Public Relations Strategy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Relations Strategy Paper - Essay Example These tools are designed as public outreach events, lasting five days to two weeks, aimed at encouraging students, teachers, and the general public to view the school as friendly. It will encourage contributions in different ways, to ensure the school gets a good reputation and see to it that the target group becomes interested in the events, with ideas shared to maximize the impact on the target group. In the general strategic plan, event planning is one of the most important tools, which in respect to public school would best take the form of a festival, ceremony, competition, convention or a party (Japheth, 2006 pg 5). This will be the duty of the School Board to decide the best event. However, it will be imperative to kindly note that whichever event they choose will follow criteria similar to all. After the board approves the budget for the event(s), dates and alternative dates will have to be set. It will also be a collective duty for the planners to select and reserve the event site, acquire permits from the necessary authorities, coordinate transportation and parking. Once the event has been decided upon by the Board, a theme or a motif for the event will have to be developed which will have a focus aimed at publicity. Should the event require speakers, arrangements for them as well as alternative speakers will be required. Also important is to coordinate location support, such as electricity and other utilities, arranging dcor, chairs, tables, tent, police, catering, toilets, parking and signage. This is not to forget event support and security, emergency, clean up as well as health care professionals who would attend to any fatalities. In order that all the involved parties in the event share a common mental picture of the event in question, a simple training will have to be organized by Fairfax to assist them in handling all the event pressure and work efficiently. Since it is a communication based event, a qualified coordinator, planner or an event manager will be necessary lest the event takes the wrong direction which might work against building good publicity e.g. an accident that goes unattended would tarnish the school's image as nave. Since the purpose for the event is to create a good publicity for the school, deadlines must be met. Press Conference Striving for good school publicity, a positive message must be considered. I would recommend a strong slogan such as: "Fairfax County Public School, the place to be", which would be captivating to everyone without sounding exaggerated. Press releases would be made from the school compounds, with students from all races seen smiling. It would also be important to show that the school has over 168,000 students enrolled, making it the largest public school system in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and in Virginia (Lucy McKenzie,2009). On the press conference, which would be held in the school, it would be a great idea to have the superintendent of schools hammer the sentiments that the school division is the largest in the nation, and also maintains the largest fleet of school buses in the United States (Lucy McKenzie, 2009) The best method for distributing press releases would be through snail mail, where a creative subject such as the slogan, "Fairfax County P

History of Europe 1815-1914 Essay Example for Free

History of Europe 1815-1914 Essay Nationalism is a relatively recent phenomenon, considering the grand sweep of history. Although its roots can be found among the ancient Hebrews and Greeks, Niccolo Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, was the beginning of modern day nationalism, and was â€Å"important in the preparation of nationalism. † (Kohn, 1955, p. 9) Machiavelli believed that the state must be preserved and defended at any cost, and longed for Italian unification, which was to come centuries later. John Milton of 17th century Great Britain is considered to be the architect of modern day nationalism. Milton regarded nationalism as â€Å"the affirmation of individual freedom from authority, the self-assertion of personality in face of its own government or church,† and the freedom to â€Å"utter and to argue freely according to conscience. † (Kohn, 1955, p. 16-17) According to historian John Hall, at the core of liberalism is the quest to answer the question, â€Å"What is the nature of a good life? † (Hall, 1988, p. 9) Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher, was concerned with the categories of the human mind. His philosophy is often called critical philosophy. He believed human reasoning to be the ultimate authority on morality, and that a person should be free to reason. As hall puts it, Kant’s â€Å"defense of the basic liberal aim of considering individuals to be of moral worth remains high-powered and absolutely central to liberalism. † (Hall, 1988, p. 19) John Stuart Mill is considered to be â€Å"the most important single theorist of liberalism. † (Hall, 1988, p. 24) He believed in a person’s right to freedom, as did Kant, and defended individual liberty. Mill wrote in his work, On Liberty, â€Å"the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. † (Hall, 1988, p. 25) Mill was considered to be a radical in his time for he supported women’s equality, including the right to vote, education and birth control. Although Mill never became a socialist, he studied pre-Marxist socialist works. Karl Marx’s brand of socialism divided industrialized society into two classes: proletariat and bourgeoisie. The proletariats being the working class, and the bourgeoisie being the rich, ruling class. He criticized capitalism and considered it to be oppressive. He viewed freedom as the â€Å"extent of humankinds domination over nature and the degree of rational, conscious control over social relations. † (Walicki, 1995, p. 12) Marx was the â€Å"prophet of communism† and he thought that his utopian view of society would â€Å"restore the unity of humankind, reconciling human individual existence with human species essence. † (Walicki, 1995, p. 12) Friedrich Engels was a contemporary of Marx, and co-wrote works with him, including the Communist Manifesto. Both Engels and Marx co-founded communism. He believed that the evils in industrialized society were due to private property, and only through a class struggle which led to a communist society could there be equality. The Problem of Bismarck Otto von Bismarck was appointed as Prime Minister of Prussia by Emperor William I in 1862. Not incredibly popular when appointed, people underestimated the power-hungry man. Prior to Bismarck’s appointment, William wanted to reform the Prussian military. The parliament agreed to reform but did not want to yield control of the budget to William for a long period of time. When Bismarck came on the scene he managed to collect additional taxes needed, and used them toward military reform without the consent or approval of the parliament. Unlike Bismarck, Louis-Napoleon of France, the great nephew of Napoleon I, started his political career with great support, but ended up being deposed. He was elected president of France in 1848 with a victory of 74. 2%. He was able to gain such a huge victory by being able to â€Å"appear as all things to all men. † (Price, 2003) However, resistance grew to his domination of government in 1851. He started a coup in December 1851 with little resistance in Paris, but more in rural areas, but he was able to crush that resistance. An election was held after the coup to decide whether or not people wanted him to have the authority necessary to create a constitution, and the result was an overwhelming yes, due to his â€Å"immense popularity. † (Price, 2003) Napoleon created the Second Empire, with himself the Emperor. In 1868 Bismarck pushed for Leopold, prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, to take the throne of Spain after the Spanish Revolution of 1868. Napoleon was alarmed at the prospect of Leopold taking the Spanish throne and threatened war. Leopold’s candidacy for the throne was withdrawn, but Napoleon wanted a letter of apology from Bismarck. Bismarck published the demands of Napoleon and Prussia’s rejection in the Ems Dispatch because he knew it would likely lead to war, and thought that a war with France would cause southern German states to help fight a Prussian war, leading to the unification of Germany. War did break out in 1870, and lasted until 1871. France was defeated by Prussia under Bismarck’s leadership. Politics Economy During the 19th century Great Britain experienced a tremendous amount of economic growth, which began with the cotton industry. â€Å"Between 1815 and 1851 occurred the most rapid economic development of domestic resources in the whole of British economic history. † (Smellie, 1962, p. 140) By 1860 half of the world’s coal and manufactured goods were supplied by Britain. By 1870 British international trade was greater than the French, German and Italian combined. Several major political developments occurred in Britain during the 1830s. The Reform Bill, enacted in 1832, lessened the amount of land a man had to own to be eligible to vote. It increased eligible voters by more than 200,000. However, eligible voters still only amounted to 20%. As a reaction to the French Revolution, the Six Acts Law was passed by Parliament in 1819. It severely limited civil liberties, including freedom of the press and the right to public meeting. Other laws were passed which outlawed political rallies, and made it illegal to form labor organizations. The economic development of France was much slower than Britain’s. It took longer to industrialize because the French population did not increase as fast as the rest of Europe. The slow population growth was caused by peasants limiting their family size due to the small plots they farmed. A recession in the 1860s occurred because agriculture and industry could not keep up with global competition. From 1815 to 1870 France went through a series of regime changes. In 1815 Napoleon I was defeated and France was invaded by foreign troops. Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy was forced upon the French people, and Louis XVIII was installed as king. After Louis died in 1824 Charles X became king. Moderate royalists and liberals won seats in elections, and in 1829 Charles appointed Jules de Polignac as chief minister, which alienated both moderates and liberals. After the elections in 1830 Charles signed the July Ordinances into law which dismissed the newly elected Chamber of Deputies, causing another revolution where Charles was driven from the throne, and the July Monarchy installed, named after the month when Louis Philippe, of the house of Orleans, was installed. Louis-Philippe was also driven from the throne in 1848, and the Second Republic was created. An April 1848 election allowed all eligible males to vote. Workers in Paris, however, did not like the results of the election and revolted. The revolts were brutally put down in what came to be called the June Days of 1848. Louis Napoleon won the presidential elections of 1848, as previously mentioned, later declaring himself emperor. War Unity During the 19th century unification occurred in both Germany and Italy. In Germany Bismarck managed to unite Germany through war with France in 1870, asking Germans not to fight â€Å"for Prussian expansion but for the sake of the fatherland. † (Bridge, 1980, p. 3) He succeeded in uniting Germany, but at a price Germans did not realize. â€Å"Bismarcks sensational success in unifying the country blinded most of his countrymen to the political retardation he had imposed upon them. †(Feuchtwanger, 2001, p. 14) He managed to force an authoritarian system on all of Germany. In Italy the Risorgimento, the term for Italian resistance to Austrian rule and the growing desire for unification, began with Giuseppe Mazzini. Exiled to France in 1831, he created the organization called Giovane Italia (Young Italy) in order to help spread Italian nationalism. Giuseppe Garibaldi was inspired by Mazzini, and in 1860 he landed in Sicily in order to stir up a revolt against the Sicilian king. He managed to gather Sicilian peasants to fight, and they were able to defeat the king. He then set himself up as the dictator of Sicily, and headed to the southern mainland with his Sicilian peasants. He also gained the support of peasants there, and then headed north, where he defeated King Francis of Naples. He was met with resistance by the forces of Victor Emmanuel, king of Sardinia. He decided to hand over his conquests to Victor Emmanuel. Garibaldi was an exact opposite of Bismarck. He fought for unification of his country by gathering the support of the people, while Bismarck united his country by embroiling them in wars. Bismarck imposed authoritarianism on the German people. Garibaldi put his political ambitions aside for the good of his country. â€Å"He could have established himself as dictator of southern Italy but believed national unity to be more important than personal ambition. † (Farmer, 2006)

Functionality of Religion: Emil Durkheim’s Elementary Forms of Religiou

Emil Durkheim’s Elementary Forms of Religious Life presents religion as a social phenomenon. Based on this idea, this essay will examine the role of religion and its influence on society. Durkheim defined religion as â€Å"a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden -- beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.†1 Hence Durkheim’s emphasis is on the function of religion as a unifier of individuals. In order to illustrate his theory of religion, Durkheim then introduces the Totemism of Australian aborigines as an example of fundamental and primitive religion. He then explains how religious belief and rituals evolve from society. If Durkheim’s theory of religion is valid and if religion is in fact a social phenomenon, it then follows that religion has a function and is thus necessary for society. In other words, society creates religion, and neither can exist without the other. To summarize, religion’s function is to provide a community with a system of communal belief and activities which can be either functional or nonfunctional. A major role of religion in society is to promote social integration by strengthening the bonds between the individual and society. Durkheim emphasizes the communal aspect of religion, explaining how individual humans arrive at a common truth through communal activities. These activities integrate individuals into one single moral community. The individual’s faith is derived from the faith of the community, and the social structure shapes the content of religious beliefs and practices. Moreover, religion brings emotional security to individuals through communal living ... ...eligious Life explains how religious beliefs and practices unite practitioners into a single moral community and how unification is necessary for society. Religion is indeed functional in terms of providing order and a sense of belonging and identity to individuals. Although religion has been used to manipulate people throughout history and has not always affected societies in a positive way, it cannot be denied that it has great power to create in individuals a feeling of acceptance and social coherence. Works Cited Aldridge, Alan. Religion in the Contemporary World. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2007. Print. Durkheim, Emile. The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. Trans. Joseph W. Swain. 7th ed. London: Novello and Company Limited, 1971. Print. "Totemism." Britannica. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. 600496/totemism>.

Impact of Social Media

A Media Research On Impact of social media, texting and other technologies on interpersonal communication. Submitted as a part of Media Research MJMC- 2011-2013 [pic] Submitted by: Sakshi Choudhary Prerna Wadhwa Adittya Kaul Chitra Singh Megha Sharma Zosang Pachuau Anumika Bahukhandi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The successful completion of this file marks the beginning of a learning experience on such an interesting topic. It would be worthwhile to mention the contributions made by the people around me leading to the completion of this practical file.We are deeply indebted to Ms, Manu Sharma for giving me kind and valuable guidance throughout the course of this study. It was her constant and catalytic actuation that led to the successful completion of this practical file. Without her untiring efforts and encouragement, this file could not have taken its present shape. We would also like to thank to all other faculty members who provided constant support and encouragement, during the project. Sak shi Choudhary Prerna Wadhwa Adittya Kaul Chitra Singh Megha Sharma Zosang Pachuau Anumika Bahukhandi TITLEImpact of social media, texting and other technologies on interpersonal communication INTRODUCTION Social networking media, texting and other technologies have crept into our lives like no other technology revolution in the recent past. The social media revolution has completely transformed how we used to live our lives. In this context, we felt it would be interesting to understand the impact of social media on three major facets of human existence: The psychological impact Revolutionary impact and The social impact The psychological impact of social media on individuals is immense.The positive aspect of the entire experience has been the ability to connect with people. The core USP of texting and social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter is its ability to connect with people across the world and this brings a certain sense of joy to people. You would have met lots of your old friends through Facebook and that ability to stay in touch with them irrespective of locations makes it a very positive psychological impact on individuals. However, there is another side to this coin. I know a lot of young adults who wake up to Facebook without even brushing their teeth.On a personal level, I have known people who have been online on Facebook for ages without even signing out. There comes a point, after the initial connect with old friends, where you would be idling your time on Facebook doing literally nothing for a long time. This idling time makes you lost and completely distracted from what you had initially intended to do. From 10 mins of Facebook, it would have become 2 hours of Facebook at a stretch. So this addiction to social networking sites makes one even unaware of the real time zones, creating a negative impact on people’s mindsets.This addiction to stay connected and noticed makes one prioritize these small things over many more impor tant activities. Revolutionary Impact: The biggest power of the social medium is the ability to mobilize support for social causes in a very short span of time. The Arab Spring is a point in case for the biggest achievement of the social medium and it also reflected some of its own shortcomings. The advent of the Arab Spring would not have been possible if not for the social media. Both Twitter and Facebook were extensively used to galvanize support to shake the dictator regime and remove it from office.The Tahirir Square uprising symbolized the potential of social media to trigger and create change in a nation’s prospects. However, it also has showed some of the shortcomings of the medium itself. Even though the social media was able to assist the revolution, it needed people on the ground to sustain it and implement the changes. Almost after a year, they have had their President elected and ironically it is a leader from the radical Muslim Brotherhood. Social media could no t help in implementing change on the ground because its not accountable and its virtual in nature.This entire episode shows the impact power of social media and also shows that social media can trigger and support movements but the success of such movements depends much upon the core issues raised on the ground. One of the biggest successes of the social media revolution is the amount of fairness that intrinsically the social networking sites have especially Twitter. There is such an open platform for the common citizen to interact and evolve; it shapes many people’s identities and ideologies. Being an open and unbiased medium, it is actually the world’s most efficient democracy in its truest sense.In addition, it helps to provide so much information that it enriches people with loads of information. Information is indeed wealth and this medium provides so much for it. Ironically, this extensive outpouring of information leads to one of the common issues that social me dia in general faces. Social Impact: Having an opinion on any issue is a right for any individual, there is no doubt it. However, the power of social media is such that it influences people’s opinions very fast. It also leads to opinion makers who make short sighted comments that might be just fitting for a 140 letter character.There is a certain level of irresponsibility within certain sets of people that leads to this discussion being only a one way street. One way abuse or giving opinions without responsibility makes the social media, at times, an ocean which has varied levels of depth. While it is a legitimate right for anyone to have their view, it needs to be with decorum that befits educated individuals. Amidst all these various impacts of the medium, one gets the impression that social media has blatantly obvious positives and some surreal negatives that get underplayed very often.Since everyone brags about the positives, the negative impacts at every stage of the ass essment need to be also taken into account. It liberates the common man to have his voice heard in an open platform and helps to connect people across generations. In this process, it also provides him an additional freedom for individuals to air their views on issues. However, this excessive overflow of information and  connections  can also have a detrimental effect on the personal lives and attitude of individuals if it is not handled in a mature manner.The balance needs to be the key, with regards to the virtual life and the real life, only this balance and a matured democratic  mindset  can make the social media experience a worthwhile one. Modern conveniences such as using cell phones and the creation of social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter) for interaction have shown a variety of influences in the research. Within the social networking spectrum exists the activities of instant messaging (IMing), texting, blogging, bulletin boards, and posting ( comments, status updates, and videos).Greenfield and Yan use the â€Å"Effects Model† to explain the shift from seeing the Internet as doing something to adolescents to an outlook that consists of adolescents taking an active role in co-constructing their own environments. As with any object, the responsibility falls upon the internet user or social networker as to the purpose of engaging in the activity and what is hoped to be accomplished. However, technological side effects may not always be apparent to the individual user and, combined with millions of other users, may have large-scale implications.Therefore, each participant has a dual role—as an individual who may be affected by the social environment and as a participant who is interacting with others and co-constructing the same environment. Given that communication plays a central role in personal relationships and that relationships are assessed by the communication skills of others (Burleson, 2003), impairme nt in the ability to effectively communicate may hinder successful relational development in young adults.This can potentially impact an array of life areas such as family relationships, socialization, school performance, and employment. Further, the failure of young people to effectively resolve conflicts in person can jeopardize safety and may lead to chronic acts of 4 violence that include verbal threats, pushing, grabbing, punching, and fighting. Thus, the lack of conflict resolution skills may lead to the use of human services and involvement in the legal system, requiring the need to access limited financial resources, and also the risk of out-of-home placement.Despite the potential benefits for adolescents who engage in the various types of social networking, such as the sense of being understood and supported by peers the research is showing that the excess use of this technology may underhandedly inhibit proper interpersonal skill development. Due to the nature of the socia l work profession and its efforts to enhance the lives of youth and plan for their successful transition into adulthood, further examination of the impact of social networking on adolescents is justified.Therefore, it is the purpose of this study to examine the impact of social networking on the skills of communication and conflict resolution within the young adult population. Benefits and Concerns of Social Networking Different theories have surfaced regarding the impact of social networking. It has been found that participation in social network sites provides a number of potential benefits for adolescents. It provides a virtual place to spend time and share thoughts and objects with personal meaning, such as pictures and stories, and remain closely connected with friends regardless of geographic distance.Also, it is believed that individuals may feel empowered when using social networking to establish relationships that provide information, mutual assistance, and support. Finally , it was found that teens with difficulties may use online relationships as temporary bridges that bring them into safe and comfortable face-to face relationships. All of these mentioned benefits to participants, especially adolescents who are attempting to practice social skills and explore who they are as individuals, add to the justification of including social networking into the current developmental perspective.Despite the potential advantages of social networking, there are a number of concerns. A well-known study conducted by Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukophadhyay and Scherlis (1998) was one of the first to examine the relationship between Internet use and the aspects of social involvement and psychological well-being. The HomeNet field trial followed 93 families in their first 12-18 months of being online. A total of 256 people took part in the study. It was hypothesized that the users would increase their sense of social support and feel less lonely, be less aff ected by stress, and have improved mental health.However, the results of the study showed the opposite. Associations were found between increased Internet use and decreased social involvement, feeling more lonely, and an increase in depressive symptoms. Another result was that higher Internet use was related to a decrease in communication among family members. The results of the original study were criticized and caused much controversy, prompting a second study. The follow-up study found varying results that contradicted the results of the first study in all areas except life stress.Another consequence of social networking that has been addressed in the research is the issue of cyber bullying. Much data exists regarding the negative aspects of social networking and the incidence of cyber bullying and victimization among users. Traditionally, bullying has taken place during face-to-face interaction. However, advances in technology have opened up new ways for this to occur over elect ronics, from texting on cell phones to the posting of comments or videos on websites. Regarding text bullying, the prevalence of its occurrence ranges from 15-32% .In nationally representative surveys of 10-17 year-olds, it was found that twice as many youth reported they were victims of online harassment in 2005 as compared to data from 2000. The issue of cyber abuse (bullying, unwanted sexual advances, and stalking) should be taken very seriously due to the detrimental effects on victims, which include feelings of depression, guilt, shame, as well as self-harm and withdrawing from family and friends. Using a phenomenological approach, an analysis of anonymous posts by adolescents revealed a high incidence of cyber bullying from both real-life acquaintances and those who were met online.In another study, it was found that students who were text bullied were significantly more likely to feel unsafe at school than those students who had not been text bullied. Whether due to low self- esteem or poor social 11 skills, adolescents who turn to online relationships because of feelings of isolation by peers may find that online relationships are filled with complications. It is within these relationships that adolescents may be victimized by cyber bullying, unwanted sexual advances, and even cyber stalking. MEDIUMSInternet surfing The term â€Å"Internet surfing† appeared after the creation of the personal computer and the Internet and is seen as an extension of â€Å"channel surfing†, where viewers randomly change channels on a television using a remote control with no real physical effort. Internet surfing is activity described as spending time visiting either random or targeted websites on the Internet for non-communication purposes. Users can view websites to gather information, play interactive games, shop, and view photos and movies.Surfing the Internet can be addictive in nature because individuals receive short-term gratification every time they go online, making it very desirable to continue to go online to receive this gratification. Studies have demonstrated that excessive Internet surfing may increase depression and social anxiety. Therefore, individuals who struggle with Internet surfing and also participate in social networking as a means of meeting their social needs may be at risk for a significant decline in communication and conflict resolution skills due to their isolative behaviors.Moreover, it was found out adolescents with low perceived friendship quality reported significantly higher depression and social anxiety. Since excessive computer use can inhibit exploring one’s actual environment and impact the growth of friendships, this is of major concern. Instant messaging. In contrast to surfing, instant messaging (IM-ing) consists of sending real-time online computer messages to another user in a mutually established conversation. Researchers found that IM-ing is the most popular method of communication among teens who go online, with 75% using this medium and 48% doing so at least once a day.This format is typically private and can be an opportunity for adolescents to practice and develop social skills. However, a recent longitudinal study showed that IM-ing6 predicted more depression among adolescents over a six month period. The effects of Internet surfing and IM-ing on internalizing problems may be closely related due to the finding that adolescents who spend more time IM-ing also spend more time surfing. Texting The short messaging service (SMS), more commonly known as â€Å"texting†, is the cellular phone version of IM-ing and also results in virtually instant messages between the sender and receiver.Cell phones have been engineered over the past years to accommodate the demand of texting, such as offering a full QWERTY keyboard, and many cell phone carriers offer plans that contain unlimited texting. A survey conducted on 2,277 American adults by the Pew Research Cent er found that 18-24 year olds sent or received an average of 109. 5 text messages per day, which works out to be more than 3,200 text messages per month. In a European study of 635 participants ages 16-55 years old who visited a website and completed an online questionnaire, 48. % reported preferring to use their cell phones for texting over voice calls and 26. 1% reported texting too much This study also measured levels of loneliness, expressive control, interaction anxiousness, and conversational involvement. Two significant findings were that 61% of the participants stated they say things in text that they would not feel comfortable saying face-to-face and 64% stated they feel they are able to express their true feelings best in text messages rather than in face-to-face interactions or voice calls. Modern conveniences such as using cell phones and the creation f social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter) for interaction have shown a variety of influences in the research. Within the social networking spectrum exists the activities of instant messaging (IMing), texting, blogging, bulletin boards, and posting (comments, status updates, and videos). Greenfield and Yan use the â€Å"Effects Model† to explain the shift from seeing the Internet as doing something to adolescents to an outlook that consists of adolescents taking an active role in co-constructing their own environments.As with any object, the responsibility falls upon the internet user or social networker as to the purpose of engaging in the activity and what is hoped to be accomplished. However, technological side effects may not always be apparent to the individual user and, combined with millions of other users, may have large-scale implications. Therefore, each participant has a dual role—as an individual who may be affected by the social environment and as a participant who is interacting with others and co-constructing the same environment.Given that communicati on plays a central role in personal relationships and that relationships are assessed by the communication skills of others (Burleson, 2003), impairment in the ability to effectively communicate may hinder successful relational development in young adults. This can potentially impact an array of life areas such as family relationships, socialization, school performance, and employment. Further, the failure of young people to effectively resolve conflicts in person can jeopardize safety and may lead to chronic acts of 4 violence that include verbal threats, pushing, grabbing, punching, and fighting.Thus, the lack of conflict resolution skills may lead to the use of human services and involvement in the legal system, requiring the need to access limited financial resources, and also the risk of out-of-home placement. Despite the potential benefits for adolescents who engage in the various types of social networking, such as the sense of being understood and supported by peers the rese arch is showing that the excess use of this technology may underhandedly inhibit proper interpersonal skill development.Due to the nature of the social work profession and its efforts to enhance the lives of youth and plan for their successful transition into adulthood, further examination of the impact of social networking on adolescents is justified. Therefore, it is the purpose of this study to examine the impact of social networking on the skills of communication and conflict resolution within the young adult population. Statement of problem This project focuses on evaluating the impact of social media, texting and other technologies on interpersonal communication.It will help us in knowing the positive and negative impact of these respective mediums interpersonal communication. Nowadays people spend more than 50% of their time on socializing or texting. Some of the most popular Social Medias are facebook, twitter, blogs, BBM, whatsapp texting. The popularity of these social med iums has not only captured the interest of people but has also influenced their interpersonal communication strongly. The main agenda behind this research is to find out the impact of these mediums on the interpersonal communication of people. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDYResearch can be defined as the search for knowledge or as any systematic investigation to establish facts. The primary purpose for  research is discovering,  interpreting, and the  development  of methods and systems for the advancement of human  knowledge  on a wide variety of  scientific matters  of our world and the universe. HYPOTHESIS An hypothesis is a specific statement of prediction. It describes in concrete terms what you expect will happen in your study. NULL HYPOTHESIS: There is a direct relationship between Impact of social media, texting and other technologies on interpersonal communication.ALTERNATE HYPOTHESIS: There is no conclusive relationship between Impact of social media, texting and other technologies on interpersonal communication Literature Review According to Vitak (2008), there are some reasons why an individual uses asocial networking site. The first reason is for them to meet strangers and become friends with  them. This  type  of  relationship  is  what  we  call  a  weak  interpersonal relationship. The majority of respondents of her research paper (57%) said they were initially  introduced  to  those  Ã¢â‚¬Å"friends†Ã‚  through  mutual  friends,  which increases  the likelihood  of  such  relationships  developing  into  strong  ties.On  the  other  hand, responses  to  a  separate  question  overwhelmingly  support  the  hypothesis. While  asignificant portion or respondents said they have at least a few online-online friends,85% said they do not communicate with the majority of their online-only friends, and just one respondent said  that he/she considered those  f riends as  a  strong  tie. Through social networking sites  like facebook, the user tends to  maintain his weak interpersonal relationship with his online friends because of an easy communication.He can use private messaging, chat rooms, and other method of communicating provided by the website. On the other hand, a strong interpersonal relationship with his offline friends needs time and effort to be maintained. Distance between two users that can change an offline relationship into online relationship is also a reason why an individual uses SNSs. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of  respondents said the majority of their friends have a Facebook account, which suggests that many students use the site to stay in touch with their offline friends.Keeping in touch with friends remains the primary reason for site usage across both years in school and gender. Furthermore, approximately one-third (31%) of respondents with friends who do not have a Facebook account say they would be clo ser to those friends if they were on the site, and 87% of respondents said they had never experienced negative consequences in their offline relationships due to content in their Facebook profiles, which suggests that most respondents benefit from using the site.With the use of  private messaging and chat rooms of this site, students can communicate and maintain a healthy relationship with their friends from far places with ease that takes only a few seconds to complete it. Social Networking Sites also have  negative effects in  offline relationships. Something’s found in the site can lead to misinterpretation for some people. Because of online messaging or comments that are visible to everyone in the friends list of a user, an offline relationship can be affected or destroyed due to fights that will happen.For example, a jealous boyfriend saw a comment from a mysterious boy posted on the wall of his girlfriend that says intimate words, because of this, the relationship between the girl and his boyfriend can be broken. Another negative effect is, because of posting comments on the wall of a user became much easier, it will also be effortless for other  people to spread rumors and gossips that can destroy a life of an individual. As a larger percentage of communication moves into the digital arena, we will see a general weakening of ties between people.This weakening will be less pervasive among a person’s closest circle of friends and more obvious among lesser friends, as digital  communication  will  become  the  primary  mode  of  communication  in  theserelationships http://www. scribd. com/doc/27327211/The-Influence-of-Social-Networking-Sites-to-Interpersonal-Relationships-of-the-Students-of-Rogationist-College-High-School-Department-S-Y-2009-2010 Social Networking and Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Resolution Skills among College Freshmen By John J. Drussell Social Networking ActivitiesAdvancements in te chnology have resulted in people being able to access a wealth of information and participate in virtual opportunities not previously available. Through the tools of computers and cell phones, society has moved from engaging in face-to-face interaction while performing these activities to endeavors that do not require in-person interaction with others. The devices have therefore become the actual mediators between people and knowledge or entertainment. Within recent years, technology has also made available different avenues for communicating.The capabilities of computers and cell phones have allowed users to develop means to participate in the world of social networking, now making the device the mediator of communication between individuals. 5 Internet surfing. The term â€Å"Internet surfing† appeared after the creation of the personal computer and the Internet and is seen as an extension of â€Å"channel surfing†, where viewers randomly change channels on a televis ion using a remote control with no real physical effort. Internet surfing is activity described as spending time visiting either random or targeted websites on the Internet for non-communication purposes.Users can view websites to gather information, play interactive games, shop, and view photos and movies. Surfing the Internet can be addictive in nature because individuals receive short-term gratification every time they go online, making it very desirable to continue to go online to receive this gratification (Selfout, Branje, Delsing, Bogt & Meeus, 2009; Hall & Parsons, 2001). Studies have demonstrated that excessive Internet surfing may increase depression and social anxiety (Selfout et al. , 2009; Morgan & Cotton, 2003).Therefore, individuals who struggle with Internet surfing and also participate in social networking as a means of meeting their social needs may be at risk for a significant decline in communication and conflict resolution skills due to their isolative behaviors . Moreover, Selfout et al. , (2009) found that adolescents with low perceived friendship quality reported significantly higher depression and social anxiety. Since excessive computer use can inhibit exploring one’s actual environment and impact the growth of friendships, this is of major concern.Instant messaging. In contrast to surfing, instant messaging (IM-ing) consists of sending real-time online computer messages to another user in a mutually established conversation. Researchers found that IM-ing is the most popular method of communication among teens who go online, with 75% using this medium and 48% doing so at least once a day (Hinduja & Patchin, 2008; Lenhart et al. , 2005). This format is typically private and can be an opportunity for adolescents to practice and develop social skills (Selfout et al. 2009; Morgan & Cotton, 2003; Valkenburg & Peter, 2007). However, a recent longitudinal study showed that IM-ing6 predicted more depression among adolescents over a six month period (Selfout et al. , 2009; Van den Eijnden, Meerkerk, Vermulst, Spijkerman & Engels, 2008). The effects of Internet surfing and IM-ing on internalizing problems may be closely related due to the finding that adolescents who spend more time IM-ing also spend more time surfing (Selfout et al. , 2008; Subrahmanyam, Greenfield, Kraut, & Gross, 2001). Texting.The short messaging service (SMS), more commonly known as â€Å"texting†, is the cellular phone version of IM-ing and also results in virtually instant messages between the sender and receiver. Cell phones have been engineered over the past years to accommodate the demand of texting, such as offering a full QWERTY keyboard, and many cell phone carriers offer plans that contain unlimited texting. In fact, Crabtree et al. (2003) expected SMS to dominate mobile messaging in regards to both traffic volume and revenue well into the last quarter of the decade (Reid & Reid, 2007).In a Norwegian study of 19-21 year olds, pa rticipants sent an average of six texts per day in 2001. When the same age group was measured again in 2007, this number tripled to an average of 18 text messages sent per day (Ling, 2010). A survey conducted on 2,277 American adults by the Pew Research Center found that 18-24 year olds sent or received an average of 109. 5 text messages per day, which works out to be more than 3,200 text messages per month (Smith, 2011). In a European study of 635 participants ages 16-55 years old who visited a website and completed an online questionnaire, 48. % reported preferring to use their cell phones for texting over voice calls and 26. 1% reported texting too much This study also measured levels of loneliness, expressive control, interaction anxiousness, and conversational involvement. Two significant findings were that 61% of the participants stated they say things in text that they would not feel comfortable saying face-to-face and 64% stated they feel they are able to express 7 their tru e feelings best in text messages rather than in face-to-face interactions or voice calls (Reid & Reid, 2007). Quality of Social Networking RelationshipsPersonal interaction is and has always been an important function of the human experience. Prior to the technological revolution and creation of personal computers and cell phones, relationships were typically developed and maintained by means of face-to-face interaction and verbal or written communication. With the development of the Information Age, characterized by the ability for people to freely and conveniently access and exchange information through technology, the way in which our society interacts with one another has continued to transform.Technological Determinism Theory attempts to help explain how changes in methods of communication through advancements in technology impacts general society. According to this theory, media technology shapes how individuals in a society feel, act, and think as well as influences how socie ty functions as they move from one technological age to another. In other words, people learn how to think and feel the way they do based upon the messages they receive through the current technology.This theory supports the belief that â€Å"the medium is the message† and that people adapt accordingly and will utilize the means in which society as a whole is using to communicate. As the medium changes, so does society’s way of communicating. If the medium is impersonal, then the message itself is also impersonal (Mcluhan, 1962). With the creation of the virtual world, individuals have the opportunity to interact with others, both known and unknown, in a variety of ways. With the change in nature of these relationships, it has been of interest to gauge the perceived quality of online relationships.Because Internet sites, such as America Online (AOL) and Facebook, allow groups of users to 8 connect with other groups, users engage in group forming activities that are com parable to faceto-face groups (Giffords, 2009). According to Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe (2007), social networking sites on the Internet may be used to strengthen relationships that already exist, therefore acting as a bridge between the online and offline worlds (Perez-Latte, Portilla, & Blanco, 2011).A study by the USC-Annenberg Digital Future Project (2006) on Internet usage found that 43% of Internet users who are part of online communities feel as strongly about their online communities as they do about their real-life communities (Giffords, 2009). In another research study among adolescents, a prominent finding was that participants who had developed friendships and relationships online consider them to be as real as relationships in their actual lives. Further, these online friendships were described as being ong-term, trusting, and very meaningful (Mishna et al. , 2009). Because of potential attached meaning to these virtual relationships and the possibilities that human interaction may become volatile and unpredictable, it is of explicit interest to investigate how users, specifically adolescents and young adults, manage to communicate and resolve conflicts within these communities. Therefore, more research is needed in this area. Benefits and Concerns of Social Networking Different theories have surfaced regarding the impact of social networking.It has been found that participation in social network sites provides a number of potential benefits for adolescents. Cited by Hinduja and Patchin (2008), it was found that benefits of online interaction include that it provides a means in which to learn the ability to relate to others, tolerate differing viewpoints, express thoughts and feelings in a healthy way, and practice critical thinking skills (Hinduja & Patchin, 2008; Berson, Berson, & Ferron, 2002), In addition, Clavert (2002) states 9 that communicating with others on the Internet is an opportunity to explore self-identity and enhance self-disco very.Another perceived benefit is that the Internet increases the possibility to contact peers, thus enhancing self-esteem and feelings of well-being (Selfhout et al. , 2008; Morgan & Cotton, 2003; Valkenberg & Peter, 2007). Further in regards to social networking, the Internet provides a virtual place to spend time and share thoughts and objects with personal meaning, such as pictures and stories, and remain closely connected with friends regardless of geographic distance (Hinduja & Patchin, 2008; Boyd, 2006).Also, it is believed that individuals may feel empowered when using social networking to establish relationships that provide information, mutual assistance, and support (Giffords, 20069). Finally, it was found that teens with difficulties may use online relationships as temporary bridges that bring them into safe and comfortable face-toface relationships (Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2003).All of these mentioned benefits to participants, especially adolescents who are attemp ting to practice social skills and explore who they are as individuals, add to the justification of including social networking into the current developmental perspective. Despite the potential advantages of social networking, there are a number of concerns. A well-known study conducted by Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukophadhyay and Scherlis (1998) was one of the first to examine the relationship between Internet use and the aspects of social involvement and psychological well-being.The HomeNet field trial followed 93 families in their first 12-18 months of being online. A total of 256 people took part in the study. It was hypothesized that the users would increase their sense of social support and feel less lonely, be less affected by stress, and have improved mental health. However, the results of the study showed the opposite. Associations were found between increased Internet use and 10 decreased social involvement, feeling more lonely, and an increase in depressive sy mptoms. Another result was that higher Internet use was related to a decrease in communication among family members.The results of the original study were criticized and caused much controversy, prompting a second study. The follow-up study found varying results that contradicted the results of the first study in all areas except life stress. Another consequence of social networking that has been addressed in the research is the issue of cyber bullying. Much data exists regarding the negative aspects of social networking and the incidence of cyber bullying and victimization among users. Traditionally, bullying has taken place during face-to-face interaction.However, advances in technology have opened up new ways for this to occur over electronics, from texting on cell phones to the posting of comments or videos on websites (Marsh, McGee, Nada-Raja, & Williams, 2010; Patchin & Hinduja, 2006). Regarding text bullying, the prevalence of its occurrence ranges from 15-32% (Marsh et al. , 2010; Beran & Li, 2005). In nationally representative surveys of 10-17 year-olds, it was found that twice as many youth reported they were victims of online harassment in 2005 as compared to data from 2000 (Giffords, 2009; Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2006).The issue of cyber abuse (bullying, unwanted sexual advances, and stalking) should be taken very seriously due to the detrimental effects on victims, which include feelings of depression, guilt, shame, as well as self-harm and withdrawing from family and friends (Mishna et al. , 2009). Using a phenomenological approach, an analysis of anonymous posts by adolescents revealed a high incidence of cyber bullying from both real-life acquaintances and those who were met online (Mishna et al. , 2009).In another study, it was found that students who were text bullied were significantly more likely to feel unsafe at school than those students who had not been text bullied (Marsh et al. , 2010). Whether due to low self-esteem or poor soc ial 11 skills, adolescents who turn to online relationships because of feelings of isolation by peers may find that online relationships are filled with complications (Wolak et al. , 2003; Egan, 2000). It is within these relationships that adolescents may be victimized by cyber bullying, unwanted sexual advances, and even cyber stalking.Communication and Conflict Resolution Skills Successfully maneuvering through life requires attaining a set of skills, for example the ability to communicate with others and work through conflicts, that are acquired through different avenues during a person’s developmental journey. From the early days of mainframe computers to the present, computers have been mostly used for interpersonal communication (Sproull & Kiesler, 1991). In fact in terms of meaning, communication is the most important use of the Internet for adolescents (Greenfield & Yan, 2006; Gross, 2004).Regarding conflict resolution, Chung and Asher (1996) and Rose and Asher (1999) have argued that responses to hypothetical situations involving conflict are similar to responses observed during real-life conflict (Johnson, LaVoie, Eggenburg, Mahoney, & Pounds, 2001). This highlights the value in presenting opportunities to practice these skills to prepare for real life situations. However, these hypothetical situations were presented face-to-face to a group by a facilitator and did not include a technological or social networking component.With an overwhelming trend among adolescents and young adults toward the reliance on technology for communication, it is speculated that the decline of face-to-face interaction will result in decreased ability to handle real-life conflicts. In analyzing data from a study of adolescents with close online relationships, it showed that a disproportionate number reported high amounts of conflict with their parents as well as low levels of communication with their parents (Wolak et al. , 2003). In another study, dolescents who en gaged in online 12 communication and felt frightened or that they were in significant trouble did not reach out and communicate with their parents (Mishna et al. , 2009). Empirical data in social work literature, as well as other professional journals, on the effects of school-based conflict resolution programs have been positive, suggesting that teaching conflict resolution skills to students increase their knowledge of how to resolve conflict using non-violent means (Woody, 2001; Johnson, Johnson, Dudley, Mitchell, & Fredrickson, 1997).Although some research exists that examines the activities of social networking and the potential effects, both positive and negative, on its users, there is a gap in the empirical literature. Social networking relies on technology and is conducted over specific devices with no presence of face-to-face interaction, which results in an inability to access interpersonal behavior and signals to facilitate communication. Adding the possibility that rela tionships can become volatile and unpredictable, no current research addresses how social networking affects the ability for users to resolve conflicts in their daily lives.A concerted effort to focus on how social networking impacts the ability to perform the functions of communication and conflict resolution in real-life relationships would be highly beneficial. The available research did not speak to these particular issues, hence the impetus for this quantitative study. Therefore, this researcher proposes the following research question: What is the impact of social networking on interpersonal communication and conflict resolution skills? http://sophia. stkate. edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article=1021&context=msw_papers OBJECTIVE to analysis Impact of social media, texting and other technologies on interpersonal communication ? to understand the impact of social media on three major facets of human existence o The psychological impact o Revolutionary impact and o The social impact . ? To understand Benefits and Concerns of Social Networking RESEARCH METHODOLOGY RESEARCH PROCESS The research is basically done with the help of ‘Survey’, one of the most important research instruments. A Questionnaire was prepared in order to conduct the survey. Specific and selective questions were added in it accordingly. open ended and 5 close ended questions were added. Sample size was decided and the area of research was decided. How sampling will be done, how it will be divided and what will be the sample size, everything was kept in mind before filling the questionnaires. After preparing the questionnaires, they were sent out to be filled. People filled it by expressing their views and ideas. After getting that questionnaires filled, we went through every questionnaire. And then data and analysis was done. SAMPLING OF RESPONDENT Survey sampling In statistics, survey sampling is random selection of a sample from a finite population.It is an important part of pl anning statistical research and design of experiments. Sophisticated sampling techniques that are both economical and scientifically reliable have been developed. Random Sampling Sampling can be defined as a part of population. Thus random sampling may be defined as the selection of a portion from the whole population in which each elements of the population has an equal chance of being selected. A more please definition is that each element in the population has a non-zero and known probability of selection a randomly drawn sample is an unbiased sample.In this research survey 50 people were surveyed at random to get the relevant information. INSTRUMENT USED A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they are cheap, do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and of ten have standardized answers that make it simple to compile data.However, such standardized answers may frustrate users. Questionnaires are also sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be able to read the questions and respond to them. LIMITATIONS ? It was hard to catch hold of people who could actually take out sometime to fill the questionnaire ? Many of the respondents might not have given the correct information and have filled the questionnaire just for the sake of it. DATA ANALYSIS According to the research done, some of the points and facts that came in light will be provided in data tabulation.The survey was a great help for finding and discovering facts which are as follows: Q. 1 Do you have access to internet? Yes No Almost all the people have access to internet Q. 2 What social networking mediums do you use for communication? According to my research 10% of the people use social networking sites, 60% use instant messaging and 30% use messages or texting Q. 3 wh at is the   most preferred medium that you use? 25% of the people use facebook,30%use BBM, 40% use whatsapp and 5% use other mediums Q. How often do you visit social network websites? 75% of the people said very often they visit the social network websites Q. 5 why do you use social networking sites? 20% of the people use social networking sites for updating photos, status and more, 65% use these sites to socialize, 10% o build professional relations, and 5% to stay in touch with friends Q. 6 how much time do you spend on these networking mediums? 10% of the people spend 1 hour on these mediums, 15% spend 2 hours, 70% spend 3-5 hours and 5% spend all day long.Q. 7 How many text messages do you send in a day? 80% of the people send 10 or even less than 10 text messages in a day Q. 8 Do you think there is any change in your way of communication with friends? If yes, what are the changes you feel? 75% of the people say that they feel that there is a change in their way of com munication with friends. Varied answers were there for this question Q. 9 Do you think people are losing the warmth of relations and becoming formal because of sending messages through these mediums? 0% of the people said yes that they think people are losing the warmth of relations and becoming formal because of sending messages through these mediums and 60% said no they don’t feel it that way Q. 10. Does it exempt them from socialising outside? 40% of the people said that they do exemt from socialising outside and 60% said that they don’t . QUESTIONNAIRE NAME: AGE: GENDER: Q. 1 Do you have access to internet? Yes No Q. 2 What social networking mediums do you use for communication? Q. 3 what is the   most preferred medium that you use?

“Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality” by Henry Cloud Essay

The book titled â€Å"Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality† by Dr. Henry Cloud, shed a whole new light on the subject of integrity for me. My original understanding of integrity was to do the right thing even when no one is watching, but this book challenged my definition and the applications to my own personal life and work experience. By understanding integrity as the courage to meet the demands of reality, I will be able to focus on improving my best traits and become a great leader. Cloud explains in his book how six essential qualities determine your success in business: establishing trust, being oriented toward truth, getting results, embracing the negative, being oriented toward increase, and being oriented toward transcendence. I will give my personal educated reaction to each one of these qualities. One of the most important ideas Cloud starts mentioning in his book, is that of the â€Å"wake†, defined as the result we leave behind (pg. 17). I agree with Cloud that there are two sides to the wake, the task and the relationship side. I was especially moved by reading that the two sides of the wake must be equally important and contributed to. Unfortunately, there have been many times in my life when I have either focused on the task more, or the relationship side of the wake I was leaving behind. Looking back, I now realize why I have not been reached by people from previous jobs, where being the top performer was my priority. But I also understand now, that it was because of the great wake I left behind, that many of my previous colleagues still show appreciation, respect, and adoration for me, even though I was a better performer than them. It is a great feeling to be able to motivate people and bring out the best in them for many years to  come. After reading this book, I now understand how to use the â€Å"wake† tool to make me a better person and a better leader in my personal life but also my career. On page 24, Cloud gives his definition of character as â€Å"the ability to meet the demands of reality† which shook my perception that character couldn’t change. Cloud was very successful in making me see how the demands of reality determine the requirements of the design, and that character is changeable. From now on, I will not only try to improve my own character, but I will also push people around me to be the best character they can be. It has not been easy to meet the demand of my reality, such as being a single mother, being a great fulltime graduate student, being a good fulltime employee showing high performance results while building long lasting relationships with colleagues and customers, being a good daughter, sister, partner, a healthy and beautiful woman etc. I now truly understand why several top performers in my company have been let go over the years because of the fact that their character did not meet the demands of the reality within the company, t he employees and the customer base we are trying to provide excellent products and services to. I especially loved it when Cloud mentioned that â€Å"people grow and people change when the right experiences are brought to the person, and they have the right response in using those experiences† (pg. 27). One of the most important aspects of establishing trust, according to Cloud is â€Å"true listening and understanding, which occurs only when the other person understands that you understand† (pg. 60). This idea opened my eyes wide and made me understand how I must become better at showing to the people around me that not only I listen to when they have to say, but I truly understand them and their situation. Since reading this part of the book I have tried really hard every day at work to show empathy and connect with my coworkers and not just my customers, winning their hearts by showing that I genuinely care for their success as much as mine. The other two ways of establishing trust according to Cloud are through extending favors and through vulnerability. I could not agree more with the author in that a good leader cannot just set the demand, he or she must do anything to help the people meet that demand. I have seen this concept with my General Manager being a part of the team, working as hard as we do toward the same goal, for our store to be as successful as we are. Throughout my life I have been able to establish trust in my personal  relationships, such as with my son, by extending favors and helping people not only understand the demands but also accomplishing them. Being vulnerable is another very important part to building trust, as mentioned by Cloud on page 92. Great leaders must be â€Å"strong enough to depend on, but vulnerable enough to identify with†. This is a whole new concept for me, because I have always thought that not showing your weaknesses made you a good role model. I will definitely let my guard down now and accept my imperfections and admit to being a work in progress myself. The second important quality to be a successful leader according to Cloud is to be oriented toward the truth by being in touch with reality. On page 104 Cloud mentions how â€Å"the consequences of deceit are usually greater than the ones of the truth†. I could not agree more with this concept, especially because I was cheated on from my husband and was really hard for me to find out that what I thought was true, it had not been true all along. Being oriented toward the truth builds trustworthy relationships forever in every aspect of life. A new concept for me that I will incorporate in my life from now on, is the concept that Cloud mentions on page 117 that â€Å"you will excel only by maximizing your strengths, never by fixing your weaknesses†. Even though it does sound hard to do, I am determined to put it to practice in my own life with all my relationships. The third quality important to success mentioned by the author is that of getting results. Cloud says that one of the most important aspects of character that leads to success is â€Å"the ability to keep going when we hit an obstacle, believe that there is a way to get it done, and keep going until we find it†. I have had to learn this lesson personally in a hard way, since I have hit rock bottom many times, and have had to get up and fight and move on, and end up stronger than before. The fourth quality to a successful leader mentioned in Cloud’s book is the ability to embrace the negative. I could not agree more with Cloud in when he says that â€Å"the ones who succeed in life are the ones who realize that life is largely about solving problems†. I have had to deal with this concept myself many times in my life, and every time I have decided to take the problems head on instead of ignoring them, I have grown as a character myself while building stronger relat ionships. I have also had to work with several managers who avoided  dealing with problems, which contradicts the idea Cloud points out on page 179 that â€Å"the leaders who are respected are the ones who can be depended on to deal with things directly and competently†. This concept reiterates my belief to why employees did not respect those managers I mentioned above. Reading from Cloud that â€Å"if they have to have others like them, or not be upset with them, then solving problems becomes virtually impossible† on page 184, convinces me even more that solving problems as they come, no matter how big or small they are, will make me a better leader and role model for everyone around me. I am so proud to say that I work with great leaders who do exactly what Cloud mentions in his book â€Å"it’s not useful to beat other people up when they make mistakes†¦to the contrary that’s the time to coach, encourage them, and help then regain their confidence† (pg. 190). I am learning from the best, hands on, every day at work, and I strongly believe that because I am using the same concept in my relationships, I will soon become a great leader as well. The last two character dimensions important to success according to Cloud are: oriented toward increase and oriented toward transcendence. The idea presented in this book that managers are good maintainers, while leaders are good growers, makes me realize why I have taken so much pride and joy in helping coworkers and friends grow in the last few years, because I am working on growing myself and becoming a great leader (pg. 207). This also touches the concept of being transcendent in order to be successful, especially when Cloud mentions that â€Å"it truly is more blessed to give than to receive† (pg. 253). A fairly new concept for me though, that I truly enjoyed learning about is that ‘the greatest people are the ones who have not sought greatness, but served greatly the causes, values, and missions that were much bigger than them†¦and by joining and serving those, we see greatness emerge† (pg. 243). From my personal life I have observed how not being transc endent can hold someone from being a good leader, such as those people who believe they are the center of the Universe. This book was a great eye opener for me personally and made me question many of my traits and experiences. I now can connect the six character dimensions together within myself and using my best traits to become even better. The  most important conclusion I arrived at after reading â€Å"Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality† by Dr. Henry Cloud, is that to become a successful leader in life I must understand why I might have some â€Å"gaps† to work on, accept myself and realize that there is nothing â€Å"wrong† with having â€Å"gaps†, and know what to do next to resolve them (pg. 265). I will for sure share this knowledge with as many people around me as I can, so that I can help them grow together with me.

Free Essays on You Just Don’t Understand

Hear What I Am Really Trying To Say, Tannen’s (1990) book, â€Å"You Just Don’t Understand,† explains heterogeneous facts about men and women’s communication styles. Tannen says once these gender differences are sorted out, men and women can recognize and understand how to confront real conflicts, rather than fighting styles. When men and women learn to accept the opposite sex’s conversational styles, they can learn to understand a shared language- where there is symmetry and negotiation of conflicts. It is important to recognize that these linguistic differences between men and women do not stem solely from what Tannen (1990) describes as â€Å"cross-cultural communication.† There are very apparent differences in speaking styles; for example, women tend to offer suggestions and give reasons, whereas men tend to give demands without reasons. However, the root of communication conflicts is really the result of the opposite natures of male and female. It is the nature of men to be dominant, and it is the nature of women to be submissive; any revolt against these natures, will cause conflict amongst men and women. Tannen says, â€Å"If a man experiences life as a fight for freedom, he is naturally inclined to resist attempts to control him and determine his behavior†(p.152). Since male and female â€Å"natures† influence behavior and conversational styles, they play more of a significant role in communication than we may think; and evidence of this dates clear ba ck to creation. The book of Genesis clearly defines God’s purpose for creating man and woman; God said man (created in the likeness of God) is to have dominion over all the earth and every living creature. Woman (created from man) is to multiply and be a companion for man. God intended there to be orderliness, which is why He designed men and women with very specific biological and psychological differences. These differences distinguish natures and determine male and f... Free Essays on You Just Don’t Understand Free Essays on You Just Don’t Understand Hear What I Am Really Trying To Say, Tannen’s (1990) book, â€Å"You Just Don’t Understand,† explains heterogeneous facts about men and women’s communication styles. Tannen says once these gender differences are sorted out, men and women can recognize and understand how to confront real conflicts, rather than fighting styles. When men and women learn to accept the opposite sex’s conversational styles, they can learn to understand a shared language- where there is symmetry and negotiation of conflicts. It is important to recognize that these linguistic differences between men and women do not stem solely from what Tannen (1990) describes as â€Å"cross-cultural communication.† There are very apparent differences in speaking styles; for example, women tend to offer suggestions and give reasons, whereas men tend to give demands without reasons. However, the root of communication conflicts is really the result of the opposite natures of male and female. It is the nature of men to be dominant, and it is the nature of women to be submissive; any revolt against these natures, will cause conflict amongst men and women. Tannen says, â€Å"If a man experiences life as a fight for freedom, he is naturally inclined to resist attempts to control him and determine his behavior†(p.152). Since male and female â€Å"natures† influence behavior and conversational styles, they play more of a significant role in communication than we may think; and evidence of this dates clear ba ck to creation. The book of Genesis clearly defines God’s purpose for creating man and woman; God said man (created in the likeness of God) is to have dominion over all the earth and every living creature. Woman (created from man) is to multiply and be a companion for man. God intended there to be orderliness, which is why He designed men and women with very specific biological and psychological differences. These differences distinguish natures and determine male and f... Free Essays on You Just Don’t Understand In Deborah Tannen’s #1 National Bestseller book You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, Tannen explains in her book why men and women have such a hard time communicating between each other. Tannen explains what some of the problems are in our conversations between each other and how these problems occur in our conversations. Tannen further explains the differences in men and women’s conversation styles and how men and women’s talk differs from each other. Tannen and the other authors try to explain aggression. Some Sociolinguist and authors and other professionals in the area of linguistics disagree with some of Tannen’s ideas about conversations, and there are others agree with her. Tannen says in her book â€Å"If we recognize and understand the differences between us, we can take them into account, adjust to, and learn from each other’s styles.† To fully understand Tannen’s ideas about conversations and about men and women’s conversation styles you have to first fully understand about what causes aggression, because Tannen blames many conversation difficulties on men’s aggression and dominance. In her book, Tannen states â€Å"No one could deny that men as a class are dominant in our society, and that many individual men seek to dominate women in their lives.† Anne Campbell the author of Men, Women, and Aggression talked in her book about where aggression comes from, and about what many professionals think about the origins of aggression, including the greatest psychologist ever, Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud argued for two sources of human aggression: Eros, a drive that acts to prolong and reproduce life, and Thanatos, an innate drive toward disintegration that Freud believed was directed against the self. If he was right, how is it that we all don’t commit suicide? In part, it is because of a struggle between Thanatos and Eros, which, luckily for us, Eros usually wins. But it is also because ...

changes men made in the country essays

changes men made in the country essays Hoofdvraag : Welke veranderingen heeft de mens aangebracht in het natuurlandschap? Deelvragen : -Waarom zijn de tegewoordige polders destijds drooggelegd? -Waarom liggen er zoveel sloten in de polder? -Waarom is er een ringvaart gebouwd om de polder? Antwoord op de deelvraag: Waarom zijn de tegewoordige polders destijds drooggelegd? Waarom het beemstermeer, het Purmermeer en het Wijde Wormermeer zijn drooggelegd? Daar zijn vier redenen voor, namelijk: In de middeleeuwen waren vaak hevige stormenmet harde westenwinden die het slappe veen wegsloegen. In de 17e eeuw beschikten onder andere Amsterdamse kooplieden over veel geld dat ze hadden verdiend met de handel op Indi. Dit gebruikten ze om de aanleg van nieuwe landbouwgrond in de droogmakerijen te betalen. Een van deze heette van Os. Vandaar dat een van de mooiste en oudste boederijen in de Beemster zo heet. De windwatermolens werden steeds beter zodat steeds grotere oppervlakten leeggemalen konden worden. De Beemster is met maar liefsst 50 molens drooggemalen. Ook vond men de zogenaamde molengang uit. Voor de aanleg van de ringdijken en vaarten had je veel personeel nodig. Alles moest met de hand gebeuren. De ringdijk van de Beemster is 37,5 kilometer lang en is geheel met de hand gegraven. Antwoord op de deelvraag: Waarom liggen er zoveel sloten in en dijken om de polder? Onze omgeving bestond in de tijd dat het werd ontwaterd uit een bijna geheel aaneengesloten veengebied. Het gebied was bijna onbewoonbaar, omdat veen voor ongeveer 80 90 procent uit water bestaat. Om dit gebied bruikbaar te maken, moesten de mensen dus sloten gaan graven om het gebied te ontwateren. Dit hebben ze zeer uitgebreid gedaan. Alle sloten in de polder zijn met mensenhanden gegraven. In de veenwidegebieden zie je dus veel, rechte en brede sloten. Als er toch een kronkel in zit, dan komt dit door een vroeger stroompje. Een nadeel van deze...

How to Become a Phlebotomist

How to Become a Phlebotomist Phlebotomists are allied health professionals who bravely do something that makes even the toughest among us squirm sometimes: taking blood. Not for the faint of heart (or, more specifically, those who faint at the sight of blood), phlebotomists play an essential role in testing, diagnosing, and treating patients. The Day-to-DayPhlebotomists work in a variety of different clinical settings: hospitals, private clinics, laboratories, community health centers, blood donation centers, nursing homes, and private care facilities. They are responsible for sterilizing and preparing all of the equipment used for drawing blood, and for the actual blood-drawing itself. And taking blood is their primary task, many phlebotomists also process other bodily samples for testing.Attention to detail is key- everything needs to be labeled correctly, and kept free of any kind of contamination. Phlebotomists are also responsible for their own safety, and protecting themselves and other patients from infec tions spread via blood, such as HIV or hepatitis. Phlebotomists also have the added challenge of working with some patients who are afraid of needles, so a good bedside manner (not to mention strategies for distracting uneasy patients from the needle stick) comes in handy, as well.Phlebotomists’ shifts vary depending on where they work, and may include unorthodox weekend or holiday hours.For more on what it’s like to be a phlebotomist, check out these videos:What’s It Like to Work as a Phlebotomist?My Job: PhlebotomistTo become a phlebotomist, you’ll need to complete at least a high school degree and a phlebotomy-specific training program from a community college or vocational school. Most employers also require that their phlebotomists pass the national certification exam. Some states also require that phlebotomists be licensed, so be sure to check your own state’s requirements. For more on the phlebotomist exam and certification process, visit th e National Phlebotomy Association.The PayPer the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), phlebotomists earn a median salary of $30,670 per year, or $14.74 per hour.The OutlookLike many allied health career paths, phlebotomy is growing: the BLS expects it to grow by a healthy 25% by 2024. If you have the nerves of steel to wield a needle with confidence, it could be a great career path for you.

WRITE A REPORT in which you investigate the planning and control Essay

WRITE A REPORT in which you investigate the planning and control processes, and evaluate the supply chains including MRP and JIT systems in relation to Morrison - Essay Example The main purpose of supply chain management is to enhance quality and pace of all activities throughout the supply chain, so that products and services are supplied in the right quantity, to the right location, at the right time. Actually it is the series of links and shared processes between suppliers and customers. The links and processes cover all the activities from the purchasing raw materials to the delivery of final product. The whole process of supply chain as depicted above is controlled by a chain of command to facilitate best and profitable end product. The importance of planning and control of supply chain can not be denied. It plays a vital role in effective management of mass production factory. The complications allied with manufacturing systems value chains have not been resolved yet. It is because of the fact that the value chain may consist of many suppliers located in various areas. There are certain methods used by supervisor on plant floor to coordinate the processes in supply chain. One person dominated supervision: In this method one person takes direct responsibility of whole floor and control and monitors every move on the floor. This method is not considered very effective as it has its own pitfalls. Interdependent Supervision: In this method many person are involved in supervising and monitoring process by openly communicating and advising each other on a floor of plant. This method is considered more flexible and adaptable. Systemization: In this method a sophisticated system is evolved and every worker is assigned the job individually or in-group. Although this is a good method but it is only useful in automated plants. There are various other methods used to control the day to day performance on the floor of plant. But the methods mentioned above are more common. Traditionally most manufacturing control was done using reorder-point/reorder-quantity methods

Evolution of the Brain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 14500 words

Evolution of the Brain - Essay Example Arran Gare (2002) traces the key development of ecology to the tradition of plant geography of Herder and Goethe and most significantly to Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) who saw â€Å"nature as a process of becoming† and established the development of â€Å"anti-mechanistic naturalism† (p.135). Nature’s dynamic condition was already recognized. All forms of life were seen as â€Å"self-organizing† and interdependent with each other and their environment (p.135). This concept became prevalent in society even before Ernst Haeckel came up with the term â€Å"ecology† in 1866 (Allaby 2000, p. 13). The view of ‘underlying causal unity’ within the world also inspired the idea that energy is conserved by the transformation of nature (Kuhn, 1977) (qt. in Gare 2002, p. 135). Most significantly, Von Humboldt’s work inspired the further study of organisms by Darwin, Lyell, Agassiz, Thoreau and Edward Suess who coined the term â€Å"bio sphere† in 1875 (p.135). Allaby (2000) discussed that in the 18th and 19th century, development of ecology was influenced by the concept of ‘economy of nature’ based on evolution theory and ‘balance of nature’ derived from natural theology and German Romanticism. Charles Darwin in his 1859 book Origin of Species explained that â€Å"all of nature appears to be an orderly, well-regulated system of interactions among plants and animals and with their environment†. Darwin asserted that â€Å"the appearance of the organization was the result of a natural process of evolution based on a struggle for existence by each individual organism† (p.13). While according to natural theology, God â€Å"endowed all plants and animals with needs and the means to satisfy them as to guarantee that harmony among them would be preserved†. Nevertheless, the concept of â€Å"balance of nature† and its corresponding notion of static ecosystems is now considered by science as a ro mantic myth.

Libel law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Libel law - Essay Example ommon libel prompting charges is accusing someone of being a communist, describing a lady as a call girl, calling an attorney a criminal, and condemning a minister for immoral conduct (Amponsah 78). Also, other cases arise due to accusing a father of infringing the confidence of his son, calling a political foe a liar or thief and calling a television character a â€Å"chicken butt" and "local loser". The defenses used in lawsuits are the truth, privilege and fair comment. If a journalist reports something, then it is thought to be true (Lawhorne 98). Also, journalists have the privilege of reporting accurate proceedings. Finally, journalists have the right to fair comment. Hence, what is published is perceived as the truth. The New York Time Co. vs. Sullivan recognized that, for a public official to succeed, a declaration must be printed (Mason 53). In addition, the person who published the statement was aware it would cause havoc, but he or she still disregarded the truth. Some of the court rulings that have had a significant impact on libel law are the case of John Zenger vs. William Cosby (1735), Dow Jones vs. MMAR Group Inc. and Alex Konanykhin vs. Izvestia, the Russian newspaper. All these cases went in favor of the plaintiffs. It also goes to conclude that if a plaintiff has grounds with regards to what was published he or she stands to win in a court of

Movie review--photography Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

--photography - Movie Review Example Fashion is something that defines a generation or a culture. That is why, during different time in history of humanity, there have been a variant in fashions trend. It is this fact that influenced Bill’s career and fascinates him. While on the street, Bill never minds being hit by car. This is depicted in the film where at some point he is in between traffic, which endangers him. He realizes this and admits that it is never easy to capture fashion in New York City. Again, Bill says he is never interested in celebrities free dresses neither is he a paparazzi. In the film, it is clear that the females have a rich orientation of fashion in their dress code than male. This is so because in Bill’s photo gallery, he has more females’ pictures than males’ (Bill, 46-51). In conclusion, Bill act of photographing and reporting to public influences the fashion trend of the day. Whenever Bill shared a new fashion, it could be noted afterwards that people could adopt the new fashion. Undoubtedly, bill had passion of his career since in several occasions he turned down monetary offers from

Implementation of the Final Solution Research Paper

Implementation of the Final Solution - Research Paper Example The uniqueness of the Holocaust lies in its motivation - in the fact that for Nazi regime the removal of the Jews was a sine qua non of the survival of mankind, a matter of global, if not cosmic, importance, and not an ordinary political matter.2 The Final Solution and the Holocaust were unique genocides of the Jewish people, unique for its magnitude and the "rationality" of their processes. To achieve its goals of Jews' elimination, the Final Solution "rationally" targeted nation's most vulnerable and vital members - women and children. On 20 January 1942, Chaired by Reinhard Heydrich, the Wannsee Conference played host to nine high-ranking officials, five senior SS chiefs, and local party bureaucrats from across the Third Reich. Serving as the chief dignitary and ranking member of the SS, Heydrich explained that "in view of the extreme importance of the subject, a consensus of opinion is reached regarding the "'Final Solution.'"3 From the historical perspective, there is an ongoing historical debate as to when the decision was made for the "Final Solution." Many historians argue that when Hitler made his "prophecy" speech of January 30th, 1939, he had already decided on the "Final Solution." Christian Gerlach has argued for a different timeframe, however, suggesting the decision was made by Hitler on December 12, 1941, when he addressed a meeting of the Nazi Party and of regional party leaders.4 In addition, Gerlach argued that Hitler had not decided on what the true "Final Solution" was until the euphoria of vict ory swept over the German leadership in the summer of 1942 in the wake of the anticipated victory over Russia. Historians on the Holocaust largely agree that the policies and strategies of the Final Solution has been prepared and practically tested some time before the year 1942. They took the form of deportations, ghettos, and euthanasia programs. Although the deportations and the ghettos can be called murderous solutions in their own right, they were not the Final Solution. The ghettos themselves were just temporary holding pens until a more "permanent solution" was developed. The development of the "permanent solution" started with the Einsatzgruppen. The Einsatzgruppen were squads composed primarily of German SS and police personnel. Under the command of the German Security Police (Sicherheitspolizei or Sipo) and Security Service (Sicherheitsdienst or SD) officers, the Einsatzgruppen had among their primary objectives the elimination of those considered to be racial or political enemies found the occupied zones, Soviet Union territories particularly. These victims included Jews, Roma (Gyp sies), and officials of the Soviet state and the Soviet Communist party. The Einsatzgruppen also murdered thousands of residents of institutions for the mentally and physically disabled. Many scholars believe that the systematic killing of Jews in the occupied Soviet Union by Einsatzgruppen and Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) battalions was the first step of the "Final Solution," the Nazi program to murder all European Jews. However, some scholars such as Dina Port contend that the Final

Taxation and growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Taxation and growth - Essay Example widespread drop in spending or decrease in demand, and the economy faces a lot of inflation that is the general increase in the prices of all goods in the economy. This affects the level of growth in such an economy since most of the income is used on consumption and very little is spent on growth and development. Therefore, the level of growth declines significantly. This can be reversed during economic recovery by use of fiscal policy. This is where the government uses taxation or fiscal policy measures to be able to control the economy (Barro & Gordon, 1984). U.K experienced an economic recession between 1998 and 2012. This was stimulated by the worldwide inflation that was affecting the economy in terms of prices of goods. The government of U.K adopted the use of tax policies to be able to gain economic recovery and growth. Increasing demand is a tool for short-term recovery. This can be done through reduction of consumption taxes. In return, people will spend more hence; there will be an increase in demand, which will stimulate business in the economy. Hence, economic recovery in the short run will be achieved. Increasing the supply in the economy would stimulate long-term economic recovery. This can be done through reducing the taxes for inputs and raw materials that will make them cheaper to stimulate supply. This will therefore lead to increased supply in the economy since suppliers can be able to buy more goods to supply their goods to the market, which leads to economic growth through trade. Low-income earners have very little disposable income. If the government would reduce their taxes, the little income that would be saved would stimulate demand and hence help the economy recover from recession. This is because low-income earners have little to save and to invest meaning that most of their income is used to buy basic commodities. As a result, demand increases and the economy grows significantly. Consumption is a daily activity for every person.

Implementation of the Final Solution Research Paper

Implementation of the Final Solution - Research Paper Example The uniqueness of the Holocaust lies in its motivation - in the fact that for Nazi regime the removal of the Jews was a sine qua non of the survival of mankind, a matter of global, if not cosmic, importance, and not an ordinary political matter.2 The Final Solution and the Holocaust were unique genocides of the Jewish people, unique for its magnitude and the "rationality" of their processes. To achieve its goals of Jews' elimination, the Final Solution "rationally" targeted nation's most vulnerable and vital members - women and children. On 20 January 1942, Chaired by Reinhard Heydrich, the Wannsee Conference played host to nine high-ranking officials, five senior SS chiefs, and local party bureaucrats from across the Third Reich. Serving as the chief dignitary and ranking member of the SS, Heydrich explained that "in view of the extreme importance of the subject, a consensus of opinion is reached regarding the "'Final Solution.'"3 From the historical perspective, there is an ongoing historical debate as to when the decision was made for the "Final Solution." Many historians argue that when Hitler made his "prophecy" speech of January 30th, 1939, he had already decided on the "Final Solution." Christian Gerlach has argued for a different timeframe, however, suggesting the decision was made by Hitler on December 12, 1941, when he addressed a meeting of the Nazi Party and of regional party leaders.4 In addition, Gerlach argued that Hitler had not decided on what the true "Final Solution" was until the euphoria of vict ory swept over the German leadership in the summer of 1942 in the wake of the anticipated victory over Russia. Historians on the Holocaust largely agree that the policies and strategies of the Final Solution has been prepared and practically tested some time before the year 1942. They took the form of deportations, ghettos, and euthanasia programs. Although the deportations and the ghettos can be called murderous solutions in their own right, they were not the Final Solution. The ghettos themselves were just temporary holding pens until a more "permanent solution" was developed. The development of the "permanent solution" started with the Einsatzgruppen. The Einsatzgruppen were squads composed primarily of German SS and police personnel. Under the command of the German Security Police (Sicherheitspolizei or Sipo) and Security Service (Sicherheitsdienst or SD) officers, the Einsatzgruppen had among their primary objectives the elimination of those considered to be racial or political enemies found the occupied zones, Soviet Union territories particularly. These victims included Jews, Roma (Gyp sies), and officials of the Soviet state and the Soviet Communist party. The Einsatzgruppen also murdered thousands of residents of institutions for the mentally and physically disabled. Many scholars believe that the systematic killing of Jews in the occupied Soviet Union by Einsatzgruppen and Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) battalions was the first step of the "Final Solution," the Nazi program to murder all European Jews. However, some scholars such as Dina Port contend that the Final

Globalization and Its Discontents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Globalization and Its Discontents - Essay Example Stiglitz proposed a common explanation with realistic assumptions: agents on one side of the market have much better information than those on the other side. Borrowers know more than the lender about their repayment prospects; the seller knows more than buyers about the quality of his car; and tenants know more than the landowner about their work effort and harvesting conditions (Ibid). In Globalization and Its Discontents, Stiglitz referred to larger players than mere agents of the market, landowners, and tenants - and these are the multilateral institutions and their principal shareholders in pressing developing countries - supposedly to liberalize their economies. In this controversial book, Stiglitz argues that although globalisation should be a powerful force for good, it has been badly mishandled by the West, especially with its lead institutions, the World Bank and the IMF. As Stiglitz contends, those concerned with economic development have seen economic openness and liberalization as panaceas. Instead of progress however, he argues, the result has all too often been devastation. What happens, according to him, is that developing countries open themselves to trade, deregulate their financial markets, and abruptly privatize national enterprise but then experience more economic and social disruption than growth. Foreign direct investment is said to have destroyed potentially viable domestic companies. And liberalized international finance has made emerging-market economies "more vulnerable to erratic shifts in investor sentiment" without giving out any visible benefits. Stiglitz is a respected economist who actually worked as a senior official at the World Bank. In this book, Stiglitz recounts his experiences in some places including Thailand, Indonesia and some other Asian countries, Russia and Brazil, and Argentina. He finds repeatedly that the International Monetary Fund puts the interests of its "largest shareholder," the United States, above those of the poorer nations it was designed to serve. In the end, he said these countries which had enthusiastically embraced free-market policies have been "engulfed in catastrophic financial crises, leading to bankruptcies, unemployment and social unrest". He also strongly criticizes the role that has been played by the U.S. Treasury in many of these crises and occasionally also criticizes the World Bank, an institution where he was once affiliated with as Chief Economist. His main criticism of these institutions is based on their closed-door debates, hence involving precious little participation from the host countries outside of their finance ministries and central banks. While the policies made by these institutions affect billions of people in the developing countries, they have little voice in the whole process, he said. Another point which he labours about in the book is about capital market liberalization, and how he argues that it contributes to "volatility of capital flows into and out of a country." In general, he finds fault with the manner liberalization and privatization has progressed in several of the new and transitional economies because they do not have "the right institutions that are an