Employees’ Perception of Selection Systems The WritePass Journal

Employees’ Perception of Selection Systems Introduction Employees’ Perception of Selection Systems IntroductionArticle 1: â€Å"Applicants Perceptions of Selection Procedures and Decisions: A Critical Review and Agenda for the Future†.Article 2: â€Å"Fairness Reactions to Selection Methods: An Italian Study†.Conclusions and RecommendationsReferencesRelated Introduction This paper summarises the views of two authors on how job applicants or potential employees perceive selection procedures. Both articles focus on employees’ perceptions of selection methods. Article 1: â€Å"Applicants Perceptions of Selection Procedures and Decisions: A Critical Review and Agenda for the Future†.    The first article is written by Ryan and Plolyhart (2000) and is titled â€Å"Applicants’ Perceptions of Selection Procedures and Decisions: A Critical Review and Agenda for the Future†. This article is motivated by the fact that low unemployment rates have increased the competition for employees, which has forced organisations to review the various components used in selecting job applicants and how job applicants’ perceptions of those procedures can affect the attractiveness of the organisation to potential employees. Another motivation for this study is the fact that there is lack of better research on applicant perspectives. Thirdly, the article notes that social justice theorists are looking for ways to apply social justice theory concepts to applicants’ perceptions of selection methods. Moreover, there is an increasing diversity in the workforce as well as racial differences in perception of selection procedures which can affect the manner in which j ob applicants perceive organisations and thus the attractiveness of those organisations to potential employees. The article notes that one of the main assumptions of most research in this area is that the manner in which job applicants perceive selection procedures and processes affects the manner in which the applicant views the organisation and thus the decision on whether to apply for a job vacancy to that organisation or not. The article also suggests that differences in perceptions between minority and majority groups on certain selection procedures can account for some of the differences in job performance that is often observed between these two groups. The article begins by reviewing the works of Schimittand Gilliland (1992) and Gilliland (1993). These studies develop a model which provides a link between between applicants’ perceptions of selection systems and situational factors and their subsequent â€Å"attitudes and behaviours† towards those organisations. The model postulates that applicants’ perceptions of the procedural justice system are influenced by situational characteristics. These characteristics include the type of test administered during the selection process, the human resource policy of the organisation and the behaviour of the human resource staff of the organisation. The overall fairness of the selection system is influenced by the degree to which the applicants’ perceptions of the procedural justice of the selection system meet the expectations of applicants. The framework further stipulates that applicants’ prior experiences with a selection system would affect the evaluatio n of the system. Distributive justice rules of equity, equality, and need have an impact on the perceptions of the distributive fairness of the final decision reached through the selection system. Distributive justice rules are in turn influenced by performance expectations and the salience of discrimination. In a nutshell, the framework concludes that there should be a relationship between outcomes such as â€Å"job application decisions, test motivation, self-esteem, self-efficacy, endorsement of the company’s products, job acceptance decisions, job satisfaction, and performance among others† and applicants’ perceptions of fairness of the selection process. After reviewing the framework, the authors then move on to provide a critical review of the empirical literature and evaluating how they conform to the framework. The review focuses on four key areas including: The perceptions that have been studied; The factors that determine applicants’ perceptions; The consequences of holding more positive or negative perceptions; and The theoretical frameworks that have been presented. With respect to the applicants’ perceptions that have been studied, the article notes that the most commonly researched perceptions include applicants’ feelings regarding degree to which the selection system is related to the job, feelings about the fairness of various aspects of the selection system and its associated outcomes, as well as feelings about test taking motivation. The authors provide a critical review in this area and conclude that a major concern with most of these studies is that their constructs are imprecise with respect to the manner in which they are defined as well as the variability with which they are operationalised. As a result, the authors conclude that a better conceptualisation of research on test behaviours and on fairness is required to improve understanding. The authors however, admit that the work of Chan et al (1998) to a certain extent provides a link between test attitudes and perception of fairness although the study focused only on two concepts from each line of research. According to the authors, lack of an improved integration of studies on test attitudes on fairness and test attitudes makes understanding difficult. For example, it is difficult to determine whether potential employees who are more anxious perceive procedures are more unfair as opposed to those who are less anxious. In addition, it is difficult to deter mine whether beliefs about testing have a higher impact on perceptions of fairness of a procedure than characteristics of the procedure and selection situation itself. The author notes that notes that most test-taking attitude measures are perceptions of oneself (including motivation, anxiety, etc) while justice-related perceptions typically focus on the fairness of the test used in making hiring or rejection decisions. The authors argue that there should be a relationship between applicants’ motivation and anxiety and the justice-related perceptions. The authors also suggest that it is important for other perceptions to be tested. Basically most of the studies under review focus on how the motivation or perceptions of applicants influence their perceptions of fairness. This approach neglects the impact of other perceptions of fairness that may be critical for the improvement of selection systems. Article 2: â€Å"Fairness Reactions to Selection Methods: An Italian Study†. This article is written by Bertolino and Steiner (2007). Like the first article, this article begins by reviewing the works of other authors who provide different conceptual frameworks on the relationship between applicants’ perceptions of fairness of selection systems and their attitudes and behaviours towards the organisations. This article cites the work of Schuler (1993) whose framework suggests that the reaction of applicants to a selection process is a function of the key characteristics of the selection techniques employed. In addition, the article reviews the work of Anderson and Ostroff (1997) who focus on the socialisation impact of selection methods. Like the first article, the second article also reviews the work of Gilliland (1993) who employ organisational justice theory to comprehend the reaction of applicants to selection systems. Unlike the first article, which is based solely on a critical review of empirical literature on the reaction of applicants to selection systems as well as the underlying models of selection systems, the second article is based on both primary and secondary information. It begins by reviewing literature, and then conducts and exploratory study on the reaction of applicants to selection systems using a sample of 137 Italian students. The study is motivated by the fact that despite the presence of evidence on selection systems, most of the studies have been conducted in other countries with no attention given to Italy. The article notes that cultural differences may play an important role in the manner in which applicants perceive selection systems and thus their reaction to those systems as well as their attitudes towards the organisation. Based on the four dimensions of culture proposed by Hofstede (1980, 1991) (individualism vs collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs femi ninity, and power distance), the article suggests that it is possible for selection systems to be avoided by these four dimensions. For example, the article reviews the work of Ryan et al. (1999) who show that uncertainty avoidance can affect the selection practices of many countries. In addition, the study reviews the work of Triandis (1990) who argue that people from countries with high uncertainty avoidance prefer predictability, knowing what others will do, and having clear instructions and expectations. This means that employees who work in countries with high uncertainty avoidance should be more inclined towards engaging in structuring activities, including the standardisation of practices. On the contrary, those in countries with low uncertainty avoidance should be less committed to formal structures and should be prepared to accept spontaneous changes in practices. The study employed a survey questionnaire to study the reaction of Italian student to selection systems. The questionnaire used in the study is the one developed by Steiner and Gilliland (1996) which presents 10 different selection methods used in the U.S or Europe. The questionnaire asked students to think about a job they would apply for upon completion of their course Using a within-subject analysis of variance (ANOVA) the ratings of process favourability was compared across 10 selection methods. The evidence suggests that there are significant differences across the 10 selection methods. The selection method that received the most favoured rating was â€Å"work-sample test†. Resumes, written ability tests, interviews and personal preferences had the second favourable rating. Personality tests and biographical information blanks received a neutral rating while honesty tests and personal contacts received negative ratings. The authors conclude that their results are similar to those obtained from other countries. In particular, they observe that employer’s right, opportunity to perform and face validity are the procedural dimensions that had a high correlation with process favourability for all four countries that were studied. The two articles are similar in that they both begin by providing a theoretical framework on selection methods. Both articles provide the same theory which shows that there is a relationship between applicants’ perceptions and their reactions to selection systems. However, the first article differs from the second one in that it is based solely on the review of secondary literature. The article does not arrive on any conclusions with respect applicants reactions to selection systems. Rather, it identifies weaknesses in the literature and provides recommended procedures for improvement in future studies. On the contrary, the second article employs primary data to study how employees’ perceptions of selection systems affect their reactions to those systems. It compares findings to previous studies and concludes that culture has no significant impact on employees’ reaction to selection systems in Western countries. The study observes that the findings from France, I taly and other Western countries are similar to those obtained in studies from the United States. This shows that the different cultural dimensions mentioned in Hofstede (1981, 1990) do not influence the manner in which employees perceive selection systems which means that it does not affect the manner in which the react to those systems. The foregoing suggests that other factors may be affecting employees’ perceptions rather than culture. Conclusions and Recommendations Based on the discussion of the two articles above, one can conclude that employees’ perception of selection procedures influences the manner in which they behave towards the organisation and the decision to accept or reject an offer to work for a particular company. These perceptions may even influence the applicants other interactions with the company such as deciding to buy or not to buy the company’s products. The main difference between the two articles is that one focuses on criticising research on selection systems while one focuses on understanding how employees perceive selection systems across countries and how those systems affect their reaction. Based on this conclusion, it is important for organisations to note that the manner in which they design their selection system can affect the perception of applicants and as such affect the attractiveness of vacancies to potential applicants. Selection systems can even influence the ability of a company to attract qu alified applicants. If employees have a negative perception about a particular company, they may not be motivated to apply for a vacancy in that company and this may make it difficult for the company to fill the vacancy with a qualified applicant. Consequently, employers should seek the most favourable selection systems so as to increase their ability to attract qualified applicants to their jobs. The first article shows that research on selection systems is limited. Therefore, this paper recommends that more research should be conducted on selection systems and how employees perceive those systems. By so doing one can provide better recommendations to employers to aid them in designing their selection systems. References Bertolino, M., Steiner, D. D. (2007) â€Å"Fairness Reactions to Selection Methods: An Italian study†, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 15, Number 2 Ryan, A. N., Ployhart R. E. (2000) â€Å"Applicants Perceptions of Selection Procedures and Decisions: A Critical Review and Agenda for the Future†, Journal of Management, 26, 565-606

What you can learn from Mark Cuban’s routine

What you can learn from Mark Cuban’s routine Mark Cuban is a pretty well-known guy. Maybe you know him from his social media feuds with certain presidents, or his courtside theatrics at Dallas Mavericks games, or his TV appearances as an investor on Shark Tank. The billionaire is a busy man- but also a successful one, so what can we learn from his daily routine? Start early.Just thinking about one is painful to many of the night owls out there, but Cuban credits his early work as one of the key elements of his success. Getting up and starting to work (like checking emails or messages) may seem like a drastic start, but surveys have shown that many people are sharpest when they first wake up.Come up with a mantra.Positive thinking can be very effective, so come up with some personal mantras that work with your goals. According to Cuban, â€Å"Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you† keeps him going. What motivates you? How can you turn that into a one-liner?Keep up the pace throughou t the day.Even when there’s downtime, Cuban keeps checking emails to stay informed. Some downtime is usually key to decompressing, but if you find yourself with periods that aren’t so busy during the work day, doing quick checks of email can help you stay focused.Don’t get stuck in meetings.Cuban feels like most meetings are a â€Å"waste of time.† For the rest of us, meetings are often a necessary evil if we want to get our work done, but you can apply Cuban’s philosophy to your own career by evaluating whether sit-down meetings are truly necessary, or if you can get the work done another way (like brief face-to-face chats, or a phone call/email).Make time for personal priorities.As a parent, Cuban finds himself with a dilemma familiar to many: having professional obligations pull one way, family obligations another. It’s a matter of scheduling the highest-priority family moments into the day. It is also a matter of balance: â€Å"I canâ⠂¬â„¢t make all their games, but I make most,† he says.Take time for self care.Cuban’s not only basketball team owner, but also an unofficial player, making time for basketball games and other workouts as part of the daily fitness routine. Whatever your fitness or self care routine is (yoga, meditation, gym time, walking the dog, etc.), make sure you carve out some time in your day for it. Pushing too hard at work and not having an outlet can lead to major work stress.Get enough sleep.Speaking of work stress, not getting enough sleep can be a major contributor. Cuban gets six to seven hours a night. The ideal can vary by person, but whatever your magic number is for peak productivity and performance during the day, make sure you’re getting that sleep as much as you can.We may not all be billionaire investors, but Mark Cuban’s daily routines show us that with a little extra focus, scheduling, and consistency, we can try living like one.

New extraction technologies RAKAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

New extraction technologies RAKAN - Essay Example The US has a guarded natural gas and oil pipeline which is obtained through Afghanistan from Central Asia. It is believed that the war in Afghanistan is a key prospect for the realization of this pipeline. Moreover, of the total energy used in the U.S, the residential and commercial buildings consume up to 41%. While of the total electricity energy usage they account for 72%. The energy codes adopted now could have a cumulative potential of saving energy for post 2013- 2014 at around 42.6 quads. Also established is DSIRE which is a program that provides incentives as well as policies which support renewable energy and efficiency in energy consumption (Blass, Vered, et al. 34). Various options exist that would enable growth of healthy economy with a clean environment. They may include: formulating policy approaches as well as programs that provide incentives for energy efficient technologies and renewable energy options; efficient utilization of renewable energy to avoid over use and reduce their scarcity; adopt production methods that ensure maximum utilization of products through out there life cycle through a life cycle assessment; reduce waste generation; adopt recycling and reuse to minimize waste; adopt green economy (Yi

Children's Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Children's Literature - Essay Example This beautifully written and illustrated little story "Anna’s Corn" by Barbara Santucci reads like a parable. Anna has a decision to make about holding on, letting go, and going on. Helpful for generating discussion with children about how to mourn a loss and commemorate in life-affirming ways. Grade Level using Fry Readability Graph: I randomly selected three 100- word passages from this book and I plotted the average number of syllables and the average number of sentences per 100 words on the graph. Then, I chose additional two 100-word passages and plotted it as well. I started counting 100 words from the beginning of the sentence and I counted the proper nouns only. Reason for Selection: This book educates children about the value of God-given talents and skills which they will need to nurture develop and share. Aside from this, the involvement of the parents and relatives with honing and teaching skills to children is important. Summary: A very old Navajo grandmother believes it is time her 10-year-old granddaughter, Annie, learns to weave. Gathering her family in the hogan, she asks each of them to choose a gift they wish to have (Annie's eyes choose the weaving stick) as she announces to her family that when the weaving of the new rug is completed, she will go to Mother Earth. The death of the grandmother happened right after Annie learned how to weave through her grandmother's patience and perseverance. Title: Pearl's Marigolds for Grandpa Author: Zalben, Jane BreskinIllustrator:Publisher: Simon & Schuster Publication Date: 1997 Interest Level: Grade 1 Grade Level using Fry Readability Graph: I randomly selected three 100- word passages from this book and I plotted the average number of syllables and the average number of sentences per 100 words on the graph. Then, I chose additional two 100-word passages and plotted it as well. I started counting 100 words from the beginning of the sentence and I counted the proper nouns only. The average number of sentences per 100 words is 11.1 with the average number of syllables per 100 words as 120. This book is suitable for age 6 years old.Reason for Selection: This book deals with burial traditions how each culture has their own way of mourning and burial methods. The children will also learn that when a loved one leaves the earth, they will never be forgotten and will always be loved. Topic/Theme: Abandonment, Adolescence, Body Self-Image, Caregivers, Children, Disability, Family Relationships Summary: The story begins when Pearl comes home from school one day and learns from her mother that her grandfather has died.

Risk and Quality Management Essay Example for Free

Risk and Quality Management Essay Executive Summary The following paper will be addressing the Risk and Quality management of one of the leading health care organizations in the world today and an organization whose benefits many of us have had the pleasure of experiencing: Kaiser Permanente, which is one of the most esteemed and flourishing organizations within the health care field. Kaiser Permanente provides and offers leading health care technologies, outstanding doctors, emergency services, laboratory needs, pharmaceuticals, and other hospital services among other things. They also have a very detailed and successful risk and quality management program which they enforce within their various organizations. Purpose of Risk and Quality Management â€Å"Quality assurance, corporate compliance, and risk management have common elements, they all represent processes by which care and services are scrutinized, audited, and generate action plans intended to benefit patients† (Sollins, JD, 2008). So it is no surprise that within the health care field, risk and quality management’s main purpose is to ensure that patients and employees are always safe and receive the best care possible. Ensuring that both patients and employees are always safe reduces the possibility of any undue or unnecessary risks to the organizations which is why quality assurance and/or management go hand in hand with risk management. In health care Risk management is very critical as it covers so many different areas ranging from proper procedures when handling medications, protecting patient information, making sure training is happening for all employees, and so much more. Risk management is so important because it is what makes sure the facility is operating in accordance with regulations. Quality management insures that patients are receiving quality care for a decent market value, which includes good customer service, timely visits and advanced technology. At Kaiser they value both risk and quality management and make it a core focus at all  times. In fact, â€Å"Kaiser Permanentes Care Management Institute (CMI) is one of the first organizations in the United States to earn disease management (DM) certification from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The 2-year NCQA DM certification was awarded in program design. The program design certification was awarded for four areas: diabetes, asthma, heart failure, and depression. CMI was one of 18 to apply for the NCQA certification/accreditation† (ManagedHealthcare.Info, 2002). Managing the Risks Like all other health care organizations Kaiser Permanente faces many risks on a daily basis, especially since they are dealing with people’s well-being. It is critical that first and foremost a health care organization knows what their risks are and what strategies are in place to address these risks. â€Å"Kaiser Permanente is concerned that too many diverse drug safety programs will impose a burden on the healthcare system and on patients and that this will drive up costs and limit access to therapies. At issue is the growing number of Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies. The FDA has approved nearly 100 in the last three years† (Wechsler, 2010). Suffice it to say any industry that deals with the making or distributing of pharmaceutical or any other type of drugs made for the consumption of the general public has to make sure they have great risk management because there are many risks involved. In drug distribution situations if situations are not handled prope rly, they can lead to not only costly mistakes but can also put people’s well being in danger. Two other typical risks for this type of organization would be patient confidentiality and cleanliness as there are so many germs and diseases that these facilities face daily. These risks could affect the quality because medication may not be correct, confidentiality breaches will have negative results on the organization and the patients, and cleanliness risks will affect the patients, and possibly even the employees’ overall experience and/or health.  Kaiser is always taking steps towards better risk management and trying new policies and training to achieve this. â€Å"Licensing agencies and professional organizations prescribe minimum standards for a health care risk management program. These standards require direct interaction and support between the Risk Management Team, Administration, the Legal Department, Medical Staff, and Quality Management. Mechanisms must be in place for expeditious investigation and reporting of occurrences, prospective and retrospective analysis, and implementing preventive programs. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations published its guidelines for hospitals in its Accreditation Manual for Hospitals. A major part of health care risk management is being knowledgeable of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization guidelines and ensuring that departments comply with them. Valuable safety measures with inherent checks and balances are put into place which increase quality of care and also help to curtail liability claims†. Kaiser believes that a complementary relationship exists between risk and quality management and that this relationship, in part, helps improve quality. It is this belief that created a synergistic approach within their Quality Management and Risk Management Departments. In the mid 90’s The Los Angeles branch of Kaiser Permanente’s Patient Care Management Committee voted on actions to improve their risk management. Those actions were: * Incorporation of collective instructional programs to assist in keeping health care staff updated on new techniques. * Develop deeper understanding of confidentiality practices. * Annual risk management refreshers for health care employees. * Providing courses on how to improve medical record documentation. * Updating protocols on preoperative and post-operative administration. * Educating and establishing centers of excellence for catheter replacement and selection processes. * Upgrade existing incident report forms to ensure more accurate documentation. * Revamp the use of Administration Records * Audit of Critical Care Units * Upgrading the admission policies and procedures. * Introducing policies for patient medication procedures. Managing Quality There are clearly so many factors which can negatively affect the quality of an organization let alone one that is in the health care field. In fact Health Care organizations may face a magnitude of issues which are not seen in other types of organizations. This is mainly due to the nature of having to deal with not only their employees but also with the welfare and  wellbeing of so many different patients. However, as you can imagine some internal factors that this organization or any other health care organization may face would be training, customer services, and services rendered to the patients. In addition, some external factors that can affect the quality of an organization would be third party vendors, budget cuts, and technical issues with electronic medical records or even any other technology system. These factors could be detrimental to any organization if not addressed properly and quickly. However, one of the reasons that Kaiser is considered one of the leading health care organizations is that Kaiser has a very large focus on quality management and wants to makes sure they are always providing the best quality. Their attention to detail is not only evident in how they perform but also in the reputation that they have acquired based on their extreme attention to these details. According to â€Å"Health Span† (n.d). â€Å"The Kaiser Permanente Quality Management program was designed to improve the quality and safety of clinical care and the quality of services provided to our members. The Quality Improvement (QI) program prioritizes quality activities aligned with the region’s strategic plan and provides resources in support of achieving the QI work plan. This complies with applicable regulatory and accrediting body requirements. Kaiser Permanente’s QI work plan must address: * Quality and safety of clinical care * Quality of service * Program scope * Yearly objectives * Yearly planned activities * Timeframe within which each activity is to be achieved * The staff member responsible for each activity * Monitoring of previously identified issues * Evaluation of the Quality Improvement (QI) program Kaiser Permanente’s Goals Kaiser Permanente’s organization has many goals many of which include helping to lower the nation’s obesity rate, promoting wellness care, promoting global health care, educating the public on health and wellness through classes and seminars, offering the best quality health care for a  good price, and much more. According to the organization’s website in 2002, Kaiser Permanente and CAPH/SNI entered into a formal business cooperative effort to broaden their ability to offer quality care as well as work towards improving the type of health care that is available in many communities regardless of their economic standing. This goal is not only one that would benefit the communities in which they are used but also serve to broaden the vision of those involved in the partnership at the state and local levels between community health care providers, organizations and leaders and staff of Kaiser Permanente to cooperate towards mutal objectives which include: * Collaborating on strategies and resources to promote quality care and enhance the efficiency within the systems * Working in association with community partners to improve the health within our neighborhoods In closing, Kaiser Permanente is one of the leading health organizations in the nation and it is no surprise that they also have some of the best risk and quality management practices to go along with their great reputation. In my experience with Kaiser risk and quality management are a focus at all times. One policy that I know is in place, just from visiting them, is that they conduct mailer surveys regarding patient satisfaction. This is important because it gives the patient the opportunity to voice what they think is great or what the organization could improve about the quality of care and services they received. It is also an important point that this industry has and strives to maintain good risk and quality management because they are dealing on a daily basis, every day of the year with the health and wellness of quite a number of people. Based on the facts stated above, Kaiser is always striving for the best quality and risk management possible. It is evident thru the numerous awards that this organization receives, that they are clearly doing a great job and they are example of how an organization should and could properly manage risk and quality management in a way that not only benefits the organization itself but also the people which it serves. References California Health Care Safety Net Institute. (2013). Partnership with Kaiser Permanente. Retrieved from http://safetynetinstitute.org/goals/enhancequalityofcare/kaiserpartnership/ Health Span. (n.d). Kaiser Permanente’s Quality Management program. Retrieved from http://providers.kaiserpermanente.org/html/cpp_oh/quality.html#Kaiser%20Permanente %E2%80%99s%20Quality%20Management%20program ManagedHealthcare.Info, . (2002, November 11). Quality Assurance; Kaiser Permanente institute earns NCQA Disease Management Certification. NewsRx. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/210597878?accountid=458 Sollins, JD, H. L. (2008, May June). Quality Assurance, Corporate Compliance, and Risk Management: Overlapping but Not Identical Tools. Geriatric Nursing, 29(3), 157-159. Wechsler, J. (2010, February). Kaiser Questions Safety Policies. Pharmaceutical Executive, 30(2), 1-18. ProQuest.

The Causes of the American Civil War :: American History

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American Civil War, also known as the War Between the States, the War of Rebellion, or the War for the Southern Independence, began on April 12, 1861. The first shot ringed through the air in Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. General P.G.T. Beauregard from the Congederacy lead the attack on Charleston Harbor. The Civil War lasted until the last Confederate Army surrendered with more than 600,000 lives destroyed $5 billion in property damage and 4 million black salves set free the war had devastated many lives but also started a new beginning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cause of this brutal war between one nation; slavery. The Southern states including the 11 states that formed the Confederacy all relied on slavery to support their economy, while we, the Northern states, opposed it. Southern states used slave labor to produce crops, especially cotton. Slavery up here was outlawed, although few of us opposed it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After we had just defeated Mexico in the mexican War (1846-1848), the main debate on the eve of the war was whether or not we should permit slaver in those states won in the Mexican war. Those states included New Mexico, part of California and Utah.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Government tried to make this dispute fair by makin the number of non- slave sates and slave states equal, so that their would be no majorities in the senate. Those against slavery were concerned that the expansion of the states won from Mexico because the did not want to compete against slave labor. During the beginning of the war the Union had 19 non-slave states and the Confederacy had 15 slave states. President Lincoln called the nation " A House Divided.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare: Critique Essay

A critique on the main character in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. So foul and fair a day I have not seen.† This is a famous quote by Macbeth, the antagonist in William Shakespeare’s classic work, The Tragedy of Macbeth. This one line takes place when Macbeth and Banquo are returning from their victory in battle over the Norwegians. Following this quote further it could be looked at in a broader spectrum of Macbeth’s triumphs and failures. He goes from a warrior hero to a murderer, and lastly, his tragic flaw brings him to his death. When critiquing Macbeth the main points to look at are his actions, blind ambition, excessive pride, and lastly, his boldness and impression of personal invincibility which eventually leads to his death. See how he can be at the height of his life one moment and in his grave the next due to a few prophecies by witches and his blind ambition. To begin, looking at Macbeth, his actions are obviously a major flaw. In the beginning of the tragedy, his actions are looked at as heroic with his destruction of the Norwegians and King Sweno in battle. This is crucial to the play, because a tragedy depends on the downfall of an already great man. In an outside source, it is said that the lines when Macbeth killed Duncan (â€Å"unseam’d him from the nave to the chops, and fix’d his head upon our battlements†) are meant to foreshadow Macbeth’s death at the end of the play. However, as the play progresses, the major action occurs when, although Macbeth is filled with misgivings, he ascends to King Duncan’s chamber and murders him in his sleep. This shows that he is willing to kill his loyal king so that he can make the prophecies come true that he may someday be king. Following this, when Macbeth thinks back to the witches’ prophecy regarding Banquo that one of his descendants will become king. Macbeth looks at this as a threat to his own position. Unable to undo these thoughts, Macbeth hires two murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. During the Banquet the murderers contact him and explain that Banquo is dead, but Fleance escaped. Macbeth explains that he is not worried with Fleance. The final action that dooms Macbeth is when he kills Macduff’s wife and child. Macbeth goes to the Weird Sisters to hear a series of apparitions to predict his future. This first apparition is Macduff’s head warning Macbeth that a  bloody revenge of Duncan’s son, Malcolm is soon to come. When he is threatened again for his position of kingship Macbeth looks for further political survival and is also angered. He arranges the death of Macduff’s wife and children. This ultimately hurts Macbeth because it angers Macduff more, and he sides with Malcolm for revenge on Macbeth. Moreover, throughout the play Macbeth’s life if completely subverted and undermined by his insatiable ambition. At the start of the story he was reasonable enough to keep his ambition under control, although it eventually became to strong and overpowered him. However, he did control his ambition much longer than his wife who was overcome once she heard that King Duncan was coming. The first sign of Macbeth losing his ambition is with the three witches and their prophecies. Although he questions their motives, he doesn’t believe that they are in fact pushing him down a path of evil and despair. He says that their visit â€Å"cannot be ill, cannot be good.† This scene shows that Macbeth at first questions the motives of the witches, and the moral implications of killing King Duncan. He also sees his ambition forming when he doesn’t refute the title as King and in fact accepts the title of Thane of Cawdor. This shows in the lines – If Chance will have me King. Why/ Chance may crown me.† (Shakespeare; I, iii, 141-142) Macbeth’s ambition doesn’t take off until it is fueled by his wife’s great ambition. An interesting character in the story is Banquo. He parallels Macbeth in the beginning but when they both hear the prophecies he is much less accepting of them. I believe that the contrast was created to emphasize Macbeth’s tragic flaw. One critical perspective views Banquo’s function as essentially symbolic: he is portrayed as a man who, like Macbeth, has the capacity for both God’s grace and sin; but unlike the protagonist, he puts little stock in the Weird Sisters, prophecies and does not succumb to their temptations. Banquo’s reluctance to dwell on the witches’ predictions therefore underscores, by contrast, the nature of Macbeth’s descent into evil. (Scott; 238)To reiterate, looking at Macbeth’s ambition throughout the tragedy, I came to one conclusion. As time passes, a once moral man cannot hold off the temptations of the power he could achieve. This idea is stated in the following passage: â€Å"One of the most significant reasons for the enduring critical interest in Macbeth’s character is that he represents humankind’s universal propensity to temptation and sin. Macbeth’s excessive ambition motivates him to murder  Duncan, and once the evil act is accomplished, he sets into motion a series of sinister events that ultimately lead to his downfall.† (Scott; 236) As one can clearly see, Macbeth’s ambition clearly got to him and he couldn’t overpower it. Furthermore, the last flaw in Macbeth is his boldness and impression of personal invincibility. Toward the end of the play when Macbeth approaches the witches for three more prophesies, which seem impossible. The first prophecy is the head of Macduff warning Macbeth of a bloody revenge by Malcolm. The second is a blood-covered child who explains to Macbeth that he cannot be harmed by any man â€Å"of woman born†. The third is a child wearing a crown that explains Macbeth cannot be defeated until Birnam Wood physically â€Å"uproots† itself and moves to Dunsinane hill. Macbeth is not worried because he believes, as anyone would, these predictions are impossible. However, as the play progresses he hears from a servant that a large army is moving toward Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth ignores the warning, as he believes he is invincible. These are the beginning signs that we see that Macbeth may be ignoring his own doom due to his belief in personal invincibility. In addition, in the last portion of the play we find that English and rebel Scottish armies who march to Birnam Wood have been directed by Malcolm for each soldier to cut a branch and carry it in front of them as camouflage â€Å"to shadow the numbers of our host.† When Macbeth hears word that this has happened, he begins to realize that the prophecy has come true, but he still is trying to deny it. When Malcolm and his troops finally reach Dunsinane hill under the â€Å"leafy screens† of branches the apparition has come true: Birnam Wood has come to Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth puts on his armor and goes to battle with his army. On the battlefield Macbeth and Macduff at last come face to face. Macduff reveals to Macbeth that he entered the world by being â€Å"untimely ripp’d† from his mother’s whom. Under these circumstances he was not strictly â€Å"born† of woman. When Macbeth hears this he realizes his struggle for survival has come to an end. He realizes how foolish he was for believing in his invincibility. Macduff kills Macbeth with anger in his heart for the death of his family. These final couple scenes really show that Macbeth’s boldness and belief in invincibility end his reign of power,  and cause his death. In conclusion, â€Å"So foul and fair a day I have not seen.† Is a very appropriate quote by Macbeth for the battle at the start of the play, but also for the path of his life. In William Shakespeare’s masterpiece Macbeth, he created a character that will live on for years to come. The character Macbeth is a great antagonist because he is bought up to be a hero in the beginning of the play but because of his actions, blind ambition, boldness, and impression of personal invincibility he finds his death. This play was clearly my favorite by Shakespeare solely because of the character Macbeth and how, I, the reader could sit back and realize all of the mistakes he is making, before he realized it and was too late. Works Cited 1.) Free Essays – Blind Ambition in Macbeth. 123HelpMe.com. 02 Jan 2008. 2.) Macbeth. Cliff Notes. 26 Dec. 2007. 3.) Scott, Mark W. (Editor). Shakespeare for Students. 1992. Gale Research Inc. Detroit, Michigan.

Shaklee Investment Global Business

Shaklee Corporation| A New Idea That Has Old Roots | Corporation Analysis| Sean 10/11/2012 | Contents 1. Introduction to Shaklee 2. S. W. O. T Analysis 3. Leveraging Resources a. Motivating small business owners 4. Foreign Investments a. Japan's Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals Co. 5. Moral Courage a. Much needed trait b. Current Leader 6. Management Structure a. Corporate b. Local c. Global 7. Future Expansion a. Indonesia b. Cultural differences c. Ethical and moral issues 8. Obstacles in New Country a. Laws and regulations b. Economics d. No currency issues . Conclusion a. Opinion on future The world as we know it is forever changing and now more than ever people on this planet are looking for ways to improve their health and lifestyles. It don’t stop there, at this moment many believe our planet is in trouble and are now looking for green products to protect future generations. There are many different companies that are moving toward this but there is a business that has made i t their goal to be green since its inception in 1956 the Shaklee Corporation. The company was founded by Dr. Forrest C.Shaklee a well-known scientist and nutritionist, who started the company on just one product and a sales plan that relied upon people reaching out to help other people. Since then Shaklee has grown to global proportions and now has over 200 products from cleaning solutions to sports nutrition. They have recently had a change in leadership and he is pushing the company to new heights beginning to move business to larger countries. There are many obstacles when it comes to moving a corporation to another country and the company does well with making sure to have a strong management team.Knowing this there are many strengths that Shaklee enjoys but also may be limiting their potential. Many people do not know that this company exists since they do not participate in the same marketing style as mainstream America. Needless to say the company stands by its way of marketi ng and believes in it for several reasons. A simple way to look at the strengths of a company is S. W. O. T. analysis and this company has many different concepts to take into account: Strengths| Weakness’s| Opportunities| Threats|Market PositionWide array of productsCustomer retentionNo animal testingGrowing businessNo impact on environmentEndorsements from athletesHave kept increasing in revenue through recession| Can't purchase anywhereNot much advertisementMore mainstream athlete endorsementLong term management has stagnated in their operational effectivenessPricey products for average income| Product development is very strong and with owners who believe in productsNew International MarketsSmall business opportunities are becoming more prevalentChanging in values of world going green they are already establishedNo one wants to look old and they have more and more products centered around health a growing marketAlways finding new customers from independent distributors|Bu sinesses are moving in this direction of greenPeople may not want to buy products from internet they tend to just get the things at the storeHard to take over the everyday wasteful products people have been using for decadesSupplement market is already overwhelming and unregulated| Shaklee is a company that has been driven to new heights ever since new ownership was taking over in 2004. This company is the first to make consumer products completely green and use 100% green power. They continue to grow and are really trying to move toward more countries around the world. They also have to beware of the entire green movement and companies may start moving in the same direction quickly because, saving the planet is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society.It is also very tough to create a corner in the industry if people largely do not know the company even exists due to its personnel distribution process. Shaklee has always relied upon direct selling and people who t ruly believe in the product to get the word out. You cannot find their products on a shelf in a store and because of this; they have been able to retain customers for longer periods of time an average of 15 years. This number would actually be higher but they have extended their range of business and have many new consumers now. The people who sell the product truly believe in its benefits and they make sure to keep motivated by having a number of incentives. They offer opportunity to go on trips, win vehicles, and opportunity to move up through the company with dedication.Holding seminars to make sure that employees are properly recognized for their work and making corporate leaders available to speak with any employees is a staple of the company. Also gives employees a flexible schedule so they can enjoy time to themselves and this seems to be one of largest draws of working for them. Also it is simply more powerful to hear about a product from a friend than it is just on a televi sion screen and it gives the product more credibility. But all this would not be possible without having investors from domestic and foreign companies. The company made a leap to a fortune 500 company in 1982, at this point they began sponsoring Olympic athletes and even an accent to Mt.Everest that was the first not to use supplemental oxygen. Instead the climber used only Shaklee powered nutrition. The company was purchased by Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals Co. in 1989 but failed to expand as quickly as it could have under this new management. Regardless during the period that they were owned by Yamanouchi, Shaklee did manage to be the first company in the entire world to totally offset its carbon emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment a conquering feet in today’s society of damaging emissions. The company would again be found under new leadership by 2004 and this is when Shaklee begins to grow to its full potential.The company would be purchased by Ripple wood Holdings and Activated Holdings and name a new CEO Roger Barnett. This new CEO is very active in the company and has visions of dominating the industry as they are and have been the number one natural nutrition company in the U. S. He is not afraid to embark on new endeavors and has made it possible for the company to expand into new proportions. Roger has set a very high bar for each and everyone involved in the company and displays leadership qualities that are contagious throughout the company. Under his leadership the company has begun to expand into new countries and most recently a beginning in Indonesia.They also have a strong presence in Canada, China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan, and of course the U. S. Roger possesses a much needed trait in today’s business, which is the courage to bring products to people who may not have the income we enjoy here by making it affordable by that particular countries income, while still sticking to all the companies’ guarantees. The company also believes in helping charities of all types and even helped power an African village. Roger has had the company expand its product lines to new proportions and promises to continue to innovate and become even more diverse year after year. It is an effort of many people to make all of this happen and you must have good leadership around you to be successful.Most strong companies have very strong management team and Shaklee is no different, with many different levels of management that are committed to the company and products it makes. Although you are essentially your own boss when working for the company there are leaders that have responsibility. At the corporate level, Shaklee relies upon basically nine people and the CEO to take care of major policies at the company’s headquarters, which is located in Pleasanton, CA. These include a financial officer, marketing coordinators, chairman for global and medical research etc.The local level is compri sed of many different levels and it starts with a branch manager. The company relies on various levels below managers n each individual office so there is always someone to learn from and keep you motivated. All these positions lead the same way in the global structure of the company. Shaklee has been able to keep the same direct selling attributes that it uses in America. When moving into a new country having the right management is crucial, because there are so many differences in culture. Shaklee has set its sights on many places and most recently it is Indonesia. They have just opened business in the country June of 2012. When beginning an endeavor there are many things to take into consideration one includes the cultural differences that they must overcome.Although the country does not live too much differently than Americans do they do eat much differently than us due to economic conditions. Products must have different ingredients in order to be able to use them in other coun tries such as Indonesia. Also the diversity of this country is prevalent they have several different languages and thousands of islands, which all have their own separate beliefs and backgrounds. People in this country are also softer spoken so they do not accept loud speaking and forceful conversation. Also businesses from America must take into account that the average Indonesian does not live the lavish lifestyle. So Shaklee has been able to develop products that are affordable for the average citizen in Indonesia.With a new company new opportunities arise for a country that has few, having a way to enjoy an income in Indonesia is very hard to come by. As Shaklee begins its opportunity in Indonesia the company must consider that the country is not as advanced as the U. S. Labor is much cheaper but skilled workers are much more difficult to come by. The company has to put a lot more money into training of the workforce and making sure products are made properly. The next issue tha t concerns the company is the political and economic turmoil of Indonesia. Shaklee must go to extreme heights to protect all their investments. Business in the country must be aware of the high crime rate there are a number of problems with corrupt legal systems.The company’s assets are always at risk of fraud, laundering, and also theft of property. Shaklee must also know that anything that is to be imported and consumed is subject to analysis from the Food and Drug Administration. The company must also undergo the pain staking process of securing materials, buildings, and a strong workforce to have ideal operation. There are many positives when it comes to business in this country. Shaklee is able to operate under 100 percent control as the government does allow this in Indonesia which is not always the case. The country also is the fifth most populous in the world so the market for the product is enormous.Also the currency is freely exchanged in the country so it is very e asy for the company to convert from Indonesia’s rupiah to U. S. dollars. With this emerging economy the laws and regulations are constantly changing as they learn how to protect the companies in its respective country. The future of Shaklee is undecided but it has enormous potential to dominate the market. Although Shaklee is the number one natural supplement producer in the world I think the company needs to move toward more of the BRIC countries. They do have a base in China, but now they must move into the other 3 countries. There are currently no plans to go into Britain or Russia, but the company has set its sights on India and plan on beginning business there sometime in the next couple years.I also believe the company would benefit from more mainstream advertising to get people familiar with the company and products. But, Shaklee does need to stick to its direct selling methods and keep making progression into new markets. Shaklee’s mission is to â€Å"provide healthier life for everyone and a better life for anyone. † They are a one of kind natural and completely green company and this instills credibility and longevity with their clientele. I expect the corporation to continue to grow immensely as people become more aware of what they put into their bodies and possibly be a household name in nutrition supplies throughout the world.Works Cited Bower, Amanda. â€Å"Putting the Green into Clean. † Time 19 Nov. 2007: n. pag. Web. Peng, Mike W. Global Business. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. â€Å"Shaklee Corporation: Providing a Healthier Life for Everyone and a Better Life for Anyone. Health, Wellness, Nature, Opportunity. † Shaklee Corporation: Providing a Healthier Life for Everyone and a Better Life for Anyone. Health, Wellness, Nature, Opportunity. N. p. , n. d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://www. shaklee. com/index. shtml>. E-mail interview. 09 Sept. 2012. N. p. , n. d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012 . <http://www. doingbusiness. org/law-library/indonesia>.

Manejar en EEUU auto con placas de México

Manejar en EEUU auto con placas de Mà ©xico Es obvio que en la zona fronteriza los turistas mexicanos pueden ingresar a Estados Unidos manejando sus autos con placas mexicanas. Adems,  nada impide que el viaje se extienda mucho ms all de la frontera y alcance cualquiera de los 48 estados continentales contiguos del paà ­s. Es decir, se excluye Alaska y Hawaii. Para manejar sin problemas en Estados Unidos con un auto con placas de Mà ©xico este artà ­culo explica cules son los requisitos que se deben cumplir, con informacià ³n detallada sobre el seguro del auto. Adems, se  detalla quà © acciones se deben evitar y, finalmente, informacià ³n general pero relevante sobre cruce de frontera y procedimientos migratorios y de aduanas que deben ser tenidos en cuenta. Requerimientos para manejar un auto con placas mexicanas en EE.UU. Todos los dà ­as miles de autos mexicanos cruzan la frontera por los puentes internacionales. Generalmente, limitan sus viajes a unas pocas millas dentro del territorio estadounidense y se regresan inmediatamente pero nada impide estancias ms largas y alejadas de la zona fronteriza. Para no tener problemas, hay que tener en cuenta los siguientes puntos: En primer lugar, el chà ³fer mexicano debe tener una licencia de manejar de su paà ­s vlida. Adems, si va a adentrarse a estados no fronterizos serà ­a conveniente que antes de salir de Mà ©xico adquiriese una licencia internacional de manejar, que es una traduccià ³n a varios idiomas, incluido el inglà ©s, de su licencia. En segundo lugar, el automà ³vil debe tener placas y registracià ³n vlidas.   En tercer lugar, tener en cuenta que en las aduanas y fronteras de los Estados Unidos, los  autos viejos  pueden ser rechazados para ingresar  por incumplir con los requerimientos medioambientales. Por lo tanto, verificar que se est al dà ­a en el cumplimiento de estos requisitos, principalmente cuando se trata de un auto viejo. En cuarto lugar, un auto mexicano puede estar en manos de un turista hasta un mximo de un aà ±o. Pero,  si se va a estar ms de 30 dà ­as en el mismo estado, comprobar con el Department of Motor Vehicles del estado en el que se encuentre sobre si hay algà ºn requerimiento adicional que cumplir. Destacar que aunque el auto puede estar legalmente en EE.UU., en teorà ­a, hasta un aà ±o, eso no quiere decir que el turista que lo maneja o todos los que viajan en su interior puedan estar legalmente en Estados Unidos por todo ese tiempo. Hay que mirar las condiciones de la visa americana con la que se ingresa al paà ­s. Si se tiene una lser, el tiempo que se puede permanecer en Estados Unidos y los lugares a los que se puede viajar son ms restringidos que si se ingresa con una visa de turista. Si se tiene una de estas visas, verificar en el I-94 cunto tiempo es posible permanecer legalmente en EE.UU. Generalmente la estancia se permite por 180 dà ­as, pero puede ser por menos tiempo. Adems, si se quiere prolongar la estancia es posible solicitar una extensià ³n de la visa de turista. Seguro de auto mexicano en carreteras de EE.UU. Quiz el requisito fundamental es contar con una pà ³liza de seguro de auto que dà © cobertura, como mà ­nimo, para lesiones de ocupantes y daà ±os a terceros en sus personas y/o bienes. Y hay que obtener una certificacià ³n de esa pà ³liza en inglà ©s. En muchas ocasiones, este seguro mexicano no cubre eventualidades que puedan ocurrir manejando el auto en Estados Unidos. En este caso, hay que contratar uno que sà ­ brinde esta cobertura. Adems, es importante incluir en esa pà ³liza a todos los posible conductores que vayan a manejar el auto en Estados Unidos, si es que va a hacerlo ms de un ocupante del automà ³vil. Estos seguros se pueden contratar por un sà ³lo dà ­a, por meses o hasta un aà ±o. Es muy importante tener en cuenta que si se planea viajar por varios estados, la cobertura mà ­nima puede variar. Asegurarse de cumplir con las leyes estatales que se pueden consultar en el Departamento de Vehà ­culos a Motor de cada estado (liability, en inglà ©s). Varias aseguradoras mexicanas ofrecen este tipo de pà ³liza. Tambià ©n es posible contratarla cerca de la frontera, del lado mexicano.  Si la policà ­a para al auto, sin duda van a pedir que se enseà ±e esta certificacià ³n. Si se tiene alguna inquietud,  marcar al telà ©fono de la CIAM. Se puede llamar desde Estados Unidos y tambià ©n desde Mà ©xico.  Resuelven dudas de diverso tipo, incluidas las que afectan a seguros de auto  y son muy competentes en sus respuestas. Cà ³mo evitar problemas manejando en EE.UU. un auto con placas mexicanas El asunto del manejo en Estados Unidos de automà ³viles con placas extranjeras est regulado por ley federal y por las leyes estatales. La federal es el tratado de 1949 conocido como Inter-American Convenction Road Traffic. Si la policà ­a para el automà ³vil y uno de los ocupantes resulta ser un inmigrante indocumentado, es posible que el auto acabe embargado por la Policà ­a de Fronteras (ICE, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) y que acabe siendo subastado. Es decir, que el dueà ±o se quede sin su auto. En los casos de multas por una infraccià ³n de trnsito, es conveniente pagarla. En la actualidad, las computadoras en los controles migratorios de Estados Unidos estn conectados a una base de datos que se llama TECS que contiene, entre otras, informacià ³n que proveen los Departamentos de Vehà ­culos de los diferentes estados y estn notificando multas de trfico, aunque no es asà ­ en todos los casos. Finalmente, los  ciudadanos americanos y los residentes permanentes legales con licencias de manejar de los Estados Unidos (que es la que tienen que tener) no pueden manejar en el paà ­s un automà ³vil con placas mexicanas. Est prohibido, del mismo modo que los mexicanos residentes en Mà ©xico  no pueden por ley manejar en su paà ­s un auto con placas de los Estados Unidos. Tips à ºtiles para turistas mexicanos en Estados Unidos   Para evitar problemas muy serios como quedarse en situacià ³n de ilegalidad, cancelacià ³n o revocacià ³n de visas o que en el control migratorio simplemente impidan el ingreso al paà ­s, es necesario tener en cuenta asunto como con  Ã‚  cunta frecuencia se puede ingresar como turista a Estados Unidos  y tener muy claro quà ©Ã‚  pasa si se queda en Estados Unidos ms tiempo del permitido. Tambià ©n es interesante  saber  cunto dinero se puede  ingresar legalmente a Estados Unidos  y, si trae mascota, asegurarse de que goce de buen estado de salud y de que tenga todos los documentos en regla. Lo que se pide va a depender del lugar de procedencia y  del tipo de mascota.   A la hora de cruzar la frontera terrestre entre Mà ©xico y Estados Unidos es posible acelerar el paso por el control migratorio si se forma parte del programa  SENTRI. En los dems casos, conviene evitar los dà ­as y horas de mucho trfico, cuando los retrasos pueden ser enormes en los puentes internacionales.   Finalmente, se recomienda tomar este  test o quiz  sobre la visa de turista  para asegurarte de que tienes los conocimientos que debes saber para sacarla y conservarla.   Este artà ­culo no es asesorà ­a legal para ningà ºn caso especà ­fico. Es sà ³lo informacià ³n de carcter general.

The Spinning Mule Invention by Samuel Crompton

The Spinning Mule Invention by Samuel Crompton A spinning mule is a device that is an essential part of the textile industry. Invented in the 18th century  by Samual Crompton, the innovative machine spun textile fibers into yarn using an intermittent process that transformed the way yarn was manufactured, making the process much faster, easier- and more profitable. The History of Spinning Fiber into Yarn In early civilizations, yarn was spun using simple handheld tools: the distaff, which held the raw fiber material (such as wool, hemp, or cotton) and the spindle, onto which the twisted fibers were wound. The spinning wheel, a Middle-Eastern invention whose origins can be traced back as far as the 11th century, was the first step toward the mechanization of the textile spinning industry. The technology is thought to have traveled from Iran to India and was eventually introduced to Europe. The first illustration of the device dates from about 1270. The addition of a foot pedal has been credited to a workman from the town of Brunswick, located in the Saxony region of Germany in the year 1533. This allowed a spinner to power the wheel with one foot, leaving the hands free for spinning. Another 16th-century improvement was the flyer, which twisted the yarn as it was being spun, speeding up the process considerably. Europeans, however, were not the only ones to come up with innovations for spinning textiles. Water-powered spinning wheels were common in China as early as the 14th century. Samuel Crompton Puts a New Spin on Spinning Samuel Crompton was born in 1753 in Lancashire, England. After his father passed away, he helped support his family by spinning yarn. Soon enough, Crompton became all too familiar with the limitations of the industrial textile technology currently in use. He began to think of ways he could improve the process to make it faster and more efficient.  Crompton supported his research and development working as a violinist at the Bolton Theatre for pennies a show, plowing all of his wages into his realizing his invention. In 1779, Crompton was rewarded with an invention he called the spinning mule. The machine combined the moving carriage of the spinning jenny with the rollers of a water frame. The name mule was derived from the fact that like a mule- which is a cross between a horse and a donkey- his invention was also a hybrid. In the operation of a spinning mule, during the draw stroke, the roving (a long, narrow bunch of carded fibers) is pulled through and twisted; on the return, it is wrapped onto the spindle. Once perfected, the spinning mule gave the spinner great control over the weaving process, and many different types of yarn could be produced. In 1813, the mule was upgraded with the addition of a variable speed control invented by William Horrocks. The mule was a game changer for the textile industry: It could spin thread of much finer gauge, better quality, and at a higher volume than thread spun by hand- and the better the  thread, the higher the profit in the marketplace. The fine threads spun on the mule sold for at least three times the price of coarser threads. In addition, the mule could hold multiple spindles, which greatly increased output. Patent Troubles Many 18th-century inventors encountered difficulty over their patents and Crompton was no exception. In the more than five years it took Compton to invent and perfect his spinning mule, he failed to obtain a patent.  Seizing on the opportunity, famed industrialist Richard Arkwright  took out his own patent on the spinning mule, even though he hadnt had anything to do with its creation.   Crompton filed a complaint regarding his patent claim with the British Commons Committee in 1812. The committee concluded that the method of reward to an inventor, as generally accepted in the eighteenth century, was that the machine, etc., should be made public and that a subscription should be raised by those interested, as a reward to the inventor. Such a philosophy may have been practical in the days when inventions required little  capital  to develop, however, it was decidedly inadequate once the industrial  revolution got underway and investment capital became crucial to the development and production of any substantial technical improvement. Unfortunately for Crompton, British law lagged far behind the new paradigm of industrial progress.   Crompton was eventually able to prove the financial harm hed suffered by gathering evidence of all the factories that relied on his invention- more than four million spinning mules were in use at the time- for which hed received no compensation. Parliament agreed to a settlement of  £5,000 pounds. Crompton attempted to go into business with the funds he was finally awarded but his efforts were unsuccessful. He died in 1827.

Racial Differences in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Racial Differences in America - Essay Example This paper suggests some courses of action to achieve racial equality in the future of United States of America. My view on the course of action to take is as a result of the historical lessons as espoused by Franklin. History of Racial Inequality in America. Since the first settlers landed on the New World, issues of equality and justice among races have been and continue to be debated strongly, often violently. Right from the beginning when the white settlers encountered the Native Americans, to the latter European settlers and to the African slaves bonded to serve their white masters, inequality existed. Negroes languished lowest on the equality ladder, even those that had never been enslaved. This was due to both the laws of the land and customs of the enslavers. All these despite the fact that Negro labor is what brought development in most parts of America. It was their hard labor that made it possible to farm, mine, explore the interior of the continent and build infrastructur e. It was difficult to end slavery since the trade in humans brought profits to the shippers and merchants and most other traders. Meanwhile, the white colonialists also felt that paying taxes to the British Monarchy was enslaving them. By mid 18th century, they were clamoring for emancipation from British rule that forced them to remit taxes. They, white settlers, were also against British policy of condemning and outlawing slavery and the slave trade as a whole. Among them were those who felt it was hypocritical to want freedom from British bondage while they owned slaves. Slaves too began voicing their need for freedom from the settlers who wanted the same from their colonial masters. Thomas Jefferson, a co-author of the declaration of independence and a slave-owner himself, attempted to appeal to the British crown to abolish slavery and slave trade and declare universal equality. Sadly, he also was of the opinion that the black man was physiologically and intellectually inferior to the white man. The white patriots later expunged these sections from the draft declaration (Franklin 14). The abolition of slavery in the Northwest Territory in 1787 marked a significant step in securing the Negroes’ inalienable rights as human beings. Still, there were calls to deport slaves as soon as they were emancipated, for most settlers still found it hard to regard them as equals. They thought that the manumitted Negroes would cause chaos and it would be safer to return them to Africa than live with them. This proved an insurmountable task due to the sheer numbers of slaves. Free blacks lacked suffrage, and even though they were no longer bound by slavery, they lived as pariahs in society. They also had to pay higher taxes than whites, prohibited from testifying against whites in court, serving in the military or even owning real estate. Such injustices sowed the seeds of revolution and demands for equality and human rights. Inequality Today. In the eighteenth cen tury, the black slave was a property just like a table in the living room. Property could not be given away freely for that meant economic loss. The white settlers were against slave emancipation mainly due to economic reasons. Apart from losing property, freeing a slave meant the loss of cheap manual labor. The white settlers would have to pay for laborers to till their farms, build their bridges and carry loads. A free former slave also meant competition for

Facilitating the growth of artictic intelligence Essay

Facilitating the growth of artictic intelligence - Essay Example Here, an attempt is made to show how pre-adolescents can become confident of using innate ability and acquired skills gained through art, especially, to enhance cognitive, moral, social and other characteristics they need to develop for use in work and life. Artistic expression is used throughout a child’s school experience. From kindergarten level, drawing teaches skills such as correct pencil grip, visual calculation of distances, hand-eye coordination and the ability to compare colors and shapes and to understand symbols and ideas (McDonald & Fisher 4). As they progress into middle school, these basic building blocks can be used as a foundation for â€Å"understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures; reflecting upon and assessing the work of others; and making connections between the visual arts and other disciplines (MENC, 1994)† (McDonald & Fisher 5). Teachers can use the visual arts, which are enjoyable and feel less like rigorous learning, especially to reluctant students, to promote readiness to learn subjects across the curriculum. Ideas for projects that include hands-on artistic tasks can be successfully incorporated in math, languages, social studies and science - all subjects that â€Å"require higher-order thinking skills† (Prince 2002, 49). Nurturing artistic skills - even very rudimentary ones - can be beneficial in middle school, as students embark on some very serious learning. They can be promoted and improved, since they embrace aesthetic and perceptual abilities which are comparatively easy to acquire. Used by the teacher to instill confidence that flows from the ability to make pictures or three-dimensional pieces, this can-do feeling will be available to be applied to various learning areas. In languages, cartoons and graphic narratives can promote confidence in expressing ideas fluently by using creativity and imagination (McDonald & Fisher 51). In social studies, maps and 3-D globes or panoramas can