3D Graphing Engine Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

3D Graphing Engine - Term Paper Example Nowadays geometry engines are called Vertex Shaders since they are programmable and can run so-called (vertex) shader programs to compute and animate the geometry of a scene. Every vertex that needs to be calculated can contain a lot of information, such as an x, y, z coordinate (a 3-dimensional position), texture coordinates, Normal Information (what direction the vertex faces), an identifier (which triangle it belongs to), Skinning parameters, lighting values or just about anything else. However, vertex processing alone does not result in a visible picture.   So as to see all the triangles made up of all the vertices that the vertex shaders have calculated, they need to be colored. Certainly, the invisible object that is a result of the geometry processing needs to be â€Å"wallpapered† so it becomes visible.   To be able to do this, the polygons need to be converted into pixels; this is done during the triangle setup. The pixels are then dealt with in the pixel shaders and pixel pipelines. The color value of a pixel is looked upon a texture; this texture exists in graphics memory as a bitmap that was designed by the 3D artist.   Textures can be available in different resolutions. Higher resolution textures look better; however, use more memory space and more memory bandwidth than lower resolution textures.   For far away objects, this would not only result in wasted processing cycles, but it could also lead to display anomalies. As a result of this, t extures are usually available in different resolutions.   If textures of different resolutions are combined on one object then this is referred to as mip-mapping. This mip-mapping can produce visible borders between the two textures of different resolutions, called mipmap banding.   Moreover, this mipmap banding can be minimized using different filtering techniques. Filtering means that for every pixel to be colored, more than one texel on the texture is looked up and the average is calculated and applied to the pixel.  

Social Psychology - Persuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Psychology - Persuation - Essay Example If the functional belief and experiential belief are strong enough to out weigh the negative forces / the effect of absence of advertisements, the effect of persuasion gets fulfilled and the brand gets automatically established. Symbolic belief is completely evoked and maintained by advertisements only. The claims normally made by advertisers work well at this symbolic belief system only. Seemingly convincing claims are propagated that easily get assimilated in the minds of listening people who find it no difficult to change their attitude and get persuaded at the convenience of advertisers. I would like to pick an advertisement that promotes some medicine for hair loss. It reads that liver diseases are the predictors of hair loss and cautions the consumers to be careful in using home remedies for hair loss. Is the claim of the advertiser scientifically correct' To analyze the strength of this claim we can conduct an experiment or quasi-experiment with two groups subjected under study. A control group comprising bald subjects without any liver diseases should be treated the same way as the experimental group of liver disease or diabetes. Since hair loss is usually due to hormonal dysfunction/imbalance, the factor of chronic illness becoming the predictor is within the limits of measurability. The illnesses that cause hair loss are generally lupus, diabetes and thyroid imbalance. As such the chronic illness of diabetes can be fixed as an independent variable and the impact of the disease on hair loss could be measured at varying conditions of diabetes. Bald patients could be selected from a cross section of medical care units or hospitals. Bald patients without diabetes could now be conveniently compared with those diabetic patients. The impact of liver disease on hair loss could also be measured at various levels of diabetes. Such confounding variables of levels of diabetes can be controlled at the control group. As long as the experiment is confined to the bald patients of diabetes, the impact of hair loss could be measured at various levels of diabetes in an effectively accurate manner and style if the experiment is properly conducted assigning the subjects randomly, that is by chance, to the experimental and control group so that no biases could sneak into the composition of control group. Similarly a control condition can also be used either for a single individual or for a group of patients. Instead of testing a separate group of bald patients, the same group of bald patients can be tested at a different time keeping everything the same as in the experimental condition except for the single experimental condition of diabetes alone i.e. the independent variable of interest. In this style of test, confounding the order of test with the condition-experimental against the control - would be effectively avoided and balancing he order of conditions for single individuals are carefully balanced. Limitations and conclusion: The viability of the experiment could be tested only to a limited source of independent variables, since the chronic illnesses that stand predictors of hair loss are a few like lupus, diabetes and thyroid dysfunction. Of these three independent variables, the thyroid dysfunction gets eliminated as the hormonal imbalance has little effect on liver derangement, which the advertiser ascribes to hair loss. Among the remaining two

Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society

Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society Abstract The purpose of this article was to explain and discuss cultural intelligence in Thai society where Buddhism plays a very important role to daily life of Thai people. Cultural intelligence is important can be helpful for individuals who interact with people from different cultural backgrounds and help for manage effectively culture differences. According to the model Thomas and Inkson (2004), the development of cultural intelligence occurs in five stages are reactivity, recognition, accommodation, assimilation, and proactive. There are three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness. These characteristics look similarly in Thai culture factors. As Buddhism plays a very important role in the daily life of the Thai people. Since about 95% of the people in the kingdom of Thailand are Buddhist Therefore, Thai society or Thai people have basic from Buddha core teaching which helps people in everywhere to become more to develop cultural i ntelligence. Keywords: cultural intelligence (CQ), development cultural intelligence, Thai society Introduction In the recent year cultural intelligence (CQ) has been introduced into the global business literature (Earley, 2002; Earley Ang, 2003). This concept is meant to reflect the capability to deal effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. The ability interacts effectively with people who are culturally different. Globalization has been accelerated by a host of factors in the international business environment, including the following: New international trade agreement the growth of international trade the growth of multinational corporations the restructuring and downsizing of organizations the privatization of state enterprise the ability to locate business, particularly manufacturing, wherever cost it lowest the ability to execute financial transactions instantaneously on a global basis the transition of command economies to free markets the expansion of international migration the ability of information and communication technology to transcend time and distance (Th omas Inkson, 2004). Although international commerce may have existed for many years ago, it is only in the past few years that globalization has such a broad effect on business. Until recently only a few very large multinational companies were concerned with foreign operations. For most firms business was largely local, tried closely to the city or region in which they were located, and certainly limited to the confines of the country. Now, business extends across all manner of porous boundaries—some of which have become so porous they have almost ceased to exist—across the entire globe. Even very small firms now have the capability to be global. With a computer, a modem, and telephone connection it is possible to be a global business almost instantaneously. Because of globalization, the environment of business is now more complex, more dynamic, more uncertain, and more competitive than ever before. And there is no evidence that these trends will reverse or decrease (Thomas Inkson, 2004). Globalization of people is the result of dramatic shifts that have taken place in economics, politics, and technology. However, the day-to-day reality of global business involves interactions and relationships with people who are culturally different. In business today, we travel overseas among people from other cultures, we speak with them on international telephone calls, and we correspond with them be e-mail. Even in our home cities, we notice that more and more of our colleagues, our clients, and even the people we pass in the street are observable from cultures different from our own. The trend is inexorable. The range of different cultural backgrounds in huge; colleagues, business associates, and contacts probable represent countries or ethnic groups from all over the world. Johansen and McLean (2006) said that: Globalization, communications technology, immigration, an increased focus on religion and spirituality, and the ease of both domestic and international travel offer an opportunity to work, learn, and interact with people whose backgrounds differ from our own. To be effective, HRD practitioners must recognize how cultural background, assumptions, and view of the world influence an understanding. (P. 1) Culture can be seen as shaping the nature of social structures as they grow and adapt (Hofstede, 1991). Earley, Ang, and Tan (2006) suggested that â€Å"cultural intelligence as operating within a diversity context consisting of at least three layers – individual, team, and organization† (p. 168). As mention above, Earley (2002) concluded that it is a challenge to create suitable behavior in a new cultural setting that makes cultural intelligence unique. What is exactly cultural intelligence look like? How to improve cultural intelligence? Thomas and Inkson (2004) suggested three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness. They also describe that culturally intelligent people see the connections between a culture and its context, history, and value orientations. People realize that knowledge of the culture of a country or region is only valuable in the context of understanding its religious, philosophical, and historical issues. All of these inspire the author to think about what does the relationship between cultural intelligence in my home county, Thailand. Thai culture has been greatly influenced by Buddhism. Thai culture is often known as â€Å"Thai-Buddhist culture† (Dhirvegin, 1998, p. 13). Buddhism plays a very important role in the daily life of the Thai people. Since about 95% of the people in the kingdom of Thailand are Buddhist (Chadchaidee, 2005). Do any Thai people really need to develop cultural intelligence? If yes, what kinds of cultural intelligence that Thai people needed? Purpose of the article This article is aims to explain and discus about cultural intelligence issue especially in Thai society. In order to clearly understanding, the author will present the concept of cultural intelligence, Thai culture and society, Buddhist core teaching will be discussed. Cultural Intelligence Issue There are many scholars define cultural intelligence (Earley, 2002; Early Ang, 2003; Earley, Ang Tan, 2006; Erley Mosakowski, 2004; Earley Peterson, 2004; Tomas, 2006; Thomas Inkson, 2004). In this section, the author will present an overview of cultural intelligence that including definition of cultural intelligence, components of cultural intelligence, characteristics supportive of cultural intelligence, and developmental stages of cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence, one component of cultural competence, is defined as â€Å"a person’s capability to adapt effectively to new cultural contexts† (Earley Ang, 2003, p. 59). More specifically, cultural intelligence is â€Å"a seemingly natural ability to interpret someone’s unfamiliar and ambiguous gestures the way that person’s compatriots would and colleagues would, even to mirror them† (Earley Mosakowaski, 2004, p. 140). Cultural intelligence captures a person’s capability to adapt effectively to new cultural contexts and it has both process and content features (Earley Ang, 2003; Thomas Inkson, 2004). Similar to earlier definitions, Thomas and Inkson (2004) present the three component of cultural intelligence.   According to the Figure 1, Thomas and Inkson (2004) described at first, the culturally intelligent manger requires knowledge of culture and of the fundamental principles of cross-cultural interactions. This means knowing what culture is how cultures vary, and how culture affects behavior. Second, the culturally intelligent manager needs to practice mindfulness, the ability to pay attention in a reflective and creative way to cues in the cross-cultural situations encountered. The last, based on knowledge and mindfulness, the culturally intelligent manager develops behavioral skills, and becomes competent across a wide range of situations. These skills involve choosing the appropriate behavior from a well-developed repertoire of behaviors that are correct for different intercultural situations. All of three elements are interrelated with the other. This knowledge is only the beginning to becoming culturally intelligent. Cultural intelligence involves understanding the fundamentals of intercultural interaction, developing a mindfulness approach to intercultural interactions and finally building adaptive skills and a repertoire of behaviors so that one is effective in different intercultural situations. If we accept the notion that cultural intelligence is learned over time through intercultural interactions we can also envision that individuals pass through various stages of development in their level of cultural intelligence. Thomas and Inkson (2004 pp. 66-68) presented five stages to develop cultural intelligence including: Stage 1: Reactivity to external stimuli. A starting point is mindlessly following ones own cultural rules and norms. This stage is typical of individuals with very little exposure to, or interest in, other cultures. Parochial individuals do not even recognize that cultural differences exist. If they do, they consider them inconsequential. People at this stage of development can be heard to say things like â€Å"I dont see differences, and I treat everyone the same.†. Stage 2: Recognition of other cultural norms and motivation to learn more about them. Experience and mindfulness produce a newfound awareness of the multicultural mosaic that surrounds us. A heightened sense of mindfulness presents a sometimes-overwhelming amount of new information Curiosity is aroused, and the individual wants to lean more. People at this stage often struggle to sort through the complexity of the cultural environment. They search for simple rules of thumb to guide their behavior. Stage 3: Accommodation of other culture norms and rules in ones own mind. Reliance on absolutes disappears. A deeper understanding of cultural variation begins to develop. The cultural norms and rules of various societies begin to seem comprehensible and even reasonable in their context. The recognition of appropriate behavioral responses to different cultural situations develops; however, only fairly obvious cues are attended to, and adaptive behavior takes a lot of effort and is often awkward. People at this stage know what to say and do in a variety of cultural situations. However, they have to think about it, and adaptive behavior does not feel natural. Stage 4: Assimila tion of diverse cultural norms into alternative behaviors. At this stage adjusting to different situations no longer requires much effort. Individuals develop a repertoire of behaviors from which they can choose depending on the specific cultural situation. They actively experiment with new behavior. They function in a number of different cultures almost effortlessly and with no more stress than if they were in their home culture- Members of other cultures accept them as culturally knowledgeable and feel comfortable interacting with them. They feel at home, almost anywhere, Stage 5: Proactivity in cultural behavior based on recognition of changing cues that others do not perceive. People who are highly culturally intelligent have the ability, through continuous sampling of internal states and external cues, to sense changes in cultural context, sometimes even before members of the other culture. They are so attuned to the nuances of intercultural interactions that they almost automa tically adjust their behavior to anticipate these changes and facilitate better intercultural interactions among others. They seem to intuitively know what behaviors are required and how to execute them effectively. Individuals at this stage of development may be quite rare; however, it is a level of cultural intelligence to which we all might aspire. Griffer and Perlis (2007) stated that the development of cultural intelligence begins with a study of self and the awareness that everyone has a multi-perspective identity. Many people look into a mirror and describe themselves on the basis of what they see and subsequently describe others in the same way. Looking into that mirror, we see characteristics that can be easily described as race. Multi-perspective identity is defined as â€Å"characteristics of our identity that enable each individual to view reality through specific perspectives based upon ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic class† (Perlis, 2001 p. 11). This concept can certainly incorporate other forms of difference that comprise one’s identity; however, the definition for our work addressing the development of cultural intelligence will focus on these basic cultural characteristics. As pre-service we begin to see themselves as multi-perspective individual s and understand the interrelationships between these forms of their identity, they will develop cultural intelligence. Thomas Inkson (2004) suggested the possession or development of these underlying characteristics – integrity, openness, and hardiness – can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence easier. Integrity is â€Å"having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior† (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). People differ in the ways they describe our inner self cannot be directly known by other people. It is important for us to have an honest understanding of ourselves. Openness is â€Å"showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others† (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). It is mean inquisitiveness particularly about people from different cultures. Hardiness is â€Å"robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. If we are hardy we can cope with stress, recover from shocks, and perceive stressful events as interesting and meaningful and as an opportunity for growth and learning. † (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). In summary, Cultural intelligence is a person’s aptitude to task successfully with people from different culture background and understanding. Cultural intelligence has three component of cultural intelligence include with knowledge, mindfulness, and behavior. The development of cultural intelligence occurs in five stages are reactivity, recognition, accommodation, assimilation, and proactive. Finally, the author present three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. The next section the author will present about Thai culture and society. Thai Culture and Society Thailand is situated in the heart of Southeast Asia with Bangkok as the capital city. Thailand spreads out over 513,115 square kilometers of land and stretches some 1,620 kilometers from north to south and 775 kilometers from east to west. Thailand is divided into four natural regions: the north, northeast, the central plain, and the south. The Kingdom, a society that is also free, cohesive, and open, remains one of the most attractive places in the world to visit and conduct business. Buddhism is the faith of approximately 95 percent of the population (About Thailand, 2007). Today, Thai people share a rich ethnic diversity, Mon, Khmer, Tai, Chinese, Malay, Laotian, and Indian stock, with the result that there is no typically Thai. About 80% of all Thais are connected in some way with agriculture, which influences and is influenced by the religious ceremonies and festivals that help make Thailand such a distinctive country (UNDP: Thailand Human Development Report, 2007). It should be noted that the concepts of Thai culture are mostly similar to Buddhist principle. Buddhist principles are pragmatic (Payutto, 2003) as we can see from one of the teachings about pairs that though little he recites the Sacred Texts, but put the precepts into practice, forsaking lust, hatred and delusion, with right knowledge, with mind well freed, cling to nothing here or hereafter, he has a share in religious life (Wannapok, 1988). There are the main ideas of Buddhism are contained in the statements known as The Noble Eightfold Path and the Middle Way. Truth defines the Buddhist way of life and contains ail the ethical teaching and practices of Buddhism. It provides the way and means to attain the goal as set forth in the third Truth. This way is called the Noble Eightfold Path as it consists of eight factors as show in Table 1. Table 1: The Noble Eightfold Path as it corresponds to the Threefold Training The Threefold Training The Noble Eightfold Path ‘Panna’ or Wisdom Right View Right Thought ‘Sila’ or Morality Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood ‘Samadhi’ or Meditation Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration. Knietim (2009) suggested that Right View is means to see and to understand things as they really. As such, right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. Right Thought is the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. It can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. Right Speech is importance of speech can save lives or break, make friends or enemies. Right Action is expression and involves bodily actions. Right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others. Right Livelihood means that one should earn ones living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. Right effort is mental energy, it is the force behind right effort. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness. Right mindfulness is the ability to see t hings as they are, with clear consciousness. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualization in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Right Concentration is through the practice of meditation. The meditating mind focuses on a selected object. Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration also in everyday situations The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other. The eight factors of the Path are therefore organized into a system called the Threefold Training of morality (comprising the Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood factors), concentration or thought development (comprising the Right Effort,  Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration factors), and wisdom (consisting of the Right View, and Right Thought factors) (Chanchamnong, 2003). One of the most complex values in Thai culture is â€Å"The concept of Kreng Jai†. It is very difficult for foreigners to understand. This concept is the concept of being â€Å"considerate†. Komin asserts that this concept underlies a significant portion of everyday interpersonal behavioral patterns of the Thais (Komin, 1990). She further explained that: Its closest meaning is to be considerate, to feel reluctant to impose upon another person, to take another persons feelings (and ego) into account, or to take every measure not to cause discomfort or inconvenience for another person. Kreng jai refers to such attitude predisposing to ones resulting behavior towards someone else. Kreng jai behavior is to be observed by all, superiors, equals, and inferiors, including intimate relationships like husband-wife, and close friends, with differences in degree. (pp. 161-162) In general, Thai people helps others people without expecting any return or any compensation. At the same time the person who receives help will feel indebted to the helper and he will remember that and try to repay or return the favor at a later date. This is one of culture factor called â€Å"The concept of helping each other† (Joungtrakul, 2008). One of the most important in Thai society is the concept of ‘Bunkhun’. Thai people deeply and will be quite difficult to change. There are limitations in applying this concept as it may go beyond proper practice. However, to ignore or to delete it from a model would be difficult and may cause some problems in practice. Its removal could do more harm than good. There is no doubt Buddhism has a conscious significant role in the everyday Thai life. With regard to religious activities, likewise, the Thai are constantly engaged in merit-makings, and numerous other religious ceremonies. These activities are religious rituals. And as a Buddhist country, there are such activities to perform all year round, at home, at work, and in the community. Komin (1990) described that Thai people are sympathetic to others and it becomes the nature of the Thais in general. The application of this concept will create cooperative attitudes and collective efforts by the two parties to achieve common goals. Thai people also practice this concept in their daily lives and the phase of ‘meet half way’ is understandable by the Thais. This concept calls â€Å"The concept of compromising†. As the Thai culture is a â€Å"Thai-Buddhism culture† (Dhiravegin, 1998, p.l3), the middle path is a way of life for a Thai. Thais are compromising in nature and try to avoid any explicit confrontation. Thais follow the Buddhist principles of helping all people. This is usually done by joining in constructively creating social harmony and unity according to the four principles of helpful integration (Sangaha-Vatthu), which are: (1) Dana: giving, sharing (helping through money material goods); (2) Piyavaca: amicable speech (helping through words); (3) Atthacariy: helpful action (helping through physical effort); (4) Samarattata: participation (helping through problem solving) (Payutto, 2000 p.7). Buddhism Role’s and Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society According to three characteristic of Thomas and Inkson concept, there are integrity, openness, and hardiness which can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. They explain that ‘Integrity’ is having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior. ‘Openness’ is showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others. ‘Hardiness’ is robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. In the view point of the author, these three characteristic of develop cultural intelligence relate to some part of Buddha’s core teaching that show in Table 2. Characteristics to improve cultural intelligence relate to Buddha’s core teachings Characteristics Buddha’s core teachings Integrity Chanda: the will or aspiration. This is compatible with the faith that leads to achieving wisdom (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). Openness Citta: Thoughtfulness, i.e. making a conscious effort to think analytically in order to achieve the right views (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). Hardiness Viriya: the effort, the energy which one exerts in the right way to accomplish the right view (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). According to Table 2 shown the relationship between the three characteristics to improve cultural intelligence relate to Buddha’s core teachings is very closely. For the stages of cultural intelligence development, from literature review and compare between cultural intelligence concept of Thomas and Inkson (2004) with Buddhist principle concept especially as shown Table 2. The author beliefs that in Thai society, Thai people will be getting into develop stage of cultural intelligence with not too different. In fact the Buddha core teaching trains the people go to be the good person like other religion, help each other’s sympathy and support the society. Indeed, the Buddha core teaching focus in human resource development specially begins from self development, physical and mentor. That is mean the people who develop their own self will gain more cultural intelligence. Conclusion Cultural intelligence is important for individuals who interact with people from different countries, religious background – those with different cultural backgrounds. Cultural intelligence is a person’s aptitude to task successfully with people from different culture background and understanding. According to three characteristic of Thomas and Inkson concept, there are integrity, openness, and hardiness which can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. They explain that ‘Integrity’ is having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior. ‘Openness’ is showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others. ‘Hardiness’ is robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. Three characteristic of develop cultural intelligence have relate to Buddhist core teaching. Indeed, the Buddha taught many things, but the basic concepts in Buddhism explains a purpose to life, it explains apparent injustice and inequality around the world and it provides a code of practice or way of life that leads to right happiness. Buddhism in Thailand is strongly influenced by traditional beliefs regarding ancestral and natural spirits. Therefore, Buddha ways can help Thai people to develop a repertoire of behavioral skills appropriate to different intercultural situations and will be able to choose the right ones for a given interaction. The Thai word say â€Å"Khao mueng tar-lew, tong lew-tar tarm†, the meaning in English is â€Å"When in Rome, do as the Romans do† as a great cultural intelligence. References Chadchaidee T. (2005). Essay on Thailand. (17th enlarged edit.). Bangkok: Thanapol Vitayakarn. Chanchamnong S. (2003). The Buddha’s core teachings. Bangkok: Saisungsukaphapjai. Dhiravegin, L. (1998). Evolution of Thai political and dministration (in Thai) (6th ed.). Bangkok: Thammasat University Press. Earley, P. C, Ang, S. (2003). Cultural intelligence: An analysis of individual interactions across cultures. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press. Earley, P. C, (2002). Redefining interactions across cultures and organizations: Moving forward with cultural intelligence. Research in Organizational Behavior 24, 271-299. Earley, P. C. Mosakowski, E. (2004). Cultural intelligence. Harvard Business Review (10), 139-146. Earley, P. C., Ang, S., Tan, J. S. (2006). CQ: Developing cultural intelligence at work. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Earley, P.C. and Peterson, R.S. (2004). The elusive cultural chameleon: Cultural intelligence as a new approach to intercultural training for the global manager. Academy of Management Learning and Education 3(1), 100-15. Griffer M.R. Perlis M.P. (2007). Developing cultural intelligence in preservice speech-language pathologists and educators. Communication Disorders jhQuarterly, 29(1), 28-35. Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind: Intercultural cooperation and its Importance for survival, Cambridge, England: McGraw-Hill. Johansen B. P. McLean G. N. (2006). Worldviews of adult learning in the workplace: A core concept in human resource development advances in developing human resources, Advances in Developing Human Resources 8(3), 321-328. Abstract retrieved July 8, 2009, from http://adh.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/3/321. Joungtrakul, J. (2008). The Stride: A concerted industrial action in Thailand. Bangkok: Business Law Center. Knierim T. (2007). The Noble Eightfold Path. [Online] Available from http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html. [2009, July 25] Komin S. (1990). The Psychology of the Thai people Values and Behavioral Patterns. Bangkok: National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), Research Center. Payutto , P.A. (2000). A Constition for Living (6th ed.). Bangkok: Saha Dhammikkha Press. Payutto, P.A. (2003). The Pali Cannon: What a Buddhist Must Know. Bangkok: S. R. Printing Mass Products. Perlis, S.M. (2001). Sexual orientation and multiperspective identity on a small, Catholic campus: An analysis of the cultural climate and multicultural organizational change. Doctor dissertation, Temple University, Philadelphia. The Royal Thai Embassy (2007). About Thailand: An overview of Thailand. [Online] Available from http://thaiembdc.org/aboutthai/overview.htm. [2009, July 1] Thomas, D. C., Inkson, K. (2004). Cultural intelligence: People skills for global business. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Thomas, D.C. (2006). Domain and development of cultural intelligence: The importance of mindfulness, Group and Organization Management 31(1), 78-79. United Nations Development Program: Thailand Human Development Report 2007; Sufficiency Economy and Human Development. [Online] Avaliable from: Retrieved http://www.undp.or.th. [2009, July 18] Wannapok S. (1988). The Buddha’s words in the Dhammapada (6th end). Bangkok: Chormafai Press.

morris - the red house :: essays research papers

Red House -- one of the most important 19th century English homes and the experimental paintbox of the pioneers of the arts and crafts movement -- opens to the public this week after 140 years in private ownership. Described by painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti as "more a poem than a house," the realized utopian vision of Victorian writer, designer and political activist William Morris is a spectacular reflection of the ideals of a man who insisted that homes should contain nothing that isn't beautiful. Supported by a brotherhood of heritage-minded organizations, the UK's National Trust splashed out  £2 million in January 2003 to purchase the turreted South East London residence, now incongruously surrounded by nondescript suburban developments. The Trust is working hard to return the red-brick, red-tiled building and its magnificent walled garden to their original 1859 look, but it's a work in progress that's expected to take at least two years. The organic restoration is something Morris would have appreciated. He commissioned Red House when he was just 25-years-old as a home for himself and his young bride, Jane Burden, the Pre-Raphaelite uber-muse who appears in dozens of dreamy Victorian paintings. While architect Philip Webb designed the lay-out, Morris gave his artistic friends free-reign on the interiors. Experimenting with a romantic ideal of medievalism, Morris, Webb, Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones conceived a radically new country house that was both cosy and highly decorative. Creating zigzag patterned doors, curlicue stained-glass windows and rustic built-in furniture with heroic painted panels, the young designers developed skills they later used to found Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co., one of the most influential design firms of the late 19th century, whose wallpaper patterns are still popular today. And even though Morris lived in his dream home for just five years -- business pressures meant he had to sell it quickly -- it was the only house he ever built for himself and he he always regarded it as his favourite residence. Designed in an L-shape to fit in with the orchards that surrounded the site, Morris's team envisioned steep, multi-level overhanging roofs and a wide variety of round, arched and hooded windows. At a time when stucco was de rigeur, the use of bricks and roof tiles was unconventional, and the bold attempt to fully integrate the house with its garden raised eyebrows in polite society. The garden's striking well, a solid brick-and-beam construction that echoes the house with its own tiled roof, looks like a fanciful Victorian folly but is believed to have worked during Morris's time.

E Commerce Case Study 1

Page 163-165, #’s 1-3 1) Prepare a report in which you analyze the marketing channel conflicts and cannibalization issues that Lonely Planet faces as it is currently operating. Suggest solutions that might reduce the revenue losses or operational frictions that result from these issues. a) Lonely Planet has several forms of marketing channel conflicts and cannibalization. These forms range from print media, to Internet videos, to television shows and even travel services. Cannibalization is evident where many of the books are now being substituted for forums, online articles, and digital photo galleries.Some of these new electronic forms of media are even subscription based. I think that Lonely Planet needs to keep its major business entities separate from one another and try a separate name for each category. These could be broken down into travel services, publications, and strictly online based media social networking website. The publications can retain the ‘Lonely P lanet’ name. The social networking site could have a fresh name and look, but be mentioned that it is brought to you by the same people that bring you Lonely Planet. The same goes for travel services.This will keep peoples purchases separated with the want to buy from different vendors, but with the backing of a trusted company. 2) Prepare a list of new products that Lonely Planet might introduce to take advantage of Internet technologies (including wireless technologies for mobile devices) and address customers’ concerns about the timeliness and currency of information in the printed travel guides. Briefly describe any problems that Lonely Planet will face as it introduces three new products. b) There are many options to take advantage of Internet technologies.One is as simple as developing an application for Android and IOS devices. This will allow people the ability to use their current location and have the app search quickly for them attractions nearby without hav ing to type a single word. The app can also give real time updated articles that will be current to the reader/traveler. This will blow away the concerns about issues with currency and outdated articles. Again, as this product is introduced, I believe it should have its own recognized name, but be backed by Lonely Planet. If people figure out that it is this asy to access articles for free and the comfort and convenience of them being right in the palm of your hand, a subscription may have to be implemented, but lets say the first three are free. A digital bridge to the once printed publications is cannibalization. Being that the printed publications is such a large part of their revenue, this may want to be thought about and tested thoroughly before it is implemented. 3) Many loyal Lonely Planet customers carry their travel guides (which can be several hundred pages thick) with them as they travel around the world.In many cases, these customers do not use large portions of the trav el guides. Also, Internet access can be a problem for many of these customers while they are traveling. Describe a product (or products) that might address this customer concern and also yield additional revenue for Lonely Planet. Your answer here could build on ideas that you developed in your solution to part 2. c) These customers may want to have the convenience of using a physical travel guide at home to plan out their destinations.A benefit to not having to carry a thick, couple hundred-page book would be enormous. This is where a full digital copy or individual chapters could be sold and used on handheld devices such as e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. The customer could also print out the sections they desire to have handy while out and about if an electronic device is not applicable for the location that they are visiting. These digital copies do not require Internet access, except for the initial download. This is perfect for areas without this type of amenity.

Communication Skills

Communication is a valuable art and an individual's effectiveness as a leader, co-worker or friend will depend on their interpersonal and communication skills. Without a doubt, communication skills are not a simple formula; however, it is not impossible for people to communicate effectively and respectfully. A person can stand in a corner without saying one word; yet, with one simple kick or facial expression, they can communicate. A key to having an effective communication skill is by having good listening skills.The four stages of the listening process are simple to remember, (1) attending, (2) interpreting, (3) responding, and (4) remembering. (Dobbin and Pace, peg. 1 17) The listening process begins when e actively select, or attend to, stimuli in our environment. (Dobbin and pace, peg. 11 7) Many things can affect the way one can perceive his/her communication skills to others. A person must have a clear and pleasant tone in his/her voice in order to appeal to the listeners. Hav ing good listening skills makes the speaker feel admirable, appreciated and respected.When a person listens, they encourage the skill in others by acting as a model for positive and effective communication. In order to develop effective listening skills one should: 1. Minimize all external and internal distractions 2. Focus on what the speaker is saying . Keep an open mind in order not to make assumptions According to the Washington Times: â€Å"More often than one might think, listening has to happen before speaking can begin. This is especially true for babies. During their first few months, they hear the sounds around them.Over time, they learn to distinguish these sounds as part of figuring out who and what are worth dealing with in their immediate environment. A baby's effort to learn the difference between hearing and listening requires a rudimentary form of reasoning or thinking. Most babies discover they have to listen a lot before they can start talking. † (Washingto n's. Mom) Babies will then learn that by listening then responding, they will get a chance to speak. By developing good listening skills we learn to understand and obtain information.Some children are naturally attentive while others may need to focus on their skills. As a parent, we can help children to be better listeners by engaging into conversations with them or by playing games that my help them become better listeners. Effective listening skills are essential in many areas of life; such as, school, friendship and a career. It is vital to begin developing good listening skills during childhood so that a person can make a unconscious effort in engaging into a productive conversation. Listening effectively is an acquired skill. Communication Skills Communication Skills ï » ¿Communication Skills Aims This resource has been compiled to give a general introduction to effective communication for practice educators. The key components of the communication process will be discussed. The basic skills required for effective communication will be explored in the next few sections, and some specific contexts for communication, including giving presentations and feedback meetings, will be examined.Learning Objectives On completion of this resource, you should be able to: †¢ Identify the key components of the communication process. †¢ Identify some typical problems that can arise in the communication process and demonstrate knowledge of skills to overcome these. †¢ Demonstrate increased awareness of forms of communication and social behaviour. †¢ Identify and use strategies for managing specific contexts for communication, including giving presentations.Introduction As we progress through our careers in the health or social care environment, the sorts of skills that are critical to our success can change and evolve. Many of us are first responsible for performing specific practical tasks, linked to our developing knowledge base. Our effectiveness centres upon our actions and our growing expertise at performing these. Proficiency at such tasks is often the initial focus.However, as we continue to progress, it is likely that success will depend more and more upon our interpersonal skills and our ability to develop effective working relationships with key others. Jobs that include a managerial, supervisory or a mentoring role can involve complex relationships with people. Demands can be made that are sometimes conflicting and ambiguous. A practice educator’s job can involve reconciling and managing these demands. Not surprisingly, interpersonal and communication skills often rank among the most critical for work related success.In its most straightforward sense, effective communication may be  understood as occurring when the intended me aning of the sender and perceived meaning of the receiver are the same. Yet the level of skill required for effective communication to occur, belies the simplicity of this definition. After examining studies involving hundreds of large organisations, Goleman (1997) concluded that a high level of individual success at work was characterised by ‘emotional intelligence’, or skills of social awareness and communication. Typically, these included the ability to motivate and influence others, to give honest feedback sensitively, to empathise and develop relationships, to monitor ones own behaviour, to handle emotions both of self and others and to read interpersonal situations and organisational politics.However it is important to note that emotional intelligence, or the skills of social awareness and communication, can be developed and honed. This resource aims to give a basic introduction to the area of effective communication and will seek to increase your awareness of for ms of communication, communication skills and social or interpersonal behaviour therein. Communication (from Latin commÃ… «nicÄ re, meaning â€Å"to share†) is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior. It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more living creatures.One definition of communication is â€Å"any act by which one person gives to or receives from person information about that person's needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or non-linguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes.†Communication requires a sender, a message, and a recipient, although the receiver doesn't have to be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communi cation can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver understands the sender's message. Communicating with others involves three primary steps:Thought: First, information exists in the mind of the sender. This can be a concept, idea, information, or feelings. Encoding: Next, a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols. Decoding: Lastly, the receiver translates the words or symbols into a concept or information that a person can understand. There are a variety of verbal and non-verbal forms of communication. These include body language, eye contact, sign language, haptic communication,and chronemics. Other examples are media content such as pictures, graphics, sound, and writing.The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also defines the communication to include the display of text, Braille, tactile communication, large print, accessible multimedia, as well as written and plain language, human-reader, augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology. Feedback is a critical component of effective communication.Communication Process The A first step in unravelling the complexity of interpersonal communication is to understand the basic process by which communication occurs. Only then can we identify where possible problems can arise and explore skills for enhancing communication and managing such breakdowns. Human beings are not passive, predictable objects who always interpret meanings and react as they are ‘supposed to’. Neither is communication a passive, predictable, one way event.Rather, communication can be viewed as an active process, influenced by all the complexities and ambiguities of human behaviour. It is also fraught with potential points of breakdown. As Clampitt notes, ‘We actively construct meanings within a unique vortex that includes the words used, the context of the utterances, and the people involved.’(2005, p.8)A more accurate way of looking at the process of communication is probably as a dynamic, circuitous process in which elements such as non-verbal behaviour and individual styles of interpreting and ascribing meaning to events have significant influence. Strategies such as constructing a clear, unambiguous message can encourage effective communication, but sotoo can seeking to understand meanings imposed by the listener via processes such as actively listening to feedback. 1. Sending The Message:Person 1 constructs and sends a message. Messages are the signals and symbols that we use to convey what we want to transmit. They can occur in various ways, including visual (non-verbal, written), auditory (verbal and sub-vocal speech), tactile (touch, bodily contact) and olfactory(perfumes, aftershaves) formats. In order to send the message, it must be encoded intowords, as well as tone, inflection, facial expression, and other non-verbal language.While skills such as clear thinking, concise expression of plain english, logical association of ideas and organised speech are important, especially to specific contexts such as giving presentations they do not ensure that effective communication will take place. The meaning of the message is not contained solely in the words, as factors such as non-verbal cues, the context and the people involved will heavily influence meaning. It is important to note that unintended as well as intended meanings may be communicated via non-verbal leakage.2.The Channel In Clampitt’s (2005) model, this refers to the means used to deliver messages and the related formats. Means used to communicate can include face to face, telephone, pager, written, radio and video communication. In face to face communication, which is most often preferred for communication of more importan t matters, communication occurs through visual, auditory and olfactory formats, while the tactile medium may or may not be used. Skilled communicators will choose the channel most appropriate to the specific goals sought at that time.3. Receiving the MessageFor effective communication to take place, the message must be accurately decoded and reconstructed by person2, from the signals received from person 1. However, even if the â€Å"encoding† is carried out very well; this in itself does not ensure that it will be â€Å"decoded† accurately. The meaning ascribed to the message may vary according to the person doing the interpreting, the context in which the message was given and the total information communicated.4. FeedbackPerson 2 responds to person 1, and this message is received by person 1 as feedback. Again, feedback comprises both the verbal and non-verbal messages  of others, and allows us to evaluate how the message has been understood and the response to it . Actively listening to feedback is a key skill in effective communication. We can also get feedback from our own responses through a process known as ‘self-monitoring’ (Hargie et al 2004).Self-monitoring involves staying aware of what we are saying and doing in social encounters and how this is impacting on others. This type of feedback can then be used to alter or adapt our behaviour in the light of the responses from others.People who are skilled communicators are high self-monitors, who continuously analyse and regulate their own behaviour according to the way in which the other person is responding. With feedback as with other forms of message, the information received must be interpreted by us. Therefore, the message is susceptible to the same possible misinterpretations and will be influenced by factors such as context and people involved.Meaning is not an inherent quality of the message, but is perceived or constructed in the mind of the recipient. In the above exercise, a message that would seem to have been intended by the practice educator as being genuinely positive was misinterpreted as negative by the student in the second situation. The important part of this communication at this point, is how the practice educator listens to this feedback, the meaning that s/he ascribes to it, and how it is subsequently responded to.5. ContextA significant point to note is that communication never occurs in a vacuum. Communication is inextricably linked to the particular context in which it occurs, which in turn has a major impact upon behaviour. 6. NoiseThe term ‘noise’ describes anything that can interfere with or distort the meaning of a message. Dickson (1999) has identified a number of such barriers or common sources of noise, which can affect communication accuracy and effectiveness. †¢ Psychological:These include the perceptual biases or stereotypes that can impact on how we interpret a particular person’s message. People respond to stimuli in the environment in very different ways. We each have shortcuts that we use to organize data. Invariably, these shortcuts introduce some biases into  communication. Stereotyping is an example of such a shortcut.†¢ Semantic:This is used to describe situations where language or cultural differences distort or interfere with the meaning of the message. Effective communication requires deciphering and understanding the basic values, motives, and assumptions of the other person. Given that dramatic differences exist across cultures in terms of approaches to time, space, and privacy; the opportunities for misinterpretation when we are in cross-cultural situations are plentiful.†¢ Environmental:This refers to a range of factors such as size of room, layout of furniture, intrusive noise, heating and lighting etc. Each of these can either encourage or inhibit interaction.†¢ Demographic: Factors such as gender and age can impact on the way in which a message is interpreted. For example, a male listener may nod his head to indicate to the speaker ‘I agree’, whereas a female listener may nod her head to communicate ‘I am listening’ (but not necessarily agreeing); so sending the same visible feedback but with different actual meanings.†¢ Disability: Physical or neurological impairment as well as psychiatric illness can call for alternative means to the usual patterns of communication to be adopted. Some examples include sight or hearing loss, and conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or severe depression.†¢ OrganisationalBarriers to effective communication can be located within the organisation or agency itself. Difficulties with established lines and means of communication, different relative physical location of staff, lack ok of team or supervision meetings organisation or agency itself.Characteristics of Effective Communication Even in today’s electronic age, effective inter personal communication skills are a key factor in your professional and personal success. 1.A Clear,Concise MessageNo one likes a rambler, so have your primary purpose in mind when you begin your communication. Simplify your thoughts, so you can present your point in a precise manner. Once you have made your first important point, move on to  the next.2.Understanding of the RecipientEffective communicators know who they are talking to, and they understand the style of communication will vary based on the recipient. For example, you probably talk to your co-workers very differently than you talk to your boss.3.Empathy for the RecipientEmpathy involves putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. Effective communicators always see the situation from the perspective of the other person, including the emotions that might be involved with the message.4.Effective ListeningCommunication isn’t all about talking to someone. Effective listening means really hearing what the o ther person is saying as well. Paraphrasing the message and repeating it back to the individual will let you know you understood their point accurately. It also shows that you care enough about their message to get it right the first time. 5.Asking for Clarification, when NecessaryEffective communicators aren’t afraid to ask for clarification if they don’t understand the message they are receiving. When you ask for clearer understanding, it shows that you really care what the person is talking about and ensures the conversation proceeds appropriately. Clarification can come from paraphrasing what you heard the other person say or simply asking him to relay his message in a different way that is easier for you to understand.6.Adherence to the FactsEffective communicators are much more interested in passing of facts than assumptions or gossip. Avoid the rumor mill at all costs, and unless you can verify your information through the original source, do not pass it on to o thers. If you are conveying a message from another person, it is also important to get that person’s permission to do so before passing the information onto others.7.Awareness of Body LanguageBody language makes up a large percentage of our messages, so effective communicators learn how to tune into the nonverbal message they are sending. Make eye contact with the person you are talking to as much as possible, particularly when that person is speaking to you. Avoid potentially offensive body language like fidgeting, biting your lip or rolling your eyes that might convey boredom, cynicism or lack of honesty.8.Provision of Proper FeedbackWhen you offer feedback to another person, make sure it is constructive. Feedback is important to maintain a positive conversation and ensure you are both on the same page. Feedback might involve requests for clarifications, questions to expand a particular message, or constructive criticism about another’s performance. Pepper potential criticism with plenty of positive feedback so the recipient is more likely to hear your message and take it to heart.9.Inclusion of Praise, when AppropriateEffective communicators know how and when to offer praise. Positive feedback is always welcome, as long as the recipient knows it is authentic. When you praise another person, be specific in your compliment by linking it directly to a specific activity or attribute. Praise someone publically whenever you can, and make sure the praise coming out of your mouth is genuine. When you must convey negative information or criticism, try starting out with praise and ending with a positive statement. This â€Å"hamburger† approach usually helps others take criticism in stride.10. Positive AttitudeNo one likes to listen to a complainer, so effective communicators work hard to keep their messages positive. Instead of using phrases like, â€Å"I can’t† or â€Å"We won’t† in your conversations, focus on what you can do for others. Even if you cannot grant a request the way someone hopes, keeping your message positive will allow the other person to accept your â€Å"no† with grace. Effective communicators are typically the successful people in life that others admire. If you would like to join this elite group, practice these tips to improve your own communication skills. The improvement in your professional and personal relationships will make the work on your communication worth the effort.The Types of Communication Skills1. Verbal Communication Verbal communication skills are very important and must be honed, particularly in a job in which employees deal with the public. Clear communication requires straightforward language that is neither too flowery or too simple. It is essential to be able to use the spoken word to get your point across simply. Higher levels of communication competencies deal with persuasive speaking and these skills are necessary for management level employ ees and those in marketing positions within a company. All employees can benefit from public speaking courses, which help develop these key communication skills.2. Non verbal CommunicationNonverbal communication is much more difficult for many people. It consists of body language and the cues that are given off while listening to someone else speak. Those in customer service positions need to have a highly developed competency level in listening. Nodding of the head, inclining towards the speaker and showing an open body (shoulders back, arms uncrossed) let a speaker know that you are listening and hearing what they have to say.3. Oral communicationOral communication, while primarily referring to spoken verbal communication, can also employ visual aids and non-verbal elements to support the conveyance of meaning. Oral communication includes speeches, presentations, discussions, and aspects of interpersonal communication. As a type of face-to-face communication, body language and cho ice tonality play a significant role, and may have a greater impact upon the listener than informational content. This type of communication also garners immediate feedback.4. Written CommunicationOne often overlooked area of communication is the written word. Even the most basic position in a company requires employees to have good written communication skills. Proper spelling, grammar usage and a professional way of imparting information are important competencies that must be mastered. Written communication that is poorly worded, misspelled or full of errors detracts from the overall message that is being imparted. This is even more  vital when dealing with the public through written communication. People judge others by the way they write and it is important to make sure that written communication is professional.5. Business communicationA business can flourish only when all objectives of the organization are achieved effectively. For efficiency in an organization, all the peo ple of the organization must be able to convey their message properlyBarriers to Communication1.Language Barriers Clearly, language and linguistic ability may act as a barrier to communication. However, even when communicating in the same language, the terminology used in a message may act as a barrier if it is not fully understood by the receiver(s). For example, a message that includes a lot of specialist jargon and abbreviations will not be understood by a receiver who is not familiar with the terminology used. Regional colloquialisms and expressions may be misinterpreted or even considered offensive. See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.2.Psychological BarriersThe psychological state of the receiver will influence how the message is received. For example, if someone has personal worries and is stressed, they may be preoccupied by personal concerns and not as receptive to the message as if they were not stressed. Stress management is an important personal skill t hat affects our interpersonal relationships. See our pages Stress: Symptoms and Triggers and Avoiding Stress for more information.Anger is another example of a psychological barrier to communication, when we are angry it is easy to say things that we may later regret and also to misinterpret what others are saying. See our pages: What is Anger?, Anger Management and Anger Management Therapy for more information. More generally people with low self-esteem may be less assertive and therefore may not feel comfortable communicating – they may feel shy about saying how they really feel or read negative sub-texts into messages they hear. Visit our pages on Improving Self-Esteem and Assertiveness for more information.3.Physiological BarriersPhysiological barriers may result from the receiver’s physical state: for example, a receiver with reduced hearing may not grasp to entirety of a spoken conversation especially if there is significant background noise.4.Physical BarriersAn example of a physical barrier to communication is geographic distance between the sender and receiver(s). Communication is generally easier over shorter distances as more communication channels are available and less technology is required. Although modern technology often serves to reduce the impact of physical barriers, the advantages and disadvantages of each communication channel should be understood so that an appropriate channel can be used to overcome the physical barriers.5.Systematic BarriersSystematic barriers to communication may exist in structures and organisations where there are inefficient or inappropriate information systems and communication channels, or where there is a lack of understanding of the roles and responsibilities for communication. In such organisations, individuals may be unclear of their role in the communication process and therefore not know what is expected of them.6.Attitudinal BarriersAttitudinal barriers are behaviours or perceptions that prev ent people from communicating effectively. Attitudinal barriers to communication may result from personality conflicts, poor management, resistance to change or a lack of motivation. Effective receivers of messages should attempt to overcome their own attitudinal barriers to facilitate effective communication. Common Barriers to Effective Communication1.The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms. 2.Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to express their emotions and some topics may be completely ‘off-limits' or taboo. 3.Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver. Barriers to 4.Differences in perception and viewpoint.  5.Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties. 6.Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make communication less effective.7.Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents. 8.Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions. 9.Cultural differences The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different social settings.The Main Skills for Effective CommunicationFollowing are the main skills one should have to master to become an effective communicator. Although acquiring all these skills and mastering them to the same level seems to be challenging, knowing all these skills and slowly working on them will take you to the level you want to be in communication.1.Staying FocusedWhen you deal with a current crisis or an argument, relating something from the past is quite natural. When this happens, most of the times, the disc ussion goes out of topic and the situation can become quite complicated. Staying focused is one of the best skills not only for communicating under pressure, but for all types of communications ranging from lunch chitchats to board discussions. If you go out of focus, there is a high chance that the end result of the communication may not be effective.2.Listening CarefullyAlthough people think that they are listing when another person talks, actually they are spending time planning what to say next. This is what we actually do! Therefore, you need to make an extra effort in order to listen to what the other person says and then come up with what you want to say. If you are not sure what you've heard, repeat it and ask for their confirmation.3.Understanding Others' Point of ViewsIn most of the communications, we want ourselves heard and understood. We talk a lot on our point of view and try to get the buying of who are listening. Remember, others also do the same! If you want them to hear you, you need to hear them and understand their point of view too. If you can really see through their point of view, you can actually explain yours in a clear and applicable way.4.Empathy When CriticizingSometimes, we become really defensive when someone criticizes us. Since criticism has close ties with emotions, we can be easily erupted. But, in communication, it is really important to listen to the other person's pain and difficulties and respond with empathy. At the same time, try to extract the facts and the truth in what they say, it can be useful for you.5.Taking OwnershipTaking personal responsibility is strength. When it comes to effective communication, admitting what you did wrong is respected and required. Most of the times, there are many people, who share responsibility in a conflict. In such cases, admit what is yours. This behaviour shows maturity and sets an example. Your behaviour most probably will inspire others to take responsibility for their share.6.Com promise if NecessaryWe love to win arguments all the time, but how often have you felt empty inside after winning an argument? Sometimes, winning an argument does not make sense. You may win the argument but might lose the corporation of other people. Communication is not about winning, it's about getting things done. For the objective of getting things done, you may have to compromise in the process. If it is necessary, please do!7.Take a Time-Out if NecessarySometimes, you need to take a break in the middle of the discussion. If the communication is intensive, there can be ineffective communication pattern surfaced. Once you notice such patterns, you need to take a break and then continue. When you continue after the break, all the parties involved in the discussion will be able to constructively contribute for the discussion.8.Compete for Your ObjectiveAlthough there can be a lot of obstacles on your way, do not give up what you are fighting for. Surely you may have to compromise , but clearly stand for what you believe in. When it comes to communication, all the parties involved should satisfy with the outcome of it. Ask for Help Sometimes, you might have difficulties to communicate certain things to certain parties. This could be due to an issue related to respect or something else. In such cases, seek help from others. Your manager will be one of the best persons to help you with.ConclusionThus, effective communication helps us better understand a person or situation and enables us to resolve differences, build trust and respect, and create environments where creative ideas, problem solving, affection, and caring can flourish. As simple as communication seems, much of what we try to communicate to others—and what others try to communicate to us—gets misunderstood, which can cause conflict and frustration in personal and professional relationships. By learning these effective communication skills, you can better connect with your spouse, kids , friends, and coworkers.

Analysis of Mayor Cory Booker essays

Analysis of Mayor Cory Booker essays The most intriguing metropolitan mayoral race occurred May 14, 2002, when incumbent Sharpe James was sought an unprecedented fifth term. However, James would not be vying against the typical candidate. The 66-year-old James was about to face the fight of his political life thanks to freshmen City Councilman Cory Booker. Booker grew up in the wealthy suburb of Bergen County, New Jersey. He was named Mr. Football of New Jersey in 1987 and attended Stanford University on an athletic scholarship. In 1992, he traveled to Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship. Upon his return to the U.S. he attended Yale Law School. Instead of embarking on a high paying law career Booker decided to move to Newark, New Jersey and become an activist for black residents whom he believed were being supplanted by the inadequate administration of Mayor Sharpe James. In 1999, Booker gained national attention by fasting and camping out next to a series of abject housing projects for ten days. He was attempting to draw the publics attention to the lack of police protection for the law-abiding tenants from gang members and drug dealers (Booker, 2002). Soon afterwards, Booker lived in a trailer for five months where each night he parked on street corners thus obstructing the normal routine of drug dealers (Booker, 2002). After seeing much Bookers activism on Fox News, 60 Minutes and CNN I, along with several political commentators and political strategist, believed Cory Booker would be the next Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. To my utter chagrin, my predictions were wide of the mark, about negative seven percent wide to be exact. To understand why my chosen candidate failed I decided to analyze the vital elements of his campaign. The first thing that came to mind was Corys age. Cory at the time was 32 years old and was challenging a 66-year-old incumbent. Sharpe and his cronies began to plant seeds of doubt and apprehension in the older African Am...

Ben Franklin BiographyCritique essays

Ben Franklin BiographyCritique essays In his many careers as a printer, moralist, essayist, civic leader, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, and philosopher, for later generations of Americans he became both a spokesman and a model for the national character. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on Jan. 17, 1706, into a religious Puritan household. His father, Josiah, was a candlemaker and a skillful mechanic. His mother, Abiah Bens parents raised thirteen childrenthe survivors of Josiahs seventeen children by two wives (#1). Franklin left school at ten years old when he was pressed into his father's trade. At twelve Ben was apprenticed to his half brother James, a printer of The New England Courant. He generally absorbed the values and philosophy of the English Enlightenment. At the age of 16, Franklin wrote some pieces for the Courant signed "Silence Dogood," in which he parodied the Boston authorities and society (#3). At one point James Franklin was imprisoned for his liberal statements, and Benjamin carried on the paper himself. Having thus learned to resist oppression, Benjamin refused to suffer his brother's own domineering qualities and in 1723 ran away to Philadelphia (#1). Soon Franklin found a job as a printer. After a year he went to England, where he became a master printer, sowed some wild oats, amazed the locals with his swimming feats, and lived among inspiring writers of London. By 1726 Franklin was tiring of London (#1). He considered becoming an itinerant teacher of swimming, but when a Quaker merchant by the name of Thomas Denham offered him a clerkship in his store in Philadelphia, he decided to return home (#5). Returning to Philadelphia in 1726, he soon owned a newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, and began to print Poor Richard's Almanac. In the Pennsylvania Gazette, a citizen asked editor Franklin the following question: "If A found out that his neighbor B was sleeping with his wife, was he justified in telling B's w...

113 Great Research Paper Topics

3 Great Research Paper Topics SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we’ve done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 3 interesting research paper topics. They’ve been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you. In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper. What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic? Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics. #1: It’s Something You’re Interested In A paper is always easier to write if you’re interested in the topic, and you’ll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don’t feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well. #2: There’s Enough Information to Write a Paper Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you’re so excited to write about it, you won’t be able to produce a good paper if there isn’t enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper. Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn’t have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you’ll have all the information you need to write your paper. #3: It Fits Your Teacher’s Guidelines Don’t get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you’re writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won’t be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you’re really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing. 3 Good Research Paper Topics Below are 3 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We’ve organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you’re looking for. Arts/Culture Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance. Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world. How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years? How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music? How has rap music evolved in the past decade? How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed? Current Events What have been the impacts of China’s one child policy? How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades? How has the Trump presidency changed international relations? Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea. What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment? What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage? How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries? How have the US’s immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades? How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US? What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US? What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)? What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power? Discuss the history of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Education Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers? Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests? Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren’t receiving a free meal? Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools? Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms? How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies? What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method? Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on? What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act? How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries? What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students’ health? Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools? Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools? Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching? How does college debt affect future life choices of students? Should graduate students be able to form unions? Ethics What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US? How and why have divorce rates changed over time? Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace? Should physician-assisted suicide be legal? How has stem cell research impacted the medical field? How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world? Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money? Government Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes? Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer? Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another. Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result? Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs? Which prison reforms have proven most effective? Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet? Health Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy? What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet? How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss? How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other? What are the most effective ways to treat depression? What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods? Which methods are most effective for improving memory? What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US? What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis? Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss? How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week? Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children? What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs? How does stress affect the body? History Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials? Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation? How has New Orleans and the government’s response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina? What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire? What were the impacts of British rule in India? Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary? What were the successes and failures of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States? What were the causes of the Civil War? How did Abraham Lincoln’s assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War? Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution? What caused Hitler’s rise to power? Discuss how a specific invention impacted history. What led to Cleopatra’s fall as ruler of Egypt? How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries? What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide? Religion Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church? Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.) How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church? How has the Catholic church’s power changed over the past decades/centuries? What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/agnosticism in the United States? What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha? How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September th? Science/Environment How has the earth’s climate changed in the past few decades? How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US? Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades. Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time. How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods? How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety? What are the pros and cons of fracking? What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far? What have NASA’s biggest successes and failures been? How can we improve access to clean water around the world? Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment? Should the US rely on nuclear energy more? What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction? What impact has climate change had on coral reefs? How are black holes created? Technology Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression? How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users? Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles. How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods? Has social media made people more or less connected? What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence? Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity? What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom? How is Google search affecting our intelligence? When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone? Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates? How to Write a Great Research Paper Even great research paper topics won’t give you a great research paper if you don’t hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers. #1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don’t want to start writing without it! As some examples, if you’re writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be â€Å"Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom.† If you’re writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be â€Å"While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states’ rights, and territorial expansion." #2: Back Every Statement Up With Research Remember, this is a research paper you’re writing, so you’ll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You’re allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give. #3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing You don’t want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn’t enough research to back up the points you’re making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you’re trying to make! Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you’ve collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you’re going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it’ll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper. What's Next? Are you also learning about dynamic equilibrium in your science class? We break this sometimes tricky concept down so it's easy to understand in our complete guide to dynamic equilibrium. (coming soon) Thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner? Nurse practitioners have one of the fastest growing careers in the country, and we have all the information you need to know about what to expect from nurse practitioner school. Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

Washington D.C as a world city Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Washington D.C as a world city - Essay Example This directly influences the social condition in the society and acts as a primary driver for social inequality. (Gibel, 2007) The problem with Washington has been the issue of Native Americans Versus the African Americans. A research work conducted at MIT and the Chicago University revealed that the filtering of candidates for issuing jobs was done based on whether the applicant had a white sounding name or a black sounding name and around 60-65 percent of applications were rejected in the case of blacks. Jews marched on Washington against racism on 20th of April 2002 (nkusa.org, 2002). The Jewish leader Rebbi Weiss delivered a speech on ethnic equality mentioning the advantages of social equality in the society and its affect on the all round development of the city. Not only this, the plague of racism even affected the law protecting bodies like the police, fire and municipal services. Police officials exchanged hundreds of racist messages through E-mails including segregated grou p meetings (adversity.net, 2005). In 2001 about 10 percent of the police force is involved in the investigation for law violation (adversity.net, 2005). The Racial discrimination in the society of Washington follows the models of racism. Individual racism where a person acts in such a way to degrade others based on race like a boss not hiring or promoting an efficient worker on the basis of race etc (William, 2002) were common. The lack of proper parenting for and injecting the evil thoughts of racism into children are resulting in racial discrimination in schools and colleges. The environment of social grouping also has a major impact. The differences in the power and influence are easily seen in the majority section of society (William, 2002).These racist policies embedded at organizational level is structural racism. The American psychiatric association stated that racial discrimination affects the mental health of a person and leads to further mental

Ben&Jerry's VS. Haagen Daz Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ben&Jerry's VS. Haagen Daz - Term Paper Example On the basis of the entire analysis, this paper will provide some recommendation to Ben’s and Jerry’s regarding its marketing strategies. Review of Ben’s and Jerry’s- a competitive analysis Ice cream of Ben and Jerry has started their journey in a well to do manner. Actually there were two people named Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield who wished to make bagels, but they found their decision to be very expensive in order to fulfill it and so they opted to make ice creams instead of bagels. (Ben and Jerry’s p. 1) Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have used special characters in order to promote their brand and also which are simple to pronounce, recognize and also can be remembered for long time. Their brand logo had cow and green environment behind which depicts awareness of quality and benefits. Ben and Jerry have always tried to acknowledge their customers that they always use natural and fresh milk while keeping the environment completely clean and gre en at the time of producing ice creams. In order to prove and promote their mission, Ben and Jerry have used special slogan like â€Å"From cow to Cone†, â€Å"Lick Global Warming†, †Organic Ben & Jerry’s†, and â€Å"50 Ways to Promote Peace†. (Ben and Jerry’s p. ... Thus, it will be more interesting for them to see â€Å"Organics, low sugar, or low fat Ice Cream†. (MarketingWeek p.1) In order to promote and develop their brand, Ben and Jerry is using the brand extension policy. They have produced thousand of ice cream flavors under the name of one successful brand, which of course is â€Å"Ben & Jerry’s†. They have extended its brand to organic ice cream, original ice cream, scoops menu, bars original ice cream, single original ice cream, and single novelties with different choice of taste in each product. (MarketingWeek p. 1; Ben and Jerry’s p. 1) But the journey of Ben and Jerry was not so smooth as their ice cream blends. They had a hard and fierce competition with a brand named Haagen-Dazs. These two brands have dominated the global premium ice cream market and one would be shocked to observe that the two companies could be so similar yet so different in various angles. Haagen-Dazs does claim to use the best ingre dients, from all over the world.    They also claim to use pure ingredients.    Haagen-Dazs started out in the 1920’s and in 1983, Haagen-Dazs was bought by  Pillsbury.    Haagen-Dazs was the first to market ice cream bars for a more adult crowd. Haagen-Dazs were the pioneers in the market for creating distinctive and indulgent taste experiences by marketing to an untapped segment - the adult ice cream lovers. The Haagen-Dazs brand quickly developed a loyal following. Its early success was created by word of mouth and praise. They do not, however, have the fun and creative names, which means Vanilla Swiss Almond is not something that is going to catch your eye and make you remember it. But some of their flavors are

Haven't decided yet, need professional advice for it Dissertation

Haven't decided yet, need professional advice for it - Dissertation Example The researcher has used qualitative research methodology in order to address the key research problems. Theoretical arguments of various research scholars have been used in order to develop theoretical argument in the paper. Market research report on Chinese consumer behaviour towards Smartphone and previous research works on the topic have been used in order to conduct the qualitative data analysis. The researcher found that individual attributes such as cash back offer, EMI schemes, wide screen size, touch sensitivity, HD quality movie watching facility, gaming options, availability of applications, metallic body, practical usable functions in Smartphone can influence purchasing decision and brand loyalty among Chinese Smartphone users. Lack of use of primary data to analyze consumer behaviour regarding particular product attribute is major limitation for the study. Findings of this research paper can be used by future Smartphone marketers in order to enhance brand loyalty among Ch inese customers by influencing their purchasing decisions. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Chapter 1: Introduction 7 1.1. Purpose of the Research 9 1.2 Research Questions 9 Chapter 2: Smartphone Industry in China 10 Chapter 3: Literature Review 11 3.1 Introduction 11 3.2 Price 12 3.3 Design 13 3.4: Applications 15 3.5: Flexibility 17 3.6 Motivation 19 3.7 Conclusion 21 Chapter 4: Research Methodology 22 4.1 Introduction 22 4.2 Research Approach 22 4.3 Research Strategy 22 4.3.1 Phenomenology 23 4.3.2 Ethnography 24 4.3.3 Grounded Theory 24 4.3.4 Case Study and Literature Review 24 4.4 Philosophical Underpinnings 25 4.5 Qualitative Data Analysis 27 4.6 Ethical Consideration 27 4.7 Conclusion 28 Chapter 5: Analysis and Interpretation 28 5.1 Introduction 28 5.3 Price Benefits 35 5.4 Superior Design 36 5.5 Application and Flexibility 37 5.6 Motivation 40 5.7 Conclusion 41 Chapter 6: Conclusion, Recommendation and Limitation 42 6.1 Managerial Implications 44 6.2 Future Recommendati ons for Researchers 45 6.3 Limitations 45 Appendices 54 Appendix 1: Gantt chart 54 List of Figures Figure No. Figure Name Page No. 1 2004-2010 Sales of Smartphone in China 30 2 Smartphone OS Market Share in China-2011 31 3 Business Performance of Chinese Carriers 32 4 Mobile Phone Market Share in China 33 5 Smartphone Market Share in China 33 6 Smartphone Price Decline in China 34 7 Flexible Smartphone Use by Chinese Customers 39 8 Location wise Smartphone Use by Chinese Customers 40 List of Tables Table No. Table Name Page No. 1 Star Tinji i9300 versus Samsung Galaxy S3 38 Chapter 1: Introduction In recent times, advent of latest technologies have completely revolutionized the mobile phone manufacturing industry, marketer’s perception regarding use of mobile phone as potential marketing tool and most importantly consumer’s perception about mobile phone applications (Wei and Lo, 2006). According to Wei and Lo (2006), mobile phones manufacturers have transformed the mob ile phone from being a device for communication to a device which is capable of virtual mobility, able to personalize social interaction and able to offer multiple applications which can help customers to perform their task in more responsive and customized manner. From the technological perspectives, transformed version of mobile phones which is basically a multimedia machine is known as Smartphone. Wei and