The American Workforce How It Has Changed free essay sample

The American Workforce: How It Has Changed Kathy Reed SOC304: Social Gerontology Professor Marie Mika August 1, 2011 The American Workforce: How It Has Changed The workforce has always been the backbone of America, ever since the beginning of time to the modern world of today. It begin with the men of the family going out and working, while the women stayed at home and took care of the children and the home. The workforce for men and women has changed because of the consequences of age, gender, immigration, politics, education and the economy. Even though the workforce has been affected by these consequences, the question is now, what can be done to make sure it is sustainable for the future. The following will cover the consequences of change, healthcare cost, and housing needs, social security, and programs for the aging. First, the consequences, such as age, gender, immigration, politics, education and the economy has made the percentage of the workforce change drastically. We will write a custom essay sample on The American Workforce: How It Has Changed or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lee, M. A. , Mather,M. , (2008) states that: â€Å"the historical growth of the U. S. labor force in the four decades is linked to two main factors: growth in population size and increases in women’s labor force participation rates. In the 1960s, the U. S. labor force increased by 1. 7 percent annually as baby boomers those born during the high-fertility period from 1946-1964 started to enter the workforce. Labor force growth accelerated during the 1970s as more baby boomers reached adulthood. At the same time, women started to enter the labor force in greater numbers. As a result of both of these trends, the labor force grew at a fast pace of 26 percent each year. † There are several people of the baby boomer era, including myself, that have changed jobs more once throughout our life growing and preparing for a comfortable life for our family and the future, there are some that have retired, became disabled or suffered the loss of a loved one, but with the workforce changes, some of us have suffered more than one type of loss. According to, Dennis Cauchon: only 45. % of Americans had jobs in 2010, the lowest rate since 1983 and down from a peak of 49. 3% in 2000. Last year, just 66. 8% of men had jobs, the lowest on record. The bad economy, an aging population and a plateau in women working are contributing to changes that pose serious challenges for financing the nation’s social programs. For example, job troubles appear to have slowed a trend of people working later in life, putting more pressure on Social Security says Marc Goldwei n. Another change: the bulk of those not working have shifted from children to adults. The aging of 77 million baby boomers born from 1946 through 1964 from children to workers to retirees is changing the relationship between workers and dependents. † In the trends of men and women working, they are different because, when looking back in history, men has always been the person to build a financial basis for the family and over time women have increase their presence in the workforce, which added to the financial basis of the family structure. Then there are women who are single parents and they have increased the workforce as well, they sometimes have more than one job. Then there is the diversity, racial and ethical differences in the workforce make up a large ratio when it comes to any race or ethnic group according to various surveys. Another trait that affects the baby boomers is age discrimination, because of the economy; some employers are finding ways to get rid of, force retirement or lay off older employees and replace them with younger employees that will accept the pay offered just to have a job or an opportunity to excel throughout the company. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) banned discrimination against workers aged 40 to 65 and forbade employers to fire, demote, or reduce the salaries of older workers without good cause. Yet age discrimination still occurs. Although ads stating that no one over 40 will be hired are no longer legal over 20,000 claims of age discrimination are filed each year. The problem is proving it. Although the ADEA has prevented employers from many older workers, it has had little effect on hiring (Quadagno, 2011, p. 235). When a person gets to the age ransition (40 or older) of working for years, raising their family, there comes the time when you have to start preparing for retirement, not just planning it. The children are getting older or have already left the house and started on their own. People will consider the benefits they will receive when they retire and health benefits are very important because of the possibilities of health concerns that are current or that cou ld happen later in life. Retirement is also the time to think about taking time to enjoy the time off, being with family, friends and the grandchildren. Also trying to stay active and healthy is an important part of retirement. When a person has worked for certain of years for a company to provide for their family and themselves and they want their retirement to reflect the success of planning and preparing and that it will be able to sustain their way of living in their retirement years. Lauer, R. H. , Lauer, J. C. , (2008, P. 290), writes â€Å"that all things change. The American economy, the nature of work, and the nature of the workforce are vastly different today from what they were at various times in the past. Initially, the Unites States was an agrarian society, that is, a society in which agriculture is the dominant form of work and people and animals are the major sources of energy. In the competitive context of the global economy, a number of changes have occurred that are detrimental to the well-being of many American workers. As a results of such changes, many Americans are not only unable to better their lot in comparison to their parents, but are finding them worse off than their parents. † The United States Department of Labor (USDL) states: â€Å"who are the workers of the future? Many of them will be older versions of us. In fact, over half of the population of 2030 is alive today. Over the next fifty years, the population of the United States is expected to grow by nearly 50 percent, from about 257 million in the year 2000 to an estimated 394 million people in 2050. U. S. population growth is influence by immigration and emigration rates, as well as by birth and death rates. Immigration will play the largest role in the growth of the Unites States through mid-century. † Additionally, there is the health care and cost of the aging population, which is those that were born between 1946 and 1969 and most of the baby boomers are preparing to retire. The health care cost for the aging can increase drastically, because of the number of aging adults entering retirement and some have insurance coverage for of their current health conditions and others may not, but is there also the concern for future health concerns, and whether or not they will be able to pay they those services if needed or if their insurance will cover it. A healthier lifestyle can help increase a longer life and decrease the multiple health concerns and conditions a person can acquire from aging. David M. Lawrence (2010,p. 82-85) writes, what liable to happen in the next forty years in medical advancements and healthcare? We propose a scenario. Some things don’t change. We will still get old and gradually lose our facilities, our mobility, even our independence. Eventually we will die, most of us suffering from chronic conditions. Death will not be an option, nor will it’s prelude be a gentle descent. To believe differently is to live with false hope. But by 2050, important changes will occur in the medical care we will receive and the way in which we receive it. Victoria R Ballesteros Athan G Bezaitis, (2011,p. 50-52) writes, in June 2009, The SCAN Foundation commissioned a national survey to understand public opinion toward long- term care and its association with healthcare reform. The poll overwhelmingly demonstrated people’s concern about being able to afford long-term care services in the future, and showed broad-based support for improving coverage for home and community based services. Nine out ten Americans (92%) said it was important insurance coverage for services that help people remain in their homes instead of going to skilled nursing facilities. Furthermore, eight in ten Americans (80%) supported improving insurance coverage for home and community based long-term care services as part of healthcare reform, again with support crossing party lines. According to Science Daily (2010, December 20) increased life expectance in the United States has not been accompanied by more years of perfect health, reveals new research published in the December issue of the Journal of Gerontology. Indeed, a 20 year old today can expect to live one less healthy year over his or her lifespan than a 20 year old a decade ago, even though life expectancy has grown. From 1970-2005, the probability of a 65 year old surviving to age 85 doubled, from about a 20 percent chance to a 40 percent chance. Many researchers presumed that the same forces allowing people to live longer, including better health behaviors and medical advances, would also delay the onset of disease and allow people to spend fewer years of their lives with debilitating illness. Although such factors as heredity and biology partially determine whether an individual develops a chronic disease, research also shows that social factors play an important role. The likelihood of developing a chronic disease that produces disability is partly a function of one’s health lifestyle, defined as a pattern of behavior based on choices and options that are available to people according to their life situations. Health lifestyles include behaviors that directly affect health care, such as having checkups and complying with prescribed treatment, as well as decisions about smoking, food, exercise, personal hygiene alcohol use, and risky behaviors such as unprotected sex. (Quadagno,2011,p. 257).

Evolution of Container Shipping essays

Evolution of Container Shipping essays This report will provide information about containers and the shipment of containers in the past and present. It will tell how the idea of shipping goods in containers came about and how those ideas have progressed into what is now known as the container fleet of today. It will explain what the first containers were like and what the containers of this modern industry are like now. It will also look into the future of shipping with containers. This report shall completely inform and even interest the layman person in the modernization of container shipping. Firstly is to explain exactly what containers are. They are large boxes that actually come in a few sizes, but they all have a similar rectangular shape. The most common sizes of todays containers are 8 feet wide, 8 feet high and either 20 feet or 40 feet long. Others may be 24 feet, 28 feet, 44 feet or 48 feet long and there are, in addition, many other sizes than those. Despite all of their different sizes, one thing they do all have in common is how they are measured. They are all measured in TEUs. TEU stands for Twentyfoot Equivalent Unit. It is a measurement of the containers volume. One very important aspect about these large boxes is that they need to be made strong. This is so they can withstand rough weather at sea aboard a ship while stacked on top of one another. The bottom container in some stacks needs to support up to ten containers while on land as well. They need to be able to last for about 8 to 20 years, so they are generally made out of steel or aluminum. Since th ese containers spend much of their time at sea and are always outdoors, they need to be waterproof. These are a few physical attributes that help explain what containers may look like. There a few different types of containers, but they all meet the dimensions and requirements mentioned in the above paragraph. The first and most common is the metal box container with just a layer of dunn...

Public Policy - Asian American (ethic studies) Essay

Public Policy - Asian American (ethic studies) - Essay Example opulation is characterized by at least three other demographic features; emergent patterns of geographic dispersion, historic patterns of geography concentration and an on-going pattern of striking population diversity. Similar to the assertion of Ali Shariati, (Emerson 67) affirms that through the public policy and Asian Americans, most Asian Americans have attained freedom after comprehending how historical forces operate and have shaped their lives. Issues of sentencing of the coloreds, racial profiling, and abuse of women were rampant in the past. However, after pushing for freedom, it culminated into the Public policy and Asian Americans; thus, historical issues of oppression have been appropriately dealt with. Social class and class structure is prison to human beings. In a demographic survey conducted to identify the geographic distribution of Asian Americans, it became apparent that pacific islanders, a group of Asians were mainly concentrated in urban areas. Mos t of them shared common values and had similar social class structure unlike lower-income Asians. In relation to the final prison, human beings by nature have a diverse range of choices to make in life. In support of this (Emerson 87), notes that we are free as human beings either to act in the right way or wrong way. This depends on the personal choices we make in life either to cause harm or good to others. This is a prison that has been facing most Asian Americans. According to the public policy and Asian Americans, Asian youth gangs work in conjunction with gangs. Groups have thus been established to work with corrective action departments in order to sensitize police officers on issues that are specific to Asian American youth. In order to consolidate power, hegemony is necessary if not a prerequisite condition. However, contrary to the observation made by Ali Shariati, the best hegemony is one attained through consent of individuals involved. Emerson (89), bases her argumen t on

EVALUATING A WEBSITE AS A SOURCE FOR LEARNING HISTORY Essay

EVALUATING A WEBSITE AS A SOURCE FOR LEARNING HISTORY - Essay Example In this regard, the Europeans exploration and colonizers made regular trips to America to deliver merchandise and collect precious metals and treasures. However, as treasures increased, so did the desire to capture more areas to gain control over the Americans. The reason for choosing this website for analysis is because it provides information on America’s history and recommends other resources rich in America’s history. Therefore, this website serves as a good source of learning history due its diverse information, including artifacts and paintings and also other suggested literatures on America’s history. This website is owned by the library of Congress, the world largest library. Through this site, the library provides diverse books, photographs, recordings, maps and many other academic resources for both teachers and students. The information provided in this website gives insights on America’s history, and it is adequately supported by finding of gre at historians such as Jay Kislak, who amassed a comprehensive collection of materials on ancient America. In the process of his exploration, Jay acquired rare collection of manuscripts and books that pertained to early America. In this vein, the objective of library of Congress was to avail diverse learning resources to the American people. Therefore, this site seeks to reveal America’s history, creativity and knowledge through both primary and secondary sources to both teachers and learners. Notably, the site has a selection of more than 3,000 rare maps, paintings, documents, prints and artifacts among others. The audience can access information on the early America, including pre-contact America, exploration and encounters and finally aftermath of the encounter through this website. In addition, the site provides more than 3,000 collections of documents, paintings, prints among others. All information accessible through this site is equally useful for a historian, but for t his particular paper information on pre-contact, America is of paramount importance. In this regard, the website provides insights on America’s indigenous culture, including their music and poetry, powerful expressive objects modeled and the hierarchical political, religious and social systems. I consider the information to be reliable since it emanates from the library of Congress whose main role is to document historical information. In addition, the information provided is fully supported by researches conducted by re-known historians such as Jay Kislak. Despite providing valuable information about America’s history, the website has some ancient drawings and objects not clearly explained. For instance, under theme and exhibition, there are various items and drawings with no clearly explanations on how they relate to ancient American culture. This poses a considerable problem since ancient items, and drawing helps to provide information on a given generation. Further , despite the support of what the website provides with works of great researchers, little is provided to tie such information with artifacts and painting shown in the website. This leaves a gap that can challenge information provided on America’s history. Certainly, I cannot say that the website does not provide the right information, but more research needs to be conducted to

Optimism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Optimism - Essay Example Furthermore, the study concludes that irrespective of its nature, components, and roots, optimism has remarkably positive impact on human life and conditions. Defining Optimism Anthropologist, Lionel Tiger defines optimism as â€Å"a mood or attitude associated with an expectation about the social or material future-one which the evaluator regards as socially desirable, to his [or her] advantage, or for his [or her] pleasure† (18 qtd. in Peterson 44).On the other hand, optimism is attributed to be a sense of personal control, and ability to identify meaning in one’s own life experiences. Optimism is a valuable psychological resource which is long believed to be associated with mental health (Frankle, 1963; Seligman, 1998; Taylor, 1989 qtd. in Taylor et al. 99).Such psychological resources become extremely important when individuals are exposed to challenging or threatening occurrences (Taylor 1164).These resources work as reserves which enables people to cope with diffi cult situations in an efficient manner (Taylor et al. 99).Theorists Scheier and Carver(1985) referred optimism as a generalized anticipation that good as compared to bad will happen an individual confronts problem in crucial domains of life(qtd. in Franken 476). In general, the idea of optimism refers to an individual’s overall positive approach towards life and what it has to offer. Biological Component of Optimism Lionel Tiger (1979) puts forth the biological explanation of optimism. He maintains that in early days, when human left forests, being hunters they had to face death and injuries continuously. Because human mind is inclined towards learning from experiences, he abandoned the tasks associated with negative results. Therefore, it is biological adaption for humans to develop a basic sense of optimism. Furthermore, Tiger argues that when human body is injured, it releases endorphins. Generally, endorphins have two attributes; analgesic attributes which decreases the f eeling of pain, and feelings of euphoria. Humans are biologically adaptive to positive emotions when injured in order to keep the process going (hunting) due to our ancestors’ experiences, therefore, optimism is a trait which is induced biologically (Franken 1994, qtd. in Dunavold 4). Several theorists believe that optimism is a personality trait rather than an emotion. They regard optimism as an inborn temperament which means that people are inherently optimistic or pessimistic ( Dunavold 4). Learned Component of Optimism Many researchers believed that optimism is a way of thinking which can be learned. As Martin Seligman’s idea of learned optimism, in addition to Daniel Goleman confirm that the concept that both hope and optimism can be learned. He identifies that self-efficacy leads to hope and optimistic view in life. Self-efficacy refers to the belief that one has control over life events and his ability to meet the challenges as they appear in life (qtd. in Dunav old 4). However, Dunavold disagrees with the theory and states that, â€Å"... optimism can (not) be learned. Dr. Seligman’s method of teaching optimism relies heavily on active thought processes which I believe is more of a cognitive activity...Optimism can (not) be reinforced or stifled. Additionally†¦

Cross Cultural Awareness And Preparation Of Expatriates Management Essay

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

Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Essay -- Great Gatsby Essays

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby       Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby has more relevance in today’s society than it did when it was written. With the recent societal trend that emphasizes lack of morals and material wealth over a meaningful existence, Fitzgerald’s message really hits home. Which is more important - money or love? Social status or being true to oneself? Fitzgerald uses metaphor and symbols to great effect in order to illustrate what can happen when the pursuit of happiness becomes warped (by American ideals) into the pursuit of money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the major symbols in the novel is the color green. Green represents the hopes and dreams of people striving to accomplish the American dream of wealth and glory. Green is the color of money and is often used to purvey the concept of wealth, especially with reference to Gatsby. Whenever Gatsby's mansion is described there is always mention of the color green. His house is surrounded by "a large green lawn" or the "green ivy" which grows on his house. The interior of his car is described as "a sort of green leather conservatory" ... ...arning and take a second look to determine what is truly fulfilling in life. Works Cited Bewley, Marius. "Scott Fitzgerald's Criticism of America." In Modern Critical Interpretations: The Great Gatsby. edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1986. 11-27. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner Classic, 1986. McAdams, Tony. "The Great Gatsby: An Examination of Metaphor and Symbolism." In Readings on The Great Gatsby. edited by Katie de Koster. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press. 1998. 111-120.

Ozorian

THE DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE OZORIAN TRIBE ozorafestival. eu NOVEMBER 2012 MONTHLY ONLINE EDITION Lost statue finds way back home Mission complete: Luke Brown’s sculpture is back By mtrxism Last month we had to tell you the unfortunate news that the statue of Luke Brown – one of the greatest psychedelic artist alive – had been stolen at O. Z. O. R. A. from the Looney Moon Art Gallery.Not long after the newspaper had come out, we got wonderful news from Looney Moon: „Today the Ozorian Prophet has given us back the sculpture, ‘cause the guy that bought it from the one who stole it already got in contact with Luke and he’s gonna give back the sculpture in the next few days. Guys did a good job with the article:-) Thanx a lot really† You are very welcome, guys! We share your happiness! FRESH RELEASES CREATING MAGIC The movie ‘Magic Garden 2012 @ O. Z. O. R. A. ’ is out Psytrance above all Psychedelic Musical Superiority By Chemical Over the past few years a seemingly never-ending debate about music has been present among the members of our community. The dispute usually derives from a disagreement concerning our treatment of musical styles outside of our own personal taste, and more importantly, our attitude towards the opinion and taste of others that deviates from our own. First of all, what do we consider psychedelic? Do we make distinctions between musical genres according to their „psychedelicness? † How do we treat different subgenres? How do we approach electronic musical styles other than trance that have ome psychedelic quality? Are they – in a way – subordinate to trance? Does some kind of hierarchy exist according to the assumed „psychedelicness† of genres? Continues on page 2 ASTROLOGY DISCUSSION PHOTOS: KRISZTIAN PAMUKI The more than a half of an hour long film about the Ozorian Magic Garden consists of four chapters. The first is a mood-journey through the Ma gic Garden, from the gates to the big stage. The second and third shortly show the months of Art Camp, followed by the months of building and creating. The last chapter is about a Magic Garden day during the festival.All this in a music video style, spiced with short interview inserts in which we can hear the garden builders, designers, the program organizers, as well as Andras Feldmar, Viktor Kubiszyn, and others†¦ Enjoy the magic moments!!! By sue It’s all about music Music continues on page 2 GOA – 20 YEARS OF PSYCHEDELIC CULTURE Magic Garden 2012 @ O. Z. O. R. A. Festival Filmed and edited by: Krisztian Pamuki, Labormedia Workshop Additional footage: Peter Busak, Levente Kolcsey-Gyurko, Daniel Szandtner, Csaba Antal Interviews: Peter Muller, Csaba Mata, Peter Busak, Marton Szuhay, Levente Kolcsey-GyurkoUntil we can gather in front of the huge speakers of our majestic Ozorian dancefloor again lift your spirits with the best Psytrance in winter time and check ou t what our artists have been up to! November 13: Total Solar Eclipse By Peter Antal Forecast October November The roots of psychedelic trance The psychedelic revolution never stopped. It just had to travel halfway around the world to a deserted beach at the end of a dirt road where it was allowed to mutate and evolve without government or media pressures until a new paradigm was achieved: the Goa state of mind.By Goa Gil Edited by Michael McAteer The 1960s in San Francisco, where I grew up, was a unique space and time. All of us there were experiencing something indescribably new. Most of all, psychedelic music had exploded into our consciousness and had changed us forever. It seemed as though a new dawn had broken all over the world†¦ and if San Francisco was any indication, the dawn was Cosmic. But by the end of the summer of 1969, while the Woodstock nation was on suburban TV sets, the bubble had burst, the magic had faded, and something special had been lost.It was during t his time that many of us decided to take our trip on the road. We wanted to test our â€Å"headspace† in the lands which had influenced our thought so deeply. It was the East – and most of all India – where our tribe collectively headed. Continues on page 3 In the coming month, Saturn continues its recently commenced passage through Scorpio, which will last approximately 3 years. The topics uncovered will include money, sharing resources, letting go, self-discovery and intimacy. Motives, ethics and values are and should be questioned to readjust our directions, beliefs and purposes.Life requires us to make choices and decisions. We need to progress and pursue our spiritual journey†¦ Continues on page 3 2 FASHION NEWS FRESH RELEASES Total Eclipse inspired beauty It’s all about music Continued from 1 E-CLIP’s newest single Troublemaker just came out 1st October on Iono. Once a drummer in hardcore bands the serbian producer formerly known as Beyo ndecliptica definitely brought his Full-on vibes along when starting the new Progressive project. You can expect strict tempo, tight rythms and of course those classic Goa melodies to magically power up any daytime dancefloors.To up the tempo a bit we must not forget about SOUTHWILD who has got his debut album released also this summer on the UK label Wildthings. The former member of legendary Rastaliens project is into twisted Night Full-on vibes with the new solo venture. Bubbling synths, ever rolling basslines and mysterious atmospheres enchant on Synthology album, which also includes a versus track with Ajja. Listen to it loud! PHOTO: BALINT TRUNKO By novishari One of the world’s most prestigious hairdressing events and competitions, the 30th Alternative Hair Show was held last week in the Royal Albert Hall in London.This year one of our sisters, the two time Hungarian hairdressing champion, Koczka also took part in the event. She was an International Visionary Award fina list of the ‘Main Event’ in London. Koczka has commented the following about her work: „My inspiration comes from the first Ozora Festival where thousands of people gathered to witness the total eclipse of the sun together. I envisaged a beautiful, freckled redhead as a symbol of the world’s beauty that we can thank to the vividness of humanity. † Congratulations Koczka, lots of love! DISCUSSION Deeply Activating Groove† as the Australian calls his own music is an apt phrase indeed. Having appeared several times on Sensient’s Zenon Records as well MERKABA is now running his own label where his latest full-length album was also released this summer. Language of Light is a real trippy dialogue of sounds where each shred of melody feels like being in its exact right place surrounded by hypnotic effects and atmospheres. If you are a Dark Progressive lover and haven’t checked this out yet, it’s about time. Just the way you should listen to the new Nano Records monster: an AVALON remix album.The Remixes Volume One came out end of September with reworks of Avalon’s top originals made by Tristan, Dickster, Loud and a lot of others including Lucas from T. I. P. World or Mindfold, the joint venture of Materia and Brainiac. sue Psytrance Above All Musical Superiority Within The Psychedelic Cultural Frame What is real psychedelic? Full-On, Darkpsy, Progressive, Downtempo, Goa, Twilight, Morning, Psycore, Techno, Techtrance, Forest, Zenonesque, Experimental, Deep Trance, Psy Dub, Minimal, Suomi, Classic, Glitch, Ambient – discuss in the social media –Let an example stand here of the continuously resurfacing, sometimes accepting, sometimes downright harsh, but definitely thought-provoking discussions. A: minimal is not psy! B: Sometimes it is†¦ and what is psy is a very personal perception†¦ AND this is not minimal†¦ C: Silly A. Psychedelic can be anything really. Perfect Stranger is anything but minimal. He is a true psychedelic artist. 145bpm with lazer noises is definitely not „psy† either. One of the most psychedelic artists at Ozora was actually Deadbeat at the chill stage.His stuff is so deep and psychedelic, but definitely not psytrance. More like minimal psydub/techno, but way more „psy† than most of the trance artists on the main stage. But it’s all good music and music is always subjective. If you don’t like the sound of someone, then go for a walk, go take a nap, go get arrested for holding up a sign Whatever. But don’t expect that all the music should sound the same all the time, especially when 20,000 other people are having a blast on the dancefloor! Source: PHOTO: BOBBY C. ALKABESContinued from 1 It seems to be a very tricky question, especially if we keep in mind that we are talking about music within the frame of psychedelic subculture, which more or less involves progression, openness, and libera lism. Is it possible that a paradoxical situation, a kind of musical superiority has evolved despite these basic concepts that permeates the ideological back ground of the psychedelic community? What aspect of music throws you into a trance-like state of mind is up to you and your own personal taste.It can be the fast, repetitive drums of darkpsy, the frisky, vivid sound effects of full on, the deep, perpetual soundscapes of psybient or even the slow, deep pulsation of progressive psy. You are even likely to attach a psychedelic quality to any other kind of musical genre – even to some that are not included in a line up like that of O. Z. O. R. A. We could even consider the possibility that the listener has an active role in the process, that the „psychedelicness† of music (at least partly) depends on him/her, and it is not necessarily involved or defined by the sounds music is built up of.This seems to be the reason why it is such a subjective observation, and th at is why the notion of psychedelic electronic music varies so significantly from person to person. It is up to us how we treat these differences. Chemical Ozora Festival Official 3 ASTROLOGY Forecast October November Continued from 1 Our personal relationships will be the main area of focus and deep-rooted problems may come to the surface, which might require attention. This can be anything from power-fights, imbalances (emotional-financial) and the lack of intimacy.This will be especially true between 29 Oct and 7 Nov when Venus will join the Uranus-Pluto square, bringing issues to a very personal level. Mercury turning retrograde may further intensify this effect – Mercury will be seemingly moving backwards – from 7-27 Nov and will be squaring Neptune for most of this time. Things to watch for include misunderstandings, self-delusions, lying to oneself and others, deceptions, convincing oneself that everything is fine when in fact that might not be thie case. The ot her side to this is the spiritualizing effect, however mixing various practices andAs we wrote last month we know for sure that you like surprises – but we’re also certain that you like teasers too! So, here are some of the names that will definitely be present sometime between August 6 and 13 at the O. Z. O. R. A. Festival in 2013. Growin’ LINE UP NEWS PHOTO: PETER NEMESHAZI the lack of clear boundaries and the over-abundance of unclear teachings may confuse us at this time. The keyword of the month is: DISCRIMINATION. As Rudolf Steiner (founder of Spiritual Science) said: â€Å"Don’t accept anything you haven’t understood and don’t reject anything you haven’t understood. Mercury retrogrades happen three times a year and have a definite cycle. Here comes the interesting part. The exact Mercury retrogrades we experience this month will be in the exact same signs and same degrees and the same calendar days of 1933. The question is, wh at took place at that time which has some similarity to our inner lives today? Helpful aspects (from Chiron and Neptune) are also present to guide and heal wounds of the past, and help may come from places least expected and change can be brought forward by opening up and embracing our fears honestly even if this seems frightening.A total Solar Eclipse will take place on 13 November, 2012 at 21 degrees and 57 minutes of Scorpio, which will most significantly affect people who are born with personal planets and points at about 17 to 27 degrees of Scorpio or the other Fixed signs Taurus, Leo and Aquarius. At such times changes take place in our lives depending on the house position of the eclipse in our own natal chart and on the planet it hits. The Sabian Symbol for this degree of the Zodiac is: OBEYING Hux Flux Braincell Hypogeo Mirror System Giuseppe Stay tuned for more info!VISUAL NEWS HIS CONSCIENCE, A SOLDIER RESISTS ORDERS†¦ – We should listen to the ever growing ca ll of our CONSCIENCE because it is the sound of our spirit guiding us towards the right path. Paint It Up! Videomapping: Anonim Flow http://astrology. hu By Peter Antal GOA – 20 YEARS OF PSYCHEDELIC CULTURE The roots of psychedelic trance playing and singing my songs wherever I went†¦ songs which seemed to come to me from deep in the universe, channeled through the Kundalini that I was awakening with my Yoga Sadhana. PHOTO: VISUAL POWER It was paradiseIn this way, many of us had begun to create a special mix of East and West, absorbing the spiritual traditions of India into our music, art and ideas. In my case, I was fusing my music with yogic energy. This combination, which in the beginning came from an acoustic guitar and an electrified Kundalini, helped to spark the first full moon parties. Soon, our passion led us to form bands, get electric sound equipment, and set up a stage on the beach. We also began to DJ. We would DJ the music of our times†¦ it would be a mix of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, and fusion: everything and anything from our hippie musical history.It wasn’t until the 1980s with the introduction of â€Å"wave music,† â€Å"body music,† etc. that these earliest forms of techno began to fill the DJ sets, eventually becoming full nights of electronic dance music. The Visual Power’s international virtual buildingpainting competition PAINT UP!  ® was organized in Budapest this month. The videomapping competition and the finals of the happening took place at one of Budapest’s most beautiful landmarks, the Heroes’ Square where the participants painted up the building of the Museum of Fine Arts before more than ten thousand people.To our great happiness and pride, one of the finalists was Pumpui’s audio-visual live resident, Tamas Kantor aka Pentatone aka Anonim Flow with his project called History. Nice job Tamas, respect! PHOTO: GOA GIL The bubble had burst, the magic had faded C ontinued from 1 Like so many others, I got a one way ticket to Europe and headed overland to find my destiny. Soon, I was on the beaches of Goa. At that time, there were no bikes, no rickshaws, and no restaurants. There was nothing except the beach, some locals, and a small tribe of hippies. It was paradise.But Goa wasn’t all that we discovered in India. Most of us also travelled all over, becoming deeply influenced by the culture we found. In my own case, I began to meet Sadhus, to smoke and talk and travel with them, and before long I had met my Guruji in Kashmir, embraced the practice of Yoga, and had become a Sadhu myself. But even as a Sadhu, my love of music never left me. I began traveling with a guitar, returning every winter to Goa, To be continued Goa Gil / Michael McAteer Get GOA: 20 Years of Psychedelic Trance via www. goabook. net 4 Press ReviewThere's a whole page O. Z. O. R. A. 2012 review in the new mushroom magazine by the magazine's editor and author Tom Rom . He’s also known as the author and editor of psychedelic publications such as Psy Traveller, the Trancers Guide to the Galaxy, the Goa – 20 Years of Psychedelic Trance book, and he is the co-founder of the Austrian Sonnenklag Festival. He spent the whole week at the Valley during the Festival, so he has a clear and extensive picture of the 2012 happenings. In his objective report, very wisely and objectively, he talks about the ‘loss of O.Z. O. R. A. ‘s virginity'. He starts his article saying: „The name Ozora stood for a living anarchy in terms of psychedelic substances and a police-free zone since 1999. This is over now as the Hungarian police conducted a massive disproportioned raid against some international big drug dealers involving several hundreds of policemen. (†¦T)he action was adressed to the big dealers as they showed up at most of the other big music festivals as well. † u And he concludes the topic: „As the Hungarian Mi nistry of the Interior recently announced,Ozora will come alive again in 2013 if the Hungarian laws will be respected next year. Anarchy is over but freedom remains. † In his article he also points out the great progress the Magic Garden has made with a more colorful and varied choice of cultural programs than ever before. You can read the whole article in the mushroom magazine. Respect to Tom Rom and mushroom magazine – We couldn’t have expressed it in a better or more correct way. – olrajt – Ozorian Prophet Facebook Page is up and running! rom now you can also find the articles here, after each issue comes out.We really wanted to have a platform where you can share your ideas on the various news, articles, thoughts – and because more than 57,000 people liked the O. Z. O. R. A. Festival Official Facebook Page, this seemed to be the best decision. Let’s make Ozorian Prophet interactive – we hope many of you you will comment on t he articles and contribute your thoughts so that the Ozorian Prophet and naturally, the O. Z. O. R. A. Festival can serve our brother and sisterhood society better and better as we strengthen together. Subscribe and stay tuned!Publisher: Daniel & Arpad Zimanyi Editor-in-chief: – olrajt – Managing Editor: novishari Supervisor: Wegha Andere Authors: Tom Rom Reka Sas aka Chemical mtrixism Sue Layout: Henzi VidekiBela Logo: Seboe F-K Design: torojo Photographers: Ildiko Repaczky Peter Nemeshazi gotticon. freeweb. hu bobbyalkabes. com Gabor Gottwald nemeshazi. com Bobby C. Alkabes Ivan Herczeg Co-work: Tamas Berces Astrology: Peter Antal PHOTO: PETER NEMESHAZI Comics: novishari torojo – olrajt – Special thanks to: dr. Sally M. Torkos prof. Bela Torkos http://astrology. hu

PCBs and the enviroment essays

PCB's and the enviroment essays Life is a precious element to a broad range of creatures. When a chemical toxin invades life's environment, we should all be concerned. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of chemical compounds that are invading and polluting the environment. They cause severe health problems in humans and affect many creatures in nature. Scientist found high PCB levels in two orca whales that washed up dead last February near the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Ko, 2002). The United States Environmental Protection Agency claims they are quick to act on all PCB discoveries, but it may be too late. There are some remedies to remove PCBs from the environment, but it doesn't take care of the entire problem. Polychlorinated biphenyls are a group of chemicals compounds that have no molecular breakdown. They were used by the industrial manufacturing industry between 1930-1970. They were primarily used as electrical insulators in transformers and other electrical equipment. They were also used in a variety of products such as: power saws, typewriters, cereal boxes, and bread wrappers (Heimlich, 2002). They were released into the environment during their use by smokestacks, leakage of old equipment, leaching from landfills, and other polluted sediments. In 1976 after growing concerns and findings of high levels of PCBs in the environment; Congress banned all uses including the processing and distribution of PCBs (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2002). These chemicals have filtered into every aspect of the environment. It has seeped into the soil and been carried down streams into our oceans. The toxic effects of PCBs include the death of animals, low growth rate in plants, and severe health problems in humans (Heimlich, 2002). According to an EPA study that was completed in 1987; chronic exposure to PCBs can cause cancer (EPA, 2002). It can also affect the reproductive system, immune system, and the nervous system. Ther...

Characteristics of Ancient Monumental Architecture

Characteristics of Ancient Monumental Architecture The term monumental architecture refers to large humans include pyramids, large tombs, and burial mounds, plazas, platform mounds, temples and churches, palaces and elite residences, astronomical observatories, and erected groups of standing stones. The defining characteristics of monumental architecture are their relatively large size and their public nature- the fact that the structure or space was built by lots of people for lots of people to look at or share in the use of, whether the labor was coerced or consensual, and whether the interiors of the structures were open to the public or reserved for an elite few.   Who Built the First Monuments? Until the late 20th century, scholars believed that monumental architecture could only be constructed by complex societies with rulers who could conscript or otherwise convince the residents into working on large, non-functional structures. However, modern archaeological technology has given us access to the earliest levels of some of the most ancient tells in northern Mesopotamia and Anatolia, and there, scholars discovered something amazing: monumentally-sized cult buildings were constructed at least 12,000 years ago, by what started out as egalitarian hunters and gatherers. Before the discoveries in the northern Fertile Crescent, monumentality was considered costly signaling, a term that means something like elites using conspicuous consumption to demonstrate their power. Political or religious leaders had public buildings built to indicate that they had the power to do so: they certainly did that. But if hunter-gatherers, who ostensibly didnt have full-time leaders, built monumental structures, why did they that do that? Why Did They Do That? One possible driver for why people first started building special structures is climate change. Early Holocene hunter-gatherers living during the cool, arid period known as the Younger Dryas were susceptible to resource fluctuations. People rely on cooperative networks to get them through times of social or environmental stress. The most basic of these cooperative networks is food sharing. Early evidence for feasting- ritual food sharing- is at Hilazon Tachtit, about 12,000 years ago. As part of a highly organized food-sharing project, a large-scale feast can be a competitive event to advertise community power and prestige. That may have led to the construction of larger structures to accommodate larger numbers of people, and so forth. It is possible that the sharing simply stepped up when the climate deteriorated. Evidence for the use of monumental architecture as evidence for religion usually involves the presence of sacred objects or images on the wall. However, a  recent study by behavioral psychologistsYannick Joye and Siegfried Dewitte (listed in the sources below) has found that tall, large-scale buildings produce measurable feelings of awe in their viewers. When awe-struck, viewers typically experience momentary freezing or stillness. Freezing is one of the main stages of the defense cascade in humans and other animals, giving the awe-struck person a moment of hyper-vigilance toward the perceived threat. The Earliest Monumental Architecture The earliest known monumental architecture is dated to the periods in western Asia known as pre-pottery Neolithic A (abbreviated PPNA, dated between 10,000–8,500 calendar years BCE [cal BCE]) and PPNB ( 8,500–7,000 cal BCE). Hunter-gatherers living in communities such as Nevali Çori, Hallan Çemi, Jerf el-Ahmar, D’jade el-Mughara, Çayà ¶nà ¼ Tepesi, and Tel Abr all built communal structures (or public cult buildings) within their settlements. At Gà ¶bekli Tepe, in contrast, is the earliest monumental architecture located outside of a settlement- where it is hypothesized that several hunter-gatherer communities gathered regularly. Because of the pronounced ritual / symbolic elements at Gà ¶bekli Tepe, scholars such as Brian Hayden have suggested that the site contains evidence of emergent religious leadership. Tracing the Development of Monumental Architecture How cult structures might have evolved into monumental architecture has been documented at Hallan Çemi. Located in southeastern Turkey, Hallan Cemi is one of the oldest settlements in northern Mesopotamia. Cult structures significantly different from regular houses were constructed at Hallan Cemi about 12,000 years ago, and over time became larger and more elaborate in decoration and furniture. All of the cult buildings described below were located at the center of the settlement and arranged around a central open area about 15 m (50 ft) in diameter. That area contained dense animal bone and fire-cracked rock from hearths, plaster features (probably storage silos), and stone bowls and pestles. A row of three horned sheep skulls was also found, and this evidence together, say the excavators, indicates that the plaza itself was used for feasts, and perhaps rituals associated with them. Building Level 3 (the oldest): three C-shaped buildings made of river pebbles about 2 m (6.5 ft) in diameter and mortared with white plasterBuilding Level 2: three circular river-pebble buildings with paved floors, two 2 m in diameter and one 4 m (13 ft). The largest had a small plastered basin in the center.Building Level 1: four structures, all constructed of sandstone slabs rather than river pebbles. Two are relatively small (2.5 m, 8 ft in diameter), the other two are between 5-6 m (16-20 ft). Both of the larger structures are fully circular and semi-subterranean (excavated partly into the ground), each with a distinctive semicircular stone bench set against the wall. One had a complete auroch skull which apparently hung on the north wall facing the entrance. The floors had been resurfaced multiple times with a distinctive thin yellow sand and plaster mixture over a relatively sterile fine dirt fill. Few domestic materials were found inside the structures, but there were exotics, including copper ore and obsidian. Examples Not all monumental architecture was (or is for that matter) built for religious purposes. Some are gathering places: archaeologists consider plazas a form of monumental architecture since they are large open spaces built in the middle of town to be used by everyone. Some are purposeful- water control structures like dams, reservoirs, canal systems, and aqueducts. Sports arenas, government buildings, palaces, and churches: of course, many different large communal projects still exist in modern society, sometimes paid for by taxes. Some examples from across time and space include Stonehenge in the UK, the Egyptian Giza Pyramids, the Byzantine Hagia Sophia, the Qin Emperors Tomb, the American Archaic Poverty Point earthworks, Indias Taj Mahal, Maya water control systems, and the Chavin culture Chankillo observatory. Sources Atakuman, Çigdem. Architectural Discourse and Social Transformation During the Early Neolithic of Southeast Anatolia. Journal of World Prehistory 27.1 (2014): 1-42. Print. Bradley, Richard. Houses of Commons, Houses of Lords: Domestic Dwellings and Monumental Architecture in Prehistoric Europe. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 79 (2013): 1-17. Print. Finn, Jennifer. Gods, Kings, Men: Trilingual Inscriptions and Symbolic Visualizations in the Achaemenid Empire. Ars Orientalis 41 (2011): 219-75. Print. Freeland, Travis, et al. Automated Feature Extraction for Prospection and Analysis of Monumental Earthworks from Aerial Lidar in the Kingdom of Tonga. Journal of Archaeological Science 69 (2016): 64-74. Print. Joye, Yannick, and Siegfried Dewitte. Up Speeds You Down. Awe-Evoking Monumental Buildings Trigger Behavioral and Perceived Freezing. Journal of Environmental Psychology 47.Supplement C (2016): 112-25. Print. Joye, Yannick, and Jan Verpooten. An Exploration of the Functions of Religious Monumental Architecture from a Darwinian Perspective. Review of General Psychology 17.1 (2013): 53-68. Print. McMahon, Augusta. Space, Sound, and Light: Toward a Sensory Experience of Ancient Monumental Architecture. American Journal of Archaeology 117.2 (2013): 163-79. Print. Stek, Tesse D. Monumental Architecture of Non-Urban Cult Places in Roman Italy. A Companion to Roman Architecture. Eds. Ulrich, Roger B. and Caroline K. Quenemoen. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley, 2014. 228-47. Print. Swenson, Edward. Moche Ceremonial Architecture as Thirdspace: The Politics of Place-Making in the Ancient Andes. Journal of Social Archaeology 12.1 (2012): 3-28. Print. Watkins, Trevor. New Light on Neolithic Revolution in South-West Asia. Antiquity 84.325 (2010): 621–34. Print.

Communication technology and its impact on social interaction Research Paper

Communication technology and its impact on social interaction - Research Paper Example The Skype video chat was created in the year 2003 in a media class at the John Hopkins University.1 It allows people to chat via its text chat feature and make audio/video calls, all of which is a free service. This explains the fact that popularity of Skype has grown tremendously since its creation. Coupled with this vital feature are its added features including the ability to send contacts, screen-sharing and multiplayer games. Skype has no age restriction for its users. Anyone can use this technology unlike other networking sites that have a strict restriction on those using their sites and applications. In the context of business dealings, face to face interactions have the potential of making the best out of the respective situation.2 A better deal is possible when all the concerned parties meet face to face. This is because these interactions aid in relationship building between prospective clients, partners, investors and employees. Skype is not limited by geographical locali ties; the threshold requirement is the access to internet. Thus, Skype aids in the building of a tight-knit business community. Since the introduction of Skype, firms and individuals, who use this application, have incurred reduced communication costs. As a result, rate and number of interactions using Skype have increased. Increased employee and overall company productivity have been noted with the use of Skype. This is facilitated by Skype’s ability to share a screen, exchange and transfer files. Other additional vital features are: call forwarding, video conferencing and customer service tools. When all these features are used efficiently, increased productivity is guaranteed. Skype is an American company and, thus, has its strongest following there. However, a greater percentage of its profits are from foreign users.3 This shows that Skype is connecting a majority of its users with the outside world; Skype has reduced the hassles associated with long distance communicatio n. This cross border ability to link up people has made life easier for families, companies and governments.4 The business world has benefitted the most from this distinctive feature. Previously, firms and governments used to incur considerable financial costs while facilitating international meetings.5 As such, vital business and government contracts and dealings have been agreed upon and subsequently signed via this technology. When an individual travels to a new place, specifically a foreign country, they suffer psychological setback. When in new confines, the mind cannot be expected to immediately adapt and still maintain its edge and effectiveness. When this is compounded with the impacts of jet lag on the effectiveness of the mind, it appears undesirable to travel a long distance to make business decisions. However, the use of Skype lets an individual stay at their familiar location which has the effect of aiding the mind in the making of well thought-out decisions. Thus, it i s extremely beneficial to have international meetings via Skype. In order to understand the impact Skype has had on the global telecommunication platform, a distinction should be fashioned between the different types of calls. If Skype had opted to charge for its services, akin to phone connections, then its impact on the communication industry would probably be regarded as less significant. However, since the service is free, its impact is nothing short of dramatic. With the goal of

Policy Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Policy Brief - Essay Example This might lead to worse security situation in that state. Improving law and order in that state might be the first step instead of imposing penalty on possession of guns. Continuing with the previous example of drug control policy, a report was published by GAO on March 26, 2013 (Larence & Kohn, 2013) that mentions a policy by Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), which nose-dived horribly in achieving its goals. The policy was stated in the year 2010 as a part of National Drug Control Strategy. It was supposed to achieve its targets of reducing illicit drug use by year 2015. Various economic analysis models used for evaluating public polices depend on the nature, its goals and the demographics. Deterministic models and simulation models are among the many that are employed by public policy analysts. For the policy by ONDCP, the analytic models used were primarily for studying other aspects of the policy that included politically driven agenda. For instance, there are some states that have allowed the use of medical marijuana. To study the reason as to why they are allowed to smoke weed, needs to go in the analysis if ONDCP is to be successful in reducing its usage. It’s quite startling that the model used to analyze this revealed that such states already had a high usage of marijuana even before medical weed got the green signal from the authorities (Larence & Cohen, 2013). Equity in a public policy doesn’t refer to the stock market shares. It might seem to be closely related to equality but it is not. For instance, equity in a public policy generally refers to proportionate allocation of resources, which is not equality (Nagel, 1983). Resources could be in any form, money, commodity, manpower etc. Relating the concept of equity to the case under discussion, suppose two cities get $200,000 each to collect