Grendel Essays - Beowulf, Grendel, Parallel Literature, The Dragon

Grendel Grendel is an unhappy soul in John Gardner's book ?Grendel?, because he feels useless in society and doesn't want to accept his given role. Throughout this whole book Grendel feels he has no friend in the outside word and no one to except him besides his own mother. He doesn't want to except his role in society which is to be the Great Destroyer. Man creates a huge problem in Grendel's life and has had a major effect on the way he lives with man. Grendel is unhappy in many ways. He wants to be accepted by man but never knew why he was always shunned out of there society. Grendel in the beginning never set out to hurt man just understand him. When Grendel shows up the first time in the mead hall he yells ?Mercy! Peace!? But no one even gives him a chance when he walks in holding a dead body and using it for protection against the drunken men swinging axes and swords at him. Grendel dose not understand this as he says ?they were doomed, I knew, and I was glad.? showing the hope for destruction of the human race. In Grendel's eyes humans are going to destroy themselves and he will be glad when it happens. Grendel is very lonely in the world of man. He has only one person close to him and that is his mother. She cares for Grendel but just with the natural motherly instincts which Grendel sees as mechanical. Grendel doesn't understand, ?Why can't I have someone to talk to as the world starts to look darker in his eyes. Animals of all sorts are enemies of his because they don't understand him. Grendel is more superior Grendel's role in society is to be the great destroyer. The Dragon tells Grendel this ? You improve them, my boy! ? You stimulate them!? but Grendel dose not want to except it. HE want to be part of the humanistic world. He want a different role in society. This makes Grendel very unhappy that he cannot be accepted. The Dragon puts a spell on Grendel that lets weapons not harm him. At first he dose not like this because he thinks that the fun of destroying men would be to easy at this point. He starts to grow into this though and plays his role as the great destroyer. This book shows how Grendel put up with man and learned to adapt to the humanistic ways of life. It took him a while to adapt but he did find it fun to reck the humans world. Since he was not excepted he would have to take the role of the great destroyer at the end of the story.

fossils essays

fossils essays Fossils are amazing how they are formed. The process is fossilization. I was surprised to discover that a series of mistakes must happen in order for a fossil to be created. First some living creatures must die and must some how escape the scavengers that have a roll in the food chain. The once living has to then become entombed in mud and sand. The shroud must lie undisturbed for years so that mineralization can take place in which the tissue or cast gets filled in with sediment. Then this body turns to stone. The scientists that study these relics are called paleontologist. Dates in paleontology are usually revised backward in time, since a new find may revise an event earlier then what was discovered previously. Examining articles for the first multi-cellular organisms, First vertebrates or the pollination of insects to flowering plants. The strata of rock in which they are found date the fossils. Measuring the extent of radioactive decay in certain isotopes they contain dates the rocks. The element carbon can exist in three different forms, Carbon 12 six protons and six neutrons, Carbon 13 six protons and seven neutrons. 12C and 13C are not radioactive. The rare 14C is radioactive, its atom decay by the loss of an electron to nitrogen 14. Theirs a half-life 14C is approximately 5,730 years, this is how long it takes for half the atoms in and quantity to decay. The earth gains 14C from cosmic radiation and losses it as a result of radioactive decay. Volcanic ash can be used for dating. Ash known as mazama, with an age of 6,720 radiocarbon years, and Glacier Peak B ash located in glacier peak Washington with an age of 11,250 radio carbon years. Another method of dating is called molecular clock examine for genes which are descended from a common ancestral gene. Although very new this ...

Post WWII UK science policy and theories of change in science policy - Essay

Post WWII UK science policy and theories of change in science policy - Outline the main features of UK science policy in the dif - Essay Example This essay discusses the key features of science policy under the Thatcher government and during the Blair / Brown administration, as well as point out the contrasts and comparisons between the same. The policies and strategies in today's times have evolved as a consequence of such external factors, and circumstances, which existed prior to the two world wars, and are in stark contrast to the contemporary times. The impact of technological revolution, on the society today, is the result of such policies and political will. The fact that science is an influential tool used for political domination is established through this study. Furthermore it also suggests the manner in which policies and investment in science and technology have changed over the years, in response to the change in structure of government. The increased government spending on research and development of nuclear weapons post the World War II, during the Wilson Labour government (1964-1970) to the shift in investment in industrial research during the Thatcher Major Conservative government (1979 – 1997) and finally to the Blair / Brown government’s (1997 – 2010) emphasis on building a knowledge economy by enhancing the quality of life through wealth creation. This essay discusses the key features of science policy under the Thatcher government and during the Blair / Brown administration, as well as point out the contrasts and comparisons between the same. UK Science Policy Post WWII: The science policy of two governments namely, The Thatcher / Major Conservative Government (1979 – 1997) and The Blair / Brown Labour Government (1997 – 2010) are discussed in this section: The Thatcher / Major Conservative Government (1979 – 1997): Various strategic changes in the science policy were observed during the Thatcher administration. One of the key aims of the Thatcher government was to provide a social environment with minimum possible, moderation on the activities of private industry. The Thatcher government which came to power during the late 1970s saw major investments in science and technology, with a greater emphasis on industrial development. The government focused mainly on development of research fields which had a st rong industrial relevance, resulting in priority funding in this sector. This in turn strengthened the relationship between the private industry, universities and Research councils, which were initially devoid of such funding. One of the fields that were mostly benefited through such extensive funding was: genetic engineering (Wright, 1994). The science policy under this regime was mostly centralized and was subjected to major interference from the government. The key focus was to steer the scientific innovations in a way that could benefit the society, through maximum revenue generation. The main agenda of this administration was to liberate the private enterprises, and reduce state intervention and cuts in public sector spending. Overall reductions in budget were made, in the areas of education and in universities, regardless

Teaching and learning support (critical reflection from education in Essay

Teaching and learning support (critical reflection from education in action module) - Essay Example One of the key points was about recognizing that teaching is individual and how important is to reflect and maintain reflection as a tool for doing so as proposed by Biggs (1999). Every teacher has some kind of implicit theory of teaching (Marland 1997). From this perspective this module has provided a new sight to start with a reflection as a theory which proposed by Biggs (2003) that reflection is a theory of teaching to reflect with and context of experiences as the object of reflection seen in action learning paradigm. Different students with different abilities and personality types learn more with varying techniques. Students low in authoritarianism, low in tendency to dichotomize, low in the need for structure, and high in the ability to tolerate frustrations have been found to learn more when the Socratic questions and answer method is used while children of different reasoning skills learn more with the discovery and expository methods. The setting under which teaching and learning takes place has different effects on students with different aptitudes, personalities, and motivations. Those who are high in need affiliation prefer to work with others; those low in affiliation need prefer to work alone. A twin of interest is patience. The teacher’s multi-roles compounded by his exposure to various personalities in the classroom, in the school bureaucracy, and in the community demand his patience. As a teacher I should accept the fact that even while preparing for a teaching career that I must be patient not only with my pupils who is the easiest to bear with but also with my colleagues with whom I get can more knowledge regarding the performance and personality of my students. Through reflection I was able to identify the gaps of teaching and learning process in my teaching session for nursing student. Actually I had the opportunity to evaluate my experience in

A study of the superstitions of college students Speech or Presentation

A study of the superstitions of college students - Speech or Presentation Example As a measure of precaution against errors in the research, some additional ten questions were added into the thirty questions. It was noted earlier before the research that some students who were bright enough could end up answering the questions not using the truth in them but their intellectual capabilities. Such clever students were bound to offer correct responses as indicating that a statement is ‘false’ for the purpose of the test yet in them, the superstition could be very much true. The ten factual questions therefore proved to be a source of huge hindrance or cover up for a larger source of errors in the research study. Sample The sample that was used in conducting the research consisted of students from two main categories or backgrounds. One group of the students involved a class of 103 students who had enrolled in taking studies in a general psychology class in the College of Liberal arts in Northwest University. In this category of students, the researchers indicate that the majority of them were freshmen and attended the program as full time students. This creates a picture in the mind that these students in the first group were mainly youths beginning their adult life. On the other hand, the second category of students was 46 students who were studying general psychology in a School of Commerce. ... ll, it can be concluded that the first and the second category of students in the research were a typical representation of typical academic students and intelligent non-academic students respectively. In both classes, the test that had been previously mentioned as consisting of 30 superstitions and prejudices together with 10 factual questions was presented to the students at the beginning of their respective courses. No any discussion was done by the instructors who offered the test in regard to the test and any reasons as to why the students had been assigned the test. At the end of the semester, the same test was offered to the two sets of students still without any explanation being offered as to why they were being offered the test. In both tests the scoring method that was used was the same. The scoring was based on the questions among the superstitions that had been marked as ‘true’. By this, a student who had ten questions marked as ‘true’ had a sco re of ten. This basically meant that the other ten factual questions that had been included in the ten had no consequence when it came to scoring as they were only control questions. The ten questions were not given any considerations when determining the scoring of the student. Results and interpretation As is indicated in the table recorded in the PowerPoint, it is very clear that in both classes, the trend that was set by the students in terms of scoring in the second and the first test happens to be relatively on the same wavelength. The score in both classes can be noted to be far much les after the completion of the psychology course that it was recorded in the first test that was conducted at the beginning of the course. This is the result that the research is aimed at coming up with and offering an

A Short History Of Singapore History Essay

A Short History Of Singapore History Essay Numerous evidences had been uncovered, and reports and archaeological findings especially, certainly suggest that Singapore was largely strategic between the period of Temasek, in 14th century, and late 17th century. However, to conclude that Singapore was hence always strategic would probably be too much of an overstatement. This essay will discuss Singapores strategic significance, with the support of these evidences, during the different time periods. During the 14th century, trade was already ongoing between the West, South Asia and East Asia. The Melaka Straits was crucial for traders to sail to and fro the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. Sailing in the past depended on wind direction, thus ships had to stop in Southeast Asia (SEA) to wait for a change in wind direction to bring them towards either China or India  [1]  . Singapore was hence a strategic port because she was located in SEA and along Melaka Straits, making it a convenient stopover hence the central of international trade  [2]  . Bits of celadon (from China), Chinese coins  [3]  , fragments of stoneware (mainly from Guangdong and South Fujian) and earthernware (from Sumatra, Java and Borneo)  [4]  and under-glazed blue and white stem cup (more expensive of porcelains from Jingdezhen during Yuan Dynasty)  [5]  recovered support the above claim as they suggest extensive trade links Temasek had with China and SEA, and that its inhabitants, espe cially the wealthier ones inhabiting Fort Canning, were able to afford the more exquisite products of Jingdezhen  [6]  . Temasek then, was able to attract maritime trade by providing unique products that rival ports were unable to supply. Recorded by Wang Da Yuan in Daoyi zhilue  [7]  , Temasek supplied indigenous products like hornbills casques of excellent quality. Found only between north of Malay Peninsula and South of Borneo, traders can only lay their hands on it at Temasek or Palembang  [8]  . Though Lakawood was in abundance, Temasek was one of the five ports that offer those of middle-quality  [9]  . Celadon, white wares and stonewares uncovered at Riau Archipelago, dating back to the period of Temasek, had patterns and craft similar to those imported from Temasek  [10]  . Furthermore, the origin of glassbeads of Riau Archipelago and Temasek should be identical given similar compositions  [11]  . Hence, Temasek probably served as a collection centre and an entry to export for Riau Archipelago  [12]  . In this case, evidences do suggest that Singapore was prospering and had an influence on regional economy and was thus strategic. During the 15th to 17th centuries, though Singapore declined slightly when Temasek was relocated to Melaka, fragments of under-glazed blue porcelains found at Kallang River  [13]  , and Portuguese maps which indicate the presence of a shahbandars office  [14]  , as elaborated in (b), suggest that she retained some of its strategic significance as a port by maintaining some trade with China. As mentioned, being one of the strategically situated along the Melaka Straits, the power that was able to erect a strategic dominance around the waters around Singapore would be advantaged in terms of security and economically. The Dutch had wanted to destroy Luso (Portuguese-Spanish) monopolies in SEA when they first started attacking Portuguese trading ships around Singapore waters and declared war with the Portuguese when they raided Santa Catarina and auctioned off its products  [15]  . This saw the naval battles between the Dutch and Johor Sultanate, and Portuguese and Acehnese in the early 17th century and gave rise to the considerations of fortifying Singapore by both powers  [16]  . Jacques De Coutre proposed to build forts at the east coast of Singapore and Muar River estuary and station a naval fleet at Sentosa to protect Portuguese trading ships from the Dutch  [17]  . Dutch had the same places in mind for their fortification plans  [18]  . Till this point , the Dutch and Portuguese reports do suggest that Singapore was strategic. However, the plans never realised, which made us rethink if Singapore was really that strategic after all. Singapores strategic significance took a turn in the 18th century. There was not much evidence to prove this period of time, but by referencing to my contextual knowledge, we know that the Dutch shifted their focus from the Melaka Straits to the Sunda Straits, Portuguese diverted their trade to Japan having difficulties trading in the Melaka Straits and Johor Sultanate relocated their capital to the Lingga Archipelago, shifting the maritime silk road southwards  [19]  . Singapore lost its value with the declination of Melaka Straits and was abandoned. She no longer held any strategic significance to participants of the maritime trade. Perhaps it is precisely that not much evidence was found that dates back to this period of time that it suggests that trading activities in Singapore was kept to its minimum. Moreover, no coins or porcelains were uncovered that dates beyond the Song and Yuan Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty respectively  [20]  , further supporting my contextual kno wledge. It is evident that Singapores strategic significance changes with time, depending on human-related factors such as politics and economics, and hence is relative. The evidences may seem to imply that Singapore was always strategic, but when viewed from another angle, they can also suggest otherwise as stated in the previous paragraph. Therefore to say that they suggest that Singapore is always strategic may be a little too extreme. b. In light of this evidence, should Singapores history from 1511 to 1819 be written as (1) little more than a sleepy fishing village? (2) a declining but still thriving emporium astride hotly contested strategic waters (3) part of the Johor Sultanate?  Ã‚  Please explain your preference. From the 15th century to 17th century, Singapore was a (3) part of the Johor Sultanate, but she was (2) a declining yet thriving emporium astride hotly contested strategic waters between the 16th and 17th century. It was only during the early 18th century that trade in Singapore started dipping, and she was perceived by the British as a sleepy fishing village when they stepped ashore in 1819. Hence, (1) little more than a sleepy fishing village suitably describes Singapores history between this period as it is a broader title and thus encompasses both (2) and (3), and the reduction of importance of Singapores port resulting from the declination of the Melaka Straits during the 18th century accounts for Singapore being a sleepy fishing village. When Singapore was (3), trade was still ongoing though insignificant compared to its Temasek period. Excavations on the north bank of Singapore River, where a settlement was once present, and Kallang River revealed fragments of ceramics and under-glazed blue porcelains with designs dating back to the rule of Ming Emperor Wanli (1573 to 1620)  [21]  . Similar findings in Johor Lama and Johor Shoal imply that the findings in Singapore belonged to the Johor River trade controlled by the Johor Sultans  [22]  . Some may suggest that these pieces might have been disposed into the Kallang River when ships stopover for supplies because they broke during the voyage, and not because of trade present in Singapore  [23]  . This may be true, however, according to two Portuguese maps, a shahbandar of the Johor Sultans office was featured on the southern coast of Singapore  [24]  , proving the above conjecture wrong and showing that trade at the Kallang River was flourishing to the extent it needed a shahbandar to run it. This also indicates that Singapore then, was continuing some degree of trade with China, showing that she was (1). As mentioned, trade was also falling, compared to its Temasek period, as during this time, Melaka was the main port for international trade  [25]  . Singapore then, supported Melaka by providing goods from herself for Melaka to export. An example being blackwood, which was brought from Singapore to Melaka, and then bought in bulk by Chinese traders  [26]  . (2) may now seem to be plausible at this point in the essay since Singapore was a declining yet thriving emporium, and evidence show that its waters are hotly contested for between the Dutch and Johor Sultanate, and the Portuguese and Acehnese, and Singapore was seen by both as strategic to build a fort to achieve their individual aims as mentioned in (a). However, one may wish to note that Singapores waters may not be that strategic after all. In 1613, Aceh successfully attacked Batu Sawar as she was upset about the signing of the peace treaty between Johor Sultanate and Portuguese, uncovering the vulnerable position of Singapore waters, rendering it no longer strategic  [27]  . Moreover, when Melaka Straits lost its importance to Sunda Straits in the late 17th century, Singapore was neglected and declined over the 18th century  [28]  . Its waters were no longer contested and the issue on it being strategic or not became irrelevant. A village of Orang Lauts and Malays, not being much of a deal, were all that were left in Singapore. Melaka Straits was filled with pirates and Singapore, lying on the Straits, was hence seen as a sleepy fishing village by the British when they landed in the 19th century  [29]  . (2) does not take into account these happenings, thus it is flawed in describing Singapores history. In conclusion, (1) best describes Singapore history as it accommodates the period when Singapore was (3), when trade was active though declining, the period when it was considered strategic and its waters contested by the Dutch and Portuguese, up to the period when British founded Singapore as a sleepy fishing village due to the decline of Melaka Straits. (2) was unsuitable as mentioned above, and (3) seems to be an understatement as Singapore was more than just part of the Johor Sultanate.

De Tocquevilles democracy In America Essay -- essays research papers

Alexis De Tocqueville’s Democracy in America delves deep into how the American States and the federal government would grow politically and socially under the umbrella of democracy. He sees the United States as a unique entity because of how and why it started as well as its geographical location. De Tocqueville explains that the foundations of the democratic process in America are completely different from anywhere else on the globe. The land was virginal and the colonies had almost complete sovereignty from England from the very beginning because they were separated by an ocean and financial troubles. The people who came to America were the oppressed and unhappy in England and all were trying to find a place where they could start anew and create a political structure that would facilitate an individual freedom unlike anything that they had previously experienced in Europe. De Tocqueville believed that the nature of democracy in the New World rested within the fact that all of the emigrants were basically from the same social strata, resulting in the first new country where there was no preliminary basis for an aristocracy. "Land is the basis of an aristocracy†¦and†¦ [in America] when the ground was prepared, its produce was found to be insufficient to enrich a proprietor and a farmer at the same t ime(41)." He saw that even the soil of America was opposed to the structure of an aristocracy. There were also outside influences lending unvoiced support for the creation of this new democracy. Being an ocean apart from its mother country, who at this time did not have the financial reserves to oversee its colonies, let the Americans govern themselves. If they had not had this sovereignty at the beginning America might have become something completely different than it is today, but that was not the case, so these emigrants now had a fertile place to plant their ideas of a country founded upon the many ideas of the Enlightenment. Another large influence was the lack of neighbors. America had no ... ...man responsible for herself. De Tocqueville has left no aspect of American society out of his publication. He rips the American body open and examines all the things that are inside right down to the bare bones. It is a little scary to read of ones’ own nation and its culture. To realize that one’s own life is not how he made it, but of how his ancestors have created society. Whether it be as to how Americans view their politics, or their social afflictions, de Tocqueville voices his opinions as to what is commendable, are conversely, what is wrong with every aspect of America. He sees America through the eyes of intelligent outsider who has no reason to make America sound anything other than it is. He has done a very thorough job, and his vision of nineteenth century America will surely help lead America into the twenty-first century with a better definition of itself.

Research, Statistics, and Psychology

Without research methods and processes, an unimaginable amount of information would be lost to the world. Though research topics and researcher personalities vary greatly, universal truths or basics of research stand the test of time. In this paper, I examine the role of research and statistics in the field of psychology by explaining several important parts of research. I define research and the scientific method. I compare and contrast the characteristics of primary and secondary data. I also define statistics and describe their role in research.Diverse fields of study use research through the scientific method, primary data, secondary data, and statistics. Professionals use research to investigate topics, discover, and interpret facts. Research is also performed to revise theories. Psychological theories are consistently revisited. One psychologist will create the base of a school of thought, but later psychologists will expand and update the original work. The scientific method i s used in research and is considered necessary for scientific investigation. The scientific method is a series of steps.Researchers identify a problem or area of interest, research to gather information, make hypothesis, empirically test hypothesis with experiments, make changes to hypothesis or tests if necessary, draw a conclusion, and write findings. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Many empirical sciences, especially the social sciences, use mathematical tools borrowed from probability theory and statistics, together with such outgrowths of these as decision theory, game theory, utility theory, and operations research† (scientific method).Psychologists and researchers from other fields can use different types of data. Primary and secondary data are used in research and experiments. Primary data is data collected from first hand experience. A psychologist who observes animal or human behavior is collecting primary data. Secondary data is collected f rom the past, other people, or publications. According to â€Å"Publish Your Articles† (2012), â€Å"It refers to the statistical material which is not originated by the investigator himself but obtained from someone else's records† (secondary data).Psychologists cannot ethically recreate situations of child abuse to learn about psychological dynamics, related stress, and immediate reactions, so referral to past research may be necessary. Primary and secondary data types pose advantages and disadvantages to researchers. Primary data can be more credible, believable, telling, and will better fit the needs of a study. However, primary data requires funding, time, and participants. Secondary data can save time and expenses, and some research will not provide the opportunity to collect primary data.A wealth of secondary data is available, but it can be painstaking to find sufficiently accurate secondary data to use. It can also be difficult for researchers to find secondar y data that precisely fits the desired area of focus. The role of statistics in research is to access and organize research data throughout various fields of study. The summation that statistics provide paints an understandable picture of data. Psychological statistics may tell the percentage of a population that experiences seasonal depression, or what type of childhood environment influences a psychological disorder, like schizophrenia.According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"It is important for researchers and also consumers of research to understand statistics so that they can be informed, evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information, and make appropriate decisions† (The role of statistics in research). Researchers must navigate through many different types of variables and levels of measurement in research. Levels of measurement, including rank-order, nominal, and equal-interval measure variables. Tables and graphs may be used to illustrate data, but statistics help researchers draw reliable conclusions.To research is to investigate, whether researching a new topic, or testing an established theory. The scientific method is an integral part of any research. Respected researchers follow the steps of the scientific method. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses† (scientific method). Primary or secondary data can be used in research.Primary data is data obtained directly from the researcher. Secondary data is collected from secondary sources like articles, books, and previous experiments. Each type of data has its advantages and disadvantages, and the researcher must choose a data type. According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"Statistics is the science of collecting, analyz ing and making inference from data. Statistics is a particularly useful branch of mathematics that is not only studied theoretically by advanced mathematicians but one that is used by researchers in many fields† (The role of statistics in research).The aspects of research reviewed are universal, despite the topic of research. However, research and statistics are undeniably valuable and influential. Human civilization should respect the process and endeavor of research because the word would be extremely different without research. For example, psychological medications and technology would not exist, and the human mind might be considered a hopeless mystery. Research, Statistics, and Psychology Without research methods and processes, an unimaginable amount of information would be lost to the world. Though research topics and researcher personalities vary greatly, universal truths or basics of research stand the test of time. In this paper, I examine the role of research and statistics in the field of psychology by explaining several important parts of research. I define research and the scientific method. I compare and contrast the characteristics of primary and secondary data. I also define statistics and describe their role in research.Diverse fields of study use research through the scientific method, primary data, secondary data, and statistics. Professionals use research to investigate topics, discover, and interpret facts. Research is also performed to revise theories. Psychological theories are consistently revisited. One psychologist will create the base of a school of thought, but later psychologists will expand and update the original work. The scientific method i s used in research and is considered necessary for scientific investigation. The scientific method is a series of steps.Researchers identify a problem or area of interest, research to gather information, make hypothesis, empirically test hypothesis with experiments, make changes to hypothesis or tests if necessary, draw a conclusion, and write findings. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Many empirical sciences, especially the social sciences, use mathematical tools borrowed from probability theory and statistics, together with such outgrowths of these as decision theory, game theory, utility theory, and operations research† (scientific method).Psychologists and researchers from other fields can use different types of data. Primary and secondary data are used in research and experiments. Primary data is data collected from first hand experience. A psychologist who observes animal or human behavior is collecting primary data. Secondary data is collected f rom the past, other people, or publications. According to â€Å"Publish Your Articles† (2012), â€Å"It refers to the statistical material which is not originated by the investigator himself but obtained from someone else's records† (secondary data).Psychologists cannot ethically recreate situations of child abuse to learn about psychological dynamics, related stress, and immediate reactions, so referral to past research may be necessary. Primary and secondary data types pose advantages and disadvantages to researchers. Primary data can be more credible, believable, telling, and will better fit the needs of a study. However, primary data requires funding, time, and participants. Secondary data can save time and expenses, and some research will not provide the opportunity to collect primary data.A wealth of secondary data is available, but it can be painstaking to find sufficiently accurate secondary data to use. It can also be difficult for researchers to find secondar y data that precisely fits the desired area of focus. The role of statistics in research is to access and organize research data throughout various fields of study. The summation that statistics provide paints an understandable picture of data. Psychological statistics may tell the percentage of a population that experiences seasonal depression, or what type of childhood environment influences a psychological disorder, like schizophrenia.According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"It is important for researchers and also consumers of research to understand statistics so that they can be informed, evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information, and make appropriate decisions† (The role of statistics in research). Researchers must navigate through many different types of variables and levels of measurement in research. Levels of measurement, including rank-order, nominal, and equal-interval measure variables. Tables and graphs may be used to illustrate data, but statistics help researchers draw reliable conclusions.To research is to investigate, whether researching a new topic, or testing an established theory. The scientific method is an integral part of any research. Respected researchers follow the steps of the scientific method. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses† (scientific method). Primary or secondary data can be used in research.Primary data is data obtained directly from the researcher. Secondary data is collected from secondary sources like articles, books, and previous experiments. Each type of data has its advantages and disadvantages, and the researcher must choose a data type. According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"Statistics is the science of collecting, analyz ing and making inference from data. Statistics is a particularly useful branch of mathematics that is not only studied theoretically by advanced mathematicians but one that is used by researchers in many fields† (The role of statistics in research).The aspects of research reviewed are universal, despite the topic of research. However, research and statistics are undeniably valuable and influential. Human civilization should respect the process and endeavor of research because the word would be extremely different without research. For example, psychological medications and technology would not exist, and the human mind might be considered a hopeless mystery.

Assess the Global Role and Local Impact of Multinational Companies.

Assess the global role and local impact of multinational companies. A multinational company is often defined as a corporation whose operations and investments are broaden across a number of countries. They are also referred to as transnational companies. Therefore given this definition it would be expected that if a company operates over such a large territory that it would indeed have many effects and impacts, locally and globally, and its role would also be quite significant as it can have a direct influence on an economy, the environment and general effects on society. However, changing the way they run things in order to accomidate society could break there business down and they could eventually have no impact on society so looking at the situation is they impacts worth the change? ‘Theory has evolved over the years regarding social concerns, society’s expectations and corporate responsibility. Indeed, early management and economic theorists viewed the corporation as having a strong fiduciary responsibility to shareholders, but stopped short of considering any real obligation to other stakeholder groups’ (Friedman 1962; Teece 1984) (Corporate social responsibility, Accountability and Governance; Istemi Demirag). This statement I think is very true, due to the fact that, as time continues people’s opinions of what is deemed socially responsible in both corporate and everyday society varies, as it is a sensitive topic that is very opinion based. Corporate social responsibility is when companies realise that their activities have economic, social and environmental influences. However, to put it simply it can be divided into two broad categories; one-off activities and larger issues of policy and strategy. One-off activities basically cover things such as charitable donations of money and time given to charities or community projects, all of which are at the discretion of the owners of the company. Larger issues of policy and strategy is where the company needs to have a much more devoted awareness to the firms moral, social, ethical and environmental acts within its operations. This requires the company to take a look at other external influences that directly affect the business, such as pressure groups. This could be seen as a type of contingency planning as it helps a firm avoid future conflicting interests with the outside world. Acting socially responsible brings many benefits to both the company and society, if the correct approach is used. So by a firm accepting social responsibility, everyday problems can be reduced such as unemployment and pollution. Therefore you would also see a vast improvement in the quality of life, as society would be factored into the day to day decision making process of the company. A business which includes this approach is most likely to see more of a tangible outcome, as they will probably benefit from increased financial performance from activities such as reduced operating costs from recycling instead of waste disposal. The company could also enhance its brand image from a good reputation and gain the ability to attract capital and trading, so will therefore see the benefits from increased sales and customer loyalty. However, this could also be a case for firms to not accept this responsibility, as they can suffer from lack of customer interest if they haven’t found the right approach for them. This is because various businesses see corporate responsibility being relatively constricting, as in some cases it has lead to products having a lack of sales, or makes the product less profitable. This is due to the fact that introducing some of these socially responsible policies into a firm is very costly, so this can lead to an increase priced products for the customers or a smaller profit margin on the product for the company. However, during the recent economic crisis companies are less likely now more than ever to not act socially responsible as they are more focused on profit and survival. On the other hand there could be a contrasting theory as corporate responsibility can just be used by a firm as a marketing ploy, as a company’s overall strategy is to make profit by responding to what their consumers want, so they may just use this method in order to maximise their product life cycle therefore increasing its revenue. Contradictions of corporate responsibility have been seen many times over the years within companies such as; ‘Barclays Bank CLAIM: We have the skills, resources and determination to make a positive and lasting contribution to the communities in which we operate. ’ (Barclays social review, 1999) ACTION: Barclays bank closed 172 branches in April 2000’ ‘Proctor & Gamble CLAIM: An employee should be able to answer â€Å"yes† to the questions: is this the right thing to do? With this action uphold p&g’s reputation as an ethical company? (Proctor & Gamble code of conduct) ACTION: Proctor & Gamble continues to trade in Burma, while other companies have pulled out because of the appalling record of the Burmese government on human rights. ’ ‘BAT (British American Tobacco) CLAIM: its corporate social responsibility report defines targets for reducing energy use, water consumption and waste products, and describes its commitment to enlightened employment practices. ACTION: it markets its tobacco products ruthlessly to young people – it was caught on television handing out packets of Benson & Hedges cigarettes to teenage volley ball players in the Gambia. ’ (All three examples used is from AQA AS Business studies, John Wolinski & Gwen Coates) Number of companies using corporate social responsibility reporting, 1994 – 2006 Source: EarthTrends, 2008 using data from UNPE, 2008 The chart above does in fact show that business are starting to realise the importance of corporate responsibility and meeting their customers’ needs by adapting to it. As the chart show continuous growth overall from 1994 to 2006 which does show the significance of the topic to society and the business world. Overall, positive externalities are created for society by companies that except corporate social responsibility as well as direct benefits to the firm. However, a lot of multinational companies are based in more of the westernised countries, so there main offices are seen as socially responsible some of which could be just due to the law in which it is governed by. Some of these companies may on the other hand have ‘back offices’ from outsourcing operations in counties such as China and India, where it is not ensured that these socially responsible factors are being kept, which is an increasing problem as more and more companies do it each year. Multinational companies also have to be aware of their global role in terms of business ethics. Business ethics can be defined as the entwining of ‘morals or a principle of what is right or wrong in human behaviour’ (business and society, Edmund Marshall) into a business’s activities. Every company starts with some kind of ethics whether intentional or portrayed by the owners or employees. These ethics are what help structure the way the business is run, even if they are not generally the right ones for society. However, all firms do have to have ethics which coincide with the law of which it is governed by. This does in fact make it trickier for multinational companies to obtain ethics which both abide by the laws of each country its company occupies, and have them be socially correct so that they are morally respected. Although, not doing so could have major effect on the businesses reputation, as multinational companies are more commonly known as they are generally larger. Therefore, it could result in heavy dents in their consumer base which would later affect the company’s revenue. Throughout recent years businesses have been forced to notice their participation and effects on the environment, mainly due to societies pressure to do so. However, responding to such pressures can give a firm many advantages such as, marketing opportunities, financial advantage and human resource opportunities. When a company is being ‘Environmentally friendly’ it portrays t its customers a very good reputation which is a very positive marketing tool. This can help achieve brand recognition more powerfully and even persuade a customer to choose them over a competitor. So could overall increase a business’s sales as well as give them stronger brand loyalty. This could even give a firm the opportunity to increase their products profit margins, so that the costs occurred from the change that would benefit the environment will be covered. However, although this change can have a beneficial effect on a company they do have to make vast changes on their operations so that it doesn’t have adverse effects on the environment. Such as, such as the use of raw materials and energy, many companies use finite resources like coal and oil as they are cheaper, but they will eventually run out and leave negative chemicals behind. So firms need to find more of a renewable energy resource that suits them. Another environmental impact that occurs often is the disposal of waste and by-products. Currently gases may be released into the atmosphere, liquids into rivers and solids into landfills all of which are extremely harmful to the environment. On the other hand, I do see that it is costly to find other ways of disposal so i think the company should focus more on changing the ways the waste is produced so that less is created. Also when obtaining environmental responsibility, a company needs to make a contingency plans, mainly so that negative externalities do not occur. By doing this if an environmental disaster occurs they can minimise risks and costs so that both the company and society will have less of an effect from t. However, if multinational companies are to take this seriously they are also to look at how their day to day operations effect the environment, such as using private jets instead of flying with normal airlines. They could also offer company cars that give out less carbon emissions. Therefore large companies like multinationals will most likely benefit from environmental audits. Overall, over recent years society has began to realise that all businesses have effects on the world locally and globally, even more for multinational companies. Although businesses already realised this, but have just began to take notice more increasingly due to the pressures of society and recent changes in the law. Every aspect of a business has a knock on effect and not just on the economy which some people is lead to believe. The ethics of how the company is run or the ethic they portray are being mirrored on to society. So for the general public to react is not that uncommon whether it is positive or negative. However, I do think that people should force a company to have corporate responsibility; so that they know their actions will not just be affecting society without any consequences. Finally, I think that multinational companies have one of the biggest influences on society as they are both global and local too many countries as they are transnational. Therefore they should respect the people of the community they are in and try there hardest to impact lives positively not negatively. . However, changing the way they run things in order to accommodate society could break their business down and they could eventually have no impact on society at all, so looking at the situation is they impacts worth the change? References Books Harvard Business school press, Harvard business review, business and the environment Edmund marshall, Business and society Hans, gunter, transnational industrial relations Istemi demirag, corporate social responsibility, accountability and governance, global perspectives Sally eden, environmental issues and business, implications of a changing agenda John wolinski & gwen coates, a2 business studies, aqa John wolinski & gwen coates, as business studies, aqa

Death Essays (679 words) - Death Customs, Undertaking, Mourning

Death Essays (679 words) - Death Customs, Undertaking, Mourning Gurtegh Hora Period 1 Death is inevitable that one cannot escape and avoid the pain and sorrow that follows. Death cannot be avoided in any way, shape or form. This is seen in both poems Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden and Spring and Fall: To a Young Child by Gerard Manley Hopkins 1918. Death is so dreadful that it impacts everything starting with the environment and leading all the way to the outcomes of death. Death is so horrific that it even affects nature and the environment of one as a whole. He was my North, my South, my East and West, symbolizes that this man was her everything, her whole entire world, but could not stay with her forever. In the third stanza, Auden uses Metaphors to display how much the past meant to the narrator. Auden says that we must "stop the dog from barking," "silence the pianos," and bring out a "muffled drum. In the first stanza, there is a lot of Imagery that brings upon a feeling of grief, sadness and emotion. Margaret are you grieving/Over Goldengrove unleaving? Which brings up a very sad emotion because the leaves are are beginning to fall. There is use of Illiteration with the words grieving and Goldengrove, emphasizing its importance. Frequently people find themselves in a situation where they are unable to deliberate death openly. I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong. This displays that she couldnt have him forever. The use of Syntax was essential in this case because it calls for pause giving more depth to the sentence, and shows how the girl must be very sad do to her loss. In the second stanza, Auden describes having airplanes "circle moaning overhead Scribbling on the sky" indicating about how this person's loved one had died. There is a heavy use of Personification because airplanes aren't capable of moaning or scribbling; but giving an airplane the ability to do so adds a key element to the poem. It gave off the feeling that the airplane is mourning a death as well. Margaret is in the "spring" of her life and she is only a "young child,". But even though she's young, she's already starting to realize (due to the leaves falling) and that she will eventually grow old and die. The main device us ed here was Juxtaposition, which contrasts between youth and age, innocence and knowledge, spring and fall. The end results after a person or one has passed away or is going to one day, is a feeling that you cannot overcome. It is the blight man was born for/It is Margaret you mourn for. She is not mourning for the leaf, she mourning because she realizes that one-day she will fall just as the leaves. Also there is use of Illiteration with blight and born, blight-meaning burden gives the last to lines more emotion. As well as Conflict because she will mourn her own death one day. For nothing now can ever come to any good. Displays how the world isn't big enough to hold the pain of the death has taken place, and its not enough to go up, one must come back down. This is worst that could happen, it could one get better from this point on. The words that sated the first three line of the poem Stop, Prevent, Silence indicates negativity and death. Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come, shows that a he is dead and now mourning his death is last thing to do. Death is so significant that it last everyday until one lives there last day. The environment, people/family and the end results of death are all major points seen throughout the writings. When someone dies, it kills the person mourning day in and night. Death is not an easy thing to overcome when you know its approaching or it has already occurred, as displayed by these two poems.

Group Development Application Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Group Development Application Paper - Assignment Example This paper is mainly meant to establish a workable leadership plan that a director can employ in performing his or her duties. The paper puts into consideration works done by other scholars and how some of their ideas can help build the plan in question. The plan will have a structure that will contain the background factors to be considered in making the plan; the leadership style that the plan will capitalize on; the stages of development of the plan and the factors to consider such as the limitations of the plan and the possible critics of the same. As a director of school, one ought to follow some sort of framework or ideologies in order to perform his or her duties satisfactory. It is important that one understand the duties he is expected to perform at his or her position so that he can achieve the goal of the organization that he or she is directing as well as his personal goals. In order to fulfill the duties of school director, a director must be present at the school during most of its operating hours and shall have designated someone with sufficient authority to function as director in his/her absence. This is to say that the director should be able to delegate duties responsibly even when he or she is not in a position to make an appearance at the school (Lawson 3-4). It is therefore important for students interested in venturing into this career setting to come up with an intellectual plan to guide them in leadership and performance of their duties as directors of schools. As a director one ought to come up with a leadership style that suits his or her situation and organization. For instance, the leadership plan in this paper will be structured in a way that it will suit the duties of a director in a school. In order to supervise a school effectively, a direct should take into consideration the following: Be available during the normal operational hours of the school and have

The Changing World of Work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Changing World of Work - Research Paper Example In the last ten years, jobs have been outsourced in large numbers and a dramatic change has occurred in the location and method of work. Another key driver of the modern and more importantly, the future age is diversity in the workplace. The transformation of the world into a global village has removed the cultural barriers. More and more people migrate to other countries every year for studies, work or both. This has made society multicultural in general and the workplace in particular. There is the diversity of age, gender, culture, language, ethnicity, religion and caste. All of these factors of diversity give rise to the variety of perspectives which are quite beneficial for organizations in the competitive environment, but at the same time, also expose the organization to a lot of risks. Some of the risks include racism and dysfunctional conflicts among the employees whereas benefits include larger market value because of a diverse population of customers. Managers have experien ced a significant increase in job responsibilities as they have to not only address the needs of the customers but also have to fulfill the increased demands of employees. According to (Heerden), research concludes that young employees fundamentally look for three things in the changing world of work. They are briefly discussed below: 1. Opportunities for learning and development: Young people seek jobs where work would be challenging, yet they want to be rewarded upon succeeding. Professional growth at work is the biggest attraction for young job seekers. People want to serve in different positions and perform different roles in order to gain maximum experience. 2. Selection in a renowned organization which would decide the career path: In order to keep employees satisfied and motivated for work, employers need to share their strategies with employees and explain to them how their strategies are consistent with the requirements of the business. Thus, employees need to be engaged in work for which the employee-employer rapport is extremely essential. 3. Flexibility in life: Having achieved a higher standard of living, one of the key priorities of all working people is to have increased control over their personal and social life. The conventional 40 hr week that has been so for long is now changing. People want the freedom of duty hours and employers often have no problem unless the work is affected. In today’s work environment, ways to communicate have altered a lot. The changing trends impact many industries and hence, the career plans. A look into the future: In light of the aforementioned preferences of employees in the work environment, the work environment in the future would be more complying with the employees’ desires as it has in the past. It is obvious that an electronic system would be increased in use in the future. Therefore, it makes sense to assess the future work conditions for employees keeping the electronic system into conside ration.