Monday, September 30, 2019

Face to face communication Essay

Nothing can replace the value of face-to-face communication. However in a growing business, traveling to meet with customers and team members is not always feasible or economical. We communicate over email and phone, but even then, messages get misinterpreted and a sense of personal connection is never truly established or maintained. In fact, it’s said that over 90% of how we communicate is through nonverbal cues like gestures and facial expressions. With that said, one cannot underestimate the power of video conferencing to enable businesses to maximize the effectiveness of their communications. Here are just some of the many advantages of face-to-face communication. Effectiveness of meetings: Things get done. When there’s an issue that requires a decision, you’re able to reach a consensus more quickly. One simple 5 minute conversation could eliminate 15 back and forth emails. When there are many people in a meeting, there’s more energy and opportunities to participate and creatively contribute. Oftentimes there’s also a synergy that’s achieved which ignites discussion and innovative thinking. You can brainstorm more easily and solve a handful of problems. Read more: Reasons why people communicate  essay Nonverbal communication: Reacting and adjusting to nonverbal cues. Someone who is frequently checking their watch or yawning, would tell you very easily that it’s time to wrap things up or make an effort to change the quality of your voice to be more engaging (or at least change the subject. ) And the very opposite is also true; if colleagues are smiling, nodding or leaning forward, you know that they’re invested and have their buy-in. There isn’t much guesswork involved. A personal touch: Plain and simple, it’s just nice. There’s a feeling of community because we’re better able to socialize and interact with one another. We quickly build a bond that sets the foundation for trust and ultimately, lasting business relationships. If you aren’t a believer yet, ask yourself why you make an effort to attach smiley faces to sensitive emails? Why do you put extra question marks or exclamation points at the end of exasperated emails? We inherently know that we need to overemphasize via email because we have that urge to communicate what is only possible through face-to-face communication. Check out our free trial and start experiencing the benefits of face to face communication today. Many types of communications that we know . There are verbal communication, communication through telephone calls, letters, by emails, whatsapp and so on. But I think that verbal communication , talk face to face is the best and a lot of advantages over other forms of communication. Lots of things to explain the advantages of verbal communication than communication through telephone calls, emails and so on. Benefits that are easy to understand first and more obvious. Verbal communication is very important in everyday life. We can express to someone what is in our hearts and minds through words. Others will easily understand what the message to be communicated simply and clearly. We can speak with confidence when we got to see face to face of the person listening. Certainly when it is in good condition and each can understand. Sometimes communicate through telephone calls, email and so can not reflect the seriousness of the person who spoke not being able to see through these people’s feelings. Advantages of oral speech can also respond quickly when given query immediately and this will expedite the processing. No need to wait for a response from one to two days, but with immediate effect. When speaking verbally, we will be able to detect a person’s honesty with eyes of faith. From the eyes down to the heart. For example, when a person expresses his feelings or inconvenience we will also feel it. But if communication through writting or letters, we can only read without any deep feelings. But because this indirectly will create goodwill between them sooner . In modern society, with the rapid development of technology, people have more choices ways to communicate each other such as face to face, letters, emails, or telephones. However, I believe that face to face communication is much better than others, and in this essay, I will analyze some advantages of this kind of communication to support my opinion. First of all, when people communicate each other in person, they can get responses immediately without misunderstanding. During conversation, people can not only hear responses from others, also see how they are feeling; people can guest what will take place next, how conversation is on, which is very important to have a successful talk. For example, in criminal inspection, face to face communication can know whether or not suspects are telling the truth through the way suspects answer questions, their facial, behaviors and eyes sight. In addition, using face to face communication helps people express their feelings, ideas much better. Instead of using word only when people choose letters, emails or phone for communication, people can use eye contact, verbal language in order to show their opinions. Scientists show that more than seventy percent people use body or verbal language in communicating; thus, it very important for people use actions to express views. Last but not least, conversations seem to be longer when people communicate in person. And of course, the more people talk together, the stronger and better relation they have. Take my friend for example. He is an insurance consultant, and he is very busy with his work; however, whenever his customers need advices, he always meets them in person never through phones, emails no matter how important customers they are. He believe that will make relationship with customers stronger and it is a key factor for success in his field. To sum up, I believe that no matter how developed means of communication they are, face to face is still the most important and effective way for communication. As much as, some telecommunications such as e-mail and telephone calls save our time without spending a lot of time in long distances or in traffic jams for talking with someone else, sometimes in some special issues it is necessary to talk face-to- face. First of all, while individuals talk they have some gestures in their face and hands during speaking. These gestures have meaning which are related to the topic of conversation, and they can be really helpful for listener to understand the meaning of speaker in the best way. Second of all, there are some topics which are really important and have a large number of derails. Discussion about these kind of topics on the phone or writing all details on a piece of paper or via e-mail is too time consuming and also it can cause misinterpret. All in all, there is no doubt that communication with letters, e-mail and telephone have benefits for us such as saving our time; however, in some situations face-to-face communication help listener to get the gist of issue with the help of gestures and it can prevent misinterpret which might happen on the phone or via e-mail. Essay/Article – 1 Many people hold the view that face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as letter, email, or telephone calls. As far as I am concerned, I do not agree with that view. There are many reasons that support my point of view, and I would explore a few of the most important ones here. The main reason is that people live and work with a fast pace nowadays. They are busy with everything. However, they also need to communicate with their friends or relatives. The result is that they have no time to set an appointment. This situation is very common. The best solution is to communicate by letters, e-mails or telephone calls. We could write letters or emails in our leisure time and send them out immediately or call somebody and talk for a few minutes. These things would not take up a long time and can be scheduled quite easily. Another reason is that it is too time and money-consuming for two friends that live away from each other to schedule a face-to-face meeting. In this situation, using letters, e-mail or telephone calls will be a better way. People by this means could communicate with each other conveniently no matter how far they apart. Take one of my friends for example, he communicates with one of his friend in Germany by using emails. Furthermore, I believe that sometimes people will find it difficult to communicate face-to-face. They need to talk about something that is hard for them to confronting each other. At this time, letter, email or telephone calls are better ways of interaction. Given the factors I outlined above, we may reach the conclusion that communication by letters, emails, or telephone calls is better than face-to-face communication. Essay/Article – 2 Since the beginning of time the most important method of communication has been the face-to-face communication. In fact for a long time, face-to-face communication was the only method used. As time progressed new methods came along with the use of letters, telephone calls, and emails. Even with these improvements in communication, nothing has been able to replace the face-to-face method. One reason that face-to-face communication is better than newer methods is that it allows one person to see the facial expressions of another. When a person is talking about good news they usually smile and their eyes light up. Or when a person is having a serious conversation, their eyebrows are usually lower and they keep a straight face on while talking. Without these facial expressions it can be tricky to figure out a person’s meaning behind what he says. Another reason why face-to-face communication is important is that you can tell whether the person is telling the truth or not. When people communicate over the phone or through an email it is impossible to tell when a person is lying. But when it comes to personal communication it is not as easy to get away with a lie. Many people in business prefer this face-to-face method because it helps them to figure out if the person speaking is honest enough to go into business with. When it comes to face-to-face communication there is one more reasons why it is better than other method of communication. When a person is expressing feelings of love or sympathy, no other method of communication will express them perfectly. When a person is showing his/her love for someone, he/she must do it face-to-face so that the other party can see how much he/she mean what he/she says. Also when it comes to expressing sympathy for someone, using any other types of communication is just not enough. By calling someone or emailing him/her to express sympathy, it just shows that you do not have the time to care enough to go over and say it in person. For the reasons listed above, face-to-face communication will always be better than other types of communication. But while face-to-face communication is better, newer methods cannot be ignored. These methods have helped to carry communication over through ling distances around the world; thereby expanding the world we live in and bring everyone closer together. Through the use of letters, telephone calls and emails, a person living in New York now communicate with his/her loved one as far away as South Africa. Essay/Article – 3 With the rapid growth of high technology, computer, telephone and other communication tools have become more and more important in our daily life, so what people have gradually ignored communication? If I were asked whether face-to-face communication is better than other forms of commutations, such as emails, phone calls or letters, I would choose email and phone calls. Here I am going to enumerate some reasons to support my choice. The main reason is that communication by telephone or by email is more convenient. There is no need to make appointment with fiends before meetings; all you need is just remember their phone numbers or email addresses. Whenever you are and whenever it will be, communication is easy as face-to-face talking. Moreover, it is more efficient for people to communicate. Another important reason is that the way people connect by email can make more friends. I have many friends on the Internet and we communicate with each other regularly, so I have gained more information and knowledge in many other fields. Last but not least, indirect communication such as emails and phone calls can avoid direct confrontation and embracement. Sometimes we may not feel comfortable to borrow something or ask for a favor from our friends, because we are afraid of being rejected. At this time, an email or a phone call can be more convenient and can avoid embarrassment. If all these factors are contemplated, the advantages of communication through email or telephone carry more weight than those face-to-face communications. We all know how technology enables communication – email, voicemail, text message, instant message, Twitter . . . the list goes on. There are more than enough ways to communicate, and too often they add up to message overload for employees. That’s why when something is important, nothing compares to communicating face to face. When a leader needs to inspire people—or move them to action—the best way to do it is to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what they need to know. Communicating face-to-face sends a message before you say a word. People will not only hear what you are saying, they will perceive the greater meaning of your tone, voice inflection, emotion and body language. Here are six good reasons for leaders to make the time to communicate face to face: Demonstrate importance – Being there in person tells your audience they are important to you and the issue you are discussing is worth your time and theirs. Your focus will get people’s attention and increase the potential for your message to be heard. Interpret thoughts and feelings – When you are face to face, you can see and respond to people’s reactions – like facial expressions and body language – as well as their tone of voice. Leaders have the chance to show they care by asking probing questions and actively listening to understand the audience’s perspective. This is especially critical when you need employees to adopt new behaviors to advance your goals, such as in times of change. Enhance credibility and trust – Leaders need to build employee trust to be effective. Face-to-face situations allow you to share your strategy, explain it clearly, and answer questions honestly. Employees see how actions align with words, which enhances leaders’ credibility and trust. Build relationships – Interacting directly with other leaders, managers and employees expands your network and establishes shared experience that can enhance future communication. It also helps create camaraderie that is the basis of cooperation and success across the organization. Gather feedback – Meeting in person helps employees feel valued and gives them a chance to contribute input to organizational strategies and communication. It gives the leader a chance to confirm people’s understanding of key issues, identify gaps and encourage ongoing feedback and engagement. Address sensitive issues – You demonstrate respect for employees and a commitment to a successful outcome when you deal with a sensitive issue face to face. Whether you are providing specific feedback to increase their success or delivering a tough message, focus on your desired outcomeand prepare by understanding the employee’s mindset and possible reactions. Ultimately your involvement means a lot and taking the time to meet can help turn a challenging conversation into a trust-building interaction.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Cell Phone Technology Essay

Technology had become engrained in our society. Everywhere people are using cell phones, including children and teenagers. Cell phone technology and technology in general have change the way we do everything in our society. Technology has dramatically altered our world. They have become a necessary part of everyday life so much so that it is leaking into the education world as a new tool despite the concern of the negative effects of cell phone technology. There is a new wave in some schools around the United States. There are some districts that are embracing the use of cell phones in the classroom. Some administers have come around to the thinking that the use of this technology in the classroom can be of benefit in the learning setting. There are also concerns that the same technology can be too distracting for students. However, the use of cell phones in the educational world is worth looking at despite some of the concerns that many adults share. Texting has become the preferred method of basic communication between teenagers and their friends. Seventy-five percent of 12-17 year olds own cell phones, which is up from forty-five percent in 2004 (Lenhart, 2010). Phones have no doubt become an indispensable tool in communication for teens. Eighty-eight percent of teen cell phone users are text messengers (Lenhart, 2010). More than half (fifty-four percent) are daily texters. Among all teens, the use of texting has overtaken the frequency of every other form of communication. The concern about the overuse of cell phones is that it may have negative consequences in teenager’s education.  ¼ of text messages that teens send are sent during class. A survey conducted by Beneson’s online poll, polled 1,013 teens- eighty-four percent that have cell phones-show that a significant number of stud ents have information stored on their phones or has texted answers to their friends. The same poll also found teens send 440 text messages a week on average, 110 of them sent during class (Toppo, 2009). For this reason cell phone use is prohibited for use during the school say within most public schools in the United States. Most administrations and teachers feel that cell phone usage is a negative distraction and deterrent to learning. Administrators are often concerned about the inappropriate use of cell phones, which is the reason that there are restrictions of cell phone (according to Obringer & Coffey, 2007, St. Gerard, 2006). Cell phones ringing can present unwanted distraction and for some students, sending and receiving text messages that can lead to cheating (according to Gilroy, 2003). There is also the real possibility of students posting improper pictures is a concern (according to Obringer & Coffey, 2007). However, many are choosing to look at cell phones as a new learning tool in the classroom setting. Over the years we have seen on the news about students posting improper photos and language on social networking sites, which causes administrators and teachers to have a real concern. These concerns that many have are valid, and should be addressed. There have been many cases in which the abuse of cell phones has been a huge problem, but administrators want to take a chance on using cell phones in this setting. The important thing to keep in mind that there is down side, yes, but there is a way to monitor the use of this technology too. PPCD teacher Debra Vela, who has 17 years of teaching experience says, â€Å"Sexting, posting of improper photos and cheating may be a legitimate worry, but the benefits outweigh these negative points.† Students today are referred to as â€Å"Digital Natives† (according to Prensky, 2001). They have grown up with technology and multitasking, and in the habit of quickly processing information (Humble-Thaden, 2011). However, as cell phone technology expands with the possibilities of texting, web browsing and gaming have increased over the recent years and administrators are still worried about the distractions of electronic devices. A survey of students and parents by the group Common Sense Media found that almost seventy percent of schools around the country ban cell phone use during the school day (Schachter, 2009). There are some districts and administrators, though that are beginning to realize the potential of cell phones. It is a part an â€Å"anytime, anywhere† learning movement (Schachter, 2009). This leaves laptops and even smaller netbooks behind, in favor for more mobile, affordable and reliable handheld devices like â€Å"smartphones† that can run such programs as Windows Mobile. â€Å"Technology has finally progressed to where mobile devices are cheap and powerful enough to use,† observes Elliot Soloway, a professor at the University of Michigan (Schachter, 2009). A study of twenty-five mobile learning initiatives worldwide by the Joan Ganz Cooney Foundation Center at Sesame Workshop anointed them the wave of the future. â€Å"Just as Sesame Street help transformed television into a revolutionary tool for learning among young children four decades ago, advances in mobile technologies are showing untapped educational potential for today’s generation,† the report author’s wrote (Schachter, 2009). In 1969, the way children learned changed when Sesame Street aired on PBS. The loved Muppets of the educational show captured the hearts and attention of toddlers. The show taught them the basics of 123’s and ABC’s to the importance of friendships. Before the age of four, children had already learned the basics for their future education by watching this television show. The same is happening today with the use of cell phones. It is drastically changing the face of the way children learn and take information in. Fifth graders at Trinity Meadows (Keller, TX) spent most of their days on their HTC 6800 smartphones, using the GoKnow’s platform. Fifty-five students led the way in a pilot program using the new generation of cell phones and their advanced technology for educational ends. For example, students can draw the solar system on their devices and animate them to show them in real obit. Students can also upload assignments the teacher sends to the server and then the teacher can grade them and submit them back to the student electronically (Schachter, 200). At an early age, children are learning the advantages of technolog y, and will carry it into the future. They are learning to use cell phones as a learning tool, and making the best of what this technology has to offer. Children today have a chance to express themselves creatively and learn in a way that they are familiar with. They are at an advantage since they are already so use to using the technology the world has to offer. â€Å"Allowing children to use cell phone technology in the classroom will provide them with the tools for more creativity to create wonderful projects,† Vela says. This pilot program has shown that the use of cell phone technology in the classroom can be of benefit to the students. Not only that the teachers have a new method of reaching students that they otherwise would not have. With the use of cell phone teachers have new ways of teaching lessons, and the interactivity of these lessons are more likely to reach the minds of students. With the use of cell phone technology in the classroom the children that need a more creative outlet this provides them with platform to do so. Children that need this outlet can create and not be tied down to pencil, paper, marker, c rayons and glue. This allows them to be able to express themselves using the medium that they know best. Using cell phones in the classroom settings as a tool enables them to stay focused and interested in the things that they are learning. Technology is such an important part of everyday life, especially in cell phone technologies. And because of the increasing improvement of cell phone technology has allowed the next generation to use them in a whole new way to learn. Although, there is concern about the overuse of cell phones, the benefits may outweigh the negatives. â€Å"I still think students need to learn the ‘old fashion’ way because what happens if technology becomes unavailable to them? Also students need to be able to use their brains for higher learning,† says Vela. Technology is a wonderful tool to use in the classroom for all age groups. They can benefit from the interactivity of the Internet and all the information that the World Wide Web has to offer students as well as teachers. Children in today’s classrooms have an opportunity that past generations did not have. They have the chance to make a big impression on their lives by allowing themselves to use cell phones to their advantage not their disadvantage. The technology of cell phones has taken over almost every aspect of human activity. Adults as well as children have been consumed by the use of them, and now it has leaked over into the world of education. There are many concerns about the overuse of this technology, but many districts are taking the chance to embrace it and try it out in the classrooms. It has been shown that there are benefits for school children. Although, there is some debate about this issue it is important to remember that there is a need for balance. Reference Lenhart, Amanda. (2010). Teens, cell phone and texting. Pew Research Center Publications. Retrieved 3 June 2012 from http://pewresearch.org. Humble-Thaden, Beth. (2011). Student Reflective Perception of High School Educational Cell Phone Technology Usage. Journal of Technology Studies. Retrieved 3 June 2010 from http://web.ebscohost.com. Toppo, Greg. (2009). Survey: Many teens use phones in class to text or cheat. USA Today. Retrieved 3 June 2012 from http://www.usatoday.com. Schachter, Ron. (2009). Mobile Devices in the classroom. District Administration Magazine. Retrieved 4 June 2012 from http://ww.eric.com. Interview: Debra Vela, PPCD Teacher, 17+ years teaching.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Law for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Law for Managers - Essay Example This paper stresses that the provisions of this Act were structured to serve for the security of the people’s health, safety and welfare at work, to protect the persons at work from any risks to their health in regard or connection to the activities that the person has at work, to control the use and presence of highly inflammable dangerous substances, and otherwise preventing the illegal use of such substances, and lastly to control the emission of hazardous gases into the atmosphere from the premises. This essay declares that as the law sets out its structure and enforces the provisions of this act, the general duties that are imposed under the act to the specific people regarded under this law have been given. The general duties of the employers towards their employees are that they should ensure health, safety and welfare of all the employees working under them. However, in some cases these duties extend such as the health and least risk provided while working under power plants and systems at work. The act also specifies various duties of the person who is in charge of the premises towards the people other than employees. These duties are towards those people who are not employees but they use the non domestic premises available to them as a place of their work where they may use the plant or substances. The section legalizes the duties of the persons who have the hold of the premises towards all the people who have the access to the premises to make sure they are safe and leas t at risk while using plant or any substance present on the premises. General duties towards the articles used at work may refer to any plant that is designed to be used by persons at work or any article designed as a component in any such plant. The duty of the person is to make sure that the designed article is constructed in a way that it is safe and least risky at all times when it is being used or cleaned or maintained by any person at work (Selwyn, 2006). The person in charge is also supposed to carry out examinations and testing to ensure the safety at regular intervals. He is also enforced to take responsibility of securing and providing the people with adequate information about the substance and all about it. According to the act, a person may rely on the testing which is carried out by others as long as it is reasonable to do so. A person may also rely on a written document by any other person to be sure about a safety item. Under the section 6 of the act, designers and m anufactures must carry out proper research to identify

Friday, September 27, 2019

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 31

Case Study Example The answer to all of these questions is in fact quite simple. It is the respective company’s attitudes towards the employs that work for them that help to define the way the company is viewed in the marketplace and has certainly heavily contributed to the runaway success that they have been able to earn. All of these companies websites make it very clear on their careers panel that the very heart and soul of their business model rests on the thousands of employees that contribute to the larger enterprise. Far more than lip service, the success of the company combined with the marginally higher level of pay that they give to their employees as compared to their competitors help to make each of these firms into the success story that they engender today. Sadly, these cultural aspects of employment do not always correspond to the remainder of the marketplace. I distinctly recall working for more than 1 retail store that treated their employees as a disposable good. In this way, the loyalty of the employees was severely diminished and the moral that was necessary to implement many store policies was all but

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Hobbes and Locke - Philosophy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hobbes and Locke - Philosophy Paper - Essay Example The "nature of state" is that this desire can only be kept under control by the supreme power of the sovereign. In Chapter X Hobbes describes that "the nature of state" cannot be applied to all situation of human behavior. Although Hobbes thought "the nature of state" could be limited in time or scope, when people authorize a sovereign to order, they make him their unlimited representative. Whatever the sovereign does is authorized and binds them; consequently every effective government represents. Thomas Hobbes described life in a state of nature as "solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short." (Hobbes), but certainty could be created artificially, if men agreed not to exercise their rights in the cases where it was uncontentiously obvious that they were already under attack, and to hand over the power of defending themselves to a sovereign, who would make the appropriate judgment about difficult cases. Hobbes sees people naturally impelled into the war of all against all. Each will be an enemy to all the rest, not because people are 'sinful' by nature - Hobbes insists that people are not - but because people are both timid and competitive. Fear impels people to strike down their competitors before they can strike humans. (2) Hobbes sees the emergence of "civil society" as a dramatic improvement, because it brings law and authority to people. "Civil society" is contrasted with paternal authority and the state of nature. These changes afforded comfort and decency to civilized and intelligent persons, and a law-abiding political order comprised a satisfactory and progressive state of human affairs. Government was necessary because people were often too short-sighted to realize that their interests were best served by adhering to the rules of justice. It arose less by deliberate decision than through people coming to see that it was to their advantage to support any authority that enforced the rules effectively. The limitation of "civil society" is inability to keep humans genuinely moral. Under morals Hobbes, meant: "mankind that concern their living together in peace and unity" (Hobbes, Chapter XI). It shows the people necessity for strong power, and the lengths at which a person will go to save his life. (3) In the "Letter Concerning Toleration", Lock's principle argument is the claim that religious belief, because it requires consistencies assent, cannot be subjected to effective external coercion; also, the contention that the proper function of the state was to maintain public order and security and that therefore religious toleration was justified only when necessary to achieve that end. Lock created a concept of a "church-society" explaining that all people are born free, but, on the other hand, they starts to share religious believes and values. The move from the state of nature to political society is seen as a response to problems of covetousness, conflict, and ethical uncertainty caused by the development of money and the growth of inequality. Though Locke presents a gradualist account of the actual development of political institutions, the process is described abstractly in terms of state-church relations.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Sopholces plays often seem to support the idea of democracy. What Essay

Sopholces plays often seem to support the idea of democracy. What specific statements and events in Antigone make this true If you disagree then show how antigone is actually undemocratic - Essay Example All democratic acts are regarded as tyranny against the state and thus, punishable. The first instance is made in reference to the burial of the two brothers of Antigone. Eteocles who was not honorable by Greek’s standards, was given a respectful burial but Polyneices, who was considered an honorable man was denied the right to a respectful burial (Butler, 2000). The play begins at this instance when Antigone is pleading with her sister Ismene to help her bury their brother regardless of Creon’s orders. Ismene refused to help as she is afraid of the law as declared by Creon. She confesses to her sister that, â€Å"I yield to those who have authority† (line 67). She states that the divine law that allows her to give a befitting burial and respect the dead was being taken away from her and she strongly decided to respect the law of the gods as they were conflicting with those of Creon. In lines 453-55, she says, Even though Antigone is aware that being disobeying Creon’s orders will cost her life, she cannot risk disobeying the gods. She says that she is not afraid of Creon’s wrath than she is of â€Å"the gods’ tribunal† (458). There is no democracy in Antigone as the whole state is in uproar over the wicked reign of Creon as king. He has become very unpopular and people are just tired of him, even his son, Haemon who he has always considered very obedient has resorted to mocking him. Creon is not even moved when Teresias approaches him to tell him what people in town are saying about him. Creon believes that the state is supreme than all the people in Thebes and as a ruler, he makes the decisions for the benefit of the state as his will sovereign. In line 188-190, he says, Democracy means that the rule doesn’t discriminate between genders but in Antigone, women are not given a chance before men (Ruthann, 2007). When Antigone brothers died, Creon took the crown because he was a male

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Organizing and Paying for American Education Essay

Organizing and Paying for American Education - Essay Example Private institutions are run by non-governmental organizations and often churches. Public education is one of the main expenditures of the state whose funding comes from local taxes. The American educational structure is as follows: First there is pre-higher education that consists of pre-primary classes involving kindergarten, nurseries, preschool programs, and child/day care centers. Then, there is primary education which is the elementary school from grades 1 to 7. After that the middle education comes which offers education from grades 4-6, or 5-7, or 6-8. Then, there are high schools providing education from grades 7 or 8 to 12. After this, higher education starts which is also referred to as postsecondary education, offered in universities. Organization An American school has a principal who is in charge of the school; an assistant principal who shares duties of the principal; curriculum coordinators; department heads, teachers as team leaders; student teachers; probationary te achers; tenured teachers; and support staff consisting of classified employees such as librarians, custodians and secretaries. As far as organization of school districts is concerned, there is a local board of education which is granted legal authority to run schools and is elected for a term of four years.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Broken Windows Concept Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Broken Windows Concept - Research Paper Example Giuliani was dedicated to putting the theory into action. Bratton through the police had the law against subway fare evasion, public drinking, graffiti vandals strictly enforced. In 2007 and 2008 experiments were conducted by Kees Keizer colleagues of the University of Groningen to determine whether the effect of existing visible disorder increased the incidence of crime such as littering and theft. The experiment included urban location and done in two different ways. In one condition, the place was maintained orderly and free from broken windows and graffiti. The other conditions, the experiment in the same environment among other things windows broken, and graffiti were placed on the wall. The arrangement in the second condition appeared like nobody cared. The observations from the experiments supported the theory. Common misconceptions clearly imply that there is a connection with financial instability for those who commit crime and may be of minority status. As for RJ Sampson it does not necessarily mean that the use of racial circumstance to encode disorder, people racially prejudiced in the sense of personal hostility (Weisburd &Lum). A later study indicated that the disorder is an exogenous construct that has independent effects on how people feel about their neighborhoods a contradiction to Wilson and Kellings proposition. Many challengers and critics say that other than the physical disorder there are other factors that influence crime rate. In order to reduce crime rate, these factors need

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Business - Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business - Assignment - Essay Example In Hatten (2012) Knowledge Management System (KMS) can assist the managers to collect, organize, record, retrieve, and disseminate information. The Knowledge Management System manages accounts records, the company’s or business practices, documents, operational skills and the unrecorded procedures. The management system can be used in acquisition and the creation of knowledge, executed from the internal management processes as well as from the external environment. The collected information can then be integrated in the company’s policies and procedures so as to facilitate the dispersion of information to the various stakeholders. Supply Chain Management abbreviated as (CRM) is a management system which can help the managers to govern business interactions with its existing customers and the organizational operations namely service, marketing and sales (Hatten, 2012). Another management system application that can be employed by the managers is the Supply Chain Management (SCM). Based on Hatten (2012) the system facilitates effective management of a supply chain through the integration of its components. The core players or components of the supply chain include the final customers, the manufacturers, retailers and the wholesalers. The system provides a cost effective means of managing the supply chain. According Hatten (2012) Interpersonal skills refer to the life-skills managers’ use in the communication and interaction with their employees. Managers use decision making in the planning and execution of key business functions to achieve business objectives. Successful managers usually employ decision-structuring so as to minimize business complications and deadline failures. Successful managers usually use negotiation in settling of the organizational challenges. Negotiation prevents work disputes and stoppages reached through the formation of an agreement. Successful managers strive to strike the best option in settling a disagreement (Hatten,

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The relationship between humanity and the rest of creation Essay Example for Free

The relationship between humanity and the rest of creation Essay a. Describe the teachings of the religion of which you are studying about the relationship between humanity and the rest of creation. Christianity teaches that God created the Earth and that human beings are the stewards who should protect the gift they have been given. The relationship between humanity and the rest of creation is not a simple one. To look at Christian teachings on this relationship, the state of creation must first be examined. Yet, despite human beings being seen as the most intelligent life form and having responsibility for the Earth, many of the problems facing the planet are mainly due to human activity. Stories and headlines featuring pollution, global warming, over flowing landfills and the extinction of both animals and plants are, unfortunately, no longer uncommon. These problems are not confined to the UK and are, in fact, happening worldwide. Global warming is one of main problems. There are thin layers of gas that surround the Earth which keep in enough heat from the sun for the Earth to be at a perfect temperature, however, a build up of carbon dioxide from sources such as cars, is causing the layers surrounding the Earth to get thicker so more heat is being trapped causing the temperature to rise. Temperature rise will cause polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to increase causing flooding, storms and hurricanes, resulting in loss of human life. Christianitys teachings on humanitys responsibility for the environment seem to be having little effect as the world is facing huge problems. The Christian story of creation can be found in the first two chapters of Genesis, in the Bible. These chapters describe how God created the Earth, from nothing, in 7 days, and it was on the 7th day that he rested. After creating the Earth, the sky, the seas and plants, God made birds and fish on the fifth day and animals and humans on the sixth day So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) Although the Bible often gives more than one opinion on some subjects it is clear when it comes to expressing the view that God created the world. The Bible teaches that the Universe is Gods creation, not an accident, and that it is filled with meaning and purpose. The Old Testament, in particular, reflects these ideas. O Lord our God, your greatness is seen in all the worldWhen I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and stars which you have set in their places ( Psalm 8:1,3) And again in Psalm: In his hands are the depths of the depths of Earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is His, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. (Psalm 95; 3- 6) It can be seen therefore, that the Psalm teaches that God made the Earth but the people have the task to keep it how it was created. Despite the New Testament not giving the same emphasis to God creating the world, it still shows that he did. Look at the birds in the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them. (Matthew 6: 26) Christianity teaches that Christians, as stewards, have the responsibility to look after the Earth because God put people in charge of the world. A steward is someone who takes care of things and is responsible when things go wrong. Therefore, Christians have the job of caring for the planet and they should try to put things right when they go wrong. The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis acts a reminder to Christians that humanity has been given the role of stewards. In the story of Adam and Eve God provided a perfect environment for them but it was their responsibility of taking care of it. Then the lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. (Genesis 2:15) When Adam and Eve disobeyed Gods orders and they ate the fruit on the tree of knowledge, they were banished from the garden. The story of Adam and Eve is often compared with todays situation; people are abusing the resources given to them by God. In the Bible it says And God saw it was good (Genesis 1:1) This suggests that when the world was created by God it was perfect so clearly todays problems have been caused by human activity and their disregard for the planet. There is Biblical evidence to show that humans were asked to take care of the planet. For example, in the Old Testament after crops had been harvested the fields were allowed to rest for a certain period of time so that the soil could replenish itself. They Jews were also told not to destroy trees when attacking a city. When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them?'(Deuteronomy 20:19) Pope John Paul II said this Look to the future with hope and set out with renewed vigour to make this new millennium a time of solidarity and peace, of love for life and respect for Gods creation. The Assisi Declaration was made on the 29th September 1986 when Christian leaders joined leaders from the other 5 major world religions, in Assisi, to declare their promise for nature. The meeting was held in Assisi in honour of St. Francis, who lived there in the 13th century, because he preached about conservation and described all creatures as his brothers and sisters. The Declaration on Nature, Assisi, (1986) said: Christians repudiate all ill-considered exploitation of nature which threatens to destroy it and, in turn, to make man the victim of degradation. This shows that some Christians do want to take care of the world and protect it from catastrophe. To conclude, Christians are the Stewards of the world and should take responsibility for their actions because humans have been clearly given this power.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The International Labour Migration Economics Essay

The International Labour Migration Economics Essay There has been considerable debate about the effect of increased labour migration from developing countries to developed nations. Many commentators have argued that such increase in migration is informed by economic factors and that those who migrate from developing countries drain the human capital resources of sending nations which in the long run, negatively affects their economy. On the other hand, other scholars believe that migration helps the economy of developing countries as the incomes they receive by way of remittances contribute significantly to reducing poverty and their gross domestic product [GDP] Moin Siddiqi, 2008]. People migrate for various reasons, which may be as a result of civil wars, unemployment, changes due to the environment, or to improve their standard of living. Sociologists on the other hand, have long analysed migration in terms of the push -pull models (A project of the Levin Institute, n.d, p.8.) The model differentiates between push factors that drive people to leave their home countries from pull factors that attract migrants to other countries or new locations. Migration has always been a dominating fact of our everyday life [Kathleen Beegle and Carlo Azzarri 2004] and mankind has always lived with it even in biblical times. For example, Jacob, the father of Joseph and members of his family left Cannaan for Egypt because of severe famine that swept through the middle-east belt where they lived at that time [The Bible, Genesis: 45]. ii] Outline of the paper In discussing the reasons for migration, the essay will first and foremost attempt to define migration and why it happens by examining push and pull factors which sociologists refer to as the main reasons for migration and their effect on sending nations. The essay will further discuss the empirical effects of migration on sending nations during the last 20 years. iii] Organisation of the essay The essay will be organized around four sections namely: What is migration? Why does it happen? Empirical effects of migration on sending countries. Conclusion Section 1 1.0 What is migration? Migration is the movement of persons from one country or location to another. Migration is common to all living creatures and it is often done for survival and economic reasons by those seeking to migrate. For example, some birds migrate according to W. Alice Boyle and Courtney J. Conway in the report of their research findings, explained that it is not just whether you eat insects, termites, nectar or candy bars or where you eat them, it matters how reliable that food source is from day to day. In the case of humans, the World Bank estimates that there are currently 200 million people living in countries where they were not born [Russel, nd] The global mobility of skilled workers has increased in recent years according to the report due to the expansion of the knowledge economy, the progressive globalization of markets and companies, the growing demand for scarce skills and wider political and economic issues. This increase in global mobility is a practical reality of the inter-inde pendence that affects us all and is not necessarily a problem except where critical skills needed by source countries are lost and are not readily replaced; a brain drain [Myburgh, 2002]. 1.1 Migration Barriers Migrations come in legal and illegal forms and while countries seek and promote integrated markets through liberalization of trade and investment, they have largely resisted liberalizing migration policies. Many countries have extensive legal barriers preventing foreigners from entering for purposes of seeking work or residency according to World Bank in its report Globalisation, Growth, and Poverty. In fact, immigration policies across the world are getting tighter as governments attempt to limit the economic, cultural and security impact of large movement of people from one country to another. Despite the reluctance of governments to liberalise immigration policy, the number of people living outside their country of origin is rising. (A project of the Levin Institute, n.d, p.2). According to the 2010 United Nations Human Development Report, migrants account for approximately 3.1 percent of the world population [as of 2010]. Section 2 2.0 Why people migrate A poll conducted by Gallup Polls across 82 countries revealed that more than one in four participants displayed a desire to move abroad. The figure when put together, represents a median of about 26 percent. In certain countries, such as Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria, more than half of participants surveyed said they wanted to emigrate. On the lower end, participants in Thailand [8%], Australia [8%], and Saudi Arabia [1%] displayed nearly no desire to emigrate [A project of the Levin Institute, n.d, p.2]. People migrate for various reasons, bringing back what I said earlier when I mentioned a few reasons, which may be as a result of civil wars, unemployment, environmental or climatic changes or to improve their standard of living. The major two reasons encouraging an individual to migrate can be divided into push or pull factors. The former refers to circumstances which encourage migrants to leave the country of origin while the latter refers to the attraction that make migrants leave for a particular destination country because of the special skills and technical training the migrant possesses which the developed country may be lacking in quantity [Gbemiga Bamidele, 2001 check date]. 2.1 Push Factors Push factors come in many forms. Sometimes these factors leave people with no choice but to leave their country of origin. Following are three examples of push factors that drive people to emigrate from their home country. a] Unemployment/Poverty: Economics provides the main reason behind migration. In fact, according to the International Labour Organization, about half of the total population of current migrants, 100 million women and men migrant workers, have left home to find better job and lifestyle opportunities for their families. In some countries jobs simply do not exist for a great deal of the population. In others, the gap between the rewards of labor in the sending and receiving country are great enough so as to warrant a move. The unemployment situation in developing countries is a big problem to youths who have left schools waiting to be engaged in the labour market and the various governments who find it difficult to find a solution to it. In Morocco for example, unemployment which represented less than 17% of the economic causes of emigration before 1960, far behind the search for a more lucrative work [50%] or the improvement of the living standard [25%] became the principal economic cause of emigration in the 90s. According to the data collected by Hamdrouch [2000], 41% of answers ? indicate unemployment as the first cause of emigration whereas the search for a more lucrative work and the improvement of the standard of living represent 38% and 14% respectively as the reasons for emigration [Fida Karam, Bernard Decaluwe, 2007]. In Kenya, it is reported that people are unable to contribute to the economic growth, not because they are weak, but because they are unable due to lack of jobs. Those who are qualified, willing and dedicated are unable to secure themselves a job. Another reason for unemployment is the low education level of a large percentage of the population. Because they lack the technical knowledge and cannot specialize in carrying out roles in factories they, for example, are unable to secure a job. Another is the high population growth rate which also is a major factor that has made Kenya not to secure jobs because of the high competition and fewer jobs [Patrick Kioko Katli, 2000à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.?]. In Nigeria, the two decades of economic stagnation and micro-economic instability, corruption and poor resource management, most Nigerians especially young people consider migration as a panacea to economic problems. In recent years, there has been unprecedented rate of rural-urban migration and emigration into other countries of Africa, Europe and America. For example, due to migration and subsequent urban growth, Lagos a city in Nigeria, which did not appear in the list of fifteen largest cities in 1950, occupied the fifteenth position in 1955 and is expected to jump to number three position in 2015 with over 24 million inhabitants [Toredo, 1997]. As regards movement outside Nigeria, there has been a remarkable increase in emigration to Europe, North America, the Middle East and South Africa from the 1980s following economic down-turn, introduction of liberalisation measures and emergence of repressive military dictatorship [Adedokun, 2003]. Thousands of professionals, especially s cientists, academics, and those in the medical fields have emigrated mainly to Western Europe, the United States of America and the Persian Gulf States. At the same time, unskilled Nigerians with little education have gone abroad to work as street cleaners, security guards, taxi drivers and factory hands. In Southern Nigeria, for example, between 50 and 80 percent of households have at least one migrant member [Bah et al, 2003]. Migration is considered essential to achieving success and young men who do not migrate or commute to town or abroad are often labelled as idle and may become object of ridicule. India has recently experienced a surge in emigration due to a combination of these factors. Indias unemployed have never been properly estimated, but they could total 100 million, with a further annual job loss rate of around 10 million as the global recession continues to take its toll on the Indian economy. [Globalisation]. The number of skilled workers coming out of Indian universities has never been higher. Meanwhile, the number of domestic jobs available to them is minimal. Only about 0.7m jobs a year have been created in the past few years, most of them in the public sector. This will not keep skilled workers in the country. Many instead go to the United States, where their skills and their lower wage demands are sought after by high-tech companies. In fact, about 40 percent of recent immigrants from India to the U.S. have been accepted due to employment based preferences, thus showing the high degree of American corporations demand for Indian skilled labor. As the population g rows at 20 million per year, and more and more students graduate from technical universities, India may experience a great deal more emigration. b] Civil Strife/ War/ Political and Religious Persecution People also migrate to avoid civil strife, war, political and religious persecution in their own country. For example, when there was widespread political unrest in Albania which eventually led to war in 1999, there was mass exodus of people from the country, which by 2001 had led to one sixth, possibly even one fifth of the countrys population leaving abroad. Initially, people left by sea to Italy and move to other European destinations, including the UK. [Eugenia Markovaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.]

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Macroeconomics Coursework :: Economics

It is the role of every government to safeguard its people in all matters including controlling the economy. Every economy faces different challenges including the business cycles that may emanate from the global market. In this paper we try to examine measures taken by the UK’s coalition government in trying to ensure that the economy benefits every citizen and reduces the overall burden to it. We consider the recent comprehensive review on spending. Many countries in the world have been suffering a recession in their economies and UK has not been an exception. A recession is a macroeconomic term describing one of the two business cycles that economies go through. The business cycles is characterized by either a boom where there are more business activities carried with a rapid economic growth and points of recession where there is retardation min economic growth. Various aspects and factors contribute to economic growth, which is measured through GDP. This factor may include savings, investments government spending plus other factors within either an increase or a decrease. Reduction in spending may lead to a recession while a n increase in spending may lead to expansion that is a boom in the economy. According to Maynard, John (1930), various measured may be taken by government in order to improve the state of the economy and probably move the economy from a recession or even speed this process. Various players can play a role in improving the economic though as Keynesian theory explains the government plays a great role in this compared to other players like the private sector. The government can therefore use various measures through its budgeting policies, fiscal policies and monetary policies by the Central Bank. It’s on this basis that the UK coalition government has proposed slashing of its budget to reduce the overall spending in the economy. Taxpayer isn't a â€Å"first-time homebuyer† with respect to that purchasing a new home unless he or she delays the purchase until the three-year period since his previous home ownership has ended. An individual whose principal residence is in rented quarters (and has been for at least three years) but who owns a vacation home can qualify as a first-time homeowner, because he has had no ownership interest in his principal residence. The Committee Report adds that the individual must not have had an ownership interest in a principle residence in the UK during the three-year period before the purchase of the home to which the credit applies.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Legalization of Medicinal Marijuana Essay -- medical cannabis should be

In the U.S., cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana, is illegal for medicinal purposes only because the federal law places it in Schedule I, a category for drugs that have been deemed unsafe, highly subject to abuse, and possessing no medicinal value. After much scientific research, and investigations of evidence, this has been proven to be quite inaccurate. First of all, Judge Francis L. Young, concluded not only that marijuana’s medical utility had been adequately demonstrated, but also that marijuana had been shown to be â€Å"one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man† (â€Å"Medical Marijuana Briefing..). He also ruled that marijuana has legitimate medical applications and should be available to doctors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only eight people today receive marijuana through a federal â€Å"compassionate use† program which stopped admitting new patients in 1992, after the number of applications, mostly from AIDS patients, increased dramatically. Young also ruled that â€Å"†¦the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act permit and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II† (â€Å"Medical Marijuana Briefing†¦). As a Schedule II drug, marijuana would be allowed to be prescribed to patients by physicians, but only under highly regulated conditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. No one has ever died from an overdose, and it has a wide variety of therapeutic applications s...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Child Labour Problem In India

After independence Child labour is a major problem in India. The major determinate child labour is Poverty. Even though children are paid less then adults, what ever income they earn is of benefit to poor families. India has the largest number of children employed than any other country in the world. According to the statistics provided by the Govt. f India around 90 million out of 179 million children in the six to 14 age groups do not go to school and are engaged in some occupation or other works. This means 50% of children are deprived of their right to a free and happy childhood. Unofficially, this figure exceeds 100 million but the fact that a large number of children are works without wages in field or in cottage alongside their parents, unreported by census, makes it very difficult to estimate accurately. However, it is estimated that if there working children constituted a country it would be the 11th largest country in the world. A large number of children work in a cottage industries, matches, firecrackers, bidis, brassware, diamond, aluminum industries, glass, hosiery, hand loomed cloth, embroidery, leather goods, plastic bangles, mica mines, coal mines, hotels, rickshaw puller, local liquor industry, auto shop, vegetable shop Brick in and sporting goods. The highest numbers of children are found in agricultural sector. Poverty has often been cited as the reason for child labour problem in India while it is true that the poorest, most disadvantaged sector of Indian Society supply the vast majority of child labourers, child labour actually creates an perpetuates poverty as it displaces adults from their jobs and also condemns the child to a life of unskilled badly paid work.

Monday, September 16, 2019

An Ethical View Essay

Moral and ethical viewpoints are often shaped and molded by your society; learning to respect others, tolerance, my family, church, co-workers, past and present life experiences has influenced my moral and ethical viewpoints. Knowing right from wrong and how to treat others has been the †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.in this process. I. Influences on My Moral and Ethical Development A. My family/environment (Moral development) 1. Tolerance 2. Forgiveness and being honest B. Ethical development (Church/work) 1. topic/idea for paper 2. topic/idea for paper II. Experiences that Contributed to My Personal and Professional Development A. Life and Death 1. Marriage at an early age 2. Life experiences/lessons (murder of my spouse, single parent, setbacks,) B. Professional Development 1. School/instructors 2. Co-workers 3. past employment experiences This paper will display a brief synopsis of the elements that has influenced my moral and ethical development as well as, discuss counseling issues and the ethical codes used to resolve the issues, and I will explain how I have changed because of my work in this class. I developed a true sense of right and wrong at an early age, as a kid I was very adventurous and would do things just to see how far my parents, grandparents, or aunts/ uncles would allow me to go before chastisement came into play. I remember one incident as if it was yesterday, when I was seven I would watch one of my eldest aunts obtain a cigarette from the package (Virginia Slims), her lighter, light her cigarette, and began to smoke it; she would make smoke rings for me. One day I decided that I would mimic my aunt’s actions and smoke a cigarette, my grandmother caught me smoking the cigarette. She did not spank me as I thought that would have been a fair form of disciplinary resolution for my actions, she wanted me to know just how unhealthy smoking cigarettes was for me so, she made me call my mother and father, aunts, uncles, and cousins and tell them what I had done. From that moment until now I have never touched another cigarette and that’s when the real less ons of what was right and wrong began. Being the eldest of five children born to a single parent mother I learned at an early age about charity and helping those in need; my mother taught me about sacrifice at an early age even though I did not understand it then I have a firm grasp on the concept of sacrifice in my adult life. Growing up in my grandparentsgrandparents’ home I did not understand what beingthe definition of poverty or what being poor really meant because my grandparents were always so eager to feed everyone in the community, it wasn’t until my mother decided that she did not want to live under my grandparents roof and abide by their rules was when the knowledge of poverty settled in; my grandparents were very active in their Christian faith, they believed that God blessed you so, you should be a blessing to others and they always welcomed the needy into their home to share our meals on a consistent basis. My family being my environment has taught me the basics about morals and values; Kohlber g’s Moral Development stages Stage 1 = infancy—the child’s only sense of right and wrong is what feels good or bad; Stage 2 = toddler years—the child learns â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† from what she or he is told by others; Stage 3 = preschool years—the child begins to internalize family values as his or her own, and begins to perceive the consequences of his or her behavior; Stage 4 = ages 7-10 years—the child begins to question the infallibility of parents, teachers, and other adults, and develops a strong sense of â€Å"should† and â€Å"should not† Stage 5 = preteen and teenage years—peers, rather than adults, become of ultimate importance to the child, who begins to try on different values systems to see which fits best; teens also become more aware of and concerned with the larger society, and begin to reason more abstractly about â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong.† Read more: Moral Development – STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT – Lawrence Kohlberg, Mean Example, Morality, and Social – JRank Articles http://psychology.jrank.org/pages/431/Moral-Development.html#ixzz2R8sxnA1w III. Experiences that Contributed to My Personal and Professional Development C. Life and Death 1. Marriage at an early age 2. Life experiences/lessons (murder of my spouse, single parent, setbacks,) D. Professional Development 1. School/instructors 2. Co-workers 3. Pastpast employment experiences For this application, you were asked to develop an outline for the final project. There were four topics that you were to consider, including influences on your moral and ethical development; experiences that contributed to your personal and professional development; legal and ethical issues in counseling; and reflection. Nice job giving thought to these areas. Looks like you have some thoughts for your final project. Looking forward to a little more detail on your next submission and looking forward to reading your final project! In order to understand clearly where you are headed, you must also evaluate where you have been and what has influenced you along the way. It is important to reflect critically upon your own values (and sense of personal/professional ethics) and how you developed these perspectives in order to develop an ethical framework. To help accomplish this goal, the Final Project for this course is an Ethical Autobiography in which you will explore various elements o f your life experiences that might influence your future ethical framework. As you reflect on your journey through this class, some of the course readings may have informed your Ethical Autobiography. You can also make use of outside resources, but much of the paper will be exploring what you bring to the profession and events that may have influenced your ethical lens. This reflective autobiography should have personal meaning to you and should help you understand what being an ethical practitioner means. In this sense, you are writing an intellectual and Ethical Autobiography, that is, who you are as virtue of what you believe, what you do, and what you have read. Think broadly—there are no wrong answers; you are exploring your own world Some examples of questions/issues that you can address: †¢ You may share how you developed a sense of right and wrong. †¢ Who/what influenced your moral and ethical development? †¢ What experiences contributed to your personal and professional beliefs? Are your personal and professional beliefs congruent? †¢ What is your idea of right and wrong? Are there absolutes or are there shades of gray? Do the same guidelines apply in all circumstances? †¢ What are some of your basic values that guide your work and your life? What experiences have potentially influenced your decision making? †¢ What aspects of your personality and work ethic are most compatible with the counseling field? Which aspects are the least compatible? †¢ Was there a time, in your personal or professional life, when you felt that your confidentiality was violated, that you were involved in a dual relationship in which you felt uncomfortable, or perhaps an issue resonated unexpectedly with you (e.g., transference)? Essential Elements (You m ust address the points outlined below in your Final Project.): †¢ Select four counseling issues, describe these issues, and explain potential ethical challenges for addressing these issues in your professional practice. †¢ Explain state or region laws or statutes that might apply to these ethical challenges. †¢ Reference specific codes of ethics that you ascribe to for your practice and how adhering to ethics and law present challenges for addressing these issues you selected. †¢ Explain why this Assignment is meaningful to you. †¢ Describe how adhering to ethics and law for professional counseling practice might influence social change. †¢ Finally, explain how you have changed because of your work in this class. Describe personal and ethical values you have reexamined because of your work in this course. You should present your Final Project as a 12- to 15-page (including cover page, abstract, and references—therefore, approximately 10–12 pages of text), double-spaced, APA-formatted paper. Papers can be longeriflonger if the purpose of the paper is served, but the quality ofideasof ideas and conciseness of the writing should justify the extra length. Also, please proofread yourpapersyour papers to make sure that grammar, punctuation, and other mistakes do not hinder thecommunicationthe communication of your ideas. This paper will display a brief synopsis of the elements that has influenced my moral and ethical development as well as, discuss counseling issues and the ethical codes us ed to resolve the issues, and I will explain how I have changed because of my work in this class. I developed a true sense of right and wrong at an early age, as a kid I was very adventurous and would do things just to see how far my parents, grandparents, or aunts/ uncles would allow me to go before chastisement came into play. I remember one incident as if it was yesterday, when I was seven I would watch one of my eldest aunts obtain a cigarette from the package (Virginia Slims), her lighter, light her cigarette, and began to smoke it; she would make smoke rings for me. One day I decided that I would mimic my aunt’s actions and smoke a cigarette, my grandmother caught me smoking the cigarette. She did not spank me as I thought that would have been a fair form of disciplinary resolution for my actions, she wanted me to know just how unhealthy smoking cigarettes was for me so, she made me call my mother and father, aunts, uncles, and cousins and tell them what I had done. From that moment until now I have never touched another cigarette and that’s when the real less ons of what was right and wrong began. Being the eldest of five children born to a single parent mother I learned at an early age about charity and helping those in need; my mother taught me about sacrifice at an early age even though I did not understand it then I have a firm grasp on the concept of sacrifice in my adult life. Growing up in my grandparents’ home I did not understand the definition of poverty or what being poor really meant because my grandparents were always so eager to feed everyone in the community, it wasn’t until my mother decided that she did not want to live under my grandparents roof and abide by their rules was when the knowledge of poverty settled in; my grandparents were very active in their Christian faith, they believed that God blessed you so, you should be a blessing to others and they always welcomed the needy into their home to share our meals on a consistent basis. My family being my environment has taught me the basics about morals and values; Kohlberg’s Moral Devel opment stages Stage 1 = infancy—the child’s only sense of right and wrong is what feels good or bad; Stage 2 = toddler years—the child learns â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† from what she or he is told by others; Stage 3 = preschool years—the child begins to internalize family values as his or her own, and begins to perceive the consequences of his or her behavior; Stage 4 = ages 7-10 years—the child begins to question the infallibility of parents, teachers, and other adults, and develops a strong sense of â€Å"should† and â€Å"should not† Stage 5 = preteen and teenage years—peers, rather than adults, become of ultimate importance to the child, who begins to try on different values systems to see which fits best; teens also become more aware of and concerned with the larger society, and begin to reason more abstractly about â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong.† Read more: Moral Development – STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT – Lawrence Kohlberg, Mean Example, Morality, and Social – JRank Articles http://psychology.jrank.org/pages/431/Moral-Development.html#ixzz2R8sxnA1w Counseling Issues Duty to ‘Warn and Protect’ not in Texas is one counseling issue that I am concerned about; what concerns me the most about this statue is According to the Texas Laws mental health counselors do not have a duty to warn nor protect third parties or intended victims once a client has made specific threats to harm the individual. This law was designed to protect mental health counselors from being responsible for notifying anyone of intended harm. â€Å"The statue classifies communications between a mental health professional(s) and their client(s) as confidential and prohibits mental-health professionals from disclosing them to the third party unless an exception applies.† (FN17)(Texas Supreme Court, 1999). The exceptions to the law are: â€Å"reporting child abuse or neglect, reporting HIV status to a spouse, medical personnel, or law enforcement, and report imminent danger to police officer if the client poses a threat to him/herself or others.† (The Family Code, section 261.101(a-c) (Texas Supreme Court, 1999). In the case Thapar v. Zezulka, rendered by the Texas Supreme Court in 1999, stipulated that mental health providers do not incur a duty to warn and protect (Dalrymple, 1999; Grinfeld, 1999; Texas Supreme Court, 1999). Specifically, the opinion written for a unanimous court by Justice Craig T. Enoch stated that, â€Å"we refrain from imposing on mental health professionals a duty to warn third parties of a patient’s threats† (FN1) (Texas Supreme Court, 1999). By implementing several of the Ethical Decision Models (Rational Model, Collaborative Model, and Integrative Model), I believe a peaceful resolution can be accomplished when a counselor is faced with t he ethical decision of whether to inform a third party that intended harm has been conveyed. Although the law in Texas states, â€Å"we as counselors are not obligated to warn nor protect a third party,† we can always defer to The Code of Ethics (2005) which states, â€Å"A.1.a. Primary Responsibility: The primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity and to promote the welfare of clients. B.1.c. Respect for Confidentiality: Counselors do not share confidential information without client consent or without sound legal or ethical justification. B.2.a. Danger and Legal Requirements: The general requirement that counselors keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is required to protect clients or identified others from serious harm.† (ACA Code of Ethics, 2005). Implementing an EDM, making reference to the ACA code of ethics, and consulting with a supervisor/colleagues will help the make a sound and ethical decision whether to warn or p rotect. Although the law in Texas states, â€Å"we as counselors are not obligated to warn nor protect a third party,† we can always defer to The Code of Ethics (2005) which states, â€Å"A.1.a. Primary Responsibility: The primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity and to promote the welfare of clients. B.1.c. Respect for Confidentiality: Counselors do not share confidential information without client consent or without sound legal or ethical justification. B.2.a. Danger and Legal Requirements: The general requirement that counselors keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is required to protect clients or identified others from serious harm.† (ACA Code of Ethics, 2005). Implementing an EDM, making reference to the ACA code of ethics, and consulting with a supervisor/colleagues will help the make a sound and ethical decision whether to warn or protect. Client confidentiality is another issue that I think would pose a problem for me as a counselor, upon reading the landmark case â€Å"United States of America, Plaintiff v. Robert Allen Romo (2005).† â€Å"This case arises out of a confession Romo made during a meeting with Donald LaPlante, the Program Director at the Dawson County Adult Correction and Detention Facility where Romo was incarcerated.   LaPlante is a licensed professional counselor whose job included providing inmates with psychological counseling and a host of other duties, ranging from arranging social events to providing classes and acting as a case manager.   Before the meeting that sparked the chain of events leading to Romo’s conviction, LaPlante had provided Romo with mental health treatment during voluntary counseling sessions.† (United States of America, Plaintiff v. Robert Allen Romo (2005) I realized that it does matter to clients if you discuss with them informed consent a nd confidentiality they can still file some sort of legal litigation against the counselor if they felt like the counselor violated any of their rights. Non-sexual relationship is one boundary issue I can foresee (providing counseling services to family members), pg 210. Counseling minors One ethical and legal challenge I think would be an issue for me is confidentiality; â€Å"knowing when and with whom to share the information the minor has shared in the counseling session.† Once you have built a rapport with the client you do not want to betray the trust of the client. The second issue would be parental rights and making sure the counselors has the client’s best interest at hand; when counseling minor clients it is best to make sure everything is explained on the first visit and that both the parent/legal guardian and client understands the details of the informed consent form. Since the laws vary from state to state, I know it would be beneficial for me as a counselor to use the following ACA Codes of Ethics to handle such issues: B.5.b.(Responsibility to Parents and Legal Guardians) states, â€Å" Counselors inform parents and legal guardians about the role of counselors and the confidential nature of the counseling relationship. Counselors are sensitive to the cultural diversity of families and respect the inherent rights and responsibilities of parents and guardians over the welfare of their children/charges according to the law. Counselors work to establish, as appropriate, collaborative relationships with parents/guardians to best serve the client.† (ACA Ethical Standards Casebook, 2006, p.35) B.5.c. (Release of Confidential Information) â€Å"When counseling minor clients counselors seek permission from an appropriate third party to disclose information. In such instances, counselors inform clients consistent with their level of understanding and take culturally appropriate measures to safeguard client confidentiality.† (ACA Ethical Standards Casebook, 2006, p.35) View as multi-pages

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Improving Organizational Retention Essay

As an independent consultant hired to improve retention issues at JC’s Casino concerning dealers and housekeeping I will look at this as two separate entities. The casino owner needs the quickest fix possible and I must look at the area first causing the most issues with the customers. Though there is a fast turnover of dealers there are enough employees to cover this area for the time being. The first issue is the housekeeping staff because it is causing customers to have to wait on their rooms until six in the evening. This can cause loss of revenue by customers moving to other casino hotels where they can check in at a reasonable time and this in turn could cause loss of revenue at the gambling tables. The first person I will meet with is the HR director, Tom Sneed, to see how the company process of hiring is done and if there is a job analysis directive with requirements and training procedures in place. Tom Sneed said applicants are sent through the local unemployment office, and apply through newspaper ads. The job application is a standard application with previous jobs, history, and education. The applications are passed to Andrew Keen for approval or disapproval. There is a job analysis in place for requirements from bending and lifting, to chemicals used in the cleaning process, and training videos. Each floor has carts set up to cover all the required products for each room; this is checked by the director of housekeeping each day and refilled as needed. All products are on carts, including boxes of gloves for protection for the housekeepers. As the director of housekeeping, Andrew Keen is responsible for staffing, scheduling the employees, keeping the housekeeping budget in check, keeping up with new policies, and initiating the new policies (Education Portal, 2012). As there has been a tremendous staffing issue with absenteeism and high turnovers, we need to see where the shortcomings are in this department. Keen does not think there are any issues within the company for the position, but that it is just hard to find good help. The hotel consists of 15 floors with 20 rooms on each floor except the top floor, which has eight suites. Each floor has two housekeepers per floor with each employee required to clean up to 10 rooms a day on his or her shifts if the hotel is full. The top floor employees are required to clean up to four suites a day on their shift. I introduce myself to the employees who are working and ask for a list of those who are not in for the day. I call all the employees off for the day to come in and request the employees who are at work to stay after for a meeting when they are done with their shift. I am setting up food trays and drinks from the kitchen plus paying them for the time at the meeting. I start out the meeting by explaining who I am, letting them know that any comments made to me about their dissatisfaction in the job is confidential. They will fill out a questionnaire on why they think there is such a huge turnover of employees in housekeeping, what they see as a way to fix it, and any dissatisfaction with the job. I let them know that the questionnaires are for my eyes only and I will assemble a list of issues myself, which I will take to the director of housekeeping and possibly on up the ladder to the owner. Occupational Stressors and Job Satisfaction The immediate items I notice from the questionnaires are extreme dissatisfaction with their supervisor Keehn. The list includes everything from watering down the cleaning supplies so much it does not clean or sanitize properly, to shortages on sheets and towels to scheduling issues. The employees believe that Keehn is trying to keep under budget to make him-self look good. Scheduling issues are not enough hours and refusing to work with anyone on scheduling needs. The 22 employees who were at the meeting said they get into trouble by Keehn if he sees them talking to each other or trying to help someone else get his or her rooms done. Job control stressors can be lack of control over your work, lack of recognition for work done, harassment, lack of respect from supervisors, and isolation from fellow employees to name a few (CWA, 2009). Each of these factors is all stressors with the housekeeping staff. Over all there is very little job satisfaction with the company because of all the negative issues. Those who are here would leave if they found another job with better scheduling and a better supervisor. Several of the employees suggested Rhonda Jordan should be the director of housekeeping. She has been here longer than anyone, knows the ins and outs of the company, always has a kind word, and has good communication skills. Many of the employees go to her for help instead of Keehn. I go back to HR with Tom Sneed and discuss with him the issue of the dealers quitting and look over the exit interviews on those who bothered to do one before they left. Mr. Sneed said that some of the dealers in the step-sons Joe’s pit have walked out during their breaks because of his attitude. He has a tendency to belittle the dealers and make the customers angrier instead of defusing a bad situation. His paperwork is haphazard and the accounting office is always calling him in to explain his paperwork to them. Two Work Motivation Theories The issues with the housekeepers and the dealers both stem from issues with their immediate supervisors. Using the goal-setting theory and reinforcement theory I am in hopes that the casino president will put into effect immediately the outline I have to present to him. The foremost and most important fix needs to be the housekeeping staff so that customers can check in at the normal industry standard time of three in the afternoon instead of six. After talking to Keehn and his denials of the accusations by his underlings and not taking any responsibility for any part of the housekeeping staff leaving, I will suggest that Andrew Keehn be fired and the position offered to Rhonda Jordan, who is an intelligent, warm, and job-oriented person. The employees all look up to her and respect her. Rhonda and I discussed in detail ways to keep the employees they do have and ways to hire and keep new employees. Goal setting will be to replace Keehn with Ms. Jordan, to make sure all cleaning products are up to standard market mixes, to have each cart filled for what each person needs and ready each morning, and to even out scheduling with fairness to each employee. New procedures need to be set in place, employee teamwork will be applauded, and all employees will help each other every day until all can go home at the same time, basically no employee left behind. To further enhance the housekeeping staff to come to work on their scheduled times we will offer a reinforcement of a free meal for a family of four in the hotel restaurant for every 30 days of scheduling each person does not call in and arrives at work on time. Until enough staff is hired all staff employees on the payroll will get an incentive of paid hours off for each room past 10 they clean during a workday. We want the employees here to feel as if they are important to the company by reinforcing the hard work they do. After talking to Joe, the pit boss, he knows that he is not cut out for the job he is in. He has admitted the stress of all the paperwork and the constant spotlight put on him by the customers and dealers is just not for him. He has agreed to go to his stepfather and tell him that he is not satisfied with the position and wants to move to head of security because the head of security is retiring in 30 days. For the employees under Joe who have stayed through his supervising an incentive check of 100 hundred dollars for each month they have been here will be given to them as a thank you and reinforcement to them as employees that they are valued. A new supervisor will be found and put into the position with the abilities to get the job done with good and appropriate communication skills. As a further reinforcement to let employees know they are valued, an employee suggestion box will be hung by the time clock. Counterproductive Employee Behavior The employee behavior is walking out on-the-job, calling in to work, and general turnover of employees which cost time and money to retrain new employees. The outline above will help with employee behavior by putting new supervisors in the positions needed that can act professional, fairly, and treat the employees with respect. Giving the employees incentives will also help with keeping the employees here until all positions and staff are put into place. Conclusion Common job facets include pay, supervision, job conditions, and communication to name a few (Spector, 2012). With this as a prelim, JC’s Casino hopes to fix the issues that are making the employees leave the job by getting better supervisors who are open to ideas from the employees, who show respect to the employees and are not short on praise when employees do a good job. Taking away some of the stressors of the job should help with job retention.

Intercultural Communication in Social Networking Sites Essay

The contemporary society is characterized by influx of various high-end technological devices. Products that offer convenience to people are developed and invented for the benefit of humankind. By the turn of the decade, web browsing or web surfing has been popular and has become the latest trend in gaining and acquiring information. One of the benefits of computers and internet is the inception of fast and convenient form of communication. People communicate to express their feelings and ideas. Communication is defined as the process of transmitting messages and information in an attempt to achieve understanding. The whole process of communication requires various skills such as speaking, listening, analyzing, and evaluating the message. Communication has been a part of the human lifestyle since the early years and takes place communication in various places such as in school, community and in workplace environment. As such, communication is an integral part of the human lifestyle as almost all of human activities require communication. Communication indeed plays a vital role in the society in terms of achieving understanding, harmony, collaboration and cooperation among people (Bergeson, n. d. ). The popularity of computers and internet has allowed various sites to emerge. Different sites that provide different services can be searched in the World Wide Web. One of which is the social networking sites (SNS). Social networking sites play a big role in communication utilizing the computer and the internet. Social networking sites are becoming so popular, especially to students. Almost every student has their personal accounts in various social networking sites in order to connect with their friends. Social networking sites affect the relationships of people as it allows convenient and constant communication with our peers. Social networking sites are so vast and diverse, thus allowing people to meet friends locally and internationally. As such, international students make use of social networking sites to gain more friends back at home and in their present location. In this line, the paper aims to probe into the utilization and influence and of social networking among international students in terms of their acculturation and intercultural communication. This paper will examine how international students make use of social networking sites as a form adaptation to the culture of their host country. Social Networking Sites (SNS) Social Networking entails forming of individuals into specific groups, like in the neighborhood and the cliques in school. However, social networking is also popular online. Unlike the school and the neighborhood which are consisted of only few individuals, the internet is populated with millions of people worldwide who are looking for other internet users to develop friendship and relationship, to acquire first-hand information or to find professional opportunities (What is Social Networking. com, 2009). Social networking sites are so popular in today’s society, thus resulting to the formation of websites serving as an online community of internet users. Depending on the nature of the social networking site, many of these online communities share some commonality such as political views, religion or hobbies. Once a person is granted a personal account in a SNS, he or she can begin to socialize. The socialization in these sites allows a person to view other members’ profile and contact them (What is Social Networking. com, 2009). Some of the most popular social networking sites today are Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Hi5 and Bebo. These sites encourage students to join the online community chat with their friends, organizing outside meetings and acquire information (Thelwall, 2008). Social networking sites have been proven to be an effective way in self-expression and making relationships with other people. The features of the social networking websites allow members to share pictures, files and clips to other members of the online community. The social networking sites help people to find old and new friends and connect with them. One of the benefits of social networking sites is that it updates people about their friends and relatives located in distant places and those whom they have not seen for a long time. It also enables individuals to meet people that share the same interest like theirs (â€Å"Social Networking Sites Commonly Used†, 2009). The diversity of people in the online community allows a person to make friends with people from different country with different ethnicity. The socialization with foreign users will help people to learn few things about the culture and traditions of other people (What is Social Networking. om, 2009). The demand on the social networking sites make these types of sites to grow in numbers. There are also some social networking sites that employ open membership and do not have a specific commonality among their members. This kind of website allows anyone to become a member, regardless of their hobbies, beliefs and views (What is Social Networking. com, 2009). Despite the advantages rendered by the SNS to its members, it also poses some disadvantages. Data phishing, wherein people can obtain personal and important information from another person, is one of the dangers within online communities. In addition, computer viruses can spread through these online communities. Thus, extreme caution is needed in engaging in social networking sites. Security is an important aspect in a social networking site and one of the qualities that the user should find in an online community. SNS should be able to provide options in terms of the security and privacy of the users. They should also provide the service of reporting or blocking of nuisance users. Moreover, a social networking site must be able provide a searching tool for people to find friends and expand relationships (TopTenREVIEWS, 2009). International Students and SNS Many students seek quality and international higher education to foreign countries. The number of non-U. S. students enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States during the 2007-2008 academic year jumped by seven percent with a total of 623,805 students. In today’s competitive global environment, international education has become the latest trend in the society to acquire global competence. According to the data presented by Open Doors, the United States is still the premier destination for international students (Thomas, 2008). In a short span of time, social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become popular by accumulating tens of millions of members that are mostly composed of teenagers, specifically students. International students are also the members of social networking sites. However, international students make use of these sites significantly. One of the uses of social networking sites to international students is to contact friends and relatives from their country of origin and to make new friends in their host country. International students in the United States face a number of challenges in relation to the adjustment to their new cultural environment. They are more likely to experience stress during the process of cross-cultural adaptation, which is referred to as acculturative stress. In a study conducted within a group Chinese international students in a university in the United States, it is found out that students who experienced less acculturative stress are reported to be receiving higher amounts of emotional and informational support from online ethnic social groups. Moreover, international students who have less interpersonal social network tend to receive more emotional and informational support from online groups (Ye, 2004). Online social networking helps international students to cope with their present environment and to make things and situations more tolerable. International students find support and help from other international student members of the online community. Moreover, some international students find friends in their host country to help them adapt more easily in their present cultural environment. This particular action of people is described in a theory in intercultural communication, specifically the cross-cultural adaptation. This theory was developed by Young Kim in 1977. The theory states that â€Å"immigrants and aliens in foreign countries who participated in networks of the host country would be more likely to become acculturated than immigrants who were involved only in immigrant communication networks† (â€Å"Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory†, 2001). This means that international students that participate in the social networking sites and having more friends from their host country are more likely to adapt easily in their environment. Moreover, online communication and interaction with the friends in the host country will help one to learn more about the culture, traditions and language of the cultural environment. The theory further stresses that the immigrants will be more likely to become accustomed to the culture of the host country if they engage or participate in the communication networks rather than not engaging in the networks of the country (â€Å"Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory†, 2001). Communication networks pertain to mass media in the host country. Internet is a form of mass media. If an alien in the country participate in the social networks and interact with people from the host country, they are more likely to acculturate than those who did not choose to engage in such communication networks. Moreover, social networking sites have become the new trend in communication among friends in the country. Thus, interacting and communicating with friends from the host country constantly will help more in using and practicing mastery of their language. Learning the language is one of the difficulties experienced by the international students and because they have difficulty in using the language, they manage poorly in their subjects. Constant communication will help to adapt on the language utilized in one’s present cultural environment. Conclusion Today’s digital society is characterized with the extensive use of computers and the internet. The popularity of internet and web browsing brought about the emergence of various websites offering various information and services. Most significantly, it brought the emergence of the social networking sites that are popular among the youngsters and students. In a short span of time, the demand for social networking site has significantly increased. Students are the main users of social networking sites which provide them with different features that enable students to send and share pictures with other online members. In addition, this has also become the new trend in online communication. International students are constantly arriving at the country in search of higher quality education. The number of international students is increasing in various universities and colleges in the United States. Thus, international students make use of social networking sites significantly in order to allow them to communicate with friends both from their country of origin and host country. Most importantly, social networking sites aid international students to acculturate or adapt more easily to the cultural environment of their host country. Moreover, it helps them to acquire facility on the language used and helps them to communicate with other people interpersonally. Constant communication and interaction with other people from their present cultural environment helps them to adapt on the culture and language of the host country. Personally, I think that social networking sites have revolutionized our relationships with other people. Through the social networking sites, we are updated and informed about our family and friends. Also, we can easily communicate with them even if they are located in distant places. Social networking sites also let people know other people from foreign countries and know about their own culture and language. I think that social networking sites are beneficial to individuals, especially to those who live in a foreign country. They can easily gain knowledge in their present cultural environment if they participate in communication networks like the social networking sites. Moreover, they gain friends and networks that will be an advantage to them as they go through their lives in a foreign land.