Racism Is The Primary Determinant Of Human Traits And...

Racism is a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities. That racial difference produce an inherent superiority of a particular race and exists when one ethnic group or historical collectivity excludes, dominates, or seeks to eliminate another based on differences (The Historical Origins1). Racism has been around and everywhere for a long period of time. It is perpetuated and reproduced today in modern life and anthropologists can combat racism. Historically racism comes from a long time ago, from many many years ago. The most important point of the history of racism came in the twentieth century in the rise and fall of what might be called overtly racist regimes. The passage of racial segregation laws and restrictions on black voting rights reduced African Americans to lower caste status in the American South. The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries were maybe the first sign of a racist view of the world when the Jews identified with the devil and witc hcraft. In the sixteenth century, official authorization for such things came in Spain when Jews and their descendants became victims of pattern of exclusion and desecration because they had converted to Christianity. Europeans were coming to increasing contact with darker people from Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They were making judgments about them and this was the period of the Renaissance and Reformation. In the beginning of the late seventeenth century, laws were passed in English NorthShow MoreRelatedRacism Is The Primary Determinant Of Human Traits And Capacities2500 Words   |  10 Pages According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, â€Å"Racism is a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.† Racism has been apart of the world every since the beginning of mankind and the use of slaves from foreign countries. The slaves were seen as inferior people be cause they were a different race. An example of racism that is widely known is when the British settlers came over to AmericaRead MoreRacism : Racism And Discrimination927 Words   |  4 Pages From the beginning of time where slavery began, there is no sure way to know what stemmed the root of racism and discrimination. But who is to say that racism is a term that is only associated with Blacks, African Americans, or those of African descent. Racism according to Merriam Webster dictionary is a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Even though it is a term that may beRead MoreThe Heart Of Racism, And Tommie Shelby Paper1177 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is racism? The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines racism as â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race†. Is it actions or beliefs that make someone or something fundamentally racist? These are the main ideas behind J.L.A Garcia’s paper â€Å"The Heart of Racism† and Tommie Shelby paper â€Å"Is Racism in the Heart?† Exposition of the opposed position: According to Garcia racism is definedRead MoreRacism : A Long Way Down The American History1426 Words   |  6 PagesKennedy Okumu Professor Jenia Walter English 121 November 15, 2015 Racism goes a long way down the American history. It came as a result of slavery which began in 1619 when African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia, which was an American colony in the North, to help in producing crops such as tobacco. Slavery was then a common practice in all American colonies through the 17th and 18th centuries, where African slaves helped in building the economic foundations of the now American nationRead MoreExamples Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird774 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel To Kill a Mockingbird racism is a big theme and is relevant between whites and blacks throughout the story. Racism is a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race, according to Merriam-Webster. But not just in the novel is racism present. Also the United States had and still has a problem with racism. And America will never achieve racial, but also social, eq uality. AfricanRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racial Discrimination1425 Words   |  6 PagesRacism consists of ideologies and practices that seek to justify, or cause, the unequal distribution of privileges, rights or goods among different racial groups. Modern variants are often based in social perceptions of biological differences between peoples. These can take the form of social actions, practices or beliefs, or political systems that consider different races to be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to each other, based on presumed shared inheritable traits, abilities, or qualitiesRead MoreRacism In Racism1214 Words   |  5 Pages How is racism defined? How does it affect relationships between people, and how does it affect American values? Racism is defined as â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race† (Merriam Webster). This means that whites believe their traits and achievements are superior, and that blacks are inferior. It has existed since biblical times and is very evident throughout the world todayRead MoreEssay on Defining Racial Discrimination?775 Words   |  4 Pagesdictionary defines racism, as the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities, and produces an inherent superiority of a particular race. Racial discrimination refers to discriminatory actions based on race or skin color. Racial discrimination can exist on an institutional level; Institutions possess the ability to excluding a particular race from services, job opportunities, and rights. Before discussing racial discrimination, I want to breakdown both racism and discriminationRead MoreEssay The Costs of Racism1146 Words   |  5 PagesThe Costs of Racism The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines racism as â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.† Racism is one of the deepest stains on the pages of American history. What began as feelings among whites of being superior to blacks turned into possibly the worst phenomenon the United States ever dealt with. Even 100 years after Abraham Lincoln signedRead MoreRacism: The Root Of All Evil1022 Words   |  5 Pagesmankind is divided. Society lives poisoned by the sting of racism, which may lead and is directly related to immigration, violence, social tension. Racism as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Sadly, this definition becomes flesh every day, and has existed since long time ago. Racism has been titled by the authors Hulteen Wallis as â€Å"America’s

Setting Up Sucide Prevention Programs - 1427 Words

Throughout their education, children sit through countless bullying and sex education programs, but suicide, the third leading cause of adolescent deaths (Caine 1), is practically ignored. Many schools only offer hot lines for suicidal students. While some schools have implemented suicide prevention programs and the government has recognized teenage suicide as a growing problem, effective solutions need to be discovered and funded to prevent these catastrophic deaths. The U.S. federal government should develop and fund suicide prevention programs in high schools, while focusing on strategies ranging from coping mechanisms to drug intervention and screening methods. As a growing cause of death for teenagers, suicide is a crucial issue in†¦show more content†¦By creating programs that effectively reduce the number of suicides, costs will decrease, because in â€Å"2005, the estimated cost of suicide was more than $34.6 billion arising from 32,637 deaths and including medical costs and inferred lost work† (Caine 1). Thus, suicide is not only a personal problem anymore, but also a drastic national, economic issue, that needs more government attention. Better governmental legislation that provides effective prevention programs in high schools is a logical way to solve this problem, because â€Å"the school is a nexus for teen life and, therefore, uniquely poised as a context in which to address teen suicide† (Cooper 696). Furthermore, the government requires and regulates school attendance, so it is only reasonable that the government protects students from harm. However, current governmental legislation and prevention strategies aimed toward high school students have not made the necessary impact to combat rising suicide rates. Even after implementation of The New Freedom Commission, â€Å"there have been many suicide prevention programs that have been developed, but very few that show statistically significant effectiveness† (696). Fo r example, â€Å"telephone crisis programs and drop-in centers have not reduced the suicide rates; widespread treatment for depression has not lessened suicide. In fact, suicide from tricyclic antidepressant medication has increased in the last few years† (Westermeyer 108). Therefore, these issues call for

The Lower Extremity Arterial Health And Social Care Essay Free Essays

This instance of lower appendage thrombosis of vass of both venous and arterial system is selected for instance study as it is a rare signifier of thrombosis with a non really good established intervention mode and forecast. The aim of this survey was to describe the result of a 27 old ages old male patient with traumatic lower appendage venous and arterial thrombosis with both femoral and sciatic nervus hurt treated cautiously with low molecular weight Lipo-Hepin ( LMWH ) and unwritten Coumadin. The information beginnings used were patient interview, research lab and radiology probe consequences and patient charts. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lower Extremity Arterial Health And Social Care Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Case study Background Lower appendage deep vena thrombosis ( LLDVT ) is an progressively of import clinical entity with possible for considerable morbidity. Pneumonic intercalation ( PE ) is present in up to one-third of patients with LLDVT. When compared with the upper appendages, the venous tracts of the lower appendages are more likely to develop thrombus because of increased flow, gravity effects and the absence of stasis. ( 1 ) Most of the breaks with arterial hurts occurred at mid and lower 3rd junction of thighbone. The section of femoral arteria in adductor canal was most normally involved. All the arterial lesions were either at the degree of break or were within 4 centimeter of it. Patient and instance study A 27 twelvemonth old adult male presented with swelling and mild numbness of left lower limb of two yearss continuance after holding sustained lower limb injury with break of in-between shaft thighbone. After two yearss patient presented with upper tibial skeletal grip pin with Thomas articulatio genus splint holding cold clamsy tegument with absent distal lower limb arterial pulsing along with absent dorsiflexion of pes. ( 2 ) tegument was glistening, no capillary replenishment and ( 7 ) mild swelling of lower limb. Colour of tegument was about normal and no blister formation was at that place. Partial esthesis over lower limb was present at clip of presentation. Degree centigrades: UsersuserPictures2013-02-20 10.47.16.jpg Fig ( 1 ) ; Gross swelling with ecchymosis in fractured thighbone ( 4 ) Sciatic nervus hurt is rare in break of in-between 3rd thighbones but can happen, largely common peroneal portion of sciatic nervus. The femoral nervus can be compressed anyplace along its class, but it is peculiarly susceptible within the organic structure of the psoas musculus, at the iliopsoas channel, at the inguinal ligament. The chief motor constituent innervates the ilio-psoas ( a hip flexor ) and the quadriceps ( a articulatio genus extensor ) . The motor subdivision to the iliopsoas originates in the pelvic girdle proximal to the inguinal ligament. The centripetal subdivision of the femoral nervus, the saphenous nervus, innervates tegument of the median thigh and the anterior and median facets of the calf and after scrutiny we found partial centripetal loss over median facet of thigh and calf along with anterior facet of articulatio genus. After complete neurological scrutiny we found coincident engagement of both femoral and sciatic nervus hurt. Sciatic nervus flights injury in most breaks of the femoral shaft. Mostly sciatic nervus paralysis associated with a break at the distal shaft of the thighbone. The common peroneal division of the sciatic nervus was lacerated by a bone fragment at the break site. . Examination revealed complete palsy of the common peroneal nervus. The motions lost were extension of the mortise joint and toes. Sensibility was lost over the back of the pes and outer side of the leg. There was a positive Tinel ‘s mark over the sciatic nervus at the distal portion of the thigh. Nerve conductivity speed survey suggest left sciatic nervus hurt with engagement of left femoral nervus neurogenic form in musculus screened. In stray femoral neuropathies, the thigh adductors are normal. Although the thigh adductors portion common lumbar roots with the musculuss innervated by the femoral nervus, they are innervated by the obturator nervus along with the sciatic nervus and therefore are spared. But in this instance due to coincident engagement of both nerve adduction of hip besides non elicited. Weakness of the quadriceps musculus and decreased patellar physiological reaction are the most dramatic scrutiny findings. Centripetal shortages consist of numbness of the median thigh and the anteromedial calf. Probes Biochemical probe revealed decresed hemoglobin with normal leukocyte and platlet counts. liver and kidney profiles was about normal. one of the of import biochemical probe i.e. curdling frofile PT, INR, aPTT ab initio it was 21.7,1.87,29.7 severally. After two yearss of injury ( 3 ) doplar survey of lower limb suggested acute deep venous thrombosis widening from distal superficial femoral vena to popliteal, ant tibial and proximal portion of posterior tibial vena along with low opposition arterial spectrum is seen in the popliteal, anterior and posterior tibial arteria. Paras tardus form with increased accentutation clip and wider monophasic spectrum is seen in the distal posterior tibial arteria and dorsalis pedis artery.Conclusion of dopllar was Superfecial femoral vena shows echogenic thrombi in the lms with partial recanlisation. Nerve conductivity survey suggest left sciatic nervus hurt with engagement of left femoral nervus neurogenic form in musculus screened. CT Angiography survey ( 5 ) was done from lower portion of venters to distal toe by endovenous contrast and bolus tracing technique. Scaning was done in arterial and venous stage demoing non envisioned distal tierce of left superior femoral arteria ( widening 4cm ) with distal portion reconstructed with collaterals with remainder normal survey of lower limb arterial system. Canalization of thrombus distal tierce of left superior femoral vena with partly canalised thrombus in left peroneal vena and posterior tibial vena. Xray study of whole organic structure was done and we found left upper center shaft thighbone break widening to upper terminal with posterolateral angulation. Degree centigrades: UsersuserPictures2013-02-20 10.44.14.jpg Fig ( 2 ) ; anteroposterior position of diphyseal break thighbone He had a no history of abdominal TB. He denied any past history of surgery and endovenous drug usage. No household history of a similar unwellness was detected. Clinical scrutiny revealed few dilated venas in the leg and the upper half thigh. The right lower limb showed normal arterial pulsations and there was no neurological shortage or cadaverous hurt. The patient was treated as an outpatient with low molecular weight Lipo-Hepin ( LMWH ) for 6 yearss and Acitrom ( warferin ) 1mg OD for three yearss so 2mg OD along with Monotrate 10mg and Stiloz 50mg to keep the INR between 2-3. Discussion Patients with high speed injury with major long castanetss breaks have developed lower limb deep venous and arterial thrombosis with both femoral and sciatic nervus hurt are really rare phenomenon. Clinical presentation of major venous thrombosis in the lower limb normally presents with swelling of the lower limb, prominence of superficial venas and neurological symptoms and decreased distal arterial pulsing. The most serious complication of LLDVT is pneumonic intercalation happening in one tierce of the instances. The diagnosing of artero-venous thrombosis is confirmed by either duplex echography. ( 9 ) The intervention options for femoral venous thrombosis include conservative therapy with decoagulants, catheter-mediated thrombolysis and surgical intercession to take the intravascular coagulum. Patients with superficial femoral venous thrombosis due to intrinsic harm require merely anticoagulation therapy whereas those with extrinsic obstructor may necessitate rectification of the surgical pathology every bit good. ( 8 ) An anticoagulation therapy includes Lipo-Hepin followed by unwritten Coumadin for a period of 3 to 6 months maintaining the INR degree 2.0 to 3.0.arterial hurt are genrally treated with autogenos saphenous vena transplant after stabilization of break by external fixator in complete arterial occullsion. But in this instance after angiographic rating we get not visualised distal tierce of left superior femoral arteria ( widening 4cm ) with distal portion reconstructed with collaterals within 48 hours that is really rare and unusual phenomenon and limb survived with conservative intervention of break within Thomas knee splint without any unusual events. How to cite The Lower Extremity Arterial Health And Social Care Essay, Essay examples

Role of Human Resource for Organizations - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theRole of Human Resource Management for Organizations. Answer: Introduction Organizations attach different weights and views when it comes to matters concerning human resource management. Human resource management simply means the overall arrangement of workers and their individual tasks in an organization. It is the science in relationship to people and their duties in the workplace. For a good work to be done in any thriving organization, a qualified team of professionals is needed as this is the key element. Bearing in mind that resource managers bring a competitive environment in the market, they often face great coordination and integration challenges. (Schuler and Jackson, 2014, p. 35). Human resources should play the top various managerial roles in this environment and continue to be more concerned to develop and retain their talents, reduce the operational costs and maximize the profits as per the business strategies. Handling people at the workplace is the main responsibility of human resource management. Below is the discussion of various roles per formed by HRM in organizations. Role of Human Resource Management in Organizations Recruitment Recruitment is the art of looking for candidates for certain posts in an organization. The HRM is fully involved in analyzing the job requirements, attracts potential employees to that job, screens and selects the most qualified one to undertake the task. This concentrates on the sense of discernment while examining the various applications that are received in a company. The HR department proceeds to fix the schedules of conducting interviews to the shortlisted candidates for the advertised posts (Brueller, Carmeli, and Markman, 2016, p. 13). Assessment of the candidates on different levels is done at this point, starting with educational qualifications, capacity to perform various tasks and the character qualities. The HRM of a company ensures that the employees recruited have the right skills, abilities, knowledge and expertise in the job vacancy as per firms objectives. In the accomplishment of the background examinations on the selected candidates under the patronage of the Huma n Resource department, the candidates get a chance to be part and parcel of the organization eligible. Building Capacity Capacity building (capacity development) is a set of procedures where organizations and individuals acquire, increase the value and keep in possession the techniques and knowledge required to do the jobs competently. The HR team of professionals works towards the development of a competitive advantage for the business enterprise (Cristiani and Peir, 2015, p. 381). This involves enhancing teamwork of the employees and building the capacity of the firm to be in a position to provide unique, quality and quantity goods and services in the market (Jamali, Dirani, and Harwood, 2015, p. 143). Workers are encouraged to perform their duties with maximum commitment and urged to work as if they are doing it for their advantage and benefits. Building capacity by human resource managers on the current workforce leads to retention of talents, improved staff morale, and commitment to work operations. Personnel Management This is the determinant factor in the success or failure of a business enterprise in that full management of employees is under the jurisdiction of the human resource department. Personnel management is defined as acquiring, utilizing and maintaining a satisfied workforce. It is the responsibility of the HR to take the time to talk and listen to the grievances of the workers to maintain a conducive and productive working environment (Jamali, Dirani, and Harwood, 2015, p. 143). Efficient delivery of strategic and operational goals is facilitated by the proper management of employees and system performance in aligning their objectives. Every employee feels valued when his or her input to management is considered by the top management. The ability to satisfy the personnel needs and provision of conducive work environment by the company contributes to improved staff morale. The HRM provides the right facilities required and asked for by the employees in order to improve productivity henc e raising profitability. Motivation Among the crucial roles that HR does, is motivating the workers to perform their duties excellently for the development of the organization. Motivation may be in different forms, for example, work promotions, monetary rewards, brand ambassadors and also the organizations most preferred example. All the employees work to their level best with the main aim of becoming the overall best performers in the group( Jabbour et al., 2013, p.134). It is the obligation of the HR department to assess the employee performances and come up with the best out of the very many choices. Other motivating rewards may include salary increments, bonuses, flexible working hours and complimentary vacations. Further, a company motivates its human resources by provision of recreation facilities and organizing corporate holidays for the entire workforce. Employee Training and Development HR being the major contributor in an organization, is always up to make the employees the most productive assets through the organizing of employee training programs to better their performance. During these training programs employees are encouraged to utilize their optimum capacities. Those who are recruited as amateurs get thorough orientation, training inclusive and are empowered to engage themselves in the working environment (Knowles, Holton, and Swanson, 2014, p. 6). This is done by encouraging interactions among different employees, which results in healthy sharing of ideas and development of a good working environment. Employee development is accompanied by several benefits which include profit growth in the organization, reduced employee turnover, and deeper succession pipelines. For the individual employee level, there is increased employee motivation, improved engagement and improved speed to competency. Implementing Policies It is the work of the human resource department to implement and formulate employee welfare schemes which provide support to the workers at different levels. Policies such as those governing employee leaves, e.g. maternity/paternity leave, insurance plans, and employee welfare funds are initiated by the HR. Promotions and transfers are done according to the policies set by the HR department (Purce, 2014, p. 67. There is also the consideration of reducing the possible losses and future disturbances in the organization by the introduction of new policies which offer a conducive and recommendable working environment with suitable compensation. Compensation and Benefits It is the role of HR to set employee compensation structures as well as evaluating favorable payments to the employees. They also bear the responsibility of negotiating with different companies such as insurance on behalf of their workers to ensure that they are not exploited but are charged with reasonable amounts. Compensations are provided to the employees besides their standard wages and salaries, and they are very advantageous in that employers only recruit but retain qualified workers (Messersmith and Wales, 2013, p. 14). Employees also become comfortable and experience a peace of mind which results in increased productivity since they are sure and confident that they and their families are fully protected and covered by the organization they work for. Safety The security of the employees in the workplace is a critical factor which needs much consideration in any thriving organization. Human resource department is mandated with an obligation to provide a threat free and safe working environment for the employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Budhwar and Debrah, 2013, p. 76). Workers are trained on how to handle and report any workplace injury or fatality which may occur unexpectedly. HR also advocates for the construction of health facilities within the organization's premises to ensure that minor health issues are managed internally as well as discouraging unnecessary absenteeism of the workers. Compliance HR ensures that the company rules and regulations are adhered to by the employees. Those who dont follow the laws may be subjected to punishment such as suspension from the workplace, salary reduction or even full expulsion from the organization. Federal and state employment laws such as the National Labor Relations Act should also be followed by the company during the recruitment of new workers. Ensuring strict compliance to labor regulations enables easy flow of duties and attainment of the set goals by the firm. Most organizations have set down work policies that govern employees activities while in the workplace. Such policies are made in respect to work ethics whereby discipline and high code of professional conduct is required. On the other side, the employees of a firm get membership in labor unions with an aim to be protected and to use the labor union as a tool for raising their grievances as a union. Conclusion The role of human resource management in an organization is fundamental as it is based on several functions generally to benefit both the employees and the entire organization. There is a huge demand for workers in the current working environment. Most of the businesses all over the world have been performing a lot of work with fewer workers. All the challenges encountered as a result of overworking by the staff are channeled to the human resource department which should ensure that the challenging goals are met. HR acts as a mediator between the employees and the organization to ensure that every party is satisfied and all collaborate to work towards the accomplishment and realization of the organization's set goals and objectives. List of References Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2017.Armstrong's Handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers Brueller, N.N., Carmeli, A. and Markman, G.D., 2016. Linking merger and acquisition strategies to postmerger integration: a configurational perspective of human resource management.Journal of Management, p.0149206315626270 Budhwar, P.S., and Debrah, Y.A. eds., 2013.Human resource management in developing countries. Routledge. Cristiani, A. and Peir, J.M., 2015. Human resource function strategic role and trade unions: exploring their impact on human resource management practices in Uruguayan firms.The International Journal of Human Resource Management,26(3), pp.381-400 Jabbour, C.J.C., de Sousa Jabbour, A.B.L., Govindan, K., Teixeira, A.A. and de Souza Freitas, W.R., 2013. Environmental management and operational performance in automotive companies in Brazil: the role of human resource management and lean manufacturing.Journal of Cleaner Production,47, pp.129-140. Jamali, D.R., El Dirani, A.M. and Harwood, I.A., 2015. Exploring human resource management roles in corporate social responsibility: the CSR?HRM co?creation model.Business Ethics: A European Review,24(2), pp.125-143. Knowles, M.S., Holton III, E.F. and Swanson, R.A., 2014.The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development. Routledge Messersmith, J.G. and Wales, W.J., 2013. Entrepreneurial orientation and performance in young firms: The role of human resource management.International Small Business Journal,31(2), pp.115-136. Renwick, D.W., Redman, T. and Maguire, S., 2013. Green human resource management: A review and research agenda.International Journal of Management Reviews,15(1), pp.1-14. Purce, J., 2014. The impact of corporate strategy on human resource management.New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals),67. Riley, M., 2014.Human resource management in the hospitality and tourism industry. Routledge. Schuler, R. and E. Jackson, S., 2014. Human resource management and organizational effectiveness: yesterday and today.Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance,1(1), pp.35-55. Sparrow, P., Brewster, C. and Chung, C., 2016.Globalizing human resource management. Routledge. Storey, J., 2014.New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. Stredwick, J., 2013.An introduction to human resource management. Routledge. Tyson, S., 2014.Essentials of human resource management. Routledge.

Mcdonaldization Essays - Fast Food, McDonalds, Hamburgers, Wendys

Mcdonaldization The way that Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers does business and markets it's product to consumers is due to the change in our society to where the consumer wants the biggest, fastest, and best product they can get for their money. This change in society can be attributed to a process known as McDonaldization. Although McDonaldization can be applied to many other parts of our society, this paper will focus on its impact on Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. My belief is that the process of McDonaldization, where the ideology of McDonald's has come to dominate the world, has caused Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers to emulate McDonald's style of running a franchised restaurant chain in terms of efficiency, calculability, and control. However, since McDonald's has become the epitome of fast-food in our society, Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers has had to change their focus to giving the consumer a higher quality product in a relatively fast amount of time. So, Wendy's still caters to a Mc Donaldized society in terms of giving them a meal as fast as possible but making quality their number one priority to give people a viable option from McDonald's. In addition, I have used my girlfriend who manages at Wendy's and observations I gathered while at McDonald's as further information for this paper. First, before I discuss the impact of McDonaldization on Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, I will define what McDonaldization is. McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of fast-food restaurants are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society, as well as, of the rest of the world. (Ritzer 1998,Page 1) George Ritzer created this concept of McDonaldization as a continuation of Max Weber's theories on bureaucracies. Max Weber defines a bureaucracy as a large hierarchical organization that is governed by formal rules and regulations and has a clear specification of work tasks. Its three main characteristics are that it has a division of labour, hierarchy of authority, and an impartial and impersonal application of rules and policies. (Newman 1997, Page 271) Thus, from that definition of a bureaucracy, one would conclude that both McDonald's and Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers are bureaucracies. The fact that both restaurants are bureaucracies is supported by the fact that each assigns workers to a specific job where each worker individually contributes to the overall success of the restaurant by doing his or her job. For example, workers at each restaurant could be assigned to working the grill, making fries, working the front register, or taking orders at the drive-thru window. Both restaurants have a hierarchy of authority from worker, crew chief, shift manager, salary manager to owner of the store. Also, each restaurant enforces an impartial and impersonal application of rules and policies. Both McDonald's and Wendy's have standard, impersonal greetings at the register and at the drive-thru window. The exception when this impersonal attitude towards the customer is changed is when a worker knows the customer outside the restaurant. In this case, the worker will probably ask their acquaintance how they are doing or what they are up to. The worker might even throw in an extra cheeseburger that a regular customer might not get. Despite this exception where standardization is broken, both these restaurants have become bureaucracies because they are the most efficient means of managing large groups of people. That leaves one to wonder why the process of McDonaldization has been so successful for both companies. The first reason is that it offers efficiency where consumers know that it means the quickest way to get from one point to another. In the case of McDonald's, it offers the best available way to get from being hungry to being full. This is so important in today's society because so many people are in a rush to get from one place to another. Therefore, the quick, efficient setup of McDonald's allows consumers to eat a fast-food meal without having to leave their car. On the other hand, Wendy's strives for as efficient service as possible without effecting the quality of their product. This is because McDonald's already has imprinted on people's minds throughout the many years of its existence that they will get the same burger each visit in the quickest

20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing

20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing 20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing 20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing By Mark Nichol Clipped forms, shortened abbreviations of words, have a checkered history. Some are acceptable in formal writing, and others aren’t. When writing in academic contexts, in business writing, or another formal environment, take note of the status of these common clipped forms: 1. Ad: In formal writing, the full form, advertisement, is usually employed. 2. Bra: This clipped form of brassiere, from the French word for â€Å"bodice† (its euphemistic meaning: â€Å"arm protector†), has supplanted the longer form in all but the most stiffly formal writing. 3. Burger: If ever a reference to this fast food staple makes its way into formal writing, the short form of hamburger is just as likely to appear as the long form. 4. Bus: Omnibus (Latin for â€Å"all†), a word for a horse-drawn public-transportation conveyance, gave the right of way to its short form around the time such vehicles became motorized. 5. Copter: The full form, helicopter, is best for formal writing. 6. Deli: Though this word has been in use for at least a half century, delicatessen, from the German word for â€Å"delicacies,† is best for formal usage. 7. Exam: Examination was clipped back in the late 1800s and has long since been used even in formal writing. 8. Flu: The short form of influenza (Italian for â€Å"influence,† from the medieval supposition that illness was the result of celestial perturbations) is several hundred years old and has long been acceptable even in formal medical texts. 9. Fridge: This term, unusual not only in that the full form, refrigerator, has been clipped at both ends but also in that the spelling has been altered to reflect the pronunciation, is suitable for informal writing only. 10. Gas: Gasoline is much more likely to appear in formal writing than its clipped form. 11. Gator: This clipped form of alligator, in spite of its nearly 200-year-old tenure in the English language, is considered slang. 12. Gym: Most formal references to a school building for athletic activities will use the full form, gymnasium, which many patrons might be amused to learn stems from the Greek word for â€Å"naked,† because athletes in ancient Greece trained and competed nude. Because Greek gymnasiums were centers of intellectual education as well, the full term is often used in Europe to refer to what might in the United States be called a preparatory school (which, by the way, has its own clipped form: â€Å"prep school†). 13. Memo: So pervasive is this clipped form of memorandum that many people may not even know its origins. (The full word ultimately derives from the Latin for â€Å"memory.†) 14. Movie: Even more taken for granted than memo is this diminutive form of â€Å"moving picture,† which, if you step back from it, may appear silly looking and juvenile. Formal writing often refers to the medium as film or cinema, but movie is also acceptable. 15. Phone: The original term, telephone, is still often used in formal writing, but the clipped form is just as likely to be used. 16. Plane: Plane has become as acceptable as airplane in formal writing. 17. Pro: Professional, the full form, is the preferred usage in formal contexts. 18. Quake: This clipped form of earthquake is, despite long usage, still considered informal. 19. Tie: The full form, necktie, is all but obsolete. (Perhaps the clothing accessory will be, too, before long.) 20. Typo: This slang for â€Å"typographical error† is over a century old but is still considered substandard usage. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Masters Degree or Master's Degree?Social vs. Societalâ€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

Assessing Infrastructure Failure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assessing Infrastructure Failure - Assignment Example This refers to the events which may be the cause of the simultaneous disturbance of various which may not connect or depend on any type (Perrow, 2007, p.  13). Each of the failed infrastructures may lead to recurring cascading failures of their dependant infrastructure. Some of the key policies to ease the infrastructure sector would be to check on corruption. Politicians and senior officials may acquire public resources to keep up their power status (Weidler, 2012, p.  45). This can lead to incomplete or low quality infrastructures which cannot withstand natural calamities. A corruption free declaration would help improve in infrastructure development. Improvement in rural access leads will play a very important role in a country’s economy which will help in infrastructure development as it will help decentralization of industries and transport of goods. The status of our infrastructure is a challenge to the Security Department. Good infrastructure boosts security’s mission in a way that security officials can counter any security threat in less time. Otherwise, poor infrastructure will pose a challenge in a way that it will take time to alert the security officers for help. A regime can plan for change in policy by conducting seminars to teach its citizen about construction of important infrastructures and be open about the total cost to avoid any type or creating chances for corruption and any other vice that may hinder

Building Bridges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Building Bridges - Essay Example In this case, Erin is lecturing about how time can be maximally used to produce a high output. The cost used to set up a project should be realistic and should have returns. Every business or project management aims at making profits (output) and time and cost are the core factors for a profitable output (Beierwaltes). The On starting a project, one should first construct a WBS (work breakdown structure). A WBS consists of a schedule on how the project will progress and the time assigned to ach task in the project. There are three constraints on a project, i.e., time, scope, and the cost. The scope is results that are expected from the project and time constraint is the scheduled time to complete a given task. Cost is the primary constraint in the discussion because it is the amount of capital available for a company to complete its project successfully. The Cost must be budgeted at the beginning of a project, and it should have an excess. The reason is; if after a long period there will be mismanagement of funds, then the excess capital will be used to complete the

E-commerce Multiple Techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

E-commerce Multiple Techniques - Essay Example The company sells merchandize through catalogs, its website, and close to 300 Lands End Shops at Sears and Inlet Stores. Thus, the retailer provides three convenient ways to shop; by phone, digitally and in person. Lands’ End has developed unique web sites that use local language and currency to service customers in Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, Sweden, France and Austria. For its Canadian clients, the company has specifically set up a website www.landsend.canada. Customers of Lands’ End have every reason to feel comfortable and confident about their purchases because the company adheres to a set of core values and business practices that are in the best interest of all stakeholders including customers and vendors. The company believes in the philosophy that what is best for its customers is also best for the company. This philosophy is ingrained in the minds of each of its employees across departments. It is for this reason that customer’s of Lands’ End get the privilege of unparalleled customer service. The company has set up a toll free, round the clock helpline (800.800.5800) where customers can call and order a product as well as get a resolution to any query that they may have. The helpline is accessible round the year and the competent customer service staff, which receives 70-80 hours of induction training at the time of being hired by the company, resolves every customer complaint. The company also strives to respond with a personal message within 4 hours to every e-mail that it receives. Should any customer need it, Lands’ End supplies swatches of fabrics free of charge. In the event of a customer losing an item, say a glove or a mitten, purchased from the Lands’ End, the company replaces the in-stock styles for half the pair price and ships it free of cost, much to the delight of the customer. Customers have the option to return items purchased from Lands’ End at any time either for a full refund of the purchase price or

Arab Nationalism in the Modern Context

Arab Nationalism in the Modern Context ‘Arab Nationalism’ was an important part of anti-colonial struggle. A generation on it has little meaning today. Discuss. This essay will examine to what extent Arab nationalism as an ideology was of significance to the anti-colonial struggle and the influence of Arab nationalism in present times. A prominent question of interest in this study will be: was western domination eliminated due to the might of Arab nationalism? Certainly there has been a debate surrounding the significance of Arab nationalism today, this essay will highlight central issues surrounding the debate such as whether Arab nationalism has terminally declined or has just become a lessened force. A further question of concern will be: If Arab nationalism has gone into political remission could it be revived or gain appeal in present times? Furthermore this study will analyse when Arab nationalism was at its strongest and when the greatest expression of Arab nationalism were evident. Arab nationalism is considered to be a nationalist ideology which objective is to achieve a unified Arab nation encompassing the entire territory which is categorised as â€Å"the Arab World† from the Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf (Karsh Karsh, 1996). The assertion of Arab nationalism is that there should be political unity within the Arab world. Arab nationalism is an ideology that stresses solidarity of the Arab people which is entrenched in a common language, history and culture. The Arabic language is considered to play a significant unifying role. Certain scholars such as al-Hursi deem that the Arabic language is a central element of Arab nationalism (Suleiman, 1994). In addition, the end of Western hegemony and domination in the Middle East and North Africa region was a prominent objective of Arab nationalism. The notion of unity was believed to be a method that could be utilised to overcome colonisation. Arab nationalism was considered to be the sole vital method capable of providing an avenue away from colonialism and imperialism and a means to eliminate colonialism altogether. It was regarded to have the potential to provide larger regional unity as it offered the foundation of establishing an amalgamated nation that could be capable of resisting colonial powers and ultimately attaining independence. Various forms of long lasting grievances were caused by colonial occupation such as political oppression and marginalisation plus excessive economic profits and resources were continuously seized and exploited by the colonial powers. Furthermore a foreign unfamiliar culture was forced upon the Arab populaces; Arab nationalism and the set of beliefs surrounding the ideology were believed to have the capability to dissolve such matters in order to redeem and revert back to an indigenous culture and heritage. Most of the Arab world experienced colonial suppression and were ruled by western powers such as Britain and France. Was Arab nationalism vital in the struggle against colonialism? It is deemed that â€Å"†¦through the imperial world during the decolonizing period, protest, resistance, and independence movements were fuelled by one or another nationalism† (Said, 1993). The end of the Second World War caused vast political, social and economic transformations to the world order subsequently certain colonised nations gained their independence. In spite of this, the end of explicit or direct colonialism obviously did not equate to the termination of colonial dominance. European powers sought to retain their power across the Middle East and North Africa and colonialism still dominated large parts of the region. European imperialist presence was still evident as certain monarchies were under their rule and were still well disposed to them. For example, Egypt had been granted independence by the British in 1933 however Britain still played a direct role in Egyptian affairs and exercised a huge influence over the nation. It would be in this context that Arab nationalism would serve to provide a compelling set of beliefs and gain ground as a robust force in opposition to foreign occupation. Rafik Asha deemed that â€Å"(Arab) nationalism constitutes the v ital soul-force of our people, the bloodstream of Arab life and political vitality, the spirit which guides a resurgent people towards freedom from domination, servitude and patronage† (Pfaff, 1970). The Arab nationalist movement was immensely advanced by Gamal Abdel Nasser whom attained power in Egypt and became the nation’s president. In 1956, Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal which had still been occupied by the British. Furthermore, he fought against British, French and Israeli hostility and attacks towards Egypt later on that year. Both these forms of action exhibited a defiant attitude towards the Western powers and inevitably forced them into submission. During this epoch, Arab nationalism gained immense support and popularity throughout the Middle East and North Africa due to Nasser’s leadership furthermore many people in other Arab nations believed that they shared a common struggle against colonial powers. Furthermore the establishment of the United Arab Republic in 1958, which was the fusion of Egypt and Syria into one nation, was a bold experiment of Arab unity. Arab unity is one of the principal goals of Arab nationalism and it had been finally achieved. Even though it was a short lived political union it was distinguished to be a significant triumph over Western imperialism and emphasised that Arab nationalism and Arab unity did have the potential to be a distinct reality instead of being a mere ideological dream. The Arab defeat of the 1967 war had an implicit impact on Arab nationalism and led to the questioning of the secular ideology which had dominated Arab politics during the 1950s and 1960s. â€Å"It took some time for the light to go out on Arab nationalism, but its power generator went down in June 1967. After the Six-Day War, the slide of Arab nationalism toward political marginality became irreversible† (Dawisha, 2003). It is important to note that there was a considerable amount of other challenges which hindered the accomplishment of Arab unity, the principle goal of Arab nationalism. For instance there were evidently competing fidelities to tribes, sects region and religion â€Å"the Arabs were divided into sub-states identities such as tribe, religion and sect† (Dawisha, 2003). Furthermore there were different interpretations and clarifications of Arab nationalism. â€Å"Variations on Arab nationalism multiplied sometimes even inspiring separate classifications su ch as Nasserism and Ba’thism, and even more arcane subclassifications, such as neo-Ba’thism. Many of these became rivals, even to the point of bloodshed† (Kramer, 1993). Certain scholars stress that nationalist sentiment in the Middle East has significantly declined as a consequence of contesting ideologies such as Islamism (Myhill, 2010). Since 1967, Islamism has increasingly been perceived as an alternative discourse to secular Arab nationalism. In particular, it is deemed by some to be a form of response to significant failures such as the defeat of 1967 and the failure of the Arab nations to unite politically. The dissatisfaction of the people permitted Islamist groups to mobilise further recruits. During the period in which Nasser’s Arab nationalism was in power, Islamist ideologies had been marginalised and had been repressed from the political arena. For instance Egypt and Syria constrained the actions of the Muslim Brotherhood. Such circumstances as the defeat of 1967 and the on growing disillusionment of Arab nationalism led to the return of Islamist movements to the political field as such experiences of loss allowed Islam to offer a discourse that would provide the assurance of restoring the Arab region to a condition of fullness and glory. Therefore as an outcome of the decline of Arab nationalism, Islamist ideology began to fill the political void. It is claimed that Islam is the solely authentic ideology native to the Arab people, in particular Islamists contented that the secular nationalist phase was â€Å"untrue to Islam and lacking ‘authenticity’† (Fuller, 2004). In a similar vein it is argued that â€Å"Arab soldiers would have fought more bravely and effectively under the banner of Islam then they did under that of Arab nationalism†. Taking all of this into consideration, it is noticeable that the notion of that Islamism has replaced secular Arab nationalism particularly since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war is widely held. â€Å"In the 1980’s and 1990’s, radical Islam had become for the Arab regimes what Arab nationalism was in the 1950’s and 1960’s† (Dawisha, 2005). A question of relevance here is: Does Arab nationalism have any importance or significance today? It is evident that Arab nationalism went into decline following the 1967 War and that Islamist movements have been deemed as an alternative ideology however is it past the point of resuscitation? Some scholars advocate that Arab unification is completely over with and has no significance in any form (Ajami, 1978). However some judge that Arab nationalism is still in existence but will unlikely to be a potent influence. â€Å"But the Arab world today is so complex and fragmented, with such a maldistribution of population and resources (with a result that exploitation is also skewed in its local intensities) that it seems unlikely that Arab qawmiyya nationalism will survive as a major formative force† (Leiden, 1979). Arab nationalism can no longer hold the assertion that it retains an absolute grip in the mentality of the Arab people. All this, however, should not diminish the potential importance for the future course of Arab politics and culture. â€Å"Yet the idea is not dead; it still possesses force and it is possible that it can be resurrected at some later time† (Leiden, 1979). In a similar vein, it is deemed that â€Å"the fact of Arab nationalism cannot be argued away. It is a major political and social phenomenon as well as a mobilising ideology that has shaken the whole region since the last years of the nineteenth century† (Nafaa, 1983). It cannot be denied that attempts and experiments of Arab unity have been endeavoured and have not produced sincere effective outcomes. For instance notably the United Arab Republic highlighted the disagreements between Egypt and Syria. Furthermore in terms of carrying out collective aims the Arab League which was formed in 1945 was meant to bring into line meaningful cooperation plus social and economic unity. However the Arab League failed to achieve any substantial outcomes. Arab nationalism as an ideology and political movement was meaningless if its ultimate goal, the organic unity of all Arabs was unrealisable (Dawisha, 2005). On a more individual level, at present many Arabs doubt the certainty of the belief in an Arab nation and are significantly less confident on whether there now is an existing collective Arab pursuit or objective (Kramer, 1993). However, does the prosepect of attaining Arab untity really hold no weight in present times? It is important to recognise that at present unities amongst certain nations in the world are prevailing and effective. Undoubtedly, nations gain more power in numbers and that a group of nations united will certainly be more potent than a group of nations separated and split. In recent times, some may deem that the Arab population strongly requires Arab nationalism in order to gain influence in international issues. Long lasting divisions and discords have caused certain Arab nations to be less prominent in international affairs even though the Arab populace represents a considerable amount of people in Middle East and North Africa. For instance, nation states such as Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia are utterly reliant on the West (Khashan, 2000). From the time that they were established, individual Arab states have continuously given precedence to their individual interests. In present times the notion of Arab unity which is the ultimate goal of Arab nationalism may not be as inadequate as many perceive it to be. Undeniably, the accepted wisdom and thinking surrounding Arab nationalism has be subjected to certain setbacks leading to a great sense of dissatisfaction and stunted ambitions. However the notion of Arab unity holds a certain weight and is still of relevance at the current moment in time. If one is to analyse this line of thought on a pragmatic level a coherent political community would stand to serve significant purposes. Some deem that Arab nations should in spite of everything still work towards unity in order to attain constructive entities. This could be regarded to be entities such as an economic market that guarantees free movement of trade, goods and labour, a cohesive stand when handling with foreign powers in concern with economic and political matters. Unity could also serve to provide rapid assistance to an Arab nation intimidated b y a foreign power and to resolve internal Arab disagreements. Additionally an entirely Arab military authority could even be utilised to prevent potential foreign invasions (Khashan, 2000). An innovation Arab awareness should be established on the values of solidarity and constructive cooperation so that nations can associate with one another beneficially. Furthermore, some deem that the decline of Arab nationalism and its lack of influence now are due to the diminishment of imperialism as the perceived enemy. It must be recognised that by the 1960s the threat of imperialism had diminished and the issue had become less pertinent. In specific instances in Egypt and Iraq the British presence had been removed, Algeria had gained independence from the French colonial power; the Baghdad pact had been beaten (Dawisha, 2003). Without the significance of the â€Å"anti-imperialist† or â€Å"anti-colonial† resonance had Arab nationalism deteriorated to be nothing but a meaningless slogan which has run its course? Furthermore the opposition to western domination presented an opportunity and motive for unity, divisions intensified once Western imperialist domination had been removed. â€Å"So long as the greater part of the Arab polities were under the domination of their British, French or Italian overlords, the Arab nationalist c ould cooperate with those espousing a more parochial nationalism in a common effort to expel the colonial power. But once these fragmented parts attained their political independence, the efforts made to unite politically the several parts of the Arab world foundered on the shoals of parochial consideration† (Pfaff, 1970). However, undeniably in more recent times the Arab world has found itself struggling to resist foreign domination yet again in terms of international interference in the forms of Western militaries and United Nations sanctions particularly since after 1990s. On one hand this may be interpreted to have pushed Arab nationalism to retreat virtually to its state of origin however on the other hand this may be seen as to be a potential catalyst for a revival of Arab nationalism. For instance, the 2003 invasion of Iraq evoked a reaction of a certain Arab nationalist rhetoric (Taylor, 2003). All of this points to the conclusion that even though in the present day the set of beliefs relating to Arab nationalism are not as widely held as they were in the epochs of the 1950s and 1960s furthermore many claimed that the Arab vision for unity was irrelevant and exhausted especially after the Arab defeat in 1967 and overshadowed by Islamist movements. In spite of this the existence of Arab nationalist ideas are still prevailing in the Arab world and unification and political amalgamation is still required. â€Å"Nationalism will always exist when one group feels exploited by another† (Leiden, 1979) therefore in the future Arab nationalism may become more appealing due to prevailing international interference in the region and western domination. It has become evident in this study that Arab nationalism was considered to be a force implemented against colonisation and imperialism in this line of thought Arab nationalist ideas could still be utilised today in order to atta in solidarity to deter foreign intrusions. Bibliography Ajami, F. (1978). End of Pan-Arabism. Foreign Affairs, 355-373. Dawisha, A. (2003). Requiem for Arab Nationalism. Middle East Quarterly, 25-41. Dawisha, A. (2005). Arab nationalism in the twentieth century : from triumph to despair. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Fuller, G. (2004). The future of political Islam. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Karsh, E., Karsh, I. (1996). Reflections on Arab nationalism. Middle Eastern Studies, 367-392. Khashan, H. (2000). Revitalizing Arab Nationalism. Middle East Quarterly, 49-56. Kramer, M. (1993). Arab nationalism: mistaken identity. Daedalus , 171-206. Leiden, C. (1979). Arab Nationalism Today. Middle East Review, 45-51. Myhill, J. (2010). The islamization of arab nationalism. Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society, 19-43. Nafaa, H. (1983). Arab Nationalism: A response to Ajamis Thesis of the End of Pan-Arabism. Journal of Arab Affairs, 173-199. Pfaff, R. (1970). The function of Arab nationalism. Comparative Politics, 147-167. Rubin, B. (1991). Pan-Arab nationalism: The ideological dream as compelling force. Journal of Contemporary History, 535-551. Said, E. (1993). Culture and imperialism. London: Random House LLC. Suleiman, Y. (1994). Nationalism and the Arabic language: A historical overview. In Y. Suleiman, Arabic sociolinguistics: Issues and perspectives (pp. 3-23). New York: Routledge . Taylor, P. (2003, April 04). War Spawns New Arab Nationalist Mood, Pride. Retrieved April 04, 2014, from Arab news: http://www.arabnews.com/node/230249

Summary of Pirates of the Caribbean :: essays research papers

This story is about a boy named Jim Hawkins who lives at an inn that his mother and father run and watch over. So one normal day, a pirate looking man walked into the door for somewhere to stay in for a couple of nights. This pirate looking man was called the captain {Bill}, because he never told the Hawkins family what his real name was. So every day the inn family would provide him with food and shelter and Rum. He would always drink to much rum and he would become every drunk and inconsiderate of others. Jim’s father was getting very sick as the cold winter came along and working so much while running the inn. He soon died and his wife and child had to take care of the inn by themselves. A day or two later Bill the captain had a stroke because of the amount of rum he had drank while he was with the Hawkins family in their inn. Soon as the captain kept on drinking he soon passed away. When he died, Jim and his mother look for a key to open his suitcase which they think they can get their money that Bill had owned them cause of his stay at the inn and the meals they provided for him. The found some interesting things in his ripped coat such as the key which they were looking for, and other materials that shipmates carry with them. They also find a letter, and a treasure map, which they decide to take off for a journey to find the missing treasure that no other pirate or other human-being has come before. While on the road on the start of the journey they notice a lantern shinning about a decent couple feet away coming toward their direction. They were also looking for Bill’s treasure map that someone had given him to look for the treasure, but soon stumbled upon him when they walked into the Hawkis inn and noticed he was dead. So the mad men walk away from the inn from nothing but dead bill. Jim and his mother walk to Mr. Trelany’s house to tell him the news but the maid that answers his door, tells them that he is over the squire’s house. After the joy and excitement of the people that were going on this journey they found a ship and a couple new experienced ship mates.

Recruiting, Selection, and Training Essay

The company that I researched is WellPoint (aka Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield). I would love to have a position as a Human Resource Director within the company. As a Human Resources professional at WellPoint, the goal is to lead their workforce and workplace talent strategies into achieving the purpose statement to convert health care with trusted and caring solutions. WellPoint also develop programs that attract individuals with vision and talent to be the future of their industry. Human Resources professionals at WellPoint concentrate on key areas such as talent management, engagement, and Integration to maximize customer focus and efficiency. Analyze the effectiveness of the company’s recruiting efforts and make recommendations for improvement. The HR professionals have a hard time getting qualified applicants to apply for certain positions. So the first challenge is getting enough people to apply to a particular job. In doing so they are able to prepare not to consider t hose who they deem unfit for the position. It takes a lot of effort to select the applicants that truly qualify for the job. All organizations have to begin with advertising for the position. Other resources used for employment are employee referral, employment agencies, school recruiters, walk-ins, and the internet. To work in human resources, a person must go through an industrial/psychology analysis. WellPoint human resource departments have their own job analysis and all human resource employees must help mangers anticipate and meet changing needs related to gaining deployment, and the utilization of employees. The human resource professionals must estimate the amount and type of employees the organization needs, to keep the business running successfully. Therefore they must hire someone who is qualified to conduct all the important roles as a human resource manager. Human resource departments use multiple aptitude tests to screen potential employees. These tests also determine pay  rates based on these tests. This is due to the quality of demand for a human resource manager. The selection process takes a lot of practice and involves assessing and choosing the right candidates. All selection processes must be legal, technically sound, and must accurately match the people and skills needed f or the position. Analyze the selection process of the company you researched and make recommendations for improvement. The majority of I/O psychologists believe that personality tests are important tools for choosing the right employees. WellPoint and several other big corporations use these tests to measure dimensions of personality and related characteristics. These testing methods are used to foresee insubordinate behaviors, and remove individuals that may cause trouble or hindrance to the organization. WellPoint Corporation has been dedicating numerous amounts of energy into areas such as communication, recognition, and employee retention. They understand that branding the employees doesn’t mean anything if the experience of the individuals does not match. Instead they want to establish higher profits, increased sales, lower turnover, and outstanding customer service to their members. Part of WellPoint’s pre-employment testing includes personality testing and mathematical skills. These tests are based on the individual. Some of these particular measures may be referred to as tempera ments, dispositions, or traits. Also measured in that category are employee reliability, thoroughness, change, trustworthiness, and friendliness. Various personality measures are focused on characterizing people within the standard adult range of functionality while others focus on the identification of psychopathology (Schmidt, Shaffer 2010-2011). The reasons individuals are given a basic math assessment are to measure the accountability for their employees to figure out co-pays and co-insurance amounts are calculated correctly to the claim. WellPoint has spent countless time and money in mastering the art of employee selection, training, and retention. WellPoint has a website for interested candidates to apply for careers within their organization, both online and the corporate offices. During the selection process, candidates are asked to take a variety of assessments that analyze areas ranging from characteristics, skill sets, and basic reading and writing tests. Once a candidate has been selected and has accepted a job offer, there are several types of training encountered within the company. Determine how training and talent management contribute to an  effective labor force of the company you researched. Training is a planned learning experience and it effectively prepares workers for their current and future jobs. Training for human resource managers focuses on the present job industry while development training prepares them for the future growth. Training enhances knowledge and job skills. Methods used to measure the success of the training are performance appraisals. This measures the adequacy of the human resource managers. After their performances are measured their results are discussed with them, and any changes that may need to be made in the training process can be easily detected. These pre-employment tests are used largely in Human Resource and customer service environments for middle paying entry level jobs. Testing is designed to predict proneness for theft and other forms of counterproductive work behavior in job applicants. The organization now proposes quarterly training for employees, and is on the path to training over thousands of new people due to health care reform (wellpoint.com) The whole program is centered on listening to customers, and it recognizes employees who go the extra mile in the name of customer service. Often the new hire will experience on-the-job training, during which he or she will be shown the necessary steps in their assigned tasks. For instance, if a person is assigned to the team and asked to process claims, he or she will be shown how to properly process the claim by the trainer. Other tasks that the new hire will be expected to perform, such as enrolling dependents or ordering ID cards. This training is done in a class room setting environment. Safety courses and other employee training courses are offered periodically. Some of these courses are offered online, while others are done in training sessions within the building. WellPoint corporate employees evaluate the efficiency of nearly every aspect of the training and implementation of new employees. Additional measures are also put in place when a policy or product has changed or a new one has been introduced. The department of Quality Assurance oversees this for their assigned regions. WellPoint takes great care in ensuring that their policies are proficient and products are the best quality. That is why there are several departments in place to oversee these important aspects of the corporations. They include Quality Assurance, Product Development, Legal, Human Resources and Information Services. Another way that WellPoint seeks to improve their employee job satisfaction is career training. A large  majority of WellPoint corporate staff started with the company and took advantage of the leadership training to climb the corporate ladder within the organization. WellPoint takes pride in the training program that the company offers, and this training is held worldwide. They are among many companies who has been certified to grant college credit hours to employees in the training programs. Human Resource managers must be treated ethically like their employees; however there are some cases where they are treated unethically. Human resource managers may face problems involving their employees, promotions, pay, and favoritism. Human resource managers must be very observant of all employees to ensure everyone is treated fairly. It is important that those who qualify for human resource management are the ones hired, not those who look, act, or dress in a certain manner. According to the EEOC, (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), â€Å"Employers are not prohibited from using personality or integrity tests in the workplace. However, the statute is implicated when: (1) an employer uses tests to intentionally discriminate against minorities or (2) the tests have an adverse impact on minorities and are not job-related for the position in question and c onsistent with business necessity. No cases have found that an employer’s use of personality testing in the workplace resulted in the unequal treatment of protected groups. However, there could be such a cause of action if the tests were used intentionally to exclude members of protected groups. This would usually involve evidence of comparative proof that members of a protected group were treated differently than majority group members. For example, it would obviously be illegal for an employer to test minority applicants, but not majority applicants†. As long as these tests are given in a professional manner, it is not against the law to do such to find out if the individual is the best fit for the job. Employee selection and training will continue to be two of the most important aspects for growing and supporting the workforce for companies in the future. Psychological assessments, such as the ones described in this paper, is one of the many ways that companies can attempt to get the highest quality people and not select people who do not want to be there. While there is speculation of the dependability of using these assessment tools for employee selection and training, the evidence shows that it can be helpful in focusing the time and money into particular areas or people to improve  productivity within the company. WellPoint also uses verbal reasoning, numeracy, spatial awareness battery test. They consist of a number of questions with multiple choice answers, only one of which is right. As a test progresses, the questions may become more difficult, and there are frequently more questions than can comfortably be completed in the time. These tests are designed so that very few people finish the test in the time allowed. The participant’s score is then compared with how other people have done on the test in the past. This enables the selectors to assess reasoning skills in relation to others, and to make judgments about ability to cope with tasks involved in the job. On the flip side, personality inventories are used in order to determine one’s typical reactions and attitudes to a variety of situations. They could be trying to identify how well an individual can get on with others or their normal reaction to stressful situations, or simply their feelings about the kind of people they like to work with (Spector, 2008). Perhaps the biggest challenge related to the use of assessment tools is determining when to use the information obtained to remove an applicant from consideration. References The WellPoint Employee (2008). Retrieved November 13, 2013 from www.wellpoint.com Schmidt, R & Shaffer, D. (2010-2011). Personality Testing in Employment. Retrieved November 12, 2013 from http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Dec/22/130153.html. Spector, P. E. (2008). Industrial and Organizational Psychology (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2011) Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964: Employment. Retrieved November 13, 2013 from www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm Holley, W. H., Jr., Jennings, K. M., Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2012). Employment Labor & Relations. (2nd ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

10 Facts About the Geography of Reykjavik, Iceland

10 Facts About the Geography of Reykjavik, Iceland Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland. It is also the largest city in that country and with its latitude of 64Ëš08N, it is the worlds northernmost capital city for an independent nation. Reykjavik has a population of 120,165 people (2008 estimate) and its metropolitan area or the Greater Reykjavik area has a population of 201,847 people. It is the only metropolitan area in Iceland. Reykjavik is known as being Icelands commercial, governmental and cultural center. It is also known as being the worlds Greenest City for its use of hydro and geothermal power. What to Know About Iceland The following is a list of ten more facts to know about Reykjavik, Iceland: 1) Reykjavik is believed to have been the first permanent settlement in Iceland. It was established in 870 C.E. by Ingà ³lfr Arnarson. The original name of the settlement was Reykjarvik which loosely translated to the Bay of Smokes due to the regions hot springs. The additional r in the citys name was gone by 1300. 2) In the 19th century Icelanders began to push for independence from Denmark and because Reykjavik was the regions only city, it became the center of these ideas. In 1874 Iceland was given its first constitution, which gave it some legislative power. In 1904, executive power was given to Iceland and Reykjavik became the location of the minister for Iceland. 3) During the 1920s and 1930s, Reykjavik became the center of Icelands fishing industry, especially that of salt-cod. During World War II, the allies occupied the city, despite the German occupation of Denmark in April 1940. Throughout the war, both American and British soldiers built bases in Reykjavik. In 1944 the Republic of Iceland was founded and Reykjavik was named as its capital. 4) Following WWII and Icelands independence, Reykjavik began to grow considerably. People began to move to the city from Icelands rural areas as jobs increased in the city and agriculture became less important to the country. Today, finance and information technology are important sectors of Reykjaviks employment. 5) Reykjavik is the economic center of Iceland and Borgartà ºn is the financial center of the city. There are over 20 major companies in the city and there are three international firms with headquarters there. As a result of its economic growth, Reykjaviks construction sector is also growing. 6) Reykjavik is considered a multicultural city and in 2009, foreign-born peoples made up 8% of the citys population. The most common groups of ethnic minorities are Poles, Filipinos, and Danes. 7) The city of Reykjavik is located in southwest Iceland at only two degrees south of the Arctic Circle. As a result, the city gets only four hours of sunlight on its shortest day in the winter and during the summer it receives almost 24 hours of daylight. 8) Reykjavik is located on Icelands coast so the citys topography consists of peninsulas and coves. It also has some islands that were once connected to the mainland during the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. The city is spread out over a large distance with an area of 106 square miles (274 sq km) and as a result, it has a low population density. 9) Reykjavik, like most of Iceland, is geologically active and earthquakes are not uncommon in the city. In addition, there is volcanic activity nearby as well as hot springs. The city is also powered by hydro and geothermal energy. 10) Although Reykjavik is located near the Arctic Circle it has a much milder climate than other cities at the same latitude due to its coastal location and the nearby presence of the Gulf Stream. Summers in Reykjavik are cool while winters are cold. The average January low temperature is 26.6ËšF (-3ËšC) while the average July high temperature is 56ËšF (13ËšC) and it receives about 31.5 inches (798 mm) of precipitation per year. Because of its coastal location, Reykjavik is also usually very windy year round. Sources:Wikipedia.com. Reykjavik - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk

Pros and Cons of Social Networking Essay Example

Pros and Cons of Social Networking Essay Example Pros and Cons of Social Networking Essay Pros and Cons of Social Networking Essay Essay Topic: Pros and Cons PThe Pros Social networking sites have paved the way for easier communication to your friends, family, or colleagues. One example is that instead of meeting in a certain place, you and your classmates could discuss a school activity by having a conference in a certain site that you are all members of, thus saving you time and effort. Virtual communities are also formed, which are composed of people connected together by common interests, purpose, and goal. People of different races also get to mingle with each other in just a few clicks. The idea of socializing with millions of people of different backgrounds excite the Web surfers. This is one thing that you can hardly do outside the virtual world. The Cons While social networking sites have become places for establishing connections and meeting friends, they have also become likely places for identity theft and fraud. As you have to provide certain information such as your e-mail address, name, and location, others use these information and pretend to be you, especially when they are into illegal activities. Furthermore, someone pretending to be somebody else can make you believe that he or she is up to some business offer, ask to meet up with you, and take your money. It has also become easier for someone to stalk you and harass you online. You should make use of the pros and cons of social networking sites to take precautions in the kind of people you should trust and share some information about yourself to. The debates whether you should or should not be a part of the social networking community is never ending. And, at the end of the day, the best weapon that you have is sound judgment.

Illiteracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Illiteracy - Essay Example The U.S. does not have this capability which many have argued has led to a great increase in the levels of illiteracy in the country. According to a US government report, The State of Literacy in America, released in 1998 by the National Institute for Literacy (NIL) (cited in Roberts, 1998), there has been a significant growth in illiteracy in America. â€Å"Over 90 million US adults, nearly one out of two, are functionally illiterate or near illiterate, without the minimum skills required in a modern society† (Roberts, 1998). Many experts have blamed this failing on an educational system that focuses almost exclusively upon a sight-based reading program that has proven to be ineffective for the majority of learners (Hoerl, 1997). Not surprisingly, there is a very high rate of illiteracy among children and young adults in the juvenile justice system according to a study revealed in the book Retarding America the Imprisonment of Potential. It has been shown that these kids who learn to read while incarcerated have a strikingly lower recidivism rate than those who do not. Despite these findings, the majority of juvenile and adult prisons, as well as many schools and adult assistance institutions, teach the sight-based reading system (Brunner, 1993). Unquestionably, the debate regarding reading education methods have brought about emotional responses from all those affected for over a century. Why Johnny Can’t Read, written by Rudolph Flesch in 1955, sparked a nationwide discussion. Flesch suggested that practically all reading problems experienced by children in the U.S. were caused from educators and publishers who had banned together in an effort to deny phonics instruction. Following the publication of Learning to Read: The Great Debate (Chall, 1967), an evaluation of all published research to date on the effects of various approaches to beginning

EH 1010-08H ENGLISH COMPOSITION I (EH1010-08H) Essay

EH 1010-08H ENGLISH COMPOSITION I (EH1010-08H) - Essay Example It should be noted that not only the patient or the victim of smoke is at a loss from his body deprivation point of view but also his chances of suffering an injury instantaneously are quite viable. As debated before, many kinds of ailments might creep up with the passage of time circumscribing diseases such as cancer, lung-related problems and throat malignancies to name a few. [Jacobson, 1997] Peer smoking has been found out as one of the mainstays in keeping up to the smoking habit. People who are discouraged to smoke find solace when they see their near and dear ones doing the same, thus allowing themselves just about any rationale to follow upon and continue with the smoking loom. Certain discussions have also been concluded on the fact that parents generally do not have any idea on how to combat smoking so that their wards can keep off this habit from themselves. [Chase, 1995] They (parents) find certain ways in which their young ones do not readily catch up on the already present bandwagon of adopting a cigarette to relieve their tensions and thus allowing just about every harmful drug into their body with

Emergency preparedness flyer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Emergency preparedness flyer - Essay Example The primary focus would be to draw up a community preparedness plan, the default thing to do in any foreseeable emergency in which certain things have to be taken into account. Firstly, know what to expect. Educating oneself about the kind of disaster along with some information regarding their location would help prepare them accordingly. Populations living near the coastline should prepare for a tsunami whereas those living near or on a fault line should know what to do in case of an earthquake. Coming up with an emergency plan related to the specific disaster would be much more highly effective than a generic plan encompassing all that could go wrong (Kehayan & Napoli, 2005). Ironically, the very technology that has been put in place to help during a calamity has also put us at a disadvantage, primarily due to our dependency upon it. Today's masses live in a very different world compared to an earlier generation, when cross community communications were an intrinsic part of life a nd as such are much more ill prepared when things such as electricity, internet, gas, and water, which they are so dependent upon, are suddenly unavailable.

Attitudinal Behaviour Essay Example for Free

Attitudinal Behaviour Essay Purpose – In order to classify individuals based on their needs, this paper aims to consider both self-stated attitudes and behaviours in a comprehensive range of daily ï ¬ nancial affairs. Furthermore, it aims to study the impacts of socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, and education. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was answered by 1,282 respondents in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Factor analysis revealed ï ¬ ve components. Based on these components a two-step cluster analysis (Ward and K-means analyses) identiï ¬ ed distinct subgroups. Linear regressions were used to investigate the impacts of socio-demographic variables. Findings – Factor analysis revealed ï ¬ ve underlying dimensions of ï ¬ nancial attitudes and behaviour: anxiety, interests in ï ¬ nancial issues, decision styles, need for precautionary savings, and spending tendency. Cluster analysis segmented the respondents into ï ¬ ve subgroups based on these dimensions with an ascending order of speciï ¬ c needs for ï ¬ nancial products. Gender, age, and education were found to have signiï ¬ cant impacts. Research limitations/implications – Real consumption behaviour cannot be observed through the survey, which limits the external validity of the study. Practical implications – The segmentation identiï ¬ es different levels of ï ¬ nancial competence and needs for ï ¬ nancial products. It allows ï ¬ nancial service providers to offer more effective advice and to meet customers on their own level to improve personal ï ¬ nancial management. Originality/value – Attitudes and behaviours in daily ï ¬ nancial affairs are examined to reveal individuals’ ï ¬ nancial competence and consequential product needs. A heterogeneous sample covers a variety of demographic groups. Keywords Personal ï ¬ nance, Savings, Questionnaires, Factor analysis, Cluster analysis, Switzerland Paper type Research paper Introduction Everyone has to manage his or her personal ï ¬ nance in one way or another. Some tend to save a lot, some like to collect information before each purchase, some like to follow their gut feelings. Private investors are not a homogeneous group but rather The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the University Research Priority Program â€Å"Finance and Financial Markets† of the University of Zurich and the National Centre of Competence in Research â€Å"Financial Valuation and Risk Management† (NCCR FINRISK), Project 3, â€Å"Evolution and Foundations of Financial Markets†. In addition, they would like to thank the Swiss ï ¬ nancial company that provided them with client data and the anonymous referee for the helpful comments. International Journal of Bank Marketing Vol. 27 No. 2, 2009 pp. 108-128 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0265-2323 DOI 10.1108/02652320910935607 individuals with various ï ¬ nancial practices combined with different levels of experience, anxiety and interest in ï ¬ nancial matters (Gunnarsson and Wahlund, 1997). In an increasingly competitive marketplace, ï ¬ nancial institutions need to emphasise customer relationships and the retention of existing customers that require an in-depth understanding of their attitudes and behaviours (Harrison and Ansell, 2002). The heterogeneous market is divided into smaller more homogeneous groups to meet speciï ¬ c needs with a corresponding business model (Jenkins and McDonald, 1997). Market segmentation relies, in the ï ¬ nancial industry, largely on socio-demographic information to deï ¬ ne segments for speciï ¬ c services (Harrison, 2000). It is questionable  ¨ as to how appropriate they are (Jorg, 2005), therefore in this study, selected aspects of ï ¬ nancial affairs such as routines and attitudes are gathered to gain insights towards signiï ¬ cant behavioural patt erns. The objective in this research is to examine the extent to which a broad range of private investors can be classiï ¬ ed into a small number of clusters in order to learn about group-speciï ¬ c needs in ï ¬ nancial affairs. More than 1,200 participants in Switzerland have answered our questionnaire with a response rate of 79 per cent. Unlike some other studies in this ï ¬ eld (e.g. Lim and Teo, 1997; Wood and Zaichkowsky, 2004), this survey is not limited to students, but includes a broader range of the public. Instead of focusing solely on savings behaviour (EBRI, 2002; MacFarland et al., 2003), the present study embraces a wider scope of daily ï ¬ nancial concerns. Thereby factor analysis exposes ï ¬ ve underlying dimensions: anxiety, interests in ï ¬ nancial issues, decision styles, need for precautionary savings, and spending tendency. We demonstrate that our respondents can, based on these dimensions, be classiï ¬ ed into ï ¬ ve distinct groups by cluster analysis where from cluster I to V, the need for action for a better handling of ï ¬ nancial matters increases: for example, the â€Å"Gut-feeling followers† show a intuitive way of decision taking, disinterest in ï ¬ nancial subjects and a lack of awareness for the need of provision which make it difï ¬ cult to argue for or to initiate remedial action. Each cluster raises key issues in meeting their needs and allows for guidance to design and adapt instruments to assist in speciï ¬ c ï ¬ nancial requirements. To illustrate how ï ¬ nancial behaviour can be modiï ¬ ed to improve personal ï ¬ nance speciï ¬ cally for each group, examples from the area of retirement savings, an important part of daily ï ¬ nancial management, are chosen (Clark-Murphy and Soutar, 2005). Linear regression further reveals that the clusters highlight socio-demographic characteristics and help generate a better understanding, although one socio-demographic factor alone does not offer enough information to detect cluster membership. The main theoretical contribution of this paper is that we segment the investors based on the revealed dimensions in attitudes (e.g., level of anxiety), together with the self-stated ï ¬ nance-related behavioural pattern (e.g., spending tendency). In this way we could identify the speciï ¬ c needs and provide different services to each subgroup. Theoretical background and literature review Individuals show considerable deviation from the expectation of rational behaviour implied by ï ¬ nancial models (Barberis, 2003). Being conscious of the empirical limitations of the homo economicus model for exploring the behaviour of private individuals, behavioural ï ¬ nance broadens the view by combining knowledge from psychology and economics ( Camerer and Loewenstein, 2004). Our study belongs to this area. However, instead of focusing on particular anomalies and biases that individuals succumb to, such as overconï ¬ dence and procrastination (Biais et al., 2005; O’Donoghue and Rabin, 1998), we broaden the scope under review by studying general patterns when dealing with ï ¬ nancial issues. Market segmentation In the ï ¬ nancial services industry, market segmentation is a common method to understand better and serve the diverse customer base with its wide-ranging needs and various behaviours (Speed and Smith, 1992). Competitive pressures from deregulation of the ï ¬ nancial services market increase the requirement for market orientation and a more intimate knowledge of the market and its segments (Gunnarsson and Wahlund, 1997). Previous research has shown that there are various beneï ¬ ts from taking a segmented approach to the marketplace: a better serving of customer requirements; a tailoring of offerings; and higher customer satisfaction (Harrison and Ansell, 2002). It can increase customer retention and create loyalty and long-term relationships that positively affect performance (Martenson, 2008). Market segmentation aims to recognise patterns of ï ¬ nancial behaviour, identiï ¬ ed by studied segment predictors to group individuals into segments according to their product needs (Harrison, 2000). Yet, marketing in the ï ¬ nancial services industry today is still predominantly based on socio-demographic features like gender and age which are easy to identify and easy to apply in the composition of groups (Machauer and Morgner, 2001). A prediction of needs from socio-demographic characteristics cannot be assumed; therefore these widely used a priori segmentations are under review (Speed and Smith, 1992). In contrast, post hoc methods entail the grouping of respondents according to their responses to particular variables, focusing on customer motivations (i.e. needs/behaviour) that are more likely to result in a service based on individual n eed (Durkin, 2005). In research, behavioural segmentation is increasingly found (Elliott and Glynn, 1998; Soper, 2002), although researchers continue to concentrate on the ï ¬ nancial behaviour of speciï ¬ c groups and selective variables  ¨ (Warneryd, 2001). This study focuses on the general population, giving a more holistic view of personal ï ¬ nancial management activities and taking attitudes and behaviour into account. Individual investors The literature on individual economic behaviour often focuses narrowly on speciï ¬ c  ¨ areas such as risk attitudes (Warneryd, 1999; Wood and Zaichkowsky, 2004) or saving (Normann and Langer, 2002; Thaler and Benartzi, 2004). Other ï ¬ elds of research target investment in securities (Barber and Odean, 2001; Brennan, 1995; Keller and Siegrist, 2006) or focus on speciï ¬ c segments such as occupational groups (e.g., dentists and  ¨ managers (Jorg, 2005)). Speciï ¬ c ï ¬ nancial issues or situations, however, are not indicative of an individual’s behavioural and attitudinal disposition toward ï ¬ nance. Rather an interest in ï ¬ nances or having certain habits related to managing one’s ï ¬ nancial means may indeed be a moderating factor to learn about behaviours and needs (Loix et al., 2005). The attitudes and behaviours toward ï ¬ nances regarded in this study focus on individual ï ¬ nancial management behaviour. It is a topic with important implications that has not been sufï ¬ ciently examined in ï ¬ nancial and economic behavioural studies (Loix et al., 2005). The subject is not covered by the extensive research on individual’s attitudes and habits towards money, as such studies focus on the meaning of money (Lim and Teo, 1997) or basic values concerning money in general as an abstract concept (Raich, 2008), and not on an individuals’ ways of dealing with his or her personal ï ¬ nance. Previous studies of private investors have used mainly behaviour-based criteria or attitudes and do not combine both aspects (Keller and Siegrist, 2006) that are the focus of this study. This study is not product-linked but wider ranging in that it examines the self-stated ï ¬ nancial attitudes and behaviour of individual investors. Attitudes and behaviours A frequently discussed question in research is to what extent attitudes predict behaviour. A direct relationship between attitudes and behaviour has often been found to be weak, but difï ¬ culties in ï ¬ nding a strong relationship might derive from  ¨ differences in deï ¬ nition and measurement (Warneryd, 1999). The more speciï ¬ c the attitude is the better are the chances of ï ¬ nding a substantial correlation with behaviour if behaviour is also deï ¬ ned as a speciï ¬ c act (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). Therefore, deï ¬ ned questions or attitudes can have predictive power and a higher correlation of attitude to-wards behaviour has been conï ¬ rmed in studies (in a comprehensive  ´ meta-analysis: Glasman and AlbarracÄ ±n, 2006; Tesser and Shaffer, 1990). A further question is the beneï ¬ t of knowledge concerning behaviour. Whilst behaviour changes over time, there is a popular assertion that â€Å"past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour† (Ajzen, 1991, p. 202). It is a reï ¬â€šection of these ideas that leads to attitudes and behaviour being explored in this paper. Financial needs segmentation Several typologies concerning the ï ¬ nancial affairs of private investors can be found in the previous literature, but with more speciï ¬ c approaches: se gmentations are based on ï ¬ nancial maturity and knowledge (Harrison, 1994), provision for retirement (Gough and Sozou, 2005) or savings strategies (Gunnarsson and Wahlund, 1997). Loix et al. (2005) come closest to the focus of this study with the question of orientation towards ï ¬ nances but their goal is to develop a measurement scale for individual’s ï ¬ nancial management. In this study, we examine the self-stated ï ¬ nancial attitudes and behaviour through a broader basis and do not restrict ourselves only to questions concerning risk or saving. We apply the methodology of cluster analysis to identify groups of private investors in order to obtain insight into the enforcing or modifying of speciï ¬ c behaviour. Cluster analysis has become a common tool in marketing and is a well-adopted method for market segmentation as well as the applied factor analysis apparent in this paper (Punj and Stewart, 1983). The aim of the present study is to obtain a better understanding of people’s needs in ï ¬ nancial matters to provide adequate services and products. This study, based on ï ¬ nancial service consumers, identiï ¬ es distinct motivational clusters that were independent of the more established socio-demographic segmentation variables used in targeting and communicating by ï ¬ nancial institutions. This study demonstrates that, by segmenting respondents on the basis of a broader range of ï ¬ nancial attitudes and behaviour, a yield of clearly interpretable proï ¬ les can be realised and is helpful to identify those people in most need of professional ï ¬ nancial advice. This research suggests that customer’s ï ¬ nancial proï ¬ les may be useful in predicting their response to new products as well as persuading them to use existing services for the speciï ¬ c beneï ¬ ts they value. Participants and questionnaire The data come from a questionnaire that wa s completed by 1,282 respondents from various regions of the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The respondents were recruited from two sources: 53 per cent of the participants (n  ¼ 680) were clients seeking consulting advice from a Swiss ï ¬ nancial planning company, together with participants in courses in ï ¬ nancial training within the same ï ¬ rm (convenient sample). The second source was employed to avoid a client bias in the study. A total of 602 study subjects (47 per cent of the total study) were identiï ¬ ed through a combination of â€Å"quota[1] and snowball[2] sampling procedures† (Vogt, 2005) so that its composition in terms of sex, age, and other demographic characteristics came close to reï ¬â€šecting the respective proportions in Switzerland. Although not every member of the population is equally likely to be selected, the sample is composed of a wide variety of backgrounds. The diversity came from such groups as participants in a study relating to ï ¬ nancial literacy, and from different sources such as a nursing home, a group of university students, a group of teachers, company employees from four Swiss companies unrelated to the ï ¬ nancial services sector, a group of self-employed people, participants in a course for the unemployed, and a group made up of parents. The questionnaire was designed in German. Participants were ï ¬ rst asked to give their self-assessment by answering 17 questions on their ï ¬ nancial behavioural practice or attitude towards ï ¬ nancial affairs. The response format is a ï ¬ ve-point-Likert-type scale with â€Å"absolutely† and â€Å"not at all† at the two ends of the question spectrum. Subsequently, the questionnaire contains questions concerning socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, career stage, and education[3]. The age of participants ranges from 18 to 84 years old, with 58.9 per cent between 36 and 65 years old (n  ¼ 755). The natural demographic balance of men and women is reï ¬â€šected in the sample with 49.3 per cent men (n  ¼ 632) and 50.7 per cent women (n  ¼ 650). The proportion of people with a university degree or equivalent is 46.6 per cent (n  ¼ 598), whereas 33.8 per cent participants (n  ¼ 433) obtained an apprenticeship (up to ï ¬ ve years). There are 14.5 per cent participants (n  ¼ 186) who have a high school diploma as the highest educational level, whereas 5.1 per cent participants (n  ¼ 65) have only attended secondary school. There are 10.5 per cent (n  ¼ 135) participants who were studying at a university or at another institute of higher education at the time of our survey. Methodology and results Factor analysis As the ï ¬ rst step we conducted an exploratory factor analysis, a principal component analysis, in order to determine the underlying dimensions of the ï ¬ nancial attitudes and behavioural tendencies. The chosen solution with ï ¬ ve principal components was constructed using the varimax rotation technique and can explain 53.3 per cent of the total variance. Different opinions concerning what constitut es a high loading are found in the literature, e.g. 0.3 (Gardner, 2001). Here, the rotated factor loading of 0.5 was chosen as a threshold.