When Harry Met Sally

When Harry met Sally Based on the communication styles listed in your text (Closed, Open, Hidden & Blind), please match a character to each of these styles. List the character, and then support your answer with a specific example. Closed Communication Style- Marie shows signs of representing a â€Å"closed communication style† because she spends most of her time in the film overly obsessed with a married man. She has a hard time recognizing the fact that he is married and stays in the â€Å"relationship† with him even though it has no clear destination.Hidden Communication Style- I witnessed two examples of hidden communication thru out the movie. One example, when Harry is persistent about questioning Sally’s life and never really shares his own life experiences. Jess is another example of a hidden communicator. Jess was concerned about Harry not being happy when they were batting. He also showed that he was concerned about the progress of Harrys relationship an d his emotional feelings while his marriage was disintegrating. Blind Communication Style-From my understanding, blind communicators voice their opinions about how things should be done and have no problem with telling people what they have done wrong. The character that I think represented blind communication mostly throughout the film was Harry. Harry had the tendency to think his knowledge superseded everyone else when it came to relationships. For example, Harry criticized Sally on the way to the restaurant when they first met outside the college. He talked about her choice of career, and basically said that she will not know what to do when â€Å"her world comes crashing down† so to speak.Open Communication Style- Based on my knowledge from the book, people that express all their feelings, emotions, life experiences and more are considered â€Å"open communicators†. Based on the conversations between Harry and Sally, I would have no choice but to say that Sally is classified as an open communicator. When Harry asked Sally at the restaurant who she had great sex with, at first she refused to tell him and only seconds later she rambled on and on about her sexual experience. Match a character to each of these conflict strategies? Give a specific example to support your answer.Compromising- (Jess) In the movie Jess and Marie were having an argument over Jess’s table (whether or not to have it in their home). Marie did not want the table, Jess asked Harry what he thought and after Harry gave him his opinion Jess got rid of the table. Collaborating/Problem-Solving- (Harry) Harry spent a lot of time attempting to fix his relationship with Sally after their huge fight. He kept calling her and eventually sang to her over the answering machine when she did not pickup. Accommodating/smoothing-(Marie) In the movie Marie held a relationship with a married man.She discarded her own feelings to make this guy happy, and he never once considered her f eelings. She had this fantasy that he was going to leave his wife to be with her, but it reality he never intended to. Marie put her feelings last to make the so called relationship work. Avoiding/Withdrawal-(Sally) When Harry and Sally first met and were at the restaurant, Harry complimented Sally on her attractiveness. Sally, be loyal to her friend, immediately gets up and is ready to leave, because she knows that Harry is in a relationship with her friend.In this example she is withdrawing herself from a situation, by avoiding the compliment. Competing/Forcing-(Harry) Harry is constantly debating his relationship knowledge with Sally in the movie. He is a very competitive individual and seems to always have the need to be â€Å"right†. Provide 3 signs of poor listening seem throughout the film. Provide ways that their listening could be improved. One sign of poor listening that I remember, was each time Marie talked about her boyfriend and Sally tried to tell her that the he would never leave his wife; Marie appeared to listen but refused to take the advice to leave him.She could of maybe did some compare and contrast to her relationship and others to realize that Sally was right. If she would have listened to her, she would have saved herself the emotional rollercoaster and maybe could have found a man sooner. The second sign of poor listening was when the two couples were exiting the restaurant from their double date. Harry and Sally both expressed, separately, to Jess and Marie that it would be better for them to wait to call each other to protect the feelings of Harry and Sally.Jess and Marie obviously couldn’t wait to be together, so they got in the first cab they saw and drove away together. This illustration of poor listening could have been improved if Jess and Marie took Harry and Sally’s advice and waited a little bit to see each other again. The third sign of poor listening I witnessed was during one of Harry and Sallyâ€℠¢s many conversations. He told her that it was merely impossible for a woman and a man to be friends. He stated that sexual relations would basically occur no matter what.Sally eventually forgot about, (and Harry as well â€Å"having no recollection†). Physical Barriers to effective listening Throughout the movie I saw quite a few examples that could be defined as physical barriers. One of them was when Harry and Jess were discussing Harry’s marriage issues during the football game. Also when the two of them were batting cages at the same time as they were discussing Harry and Sally’s relationship issues. Both of these scenarios could have prevented effective listening by distraction of physical barriers. Personal Barriers to effective listeningHarry was unable to concentrate after seeing his ex with her new partner. Harry was completely distracted and wasn’t even able to hear Jess, Marie, or Sally talking to him about the table. Gender Barriers to effect ive listening When Harry and Sally were driving to New York and they had discussed Casa Blanca and the end of the film when the lady was boarding the plane, Harry expressed that the woman should stay for sex. Semantic Barriers to effective listening Harry told the waitress that Sally was with him. In my opinion he was just telling her that they would be sitting together.However, sally took it the wrong way and expressed her thoughts aloud and said that they she was not with him. What is your own conflict management style? Give an example that supports your style. Have you been guilty of any of the signs of poor listening? What will you do in the future to improve your listening? I would have to say that my conflict management style is the Competing style. To my understanding, people who hold this style tend to be extremely assertive to achieve their goals. I have the tendency to be what some would call â€Å"sneaky†.I tend to elevate my own argument and conceal my goals to le t the opposing side think they are ahead. For example, I currently hold a sales position. As we all know the sales industry is very competitive. My employer often has rewards and bonuses for the top sales performers of the month. I like to â€Å"fake† people out and make them think that I am not doing so hot on my sales so they will think I am behind them on the ranking. This way, once they think they have beaten me, their effort will slowly decline and there I am still banking on my sales.Being in the sales field I do need to have attentive listening skills so I can read between the lines and let the customer know exactly what they need. I’m positive that at one point we have all been guilty of poor listening skills. Maybe for example in the drive-thru when they read back your order and you just automatically say that is correct because you have been sitting there for 10 minutes already, and then when you get your food and it’s not what you ordered but it is ex actly what is on the receipt. In the future I will continue to build my listening skills buy getting clarity from individuals and clients.

Alexander Mcqueen 2

Jane Wang Second draft research paper Jul 30h, 2012 Alexander McQueen â€Å"Creativity is a very fragile thing, and Lee was very fragile,† said the milliner Philip Treacy, who had worked with Alexander McQueen. McQueen, a British genius fashion designer creating a large amount of provocative works in last two decades, committed a suicide because of the suicide of Isabella Blow and the loss of his mother, who were two important supporters of his design (Wilson 89). The â€Å"Spine† Corset, the Skull Scarf, and the â€Å"Bumster† skirt are the representative of the collections of his provocative and dark romantic beauty.McQueen always indicated the dark and deathly elements in his collections, critiqued â€Å"inanity† of the fashion world and expressed his personal life reflections in fashion design. He was the chief designer of Givenchy between 1996 and 2001 and earned British Designer of the Year awards four times(1996,1997,2001 and 2003) (Wilson 89). In t erms of McQueen’s intricate tailoring and provocative design styles, McQueen was significantly influenced by Gilbert Adrian, and Elsa Schiaparelli in the aesthetic aspect; Charles Frederick Worth had processing influences on McQueen's.Adrian and Schiaparelli were fashion designers prevalent around 1930s and 19040s and Worth was popular in in early 19th century. In McQueen’s collections, he applies Gothic Romance with pure black and complex lace ornamentations. His collections focus on the expression of his feelings and moods; it can be scary, disgusting, and romantic. McQueen is like a poet who uses clothing to write his poetry. His runways can always make viewers think, but not just enjoy the visual elements of clothes. Suzy Menkes says of McQueen’s works, â€Å"Distasteful images?But it’s a reflection of our nasty world. And a powerful fashion designer always ingests the ether of modern times. † (Bolton 12). To me, McQueen’s runway shows a re more like drama to convey McQueen’s savage and animalist beauty and death philosophy for fashion. In McQueen’s work, he indicates orientalism, classicism and English eccentrics, but also shows many clues for the future of fashion. As Eric Wilson said in 2010, â€Å"As designers have done for centuries, Mr. McQueen altered the shape of the body using corsetry and anatomically corrects breastplates as a recurring motif.More recently, his work took on increasingly futuristic tones, with designs that combined soft draping with molding, or ones in which a dress seemed to morph into a coat. At his last show, in October, the models wore platform shoes that looked like the hulls of ships. † (Wilson 1). According to the interview with Andrew Bolton, author of â€Å"Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty†, Bolton offers clues of designers affecting McQueen’s aesthetic. Bolton says, â€Å"In terms of tailoring, McQueen was most influenced by designers whose tec hnical acumen mirrored his own, designers such as Gilbert Adrian and Elsa Schiaparelli. (Interview 1). After I saw Schiaparelli fashion exhibition, I found many direct Schiaparelli design concepts' influences on Alexander McQueen's contemporary collections. Schiaparelli invented culottes, wrapped turbans, Arab breeches, embroidered shirts, pompom-brimmed hats, and barbaric belts ( Smith 1). I think her Skeleton, Lobster, and Tear Dresses have the most obvious influences on McQueen's fashion design, where he also employs a lot of animal elements to express a kind of savage and original beauty.As McQueen himself explains, â€Å"Nature was the greatest, or at least the most enduring, influence upon me. Everything I do is connected to nature in one way or another; Nature was also a central theme, if not the central theme, of romanticism. † (Bolton 15). Take two similar fashion designs from Schiaparelli and McQueen, The Skeleton Dress (Fig 1) and â€Å"Spine† Corset (Fig 2) . Obviously, in both works, two artists utilize a â€Å"backbone† as a key element in their works. They both look scary and savage.In Schiaparelli's work, she employs silk to create a backbone effect, while McQueen changes material to a kind of metal, which strengthen the bones' lines and shock effect. Schiaparelli just uses pure black in this collection. Similarly, McQueen just applies the metal's original color in his design, which is quite concise. Like Schiaparelli, McQueen also tightens the waist to indicate the silhouette of the body. Unlike Elsa's slight decoration of the spine, McQueen extends the human spine to a kind of animal spine with the coccyx.Therefore, it is a good example to exemplify the Schiaparelli's design influences on McQueen's. Because of Bolton’s mention of McQueen’s tailoring influence from Gilbert Adrian, let us take a look at their previous works. Like Adrian's women's suit, McQueen's women's suit always has an exaggerated silhouette and the â€Å"s† pattern is obvious. McQueen also uses a lot of broad shoulders in suits; puffed sleeves were created by Adrian, which was popular in 1930s and 40s American fashion ( History). The huge puff-sleeve dress style is continued in McQueen's dress (Fig 4).Likewise, Adrian's dress â€Å"A version of the ‘Hostess Gown'† contains many puffed sleeves. They both create dresses with huge dress trains to express dresses' falling and floating. Due to the similarity between two designers' fashion style, I chose one work from Adrian and one from McQueen to make a specific comparison. If we take a look at Adrian’s film custom dressing (Fig 3) â€Å"A version of the ‘Hostess Gown'† compared with McQueen dress (Fig 4) from Autumn/winter 2010–11, both artists’ modern style and innovative silhouettes come through.In Adrian's work, he seems to employ silk to indicate a sense of freedom and flow. Similarly, McQueen uses translucent and light material to show the dancing-like movement of the dress. Like Adrian, McQueen also provides three perspectives of the dress, which looks like a dancing and swirling performer. Likewise, the dress hem of McQueen's was tailored freely and asymmetrically. Adrian just slightly tightens up the waist in this work, whereas the bodice is designed as an extremely tight style by McQueen.Unlike Adrian's concise decoration of flowers on the upper left shoulder of the dress, McQueen transforms patterns onto materials as decoration on the surface of the dress and added small puff-sleeve on the shoulder parts. Both works give the viewer a sense of flowing movement; nevertheless, McQueen accentuates the curved bodylines of the dress, which is imbued with a sense of elegance of a dancer and replaced the opaque material Adrian uses to a translucent material, which looks like the body of flowers to add more romantic feelings.McQueen not only shared similar tailoring ideas with other designers, but also the intricate and complex processes of dressmaking. Bolton also mentions, â€Å"In terms of dressmaking, he looked to designers who shared his sense of theatricality and his love of exaggerated silhouettes, such as Charles Frederick Worth, Christian Dior, and Charles James. † (Interview 1). Worth was an English fashion designer of the 19th century, and also considered as the Father of Haute couture, which is made for specific customer with high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn intricate decorations.If we juxtapose both McQueen and Worth's dressmaking works, they both are finished by the most experienced tailoring skills and hand-executed techniques. Especially, McQueen’s dressmaking reflects an aristocrtic style in palace of Middle 19th century, where the dresses had intricate Alencon lace decorations, expensive silk materials, bustles, tightened waists, and an embellished neckline. For example, looking at one of Worth’s evening dresses(fig 5), there are many obvious elements shared with a coat of dress from McQueen’s autumn/winter 2008 collections (fig 6).Both works have loose and puffed dress trains. In Worth's work, he employs corduroy in deep red color, which creates a solemn and elitist effect. Similarly, McQueen applies silk to red to express a figure of Queen. Like Worth, McQueen also cuts the shoulder parts of the dress with a puffed effect. However, McQueen repeats this effect in the neck part and strengthens it in the train of the dress. In terms of ornamentation, in Worth's dress, there are Alencon lace patterns in the upper back, while McQueen utilizes intricate metals and diamonds as head decorations, which looked like a Queen's crown.Indeed, the tailoring similarities between both designers are evident. However, McQueen updates the puffed sleeves with tightened wristbands to emphasize the 19th century aristocratic style. Without doubt, Alexander McQueen is a prolific and experienced fashion designer and his collections are multi-faced and cause viewers to think deeply. Even though he shared many similar aesthetics with other fashion designers, he recombined each tiny element he liked and produced novel, updated, â€Å"McQueen’s† work. As Bolton describes McQueen like a demonic Edward Scissor hands (Interview 1).Yes, I feel that McQueen is a devout Scissor hand. Although he received acrimonious critics of his provocative style, like the controversial Highland Rape, autumn/winter 1995–96, which even made viewers feel uncomfortable with the collections, he insisted on his own dark and death romance. Do you remember the character Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? â€Å"Helena believes that love has the power to transform something ugly into something beautiful because love is propelled by subjective perceptions of the individual, not by objective assessments of appearance. (Bolton 12) I think this idea is central of McQueen’s collections, which breaks the viewer’s boundary between ugliness and beauty. His aesthetic purpose is to force viewers look at the ugliness, examine the dark part of their innermost beings and think about the savagery of nature. In addition, he updated Worth, Shiaparelli and Adrian's designs with modern styles, novel textile, complex hand-making processes, which follow up the contemporary fashion society. . [pic] (Fig 1) Elsa Schiaparelli.The Skeleton Dress. France. 1938. Silk crepe [pic] (Fig 2) Alexander McQueen. â€Å"Spine† Corset. Untitled. Spring/summer. 1998 [pic] (Fig 3) Gilbert Adrian, â€Å"A version of the ‘Hostess Gown' †, 1930's and 40's [pic] (Fig 4) Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress. Autumn/winter 2010–11. [pic] (Fig 5) Charles Frederick Worth (French, Bourne 1825–1895 Paris). Evening Dress. 1893-95 [pic] (Fig 6) Alexander McQueen. Untitled. Autumn/winter. 2008 Works Cited Bolton, Andrew and Koda Harold.Savage Beauty. New York: The M etropolitan Museum of Art, 2011. Print. History Wired Gilbert Adrian. National Museum of American History. Jan 2010. Web. 19 Jul 2012. Interview with Andrew Bolton, author of ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’. Yale University Press. 5 May. 2011. Web. 19 Jul. 2012. Smith, Roberta. DESIGN REVIEW: For a Body that Nobody Ever Had. NY: The New York Times. Dec 7, 2001. Print. Wilson, Eric and Horyn, Cathy. â€Å"Alexander McQueen, Designer, Is Dead at 40. † New York Times Feb 2010: 89. Web.

5 Summer Programs in New Mexico for High Schoolers

Your teen has many options for how to spend his or her time once summer rolls around. Without the constraints of a constant high school class schedule combined with numerous extracurriculars and other commitments, they might choose to pursue a volunteer program, get a summer job, or even take some summer classes. Another great option for teens looking to get a taste for college life is a summer program on a college campus. While New Mexico might not be the first place that comes to mind when one considers summer activities for high schoolers, there are several strong on-campus programs available for teens who want to explore the options there. To learn more about five of them, keep reading. Summer programs offer high schoolers a rare taste of life at a university. Whether the program is residential or not, teens will be immersed in campus culture. They will attend classes in university classrooms, use college facilities like labs or libraries, eat in dining halls, and often even meet some current students who attend the college. In addition, teens can make valuable connections with professors who could eventually become their actual college instructors. Teens who attend a summer program often gain important insights into their future goals for college. They may learn what they do and do not want from their college experience, or learn more about the programs of study they’re drawn to. If your teen is interested in attending a summer program in New Mexico, don’t miss this post. The PREP High School Academy is an intensive two-week residential program in the STEM fields, hosted on the New Mexico State University campus. Participants work on leadership, team-building, and hands-on activities that simulate real-world engineering experiences while gaining self-confidence and connecting with current faculty and students. Essay Prompt: Tell the selection committee what world problem you hope to solve as a future engineer and how do you see attending the NM PREP Academy helping you achieve that goal. The Summer Science Program (SSP) is one of the longest running pre-college programs in the country, having been founded in 1959. It provides an immersive experience with hands-on research over the course of its 39-day residential program. It aims to challenge and inspire talented and motivated high school students through four different program offerings, one of which is available at New Mexico Tech. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. The University of New Mexico offers two exciting STEM programs to high school students each summer: The UNITE Program offers participants four weeks of pre-college and STEM related hands-on activities in engineering and computer science. The Energy Summer Academy introduces students to a broad variety of energy-related topics in research through a four-week residential program. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, students are engaged through college prep courses, guest speakers, field trips and hands-on workshops. Those who complete either program successfully are eligible for a $100/week stipend for their participation. Essay Prompt: Why do you want to attend this program at UNM? The Research Learning Experiences Program provides STEM field internships ranging from five to eight weeks depending on the program. Through grant funding, students participate in actual research, working on important engineering problems under the guidance of undergraduates, graduate students, post docs and/or faculty. Students are paid a stipend or hourly wage for their work and are invited to participate in group meetings, engineering seminars, and outreach events. The Transportation Institute   is sponsored by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and the New Mexico Department of Transportation and provides a variety of STEM related learning opportunities as they relate to the transportation industry. This three-week residential program offers a combination of college prep courses, guest speakers, field trips and hands-on workshops to students interested in the transportation industry. Essay Prompt: Why do you want to attend this program at UNM? Summer programs can offer your teen the unique opportunity to gain deep industry experience on a college campus, pursue an area of interest, and learn more about him or herself and his or her goals for the future. In addition, your teen could make important connections that are valuable during the college application process or beyond.    If you need more help identifying the best summer programs or other academic pursuits for your teen and his or her unique interests and skills, consider the benefits of the Near Peer Mentorship Program , which provides access to practical advice on topics from college admissions to career aspirations, all from successful college students.  

Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Question - Essay Example 20th century, Keylor enlightens us on major problems faced by the European Powers in the decade that followed the war and the Europeanization of the world. According to Keylor, the 20th century was an era of illusions, especially where economic restoration and continental security were concerned. However, as realization emerged, the illusions that surrounded Keylor, takes into account the political, economic, social, diplomatic and military upheavals that took place in the struggle between these major world powers for supremacy. He points out that factors that went into play during the post war period, had created a deep impact in history which is felt even today. He examines both the World Wars and the Cold War and the rivalry and chaos that followed the struggle between the major powers for dominance and the detrimental factors that occurred in the post-war period. The European Powers faced major crisis in the post war decade especially where the economy was concerned. The heavy cost of the war posed a major threatening factor to them because they were not in a position to pay back the money that was borrowed for the war. The poor economy of the country further impacted upon trade, commerce and shipping, thus weakening their position still further. Europe’s economic dominance began to deteriorate alarmingly and the conflict served to alter trading relations around the world. institutions just crumbled and disappeared and while those that remained were weakened, indigenous nationalist movement made gradual progress. Transport and communication systems were in bad shape and needed to be restored in order to have a strong framework for connecting with each other. Another major challenge that posed a great problem for the European Powers was bringing stability to the nation and shifting itself from a war-time economy to a peaceful economy. In the wake of paying their debts, Europe who had once had lent money to the US by way of debt, now became the debtor

Problems Analysis and Solutions for Akiko Sushi Bar Research Paper

Problems Analysis and Solutions for Akiko Sushi Bar - Research Paper Example Given the high competition in the food industry, it is important that the bar implement the best practices in the industry. Akiko Sushi bar is small eatery, with one waitress and a chef. The main problem facing the bar is the quality of its services. The bar has about three tables and a few seats and hence the customers that visit the bar expect personalized service. However, contrary to their expectation, the services are not personalized, and this has left many of them dissatisfied with the quality of the service. Some of the customers have opted never to visit the bar again. The project attempts to understand why there are poor services in the bar, and how to improve the services. In particular, the research project will look at how the staff can handle the customers professionally, and how to reduce the time that lapses before a customer is served. The project will be of great benefit to the bar, as its recommendation will enable the bar to compete with other eateries in the area. The bar is facing a problem of the poor services. Data from the customers is required to enable the research understand why the bar services are poor and how to improve them. The research project needed to analysis the customers’ experiences when they visit the bar and look at how customers rate the services. The research project used data from the Yelp website (www.yelp.com). The yelp website offers a customer the ability to write a review of a business services and rate them. The customer can rate the services on a scale of one to five, with five being the best rating. Moreover, the rating and reviews can be done by elite members, and this improves the credibility of the data provided by the website. The data was grouped into two; i.e., the rating and reviews. The rating was from 304 people, which gave a good sample for the research. The reviews offered insight on why the customers regarded the services to be poor. The customers explained what they experienced in the bar.

Services Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Services Marketing - Essay Example Services industries primarily provide intangible products to customers by offering services. Retail, transports, food services etc are the example of services industries (Pezzullo, 1998, p.194). The marketing activities in services sectors are known as services marketing. Marketing is one of the major activities in business organisations and its importance and necessity have been multiplied with increasing completion and market size. There are certain differences between marketing activities of manufacturing industries and services industries. For example, in services marketing there are 7 Ps instead of 4 Ps which include product, price, promotion, place, people and physical evidences (Jobber and Fahy, 2008, p.177). Therefore, managing the marketing activities in service business is difficult as management has to consider many aspects at the same time. This paper will attempt to assess an organisation engaged in services business using various management models and tools for offering a set of conceivable and effective recommendations. In this respect, at first, a brief description of the company will provided to understand its nature of business and other aspects. In order to analyse the company’s business environments management analytical tools will used. Finally, based on the research findings, conclusion and recommendations will be made. 2. Brief Description of EasyJet Airline-211 EasyJet is a UK based airline company and it is one of the leading airline services providers in entire Europe. This airline company aims to become a low cost airline service provider in Europe. Stelios Haji-Ioannou, a Greek business started an airline business with two leased aircraft and he named this airline ‘EasyJet’. The growing importance of airlines services and EasyJet’s efficient performances, made this airline as a one of the market leaders. By the end of 2009, EasyJet became pan airline that operated with â€Å"over 400 routes with over 175 a ircraft in 27 countries† (EasyJet Plc-a, n.d.). Its efficient business and services strategies have led to increase the popularity of the company, and during 2009, nearly 50% of its total passengers were recorded as non-UK people. The business model of EasyJet includes five major values that have enhanced its business activities and these values are safety, teamwork, pioneering, passionate and integrity. Its present headquarter is in Luton, England and it has â€Å"over 7,300 people including 1,900 pilots and 4,300 cabin crew† (EasyJet Plc-b, n.d.). In order to manage its sustainability issues, it has also included its responsibilities towards society, corporate, environments and community. Due to efficient managements and growing market size, the financial position of the company has become stronger in UK airline industry. 3. Swot Analysis In order to access a company’s internal & external position and external opportunities and strengths, SWOT is one of the mos t widely used tools. SWOT analysis is very helpful in providing a summary concept of various internal and external factors which are very important for strategic managements and decision making process. Carlock and Ward has been able to identify the importance of SWOT analysis and in this respect they have commented that â€Å"the SWOT analysis helps to capture data in order to qualitatively plot the firm on the

Changes in the international system and the right to choose Essay

Changes in the international system and the right to choose - Essay Example However there are groups and cultures that do not feel this way and do not adhere to these norms contesting that human rights agendas reflect western civilization. Women's rights are surrounded by much debate when it comes to cultural values and norms. A historical cultural tradition in some African countries has been the practice of female circumcision. When women were asked why they practiced this they said because it had always been done, most claimed because it is this act that makes them a woman and that without the act being performed on them they would not be a complete woman, this meant that they may not be desirable for marriage in later life. If this practice was stopped females would have to redefine themselves within their community and culture. On the one hand the introduction of a liberal rights culture in defense of gender-based violence into these communities would greatly challenge cultural identity and their social framework, however on the other hand just because it has always been done this way does not mean that women want it this way so highlights conflicts within cultures as well as between them. Having a women's rights culture enables women to have some freedom of choice and choose which set of values and norms they wish to accept. So contestation exists within cultures on the grounds of human rights when it comes to women's rights and it exists not only in developing nations. The Christian right in the US are pro-life and lobby vehemently to state and federal government opposing women's rights to choose, yet the protestors live in one of the most liberal nations in the globe. It must also not be forgotten that the US only abolished segregation in 1965 and that from 1876 until abolition the Jim Crow Laws mandated a 'separate but equal' status for black Americans ("Jim Crow laws" 2007). Another example of a contestation is reformist Muslims as whilst they wish to incorporate liberal rights including equality for all individuals through reinterpreting the Quran the holy texts state that men and women are not equal (Zubaida, 2004). The Shari'a, Islamic law, is fundamental to all Muslims but for reformists the problems lie with the historical context within which its religious laws are written. The issue that many Muslims have is that liberal rights cultures are secularized and therefore implicate their cultural identity because of the fundamental need of Islam to live by the Shari'a. Global rights, in this case women's rights, only become powerful at the local level, when groups and individuals from one particular cultural identity wish to change their way of lives. The liberal model of the international system is concerned with the individual who seek to serve their own self interest. Moravcsik argues that in the international system the quest for self interest is competitive therefore there will be some who are more dominant than others (Brown, 2004). Consequently if states are similar in their values and norms the world will have less tension than if divided on ideals. For Moravcsik the international system has the ability to change as state behaviour reflects what individual's

Origins of Nursing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Origins of Nursing - Research Paper Example When the same person is not in a position to carry out these activities owing to illness, and there comes someone who can assist this person in performing the activities which aid in the person’s recovery or a peaceful death, then that is nursing. The International Council of Nurses defines nursing as â€Å"to assist an individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or to its recovery (or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge, and to do this in such a way as to help in gaining independence as rapidly as possible† (Baly 51). Nursing has been a profession to many old and young people across generations and nations. In addition, it is viewed to be among the oldest humanitarian services (Baly 177). Scientifically, nursing is a body on its own, and not only is it a science but also an art, providing skillful health care to patients in a way that enhances the general relati onships between the patient, family and the nurses (Pavey 59). From a direct point of view, nursing deals with illness prevention and ensuring of quality health standards. From a wider point of view, nursing does not just concern itself with care of the sick and ageing, but it is also concerned with the conservation of good health practices and prevention of medical disorders. The artistry of nursing is likened to the care mothers gave to their families in ancient homes. It is believed that this art has been modeled over time into modern nursing that is skilled and a science that is well-organized. It is evident that nursing has undergone numerous changes across centuries and continents. A study conducted on nursing will highlight the problems faced in the past, the solution to those problems and how nursing has evolved despite the various obstacles. Traditionally, when a mother took tender care of her sick young one, it was a sign of nursing. Along with these natural abilities that include mercy, love and kindness (humanitarianism), special training combined with suitable experience and self-sacrifice, a nursing profession has been created. Archaic Nursing. Many myths have been created, many tunes have been composed, and a handful of findings have been made about pre-historic human’s care for the sick. In the ancient African setting, it was believed that illness was as a result of evil spirits (Nutting and Dock 44). To get rid of the evil spirit, traditional medicines were administered, drums beaten and magic rites performed so as to frighten away the spirits. The treatment done to the body was aimed at getting rid of these evil spirits. Other forms of traditional treatment include massage, bone setting as well as hot and warm/hot births etc. In this case, the doctor or the nurse was the medicine man, the witch doctor or the priest physician. Nursing in Ancient Egypt. Egypt has been known to be one of the key contributors of ancient discoveries. Accord ing to Nutting and Dock (24), nursing is one of them, and its origin has been associated with the Egyptians who viewed medicine to have its origin in divinity. Egypt holds home to one of the oldest records of medicine dating way back to 1600 B.C. (Pavey 86). Numerous medical sources, illustration of diseases and their associated treatments, surgery and medicine used are found in Hieroglyphic writings on papyrus which are in the temples of pre-historic Egypt and from the Pyramids.

What has happened to careers To what extent can and should HRM be a Dissertation

What has happened to careers To what extent can and should HRM be a part of career management - Dissertation Example Since the world is changing at a rapid pace, the economic, cultural, political and technological changes have an immense impact upon the world of work. Moreover, due to uncertainties that accompany with them, these changes can have an adverse effect on the career and lives of the people.In the present competitive era, careers have become too challenging than they used to be. This means that an attempt has to be made to manage the careers. The term career can be defined as the sequence of the job related roles and positions, activities and experiences that are encountered by the person (Anderson & Et. Al., 2002). The major objective of the proposed study is related to the career management. The study will try to focus on the research questions which would look to address the existing scenario regarding careers along with to what extent HRM (Human Resource Management) can or should be a part of career management. Through this proposed research paper it is intended to identify the role of the HRM in career management. Various steps of career management process involve career exploration, development of the career goals and the use of various strategies in order to achieve the career goals. The question that now arises is whether the career management is related to the employee’s development and the performance. For this purpose the relationship that exists among the different aspects of the career management steps as well as the development behaviour of the employee need to be gauged. In this regards, the employees can provide information by considering their personal characteristics, career management strategies, the support of their managers for the career development and their willingness to participate in the development activities. On the other hand, the managers can appraise the performance of the employees and the development behaviour. In this regard, it can be identified that the managers support development. Distance from career goals brings about significant differences in the willingness of the employees to participate in the development activities along with development behaviour (Noe, 1996). It has been argued by the authors and the researchers that the career management programs in formal organisations are part of the firms’ overall human resource strategies. The career management programs are adopted by the organisation in a belief that the performance of the individuals will be enhanced and it will increase the employee’s commitment. If the career management systems are implemented without enough preparation of the organisation, then it might result to ineffective and misleading programs. If the organisation is involved in the individual’s career planning activities, then it might help to reduce the uncertainty that the employees face. It will also assist them in planning and help them in yielding positive results for the organisations (Portwood, 1987). With regards to the question about the exist ing scenario regarding careers, it can be denoted that there has been little changes in the world of work and the career of the people. Support for changing the focus upon the career stems from the psychologically grounded ideas about people as sculptors of their own careers. It also comes from the fact that the person themselves are the creator of the personal meaning in their lives (Arthur & Et. Al., 1999). The HRM systems of the organisation that would include the workforce planning and staffing procedures, career management and the training and development efforts have to be consistent with the strategic plans of the firms. If the objective of the company is to downsize and shed the business, then in that case the HRM system and the related career programs will be concerned

Dignity in Ivan and the Sound of Waves Essay Example for Free

Dignity in Ivan and the Sound of Waves Essay In the novels, One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn and The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima, the characters value their dignity and take many actions to preserve it. First of all, in One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich, Shukhov attempts to maintain his human dignity in the face of oppression. As Shukhov begins his daily routine, he â€Å"quickly finished up the job. There’s work and work If you’re working for human beings, then do a real job of it† (Solzhenitsyn 33). Shukhov is imprisoned in a gulag, one of the worst possible places to be, but he still maintains his human dignity by keeping a good work ethic. Shukhov knows that if he works well he will be treated well, but beyond that, the fact that he is working for another human being gives him reason to maintain a good work ethic, and his self-respect. Furthermore, Shukhov always preforms many small, but meaning full actions in order to maintain his dignity. While eating his rations, Shukhov â€Å"removed his cap from his shaven head—however cold it was, he wouldn’t let himself eat with his cap on† (16). Shukhov still maintains his manners, even when he is forcibly kept in a gulag prison. His manners are very important as they allow him a way to remain human and keep his dignity, rather than deteriorating to the state of an animal, like some of the other prisoners. While the characters in One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich, attempt to maintain their dignity as a means of refuge in the gulags, the characters of The Sound of Waves, retain their dignity as a means of protecting their status in society. To begin, the characters in the Sound of Waves do not tolerate any embarrassment or loss of respect to their peers. When Shinji’s mother visits Terukichi Miyata’s home he ignores her visit and she replies, â€Å"[s]o you say you won’t see a poor widow†¦Well let me tell you something†¦ never in life will I ever cross [Miyata’s] damned threshold again† (Mishima 128-129). Shinji’s mother vows never to cross paths with Miyata’s home after he insults her by refusing to meet with her. Shinji’s mother takes a hit to her pride and retaliates in a way that would imply her intolerance for disrespect. Moreover, the characters in the novel are virtuous and refrain from committing any acts that would call into question their morals and self-respect. While resting naked with Shinji in the shrine, Hatsue says, It’s bad. It’s bad! It’s bad for a girl to do that before she is married† (76-77). Although the urge to engage in a sexual relation with Shinji is strong, Hatsue knows it would hurt not only her self-respect but also defile her father’s reputation in the village. Although characters in both novels take actions to preserve their respective dignities, in One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich, It is done to maintain their humanity and sanity when they are treated like animals. While in The Sound of Waves, the characters preserve their dignity to uphold the respect of the village and their peers. Overall, the characters in both novels value their dignity and take many actions to uphold it.

Edward Lee Thorndike And His Behaviour Experiments

Edward Lee Thorndike And His Behaviour Experiments Prior to Edward Lee Thorndikes landmark experimental analysis of behaviour in 1898, the study of the psychology of learning lacked a clear, defined research methodology. Research findings were very much subjective, lacking the quantitative evidence that would give them scientific credence and avoiding impreciseness and ambiguities in their interpretation. People were asked to look inside their minds and describe what they were thinking. (Ormrod, 2008). This method was called introspection, which by its very nature, is devoid of objectiveness. Thus emerged Thorndikes groundbreaking puzzle box experiments with cats, dogs, and chicks, culminating in his doctoral dissertation on animal intelligence in 1898. Through his experiments, the study of learning took on a more objective approach, where the emphasis was on the observables rather than the non-observables. The basis of his experiments was that behaviour is an observable phenomenon and thus is measurable. It led to the birth of the behaviourist movement where research looked primarily at behaviour rather than cognition, given that mental processes (like insight or introspection) cannot be objectively measured with any level of reliability. 2. Thorndikes Experiments (Task (a) of Assignment) To circumvent the subjective nature of research then, Thorndike developed some experiments on the learning phenomenon whose results were beyond subjective interpretations. The idea behind them was to observe the behaviour of a hungry animal trapped in puzzle boxes in its attempt to escape. He conducted the experiments using three animals, viz. cats, dogs, and chicks. Food, functioning as the temptation factor (stimulus), was placed outside the box in full view of the animal. He started with a cat. For it to escape, the cat had to manipulate a device that would open the door in order to get at the food. There were altogether 15 of these boxes, each with different escape mechanisms, ranging from a wire loop, lever, and a treadle which had to be depressed for it to escape. The variety of mechanisms was (presumably) to observe any consistency in behavioural mode despite the variables presented by the escape devices. In its attempts to escape, Thorndike closely observed the cat initiating numerous, apparently random movements, seemingly driven by impulse rather than reasoning. Through the cats struggles, it would eventually trigger the release mechanism. This was achieved more by chance through trial and error rather than by any reasoned action of the cat. The cat was repeatedly put into the box. Thorndike observed that what was initially random and chaotic behaviour became relatively more orderly and efficient. In other words, he noticed gross changes in behaviour when the same set situation was repeated. In addition, he recorded the time it took for the cat to escape from its confinement. He then plotted a time-curve graph which enabled him to not only analyse the animals speed of learning, but also the rate of learning. Thorndike repeated the same puzzle box experiment with dogs and chicks, with minor practical adjustments to the procedure. Again, time-curves were plotted and compared to those exhibited by the cats. However, in some experiments, Thorndike varied the escape mode. Instead of the animal physically manipulating a release device, he would, for example, remove a chick from a box whenever it preened its feathers; or he would open the door when a cat licked or scratched itself. He observed that the chick started preening itself when it was re-placed into the box, indicating the animals instinctive desire to be let out of the box. Time curves were plotted and compared to the curves obtained by the escape device mode. There were also certain other variations in the way the experiments were conducted. One such variation was placing the same cat that was used in a particular box into another differently designed box. He then observed how the cat reacted to the changed environment. In another variation, Thorndike allowed the animal to observe another member of its species in its attempt to escape. He wanted to find out if animals could learn by imitation. 3. Summary of Main Findings (Task (a) of Assignment) 3.1 Overview The overarching finding of Thorndikes experiments was that there are responses (explicit behavioural changes) when there is a stimulus (food). In that sense, there is a stimulus-response (S-R) connection in how animals learn. How well the animals learnt is determined by the experience it gained from the same experiment conducted repeatedly. In effect, this perspective of learning (connectionism) emphasized the role of experience in the strengthening and weakening of the S-R connections. In general, it could be said that the essence of intellectual development depends on how strong this S-R connection is. The main findings from Thorndikes experiments in animal intelligence would form the basis for his formulation of theories related to learning. They led to further research into the more complex intellectual abilities of humans, eventually leading to the development of modern era comparative psychology. 3.2 Findings from the Experiments The main findings from Thorndikes puzzle box experiments can be summarized below: 3.2.1 Gross changes in behaviour When presented with a stimulus (S), the animal displayed an overt response (R), i.e. food (the stimulus) elicited a reaction in a hungry animal. In other words, Thorndike noted explicitly observable behavioural changes when an S-R setting is presented to the animal. The gross changes described by Thorndike manifested itself by the animals impulsive actions in what he described as trial-and-error learning in order to escape from the box. 3.2.2 Learning is gradual Time curves were plotted in all of Thorndikes experiments involving cats, dogs and chicks. The curves were a measurement of the time required for the animal to escape over repeated number of trials ranging from 24 to 117. The graphs allowed Thorndike to not only obtain the escape times, but also the rate of learning, which was represented by the slope of the curves. The time curves presented by all the animals showed remarkably similar patterns of behaviour. Analyses of the curves proved that learning took place gradually, i.e. in incremental steps rather than huge jumps. This was seen in the gradual reduction of escape times over the total number of trials. In one of the experiments, for instance, escape times for a cat varied from a high of 160 seconds to a low of 6 seconds over 24 trials, indicating that it had been steadily more efficient in its attempts to escape. Thorndike alluded to this when he described its initially random, chaotic demeanour gradually becoming more orderly and deliberate. It also proved that in some innate way, the animal had learnt from past experience. 3.2.3 Effective behaviour diminishes ineffective behaviour By analysing the time curves, Thorndike concluded that effective behaviour, i.e. actions that could lead to a satisfactory end, persisted. Conversely, ineffective behaviour diminished. In effect, there was a stamping in of some behaviours and a stamping out of others (Ormrod, 2008). This phenomenon was demonstrated in the way the animals became more efficiently adept in their escape attempts as proven by the quicker escape times. For example, in the experiment with a chick, the initial escape attempt was arbitrary and disorderly. But after many repetitions, the chick learnt to escape quickly with little of the initial chaos. As Chance (1999) puts it: Eventually the bird performed the act required for escape as soon as it was placed in the enclosure. In short, ineffective behaviour petered out. It could also be said that generally, other than through experiential learning, positive learning generates further positive learning. 3.2.4 Generalization of behaviour Thorndike also found that an animal that had learnt to escape via a particular means, e.g. by clawing, tended to employ the same means when placed in a different box with a different escape device. It could be inferred that animals generalize when first put in circumstances different than what they are familiar with, with their immediate prior experience influencing how they subsequently behave. It is only after they have adapted to the new environment that they adopt a new learning approach. 3.2.5 Discriminatory behaviour Another aspect of learning that Thorndike noted from his experiments was that an animal is capable of being discriminatory. This was evident, in one of his experiments, when (i) he made a statement to feed it and indeed fed it, and (ii) he made a statement to feed it, but he did NOT feed it. There far fewer errors in situation (i) than there were in (ii). This illustrated yet another perspective about the learning process that Thorndike delved into. 3.2.6 Learning by observation Thorndike asserted that animals, at least other than primates, do not learn by imitation, even after observing the successful behaviour of other members of their species. He effectively concluded that imitation could be discounted as an aspect of an animals successful behaviour. 4. Theories propounded by Thorndike (Task (b) of the Assignment) Thorndikes experiments on animal intelligence resulted in the formation of a body of theories related to the learning process and laid the scientific foundation for educational psychology. These learning theories were bound together by the theory of connectionism. The principal credo of Thorndikes connectionism is that learning is the result of associations forming between stimuli (S) and responses (R) (http://tip.psychology.org/thorn.html). Connectionism debunked the dominant view held by psychologists before Thorndike that animals learnt by the association of ideas, i.e. they could logically relate events and reason out solutions to a problem. Rather, through his experiments, Thorndike established that animals are equipped with action impulses. It was these impulses, responding to the stimulus (S), that activated the trial-and-error behaviour of the animals trapped in the puzzle boxes. Their eventual successful escape was the result of the gradual learning they experienced arising from actually performing the act. It derived from an innate understanding that the correct actions (affirmative response) produce the desired effect (getting to the food). In short, Thorndike believed that learning requires no ideas in the head of the animal; only the performance of the act itself was essential for a satisfactory consequence. The learning theories propounded by Thorndike, being subsets of connectionism, can be summarised as follows: 4.1 The Law of Effect Responses to a situation that are followed by satisfaction are strengthened; responses that are followed by discomfort are weakened (Ormrod, 2008). This theory basically emphasizes the role of responsive actions and their consequences. In the act of responding, the impulse that produced the successful act would be stamped in (strengthened), whilst all other non-successful impulses would be stamped out (weakened). Eventually the stamping in would become habitual responses to that same situation. In the puzzle box experiments, the S-R connection was established because the response resulted in a satisfying consequence (escape from box). This response was strengthened, as seen when the animal reduced its vain actions (e.g. clawing and scurrying aimlessly) in the repeated experiments, as shown by the much faster escape times. Applied to human learning, this law implies that positive stimuli breed correspondingly positive responses. In practical terms, in schools or any learning institution, students should be provided with an environment that is conducive to learning. Libraries, for example, in general provide this conduciveness. As Ormrod (2008) puts it: Students should experience academic tasks in contexts that elicit pleasant emotions rather than in contexts that elicit anxiety, disappointment, or anger. This statement is consistent with the premise of Thorndikes Law of Effect that satisfactory consequences strengthen the response. 4.2 The Law of Readiness A series of responses can be chained together to satisfy some goal which will result in annoyance if blocked. (http://tip.psychology.org/thorn.html) This theory arose in an experiment where a chick had to execute a sequence of actions to trigger a series of release devices for it to escape confinement. This sequence of acts is today known as a response chain. Extending the aspect of satisfying some goal to humans, it could be surmised that optimal learning takes place only when someone is ready to act; in so doing, the consequences are satisfying. On the other hand, forcing someone to act when he is not ready will be annoying. Forcing can be interpreted as interfering in someones goal-directed behaviour. Interference that leads to unwilling behaviour causes frustration. An analogy could be made of a child who is force-fed to eat vegetables. He may grow up to hate eating vegetables if it is forced upon him. However, if he himself is ready to eat them, the act will more likely lead to satisfaction. In the long run, vegetables are a must in his meals; not having them may lead to annoyance. On a broader perspective, the level of readiness could be linked to a major factor in the efficacy of learning, viz. motivation. At its basic level, motivation is some kind of internal drive which pushes someone to do things in order to achieve something. (Harmer, 2007). When a person is sufficiently motivated to learn, the aforesaid internal drive should ready him/her to learn. In the context of the classroom, a conducive learning environment (S) can also motivate (R) students (the S-R connection in the Law of Effect). Hence it can be said that the stimulus (S) breeds a response (R) (of readiness to learn); in turn the response (R) breeds another positive response (motivation). Here, there is a chain of positive responses in the learning process. 4.3 The Law of Exercise Stimulus-response associations are strengthened through repetition. (Wikipedia, 2009) There are two sub-laws arising from the theory:- a. The Law of Use: The S-R connections are strengthened as they are used. b. The Law of Disuse: The S-R connections are weakened as they are not used. In effect, this theory stresses the importance of repetition in the learning process. This was how the animals strengthened the S-R response progressively in Thorndikes experiments, resulting in the faster escape times evident in the time-curves. The exercise in the law refers to practice, as in the commonly-held adage Practice makes perfect. This is especially true, not only cognitively, but also in skills where psychomotor and kinaesthetic abilities are critical to the learning. For instance, the more successful golfers are more likely to be the ones who hone their skills through longer periods of repetitive drills, all other factors being equal. Motor mechanics achieve a higher level of competency through constant and repetitive work. The importance of repetitive practice in learning cannot be overemphasized. A student can achieve a greater mathematical proficiency through tireless repetitive practice. In language learning, repetition has always played a part to provoke the structuring and re-structuring of noticed language (Harmer, 2007). Hence teachers in language classrooms put their students through choral drilling for them to internalise not only grammatical structures, but also the sentence intonation. The three laws of learning above are interestingly linked to each other. Connections are strengthened because S-R pairings occur many times (Law of exercise) and then rewarded (Law of effect) as well as forming a single sequence of actions (Law of readiness). Re-stating the link in another way, it can be said that in learning, motivation (readiness) is driven by incentives (effect). Both motivation and incentives can drive the learner towards practice (exercise) until ultimate success is achieved. 5. Thorndikes perspective of animal learning (Task (c) of the Assignment) The MacMillan English Dictionary (2002) defines reasoning as: the process of thinking about something in an intelligent and sensible way in order to make a decision. The Concise Oxford English (2002) dictionary defines thinking as: using thought or rational judgement; intelligent. But are both these definitions applicable universally, i.e. applicable to humans and animals? In a general sense, it may appear so. After all a process of thinking, in whatever way, has to take place before an animal acts. But does an animal think by using rational judgement? On the premise that animals do not rationalise, it follows then that animals do not think, at least not in the way that we humans do. Barrow and Woods (2006) declared that rationality is inextricably tied up with the notion of thinking. So it begs the question: How do animals think? Given that thinking is needed for learning, how do animals learn? Thorndike, in his doctoral dissertation, asserted that animal learning has nothing to do with reasoning or the association of ideas. Rather, he declared that it (learning) occurs as a result of trial and accidental success. He concluded this based on his puzzle box experiments where success (of escape) was due to the animals trial-and-error actions rather than a reasoned, logical, i.e. thinking, approach to the problem. According to Thorndike, the outwardly random, chaotic behaviour of the animal was due to the activation of its innate action impulses responding to the stimulus. There was no evident association of ideas in the solution. In laymans terms, animals do not put two and two together (as humans do) in a rational, logical way when they act, i.e. there is no reasoning. If animals could reason, then learning should be abrupt, NOT gradual as proven in Thorndikes time curves. What Thorndike offered, on the other hand, was that instead of the association of ideas, animals learnt through the association of sensations. This perspective was diametrically opposed to the views subscribed by comparative psychologists before him. They had contended that animals had cognitive insight, they being able to establish ideas and employ reasoning in their actions. Thorndikes experiments effectively debunked that long held contention. He said that there was no solid evidence that animals grasped ideas or learned through reasoning (Chance, 1999). In summary, Thorndike put forth four arguments in support of his beliefs. These arguments were empirically backed by the main findings of his puzzle box experiments. Chance (1999) expressed them thus: (1) The behaviour of animals is impulsive and apparently random, not systematic and logical. As enunciated above (and in other sections), when presented with a stimulus, the response of a trapped animal is chaotic; it follows that there is no contemplation or thoughtfulness, therefore no insight. Impulse rather than thought drives its actions. (2) The change in an animals behaviour is gradual, not abrupt. This assertion was validated by the time curves. The curves established that animals learn in incremental steps, not in sudden surges. This implies that there is an absence of reasoning (Chance, 1999). (3) The animals show no sign of understanding between action and consequence even after they have learnt to escape from the box. This arose from an experiment when a cat, which had escaped by pulling a loop, would repeat the same action, even when the loop was absent in the repeated trials. It shows that the cats response had been strengthened due to earlier successes (The Law of effect). It again confirms Thorndikes view that animal learning does not involve reasoning. (4) Animals learnt only if they performed the necessary act themselves. As described in 3.2.6 Learning by observation, animals do not learn by observing and imitating models. Neither would they learn if they are prompted to perform the act, as Thorndike discovered when he repeatedly assisted the cat to pull the release device. When left on its own, the cat could not associate the loop as a means of escape. This indicates that, unless the animal acted on its own volition, learning would not take place (the Law of readiness). It stands that animals cannot reason their way through a problem. 6. Conclusion It has been over 100 years now since Thorndikes pioneering work in the study and psychology of learning, resulting in a learning perspective referred to as connectionism, emphasizing on behaviour as opposed to cognition. It laid the foundation for latter day psychologists to conduct a more objective, scientific research into the process of human and animal learning. Thorndikes puzzle box experiments primarily focussed on the S-R relationship that provided the catalytic impetus to learning. It led to the development of Thorndikes theories, which expounds how learning takes place. Through his experiments, Thorndike also disproved the views held by other psychologists that animals possess insight in their learning process. All in all, Thorndikes research provided a fresh perspective of the learning process which led to further research by others. In a way, this scenario is an instance of the S-R environment. (End)

Teaching - A Rewarding Profession :: Education Admissions Essays

Teaching - A Rewarding Profession Being the first to attend college in my family, it was hard to decide what field I wanted to go into. There were so many choices. In making such a large lifelong decision, I decided to follow my heart. I thought back to when I was in high school at Narrows. I had a wonderful experience there. I also had some great, inspiring teachers. One teacher sticks out clearly to me. It was my AP Biology class my senior year. The teacher expected so much. He came into the room energetic. Full of life. Determined. And only being a student, I could tell this. He strived to teach to all the different learning styles in the classroom. No one was allowed to "slide" by. He used repetition and hands-on assignments as methods to relate the subject matter he taught. He had all the components that every great teacher should have; empathy, caring, drive, determination, motivation, creativeness, patience, reflection, originality, enthusiasm.... This superb individual is the reason I want to teach. I want to make a difference in children's lives like he made in mine. I want to encourage and push students beyond their expectations to meet mine. I am a firm believer that setting higher expectations as a teacher increases achievement in the classroom. I believe teaching is one profession where several professions are combined. meaning, I will not only be a teacher but, also, a role model, counselor, parent, nurse, care provider, official, and several other 'professions' in one days' work. I believe each child regardless of race, culture, gender, etc has the potential to an everlasting, promising educational future. As a teacher, I will have to provide whatever means necessary to fulfill my duties as an effective teacher. I hope at the end of each school year the students will have rewarding endeavors as a result of my teaching. In my classroom, I hope to take an authoritarian approach to classroom management. I believe an organized, well managed environment allows for productivity and knowledge intake. I represent several different philosophical approaches in maintaining and teaching my classroom. I would be a progressivist because it encourages others to cooperate and understand different opinions from fellow classmates.

Four Conditions for Knowledge Essay -- Essays Papers

Four Conditions for Knowledge I. In this paper, I offer a solution to the Gettier problem by adding a fourth condition to the justified true belief analysis of knowledge. First though, a brief review. Traditionally, knowledge had been accounted for with the justified true belief analysis. To know something, three conditions had to be met: first, you had to have a belief; second, the belief had to be justified; third, this justified belief had to be true. So a justified true belief counts as knowledge. Gettier however showed this analysis to be inadequate as one can have a justified true belief that no one would want to count as knowledge. In the first Gettier counterexample, Smith is justified in believing that Jones is the man who will get the job. Smith’s also justified in believing that Jones has ten coins in his pocket. From that he infers and has a justified belief that the man who will get the job has ten coins in his pocket. It turns out that the man who gets the job is not Jones but Smith, and Smith does in fact have ten coins in his pocket. Smith has a justified true belief that the man who will get the job has ten coins in his pocket. However, this shouldn’t count as knowledge. In the second Gettier counterexample, Smith is justified in believing Jones owns a Ford. Therefore, he’s justified in believing Jones owns a Ford or Brown is in Barcelona. Turns out, Jones doesn’t own a Ford but Brown is in fact in Barcelona. Once again, we have an example of a justified true belief that shouldn’t count as knowledge. ... ...eliefs: (a) I’m in a community of barn facades. (b) That looks like a barn (q), his belief that he sees a barn, isn’t justified, though. Therefore, Dom cannot know (q). The internalism of my account is obvious. What’s required for justification of (q) is different for Henry and Dom because of each’s belief about the kind of environment he is in. It is the belief about the environment and not the environment that matters. In other words, two people could be in the exact same circumstances but what required for justification would be different because of the beliefs they have. Causal accounts of knowledge can’t account for why Henry is justified for (q), but Dom is not. My account is not a causal account; as is shown in the Dom variation above, my account has no problem accounting for the different justifications required for Dom and for Henry.

An Analysis of Jack Londons To Build a Fire :: London To Build a Fire Essays

An Analysis of Jack London's To Build a Fire In her cultural criticism of Jack London's "To Build a Fire", Jill Widdicombe explores the question of whether the story's protagonist might have perished from the extreme cold of the Klondike winter even if with a traveling companion. She describes the brutality of the winter weather and, alluding to the man's confidence in his ability to survive the weather, describes it as "behavior most of us can understand" - especially if we are accustomed to warmer surroundings. She states: "the extreme cold of frosty landscapes--or "The White Silence", as London describes it--is so quiet and abstract that it does not immediately appear to be lethal". As the plot unfolds, I feel the story's protagonist falls victim to several factors brought into play at once: his inexperience with the severity of the Klondike winters, his inability to envision the possible consequences of his decision to travel alone in such weather, a series of unfortunate events during his trip, and the misjudgment exercised in his attempts to survive those incidents. Though quick and alert, the man's lack of imagination renders him unable to visualize what might happen to a man traveling without a companion should adverse circumstances arise in such severe weather in an uninhabited landscape. When he indeed finds himself in dire straits as a result of getting wet in the brutal freezing weather, he once again fails to imagine how quickly the cold will threaten his life and consequently misjudges the severity of his situation. His poor judgment causes him to make one mistake after another until he finds himself incapable of extricating himself from his situation . It seems obvious that had he made himself more familiar with the culture of the land and paid attention to the warnings of the old-timer on Sulpher Creek, he might have chosen to delay his trip and live to travel another day. Had he understood the importance of fostering a relationship with the dog, a native Husky with inbred instincts regarding the native climate, the dog would have interacted differently with him, maybe warning him of the danger of the weather through its actions or perhaps providing help, either by sharing its body heat or by going for help. However, instead he held little regard for the dog and the dog reciprocated: "there was no keen intimacy between the dog and the man.

Texting Phenomena

Interpersonal communication is vital to humans and is used in everyday situations. â€Å"Interpersonal communication refers to face-to-face communication between people† (35), according to West and Turner (2007), authors of Introducing Communication Theories. West and Turner explain that exploring how relationships form, the upholding and continuation of these relationships, and the end of relationships, are the main characteristics of interpersonal context.Interpersonal communication began as face-to-face communication between two people, but as technology advanced, it expanded to include new communicative technologies such as telephone calls, email, instant messaging, chats, social media networks, and text messaging. Text messaging through cells phones, also known as texting or SMS (Short Message Service), is a form of interpersonal communication that can be represented through the Linear Model of Communication: A message is sent from a source to a receiver through a channel , which may be interrupted by some form of noise.Texts are person-to-person messages received from and sent to known individuals. Text messaging provides a one-to-one, personalized, and individuating social medium (Reid and Reid, 2007). The phenomena of text messaging, has researchers and scholars questioning whether this new communication technology adds or takes away from interpersonal communication and people’s learned communication skills. Review of Literature Texting as a New Phenomenon of Communication Everyday social arrangements and interpersonal contact are now routinely affected by mobile technology (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010).As opposed to 15 years ago, today’s youth have a greater variety of options to choose from when communicating with their peers. â€Å"Communication, via cell phone and the internet, are now widely available and very popular with the young† (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010, 197). The global cell phone market now stands at approximately 1. 8 billion subscribers, and is estimated to reach 3 billion by the end of 2010, by which time nearly half of all human beings on the planet are expected to own and use a cell phone (Reid and Reid, 2007).A recent survey of 2,000 teenagers in the United States revealed that 80% of teens, or approximately 17 million young people, have a cell phone. 96% of those teens use the texting function, and of that 96%, 1 out of 10 teens say that they text for 45 minutes a day (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010). Over 900 billion messages were sent in 2005, with expectations that this will rise to more than two trillion messages in 2010 (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). Text messaging has become a common means of keeping in constant touch with peers, especially among young people all over the world.The phenomenon of texting is continuing to increase, raising substantial awareness of the â€Å"new† texting language. Researchers are proposing to treat electro nic communication as a distinct mode of intermediate communication, in between the oral and the written medium (Fandrych, 2007). According to Ingrid Fandrych (2007), author of Electronic Communication and Technical Terminology, â€Å"Online conversation takes place on the written level, while using specific stylistic conventions which are very similar to oral communication, especially abbreviations of frequently used phrases and emoticons to replace facial expressions† (148).Fandrych (2007) claims that acronyms, blends, and clippings are responsible for the characteristic style of Internet English, and that offline usage is increasingly influenced by Internet usage (148). Some new and creative word formations have even found their way into everyday usage including the acronyms â€Å"btw† (by the way) and â€Å"ttyl† (talk to you later), as well as the blending of certain words like â€Å"all right† into â€Å"alright. † Fandrych (2007) predicts som e changes in general (â€Å"off-line†) English due to texting language as well (151).People â€Å"talk† via text messages: using the keyboard, they make use of abbreviations, they omit non-content words, and they do not capitalize. Fandrych (2007) explains that: Electronic interlocutors replace contextual cues which would have been present in face-to-face communication with abbreviations and emoticons, which are, of course, consciously employed and sometimes intended to entertain, a feature which internet English shares with other jargons and in-group registers (151).Electronic communication, as a medium, shares characteristics with the written language and the oral language. Letters and symbols are used through typing which are displayed on a screen, but at the same time, it is very informal and conversational which replaces the linguistic context with special cues that do not exist in the traditional written mode (Fandrych, 2007, 151). Text language is neither identi cal to speech nor writing, but adaptively features characteristics of both.Fandrych (2007) titles this electronic communication language as â€Å"Netspeak,† and categorizes it as a fourth medium alongside written, spoken, and sign language (152). Communication through text is informal and characterized by new elements. Fandrych (2007) concludes that the electronic medium can be considered to constitute a separate level, between the spoken and the written modes and overlapping, to some extent, with both of them (152).The new texting phenomenon not only creates a new form of language between oral and written mediums, but it also develops a globalized texting standard. English language texts produced by bilingual speakers share many of the features which have been reported for English SMS communication internationally, and provide evidence for what one might call a global English SMS standard (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). English messages are strongly represented in all communi cative functions of text messaging by bilingual individuals.Deumert and Masinyana (2008), co-authors of, The use of English and isiXhosa in text messages (SMS), study how English is combined with isiXhosa, one of the official languages of South Africa, in text messages between native South Africans. Deumert and Masinyana state that â€Å"The historical and continuing dominance of English on the world-wide-web has supported the popular belief that the language of electronic communication in general is English, and in some cases, English can replace a user’s first language in this medium† (123).In studies focusing on bilingual texting, most messages were written in English combined with the local language. Researchers concluded that there is the existence of a global English SMS norm because of brevity and speed, paralinguistic restrictions with the medium and local language, and the restriction of texting characters (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). The phenomenon of texti ng has transformed individual’s lives by creating the possibility of being in constant communication at all times, as well as creating a tendency towards cross-cultural homogeny.Texting as a Negative Form of Communication Although texting provides the opportunity for constant and immediate contact with others, it tends to have a displacing effect on face-to-face communication. Similar to face-to-face communication, texting allows for conversational turn-taking, but excludes intonations, emotions, and the ability to send long messages. Llana Gershon (2008), author of, Email my Heart: Remediation and Romantic Break-Ups, performed a study looking at how Americans are experiencing and using new technologies to end relationships.Gershon (2008) discusses, through the use of American college student’s break-up narratives, the ways in which certain social media create new possibilities for disconnecting with others (15). Although a break-up may be happening, an individual has the opportunity through text messaging to hold separate or multiple conversations simultaneously with the break-up. This takes away from the personal aspect of intimate relationships and tends to enforce the displacement of face-to-face communication.Teens especially use instant messaging and texting in particular as substitutes for face-to-face communication with people from their physical lives, therefore, feeling less psychologically close to their instant messaging and texting partners (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). This may also damage the emotional quality of a relationship. Online interactions lack important features of face-to-face communication, such as gestures, eye contact, and body language, making them less rich than offline interactions (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008).Although texting is still communication, social anxiety and anti-social behaviors can be an effect of the lack face-to-face communication with teens today. â€Å"Reports in the press and survey s from parents find points of view that range from exuberant, discussing how socially-interactive technologies can save youth from social isolation and depression, to alarming, focusing on how constant use of these technologies fosters anti-social behavior† (Bryant, Sanders-Jackson, and Smallwood, 2006, 557).The reality is that texting and other forms of social technology lie between these two extremes. A recent survey revealed that cell phone owners declaring a generalized preference for texting on their cell phones were both lonelier and more anxious than those who preferred talking (Reid and Reid, 2007). People who have social anxiety will not come to terms with their fears without experiencing face-to-face communication and, as an effect, use texting as a divergent, to kill time or avoid some other activity.Texting allows users to disengage from the demands of immediate interactive involvement, releasing time and attentional resources to compose and edit messages (Reid and Reid, 2007). Although texting may be an outlet and a preferred mode of communication for people with anxiety problems, it also may give others a false sense of the persons’ real personality. Along with peers, there is a growing concern that adolescents’ extensive use of electronic communication to interact with their peers may impair their relations with their parents, siblings, and other family members (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008).Subrahmanyam and Greenfield (2008) show how peer relationships are being enhanced at the expense of family relationships in an example role of technology in modern family life: When the working spouse, usually the father, came through the door at the end of the day, the other spouse and children were often so absorbed in what they were doing that they greeted him only about one-third of the time, usually with an obligatory â€Å"hi. † About half the time, children ignored him and continued multitasking and monitoring their var ious electronic gadgets (135).Parents are having a much harder time breaking into their children’s world because of the distance and privacy established through text messaging. Teens are using cell phones to institute generational boundaries, such as screening calls from parents into voicemail, as well as undermining family rituals, such as mealtimes and vacations (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). Cell phones give adolescents the power to control the people with whom they talk and have more room into which they can share thoughts freely and privately from their family members.The landmarks of the electronic transformation stage include greater teen autonomy, the decline of face-to-face communication, enhancement of peer group relations at the possible expense of family relations, and greater teen choice (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). According to Raymond Williams (1997), author of Mobile Privatization, new technologies only serve to further aggravate the modern human condition of â€Å"mobile privatized social relations† (129). This seems to be a concern that is provoked further by new mobile communication technologies with people talking of â€Å"detached presence† (Lin and Tong, 2007). Adolescent’s constant use of mobile communication can be seen as a symptom of a general loss of human connectivity in the modern condition† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 305). Texting as a Positive Form of Communication Although many studies have shown the negative effects of text messaging, other research has shown that this new form of communication has positive aspects as well. Text messaging is a form of communication that has many uses: coordinating plans, multi-tasking, friendship maintenance, information, and romantic relationships. Text messages are convenient, immediate, less disturbing, and have no constraints.Since there are so many communicative functions, text messaging has become a common means of keeping in constant touch, espec ially among young people in many parts of the world today (Lin and Tong, 2007). Today’s youth use text messaging especially to keep in touch and maintain either close or distant relationships. Recent research studies have explored how text messaging can offer a sense of intimacy between friends as well as between strangers. This is especially appealing to youth because they can be bonded to all of their social networks through one device. The virtual presence (or ‘absent presence’) of ‘persons elsewhere’ through mobile communication facilitates networking, deeper relationships, or simply increased contact. People who are physically far away can be brought into immediate cyber presence† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 305). Mobile texting allows people to be in constant social contact, which therefore gives them a sense of co-presence at all times. Lin and Tong (2007) explain that text messaging has created new kinds of modalities for co-presence and commu nication, which contributes to a sense of virtual intimacy (305).Text messages, rather than standard telephone calls, allow for total individual communication; there is no chance of anyone overhearing the conversation and thus supports a sense of security and privacy. It is appealing because the text is expected to reach a specific person directly, no matter where they are or the time of day. This form of communication is very popular between adolescents and their peers because they feel as if they can communicate privately, not under the supervision of their parents.Teens travel between their homes, school and nearby places that are all under a high degree of regulation by adults. â€Å"Mobile text messaging has thus fulfilled an important function which provides a sense of co-presence for young people who lack the means to share some private physical space free from adults’ surveillance† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 306). Because this form of communication is relatively free from adult supervision, teens often use texting to maintain romantic relationships as well as friendships.A study found that texting is used to negotiate â€Å"gender relations,† especially among couples (Lin and Tong, 2007). For instance, after a fight, couples may not want to directly speak to each other or hear one’s voice, but texting avoids the embarrassment of making romantic advances or even when saying ‘no’ to these advances. The informants of the study also expressed the fact that some messages are highly private and very meaningful, which can be saved and stored in the mobile device.Since the conversation remains private, even in public location ns, individuals tend to reveal more about their emotional selves through texts. Thus, youth text messaging end on an optimistic note about the positive uses of SMS by young people for gaining freedom from surveillance by adults and for negotiating subtle gender relations (Lin and Tong, 2007). Relationshi ps can actually be strengthened through text messaging because of its convenience, intimacy, and privacy among users. Another strength of text messaging is that it allows people to keep in touch with friends who are separated by physical boundaries.Although other forms of communication such as telephone, email, and written letters allow people separated by distance to keep in touch as well, texting allows both sender and receiver to keep in contact at both of their conveniences. The message is sent and received immediately regardless if the other person is â€Å"online. † It allows for multi-tasking while holding other conversations or tasks, and also is less disturbing, by far, than other forms of communication such as phone calls or face-to-face communication.While people may interact frequently in person with people who are in their lives every day, it may not be possible to meet other friends, family, or acquaintances face-to-face on a regular basis. To fill in-person com munication gaps, people used text messaging to stay connected and make plans to meet when convenient (Quan-Haase, 2007). Text messaging is a more suitable fit to maintaining distance relationships as opposed to other forms of communication.Aside from convenience, some people actually prefer text messaging because it gives them a chance to think about what they want to say, which is not always possible during face-to-face communication. â€Å"Text messaging gives people time to think about the wording of their messages, allowing them to be more informal and candid, even with close friends† (Reid and Reid, 2007, 425). Some people, due to SMS and other forms of text based communication, even develop an entirely separate, â€Å"brave SMS self,† which contrasts with their more reserved real-life personality (Reid and Reid, 2007).Text messaging can be used as an outlet to help expand communication and closeness with peers. For instance, in an essay that discusses the relatio nship between texting and social anxiety, Donna Reid and Fraser Reid (2007) write: By delaying or eliminating the audience reactions that normally accompany real-time spoken interaction, SMS may offer anxious individuals a way of making social contact without fear of immediate disapproval or rejection, allowing attention to be refocused away from the observer’s perspective and towards the composition of messages that more effectively achieve self-presentational goals (425).Interactive media, such as texting, allow people to individuate themselves, communicate with peers, and accomplish stages of intimate contact that they could not achieve in other interactional settings. Research Questions Texting helps maintain social relationships in modern society, and affords resources to achieve a sense of co-presence and intimacy with both existing friends and new acquaintances, while avoiding having to deal with face-to-face interaction or the intrusive disturbance of a phone call (Li n and Tong, 2007).Although texting may be a convenient source of communication that is direct, individualized, and private, it also may be taking away from the importance of face-to-face, interpersonal communication. If people are relying on a text based communication exchange, they are not experiencing or learning interactional conversations involving tonal inflection, reactions, and especially body language. Nonverbal communication is a big part of interpersonal communication because it shows the reaction of the individual after receiving the message, therefore giving the sender a form of feedback that strengthens the communication process.As technology continues to advance, there is rising concern that social, interactional, and communication skills of today’s youth and future generations will consequently decline. As a result, this study will address the following questions: RQ1: Is texting taking away from or adding to interpersonal communication and individual’s learned communication skills? RQ2: Will texting affect how children and adolescents communicate with one another? RQ3: Do people rely on texting to fulfill their emotional, psychological, and other forms of needs as opposed to other types of communicative technology or face-to-face communication?

High Employee Turnover Among Travel Agencies in Malaysia Essay

1.0 Introduction The tourism industry in Malaysia has grown immensely due to its potential and unique competitive edge. The sector has increased its importance within the Malaysian economy, since the 1990’s according to Bashir, M. and Ahmad, N., et al. (2008). It carries on to be a leading foreign exchange achiever, continually acting as a crucial contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, business and employment opportunity, investments, and empowering the balance of payments account. Within the last decade, the tourism industry has made rapid progression and this progression is reflected in the increase of tourist arrivals and receipts. Tourist arrivals have increased significantly by almost 59% from 10.22 million in 2000 to 25.03 million in 2012 (Corporate.tourism.gov.my, n.d.). Tourism receipts in Malaysia contributed 56% of the total services receipts average between 2008 and 2012, generating a surplus in the country’s balance of payments accounts (Cor porate.tourism.gov.my, n.d.). The tourism sector has become the second-largest contributor towards economic growth of currency exchange (Table 1). Table 1. Tourist Arrivals & Receipts to Malaysia Source: (Tourism Malaysia, 2013) In a recent study, Mazumder et al. (2011) concluded that tourism not only impacts service sectors but contributes substantially to all sectors of the Malaysian economy. The economic after-effect of tourism exists extensively within the expansion of the globalization process; this in turn increases the industry’s development worldwide. Furthermore, it not only generates a ripple effect but boosts the intersectoral links within the economy, through these links; international tourism consumption will impact nearly all sectors of the economy. Therefore, looking at how important this industry is for the economy, this report aims to find methods to retain employees in various sectors of the travel sector with the main focus towards travel agencies. 1.1 Issue The main issue being assessed in this report is focused on high staff turnover. However the main component of this research is strongly related to â€Å"turnover intent†, rather than turnover itself. 1.2 Study Aim In today’s competitive world, the travel industry has proved to become one of the most unique tools used for economic progression. Along with that, it has also helped improve social incorporation and multinational interpretation and understanding of diverse cultures. This allows travel agencies to expand target markets. Moreover, also in this unstable business environment, travel agencies that wish to succeed need to be accepting of change. They need to be able to not only meet but also surpass the threats and opportunities presented to them by their competitors. Numerous researches have been carried out to study the relation between turnover intent and job satisfaction. However, little interest is given to travel agencies, although they make up an important part of the tourism industry. When turnover intent occurs among service occupations such as those of the travel industry, there is not only a negative impact on the management and firms but also on the servic e and products quality, hence this may show a negative result in customer satisfaction. This research discusses how travel agencies need to focus on employee management and retention. The main issue being assessed is focused on high staff turnover intent among employees in travel agencies. 1.3 Research Objectives 1) The factors that influence turnover intent among newcomers in travel agencies. 2) To provide recommendation that could prevent or at least reduce this issue. 1.4 Purpose of study According to Kennedy and Berger (1994), turnover rate is generally at its highest among those employees who are newcomers in the company, and occurs within the duration of the first four weeks on the job. Therefore, the first objective is to identify factors that influence turnover intent among newcomers in travel agencies. However, every problem also normally has a solution or at least if there is no specific solution, there are various methods that can be applied to ‘control’ the problem. Hence, understanding the methods that can either solve or control turnover intent is the second objective of this research. 2.0 Literature Review Employee turnover is deliberated as an obstacle to attaining high levels of productivity and efficacy in business jobs or operations (Deery & Shaw, 1997), especially in the travel industry, where the relationship among employees and customers is crucial. A high employee turnover rate is a major factor that reflects a decrease in customer satisfaction; this in turn impacts a loss in repeat customers and reputation of being a good business. Prior researches state that the more work experience an individual has, the less likely they are to leave (Boles et al., 1995). It was also said that hiring individuals who have experience within the travel industry could reduce turnover intent among travel agencies. 2.1 Defining job turnover intent Turnover can be defined as the decision to withdraw from current jobs by taking part in a series of psychological steps (Mobley, 1977): ââ€" ¡ Evaluation of job ââ€" ¡ Experienced job dissatisfaction ââ€" ¡ Thinking of quitting ââ€" ¡ Evaluation of expected utility search and cost of quitting ââ€" ¡ Interaction to search for alternatives ââ€" ¡ Search for alternatives ââ€" ¡ Evaluation of alternatives ââ€" ¡ Comparison of alternatives vs. present job ââ€" ¡ Intention to quit/stay ââ€" ¡ Quit/Stay 2.2 Factors influencing job turnover intent There are a number of factors that have been associated with turnover intent in studies that have been conducted in the past. However, most researches have mainly focused on personal differences, age, education, knowledge, income, gender, and job level to name a few determinants that have been identified to influence job satisfaction (Fournet et al., 1996). Researchers believe that age, tenure, job level, and income are associated with job satisfaction (Herzberg et al., 1957). Mei-Chih et al. (2007) showed there is a relationship between job satisfaction and age. According to De Vaney and Chen (2003) age has an effect on job satisfaction. Results from several studies indicate that there is a relationship between sex and job satisfaction (Bilgic, 1998; Lumpkin & Tudor, 1990; Goh & Koh, 1991 and Oshagbemi, 2000). Some studies conducted by Lumkin & Tudor (1990) and Stedham & Yamamura (2003) showed that female managers are given less pay and ar e hence, surely less satisfied with their compensation, promotions, and overall work satisfaction. Studies established that job occupancy has been determined as a factor related to job satisfaction (Herzberg et al, 1957; Lee & Wilbur, 1985; Schuh, 1967). Sokoya (2000) instituted that there is a major difference between job occupancy and job satisfaction. Raymond and Elizabeth (1985) demonstrated that job occupancy has impact on job satisfaction. Cotton & Tuttle (1986) focused their theory on the supplements of turnover and then into their factors: (1) external correlates; (2) structural or work-related factors; (3) personal characteristics of employees. In a different, more recent study conducted by Griffith et al. (2000), gave a more comprehensive explanation about antecedents of turnover. These antecedents were classified into four groups, these include: 1) Demographic predictors 2) Job satisfaction, organization factors, work environment factors 3) Job content, external environment factors 4) Other behavioral predictors 3.0 Methodology The research conducted for this study is qualitative, using the probability method for selection of candidates. The primary method was interviews conducted focusing on focusing on the factors that influence ‘turnover intent’ among employees. Whereas, the interviews helped grasp knowledge as to why employers/managers think ‘turnover intent’ occurs and what sort of precautionary measures can be implemented to control or better reduce turnover intent. Then secondary information was gathered on previous studies regarding the same issue i.e. turnover intent among employees in travel agencies. This information was found through books, journals, and reliable websites. 3.1 Interviews Technique The survey was conducted amongst employees of five different travel agencies. The employees were selected at random to avoid any biasness. The interviews on the other hand, were conducted amongst people at the top of the food-chain in the tourism and travel industry in Malaysia. Interviewees were selected at random to gain perspective from various individuals regarding the same issue. 3.3 SIZE OF SAMPLE As mentioned previously, the survey was conducted among employees from five different travel agencies in Malaysia. Within each of these travel agencies, 7 employees from any department were selected to fill out the survey at random. The total number of survey samples analysed were 30, although the total number of survey forms distributed personally were 35. The reason was that every respondent may not fill in the form completely and correctly and therefore, out of 35 survey’s 30 properly filled out surveys were carefully examined to ensure validity of results. The survey was also made available online on surveymonkey.com to gather results in a convenient and fast method. This information gave insight for the thoughts of employees from different regions and states in Malaysia. The interviews were conducted with five individuals who are managers or CEO’s at the five travel agencies from where the employees were surveyed. 3.4 SAMPLING PROCEDURE There are different methods of distributing the surveys; by post, e-mail, or personally. For this particular research the surveys were distributed personally and also conducted online to receive results from travel agencies that are out of reach. Also a higher number of responses increased the accuracy of results. 4.0 Findings and Discussion 5.0 Recommendations So many questions arise as to what factors cause turnover intentions among employees in travel agencies, one of the questions is: Could the problem possibly root from the tourism education and training itself? Since, the operations of travel agencies are not very precise and adequate (i.e. there is no exact procedure to be followed in jobs of those working in travel agencies), it may be possible that students who graduate with a diploma/degree in tourism related studies are not well-prepared to deal with globalization and the effects it has on the tourism industry. Therefore, training and development has an important impact on the development of skilled professionals prepared for the business operations taking part in travel agencies on a daily basis.