Resistance to Organizational Change

Organic Pesticide Use essays

Organic Pesticide Use essays Many means are used by organic farmers to control pests and raise soil fertility without the harmful effects of pesticides. The most popular and well-used include crop rotation, timed plantings, natural sprays, controlled pH of soil and composting. When an organic farmer uses crop rotation, particular pests die when their food source is removed, along with changes in the pH of the soil. Raising the pH of the soil reduces the amount of weeds by increasing the rate of growth-reducing nutrients. This, together with soil fertility, may be favorably affected by using composts. For example: hay, manure, lime, fish guts, wood ash and sea weed are all commonly used to increase the fertility of the soil and, therefore, better the excellence of the crop. Disease is also a common factor in organic farming and may be repressed by soil solarization. Its a simple, safe, cost-efficient and effective way to take care of crop-damaging bacteria by using the sun to create high enough temperatures to eliminate the disease without becoming harmful to the plants. Fungi may also be exterminated by spraying with organic sprays, for instance, chive tea, milk mix and sea weed spray. Insects and pests are another matter entirely. There is no way to deal with pests except through the use of crop rotation and by means of natural organic sprays such as: petroleum oil, soap spray, garlic spray and lime sulphur which suffocate the insects. Various numbers of the above are also used on weeds, though tilling the soil and burning off fields are also utilized. When this is done, the field stubble is raked up and the fields are burned, killing off all the weeds. This is extremely effective though it may be restricted in dryer parts of the country or during t he summer. Some of the insect organic sprays may not be as effective as normal pesticides, but the end result is much better. When pesticides are used, they paralyze the insects by destroying their ner ...

Small bussines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Small bussines - Essay Example As can be seen from Appendix A, the business will have losses for the first two years but beginning in the third year profitability will become positive and the following years thereafter. However this paper will report only the first three years. The higher expenses than revenues in the first two years are understandable as the business is just starting. Sales revenues will expand over time with higher sales volume into new locations as the branded products of the business become known. The decreasing expenses starting after two years would come as the business take less expensive locations. This would result to increasing gross monthly margin overtime as can be seen in Appendix B. Increasing sales is observable for the next three year period and such behavior should indicate growth of the business for the next three years. The greater the revenues the higher would be the changes for better profitability after deducting the expense (Bernstein, 1993; Droms, 1990). The profitability of the business is obvious the third year and as reflected in the positive net profit margin of 16.7% after having negative rates for the past two years because of the losses. See Appendix C. Profitability essentially means higher revenues than expenses which would mean that the business would naturally incur cost or expenses in running the business but the same should generate higher revenues in exchange of the expenses to indicate profitability of the business. The profit generated by the business is not enough to assure that business will prosper. The business must be able to pay its maturing obligations on time like the salaries of employees, payment for goods and services to supplies, regular bills for electricity, telephone and other utilities. In other words, it must have sufficient working capital or excess of current assets over its current liabilities at one point in time which can be measure also by liquidity ratios

In the decade of 1970, women's fashion trend reveals there had a Essay

In the decade of 1970, women's fashion trend reveals there had a strong intertwined relationship with political events and socia - Essay Example Fashion and design changed from being an elite group associated culture, but developed to incorporate the different age groups and genders for nations’ population. The designers had to put an extra effort in their artistic and designed works, so that they could come up with appealing styles and produce more for the vast population within their nations, and across their boundaries where the demand existed. It was a spontaneous thing to do for the growing markets in America, Europe and British among others. Some designers could not keep up with the current trend of the time, others had to lose some of their authenticity and adjust to the new changes, while for other designers, it gave them an opportunity for entering the industry and popularizing their new ideas works. Fashion boosted women careers and confidence in their new changing roles in official positions and politics, gave feminists more vigor, played a key role in opposition towards the governments and their operations, influenced by music (hippies, punk and rock) and social cultures. Fashion and Women in Politics The period after the 1960s saw women venture in politics and official positions in the government. ... Power clothes for women that expressed their new absorption and ability to perform in different careers that had been attached to masculininity became the new fashion, and career guide embraced by most working women at the time and later in the 80s (Hill 123). The power suit was the great design of the period that was tailored into different looks to distinguish it from the men’s suit style and looks. The variations of the power suits either with the men like pants or the ladies skirts as well as the make in different colors made the outfit even more diverse, and acceptable for women in high demand markets. The professional look was promoted by the influencing fashion that saw women dress in designer blazers and pants, official jackets and skits sets among other lines of power suits as designed by Karl Lagerfield (â€Å"Fashion† thepeoplehistory.com). It demonstrated equality in work places and power opinion for the working women in their careers. While seeking their ri ghts, liberation, and being free from male supremacy in their societies, the women's movements in the 1970s gave an opportunity for women to dress in fashionable pants designed for women, as way of sending a political and social message to change the oppressive social structure and enhance equality. According to Coen, the 1970s second wave of feminism greatly contributed to power suit acceptance as female wear, with the suits exaggerating women’s shoulders, skirts and trousers worn with relaxed jackets indicated how women intended to climb the ladder of success and how their presences was a force to be reckoned (mancunion.com). The famous designs of Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) can demonstrate more with his influential work in

How does the HR literature inform the recruitment process Essay

How does the HR literature inform the recruitment process - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Human Resource knowledge and literature contributes significantly to the recruitment process in organizations. Recruitment process involves activities conducted by the HR department to attract and screen new employees in the organization in order to introduce new talents in the organization who can fill various positions that the organization requires.   In the recent times integrated and advanced knowledge on HRM focuses more on the skills of different employees, job requirements, selection process, performance management, education, and development as well as training/learning culture and reward and pay system. These activities are critical in human resource programs and thus informing the recruitment process. The researcher has worked with the HR department previously and he has gained experience on there requirements of organizations on new recruits. The recruitment process should keep in line with the shift in technology and req uirements within the workplaces. Recruitment process involves various activities that are critical in human resources management in such areas as training, development, job requirements, applicant qualifications, decision-making, interviews and positions required. Recruitment is an important process where successful measures include thorough research on job requirements and conditions in the market, interviews and such tests like psychometric tests on the candidates where the potentiality of the candidate is determined.

Human Memory How reliable is Eyewitness Testimony

Human Memory How reliable is Eyewitness Testimony This essays attempts to reach a conclusion regarding eyewitness testimonies and the extent of its reliability. This was done by identifying factors in three different processes stages. The acquisition stage is the period where the witness experiences the event. The retention stage is the period between the time the event ends and the time the witness are asked for a recount or questioned about the event. The retrieval stage is the period where the witness is providing information from their recall. During the acquisition stage, research regarding exposure time, estimation of factors concerning the event (for example, time), violence of the event, weapon focus and witness stress was analysed. During the retention stage, research regarding post-event information, introduction of conflicting information and introduction of misleading information was analysed. During the retrieval stage, research regarding method of questioning, leading questions and a case study of an actual event was analysed. Experiments and case studies regarding these factors were then evaluated to weigh the impact that it had on eyewitness testimony. In conclusion, it was found that experiments regarding eyewitness testimony hold little evidence to support its reliability but there are also some findings that dispute this. Thus, it was concluded that it is reliable only to a small extent though it can be highly accurate under certain conditions. Applications of this conclusion includes jurors being more aware of the factors regarding eyewitness testimony and taking into account when deciding on a verdict especially if the main evidence is based solely on eyewitness recounts. Eyewitness testimony is usually a verbal account given by an individual who has experienced an event, typically of a crime. Eyewitness testimony relies heavily on the capability of the individuals to accurately recount the event. In a trial, the jury is most often persuaded due to the statement(s) of the witnesses. Also, in cases where little material evidence can be collected, eyewitnesses are the focus for reaching a verdict. It has been argued that because testimonies are largely based on fallible memory which can be influenced by a variety of factors, it should not be depended upon. The contention of this essay is to identify and evaluate the extent of accuracy of this claim by identifying and evaluating factors that affect memory and by reviewing experiments and case studies to reach a conclusion on this matter. Memory and thus eye-witness reliability has become an issue of importance due to the high percentage of errors in identifying and prosecuting accused individuals. Thus, the reliability of eyewitness testimonies and impact on trials should be reviewed. Memory is defined as a kind of repository in which facts (information) may be retained over some period of time (Loftus, 1979). According to the Atkinson and Shiffrin model of memory storage (1971), memory is made up of three different types of information stores, each with different duration, capacity and function. The first is Sensory Memory. This type of store lasts for the spilt second when individuals collect information from their sensory systems and preserves information in its original sensory form. The sense organs are limited in their ability to store information about the world in an unprocessed way for more than a second. Thus, information is filtered through or selected by attention for further memory processing into the next type of memory store. This process of experiencing and filtering information is called acquisition. The next memory store is Short-term memory allows individuals to retain information long enough to be used and lasts approximately between 15 to 30 s econds. Miller (1956, cited in Weiten, 2005) proposed that Short-term Memory had a capacity of about 7 chunks of information. If certain actions are carried out, the information will be transferred to the last type of memory store, Long-term Memory. Long-term Memory provides retention of information which can last between minutes to a lifetime and has a limitless capacity. The process of information deposited in the short-term and long-term memory store is called retention. Information is constantly being transferred between these stores. When witnesses are asked to give recount of what they witnessed, information is taken from the long-term memory store and this process is called retrieval. Events during these three processes may affect the quality of the eyewitness testimony. During the acquisition process information may not have been perceived in the first place, information may be forgotten or interfered during the retention process or information may be inaccessible during questioning or during the retrieval process. Analysis of Factors that may affect Eye-witness Testimony during the Acquisition Process During the acquisition process, there are a number of factors that can affect an eyewitness report of an event such as exposure time or stress. This can be divided into event factors and witness factors. This section of the essay will evaluate the effect of these factors on the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Exposure time to the event or object of focus is an event factor. Laughery et al (1971, cited in Loftus, 1979) tested subjects on their recall based on the exposure time to a picture, showed one at a time of different positions of a human face. Two Caucasian male target faces were used, one with fair-colored hair and complexion with glasses and another with a darker-colored hair and complexion without glasses. The independent variable is the time the subjects viewed the pictures, which ranged from ten seconds to thirty-two seconds. The subjects were them asked, approximately eight minutes after exposure to identify the target within a series of 150 slides of human faces. The dependant variable is the accuracy of the subjects recall. Fifty-eight percentof the subjects who viewed the pictures for thirty-two seconds correctly identified the target but only forty-seven percent of the subjects who viewed the pictures for ten seconds correctly identified the target. This suggests that the more time a witness has to view the target, the more accurate their recall will be. This research is significant as it is very scientific and precisely tested a specific variable that affects memory and recall. Although this is so, it was also conducted in an artificial environment and thus, has low ecological validity. The research may also contain cultural and gender bias as it only tested for Caucasian males as the target. Thus, its application to targets of different cultures or gender is questionable. Estimating factors such as time, speed or distance is often asked of eyewitnesses. This involves perceiving the event and accurately inferring information from it. Marshalls (1966, cited in Loftus, 1979) experiment tested subjects estimation of time. Four hundred and ninety-one subjects watched a forty-two second film and a week after they had given their written and oral reports of the event, they were questioned as to the duration of the event. On average, subjects gave an estimate of about ninety seconds. The results show that witnesses can inaccurately estimate certain factors of an event. Although the results are significant, the study was conducted in a controlled environment which gives it little ecological validity. To further assess the accuracy of this study, an additional study that can be considered is Buckhout et al. (1975, cited in Loftus, 1979)s study on the effects if eyewitness testimony in a real situation by staging an attack where a student attacked a professor in front of 141 witnesses. The attack lasted for thirty-four seconds but when interviewed later on, the average estimate of the duration of the event was eighty-one seconds, almost twice the actual time. This study supports Marshalls study which shows that there is a tendency for witnesses to overestimate the duration in an event. This is significant in most cases, especially for cases of self-defense where the time between the attack and the retaliation is very significant in the categorization of the action. Another event factor is the violence of the event. A research done by Clifford and Scott (1978, cited in Loftus, 1979) investigated the ability of eyewitnesses to perceive violent and non-violent events. Forty-eight subjects with equal number of men and women watched either one of two tapes. In the non-violent version, the characters were involved in a verbal exchange and weak restraining movements. In the violent version, one of the characters physically assaults another character. In an effort to be even, the start and end of the tapes were manipulated to be identical. It was found that regardless of gender, the level of recall is significantly lower for those who viewed the more violent tape. It is inferred that this is due to the greater amount of stress that is produced in response to the violent event. This shows that eyewitness testimony of a violent event should be considered with the possibility of a higher rate of inaccuracy. Though the results are significant due to the hi gh reliability of the scientific method used, it also lacks ecological validity as it was conducted in an artificial environment where witnesses do not actually experience the event. An event factor that is linked to the witness factor, stress, is weapon focus. Easterbrook (1959) found that under high stress, individuals tend to concentrate more on a few features of their environment and less attention to other features. Weapon focus is where a crime victim is faced with an assailant who is brandishing a weapon. This rises the stress level of the crime victim and thus, they will only concentrate on a few features, mainly the weapon and will have trouble recollecting other factors such as the assailants features. Loftus et al (1987) tested this with an experiment where thirty-six students were showed a series of slides which showed one of two scenarios at a fast food restaurant. Half the subjects saw a customer pointing a gun at the cashier while the other half, the control group saw a customer handing the cashier a check. A part of the experiment tested the memory of the students based on a series of seven questions on the customer. It was found that the level of accuracy of the weapon group was fifty-six percent while the level of accuracy for the control group was sixty-seven percent. As the results show that the accuracy level of the weapon group is lower than the control group, this is highly significant in showing that eye-witnesses acquisition process might be seriously hampered by the presence of a weapon. The results of the experiment are highly valid as it was conducted in a controlled environment which allowed a direct cause and effect outcome. While this is so, the participants did not experience the event and thus their response may be different to an actual witness which means that the experiment lacks ecological validity. During an event, stress is a witness factor that should be taken into account. This refers to the level of stress or fear that a witness experiences which may influence their perception during the acquisition process of the event. A simulated case study done by Berkun (1962, cited in Loftus, 1979) placed army recruits in a stressful situation. They were isolated with the exception of a telephone link. Then, they were told that they were in danger to induce anxiety and were required to repair a broken radio by following a series of complicated instructions. It was found that the high level of anxiety impaired performance of the subjects. As this case study was conducted during a period of different ethical standards than today, there are ethical implications to be considered. Nevertheless, the results of this case study significantly support the Yerkes-Dodson law (1908, cited in Green) which states that emotional arousal facilitates learning and performance up to a point after which t here is a decrement. This can be applied to eyewitnesses who experience stress. Their senses may be stimulated but after a point, their acquisition process will be negatively affected. Although this is so, this case study has only looked at male soldiers, thus when applied to the general population, it lacks ecological validity. Analysis of Factors that may affect Eye-witness Testimony during the Retention Process Eye-witnesses are being tested on their retention of information from their Long-term Memory. Because retained information and thus, memory is being transferred between memory stores, it is possible that it can be influenced, enhanced or even distorted during or in between transfers. This section of the essay will focus on the numerous researches that have been carried out to investigate the accuracy of this or the extent of the influence that may occur. After an event occurs, sometimes witnesses discuss what they saw with each other and the information that is exchanged can result in an enhancement of memory in the form of modification or addition. An experiment was conducted by Loftus (1975) on one hundred and fifty participants. They were showed a film of a car crash where a car failed to stop at a stop sign and turned right to enter traffic, causing a five-car collision. After the film which lasted for less than a minute, participants were asked a series of ten questions. Half of the participants were asked about the stop sign in the first question while the other half were asked about the right turn. All other questions were the same. The independent variable here is the first question and the dependant variable is the last question which asked participants if they remembered seeing a stop sign. Loftus found that there was a higher percentage of participants who recalled seeing a stop sign if the first question related to a stop sign than the control group, fifty-three percent and thirty-five percent respectively. This shows that by mentioning an object, there is a higher chance of it being recalled. The results are highly significant as it was calculated using precise results with a specific variable tested. It can be argued that the experiment lacks ecological validity as it was conducted in an artificial environment but this allowed a specific variable to be tested which would have been impossible with a case study. As demonstrated by this experiment, eye-witnesses memory may be influenced by post-event information that they receive and thus, the more information that the witness is exposed to after the event, the higher the chance that their memory might be compromised. A modification to the previous variable is the question as to what happens when a witness learns new information which is different from what they experienced. Loftus (1975) conducted an experiment where forty participants were shown a three-minute video which involved a group of eight demonstrators noisily interrupting a lecture. The participants then had to answer a series of twenty questions. All the questions for the participants were identical except for one. Half of the participants were asked, Was the leader of the twelve demonstrators who entered the classroom a male? and the other half were asked, Was the leader of the four demonstrators who entered the classroom a male? All questions had to be answered with a yes or no. A week later, participants had to answer another set of questions. The critical question was How many demonstrators did you see enter the classroom? It was found that participants who previously answered the question with the word twelve reported an average of 8.9 demonstrators while the other half reported an average of 6.4 demonstrators. It can be argued that this experiment lacks ecological validity as it was conducted in an artificial environment and that participants only viewed the event and did not actually witness it. The results may not be fully applicable to the general population. Although this is so, the controlled environment showed a direct cause and effect of a specific variable. The results of this experiment can be applied to eye-witness testimony where witnesses may be mislead in their testimony as their memory might be compromised by the introduction of conflicting information. Similar to the experiment above is an experiment conducted by Loftus and Zanni (1975, cited in Hill, 1998) which was a modification of the original Loftus and Palmer research. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the effect of adding post event information on memory. Participants were shown a film of a car accident after which they had to answer a series of questions. Half of the participants were required to answer, Did you see the broken headlight which implied that there was a broken headlight while the other half were asked, Did you see a broken headlight which only required participants to recall if it was there. It was found that half of the participants, who were asked using the word the, incorrectly reported seeing a broken headlight. As most of the other variables were controlled in the experiment, and only a specific variable was changed, the results signify that memory can be modified by post event information. It can be argued that the participants did not experie nce the incident and thus the experiment lacks ecological validity when applied to actual witnesses but as a specific variable was examined, it can be concluded that the cause and effect was to a large extent connected. This experiment shows that eyewitnesses may be influenced by post event information which may negatively affect their account. McCloskey and Zaragaza (1985) also conducted experiments concerning the effect of misleading post event information on participants. After watching a series of slides depicting an event, participants received a narrative of the event. Participants in the mislead condition will receive a narration with receive the narrative with misleading information about a detail of the event, a hammer was referred to as a screwdriver instead while the control group werent provided details of the specific event. Participants then had to answer a series of questions about the event. The critical question concerning the tool had the original item as an option (hammer) and a new item (wrench). It was found that accuracy for the control group was seventy-five percent and seventy-two percent for the mislead condition group. The fact that there was little difference between the two groups points to the idea that misleading post event information does not distort memory of an event. This experiment suppor ts the validity of eyewitness testimony and due to the controlled setting; the results are highly valid though it lacks ecological validity. Analysis of Factors that may affect Eye-witness Testimony during the Retrieval Process Most evidence from eyewitnesses are a result of their accounts of the event. This involves the retrieval process of information from their long term memory store. This section of the essay aims to analyse and evaluate research conducted in relation to the techniques of retrieving information from eyewitnesses such as question wording or method of questioning. This is to evaluate the extent of influence of such techniques on the reliability of eyewitness accounts and in relation, memory. The method of questioning during the retrieval process plays an important role in the accuracy of eye-witness testimony as investigated by Lipton (1977, cited in Wells, 1978). Lipton conducted an experiment where participants watched a film of a murder in a courtroom setting. He found that unstructured testimony which allowed free recall resulted in ninety-one percent accuracy. This is a significant value as compared to other types of questioning such as open ended questions with eighty-three percent accuracy, leading questions with seventy-two percent accuracy and multiple choice questions with fifty-six percent accuracy. These results show that the type of questioning that the witness is subjected to affects the accuracy of their recount. When applied to trial testimonies, jurors should take into account the type of questioning to predict or get an idea of the level of accuracy of the testimony. Though conclusive to a certain extent, the experiment lacks ecological validity as the participants did not actually experience the event, merely perceive it but as it is a controlled environment, the reliability of the cause and effect factors is high. Loftus and Palmer (1974 cited in Hill, 1998) carried out an experiment to investigate the effect of leading questions on the accuracy of participants in recalling a car crash. Fourty-five participants were separated into seven groups and each group watched a video of traffic accidents. The videos lasted from five to thirty seconds. After watching the video, participants had to give an account of what they had just seen. The independent variable is the question About how fast were the cars going when they hit each other?. The word hit is replaced with the words smashed, contacted, bumped and collided for different groups. The participants answer as to the estimate of the cars speed is the dependant variable. Loftus and Palmer found that the mean estimate of speed for more aggressive words such as smashed is higher than less aggressive words such as contacted. The results are highly significant, p Contending the results of this experiment is Yuille and Cutshalls (1986) case study of a real life event. 13 participants were interviewed using Loftus and Palmers (1974 cited in Hill, 1998) technique in their recall four to five months after witnessing an attempted robbery in daylight where one individual was killed and another, seriously wounded. It was found that there was a very high level of similarity between the accounts given by the witnesses, the accounts did not alter in response to leading questions and that the witnesses were able to recall the event in detail. Additionally, accounts of those who were more distressed had a higher accuracy level. These results are different to Loftus and Palmer (1974 cited in Hill, 1998). The eye witnesses did not alter their accounts greatly in response to leading questions. As this is a case study, it holds high ecological validity unlike laboratory experiments. Although this may be true, Yuille and Cutshalls case study was of an event t hat was relatively traumatic event and was viewed in ideal conditions. Most incidents do not mirror this setting. Also, it was an investigation of only one case study. Hence, the application of these findings is debatable when applied to general eye witness testimonies. Conclusion This essay evaluated the extent of accuracy of the claim that eyewitness testimony should not be depended upon. This was done by focusing on the different factors that can affect human memory, and in relation, eyewitness testimony as it is fundamentally based on memory. Experiments and case studies related to factors in three different memory stages were identified and evaluated. Research concerning the acquisition process such as exposure time, estimation of factors concerning the event, for example, time, violence of the event, weapon focus and witness stress level during the event was analysed. Results point to a correlation of high levels of inaccuracy when more traumatic factors are included in the event. This is also reflected in research concerning the retention process and the retrieval process although there is some evidence that supports the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Overall analysis criticised the low ecological validity of controlled experiments but also supported the high level of validity that comes with it as it essentially provides a cause and effect relationship between specific variables tested. Case studies were found to be very specific with regards to certain factors, which leads to a debate about their general application. Since experiments are only replications of real-life events, it cant be fully taken as the actual process . This may have some influence on the results obtained as it can be argued that the participants are not really experiencing the event, thus essential factors like, atmosphere, or even interest in the event may be compromised. In this manner, results of case studies hold a higher level of reliability. As indicated by the numerous researches on different factors during the process of collecting, processing and retrieving information from memory, eye witness testimony is reliable only to a small extent. Under such fallibility, it can be questioned if eyewitness testimony should be relied on at all. Though eyewitness testimony has been proved accurate in a number of researches, the amount of investigations concluding on the fact that it is highly imperfect far outweighs it. Though a large number of researches do not support the reliability of eyewitness testimony, there is also evidence to support it like Yuille and Cutshalls (1986) case study. This suggests that although eyewitness testimony can be unreliable, under certain conditions, it is highly accurate. Implications for application of the analysis in this essay could include jurors being more wary of eyewitness testimony and the conditions relating to it when deciding upon a verdict. Further research could include more case studies to increase the ecological validity of the theories produced by experiments analysed in this essay. References Atkinson, R. C. Shriffin, R. M. (1971), The Control Processes of Short-term Memory, Stanford, California, Stanford University Easterbrook J. A. (1959), The Effect of Emotion on Cue Utilisation and the Organisation of Behaviour, Psychological Review, Vol 66(3), 183-201 Green, C. D, (n.d.) Classics in the History of Psychology Yerkes and Dodson (1908), Toronto, Ontario, York University, Retrieved from psychclassics.yorka.ca: http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Yerkes/Law/ Hill, G. (1998), Oxford Revision Guides, AS A Level Psychology, New York, Oxford University Press Loftus, E. F; Loftus, G. R; Messo, J. (1987), Some facts about Weapon Focus, Law and Human Behaviour, Vol 11(1), 55-62 Loftus, E. F. (1975), Leading Questions and the Eyewitness Repost, Cognitive Psychology, Vol 7, 550-572, University of Washington Loftus E. F. (1979), Eyewitness Testimony, Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England, USA, Harvard University Press Yullie J. C. Cutshall J. L. (1986), A case study of eyewitness memory of a crime, Journal of Applied Psychology, Volume 71(2), May 1986, 291-301 Weiten, W. (2005), Psychology: Themes and Variations, The United States of America, Thomson Learning Inc. Wells, G. L. (1978), Applied Eyewitness-Testimony Research: System Variables and Estimator Variables, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Volume 36, No. 12, 1547-1557, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

The Marquis De Sades Attitude Towards Women Essay -- essays research p

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Effects of Automobiles Essay

Automobiles have become a big part of today? s society. Whether it be a car or van, the modern American citizen probably can? t go a day without using one. These machines are the main escorts for our daily travels from work to home. Most Americans depend on their vehicles to run well so that they can maintain their everyday treks of commuting back and forth. These automobiles have been the cause of an abundance of jobs throughout the United States. A great number of our citizens are employed by automobile production plants, car repair industries, and other automobile related positions. To think that cars could have been non-existent makes us wonder where thousands of our citizens would find work. We know that a big part of the United States industrial and trading world relies on the automobile and its components. Another view of our life without automobiles deals with our visual perspective. Car and truck advertisements consume a great deal of air time for television commercials. We see these luxurious machines and little by little we are tempted and pressured into investing into one of them. Numerous amounts of our modern movies also involve automobiles. For example, ? Speed? and ? Batman? both deal with automobiles of some sort. Whether it be the common city bus or the exquisite vehicle entitled the ? Batmobile? , these both influence our ideas of the automobile world. On the reverse side, though, automobiles have also been the cause of much of the world? s pollution. The carbon-monoxide released by a car? s exhaust pipe spews into our environment making our air dirty and the earth a bit closer to extinction. With all these pollutants in our air, it often makes it hard to breath and difficult to see. Many times we find a layer of dirt and grime on the back bumper of our cars and realize that about thirty times this much is tossed into the air each day by one individual vehicle. Any automobile which runs on diesel fuel releases a thick cloud of black smoke into the environment constantly. This disgusting smog stains buildings, covers trees, and hovers above many of our major city in large masses. Automobiles also contain some fluids that can be deadly to us and our wildlife. We often hear of gasoline spills by tanker trucks or by ships, both of which are meant to supply our automobiles with fuel. The gasoline encompasses huge areas of our oceans and suffocates our animals with blankets of black slime. Our own greed for bigger and better things causes many of our nation? s animals to die each year. Accidents are another default of today? s modern automobiles. Cars and trucks are the cause of the deaths of thousands of Americans annually. Almost everyday, numerous accidents can be witnessed by a single individual. Resulting from these broken parts and twisted sections of steel, are dead bodies and broken families. The yearning for speed and the desire for competition has ended the lives of many automobile owners. Young drivers often compete against each other in races and other dangerous games. Many times, these foolish schemes end in fatality. Another leading cause of death in automobiles results from alcohol abuse. This terrible mixture of drinking and driving commonly ends in death of the driver and of other innocent civilians. The automobile has been the victim of trillions of fender benders and more serious accidents. This has caused concern in the mind of society, and with it has come precautions. The cars and trucks of today have been formatted with all types of life saving gadgets to make traveling easier and less risky. These high tech automobiles of today have revolutionized our world. We have gone from a crank engine to an eight cylinder, one hundred sixty horsepower engine. We have progressed from speeds of twenty five miles an hour to speeds well over one hundred miles an hour. Roads have expanded, bridges have been widened, and new breeds of automobiles have been introduced along the way. This constant change of what appears to have a good outcome also brings along some negative aspects. These downfalls include those discussed above and many others. With every great step towards technological breakthroughs in the automobile world, new problems and hindrances arrive which are sure to lead to more fatal outcomes. Though cars have changed our lifestyle for the better, the extra impact of negative effects has hurt our society as a whole.

An Employment Law Compliance Plan for Landslide Limousines

An Employment Law Compliance Plan for Landslide Limousines Mr. Bradley Stonefield must observe all employment laws in Austin, TX for the new limousine service. Throughout processes that would involve the 25 employees, Mr. Stonefield must ensure compliance with the law for the success of the business. Failure to comply with these laws could result into long legal tussles with employees and their representatives and cause financial ruin to the company.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on An Employment Law Compliance Plan for Landslide Limousines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This memo focuses on relevant employment laws as well as how they are legally used. In addition, the memo explores consequences of failure to comply with the employment laws. These laws are different, but an employer must observe all of them, including others not covered in this memo. The memo focuses on four employment laws that Landslide Limousines must observe. These employment laws include Texas Pa yday; Texas Minimum Wage Act; the Texas Child Labor Law; and Employment Discrimination. The Employment Laws for Austin, TX and Consequences of Noncompliance Texas Payday Texas Labor Code has a provision for the Texas Payday Law. The law accounts for all private business organizations, irrespective of their sizes. Any person that engages in service provision for payment is regarded as an employee, apart from relatives and independent contractors. There are specific payments that fall under the Texas Payday Law. The company will account for all compensations irrespective of how they are calculated; commissions and bonuses based on the agreement; and specific fringe benefits due based on a written agreement or the company’s policy. Noncompliance with the Texas Payday Law has severe consequences to an employer. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) investigates and determines if an employer did not obey the law and acted in a bad faith. The TWC reviews administrative penalty again st the employer equivalent to the wages claimed or $1,000, whichever is less. At the same time, any employee who files a complaint in a bad faith may also bear similar penalties. Overall, it is against the law for an employer to fail to pay wages after receiving notification from TWC and to hire or continue to employ a person with the intent of not paying due wages.Advertising Looking for coursework on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Texas Minimum Wage Act The TWC offers information to both the employer and employee on the Texas Minimum Wage Act, and their respective duties, rights and remedies under the Act. The Act requires an employer to have a minimum wage for non-exempt employees, provide written statements of employees’ earnings, recognize the TWC as an agency responsible for providing information on Texas minimum wage provisions, offering civil remedies and exempting certain employers from th e Act. Currently, Texas has adopted the Federal Minimum Wage of the year â€Å"2009, which was $7.25 per hour†. The Act does not bar employees from bargaining for higher wages. Employers could include tips, meals and lodging costs to the minimum wage, but only under specific restrictions. An employer may not compensate workers who reside on the business premise for on-call time together with the normal working hours. In some instances, an employer may continue to pay sub-minimum wages to employees who have certain medical conditions, particularly mental illness. Any employer who pays lower than the legal minimum wage may face legal action from employees. An employee can file a complaint within two years from the due date to claim the unpaid wages and any amount incurred as damages. In addition, the employer must bear legal costs. The Texas Child Labor Law The law considers employees under the age of 18 years. The Texas Child Labor Law protects children from harmful employment . In addition, it does not allow any child under the age of 14 years to be employed, except under certain situations.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on An Employment Law Compliance Plan for Landslide Limousines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The TWC also controls all issues related to child employment with the aim of protecting the rights to education, health, safety and well-being. The TWC has a right to inspect the working condition for children, and employers who hinder investigation could face criminal charges. Businesses must observe the state law, â€Å"except entities subjected to the Federal law of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)†. Driving Under the Texas State Law, children may be employed to operate a motor vehicle for a commercial purpose under specific conditions. The child may work under direct supervision of their parents or legal guardian in their business. The child must have a valid driver’s license. Children may work in businesses where they do not require a commercial license to conduct the job. Finally, a child cannot operate a vehicle with more 15,000 pounds of total weight and has over two axles. In addition, Texas State Law requires children between the age of 14 and 15 years old not to work for more than 8 hours in a day, 48 hours in a week and cannot report to work before 5 a.m. Still, children cannot work after 10 p.m during school days and past midnight on other days. Any violation of the â€Å"Texas Child Labor Law is a Class B misdemeanor†. Nevertheless, if a person employs a child who does not meet the minimum age requirement for â€Å"a type of employment, but did so in good faith relying on an apparently valid certificate of age, then that may be a defense against prosecution†. Therefore, noncompliance with the Texas Child Labor Law is a criminal offense with criminal penalties. In addition, the TWC may evaluate all administr ative penalties against the employer of up to $10,000 per violation. Employment Discrimination A former, current, or prospective employee can complain against an employer in the State of Texas under the Texas Labor Code. The TWC reviews many cases related to employee discrimination on the following areas:Advertising Looking for coursework on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Not hired due to a disability Gender Nationality of origin Race or ethnic Harassment based on age differences Denial of benefits due to pregnancy Retaliation against employees because of filing a complaint For example, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibits discrimination based on employee age, particularly employees who are over 40 years of age. Employers must not discriminate because of age when hiring, promoting, discharging, compensating, or on other terms of the employment policy (Ray, Sharpe, Strassfeld, 2011). Employers who fail to comply with this Act may be fined up to $500 or be imprisoned for a period not exceeding a year or face charges on both counts. The TWC shall review all discrimination complaint and works with its Civil Rights Division (a neutral investigator) to ascertain if any discrimination took place under the Texas Labor Code. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for solving any employment discrimina tion in the State of Texas. It is against the Texas Labor Code for any employer to retaliate against employee because of filing a discrimination complaint, supporting a complaint, opposing discrimination or engaging in a proceeding. Therefore, an employer cannot dismiss, demote or harass any employees on such grounds. Texas Labor Code on employee discrimination affects employers with more than 15 employees. Recommendations on how Landslide Limousines can be compliant The Texas Workforce Commission is responsible for ensuring that all employers in Austin, TX adhere to the Texas Labor Code. These laws were enacted to protect both the employer and employees from any forms of abuse and exploitation. Failure to comply with the Texas Labor Code has legal penalties and financial implications for the company. Mr. Bradley Stonefield, therefore, should consider the following recommendations when handling employee issues for Landslide Limousines. Both the employer and employees should underst and the Texas Labor Code to allow them to observe their rights and obligations Landslide Limousines should not employ any child because of difficulties in meeting requirements associated with child labor in Texas The company must not discriminate any potential employees based on their age, nationality, race, gender and disabilities among others In case of any employment discrimination against Landslide Limousines, the company should not retaliate against employees, potential employees or former employees The employer and the employee must understand the role of Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division, and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Employees and the employer must not act in bad faith against each other References Gould IV, W. (2013). A Primer on American Labor Law (5th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ray, D., Sharpe, C., Strassfeld, R. (2011). Understanding Labor Law (3r ed.). New York: LexisNexis. Texas Workforce Commission. (2014). Employment Law: Discrimination, Wages Child Labor. Web.

Team Work Part 1 & 2 Essays - Criminology, Social Psychology

Team Work Part 1 & 2 Essays - Criminology, Social Psychology Team Work Part 1  CCJ1020-12_Week 4  05/19/2015 Prof. Scott Addlesberger Part I: The Offender There are many differences between a chronic violent offender and a nonviolent offender. A chronic violent offender is an individual who frequently or persistently violates the law. As defined by Marvin Wolfgang, Robert Figlio, and Thorsten Sellin, their definition of a chronic violent offender is delinquents arrested five or more times before the age of eighteen who commit a disproportionate amount of criminal offenses (Siegel & Worrall, 2013). A nonviolent offender is a person causing a crime that does not cause damage, or hurts people. For example crimes like low level drug users, prostitution, shoplifters, burglary, and drug trafficking. Also there are many differences between types of crime committed and the type of offense they commit. These differences include age, race, gender, geographical, and socioeconomic status. There are many differences, but others believe that some nonviolent offenders pleaded out on nonviolent charges but previously did a violent crime at the time wh en they were arrested or in previous arrests. Nonviolent offenders today are taking up most populations in the U.S prisons. Violent offenders are more likely to experience mental health issues, been exposed to violence or been victimized in the community and more likely to exhibit violence when incarcerated. It is important to remember that an individual in the community with mental health issues is not necessarily a violent individual. Violence may be a result of victimization and social exclusion. In the chronic violent crimes, offenders have a pathological tendency to commit and to repeat violent crimes, while in non-violent crimes, offenders don't use physical or emotional violence against victims. Nonviolent offenders are typically those convicted of property crimes. In the U.S. property crimes are often considered more serious than people. Some people do think that just because they are called nonviolent offenders doesnt mean that they should be. For example, It is not hard to imagine that the guy busted for drug trafficking was maybe carrying an illegal concealed weapon at the same time he was collared for slinging rock cocaine and maybe there is strong evidence that he used that gun to throw a few rounds at a rival. Facing an assault with a deadly weapon charge, our drug trafficker is advised by his public defender to cop a plea to selling rock cocaine. And there you have it, he is now a nonviolent offender. In 2004, the Bureau of Justice Statistics studied that 95% of inmates arrested were arrested prior. 33% of nonviolent offenders had history of violent crimes. 8% used a weapon during a nonviolent crime, and 70% of all nonviolent offenders are arrested within three years (Durose, M., & Mumola, C. (2004, October 1). As I said earlier, there are many different variables of each type of offender such as race, age, gender, geographical differences, and gender. But is this really a justifiable way to predict who would become an offender by these variables alone? This is what I would consider a 50/50 percent answer because although it is not morally right to look at a person and say that they will become a criminal but at the same time the way a person carries their self or dress can be a dead giveaway to law enforcement that they are engaged in some kind of criminal activity or at the least will do so. Growing up as a child most of us were told never to judge a book by its cover, but how many times can you honestly say that you never did? If you were like me your answer would be more than usual. Because of the media and what it portrays it seems as though there are more African Americans that are committing crimes and being incarcerated than any other race. Minority group members are involved in a d isproportionate share of criminal activity. According to Siegal and Worrall, African Americans make up about 12 percent of the general population, yet they account for about 38 percent of arrests for Part I violent crimes and for 29 percent of property crime arrests. Part II: The Victim: An individuals risk of criminal victimization depends on their exposure or proximity to offender populations, and exposure, in turn, depends on individuals

E Market Business Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

E Market Business Plan - Research Paper Example In the world today, people are advancing in technology to such levels that they can be able to exchange goods and services without necessarily having physical contacts. The information technology has advanced so that information can be passed from one individual to another within a very short time and easily. This has helped people to develop ways to negotiate means to buy and purchase products from people who stay in distant places without necessarily visiting the people who possess such commodities. The payment systems are implemented in such ways that money is transferred from one individual to another through an internet enabled systems and connectivity that link the buyer to the seller (Turban, King and Lang 418). Through the different systems, commodities are delivered to the customers who buy them as per plans that are considered appropriate to the two parties involved in this business (Funk 27). In another way, marketing and promotion services are conducted through the intern et and they characterize display of information that is important about specific commodities is availed in websites. Through the online services, a variety of businesses have been established in the world, ranging from banks, store and warehouses as well as supermarkets which sell food products and allow payments to be done in advance and through electronic transfers. In most instances, credit cards have been used to make payments for good ordered and they enable a buyer to purchase products that are worth very high amount of money without limitation (Turban, King and Lang 384). ... The business idea was established in order to address the issue of art business by making the products available to as many people as possible, both in terms of quantity and quality. GANC will have its offices in the city of New York in the United States of America, (USA) but it will serve people in different parts of the world who have access to the internet. GANC will deal with products like music in CDs and DVDs, painting, sculptures and photographs, which are highly required by very many people within the world (Funk 57). Mission To be the best alternative artwork center to all the people in the world distinguishing ourselves in terms of diversity of products, high quality and providing accessible products to all customers and assurance of timely delivery Keys to success Highly accessible website to display our products High technological system of making orders, payment of orders and communicating to the customers Effective advertising programs which will ensure that all the peo ple are able to access the products An exciting image of the GANC store to display the products that are purchasable by customers An effective shipment programs for products bought by customers from far countries Market Description In the world today, pieces of art have been considered one of the important parts of life to very many people in different social classes and of different economic status. In the field of music, there is production of different varieties according to language, styles of singing and the contents and the intended purposes. For instance, many people are engaged in production of gospel or secular, reggae or soft music as well as the diversity in different world languages and cultural diversities.

Chronic Eczema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chronic Eczema - Essay Example For instance, the methods of treating Chronic Eczema may change, hence rendering the previous routines useless. For example, a new method of diagnosing Chronic Eczema may be discovered, and hence taking of picture of the affected part by the patient and sending it to the Dermatologist becomes less useful. The technologies available to different patients are varied. The knowledge to make proper use of the technologies available to the patient are also not guaranteed. For instance, relying on the photos taken by the patient may not give a clear picture of the intensity of the infection, especially if the focus of the photos is not good. For this reason, relying on the patient’s technologies may impair the process of offering equitable health services. For equitability in health service delivery, practices such as diagnosis should be uniform across the patients. The virtual support hinders the patient from accessing quality services, which would be offered in the event of the patient visiting the GP and hospitals. It is likely that if the patient gets virtual support, he/ she doesn’t enjoy some of the services, which are difficult to implement in the online support