Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Leadership - Research Paper Example Introduction The study will encompass various learning associated with the concept of ‘leadership’ in the context of management of people. The term ‘leadership’ is fundamentally described as the ability that an individual possess in relation to making effective pathways for others to follow. It is also regarded as a practice in which the actions of different individuals are set to move in a definite direction by a single individual. In addition, the factors that significantly influence the development of leadership among different individuals will be analyzed upon. At the same time, the extent towards which people are influenced by diverse leadership traits and the degree up to which the leadership skills are practiced will be examined upon. The study will also postulate a comprehensive understanding about the term ‘manager’. In addition the roles of a manager will be analyzed upon and the similarity between the duties of a manager and leader in relation to managing as well as guiding people will be identified and studied upon. The paper will also highlight those factors that are crucially required for managing people in the most proficient manner. It will give an opportunity to put oneself in a leadership position and put on different self-practices concerning the implementation of proper leadership tactics and practices (Western, 2007). Thesis Statement The primary purpose of the paper is to highlight those practices that reflect leadership qualities and values. The study will assist in delivering a proper idea regarding leadership and the various activities associated with it. This will help in determining the extent towards which leadership can be developed among individuals and self. Another major goal of the paper is to identify those factors that are required for becoming an authentic leader having innovative and extraordinary skills creating a positive mark in the minds and eyes of various followers. Furthermore, t his study will also propagate similarities and dissimilarities concerning leadership and management skills. It will further identify that whether every manager need to possess effective leadership skills or not. It will thus provide a greater aid in creating a distinct idea towards the understanding of the concept of leadership in a broad manner and will also provide a comprehensive understanding about the implementation of leadership skills in practical life. In Your Opinion, What Does It Take To Become An Authentic Leader Who People Want To Follow? Leadership skills are developed on the basis of integration of various skills such as, communication skills, problem solving ability, conceptual abilities and autocratic nature among others. An ideal leader needs to sum up all his/her resources and implement those whenever required. A proficient leader needs to act quickly depending upon the situation and should be able to provide with quick time solutions for mitigating any sort of dif ficulty or risk. In order to become an authentic leader, one must be continuously involved in delivering those skills that can cope up various challenges or resolve any complex situation. Besides, the leader must constantly attempt to create significant amount of differences in relation to the traditional leadership styles and practices of a leader. Authentic leaders are often considered to be the outstanding performers in their respective fields and also

The Social Worker: Addressing Social Exclusion Essay

The Social Worker: Addressing Social Exclusion Essay The aim of this essay is to discuss the role of the social worker addressing social exclusion and discrimination along with the impact it has on individuals, groups and communities. I will also discuss my understanding of anti-oppressive practice and ethical issues within the Welsh context, and the issues social workers will face daily throughout their profession. To allow a social worker to carry out their roles and responsibilities they will need to understand the meaning of social work itself, Social work is the purposeful and ethical application of personal skills in interpersonal relationships directed towards enhancing the personal and social functioning of an individual, family, group or neighbourhood, which necessarily involves using evidence obtained from practice to help create a social environment conducive to the wellbeing of all (Pierson 2010 p494/495). A social worker needs to have knowledge and multiple skills to carry out their complex roles within society. One of those areas social workers will face within their professional role is social exclusion and discrimination. Social exclusion happens to a minority of people in society and those who suffer from social exclusion have different life experience and opportunities from other people. Pierson (2002,p18) defines social exclusion as a process that deprives individuals and families, groups and neighbourhoods of the resources required for participation in the social, economic and political activity of society as a whole. There are many contributing factors that can cause someone to face social exclusion or discrimination, social workers will need have an understanding of peoples life experiences, using a holistic approach, be able to listen, communicate with all service users in an appropriate manner and work in partnership with service users so they do not discriminate. Social workers also need to be mindful that Wales is now a multi-ethnic society and will be challenged with ethical issues and their dilemmas, such as languages, religion and other areas. According to the Welsh statistics 2009 Wales have a population of 2,875,700 of which 29.800 are mixed race, 52,700 are Asian or Asian British, 18.600 are Black or Black British and 22,600 are of other ethnic groups (http://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/tableView.aspx accessed 26th October 2012). Those that are most at risk of social exclusion are children, older people, disabled, and unemployed, but the most significant factors are poverty and low income. Those living in poverty are vulnerable in a number of different ways. We know that they are more at risk of poor health and poor educational attainment, have lower skills and aspirations, and are more likely to be low paid, unemployed and welfare-dependent (Huw Lewis AM 2010 p2). Poverty is seen in different approaches, absolute, relative and consensual. Thornes, P (2007 p77) defines absolute poverty as not having the very basic means to live adequately. Relative poverty as a measurement of poverty based on working out the income needed to attain the accepted standard of living in a society and consensual poverty as whether or not people can afford a series of items which most people, when questioned regards as necessities. Between 2005-2008 an average of 32% of children in Wales was living in relatively low-income households. There has been a general downward trend, but the two most recent figures show an increase on the previous years.   Social workers will need to have an understanding of the impacts that social exclusion and discrimination can have upon a service user and their families. For this to happen social workers will need to be able to identify areas that cause social exclusion, be able to investigate and what actions will need to be taken to address it. The Welsh Government have put in place a number of policies, strategies and initiatives to fight against poverty and social exclusion which have impacted on those that live in Wales. These include Child Poverty Strategy for Wales, Flying start, Child tax credits, Winter fuel allowances, plus many more. Over the past ten years in Wales, overall poverty has fallen by three percentage points, compared with two percentage points for the UK as a whole. However, the extent of poverty for all groups in Wales (apart from older people) is slightly higher than for the UK as a whole. (Huw Lewis AM, 2010). Since social exclusion is a process we must be mindful that there could be hidden barriers involved which in turn will affect others areas of their lives, it will be like a domino effect. So in order for social workers to address social exclusion they need to have a holistic view of the service users, and consider any hidden barriers this will enable them to have an overall view of how the service user has lived up to date, what potentially triggered social exclusion and how to redress the situation. To enable good practice the social worker should be working in partnership with the service user where a trusting relationship can be built. Both sides will need to listen and engage with each other so needs can be identified and addressed, whist doing so social workers needs to be empowering the service user and practise in an anti-discriminatory way. Once the needs have been identified the social worker needs to understand how the impacts can affect the service users, their families an d their lives. Social welfare practitioners have a key role to play in terms of working directly with children, young people and families to help them improve their circumstances and mitigate the worst excesses of poverty and social exclusion. (Williams 2011). People can become socially excluded and discriminated against through poverty, isolation, lack of life opportunities, lack of education, availability of resources such as health and public transport, employment, living environment, demography, social participation and economic resources. The effects upon a service user and their families can be devastating, it can lead to service users losing their dignity which can then lead to low self-esteem and lack of confidence. People can then feel powerless, and that their voice is not being heard and become disempowered. People who are in poverty are in a cycle of deprivation and once in this cycle find it very hard to get out of because of the domino effect. They may be in poverty due to low income or unemployment. Unemployment is a major risk factor for low income in Wales, that risk rising from 5% for a full-working family to over 60% for a workless one. Even when another adult in the family remains in work, the familys risk of low income still rises to 25%. (www.jrf.org.uk/publications/monitoring-poverty-wales-2009 accessed 27th October 2012). Children who live within these household will also suffer the impacts of social exclusion and discrimination which have become a great concern for Governments. Research confirms the negative outcomes for children associated with poverty, including poor health, low self-esteem, poor educational achievement and homelessness. Outcomes associated with child poverty are mortality, accidents mental illness, suicide, child abuse, teenage pregnancy, homelessness, low educational attainment, smoking and morbidity (Bradshore and Mayhem, 2005). People who are unemployed also face the stigma of society, being classed as lazy and scroungers, so in turn are being discriminated against. We should be mindful that there are people who are claiming benefits due to ill health, being a lone parent with no social network available, been made redundant or the fact is there simply isnt any jobs available. Although the Government have implemented initiatives such as Free swimming, free Breakfast Clubs Schemes Free School Lunch (eligibility criteria must be met) in a number of schools, Genesis Wales and Child Poverty Expert Groups. There are people also being excluded due to the area in which they live, especially if in rural areas where the transport is less scarce, health provision is harder to access and resources are less available. Poor public transport networks in rural areas results in higher levels of car ownership. Consequently, poorer households are likely to spend a higher proportion of their income on transport than urban counterparts, and access to private transport remain a problem for many people. (Williams, 2011). Older people can become excluded due to isolation which could have a knock on effect to loneliness or health issues such as depression, they may not have family around or been moved into a residential home. Activities such as day centres or community activities may be hard to access or lack of transportation maybe an issue. Low income is rising in older people, despite initiatives such as Winter Fuel Allowances, concessions on TV Licences and public transport and Pension Credit according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 26 per cent of people of pensionable ages in Wales were on low income households in 1996/97 compared to 18 per cent in 2008/09 (Francis, 2010 p59). Poor housing also causes social exclusion for people in society as its impact can have an impact on someones life. living in poor quality housing impacts significantly on quality of life, e.g. by contributing to poor physical and mental health, increasing spent on keeping warm ect.(Stirling, 2010 ). Overcrowding, inadequate heating, dampness within the home can also cause health issues for service users. Debt/credit also plays a big part in social exclusion, anyone who is in poverty will be faced with financial problems and again like a domino effect people borrow from one to pay another. And those who borrow are likely to borrow off high interest rate lenders because they have not got a good credit score, which in turn gets them deeper into debt and more difficult to get out of. Those who have a disability also face exclusion and high risk of poverty, they are discriminated against through lack of employment, shops, building, schools and transport still have restricted access, Part of a social workers role is use an anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory approach when working with service users, this means considering their experiences, who the service users are as a person, such as their gender, if they have a disability, their race, and values. The way we communicate with service users is vital, engaging and working in partnership. We must focus on peoples strengths as well as weaknesses and empower service users to have choices, knowledge and encourage decision making whenever appropriate. The more people become involved in determining their own destiny, the higher will be their self-esteem. They grow in confidence. And when group members learn that knowledge is power, they demand to know, to be kept informed, to be given information (Howe, 2009 p149). To work in an anti-oppressive way we must work in an ethical way, we must respect and value service users whilst ensuring we protect the vulnerable. As social workers we should be treating each service user as an individual with individual personal and social needs working in an empowering way so they can develop their own potentials. Social workers must be open and honest with service users to gain trust and relationships, this will enable both parties to work in partnership. Social workers will come across barriers they must be competent in overcoming, for example, language, we must allow any service user to use their preferred language, and this could be Welsh or any other language. If you cannot speak the language yourself then find an alternative way to communicate such as through a translator. Other barriers may include demography, available resources, religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. From all the above information we can see social exclusion, discrimination and poverty can play a part in many lives of people living in Wales. Even though Welsh Government has implemented policies and initiatives to eradicate these issues, people in Wales are still suffering the effects and impacts . Despite both the UK and Welsh governments commitments to the eradication of child poverty and support for this aim across all political parties and a range of policies and programmes to achieve this goal, statistically, child poverty in Wales remains stubbornly high. In order to meet the Welsh Governments target or eradicating child poverty by 2020, the rate of child poverty in Wales would have to fall four times as fast over the next 10 years as it has over the last 10 (New Policy Institute, 2011).(Williams, 2010). Overall I personally dont think we can eliminate social exclusion and discrimination because whatever Governments gives, they always take back in other areas. Here is just one example, LOW income families in Wales face losing an average  £74 a year in support to pay their council tax bills, a study warned yesterday. Cuts of 10% will be passed on to claimants when the UK Government transfers responsibility for council tax benefit to the Welsh Government from 2013. The support is more widely claimed than any other means-tested benefit with 328,000 recipients in Wales. The move will slash the benefit by more than  £24m across Wales. (www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2012/06/22/low-income-families-in-wales-face-74-council-tax-benefit-cut-says-report-55578-31235972/ acessed 27th October 2012). I also feel society can play a big part to exclusion, many are still ignorant to diversity and can, directly and indirectly, discriminate certain groups of society. References Howe, D. (2009) A Brief Introduction to Social Work Theory, Basingstoke: Palgrave Lewis, H, (2010) Poverty and Social Exclusion in Wales, Blaenau Gwent, Bevenfoundation Pierson, J and Thomas, M. (2010) Dictionary of Social Work, Berkshire: Open University Press McGraw-Hill Walker, H. (2008) Studying for Your Social Degree, Exeter: Learning Matters Williams, C. (2011) Social Policy for Social Welfare Practice in a Devolved Wales (2e). Birmingham: BASW British Association of Social Workers LTD (www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2012/06/22/low-income-families-in-wales-face-74-council-tax-benefit-cut-says-report-55578-31235972/ accessed 27th October 2012). (www.jrf.org.uk/publications/monitoring-poverty-wales-2009 accessed 27th October 2012). (www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=14038#_5._Income_Poverty

Christopher Columbus Essay -- History Columbus

Christopher Columbus is credited as the audacious voyager who challenged modern thinking and found the land now known as the Americas. Columbus not only discovered new lands, but also opened trade with native peoples and brought substantial wealth and glory to the major European powers. In addition his ventures not only enabled the spread of the gospel to pagan peoples, but also set the stage for the emergence of the United States of America. Without Christopher Columbus the United States would not have been a separate state for over 500 years or more or not at all. However, despite all that Columbus did, people still fail to recognize the journey he undertook before Columbus set off in his first ship. The public is still unable to comprehend, despite years of education, the internal and external struggle and the ridicule Columbus was forced to go through for just believing in what he thought was correct. His courage in the face of ridicule is what really makes Columbus a national he ro in that age as well as in this era. Christopher Columbus’ acts of perseverance, his moral courage, and his adventurous spirit continue to inspire the people of today. Through this intercourse, Christopher Columbus’ work has not ended, for it is continuous as it persists to imbue the people of today with the ability to succeed in the face of an unknown future. (Philips 13) Christopher Columbus’ perseverance and persistence have long been a part of the philosophy of modern thinking. Columbus displayed high acts of persistence as he rode the waves of uncertainty to the land of success. When Columbus sought audience with King of Portugal in 1485, he was humiliatingly denied funding for his proposed idea to sail west to get to India. If, Columbus had g... ... the various values that Columbus passed on to us. Works Cited 123Holiday. "Christopher Columbus Biography." Columbus Day. Microsoft Encarta, 23 May 2003. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. . Cohen, J.M. (1969) The Four Voyages of Christopher Columbus: Being His Own Log-Book, Letters and Dispatches with Connecting Narrative Drawn from the Life of the Admiral by His Son Hernando Colon and Others. London UK: Penguin Classics. Davidson, Miles H. (1997) Columbus Then and Now: A Life Reexamined, Norman and London, University of Oklahoma Press. Khurana, Simran. "Quotations: Hope." Quotes Quotations. 2001. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. . Phillips, W. D. and C. R. Phillips (1992) The Worlds of Christopher Columbus. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press.

Procurement Essay

1. A buyer who communicates expectations clearly. The number one quality of a good customer is that they are able to express what they want and need. This ability is vital for a supplier to deliver the right product or service. A supplier can’t deliver what wasn’t asked for. As with pretty much every project of any sort that involves more than one person communication is the biggest factor in success. Poor communication will without a doubt cripple your project and it most often comes in one of two different forms. First there is slow communication. When clients take weeks to get back to you on simple updates projects drag and you don’t get paid. Additionally your motivation for the project will probably drop significantly causing you to take shortcuts when you finally do hear back on changes or approval or make assumptions when you don’t hear back. While your mindset may be that you just want to get this project out the door it could result in sub par work and a poor reflection of your capabilities. Second there is miscommunication. While your client may get back to you in a timely manner there is just something off between the two parties. This road can go both ways, as a designer working with clients its up to you to find out what their comfort level may be when communicating ‘techy’ things. Some clients are plenty familiar with the technology and best practices that go into web design while others will need to be walked through the process more. The positive side of this problem is that it is very avoidable. Communication issues are often glaringly obvious before a project ever gets under way. If you are looking for a project and not a headache you will likely be better off passing on projects that appear to be ridden with communication issues from the get go. 2. Allows a reasonable amount of time for the work. The business world is filled with customers who want it â€Å"yesterday.† Often, what these customers actually get is a rushed job full of mistakes and needing a lot of rework. A good customer, however, understands that quality service from the supplier takes time and plans accordingly. 3. Available for questions. While most suppliers can and do work independently, there’s nothing more frustrating for a supplier than being surprised by an obstacle and being unable to reach the customer for questions and clarifications. Smart customers therefore know that it’s cheaper to get it right the first time than to fix it later. They make themselves available. 4. Pays a fair amount for work required. A bargain is a bargain, except when it’s not. Often paying less than market rate for work results in getting work of less than average quality. That’s because a supplier who works on the cheap often must take on more work than they can really do well just to make ends meet. 5. Pays in a timely fashion. This is a buyer who discusses their payment terms with the supplier before the project begins and then honor those terms. If you say that you will pay within x days of the project’s completion, be sure to pay that amount within that timeframe. Don’t make the supplier beg you for their payment. You could ruin your professional reputation and even your credit history. 6. Has high integrity. Honesty is at the core of every successful business relationship. Suppliers like to deal with customers who conduct all of their business in an honest and transparent fashion. Not only is this a great way to conduct oneself in general, it will also enhance the buyer’s business reputation. 7. A buyer who allows the supplier to do their job. Once the buyer has hired the right person, then they the supplier possess the talent and skill to do the job well. The buyer therefore keeps an open mind about what their supplier proposes. They don’t be constantly second-guessing their supplier’s abilities. 8. A buyer who seeks an ongoing relationship. The best customers understand the value of an ongoing relationship. They don’t want to have to â€Å"break-in† a new supplier with each new project that they have. This will encourage loyalty from both parties which is very essential in any business undertaking. 9. A buyer who gives credit where credit is due. While it’s not always possible to give a supplier authorship credit for a product or service, a discerning customer notices when a supplier puts in extra effort or goes the extra mile in a project. 10. Committed to quality. Most suppliers take pride in their work and want to produce high quality work. They dislike it when a customer asks them to take shortcuts. 11. Project Attachment: Look for clients who are attached to the project at hand. If a project has a high personal or financial value to a client it can help solve a lot of the problems on this list. Working for a client who doesn’t care about the project at hand can be a demoralizing experience. While it might be counter-intuitive try to avoid clients that ‘need’ to have a project done. 12. Additional Work: It’s a little bit of a bonus but also one of the best characteristics about any client. A client that refers their friends to you or has multiple projects to tackle is a huge value to any designer. Be sure to reward your loyal customers with discounts and your best work. After all these clients are saving you a huge amount of time and the effort of finding additional work, time that would otherwise go unpaid. If you like a client that you work with and had a project that went well don’t hesitate to ask them for a testimonial and suggest that they share your contact information with anyone they know who needs a web site as well. 13. Save a large deposit (or buy with cash!) A large deposit shows a level of commitment to the property, as that money is non-refundable when you exchange contracts. The only thing that trumps a massive deposit is, of course, a cash buyer. Assuming the buyer has the funds in place and can prove it, the sale is much more likely to go through quickly without business owners being involved. 14. Flexible buyer: Sellers absolutely love flexible buyers because it means they can do things in the way they want, at the pace they want. This is one reason they like chain-free buyers because they tend to be able to move very quickly if necessary. But the opposite is also true. Perhaps your seller has been unable to find a suitable property themselves so they may want to agree a price with a buyer who is prepared to wait for them. If you are happy to proceed quickly, or slowly, and you make this clear to the seller, it could work in your favor.

Personal Classroom Management Plan Essay

My personal philosophy of classroom management of a preschool or elementary school settings that it requires several things first, of all you have to have patience, determination, and motivation. You have to be flexible, careful in planning, and being very consistence. You have to be prepared and ready to manage your classroom from day one. Classroom does not come well-managed you have to mold yourself and your assistant to help your classroom be well-managed. I present myself as a democratic model because it helps you with the parents, and the community beside the students that everyone gets involve to help make the school and the students safe and keep them under control. This is when I would use Wong’s Model because it helps you manage your classroom from the very first day of school. This would help me prepared myself for  what’s to come and how I would implement my lessons and rules for the classroom as well as the students. You come up with a technique to teach the kids and go over it repeatedly. Especially the ages that I teach because they are young from ages 2 1/2to 4 years old so, you will have to implement it more than once. I would also use the Win-Win Discipline as well, because if you have students in you classroom that is constantly gives you problems or have trouble listen you cause this method to help meet the deeper needs of the students and respond to the causes of misbehavior in addition to eliminating interruption in the classroom. I want to help my students not call them out or label them as a problem child or student. This is just a portion of my philosophy to help me manage my classroom in a better why. These resources were very helpful and I hope to use it in my classroom to get a positive feedback. EDU – 450 Classroom Procedures Program of Study: Early Childhood Education Procedure 1: Entering the Classroom Objective: To create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning the moment class begins. When procedure will be introduced, modeled, and practiced and its frequency: Teacher will introduce the procedure on the first day of school. Teacher will model the procedure at the beginning of class for the first week of school. Students will practice this procedure a few times the first day until satisfactory. Teacher and students will repeat when reinforcement is needed or when new students join the class. Assessment and Feedback: Teacher will watch for the students that follow the steps correctly and will positively reinforce the students. Procedure Steps or Activity: 1. Walk in quietly (entering a new zone) 2. Put things away (backpack, coats) 3. Ask to go to a center (blocks, housekeeping) etc.  ——————————————————————————————– Procedure 2: Preparing for Circle time Objective: To optimize time for instruction and create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. When procedure will be introduced, modeled, and practiced and its frequency: Teacher will introduced the procedure the first day of school. Teacher will model the procedure at the beginning of circle time for the first week of school. Teacher will practice the procedure the first couple of days until satisfied. Teacher and students will repeat when reinforcement is needed and as we get new students. Assessment and Feedback: Teacher will watch for the students that follow the steps correctly and will positively reinforce the students. For the students that is not doing it correctly, teacher will redirect them into doing so. Procedure Steps or Activity: 1. Teacher will turn off light to let them know how much time they have until clean up. 2. When the time is up, Teacher will clap hands twice. 3. Teacher will inform the students that it is clean up time. 4. Teacher will sing a song (It’s time to put the toys away). 5. When students are done cleaning, they will go to the carpet quietly. —————————————————————————— ————– Procedure 3: Fire Drill Objective: The students will already know what to do during a fire drill. When procedure will be introduced, modeled, and practiced and its frequency: Teacher will introduce the procedure on the first day of school. Teacher will model the procedure at the beginning of class for the first week of school. Teacher and students will repeat when reinforcement is needed or when new students join the class. Assessment and Feedback: Teacher will watch for students that follow the steps correctly and will positively reinforce the students. Procedure Steps or Activity: 1. Teacher will sound a bell alarming the students that it is a fire drill. 2. The students will line up quickly at the exit door. 3. Teacher will gather all the necessary items. 4. Teacher will lead the students out to safety on the emergency exit. 5. Teacher will do a head count on students. 6. Teacher and students will stay in the safety zone until someone comes and let them know it is all clear and safe to go back into the building. ——————————————————————————————– Procedure 4: Preparing for Recess Objective: To optimize time for instruction, and the students would know what to do during recess time. When procedure will be introduced, modeled, and practiced and its frequency: Teacher will introduce the procedure on the first day of school. Teacher will model the procedure at the time of recess for the first week of school. Students will practice this procedure a few times the first week of school until satisfactory. Teacher and students will repeat when reinforcement is needed or when new students join the class. Assessment and Feedback: Teacher will watch for the students that follow the steps correctly and will positively reinforce the students. Procedure Steps or Activity: 1. Teacher will turn the light off alarming the students how much time they have until cleaning up the centers. 2. When the time has come, the teacher will clap her hands three times. 3. Students will begin to clean up their centers. 4. Once students are done, they sit on the carpet. 5. Teacher will call on students one by one to put on coats. 6. When it is time, teacher has the students to line up to go outside. ——————————————————————————————– Procedure 5: Preparing for Lunch Objective: To optimize time for instruction, and the students would know what to do during lunch time. When procedure will be introduced, modeled, and practiced and its frequency: Teacher will introduce the procedure the first day of school. Teacher will model the procedure before lunch time for the first week of school. Teacher  will practiced the procedure a few times the first day until satisfactory. Teacher and students will repeat when reinforcement is needed or when new students join the class. Assessment and Feedback: Teacher will watch for students that follow the steps correctly and will positively reinforce the students. Procedure Steps or Activity: 1. Students comes in from outside, they take off their coats. 2. Students are then to sit down on the rug. 3. Teacher will call 3 to 4 students over to wash their hands. 4. Students are to return to rug. 5. Teacher will call students to table when lunch is ready. Rules and Consequences Part One: 1. Come to class prepared and ready to work. 2. Have a winning attitude. 3. Everyone deserves respect. 4. Use kind words at all times. 5. Do your very best. 6. Have fun while you learn. The consequences for every action is that for the first, offence is the students will get a verbal warning and I will talk with them about there behavior, the students will know that we do not tolerate that type of behavior. Second offence is that I would call their parents to have a parent teacher conference to speak with them about their child behavior in the classroom. Create a plan on what we can do together as a team so it would not happen again. Third offence is that the students will be sent to the office and probably would be suspended for a day out of school. If it  is the third offence and they forget their homework I would call the student parents and explain the situation of their child and would have the student take 10-15 minutes from recess time to make their work up. As a teacher will let the students know what type of behavior that I tolerate in my classroom on the very first day. I will print out a copy of the rules for the students to put in their agenda, and one for the parents to keep at home. Once we have practiced the rules for the classroom, I would have the students to recite it aloud once a week to earn extra points. Communication I would communicate with my parents through newsletter. Through a newsletter the parent will know what their child is doing weekly. The newsletter will have the lesson that we would learn for the week, any important announcements, and what important meetings or announcement that is up coming. I would also communicate with the parents through phone by letting them know each week how their child is doing, what they have accomplished so far, and if they need help in any subject. Finally, I would communicate with my parents through email, because every parent do not have a phone, so if they have a computer they can also see what their child is doing and what we have cover so far. I will have a tutorial set up for parents that need help with different lesson to be able to help their child be successful and excel further in their education. Student Engagement Strategies The teacher must use varied viewpoints, theory ways of knowing, and methods of inquiry in teaching subject matter concepts. First, one way the teacher can engage strategies is to simply the lesson for the students and give them an opportunity to help find themselves as well as the answer. Second, you can use comics and graphic novels to engage young boys more than girls, into reading. Images are powerful, so young boys are very interested in it. The teachers can develop a complex discussion from a simple idea and help stimulate student’s critical thinking. Finally, teachers must engage students in generating knowledge and testing hypotheses according to the methods of inquiry and standards of evidence used in the discipline. I would use this image when I am teaching circle time or morning session. This  is teaching the students there ABC’s, days of the week, and colors with shapes, just to name a few. I would use this image when I want the students to ask questions quietly and not all at one time talking over each other. I would post this in my circle time area reminding them what to do when they have a questions to ask. Professionalism To be professional with each of the following: with students, parents, co – workers and administrators is to be able to multi task. Inspire the trust of your clients of your students and parents. First, impression from the first day of school year is very important. Dress like a professional. Teachers should arrive at work looking the part. Always be on time, if you arrive 10 to 15 minutes before work is being on time. You will have time to prepare and go over your lesson before your class starts. Follow procedures and the protocol expected at your school. Professionals embrace the corporate identity and values and model these for the clients in this case, the children they teach. Take charge of your classroom, you have to let the students know from the very first day of school what you want from them and the rules and consequences for their actions. Take pride in the process and product. Professionally presented to your supervisor your notes and handouts. Never miss a dead line, try to be on time with your assignments, and do not way until the very last minute. Treat your colleagues and supervisors with respect. Model respect for authority for your students and gaining their respect will be much easier for you. Be passionate, positive, and enthusiastic about your work. A professional teacher will not create negativity in a staff room or engage in mindless gossip and the spreading of dissent. Take interest in every child. To better you get to know your students, the more influence you have on your students the better their attitude will be toward your subject and on their lives. Consult parents, having them involve  with you for the support of the students and the school the better it will be. Support your colleagues and school management walk the talk. Put the needs of the institution above your own. You are one person in a group of professionals who share a common goal and vision. In dealing with my strengths of my students and parents, we need to be passionate, open – minded, and honest. You have to let parents know in anyway that you are there for them. You get the parents involve with the students education and as what they have questions about. As for co- workers, you just be respectful to one another. Keep the gossip to yourself and stay away from negativity. For administrators you have to be professional at all times, by dressing appropriate, being on time, have and open- mind. The area that I can improve in is being more open- minded, by letting my students be more involved in help planning the lesson and activity in the classroom. Let the parents be more involved by asking questions for example: what would they like to see more from their students in the classroom settings. Set up computer tutorial classes for the parents that do not know how to work the computer. The importance of being professional is a multi-task, because you have to be professional in many different ways, dress appropriate have people person skills, be polite, be a quick thinker and have individuals that are able to demonstrate professional attitude both in the office and in the field.

Decline of Puritinism essays

Decline of Puritinism essays The seventeenth century in American history witnessed the arrival of a devout religious group known as the Puritans to the New England area. Whether unsatisfied with the seemingly slow progress of the Protestant Reformation in their home country of England, or fearing for their lives because of anti-Puritan persecutions, they eventually made their way to the New World with the goal of living and worshipping freely for God. Though the Puritan settlement at Massachusetts Bay in 1630 was started off at a larger scale than any others in colonial America, the faith managed to fully lose its dominant cultural impact in these settlements in the nineteenth century. Essentially, this demise was the result of Puritanisms own strict social, political, and religious doctrines. Though the Puritans were essentially supporters of liberty, they were restrained in social conduct to a degree incomparable to any contemporary standards. The idea of religion and government as one functioning system, or paternalism, was at the heart of their colonial settlements. It was mutually agreed upon by the Puritans that the purpose of government was to enforce the will of God. Therefore, social aspects like dress and family were considered within the jurisdiction of the system, and an extensive and outrageous list of laws, called the sumptuary laws, was created concerning communal behavior. For women, lace was not considered an acceptable article of clothing in Puritan society, and their attire had to have acceptable sleeve measurements. At the same time, a man was subject to prosecution if he wore long hair, and men were not even allowed to kiss their wives in public situations. One man was forced to spend hours in the stocks for kissing his in front of his home afte r returning from three years at sea. In all actuality, such harsh social policies could have done nothing more effectively than bread dissenters over time. ...

In Belmont is a lady richly left, And she is fair and, fairer than that word, of wondrous virtues Essays

In Belmont is a lady richly left, And she is fair and, fairer than that word, of wondrous virtues Essays In Belmont is a lady richly left, And she is fair and, fairer than that word, of wondrous virtues Paper In Belmont is a lady richly left, And she is fair and, fairer than that word, of wondrous virtues Paper Essay Topic: Left To Tell Play In the Merchant of Venice, Portia plays a relatively a big part, which is unusual for a Shakespearean play in which women are given the more inferior roles. Not only does she find her suitor and new husband, Bassanio, but she also saves Antonios life. The description in the title paints a picture of only a rich lady and little else is noticeable about Portia like her intelligence and depth. She shows how she can manipulate people when she goes to Venice, but doesnt severely hurt the characters. The first we hear of Portia is that she is a beautiful and wealthy woman by Bassanio. The Prince of Morocco calls her the fairest creature northward born She is the news of her beauty and wealth all over the world and men from different countries come in the hope of getting married to her. To get married to her, princes from Aragon and Morocco came. Bassanio even caused Antonio take loan from his enemy Shylock only to test his luck no marry Portia. My initial impression of Portia, as she describes her suitors to Nerissa, is that she is witty and quick-thinking. However, she also shows a racist attitude in her comments she says that the Prince of Morocco has the complexion of a devil A Shakespearean audience would have found this acceptable in those times as well as the mocking of Jews, in this case towards Shylock. She appears to speak more formally with her suitors than Nerissa suggesting she is more comfortable with people she knows and trusts and Nerissa is a close friend. Portia tells the Prince of Morocco that he has an equal chance to the other suitors after he worries he is too dark skinned for her, this is because she does not like any of them. From this first scene the audience might find Portia somewhat particular and a typical upper class heiress. I had rather be married to a deaths head than to either of these. Portia complains about each suitor to Nerissa giving a new excuse why they are not right for her hand in marriage. In Act 3 Scene 2, Bassanio is choosing the casket. Already before he chooses the correct one, you notice Portias different attitude. She is talking a lot more and seems more keen rather than before with the previous suitors. Portia appears more comfortable with Bassanio and there is some clear chemistry between them in this scene. He boasts of having received fair speechless messages from her eyes, which hints of her feelings for him. Portia presents signs that she likes him by guiding his decision. She warns Bassanio to take his time so he chooses the right one, this shows Portias determination for Bassanio to win her hand in marriage. Portia even provides him with clues to which casket, mentioning bell which were originally made of lead, also bred and head which rhyme with lead. As she is nervous when he chooses a casket, for fearing of losing him, she tells him I stand for sacrifice, this could be a way of showing her love for Bassanio. Whilst Portia is delighted that he chose the right casket, she appears worried that she will not come up to Bassanios expectations: I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends, exceed account This is somewhat surprising as the situation was reversed with Portias other suitors who proved not good enough for her. Portias language is fairly expressive. She is wise and articulate in her speech During Act 4 whilst pretending to be a male lawyer; she manipulates Shylock into thinking she is on his side and then defeating him. This shows she has power and authority and uses it well. She shows courage and cleverness moreover her arguments are very intelligent. She speaks forcefully and powerfully of mercy, It is twice blessed; it blesses him that gives, and him that takes. She uses her power to test Bassanio. Even though she claimed after their marriage that all her possessions are his and handed over her power, she still seemed to be the dominant leader of the couple. Act 4 is the most important of scenes in the play for Portia. Her amusing, intelligent and forceful argument is used to legally attack Shylock and free Antonio. Although she misleads Shylock into believing he will be rewarded until the last minute, a brutal feat, she may have been doing so in order to give Shylock every opportunity to redraw and show mercy. It is more likely however that Shakespeare did this to cause suspense and tension in the scene. In the end she points out that the bond does not include blood in the terms, and so Shylock cannot receive his pound of flesh, she then accuses Shylock of attempting to kill a Venetian, and he is sentenced to converting to Christianity and to leaving his fortune to Jessica and Lorenzo. However, Portia and the other characters fail to acknowledge the fact that Shylock is indeed a Venetian only not a Christian but a Jew. They imply throughout the scene that he is like an alien because of his Jewish faith. Although it seems Portia is fair towards Shylock at the beginning of his trial and does not strongly loathe Jews, she later joins in with the other characters in addressing him Jew instead of his real name. This shows Portia being prejudice to Shylock but the same as most Christian people in Shakespearean times would. They treat him as an outsider and give him no respect or allow him to keep his dignity. His punishment essentially deprives him of everything he cares for and has worked for. In modern day, Shylock would be sympathized by the audience however a Shakespearean audience would have been mostly Christian. This means that their favour would go towards the Christian character so Portia would be seen as the heroine by saving the day and Antonios life. The entire ring plot is Portias idea, and she and Nerissa enjoy the prospect of the prank at their husbands expense. She is ruthless to Bassanio, making him give her still dressed as Balthazar her ring as a thank you gift for saving Antonio. The fact that she can plan this trick immediately after Shylocks humiliation suggests she has a clear conscience over what has happened. Bassanio swears over and over that he never gave his ring away to another woman and he is more than a little embarrassed to admit that he gave it to another man if I could add a lie unto a fault I would deny it. Portia plays the role of the angry wife enjoying mocking Bassanio just as well as she played the role of the learned young lawyer at Antonios trial. This scene shows how Portia still has the authority, even though she swore Bassanio owned all her possessions and power. Myself and what is mine, to you and yours is now converted. One of the qualities that attract the audience to Portia is that she is an obedient daughter and at the same time she is a loyal and caring wife. She is bound by her fathers will to marry the man who chooses correctly between a gold, silver and lead casket one contains her portrait. However resents this decision, I may neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike. Portia waited patiently to get married. If she wanted she could easily have told Bassanio or another possible suitor what casket to open so she could marry the man of her choice however she did not, no matter her desire to do so. She was loyal and obedient but at the same time she had firmness, she has desirable characteristics, her braveness allowed her to argue against anyones disagreement. In my opinion, In Belmont is a lady richly left, and she is fair and, fairer than that word, of wondrous virtues is not an adequate description of Portia. In this quote Bassanio was telling Antonio of Portia and stating her wealth and beauty over her desirability and intelligence. Portia is much more than just her wealth, not because she uses intellectual words and delivers an impressive mercy speech in Antonios trial, but that fact that she, who we have beforehand seen as pampered and light-hearted, when confronted with injustice, stands tall and speaks her truth, defeating all obstacles as they come. We are both accoutred like young men Portia and Nerissa dress up as men to disguise themselves from their husbands in Venice. She uses her power in Antonios trial by depriving him of any control and in the end the audience may doubt how she knew of his ships situation and why she went through with the trial when there was not any need. This could be a way of staying in charge. Therefore, Portia is to a great extent wiser and more intelligent than she was formerly made out to be.

Oak is the Official U.S. National Tree

Oak is the Official U.S. National Tree The mighty oak tree was  voted  the United States favorite tree in a National Arbor Day Foundation poll taken in 2001.  Nearly five years later, a  Congressional passage and a presidential signing of a historic bill made it the official  national tree of the United States in late 2004. Americas national tree is the mighty oak. The Congressional Passage of the Official National Tree Having oak as our national tree is in keeping with the wishes of the hundreds of thousands of people who helped choose this striking symbol of our nation’s great strength, said John Rosenow, the  president of The National Arbor Day Foundation. The oak was selected during a four-month-long open voting process hosted by the Arbor Day Foundation. From the first day of voting, oak was the people’s clear choice, finishing with more than 101,000 votes, compared to almost 81,000 for the magnificent runner-up, the redwood. Rounding out the top five were the dogwood, maple, and pine. The Voting Process People were invited to vote for one of 21 candidate trees, based on broad tree categories (general) that included the state trees of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each voter also had the option to write in any other tree selection they preferred. Advocates of the oak praised its diversity, with more than 60 species growing in the United States, making oaks America’s most widespread hardwood tree. There is an oak species that grows naturally in nearly every state in the continental U.S.   Why Oak Trees Are so Important Individual oaks have long played a part in many important American historical events, from Abraham Lincoln’s use of the Salt River Ford Oak as a marker in crossing a river near Homer, Illinois, to Andrew Jackson taking shelter under Louisiana’s Sunnybrook Oaks on his way to the Battle of New Orleans. In the annals of military history, Old Ironsides, the USS Constitution, took its nickname from the strength of its live oak hull, famous for repelling British cannonballs. Uses for oak tree wood are of major importance and in high demand as a commercially harvested tree species. Oak has an extremely dense wood and resists insects and fungal attacks because of its high tannic acid content. It saws even and true with beautiful grain desired for building the best furniture and cabinets along with the durability necessary for fine flooring. It is a perfect wood for long-lasting timbers for building, perfect planking for shipbuilding and the barrel staves used for storing and aging fine whiskey spirits.

What was the significance of the Lawrence, Massachusetts Strike of Essay

What was the significance of the Lawrence, Massachusetts Strike of 1912 - Essay Example They stipulated that: Another impact of the strike is that it proved wrong the theory of conservative trade unions inside the American Federation of Labor. This showed that an immigrant, mostly unskilled female and racially divided workforce could not be organized. It showed women were capable of assuming significant leadership positions in labor. The strike proved successful because the workers overcame strong odds and their demands were met. The poor living conditions in the residences of the workers were exposed. In fear of a repeat of such strikes and unionization movements, some factories, not only in the textile industry, raised wages. It also gave a new, nonviolent strategy to those wishing to participate in strikes, in future. It serves as a motivation for future workers who may also come to demand better wages, treatment, and benefits (Watson

Positive and negative impact of international institutions on Essay

Positive and negative impact of international institutions on developing countries - Essay Example Therefore, the paper will focus on how these institutions have contributed to development and how their influence has had negative impacts on developing nations. An overview of operations of international institution in Developing Countries Since the advent of globalisation, international organisations have increased their operations in developing countries. International trade has spread all over the world at a faster rate than experienced before this phenomenon. In their quest for economic, as well as social progress in the last four to five decades, developing countries have embraced policies that promote international trade. Consequently, their share of exports has increased to one third from one fourth during the 1960’s. The World Bank and UNCTAD have taken part in trade activities in regions such as Central America, East Asia, and Africa. The formation of these institutions aimed at enhancing global trade. With development loans offered by these institutions, developing nations have managed to carry out development projects (Young, 2000). While taking part in development activities, in developing countries, international institutions contend that an enabling international environment is of paramount importance. They argue that such an environment enables developing countries and other economies under transition to have successful integration into the economy of the world. International trade also allows developing countries to develop reliable capabilities of supply, which will be in line with the market demands, improve networking, promote development and transfer of technology, as well as increase productivity. International institutions emphasize that developing nations should promote growth and development by instituting policies, which will encourage international trade. As such, governments of developing countries should provide adequate resources, improve the capacity of institutions, enhance technological capacity, and improve infrastructur e. Positive and negative impact of World Bank and UNCTAD on developing countries The World Bank came to being after the end of the Second World War; the political climate present during the time of its formation was different from the current political climate in the world of today. The institutional structures of this organization were incorporated in Bretton Woods, at an international conference held in New Hampshire. The initial purpose of forming the World Bank was to provide aid in terms of loans to developing nations. The main targets included the countries facing a crisis of balance of payment deficits and immense difficulties in settling debts (Wantchekon 2002, p. 59). Originally, the purpose and focus of World Bank aimed at lending money to European government of the West in order to assist them in rebuilding their countries as a result of the war. However, the attention of the World Bank later focussed on giving loans to developing countries for development purposes. UNCTA D came into being during the early years of 1960s. During the early 1960s, there grew concerns about the place of developing countries in international trade. This made most of these nations to advocate for the convening of a conference devoted to dealing with problems

The Western Treatment of Illness versus Alternative Therapies of Essay

The Western Treatment of Illness versus Alternative Therapies of Probiotics, Herbs and Cleansing Regimens - Essay Example Bacteria which are immune to the traditional treatments of antibiotics have become a serious issue for practitioners and the general public. Over-reliance on antibiotics by family doctors, and non-compliance by patients (usually through lack of understanding about the nature of antibiotics and bacteria) has produced infections such as Clostridium difficile, known as C. dif, which require very intensive therapies and are very resistant to treatment. It therefore makes sense for scientists to consider whether alternative therapies are of any benefit in providing an alternative to antibiotics. Complementary therapy such as herbs may actually cheaper than conventional medications. A study comparing standard anti-depressants with St John's Wort found that the side effects of the herb were only 10 percent that of the medications, and the herb was only one-fourth the cost of the anti-depressant. (Jonas, W. 209). Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori through antibiotics is : The side effects of antibiotics often result in a significant failure to complete the course - this has repercussions both in the duration of the illness, and the likelihood of the bacteria becoming resistant to treatment. Studies have shown that probiotics act rapidly (Mattila-Sandholm et all, 2000). In addition, it is widely acknowledged that patients are complacent about antibiotics, (Guardian 2005), and complementary therapy could provide a solution to that problem (Jonas, 208) Alternative therapies also provide a 'holistic' treatment, though some clinicians feel that it is nonsense to claim that conventional medicine does not treat the whole person (Baum, 1988)However, there is evidence that probiotics strengthen the immune system (Kailasapathy, Chin, 82; Senok, Ismaeel, and Botta, 959-960), providing long-term benefits for the patient. In cases where the patient is vulnerable to infection, this may be of particular interest. Problems with CAM Although many people take CAM without problems, there are safety issues which mean that alternative therapy is not benign. Firstly, the herbs themselves may be toxic in large doses (Silverstein et al, 162), they may be contra-indicated with conventional medication (Silverstein, 162; Jonas 209), and generally less well regulated (Senok, 959). There is also little hard evidence that CAM's are more effective than conventional treatments (Mattila-Sandholm, 394; Langmead, Rampton, 348), and despite some clinicians' feelings that CAM's have a beneficial effect, some studies seem to show the opposite (Gionchetti, et al, 492). The biggest concern over the use of CAM in treating bacterial diseases, however, is the fact that many probiotics and herbal medicines are targeted at the healthy

Software Requirements Specification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Software Requirements Specification - Essay Example To address this problem PCI offers its clients a service that would allow clients to forward all their calls to them and PCI in turn would collect all the messages and forward them to employees that are on the road and away from their desk. These messages would usually be forwarded to their phones or pagers. Goals of the project The basic goal of the project is to ensure that the company’s clients’ businesses are not affected because their employees are on the road and important messages do not reach them. The second goal of the project is to improve communication between employees of a business and the headquarters of the business to ensure that there is better coordination amongst them all. The final goal of the project is to help PCI improve their overall service and ensure that they retain their old customers and obtain new customers as well. Stakeholders of the project The company: One of the main stakeholders for the project is the company for which the system is being created. The company would also be the main user of the software that is going to be developed through this project. The company’s name is PCI (Pivotal Communication Inc.). Clients: The second major stakeholders are the clients to whom PCI would provide its services to. These clients would be able to only get their desired service if the project being worked on is a success. Software Company and the development team: The software company that is responsible for developing the solution for the given issue have an equal share in this project. The software company tends to make a great deal of profit with the successful completion of this project. Other stakeholders: The complete list of stakeholders can be viewed in the diagram below Users of the software: The main users of the system developed would be PCI’s agents. Agents are responsible for answering and handling all the transactions regarding a call or message that is supposed to be provided to a particular cli ent. The second users of the system would be the clients that would interact with the system to manage messages and calls that they receive. Characteristics used to define users The users that have been identified above would be assessed in the following categories. The categories would be helpful in identifying the correct functional and non-functional requirements of the project. Understanding of technology Physical impairments Qualifications and credentials Project constraints Mandated constraints Resource constraints: The software is to be developed using the resources that have been provided by PCI. The developers have to work within the time frame provided and equipment that the company owns. Requirements constraint: The graphic user interface of the system should be easy to work and operate. Users of the system must easily understand how to operate the system and employees of client companies must be able to easily handle the messages they receive. Legal constraint: The contr act that PCI has signed with its clients states that PCI is responsible for storing all the messages it receives for at least 90 days. This means that the system should be able to store vast amounts of data. Furthermore PCI is required by law to inform callers that their calls are being recorded. This means that before recording a message the system must inform the caller that their call is being recorded. Glossary Glossary of all terms: The following table contains a

The Impossibility of Religious Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Impossibility of Religious Freedom - Essay Example The arguments leading to the determination of the case are in themselves suggestive of the position taken by Sullivan. The court’s determination argument, the free religious practice of rights must be based on a sincerely held religious belief†¦Moreover, that Holt proved it, by being neither slight nor idiosyncratic with tenets of Islam is arbitrary. The argument as explained by Sullivan essentially means that it rests with the courts to debate and establish whether or not the religiously-motivated practices are enjoying protection under the first amendment of the constitution. The court had to determine the growth of mustache was sincerely and genuinely motivated by the Islam religion. The condition in itself amounts to a violation of the religious freedom in the sense that the interrogation of legitimacy. Sullivan ably supports his position that â€Å"through interrogating the legitimacy of religious behavior in this first instance, the court fundamentally destroys the very idea of religious freedom. He continues, By requiring authentication of the religious motivation, the courts extend free exercise clause onto the behavior that is legitimized by virtue of external proofs like sacred texts, clerical pronouncements, widespread adherence or historical tradition. The argument implies that by the courts attempting to widen the scope of free practice, to accommodate all the subjective and unsubstantiated claims of motivating religion, they risk subjecting all the laws to exceptions.

OPS Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

OPS Assignment - Essay Example These steps include taking orders from the company, making a database of orders in his laptop, starting with the problem statements of the orders, analyzing the issues, writing sequence of steps to be taken for gathering of data, switching on the internet, searching for the required software modules, perform coding as per requirement of those software projects, testing them, making the document of the project which needed at least four hours, and in the end, deliver the ordered software projects to the company and getting paid for the successful accomplishment of the orders. Now, all these steps mentioned above take a very long time in order to get an order completed. Like he takes two orders per day in which one order requires coding and the other one requires just documentation. But the problem here is that he will start doing second project when he will get the first order completed. He spends at least ten hours to complete both orders. His personal life also gets affected due to this long duration. The thing is that he should make an efficient flowchart to get these orders completed spending less time. To accomplish this, he will have to hire an individual who has expertise in typing a proper document for the software projects. The flowchart he will use will start by getting orders from the company, saving the problems statements in the laptop, coming home, switching on the laptop, make two different folders for the project out of which one folder will contain the software which will require coding and the other one will contain the software which will require documentation. Now he will call the person whom he has hired for documenting the project. While he will perform coding for the first software, the other person will start documenting the other software which will reduce the time to complete two orders. In this way, both the orders will get completed simultaneously within six hours instead of

The Impossibility of Religious Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Impossibility of Religious Freedom - Essay Example The arguments leading to the determination of the case are in themselves suggestive of the position taken by Sullivan. The court’s determination argument, the free religious practice of rights must be based on a sincerely held religious belief†¦Moreover, that Holt proved it, by being neither slight nor idiosyncratic with tenets of Islam is arbitrary. The argument as explained by Sullivan essentially means that it rests with the courts to debate and establish whether or not the religiously-motivated practices are enjoying protection under the first amendment of the constitution. The court had to determine the growth of mustache was sincerely and genuinely motivated by the Islam religion. The condition in itself amounts to a violation of the religious freedom in the sense that the interrogation of legitimacy. Sullivan ably supports his position that â€Å"through interrogating the legitimacy of religious behavior in this first instance, the court fundamentally destroys the very idea of religious freedom. He continues, By requiring authentication of the religious motivation, the courts extend free exercise clause onto the behavior that is legitimized by virtue of external proofs like sacred texts, clerical pronouncements, widespread adherence or historical tradition. The argument implies that by the courts attempting to widen the scope of free practice, to accommodate all the subjective and unsubstantiated claims of motivating religion, they risk subjecting all the laws to exceptions.

Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty - Essay Example Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty Notwithstanding the symbolic importance of Parliament within the separation of powers doctrine, in practice commentators have suggested that within the contemporary socio-political framework the reality is that the separation of powers doctrine is intrinsically limited. Academic discourse has suggested that the lack of clarity in the unwritten UK constitution as compared to other democracies has further compounded the lack of defined boundaries between various institutional functions under the separation of powers doctrine within the UK. However, whilst there may be no absolute doctrine of separation of powers, it has been acknowledged that the principle underlines day to day functions of the executive, legislature and judiciary. This paper critically reviews the extent to which Parliamentary sovereignty is qualified. In doing so, this paper will firstly refer to parliamentary procedure and undertake a contextual analysis of how EC law and the Human Rights Act 1998 exemplify the real ity that Parliamentary sovereignty is inherently qualified in practice. It is proposed at the outset that there is no clear separation of powers within the theoretical ideal and in practice there is a fusion of powers, which is arguably necessary to ensure effective channels of communication in the socio-political infrastructure. Whilst the Law Commission’s legislative authority asserts its independence ; the internal governance of the Commission with appointments being made by the Lord Chancellor enables executive influence in legislative functions.10. Furthermore, the extent of judicial powers derives directly from the Crown and therefore the operation of the socio-political infrastructure is clearly dependent on the overlap of functions between the theoretical separate powers11. This blurring of the separation of powers has significant implications for Parliamentary procedure. The central function of Parliament is as legislative arm of the British political system12. However, Parliament effectively operates within a party political system and t o a degree is used as medium for sanctioning executive sovereignty as it relies on the executive for policy initiatives13. Whilst Parliament can subject executive

A Literature Study About Greed And Status Psychology Essay

A Literature Study About Greed And Status Psychology Essay This literature study focuses on the link between greed and need for status. After research, it can be concluded that need for status is a relative concept. Since people only feel fortunate when they have as much or a little more than the people in their environment. Therefore, seeing what others have is one of the most powerful influences that stirs greater and greater desires. People may not just want what others have but more than others have. In order to provide the link between need for status and greed, it was necessary to find the relative factors in greed. In this study it is assumed that three facets contribute greed namely, self-interest, materialism and desire for money. All these facets appear to have relative parts. For instance, competitors are individuals who are mainly focused on maximizing their own outcome relative to others. Therefore they always prefer outcomes that are superior to those in their environment. Materialism is defined as the importance a consumer attached to worldly possessions. However, it could also be a competitive striving to have more than others. Materialistic individuals therefore have a desire for others possessions, objects, experiences or persons and resent those who own the desired possessions. The desire for money is also relative since monetary value is inherently invaluable. People do not have a scale to sense what amount is desirable and what is undesirable. Therefore, people r ely on external reference (e.g. what others in their environment receive). Based on that information, people use to judge the merit of their own achievements, whereby it is possible to conclude that monetary experience follows the relative pattern people interpret. Table of content 1. The Seven Deadly Sins The Seven Deadly Sins have provided gossip, amusement and plots for nearly fifteen centuries (Solomon, 1999). The Seven Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, have always been popular. However, the dubious deadly have caused many speculations (Solomon, 1999: p.7 preface). Pope Gregory the First instituted the classic certification. His list of seven was confirmed and later modified by Saint Thomas of Aquinas. The list survived several centuries and now consists of the following Seven Sins: Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy and Gluttony (Solomon, 1999 p.2). 1.1 Introduction of the topic A recent study concluded that The Sins are still encountered in our daily lives, despite their existence for all this time (Frank, 2001). This because they are so deeply rooted in our human nature, that not only they are almost completely unavoidable but people can never seem to limit themselves (Frank, 2001). For example, pressing the snooze button once or twice in the morning before dragging oneself out of bed? Or taking a long shower without consideration for your family members? These are only harmless examples, but sins can also cause more substantial consequences. Lately, greed has been a central subject in the economical news. Amongst others parliamentarians, journalists and prominent business men have been presenting this sin as one of the main causes for the current credit crunch (Bernasek, 2010; Trouw: Economics Department, 2009; Staps, 2008). Furthermore, De Soysa (2002) even claims that greed is the primary motivating factor behind civil wars. The main question that intrigues me is: why are people greedy? As ultimately humans and not these sins are responsible for causing credit crunches and wars. According to Wenzel (1968), greed arises due to the nature of earth. He stated that the earth is cold and dry and therefore people who lack heat and humidity are exceedingly greedy. Furthermore, when we take a look at Wachtels theory (2003), greed is known as a form of self-deception. Here self-deception is a false consciousness in which what really matters is suppressed by a single-minded focus on material wealth (Wachtel, 2003). He also concluded that these days greed is stated as a form of self-interest (Wachtel, 2003). For further understanding, it is necessary to define the many concepts of greed. The following definition is therefore utilized throughout this thesis: greed is a selfish and excessive desire to acquire or possess more than one needs  [1]  . 1.2 Problem statement Despite the fact that unwanted situations like credit crunches and wars re-appear, relatively little time is devoted to greed in academic research. Wachtels psychoanalytic research (2003) is one of the few clues within the subject. Though, his research is mainly focused on the link between greed, material wealth and money. However, greed is also viewed in other respects. For instance, Frank (1999) concluded that mutual influence is another important dimension in the process of greed as well. Mutual influence means that our choices, purchases and feelings are influenced by neighbors and family (Frank, 1999). In order to explain this concept, consider the perception of what looks right in clothing. Simply by living in the society, people seem to have an automatic sense about how wide a jacket should be. But when fashion changes over time, peoples perception changes as well (Frank, 1999). Wachtel (2003) made a similar comparison. He said that the envy towards the bigger boat is not redu ced by increasing the average size of the vessels. For when all boats get larger, the average persons assets still feels like just a boat. So, apparently people continuously compare their possessions with others (Wachtel, 2003; Frank, 1999). This could be emphasized with the findings of Duesenberry (1949). He concluded that a concern for status causes people to engage in imitating the consumption standard of those above them in the income hierarchy. But why is status important for people? And what kind of effects does it have on greed? In hopes of finding, the problem definition is stated as follows: What is the effect of -need for status- on greed? 1.3 Research questions In order to answer the problem definition three research questions have been formulated: What is greed? What is status? Will status influence greed? 1.4 Conceptual model After the problem definition and the research questions the following conceptual model has been defined: Greed Need for Status Need for Status (now called status) = Ones position in the world (De Botton, 2004). Greed = A selfish and excessive desire to acquire or possess more than one needs  [2]  . 1.5 Academic relevance There have been several studies about The Seven Deadly Sins, but only a few about greed (Frank, 2001; Solomon, 1999; Wenzel, 1968; Wachtel, 2003). However, there are studies about related topics such as conspicuous consumption, money, materialism and self-interest (Arrow Dasgupta, 2009; De Botton, 2004; Khan, 2004; Krà ¤hmer, 2006; Frank, 1999; Rege, 2006; Richins, 1994; Rucker Galinsky, 2009; Veblen, 1899). In none of these studies, greed is linked to status. In my opinion status is a missing variable in the concept, which potentially could be the underlying motive for people to keep buying material goods. This makes this thesis academically relevant due to the fact that it may contribute to the further understanding of greed and the impact it potentially has on consumer behavior. 1.6 Managerial relevance This thesis attempts to contribute to the further understanding of greed. With this obtained knowledge, it is possible to counteract unwanted developments caused by greed, such as credit crunches or civil wars. It could also raise concern and put this subject on the agenda, in order to be able to protect consumers in the future. 1.7 Thesis structure In chapter 1, the research topic is introduced and explained. The problem definition, conceptual model and research questions are defined as well. Chapter 2 and 3 cover respectively the dependent variable, need for status, and the independent variable, greed. The last chapter describes the conclusions, discussion and recommendations concerning this research. After each chapter, a short conclusion is given for recapitulation and clarification. 2. Need for Status Distinction and status are amongst others the stronger motivations of human behavior (Truyts, 2010). The importance of distinction as a fundamental dynamic was underlined by Darwin (1871). He introduced sexual selection as a selection tool. He concluded that in order to spread the population, people not only need to survive in their natural and social environment but they also need to be a more attractive partner than their same sex competitors (Truyts, 2010). This is also emphasized in more recent research, for example in sociology. Pierre Bourdieu (1979) pointed social distinction as well as status as a crucial dynamic of the social life. It is known, that in traditional and mostly ancient societies, status was hard to acquire. But it was also hard to lose status (De Botton, 2004). For example, someone could not stop with being a lord, due to the fact that it is a title that has been given to someone. What mattered was the identity at the stage of birth, because in that time people did not care about ones achievement (De Botton, 2004). Currently, status rarely depends on someones identity. Instead it depends on someones performance (De Botton, 2004). But what is status precisely? According to De Botton (2004), status is known as ones position in the world. Hereby, the world refers to ones legal or professional standing within a group (e.g. married). Solely, this is a more narrow sense of status since in a broader sense it means ones value and importance in the eyes of the world (De Botton, 2004). 2.1 Biological evidence for the importance of status A range of medical and biological evidence testifies that status induces something real to happen in the human body and brain (Truyts, 2010). For example, Long et al. (1982) found in their study that test persons show a higher heart rate and blood pressure when confronted with an experimenter who bears signs of a high status such as a name tag, suit or formal language (Truyts, 2010). But also evolution-based theories suggest that the desire to be perceived as wealthy, attractive and of high status may be built into our genes (Buss, 2005). So part of the desire for status is defined by our genes and this partly suggests that we enjoy status for the sake of status itself (Truyts, 2010). But is this the only reason why people seek status? 2.2 Signaling status According to Wright (1994) people are always looking for achieving high status in society. But, how do people reach this coveted desire? De Botton (2004) stated that people could generate high status due to their importance, achievement and income. This is also emphasized in the study of Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh (2010). They stated that high status could be achieved through either dominance or prestige (Griskevicius et al., 2010). Godoy and his colleagues (2006), concluded that nowadays, people spend time and resources in order to communicate their status to others (Godoy et al., 2006). Several researches have concluded the same thing. In relatively simple economies, people equate status using their resources on displaying their skills as providers of food (Gintis, Smith Bowles, 2001; Hagen Bryant, 2003; Hawkes Bliege Bird, 2002; Henrich Gil-White, 2001; Scaglion 1999; Sosis, 2003). This while in more industrialized economies, people associate status with earnings and they signal their potential through public displays of wealth and income (Godoy et al., 2006). This is also emphasized in several other researches. Because in order to communicate status, people rely on several strategies including producing or consuming goods and services (Bliege Bird Bird, 1997; Bliege Bird Smith, 2005; Blurton-Jones, 1984; Patton, 2005; Smith Bliege Bird, 2000; Wilson, 1998; Winterhalder, 1996). This is also emphasized in a recent paper of Heffetz (2004). He noted that, because people are members of social groups they derive satisfaction both from the direct act of individual consumption and from how others perceive their individual consumption (Godoy et al., 2006). 2.3 Status and the others Duesenberry (1949) stated that eventually everyone is looking for more status than other people in their environment. In order to test this theory, he used households as respondents. Afterwards, he concluded that households not only care about their own consumption level but also about their consumption level relative to others (Leibenstein, 1950). This because, according to De Botton (2004), Duesenberry (1949) and Leibenstein (1950), people only feel fortunate when they have as much or a slightly more than the people they grow up with, work alongside or have as a friend. For example, when all people are small they will not be troubled by the questions of size (De Botton, 2004). But if others are taller, people are eligible to feel dissatisfied (De Botton, 2004). It therefore can be concluded that people only envy members of their reference group (De Botton, 2004). Hereby, Wachtel (2003) concluded that seeing what others have is one of the most powerful influences that drives greater and greater desires. People may not just want what others have but more than others have. Or more for mores sake, regardless of any able need on their part (Wachtel, 2003: p.105). In academic research, this is referred to as relative position. 2.4 Relative position The importance of relative position has a long history in economic theory. Veblen (1899) introduced the concept conspicuous consumption and conspicuous leisure. This emphasized the importance of actions designed to display ones relative position in society (Veblen, 1899). Galbraith (1958) stated that most consumer demands do not stern from innate needs, but are largely determined by society. More recently, Duesenberry (1949) used the idea of the demonstration effect to explain how a familys consumption is influenced by the purchases of its neighbors. However, the most comprehensive and recent exploration about relative standing, is written by Robert Frank (1985). He concluded that position externalities occur when a persons action alters an important frame of reference for others (Frank, 1991). Hereby, the so called positional treadmill refers to the process by which each person strives to gain advantage but since all are trying to get ahead, all remain in the same relative position (Frank, 1985). People care about their relative position in society for many reasons. For example a high standing in society can yield respect, admiration and power (Solnick Hemenway, 1998). Hereby, Solnick and Hemenway (1998) stated that feeling good in society is typically more affected by the relative positions than by absolute wealth. Therefore, envy is one of the reasons why individuals care about their relative status (Solnick Hemenway, 1998). For example, Bannerjee (1990) stated that it seems unquestionable that for some people, the pleasure they get out of a particular consumption will be less if they feel that everybody around them has more than they have. However, when they feel that they are on par with the rest of their group they feel better (Bannerjee, 1990). Hereby Frank (1985) declared that someone whose close associates all earn $50.000 a year is likely to feel actively dissatisfied with his material standard of living if his own salary is only $40.000. Yet, the same person would feel good, if his closest associates would not earn $50.000 but $30.000 a year (Frank, 1985). This is also stressed in a number of literature studies, while using experiments called stated preference research. 2.5 Stated preference research Stated preference research puts respondents on a hypothetical spot and asks them to state their preference for the option they believe would maximize their own interests (Truyts, 2010). For example, Solnick and Hemenway (1998) asked their respondents to choose between two companies. A is the more relative company, in which the respondent is worse off in absolute terms but better off than the others. B is the more absolute company where a respondent is better off in absolute terms, but worse off than others. Solnick and Hemenway (1998) made the following distinction: A: Your yearly income is $50,000; others earn $25,000 B: Your yearly income is $100,000; others earn $200,000 After the experiment, it could be concluded that 80% of the respondents prefer the relative case A (Truyts, 2010). A similar experiment was attempted by Tversky and Griffin (1991). They let respondents choose between jobs at a magazine. Hereby one earns at magazine C, a salary of $35,000 and others $38,000. By magazine D one earns $33,000 and others $30,000. Tversky and Griffin report that 85% of the respondents prefer magazine C, but that in a second experiment 64% believe to be happier at magazine D. 2.6 Conclusion Part of our desire for status is defined by our genes. But there are also other reasons, why people want to achieve high status. These days, people are a part of a social group. They therefore derive satisfaction both from the individual consumption and from how others perceive their individual consumption. According to several studies, people only feel fortunate when they have as much or slightly more than the people they grow up with, work alongside or have as a friend. It therefore can be concluded that seeing what others have, is one of the most powerful influences that stirs greater and greater desires. People may not just want what others have but more than others have. Or more for mores sake, regardless of any able need on their part. 3. Greed 3.1 Avarices arise Greed is a vice, which exists for a long time (Childs, 2000). Formerly, it was known as avarice and it dates from the time of the ancient Egyptians. In 2400 B.C.E. they stated: beware an act of avarice, it is a bad and incurable disease (Childs, 2000). Of course, today people do not believe this kind of warnings. However, the declaration from the movie Wall Street (1987) is memorable. Its statement, greed is good, has become a mantra for amongst others the American lifestyle (Childs, 2000). These days, CEOs want more money and the kids want more electronic stuff. However, it is stated that greeds excess is not necessarily in the amount of money or goods acquired (Childs, 2000). Childs concluded that although, frequently such correlations may appear wealth is not always correlated with greed and greed is not always correlated with wealth (Childs, 2000). According to Childs, the excess of greed is in its excessive self-concern and excessive self-enlargement. He also stated that there a re three facets to human greed. First of all it is the excessive desire for goods and wealth. Secondly it is the inordinate desire for acquiring and hoarding money. And last but not least, it is closely related to greediness, which includes the desire for the possessions of others (Childs, 2000). 3.1 Greed and its facets Although greed exists ever since, little academic research has been done about the subject. Therefore it is necessary to stress that in academic literature, greed is mainly approached by looking at related facets. For example, Wachtel (2003) found a relationship between greed and desire for money. This while Childs (2000) found three related facets of human greed namely; desire for goods/wealth, desire for money and greediness. Though, it is also stated that greeds excessiveness lies in its self-concern and self-enlargement (Childs, 2000) which is also retrievable in the definition of greed. According to several dictionaries, greed is a selfish and excessive desire to acquire or possess more than one needs  [3]  . Based on these theories, the facets; desire for money, materialism (for desire for goods/wealth) and self-interest (for selfishness/self concern and self-enlargement) will be discussed in the upcoming chapters. Currently, it is assumed that these three facets altogether contribute greed (Wachtel, 2003; Childs, 2000). 3.3 Chapter structure This thesis mainly focuses on whether there is a relationship between greed and need for status. The literature study in chapter two already showed that status is relative concept. This implies that for reaching consistency in this thesis, it is necessary to look at the facets in a relative way. Therefore, a -status- paragraph is included in each chapter which provides the link with need for status. 4. Self-interest Once, Aristotle wrote the good man should be a lover of himself for he will both profit himself by doing noble acts and will benefit his fellows (Aristotle, 1987). This statement implies that only if someone loves himself, he can help others. Striking is that time changes values, opinions and assumptions. Paul, Miller and Paul (1997) concluded that nowadays the concern for ones own interest is considered a nonmoral issue, while concerns for the interest of others are considered obvious. Since, people are trying to find a proper balance between the pursuit of ones own interest and the good of others (Paul et al., 1997). Moreover, Van Dijk, De Cremer and Handgraaf (2004) claimed that in situations of social interdependence, people vary explicitly in their expressions and acts. For example, some people seldom cooperate genuinely. They only help others when it serves their self-interest (Van Dijk, De Cremer, Handgraaf, 2004). But how come, that people are so reciprocally different in th eir behavior? According to research, this is due to a persons social value orientation. 4.1 Social value orientation Social value orientation is defined as the individual difference in the way people evaluate outcomes for themselves as opposed to others (Messick McClintock, 1968). A number of social values have been identified but usually two opposing orientations are used. Namely the proself and prosocial orientation (e.g. Declerck Bogaert, 2008; Knight Dubro, 1984). In 1978, Kelley and Thibaut presented an analysis about social value orientation. They concluded that the difference between prosocial and proself is partially caused by social interactions (Kelley Thibaut, 1978). Another important difference between prosocials and proselfs is known as the triangle hypothesis. Hereby, Iedema and Poppe (1995) attempted to identify how these two groups scope the social world. Their hypothesis suggests that prosocials have a more heterogeneous scope on the social world and they assume that others can have either the same or different social value orientations (Iedema Poppe, 1995). In contrast, prose lfs tend to hold a more homogeneous scope on others. They believe that all people have the same social value orientation namely proself (Iedema Poppe, 1995). Therefore, the proselfs will make self-serving choices as they believe that the people in their environment will do the same (Iedema Poppe, 1995). Now we know that there are differences between the two orientations but what are the differences when it comes to the need for status? 4.2 Prosocials and status Research showed that status can be achieved either through dominance (e.g. force) or prestige (Griskevicius et al., 2010; Henrich Gil-White, 2001). When talking about prosocials, we focus on status achieved through prestige. Meaning that status is gained through freely conferred appreciation (Henrich Gil-White, 2001). According to several theories, prosocials always tend to maximize outcomes for both themselves and others (e.g. Van Lange, Otten, Bruin Joireman, 1997). This is also evident in their behavior because prosocials always try to minimize differences between themselves and others (Van Lange et al.,1997). Griskevicius (2010) therefore concluded that prosocial behavior can have important functional consequences (Griskevicius, 2010). For instance, engaging in environmental conservation can build a prosocial reputation (Semmann, Krambeck Milinski, 2005; Wedekind Braithwaite, 2002). Having a reputation as a cooperative and helpful group member, can be extremely valuable for that such individuals are not only seen as more trustworthy (Barclay, 2004) but they are more desirable as friends and romantic partners (Cottrel, Neunenberg Li, 2007; Griskevicius et.al 2007; Iredale, Van Vught Dunbar, 2008; Miller, 2007; Stiff Van Vugt, 2008). But also, self sacrifice for the benefit of a group of strangers has been shown to increase the individuals status in a group (Gurven, Allen-Arave, Hill Hurtado, 2000; Hardy Van Vugt, 2006; Milinski, Semmann Kranbeck, 2002). Thus, being prosocial is associated with status in a group and therefore, if individuals desire to have positions of power, prosocial behavior may be a viable strategy for attaining status (Griskevicius et al. 2010). 4.3 Proselfs and status In contrast with prosocials, proselfs tend to only maximize outcomes for themselves (Van Lange, Otten, Bruin Joireman , 1997). In most theories, the proselfs are subdivided in two categories namely; individualists and competitors (e.g. Van Lange et al., 1997). Individualists tend to maximize their own outcomes with little or no regard to others. They are only concentrated on their own goals and they do not respond well to the well-being of other people (Van Lange, Agnew, Harinck and Steemers, 1997). This appears because individualists are not interested in long-term benefits. Competitors also tend to only maximize outcomes for themselves. However, the difference with individualists is that competitors are ultimately seeking for relative advantage over others (Van Lange, Otten, et al., 1997). Therefore, they generally exhibit low levels of sacrifice and they are most concerned with not being exploited by their partners (Van Lange, Agnew et al., 1997). Competitors are also not willing to engage in prosocial behavior (Kuhlman Marshello, 1975; Sattler Kerr, 1991). Not even if they could benefit themselves in the long haul. In fact, Van Lange, Liebrand, Messick and Wilke (1992) reported that competitors may refuse to accommodate their behavior to the cooperative but punitive opponent because a tie cannot satisfy their real motive of outdoing the other (Van Lange et al., 1992). Even when this strategy has proved hopeless, competitors may fail to score as many points for oneself as they could due to the fact that they only focus on limiting their partners (Van Lange et al., 1992). So, it is possible to conclude that competitors always prefer outcomes that are superior to those in their environment (Van Lange et al., 1992). 4.3 Conclusion A number of social values have been identified, but usually two opposing orientations apply namely the proself and prosocial orientation. It may be concluded from the theory, that prosocials achieve status mostly through prestige. Their reputation can be extremely valuable because it has been shown to increase the individuals status in a group. However, it is possible to conclude that this group is not so vital for this research due to the fact that it does not fit the definition of greed. For the excess of greed lies in its excessive self-concern and self-enlargement. However, it is possible to conclude that proselfs are important for this research. These individuals are mostly focused on maximizing outcome for themselves whereas competitors fit the theory of status best. Competitors are mainly focused on maximizing their own outcome relative to others. Therefore they always prefer outcomes that are superior to those in their environment. 5. Materialism The message we receive today is that the pursuit and possession of material goods, income and wealth is the route to increase quality of life (Kashdan Breen, 2007). Even self-identity can be defined by possessions and consumption: I am what I have and what I consume (Fromm, 1976). 5.1 Possessions and the self The term materialism has several definitions. Belk (1985) defines materialism as the importance a consumer attached to worldly possessions while Bredemeier and Toby (1960) refer to materialism as the worship of things. Additionally, materialistic people are characterized by their tendency to define their successes in life by the quantity and quality of their extrinsic possessions (Kashdan Breen, 2007). However, the assumption that people regard their possessions as part of themselves is not new (Belk, 1988). William James (1890), laid the foundation for the modern conception of the self. His definition is stated as follows: A mans self is the sum total of all that he can call his, not only his body and his psychic powers, but his clothes and his house, his wife and children, his ancestors and friends, his reputation and works, his lands, and yacht and bank-account. All these things give him the same emotions. If they wax and prosper, he feels triumphant; if they dwindle and die away, he feels cast down,-not necessarily in the same degree for each thing, but in much the same way for all (p. 291-292). So, the self is not limited to objects but it also includes persons, places and group possessions (Belk, 1988). 5.2 Materialism and psychological needs Guides have similarly insisted that focusing on attaining material possessions detracts from what is meaningful in life (Kasser, 2002). However, Kasser (2002) concluded that such advice is largely drowned out by todays messages, proclaiming that material pursuits and accumulation of things provides satisfaction (Kasser,2002). He concluded that these days, newspapers headlines exalt the lottery winner and get-rich-quick books climb to the top of the best seller list (Kasser, 2002). But will the pursuit of money and possessions bring the good life? Well, for materialists it can. For instance, research found that materialists tend to value financial success significantly more than other life goals such as community (Kasser Ryan, 1993). It is also proven that there is a strong relationship between materialism and desired income (Richins Rudmin, 1994). The income that is necessary to satisfy the needs of a materialistic person is about 50 percent higher than for those low in materialism (Richins Rudmin, 1994). 5.3 Materialism and its motives Fromm (1976) stated that materialistic persons vow possessions as the essence of their lives. However it is not just about purchasing products. Richins and Dawson (1992) found a deeper motivational motive to induce materialism. According to them, materialistic people measure their own success by the number of possessions (Richins Dawson, 1992). For instance, Kashdan and Breen (2007) concluded that materialistic values were positively correlated with the meaning of life, relatedness to others, feelings of competence and gratitude. This corresponds with the results of Kasser (2002). He concluded that positive self-regard and self-acceptance is related to possessions, money, power and image to the world (Kasser, 2002). However, there is also a link between materialism and personal insecurity (Chang Arkin, 2002). For instance, it is shown that self-doubt is a significant predictor of materialistic orientations (Chang Arkin, 2002). 5.4 Materialism and status We learned that materialistic people are characterized by their tendency to define their successes in life by the qu