Free Essays on Stereotypes

From the articles I have read, they make it seem like the only good basketball players are black basketball player. But that’s not true because what about the basketball players from other countries like Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Toni Kukoc, and that is just to name a few. But you never hear about the stereo types of these people. You think it was easy for them. No, I don’t know too much about the other ones, but I know it wasn’t no cake walk for Yao Ming. I know he had to fight the whole country to get where he’s at but you never hear about these people or what about Larry Bird he came from a small country town, but you never here about there people. All you hear about is the negative image of black people and sports. But how can you have these stereo types to black people because of a few bad seeds? I think that’s wrong; for example, how in the book the last shot; the author say the basketball player fail to achieve humble scores on sat’s or that one of the player became homeless because he chose to play basketball or one man, tried to committee suicide because he could not play basketball any more. I think it’s wrong to exploit people like this. How do you know it wasn’t money problem or family problems? It’s very hard to get a good job no matter where you get your education from. Don’t get me wrong, yes some of what is written is true, and some isn’t true. Some black people use basketball as a way out of the ghetto, but the other half turns to basketball because that’s all they know. Those who use basketball to get out of the ghetto are the ones who make it; they see basketball as a light. Because being raised around crime all your life, you have to find some way to forget all the bad things that’s happening around you. It’s not all about having fun. Think about it basketball has it’s own way of bring black people together for one common goal to rout for his or her team when they could be on the corner... Free Essays on Stereotypes Free Essays on Stereotypes What are stereotypes? The working definition: A stereotype is a positive or negative set of beliefs held by an individual about the characteristics of a group of people. It varies in its accuracy, the extent to which it captures the degree to which the stereotyped group members possess these traits, and the extent to which the set of beliefs is shared by others. Stereotypes include or are formed by the suspicions, or expectancies we have about others, and these in turn shape what we perceive and influence our behavior toward a person. Jussim, McCauley and Lee (1995) propose that stereotypes may be conceived along two independent dimensions; accuracy (accurate vs. inaccurate) and valence (positive vs. negative). They suggest that negative stereotypes can be accurate (blacks are poorer than whites), positive stereotypes can be inaccurate (beautiful people are not better) and they can be accurate (people who make more money do tend to have higher IQs). Also, Jussim, McCauley, and Lee (1995) list the many problems stereotyping can cause in social perception and judgment : - Stereotypes are factually incorrect. - Stereotypes are illogical in origin. - Stereotypes are based on prejudice. - Those who hold stereotypes are irrationally resistant to new information. - Stereotypes exaggerate group differences. - Stereotypes are ethnocentric. - Stereotypes imply genetic origins of group differences. - Stereotypes underestimate out-group variability. - Stereotypes lead people to ignore individual differences. - Stereotypes lead to biased perceptions of individuals. - Stereotypes create self-fulfilling prophecies. Stereotypes as Individual or Consensus Beliefs – Ashmore and Del Boca (1981) describe three approaches to studying and understanding stereotypes: Cognitive approach – Stereotype simply viewed as a cognitive representation of social information about people and groups of people. Psych... Free Essays on Stereotypes Stereotypes Discrimination is seen in our minds as images that show a specific feature or trait about one group. These are prejudgments or stereotypes W.T. Lhamon Jr say that: "People simplify the intellectual images they maintain of specific ethnic groups, including their own, often in cruel or damaging ways. Poor white Southerners ("Crackers") are said to be slow, red-necked, and fat. Immigrant Italians ("Wops") are said to be short, oily, and hot-tempered. Upper-class whites ("WASPs") are said to be greedy, emotionally cold, and haughty. Negroes ("Niggers") are said to be stupid, promiscuous, and happy. These generalizations are not accurate, but they are spread widely - not only by word of mouth but also through images in television, movies, newspapers, music, comic books, talk shows, pseudo-scientific research, and even textbooks," (Lhamon Jr. 1) There are many reasons why individuals become prejudice. This could be how that individual was raised or something that they have seen or experienced during their lifetime. These stereotypes are based on what others tell us coming from families, teachers, friends, and the media. Prejudice is something that we experience in our everyday life through stereotypes. These stereotypes seem harmless but eventually lead to discrimination. Unfortunately, people feel stereotypes in the workplace, at school, and in our everyday society. These prejudices come about in many ways, one of which is through family life. The parents have their own beliefs and consequently the children eventually feel the same way because they do not know differently. In Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"Everything That Rises Must Converge,† you see how because Julian’s mother had grown up in a society that thought they were better then blacks and she thought that she was better then blacks (247). The parent’s influence is one of the largest components that lead to prejudice in our society. This infl... Free Essays on Stereotypes From the articles I have read, they make it seem like the only good basketball players are black basketball player. But that’s not true because what about the basketball players from other countries like Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Toni Kukoc, and that is just to name a few. But you never hear about the stereo types of these people. You think it was easy for them. No, I don’t know too much about the other ones, but I know it wasn’t no cake walk for Yao Ming. I know he had to fight the whole country to get where he’s at but you never hear about these people or what about Larry Bird he came from a small country town, but you never here about there people. All you hear about is the negative image of black people and sports. But how can you have these stereo types to black people because of a few bad seeds? I think that’s wrong; for example, how in the book the last shot; the author say the basketball player fail to achieve humble scores on sat’s or that one of the player became homeless because he chose to play basketball or one man, tried to committee suicide because he could not play basketball any more. I think it’s wrong to exploit people like this. How do you know it wasn’t money problem or family problems? It’s very hard to get a good job no matter where you get your education from. Don’t get me wrong, yes some of what is written is true, and some isn’t true. Some black people use basketball as a way out of the ghetto, but the other half turns to basketball because that’s all they know. Those who use basketball to get out of the ghetto are the ones who make it; they see basketball as a light. Because being raised around crime all your life, you have to find some way to forget all the bad things that’s happening around you. It’s not all about having fun. Think about it basketball has it’s own way of bring black people together for one common goal to rout for his or her team when they could be on the corner...

How to Use Adjectives in English

How to Use Adjectives in English An adjective describes how something is. For this reason, we often use the verb to be when using adjectives. Adjectives are used to describe nouns. There are two types of sentences we use with adjectives, which are detailed below. Subject To Be Adjective Example: Tom is shy.Alice is happy. Subject Verb Adjective Noun Example: That is a big building!Peter has a fast car. The adjective is always invariable. Example: beautiful trees, they are happy Take note of these important rules to follow when using this sentence pattern. Adjectives dont have a singular and plural form OR a masculine, feminine and neutral form.Adjectives are always the same! Never add a final –s to an adjective.Adjectives can also be placed at the end of a sentence if they describe the subject of a sentence. ​​Example: My doctor is excellent,  as opposed to  difficults  books, which is incorrect Adjectives Are Placed Before Noun Example: a wonderful book; very interesting people Note: Dont place an adjective after the noun Example: an apple red

BRAND MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

BRAND MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH - Essay Example To be able to become a market leader it is vital to guide or, to a certain extent, control the customers. If the firm, by means of the obsolete portion of marketing theory, merely follows what the customers want, the brand will certainly, in the future, be surpassed in the market. The explanation is that unless there is a zero turnaround time, or the possibility of delivering immediately what is demanded for, the firm will fail to keep up (Nilson 2003). By the time the firm has created, manufactured and delivered what the customers requested for, they possibly have modified their preferences or a competitor may have by then introduced something into the marketplace satisfying the demand. Moreover, it is not possible for a customer to identify what a producer can offer. Merely listening to customers is to abandon the brand to the consumers and the management of the firm—and abandoning accountability is seldom a way to develop a strong brand identity, value, image, and positioni ng. The objective of this essay is to analyse in detail the McDonald’s brand in terms of its identity, value, image, and positioning. The Brand The significance of brand management is simply described by John Stewart, the CEO of Quaker Oats (Armstrong & Kotler 2007). He stated that â€Å"If this business split up I will give you all the bricks mortar and land and I would keep the brands and trademarks, and I would fare better than you† (Armstrong & Kotler 2007, 214). This evidently means that a strong brand can be more priceless than all the assets of a firm which make brand management very crucial. According to De Chernatony (2006), â€Å"a successful brand is an identifiable product, service, person or place, augmented in such a way that the buyer or user perceives relevant, unique, sustainable added values which match their needs most closely† (p. 13). A brand, in addition, can be defined as a system of signs and symbols that engages the customer in an invent ed or symbolic process that provides tangible value to a product or service (Kapferer 2008). The symbol of McDonald’s, which is an arching M, is only an M until every brand message has been sent or received by the potential customer. Herbert Rotfeld (2008) examines further the other abstract advantages and values branding can put in to a product or service. Similarly, Kapferer (2004) claimed that the brand is a mark whose objective is to express the hidden aspects of the product or service which are not readily available to the senses. McDonald’s is considered as one of the most popular brands across the globe. This essay will show how McDonald’s tries to constantly improve its brand by focusing on both its customers’ and brand owner’s perspectives. It also acknowledges the various stages in the branding and marketing process. Branding builds an identity and image for an organisation, product, or service. In particular, the brand image implies how customers distinguish or recognise the company. The mechanism of brand management will only be effective when a company performs and communicates itself in a trustworthy way (Nilson 2003). Techniques of marketing communication, such as advertising and promotions, are used to build brand identity, images, appeal, and methods which provide the brand its particular image (p. 49). This is represented at McDonald’s by its Golden Arches. The McDonald’s Brand McDonald’

Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Popular Culture - Essay Example The basic ideas of structuralism are taken from the works of Saussure and his basic concept of language and parole. Saussure played a significant role by being able to distinguish parole (speech) and language. According to him, speech is the actual utterance made by an individual while language is the significant symbol of communication. Therefore, structuralism borrowed heavily from this important achievement. An individual who is not from the same culture might see the cultural festivals as acts of immorality, barbaric and at time a waste of important resources. On the other hand, the other people perceive it as an opportunity to enjoy and have fun. A person who understands the structure would be able to understand the meaning as to why people organize street party, why they are masquerading, and why people are in masks. For example, if one attends the Rio de Janeiro carnival, he/she can be tempted to join the carnival festival and enjoy with the rests of the attendants. A person who understands the culture would be able to know that it is a kind of religious festival that marks the beginning of the Easter festive season (Valdivia, 2004). Someone who does not understand the structure might fear that the people putting on masks are evil, but if one understands the culture, his/her personal view would be completely

Unseen Commentary Essay Example for Free

Unseen Commentary Essay Old mother and her mother-in-law have a poor relationship as they are unable to communicate with each other well. Old mother’s mother-in-law felt that Old Mother was ‘incapable’ of giving birth to males. Thus Old Mother’s mother-in-law deemed Old Mother as one who was infertile and unable to produce any male children to the family. Therefore showing that Old Mother’s mother-in-law looked down upon Old Mother as she did not have much confidence in Old Mother to achieve her mother-in-law’s expectations of a daughter-in-law. Old Mother calls her mother-in-law as ‘the old haughty one’. This implies that Old Mother’s mother-in-law was arrogant. Thus to call someone arrogant shows that the person is proud and snooty, therefore difficult to maintain a good relationship as Old Mother’s mother-in-law despises old Mother. Old Mother also describes her mother-in-law as one with a ‘poisonous tongue’. This shows that her mother-in-law often criticises Old mother and often, these criticism are hurtful. Hence, it is difficult to maintain a good relationship when there is constant criticism of each other and lack of respect for one another. Old mother and her sister-in-law have a strained relationship as they are faced with the competition of being the ideal daughter-in-law with the best children. Old Mother experienced ‘bitter humiliation’ from her sister-in-law. Thus Old Mother was embarrassed by sister-in-law as they both were competing for their other-in-law’s favour by having the healthiest sons. This shows that through the competition between the two, Old Mother’s sister-in-law had done some things to purposely disgrace Old Mother thus straining their relationship. Also, Old Mother describes her sister-in-law to be ‘as spiteful as a snake’. This shows that sister-in-law as mean to Old Mother and was unpleasant towards Old Mother. Thus showing the stiff competition in the family to produce healthy sons in which caused Old Mother and her sister-in-law to be mean to each other. Also, Old Mother made many comparisons between her sons and the sons of her sister-in-law’s. One comparison made was that Old mother’s three sons were ‘healthy boys’ while her sister-in-laws son was ‘a sickly puny one’. Therefore the rivalry between old mother and her sister-in-law had resulted in a strained relationship. The relationship between Old Mother’ mother-in-law and sister -in-law is similar to that of old Mother and her mother-in-law. But here, mother-in-law is less pleased with sister-in-law’s son who was thin and small. Mother-in-law ‘spoke sharply’ to Second sister-in-law as her son was small. This shows that mother-in-law was unsatisfied with Second sister-in-law for giving birth to such an unhealthy child. When mother-in-law compared Old Mother’s son with Second sister-in-law’s son, she ‘clucked her tongue in disapproval’. Thus shows that mother-in-law is disappointed that Second sister-in-law did not raise her son to be healthy. Thus resulting in mother-in-law to despise Second sister-in-law and criticising her. Also, Second sister-in-law became ‘silent with resentment’. This shows that Second sister-in-law is offended by mother-in-law’s comparison of old Mother’s and her sons. Thus with anger boiling up in Second sister-in-law, she is unable to maintain a good relationship with mother-in-law as it would always lead to the comparison of the sons. ii. Old Mother is competitive and loves to win which creates a sense of intimidation in the readers. Old Mother let out a ‘gleeful chuckle’ when she remembered how her son was much better than Second sister-in-law’s. Old Mother had made a comparison between Second sister-in-law’s son who was older than Old Mothers second son but was only half the size. Old mother was glad and had felt that she had victory over Second sister-in-law. Hus showing how winning can bring about pride to Old Mother, hence old mother is competitive and delights in winning. Old Mother ‘chuckled in malicious triumph’ when Second sister-in-law’s son was criticised by mother-in-law while Old mother was praised for taking good care of her son. Thus old Mother was competitive and was elated that mother-in-law was in her favour. But Old Mother’s triumph was malicious, which was hateful thus creating a sense of intimidation as Old Mother’s aggressiveness is rev ealed. Old Mother kept recollecting the past of her winning Second second-sister-in-law and when mother-in-law was pleased with her. Old Mother’s health is ailing as her health had deteriorated over the years. Old Mother’s was ‘once robust’ but now she is resting in a hospital. This shows that old Mother was not as healthy and strong as she used to be. Thus she needs the help of nurses to take care of her so that she could be comfortable. Old Mother had ‘shrunk pitiably’ shows that she became very weak and her health had worsened a lot and she had shrivelled up to a pitiful sate. Thus showing that old mother has lost her health and most probably had contracted a disease which led to her being shrunk to such a state. Old Mother was ‘not in pain’ as she rested in the hospital. This shows that old Mother is not feeling any pain as her health is getting worse. But it may also imply that Old Mother was in pain previously before entering the hospital. The writer used repetition to convey the feelings and impressions of Old Mother to me. The repeated use of the ‘old haughty one’ to describe mother-in-law by Old Mother shows how much Old Mother despises mother-in-law’s criticism towards her. The criticism by mother-in-law had caused old Mother to be motivated to bear healthy sons into the family so that it would please mother-in-law. Thus, by pleasing mother-in-law of producing three healthy sons, Old Mother has ‘won’ her competition against mother-in-law. Old mother also repeatedly remembers the times whereby mother-in-law compares her children with that of Second sister-in-law’s. These comparisons shows old Mother’s competitiveness as she feels the pride of winning Second sister-in-law by having the more ideal grandson.

Portrayal of Women in Homers Odyssey :: Homer Odyssey womody

The Odyssey:   Portrayal of Women How does Homer portray women in the epic, The Odyssey?   In order to answer this question you must look at woman and goddesses as two separate groups of "people".   This is because they are portrayed in tow separate ways.   You see, a regular woman like Penelope is looked at as beautiful but has very few rights.     Ã‚  Ã‚   If we first look at Penelope we see how beautiful she must be, because we know that she has a lot of suitors staying at her house and they all want to marry her.   It is not until later on that we find out how low in society mortal women are.   The first time this is shown is when Telemukus has to choose one of the suitors to be his mother's husband.   Now just think that a son has more power in this society than his own mother.   From Telemukus' stand point this must be a big moment for him because he is now looked at as a man, cause he has to choose a wife for his mother, but for Penelope, she must feel degraded and low.     Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand if you look at a goddess like Athena, "the gray eyed goddess," (many pages) who is actually running the show, she has much more power than many men do.   For instance she is able to convince Zeus, ruler of all gods, that Odysseus has suffered enough and to set him free.   Eventually Odysseus is set free over the demands of Poseidon.   You can also look at Calypso and see how this near goddess, nymph, has power.   This is shown as Odysseus is leaving and she asks him if he would want to be immortal in return for him staying with her forever.   This shows that she has power, more than many women, and can grant anyone immortality.   Homer also describes her as lucky, that she is beautiful, but you can tell that inside Calypso is very lonely.   This portrayal of Calypso is also seen is the song written by Susan Vega.   In this song Calypso is seen as a sad and lonely woman who is trapped on an island forever.

Concept of Long Term Care Essay

In this essay it explains how week one reading changes my concept of long term care. The essay will provide two examples of current events related to long-term care and how it has changed. The paper will focus on examples of current events related to long-term care, and how might these examples increase awareness. This paper will explain what are three long-term care populations evident in my local community and if I was aware of these evident. Long term care is a health and social service there to provides services such as assistance with everyday task, such as dressing, bathing and using the bathroom. After this week reading and discussion as a class on long-term care, I would say my concept has changed. I became more aware of the services provided in long-term care settings, also the individual who requires long-term care. People would think of long-term care only for elders, but the type of people need of long- term care can be from individual with chronic conditions, severe mental illness, and also developmental disabilities, automobile or sporting accident anymore can need long term care in life. Reading the week reading also explain Children, is always the type of people in need of long- term care to surprise me. Children born with developmental disabilities such as, Down syndrome affecting the brain, spinal cord, nervous system function causing them to need long- term care. Some of the current events related to long term care that happened, in the past three years increasing levels of violations staff physicians were not maintain on a 24 hour basis. Another current event related to long term care a staff at Crystal Care Center in Mansfield abuse a patient. The patient refuse to have oxygen fed to him through a nasal cannula, the nurse decide to tuck the sheet over the head of the patient. Patient abuse occurred in August 2010 but is rare in the state of Ohio but happens more often in long term care. These example increase awareness of long-term care having families monitor how a family member or friend treat, to see if medical care is provided with an appropriate level. In my community there are three long term care populations age 65 and older, individuals with disabilities and children. Seniors 65 and older is the biggest population in Arizona needing long term care services.

Leadership qualities Essay

This paper talks about testing in specifically psychometric testing that is used by employers in screening employees in the selection process at organizations. After a brief introduction to what psychometric is all about, it analyzes critically this method of choosing employees with respect also the disadvantages and advantages of this type of testing. The paper then concludes itself with discussion of the growth of psychometric testing in relation to its success factors leading on to the final concluding paragraph. INTRODUCTION Psychometric testing is being used for decades now, changing its forms while absorbing technological improvements. It is used as an essential element in the screening of employees at the workplace to thereby increase work effectiveness in terms of selection of the right candidate for the right job. Not only in the selection process, but this type of testing is also used in other areas namely, promotion, training, advisory services in terms of Human Resource management, planning and development. Psychometric testing is used as a tool for deciding upon the winning qualities of employees to get a better understanding of which employee to further develop upon and how, and which to spend different training resources on etc. This type of testing basically uses questionnaires that are made by professional test makers who also undertake analysis of the results with the help of an organizational psychologist. The verdict/s reached thereby is then considered final and accurate to a great extent. Psychometric tests have been categorized into: Ability tests, Motivation tests, Attitude and perception, Projective techniques (TAT), Personality inventories, Organizational climate surveys, Employee satisfaction surveys etc. (TVRLS, 2006) Psychometrics is the field of study belonging to the zone of psychometric testing, and is used as an indicator of measurement of abilities, attitude, perception, skills, personality traits including team playing, leadership qualities etc. The two major components of this type of study are: Construction of the method or procedure in testing and improving upon the qualities of the test in terms of analysis and judgment (Golombok, n. d. ). There are many other fields of study that are pertinent directly or indirectly to this type of testing. Firstly, there is the classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT). There is also the Rasch model that aims at the requirements when measuring educational and work indicators in terms of physical sciences. Secondly, in relation to correlation and finding out variation in the results there are many techniques including factor analysis, multidimensional scaling, data clustering, structural equation modelling, and path analysis. These few methods aim at finding out what data easily fits into the population that is being tested through a sample and how. (Hogan, 2006) Screening techniques in firms and organizations could range from traditional manual shifting of applications to sophisticated usage of psychometrics. Recruiters immensely make use of online resources or help search for criteria important in measuring the candidates’ qualification (Suff, 2005). Psychometric tests undertake the study of assessment in terms of psychological assessment of individual with respect to five criteria that each test possesses. These are: – Validity: measures what the test is supposed or has been designed to measure – Reliability: the results in the end are in line with the research that was taken and will not change if the test is undertaken again keeping certain factors constant – Standardisation: the instruments used in the test, timing, instructions, test items, scoring techniques are all same for each candidate – Objectivity: there is no deterring of results due to biases caused by subjective decisions or favouritism etc. There should hence be no variation in scores according to these criteria. – Differentiation: tests that have been undertaken have been designed to account for differences and the results should show no effect of the candidate’s personal traits and facts like ethnicity, religion, gender etc. (unless the test aims to measure these as a factor). (Dent & Curd, 2004) CRITICAL ANALYSIS The question that arises now is about the significance of these tests in our lives revolving around the workplace and in specific the corporate world. Psychometric testing is useful, yes but how can it be used, as a measure of success in employee selection, is the most important pointer here. Psychometric tests are used in assisting with the selection process to help predict future employee performance and hence to help in planning out the desired outcomes against these predictions. These tests are economical and efficient, and facilitate the test givers in the attainment of information quickly while cutting down on the money cost also. They are not prone to subjectivity biases when they are objective and hence aid in increasing fairness in decision-making. Apart from finding out the right person for the right job, these tests help recognize development needs, increase motivation and correct stress factors for employees which have a negative impact on their productivity levels if not removed or minimized. (Dent & Curd, 2004) Psychometric tests have evolved from the need to examine ability and resulting output in work situations. The two types of psychometric tests when broadly put, these being: As a measure of ability, verbal or numerical reasoning and as a measure of personality traits and work situations, and what leads to the correct or the best fit. Analysing the usage of tests carries utmost importance when it comes specifically to the choice in terms of what test is to be used in a given situation. This requires deep analysis of the kind of job at hand and then testing candidates to determine the kind of traits needed for that job. On measuring job performance the formula that needs to be remembered is skills + attitude + process + knowledge = Success! However useful this argument holds for psychometric tests, their validity and usage, as a tool in selection of employees is considered controversial also. The difficulty here lies in the fact that people who are being testes sometimes do not give their true answers and get prone to achievement of success with the formula given above, except that the attitudes, skills etc might just be their ideal states in their minds and not something that exists within them in real. This â€Å"lying† on the tests and hiding true meaning of their traits makes accurate judgments difficult and hinders the attainment of absolute fairness in decision-making. And this is also when frequently, psychometric tests are said to be not useful and prone to inaccurate collection of data and information. Hence in many organizations, the usefulness of these tests remains limited and is only to the extent of informing about the decision and not actually making it. Therefore, no matter how glittery the success formula looks, the inefficiency prone to this testing can rid an organization of valuable employees (those who had most probably not lied on the test). (Farrington, 2007) The ethical use of psychometric tests is also another factor that requires discussion in terms of a critical analysis of this topic under dissertation. It is highly essential that the information used by these tests is relevant to the purpose do study, is accurate and does not probe too much into the personal lives of the candidates so as to stay away from intrusion of their privacy. The test should undertake the tester’s competence, procedures and techniques used, and the client welfare to make sure that these guidelines corresponding to each is followed. The test users must be adequately qualified and trained. Results should not be leaked out or sold to any third parties or even other candidates and should only be available to the test takers who will need it to analyse and conclude the tests. Feedback needs to be offered to the people who have taken the test or the candidates to counter any negative effects of the test that was left on them. These tests should not discriminate against gender, race or ethnicity and even disability and age. All test materials need to be secured completely to ward off any unauthorized access to the information provided by these tests. A few of the common tests that are present, measure ability, aptitude, personality, interpersonal skills and relationship awareness etc. (Dent & Curd, 2004) With respect to the five criteria mentioned earlier, a study showed that where selection, assessment and training are concerned, cognitive ability tests and work samples were found out to be most valid. Also, the results of this study showed that interviews were most practical. Results from tests involving knowledge assessment, personality tests involving motivation, satisfaction etc showed that these were most popular with prospective employers. (Mok et al, 2008) CASES FOR PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS Psychometric testing provides organizations and any test givers a very commanding way of guaranteeing the selection and employment of the best candidates through their thorough analysis in terms of ability and preferred behavioural styles. Psychometric testing allows the pre-hiring screening becomes more popular because validity is a criterion that is usually always met and hence this form of testing becomes more preferred. Usually, it also includes IQ testing also along with personality test to enable the organization to gain valuable insight into the issue at hand. Time is saved, as prospective employees are able to learn constructive things that without psychometrics would have been very hard or time consuming to learn. The HR Department hence becomes a powerful unit as it realized true matching of the employee’s personality traits with the characteristics of the company. Financial benefits to the company have also been seen where psychometrics are involved in the process of hiring. Through the availability of technological advances like LAN and the Internet, companies are able to easily administer these tests also. Cost benefits are achieved as eventually companies in the best-case scenario able to learn which employees will stay with the company longer than the others. (Vaid, 2007) Some of the benefits provided by psychometric testing are: 1. Efficiency: psychometric testing improves efficiency in selection and decision-making when it comes to human resource recruitment. Most suitable candidates are hence chosen thereby making maximum use of time, cost and efficiency. 2. More informed recruitment decisions: objective information is provided by these tests to ensure the occurrence of an informed decision-making. 3. Aid to interviews: interviews do not provide all information necessary to conclude upon which candidates are best for that particular job. Hence these tests are highly useful to especially those recruiters who are not much proficient in testing or analyzing a candidate. 4. Tried and tested: these tests now have been offered by many agencies that are used for outsourcing these tests by companies. Also, companies themselves now use many different psychometric tests in the selection process today. 5. Business needs: these tests are in direct relation with the needs of human resource of organizations, and hence fit perfectly to the purpose of these organizations 6. Potential of an individual: an individual’s skills and attitudes along with perceptions are thoroughly weighed through these tests that are not provided by interviews as such. 7. For all levels of staff: these tests are even more helpful since they are appropriate enough to be used at all levels in the organization. 8. Easy to understand: these tests are easy to understand, as their language is unproblematic and simple. They also hence are not prone to discrimination against ethnicity, language or region when they follow the five effective criteria of testing as mentioned earlier in this paper. (Psychometric Testing, n. d. ) 9. Job profiling: this can be done even before the interview takes place, so that key skills and abilities for a particular position in the organization can be further made clear before interviewing the person about it. 10. Useful information: these tests help in providing useful and complete information as to how functional an employee will be in terms of performance in a particular position. (Oriel Training, n. d. ) 11. Professional: psychometric tests make the entire selection process look more formal and professional 12. Objectivity: it adds objectivity to the whole process. 13. Time saving: maximum amount of information is collected in minimum time. 14. Flexibility: due to the use of technology, tests are administered with more flexibility. 15. Self-awareness: when it comes to development of the employees, these tests can help point out the negative factors that should be erased and positive ones that need highlighting and promotion. 16. Cost-effectiveness: when used appropriately, they also provide cost advantages to the firm. (Vaid, 2007) CASE AGAINST PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING It is essential to make sure that the correct procedure in testing is followed including the process of selection, administration, feedback and analysis. Failure on the part of the test giver to do can result in ill communication and analysis often results leading to cynicism, anger, and dissatisfaction. Some of the disadvantages of psychometric testing are: Initial training can prove to be more expensive and costly, Provision of feedback is mostly deemed essential but can waste a lot of time, Uneasiness and resistance shown by the participants can hinder collection of true results. These tests need to be paired with some other form of assessment because complete reliance on them can prove to be not useful at all to the company. Lying or hiding of true information about oneself can result in portrayal of a false picture to the prospective employer, leading to making of false or inaccurate decisions on his/her part (Dent & Curd, 2004). It is very difficult for an untrained eye to find out which is the correct psychometric test to use and employ, due to the high availability of various types of tests in the market. This involved correct decision in terms of choosing the right test for that organization because if this is not done then the results will not be relevant to the organization and the issue at hand. There are many cases where people administering these tests are not qualified or have not been trained enough to correctly administer these tests, hence it is imperative that in order to get the maximum out of these tests, organizational psychology courses need to be offered for training of these test administrators. It should also be understood that these tests provide results that are not hundred percent valid and reliable, so as to not take the effect of many external factors can result in large negative consequences to the organization which is often the case. (Team Focus, 2004) SUCCESS FACTORS Many managers do not make good interviewer and this is where again psychometric testing comes in handy. Studies have shown that many managers and interviewers focus on their ‘gut feeling’ when it comes to hiring employees. Also, another important factor that they use is the candidate’s ability through his skills attained at School/ College etc. This is information; one can easily read off and understand through the Curriculum Vitae of that candidate. The success factor of psychometric testing comes in our discussion when we say that the question about whether a candidate is behaviourally fit in an organization is something whose answer lies in the analysis undertaken through psychometric testing. In other words, how well an employee according to psychometrics will be able to match his personality traits with characteristics of the organization; and how this will impact his performance inside the organization henceforth. (Lievens & Peeters, 2008) One type of psychometric test here exactly important to this kind of testing is the McQuaig System test which helps in outlining a behavioural profile of an employee with respect to the open position that candidate is applying for. Another success factor very essential to organizational development, is the basic fact that this outline can then be used to erase out the subjectivity biases attached to ‘gut feeling’ and help make out a prediction that is dependent on the technical ability of the candidate’s behavioural personality. There are various reasons for growth in the usage of psychometrics in the selection process. A few of these are: 1. Especially when they are hiring employees legal obligations and regulations are met through the use of psychometric tests as they are now being awarded a status that is obligatory to follow and be used by organizations. 2. Test results are now found to be more useful than before because they have been in use for years now. The varied political and cultural state of affairs that pertain to an organization has changed. Also, there has been a shift in the climate of these organizations, which have become more varied in terms of diversity in religions, cultures, ethnicity and so on. Tests hence when effectively designed and made help take these factors into account also. Equal employment opportunity is hence offered immensely well in most cases. 3. The costs of testing have decreased significantly because of the improved and increased use of Internet among many other technological advances. Computer based testing allows for flexibility, ease and quickness in adding up scores and summing up data probing organizations to indulge when more in such testing procedures 4. Human Resource policies are more formally and appropriately designed now to take into account a once much ignored resource- human resource. 5. Tests provide up-to-date information and when employing older employees, this becomes essential because then school qualification would prove to be outdated mostly. 6. Large organizations can use these tests to screen large number of applicants, who without the use of these tests and other computer based tests, would be almost humanly impossible to accomplish. (Psychometric success, n. d. ) CONCLUSION The use of tests, in particular those involving psychological analysis are here to stay as can be seen from their wide usage and growing popularity. It remains however the duty of the employers to ensure that they remain professional, ethical, valid and reliable. Training is an essential component o the success of the usage of these tests in an organization to better analyze and understand the results depicted by these tests. Employers while undertaking the administration of these tests need to take a few things in perspective. They should be clear about what they are measuring, what is the audience like, make sure that it is not indiscriminate towards any class etc., ensure proper training, provide adequate feedback, and also guarantee confidentiality of information, so that effectives can be reached along with success in usage of these tests. Effectiveness, all in all depends directly on giving importance to these factors just discussed so that any form of psychometric analysis is made productive. (Dent, & Curd, 2004) Bibliography Golombok, S. (n. d. ) Modern Psychometrics: The Science of Psychological Assessment. International Library of Psychology Hogan, T. (2006) Psychometric Testing: A practical introduction. Wiley. Dent, F. and Curd, J.(2004) Psychometric tests: an overview of an increasingly complex world [Internet] Available from: http://www. ashridge. org. uk/Website/IC. nsf/wFARATT/Psychometric%20Tests:%20An%20Overview%20of%20an%20Increasingly%20Complex%20World/$File/PsychometricTest. pdf [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Farrington, J. (2007) Psychometric Tests and Professional Salespeople- unhappy bedfellows [Internet] Available from: http://www. greatmanagement. org/articles/57/1/-Psychometric-Tests-And-Professional-Salespeople—Unhappy-Bedfellows/Page1. html [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Lievens, F.and Peeters, H. (2008) Impact of elaboration on responding to situational judgment test items [Online Library] Available from International Journal of Selection and Assessment. Dec2008, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p345-355 Mok, C. ; Wong, A. ; Lam, W. ; Baum, L. ; Ho, K. ; and Wong, L. (2008) A case-controlled study of cognitive progression in Chinese lacunar stroke patients [Online Library] Available from Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery. Jul2008, Vol. 110 Issue 7, p649-656 Oriel Training (n. d. ) Key benefits of psychometric testing [Internet] Available from: http://www. orieltrain. com/KeyBenefitsofPsychometricTesting. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Psychometric success (n. d. ) The growth of psychometric testing [Internet] available from: http://www. psychometric-success. com/psychometric-tests/psychometric-tests-advantages. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Psychometric Testing (n. d. ) Exciting features [Internet] Available from: http://www. excitingfutures. com/psychometrictesting. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Suff, R. (2005) First-line Filter [Online Library] Available from IRS Employment Review from: IRS Employment Review; 12/16/2005 Issue 837, p44-48 Team Focus (2004) Disadvantages of psychometric testing [Internet] Available from: http://www. teamfocus. co. uk/disadvantages_of_psychometric_testing. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] TVRLS (2006) Psychometric testing and climate surveys [Internet] Available from: http://www. tvrls. com/psychometric_testing_and_climate_surveys. html [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Vaid, R. (2007) Advantages of Psychometric testing [Internet] Available from HRD Test Products from: http://smarthiring. com/articles/articles/6/1/Advantages-of-Psychometric-Testing/Page1. html [Accessed 19 December, 2008]

Assembly Line essays

Assembly Line essays The modern moving assembly line stemming from Ford Motor Industries in the early twentieth century, transformed the nature of the national and world economies, of their forms of labor, lifestyles, and politics. In fact, the current capitalist market system owes its foundations largely to the implications of the assembly line. As John Allen notes, the Ford model implied four fundamental aspects of large-scale mass production: the moving assembly line, specialized machinery, high wages, and low-cost products. Each of these things in turn affected the way industrialized nations evolved and influenced world economic, political, and social policies. The assembly line model of labor replaced the traditional artisan or craft-based system of labor in which highly skilled persons completed particular tasks based on their training and education. Within the assembly line framework, workers no longer needed to be trained or educated; they simply performed routine tasks and essentially began to operate as cogs in a giant machine. The elimination of craft guilds and of family-based manufacturing was one of the major social changes concurrent with Fordism. This social change also entailed far-reaching and sweeping economic changes. Market economies like that of the United States became increasingly dependent on industry. Moreover, this led to increased governmental control of economic systems and policies, especially as monopolistic control of the market became a social, political, and economic Furthermore, the intervention of government into labor and economics arose out of the basic economic and social needs of individual workers. For example, one of the side-effects of the assembly line model was mass unemployment, which under the craft system rarely occurred because of the naturally piecemeal nature of the work. In fact, modern factories created the concept of "employment," and the a...

The Top 4 SAT Reading Strategies You Must Use

The Top 4 SAT Reading Strategies You Must Use SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If the Reading section of the SATis challenging for you, you may be wondering what you can do to make sure you’re extra prepared. In this article, I’ve put together our top strategies for gaining confidence and improving your scores. SAT Reading Strategy #1: Practice Eliminating Wrong Answers The fundamental strategy of SAT Reading is that there is only one totally correct answer for each question, and you will be able to eliminate all three of the others based on evidence in the passage.This is easier said than done, which is why it’s important to work on eliminating answers in practice questions before taking the SAT for real. Remember that it’s all in the details!Even with questions that don't ask about literal facts from the passage, you will still be able to find direct evidence for your answer.If an answer choice includes something that doesn’t match up with the information presented in the passage, get rid of it. Sometimes you'll have to look outside the specific lines referenced in the question for additional context. It's also helpful to answer questions in your own words first if they seem a bit confusing. That way you'll already have a rough idea of what the answer should be and are less likely to be tricked into choosing an answer that is slightly off. Many students get tripped up by answer choices that are plausible interpretations of information in the text but aren’t supported by direct evidence.Don’t let that be you! SAT ReadingStrategy #2: Find a Good Passage Reading Method Before you take the SAT, it’s important to know how you plan to attack passages so you don’t panic or run out of time on the real test.There are a few different ways you can read passages. You should test out each of them on a timed practice test to see which one feels best for you. Method #1: Skim the Passage First This is a method that works well for many people because it allows you to get a strong grasp on the main ideas of the passage before reading the questions (while also not wasting too much time). The best way to skim a long passage is to read the intro and conclusion paragraphs and then read the first and last sentences of every body paragraph.This way you’ll understand the main points the author is trying to make and be able to answer big picture questions about the passage.If you need to go back and read certain parts again to sort out details, you can do that on a question-by-question basis. Method #2: Skip Right to the Questions This might sound like a scary thing to advocate, but it actually works pretty well because the SAT gives you line numbers for most Reading questions. You can answer all the questions about details in the passage and vocabulary in context first. Sometimes the information you need isn't contained in the lines given by the question, so don't be afraid to look outside of them for more context. Once you've answered a few detail questions, you’ll probably have a good sense of the author’s main argument and be able to answer big picture and inference questions as well.If not, you can always go back and use the skimming process in Method #1 to clear up any confusion. Method #3: Read the Passage Thoroughly This is the method that most people use instinctively because it’s what they’ve been taught to do in school.It may work fine for you, but be careful to experiment and verify that you’re not losing too much time by reading closely. Some people read quickly under pressure but don't actually absorb any information. Make sure you know that you're both a quick AND thorough reader before you decide to use this method. It's ok to use shortcuts on the SAT as long as you still arrive at the right answer! Bonus Strategy #2.5: Answer Questions in a Logical Order Based on Your Reading Method Once you find the method that words best for you, you should use it to inform the order in which you answer questions on the Reading section. If you use Method #1 and skim the passage or use Method #3 and read all the way through first, answer big picture questions first while the main ideas of the passage are still fresh in your mind. If you use Method #2 and skip straight to the questions, answer detail questions first. SAT Reading Strategy #3: Understand Your Mistakes If you don’t make the effort to understand your mistakes on practice tests, you’re not going to learn from them, and you won’t improve your scores!Try to avoid saying â€Å"oh, I just made a dumb mistake†. Really get specific about why you messed up so you can fix the problem next time. Here are all the different types of mistakes you might come across on the Reading section along with information on how to address the problems associated with each of them: Types of Mistakes Type 1: Time Pressure Did you run out of time before reaching a question or answer it wrong because you were rushing?Try to figure out why you’re so pressed for time. You may need to change your passage reading strategy or do more practice tests to get used to the format. Type 2: Misunderstanding the Question Make sure you know what the question is asking before you do ANYTHING else.If questions on the SAT often confuse you, try restating them in your own words before looking for an answer.Don’t fall for the SAT's use of tricky wording. Type 3: Content Weakness If you’re making mistakes in areas where you don’t know the material, you’ll need to do some serious additional studying.For the Reading section, content weakness is usuallyless of an issue.The best way to fix this is to readmore challenging materials in your daily life. This will help you practice the reading comprehension skills you're expected to exercise on the SAT. Type 4: Carelessness Did you miss an â€Å"EXCEPT† in the question? Did you rush and not read carefully enough?Remind yourself to read carefullyand special attention to words like â€Å"least† or â€Å"except†.Try different strategies to reduce the time pressure on yourself and prevent rushing. As you take practice tests, mark every question that you’re unsure about (even the ones that you end up getting right), and come back to it later so you can analyze why it confused you.This is incredibly productive because it forces you to confront exactly what’s happening to make you lose points. Whenyou get to the real test, you won’t run into any questions that trip you up because you’ll be prepared for everything that once stumped you. Careless mistakes are the most painful mistakes. Although, judging by the state of the cone, this person was confused and tried to eat the ice cream upside down. In that case it was content weakness. SAT Reading Strategy #4: Figure Out Which Questions Are Your Problem, and Practice Them This goes hand in hand with analyzing your mistakes.Even if you know what your mistakes are, you won't be able to correct them until you get into the SAT trenches and start doing practice questions that challenge you in the same ways. If time is your problem, this might be a matter of taking more timed practice tests to get used to the pressure.If you struggle with specific question types or content areas, it’s a matter of practicing those question types over and over again until you can practically do them with your eyes closed. This means that you shouldn’t just buy an SAT review book, read it cover to cover, and expect to improve. You need to be specific about your main areas of weakness.Every time you miss or are even slightly unsure about a question on a practice test, circle it so you can come back to it later and figure out which type of question it is. By keeping track of the question types you tend to miss the most, you can detect patterns in your mistakes. Review If you want to get your best score ever on SAT Reading, there are a few key strategies you should follow to make the most of your studying: Strategy #1: Practice eliminating wrong answers Strategy #2: Find a good passage reading method Strategy #3: Make sure you understand your mistakes Strategy #4: Figure out which questions are your problem and practice them With these strategies, you should be able to correct any issues you’re having on the reading section and end up with a great score! What's Next? Now that you know the top strategies for SAT Reading, you should also check out my article on the best SAT Reading tips for more quick ways to improve your scores. If you're aiming for a perfect score on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing , take a look at our article detailing how to get an 800. Trying to decide where to start in terms of SAT Reading practice? Read this article on the best way to practice for the Reading section. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

See the attachments>> Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why a Global Language - Essay Example There are several languages that are predominant in other areas such as English.   More people around the world are speaking English.   Some of the most powerful countries in the world speak English such as the United States and Great Britain and some people believe that it is because English does not have a masculine or feminine tense.   Instead, it is neutral and several have thought that it would become the language used by the world.   There are also arguments about the amount of comprehensive grammar used in English that people may find it simpler to learn than others. Some may contribute this to the way that English has derived its vocabulary from other languages so it is in some ways familiar to others who speak different languages.   However, highly intelligent people all around the world still speak other languages and Latin is still considered one that is classic, beautiful, and scholarly.   A language is generally more powerful because its people are more power ful and much of this comes from a country’s military.   However, the country must be economically powerful as well. With the growth of global business, an international language is supported.   Through the use of different technologies, advertising, marketing and the media, it is easier to disperse a language to different parts of the world.

Fiji Electricity System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fiji Electricity System - Research Paper Example The value of imports from Fiji has been increasing and hit the $3 billion US mark in 2006. The main contributing factor to the increase is the mineral fuels importation. The mineral fuels have increased in value since 2004 to 2008. It represents a change from US$400 to about $1.2 billion. The overdependence of the industry’s on fuel importation reveals how the economy is vulnerable to the rising fuel prices. The vulnerability is of concern given that the increase in demand for electric power has overwhelmed Monasavu Hydropower Station limits over the last decade. It results in the supplementation of its energy requirements with diesel generation (F.E.A. n.d.). Fiji can be termed as better than its larger neighbors. It has about 80% of its people (about 92% in urban areas) accessing electricity. By 2008, its average electricity production mix was composed of 33.7% diesel, 62.1% hydro, 0.6% wind and 3.6% biomass. Energy consumption in Fiji has increased to 715.2 million kWh in 2009 from 202.8 million kWh in 1980. Because the hydropower component is variable as it depends on the weather patterns, the ever growing demand for electric power has to be fulfilled by importing diesel-based generation. FEA has an ambitious plan of producing 90% of its electricity by use of renewable energy resources by 2015 (Lal & Atul n.d) Fijis pricing tariff rates are the lowest in the Pacific Islands region. As of recent times, its rates have stagnated though there was a marked increase in its demand and diesel usage. The cause of its low tariff prices is its rejection by the independent power producers because FEA could not pay them suitable buying rates. As at present, FEA supplies about 54% of the electricity market from its hydropower stations as it gets the rest from thermal generation. This condition is expected to change upon the installation of a new 42-MW hydropower system. In regards to estimates made by FEA, generation of