The Bipolar Disorder In Early Years

Bipolar affective disorder has been a mystery since the 16th century. History has shown that this affliction can appear in almost anyone. According to an article on bipolar disorder by, David E. Cohen, Some research suggests that highly creative people such as artists, composers, writers, and poets, show unusually high rates of bipolar disorder, and that periods of mania fuel their creativity. Famous artists and writers who might have suffered from bipolar disorder include poets Lord Byron and Anne Sexton, novelists Virginia Woolf (who did suffer from bipolar disorder) and Ernest Hemingway. (Encarta Encyclopedia) Despite the fact that many people suffer from bipolar disorder, we still wait for clear explanations for the causes as well as the cure. The one fact of which we are painfully aware of is that bipolar disorder severely weakens its† victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success. Manic and Depressive Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder or manic depression is characterized by many symptoms that can be broken into manic and depressive episodes. The depressive episodes are characterized by intense feelings of sadness, despair, hopelessness, and helplessness. guilt, crying spells, disturbances in sleep and appetite, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, difficulty thinking, indecisiveness, and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide. (National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association). The manic episodes are characterized by elevated or irritable mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep, poor judgment and insight, and often reckless or irresponsible behavior, grandiose delusions, inflated sense of self-importance, racing speech, racing thoughts, flight of ideas, impulsiveness, poor judgment, distractibility, reckless behavior and in the more severe cases, delusions and hallucinations. (NDMDA )(Encarta Encyclopedia) Bipolar disorder affects approximately one percent of the population (approximately two million people) in the United States. It usually begins in a person†s late teens or 20s. Men usually experience mania as the first mood episode, and women usually experience depression first. Episodes of mania and depression usually last from several weeks to several months. On average, people with untreated bipolar disorder experience four episodes of mania or depression over a ten-year period. Many people with bipolar disorder function normally between episodes. Still, in â€Å"rapid-cycling† bipolar disorder a person experiences four or more mood episodes within a year and may have little or no normal functioning in between episodes. Often times bipolar patients report that the depressions are longer and increase in frequency as they age. Bipolar disorder is diagnosed if an episode of mania occurs whether depression has been diagnosed or not. Many times bipolar states and psychotic states are misdiagnosed as schizophrenia. Fortunately, Speech patterns help distinguish between the two disorders. This devastating disease causes disruptions of families, loss of jobs as well as millions of dollars in cost to society(Encarta Encyclopedia). (NIMH) Other Forms of Bipolar Disorder & Stages of Mania In another type of bipolar disorder, a person experiences major depression and hippomanic episodes, or episodes of milder mania. In a related disorder called cyclothymic disorder, a person†s mood alternates between mild depression and mild mania. (Encarta Encyclopedia) The three stages of mania begin with hippomania, in which patients report that they are energetic, extroverted and assertive. The hippomania state has led observers to feel that bipolar patients are â€Å"addicted† to their mania. Hippomania progresses into mania and the transition is marked by loss of judgment. Often, overjoyed grandiose characteristics are displayed, and paranoid or irritable characteristics begin to manifest. The third stage of mania is when the patient experiences delusions with often paranoid ideas. Speech is generally rapid and hyperactive behavior sometimes becomes violent when frustrated ((NIMH) (Encarta Encyclopedia) The genes that a person inherits seem to have a strong influence on whether or not the person will develop bipolar disorder. Studies of twins provide evidence for this genetic influence. Among genetically identical twins where one twin has bipolar disorder, the other twin has a 50 percent chance of also having the disorder. Conversely, among pairs of fraternal twins, who have about half their genes in common, brothers, sisters and children have a 5-10 percent chance. The amount of genetic similarity seems to explain for the difference between identical and fraternal twins. Further evidence for a genetic influence is apparent in the study of adopted children with bipolar disorder. This study shows that children who develop bipolar disorder are more likely to have had biological relatives with this disorder rather than adoptive relatives. Although research has shown an apparent linkage to genes on many chromosomes, researchers have been unable to locate a specific gene linked to the disorder. (Kalat 434) (Encarta Encyclopedia) Lithium salts has been the primary treatment of bipolar disorder which continues to be used since it accidental discovery by J. F. Cade. (Kalat 434) It is main function is to stabilize the mood of bipolar disorder patients. The drug usually takes two to three weeks to become effective. People with bipolar disorder may take lithium during periods of normal mood to delay or prevent later episodes of mania or depression. Common side effects of lithium include nausea, increased thirst and urination, dizziness, loss of appetite, and muscle weakness. Unfortunately, 20- 40% of bipolar patients are either unresponsive to lithium or can†t stand the side effects. (Encarta Encyclopedia) For those 20 to 40 percent of people who do not respond to lithium therapy, two anticonvulsant drugs may help calm severe manic episodes. The first one is carbamazepine (Tegretol) and valproate (Depakene). These drugs are useful as anti-manic agents, especially in patients with mixed states. Both of these medications can be used in combination with lithium or in combination with each other. Valproate is especially helpful for patients who are unresponsive to lithium, experience rapid cycling, or have alcohol or drug abuse problems. (Encarta Encyclopedia) (NDMDA) Newer antipsychotic medications such as olanzapine, risperidone and quetiapine appear to help with manic episodes. Also, anticonvulsant or antiepilepsy drugs such as lamotrigine, topiramate and gabapentin may help stabilize patient†s mood when other medications are ineffective. (psychology today, 87) Yet other drugs used are antidepressants. They include, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI†s), fluovamine and amitriptyline which been used by some doctors as treatment for bipolar disorder. However, research shows that SSRI†s and other antidepressants can actually trigger high manic episodes especially when used alone. Antidepressants are useful when used in together with mood stabilizing medications such as lithium. NIMH) (Psychology Today, 87) In addition to the mentioned medical treatments of bipolar disorder, there are several other options available to bipolar patients, most of which are used together with medicine. One such treatment is light therapy. Which is actually used to treat another form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Patients are treated with very bright lights (2500lux) for an hour or more each day. This bright light treatment is equally effective in the morning, afternoon, or evening, but according to research it is most effect during the day. Kalat 436) Yet another popular treatment for bipolar disorder is electro-convulsive shock therapy. ECT is usually the recommended treatment for severely manic patients who are homicidal, psychotic, catatonic, severely suicidal, or for those who were unresponsive to drugs. (Kalat 433) (Encarta Encyclopedia) A final type of therapy is outpatient group psychotherapy. According to The National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association, the value of support groups, has challenged mental health professionals to take a more serious look at group therapy for people with bipolar depression. Research shows that group participation may help increase lithium compliance, decrease denial regarding the illness, and increase awareness of both external and internal stress factors leading to manic and depressive episodes. Group therapy for patients with bipolar disorders responds to the need for support and reinforcement of medication management, and the need for education and support for the personal difficulties that arise during the course of the disorder. Cognitive and behavioral treatments focus on recognizing early warning signs, interrupting unrealistic thoughts and maintaining positive activities. (Psychology Today, 87)

How groups can influence people Essay

In this essay, I am going to describe how groups can influence people in a positive and in a negative ways. I will be using evidence drawn from Chapter 5 of the study text ‘’Starting with psychology’’ Spoors et al (2011). It is in a human nature to be a part of a social group. Belonging to a group, such as family, clubs, sport teams or group of friends, give us support, it make us feel good about ourselves, give us a sense of social identity. It brings meaning to our life, it make us feel like we belong. However, being a part of a group can also have a negative effect. Group pressure can cause us to behave in a way that we will not normally do. To support my argument I will use as an example evidence from Kondo’s story and as well Zimbardo and Asch experiments (Spoors et al 2011). In our lifetime, we belong to many different social groups. Our social identity is based on the group we belong to, we enhance the status of our group in order to increase our self-image. We divide the world into people like ‘us’, who belong to our group, called the in-group, and those one who are different ‘them’, the out-group (Spoors et al 2011). Two psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner developed that theory. The theory argues that there are three mental processes involved in evaluating others as ‘them’ and us’ the first one is a social categorisation. We categorize other people and ourselves in order to understand and identify them. The second process is a social identification. When we know which group we belong to, we start behaving by the norms of our group. The last process is social comparison. After we categorize ourselves with a group, we start to compare our group with other groups. To maintain our self-esteem we will compare our group favourably with other groups. An experiment carried out by Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues (1971) Spoors et al (2011) provides evidence how people behaviour can change w hen they become a part of a group. They choose randomly a group of male participants and divide them into ‘guards’ and ‘prisoners’ and then located them in a simulated prison. After six days, the experiment had to be stopped, as the ‘guards’ became brutal and abusive towards ‘prisoners’, and the ‘prisoners’ begun suffering from emotional disturbance. This experiment shows how the previous perceptions that the participants have of the role of a prison  guards and prisoners, that probably came from watching films and television programs, influenced them to behave in a negative way. Another example of how groups can influence our behaviour is experiment carried out by Solomon Asch (Spoors et al 2011). He asked fifty participants to look at the picture of a straight line, and then showed them another picture with a three more lines of different lengths. Then he asked the participants to identify out loud the line that is the same length as the original one . Surprisingly 75 per cent of the group give a wrong answer, which was a result of a group pressure. People have the need for conformity that is why they go along with the norms of the groups. They want to be accepted as an in-group person. Conforming to group norms is sending a message to the other members of the group that I am not a thread, I am same like you, and I am following our rules. Asche’s experiment showed that the need for conformity pressured participants to give a wrong answer to a question; they just simply followed the rest of the group. An example of how group can influence us on a positive way is Kondo’s story in Spoors et al (2011). Dorinne Kondo is a Japanese American, raised in the USA. She went to Japan to do an anthropological research. She stays there for 26 months, a few months she stays with a Japanese family to learn how proper Japanese women supposed to behave and present herself. At the same time, she was acting as a scientific observer. That is a method of research called participant-observation, where the researcher is both an observer and a participant (Spoors et al 2011). The first few months in Japan were very stressful for Knodo; she did not understand the etiquette and traditions that are part of their everyday life. Every time she made a mistake, people trait her like she was retarded or insane. They were confused, as she looked like a Japanese women but she did not act in a Japanese manner. During her visit in Japan, her guarantor introduced her to Mrs Sakamoto who invited her to stay with her family for summer. It was a great opportunity for Kondo to learn about the traditions. During her visit she was trying to conform to their way of life, she wanted to feel their acceptance, so she start learning about her Japanese roots and proper etiquette, she took a part in a tea ceremony class. At the end of her visit in Japan, she was pleased with herself and all she have learned during her visit. She did not struggle any more to fit in both cultures, the approval of Sakamoto’s family had a good influence on her, it makes her feel  like she belong to their world. Kondo’s story demonstrates that in our lifetime ‘’we have multiple social identities, which continue to evolve as we grow older or when we move into new situations’’ Spoors et al (2011). In those few examples, I was exploring how groups can influence people in a positive and negative ways. Positively, by providing us a sense of belonging to the social world and bringing meaning to our life, as shown on an example of Kondo’s story, and negatively by pressuring us to conform and act out of character, what confirm an Zimbardo’s and Asche’s experiments.

Atomic Bomb Essay Conclusion Example For Students

Atomic Bomb Essay Conclusion The atomic bomb ended a war of massive death and destruction, but began what is now known as the Atomic Age. At the time of the disasters in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the bomb appeared as a promise of peace to the entire world. It had ended a costly and gruesome war, beginning a time of peace. Compared to the technology of 1945, the atomic bomb looked too powerful and unethical ever to be used again. It was seen as the weapon that would put an end to war. In Keith Eubanks The Bomb, he shows the development of power and the increasing threat to the United States from other nations that might be building a weapon of mass destruction; moreover, he shows the responsibility of dropping such a bomb. The development of the atomic bomb, although slow at first, quickly sped up as more research proved it a significant weapon. At the beginning, the U.S. didnt think developing a weapon could contribute to defense. Consequently, after quick research from scientists and the realization that the war would be a technical one in which the U.S. was unprepared, Americans came to the conclusion that better relations had to be created between science, technology and the American government (p. 8). The government soon realized that the bomb was likely to have a decisive result in the war. Roosevelt immediately gave orders to determine if a bomb was possible. When he found out the news, the national defense demanded urgent development and more research. The United States undertook the development of the atomic bomb not only because it may prove useful, but also because it thought other scientists were doing the same. After testing the bomb, the U.S. realized the significant role the weapon would play in the war. In addition, President Truman learned that the bomb might well put (the U.S.) in a position to dictate our own terms at the end of the war (p. 49). Truman, to the opposition of some, decided that the Japanese would receive no warning about the bomb. Many would argue Japan was largely responsible for their own destruction. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the war in the Pacific was fully underway. An aggressive expansion policy forced the United States invasion. However, this invasion would mean severe casualties of tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers alone. After American casualties reached into the thousands in Japan, the U.S. could not afford to lose more lives. It seemed as if the only solution to save American lives and stop further Japanese expansion was to drop an atomic bomb. After the Big Three conference at Potsdam on July 16, 1945, a warning was issued to Japan in the form of the Potsdam Declaration: to surrender unconditionally or face prompt and utter d estruction. An unconditional surrender, to Japan, meant humiliation to the ancient warrior tradition and the Emperor. Therefore, on July 29, 1945, the Japanese rejected the Potsdam Declaration and every man, woman, and child prepared to fight to death if that is what it would take and it did. They saw the declaration as propaganda, which would play on the public opinion of Americans. They soon learned that action would be taken. They wanted to wait until the Soviet Union mediated in the conflict, so Japan told its people to ignore the declaration. However, when the Soviet Union joined the Allies, Japan knew it was in trouble. Only a change in the weather could save the lives of Japanese now. On August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and a few days later one was dropped on Nagasaki. Nevertheless, the time has come when we must bear the unbearable (p. 87): A quote that sums up not only Japans feelings but Americans feelings as well. It was the only way the United States knew how to end a war that had killed many of its own men. READ: Martin luther king jr. EssayIndeed, Eubanks exemplifies that Germany had already begun research on atomic energy. The Manhattan Project, which built plants for production of the atomic bomb, helped to set up a centralized lab to get everyone working on the bomb together. This step was vital for the U.S. in constructing this weapon. German scientists had begun research on nuclear physics around the same time as Americans. German scientists, unlike Americans however, lacked leadership, drive, listening skills and trust. In fact, Hitler thought of nuclear research as Jewish physics. Furthermore, Hitler didnt want to use funds on something that he had not had to use. Conventional weapons had worked just fine for the German army up to this point. But when Germans learned of the importance of uranium and heavy water, they started massive production of the water and had it delivered to them. When British intelligence found out about the production of the heavy water, they destroyed t he plant. This loss of heavy water played a major role in wrecking Germans hopes for the atomic bomb. Officers of Alsos (the allied effort to find out about German atomic bomb developments) found out later that German research activities had not gotten much beyond the research and development stage. Given the necessary time and resources, however, the Germans wouldve probably succeeded (p. 45). Nevertheless, Eubanks illustrates that the Soviet Union got much further than the research and development of Germany. Like Germany, Russians didnt want to spare the funds at the beginning for massive development and research of atomic energy. The Soviet Union development of the atomic bomb was small in comparison with the United States, but after learning of tests and the dropping of the bombs on Japan, the Russians changed their policy. They could not stand back and let the U.S. take over the world as they saw it. Joseph Stalin knew of the atomic bomb through secret operations, but he didnt realize the importance of the weapon until it was used. By dropping the bombs, the U.S. demonstrated not only the possession of atomic weapons, but also the willingness to use them. Moreover, the weapon shocked Soviet leaders because it reduced the value of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany (p. 110). Therefore, Stalin ordered a crash program to develop the weapon as quickly as possible to show that the United States was not superior to the world. Stalin realized that the atomic bomb had become the symbol of technological strength as a superpower. In fact, between 1949 and 1953, the Soviet Union had tested four atomic weapons, launching and intensifying what was known as the Cold War. As the atomic bomb ended war, it began a new age, creating new philosophies on human existence, technology and society. Socially, the grief from the destruction of the atomic bomb was immeasurable- it expanded outside the borders of Japan to the hearts of the entire world. Not only did grief exist, but the atomic bomb also laid guilt on some citizens of the United States for the destruction of so many lives. At the time of the war, Americans hatred of the Japanese was so strong that they wanted to see the bomb dropped. In fact, they wouldve liked to see more bombs dropped to prove that the United States would not give up. In retrospect, the bombs today are criticized by some as being an unfair loss of life to the Japanese.The atomic bomb, however, wouldve eventually been used by another country if they had the technology. Overall, the United States had the money, power and weaponry to undertake such a project. Regardless, the atomic bomb may have killed thousands, but it saved millio ns. Today, we face similar problems with the situation in Iraq and Saddam Husseins lack of cooperation with arms inspectors. If hes holding nuclear or thermonuclear weapons, it can only be hoped that we are ready for another war.The atomic bomb forever changed the rules of war. It is a weapon so powerful it can annihilate the enemy, a weapon that can destroy humanity itself. The people who built this weapon hoped that they had invented a weapon that would put an end to war. They hoped this new weapon was so awful, so terrifying and so destructive that it would never be used again. We may soon see if that is true. Bibliography:Reference:Dick Geary. Hitler and Nazism. London: Routledge, 1993.

Glass Ceiling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Glass Ceiling - Essay Example The four have demonstrated enthusiasm and commitment in their fields. The ambitious dimension is eminent on its adaptive pole by self-confidence. It enabled them to nurtured dominant aspect with authoritativeness, pathological aggressiveness, and boldness. They end up being tough, unsentimental, and competitive. They have a tendency of not binding by the limits that apply to others (Jalalzai, 2013). A good example is Hillary Clinton. His ambition in being the United States first female president kept her as a front-runner for the Democratic nomination. She served in official positions and ambitiously made decisions that kept her on her move. For instance, problem-solving and decision-making roles in her position as the Secretary of State. Nancy Pelosi built a base within the Democrats caucus and consolidated enough power in winning the speakership position of the House of Representative. Being the first female in the position, she understood the tempo and the mannerism of the House. Ambitiously, she was determined in increasing the funding for AIDS research and in putting pressure on China to improve the human right policy (Palmer & Simon, 2006). Sarah Palin also demonstrated her ambitious nature from her determination of becoming the vice presidential candidate of the America despite serving less than half of her time as Alaska’s governor. She had less experience for the position but was ambitious in the post. Nothing could stop her to reach her goal (Barreto, Ryan & Schmitt, 2009). Condoleezza Rice, being African-American, became one of the well-known and much-loved members of the Bush administration. Second female Secretary of State, she demonstrated her character in handling of the arising events. She was ambitious in her field of foreign policy and helped the government to deal with the war in Iraq and the terror after the September 11, 2001 attack (Jalalzai, 2013). The man

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human resource management - Essay Example The Humphrey Group not only would not be irresponsible bringing an HR representative into their corporate responsibility and bonus scandal meeting, they would in fact be irresponsible not to. In fact, it seems to be absurd to say that the solution is anything but a human resources issue. Human resources determine how wages and bonuses are controlled, given and filed; they control the hiring, firing and promotion of employees. Bonus scandals and compensation ethics begin at human resources giving bad offers to bad people after not weeding out the dishonest and end with paying those bonuses to those bad people. When a corporation makes a bad decision, one always has to ask, â€Å"Why were there bad apples in that barrel?† Picking the apples and replacing the rotten ones is the job of HR. Further, given that most companies do not end up violating the law in such an egregious manner, it's clear that illegality is the province only of a few corporate cultures and therefore a few pe ople. How is this anything but an HR problem? Well, superficially, the paying of bonuses and the detection of fraud thereof do fall under the purview of accounts payable, auditing, accounting and payroll, which are relevant non-HR departments. More importantly, it is true, although misleadingly so and far less crucially so than many think, that a company is more than the sum of its parts. Ultimately, a corporation is just twenty or a hundred or a thousand people, but there are three factors that make it more than just an aggregation of those people in a random setting such as a park: 1. Past organisational culture, especially for long-lasting companies 2. Institutional roles changing people's behavior (Zimbardo, 2006) 3. Shared goals and objectives created by legal responsibilities; bureaucratic and institutional coordination A company like General Electric or even Microsoft has had far more people in it throughout its history than it does now. People are fired, replaced, quit, demo ted, hired, promoted, forced into resignation, and retire. Every person who works at a company makes a mark on its institutional culture, which means that looking at a corporation at any given moment is misleading because the institutional culture goes farther back in the past. But at the same time, it is people who choose to ignore, defy or abide by that institutional culture. Aside from that, it is clear that people in certain bad circumstances don't do those things out of them being sheer evil. The torturers at Abu Ghraib were not torturing people for fun back in the States; corporate leaders and hucksters like Ken Lay and Madoff do not mug old ladies. People in an institutional setting, as Zimbardo discovered in his famous Stanford prison experiment, begin to adopt the behavior of their roles (Zimbardo, 2006). Even if it is a pretend prison, the pretend prisoners, pretend guards and pretend warden (who are students and a psychology professor in their day-to-day lives) act like p risoners, guards and wardens for real. The Zimbardo experiment had normal, well-adjusted students of a variety of backgrounds, yet all of them began to fall into their roles startlingly quickly. Yet, again, human resources can

The Drug Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Drug Business - Essay Example It had become so common that drug abuse was observed in majority of the American areas. The United States had become a place where frequent illegal business of drugs was taking place. Therefore, the government of United States decided to control the use of illegal drugs. Hence, it was noticed that in the 20th century, there were several restrictions so as to prohibit the use of illegal drugs among the people. In 1960, United States encountered another enormous problem in the list of most illicit drugs, known as marijuana. Marijuana is enormously dangerous like the other drugs. It was newly introduced and very rapidly become popular and common among the drug addicts. After the people of the United States discovered this marijuana, all the government laws and prohibitions were forgotten and once again United States embarked upon the journey towards excessive drug abuse and addiction in the society. Even the common public, apart from the habitual drug addicts were then being attracted towards illegal drugs. This illegal business of drugs was becoming so popular that the government had to take serious steps towards the growing use of drugs. Hence, the government in the mid of the 20th century decided to take some serious actions against the people who were involved in promoting the drugs and also those who were using illegal drugs. It was quite difficult for the government to control the drugs as it had become extremely common. Yet the government imposed laws for avoiding illegal drugs and did become successful to some extent. Soon illegal drugs started to become popular in even the young children of the United States. They started using it and became addicted to drugs as drugs seemed to be amusing for them. Therefore, it was decided to start awareness campaigns, not just to impose punishments on the usage of drugs, but also make people aware of its harms, especially the children. Awareness campaigns started in schools. People belonging to the awareness

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Research paper - Essay Example His sculptures are still being studied to this day as there is yet to be an in-depth analysis of them He came from a family of artists. His father and grandfather dealt in picture frames and table decorative, that they had made themselves, while his godfather was a painter. Daumier went to a middle class school but found no interest in education. His parents introduced him to Alexandre Lenoir, a well known actor, as a beginner. Alexandre had a collection of the best medieval and contemporary sculptures that Daumier drew motivation from. After his father was debilitated due to madness, Daumier set out to look for a paying profession. He worked as a messenger for a bailiff and familiarized himself with the workings of the law. Later, he abandoned this to follow his dream of being a painter. He started selling lithographs that he had made while still a child as well as getting paid to make portraits as means to supplement his works of art. He started as a lithographer, cartoonist but en ded up as an impressionist painter in his later years. He lived through three generations and saw France be transformed from a monarchy to a free republic. He began his career by sending caricatures to a weekly anti-monarchist magazine called ‘La Caricature,’ owned by a print publisher named Aubert. ... Below the commode, favorites of the King were picking leftovers and wastes from the king’s bounty. He spent six months in prison. After Daumier’s release, Aubert and his son-in-law had started another monthly magazine called L’Assocaition mensuelle lithographique. Daumier was unrelenting to create caricatures for this magazine as well as La Caricature and Le Charivari. It was from his piece for L’association mensuelle where most of his popular masterpieces can be found. One of these masterpieces is the lithograph called Rue Transonain made in 1834. He had depicted a poor family who were mistakenly shot dead in their home by men from Philippe’s army. Daumier got himself into trouble again. The king tried to confiscate and to destroy all the copies of that magazine issue. The French government later abolished the publication of any caricature that depicted the government. From then, most of Daumier’s caricatures revolved around societal issues. He made caricatures about the development going on in the country such as the trains, steamships and how they increased the gap between the rich and poor. Daumier was fired then by Le Charivari during this period of censorship. After the revolution that saw Louis-Philippe dethroned, Daumier was rehired and began to make political caricatures again. The first president of the republic, Napoleon III was very lenient when it came to freedom of the press. His earlier works reveal the impressionistic style that he used. From his workings since 1848, spectators can see the use of contours that shoe the angle of light. Historians were unaware of this feature of Daumier’s work as they had paid him little concentration. Some of his workings had been discarded when

Answer questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 20

Answer questions - Essay Example Bill Gates’ Microsoft has developed because of Gates’ ability to create an environment of creativity, teamwork, delegation of tasks, and transparency across the workforce Interpersonal skills are the qualities that enable people to understand one another and establish effective communication. In a decision making process, team members need to understand one another in order to establish effective communication, which is a necessity for organizational efficiency and growth. Interpersonal skills enable and organization to have a clear flow of instructions, commands and directives, facilitating the attainment of a business’ overall objective. Interpersonal skills are also relevant in society because effective communication is crucial when it comes to networking and establishing local and multinational deals (Robbins, De Cenzo, & Coulter, 2015). Steve jobs people skills enabled him to get funding, resurrect Apple Inc. and transform it into one of the finest American electronics manufacturer ever. The KTS-II results show that I am a guardian. A guardian is an individual who understands logistics and is strict about following routine. A guardian has a sense of responsibility and duty, which means he is always in the good books of the supervisor. However, workers of rational and idealist personalities are people who seek personal growth and knowledge, which might interfere with the regulatory role of their supervisors. Artisans’ desire to try new things may interfere with company routine and schedule, affecting the relationship of artisans with the supervisors (Montgomery, 2011). Conscientiousness and extraversion are positively correlated with job performance. However, without high levels of conscientiousness, extraversion might lead to absenteeism, in which case it becomes negatively correlated with job performance (Lim & Ployhart,

How did the Rolling Stones influence the music Article

How did the Rolling Stones influence the music - Article Example ere on their way to conquer the rock and roll world, at the same time, bands and artists like â€Å"The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Bryan Adams, Led Zeppelin† (Rej &Wyman, 2006) were establishing their names in various other genres of the music world. However, none of them contributed to the extent to which rolling stones did to music. No body dared to, and if dared then was not able to surpass rolling stones when they were on their peaks. With the release of their first album, they were on the top. With every song, the message that they gave was clear enough that â€Å"we are here to stay and to rule forever† (Rej &Wyman, 2006). The influence of Rolling Stones was so strong that all the upcoming bands and artists and had no choice but follow their footsteps. This influence was evident in the style and music of â€Å"Aerosmith, Guns & Roses, My Chemical Romance, Foo fighters, Flamin Groovies† (Rej &Wyman, 2006), and various others. Even if you open up a dictionary and search for the word â€Å"rock and roll band,† the dictionary would show you a picture of Rolling stones dancing and hopping on a stage. One can even conclude that it was rolling stones who a new life and a new definition to rock music. Moreover, it was with after various news of drug usage of rolling stones that many rock bands and artists involved themselves into heroin addiction because they thought that this is some formula for success since the rock and roll gurus are doing it. In addition, there world was restricted only to rock and roll music however they also left considerable influences on genres like blues, R&B and hip h op. It is also difficult to deny the influence of rolling stone son other bands because of the fact that since 1960’s they have been the most happening band from the United Kingdom. Moreover, no other band of that time has been able to make so many fans, sell as much albums, or perform worldwide so frequently (Wyman & Havers, 2003). Therefore, quite understandably, their influence

Argument Essay - Illegalize Alcohol Essay Example for Free

Argument Essay Illegalize Alcohol Essay Our country is facing a growing problem. It is a problem of moral decay. The legal and open use of alcohol is an unnecessary vice that is enjoyed and accepted by a majority of the United States population, unfortunately, it leads to social and moral downfalls. Alcohol should be held to the same standards as other illegal mind and body-altering substances, as alcohol is addicting and has no medical value. Lawmakers and active voters should put an outright ban on alcohol. The revenue that is generated from the manufacturing, distributing, and sales of alcohol is a major source of taxable income that is a benefit. As of 2007 the U. S. Government was collecting $5. 6 billion dollars annually from the taxation of alcohol (joshritchie). This revenue has tended to increase each and every year. Although the revenue is important, the question must be asked, is it moral? Is it moral for our government to profit off the sale of a frivolous vice that causes fatalities and creates addicts? The revenue that is made from the taxation of alcohol could be lost, and would simply increase our never-ending national debt by a miniscule amount. Through out history our country has faced several social epidemics that have resulted in many people becoming substance abusers. Though these times our government has stepped in and enforced laws to restore the moral and social fabric of the infected areas. The current epidemic that we are facing is the abuse of alcohol. It is widespread and available almost everywhere in our country. â€Å"According to the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) tool, from 2001–2005, there were approximately 79,000 deaths annually attributable to excessive alcohol use. † (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Beyond the number of the deaths that are related to alcohol every year, a staggering number of people in the United States are alcoholics. According to the National Library of Medicine, â€Å"nearly 17. 6 million adults in the United States are alcoholics or have alcohol problems†. (U. S. National Library of Medicine) We need to completely ban alcohol so that we can start working on decreasing the number of addicts in our country rather than encourage the use to every single person just as he or she turns a certain age. The United States government has already tried to ban alcohol in the past, it was a complete failure and subsequently repealed. This attempt resulted in a spike in organized crime and was an obvious failure. Eventually the government conceded and re-legalized the use of alcohol. I too will concede that it was a failure on the part of our government in enforcing the prohibition of alcohol. Even today we are fighting the exact same battle by the DEA with the Controlled Substances Act. There is already a long list of illegal substances that are given priorities and schedules and are subsequently enforced. It would not be a stretch to incorporate alcohol into this list of illegal drugs. Many would assert that it would be difficult to enforce the mere consumption and manufacturing of small amounts of alcohol by individuals in there own homes. It is a very simple process to either brew low alcohol content drinks or to distill higher alcohol content spirits. The enforcing of these laws would be similar to current laws of cannabis cultivation. These laws would seem just as hard to enforce, yet they are enforced. The manufacturing of homemade alcohol could be given the same fear of punishment and could be enforced on incident-to-incident bases. Alcohol has the tendency to increase the probability of someone committing a violent crime. If alcohol were banned and harder to get a hold of this number of crimes would greatly diminish. The National Center for Victims of Crime has referenced the U. S. Department of Justice concerning drug and alcohol related crimes. The report states, â€Å"The U. S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey asks the violent crime victims who reported seeing their offenders whether they perceived the offender to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. According to the 1999 survey, over a quarter of the violent crime victims could make such a determination. About twenty-eight percent (28%) of those reported that the offender was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The most common substance identified was alcohol alone. About sixteen percent (16%) reported that the offender was under the influence of alcohol alone (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2001). † (The National Center for Victims of Crime) This only takes into account the victims that were able to see their offender; this means that there are possibly more unaccounted for alcohol related crimes. The legal and open use of alcohol as a vice is leading to the downfall of our society. It is creating addicts while not offering a single practical medical benefit. The United States Government has already invested time, money, and effort to enforcing its Controlled Substances Act. Alcohol should be held to the same standards as all other physically altering substances are held to. Alcohol poses the risk of dependence and has no beneficial medical value. In order to start the moral fabric of our country we need to do away with the crime inducing substance alcohol. Lawmakers and active voters, it is our duty to hold our selves to higher standards and completely abolish the manufacturing, sale, and use of alcohol. Works Cited Alcoholism: MedlinePlus. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. 25 Aug. 2011. Web. 01 Dec. 2011. http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/alcoholism. html. CDC Alcohol and Public Health Home Page Alcohol. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 16 Nov. 2011. Web. 01 Dec. 2011. http://www. cdc. gov/alcohol/. Drug Related Crime. The National Center for Victims of Crime. 2008. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www. ncvc. org/ncvc/main. aspx? dbName=DocumentViewerDocumentID=32348. Joshritchie. How Much Is the Government Making Off of Alcohol? | Tax Break: The TurboTax Blog. Tax Break: The TurboTax Blog | Its All about the Refund. 5 July 2010. Web. 01 Dec. 2011. http://blog. turbotax. intuit. com/2010/07/05/how-much-is-the-government-mak

Innovation in strategy

Innovation in strategy This essay evaluates the role of innovation in strategy, and explores the ways management can promote it in organisations. It first looks at the nature of innovation, and examines its importance in current economic and social conditions. It then sets strategy in context, defining it primarily in terms of competitive advantage that is, as a search for capabilities which allow allows an organisation to meet consumers needs better than its rivals. It then investigates why, exactly, innovation is often seen as a key component of strategy. It comes up with two key reasons: its capacity to generate a sustainable competitive advantage for business organisations; and its ability to aid organisations in preventing strategic drift. As a result of these benefits, strategies which are centred upon innovation can add real value to an organisations value proposition, and consequently can substantially improve business performance. The essay then turns to look at the ways that management can promo te innovation in organisations. For this, it turns to the worlds most famous management thinker Peter Drucker and the worlds most innovative company Apple Inc. for guidance on theory and practice respectively. Having thus established the importance of the role of innovation for strategy, and the ways in which management can promote it in organisations, the essay then considers some limitations. In particular, it looks at the possible advantages of strategic drift; and also the other aspects of strategy beyond innovation which must be considered by an organisation. The essay thus concludes that innovation is a necessary component of a successful strategy in that it is able to generate a sustainable competitive advantage for a business but that it is not sufficient in and of itself: an organisation must consider more than innovation if it is to develop an effective strategy. Innovation is usually defined as ‘the successful commercial exploitation of new ideas or simply as ‘the successful implementation of new ideas. This encompasses ideas that are ‘new to the world, ‘new to an industry or merely ‘new to a particular firm (Gabriel, 2008, p. 146). The prominence given to the role of innovation in strategy is to a large extent the result of the prevailing social and economic conditions. In what Peter Drucker the most influential management thinker of the second-half of the twentieth century termed the ‘knowledge economy that has emerged due to the rise of the service industry and decline of manufacturing since the end of the Second World War, business organisations have increasingly had to react to change more rapidly if they wish to succeed in the marketplace (Drucker, 1992, p. 263). Indeed, so important is the successful implementation of new ideas that Drucker famously reflected that: ‘Business has only two bas ic functions marketing and innovation (Kotler Armstrong, 2008, p. 40). In other words, a business organisation must first create a customer, but consequently that business must constantly adapt to provide the necessary goods and services to keep them making a profit: they must pursue innovation both to survive and to thrive. Having explored the nature of innovation, it is useful now to define what is meant by ‘strategy, and examine briefly why it matters. The nature of strategy has traditionally been a contentious issue. A helpful starting point for understanding the concept is found in Anthony Henrys (2008) Understanding Strategic Management, where he provides a synopsis of forty years of heated debate on the issue. He first outlines that, ‘there is agreement that the role of strategy is to achieve competitive advantage for an organisation. He then continues: ‘Competitive advantage may usefully be thought of as that which allows an organisation to meet consumers needs better than its rivals . . . [and] its source may derive from a number of factors including its products or services, its culture, its technological know-how, and its processes (Henry, 2008, p. 4). It is an important issue for a business because a strategy which can enable a sustainable competitive advantage will allow an organisation to generate super-normal returns, and will have a distinct impact on overall organisational performance: an effective strategy can add value (Kay, 1995). Herein lies the essence of the role of innovation in strategy it is often a key component of a sustainable competitive advantage. For instance, Grant (2005, p. 513) has observed from empirical evidence based on such successful companies as 3M, Wal-Mart, and Toyota that, ‘ultimately, the only sustainable competitive advantage is the ability to create new sources of competitive advantage. Firms with a fixed commitment to innovation seem to prosper in the modern ‘knowledge economy. For instance, Apple a company which this essay examines in more depth below has become synonymous with strategic innovation. In Fortunes Americas Most Admired Companies 2008, Apple topped the chart. A senior commentator reflected on this development with the following remark: Apple not only takes the No. 1 slot on this years list of Americas Most Admired Companies but also tops the global survey and wins the highest marks for innovation too. Thats probably no coincidence. In an industry that changes every nanosecond, the 32-year-old company has time and again innovated its way out of the doldrums. Rivals always seem to be playing catch-up. (Fisher, 2008) Moreover, innovation can be key to preventing ‘strategic drift. Strategic drift is the tendency for strategies to develop incrementally on the basis of historical and cultural influences but to fail to keep pace with a changing environment (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington, 2008, p. 179). This is what happened to Sainsburys who were one of the most successful food retailers in the world until the early 1990s, using a tried-and-tested formula of selling high quality food at reasonable prices. Its strategy consisted of gradually extending its product lines, enlarging its stores, and expanding its geographical coverage; but under no circumstances would it deviate from its traditional ways of doing business (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington, 2008, p. 179). However, during Sainsburys period of strategic drift, its rival Tesco followed a policy of ruthless innovation developing Club-Card marketing, building a successful on-line retailing capability, and implementing new ideas to radica lly reduce its distribution costs (IMD, 2008). By having a strategy centred on innovation, therefore, Tesco was able to both establish a competitive advantage and avoid strategic drift. It was, in short, able to develop a strategy which added value, and which made the business organisation much more profitable. So where can business organisations look for innovation how can they promote it more effectively? Peter Drucker has suggested that there are seven areas where companies should look for such opportunities. These have been expertly surmised by Hindle (2008, p. 105), as being: ‘the unexpected success that is rarely dissected to see how it has occurred; any incongruity between what actually happens and what was expected to happen; any inadequacy in a business process that is taken for granted; a change in industry or market structure that takes everyone by surprise; demographic changes caused by things like wars, migrations or medical developments (such as the birth-control pill); changes in perception and fashion brought about by changes in the economy; and changes in awareness caused by new knowledge. Moreover, although it is often the case that ‘innovation has been used interchangeably with the term â€Å"creativity† (Forrester 1993, p. 3; cited in Thompson McHugh , 2002, p. 255), Drucker insists that this ought never to limit a business, claiming that: ‘There are more ideas in any organization, including businesses, than can possibly be put to use (Drucker, 1964, p. 188). Across the literature on innovation, there seems to be a general agreement with this approach set out above: that the opportunities for innovation are multitudinous, and that by paying attention to such factors organisations can develop strategies which can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage and prevent strategic drift. A brief case-study of Apple will help demonstrate how this theory outlined above works in practice, and help us to better understand the ways management can promote innovation in organisations. First, Apple appreciates that innovation is an inexact science: as the CEO and cofounder of Apple, Steve Jobs, puts it: ‘You cant ask people what they want if its around the next corner rather you have to simply provide what you think they might want (Morris, 2008). To guide them, Apple looks to the areas mentioned by Drucker above to gain insights into such potential needs and wants. Apple employees in particular focus on the inadequacies in every-day technology processes that are currently taken for granted, and innovate in these areas. New-product development, according to Apple sources, occurs as a result of conversations such as: ‘What do we hate? (Our cellphones.) What do we have the technology to make? (A cellphone with a Mac inside.) What would we like to own? (You guessed it, an iPhone) (Morris, 2008). Moreover, at Apple, innovation is centred on producing technology the employees really want: as Jobs says, ‘One of the keys to [innovation at] Apple is that we build products that really turn us on (Morris, 2008). This results in an organisation thoroughly committed to the successful commercial exploitation of new ideas at a strategic, operational and tactical level. Indeed Morris (2008), observing the culture of innovation at Apple, has pointed out that: ‘You wont find that word on a placard or a piece of propaganda at One Infinite Loop, Apples headquarters . . . there innovation is a way of life. It is this culture that ‘provides the push to overcome design and engineering obstacles, [and] to bring projects in on time (Morris, 2008). Thus a commitment to a strategy of innovation should foster a culture which reflects this aim of management, as this can lead to the organisation innovating more effectively. Finally, it is important to note the impact of a strategy centred on innovation upon the performance of Apple. It has astounded commentators with one perplexed writer asking: ‘who knew [Apple] could build a . . . [successful] company on the strength of a portable jukebox and a computer with a single-digit market share? (Elmer-DeWitt, 2008). Indeed, the company has been monetarily hugely successful as a result of the innovation it has pioneered. In the 5 years ending in March 2008, sales of Apple wares tripled to $24 billion; and profits rose to $3.5 billion, from a mere $42 million only five years before. Morris (2008) sums up the position of Apple thus: [It] set the gold standard for corporate America with an entirely new business model: creating a brand, morphing it, and reincarnating it to thrive in a disruptive age. . . Apple has demonstrated how to create real, breathtaking growth by dreaming up products so new and ingenious that they have upended one industry after another: consumer electronics, the record industry, the movie industry, video and music production. Thus innovation can play a key role in an organisations strategy, and it can often be effectively promoted by following the theory of Drucker and the practices of Apple. Nevertheless, it is important to note that there are limitations on the role of innovation in strategy. First, ‘strategic drift may not be such a bad thing after all. This is a view outlined by John Kay (2009) in his article History vindicates the science of muddling through. He contrasts the views of the American political scientist Charles Lindblom (published in 1959) with those of Dr H. Igor Ansoff. Lindblom supported a view of incremental adaptation by organisations to changes in their environment; Ansoff proposed a design-orientated, purposive approach to strategy. However, Kay then points that in terms of the organisational case-studies used to support each view Saint-Gobain for Lindbolm; the US conglomerates TRW and Litton for Ansoff the clear winner emerges as Saint-Gobain, a company which adopted a q uasi-strategic drift approach to their strategy, which is still going strong while the other companies have suffered catastrophic failure. Thus, it seems that sometimes simply ‘muddling through can constitute an effective strategy perhaps a firm commitment to innovation is not necessary after all. Moreover, innovation is not the sole component of an effective strategy, and it never can be. Organisations must consider a range of other issues. For instance, business organisations ought to consider issues highlighted by Michael Porters ‘Five Forces model. This shows how the strategic situation of a company can be established by investigating the power of suppliers, the power of buyers, the threat of substitution, the threat of new entrants, as well as the degree of competitive rivalry between the industrys firms. An organisation must consider innovation if it is to ensure that it continues to have an effective strategy in the medium to long term, but it must also pay attention to these other aspects of strategy innovation is necessary, but it is not sufficient. Thus innovation is a necessary component of a successful strategy in that it is able to generate a sustainable competitive advantage for a business. However, it is not sufficient: an organisation must consider other issues as well as innovation if it is to develop an effective strategy. Nevertheless, by following the theory of Drucker and learning from the practices of Apple, management can promote innovation in organisations. And if this is done effectively, innovation can play a key role in what every business organisation seeks: a competitive strategy which adds real value. References: Drucker, P. (1964). Managing for results: economic tasks and risk-taking decisions. California: Harper Row. Drucker, P. (1992). The age of discontinuity: guidelines to our changing society. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2008, March 3). Americas Most Admired Companies 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2009, from Fortune Web site: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fortune/0802/gallery.mostadmired_top20.fortune/index.html Fisher, A. (2008, March 3 ). Innovation Rules. Retrieved November 24, 2009, from Fortune Web site: http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/29/news/companies/fisher_amac.fortune/index.htm 2008 Gabriel, Y. (2008). Organizing Words: A Critical Thesaurus for Social and Organization Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Grant, R. M. (2005). Contemporary strategy analysis. 5th ed. London: Wiley-Blackwell. Henry, A. (2008). Understanding Strategic Management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hindle, T. (2008). Guide to Management Ideas and Gurus. London: Profile Books. IMD. (2008). Tesco: Keeping the Hard Discounters at Bay? Switzerland: IMD International. Johnson, G., Scholes, K., Whittington, R. (2008). Exploring corporate strategy: text cases. 8th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education. Kay, J. (1995). Foundations of corporate success: how business strategies add value. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kay, J. (2009, March 15). History vindicates the science of muddling through. Retrieved December 13, 2009, from John Kay Web sit: http://www.johnkay.com/in_action/604 Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (2008). Principles of Marketing. 13th ed. London: Pearson Education Ltd. Morris, B. (2008, March 17). What makes Apple Golden? Retrieved October 27, 2009, from Fortune Web site: http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/29/news/companies/amac_apple.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008030309 Thompson, P., McHugh, D. (2002). Work Organisations. 3rd ed. London: Palgrave.

Essays --

Introduction From any corner in the world you will be surrounded by propaganda: in the streets, in your house, even when you’re driving. Propaganda appears in many forms but I personally believe it to be the shaping of public beliefs, in which communication is used with the intention of manipulating. In short, propaganda is the art of brainwash. This form of art has been going for many centuries and has played an important role in the history of art, especially during the 20th century in which propaganda was used to persuade people to join the military service or to stand for their countries during wartime. At that time the objective was only one, nowadays there is more than one objective; how does propaganda influence the way 21st century society pre-establishes ideas and makes contradictions within taboos such as tattoos, marijuana and sexuality? By focusing on marijuana it can be noticed that there are several public opinions to it. Some believe it should be legalized as a drug, others think it shouldn’t and others think it should only be consumed for medical benefit. Similarly, tattoos are said to be a â€Å"respectable form of artâ€Å" by some while others state that â€Å"they demonstrate a lack of education and classâ€Å" and that â€Å"once you get a tattoo you put yourself in a lower echelon of societyâ€Å". Media and propaganda encourage us to accept all types of sexuality. Propaganda portrays homosexuals and bisexuals as exhibitors of gender-atypical behaviors. Despite the fact that propaganda has become less stereotyped over time, researchers believe that it hasn’t changed that much over the last ten years. Taboo: Tattoos. Social definition. Tattoos are defined to be â€Å"a permanent mark or design made on the skin by a proc... ...d Elisava in Barcelona respectively, and who wish to remain anonymous, I can determine that my conclusion is valid, as all these factors play a role when pre-establishing ideas and making contradictions. I can also state that it is in fact, a form of manipulation, as it makes the audience pre-establish ideas about certain things and then judge others. However, the students stated that, apparently, this was decreasing with the passing of time, as these taboos are becoming more accepted by first world countries. To conclude, I believe this is a vicious cycle; similar to the story of the chicken and the egg. Which came first? Society has a pre-established idea. Media and mass communication want to sell what the audience wants, so they portray these ideologies, so in turn, society is subconsciously affected by the concepts conveyed, as they are stereotyped...But by who?

The Schlieffen Plan :: European Europe History

The Schlieffen Plan The aim of the plan The aim of the plan was to avoid fighting two wars at once (France and Russia) The Plan The plan was to attack France, not on the main border, which was fortified, but to attack through Belgium and circle the capital Paris. This is all supposed to happen before the predicted 6 weeks it would take for the Russians to get their army ready for action. This would mean Paris would be taken by Germany, therefore capturing France, then the troops could go across the country and attack Russia. What actually happened: * Germans went into Belgium * Belgians blew up railways which stopped Germans * Belgians stopped supplies and reinforcements getting to the Germans * Britain wanted to join war because Germany was attacking France and Belgium * Sir Edward Grey made parliament fight, he said 'if we don't fight Germany will dominate Europe and trade will suffer' * British government sent a telegram to tell Germans to leave Belgium * No reply to the telegram * Britain was at war with Germany * Everyone in all the countries were rushing to join the army, they thought their country was right and they would win * 100,000 soldiers from the BEFC (British Expeditionary Force) landed in France * over 1,000,000 French soldier were ready to use plan seventeen to attack Alasce and Lorraine * after 3 weeks it all went wrong * German troops pushed into France * Russians mobilised more quickly than expected, and invaded * troops were taken from France to defend on the eastern front * French and German soldier met at the river Marne * All the French and English troops went to defend on the river Marne, the battle of the Marne began Why did it fail? The Schlieffen plan failed for many reasons. The trip though Belgium did not go as the Germans wanted. They got slowed down because the Belgian army put up a fight. This meant that the German troops were 10 days late. The Germans wanted to get the war over with France so that they didn't have to fight Russia at the same time, so when they got delayed, they were in trouble. On the 29th august, Von Cluck (German general) changed the plan, so that they didn't attack Paris as planned, instead they went east and sent more troops to attack the forts.

Distance Learning Essay -- Essays Papers

Distance Learning In recent years, there has been a trend in the way that many major institutions of higher learning have been teaching their students. This change of pace in the education world is what is known as distance learning. Distance learning is the form of schooling that can be done over the Internet, and never actually being forced to be present in a classroom or even on the campus. According to Joel Snell, correspondence courses were the predecessors to what we now know as distance learning (258). Many people say that distance education is the future of our nations’ education, however there are many arguments against the wide spread establishment of distance learning programs. Although distance learning may seem like a bright future for education, nevertheless, it will never be as successful as campus learning, because every student must be self-driven and also highly motivated, the lack of access to libraries and other sources of information, and also face-to-face inter action is necessary for a good education. Many people think that distance learning is a perfect fit for men and women working on their master’s while still maintaining a job. When a person enters the real world and gets a job, they will not always have a lot of time on their hands that would allow them to go to classes. The ability to take their classes at anytime possible is one of the most appealing factors for distance learners (Flanagan). Another reason as to why distance learning is a perfect match for men and women taking classes while working is the motivation factor. Both Snell and Mariani agree that in order for a person to succeed in distance education, they must be highly motivated, which does not describe the ... ...he newest equipment today will just give you out-dated equipment a few months after the initial implementation (Porter 41-42). Based entirely upon the facts that are presented in so many academic sources, distance education programs are hard to implement as well as to maintain, so that it why that many fail, and they are not widely accepted in today’s day. Works Cited Flanagan, Robert. Personal Interview. 27 Oct. 2001. Mariani, Matthew. â€Å"Distance Learning in Post-Secondary Education: Learning Whenever, Wherever.† Occupational Outlook. 45. 2 (2001): 2-10. Minoli, Daniel. Distance Learning Technology and Applications. Boston: Artech House, 1996. Porter, Lynette. Creating the Virtual Classroom: Distance Learning with the Internet. New York: Wiley, 1997. Snell, Joel. â€Å"Distance Learning: Observations.† College Student Journal. 35. 2 (2001): 258- 259.

American Declaration of Independence a product of the European Enlightenment

The United States Declaration of Independence adopted in 1776 by the congress was a product of the European enlightenment as it drew it's philosophical basis from European era of reason. This declaration focusing on individual rights and as well as the right to revolt, borrows deeply the Europe philosophers recommendations having studied in details institutions of governance and incorporation of scientific knowledge to aid mankind. England being one of the most enlightened country by then, was the colonizer of the American thereby influencing the political leaders focus in America at that time (Jefferson et al, 21-23).Therefore, American revolution protest against the England authority provided the blue print in the reorganization for democratic society that was later to be emulated by many in the world. Donald et al (51-52) argues that, the foundations of the enlightenment were laid back in 17th and 16 th centuries as European expanded it's territories to Asia, Africa, America colon ization as well as the advancement of the scientific revolution.Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson formed the main anchors in the establishment of the the Great revolution in America and establishment of the declaration by drafting the initial draft and leading the later amendments. Declaration preparation Liam (331) points out that, as Jefferson prepared the declaration strongly envied great personalities in Europe that gave him the inspiration. Francis Bacon who was referred by Jefferson as the modern science father or English enlightenment godfather, advocated for applied sciences at the expense of basic science and technology.Jefferson was even more inspired by Bacon's stand on the need to advance knowledge for the sake of the people. He believed that greater things were possible with conventional knowledge through the basic realm of ethics, science and politics. According to Annenberg Foundation Trust (91), Sir Isaac Newton theories of mechanics and the consequent discovery of the gravity laws through the mathematics principles molded Jefferson's believe in divinity and its resultant harmony.As adopted in the American Declaration, Christianity and scientific deism strongly held that in total, that nature was as a result of supreme divine work but subjected to the universal laws with the divine power being fully absent (Jefferson et al, 23). John Locke who lived from 1632-1704 influenced the larger Europe and later the establishment of the American Declaration of Independence with might. Jefferson was a strong advocate for the Locke's ideas that emphasized for reasoning in all the decisions made when governing people.Jefferson also adopted in the declaration, the idea of nature and limits during governance in order to realize various objectives (Gearon, 52-53). As strongly advocated for in the declaration, Jefferson from Locke, enshrined the concept of innate knowledge and morality. As it comes out in the declaration, individuals beliefs and morality m ust be respected since they are unique and at all times, the governing institutions must protect them. In addition, the declaration calls for justice which Locke emphasized must be used to reduce the societal injustices.In his letter of Human understanding he insisted on knowledge and establishment of facts for scientific and Human understanding. Basement of human rights At the onset of eighteenth century, French and Britain thinkers laid the ground work for for observing and adopting human rights in the society. They believed that human rights must be entrenched deeply in the political governance structures of any society. Europe having undergone the great war in the mid 17th century which was sparked by religion, political and economic strife had understood importance and significance of democracy towards development.King George's letter of May 1775 requesting him to address the grievances of the people went unanswered resulting to the assumption of responsibilities by the congres s to govern the US. Governance and English colonies. America having been discovered back in 1942, the inhabitants understood that they needed the freedom just like the European countries were enjoying. As indicated earlier, Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the declaration, established the need to have free people in order to achieve development in the country. It insisted on the need for technological advancement for the full human potentials to be appreciated (Jefferson et al, 23).Under the oppression therefore it was impossible to trend the same path as the people like Isaac Newton and Locke had moved through. Government support for the people which Britain was advocating, totally lacked provoking revolts in order to achieve the expected results. Like in Europe the declaration insisted that, governments are instituted by men who directly derive their power with the consent of the governed. Therefore, whenever the administration by the people turns out to be destructive, the governed h as the right to disband it at will.Jefferson insisted that it is better ignorance than error and insisted that truth must form the basis of their liberation. England as it held the 13 united states did not fully allow them to access freedom of governance and even after the declaration it sought the help of Germans to fight back. As independent as England country was, the declaration sought to ensure happiness to the people of America (Gearon, 52-53). The king of Britain being ruthless, ruled through usurpations and injuries, inflicted tyranny over all the states that drew the anger from the people prompting their quest for freedom.As the European philosophers had discovered, there was need to go an extra mile in order for their freedom to be achieved. Major discoveries were not established without struggle as Isaac Newton indicates in his scientific discoveries. Religion spread. Europe acted as the conduit through which religion was transferred to majority of other countries and sta tes in the world. Britain hosting Independent and Presbyterian church established the nobility of the divine power which formed the basis of drafting the declaration.Strong revolutionaries and philosophers underscored the essence divinity that was evident in the later application of the statues contained in the declaration by the leaders. Freedom for all the people without discrimination either of their color or race indicated the quest for human sovereignty at all times (Liam, 331). To increase the harmony and improved cohesion, Jefferson strongly believed that there always was supreme powers that even though not actively or directly involved stood to reward the good deeds at all times.Differentiation was specially derived and the great divide experienced during the prior years in Britain and Germany was avoided. It was used to bring sanity and harmony among the people who had been long oppressed therefore ensuring a smooth transition. Later during the Americans liberation, religio n and divinity was anchored in the people's attitudes as they ensured that their quests did not result to blood shed at any moment. Martin Luther king junior called for peaceful demonstration where they could articulate their ideas without causing any harm or suffering to the people (Jefferson et al, 23).Modernization in America Due to great oppression by the colonial masters in all the states, modernization was impossible with all the economical and political structures being controlled by the King of Britain. Strong institutions of governance in the whole of Europe especially in England, Germany and France were envied by those who drafted the declaration having schooled in the European countries (Annenberg Foundation Trust, 89). Great inspiration was derived from the strong industrial revolution and economic sustenance in their countries.Due to these muscles in their own countries the political might which made England manage to fight from far and assume such powers, was highly en vied (Paul, 279-280). Conclusion. Declaration of American independence is a clear indication of the European enlightenment influence into the American development of their governing institutions. From the writers of the declaration, to the whole USA, the early philosophers and scientific discoverers propelled the quest for freedom in America (Paul, 110).Besides, the declaration was written during the time when oppression from the Britain King had reached it's peak and slave trade effects were most rampant. Setting of the European countries that helped them establish strong structures in their governance anchorage was highly emulated making America to later win the fight with Britain. Finally, religion as spread by the colonialists formed the basis for determination that the task they embarking on was noble thereby assisting them to remain together in the quest fro freedom. References Annenberg Foundation Trust. Understanding Democracy: A Hip Pocket Guide.Washington: Oxford Universit y Press, 2006. Donald, K. , Steven, O. , & Frank, M. The western heritage. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002. Gearon, L. Freedom of Expression and Human Rights: Historical, Literary and Political Contexts. Washington: Academic press. 2006. Jefferson, Thomas. , Garnet, K. , & Michael, H. The Declaration of Independence. Washington; Verso, 2007. Liam Gearon. Human Rights & Religion: A Reader guide. London: Sussex Academic Press, 2002. Paul, A. (2001). The First American Constitutions: Republican Ideology and the Making of the State Constitutions in the Revolutionary Era. London: Rowman & Littlefield.

How Politics is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game Essay

Good politicians get to know a lot of politicians. Lyndon Johnson would take four showers a day and brush his teeth over and over again so he would be in the same room with a bunch of politicians and he could talk to them briefly and make good connections. Lyndon Johnson also hired a man who would later turn corrupt named â€Å"Bobby† Baker who answered phones for the White House cloak room (a cloak room is like the break room for politicians.) With Bobby Baker, Johnson was able to know the inner workings of politics. Ronald Reagan also worked very hard to have good relationships in politics although he talked about Washington as if he’d never visited the place. Lyndon Johnson used a specific method to get to know important people called retail politic. In retail politics, a politician wins over one person at a time by learning about them specifically. Unlike LBJ and Reagan, Jimmy Carter lacked the charsima to win over people. Then Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill asked for seats to the inauguration ceremony, Carter offered him seats in the back of the hall; this incident hurt his support from the Speaker for many years. The author ends this chapter by explaining that he himself got to his position by networking with many important people. Good politicians get to know a lot of politicians. Lyndon Johnson would take four showers a day and brush his teeth over and over again so he would be in the same room with a bunch of politicians and he could talk to them briefly and make good connections. Lyndon Johnson also hired a man who would later turn corrupt named â€Å"Bobby† Baker who answered phones for the White House cloak room (a cloak room is like the break room for politicians.) With Bobby Baker, Johnson was able to know the inner workings of politics. Ronald Reagan also worked very hard to have good relationships in politics although he talked about Washington as if he’d never visited the place. Lyndon Johnson used a specific method to get to know important people called retail politic. In retail politics, a politician wins over one person at a time by learning about them specifically. Unlike LBJ and Reagan, Jimmy Carter lacked the charsima to win over people. Then Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill asked for seats to the inauguration ceremony, Carter offered him  seats in the back of the hall; this incident hurt his support from the Speaker for many years. The author ends this chapter by explaining that he himself got to his position by networking with many important people.

Argummentative Essay Essay

You are to write an argumentative essay in response to one of the following topics: High school students aren’t ready to enter college. Age matters in relationships. All citizens should speak a second language. Your essay should have the following format: Paragraph I. Introduction: Give necessary background information and includes a clearly defined thesis statement. II. Supporting Evidence: Provide specific factual and/or anecdotal evidence to support your thesis. III. Refuting Contrary Positions: Show why counterarguments are incorrect. IV. Conclusion: Summarize main ideas and reaffirm your thesis. Expectations: Please use Times New Roman 12 point font, 1 inch margins, and 1. 5 line spacing. You may not exceed two pages. Deadline: This essay is due on Sunday, May 19th at 11:59 p. m. Please e-mail it rather than printing a hard copy. Evaluation: You will be evaluated according to the attached rubric. Mark| Criteria| 4. 5-5| The student performs the task very well, covering all the main points using a wide range of structures and vocabulary. There are no errors and the language is very well-controlled. Ideas are organized clearly and the student uses linking words with ease and proper punctuation. The register and form are also correct. The student greatly exceeds the level expected for the task. | 4-4. 5| The student performs the task well covering most, if not all, the important points using a good choice of structures and vocabulary. The language is controlled with few mistakes and the whole text is clearly comprehensible. Ideas are well-organised and the student uses linking words and generally punctuates. The register and form are also correct. The student is above the level expected for the task. | 3. 5-4| The student covers many of the important points using relevant tructures and vocabulary with few mistakes. There may be occasional incomprehensibility but this does not affect the overall understanding of the text. Ideas are mostly organized correctly and there is some use of linking words and punctuation. The register and form are mostly correct. The student is at the level expected for the task. | 3-3. 5| The student attempts the task. Some points are made but they m ay not all be relevant, clear or comprehensible. Structure and vocabulary contain errors that can affect meaning and there may be cases of incomprehensibility. Ideas may not be organized correctly and there may be little evidence of linking words and punctuation. Register and form are mostly correct. The student is below the level expected for the task. | Below 3| The student largely fails to perform the task. The student is not consistently relevant, clear or comprehensible. There are major errors of structure and vocabulary which affect meaning. Ideas are not well-organized and there is little or no evidence of linking words. Register and form may be incorrect. The student is well below the level expected for the task. |

Organizational Structures Essay

Organizations function in varied ways. Each organization is unique in its own accord and its overall design depends on two main criteria; coordination and communication. No matter what structure an organization chooses, the ultimate result is to achieve coordination between units and communicate effectively for proper decision making and implementation. The current buzz word being the networked economy and organizations, many firms are becoming more sophisticated and evolving into more interconnected entities than ever before. It is important however to note that not one single structure is the most successful one. A firms arrival at a decision to adopt a certain structure entails careful analysis of the requirements of the industry it operates in. Then only can it decide which structure suits it best. Dell, based in the US, is a truly global organization. With lead times of delivery ranging in days across the globe, Dell had no choice but to adapt a structure which complimented its nimble and lean supply chain. This resulted in them adopting a networked structure as opposed to more traditional functional setup. The main criterion is not coordination here, but the proper channels of communication which are necessary to deliver information is the cheapest, fastest and most reliable way. Moreover, product life cycles of Dell are shorter than most other products and this again meant a quick supply chain backed by the most efficient communications strategy. Dell has been able to adopt this structure quicker and has grown to an extent which many never expected it to achieve (Sviokla, 2004). Dell does have departments and functions like any other organizations; it’s the method by which they operate which is different. Each function is coordinated and communicates to achieve one primary goal; deliver the good to the customer in the shortest time possible. By having a networked organization, information travels at nearly the speed of light and decisions are thus made in a shorter time. This is what Dell required to stay on top of its competition in the PC industry and thus, it adopted the best possible structure within the industry. Toyota, based in Japan, is a name of reliability. Their automobiles are well known for cost effectiveness and long life. All this was only achieved by the top notch structure that Toyota eventually evolved into over its long history. The work at Toyota is done by divisions; teams of individuals in each ‘function’ operating on assembly lines to produce cars. This along with a just in time inventory approach has enabled Toyota to become a truly global automobile maker and trendsetter in the industry. Till Toyota adopted it, JIT was something that many, especially in the automobile industry, wouldn’t dare to emulate. Toyota realized how its inventory, being huge and with long lead times would clog up work space and result in huge costs due to rental, obsolescence etc. Thus Toyota did what Dell did but in a different manner, let the supplier remain the owner of the materials until they are needed. This called for not just a good communications setup but an exceptional coordinated effort by the firms various functions as well. A delay in one function meant a halt in the whole firm as each is dependent on the other. Thus Toyota needed a structure which was stable, coordinated and yet, able to communicate well with its suppliers as well as dealers. This came in the form of an organization which was capable of dissipating knowledge throughout its firm effectively and acts upon decisions made quickly (Choo, 2002). This means that Toyota is a matrix organization rather than a functional one which one might think it is at first glance. Secondly, it various factories internationally could be seen as SBU’s (Strategic Business Units) working autonomously yet liked to a central point. Reference http://www.analytictech.com/mb021/orgtheory.htm

A report for Real Coffee LTD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

A report for Real Coffee LTD - Essay Example Under such circumstances entrepreneurs face non-negligible challenges in controlling and executing the business functions in a smooth fashion, given the obstacles in the form of staff management, delegation of power and business opportunities identification as well as their subsequent achievements (Welter, 2010). Correspondingly, it has been viewed that Real Coffee Ltd., which is a small chain of coffee shops has been facing challenges to maintain a desired level of employee retention rate. The main objective of this paper is therefore, to provide a detailed analysis of the external and internal analysis of the business. Based on the analysis, the discussion further intends to provide rational suggestions that would help in understanding on how curtained changes in the business can help Real Coffee Ltd. to meet its organizational goal. Part 1: External Analysis Consumer Buying Behaviour UK is observed to be amongst the top ten countries that dealt in coffee around the globe as of 201 1. It is worth mentioning that coffee is also measured to be the third-favourite non-alcoholic drink in the country. Over the year, it has been viewed that in the UK, the chain of coffee shops had grown 5.6% and contributed almost 29.1% market share by 2005. However, it has been viewed that independent and local coffee shops only grew by 2% and faced considerable amount of challenges over the year. Economic disturbance in the UK is also assumed to have affected the customer’s behaviours of drinking coffee. For instance, it was viewed that the coffee market grew by 17% from 2005 to 2009, again out of which, 57% of the total consumers 47% of the customers preferred sitting in coffee shops and 8.3 preferred take away services (Business Case Studies LLP, 2013). Moreover, it has also been viewed that today’s teenagers and young adults frequently visit cafes, which replicates it to be a growing trend. A thorough understanding of the consumer buying behaviour also revealed th at about 37% of the coffee consumers prefer black coffee in the UK, while the remaining 63% like to add sweetener with it. 57% of the total consumers further stated to prefer having it at breakfast (Liang & Wu, n.d.). Increasing Competitors Globalization and the rapid technological aspect is not only considered to be a boon for every individual and business house, which aims at establishing themselves at the global market, but is also stated to be a course for small business houses with limited resources. Coffee market in the UK is considered to be one of the largest industries. With the increasing adaption of coffee by the people worldwide, whereby many multinational organizations are being established in the nation creating greater competiveness for smaller coffee shops, it has been viewed that although, small shops provide better quality products at lesser price, people prefer going to branded stores like Costa and Starbuck as a symbolisation of economic status in the society (Ho spitality & Catering News, 2013). According to a survey conducted by Euromonitior international (2012), it was viewed th

Mourid Barghouti's I Saw Ramallah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mourid Barghouti's I Saw Ramallah - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to answer the following questions: what key personal and public events shaped Barghouti's account To what extent in Barghouti's personal life affect his memory of public events Can historians use memoirs like Barghouti's to understand the past In addition to that, my personal opinion about possible chances of resolving the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians will be reflected. 2. The book begins from the scene when Barghouti returns to his homeland crossing the Jordan River bridge and reminding his first crossing it thirty years ago when he had to leave for Amman: "Here I am crossing the Jordan River I walk westward in a normal manner - or rather, a manner that appears normal. Behind me the world, ahead of me my world (Barghouti, p.1)". Such historical event as Israel victory in Six-Day War influenced the author's life very much: he had to leave his native country and go abroad. He lived in exile for thirty years, so his book I Saw Ramallah is very self-reflective and shows Barghouti's pain and despair from his inability to return to Ramallah again. By 1967 he had graduated the Cairo University - it shaped his account as a famous poet and writer. In addition to that, he married Radwa Ashour and got back to Cairo again to teach English to law students. His return to Cairo played a significant role in Barghouti's life - he began working at the Palestine Rad io Station as an anchor man and political commentator. But Sadat's presidency influenced his career: the station had been closed, and Barghouti worked at the radio station in Beirut during the civil war - this war became another event which affected the life of the author. Then, the political situation changed, and after Sadat's visit to Israel Barghouti was departed from Cairo, as well as other Palestinians. So, foreign policy events influenced personal and professional life of Mourid Barghouti, and such troubles, misfortunes and disadvantages are clearly reflected in his book I Saw Ramallah. Barghouti's personal and professional life affected his memory of public events. He was not fond of politics, but political events of that time influenced and affected him, and this affection is reflected in his book. He perceived the world political events through wide scale of his own experience. Israeli-Palestinian conflict deprived him of his native country; political regime of Egyptian president Sadat affected his professional activity. He had lost himself - after he left Palestine in 1967 he had no place to feel comfortable, he felt as an exile. Barghouti was arrested in 1977 in Egypt, and he was deported to Hungary where he lived for 17 years separated from his family: his wife and son who was five months old when Barghouti was deported. These and other difficult circumstances of his personal life affected his memory of public events - he described these events from the point of view of his personal experience, that's why the world events seem to be so naturalistic and full of sadness and sincerity: "Israel allows in hundreds of elderly people and

Capital structure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Capital structure - Research Paper Example ure of an organization; however, the uptake of debt has several implications to a business, first, debt leads to an organization having to increase the business risk. The enterprise’s business risk goes up due to its high contribution to the enterprise, in this case, the high contribution of debt such as in option one leads to the debt holders having a high control of the enterprise. As a result, the organization or investment becomes vulnerable for takeover, if the business does not meet the interest payments, as goes into bankruptcy. Secondly, reduces the stake of the enterprise shareholders in that they have to work on servicing the debt at the expense of making profits, which a business’s prime objective(Martin & Baker, 2013). In the consideration of debt options, it is important to consider the debt period, in most cases, long-range debts are highly favorable since the organization utilizes the funds for a long period before repaying the sum value of the bond. Hence, the organization is able to enjoy a return on the investment and even re-invest the excess funds or paid dividends to equity and other shareholders in the business. Short time range bonds such as option three, four and five negatively affects business shareholders, this is because, the business is forced to source for funds and pay the creditors irrespective of whether it has generated profits or not, the bottom line is that the business has a responsibility to repay the funds within the agreed period. Given the long-term nature of projects, the funding requirement leads to complications, as the return may not be realized in good time to pay the sum value as per that date. When this situation arises, the business becomes ripe for takeover according to the provisions of business law. In the light of these, careful considerations have to be made before the business can settle on certain kinds of financing and the activities upon which funding is needed. Careful evaluation can give the

Value of Education in Todays Society Research Paper

Value of Education in Todays Society - Research Paper Example Education is Important to the Economy and to Learning Civic Responsibility Participants in higher education are often more responsible financially because they are opened to a variety of higher level thinking skills. Mohan (2012) states that an individual who gains a degree is often able to find better jobs than those who do not. Mohan also states that people are less likely to accept public assistance if they have a good job. Brand (2010) states that education puts people into the position of becoming more civic minded. Brand notes that as people excel in college, they are less likely to be involved in volunteer work. Education opens people’s minds and directs them to a better life. This is an important feature of education that is true across cultures. Education is Important to Career Advancement Many people want to advance in their careers. Many times, they only way for advancement is to gain more education. In many corporate settings, as employees gain certain levels of ed ucation, they can move into management other positions. Education helps an individual see other opportunities and put into place goals and objectives that are important to their own career growth. Comunian, Faggian, and Jewell (2011) point out that there are a variety of careers that are successful when people are looking for jobs. When someone has education they can also begin at a better salary than they would if they only have a high school education. A higher salary may mean that a person will spend more money in the economy and this will help society improve. Educated people are able to critically think in many situations. Baum and Payea (2005) state that when people have a college education it provides... This paper approves that Education creates leaders. Leaders are important in any society because they are at the head of most organizations. Chyns, Kiefer, Kerschreiter and Tymon state that education is important to self-awareness and leadership development. The authors studied leadership and found that leaders must be able to understand the environments in which they work. Leaders also have an understanding of how to lead people and get them to do what is needed. This is important because without strong leadership, most organizations fail. This essay comes to a conclusion that education is important to society on many levels. Education drives a society and can help it transition to a stronger community. Education is important to enhance a society and to make it stronger. When someone is gaining education, he or she learns how to help others achieve as they take the role of leadership. Education is important to the economy because educated people spend more and they pay more taxes. They also pay taxes. Both situations bring people together and help the society grow. Most organizations are working with a diverse work group which means that training should be involved with them to understand more about cultures and about what culture looks like. In a global world, it is important is to be culturally sensitive to the needs of all workers and this come with education and training. There is no doubt that education is important to society. There are a variety of ways that educated people help the economy.

Biological Factors Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biological Factors - Term Paper Example Families with weak family bonds and poor communication are predictors of future offensive behavior in the child. Parents who do not take disciplinary action against children as and when needed are likely to contribute to development of antisocial behavior in their children. Another predictor of criminal behavior is abuse and neglect in childhood. Peer groups also have an influence on criminal attitudes and behaviors. Poor peer relationships and company of criminal attitude peers contribute to criminal activity tendencies. 2) What biological factors appear to influence criminal propensity? Behavior of human beings is multidimensional and both biological and environmental factors play a major role in the development of human behavior. The limitations of biological influences on human behavior is evident from family, adoption and twin studies. Evidence from these studies has shown that genetic factors alone are not responsible the complex human behavior and that environmental factors al so have an influence on behavior. Biological factors contributing to criminal behavior can be genetic or neurochemical. Twin studies have shown that there is high hereditary factor in criminal behavior. This is evident from a study in which follow up was done on monozygotic twins who were reared separately and despite different environmental influences, strong criminal behavior was noted among the twins.