Issue 13 yes 2510 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Issue 13 yes 2510 - Essay Example According to her findings, FGC was performed for more than one reason. However, feminists and other ideologists have made us to believe that the act was meant to subordinate women in a men dominated society. The author argues that neither of these reasons was meant to subordinate women since women undertook the cut willingly. Moreover, the author rubbishes claims that the cut was meant to make women sexually passive. This argument is supported by biological results, stating that the clitoris is not the only critical point for women’s sexual satisfaction. Besides this argument, all the women interviewed for the survey confirmed their support for FGC (Ahmadu, 2000). Indeed, even well educated women supported FGC as part of African culture and traditions. I consider the author’s argument acceptable to the best of my knowledge. This is neither because FGC is meant to subordinate women nor supposed to make them sexually passive. Indeed, the cut was performed with purposes that were best known to individual societies. Furthermore, neither of the societies practiced forceful FGC. Thus, people should be left alone to decide what is good for them without brainwashing them into believing feminist ideologist. Currently, even the most educated African women support FGC. Ahmadu, F. (2000). â€Å"Rites and Wrongs: Excision and Power among Kono Women of Sierra Leone†. In Bettina Shell-Duncan and Ylva Hernlund, (Eds.) Female â€Å"Circumcision† in Africa: Culture, Change, and Controversy. Boulder, CO: Lynne

Personal identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal identity - Essay Example Basically, the personality identity of a person is totally constituent to the relation of brute physicality and either different bodies or the systems that sustain life although this should be at different time. The body theory states that we usually use human body criterion to identify ourselves time and again. Schick and Vaughn believed that in the case of person changing his or her body with another, it don’t change but it remains to be the same person therefore it can be the person’s body that makes through the change. There are two distinctive simple views of personality identity which are basically that are non-reductive and view of wholly reductive (Schick and Vaughn 234). The bodily substance theory of personality identity has a major perception of the concept of continuous existence of the human body. However, there is an argument about the identification of the human body which will still be similar for a given period of time. The human body goes through sever al changes as it grows from young to old. During this particular time, human body transforms by gaining and losing body matter thus they would not have the type of matter they had in the past. Thus, it would be a problem to have continues persistence of the human body and personal identity for a long period of time in the existence of a person’s body. ... f the body especially the biological way of view of this account which looks similar with those of other approaches of biology but don’t have common stand concerning the issue of personality identity The person’s mind is said to constitute some immaterial substances. According to the mind concept of dualist, the materials are totally separated from the body. This concept thus states that incase a person is to be identified, then it should be with his or her mind but not his or her body. Ideally, if a person was to be identified using his or her mind which will be present over a given period of time in the absence of his or her body then personal identity can be based on the non-physical substance. On the other hand this will take into consideration the change in human body substance. However, the mind-body problem shows some concern with the given explanation and its relationship of the existence of minds and the process of mental in relation with the state or process o f the body (Schick and Vaughn 289). Personal identity is based on consciousness but not on the substance of body or the soul. This is assertion is strongly fostered by John Locke who believes that we are the same people provided that we remain concuss about our specific past and be conscious of the future and be in a position of acting the same as we are acting in the present. According to Locke, if consciousness is what goes hand in hand with the human substance that makes up the person, then personal identity can only be found on the basis of acting repeatedly in relation to the human consciousness. As a result it implies that personal identity cannot be found in the substance identity but in the identity of consciousness. Thus, personal identity is not grounded on the person’s soul but on a

Right to Information Act, 2005 | Analysis

Right to Information Act, 2005 | Analysis RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005 VIDYA SAGAR KOMMU INTRODUCTION: The knowledge and the freedom of information are playing an important role in the society for the advancement. For a country like India, which is one of the biggest democracy in the world it is necessary to provide accountability and transparency in the governance. To achieve this there should be freedom of information to the citizens of the country and this as a right. It is the responsibility of the state. So, in the Indian constitution under the fundamental rights article 19 talks about protection of certain rights of all citizens. And article 19 (1) (a) talks about freedom of speech and expression. It is meaningless unless until it provide the access to get information. So, under this article the right to information emerged to facilitate the access to the information. Even though it is recognized as fundamental right we need a process through which we can exercise this there created a necessity for an act to come. As a result, The Right To Information Act came to exist in 2005 i n India. Various countries in the world have already been practicing this Act with different names for many years. This act is referred to as Freedom of Press Act in Sweden, in USA and UK this act is called Freedom of Information Act, in South Africa it is Promotion of Access to Info Act, in New Zealand it is Official Information Act, in Pakistan it is called Right to Information Act. 90 countries in the World have been practicing this Act. Before this act was passed in the center different states of India have also been practicing this act. Tamil Nadu and Goa has been practicing this Act since 1997 and Rajasthan and Karnataka have been practicing since 2000. Delhi since 2001 and Maharashtra and Assam enacted this since 2002. Actual journey of the Right to Information Act in India has started in 1923 through the Official Secret Act. Later in early 1990s it again gained some importance and in the year 2005 after repetitive petitions the RTI Act was passed. ABOUT THE RTI ACT, 2005: This Act was enacted by the permission and the authority of the President of India. In the Parliament, it was enacted in June, 2005. This Act is applicable to all the states in the country but not to Jammu and Kashmir. This Act main objective is to facilitate the access to get information to citizens of the country in a secure way and by this to encourage accountability and transparency in governance. Here the information seek by the citizens is may be in any form. It may be physical form like records, papers, documents, etc or it may be in digital form like e-mails or in any electronic form. There are some exceptions to reveal the information in this Act also. Information that cannot have access to reveal is information related to sovereignty and integrity of India, information prevented by Courts, Cabinet papers, information related to issues under investigation, trade secrets, intellectual property, information related to fiduciary relationship. In Indian constitution, article 19 (2) talks about this. If anyone wants to get some information he/she has send a request to public authority with whatever the fees applicable. They can send their request by writing it on paper, letter or even by electronic media also. They have to mention the full address of the public authority. After receiving the request by the Public Information Officer (PIO) he has to check whether the seeking information is allowed or not. If it is allowed then the PIO will send that information within 30 days. Otherwise it may reject due to some reasons like security, copyright, commercials, etc. If the person, who requested do not get the requested information or proper response from the public authority within 30 calendar days, the person has a chance to give a complaint either to Information Commission or to first appellate authority. This type of complaints can give due to various reasons like late response, demand of cost of information that is not at all reasonable. For the first appeal, the applicant has to application fee along with his/her application. There is no fee when one appeals to Central Government offices. The officer senior to Public Information Officer is called first appellate authority. After one’s appeal reached to this appellate authority they will ask an explanation from PIO. They might invite the person to hear. They will pass a reasonable order within 30-45 days. If the person is not satisfied then also he /she can file second appeal either with State Information Commissioner or with Central Information Commissioner, according to the case. There is no such given time limit for getting response at this level. Too many cases are filed up with these offices. IMPORTANT SECTIONS OF RTI ACT: The RTI Act consists of more than 30 sections and its subsections. In order to get response every time, one has to know about all sections and amendments related to this act. Here are the some important sections of this act Section 3 tells that all citizens have the right. Section 4 tells about proactive disclosures by authorities. Section 6 deals with the request for obtaining information. Section 7 tells about how a person request will be treated. Section 8 tells about exemptions. Section 19 (1): First appeal Section 19 (3): Second appeal Section 20: Penalties and Disciplinary actions. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This act has been utilized by the people to get information and acted as a tool for judicial approachability wherein the effectiveness may vary from state to state. It has always stood as the authentic means to get information in a formal way in various sectors from education to land. This has also disclosed the regularities to inefficiencies. An empirical evidence for RTI success is the RTI filed by Activist Anil Galgali for Reliance Infra regarding meter connection details. Initially, he was denied information that it was for the public authority, later he complained to the State Information Commission of Maharashtra for deny of information. Due to intervention taken by SIC even the case moved to Bombay High Court, stay was given by Bombay HC on the decision of SIC Maharashtra. RTI has played a vital role and have attained success in various cases such as monitoring of attendance of village in UP school teachers, payment of pension dues from railways, corruption in the master of role in the employment guarantee schemes. RTI also gives the privilege of filing a case irrespective of age which was utilize by an 9 year old student to monitor over the over-speeding of vehicles. Though the Central Information Commission as the power to penalize the politicians does not provide information about their assets and liabilities within stipulated prescribed time but until now this provision is not often used. Our former Prime Minister had stated that even though the RTI Act had been working good there were few concerns regarding public servants expressions. Aruna Roy had criticized the former Prime Ministers view saying the Government has always been inefficient. RTI has also resulted in violence like threatening and in some cases it has also costed lives about 250. The most famous killings were of Satish Shetty from Pune who exposed the land scam, Lalit kumar Mehta for exposing corruption in MGNREGA, and Shela Masood being shot dead at Bhopal. Though the RTI was brought with a noble intention, it is also misuse by pseudo activist where they tend to get an incentive by blackmailing the people wherein it is further leading to ill practices in the society. CONCLUSION: The RTI has brought a sort of monitory and accountability to check the irregularities and inefficiencies in the government. The awareness regarding RTI is low in terms of how to apply, initiation, and some feel that the government is not towards the positive approach of it. The long urge of RTI activists were addressed through Whistle Blowers Protection Act in 2014 wherein it gives power to complainant to make complaint to Competent Authority. For making RTI Act more feasible it has to adopt a type of single window clearance system through appointment of officers and staff for making the process and getting information quickly. Further, the government should show keen interest to protect the interest of whistle blowers and activists. RTI can be seen as an ultimate tool for the public to make informed choices that would help to re-imagine future and build a better society.

Roddy Doyles Paddy Clark: No More Laughing For Paddy Essay -- essays r

Roddy Doyle's Paddy Clark: No More Laughing for Paddy Yer Name Here Poetry/Fiction Paddy Clarke Roddy Doyle's Paddy Clarke HA HA HA was a beautifully written book. It perfectly captures the mind of a ten year old boy in Ireland during the mid- 1960's. Paddy Clarke, the young boy who Doyle uses to enter the mind of a ten year old, is a boy who most can relate to. The book explores most aspects of life through the eyes of Paddy. Doyle takes us through childhood and childhood's end. Doyle is able to seize the complexities of life, but at the same time simplify them enough for ten year old. Everything is a mystery or an adventure to Paddy and his friends. From taking over construction sites to receiving polio check-ups. However not everything is a game to Paddy. His parents lack of compatibility troubles Paddy and his brother Sinbad greatly. The intensity of his parents arguments accelerate as the book goes on. At times Paddy feels he can stop them, at one point he considers himself a "referee" in the fights. "I didn't know what I'd do. If I was there he wouldn't do it again, that was all."(p.191) He ends up contemplating who he would want to win. He comes to the conclusion that he would want his mom to win because she does so much for him, however his father is his father and he loves him. Sinbad reacts differently to his parents fighting. He doesn't try to intervene ...

A Format for Case Conceptualisation

Many professional and personal challenges confront practicum students as they work with clients. For example, students must establish a counseling relationship, listen attentively, express themselves clearly, probe for information, and implement technical skills in an ethical manner. Those counseling performance skills (Borders & Leddick, 1987) center on what counselors do during sessions.At a cognitive level, students must master factual knowledge, think integratively, generate and test clinical hypotheses, plan and apply interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. Those conceptualizing skills, within the cognitive operations used to construct models that represent experience (Mahoney & Lyddon, 1988), show how counselors think about clients and how they choose interventions. It is highly desirable for instructors of practica to have pedagogical methods to promote the development both of counseling performance skills and conceptualizing skills.Such methods should be d iverse and flexible to accommodate students at different levels of professional development and with distinct styles of learning (Biggs, 1988; Borders & Leddick, 1987; Ellis, 1988; Fuqua, Johnson, Anderson, & Newman, 1984; Holloway, 1988; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987). RATIONALE FOR THE FORMAT In this article, we present a format for case conceptualization that we developed to fill gaps in the literature on the preparation of counselors (Borders & Leddick, 1987; Hoshmand, 1991).Although many existing methods promote counseling performance skills, there are few established methods for teaching students the conceptualizing skills needed to understand and treat clients (Biggs, 1988; Hulse & Jennings, 1984; Kanfer & Schefft, 1988; Loganbill & Stoltenberg, 1983; Turk & Salovey, 1988). We do not discount the importance of counseling performance skills, but we believe that they can be applied effectively only within a meaningful conceptual framework. That is, wh at counselors do depends on their evolving conceptualization of clients; training in that conceptualization matters.Given the large quantity of information that clients disclose, students have the task of selecting and processing relevant clinical data to arrive at a working model of their clients. Graduate programs need to assist students in understanding how to collect, organize, and integrate information; how to form and test clinical inferences; and how to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions (Dumont, 1993; Dumont & Lecomte, 1987; Fuqua et al. , 1984; Hoshmand, 1991; Kanfer & Schefft, 1988; Turk & Salovey, 1988).Although systematic approaches to collecting and processing clinical information are not new, the case conceptualization format presented here, as follows, has several distinguishing features: 1. The format is comprehensive, serving both to organize clinical data (see Hulse & Jennings, 1984; Loganbill & Stoltenberg, 1983) and to make conceptual tasks operational ( see Biggs, 1988). The components of the format integrate and expand on two useful approaches to presenting cases that are cited often and that are linked to related literature on supervision: (a) Loganbill and Stoltenberg's (1983) six content areas of clients' functioning (i. . , identifying data, presenting problem, relevant history, interpersonal style, environmental factors, and personality dynamics), and (b) Biggs's (1988) three tasks of case conceptualization (i. e. , identifying observable and inferential clinical evidence; articulating dimensions of the counseling relationship; and describing assumptions about presenting concerns, personality, and treatment). In addition, the format makes explicit the crucial distinction between observation and inference, by separating facts from hypotheses.It advances the notion that observations provide the basis for constructing and testing inferences. Thus, the format fosters development of critical thinking that is more deliberate and le ss automatic than the ordinary formation of impressions. The approach is compatible with recommendations that counselors receive training in rational hypothesis testing to reduce inferential errors (Dumont 1993; Dumont & Lecomte, 1987; Hoshmand, 1991; Kanfer & Schefft, 1988; Turk & Salovey, 1988). 2.The format can be adapted to the developmental stage of students by its focus on stage-appropriate components and implementing those components in stage-appropriate ways (Ellis, 1988; Glickauf-Hughes & Campbell, 1991; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987). As an example, beginning students use the format to organize information and to learn the distinction between observation and inference, whereas more experienced students focus on using the format to generate and test hypotheses. 3. The format is atheoretical, thereby permitting students to ncorporate constructs from any paradigm into their case conceptualizations. In this sense, the format resembles the cognitive s caffolding described in the constructivist perspective (Mahoney & Lyddon, 1988). Rather than being an explicit template through which observations are filtered to conform to an imposed representational model, the format provides an abstract set of cognitive schemas. With the schemas, the student actively fashions a conceptual framework from which to order and assign meaning to observations.Simply put, the format is a generic structure that the student uses to construct his or her â€Å"reality† of the case. COMPONENTS OF THE FORMAT The format has 14 components, sequenced from observational to inferential as follows: background data, presenting concerns, verbal content, verbal style, nonverbal behavior, client's emotional experience, counselor's experience of the client, client-counselor interaction, test data and supporting materials, diagnosis, inferences and assumptions, goals of treatment, interventions, and evaluation of outcomes. Background data includes sex, age, race, ethnicity, physical appearance (e. . , attractiveness, dress, grooming, height, and weight), socioeconomic status, marital status, family constellation and background, educational and occupational status, medical and mental health history, use of prescribed or illicit substances, prior treatment, legal status, living arrangements, religious affiliation, sexual preference, social network, current functioning, and self-perceptions. Initially, students are overwhelmed by the data that they assume need to be collected. Guidance must be provided on how students are to differentiate meaningful from inconsequential information.In our program, for example, we ask students to evaluate the relevance of background data, for understanding clients' presenting concerns and for developing treatment plans. We advise students to strive for relevance rather than comprehensiveness. Presenting concerns consist of a thorough account of each of the client's problems as viewed by that client. This task mi ght begin with information contained on an intake form. We assist students in developing concrete and detailed definitions of clients' concerns by showing them how to help clients identify specific affective, behavioral, cognitive, and interpersonal features of their problems.For example, the poor academic performance of a client who is a college student might involve maladaptive behavior (e. g. , procrastination), cognitive deficits (e. g. , difficulty in concentrating), negative moods (e. g. , anxiety), and interpersonal problems (e. g. , conflict with instructors). Counseling students should also explore the parameters of presenting concerns, including prior occurrence, onset, duration, frequency, severity, and relative importance.We further suggest that students explore how clients have attempted to cope with their concerns and that they examine what clients expect from treatment, in terms of assistance as well as their commitment to change. In addition, students should assess i mmediate or impending dangers and crises that their clients may face. Finally, we instruct students in identifying environmental stressors and supports that are linked to presenting concerns. Verbal content can be organized in two ways. A concise summary of each session is appropriate for cases of limited duration.Alternatively, verbal content can include summaries of identified themes that have emerged across sessions. Occasionally, those themes are interdependent or hierarchically arranged. For example, a client may enter treatment to deal with anger toward a supervisor who is perceived as unfair and, in later sessions, disclose having been chronically demeaned by an older sibling. We teach students to discriminate central data from peripheral data through feedback, modeling, and probing questions. Students need to focus their sessions on areas that are keyed to treatment.For instance, we point out that clients' focal concerns, along with the goals of treatment, can serve as ancho rs, preventing the content of sessions from drifting. Verbal style refers to qualitative elements of clients' verbal presentation (i. e. , how something is said rather than what is said) that students deem significant because they reflect clients' personality characteristics, emotional states, or both. Those elements can include tone of voice and volume, changes in modulation at critical junctures, fluency, quantity and rate of verbalization, vividness, syntactic complexity, and vocal characterizations (e. g. , sighing).Nonverbal behavior includes clients' eye contact, facial expression, body movements, idiosyncratic mannerisms (e. g. , hand gestures), posture, seating arrangements, and change in any of these behaviors over time and circumstances. Instructors can assist students in distinguishing relevant from unimportant information by modeling and providing feedback on how these data bear on the case. As an example, neglected hygiene and a listless expression are important nonverb al behaviors when they coincide with other data, such as self-reports of despair and hopelessness. Clients' emotional experience includes data that are more inferential.On the basis of their observations, students attempt to infer what their clients feel during sessions and to relate those feelings to verbal content (e. g. , sadness linked to memories of loss). The observations provide insights into clients' emotional lives outside of treatment. We caution students that clients' self-reports are an important but not entirely reliable source of information about their emotional experience. At times clients deny, ignore, mislabel, or misrepresent their emotional experience. Students should note the duration, intensity, and range of emotion expressed over the course of treatment.Blunted or excessive affect as well as affect that is discrepant with verbal content also merit attention. To illustrate, a client may report, without any apparent anger, a history of physical abuse. Initially, students can be assisted in labeling their clients' affect by using a checklist of emotional states. We have found it helpful to suggest possible affect and support our perceptions with observation and logic. Empathic role taking can also help students to gain access to clients' experience. Instructors may need to sensitize students to emotional states outside of their own experience or that they avoid.Counselor's experience of the client involves his or her personal reactions to the client (e. g. , attraction, boredom, confusion, frustration, and sympathy). We strive to establish a supportive learning environment in which students can disclose their genuine experiences, negative as well as positive. Students often struggle to accept that they might not like every client. But students should be helped to recognize that their experience of clients is a rich source of hypotheses about feelings that those clients may engender in others and, thus, about the interpersonal world that the clients partially create for themselves.The â€Å"feel† of clients often provides valuable diagnostic clues (e. g. , wanting to take care of a client may suggest features of dependent personality disorder). Sometimes students need assistance in determining whether their reactions to clients reflect countertransferential issues or involve â€Å"normative† responses. We draw on parallel process and use-of-self as an instrument to help clarify students' feelings and to form accurate attributions about the origins of those feelings (Glickauf-Hughes & Campbell, 1991; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993).Client-counselor interaction summarizes patterns in the exchanges between client and counselor as well as significant interpersonal events that occur within sessions. Such events are, for example, how trust is tested, how resistance is overcome, how sensitive matters are explored, how the counseling relationship is processed, and how termination is handled. Thus, this component of t he format involves a characterization of the counseling process. Students should attempt to characterize the structure of the typical session–specifically, what counselors and clients do in relation to one another during the therapy hour.They may do any of the following: answer questions, ask questions; cathart, support; learn, teach; seek advice, give advice; tell stories, listen; collude to avoid sensitive topics. Taxonomies of counselor (Elliott et al. , 1987) and client (Hill, 1992) modes of response are resources with which to characterize the structure of sessions. At a more abstract level, students should try to describe the evolving roles they and their clients play vis-a-vis one another. It is essential to assess the quality of the counseling relationship and the contributions of the student and the client to the relationship.We ask students to speculate on what they mean to a given client and to generate a metaphor for their relationship with that client (e. g. , do ctor, friend, mentor, or parent). Client-counselor interactions yield clues about clients' interpersonal style, revealing both assets and liabilities. Furthermore, the counseling relationship provides revealing data about clients' self-perceptions. We encourage students to present segments of audiotaped or videotaped interviews that illustrate patterns of client-counselor interaction.Test data and supporting materials include educational, legal, medical, and psychological records; mental status exam results; behavioral assessment data, including self-monitoring; questionnaire data, the results of psychological testing, artwork, excerpts from diaries or journals, personal correspondence, poetry, and recordings. When students assess clients, a rationale for testing is warranted that links the method of testing to the purpose of assessment. We assist students in identifying significant test data and supporting materials by examining how such information converges with or departs from o ther clinical data e. g. , reports of family turmoil and an elevated score on Scale 4, Psychopathic Deviate, of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 [MMPI-2; Hathaway & McKinley, 1989]). Assessment, as well as diagnosis and treatment, must be conducted with sensitivity toward issues that affect women, minorities, disadvantaged clients, and disabled clients, because those persons are not necessarily understood by students, perhaps due to limited experience of students or the â€Å"homogenized† focus of their professional preparation.Diagnosis includes students' impression of clients' diagnoses on all five axes of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994). We guide students' efforts to support their diagnostic thinking with clinical evidence and to consider competing diagnoses. Students can apply taxonomies other than those in the DSM-IV when appropriate (e. g. , DeNelsky and Boat's [1 986] coping skills model).Instructors demonstrate the function of diagnosis in organizing scattered and diverse clinical data and in generating tentative hypotheses about clients' functioning. Inferences and assumptions involve configuring clinical hypotheses, derived from observations, into meaningful and useful working models of clients (Mahoney & Lyddon, 1988). A working model consists of a clear definition of the client's problems and formulations of how hypothesized psychological mechanisms produce those problems.For instance, a client's primary complaints might be frequent bouts of depression, pervasive feelings of isolation, and unfulfilled longing for intimacy. An account of those problems might establish the cause as an alienation schema, early childhood loss, interpersonal rejection, negative self-schemas, or social skills deficits. We help students to elaborate on and refine incompletely formed inferences by identifying related clinical data and relevant theoretical const ructs (Dumont, 1993; Mahoney & Lyddon, 1988).We also assist students in integrating inferences and assumptions with formal patterns of' understanding drawn from theories of personality, psychopathology, and counseling (Hoshmand, 1991). As with their instructors, students are not immune from making faulty inferences that can be traced to logical errors, such as single-cause etiologies, the representative heuristic, the availability heuristic, confirmatory bias, the fundamental attribution error, and illusory correlations; (Dumont, 1993;Dumont & Lecomte, 1987). As an example, counselors tend to seek data that support their preexisting notions about clients, thus restricting the development of a more complete understanding of their clients. We alert students to the likelihood of bias in data gathering, particularly when they seek to confirm existing hypotheses. Furthermore, we demonstrate how to generate and evaluate competing hypotheses to counteract biased information ]processing (Du mont & Lecomte, 1987; Kanfer & Schefft, 1988).Instructors, therefore, must teach students to think logically, sensitizing them to indicators of faulty inferences and providing them with strategies for validating clinical hypotheses as well as disconfirming them (Dumont & Lecomte, 1987; Hoshmand, 1991). The proposed format can accomplish this task because it separates inferences from the clinical data used to test inferences and thus â€Å"deautomatizes† cognitive operations by which inferences are formed (Kanfer & Schefft, 1988; Mahoney & Lyddon, 1988).We have found it beneficial to have students compare their impressions of clients with impressions that are independently revealed by test data (e. g. , MMPI-2); this exercise permits the correction of perceptual distortions and logical errors that lead to faulty inferences. Although students' intuition is an invaluable source of hypotheses, instructors need to caution them that intuition must be evaluated by empirical testing and against grounded patterns of understanding (Hoshmand, 1991). We also model caution and support for competing formulations and continued observation.This approach fosters appreciation of the inexactitude and richness of case conceptualization and helps students to manage such uncertainty without fear of negative evaluation. With the development of their conceptualizing skills, students can appreciate the viability of alternative and hybrid inferences. Moreover, they become more aware of the occasional coexistence and interdependence of clinical and inferential contradictions (e. g. , the simultaneous experience of sorrow and joy and holistic concepts such as life and death).The increasingly elaborate conceptual fabric created from the sustained application of conceptualizing skills also enables students to predict the effect of interventions more accurately. Goals of treatment must be linked to clients' problems as they come to be understood after presenting concerns have been ex plored. Goals include short-term objectives along with long-term outcomes of treatment that have been negotiated by the client and trainee. Typically, goals involve changing how clients feel, think, and act. Putting goals in order is important because their priorities will influence treatment decisions.Goals need to be integrated with students' inferences or established theories and techniques of counseling. In their zeal, students often overestimate the probable long-term aims of treatment. To help students avoid disappointment, we remind them that certain factors influence the formulation of goals, including constraints of time and resources, students' own competencies, and clients' capacity for motivation for change. Interventions comprise techniques that students implement to achieve agreed-on goals of treatment.Techniques are ideally compatible with inferences and assumptions derived earlier; targets of treatment consist of hypothesized psychological structures, processes, and conditions that produce clients' problems (e. g. , self-esteem, information processing, family environment). Difficulties in technical implementation should be discussed candidly. We provide opportunities for students to observe and rehearse pragmatic applications of all strategies. Techniques derived from any theory of counseling can be reframed in concepts and processes that are more congruent with students' cognitive style.To illustrate, some students are able to understand how a learned fear response can be counterconditioned by the counseling relationship when this phenomenon is defined as a consequence of providing unconditional positive regard. In addition, we teach students to apply techniques with sensitivity as well as to fashion a personal style of counseling. Finally, legal and ethical issues pertaining to the conduct of specific interventions must be made explicit. Evaluation of outcomes requires that students establish criteria and methods toward evaluating the outcome s of treatment.Methods can include objective criteria (e. g. , grades), reports of others, self-reports (e. g. , behavioral logs), test data, and students' own judgments. Instructors must assist students in developing efficient ways to evaluate progress over the course of treatment given the presenting concerns, clients' motivation, and available resources. USES OF THE FORMAT We developed the :format for use in a year-long practicum in a master's degree program in counseling psychology. Instructors describe the format early in the first semester and demonstrate its use by presenting a erminated case; a discussion of the format and conceptualization follows. The first half of the format is particularly helpful when students struggle to organize clinical data into meaningful categories and to distinguish their observations from their inferences. The focus at that point should be on components of the format that incorporate descriptive data about the client. Later in their development, when students are prepared to confront issues that influence the counseling relationship, components involving personal and interpersonal aspects of treatment can be explored.As students mature further, components that incorporate descriptive data are abbreviated so that students can concentrate on the conceptualizing skills of diagnosis, inferences and assumptions, treatment planning and intervention, and evaluation. When conceptualizing skills have been established, the format need not be applied comprehensively to each case. Rather, it can be condensed without losing its capacity to organize clinical data and to derive interventions. The format can be used to present cases in practicum seminar as well as in individual supervision sessions. It can also be used by students to manage their caseloads.Also, the format can be used in oral and written forms to organize and integrate clinical data and to suggest options for treatment (cf. Biggs, 1988; Hulse & Jennings, 1984; Loganbill & Stoltenberg, 1983). For example, practicum seminar can feature presentations of cases organized according to the format. As a student presents the data of the case, participants can construct alternative working models. Moreover, the format compels participants to test their models by referencing clinical data. Written details that accompany a presentation are also fashioned by a student presenter according to the format.The student presenter can distribute such material before the presentation so that members of the class have time to prepare. During the presentation, participants assume responsibility for sustaining the process of case conceptualization in a manner that suits the class (e. g. , discussion, interpersonal process recall, media aids, or role play). Supervision and case notes can also be structured more flexibly with the use of the case conceptualization format to give students opportunities to relate observation to inference, inference to treatment, and treatment to outcome (Presser & Pfost, 1985).In fact, supervision is an ideal setting to tailor the format to the cognitive and personal attributes of the students. In supervision, there are also more opportunities to observe students' sessions directly, which permits instruction of what clinical information to seek, how to seek it, how to extract inferences from it, and to evaluate the veracity of students' inferences by direct observation (Holloway, 1988). FUTURE APPLICATIONS AND RESEARCH The format is a potentially valuable resource for counselors to make the collection and integration of data systematic when they intervene with populations other than individual clients.Application of the format to counseling with couples and families might seem to make an already conceptually demanding task more complex. Yet counselors can shift the focus from individuals to a couple or a family unit, and apply components of the format to that entity. By targeting relationships and systems in this way, the format can also be used to enhance understanding of and improve interventions in supervision and with distressed units or organizations.Although research has been conducted on how counselors collect data, few studies have investigated how counselors process information when testing hypotheses (e. g. , Strohmer, Shivy, & Chiodo, 1990). Empirical evidence of the effectiveness of various approaches to the conceptual training of counselors is long overdue. Avenues of inquiry include determining whether the format contributes to the acquisition of conceptualizing skills and to facilitative conditions and techniques thai: may be mediated by such skills (e. . , empathy and clear communication). There are several written measures available with which to evaluate students' conceptualizing skills. Examples of those measures are the Clinical Assessment Questionnaire (Holloway & Wolleat, 1980); Intentions List (Hill & O'Grady, 1985); and Written Treatment Planning Simulation (Butcher, Scofield, & Baker, 1985). Interpersonal process recall of audiotaped and videotaped sessions, case notes (Presser & Pfost, 1985), and direct observation can also be used.Other promising directions for research include comparing the effect of the format with other approaches to training, isolating components of the format that produce the greatest gains in conceptualizing skills, and determining the outcomes when the format is implemented with the use of different instructional strategies and with students at varying levels of development. Finally, investigation into how the format produces cognitive and performance gains would be valuable, particularly if integrated with literature on cognitive development and effective learning strategies.Nonetheless, the format has several limitations. Although students will eventually learn to apply the format more efficiently in their professional practice, it remains cumbersome and time consuming. Explicit and comprehensive application of the format in supervision and in the routine management of individual caseloads is particularly awkward. In those contexts, the format must be applied tacitly as a heuristic, with specific components used more deliberately when obstacles to progress are encountered.For example, focus on a client's affective experience can promote accurate empathy in the student and lead to more helpful interventions. Moreover, given the differences in the cognitive development of students (Biggs, 1988; Borders & Leddick, 1987; Ellis, 1988; Fuqua et al. , 1984; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987), the format cannot be applied rigidly or uniformly as a pedagogical tool. Beginning students and those who think in simple, concrete terms seem to profit most from learning environments in which instructors provide direction, expertise, feedback, structure, and support.Conversely, more experienced students and those who think in complex, abstract terms learn more readily when instructors fashion auto nomous, collegial, flexible, and interactive environments (Ellis, 1988; Glickauf-Hughes & Campbell, 1991; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987). Hence, the format must be applied creatively and tailored to students' capabilities, to avoid needless discouragement, boredom, or threats to personal integrity (Fuqua et al. , 1984; Glickauf-Hughes & Campbell, 1991; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987)

Leadership in Practice: the Columbia Accident Essay

Introduction: For this paper, I have chosen to analyze the leadership performance of Linda Ham, Chair of Mission Management Team, and Daniel S. Goldin, NASA Administrator, 1992–2001. Both, in my estimation, were part of the problem, and not part of the solution. Both succumbed to outside political forces and placed much more emphasis on meeting self-imposed deadlines than astronaut safety. Both gradually dismissed the vast majority of the recommendations of the Rogers Commission after the loss of the Challenger and doomed NASA to repeat history. Background of leader #1: Linda Ham, Chair of the Mission Management team for the last Columbia mission, was hired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) soon after she graduated college. She began her career with NASA as a Propulsion Systems Monitor at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Over the years she rose through the ranks of NASA to Chair the Mission Management team for STS-107, which was the failed mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia that broke up upon re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. Background of leader #2: Daniel S. Goldin, NASA Administrator, 1992–2001, was hired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) soon after he graduated college. He began his career at NASA’s Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio working in electric propulsion systems for human interplanetary travel. He left NASA a few years later and began working for the TRW Space and Technology Group. Over his 25 year career at TRW, Goldin rose through the ranks to become the Vice President and General Manager of TRW. Goldin then returned to NASA and became its longest tenured Administrator. Goldin was known for being able to cut costs and still provide many space programs. His â€Å"crusade for efficiency† (2004) ended up being the most visible flaw in an administration philosophy that lost another seven astronauts. Another glimpse into what kind of man and leader Daniel S. Goldin is, can be found in a lawsuit by the Department of Justice that â€Å"that seeks more than $170 million from TRW Inc., which is accused of padding government space contracts with research-and-development costs ‘that should have been paid out of TRW’s profits.’ The lawsuit contends that Daniel S. Goldin, who ran the company’s Space & Technology Group during the early 1990s, participated in the alleged overcharges by authorizing suspect accounting practices.† (1998) Leadership styles: Both Goldin and Ham clearly pushed the NASA agenda which was set by Goldin. Both appear to fit into the autocratic leadership style in that they demanded absolute obedience. Neither fostered a culture where diverse opinion was welcome. Both created an atmosphere where diverse or dissenting opinion was ignored and unwelcome. Goldin and Ham forced many NASA employees, specifically engineers and safety personnel, to become â€Å"organizational bystanders† (2008) because they were unwilling to risk their career to challenge the agenda of Goldin and Ham. NASA became a workplace with administrative blinders on. â€Å"NASA is not functioning as a learning organization† (Gehman, 2003). â€Å"[NASA mission managers] were convinced, without study, that nothing could be done about such an emergency. The intellectual curiosity and skepticism that a solid safety culture requires was almost entirely absent. Shuttle managers did not embrace safety-conscious attitudes. Instead, their attitudes were shaped and reinforced by an organization that, in this instance, was incapable of stepping back and gauging its biases. Bureaucracy and process trumped thoroughness and reason† (Gehman, 2003). Ham’s influence on STS-107 is most clearly described in this excerpt from the Case Study on the Columbia Accident by Maureen Hogan Casamayou, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia: Ham did inquire about the foam strike, but: not to determine what action to take during Columbia’s mission, but to understand the implications for STS-114. During a Mission Management Team meeting on January 21, she asked about the rationale put forward at the STS-113 Flight Readiness review passed muster not because of their inherent validity (and hence greater safety for the crew) but simply to launch another shuttle into space on schedule. As the CAIB report states, Ham’s focus on examining the rationale for continuing to fly after foam problems with STS-87 and STS-112 indicates that her attention had already shifted from the threat of the foam posed to STS-107 to the downstream implications of the foam strike. Ham was due to serve . . . as the launch integration manager for the next mission, STS-114. If the Shuttle Program’s rationale to fly with foam loss was found to be flawed, the flight, due to be launched in about a month, would have to be delayed per NA SA rules that require serious problems to be resolved before the next flight. An STS-114 delay could in turn delay completion of the International Space Station’s Node 2, which was a high priority goal for NASA managers. Further evidence of her preoccupation with meeting the designated launch schedule was reflected in Ham’s concern about the length of time to process photos of the Columbia on-orbit. According to the CAIB, on January 23rd: Ham raised concerns that the extra time spent maneuvering Columbia to make the left wing visible for imaging would unduly impact the mission schedule; for example, science experiments would have to stop while imagery was taken. According to personal notes obtained by the Board: â€Å"Linda Ham said it was no longer being pursued since even if we saw something, we couldn’t do anything about it. The Program didn’t want to spend the resources.† (CAIBR 2003) Further evidence of the unchallenged assumptions and lack of intellectual curiosity at NASA is described by Niewoehner & Steidle, â€Å"At the January 24, Mission Management Team meeting at which the â€Å"no safety-of-flight† conclusion was presented, there was little engineering discussion about the assumptions made, and how the results would differ if other assumptions were used. Engineering solutions presented to management should have included a quantifiable range of uncertainty and risk analysis. Those types of tools were readily available, routinely used, and would have helped management understand the risk involved in the decision. Management, in turn, should have demanded such information. The very absence of a clear and open discussion of uncertainties and assumptions in the analysis presented should have caused management to probe further.† (2009) A different outcome: In reviewing this case study, I am nearly certain that leadership style played a secondary role in the situation. The primary issue appears to be that the leaders, Goldin and Ham to be specific, allowed the outside influence of budgetary constraints imposed by Congress and the Presidential Administration to shape their mission and vision for NASA. In practical terms, the amount of money in the budget and the self-imposed goals of the number of shuttle missions to keep that budget from decreasing over-road concern for safety. Not only did it over-ride that concern for safety, but it created an organizational culture that ignored any line of thinking that challenged or threatened NASA’s goals. We must remember that there are drawbacks in stating specific identified government organizational goals. When a government, or a component of government, forecasts where it wants to be in the future, it binds itself to those identified goals. Administrators become personally attached or emotionally involved and are loath to change for fear of appearing to admit failure. This certainly affected the leadership and policy decisions of Goldin and Ham. Rocha could have done more to bring the safety concerns to light, however in retrospect, he clearly would have risked his career in doing so. We need more leaders, and followers, who are willing to risk their career especially when human life is at stake. A different outcome for STS-107 is very likely if NASA had truly functioned as a â€Å"High Reliability Organization†, which Weick and Sutcliffe (2001) say is characterized by: †¢A preoccupation with failure †¢Reluctance to simplify interpretations †¢Sensitivity to operations †¢Commitment to resilience †¢Deference to expertise Goldin and Ham could have implemented the five key dimensions of collaboration: governance, administration, organizational autonomy, mutuality, and norms of trust and reciprocity. They could have created a team or committee to review, research, and assess each and every safety concern that was raised by any NASA employee. This team should have negotiated, committed, and then implemented those commitments. There was no trust and reciprocity between the NASA engineers and the NASA mission managers. Goldin and Ham should have embraced a more Democratic Leadership Style. â€Å"Although a Democratic leader will make the final decision, he/she invites other members of the team to contribute to the decision making process. This not only increases job satisfaction by involving employees or team members in what’s going on, but it also help to develop people’s skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own destiny, such as the promotion they deserve and so are motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. As participation takes time, this approach can lead to things happening more slowly but often the end result is better. The approach can be most suitable where team work is essential and quality is more important than speed to market productivity.† (2012) Yes, they would have likely missed future deadlines, probably scratched future missions, and maybe even lost some of NASA’s precious funding from Congress, but the strengths of the five key dimensions were never given a chance to prevail. The reason why is glaringly clear: â€Å"The most costly resources of collaboration are not money but time and energy, neither of which can be induced.† Huxham (1996) With NASA’s entire function hinging on budgetary concerns that became strict deadlines, time trumped safety and everyone from Congress and the Presidential administration to NASA management and the entire workforce, all have â€Å"blood on their hands.† My outlook: As a future leader, I am most profoundly struck by the impact of bureaucracy. I believe that even Goldin and Ham would have changed their decisions had they had the benefit of hindsight and knew that seven astronauts would lose their lives because of their lack of leadership, management, and administrative capabilities. We must listen to alternative viewpoints and encourage open dialogue as future government leaders. We must strive for objectivity in our perspective and not allow our vision to be narrowed by clinging too tightly to a concept or idea that was good in another setting. If human safety is in any way a factor, our level of scrutiny in gathering facts for decision making must be to the utmost. My biggest take-away from this assignment is learning the definition of a â€Å"high reliability organization† and the five bullets that must be embraced to be a true â€Å"high reliability organization†. I will take this concept with me for the rest of my career. Roberts, A. (2004). The reform bubble bursts. Public Administration Review, 64(5), 625-629. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/197172592?accountid=27965 By, A. P. (1998, Feb 20). Civil fraud lawsuit against TRW inc. over space contracts is joined by U.S. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398647798?accountid=27965 Marc, S. G., & Robert, B. S. (2008). Organizational bystanders. People and Strategy, 31(1), 47-54. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/224596278?accountid=27965 Gehman, H.W. et. al., Columbia Accident Investigation Board, Report Volume 1 (CAIB) (August 2003). Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report (Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office, Limited First Printing, August 2003) Robert, J. N., & Craig, E. S. (2009). The loss of the space shuttle Columbia: Portaging leadership lessons with a critical thinking model. Engineering Management Journal, 21(1), 9-18. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/208970180?accountid=27965 Weick, K., & Sutcliffe, K. (2001). Managing the Unexpected. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Bhatti, N., Ghulam, M. M., Shaikh, N., Muhammad, A. H., & Faiz, M. S. (2012). The impact of autocratic and democratic leadership style on job satisfaction. International Business Research, 5(2), 192-201. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/963357720?accountid=27965 Huxham, Chris. 1996. Collaboration and Collaborative Advantage. In Creating Collaborative Advantage, edited by Chris Huxham, 1–18. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. (Stillman cccxxiii) Stillman, Richard. Public Administration, 9th Edition. Cengage Learning US, Aug-04. .

How to Write a Research Proposal for PhD

How to Write a Research Proposal for PhD How to Write a Research Proposal for PhD The PhD research proposal is the first important step of doctoral studies. The aim of the research proposal is to provide information about the intended research project. A typical research proposal consists of the following parts: A working title of the topic area: This must give the essence of the proposed research, not just convey the key words associated with the proposed research. General overview of area: this is an introduction that should be a brief abstract of the general area of study and also signify the discipline(s) within which it falls. Detailed literature review: it is here that you need to develop your proposal to demonstrate that you are aware of the debates and critical issues raised in relevant bodies of literature. You need to show your familiarity with major lines of argument which have been developed in your area. It is important to reference key articles and texts to establish that you appreciate their relevance to your research area. As your PhD is an original piece of research, you should demonstrate that. The area you propose to research has not been studied before. Identify your niche, which will lead on to the thesis preparation. Your key research questions: You need to show that the topic can be completed within the normal time period allowed, so focus on key questions within your niche area. State the key issues that your research intends to address and what empirical phenomena or theoretical debates are driving your research proposal? Try to be specific. Methodology used: You need to demonstrate you have an awareness of the methodological tools available to you what ones will suit your research. You need to specify the approach you feel will be most appropriate. You should therefore indicate where and how you might collect any relevant data. It is also worth saying something about the subjects of the research and give justification. Your proposal may be interesting, relevant, supported by literature, but if it is not practical to carry out because of problems with data gathering, it will not work. Your research question must reflect your data gathering resources. Time planning: You need to demonstrate an awareness of the need for planning and the timescale of the research. Conclusion: Finally, conclude the research proposal by indicating how you envisage the contribution that your research will make to debates and discussions in your particular subject area. Bibliography: You should include a short list of references to key articles and texts included in the application. Form The research proposal is not only judged on content, it is also judged on form. It must be formatted, use correct grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation. It should be between 4,000 – 8,000 words. At writing service you can get professional PhD research proposal help in any discipline and topic. Just fill in the order form and we will find the best writer for you!

Dangerous Business Response Essay Example

Dangerous Business Response Essay Example Dangerous Business Response Essay Dangerous Business Response Essay Dangerous Business Response I thought that the dangerous business video effectively spotlighted the varying approaches different companies use with regard to workplace and employee safety, and general ethical practices and dealings. I found the occurrences at McWane Incorporation to be quite fascinating, as I had no idea that some company’s workplace conditions were still so horrible in the United States today. I found it amazing that McWane was basically able to circumvent the law by barely meeting necessary standards, and by barely doing what they need to do to avoid heavy liabilities. Practices like those of Mcwane’s bring in to question whether sacrificing basic human safety in the way that Mcwane does is actually profitable. Well it is clear that for the economy as a whole that Mcwane’s, as well as there subsidiaries such as Tyler Pipe’s actions are quite detrimental. While their practices might help improve their bottom line, along they way they have destroyed lives and families, ultimately hurting the work force. While the practices and decision-making of McWane Incorporation are highly unethical, whether or not they should be allowed to do what they are doing is an entirely different question. I understand the approach taken by McWane executives: do whatever is necessary to turn a profit. When you think about the risks and competition associated with the business world today, this ideology and reasoning seems to be sound, however this does not take into consideration the long term and far reaching effects of neglecting the environment and basic human safety needs. Business managers today are under a lot of pressure to make their companies profitable by any means necessary, which is evident by Mcwane’s Discipline Management Practices. On the whole my main issue with McWane is that I believe that they could change their business practices and move to become a more ethically sound business, and still remain just as profitable. I would not have as much of an issue with their approach if it really truly was the most efficient and profitable way to run a business. However, when you look at the practices and successes of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company, is it very clear that this is not the case. The American Cast Iron Pipe Co. uns business in the same industry as Tyler Pipe, and uses similar equipment and machinery for many of their operations. The difference between the two companies is that Cast Iron Pipe Co. is able to run a profitable business and at the same time maintain a safe workplace and clean environmental record. Cast Iron also does not engage in some of the unethical practices of Tyler such as targeting ex-cons for employment to help offset turnover issues, or sending injured workers to incompetent med ical clinics. I feel like doing things such as improving the workplace and treating the environment better attract more workers, and also happier workers. Because more people want to work for ethical businesses like Cast Iron that run their business based on the Golden Rule, those companies have access to better employees. Also, those employees working for a company like Cast Iron Pipe are likely to do a better job because they are happier and have a sense of security. All in all â€Å"Dangerous Business† shows that cutting back on employee and workplace safety spending, and trying to save money by meeting the bare minimum environmental standards does not ultimately help a company, as these decisions have far reaching internal effects. Plain and simple unhappy employees who feel unsafe at work are not going to work up to their maximum potential because they are unhappy. I think that there should be stricter standards and penalties for unethical business practices, and I think there needs to be more enforcement of the laws.

First and Second Conditional Review ESL Lesson Plan

First and Second Conditional Review ESL Lesson Plan The ability to speculate about situations becomes more important as students become more advanced. Students will probably have learned conditional forms during intermediate level courses, but may seldom make use of these forms in conversation. However, making conditional statements are an important part of fluency. This lesson focuses on helping students improve their recognition of the structure and use it more frequently in conversation. Lesson Aim: Improve recognition of the first and second conditional forms used in conditional statements, while inductively reviewing the structures. Activities: Reading a short prepared text with first and second conditional forms included, speaking and replying to student-generated conditional questions, writing and developing structurally correct questions using the first and second conditionals Level: Intermediate Outline: Ask students to imagine the following situation: Youve arrived home late at night and you find that the door is open to your apartment. What would you do? Refresh students awareness of the conditional in this relaxed introductory portion of the lesson.Have students read prepared extract using conditionals.Ask students to underline all conditional structures.In groups, students complete fill-in activity based on the previous reading.Correct worksheets in small groups. Move about the room helping students with their corrections.Go over corrections as a class.Answer any questions they may have on the first and second conditional structure at this point.In groups, have students prepare two what if situations on a separate piece of paper. Ask students to employ first and second conditionals.Ask students to exchange their prepared situations with another group.Students in each group discuss the what if... situations. Move about the class and help students - especially concentrating on the correct production of the first and second conditional forms. Practice conditional form structure with this real and unreal conditional form worksheet providing a quick review and practice exercises. The past conditional worksheet focuses on using the form in the past. Teachers can also use this guide on how to teach conditionals. Exercises Exercise 1: Emergency Procedures Directions: Underline all conditional structures with either 1 (first conditional) or 2 (second conditional) If you take a look at the handout, youll find all the telephone numbers, addresses, and other necessary information. If Tom were here, hed help me with this presentation. Unfortunately, he couldnt make it today. OK, lets get started: Todays subject is helping guests with emergency situations. Wed certainly have a worse reputation if we didnt handle these situations well. Thats why we like to review these procedures every year. If a guest loses his passport, call the consulate immediately. If the consulate isnt nearby, youll have to help the guest get to the appropriate consulate. It would be great if we had some more consulates here. However, there are also a few in Boston. Next, if a guest has an accident which is not so serious, youll find the first-aid kit under the reception desk. If the accident is serious, call an ambulance. Sometimes guests need to return home unexpectedly. If this happens, the guest might need your help in making travel arrangements, re-scheduling appointments, etc. Do everything you can to make this situation as easy to cope with as possible. If there is a problem, the guest will expect us to be able to handle any situation. Its our responsibility to make sure ahead of time that we can. Exercise 2: Check Your Understanding Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct missing half of the sentence youll have to help the guest get to the appropriate consulateyoull find all the telephone numbers, addresses, and other necessary informationthe guest will expect us to be able to handle any situationif we didnt handle these situations wellIf Tom were hereIf this happensIf a guest loses his passportcall an ambulance If you take a look at the handout, _____. _____, hed help me with this presentation. Unfortunately, he couldnt make it today. OK, lets get started: Todays subject is helping guests with emergency situations. Wed certainly have a worse reputation _____. Thats why we like to review these procedures every year. _____, call the consulate immediately. If the consulate isnt nearby, _____. It would be great if we had some more consulates here. However, there are also a few in Boston. Next, if a guest has an accident which is not so serious, youll find the first-aid kit under the reception desk. If the accident is serious, _____. Sometimes guests need to return home unexpectedly. ______, the guest might need your help in making travel arrangements, re-scheduling appointments, etc. Do everything you can to make this situation as easy to cope with as possible. If there is a problem, _____. Its our responsibility to make sure ahead of time that we can.

Improving Business Performance through strategic HRM (Work based Essay

Improving Business Performance through strategic HRM (Work based Report) - Essay Example Home improvement market has a two-way reciprocal relationship. On the one hand, it is open to, and dependent upon, the social and physical environment that surrounds them. On the other hand, it needs financial resources and political legitimacy (a set of laws by which to operate) pro ­vided by outside institutions and governments. Customers are significant members of the environment determining strategic choice of the organization. And knowledge and technology are also a part of the environ ­ment: they are produced by other actors in the environment and purchased by the or ­ganization as educated labor or as pure knowledge assets (Johnson and Scholes, 1998). Directional strategies (Ph. Kotler) help the company to expend internationally and reach diverse target audience (Johnson and Scholes, 1998). Recent years, Home Deport has implemented and developed a companies have already used this service, but still it is one of the most beneficial area for attracting a new customers). Home Deport acquires new knowledge and technology, and employ these assets in produc ­tion quickly. From a management standpoint, technology is a major environmental factor that continually threatens existing arrangements. Fast-changing technologies, such as information technology, pose a particular threat to organizations (Johnson and Scholes, 1998). Without qualitative service the enterprise is not capable to achieve the overall objectives. Home Deport is marked by increasing capital markets activity over the past 5 years. It is estimated that average annual returns for full-service are anticipated to exceed 13 percent over the next 10 years, with retail industr y investment alternatives performing at single digit growth rates (approximately 7 percent to 9 percent). (‘Home Depot in the know when’ †¦ 2002). Competitive strategies (Michael Porter 1985) allow identify and analyze

General Information about Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

General Information about Germany - Essay Example These developments and continued advancement of infrastructure have enormous impacts on the outlook of Germany as a nation, (Arther 23). Agriculture in Germany has attained extensive explosion in productivity in the past few years. Agricultural development has succeeded in producing increasingly effective while becoming increasingly ecologically compatible. Agricultural development has been due to technological advancement and utilization of state-of-art machine that needs a skilled and trained workforce, which has boosted agricultural production in many areas. Germany agriculture has attained a crucial aspect that enabled the use of new technological advances. Similarly, agriculture and forestry have achieved substantial success for Germany population wishing to work with biodiversity. In addition, new money banking corporations ate emerging in the energetic and crucial recycling of natural materials. Newly emerging rural fields are differentiated by various economic activities. For estry and agriculture is part of Germany economy, society, and environment and acts as indispensable associates to solve new global limitations (food security, protection of climate and reliable supplies of energy). Similarly, the Common Germany Agricultural Policy has gone through various reforms to react to changing economic needs and societal requirements and expectations. Today, the CAP benefits the Germany societies by promoting the production of secure and increased quality agricultural products and food, thus, supporting the sustenance of prosperous rural populations and providing incentives to protect farmers and the environment, (Frase 45). Similarly, Common Agricultural Policy faces some limitations like increasing globalization, increasing environmental challenges (availability of water, climate change and quality and loss of biodiversity), increased price volatility and issues of food insecurity.

Medicalization of Deviance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Medicalization of Deviance - Essay Example One of the main reasons there has been a much stronger focus on medicalizing deviance is because the offenders who are in this category need a specific type of help to refrain them from continuing to break the law and behaving outside of what is considered to be the social norm. Without medical intervention their behavior is uncontrollable and will continue to escalate unless they are placed on medication to control their specific cognitive problems. So, based on this assumption, when the terminology of medicalization is placed with deviance or deviant behavior it is understood that what is actually being implied is that those of deviant character need specialized medical treatment such as certain neuro-chemical stabilizers to control their behaviors. Sociologists claim that by defining deviance in this way it will allow for an ability to be able to maintain order far better in societies than simply following a traditional pattern of law and placing all of those of a disorderly character in a certain legal framework without proper labeling of the adversity being given. Furthermore, when certain criminal activities are taken out of the main legal framework and analyzed it will be perceivable that for some there are medical reasons for their behavior while for others they simply are prone to violent actions and engage in crime because they want too and for no other reason. For other's it is quite the opposite, which is why there is a strong point for labeling some offenders under medical deviance. Conrad (1992, pg. 210) points out that it was in the mid 1970's when the concept of medicalization and activities of a deviant background were first were introduced, although there was not much headway in labeling offenders into this grou p at that time. However, now in present times the terminology has become quite common and even more pronounced, gaining precedence in claiming that many crimes have a medical reason and therefore claiming medicalizing many deviant behaviors is not only arbitrarily conceivable, but it is quite logical to do. In Conrad's article (1992) there is an emphasis on the fact that medicine can control deviant actions and many characteristics of it, which has been hinted at in this research. By applying the proper treatment regimen to those offenders who are engaging in deviant acts, the chemicals that are not reacting correctly in the brain can be adjusted by various pharmaceutical prescriptions. By counseling and regulating the medications, psychologists can monitor these previous offenders and almost guarantee that their actions won't be repeated as long as they stay on the treatment prescribed to them. The definition of medicalization in itself shows, "it is a process where more and more of everyday life has come under medical dominion, influence, and supervision" (Conrad 1992, pg.210). Of course, as this research is showing even legal problems in society are now beginning to be associated with medicine and it's treatments to maintain control. To extend this reasoning further, many psychiatrists, sociologists, and psychologists believe that a person who is committing deviant

Comparative analysis of Elkins historical interpretation of slavery Essay

Comparative analysis of Elkins historical interpretation of slavery with James McPhersons interpretation in Ordeal by Fire - Essay Example ze the similarities and differences between the two authors, the relevance of their treatments – fact versus anecdote – and which of the two can be said – in the light of hindsight – to have most accurately described antebellum slavery. Elkins’ and McPherson’s books represent two very differing accounts of slavery and are separated in time by almost a quarter of a century. Elkins discusses the subject in general terms, and advances two main arguments:- It is now appropriate to expand the argument and discuss the points of agreement and disagreement between the two authors and to consider – in the light of history – whose arguments represent the most appropriate view of US slavery Elkins believed that â€Å"the behavior you exhibit is who you are† (Elkins,1959); he maintained that slavery was †so degrading and dehumanizing that slaves lost their identities and became â€Å"Sambos† [docile, child-like, content and striving for attention] The different attitudes to slavery in the North and South of the country were profound; in the North slaves worked mainly as domestic servants, while those in the South were employed in agriculture – originally on three crops: tobacco, rice and indigo, and later on cotton as well. In the North, by the nineteenth century, strong feelings developed that it was not acceptable for one man to own another, and the abolitionists gained strength due to influence of the Quakers, Methodists and other factions. Elkins (1959) wrote â€Å"To the Northern reformer, every other concrete fact concerning slavery was dwarfed by its character as a moral evil – as an obscenity condemned by God and universally offensive to humanity† (Elkins, 1959). Many Northern church dignitaries believed that while one slave remained the whole populace was culpable [Cain and Abel – â€Å"his brother’s keeper†]. In the South, by contrast, it was held that slavery â€Å"was a positive moral good – a necessary arrangement sanctioned in

My inspiration in professional path of modern art Essay

My inspiration in professional path of modern art - Essay Example Losing the competition one time to a colleague who managed to come up with an exquisite work despite my father’s huge investment on his must have caused him a great deal of disillusionment toward his potentials. So whenever I would stop to wonder how my father was able to get it over with, I am all the more encouraged to appreciate the idea that imperfections in creativity are a means to muster the strength for accepting weak attributes and being flexible to entertain new alternatives. It is not merely his love and fondness for craftsmanship that creates the significant impact, judging from the measure of refinement in his work. I could sense so much freedom and humility in the manner he moves his strokes as if every fine detail of construction speaks of a lyrical struggle with hardship involving tons and tons of Masonic patience. In addition to his technical and mathematical aptitude, I suppose that the way by which my father exhibits his structural endeavor depicts his humbl e acknowledgment of the truth with respect to the interest of time and critical reality. Being motivated by my father has taught me to challenge my approach to forms and styles as I gradually learn the essence of crossing borders to strategize outside of the typical. With dad’s guidance and further training in the academe, I look forward to establishing my identity with art as well as mastery of learning tools which I know are essential for the heart of artistry aimed at constructing marvelous pieces.

OPERATIONS AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

OPERATIONS AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT - Assignment Example Starting with a general definition of manufacturing process, manufacturing processes are a collection of methods that converts â€Å"naturally occurring raw materials into desired end-products† (Harrington, 1984). In other words, raw materials are collected and by means of a chain of production activities, are converted into end-products. A rather precise definition is given by Halevi (1999): â€Å"the manufacturing process is a chain of activities directed toward meeting a set of objectives defined by management.† The objectives include development and production of products, production of customer-designed products, and reproduction of products manufactured in the past. Although manufacturing environments differ due to the differences in industry types, the fundamental principles of manufacturing processes remain similar and common to all industry types. Classification of manufacturing processes primarily includes two broad categories: shaping and non-shaping processes, or rather specifically, primary shaping and secondary shaping processes. Primary shaping processes are also known as basic manufacturing processes, which are the oldest manufacturing processes and still the most used processes. These manufacturing processes are used to produce or manufacture a product directly to its usable form without any machining. So these processes are relatively cheaper. Examples of products made by using primary shaping processes include cast-iron articles, hot-rolled metal products such as channels, rods, bar stocks, etc. Secondary shaping processes are usually carried out for further refinement of products manufactured from the primary shaping processes. Some of the examples of products made by using secondary shaping processes are the hot-rolled products that are required to undergo further refinement in shape and size. This paper will focus particularly on the casting processes. Casting, also known as metal casting, is one of the

My inspiration in professional path of modern art Essay

My inspiration in professional path of modern art - Essay Example Losing the competition one time to a colleague who managed to come up with an exquisite work despite my father’s huge investment on his must have caused him a great deal of disillusionment toward his potentials. So whenever I would stop to wonder how my father was able to get it over with, I am all the more encouraged to appreciate the idea that imperfections in creativity are a means to muster the strength for accepting weak attributes and being flexible to entertain new alternatives. It is not merely his love and fondness for craftsmanship that creates the significant impact, judging from the measure of refinement in his work. I could sense so much freedom and humility in the manner he moves his strokes as if every fine detail of construction speaks of a lyrical struggle with hardship involving tons and tons of Masonic patience. In addition to his technical and mathematical aptitude, I suppose that the way by which my father exhibits his structural endeavor depicts his humbl e acknowledgment of the truth with respect to the interest of time and critical reality. Being motivated by my father has taught me to challenge my approach to forms and styles as I gradually learn the essence of crossing borders to strategize outside of the typical. With dad’s guidance and further training in the academe, I look forward to establishing my identity with art as well as mastery of learning tools which I know are essential for the heart of artistry aimed at constructing marvelous pieces.

Analysis of the Cultural Differences of Coca Cola Essay Example for Free

Analysis of the Cultural Differences of Coca Cola Essay 1 A Summary 1.1 A one-page summary which outlines, in no more than three short paragraphs (and preferably just one) what the report says 1.2 You should write this last 1.3 It should be in the third person and present tense. e.g. The report considers the arguments in favour of Quality Circles and makes recommendations about their adoption. . 2 An Introduction 2.1 This should give a brief explanation of the aims/context of the report, and should include details of any information necessary for the reader to understand it. e.g. company size; structure; main activities; your role/position; etc. 3 The Main Body of the Report 3.1 This is where you present your main account of the problem or issue you are writing about. 3.1.1 It should be based on analysis, not intuition, e.g. avoid writing I feel 3.1.2 You must backup what you write with evidence and/or argument. This means you must substantiate each assertion you make with evidence, e.g. extracts from the company annual report, staff survey, recent appraisal, interviews, etc. 31.3 You must support opinions with specific examples/evidence (e.g. from a consultant’s report) or by building a logical argument based on previously cited examples/evidence 3.1.4 You should make a clear distinction between objective facts and personal opinions. 3.2 Ideally this section should be divided into numbered paragraphs like this briefing sheet, showing which section the paragraph belongs to. 3.3 Headings for each sub-section should be underlined or in bold. 3.4 Consider presenting material in the form of diagrams, charts, etc. wherever appropriate. These are not only easier to grasp, but also reduce the word count. 4 Conclusions 4.1 This is where you sum up the general conclusions you have reached, such as The very low staff morale is a result of an autocratic management style. 4.2 Dont confuse conclusions (where you draw together the threads of the preceding discussion to make some overall points) with recommendations (where you say what should be done about the conclusions you have reached). 4.3 It is sometimes a good idea to present your conclusions in the form of a bullet list, like this: †¢ Conclusion 1 †¢ Conclusion 2 †¢ Etc. 5 Recommendations 5.1 This is where you list the actions which your conclusions lead you to believe are necessary, e.g. The team leader should attend a course in modern approaches to management 5.2 The recommendations must be based on the analysis and conclusions. 5.3 Wherever possible, you should include a clear indication of: o The priorities o The timescale / deadlines for completion o Who is to be responsible for taking and/or monitoring the recommended action o To whom any action should be reported o From who authorisation must be sought o The financial budget or source of funds o Other costs/resource implications o Etc. 6 The List of References 6.1 This is the list of sources referred to directly in your report. If you have mentioned a writer or a book (even a course book) you must give full details here of: o The writer(s) or editors o The date of publication o The title o The publisher 6 The Bibliography (if any) 6.1 The bibliography is where you list details of any books or other sources you have consulted in preparing your report which you think it would be useful for your reader to know about or be able to consult. You should give the details outlined in the section on references above.

Major Themes Of Wuthering Heights

Major Themes Of Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte, who never had the benefit of formal schooling, wrote Wuthering Heights. Bronte has been declared a romantic rebel because she ignored the repressive conventions of her day and made passion a part of the novelistic tradition. Unlike stereotypical novels, Wuthering Heights has no true heroes or villains. It does have however, characters who give into their fleshly rage, and those who grow up and come to accept that there is a life to be led out side of revenge. There are many major themes of the book, but revenge is the most imminent theme, the factor that leads the protagonists to their dismal fate. Bronte proves there is no peace in eternal vengeance, and in the end the self-injury involved in serving revenges purposes will be more damaging than the original wrong. Nelly Dean serves as the chief narrator of Wuthering Heights. A sensible, intelligent, and compassionate woman, she grew up essentially alongside Hindley and Catherine Earnshaw and is deeply involved in the story she tells. She gives reference to Heathcliffs appetite for revenge, which dominates the novel. She also hints at her own lack of good judgment, something from which she suffers throughout the tale. Nelly gives insight to the depths of Heathcliffs antipathy toward Hindley and foreshadows his impending doom. Hindleys ruin does not, however, give Heathcliff happiness or satisfaction. In fact, his vengeful acts make him only more miserable and evil. Evil always desirers to kill and destroy. This is exactly what the essence of revenge is. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Healthcliff lives his life out of a wound. The fruit of which his self pity and anger. Heathcliff never finds peace through his revenge. In fact, the only time he truly finds happiness is when he gives up his plan for retaliation. Austin OMalley, a United Irish leader, stated that Revenge is like biting a dog that bit you. OMalleys quote reflects Heathcliffs immature need to propagate agony in those who have offended him. Heathcliffs plan for revenge on Edgar and Catherine is to marry Isabella, who is ignorant of love and of men because she has never experienced either. He wants to hurt Edgar through his marriage to Catherine, and he wants to get revenge on Catherine by making her jealous. Catherines death proves that this flawed plan of repayment helps nothing. Heathcliff, haunted by the ghost of Catherine because he is her murderer, still is motivated by the need for revenge and tries to get young Cathy away from Edgar by having her marry his son, Linton. Heathcliff never finds peace until he gives up his plan for revenge just before he dies. When Heathcliff gives up his plan for revenge, he meets Catherine in death and truly becomes happy once more. The absence of revenge is life. Catherines revenge does not make things better for her. Her revenge on Heathcliff by blaming him for her upcoming death does not meliorate her mind. Just before she dies, she ascribes Heathcliff for her murder. You have killed me, and thriven on it, I think (Bronte 158). Catherine resembles what Oliver Goldsmith said, When lovely woman stoops to folly, and finds too late that men betray, what charm can soothe her melancholy? What art can wash her guilt away? The only art her guilt to cover, To hide her shame from every eye, To give repentance to her lover, And wring his bosom, is-to die. Catherines death is caused by her lack of emotional control and her dual personalities. She and Heathcliff are each other (Bronte 80), but her wants of social status and popularity draw her toward Edgar (Bronte 78). She does not love Edgar, but her selfish material wants control her. Catherines revenge on Heathcliff does not assist her in finding happiness. She looks forward to dying and is wearying to escape into that glorious world (Bronte 160). Her death is, however, miserable as she wanders around the earth as a waif for 20 years occasionally visiting Heathcliff and torturing him. Just as Heathcliff and Catherines revenge make them miserable, Hindleys revenge on Heathcliff causes him to go bankrupt and eventually die. Hindleys attempt to kill Heathcliff only hurts Hindleyin the process; it proves the point Isabella makes, Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies (Bronte 177). The fact that Hindley is mistreated as a child reveals the source of the built up anger and resentment inside him and towards others. The hurt that Hindley feels is clearly understood, but sympathy for Hindley is only temporary because it is still his own fault for his predicaments. Hindleys loss of Wuthering Heights to Heathcliff and his mysterious death reflect how revenge does not make anything better, only worse. Bronte corroborates that revenge is not only a harsh and rash way to live life, but is counter-productive and hurtful. Out of all of her major themes, revenge is the most imminent. The self-hurt involved with vengeance shows there are better ways to solve conflicts. Bronte sends a great message across by showing how negative revenge can be. There is no resolution to obeying the spontaneous reaction of this negative reprisal.

Essay --

The Indian Entertainment and Media Industry has performed better in the Indian economy and is considered one among fastest growing sectors of India. It is increasing on the base of economic growth and accelerating income levels that our country has been witnessing in the last few years. This is indeed proving useful to the entertainment and media industry in India as this is a rather sensitive one and it prospers faster when it is an expanding economy. An added advantage to the entertainment and media industry in India is from the point of view of demographics where the spending of the consumer is increasing as a result of increase in disposable incomes due to sustained growth in income levels and reduced income tax in the last ten years. The present size of the industry is estimated at US$ 7 billion in 2004 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 14 per cent to US$ 13bn by the year 2009. The Filmed Entertainment and Television segment rules the industry succeeding to Print, Radio and the Music segments. The overall Indian economy observed a slack in 2012 due to both external and domestic factors. The fiscal and monetary stimulus given by the Government of India after financial-crisis resulted in strong growth in consumption and demand in 2009-10 and 2010-11. However, this has led to higher inflation and a powerful monetary response that reduced consumption demand. Moreover, infrastructure and corporate investment were also rallied down by the strict monetary policy and the policy bottlenecks. Externally, a slow global economy weighed down by the incessant crisis in the Euro area and prevalence of uncertainty in the US fiscal policy also increased risks to development. The Central Statistical Organization’s (CSO’s) estimates show a... ...this increasing number is eventually resulting in the growth of internet advertising, which today is standing at about INR 1 billion. †¢ The internet is being utilized for a variety of purposes, besides work, like as chatting, doing transactions, leisure, blogging etc. †¢ This serves as a large potential to marketers in the sale of their products. †¢ And with wireless and broadband becoming popular, internet reach is expected to increase in leaps and bounds. BARRIERS TO INVESTMENT The following are certain barriers to investment in the media industry; †¢ Piracy. †¢ Lack of a uniform media policy for foreign investment †¢ Level playing field with incumbents †¢ Content regulation †¢ Price regulation in the television industry †¢ Cross-media ownership rules †¢ Lack of empowered regulators †¢ Merging of the FII and FDI caps †¢ Tax treatment of foreign broadcasting companies

Multicultural Social Studies Essay -- Education

Multicultural Social Studies More now than ever before in the educational history of our nation has multicultural education become important. Due to the ever increasing diversity in our nation, the global economy, and the mobility of our work force, diversity in the classroom is affecting our classrooms. With such a diverse student population teachers must understand that each student will bring his own background knowledge and experience into the learning environment. The task that is presented to teachers is to prepare the students to understand and interact with all the different cultures that are present or that the student may come into contact with, while at the same time teach them content which does not offend a student’s cultural identity. Why is multicultural education important? â€Å"Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (NCSS,1994b) endorses the belief that students should be helped to construct a pluralist perspective based on diversity. This perspective respects differences of opinion and preference, race, religion, gender, class, ethnicity, and culture in general.† (Hass & Sunal, 2011, p. 304) With the ever increasing diversity found within this country, and the interdependency between different cultures on a world-wide platform it is important for our students to not only accept these differences, but to also understand the differences. Dr. Geneva Gay states: Multicultural education can ease these tensions by teaching skills in cross- cultural communication, interpersonal relations, perspective taking, con- textual analysis, understanding alternative points of view and frames of reference, and analyzing how cultural conditions affect values, attitudes, beliefs, preferences, expectations, and behaviors. .. .../pdf/session3/3.Multiculturalism.pdf Banks, J. (2008). Teaching Strategies for ethnic studies. (8th Ed.). Boston: Pearson. Cushner, K., McClelland, A., & Safford, P. (1992). Human Diversity in Education. New York: McGraw-Hill. Fry, T. S. (2000). Muticultural Perspectives Help by Preservice Social Studies Teachers. The Journal of Critical Inquiry Into curriculum and Instruction . Gay, G. P. (1994). A Synthesis of Scholorship in Muticultural Education. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le0gay.htm Hass, M. E., & Sunal, C. S. (2011). Social Studies for the Elementary and Middle Grades. Boston: Pearson. Kostelink, M., Whiren, A., Soderman, A. S., & Gregory, K. (2002). Guiding children's social development: Theory to practice. Albany, NY: Thomson Delmar.

Interdiscuplinary Study in Consumer Behaviour Essay

With the development of a consumer society, increasing consumer power in the market place, the growth in marketing, advertising, sophisticated consumers, ethical consumption etc, consumption is recognized as central to modern life. Thus it entails to go into a depth of the different approaches to consumer behaviour. Many human sciences give a variety of reasons to explain why a consumer behaves in a particular way in a given situation. Studies of consumption investigate how and why society and individuals consume goods and services, and how this affects society and human relationships. These are found in many social sciences such as economics, psychology, sociology, etc. The present study tries to investigate these theories based on consumption and consumer behaviour and how far these are interlinked as well as different from one another. It is also aimed at studying the relevance of these theories with the help of primary data and research. The purpose of this study is to find out whether there is some interlink between the various theories and approaches given by different economists, psychologists and sociologists. The hypothesis framed for the research is that Consumption is greatly influenced by the income factor. The data used in the study was mostly secondary in nature from the internet and reference to several books. The theories of consumption studied for this purpose are the demand theory, indifference curve analysis, revealed preference theory, Keynes’ consumption theory, permanent income hypothesis, relative income hypothesis, life-cycle hypothesis, Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, the sociological theories of consumption given by G. Katona, Ruby Turner Norris and the theory of Conspicuous consumption given by Veblen. An attempt has been made to study consumer behaviour with the help of primary data collected from a sample of 40 people from 4 categories namely, students, housewives, employees and businessmen. They were asked to rank the different factors that influence their buying behaviour. The influential factors given in the questionnaire were taken from the consumption theories given in economics, sociology as well as psychology as given above. From the analysis of both primary as well as secondary data, it was found that majority of people give importance to their income level. However, it is also found that, besides income factor, people also think about sociological and psychological factors while purchasing a commodity such as security, safety, fashion, advertising, comforts and prestige issues. As given in the Sociological theories of G. Katona and Norris, it was seen after the primary data analysis that the economic theory of consumption lacks such social structural variables. Thus it is concluded that in the construction of any consumption function or theory – for a particular product, for a particular class of products, or for consumption in general – not either economic or sociological or psychological variable is to be regarded as the key determinant. Different combinations of all these three enter into different statements of consumption functions at different situations and time periods according to the necessity or urgency of the wants.