Credible and Reliable Sources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Credible and Reliable Sources - Essay Example Thus, those who have traditionally been university educated, were white males from privilaged backgrounds. This demographic has changed, and so to should the language conventions that reflect an era when only white males attended university – the very individuals or group that established past conventions. Thus, one important tip, is not to use 'gendered pronouns', rather, one ought to use 'gender neutral' pronouns like they, or their. One of the other elements that makes APA a desirable or optimal format, is the brevity of the style. With regard to the notion of APA Abbreviations, one of the important goals stressed, is that the style or format should do as little as possible to distract the reader from the content of what is being read. It is maintained by the APA that the less style formatting that is used, the better. The less there is formatting, the less attention a reader is going to spend paying attention to anything other than the basic text. So, for example, wherever possible, information is abbreviated. One good example of doing this, is with author's names. Author first names are not given either with 'in text' citations, which is normal for a lot of style conventions, or with bibliographical information.

Politics of Globalistation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Politics of Globalistation - Essay Example As stated by Mark (25), the dominance of one state over others in terms of economic and socio-political power is known as hegemony. Since the end of Cold World War, the United States has played a significant role in globalisation as a hegemon. U.S’ hegemony was able to impose its rules on the international system, provide goods to the system such as an international economic, financial and commercial order as well as global security and political order (Higgott 148). In short, the United States was able to open up national borders to foreign influences like political, cultural, and economic; thus, promoting globalisation. For this reason, in a world no longer defined by U.S’ hegemony, globalisation would not sustain. Higgott (156) claims that hegemony is crucial in creating international institutions that supply public goods, to the international system. Such institutions include World Trade Organisation, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, The North Atlantic Treat y Organisation, and United Nations, among others. However, Mark (33) argues that the role played by these international institutions is not responsible for stability of the international economy. This is because once they start; they do not need any further controlling since they can survive on their own and other nations come to value and preserve them. However, the United States hegemony does not only set rules for other nations, but also creates international institutions that supply public goods (Bryane 21). According to Robinson (36), such public goods would not be provided unless there was a nation in the international system willing to pay the disproportionate cost to supply them. In the current international system, the United State is the only nation able to absorb the disproportionate cost and supply the public goods to the international community; thus, creating a stable international economy which has less conflicts and more open. However, even if the U.S’ disprop ortionately bears the costs alone, it stands to gain due to its dominant position in the international system. Cox (256) claims that, US hegemony has contributed largely to global security through its military force. Nevertheless, many nations claim that the U.S’ has caused a reduction in international security; hence, they view America as a threat and doubt its intentions. This has led to destabilisation of the international cooperation. However, according to Cox (261), US military hegemony does not weaken global security, but rather promotes international democracy and liberty leading to political stability. For instance, the American military has helped to protect Saudi Arabia from attacks in order to ensure free flow of oil to other nations. Moreover, the stability of U.S’ hegemony has helped to prevent countries such as Germany from developing their own nuclear weapons; thus, protecting Asia and other European nations from destructive security competition and arms races (Harry 43). Therefore, if United States withdraws from its dominant role in the world, globalisation would deteriorate drastically due to lack of international security. However, without protection of Middle East by the U.S’ military hegemony, the free flow of oil is likely to be interrupted by war, which would result in increased oil prices and affect the global economy. Thus, increased oil prices would force nations to use coal that can cause environmental catastrophes

Evolutionary Approaches to Economic Change

Evolutionary Approaches to Economic Change What is the evolutionary approach to economic change? How does it compare with conventional approach in mainstream economics? Introduction The changes in the economic process brought about by innovation, together with all their effects, and the response to them by the economic system, we shall designate by the term Economic Evolution†, Schumpeter (1939).[1] The above description of economic evolution by Schumpeter aptly illustrates the picture of the evolutionary approach to economic change, where innovations and technology set the economic system in dynamic motion.[2] It takes into account the complexity of economic change by emphasizing: a.) the importance of technology as a contributing factor to economic change; b.) the factors that create states of disequilibrium; c.) the uncertainty of the economic system; d.) the importance of entrepreneurship; and e.) the diversity of growth rates. The evolutionary approach emphasizes dynamism in terms of competition between and among firms, which necessitates making new adaptations to the changing environment brought about by transformations created by other firms. [3] On the other hand, the conventional approach to economic change in mainstream economics perceives economic change as a function of savings, population growth and technological progress (which are viewed as exogenous), ascertain t he static income per capita levels. [4] It assumes that the growth rate of total output will in fact, always move towards a given constant level which represents a state of steady economic growth. [5] Moreover, the conventional approach operates on the basis of assumptions that center on the existence of perfect information, absence of uncertainty and achievement of warranted economic change. Comparative Analysis of Evolutionary and Conventional Approaches to Economic Change Evolutionary and conventional approaches to economic change differ in many aspects. In the context of economic change, these important differences center on the following points: a.) use of metaphors; b.) states of equilibrium / disequilibrium; and c.) emphasis on technological progress as input to economic change. Use of Metaphors The evolutionary approach uses biological metaphors to explain economic change, which uses the living organism in its analogy in effecting such change. This approach uses biological / genetic mutations to represent the small changes coming from investments in already existing enterprises. The process of mutation as evolutionary adaptation for survival lies on the nature of biological mutations which happens at random and where natural selection weeds out the unsuccessful species. Similarly, economic change in the context of the evolutionary approach occurs in a competitive environment where changes are made at random and where enterprises with less efficient management systems become the unsuccessful ones. On the other hand, the conventional approach uses physical metaphors such as investments taking the form of physical inputs such as â€Å"modifications of existing factories, fields, roads, harbours, etc†. [6] States of Equilibrium / Disequilibrium The evolutionary approach highlights the dynamic interaction of the various firms, consumers, households and markets, taking into account the distribution of income and production among them, thereby emphasizing the influence of a diverse group of variables on economic change. This is in stark contrast to the consideration of the economy as an aggregate entity by the conventional approach. In effect, the variables being diverse and numerous in the perspective of the evolutionary approach, potentially create states of dynamic disequilibrium within the economic system. These states of disequilibrium are in fact embodied in the structural change within the economic system which is â€Å"a necessary reflection of diversity in the growth rates of different activities.[7] It rejects the classical assumption of Say’s Law [8] , [9], since the evolutionary approach is grounded on a more realistic view of the economy where society places a value on the goods produced based on its prefe rences and tastes, thus, the uncertainty of gains and losses are well taken into account. This realistic view of the evolutionary approach to economic change therefore delves into the interaction between the diverse agents or actors involved in the economic system as a whole. These interactive processes being essentially dynamic and transformative in nature, expose the economic system into more random forces that lead to a disorderly state or to a state of disequilibrium. In this scenario, market processes shape the competitive process which breeds innovation consequently leading to the restless quest for technological progress. Technological progress later determines market share and hence, becomes a useful yardstick of competitive edge. In this case, there is hardly any state of equilibrium, but instead, there exist randomly interacting forces colliding with one another, producing further disequilibrium in the economic system. A useful analogy would be to equate biological evoluti onary forces that determine the likelihood of an organism to survive in a constantly changing environment, to the economic factors that cause disequilibrium which determine the competitive strength of firms in the face of imperfect competition. The conventional approach views economic change as a stationary or static process, and thus, the growth of all activities† are â€Å"at a uniform rate†. [10] The neoclassical theory which follows a conventional approach negates the importance of economic forces that often influence the rate of economic change, making it an idealized approach. Thus, in this case, there is a total absence of unemployment or inflation, while what exists is a uniform return to scale. This approach models economic change in a state of equilibrium where economic decisions are made from perfect information, and are carried out with â€Å"perfect foresight and precision so that there is never any excess supply of or, excess demand for, labor or land.† [11] This approach also assumes that a perfect suitability exists in production between capital goods and consumption goods, thus, â€Å"only one commodity is produced which may be used either for final consumption or for addition to the st ock of instruments of production.† [12] Hence this steady state of economic change in the perspective of the conventional approach assumes that: (i) all elasticities of substitution between the various factors are equal to unity, (ii) technical progress is neutral towards all factors, and (iii) the proportions of profits saved, of wages saved, and of rents saved were all three constant, [13] The conventional approach inherently possesses an â€Å"apparent inability to account for observed diversity across countries† and a â€Å"strong and counterfactual prediction that international trade should include rapid movement towards equality in capital-labor ratios and factor prices.† [14] Since it emphasizes the production function where the relationship of inputs of factors used to generate the output becomes a major consideration, in effect, it uses the classical assumption of Say’s Law.[15] Technology as Input to Economic Change The evolutionary approach to economic change emphasizes the role of technological knowledge in the improvement of economic productivity. It presupposes that technological progress and innovation are central to the attainment of economic change. J.S. Gans asserts that acceleration to the growth rate could be achieved if resources would be allocated to the production and distribution of knowledge. [16] The endogenous sources of technological progress and innovation are the institutions and organizations within which it becomes an integral part. This approach emphasizes the need to capitalize on institutions and organizations as sources of technological knowledge, in effect highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship in the quest for economic change. The costliness of technological innovation becomes embedded in the central factor of entrepreneurship which is viewed as a factor that drives capital deepening through shifts in the production function to achieve a higher rate of techno logical progress.[17] The conventional approach regards technology as exogenous and therefore is not regarded as an inherent part of the economic system . It does not trace the source of economic growth to technological innovation and consequently assumes that technology is a free good,â€Å"manna from heaven.† [18] Conclusion In the final analysis, the revolutionary and conventional approaches to economic change lie on opposite planes of the overarching concept of economic change. Their differences lie on the following salient points: The evolutionary approach emphasizes: the use of biological metaphors, dynamic change, and disequilibrium factors in a diverse economic system and entrepreneurship; and puts significant consideration on the role of technological knowledge as an endogenous part of institutions and organizations responsible for wealth creation and distribution. The conventional approach on the other hand, espouses: the use of physical metaphors, static or comparative static condition; disregards entrepreneurship due to the aggregate production perspective; and considers technological knowledge as a free, exogenous good , not directly associated with wealth creation and distribution. References: Dosi, G., Nelson, R. R., â€Å"Evolutionary Theories†. In Markets and Organization, ed. Arena, R., Longhi, C., 205-234. New York: Springer – Verlag, 1998. Gans, Joshua, S. â€Å"Knowledge of Growth and the Growth of Knowledge†. Information Economics and Policy, 4 (1989/91): 201 – 224. Green, Eric Marshall. Economic Security and High Technology Competition in an Age of Transition: The Case of the Semiconductor Industry. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1996. Lucas, Robert, E. Jr., â€Å"On the Mechanics of Economic Development† . Journal of Monetary Economics , 22 (July 1988): 3-42. Martens, Bertin. The Cognitive Mechanics of Economic Development and Institutional Change. New York: Routledge, 2004. Meade, J. E. A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth. New York: Oxford University Press, 1961. Meliciani, Valentina. Technology, Trade, and Growth in OECD Countries: Does Specialisation Matter?. London: Routledge, 2001. Metcalfe, J. Stanley. Evolutionary Economics and Creative Destruction. London: Routledge, 1998. Metcalfe, J.S. â€Å"Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge.† Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 12 (March 2002): 3-15. Nelson, Richard. How New Is New Growth Theory?. Challenge 40, no. 5 (1997): 29+. Reinert, E. S., Riiser, V. Recent Trends in economic theory – implications for development geography. Oslo, Norway: Studies in Innovation and Economic Policy ( Step Group) , 12 (August, 1994): 1-12. ISSN : 0804-8185. Available from: http://www.step.no/reports/Y1994/1294.pdf. Accessed ; 18, November, 2006. Scott, Maurice Fitzgerald. A New View of Economic Growth. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991. Sengupta, Jati K. New Growth Theory: An Applied Perspective. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 1998. 1 Footnotes [1] J. Stanley Metcalfe, Evolutionary Economics and Creative Destruction (London: Routledge, 1998 ): 103. [2] Giovanni Dosi, Richard R. Nelson, â€Å"Evolutionary Theories† in Markets and Organization, ed. Arena, R., Longhi, C. (New York: Springer – Verlag, 1998): 205-234. [3] Maurice Fitzgerald Scott, A New View of Economic Growth (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991): 124. [4] Jati K. Sengupta, New Growth Theory: An Applied Perspective (Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 1998): 13. [5] J. E. Meade, A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth (New York: Oxford University Press, 1961): 30. [6] Maurice Fitzgerald Scott, A New View of Economic Growth , 125. [7] J. S. Metcalfe, â€Å"Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge†. Journal of Evolutionary Economics 12 ( March 2002): 3-15. [8] Say’s Law assumes that â€Å"everything produced has some value for the community†. [9] Joshua S. Gans, â€Å" Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge†. Information Economics and Policy 4 (1989/91): 203. [10] J. Stanley Metcalfe, Evolutionary Economics and Creative Destruction, 3. [11] J. E. Meade, A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth (New York: Oxford University Press, 1961): 4 [12] Ibid, 6. [13] . J. E. Meade, A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth, 30. [14] Robert E. Lucas, Jr., â€Å"On the Mechanics of Economic Development†. Journal of Monetary Economics 22 (July, 1988): 3-42. [15] Joshua S. Gans, â€Å"Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge†. Information Economics and Policy 4 (1989/91):203 [16] Joshua S. Gans, â€Å"Knowledge of Growth.., 220. [17] J. S. Metcalfe, â€Å"Knowledge of growth†¦, 4. [18] Erik S. Reinert and Vermund Riiser. Recent Trends in economic theory – implications for development geography. (Oslo, Norway: Studies in Technology, Innovation and Economic Policy: Step Group, 1998): 10. ISSN: 0804-8185. Available from: http://www.step.no/reports/Y1994/1294.pdf. Accessed: 18 November, 2006.

Ethics of Encryption Essay -- Essays Papers

Ethics of Encryption Effects of Encryption on the Constitution of the United States of America In the rapidly developing field of computer science, there is no more controversial issue than encryption. Encryption has become a highly contested issue with the broad use of global networks including the Internet. As more and more sensitive documents are being placed on computer networks, and trusted information is being sent from computer to computer throughout the world, the need for encryption has never been greater. However, the effects of encryption on our lifestyle and the government's role in encryption has been (and will continue to be) debated for years to come. The United States (U.S.) Constitution was drafted to prescribe to the American people, government's powers and limitations. In the form of the Bill of Rights, the people's rights were added to the Constitution to make the document complete and to ensure that the U.S. government does not hold the power to oppress the citizens of this country. The right to privacy, though never specifically mentioned in the Constitution, has been interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court from the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments as well as many other passages in the document. These three amendments are the focus of the debate over encryption. Does the government's plan to limit encryption have an adverse effect on the citizens' rights to free speech, protection from unlawful searches and seizures, or self-incrimination? There are many terms which have been introduced by the field of encryption. Each of these terms are need to understand this discussion. Plaintext is the original document to be transmitted or stored on a computer system. Ciphertext is the encrypted document. ... ... Case for 'Clipper'." Technology Review. July 1995: 48-55. Dorman, Lester et al. "Digital Privacy." http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~pweston/privacy.html. December 1995. Froomkin, A. Michael. "The Metaphor is the Key: Cryptography, The Clipper Chip, and the Constitution." http://www-swiss.ai.mit.edu/6095/articles/froomkin-metaphor/text.html. December 1995. Henick, Ben. "The Constitution of the United States." www.csum.edu/A_S/History/docs/usacon.html." December 1995. Licquia, Jeff. "PGP Frequently Asked Questions." http://www.prairenet.org/~jalicqui/pgpfaq.txt. December 1995. Litterio, Francis. "Statement of Rep. Jack Brooks (D-TX)." http://draco.centerline.com:8080/~Efranl/clipper/brooks-statement.html. December 1995. Morton, Bill. "The Beginner's Guide to Pretty Good Privacy." ftp://ftp.prairenet.org/pub/providers/pgp/pgpbg11.asc. December 1995.

Drug Testing and Ethics Essay

Is drug testing an unwarranted invasion of employee privacy? Which is more important–getting drugs out of the workplace or protecting the privacy of the employee? What about other health-threatening activities, i. e. smoking outside of working hours, unprotected sex, etc. Should employers be able to question or test employees or potential employees about these activities? Both of these scenarios are tricky ones. On the one hand, any employer would want to get drugs out of the workplace. On the other hand you don’t want to invade an employee’s privacy. At the same time some jobs may require employees to conform to a certain standard of behavior both on and off the job, but how much is too much? How much should be employees be judged and how high of a standard should be set. Where do we draw the line? Shaw and Barry in their text Moral Issues in Business state â€Å"A firm has a legitimate interest in employee conduct off the job only if it affects work performance† (Shaw & Barry 2010, p477). It can be argued that as long as the drug use doesn’t affect the employee’s work performance, then he shouldn’t be tested. If he is tested and the result is positive, but work performance is satisfactory, then drug use should not be considered as grounds for termination. Perhaps a better way to state this could be that as long as employee performance meets or exceeds the expected standards, then drug testing should not be used even if drug use is suspected. Egoism can be used to argue from both points of view. According to this theory, â€Å"an act is morally right if and only if it best promotes an agent’s interests† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p59). Following this theory, if the employer drug tests several employees and fires all who test positive, then they are acting in their best interests. On the other hand, if the employee’s best interests are served through their drug usage, then the employee has acted in the best moral way that he can. Using this theory does however raise some interesting questions. If the best possible person for a specific job is fired as a result of a drug test result, and the company’s performance in that specific department falls as a result of this, then was the action a morally right one? From a personal point of view, I believe that drug testing should be used only if the job requirements demand it. I don’t see any need for the person who picks up my garbage to be tested. I do however see a need for the school crossing guard at my children’s school to be tested. The person who shovels the snow from my driveway in the winter and mows my lawn in the spring and summer doesn’t need to be drug tested. My doctor should be. Several years ago my husband and I had a spat over my decision to hire the town drunk to do some lawn work and prune some tree branches off our roof. In all fairness I had no idea that he was the town drunk when I hired him, I was out in our backyard picking up fallen branches and he walked by at that moment. He asked if I had any odd jobs to be done and since he came across as clean and presentable and lucid I hired him on the spot. It wasn’t until three weeks later when my husband came home early and saw Bruce (the town drunk) at the top of a 50 foot tree sawing branches off that he realized who his new handyman was. Since he was usually the one on call at night whenever Bruce had one of his â€Å"benders† and had had cleaned him up several times, he now knew where Bruce was getting his drinking money from. My husband came home and told me he’d fired him. I rehired Bruce a day later. My reasoning was that he’d never shown up drunk, he did a great job on any task I set for him and his fee was reasonable. It was within my best interests to keep Bruce employed therefore I was acting as an egoist. It was within Bruce’s best interests to remain employed since it gave him the money to support his habit. He was acting as an egoist. We were both also following the theory of Libertarianism under which each person is free to live as he or she wishes â€Å"free from the interference of others† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p122). My husband in his decision to fire Bruce was also acting partially from an egoist point of view since an unemployed Bruce meant a sober Bruce which meant no trips to the ER which meant that my husband wouldn’t have to deal with a cursing, screaming, bloody drunk Bruce. At the same time he was also acting from Kant’s theory which states that â€Å"Only when we act from a sense of duty does our action have moral worth† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p69). My husband felt that it was his duty as a member of the medical profession, not to enable a habit that could possibly cause harm to an individual. A high incidence of false positive results in drug testing is another reason for the argument that drug testing should not be used. In researching this paper I was surprised to learn how many over the counter drugs can produce false positive results. According to an article on The National Center for Biotechnology Information website entitled â€Å"Commonly prescribed medications and potential false positive urine drug screens† published Aug 15th 2010, â€Å"A number of routinely prescribed medications have been associated with triggering false-positive UDS results. Verification of the test results with a different screening test or additional analytical tests should be performed to avoid adverse consequences for the patients. † Some of the more common drugs that could produce false positive results were nonprescription nasal inhalers such as Vicks, antihistamines, antidepressants, and antibiotics such as Amoxicillin which has been associated with false positive urine screens for cocaine. Employers should not be able to question or test employees about other behaviors that they might consider health threatening. This is a rather grey area and raises the questions of where to draw the line. For example if a company which is trying to reduce health insurance costs, decides to eliminate all smokers from their payroll since it costs more to insure smokers, shouldn’t they then eliminate overweight employees who are more likely to develop health problems than fit ones? What about employees with pre-existing conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure or kidney problems? Shouldn’t they be eliminated as well? Should employers be allowed to use polygraph tests to â€Å"screen† out potentially costly employees who may engage in illegal drug use or any of these activities? The polygraph test, or as it is more commonly known, the lie detector test measures several physiological with in the human body such as increased blood pressure, increased pulse and respiration. However in spite of what most people believe it is not the most reliable test. Shaw and Barry in their text Moral Issues in Business list three assumptions made by those who advocate for the use of these tests. These assumptions are *  1.  Lying will automatically trigger a distinctive response to the question. * 2. Polygraphs are very accurate. * 3. Polygraphs cannot be beaten. (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p480). Unfortunately for these advocates while the polygraph test measures bodily responses to questions it cannot indicate whether or not the response is actually a lie. A person who has a history of being abused may register different reactions to questions along that subject area and all that these reactions may indicate is discomfort to the question not necessarily that the response to the question itself is a lie. Opinions vary as to just how accurate the tests are with the percentages ranging from 90% to as low as 55%, the higher percentages coming not surprisingly from the American Polygraph Association. Finally polygraph tests can be beaten and even generate false positives. Spies John Walker and Aldrich Ames both passed polygraph tests as did Gary Ridgeway the â€Å"Green Killer†. Ames actually passed two different polygraph tests. Since these tests are costly, using them as a screening method for either new hires or present employees may not be the best solution and should be considered on a case by case basis. Other methods should be used before resorting to polygraphs testing such as drug testing which may indicate previous drug use (although as has been mentioned earlier some false positive results may occur) or even background tests which may turn up questionable incidents. If during the course of these two checks questions are raised about the employee or new hire, then the employer could resort to the use of a polygraph. It could be argued that utilizing either or both of these two other methods is even more costly to the employers but I would say that any employer who needs to use a polygraph test to weed out potentially costly employees could afford to administer the extra tests to be absolutely sure. Fortunately for most employees, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 which protects the rights of employees and outlines the usage and restrictions of lie detector tests states: â€Å"The EPPA prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests, either for preemployment screening or during the course of employment. Employers generally may not require or request any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test, or discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee or job applicant for refusing to take a test or for exercising other rights under the Act†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ It then goes on to outline just which employers are permitted to utilize lie detector tests †¦ â€Å"Subject to restrictions, the Act permits polygraph (a type of lie detector) tests to be administered to certain job applicants of security service firms (armored car, alarm, and guard) and of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers. Subject to restrictions, the Act also permits polygraph testing of certain employees of private firms who are reasonably suspected of involvement in a workplace incident (theft, embezzlement, etc. ) that resulted in specific economic loss or injury to the employer. † (United States Department of Labor website) My argument to using a polygraph test therefore would be that assuming that the employer fell into one of these categories then yes they should be permitted to utilize lie detector tests but only as a last resort. I submit this argument using the rule utilitarianism theory. This is not to be confused with act utilitarianism. Under act utilitarianism, â€Å"we ask must ask ourselves what the consequences of a particular act in a particular situation will be for all those affected. If its consequences bring more total good than those of any alternative course of action, then this action is the right one† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p63) The action that produces the greatest amount of happiness is the right one. Rule utilitarianism asks â€Å"what moral code †¦ a society should adopt to maximize happiness. The principles that make up that code would then be the basis for distinguishing right actions from wrong actions† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p80-81). Under act utilitarianism, if 20 employees were polygraphed and 15 of them failed the test and were fired as a result, then the action would not be a moral one since more people would be left unhappy rather than happy. Using those same figures, if the rule or moral code that needed to be followed was that of a no drug policy, and the same 20 employees were polygraphed and again 15 failed and were fired, then the action would be a morally right one since firing the 15 employees made sure that the moral code was enforced. References http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20689123 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygraph_test http://www.dol.gov/compliance/guide/eppa.htm#who

Human motivation Essay

Introduction: A person is a complex creature who goes through a variety of developmental changes in his life. Each of these changes, a particular learning occurs. When we learn, we organize, shape, and strengthen our brain. Humans are like machines who never get tired of learning. From the day we are born, our brain works and encode those that we have learned in the web connections of our brain. But what does learning mean? Learning is how one acquires new information about the world he lives in. It is how he interprets and understands reality in a way that his behavior changes because of those learned information or knowledge. Learning is also said to be an active process in which the learner uses sensory input and constructs meaning out of those things that has to be learned. The learner needs to do something to be able to learn because learning is not just a passive acceptance of knowledge and ideas of a person alone, but rather, an activity or process which involves the learner to engage with the world he is in. Motivation on the other hand is a key component in learning. Essential because it includes an understanding of ways in which the knowledge can be used. Unless we know the reason why, we may not be very involved in using the knowledge that may be instilled in us, even with the most intensive, severe, rigid, and direct type of teaching. When one is not motivated to learn, teaching becomes ineffective and useless. Motivation is an inner state of need or desire that activates an individual to do something that will satisfy that need or desire. Motivation is derived from the need or desires internal to the individual such that others cannot motivate an individual but must manipulate environmental variables that may result in an increase or decrease of motivation. The relationship between motivation and learning is connected and are mutually causal. That is, those individuals, â€Å"who are more motivated learn more†¦those who learn more become more motivated† (Richmond, 194). In classroom settings, the teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning and self motivation. Knowing how to meet individual learner’s needs for control, competence, and belonging in the classroom is one key to student motivation to learn. Following are examples of learning as tied to human motivation. Teacher Rose is a regular teacher of 45 students in a public school. Three of her students are repeaters and two manifests symptoms of mild retardation. Their presence in class causes her stress and anxiety not because she don’t want these children there but because she feels like she is not able to help them as she‘s supposed to be. Since there are no special schools in the place to cater the needs of these children, she decided to apply for a scholarship at the district office to study Special Education. The process was not an easy one but because of her desire to help these children, she was able to graduate and earned a degree in Special Education. Now she’s more fulfilled and happy because she is able and capable of teaching and handling these types of children. Sir Benjamin on the other hand is a teacher who wishes to become a lawyer someday. But due to poverty, this dream remains only a dream. When he got married and belittled by his in-laws, Sir Benjamin vowed to become a lawyer to prove that he can be somebody someday, a person his in-laws would respect and be proud of. When his marriage was annulled due to insistence of his in-laws, Sir Benjamin applied for a scholarship in a university to pursue his studies in Law. After painful years of studying and teaching at the same time, he was able to graduate and pass the board exam. Now, he is already a lawyer. Although he was not able to win back his beloved wife, he is still happy and proud because at last, he was able to fulfill his dream and was able to prove himself at the same time. Jane is also an example of a person who was able to fulfill and finish her studies because of her desire to help her parents. Due to poverty, Jane wasn’t able to pursue college education. She went to work in a restaurant for two years. When given a chance to apply for a scholarship at the Mayor’s office, she didn’t hesitate to ask permission from her employer. Working during the day and studying during the nights. The process was long and hard and yet she was able to graduate. She was very motivated to finish her studies because she needs to get a descent job so she would be able to send her younger brothers and sisters to school. Now, she works in a bank, a lot more comfortable and happier because she’s able to fulfill her dreams. Motivation therefore comes from within, and most people with intrinsic motivation are most likely to succeed.

Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub

Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and San Francisco Disease epidemics are largely caused by specific historic, political, economic, and cultural aspects. In this respect, the infection spread is often regarded as a social rather than biological process. The plague of the twenty-first century is AIDS that have been caused by a complex of cultural, economic and political conditions. Specifically, gender inequalities, genocide, poverty, and many other factors have had a destructive impact on the situation in developing countries (Kalipeni 15).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and in San Francisco and Church’s Response to the AIDS Pandemic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to the lack of resources, consistent infrastructures, and effective governance, these economies have been struck by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and AIDS. The Afric an continent has undergone the worst shifts, particularly its Sub-Saharan region. However, poverty is only one of the key drivers of disease epidemic because there are many cultural, moral, and ethnic determinants influencing the situation. To enlarge on this issue, the rate of people suffering from HIV/AID is significant. Irrespective of local conditions and geographical peculiarities, the reasons for HIV/AIDS emergence are rooted in a complex mix of political, social, and economical factors that drive the epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa and San Francisco. The nature of these factors is different, but refers to the common categories. The most tangible of epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa is strongly associated with gender issues. Specifically, such problems as gender inequalities and gender vulnerabilities, violence, and many other gender-related challenges are on the South African agenda (Gender and Inequalities and HIV n. p.). Gender inequalities are more related to masculinity imply ing that males are likely to have more sexual partners. This is of particular concern to men having relationship with much younger women. Further, force sex and violence of physical and emotional character are experienced by women who are less resistant to these threats. What is more threatening is that women have a lesser access to HIV/AID prevention plans causing restrictions to a decision-making process. Poverty and migrations are also among the core reasons for spread of the dangerous epidemic. Specifically, HIV prevention programs are often halted due to the lack of funding. These socioeconomic obstacles prevent the population from receiving sufficient financial, moral, and social support from developed countries (Kalipeni 205). This also explains why AIDS pandemic is still the major threat to our plant (Kelly 26). Despite the fact that many scientific and technological advances directed at preventing the disease have been introduced, the evidence shows that they have little im pact on the developing countries having much lesser access to financial resources.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cultural believes, morale, and ethics are decisive in defining the underpinnings of increased rates of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. While attaining much importance to cultural forces, it should be noted that educational and information reforms must be introduced to increase the population knowledge and promote generally accepted educational standards (Kalipeni 17). Lack of information and responsiveness explains the inefficiency of prevention plan because cultural constraints determine the results. Although the United States belong to one of the most developed economies, the rate of AID/HIV creates a serious challenge to the US government. The problem is of particular concern to San Francisco region where the epidemic is also on the rise. The contri buting factors involve sexual orientation issues, injection drugs problems, and racial discrepancies. Heterosexuality can be largely associated with psychological, behavioral, and ethical patterns that are strongly associated with homosexuals (Kelly 45). Injection drugs are also toughly connected with the development of AIDS/HIV because they reflect the behavioral and psychological patterns that are typical of citizens (Rao and Svenkerud 86). In this respect, the prevention programs should be culturally sensitive and oriented on shaping new cultural patterns. Finally, racial discrepancies influence greatly the situation with AIDS increased rate as far as immigration issues are concerned. To be more precise, African Americans have higher rates of reported HIV cases among which are such categories as MSM and trans-persons are included (San Francisco HIV Prevention Plan 3). In conclusion, the analysis of social, cultural and political situations in Sub-Saharan region and San Francisco has revealed that that there are a great number of factors contributing to the spread of the epidemic. In particular, the key driving factors of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan African involve gender inequality, poverty and migration, and cultural beliefs. In its turn, San Francisco high rates are largely predetermined by sexual orientation, injection drugs proliferation, and racial discrepancies. All these factors can be embraced into a complex mix of social, cultural, and economical issues. Differences and Similarities of Factors Driving HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and San Francisco The identification of factors triggering the rise of HIV/AIDS in the regions has uncovered a number of distinctive differences and similarities. Before analyzing those, it should be stressed that pandemic is a social process that touches upon many political, ethnic, racial, cultural, and economical issues, which is the explicit similarity related to issue.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and in San Francisco and Church’s Response to the AIDS Pandemic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another common feature refers to the sexual orientation problem, particularly to homosexual males who have greater risk of being infected by the disease. Hence, due to male gender prevalence in South Africa, men are more likely to be sexually promiscuous. Despite similarities, there are obvious distinctions predetermined largely by economical and political conditions. Specifically, the level of poverty is different and, as a result, the causes of pandemic differ as well. South African region refers to developing economies whereas San Francisco in much more advanced in these terms. In addition, there are also discrepancies in cultural beliefs and perceptions. Lack of education and deficiency in understanding the problem prevents African people from embracing the seriousness o f the issue. Church’s Response to AIDS Pandemic Today, African religious institutions are primarily considered as healing ministries. This tendency has come to the forth when it comes in Christian traditions in African region as far as the problem of AIDS spread is concerned. The analysis of religious background of churches in Zimbabwe and other countries of Southern region have revealed that religion considers AIDS as a deviation of behavior and rejection to follow the main principles of religion (Dube 27). The church reaction on the epidemic, therefore, can be considered through wider applications of religion to AID/HIV problem. Judging from the above, Churches in African places an emphasis on moral dimension to eliminate spiritual and physical suffering that people endeavor because of the disease. In this respect, the Christian communities are more presented as mentors and teachers encouraging people to fight with the pandemic and resort to pre-caution methods. Their actio ns are directed at increasing people’s awareness and promoting specific educational programs based on the Biblical principles. The reforms concern both the infected people and the one who face this threat. Dube, Lilian et al. African Initiatives in Healing Ministry, South Africa: UNISA Press, 2011. Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"Gender and Inequalities and HIV†. Gender, Women and Health. World Health Organization. 2011. Web. Kalipeni, Ezekiel, et al. HIV and AIDS in Africa: Beyond Epidemiology, New Jersey: Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Print. Kelly, Michael. HIV and AIDS: A Social Justice Perspective. Nairobi, Kenya: Paulines Publications, 2010. Print. Rao, Nagesh, and Peer J. Svenkerud. Effective HIV/AIDS prevention communication strategies to reach culturally unique populations: lesson learned in San Francisco, U. S. A and Bangkok, Thailand. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 22.1 (1998): 85-105. Print. San Francisco Prevention Plan. Introduction. SFHIV. 2010. Web.