A Reception Analysis High School Students

Nowadays, Korean culture and Its cultural products have been Influencing every nation, invading Asia and the rest of the world. This trend is popularly known as the Korean wave or Halley, which greatly influenced the way people live today. Korean invasion started first in television dramas which got a lot of fans globally despite of the language barrier. And these television dramas made their viewers love Korean characters and their culture as well, which signaled the birth of Korean wave.Today, Korea is still developing more products that they can introduce to the whole world ND it means more products for the fans who love to watch every single episode of their favorite Korean drama or who go crazy for their Korean Idols. In the Philippines, Just like the Mexican tealeaves that were popular back In the days, Korean television dramas or Cornflakes became a big hit to the taste of Filipino audience, especially the teenagers. Filipino youth in this generation are now changing slowly an d are catching up with what Is the new trend today.Cornflakes and other Korean products have Influenced the Filipino youth and changed their preferences in music, fashion, food, and etc. This study is about the media consumption of Filipino youth in watching Cornflakes and what keeps them watching this kind of television program. The youth have psychological or sociological needs that they want to satisfy by watching programs that are introduced by media. And most of the needs of these young people can be gratified by the Cornflakes that they watch. Their needs serve as their driving force in consuming foreign products. . RATIONALE In these modern times, the youth are creating their new world where they can express their creativity and passion through popular culture. The spread of Korean pop culture or Halley all over the world had influenced the way teenagers live, especially the Filipino youth. This phenomenon changed their taste for music, clothes, hairstyle, food, gadgets, and many more. The youth have their own needs that can be satisfied by Korean cultural products, particularly television dramas, which media has introduced to them.Korean television dramas, or popularly known in the Philippines as â€Å"Cornflakes†, have won the hearts of the Filipino audience, especially the young people. And with that simple appreciation from the viewers, Korean pop culture has been slowly entering In the ivies of many. Some people started as an avid fan of a particular Korean star from the television drama that they watch, and then eventually they imitate everything that ‘OFF media in watching Korean television dramas, the more they are influenced by this kind of media content. Understanding the needs of these young people might lead us to know the reasons of their consumption.This study can give us an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the views of young Cornflake fanatics. With this, the side of Cornflake enthusiasts and the side of non-Shoppers can achieve mutual understanding and respect. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE l. Korean Wave or Halley South Korea has been emerging as a source of power for the production of transnational pop culture which spread first to neighboring Asian countries, later to the Middle East and North Africa, and more recently to Europe and the Americas (Park & Change, p. 2).This phenomenon is introduced as â€Å"Korean wave† which refers to the significantly increased popularity of South Korean culture around the world; it is also referred to as Halley, in the Korean language. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing Journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China (Lee, 2011, p. 86). The first wave of Halley in China was the invasion of television dramas. Initially, it seemed that the boom in Korean entertainment in China was accidental rather than deliberate (Steinberg, 2010, p. 53). Later, the rave for Korean drama expanded to in clude not only music, dance, and film, but also literature, fashion, and even Korean cuisine and became the driving force in Koreans tourism. The Korean government picked up on this phenomenon fairly quickly and went on a nationalistic campaign to promote Halley in different ways (Park & Change, p. ). The Korean wave portrays an unprecedented frame of Korean popular culture by the Korean media alongside the line with commercial nationalism.As a result, the Korean wave is manifested as a regional cultural trend signifying a triumph of Korean culture (Lee, 2011, p. 85). Korean cultural products have become a catalyst for curiosity about Korean culture and Korea itself. Korean dramas in particular have served as an important bridge for the different countries to encounter Korean culture. The Korean wave has had a marked impact in various ways regarding transaction with other countries. Local sentiment towards Korea has not been respectable in the past, but the Korean wave has fundament ally changed the national image of Korea in a positive way.The Korean wave ultimately improved Koreans image in foreign countries, which in turn created a ripple effect that has extended much farther than Just the Korean economy or peninsula (Lee, 2011, p. 86). Korean Television Dramas Korean television dramas (K-dramas) have enjoyed immense popularity all over the world. It is part of the phenomenon known as Halley or Korean Wave, in which all things Korean from television dramas to popular music to fashion are consumed by audiences all over the world. K-dramas ushered the Wave, beginning in China in the late sass through hit TV shows such as â€Å"What is Love? Which aired in China Central Television (CATV) in 1997 (chorea, p. 1). Which view Asian â€Å"family-friendly' values as the main reason for the success of the shows. As many Korean television dramas have won the hearts of fans in China, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, and overseas Asian communities worldwide, prominent cu ltural scholars like Chichi Buckish and Chug Been Heat began to analyze the penetration of Korean television dramas into Asian markets and defined he process as newly â€Å"emerging intra-Asian popular cultural flows under globalization forces† Nouns, 2009, p. 9). Many fans of Korean television dramas talk about the physical attractiveness of the Korean actors and actresses and their modern and glamorous fashion, make-up and hairstyles. They also point to the lavish productions, including their skillful editing, beautiful cinematography, good acting, captivating storyline, and accessibility. Thanks to recent IT and digital-media developments, versions of these dramas are available for little or no cost with various subtitle options, includingEnglish, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Turkish, Spanish, and several Chinese dialects (Jung, 2009, p. 72). Viewers from various countries and backgrounds are drawn to Korean dramas of various reasons. For Americans, these dramas are â€Å" relaxing and cheerful† while for Europeans, the appeal rests on â€Å"uncomplicated and romantic† plots. Middle East an Muslim audiences, meanwhile, are drawn to the â€Å"subtle repression of emotions and intense romantic passion without overt sexuality' (Chorea, p. L).For Asians, the appeal of Korean television dramas rests on its so-called emotional power† which comes from the â€Å"interwoven themes of family, romance, friendship, martial arts, war, and business† as well as the way the characters face issues on love in a â€Å"tender, meaningful and emotional than sensual† manner. The Asian sensibilities of proportioning family and of expressing emotions in a subtle manner also appeal to Asian viewers across generations (Chorea, p. 1). II. Korean Wave in the Philippines Even before the Korean wave, Filipinos were long fans of imported dramas.Soap operas and drama series have become a staple for daytime and primetimes viewing I the Philippines. I n the sass, Mexican tealeaves became the mania, with huge hits like â€Å"Roseland† and â€Å"Marimba† attracting ratings above 50 percent. Asian dramas, including Korean, have become hits in the sass (Hiccup, 2009). In the Philippines, Korean dramas are fondly called â€Å"Cornflakes†, a term coined by Philippine television channel GAMMA 7 as a marketing buzzword for the growing popularity of K-dramas, following the past successes of the Mexican â€Å"tealeaves†, Taiwanese â€Å"chi-novella† and Japanese J-drama trends.Since Bright Girl, the first Korean drama shown in the Philippines through GAMMA 7 in 2003, K-dramas have bee deadly gaining popularity among Filipinos. But Korean drama's popularity picked u its pace when Endless Love: Autumn in My Heart was shown in the same year in the same channel (Chorea, p. 1). Rival network ABS-CB was quick to latch on to the trend and aired its own set of Korean television dramas. In fact, in 2005, the Phili ppines was counted among major importing countries of Korean dramas in Asia, with Japan leading at 60. Percent, China at 9. 9 percent, Philippines at 3. 7 percent, and Taiwan at 1. 4 percent. The dramas. Often, these dramas are dubbed in the Filipino language. Characters are also given names that are familiar sounding to Filipinos, such as Vivian for the lead female character and Carlo for the male lead character in Lovers in Paris. Soundtracks and background music are given a Filipino touch through the inclusion of local music artists, an example being Kitchen Naiad's Wag an Wag Mongo Scabbing, also in Lovers in Paris (Chorea, p. ). Filipinos love Cornflakes because they can relate to the stories. The Korean dramas are quite escapist and moving. Aside from the touching pipelines, the production is really a visual experience of places that most of the Filipinos are not accustomed to seeing. Filipino people are very easy to please and so the theme of the Korean drama has touched thei r hearts easily. They can relate with the story and at the same time looking and familiarizing on the tangible cultural manifestation of that country.This is a form of metasyntactic translation/dubbing. This method, a technical aspect of understanding a foreign drama is the tool or bridge of Korean drama that the Filipino understands. It makes them interested on a drama that offers something new and at the same time something informative which are all pleasing to their consciousness (Rexes, p. 4). Indeed, in the past several years, Filipino viewer tastes for dramas have evolved. They are no longer content with Filipino-made drama series, but welcome Essentials, including Korean drama series.As long as they appeal to the taste of TV audiences, Cornflakes will continue to warm the hearts of Filipinos (Hiccup, 2009). Ill. Korean Wave influencing youth culture According to the paper entitled â€Å"The Impact of K-pop to the Filipino Youth† by students from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, the K-pop fever or Halley can be easily spotted in the country in terms of Filipinos' clothing nowadays, music, behavior, attendances and even in television industry. Here are some examples that they stated with regards on how the Koreans are affecting the country, most especially the Filipino youth: A.Restaurants & Food Several Korean and Korean-inspired restaurants have popped up like mushrooms all over Metro Manila, from those serving traditional banana (assorted sidedness) and bulldog (grilled marinated meat) to those specializing in â€Å"double-fried† chicken. Because a lot of Korean has moved here in our country they tend to bring their own set of food like those mentioned from above. One of the most liked aspect of Halley is their Korean Dramas, when a teenager see or learn that his or her idol's favorite dish is Chime he/she will search for this food Just to learn why his/her idol love this particular dish.Another reason is that for them to connec t with their idols in simple ways in this instance they want to connect in terms of the food they eat. B. Music Korean shows a great way to introduce Filipinos to the country's mainstream music, which is collectively called K-pop. After listening to intros, ending songs and official sound tracks of their favorite series, these Cornflake Junkies begin to search about different k-pop artists and bands, with most popular of them in Junior, which has held two Jam-packed concerts in Manila.Of course, Filipinos also have a soft spot for the four-member NINE , which includes former ABS-CB talent Sandra Park. And after making the whole world do his hilarious horse dance, it is safe to say that Psych of â€Å"Kananga Style† fame is included in every Filipinos K-Pop play list. Nowadays a lot of teenage groups of boys and girls are popping up like mushrooms after the rain. The manner of their performance and even the way they Reese is obviously influenced by the Korean pop stars. A lot of teenagers play list is mostly composed of different Korean songs from their favorite series or their favorite K-Pop bands.Thus it is safe to say that the youth of today is greatly influenced by the K-Pop fever. C. Beauty and Fashion Nowadays, Korean hairstyle is very popular in the Philippines. Along with the fascination for Korean Stars is to achieve their unique hairstyles and flawless complexions, thus the sudden popularity of Korean salons and other beauty and fashion items. Every Filipinos cut their hair Just to feel them comfortable and infinite, and the Korean hairstyle is now at the top of young Filipino hairstyle choices. Sometimes they risk school by violating the school policy on proper haircut but this does not matter.Again, what matters is they look like Koreans. The youth in the Philippines tend to immortality their idols, to think that their idol is perfect thus their will to imitate them based on their clothing, hairstyles, and whatnot. Most of the youth today is using their idealization for these Korean Pop stars as a way to live, or as their coping mechanism if they have family problems or arsenal issues. By living for their idols they have a purpose and excuse to be someone else. The Filipino fans not only developed an interest in the Cornflakes or KOP music but also the likeness towards the Korean Fashion.This Korean fashion trend exploded among the students who love to be hip and chic and â€Å"In† with the new. Even sometimes they may look weird, as long as they tried to imitate the Korean hair, clothing style and shoes, to them the idea that they copied the Koreans perfectly is what matters. Indeed, the Korean fashion is now trending in the Philippines and it is big influence to the Filipinos who are very obsessed to the fashion because with the fashion, they learn how to mix and match dresses with different styles and colors.One factor that may lead to this influence is not the television but the Korean presence in the country since a big number of them are studying in the Philippines. In their presence, they have influenced their Filipino classmates and friends to dress and look like them. Because of this, some Filipinos have lost their originality for trying to imitate everything from the Korean culture (Rexes, p. 5). Apparently, Filipinos have been disgusted by their own brand of fashion. The flashy and overly stylish Korean fashion has now affected not only the look but the way of life of the Filipinos. D.Gadgets and Appliances The Philippines has been home to several Korean made gadgets even before the age of Halley in the Philippines. One of the biggest brands here and globally as well is Samsung, which sells anything from appliances to mobile phones. LEG is also a perfect example, which is endorsed by Lee Min Ho. Here in the Philippines teenagers can easily acquire these said gadgets because of their allowance. In the world of robbery the youth will buy this brand or line. Solely because it is end orsed by their idol, not considering if the said product is really functional wise or if they really need it in some case.

Cause and effect Essay

I am going to be talking about the cause and effects of peer pressure on today’s teens. Most of the time peer pressure is caused when teens develop the strong desire to fit in and be accepted by others. In high school most teens think that to fit in they have to be noticed and do whatever the â€Å"popular crowd† is doing, even if that means they will get in trouble. What some parents don’t realize these days is that they have a strong influence on their children’s lives and how they handle day to day issues. When you’re tuff and set good guide lines for your child and teach them wrong from right they will be less tempted to do wrong because they will have guidance. Some off the effects that peer pressure can cause can be harmful or lead to being kicked out of school. When teens are persuaded into doing the wrong thing there is going to be consequences for their actions. It could result in the child being kicked off of their team, out of school or even worse, they could end up in jail. The causes of peer pressure are very real in today’s society and if your teen or child isn’t careful who they hang around, they might be pressured into doing the wrong thing. Make sure to talk with your child and let them know that you are there for them and they can come to you whenever they need to talk about something.

Argon Cluster and Graphene Collision Simulation Experiment

Argon Cluster and Graphene Collision Simulation Experiment Formation of Nanopore in a Suspended Graphene Sheet with Argon Cluster Bombardment: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation study Abstract: Formation of a nanopore in a suspended graphene sheet using an argon gas beam was simulated using molecular dynamics (MD) method. The Lennard-Jones (LJ) two-body potential and Tersoff–Brenner empirical potential energy function are applied in the MD simulations for different interactions between particles. The simulation results demonstrated that the incident energy and cluster size played a crucial role in the collisions. Simulation results for the Ar55 –graphene collisions show that the Ar55 cluster bounces back when the incident energy is less than 11ev/atom, the argon cluster penetrates when the incident energy is greater than 14 ev/atom. The two threshold incident energies, i.e. threshold incident energy of defect formation in graphene and threshold energy of penetration argon cluster were observed in the simulation. The threshold ene rgies were found to have relatively weak negative power law dependence on the cluster size. The number of sputtered carbon atoms is obtained as a function of the kinetic energy of the cluster. Keywords: Nanopore, Suspended graphene sheet, Argon cluster, Molecular dynamics simulation Introduction The carbon atoms in graphene condense in a honeycomb lattice due to sp 2-hybridized carbon bond in two dimensions [1]. It has unique mechanical [2], thermal [3-4], electronic [5], optical [6], and transport properties [7], which leads to its huge potential applications in nanoelectronic and energy science [8]. One of the key obstacles of pristine graphene in nanoelectronics is the absence of band gap [9-10]. Theoretical studies have shown that chemical doping of graphene with foreign atoms can modulate the electronic band structure of graphene and lead to the metal to semiconductor transition and break the polarized transport degeneracy [11-12]. Also, computational studies have demonstr ated that some vacancies of carbon atoms within the graphene plane could induce a band-gap opening and Fermi level shifting [13-14]. Graphene nanopores can have potential applications in various technologies, such as DNA sequencing, gas separation, and single-molecule analysis [15-16]. Generating sub-nanometer pores with precisely-controlled sizes is the key difficulty in the design of a graphene nanopore device. Several method have been employed to punch nanopores in graphene sheets, including electron beam from a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and heavy ion irradiation. Using electron beam technique, Fischbein et al.[17] drilled nanopores with the width of several nanometers and demonstrated that porous graphene is very stable; but, this method cannot be widely used because of its low efficiency and high cost. Russo et al. [18] used energetic ion exposure technique to create nanopores with radius as small as 3Å. S. Zhao et al. [19] indicated that energetic cluster irra diation was more effective in generating nanopores in graphene, because their much larger kinetic energy could be transferred to the target atoms. Recent experimental works have further confirmed that cluster irradiation is a feasible and promising way in the generation of nanopores [20]. Numerical simulations have demonstrated that, by choosing a suitable cluster species and controlling its energy, a nanopores of desired sizes and qualities can be fabricated in a graphene sheet [19].

Examination skills- preparation and technique Assignment

Examination skills- preparation and technique - Assignment Example Firstly, it cannot be under-emphasized the one of the most effective techniques is to prioritize the study material. For instance, far too many people engage in the process of revising and devote equal amounts of time to each facet of the information that they might be tested upon. This is a flawed strategy due to the fact that certain parts of the information will come cleary and as second nature to the student; by means of comparison, other aspects of the information may be much harder to understand and require a more thorough approach. Similarly, the setting of revision is oftentimes overlooked. For instance, studies have proven that 1 hour of quality and uninterrupted study time is more effective than many hours of continual interrupted study time and/or distractions (Hing Sun, 2005). As such, a particularly useful technique that I have employed in the past is to set aside a give portion of time as a means of studying. In much the same way that other aspects of the day are planned out, revising can be accomplished within a similar technique. A further technique that should be employed is to resist the pitfall of seeking to memorize everything. Even if one has an exceptionally good memory, this particular approach is pointless as it creates little understanding and does not further the educational achievement of the student beyond merely regurgitating information back onto the page. Finally, and perhaps most obviously, the temptation of cramming for exams must be resisted at all costs. Although many students swear by their ability to procrastinate until the very last minute and then stay up for days at a time as a means of rapidly understanding and memorizing key information, studies and research into these techniques have definitively proven that this approach is fundamentally flawed and ultimately leads to a lower overall score as compared to those students that were able to set aside a given amount

Aristotle view on the soul Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aristotle view on the soul - Essay Example The functions of feeding and reproduction form a nutrient or plant soul. Feeling and movement inherent in animal form a sentient or animal soul. Finally, the thinking is performed as an activity of the rational soul. It belongs only to a man. The law here is that the higher functions, and therefore the souls, cannot exist without the lower functions, while the latter can exist without the higher functions. The novelty of the views of Aristotle on the structure of the soul is, firstly, that Aristotle found a holistic approach, in which the soul was thought of as being one and indivisible. Secondly, the structure of the Aristotelian scheme of the soul is imbued with the idea of ​​development. On the one hand, the individual faculties of the soul appear as successive stages of its evolution, and on the other - it is about the development of the individual human soul as a repetition of these stages of evolution. Aristotle’s doctrine of the three major powers of the soul resulted in the tasks, which were reduced to the development of these three abilities. The development of the plant abilities forms human agility, strength and health; sensory abilities - courage, will and emotions; and mental abilities -

Distribution and Retailing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Distribution and Retailing - Essay Example Brief Overview of the Scenario The paper describes about the managerial issues faced by Katie Collins, the managing director of Fashion Wholesalers in relation to its distribution and retailing functions. Fashion Wholesalers is a clothing manufacturing company which principally targets women operating as the agents of UK with the networking comprising around 30 manufacturing Scandinavian and German clothing producers. It also supplies for approximately 120 small sized retailers. The products that are distributed through Fashion Wholesalers target primarily the housewives within the UK. The distribution activity of the company, i.e. Fashion Wholesalers, can be described on the following grounds. It has been observed that the buyers of Fashion Wholesalers, belonging to the age group of 30 to 60 years usually perform 4 trips for collecting the produced materials from the suppliers in the market. The process of ordering for the company is carried out in every season based on the scheduli ng of delivery of products by the buyers on a monthly basis. The produced products are then distributed to the warehouse located at Peterborough. The process of delivery in Fashion Wholesalers includes showrooms from where the buyers can directly make their purchases in person. Notably, the clothing products are manufactured all-round the year and the samples are distributed in all the seasons, along with the continuation of warehousing and dispatching activities. Contextually, it can be observed that the demands for the products are quite high attracting most of the targeted customers in the niche markets of retailing. It is worth mentioning in this context that most of the targeted customers depend on Fashion Wholesalers for supplying quality products at cheaper rates which has further accelerated the growth rate in the organisation. 1.2. Rise of Conflict in Fashion Wholesalers Channel conflict usually occurs if there are clashes of methods and goals between the members belonging to a channel of distribution. Notably, because the distribution channel of Fashion Wholesale is performed on the basis of multiple dimensions involving multiple layers such as the suppliers, the producers and the end users, which further continues throughout the year, there are high chances for Fashion Wholesalers to witness similar disruptions in their distribution process. Theoretically, distribution channel conflicts can be categorized into horizontal and vertical categories. Where horizontal channel conflicts signify gaps and limited cooperation among members belonging to similar level, the vertical channel conflict indicates dismissal among members belonging to different levels in the channel distribution (Jicheng, n.d). In the currently practiced distribution channel of Fashion Wholesalers, probability of both these conflicts to arise can be observed apparently. Additionally, resource scarcity can be determined as another significant aspect to cause conflicts in the channel of distribution. In the context of Fashion Wholesalers, it can be stated that owing to the complexity of the distribution channel framework, conflicts might occur among the members due to insufficiency of resources for manufacturing clothing products and/or due to their inefficiency to allocate the available resources efficiently so as to serve the retailers all around its target market in a time-efficient and cost-effective way. Moreover, if Fashion Wholesalers attempt to sell a proportion of the produced products by themselves directly

Persuasive Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Persuasive Presentation - Essay Example How many of you feel that guns are necessary and imperative for self-protection? How would you feel if you knew how many people die of the gun each day? Our society has socialized as to acknowledge guns as a beautiful and powerful device but never mention how many people lose their life through it. The magazine, videos, and the internet depict gun ownership as a prestigious phenomenon without informing us on how many people died from gun-related incidences either as innocent or guilty victims. Unfortunately, most gun owners kill their loved ones including their partners and children. Having easy access to guns increases the risks of and opportunity for fatal violence. When individual without a stable emotions or tempers owns guns, the likelihood of involvement in violence is high when they are provoked. Imagine a violent father who regularly beats his wife and threatens to kill her has a gun at such a time of great emotion. Do you think he would hesitate to pull the trigger? Such a scenario might seem to be strange in the ‘civilized America where wife beating is presumed to be a retrogressive practice. Unfortunately, a few months ago, a friend of my uncle shot his wife because of a simple domestic argument. Regrettably, he realised that he had killed his wife when it was too late. Another instance occurred in a public Restaurant where a waiter provoked a drunken man, and he removed his handgun and shot her in the chest; she died instantly. Guns are a risk to the owner and children in the family. According to the Childrens Defence Fund and National Center for Statistics, approximately eight children die each day, and about fifty die every week due to gunfire. Additionally, five times as many children and teenagers suffer fatal injuries related to firearms. It is not once that the media has reported a juvenile death related to improper handling of the

People Like Us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People Like Us - Essay Example In the same go, we decided to fight the evils of gender stereotypes, hatred towards homosexuals, racial prejudice, etc. The universities have been sincere in implementing the measures to encourage multiculturalism in their colleges and campuses. But there are certain concerns: Whether American universities are really encouraging diversity or doing nothing except issuing policy statements? However, Indiana State University, also known as ISU, has been very sincere in implementing diversity not only with the help of policy statements and plans, but also by actually putting them to implementation and practice. The university has adopted a strategic approach with an aim to encourage admission of students from various communities and nationalities. Thesis Statement The Indiana State University (ISU) has not constrained the concept of diversity within theoretical boundaries. Rather, it actually practices diversity through strategic implementation. ISU’s Stance on Diversity ISU is no t one of those institutions that believe in tall talking about diversity but avoid implementing it in practical sense. This is not only due to the sincere attitude of the ISU authorities, but also due to the practicability of its policies and practices, which extensively correlate diversity and holistic education. According to the ISU website, diversity can be comprehended as the range of human differences that include ethnicity, gender identity, racial identity, expression, socio-economic status, age, national origin, physical abilities and disabilities, sexual orientation, spiritual beliefs, etc. A careful introspection of diversity can â€Å"both spotlight the uniqueness of our identities and create opportunities for interaction, dialogue and analysis that build community.† (Indiana State University) This sort of clear perception of the very concept of diversity gives ISU an advantage of better theoretical understanding, which is subsequently reflected in its socio-educati onal and cultural activities. ISU has set up the ISU Office of Diversity, which works in juxtaposition with the President's Council on Diversity and promotes the policies, programs, and practices, which model impartiality and show the way to excellence of multicultural environment and education. Hence, the students get an opportunity to know about different cultures, practices, perceptions, and nationalities, which help them to mature and work better in the age of globalization. Diversity is thus not merely an ethical consideration. At ISU, it is a part of education. Hence the University invites â€Å"everyone in the ISU community and on the ISU campus to explore and embrace learning about diversity as a goal† (Indiana State University). A prime strategy of the university is to focus on the Diversity Crisis Model. Educational expert Damon A. Williams has remarked, â€Å"Too many diversity-planning efforts follow a reactive pattern that emerges when the campus is disrupted by a diversity crisis. Nationally publicized examples of such crises include controversial remarks by the president of Harvard University in 2003 regarding the ability of female faculty to perform in the sciences and the Duke University lacrosse team incident in 2006.† These sorts of incidents, in conjunction with the increasing occurrences of ethnically themed university, campus, and/or college parties,

History of the Olympic Games Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

History of the Olympic Games - Term Paper Example The Olympics was later revived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France in 1894 with the formation of the International Olympic committee (IOC) which is the governing body until now. Since then, the events are held every four years during summer and winter. This paper will outline the history of Olympic Games from inception to date highlighting the major changes the games have undergone. These began in ancient Greece 3000 years ago. However, it is not known when the games actually began as some date back to 776 B.C while others indicate earlier or later dates. From 8th century B.C to 4th century A.D, the games were held every four years between August 6 and September 19 during religious festivals at the Olympia in honor of Greek god Zeus (Crowther 45-46). The Olympia was situated in West coast of Peloponnese or what was referred as the Island of â€Å"Pelops’ who was the founder of Olympic Games. According to Olympic.org (nap), it was a meeting place for worship, political and religious practices as early as 10th century B.C. At the central part of the Olympia lay the temple of Zeus hence most events were held during religious festivals of cult of Zeus. The games were entrenched in the aristocratic ideals of â€Å"the beautiful and the good† which included spiritual and moral excellence, harmony, skill, balance and grace (Crowther 58). These ideals ar e still embraced by IOC today. The games were held every four years between city-states and kingdoms and involved a period of Olympic peace during which safe passage across the Mediterranean was allowed for 3 months before and after the games. Noticeable is the fact that only men were allowed to participate in the games and married women were not allowed to be spectators. According to Crowther â€Å"the men were to be male, of Greek city-state and tribe, free born, have legitimate

Brendon Gallacher and Medusa Essay Example for Free

Brendon Gallacher and Medusa Essay Loss is a key, reoccurring theme in my two poems of choice; ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa. ’ ‘Brendon Gallacher’ is an affectionate elegy for an imaginary, eponymous childhood friend, ‘Medusa’ is a poem divided into stanzas of mostly equal length. Both poets use varying language to help the reader visualise the characters’ feelings and persona. Emptiness and loss are presented in both poems through numerous techniques including alliteration, imagery and refrain. There is a childlike quality to Jackie Kay’s elegy for the death of an imaginary friend. The persona uses simple language and a range of techniques such as colloquialism. Contrastingly, in Medusa, Duffy uses a sombre tone thought the poem which helps the poem flow naturally and contributes to the developing sorrow. In ‘Brendon Gallacher’, Jackie Kay’s use of a repetitive refrain gives a song-like quality; this is further reinforced by the interjections that show grief in the last lines: ‘Oh Brendon, Oh my Brendon Gallacher’. The passing of Brendon leaves an empty void, filled by the repetition of ‘Brendon Gallacher’, which demonstrates fixation and inability to let ones feelings pass – an emotional attachment; ‘Brendon’ as opposed to the full name previously used. The repetition of the possessive pronoun emphasizes the idea that Brendan belongs to the narrator, and emphasizes the theme of loss and longing for something that is gone. Similarly, Duffy uses evocative language immediately by beginning on the theme of obsession/mistrust. Duffy emphasises this by the list of three, suspicion, doubt and fear which grew in her mind, allowing the flow of thoughts through enjambment. This doubt and fear shows that Medusa is somewhat compulsive and has lost any freedom or ability to control her thoughts. Moreover in Brendon Gallacher, they meet ‘in the open air’, as if Brendon represents autonomy and journeying; he talks of ‘Some place far’, which offers a purpose for the narrator to live on. This is all lost with the ‘death’ of Brendon. A physical loss rather than emotional loss is demonstrated through the words â€Å"we’d been friends for years† and â€Å"he would hold my hand† which suggests there is an emptiness of physical intimacy. Similarly, Medusa was once a beautiful woman who was transformed into a horrible monster by the Greek goddess, Athena. Jealousy and paranoia transform the hair upon Medusas head, in the poem, into filthy snakes. Already the reader is aware of the change ‘turned the hairs’, giving the impression that she was not always like this and did at one point have beautiful hair. Both poets have used descriptive techniques and imagery to show the physical changes and loss each character has undergone. â€Å"One day when it was pouring and I was indoors†, this paragraph in Brendon Gallacher uses pathetic fallacy to make the mood evoke a loss of innocence which is reflected by the rainy weather. Immature language and description is used to help the audience visualise the narrator’s childhood, â€Å"He had six brothers and I had one† can be conveyed as quite childish and this might have been used to emphasise that the narrator is talking about her past when she was younger, her childhood emptiness and loss. Also, in Medusa the rhetorical questions, â€Å"Wasn’t I beautiful? Wasn’t I fragrant and young? † show insecurity due to the repetition of questions but also shows a side of innocence as is normally related to young people. Both poems show a loss of innocence, albeit in different ways. â€Å"Look at me now. † The single line in Medusa emphasises the final request that appears as a paradox, a plea for sympathy but also a threat. Another, loss, this time more mentally affecting, Medusa has lost control over her decisions, this is further enforced by her turning of others into stone; â€Å"bullet tears in my eyes†, â€Å"you were stone†, Medusa has lost her ability to even look at others, and much like her tears, her fate is set in stone. This varied sentence length is indulging and engrossing as it really questions the empathy of the reader. All in all, both poems have certain similarities when trying to present loss. Both ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa’ use language to bring alive the thoughts of the characters. Duffy focuses more on the imagery and tone of the poem whereas Kay brings to life the exact detail to provide the full picture.

Why Do So Many Expatriates Fail on Foreign Assignments?

Why Do So Many Expatriates Fail on Foreign Assignments? EXERCUTIVE SUMMARY This literature review reviews why many expatriates fail on foreign duties. This literature established understanding of the concept of expatriate failure, and discusses the main causes of expatriates failure. Despite increased participation in international markets, poor productivity and failure rates of expatriates remain very high. There are some major factors contributing to failure rates, these include but not limited to expatriates inability to adjust to foreign duties, inability to adjust to the new culture, the expatriates cannot adapt to new physical and culture surroundings. Expatriates spouse cannot adjust to new environments, language and family problems. Organizations must be diligent in their management of foreign base assignment. In addition to selecting the right person for the job, expatriates must also be properly prepared for life and work within the new culture through cross-cultural training. Also, expatriates should be provided with ongoing support while oversea s; and the organization must make it easy to repatriate employees to the firm once his or her overseas assignment is completed. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on expatriates failure and the causes and how to reduce expatriates failure and ways to improve expatriates productivity. An expatriate refers to anyone living or working outside their home country (Kreitner, Kinicki and Buelens 2002) .According to (Mendenhall) the term expatriate failure means ending the international assignment before the contract expires. Most of the articles used simply define expatriate failure as the premature end to the assignment, either with or without listing reasons. This is also the definition adopted by the two most important articles, in terms of citations by other authors (Harzing, 1995)] in the literature about expatriate failure rates: Tung (1981) and Mendenhall and Oddou(1985). In establishing understanding of the term expatriate failure, these consist of premature end to an international assignment and premature end caused by a reason(Black). Some authors do question the validity of this definition, even if they are not offering alternatives. An understanding of expatriate failure as underperformance, or similar, during the assignment is also unfolding, and some contributions include repatriate turnover (expatriate leaving the company shortly after repatriation) and repatriation problems. However, what has been missing in some of the journals used so far is a critical, systematic and integrated approach to these various definitions. According to Webb and Wright, there are many benefits to the individuals on foreign assignment, including an international business experience and may have a number of constructive outcomes in their future career, including skill acquisition, personal development, and long-term career advancement (Black et al., 1992). However, such an experience is not without difficulties. On the opposing side , many expatriation problems have been reported as inadequate preparation by the expatriates to take up foreign post .In addition to the often-cited family and social tensions linked with expatriate assignments (Black et al., 1992; Shaffer et al., 1999). It is well accepted that the Career implications of global assignments are often frustrating. A lack of respect for acquired skills, loss of status, and reverse culture shock on return are recurring problems in many companies (Daily et al., 2000; Caligiuri and Lazarova, 2001; Stahl et al., 2002). The following section identifies and discuses t he factors that caused the expatriates employees or managers to fail on foreign duties. Discusses implications on the foreign worker and the company on global duties. Presents the reasons why the expatriate assignment is not always a success. Suggests a methodology for choosing an employee for overseas work and discusses such aspects as personality, competences, cross-cultural management and family issues. Suggests ways in which companies could improve the outcome of assignments for all concerned. THE LITERATURE The articles used in this literature review is a mixture of academic literature and surveys of global firms and managers by some experts .Most of the articles used are peer reviewed and some are not . Not all the articles refer to the whole why do so many expatriates fail on foreign assignment. Some of the articles studied the expatriate experience: implications for career Success. By Webb A. and Wright C .Another looked at getting the Job Done over There: Improving Expatriate Productivity by Bird A and Dunbar R. The third studied think piece: Expatriate failure: time to abandon the concept? By Anne-Wil Harzing and Claus Christensen. The fourth is titled expatriates psychological withdrawal from international assignments: Work, nonwork and Family influences by Margaret A Shaffer and David A Harrison and the fifth is titled The paradox of adjustment :UK and Swedish expatriates in Sweden and in the UK by Chris Brewster. The bibliography lists the sources read and consulted for this pap er. FACTORS CAUSED EXPATRAITES EARLY WITHDRAWAL OR FAILURE ON FOREIGN ASSIGNMENT. Cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates is an exclusive aspect of international assignments. Expatriates adjustment means living and working in a foreign culture environment . Adjustment to the new culture and copping with that culture is an integral part of expatriates success or failure. The level of comfort a person enjoys in his or her environment determines how far he can go in his foreign assignment (Black, Mendenhall, Oddou, 1991). When expatriates are not well prepared for the new environment on foreign land, there are tremendous consequences on the performance of the expatriates. It can cause an early withdrawal or total failure of expatriates. Work adjustment is clearly job-related, cultural adjustment is primarily nonwork-related, and interaction adjustment overlaps the work and nonwork environments.(Black). Several antecedents of these adjustment dimensions have been explained, but little has been done by the some writers to formally or clearly connect cross-cultural ad justment to expatriates early return decisions. Black and Stephens (1989) and Gregersen and Black (1990) found strong relationships between intent to stay and various dimensions of expatriate adjustment. Job satisfaction, however, was not a part of these analyses. Family context factors, expatriates spouses and family members have huge influence on the success or failure of the foreign worker. Two of the articles included nonwork-related factors in their models of turnover, but there is no agreement about how or where these factors have an impact on the process. Some suggest that nonwork factors influence turnover indirectly others depict nonwork factors as moderators of the job attitude intent to leave relationship (Steers Mowday, 1991) or as direct determinants of turnover (Price Mueller, 1986). Despite these theoretical considerations, only a few practical studies of organizational withdrawal have included family variables beyond marital status or number of children (e.g., Blegen, Mueller, Price, 1988). Findings have been generally weak or inconclusive. Survey conducted for MNC ( multinational cooperation )in USA findings indicate that the primary cause of early termination of expatriate assignment is the failure of the spouse to adjust. While an expatriate may have work to consume both attention and time, spouses (the vast majority of whom are women) find themselves in new surroundings in which they do not know how to accomplish even the most basic daily tasks. A simple thing such as shopping for groceries can require great effort, both physical and mental. Many Americans are used to doing grocery shopping on a weekly basis. They drive their cars to supermarkets where they use shopping carts, buy lots of food, load it in their cars and drive home, where they store it in plentiful cupboard and refrigerator space. In Japan, houses are smaller, storage space less plentiful, supermarkets tiny, and parking lots almost nonexistent, some of basic needs make the foreign worker family unable to cope with life in their environment and subsequent withdraw or underperform to expectations of the organisation, the research .conclude. Another factor is skills needed to carry foreign duties; this refers to the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities to do the work. One of the most distinctive features of an expatriate assignment is the requirement of different skills. Unlike work usually done by support staff in home country, expatriates usually lack such support in doing the work on foreign country. Some task previously delegated to subordinates frequently must be carried out by the managers themselves. One expatriate, the head of the Japanese branch of a major U.S. air-conditioner manufacturer, ran a literally one-man operation. Relying extensively on temporary workers for clerical support, he represented the company in dealings with government officials, involvement in industry associations, and negotiations with major clients. He also supervised the delivery of goods to Japanese customers, as well as managed the companys market expansion activities in Japan. His widely varied responsibi lities called for an equally wide set of skills and talents. Most of the expatriates lack these skills and those that have the skills are too burden and lack motivation as there are no proper support staff to help with the work load. They end up withdrawing or underperform in their job . Lack of feedback is another factor contributing of expatriates failure; this refers to the degree to which carrying out work activities results in obtaining direct and clear information about the effectiveness of performance. Sources of feedback for expatriates are less abundant and not regular compare to home country staff regularly receive feedback from management. Being overseas means having less access to informal networks that provide stateside staff with feedback outside the normal organization. Formal performance appraisals tend to occur less frequently and are more often conducted by people who have had less contact with the expatriate manager than is true for domestic managers. Feedback through Performance outcomes is also difficult. Financial statements of a foreign subsidiary are subject to manipulation by headquarter strategists in pursuit of corporate objectives. Moreover, exchange-rate fluctuations can further reduce the usefulness of financial statements as a source of feedback. IMPLICATIONS ON EXPATRAITES AND THE ORGANISATIONS There are number of implications to the expatriates and their organisations when an expatriates overseas assignment is a failure. A related question here is the way in which premature returns (i.e., failure in an expatriate assignment) might affect an employees career path. In a study by Riusala and Suutari (2000), some respondents had considered returning home early (i.e., not seeing their assignment through to its completion). However, most of these expatriates were wary of doing so because they believed that failure to complete the overseas assignment would adversely influence their career prospects back home. In fact, 31% of the respondents who contemplated an early return believed such a move would very negatively affect their career, and 45% believe it will negatively affect their career. Organisation need to offer some practical support, in order that they can be more productive ..Without these supports ,their performance will be low and turnover very low and the organisation profit margin will fall. It is imperative that organizations are opened to the nature of the future assignment in order that the expatriates to make an informed decision about whether becoming an expatriate will ultimately help or hinder their standing within the organization. In terms of intra-organizational career success, it may not always make sense to agree to be sent overseas. At the same time, organizations need to be honest about the link between expatriate assignments and career success within their own organizations. Moreover, if organizations can find ways to reward former international assignees, it should not only assist them in attracting future expatriates, but also enable them to retain those who have already completed an overseas assignment. REASONS WHY EXPATRIATES ASSIGNMENT IS NOT ALWAYS A SUCESS Every year tens of thousands of businesspeople venture abroad on international assignments. Some stay for a few days, others a few weeks or months, and still others stay for a few years. All seek to achieve some task or mission of significance to the organizations they represent. Many fail to achieve the level expected of them from their organisations. Estimates of the number of international assignments ending in failure range from 25 to 50 percent. Moreover, estimates of failed assignments do not include instances in which the assignment was completed, but at a minimally acceptable level of performance. It has been estimated that an additional 30 to 50 percent of American expatriates stay in their international assignments, but are regarded as either marginally effective or ineffective by their organization. The expatriates to succeed on foreign duties, managers need to live within the foreign business arena for several years in order to gain the necessary experience. Unfortunately, overseas assignments are often ill-planned and disorganized, leading to poor job performance and or job displacement. The costs of failed expatriate assignments are high, therefore, both financially for the organization and from an individual career perspective. Expatriate failures are a human resource waste, as most of these employees would have had good work records prior to their overseas assignment. Failures can also be a heavy blow to the expatriates self-esteem and personality .A research conducted for MCN as many as 40 per cent of all expatriate assignments fail owing to poor performance, or the inability of the expatriate to adjust to the foreign environment. In addition, it is estimated that as many as 50 per cent of those who do not return prematurely will function at a low level of effectiveness. L ess than one third of expatriate failures are considered to be job related. Primary reasons for failure include factors relating to family situations that disrupt the adaptation of the employee and the expatriates lack of interpersonal skills. The number one and two factors blamed for these failures is the inability of the spouse and the inability of the employee to adjust to an unfamiliar foreign culture. METHODOLOGY FOR CHOOSING EXPATRIATES FOR FOREIGN ASSIGNMENT IN ORDER TO REDUCE FAILURE RATES The recent increase in global trade calls for relocation of international managers to take on jobs in foreign countries. The candidate for the post has to be chosen carefully so as to minimise failure. One of the articles believed that, there is the need to choose a person who has some cross-cultural experience. Expatriates who are unfamiliar with the cultural realities of the host country are often not only unhappy living abroad but also are a liability to the organization. International assignments and problems of adjustment to a foreign culture can present various problems including diminished work performance. Other problems include substance abuse, work holism, psychological and infidelity problems, which can undermine the ability of an individual who previously exhibited consistent career performance and a successful family and social life. Being an expatriate is a rigorous experience that requires the manager simultaneously to learn new business concepts, to supervise subordinates from a different culture, to deal with family relocation issues and to adjust personally to a new culture. Often, the employee with the best work record at home is the wrong person to send overseas. The skills and attitudes required in the home office may be completely unsuitable in the foreign environment Personal characteristics are of the utmost importance when selecting the right candidate .In addition, during their domestic work experience, employees should have demonstrated the ability to adapt easily and quickly both to expected and unexpected changes. In an international assignment, differences in cultures can overwhelm an individual who is unable to adapt to new rules and new ways of conducting business. Stress also plays a major role in international assignments, especially in the initial months when the expatriate must learn to deal with a novel culture; where the usual manner of dealing with life situations is no longer effective. Employees who have proven stress management abilities and are able to work effectively when under stress make good candidates for expatriate assignments. WAYS COMPANIES COULD IMPROVE FOREIGN ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL CONCERNED There are number of ways in which organisations can do to improve foreign assignment for all concerned. To lower the incidence of failure and raise productivity among expatriates, individuals and organizations can take a number of steps. Before moving overseas, prospective expatriates begin to make certain adjustments. They try to determine the ways in which their work and personal life will change, they try to prepare for those changes and, when possible, they make adjustments before arriving in the host country. Determining what and how to adjust is based both on an individuals past experiences and on perceptions of where gaps exist in his or her abilities, skills, and knowledge. For example, a manager who perceives an overseas assignment as imposing high demands on technical skills will be inclined to spend more pre departure time improving those skills .It is very important to studying the local language before arriving to the foreign country . Organisations must constantly keep in touch with the expatriates and offer any kind of support needed by the foreign worker; in this case they know the company is behind them. Expatriates should be rewarded for success and repatriation made easy for their return when the assignment is completed. CONCLUSION The components required to create proficient international managers as agreed by three of the writers include language training, cross-cultural and business orientation and training, family consultations and cross-cultural training, mentoring programmes and a career management approach to expatriation and repatriation. Effective programmes will address human resources before, during and after the foreign assignment. When the above components are lacking the expatriates are bound to fail on foreign duties. Expatriates report that they receive significant personal and self-development benefits from foreign assignments. They gain a broader, global perspective on the firms operations. Their communication skills are enhanced because of their exposure to different cultures. The more complex the environment, the more it enhances their planning and motivation techniques, thus, confidence increases. These types of development can have positive career and organizational implications. Thus, managers must establish ways to better manage this significant Resource (the expatriates) in order to maximize the wealth of knowledge and experience gained from international assignments. Word count 2,950

Southern White Slaveholder Guilt :: American America History

Southern White Slaveholder Guilt Guilt is an inevitable effect of slavery. For no matter how much rhetoric and racism is poured into such a system, the simple fact remains that men and women are enslaving men and women. Regardless of how much inferior a slaveholder may perceive his salves, it is obvious that his "property" looks similar, has similar needs, and has similar feelings. There is thus the necessary comparison of situations; the slaveholder is free, the slave is in bondage-certainly a position that the slaveholder would find most disagreeable. So there is no doubt that any slaveholder with any measure of humanity within himself would feel guilt. And in fact, as the evidence is considered-including the pro-slavery propaganda-the reality of southern guilt is overwhelmingly obvious. The guilt is seen in their words, both private and public, uncovered in the pro-slavery diatribes, and understandable in their humanity. Before this discussion of guilt in slaveholders begins, it is necessary to first define how we will define guilt. Certainly if a man says he is guilt-stricken with conviction we can take this as adequate evidence of his guilt. However, certainly not everyone takes this direct an approach. James Oakes makes a good point in recognizing that guilt is not always starkly obvious. "Guilt is the product of a deeply rooted psychological ambivalence that impels the individual to behave in ways that violate fundamental norms even as they fulfill basic desires (Oakes 120)." In other words, guilt creates such inner turmoil that a guilty man will deviate from normal behavior. In this case, we will have to show two things: first, a slaveholder is committing detrimental actions (to himself or his family) that show he is in mental distress, and second, that these actions are a result of his status as a slaveholder. It is obvious that we cannot prove the latter point, but we can show it is the most p robable situation for his guilt. Finally, if a slaveholder is making pains above and beyond law and custom, it is most likely that these actions are to alleviate feelings of guilt. This is because we may assume any deliberate actions taken by any man are usually taken because he assumes they will benefit him in some manner. And if such an action is costly (money-wise), then it must have some allure in terms of personal happiness. So to show guilt, we will set forth examples of open confessions of guilt, deviant behavior, and uncommonly good treatment of slaves.

Brave New World: Out of Control Essay -- Brave New World

Brave New World: Out of Control In the 1932 satirical novel Brave New World, Aldous Huxley describes an emotionless, mechanized world of the future, set mostly in London, in which individuality is eliminated, creativity is stifled, and such institutions as marriage, family, and church are unpleasant artifacts of a world long gone. In this society, people are mass-produced; human eggs are artificially engineered by technicians. Happiness is achieved through physical gratification and peace is safeguarded by the conditioning of youth and by dispensing soma, a tranquilizer. Bernard Marx is the main character and his unorthodox viewpoints and physical difference from the rest of his caste makes him as an outsider. Bernard and Lenina, his present "girlfriend", receive permission to visit a Savage Reservation in New Mexico. They return to "civilization" with a savage, John. There he struggles to understand this so-called utopia and is eventually driven to suicide while Bernard is exiled to an island for his unconventiona l beliefs. Bernard Marx's bitter nonconformity comes from his resentment towards the state and its citizens. Dark and small when he should be fair and tall like the Alpha-plus he is mentally, he is a social outcast. He is essentially an opportunist who just wants to be accepted, just wants "no more talk of the alcohol in his blood-surrogate, no gibes at his physical appearance"(156). Nevertheless, Bernard is the perfect character through which to highlight the utopia's moral values or the lack thereof. In Brave New World, Bernard fights against a society that devalues his individuality and thereby lessens his sense of identity and self worth. From birt... ...n't want change. Every change is a menace to stability"(224-5). The idea of keeping an individual preoccupied with meaningless or unnecessary tasks so that he might never question his own individuality is an important one and forms the base on which their society is built. When Bernard criticized this social order in his report to Mond on the Savage, the World Controller vowed "to give him a lesson"(159), which he ultimately did. Huxley attempts to unsettle the reader's uncritical faith in progress and technology. The novel is a fantasy of order and technology and in it he warns us that if we don't solve problems such as overpopulation and overconsumption ourselves now, a police state will do it for us. Without being able to balance progress and human need, and unable to control our own technology, we may be forced to give up more than we imagine.

Origin Of Species :: essays research papers

Considered one of the most significant, influential, and controversial publications in history, this book, I felt would be interesting to read and learn from. Although his content in this particular book is the subject of much controversy, Darwin's proffesional contributions and accomplishments will remain well known and respected. Therefore, I selected The Origin of Species believing that it would prove to be a stimulating and challenging reading experience. This famous book discusses in-depth many important aspects of the study of life. Darwin analyzes various issues including: creation, spontaneous generation, adaptaion, laws of organism variation, hybridism, and natural selection, all integral subjects in the science of biology. As I read this book, the magnitude of its importance became clear, and I learned a wealth of scientific information from the text that includes: geological succesion, morphology, and species variation. The convincing arguments and coherent evidence inhere nt in this great work induced subject retention and serious consideration of the topics that were comprehensively discussed. The theme of the nature of life (most importantly that of man) in The Origin of Species is still a subject of tremendous and continuing debate. Also, this important topic is related to a variety of current science events such as environentally concious efforts across the globe, the philosophy and science of "the survival of the fittest," and the popular studies of creation and evolution. I feel that this book is important to read because it is a publication which brilliantly discusses interesting and significant information, is often reffered to in scientific conversation and study, and defines perhaps the greatest debate of the Western World. Charles Darwin's engaging and pioneering analysis of flora and fauna calls into question the long-held and once widely accepted concepts of divine creation, spontaneous generation, and the unrelatedness of many species. Displaying original reasoning, he distinctly and defiantly challenges many ancient beliefs and makes an argument

Lab Report On Photosynthesis

The effect of different colored lights on the rate of Photosynthesis Objective: To find out which color of light provides the best consequences for the production of oxygen/ the rate of photosynthesisBackground:In photosynthesis, there are two main parts, including light dependent and light-independent reactions. Plants use the energy from light for producing sugar, which is being converted into ATP by cellular respiration. They also are the only organisms that produce oxygen along with glucose and fructose chains within the light-independent phases of photosynthesis. This process takes place in the chloroplasts of plants, which include chlorophyll.Chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis, since it absorbs the sun’s light. Green plants then use this light to combine CO and Hâ‚‚O for making sugars and oxygen. After this process Oxygen is being released though pores called stomata. The overall reaction can be expressed as follows; 6Hâ‚‚O + 6COâ‚‚ ïÆ'   Câ‚⠀ Hâ‚ Ã¢â€šâ€šO₆ + 6Oâ‚‚1There are four variables that affect the rate of photosynthesis; light intensity, temperature, COâ‚‚ and water.2 However, is it possible to count in the colour of light, too, which I am going to investigate in this lab. Since the photosynthesis takes place in chloroplasts that has chlorophyll, the rate of photosynthesis can be affected by different colours of light, since the absorption of light changes within different colours. Research Question:What colour of light is most effective on the rate of photosynthesis? Five different coloured transparencies (red, green, yellow, blue, purple) are being used for changing the light’s colour. Within 5 minutes for each one of them, they will be used in order to see oxygen bubbles rising from a used water plant. The produced oxygen (in the form of bubbles) indicates the rate of photosynthesis and is being measured by counting bubbles. The highest amount of oxygen bubbles being produced per minute is equivalent to the highest rate of photosynthesis, and the colour providing the best circumstances for the production of photosynthesis. Hypothesis:Since Plants absorb green light, I expect the rate of photosynthesis to be the highest when red light is being used. This is due to the colour  spectrum, where one can say that red is the opposite colour to green. Therefore, I expect red light to provide the most energy for the plant absorbing it.Variables: Variable Type Method Light intensity Controlled At the most intense level possible (770 lux) and a distance of 50cm from the aquarium. Temperature of water Controlled At room temperature; adding colder water when temperature rises. pH level Controlled All solution has a pH of 7. Plant type and colour Controlled Leaves of the same species; green Coloured light IndependentChanging colours with coloured slides (yellow, blue, red, green, purple) in front of the light source. The rate of photosynthesisDependent Changed by the co lour of light, collected with stop watch and counted by produced bubbles.Material: 2000 cm ³ of water (~300 for every colour + water for controlling variables) One flask/ glass cup One test tube One funnel 2-3 healthy water plants One thermometer Spotlight Five coloured transparencies (blue, red, yellow, green, purple) Stopwatch One lux meterProcedure:Before starting the experiment, the spotlight has to be placed at point on the table, 20 cm away from where the plant is to be set. Then the lux meter is to be taken for calculating the intensity of the spotlight onto the plant. Following this, the colour transparencies will be set in front of the light and the resulting light intensity will be noted by placing the lux meter on the place where the plant is to be set. For each run, under-water cut leaves from the water plant are put carefully in the funnel, which small open end is put into the test tube. This all is to be done in the flask filled with the water provided for each run a nd is to be placed at the distance of 20 cm from the spotlight. 3 The water temperature is to be measured and to be kept constant at all time (+/- 1 °C).The first colour transparency is then to be placed in front of the spotlight and the oxygen bubbles rising from the plant’s leaves are to be counted. After 1 ½ minute, the first run of the first colour is completed and following 4 runs have to be concluded the same way. In case the water temperature rises, cold water has to be added. The experiment then has to be repeated 4 more times with the different coloured transparencies in the same way. (A procedure repeating each run 5 times, would be the best for minimizing errors that could occur, due to the 5Ãâ€"5 rule.) The collected data is noted on paper and will be processed to determine the rate of photosynthesis at every colour.Data collection and raw processing: The experiment was carried out with the following order of colours: Run 1-5: Blue Run 6-10: Green Run 11-15: Yellow Run 16-20: Red Run 21-25: Purple Raw Data Qualitative Observations: Run 1-5: A high number of bubbles rose up Run 6-10: Almost no bubbles were being produced Run 11-15: Only a few bubbles rose up Run 16-20: A very large number of bubbles were being produced Run 21-25: Not too many bubbles were being produced by the plant * Until the first bubbles rose up, some time has had passed already; the observations are only being compared with the data processed by the plant being used in this experiment, not with those from others.Quantitative Data: RunNumber of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Blue light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Green light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Yellow light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Red light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Purple light Run 1(after 90 sec.)4 2 0 0 3 2 Run 2 (after 180 sec.) 5 11 1 4 13 4 Run 3 (after 270 sec.) 12 2 4 15 6 Run 4 (after 360 sec.) 12 1 2 14 5 Run 5 (after 450 sec.) 13 1 3 15 5For a better overview the diagram below represents the quantitative data provided.Processed Data:The collected data has to be processed. This will be done by calculating the mean values for all runs of each of the colours by using Excel. The results will be put in a table, as well as in a diagram for a better overview. Also, for finding out whether the collected data is reliable or not and how different the results are to the means, the standard deviation for all runs of the colours have to be calculated using the same method.Bule Green Yellow Red Pruple Mean 10 1 2.6 12 4.4 Stand. Dev. 0.82 0.5 0.96 0.96 0.82 Table providing the processed dataDiagram providing the processed data for a better overviewConclusionAfter all data has been collected and processed, one can say that the stated hypothesis from the beginning of the lab report, which says that red is the colour that provides the best circumstances for the production of oxygen, is being supported by the observa tions and calculations made. The qualitative observations showed clearly, that the plant produced most oxygen under red light. The calculations of the means demonstrated that even though blue and red light had similar effects on the plant, the red light was most effective. Further calculations of the standard deviation showed that the data is not highly spread, standing for valuable data that has been collected.Therefore it is to be concluded that the colour providing best light for the production of oxygen and therefore for the rate of photosynthesis is red, followed by blue. Furthermore, the data collected in this experiment is supported by sources and expectations from the IB Biology curriculum (and others), which states conclusions about the colour spectrum and the effect on plants absorbing the different wavelengths of coloured lights. However, it is to be noted that the data being collected points out some significant differences, as well as similar numbers of oxygen being pro duced.This is probably due to the small protection of the light coming from the other sides onto the plant, which was not shielded and completely darkened except for the light coming from the spotlight. It is therefore more likely that the data collected was being influenced by the outside light, since there is a significant difference in the number of bubbles from the first run, in which few further light was influencing the production of oxygen. For improving the results, one could prepare the experiment in a darkened room, using more volt for the coloured lights.Another problem can be included with pointing onto the water, which, for better results und and  a higher rate of photosynthesis, should be changed to soda water, or at least, should provide a warm temperature and not as cold as the water was within Run No. 1. Even though there were these minor problems and possible improvements to this experiment, it worked out quite well, since the results being portrayed fit to those that have been published before.

Remember the Titans: Movie Review

The arrival of African slaves, sold in the plantations of colonial America, definitely triggered a superior-inferior relationship and mentality between â€Å"the whites† and â€Å"the blacks†. This present-day culture, resulting from a society of masters and slaves, has struggled against central concepts deeply rooted in the nations past . With strong cultural values on racial discrimination, the path towards the concept of racism in America was a vital moment in the course of the nation’s history. Social concepts and attitudes could not be altered overnight, but it can be altered. Indeed, in the quest for social progress, the struggle for equality has gone a long way, with black Americans now holding high-ranking positions in specialized fields in government and society. The issue on racism started when slave ships arrived in America from the coasts of Africa in the 17th century . Since then it has haunted and continues to haunt the history of the American nation. Racism was generally an issue in Americas history, which included sports as well. Race limited the sporting opportunities of many Americans (mainly African American). During the 1920s, few blacks played in the National Football League before being unofficially banned in the 1930’s. That eventually changed and today it is a sport dominated by mostly African Americans. In the mid 1880’s, whites rejected racially integrated baseball. This changed in 1947, when Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play Major League baseball outside of a segregated black league. He became a living milestone for racial equality and changed the sport of baseball forever. Many stories like these became inspirations to future movies. Many movies, as in numerous things or behaviors in life, show social psychology. In movies (whether they are illustrating racism, pro-social behavior, unselfishness, or even aggression) there are fundamental themes or life lessons to be learned. Throughout the history of sport, you can see that it has collided with several cultural values: gender, class, ethnicity/racism, religion, or region. In the film â€Å"Remember the Titans†, we see a cultural environment in 1971 refusing to accept the idea of racial equality (the main issue raised in the movie). The film displays the issue of racism and illustrates how one can overcome prejudice by uniting for a ommon cause or goal. During the course of this movie, there were many social behaviors at work that dealt with racism and discrimination. These obstacles didn’t stop the football team from socially overcoming those difficulties. In brief, this film is about two schools in Alexandria Virginia that integrated in the early 1970s to form T. C. Williams High School. The white head coach of the Titans (Coach Bill Yoast) is replaced by an African American coach from North Carolina (Coach Herman Boone). Tensions arise when players of different races are forced together on the same football team. Many of these tensions are eased during the two-week training camp in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. When players returned to Alexandria the players found the city in turmoil due to the forced desegregation of the high school. As the season progresses the team's success caused the community to accept the changes. After the Titans' perfect season, the team and the city were closer than ever. There were many scenes in the film that were meaningful to the theme of racism. One important scene is at the Gettysburg battle location. Here, Coach Boone makes an impacting speech to the players on overcoming their racism. During Boones speech there is a shot of Boone and the cemetery behind him. This gets the viewer to focus on the words he is saying as well as the cemetery behind him. While looking at the players, Coach Boone says â€Å"Fifty thousand men died right here on this field†¦ fighting the same fight that we’re still fighting among ourselves†. When they got back to the camp, during a training session, the two captains shout the chant, â€Å"left side† â€Å"strong side† to each other. This shows a new understanding and respect towards each other. They impact the rest of the team, which then come together as well. Gettysburg is the turning point in the film, where the players overcome their racism. Another important and meaningful scene is one of the locker room scenes. The scene starts off with everyone laughing with one another while making â€Å"Mama Jokes†. Then, the radio is turned on and the song â€Å"Ain’t No Mountain High Enough† by Marvin Gaye comes on. The title of the song alone gives great symbolism, showing that racism can be conquered. Slowly but surely, the tension between the players (and eventually the community) diminished. The scene where a few of the players call a team meeting in the gym is another relevant scene. The players get a sense that they’re good because they won a few games. They came together in camp, but they returned back to school and the â€Å"world† told them that they didn’t belong together. In that gymnasium they come together in singing, clapping, and a huddle to conclude the scene. The story of â€Å"Remember the Titans† is not about football. It is about the times of inequality, racism and narrow-mindedness. Students refused to go to class with those of a different race and adults did not want to associate with others that did not look like them. This movie is about the struggle for civil rights, but what makes this movie great is the struggle the football team faced to become one to work together to attain a common goal. Sports made this a powerful movie. Watching the players come together proved it is okay to be friends with, associate with and even care for people that don't necessarily look like you. If the T. C Williams Titans had a lesser role in the movie the concept of coming together (no matter what your background is, even when everyone else is divided) would not have been as strong.

Developments in Public Personnel Field

This paper deals with the trends, issues and challenges that are being faced by the public personnel. These trends and issues may be categorized under (1) Management practices; (2) technology; and (3) Economic and Politics. Governments all over the world should learn this time what to do with their public personnel so that they can become more efficient and more effective in the face of all the mentioned challenges. . IntroductionPublic or Civil Service is a big part of the lives of the citizens of a nation whether they want it or not. There are a number of government agencies that require the services of public servants and professionals. These professionals are free from the political affiliations of people who serve in the bureaucracy. There are developments in the society, in the technology and other areas of management that have an impact in the lives of public personnel. This essay explores these new trends, strategies, approaches by looking at different areas that affect the l ives and performance of public personnel.These new trends, issues and emerging practices will be divided into three major categories: management practices, technology and economic situation. The first category deals mainly with the emerging issues in management such as diversity, the rights and benefits of public personnel and how the government is reacting to these trends. Secondly, the technological advancements that impact the work of public personnel will be looked at, carefully noting how these are revolutionizing the way that public personnel do their work. Lastly, the economic developments in the United States and the world will also be noted together with their impact on the lives of workers in the Civil service sector.The government as an employer should take note of these developments and keep up with the times. Oftentimes, however, bureaucracy tends to react too slowly to the changes going on in the world. If this is the case, the public personnel will be disadvantaged. N onetheless, this paper will also put forward several recommendations as to how the plight of public personnel could be improved by the government through the effective and efficient use of resources in their respective organizations.Management PracticesWorkforce DiversityOne of the most important developments in public personnel in the twenty-first century is the increasing recognition of diversity in the operations of public offices and agencies. Such diversity stems from the multicultural fabric of the American society. There are African Americans, Asians, Europeans and Latino in the United States.It is impossible to exclude these people from becoming public personnel if they possess the skills and the educational requirements of serving in the Civil Service. Through the victories won by the Civil Rights movement in the United States in the past forty years or so, the US has come a long way in granting equal rights and opportunities to people of various skin colors.The immigration to the US has also continued in the past few years that the demographic has changed. Through the process of globalization, more and more people from various nations are coming to the United States. Managing a diverse workforce is therefore becoming an imperative for most corporations and multinational companies in the US. This should also be the case with public personnel (Farazmand, 2007).There are a number of benefits that workforce diversity could offer to public offices and agencies. For one, perspectives and viewpoints in the office concerning pressing issues and concerns will be diverse, thus, providing the decision maker with the ability to look at different angles before making important decisions. Without diversity, people will, more or less, look at something from virtually same lenses and perspectives. With diversity, however, there are new perspectives that could enable a broader look at issues plaguing the civil service and the rest of the society.One factor that influ ences the occurrence of diversity in both private and public organizations is the prevalence of migration and mobility of labor. People from diverse backgrounds often find themselves mingling with people from other nationalities (Mavin & Girling, 2000). Diversity, however, is more than just a collection of nationalities within the organization. Rather, there are several sources of diversity that can serve as a point of conflict within the organization—public or private. Managing diversity, therefore, is an art that most public agencies and organizations should be dealt with effectively. These sources of diversity include gender, race, ethnicity, linguistic barriers, sexual preferences and religion.As stipulated in the Constitution and the laws of the United States, these kinds of differences should in no way affect the employment of persons or prevent them from enjoying the privileges accorded to any person within the civil service of the country. The problem, however, is tha t, in a setting such as the public agencies and organizations, there are persons who may have strong feelings, prejudices and biases against any of these sources of diversity and they may condescend to those who are not like them. As such, they might not be able to get along with certain kinds of people in the civil service.Multiculturalism and the prevalence of diversity should be met with effective public personnel management strategies. The management should not be reactive and act as if they are always pacifying people, trouble-shooting problems and ironing out conflicts. Rather, diversity should be managed well by allowing practices and the organizational culture to become attuned to diversity. After all, the labor force has become heterogeneous and there seems to be no way to stop that at this stage (Sippola, 2005).Proactive management of diversity entails understanding the cultural and other differences among different peoples who belong to the organization. This also helps t he management become more attuned to the composition of the public personnel workforce and make the necessary recommendations in terms of managing these personnel.Diversity is one thing that could help the organization thrive in the highly competitive world of the twenty-first century. Through diversity, the perspective of an organization becomes broader and the way in which the organization reaches out to people belonging to different groups.There is an increasing sense of job insecurity in the United States, work hours cannot be completely controlled and the leadership style of managers may sometimes be unsuitable to that of the expectations of the organization. The well-being of the organization should not be compromised (Sparks, Faragher, & Cooper, 2001).The Need for Entrepreneurial LeadershipAnother problem plaguing the bureaucracy and the civil service in general is too much reliance on tried and tested formula without exploring new possible ways of dealing with different prob lems and challenges that the government agencies are facing. Too often, leaders in the government fail to look beyond the proverbial horizon of their respective agencies. As such, what happens is that they rely on previous records, previously successful formula rather than on carefully crafted strategies that address the present situation of their organizations. This is where entrepreneurial leadership comes in.One of the keywords closely associated with entrepreneurship is innovation. This is the continuous pursuit for improvement and looking for new areas to improve the operations of the organization. If this were present in most public agencies, then the personnel can be empowered as they become more effective and efficient in fulfilling their tasks. Unnecessary delays and red tape in the public offices tend to affect the level of innovativeness of public agencies in information technology and other areas of operation (Moon & Bretschneiber, 2002).Entrepreneurship is also closely associated with risk. If managers are willing to engage in risk in the name of innovation, then the organization will become bolder in pursuing entrepreneurship and innovation. When this happens, the followers will emulate the example of the bosses, and they, themselves, will engage in efforts and action that could lead to a more efficient and effective public service organization.Technology  Internet, Web 2.0 and Business ApplicationsThe twenty-first century is marked by break-neck speed of technological breakthroughs and innovation. The world is still reeling from the impact of near instantaneous communication. The possibilities seem to be endless. When one company offers a product, three weeks later, a rival presents another product that is better and usually smaller than the one previously being offered. These technologies are changing the landscape of public personnel management, including the way in which business and office work are being done. These emerging technologies a re outlined in the next discussion.The Internet. The world is very much connected now, thanks to the wonder that is the Internet. With the number of websites all over the world today, the Internet has become a storehouse of articles and knowledge. Through these websites and other features of the Internet, readers and other users are able to check out the most recent breakthroughs in various fields of study in the world. More than that, with a simple click on the mouse, research can be undertaken. This means that workers can do more now that they are connected to the rest of the world (Sullivan & Lewis, 2002).Technology allowing workers to log on to the company intranet even while in a long distance from the office is now available. This is called remote access and makes use of the network of the Internet while putting forward a security means to protect the company from breach and security compromise (Sullivan & Lewis, 2002).Email is another important factor of the internet that has come to the fore of business operations in the past few years. Without email, the world will continue to rely on snail mail, which is a much slower and inefficient means of communication. With email, the sender can directly type in the message on the computer screen, hit the send button and then wait for a few seconds before the receiver opens the email. Another great thing about emails is that they can be used as vehicle of sending over large files over long distances (Sullivan & Lewis, 2011).Voice over internet Protocol. Another interesting feature of the Internet that has recently come to the attention of the world is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This significantly lowered the cost of voice communications over the Internet. This feature has been integrated into various instant messaging protocols such as Skype, Windows Messenger, AIM and Yahoo Messenger among others.It is also possible now to hold live video and audio streaming. This has implications in holding video con ferences over vast areas of land and territory. Hence, live video and audio streaming can help public agencies lower the cost of communication as they meet online. The security of information passed over the Internet is another important concern that must be addressed. Hence, the developments in Internet security and anti-virus technologies help users protect the users and the data that they are feeding and manipulating in the Internet. Information is a very important asset, particularly for public agencies that are serving the broader public. Thanks to the efforts of developers and anti-virus companies, most hackers are kept at bay and prevented from wreaking havoc in the systems of public agencies (Jackson & van der Wielen, 1998).The Internet, together with sound IT infrastructure is already installed in most public agencies. This enables the agencies to dispense social services more quickly and more efficiently. Without technology, such social services will be inaccessible to sev eral sectors in the society (Jones & Dages, 2003). Given the many distractions at work, however, more and more managers realize the importance of introducing regulations and control mechanisms concerning the websites that may be accessed by the public personnel at work. While they are at work, if the IT system is open, then they can listen to music while at the same time enjoy the resources for their own personal use.The reality of digital distraction and information overload among workers is also looming over the twenty-first century public personnel. As such, there should be a means of ensuring that only information pertinent to the job of the public personnel are accessed by the workers during the work session. Otherwise, they will be subject to information overload. Information technology at work is a double-edged sword. It can get a lot of things done but if improperly used, it may also be harmful to the productivity and overall performance of an individual worker (Jackson & va n der Wielen, 1998).The twenty-first century has been hailed as the coming of the knowledge economy where the workers are not only dealing with products and services but rather, they are dealing with information, data and knowledge. As such, technology is a prerequisite for the effective functioning of the public personnel in various areas of government and operations of such agencies.Teleworking and Telecommuting in the Public SectorThe advances and breakthroughs in the technology mentioned above paved the way for the emergence of teleworking and telecommuting among the professionals in the United States. There emerged a new brand of professionals who do not have to report to the office of the agency as long as they are doing the job they have agreed to. Although telecommuting is not a new phenomenon, it has been around since the late 1980s. The only difference now is that the technology has made it so much convenient for teleworkers to thrive in the present system (DiMartino and W irth, 1990).As long as a teleworker has access to computer and good internet connection, he may deliver the work he agreed to. There are also a number of telecommuters from other countries who do the work for the public and private sectors in the United States. Another related process being utilized nowadays is outsourcing. Workers and companies outside of the United States establish partnerships with companies in the US so they can handle the operations of some areas of business.With the increasing popularity of outsourcing and telecommuting, the organization should arrive at a sound plan how to manage these kinds of worker. Of primary concern is the growth of teleworkers as professionals in their field and how they get the services that they deserve (Cooper, & Kurland, 2002).Teleworking has a number of impacts on the public personnel. It might be opted by employees who are taking care of a family member at home needing special attention, by a mother who wants to spend more time wi th her kids or by any other professional who simply wants this kind of arrangement. Teleworking is being used in the private sector but it can also be implemented in the public sector.Teleworking may be considered as a really radical departure from the usual mode of working as public personnel. Teleworkers enjoy an immense level of flexibility in terms of fulfilling their role and still pursuing other interests that they want to pursue.Teleworking, however, may be considered as a security breach in an organization that holds sensitive information in its data bank. In addition to this, teleworking introduces a level of uncertainty and difficulty in managing people. This is why, management should look into an acceptable means of accommodating both the usual full-time staff and those who have opted for teleworking.As the public sector start dealing with teleworking, it should carefully look into the pros and cons of the arrangement. Through this, they can maximize the presence of the t eleworker in the organization while at the same time, making sure that its pitfalls are removed or at least minimized.Individual worker is really at the center of the teleworking arrangements. As long as there is an internet connection and computer, the teleworker can deliver his work. If possible, the organization should also undertake psychological tests to ascertain whether a certain employee is ready for the rigors and loneliness of the being a teleworker.Economy and PoliticsGlobalizationBecause of the rapid advances in communication and transportation technologies and the inter-relationships between and among the countries of the world, the nations are being brought closer together in a process known as globalization (Tomlinson, 1999).The changes being brought about by globalization are far-reaching and broad because it targets the politics, economics, culture and other areas of life (Castles, 2001). Globalization can no longer be ignored because it has impinged on important pr ocesses that go on in the society. It is also not just a national issue but a worldwide one. If this process continues, then the world can become a borderless society in which labor and other resources can move freely without a lot of hassle.In the management of public personnel, globalization has also become a real issue that must be dealt with by the bureaucracy. Globalization is also attacking the established authority of the state over a certain territory, such as a nation-state. The role of the state and the government, therefore, is changing under the relentless impact of globalization.The focus of globalization is efficiency, decentralization and the trimming down of the bureaucracy. In terms of public personnel, this means letting go of a lot of employees and retaining only those who process the core processes and who are able to continue the operations of the agencies that will be affected. With globalization, this means that there will be greater decentralization and dereg ulation of power and autonomy (Bevir, Rhodes & Weller, 2003).The government, however, cannot simply do that without major repercussions. There has to be a careful study as to the kind of jobs and personnel that will be retained and which positions will be let go. If possible, will there be roles that can be combined? This way, the government will be able to save money while at the same time ensuring that the processes being looked after by the public personnel will be continued.ConclusionThe twenty-first century world is very dynamic. Technologies are changing very rapidly, the relationships between and among the countries of the world are becoming stronger. Economies are trading more freely and governments are still in charge of running their own respective territories. This is being done with the help of public personnel who are in the bureaucracy and who are continuously serving the needs of the government and of the people they are serving.There are three main areas of concern t hat impact the changes in public personnel. These are in the areas of Management Practices, Technology, and Economics. Of particular interest is the increasing popularity and significance of workplace diversity and the manner in which public organizations should deal with it so that it can maximize its impact and its efficiency. In addition to this, the advances in technology is paving the way for alternative modes of working such as teleworking and telecommuting. Lastly, globalization also has an important impact on the way that public personnel are being treated and how the public sector can generate savings from the process. Reference Bevir, B, Rhodes, RAW, & Weller, P. (2003). Traditions of governance: interpreting the changing role of the public sector. 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Does the Perception of Red Tape Constrain IT Innovativeness in Organizations? Unexpected Results from a Simultaneous Equation Model and Implications. Journal of Publication Research and Theory, 12 (2), 273-292. Sippola, A. (2005). HRM of a Diverse Workforce: Challenges of Emerging Cultural Diversity. Proceedings of the 18th Scandinavian Academy of Management (NFF) Conference, Aarhus, Denmark, 18-20 August 2005. Sparks, K., Faragher, B & Cooper, CL (2001). Well-being and occupational health in the 21st century workplace. Journal of Occupational and Organizational. Sullivan, C & Lewis, S. (2002). Home-based Telework, Gender, and the Synchronization of Work and Family: Perspectives of Teleworkers and their Co-residents. Gender, Work and Organization, 8 (2), 123-145. Tomlinson, J. (1999) Globalization and Culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.