Organizational Behavior Leadership

Every organization has a hierarchical order that dictates its leadership structure. This in turn affects the behavior of both employees and managers. Such is the case experienced in Corporation A. This work describes each of the five bases of power and their relationship with dependency, in respect to Corporation A.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Behavior Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The five bases of power Power can be defined as the possible ability of an individual or group to exert control over another individual or group (Griffin and Moorhead, 2009, p. 375). In an organization, there can be five bases of power including â€Å"legitimate, reward, coercive, expert and referent power† (Griffin and Moorhead, 2009, p. 375). Legitimate power, basically, similar to authority, is exercised based on the position that one holds in an organization. It rests in the certainty among staff members that their manager reserves the discretion to give directions and orders due to the position he or she holds in the organization. Therefore, employees will agree with the manager’s orders that depend on the position within the organization that he or she holds. However, although workers may concur with regard to legitimate power, they may do so without a feeling of dedication and full cooperation. For example, in Corporation A, both the marketing and the accounting managers give various directions to their employees based on their respective positions within the organization. Whereas the marketing manager encourages the staff members to work for more than the forty hours in a week for promise of rewards, the accounting manager on the other hand, reserves the mandate to grant the accountant the chance to work within a compressed time schedule of four-week days. Reward power refers to the employer’s ability to accord some rewards to employees. The rewards m ay be in terms of either monetary form or adjusted work programs. Rather than giving out tangible benefits such as money, managers are supposed to grant more of intangible benefits. For example, in corporation A, employer 1 is anticipating a reward in form of bonus to secure a decent vacation. This is because of his extended working period. The marketing manager encourages employees to work beyond the normal schedule for promise of bonus. The accounting manager decides to shorten the number of days required to work in a week for employee 2. The accounting manager has the power to grant this benefit to this employee only in the accounting department. It should be noted that, although rewards may at times motivate employees to work hard, the only problem is that they divert the workers’ focus from their job assignments to the rewards placed before them.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Referent power is drawn from an individual’s charismatic influence on others. Due to the individual’s traits, attitude, and behavior, people are likely to associate more with him or her (Wagner and Hollenbeck, 2009, p. 217). For example, in Corporation A, employee 3 is charismatic and positive. This has made him to be liked by other employees within the sales department. Despite his short working tenure at the organization, he emerges as a team leader in implementing a sales pitch that is likely to improve the Corporation’s sales. Expert power on the other hand is vested in employees’ belief that one possesses a specific a high-level knowledge or skill. Managers may therefore be â€Å"accorded authority based on the perception of their greater knowledge of the tasks at hand than their employees† (Wagner and Hollenbeck, 2009, p. 217). For example, both the marketing and accounting managers are able to give directions in Corporation A because of their respective specialized skill with regard to marketing, accounting, and management. Additionally, employee 2 is the only certified public accountant in the organization. As such, he is the only employee who can prepare financial statements as well as have his work schedule adjusted. Coercive power implies a situation where an employer has the ability to give orders to employees, which causes them to comply for fear of punishment. Circumstances under which coercion may apply include periods of economic crisis, when organizations aim at streamlining their operations for maximum efficiency, and generally threats to the organization’s survival. For example, the marketing manager’s order to the employees to work extra time may coerce them to work hard for fear of not being superiorly rated and hence losing their rewards. Relationship Between the Bases of Power demonstrated In Corporation A and dependency Managers in organizations can enhance dependency upon various bases of power by ensuring inter-departmental reliability and scarcity of resources (Kondalkar, 2009, p. 420). First, expert power demonstrated by employee 2 who is the only certified public accountant creates a greater dependency by the organization on his services. This is because, other than him, there is no one else to prepare the company’s financial statements. Besides this, expert power expressed through the presence of the two managers: marketing and accounting managers necessitates scarcity of human resources (managerial). This enhances the employees’ dependency on the two in terms of decision-making and any other related responsibility. This is due to the legitimate power held by the two. Secondly, referent power demonstrated by employee 3 due to his charismatic personality sets him apart in the organization’s sales department. He is depended upon in the creation and implementation of an idea that boosts the company’s sales.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Behavior Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, the reward power demonstrated by the marketing manager in granting bonuses to employees who work overtime causes most of employees to depend on the bonuses to accomplish some of their personal projects in life apart from improving their image as employees. For example, employee 1 is relying on the bonus to afford a decent vacation that would have been impossible without it. Conclusion The five bases of power are very important in an organization. Reward power involves one having influence over benefiting results. Coercive power enables manager to have power due to punishing outcomes. Legitimate power enables managers to have control due to their respective positions of authority. Expert power is derived from one’s ability to possess expertise, special skill, and knowledge over the rest in an organization. Re ferent power is drawn from one’s charisma, and personality that makes them to be liked by others. All these bases of power have a way of creating dependency within an organization. References Griffin, R.W., and Moorhead, G. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. South Western, Mason: Cengage Learning. Kondalkar, V. G. (2009). Organization Effectiveness and Change Management. New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited. Wagner, J.A. and Hollenbeck, J.R. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Securing Competitive Advantage. New York: Routledge. This essay on Organizational Behavior Leadership was written and submitted by user Alessandro Carrillo to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Learn About Redox Problems With an Example

Learn About Redox Problems With an Example In oxidation-reduction or redox reactions, it is important to be able to identify which atoms are being oxidized and which atoms are being reduced. To identify if an atom is either oxidized or reduced, you only have to follow the electrons in the reaction. Example Problem Identify the atoms that were oxidized and which atoms were reduced in the following reaction:Fe2O3 2 Al → Al2O3 2 FeThe first step is to assign oxidation numbers to each atom in the reaction. The oxidation number of an atom is the number of unpaired electrons available for reactions.Review these  rules for assigning oxidation numbers.Fe2O3:The oxidation number of an oxygen atom is -2. 3 oxygen atoms have a total charge of -6. To balance this, the total charge of the iron atoms must be 6. Since there are two iron atoms, each iron must be in the 3 oxidation state. To summarize, -2 electrons per oxygen atom, 3 electrons for each iron atom.2 Al:The oxidation number of a free element is always zero.Al2O3:Using the same rules for Fe2O3, we can see there are -2 electrons for each oxygen atom and 3 electrons for each aluminum atom.2 Fe:Again, the oxidation number of a free element is always zero.Put all this together in the reaction, and we can see where the electrons went:Iron we nt from Fe3 on the left side of the reaction to Fe0 on the right. Each iron atom gained 3 electrons in the reaction.Aluminum went from Al0 on the left to Al3 on the right. Each aluminum atom lost three electrons.Oxygen stayed the same on both sides.With this information, we can tell which atom was oxidized and which atom was reduced. There are two mnemonics to remember which reaction is oxidation and which reaction is reductions. The first one is OIL RIG:Oxidation Involves Loss of electronsReduction Involves Gain of electrons.The second is LEO the lion says GER.Lose Electrons in OxidationGain Electrons in Reduction.Back to our case: Iron gained electrons so iron was oxidized. Aluminum lost electrons so aluminum was reduced.

An assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An assignment - Essay Example The equipment in the trauma unit must be suitable for trauma imaging, and consequently, the radiographers must be aware of the differences between a trauma imaging unit and a general imaging unit. In a range of client groups, the techniques should be suitably adapted, and the equipment must permit this. The radiographers should be able to analyse trauma images, and if they deliver inadequate information, they must suggest complementary investigations to aid diagnosis and treatment. The anatomical knowledge should be thorough, so depending on the target area of imaging, there may be need for adaptation of position, and during trauma imaging, the radiographer should demonstrate these skills. Trauma patients are exposed to the risk of changing clinical situations even during imaging, and the trauma radiographer must demonstrate awareness about the dynamics of a changing situation during imaging (Murray et al., 2008, 289) Taking a detailed history and examination of the patient may provide a working diagnosis, so the radiographer is able to understand and deduce the mechanism of injury. In some cases due consideration must be given to the fact that sometimes imaging may not add value to the management of the condition but may aggravate the situation due to manipulation during imaging. In most cases there is significant time penalty, and thus delay due to unnecessary imaging may be avoided. Additionally, performing an imaging in an inappropriate indication leads to the breach of laws related to radiation exposure. Using the knowledge of anatomy and possible mechanism of trauma would lead to correct area, correct positioning, and correct view of the image. Sometimes, this approach would lead to a prediction about further views. It is important to focus on the correct area for imaging since large field of views may cause missing of subtle injuries. When a fracture is suspected always two views

Social learning theory by Albert Bandura Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Social learning theory by Albert Bandura - Essay Example The behaviors acquired by individuals usually learned to use observation through modeling. People observe other people’s actions and activities, and then the behaviors performed. Resulting to coding of information, this serves as a guide for their actions. Learning, therefore, becomes the critical issue to be considered. Realization of effective learning has been made possible through the availability of learning theories. Learning theories are framework describing different ways of absorbing information, processing, and how this information is normally retained during the process of learning. Learning is significant in bringing out cognitive, environmental influences, emotional and experience for acquiring different qualities. These qualities include values; effecting changes in the individual’s knowledge and how they view the world learning theories have of significance in the definition of personal philosophies especially to teachers. Learning theories normally categ orized into different categories, which include behaviorism, constructivism and cognitive. Behaviorism learning put emphasis on aspects, which can be observed, cognitive learning, on the other hand, cognitive learning theories not only looks at the observable behaviors, but also tries to explain learning, which are mainly becoming brain-based. Constructivism, however, looks learning as a process where the learner builds new concepts and ideas. Albert Bandura is one of the known theorists who contributed significantly in learning theories; he came up with the social learning theory (McLeod, 2011). The social learning theory is a class of behaviorism theory; the theory is most significant in criminology. Albert Bandura believed that aggression in learning, which normally learned through behavior modeling. The theorist hold a believe that violent tendencies by individuals usually not inherited but rather modeled through various principles. He argued that persons acquire responses throu gh observing other people’s behavior, by means of media, environment or observing personally. He then stated that individuals holds a believe that aggression mainly accompanied by reinforcements. The reinforcements usually formulated into tension reduction, building of self-esteem, acquiring financial rewards and gaining praise from others. Albert Bandura in his Bobo doll experiment, find out how children would imitate the adults when they are aggressive when they gain rewards, his interest was largely in development of a child. He believed that early diagnosis of aggression in children would lead to children reframing from becoming adult criminals. He then argued children aggression normally influenced by the reinforcement they acquire from their family members, environment and the media. Albert Bandura’s experiment, the Bobo doll experiment, t is significant because it triggers several studies to be conducted concerning the effects of social learning theory. The topi c was significant in that it will determine the extent of aggression among children, in relation to observational learning. Albert Bandura the father of social learning theory was born in 1925, in Mundare Canada. In his early stages of life, Bandura was raised in a small farming community, in his hometown, in Canada. In 1949, Bandura received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Colombia he also obtains his Ph.D in 1952 from the Universi

Project Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Management - Research Paper Example PM has appeared as an efficient tool for addressing the intricate needs as well as requirements of present business environment. Moreover, PM is a type of management discipline which strengthens various economic activities of a company within an industry. Project Management Institute (PMI) is an internationally recognized not-for-profit membership organization for the profession of project management. PMI consists of 600,000 members as well as official document holders in over 185 nations (Bialaszewski 1-17). There are various phases or processes of PM by which a project should be managed in various steps and these entire steps are interrelated with each other. Project is managed by planning, implementing, monitoring and controlling procedures. The first step is the initializing process, where objective and scope of project is clearly defined. The objective of the project depends on the business requirement (Bialaszewski 1-17). The second step is planning process. ... Moreover, in this phase, project manager is responsible to analyze whether or not extra fund is required for executing the project (Bialaszewski 1-17). The fourth step is controlling procedure; as in this step project manager is responsible for controlling as well as rescheduling the entire project to keep the process on right track. Essentially, in this stage, customers’ deliverables are created as well as project manager is accountable for quality pledge and deliverable signoff (Bialaszewski 1-17). The final step is the project closing stage. In this stage, reflection on the success of the project takes place. It is reviewed that what kind of possible changes if any would be implemented if similar project is conducted in future (Bialaszewski 1-17). Communication is one of the most important aspects within a team to make sure of best potential outcomes. When PM processes are utilized in order to complete a project, an effective communication is essential within a team. From t he first stage of PM process if the planning thoughts are not communicated in a timely, accurately and relevant way then there would be a considerable obstruction in the completion of any project (Bialaszewski 1-17). ‘Emotional Intelligence’ is one of the crucial aspects than ‘Intelligence Quotient’ in envisaging leadership success. A project leader is assigned to work with members of various attitudinal types in order to complete a project, thus the project leader needs to demonstrate the quality of emotional intelligence in decision making (Bialaszewski 1-17). Time management and cost are the two necessary considerations which are intrinsic to quality of any project. Moreover, inefficient

Native American Healing And Spirituality Religion Essay

Native American Healing And Spirituality Religion Essay It is a long held belief that Native Americans migrated to the Americas from northeast Asia, hundreds of years before Europeans arrived. Their culture and religion travelled along with them and were further developed and transformed over time according to the environment and region in which they finally settled. Together we will examine some of the different spiritual and religious beliefs and healing techniques that have remarkably withstood the test of time. In modern European and American cultures, examining both healing and spirituality would result in a rather broad spectrum. But in traditional Native American culture that many still honor today, healing and religion are very much hand in hand. To heal the body, one must simultaneously heal the soul. All healing ceremonies begin with prayer and are led by a medicine man. We will refer to healers in general as healers rather than medicine men or women simply because there are far too many terms in different languages and nations that would in some way translate into medicine men or women. In different Native American cultures, healers do much more than just heal. They are the spiritual leaders of their people. To an English speaker, a medicine is something used to treat disease or enhance well-being. Native Americans accept this definition, but in the context of traditional culture, the word medicine has a much broader and richer meaning. Medicine means the presence and power embodied in or demonstrated by a person, a place, an event, an object, or a natural phenomenon (Cohen, 2003, p. 27, para. 5). Healing and religion, in traditional terms, is deeply rooted in the natural world. Nature itself has incredible healing powers. From the many trees, plants, and roots that are important curative ingredients, to the simple practice of walking along and reveling in the beauty of the tremendous gift our Great Creator has given us, it is all good medicine. In fact, the practice of walking amongst nature and allowing your spirit to communicate with nature has a name; it is called, walking the truth. Walking the truth means to walk a spiritual path through life and remaining in motion; that is, realizing that spirituality is dynamic rather than passive. The spiritual person does not meditate in a cave waiting for enlightenment. Instead, he or she values what Tibetan Buddhists call meditation in action, a spirituality that is fully engaged with life (Cohen, 2003, p.92). There is also another reason for walking with nature, to locate and obtain herbs, plants, and roots that aid in the healing of common ailments. For instance, if you come down with a stomach ache, you might try chewing some pine resin. Or if your child develops Thrash, try boiling some bark from a Persimmon tree and using the infusion to wash his or her mouth (Speck, 1944). There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of natural remedies that have been used for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. They may sound absolutely absurd to a modern physician, but one must respect the fact that there is a reason for their continued use; they work! Another important concept in Native American healing and religion is finding and understanding your own spirit and getting oriented in the realm of the sacred. The sacred hoop and the four winds represent everything in the natural world. Think about all of things in nature that are spherical in shape: the sky, clouds, stars, the sun, the moon, rain drops, snowflakes, and even nests of birds. The evolution of life itself begins, comes full circle, and in the end the spirit goes back to where it came from. The four winds represent the power of nature. The power of wind can move, at will, all other basic elements of nature. The four winds are also indicative of breath. We humans, and a lot of other creatures, cannot live without it but for a few minutes. In medicine wheels, the four winds are represented by the four directions: north, south, east, and west. Each direction represents qualities that contribute to spiritual health and harmony. East represents birth, new beginnings, spiritual renewal and development. The south represents growth and youthful energy. The seeds that are planted in the east come to bloom in the south. The west represents the autumn of life and is a place of spiritual vision and transformation. We stand facing west to give thanks to the Great Spirit for all the blessings of life. The west is also where we prepare for the sacred journey; the journey our body takes back to Mother Earth and the journey of our spirit back to the Great Creator or Spirit. North is the direction of wisdom and old age. North is where we examine all of lifes struggles and challenges. We focus on the wisdom of coming full circle with life, the lessons of this world and the cleansing of impurities created by it, all in preparation for the next world. Just as medicine wheels are located in places considered sacred, all healing must take place in a setting that is conducive to healing. Blessing and smudging are essential in making the home or setting where healing is to take place ready. Smudging is taking the ash of foliage such as cedar or sage and rubbing a small amount on all participants of a healing ceremony. Smoke from the burning foliage is allowed to spread through the area and also waved over the heads of the participants. The smoke and scent is believed to help purify the space of toxic and negative energy, feelings, thoughts, and spirits. The smell of nature also invites and welcomes healing power and positive energy. Not all plants are intended for smudging and they vary by tribe. According to Milne and Howard(2000, p. 545, para. 3) Ceremonies may address specific illness and life problems, or they may be prophylactic; they may be intended to ameliorate the cause of suffering, or they may be intended to enhance health, the quality of social relationships, and financial well-being. Praying and chanting is an important ingredient in religious ceremonies as well as healing ceremonies. In traditional Native American, praying begins and ends each and every day. Praying with friends and family is done regularly. Praying heals the spirit and strengthens ones faith. Healing chants are usually performed by close family members who have gathered around a loved one who is seriously ill. Chants are also performed during meditation sessions, pipe ceremonies, and in sweat lodges. Sweat lodges, or purification lodges, are one of the oldest of Native American ceremonies. The sweat lodge is a place of physical and spiritual purification and an occasion to commune with the great forces of nature-earth, water, fire, and air-and the Great Spirit who created them (Cohen, 2003). Participants sweat away illness, pollution and negative thoughts and energy. According to Cohen (2003, p. 257, para. 4), The ceremony is generally divided into four rounds, after each of which the door flap is briefly opened to let unneeded forces out and to allow refreshing energy in. Many attend a sweat lodge ceremony on a weekly basis. It is a place of incredible spiritual rebirth and mental and emotional clarity. In recent years, medical anthropologists have taken a closer look at the traditional medicinal practices of Native Americans, how those practices interact with modern medicine in the United States, and how they are perceived and used by Native Americans. One project that has made incredible strides into understanding these differences is called the Navajo Healing Project. One of the most striking ways in which this complexity is evident is in the large area of Navajo life in which religion and spirituality are intimately entwined with health care and healing. Indeed, healing is the central theme of Navajo religion, while the sacred is the central element in Navajo medicine. Just as Navajos orient themselves geographically within a territory defined by four sacred mountains aligned with the four cardinal points, today they orient themselves medically in a field of vital interaction among four modes of healing: conventional biomedicine, Traditional Navajo healing, Native American Churc h (NAC) healing, and Navajo Christian faith healing (Csordas, 2000, p.463, para. 1). Happiness has always been and will always be the best medicine. While modern physicians focus on the battle for the cure to an illness, native healers feel that it is best for the patient to focus on the positives in ones life-family, love, spiritual health-all the things that bring pure joy to us all. Native healers realize that joy of life is the best medicine and patients should keep their attention drawn towards the gift of life and not towards the repercussions of particular indulgences. It is true that some things are not truly healthy but focusing inward and listening to our inner spirit and letting it guide us is the best way to stay healthy and happy; maybe that is the reason the Great Spirit gave us twice as many ears as mouths. Listening is the key to wisdom and understanding. If only we could merge the ethical values of Native American healers with the technology and science of modern medicine, we might discover a deeper sense of healing and stronger medicine for all peop le.

Creation myth :: Fiona and Shrek

Geoffrey meets Ducky Long before there were human beings, there was Queen Fiona and King Shrek. They lived on an island filled with tropical fruits and jungles called Neverland. King Shrek was the ruler of all the land. He made boundaries to separate land from water, marshes from rain forests, and created islands into regions. King Shrek also created trees to grow crops for the animals. Queen Fiona on the other hand created the most beautiful exotic creatures called the bear, bird, duck, giraffe, tiger, lion, fish, dog, lizard, horse, elephant, frog, cow, deer, chicken, pig, leopard, rhino, squirrels, and many other creatures. In those days there was no sun. All light came from the sparkling white moon shined in the sky that stood in the center of the sky. There was the sky and the moon, but the sun never came out and, far below, an endless stretch of water, wild marshes, exotic jungles, rain forests with fresh green trees growing like grass. Animals roamed every region searching for food and shelter, bu t this lead to brutal and violent fights. Soon Queen Fiona and King Shrek were getting fed up with the animals Nguyen 2 because the animals became enemies to one another, so Queen Fiona and King Shrek decided to create human beings into either man or woman, where peace and kindness with last eternally.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day the Queen Fiona and King Shrek decided to retire due to the chaos of the animals and tried to figure out what animals can represent the man or woman and that animal can become the symbol of life again. It was the hardest decision for the Queen Fiona and King Shrek to choose what animal can stay to lead on the human race to a better and enduring life of happiness. Finally, after days of hard work of searching, they choose the giraffe to represent the males because of the giraffe ability and uniqueness figure can benefit humankind. The giraffe can drink up to 12 gallons of water, sleeps for only 1-12 minutes long, live about 20-25 years long, and travel without stopping. This gives males more dominance because the giraffe is so tall and more alert because they sleep less; they travel without stopping due to the twelve gallon storage in their body. Giraffes are also mellow, but when it comes to being attacked it will have a dangerous side. Creation myth :: Fiona and Shrek Geoffrey meets Ducky Long before there were human beings, there was Queen Fiona and King Shrek. They lived on an island filled with tropical fruits and jungles called Neverland. King Shrek was the ruler of all the land. He made boundaries to separate land from water, marshes from rain forests, and created islands into regions. King Shrek also created trees to grow crops for the animals. Queen Fiona on the other hand created the most beautiful exotic creatures called the bear, bird, duck, giraffe, tiger, lion, fish, dog, lizard, horse, elephant, frog, cow, deer, chicken, pig, leopard, rhino, squirrels, and many other creatures. In those days there was no sun. All light came from the sparkling white moon shined in the sky that stood in the center of the sky. There was the sky and the moon, but the sun never came out and, far below, an endless stretch of water, wild marshes, exotic jungles, rain forests with fresh green trees growing like grass. Animals roamed every region searching for food and shelter, bu t this lead to brutal and violent fights. Soon Queen Fiona and King Shrek were getting fed up with the animals Nguyen 2 because the animals became enemies to one another, so Queen Fiona and King Shrek decided to create human beings into either man or woman, where peace and kindness with last eternally.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day the Queen Fiona and King Shrek decided to retire due to the chaos of the animals and tried to figure out what animals can represent the man or woman and that animal can become the symbol of life again. It was the hardest decision for the Queen Fiona and King Shrek to choose what animal can stay to lead on the human race to a better and enduring life of happiness. Finally, after days of hard work of searching, they choose the giraffe to represent the males because of the giraffe ability and uniqueness figure can benefit humankind. The giraffe can drink up to 12 gallons of water, sleeps for only 1-12 minutes long, live about 20-25 years long, and travel without stopping. This gives males more dominance because the giraffe is so tall and more alert because they sleep less; they travel without stopping due to the twelve gallon storage in their body. Giraffes are also mellow, but when it comes to being attacked it will have a dangerous side.

Describe the problems of living in a newly set up town in the west

In the 19th century, the Americans west was expanding, there were new towns being established across the frontier. In this essay, I am going to discuss the main problems with these towns in the west. One of the problems was the layout of towns, the west was a vast area, being settled bit by bit, with no overall plan. This meant that the area where new towns were being built was huge but had little organisation. There were little community bonds, this was also because people didn't trust one another like others do today, the houses were scattered everywhere and anywhere, this attracted many criminals because they wouldn't have to be close to, too many people, people felt a greater sense of freedom from this set up, many criminals went there to escape. Another problem was the lack of communication, where that when people sent messages it would take too long for the message to finally get to the recipient and terrible circumstances could concur, at this time the only way of communicating was to send another person on a horse to send the message but there were many consequences of what could happen to the letters such as they might not get there for ages over their due date and also they might not get there at all but there was no other way of communicating because the telegram or mobile phones were not invented. There was also a problem with the travel which was very slow and unreliable. The railroads were not built until the 1860s but the main transports towns used were the stage coaches, freight wagons and the mail coaches. There were many reasons why they wanted to build the railroads these were; railroads allow better and faster communication, railroads provided jobs on the plains, railroads allowed quick and easy trade with the east. No law and order was a big problem in the West during this time because the West was dominated by a primitive code of honour: it was your responsibility to settle things for yourself. Most westerners carried guns, if you shot a man in self-defence then you had not broken the law, as long as the other man was armed. This attitude lay behind the willingness of big business cattle barons and railroad owners to resort to violence. The west was a vast area and transport was very slow. This made it very difficult to enforce law and order, but this was a problem because there were many potential sources of conflict between the different ethnic groups; blacks, Chinese, Europeans, Indians, Mexicans and settlers from the Eastern USA. A big problem was also government; the US government was based in Washington. Towns in the West became impatient waiting for the government to make decisions so they took the law into their own hands, this is when people in the American West started to abuse the justice system which led to further problems. The violence of the West was a huge problem because there was no efficient police force in the American West. This meant that when violence broke out there was no one to settle it so people settled it for themselves. Almost every man in the West carried a gun. This meant that petty squabble could become much worse with no one to stop these men from using them, for example the man in the hotel when he was sleeping he was snoring, so the man next door came in and shot him. There were deaths because of little petty things like that. Westerners said â€Å"God didn't make people equal, colonel colt did.† The colt 45, invented by the colonel was a favourite in the west. It gave men a sense of confidence and of being in charge however with all these people feeling like this, these arguments were frequent. Morality was also a problem this was because the American west towns became sleazy places. Salons, gambling houses and brothels were the main business in towns. This added to the violence because there would be people drunk, they had lost money on bets etc which sparked off more and more rows.

Social Comparison Theory

Social Comparison Theory With regards to questions about identity, the average person responds by comparing himself to others. However, it is important to point out that the person compares himself to people that are in his immediate vicinity. Comparisons are made based on unique attributes, such as, age, gender, eye color, and height.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Social Comparison Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the average person relies on distinguishing features in self-description (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). Interestingly, the answer to the question does not remain constant. If the interviewer has the power to change the person’s social surroundings, then, he must also expect a different set of answers based on the same questions. Therefore, the self is a â€Å"relative† social construct (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). The significance of social comparison theory is in the idea that an individual has the capability to change his behavior, and how he perceives himself. Defining Social Comparison Theory The core concept of social comparison theory is the brainchild of Leon Festinger. He pointed out that a person belongs to a particular social group. Festinger added that the said social group influences a person’s opinion and abilities. Social comparison theory asserts that a person’s self-description is dependent on information gleaned from observing family members, friends, acquaintances, and other important person in the lives of the interviewee. Festinger asserted that, â€Å"individuals adopted a group’s standards by comparing their own opinions, and abilities with the consensus in the group, and modifying their views so that they were in accordance with the group’s norms† (Krizan Gibbons, 2014, p.39). Festinger emphasized the idea that â€Å"individuals compare themselves to others in order to seek information about the world and thei r place in it† (Krizan Gibbons, 2014, p.39).  It is important to point out, that to some extent self-description is even influenced by the â€Å"fleeting, everyday exposure to strangers† (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014, p.64). Nevertheless, the average person compares himself to those who are similar to him in relevant ways. For example, a college student will determine his reading ability based on how he sees himself in comparison to other college students. He will not compare himself to high school students.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Significance of Social Comparison Theory Social comparison theory’s biggest contribution is the discovery that â€Å"the more uncertain people are, the more they will rely on those comparison for definition and validation† (Gerber, 1999, p.173). As a consequence, â€Å"individuals resolve their uncertainties by reference to groups, and that group definition often comes from comparison with other groups (Gerber, 1999, p.173). One of the problematic stages in personal development occurs during the teenage years when an individual is least uncertain and more vulnerable. Teenagers are prone to make choices that will negatively affect their future. It is therefore interesting to apply social comparison theory in crafting strategies that will help solve social problems involving teenagers. There are a variety of ways that social scientists can apply insights gleaned from the study of social comparison theory. Two of the most exciting areas are in the study of gang-related violence, and the creation of more effective intervention strategies in cases involving alcoholism or drug addiction. In this regard it is important to point out that the family is the â€Å"primary and most influential group for comparison, and for establishment of lifestyle† (Gerber, 1999, p.173). The focus must be on the family. It is imperative to support parents. It is imperative to focus resources to families in order to help parents build a strong family structure. Community resources must be redirected to the family. When it comes to gang-related problems, it is imperative to consider the impact of the group when it comes to validation, and the establishment of the person’s lifestyle. It is therefore foolish to attempt reforming behavior without creating a mechanism that can help the individual receive positive validation and develop a different kind of lifestyle. This is perhaps the reason why Alcoholics Anonymous is successful in helping people change their behavior towards the consumption of liquor. Alcoholics Anonymous created a new group or an environment filled with new social interconnections that help the individual create new social norms. Conclusion Social comparison theory has many applications. This theory offers insights when it comes to personal develop ment and human behavior. However, one of the key aspects of social comparison theory is the way it explains how an individual’s self-description is influenced by social factors that surround him.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Social Comparison Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to this theory, â€Å"self† is a relative construct. This is an interesting insight into human behavior and personal development. This theory can be utilized to solve social issues, such as, gang-related violence and drug addiction. It means that a person is dependent on social factors when it comes to altering behavior. It is therefore important to strengthen family structures. In the struggle against gang-related violence and drug addiction, half the battle is already won if a child belongs to a family that can help him establish a positive lifestyle. With regards to individuals that needed a way out of their troubled past, counselors and intervention specialists must develop a mechanism that will enable patients to generate positive validation. They need a mechanism that will help them establish a new kind of lifestyle. It can be argued that Alcoholics Anonymous is successful in helping people overcome destructive behavior, because they create a new environment that helps patients alter their â€Å"self† construct in a positive way. References Gerber, S. (1999). Enhancing counselor intervention strategies: An integrational  viewpoint. PA: Taylor Francis Group. Kassin, S., Fein, S., Markus, H. (2014). Social psychology. CA: Cengage Learning. Krizan, Z. Gibbons, F. (2014). Communal functions of social comparison.  New York: Cambridge University Press.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

A speacal person in my life Essays

A speacal person in my life Essays A speacal person in my life Essay A speacal person in my life Essay A Special Person in My Life My Mother is an awesome woman. She always saw the good in everything. She is a very exceptional person. A fighter. She has worked very hard her entire life then it all came to an end May 2012. When I was little one my mother worked nights at a factory, and my father drove truck. Until my sister was old enough to stay home and watch me, we went to our grandmas and stayed. My mother had an outgoing personality, but she also had many other personalities. What mother doesnt? Most of all she is a very understanding woman. You couldnt ask for a better person. She worked several different Jobs while I was growing up. The last Job she worked was Dollar General. She started off Just being a sales clerk in 2003. Then a few years later she became store manager. My opinion you couldnt ask for a better manager. There were days she worked open to close, because one of the employees couldnt make it in. She was working on her seventh or eighth year when she started having problems. Her lower back started hurting bad and legs were starting to swell. She had been to the doctor several times, but all they kept giving her was pain pills. The actor said he would order an MR. and never did. After messing with this doctor for about six months to a year, my sister and I got tired of her hurting all the time and found a new doctor. A better doctor at that. She treated mom a lot better. Mom explained what was going on, and within a week she had and MR. scheduled for her. The MR. came back showing something on her kidney. So following that they done a biopsy. We had to wait at least two weeks before we found out the results. It wasnt good news. The spot on her right kidney came back as cancerous. It ended up being a three inch mass. We went to doctors after doctors to see what would be best for her. After seeing several doctors and running more test they had found more cancer. Three spots on her skull (not her brain). Some on her spine and one rib. The kidney doctor told us if she didnt do anything with the kidney she only had an estimate of five years. The neurologist said that if they didnt get her back taken care of as soon as possible, she wouldnt be walking in two to three months. She wasnt having that. So on May 25th, 2012 she went into surgery for a long seven hours. She obviously lulled through it. It has been a long recovery. Her back still hasnt healed up and its been over a year. We have been fighting stash infections ever since the back surgery. After her being out back in the hospital for the fourth or fifth time, we decided it was time to find different doctors. We even switched hospitals completely. Mom does have a wound Vic on and has for quite a while and will have until the chemotherapy and diabetes. Those make it even harder for a wound to heal. It has made a huge progress since this all started. Its been over a year since all this has appended and shes doing a lot better. Like I said shes a fighter. She has done ten treatments of radiation. Then started taking chemo through her port. It has been prolonged several times from having the infections and surgeries and being in the hospital. Just recently she got to take the wound Vic off for a week. The doctors called it a vacation for her, because it was starting to deteriorate her skin around her wound. Her chemo doctor had taken a look at her wound and thought it looked bad. Granted he hadnt seen it for over a month or longer so he hadnt seen the progress it was doing. He thought it look horrible. He demanded that she get put back in the hospital. So I rushed her down there the same day. He wanted her there by two but that didnt happen. I had to bring her back home and get clothes gathered up for her and other things, because we didnt know how long they were going to keep her. We ended up getting there about five pm and got her signed in and put in her room. They put her in isolation, which we didnt understand. After we seen the nurses and asked why, they told us it was because she previously had stash infection. Which was very understandable. Mom ended up being in there for three days Wednesday through Saturday. All her doctors had been in there to see her and none of them could figure out why she was even in the Im glad it happened though. The doctors ended up running bone scans, EMIRS and x-rays. They ended up finding more cancer in her right leg below her knee. Also found out her fibula is broken. The doctors couldnt explain how it got broken, but with her bones being so weak from the chemo, it could have been anything. They also found some abnormalities in her lower back. The doctors wasnt 100% sure if it was cancer either. I took her down on Wednesday and they let her out that following Saturday. The following Monday they started radiation on her lower back Just to be on the safe side and on her right leg. She got five treatments on her leg and ten on her back. When they done the scans on her they found out the chemo through the iv wasnt working cue her cancer had gotten bigger. After it had shrunk a little bit. So now the chemo doctor wants to put her on the chemo pill and hope and prays that it works. Vive not eared very good things about the chemo pill. I Just hope it does her good. When we found out that mom had cancer the one thing she said she wanted before something happened to her, was that her two daughters give her grandchildren. A little boy and a little girl. After both my sister and I got told we couldnt have kids. To our surprise we both ended up having grandchildren for her. We found out on Christmas that my sister was pregnant. So that was part of moms Christmas present. Then I found out I was pregnant on mothers day, so that was her mothers day present from me. My sister was due September 2nd and ended up having her little girl a month early. I was due the day before moms birthday and I ended up having my little boy on my dads birthday, three days after Christmas. God must work in mysterious ways because mom got what she wanted. Today. If it wasnt for my mother I wouldnt be who I am today and where I am at in life. She is such a wonderful person and I love her very much. After going through this with her makes me think twice about some choices Vive made in my life. Your time is limited and you need to follow your dreams.

Catholicism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Catholicism - Assignment Example Testament of the bible, which prophesied that he would come be born to a virgin, die on the cross and rise three days afterwards; in order to give eternal life to those who believed in him. The many miracles which he performed were recorded in the New Testament in the gospel books by eyewitnesses. He was human and divine in nature making him credible to worship. Christians refer to Jesus as the messiah, which means they have received their prophesied deliverer. Christianity teaches that only one supreme being who is God. Christians believe that God is the creator of everything the universe knows of and that they are yet to discover. They also believe that God created the first human beings who were Adam and Eve in His own image meaning he gave them a likeness like that of his own in terms of character. For this reason, Christians do not by the scientific argument of evolution from a sine celled organism to the modern complex organisms which including the human beings. God created the first beings, put them on the Garden of Eden, and continued to give them the freedom to choose between right and wrong. He however gave them a condition, which was if they choose evil they would be punished and this came to be later on. Sinning was contrary to the nature of God and the punishment for their sin was being throne of the Garden of Eden and having to work to fend for them-selves. They would also be subject to death and suffering. Their descendants would also inherit the sinful nature of their ancestors. Children did not have to learn but were sinful since conception and the sinful nature would come out naturally this made it necessary for the coming of the messiah who was Jesus. Christianity also teaches that God is made up of three entities which are god the father, god the son and God the spirit. The three make up the trinity. It also teaches that one is only saved from self-distraction only when they believe and Grace and Faith receive that salvation in the works

If you could do one of the activities you listed in the Activities Essay

If you could do one of the activities you listed in the Activities Section of your Common Application, which one would you keeping doing Why(100 words) - Essay Example I love car-repair and practices it at all times. Notably, the requirements of mechanical engineering are always precise and applicable in almost all car functions. The description of cars and difference in functionality has always been attractions towards mechanics. I will never stop working with cars. Continuous car repair will give me ideas on the fundamental of expert artisanship and innovative technology. Moreover, I will gain more knowledge about car engine operations, maintenance and necessary precautions while handling automobiles. All-inclusive theoretical and practical knowledge are primary in the comprehension of mechanical engineering course. Working on car repairs will boost my understanding of the dynamics behind auto mechanics. Indeed, I will be able to keep up with continuous technological innovations in the car industry. I will also acquire the necessary analytical skills that can enable me to offer guidance to anybody that intends to purchase a car. Finally, I will perfect my skills through early exposure to mechanics as a preparation for future tasks of a mechanical