Food Day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Food Day - Essay Example This was an effect or evidence that I was actively listening. During the preparation and at the event, we worked in a team. For example, our team composed Libby, Katie and I. Libby led the team most time and working together, we followed, monitored the progress, and met deadlines throughout the pre and post event activities. The events of the Food Day enlightened me on my profession. From the event, I have understood many facts and perspectives regarding human nutrition. It was very exciting when people inquired about economical and be environment friendly. Additionally, I realized that people are ever interested to learn things regarding living healthy and economically sound or viable. It was my first time address a public gathering. However, at the beginning, it seemed difficult, but after a while I got used to it and I loved this experience. At the end, I was very happy with confident and composure I learnt from this experience. Yes, my efforts made a different both to the occasion and my life experience. For example, most of the attendances were interested in our teams and inquired more about our stuff and how they can obtain it. In addition, I felt most of them were very interested on our displays and they wanted us to information more on how they can save more. I liked the samples we displayed on our information table because it helped us to provide accurate information. Furthermore, I liked our handout because it had simple and easy information. Lastly, I liked how we organized our table; we divided it in two sides. On one side, we placed the green sample and the other side there was the bottle water, Ziploc bag, coffee cup, and plastic bag. I would add more examples of green samples and have a calculator to let them calculate the difference prices of the green samples and the other stuff. The calculation would have help them know how and how much to save. All

Holfstede’s Cultural Constraints Essay Example for Free

Holfstede’s Cultural Constraints Essay In his article â€Å"Cultural Constraints in Management Theories,† G. Holfstede (1993) argues his main point that there is really no universal management theory, such that the means to manage organizations greatly vary across countries and cultures. For instance, the concept of management in the United States is different from, say, Asia or Europe, let alone apply to the two latter regions. A specific management concept or practice may be accepted in America but it does not mean that it is also accepted in some other part of the world. Holfstede begins by exploring the origins of the concept of management in cultures in varying times and notes the differences in the management theories. For example, managers are said to be cultural heroes in British and American regions while Germans see the engineer as the one having a heroic role precisely because German presidents and CEOs already have mastered their specialized skills and, hence, does not call for a manager. In Japan, the permanent worker group bears the ‘heroic role’ and that these workers are controlled not by managers but by their group. French people, on the other hand, do not have the notion of managers as Americans know of them. Rather, French workers think of one another as cadres, cadres being a social class obtained by learning at the proper schools and a social class maintained for a lifetime. Another case is that of Holland where the practice of managing people rests on the need for a consensus among all the involved individuals. These practices are established neither by contractual relationship nor by class distinctions but by an open-ended balancing of interests and exchange of views. In essence, Holfstede firmly maintains that the American concept of management theories vary from nation to nation and culture to culture. That being said, no management theory unique to a certain country or culture can perfectly apply to another culture and country precisely because of the variations among these cultures and countries. Reference Holfstede, G. (1993). Cultural Constraints in Management Theories. Academy of Management Executive, 7(1): 81-94.

Is Politics the Preserve of Government? Essay -- What is Politics?

  Ã‚  Politics is a very emotive word and is used by different people to mean different things. There is no unifying theory of politics and hence no set boundaries of what can and cannot be said to be political. It is this ambiguity that makes it impossible to argue that politics is the preserve of government. This is so since preserve is such a precise word and there is always going to be a perspective that can illustrate an example of politics that is outside the governmental sphere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order that a meaningful conclusion to this question can be gained it is essential to initially define what the question is asking by laying down what definitions of the terms within are to be used. The key word in the debate that the question encompasses is â€Å"preserve;† although this could be taken to mean, does politics maintain the existence of government, in the context of the question the use of â€Å"preserve† that fits more fully is whether politics is solely found within government. Government in this case being taken to mean the specialised leading component and institutions of a society that are responsible for the decision making processes of that society as a whole. (Hague et al, 1992, p.20) It is however the definition of politics that poses the greatest difficulty in the question because, as McLean states, the definition: â€Å"is highly, perhaps essentially contested.† (1996, p.388) This contested nature of politics is key in respect to the question because the conceptual model of assumptions and beliefs with which a person tackles politics will influence the interpretation of politics that they attain. (Hague et al, 1992, p.3) Therefore an individual who uses one model, and hence definition of politics, will come to a different conclusion about whether politics is the preserve of government to someone who utilises a different model. It is then essential that the perspectives from which politics is viewed be outlined so that the debates between them can be analysed in respect to their strengths and weaknesses and a conclusion formed over whether indeed politics is the preserve of government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The important area of debate in the definition of politics is where the political world ends and the other areas of the world start; if it is made clear where each perspective views this barrier to occur then by evaluating a perspective against its competitors a conclusio... ...the preserve of government can be said to be incorrect due to the definition of preserve. If preserve, in the context, is taken to mean that government has the monopoly on politics then anyone arguing to prove this point will fail as even one example where politics can be found outside government will destroy the argument as a monopoly is all encompassing. As it has been concluded that such an example can always be found then subsequently it can also be concluded that politics is not the preserve of government as there is always another area where politics exists as perceived by another theory. Bibliography Books: Heywood, A. (1999), Political Theory: An Introduction (Palgrave) Vincent, A. (1992), Modern Political Ideologies (Blackwell) McLean, I. (Editor), (1996), Oxford Concise Dictionary of Politics Hague, R. Harrop, M. Breslin, S. (1992), Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction Edited Books: Marsh, D. Stoker, G. (1995) Theory and Methods in Political Science – Rhodes R. The Institutional Approach - Ward, H. Rational Choice Theory (MacMillan) Web-sites: Cloonan, M. (1997) What is Politics? http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/poli/casestud

Pay Structures and Internal Alignment Essay

Martin Straight Compressors employ 4600 people worldwide. MCS’s Chatham location is a small Canadian company that focuses on manufacturing compressors for heavy industries. Chatham employees approximately 70 salaried and 50 hourly employees. Beginning in 1999, Martin Straight Compressors Chatham had begun facing numerous compensation issues and conflicts. Some of the issues included: Having 7 authorized but unfilled middle-level management positions Manager-employee relationships broken Documentation not up-to-date with objectives, processes, progress, performance plans Hourly staff don’t respect the owners Increased workload with no compensation Loss of commitment, motivation, and job security among employees New management brought it while problems are still effecting the day-to-day functions of the organization Merit process isn’t liked Restrictions on merit raises by head office Union involvement Flawed gain-share plan Merit raises go to salaried, non-union staff Merit raises for one employee depend on other employees Executive incentive plan uses different formulas for different employees This consultation report will begin with identifying the two main problems MSC faces and how to resolve them. Next we will apply the Equity Theory and investigate why certain employees are unhappy about the current compensation system. We will look at the company’s standpoint from a competitor’s point of view, and what methods to use to ensure fast, accurate, and acceptable results to ensure MSC continues to grow and be profitable. The 2 Main Problems After analyzing the process and theories used by Martin Straight Compressors, two main issues become precedent: 1. MSC doesn’t have a fair or efficient compensation method. The processes and ideologies used in making decisions in regards to pay are flawed. There is a gap between pay levels due to different formulas that are used for different employees. Merit increases given to employees depend on other staff members within the organization. When companies adopt processes that are unfair, employees lose motivation. As well, inefficient practices puts production at a standstill and costs the organization a great deal of time and money. 2. Employees are not a part of the decision making process. They become uninterested in the events going on within the organization because dedication and commitment are lost. These employees may not fully understand the whole picture, like restrictions coming from head office. When employees feel they are not an important part of the organizations decision-making, they become alienated and their involvement decreases. They become unwilling to develop solutions to problems. Resolution of Problems Encourage employee involvement as much as possible. It is important for employees to have a passion for the work that they do and the organization they belong to. Encourage feedback by holding monthly meetings where everyone is invited to express any questions or concerns they have. Develop a team of cross-functional representatives that meet on a regular basis to discuss issues that are important to the staff. If the high-level managers empower employees to be involvement and provide feedback, the organization will be â€Å"more likely to achieve commitment, trust, and acceptance† (Milkovich, Newman, Gerhart, Cole & Yap , 2013) of a revised compensation structure. Developing a new compensation method is costly and timely. However it is essential to the functioning of an organization. MSC needs to begin with reviewing the compensation budget (Heathfield, 2001). This way management understands how much they are allowed to spend without putting the organization in debt. Analyzing the current job structure should be done on a regular basis to ensure the organization is able to adapt to internal churn, internal succession planning, and external market factors. When looking at a job structure, a few things should be in mind: reliability, validity, acceptability, currency, and usefulness (Milkovich, Newman, Gerhart, Cole & Yap , 2013). This will help the final structure satisfy both the employees and the employer. Equity Theory The Equity Theory explains that employees compare their job and pay to other positions within their internal environment, as well as jobs in their external environment. The more knowledgeable the employee is about their responsibilities, there position and pay, and the organizations structure, the more satisfied they will be. Martin Straight Compressors needs to establish this equity theory throughout the company because right now there is no equality felt among employees. My advice to MSC is to develop a Team Site where important information can be displayed for internal eyes only. Display organization charts to show the levels of progress within the company – and the corresponding pay levels – so employees feel motivated to move up the chain of command. Establishing these reporting relationships would benefit MSC because a positive communication flow would evolve. Keeping Employees Onside Martin Straight Compressors needs to focus on building employee-management relationships. Currently there is a lot of conflict occurring in the workplace and, according to employees, this has resulted form management breaking promises to their employees. This results in a loss of mutual respect. Below are 3 ways to mend professional relationships: Keep everyone informed and involved Develop 2-way communication Instill a sense of decentralization Change is a scary reality for employees because it makes them feel vulnerable and they lose their feeling of job security. While MSC slowly makes changes to their compensation system, the above 3 points will ensure employees adapt with the company. If employees continue to voluntarily resign, MSC will lose a great deal of knowledge and assets, which will make the change even more difficult. It’s important to keep valued employees so they are able to pass on their knowledge to new employees along the way. Competitive Advantage Martin Straight Compressors currently does not have a competitive advantage within the marketplace. Although salaries and wages are at par with external competitors, other factors hinder MSC: employees are expected to increase their responsibilities and workload due to the number of unfilled positions, without getting extrinsic compensation for it. Also, merit raises are mostly given to salaried, non-union staff. This discourages front-line workers because there is no incentive. Performance evaluations should be taken place on an annual basis to ensure employees are aware of their objectives and areas for improvement. A major problem I see with MSC is that employees either get merit raises, or they don’t. Every company should want their employees to succeed, so, in turn, the organization succeeds. I advise MSC to instill a mentoring/coaching program to guide their employees to achieve the best they can. By telling, teaching, and showing employees how to perform functions and tasks, the employee will become empowered. It will become easier to link performance and pay because benchmarks will be set and every employee will know what is expected of them, and how to achieve those expectations. Becoming Internally Aligned In 1999, performance management records did not identify key objectives for employees. Merit raises focused solely on the results from the employee, department, and company. Rather, MSC should be looking at the individuals’ skills and competencies, and how they are applying them to accomplish their tasks. Ensuring every employee understands what is expected of them is extremely important; it ensures that they are proactive within the company so they’re not just going through the daily motions. Annual performance evaluations and proper documentation is essential to becoming internally aligned because it ensures everyone is on the same page and employees know what is expected from them. It also allows the company to look back on the trend of the employees to see if improvements are being made, and if they aren’t, why. Recommendation Evidently, MSC is in need of a change. My recommendation is to have a short-term goal and a long-term goal. 1. Job Evaluation: Ranking Method (used during first 3 years) This will provide fast and accurate results. Using the paired comparison method would allow MSC to use a matrix to â€Å"compare two jobs in each cell and indicating which is of great value, then ranking jobs on the basis of the total number of times each is ranked as being of greater value (pg 87)†. The reason this is the first step is because MSC is in need of a quick fix to ensure no more positions are left voluntarily and that production continues. This method will serve as a â€Å"band-aid† until further down the road a permanent solution can be decided upon. 2. Job Evaluation: Point Method (developed by the end of third year) This method requires a lot of time and costs because it goes into the breadth and depth of each job. This is what MSC’s end goal should be. The point method provides accurate and acceptable results just like the ranking method but it takes a lot more time to investigate. The point method should be set as a long-term goal and would be beneficial for MSC to invest in. Once all positions are individually broken down to determine their compensable factors, they can be scaled and then weighted so points can be assigned and a plan can be made. This will become the foundation for MSC’s compensation structure for years to come; only reviews and evaluations would be needed after this to ensure employees are satisfied and methods are efficient. References (APA Format) Gondzio, J. , & Grothey, A. (2009, May). Exploiting structure in parallelimplementation of interior point methods for optimization. Retrievedrom http://link. springer. com/article/10. 1007/s10287-008-0090-3. Retrieved on October 6, 2013. Heathfield, S. (2001, June 05). Compensation strategies and structure. Retrieved from http://humanresources. about. com/od/compensationstructure/compensation-structure. htm. Retrieved on October 6, 2013. Milkovich, G. , Newman, J. , Gerhart, B. , Cole, N. , & Yap , M. (2013). Compensation. (4th ed. , p. 01). McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. Retrievedon October 6, 2013.

A Whole New Mind – Essay

A Whole New Mind Almarene Lowndes EDL 546 – Summer 2012 May 31, 2012 A whole new mind is a must read for ALL teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders. This book has inspired me to seriously think about my own teaching practices as I strive to prepare my students and I for professional success. After reflecting on the concepts in Daniel Pinks’ book I have asked myself if my school District and I are effectively preparing my students for the future?With budget cuts, high stakes testing, and pressure to raise student test scores have we failed to foster activities that enable students to utilize their brains right hemisphere ultimately, leaving them unequipped for our future? We have reduced the amount of time elementary students spend in Art, Music, and PE. In my own Kindergarten classroom I often struggle with allowing my students to build their creativity because of the pressure of time constraints and adhering to learning schedules/pacing guides.In the introduc tion, Pink gives background knowledge on the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain and clears up misconceptions that many people hold. Pink tells us that the left and right hemispheres of the brain work together. However, the left hemisphere is sequential which gives it the capability to analyze details and the right hemisphere is simultaneous which aids in synthesizing the bigger picture. This information can easily be related to teaching. When teaching my kindergarten students concepts of print, phonemic awareness, and phonics I am tapping into my students left hemisphere.For example, teaching my kindergarteners that we read from left to right, learning the alphabet, and decoding are activities that utilize their left hemisphere. The use of lower to higher level questioning requires students to utilize their left and right hemisphere as well. For example, after reading a story to my class, we discuss and answer questions about the texts we have read. When I ask my students to recall information from a story the left hemisphere is more active. However, when I ask my students higher-level questions that require them to think beyond the story their brains are eliciting help form the right hemisphere.Examples, of these types of questions are: how do you think the character feels, what is the most important part of the story, and what personal connections can you make to the story? Even things such as speech, fluency, and cadence of a story require students to utilize their brains right hemisphere. In a cleverly titled section called: Fear and Loathing in My Amygdales n Pink describes, â€Å"the two almond-shaped structures that serve as the brain’s Homeland Security. † They are called amygdalas. The function of these structures is to process emotions particularly fear.He explained that the left hemisphere is more active in processing this information. I found it interesting when he stated that the right amygdala is stimulated whe n processing faces. It is able to analyze the parts of a face as a whole to come to a conclusion about how one feels. Pink mentioned that this idea transcends to any culture. As an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) certified teacher, I most often receive students who do not speak the English language. One strategy that I use is facial expressions to convey meaning which I now know requires support from our brains right hemisphere.According to Pink our culture has always held L-Directed Thinkers such as lawyers and engineers in high esteem. He points out that now value is being placed on the R-Directed Thinkers such as artist, counselors, and inventors. While I would argue, that both types are thinkers are needed. In my own classroom I would like to make a conscious effort to foster both types of thinkers so that my students can successfully integrate both ways of thinking into their lives. According to Pink teachers live R-Directed lives. However, in my organization I f eel our way of thinking is not supported in the way that the school system is currently structured.There are some key points that I feel our school system should adopt. Furthermore, these same themes can be used in my own classroom to produce learners who are L and R- Directed Thinkers. The themes that resonate with me the most are: Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning. â€Å"Symphony†¦ is the ability to put together the pieces. It is the capacity to synthesize rather than to analyze; to see relationships between seemingly unrelated fields; to detect broad patterns rather than to deliver specific answers; and to invent something new by combining elements nobody else thought to pair. Empathy is defined as putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Play is the idea that work is not just about being serious it is about play as well. Meaning focuses on seeking purpose and the greater good. I would like to think of myself as a sympathetic teacher like Mr. Bomeisler. I am very encouraging as I touch every child while I am working. In my own classroom I strive to help my students reach the highest level of learning, which is synthesizing. Conversely, I have fallen short because while I help my students see relationships between related fields, I need to strive to help them see the relationships between unrelated fields.In many ways I have missed those opportunities to help my students develop their powers of Symphony through simple tasks like drawing, listening to classical music, and celebrating amateurness. I feel that many K-12 teachers struggle with this in their teaching. An example of this is in team teaching. In team teaching a group of teachers, working together, plan, conduct, and evaluate the learning activities for the same group of students. In practice, team teaching has many different formats but in general it is a means of organizing staff into groups to enhance teaching.Teams generally comprise staff members who may represent different are as of subject expertise but who share the same group of students and a common planning period to prepare for the teaching. To facilitate this process a common teaching space is desirable. Team teachers and teachers alike must begin to see the connections between subject areas themselves in order to help students to achieve this. Most often you will hear someone who teaches Science say, â€Å"I do not teach Reading. † This as you may of guessed is untrue since teaching Science is teaching the components of nonfiction text.I also feel, that most schools don’t allow teachers the opportunities to plan together and discuss the relationships between their fields. Many administrators are not empathetic to the idea that if we really want students to be successful they must allow us the time to engage in conversations and planning with each other. Most often team teachers as is the case at my school do not even have the same planning time. We can improve this at my school by al lowing time for us to plan together not only as teammates but as grade levels. In our mailroom it would be cool if we had an inspiration board.This simple idea will help us to expand our minds. Lastly, I suggest that we read and discuss books as grade levels such as: Dialogue, Metaphors We Live By, and No Waste. We always are given professional development books to read when we are given the time to get together. How powerful would it be for the R-Direct Thinkers in my organizations if we were allowed the opportunity to read and discuss these books? You would think that in my organization everyone is empathetic and in turn teaches students to empathize with one another.I am very empathetic and must say that I do wonderful job of guiding my students as they develop relationships with one another. I model this as I develop relationships with not only my students but my parents as well. On the other hand it saddens me to say that every teacher is not empathetic. My mom always told me t hat, â€Å"students don’t learn until they learn that you care. † When you build valuable relationships with students and parents it increases students achievement. In my school environment I feel that we should start with being empathetic with each other.Very few principles show empathy for their employees, which make it hard to foster caring relationships with colleagues at work. Recently, school climates have shifted from working together to competing against each other. As odd as it may sound I would argue that many teachers do not even trust each other. For example, First grade teachers do not trust that Kindergarten teachers have effectively taught their students. Second grade teachers do not trust that First grade teachers have done their jobs. This trend goes from grade to grade.As a result, teachers spend valuable instructional time re teaching information to students. Instructional time should be fun to students. At times I often forget this simple concept. A s a teacher I have found it my personal goal to find creative ways to put the fun back into teaching and learning. On my quest to fulfill this goal there are several suggestions from Pink that I will use to do this. One thing that my group members at JU and I are studying is how can we use gaming to increase students’ achievement? According to Pink, gaming plays a significant role in learning.James Paul Gee argues that games can be the ultimate learning machine. I might also add that games are fun and engaging for students. Next year, I plan to bring my Wii to school and allow students to play games such as Reading Rabbit and Sesame Street in my classroom. Another way that my organization and I can foster the idea of play is being humorous with our students and us. The pressures of high stakes testing, time management, and top bottom pressure exerted on teachers have caused us to become less and less humorous and joyful.There are things that we can do to bring humor and joy i nto teaching. Some immediate ideas that come to mind are simply playing with our students. It is so fun to play on the playground with my students. Not only does this bring me joy but also it brings my students an equal amount of joy and humor in watching me do things that are out of the box for adults. Not only should we play with kids but we should also play with each other. I remember one year some colleagues and I decided to form a kickball team to play on this kickball league one of us had heard about.Not only did allow me to forget about the pressures of teaching it allowed us to empathize with each other through the simple act of playing. Which in turn made us more pleasant at work. Another idea that the educational organization should adopt is getting our â€Å"game on. † Not only should we utilize gaming in the classroom we should participate in gaming ourselves. Lastly, I feel that administrators and facilitators should start meetings by dissecting jokes. This is so mething that I can immediately implement when I facilitate myself.I can also do this with my kindergarteners by using simple jokes starting with knock-knock jokes. Developing happiness through play can add meaning to not only learning but our jobs as well. It is said, that we â€Å"are born for meaning† and live for self-expression and an opportunity to share that which we feel is important. I believe that at some point in time every teacher is passionate about his or her job and are often looking for the opportunity to share his or her expertise. Somehow this passion fades as we stop looking inside ourselves to make meaning out of our jobs.Something that my grade level has done to build meaning is utilizing teardrops. Every teacher on my grade level purchased a small pail to place teardrops in. Each of us was given paper made teardrops that we use to show our gratitude for things that we have done, or modeled, or shared with one another. For example, I was once given a teard rop for staying late to help the people who were new to my grade level fill out student snapshots after I was already done. I gave a tear to another teacher for allowing me the gift of observing her teach a lesson to her students on connections.In my opinion this simple act can add a sense of purpose to our job. This can be implemented on all grade levels and adapted to our students. Pink states that Right-Brainers will rule the future. As teachers we can equip our students for this new era. Administrators can help R-Directed thinkers such as ourselves by creating an environment that is conducive to the way that we think. By implementing simple strategies suggested in A Whole New Mind we can once again find joy in teaching as we strive to increase student achievement.There are many pearls that I have taken from this book. One of the pearls I have taken from this book is that the simple act of empathizing can help to increase student achievement. Another is the idea that play is esse ntial to my classroom and environment as it brings happiness and joy. Also, it is important to look at things from the bigger picture and lastly, seeking purpose and the greater good seems to define us uniquely as humans. Reference: Pink, D. (2005). A Whole New Mind. New York: The Penguin Group.

Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing

Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing By Ali Hale Sometimes, you’ve got an hour or two free – but you don’t feel like writing. All the advice in the world on becoming inspired or getting self-disciplined just isn’t helping you. For whatever reason, you know your ability to string together a new article or story is temporarily absent. This needn’t be a problem: there are lots of writing-related activities that you can usefully get on with whilst waiting for the muse to reappear. Here’s just seven of them: 1. Grab your notebook and start brainstorming Sometimes, a lack of ideas can cause you to get stuck. Maybe you want to write, but you’re not sure what to start on. Find your notebook and a pen, and start scribbling. Mind-map, write a list, use pretty colors – it doesn’t matter. Just get as many ideas down as you can. Once you’re past ten or twenty, you’ll start reaching the creative, original ones. 2. Read some great writing advice Daily Writing Tips is a good place to start. 😉 But there are lots of other blogs out there devoted to all aspects of writing – and hundreds of different books that could help you. Look for something aimed at writers in your genre (poetry, science-fiction, article writing, academic journals, etc). Don’t just skim through a load of advice, though: take a note of any points which make you think â€Å"aha!† and scribble down ideas of how you can apply them to your own work in progress. 3. Organise your writing files This is one writing chore I always put off: organising my files. If you have bits of your novel in a dozen different places on your computer (emails to yourself, Word documents, notes in your journal software, bits you keep online in Google docs†¦) then get it all sorted out. If you’re a freelancer and write for dozens of different markets, start a folder for each. That way, you’ll know exactly what you need to invoice for at the end of the month. 4. Create a portfolio of your writing If you don’t already have one, start a portfolio of your writing. Get together some of your best pieces from the past few years (published or unpublished) and, ideally, put them into one folder on your computer. If you have the online rights to them, you might want to put them onto your website or blog. Now, when you’re writing to editors and agents, you’ll be able to respond straight away if they ask to see samples. And if you’re applying for college-level courses, you’ll have some great examples of your work to include with your application. 5. Research some markets If you’re aiming to be published, you need to do some homework to find out which magazines, websites or publishing companies might be interested in your work. There are lots of ways to do this. You could search on Amazon for books in your genre and see who published them (Amazon lists the publisher on the book details page). Or you could use one of the many websites devoted to writers’ markets – try Jacqui Bennett Writers Bureau for short stories and Ralan’s Webstravaganza for a huge listing of markets. Also check with Writers’ Market or, if you’re in the UK, the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook to make sure that company is accepting submissions. 6. Send out some short stories or articles For those of you who know the markets you have in mind – send them some of your work. Proof-read that story languishing on your hard-drive, print it out (double spaced, nice white paper), write a cover letter to the editor, include a self-addressed envelope with return postage, and pop the whole lot in the post. Many markets accept emailed manuscripts, but check the submission guidelines first. 7. Read some great fiction Finally, if all else fails, just put your feet up with a good book. Choose an author who you love, and luxuriate in their prose – but keep half your mind on figuring out why exactly you love their writing, and spotting what techniques they use. Alternatively, pick up something you wouldn’t normally read, and cast a critical eye over the ways in which the style differs from your usual favourites. You’ll almost certainly learn something. What writing-related activities do you get on with when you’re lacking the energy to write? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?The Difference Between "will" and "shall"Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns

Essay eth 501 mod 4

Essay eth 501 mod 4 Essay eth 501 mod 4 Benefits of Corporate Responsibility and Business Ethics ETH501 Business Ethics Module 4 Case 4 Trident University Abstract The terms "business ethics" and "corporate social responsibility" are used differently by various organizations, companies and media. Other related terms include: sustainability, governance, corporate responsibility, stakeholder engagement, corporate citizenship, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. All of these terms relate to how a company or organization interacts with a various stakeholders including shareholders, employees, the environment, civil society and the community in general. "business ethics" it relates to the conduct of an organization with its internal stakeholders and business partners. Business ethics deals with how ethical issues are addressed within the culture of the organization. Corporate Social Responsibility refers specifically to relationships with external stakeholders such as representatives of the community and environment and often relates to businesses role in society. Business ethics and social responsibility are two concepts many individuals believe go hand in hand for companies in the business environment. Business ethics are the moral principles a company uses to ensure all employees act in an acceptable manner when completing business functions. Social responsibility is typically an ideological theory that governments and the general public hold, believing that businesses should not conduct themselves in a manner counter to cultural or societal norms. The marriage of these concepts occurs when companies institute a written code of ethics to prove that the company only acts in its best interest so long as it does not damage the company’s social responsibility. Ethics can mean many things to different individuals and businesses. What one business deems as acceptable behavior, another may see as unethical or inappropriate. While many different types of ethics exist, the common good approach most closely connects business ethics and social responsibility. Common good ethics is a Greek philosophy that says that all individuals should follow or use the ethical traits that do the most to advance the common good of society. While this ethical approach can apply to different regions or nations, a basic set of ethical traits include honesty, integrity, transparency, and accountability. These traits ensure that owners, managers, and employees do not act in their own self interest, but uphold societal values as the guiding force for the company’s operations. Large organizations and publicly held companies often use corporate governance to promote business ethics and social responsibility. This governance creates the framework of policies, procedures, and guidelines for all individuals financially invested in a company. Outside stakeholders who do not have an investment can also benefit from corporate governance. Large organizations and publicly held companies typically face more scrutiny pertaining to business ethics s ince they command large portions of a region or nation’s economic resources. These companies must try to provide benefits to local communities and increase the living standards of as many people as possible, and they must be careful not pollute the surrounding environment. While business ethics certainly play an important role in the business environment, it is possible for governments and individuals to demand too much social responsibility from companies. While companies should not abuse or misuse natural and economic resources, companies cannot pay for all the needs or wants of individuals. Some governments, individuals, or special interest groups can try to force companies into paying more money to improve society than the company can afford. This can result in lower business profits and the inability to pay for future, more

Biography of Jean Baptiste Lamarck

Biography of Jean Baptiste Lamarck Early Life and Education Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was born in Northern France on August 1, 1744. He was the youngest of eleven children born to Philippe Jacques de Monet de La Marck and Marie-Franà §oise de Fontaines de Chuignolles, a noble but not rich family. Most men in Lamarcks family went into the military, including his father and older brothers. However, Jeans father pushed him toward a career in the Church, so Lamarck went to a Jesuit college in the late 1750s. When his father died in 1760, Lamarck rode off to a battle in Germany and joined the French army. He quickly rose through the military ranks and became a commanding Lieutenant over troops stationed in Monaco. Unfortunately, Lamarck was injured during a game he was playing with his troops and after surgery made the injury worse, he was decommissioned. He then went off to study medicine with his brother, but decided along the way that the natural world, and particularly botany, were a better choice for him. Biography In 1778 he published Flore franà §aise, a book that contained the first dichotomous key that helped identify different species based on contrasting characteristics. His work earned him the title of Botanist to the King which was given to him by Comte de Buffon in 1781. He was able to then travel around Europe and collect plant samples and data for his work. Turning his attention to the animal kingdom, Lamarck was the first to use the term invertebrate to describe animals without backbones. He began collecting fossils and studying all sorts of simple species. Unfortunately, he became completely blind before he finished his writings on the subject, but he was assisted by his daughter so he could publish his works on zoology. His most well-known contributions to zoology were rooted in the Theory of Evolution. Lamarck was the first to claim that humans had evolved from a lower species. In fact, his hypothesis stated that all living things built up from the most simple all the way up to humans. He believed that new species spontaneously generated and body parts or organs that were not used would just shrivel up and go away. His contemporary, Georges Cuvier, quickly denounced this idea and worked hard to promote his own nearly opposite ideas. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was one of the first scientists to publish the idea that adaptation occurred in species to help them better survive in the environment. He went on to assert that these physical changes were then passed down to the next generation. While this is now known to be incorrect, Charles Darwin used these ideas when forming his theory of Natural Selection. Personal Life Jean-Baptiste Lamarck had a total of eight children with three different wives. His first wife, Marie Rosalie Delaporte, gave him six children before she died in 1792. However, they did not marry until she was on her deathbed. His second wife, Charlotte Victoire Reverdy gave birth to two children but died two years after they were married. His final wife, Julie Mallet, did not have any children before she died in 1819. It is rumored that Lamarck may have had a fourth wife, but it has not been confirmed. However, it is clear that he had one deaf son and another son who was declared clinically insane. His two living daughters took care of him on his deathbed and were left poor. Only one living son was making a good living as an engineer and had children at the time of Lamarcks death.

Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Annotated Bibliography Example The authors argue that since human interactions are inimitable and cannot be reproduced in a different organizational context without losing their innate characteristics, organizations can retain knowledge within the organization and continue to use it as a strategic asset to create competitive advantage. This article challenges the assumption of a universal set of knowledge management practices by arguing for a contingency-based approach to knowledge management. The article describes the organizational context for knowledge management along the dimensions of process and content orientation on the one hand and focused and broad domains on the other. Based on the possible combinations, four different approaches are identified, i.e. internalization, externalization, combination and socialization. Based on where the particular organizational division is situated in the contingency grid, managers should adopt the associated approach to promote knowledge creation and management among employees. Empirical research validates much of the contingency model with the exception of the externalization approach as it did not contribute to the expected positive impact. This report explains how managers may benefit from implementing knowledge management practices in the organization. The report highlights several advantages of knowledge management including the promotion of creativity, faster decision making and competitive responses in the market. The report encourages managers to adopt knowledge management practices by discussing examples of real organizations where knowledge management has been implemented and has yielded beneficial results. Knowledge management can be practiced by creating appropriate structures and systems to create and disseminate knowledge. The report also states that managers should constantly evaluate the effectiveness of their knowledge management systems by establishing specific criteria to measure the

Education for the Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education for the Future - Essay Example The pace of learning will increase, whereas the necessary attendance is likely to be reduced, as there will appear such feature as virtual attendance - human hologram will be able to perceive all information, including from sensual channels (see, hear, touch and so on). The concept of education is also likely to alter - from 'teaching' to 'education' in pure meaning, i.e. there will be more attention to individual assignments. Nevertheless, the role of teacher, or, more precisely, tutor, will remain intact, and in addition, the professor's authority and knowledge will become one of the main stimuli for secondary education. In fact, schools will be more adjusted to each person's needs, and classes will be formed according to each student's interests and aspirations for future. From earliest years, students will concentrate on the subjects or topics they find interesting or worth attention, whereas the so-called general disciplines, such as math, history, literature and physics will 's urvive'.

Equity and Trust Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Equity and Trust Law - Essay Example Trust law however applies to every situation in which a person places trust or confidence in another person to manage daily affairs and activities. Equity governs the trust law in such a sense and applies to a wide range of situations and cases such as family relationships, charities, pensioners etc. The courts deal with the formalities of property law and secret trusts, although trust law applies to all such situations, and understanding of trust law applies to express trusts, fixed trusts, discretionary trusts, resulting trusts, constructive trusts, charitable trusts, proprietary and personal solutions. Equity relates to the part of the legal system that follows within the English Common law context and resolves all disputes on the basis of principles of conscience, fairness and justice. Equity law comes into play when none of the parties could be blamed directly for any misdeed or breaking of law but their rights are in opposition. Equity could be contrasted with law which is a set of principles although the difference law and equity could be specified in the solutions. Financial damages are sought through court law although equity can relate to injunctions or decrees and can specify actions to be followed. For example a person who has lost an asset to a neighbour may not want the monetary value of the asset but the asset itself. Courts may also specify writs which are however more rigid than an injunction. However apart from solutions offered and the nature of damages claimed in terms of finances or actions, there are other distinctions such as the jury may not be available in equity and equitable remedies may not be subject to intervention of the jury. Within the common law systems, the distinction between legal and equitable titles may be an important one. A case depends on the decision of the jury depending on the type of remedy expected as for financial damages claim or claim of lost property, the remedy is considered legal and the jury is able to decide on the case. For declaratory judgements, injunctions and specific performances contract changes and modifications, and other non financial damage claims, equity claims are made1. The important distinction between law and equity relates to the source of rules that determine the decision making processes and legal decisions are made by reference to legal statutes and doctrines whereas equity is based on appeals to judgement involving conscience fairness and flexibility. In fact equity has not been guided by fixed rules like laws and faced many criticisms although equity has become more rigid to suit into the framework of English Common law. The difference between law and equity is more historical than legal as law would refer to the principles followed in courts of law with restrictions to the types of claims that can be brought to court. Equity is also a body of rules although rules of equity have not been fixed and tend to vary. In fact equity is based more on the sense of fairness and justice rather than a strict set of principle or statutes. Equity is thus referred to a system of rules

Internet makes ratio analysis for two Qatari Companies (Dlala and Research Paper

Internet makes ratio analysis for two Qatari Companies (Dlala and Qatar Telecom) - Research Paper Example The most commonly used ratios are the liquidity, profitability, efficiency and financial stability ratios. . These ratios are critical to the success of the bank in terms of profitability. The main source of information will be the Annual reports for the respective companies which are available from the internet. Internet is highly reliable and reduces time and costs that could have been used in accessing libraries or buying books for reference purposes. It can be accessed at anytime and anywhere so long as there is a computer and internet connectivity. In addition, internet has highly contributed to e-learning a mode that is common today. This is a finding given by different companies, trying to analyze the business transaction prior to profit posted for a given annual report. This helps the investors within these companies to lay down proper strategies in regards to the company’s growth. However, an analysis help various companies in line to business to provide enough money for its bills, to establish if whether the wages paid to employees are high or low, whether the company is paying its tax to revenue authority, whether the company assets are being used efficiently and finally whether the prevailing problem issues are geared by the stake holders (Carr, 2011). From the above observation we found that the performance trend of the Qatar telecom has been growing tremendously. Considering the minority interests of the company, profit and losses have been diminishing ever within the year 2008 as compared to the financial year 2007. The number of property, plant and equipment has increased with a margin of 144, 692, 278, for the financial years of 2007 and 2008. Meanwhile, the intangible assets, and the differed tax asset have increased from the one in the year 2007 to the one in the year 2008. This is however, showing that the financial analysis of the Qatar Company has been increasing due to the

Write a documented ARGUMENT essay for or against illegal immigrants

Write a documented ARGUMENT for or against illegal immigrants receiving social services for example food stamps welfare medical care or financial aid for school - Essay Example This essay points against the illegal migrants receiving social status and other well-beings. Limited legal migration to United States of America is desirable until it takes a longer time to assimilate immigrant population into American culture and values making them American citizens instead of immigrants with foreign nationalities. However, the flow is so steep that the country is even called "nation of immigrants" and is being challenged by globalization, which is making terrorism much easier. The biggest challenge for policymakers is distinguishing illusory immigration problems from real problems. One thing is quite clear: If this drastic situation continues, Native Americans will no longer plays pivotal role in the countries economy. The various efforts of members of congress have focused on a wide variety of changes in current policy, including improving border security, strengthening employer verification, establishing a new temporary guest worker program, and offering some level of amnesty to illegal immigrants currently living in the United States. That will surely promote the living status of original nationalities. . The steep increase in the immigration flow has corresponded with steady and substantial reductions in unemployment from 7.3 percent to 5.1 percent over the past two decades.

Writing assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Writing assignment 2 - Essay Example ferent", Apple has been able to convince its present and potential consumers of its product superiority in the technological industry through advertising. Basing primarily on television and internet advertising apple has been able to persuade a majority of personal electronics consumers of the need, simplicity and product superiority in their products (Dooley, 2007). Apple’s television advertising kick-started in 1984 towards the launch of the Macintosh computer, and it was dubbed ‘1984’. The advertisement hyped the Macintosh computer while promising 1984 not to be the same again after using the Macintosh computer. With 85% of the European population being active Television users, the use of televised commercial advertising was very effective until late 2000’s. The use of celebrities in their advertising has been so instrumental in creating brand awareness. In the European, as well as other markets different local celebrities, were used with the same original theme and music. The latest in television advertising was â€Å"I am a PC, and I am a Mac† that started off in 2006 and ended towards 2010 (Forker& Ward, 1993). After the end of television advertising, Apple shifted its focus to internet advertising through videos uploaded online to its website, YouTube plus other captivating slogans on social media. This was as a result of the digital migration where more than 50% of the world population became active internet users by 2009.With the increase in social media uses over the past few years; Apple has gone social too by creating dynamic pages and setting sales promotions and brand awareness whilst actively engaging its customers. Their internet advertising move has received some criticism over unethical interruptions, but this cannot be equalled to the increased sales revenue both online and in vendor shops. The internet has enabled it to provide an active customer support globally as well as create potential customers (Moriety et al., 2012). The latest

Write a documented ARGUMENT essay for or against illegal immigrants

Write a documented ARGUMENT for or against illegal immigrants receiving social services for example food stamps welfare medical care or financial aid for school - Essay Example This essay points against the illegal migrants receiving social status and other well-beings. Limited legal migration to United States of America is desirable until it takes a longer time to assimilate immigrant population into American culture and values making them American citizens instead of immigrants with foreign nationalities. However, the flow is so steep that the country is even called "nation of immigrants" and is being challenged by globalization, which is making terrorism much easier. The biggest challenge for policymakers is distinguishing illusory immigration problems from real problems. One thing is quite clear: If this drastic situation continues, Native Americans will no longer plays pivotal role in the countries economy. The various efforts of members of congress have focused on a wide variety of changes in current policy, including improving border security, strengthening employer verification, establishing a new temporary guest worker program, and offering some level of amnesty to illegal immigrants currently living in the United States. That will surely promote the living status of original nationalities. . The steep increase in the immigration flow has corresponded with steady and substantial reductions in unemployment from 7.3 percent to 5.1 percent over the past two decades.

Report based on a Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Report based on a Case Study - Essay Example Moreover, the computer graduates need to cover a gestation period of around one year before being totally equipped to join the profession. The above reasons contribute to the lack of a proper skilled and technically proficient workforce in the region. To this end, it is found that a non-profit organization Geekcorps Ghana is endeavoring to rejuvenate the industrial base of the small and medium industries by arranging needed expertise. Geekcorps Ghana is a part of Geekcorps International and it operates based on the mission of transferring technological expertise from the developed countries to the region of Ghana. The non-profit organization operates in the pattern of hiring technical volunteers from developed countries like America who would help in making the small and medium sized industries technically strong and efficient. Technical Volunteers from the developed countries come on a three to four month stint to Ghana and operate to make the industries become technically sound. (I CT-Enabled Development Case Studies Series: Geekcorps of Ghana, 2004). In regards to the stakeholder approach to the case study on Geekcorps Ghana it is found that its activities has helped in generating certain definite and distinct interest groups. It is found that the technical support rendered through the transferring of technical expertise has helped developed the condition of technical students and enterprises operating in the private sector. Moreover, the activity of the non-profit organization has also generated impact on technical team of volunteers hired from developed countries. (ICT-Enabled Development Case Studies Series: Geekcorps of Ghana, 2004). A detailed analysis of the stakeholders is presented as under. It is observed that the computer science educational pattern of the Universities operating in the region of Ghana depended on a traditional framework. The students graduating in Information Technology from these Universities were found to depend

Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves Essay Example for Free

Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves Essay â€Å"It seems to me that we all look at Nature too much, and live with her too little† This quote provides a philosophical insight into the main theme I will explore within my chosen poems. Nature is defined as the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations. However this simply states that nature and humans are opposites, and one opposes the other. The poems I have chosen question this definition of nature and put it to humankind to answer the question, are we one with nature, or merely manipulating it to our own advantage, giving little back to our heritage? Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’ explores our own humanity and how easily two conflicting emotions become each other; whilst Charlotte Mew’s ‘The Trees Are Down’ examines human ignorance and through use of language she unravels the ever changing connections with nature. However it is Lawrence’s ‘The Snake’ that uses strong imagery to portray humankind in all its shapes and forms, forever changing. These three poems utilize a series of techniques that bring forth a common phrase we are what we hate, kill and love, which ultimately contributes to a universal relevance, the main idea I will be focusing on, ‘each man kills the thing he loves’. Oscar Wilde is considered a gifted author, playwright and poet of the nineteenth century. He was intimately involved in the up rise of aestheticism, a philosophy of nature and expression of beauty; Wilde expanded the narrow-mindedness of the Victorian Era, ultimately bringing a new light to society. ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, a semi autobiography, is considered the most seminal and serious of all Wilde’s works. However it is after being accused of homosexual offences, by his lover’s father, and further incarcerated at Reading Gaol that Wilde’s writing took a more melancholic approach. After serving his two years of hard labour, Wilde then moved to France, and was in ‘penniless exile’ It was in his last remaining years that Wilde produced two extremely heart felt pieces of work; De Profundis, a Latin term for ‘from the depths’, was an epistle addressed to his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, and recounted his lifestyle of extravagance and love, within the first half. In the second part the text looks into his recent experiences, during his time at Reading Gaol, as he comes to terms with his spirituality. The other, ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’, a six ‘cantos’ poem, further subdivided into six lined stanzas, describes his experiences of loneliness and death, whilst incarcerated at Reading Gaol. The initial scene of the ballad, ‘He walked amongst the Trial Men, In a suit of shabby grey’, was inspired by the hanging of Charles Thomas Wooldridge, on Saturday 7th July 1896, a thirty year-old man convicted of cutting the throat of his wife. Charlotte Mew was an understated poet, whose works were less recognised, in comparison to Wilde, however she was highly praised by the likes of Siegfried Sassoon and Virginia Woolf. Mew lived a traumatic life, from beginning to end; facing close family deaths and two of her siblings being diagnosed with mental illness. These early experiences affected her future and had major influences on her; beginning with her and her sister Anne making a pact never to marry, in fear of passing on her family’s madness. Additionally Mew had similar sexual orientations as Wilde, attracted to ones own sex, however due to the condemnation of homosexuality, in the nineteenth century, Mew was left with a strong sense of suppression. Her life was extremely stifled by such experiences of death, loneliness and disillusionment and hence reflects these themes within her work. ‘The Trees are Down’ is a six stanza poem, that follows no structured form, merely ranging from one to nine lines, each stanza. The poem is based around the Revelation reference, at the beginning of poem: ‘-and he cries with a loud voice: hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees† and relates this to our society, past, present and future. David Herbert Lawrence, D. H.  Lawrence, was an extremely successful writer and artist. Publishing many plays, novels and volumes of poetry. He lived a very modest life, born in the small mining township of Eastwood, England, in 1885. Lawrence was an outcast, with few friends at school, who didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps of becoming a miner. So Lawrence went on to study, gaining a scholarship at Nottingham High School and then becoming an elementary teacher. However it was after falling in love with his old professor, Earnest Weekely’s, wife, Frieda von Richthofen, that his life was altered. Breaking off his engagement and ending his teaching career, Lawrence developed his writing into a career. ‘Sons and Lovers’ is a semi-autobiographical account of Lawrence’s experiences as a boy, under the name of Paul Morel, who loved his mother and full of hatred for his father. Lawrence wrote this novel after the death of his mother, in 1910, and explores the love of a mother As her sons grow up she selects them as loversfirst the eldest, then the second. These sons are urged into life by their reciprocal love of their motherurged on and on. † All three poets lived extremely different lifestyles, however the common thread between them is the literary period they lived in, the nineteenth century. Wilde’s work, pre-incarceration, was considered extremely lush and light, however post-incarceration it grew sad and he adapted Dark Romanticism into his works. Mew explored Naturalism where the environment controls people, especially in ‘The Trees are Down’, which is similar to the works of Lawrence who combines naturalism with Pre-Raphaelitism, combining literacy with the visual arts, which is seen through his strong imagery. Comparing these three literary movements helps shape each poem, providing a purpose behind the theme of each text. The intent of these poems differ slightly from one another, however all three have embedded the allegory of killing our intimates within their texts. Wilde takes his own personal experiences of loss, and additionally the example of Wooldridge’s own act, to reveal how within love echoes hate and vice versa. Mew, who’s poem seems completely ahead of her time, exposes the ignorance of the human race. This exposure of human’s prejudice towards nature is again echoed within Lawrence’s poem through the line ‘my education said†¦ he must be killed’. The common purpose within these texts is the exposure of human’s ignorance and how inevitable it is. Lord Alfred Douglas’s father took Wilde to court for alleged homosexuality and this life altering moment in Wilde’s life is easily identified within the poem ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’. However Wilde carefully entwines Wooldridge’s own attempt of ‘killing the thing he loved’ within his own story to expose the wider occurrence of this tragedy. It is questioned whether or not Wilde came up with this statement or whether it is a nod to Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice when Bassanio asks ‘Do all men kill the things they do not love? ’ Wilde is well known for his stimulating epigrams, yet this phrase seems to generate a metaphor for life and although not a question, like in Merchant of Venice, Wilde questions the similarities of love and hatred. When searching the word ‘love’ up on Thesaurus. com it provides a list of antonyms, including ‘hatred’, and vice-versa and yet here we see Wilde placing the two, opposing verbs, hand in hand. Wilde’s underlying purpose within ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’ is not to recount his experiences at Reading, but what Wilde is really looking for is the mode of interaction in which love and hatred are one and indivisible, in which the bitterness is an expression of the admiration. Written in the nineteenth century Mew’s poem, ‘The Trees are Down’, was completely ahead of its time and in today’s society is seen as an empowering demonstration of humanity’s destructive ignorance. Using the line from the revelation Mew makes deep connections with the past and by examining her present looks into the future of what is to come, what is now extremely relevant. The purpose of this is to reveal society’s destructive nature and speak out against the destruction of our heritage as ‘half my life it has beat with’. Lawrence examines prejudices of the human race towards animals, within the poem, ‘The Snake’, and how we accept the words fed to us in an alleged ‘education’. However the irony of it all is that we are one with the Snake and this is what Lawrence was trying to achieve. Describing the snake drinking from trough as if ‘he’ is a person, the same as the narrator, then ‘he’ looks up ‘just like cattle do’. Lawrence’s connections across the animal kingdom; man, snake and cattle alike, break down the barriers of humans vs. animals, generating a scene of equality. However it is once the narrator’s ‘voice of†¦ education’ convinces him otherwise, his face becomes humanity; fearful and paranoid. Each text focuses on humanity and from here branches off the love-hate, ignorance and prejudices of the human race. Wilde highlights the correlations between love and hatred we express towards one another, Mew exemplifies humanity losing touch with their heritage, whilst Lawrence’s reveals the irony within humankind’s prejudices. In all three cases the writer is attempting to exemplify how two effects, wildly different, grow closer together, reciprocating off one another, or how two objects, scientifically/emotionally tied together can push one another away.

superman for president Essay -- essays research papers

When we think of the office of President, what kind of person comes to mind? Does he have to be wise and make good decisions? Does he have to look good in a suit? Maybe he should just be a person that you trust in to keep The United States of America running smooth. Well if that is what you think of when you think of the President, my candidate is all of that plus much more. Superman would be the perfect commander in chief of these United States. The first of my candidates multiple qualities is respect for the people. Past presidents didn’t have that characteristic. He realizes that the people come first, that is the whole purpose of becoming the president. Serving the citizen would be his number one priority. When he was working for a newspaper company, he used to secretly go out and save people’s lives, putting his own life in danger. Rescuing old ladies from burning buildings, helping the police bring down some of the toughest villains, he even will get a cat stuck in a tree to come down. The second of my client’s endless amount of outstanding qualities is his ability to make quick and precise decisions. We need a president that will not crack under the pressure of making an important choice for this country. The September 11th incident would be the perfect example. There is a better way to handle this than just bombing everywhere. If Superman were president the planes would have been stopped in their tracks and placed safely on the ground. The economy is another area t...

Comparing Fuentes’ Aura and Ligotti’s The Last Feast of Harlequin Essay

Mythological and Archetypal Reading of Fuentes’ Aura and Ligotti’s The Last Feast of Harlequin  Ã‚   Mythological and archetypal techniques coupled with the interpretation of symbolism found within a piece of literature tells the reader something about the mind and character of a people or culture. Not only does it allow you to delve deeper into this collective mind and speculate about the meaning of a particular work, it can give you something more. I believe that by using these techniques you also get a better glimpse into the main character’s state of mind. It also gives you clues as to is going on ‘behind the scenes’ that will affect the character’s mental state. The texts I chose for this essay are Fuentes’ Aura and Thomas Ligotti’s The Last Feast of Harlequin. Both are dark tales that are full of symbolism. Interpreting some of this symbolism may tell us why the main character acts the way he does and what his mental state is throughout the story. The main characters in both stories are similar. Both are young men who are well educated, with one who attended Harvard and the other who attended the Sorbonne in Paris. The two men are both teachers, each working on his own ‘life’s work’. Interestingly enough, neither story mentions any close family or friends the main characters might have. Fuentes’ Aura is definitely a strange story. It is hypnotic; it draws you in with its slow, seductive style. That is how I would describe this twisted love story that ends very surprisingly. Within this story there is symbolism that helps the reader to understand it better. First, we will explore some of the symbolism that could show us there was an effect on Felipe’s mental state. Darkness abounded in Senora Consuelo’s ... ...things. This approach also gives you an insight into the character’s mind and possibly answers the question of why would they do something that no other sane person would do. In Aura, some of the symbolism found throughout the story suggested that Felipe was not thinking clearly. Surely anyone else would have just left after encountering that woman and her house. In the other story, the main character’s dark side was leading him to do things he or any other outsider might not have done otherwise. Using this approach gives the reader little clues as to what might happen in the story, insight into the main character’s mental state, and a greater understanding of the story as a whole. Works Cited Fuentes, Carlos. Aura. Trans. Lysander Kemp. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1981. Ligotti, Thomas. The Last Feast of Harlequin. The Voice of the Damned 1990.

Poetry Analysis Jabberwocky

Give some ex. males. Very realistic and descriptive imagery. ‘The furious Bandleader's† 9. Does the poem have meter? If so, what is it? NO. 10. Does your poem have a rhyme scheme? Ifs, what sit? The lilting rhythm Of â€Å"Jawbreakers† helps the narrator's cause. It makes the p memo easy to remember, and it keeps the story moving forward at a regular clip. 1 1 . What other sound devices(alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia) have be en included byte poet? Give examples of each.All the exclamation points in the middle are what give our storyteller his cues to gesticulate wildly at us while relaying the epic battle, and so even though the rhythm stay s constant, we have some good changes in volume. † Beware the Jawbreaker my son! † â€Å"A d burbled as it came! † 12. What figures of speech are included ( metaphor,simile, personification, why parole, metonymy, apostrophe, etc. )? Include examples and explain the effect each o en has on your understa nding and appreciation of the poem. Speaking of volume, and wonderful uses onomatopoeia. Snickering! † â€Å"who piffling† â€Å"galumphing† and â€Å"chortled† 13. What is the mood Of this poem? Explain your answer. Violence, Perseverance, Men and Masculinity, Good v. Evil, and Men and the N trial World. 14. Identify words which have a connotative meaning which help to clarify the author's tone. Explain each example. Beware the Jujube bird, and shun the furious Bandleader's! † â€Å"He left it dead d, and with its head he went galumphing back. † 15. What is the author's tone (his or her attitude toward the subject?He is warning and than triumphant. 16. Explain the significance of the poem's title. To hence the fact that the poem is pure nonsense . 17. Write a paragraph in which you briefly summarize the poem. The poem begins with a description of the setting and continues into an after noon, with strange, monounsaturated milling around and ma king noises. Then, we have some dialogue. A father tells his son to beware of something called a â€Å"Jackbooted† hat lurks in the woods and has horrible claws and teeth.There's also some other nasty stuff out there – the â€Å"Jujube bird† and the â€Å"Bandleader's†. The son takes his sword and goes out looking for these creatures, and finally finds and kills the Jawbreakers. Upon r turning with the creature's head, the father is overjoyed and they celebrate. The first s Tanta repeats, and things appear to return back to normal. 18. Based on your analysis, what do you think is the authors purpose in writing g this poem? That is, what universal truth does he/she want to share with his/ her readers (theme)? Over coming your fears.

Regulatory Behavior Essay

The human body is regulated by the nervous system and its functions. Under normal circumstances everything runs smoothly with no issues; however, fear can have an impact on how the nervous system works. One aspect that can be examined in relation to the nervous system and the ways that fear affects it is through body temperature regulation. When fear is present it bring on the production of specific hormones that cause certain responses within the body leading to the flight or fight situation. As with any function of the body there are impairment that are always possible as well. Knowing in advance what types of things can impair one’s thermoregulation process gives people a step up against having issues later in life. The nervous system consists of two parts, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) (National Institute of Health [NIH], 2013). Each part plays a role in our bodily functions. The CNS is made up of the brain and the spinal cord, the PNS is made up of the all the branch-like fibers that come off the spinal cord and reach all over the body- arms, legs, face, neck, etc. Without the nervous system there would be no way to get information from the brain to the rest of the body; all the messages that our brain sends out must be sent though the nervous system through neuron communication. â€Å"Neurons communicate with each other using axons and dendrites. When a neuron receives a message from another neuron, it sends an electrical signal down the length of its axon. At the end of the axon, the electrical signal is converted into a chemical signal, and the axon releases chemical messages called neurotransmitters† (NIH,  ¶ 3). This process is how the b rain tells the body to walk or blink or even body temperature regulation; it is a very important process that regulates all bodily functions. Body temperature regulation is the process by which our body maintains a steady internal temperature. This process is known as thermoregulation and is mostly controlled by the hypothalamus section in the brain (Vella & Kravitz, n.d.). When properly regulating the human body’s â€Å"normal core temperature at rest varies between 97.7 to 99.5 Fahrenheit† (Vella & Kravitz,  ¶ 2); however, a factor like fear can cause fluctuations from the core body temperature. According to the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation, children who have high levels of fear have a harder time than children with regular amounts of fear when it comes to falling and staying asleep. The disturbance in a regular sleep cycle has been shown to affect how the thermoregulation process functions; fear can cause the body to overheat and not allow the body to cool down when needed (Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation [JBRF], n.d.). As with any function in the body fear produces a hormonal response. When a person experiences fear the hormones glucocorticoids, produced in the adrenal cortex, and catecholamines, produced in the adrenal medulla and sympathetic nerves, are released into the body and cause the individual to  either take the flight or fight stance (Rodrigues, Ledoux, & Sapolsky, 2009). Both of the fear induced hormones impact the nervous system in many ways. For example, glucocorticoids play a large role in the functioning of the CNS. It can lead to anatomical brain changes that result in a higher likeliness of sleep disturbances, psychiatric diseases, mood alterations, and cognitive impairments (lacroix, 2014). The body’s ability to thermoregulate its temperature can become impaired. This type of impairment is sometimes caused when a person goes under anesthetics. According to Daniel I. Sessler, M.D., Professor and Chair, â€Å"Anethetic-induced impairment of normal thermoregulatory control, and the resulting core-to-peripheral redistribution of body heat, is the primary cause of hypothermia in most patients† (Sessler, 2009,  ¶ 2). In other words, if the body is unable to control it’s thermoregulation it can start going into a hypothermic state which would lead to other risk factors and issues. During surgery a patients temperature is normally watched closely to make sure this is not an issue. On the other end of the spectrum, if a person suffers from dysautonomia they can experience excessively high body temperatures and have difficulty bringing their temperature back down to a normal resting temperature. If this does happen the person may experience irritability, disorientation and confusion; this type of disorder leaves the symptoms being able to be treated but not the cause. Some suggestions for ways to help lower the internal body temperature are drinking lots of fluids and water, but avoiding caffeine and alcohol, placing cool compresses across the neck and if necessary seeking professional help from a doctor or hospital if needed. Although the human body is a very complex and impressive organism it is not invincible to ailments. The nervous system keeps our bodies running and communicating so that we are able to act on and do every bodily function possible. Looking at the thermoregulation abilities that the body posses is very impressive and intricate, but it does have ways that things like fear are able to intrude. This intrusion can change the way our body responds to thermoregulation by emitting hormones that tell the body it may need to prepare for a flight or fight situation. Thermoregulation also has the  ability to fall prey to impairment that can be very debilitating to the individual; impairments can range from unable to bring the body temperature down to a normal range or up to a normal range. In closing, thermoregulation may be an involuntary regulatory behavior, but it is still possible to impress changes upon it by either ailment or other outside factors. References Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation (n.d.). _Sleep, activity patterns and temperature study_. Retrieved July 14, 2014, from http://www.jbrf.org/category/description-of-the-condition/ Lacroix, A. (2014). _Glucocorticoid effects on the nervous system and behavior_. Retrieved July 13, 2014, from http://www.uptodate.com/contents/glucocorticoid-effects-on-the-nervous-system-and-behavior National Institute of Health (2013). _What are the parts of the nervous system_?. Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/neuro/conditioninfo/Pages/parts.aspx Rodrigues, S. M., Ledoux, J. E., & Sapolsky, R. M. (2009). _The influences of stress hormones on fear circuitry_ . Retrieved July 14, 2014, from http://my.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/37382/rodrigues-ledoux-sapolsky-arn-2009.pdf Sessler, D. I. (2009). _Temperature monitoring and perioperative thermoregulation_. Retrieved , from July 14, 2014 Synapse (n.d.). _Get the facts- temperature control and dysautonomia_. Retrieved July 13, 2014, from http://synapse.org.au/get-the-facts/temperature-control-and-dysautonomia-fact-sheet.aspx

Rurality in Post Industrial Society

Paper prepared for the conference ‘New Forms of Urbanization: Conceptualizing and Measuring Human Settlement in the Twenty-first Century’, organized by the IUSSP Working Group on Urbanization and held at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Study and Conference Center in Bellagio, Italy, 11-15 March 2002. Paper 14 THE NATURE OF RURALITY IN POST INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY By David L. Brown and John B. Cromartie? Draft 2/15/02 INTRODUCTION Urbanization is a dynamic social and economic process that transforms societies from primarily rural to primarily urban ways of life (Hauser, 1965). Few would dispute this definition, but how useful is it for examining the spatial reorganization of population and economic activities in postindustrial societies where a large majority of people, jobs, and organizations are concentrated in or dominated by urban agglomerations? The essence of this question hinges on our ability to differentiate between what is rural and urban in postindustrial societies. While this may have been a relatively straightforward task during the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, it has become an exceedingly complex question in the context of postindustrialization. We acknowledge the helpful comments of Calvin Beale, Kai Schafft, Laszlo Kulcsar, and the conference organizers Tony Champion and Graeme Hugo. Brenda Creeley prepared the manuscript. Early social scientists saw urbanization and industrialization as being reciprocally related. One process could not proceed without the other. While most scholars understood that urban and rural were not ent irely discrete categories, relatively clear lines could be drawn to distinguish urban from rural communities and distinct ways of life associated with each. In addition, early social scientists were convinced that the transformation from rural to urban-industrial society would be accompanied by a wide range of negative social outcomes. In fact, this concern is generally credited with motivating the rise of the new discipline of Sociology (Marx, 1976; Durkheim, 1951; Weber, 1968; Wirth, 1938). The social and economic organization of community life has been thoroughly transformed by technological and institutional changes since the mid 20th century. Accordingly, notions of what constitutes urban and rural communities that grew out of the era of industrialization may no longer offer a reliable lens with which to view contemporary settlement structures. They may no longer provide a reliable delineation of what is urban and what is rural, and consequently we may not be able to determine whether the level of urbanization is advancing, declining, or remaining constant. As a consequence, our analyses of population redistribution may bear little connection to the reality of spatial reorganization. The large literature on counter-urbanization, to which we are both contributors, may be missing the mark because it depends on data systems and geo-coding schemes that reflect a prior era of socio-spatial organization. Hence, our purpose in this paper is to propose a multidimensional approach for conceptualizing rurality that reflects the demographic, social, economic and institutional realities of postindustrial society. We agree with Halfacree (1993: p. 4) that â€Å"†¦the quest for an all-embracing definition of the rural is neither desirable nor feasible,† but we believe that social science can and should develop conceptual frameworks and geo-coding schemes to situate localities according to their degree of rurality. Since rurality is a multidimensional concept, the degree of rurality should be judged against a composite definition that includes key social, economic and demographic attributes. This approach rejects the notion of rural as a residual (after urban has be en measured). The operationalization of rurality should be flexible enough to differentiate urban from rural, while recognizing and appreciating the diversity contained within each category. Our approach to defining 2 rurality involves the material aspects of localities, but we acknowledge the validity of other approaches. As Halfacree and others have observed, rurality can be defined as a social representation. Or as he puts it, â€Å"the rural as space, and the rural as representing space† should be distinguished (1993: 34). We do not propose to debate the relative merits of the material and representational approaches in this paper. Each has a respected tradition in social science. Our sociodemographic approach is inspired by previous work of Paul Cloke, 1977 and 1986, while the social representation approach’s pedigree includes Moscovici, 1981, Giddens, 1984, and many other highly respected scholars. We feel that these approaches are complementary rather than competitive. As Martin Lewis has observed, â€Å"In the end, only by combining the insights of the new geography with those of the traditional approaches may human relatedness be adequately reconceptualized† (1991: 608). However, we emphasize the socioeconomic approach in this paper because of its utility for informing statistical practice essential to the quantitative empirical study of urbanization. Why Do We Need To Know What Is Rural In Postindustrial Society? At the most basic level, urbanization cannot be understood without also examining the nature of rurality. Perhaps it is axiomatic, but urbanization cannot proceed in postindustrial society unless rural people and communities persist and are at risk of â€Å"becoming urban. While there is copious evidence that rural-urban differences have diminished during the latter half of the 20th century, important differences have been shown to persist structuring the lives people live and the opportunities available to them (Brown and Lee, 1999; Fuguitt, et al. , 1989). In addition, what we believe about rural people and communities sets the agenda for public policy. The American public, for example, holds a strong pro-rural and/or antiurban bias that provides continuing support for agricultural and rural programs (Kellogg Foundation, 2002; RUPRI, 1995; Willits, et al. 1990), and quite possibly promotes population deconcentration (Brown, et al. , 1997). However, research has demonstrated that this pro-rural bias is based on nostalgic positive images of rural places, and a misunderstanding of the social and economic realities of rural life (Willits, et al. , 1990). What people value in rural communities is often formed â€Å"at a distance,† through literature, art and music, not through actual experience. As John Logan (1996: 26) has observed, â€Å"A 3 large share of what we value is the mythology and symbolism of rural places, rather than their reality. Accordingly, more reliable research-based information about the social and economic organization of rural areas, their role in national society, polity and economy, and their relative share of a nation’s population and economic activity will provide a stronger bas is for public policy. Bringing beliefs about rural areas into closer connection with empirical reality will improve the fit between rural problems and opportunities, public priorities, and the targeting of public investments. HOW CAN THE NATURE OF POSTINDUSTRIAL RURALITY BE DETERMINED? The Conventional Approach: Rural-urban classification in most national statistical systems typically involves two mutually exclusive categories. In most highly developed societies, (North America, Western Europe, Oceania, and Japan) the rural-urban delineation is based solely on population size and/or density (United Nations, 1999). It is not that government statisticians don’t understand that rurality is a variable not a discrete dichotomy, that the rural-urban distinction is somewhat arbitrary regardless of the population size or density threshold chosen, or that neither the rural nor the urban category is homogeneous. However, given their responsibilities for monitoring basic aspects of social organization and social change, and for providing data tabulations to the public, to businesses, and to other government agencies, the elemental need is to develop a geographic schema that makes intuitive sense, and where between category variability exceeds internal differentiation. It has not been realistic to expect statistical agencies to adopt a complex multidimensional delineation of rurality given the realities and politics of statistical practice in which budget constraints, and competition between stake holder groups determine which items are included on censuses and other large scale public surveys, and which variables are routinely included in tabulations and data products. However, the development of GIS techniques, and new advances in small area data collection and availability suggest that more flexibility and variability in geo-coding may be possible in the future. Hence, while we do not necessarily expect statistical agencies to adopt our multidimensional approach, we believe that it raises important questions about conventional methodologies for assessing the level and pace of urbanization in highly developed nations. 4 OMB’s New Core Based System: A Step In The Right Direction: The public availability of summary tape files from censuses and other nationwide surveys, provides significant opportunities for inquiry by university-based and government scientists into the extent and nature of rurality in postindustrial societies. In effect, analysts can design their own residential categorization schemes to examine various aspects of settlement structure and change. And, innovative research experimenting with alternative categorization systems can eventually contribute to changes in official statistical practice. For example, 25 years of research by social scientists in the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) and in academia is ar guably responsible for persuading the U. S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that an undifferentiated nonmetropolitan category is not defensible (Duncan and Reiss, 1956; Butler and Beale, 1994). As early as 1975, ERS was recommending that the nonmetropolitan category be disaggregated according to the degree of urbanization. In a major publication released in that year, Hines, Brown and Zimmer showed that more populous nonmetropolitan counties, especially those adjacent to metropolitan areas, were more similar to metropolitan areas than to their nonmetropolitan counterparts. OMB has now modified its official geo-coding scheme to recognize diversity within nonmetropolitan America. OMB has instituted a â€Å"core based statistical area classification system† that recognizes that both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan territory can be integrated with a population center. The new CBSA classification system establishes a micropolitan category as a means of distinguishing between nonmetropolitan areas that are integrated with centers of 10,000 to 49,999 population, and nonmetropolitan territory that is not integrated with any particular population center of 10,000 or more inhabitants (OMB, 2000). 2 Metropolitan counties contain 79 percent of the U. S. opulation and 21 percent of its land area in the new classification scheme while the 1 In the United States and some other postindustrial countries, two residential categorizations are used: urban vs. rural and metropolitan vs. nonmetropolitan. Some writers use these concepts interchangeably, but even though their respective shares of the nation’s total population have tracked quite closely during recent decades, they are different concepts. What is similar between them, however, is that rural and nonmetropolitan are both residuals that are left over once urban settlement is accounted for. Hence, the rural population includes all residents of places of less than 2,500 and persons who live outside of urbanized areas while the nonmetropolitan population includes all persons who live outside of metropolitan counties (counties containing or integrated with a place of 50,000 persons). 2 Social scientists have also objected to the use of counties as building blocks for the nation’s metropolitan geography, but the new OMB standards have retained counties in the new classification system (Morrill, Cromartie and Hart, 1999). 5 ercentages are exactly reversed for nonmetropolitan territory. The nonmetropolitan population is almost evenly split between micropolitan and noncore based areas, although the former category contains 582 counties while the latter has 1668. The data in tables 1-3 show substantial diversity between micropolitan and noncore based areas, and demonstrate the importance of distinguishing between these two types of counties. To begin with, the average mi cropolitan county has 45,875 persons compared with only 15,634 persons in the average noncore based area. The data in Table 1 also show that micropolitan counties have 43 persons per square mile while only 12 persons live on each square mile of noncore based territory. [Table 1 here] Table 2 compares social and economic characteristics of persons living in various types of U. S. counties. In each instance these data show regular patterns of decline as one moves from the largest metropolitan counties to noncore based counties. For example, almost half of all metropolitan persons have attended college compared about one third of nonmetropolitan residents, but only 31 percent of noncore based adults have been to college compared with 37 percent of persons living in micropolitan counties. Metropolitan workers are more dependent on jobs in service industries while their nonmetropolitan counterparts depend more heavily on farming and manufacturing, although these differences are not strikingly large. Within the nonmetropolitan category, however, dependence on farming is over twice as high in noncore based counties compared with micropolitan areas, and small but consistently smaller percentages of noncore based employees work in manufacturing, retail and services jobs. Similarly, professional, technical managerial and administrative occupations comprise a much larger share of metropolitan than nonmetropolitan jobs, and a larger share in micropolitan than in noncore based counties. Data on earnings per job (displayed in the bottom panel of Table 2) show that noncore based workers earn less than their micropolitan counterparts in all industrial categories, and their earnings are consistently the lowest of any county type in the U. S. [Table 2 here] We have also examined whether micropolitan areas are more â€Å"metropolitan† than noncore based counties with respect to the presence of various services and facilities typically associated with metropolitan status (Beale, 1984). We conducted a mail survey 6 f the heads of county government in a 10 percent random sample of noncore based areas, and in 20 percent of micropolitan and small metropolitan areas. We have only received about 40 percent of the questionnaires from the county executives at this time, so the data in Table 3 are provisional. 3 However, these preliminary results reveal that central counties of small metropolitan areas are clearly differentiated from both nonmetropolitan categories. In all t welve instances the presence of these â€Å"metropolitan functions† is most prevalent in small metropolitan counties, and least available in noncore based areas. Micropolitan areas, however, appear to be more similar to small metropolitan areas than to noncore based counties. Hence, OMB’s new system seems to be a step in the right direction from the undifferentiated nonmetropolitan residential. It does a good job of distinguishing between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and between micropolitan and noncore based areas outside of the metropolitan category. [Table 3 here] While we applaud the OMB’s new classification system as a step toward recognizing rural diversity, we believe that it is just that, one step. We recommend that social science research further examine the multidimensional nature of rurality in order to enhance understanding of the extent of urban and rural settlement and urbanization in postindustrial societies, and to guide future modifications of official statistical geography. A MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO CONCEPTUALIZING RURALITY IN POSTINDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES As mentioned earlier, our multidimensional approach elaborates and extends earlier work by Paul Cloke (1977; 1986). The basic notion is that while urban and rural have intrinsic meaning, both concepts derive much of their analytical power when compared with the other. Low population density, for example, has important meaning in and of itself, but its meaning is further clarified when low rural density is compared with the high ratio of persons to space found in urban regions. 4 Cloke’s objective was to develop a 3 We are now involved in the refusal conversion process and hope to obtain at least a 60 percent response rate. Moreover, attitudes about urban and rural areas are formed on the basis of the attributes people believe characterize such areas, but these attitudes also reflect people’s opinions of how rural and urban areas differ 4 7 quantitative statement of rurality that could be used as a basis for comparative studies among rural areas, and between them and urban areas. He used principal components analysis to identify nine variables associated with rural-urban location. Principal components loading scores were then used as weighting criteria to form an index of rurality. The resulting scores were arrayed in quartiles ranging from extreme rural to extreme non-rural, and each of England’s and Wales’ administrative districts was assigned to one of these four categories. In 1986, Cloke replicated his 1971 index. His second study showed that while most districts were classified in the same rural-urban category in both 1971 and 1981, some districts changed categories over the decade, and the nature of rurality itself was marginally transformed over time. He found that the variables differentiating rural from urban areas in 1981 were somewhat different than those used in the initial analysis. In particular, population decline and net out migration were important rural attributes in 1971, during a period of population concentration, but not in the 1981 analysis after the relative rates of rural-urban population change and net migration had reversed in favor of the periphery. The 1981 revision included 8 variables. Positive variable loadings on five of the eight factors indicated that they corresponded to urban characteristics (high level of housing occupancy, high percentage of workers outcommuting, high percentage of women in childbearing ages, high level of household amenities, and high population density) while negative loadings on the remaining three variables corresponded to rural characteristics (high involvement in extractive industries, disproportionate number of older persons, and distance from an urban area of 50,000 population). It is important to point out at this juncture that neither Cloke nor we are geographic determinists, e. g. , we do not contend that the type of environment people live in has an independent causal effect on their attitudes and behavior. On the other hand, we believe that spatial locality is more than simply a setting in which social and economic relationships occur. Our position is that a person’s place of residence in a nation’s settlement system can shape social and economic outcomes, and can have a profound impact on life chances (Brown and Lee, 1999). While a growing number of social from each other. Accordingly, the public’s overall positive attitude toward rural people and areas is a combination of â€Å"pro-rural† and â€Å"anti-urban† attitudes. 8 scientists agree that space should be incorporated into social theory and research, there is little agreement on the manner in which space enters into social behavior. The debate hinges on the question of whether spatial arrangements are an elemental cause of social behavior, or whether space acts in a more contingent manner. Our position is consistent with the latter view; that space has an important but contingent causative role in social relations. Hence, we see value in distinguishing rural from urban areas because we contend that rural-urban variations in socioeconomic status, for example, can only be understood by taking into account how contingent characteristics of rural and urban places modify the access to opportunities. In other words, we are saying that local social structure contextualizes social and economic behavior. We do not question the existence of fundamental social relationships, but we observe that these relationships are modified by spatial variability in social and economic contexts. Linking back to the status attainment example, education is positively related to income in all locations, but the strength of this relationship varies across local labor markets depending on their industrial and occupational structures. Education matters everywhere, but returns to education are higher in some spatial contexts than in others depending on the availability of well paying jobs and on the nature of the stratification system (Duncan, 1999). Dimensions of Rurality in the United States at the Turn of the Century: Cloke’s approach to defining rurality was largely inductive. His choice of variables was not shaped by a clearly defined theoretical framework for distinguishing rural from urban, although they were suggested by the literature as being important aspects of the sociospatial environment. Neither do we claim that our approach emanates from a wellcrafted theory of rurality, but we do start with a clear premise about four distinct dimensions that comprise rural environments in postindustrial societies. We then choose indicators for each domain that have been shown in the research literature to vary across rural-urban space. The concept of rurality we are proposing involves ecological, economic, institutional, and sociocultural dimensions. In this section of the paper we discuss each of these four dimensions in turn, and propose a set of indicators that could be used to empirically develop a composite measure of rurality. We follow Willits and Bealer (1967) in observing that a composite definition of rurality involves both the attributes of rural areas themselves, and the attributes of persons residing in such areas. Figure 1 shows 9 the four dimensions of rurality, indicators of each dimension, and the contrasting rural vs. rban situation for each indicator. Our approach indicates the attributes that define rurality, and it does so in a comparative framework vis a vis urbanity. [Figure 1 here] The Ecological Dimension: Population size, population density, spatial situation within a settlement system and natural resource endowments are included in this dimension. As indicated earlier, conventional statis tical practice typically emphasizes this approach. Urban vs. rural delineations are usually defined by a size and/or a density threshold, while metropolitan vs. onmetropolitan delineations use size and density criteria to identify central cities and measures of geographic access such as physical distance or commuting to signify the interdependence of peripheral areas. Hope Tisdale’s (1942) influential article provides one of the clearest theoretical statements for the size/density delineation, while central place theory is the primary theoretical basis for considering geographic location vis-a-vis other places in a settlement system (Berry, 1967). The ecological dimension also includes a consideration of the natural environment. As shown in Table 1, 79 percent of land in the United States is found outside of officially recognized metropolitan areas, and 61 percent is located in noncore based areas. While this tells volumes about density, it also indicates that most of America’s natural resources are located in its rural territory. Energy, minerals, land for agricultural production, water, and habitat for wild life are all found disproportionately in the rural sector, and this is an important aspect of the nation’s rurality during the postindustrial era. The Economic Dimension: This dimension concerns the organization of economic activity in local economies. It focuses on what people do for a living, the size and composition of local economies, and the linkages between local economic activities and national and global capital. Until the mid 20th century, rural and agriculture while not synonymous were very closely related, and definitions of rural were heavily influenced by measures of dependence on agriculture and other extractive industries. Rural economies were small and undifferentiated both in terms of establishments and workers, and localities had a relatively high degree of economic autonomy. 10 Many people continue to view rural areas through this archaic lens, even though local economies have been fundamentally restructured during the past 50 years. Direct dependence on agriculture, forestry, mining and fisheries has declined to less than one in ten nonmetropolitan workers although extractive industries continue to dominate economic activity in particular regions of the U. S. (Cook and Mizer, 1994). There is no denying that economic activities in rural and urban America have become much more similar since World War II. Not only has dependence on extractive industries declined throughout the country, but so has dependence on manufacturing, and most economic growth is now accounted for by services. However, the jobs available in rural labor markets continue to be significantly different than urban jobs. Rural manufacturing is more likely to be nondurable than urban manufacturing, and well paying producer services jobs are seldom available in rural economies. Moreover, research shows that full time rural workers earn less than urban workers regardless of their industry of employment, and that rural employment is significantly more likely to be part time and/or seasonal (Gale and McGranahan, 2001). While these rural-urban differences in employment do not adhere to the traditional farm-nonfarm contours, they show that opportunities available in rural labor markets are clearly inferior to those available in urban America, and that rural and urban areas can be differentiated with respect to how people make a living. Rural economies have traditionally been smaller than urban economies in terms of number of workers, the number and size of establishments, and the gross value of products or services sold. Of the three indicators of rural economic activity, this one has changed the least over time even though the decentralization of urban based branch plants has brought some large employers to particular rural areas. Moreover, rural economies have been much more dependent on one or a few types of economic activity than urban economies, and this too remains an important rural-urban difference. The â€Å"protection of distance† enjoyed (or suffered) by rural economies has clearly diminished in recent decades. Technological changes including all weather roads, the interstate highway system, virtually universal telephone service (now including cell phones), and the internet have greatly reduced rural isolation. This is not to deny that some important inequalities in transportation and communication infrastructure persist 11 between rural and urban areas, but for the most part the effect of physical distance has been substantially leveled by technological advances. Institutional changes, especially the increased mobility of capital, have further diminished rural economic independence. The deregulation of banking means that capital now flows easily to and from metro bank centers and the rural periphery. This has both positive and negative implications for particular rural communities, but the clear result is that rural economies are increasingly integrated within national and global structures. With this change comes a resulting decline of local autonomy and increased dependence on extra-local firms and organizations. This makes rural areas at the same time more attractive sites for certain types of external investment, and more likely to lose traditional employers because of financial decisions made elsewhere. There is little room for sentiment in the globalized economy, including sentiment for rural communities as valued â€Å"home places. † When the bottom line demands it, capital flows across national borders to production sites with low costs and few regulations, locating and relocating according to the demands of the market. The Institutional Dimension: Communities are institutionalized solutions to the problems of everyday life. Accordingly, some social scientists view communities as configurations of institutional spheres including education, religion, governance, the economy, etc. (Rubin, 1969). While we do not necessarily subscribe to this functionalist view of community organization, there is no denying that institutions are a critical aspect of local social structure, and that human beings would have little use for communities if they did not serve recurring needs. Both urban and rural areas have formal institutional sectors. Most places have some form of politics and local governance, organized religion, education, and voluntary and service organizations. Moreover, as discussed in the preceding section, sustenance and economic activity are important aspects of locality. Rural and urban areas are not so much differentiated by the presence or absence of particular types of institutions as by their diversity and capacity. For example, schools, newspapers and churches, are widespread, but most rural communities offer a narrower range of choices as to where one’s children may be educated, where to worship, and/or the media from which one obtains local news. School consolidation in rural America has resulted in fewer and larger schools. Students are often bussed long distances to school. 12 Similarly, while churches are present in most rural communities, the range of denominations and congregations is narrow. Clubs, service organizations, and voluntary associations are also an important part of rural community life, but the choice of organizations to join is constrained in comparison to the organizational choices available in urban environments. Rural institutions also tend to have more limited capacity than their urban counterparts. Rural governments, for example, are often constrained by part time leadership, insufficient fiscal resources, ineffective organizational structures, limited access to technical information and expertise, and limited ability to assess changing community needs (Kraybill and Lobao, 2001; Cigler, 1993). The Sociocultural Dimension: Moral traditionalism is one of the most consistent themes subsumed under the term â€Å"rural culture† (Willits and Bealer, 1967). Rural persons are often considered to be more conservative than their urban counterparts, and data from national surveys indicate this to be true in the United States. Calvin Beale (1995) has shown that 49 percent of rural respondents to a 1993 National Opinion Research Center (NORC) national survey regard themselves as religious fundamentalists compared with 33 percent of urban respondents. Similarly, a much lower percentage of rural respondents believe that abortion should be available for any reason (26 percent vs. 44 percent), and a much higher percentage of rural persons believe that homosexuality is immoral (84 percent vs. 2 percent). Beale also observed that rural voters have been more likely to support conservative candidates in recent elections even though rural persons are slightly more likely than urban persons to describe themselves as democrats. A related idea is that rural conservatism is often associated with the homogeneity of the rural population. Wirth (1938) and ot hers argued that increased population diversity was one of the dominant effects of urbanization, and one of the reasons why informal social control was likely to break down in cities. Ironically, Fisher (1975) and other critics of Wirth, argued that ethnic diversity rather than contributing to a weakening of the social order was a main reason why the strength of social relations did not diminish in cities, and why community was not â€Å"eclipsed† in urban environments. While the association between ethnic and other aspects of population diversity and social and political attitudes is still an open question, research clearly indicates that rural populations in the U. S. , while 13 increasingly diverse, remain significantly more homogeneous than urban populations (Fuguitt, et al. 1989). In addition, the rural population’s racial and ethnic diversity is not spread evenly across the landscape, but tends to concentrate in particular regions and locales (Cromartie, 1999). Hence, even though about one out of ten rural Americans is African American, few rural communities are 10 percent Black. Rather, Blacks tend either to comprise the majority or large mino rity of a rural population or an insignificant percentage. The same tends to be true with respect to other racial and/or ethnic populations. Much has been written to suggest that primary social interaction is more prevalent and more intense in rural areas, and that rural areas have a higher level of informal social control than is true in urban areas. However, these contentions, if ever true, are not supported by contemporary empirical evidence. Copious research has shown that urban persons are involved in regular and intense interaction with family, friends and neighbors, and that community has not been eclipsed in urban America (Hummon, 1990; Fischer, 1975). Moreover, research by Sampson (1999), and others has shown that social networks are quite effective in regulating social behavior in urban locales. Accordingly, primary social interaction and effective social control do not differentiate rural and urban areas in contemporary American society, and are not components of the sociocultural dimension of rurality. CONCLUSIONS How urbanized are postindustrial societies? How rapidly is the remaining rural population being incorporated within the urban category? How do rural people and rural areas contribute to and/or detract from the social and economic well being of highly developed nations? We contend that answering these questions accurately is contingent on the availability of theoretically informed definitions of rural and urban areas. Virtually every developed nation uses population size and density as the basis for its differentiation of urban and rural areas. Areas obtain urban status by reaching some threshold of population size and/or density, and commuting or some similar measure of routine social and/or economic interaction is used to determine whether peripheral areas are integrated with, and hence part of large/dense urban agglomerations. Rural areas are simply the residual—areas that fail to satisfy the urban threshold or lack routine interaction with core 14 areas. We join with many previous scholars in arguing that this approach is blind to the complex multidimensional nature of postindustrial rurality. We believe that the residual approach is inadequate for differentiating rural from urban populations, and for examining social, economic, political, ecological and other forms of diversity within the rural category itself. We have recommended a multidimensional framework for considering the nature of rurality in postindustrial society. Our approach includes conventional demographic measures, and adds information on the natural environment, economic structures and activities, the diversity and capacity of institutions, and a sociocultural domain. Our case is the United States but we believe that the situation we describe in the U. S. is similar to that in most other postindustrial societies. Our paper rejects the notion that rurality is simply a residual that is leftover once urban areas have been identified. The rural as residual approach clearly identifies the extremes or urbanity and rurality (Paris, France vs. Paris, Texas, for example), but it offers no guidance for examining settlements that fall in the intermediate zone between these extremes. We believe that the multidimensional approach to conceptualizing rurality is helpful not only for distinguishing urban from rural but also for understanding the variability of social and economic organization that occurs within both categories. As we have shown, the OMB’s new core-based statistical areas systems is a step toward recognizing important aspects of rural diversity and of focusing attention on the zone between what is clearly urban and clearly rural. We acknowledge that there is a venerable tradition in social science of examining the correlates of city size (Duncan, 1951; Duncan and Reiss, 1956), and that it is possible that rural-urban variability in ecological, economic, institutional and sociocultural attributes may simply be a reflection of inter area differences in population size. If this is the case then the conventional practice of using population size to define urbanity may be sufficient for delineating urban from rural. In contrast, if the other dimensions of social and economic activity are only weakly associated with population size then conventional statistical practice may be producing misleading information regarding urbanization and the conditions of life in rural and urban communities. This important question merits continued examination in future research. 15 Changes in a nation’s urban-rural balance have significance that extends beyond purely academic curiosity. Understanding how variability in spatial context affects opportunity structures and the quality of life contributes to producing flexible public programs that are sensitive to local needs. Misinformation about the social, economic and institutional organization of rural and/or urban areas, and about the size and composition of a nation’s population living and working in rural and urban places will result in misinformed policies. For example, if policy makers believe that most rural persons are farmers, agricultural policies will be seen as a reasonable response to rural poverty and income insecurity. But, of course, agricultural policies will not have much of an effect on rural poverty because most rural persons in postindustrial societies do not depend on farming for their livelihoods (Gibbs, 2001). Or, if research indicates that the size of a nation’s rural population has held constant over time, as is the case in the United States where about 55-60 million persons has been classified as rural since 1950, then significant public investments for rural development will be legitimized (at least from an equity perspective). But, if the measurement of rurality is too permissive, and the population that is genuinely rural has actually declined, then public resources may be targeted to the wrong populations. We realize that the multidimensional perspective we are promoting could not be easily or cheaply built into a national statistical system. But, regardless of its practicality our framework raises important questions about the sufficiency of the size/density conventions used throughout the developed world, and consequently about the state of knowledge on urbanization in postindustrial societies. Moreover, our contention that rurality should not be treated as an undifferentiated residual complements the social representational approach in which rurality is defined by how people imagine community life in everyday discourse. Both approaches focus attention on the complexity of contemporary rural life and its continuing distinctiveness in comparison with urban areas. 16 REFERENCES Beale, C. 1995. â€Å"Non Economic Value of Rural America. † Paper presented at the USDA experts’ conference on the value of rural America. † Washington, DC: USDA-ERS. ______. 1984. â€Å"Poughkeepsie’s Complaint or Defining Metropolitan Areas. † American Demographics 6(1): 28-31; 46-48. Berry, B. 1967. Geography of Market Centers and Retail Distribution. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Brown, D and M. Lee. 1999. Persisting Inequality Between Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan America: Implications for Theory and Policy. † Pp. 151-167 in P. Moen, D. Demster-McClain and H. 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American Journal of Sociology 44(1): 129. 19 Figure 1: A Multidimensional Framework of Rurality in Postindustrial Society Indicators Rural Areas or Populations Urban Areas or Populations Are More Likely to Be: Are More Likely to Be: Dimensions of Rurality Ecological Dimension Population Size Population Density Situation in Settlement System Natural Environ ment Economic Dimension Dependence on Industrial Activities Size of Local Economy Diversity of Economic Activity Autonomy of Local Economy Institutional Dimension Local Choice Public Sector Capacity Sociocultural Dimension Beliefs/Values Population Diversity Small Low/Scattered Peripheral Rich in Natural Resources Large High/Concentrated Central Lacking Natural Resources Extractive Nondurable Manufacturing Consumer Services Small Workforce Small Establishments Undiversified Low/Dependent Producer Services Professional Services Durable Manufacturing Large Workforce Large Establishments Diversified High Narrow/Constrained Limited/Modest Wide High Conservative Homogeneous Progressive Heterogeneous 20 Table 1: Population, Land Area, Density and Percent Rural by CBSA Category, 19901 CBSA Category U. S. Metro Large Small Nonmetro Micro Non-CBSA 1 No. Counties 3,141 891 606 285 2,250 582 1,668 Population 1,000s Percent 248,709 195,930 171,606 24,323 52,780 26,699 26,081 100 79 69 10 21 11 10 Land Area (square miles) 1,000s Percent 3,536 737 488 249 2,799 625 2,174 100 21 14 7 79 18 61 Population Per Sq. Mile 70 266 351 98 19 43 12 See OMB (2000) for discussion of procedures used to delineate CBSA county types. Source: 1990 U. S. Census of Population 21 Table 2: Comparative Profile of Metro, Micro and Noncore Based Counties, U. S. , 19901 Metropolitan Large Small Nonmetropolitan Micro Noncore Characteristic Educational Attainment Pct. Less Than High School Pct. High School Pct. College Total Total 23 29 48 23 28 49 25 32 43 31 35 34 29 34 37 34 36 31 Industry of Employment (selected) Pct. Farm Pct. Manufacture Pct. Retail Pct. Services 1 13 16 29 1 13 16 30 3 15 18 25 8 18 16 21 5 18 17 22 11 17 15 19 Occupation of Employment (selected) Pct. Manager, Professional Pct. Tech. , Sales, Admin. Pct. Labor2 Earnings Per Job3 All Jobs (000) Manufacture (000) Retail (000) Services (000) 1 2 28 33 24 29 34 24 24 30 28 20 26 34 21 27 33 18 24 36 27 36 15 24 27 37 15 25 0 27 12 16 20 25 12 15 20 27 12 16 18 23 11 14 See OMB (2000) for rules used to identify county types. Skilled and unskilled 3 Nonfarm jobs Source: 1990 U. S. Census of Population 22 Table 3: Presence of Services and Facilities by County Type, 20001 Percent Provided in County Micro 29 71 62 58 91 89 41 64 38 100 45 Service or Facility Scheduled Passenger Air Service Scheduled Inter County Bus Service Local Bus Servic e Museum2 Daily Newspaper National or Regional Hotel Franchise Four Year College Library with Multiple Branches Commercial Television Station3 General Hospital4 N 1 Small Metro 50 91 95 77 95 100 82 64 68 100 22 Noncore Based 11 31 29 23 18 44 11 34 9 74 71 Ten percent sample of noncore based counties; 20% samples of small metro and micro counties. Current response rate = small metro: 41%; micro: 75%; noncore: 42%. Art, science or natural history with focus beyond local county. With local news and advertising. With at least two of four of the following services: emergency room, physical therapy, cardiac care or MRI. 2 3 4 23