In a World of Pay: Human Resource Management Essay

Pay rates have always been an important issue when it comes to hiring workersespecially when dealing with professionals whose talent and experience are highly soughtin the job market. In our case study, we will be discussing the difficulties and challenges of hiring expatriates which in this case will be revolving around pay. The case is about theproblems that arose at a German software Company (Typware) when the managementdecided to hire Anne Prevost whom they consider to be an ‘intelligent careful strategist.’Anne is generally agreed to be the perfect match for the job but the rate which Anna isrequesting for the job is causing controversy at Typware because some other workerssuch as Jurgen Mehr (Head of Typware European Marketing) feel threatened by theamount the new hire will be receiving. Case DescriptionThis case illustrates a german software company’s inability to effectively compile afair compensation package for the hire of an american ex-pat. Renate Schmidt, the headof human resources at typware, is faced with a dilemma of how much to offer AnnePrevost. Thomas Gutschein, the CEO of typware, has made it clear that Anne is a neces-sary strategic acquisition. Many managers, including the European head of marketingJurgen Mehr, have expressed discomfort and/or threatened by the high salary proposedfor Prevost. Schmidt has no reference in determining a fair ex-pat package as this is therst time in Typware’s history that they hire an outsider to work at HQ. Schmidt facesproblematic issues, one being that Typware does not use a uniform pay scale and overthe past decade many executives have received up to 30 percent extra salary based ongeographical circumstances. Having researched the employee salary les and not ndingany help from them, Schmidt calls in a favor from Rainer Barth. Barth, her contact at aconsulting rm, helps her compile a list of questions that need to be asked in order to geta more accurate idea of how Prevost’s salary will be determined. Finally, the last issueneeded to be stressed is that Prevost has another offer on the table and Typware needsto act fast if they are to successfully lock in this asset. Case Study: In a World of Pay2Section 2Problem Statement:Stafng and Job Analysis:Typware’s recruitment and selection process does not have a clear  job assessmentsystem evidenced through the hiring efforts of Anne Prevost. HR Activity in Theory:Stafng and Job Analysis:†A World of Pay,† the article discussing Typware’s employment methods, focusedtoo much on Prevost’s strengths as a candidate. Though she may have been a great as-set to the company she previously worked for, the duties she would have if she chose togo with Typware were not clearly specied. When hiring, the characteristics of a vacancyneed to be dened in order to recruit a suitable employee. Typeware’s assessment sys-tem focused m ore on keeping Prevost away from the competitors rather than paying at-tention to the job analysis. Obtaining more organizational effectiveness within the company, with regard tostafng and assessment systems requires recruiting and selecting more strongly basedon job analysis rather than the general qualications of an applicant alone. A clear jobanalysis addresses the job description and recruitment methods of a hiring company, re-sulting in a more structured approach to hiring international employees. First, Typware must clarify its job descriptions to improve human resource planningwithin the company. By facilitating more detailed job analyses, the efciency of ndingpotential candidates for vacant posts will be raised substantially. Wages and salary ad-ministration can be restructured because payment can be more strongly based on thefulllment of employee duties rather than trying to compete with wages on the interna-tional job market. The fact that Renate Schmidt needed to call Prevost a second time foranother line of questioning indicates the poor job description and HR information, be-cause such questions could have been known prior to the rst interview with proper jobanalysis. Once the job analysis is claried, the recruitment process can be broadened. Bybroadening the methods by which recruits are sought, applicants can be more readilyfound, no longer leaving Typware with the tough choice of whether to hire just one indi-vidual or not. Typware will likely have several candidates to ll the vacancy, leaving inter-national applicants with less room for bargaining their salary and compensations. Case Study: In a World of Pay3Two methods with which Typware can expand its recruitment sources are via theinternet and through employment agencies. Recruiting electronically would grant Typwarea large source for nding more talented recruits that meet the job specications. Typwarecould place the vacancy on its own website, granting public access to anyone who is in-terested in the company. This method leaves Typware free to give a clear job descriptionso that there is a larger chance to nd suitable applicants for the post. If electronic va-cancies fail to bring the desired results, Typware can recruit through employment agen-cies. A private employment agency would be responsible for lling higher posts, like theone Prevost applied for. The employment agency would look for people who may still becurrently employed and help to maintain condentiality between the employer and thecandidate. Typware’s receiving of applicants internationally brings on the added challenge oftrying to formulate a standard for hiring internationally; for example, Schmidt received in-formation indicating that four other multinational companies in Germany did not have setpolicies or standards yet. Due to the lack of an international hiring structure, the efciencyof the recruitment and selection for those other companies was greatly hindered sincecompensations and salaries became all the more difcult to balance. In the best interestof Typware and surrounding companies, Typware should formulate an international hiringmethod, which they can implement in almost any international applicant situation. Analysis & Implementation:Stafng and Job Analysis:If Typware were to implement the proposed stafng changes with regard to stafngand job analysis, there would be some added costs such as getting a web designer, orpaying for a headhunter. However, the added benets greatly outweigh the cost. The hu-man resources activities to be implemented include ensuring clear job descriptions, di-versifying recruitment methods, and formulating an international hiring structure. Schmidt’s task as the head of human resources for Typware is to ensure a  clear jobanalysis within the company at all times. Assuming she has a team reporting to her, shemust stress to its members the importance of a detailed job analysis. She should reviewsome of the job analyses from her team to ensure that the description is clear cut. In do-ing so, Schmidt produces more effective negotiations and interviews with potential em-ployees. The recruitment methods can be diversied in various ways. Two methods whichseem to most closely t Typware’s vacancy predicament are electronic recruiting and us-Case Study: In a World of Pay4ing private employment agencies. Recruiting electronically requires some technologicalexpertise, but considering Typware is a software company, that should not be an issue. Typware can utilize its own employees for web design by placing the job and the job de-scription on the company website. The benet of placing the job advertisement on thecompany website is that the applicants who visit the website are more likely to knowsomething about the company. Also, the applicants they would receive are more likely tobe closer in accuracy to the advertised post, because since it is the company website,Typware can feel free to make a detailed job description. Then, looking into private em-ployment agencies would fall into the department of Schmidt and her team. They wouldneed to nd a highly spoken private employment agency so as to ensure that they receivereturns on their nancial investment. Beyond that, after the team has contacted theagency, the responsibililty of nding a suitable candidate for Typware is left to the agency. Formulating an international hiring structure has quite a few complexities. Appli-cants such as Anne Prevost would most likely look into the potential extra costs of taxrates, ination, benets, and oating currencies. Accommodations such as schooling fortheir children, health care, social security, housing, and culture shock also need to be ac-counted for. To meet all these needs in salary and benets would mean a salary that is nolonger within equal range of their peers. Renate Schmidt can discuss ncancial optionswith a local private school, so that Typware’s international employees will not need somany added benets. Health care and housing can also be worked out in a similar fash-ion, thus helping to further reduce  costs. The costs really start to add up when there is noplan worked out at all beforehand. In the best interest of the company, Typware shouldorganize at least a minimal structure for hiring international employees to aid in more ef-fective stafng through exemplar y job analysis. Case Study: In a World of Pay5Section 3Problem Statement:Diversity of Workforce and Employee Rights:The lack of a diversity policy and the absence of concern for employee rightscauses dissatisfaction within the workforce. HR Activity in Theory:Diversity of Workforce and Employee Rights:In In a World of Pay the characters are faced with many common dilemmas thatcause problems or at the very least delays for processing new or existing candidates. Wewill be explaining, then applying diversity in the workforce and employee rights in rele-vance to the issues at hand. Equal employment compliance refers to the laws and regulations of a country inwhich a company operates. It is important for companies to identify with the well knownEEO or Equal Employment Opportunity movement started in the US. This is relevant be-cause of the ways countries and companies are evermore intertwined, creating a vastblend of cultures, setting the grounds for discrimination. Equal employment compliancehelps to avoid discriminatory scenarios. Diversity is one of the components of that policyand stipulates that an employee’s salary and benets are not to be determined or effectedby his/her race, national or ethic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, mari-tal status, family status or disability. Typware’s CEO seems to have little or no concern forequality amongst his employees, which causes great concerns. Equality in the workplace promotes a company culture that cares for its people. Itcreates an atmosphere where people want to work, there is courtesy and respect, peopleare listened to and trust and integrity are main aspects in which your staff relates to eachother. Furthermore everyone benets when the workplace is fair and equitable, and peo-ple feel valued. Analysis & Implementation:Diversity of Workforce and Employee Rights:In a  World of Pay a lack of Equal Employment Compliance compromises policiesfor hiring foreigners and integrating them into the headquarters. This stirs up inner ofcedisputes between Jurgen Mehr, Typware’s European head of marketing, and RenateSchmidt, head of human resources. It is of utter most importance that Typware quicklyCase Study: In a World of Pay6revises it’s internal policies to match those set forth by the countries in which they oper-ate, primarily Germany. In the case they are looking to draw up a proposal for one candidate. Thus a minorinfringement, if at all, on their local policy. Typware is based in Germany where the lawsare generally more favorable for the employee, meaning that once Anne Prevost is hiredlocally she will be entitled to a variety of benets and advantages non-existent in standardUS contracts. This a point to be noted when her arrangement is drafted. Typware wouldnot be disputing any of the existing German legal framework as a result of hiring AnnePrevost. Although this is the surface case, the underlying problem is a lack of equal em-ployment policy structure. On a note, the institutions governing equal employment op-portunities in Germany are ranging from legislative and administrative institutions tocourts and tribunals to workers’ and employers’ organizations such as the Biebestrat. In the case Renate Schmidt discovers that female and minority employees madeless then their white male counterparts. This is not only demoralizing and damaging tothe spirit of the workforce but it also conicts with the legislatures of the country. In notcomplying with the country’s equal employment compliance laws, Typware could ndthemselves involved in serious legal action against them. Renate Schmidt needs to takea rm ground in her talks with the CEO and explain the importance of implementing astrict pay grade system. As shown by current trends, the company need to re-structure their policies tomatch that demanded by the country. The implementation of such a pay grade systemwould benet them in various ways. One way is that it would bring them up to code onequality and employee rights. Another is it would prevent outburst like the one Renateexperienced with the German CIO who found out  his Japanese counterpart was paiddouble his salary. Typware needs to adopt new policies and treat all their employees with equality andshow a concern for their rights. In doing so, they gain a competitive advantage on theirglobal market and can continue to grow. While engaged with other HR activities they canformulate templates to process and recruit the right people for their organization. This willfacilitate their ability to correctly asses talents and consequently provide fair salary andbenets packages in line with market practices. However, if they fail to established a uni-formed pay scale and comply with the laws of the country they will suffer irreparable in-ternal damages that will lead the inevitable downfall of Typeware. Case Study: In a World of Pay7Section 4Problem Statement:Compensation and benets:†¦it appears that typware’s inability to update its compensation and benet systemhas resulted in a chaotic situation as evident by the issues arising from the hire of AnnePrevost. Compensation and benets:The use of benets by employers can be categorized into two main aspects whichcan be either as an inspirational tool to motivate employees to be more active in carryingout their tasks or it can be a form of compensation for a job well done. Benets can bedescribed as a payment made in recognition of a workers commitment to an organization. In relation to the case study, one of the major HR issues that faced Renate Schmidt wasbased on the fact that the company does not have a stipulated benet program. This isbecause the employee benet program would have provided a guideline for Renate todraft up benets for the proposed new hire; Anna Prevost. The irrational nature of Typware’s pay system has resulted in benet disparities anda difcult salary system. Such disparity like female and minority employees of Typwarereceiving less pay when compared to their white male counterparts is obviously one ofthe main reasons Jurgen Mehr is not taking the hiring of Anna Prevost lightly. This is be-cause he feared that  if a female employee will start with a salary close to his, she mightearn more than he does in the future. In his words â€Å"This isn’t fair, and it’s humiliating.†Jurgen Mehr is not just troubled because she is a new hire but it is a ‘she’ and also a for-eigner, which also brings us back to EEO. Nowadays, organizations tend to be institutionalizing benets such as savings planand pension because these are part of employment package that attracts employees andhelps the organizations to retain the good employees. However, Typware seems not tohave paid attention to these issues, because their benet system has not been updatesfor sometime. The importance of benets program to employees has become very signi-cant these days because when employees do not feel an appreciation for their commit-ment to an organization, there is a high possibility that they will withdraw that commit-ment and in some cases might leave the organization. This is based on a simple logic that†when you appreciate things that people do, it motivates them to keep on doing so.† Ineffect, benets have become part of organizational practices because it plays a signi-Case Study: In a World of Pay8cant role in helping employers retain good employees and encourages performance im-provement. Performance management:Theories and performance appraisal systems have developed as means to meas-ure employee’s performance at the work place, but none have been able to provide anaccurate assessment of employee’s performance. However, the importance of appraisalsystem can not be overlooked because they have proved to be good in detecting em-ployee’s strengths and weakness. Performance management can be dened a â€Å"meansthrough which managers ensure that employees’ activities and outputs are congruentwith the organizations goals.†1 One of the main purposes of performance management isto develop employees’ who are effective at their jobs. This is because when employees’are not performing as well as they should, performance management seeks to improvetheir performance. It appears that since Typware launched its aggressive campaign in the internationalmarket in 1996, little or no steps have been taken to promote employee development. Lots of emphasis has been paid to issues surrounding pay, with little or no steps towardsperformance management which is signicant for awarding of benets. In addition, Re-nate’s statement ‘it will make others who have been with us for a long time feel that wedon’t care about them’ is a clear indication that the organization lacks important HR activ-ity. Such HR activity includes human resource development and performance manage-ment. Also important when considering the performance management, is the link be-tween performance management and the organizations strategies and goals. This is be-cause nowadays systems such as the performance planning and evaluation system areconstantly being used to bridge the link between performance management and organi-zations strategies. Performance management and evaluation (PPE) system can be de-ned as â€Å"any system that seeks to tie the formal performance appraisal process to com-pany’s strategies by specifying at the beginning of the evaluation period the types andlevel of performance that must be accomplished in order to achieve the strategy.†2Case Study: In a World of Pay91Ibid p 3302Ibid p 332Section 5Reactions:1. What did the student think at the on set of the case?The case prompted some interesting issues in the global work place. It alsoshows how sometimes those in charge are not always fully capable, and muststrongly rely on their employees. The case also illustrates how a globally competitive company can go foronly a short time without identifying with the local legislation before it catches upto them and causes serious problems within the organization. This case reects on how organizations deal with HR issues such as paywith regards to hiring new employees. The organization has repeatedly violatedsome of its compensation and benet program by offering expatriates abroad extrabenets. This in turn resulted in a chaotic situation at the headquarters with em-ployees storming the ofce of Head of Human Resources to demand for equalbenet. 2. How did they feel about the key characters in the case?The CEO, Thomas, seems to fail to address the core issues, especially inregards to  formulating a more stable pay structure. The problems from the paystructure trickle down and cause a chain effect of problems within the company, aswas shown through the complaint of managers, and the efforts of trying to hireAnne Prevost. Furthermore, Anne Prevost is not the key to solving Typware’s problems asthought by the CEO. She is a valuable asset only if the core issues are correctionswiftly and re-structuring of the company occurs. Renate Schmidt showed some good reasoning in a tight situation. She wasable to sort out the larger issues within the company and had a well structured ap-proach to issues. She usually dened the issue, and tried to nd some precedenceon it rst. Then she would go through contacts to see who could help her achieveher set goals. The animosity we feel from Jurgen’s reaction to an American is a clear re-ection of how employees will treat each other when the work atmosphere is notfair and equitable. Case Study: In a World of Pay10Renate who is the head of human resources is faced with the challenge ofincorporating the demands of Anna Prevost (potential new hire) into the organiza-tion’s ineffective HR policy. The HR policy is ineffective because they lacked a sta-ble salary system. 3. What is the student’s opinion about the relevancy/application of HR activity In aWorld of Pay?Given the fact that the organization lacked an effective HR activity such aspay, it has resulted in a difcult situation with regards to drafting up an organiza-tional benet program for the proposed new hire (Anna Prevost). Such programswould have provided a guideline and minimized the amount of work to be done byRenate for the hiring of Anna Prevost. In a World of Pay showed how important HR activities are in preventing suchissues from arising. Had Typware more strongly followed set HR activities, thenthey could have minimized the amount of work involved to  rectify the larger issuesat hand. However, Typware did not follow HR activities closely enough and theirfailure to do so led to numerous problems within the company. Case Study: In a World of Pay11

Ob Robinssolutionchap2

Chapter 2 Foundations of Individual Behavior MULTIPLE CHOICE Ability 1. Which of the following statements is true about the term â€Å"ability†, as it is used in the field of organizational behavior? a. It refers to an individual’s willingness to perform various tasks. b. It is a current assessment of what an individual can do. c. It refers exclusively to intellectual skills. d. It refers exclusively to physical skills. e. It is a prediction of future aptitude based on current attitudes. (b; Moderate; Ability; p. 45) 2. Which one of the following words is the best synonym for â€Å"ability†, as the term is used in organizational behavior? . motivation b. capacity c. experience d. intellect e. wisdom (b; Challenging; Ability; p. 45) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 3. Which of the following is not a dimension of intellectual ability? a. number aptitude b. perceptual speed c. spatial visualization d. dynamic flexibility e. social aptitude (d; Moderate; Intellectual Ability ; p. 45) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 4. What is a factor of intelligence that suggests that it makes sense to talk about overall intelligence? a. general mental ability b. intelligent quotient c. ability d. cultural intelligence e. perceptual speed (a; Moderate; General Mental Ability; p. 6) 5. Which of the following is not one of the nine basic abilities involved in the performance of physical tasks? a. stamina b. dynamic flexibility c. speed d. body coordination e. trunk strength (c; Moderate; Nine Basic Physical Abilities; p. 47) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Biographical Characteristics 6. Which of the following is not a biographical characteristic? a. political affiliation b. age c. sex d. tenure e. race (a; Easy; Biographical Characteristics; p. 48) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 7. What will be the largest demographic change in the U. S. workforce in the next decade? a. ncreasing ethnic diversity b. a fall in married workers c. increasing age of workers d. decreasing tenure of workers e. m ore women in the workforce than men (c; Moderate; Age; p. 48) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 8. Research shows that which of the following is likely to decrease as a worker grows older? a. productivity b. likelihood of quitting c. absenteeism d. vacation days taken e. work ethic (b; Moderate; Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 9. Which of the following statements is true? a. Older employees have lower rates of avoidable absence than younger workers. b.Older employees have lower rates of unavoidable absence than younger workers. c. Older employees are more likely to quit their job than younger workers. d. Older employees are perceived to be more flexible than younger workers. e. Older employees generally have lower productivity than younger workers. (a; Moderate, Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 10. Which of the following is true concerning the relationship between age and job satisfaction? a. Most studies have found a negative association between age and satisfaction. b. Some studies have found a U-shaped relationship between age and satisfaction. . Satisfaction decreases among professionals as they age. d. Satisfaction increases among nonprofessionals during middle age. e. Satisfaction decreases among nonprofessionals after middle age. (b; Moderate; Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 11. Research does not support which of the following statements about gender in the workplace? a. Women are more willing to conform to authority than men. b. Men are more aggressive than women. c. Women are more productive at work than men. d. Men have higher expectations of success. e. Women have lower turnover rates than men. c; Moderate; Gender; p. 50) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 12. Research supports which of the following statements about men and women in the workplace? a. Men are more productive. b. Women are more productive. c. Men are the most receptive to socialization. d. Women are more likely to resign. e. Wome n have more absences. (e; Moderate; Gender; p. 50) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 13. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for the higher absentee rate of women in the workplace? a. Women tend to have more illnesses that keep them from work than do men. . Traditionally, women have had the responsibility of caring for home and family. c. Women tend to be less satisfied with their jobs than men. d. Women generally have jobs for which a temporary replacement can be hired. e. Women tend to work in jobs that have less flexible schedules than men do. (b; Moderate; Gender; p. 50) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 14. Which of the following is a major problem in the use of ability tests for selection and promotion of personnel? a. The tests are not reliable. b. The tests fail to take into account the personality of the individual. c.Some individuals with high intelligence are poor test takers. d. Women enjoy an unfair advantage on these tests. e. The tests may have an adverse impact on different racial and ethnic groups. (e; Moderate; Race; p. 51) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 15. Which of the following statements concerning tenure is not true? a. Recent evidence demonstrates a positive relationship between seniority and job productivity. b. Tenure does not appear to be a good predictor of employee productivity. c. Tenure is a potent variable in explaining turnover. d. Tenure and satisfaction are positively related. . Tenure and organizational investment are negatively related. (b; Moderate; Tenure; p. 52) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 16. Studies indicate that which of the following tends to decrease with increased tenure? a. job satisfaction b. productivity c. absenteeism d. raises and promotion e. efficiency (c; Moderate; Tenure; p. 52) 17. Perhaps the greatest religious issue revolves around what? a. Christianity b. Judaism c. Catholicism d. Buddhism e. Islam (e; Moderate; Religion; p. 53) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 18. What F ortune 500 company offers domestic partner benefits for gay couples? . Wal-Mart b. Alltel c. Rubbermaid d. Nestle e. Heintz (a; Moderate; Sexual Orientation; p. 53) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} Learning 19. Which of the following indicates that learning has taken place? a. the ability to perform well on exams b. a change in motivation c. a change in behavior d. a high I. Q. score e. an increase in experience (c; Easy; Learning; p. 54) 20. Learning has not taken place in which of the following cases? a. A farm worker makes sure that she always wears a hat after she was badly sunburned. b. A salesman watches a training video and then uses some f the techniques in that video. c. An athlete trains rigorously, until he can run a mile in less than 4 minutes. d. A warehouseman avoids working by staying in areas of the warehouse where he has observed that the foreman does not enter. e. A manager only completes an important project by working through the night. (e; Moderate; Learning ; p. 54) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 21. All of the following are true about learning except that it _____. a. involves change b. can have a very short duration c. requires a change in behavior d. requires some form of experience e. affects aptitude b; Moderate; Learning; p. 54) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 22. A cashier starts greeting her customers with a simple â€Å"Hello† rather than following the company policy of greeting them with the standard greeting â€Å"Thank you for shopping with us†, since she find saying the latter slightly embarrassing. In this case, what is the experience that has led to learning? a. the feeling of embarrassment when she uses the standard company greeting b. the direction of the company to use the standard greeting c. the decision not to use the company greeting d. her use of the informal greeting of â€Å"Hello† . the decision of the company to adopt the standard greeting (a; Moderate; Learning; p. 54) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 23. Ex periments performed by Ivan Pavlov led to what theory? a. classical conditioning b. operant conditioning c. social learning d. method reproduction e. behavior shaping (a; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) 24. What role did the meat play in Pavlov’s experiment with dogs? a. an unconditioned response b. a conditioned stimulus c. a conditioned response d. a reconditioned stimulus e. an unconditioned stimulus (e; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 5) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 25. Classical conditioning would view which of the following as most likely to be a conditioned response? a. wincing when you stub your toe b. driving on the right side of the road c. flinching when startled by a loud noise d. looking for shelter when the sky turns gray e. mouth watering when you eat delicious food (d; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 26. In Pavlov’s experiment, the bell was a/an _____. a. unconditioned stimulus b. unconditioned response c. con ditioned stimulus d. conditioned response e. none of the above c; Easy; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 27. Which of the following is not true of classical conditioning? a. Classical conditioning is passive. b. Classical conditioning can explain simple reflexive behaviors. c. Learning a conditioned response involves building an association between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. d. A neutral stimulus takes on the properties of a conditioned stimulus. e. Classical conditioning is different in many respects from operant conditioning. (d; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 28.When Joe gets stressed he often drinks chamomile tea. This calms him since he associates chamomile tea drinking with happy visits with his grandmother in his childhood. The calm feeling brought on by the tea is an example of which of the following? a. classical conditioning b. operant conditioning c. sensory learning d. social learning e. shaping (a; Easy; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 29. Why does classical conditioning theory fail to adequately describe behavior in the workplace? a. Most behavior of individuals in the workplace is reflexive rather than voluntary. b.Most behavior of individuals in the workplace is emitted rather than elicited. c. Most behavior of individuals in the workplace is complex. d. It is very difficult to determine exactly which conditioned stimulus elicits which response in the workplace. e. Classical conditioning works well describing animal behavior but not human behavior. (b; Challenging; Classical Conditioning; p. 56) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 30. Operant conditioning argues that _____. a. behavior is reflexive b. behavior is unlearned c. behavior is a function of its consequences d. the tendency to repeat a behavior is very strong e. he tendency to repeat a behavior is instinctual (c; Moderate; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) 31. Which of the following researcher s thought that reinforcement was the central factor involved in behavioral change? a. Pavlov b. Fayol c. Skinner d. Deming e. Surber (c; Moderate; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) 32. Stella has been late to work often in the past. Stella’s manager tries to change Stella’s behavior by praising her whenever she is on time. However, Stella realizes that this is what he is doing and resents his attempts to manipulate her behavior. This is an example of what problem with behaviorism and OB Mod? . Behaviorism and OB Mod assume that people’s thoughts and feelings in response to their environment are irrelevant. b. Behaviorism and OB Mod put undue emphasis on cognitive processes. c. Behaviorism and OB Mod only have an effect on human subjects when those subjects are unaware that these techniques are being used. d. The best reinforcement to use and the schedule on which it should be used varies widely between individual subjects. e. Behaviorism and OB Mod are based upon sim ple models of stimulus and response that may not hold true in a complex, real world environment. a; Challenging; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 33. Your boss does not follow through on her promise to pay you double for overtime hours worked. When asked again to work overtime, you decline. This is an application of _____ conditioning. a. classical b. operant c. sensory d. association e. disappointment-weighted (b; Challenging; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 34. According to operant conditioning, when a behavior is not reinforced, what happens to the probability of that behavior occurring again? a. It increases. b. It declines. c. It remains unchanged. . It becomes zero. e. It may increase or decrease based on other factors. (b; Easy; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 35. What do we call the view that we can learn both through observation and direct experience? a. situational learning theory b. classical learning c. soc ial learning theory d. hands-on learning experience e. the Pavlov principle (c; Easy; Social Learning; p. 57) 36. Social learning theory is an extension of _____. a. classical conditioning b. operant conditioning c. shaping d. Pavlovian theory e. continuous reinforcement principles (b; Moderate; Social Learning; p. 7) 37. Isadora observes that when her brother Mikey crosses the street without looking he is punished by their parents. Based on this, she is careful to look before she crosses the street. Isadora has learned through what principle? a. classical conditioning b. operant conditioning c. shaping d. extinction e. social learning theory (e; Challenging; Social Learning; p. 57) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 38. Social learning theory would best describe the learning in what situation? a. An employee works through lunch several days in a row after being told by her boss that she will receive extra pay. b.A man learns how to perform yoga by watching a videotape of a yoga teacher. c. A child always addresses his grandmother politely after he is given candy as a reward for his good manners. d. A man stops wearing brightly colored shirts to work after being teased for doing so by his co-workers. e. A postal worker’s pulse rate rises whenever she approaches a house where she has been bitten by a dog before. (b; Challenging; Social Learning; p. 57) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 39. Four processes have been found to determine the influence that a model will have on an individual. Which of the following is not one of those processes? . attentional processes b. retention processes c. motor reproduction processes d. reinforcement processes e. consequential processes (e; Moderate; Social Learning; pp. 57-58) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 40. Which of the following processes deals with how well an individual remembers a model’s action after it is no longer readily available? a. attitudinal b. retention c. motor reproduction d. reinforcement e. attention (b; Easy; Socia l Learning; p. 57) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 41. What do we call the practice of reinforcing closer and closer approximations of a desired behavior? a. modeling b. haping c. classical conditioning d. social learning e. aping (b; Moderate; Shaping; p. 58) 42. You want to increase the productivity of an employee. Your goal is to have him produce 10 units per day. On the first day he produces 5 units and you give him a reward. On the second day he produces 5 units and you don’t give him a reward. On the third day he produces 6 units and you give him a reward. Which method of behavioral change are you using? a. modeling b. shaping c. classical conditioning d. social learning e. ego impairment (b; Challenging; Shaping; p. 58) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 43.Using shaping, which of the following is not a method that can be used to change behavior? a. negative reinforcement b. punishment c. counseling d. positive reinforcement e. extinction (c; Easy; Shaping; pp. 58-59) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 44. Which of the following can be used in shaping behavior? a. positive reinforcement b. diminishment c. reaction d. manipulation e. unionization (a; Easy; Shaping; p. 58) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 45. What is it called when a desired response is followed by the termination or withdrawal of something unpleasant? a. negative reinforcement b. positive reinforcement c. anipulation d. elimination e. psychic withdrawal (a; Moderate; Negative Reinforcement; p. 58) 46. Suspending an employee for dishonest behavior is an example of which method of shaping behavior? a. extinction b. negative reinforcement c. punishment d. poor planning e. reaction (c; Moderate; Punishment; p. 59) 47. Which of the following is an example of the use of extinction in shaping behavior? a. A teacher does not respond to any student who speaks before being called upon. b. A workplace institutes a zero-tolerance policy for drug and alcohol use. c. A manager docks the pay of all workers who arrive late. . A ca t owner sprays his cat with water every time it tries to sit on the couch. e. A soccer coach rewards his players with praise and small rewards if they prevent the other team from scoring. (a; Moderate; Extinction; p. 59) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 48. Which of the following statements about positive and negative reinforcement is not true? a. They both result in learning. b. They both strengthen a response and increase the probability of repetition. c. They tend to weaken behavior and decrease its subsequent frequency. d. They are effective shaping tools. e. They are often used in learning. c; Challenging; Methods of Shaping Behavior; p. 59) 49. An employee is frequently late for work. Every time he is not tardy the manager compliments him for being on time. What form of reinforcement is the manager using? a. continuous schedule b. negative c. intermittent schedule d. repetitious e. repetitious negative (a; Moderate; Continuous Reinforcement; p. 59) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 50. The cor porate audit staff makes a series of randomly timed, unannounced visits to a company office. On each visit they check the records to see that they are up to date and correct. These visits are an example of which of the ollowing? a. positive reinforcement b. variable-interval reinforcement schedule c. continuous reinforcement schedule d. fixed reinforcement schedule e. static response method (b; Moderate; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 51. In which reinforcement schedule is a reward provided after a given number of responses? a. variable-ratio b. fixed-ratio c. variable-interval d. fixed-interval e. viable (b; Moderate; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) 52. According to research, which of the following is a schedule of reinforcement that promotes the greatest resistance to extinction? a. continuous b. ixed interval c. variable interval d. fixed ratio e. negative (c; Moderate; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) 53. In general, _____ reinforcement schedule s tend to lead to higher performance than _____ reinforcement schedules. a. variable; fixed b. fixed; intermittent c. fixed; variable d. variable; ratio e. fixed; static (a; Moderate; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 54. The application of reinforcement concepts to individuals in the work setting is referred to as _____. a. classical conditioning b. self-management c. reengineering d. OB Mod e. social modeling (d; Moderate; OB Mod; p. 2) 55. Which of the following is one of the steps of the problem-solving model followed by the typical OB Mod program? a. identifying critical behaviors b. reinforcing behavior c. developing horizontally arrayed data d. developing vertically arrayed data e. identifying member barriers (a; Moderate; OB Mod Steps; p. 62) 56. A manager wishes to use OB Mod in order to increase the friendliness of his staff towards customers. The manager starts by determining exactly what behaviors his sales staff needs to use in order to increas e their friendliness towards customers. What is the next step that the manager should take? . determine why employees are not friendly towards customers b. develop a strategy for increasing the friendliness of employees towards customers c. reward employees who are friendly towards customers d. record how often employees are friendly to customers at the present time e. establish what is needed to motivate employee friendliness towards customers (d; Moderate; OB Mod Steps; p. 62) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Summary and Implications for Managers 57. Who said â€Å"Give me a child at birth and I can make him into anything you want†? a. B. F. Skinner b. Ivan Pavlov c. Sigmund Freud d.James Emery e. Ben Franklin (a; Moderate; Shaping Behavior; p. 66) TRUE/FALSE Ability 58. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses in terms of ability that make them relatively superior or inferior to others in performing certain tasks or activities. (True; Easy; Ability; p. 45) 59. Ability is the assessme nt of what one will do. (False; Easy; Ability; p. 45) 60. An individual’s overall abilities are essentially made up of three sets of factors: thinking, reasoning, and problem solving. (False; Moderate; Ability; p. 45) 61. A high I. Q. is a good prerequisite for all jobs. (False; Easy; Intelligent Quotient; p. 45) 62.It is illegal in the U. S. for employers to use I. Q. tests for employment selection. (False; Moderate; Intelligent Quotient; p. 45) 63. Stamina, dexterity, and strength are dimensions of physical ability. (True; Easy; Nine Basic Physical Abilities; p. 47) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 64. Individuals who have a high score on one dimension of physical ability will usually score high on all other dimensions. (False; Moderate; Physical Abilities; p. 47) Biographical Characteristics 65. Biographical data is easier to acquire than information on employee motivation levels. (True; Easy; Biographical Characteristics; p. 48) 66.Collecting biographical data is typically a very difficult task in organizations. (False; Easy; Biographical Characteristics; p. 48) 67. Personal characteristics that are objective and easily obtained from personnel records (such as age, sex, and marital status) are called biographical characteristics. (True; Easy; Biographical Characteristics; p. 48) 68. A person’s age is an example of a biographical characteristic. (True; Easy; Biographical Characteristics; p. 48) 69. The relationship between age and job performance is likely to be an issue of increasing importance during the next decade. (True; Moderate; Age; p. 8) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 70. Recent American legislation makes it easier for a company to enforce mandatory retirement. (False; Moderate; Age; p. 48) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 71. Mandatory retirement has become an increasingly rare phenomenon in organizations. (True; Moderate; Age; p. 48) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 72. Age and turnover rates are directly related. (True; Moder ate; Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 73. Age and avoidable absences are negatively related. (True; Moderate; Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 74. Worker’s productivity tends to decline with age. False; Moderate; Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 75. Age and job satisfaction are related for professional workers. (True; Moderate; Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 76. In general, woman and men desire the same work schedules. (False; Moderate; Gender; p. 50) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 77. There is no significant difference between the absenteeism rates of men and women. (False; Easy; Gender; p. 50) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 78. In employment settings, individuals tend to favor colleagues of their own race in performance evaluations, promotion decisions, and pay raises. True; Easy; Race; p. 51) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 79. Mental ability tests used for selection, promotion, training, an d similar personnel decisions may have a negative impact on racial and ethnic groups. (True; Challenging; Race; p. 51) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 80. People who have been on a job longer are more productive than those with less seniority. (True; Moderate; Tenure; p. 52) 81. Tenure is negatively related to absenteeism. (True; Moderate; Tenure; p. 52) 82. Tenure is negatively related to turnover. (True; Moderate; Tenure; p. 52) 83.Tenure and satisfaction are negatively related. (False; Moderate; Tenure; p. 52) Learning 84. Learning has occurred when there is a relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience. (True; Easy; Learning; p. 54) 85. One can easily observe others learning. (False; Easy; Learning; p. 54) 86. Classical conditioning grew out of the work of B. F. Skinner. (False; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) 87. In Ivan Pavlov’s study, dogs salivated in response to a ringing bell. (True; Easy; Classical Conditioning; p. 55 ) 88. The meat in Pavlov’s experiment was an unconditioned stimulus. True; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) 89. Learning a conditioned response involves building up an association between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. (True; Challenging; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) 90. To explain why Christmas carols often bring back pleasant memories of childhood, you would use operant conditioning. (False; Challenging; Classical Conditioning; p. 55) 91. Classical conditioning is passive. (True; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 56) 92. Classical conditioning can explain simple reflexive behaviors. (True; Moderate; Classical Conditioning; p. 6) 93. Operant behavior means voluntary or learned behavior in contrast to reflexive or unlearned behavior. (True; Moderate; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) 94. What Pavlov did for operant conditioning, Skinner did for classical conditioning. (False; Challenging; Learning Theories; p. 56) 95. Rewards are most effective if they are delayed following the desired response. (False; Moderate; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) 96. Your supervisor has explained that he will reward those who take extra effort to see that their jobs are done well. This tactic follows from research into operant conditioning. True; Easy; Operant Conditioning; p. 56) 97. Learning through both observation and direct experience is called operant conditioning. (False; Easy; Social Learning; p. 57) 98. Older workers are not as capable of learning as younger employees. (False; Moderate; Age and Learning; p. 58) 99. Trainability is a measure of a person’s willingness to learn. (False; Moderate; Trainability; p. 58) 100. Reduced motivation has been found to significantly influence learning and training outcomes. (True; Moderate; Learning; p. 58) 101. Shaping occurs when we mold individuals by using intensive training to change their behavior quickly. False; Easy; Shaping; p. 58) 102. One method of shaping behavior is called positi ve reinforcement and occurs when a desired response is followed with something pleasant. (True; Moderate; Positive Reinforcement; p. 58) 103. Eliminating any reinforcement that is maintaining a behavior is called punishment. (False; Moderate; Extinction; p. 59) 104. Both positive and negative reinforcement result in learning. (True; Easy; Methods of Shaping Behavior; p. 59) 105. Both punishment and extinction weaken behavior and tend to decrease its subsequent frequency. (True; Moderate; Methods of Shaping Behavior; p. 59) 06. A continuous reinforcement schedule reinforces the desired behavior each time it is demonstrated. (True; Easy; Continuous Reinforcement; p. 59) 107. A piece-rate incentive plan is an example of a variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement. (False; Moderate; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) 108. Salespeople on commission are examples of individuals on a variable-ratio schedule. (True; Moderate; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) 109. In the typical OB Mod progr am, everything an employee does on his or her job is equally important in terms of performance outcomes. (False; Moderate; OB Mod; p. 62) 110.The first step in OB Mod is to identify critical behaviors impacting the employee’s performance. (True; Moderate; OB Mod Steps; p. 62) 111. Our knowledge about learning suggests that punishment is a more effective tool in OB mod than reinforcement. (False; Moderate; OB Mod and Reinforcement Theory; p. 63) SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS Application of Biographical Characteristics You work in the air filter manufacturing business. Your division is made up of three other people with very different biographical characteristics. Gina is 27 years old, single and female. She has been with the company only six months.Jonathan is 63 years old and a widower who has been with the company for thirty years. Sally is a single mother with four children who has been with the company for five years. 112. Based on the information given, which employee would be least likely to quit his or her job? a. all these employees would have about the same likelihood of quitting b. Gina c. Jonathan d. Sally e. Gina and Sally (c; Moderate; Age; p. 48) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 113. Based on the information given, which employee would you expect to have the lowest rate of avoidable absence? a. ll these employees would have about the same rate of avoidable absence b. Sally c. Gina d. Jonathan e. Gina and Sally would probably have equally low rates (d; Moderate; Age; p. 48) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 114. Based on the information given, which employee would you expect to most desire the option to telecommute or arrange a more flexible work schedule? a. all these employees would have the same desire for these options b. Jonathan c. Sally d. Gina e. Gina and Sally (c; Moderate; Gender; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} {AACSB: Analytic Skills}Application of Learning Theoryâ⠂¬â€Shaping Behavior You are the first-line supervisor for a group of employees who make cheese slicers. Their job is not terribly interesting or challenging and you have noticed that they are frequently tardy returning from their breaks. You have studied the concept of shaping behavior and decide that you will try to apply it to this situation. 115. You praise Allen for returning on time from break. This is an example of _____. a. negative reinforcement b. positive reinforcement c. extinction d. social learning e. modeling (b; Moderate; Positive Reinforcement; p. 8) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 116. You want Allison to take an accounting course so that she can help with the bookkeeping. Allison does not want to go to night school to take the course and has been resisting. You know that her least favorite duty is preparing payroll. You tell her that she will be given extra help with preparing payroll whenever she takes an accounting class. This is an example of _____. a. positive reinf orcement b. negative reinforcement c. punishment d. extinction e. classical conditioning (b; Challenging; Negative Reinforcement; p. 58) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 117.Sam is late coming back to work and you dock his pay. This is an example of _____. a. positive reinforcement b. negative reinforcement c. punishment d. extinction e. classical conditioning (c; Moderate; Punishment; p. 59) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Application of Different Schedules of Reinforcement You have decided to experiment with the relationship between reinforcement schedules and maintaining desired employee behavior. You are interested in observing the differences between continuous and intermittent reinforcement and between the various types of intermittent reinforcement schedules. 118.Veronica is paid $10. 00 per dozen units that she produces. This is an example of _____ reinforcement. a. intermittent, fixed-interval b. continuous c. intermittent, variable-interval d. negative e. none of the above (a; Challengin g; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 119. Gerald is a staff accountant who is visited several times a year by the corporate auditor. These visits are unannounced. This is an example of _____reinforcement. a. intermittent, fixed-interval b. continuous c. intermittent, variable-interval d. negative e. reactive (c; Challenging; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 0) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 120. John’s attendance has historically been unreliable and you have decided to use reinforcement and compliment him when his attendance record shows improvement. The most effective schedule of reinforcement will probably be _____. a. variable-interval intermittent b. fixed-interval intermittent c. continuous d. punishment-based e. shaped (a; Challenging; Intermittent Reinforcement; p. 60) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 121. You know that the reinforcement schedule that your firm chooses for compensation will have an impact on the behavior of employees.Which of the following is not likely based on available research? a. Continuous reinforcement schedules will lead to early satiation. b. Continuous reinforcement schedules are appropriate for newly emitted, unstable, or low-frequency responses. c. Variable schedules do not clearly link performance and rewards. d. Fixed schedules will lead to higher performance than variable schedules. e. Variable schedules will be highly effective. (d; Challenging; Reinforcement Schedules and Behavior; p. 60) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Application of Behavior Modification Your manager has read about the now-classic study of Emery’s use of OB Mod.He was impressed by the savings to the company of $2 million over a three-year period. He has announced that he is implementing an OB Mod program at your organization. 122. You can expect to see the application of which of the following in the work setting? a. reinforcement concepts to individuals b. open book management c. additional stock option plans d. analysis of biographi cal characteristics e. higher health care benefits (a; Easy; OB Mod; p. 62) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 123. What is the first step that your manager is likely to take? a. identify behavioral consequences b. identify critical behaviors c. evaluate performance improvement . develop baseline data e. none of the above (b; Challenging; OB Mod Steps; p. 62) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 124. In the first step of the OB Mod program, your manager will most likely be attempting to identify those five to ten percent of behaviors that may account for up to _____ percent of each employee’s performance. a. 20-25 b. 40-50 c. 60-70 d. 70-80 e. 100 (d; Challenging; OB Mod Steps; p. 62) SHORT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 125. Why is the relationship between age and job performance likely to be an issue of increasing importance during the next decade? First, there is a widespread belief that job performance declines with increasing age.Regardless of whether it’s true or not, many people believe it and act on it. Second is the reality that the workforce is aging. Workers age 55 and older are currently the fastest-growing sector of the labor force. The third reason is that U. S. legislation, for all intents and purposes, outlaws mandatory retirement. (Easy; Age; p. 49) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 126. Has research indicated the existence of gender differences in job productivity? Explain. There is little evidence indicating that an employee’s gender affects his or her job productivity.In this area of study the similarities between male and female workers seems to far outweigh the very minor differences (for example, in the area of absenteeism) that have been found in some studies. (Easy; Gender; p. 50) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 127. What is learning? Learning is defined as any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience. (Easy; Learning; p. 54) 128. How can managers shape employee behavior? Managers can shape employee behavior by systematically reinforcing each successive step that moves the individual closer to the desired response.Managers can mold individuals by guiding their learning in graduated steps. Reinforcement increases as responses more closely approximate the desired behavior. Managers may use positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, and extinction to promote this gradual shaping of employee behavior. (Easy; Shaping; p. 58) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 129. Give an example of a fixed-ratio schedule for paying employees and an example of a variable-ratio schedule for payment. In a fixed-ratio schedule, rewards are initiated after a fixed or constant number of responses.For example, a worker is rewarded with a piece rate system paying $10 for every 12 widgets produced. Each dozen earns the worker another $10. A variable-ratio schedule provides variable reward relative to the behavior of the individual. For example, a car sa lesman on commission is on a variable-ratio schedule. Each potential customer does not necessarily result in a sale and thus a commission. (Easy; Intermittent Reinforcement; pp. 59-60) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} MEDIUM LENGTH DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 130. What is ability? What are the two sets of factors comprising a person’s ability level?Ability refers to an individual’s capacity to perform the various tasks in a given job. It is a current assessment of what one can do. An individual’s overall abilities are essentially made up of two sets of factors: intellectual and physical abilities. 1) Intellectual abilities are those needed to perform mental activities. 2) Physical abilities are important for successfully performing jobs that are more standardized which require manual labor. (Easy; Ability; p. 45-47) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 131. What is the relationship between age and the organizational issues of productivity, turnover and satisfaction?This is a somewhat comp lex set of relationships. The older you get, the less likely you are to quit your job. Older workers are less likely to resign than are younger workers because their long tenure tends to provide them with higher wage rates, longer paid vacations, and more attractive pension benefits. In general, older employees have lower rates of avoidable absence than do younger employees. However, they also have higher rates of unavoidable absence, probably due to the poorer heath associated with aging and the longer recovery that older workers need when injured.The demands of most jobs, even those with heavy manual labor requirements, are not extreme enough for any declines in physical skills due to age to have an impact on productivity; or if there is some decay due to age, it is offset by gains due to experience. The evidence is mixed when examining the relationship between age and job satisfaction, however. Most studies indicate a positive association between age and satisfaction, at least up to age 60. Other studies, however, have found a U-shaped relationship.Satisfaction tends to continually increase among professionals as they age, whereas it falls among nonprofessionals during middle age and then rises again in the later years. (Moderate; Age; p. 48) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 132. Identify and briefly describe the five steps of a typical OB Mod program. The typical OB Mod program follows a five-step problem-solving model: identifying critical behaviors, developing baseline data, identifying behavioral consequences, developing and implementing an intervention strategy, and evaluating performance improvement. ) The first step is to identify the critical behaviors that make a significant impact on the employee’s job performance. 2) The second step requires the manager to develop some baseline performance data. This is obtained by determining the number of times the identified behavior is occurring under present conditions. 3) The third step is to perform a functional analysis to identify the behavioral contingencies or consequences of performance. This tells the manager the antecedent cues that emit the behavior and the consequences that are currently maintaining it. ) In the fourth step, the manager develops and implements an intervention strategy to strengthen desirable performance behaviors and weaken undesirable behaviors. 5) The final step is to evaluate performance improvement. (Moderate; OB Mod Steps; p. 62) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} COMPREHENSIVE ESSAYS 133. How do we learn? Identify and discuss the theories to explain the process by which we acquire patterns of behavior. Be sure to specifically identify the key elements of each of these theories by name. Classical conditioning was discovered by Pavlov.Learning a conditioned response involves building up an association between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus in order to invoke the performance of a conditioned response, which was formerly an unconditioned response. When the stimuli, one compelling and the other one neutral, are paired, the neutral one becomes a conditioned stimulus and, hence, takes on the properties of the unconditioned stimulus and leads to the performance of a conditioned response (which is the same response as the original unconditioned response).Skinner, who discovered operant conditioning, argues that behavior is a function of its consequences. People learn to behave to get something they want or to avoid something they don’t want. Operant behavior means voluntary or learned behavior in contrast to reflexive or unlearned behavior. The tendency to repeat such behavior is influenced by the reinforcement or lack of reinforcement brought about by the consequences of the behavior and can be manipulated through positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, shaping, and extinction.Social learning is the theory that we can learn through both observation and direct expe rience. Social learning theory is an extension of operant conditioning; it assumes that behavior is a function of consequences – it also acknowledges the existence of observational learning and the importance of perception to learning. People respond to how they perceive and define consequences, not to the objective consequences themselves. (Challenging; Learning Theories; pp. 54 to 57) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 34. Discuss the four processes management should include when creating employee training programs. The likelihood that training programs will be successful can be improved with the inclusion of attentional, retention, motor reproduction, and reinforcement processes. People learn from a model only when they recognize and pay attention to its critical features. We tend to be most influenced by models that are attractive, repeatedly available, important to us, or similar to us in our estimation.A model’s influence will depend on how well the individual remembers th e model’s action after the model is no longer readily available. After a person has seen a new behavior by observing the model, the watching must be converted to doing. This motor reproduction process demonstrates that the individuals can perform the modeled activities. Individuals will be motivated to exhibit the modeled behavior if positive incentives or rewards are provided. (Moderate; Social Learning; pp. 57-58) {AACSB: Analytic Skills}

The Others-Movie Review

Nurul Hazwani Bt Hatta M12L THE OTHERS Movie Review The Others is one of the psychological horror movies that impress me with its good story plot and suspense elements. It was written, directed and scored by Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar, starring Nicole Kidman and Christopher Eccleston. It is inspired partly by the 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw. Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman) is a Catholic mother who lives with her two small children in a remote country house in the British Crown Dependency of Jersey, in the immediate aftermath of World War II.The war was playing vital role in being contributing factor that cause depression in Grace. The stress is the triggering element that cause phychology disorder in her. The children, Anne and Nicholas have an uncommon disease, xeroderma pigmentosa, characterized by photosensitivity, so their lives are structured around a series of complex rules designed to protect them from inadvertent exposure to sunlight. The new arrival of three se rvants at the house — an aging nanny and servant named Mrs.Bertha Mills ,an elderly gardener named Mr. Edmund Tuttle, and a young mute girl named Lydia — coincides with a number of odd events, and Grace begins to fear that they are not alone. Anne draws pictures of four people: a man, a woman, a boy called Victor, and an old woman, all of whom she says she has seen in the house. A piano is heard from inside a locked room when no one is inside. Grace finds and examines a â€Å"book of the dead,† which shows mourning portraits taken in the 19th century of recently deceased corpses.I was so shocked when the doors which Grace believes to have been closed are found mysteriously ajar. Grace tries hunting down the â€Å"intruders† with a shotgun but cannot find them. She scolds her daughter for believing in ghosts — until she hears them herself. Eventually, convincing herself that something unholy is in the house, she runs out in the fog to get the local priest to bless the house. Meanwhile, the servants, led by Mrs. Mills, are clearly up to something of their own. The gardener buries a headstone under autumn leaves, and Mrs.Mills listens faithfully to Anne's allegations against her mother. Outside, Grace loses herself in the heavy fog, but she miraculously discovers her husband Charles who she thought had been killed in the war, and brings him back to the house. Charles is distant during the one day he spends in the house, and Mrs. Mills is heard telling Mr. Tuttle, â€Å"I do not think he knows where he is. † Grace later sees an old woman dressed up like her daughter. Grace says, â€Å"You are not my daughter! † and attacks her.However, she finds that she has actually attacked her daughter instead. Anne refuses to be near her mother afterward, while Grace swears she saw the old woman. Mrs. Mills tells Anne that she too has seen the people, but they cannot yet tell the mother because Grace will not accept what she is not ready for. Charles is stunned when Anne tells him the things her mother did to her. He says he must leave for the front and disappears again. After Charles leaves, Anne continues to see things, including Victor's whole family and the old woman.Grace breaks down to Mrs. Mills, who claims that â€Å"sometimes the world of the dead gets mixed up with the world of the living. † At last, I know that actually, it is Grace’s family who is dead, not the intruders. The intruders are the living people who bought the house after the death of Grace’s family. Grace and her children cannot accept the fact that they are dead. Grace may have some mental illness when she killed her children with pillow and then kill herself with a rifle.She was suffering from stress as she was feeling isolated and lonely as her husband didn’t come back from war. I love the suspense element and the twisting plot story. At first, I thought that the intruders are the bad guy, but actuall y Grace’s family is the one that possess the house and reluctant to leave their mansion even when they are dead. From this story,I learn that it is important to control our emotion and be patient in facing any difficulties in our life to lead a healthy and happy life.

Nintendo Co Ltd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nintendo Co Ltd - Essay Example In this study we will try and evaluate the key strategic issue that Nintendo is facing and what are their current strategic options. The three major players in the industry are Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony. For all the players the market is broadly being divided into two major segments such as the hardware segment and the software or the gaming segment. Though there is a major drift in sales for all the three major companies in the recent year we can analyze their positions and strength from the data of the previous year that is 2008. Nintendo noted a 49 percent market share for their consoles i.e. Wii and about a 73% market share for the handheld, which are called the DS. (Elliot, 2008) So it is quite evident Nintendo is a market leader in the hardware segment of the industry. Also notably there were five gaming software made by Nintendo which acquired the top ten spot of NPD software (Elliot, 2008). So the constant mix of the quality hardware and innovative software making Nintendo a prospective leader in the industry. Sony’s product in the hardware segment called the PS3 attributed a growth of 99% on ye ar-to-year basis (2008). Apart from that, though Nintendo is the market leader in the hardware segment. According to the Consumer Behavior Report of 2007 Nintendo’s consoles are readily accepted by the target consumers. But Sony’s playstation (which is their hardware console) recorded over 10 million accounts all over the world. But the USP of Sony remains with the innovativeness and varieties of gaming software they introduce with quick succession. According to Microsoft, their hardware product Xbox 360 enjoys a 49% market share in USA. Also Xbox 360 title, a product in the software segment accounts for 34% in software sales for July 2008. (Elliot, 2008) Though Nintendo is more successful in developing game platforms, but the real focus of the company is on producing games rather than only platforms. (Ackerson, 2008).

What is fairness (fair) and what is justice (just) Compare and Personal Statement

What is fairness (fair) and what is justice (just) Compare and contrast both - Personal Statement Example 161). It means all citizens have the same rights as anyone else, regardless of their station or lot in life. In Platos definition, justice means attending to the proper order of things in society. Justice means equal respect for the rights of everyone, without discrimination to age, gender, race, color, etc. Fairness, on the other hand, means a quality of being free from bias, inequity, injustice, or making decisions or judgments without any discrimination. To be fair means to be making the compromises necessary for all parties concerned, although it may not mean complete justice. The notion of fairness can be better understood in the norm of need. This means being fair is to help all people meet their needs according to what is just, and also based on resource constraints. Not all individuals can be given what they need, but some can partly be satisfied based on fairness. A good example is the obligation of the state to provide everyone with health insurance coverage but not everybody can be covered due to limitations of financial resources or budget cuts. In this connection, the Affirmative Action program was designed to address the fairness issue, with regards to access to educational and employment opportunities (Jansson, 2009, p. 30) and intended to counteract the discrimination suffered by some minorities or segment of society. It attempts to create an equal or level playing field, with the stated aim to achieve social

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 3

Research Paper Example The most recent statistics related to cyber bullying have pointed to a very worrying social trend that is associated with the social media usage. According to the 2014 cyber bullying statistics, 70% of the youths globally are being bullied through social media, while 37% of them are experiencing highly frequent bullying (Bullyingstatistics.org, n.p.). Additionally, according to a recent report released by the joint task force of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), the victims of social media bullying are increasingly showing signs of poor peer relationships, increased anxiety, poor academic performance, psychological instabilities, self-harm tendencies and suicidal thoughts (Gleeson, 5). Nevertheless, it is not only the victims who are negatively affected, since the cyber bullies are increasingly showing behavioral anomalies. The statistics on the effects of social media bullying are even running from alarming to totally terrifying. For example, the recent data on the implications of social media bullying, such as the one reported by the Megan Meier Foundation, indicated that 29% of the social media bullying victims, and 38% of the frequently cyber-bullied victims reported either suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts (Megan Meier Foundation, n.p.). The stroke that breaks the camel’s back is the evidence that suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for young people between the age of 15-24 years (Megan Meier Foundation, n.p.). It is when such realities start to dawn on the society that the society finally realizes that a tool that was first meant to enhance social welfare, can turn into a destructive social weapon, which eats the society from within , in a manner that cannot be easily mitigated. At this point it becomes necessary to pause and ask; why is social media bullying such and pandemic for the modern society? The answer to this question is that statistics

Money , its for a History of economic thought class Essay

Money , its for a History of economic thought class - Essay Example Money is the difference between that person who is sleeping hungry and that one who affords to have his pets on a special diet. In this sense, it is the promoter of inequality. Once inequality checks in, the consequences are unlimited there is anger, dissatisfaction, deception and every other emotion and act that epitomizes dissent. It is at this point that â€Å"money costs too much†. This is because it gets to a point where it costs life, peace and relationships. The focus of this essay is on relationships the concern is how money comes between people, how money blurs our sight that we soon forget the emotional, patriotic and sometimes blood bond that hold us together. The essence of this inquiry has been informed throughout the semester, having the opportunity to journalize different experiences regarding money has really brought to the fore the value we place on money. This is because unless we place too much value on money higher than the value we place on our social rela tions then it would never be possible for money to downplay our relations. Unfortunately, the exposure I have had throughout this course and the materials I have read have brought to the fore the disheartening truth that money has a much greater force, it costs too much. Economically, money is considered a medium of exchange the means through which we are able to acquire different goods and services. Historically, it has not always been represented by coins and notes but at some point gold and other valuable metals were the preferred means of exchange. However, history teaches us that the problem has not been with the nature but on the value placed on these materials. Any material in which extreme value has been placed has thrown people into frenzy they are continually interested in amassing that which has value. The burst of the Mississippi bubble brings this act of desperation and thirst for value into perspective. It depicts the race to hold that which has value and disposing tha t which has less value. This has been a historical trend, one that has only aggravated over time, the fundamental question is at what cost? The answer may not be as a definite, but it is evident, it is at a much higher cost. Over the past few months I have been able to watch the documentary â€Å"inside job†. The film directed by Charles Ferguson traces the root of the financial crises that only became so apparent in 2007-8. However, following the film clearly illustrates that the financial crises had been ongoing for a while. The signs had been there of a slowdown but were largely ignored. The reason for this ignorance is the basis of this study. The crisis was driven by a need to compound on gains made, a need to amass assets that were being speculated to appreciate in value. Given the capital limitation enforced by the market dynamics, people had to borrow and banks, which are also the primary lenders had to lend for speculative purposes and had also to invest in these spe culations. In any case, the banks were the first to participate in these speculative ventures. The result was an imbalance between the asset base and money borrowed by investments banks. At the end, the speculative ventures never bore the anticipated results and the banks were left indebted. People who had entrusted their hard earned money had lost their confidence on the very people who represented a chance of higher value. This

Whats different about ethics in e-commerce Research Paper

Whats different about ethics in e-commerce - Research Paper Example In explaining the ethical foundations of e-commerce, the guiding question is, â€Å"How are ethics different in e-commerce?† This already shows that ethics in e-commerce are unique. The major concern will therefore be on those ethical aspects, which bring about the difference. The difference only comes in their manifestation. The conclusion will include a call for further research into establishing the uniqueness of e-commerce ethics, and problems this causes. Ecommerce avails an opportunity for business transactions to be conducted electronically through the internet. The business processes including advertisements of products, buying, selling, and paying are done electronically, without physical presence of the buyer and seller. In its nature, e-commerce attracts a great number of people across the world. It has brought efficiency in business, at a reduced rate, since hosting an online business is not expensive. Technology is highly employed in e-commerce, and includes, telephone, and computers (Nardal and Sahin 190). The utilization of a worldwide internet in e-commerce is advantageous to both consumers and owners of virtual companies. However, the internet presents a new environment, which can easily enhance the violation of ethics in business. Despite the tremendous growth of e-commerce over past years, consumers continue to complain about ethical issues they are faced with. These increased cases of violations of ethics in e-commerce raise concerns whether its unique nature of ethics helps in the propagation of these cases. Ethics is a critical issue for new businesses in the e-commerce world. New businesses in e-commerce may lose focus on the ethical part and pay more attention to its technological issues. Ethical implications in face-to-face businesses vary with those in e-commerce. For instance, it is harder to regulate selling of alcohol to an

STI and HIV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

STI and HIV - Essay Example Nearly 88% of these people are in the sexually active and economically productive age group of 15 to 49 years (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 11). Therefore, most people living with HIV are in the prime of their working lives with many of them supporting families. The remaining 8% of the infected population are above 50 years and another 4% are children (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 11). The spread of HIV in India has been very uneven. Although the overall rate of infection in India has been very low, certain regions and certain population groups within the country have extremely high rate of infection. The infection rates are extremely high in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and the far north-east states of Manipur and Nagaland. Together these states account for 64% of the HIV burden in India (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 14). Prevalence Rates Overall the prevalence of HIV for adult males and females has shown a declining trend in the past five years. In 2006, it was 0.36% while in 2002 it was 0.45% in 2002 (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 11). ... 2007). One of the major concerns regarding the epidemic of HIV in India is the increase seen in the proportion of infections among children and adults above 50 years. Among children, the prevalence of HIV was 3% in 2002 which increased to 4% in 2006 (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 13). Similarly, the prevalence of the disease was 6% among adults above the age of 50 which has increased to 8% in 2006 (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 13). Transmission route In India, nearly 88% of the transmission of STI/HIV happens through heterosexual contact (The World Bank 2008). Other routes of transmission include perinatal (4.7%), unsafe blood and blood products (1.7%), infected needles and syringes (1.8%) and other unspecified routes of transmission (4.1%) (The World Bank 2008). It is interesting to note that in the high prevalence southern states of India, STI/HIV has been found to spread primarily through heterosexual contact while in the high prevalence north-eastern states , the disease has been found to spread mainly among injecting drug users and sex workers (National AIDS Control Organization 2006). Researchers believe that the HIV epidemic in India has followed the ‘type 4’ pattern (The World Bank 2008). This is a pattern where new infections occur among the most vulnerable populations like the female sex workers, men who have sex with men or the injecting drug users. The infection then spreads to ‘bridge’ populations like the clients of sex workers or sexual partners of drug users and finally it enters the general population. Studies have revealed that long distance truck drivers and male migrant workers make up significant proportions of clients of sex workers (UNGASS 2008). In

Benefits of Capital Punishment Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Capital Punishment Essay Though death penalty law has received insurmountable onslaught from the opposing activists and human rights campaigners, a number of states have maintained a hard stance and stood their grounds, this has been with good reasons. It is also in the clear understanding of its benefits and the hollowness of the counter claims. The position of this paper is that capital punishment has a wide range of benefits to a nation. Capital punishment deters crime, curbs recidivism, controls overcrowding and reduces the cost of maintaining inmates serving life sentences. A number of econometric studies conducted between 1978 and 2000 in the United States by a number of scholars bear the truth about the deterrence abilities of capital punishment (Paul R. Z. , 2006, 34). These studies have established the obvious, just as incarceration deters crime so does capital punishment. Capital punishment simply refers to an act by state of executing criminals found to have committed capital offenses. History has it that the origin of capital punishment was necessitated by the need to quell soaring rates of grievous crimes and political dissent. There are various crimes that are punished using death penalty; these however usually vary from one country to another and are a product of a states traditions and societal expectations. In China corruption is considered serious enough to attract a death penalty. Majority of countries regard drug trafficking, rape and cold blood premeditated murders as capital offences. Zhiqiang Liu (2004, 12), an economist, is particularly categorical in his study of the ability of capital punishment to deter crime. He goes forth and posits that one execution of criminal by state goes ahead to safeguard about eight lives of potential victims, this is in accordance to a study he conducted in the United States between the early 1930s and the late 1960s. This study is quite confident on the relationship between executions and crimes rate. These findings had earlier been echoed by H. Naci Mocan and R. Kaj Gittings (2003, 29) in a state level study conducted for a period of 20 years up to 1997. The conclusion of this study was reached after a careful analysis of the homicidal and imprisonment rates compared with the rate of capital penalties meted out. The conclusion was that each execution carried out went ahead and reduced the number of homicidal cases after while rescinding of a death penalty generated a significant increase of murder cases. The issue of deterrence has received quite a sizeable proportion of interest from academicians. This interest is not only as a result of its relation to capital punishments only but also in regard to other crimes as well. One of the reasons behind incarceration in addition to locking out criminal elements away from the precincts of the society is to deter occurrences of similar crimes from potential criminals. Theories have been put forward to analyze the effects of imprisonment and punishment as a form of deterrence. Most scholars have found a correlation between the two. The fear of imprisonment, fines and other forms of punishment is one big reason why many people would rather not go against the law. Early philosophers theorized about the origin of state saying it was brought forth to arrest the anarchical situation that reigned in the original state of nature. The presence of state also gave birth to the need to create laws and spell out the nature of punishment for the violators, such punishment would be meant to deter. There is an undeniable link between deterrence and punishment and the harsher the punishment, the more efficient the deterrence (Van den Haag, E. , 1975). The idea hence that harsh punishment meted out against criminals does not deter similar occurrences is inconceivable; almost all scholars are in agreement that capital punishment should be given to the elements in the society charged with grievous crimes. The basic argument here should be that the nature of crime one commits should attract an equally harsh punishment. Capital crimes rank the highest. None would be harsher than death and this would go ahead in preventing others with similar intentions. A total of 53 criminals were executed in the United States two years ago (Amnesty international, 2007). A bigger portion of those were in Texas. Critics admit that these executions went a long way in curbing crimes in the states that they were carried out and most studies agree. The issue of deterrence hence is unquestionable. A secondary objective of capital punishment on capital offenses is to stigmatize grievous crimes like rape and murder. It seeks to portray the horrific nature of such acts. Nothing would portray this better than an execution. Capital crimes cannot be deterred effectively by imposing light sentences or life imprisonments with an option of a parole. It is not in question that prospects of imprisonment would deter future acts of crimes, but this might not be applicable in well mapped out and executed murders. The prospect of a parole itself negates the deterrence that could have been achieved. The prospects of a death penalty on the other hand make any criminal to have second thoughts before contemplate on taking innocent lives. Capital punishments with an intention of deterring crimes should not only be carried out but they should also be highly publicized to ensure that such news reach all quarters (Hugo A. B. , 1997, 67). . Texas has an exceptionally high proportion of executions being with over half of all executions in the United States. These executions have been on the increase in these recent past years. Dale O. Cloninger and Roberto Marchesni (2001, 62) carried out a study with an intention of comparing two periods, when in one, executions were near zero and in another where there were remarkably high number of executions. This study found that the deterrence hypothesis holds. The numbers of homicide cases reported when there were minimal executions were higher than in when the number of executions went up. Other studies have found that executions conducted in one state have a spill over effect to other areas. Executions in one state may result to a reduced rate of capital crimes in a neighboring state indicating how efficient the idea of deterrence is (Van den Haag, Ernest, 1975, 26). Deterrence operates within a framework of three assumptions; the first one is based on what the law stipulates. The contents of the law are themselves enough to deter crime; a tough law goes a long way in preventing criminal tendencies. The second one is punishment. Everyone should be made aware of what the punishment for violating a certain law is. The third aspect is the certainty of such a punishment. This is where capital punishment comes and it is ascertained through carrying out executions. The state goes right ahead in achieving this and deterrence is achieved. Robertson I (1989, 33) notes that â€Å"through punishment corrections serve to deter the offender from deviating and it scares others who might be tempted into crime† Capital punishment has also a cost advantage. In the process of meting out a judgment especially for the lesser crimes, the court determines whether to imprison or fine an individual by looking at the possible costs of incarceration, the nature of the crime and the character of the individual. This is a complicated formula that puts into consideration even the salaries and expenses of the probation officers alongside other costs. The average cost of maintaining a prisoner for a whole year in prison as established in the finding conducted in 2003 is well above twenty-five thousand dollars. This number if multiplied with the millions serving jail sentences in the United States really puts a strain on the public coffers. Fines and paroles are important ways of circumventing this cost and to a greater extent eradicates the social and health issues that arise as a result of the increasing over crowding in the jails today, especially occasioned by the three strikes law. The prisons in most countries, United States included, are always carrying above the expected capacity. Although the intention of capital punishment is not to decongest prisons, when imposed, it goes ahead to achieve this. The costs of congestion are insurmountable both social and economic (Gottfried, T. , 1997, 78).

Main Causes of Water Pollution

Main Causes of Water Pollution The water pollution in Malaysia is originated from point sources and non-point sources. Point sources that have been identified include sewage treatment plants, manufacturing and agro-based industries and animal farms. Non-point sources are mainly diffused ones such as agricultural activities and surface runoffs. According to Malaysia Environment Quality Report 2004, the Department of Environment has recorded 17,991 water pollution point sources in 2004 comprising mainly sewage treatment plants (54%), manufacturing industries (38%), animal farms (5%) and agro-based industries (3%). Another main cause of water pollution encountered worldwide is oil spills. About 29 million gallons of petroleum enters the oceans off North America each year, shows a new study by the National Research Council. Water pollution can be classified according to the nature of pollutants, the sources releasing them and the water bodies into which they are discharged. Water pollution is measured by the concentration of pollutants in the water body and their effects on other water uses. Six categories of pollutants are recognized :- Pathogens Pathogens are disease-causing bacteria, viruses and protozoa, usually from human sewage. As pathogen numbers increase, so does the risk to human health. Biochemical Oxygen Demand Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is created by organic wastes decaying in the water body. Major sources of BOD are pulp and paper mills and municipal sewage. If dissolved oxygen is depressed to zero, all fish die and anaerobic decomposition generates noxious gases. Nutrients Nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, enrich waters and accelerate the aging of lakes and streams (eutrophication). The resultant rich plant growth often prohibits recreational activities, and plankton blooms depress oxygen levels. Major sources of nutrients are municipal sewage and urban and agricultural runoff. Toxic Materials Toxic materials can affect the health of aquatic organisms and their consumers, and of those drinking contaminated waters. Toxicants include heavy metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalates. They originate from many sources as a result of the large quantities of chemicals used in industries. Mixtures of toxic materials can be toxic even if their individual concentrations are below lethally toxic levels. Oil pollutants are toxic and may also smother aquatic organisms and cause the death of birds, attracted by the appearance of calm water, by destroying the waterproofing properties of their plumage. Acidification Acidification, particularly of lakes, results from precipitation of sulphur and nitrogen oxides emitted by industries and automobiles. Acidification, particularly of lakes, results from precipitation of sulphur and nitrogen oxides emitted by industries and automobiles. Acid rock drainage, the leach water from waste rock produced from mining ores containing sulphide minerals, causes acidification of surface and ground water. Temperature Changes Temperature changes from waste heat discharges can cause pollution when their elevation reduces dissolved-oxygen levels, accelerates eutrophication, affects ecological processes and blocks migration paths of fishes. Effect of water pollution Effects on Ecosystem Besides the inorganic nutrient input, with the inflow of the waste water most of them from factory, decomposition of organic wastes in river, plant nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates will takes place. This process will promotes the growth of oxygen consuming algae (algal bloom), especially the blue-green algae which produce cynotoxics can cause poisoning to humans and animals. The growth of oxygen consuming algae, which deoxygenates water mostly kill the nearest fish and other animals is referred to as eutrophication. Addition of oxygen not sufficient to support life. Effects on Human Health Nitrate polluted water can cause incidence of tumours and ulcers. Contact with pollutants can cause skin disorders due. Water pollution also causing increased case of constipation, diarrhoea and infections to intestine. It also has dangerous effects on growing foetus in pregnant women. Loss of memory power and reduced mental sharpness. One of the biggest threats for the developing countries is the disease caused by polluted water cholera caused by drinking water to Malaria where mosquitoes breed on polluted stagnant water. Regular intake of polluted water may cause sclerosis, skin legions, and problems in blood circulation, mineral deposits in bones, certain cancers and disease of the nervous system. Reduced activity of immune system. Water borne diseases like jaundice, hepatitis, gasteroenteritis will be more prevalent due to water pollution.Diseases caused by water pollution are the major cause of human death across the world. Such toxic material travels up the food chain and effec ts human through the fish and meat that we eat .Contaminated water causes the food source and plant life to be destroyed , this inversely effects the climatic and environmental properties required for human survival. Improvement of Water Quality a) Primary treatment mechanical screening and sedimentation of undissolved solids in raw sewage is done. But it fails to remove dissolve substance in this liquid. b) Secondary treatment Sewage treated- the primary treatment is brought in contact with agent such as oxygen and aerobic micro-organisms. They will break down the organic matter(can be harmfull) into harmless materials as H2O and CO2. Furthermore, chlorination is carried out to reduce the bacteria.Further treated to tertiary level zero measures are adopted for secondary treatment :- i) Trickling filter method like the filter of mineral water,sewage water passes through a thick bed of gravel stones(large stone) so that bacteria will consume most of the organic matter. ii) Activated sludge process à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ in this stage,the sewage water is pumped into an aeration tank. This tank contains sludge which consisting of bacteria and algae. The bacteria is able to decompose almost all of the organic matter and algae will undergo photosinthesis and produces oxygen to promote the growth of these decomposers. c) Reverse osmosis Ways to Help Overcome Water Pollution Water remains one of our most important primary resources, vital to our survival on Earth, yet water pollution is happenning. It is serious. How can we avoid and possibly stop it? Ignorance is the main factor. Knowledge on how to preventing water pollution and its effects to our health should be spread to community. Tighter laws should be legislated and existing laws can be improved to curb illegal dumping of trash and poisonous chemical wastes into water sources.Moreover, waste materials should be disposed off properly. Faeces have to be sent to treatment tanks. Industrial wastes should be treated before disposal, to make sure the substances are harmless.Daily household rubbish can be buried or thrown away neatly in plastic bags, to be sent to special rubbish collecting areas. Increase the campaign of recycle. Excess use of insecticides and chemical fertilizers should be avoided as far as possible. If you are using chemicals that may be harmful to the environment, store them correct ly. Improperly stored chemicals can slowly sweep into the groundwater system, to avoid groundwater contamination,so keep them in tightly sealed containers, inside of structures with cement floors.

Intel :: essays research papers

Intel Results of operations. Intel broke a record in net revenues in 1995, for the ninth consecutive year, rising by 41% from 1994 to 1995 and by 31% from 1993 to 1994. Higher volumes of the rapidly raising Pentium microprocessor family, partially offset by lower prices, and increased sales of related board-level products were responsible for most of the growth in revenues in 1994 and 1995. Revenues from the Intel486 microprocessor family declined substantially in 1995 due to a shift in market demand toward the Company's Pentium microprocessors and lower Intel486 microprocessor prices. Higher volumes of flash memory and chipset products also contributed toward the increase in revenues from 1993 to 1995 and also helped enable the successful Pentium microprocessor ramp. Sales of system platforms, embedded control products, and networking and communications products also grew. Cost of sales increased by 40% from 1994 to 1995 and by 71% from 1993 to 1994. The growth in cost of sales from 1993 to 1995 was driven by Pentium microprocessor and board-level unit volume growth, new factories coming into production, shifts in process and product mix, and in the fourth quarter of 1995, by costs associated with unusually high reserves related to inventories of certain purchased components. Gross margin for the fourth quarter of 1994 included the impact of a $475 million charge, primarily to cost of sales, to cover replacement costs, replacement material and an inventory record related to a divide problem in the floating point unit of the Pentium microprocessor. As a result of the above factors, the gross margin percentage was 52% in 1995 and 1994, compared to 63% in 1993. Quarterly unit shipments of the Pentium microprocessor family passed those of the Intel486 microprocessor family during the third quarter of 1995. The Company helped accelerate this transition by offering chipsets and motherboards to enable computer manufacturers to bring their products to market faster. Sales of the Pentium microprocessor family comprised a majority of the Company's revenues and a substantial majority of its gross margin during 1995. During 1995, the Intel486 microprocessor family represented a significant but rapidly declining portion of the Company's revenues and gross margins. The Intel486 microprocessor family comprised a majority of the Company's revenues and a substantial majority of its gross margin during 1993 and 1994. Research and development spending grew by 17% from 1994 to 1995, as the Company continued to invest in strategic programs, particularly for the internal development of microprocessor products and related manufacturing technology. Increased spending for marketing programs, including media merchandising and the Company's Intel Inside cooperative advertising program, drove the 27% increase in marketing, general and administrative expenses from 1994 to 1995.