Zappos Essays

Zappos Essays Zappos Paper Zappos Paper Zappos, an online retailer, is proving that an unfamiliar approach to business can also help grow revenue. Zappos revenue grew from $1. 6 million in 2000 to $1. 64 billion in 2010. How can a company focused on happiness be successful? Zappos corporate culture and focus on customer satisfaction has made it both successful and a model for other companies. Zappos focus on stakeholder happiness contributed to its success. Tony Hseih in his book Delivering Happiness says, â€Å"It’s a brand about happiness, whether to customers or employees or even vendors† (Delivering Happiness) In 2000, entrepreneur Tony Hsieh became the company’s CEO. Hsieh was 26 at the time and surprisingly was not sold on the idea of an Internet shoe store. He told Inc. magazine, â€Å"It sounded like the poster child of bad internet ideas†¦ but I got sucked in. † (Delivering Happiness) After becoming CEO, Hsieh made an unconventional decision to keep Zappos going, proving his commitment by selling his own home to pay for a new warehouse. While the company was also struggling at first, his salary was set at $24. After the dot-com crash in 2002, Zappos was able to recover with sales of $32 million, but was still not profitable. In 2003, the company decided that in order to offer the best customer service, it had to control the whole value chain, from order fulfillment to delivery. In 2004 Zappos made the move to Vegas, in an effort to use the larger pool of experienced call center employees to its advantage. In 2007 the company generated its first profit after reaching $840 million in annual sales. Zappos also started to be recognized for its unique work environment and approach to customer service. Today because of social media everyone quickly gets to see the values and drivers behind a company. Marketers, managers, and all people in leadership positions need to change and adapt to this new world. When a company is able to deliver customers a certain â€Å"WOW† factor service, the company has reached an accomplishment and has gone above and beyond a customer’s expectations. As a consumer of many goods, it is more than fair to say that most would return to business when previous business has been fantastic. Zappos is an extremely successful company that has built its business on 10 core values. The â€Å"10 commandments† influence everything from hiring to merit raises and firing. The company hires to these core values and 50% of every employee’s annual review is based on them. These values may come across as simple, such as â€Å"delivering wow service† but when executed in the right way build a strong company with a phenomenal reputation. Zappos does not consider itself to be an average company, and therefore strives to deliver their customers service that is anything but average. In conjunction with these beliefs, Zappo’s first core value is to â€Å"deliver wow through service†. The extraordinary service is not just provided to the customers, but to their co-workers, vendors, and partners. This philosophy is strictly based on service, and does not correspond with anything through monetary value. The goal is to aim directly on the receiver’s emotions and build a strong relationship. Hsieh writes that â€Å" It’s important to act with integrity in your relationships, to be compassionate, friendly, loyal, and to make sure that you do the right thing and treat your relationships well (P. 176). Although Zappos may not offer their customer’s promotional codes, great service is always being promoted with anyone in contact with the company to ensure a positive experience. In this era of business, it is extremely crucial that companies are willing to adapt as the business world continues to change. Zappo’s second core value not only accepts that there is change but is to â€Å"embrace and drive change† but understands that â€Å"part of being in a growing company is that change is constant†. Not only does Zappo welcome the change, it does something more significant; it drives it. The CEO of Zappo has stated that â€Å"If changing our business model is what’s going to save us, then we need to embrace and drive change† (P. 100). As the world and business tends to evolve, now more rapidly then ever, the company is able to stay ahead by driving the change and evolving faster then the competition. Changing and service are not the only keys to success as the third core value is to â€Å"create fun and a little weirdness†. This is another driving force that Zappo possesses that differentiates itself from other companies. The company culture embraces fun and humor. Zappos strives to have a unique and memorable personality. There company culture is what makes it successful, and they believe that embracing their diversity and each person’s individuality will help with creativity. Through this culture a positive result has been the support of people to â€Å"think outside the box†. When you are combining weirdness and having a little fun at work, it is a win- win for everyone. Employees are more engaged in the work that they do, and the company as a whole becomes more innovative. Zappos is a risk taking organization where making mistakes is encouraged. You do not hear that too often, as we discussed in class mistakes are frown upon, at Apple the employees are sometimes beaten! At Zappos, call center workers are prompted to try new things to delight customers. Managers are asked to take their team members out of the office as a way to get them to think about their jobs differently and create stronger bonds. There main goal is to be adventurous, creative and open minded. To encourage learning, the Zappos lobby has several bookshelves fully stocked with top business and management book ranging from â€Å"Peak† to â€Å"Made to Stick† and â€Å"Good to Great†. These are made free to employees, and they are also encouraged to enroll in the classes the company offers to learn new skills. If an employee does not want to follow the 5th value of â€Å"Pursue Growth and Leaning† they will not be at Zappos very long. In order to build strong relationships with their employees the company stresses communication. Zappos is big on transparency and having employees say what they think. If a confidential talk is needed, they supply a full- time life coach who will listen to any complaints, career advice, family advice, or anything else that might be bothering an employee. Employees work together, play together, and have come to think of each other as members of an extended family. Zappos 7th value is to â€Å"build a positive team and family spirit†. Since most of our adult lives are spent working, they want a close group of people who can enjoy each other. After a lay off of 124 workers to cut expenses, Zappos began to look for other ways to watch expenses. It posted a â€Å"do more with less† attitude. After training sessions the company would have a â€Å"happy hour† to help new employees bond with existing employees. This would cost around $3,000. Today, the happy hour has become a $110 in house ice cream social, and has actually gotten more positive reviews from employees than the open bar. Zappos’ 9th value is to be passionate and determined, but not only about your job. Employees are encouraged to bring all outside passions into the workplace. For example, if someone was running a charity event and wanted to get the company involved, the company stresses to bring the idea forward. In order for a company to stay on top, they have to realize there is always room for improvement. The 10th value â€Å"be humble† is key to what keeps Zappos at the top of the game. â€Å"Even though a ton of companies come to us to learn about how we do things, we always say, these are some things that we’re doing that are working, but what you guys doing? We always recognize there’s more to do† (Zappos Website) The key to having a positive work environment depends on hiring the right people. Zappos is looking for people with a sense of humor who can work hard and play hard. They take a different approach to interviewing, asking cartoon questions and other different questions to find out a persons true personality. Potential employees also go through both cultural and technical interviews to make sure they will fit with the company. When hired, they attend a five week training program. After the training program, all employees are offered $2,000 to $3,000 payment to leave the company and quit! Paying new hires to leave may seem like a waste of money, but to Zappos it makes simple sense. This is a way to them to weed out the people who are only there for a paycheck. For them, building culture is more about the money. Without question, Hsieh’s number one message in his book is that top notch customer service is a core competency and a big part of Zappos business model and success. Many companies still believe that customer service is more of a cost than a gain. The cost of acquiring a new customer is often so high that concentrating on your current customer is far more rewarding. Zappos does not outsource its call center operations, and they employee representatives with a high Emotional Intelligence. Employees have free reign in their decision making and are expected to spend as much time as they need on any customers. They help customers shop, (even on competitor’s websites) and will do anything it takes to make the shopping experience memorable. Zappos believes that great customer experiences encourage customers to use the online store again. Word of mouth marketing is the best way to reach new customers. The company has over 75 percent of purchases made by repeat customers. This shows that the mission to â€Å"provide the best customer service possible† is working well for the company. Each year a culture book is published. Inside the pages of this book, all stakeholders within the Zappos circle of influence are invited to give candid feedback on their experience. Hsieh insists that associates contribute honestly to this new process. In his email to stakeholders to write in this book, he requests their responses in this way: â€Å"Remember there are no wrong answers. We want to know what the Zappos culture means to you specifically at this point in time, and we expect different responses from different people. † The responses from every genre of stakeholder are a verification of the core values alive and well in the foundation of this company. Whether it’s selling shoes online or managing the next mission to Mars, having a clear understanding of your stakeholders is probably the biggest differentiator project leaders can bring to the table. Zappos is an excellent example that demonstrates that providing superior value to stakeholders above and beyond what is expected can make the difference between a great and a mediocre outcome. The strength of Zappos beliefs were put test on May 21, 2010. A computer glitch caused a flaw in the website, putting the price of every product on the site to be reset to $49. 50. Within six hours of discovering the error, Zappos employees had fixed the glitch. When the glitch was fixed, Zappos surprisingly announced that they would honor every transaction. This decision cost Zappos over $1. 6 million. To me, this served as another example of how Zappos stayed true to its culture and core values and deliver a â€Å"WOW through customer service. Delivering Happiness is further proof that the workplace doesn’t have to be hostile and ruthless in order for companies to succeed. Zappos has been able to build a successful brand because it created and developed a culture that was focused on treating customers and coworkers well. Tony Hsieh realized early on that in the competitive market of shoe retailing, he must make his employees happy in order to thrive. A happy employee is better equipped to provide great service to customers.

How to Create Your Elevator Pitch and Get Hired

How to Create Your Elevator Pitch and Get Hired Okay, hotshot. You’ve got 30 seconds to make the impression that’s going to get you the job. And†¦go! What, you stopped to think about it? Bzzzzzt. The moment is gone, and you can sense your opportunity window closing while the interviewer awkwardly shifts and looks at the clock. If only you’d had an elevator pitch ready to go.What is an Elevator Pitch?The â€Å"elevator pitch† is just a buzzword-y way of saying â€Å"snapshot of important points, stated briefly and to the point.† An elevator ride is typically short, so that’s why it makes a good namesake. In a career context, it means a quick overview your best points and your goals. But in general, it can really be about anything you’re trying to sell to the listener. For example, here are elevator pitches you could use to convince someone to watch a TV show:Game of Thrones is a fantasy-sci-fi drama that follows several different political factions jockeying for power in the kin gdom of Westeros. In addition to the political machinations, there are ice zombies threatening from the North. Oh, and there are dragons! It has something for everybody.Basically, the elevator pitch is a brief, snappy couple of sentences that tell the listener what they need to know- or, more specifically, what you want them to know. The goal isn’t to be a dry source of facts, but rather offer a few curated points that show the highlights.When Will You Need an Elevator Pitch?Although the elevator pitch is a perfect fit for our 140-characters-or-fewer society, you may not be asked to give your spiel in every job interview. However, it’s a great resource to have when you’re unexpectedly on the spot- like at a job fair, a networking event, or a social event where you just happen to be making small talk with a hiring manager at a company where you’d love to get your foot in the door. Though if you are at a social event, pick your timing wisely. Your new acqua intance may just want to talk about last night’s game or that hilarious viral video making the rounds, instead of talking shop.The elevator pitch is also an excellent answer to have on hand for the dreaded â€Å"tell me a little about yourself† question in an interview. Because you’ll already have some of your brightest talking points ready to go (more on that in a bit), you won’t have to spend precious interview time thinking about how to distill your professional self down to the essence. That question often comes at the beginning of the interview, so having your elevator pitch at the ready can help set a smooth, prepared, and confident tone for the rest of the interview.10 Tips for Your Elevator PitchIf you don’t know where to start, we have you covered- use the following 10 tips as a guide on crafting an ideal pitch that gets results.1. Keep it short.Remember, the elevator pitch is so named because it’s meant to last about as long as an elevator ride- about 30 seconds, and definitely less than 60 seconds. (We’re not talking about the Empire State Building elevator here.) That means you should have a few go-to sentences you can use. And while you’re writing, time yourself. If you find yourself creeping up on the minute mark, it’s time to revise and simplify.2. Be persuasive.That means being direct about your accomplishments and qualities, and leaving out qualifiers like â€Å"I guess,† â€Å"I think.† No time for modesty- make bold, declarative statements.3. Be concise.There are times when you will have a chance to expound on your resume, your experience, or your point of view. When asked for an elevator pitch, make sure you’re including only a few main points, and keep the sentences short and straightforward.4. Know your audience.It really depends on who you’re talking to, and what the context is. If you’re at a professional mixer with people who know your ind ustry inside and out, feel free to use a little jargon. If you’re talking to a recruiter or someone who may not know your professional world as well, keep your wording more general.5. Keep the tone professional.An elevator pitch is a confidence thing- you’re making a straightforward statement about yourself. However, it’s important not to be overconfident or too braggy. You want your accomplishments and goals to speak for themselves. You don’t want to turn off your listener just as you’re getting started. Similarly, using wit and humor is fine too- but always keep jokes fairly mild and professional.6. Mention your top skills.Your resume is where you can really break down your skill set, but in your elevator pitch, that is the time to mention that you’re a great communicator, or that you’ve got amazing organizational skills. Focus on the kinds of skills that add value to an organization, like leadership, teamwork, or attention to detai l. Here’s your chance to brag a little about your top skills, but again, be careful of using a boastful tone.7. Include (some of) your goals.This doesn’t need to be a detailed life plan, or your five-year professional plan. Remember, this is a highlight reel, so you’ll want to focus on your main professional goal, or what you’re seeking in this interview/conversation/etc. If you’re talking to an interviewer or recruiter, you don’t need to say something like â€Å"seeking a job as an accountant†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦they already know that. Instead, go with something like, â€Å"looking to take my financial skills and experience to the next level.†8. Answer big questions.When writing your elevator pitch, think about some overarching questions like:What’s the most important aspect of my background?What accomplishments do I have?What are my best skills?What do I want to get out of this pitch?What’s my biggest strength?What drives me the most?What would I like to achieve?Why did I choose my career?What do I like best about my job/career?What do I value the most?You don’t need to cram all of those Big Ideas into your elevator pitch, but you can mix and match them depending on the setting, and to whom you’re speaking.9. Be ready to follow up.If you’re giving your pitch to someone you’ve never met before and may not be talking to five minutes from now, have a business card on hand that you can pass along. If you’re in an interview, be ready to answer follow-up questions about anything you just said- examples that show your skills, or anecdotes about why you love your career.10. Practice like crazy.Do this in front of the mirror, your cat, or a trusted loved one. In the moment, you don’t want to appear stumbling or unprepared, but you also don’t want it to come off like a bored, rehearsed monologue. You want your elevator pitch to sound smooth and confident. This can help you modify things like speed (many of us talk too fast, especially when we’re trying to get through a set of lines), eye contact, and timing.Example Elevator PitchesLet’s look at some samples you can use while thinking about your own elevator pitch.I’m a graduate student in Communications, with a passion for working with special needs students. After completing my thesis in advanced language strategies for children with cognitive impairments, my goal is to work for an agency that specializes in implementing everyday educational programs that help students improve their reading and writing outcomes.After five years of working in corporate marketing and social media, I’ve decided to embrace my inner entrepreneur and start my own company. My company’s mission is providing no-nonsense, data-driven metrics that our clients can take and use right away in their day-to-day business. I want to provide big company expertise for small business owners. M y passion is â€Å"design with a conscience.† I design products that have a minimal impact on the environment, while maximizing sustainability. My background is in both design and environmental science, and I believe that we can make consumer products that combine convenience and responsibility.I’m the data guy. I look at complex metrics, and turn them into a big picture plan. And I love working as part of a team, where diverse ideas and perspectives can lead to better ways of doing things. I firmly believe that the status quo can always be improved.I’m a nurse-practitioner with more than 15 years of experience in patient care. With the challenges of working in healthcare, I know that patients often feel ignored or hustled through, so I’ve made it a priority in my career to make sure that every patient is heard, and gets the highest standards of care. I’m a recent grad, and although I don’t yet have years of experience in the field, I do hav e the organizational and people skills to take my career to the next level. I was just named the Volunteer of the Year, and I bring a high level of care and focus to everything I do.So what do you think? Are you ready to go forth and make a bold statement about who you are, in 30 seconds or less?

UK Commercial law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

UK Commercial law - Essay Example This essay will primarily cover the niceties of agency law governing the relationship between Iffy and Victor. It will also touch upon the sales law, both international and domestic, relating to the relationship between Iffy and the Chinese automotive seller and also with the UK car dealers. Because of the handicap of Iffy, having neither experience of dealing with the Chinese automotive industry nor any contacts therein, it will be necessary for them to hire the services of Victor by appointing him as their agent to deal with the Chinese in their stead for the delivery of a certain number of utility vehicles, spare parts and accessories. Indeed, this is so because a limited company can only act through its human agents,1 whether through its own directors, employees or through independent agents. I would prepare for Iffy the agency2 agreement, through which Victor will deal with the Chinese automotive executives, empowering him to negotiate and constitute a contract or contracts between Iffy and chosen Chinese auto manufacturing or dealer company or companies, as agent3 in the name of Iffy, together with the necessary instructions and document forms needed for the transactions. In the present case, I will be preparing the necessary documents to be signed by the proper company officers with the agent's conformity. The provisions of the agency agreement shall task Victor with negotiating and executing the necessary contracts for the importation of the chosen automobiles and effecting the proper secure means of delivery of the same vehicles to UK for distribution to sellers. In the present case, the agency agreement would oblige Victor to expressly name his principal, considering that there are no facts in the case that would tend to obstruct the consummation of the contract or contracts should the Chinese know of Iffy's identity. The agreement would also contain provisions on the required methods of shipping the vehicles and the means of payment. It is very crucial considering that the business transaction will be made outside of UK that the terms and conditions of the agency be expressly laid out in black and white. It is necessary for Iffy as principal to lay down the terms and conditions of the employment or to employ the agent in a specific position in the company in order for the tasks to be deducible from the very position itself. I would advise Iffy that the agency agreement between them and Victor binds both of them to the following consequences, in terms of rights and duties expressly imposed by law, jurisprudence and regulations: Iffy must remember that Victor has the following rights against them, which rights Victor can enforce in the proper judicial forum. 1. Right to remuneration4 - Victor will be entitled to the consideration based on the contract or in quantum meruit according to the extent of his performance of its terms. Furthermore, Victor as agent will be entitled to retainer or commission or royalty from Iffy for every vehicle imported even after the termination of the agency pursuant to common law rules and the Reg. 8, 1993 Commercial Agents (Council Directive).5 2. Right to indemnity - He will also be entitled to indemnity or restitution and refund

Federal Guards Indicted for Abusing Prisoners Essay - 1

Federal Guards Indicted for Abusing Prisoners - Essay Example The issue at hand needs to be clarified and all allegations evaluated. The first step towards doing this is gathering information. The information to gather relates to the issue at hand. The primary decision maker should be identified in the process. Both parties bound to the issue should be interviewed independently in order to ensure that the information at hand is actually the one held by both parties (Reid, 2011). All the views of the parties should be accounted for before and after the abuse occurred. The second step involves deciding the specific ethical issue and determining the conflict therein. This is tailored towards determining the liable party, legally and ethically. After that, the pertinent issue is addressed. Decisions on the pragmatic issues that make the case complex should be addressed. In this case, the entire prison system seems to be implicated in the matter. The complexity of the matter should be weighed against justice, rights, and freedoms of each party, and the right actions were taken prior to the provisions of the law (Reid, 2011). The conclusion arrived at in this case is solely based on the ethics code of conduct for a prison system. The officers’ general standard of conduct should be evaluated ethically and legally. Secondly, applicable laws in this context should be assessed. Compliance with these laws is the principle point of consideration here. Thirdly, personal rights and freedoms should be highlighted for both all the parties involved in order to alleviate occurrences of conflict of interest. The restriction of each party should constitute the conclusion herein, focusing on both ethical and legal issues. Once all that has been done, the unethical conduct is manifested.

The Catalase Lab Essay Example for Free

The Catalase Lab Essay Conclusion- The Researcher’s hypothesis, â€Å"If more catalase is added then more oxygen (kPa) will be produced in a faster rate because there is more catalase to react upon† and â€Å"if less catalase is added then less oxygen (kPa) will be produced in a slower rate because there is less catalase to react upon.† It was supported by the data obtained because the data obtained showed us that the data of the 5 filter paper obtained showed a faster reaction rate and there was an 85. 5 kPa increase (See Analysis). The data of the 1 filter paper obtained showed a slower reaction rate of 12 kPa average increase. Based on the regular result of the 2 filter paper that showed a reaction rate of 22 kPa average increase, that shows that the hypothesis was supported. In the researcher’s opinion, the experiment went well and got the results that we expected. The reason we got the result that we did was because the hydrogen peroxide had more catalase to break down which caused more bubbles which creates oxygen. More catalase, more oxygen that is produced by the breakdown of the catalase. It’s shown by the data that 5 filter papers produced more oxygen (85.5 kPa) than the 2 filter paper (22 kPa) and the 1 filter paper produced less oxygen (12 kPa) than the 2 filter paper. During the experiment, there were couple of errors that caused our data to be inaccurate that we could of improved on. One of our errors was during the 2 filter paper trial. During one of the trial, around the 5-10 second period, I let out a little gas out of the test tube which lowered the kPa pressure. It’s shown on the graph that the pressure has dropped around the 5-10 second range by 4 kPa so that made the result inaccurate. This affected our average of the 2 filter paper average gas pressure. This could have been prevented if I didn’t loosen up the stopper which lead to the escape of gas in the test tube. Another error that we had that we can improve on is the constant pressure that is put onto the stopper on the test tube to measure the gas pressure. It’s shown on the graph that trial 1 2 of each 1,2, 4 filter paper is not consistent showing the difference between trial 1 trial 2 This can affect the kPa average which shows inconsistency. This could have been prevented if we didn’t put so much pressure on the stopper on 1 trial and then not put as much pressure on the stopper on the next trial. Research shows that this can help determine how much oxygen can be produced is to get the hydrogen peroxide to react to the catalase. Research shows that the different environment can affect the production of oxygen in the experiment. More catalase leads to more oxygen production and less catalase leads to less oxygen production. This can be used to determine how chemical breaks different things down and what it produces in the end. Also shows that different environment can change results of different chemical reactions. Hydrogen Peroxide is used on cuts to clean out debris. The Hydrogen Peroxide bubbles because the catalase in the blood is in contact with the peroxide which bubbles out the debris.

Witches, Supernatural, and Evil in Shakespeares Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Witches and  Evil in Macbeth    No discussion of evil in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth would be satisfactory without considering its’ most famous symbols of evil: the coven of witches whose interactions with Macbeth play such a vital role in his thinking about his own life. Banquo and Macbeth recognize them as something supernatural, part of the landscape but not fully human inhabitants of it. They have malicious intentions and prophetic powers. And yet they are not active agents in the sense that they do nothing other than talk and offer visions and potions. The witches have no power to compel. If we are to explore the significance of these witches we must do so by treating them as vital poetic symbols in the play, essential manifestations of the moral atmosphere of Macbeth's world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most obvious interpretation of the witches is to see them as manifestations of evil in the world. They exist to tempt and torment people, to challenge their faith in themselves and their society. They work on Macbeth by equivocation, that is, by ambiguous promises of some future state. These promises come true, but not in the way that the victim originally believed. The witches thus make their appeal to Macbeth's and Banquo's desire to control their own future, to direct it towards some desirable ends. They have no power to compel belief, but they can obviously appeal strongly to an already existing inclination to force one's will onto events in order to shape the future to fit one deepest desires.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Banquo's importance in the play stems, in large part, from his different response to these witches. Like Macbeth, he is strongly tempted, but he does not let his desires outweigh his moral caution: But 'tis strange, And oftentimes to win us to our harm The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles to betray's In deepest consequence. (1.3.120-124)    Macbeth cannot act on this awareness because his desires (kept alive by his active imagination and his wife's urging) constantly intrude upon his moral sensibilities. Hence, he seizes upon the news that he has just been made Thane of Cawdor, using that information to tell him what he most wants to believe, that the witches tell the truth. This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success

Legal & Ethical Environment of Business Essay

In this individual project I will be analyzing and explaining the state of our legal system in terms of ethics as a personal and business standpoint. Secondly I will be figuring out if our legal system promotes bad ethics and what they are doing in trying to make it into god ethics. Then lastly I will be going over the role of judges in promoting good legal ethical practices in our society as of today. Sate of Our Legal System in Terms of Ethics  Ethical assessment making begins with the reaction that there is a good versus a bad moral decision to be made con ­cerning a particular condition a â€Å"correct† choice established on interests benefiting mortality in some way as different to a â€Å"incorrect† choice established on some corrupt or self-serving concern. It also involves characters to appraise the morality of their own, and often others’, actions (Board, 2012). Ethics are the resources by which we choose what movements are allowable and what activities are not. What is less identified is the fact that every ethic involves of two quantities: an importance that explains what it is that we need more of in our lives, or what we wish to exploit, and a belief, or system of views, that defines what activities we are to take to acquire more of the worth that we pursue. Still less frequently known is the fact that an ethic may be effective or unacceptable. Effective ethics create the preferred outcomes an escalation in the standards wanted. Void ethics create the opposite result a decreasing of that which is pursued or wanted. As an example, contemplate the ethic implemented by our country’s forefathers. The assessment they wished to exploit was freedom for the country’s societies (excluding maybe women and slaves). The belief system was founded on the values of a democratic republic memorial popular regulation. Each year but two (1865 and 1920) we have had less freedom than the year before (Singer, n. d. ). Today, through the propagation of ever more preventive laws, almost every part of our lives is structured or controlled by our county, state, federal, or public governments. Without government authorization we cannot drive a car, own property, board a plane, modify our home, open a bank account, control a business, consume prescribed medication, carry a gun, or do any of a thousand other things that our forefathers and foremothers would have reflected to be our unchallengeable rights. In short, the creators of our country chose to implement an ethic that is unacceptable because its acceptance fashioned the conflicting effect of that anticipated. While we are on the focus of ethics, let’s consider two other precise ethics that are particularly appropriate to an considerate of the problem that mortality presently faces. The first I shall mention to as the Power Ethic. This ethic pursues to exploit power over others in the influences of those who accept it. The confidence system that supports this ethic can be summarized by the declaration, â€Å"Might makes right†. In other words, those who can afford to buy artillery and to pay or intimidate young men and women to use those arms in combat have the right to exercise power over others for whatever reasons they wish. This is the ethic accepted by those who conceived government as-we-know-it in Sumer eight thousand years ago. This ethic is still the principle of those who run the governments of the world nowadays. At first it might seem that the Power Ethic is effective because, undeniably, those who have accepted it have prospered in accruing more and more power over their associated men and women. But there are secondary penalties. Incorporated among these are drug addiction, international strife, poverty, hunger, slavery, terrorism, wars, interpersonal violence, bureaucracy, oligarchy, environmental degradation, and all manner of crime. If the macroscopic development continues it is more than likely that the end outcome will be the total extermination of all human life on our planet thus decreasing the earth to a radioactive residue. Like a universal pest, those who have espoused the Power Ethic will abolish their host and themselves with it. So in the end the ethic is not usable. By contrast, reflect an ethic that picks originality and its logical counterparts as the standards to be exploited. Such means as love, consciousness, objective truth, and development may be measured as reasonable equivalents of imagination, because whenever one of these assets is amplified they are all improved, and vice versa. John David Garcia, the brilliant author of Creative Transformation, called this ethic the Evolutionary Ethic, so I will do likewise (AIU Online, 2013). We might note at this point that all affluence, and eventually all cheerfulness, originates from someone’s creativeness. The belief system that authorizes this ethic instigates with the concept that an act is good if it intensifications originality or any of its logical counterparts for at least one person without limiting or fading creativity for anyone. From this meaning a broad variety of values can be resulting by simple judgment. This ethic, it turns out, is effective. Inquisitively, the acceptance of this ethic normally exploits affluence and happiness, even though these are not logical equivalents of creativeness. In fact, ethics based on the expansion of affluence and happiness are not lawful creating poverty and unhappiness in its place. From this point on I shall use the terms ethical and unethical in place to this ethic precisely. There are numerous other legal ethics which I choose not to discuss in this paper excluding to note that each of them shows, upon close inspection, to be logical counterparts of the Evolutionary Ethic in that they call for the same interactive choices when determining between alternative sequences of action. From the preceding we can see that mortality’s big  problem  is the fact that the world’s governments, without omission, have selected the Power Ethic as their factor basis reasonably than the Evolutionary Ethic or one of its logical counterparts. The big  question  that humankind faces today is whether this choice is permanent and if not, what we must do to dodge the disaster that the Power Ethic is leading us toward (AIU Online, 2013). In our legal system in terms of ethics as being a big part of our nation’s survival and in terms of businesses keeping up a good production of products and jobs for eople to live on be able to pay bills and what not. Legal System Promote Bad Ethics In an ethical society freedom is restricted by ethical law. Those who wish to perform in a dependent or destructive manner are prohibited to do so. The inaccuracy of our establishment fathers was to exploit freedom in such a way that the most predacious, parasitic, and normally unethical persons were allowable to command the law, thereby creating the commands that allowed the ultra-wealthy to control the rest of us. We must reverse this trend if humanity is to survive, let alone thrive. To accomplish this end we must understand the nature of ethical law and disprove the authority of unethical law. To aid in descriptive this peculiarity, I shall mention to unethical laws as government announcements, or simply as pronouncements. If so, might makes right, and anyone who can afford to buy weapons and persuade others to use them to enforce their will has a right to so. This is the premise upon which all of today’s governments are founded. This has been the true basis of law throughout the world for at least eight thousand years, since government was invented in Sumer. To answer this question properly, we note first that all law presumes the use of force or power over others. But it takes only a simple exercise of logic to see that the exercise of power over others is only ethical in self-protection against someone who has initiated or defenseless the use of force for their own purposes. Therefore, ethical laws are only those that provide defense against such unethical acts. Since everyone has the right to defend themselves against the use of violence, it follows that everyone has the right to delegate to others their specialist to defend themselves. From this we conclude that all ethical laws embody this principle: All ethical laws, all legitimate laws, represent a contract under which a group of individuals, each having the right of self-defense, agrees to enforce a mutual defense pact. Ethical law can exist for this purpose alone. Additionally, we note that all existing laws, and laws, forbid some act or permit the act only when a tax is paid to the government (AIU Online, 2013). Role of Judges in Promoting Good Legal Ethical Practices The makings of a good judge are the abilities of a good man. There are supplementary demands on a judge, to be sure information of the law, a will to append judgment until all the indication is in. But at least it must be the complexity and consistency of his mortality that succeed and define the judge (Newton, n. d. ). Those who come before a judge do not really know before whom they stand. The person who manages over the courtroom, covered in the earnest black robes of his or her office, is in that moment less an individual than a sign of democratic standards and an tool of state power. In appreciation of that power and ability, all rise as the judge enters the courtroom and takes the seat, eminent above everyone else in the room, from which impartiality will be noticeable. It is the hope of all, and the principle of most, that this individual will do his or her job well, administration what is possibly our most valuable social good justice. Yet, in most compliments, judges remain unidentified to those who conduct their business before the court. What no one knows, what no one is even allowed to ask, is the character of the person wearing that robe and the ways in which that individual’s particular aptitudes will affect the presentation of his or her responsibilities (Newton, n. d. ). The judges I interviewed all acknowledged both that doing their job involved elements of discretion and that exercising discretion was in some measure a reflection of one’s own moral values. Yet, each responded to these challenges differently. Judge Meyer appeared most concerned about the subjectivity inherent in judging. In response to my proposition that judging elaborate evaluating the ethical character of people in certain ways and that this involved a good deal of indecision (Newton, n. d. ). Conclusion In conclusion, this individual project has really shown me some great ethics, morality and legalities in how to focus on the analysis of each portion of legal systems and role of judges in trying to promote good ethical practices. It just goes to show that in the different analysis in explaining the stat of our legal system in terms of ethics is a big portion in our societies now days. Although, in going into the legal system in promoting bad ethics is that you never really know what to expect in trying to promote bad ethics with some companies in furthering their demographic. However, in the role of judges in promoting good legal ethical practices is that judges have to stick with a strict process of being good in supporting these laws in the legal system in terms of ethics. So overall I found this assignment to have taught me some great information in trying to come up with the best research to best complement in delivering the additional material in providing the focus on this topic.

North Country Auto, Inc Essay

Each of the departments of North Country Auto, Inc. namely, the new cars sales and used cars sales, service, parts, body shop and oil change â€Å"operated as part of one business† before George Liddy bought into the dealership. The Department Managers were paid salaries and a year-end bonus. However, feeling that this system would not motivate employees, he devised a system wherein he could track effectively the departmental performance. For this, he developed a system for so that each department will be treated as decentralized profit centers. This new system requires that cost be broken down per department. Also, the bonuses per each department head will be based on departmental gross profits. So far as the outcome of the new system is concerned, a recent new car purchase sparked friction and disagreements among division heads on the matter of setting of transfer prices and allocation of costs and profits. It was important that as one department aims to maximize profit, it does not negatively affect other departments. Issues that needed to be resolved include setting of transfer prices between departments, formalizing intercompany transactions, the divisional structure (use of profit or cost center), and the proper allocation of company profits among departments. Problem The different departments of North Country Auto, Inc. must choose between three pricing systems: base on market price, full retail better than others, and based on book value. Also, the company must decide whether they should continue treating each department independently in order to gain huge profits considering that the manager’s incentives are determined upon the department’s earnings. Point of View In this case, we take the point of view of George Liddy, owner of North Country Auto, Inc. Analysis In examining the issues faced by the company, the car purchase discussed in the interdepartmental meeting is used as illustration. †¢ Company’s current operation Comparison: -retail full price considered (new car sold for $5200 without any repairs) -book value considered (used car sold for $5200) Revenue Costs Profit new car (full retail price) $14,150 , $11,4 , 20 , $2,7, 30, used car (book value) , 5200, 4800 , 400 †¢ Price-transfer shown by profits guide book value at wholesale and assumed market Price $3,500 , retail price 5200 , trade in allowance 4800 The trade in allowance of $4800 is the value that is essentially believed by the new and used car sales force believes that the car can be sold. Considering the market price of $3500, the calculated profit is $1700. But, it should be recognized that this profit is at the expense of the $1300 profit from the initial transaction. This is due to the difference between the car’s trade value ($4800) and the market price ($3500). With this, the used car manager must receive the credit or consequences for the profit or loss. This is due to the fact that the used car managers are the appropriate ones to receive incentives in selling the used cars. On the other hand, the new car managers are the ones to receive the incentives in increasing the trade-in value of the cars above the market value. This in turn, makes it easier for people to buy new cars. The illustration above brings up the issue of having the used car manager receive incentives because of the car’s value determined by the new car manager Explanation on $59000 loss on wholesaling of used cars The loss may have occurred because new car owners are pushing for trade-in car values above market valuations on their used cars. For example, if new cars are sold for $4800 and used cars for $3500, the used car group would have a difficult time making a profit. This is because they may have sold the car for $5200 (as shown in the example above). Most of the time, it will be hard for the used car department to sell the used cars above its book value of $3500. Thus, the used car division may incur loss since they are using cost for the used cars that is too high. Recommendations Incentives should be based on company profits. A better system should be established such that managers of the two departments are given incentives based not on the gross profits of their respective departments but on the  profits of the company as a whole. This would help ensure that conflicts of the two departments will be lessened and that the two departments will no longer compete but will work together to enrich the value of the firm. In order to be more profitable, the firm could use blue book values for the trade-in value and use that as the cost to the used car division. However, if it is better for the firm to provide added incentive to customers to trade in their cars, the firm could allow for higher trade-in values but responsibility for those added costs should reside in the new sales division. Regarding the issue of costs, whether it should be at wholesale or retail, it should be considered that North Country is a company offering more on services. The cost of service of making the cars sellable differs minimally from the market price. And these service costs should be added to the cost of used cars in wholesale. The profit on repairs must be akin to competitor’s values as well as to the industry. QUESTION and ANSWERS 1. Using the data in the transaction, compute the profitability of this one transaction to the new, used, parts, and service departments. Assume a sales commission of $250 for this trade-in on a selling price of $5000. (note : use the following allocations [new,$385; used,$665; parts,$32; service,$114] for overhead expense while computing the profitability of this one transaction. These overhead allocations are also shown as Note 13 in Exhibit 3.) Using the data in the transaction , compute the profitability of this one transaction to the new, used, parts and service departments. Assume a sales commission of $250 for the trade in on a selling price of $5000 2. How should the transfer – pricing system operate for each department (market price, full retail, full cost, variable cost)? The transfer pricing system should be operated at full retail . But at the same time care should be taken that the retail transfer price of the repairs should not encourage the used car sales manager to avoid the possibility of losses in her department by wholesaling trade in cars that  could be resold at a profit for the dealership. This cud hurt the dealership by making its deals less attractive for new car customers. Hence while maximizing profits in one’s department it should not affect the other departments negatively. 3. If it were found one week later that the trade-in could be wholesaled for only $3000, which manager should take the loss? If the used car is sold at auction for $3,000 after the trade-in value was set at $4,800, the company should note a loss of $1,800. However, if the new car salesman only gives $3,500 of value to the new customer based on the Blue Book value, then the loss reflected on the income statement and balance sheet should only be $500. In the case of the $1800 loss, responsibility should fall on both the new car salesman and the used car salesman. The new car salesman is at fault for giving the customer $4,800 in value when the car was only worth $3,500. The used car salesman is responsible for the additional loss of $500 for being unable to receive market value for the car. If the used car had a trade-in value at Blue Book of $3,500, then the used car salesman alone would be responsible for the loss of $500 in this transaction. 4. North Country incurred a year-to-date loss about $59.000 before allocation of fixed cost on the wholesaling of used cars (see note 2 in Exhibit 3). Wholesaling of used cars is the theoretically supposed to be a break-even operation. Where do you think the problem lies? It is possible that this loss occurred because new car owners were giving customers looking to trade-in existing cars above market valuations on their used cars. If new owners were providing credit for $4,800 for a used car that is worth $3,500, the used car group would have a difficult time making a profit. While there would be times (like the example above) where they could sell the car for $5,200 and still make a profit despite the inflated prices, most of the time they will have difficulty selling the used car above its Blue Book value of $3,500. Therefore, the used car division may be operating at a loss because the cost they are using for the used cars is too high. 5. Should profit centers be evaluated on gross profit or â€Å"full cost: profit? Incentives should be based on company profits. A better system should be established such that managers of the two departments are given incentives based not on the gross profits of their respective departments but on the profits of the company as a whole. This would help ensure that conflicts of the two departments will be lessened and that the two departments will no longer compete but will work together to enrich the value of the firm. 6. What advice do you have for the owners? The owners of the business should make sure the managers of their various groups are properly incented to do what is most profitable for the firm as a whole. Probably, the firm should use blue book values for the trade-in value and use that as the cost to the used car division. However, if it is better for the firm to provide added incentive to customers to trade in their cars, the firm could allow for higher trade-in values but responsibility for those added costs should reside in the new sales division. On the other hand, if a case can be made that the used cars are worth more to this organization than to the market as a whole because they have an ability to consistently sell used cars above blue book value or because the service organization can increase those used cars more than other organizations can at similar cost, the additional costs of allowing trade-ins above Blue Book value might be appropriately split between both the new car and used car divisions.

How to Get Into MIT 5 Expert Admissions Tips

How to Get Into MIT 5 Expert Admissions Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the best schools in the world. If you want to be one of the few students accepted into MIT every year, you’ll need to make sure your application is up to snuff. In this article, we’ll break down exactly how to get into MIT, from the test scores you need to the tips and tricks that’ll help your application stand out. How Hard Is It to Get Into MIT? MIT is one of the most selective schools in the world. Currently, MIT’s acceptance rate is 6.7%, which means it only accepts around 7 applicants for every 100 people that apply. A 6.7% acceptance rate means that MIT is extremely competitive to get into. You’ll need excellent grades, test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation to even be considered. What Is MIT Looking for in Its Students? You can learn a lot about what MIT is looking for in its students from the university’s website: "The MIT community is driven by a shared purpose: to make a better world through education, research, and innovation. We are fun and quirky, elite but not elitist, inventive and artistic, obsessed with numbers, and welcoming to talented people regardless of where they come from." This statement, while not MIT’s formal mission statement (which is worth reading, too), tells a lot about what MIT is looking for in its applicants. MIT want students who break molds- they’re incredibly intelligent, but they also think outside of the box. Don’t follow everyone else’s path- create your own. MIT students are genuinely excited to learn and innovate. They’re not interested in accolades (though they certainly earn them)- they’re motivated by discovery and intellectual stimulation more than recognition. MIT students don’t fit into any particular profile, except that they’re all highly, highly talented. Can You Apply to MIT Early? MIT allows students to apply early action. That means that you can apply to MIT and receive notification of your acceptance months before other students, but you don’t have to commit to MIT if you’re accepted. MIT’s early application deadline is November 1 and students are notified on December 20. According to the MIT admissions statistics for the Class of 2022, applicants who applied early didn’t have any significant advantage over students who applied at the regular deadline. For both admissions deadlines, students were accepted at a rate of a little less than 7%. That being said, there are other ways to get a leg up on your fellow applicants. MIT admitted around % of applicants who participated in an interview (or had their interview waived) vs 1% of applicants who did not participate in an interview. MIT Application Deadlines and Requirements MIT has its own application. It doesn’t accept the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal Application. Here are the complete MIT application requirements: MIT requires that all students submit SAT, ACT, or TOEFL scores Freshman applicants must also submit two SAT II Subject Tests: math and science. MIT requires all students submit five short essays as part of their application. MIT requires that all students submit two letters of recommendation. There are no specific coursework requirements for MIT applicants. The MIT Early Action deadline is November 1. Applicants are notified of their status on December 20. The MIT regular admission deadline is January 1. Applicants are notified of their status on March 20. What GPA Do I Need to Get Into MIT? MIT has a 6.7% acceptance rate, so it’s important that your application is as strong as possible to be considered. One of the most important parts of your MIT application is your high school coursework. MIT doesn’t specify a minimum GPA requirement and doesn’t release the average GPA of admitted applicants. That being said, due to the caliber of students accepted at MIT, we can assume that the average GPA is quite high. You should look to get mainly A’s, with a few A-’s or B+’s on your transcript. MIT will also be paying attention to your course load- are you challenging yourself, or are you coasting on easy classes? You should take the most rigorous classes your school offers- whether that’s honors, AP, or IB courses- or even look into taking courses at the local community college to show that you’re not afraid of an academic challenge†¦ and that you can succeed at one, too! What Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT? You don’t just need great grades to get into MIT- you need great test scores, too. What SAT Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT? The average admitted applicant at MIT has a 1520 composite score on the 1600 SAT scale. The average math score is 780. The average reading/writing score is 740. You’ll need to have extremely high SAT scores to be able to get into MIT. Fortunately, MIT uses â€Å"Highest Section† scoring (also known as â€Å"superscoring†). Basically, superscoring means that MIT will consider your highest section scores across all the SAT test dates you submit. MIT’s superscoring policy is good news for applicants- it means that you can prep and retake the score without worrying about hurting your previous scores. What ACT Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT? The average admitted applicant at MIT scores a 34 on the ACT. With so many applicants scoring 34 and above, a lower score won’t be very impressive. Fortunately, MIT also superscores ACT scores for applicants. That means that, if you take the ACT multiple times, MIT will consider the highest score achieved in each section. MIT Application Essays MIT requires that you answer five short essay questions. You’ll need to answer 5 short prompts (none more than 250 words) on various aspects of your life: what you do for fun, what department you’re interested in at MIT, a way that you contribute to your community, a description of your background, and a challenge that you have faced in your life. The MIT essay prompts are designed specifically to get to the heart of what makes you you. Remember, MIT wants applicants that are interesting as people. MIT places a high value on having students with quirks and unique passions, not just high test scores. You’ll submit your five MIT application essays along with an activities list and a self-reported coursework form as Part 2 of your MIT application, regardless of whether you’re applying for the early action deadline or the regular admission deadline. Here are the 2018-19 MIT essay prompts: We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it. (100 words or fewer) Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (100 words or fewer) At MIT, we bring people together to better the lives of others. MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc. (200-250 words) Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? (200-250 words) Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words) You can learn more about how to ace your MIT essays in our in-depth article on the topic. 5 Tips for Getting Into MIT It’s very difficult to get into MIT, but it’s not impossible. Follow these tips for how to get into MIT by making sure your application stands out from the crowd. #1: Highlight the Unique Aspects of Your Identity We’ve said it already and we’ll say it again: MIT likes unique applicants. They say so on their website! Your essays are an opportunity to highlight the special facets of your personality. If you built a video game about pickles for fun, this is the time to share it! The more unique you are, the better! Your application will stand out even more if you take those interests and apply them to academic pursuits. Show that your academic curiosity intersects with your passions. #2: Put a Lot of Effort Into Your Academics MIT students are high-achievers. To be accepted, you need to be one, too. You should have a strong plan for studying for the SAT or ACT so that you achieve the best score possible. If you’re still in your freshman, sophomore, or junior year of high school, plan to take some advanced classes to up your GPA. You’ll need to be disciplined and work hard to compete with the other applicants. MIT wants students who will succeed on their campus- you need to demonstrate that you’re up to MIT’s academic challenge. #3: Ace Your Essays Your essays are the best opportunity to show off your skills and your unique interests. You should put a lot of effort into every one of the five MIT essays. Don’t wait until the last minute to write your MIT essays- start them with plenty of time so that you can revise and receive feedback. #4: Convince MIT That You’ll Do Something Great With Your Education MIT doesn’t want to admit students who will be content to take their expensive diploma and sit at home doing nothing with it. MIT wants to accept students who are going to accomplish world-changing things, who contribute positively to their communities while in college and help other students accomplish great things as well. The best way to convince MIT that you’ll do this while there? Contribute positively to your community while you’re in high school. Past behavior is a predictor of future behavior. If you show that positive contributions are a part of your modus operandi as a student, MIT will feel confident that you’ll bring that attitude to its campus, too. #5: Hyper-Focus You don’t need to be captain of the football team, the co-chair of the debate team, and the first chair violinist in the school orchestra to get into MIT. Don’t try to be great at every- pick one (or two) activities and pursue it relentlessly. This is called having a spike and helps you stand out more. Don’t aim to be generically good at a lot of things- be hugely, amazingly good at one thing. Instead of trying to lead twenty different committees, pick the one that’s the most special to you and give it everything you have. Put down the football and the debate notecards and focus on violin if that’s what you love. Audition for world-class ensembles, enter competitions, basically just stand out. Don't strive for above average at a lot of things- be excellent at one. Recap: How to Get Into MIT It’s difficult to get into MIT- but not impossible! With hard work and planning, you can hone your application so it stands out from the other thousands of MIT applicants. What’s Next? Starting your MIT application? Check out our in-depth guide on how to apply to MIT. Your MIT essays will help your application stand out. Read our in-depth guide on these five short answer questions to know exactly what to do. (Link coming soon!) Wondering what your chances of getting into an Ivy Leave or Ivy League caliber school is? Check out our complete guide to Ivy League acceptance rates. Want to get into Harvard or your personal top choice college? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

A Brief Guide to Modernization Theory

A Brief Guide to Modernization Theory Modernization theory emerged in the 1950s as an explanation of how the industrial societies of North America and Western Europe developed. The theory argues that societies develop in fairly predictable stages through which they become increasingly complex. Development depends primarily on the importation of technology as well as a number of other political and social changes believed to come about as a result. Overview of Modernization Theory Social scientists, primarily of white European descent, formulated modernization theory during the mid-twentieth century. Reflecting on a few hundred years of history in North America and Western Europe, and taking a positive view of the changes observed during that time, they developed a theory that explains that modernization is a process that involves industrialization, urbanization, rationalization, bureaucracy, mass consumption, and the adoption of democracy. During this process, pre-modern or traditional societies evolve into the contemporary Western societies that we know today. Modernization theory holds that this process involves  increased availability and levels of formal schooling, and the development of mass media, both of which are thought to foster democratic political institutions. Through the process of modernization transportation and communication become increasingly sophisticated and accessible, populations become more urban and mobile, and the extended family declines in importance. Simultaneously, the importance of the individual in economic and social life increases and intensifies. Organizations become bureaucratic as the  division of labor  within society grows more complex, and as it is a process rooted in scientific and technological rationality,  religion declines in public life. Lastly, cash-driven markets take over as the primary mechanism through which goods and services are exchanged. As it is a theory conceptualized by Western social scientists, it is also one with a capitalist economy at its center. Cemented as valid within Western academia, modernization theory has long been used as a justification for implementing the same kinds of processes and structures in places all over the world that are considered under- or undeveloped as compared with Western societies. At its core are the assumptions that scientific progress, technological development and rationality, mobility, and economic growth are good things and are to be constantly aimed for. Critiques of Modernization Theory Modernization theory has had its critics from the start. Many scholars, often people of color and those from non-Western nations, have pointed out over the years that modernization theory fails to account for the way Western reliance on colonization, slave labor, and theft of land and resources provided the wealth and material resources necessary for the pace and scale of development in the West (see postcolonial theory for extensive discussions of this). It cannot be replicated in other places because of this, and it  should not  be replicated in this way. Others, like critical theorists including members of the Frankfurt School, have pointed out that Western modernization is premised on the extreme exploitation of workers within the capitalist system, and that the toll of modernization on social relations has been great, leading to widespread social alienation, a loss of community, and unhappiness. Still, others critique modernization theory for failing to account for the unsustainable nature of the project, in an environmental sense, and point out that pre-modern, traditional, and indigenous cultures typically had much more environmentally conscious and symbiotic relationships between people and the planet. Some point out that elements and values of traditional life need not be completely erased in order to achieve a modern society​ and point to Japan as an example.

Violence and Aggression in Human Behavior Essay

Violence and Aggression in Human Behavior - Essay Example Hate crimes and their etiology will be next to explored. Then domestic violence, examining one theory that explains the power dynamics between couples and how these dynamics cause couples violence. Black men, who are more violent than other groups, will next be explored, in the context of the sociological reasons for their violent behavior. Lastly, the way that violence is learned will be explained. Joran van der Sloot savagely attacks a woman with a baseball bat, leaves her dead body and takes off. Ted Bundy kills a multitude of women over a long period of time. Hitler. Charles Manson. John Wayne Gacy. Jeffrey Dahmer. Jack the Ripper. These are just a few of the infamous names that have become household over the years. What causes these men to kill? Is it sociological, psychological, neurological, or all of the above? Jonathan Pincus, MD and Dorothy Lewis, MD theorize that violent criminals are made through a combination of neurological damage, psychiatric illness and abuse. This underlying pathology is the cause of all kinds of killers – one-time killers, serial killers, rage killers and killers who dissociate. Roy Hazelwood, an FBI profiler, contends that killers are disorganized or organized, the disorganized being the one-time rage killers, the organized being the stereotypical serial killer. These causes point to individualistic, psychological, neurological and abu se causes. There are other factors that cause violence as well, sociological causes. Hate is one of these – when individuals stereotype, scapegoat and dehumanize whole groups of people, hate-related violence ensues. Blacks suffer a disproportionate amount of violence, and the causes for this is sociological as well. Violence is learned through cultural expectations, television exposure and through witnessing violence at home. Domestic violence is caused through complex power dynamics between couples. This paper reviews just some of the theories for all types of

Motivational Interviewing Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Motivational Interviewing - Article Example Their follow-up is also easier as they are closely monitored in the clinic. The next article by Cummings, Cooper & McClure (2009) focuses on the older generation of adults who are being encountered with serious health problems ranging from acute to chronic illnesses. The population comprised of people with diabetes, risk if heart disease and cancer survivors. There were two groups in this research: the control group and the intervention group and the two were being monitored in order to verify the changes brought about by application of the motivational intervention. The older generation adults were in no specific location but they were being monitored in their different locations for any physical changes once the intervention started to be administered on them. The results in this population also factored in the age and the conditions that come with old age such as the mental illnesses. In the first research about teens with substance abuse problem, the main point is on ensuring that this population by the end of the 3 month period of research and follow up will not relapse once they leave the primary care clinic where they are under close observation. There is also the issue of ensuring that they will be well educated enough to avoid the friends that use the drugs and evade their company as they are likely to be influenced back into using the drugs and alcohol. Working with teens is also not an easy affair especially because they are in the adolescence age where they are trying to find their loci in life and think they know everything as well as thinking no one understands them including their reason for engaging in the drugs and alcohol. The main point in the article about older adults and their health issue is the fact that they are needed physical exercise to deal with some of their health complications and ensue that they are healthy but resistance is very high. Many do not believe