Impact of Social Class on Australians’ Life Chances Essay

Sociologists will define class as categories in the society which are based on income, status, or the way they are viewed by the society. A Marxist analysis on the other hand features on the level of influence an individual has on the means of production. Matthews (2007) further defines a capitalist class which he says that it is the class that owns and controls most of the productive capital in the society. He says that in Australia, this class amounted to 5 % of the entire population in the year 1998. Theories have been developed about class that has resulted to numerous and conflicting ideas and researchers had to shift from using class as a theoretical framework for research. The dismissal of class analysis of various societal institutions as dogmatic, and ideological led McLaren & Farahmandpur to state that â€Å"matters of class power are sanitized and its powerful effects on the life chances of working-class students is denuded or made invisible,† (Pearce, Down & Moore 2008, para. 2). In Australia, about two thirds of the population is in the working class. These are people whose only productive asset is the ability to work. They sell their labour power to their employers who can range from the state, individual capitalists among others, in order to receive a wage which will enable them make ends meet. Another popular class is the middle class which can be said to be composed of individuals who own small businesses. They rely on their own labour power to produce output. They are however being driven away and into bankruptcy by large capital firms. There still exists the ruling class; they carry more social weight and power than the rest of the citizens. They have a direct influence on economic policies being developed in the nation. They support politicians and government, politically and financially. The state can also be categorized in this class as it is responsible for making and implementation of the law (Matthews 2007). Impact to Education There exists inequality in the access of university education, underachievement in education correlates negatively with the social class. Children from low-income families have limited access to educational resources. Their parents rarely get enough time to help them with their day to day challenges at school as they are so much occupied in their work places. They work even over time in order to sustain their families. Some parents in the working class lack education and therefore they would be of little help to help their children in doing their homework, they would also not be in a position to afford employing tutors and this affects their children’s education (Taylor & Fraser 2003). Expectations on the working-class students are that they should conform to the middle-class. They thus seek to achieve this status and power mostly not for their own gain but in order to improve the life chances of others in the similar background. They are more focused in giving back to the community in which they originated rather than seeking their improvement in form of class status. A strong sense of solidarity is evident in these students as they have an increased desire to use their qualifications and professional status to achieve a better life for themselves and others who are like them. They have a passion to bridge the gap between the two classes which they believe that a lot has still to be done as the inequality gap is too large (Lins-Dyer & Nucci 2007). The discriminatory education system has unquantifiable damages that are done to individuals and the society at large. People have been left behind in the system, others have been discouraged while yet a quite good proportion has been excluded from the system. It would not be unrealistic to claim that social and economic damage is being done through educational discrimination. When â€Å"Professor Janet McCalman analysed the places where those in the Australian who’s who 1988 went to school,† it was clear that these leaders in business professions and politics went to the older private schools (Moorhouse 2010, p. 1). McGregor (1997), views being in the working-class as being equal to being underprivileged, he asserts that people in this class earn and own less, their access to life privileges is minimal as they have poorer education and other goods from the society. In general, the opportunity that they have for good life is such minimal that with a very small degree of error, we can claim that equal opportunity does not exist in Australia. Impact to Health It is no wonder that health outcomes really vary with the social class. The characteristics of different social classes can be depicted by a view on Morbidity and mortality rates. The lower class shows a greater array of lower mortality rates and greater health problems (Greig, Lewins & White, 2003). These differences are very clear and distinct at birth and throughout the human life cycle. Henry (2001) identifies domains in which health disparity issues differ by the social class. They include psychological domain which contains norms habits, and behavioural intentions. The other is listed as behavioural constraints which include economic resources and situational effects. Physical influences that include physiological stress, genetic dispositions and environmental conditions Behavioural constraints involve barriers that prevent one from engaging in health promoting behaviour. These inhibitors are listed by Henry (2001) as economic resources and situation constraints. Economic resources inhibitors are financial limitations that prevent individuals from obtaining health facilities goods, while situational constraints are factors that limit the access to these health facilities. They range from lack of adequate health facilities in the community, poor transportation or lack of proper time management in the utility of such services. Physical influences on the other hand are the conditions which impact physiological health directly. He groups them into environmental conditions, physiological stress and genetics A decline in the health is observed as one move down the classes. The middle class  Public awareness and educational programs can be developed to ensure that health equality is maintained. Social class has taken a critical point in the studies of health, the coronary heart disease for instance had been considered as a disease for the upper class. On the other hand, the lower class (working-class) have been found to have prevalent lower life expectancy, higher mortality rates and increased mental disorders. Inequality in income brings about psychosocial stress which is a factor that increases the mortality rate; it has become apparent that mental illness prevalence has been found among the working class. A direct relationship has been identified to exist between poverty and increase in emotional disturbance. This has led to an increase of psychiatric disorders, drug and alcohol dependence on the working class (Murali & Oyebode 2004). According to The Demography of Medical Schools, 59% of applicants in medical school usually come from high social classes. This makes us suspect that a discriminatory rule is being used in the medical institutions. However, admissions procedures in these schools seem to favour certain social classes in comparison to others. Requirements such as previous experience in a hospital are being considered for some medical school administration. This curtails the number of students enrolling to such schools as it proves cumbersome to attain such qualifications for most people in the working class. The access to opportunities has been limited for many students and this explains the reason why such patterns of students’ enrolment are being reflected (The Medical News 2004). The nature of the working class has really changed in Australia with over 65% of the work force being employed in the white-collar jobs. In fact if by defining the working-class as those who have not attended university education, then it can be said that Australia has graduated to the middle-class. It is surprising to note that the vast majority of white-collar jobs holders are part of the working-class. They have less control of their work which is even lower than that of blue-collar workers, consequently implying lower wages (Castles 1994). It is very clear that in Australia class has direct consequences on lifestyle. It affects the access to education and status attainment. A child raised in middle-class is more likely to end up in this middle class and the trend would be similar for a child raised in the middle-class. As we move up the social class, we are able to meet better health, education and other social facilities, which are transmitted to children. The trend thus seems to be perpetuated to future generations. A research conducted by Taylor and Fraser (2003) indicates the existence of a gap between children living in the different classes. The working class end up having stress in Parents relationships as they are unable to provide impeccable opportunities for their children. Children have in fact confessed that class is a factor that lead to social seclusion in academic life, and a contributing factor for educational disadvantage. Life’s chances are in this case affected by the mere fact that one belongs to a certain class that is either favoured or not by circumstances that prevail in the society. In Australia the government together with other institutions should be concerned and implement policies that would narrow the gap that exist between the various social classes. Such policies should focus on issues of adequate family income which will ensure that families have adequate resources to cater for the needs of their children and provide adequate opportunities for them, the welfare of workers should also be taken care of to ensure that each worker gets adequate time to attend to the family needs. In the school setting, policies should be developed to ensure that educational disadvantage has been reduced, and the cost of public education to be maintained as low as possible, to offer equal opportunities for children in all classes.  Affordable assistance should be accorded to specific children with learning difficulties in order to enhance excellence at all levels (Taylor & Fraser 2003). Conclusion In conclusion it is very clear that Australia is faced with inequalities and other factors that enhance or inhibit opportunities that are available to children growing in this nation. There exists a challenge which should be looked at by all the policy makers in private and public enterprises, in order to ensure that the life chances of the children are not affected unfairly by the mere fact of belonging to a certain class.

Against School Essay

In his essay â€Å"Against School† John Gatto argues that public education cripples America’s kids in many different aspects of their lives. Gatto claims that compulsory schooling is what is wrong with our nation’s educational system. He states that schools are really laboratories of experimentation on young minds and drill centers for the habits and attitudes that society demands. â€Å"I had more than enough reason to think of our schools—with their long-term, cell-block-style, forced confinement of both students and teachers-as virtual factories of childishness (Gatto, Against School). † The only real purpose of schools, Gatto believes, is to turn the children into servants. Throughout their twelve years of schooling students are forced to conform to society’s expectations, and along the way the students and teachers lose the value of a true education. Do we really need school? Does school have to be in this exact design, â€Å"Six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for twelve years (Gatto, Against School)? † Does it mean attending a cold lifeless classroom, surrounded by fellow students that are bored with their studies and a teacher who seems to have little to no motivation left? Gatto specifies a significant number of successful Americans that were not put through the schooling system but still turned out to be productive such as, George Washington. Gatto says, â€Å" We have been taught (that is, schooled) in this country to think of â€Å"success† as synonymous with, or at least dependent upon, â€Å"schooling,† but historically that isn’t true in either an intellectual or financial sense. † Gatto believes the main reason for the existence of schooling is to train uniform citizens and reduce originality, therefore, making every individual the same. Also, he says the school system is made for certain profits to the economy because it encourages obedience to authority and promotes manipulation in children’s attitudes, including the determination of their social roles. The schooling system’s main focus is to integrate the social, economic and political economy into the children’s studies. Ultimately, Gatto concludes that school drills children to be employees and consumers. A child’s capacity for imagination and maturity is limited rather than encouraged by compulsory schooling, which should have never been the case. There still may be a glimpse of hope at the end of this darkened tunnel. Gatto claims that if teachers and parents put enough effort in, they could help kids â€Å"take† an education rather than receive it. When children â€Å"take† an education they are active participants in their future, which becomes the key to their success. However, when students passively receive an education they may have the knowledge on hand but do not know how to put it to use. He supposes he can bring out the best qualities in children by giving them the chance to make decisions and take risks from time to time, rather than confining them to schooling. By encouraging the best qualities of youthfulness, introducing kids to competent adults, allowing children to take personal risks and being more flexible about time, texts, and tests Gatto believes the whole outlook on our schooling system could be changed. Throughout his essay, â€Å"Against School† Gatto warns of the dangers of our public schooling systems yet, his cynicism is balanced with positive suggestions for those who want change. He illustrates how school is a prison where children are forced to grow up at a rapid pace and are denied the right to make their own decisions. On the other hand, he suggests that if you know the logic behind school systems, their traps can easily be avoided and therein lies his answer: â€Å"School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to obey reflexively; teach your own to think critically and independently (Gatto, Against School). † Gatto gives various examples about how teachers can take action to make the school system better but when they don’t reach beyond the norm the responsibility for ensuring a truly educated and mature child may depend upon the parents.

Going Green To Save The Environment Essay

The purpose of this essay is to enumerate and discuss several ways to save the environment through the principle of green living. Conservation is really an umbrella principle for all of green living. It really means using only what truly needs to be used in order to save something for coming generations (Green Living Ideas, 2007). Conserving energy by way of recycling is a crucial environmental benefit. As the natural energy sources become scarcer it is important to learn how to save energy. Making smaller, more fuel efficient cars can help conserve energy. Riding a bike instead of a car is much better since a bicycle doesn’t use gas. Making new houses that are well insulated also helps to save energy. According to Seventh Generation (2007), â€Å"Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), more commonly known as trash or garbage, consists of everyday items such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries. This is commonly generated from peoples’ homes, but it also comes from commercial, institutional, and industrial sources. † One man’s trash is another man’s treasure† is among the many adages being revived with fresh significance and recycling supports this idea. It has been in the American vocabulary for years now and in many households it is a way of life. Very simply, it finds new uses for old materials, mainly trash. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, recycling, including composting, diverted 72 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators. Not only does this spare the environment, the EPA said a study found that recycling can create jobs as well. The consumer-oriented economical and environmental merits of reuse were easily recognized by our grandparents. And even today having a jar of salvaged nails, bolts, and screws can save several trips to the hardware store. Recycling paper products saves our trees and water resources as well! Making a ton of paper from materials that were recycled protects 17 trees from harm and consumes 50% less water, or 7,000 gallons (Quest4glory, 2004). But, while the philosophy of reuse is working its way into the business sector, the complexities of a global economy demand that the practical advantages and disadvantages of reuse be continually discussed and evaluated. However, industrialized nations are coming full-circle: governments are passing regulations, businesses are cutting costs, and consumers are reducing waste in the realization that applying the reuse philosophy in all areas will help to sustain our comfortable quality of life, enhance it for others, and maintain it for future generations. Furthermore, the most appealing reason to recycle is because of its ability to create a myriad of jobs, which can consequently improve the US economy. Recycling creates eight times the amount of jobs incinerator and landfill companies generate. Reuse, recycling, and waste reduction offer direct development opportunities for communities (Quest4glory, 2004). In conclusion, the benefits of recycling and conservation of energy cannot be overemphasized. Technology is making it easy to be green. Renewable energy can make your home more efficient. Efforts to clean up our air and water, preserve our non-renewable resources, and stop endangering plant and animal species, will ultimately lead to happier, healthier humankind living in partnership with the earth. Reference Green Living Ideas. (2007). Reuse. Retrieved on September 7, 2007 from http://greenlivingideas. com/reuse/reuse. html Quest4glory. (2004, July 5). Recycling: It’s time to clean up. Retrieved September 7, 2007 from http://www. echeat. com/essay. php? t=26204 Seventh Generation. (). Living Green: Reduce, reuse, recycle. Retrieved September 7, 2007 from http://www. seventhgeneration. com. /living_green/reduce_reuse_recycle. php

Music Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Music - Research Paper Example In particular, the paper explores sweet home Alabama (SHA) that was produced with strong massage to ensure eradication of racism and slavery in various states. It recognized the imperativeness of building coherent societies, which embraces quality values in life. Similarly, lynard skynard provides sufficient information towards drug abuse eradication, which threatened to paralyze economic performance and social cohesion in various states including southern states. Various individuals who assert its relevance in building vibrant societies with superior ethical values have accepted its noble ideals. Consequently, the paper also gives an analysis of southern man Alabama song, which similarly communicated appropriate massage on racism with an aim of ensuring its eradication. Comparative and contrasting elements of the songs have also been discussed together with the songs significance to southerners. Introduction Music is a critical element in human life, which provides educative, entert ainment and social messages. Critically, it has played a crucial role in developing human behaviors in various facets of life towards building sustainable and cohesive societies. There are various categories and types of music, which are produced to convey definite and intended information to various individuals. Ideally, there is gospel music, love music that conveys love massages, hip-hop music and pop culture music which relays deep-rooted information towards shaping up cultural practices among societies. Most leaders and scholars affirm that music especially pop culture music has facilitated drastic transformation in human behavior. They assert that such informative songs have the capacity to transform ancient cultural practices and beliefs to conform to modern life practices. Variably, music provides basic ways of nurturing noble human character through systematic communication of information. Various songs take diverse dimensions and themes, which is majorly determined by defi nite information to be communicated. Songwriters and producers consider moral influences of their songs towards transformation of individual’s lifestyle which vital towards modernity. This paper explores musical pieces sang and produced by various pop artists and how they have influenced various individuals lifestyle in the southern state. Song analysis This section provides detailed analysis of three pop culture songs which includes sweet home Alabama (SHA), Lynard skynard and southern man" and "alabama which were profoundly sung by various artists with acute determination to instill admirable human practices for effective cohesion. It also highlights the songs comparativeness and basic elements applied in their production1. The songs have widely been accepted by various individuals due to their educative and entertaining nature, which is critical towards ensuring achievement of their purposes2. Critically, the songs adopted various themes with sweet home Alabama adopting un iversal theme that sought to eradicate racism and slavery in various societies including southern states. Lynard skynard adopted drug liberation, which is asocial theme with a strong focus to fight drug addiction, which has become a prevalent aspect influencing performance in various societies. Its mission has been received well with most individuals embracing its drug free concept as a pillar that ensures mutual coexistence and performance in various areas, in humanity3. Consequently, southern man" and "alabama song also adopted social and economic theme, which relays sufficient information with requisite capacity to advance social and economic settings in humanity. The songs out rightly provides quality information based on life ideals and attitude

George Tenet and the Last Great Days of the CIA Essay

George Tenet and the Last Great Days of the CIA - Essay Example Serving as director from 1997 to 2004, he was able to balance the policies of the both President Clinton and then President Bush Jr. This means that his time as director allowed him to witness the unfortunate terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the invasion of Iraq, among other controversial events of the late 90’s and early new millennium. White (2008) points out that, â€Å"Few other central intelligence directors have served for so long, so energetically, or amid so much controversy† (para. 1). With so many events happening in rapid succession, it is difficult to cover each one with any depth. White does a great job, however, highlighting major policy issues and decisions that Tenet was faced with during his tenure. In addition, much of the article deals with government and public perception of his job performance. It has been said that George Tenet was certainly blunt and straight forward, but he was also fiercely loyal. White (2008) notes that Tenet was a w orkhorse who likely got this from his parents. He grew up in Queens, where his parents settled after emigrating from Greece (para. 4). His parents ended up scraping together enough money and bought a diner. That is where the family worked 16-hour days together. He took this same work ethic and devotion to the job with him to Washington. The article recounts that George Tenet began his career in government as a legislative assistant in 1982 for Senator John Heinz. From there, he moved on to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. This is where he got his passion for security and intelligence. He became quite a force around Washington and moved up through the ranks. The article walks the reader through these early years and tells about Tenet landing a place on Bill Clinton’s transition team to the Presidency. He informed the President on issues related to intelligence. He so impressed President Clinton, that he was kept on and began performing various functions until movin g to the CIA in 1995, and eventually earning the appointment as director in 1997 (White Para. 6). This brief description provided in the article really enables the reader to understand the process by which George Tenet came to be director and the philosophies and style of work that he would bring to the office. Now that White has established what bought Tenet to the most powerful position in the intelligence world, he spends the next part of the article discussing the state of the CIA at the time. We discover that the entire organization was really in bad shape. White hammers this home by reminding readers that, â€Å"The agency had suffered inconsistent leadership since the fall of the Soviet Union, and [Tenet] was the fifth Director of Central Intelligence in seven years† (White, para. 10). This is where the explanation of where Tenet’s work ethic comes into play. He was not afraid to put in the hours required to turn around the agency. We learn in the article that t he Agency had recently lost nearly 20 percent of its workforce (White, Para. 10) and that morale was at an all time low. To combat this, Tenet immediately set out to bring back some seasoned officers who had recently retired, and he began to resurrect a budgetary system that was in shambles. This would enable the CIA to get a grip on recent technology that it was missing out on and become a major player in

Network and protocol processes that occur in the network when you Essay

Network and protocol processes that occur in the network when you access X-Stream - Essay Example tors and students to collaborate and exchange information, we will discuss the insights of this portal by demonstrating the necessary methods, protocol techniques and processes. However, in order to give a better idea, we have to take TCP/IP protocol suite in to account. Moreover, the foundation for this technological layer that enables a communication channel for internet applications is the IP addresses itself. The priority of the IP is vital because the rest of the TCP/IP protocol suite is fabricated on the IP. However, a recently introduced modification for improving the efficiency of IPv4 32 bit addressing is the CIDS (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) (Linton 2011). Likewise, IP address is assigned a job for developing and constructing the data packets in the same standardized method along with packet management associated with data transmission between interlinked devices in an efficient way. The primary objective is to establish a path for data packets to travel and serve as a basis for delivering network based online applications and services via a TCP/IP suit. The purpose is to expand accessibility of these web-based applications globally and provide services to users such as sharing and uploading documents, pictures, videos, electronic email, video conferencing, chatting, forums, social networks etc. in a broad spectrum, a common platform is now established that is empowered with the mentioned services to make communication valuable. Consequently, for educational communication, a student portal named as X stream has been established, that will serve as a common platform for all the students and tutors, professors and staff for the same university or college. However, apart from some common examples of web enabled services above, the X stream provides advanced services bundled with customization options for students to gain insights on their studies effectively. The report will follow a thorough discussion of the semantics behind these services ranging from

Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Morality - Essay Example The word Morality carries the concept of: moral standards, with respect to behavior; moral responsibility, referring to one’s own conscience; and a moral identity, that is one who can differentiate between his right and wrong actions. Morality defines the boundaries that have been set forth in our society and following them can only lead to harmony and respect within the society. It’s one of the core founding pillars of a sophisticated society as it not only characterizes what is right and wrong but also instills a sense of guilt within individuals. This makes sure that no matter how badly one wants to commit that action, morality takes over and stops one from doing that bad or unfavorable deed. For example, if a pharmaceutical company has decided not to withdraw a medicine from the market that causes severe side effects just because they will endure huge losses if they do so, it can clearly be stated as unethical. As playing with the lives of thousands of innocent peop le is not justified it is thus established as being an immoral act in society. Ethics, also termed as moral philosophy, is a prominent branch of philosophy that caters to questions about morality and its concepts, such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc. Ethics can be broadly divided into three categories namely: Meta ethics, Normative ethics and Applied ethics. Meta ethics inquires about the roots of our ethical principles and how they came into being in our society. It usually deals with questions related to the role of reason in ethical judgment, the will of God and the issues of universal truths. Normative ethics on the other side takes a more practical task in determining the moral standards that set apart the right from the wrong. This often includes pursuing good habits in general, following duties that are considered favorable and the consequences that others might face because of one’s actions. Lastly, Applied ethics simply inv olves examining specific controversial issues, such as abortion, animal rights, environmental protection, homosexuality, capital punishment and chemical or nuclear wars. Although this branch looks quite simple but it has the highest opposition since opinions differ from person to person. For example, If a country starts discriminating against the immigrants of another country on the basis of race or religion than it is highly unethical of them in this developed world. Since the immigrants hold their rights to live freely there, basing differences on religion or on one’s race is prohibited in the civilized world. It is very important to know that reason is not the root for every answer. Although being rational and reasonable might help to achieve understanding of a certain situation but every situation at hand demands a different perspective. People argue that every right thing can be determined through reason, nevertheless that is not the case. It is futile to reason against something that is already established as a norm unless there is ample evidence that a change is needed. There are a lot of wrong things that need no reason, for instance hurting a human being or animal, using harmful means to acquire money or disrespecting elders. Likewise, there are uncountable right things that need no reason to perform, for instance loving and caring for ones parents, treating others respectfully, caring for human lives, living a healthy life and the

Education Assignment 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education 1 - Assignment Example The majorities of the schools have deserted conventional means of exchange of ideas and made to order techniques that are based on knowledge and technology. Nearly every one of the schools has made use of network based exchange of ideas systems. In these circumstances, the schools make use of computers and sets of connections to be in touch with families. The schools also use constituency web sites to be linked with families and other citizens (Kowalski, 2010). In addition, the schools have employed electronic newsletters to help improve communication with other people in the society. Like other schools, my school uses different types of technologies to communicate with families. First, the school uses district web sites to communicate with families (Kowalski, 2010). The district administrators have developed a wide range of web sites that schools and families can use to interact. The schools post information on the websites and then the families access the information. The websites have been created well to let families and society members browse the sites. In addition, the sites make available areas where the families can mail their commentary. With the exception of using websites, the school makes use of electronic newsletters to make a statement with them. The school managers and administrators send electronic messages to parents. The school makes cards which are forwarded to parents. The techniques mentioned have been successful as indicated by good association between the school and parents. The school has been capable to work mutually with the parents to make better learners’ performance and the general presentation of the education (Kowalski, 2010). Computer technology associations are significant to schools and regions as they assist in making accurate announcement to parents and the society. Schools require directing the produce, media outlets and electronic messages so as to advertisement positive relationships. Technology association procedur e assists schools in the progress of their technology associations and improves their association with people and parents. Majority of the schools have not adopted good technology associations and this has interfered with communication with parents and society. Schools can make use of different methods to better their media associations and the school system (Kowalski, 2010). The specialized discipline of planned public associations offers a lot of remuneration to organizations. It assists them avoid and alleviate crises. Additionally, it also permits them to recognize and direct issues that may get in the way with their goals. It also allows them in structuring and maintaining quality associations with planned societies. 3. School administrators ought to encourage exposed announcement so as to be capable of developing constructive relations and improving partnerships. Most of the education centers are not capable to uphold open exchange of ideas, and this affects media relationship deficiently. The administrators of these schools should hold up free communication so as to develop high-quality relationship with press journalists (Kowalski, 2010). The managers and administrators of the schools should support empowerment. They must approve the press personnel and extra people involved. Through motivating the press, human resources and other community members assist in easing the association betwe

The History of Toyota Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The History of Toyota Corporation - Essay Example   Accordingly, the reporters averred that â€Å"safety analysts found an estimated 2000 cases in which owners of Toyota cars including Camry, Prius, and Lexus, reported that their cars surged without warning up to speeds of 100 miles per hour† (Ross, et.al., 2009, par. 2). As a result, there have been congressional hearings scheduled to investigate the complaints and the cases focusing on the safety problems posed by Toyota cars in the US. In this regard, this essay aims to evaluate whether or not Toyota was treated fairly in those hearings. When evaluating the congressional hearings, there are diverse sides that must be considered, to wit: Toyota’s explanation, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), testimonies from safety research institutes and other automotive authorities, the victims of the runaway cars, and the public. Toyota’s defense through James Lentz, president, and COO of Toyota US revealed in his testimony that â€Å"no proble ms exist with the electric throttle control system in our vehicles. Rather, floor mats and sticky accelerators are to blame" (Farber, 2010, par. 7). Two testimonies, however, blamed the accidents on the electrical malfunction with testimonial reports and personal testing and analysis. The side of the NHTSA is being criticized due to previous agency investigators subsequently being employed by Toyota. Any investigation on the sudden acceleration accidents could have been influenced and biased due to connections with Toyota. However, the hearings found â€Å"no violation for these two employees† (Schone & Rhee, 2010, 3). The victims have filed legal cases against Toyota for having sustained injuries with deaths to family members. Also at risk are the public who could be victims of these kinds of car accidents.

Cynthia Morris Essay Example for Free

Cynthia Morris Essay There is a quote that says: Mothers are angels who teach their children how to fly. Indeed my mother was an angel who in my younger years I thought was sent here to torture me especially when I wanted to hang out with my friends instead of doing chores or homework. My mother was the pillar of strength, love, and compassion. Mothers may be misunderstood but that doesn’t mean they don’t care or know better. My earliest memories of my mother, was her pretty face, beautiful smile, and small frame. To me she was the most beautiful woman on earth and nothing compared to her. Even though she was unlike the celebrity moms who wore designer clothes and ate in fancy restaurants, my mother was very real. My mother was a very small, petite woman who you did not want to cross. I loved the way she combed her hair. I loved the way she would play with my hair or rub my legs after a track meet even when I smelled like sweat. On the incidents that my siblings and I crossed my mother her big brown eyes would squint with disapproval. But I came to love that about her. When those brown eyes started to squint it meant you had done something wrong. Even though there were seven children my mother never played favorites. But rather, made appoint to be fair and equal with all of her children. Whenever I admitted to making a mistake, Mom would not hesitate to point it out to me, and punish me if needed. At times I detested it but over time I came to realize that Mom did that because she had my best interests at heart. She was never one to hold grudges for long. Like most mothers, my mother was very protective of me that often times I resented her for being so. I did not understand why she had to constantly ask about my whereabouts: Who I was with and where I was going. It never occurred to me that this was an essential part of being a mother. A mother cares and worries for her children. My mother taught me that getting reprimanded did not mean she loved me less. On the contrary, she showed me that when she scolded me, it meant she cared and worried about me. Mother certainly had her own flaws but I came to accept, in fact love every bit of them. When she called me non-stop, it was because she missed me or needed something or I had made her angry about something. Some may have called it nagging, I call it loving. For a person to wear her heart on her sleeves is a vulnerable thing, my mother was never vulnerable. In fact she was very strong. She never backed off in a fight especially if she knew she was right but she also knew how to compromise too. But compromising for her did not mean that you were wrong. Compromising was just another way of getting things done – later. When I started school, mom was my ally. To me, school was a world were ghosts and bad guys lurked. Instead of laughing at my fears, my mother showed me instead how great school was. My first day of school, she prepared my favorite snacks and walked me to school. Instead of leaving me at the gate, she walked me to the door, knelt down and told me: â€Å"Don’t worry, everything will be ok†. Although these words are pretty naà ¯ve, to a child on her first day of school, these words were more than enough for me. I went to school that day knowing that Mom was there for me and I learned to enjoy school. I made a few friends and introduced them to my mother who was more than happy to give us cookies and milk for snacks. Although my mother was a stay at home mom, she taught us how important an education was. Mother also taught us the value of relationships. This was evident in her relationship with my Dad. She was married to him for over 40 years before she passed and that for me was not just a manifestation of an enduring love for a person but of trust and fidelity as well. I am hoping that I can do the same in my relationship. Being married to the same person for over 40 years is not a mean feat. It takes a lot of patience and understanding to do this every day. Our generation today does not seem to realize the importance of maintaining a relationship. I, on the other hand, would want to be like my mother. I want to have a long lasting relationship with my partner just like my mother did with my father. I know my mother is not perfect. She had flaws too. But for me, those flaws were tiny imperfections that made her all the more lovable and perfect. Those flaws just made her humanity more evident. My mother was and now is an angel who taught me to fly and dream.

The Impact Of Globalization On Employment Commerce Essay

The Impact Of Globalization On Employment Commerce Essay Globalization has in no doubt affected the way people work. It has resulted into radical and rapid changes that call for adjustments in employment policies of different organization. This report presents a report on the effect of globalization on employment policies. The National Bank of Abu Dhabi is going to be used as our case where its employment policies are going to be highlighted with special considerations on how this affect it industrial relations. The report begins by describing what is meant by globalization followed by a brief analysis of the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, its employee profile and its achievements. The report will the highlight the impact of globalization on employment strategies followed by a close examination of what effects dual labor has had on the banks industrial relations. Grievance procedures of the company and how it relates to the UAE law is going o be captured too with special consideration on how the bank makes its employees aware of these procedu res. The conclusion will contain three personal recommendations on what should be done to put the bank at par with other financial institutions in the region and the world. The concept of Globalization With the world becoming a global village based on modern advancements in technology, trade political, socio-cultural norms and world economies, the forces of change are so strong to an extent that all aspects of life call for adjustments. This phenomenon is referred to as globalization (Bentolila Gilles, 2003, p. 56). It involves a process that leads to transformation of local and regional cultures into international or global ones thus unifying a society and making it work together as one. This has culminated into establishment of international economies through trade, flow of capital, investment, migration, and technology flow and its effects. Traditional barriers maintained by governments are the main victims of the trend as people are forced to abandon the restrictions and actively engage in different affairs at an international stage. Ways of doing business have not been spared by globalization either. The force has called for adjustments in different business field s especiall y in human resource. Employment policies have been adjusted to fit the modern world requirements of the labor market in order to attain any targets of an organization. Organizational behavior places labor as one of the most important factor that determines performance (Holley et al. 2008, p. 11). This paper seeks to highlight the impact of globalization on employment strategies with further emphasis shifting to mitigatory mechanism that are employed to face off challenges that might come with this. The National Bank of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is going to form an evaluation platform for this research and thus we will be able to establish and understand the grievance procedure in place in the company and its impact on industrial relations. Grievance procedures are simply the protocols that employee and employer follow in order to address employee problems amicably and satisfactorily. Company information Based in the Arab world, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi is among one of the most competitive financial institutions that has committed much of its efforts to competitively serve both local and international customers. Under its chief executive Mr. Michael H. Tomalin and board chairman H. E. Nasser Ahmed Khalifa Alsowaidi, the bank has managed to scoop several top awards for its services, the most notable one being 2011 award given by Thompson Reuters and complinet recognizing the bank as the most recognized international compliance officer as presented by john garret, the groups general manager and chief compliance officer (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). The bank also boasts of being the owner of the best investment product. It was the best arranger and best financial information provider via the internet. These awards together with many others are associated to the banks employee commitment to its vision that fosters on the future recognition of the bank as the worlds best Arab bank. These successes are also expressed in the banks mission to provide its customers with exceptional services that create products and delivering services of enduring value which, will help its customers grow. The bank has a set of values that are in no doubt behind its efficiency in providing quality services to its customers. Some of these values are the need to understand customer needs, teamwork, being accessible around the clock, withholding the value of stakeholders, recognizing people as its greatest asset and thus safeguarding their interests and acknowledging the need to be loyal to its heritage and maintaining a positive global outlook (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). The bank has also made a few pledges to its customers which includes recognizing them, understanding their needs, listening t o them, dedicating its energies to serving its customers and eventually grow with them. By analyzing these pledges, there is a clear indication that good and well motivated employees are key to achieving them. It is worthy to acknowledge that unless the bank has an elaborate grievance addressing procedure, all of its mission and vision cannot be realized. The bank has some of the best employee focused attention which is greatly supported by good employment policies. The bank employment policy first recognizes its employees as the most valuable asset and goes ahead to provide the most rewarding working environment and compensation packages that allows them advance their careers. This has made the bank the biggest employer among other commercial banks with its employees coming from all over the world. Other employment policies of the bank focus on Emiratization which simply means attracting the most qualified nationals of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by providing a successful and a well rewarding banking career. Pre-employment training is also embraced by the bank employment policies which also create room for employees to seek further training while still working. This come in form of time allowances for various new training programs (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). Training of potential employees is among the banks employment policies which seeks to absorb freshly graduated students from different academic fields thus creating a window of diversifying strategies which do not have to come from business scholars only. Globalization has a lot of influence on employment prospects of the bank. Despite the fact that the government is encouraging Emiritization (employing more UAE citizens), the bank has 61 percent of its employees from outside UAE with only 39 percent being UA E citizens by 2010. Out of this number, 60 percent are female. Impact of globalization on employment strategies Globalization and Job security Globalization has brought about a very fierce competition in employment. This is because through globalization, there is massive migration of highly trained professionals who are seeking lucrative careers (Bentolila Gilles, 2003, p. 59). National Bank of Abu Dhabi is among top ten in the list of the most secure banks in the world. It has also attracted many professionals from different parts of the globe. This has come along with a lot of job insecurity as any employer is likely to opt for the most qualified. Security of tenure has declined and jobs have become less permanent. The net effect of this is the emergence of non-standard form of employment such as temporary and part-time employments. This has lead to adjustments in banks employment policy which is now shaped to accommodate all forms of employment forms. Employee turnover characterized by workers mobility has also increased leading to notable changes in worker- employer relationships within the banks workforce. Employees have in many occasions expressed their reservations to dispensable employment agreements with most of them working in fear of losing their jobs uncertainly. This greatly affects employees who have not yet had an opportunity to upgrade their educational backgrounds thus reducing their employability. However, the bank has made a provision in its employment policies grievance procedure to offer training opportunities for it employees which is supposed to help them advance their career. Globalization has come with a lot of technological changes and just like any other bank, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi needs to employ people with the most recent skills in technology. Though the bank has not had to send people packing based on modern skills acquisitions and technology awareness, most job quits have been voluntary where employees go back to training institutions for further training (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). Globalization also comes with a lot of competition from other competitors thus effecting job security of employees. Companies have in many occasions laid off some of its staff to cut down on costs of doing business and in order to face competitors with a least expensive and efficient workforce. The bank has at point succumbed to forces of globalization such as those to call for outsourcing of labor. This involves employing workers from different parts of the globe without necessarily allowing them enjoy normal employee benefits such as security of tenure. This has further made jobs more insecure as outsourced labor might be just as effective as original. This has also resulted in a change in the banks employment policies which have also shifted to outsourcing and training it employees on probation before full engagement. Effects of Low skilled workers on employment policies The level of education possessed by workers has in a big way influenced their employability at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. It is evident beyond any reasonable doubt that only the best trained workers are securing lucrative careers with the most reputable companies. The bank emphasizes on its quest to tap the best and most skilled professionals from across the world, a fact that is boosted by the globalization era. Although the banking sector has not experienced much layoff due to under qualified staff, the situation has it that most original or traditional employees are being outdone by recently graduated people thus putting their employability at risk of being lost. Technology plays a major role in evaluating qualifications as it is one of the most powerful forces globalization reckon with. Employment policies have therefore been adjusted to enable the bank acquire the most qualified individuals or still by offering a training package before being employed. Education does not on ly affect employability but also earning. Being a leading financial institution, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi employs the best candidates for different jobs right from the management to subordinate (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). This implies that the institution is only ready to pay highly to the best employees and therefore pushing off least qualified individuals. Studies show that lowly ranked jobs that require low academic qualifications are going to less competitive environments with more competitive environments taking on the best. Employment strategies of the bank have not depicted any form of bias on locals and foreigners. The only disparity comes from the governments policy to have the number of UAE nationals working in local institutions increased. The bank has responded to this positively by increasing UAE nationals working in it from 36 percent in 2009 to 39 percent in 2010 (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). This move has however not caused a lot of changes in its employment policies since the exte rnal world offers the best compared to the local labor market. Effects of Globalization on Sweatshop Exploitation Toxic Imports Globalization has by a great way encouraged the import of cheap labor especially form countries suffering from unemployment but with good educational back grounds. This means that the employees of this nature are highly qualified but willing to take on low paying jobs and at the same time work for long hours (Bentolila Gilles, 2003, p. 63). This phenomenon is normally associated with developed countries or those perceived to be rich. UAE is no exception as it has some of the best institutions recognized globally such as the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. This bank has also fallen prey to this problem as most of its workforce (61 %) come from outside UAE. Although this cannot be directly associated with foreigners being cheap to hire, it is true that dealing with local or native employees is more technical compared to foreigners. The law has put down very robust and complicated policies that aim at protecting its citizens from exploitation. This may in one way or the other influence the banks employment policy status of absorbing more foreigners to work there. The bank is also at risk of importing toxic labor as incompetent workers could be imported. This kind of workers are believed to be interested short time benefits and are therefore likely to put in extra efforts to achieve their short term objectives and thus becoming toxic not only to future company prospects but also to the labor market. This is one of the major reasons the government of UAE has put it mandatory for employers to have at least 40 percent of their employees to be UAE nationals. This move is aimed at embracing the future endeavors of the national economy and the countrys future in general. Although sweetshops may have a positive effect on a firms profits, critics argue that there is a more negative effect in the future prospects of a company since its public image could be tempered with thus demeaning its performance. Locals are also likely to give a cold reception to the bank and withdraw their trust from it thus jeopardizing its operations in the region. Sweetshop and toxic workers also pose as a risk to original employees by reducing their job security because they are cheaper to hire. His is another challenge the National Bank of Abu Dhabi is facing as a result of it employing a huge number of foreigners who are recognized almost equally by UAE labor laws. Globalization and technology Among the achievements attained by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi is being in the forefront in implementing highly technology based services. This is in line with what globalization comes with especially in information technology. The bank won the best mobile transaction and the best prepaid card categories from the smart card awards in the Middle East region. This indicates that the bank has a better chance of surviving in the world of technology thus attracting more customers (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). However, the bank is equally faced with challenges that come with this. Technology applications call for a reduction of the labor force as it permits performance of different tasks without involving any people. Technological globalization also calls for job cuts across all sectors especially in low profiled jobs such as auditing and networking. This occurrence has forced the bank to adjust its employment policies to match the current conditions by cutting down the number of people it employs each year. The use of technology has obviously affected the way the bank employs people be it from the UAE or the Diaspora. Dual Labor Market and its impact on industrial relations issues in the bank The United Arab Emirates has experienced a lot of changes in trade in the recent past. It has become a major commercial center with the economy becoming more diverse and dynamic, serving as a major re-exporting center in the Middle East and other parts of the world like Africa. The emirate has attracted a lot of attention from investors simply because it has very few logistical costs which make business operations easier. This has lead to an increase in financial activities due to improvements of business in various industries such as tourism, transport and banking among many others. Such changes in any economy will in no doubt attract a lot of people who will be willing to work there. This notion is further guaranteed by the international chain of events and changes in the way people do business. Globalization has come along with a dual labor market effects which includes effecting changes in industrial relations issues of many organizations. This phenomenon is believed to divide the labor market into two namely primary and secondary sectors. These sectors are either identified with high or low value added workers or along formal and informal sectors. A gap between locals and foreigners exists in the National Bank of Abu Dhabi as much as job levels are concerned (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). This is evident from the way the bank has left short term employment to foreigners as these comes with no or little promotions to higher positions. The secondary sector of the dual market best explains this. Wages offered are deterred by the market forces and therefore subject to change whenever economic drivers change. This kind of jobs is also characterized by low level skilled workers, low earnings, impermanence, easy entry and low returns basing on ones experience. The Natio nal Bank of Abu Dhabi has in many occasions advertised such jobs outside the country and especially on the internet. This implies that the most preferable source of these workers is the Diaspora. Although the bank is ranked as one of the best employers basing on what it offers to its employees as salaries, workers who fall under secondary sector of dual labor market receive the least payments. This effect is as a result of the dynamism experience by the world labor markets as a result of globalization. Dual labor market theories assert that immigration of workers is as a result of economic globalization and effective penetration across boundaries by potential employees (Holley et al. 2008, p. 52). Therefore, this is a major effect of globalization of employment policies o the National Bank of Abu Dhabi as it employs 61 percent of its employees from outside the country. International trends of migrations by workers are controlled by labor demands from modern civilization. Industrial relations of the bank have therefore been affected by these changes prompting the bank to seek cheap labor from all over the globe. Dual labor conditions in the Middle East are still so much prevalent as a result of low numbers of local professionals which encourages foreigners come looking for jobs in the emirate. The net effect is that foreigners have the largest employee stakes in most UAE based organizations. The grievance procedure in place in the company and its impact on industrial relations A grievance is defined as any form of discontent affecting an organizations performance and thus can be termed as either being legitimate, unvoiced, oral, written or even ridiculous. If this situation is not correctly addressed, it may lead to a very poor relationship between the employees and the management. Such conflicts are very detrimental to any organizations performance and thus very injurious to customers who depend on such institutions. An organized form of settling these matters of employee dissatisfaction is referred to as grievance procedure. Whether unionized or not, all companies are required by the UAE law to have a well established grievance procedure. The National Bank of Abu Dhabi is no exception as it has established good communication mechanisms courtesy of its human resource department. The bank allows it employees to join labor unions in the country (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). By so doing, the bank expects to receive all grieving matters concerning its workers who happen to be from UAE and the Diaspora. Staff awareness is highly regarded as the bank organizes several conferences among its employees with special consideration of both local and imported workforce. These conferences employ a few variations in addressing employee grievances because of other organizational structures of the bank since the needs of different workers are varied or distributed along the general spectrum of employee grievances. For instance, other workers might be complaining of salaries while other could comfortable with what they earn but not with the working environments they are subjected to. Different institutions have different grievance procedures which involve a series of successive steps. The National Bank of Abu Dhabi has made it clear to its workers of the four steps it expects it follow which are; Holding discussion conferences among its aggrieved workers in presence of a supervisor and if possible a representative from the workers union. Hosting of constructive meetings between the middle management and their counterparts in the worker union. Top management then meets to address the grievances together with the top union leaders with both parties being formally informed by their juniors of the previous meetings The fourth and the last step involve an arbitration process that involves close scrutiny of the problems. It is from this dialogue that workers are expected to have their grievances addressed. Since employees could be having different demands especially in salaries and other remunerations for local and foreign employees, the bank has different panels that take care of each side separately (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). Grievance procedures are equally upheld by the labor laws of the United Arab Emirates. According to University of Pennsylvania; Middle East Research Institute (1985, p. 67), the law has undergone a series of transformations since effects of globalization started taking place. The federal law number 9 of 1980 is the most commonly used piece of legislation when it comes to labor matters. This law defines who an employee is with the most important point for this research being that it does not discriminate employees by their places of origin. Therefore, we can say that the laws go along with what the National Bank f Abu Dhabi employment policies that allow it employ much of its employees from outside the country (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). Termination of employment as a solution to a worker-employees crisis is also embraced by the UAE labor laws. This law focuses on the need to have an employee pass a test in whatever job they apply for. The law allows a six month probation period under which an employer is allowed to dismiss a potential employee if he or she fails to fulfill all the requirements. Comparing this with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi employment policy, this law seems to go hand in hand with the presence of temporal and non-standard employment status such as contracts and internships (The National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 2011). This opportunity is mostly beneficial to an employer as this allow him or her to terminate employment without giving terminal employment benefits. These grievances laws do not address the biases in nationality of employees. It recognizes anybody legally allowed to work there as any other employee. The only disparity found in labor laws of UAE based on nationalities is the clause that recognize the use of Arabic as the official language of writing and keeping records. The law however allows the use of other languages in writing but still maintains that Arabic prevails in any situation therefore calling for documentation in different languages as long as Arabic remains official. The law also requires an employee to engage constructively with his or her employer for negotiations before any final decision is made. The employer is required to present his or her grievance to the employer in writing (failure to which no steps can be taken) and followed by meetings to discuss the claims (University of Pennsylvania; Middle East Research Institute, 1985, p. 69). The law also allows employees to file appeals against employer decisions which might not be necessarily correct. The law is not seen to favor the UAE nationals per se but it is seen to encourage institutions to employ the locals. The government has embarked on a very serious campaign to increase the number of UAE nationals in what it calls Emiritazation the only distinction seen between foreign and local employees. Procedural addressing of employee grievances by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi by engaging them in discussions matches the law provision for informal settlement of these conflicts. The law allows employer and employee to solve their issues by themselves without necessary going through the law. Basing on such procedures used by the bank in addressing its employee grievances, it is correct to say that the bank concurs with the labor laws of UAE. These laws have had a positive impact on both employer and employees as they allow them solve their differences on a neutral platform. The UAE has generally adapted the international standards of grievance procedures. This decision has resulted in employees of the bank settle for it. The procedures seem to be all inclusive as the deal with all types of grievances that may arise, a reason that may be behind the acceptance of the procedure by most if not all employees. Conclusion Globalization has come along with many changes especially in the labor markets. Companies have been forced to adjust their employment policies to match with the modern global demands. The National Bank of Abu Dhabi is one of such institutions that are faced by challenges that come with globalization. The overall effects as found out include changes in labor markets which permit export of labor to other countries. This is proved by the fact that 61 percent of the banks employees come from outside UAE. This pressure has caused a change in employment policies especially in seeking the most qualified individuals. High influx of employees into the country has made the bank embark on a thorough training program before formal employment. This has helped in sieving out under qualified employees. The UAE laws on labor are also conversant with the new trends of labor as dictated by globalization. It recognizes foreigners just like it does to locals although it advocating for higher numbers of UAE nationals working in local firms. The National Bank of Abu Dhabi has a well established grievance procedure. It caters for some of the most notorious hitches of its employees by calling for dialogue with its employees. This offers an opportunity to informally solve any problem and thus avoid affecting its performance and public image. Although industrial relations of the bank have been affected by the changes in the labor market, the institution maintains its quest of the best employees by tapping the best talents through its thorough training programs. This has enabled it maintain a sound relationship with its employees thus retaining its leading position in the region and the world as the best financial institution. Basing on what has happened and what is likely to come, I would recommend the following actions to the institution in order to maintain and improve its local and international image. Avoid any policy adjustments that are likely to create a bias between locals and foreign employees. This is because the word is changing at a very rapid and steady rate implying that the future call for more integration. Any attempts to embrace such moves will make the bank more local and thus repel international attention. Focus on employee affairs interested programs such as training. This should be done by coming up with training packages such as refresher courses. This will in no doubt boost the companys grievance procedure. The government should also come up with labor laws that are suitable and matches todays trends of doing business. As much as the government would wish to advocate for better employment status of its citizens, it should bear in mind that the world is changing meaning the firms even in the UAE will succeed when putting on a global face. It should encourage a competitive process like calling for acquisition of better academic skills which will obviously address the issue without being detrimental to any sector of its economy.

Environmental Management Systems In The Genting Group Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental Management Systems In The Genting Group Environmental Sciences Essay Start from the beginning, the Genting Group gained their greatest reputation and achievement through providing a clean, comfortable, natural environment for every customer who visit their premises/property and they all loving it. Its main of the image and icon for everyone when they heard the name of Genting. Therefore, a constant improvement is important to ensure the good name is always inherited from time to time. The Details of the Environmental Management System As a responsible group, The Genting Group holds certain keys of interest. One of the ethical responsibilities is Environment Sustainability. A program named Environmental Management System is implemented, a four core area of interest Conservation of natural resources, Waste management, Prevention of pollution and Use of renewable energy. Conservation of natural resources- The Genting Group hires professional consultant to conduct energy audit to measure cost-energy efficiency on premises, implementing energy saving instrument and conducting Energy Conservation Awareness Seminars to employees from Engineering Department. In year 2009, the company planted a heat recovery system. An air pre-heater is installed and fixed orifice steam traps are used to reduce steam loss. Flow restrictors and effective water volume reduction program too implemented to reduce water wastage. The group has joined in Earth Hour program in year 2009 as a support, awareness in environment conservation and reduction on carbon emission. The installation of sensors on escalators and air-conditioning system helps to reduce power consumption especially on the off-peak season time. Waste Management- The Group referred 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Concept and Environmental Quality Act 1974 to run the waste management. In 3R, Reduce is done by replacing energy-efficient equipment on buildings to reduce energy wastage and by-product wastage. The used, wasted, error-printed paper is reuse to maximize the utility and fulfill the Reuse of 3R. Separation of waste according to their material type by preparation of categories recycle bin helps recycle and the vermin-composting practice of turning food waste into organic fertilizer meets Recycle criteria. The other waste treatment such as excreta disposal is delivered to treatment plan for biodegrading before release it into the river so that the water source is not contaminated. Prevention of pollution- In order to reduce/prevent pollution on air, water and land, the management has implemented several solutions such as conduct Yearly Sanitary Survey on water supply system, replacing diesel powered water pump to electrical powered water pump, replace conventional detergent to biodegradable type detergent in daily cleansing routine to reduce and prevent water contamination. On land pollution issue, recycling the reusable item so that lesser waste is dispose at landfill site. Using biodegradable type item like biodegradable plastic bags and No Plastic Day campaign conducted to promote pollution prevention. About the air pollution prevention, installation of smoke density detector and flue gas analysis for boilers, generator sets and incinerators were conduct from time to time according to the Environment Quality Act. The Occupational, Safety and Health Section started Mentoring Program to ensure that the material use in all premises (Awana Genting Highlands, Awana Langkawi, and Awana Kijal) is complied with Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), Regulation and Occupational Safety and Heath (Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulation and ISO 14001. Use of renewal energy- Although the group has not yet fully-deploy any renewal energy source, they have the strategic location for generating electricity by deploying solar panel and wind electric generator at the Hillside of Genting Highlands and other Gentings Premises. Plus, the National Objective Strategies from Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water Malaysia leads the Genting Group looking ways from converting conventional electric supply to renewable energy as substitution in long-term plan. By using the renewable energy source, the lesser diesel fuel was burned to generate electricity. Hence, the carbon emission from diesel burning and green house effect is reduced. The Genting group realized that using renewal energy source not just simply reduce air, noise and water pollution but helps in reduction on operation cost, a win-win situation for both environment and cost-effectiveness. Financial forecasting of Environmental Management System At year 2009, the Genting Group has spent RM23.5 million on the Properties, Plant and Equipment (PPE) improvement under Environmental Management System. These included Freehold Building improvements, Plant, Equipment and Vehicles. Advantages of Environmental Management System Though EMS, the negative effects of the business operation such as waste production, emission from fossil fuel burning, air-water-soil pollution can be minimize effectively. Lesser energy requirement from the buildings proves energy saving, less heat production and helps to reduce green house effect. The production of organic fertilizer too helps to reduce maintenance cost and protects the soil from chemical contamination. Disadvantages of Environmental Management System The expenses for implementing EMS at the early stage are very huge and the investors wont able to benefit in short-term period. For example, the infrastructure for developing renewal energy plan is very expensive, especially the Solar Panel. Time and management stress too is unavoidable and error might frequently occur. More and more professional talents were needed to enhance and bring the company to the front-line of innovation. However, hiring these professionals require a huge budget. External Program- Contribution to the Betterment of the Society The importance of contribution to the betterment of the society Genting group is always interested to make an effort in creating a healthier, happier society which already highlighted in their philosophy. This is because of a good, healthy society comes from good people and the achievement that Genting has closely related to the local communities. From people to people, the Genting group does making contribution all the time to the locals as a return. Therefore, the group has working on several projects and activities to refine it. The Details of contribution to society and charity events Local Communities- the Genting group has put concentration on helping local communities to improve quality of living, they work with several charity group such as Womens Aid Organization, Malaysian Pediatrics Foundation, Alzheimer Disease Foundation, Hospis Malaysia, Malaysian Liver Foundation, Gujerati Association, Tunku Azizah Fertility Foundation, St. John Ambulance and Red Cross Society. Also, the Genting group joined with the Ministry of Transport Malaysia, Ministry of Education Malaysia, Road Safety Department and Road Safety Marshal Club to conduct a safety campaign to teach the youngsters about the importance of safety awareness. These included 4.5K primary school students of Malaysia attended, educated about road safety practices and all of them were gifted with a SIRIM-approved safety helmet. One of the Gentings agencies, the Awana Langkawi organized a public health check for local communities on Health Day and safety talk on Safety and Career Week. On the other side, at Malaysia the group established GENM We Care Team, Awana We Care Team, Awana Kijal We Care Team and Awana Porto Malai We Care Team to encourage all of the employees join community service. These included conduct cleaning, food supply, provide repairing and maintenance service for the charity groups like Badan Amal Nur Zaharah, Selangor Family Aid Association, Ampang Old Folks Home, Pusat Kebajikan Serendah . At England, the Genting Group is helping the communities by providing education on responsible gambling; do research on prevention and treatment of gambling problem. The Genting group has raised a fund in order to support the Great or Gambling Research, Education and Treatment Foundation; they too help the national charities to do fund raising activities. OKU (Disability Group) the unfortunates the Genting group too cares about the disabled people, especially those who are underprivileged, hidden under the eyes of the society. In Malaysia, with the volunteering support from employees, the guests and The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf at Wisma Genting, the Wisma Genting Charity Week was conducted. The entire collected fund donated to the four charity organizations: The United Voice, The Cheshire Home Selangor, The Hope Worldwide and The Harvest Centre. On the other hand, the group has hosted festival themed charity party on festive season such as fairytale Christmas Party for unfortunate children and elder citizens and two Hollywood Blockbuster movies were screened for the children as well. All the collection was handled to the 67units welfare homes and non-organizations. In Singapore, the Genting group works with the local charity groups to raise fund for the under-privileged children. These charity groups are included ST School Pocket Money Fund, Mendaki, Sinda and CDAC. Education Sports- Educational Sports are always play important role in shaping a good society. Therefore, Genting group has donated about half a million ringgit to Malaysian Institute of Management on built a modern, advance and sophisticated library or Genting Resource Centre. At sports, the group has sponsored certain sports event like Le Tour De Langkawi, King of Mountain (KOM), Junior Development Program of Selangor Tennis Association, sponsorship to Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) which won the FAA Suzuki Cup recently and the Pahang Hockey Association. Culture Art- the Genting group collaborate with the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture of Malaysia to promote Cuti-Cuti Malaysia, the local tourism, local culture and arts like Orkestra Simfoni Remaja or Youth Symphony Orchestra to let the youngsters have a platform to perform and brighten their talent. Youth Symphony Orchestra is a sub-program under a program named Pusat Muzik Budaya or Centre of Cultural Music. Also, the group has organized World Championship of Arts Performing at Time Square, First World Plaza, Merdeka Stage and Outdoor Theme Park of Genting in year 2009. With collaboration from The Strait Times (Singapore) and The Business Times (Singapore), the group hosted their very first event, Child Aid at the Festive Grand Theatre of Genting. They had successfully collected more than a million S$ to help the poor and unfortunates. Financial Forecasting/achievement of the Genting Groups Contribution So far, the Genting Group has sponsored about RM500K on education facility, the Genting Resource Center. About the disability group, the Genting Group too has contributed at least RM360K to the underprivileged and disabled people (OKU). The festive event, ChildAid has collected more than a million S$ to help the poor, unlucky children. In year 2009, S$30,000 fund has risen for the ST School Pocket Money Fund and S$20,000 fund raiser for Singapore Red Cross Society. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf too joined in donate RM1 for each beverage they sold at the outlet during Wisma Genting Charity Week. The Advantages of Contribution to the Betterment of the Society Though contribution and charity for society, the Genting group is not simply a profit-gaining entity but group that able to show their caring and responsibility for the society. The group acts as a role model of the social-caring entrepreneur in the business world. More and more customers willing to spare their fortune at the Genting Berhad as they knew that part of the money they spend benefits the society. The Disadvantages of Contribution to the Betterment of the Society So far contribution to the betterment of the society is always a good intention. However, these acts may not agree and acceptable by some investors. On their opinion, charity works is regarded as a non-profit, non-benefit action especially in the capitalist-economy. They might withdraw their investment and plant it to other company.

Crying Away Stress :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Tearful Serenity: Crying Away the Stress Some days you've just had it. You've been talked at all day by people you couldn't care less about, the lady at the convenience store snapped at you, your friend invited herself over right when you had exactly one hour to write a paper, you got caught in a traffic jam going shopping, you're starting to seriously rethink your life career ... and now there's a thirty dollar parking ticket stuck on your windshield because that darn machine wasn't accepting quarters. You burst into tears. Tears, stupid tears! Always coming when you least want them. Now everyone on the street is looking at you and your eyes are so blurry you trip over the bumper and stumble into the street. What a klutz. How humiliating! Why do you always have to cry like this? But everybody cries. For its capacity to signal physical or emotional distress, crying has left an indelible mark on the slate of human history. Where would art and poetry be without tears? In fact, where would we be? In truth, crying plays an essential role in our biology as well as our social and cultural experiences. We can't stop the tears from flowing, but we can investigate why they flow – and why crying might not be, after all, such a bad thing to do. Tears are body excretions, just like sweat and mucous and urine. We don't usually like to think about body excretions, but when we do, we bear with them because we know they have important functions. Sweat removes excess salts from the body and cools us; mucous traps surrounding pathogens; urine and feces expel unneeded, toxic waste products that would harm the body if they remained within it. All three contribute to the body's self-regulatory or homeostatic nature, readjusting for balance. Tears, too, must serve a biological, homeostatic purpose. But what? In fact, there are three known answers to this question. Scientists distinguish three kinds of tears, which differ from each other by function and also, probably, by composition. Basal tears actually form continuously. We don't experience these minute secretions as tears because they don't "ball up" as we are used to tears doing; instead, every time we blink, our eyelids spread the basal solution out over the surface of our eyeballs(1). Basal tears keep our eyes lubricated, important in preventing damage by air currents and bits of floating debris(2), (3).

Essay --

Have you ever wondered who invented the modern computers we use today?Now, you would probably say Microsoft or Apple; however the truth is modern computers were invented by Alan Turing. He invented the Turing Machine, which is a computer that could process anything. In other words he created the first programing language. Not only did he contribute to computer science, but also in biology, chemistry, physics, and especially mathematics. He has countless number of achievements including his contribution of cracking the Nazi enigma code, which seemed at that time, â€Å"unbreakable†. Now lets dive into the life of Alan. Now where is better to start than his early life. Alan was born into a wealthy family. He was born on the June of 25, 1912 in London, Maida Vale, Warrington Crescent, and Warrington Lodge. He was christened on july 7, 1912 at the St. Saviour's church. Alan did not live with his father early on in his life because his father, Julius Turing worked for a civil service in India. He worked for the Madras Presidency. There he met alan mother Ethel Stoney. Alan was the youngest in his family. He has one older brother named John Turing. He his 4 years older than Alan. Alan was a very curious boy. He always questioned how thing are done. He was always not shy and ready to greet anyone. He also acted a lot more mature for his age. He loved to use large words as a child. However he did enjoy the company of figures. Extraordinarily, he thought himself to read in 3 weeks by using an interesting method he deceived called the â€Å"knowing spot†. He had a problem of not remembering to read t he figures from left to right or vise versa. Alan then used his left hand’s thumb as a marker for reading the figures. He called it the â€Å"knowing spot†. L... ...t the same yard as his father. He did have a rule to eat an apple a night. He also loved to chant the poison apple brewing scene from snow white as a child. Some people misunderstanding that the Apple Logo does not come from this reason ,but instead because the bite helps distinguish it from a cherry. However Steve Jobs says, "God, we wish it were" Alan Turing was a man who accomplishments countless number of things in his life. Varying from computers, biology, physics, and mathematics. However he lost his life at such a young age for a reason unknown to us. He helped win WWII and created the concept of programming when everyone else says it is impossible. Also he did not stop there but also defined what makes a computer smart. He created the first Artificial intelligence. He still use all use methods today. He was the man known as the father of modern computers.

Automatic Speech Recognition Systems

In addition, the author will evaluate his level of inform in speaking the contents of term paper as opposed to typing one. And lastly, the level of organization required to use speech recognition as opposed to typing. The first automated speech recognition system the author will analyze is produced by a company called Application Technology, or Pupate. Pupate is located in McLean, Virginia, and has been in the Human Language Technology field for over 20 years. Appetites CARS product is called Plainspoken, and is used for speech dictation, broadcast and telephony.This program can do anything from a simple chain of numbers to vocabularies of up to 100,000 words. Plainspoken recognizes continuous speech, offers gender-independent speech recognition, as well as speaker dependent and speaker Independent modes. Opalescence also offers a scalable vocabulary as well as a scalable number of recognized languages. At this time however, the author of this paper was unable to locate a price for t his product on the manufacturers also known as Dragon Naturally Speaking.Nuance offers several different versions from the basic to a more advanced version for legal professionals. Nuance offers several different accent features from Spanish to Southern as well as several vocabulary options. Nuance allows for custom creation of text-to-graphics commands. This software works with PC's as well as multiple types of mobile devices, and is compatible with a multitude of applications. The price range of this product varies from $99 to $1199. (nuance. Com, 2009) The final company and product the author will review is Namespace.Namespace was established in 1996, when Andrew Taylor realized that the Macintosh platform was losing ground in the speech recognition software arena. Like the product from Nuance, Namespace offers several different versions. Their versions vary from a standard dictation version up to a legal reflections version. What is unique about Namespace is that it offers an In ternational version, which supports English, French, German and Italian. The price range is from $195 to $595 for the Namespace program.The drawback here is that this program is primarily written for the Mac computer. (namespace. Com, 2009) Unfortunately, the author was unable to find as much information as he would have liked about the companies and products. If the author had to use this type of product to produce a term paper, I would feel very uncomfortable. I feel I would have lost some aspect of control if I were to use an CARS to produce a term paper. In addition, it would be difficult to Judge the effectiveness and accuracy of an CARS.

Assessing the Dependency of Teamwork Dynamics to Cultural Differences Essay

A debate whether a heterogeneous or a homogeneous team is easier to handle and manage has been going on for years. Companies, firms and even organizations are starting to make teams as the basic unit of their operations. Due to this trend, organizational researchers started to study the correlation between the composition of the team and the teams’ output (Earley & Mosakowski, 2000, p. 26). Organizational composition in terms of the homogeneity and heterogeneity of the team composition is commonly studied through the comparative advantages that each type of composition can give to a working team (Schippers, Hartog, Koopman, & Wienk, 2003, p. 779). This research paper will try to address the issue at hand in the same manner as most organizational researchers do; this research paper will compare homogeneous and heterogeneous team compositions through the advantages they can give to their teams. The hiring structure of most organizations, companies and firm includes a set of qualification that seeks to sift through the applicants not in terms of credentials but also in terms of their backgrounds (Prat, 2000, p. 3). These sets of qualifications are commonly structured in their own ways to create a homogenous or a heterogeneous team, depending on the position of the hiring party in terms of its team composition preference. Before moving on to the advantages of the two-team compositions, it should be noted that the basic differences between the two-team compositions are its team members’ culture. Culture embodies the system of shared meanings (Gibson C. B. , 2004). It can even be said, that culture attributes the different reactions of the team members in different managerial approaches and team objectives (Gibson C. B. , 2004). Furthermore, the probability of success and efficiency in team is dependent to the culture of its team members. Identifying the difference between leading a homogeneous team or a heterogeneous team can be easily discussed through the extent by which team members share a certain culture. In modern day organizational researches, culture sharing is not the only difference. Factors such as efficiency, efficacy of the leading model, output capabilities and even conflict resolution mechanisms are considered in organization researches that address homogeneous and heterogeneous team compositions. Describing the actual leadership process in these two team compositions would lead to the discussions on team cohesiveness. Team cohesiveness is the degree by which members of a group (both hetero and homo) are attracted to the team (Wendt, Euwemab, & Emmerik, 2009, p. 359). It can be said, that team cohesiveness embodies the reasons for joining a team and expected incentives for joining the team (Wendt, Euwemab, & Emmerik, 2009, p. 359). Team cohesiveness is present in both homogeneous and heterogeneous team compositions. However, the burden of insuring that the team would function is not directly related to the team composition; it is also determined by the leadership style in the team. Leading leadership styles such as directive and supportive styles have two very different effects to the team depending on the team composition. The exclusivity of the shared culture in homogeneous teams can work better with directive leadership such as seen in autocratic countries (Wendt, Euwemab, & Emmerik, 2009, p. 360). On the other hand, supportive leadership can work better with heterogeneous team composition since the differences in the shared culture of the team can be compensated for by the support that the leadership style offers (Wendt, Euwemab, & Emmerik, 2009, p. 360). Interchanging the two leadership styles in heterogeneous and homogeneous team compositions can result to high probability of team inefficiency and failure. Following this logic, it can be said that the leadership style would determine the difference between these two team compositions; a certain â€Å"fit† must be properly addressed. After discussing the needed â€Å"fit† in the leadership style and the team composition, advantages in terms of properly leading a homogeneous team or a heterogeneous team can now be established. Having a heterogeneous team implies that a team leader would have members with different recognitions of shared culture. Due to this, the team leader can expect different opinions and a wide range of ideas to be articulated by the team members (Gibson & Vermeulen, 2003, p. 207). This setup is seen in companies that operate on a high technology level. Technology based companies tend to function in a transnational level; this allows the companies to have an experience in having a heterogeneous team to deal with their operations. The diverse pool that the company can easily access to creates a working environment, which is perfect for the creation of cohorts. According to other related researches, team members tend to speak out their idea or opinion if they have at least one team member that supports their idea (Gibson & Vermeulen, 2003, p. 207). This finding is the coined as the cohort formation in workplaces. Following this logic, leading a heterogeneous team has an advantage of being able to pool a good number of ideas and opinions due to the different shared cultures among the team members. Practically speaking, a heterogeneous team can come up with more possible solutions needed to address a problem as compared to a team with members that share a uniform culture. Heterogeneous team through its cohorts also has the advantage of creating a workplace, which is more conducive for a more receptive learning behavior (Gibson & Vermeulen, 2003, p. 209). The cohort formation that arises from a heterogeneous team creates subgroups that are more receptive to learning through experimentation; reflective communication and codification (Gibson & Vermeulen, 2003, p. 209). The psychological support provided by team members that share culture allows other team members to learn more (Gibson & Vermeulen, 2003, p. 210). These advantages of heterogeneous teams make many organizations, companies and firms to invest in the creation of a heterogeneous team. This trend is best seen in transnational companies’ attempts to outsource team members from different places around the globe to insure that their team has cohorts to cultivate better brainstorming activities (Earley & Gibson, 2002, pp. 230-232). Unfortunately, the advantages of having a heterogeneous team stop at the cohorts. Heterogeneous team, which is too heterogeneous in the sense that it does not allow the formation of cohorts tends to be counterproductive since its team members without some to share his or her culture with, becomes too protective of their ideas (Gibson & Vermeulen, 2003, pp. 212-213). In this situation, organizational researches recommend the full dismantling of the team or the inclusion of other team members that may allow that formation of cohorts within the heterogeneous team. Advantages in a homogeneous team are the extreme solutions to the disadvantages of a heterogeneous team. The probability that too much heterogeneity can impede team growth and efficiency can be cancelled out by adapting a homogenized team since the shared culture of the whole team will eradicate the cultural diversity that may have started the problems of a too heterogenic team (Mello & Ruckes, 2010, p. 1022). This is the primary advantage of homogeneous team- cohesion. Team cohesion is at its prime state if the subject team is a homogeneous team (WordPress. com, 2009). The strong sense of group cohesion in a homogeneous team allows the whole team to easily accomplish tasks and yield maximum productivity rates (WordPress. com, 2009, p. n. pag. ). The shared culture of a homogeneous team creates a sense of unity among the team members; that translates to achievements that are most probably unattainable for a common heterogeneous group. This is the primary and appears to be the only advantage in a homogeneous group. Unfortunately, it also has its share of disadvantages. The major disadvantage of a homogenous team is that the team is prone to make probable dumb decisions due to the strong sense of groupthink mentality present in this team composition (WordPress. com, 2009). This attributes of homogeneous team composition allows homogeneous teams to be the perfect team composition for productivity and goal oriented organizations, companies and firms. Conclusion: Heterogeneous and homogeneous team compositions have been existing ever since basic groups have been formed. The reason for their existence is the fact that each of this team composition provides a perfect fit for different organizational arrangements (Gamage, 2006, p. 57). The interplay between organizational cultures, team composition and the type of leadership determines the needed fit implied in this research paper. Conclusively, this research paper takes the position that homogeneous team composition is an advantage for organizations, companies and firms that are goal and production oriented, while heterogeneous team composition is an advantage for organizations, companies and firms that seek to provide solutions. The cohesive team culture cultured and enforced in homogeneous team composition allows a consolidated movement of the whole team towards the attainment of their team’s objectives. On the other hand, the differences of the team members of a heterogeneous team allow the utilization of the multi perspective orientations in the advantage of the whole team. The different ideas and cultural inclinations of a heterogeneous team allow the development of holistic solutions. These points when summed up results to a general idea that the team compositions’ effectiveness are dominantly dependent on the factors such as type of leadership and environment such as context of application. Bibliography Adams, S. K. (2007, July 30). Disciplinarily Hetero- and Homogeneous Design Team Convergence:Communication Patterns and Perceptions of Teamwork. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from www. scholar. lib. vt. edu: http://scholar. lib. vt. edu/theses/available/etd-08272007-114555/unrestricted/MastersThesis. pdf Adler, N. (1991). International dimensions of organi-zational behavior (2nd ed. ). Boston: PWS-Kent. Burke, S. , Wilson, K. , & Salas, E. (2010). Varying Team Composition to Examine the Effect of CulturalDiversity on Team Process and Cultural Adaptability. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from www. ftp. rta. nato. int: ftp. rta. nato. int/public//PubFullText/†¦ ///MP-HFM-142-18. doc Casmir, R. (1992). Third-culture building: A paradigm shift for international and intercultural communication. Communication Yearbook , 407-428. Cox, T. (1992). Cultural diversity in organizations. San Francisco: Berrett Koehler. Earley, P. C. , & Mosakowski, E. (2000). Creating Hybrid Team Cultures: An Empirical Test of Transnational Team Functioning. The Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 43, No. 1 , 26-49. Earley, P. , & Gibson, C. B. (2002). Multinational Work Teams: A New Perspective. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. . Elron, E. (1997). Top management teams within multina-tional corporations: Effects of cultural heterogeneity. Leadership Quarterly , 393-412. Gamage, D. (2006). Professional Development for Leaders and Managers . Dordrecht: Springer Publications. Gibson, C. B. (2004). Building Multicultural Teams:Learning to Manage Homogeneity and Heterogeneity. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from http://web. gsm. uci. edu: http://web. gsm. uci. edu/~cgibson/Publication%20files/Articles/Crossing%20cultures%20chapter. pdf Gibson, C. , & Vermeulen, F. (2003). A Healthy Divide: Subgroups as a Stimulus for Team Learning Behavior. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 48, No. 2 , 202-239. Leadershipreview. org. (2002). Research Synopsis: Creating Hybrid Team Cultures. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from www. leadershipreview. org: http://www. leadershipreview. org/2002winter/nelson_winter_2002. asp Mayo, M. (2005, September 2). Networks and Effectiveness in Work Teams: The Impact of Diversity. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from www. latienda. ie. edu: http://latienda. ie. edu/working_papers_economia/WP05-10. pdf Maznevski, M. (1994). Understanding our differences: Performance in decision-making groups with diverse members. Human Relations , 531-552. McGrath, J. (1984). Groups: Interaction and performance. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. Mello, A. S. , & Ruckes, M. E. (2010). Team Composition. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from http://finance. fbv. uni-karlsruhe. d: http://finance. fbv. uni-karlsruhe. de/download/Ruckes_TeamCompositionJB. pdf Prat, A. (2000, August 16). Shoul a Team Be Homogeneous? Retrieved August 6, 2010, from www. econ. lse. ac. uk: http://econ. lse. ac. uk/staff/prat/papers/sharedeer2. pdf Schippers, M. C. , Hartog, D. N. , Koopman, P. L. , & Wienk, J. A. (2003). Diversity and Team Outcomes: The Moderating Effects of Outcome Interdependence and Group Longevity and the Mediating Effect of Reflexivity. Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 24, No. 6 , 779-802. Wendt, H. , Euwemab, M. C. , & Emmerik, I. H. (2009). Leadership and team cohesiveness across cultures. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from http://hettyvanemmerik. com: http://hettyvanemmerik. com/ScientificPublications/+Enl2009=Article_LQ_Wendt_Euwema_Van_Emmerik_Leadership_and_team_cohesiveness. pdf WordPress. com. (2009, March 10). Homogeneous or Heterogeneous Teams and Creativity. Retrieved August 6, 2010, from www. wordpress. com: http://asifjmir. wordpress. com/2009/03/10/homogeneous-or-heterogeneous-teams-and-creativity/