Department of Homeland Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Branch of Homeland Security - Research Paper Example The U.S Department of Homeland Security keeps the principles and guidelines passed by the Congress and ordered by the President. The bureau office works under the administration of a Secretary designated by the U.S President.Security was the crucial explanation of building up the U.S Department of Homeland Security. The organization has an extreme vision of ensuring a sheltered, secure, and flexible country that is against fear mongering and other expected perils (Department of Homeland Security 1). Undoubtedly, the office works under three key central ideas of national country security system that incorporate versatility, security, customs, and trade. Besides, the improvement of the office had five particular country security missions that included making sure about and overseeing U.S fringes, upgrading flexibility to debacles, shielding and making sure about the internet, upholding and regulating U.S migration laws just as forestalling fear mongering and upgrading state security (D epartment of Homeland Security 1). The organization guarantees that the entirety of its administrative activities conform to its core values that identify with the insurance of social equality and common freedoms, reconciliation of U.S activities, foundation of alliances and associations, advancement of HR, development, and responsibility to the American residents (Department of Homeland Security 1). The U.S Department of Homeland Security parts characterize how the organization seeks after its mission.The U.S Department of Homeland Security is as of now.

Gender Biasness in School-Free-Samples for Students Myassignment

Question: Talk about the Gender Biasness in School. Answer: Presentation With the difference in sexual orientation standards, an adjustment in the general public is occurring bit by bit. The families and the networks are being influenced by the arrangements of the sexual orientation standards and its effect over the school and different foundations of the state (Hemphill, Schneider, 2013). In this situation, an elementary teacher name Jill was very worried about the effect of sex standards in the tutoring organizations and the manners in which the understudies of those foundations show it. Jill saw that the sexual orientation standards are leaving negative effect on the conduct of the understudies (Smith Sobel, 2014; Manning Butcher, 2013). The instructor additionally saw that the manners in which the distinctions have been drawn among young ladies and young men in regards to the utilizing of book libraries and the PC rooms. Jill in the organization likewise saw that how understudies offending a female colleague for having two guardians of same sex. This was very discourteous for both kid and her folks in this viewpoint (Hemphill, Schneider, 2013). By mentioning such objective facts, it is critical to talk about the different systems and difficulties which could address the issues of the study hall as far as demonstrating appreciation to the understudies and the manners in which kids must comprehend and learn various aptitudes and information to make their perspectives more extensive to grasp the distinctions (Smith Sobel, 2014). Sexual orientation standards: An issue to be tended to From the above related issue, where Jill watched a portion of the grasping circumstances where the sexual orientation hole was set up in schools and teachers likewise attempting to characterize it regarding separating the exercises between the young men and the young ladies (Carpenter, 2013; Ray, 2015). In like manner with the difference in the arrangement of the general public, the understudies need to comprehend the need by making their aptitudes and information different so as to comprehend the qualities and abilities. In this sense, the instructors are expected to assume an indispensable job as far as making understudies persuaded about the progressing circumstances and how they would have the option to address them. Sexual orientation standards are named as a gradually creating idea. This should be very much clarified in the study hall air to cause them to illuminate about the significance of the idea and the manners in which they have to empower them for the future possibilitie s. Sexual orientation standards is an over summed up term which is viewed as possibly great if a kid or a young lady will in general carry on as per the standards of the sex. Sex standards are fundamentally founded on the desires for the general public (Carpenter, 2013; London et al 2012). In this viewpoint, Jill likewise saw something very similar where the young ladies are urged to play with toys and was pushed to the shelf and the young men are urged to learn PCs. The educators are likewise inciting these distinctions in the study hall by following the sexual orientation standards carefully. The essential instructing about the sexual orientation standards are by and large began from the underlying foundations of the family. Kids from their introduction to the world are introduced to the world based on their sex. The biasness takes a solid hold since their introduction to the world through the games, toys and furthermore parental demonstrating (Dury, 2013; London et al 2012). The family shows their kids the realities of the sexual orientation standards where the guys are commonly liable to consolidate them being versatile and solid. The females then again, being fused into believing that they are being caring and excellent. These rulers of qualities may block the chance and improvement of the childs thinking power which step by step prompts rejection and imbalance (Dury 2013). Be that as it may, in the learning condition, an educators instructing capacity leaves an immense effect on the learning of the understudies and it additionally impacts the qualities and aptitudes of their insight. After family, it is the school which thinks of reasonable learning forms so as to connect with the understudies in learning different exercises and aptitudes (Dury, 2013; Carpenter, 2013) It is the obligation of the instructors to offer help to the earth of gaining which ought to be liberated from biasness as far as execution and instructing educational program to the understudies through the method of cooperations or live guides to the classes. Thusly, the understudies in like manner also ready to challenge the sexual orientation disparities anticipate offer advancement to the chances and educators can manufacture a comprehensive learning condition for all the understudies regardless of their sex and their capacity to consider the indecencies of the sex standards. It is r eally an instructor who can fabricate this learning condition in the school (Dury, 2013; Carpenter, 2013). Tending to Gender hole The procedure or the manners by which the male and female understudies construct the gentility and manliness could be additionally separated the sexual orientation. Sexual orientation hole is viewed as essential issues in todays world where the methodology made towards building the standards of instruction, relationship decisions and furthermore the decisions dependent on profession are exposed to the standards of the sex hole or separation (Legewie Diprete, 2012; Meyer, 2015). The female understudies are commonly urged to take humanities or expressions subject and then again, the young men are being urged to accept science and business as their subjects since young men have included them into intuition basically and they can decipher thinking in a progressively intelligent way (Winchester Browning, 2015; London et al 2012). The examinations have likewise discovered that the male understudies from the foundation of the common laborers can communicate their manliness remotely and they typically place their accentuation on their quality and forces. Anyway these understudies are commonly exposed to the less tutoring. In any case, the male understudies having the white collar class foundation, they are now and again self observer and will in general express their conduct which is inverse of the young men who are from the rich class foundation (Legewie Diprete, 2012; MacNell, Driscoll Hunt, 2015). Regarding sexual orientation hole, the teachers or the educators are expected to address these sorts of inconsistencies among the understudies through the down to earth classes appropriately and making them mindful about the issues of the general public (Legewie Diprete, 2012). Sexual orientation hole in the general public is as yet being thought of and with the roper training and comprehension of the mankind by making a comprehensive type of learning instruction for the understudies. Offering appreciation to a similar sex Another most significant worry about the contextual analysis is that about offering appreciation to a similar sex couple and their families. Jill saw that John censured Jane for she is having two moms. This is something genuine which a school needs to deal with. With the changing of the world and the general public, the thinking power about the person is creating and this is ceaselessly developing with time and pace. As needs be, a change notice is likewise coming in the perspectives on the individuals (Heaphy, Smart, Einarsdottir, 2013; London et al 2012) In this regard, the school needs to think of new instruction framework so the kids can stay up with the changing method of reality in the general public. The general public and the family needs to show a kid offering admiration to the couple of a similar sexual orientation and their family (Wilkinson Marett, 2013). A fuse of the new educational program should be finished by the gathering of instructors so as to address these issues and the understudies need to find out about the adjustments in the network. The instructor can embrace down to earth classes for encouraging the understudies about how to speak to them and offer appreciation to everybody (Heaphy, Smart, Einarsdottir, 2013).With the progressions got the network, the relations among people are likewise being modified. It is from now on, huge to change the instilled conviction of the individuals with respect to the current society and for this the understudies who are the foundation of a country can grow further their logical temper and would figure out how to take activities to change the thinking about the world (Heaphy, Smart, Einarsdottir, 2013). Job of Families Families and Parents of the understudies involve a fundamental situation in the understudies life. Also, the achievement of the understudies are relied upon a progressively community oriented and intuitive condition. Families are viewed as having a more extensive structure and the teachers appropriately can give help the understudies in understanding the distinctions in the units of the family and the general public (Schunk, Meece Pintrich, 2012; Barac Biyalistoc, 2012) Children begin understanding the notification from their initial ages. The teachers by seeing these comprehension of the youngsters, both the families and the instructors can think of the techniques and guide the understudies to decipher these distinctions and furthermore the inclinations in a significantly more reasonable and sound way. A kid needs to grow a social personality so as to get fit with the current assorted variety so as to build up a decent association with others in the domain of the general public (Sch unk, Meece Pintrich, 2012; Barac Biyalistoc, 2012). Instructors likewise should assume the liability in building up the language and aptitudes of the youngsters with the goal that they have the ability to decipher their passionate attitude so they can effectively address the biases and imbalance autonomously. Execution of the techniques in homeroom condition The Gayby Project The Gayby venture is one of the toolboxs which focus on the understudies to invite various families. This pack is particular for the understudies of five to six years. The venture likewise targets youngsters to who are being raised by the non-customary families which consolidate a similar sex guardians, single guardians and furthermore the co guardians (Gayby Baby, 2017). The pack is useful for the instructors to create systems so as to offer help to the childrens understanding in these specific territories by having a goal of making a comprehensive conversation in the earth of the school (Gayby

Whats coming up at SIPA COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Whats coming up at SIPA COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog We’re always telling prospective students that one of the advantages of choosing SIPA is that there’s so much to do on the Columbia campus. You could have a different University sponsored academic or social adventure every day of the week!   I decided to be a good graduate student and support my claims with some hard data.   There is way more happening next week than I’ve listed below, but I decided to include one event per day that I might consider attending. I want to point out to you that these were not hard to find. I simply searched my gmail inbox   for “events” and various emails about the following (and more) appeared! (PS. Let us know if you like this post. I would be happy to run one of these every week!) Sunday Columbia Art of Living presents free yoga classes with certified instructors. Open to all levels. They also sponsor meditation workshops and a “Yoga Remix” dance party earlier this semester. To find out more about Columbia Art of Living, click here. Monday “Out with Detectives: Policing Bangkok” Professor Duncan McCargo who will share his recent fieldwork with the Thai police. Lunch will be provided. (Always a plus for us grad students.) Tuesday Learning Lunch with Professor Dirk Solomons, Director of the Program of Humanitarian Affairs. Student can sign up to discuss International Organizations with this world renowned Professor in a casual and intimate setting. You can find out more about Professor Solomons, here. Wednesday Pussy Riot: The Sequel, A witness theater performance by Varvara Faer (Teatr.doc, Moscow) about Pussy Riot, the women punk group now famous for singing the prayer Mother of God, drive Putin away! in a Russian church, and their subsequent prosecution. Ekaterina Samutsevich, one of the members of pussy riot will join the discussion via Skype.   More info here. Thursday Empire of Dogs: Canines, Japan, and the Making of the Modern Imperial World,   A Brown Bag lecture with speaker, Aaron Skabelund, Assistant Professor of History, Brigham Young University Friday Public Health Career Fair and Networking Day with the Mailman School Some employers in attendance include, Deloitte Consulting, Mt.Sinai Hospital and the Department of Public Health. Saturday THATCamp Feminisms East, hosted by Barnard College  An informal, collaborative conference dedicated to exploring innovation in the digital humanities with a focus on feminist interventions.  For more info click here. posted by: Nancy Leeds, SIPA 2nd Year student

Descriptive Essay - Original Writing - 993 Words

â€Å"Hey dad can I ride my bike to Audra’s a house to see if hangout today?†, I asked my dad. â€Å"Sure you can and by the way there s only a few more days left of summer before school starts, but if you re riding your bike you need to wear a helmet.†, my dad replied. â€Å"Ok dad thank you and I promise i ll wear my helmet.†, I told my dad as I walked out of my parents room and running down the stairs. So as I got down stairs I opened the garage, took the lock off my bike, took out my bike, clicked on my helmet that had purple flowers on it, and finally took off to go to audas house. AUdras house from my house is about 3 miles away and it takes about 15 minutes to ride my bike there and about 25 to 30 minutes to walk. As I exit out of my neighborhood I go across the street and turn left from there I just keep going straight. After going straight for a while I take a left into her neighborhood, then knock on her door when i m at her house and she opens the door surprised because she didn t know that I was coming, of course she s going to be surprised. â€Å"Hi Audra can you hang out and we could go to the park or something?†, I asked spontaneously. â€Å"Yeah of course I could hang out but if we go to the park my little brother Brody has to come to is that ok with you?† â€Å" Of course it is shall we all ride bikes?† â€Å" Sure just wait a second and Bo and I will open the garage and get our bikes out.† Now we are at the park playing groundies which is a game that is kind of like tag but theyShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1110 Words   |  5 PagesI don’t know how I got to where I am, but I’m here now, and I have to win if I want to live. I am in a game, and in order to live, I have to escape. That’s the thing, though: I don’t know how to escape. I was running for my life around this old house that looked like it came straight out of a horror movie. I doubled over and held my head in pain as I saw the static, which meant it was coming. I was being chased by what looked like a person but in no way acted like one. Just as it was about to appearRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1102 Words   |  5 PagesIt is on days like this when we stop to think about our life. Small drops of rain begin to dapple the cobblestone pavement as people whip out their umbrellas for cover. I continue sauntering down the busy street, relishing th e feeling of a light shower. Moving with the mass of pedestrians, I stop at a crosswalk where I wait for the stoplight to turn green. A flower shop employee across the street scurries to bring in the numerous bouquets and close the doors as rain starts rolling down the displayRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing914 Words   |  4 PagesDreamy I thought. Standing on the corner is a young guy with a smile. I see him here almost every day, so I linger for a while. He tells me his name, and I tell him mine. I m Ester, what s your name? I enquired. My names David .,He replied. We end up talking for a while and I asked him if he had ever left this city. He tells me of all these stories of the places where he s been, the distant lakes and mountains, and in valleys oh so green. I can see it in his eyes, he really has beenRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing974 Words   |  4 Pages I was used to moving round, having a mother who liked to travel more than making roots was something I had gotten used to. Still, I had never gotten used to the loneliness of an empty house when she was out exploring, or the feeling of leaving behind someone who could have meant something to me. Our most recent move was Oregon. It was pretty, and I didn’t mind it, but it was much different than Florida. Not only was it opposite sides of the country, it felt as if it were opposite worlds. InRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1012 Words   |  5 Pageshave plenty of time in the next month to think about my feeling in regards to Kendrick. I needed to finish up the article and get it off to my editor. I should be able to get it done by tonight and send an email in the morning. I was thinking of writing my next article about the sea life around the Scottish coast. Since our salmon dinner last evening I thought I would do a piece about the commercial salmon farming that began in Scotland in 1969. In 2002 over 145,000 metric tons of farmed AtlanticRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1561 Words   |  7 PagesThere’s something I need to say and what follows may not be something that you’d expect, it won’t be heartening or uplifting. If you remember today, I told you about going somewhere I wanted to go to†¦ I’m not sure if you believed and accepted what I now confess as untrue; it is partly. I needed to pull away emo tionally†¦ from you. You must have had fathomed that some degree of formality had seeped between us. Born of habit, formulaic greetings had become a routine. You presume that I’m a close friendRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1387 Words   |  6 PagesI was wearing a beautiful blue dress with sapphire gems all around the chest area as I entered the ball with Ciel and Sebastian. I took a good look around here, the hallway was lined with gold. There was a servant ready to escort us to the ball room. Hello, come this way. He said, walking forward. Wow, this place is so fancy! I exclaimed, looking around. It s fake gold. Ciel bluntly replied, bringing my hopes down. I sighed. Ciel sounded like he wasn t in a very good mood. Ciel, lightenRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1287 Words   |  6 Pages In the morning, Caireann woke me up. She stood above my bed, shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes, looking at her. Then I looked across the room to her empty bed. Andy s empty bed sat in the corner. I swallowed, climbing out of bed. Sleep well? Caireann asked me, starting out the door. Yeah, I said, going over to our small dresser. I had the bottom two drawers. Andy had the middle two, and Caireann had the top. I pulled open the drawers, pulling on a colorful tank top and a grayRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1345 Words   |  6 PagesLater that night, I was behind the wheel of my G-Wagon with Melissa in the passenger seat. She didn’t feel like driving since she was on the road all day and I understood so I didn’t mind when she asked me to. I had been tight-lipped. She kept eyeballing me as if she detected that something was bothering me but I just kept singing to my India Arie as if I was carefree. â€Å"So are you going to tell me what’s going on or no† Melissa said disrupting my own personal concert. I stopped singing and tookRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1085 Words   |  5 PagesI WAS SITTING IN a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster. It was just after dark. A blustery March wind whipped the steam coming out of the manholes, and people hurried along the sidewalks with their collars turned up. I was stuck in traffic two blocks from the party where I was heading. Mom stood fifteen feet away. She had tied rags around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill and was picking through the trash

Tom Brennan Essay - 1358 Words

The experience of moving into the world can challenge individuals attitudes and beliefs. Into the world explores the aspects of growth, transition and change. The novel The Story of Tom Brennan by J.C Burke explores the different ways individuals grow when they are taken out of their comfort zones and venture into new experiences. This concept is also conveyed within the song Fast Car By Tracy Chapman and the film Charlie st Cloud Directed by Burr Steers. The Story of Tom Brennan follows the lives of the Brennan family after the events of a fatal car accident, it shows how Tom the protagonist struggles to cope with his past, similarly the song Fast Car is a representation of an escape, a women seeking to flee a life she finds†¦show more content†¦Her changing hairstyle is also representative of her fear and difficulty in facing challenges as they lie ahead. The film Charlie st Cloud directed by Burr Steer, deals with a tragedy similar to the catalyst for change found in Bur kes novel. This film explores the perspective if the protagonist Charlie who is involved in a fatal car crash resulting in the death of his younger brother Sam. Gripped by remorse, guilt and fear Charlie abandons his future dreams and becomes the care taker of the waterside cemetery, leaving his friends and future at collage behind. he is tied to the cemetery via the ghostly appearances of his brother Sam, and friends that have ventured into the world and passed away. Charlies fear and withdrawal is evident when the recurring shots of his now abandoned sailing boat is juxtaposed with the possibilities of Charlie changing his life and moving into the world. the boat becomes a symbolic motif for Charlies fear and guilt. Whilst in Burke’s novel the hill becomes a symbolic motive for facing fears and challenges. Facing transitions and dealing with dramatic change has a influencing aspect on family and personal relationships, through the text we see the dynamics of relationships and roles of family shift to meet the needs of each individual as they face the challenge of moving in to the world before them. the manner in which the various members of the Brennan family relate to each other, as well as the horribleShow MoreRelatedEssay Tom Brennan762 Words   |  4 PagesIN THIS STORY? Daniel Brennan is the main character of the story, Tom Brennan. He plays an 18 year old son, who makes a decision that completely ruins his life and his reputation. Before the accident, Daniel had the dream life any teenage boy could ever want. He was five-eight and his brother Tom was half-back, they worked as a team. All that is over now. The story begins with the Brennans fleeing town. They packed all their belongings and left. They wereRead MoreEssay on Story of Tom Brennan Quotes1590 Words   |  7 Pages‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ Melany Rooney Prologue ‘In a couple of hours they would wake up and find us gone, far away, so as not to remind them of their pain and what our family now meant to this town’ (p. 2) The novel begins with a journey, both physical and emotional; the Brennans are physically moving houses and towns, but also moving into new, unfamiliar territory. The leaving of ‘home’ is synonymous with the leaving of what id known, familiar and comfortable, in a literal and metaphoricalRead MoreDigital Fabrications Architectural And Material Techniques1683 Words   |  7 Pagesincorporate complex double-curved geometries. Before the work presented in this book can be discussed further, it is important to have background information on the two techniques and main modes of 3d modeling that will be referred to throughout the essay. Tessellation and contouring are not novel techniques; they’ve been around for hundreds of years but their implementation in design was previously limited due to the fact that tessellated and contoured projects were hand crafted, labor intensive, andRead MoreMalpractice And Malpractice Of A Healthcare Organization3172 Words   |  13 Pagesmalpractice in a healthcare organization. It will try explain how negligence and malpractice drive up the cost of healthcare and how there has been a clamor tort reform, what would be the content of the reform and the expected outcome. Lastly the essay would prove to us that there is no indication since tort reform has been implemented, that points to a reduction in the cost of healthcare and the cost of running a healthcare organizat ion in relation to paying high malpractice insurance. â€Æ' TORTRead MoreSolution Manual, Test Bank and Instructor Manuals34836 Words   |  140 PagesWebsite_Alvin C. Burns,Ronald F. 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Brain control Free Essays

The brain controls all aspects of our functioning, from the moment we were conceived until the last of our breath. Much of what we do is not a result of just one action or function of the brain but a series of simultaneous processes that all work at the same time to be able to accomplish a task. In this particular scenario wherein an individual, like myself for example, is in the middle of a room and has a table and two different colored balls, red on the left side and green on the right, is asked by another person to pick up the ball placed on the left side with my left hand. We will write a custom essay sample on Brain control or any similar topic only for you Order Now After which the instructor, which is behind the table asks what color is the ball that I picked. In accomplishing the aforementioned tasks, my brain will go through several processes that might seem insignificant when looked at in real time due to the immediate and rapidly firing neurons happening in an instant that we are not even aware that these minute details are happening. I am in the middle of the room; I know where my position is. Being aware of one’s position also requires that the brain recognize where I am. The parietal lobe of the cerebrum is responsible for orientation and movement (Serendip). This part of the brain will be able to tell me that I am in the middle because one of its functions is to construct a spatial coordinate system to represent the area where I am to be found. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain that is thought to control higher brain function like that of thought and action (Serendip). This information will reach our brain through an ascending pathway. The afferent fibers will travel through the posterior column, like other functions such as sterognosis, graphesthesia, among many others (University of Idaho). The stimulus will travel through the spinal cord and will find itself interpreted in the somatosensory cortex of the parietal lobe (University of Idaho). After interpretation, I will now know my position and where I am. In addition to that, I see where I am. Without seeing my surroundings, I may not be able to actually predict my spatial location, which is the middle of the room. I know that I am in the middle of the room because I see the room and I was able to calculate that my position is in the middle of this big box of a room. This stimulus, particularly the visual one, wherein I was able to see the room and all of its contents, including the table in front of me with the two balls and another person behind the table will be perceived by the visual area of the brain, which is the occipital lobe (Serendip). I can see where the objects are because there are light rays being reflected off them and these rays enter my eyes and pass through my lens. The image that will be projected through my lens will be an inverted version of what I see and this information will be sent to my retina (Montgomery). Inside the retina there are rod and cone cells that will produce signals to be relayed onto the optic nerve and reach the lateral geniculate nucleus (Montgomery). The details of the objects and the person I see in front of my will travel to selected areas of the primary visual cortex and then to other areas of the cortex that would process the global aspects of the objects and the person in front of me like their shape, color, or movement (Montgomery). The person behind the table will ask me to pick up the left ball with my left hand. I will hear his instructions. The temporal lobe of the cerebrum is the one to process the auditory stimuli that I receive as he said in his command. My ears will catch the sound and the auditory nerve will receive the stimuli and bring this to auditory nucleus of thalamus, which is the medial geniculate nucleus (Washington University School of Medicine). This will project to the primary auditory cortex in the temporal lobes. After hearing and processing his command, I will now move my left hand to pick up the left ball. I already know which ball I am to pick up with my left hand as I saw the balls and the table and I interpreted its position relative to mine earlier. Now all I have to do is move my hands and pick it up. The primary motor cortex found in the precentral gyrus, is the area of the cerebrum that will process this movement (Dubuc). First off, I have already signaled my parietal and frontal lobes to alert my attentiveness in processing his command. Once I know that it is my left hand, which should pick the ball and not my right hand, I can tell my left hand to move already and this involves activation of the supplementary and premotor cortical areas and the application of these information from subcortical structures to the primary motor complex (Dubuc). A closer look at how this happens is through the passing of the stimulus to the corticospinal tract. The corticospinal tract is responsible for stimulating motor neurons located in the spinal cord that are responsible for movement of the axial muscles of body in addition to the arms and legs (Dubuc). The lateral system pathway is followed to produce this movement and the pathway involves passing through the fibers of the lateral corticospinal tract continuing onto the spinal cord before reaching the motor neurons (Dubuc). However, a unique process is occurring in the junction between the medulla and the spinal cord. Fibers coming from the lateral corticospinal tract cross the midline before continuing their way onto the opposite side of the spinal cord, and is called decussation (Dubuc). The cerebellum also plays a role in movement. The learned movement sequences are stored in the cerebellum, in addition to the coordination of movements and its fine-tuning, avoiding clumsy and large movements (Dubuc). This will help me know how to actually move my left hand and to avoid unnecessary movements. As I am now moving my left hand to reach the left ball, I know from my long-term memory what a ball is and what it looks like. I also know from memory which is left and which is right. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that is known to store our long-term memory. After knowing what a ball is and which is left and which is right, these information will be transferred from our short-term memory to our long-term memory. Information that we need to summon up every time is considered to be categorized as a long-term memory such as names, dates, colors, among many others. Long-term memory is of three types and color is categorized under semantic memory, that contains facts which we do not need an effort to recall (Aetna, Inc. ). The acquisition of memory happens when we learn the different colors and we learn to distinguish which is the left side from the right. Consolidation of this information will make us remember the colors and directions more. Then when needed, we will be able to easily recall this information. Since I have already identified which is the ball on my left and I have been able to move my left arm now to pick up the left ball, I can answer what color the ball is. According to the information given, the left ball is colored red. I know from my stored long-term memory and from what I see that the ball on the left side is red. Works Cited: Aetna, Inc, â€Å"Memory Loss. † InteliHealth. 2004. InteliHealth. 22 Feb 2009 http://www. intelihealth. com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/31393/31397/347125. html? d=dmtContent. Dubuc, Bruno. â€Å"The Motor Cortex. † The brain. 2001. Canadian Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and addiction. 22 Feb 2009 http://thebrain. mcgill. ca/flash/i/i_06/i_06_cr/i_06_cr_mou/i_06_cr_mou. html. Montgomery, Geoffrey. â€Å"The Visual pathway. † Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 2000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 22 Feb 2009 http://www. hhmi. org/senses/b150. html. Serendip, â€Å"Brain Structures and their Functions. † Brain and behavior. 2005. Serendip. 22 Feb 2009 http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/bb/kinser/Structure1. html. University of Idaho, â€Å"Ascending Pathways. † A self-study module to be used for Med Sci 532. 2004. University of Idaho. 22 Feb 2009 http://www. sci. uidaho. edu/med532pathways/. Washington University School of Medicine, â€Å"AUDITORY AND VESTIBULAR PATHWAYS. † Neuroscience Tutorial. 1997. Washington University School of Medicine. 22 Feb 2009 http://thalamus. wustl. edu/course/audvest. html. How to cite Brain control, Papers

Organizattional Commitment and Communication free essay sample

This paper will focus on the American Red Cross as it relates to organizational commitment and communication. Leadership styles will affect communication in this organization. There are many different sources of power that affects group and organizational communication within the American Red Cross. Many motivational theories can be useful and definitely helpful within the culture of this organization. Communication is one of the key components of these theories. There is a high level of commitment that is necessary in the workforce of the organization, as well as dependence of communication in the organization. All these factors play a key role in the overall influence of group and organizational communication. Organizational Commitment and Communication at American Red Cross According to www. redcross. org, the American Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year. This organization definitely shows a level of organizational commitment. Employees are excited in knowing that the services that the organization delivers are assisting and making lives better each day. The American Red Cross is dedicated in bringing together a distinct group of employees as well as volunteers that reflect the society that is helped, and those who offer their loving support. Organizational commitment and communication in the American Red Cross are determined by many key factors such as: leadership styles, sources of power, organizational culture, motivational theories, and commitment of the workforce. Leadership Styles Leadership involves the process of determining others behavior in order to accomplish a specific goal. Leadership styles may differ based on organizational structure, people, environment, and responsibility (Regan Ghobadian, 2004). The leadership styles that the organization uses tend to be based on the attitudes of the individual about workers, competence, and how to get the task done. There are three main styles of leadership: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire leadership. First, authoritarian leadership involves orders being given to workers informing them of how a job is to be done. Communication is a one way process from leaders to workers. Workers are not involved in decision-making. There seems to be a high level of productivity as long as the leader is present, but fails when the leader is not around (Kuhn Poole, 2006). Second, democratic leadership occurs when the leader discusses things over with the group before any decisions are made. Team input is encouraged. Plans are shared and multiple options are made. In this type of leadership, communication is a two-way process. The productivity is high and does not drop when the leader is absent (Kuhn Poole, 2006). Third, laissez-faire leadership occurs when leaders do not do much in the group. Leaders assist by request. There tends to be a lack of support by the leader toward the group members. A very poor level of communication takes place in this type of leadership. An extremely low level of productivity is present out of all leadership styles (Kuhn Poole, 2006). Power and Sources of Power Power is the qualities that an individual may use to get others to do what must be done or what an individual wants. One reality of power in American Red Cross is that individuals have a need for it. The disputes of power are based on degree and intention; whether an individual has a high or low need of power, and whether the need is more personal or organizational (Alanazi Rodrigues, 2003). The overall reality of power should be wisely accepted because of the importance it plays in enabling an individual to contribute effectively to the organization. The five bases of power are: coercive, legitimate, reward, referent, and expert. First, coercive power lies in the tendency of a manager to force an employee to agree with a request by threat of punishment. This leads to a lack of commitment and general employee withdrawal. Therefore, there is a decrease in the productivity and creativity of the organization (French Raven, 2000). Second, legitimate power lies in confidence among employees that managers have the power to give orders due to his or her position. For example, at the scene of a crime, people tend to agree with orders of police based on confidence of the rights that police have to give orders. At American Red Cross, employees may agree based on legitimate power; however, they may not show a sense of commitment and cooperation. Third, reward power lies on the manager giving an incentive to employees. These incentives can range from money to improved work schedules. One problem associated with incentives for power is the chance that incentives will distract employee’s attention away from their jobs and concentrate their attention on the incentives held before them (Alanazi Rodrigues, 2003). Fourth, referent power lies on employees respect for a manager and their desire to connect with him or her. The manager tends to lead by example. This type of power depends strongly on trust. One common mistake in using this power in cross cultural situations; however, is misunderstanding the way in which employees identify their superiors. Fifth, expert power lies on the belief that employees have a great amount of knowledge and skills. For example, an equipment repair person comes into CEO office to fix a piece of machinery. No doubt exists that the CEO outranks the repair person; however, the CEO is likely to listen to the orders of the repair person in order to get the machine working. Expertise often decreases in this type of power. The manager’s power is less effective over a period of time, and the organization’s effectiveness decreases. Therefore, the solution is that the manager’s power becomes less or that the manager purposefully decides not to distribute his or her knowledge of skills to other employees (French Raven, 2000). Affects of Power on Group and Organizational Communication Individuals within the American Red Cross with a chain of command desire to communicate their wants and expectations with their supervisors to show that no matter what the superior’s controlling basis of power, face-to face interaction is the desired method of communication. Ineffective communication can lead to misunderstanding, incorrect strategies, and frustration (Mohr Nevin, 1990). Organizational Culture and Motivational Theories Culture helps individuals have meaningful relationships because of the customs, roles, rituals, and laws that are created and shared. Motivation is the strength behind an individual’s decision to adhere to or not adhere to certain acts or behaviors. When employees are happy with their work environment, the improvement of an assignment, and the participation of rewards, they will have a joyful behavior. This will cause employees to be more sensitive to communication with managers, co-workers, clients, and customers. In the expectancy theory, behaviors are produced by the expectance of rewards and the understood values of the results. The five principles of this theory are: 1. people have reason for what they do, 2. whatever people choose to do, they do it to gain something they believe is good for them, 3. whatever goal people choose must be seen as attainable, 4. the conditions under which the job is done can affect its value to employees or their expectation of success, and 5. manager can increase the value of the goal, employee’s expectations of reaching it, and enhance the situation surrounding the performance (Frey Osterloh, 2000). The second theory deals with the relationship between management and leadership. In order for managers to relate well with their employees, they must be aware of their individual styles of leadership. One way managers can do this is with the managerial grid. The grid shows the relationship of a managers concern for production contrary to his or her concern for people. The concern for production focuses on the quantity and the quality of work spent on the services or product that the organization is producing. Concern for people focuses on creating positive interactions with people, increasing self-esteem of employees and making a kind and accepting environment. The third theory is employee empowerment. This gives employees better decision-making control over their work assignments. In order to accomplish empowerment, managers must look at the differences between job content and job context. Job content refers to work necessary in carrying out the job. Job context deals with reasons for doing the job and ways the job applies to the mission and goals of the organization. The final theory is the principles of supportive relationships. This theory focus on the factors that explain positive interactions and the maintenance of an individuals self worth (Frey Osterloh, 2000). Communication plays an important role in motivational theories. Communication must be a two-way process, so an enabling environment can give an individual what he or she needs. If a manager is able to communicate their ideas effectively, so that employees know what is asked of them, performing their jobs will not be a problem. The atmosphere of the organization must be encouraging so employees realize how important communication is to each staff member personally, and to the organization in general. Cozzens Monger, 1992). Commitment of Workforce The commitment of the workforce to the American Red Cross is to help save lives. When disaster strikes, a response for food, shelter, and hope is needed. When barriers of distance, language, and warfare separates loved ones, the lines of communication must be open. When families, co-workers and communit ies have to prepare for emergencies assistance in action is necessary. Some communication tools that are used in American Red Cross are: television, newspaper, radio, bulletin boards, organizational newsletters and interpersonal communication. The workforce helps to deliver messages effectively and consistently in both crisis and non-crisis situations in ways that serve the American Red Cross’s mission, vision, goals and reputation. Members will create an increase in awareness, acknowledgement and understanding of the organization. Therefore, this will allow members to serve as mediators between the organization and the public to provide and increase level of understanding and communication within the organization. Conclusion Once the organization understands how leadership styles, sources of power, motivational theories, and the commitment of the workforce affects group and organizational communication, efficiency can be accomplished. Therefore, the awareness of the American Red Cross organizational commitment and communication is necessary for growth.

English 11 American Literature Unit 3 Short Story Essay Example

English 11 American Literature Unit 3 Short Story Paper short story an imaginative prose narrative written to give the reader entertainment and insight; intended to be read in one sitting plot what happens in a story characters those who make the plot happen theme the meaning of the story tone/mood the attitude or emotion of the author or narrator toward his subject or audience point of view the method of presenting teh reader with the materials of the story; the perspective from which it is told. omniscient point of view an all-knowing author is the narrator who comments freely on the actions and characters as he is able to delve into the minds of all characters and tell what they think or feel limited point of view the author tells teh story from the viewpoint of one character using either the first or third person objectve point of view the author presents the characters in actions with no comment, allowing the reader to come to his own conclusions about them irony a method of expression in which the intended meaning of the words used is the direct opposite of their usual sense; used for humor or sarcasm verbal irony saying the opposite of what is meant dramatic irony contrasting what a character says and what a reader or audience knows to be true situational irony presenting a discrepancy between appearance and reality or between expectation and fulfillment satire the ridicule of human folly or vice with the purpose of correcting it or for a humorous effect surprise ending the unexpected twist at the end of the story which goes contrary to the readers expectations conflict the central source of tension and drama that makes stories interesting man vs man conflict between people man vs society conflict between an individual and larger groups man vs nature conflict between an individual adn the natural world man vs self conflict within a character with themselves man vs fate conflict with what seems to be an uncontrollable problem such as destiny man vs technology conflict with the forces of man-made technology external conflict a struggle between a character and an outside force internal conflict a struggle that takes place in the characters mind direct characterization the author tells the reader about the characters directly indirect characterization the author shows the character in action and lets the reader make their interpretations protagonist the main character antagonist the character or force in conflict setting where and when the story takes place

Summary of Children Need to Play, Not Compete

Summary of Children Need to Play, Not Compete In Children Need to Play, Not Compete, Jessica Statsky argues that organized sports are not suitable for children between the ages of six and twelve and should, therefore, be replaced by sports that emphasize on fitness, cooperation, and sportsmanship. Statsky claims that highly organized sports such as Peewee Football and Little League Baseball are played according to adult standards with undesirable effects on the development of children. She goes on to state that the physical action that is necessitated by overly competitive sports exposes children to danger through injury. The danger to children is not only limited to physical injury as Statsky asserts that competitive sports pose psychological dangers to children.† The author claims that the games are counterproductive to children and they only serve to provide occasions for parents and coaches to fulfill their fantasies and needs. She reveals that the obsession with winning leads to adults degrading the quality of the pla ying experience for children. Statsky provides examples of incidents where brawls have broken out between adults as a result of completion. Statsky concludes by proposing that local programs which emphasize sportsmanship, cooperation and fitness should replace the overly competitive programs currently in place. (197 Words).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Summary of Children Need to Play, Not Compete specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Response to Children Need to Play I strongly agree with Jessica Statskys article Children Need to Play, Not Compete. As a person who underwent a childhood in which I was exposed to competitive sports, I agree with Statsky’s proposal that the high competition in children sports should be done away. I agree with the authors observation that the competitive nature of the games takes the fun element out. From my childhood experiences, sports were always more fun when they were un dertaken in a spirit of cooperation and friendliness. When winning became the dominant factor, everything changed, and the game could no longer be played in a fun atmosphere. In my opinion, a significant strength that the author demonstrates through her article is that she uses words that are vivid in her descriptions. For example, her portrayal of the scene where the player in the Peewee Football game takes himself out of the game by faking a stomach ache is very moving. By such vivid descriptions, the reader can paint a mental image of the negative effect that excessive competition can have. Statsky’s treatment of the subject is balanced, and the arguments expressed by the author are not restricted to the side she supports but also the opposition. Statsky does not shy away from presenting the opinion of the proponents of competitive sports for children. She frequently references the Little League Online which is a website that advocates for competitive sports among children . The author especially gives ethical considerations to the other points of view. After stating that children run the risk of physical injury as a result of competitive games, she quotes the proponents of competitive sports activities who document that the injury risks are infrequent. By doing this, Statsky gives us a balanced view on the issue as opposed to only giving space to her point of view. This increases the credibility of the essay to me since the author is not trying to use the ignorance of the reader on the matter to force her point home. The author also makes use of statistics to reinforce her claims, therefore, making them more credible. For example, she asserts that according to a study, â€Å"90% of children would rather play regularly for a losing team rather than warm the bench for a winning team†. Even more importantly, the author includes references as to which studies she is referring to, therefore, increasing the validity of the results since one can conf irm her reporting should they wish to.Advertising Looking for assessment on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For all the strengths of the article, I find Statsky guilty of using many generalizations which may not necessarily be true for the majority of the population. She states that in instances where children are not injured, fear of being hurt detracts from their enjoyment of the sport. while this may be the case for some or even a majority of the children, it is highly unlikely that it is the case for all the children involved in competitive sports. Statsky’s presents a strong argument, and her case is made especially compelling by the author’s use of authoritative sources to back up her argument. Through this, it is clear that children risk not only physical but also psychological damages as a result of overly competitive programs. I agree with her assertion that this situation should be reversed and less competitive sports programs devised for children to ensure that children have a fun and constructive childhood. Statsky, Jessica. Children Need to Play, Not Compete. Bedford Books. Print.

Cloud Computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Cloud Computing - Research Paper Example Cloud computing services address these issues and provide a source for using computing resources without purchasing them. The computing resources can be attained dynamically as per the needs of the company. The computing resources can be released when the need for greater IT infrastructure ceases to exist, therefore the resources do not have to be actually bought. Cloud computing environments offer almost unlimited levels of scalability and mobility. The attainment and release of the resources are convenient and fast processes. Computing resources consist of a diverse range of virtual devices and applications, like virtual servers, data storage, operating systems, software applications and virtual platforms. Along with the major success and acceptance of the concept of cloud computing, a significant portion of users feel threatened in trusting the service providers with their intellectual assets. Therefore, the prevailing security and privacy issues related to cloud computing have be en discussed in the paper, along with its advantages as compared to the traditional form of computing and data centers. The paper also includes few recommendations for improving the protection of the intellectual assets of the users. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Cloud Computing 1 3. Success of Cloud Computing 5 4. Comparison of Traditional Computing and Cloud Computing Data Centers 7 4.1 Advantages of Cloud Computing 8 4.1.1 Level of Scalability 8 4.1.2 Level of Mobility 8 4.1.3 Level of Maintenance and Updates 10 4.1.4 Disaster Recovery 11 4.2 Disadvantages of Cloud Computing 11 4.2.1 Level of Control and Privacy 11 5. Factors to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Data Centers 13 6. Physical Aspects of Cloud Computing Data Centers 13 6.1 Issues with Traditional Data Centers 13 6.2 Innovative Solutions in Cloud Computing Data Centers 14 7. Challenges in Cloud Computing Systems 17 8. Recommendations 18 9. Conclusions 19 Bibliography 22 Table of Figures 1 Figure 1: Different fact ors related to Cloud Computing Systems 4 2 Figure 2: Comparison between traditional data center and cloud computing data center 7 3 Figure 3: PUE of Microsoft from the year 2004 to 2007 16 Table of Tables 1 Table 1: Top 10 Technologies of the year 2011 6 1. Introduction Computer technology has seen remarkable development and continuous improvement ever since it has been invented. The mode of life has been changed by the respective invention. Every field and industry has been revolutionized by the integration of computers. The field of education has been improved by the advent of e-learning management systems, whereas the field of medicine has witnessed greater accuracy and reliability due to the usage of more efficient medical equipments. In the same manner, the field of business has been given a more formalized structure due to the incorporation of enterprise data centers and information management systems. Enterprise data centers supported the needs of organizations for many years . A change was felt necessary when the needs of the customers began increasing at an exponential rate. The advent of internet has broken geographical barriers, due to which the whole world is considered to be a single platform. Consumer has access to global products and services, which makes it vital for companies to provide commendable and uninterrupted services to their clients. The increasing competition in the markets has urged the companies to adopt innovative ways to meet the increasing needs of the cust

Fashion and Buying Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Fashion and Buying - Dissertation Example In today’s retail world there are thousands of competitors, and millions of items being pushed at a customer to buy. It is highly likely that a customer will be able to buy an item similar to yours from a competitor. So how do you keep customers loyal? It boils down to making shopping an individualized experience for each customer. Having top customer service, as well as tailoring each shopping experience to each individual shopper will ensure that customers remain loyal for years to come. What exactly is customer service? It is something different for everyone, however we can simply define customer service as putting the customer first, and making shopping as easy and enjoyable for the customer as is possible. Using IT makes it easy to achieve this goal. These are just some ways to improve customer service and individualize the shopping experience online. There are things we can do in its stores as well. Since the goal is to make the customer as happy as possible, the more information you have on a customer, the better. One way to do this is to keep a log in the store’s computer of each item the customer has purchased. This way, sales associates can make suggestions for the customer’s future purchases based on items they already know he or she likes. This will give the customer a feeling that the sales associates really value them, and will increase customer loyalty as well as store revenue. In addition,We could also use these customer logs to send out notices of upcoming sales to customers. Excellent customer service and shopping convenience is not the only way to increase a company's overall revenue. Employee satisfaction plays a big part in a store's success. Studies have shown that happy employees are productive employees. Simple things, such as creating a regular work schedule as opposed to having rotating shifts, can decrease turnover by 50%, thus helping to cultivate more long-term relationships between sales associates and their customers (Smith, 2003). Employees are also happy when they feel they are good at their jobs. An excellent way for Gap to determine whether or not their employees are excelling at their jobs would be to keep track of each item the employee sells. If an employee is assigned to the women's department, however they continuously are making sales of men's clothing, the store manager will see this and can move them to the men's department, where they could potentially be more useful and happier. Not only do happy employees stay with a company longer and are more productive, they also make customers happier (Glanz, 2003). When employees are happy, they create an atmosphere of friendliness and dedication. Shopping in such an atmosphere makes customers happy and relaxed. Only good things can come from this. The new market place is all about customization and personalization. Knowing what each individual customer wants, and knowing how he or she wants it. No longer will product sell to entire segments of the market. With so many competing forces the masses demand personal touches. Automobile companies have 20 different lines of cars and trucks, computers offer

Impact Of Culture On Human Resource Management Management Essay

Impact Of Culture On Human Resource Management Management Essay The global anarchy has witnessed the growing importance of Human Resource Management in both business and public life. The stormy business climate brought in the wake of liberalization, globalization, changing technologies, development in knowledge and advances in information technology is offering managers a complex and challenging situation (Davis, 1995). So researchers are looking into Human Resource Management (HRM) practices on a comparative basis comes across a major question. This question has to do with the extent at which societal culture influences the way firms manage their personnel and the way HRM practices are developed and implemented within firms across various countries in the world. Globalization has shifted the attention of both researchers and practitioners to the way that organizational practices, and especially HRM, are differentiated across various countries as per their cultural context. In the literature one can find several comparative HRM studies concluding , in their majority, that national culture is a conclusive factor in shaping HRM (Heijltjes et al., 1996; Sparrow et al., 1994). In studying about Multi National Companies (MNCs) in 12 countries, Sparrow et al. (1994) found differences in the HRM practices that are perceived to be a source of competitive advantage across the countries. Of all the factors affecting Human Resource Management (HRM) perhaps none is more effective than the national culture and the most popular model for comparison at the level of national culture is that of Hofstede (1980, 1991), which has been the base of numerous research studies in the area of management in general. Hofstede (1980, 1991) argued that American management theories represent their own cultural environment. So, it can be said d that American management cannot be detached from American culture. In the meantime, Laurent (1986:92) viewed that every culture has developed through its own history, some specific and unique insight into the managing of organization and their human resources. Every culture has also developed specific and unique blind spots in the art of managing and organizing (Singh, 2009). Aycan et al (2000) described that due to the increasing demands of the globalized and liberalized business environment, both researchers and practitioners have started paying more attention to the study of culture as an explanatory variable. The researchers have also come to realize that the uncritical adaptation of HRM practices and techniques evolved in the context of Western cultural values may not be effective in other socio-cultural environments. By using Hofstedes framework of national culture, the objective of research is to examine the impact of national culture on HRM practice by applying the Hofstedes (1980) cultural dimensions of collectivism/individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and femininity/masculinity theory. Background of the study: In the new global economy, HRM has become a vital issue for the effectiveness of organizations. In accordance with the existing studies, the shift to globalization required from corporations to achieve focused performance by all means. This shift emphasized the necessity for businesses to fully utilize their human resources engaging suitable practices and strategies (Schuler and Jackson, 2005). The presence of supportive cultural factors is essential for the efficiency and success of the HRM result. It seems obvious that the ways western organizations cope with HRM practices are different from the ways Middle Eastern organizations with their different cultural and institutional situations cope with these issues (Westerduin, 2010). Because Arabic countries have different values and attitudes than the developed countries, which may determine and shape specific managerial approaches in human resource as cited by cultural research perspective. As Mendonca and Kanungo (1996) determined th at one of most important cultural dimensions, which is different in western and eastern cultures and is exclusively important in shaping their HRM strategies, is the assumption about human resource capability. This restlessness to adopt western HRM tools could results lack of suitable practice in the Arabian context (Binjabi, 2011). Saudi Arabia is the most traditional country in the Arab world; it is also the largest member of the six Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states and has the largest known oil reserves in the world estimated at around 25% of the proved reserves (Mellahi, 2006). Taking into account its strategic geo-political position and energy resources, Saudi Arabia is a major player in the stability of the regional and global economy. Saudi Arabia during the era of King Abdullah since 2005 has also introduced numerous laws and policies such as privatization and foreign investment laws to stimulate competition. He also in a smart step to diversify the economy and create more jobs for Saudis in the privet sector and attract the local and foreign investments has launched giant projects with hundreds of billions dollars. To achieve these development goals, Saudi Arabia has a major investment in human resources management in order to raise its average skill level (Mellahi, 2007). Developing the HRM syste m in a very conservative tribal society, there would be as a natural result numerous Saudi cultural impacts on the HRM system (Albugamy, 2010). The present research will reside on HRM practices in the context of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the influence of the cultural factors on HRM practices in this country will be examined for its wider implications. Rationale behind choice of setting: Saudi Arabia is chosen as the setting for this study since it is a typical example of a developing economy in Arab with the most conventional and historic cultural environment. According to U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council (2008-09), the construction sector in Saudi Arabia is the largest and fastest growing market in the Gulf region. This sector is the most developed, organized, and diverse also in terms of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in the country. Ongoing construction projects in the Gulf are valued at $1.9 trillion, and one-quarter of the developments are located in Saudi Arabia. The sector has both foreign and local organizations that bring out the different HRM practices employed by various organizations. Identification of the Problem: It is attempted through this research to create a better description of the effect of culture on HRM practices in Saudi Arabia as we know culturally Arab countries are completely different from other countries. At this moment there is some literature available on the research subject, but not much research on this subject conducted until this moment in the context of Arab countries which present an overview of the current status and trends of HRM in Middle East. It could emerge that the knowledge of HRM in Arab culture that these organizations use at this moment is outdated, or that these organization should be aware of the direction in which the differences between HRM in Western countries and HRM in Middle Eastern countries are evolving. Also, there are problems in the image that people in the Western world have of the Arab world. Negative images in the media of the Middle East prevent these people of obtaining a correct view of all aspects of the Arab culture and values. The curre nt research is an attempt to contribute in order to find out the truth. Also by the help of this research compatibility of HRM practices chosen and implemented by organizations would be checked with the respect of the Arab world (in particular, in the Saudi context with a focus on the construction sector). Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Saudi Arabian national culture on the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within the organizations and how the cultural elements play a key role in that issue. To this end, HRM practices are viewed in terms of Reduction of status distinctions, Employment security, Performance appraisal and Selective hiring whereas National culture is viewed in terms of Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism and Feminity/ Masculinity. On the basis of the stated research aim, the following objectives are formulated: O1:- To investigate the relationship between the national culture and HRM practices. O2: To identify the effect of the cultural attributes on HRM practices. Significance of the study: It is expected that the current study will make a considerable novel contribution to the academic research in the field of organizational Human Resource Management (HRM). To be more specific, it will assess the role of cultural determinants in the Saudi Arabian context, which was not given enough attention in the previous studies. The significance of the study is that it will lead to the better explanation of HRM lessons in an international environment. On practical basis, the findings that will be drawn from the current study could serve as a guide in transferring HRM policies within the construction sector of Middle East. It also offers insights into what type of HRM practices are more likely to positively influence the organizational performance. It will also add value by suggesting the need for modified HRM practices to fit the Saudi Arabian as well as the international context. Literature Review Human Resource Management (HRM) and Culture: The impact of national culture on a variety of Human Resource (HR) practices has become one of the most important topics in management research (Chen et al., 2006; Gahan and Abeysekera, 2009). From the perspective of institutional theory (Scott et al., 2003; Westney, 2005) it is suggested that HR practices are affected by differences in national culture and that HR practices will be largely dependent on managers abilities to understand and balance different cultural values and practices (Wang et al., 2008). The contingency or external fit perspective emphasizes the fit between national culture and HR practices, implying that specific HR policies are affected by national culture. According to Alcazar et al. (2008), the theories on Human Resource Management (HRM) have focused on universalistic perspectives for number of years. Researchers have put great efforts in finding a single human resources theory that is applicable in every situation, in every organization, every culture, and every country worldwide, therefore a best practices model. During these expansions it became more and more clear that this universalistic theory was nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ existent, and that the solution to the universalistic HRM model should be sought in a contextual, contingent theory which takes into account a wide range of factors that influence the fitness of an HRM model in the given setting. By regarded it, the researchers admitted that a single outline for HRM practices does not exist. The further globalization of businesses meant that the approach HRM takes to her tasks differs from several years ago. HRM departments need to take more factors in consideration than before, inclu ding cultural differences, different labor laws in different countries and different views on labor of the employees (Westerduin, 2010). So research (Sonja and Phillips, 2004) assumes that managers in todays multicultural global business community often encounter cultural differences, which can hinder with management practices in organizations. Leat and El-kot, (2007) have emphasized the effect of national culture, a concept that includes traditions, values, beliefs, attitudes and behavior which influence HRM practices. Laurent (1986) proposed that HRM methods in any country are a reflection of the national culture of that country (Albugamy, 2010). Triandis (1972) and Schein (1992) defined culture in terms of shared ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting; shared socially constructed environments and commonly experienced events including the history, language, and religion of their members (Pellegrini Scandura, 2006). National culture is also defined as the ideas, set of beliefs and norms followed by the people of a certain country; the countrys history, religion and traditions make up for the national culture (Majee d et al., 2010). In comparing cultures of different countries, cross-cultural researchers have focused their attentions on an examination of a set of cultural value dimensions developed by Hofstede. These dimensions are based on a large sample of employees from 40 countries from the large multinational IBM, whom he studied from 1960s, 70s and 80s. According to Gannon Newman, (2002), after investigates, examines, and compares more than 50 countries; he is regarded as the authority in culture differences and how culture differences influence management strategies. He said: in global economic integration of the world, the strategies of all companies in the world are focused on how to meet the largest market to most customers by products and services; while the study of different cultures and values, is the key to success of such strategies (Jing, 2010). Leading value systems of different countries can be ordered along Hofstedes set of cultural value dimensions (Hofstede, 1980; Hofstede Bond, 1988). Peoples Dominant value systems have been crystallized in the institutions these people have built together: their family structures, religious organizations, educational structures, associations, systems of government, work organizations, law and regulations, literature, settlement arrangements, and buildings. All of these reflect common beliefs that derive from the mutual culture. Whereas the value systems affect human thinking, feeling, action, and the behavior of organizations and institutions in predictable ways, the value dimensions reflect basic problems that any society has to cope with but for which solutions differ from country to country (Hofstede, 1983). Current study (Gelfand, 2000) concludes that managers in organizations are recognizing that it is impossible to maintain bias views while doing business across different cultures. Cultural knowledge and a global focus are crucial to survive, and to thrive, within todays business environment. However, the same literature does not give a global focus that is accordant with the global reality of business. Discussion and empirical assessment of culture and HRM practices (Aycan, et al, 2000) has been focused on specific developed countries and developing countries have been given little attention (Nyambegera et al, 2000) which is the gap in the existing academic knowledge. Variables of the study For the purpose of this study the study variables have been grouped into two categories, namely cultural variables that include sub variables as defined by Hofstede, 2001, and organization variables that include HR practices as defined by Gong et al., 2009. Cultural variables: The first category of variables includes the societal culture as defined by Hofstede (2001). Power Distance: Power distance is the degree to which individuals agree that power should be dispersed unequally in the society (Hofstede, 2001). Hofstedes Power Distance Index tells how much one countrys less powerful people accept and respect the unequal power distributed. The inequality of the society is followed by peoples earlier different life experiences such as value and norms. Some cultures present the Power Distance obviously, some present inconspicuously (Jing, 2010). High power distance cultures tend to view inequality as normal or natural. In such cultures, lower-status people are addressed by their first names, while for higher-status people different prefixes are added before their first names (Pellegrini and Scandura, 2006). In low power distance cultures lower-status people are more likely to believe that they should have voice in decision processes (Alves et al., 2006), and will be less motivated if this is withdrawn. Power distance has significant implication for management styles and practices (Emmerik et al., 2008). In low power distance cultures there is a preference for leadership styles that promote flexibility, innovation, job mobility, and general skills, rather than the specialized skills that are preferred in high power distance cultures (Dickson et al., 2003). Power distance plays a role in employees willingness to accept supervisory direction, and on their emphasis on gaining support from those in positions of authority (Taleghani, 2010). People in high power distance cultures accept more guidance from superiors, and this extra attention makes high-status employees more enthusiastic about work. In lower power distance cultures wage differentials between men and women are smaller (Hofstede, 2001). Uncertainty Avoidance: Hofstede (2001) defines uncertainty avoidance denotes to the extent to which individuals feel threatened by and try to avoid vague and uncertain situations. Uncertainty about the future is a basic fact of human life, extreme uncertainty creates unbearable anxiety, and human society has created ways to avoid the uncertainty, for example by the mean of technology, which helps us defend ourselves against uncertainty caused by nature and laws, which help us against the actions of others, religions, which help us accept the uncertainties we cannot protect ourselves against. Different societies have different ways to adapt to uncertainty, how tolerant for the uncertain anxiety a single society has is talking about the Uncertainty Avoidance Index. The high Uncertainty Avoidance society has more worries about the future and anything uncertain, and therefore more ways to defend against those anxieties; and the low Uncertainty Avoidance society has fewer fears about the uncertainties, and therefore such society doesnt care so much about the rules (Jing, 2010). Dikson claims that in societies high on UA, career stability, formal rules and the development of expertise tend to be valued, whereas in low UA cultures, more flexibility in roles and jobs, an emphasis on general rather than specialized skills and more job mobility is more typical. People in uncertainty avoiding cultures are also more expressive, and driven by inner nervous energy. People in uncertainty accepting cultures may be more tolerant of different opinions and relatively unstructured situation s. In the work environment, uncertainty avoidance may lead individuals to try to avoid ambiguous situations and look for precise alternatives. Within such a cultural context, there will be many established formal rules or informal norms controlling the rights and duties of employees (Chang et al., 2007). Individualism/Collectivism: Hofstede (2001) defines individualism against its opposite, collectivism, as the degree to which the society encourages and rewards collective action (Pellegrini Scandura, 2006). The culture inclined to be individualistic is more focused on ones own desires and values, and serves their own interests by relying on individual exertion; the relations between people are regarded less important than oneself. On the other hand, compared with individualism, the culture inclined to be collective is more focused on a combination of strong social organizations, which is divided into inside the group and outside the group. People cared for by members inside the group, and pay back by their loyalty; they love their group like themselves, and they can sacrifice their own likings for the group (Jing, 2010). In collectivist societies, supervisors rely on loyalty of staff, reliability and harmonized group relationship with others while people in individualism culture people enjoy personal particula rs and successes in order to define themselves. The dimension of individualism and collectivism has received the most attention in cross-cultural organizational research (Triandis, 1994). It has been shown to have major implication for the motivational as well as employment practices. For example, in more individualistic societies HR practices tend to differentiate between employees based on their individual performance. These societies also use differentiation in the reward system (Beer and Katz, 2003). At the same time, employees from collectivistic countries prefer reward systems that are non-competitive in nature (Chiang and Birtch, 2005). Employees from more individualistic cultures tend to be more driven by improving themselves and their own positions in life, and are also characterized by feeling comfortable in competitive environments (Probst et al., 1999), whereas employees from more collectivistic countries tend to be more motivated by the success of the group as a whole. More individualistic cultures will tend to emphasize HR practices that stress individual rewards management (e.g. offering individual bonuses and perks, promoting on performance) more than in collectivistic cultures. Masculinity/Femininity: Hofstede (2001) refers to masculinity/femininity, as the distribution of roles between the genders. It is also referred to as assertiveness (House et al., 1999), which emphases on competition, success, aggressive social relationships, and limited emotional involvement with others. His research showed that womens values differ less among societies than mens values; and mens values from one country to another contain a dimension from very assertive and competitive and maximally different from womens values on the one side, to modest and caring and similar to womens values on the other. Hofstede (1998) stated that in high masculine societies, men are supposed to be firm, tough, and focusing on material success; woman are supposed to be more modest, affectionate, and concerned with the quality of life. A man has the obligation to earn money for his family; he should work hard to be successful in society, the harder he works, the more respect he gets from his family and society. Therefore , competition in a masculinity society is very fierce and people pay attention to the work performance very much, they believe life is for work. In high femininity society, both man and woman are supposed to be concerned with the quality of life. A woman has the obligation to take care of the house work, such as cooking, cleaning, and the children, so that her husband can go out and earn money without any worries (Jing, 2010). Research showed that the distribution of gender roles has major implications for HR practices and for career strategies as well as career opportunities of women. Hofstede (2001) described that masculine and feminine cultures create different leader hero types. The heroic manager in masculine cultures is decisive and aggressive. In feminine cultures, the hero is less visible, seeks consensus, and is intuitive and cooperative rather than tough and decisive. At work, in more feminine societies more weight is attached to subjective, intuition-oriented conditions such as care, nurturing and relationships (Alves et al., 2006). At the same time, in more masculine societies people ascribe greater value on monet ary rewards, while in turn more feminine societies place greater importance on non-financial rewards (Chiang and Birtch, 2005). Saudi Arabian culture in Hofstede cultural perspective: Studies of the culture in Saudi Arabia have specified that it is fairly homogenous, like most Middle Eastern nations (Idrees, 2007). Analyzing and comparing Saudi cultural orientations based upon a typology developed by Geert Hofstede show that on the above mentioned cultural dimensions Saudi Arabia presents a unique culture. Saudi Arabias power distance ranking of 80 is revealing of a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the society. This ranking advocates that the population has an expectation and acceptance that leaders will separate themselves from the group and this condition is not essentially undermined upon the population, but rather accepted by the society as their cultural heritage. Idris (2007) indicated the high power distance in Saudi Arabia is evident in the Saudis strong preference for managerial positions due to the belief that labor jobs are dishonorable and considered by many to be a cause of embarrassment. Saudi Arabias high power distance also impacts decision making. Bhuian (1998) described that, generally, Saudi managers make decisions autocratically and paternalistically to subordinates who are considered as having strong dependence needs (Cassell Blake, 2011). Saudi Arabias uncertainty avoidance ranking of 68 shows the societys low level of tolerance for uncertainty. Saudi Arabias ranking suggests that new projects will be carefully analyzed to assure that whatever risk they represent is thoroughly understood and addressed. In order for change to take hold, the idea needs to be perceived as good for the group and be accepted by the group. Due to Saudi Arabias uncertainty avoidance ranking, there is a conception that Saudis prefer government intervention in business practices. Bhuian, 1998 mentioned that within organizations, the ranking is evident in the fact that Saudi managers are generally not tolerant of deviation of the generally inflexible company rules (Cassell Blake, 2011). Saudi Arabias individualism ranking of 38 interprets into a Collectivist society as compared to Individualist culture and is revealed in a close long-term commitment to the member group, that being a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Alanazi and Rodrigues in 2003 also described the Saudi culture as collectivistic with strict  devotion  to the teachings of Islam, which governs the  social behavior  and provides a strong cultural fabric that covers the whole nation. Essentially, business is affected by the collective thinking of the Saudis, which dictates that relationships trump business dealings (Idris, 2007). Saudi Arabia scores 52 on the dimension of masculinity/femininity, thus Saudi Arabia has a more feministic culture. So, in Saudi Arabia people maintain good relationships with each other. Saudi Arabias ranking also impacts hiring and firing practices. Research has found that terminations for poor performance rarely happen because the desire for relationships results in long life employment (Idris, 2007). Historically, the society has been characterized as valuing behavior displaying kindness, selflessness, and generosity; deference to those above in the hierarchy of the family; freedom from reliance on others and mastery over ones emotions; and a willingness to support other family members and accept responsibility for their errors as well (Cassell Blake, 2011). HR Management Practices in Saudi Arabia: HR professionals in Saudi Arabia view HR as a core strategy for improving organizational performance (Ramlall et al., 2012). Pillai et al., (1999) explained management practices in the Islamic world (of which Saudi Arabia is a major part) as influenced by tribal traditions where the manager is expected to act as a father figure. This means favoring the continuity of the family concept over improved organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. Their study showed that this reliance on the  father-figure  relationship means that leaders and managers in the Middle East face difficulties convincing the employees to be part of the solution to management problems. According to Yavas (1997), a prevailing organizational structure in which the manager makes all the decisions repels positive change. According to Bhuian et al., (2001) the people of the kingdom need to be guided and told what to do and actually prefer government involvements in business practices (Idris, 2007).  Beer e t al., (1985) specified, Since, Saudi Arabias collective culture values group work, the pay-for-performance system that recognizes individuals is destabilized when management tries to  moderate  it by writing comforting statements on the appraisal forms to compensate for low salary increases for poor performers. The prevailing culture is  in favor of  life employment, so managers are restrained from  purging  poor performers and substituting them with high performers. Unless the difference in compensation of the high performers and low performers is great, companies risk discouraging the high performers whereas motivating the low performers to remain unproductive (Idris, 2007). Organizational Variables: The second category of variables includes the HRM practices that reflect cultural dimensions in which they were developed. HR practices that are likely to be sensitive to cultural influences are followings (Gong et al., 2009); Employment security: Employment security can be characterized as maintenance-oriented HRM because they defend employees well-being. Employment security may encourage employees to stay in their job. In the literature, employment security usually refers to protection against unfair or unjustified dismissals. According to ILO (1995) employment security means that workers have protection against arbitrary and short notice dismissal from employment, as well as having long-term contracts of employment and having employment relations that avoid casualization. Evidently this definition covers only one category of the labor market wage and salary workers. It is they who are employed by some legal entity, and are at risk of being dismissed by that legal entity, and can have a stable or unstable employment relation with their employer (Dasgupta, 2001). In an era of downsizing and rightsizing, employment security can confer yet another advantage, in that it boosts people to take a longer-term perspective on their jobs and organizational performance. Employment security policies will also lead to more cautious hiring, because the firm knows it cannot simply let people go quickly if it has overestimated its labor demand. Slenderer staffing can actually make the work force more productive, with less people doing extra work. Additionally, employment security maintained over time helps to build trust and belief between people and their employer, which can lead to better spirit in the company (Pfeffer, 1998). Reduction of Status Distinctions: The basic premise of high-performance management systems is that organizations perform at a higher level when they are able to tap the ideas, abilities, skills, and struggle of all of their people. One way in which they do this is by organizing people in work teams, a topic already briefly covered here. But neither individuals nor teams will feel comfortable or stimulated to contribute their minds as well as their physical energy to the organization if it has sent signals that they are not both valuable and valued. In order to help make all organizational members feel important and devoted to improving organizational operations, so, most high-commitment management systems attempt to reduce the status distinctions that separate individuals and groups and cause some to feel less valued. This is accomplished in two ways: symbolically, through the use of language and labels, physical space, and dress, and practically, in the reduction of the organizations degree of wage disparity. Status differences are reduced and a sense of common fate established by limiting the difference in compensation between senior management and other employees. The reduction of status differences inspires open communication, essential in an organization in which learning and adaptation are encouraged. Status differences are reduced and a sense of common fate developed by limiting the difference in compensation between senior management and other employees (Pfeffer, 1998). Conclusively reduced status distinctions include dress, language, of ¬Ã‚ ce arrangements, wage differences and behaviors across levels (Ahmad Schroeder, 2003). Selective hiring: Selective hiring is aimed at developing an organizations talent pool. Organizations serious about gaining profits through pe

Culture and identity Essay

Between Ourselves is about an Indian girl who has travelled to America for further education. She is Hindu and her mother is telling her not to marry someone from there. She meets and marries an American and of course her parents do not approve. Later the woman regrets the loss of Indian culture. Lovelace’s story is about Joebell a Trinidadian who is trying to go to America. He thinks that he is a hero and is risk taker and would have a better life in America. In the end he fails to go to America and then realises that Trinidad is where he belongs partly because he never saw an American fail. Joebell as a character is very different from lots of people: he is courageous and takes risks e.g. he takes a big risk getting the fake passport. Joebell has been influenced very much by American films especially cowboy films. In Joebell’s mind America is everything e.g. † Where everybody have a motor car and you could ski on snow and where it have seventy five channels of colour television†. This is what Joebell is thinking about nothing else, just watching television all day. I think Joebell has a presence of fame, as he would go in a snackette and would take up a big space and just ask for a toothpick. Above all I think Joebell is a very interesting person, as he would do things that other people wouldn’t. The Mother in â€Å"Between Ourselves† is someone who cares about her daughter a lot, she is worried that her daughter will meet and marry a man in America and marry. She writes â€Å"Your Ghosh Mashima asked me the other day if I was expecting an American son-in-law. Of course not our Miru is as she was before and she would not do such a thing, she went to America to study not to catch a husband†, this shows that Miru’s mother is proud of her religion, faith, culture and tradition. When Miru replies saying that she is going to marry an American, the mother shows her frustration e.g. â€Å"Both your father and I are astounded by your letter, so Ghosh Mashima was not so wrong after all! How could you!† This shows the anger of the Mother as she sends the money for her flight back. The daughter (Miru) is a person who is very determined and independent. The choice for her to go to university in America changes the rest of her life and a choice that she can’t change. Her relationship with her Mother that was once strong is now vulnerable, E.g. I miss you a lot, wit respect and love, yours Miru†. This was Miru’s first letter, the last letter that she wished she had written conveyed a lot more anger e.g. I am even more astounded by your lack of understanding, you show no sympathy for my inner struggle†, this shows her anger at her mother. ‘Between Ourselves’ is a story that has been written in a series of letters between mother and daughter. I think that this shows that it is a personal story and intimate. The letters give the reader the idea that they are eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation. In Joebell and America the story changes from third person to first person. I think that Earl Lovelace has written this brilliantly, when I first read it I did not notice it, it was like looking at someone doing something then the next minute you are in that persons brain, the effect of this is emphasised because it is at a extremely crucial part, when the two immigration officers â€Å"Squirrel eyes † and the other man sit next to Joebell. It also slows down the tension, its like the reader identifies with Joebell. In ‘Joebell and America’ there is some very entertaining language, the whole way through the story, e.g. When Joebell’s mother hears that her son is going to America she says â€Å"Joebell gone away praise God! â€Å". The way Joebell thinks that he is a hero and how Joebell tries to be a Yankee â€Å"How ya doin, main! Hiya baby!†. The story is written in a Trinidadian dialect, which makes it more fun, more interesting because it is written in a way that someone speaks and it has a powerful rhythm. This is very different to ‘Between Ourselves’, this story funny whereas ‘Between Ourselves’ is a lot more tense, more serious between the mother and daughter e.g. the way the mother reacts when she reads what her daughter has written in the letter that she is going to marry someone from America, the mother is astounded, and shocked with disgust. I think this story would keep you at the â€Å"edge of your seat† in a more serious way. The different stories tell two numerous attractions of America, firstly in ‘Between Ourselves’ the letters make you think that this is the homeland of the world, where you meet a whole new world, but the food is not as good as the food in Calcutta, whereas in ‘Joebell and America, the attraction to America is having a chance to watch seventy five channels of colour television. Personally I think that just going to America to watch TV is very sad. When Earl Lovelace wrote ‘Joebell and America’ I think he wanted to make us feel that Trinidad society is worth staying in, rather than going to America, and that Joebell would be better in Trinidad because he likes to walk and likes to know everyone around him, in ‘Between Ourselves’ the author wants us to think that when you move from one country to another, it is like changing cultures and is never simple, also when you move countries and stay for a long time your culture and identity from your homeland maybe lost.

Child Development Essay

Purpose of the course: The course meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:45 to 10:00 in Mayborn 105. My office hours are Wednesdays from 10-12 and nearly anytime by appointment in Hobbs 217a. The course is about experimental methods of research on child development. It is designed for students concentrating in child development, cognitive studies, or psychology. The prerequisites include at least one course about child development and at least one course about statistics. The course is built around empirical articles about child development (many of the articles are â€Å"classics† that you may have read about in your other courses) and around readings about statistics & research methods. The main purpose of the course is to bring to life the basic elements of experimental approaches to psychological science in the context of child development research. To accomplish this we will read chapters about statistics and research methods. These concepts will be anchored to child development by applying them to classic (and recent) research reports, by applying them to hands-on experiences of designing and implementing data collection protocols, and by applying them to the entire research process by writing a research proposal. Requirements: 1. Come to class and participate. This will count 5% of your final course grade. I hope everyone receives the entire amount of credit. I’ll distribute an attendance list at the start of each class. It is fine to miss two classes. If you need to miss, please email me the day before. As for participating in class – it is a good thing for students to ask & answer questions in class. Sometimes I’ll ask people to hold on to their questions and ask me after class, so I can continue with the lecture. 2. Midterm exam. This is the only test in the course and will count 40% of your final course grade. It is a â€Å"concept mastery† test. You will be expected to define, explain, and apply the statistical concepts and the research design concepts to the empirical papers that we have read up to that point. It involves teaming-up with classmates in order to identify a classic research study, to design dependent variables and independent variables based on that study, create an observation sheet, and observe a few children. Then students should, individually, summarize what you observed in a table, and report your observations within a scientific style format. It will count 15% of the your final course grade. 3. Term paper in lieu of a final exam. This is to be a 12-20 page paper roughly following the format of an NIH research proposal. It will count 40% of your final course grade. 4. Letter grades: Excellent or outstanding work will receive a grade of â€Å"A† or â€Å"A-â€Å". Good or very good work will receive a grade of â€Å"B+† or â€Å"B†. or â€Å"B-â€Å". Work that minimally fulfills the assignments will receive a grade of â€Å"C†, and work that does not fulfill the assignment will receive a grade of â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†. The Vanderbilt Honor Code: I strongly encourage students to brainstorm together, to study together, and to team up to prepare for tests together. However, all written work should be your own. Tests are to be taken on the scheduled day and assignments are due on the scheduled day. I will make exceptions for documented medical emergencies, family emergencies, and participation in official Vanderbilt events.