceptance of life, death, and everything more, â€Å"Not a wit, we defy augury†¦ the readiness is all†. This expresses the idea that what is destined is inevitable and what is significant is ‘readiness’. Hamlet acknowledges this when he holds up Yorick’s skull. The dramatic technique of visual imagery of Hamlet looking at Yorick’s skull is one of the most enduring images in all of literary history. It is a human confronting the truth, contemplating death and decomposition that even the greatest of humans are subject to. His speech on ‘readiness’ is all about his own death. It is this, which he must become ready for, something, which is presented as central sad truth of human life. ‘To be, or not to be, that is the question’ is definitive on life and death. It provides a stark contrast to the intense confrontation with Ophelia as it is contemplative, intellectual and uncharacteristic for someone who is supposedly ‘mad’. Shakespeare implies through Hamlet’s character development that the reason people do not commit suicide is because of the fear of the after life which is unknown and could potentially be worse. Hamlet ponders the question as a matter of philosophical debate. Yet though the play is thus rooted in its own time, ‘Hamlet’ seems to have a rapport with all ages and centuries. It speaks eloquently to the twentieth century as it did to the 17th 18th and 19th. Reasons for the play’s enduring appeal is attributed to the values Shakespeare has expressed. How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience Forgive me for my foul murder? This cannot be for I am still possess’d of the effects for which I did the murder I see such black and grained spots/ as they will not leave their tinct Something is rotten in the state of Denmark Mirth in funeral, dirge in marriage O that this too too solid flesh would melt Not a wit we defy augury My father’s spirit is in arms! All is not well Unweeded garden To be or not be, that is the question

The effects of globalization in developing countries Term Paper

The effects of globalization in developing countries - Term Paper Example Thus, the result is the replacement of the things previously going on with the new precisely, modern ones (Mobley & Weldon, pp.146). Moreover, the term and the accompanying concept also connote that it is a disruption in a convenient equilibrium that is prominent and notable to the observers and people who are vulnerable to the change. Globalization changes can be cultural, geographical or technological depending upon which way of life it influences (Lall, pp. 3-7). For example, cultural attire can be conveniently replaced by international branded jeans as part of the result of globalization. On the other hand, factors such as global warming, spread of chronic diseases are some of the examples of geographic aspect of globalization; this is not relevant to the culture but is indeed a part of change. The measure of impact that globalization brings about is majorly determined by the media. The intensity of influence that it might have on the common depends upon the attentiveness of the media over the matter (Mobley & Weldon, pp. 146). Since, common people look over to the fourth pillar of the society, which is the media; they perceive the intensity of change in the same way as depicted and their responses are thus, shaped by what they see, and hear regardless of what might be the actual scenario. As part of giving a thorough explanation of what globalization is all about, one may consider some historic example to clarify the points presented in the paper. As part of technological globalization, the adoption of different time zones (Mobley & Weldon, pp. 148) is the simplest example to know how globalization is an integral part of everybody’s lives whether one wants to be a part of it or not. Moreover, any country an individual belongs to, h/she would always have an identity card or a proof showing their birthplace and/or residence. This, as well, is a pat of globalization valid for both developing and developed countries (Lee & Vivarelli, pp. 4-6). Let the p aper consider one more definition of the term explained in a distinct and specified note. There are scholars and thinkers who say that globalization is the name of an extensive process when people from far and wide with no commonalities get a way to be connected to one another whether it being a physical way or a virtual one. Thus, in much simpler form, when people distanced by space and time yet feel connected and associated to each other; this is a depiction of globalization. In this connotation, one can surely say that distances between people do not influence or bar them in being affiliated to one another and whatever they do, can be more specifically defined as deterritorialized. Thus, these links gradually become a source to share and exchange information and ideas, sharing of ideas make them adopt some according to their comprehension and outreach ad also to develop common grounds with the links that they have. It is always said that globalization has certain specific charact eristics like diffusion or the dispersion of ideas, culture, stances and school of thought; interdependence that assumes the position of relating and depending upon the ones whom one connects with who are far by time and space; and consciousness which makes people reasonable adaptable to the newer environment (Lechner, pp. 15). When one says, think globally, one actually means that one needs to consider the whole world as one place without dividing it into regions and

The Listening Skills Yeah Whatever Video and The Out of Office Reply Essay

The Listening Skills Yeah Whatever Video and The Out of Office Reply Video - Essay Example Pilar tells Miguel that he needs to have a system in place that tracks spending or tell his assistant to take over this responsibility. She even looks at the possibility of their having a meeting once a week. Miguel appears over the moon at his success and is not looking at Pilar, twiddling with his pen, taking a phone call and appearing generally disrespectful and self-absorbed. In the second part of the video, taken three weeks later, Miguel is seen coming to Pilar’s office and asking for a meeting with her. He has just heard that he has been taken off Jezebel’s account and seems shocked and unbelieving that this has happened. Pilar tells him that they had already had a meeting on his weaknesses the last time but he did not seem to acknowledge or want to understand the reality of the situation. In the second meeting, however, Miguel appeared to have come down to earth and is more attentive to Pilar’s instructions. Pilar tells him that it was Jezebel’s de cision to themselves replace him with Jack for the remainder of their campaign. She is, however, willing to give him another chance to make amends and tells him that he has to send in a report every Friday on the spending position of every account under him and that they could meet every Tuesday at 2.00 pm to discuss the issues that appear. This time clearly Miguel is more receptive and even notes the time of the Tuesday meeting in his appointment book or diary and tells Pilar that he will definitely send the spending report in by Friday as needed. On her part, Pilar says that she did not want to lose the Jezebel account and had no choice but to go with the client’s suggestion. Once the situation has settled down, however, Pilar tells Miguel that she will try to give him back the Jezebel account. In the Out of Office Reply video, we have the meeting between Ralph Ramos, the Senior Claims Manager and Angela Zanoni, a Claims Investigator. Angela has been working from home but i t seems that performance issues are cropping up. She is piqued that Bob Simmons has told her that he is getting better accounts to deal with while she feels that she is being sidelined because she is working from home and therefore not visible to Ralph. Ralph assures her that this is not the case and that both she and Bob have different skill sets and that he gives the employees the accounts to be handled based on their past relationships with the client. While he would not feel comfortable handling Angela the accounts that Bob had been handling in the past, he would also not give Bob her accounts so she is misinformed. At the end of the first meeting they set up and appointment to meet again, but in the second video recorded two weeks later, it appears that Angela has failed to keep her appointment. Always the gentleman, Ralph first tries to put Angela at ease by asking her a personal question about how she is and how things are at home, but it seems that Angela misreads him becaus e she is preoccupied. On probing into the matter further because it is not like Angela to miss a deadline-she has not done so in the four years they have worked together- Ralph finds out that Angela had missed the deadline because she felt that nothing fruitful would have come out of it.

Lose Control in Gas and Oil Industry Term Paper

Lose Control in Gas and Oil Industry - Term Paper Example Often, these salt producers found the oil and gas that erupted along with the salt brine to be a nuisance. However, some intrepid salt manufacturers sold it for medicinal purposes, or to burn as lighting fuel. Although the natural gas industry is purported to have begun in 1821, George Bissel and Edwin L. Drake created the first drilling rig that was ever used for the specific production of oil on August 28, 1859 near Titusville, Pennsylvania. This well, named the Drake, is considered the first intentional well drilled for oil, as other wells that were drilled at the time were for salt brine or water. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ History_of_the_petroleum_industry_in_the_United_States) The drilling for oil became a phenomenon that sparked many new enterprising companies to start their own oil-related ventures. This â€Å"boom† as it commonly referred to, created a need for workers on a massive scale that was not there in the past. They now needed refineries, drilling tools an d most importantly, manpower. There was so much money to be made in the drilling and production of these new wells that loss of a man’s 2 life became known as acceptable risk, and simply turned a blind eye to the likelihood of being injured or killed. In the oilfield’s infancy, the most common cause of death for these men was the well caving in on them, fires, and explosions. It was not until the year 1900, when a Texas man by the name of Curt Hamill came up with the revolutionary idea of using mud in the hole to flush it out as they drilled, instead of water. This proved to be a remarkable act, as not only did it allow the cuttings to surface, it prevented the hole from caving in. mud is used in just about every drilling operation world wide since. (http://www.enpetroleum.com/texasoilboom.html) 2. Training and Impact on the Oil and Gas Industry In today’s oil and gas industry, there is no longer an acceptable risk hazard associated with the work itself. A singl e death is not acceptable, regardless of the circumstance. Most commonly, deaths occur from either fire or unsafe work, although there are many variables in the number of recordable deaths in the oil and gas sector each year. Given today’s higher standards, the oil and gas business have implemented a wide variety of standards, assessments, and analyses on each type of work performed. These new instructions have greatly improved the production, as well as significantly increased the health and safety of all employees involved. The training of potential employees is extensive, with much emphasis on safety procedures and equipment. They receive this training before they are allowed to enter a location where drilling or fracturing is taking place. Even with company specific training, there are still many other classes all potential and present employees must attend. These include but are not limited to fall hazards and protection, tripping hazards, pinch points, chemicals and the ir uses, confined space 3 training, among other certifications. Another key point in the training of new employees is the stress put on what is commonly called stop work authority. This enables any employee to stop work if any perceived or real unsafe condition exists, without repercussion. This can include shutting down a job completely, and cost the company millions of dollars. This was implemented to ensure safe procedures, and safe work

What I learned in this Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

What I learned in this Class - Essay Example Inflation is the persistent increase in prices of goods and services, it decreases the purchasing power of currency. Inflation normally drags productivity as companies are forced to shift resources away from products and services to focus on losses and profits received from currency inflation (Ohanian 2010). Monetary policy is the process the government through its monetary authority tries to control the supply of money and the rate of interest. Monetary decisions are affected by various factors such as long term interests, exchange rates, bonds and equities (Woodford 2010). IS curve is the investment-saving curve where total private investment equals total saving. The equilibrium between savings and investment is portrayed by each point on the curve. Stabilization policy are measures introduced to stabilize a financial or economy crisis (Romer 2000). They are discretionary policy which are business cycle stabilization and crisis. The great recession was observed in world markets at the end of first decade of 21st century. It was caused by widespread failures in financial regulations. The labor market is where employees and workers interact with each other, labor demand is the firm’s demand for labor and labor supply is worker’s supply of labor (Davis 2006). Unemployment applies when people are without work and are actively seeking work. Unemployment highly occurs when an economy is under recession (Elsby 2010). They are different types of unemployment such as structural, classical, cyclical and long-term unemployment. Taxation is the imposition of levies or financial charges on taxpayers in order to finance public expenditures. The tax is collected by a government agency, they are various kinds of taxes such as income, capital gains, value added tax and sales tax (Mankiw 2009). International trade is the exchange of goods, services and capital across international territories (exports and imports). It gives

Analysis on Team Dynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis on Team Dynamics - Essay Example Self managed teams are known to operate in a much effective and efficient manner and their productivity levels are even quite high. This is because when trust is bestowed upon employees, they end up learning at a higher rate and they tend to correct their mistakes and face issues on their own instead of depending on a manager to correct them in their operations. One of the major benefits that self managed team is that such teams are able to identify new ways of performing or attaining targets. Since, these teams are not being lead or are not being provided with the objective of attaining targets, members of these teams tend to come up with their own ideas of performing a particular job which can result in methods that are much effective as well as efficient. A major issue with these teams is that they may end up applying methods to work that may result in heavy losses since they implement trial and error method to figure out new ways to perform tasks. A major disadvantage of a manager controlled team is that in such teams decisions are mostly made by the managers and a manager who is directing such teams may not get the time to work on other important tasks. Mistakes and costs in manager lead teams are quite infrequent as they tend to use methods of operations that have already been tries and tested. Different members in a team are awarded with different roles and these roles contribute to the successful operations of a team. According to Belbin’s Team Role Theory, a team requires a Monitor Evaluator in order make contributions that are unbiased in nature and to analyze different solutions available to a team with a neutral mindset (Utley 284). Another role identified is that of an implementer, an implementer is necessary in a self directed team in order to identify a way to implement the strategy that was created by the team. The role of a shaper is even quite necessary in a particular team to ensure that all team members are focused on the target at hand

Leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Leadership - Coursework Example Deloitte has been operating in Turkey since 1986. With Turkey integrating into the global economic setting, the country continues to gain more importance as a promising and fast growing country as per the strategic business strategy of Deloitte. Deloitte’s business plans include choosing of Turkey as the concerned market and based on that, the company has opened 4 new branches in Turkey besides the office located at Istanbul, which is the headquarter of the company. Deloitte has been attempting to enhance its market penetration by investing in Turkey to a large extent. The company by its investment strategies wishes to hold a leading position within the professional consultancy firms. Thus, it is considered vital for achieving its vision and objectives that the leaders of the Deloitte are developed internally and externally. The leadership process in the firm should be given the topmost priority. The trait theory considers that certain qualities and traits are inherited by the individuals which enable them to be comfortable with the leadership strategies. Trait theory often takes into account particular personality traits or characteristics of the behaviours possessed by the leaders. The trait theory developed from the early research of leadership primarily focuses on searching a group of heritable attributes that differentiates among leaders and non leaders. Trait approach attempts to identify the physiological, demographic, task allied and social characteristics with the emergence of leader and its effectiveness (Spillane, Halverson and Diamond, 2004). A large number of companies consider this theory to be vital for implementing. A question arises if the specific traits are main features of leaders and the leadership process, how will the people be explained who possess such qualities but are not leaders? Existing inconsistencies in the connection between leadership traits and its effectiveness leads the scholars to shift their paradigms

The Many Uses of Adobe Illustrator Essay Example for Free

The Many Uses of Adobe Illustrator Essay With Adobe Illustrator, I can create drawings or pictures for my automotive class. We have a thing where when we are seniors we get a shirt with someone’s drawing on it. In college I can use Illustrator to do basically the same thing, but with different classes. I can use Illustrator in the work force if I decide to be a computer graphic designer; this will be really useful for me to know all the skills in order for me to be able to do a good job at that job. With Adobe Photoshop, I can create different posters, or change pictures, or even create drawings as well. I can use this in school when I again, create the drawings in my automotive class. In college, I can use it, if I take some graphics classes, I can show that I have some experience with Photoshop, and that will probably give me some points in getting accepted to the class. In the work force, I could be a photographer and edit the pictures to my liking and make sure everything looks nice. With Adobe InDesign, I can create posters, flyers, brochures, magazines etc. This will be really useful in High School if I need to create a poster or magazine for a project or for the school itself. In College, I can use it to maybe make a few books or newspapers for the teachers and also maybe for projects. In the work force, I can become a newspaper writer, maybe for the Las Vegas Review Journal. Using Adobe InDesign will be really useful for a newspaper writer, because of all the cool things it can do. With Adobe Flash Professional, I can create animations and videos. In High School this will be really useful if I need to make a video for a project. In college this will be equally important and useful because I can again make videos or animations for some of my classes that may require that. In the work force, I can become a video editor for movies. I can use Adobe Flash to edit the movies and change them how I like them. All these programs relate to each other in different ways. You can upload Adobe Illustrator projects into Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, or Adobe Flash Professional. Each one can be used with other ones. Adobe Photoshop projects can be uploaded to Adobe Flash Professional or Adobe InDesign. They all have an important part in making up the Adobe Creative Suite CS5 because they are equally important. Each one has its own part in helping out people to have creative ideas and make them come to life on the screen.

A Matter of Perception Essay Example for Free

A Matter of Perception Essay â€Å"How often have I dreamt that I was in these familiar circumstances that I was dressed, and occupied this place by the fire, when I was lying undressed in bed? † Rene Descartes in his writings from Meditations on First Philosophy brings to us this very reason of doubt of our senses and perceptions. For we have all â€Å"been deceived in sleep by similar illusions† (Descartes) placing the question, how would we â€Å"know the difference between the dream world and the real world? †(Synopsis: The Matrix) It is very interesting looking back at the works of Plato and Descartes in comparison to more modern works such as the blockbuster hit â€Å"The Matrix†. When examining The Matrix we see a complex world built by machines portraying to the human race a virtual world. This virtual world allows the human race to perceive a reality around them, a world built with the intention of blinding people from the ultimate reality that what they perceive to be real is an illusion. Plato in his famous cave allegory makes wonderful connection to the perceptions of reality and illusions. In Plato’s allegory he talks about prisoners who from childhood were bound to a wall and only capable of seeing shadows cast on a wall of puppets representing humans and animals. â€Å"Then in every way such prisoners would deem reality to be nothing else than the shadows of the artificial objects. †(Plato) In The Matrix Neo is very similar to the prisoner that is in the cave who both eventually finds the truth about the real world. Just as the prisoner, Neo has been living in a cave called the Matrix. This Matrix, like the illusions from the shadows of the uppets in the cave, leaves its prisoners completely ignorant to the fact that the world as they know it is not real. There is another similarity between Plato’s allegory and the Matrix. In Plato’s story the prisoner is assisted by a man who like Morpheus with Neo, helps the prisoner escape and see the world of reality. As these two stories go, Neo and the prisoner are brought to the light of truth and reject the world around them. These characters at first are â€Å"unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen shadows† (Plato). These shadows for Neo were the representations of reality that he had believed in. To the prisoner he believed the shadows to be the reality. However a major difference to note between Plato’s allegory of the cave and the Matrix is that in the Matrix, the prisoners are not physically bound while conscious by chains but mentally trapped in an unconscious state of a perceived reality that is pleasant. The cave however paints a dark picture of enslavement to the shadows to which the prisoners viewing the illusions being bound and chained and blinded from the outside world. Also contrasting when the prisoner escapes from the cave he is escaping to that outside world full of light and life from the dark. The outside world of the Matrix however is a post-apocalyptic world where the sun has been blocked out by clouds from war and pollution. To escape from the Matrix is to journey into the dark as opposed to the light. The desolation of the real world around Neo is what leads him to reject that real world around him. In the cave allegory, the liberated prisoner is blinded by the magnificence of the sun and light around him. The prisoner gradually opens his eyes to seeing real animals and humans instead of just the shadows. The beauty of the real world and real objects is at first what leaves the prisoner in question, objection, pain and then astonishment. The Cave allegory suggests that most men would seek to see reality. However in the Matrix there is an example of the opposite. Cypher sets up Morpheus in a deal with Agent Smith in order to be re-installed into the matrix and have his memory of the outside world wiped. To Cypher â€Å"ignorance s bliss† and he would much rather indulge in the illusion created by the Matrix than live in a harsh world. I believe though that the harshness of reality would be sought after as opposed to accepting the status quo or the illusion. We as members of society (majority) wake up every day go to work come home pay the bills spend our earnings. We live in the harshness of reality that is our world. That being said, I feel it is human nature to challenge the status quo and not accept what we have or know. Why do we as Americans thrive for excess? We do because we are not satisfied with the status quo. I believe that the reason most men would want to escape the cave is because of wonderment and a natural state of not being satisfied with what we have either materialistically or even our thirst for knowledge. Out of selfishness we would escape the cave because â€Å"ignorance of bliss† will not satisfy our core needs. Henry Ford wasn’t happy with how cars were produced so he escaped the cave of production standards. Steve Jobs didn’t think we needed a keyboard anymore so he created a tablet and escaped the cave of technology standards. We all are trapped in our own caves and though most of us are too busy or too afraid to take the risk, we all would take the opportunity to escape our caves and see a new truth come to light just as the prisoner did when he first saw the sun. In the film the Matrix one is able to break the logical governing rules of the program. In the cave you are have no such liberties, you are strictly a prisoner to the physical rules of the natural world around you i. . being physically chained to a wall and unable to move your head and body. In the Matrix, you are able to freely move around in this perceived reality and even bend the rules of the physical world which we see with Neo especially at the end of the film when he dodges bullets from Agent Smiths gun. There are also similarities and differences between the Matrix and Descartes. In Descartes writing he focused on doubting senses and the idea that the world perceived around him could all be merely a dream. I perceive so clearly that there exist no certain marks by which the state of waking can ever be distinguished from sleep, that I feel greatly astonished; and in amazement I almost persuade myself that I am now dreaming. †- Descartes In Neo’s world of the Matrix, humans are in a permanent sleep being used as an energy source for the computers who can no longer draw off the suns power. While in a state of sleep they are fed through cables in the back of their head a programmed simulation of a perceptual world. Descartes touches on this same concept in his dream argument regarding his perception of reality. Is he awake or is he dreaming? Descartes bases his notion of not being able to distinguish reality from a dream due to the point that dreams can release the same sensory information as reality and therefore we must doubt that sense. His argument seeks to doubt the perceptions of the world given to us by our senses. It was also believed by him that there was no way of proving whether or not we are in slumber or awake. In the Matrix that is a big difference because the characters are able to distinguish between this dream world created by the matrix and reality. Descartes also talks about a great deceiver who is the one obscuring our views of reality. In the Matrix we could we could compare that deceiver to those agents in the program. These agents at one point place a bug into Neo and he awakes the next day believing he was just dreaming. Another example of deception of the senses from the movie is when Neo was tricked by his perception of the lady in the red dress who turned out to be an agent. Whether we are all tied onto a wall restricted by the boundaries of the bonds which hold us there or merely in a state of permanent comatose, one thing is certain that our senses and perception of reality are always in question. Descartes believes that we should always be in doubt of our senses. Even in the Matrix Neo had the same question just like Plato and Descartes â€Å"What is the Matrix†( The Matrix) is it a cave or is it a dream that feels so real we don’t know we are in it? It is very interesting to see the connections behind the works of these two philosophers in comparison to a Hollywood presentation of the ultimate question, are we deceived by our perception of reality? Descartes went into an interesting point in his writing and I personally believe as he, there is a God who is ultimately good and would not let me be in a permanent deception. Though I am not going to get into this deeply I will make one additional thought in my writing that these sources brought up. If God is the one who frees us from our caves, who gives us the option to take the red or blue pill and can we truly know if we are awake or asleep?

Volunteer Management Has Become An Important Issue Management Essay

Volunteer Management Has Become An Important Issue Management Essay In a letter declaring September 11th a National Day of Service and Remembrance, President Barack Obama stated, No force for change is more powerful than that of Americans who are making a difference in their communities (Stewart, 2009, p. 28). Individuals who donate their time and expertise to help organizations address a need or concern are examples of these Americans who are making a difference in their communities (Stewart, 2009). Organizations over the past decade have seen a great deal of change in competition from globalization and market demands, causing them to rethink the way they are managed. This applies to both private sector and non-profit/public sector organizations, if they wish to survive in todays economy. Due to the United States economic downturn, non-profit and public sector organizations must find ways to efficiently manage their scarce resources. One of these scarce resources is a well trained and faithful volunteer workforce. Restricted budgets often make it ha rd for management to hire the sufficient number of employees needed to carry out the organizations mission, so a volunteer workforce can help fill those gaps. Volunteer workforces have become essential to fully performing everyday operations from basic office clerical work to arranging and holding fundraising events. Background Volunteer management has become an important issue today because organizational leaders must recruit, retain and motivate their volunteer workforce effectively. A number of organizations report that more volunteer assistance is needed, despite the fact that many Americans are already donating their time. This is why organizations must rethink the way they manage volunteers to recruit and retain the best individuals available. If organizations fail to look at the management of their volunteer workforce, they run the risk of losing their volunteers or not finding new qualified volunteers. In the past, a number of non-profit and public sector organizations had an abundance of individuals who were willing to lend a helping hand. However, times have changed in todays society. With a growing number of organizations needing volunteers and peoples lack of available free time, it has become essential to recruit and retain the appropriate volunteer candidates for the right jobs. Volunteers hav e a number of organizations to choose from, and they will choose the organization whose mission and values most closely align with their mission and values. Over the years a number of authors and researchers have introduced techniques and/or explored issues related to volunteer recruitment, retention and motivation. When developing a way to recruit volunteers, one might look at the talent management approach or a marketing plan that includes the four Ps (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). If improving volunteer satisfaction and retention is a priority, then the human resource management approach and the constructive feedback approach might help. However, neither recruiting the right volunteer nor retaining them is going to matter if the organizations cannot keep them motivated. This is where the psychological contract perspective comes into play, by ensuring volunteers feel appreciated and valued for their donated time. These techniques and approaches help organizations to recruit, retain and motivate volunteers. Purpose The intention of this study is to closely examine the management styles of volunteer programs and how they affect volunteers motivation, recruitment and retention. Today a number of individuals are volunteer coordinators, or responsible for managing volunteers, at organizations located throughout Central Illinois. Unfortunately, there are times that they feel ill equipped to fully understand how to manage volunteers in a way that maximizes retention and reduces turnover. At the same time, the findings of this study can help other volunteer managers and organizational leaders in the Central Illinois community improve their work with volunteer workforces. Ultimately, the individuals who volunteer will be impacted and/or helped by this study because the organizations that enlist their help will be better equipped to manage their needs. By managing the needs of volunteers, an organization can strive to maximize retention and minimize turnover. Direction A survey distributed to volunteers at local non-profit or public sector organizations in Central Illinois would have been the desired method to explore this topic. Answers to a set of survey questions would need to be analyzed in order to see if a particular management style had any effect on a volunteers decision, satisfaction, or motivation at a certain organization. Volunteers being defined as people who willingly and without pay perform a service or undertaking for an organization, and the management style being defined as the methods and techniques organizations use to recruit, retain and motivate volunteers. A case comparison between Central Illinois organizations would be needed to fully address the extent of the studys research question. However, this type of data was either nonexistent or unable to be collected in the time allotted and because of IRB approval. So this study will look at secondary data from the Current Populations Surveys volunteer supplement, two surveys con ducted of volunteers and the perspectives of two individuals who work with volunteers on a daily basis in Central Illinois. The variables from these sources includes the following: volunteers by annual hours, volunteers by number of organizations for which activities were performed, volunteers by type of organization for which volunteer activities were performed, main volunteer activity for organization, volunteers by how they became involved and items that motivate volunteers. By looking at these variables, this study will explore the question: is there a correlation between the management styles in volunteer programs and the effect they have on volunteer motivation, satisfaction and retention in Central Illinois? Literature Review When people think about volunteer management, they usually think about the supervision and selection of volunteers. However, it involves so much more! Volunteer management is an important tool used by organizations to leverage resources to accomplish designated results. It ensures that the community is involved in current issues and ensures that there is buy-in of the organizations mission. At the same time, it strengthens the credibility of the organization in the publics eyes. A number of different authors discuss that good volunteer management must encompass three key areas: (1) volunteer recruitment, (2) volunteer satisfaction/retention and (3) volunteer motivation. Together these three things can create an effective volunteer management system. Without a good balance of the three, organizations could experience high volunteer turnover and dissatisfaction. A number of different methods and techniques have been studied and/or introduced to improve volunteer management. Volunteer Recruitment To have a strong team to assist in their endeavors, first volunteer managers need to recruit good volunteers. Like everything else in volunteer management, there is more to the process than meets the eye. Volunteers do not grow on trees. Most of the time the volunteer manager has to actively search for the right person for the job. This requires the ability to reach out and even educate people about the organizations volunteer needs. On the other hand, sometimes volunteer managers have to weed through a number of interested volunteers to find a good organizational match. Eisner, Grimm, Maynard and Washburn (2009) suggested that a talent management approach be used when recruiting volunteers. With this approach, Eisner and his fellow colleagues felt that the proper volunteer, with the appropriate talent, would be recruited (Eisner et al., 2009). At the same time, it is important to create the proper infrastructure that will not only recruit the appropriate volunteers for the jobs, but place, develop and retain them as well (Eisner et al., 2009). Karl, Peluchette and Hall (2008) observed that volunteers responded positively towards organizations that know how to have a fun workplace. This fun workplace can be created by recruiting the right volunteers through a marketing strategy. Their marking strategy creates an internal marketing plan based on the four Ps (Product, Price, Place Promotion) of the marketing mix (Karl et al., 2008). By conducting a study of their marketing strategies, Karl, Peluchette and Hall (2008) found that organizations had a better success rate when they recruited volunteers by advertising the psychosocial benefits offered for their time (Karl et al., 2008). They also observed that recruitment advertisements that emphasized the personal benefits gained from volunteering were just as effective as the altruistic (i.e. wanting to help out) advertisements (Karl et al., 2008). Basically, volunteers can be recruited by showing the benefits received in lieu of money. It is also important to make sure that the organization has a staff member in the organization that can handle volunteer recruitment efforts. The recruitment techniques can only take the organization so far if it does not have a dedicated staff member to develop the relationship between the organization and interested volunteers. The Urban Institute in 2004 confirmed that there was a correlation between the amounts of time a staff member spent on volunteer management and the ability of the organization to handle additional volunteers (p. 17). However, only three out of five organizations in this study had a staff member devoted to volunteer coordination, despite the fact that a large percentage of organizations report how beneficial volunteers are to their operations (Urban Institute, 2004, p. 8). Volunteer Satisfaction and Retention When it comes to the retention and satisfaction of volunteers within an organization, the way that they are managed can determine whether they stay or find another organization where they can donate their time. In a study by Cuskelly, Taylor, Hoye and Darcy (2006), the implementation of the Human Resource Management (HRM) approach to volunteer management and retention of volunteers was observed. The HRM approach seeks to professionalize and create a business like approach to the management of people. When the approach was implemented, fewer volunteers were reported leaving an organization because of management problems (Cuskelly et al., 2006). When improved planning and orientation was used for volunteers, fewer problems were reported, therefore improving the retention and job satisfaction of volunteers within an organization (Cuskelly et al., 2006). Communication between paid staff and volunteers also plays a major role in volunteer satisfaction and retention. Garner and Garner (2010) found that organizations that encouraged their volunteers to give constructive feedback and keep the lines of communication open had a lower turnover rate than organizations that did not encourage it. Garner and Garner (2010) stated, volunteer satisfaction made little difference in participants communication choices, but participants motivations to volunteer did influence how they communicated problems to paid staff (p. 826). By allowing volunteers to address a problem, and giving them the freedom to figure out a solution, managers are giving them empowerment (Garner Garner, 2010, p. 815). This can increase the volunteers satisfaction with an organization because they can see how their contributions help the organization achieve its mission. However, sometimes it is hard to avoid volunteer turnover in the current economy. Lesley Hustinx (2008) found that in todays society, volunteers motivation for quitting can be caused by both outside and inside pressures. In a survey of ex-volunteers, Hustinx (2008), found a number of pressures that caused individuals to give up their volunteer work. Some of the outside pressures included: time pressures, family commitments and regular job or school schedules (Hustinx, 2008, p. 245). Managers can do little to address these issues. The inside pressures included: management differences and organization of volunteer work (Hustinx, 2008, p. 248). Volunteer Motivation In order to improve volunteer motivation, it is important to make sure that volunteers feel valued and appreciated. It helps them to know that the organization has a genuine concern about their efforts and well-being. Farmer and Fedor (1999) studied the Psychological Contract Perspective approach and how it could motivate volunteers. The Psychological Contract Perspective helps volunteer managers understand volunteer behaviors and motivators. Farmer and Fedor (1999) confirmed that a number of organizations were not meeting the expectations of their current volunteers. However, if the organization was meeting their expectations, then the levels of participation increased (Farmer Fedor, 1999). In a couple of instances the volunteers were willing to overlook their unmet expectations if they shared common values with the organization (Farmer Fedor, 1999). Shortly afterwards, however, Farmer and Fedor (1999) reported that the volunteers would develop a sense of separation from the organ ization because they felt the organization did not care about their well-being. Occasionally, the expectations of volunteers can change as the volunteer activity grows and changes. Wu Luping (2011), in an interview with 24 young volunteers, found that when developing a volunteer activity, special attention should be given to the possibility that people might advance and expand their abilities during the activity (p. 190). This means that more prominence should be placed on the enjoyment received when publicizing volunteer activities (Wilson, 2012). These authors have introduced a number of studies and techniques that volunteer managers and organizational leaders should consider when creating and implementing a volunteer management system. However, most of the authors only focused on one element of a good volunteer management system. In order to have a truly effective system, managers need to encompass these best practices in the recruitment, retention and motivational processes. This is why a study needs to be conducted that can explore all three key areas together, while also looking at what methods and techniques work best to develop a strong and well rounded volunteer management system. Looking at data collected in the past years will help to examine if any of these ideas introduced still have any validity in the current volunteer market. Much like everything else in society, interests and motivations change from generation to generation, so it is important to discover what techniques work best on different demographics. Fur thermore, a technique that works well in one community might not work in another. This is why it is important to study the populations that are in the community. Methodology It is important for individuals who work with volunteers to discover what suitable motivational tools are required for each volunteer when recruiting and retaining the best individual available. When taking into consideration the purpose, and the available data, this study will examine if there is a connection between the management style in volunteer organizations and the effect it has on volunteer recruitment, satisfaction/retention and motivation in Central Illinois. In order to study the areas of volunteer recruitment, retention/satisfaction and motivation, this study will look at the published data collected in the Current Population Surveys volunteer supplement of 2007 through 2011, a research project by Esmond and Dunlop (2004) on developing the volunteer motivation inventory in Western Australia and the 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Volunteer Survey. However, using this secondary data has limitations of only representing the individuals who answered the survey, and it might not represent the population in Central Illinois. Also, a sample of the population might differ from the entire population results. In order to address reliability and validity issues of this data, the perspectives of professionals who work with volunteers on a daily basis at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois will also be incorporated. The Current Population Surveys Volunteer Supplements The Current Population Surveys (CPS) volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011 is a national household survey administered by the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011), the CPS is a survey of about 60,000 households that obtains information on employment and unemployment among the nations civilian population age 16 and over (p. 1). The volunteer supplement is an annual set of questions specifically aimed at gaining information on the rate of volunteering and the characteristics of volunteers in the United States. The survey defines volunteers as persons who did unpaid work (except for expenses) through or for an organization (Current Population Survey, p. 1). This data will examine volunteer recruitment, retention/satisfaction and motivation by looking at the number of hours spent volunteering, type of organization for which volunteer work was performed, volunteer activity performed and how the volun teer became involved with an organization. Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia In the Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia study a total of 2,444 volunteers and 15 organizations participated in a five-stage research process (Esmond Dunlop, 2004). Esmond and Dunlop (2004) also collected the demographic details, such as age, gender, occupation and time spent volunteering from each participant to observe trends (p. 22). The volunteer manager of each organization distributed the survey via mail or internally. How individuals answered the survey questions will allow me to examine what factors motivate volunteers. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Volunteer Survey The 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois is small nonprofit located in Springfield, Illinois that uses volunteers to provide a temporary home away from home for families who have a child seeking medical treatment at a nearby medical facility. In the first quarter of 2012 the House Manager and Executive Director conducted a survey of about twenty-two current house volunteers. The survey was conducted via Survey Monkey and consisted of twenty-five questions. These questions were designed to give the organization a better understanding of their current volunteer pool and the volunteers general satisfaction with the organization. This study will examine selected answers to explore volunteer motivations at a Central Illinois non-profit organization. Together the data collected from these three sources will help in analyzing the current retention, satisfaction and motivation of a sampled population of volunteers. Looking at the percent of the population that volunteers, how many hours they volunteered and what types of activities they performed, this study will explore what methods and techniques work on recruiting and retaining volunteers. The survey results from Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia study and the 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois can be used to explore volunteer motivations at fifteen organizations in Western Australia and from a Central Illinois non-profit organization. Having data samples from various individuals from completely different communities and parts of the world will show if viewpoints differ from community to community. Analysis The analysis of this study will be divided into three sections: (1) volunteer recruitment, (2) volunteer satisfaction and retention and (3) volunteer motivation. Each section has a number of graphs and/or tables that represent the data collected from the sources identified earlier. These graphs and tables will help to better understand the motivations and current volunteer statistics of the sampled population. However, it is important to keep in mind that this only represents the sampled population at the time of collection and not the entire population as a whole. Volunteer Recruitment Table 1 Volunteers by How They Became Involved with Organization Years Percent distribution of how volunteers became involved Approached the organization Was asked by Other Not reporting Boss or employer Relative, friend, or co-worker Someone in the organization/school Someone else 2011 41.6 1.3 15.3 23.8 1.2 13.0 3.8 2010 41.6 1.4 14.9 24.9 1.2 12.4 3.6 2009 40.9 1.7 14.8 26 1.2 12.3 3.1 2008 40.8 1.4 14.2 26.8 1.2 12.6 3 2007 40.1 1.3 14.8 27.2 1.2 12.7 2.7 Note. Percent Distribution of How Volunteers Became Involved with Organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Table 1 shows the percent distribution of how volunteers became involved with their main volunteer activity organization. This information comes from the Current Population Surveys (CPS) volunteer supplements from 2007 to 2011. Over the past five years the way that volunteers have become involved with organizations has stayed relatively the same. This graph shows that volunteers are either recruited by approaching the organization themselves, being asked to volunteer by someone or other forms of volunteer recruitment. Volunteers that approached the organization have steadily stayed around forty percent over the past five years. Additionally, the percentage of volunteers who became involved due to someone asking them has also stayed relatively steady. Adding the percentages of those asked by boss or employer; relative, friend, or co-worker; someone in the organization; or someone else, the total is consistently a higher percentage than the percentage of volunteers who approached the o rganization on their own. This indicates that a greater number of volunteers were recruited by someone asking them to participate, with largest percent being asked by someone within the organization. Figure 1 Figure 1. 2011 Volunteer Rates by Organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011 Figure 1 shows the percentage of volunteers within selected organizations. This data comes from the CPSs volunteer supplement for 2011. In the survey, participants were asked to identify the type of organization where most of their volunteer time was spent. They were given the list of sport, hobby, cultural, or arts organizations; civic, political, professional, or international organizations; educational or youth service; environmental or animal care; hospital or other care; public safety; religious; social or community service; and other (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). The results show that the greatest percentage of volunteers spends their time with religious organizations at thirty-three percent and educational or youth service organizations at twenty-six percent. Volunteer Satisfaction and Retention Figure 2 Figure 2. Number of Volunteers Percent of Population. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 2 shows the number of reported volunteers from 2007 to 2011 and the percentage of the general population that make up this volunteer core in the United States. Again this data comes from the CPSs volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011. The results show that over the past five years the number of volunteers has steadily stayed around sixty million, with a slight dip between 2009 and 2011. The volunteer rate rose 0.2 percent from 2007 to 2008, 0.4 percent from 2008 to 2009 and dropped 0.5 percent between 2009 and 2010. However, it rose again 0.5 percent from 2010 to 2011. The data shows that the percentage of the population that volunteered has stayed steady (around twenty-six percent) over the past five years. Figure 3 Volunteers By Annual Hours of Volunteer Activities Figure 3. Volunteers by annual hours of volunteer activities. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 3 shows the results from the CPSs volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011. In the survey participants were asked to fill in their average hours spent on volunteer activities for the year. The data was then coded into the categories: not reporting hours, 1 to 14 hours, 15 to 49 hours, 50 to 99 hours, 100 to 499 hours and 500 or more hours (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). This graph represents the percentage results of their responses. The results show that the greatest majority of volunteers, at about twenty-nine percent, are spending between 100 to 499 hours on their activities. However, it significantly drops from 500 or more hours. Figure 3 also shows that from 2007 to 2011 each category of reported hours has stayed fairly constant. Figure 4 Figure 4. Main volunteer activity for organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 4 represents the percentage of main volunteer activities for organizations. The results were collected from the CPSs volunteer supplement for 2007 through 2011, in particular the questions that dealt with the type of volunteer activities conducted at their main organization. The main organization is defined as the organization where the volunteer worked the greatest amount of hours during the year (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). The results show which activities had the greatest percentage of volunteers over the past five years, with the highest percentage being in the category of other activities, and the next highest in fundraising or selling items to raise money. Over the past five years each category, except collecting food and teaching/tutoring, has stayed at the same percentage of participation from volunteers. Collecting/serving food has seen a slight increase, while teaching/tutoring has seen a slight decrease from 2007 to 2011. Volunteer Motivation Table 2 Distribution of Responses to Volunteer Motivation Inventory Motivational items Survey question Percentage of Responses Disagree Undecided Agree Values I volunteer because I believe I am meeting a need in the community in my volunteering role 1.4 2.8 95.8 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering makes the world a better place 4.7 5.3 90 I volunteer because I believe everyone should volunteer 39 20.3 40.7 Self-Esteem I volunteer because I feel that volunteering is a feel-good experience 14.1 10.4 75.5 I volunteer because volunteering makes me feel like a good person 25.4 17.3 57.3 I volunteer because volunteering makes me feel useful 10 8 82 Personal Growth I volunteer because I feel that volunteering gives me a better understanding of what life is about 10.7 10.4 78.9 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering has given me the opportunity to appreciate the differences in people 16.6 14.3 69.1 I feel more settled in myself after volunteering 26.4 23.5 50.1 Career Development I volunteer because I feel that I make important work connections through volunteering 70.8 13.5 15.7 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering will help me to find out about employment opportunities. 77 12.7 10.3 I volunteer because volunteering gives me an opportunity to build my work skills. 56 14.1 29.9 Social Interaction I volunteer because the social opportunities provided by the agency are important to me. 53.2 20.7 26.1 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering is a way to build ones social networks. 54.1 19.8 26.1 I volunteer because volunteering provides a way for me to make new friends. 40.7 16.7 42.6 Recognition Being appreciated by my volunteer agency is important to me. 10 11.6 78.4 Being respected by staff and volunteers at the agency is not important to me. 75.3 8.2 16.5 I feel that it is important to receive recognition for my volunteering work. 50.4 18.6 31 Note. Distribution of Responses to Volunteer Motivation Inventory. Adapted from Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia, by P.J. Esmond P. Dunlop, 2004 Table 2 represents the percentage of responses from some motivational questions that were pulled from the Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia. The responses to questions related to volunteer motivational factors were coded on a one to five scale, with one being strongly disagree, two disagree, three undecided, four agree and five strongly agree (Esmond Dunlop, 2004). Table 2 shows the percentage of responses to the selected survey questions, with strongly disagree and disagree combined into one category, and the same with agree and strongly agree, while undecided was a separate category. The results indicate that most of the respondents are motivated by their values, self-esteem, personal growth, and recognition. It also indicates that social interaction and career development have significantly lower impact on their motivation to volunteer. Values such as believing that they are making a difference in the community play a highly significant role in volunteer motivation. Volunteering because it makes them feel good also plays a significant role in volunteer motivation. Being appreciated by the volunteer agency and receiving recognition was also regarded highly for volunteer motivation. (Continued on Next Page) Table 3 Distribution of Responses to RMHCCI 2012 Volunteer Survey Survey question Percentage of Responses Good Average Poor

Prohibition and the Birth of Organized Crime Essay examples -- America

Prohibition in the United States was a measure designed to reduce drinking by eliminating the businesses that manufactured, distributed, and sold alcoholic beverages. The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took away license to do business from the brewers, distillers, vintners, and the wholesale and retail sellers of alcoholic beverages. The leaders of the prohibition movement were alarmed at the drinking behavior of Americans, and they were concerned that there was a culture of drink among some sectors of the population that, with continuing immigration from Europe, was spreading (â€Å"Why Prohibition† 2). Between 1860 and 1880 America's urban population grew from 6 million to more than 14 million people. The mass of this huge increase found itself toiling in factories and sweatshops and living in horrible social conditions; getting drunk was there only highlight in life. Prohibition is the legal ban on the manufacture and sale of intoxicating drink (â€Å"Temperance, Prohibition, Alcoholism† 1). The term also denotes those periods in history when such bans have been in force, as well as the political and social movements condoning them. This method of liquor control was most often aimed at preventing alcoholism and thus removing a social, physical, and economic harm from society. Many Americans, religious leaders, and political leaders saw alcohol as the key to all that was evil, a curse on the nation. Significant numbers of people believed that the consumption of alcoholic beverages presented a serious threat to the integrity of their most vital foundations, especially the family (â€Å"Prohibition† 846). In the 1600's and 1700's, the American colonists drank large quantities of beer, rum, wine, and hard cider. These alcoholic beverages were often safer to drink than impure water or unpasteurized milk and also less expensive than coffee or tea. By the 1820's, people in the United States were drinking, on the average, the equivalent of 7 gallons of pure alcohol per person each year (â€Å"drinkingprohibition† 1). As early as the seventeenth century, America was showing interest towards prohibition. Some people, including physicians and ministers, became concerned about the extent of alcohol use (â€Å"There was one...† 1). They believed that drinking alcohol damaged people's health and moral behavior, and promoted poverty. People concerned about alcohol use u... ... begun in 1934, succeeded in helping alcoholics (â€Å"History† 3).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prohibition failed to improve health and virtue. Prohibition was supposed to be an economic and moral godsend. Prisons and poorhouses were to be emptied, taxes cut, and social problems eliminated. Prohibition did not achieve its goals. Instead, it added to the problems it was intended to solve and supplanted other ways of addressing problems. The only successors of Prohibition were bootleggers, crime bosses, and the forces of big government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Prohibition of alcohol was probably the most senseless Amendment in the history of the United States of America. Everyday people were forced to change their penchants of drinking alcoholic beverages. But only a minority really quit drinking, all the others became criminals. Any violator of the liquor law had the fear of getting caught. And some of them were arrested and convicted just for drinking alcohol. The illegal liquor business, caused by Prohibition, was the start of organized crime in the USA. Many politicians and other officials in all positions became corrupt and criminal. This state remained even after the repeal of the liquor law for a long time.

Benevolent Assimilation: The American Conquest of the Philippines, 1899

Benevolent Assimilation: The American Conquest of the Philippines, 1899-1903 Miller provides an account of the American-Philippines war from 1899-1903, revealing aspects of United States imperialism that are often forgotten. Miller provides both a military history as well as a demonstration of the way America lied and forgot its history, justifying war and colonization as a step for greater good. America's involvement in the Philippines is sometimes remembered as an act to protect Filipino's from Spain, and to "teach' them American democracy. Other historians look to the war as a part of American imperialism linked to its capitalist and racist nature. Many other historians argue that imperialism was a short lived mistake in American history that was just one stumble in the country's greatness. Miller's account shows, in great detail, the slipperiness of events which happened, and the ways in which individuals can hold the power of nations. Generally America's conquest of the Philippines is understood to be motivated by the expansion of democracy. The Unit ed States was already actively expanding and conquering land and people, but for the most part they were doing so in regions thought to be geographically logical. Expanding to the west was not considered colonization, but once the U.S. reached the far away islands of the Philippines, their actions seemed to need a larger explanation to be justified. The United States moving beyond its natural proximity made the Philippines a more problematic site, and therefore easier to understand as an act of imperialism. Miller argues that when the United States was just beginning to get involved in the Philippines few people new anything about the islands. There were no intention... ...d Beveridge, the anti-imperialists were letting the people off the hook and in their own way preserving the American sense of innocence†¦If anything, they seemed to take their cues from their leader in the White House by first putting out of mind all the sordid episodes in the conquest, and then forgetting the entire war itself (253). The United States conquest of the Philippines and the ways it is remembered is one aspect of this countries history of imperialism. This war stems out of energy left from the Civil War, the United States competition with Spain, and later feeds into the Vietnam War. This story is all too reflective of the current situation in Iraq and the war on terrorism. According to Miller, the United States hides its imperialism behind the name of democracy and civilization, claiming to act for the better of people "unable" to govern themselves.

Hydrologic Cycle, Tectonic Plates, Natural Resources

1. Describe the path a molecule of water might follow through the hydrologic cycle from the ocean to land and then back again. The water evaporates from all over the world but let’s say it is evaporates from the oceans to form clouds that are moved over land by many of winds. The rainfall then brings it to earth where it will return to oceans by creeks to river, and some lakes then back to the ocean. 5. Describe at least one example of the environmental costs of water diversion from rivers to farms or cities. There can be so many different consequences from river diversion, downstream river discharge is reduced, the evaporation in the overall irrigation region is increased, and the level of water table rises these are just a few. The effects of reduced downstream river discharge could be reduced flooding, disappearance of wetlands and flood forest, reduced availability of potable water, and reduced shipping routes. 6. Explain the difference between point and nonpoint pollution. Which is harder to control? Why? Point pollution is a pollution that comes form one specific site. Nonpoint pollution is a pollution that comes from many different sources rather that one. I would have to say that nonpoint would be harder to control because of it coming from many different sites instead of from one place. Discussion Questions 1. What changes might occur in the hydrologic cycle if our climate were to warm or cool significantly? I think that if the climate get warmer the ground will the harder and harder as time goes, then on the same day or another could be really bad storms with warmer air it is causing stronger winds and storms, with lots of flashfloods. The cooler the climate there will be more run off less infiltration and soil will be very hard. 6. Under what conditions might sediment in water or cultural eutrophication be beneficial? How should we balance positive and negative effects? Sediment is important in depositing new soil in delta areas for better crops. Eutrophication is the addition of phosphates and other plant nutrients to the water causing excessive plant growth, then the lower areas die without sun, and the decomposition of the dead material uses to much oxygen and fish die. With the cultural eutrophication indicates that man is involved. We have removed phosphates from detergents, but farming and golf courses and other things still contribute to pollution. I can not and will not find any positive or beneficial effects out of this. Chapter 11 Text Practice Quiz Questions 1. How does tectonic plate movement create ocean basins, midocean ridges, and volcanoes? Tectonic plate’s movement creates ocean basins, mid-ocean ridges, through collision. Colliding plates push sedimentary materials into an uplifted mass of rock that contains numerous folds and faults. The Earth has undergone a number of mountain building periods. The process of creation is first by the accumulation of sediments then the tectonic collision causes rock deformation and crystal uplift and finally the isocratic rebound continues to cause uplift despite erosion and causes the development of new mountain peaks through block faulting. 7. Describe some of the mining, processing, and drilling methods that can degrade water or air quality. This can be done by water mining they use extraction of water from non-replenishing groundwater or glacial reserves. What resources, aside from minerals themselves, can be saved by recycling? There are so many helpful things by recycling; by recycling you will save space in the landfill for something else that can not be recycled. You can use your food scraps for compost, along with your yard clippings. Clothing and furniture give to goodwill; this is a must in my home. With some effort people could cut their garbage going into landfills by half. Discussion Questions 2. Geologists are responsible for identifying and mapping mineral resources. But mineral resources are buried below the soil and covered with vegetation. How do you suppose geologists in the field find clues about the distribution of rock types? Mineral exploration is the process undertaken by companies, partnerships or corporations in the endeavor of finding ore to mine. They use many different methods to find the materials. The Geophysical Method is where they use an instrument to check for variation in gravity, magnetism, electromagnetism and a number of different variables in a certain area. They could use remote sensing it gives the explorer orientation information about the location of tracks, roads and fences, as well as the habitation. 5. The idea of tectonic plates shifting across the earth’s surface is central to explanation of geologic processes. Why this idea is still called the â€Å"theory† of plate tectonic movement? Continental Drift was first proposed by Wegener, there were many geologists who opposed his ideas & they put forward reasons for their objections that were justifiable at the time. As geological science has developed since 1915, Continental Drift changed to the Theory of Plate Tectonics which also, originally had its critics. Answers to these criticisms have gradually been found though, but because these solutions have been developed slowly over many years, the theory of plate tectonics has yet to be officially changed to the principles of plate tectonics. Chapter 12 Text Practice Questions 3. What are the major sources of global commercial energy? I think that most of our commercial energy would come from gases, oils, and coal. 6. What are proven-in-place reserves? The quantity of energy sources estimated with reasonable certainty, from the analysis of geologic and engineering data, to be recoverable from well established or known reservoirs with the existing equipment and under the existing operating conditions. 16. What are biofuels, and how could they contribute to sustainability? Biofuels are made from the starch or oil portion of plant materials. Some are even made from the fats of animals. In general, ethanol is the fermented starch fuel and biodiesel is the refined oil and fats. Biofuels are important PART of the solution to declining and ever more expensive petroleum supplies. Biofuels can be used together with technologies such as hybrid vehicles and plug-in vehicles. The Chevy Volt is announced to be a plug-in vehicle with a small Flex Fuel Vehicle engine to charge the batteries. Even the new Cadillac Escalade hybrid has been announced as a Flex Fuel Vehicle. Discussion Questions 3. If your local utility company were going to build a new power plant in your community, what kind would you prefer? Why? I think that I would want it to be a wind power plant because wind is natural no harmful things would be burning or have a chance for some kind of spill out. I would mostly have to say wind. 4. The nuclear industry is placing ads in popular magazines and newspapers, claiming that nuclear power are environmentally friendly, since it doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect. How do you respond to that claim? I would have to say that it might be some what environmentally friendly but I would have to ague that fact of it rising the temperatures of ocean waters. They say it is local but does that water just stay right there? NO it moves about everywhere mixing with all the other water changing the temperature.

American living in Qatar

Every year a considerable number of Americans leave their country to accomplish some obligations or accomplishments overseas. American expatriates have to take some things into consideration if they are to be successful in attaining their objectives. It is very important to ensure that if one is going overseas to accomplish the goals of a company that he or she works with, then the company ought to provide the required resources to facilitate their easy settlement. It is also very critical that the expatriate attains or rather acquire some basic information on the host country’s culture and language if they are to relate well with the locals.Companies in the US that send their workers overseas ensure that the individuals in question fulfill other important obligations for instance to their spouses as well as to their families. Qatar is a Middle East country that has been able to register an increasing economic growth courtesy of its rich oil and gas reserves. Oil and gas contr ibute to a tune of 60% of the country’s total GDP, 85 % of the export earnings and 70% of the government revenues. (CIA, 2008). Despite the fact that it has the highest per capita income the recent inflation rates have raised much concerns.According to the country’s Central Bank the inflation rate has since the last quarter of the year 2006 fluctuated from 11. 3 to 14. 8, 12. 8 and 13. 7. (Qatar Central Bank). Analysts argue that the increasing inflation rate is attributed to the increasing oil prices and the fluctuating value of the US dollar. (AME Info, 2008). Qatar foundation for Education Science and Community Development is a chartered non profit organization whose main focus is to develop the country’s human capital to match the demands of the competitive world. To attain this goal the foundation supports important projects like the Education City.Housing cost Qatar like the other oil producing countries has been registering increased housing costs aggrava ted by the world surging prices of food and energy. The cost of housing is thought to have risen by approximately three times what it initially was. Single expatriates are estimated to spend approximately 12,000 Qatar Riyals for rent and utilities while married couples with two children would require 25,000 Qatar Riyals for the same. (UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Cost of living in Qatar Increased inflation rates in Qatar have precipitated the increased cost of living and the prices of almost all products have gone up.Expatriates who have been unable to afford to lead decent lives have been forced to leave Qatar. Americans working in the Qatar universities as well as in the Education City have had to increase the money spent on various activities. The cost of almost everything has risen at a high level. Entertainment costs, travel costs as well as communication costs have also risen. Single persons are estimated to spend 3,000 Qatar Riyals on food and domestic needs while married co uples with two children would require 6000 Qatar Riyals.Single persons are estimated to spend transport and communication 800 Qatar Riyals, 600 for clubs and sports and on clothing and sundries 1,100 Qatar Riyals would be used. (UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Married couple with two children would need 1,500 Qatar Riyals on transport and communication, 900 Qatar Riyals on clubs and sports and 1,400 Qatar Riyals for clothing and sundries. Taxation. Although the Qatar government taxes corporations doing business within its borders it does not tax personal income and this is an incentive to work.Without this tax then the disposable income is relatively high compared with a situation where it was applied. (Wallace, 2005). Health care Health care in Qatar is free for the Qatar citizens but American expatriates have to pay for their health care. Prior arrangements must be made if they are to have the cost of their health care covered by their insurances otherwise they are expected to pay i n cash after they are treated. It is estimated that after the inflationary effects, health care for an executive expatriate was 500 Qatar Riyals (QR) for a single person and 700 for a family with two children.(UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Education The government of Qatar does not provide free education to foreigners who must make their own arrangements on where their relevant family members are to get educated. Americans working in the Qatar university as well as the Education City take their children to international schools in the country. The cost of education has also risen as school fees have been raised tremendously. The school fee for two children was estimated to be 2,500 Qatar Riyals. (UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Advantages of living in Qatar Qatar is an exciting country to live and work in.American expatriates can enjoy living in the country which favors pro-American business climate. Qatar is focused in ensuring that it enhances economic modernization and is ready to face up the challenge. Working in such a country is good especially for the expatriates as their efforts can be fast and well appreciated. (Wallace, 2005). There is political stability in the Qatar and president Emir favors strong US relations while advocating for regional peace and stability. Approximately four fifth of the people working in Qatar are expatriates from other countries and this diversity is beneficial for the American living and working in Qatar.The country has a reduced incidence of crime and terror attacks against Americans are minimal. (Wallace, 2005). Disadvantages of living in Qatar The legal system in Qatar is not very clear cut. Again, being a Muslim country where the Islamic laws are followed at the expense of civil codes it is unclear for the American expatriates to understand what is expected of them. (Karamanaian). The increased cost of living is also a disadvantage of living in Qatar as when people spend more money to meet their basic needs there is littl e amount left as savings. Investment is reduced when there is reduced savings.Meeting other obligations becomes difficult as most of the earnings are spent to meet the basic needs like on food, education and health. American expatriates must respect the culture of the people of Qatar and by doing so they have to forego some of the things they believe in. Teachers must censor anything that does not auger well with the Islamic beliefs. This paper has by and large examined the plight of an American living and working in Qatar. It has discussed the hardships that such a person undergoes as well as the opportunities that one has at their disposal while working in the Qatar University or Education City.Working in Qatar has both its advantages as well as disadvantages. The cost of living is relatively high due to the increasing inflation. There are challenges to be overcome if one is to be successful in fulfilling his or her accomplishments. Respecting the culture of the Qatar people will be a necessity rather than a requirement if one is to effectively fulfill ones obligations. Censorship must be used where necessary to ensure that the people culture is respected. Language barrier can be a problem for an American working in Qatar as most students are conversant with Arabic language and translations could distort the intended meaning.References: AME Info. 2008. Inflation puts Qatar dollar peg back under the spotlight. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from http://www. ameinfo. com/160201. html. CIA. The World Fact book. Qatar. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/qa. html Douglas Wallace. 2005. Rules of doing business in Qatar. http://www. export. gov/middleeast/country_information/qatar/ConsiderQatarGuide. pdf. Qatar Foundation. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from http://www. qf. edu. qa/output/page1. asp UK Trade & Investment, 2008 Countries: Asia – Middle East –Qatar. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from https://www. uktradeinvest. gov. uk/ukti/appmanager/ukti/countries;jsessionid=H2GdxSvn8fZhzxLlnbjH9KSN1YQQPThB4lsz6gPBJ2kn35lGVftL! 750510! NONE? _nfpb=true&portlet_3_5_actionOverride=%2Fpub%2Fportlets%2FgenericViewer%2FshowContentItem&_windowLabel=portlet_3_5&portlet_3_5navigationPageId=%2Fqatar&portlet_3_5navigationContentPath=%2FBEA+Repository%2F325%2F226889&_pageLabel=CountryType Susan Karamanaian. Lessons learnt from an American in the Gulf States. Qatar Central Bank. 2006. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from http://www. qcb. gov. qa/.

Individual Development Plan Essay

Life is a never-ending learning experience. One of the most important lessons we can ever learn from comes from within. As we go through life, it is essential that we learn who we are, and have the ability to recognize and grow from our own personal strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what we are good at and what we are weak in is the only way we can truly grow as individuals. This knowledge helps us to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves in life. Through taking these personal inventory tests of my strengths and weaknesses, I have determined what I need to do not only to better understand who I am, but how to improve my life. All my life, I’ve been known to be serious, dutiful, and reserved. My parents instilled a great deal of order and structure upon us so that if they happen to not be around we would know what to do. Coming from a family of four girls, me being the 2nd to the oldest, I had to be a good role model for my other sisters. While my parents worked, my older sister and I were responsible to watch the younger sisters, do choirs and then homework. Coming home from school, I always made sure that all these things expected of me is accomplished before I go out to play. We used to live in a big apartment complex with maybe 150 units so there were many kids around the neighborhood to play with. Our most favorite activity is to ride our bikes around the complex, racing at times, but most of the time just riding, talking and joking around. I was always a little older than most of the kids, but they loved hanging around with me because I always took care of them and made sure that know one dared them into doing something they couldn’t do. As a teenager, I was pretty down to earth. Being the responsible and thoughtful person that I am, I always try to do the appropriate thing at the appropriate time. I felt that each person should earn one’s keep and got a part time job to help the family out. More like so that I wouldn’t have to ask for money from my parents. They should only be responsible for the livelihood of the family. I often spent the money I made on practical things  that I needed instead of fashion like most of my friends. A person should be responsible for their own destiny instead of being totally dependent on someone for survival. At the age of sixteen, I started my first semester in college. This was the right path for me and the one that I’ve been planning for. My motivation to go and complete my college education, stemmed from the fact I will be the first person in my family tree to be educated and being able to accomplish a goal. Failure was not an option and was never able to understand why so many people decide to drop out. Being a freshman, I really didn’t know what I wanted to study. I knew that majors such as liberal arts would not be something I would chose because I felt they are not practical. What will I learn from it and what job will I do using those skills? So I chose biology. Within two years, I discovered this was not for me either because science never posed concrete answers to questions. There are specific steps you need to take to acquire an answer but the answers can be different when controls are moved around or changed. Business management was my next choice because the concepts were practical and useful. After taking all the self-assessment tests on personality styles, I’ve determined that the term ‘personality style’ generally means the ways in which one is most comfortable when reacting to different situations. I also discovered that while controversy surrounds the theories of personality style assessments, the practice of self-assessment with the intent of greater self-awareness can be helpful in maximizing my ability to understand what is really important to me and the traits which will impact my likeliness to succeed or fail at various careers. If we have a good understanding of our self we can make the most of natural strengths and build on skills in areas in which we are less confident. In order to fully assess my strengths, I first determined the areas that I am most competent in. I generally consider myself to be a well organized individual. Everyday, I prioritize my daily activities by reviewing my never  ending â€Å"to do† list. I am particularly strong and careful in keeping track of facts and details. At work, my job is to plan all the activities of the operations department and report on the activities of the engineering development to upper management. Therefore being systematic, thorough and sincere is important to accomplishing any task that I do. Hardworking and dependable is how most people describe me. Given any assignment, I will get the job done or completed on schedule. When a shipment date has been committed to the customer, I will make sure that the order gets shipped to the right place at the right time. I will often take on extra responsibilities in order to maintain what I think is important. Like the Lemuel Green case presented in class, my motivation is the feeling of existence within an organization. I need to feel that what I do is important to both the company and the people I work with. I consider myself a team player. I often provide assistance to fellow employees when they are in a bind. I am appreciated by my peers for always lending a helping hand when needed. I take pleasure in offering my skills, suggestions or perspective to my co-workers when I think it would be useful to them. According to the five factor theory, I rank highest at being conscientious and lowest at being extraverted. In between are emotional stability, agreeableness and openness to experience. I think this is also right about my personality because I tend to be very aware of my surroundings which allows for flexibility when adapting to any type of environmental or situational change. I’m also emotionally stable, can easily be approached, and always open for different experiences. This is important because Another method I used for assessing personality style is the widely known and recognized, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a test â€Å"derived from psychologist Carl Jung’s theory on psychological types† (Robbins, 2001). According to this test, I am an introvert, sensing, thinking, judgment or ISTJ. For each of the words or letters that I identify most strongly with, is an opposite trait that I have less association with. For example, I am definitely much more of an introvert than an extrovert, as evidenced in quiet and reserved  personality. I am also more of a sensor that an intuitor, because intuitors love ideas, broad concepts and meanings, whereas sensors focus on facts and details. I consider myself more of a thinker than a feeler, because I value critical and logical thinking over doing what I feel is right. And lastly, I see myself as being more a judger than perceiver because like judgers, I believe truth wins out over tact. Within each of my strengths lies a weakness. One of my most noticeable and possibly destructive weaknesses is overlooking the long-range implications of the actions I choose to take. I tend to get really excited about a task at hand and find myself half way through that I should have taken a step back, thought about it, and then take action. This can affect my performance and the ability to complete tasks efficiently and on schedule in this results-driven world. As described earlier, I am able to work well within organizational structures, however there are a few things I need to work on in terms of team dynamics. I am not very personable. When meeting with teams or people, I often focus on the purpose at hand. I seldom take the time to know people and often run the danger of inappropriately passing judgment on them. Also in relation to working in teams is my tendency to expect everyone to be as logical and analytical as I am. This is an unreasonable expectation because people are different and I should look at it as an opportunity to learn new insights and ideas. Another significant weakness for me is the inability to express myself creatively whether it is written or verbal. I have a realistic respect for facts and am extremely dependent on it when performing daily tasks. I don’t feel like I rebuff creativity, I tend not to pay much attention to it. When thinking or speaking I try to focus only on reaching my point. I usually a have a solid perception of the concepts or purpose but often run into problems when trying to build a framework that links all the parts together creatively. Whether it is Myers-Briggs or the five factor model, these methodologies all  showed me that I have several strengths, which I have used throughout my life. The fact that I’m realistic, systematic and organize enables me to work well within any organizational structure. I am very thorough, hard working, and careful with particulars and procedures. My practical judgment and valuing of procedure makes me consistent and conservative. I need to assemble all the necessary facts in order to support my evaluations and decisions.