Examination of a Global Population Issue

Introduction South Africa is one of the strongest and fastest developing countries in Africa. A country that was heavily affected by racial segregation during the apartheid rule that ended in 1994, South Africa has experienced massive growth in its economy over the past two decades. This may be attributed to its rich mineral reserves, especially gold. It has the strongest economy in Africa.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Examination of a Global Population Issue specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Analysis of the Country Historical Issues South Africa is one of the countries that gained independence several years after other African states, and other states around the world had gained independence. The country was ruled by the Boers after the departure of British colonizers in 1910. Nelson Mandela, Walter Susuli among other leaders is lauded to have fought for the independence of this country. It is one of the Afric an states with the best government structures. Economic Issues The economy of South Africa is one of the fastest developing economies in the world. This is due to good governance and rich oil reserves. The country has the best infrastructure in Africa, especially after hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, most of the South Africans, especially those living in the rural set-ups and in slums, live in object poverty. Social Issues For a long time, South Africa had experienced racial segregation where the whites and blacks had different status in the country. The blacks were considered subordinate to the whites. This came to an end when Mandela finally came to power. Other than the xenophobic movement that was slightly experienced in 2009, South Africans have come to appreciate cultural diversity. Technological Issues South Africa is not one of the giants in the field of technology. However, this country has come to embrace the importance of technology in running various sectors. T he government has supported various initiatives meant to enhance technological developments. Institutions such as schools, hospitals, and business units among others have embraced the emerging technology. Geographical and Climate Issues of South Africa This African country generally has two seasons in a year. The country has winter and summer. During summer, the country experiences hot and wet climate, while in winter, the temperatures are rather cold. The country borders the Indian Ocean, making its beaches one of the most attractive beaches in the world. Health Status and Healthcare System in South Africa South African government has made concerted effort to ensure that its healthcare system reflects the needs of its populace. The population of South Africans has been on the rise over the past one decade, but the government has not been in a position to upgrade its health system to reflect this. According to Padayachee (118), although the government has made an effort to improve h ealth facilities in major cities, people living in rural set-ups and slums lack proper medical facilities.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Relationship between South Africa and the World Abstract South Africa has had a very cordial relationship with its neighbors and the world. Following the end of apartheid rule in 1994, this country has been able to develop a cordial relationship with other states in Africa and the world at large. South Africa and its Neighbors South Africa has been a friendly nation to its neighbors. It has been a very resourceful neighbor to Swaziland and Lesotho which are landlocked countries within its borders. Its neighboring countries such as Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique have registered satisfaction with the relationship they have had with this country. South Africa and the World South Africa has also had a positive re lationship with other African states and the world in general. Being the only African country which is a member of the G-20, this country has been seen to champion the interests of African nations in the world forum. Its first president, Nelson Mandela, is known to have been a champion of peace around the world. Demographic Data Ethnic Composition About 92 percent of those who live in South Africa are the black Africans who are the natives. The highest percentage out of this population lives in object poverty. About 2 percent of this population is the Dutch who never left the country after the curtain fell on their leadership. There are other ethnic groups like the Arabs, Chinese, and other ethnic groups from all over the world. Religious Groupings The main religion in South Africa is Christianity. This religion was spread during the colonization of this country. However, there are various other religions in this country. After Christianity, African religious groups are dominant, es pecially in the interiors of the country. Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are also practiced, especially among the non-natives. Cultural Characteristics South Africa is one of the countries with rich cultural heritage. Most of the native Africans have maintained their cultural practiced such as male circumcision. The culture that allows men to marry more than one wife is also cherished in various societies. In various national ceremonies, traditional dancers and artists would be called upon to perform before dignitaries. Education Levels Most of the young South Africans, especially those who were born after independence, have had the opportunity to go to school. However, a good number of the middle aged and the aging population also have basic education. This is because they were either too busy fighting for the liberation of this country from the Boers, or they could not withstand racial segregation witnessed in schools during their era.Advertising We will write a custom essay s ample on Examination of a Global Population Issue specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Health Statistics Health statistics of this country shows that South Africa is one of the countries at risk of experiencing massive health problem. According to Padayachee (56), South Africa is one of the countries with the highest percentage of its population living with HIV/AIDs in the world. A number of South Africans have also perished from cardiovascular diseases. The table below shows the percentage of those suffering from cardiovascular disease over the last three years. Year Percentage of those Suffering From Cardiovascular Disease 2010 0.56% 2011 0.98% 2012 1.02% Source: (Rao 78) Population Affected Majority of those affected with cardiovascular disease in this country are the middle class who have put their focus on gaining financial security. This category of people does less strenuous work because they work in large offices in ma jor cities in this country. They have limited time to spare for physical activities hence putting them at risk. Problem Identification Major Health Concern As stated above, cardiovascular disease is a major killer disease in this country. Many South Africans have died due to this health complication. The main reason why these people perish is because of lack of proper healthcare facilities in the country to deal with this complication. Economic and Social Impact of Cardiovascular Disease Cardiovascular disease has had serious impact on the economic and social status of those affected. Most of those who suffer from this disease are the middle class trying to find financial security. Once affected by this disease, they would spend most of their savings, and would at times run into debts trying to meet the costs of treating the disease. This affects their social standings a great deal as they find themselves in lower social class that they thought they had passed. Scope of the Problem According to Jamison (92), although the problem has not reached an alarming level, the rate at which individuals are being diagnosed with this problem is alarming. The problem, once thought to be a preserve for the rich, is now affecting the middle class which is actually the driving force of this country. Although the government has tried to deal with it, it still remains a big issue in the society. Historical Development of Cardiovascular Disease Historical development of cardiovascular disease can be analyzed on an individual level basis. History of this disease on one patient may not be the same as that of another patient. According to Rao (67), this health issue is associated with lack of proper physical exercise and intake of a lot of calories. When the body fails to burn these calories, their accumulation may lead to this health concern.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More World Wide Disparity of the Problem Cardiovascular disease was previously considered a disease of the west. This was so because of the technological advancements in the west that meant that people would only perform light tasks that does not need heavy physical activity. However, as this technology spread, the disease became common even among Africans. Currently, cardiovascular disease is considered as a major global issue in the society. Effects of Globalization and Technology on Cardiovascular Disease Globalization and technology has had positive effect on the efforts to counter this disease. Given the fact that this is not a communicable disease that can be spread by being in contact with a victim, the ability to move enhances the possibility of finding its solution. A patient from South Africa can be flown to the United States where there are adequate medical facilities to deal with the problem. Advancements in technology has helped in coming up with sophisticated machines that help in detection and treatment of this complication. Effects of Cardiovascular Disease if Left Unchecked If left unchecked, cardiovascular disease can have serious negative impact in the society. The government needs to equip public hospitals with the machines that can help deal with the problem. If this is not done, the country will continue losing its citizens, and this would lead to decreased labor force in the economy. Children will be left orphaned, and this will increase the levels of poverty in this country. International Healthcare Organization Involved in the Delivery of Healthcare in South Africa The main international healthcare organization that has come out to help country this problem in the country is World Health Organization. Working with the local hospitals and community health workers, W.H.O. has made an effort to increase awareness of this disease. It has been working closely with donors and government to find permanent solution. Summary and Conclusion Cardiovas cular disease is a health concern that has been on the rise in this country. The government of South Africa has not been able to come up with a lasting solution for this problem because of the costs associated with its treatment. However, partnering with international agencies such as W.H.O., the government has increased its effort in managing this disease. Works Cited Jamison, Dean. Disease and Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington: World bank, 2006. Print. Padayachee, Vishnu. The Development Decade? Economic and Social Change in South Africa, 1994 – 2004. Cape Town: HSRC Press, 2006. Print. Rao, Gudu. Coronary Artery Disease: Risk Promoters, Pathophysiology, and Prevention. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, 2012. Print. This essay on Examination of a Global Population Issue was written and submitted by user Alonzo Castaneda to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to write excellent reports [Webinar recording] - Emphasis

How to write excellent reports [Webinar recording] How to write excellent reports [Webinar recording] Over 120 people took part in our webinar on 23 November to learn some expert advice on  writing exceptional reports from our specialist  trainer, Gary Woodward. Many attendees sent in their questions  and key challenges  when it comes to writing reports and there were some common themes, which Gary addressed during this thirty-minute session. Gary focused on three areas: Engaging your readers and encouraging them to act Presenting your information with maximum visual impact Writing efficiently with effective editing Engaging readers Gary kicked off by  talking us through some proven  techniques for engaging your readers. Key to this is asking yourself reader-centred questions before you even start writing. What information is your reader looking for? Another crucial part of your reports success is its summary. It need to be concise and set out the content of your report in a way thats relevant to the interests of your reader (or readers). By the end of the summary, your  reader(s) need to know why they should be reading the document, what they need to know and what is expected of them. Presenting information Through your research, hard work and technical knowledge, you can produce excellent stats and insightful data. However, if you dont present this well, you risk confusing your reader and wasting your hard work. Gary showed us some editing techniques for  presenting information in a clear, easy-to-scan way. In particular, he  talked about one of his favourite techniques, Words in Tables (WiT). (For more information on WiT, visit www.jmoon.co.uk.) Effective editing Writing well  is not just about getting every word and sentence  right first time. Its about editing your writing so youre as clear and concise as possible. How many times do we edit the content we have written? Do we really look at ways of making it easier to read? And how  many times has a reader complained that a document was too easy to read? Gary had three top tips for making your writing concise, clear and easy to read: Put the ‘what’ before the ‘why’, so that your main messages come first. Keep verbs rather than change them into nouns. Favour the active voice over the passive. Want to access a copy of the webinar? To view a recording of the webinar and to access the full slide deck, click here. Interested in more free learning? If you want more advice on improving your business writing, why not download our free guide, The Write Stuff? Click here to get your free copy today.

Leadership of Turkish Founder Mustafa Kemal Atatrk Assignment

Leadership of Turkish Founder Mustafa Kemal Atatrk - Assignment Example Turkey could have been a colony of the British or the French had it not been with the bold and daring leadership of Ataturk. When Germany lost to the allied forces of which the old Turkey allied itself with, allied forces occupied the whole of the country of which it nearly made a colony and its caliphs already considering on whose side it would make itself a colony. But Ataturk wanted independence in Turkey and left Istanbul on small boat Bandirma to Samsun on May 19, 1919, and begun the Turkish War of Independence. From then on, Ataturk became a charismatic leader of Turkey wading off invading allied forces against all odds. Finally, Ataturk became victorious ending the War of Independence with the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923, where Turkey was recognized as an independent state. Ataturk became its President on October 30, 1923, until his death on November 10, 1938, and immediately instituted sweeping reforms on all aspect of Turkish life from the political, social, legal, economic, and cultural spheres and laid down the foundation of a modern Turkey which is based on democracy and sovereignty. In assessing the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it is important that we have to contextualize his leadership to allow us to make an accurate analysis of his leadership. To put it in perspective, we have to consider that at the time when Ataturk led, Turkey was in a national crisis and was about to be colonized by allied forces.

Some thoughts of the article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Some thoughts of the article - Essay Example Therefore, to address these problems, government should to utilize tools for monetary and fiscal policy. Monetary policies tool entails utilization of discount rates and reserve requirements to control inflation and stabilize the economy. On the contrary, fiscal policies tool entails application of taxes as well as control of government expenditure to achieve certain economic goals (Taylor & Weerapana, 2008). On the contrary, Micro economics refers to a branch of economics that involves the study of decisions made by individuals and firms regarding the scarce resource. Whereby, in micro economics, consumers aims to maximize their utility despite having scarce resource aims to maximize their profits while at the same time minimizing their cost. However, due to limited resources, both firms and individuals experience opportunity cost. Whereby, they have to decide the best alternatives to forgo given the fact that resources are limited (Mankiw, 2011). Normally, in micro economics, the prices of goods and services are determined by market forces of supply and demand as well as government regulations. Therefore, both individuals and firms should take into consideration the issues of tax and government regulations when making their decisions (Chandra,

Venerable Pierre Toussaint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Venerable Pierre Toussaint - Essay Example Pierre on the other hand, obtained basic education where he was able to read and write. Secondly, he was not expected to work in the fields where there was hard labor, and also he was not subjected to punishments. During his stay on the Haiti, the sound of drums in the field offended him. The thought of the bloodbath that happened in the fields was too harsh for him to comprehend. Pierre relocated to New York with his master. Soon after the death of Jean Berard, Pierre took the initiative to look after his ailing wife, who had just learnt about his husbands demise (Malley 89). Pierres elevation to sainthood came as a result of his charity, which was easily deduced from his act of adopting Euphemia. During his burial, Pierre was eulogized as one who had "remarkable qualities of mind and heart and on his incredible charity". Secondly, he was also branded as "Gods reflection in ebony". He was greatly loved, which is exhibited by the enormous number of people from both races who attended his

Impact Of Leadership Styles

Impact Of Leadership Styles Leadership styles Transactional leadership and transformational leadership have gained attention over a period of last few decades (Bass, 1988; 1990; Bass and Avolio, 1993; Hartog, et al., 1997). According to Kirkpatrick Locke (1996), Transformational Leadership and Transactional Leadership both are directly related with numerous workplace outcomes such as job satisfaction, group performance, employees performance, and organizational commitment. These results have also been tested in different research settings (Al-Dmour Awamleh, 2002).In spite of this, the effects of managerial leadership styles from transformational and transactional perspectives have not been validated in IT firms. A key objective of this study is to fill this knowledge gap. This study will assess the effects of transformational and transactional leadership styles on employees performance in IT firms in India. According to Lewis et al (1998), In the 21st century, managers and leaders are expected to cope with a rapidly changing world of work. Hooper Potter (2000) suggests that managers will have to be competent leaders in order to transform their people to achieve the required company outcomes. Ryback (1998) describes a 21st century leader as having the ability to demonstrate a greater empathy and concern for people issues than his/her earlier counterparts. Managing projects in the information technology domain remains challenging, since various global trends contribute to rising complexities. Software development projects account for a very large portion of the overall IT outsourcing market. According to Dibbern et al. (2008), prior information technology research has provided a list of possible reasons why IT offshore outsourcing projects fail to meet the initial goals and expectations of both client and vendor. However, research is still limited dealing with leadership and management of Information technology projects (Lee 2008; Mao et al. 2008). Carson et al. (2007) states that one of the most important issues within project management is leadership. However, research about the crucial leadership styles focusing on IT projects is still limited. IT projects experience high failure rates since many years. The Standish Group reported significant time and cost overruns, add to by not fully meeting quality expectations of the project sponsors (Xia and Lee 2004). The primary reason, however, are not technological, but rather managerial issues (Scott and Vessey, 2002). Sumner et al. (2005) states that to successfully implement technical projects, strong project leaders with superior leadership skills are essential which will offers the potential to contribute to IT project success. Durham et al. (1997) states that research has proved the importance of leadership behaviour for team effectiveness, and for employees performance. According to Sumner (2000), lack of leadership or ineffective leadership is among the top hindering factors for IT project success. IT leaders of ten lack interpersonal leadership skills, because technical employees get promoted to become project leaders due to their technical knowledge, not for their people management capabilities (Rosenbaum 1991). The effect of transactional and transformational leadership style on employees performance have been validated on Health, Retail, Education and manufacturing sectors. There is a limited knowledge or research conducted on the leadership style of the project leader/team leader in the IT sector and how it affects the employees performance. This research aims to investigate the relationship between the effective team leader/Project manager leadership style and subordinates performance. The literature review discusses the link between Transformational leadership and employee performance and also the link between transactional leadership styles and employees performance. Objective of the Research This study investigates the impact of transformational leadership and transactional leadership style on employees performance. The objectives of this research are: Evaluation of the employees performance in relation to the transformational and transactional leadership styles. Assessing the employees preference over transformational and transactional leadership style. Finding the recommendations to improve employees performance with the help of transformational and transactional leadership style. Literature review Leadership and performance Yukl (1994) defined leadership as a social influence process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over other people to structure the activities and relationships in a group or organization. Max Weber is one of the major contributor of leadership and theorists to observe the parallel between the industry mechanization and bureaucratic forms of organization (Morgan, 1998).According to (Bass, 1990 Morgan, 1998) , the classical theorists such as Henri Fayol and F. W. Mooney, loyal advocates of bureaucratization in contrast to Weber, identified methods through which this kind of organizational structure could be achieved. These classical theorists set the basis for many modern management techniques. Webers concern about bureaucracy, however, did not affect theorists who set the stage for what is now known as classical management theory and scientific management (Stone et al., 2005).Scientific managers focused on the systematic management of individual jobs while the Classical theorists focused on the design of the total organization (Stone et al., 2005).Scientific management, an approach introduced by Frederick Taylor, was technological in nature (Hersey, Blanchard, Johnso n, 1996). Taylor initiated time-and-motion studies to analyse work tasks to improve worker productivity in an attempt to achieve the highest level of efficiency possible. He has also been accused of viewing people as instruments or machines to be manipulated by their leaders. Under scientific management theory the function of a leader was to establish and enforce performance criteria to meet organizational goals; therefore, the focus of a leader was not on the individual worker but was on the needs of the organization. Emerging theorists encouraged leaders to recognize that humans were not machines and could not be treated as such. During mid-1940s, a post bureaucratic shift moved everyone taking responsibility for the organizations success or failure (HeckscherDonnellon, 1994). Researchers started to examine the relationship between the leader behaviour and the other outcomes such as follower satisfaction level, organizational productivity and profitability. According to Griffin and Moorhead (2011),two of the first behavioural approaches to leadership were the Michigan and Ohio state studies which were conducted during 1940s and 1950s.The results of the Michigan studies suggested that there are two fundamental types of leader behaviour, job -centered and employee-centered which were presumed to be at opposite ends of a single continuum. The Ohio State studies also found two similar kinds of leadership behaviour consideration and initiating structure but this research suggested that these two types of behaviour were actually independent dimensions. These characteristics could be either high or low and were independent of one another. A new theory of organizations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied (Stone et al. 2005). Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs says that once a workers physiological, security, and social (intrinsic) needs were met, productivity would only be possible if the employees ego and self-actualizing (extrinsic) needs were also met. During 1950s and 1960s, the behavioural theories came into existence. According to Bass (1990), Theorists began to consider behavioural concepts in their analysis of organizational leadership and focused to understand the relationship between a leaders actions and the followers satisfaction and productivity. Barnard was involved in including behavioural components and his work focused on the behavioural components analysis of organizational leadership.Barnard claimed that leadership involves accomplishing goals with and through people (Bass, 1990). Subsequently, the goal of effective leadership was evolving and was moving away from classical and scientific management theories that treated workers as machines. According to (Johnson et al, 1996, p. 100), the real power centers within an organization were the interpersonal relationships that developed among working groups. Based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied, a new theory of leadership began to emerge. McGregor (1960) work was closely linked to behavioural theorists, providing a foundation for the future emergence of transformational leadership. McGregor Theory Y says that individuals do not essentially dislike work and, under certain conditions, work could actually be a source of great satisfaction (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Theory Y assumed that individuals would employ self-direction and self-control, accepting and seeking responsibility (Pugh Hickson, 1993).During 1960s, researchers acknowledged that leaders did more than simply act they often had to react to specific situations, and thus, the situational/contingency theory of leadership evolved (Stone et al., 2005). However, in an appa rent return to the one best way of leadership, recent studies on leadership have contrasted transactional leadership with transformational leadership. According to Cummings and Schwab (1973), Leadership is perhaps the most investigated organisational variable that has a potential impact on employee performance. For the strength of an organization job satisfaction plays a vital role which has significant effect on employee performance.Walumba Hartnell (2011) suggests that the word performance is used to pass on the individual aptitude to be inspired, stirring, pioneering and to determinant to achieving the goals on an organization. Bass (1990) and Burns (1978) suggest that strong leaders outperform weak leaders, and that transformational leadership generates higher performance than transactional leadership. The researcher aim is to discuss whether the transformational leadership does really stimulate the employees for higher performance. From this we can conclude that transformational leadership stimulate higher performance. Cummings and Schwab (1973) suggest that in order for an organisation to perform an individual must set aside his personal goals, at least in part, to strive for the collective goals of the organisation. Employees are of paramount importance to the achievement of any organisation and hence effective leadership enables greater participation of the entire workforce, and can also influence both individual and organisational performance (Bass, 1997; Mullins, 1999). For an effective organisation, there must be effective and stimulating relations between the people involved in the organisation (Paulus et al. 1996). It is generally accepted that the effectiveness of people is largely dependent on the quality of its leadership and hence effective leader behaviour facilitates the attainment of the followers desires, which results in effective performance (Fiedler and House, 1988).Previous study results shows that there is a positive relation between satisfied employees and organization, as the performance of the satisfied employees are more productive for the organization then less satisfied employees (Ostroff,1992).Leadership is connected with employee performance (Ogbonna Harris 2000). The main idea of every organization is to enhance employee performance. Howell, Merenda (1999) Goodwin (2001) suggested that transformational leadership plays an imperative role in increasing job satisfaction as well as role play to achieve organizations goal and employees acts. Transformational leadership correlated with subordinate skills with work worth to assess employees performance as stated by Walumbwa, Avolio Zhu (2008). According to Ozaralli (2002), Organisations increase employees performance by giving empowerment to their team members. Researchers have studied that the employee performance is increased under the extraverted leadership when employees are passive and the result will be opposite if employees are proactive (Grant, Gino Hofmann, 2011). Researchers have also studied the employees performance with variety of variables. Opren (1986) observed that, satisfied employees not only be the cause of increasing employee performance but also they dont think to leave organization. Su, Baird and Blair (2009) feels, the level of productivity will be high when the employees are satisfied. According to Biswas (2009), the supporting style of manager also plays incredible role for increasing employees performance. Transformational leadership originated from charismatic leadership. House (1977) suggests that the personal characteristics of the charismatic leader include a high degree of self-confidence, strong moral convictions, and a tendency to influence others as well as engaging in impression management behaviours to boost trust and confidence in the leader. Furthermore, the articulation of a mission, setting challenging goals, and arousing motives are also important. Burns (1978) was the first person who identified the concept of transformational leadership. He suggested that transformational leadership is observed when leaders encourage followers to boost up the level of their motivation, morals, beliefs, perceptions, and coalition with the objectives of the organization. Bass (1985) proposed a new theory of transformational leadership and outlined its components. Transformational leadership engages followers by appealing to their upper level needs and ideas that yield higher levels of fo llower satisfaction and performance (Bass, 1985; Bryman, 1992).According to Schepers et al. (2005), transformational leaders allow employees to think creatively and analyse the problem from numerous angles and explore new and better solutions of the problem. Gill et al. (2006) suggested that organizations can reduce job stress and burn out by applying transformational leadership. Transformational leadership focuses on more sensitive side of organizational interactions like vision, culture, values, development, teamwork, and service (Fairholm, 2001).Bass (1998) claims that by emphasizing the symbolic and expressive aspects of task goal efforts and the important values involved, the transformational leader makes the difference. There are three mechanisms in Transformational Leadership: Leaders give values to their subordinates, motivate their subordinates and persuade in mounting or varying followers needs (William, Richards, Steers James, 1995).Transformational leadership is comprised of four central components. Bass (1985) suggests that Charisma is the key component of transformational leadership and it generates profound emotional connection between the leader and follower. According to Bass Avolio (1990) Charisma is operational through vision where the charismatic leader earns the respect and trust of followers, which leads to the acceptance of challengin g goals. The second transformational component is inspiration where leaders provides followers with challenges and meaning for engaging in shared goals and undertakings (Bass Avolio, 1990).Another major component of transformational leadership is individualized consideration, the leader first identifies the individual needs and abilities of followers and then mentors and coaches them, and also uses delegation (Bass Avolio, 1990). The final transformational component is intellectual stimulation, the leader helps followers to think on their own and analyse problems from their personal perspectives, encourages creativity, innovation, and challenge conventional wisdom (Bass Avolio, 1990). Most of the researchers had associated transformational leadership with employees performance and job satisfaction and argued that transformational leadership can be the best predictor of employee performance (Raja Palanichamy,2011).Transformational culture boosts both the organization and the employees performance without enforcing extra burden (Schlotz, 2009). Prior researcher has demonstrated that followers who work under transformational leaders are motivated and committed which facilitates their satisfaction with jobs (Givens, 2008). Masi cook (2000) believed that transformational leadership style is only the factor of increasing employee productivity.However,Parry Thomson ( 2002) claimed that it is important to adopt the appropriate leadership style for the success of an organization and examining, praising and assessing a leader do not truly assures the followers honesty in this case transformational leadership becomes inapplicable. According to Kuhnert Lewis (1987), transactional leadership is an exchange between followers and leaders desired outcomes by fulfilling the leaders interest and followers expectations, which involves promises or commitments embedded by respect and trust. Bass (2000) suggested that effective leaders accommodate the interests of their subordinates by giving contingent incentives, honour and promises for those who auspiciously succeeded in fulfilling the commitments of the leaders or the organization. On the other hand, Bryman (1992) argues that transactional leadership behaviours do not even qualify for a true leadership label because of the fact that the leader and follower agree, explicitly or implicitly, that desired follower behaviours will be rewarded, while undesirable behaviours will draw out punishment. He states that since it is based on exchange, transactional leadership does not seek to motivate followers. Bass (1985) and Burns (1978) suggest that total reliance on this lea dership style may cause performance and satisfaction to suffer. As modelled by Bass, transactional leadership is comprised of two fundamental dimensions: contingent reward and management-by-exception. Contingent reward takes place when the leader provides rewards if followers perform in accordance with the contractor expend the necessary effort. In Management-by-Exception, the leader takes action only when major deviations from plans are evident. Unlike Burns (1978), Bass (1985) insists that, to be effective, leaders need to demonstrate features of both transactional and transformational leadership. HowellMerenda (1999) conducted their research on transactional and leadership in forecasting employees performance and concluded that transactional leadership style is a positive predictor of followers performance. Gadot (2007) claimed that the transactional leadership style is weakly associated with performance. Ponce et al. (2006) Indicated that there is a dominance of the transactional leadership style over transformational style. Halpin et al (2006) suggested that leadership behaviours and team performance outcomes revealed that transactional leadership behaviour is significantly related to team performance. According to Jung et al. (1999), to make transactional leadership more effective, appropriate usage of contingent reward is an important feedback to assemble expectations with followers in term of their performance. Janssen Yperen (2004) acknowledged that transactional leadership assists the efficiency by enhancing innovative job performance and job satisfaction. From this we can conclude that some authors believe that transactional leadership stimulates higher performance and some believe that it is weakly associated with performance. Empirical evidence tends to support the view that leaders will maximize their effectiveness when they exhibit both transformational and transactional behaviours (Avolio et al, 1988; Bass Yammarino, 1989).Bass and Avolio (1994) and Ristow (1998) conducted research in different environments and found that transformational leadership has a positive influence on employee performance, and therefore organisational performance. Research conducted by Pruijn and Boucher (1994) showed that transformational leadership is an extension of transactional leadership (Bass, 1997).Bass and Avolio (1994) stated that the difference between these two models is that followers of transformational leadership exhibit performance which is beyond expectations, while transactional leadership, at best, leads to expected performance .Ristow (1998) suggested that transactional leaders were effective in markets which were continually growing and where there was little or no competition, but this is not the case in the markets of today, where competition is fierce and resources are scarce. Brand et al. (2000) has clearly shown that transformational leaders are more effective than transactional leaders. Brand et al. (2000) showed the evidence gathered in South African retail and manufacturing sectors, and also in the armed forces of the United States, Canada and Germany, points towards the marginal impact transactional leaders have on the performance of their followers in contrast to the strong, positive effects of transformational leaders .This research has been further supported by research conducted by Ristow, et al. (1999), according to which there was a positive relationship between certain styles of leadership and organisational effectiveness within the administration of South Africa cricket. Bass and Avolio (1997) conducted research on the topic of transformational and transactional leadership, an appropriate instrument was identified, called the MLQ(Multi factor leadership questionnaire ).The questionnaire contains statements that identify and measure the key aspects of leadership behaviour, and each statement in the questionnaire relates to either transactional, transformational or non-transactional leadership factors. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Type of Research Design The type of research design that will be used in this study is quantitative research design, survey method. The present study is quantitative in nature because I will use quantitative data which is collected through questionnaire. Then the first step of my study will be to make worth by the validity by as its focus using positivism approach. Positivism paradigm will be used in this study is on understanding the ideology of multiple participants in their locations and work place. The survey design is chosen because it provides a quantitative description of trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population by studying a sample of that population. So that, it can best show the level of relation between leadership styles and employees performance. Sampling technique and measures The level of leadership qualities possessed by project managers/team leaders and the subordinates in XXXXX Company will be determined by the questionnaires distributed to a random sample of employees. Hence project managers/team leaders as well as their subordinates will be the participants of the study. Questionnaires will be distributed to a sample population of 50.All the questions are close-ended and are measured using Likerts Five Point scaling ranging from 1 (Never) to 5 (Always). The advantage of using close ended questions is that the results can be presented in the form of statistics and answers can be pre-coded so that the responses can be fed into a computer. Pilot survey has been conducted to check if there any problem in the questionnaire before the real investigation and the final version of the questionnaire has been set up. The transformational leadership is measured by the following components Idealized attributes, idealized behaviour, intellectual simulation, confi dence, individual consideration and inspirational motivation. The transactional leadership is measured by the following components contingent reward and management by exception (active). The performances measured that are included in this study are extra effort, effectiveness and satisfaction. Data Collection Instruments, Variables and Materials As a primary data collection instrument questionnaires will be distributed to a random sample of employees. The questionnaire is adapted from Multi factor Leadership Questionnaire; commonly called MLQ, developed by Bass Avolio (1990). The study will also make use of secondary sources of data such as relevant books in leadership and related areas. The data will be analysed with the help of descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis to find out the most relevant leadership styles and relationship of these leadership styles with the selected outcomes such as extra effort, effectiveness and satisfaction. According to my opinion, the MLQ holds well in studying leadership behaviour. Previous research shows that to study the leadership behaviours most of the researchers have adopted MLQ.The MLQ is valid and reliable and has been used extensively worldwide (Bass and Avolio, 1997; Whitelaw, 2001). It has proven to be a strong predictor of leader performance across a broad range of organisations (Bass and Avolio, 1997).The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (self-rated) is used to get evaluation of leadership behaviour and organizational effectiveness (Bass and Avolio, 2000). The MLQ is a questionnaire describing behaviour and employees performance outcomes, each rated on 5 point scale. It measure transformational, transactional leadership and employees performance outcomes like satisfaction, effectiveness and extra effort. The previous researchers have used MLQ which consists of two versions, one for the leader to complete, and one for the raters of the leaders to complete. The leaders complete a questionnaire describing their own leadership style, whilst the raters complete a questionnaire regarding the leadership style of their specific leader. These two versions consist of exactly the same statements, except that they are written from different perspectives. These two versions are known as the leader version and rater version respectively. I would be following the same approach. Reliability and validity are the statistical criteria used to assess whether the research provides a good measure (Whitelaw, 2001).The MLQ has been tested for reliability and validity in a number of settings (Pruijnand Boucher, 1994). The MLQ (Bass Avolio 2000) is one of the widely primary instruments used and accepted to measure transformational and transactional leadership styles.MLQ has gone through many revisions to strengthen its reliability and validity. Also more than 200 doctoral dissertations and master thesis have used the MLQ (Bass Avolio 2000). After collecting the data from the participants then SPSS software will be used for the data analysis. After recording the data into SPSS software, Descriptive statistic will be used to get the overall summary of the variables. In the table of descriptive statistic, the values of mean, Standard deviation and also the maximum and minimum values are obtained for leadership and performance variables which would define the response rate of the respondent. Descriptive statistical analyses will be performed to measure general demographic characteristics of the sample including age, gender, and years of tenure with the company. These analyses are unrelated to research questions or hypotheses but they are discretionary and exploratory in nature. The researcher believes that some of this demographic information may be useful and if any of the data proves interesting or significant in any way it may be an area for future research but it is not the focus of this study. Secondly, total scores wi ll be analyzed. Finally to test the hypotheses framed for the relationship between dependent and independent variables and to check the value that how much change comes in dependent variable due to independent variable, multiple regression analysis will be used.

Normality in Subcultures :: Sociology Sociological Papers

Normality in Subcultures My family's subculture in a larger subculture Once you are born, you become a part of a larger group. You will grow up starting at a point in your parent's life and then over time they or even you will change the direction of your families subculture in whatever country you all live in. In America, People strive for the best. Not all get it, but somehow or someone will push that family into a situation where they can move up in the world. Over the years America has came to a point where most jobs pay well and mostly anyone can be considered a middle class resident. In America this is considered normal to the general public. Being normal and striving to be normal is the focus most people try to reach within their lifetimes. Normality is a subculture in itself. My family wasn't always an upper middle class family. Starting with my grandparents, my mom's mother named Bonnie Langdon. She lived in what is a now West Bloomfield in Oakland county Michigan. She was a sister to 9 siblings and she attended a One-room schoolhouse. Bonnie's mother Betty Worked in the post office for 30 year and her father Harry drove an oil truck for about the same amount of years. They were mostly lower class but they did manage to get themselves more towards the middle class. Over the years bonnie my grandmother graduated from high school and started to work for Pontiac motor, which moved Bonnie up tom middle class. She met my grandfather Names Fred shortly after and married. My grandfather grew up in Redford Michigan with 3 other siblings. His mom was named Pearl and his father was named Fred. His mom was from Canada who liked to hold old traditions such as eating soft-boiled eggs and drinking tea for breakfast. My mother remembers That Pearl would make her eat them each time she came over and she hated them. Pearl was a housewife and his dad worked as a carpenter. His dad Fed worked with Henry ford the man. His father was the personal Carpenter for Henry ford. Over the years my grandfather graduated from High school in Redford and started to work for the Oakland county Road commission. Over the years Bonnie and Fred had a higher class than there parents and they became the norm in the family. After Bonnie Langdon and Fred wood met they married and had one daughter names Janet, my mother.

Chechen Refugee Camps and Education Essay

The creation of schools is one of the leading ways to produce hope and stability in refugee camps. Many would love to go to school because, currently they have no other option, but to teach themselves. Refugees can recall having great memories of their past school experiences, which they use as motivation to continue to learn. On account of my involvement with a refugee relief organization, I have been assigned the job of creating schools in the Chechen refugee camps of Chechnya. The primary means of survival and daily focus for these refugees have been through humanitarian aid. That assistance is made up of shelter, clothing, food, and basic necessities. Securing those fundamental desiderata for the camps has been a priority for continued existence. The steps for prosperous implementation of an education program are presented and discussed. When we look at successful communities, countries and cultivation, training is a key component to meet the immediate needs of its members and plan for long term sustainability and emergence for hereafter generations. According to Yusupov (2012), â€Å"when lack of educational opportunities comes into play, the very heart and foundation of communities begins to crumble and the ability to nurture and feed its residents is seriously at risk†(p.1). Everyone has the ambition and potential to become better, but without an education at what point can they start. Three Topics I Would Like to Better Understand Before Beginning the Project The final objective of the Chechens is to return to their country and homes day. It would be wise for the Russians and Chechens to make sure that everyone within the camp is very well educated so that they can be effective once they return home. It is important for the Chechens to be able to support their families, and that their children grow up educated, productive community citizens without the threat of future displacement to refugee  camps. The development of an education system in the refugee camps is an impressive yet intimidating task. For that reason, the three things that I would like to understand before obligating me to this project are: 1) How long are the refugee camps offered as a necessary placement for the Chechens to be located in, 2) How and when can I start compiling data on the education levels of all the refugees within the camp on the different subjects of reading, writing and math, 3) How would I start to find out the mental health problems of those due to the traumatic change in environment and lose of identity, 4) I would have to find suitable teachers, buildings, and who will be funding the program. Hopefully, there are suitable buildings because this will be another expense we would have to look at for funding purposes. Having a psychologist within the school would also help tremendously because many students need the counseling. All of these items are needed in order to get things in order for the start of the project. Of course, there will be other things that I would like to better understand, but those will come up in the progress of the work. Ethnocentric Challenges That May Arise When Planning the Project There have been ongoing and unresolved issues among the Russians and Chechens for many years. According to DeWaal (2002), â€Å"Russians believe that Islam has maintained a stronghold in Chechnya communities for many years†(p.1). The fighting has coerced Chechens into refugee camps, while trying to hold onto their cultures, traditions, and customs while surviving in very dif ficult conditions. With their surroundings already so violent and each group is trying to maintain their way of living, it creates frictions and ethnocentricity ways may arise. Culturally, it is known that Chechens is very ethnocentric. One of the ethnocentric challenges that I may encounter while planning the project is the attitudes of the Russians being so high because of the Chechens ethnocentrism. With all the work that I would have to do, am I able to give the dreams and desires to the consumers of the project. Is ethnocentrism such a challenge that it may inhibit the development of positive relationships between the Chechens and Russians to the point that the project would be in peril? With the school being such a positive influence in their community, I would have high hopes that they would agree to disagree and come to and understanding among each other. Many of the Chechens would be so happy that they have a place to call home they would  not worry about the animosity, but the Russians probably would not let down their guard to reconcile. Discussion of Types of Questions a Researcher Would Ask As the implementation plan for the development of an educational system in Chechen refugee camps begins to formulate, the types of questions I would ask are: 1) For both the parents and children, what are your dreams and desires for when you return home, 2) What subjects in school do you like the most and which do you like the least, 3) For project design, given the large numbers of refugees in camps, what is the most strategic way to design, implement and sustain an educational system, 4) Have attempts been made in the past to develop an educational system and, if so, what kept them from happening and becoming successful. Sukarieh and Tannock state that a large number of researchers and social service people visit the refugee camps, interviewed the residents, and rarely follow through on promises made (Sukarieh & Tannock, 2012). Finally, it is a key element to secure data and information related to the levels of trauma and psychological stress of the children in the refugee camps in order to assess readiness for education, exams, and ability to learn. There have been both short and long term impact of trauma on refugee children, and the mental health of children in refugee camps (Rosseau, Measham, Nadeau, 2012). These same authors found that schools can be an impetus for change and partner in the psychological healing of traumatized children in refugee camps; assisting in the detection of mental health issues because parents and other family members trust schools and teachers enough to disclose that type of personal information with them. Conclusion Sensitive introductory work must take place before the preliminary plan can be devised to develop, implement, and maintain an educational system in Chechen refugee camps. Many refugee residents have experienced a lack of educational opportunities for months or even years since their schools were destroyed by bombings and shelling’s over the course of the two wars. Preparing the camp citizens for the educational experience, and revitalizing or developing the skill sets necessary for school success, will be a major aspect of the preliminary work of project development. Promises have been  made and broken related to the possibility of bringing formal education to the refugee camps, bringing disappointment and sadness to the lives of young children and parents alike. Camp residents are wary of any similar plans, but are welcoming and anxious to have education available for anyone who desires to participate. It is necessary to know more about the promises made and broken by camp visitors, in order to begin to build trust and confidence that I can execute this plan for the refugees. Becoming immersed in the daily life, schedules and activities of the refugee camp residents will begin to build trust, and afford opportunities for discussion and gathering of data. At that time, it will be critical to engage key refugee camp leaders in the discussion, planning and development of the camps so they begin to take ownership in the project and create the impetus for hope and stability amongst the refugees. Accomplishing all these goals would allow my project to become a success and give Chechens refugee camps the ability to learn and become successful. References De Waal, T. (2002). Greetings from Gozny. Fighting for Chechnya: Is Islam a factor? Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/greetings-from-grozny/fighting-for-chechnya-is-islam-a-factor/3078/ Rousseau, C., Measham, T., & Nadeau, L. (2012). Addressing trauma in collaborative mental health care for refugee children. Retrieved from http://ccp.sagepub.com/content/18/1/121 Sukarieh, M. & Tannock, S. (2012). On the problem of over-researched communities: The case of the Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon. Retrieved from http://soc.sagepub.com/content/47/3/494 Yusupov, M. (2012). The social situation in the Chechen Republic: Problems and trends. Retrieved from http://www.saferworld.org.uk/downloads/

Surveillance and Social Control †Criminal Justice Research Paper

Surveillance and Social Control – Criminal Justice Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Surveillance and Social Control Criminal Justice Research Paper The most challenging change in our society since September 11th might be the affect increased surveillance has on our society. The government has long been a proponent of increased supervision and lenient regulations. Given our recent history, the support for such actions has been supported by multiple agencies and the nation’s citizens. Learning from their peers, the government has spent numerous resources to gauge the benefits of CCTV systems. Expanded systems have been used in England and show positive results towards controlling criminal acts. Aided by enthusiasm since September 11th, many private companies have geared themselves towards creation of the next phase of identification tools. In a somewhat separate arena, the military is a continued example of how increased surveillance can aid our country. Surveillance and Social Control Introduction The world of surveillance is changing daily and since the September 11th attacks, our nation, as well as the world, has seen drastic change. September 11th extinguished the comfort and trust we so thoroughly enjoy and replaced it with a nervous fear. In response, nations, governments, companies and private citizens have opened themselves to more surveillance by third parties. Closed Caption Television (CCTV) is thriving in Europe where they use biometric recognition to monitor public venues. Even the City of London uses a CCTV system integrated with facial recognition software to identify every person who enters the city limits. These ideas have spread to America and during the 2001 Superbowl the City of Tampa used face recognition software to scan every fan attending the game. Most specifically, CCTV offers the greatest possibility of increased social control in the future. Aiding this approach, numerous private companies are jumping at the chance to provide surveillance equi pment to the government and investigation businesses. Technology is reach new levels and the depth to which we may be observed is increasing daily. From a different perspective, the entire groundwork for the military is based on a system implementing greater forms of control than what the average citizen faces. However, this might be a very valuable form of social control necessary for our nations defense. Over the last two years, our nation has seen a flurry of changes regarding surveillance and the effects it has on social control. The government no longer faces the staunch opposition from civil rights groups when they try to increase â€Å"Big Brother’s† reach. For now, too many big players, to include Congress, the Office of Homeland Defense and average citizens, are demanding more scrutiny to safeguard our nation. They insist that the government prevents another September 11th from happening. And the results are widespread. Colorado is in the midst of scanning every driver license into a database to match against criminal mug shots. Biometrics, data that vectors personal features such as nose shape, cheek angle and eye positioning, is becoming ever more popular. Currently, the company that brought biometrics to Tampa in 2001, Viisage, has one-third of the market for digital drivers license photos and supports its database with software able to scan 50 million faces per second. Still, that is just the tip of the iceberg because iris scans, fingerprint verification and national identity cards are all being considered. As much as this may seem appropriate to protect our national security, they also open the door to potential abuse. Systems like these, when integrated might someday allow the government to ascertain the whereabouts of any citizen at any time. Even though The Fourth and Fifth Amendments might seem overlookable given our recent history, our current trend challenges the most sacred aspects of our democracy. Regulations have long governed more obvious surveillance methods like wiretapping and illegal searches but are overdue when it comes to addressing these new techniques. Our new course is littered with seemingly less intrusive technologies that have great potential to be taken advantage of. Closed Caption Television (CCTV) Most popular in Britain but gaining considerable interest in the United State is CCTV. In Britain, it receives more funding than any other non-criminal justice prevention technique to the tune of $250 million spent from 1999 to 2001. As noted by Doctors Brandon C. Welsh and David P Rarrington in their CCTV research, there are three distinct results possible from widespread use of CCTV (2003). To begin with, crime rates may lower because criminals are deterred by their increased surveillance. Regardless of actual observation, the threat of a watchful â€Å"eye† is often enough to deter criminal acts. On the other hand, crime might increase because CCTV could provide a false sense of security to innocent civilians and make them more likely to enter a criminal area. The fact that an illegal act is occurring does not always translate to a response from the CCTV operators or more importantly, the police. Thirdly, use of this system may cause crime to move elsewhere and thus fail to achieve any objectives at all. Simply moving crime from one area to another is not worth the cost to our taxpayers. CCTV creates â€Å"the power to watch and potentially intervene in a variety of situations, whether they be criminal or not† (Norris, 1997). Despite the United Kingdom’s complete submersion into CCTV systems, the results are not entirely promising. A study done by Clive Norris in England examined nearly 900 targeted surveillances over 600 hours using CCTV. The research targeted three distinctly different sites to include a bustling metropolitan city (population: 500,000), a market square in a mid-sized town (pop: 200,000) and a poor inner city borough (pop: 250,000). To further break down the data, Norris established four main objectives of the study: Who is surveyed and why and how this is socially differentiated The shared working rules developed by operators to determine who and what is surveyed The outcome of targeted surveillance and whether it resulted in authoritative intervention The vision of future CCTV Few surveillance guidelines were present at the time of the study, so operators were left to make their own decisions about who to monitor. This undoubtedly led to human bias and interpretation as key focus factors. Results support this conclusion in that the majority of targets were men, particularly if they were young or black (Norris, 1997). Men represented 90% of the observed while black persons were one and a half to two times as likely to be observed as compared to their percentage in the population. Still, the most startling statistic might be that 40% of all individuals surveyed were watched for no apparent reason at all. This resulted largely from categorical suspicion where people were monitored simply because of their social or cultural group. It appeared that there were seven major working rules shared by the operators in this study. However, these shaky guidelines seemed to stem directly from the stereotypical assumptions used to determine who would be observed. The majority of operators showed negative attitudes towards young black males, individuals who simply appeared to be deviant, those that loitered without any distinguishable motive, drunks, beggars, the homeless, street traders and those that seemed to be â€Å"out of time and out of place† (Norris, 1997). Even persons who showed signs of unease or misdirection were subjected to more scrutiny. These methods seem transferable to our society and question our basic right of privacy. If we are watched simply because we are lost or new to our surroundings, our behaviors are bound to change. The outcomes of the study reveal how few arrests actually resulted from the 881 monitored events. Only forty-five situations resulted in police deployments. Additionally, the majority of these events occurred in the metropolitan city and mid-sized town with only three arrests in the borough. The lack of police intervention was attributed to a disconnect between operators and police and a lack of concrete evidence. While many suspicious activities were observed, police involvement would not have stood up in court. Another factor that limited the filing of criminal charges was police discretion to resolve the situation right there. Often, regardless of what was caught on tape, officers would arrive post-incident and provide a remedy without arresting anyone. On the other hand, the cameras provided a valuable resource and created a form of net widening when it came to fights. Prior to use of CCTV, police responding to a fight would arrive post-incident and have little informatio n to further their investigation. In the present system, police response time would little matter for they could rely on the video to provide the necessary information. During the study, this often resulted in more arrests for fights occurring in the past. â€Å"The gaze of the cameras does not fall equally on all users of the street but on those who are stereotypical predefined as potentially deviant, or through appearance and demeanor, are singled out by operators as unrespectable† (Norris, 1997). With continued use of CCTV, officer stigmatization will only increase towards those meeting predisposed characteristics. Social control is entering a new phase where those individuals who already suffer from increased surveillance will be subjected to even more scrutiny. Revealing how this might affect us all, police reactions showed how misguided this new form of surveillance might be. During operator-initiated deployments, officers often release those that failed to create any truly dangerous situation, despite what the CCTV operators saw. They often found that what was seen on the camera was not as drastic as previously thought and forwent any further actions. The greatest affect of CCTV might be the change in behavior of th ose in the metropolitan city. The majority of arrests occurred here and the simple threat of police intervention may create a trend toward conformity for the late night dwellers. In fact, the episodes involving the innocents mentioned above will undoubtedly have an affect on their behavior. Research Data Three very specific studies were done by Doctors Welsh and Farrington that show how drastically CCTV affects social control. During their research, they used destinations with newer CCTV systems as experimental areas and similar adjacent areas without CCTV as control groups. Their first area studied was a town center fashioned with 63 cameras and various reporting options. After two years of observation, crime in the experimental area had decreased 21.3%. However, during that same time period, crime increased 11.9% in neighboring control areas. After detailed research targeted at the increase in crime, it was concluded that the results were independent. In their next study, thirteen subway stations were installed with CCTV and observed for eighteen months. The results were very positive with reported crime down 20% in the experimental groups and 18.3% in the 52 control stations. The only crime that did not decrease in the control group was assault. Their final study occurred in two parking lots on a college campus. Both lots had their bushes trimmed back and improved lighting but only one received a CCTV system. After ten months, crime had decreased by 73.3% in the experimental group and almost entire disappeared (93.8%) in the control group. These studies very blatantly show how CCTV can affect people’s behavior. Each group showed very positive affects from CCTV with only one case having a negative affect on the control group. In her article, Surveillance, Privacy and the Military, Emily Merz sums up the results of this study effectively with â€Å"Surveillance functions to monitor and observe groups for the purpose s of order, power and social control† (Merz, 2002). The police desired to change behaviors and implemented a surveillance system- the result was a noticeable change in criminal behavior. Technology â€Å"Surveillance is not inherently sinister or malign. But the focused attention to persons and population with a view to influencing, managing or controlling them – that we call ‘surveillance’ – is never innocent either† (Lyon 2002). Feeding into CCTV and taking hold in other venues are changes in surveillance technology. The demand for diverse surveillance techniques has skyrocketed since September 11th and companies can’t keep up with the demand. While use of CCTV in police interrogation rooms likely encourages fair treatment of suspects, it is extended use of this system that threatens our civil rights. Furthering this threat are advances in computer technology, internet monitoring and financial tracking. Iris scanners, fingerprint identification and cameras on downtown streets are just the beginning of this new surveillance era. Still, the need for increased surveillance is very apparent; however concentrating on these areas wit hout knowledge of possible results is a precarious situation. Specific government entities have entered a new period of surveillance where their means of observation are widespread. Computer technology is creating the most opportunities as the number of people using the internet increases daily. Not entirely new but gaining more and more leeway is CARNIVORE, the internet surveillance program used by the FBI. This system allows the FBI to intercept a wide variety of international information and even monitor all the internet activity of a single person. New additions to this software are PACKETEER and COOLMINER. They would allow the government to decipher encrypted messages and extrapolate data found in emails. Even more obtrusive technology may take hold with the government supported Next Generation Internet Protocol, IPv6. This software aims to provide more secure e-commerce and advanced security measures but includes progressive surveillance methods. If the â€Å"master keys† or backdoors are made available to the government, a ny interaction with the internet could be observed by Big Brother. This would allow access to financial information, transaction histories and money flow. Directly influencing this trend is the continued intelligence sharing between the UK and the US. Dating back to WWII, The United States Sigint System (USSS) has been collaborating with the United Kingdom to monitor worldwide communication mediums. On the civilian front, numerous companies have jumped at the chance to provide integrated surveillance systems. Most notably, â€Å"Larry Ellison, president of the Silicon Valley Company Oracle, offered the US government free smart card software for a national ID system† (Lyon, 2002). Michael Cherkasky, president of the security firm Kroll, has suggested that every American be given a national ID card that would allow the government to determine who and where they are at any time. A coordinated effort between government and private organizations occurred after September 11th when â€Å"supermarkets, hotels, traffic control points, credit card transactions and so on – were used to trace the activities of the ‘terrorists’† (Lyon, 2002). Advanced Biometrics Incorporated (ABI) is the leader in hand geometry devices which measure the internal human hand structure to identify persons. This technology is even being explored to prevent unauthorized use of handguns. However revolutionary these tactics may seem, unseen factors have provided undesired results; thus, new technology may not impart the intended control factors. Social Control in the Military To consider another direction, maybe surveillance is not such a bad form of social control for some individuals. Used in the military, applicants sacrifice numerous privacies before they even join the armed forces. Before one can enlist, the following histories must be submitted: drug, medical, crime, driving and financial. And that is just the beginning, for daily life in the military brings about a whole new set of rules. Every time you enter or leave certain buildings, you have to swipe a badge noting your presence. Whenever you want to use a computer, you have to log on and consent to being monitored. Likewise, all phones have the capability of being monitored. Even the basic infrastructure of the military encourages surveillance. Your doctor and dentist are part of the military, the financial office that handles every pay transaction is military, you shop on base, you get your haircut on base, you buy your alcohol on base and all your neighbors are military. If you have a weight problem, alcohol problem, tobacco addiction, driving incident or spouse trouble, your boss knows about it. You must submit an HIV test every two years and any other medical abnormalities can be brought to your boss and affect what career path. Work is very exposed in that you understand everyone there is watching and holds you to a higher set of standards. However, as naked and barren as that might seem, it is often a very helping and understanding community. There is a wide variety of individuals who, through one way or another, become aware of your situation; yet, the majority of them are there to help you- in fact, it is their job to help you. There are few aspects of a military life not governed in one way or another. One military member quotes it as a â€Å"voluntary subordination of one’s own interests to those of the state† (Neill, 2000). Still, this is a required sacrifice because of the uniqueness of the military mission. These individuals must submit to various forms of control to be a part of such an organization. We as a nation rely on fast acting soldiers who follow orders and perform their duties to the best of their abilities. We cannot leave National Defense to someone who can’t pay their bills, we don’t want some overweight 40 year old chasing down the enemy and we won’t trust a $30 million plane to some person who has a DUI. The needs of the military are often used as grounds for sacrificing personal human rights, including privacy. The military members must submit to some form of advanced control to complete this mission. Another military aspect that is very different from the civilian world is the Judge Advocate General (JAG) and the military legal process. Both the Supreme Court and the JAG realize civilian courts are ill suited to address the disciplinary needs required by the military. Our armed forces have their own set of rules they live by and these courts often pass judgment on life decisions usually protected as personal decisions. Military courts are granted additional powers allowing punishment and discipline suited to meet their needs. Regardless of the reasons, all military members realize a loss of personal control in some form or another and submit to a military, if not social, form of control. One incident that validates increased military surveillance could be the Guantanamo Bay espionage case against an army chaplin. If this soldier truly provided protected information†¦ Conclusions In 1983, the Supreme Court held in Kolender v. Lawson that the government could not require citizens to provide â€Å"credible and reliable† identification if they had committed no crime other than looking suspicious. However, the systems our nation is considering would allow such identification to occur against anyone. The Governments pursuit of newer, more efficient technology and the eager contributes of private organizations has opened the surveillance flood gates. Even though these methods are validated by September 11th and other crimes across the country, the results may affect us all. The ‘eye’ shows little discernment and its affects will influence everyone’s behaviors. As America evaluates the benefits of CCTV and considers its own widespread use, we must examine how it has affected the UK. The most obvious example is the use of CCTV in England where case studies illustrated how effectively behaviors changed. Whether or not a site was actua lly monitored by cameras, crime decreased. Despite these positive outcomes, we are faced with a blanket of observation that will undoubtedly affect us all. As the average criminal noticed the presence of cameras in some areas and assumed an overall presence, so would the average citizen. Not knowing who was behind the cameras creates a situation where everyone is bound to change their behavior. And with discussions about wider levels of integration, this formal control technique will change the way we lead our lives. As stated, more progressive technologies are being pursued from a variety of angles. Most notably, governments around the world are stepping up research into surveillance methods. This situation is only compounded by the growing number of businesses exploring cutting-edge surveillance techniques. We now have funding for research and development from multiple levels leading us into uncharted territory. It appears, at our current pace, there will be few if any facets of our lives free from surveillance. The ramifications of this interest will limit people from making decision without first considering what penalties may be levied against them. However, forms of social control such as this are not all bad. As shown in the military discussion, our nation needs higher levels of surveillance to protect our national security. In fact, without this increased supervision for our military personnel, our nation might not be the superpower it is today. Still, I would maintain that our c urrent attitudes expose us to many reckless situations. Surveillance has its place but it does not belong in every aspect of our daily lives. Without the freedom emphasized by our Constitution our society would begin to resemble a Communist society. References Barber, Grayson. (2001). Anonymity and Surveillance in New Jersey. Retrieved on December 1, 2003 from http://graysonbarber.com/pdf/Anonymity%20and%20Surveillance.pdf Barr, R. and Pease, K. (1990). Crime placement, displacement, and deflection. In M. Tonry and N. Morris (Eds.), Crime and Justice: A Review of Research: Vol. 12 (pp. 277-318). Chicago:University of Chicago Press. Blomberg, Thomas G., Cohen, Stanley. (1995). Punishment and Social Control. Hawthorne, New York: Aldine De Gruyter. Campbell, Duncan. (1999, October). Development of Surveillance Technology and Risk of Abuse of Economic Information. Retrieved December 8, 2003, from europarl.eu.int/stoa/publi/pdf/98-14-01-2_en.pdf Clarke, R.V. (1995). Situational crime prevention. In M. Tonry and D.P. Farrington (Eds.), Building a Safer Society: Strategic Approaches to Crime Prevention: Vol. 19. Crime and Justice: A Review of Research (pp. 91-150). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Klemen, Marcus. (2001, February).The Development of Surveillance Technology and Risk of Abuse of Economic and Private Information. Retrieved December 8, 2003, from innox.com/graphic/info/Surveillance1_0.pdf Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (1983). Retrieved December 4, 2003 from oyez.org/oyez/resource/case/202/ Lay, Ross. (1992). Intensive Supervision and Electronic Surveillance as Alternatives to Remand in Custody. Retrieved on December 2, 2003 from aic.gov.au/publications/proceedings/06/lay.pdf Lyon, David. (2002). Surveillance After September 11th, 2001. Retrieved on December 1, 2003 from sarai.net/journal/02PDF/10infopol/06sep11_surveillance.pdf Lyon, David. (2002) Surveillance Studies: Understanding visibility, mobility and the phonetic fix. Retrieved on December 2, 2003 from surveillance-and-society.org/articles1/editorial.pdf Marx, G.T. (1988).Undercover: Police Surveillance in America. Berkeley: University of California Press. Merz, Emily. (2002). Surveillance, Privacy and the Military. Retrieved on December 1, 2003 from cda-acd.forces.gc.ca/cfli/engraph/research/pdf/28.pdf Norris, Clive. (1997). Surveillance, Order and Social Control. Retrieved on December 3, 2003 from http://archive.aclu.org/issues/privacy/CCTV_Norris.pdf Ricks, Thomas E. (1996). The Great Society in Camouflage. Retrieved on December 1, 2003 from theatlantic.com/issues/96dec/military/military.htm Traeger, Cynthia. (2002).Biometrics Market Trends. Retrieved December 8, 2003, from http://ccrma-www.stanford.edu/~jhw/bioauth/andre/BiometricmkttrendJan02.pdf Welsh, Brandon C., Farrington, David P. (2003). Effects of Closed Circuit Television Surveillance on Crime: Protocol for a Systematic Review. Retrieved on December 1, 2003 from campbellcollaboration.org/doc-pdf/cctv.pdf Whitaker, Reginald (1999). The End of Privacy: How Total Surveillance is Becoming a Reality, New York: New York Press. Research Papers on Surveillance and Social Control - Criminal Justice Research PaperThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationQuebec and CanadaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

45 Synonyms for Road

45 Synonyms for Road 45 Synonyms for â€Å"Road† 45 Synonyms for â€Å"Road† By Mark Nichol This post lists synonyms for road and specific terms for various types of roads. It excludes words primarily of use in British English or in other languages, as well as other senses of the terms. 1. alley: a narrow street, especially one providing access to the rear of buildings or lots between blocks 2. alleyway: see alley 3. arterial: a through street or highway 4. artery: a major road 5. avenue: a road or street 6. backstreet: a street set off from a main street 7. beltway: a highway passing around an urban area 8. boulevard: a wide road, often divided and/or landscaped 9. branch: a side road 10. bypass: a road passing around a town 11. bystreet: see backstreet 12. byway: see backstreet 13. causeway: a highway, especially one raised across water or wet ground 14. circle: a curving street, especially one intersecting at both ends on another street 15. close: a road closed at one end 16. corniche: a coastal road, especially alongside a cliff face 17. corridor: a local or regional route in the Appalachian region of the United States 18. crossroad: a road that crosses a main road or runs between main roads 19. court: a road closed at one end, especially with a circular end 20. cul-de-sac: see court 21. dead end: a road closed at one end 22. drag: slang pertaining to a road often traveled on as a leisurely pastime (or, as â€Å"main drag,† slang referring to the principal road, or one of the principal roads, in a city or town) 23. drive: a public road 24. expressway: a high-speed divided highway with partially or fully controlled access 25. freeway: an expressway with fully controlled access 26. highway: a main road 27. interstate: an expressway that traverses more than one state 28. lane: a road, often narrow (also refers to the portion of a road set apart for a single line of vehicles) 29. Main Street: the principal street of a town 30. parkway: a landscaped road 31. pike: see turnpike 32. place: a short street 33. route: see highway 34. row: a designation sometimes given to roads in place of road, drive, etc. 35. secondary road: a road subordinate to a main road 36. shunpike: a side road used to avoid a main road or a toll road 37. side road: a road that intersects with a main road 38. side street: see â€Å"side road† 39. street: a road within a city or town 40. superhighway: an expressway for high-speed traffic 41. thoroughfare: a main road, or a road that intersects with more than one other road 42. through street: see thoroughfare 43. throughway: see expressway 44. turnpike: a main road, especially one on which tolls are or were collected 45. way: a designation sometimes given to roads in place of road, drive, etc. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in"Yay, Hooray, Woo-hoo and Other AcclamationsLetter Writing 101

Reading Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Reading Reflection - Assignment Example Cultivating integrative thinking is possible when one views their problems as processes other than events, and problems as products. As a process, a situation makes it the responsibility of the learner to search for the problem without direct or indirect reference to the problem. Conversely, the product arising from the process of identifying the problem is also a problem because besides the presentation of the problem, raising crucial questions and identifying what is expected leads to a further problem to solve. Although dealing with life problems maybe outlined in simple and motivating steps, I understand that the intensity of one problem differs from that of another. Consequently, I would be wrong to say that I have an ideal way of dealing with all my problems. However, with the right questions for each problem, identifying the right approach is easier, even though it is labor intensive. I have come to understand that despite my student life being a high pressure and high stake situation, I have never had the right approach nor known the ultimate expectations of my academic writing. Actually, I have simplified by academic writing to fulfilling one of the instructor’s expectations. In some way, this approach has presented some pressure but, I have always performed just above average, and this is an indication that I missed some crucial steps. Average academic performance also implies that, my approach to the problem did not involve the hard work required to develop the complex idea in the problem. Consequently, I have failed to meet high achiever’s grades. In life situations, this would present me as a lesser competent person and could probably translate to less employability due to evident limitations in handling pressure. Regardless of the inappropriateness of the question, I have learnt that the beginning of any academic

Muslim Empire In Spain ( Alandalus ) Research Paper

Muslim Empire In Spain ( Alandalus ) - Research Paper Example HISTORY In 711 AD, the Christian chief Julian went and appealed to the governor of North Africa Musa ibn Nusair for his assistance against the tyrannical rule of Roderick in Spain. The Moorish Umayyad army consisting of 7000 troops from North Africa under their Commander Tariq bin Ziyad crossed the state of Gibraltar and gained control over much parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Roderick was killed in the battle and his Visigoth army was defeated. It was the start of an eight year Islamic rule in that region. From the 8th- 15th centuries, various parts of the Iberian Peninsula majorly Southern Spain, Portugal and France were ruled by the Muslims; which were mostly Arab or Berber. PERIOD The Muslim empire in Spain was not under a single reign instead it was a series of different successions made by various Muslim rulers. From 711- 716, the military troops under their leader Tariq ibn Ziyad conquered the region. In 756, the Umayyad prince Abd ar Rahman.I establishes the Emirate of Cordoba. It was a blooming time of the Umayyad dynasty as well as for the Arab culture (BBC, 2009). Later Abd ar Rahman.III took over. The reign of Umayyad dynasty in Spain lasted from 756- 929. Civil wars in 1009 and 1013 totally collapsed the Emirate of Cordoba. As result of this various small states came into being. These states known as the â€Å" Taifas† were divided amongst Arabs, Berbs and Iberian Muslims. As they were weak in military power and thus asked the help of the North African warriors to help fight the Christian kings. From 1080- 1250 Almoravids and then Alhomads ruled. DECLINE In 1212, the Christian states united against the Alhomads . And till 1252 nearly all the Iberian Peninsula came under the three Christian states of Portugal, Aragon, and Castile. The reason of decline of the Muslim empire in Spain was not because the Christians were strong, but it was because the Muslim rulers were cutting each other’s throat and hence was becoming weaker. By the mid thirteenth century the Muslim rule in Spain was limited to a thin mountainous strip of land in the south. In 1230-40 Muhammed ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr founded a state centered around the city of Granada. Granada had a weak economy and had to face internal conflicts as well.Also the Muslims in North Africa at that time, went into decline and could no longer provide Granada their support (Islam & Islamic History, 2001). The Christian States of Castile, Aragon and Portugal united and grew stronger. In 1474, war started and one city after another came to the Christian artillery. In 1492, after an eight-month siege, Granada also became a part of Christian artillery. The Muslims in Spain finally lost all their in 1492.And by 1502, after 800 years the Christians gained power again and issued orders involving Muslims to convert to Christianity, otherwise imposing brutal limitations. The Muslim empire in Spain made various contributions in many fields. During Abd ar Rahman III reign, books from Baghdad (as it was the centre for research back then) were brought to this land. Libraries, hospi tals, Research centers and centre of Islamic studies were established. Scholars, historians, poets and researchers were invited to the region to make their contributions in their respective fields. ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN SCIENCE Science is a very vast field. The Muslim scientists and scholars contributed a